Reviews - Electronic Gadgets

Microsoft's Top 10 Epic Failures

noreply@blogger.com (calicoaster) — Fri, 20 May 2011 03:31:00 +0000

Microsoft's gargantuan market share is the result of clever products and ruthless business tactics. Most of the products it sells are ubiquitous and well-received, but have some proved far less popular and were met with more than a smattering of negativity.

From their doomed foray into child-friendly interfaces to bizarre and unlikely gadgets, here is the money.co.uk list of Microsoft's most notable failures (in order of terribleness).

10. Windows CE 1996 - Present

What is it?
A buggy operating system

Why so awful?
The name alone is enough to make you WinCE. This lightweight operating system was supposed to be a pocket-computing epiphany in 1996, allowing PCs to become truly personal. Rather than just a slim version of Windows, it's an operating system and kernel in its own right, making it ideal for mobile devices.
At least, it is on paper; in reality, forums are filled with developers and users expressing (in strong language) exactly what they think of it.

Any saving graces?
In its defence, it has survived for fifteen years and has recently been released with dual-core CPU support and advanced touch input.

9. Zune 2006 - Present

What is it?
An MP3 player nobody has heard of

Why so awful?
Apple's iPod dominates this arena and the Zune accounts for just 3% of the standalone MP3 player market. It doesn't look quite as pretty, its battery life is below average, there's no Mac support, it's completely awful from a technical point of view and compatibility can be problematic. However, while it's marginally less impressive than the iPod it arguably deserves more of the marketplace than the 3% it currently enjoys. This is unlikely to change, however.

Any saving graces?
Unlike the iPod, it doesn't scratch in long grass and comes with an FM tuner.

8. Internet Explorer 1995 - Present

What is it?
A dying web browser

Why so awful?
Feature-packed and simple to use, Internet Explorer was the most popular browser in the world by 2001 with a 95% usage share. Upon realising this, however, Microsoft made the mistake of resting on its laurels, and the world's hackers and script kiddies set to work targeting its ubiquitous software, making it dangerously vulnerable by 2004.

By the time Microsoft got around to releasing IE7, competitors like Opera and Mozilla's Firefox had already started to gain an advantage and left the mortally wounded browser with less than a 50% usage share.

Any saving graces?
The later versions are actually rather good, but not good enough to reverse its heavy fall from grace.

7. Kin Born and died in 2010

What is it?
A half-baked phone

Why so awful?
Microsoft withdrew this failure after just 48 days on sale. It was almost a good idea - a mobile aggregator with constant connections to social networks like Facebook and Twitter - but some estimates suggest it sold as few as 500 units in its first week.
It was late onto the market having been converted from Sidekick to CE, and there were some clear holes in functionality; it didn't support reTweeting on Twitter, there were no instant messaging packages available, its GPS was only for geotagging photos, and there was no way to transmit contact details between devices.

Any saving graces?
It still sells in the US, albeit as a 'feature phone' rather than a smartphone and at a much reduced price.

6. Windows ME 2000 - 2003

What is it?
Another failed operating system

Why so awful?
Possibly the most unpopular operating system ever released, 'Millennium Edition' served as an ineffective stop-gap between Windows 98 and Windows XP. PC World referred to ME as the 'mistake edition', given that it crashed more often than not, offered no real improvement on Windows 98 and would constantly 'help' by restoring deleted malware.
It lasted thirteen months before being usurped by the NT-based XP.

Any saving graces?
None that we can think of.

5. Comic Sans MS 1995 - Present

What is it?
An irritating font

Why so awful?
This much-maligned font was created for use with Microsoft Bob, another critically unpopular output from Microsoft HQ. Times New Roman looked too severe in the cartoonish speech bubbles of Bob's drawn world.
It was completed too late for inclusion in the software, but debuted in Microsoft 3D Movie Maker before being released as part of every Windows OS since. Criticised - along with Papyrus - for relentlessly inappropriate use, the "Ban Comic Sans" movement is several thousand strong in the USA.

Any saving graces?
While it's a monument of technological unpopularity, it hasn't lost Microsoft any money (though it hasn't made them any either).

4. MSN Smart Watch 2004 - 2010

What is it?
A gaudy watch with email support

Why so awful?
This tacky-looking creation was supposed to connect to the MSN network wherever the wearer needed to read his or her e-mails.
The screen was basic, less than an inch wide and made of the same liquid crystal as mobile phones circa 2000. What further dissuaded potential buyers as the prohibitively high data fees at the time of its release making it too expensive for most people to run.
It soldiered on for some time with the last subscriptions being taken out in November 2010, but the service will be discontinued next January.

Any saving graces?
Email on the go was fairly advanced back in 2004.

3. ActiMates 1997 - 2000

What is it?
A terrifying children's toy

Why so awful?
Sold as educational toys, Actimates were capable of giving positive affirmation for correct answers to questions. The idea sounded good, but their failure stemmed from the inherent creepiness.
With the dolls modelled on popular children's TV characters (the Tellytubbies, Barney and the anthropomorphic gang from Hey Arthur) and would suddenly come to life if they heard their own programme or theme tune in the background. The eeriness lead to poor sales and Actimates were pulled altogether in 2000.

Any saving graces?
Intentions were good.

2. Microsoft Bob Born and died in 1995

What is it?
A bona fide disaster

Why so awful?
Microsoft Bob was released in 1995 and was met with almost universal scorn. Even Microsoft themselves, who aren't very vocal about their failures, admitted Bob was a disaster.
Ostensibly a user-friendly version of Microsoft's Windows, it featured a household whose various accoutrements represented the programmes likely to be needed by a nineties computer user - for instance, if you clicked on the grandfather clock it would tell you the time, and if you selected the stack of envelopes you could send an e-mail. In reality it was a completely unworkable mess.

Any saving graces?
Not only were there no positives with Microsoft Bob, but it also saw the origins of the worst Microsoft flop of all time. Speaking of which...

1. That Damned Paperclip 1997 - 2007

What is it?
A public hate figure

Why so awful?
What can be said about the Microsoft Office Paperclip that hasn't already been written before? The 'assistant', nicknamed Clippy, was designed to offer help on a wide variety of tasks but instead was intrusive and never seemed to get the hint that nobody wanted his help with writing a letter.
Microsoft were essentially press ganged into removing him due to a wave of criticism and bile, and it remains the most hated feature we're yet to see on any operating system or program.

Any saving graces?
They did kill him eventually, albeit 10 years too late.

A guest post by Money.co.uk; Article Source: Money.co.uk
Image sources: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10, 11

Hanvon to Showcase its New Product Line at CeBIT2011

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 04:50:00 +0000

Hanvon Technology Co., Ltd leads in manufacturing the best quality e-book reader, along with producing world's best handwriting recognition and OCR and biometric identification technology supplies. The company is also a leader of new-generation consumer electronics product trends.

Hanvon Technology Co. Ltd plans to attend CeBIT2011 in Hanover, Germany (Hanvon booth No. A11-20-1/hall 17) for which it will launch its full line of products. The major product lines that will be displayed at the fair include - e-book readers, tablet PC, graphics tablet and display and Biometric Solution (Face ID). The exhibition is planned to showcase Hanvon's abilities on the global prospects of digital reading and to make the full use of the world's ace ICT fair to target international market, which can contact and discover more about Hanvon and its products.

Hanvon is enriched with its own Research and Development team and manufacturing plants. In addition to having a complete authority and control over its core technologies, it also masters its full control over the quality and manufacturing of the products. Hanvon has a rich background of most sophisticated technologies and exceedingly competent R&D efforts since a decade that has made it a shining star in the intelligent identification field. The astounding R&D endeavors and new-generation consumer electronics products have already been quite recognized all around the world.

Below are mentioned some of the most successful breakthroughs made by Hanvon Technology that will be displayed at CeBIT2011:

1) e-Book readers - Hanvon 200dpi high-resolution WISEreader and color WISEreader:

CeBIT2011 will see the world's first large screen 200 DPI high resolution WISreader and also the world's first large screen WISEreader this year. Both are equipped with a 9.7-inch E INK screen, supporting WIFI and 3G, along with powerful supporting reading functions, network function and business office software. Hence, these products can cater to perfect high-quality paperless office and reading. It is quite easy and convenient to manipulate them using Hanvon electromagnetic pen.

The users can easily comment, modify and excerpt articles using these readers with the Hanvon third-generation pressure sensitive electromagnetic pen. The designs give a perfect future picture of paperless reading and an accurate, easy and fluent writing.

2) Graphics Tablet – Hanvon Art Master III

Since digital painting has become a trend amongst the art directors and painters these days; using digital technology for creating animations is taking over the creative industry as well. Here, Hanvon Art Master III becomes an essential for such needs, as it leads the world in professional graphic tablets. The specifications include the following:

- 2,048-level pressure sensitivity

- Showcases the thickness and intensity changes of lines in a subtle way.

- Can easily make depictions, paintings and copying.

- Has larger creative space and makes art creation more easy and fluent.

3) Pen Display - Hanvon SenTIP

Hanvon SenTIP (one of the graphics tablet and display) is a wireless passive electromagnetic pressure sensitive technology that is quite unique in itself and also is the perfect coordination of high-definition LCD and the graphics tablet technology. It is the Hanvon’s patented technology and its specifications include the following:

- It is equipped with the LED-backlit display technology that gives it higher brightness and more lifelike color.

- It has quite powerful annotation capabilities.

- When combined with a projection screen it can be well used for giving a demonstration, for teaching and reporting purposes and other presentations.

- It can record handwritings perfectly and conveniently.

- It features 1,024-level pressure sensitivity and the wireless passive technology that helps in forming the hand feeling of paintings subtle and smooth.

The Hanvon booth on CeBIT2011 will fully display how the SenTIP when integrated with educational software can perfectly be used for school education. This set of teaching facilities will encouragingly promote the application and development of SenTIP in Germany’s education field.

4) Tablet PC - Hanvon HPad:

Hanvon HPad is one of the high-end portable tablet PCs. Its features involve the following:

- Ultra-thin body that is just 10.8mm thick, with a magnesium alloy frame and a brushed stainless steel shell.

- Android 2.2 Operating System.

- Built-in WiFi, 3G and Bluetooth

- Handwriting recognition

- Built-in dual cameras.

- Special identification functions for texts, business cards, translation and human faces.

The current versions of Hanvon HPad are also equipped with the Hanvon Bookstore client, which can enable users to download and read e-books. Hanvon HPad can work perfectly in integrating office, leisure and entertainment for business people.

5) Tablet PC - Hanvon TouchPad:

Hanvon Touchpad is the new-generation tablet PC built and launched in cooperation with Microsoft and Intel targets the business people. It has a stylish design and offers a wide array of practical functions and applications. Also known as "iPad killer", this touchpad has the following features:

- Lightweight as it weighs just 990 grams and has a stylishly designed body.

- Slim frame, i.e. its body is just 18mm thick.

- Supports a 1024 x 600 (16: 9) resolution, 2GB DDR2 memories and 250GB hard drives.

- Can give you an easy access to audio and video.

- Supports USB mini HDMI, Audio in/out and works on Microsoft Windows 7.

6) Biometric Solution (Face ID) – Hanvon F710

Hanvon F710 is an embedded facial recognition system that works on Dual Sensor Facial Recognition Algorithm. This can be used for time attendance and for access control applications. The design is quite efficient and perfect for the commercial market areas like Enterprise bank, building automation etc.

With the display of above mentioned 6 products at CeBIT2011, Hanvon will be taking a step forward in becoming the Internet-based integrated high-tech enterprise through R & D, product manufacture, channel sales, content integration and service innovation.

Hanvon Leads the Trend of New-Generation Consumer Electronics Products

Review: Toshiba Satellite L655-S5107 Laptop

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 04:23:00 +0000

Toshiba Satellite L655-S5107 laptop with its 15.6-inch display offers a good variety of mobile computing along with multitasking facilities that can help you in your study and play activities. The laptop claims to ease up your job to efficiently handle your business at home or in the field, watch movies or play online RPG games.

Toshiba Satellite L655-S5107 laptop

It is claimed to be perfect for handling computing essentials at home, school or work. The diversity provided by this laptop offers you to surf the Web and download video, manage household finances or plan and study for the finals, at your own comfort with utmost speed and simplicity. Its high-gloss Fusion Finish in Helios Black gives it a classy and elegant look.

What does Toshiba Satellite L655-S5107 offer to give?

1) The laptop comes with Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit with a 6 cell/48Wh Lithium Ion battery pack;

2) Claimed Battery Life (measured by MobileMark 2007): 5 hours, 31 minutes

2) 15.6" diagonal widescreen TruBrite TFT display at 1366 x 768 native resolution (HD) with native support for 720p content and LED backlit, Mobile Intel HD Graphics with 64MB-1696MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory

3) 500GB (5400 RPM); Serial ATA hard disk drive with TOSHIBA Hard Drive Impact Sensor (3D sensor), DVD SuperMulti drive supporting 11 formats

4) Configured with 4GB DDR3 1066MHz (max 8GB)

5) Intel Core i3-370M Processor 2.40 GHz, 3MB Cache

What customers say about this laptop?

Pros:

1) The laptop is quite fast and efficient in its functions as per the claims.

2) It is quite light in weight and compact.

3) Price: The performance, 500GB of hard disk and 4GB of DDR3 RAM at such low price makes it one of the most wanted laptops amongst the masses.

Cons:

1) The glossy finish is quite prone to getting fingerprint marks and smudges.

2) It doesn't stand right to its battery life claim of 5.5 hours at all. On an average you may get around 2.5 to 3 hours of battery life per charge that too if you only use it for web browsing and usual Microsoft applications.

3) May not be very apt to run Linux.

Overall rating: 4/5

Best Price and Availability: Amazon

Check more details about this laptop here.

Have you tried Toshiba Satellite L655-S5107 Laptop? Share your experience and opinion with me in your comments.

10 Essential Money Apps for the iPad

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:07:00 +0000

Apple's iPad has taken the tech world by storm - released in April of last year, the company shifted 3 million units in less than three months and almost instantly snatched a 95% share of the tablet market. With Christmas just past, a new wave of consumers have been getting their paws on the must-have accessory. One of the first things a new Apple-device owner will want to do is load up on apps, but with nearly quarter of a million in the official store, it's not easy knowing where to start.

We've separated the wheat from the chaff to bring you ten of the very best money apps for the iPad, forming a great mix of handy finance calculators, bill tools and money-saving utilities... if you've just paid full retail price for an iPad, chances are you could do with a money-saving app or two!

Methodology: While we've tried and tested all of the below as well as taking into account popular press reviews, each of the apps on this list have been given an average of at least 3 stars reviews by 100 (or more) customers in the UK app store. Since we recognise that no product is infallible, to keep things fair we've listed the few flaws in these otherwise great apps for your consideration.

To download any of these apps, head on over to the Apple App Store on iTunes or direct through your iPad. This step-by-step guide explains how to download apps in more detail. You may also like to check out our top financial app picks for each of the three main smart phones.

1. PocketMoney
If you want a personal financial manager which not only looks great but takes next to no effort to run, you could do much worse than PocketMoney. Amongst its neatest features is the 'budget bar' panel, which shows a customizable visualisation of your outgoing by category; at a glance, you can see exactly where your money is going each month and ultimately identify areas for savings. On that note, PocketMoney is also good at presenting the 'bigger picture' - all your savings, accounts, investments and transactions are laid out in a concise manner. With this much control, it's little wonder that the latest version has been met with entirely positive reviews in the app store (and there is a lite version to try free if you're still not convinced).

Cost: £2.99

Pros: Push notification (which is free!), information and email summaries plus good functionality make this ahead of the game. There is also a Lite version available if you prefer to keep things simpler.

Cons: Can be slow to perform on 3G connection.

2. HomeBudget (with Sync)
Don't let the dollar symbol in the icon put you off - the latest version of HomeBudget allows you to set your region which updates your currency and date settings, so for the first time ever UK users can fully enjoy this old app favourite.

The app deftly handles recurring bills and income streams, all at the tap of the screen. All that's required is to enter your incomings and outgoings, and you'll be treated to a graphical breakdown of how your money is performing, complete with predictions on how much you can expect to have in six months time. It can track multiple accounts, too, and report exactly how much you're spending on certain things (such as food shopping) in both figures and easy-to-interpret graphs. Probably the coolest feature is the ability to sync it with any other device in the house, so your partner can see all the same numbers as they get updated by either party. Highly recommended, and will no doubt be instrumental in saving you money once you start analysing things on a more cognitive level.

Cost: £2.99 (free version available)

Pros: Superbly presented and requires little effort to implement properly. Syncing gets a big thumbs-up.

Cons: We experienced no problems, but some reviewers report glitches here and there.

4. Easy Books
Keeping track of multiple accounts is a chore at best and a potential nightmare at worst, especially for the self-employed. There are quite a few bookkeeping apps doing the rounds, but many of them are so convoluted we have to wonder whether it would be easier to do it all manually. Thankfully, Easy Books hit the app store at the end of last year and even in its early incarnation, it's a very solid app which performs superbly. It's the perfect antidote for people who find Sage too unwieldy as Easy Books can look after as much, or as little, as you want it to and doesn't require hours to set up. The invoicing system is pretty much perfect - a godsend for sole traders and small limited companies.

Cost: Free

Pros: Customisable to suit any business need and will undoubtedly save hours, particularly when it comes to repeat invoicing.

Cons: We really can't fault this one, but it's worth mentioning that it isn't intended for large companies.

5. The Wall Street Journal
As one of the most respected and widely circulated international dailies in the world, it's no surprise that the Wall Street Journal's official app is of superb quality. Rather than being a quick text-to-screen hash job, a great deal of attention has clearly been put into turning it into an excellent iPad translation. There's lots of interactivity in the pages, with videos, slideshows and other media coming alive at your fingertips. If you have a lot of interest in financial goings-on across the pond, the WSJ app will help you immeasurably in keeping your finger on the pulse.

Why did we go with WSJ and not the more UK-centric Financial Times? For one thing, the FT subscription fees are through the roof in comparison (a minimum of around £5 a week for the very basic online subscription, rising toanywhere up to £20) and while the content of FT is top notch, the app does not display it quite as deftly as its competitor.

Cost: Free (with $17.29/month subscription)

Pros: Extraordinarily well presented, an excellent source of financial news.

Cons: The £10 a month subscription fee is a touch on the steep side (but is still cheap compared to similar news apps).

6. PayPal

It's not an iPad exclusive, but it is fully compatible and an absolute must-have for any eBay addict or people who regularly pay funds to overseas freelancers. Plenty of people hate the whole PayPal system, but very few would be able to argue that the official app isn't a stroke of genius - with it, it's easier than ever to get funds where they need to go. Compared to the web counterpart we'd happily use this every time to complete transactions with just a few clicks, and if there's a more secure method of paying this efficiently we're yet to come across it.

Cost: Free

Pros: Effortlessly simple to process payments

Cons: Putting funds into your account isn't quite as quick as we'd like.

7. Account Tracker

There aren't many apps in the iTunes store which have received five star reviews from every single customer, but the current version of Account Tracker is one of them. Designed by Graham Haley, the same clever developer who created Meter Readings (below), this app is a flawless budgeting tool which has a number of strings to its bow - expense management, account tracking and much more. It's very reassuring to be able to survey your entire money situation at a glance, and there's very little you can't customise. It has all the features you'd expect from a great budgeting app, but it's the neat little touches that have earned this app 100% positive reviews (things such as alerts if an account is likely to go overdrawn.)

Cost: £1.79

Pros: Support for emailing, backing up and exporting data is very handy, as are the numerous security features.

Cons: All we need now is a desktop version!

8. powerOne Finance Calculator

An algebraic and RPN calculator, powerOne is a must-have for anyone working in the finance field. We're hard pressed to name something it can't do, since it covers ROI, conversions of every kind, compound growths, auto loans, profit margins, depreciation... oh, and it's a pretty good standard calculator too! Possibly the most amazing aspect is that you can, if you can get your head around how to do it, create your own spreadsheet-style templates for your own use or to share with others.

Cost: £2.99

Pros: Cheap yet all-encompassing.

Cons: Setting up complex templates is a bit like rocket science.

9. iCurrency Pad

How do you score top marks with a currency conversion tool? Surely they're pretty one-dimensional tools, right? Not so with iCurrency Pad, an app that can simply do the sums if that's all you need but offers much more. If you regularly deal with foreign currencies, having an app which presents you with beautiful graphs full of trending data is a very useful thing indeed. All of the information is uncluttered, easy to manipulate and super accurate (all exchange rates are updated by the minute). By far the best currency app out of the myriad available in the Apple store.

Cost: £0.59

Pros: Lots of lovely graphs.

Cons: With the latest version, a glitch sometimes causes the graphs to invert themselves.

10. Meter Readings

It's great on the iPhone, and it's marvellous on the iPad. Meter Readings has earned itself scores of notable mentions from numerous large publications around the world, and we're not hesitant in paying our dues either.

Closely monitoring your energy bills can save you heaps, but doing this is a real chore. Meter Readings takes the hassle out of this - enter all the data you have from your paper bills, then forever after you can tap in your current meter reading and the app will tell you exactly how much energy you've used (and more importantly, what it will cost you). Even better, those of us in the UK can use it to compare prices with other energy suppliers in your area, thus ensuring you're not paying over the odds.

Graphs showing energy usage (for gas, water and electricity) can be generated in an instant - it's interesting to see, for instance, how much you've used over the course of any given year. While the initial set-up can take a bit of time, it's effortless from there on. The concept is great and the execution is flawless, so for only £1.19 we'd be very surprised if this didn't become one of your favourite money-saving apps.

Cost: £1.19

Pros: Massive in its scope and easy to manage.

Cons: Paper bills still necessary during the set-up phase, which can be time consuming.

This article has been a guest post by Matt from http://www.money.co.uk/. The article has been shared by the publisher here. Check the Original Source here

Review: Nokia X5 - Buy Cheap Nokia X5 phone online

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 06:33:00 +0000

Lately, Nokia has been in the limelight because of its efforts in bringing forth the new version of Symbian operating system (Symbian 3). However, this does not stop Nokia from using its Symbian Series 60 (3rd edition) that has powered all the devices in its much famous E series and lots of non-touch smartphones in N series.

The Nokia X5 aims very well to suit the needs of people who want a smartphone without the need of using a touchscreen. Even though Nokia X series has been marketed primarily as music and messaging phone series, its X5 offers all the facilities of a full fledged smartphone - right from its packing to the operating systems that run Nokia E72 and E5.

What does Nokia say about its X5 mobile phone?

The Nokia X5-01 is a unique square designed phone that is built for music and messaging. It fills the gap between the X3 and X6 by featuring a slide-out keyboard with support for high-speed HSDPA Internet and Wi-Fi connectivity. Users can snap photos with its 5.0-megapixel camera or listen to music from Ovi Music through headphones or loud speakers. They can spin the phone to switch to a new random track or shake it to view unread messages. The X5-01 also supports all the major instant messaging clients and social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Hi5. Additional features include a microSD slot, Bluetooth 2.1, and USB 2.0.

Customers' opinion on Nokia X5:

Pros:

1) A nice pocket friendly device, with lots of goodies that include regular Symbian S60 stuffs like Ovi store, free push mail, Ovi music and even a view only version of QuickOffice.

2) It supports 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

3) It is a square shaped phone with a wide screen display of 2.36 inches, which hides a nice spacious QWERTY keypad behind it. The design might remind you of Motorola Flipout. However, X5 is quite compact comparatively.

4) The phone is quite solid and feels good to hold.

5) Quite efficient in multi-tasking. You can easily run four out of five applications at same time without experiencing any performance issues.

6) Good battery life. The battery can run comfortable for two days, after which you will have the need to recharge it.

7) The display has accelerometer that provides a lot of possibility of regular smartphone tricks. You can change tracks by simply shaking the phone, or easily find the number of messages by holding the volume key and giving it a shake, after which the X5 will give a knocking sound to show new messages. Many of you may find this "shake to discover new messages" feature quite cool.

6) Since, it is marketed as a music phone; it has awesome sound quality along with the best XpressMusic handsets.

Cons:

1) Surprisingly no GPS.

2) A bit heavy in weight despite its compact size.

Click here to know more about the phone and its excellent deals >>>

Have you used Nokia X5 or X6 phone? Share your experience in comments. Thank you!

Review: Brite-View Wireless Stream Uncompressed Full 1080P HD Beam to HDTV In Room Transmission Kit

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 05:28:00 +0000

Brite-View HDelight (BV-1222) 1080p Wireless Streaming Between your PC (or Blu-ray Player) and HDTV:

What company claims about the product?

It wirelessly streams any uncompressed digital entertainment, which is available on your Blu-Ray Player, PC or on the Internet, including Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and MLB, from your HDMI ready PC to the HDTV.

The product features Amimon's module with the WHDI technology, which can turn any HDMI ready PC to a home theater PC so you can break free from cable companies set-top box limitations. So, no need to wait for the "Intel solution" that limits you to certain laptops, or spend $500 to buy a keyboard that is actually just another netbook.

Now, you can enjoy full uncompressed 1080p at 60Hz HD wireless Beam-to-TV streaming using the built-in omnidirectional antenna system for up to 30 feet (line-of-sight).Just imagine the HDelight kit as a invisible HDMI 1.3 compliant connection.

What customers have to say about the product?

Pros:

1) The HDelight comes in two pieces, besides all the other cables in the box. It is comprised of a small transmitter which is smaller than the palm and a slightly larger receiver with the option of it being screwed to the back of the TV. The screws are included, and the attachment depends on user’s choice.

2) It has two HDMI cables which makes the attachments quite user friendly. The shorter cable is for the transmitter and computer. The larger one is for TVand receiver.

3) Easier set up. Neither you need to install any software, nor have to configure anything. Just turn on your computer and you can start beaming your extended desktop or a copy of your main desktop view to your HDTV.

4) The audio and video quality is flawless because everything is transmitted digitally.

Cons:

1) Price can be a possible con of the product as the HDelight provides the same solution of Asus' wicast, which is $40 lesser than HDelight.

Check more details about the product here >>>

Have you used HDelight or Asus wicast transmission kits? Share your experience in comments.

Preview: Motorola Atrix

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 11:02:00 +0000

The Motorla's Atrix that got showcased in CES 2011, in addition to being the most powerful of the smartphones available now, has the power to replace the desktops and laptops, when accompanied with some unique accessories.

The phone has a dual core 1Ghz Tegra 2 processor and 1GB RAM which is quite to comfortably playback (or output) 1080p full HD video. Include the optional accessories like the HD Multimedia Dock and you have Atrix working as a desktop PC that can power a large monitor and work with normal USB keyboard and USB mouse.

Apart from above unique features, the thing that makes Atrix stand out in the crowd is its Laptop Dock. The Atrix can slot a laptop dock quite neatly and can function all day for basic computing that includes multimedia, email, editing documents and web browsing. It has an amazing battery life of 8 hours. The phone is expected to be launched at initial price of $700.

Samsung Galaxy Tab vs Apple iPad

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 09:37:00 +0000

Samsung's Galaxy Tab is being touted as the most promised rival to Apple iPad. The tablet is powered by Android Froyo, the latest version of Google’s operating software for mobile devices. Here is the review of the tablet:

1) Display Screen

Samsung Galaxy Tab has smaller screen size than iPad. It is about as tall and wide as Amazon.com Inc's newest Kindle e-reader. The tablet's 7-inch backlit color touch screen is less than half the size of the iPad display.

2) Lighter than iPad but rugged

It is also much lighter - almost 14 ounces versus about 24 for the iPad - and a smidgeon thinner. Still, it feels solid and seems rugged enough to stand up to heavy use. For instance, the front is protected by a sheet of Corning Inc’s Gorilla Glass, which ought to provide ample protection from any set of keys you might toss into the same pocket.

3) Replica of a Bigger Smartphone

Using an iPad isn’t like using an iPod Touch. It is larger size and two-hand operation makes it a very different experience. By contrast, using the Galaxy Tab is a lot like using one of the big-screen Android-based smartphones, such as Motorola Inc’s Droid X or HTC Corp's EVO.

4) Same processor as Samsung Galaxy S phone

The Galaxy, which is powered by the same processor used in Samsung’s Galaxy S smartphones, comes with 16GB of onboard storage for apps and content, the same as the base-level iPad. A slot for an SD memory card lets you expand it by an additional 32GB. The cameras are nothing special - the front facing one is 1.3 megapixels, the rear is 3 megapixels - but it’s kind of fun to be able to see your photo or video on the 7-inch screen while you’re shooting it.

5) Missing AMOLED

The screen on the Galaxy can be a disappointment. It is bright enough but lacks the jump-out-at-you pizzazz of the gorgeous Super AMOLED displays that Samsung uses on the Galaxy S phones. The screen also displays an annoying tendency to dim itself while you are using it, the result of a feature that analyzes the image being displayed and automatically adjusts the brightness.

Even with the option disabled, the screen would sometimes dim on its own, though not as often.

6) Lesser Apps than iPad

Samsung has tailored some of the tablet’s included software, such as the e-mail client and calendar, to take advantage of the larger-than-a-phone screen. Still, very limited third party apps are available that have been adapted to its dimensions and capabilities.

7) Non-replaceable battery

Like the iPad’s, the Galaxy Tab’s battery is not user-replaceable. Samsung says the Galaxy has a battery life of six to seven hours of continuous video playback, which is less than the iPad but sufficient to keep you entertained on a cross-country flight. Warning: On two separate devices, the charge plunged when Bluetooth connectivity was enabled, so keep it off unless you need it.

8) Expensive

You might be willing to live with the Galaxy Tab’s compromises if you were at least saving a bunch of money over an iPad. But, apparently it doesn't promise that at the moment.

Have you used Samsung Galaxy Tab? Share your experience in comments section.

What is inside Apple's lightest MacBook Air

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 05:15:00 +0000

Basking in the glory of the success of its tablet device iPads and mobile device iPhone, Apple has added some of their features to its computers. Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled company's new ultra-light laptop MacBook Air which -like its popular iPad - has no hard drive. Also, Apple's popular App Store, available on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, too has come to Macintosh computers.

Introduced in two sizes, the new laptops aim to boost the company's falling share in the PC market. Here's looking inside Apple's just-launched MacBook Air:

1) Looks: Featuring an all-aluminum unibody design, the new MacBook Air is Apple's lightest laptop ever. The laptop measures 0.11-inches at its thinnest point and 0.68-inches at its thickest, and weighs just 2.3 pounds for the 11-inch model and 2.9 pounds for the 13-inch.

2) Multi-touch trackpad: Apple Air features a full-sized keyboard for typing as well as the popular glass Multi-Touch trackpad found on Apple’s MacBook Pro. The Multi-Touch trackpad lets users pinch, swipe, or rotate to adjust an image, zoom in on text, or advance through a photo album.

3) Facetime Camera: Apple is also bringing the FaceTime video chatting to Macs. The feature debuted this year on the iPhone 4 and has since been added to the iPad. The new FaceTime for Mac application, currently in beta, will let users make FaceTime calls over Wi-Fi with anyone who has a Mac, an iPhone 4, or the new iPod touch.

4) Flash Storage: The new generation MacBook Air models use flash drives instead of hard drives. The new MacBook Air is designed completely around flash storage. MacBook Air uses the same solid state storage technology as the iPad.

Apple has done away with CD and DVD drives in the very first edition of its MacBook Air, and in the current models the company ditches the hard disk drive. This, according to Apple, will speed up laptops' boot up time.
The 11-inch MacBook Air comes with 2GB of memory and 64GB/128GB of flash storage. The 13-inch model will pack 2GB of memory and 128GB/256GB of flash storage. The 13-inch MacBook Air also includes an SD card slot. More here >>>

Now LED Monitors by DELL

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 06:12:00 +0000

DELL L

Dell has expanded its monitor portfolio with the launch of eight new LED displays.

Available in 22-inch (ST2220), 23-inch (ST2320) and 24-inch (ST2420) sizes, Dell's new Studio LED monitors are engineered to provide consumers with enhanced digital content consumption and creation.

The monitors are ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant. Key specs include:

High-definition with 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution, mega dynamic contrast ratio (7,000,000 to 8,000,000:1), fast response time of 5ms typical (black to white) and a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Stylishly designed with its bottom front bezel lit when switched on, intuitive touch controls on the bottom right panel.

Environmentally-conscious display technology -- Designed to meet high environmental standards, the ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant monitors are made of environmentally preferable materials such as arsenic-free glass and mercury-free panels.
With digital and analog connectivity features, consumers can connect the monitor with their desktop, laptop, gaming console and other peripherals with the VGA and DVI (HDCP) ports.

Dell also announced two 20-inch HD monitors, the IN2020 and IN2020M. The 1600 x 900 high-definition monitors offer 5ms black to white response time and dynamic contrast ratio estimated at 8 million:1.
The IN2020 monitor comes with a VGA connector while IN2020M has a DVI port that facilitates streaming of high quality video and audio.

The LEDs are priced at ST2220L ($199.99), ST2220M ($189.99), ST2320L ($229.99) and ST2420L ($259.99).
Dell also plans to soon launch a touch monitor, which it claims will be th first 21.5" multi-touch display with IPS technology which allows for wider viewing angles and better color reproduction.

Review: Sony Cybershot TX9 camera

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:11:00 +0000

We see the world in 3D, but cameras with single lenses have a hard time doing that. Except the new Cyber-Shot TX9; a camera that is an ideal companion for the new 3D TVs in the market.

The sleek metal body, active sliding lens cover and internal Carl Zeiss lens in the TX9 is very much like the existing TX7 and T99. But the CyberShot TX9 has a CMOS sensor which is unlike most compact cameras. A high quality CMOS sensor (like the ones DLSRs use) is better at capturing images in low light, with lesser noise.

Around the back of the camera, a 921,000 pixel 3.5-inch touchscreen does duty for composition and playback. Most settings and features have to be controlled via the touchscreen as there are very few buttons. There are many modes, special settings and configuration options to keep you occupied.

For example, HDR takes multiple shots and combines them in-camera to give a photo with better shadow and highlight details, i.e., a higher dynamic range. Twilight mode takes multiple photos and combines them into one with reduced blur and noise, so that you can take better images in low light.

The Background Defocus mode makes your subject stand out by blurring the background. The TX9 also has some 3D tricks up its sleeve. It doesn't have two separate lenses and sensors like the Fujifilm Real 3D W1 camera, so it can't take 'actual' 3D photographs or video.

Instead, it offers a 3D panorama mode. In this mode, you have to just pan the camera in a smooth motion from left to right (or vice versa), while it takes multiple images and combines them all to form a 3D panorama that can be viewed on a 3D display (or on the camera itself, thanks to a clever Gsensor that changes the image as you rock the camera from side to side).

The 4x Carl Zeiss lens, optical image stabilization, CMOS sensor and Sony's BIONZ engine all combine to deliver admirable results in almost any situation. The vivid results are sure to please. If you're not sure what mode to choose from the myriad options, just leave it in intelligent auto. Thankfully, recognizing the inconvenience of a proprietary port, the box includes a dock which provides a standard HDMI out, mini USB and composite A/V output.

And like several of the newer CyberShots, the TX9 accepts both Memory Stick Pro Duo and SD/SDHC cards for storage. However, the camera is often slow to respond, especially when switching from picture taking to playback modes.

Shot-to-shot recycle times are not too great either; it takes about 2 seconds for the camera to get ready after taking a photo. Buy the camera as a companion for your 3D TV, but as a standalone CMOS compact camera, the Canon IXUS 300 HS is hard to ignore.

Review: Apple iPod Nano, Touch, Shuffle

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 10:41:00 +0000

By now, Apple's introduction of new iPods each fall is about as surprising as kids going back to school. And, as usual, many of the changes CEO Steve Jobs announced this month were expected, such as the addition of cameras to the iPod Touch.

But Apple Inc took some risks this time with its lineup, too. It cut the video recording and playback features from the Nano to shrink it while adding a touchscreen, and went back in time stylistically to rework the tiny Shuffle.

The results, as expected, are awesome across the board.

iPod Nano

The latest Nano has gotten the biggest makeover of the bunch, trading in its rectangular body for a small square and eschewing the traditional iPod click-wheel controls in favor of a touch screen flanked by a few buttons.

I thought that having such a teeny touchscreen -- about 1.5 inches diagonally -- would be annoying. It turned out to be slightly irksome at first but nearly as intuitive as the old click wheel once I got used to swiping it to find my way around.

If the old Nano said, "Take me with you," the new Nano screams, "Only a fool would leave me at home!" It's less than half the size of the old Nano and fits in even the smallest pocket. And it finally comes with a built-in back clip, so you can attach the player to your shirt or pocket when you're exercising or walking around. Adios, expensive clip case.

The built-in pedometer, introduced on the last Nano, seems like a better idea now that the gadget has a more portable body. You also don't need to worry whether you've clipped it on upside down, as Apple smartly included a feature that lets you flip the screen's orientation by twisting two fingers on the screen.

I thought I'd miss the video camera included on the previous Nano since I don't like having options taken away from me. But after a little while I totally forgot about it. It would have been neat if Apple at least kept the video playback option, but such a small screen -- about 1.5 inches diagonally -- is hardly ideal for watching episodes of "Glee." The old screen, at 2.2 inches, was diminutive but did the trick if I needed a video fix on the fly.

Apple says the Nano, which comes with 8 or 16GB of storage, should give you up to 24 hours of music playback; I got close to 15 hours from a single charge when listening to music and viewing photos.

iPod Touch

As with the last iPod Touch, the new version is much like an iPhone without the phone -- a great alternative if you want to avoid a two-year service contract, especially since the phone part is often derided as the iPhone's weakest suit.

Like the iPhone 4, the new Touch has a gorgeous, super-sharp display that is great for surfing the Web and watching videos. It's stocked with Apple's newest mobile processor and comes with 8, 32 or 64 GB of storage.

The new iPod Touch also follows the iPhone 4's lead by adding cameras in the front and back. This means you can take photos and HD-quality videos and conduct video chats with other owners of the new Touch and latest iPhone.

The cameras bring the Touch to a whole new level. Before, it was a slick multimedia player that could access the Internet and download apps over Wi-Fi. Now, it's a potential replacement for a simple point-and-shoot -- though, sadly, it still lacks a flash -- and a better a communication tool.

Using FaceTime on the Touch is pretty sweet. Sure, video chat has been around for a while, and it's already available on the iPhone 4. But there's still something awesome about having video chat right in your pocket, assuming you are in a Wi-Fi hotspot. Since the Touch doesn't have a phone number that people can call for a FaceTime chat, you must choose which e-mail address (or addresses) people can use to reach you.

The Touch also comes with Apple's new Game Center app, which lets you keep track of your gaming scores and play games against friends.

I had fun playing the fruit-slicing game "Fruit Ninja" against my iPhone-brandishing colleague Peter in New York, but it wasn't seamless. We both noticed delays in seeing what the other had just done.

Still, you'll have plenty of time to challenge others and do everything else: The Touch's battery is rated for up to 40 hours of music or seven hours of video playback, and I got over 13 hours out of it when doing everything from playing games to perusing Apple's iTunes Store.

iPod Shuffle

At first glance, the new iPod Shuffle looks suspiciously like an older version of the same gadget, with its circular control panel and wee rectangular body.

Looks can be deceiving, though. It's actually a solidly updated device, both compared with its doppelganger, the Shuffle Apple released four years ago, and with the previous Shuffle that depended on controls attached to an earbud cord.

I like this return to the circular controls, which make it easy to navigate from song to song and pump up (or down) the jam. There's a button for voiceover features on the side, which speak over the music to tell you what song you're listening to.

And the $49 price tag -- $10 lower than the previous Shuffle with the same 2GB storage capacity -- can't be beat. Sure, it only has room for about 500 songs, and Apple is no longer offering a 4GB Shuffle, but it's more than enough to get you through plenty of workouts and commutes.

The Shuffle is supposed to get up to 25 hours of battery life; after using it for more than 15 hours, I clicked the voiceover button and a stilted male voice told me it still held a 25 percent charge.

Though I try to keep an eyebrow raised, year after year Apple convinces me of the merits of its latest iPods. There's always room for improvement (I'd love more camera settings and a flash on the Touch, for example), and I bet Apple is already figuring out what problems to solve and features to add in the next versions. But they're still far better than the competition -- no surprise there.

Apollo EHDD portfolio Expanded By Imation

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 03:53:00 +0000

Imation Corp has expanded its Apollo family of external hard disk drives (EHDD) lineup. The updated Apollo line delivers solutions ranging from personal to professional use, updated designs and next-generation software that simplifies, automates and personalises backup for up to two terabytes (TB) of data. The company's Apollo Expert D300 offers USB 3.0 technology to move data up to 10 times faster than USB 2.0-based drives.

According to says Jason Elles, global brand leader for Imation -
The explosion of large multimedia files, such as high-resolution photos and video, and the fact that even small businesses can be data-intensive, means households and businesses need to capture and save more digital information than ever. Whether they're seeking exceptional value or high speeds, using a drive personally or professionally, or backing up their desktop or managing data on the go, there's an Apollo external hard drive to utilize.

The new Apollo family begins with the Apollo Expert D300 External Hard Drive. The drive is available in 500-GB, 1-TB and 2-TB capacities. The drive features a brushed silver industrial design and removable stand to orient it horizontally or vertically. The drive uses ArcSoft Total Media Backup software and includes a 60-day trial of Norton Online Backup.

Other products in the portfolio include:

1) Apollo Expert D200 External Hard Drive: Available in capacities from 500 GB to 2 TB, the USB 2.0-powered drive features a brushed silver, industrial design and a removable stand. Protected by a five-year limited warranty, the Apollo Expert D200 drive comes equipped with ArcSoft TotalMedia(R) Backup software and a 60-day trial of Norton Online Backup.

2) Apollo Expert M200 Portable Hard Drive: The hard drive comes with a five-year limited warranty. The fully USB 2.0-powered drive comes in storage capacities of 320, 500 and 640 GB. The drive uses ArcSoft Total Media Backup software and includes a 60-day trial of Norton Online Backup.

3) Apollo M100 Portable Hard Drive: Available in 320-, 500- and 640-gigabyte (GB) capacities, the fully USB 2.0-powered drive requires no external power supply or drivers. The 2.5-inch drive comes equipped with ArcSoft Total Media Backup software.

The Apollo M100 and Expert M200 portable hard drives are available immediately. The Apollo Expert D200 and D300 external hard drives will be available in October. Prices range from $79.99 to $219.99 depending on drive capacity and data-transfer speed.

Next Generation Mobile Computing to go KeyLess

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 03:30:00 +0000

An Israeli start-up has launched a system that aims to make mobile computing easier by letting users type on invisible keys instead of a keyboard that typically takes up much of the screen. SnapKeys calls its technology the "keyless keyboard" and has forged a deal with Philips Electronics to market the product, company officials said.

SnapKeys and Philips will split revenue 50-50. "There is a fundamental problem in entering data on mobile devices," SnapKeys Chief Executive Benjamin Ghassabian told Reuters. "Keyboards were meant for fixed devices, not mobile. And screens are not supposed to be your input device; they are supposed to be output."
He said the keyless keyboard was 10 years in the making. The sucess of Apple's iPad -- which Ghassabian says is more entertainment than computer -- shows that people want more portable devices. Around 40 companies seek to market tablet computers, he said.

"The market is moving towards mobile computers -- that's why tablets are coming out," Ghassabian said.
SnapKeys, privately funded with $4 million, and Philips have started approaching the top mobile device and computer companies about using its keyless keyboard.
"We are in the phase of closing deals ... It will take a few months to get to the market," Ghassabian said, adding the system works on all Windows, Symbian and Android-based devices.
The keyboard has four invisible keys -- two on each side of the device's screen -- each comprising six to seven letters. There are other keys for numbers, punctuation and symbols.
At first, the location of the keys appears on the screen but the company believes users will quickly learn the location of letters and will not need the overlay for long. Users tap the invisible keys with their thumbs and the system predicts the words.
SnapKeys says its English version has about 100,000 words and is 92 per cent accurate. If the word isn't correct, it can be changed. Ghassabian said the system, in which typing words is far faster than a typical keyboard, is available in all European languages as well as Chinese. An Indian version is in the works.

"The only competition for us will be voice recognition and that's not working well yet in mobile devices," Ghassabian said, noting it was not as discreet as typing.

He rejected the notion that people will not want to change their typing habits from a keyboard that has been around for a century.
"People used to have horses but when cars came out, not everyone wanted to switch to cars. But when they started driving cars, they didn't want to go back to riding horses," he said.

Review: Motorola Backflip smartphone

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:31:00 +0000

When you open up the phone, it just flips open to give you a device which is different and easy to use. But then, this is just one of its new features. When you open the phone, you'll find a laptop's trackpad-like feature on the other side of the screen.

What this means is that apart from tapping on the screen you can actually use this trackpad, which they call the Backtrack, to move around and select items by gently tapping on it (we would love all phones to have this feature).
Its 5.0 megapixel camera, with flash, is housed at one end of the keypad. So, when you open the phone, you can as well take some shots of yourself. With such an exceptional hardware, we had expected it to be loaded with the latest version of Android.

Unfortunately, we'll have to be satisfied with the ancient 1.5 version. So, there's no pinch-and-zoom facility and no access to some of the wonderful apps from the Android Market.
The welcome feature is its Motoblur which lets you merge contact information from various email accounts with social networking sites. Infact, if you get into Motoblur's features, you can easily find a host of customisable options which makes this phone's usage much more fun.

On the performance front, it does seem a bit sluggish, especially the time the screen takes to adjust itself when you open the keypad. The battery life is not bad with our device staying alive for almost one and a half days with heavy usage.

It sure doesn't come cheap but the fact that you own a handset which is not a copy of other popular devices and is loaded to the hilt with innovative features is in itself priceless. If Motorola rolls out the latest Android version on the Backflip, it would be a much better buy.

More here >>>

Review: Acer Aspire TimelineX AS4820T laptop

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:21:00 +0000

This laptop from Acer's TimelineX Series is the AS4820T. If you have seen the size-zero Vaio X series from Sony, then you will immediately associate the outer body of the Acer with it.

It has got a nice black metal finish which means that there won't be any finger prints. The shiny metal finish continues on the inside with a neatly laid giant touchpad and a tactile keyboard. Although the keys are great to type with, the build quality is not so.

The keys are quite wobbly. But in case of the touchpad, it is one of the best we have ever used smooth and responsive. The touchpad also supports pinch-and-zoom with two fingers. There is an obvious lag when you try to pinch or zoom into your photos, but then that's not what this touchpad is primarily going to be used for.
Clean, glossy lines make up the top with power buttons and almost invisible speakers. All in all, it has a great design. But the best part is that even with a DVD drive, it's extremely light at just 2.1 kg. The screen is a beautiful, bright 14-inch one with backlit LED making Acer 4820TG really good to look at.
It has an Intel Core i5 -430 M 2.26Ghz processor with 4GB of RAM. In addition, it also has a 500GB HDD and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 Graphics card. This ensures good video quality when you view your media or even want to play games.

The OS is Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit which is responsive and works without hassles most of the time. But, if you open more than six applications and then try to watch a movie, it will start to freeze.
Like Nvidia's optimus technology, this too, has two graphic processing units (GPUs) which switch between high performance and low to give you optimal performance for computing. What Nvidia Optimus does is switch to a high performance GPU, that is ATI, when it has to run programmes with high graphic content and switch to the Intel GPU for the low menial computational tasks.

But then, you will have to do this manually as it doesn't switch automatically. If you are a new user, you wouldn't even probably know it's there as Acer has not mentioned this anywhere. A dedicated switch would have been better.
Regarding the actual workings of the switch, Acer recommends that you shut down all applications before you switch to GPU. If you switch without shutting down your programmes, the screen freezes. The 2 GPUS are a pain to switch on. They do their job but with a lot of hiccups.

All standard forms of connectivity are present -- USB, HDMI out, Ethernet, standard headphone jack and Wi-Fi. Multimedia is a pleasure to view on this laptop as it supports full HD in 1080p in 16:9. The speakers are pretty good too and enhance the sound via Virtual Surround Sound making it slightly better than the speakers on most laptops.

Is the Acer Timeline X AS4820T worth your money? Yes, it looks good. But, the average performance of the GPU switch is what brings it down. If you want a good looking laptop which you can flaunt in the boardroom and will only use it for basic tasks without the headache of switching between the 2 GPUs, this could be a good pick.

More here>>>

Top 5 Qwerty Phones to Choose From

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:28:00 +0000

Full QWERTY cellphones offer the comfort of quick and easy typing to those looking for a handset that is ideal for using messenger services or writing emails. These new breed of phones not only come with dedicated buttons, but also offer spacious keyboard for drafting long messages and emails.

Below is a list of top 5 full QWERTY handsets from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Acer, BlackBerry and Palm.

1) Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro

The X10 Mini Pro is the smallest of all and could be the dinkiest smartphone you might have ever handled. A flick of a thumb is enough to slide the screen up with a satisfying snap to reveal the surprisingly roomy QWERTY.

It has so far proved to be a fine platform for speedtyping, but those who want to work with larger digits, may find it more challenging. Beneath the responsive capacitive touchscreen is an Android-based interface, which has been tweaked to accommodate the small screen size. If you have previously been put off QWERTY handsets for their size, the Mini Pro could change that for sure.

Verdict: A lesson in smartphone miniaturisation that is incredibly user-friendly.

Specifications:

OS: Android 1.6;

Display: 2.6-in, 320x240 capacitive touchscreen;

Camera/video: 5MP/VGA@ 30fps;

Storage: 128MB + microSD;

Battery: 3.5hrs talk, 360hrs standby

2) Palm Pixi Plus

This entry-level Pixi Plus is a multitasking demon, thanks to Palm’s flexible webOS. No rival QWERTY handset can switch between applications and features so smoothly and fluidly.

It is quite slim, light and well built, and while the keyboard looks cramped it is great to use. The soft rubbery domes are very tactile, you get dedicated full stop and comma keys, and the phone’s slender profile means you can easily tap out messages one-handed. This frees your other hand to use the responsive capacitive touchscreen or the gesture pad.

Verdict: This multitasking smartphone has more appeal than its entry-level status suggests.

Specifications:

OS: webOS 1.4.1;

Display: 2.63in, 320x400;

Camera/video: 2MP/VGA@ 30fps;

Storage: 8GB;

Battery: 5.2hrs talk, 350hrs standby

3) Acer's Neotouch P300

The Acer’s 3.2-inch widescreen display is an absolute beauty. Unfortunately, this Windows Mobile-powered phone doesn’t follow through with performance to match. The sliding keyboard is spacious and geared for drafting long messages and emails.

Flush to the surface with an almost pressurepad action, each key is distinguishable by a smooth rubberised finish. The same can not be said of the resistive touchscreen. It copes fine with aggressive taps on the main menu icons, but swipe and scroll and it becomes temperamental.

Go off-road from the main menu and you will be grabbing the stylus to negotiate the fiddly sub-menus. Also, the processor seems to have trouble if you throw it a quick volley of taps or swipes, needing time to catch up. Ultimately this lack of response overshadows the fairly impressive set of features.

Verdict: A great QWERTY is let down by a moody touchscreen and sluggish processor

Specifications:

OS: Windows Mobile 6.5;

Display: 3.2in, 240x400;

Camera/video: 3.2MP/320x240@30fps;

Storage256MB+microSD;

Battery: 4.4hrs talk, 400hrs standby

4) BlackBerry 9700 Bold

In terms of design and ergonomics, the BlackBerry’s keyboard is the finest on test. Inspired by the frets on a guitar, it has reasonable-sized keys that are ridged to help your thumbs keep their bearings.

It’s a pleasure to use and great for instinctive typing, even in the absence of standalone punctuation keys. Like the Nokia E72, the Bold is a traditional messenger, so there’s no touchscreen but there is a touchsensitive optical trackpad. Teamed with its splendid keyboard, for pure messaging the BlackBerry is hard to beat.

Verdict: Its thumb-friendly keyboard makes this BlackBerry a top-class messenger

Specifications:

OS: BlackBerry 5.0;

Display: 2.4in, 480x360;

Camera/video: 3.2MP/480x352@30fps;

Storage: 256MB + microSD;

Battery: 6hrs talk, 408hrs standby

5) Nokia E72

The E72’s multimedia skills beat all the others here. It’s very stylishly built, flaunting an elongated profile and a robust metallic rear battery bonnet. The keyboard’s domed buttons (which include dedicated punctuation keys) are easy on the thumbs, feeling almost ceramic to the touch, although not as distinct as the BlackBerry’s.

The Symbian S60 interface is a bit dated but highly customizable. The push email set-up rivals the BlackBerry for ease of use, and while Nokia’s Ovi Store isn’t overflowing, it offers a decent choice of apps and games to download.

Verdict: With outstanding media and SMS talents, the E72 is the best all-round QWERTY phone

Specifications:

OS: Symbian Series 60;

Display: 2.4in, 320x240;

Camera/video: 5MP/VGA@ 15fps:

Storage: 250MB + microSD;

Battery 6hrs talk, 576hrs standby

Now Qwerty Keyboard for Iphone

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 05:01:00 +0000

If you feel that it is too tedious, irritating and time taking - typing on the virtual keyboard on your iPhone, then this special product is for you. You can use this extra keyboard to assist your typing. The product has been designed by Altamash Jiwani, who has just developed this external full QWERTY keyboard which can be attached to the phone at the bottom leaving another charging port at its bottom too. This is really quite amazing iPhone accessory.

Check the product design page here.

Logitech Lapdesk N700 - Review

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:30:00 +0000

Buy Logitech Lapdesk N700 online

One problem with laptops these days is that they heat up quite a bit. In fact, keeping one on your lap for a long time might even cause minor burns. This is why laptop stands were invented. Logitech has come up with a laptop stand, Lapdesk N700, which is apt for display sizes up to 16".

The difference between this device and many other similar ones is its multi-capabilities. As far as looks are concerned, Logitech has kept things simple with a white plastic upper deck. The bottom surface has a really comfortable cushion which is almost like a grey mesh-like layering.

The upper deck of this device is white with perforations. These are to allow sound to penetrate from the 2" speakers beneath them. And, that is the first of its many extra features. The next special feature is the vent in the central area which houses a cooling fan. There is an intake area for the cooling fan at the bottom. On the side of the pad, you get buttons which control the fan and the volume of the speakers.
All you have to do is simply plug the device’s USB cable into your notebook and it’s set for action. Once the laptop is placed on top and the device is switched on, you can barely hear the fans buzz. What it does provide is a basic flow of air which is good enough to make sure that the laptop stays at a comfortable temperature.
But what’s quite surprising is its two-inch speakers which are way better than many of the in-built ones in laptops. Not only are they loud, they are quite clear as well. Instead of going for an external speaker, we would suggest that you pick up one of these.
The cushioning, with its mesh outer surface, is perhaps the most comfortable feature ever seen in a laptop pad. And, the fact that it doesn’t have any external power cable, but a USB port, becomes even handier.

But, on the flip side, it does eat up your laptop’s battery life to quite an extent. For instance, an HP Elitbook which when fully charged gave us a battery life of about six hours, came down to 3.5 hours when plugged on to this device.
I feel that the N700 is a very innovative product and with time and further research, Logitech can better it.
Cons: Its battery consumption and the weight.
In fact, we wouldn’t mind a sliding keypad along with a mouse to boot next time. It would be welcome if they stick to the current price, which is quite low and affordable.
More here>>>

Buy 3D Camera by Fujifilm Online

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:12:00 +0000

Fujifilm has launched the world's first 3D camera and printing service. Photographs on the new FinePix camera can be printed on special 3D paper, ready to stick in the family photo album or be instantly viewed on the camera's built-in display.

Unlike the 3D films in cinemas, special glasses do not need to be worn to show the 3D image. The camera takes two photos simultaneously from its two lenses which are fixed a similar distance apart to human eyes.

Using "lenticular" technology, the separate left and right eye images are interlaced on a furrowed surface to create the stereoscopic illusion. This method has been used since the 1940s typically on novelty items and stickers, featuring simple two-frame animations, such as a winking eye. The new camera also incorporates a high-definition 3D video camera, allowing users to watch their home movies back on any 3D TV.

The new FinePix Real 3D W3 will go on sale in early September, costing around 400 pounds.Fujifilm said its 3D printing service would be available "shortly" after the camera's launch. More here >>>

Asus Dual Touchpad Notebook NX90

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:03:00 +0000

Notebook PC-maker, Asus has launched its new product NX90 notebook in the domestic market. The product is designed in co-operation with technology developer Bang and Olufsen's chief designer David Lewis.With the NX90 Asus manufacturers hope to give notebooks the world over a new definition and place,

The product comes with features including 8GB DDRIII memory and 1TG (500GBx2) 7200rpm storage capacity. NX90 is 18.4-inch full high definition LED backlit display laptop.

The notebook also comes with a configuration of an Intel Core i7 processor, graphics card NVIDIA Geforce GT 335M, an amplifier and a built-in webcam of 2 megapixel.
Among other features, the laptop has a dual touchpad located on both sides of the keyboard.

Dell Streak to Challenge Apple iPad

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:56:00 +0000

Tablet war has begun! World's second-largest PC maker Dell’s tablet PC, called Streak, is all set to hit the retail stores. Streak is Dell's bold attempt to grab a share of tablet market which has been witnessing hyper activity from PC makers across the board ever since Apple launched its tablet device iPad.
With some analysts calling it mini tablet or giant smartphone, Dell Streak is half the size of iPad and can also make phone calls unlike Apple’s iPad. Here’s looking into Dell Streak -- Apple iPad’s first big competition.

1) Dell Streak Look and Feel

Sporting a 5-inch (12.5-centimeter) WVGA screen, Dell Streak features a multi-touch display. However, Streak is smaller than Apple iPad which has a 9.7-inch (24.6-centimeter) diagonal LED-backlit glossy widescreen multi-touch display.
Dell first unveiled its Streak in January, touting the device as a convergence between a typical cell phone and larger tablet computer.

2) Operating System

Streak is powered by Google Inc's Android operating system. According to Dell, Streak will launch with Android 1.6. The Tablet is expected to get the latest Android 2.2 update.
The tablet will run on 1GHz Snapdragon ARM-based mobile processor from Qualcomm.

3) Memory

Streak comes with 2GB of internal storage. But the memory can be expanded upto 32GB via MicroSD card. According to Dell, the extended capacity can support upto 42 movies, 32,000 photos, or 16,000 songs.

4) Camera!

This is where the iPad cannot match this rival. The Dell Tablet will come with a high-resolution 5 megapixel autofocus camera. Streak also has a front-facing camera which can be used for video chatting. It also has a dual LED flash.

5) Connectivity

Streak offers built in Wi-Fi, optional 3G and Bluetooth for connectivity. It will also support Google Maps integrated with a turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views.
Streak also has integrated social media apps including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

6) Flash

Unlike Apple iPad, Dell Streak can run Adobe's popular Flash software. According to Dell, the Tablet will support Flash 10.1 later this year.

Apple on the other hand has been criticising Adobe's Flash technology for security, technical drawbacks and power-management.

7) Applications and Price

Android-based Streak will have access to thousands of apps, games, widgets and other tools available on the Android platform.
As for the pricing, Dell hasn't revealed it yet. However, it is speculated that the device will be cheaper than the iPad. Currently, iPad sells for $499, $599 and $699 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB Wi-Fi versions.
The tablet definitely sounds much better than the ipad. It will fit in your pocket, still offer a better experience than a smartphone, and will be cheaper. and it's got a camera.

Keep yourself subscribed to this blog in order to remain updated with news and latest launches of electronic gadgets, cameras, phones, laptops and tablets.

Review: BlackBerry Bold 9650 Phone

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:53:00 +0000

Buy BlackBerry Bold 9650 Phone online.

The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is an extraordinary smartphone people will definitely love. Whether at work or at play, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 offers a truly impressive communications, multimedia and connectivity experience.

Loaded with 512 MB Flash memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB microSDHC cards, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone supports 3G networks.
Built in stylish design with glossy black finish and chrome highlights, the new device features large high-resolution display which allows pictures, videos and web pages with great contrast and detail, the RIM statement said.

Apart from a 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording, the new BlackBerry Bold also features advanced media player for videos, pictures and music, a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and support for Bluetooth.
The BlackBerry Bold 9650 fuses form and function in a striking design and, in addition to providing premium phone and multimedia features, it of course delivers the industry's leading mobile solution for email, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and social networking.

Key Features

BlackBerry OS 5.0 includes typing accuracy and selection improvements, as well as usability and visual enhancements such as inertial scrolling, spin boxes that make it easier to set dates and times, gradient shading on buttons, and more use of animation.
Support for BlackBerry App World featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones. Categories include travel, productivity, entertainment, games, social networking and sharing, news and weather, and more.
BlackBerry Internet Service offers easy access to up to 10 supported personal and work e-mail accounts and one BlackBerry e-mail account.
Compatible with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for advanced security and IT administration features within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments. Customers running BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 will gain the ability to set follow-up flags, manage e-mail folders, access remote files (Windows Shares), forward appointments, view calendar attachments, and more.
View attachments including JPEG, Adobe PDF, and Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
BlackBerry Media Sync is built right into your BlackBerry Desktop Software and lets you sync your desktop iTunes or Windows Media Player music files with your BlackBerry smartphone. If you're a Mac user, just choose the "media" option and you're ready to sync your iTunes music collection from your BlackBerry smartphone onto your Mac.
Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 16 GB. A 2 GB card is included with the phone, and it also has an internal 512 MB memory.
Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go
Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity with stereo music streaming (A2DP) capabilities as well as hands-free headsets and car kits and tethering with your PC (with optional tethering plan).
Full messaging capabilities including SMS text, MMS picture and IM instant messaging (via popular services)
Large 2.45-inch high-resolution display (480 x 360 resolution at 245 ppi) that displays pictures, videos and Web pages with contrast and detail
3.2-megapixel camera with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording.
Full HTML Web browser, streaming audio and video via RTSP

More here>>>

Review - Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Phone

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:04:00 +0000

Buy Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 online

Sony Ericsson Android-powered Xperia X10 has been launched in the US markets on AT&T platform. The smartphone's specs sheet includes: 8.1-megapixel camera with smile detection, face recognition, autofocus and LED flash.
Those expecting Xperia X10 to run on latest version of Android will be dismayed as the smartphone runs Android 1.6 and so far there is no word about an update. In early May, Sony Ericsson said that it would deliver Android 2.1 to the X10 in Q4, but if analysts don't see Android 2.2 coming.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 comes with a 2GB in-box microSD memory card. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 also sports a 4-inch capacitive touchscreen, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, as well as a Timescape solution for viewing Facebook and Twitter updates, text messages and e-mails in a streamlined view.
By clicking on Sony Ericsson's infinite button in Timescape, users can also bring up and view all communications from a single person in a single place.
The Xperia X10 is available online.

Read More about Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 here >>>

Asus NX90 laptop Review

noreply@blogger.com (eaudeity) — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:33:00 +0000

Time for your best meal yet, and on the platter are dual B&O speakers, a supermassive 18.4 inch, 1080p screen, dual multi-touch-pads, one on each side of the keyboard. A fiery Intel Core i7-820 QM quad-core processor powers the NX 90 on the inside.
You get over a terabyte of storage space and 4GB of DDR3 memory, upgradable all the way upto 12GB. Playing the latest bleeding edge games at full pump on the NX 90 is a no nonsense job, thanks to the Nvidia’s GeForce GT335M graphics card.

A slot blu-ray drive inclusion means you get to watch your blu-ray collection in its glory, and if you prefer an even larger screen, you can hook it up to say a projector via the HDMI port.

It weighs a lot at 4.8 kg including a six cell battery. But you weren’t thinking of carrying this around anyways, were you? Is it worth the high price tag it comes with? Try and decide for yourself!

Design
The NX 90 is designed by award-winning Bang & Olufsen design chief, David Lewis. The craftwork is evident in the lavish and highly reflective aluminium splashed on the cover and the palmrest area.

Sound
The B&O speakers are designed and positioned in a way that the sound gets directed to the user’s ears while seated. We like the way they sound while playing music from CDs. But for movie watching, you might consider separate upgrades.

Trackpad
Two is better than one, at least here, because these two trackpads positioned on either sides of the laptop are a breeze to use. They support multi-touch and pretty much render the mouse redundant once you get used to them.

USB 3.0
Our trusty ol friend, in its brand new avatar offers ten times the speed of USB 2.0. While the current USB 2.0 standard can transfer files at a max speed of 480Mbps, USB 3.0 can push the limit all the way skywards to almost 5Gbps.