CloudSphere

Adam Mystery Feature Revealed

2011-01-07T04:37:00.001-08:00

Rohan Shravan confirmed live on crunchgear that the mystery feature in the Adam is an FM Radio!

Keeping this one short and sweet.

Notion Ink Adam:Hands on Demo (Video 720p HD)

2010-12-18T17:24:00.000-08:00

Rohan Shravan (CEO of Notion Ink) just posted the 720p HD Quality Video of the Notion Ink Adam.

Many people complained about the low quality of the video however I'm sure now they will find something new to complain about!

Good work Rohan and Team.. Keep it up!!

UPDATE:

Rohan just uploaded another video it seems after feedback from the community:

Notion Ink Adam: No Android Market (initially)

2010-12-17T10:57:00.000-08:00

Rohan Shravan, CEO of Notion Ink has given several interviews to various Android focused blogs/sites this week. The first short interview was with Androind Police and the second was with AndroidHeadlines.com. In the interview with Android Headlines Rohan confirmed that the Adam will not support Android Market initially or at least until honeycomb is available (This seems to be a minor omission since there is the possibility of a one click install).

Rohan also provided further details regarding the rear trackpad . The word straight from the horses mouth is that It will not be activated when the device is shipped, due to performance concerns.

You can head over to Androidheadlines.com and see the full interview for yourself.

Official Notion Ink Team Announcement!

2010-12-09T17:36:00.000-08:00

Notion Ink Team said, on December 10, 2010 at 05:49

Some people faced difficulty, Some people were able to order smoothly.
The first shipment due for dispatch between 6th to 9th Jan is already over but Don’t Worry there are 7 more shipments to go

Official Announcement From Notion Ink!

It means that deliveries will now probably head in to 6-8 weeks. This is confirmed byt he fact that most people are seeing that on their order pages now.

Notion Ink Adam Pre-order Info

2010-12-09T16:09:00.000-08:00

*Note*: Mastercard and Discover are currently not being accepted!

This is my personal explanation for the shipping charge!

$50 Shipping
The Adam isn't going to be shipping from your local Amazing Warehouse. It is probably coming from half way across the world. Add the weight of the various elements (manual, charger and packaging) and it can all add up. DHL isn't cheap either!

Service Unavailable
The server is under HEAVY load from the many many people who are trying to order. Please be patient! US/EU server will be up soon.

Timeline:

01:40 Rohan Shravan said, on December 10, 2010 at 07:00

Servers will go smooth in 1 more hour when our US & EU servers go up!
Thanks for your patience
Regards

01:29 Homepage updated with new link to pre-order! EVERYBODY can pre-order!

01:20 The site seems to be under HEAVY load and going up and down with 503 errors/Service Unavailable messages.

01:15 Users are now reporting Open Access to the Notion Ink Adam Pre-order page. Everybody can order.

01:07 people are now reporting that the Jan 9th delivery is no longer available and they are seeing 6 - 8 weeks.

01:05:People who were sent early pre-order invites have indeed been able to pre-order their Adams, many of them have confirmed their orders on the Notion Ink Blog.

01:00 Early orders started at around 00:00 GMT. It seems 9:30 PST (06:00 GMT~, i think) is when pre-orders will begin for the general public. It seems there has been a delay of 6 hours to the schedule.

What is 1.61803399 ? How does it relate to the Notion Ink Adam

2010-12-09T05:18:00.000-08:00

What is 1.61803399? and how does it relate to the Adam? You can find out more about the Golden Ratio itself here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio

Rohan mentions his love for the Golden Ration in his blog post :http://notionink.wordpress.com/2010/10/02/the-week-end-special-part-iii/

In this post Rohan describes why teh Golden Ratio is important:

"I must tell you that I have a very deep obsession for the love of Golden Ratio. Most of the design choices have been influenced by it, like the dimensions as explained in the image on the left:
where R1/R2 ~Golden Ratio (1.61803..)
and it doesn’t stop here, cos it’s embedded into nearly all curves of Adam!
The screen format in 16:9 is more closer to Golden Ratio than 4:3.
Our UI also has a lot to do with the same "

Engadget and their Anti Notion Ink Bias

2010-12-09T04:01:00.001-08:00

The Engadget Editor made a post on Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/09/notion-ink-adam-gets-caught-photoshopping-its-bezel-away/#disqus_thread - The tags to that post were "adam, fail, misleading, notion ink, notion ink adam, NotionInk,NotionInkAdam, photoshop, pre-order,pre-orders, shady, slate, tablet, vapor, vaporware") citing the fact that Notion Ink had photoshopped their product image to which he got majorly slated because he didn't even bother to read the Notion Ink Blog.

On his twitter he posted :

"vladsavov Vlad Savov

I told you people Notion Ink was shady: http://engt.co/ggGIq4

30 minutes ago "

Calling someone shady over a photoshopped image to me seems like a joke. I am a big fan of engadget but this is poor form for someone deleting comments that obviously point out how in competent he is in presenting hsi story and doing his research.

After a serious blacklash from the community, he closed comments and started to delete those that were pointing out how incompetent he is.

I am a big proponent of a small company trying to achieve their goals. Big Blogs should be supporting those with a vision and desire to bring us something new and different. Not posting negative and taunting articles. CrapGear did the same thing a few days ago. If they were all doing this with proof, I would thank them but this is just silly.

Who said people would pre-order on the basis of an image? You aren't going to be forced to pre-order on the basis of an image. I'm pretty sure in the detailed post they will tell people everything they need to know before orders.

I don't understand how companies can be "shady" for editing renders? Surely if consumers have an ounce of intelligence they will do what is required (on their part) to ensure that the product is everything the company promises it will be. I'm pretty disappointed in the tone of the whole story.

The funny thing is Notion Ink keep getting called shady/vapoware/liars/misleading, some of us don't take everything at face value or actually make an effort to do some research. I hope this guy had done the same. If you see the LinkedIN profile of their UI Director, You can see that he has worked at MANY reputable companies before.

Does he really think they would go to such lengths as detailing everything on a blog?(oh wait, he is so pro you didn't even bother to read their blog) and "faking" UI images because they are "shady" and trying to trick everyone? Do you really think their customer base is that stupid?

Notion Ink Adam reveal Image has hidden Messages

2010-12-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

The first hidden message in the image properties is:

“Oh you’ve reached here! So there is a small information for you. I am coming soon, with a Kernel better than out there! ”

it seems that the Adam will come with Gingerbread (Android 2.3).

The second message:

“All around me you see a strip, which is easily replaceable. So you can make me look white or ferrari red!”

Sounds like you are going to be able to easily change the colour of your Adam!

The third message read:

Steps coming your way! Stay Tuned! For first 6 hours, the first one will get access and then we all!

I think what means by the first ones is those either in the family or those that took part in the logo competition.

All credit to the many people on the Notion Ink forum who found these messages.

HTC Desire HD vs Samsung Nexus S

2010-12-06T09:18:00.001-08:00

I have been been waiting for a good smartphone for a long time. I currently own a Blackberry Bold 9700 but I feel its time to move on to Android, which I have always loved. The key dilemma for me is which one of the two handsets do I go for?

Samsung Nexus S

Google proclaims:

Nexus S is the next generation of Nexus devices, co-developed by Google and Samsung. The latest Android platform (Gingerbread), paired with a 1 GHz Hummingbird processor and 16GB of memory, makes Nexus S one of the fastest phones on the market. It comes pre-installed with the best of Google apps and enabled with new and popular features like true multi-tasking, Wi-Fi hotspot, Internet Callling, NFC support, and full web browsing. With this device, users will also be the first to receive software upgrades and new Google mobile apps as soon as they become available.

HTC Desire HD

The Desire HD is better in some respects such as Camera, Ram, Expandable Storage and Screen size but doesn't come with Gingerbread, an AMOLED screen, NFC or a battery life that rivals the Nexus S. HTC does provides a whole heap of special features that augment the Android experience. I quite like the HTC Sense UI and HTCs cloud services, available through HTCsense.com

So which one do I opt for? any HTC Desire HD users able to convince be of its powers? or their ability to endure its battery life?

Notion Ink Adam - Riddle no.3

2010-12-03T04:22:00.000-08:00

Rohan Shravan said, on December 3, 2010 at 12:20

I am not a sensor though I can feel
Though light is my father, I can work in a shield
I am there since Big Bang, I am still the need
My re-birth opened a new era, a new playing field!

Rohan Just dropped this riddle. What do you all think?

Notion Ink Adam to include Digitizer?

2010-11-30T05:05:00.000-08:00

This is the most exciting development from my perspective after the initial weekend special X post. It would blow my mind if the Adam was to include an active digitizer.

This was recently posted on the Notion Ink Blog as a Comment and you can see Rohan's reponse below:

Aravind said, on November 30, 2010 at 17:07

i am absolutely convinced that the adam has a digitizer. ok maybe it’s partly wishful thinking, because that’s one feature that i would love to have. capacitive touch screens are great but pen-based input does have some awesome applications, so combining both would be awesome. please please please let there be a digitizer!

Rohan Shravan said, on November 30, 2010 at 17:51

Following the comments above the discussion lead to the following...

Jai said, on November 30, 2010 at 19:11
Is it? In that case, wouldn’t that link the digitizer, induction, tesla and his broad smile now?
Reply
Pratik said, on November 30, 2010 at 19:12
^
http://www.wacom-components.com/english/technology/emr.html

In his latest blog Rohan comments

“Things are changing because of “touch environments” as we can see in applications, but to see how you can interact with wireless technology is yet to come,”

If we break this down, essentially he is saying that touch environments have so far been integrated in to applications themselves but how do you use wireless technology to interact?

Notion Ink Adam FAQ

2010-11-28T04:50:00.000-08:00

There have been a lot of questions asked about the Adam, I thought I would take some time and put them in a single place so people do not have to dig through 100s of comments

This is currently just a draft. If you have anymore questions that should be added then please add them to the comments!

Q:Has the Adam been submitted to the FCC?

A: On the 24th Nov 2010 the FCC received an application from Notion Ink but it is not clear for what however it is believed to be for the Adam. (Rohan hints in Weekend Special X that previous observations mentioned in my FCC related blog post by me/others on the blog are correct!)

Q:will the mail program support PGP encryption?

A: Yes

Q:Will the Adam support CPU Hot Plug?

A:Yes

Q: What Apps will come with the Adam?

A: Initially there will be 20 Apps, to name a few: Mail'd , Calendar, Office Suite, Sniffer (File Manager). You can learn more about those Apps in: Weekend Special IX

Q: What languages and file formats will be supported?

A: The Office suite supports 35 Languages, all major formats (including docx, pptx, pdf, etc) and zip files as well.

Q: Will the Adam Support Flash?

A: Yes - it will come bundled with Flash and support Adobe AIR

Q: Will the screen be Gloss or Matte?

A: Matte

Q: Will the Adam have an Active Digitizer?

A: At this point in time it does not seem to be the case, however from Rohans Blog, Which shows a canvas done by hand, Which seems to be very accurate.

Q:Will there be a trackpad at the back?

A: This answer is a rumour and not confirmed by Rohan, however it seems the design of a trackpad at the back has already been patented and may not be included. (requires further clarification from Rohan).

UPDATE: The Adam will ship with a rear trackpad however it will not be activated initally due to performance concerns (source: Rohan Shravan interview on Androidheadlines.com)

Q:What is the Bonus Mystery Feature?

A: Rohan has given strong hints that this will be something to do with Nikola Tesla and 3d Interfaces. see: Weekend Special X

Q:Will the Bezel stay as it is now? Why has it changed?

A: Yes - As explained in an earlier blog post

"the reason of still having it (bezel) is the USBs and other I/O peripherals. We have spent a lot of resources and have more than 9 patents on the same (to reduce it)! But the fabs and vendors need to upgrade to accomplish what we want(essentially Adam 2 )"

Q:How many keyboard types will there be?

A: There will be 4 virtual keyboard variants.

Q: Does Rohan Shravan sleep?

Rohan Shravan said, on November 29, 2010 at 11:50
I do, when there are no comments!

Q:Why are there no Indian Applicants in EAP1?

A: As Rohan Explains

"EAP was multi pronged test for us. Production Validation, Logistics (handling shipments, etc. for so many countries), test of the support system, work on the feedback before it reaches masses (ones which we can quickly fix) and sending out messages to all that we have arrived!"

I would appreciate it if the community could help me improve and add to this.

Notion Ink Adam - Secret Feature - Hint II

2010-11-27T09:43:00.000-08:00

My thoughts about Rohan's most latest post onthe Notion Ink Blog!

The first Hint “Meeting with Nikolas Tesla in Missouri on 10th July 1856 : High Priority” confirming that indeed the clue on the homepage does relate to Tesla and his birthday! I got as far is seeing it as a timestamp but never considered that it could be a date of birth.

The key to this post "(but not rushing by releasing sub-standard products, we are here to stay for centuries)"

I agree with Rohan, This is about building a long term business and not rushing out a product in order to capitalise on one holiday season when you have many many more. I'm very proud of the fact that you are sticking to your guns and not giving in to the pressure.

People need to understand that with Investors involved this is just as much about ensuring they are happy and continue to back you and at the same time providing your users with what they want. It is a tough balancing act.

The thought behind the Calendar seems sound and initially it seems very simple + optimised for the touch experience, but to me it seems too crowded, with that much information on screen? It maybe an idea to seperate it in to two dialogues, One detailing the event and the seccond detailing the time/reminders you would like to set.

The second hint is a good one. Apple's 3d Touch can be seen here! "http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/05/apple-patent-application-points-to-3d-multi-touch-manipulation/" It combines well with the IR Theory and using the Camera for depth perception. Love the thought if it and can't wait to see the implementation.

Finally, I'm with Prakhyat Singh on this, I'm in awe of NI, how far out of the box their thinking is and how much imagination this device is using. I would like to encourage them to keep going! The Adam was originally my addiction and now its the story. The story of Notion Ink.

Notion Ink's Riddle Explained - "-D5720A80″ Bonus Feature

2010-11-25T06:19:00.001-08:00

After many hours of discussion and debate it seems the Bonus Features could be an IR Sensor. A commenter by the name of "wtff" explains on the Notion Ink Blog

Linking the riddle to the Hex number:

"Concerning the riddle about the hex number (“-D5720A80″:

There seems to be a quite some speculation about it going on, despite the fact that it has been pointed out, that – interpreted as a unix timestamp – the number resolves to Tesla’s birthday.
First of all: congratulation to those who resolved the riddle or took a part in it. Good work!
I meant to add that to my mind, we can all rest assured that the timestamp interpretation is the correct one. The fact that the timestamp resolves into a GMT date ending in 00:00:00 is already evidence enough for the hex number being a nix timestamp. The additional fact that this timestamp coincides with Teslas birthday just casts this theory into bronze.
Further speculations about FCC codes seem reasonable to me only under the assumption that a grantee can choose his own EPC code but I don’t think this is possible.

So, Tesla it is then."

Possible use cases:

"There is a lot to be had for little money from a simple set of IR emitter/receiver:

- as you decribed: infrared imaging at night, or the fotographic effect of altering daylight images by incorporating the infrared spectrum

- a universal remote control for TV / hifi equipment

- measuring distances
a ) for supplication of camery images with depth information, in order to achieve kinect-like game control
b) for actual distance measurement between a reference point on the adam and an object

all this and more can be realized by one and the same set of equipment and the price for that is LOW! Just an IR diode and a webcam that is there anyway. (It is usual for photographic sensors to be sensitive to the IR spectrum and one could employ a small extra budget to get components that do specifically well in that regard. )"

In various Videos Rohan's hints at the possibilities made available to the team by the hardware present in the Adam such as the 12mp Camera.

I am inclined to agree with wtff's observations and justification.

The second possibility seems to be that the code is the second half of an FCC related code. Greg (a Notion Ink Blog Commenter) explains: "FCC assigns the grantee code (Y2G in this case) and Notion Ink designates the EPC. So the resulting FCC ID for the adam will eventually be Y2G-D5720A80."

This theory does seem plausible but does not lend itself to solve Rohan's riddle, Therefore creating some doubt. It could be that both observations are indeed true.

How to add Users from another Domain to SharePoint 2010 and SharePoint 2007

2010-11-25T05:04:00.000-08:00

When deploying a new SharePoint farm, Admins can often overlook the fact that their users maybe in another domain or forest. To resolve this problem SharePoint 07/1020 must be told where these users are and how to access them.

This can be done using the people picker property. This property must be set using stsadm. You must open Command Prompt (as Administrator) on your SharePoint server.

Then type : cd C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Server Extensions\14(for 2010) and 12 (for 2007)\BIN

You are now ready to execute the command:

stsadm -o -setproperty -url "http" -pn "searchadforests" -pv "example.net",Domain\Username, Password

To get best results ensure that you use the commas. The URL is the URL of your Web App. Example.net shows where your domain name needs to be. You need to also make sure there are no spaces between the Username and password.

The account must be from the Domain you are trying to look up users from. That account should have appropriate permissions in order to find these users.

If you have successfully run the command then you get an "Operation Completed Successfully" message (sometimes this is not true but) you can test this by adding a user from the external domain.

Notion Ink's Adam hits FCC Yesterday! Nov 24th

2010-11-25T04:25:00.001-08:00

The Adam has also been submitted for FCC approval as shown here:

https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/eas/reports/GranteeSearch.cfm.

Search using “Notion Ink” in the Grantee Name. Filed yesterday. The ETA on FCC approval seems to be late December (if this actually is the Adam itself and not an accessory).

Notion Ink has also selected around 400 Developers for their Early Access Program and subsequently minor information leaks have surfaced, indeed confirming that the process is in motion.

The device has has got a lot of people excited and even more very sceptical about all the hype, however only time will tell! With rumours that Reliance are the majority Investors in Notion Ink it would seem that Notion Ink has substantial resources and expertise available to them (further cementing their position).

Confirmed: Notion Ink Adam Pre-orders start December 9th, revealed through binary on Notion ink Site

2010-11-25T03:55:00.001-08:00

Update: the tweet from @ousiadroid is no longer there, most probably because legal told him to take it down!

Notion Ink in some style has revealed that pre-orders will be starting on December 9th. The Company placed Binary code on their Site for eager fans to solve. After little speculation the Director of UI at Notion Ink confirmed the findings on his twitter feed @ousiadroid. He then remarked that a new code (“-D5720A80″) has been put up for people to break. (“Code on the notionink website revealed: Preorders start on 9th December . Ofcourse, we put up a new code.”) The clue seems to hold some relation to the "Bonus Hidden Feature" mentioned on the Tech Specs page.

Rohan Sharavan (Notion Ink Founder) then gave a cryptic hint related to the code "-D5720A80" to help those trying to guess the bonus feature:

"Hint:
Few came dangerously close,
to change the fundamentals of light,
but few realized the power of the same,
and now it even works at night!"

Let the guessing begin!

How to connect to a SharePoint Document Library using WebDAV

2010-08-27T02:04:00.001-07:00

I have been working with a client to deliver this functionality. The client has a requirement to push data out to a SharePoint Document Library from an external source in order for users to consume these reports. After doing some research I did not find anything helpful on the topic but it seems there is a way to do this.

SharePoint has its own WebDAV Functionality built it. It does not need the IIS WebDAV functionality to be activated in order for it to function.

To use a Document Library via WebDAV for bulk uploads or downloads,You need to map the Document Library URL as a network drive/location

How to map a Network Drive (Source: Vista4Beginners.com)

First, click on the Computer shortcut from your desktop or from the Start Menu. In the toolbar you will find several buttons, including one called Map network drive.

Click on it and the Map Network Drive window will open. Firstly, you need to assign a drive letter for the connection and then type the drive or the folder you want to connect to.
The folder can be located on a remote server or computer you have access to, a FTP site or a shared folder on your own computer.

If you want to connect to a remote computer just type "\\" followed by the computer name or the IP address and then "\" followed by the location of the folder you want to connect to.
If you want to create a drive mapping to a folder on your own computer type "\\127.0.0.1\" (this stands for the local host) or "\\computer_name\" and then the path towards that folder.

Sometimes, when you create a drive mapping, you might need to use a special user name and password that allows you to connect to it. In this case, click on the Connect using a different user name link.

Type the appropriate user name and password and click on OK. Now you will return to the previous window. Click on Finish and the drive mapping will be created.

If you access the Computer shortcut again you will see that a new drive having the letter you assigned is listed and you can access it at anytime.

I hope this helps.

Microsoft Courier and HP Slate bite the dust!

2010-04-30T02:09:00.000-07:00

It seems both Microsoft and HP have stopped any further development on their tablet devices. Microsoft did not give a reason for terminating the concept however HP has decided against going for a Windows 7 Tablet, simply because they are too power hungry and as I mentioned previously Windows 7 inability to provide a flexible platform for a Portable Touch Screen device.

It is a sad day for all those who were waiting for the Courier and the HP Tablet however there are still plenty of options around. You can check out High Res pics of the Notion Ink Adam on their site at http://www.notionink.in/adamoverview.php

Microsoft Courier: Another iPad alternative could enter the mix....manufactured by ASUS?

2010-03-31T13:58:00.001-07:00

The Microsoft Courier provides similar functionality to a tablet/e-book but with a unique hardware configuration. It looks similar to a real book with dual screens, best described as the digital version of a journal. Could this be the ASUS device mentioned here by an ASUS exec? Where he hints at two devices, one for the google OS and the other for Microsoft.

The Microsoft's Courier seems to be signalling a change in Microsoft approach to defining the user experience. In a welcome move by Microsoft, the Courier is to run on the Zune OS rather than Windows 7, which is definitely a good choice by Microsoft. The design considerations behind the Zune OS were probably completely different to Windows 7, Windows 7 wasn't built from the ground up as an OS for the new generation of touch screen devices and the pen and touch based UI concepts explored in the demo are extremely creative for a Microsoft offering. The question which comes to mind however is, Where does the Courier really fit in? the answer? It seems to be a device aimed at students, writers, designers or busy executives.

Microsoft have a good opportunity to learn from a number of projects, which have delivered innovation in User Interaction Concepts and Interface design (Metro UI, Windows Phone 7, Zune, Windows 7) and combine the best to bring consumers something fresh, will this be another success story for Microsoft? Only time will tell.

With a launch date around Q3/Q4 or no launch at all, will the courier remain a concept? if it does enter the consumer market then it definitely has the potential to be a strong contender!

Source: Engagdet.com

Three Android smartphones worth delaying your upgrade for

2010-03-31T11:41:00.001-07:00

The smartphone market has recently gone in to overdrive it seems. It's like the perfect storm and the convergence of many technologies and mass production

I have had a Blackberry 9700 for a while now and love my blackberry, not just because of Blackberry Messenger but also because of its form factor, keyboard and excellent email. I have however started to think about switching to a touch screen device (other than the iPhone, I find the iPhone OS has much to be desired). Android has come a long way since its inception and Windows Phone 7 has also been turning heads. So are there any handsets out there really worth delaying your upgrade? well lets take a look at some upcoming hardware.

Samsung Galaxy S Pro

Specification

Processor: Samsung 1Ghz Application Processor

Screen: 4-inch WVGA 800 X 480 Super Amoled

Camera: 5 Megapixel

HTC EVO4G (Supersonic)

Specification

Processor: Snapdragon 1GHz

Screen: 480x800 LCD

Ram: 512MB

Memory: 1GB (onboard) and 8GB microSD Card

Camera: 8 mega pixel + another front facing camera

Video: 720p playback + HDMI Out

OS: Android 2.1

The HTC EVO4g supports WiMax. What is WiMax I hear you ask? (from Wikipedia) WiMAX, an acronym for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is a telecommunications protocol that provides fixed and fully mobile internet access. The current WiMAX revision provides up to 40 Mbp. I am sure you can imagine the things that can be made possible by that amount of data being avialable however WiMax isn't available everywhere.

Source: Engadget.com

HTC Droid Incredible

Specification

Processor: Snapdragon 1GHz

Screen: 480 x 800 AMOLED

ROM: 748MB

Memory: 1GB (onboard) and 8GB microSD Card

Camera: 8 megapixel

OS: Android 2.1

Windows Phone 7

You might be wondering why I am including Windows Phone 7 in a "Handset worth waiting for" article. There are going ot be quite a few handsets coming out which will make use of Microsofts new OS. They will definitely be worth checking out.

Top 3 iPad Alternatives

2010-03-30T03:43:00.001-07:00

So for the past week I have been watching the iPad adverts on TV and thinking "I need one right now" well not need, more WANT. The short comings of the iPad have been discussed to death but just to recap it has no flash support, lack of multitasking and lack of support for a variety of video formats.

I want a device that will let me read .pdfs for work, RSS feeds, watch video (any format), listen to music and browse the Web. So what are the alternatives?

Pegatron 'Slate PC' | Windows 7 | Price: TBA | Launch: TBA

The Pegatron is manufactured by a Taiwanese company and looks similar in specs to the WePad. The Pegatron device boats Windows 7 Home Premium on an 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, 32GB SSD, webcam and HDMI connectivity.

So what can the Pegatron device offer that the iPad doesn't? Windows 7 gives users flash support, flexibility and infinite applications with the freedom to do with it as they please however, the iPads touch friendly interface definitely has an one over Windows 7.

Neowin Hands-On Video

Notion Ink Adam | Android | Price : $400 - $800 | Launch : 3^rd Quarter 2010

The Notion Ink Adam has a Tegra powered display with the ability to deliver 1080p Video. The device sports a HDMI connector, Android, Wifi, Rotating Camera for Photography or use as a Webcam and 3G connectivity. This unit will be thinner than the iPad. The Notion will amazingly deliver 16 hours of full HD video and 160 hours of e-ink thanks to its Tegra 2 chipset.

You will also be able to buy a 12.6 mm Pixel Qi version, which basically lets you switch between e-ink (e-reader type) display and the standard version which will be thinner. The ability to toggle the display between Pixel QI and normal does offer a huge advantage for people who get tired of reading text on normal screens.

There are rumours of a 12 mp camera, which may support HD video recording (Source: Slashgear)

Engadget Hands-onVideo

HP Slate | Windows 7 | Price: £350 - £400 | Launch: June

The HP Slate has been rumoured to offer the following specs : an Atom CPU, USB connectivity, a memory card reader, and a back-mounted webcam. It is HP's offering partnering with Microsoft to deliver a tablet, which offers a touch friendly version of Windows 7.

The HP slate UI is customised for the smaller screen size using Adobe AIR and Flash. From the video below it seems it will use a slightly customized version of the Windows 7 on screen keyboard. The HP Slate's screen is smaller than the other two devices.

HP Slate Hands-onVideo

Conclusion

On paper the Notion Ink Adam seems to be leading the pack in terms of specs and features. Who could say no to a device that has so much to offer? All three devices offer something different (price point, 3g or HD video) and in the end only you can decide what is best for you. I prefer the Notion Ink Adam on paper (even if the android UI isn't as nice as the iphones) it sports some amazing specs and features such as the battery life, 3g, wifi, HD Camera (potentially) and Android marketplace. The question is, can I wait until September 2010 to buy one?

How to Customize SharePoint 2010 Sites using SharePoint Designer 2010

2010-03-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

SharePoint 2010 is a powerful tool and now boasts a substantial set of new and attractive features. Analysts such as Gartner have given Share Point 2010 rave reviews, which can be found here.

This means that many more organisations will be looking to implement SharePoint, which then naturally leads to the customisation and branding of such implementations.

I hope to write a series of blogs covering how to customize your SP2010 Site using SP Designer 2010. So here goes…I am going to begin by outlining the basic steps in this post and adding detailed descriptions to future posts.

Step 1: Create the design in Photoshop or any other tool.

Step 2: Convert that design in to HTML/CSS

Step 3: Finally you can use SharePoint Designer 2010 to embed the ASP.net controls (this will deliver the dynamic content, such as menus and the main content) in to the HTML.

SharePoint 2010 Designer provides some very useful tools which enable you to embed ASP controls in to Master Page HTML very easily.

My next post will cover how to embed the ASP controls in to the HTML, since the first two steps are relatively simple.

You can follow us on twitter at CloudSphere