Palm faithful and newcomers alike, behold: the TouchPad review. For some, this has been years in the making, for others (honestly, for most) this is a new and potentially interesting blip on the tablet radar. The team that brought you webOS — for better or worse — has now graduated the platform to pad status, with the help (and cash) of HP. According to the company, the TouchPad marks the kickoff of its hard push into the hearts and minds of the slate-buying public, as well as a rebirth of sorts for Palm’s unrealized ambitions. The iPad-like device will be showing up on store shelves, online, and in advertisements meant to reintroduce not only webOS, but HP as a consumer brand worth knowing (and loving, presumably). The company hopes that the TouchPad will pave the way for its newly-acquired operating system to live on PCs, printers, phones, and more — all talking to one another in a self-contained and self-sustaining ecosystem.
The TouchPad has its work cut out for it, of course. The $499 / $599 10-inch slate is entering a market currently dominated by Apple’s iPad and crowded by me-too Android devices. HP believes the breadth of its reach in retail and the superiority of webOS as a platform will convince buyers and developers that the product can be more than just an also-ran. I’ve been putting the device through its paces for the last week or so (along with an early version of the Pre 3), and can tell you whether those claims are backed up by reality, or just an unanswered wish in HP’s hope-chest. Read on after the break for all the details in my full review of the TouchPad!
Hardware / Industrial design
Okay, I won’t beat around the bush. The TouchPad looks a lot like the original iPad. Sure, it’s missing the aluminum backing and some of the harder lines, but the general shape, button placement, and size just scream iPad — and it doesn’t help that the screen is the identical dimensions and aspect ratio. There are only so many ways to slice these devices, but it would have been nice to see HP get a little more daring on the look and feel of the general industrial design of this product. Of course, the TouchPad is rather thick — as thick as the original iPad and way thicker than the iPad 2 or Galaxy Tab 10.1. Comparatively, the TouchPad clocks in at 0.54 inches, while the iPad 2 and Tab both hit 0.34 inches. That may not sound like much on paper, but it’s a pretty hefty difference that you definitely notice when you have the device in hand.
You also notice the plasticky feel of the hardware. The TouchPad is made up largely of piano black, high-gloss plastic. A single piece of this material makes up the back and sides of the slate, while up front there’s a Gorilla Glass-coated LCD display, broken only by a small webcam at the top of the device (in portrait), and a thin home button at the bottom. Along the right side is a volume rocker, while you get two speakers on the left (the stereo sound is a nice touch). The bottom houses a Micro USB port, while a power / sleep button lives on the top right edge of the tablet.
In all, the feel of the device is a touch on the cheaper side of things; I certainly wouldn’t describe it as “premium.” Even though the TouchPad has a substantial weight (1.6 pounds), the unit seems cookie cutter (for lack of a better term) in your hands. I also noticed some very slight squeakiness and movement with the plastic around the speaker grill on the lower left side of the slate, which didn’t inspire confidence (though build quality is far superior to previous Palm phones). A soft touch coating would have gone a long way to improving the feel of the device (something along the lines of what the company has done on the Pre 3) — or HP could have simply used a better material for the housing. It’s not a tragedy, but I walked away underwhelmed with the design on the tablet — it’s nice to look at, but does nothing to stand out from the pack.
2011年6月29日 星期三
Get a Taste of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 with its Online Simulator
There’s nothing like spending some hands-on time with a device before deciding to purchase it but it’s not always possible, especially when it comes to tablets that are in high demand from the preorder stage itself. Samsung can’t give each of us a demo unit of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 but it provides the next best thing – an online simulator that takes you through almost every feature and capability of the 10inch Honeycomb tab.
The online simulator is broken into Menu, Index and Search. Each feature/function is explained through an interactive tutorial. For example, under Menu you have Getting Started, Settings, Features, Camera, Notification Tray/Panel, and Web Browsing. Each of these has subcategories. For example, Getting Started covers Google Signup, Date/Time, Using Widgets, Accessing Apps, Recent Apps, Navigating menus, and Lock Screen; Features covers Email, Calendar, Contacts, Using Gmail, Market and Google Talk; and so forth.
It’s a great way to see what Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is all about. Once you’re done with that, get the tablet online or in store.
Meanwhile, as we reported earlier, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 was to head to Nordic countries ahead of the rest of the world. A tweet from Samsung Germany informs us that the release has been delayed to mid-August there. Though no reasons have been provided, we’re guessing the issue is related to component availability. Will this lead to downgraded screen quality or a thicker build for Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9? I guess we’ll know in the following month.
The online simulator is broken into Menu, Index and Search. Each feature/function is explained through an interactive tutorial. For example, under Menu you have Getting Started, Settings, Features, Camera, Notification Tray/Panel, and Web Browsing. Each of these has subcategories. For example, Getting Started covers Google Signup, Date/Time, Using Widgets, Accessing Apps, Recent Apps, Navigating menus, and Lock Screen; Features covers Email, Calendar, Contacts, Using Gmail, Market and Google Talk; and so forth.
It’s a great way to see what Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is all about. Once you’re done with that, get the tablet online or in store.
Meanwhile, as we reported earlier, Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 was to head to Nordic countries ahead of the rest of the world. A tweet from Samsung Germany informs us that the release has been delayed to mid-August there. Though no reasons have been provided, we’re guessing the issue is related to component availability. Will this lead to downgraded screen quality or a thicker build for Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9? I guess we’ll know in the following month.
2011年6月26日 星期日
New Android tablets from Amazon, Huawei plus smartphones from Motorola and Sony
The Android tablet market could use some help right now, and the rumor mill will have your hopes running high for some summer relief. For months now, rumors of an Amazon Android tablet has been fueling speculation, with DigiTimes constantly fanning the flames. Writing of a possible launch this August, the Asian tech publication also indicates that an upcoming Amazon Android tablet will have a Quanta processor and Wintek touch panel.
Things are still sketchy for Amazon’s tablet plans, but Huawei is solid, with the unveiling of its latest 7-inch Android 3.2 tablet. Called MediaPad, Huawei’s tablet will come with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, supporting 1080p HD video playback. With a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel camera in the back, the MediaPad will also have HD video recording. While this isn’t Huawei’s first Android tablet, it will be the first to run Android 3.2 Honeycomb, an optimized version of Android 3.1 for 7-inch displays.
Ice Cream Sandwich gains support, Motorola & Sony launching lifestyle phones
Motorola Droid BionicWhile the tablet market struggles to get a hold on Android’s OS, Google looks to rectify some larger fragmentation issues with the upcoming tablet/smartphone OS, Ice Cream Sandwich. This summer could welcome some new devices for the cross-platform OS, including one from Google itself. The Google Nexus 4G will be loaded with an LTE radio, 1GB of RAM, 1080p HD video capture, and an integrated NFC chip. With 3D capabilities, a super-slim design and Open GL head tracking, the Nexus 4G is an aspiring competitor to the iPhone. An upcoming tablet also rumored to run on Ice Cream Sandwich is the next version of Asus’ Transformer. With a quad core processor from NVIDIA’s third-generation Tegra processor Kal-El, the Transformer 2 could be a speedy, multi-tasking powerhouse.
Motorola also has big plans for the summer, with a general launch time for Motorola’s Droid Bionic finally being revealed. Having received an overhaul since first being introduced at CES 2011, the Droid Bionic’s expected to be a Verizon-specific version of its popular Atrix 4G for AT&T. Anticipated updates include a redesigned Android skin and a faster processor, with aims to compete head-to-head with the iPhone’s Verizon line-up. Sony, on the other hand, is hedging its bets with two new Xperia phones designed for very different users. The Active is a rugged handset, ready for those with an active lifestyle. The Ray is full of media perks, with LifeSound headphones and LiveDock integration.
Things are still sketchy for Amazon’s tablet plans, but Huawei is solid, with the unveiling of its latest 7-inch Android 3.2 tablet. Called MediaPad, Huawei’s tablet will come with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor, supporting 1080p HD video playback. With a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and a 5-megapixel camera in the back, the MediaPad will also have HD video recording. While this isn’t Huawei’s first Android tablet, it will be the first to run Android 3.2 Honeycomb, an optimized version of Android 3.1 for 7-inch displays.
Ice Cream Sandwich gains support, Motorola & Sony launching lifestyle phones
Motorola Droid BionicWhile the tablet market struggles to get a hold on Android’s OS, Google looks to rectify some larger fragmentation issues with the upcoming tablet/smartphone OS, Ice Cream Sandwich. This summer could welcome some new devices for the cross-platform OS, including one from Google itself. The Google Nexus 4G will be loaded with an LTE radio, 1GB of RAM, 1080p HD video capture, and an integrated NFC chip. With 3D capabilities, a super-slim design and Open GL head tracking, the Nexus 4G is an aspiring competitor to the iPhone. An upcoming tablet also rumored to run on Ice Cream Sandwich is the next version of Asus’ Transformer. With a quad core processor from NVIDIA’s third-generation Tegra processor Kal-El, the Transformer 2 could be a speedy, multi-tasking powerhouse.
Motorola also has big plans for the summer, with a general launch time for Motorola’s Droid Bionic finally being revealed. Having received an overhaul since first being introduced at CES 2011, the Droid Bionic’s expected to be a Verizon-specific version of its popular Atrix 4G for AT&T. Anticipated updates include a redesigned Android skin and a faster processor, with aims to compete head-to-head with the iPhone’s Verizon line-up. Sony, on the other hand, is hedging its bets with two new Xperia phones designed for very different users. The Active is a rugged handset, ready for those with an active lifestyle. The Ray is full of media perks, with LifeSound headphones and LiveDock integration.
Apple iPad 2 display ranks best in Android face-off
The first thing you notice about a tablet is its display. Even when a tablet is powered down, its display is what jumps out first, since the screen is the most dominant part. The quality of the display is a critical component of a tablet, just as image quality is essential to any screen, be it for a laptop, a monitor, a smartphone, or even an HDTV.
I've had dozens of tablets cross my desk, and their display quality has varied dramatically. When I look at a tablet's display quality, I judge it on a number of criteria: brightness, color accuracy, contrast, and image clarity. The last point is a tricky one, as it covers image sharpness and detail as well as text sharpness, areas that can be influenced by how well a mobile operating system renders those elements in software.
Rewind to the debut of the first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets--those early models running Android 3.0 all suffered from a bug that caused digital images to render improperly in Google's Gallery app, the default program for viewing pictures. Images looked fuzzy, with little detail. Google quietly fixed the bug later, in Android 3.1; nevertheless, image reproduction could be better, and the Gallery still natively displays images in just 16-bit color.
So where does that leave the discerning buyer hoping to get the best tablet display possible? To find out, the PCWorld Labs lined up eight tablets and compared their image quality side by side. Our testing is ongoing, and we will fold the results into our ratings for tablets in the future. Right now, we can offer a glimpse of our early findings.
Tablet Displays Tested
This first pass of our subjective testing focused on images and color, not text. Our jury reviewed four identical images on the eight tablets, with brightness settings on max for all. What we found was a bit surprising, in that the images varied dramatically and noticeably. During my earlier hands-on testing, in which I compared all comers with the standard-bearer, Apple's iPad 2, I had noticed some differences and issues--but to see the variety in a lineup was something else altogether.
In our comparison were the Acer Iconia Tab A500, Apple iPad 2, Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101, HTC Flyer, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab Wi-Fi (7-inch), and T-Mobile G-Slate. Many of the tablets we looked at run Android 3.0; only two of the five 10.1-inchers, the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, had Android 3.1.
The Apple iPad 2 was clearly and consistently the leader of the pack; it stumbled only on a photo with a variety of skin tones and colors, failing to strike the right balance. In another shot, the iPad 2 had the best color balance and accuracy, and it showed the best distribution of colors on our grayscale and color-bar images.
The two next-best displays were not on flagship Android Honeycomb tablets, but on tablets running Android 2.2 and 2.3--the Samsung Galaxy Tab Wi-Fi and the HTC Flyer, respectively. Each of these models did particularly well with skin tones and color balance in actual photos, although neither one quite nailed the balance in our color-bar shot.
None of the Android 3.x tablets we tested could compete with the iPad 2, or with the Android 2.x tablets. In our tests, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 did better overall than its next-closest competitor, the Motorola Xoom. But the Tab blew out colors with oversaturation, and crushed shades of black; this tendency was clear in our test photos as well as in the grayscale and color-bar images.
The Xoom's display never particularly impressed me, but in the end it did better on balance than some of the other Android tablets we tested. It suffered from washed-out skin tones, poor handling of brown hues, and a lack of sharpness--even with the Android 3.1 update. The touchscreen grid was evident on the Xoom, too.
Falling in between were the T-Mobile G-Slate and the Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101. The results from these two tablets were close, although in our detail shot the G-Slate appeared to have slightly better detail and color balance despite its tendency toward a greenish cast. The Transformer offered a great angle of view (which we expected given that it has an IPS display), and it did a reasonable job of reproducing browns, but its reproduction of reds was off-base.
The Acer Iconia Tab A500 consistently landed at the bottom. As with the Xoom, you can see the touch-panel grid on the Iconia Tab, but in this case it's clearly visible pretty much any way you hold the tablet, making the grid a viewing annoyance at best and a deterrent at worst. Running the Android 3.1 update, the Iconia Tab struggled with reproducing skin tones and browns, and it tended to give a slightly bluish tint to images.
I've had dozens of tablets cross my desk, and their display quality has varied dramatically. When I look at a tablet's display quality, I judge it on a number of criteria: brightness, color accuracy, contrast, and image clarity. The last point is a tricky one, as it covers image sharpness and detail as well as text sharpness, areas that can be influenced by how well a mobile operating system renders those elements in software.
Rewind to the debut of the first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets--those early models running Android 3.0 all suffered from a bug that caused digital images to render improperly in Google's Gallery app, the default program for viewing pictures. Images looked fuzzy, with little detail. Google quietly fixed the bug later, in Android 3.1; nevertheless, image reproduction could be better, and the Gallery still natively displays images in just 16-bit color.
So where does that leave the discerning buyer hoping to get the best tablet display possible? To find out, the PCWorld Labs lined up eight tablets and compared their image quality side by side. Our testing is ongoing, and we will fold the results into our ratings for tablets in the future. Right now, we can offer a glimpse of our early findings.
Tablet Displays Tested
This first pass of our subjective testing focused on images and color, not text. Our jury reviewed four identical images on the eight tablets, with brightness settings on max for all. What we found was a bit surprising, in that the images varied dramatically and noticeably. During my earlier hands-on testing, in which I compared all comers with the standard-bearer, Apple's iPad 2, I had noticed some differences and issues--but to see the variety in a lineup was something else altogether.
In our comparison were the Acer Iconia Tab A500, Apple iPad 2, Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101, HTC Flyer, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab Wi-Fi (7-inch), and T-Mobile G-Slate. Many of the tablets we looked at run Android 3.0; only two of the five 10.1-inchers, the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, had Android 3.1.
The Apple iPad 2 was clearly and consistently the leader of the pack; it stumbled only on a photo with a variety of skin tones and colors, failing to strike the right balance. In another shot, the iPad 2 had the best color balance and accuracy, and it showed the best distribution of colors on our grayscale and color-bar images.
The two next-best displays were not on flagship Android Honeycomb tablets, but on tablets running Android 2.2 and 2.3--the Samsung Galaxy Tab Wi-Fi and the HTC Flyer, respectively. Each of these models did particularly well with skin tones and color balance in actual photos, although neither one quite nailed the balance in our color-bar shot.
None of the Android 3.x tablets we tested could compete with the iPad 2, or with the Android 2.x tablets. In our tests, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 did better overall than its next-closest competitor, the Motorola Xoom. But the Tab blew out colors with oversaturation, and crushed shades of black; this tendency was clear in our test photos as well as in the grayscale and color-bar images.
The Xoom's display never particularly impressed me, but in the end it did better on balance than some of the other Android tablets we tested. It suffered from washed-out skin tones, poor handling of brown hues, and a lack of sharpness--even with the Android 3.1 update. The touchscreen grid was evident on the Xoom, too.
Falling in between were the T-Mobile G-Slate and the Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101. The results from these two tablets were close, although in our detail shot the G-Slate appeared to have slightly better detail and color balance despite its tendency toward a greenish cast. The Transformer offered a great angle of view (which we expected given that it has an IPS display), and it did a reasonable job of reproducing browns, but its reproduction of reds was off-base.
The Acer Iconia Tab A500 consistently landed at the bottom. As with the Xoom, you can see the touch-panel grid on the Iconia Tab, but in this case it's clearly visible pretty much any way you hold the tablet, making the grid a viewing annoyance at best and a deterrent at worst. Running the Android 3.1 update, the Iconia Tab struggled with reproducing skin tones and browns, and it tended to give a slightly bluish tint to images.
2011年6月22日 星期三
Amazon 7-inch and 10-inch Android Honeycomb Tablets Set for August Roll Out
It’s been quite a while since we started seeing info on Amazon’s new tablet flowing in. The much-spoken about Honeycomb slates – not one but two – from the house of Amazon will start rolling out this summer. The company, which is the latest to step into Android Honeycomb shoes, has announced that the coming August will see the launch of their tablets.
Taiwanese component makers are said to be supplying parts for the tablet. We hear that with their collaboration, Amazon is aiming to give away about 4 million units globally, by the year end. So, this holiday season will find Amazon busy shipping 700,000-800,000 units a month, of their Android 3.1 line of tablets.
Amazon is supposedly planning to roll out two models of their device – the 7-inch Coyote and 10-inch Hollywood models. These models are rumored to be powered by processors from the Texas Instruments stables.
And that’s not all; the devices will have touch panels from the Taiwan-based company, Wintek. The LCD driver ICs will be supplied by ILI Technology and Quanta Computer has taken over the product’s assembly.
Going by what we hear, it seems Amazon is considering its Honeycomb tablet a serious business. We expect the company to take a leaf out of Kindle, and provide the devices with movie streaming service and mainstream recognition. If that happens, then, with this venture, Amazon might well have a winner on their shelves.
So, keep your fingers crossed, or rather open, to grab one this summer. In the meantime, we will now go hunting to know what is on the pricing front.
Taiwanese component makers are said to be supplying parts for the tablet. We hear that with their collaboration, Amazon is aiming to give away about 4 million units globally, by the year end. So, this holiday season will find Amazon busy shipping 700,000-800,000 units a month, of their Android 3.1 line of tablets.
Amazon is supposedly planning to roll out two models of their device – the 7-inch Coyote and 10-inch Hollywood models. These models are rumored to be powered by processors from the Texas Instruments stables.
And that’s not all; the devices will have touch panels from the Taiwan-based company, Wintek. The LCD driver ICs will be supplied by ILI Technology and Quanta Computer has taken over the product’s assembly.
Going by what we hear, it seems Amazon is considering its Honeycomb tablet a serious business. We expect the company to take a leaf out of Kindle, and provide the devices with movie streaming service and mainstream recognition. If that happens, then, with this venture, Amazon might well have a winner on their shelves.
So, keep your fingers crossed, or rather open, to grab one this summer. In the meantime, we will now go hunting to know what is on the pricing front.
Apple iPad 2 Display Ranks the Best in Face-Off Against Android Hordes
The first thing you notice about a tablet is its display. Even when a tablet is powered down, its display is what jumps out first, since the screen is the most dominant part. The quality of the display is a critical component of a tablet, just as image quality is essential to any screen, be it for a laptop, a monitor, a smartphone, or even an HDTV.
I've had dozens of tablets cross my desk, and their display quality has varied dramatically. When I look at a tablet's display quality, I judge it on a number of criteria: brightness, color accuracy, contrast, and image clarity. The last point is a tricky one, as it covers image sharpness and detail as well as text sharpness, areas that can be influenced by how well a mobile operating system renders those elements in software.
Rewind to the debut of the first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets--those early models running Android 3.0 all suffered from a bug that caused digital images to render improperly in Google's Gallery app, the default program for viewing pictures. Images looked fuzzy, with little detail. Google quietly fixed the bug later, in Android 3.1; nevertheless, image reproduction could be better, and the Gallery still natively displays images in just 16-bit color.
So where does that leave the discerning buyer hoping to get the best tablet display possible? To find out, the PCWorld Labs lined up eight tablets and compared their image quality side by side. Our testing is ongoing, and we will fold the results into our ratings for tablets in the future. Right now, we can offer a glimpse of our early findings.
Tablet Displays Tested
This first pass of our subjective testing focused on images and color, not text. Our jury reviewed four identical images on the eight tablets, with brightness settings on max for all. What we found was a bit surprising, in that the images varied dramatically and noticeably. During my earlier hands-on testing, in which I compared all comers with the standard-bearer, Apple's iPad 2, I had noticed some differences and issues--but to see the variety in a lineup was something else altogether.
In our comparison were the Acer Iconia Tab A500, Apple iPad 2, Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101, HTC Flyer, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab Wi-Fi (7-inch), and T-Mobile G-Slate. Many of the tablets we looked at run Android 3.0; only two of the five 10.1-inchers, the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, had Android 3.1. (Click the chart below to view it at full size.)
I've had dozens of tablets cross my desk, and their display quality has varied dramatically. When I look at a tablet's display quality, I judge it on a number of criteria: brightness, color accuracy, contrast, and image clarity. The last point is a tricky one, as it covers image sharpness and detail as well as text sharpness, areas that can be influenced by how well a mobile operating system renders those elements in software.
Rewind to the debut of the first Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets--those early models running Android 3.0 all suffered from a bug that caused digital images to render improperly in Google's Gallery app, the default program for viewing pictures. Images looked fuzzy, with little detail. Google quietly fixed the bug later, in Android 3.1; nevertheless, image reproduction could be better, and the Gallery still natively displays images in just 16-bit color.
So where does that leave the discerning buyer hoping to get the best tablet display possible? To find out, the PCWorld Labs lined up eight tablets and compared their image quality side by side. Our testing is ongoing, and we will fold the results into our ratings for tablets in the future. Right now, we can offer a glimpse of our early findings.
Tablet Displays Tested
This first pass of our subjective testing focused on images and color, not text. Our jury reviewed four identical images on the eight tablets, with brightness settings on max for all. What we found was a bit surprising, in that the images varied dramatically and noticeably. During my earlier hands-on testing, in which I compared all comers with the standard-bearer, Apple's iPad 2, I had noticed some differences and issues--but to see the variety in a lineup was something else altogether.
In our comparison were the Acer Iconia Tab A500, Apple iPad 2, Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101, HTC Flyer, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung Galaxy Tab Wi-Fi (7-inch), and T-Mobile G-Slate. Many of the tablets we looked at run Android 3.0; only two of the five 10.1-inchers, the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, had Android 3.1. (Click the chart below to view it at full size.)
2011年6月19日 星期日
Last-minute shopping for dad? Here's what I'd buy
The X100 packs a fixed f/2 lens (dad can get into shape by being the telephoto); 12-megapixel APS-C sensor -- like the one in dSLRs but in compact body (X100 measures 26.5mm wide by 74.4mm high by 53.9mm deep and weighs 445 grams -- that's 5 x 2.9 x 2.1 inches and 15.7 ounces); external controls; a real viewfinder (no squinting at a LCD panel in bright sunlight); near silent shutter; 720p video recording and more.
The X100 is no cheap purchase at $1,199.99 -- if you can find it. DigitalRev in Hong Kong has the X100 in stock, you'll pay more -- $1,385 -- but shipping is fast. I ordered the matching LC-X 100 leather case late Wednesday afternoon, and it arrived yesterday. That's right, just two days. Just tell dad you've got a special present coming from Asia and it was delayed in shipping.
Samsung Series 9. This beautiful, svelte laptop is one fine-looking Windows 7 machine -- and it puts down Apple's MacBook Air with better features. But you will pay dearly for them. The Series 9 comes in two screen sizes, 11.6-inches and 13.3 inches (not coincidently like MacBook Air). Quick specs:
Samsung Series 911.6-inch model: 1.33GHz Intel Core i3-380UM processor; 11.6-inch LED backlit display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 2GB DDR3 memory, 64GB solid-state drive, webcam, Bluetooth, WiFi "n", one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2 ports, mini-HDMI port, MicroSD reader, 4-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium. The laptop measures 297.18 x 198.12 x 16.51 mm (11.7 x 7.8 x 0.65 inches) and weighs 1.04kg (2.88 pounds). Price: $1,149.
13.3-inch model: 1.4GHz Intel Core i5-2537M processor; 13.3-inch LED backlit display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 4GB DDR3 memory, 128GB solid-state drive, webcam, Bluetooth, WiFi "n", two each USB 3 and USB 2 ports, mini-HDMI port, MicroSD reader, 6-cell battery and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. The laptop measures 327.66 x 226.06 x 16.25 mm (12.9 x 8.9 x 0.64 inches) and weighs 1.3kg (2.88pounds). Price: $1,499.
Now, if dad is a Mac guy, then you'll have to consider the Air instead, which ranges in price from $999 to 1,599.
Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-101-first-impression-review/1307596973" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi. Dad doesn't want an iPad. He needs Android 3.1 glory. The Tab 10.1 is for men who like to tinker. That's because there aren't lots of native apps for v3.1, aka Honeycomb; the desktops support live content (via widgets); and the operating system is more customizable than Apple's iOS. Honeycomb's appearance is masculine, swathed in black, dark grey and blue. It's a black-tie event. The hardware has style, too, with dimensions that are different from iPad 2. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is taller and narrower in portrait mode.
Quick specs: 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1280 x 800 resolution; 1GHz dual-core processor; 16GB storage; microSD slot expands storage up to 32GB; 3-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and 2-megapixel front-facing camera; 720p video recording; 1080p video playback (at 30 frames per second); WiFi N; Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR; accelerometer; ambient light sensor; digital compass; gyroscope; and Android 3.1.
However, as I will explain in my forthcoming "second impressions" review, Tab 10.1 falls short on video. If you're dad is a video junkie, the Samsung tablet isn't for him. Adobe Flash is supported, but video options are skimpy. The hardware is plenty capable, but not the software. Hulu and Netflix don't work, nor do the Google Videos or Samsung Media Hub apps. Amazon Instant Videos play nicely, but there are some rendering issues for accessing full-screen and other controls in landscape mode.
Citiz espresso makerGalaxy Tab 10.1 is perfect for anyone using Google services, like Gmail, Calendar or Contacts. But if your dad is an Apple junkie or metrosexual, he might prefer iPad more. Prices are nearly identical -- just 99 cents more for Tab 10.1, based on storage and wireless options: $499.99 (16GB); 599.99 (32GB). Like the FinePix X100, you may not be able to get the Tab 10.1 for dad's day, ordering from Amazon or Best Buy.
Nespresso CitiZ Automatic Espresso Maker (and Milk Frother). You don't spend enough time with dear old dad. Why not meet him for coffee -- at home! You'll want to come over every day to drink his espresso. The Nepresso CitiZ espresso maker is highly rated on Amazon and elsewhere. It makes one cup at a time, which gives you more time to catch up with dad while you both await your brew.
The machine comes in black, red and silver -- and you'll pay more for silver or red (that's the one I like). This is a cheaper gift than the others (but still plenty pricey for a coffee maker), and you're more likely to walk into a store and walk out with one. The espresso machine's street price is $349.99 but is available for less, particularly the black model.
The X100 is no cheap purchase at $1,199.99 -- if you can find it. DigitalRev in Hong Kong has the X100 in stock, you'll pay more -- $1,385 -- but shipping is fast. I ordered the matching LC-X 100 leather case late Wednesday afternoon, and it arrived yesterday. That's right, just two days. Just tell dad you've got a special present coming from Asia and it was delayed in shipping.
Samsung Series 9. This beautiful, svelte laptop is one fine-looking Windows 7 machine -- and it puts down Apple's MacBook Air with better features. But you will pay dearly for them. The Series 9 comes in two screen sizes, 11.6-inches and 13.3 inches (not coincidently like MacBook Air). Quick specs:
Samsung Series 911.6-inch model: 1.33GHz Intel Core i3-380UM processor; 11.6-inch LED backlit display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 2GB DDR3 memory, 64GB solid-state drive, webcam, Bluetooth, WiFi "n", one USB 3.0 port, two USB 2 ports, mini-HDMI port, MicroSD reader, 4-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium. The laptop measures 297.18 x 198.12 x 16.51 mm (11.7 x 7.8 x 0.65 inches) and weighs 1.04kg (2.88 pounds). Price: $1,149.
13.3-inch model: 1.4GHz Intel Core i5-2537M processor; 13.3-inch LED backlit display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 4GB DDR3 memory, 128GB solid-state drive, webcam, Bluetooth, WiFi "n", two each USB 3 and USB 2 ports, mini-HDMI port, MicroSD reader, 6-cell battery and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. The laptop measures 327.66 x 226.06 x 16.25 mm (12.9 x 8.9 x 0.64 inches) and weighs 1.3kg (2.88pounds). Price: $1,499.
Now, if dad is a Mac guy, then you'll have to consider the Air instead, which ranges in price from $999 to 1,599.
Samsung-Galaxy-Tab-101-first-impression-review/1307596973" target="_blank">Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi. Dad doesn't want an iPad. He needs Android 3.1 glory. The Tab 10.1 is for men who like to tinker. That's because there aren't lots of native apps for v3.1, aka Honeycomb; the desktops support live content (via widgets); and the operating system is more customizable than Apple's iOS. Honeycomb's appearance is masculine, swathed in black, dark grey and blue. It's a black-tie event. The hardware has style, too, with dimensions that are different from iPad 2. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is taller and narrower in portrait mode.
Quick specs: 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1280 x 800 resolution; 1GHz dual-core processor; 16GB storage; microSD slot expands storage up to 32GB; 3-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and 2-megapixel front-facing camera; 720p video recording; 1080p video playback (at 30 frames per second); WiFi N; Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR; accelerometer; ambient light sensor; digital compass; gyroscope; and Android 3.1.
However, as I will explain in my forthcoming "second impressions" review, Tab 10.1 falls short on video. If you're dad is a video junkie, the Samsung tablet isn't for him. Adobe Flash is supported, but video options are skimpy. The hardware is plenty capable, but not the software. Hulu and Netflix don't work, nor do the Google Videos or Samsung Media Hub apps. Amazon Instant Videos play nicely, but there are some rendering issues for accessing full-screen and other controls in landscape mode.
Citiz espresso makerGalaxy Tab 10.1 is perfect for anyone using Google services, like Gmail, Calendar or Contacts. But if your dad is an Apple junkie or metrosexual, he might prefer iPad more. Prices are nearly identical -- just 99 cents more for Tab 10.1, based on storage and wireless options: $499.99 (16GB); 599.99 (32GB). Like the FinePix X100, you may not be able to get the Tab 10.1 for dad's day, ordering from Amazon or Best Buy.
Nespresso CitiZ Automatic Espresso Maker (and Milk Frother). You don't spend enough time with dear old dad. Why not meet him for coffee -- at home! You'll want to come over every day to drink his espresso. The Nepresso CitiZ espresso maker is highly rated on Amazon and elsewhere. It makes one cup at a time, which gives you more time to catch up with dad while you both await your brew.
The machine comes in black, red and silver -- and you'll pay more for silver or red (that's the one I like). This is a cheaper gift than the others (but still plenty pricey for a coffee maker), and you're more likely to walk into a store and walk out with one. The espresso machine's street price is $349.99 but is available for less, particularly the black model.
Apple nervous as iPad 2 contender Samsung Galaxy 10.1 arrives in U.S.
The ultra-thin tablet from Samsung, which brings the goodness of Google's tablet-specific OS Android 3.0 or Honeycomb on a 10.1-inch display, was distributed for free to over 5,000 Google I/O attendees by Google in May.
However, just as Galaxy Tab 10.1 potential customers get ready to lay their hands on the thinnest tablet, it is reported that Apple has upped its legal ante against Samsung. Apple has refurbished its earlier patent lawsuit filed against Samsung. The Cupertino company had filed a patent infringement case against Samsung in April, charging it of infringing patents related to the rectangular design of iPhone and iPad and the use of gestures on the touch-screen. The complaint included charges of patent encroachment.
The amended lawsuit says FOSS Patent, uses stronger language which charges Samsung of being the boldest of all competitors in copying Apple's products. Also, Apple has changed the tone of lawsuit by using words like "copied" instead of "misappropriated" which was used in the earlier lawsuit.
The lawsuit names Samsung's stellar products like Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy S 2 as products guilty of infringement.
Apple bamboozled its competitors by launching its slimmer rendition of iPad, the iPad 2, in March. While competitors like Motorola Xoom were basking in the new found glory of super specifications, Apple tilted the game by making the iPad 2 slimmer, lighter and faster.
Samsung was the only company that took the threat seriously with its vice president Lee Don-joo stating: "We will have to improve the parts that are inadequate, Apple made it very thin." The result was two ultra-thin tablets Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9.
Samsung bettered Apple's iPad 2 in terms of thinness and weight. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 weighs 595g (1.31 pounds) while iPad 2 weighs 601g (1.32 pounds). Also, the Galaxy Tab 10.1is merely 8.6mm (0.33-inch) thick while Apple iPad 2 is 8.8mm (0.34-inch) thick.
Te hGalaxy Tab 10.1 sports a 10.1-inch screen compared to iPad 2's 9.7-inch display. It also sports a better screen resolution at 1280x800 compared to iPad 2's 1024x768. It packs in a 3MP rear and 2MP front facing cameras compared to iPad 2's 2 MP rear and VGA front-facing camera. However, Samsung achieves all this on a slimmer frame than Apple's.
Apart from these key features Galaxy Tab 10.1 matches Apple's iPad 2 memory and pricing as well. Galaxy Tab comes in similar configuration as iPad 2 - 16/32/64 GB. Samsung's offering is also priced competitively at $499 for 16GB and $599 for 32GB. Apple iPad 2 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi costs $499 and $599 respectively.
Apple's nervousness regarding Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is evident by the lawsuit filed it has filed against its key supplier Samsung. However Apple could be lucky if the recent reports are true. Engadget reported that Samsung is facing shipping delays which could affect supply at certain retails stores.
It was also reported by Eldar Murtazin, Mobile-Review.com's Editor in Chief last week that Galaxy Tab 10.1's arrival in many countries has been delayed until August due to Android 3.1 issues.
And while Samsung attempts to clear its supply chain of any bottlenecks, Apple iPad 2 has continued its march. DigiTimes reported that Apple iPad 2 demand resulted in a 26 percent increase in the shipment of 9.7-inch touch panels in May. The shipment of touch panels reached 5.38 million units. Shipment of 10.1-inch display panels grew 37 percent to 986,000 units on the back of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1's demand. Currently Samsung is the only competitor which has been able to corner 10 percent share of the global tablet market.
Sales for other tablet makers like Motorola, HTC, LG and RIM have been flat. And thus, they have reduced their investments in the 7-inch and 10-inch tablet segment but have strengthened R&D for Android smartphones where they have an edge until Apple iPhone 5 arrives.
This leaves Samsung as the only iPad 2 contender; in fact the only Android tablet capable of giving Apple a run for its money provided it can iron out the supply issues.
However, just as Galaxy Tab 10.1 potential customers get ready to lay their hands on the thinnest tablet, it is reported that Apple has upped its legal ante against Samsung. Apple has refurbished its earlier patent lawsuit filed against Samsung. The Cupertino company had filed a patent infringement case against Samsung in April, charging it of infringing patents related to the rectangular design of iPhone and iPad and the use of gestures on the touch-screen. The complaint included charges of patent encroachment.
The amended lawsuit says FOSS Patent, uses stronger language which charges Samsung of being the boldest of all competitors in copying Apple's products. Also, Apple has changed the tone of lawsuit by using words like "copied" instead of "misappropriated" which was used in the earlier lawsuit.
The lawsuit names Samsung's stellar products like Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy S 2 as products guilty of infringement.
Apple bamboozled its competitors by launching its slimmer rendition of iPad, the iPad 2, in March. While competitors like Motorola Xoom were basking in the new found glory of super specifications, Apple tilted the game by making the iPad 2 slimmer, lighter and faster.
Samsung was the only company that took the threat seriously with its vice president Lee Don-joo stating: "We will have to improve the parts that are inadequate, Apple made it very thin." The result was two ultra-thin tablets Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 8.9.
Samsung bettered Apple's iPad 2 in terms of thinness and weight. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 weighs 595g (1.31 pounds) while iPad 2 weighs 601g (1.32 pounds). Also, the Galaxy Tab 10.1is merely 8.6mm (0.33-inch) thick while Apple iPad 2 is 8.8mm (0.34-inch) thick.
Te hGalaxy Tab 10.1 sports a 10.1-inch screen compared to iPad 2's 9.7-inch display. It also sports a better screen resolution at 1280x800 compared to iPad 2's 1024x768. It packs in a 3MP rear and 2MP front facing cameras compared to iPad 2's 2 MP rear and VGA front-facing camera. However, Samsung achieves all this on a slimmer frame than Apple's.
Apart from these key features Galaxy Tab 10.1 matches Apple's iPad 2 memory and pricing as well. Galaxy Tab comes in similar configuration as iPad 2 - 16/32/64 GB. Samsung's offering is also priced competitively at $499 for 16GB and $599 for 32GB. Apple iPad 2 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi costs $499 and $599 respectively.
Apple's nervousness regarding Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is evident by the lawsuit filed it has filed against its key supplier Samsung. However Apple could be lucky if the recent reports are true. Engadget reported that Samsung is facing shipping delays which could affect supply at certain retails stores.
It was also reported by Eldar Murtazin, Mobile-Review.com's Editor in Chief last week that Galaxy Tab 10.1's arrival in many countries has been delayed until August due to Android 3.1 issues.
And while Samsung attempts to clear its supply chain of any bottlenecks, Apple iPad 2 has continued its march. DigiTimes reported that Apple iPad 2 demand resulted in a 26 percent increase in the shipment of 9.7-inch touch panels in May. The shipment of touch panels reached 5.38 million units. Shipment of 10.1-inch display panels grew 37 percent to 986,000 units on the back of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1's demand. Currently Samsung is the only competitor which has been able to corner 10 percent share of the global tablet market.
Sales for other tablet makers like Motorola, HTC, LG and RIM have been flat. And thus, they have reduced their investments in the 7-inch and 10-inch tablet segment but have strengthened R&D for Android smartphones where they have an edge until Apple iPhone 5 arrives.
This leaves Samsung as the only iPad 2 contender; in fact the only Android tablet capable of giving Apple a run for its money provided it can iron out the supply issues.
2011年6月14日 星期二
A Slender Tablet With Widescreen Ambitions
If you've ever experienced the anxiety of buying an Apple product while worrying that a new model will come out days later, Apple's competitors feel your pain. Three months ago when the iPad 2 was announced, their existing tablets suddenly seemed chunky compared with the super-thin new iPad.
But this week I reviewed the first tablet that's actually thinner than the iPad 2: the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Never mind that the difference in thinness between these competing tablets is two-tenths of a millimeter. Thinner is thinner.
The Tab 10.1 is also lighter than the iPad 2, though (again) not by much: 1.25 pounds versus 1.33 pounds. Starting Friday, the 16-gigabyte model with WiFi, which I tested, will be available for $499 and the 32-gigabyte WiFi model for $599—the same prices as Apple's comparable iPad 2s.
So how do the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and iPad 2 really differ?
There are hundreds of thousands more apps available for the iPad 2's iOS operating system. The Galaxy Tab's front- and rear-facing cameras capture better-quality photos than the iPad 2. The Galaxy Tab's 10.1-inch screen is formatted for widescreen viewing and is slightly longer than the iPad 2's 9.7-inch screen.
Juice Test
But the most notable difference between these two tablets is in battery life: In my test with WiFi on, screen brightness at about 75% and a continuous loop of video playing, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 lasted for just 5 hours and 38 minutes. This is only a bit more than half as long as the iPad 2, which lasted for 10 hours and nine minutes in the same test. (Both the Tab and iPad 2 batteries would last longer in more normal-use scenarios.)
But this week I reviewed the first tablet that's actually thinner than the iPad 2: the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. Never mind that the difference in thinness between these competing tablets is two-tenths of a millimeter. Thinner is thinner.
The Tab 10.1 is also lighter than the iPad 2, though (again) not by much: 1.25 pounds versus 1.33 pounds. Starting Friday, the 16-gigabyte model with WiFi, which I tested, will be available for $499 and the 32-gigabyte WiFi model for $599—the same prices as Apple's comparable iPad 2s.
So how do the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and iPad 2 really differ?
There are hundreds of thousands more apps available for the iPad 2's iOS operating system. The Galaxy Tab's front- and rear-facing cameras capture better-quality photos than the iPad 2. The Galaxy Tab's 10.1-inch screen is formatted for widescreen viewing and is slightly longer than the iPad 2's 9.7-inch screen.
Juice Test
But the most notable difference between these two tablets is in battery life: In my test with WiFi on, screen brightness at about 75% and a continuous loop of video playing, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 lasted for just 5 hours and 38 minutes. This is only a bit more than half as long as the iPad 2, which lasted for 10 hours and nine minutes in the same test. (Both the Tab and iPad 2 batteries would last longer in more normal-use scenarios.)
Vizio tablet shows up in inventory systems, celebs’ hands; release coming soon? (update: $349)
You may recall that Vizio bucked its reputation as a television maker at CES this year by showing off early prototypes of an Android-powered phone and tablet. I’d personally forgotten about the whole thing — six solid months of nonstop gadget news will do that to you — but it seems that Vizio may be ramping up to start retailing the tablet before too long.
Besides a recent FCC appearance, Engadget notes that NBA superstar Blake Griffin has posted a YouTube video where he gets a tour of the tablet in his newly Vizio-equipped home; the company rep that’s with him says they’re “getting ready to introduce” it, so that’s a good sign. We don’t get to see any of the trick VIA Plus integration points with Blake’s 65-inch 3D telly — photo sharing and the like — but he does manage to pull up a remote app and turn the set off. That’s a start.
Just because a celeb has a device in-hand doesn’t mean it’s around the corner, though — Dr. Dre had an HP TouchPad and Pre 3 in one of his music videos months ago, for instance, and we’re still waiting on those. More telling might be a handful of shots we’ve received from a Walmart in Indiana: apparently signage and accessories for the tablet are starting to roll in, including Griffin screen protectors and lint-free cloths. Can’t control your television with a smudgy tablet, now, can you? See the shots up close (plus Blake’s video) after the break.
Update: We’ve just been fed a shot of Walmart’s placard for the tablet — which does now appear to be coming to market simply as “Tablet” — and it’ll run $349 with an 8-inch display, GPS, and a front-facing camera. Still no solid word on a release date, but it’s got to be awfully close. Granted, it doesn’t have an IPS display, lacks any sort of 3G / 4G radio, and doesn’t appear to have gotten a Honeycomb upgrade since its CES intro… but it’s competitive with the 7-inch Wi-Fi Galaxy Tab, which retails for the same price. Follow the break for a shot. Thanks, Thomas!
Besides a recent FCC appearance, Engadget notes that NBA superstar Blake Griffin has posted a YouTube video where he gets a tour of the tablet in his newly Vizio-equipped home; the company rep that’s with him says they’re “getting ready to introduce” it, so that’s a good sign. We don’t get to see any of the trick VIA Plus integration points with Blake’s 65-inch 3D telly — photo sharing and the like — but he does manage to pull up a remote app and turn the set off. That’s a start.
Just because a celeb has a device in-hand doesn’t mean it’s around the corner, though — Dr. Dre had an HP TouchPad and Pre 3 in one of his music videos months ago, for instance, and we’re still waiting on those. More telling might be a handful of shots we’ve received from a Walmart in Indiana: apparently signage and accessories for the tablet are starting to roll in, including Griffin screen protectors and lint-free cloths. Can’t control your television with a smudgy tablet, now, can you? See the shots up close (plus Blake’s video) after the break.
Update: We’ve just been fed a shot of Walmart’s placard for the tablet — which does now appear to be coming to market simply as “Tablet” — and it’ll run $349 with an 8-inch display, GPS, and a front-facing camera. Still no solid word on a release date, but it’s got to be awfully close. Granted, it doesn’t have an IPS display, lacks any sort of 3G / 4G radio, and doesn’t appear to have gotten a Honeycomb upgrade since its CES intro… but it’s competitive with the 7-inch Wi-Fi Galaxy Tab, which retails for the same price. Follow the break for a shot. Thanks, Thomas!
2011年6月12日 星期日
Window treatments save money, complete decor
With energy efficient glass now doing the job of keeping out the cold, windows can finally do what they were meant to do - let in the light.
“They (homeowners) want to let as much light in as they can,” said Deborah Majchrzak, who designs, sews and installs custom curtains from her home in Kawkawlin.
Majchrzak said homeowners have gone from heavy, elaborate drapes to simple panels that frame the window sans tiebacks and valances. And with the emphasis off ornate fabrics, it’s all eyes on glitzy drapery rings and curtain rods made from stainless steel, bronze and other metals.
“It’s more of a sleek or tailored look,” said Majchrzak, who has been in the window treatment business for about 15 years. “They’re not tied back. They don’t have all of the big valances like they used to.”
The stationary panels accomplish two things, Majchrzak said: Their vertical lines can make a window look longer by bringing the eye up to the top of a room, and their simplicity can bring a comfortable coziness into a décor.
“It softens the room a little so that it’s not so hard looking or industrial looking,” she said.
And these days, behind every good curtain is a good blind.
Tim Apple, co-owner with his brother Dan Apple of Tri City Blinds in Freeland, said one of the newest trends is blinds that can be opened and closed or tilted up or down without having to get off the couch.
Motorized blinds, which aren’t entirely inspired by laziness, have been around for awhile. But new designs that can be operated by remote control are making them a must-have for homes with arched windows, skylights and other unique and hard-to-reach spaces, Apple said.
“Motorization is really coming on strong,” Apple said. “It’s becoming more and more popular. A lot of the bigger houses have windows that you just can’t reach.”
The blinds can be operated with a remote control or can be hard-wired into a wall switch. Some styles can be set up to track the sun by external light or by the hour of the day and time of year, and smart shades can be programmed to raise or lower in response to changing daylight conditions.
Tri City Blinds and other companies that specialize in custom window treatments take the guesswork out of buying blinds with a free in-house consultation to get the right measurements. Most will also bring samples to help give homeowners design ideas.
And when finished, most companies will have a professional installer hang them.
“People love that,” Apple said, because if it’s done wrong it’s not the homeowner’s fault — or expense.
Tri City Blinds has been around for 20 years and blinds are manufactured on site, with most custom orders taking two to three weeks to complete.
Blinds can be made from fabric, wood, aluminum and PVC - a vinyl polymer that is cheap and durable, but one type of blind that continues to outshine the rest is made with honeycomb cells.
In a honeycomb blind, air is trapped between two layers, which creates a barrier that keeps cold air out in the winter and the sun and heat out in the summer.
“They’re very energy efficient for those times when the air conditioner never shuts off and bills keep getting higher,” Apple said.
Over a period of several years, Apple said, the blinds will pay for themselves in energy savings.
Majchrzak said window coverings are often not included in the budget when someone is building or purchasing a new house, or they are on the bottom of the list. But they should be considered part of the cost, she said.
“That completes everything.”
Custom-made window treatments are more expensive than those that can be purchased off the shelves in department stores, but Majchrzak said they should be looked at as an investment. When you consider that they will last for several years and will be viewed regularly, their cost is just pennies per day, she said.
“They (homeowners) want to let as much light in as they can,” said Deborah Majchrzak, who designs, sews and installs custom curtains from her home in Kawkawlin.
Majchrzak said homeowners have gone from heavy, elaborate drapes to simple panels that frame the window sans tiebacks and valances. And with the emphasis off ornate fabrics, it’s all eyes on glitzy drapery rings and curtain rods made from stainless steel, bronze and other metals.
“It’s more of a sleek or tailored look,” said Majchrzak, who has been in the window treatment business for about 15 years. “They’re not tied back. They don’t have all of the big valances like they used to.”
The stationary panels accomplish two things, Majchrzak said: Their vertical lines can make a window look longer by bringing the eye up to the top of a room, and their simplicity can bring a comfortable coziness into a décor.
“It softens the room a little so that it’s not so hard looking or industrial looking,” she said.
And these days, behind every good curtain is a good blind.
Tim Apple, co-owner with his brother Dan Apple of Tri City Blinds in Freeland, said one of the newest trends is blinds that can be opened and closed or tilted up or down without having to get off the couch.
Motorized blinds, which aren’t entirely inspired by laziness, have been around for awhile. But new designs that can be operated by remote control are making them a must-have for homes with arched windows, skylights and other unique and hard-to-reach spaces, Apple said.
“Motorization is really coming on strong,” Apple said. “It’s becoming more and more popular. A lot of the bigger houses have windows that you just can’t reach.”
The blinds can be operated with a remote control or can be hard-wired into a wall switch. Some styles can be set up to track the sun by external light or by the hour of the day and time of year, and smart shades can be programmed to raise or lower in response to changing daylight conditions.
Tri City Blinds and other companies that specialize in custom window treatments take the guesswork out of buying blinds with a free in-house consultation to get the right measurements. Most will also bring samples to help give homeowners design ideas.
And when finished, most companies will have a professional installer hang them.
“People love that,” Apple said, because if it’s done wrong it’s not the homeowner’s fault — or expense.
Tri City Blinds has been around for 20 years and blinds are manufactured on site, with most custom orders taking two to three weeks to complete.
Blinds can be made from fabric, wood, aluminum and PVC - a vinyl polymer that is cheap and durable, but one type of blind that continues to outshine the rest is made with honeycomb cells.
In a honeycomb blind, air is trapped between two layers, which creates a barrier that keeps cold air out in the winter and the sun and heat out in the summer.
“They’re very energy efficient for those times when the air conditioner never shuts off and bills keep getting higher,” Apple said.
Over a period of several years, Apple said, the blinds will pay for themselves in energy savings.
Majchrzak said window coverings are often not included in the budget when someone is building or purchasing a new house, or they are on the bottom of the list. But they should be considered part of the cost, she said.
“That completes everything.”
Custom-made window treatments are more expensive than those that can be purchased off the shelves in department stores, but Majchrzak said they should be looked at as an investment. When you consider that they will last for several years and will be viewed regularly, their cost is just pennies per day, she said.
Good user experience, but not quite iconic [Review]
As far as tablets go, Apple’s iPad has sort of set a benchmark of what they should be. And even though we have seen companies churning out tablets every month, nothing has come close to it in terms of usability, build quality, compatibility with apps, etc. Android tablets are dime a dozen in the market, but most of them come with an operating system that was built for smartphones. Windows OS tablets have also made an entry in the market, but haven’t got much traction as far as sales go.
Android had released the Honeycomb operating system sometime earlier this year, as an OS meant for the tablet product category. The Motorola Xoom was the first tablet to feature it. But we have got our hands on Acer’s Iconia Tab A500 which sports the Honeycomb OS and has reached the Indian market before the guys are Motorola Mobility got the Xoom here. So is Honeycomb OS the answer to iOS and can the Iconia Tab A500 provide that much lacking competition to the ruler – the iPad? Let’s find out...
Look and Feel
Coming in a grayish silver brush metal finish body, the A500 does not have any sharp edges. The rear covering peeps out from the top and lower portion on the front side. The screen is 10.1-inch wide diagonally and has a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. It is an LED backlit LCD screen with a glossy finish. The rounded edges allows the tablet to be held comfortably in your palms, but we would have liked a bit more grip. The power button is located on the top left hand edge and is easy to reach and has the 3.5 mm audio jack just above it as well as the mini HDMI port on the lower edge. The volume controller is located on the top edge beside the orientation lock button which has a nice click mechanism. On the right hand edge there is a power port at the top, a mini-USB port and USB port on the lower edge.
The 5 MP camera section is located on the on the top right hand edge of the rear side and sports a single LED flash whereas the bezel on the left hand side houses the front facing 2MP camera. Two speakers are located on the lower half and you will notice your fingers covering them when you hold the tablet in the landscape mode. We really liked the case it comes along with, which can bend to form a stand against which you can place your A500 and enjoy a movie.
User Interface
Google has built the Honeycomb user interface from the ground up and resembles nothing like its smartphone cousins. The display is divided into five home screens. The main home page has three buttons on the lower left hand corner for going back, coming to the home screen and looking at the apps that have been opened at a time. It houses the NVIDIA Tegra 2 system on chip with a snappy 1 GHz dual core processor. Navigating through the home screens is breezy and you will notice the outlines of frame disappearing as you settle onto one screen, a nice touch. Long holding a particular home screen will give you a zoomed out view of the five home screens with options to add more widgets, applications, wallpapers, etc to the screens via a simple drag and drop mechanism.
You can see the last five opened applications by simply tapping on the button beside Home. Getting into the Settings menu from the task bar requires three clicks unless you are looking for common tasks such as setting up WiFi, turning Notifications on/off, changing brightness and activating Airplane mode. This may seem like a round about way of doing things. The Settings menu is quite exhaustive with an additional option called Dolby Mobile. The on board Youtube widget has a stack of videos arranged in a domino setup. Gmail application syncs without any issues and has a left and right hand panel arrangement with the settings options arranged on the upper right hand corner. The bundled browser is quite good with the tab functionality which allows you to have around 16 tabs open at a time. You can scroll through the tabs which is a smart rather than clicking on the Next Tab option to get to tab number 15.
You will notice apps placed in a drawer section on the homepage, which houses related applications. There’s Multimedia, Social, eReading and GameZone which are the broad categories and you will have related applications such as audio / video player apps under Multimedia, Lumiread and the Browser under eReading and so on. With the help of a round button housing the plus sign, you can add extra applications under each section. This functionality is somewhat similar to the Folder function in the iOS, except that in the Honeycomb OS, you do not have the ability to name the folder. Visually though it looks much better than the Folder implementation on the iOS, but then again, it just adds more clicks needed to get into a particular application.
Android had released the Honeycomb operating system sometime earlier this year, as an OS meant for the tablet product category. The Motorola Xoom was the first tablet to feature it. But we have got our hands on Acer’s Iconia Tab A500 which sports the Honeycomb OS and has reached the Indian market before the guys are Motorola Mobility got the Xoom here. So is Honeycomb OS the answer to iOS and can the Iconia Tab A500 provide that much lacking competition to the ruler – the iPad? Let’s find out...
Look and Feel
Coming in a grayish silver brush metal finish body, the A500 does not have any sharp edges. The rear covering peeps out from the top and lower portion on the front side. The screen is 10.1-inch wide diagonally and has a resolution of 1280x800 pixels. It is an LED backlit LCD screen with a glossy finish. The rounded edges allows the tablet to be held comfortably in your palms, but we would have liked a bit more grip. The power button is located on the top left hand edge and is easy to reach and has the 3.5 mm audio jack just above it as well as the mini HDMI port on the lower edge. The volume controller is located on the top edge beside the orientation lock button which has a nice click mechanism. On the right hand edge there is a power port at the top, a mini-USB port and USB port on the lower edge.
The 5 MP camera section is located on the on the top right hand edge of the rear side and sports a single LED flash whereas the bezel on the left hand side houses the front facing 2MP camera. Two speakers are located on the lower half and you will notice your fingers covering them when you hold the tablet in the landscape mode. We really liked the case it comes along with, which can bend to form a stand against which you can place your A500 and enjoy a movie.
User Interface
Google has built the Honeycomb user interface from the ground up and resembles nothing like its smartphone cousins. The display is divided into five home screens. The main home page has three buttons on the lower left hand corner for going back, coming to the home screen and looking at the apps that have been opened at a time. It houses the NVIDIA Tegra 2 system on chip with a snappy 1 GHz dual core processor. Navigating through the home screens is breezy and you will notice the outlines of frame disappearing as you settle onto one screen, a nice touch. Long holding a particular home screen will give you a zoomed out view of the five home screens with options to add more widgets, applications, wallpapers, etc to the screens via a simple drag and drop mechanism.
You can see the last five opened applications by simply tapping on the button beside Home. Getting into the Settings menu from the task bar requires three clicks unless you are looking for common tasks such as setting up WiFi, turning Notifications on/off, changing brightness and activating Airplane mode. This may seem like a round about way of doing things. The Settings menu is quite exhaustive with an additional option called Dolby Mobile. The on board Youtube widget has a stack of videos arranged in a domino setup. Gmail application syncs without any issues and has a left and right hand panel arrangement with the settings options arranged on the upper right hand corner. The bundled browser is quite good with the tab functionality which allows you to have around 16 tabs open at a time. You can scroll through the tabs which is a smart rather than clicking on the Next Tab option to get to tab number 15.
You will notice apps placed in a drawer section on the homepage, which houses related applications. There’s Multimedia, Social, eReading and GameZone which are the broad categories and you will have related applications such as audio / video player apps under Multimedia, Lumiread and the Browser under eReading and so on. With the help of a round button housing the plus sign, you can add extra applications under each section. This functionality is somewhat similar to the Folder function in the iOS, except that in the Honeycomb OS, you do not have the ability to name the folder. Visually though it looks much better than the Folder implementation on the iOS, but then again, it just adds more clicks needed to get into a particular application.
2011年6月8日 星期三
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer: Design and display
The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer obviously gets its name from the optional keyboard dock, but the tablet can be purchased without the keyboard dock for $599 in Australia. As a standalone device, the Eee Pad Transformer is largely unremarkable, though we do like the textured plastic on the rear which makes it easy to grip. We didn't have too many issues with build quality, though the plastic does exhibit a bit of flex when pressed, and the bezel surrounding the display seems a little large. At 271mm in length, the Eee Pad Transformer is the largest Honeycomb tablet we've reviewed. Weighing 680g, it's heavier than the featherweight Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, but lighter than both the Motorola Xoom and the Acer Iconia A500, making it easier to carry around.
At 10.1in, the Eee Pad Transformer's screen is the same size as the aforementioned Honeycomb tablets, though ASUS has opted for an IPS (In Plane Switching) panel, the same technology used in Apple's iPad 2. The Transformer's screen displays vibrant colour and relatively crisp text, but the glossy surface doesn't always feel smooth to swipe your finger across, quickly becomes a grubby fingerprint magnet, and is tough to see in direct sunlight.
Disappointingly, the Eee Pad Transformer without its keyboard dock accessory doesn't have a full-sized USB port or even a micro USB connector. The only ports on the tablet itself are a standard headphone jack, a mini-HDMI port (for connecting a high-definition TV or projector), a microSD card slot, and a proprietary ASUS connector that doubles as a USB and charging port. Though the proprietary connection is a pain, it offers two benefits: it connects the tablet to the keyboard dock, and charges much faster (around one hour) than a regular micro USB charger.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer: Keyboard dock
The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer really comes into its own when it's connected to the optional keyboard dock accessory (ASUS bundles the 32GB model with the keyboard dock for $799 in Australia). The Eee Pad Transformer's keyboard dock has two full-sized USB ports, an SD card slot and a trackpad, as well as its own built-in battery. ASUS says the battery offers an additional six and half hours of use. If both the tablet and the keyboard dock batteries are fully charged, the Eee Pad Transformer draws power from the keyboard dock first in order to preserve power for tablet-only use.
When connected, the Eee Pad Transformer folds over onto the keyboard dock and acts like a regular notebook, but connecting the two devices is best described as clunky. The tablet requires a forceful press to click into place, and there are no markers to help line up the tablet into its connector — it feels awkward to attach if it's not lined up correctly. We also don't like how the hinge raises the top half of the keyboard dock when the screen is connected.
The keyboard dock makes the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer easy to type on; its keys are well spaced and provide good tactility. We also love the addition of dedicated Honeycomb shortcuts including home, back, and settings keys, along with quick toggles for the trackpad, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, Browser, and media controls. There's also a button on the keyboard to lock the screen, which is handy if you want to keep the Eee Pad Transformer in its open position. The keyboard dock also has a touchpad, and you can use two fingers on it to scroll up and down on Web pages. It's easy to accidentally bump when typing though, so we suggest turning it off via the shortcut button when you aren't using it.
Unfortunately, the Eee Pad Transformer is very top-heavy, so it's almost impossible to position it on your lap without it toppling over. It's fine for use on a desk or table, but users planning to sit it on their lap should think twice. We also experienced some painful keystroke lag, most evidently when typing in the Web browser. This may be fixed in a future software update, but remains an issue out of the box.
At 10.1in, the Eee Pad Transformer's screen is the same size as the aforementioned Honeycomb tablets, though ASUS has opted for an IPS (In Plane Switching) panel, the same technology used in Apple's iPad 2. The Transformer's screen displays vibrant colour and relatively crisp text, but the glossy surface doesn't always feel smooth to swipe your finger across, quickly becomes a grubby fingerprint magnet, and is tough to see in direct sunlight.
Disappointingly, the Eee Pad Transformer without its keyboard dock accessory doesn't have a full-sized USB port or even a micro USB connector. The only ports on the tablet itself are a standard headphone jack, a mini-HDMI port (for connecting a high-definition TV or projector), a microSD card slot, and a proprietary ASUS connector that doubles as a USB and charging port. Though the proprietary connection is a pain, it offers two benefits: it connects the tablet to the keyboard dock, and charges much faster (around one hour) than a regular micro USB charger.
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer: Keyboard dock
The ASUS Eee Pad Transformer really comes into its own when it's connected to the optional keyboard dock accessory (ASUS bundles the 32GB model with the keyboard dock for $799 in Australia). The Eee Pad Transformer's keyboard dock has two full-sized USB ports, an SD card slot and a trackpad, as well as its own built-in battery. ASUS says the battery offers an additional six and half hours of use. If both the tablet and the keyboard dock batteries are fully charged, the Eee Pad Transformer draws power from the keyboard dock first in order to preserve power for tablet-only use.
When connected, the Eee Pad Transformer folds over onto the keyboard dock and acts like a regular notebook, but connecting the two devices is best described as clunky. The tablet requires a forceful press to click into place, and there are no markers to help line up the tablet into its connector — it feels awkward to attach if it's not lined up correctly. We also don't like how the hinge raises the top half of the keyboard dock when the screen is connected.
The keyboard dock makes the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer easy to type on; its keys are well spaced and provide good tactility. We also love the addition of dedicated Honeycomb shortcuts including home, back, and settings keys, along with quick toggles for the trackpad, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, Browser, and media controls. There's also a button on the keyboard to lock the screen, which is handy if you want to keep the Eee Pad Transformer in its open position. The keyboard dock also has a touchpad, and you can use two fingers on it to scroll up and down on Web pages. It's easy to accidentally bump when typing though, so we suggest turning it off via the shortcut button when you aren't using it.
Unfortunately, the Eee Pad Transformer is very top-heavy, so it's almost impossible to position it on your lap without it toppling over. It's fine for use on a desk or table, but users planning to sit it on their lap should think twice. We also experienced some painful keystroke lag, most evidently when typing in the Web browser. This may be fixed in a future software update, but remains an issue out of the box.
Samsung Galaxy Tab TouchWiz Featured on Video For You
Samsung had last week announced that the first tablet unit will be sporting Honeycomb, with the TouchWiz upgrade landing as an update. We are more than sure that you guys are sitting in eagerness to find out what you can expect when the update finally arrives. So, we thought we would unwrap a bit for you.
Samsung Galaxy Tab TouchWiz Featured on Video For You
The most interesting features include the control bar, brightness slider and the mini apps tray. The control bar, this time has all the useful toggles right in the notification area. Also, you will find the brightness slider in the right place. That means you can easily avoid that one extra click.
The Mini Apps Tray can be pulled up by just a swipe anytime you want from the bottom of the screen. If Sammy doesn’t lock down the apps that can be added on to the tray, it could well prove to be a handy addition. As of now, it looks as if it can handle a bunch of mini-apps.
The other additions include live panels that let you resize your widgets. Talking about widgets, it’s the same as on the Galaxy S2.
We have for you a video walkthrough, so that you get a hint at the kind of experience we are talking about. Please do note that the video shows an 8.9 version. Not much change is possible in the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Tell us your comments after watching the video below. Do the TouchWiz additions attract you?
Samsung Galaxy Tab TouchWiz Featured on Video For You
The most interesting features include the control bar, brightness slider and the mini apps tray. The control bar, this time has all the useful toggles right in the notification area. Also, you will find the brightness slider in the right place. That means you can easily avoid that one extra click.
The Mini Apps Tray can be pulled up by just a swipe anytime you want from the bottom of the screen. If Sammy doesn’t lock down the apps that can be added on to the tray, it could well prove to be a handy addition. As of now, it looks as if it can handle a bunch of mini-apps.
The other additions include live panels that let you resize your widgets. Talking about widgets, it’s the same as on the Galaxy S2.
We have for you a video walkthrough, so that you get a hint at the kind of experience we are talking about. Please do note that the video shows an 8.9 version. Not much change is possible in the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Tell us your comments after watching the video below. Do the TouchWiz additions attract you?
2011年6月6日 星期一
Caterham/Lola SP/300.R Is Pretty and Fast, and You Can Test Drive It—Kind Of
Two windshield-averse entities, Caterham and Lola Cars, are rolling out their SP/300.R track car with a very appropriate test-drive scheme: a handful of open track days. Caterham is inviting potential customers to come strap themselves in for a brief track flog, and first in line are those who have already placed their orders. Perhaps the best part (if you happen to find yourself in the U.K. in late August or early September) is that even those who have expressed interest in the car by way of a brief registration on Caterham’s website can land a test drive. Before you think Caterham has completely lost its mind by allowing Joe Schmoe to hop in to the SP/300.R and peel away in a cloud of vaporized rubber, its online registration form inquires about prior Caterham ownership and if you currently hold a racing license—so it’s safe to assume that such a license is required.
And required a racing license should be, for the SP/300.R takes all of the lightweight principles of Caterham design and mixes it with the LMP racer ethos of Lola. The SP/300.R is powered by a 301-hp Rotrex-supercharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder Ford Duratec engine bolted to a six-speed sequential gearbox. The racy engine features a “push-to-pass” power boost feature, giving drivers a brief command of 330 hp. All this power is strapped to very little weight—just 1200 lbs—with an aero package producing up to 992 lbs of downforce at 155 mph. Caterham claims the SP/300.R can catapult from 0-to-60 mph in 2.8 sec and continue on to a top speed of 180 mph; both figures sound realistic. The racer rides on an adjustable, pushrod-actuated coil-spring suspension with adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars, and AP Racing brakes haul the SP/300.R down from track speeds.
The Caterham’s aluminum-honeycomb monocoque and tight cabin are wrapped in lightweight polyurethane body panels. The bodywork is LMP cool, and the adjustable carbon fiber rear wing and low, aerodynamic styling give the racer a Le Mans-ready look. To help ensure other track rats can see you, the car sports front and rear LED running lights and brake lights, and a low-mounted, high-intensity rain light. The LEDs are arranged in strips, with the fronts giving the car an angry furrowed brow while the rears wrap delicately around vents in the car’s twin tail pods. The SP/300.R’s other racing essentials include on-board air jacks, twin roll bars, six-point harnesses, Momo steering wheel with an integrated driver info display, and an FIA-approved fuel cell. Caterham is taking orders for the SP/300.R, and customers can specify right- or left-hand drive for their lightweight track missile. Expect to pay around $95,000 before applicable taxes.
And required a racing license should be, for the SP/300.R takes all of the lightweight principles of Caterham design and mixes it with the LMP racer ethos of Lola. The SP/300.R is powered by a 301-hp Rotrex-supercharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder Ford Duratec engine bolted to a six-speed sequential gearbox. The racy engine features a “push-to-pass” power boost feature, giving drivers a brief command of 330 hp. All this power is strapped to very little weight—just 1200 lbs—with an aero package producing up to 992 lbs of downforce at 155 mph. Caterham claims the SP/300.R can catapult from 0-to-60 mph in 2.8 sec and continue on to a top speed of 180 mph; both figures sound realistic. The racer rides on an adjustable, pushrod-actuated coil-spring suspension with adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars, and AP Racing brakes haul the SP/300.R down from track speeds.
The Caterham’s aluminum-honeycomb monocoque and tight cabin are wrapped in lightweight polyurethane body panels. The bodywork is LMP cool, and the adjustable carbon fiber rear wing and low, aerodynamic styling give the racer a Le Mans-ready look. To help ensure other track rats can see you, the car sports front and rear LED running lights and brake lights, and a low-mounted, high-intensity rain light. The LEDs are arranged in strips, with the fronts giving the car an angry furrowed brow while the rears wrap delicately around vents in the car’s twin tail pods. The SP/300.R’s other racing essentials include on-board air jacks, twin roll bars, six-point harnesses, Momo steering wheel with an integrated driver info display, and an FIA-approved fuel cell. Caterham is taking orders for the SP/300.R, and customers can specify right- or left-hand drive for their lightweight track missile. Expect to pay around $95,000 before applicable taxes.
CNET Asia Review
The Acer Iconia Tab A500 is a good choice for budget seekers looking to hop onto the Android Honeycomb bandwagon.
Not one to miss a trend, Acer has a long history of pushing products into new categories almost as soon as they are created. The Acer Aspire One was one of the first Netbooks to hit the stores two years ago. This time, the Acer Iconia Tab A500 joined the first wave of Android tablets sporting the latest Google Honeycomb operating system. In line with the company's value positioning, the S$699 (US$544.14) Iconia Tab may be the cheapest Honeycomb device from an international brand in stores at this time.
At this price point, we were pleasantly surprised that Acer went with a brushed aluminum chassis instead of a plastic body. The Apple iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom also use metal in their construction but costs significantly more at S$798 (US$621.21) and S$988 (US$769.11) for the 32GB models, respectively. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer costs the same as the Iconia Tab A500, but comes with a plastic chassis and 16GB internal storage.
Not one to miss a trend, Acer has a long history of pushing products into new categories almost as soon as they are created. The Acer Aspire One was one of the first Netbooks to hit the stores two years ago. This time, the Acer Iconia Tab A500 joined the first wave of Android tablets sporting the latest Google Honeycomb operating system. In line with the company's value positioning, the S$699 (US$544.14) Iconia Tab may be the cheapest Honeycomb device from an international brand in stores at this time.
At this price point, we were pleasantly surprised that Acer went with a brushed aluminum chassis instead of a plastic body. The Apple iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom also use metal in their construction but costs significantly more at S$798 (US$621.21) and S$988 (US$769.11) for the 32GB models, respectively. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer costs the same as the Iconia Tab A500, but comes with a plastic chassis and 16GB internal storage.
2011年6月1日 星期三
Toshiba outs WT310 Windows 7 tablet (Computex 2011)
We're still waiting for more details on Toshiba's Android-tablet-with-no-name, but in the meantime our friends at Tosh have dished up a business-friendly Windows 7 tablet instead, the WT310.
It appears to share the same design touch as the forthcoming Honeycomb version too, though the screen is a spacious 11.6in across versus the Android slate's supposed 10.1in panel.
On the inside, the WT310 runs one of Intel's Oak Trail Atom processors – the Z670 to be specific – and that's accompanied by 2GB of RAM and a 64GB solid state hard drive.
Camera-wise you're talking a 2-megapixel front-facing effort but only a 3-megapixel companion round the back – the lowest megapixel count we've seen on any mobile device for a good while, though Toshiba will no doubt argue that the WT310's focus on the business crowd means that's a minor concern.
Connectivity is far more impressive, giving you USB 2.0, HDMI, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 for chatting to other devices.
We're a little stymied to be honest as to why Toshiba is pushing ahead with a Windows 7 slate when the far more tablet-friendly Windows 8 is starting to loom large on the horizon. Then again, unlike the consumer market the enterprise community is far more likely to opt for a tried-and-tested platform than a newer, potentially less stable system.
Either way, it's largely a moot point for us here in the UK, as the WT310 doesn't seem to be destined to make it out of Japan. Roll on the Ant, or the Thrive, or whatever that Honeycomb slate is supposed to be called.
It appears to share the same design touch as the forthcoming Honeycomb version too, though the screen is a spacious 11.6in across versus the Android slate's supposed 10.1in panel.
On the inside, the WT310 runs one of Intel's Oak Trail Atom processors – the Z670 to be specific – and that's accompanied by 2GB of RAM and a 64GB solid state hard drive.
Camera-wise you're talking a 2-megapixel front-facing effort but only a 3-megapixel companion round the back – the lowest megapixel count we've seen on any mobile device for a good while, though Toshiba will no doubt argue that the WT310's focus on the business crowd means that's a minor concern.
Connectivity is far more impressive, giving you USB 2.0, HDMI, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0 for chatting to other devices.
We're a little stymied to be honest as to why Toshiba is pushing ahead with a Windows 7 slate when the far more tablet-friendly Windows 8 is starting to loom large on the horizon. Then again, unlike the consumer market the enterprise community is far more likely to opt for a tried-and-tested platform than a newer, potentially less stable system.
Either way, it's largely a moot point for us here in the UK, as the WT310 doesn't seem to be destined to make it out of Japan. Roll on the Ant, or the Thrive, or whatever that Honeycomb slate is supposed to be called.
LG Revolution review
“4G” can mean a lot of things these days. For some carriers, it started out as marketing speak that did little beyond confusing customers. For others, 4G represents a next-generation network that might help ease the strain of a new breed of data-hungry smartphone users that have brought a nationwide 3G network to its knees. But while certain carriers were busy lobbying the International Telecommunications Union or launching crafty marketing campaigns, Verizon Wireless launched the fastest cellular network U.S. consumers have ever seen. On May 26th, Verizon released the LG Revolution and gave its subscribers their third 4G smartphone option. Does LG’s first 4G LTE phone address the shortcomings of Verizon Wireless’ earlier offerings? Read on for the full review.
訂閱：
文章 (Atom)