Tech Magnet

ASUS Lamborghini VX7Sx Notebook Hands-on Review

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 01:00:00 +0530

ASUS makes a lot of laptops but my personal favourite (I bought myself a VX6 last November) is the VX Lamborghini Series. So of course I was pretty excited to get a chance to have some hands-on time with the latest addition to the series, the ASUS Lamborghini VX7Sx.

The VX7Sx is a totally different beast than my Intel Atom platform VX6. This latest model is a 15.6-inch multimedia monster with a quad-core Intel Core i7-2760QM processor and specs that make gaming notebooks blush.

The Lamborghini VX7Sx features a quad-core second generation Intel processor

To start with, the VX7 has a massive 16GB of DDR3 memory (around 4x what you find in the average notebook), two 750GB 7,200rpm hard drives that combine for 1.5TB of storage capacity, and gaming graphics courtesy of an NVIDIA GTX 560M GPU with 3x the normal video memory – 3GB in total.

It doesn’t end there though, the VX7Sx has a ton of nice extras like Windows 7 Ultimate, a Blu-ray drive that’s perfect for movie night, and a high resolution 2 megapixel webcam.

The VX7 is finished in high gloss Carbon Fibre

The real story with the ASUS Lamborghini series has never been specs alone though. What is exciting about the VX7Sx is all the detail that goes into making this one of the most exclusive notebooks on the market.

The most obvious visual add-ons are Lamborghini Murcielago-inspired rear lights and exhaust vents and a high gloss Carbon Fibre lid that reminds me a lot of the hood of the Italian Supercar the VX7 takes its name from.

The traditional power button gets replaced by a "Start Engine" button that gets things going

But my favourite add-ons in this case are found under the lid. The coolest touch in my opinion is the replacement of the traditional power button with a ‘Start Engine’ button that triggers the Lamborghini engine noise that I’ve come to love from the VX series.

Inside is a trapezoidal glass mouse pad, backlit keyboard, and leather palm rest

I’m also in love with the soft leather palm rest and trapezoidal glass touch pad – both welcome improvements over the typical plastic. The keyboard too is not only chiclet style but also backlit so it’s easy to find the right keys in the dark.

Included free with the VX7 is a Lamborghini carry case that usually retails for $129

When you buy the VX7 you’ll get a few free add-ons too. The most useful of these if you’re a student is a carry case that has what seems like dozens of pockets. You get a padded compartment for the VX7, a second organizer compartment for your pens, textbooks, or whatever else you’re carrying, a front pouch for your wallet or phone, and even a pocket that looks designed to hold your umbrella!

Even better though is the free wireless mouse that comes with the Notebook – the WX-Lamborghini mouse. This usually retails for nearly $80 and that price starts to make sense when you look at some of the detailing on it. The WX mouse has a sleek angular look, leather side panels, a Lamborghini crest, and the best touch – a rubber scroll wheel designed to look like the Bridgestone rubber you find on the Murcielago.

The free WX-Lamborghini wireless mouse has a tire-inspired rubber scroll wheel

Sounds good? The VX7Sx-DH71 retails for $2329.99 but we’ve seen it as low as $2,099.99 from some retailers. Or, if you love the specs but aren’t a car fan there’s the similarly spec’ed ASUS G74Sx from the Republic of Gamers line-up.

So is the Lamborghini VX7Sx the best yet in the VX Series? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Lava XOLO X900 review

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Wed, 8 Aug 2012 01:00:00 +0530

The first Intel smartphone is here. After years of work, California based Intel announced the first smartphones with its own Atom chips at the Mobile World Congress earlier this year. Not able to secure the support of popular smartphone manufacturers like HTC and Samsung, company went ahead with Chinese tech giant Lenovo and relatively unknown Indian manufacturer Lava to launch the initial smartphones.

The name Lava doesn't inspire much confidence in Indian consumers. While the company launched its first smartphone in India last year, it hasn't been able to generate much buzz. Intel needed hardware partners, and Lava needed a product that would help shed its image of a feature-phone manufactuer. In many ways, XOLO is a partnership of convience for both sides..

X900 is technically the first Intel powered smartphone to ship worldwide; it is based on Intel's Medfield reference design and has been priced at Rs. 21,999. In this review, we will be find out if the first Intel smartphone is capable making a place for Intel in the smartphone chip market.

Hardware
We have seen quite a few beautiful devices in the last few weeks. Coming from Sony's Xperia S, Lava XOLO X900 is a tad less aesthetically pleasing but that shouldn't be taken as a negative for the smartphone.

For a device that mirrors the reference design, XOLO X900 looks polished and feels nice in hand. The overall design isn't revolutionary but it is some fine work and consumers won't be disappointed.

Featuring a rectangular shape, XOLO X900 reminds of iPhone 4/4S , it is similar in looks with the chrome ring, button placement and even the micro-SIM card slot, which isn't really bad.

The front of the X900 houses a 4.03-inch display with 1024x600p resolution, along with capacitive Android buttons, 1.3MP front camera, earpiece, MIC and a bunch of sensors. The micro-SIM card slot is present on the right side with two-stage dedicated camera button, volume rocker and speaker.

The matching second speaker for stereo sound is present on the left with HDMI-out port. The company hasn't clubbed any HDMI cable in the box, which would certainly have been a nice addition.

Bottom is pretty much clean apart from the Micro-USB cum charging port, while top includes power button and the 3.5mm headphone jack. On the rubberised back, consumers will find the 8MP camera, LED Flash, regulatory symbols, Intel and XOLO branding.

It might not be the thinnest or lightest phone around, but when it comes with real life usage, XOLO X900 works out pretty well.

Display
In the world of HTC One X and Apple iPhone 4S, manufacturers truly need some great work to compete with some really awesome display panels. WVGA no longer cuts and HD is the standard - anything less is simply a dissapointment for a top of the line smartpone.

Intel and Lava have opted something that falls in the middle - 1024x600p resolution; it is not very common for smartphones, but we have seen it in quite a few tablets including Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy Tab 620. It might not be 720p HD, but it is not a disappointment either. At its price, X900 will be competing with Motorola Atrix 2, Samsung Galaxy S Plus, which come with qHD and WVGA resolutions - thus X900 surely wins that race.

XOLO X900 features a 4.03-inch display, which is pretty decent and offers nice colour output and viewing angles. Although in comparison with the recent smartphones like HTC One X and Galaxy Nexus, we found it a tad underwhelming. But then that's a battle no one was expecting the X900 to win.

As the display has 295 pixels-per-inch, consumers would hardly notice any individual pixels on the device. Even the touch experience is great and we never had any problems with touch accuracy.

XOLO X900's display is also sufficiently bright and consumers will not have issues while operating the phone directly under the sun.

Camera
Cameras have become an integral part of smartphone experience these days, manufacturers are spending considerable amount of time and effort in bringing something unique and useful to the table. - The ImageSense enhancements in HTC One series of smartphones or Pureview technology in Nokia 808 are testament to the fact.

Intel and Lava have also tried to include their own set of improvements to the camera in X900 - let's see how they worked out.

X900 houses an 8-megapixel camera sensor in the smartphone, which has been clubbed with one of the most comprehensive camera apps we have seen in recent times. It also comes with something called Burst Shot, last seen in HTC One X, that allows consumers to click upto ten pictures in less than a second.

Lava and Intel even had a dancer at the X900 launch to clearly show how effective burst shots can be while taking shots of something that is in motion. It was the first feature that we tried on X900 and it work flawlessly. Overall, even in non-burst mode, the quality of still captures was a tad disappointing. We found it sub-par and looking at the cameras in other modern smartphones, it certainly lacked a bit.

Shots taken from the 5MP camera of Galaxy Nexus were better in colour output, vibrancy and details than shots the 8MP camera of XOLO X900.

The camera app on the smartphone also offers various colour filters like Sepia, BW, Negative, which can be applied directly in the app itself.

The video recording interface on the phone is similar to the still imaging UI and it allows you to shoot up to 1080p video, which is pretty much a standard in high-end smartphones. You can even apply the colour effects while recording a video or set white balance or zoom. The recording output is decent and looks good. Camera maintains auto-focus continuously, which helps in capturing long videos with a lot of movement.

The 1.3MP front camera is decent and you can even record 720p videos with it.

Software/ Interface
Give us some Ice Cream Sandwich - consumers with old Android phones have been shouting the same since November 2011, when ICS source code was publically released. Even if we forgive manufacturers for being super-late in providing updates for old smartphones, how can they launch a new smartphone with old operating system version on-board?

Intel and Lava have done the same with XOLO X900. When manufacturers like HTC could launch their One series of devices with ICS and a comprehensive UI on-board, there is no excuse for Intel or Lava to release X900 with Gingerbread.

Having said that, as a Gingerbread smartphone, XOLO X900 is quite decent as company has kept the interface as well the whole Android experience pretty much stock. There are no extra applications loaded on the smartphone apart from the XOLO Care app and the inclusion of Swype.

Talking about the app compatibility, being the new architecture for Android, there is a lot of confusion on which apps will be compatible with the phone's Intel x86 platforms. While apps like Facebook, Twitter, Barcode Scanner, Astro, Dropbox, and Instagram work flawlessly, several games ,Shadowgun, Deer Hunter, Backstab, Temple Run, and Asphalt 6 amongst them, aren't supported as of date.

We hope Intel is working proactively with developers to get such apps ready for the platform.

Performance /Battery Life
XOLO X900 recently became the first smartphone worldwide to ship with Intel's Atom Z2460 32nm SoC with processor clocked at up to 1.6 GHz. It also comes with a PowerVR SGX 540 GPU at 400 MHz, and a dual channel LPDDR2 memory.

Despite being powered a single-core processor, XOLO X900 performs at par with other smartphones in the same price-bracket, which are powered by dual-core processors. There is no-sluggishness or lag while going through menus or working with the applications.

Even before Intel entered the smartphone arena, a lot of questions were raised around the battery life of any future phones based on Intel processors. x86 has traditionally been seen as a power hungry platform, not suitable for use in smartphones and other devices where battery juice is at a premium.

The x86 power myth also seems busted as X900's battery backup is inline with any other competing high-end Android smartphone. Medium to heavy users will be able to pass the day with the smartphone's 1460 mAh battery.

The gaming performance in pretty good and most casual games worked flawlessly; although, we did miss many popular gaming titles because of incompatibility with the architecture.

Intel has clearly taken a big step with the first smartphone and it is certainly a worthy competitor, but there are few things that it needs work on - like app compatibility.

Verdict
While the Lava XOLO X900 performs pretty well for its price, the positioning as well as the branding might well end up hurting the phone. Although Lava has pitched it under the name XOLO, Indian consumers are very brand conscious and a 'Lava-made Rs. 22,000 phone' factor will surely play a lot of role in their buying decision. But, if you can look beyond the brand, XOLO X900 is worthy of consideration.

Ratings
Design: 3
Display: 3.5
Camera: 3
Performance: 3.5
Software: 3
Battery Life: 3.5
Value for Money: 3
Ecosystem: 3
Overall: 3.5

HTC One S Review

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Wed, 1 Aug 2012 01:00:00 +0530

T-Mobile has had it tough over the last couple of years, culminating into a failed takeover bid by mobile networking giant AT&T.

The No. 4 network carrier in the US has since jumped on the LTE bandwagon, while also attempting an image re-branding and focusing on its fast 42MBps HSPA+ network, until the LTE network is ready to roll out in 2013. Strategic marketing aside, the best way to get back into the consumers’ good graces is to provide devices and plans that users actually want.

With this in mind, T-Mobile has added and will continue to add some hugely popular Android devices to its line up, such as the HTC One S, the Samsung Galaxy Note, and now the Samsung Galaxy S3. Today we take a look at one of T-Mobile’s flagship Android devices, the HTC One S.

Form Factor

Whatever complaints users may have about HTC’s One series lineup (no microSD, non-removable battery), the Taiwan-based manufacturer has gone all out in creating elegant and beautifully designed devices. While most manufacturers are leaning towards cheap, glossy plastics for their device bodies, the HTC One S features an unique aluminium unibody design, which was created by the much-talked about “micro-arc oxidization treatment.”

A glossy blue ring surrounds the camera lens at the back of the One S. On removing the SIM card panel, you can see that the blue color extends into the “internals” of the phone as well. There’s only a small cover that is removable at the top of the device for the SIM card. Granted, this means that the battery is non-removable, but it does add a touch of elegance to the design. The AMOLED display protected by a curved Corning Gorilla glass sheet extends into the body and gives a feel of ”all screen.”
The One S is HTC’s thinnest device, at only 7.8mm thickness and is very light, weighing only 119.5g. While we’re seeing a shift to radically larger screen sizes, the 4.3″ display of the One S is optimal in my opinion. This makes one-handed use of the device very easy, and is a huge plus point for the device. The design is minimalist, with only the camera lens grabbing any attention. For me, simple and elegant has always been the key, and HTC has certainly stepped up with the design of the One S.

Specifications

Although the middle brother of the One series, the specifications of the One S is nothing to scoff at. Specs include:

4.3″ qHD super AMOLED display
960×540 resolution
1.5 Ghz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor
1GB RAM
16 GB internal storage, no microSD expansion
Android 4.0 with HTC Sense 4.0
1,650 mAH battery
Beats Audio

Display

The HTC One S features a qHD Super AMOLED display, with a resolution of 960×540, which is a notch lower than big brother One X, which features a super LCD 2 display, with a 1280×720 resolution. The debate of AMOLED vs LCD will rage on, but in the case of the One S, the display is bright with (mostly) sharp colors that really pop. Overall, it’s a pleasure to gawk at.

Software

The HTC One S, like all of HTC’s recent devices, features Android 4.0 with HTC Sense 4.0. Let’s take a look at some of the software highlights:

Not many people prefer manufacturer UI overlays, but if I had to choose one, it would be the HTC Sense 4.0. The latest iteration of Sense allows for a lot of customization, with multiple options for skins and scenes. HTC has also tweaked a lot of stock ICS features, such as the method for closing recent apps, to give a more consistent feel. Also featured is a new lock screen that allows you to directly open up to 4 apps, as well as folders, directly from the lock screen. Beautiful animations and a much faster and lighter feel make Sense 4.o one of the better UI overlays available.
You know there is a lot of bloatware when you have 4 pages of apps in the app drawer, and only 3 have been downloaded from the Play Store (see video). Apart from the HTC and Android pre-loaded apps, the T-Mobile device includes a lot of additional apps from the carrier, such as 411 & More, Game Base, Lookout Security, T-Mobile Hotspot, My T-Mobile, More for Me, T-Mobile Name ID, Polaris Office, and Where’s My Water. As usual, most of these pre-loaded apps cannot be uninstalled.
Tapping the Home capacitive button or using a pinch gesture opens up a “top view” of all panels. From there, you can set which panel will be your homescreen and also add panels, if required.
The Task Manager features RAM management and allows you to end all tasks at once. Settings include Automatic Startup and Memory Use notifications.
Browser features include “View desktop site” mode, enable/disable flash player, HTML 5 support, and a convenient tab management system.
Beats Audio integration across the board, for all audio and video needs. Unfortunately, can be used only with headphones.
Multiple add-on widgets, elegant scrolling and other animations, task management options, easy folder creation, user customizations and tweak options, and fast performance combine to create an amazing user experience.

Performance

The dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor by Qualcomm is the SoC featured in a lot of top devices these days, and in every LTE-capable smartphone released in the US. Although, this is primarily because of the incompatibility issues with LTE radios, the dual-core S4 performs really well in in benchmark tests. The HTC One S features 1GB of RAM, which already seems dated with 2GB RAM becoming the new “minimum” requirement, but does not take away from performance in any way.
As you can see from the Quadrant benchmark, which is a CPU, I/O, and 3D graphics benchmark test, the HTC One S scored a 5073. This is a fairly high score, and in-fact, by a small margin, beat the score of the quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 powered international version of the HTC One X.

Camera

One of the best of the HTC One S features is its amazing camera technology. The One S features an 8MP BSI (back side illuminated) sensor, with a dedicated HTC ImageChip and HTC ImageSense technology. LED flash also allows for enhanced low-light performance. The One S also has a front-facing VGA camera with 720p HD video recording capability.
HTC has completely revamped the camera app, making it very easy and convenient to capture quick, high-quality images. Pressing and holding the camera button enables the burst shot mode, allowing you to capture up to 99 images per minute, with a further option to select a “Best Shot” or have the app select one for you.

Sample Image (Source: HTC)

The camera shutter button and video capture button are available at the same time, which is a time-saver and removes the need for toggling between modes. Even better is the ability to capture images while shooting video, which can also be done after a video shoot is completed.

There are numerous settings, video options, image options, and filters, that provides an amazing camera experience. Truly, with the advances in smartphone camera technology, the need for a point-and-shoot camera is slowly becoming a memory.

Video

Conclusion

HTC has done a lot of things right with the ultra-thin and lightweight HTC One S, with its optimal screen size, elegant design, amazing display, great camera, and software enhancements to complement the powerful hardware. The One S is available exclusively from T-Mobile, but I’m surprised that other network carriers haven’t picked this device up as a mid-range alternative to the HTC One X and its variations. This means that if the HTC One S is the device for you, you will have to switch to T-Mobile’s network. But if you’re an existing customer, you should definitely check out this amazing device.

What are your thoughts? Will you buying the HTC One S? Let us know in the comments section below.

ASUS Lamborghini VX7 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 01:00:00 +0530

Design

Che bella! That's all we had to say when we first saw the VX7. While the wedge shape of the notebook is not all that far removed from the ASUS G53SW, the lid and rear have been modified to resemble the Lamborghini Murcielago rather than a F117 stealth fighter (as with the G53SW). Instead of a soft-touch matte black lid, the VX7 has a glossy black finish with the Lamborghini logo in the center. As with the car, you'll want to keep a polishing rag handy to maintain the VX7's pristine look. You can also get the lid in orange; given the flashiness of the notebook, we'd choose that option.

Around the back, ASUS has augmented the vents with clear red plastic slots that resemble the taillights on a Lamborghini; it would be far cooler if they were also backlit. The deck of the VX7 has its own styling, too. We love the black leather palm rests, complete with elegant stitching. They not only look fantastic, but are also very comfortable to rest your wrists on.

Other automotive touches include a dark chrome plastic lining around the touchpad and "automobili Lamborghini" written above the keyboard. Even the Power button says "Start Engine." When you turn on the notebook, instead of the generic Windows startup sound, you hear a car revving its engine.

Measuring 15.8 x 12.2 x 1.4-2.2 inches, the VX7 is slightly larger than the G53SW, and, at 8.4 pounds, is 3.2 ounces heavier. Even with the black Lamborghini-accented messenger bag that comes with the VX7, you still wouldn't want to carry it around for long.

Heat

After streaming a Hulu video for 15 minutes at full screen, the Lamborghini VX7 remained cool: The touchpad registered 80 degrees, the space between the G and H keys was 88, and the middle of the underside was 90 degrees. The vents at the rear of the VX7 really do the trick.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Just like the G53, the VX7 has an island-style keyboard that's backlit and comfortable to type on, but it could be better. The keys themselves are nicely spaced and have good travel and feedback, but the right Shift key is undersized, and the number pad and arrow keys are smaller than they have to be. Also, we noticed a bit of flex, similar to the G53.

The 2.75 x 1.75 Synaptics touchpad on the VX7 felt slightly small for a notebook of this size (it's the same size as on the G53), and its mirrored surface had a slight amount of friction, but we were able to execute multitouch gestures easily. The trapezoidal, chromed mouse buttons below were large, and provided snappy feedback.

Display and Audio

With a resolution of 1920 x 1080, the Lamborghini VX7's 15.6-inch glossy display provided bright and crisp visuals. We could pick out individual leaves while playingWorld of Tanks and individual strands of hair when watching the 1080p trailer forHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. However, we did notice a bit of noise in the darker areas of the screen, and colors did appear muted at times.

We liked that we could automatically change the color temperature by pressing the middle button on the upper-left of the deck. However, viewing angles were somewhat limited; images started to reverse at 45 degrees on either side.

The small speakers in the top middle of the VX7's deck produced loud but tinny sound. Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days" and Kanye West's "All Falls Down" had almost no bass. Even when we were playing games, explosions didn't have the chest-thumping boom we were looking for. The THX Trustudio audio manager did little to help.

Ports and Webcam

The left side of the VX7 has a tray-loading Blu-ray drive and two USB 2.0 ports. The right side houses HDMI, one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port, Ethernet, and headphone and mic ports.

The 2-megapixel webcam on the VX7 can take photos at up to 1600 x 1200 pixels and capture video up to 640 x 480. While a little on the grainy side, the webcam picked up details such as the stripes in our shirt as well as a bright orange cup sitting on the desk behind us. Using ASUS' LifeFrame utility, we were able to make fine adjustments to the picture quality, including brightness and contrast, and could even add fun effects, such as a virtual pair of sunglasses or a black eye.

Performance

The computing equivalent of a 572-horsepower V12 engine, the VX7 comes with a quad-core 2.6-GHz Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 16GB of RAM, and Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M graphics with 3GB of GDDR5 memory. However, the VX7's dual 750GB, 7,200-rpm hard drives made it feel like this machine was filled up with regular unleaded.

On PCMark Vantage, the VX7 scored 7,740, which is about 900 points higher than the desktop replacement average, but the G53SW (which has the same specs, but 8GB of RAM and a single 750GB, 7,200-rpm hard drive) notched a higher 8,470 on the same test. The Alienware M14x (Intel Core i7-2820QM) and the MSI GT680R(Intel Core i7-2630QM) blew past it with scores of 9,293 and 9,184, respectively.

While the VX7 was quick to boot up Windows 7 Ultimate (just 56 seconds), it took the 7,200-rpm hard drive a long 3 minutes and 38 seconds to duplicate a 4.97GB folder of multimedia files. That's a rate of 23.3 MBps, well below the 34.1MBps category average, the 39.1 MBps of the G53SW, and well below the GT680R (62.1MBps).

Graphics and Gaming

The VX7's Nvidia GeForce GTX460M graphics card and 3GB of VRAM powered through the 3DMark06 test with a score of 13,927, which is on a par with the G53SW and the GT680R, and about 5,200 points higher than the desktop replacement category average. The VX7 also outpaced the Alienware M14x's Nvidia GeForce GT555M (12,553). On 3DMark11, the VX7 scored 1,658, which also bested the M14x (1,324), but was below the G53SW (1,825) and the MSI GT680R (1,796).

In World of Warcraft, the VX7 delivered 71 frames per second with effects set to maximum and the resolution at 1920 x 1080. That's 11 fps higher than the category average and the G53SW; the GT680R edged it out slightly (81 fps). The M14x scored 77 fps, but it has a lower screen resolution of 1600 x 900.

In Far Cry 2, the VX7 kicked out 39 fps at its native resolution and effects on Very High. That's a bit above the category average (33 fps), but below the G53SW and the GT680R, both of which saw 55 fps at the same settings at the same resolution. By comparison, the M14x scored 50 fps.

Still, gaming was a blast on the VX7. We averaged 49 frames per second when playing World of Tanks at native resolution and effects jacked up. We could pick out the smallest details, from the foliage on the trees to cobblestone streets to individual treads on our Sherman tank as we rumbled through the boards. Our only regret was that the speakers didn't provide enough low end to really hear the growl of our tank's diesel engine or the boom as we fired our gun.

Battery Life

Like most gaming notebooks (and sportscars), the VX7 is a gas-guzzler. Its eight-cell, 5200-mAh battery lasted 2 hours and 55 minutes, just 5 minutes less than the G53SW. That's slightly better than the category average (2:48), but the VX7's size and weight means it won't be far from an outlet for long. The Alienware M14x lasted a longer 4:11, but it also has a smaller screen to power.

Express Gate Cloud

The VX7 includes ASUS Express Gate Cloud, software that allows users to boot the laptop without using Windows. After pressing the button on the upper left of the keyboard deck, the VX7 launched Express Gate in approximately 15 seconds. Express Gate Cloud features a series of eight sliding tiles (Calendar, Chrome, Game, Music, Online Video, Photo, Social Network) that users can navigate to access the web and a number of entertainment options.

Software

ASUS keeps the software pre-load fairly light on the VX7. Included are ASUS utilities for tweaking the system, such as Power4Gear Hybrid (for adjusting performance settings), and FastBoot (to speed up boot time). Other software includes Cyberlink Blu-ray Disc Suite (for burning discs), Roxio Cineplayer BD (for playing Blu-rays), Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security, and Nuance PDF Reader.

Verdict

The ASUS Automobili Lamborghini VX7 has looks that kill, but even when you factor in the premium for the design, the performance doesn't quite match the $2,269 price. We were a bit disappointed with the lack of bass when playing music and games, and the VX7's keyboard flex gives us some pause. For about $700 less, you can get an ASUS G53SW with the same gaming prowess--but with less storage and no Blu-ray. If you're looking for a true desktop replacement, you can get an Alienware M17x with all the same specs, but with a larger 17-inch display, better audio, and cool backlight customizations for around the same price. Still, gamers who happen to be Lamborghini aficionados will no doubt swoon over the VX7. Just be sure to get the orange lid.

Video

Wordweb Pro :Review

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 01:00:00 +0530

The Internet has made it a lot easier for computer users to look up words, definitions, translations and encyclopedias. But even if you use the Internet for these things, you may run into usability issues or sites that display one kind of information but lack others that you are also interested in.

WordWeb Pro is a desktop English thesaurus and dictionary that integrates into nearly every software on a computer system. The program runs in offline mode by default, but can connect to the Internet to provide additional information when an Internet connection is available.

You can bring up the main application interface to look up words or phrases right away, or use the the program’s hotkey (Ctrl and right-clicking after selecting a word or Ctrl-Alt-W) to send that word to the program interface. If you use the keyboard shortcut you also get options to replace the selected word or phrase in the browser with an alternative. The integration was tested successfully in the Firefox web browser, Thunderbird email client and Microsoft Word. It is likely that it will work in the majority of Windows programs as well.

And since it uses its own word databases that are available on the computer, results are almost displayed instantly.

WordWeb Pro displays the spelling and meanings of the word or phrase (separated into nouns, verbs and derived where appropriate). The nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs buttons on the right can be used to quickly jump between those groups in the interface.

The lower half of the screen displays word related information that may include synonyms, words that are similar, types or antonyms. The word interface for instance displays type of (e.g. computer programme, surface) and Types (CLI, GUI) when the word is looked up in WordWeb.

A double-click on any word listed in the interface looks up that word immediately in the program. You can use the back and forward buttons or the history pulldown menu to quickly open up a word again that you have already looked up.

Words, phrases or the entire text can be copied directly when they are displayed in the definition part of the interface, or copied using the copy button when they are displayed in the lower part.

Plus and minus buttons are sometimes displayed in the interface to display additional or less alternatives.

WordWeb Pro comes with an audio module that offers to pronounce the current word or phrase to the user. It is still an interesting feature, especially so for non-native speakers who have troubles pronouncing particular words.

When you connect the program to the Internet you extend its functionality to include information from Wikipedia, Wiktionary and Wordweb Online in the program interface. A click on one of the tabs opens the word’s page on Wikipedia or Wiktionary directly in the program interface. This may be handy if additional information about a word or phrase are needed that the program cannot supply.

A bookmarking system is available to quickly jump to a word or phrase look up in the program.

The professional version of WordWeb comes with features that that free version does not offer. This includes 65,000 additional audio pronunciations (compared to 5000 of the free version), 5000 additional definitions, the ability to add custom web references and glossaries, integration of third party dictionaries, wildcard searches, full text definition search and the ability to find and solve anagrams.

Options

It is possible to change the hotkeys to look up words in third party applications. This is done via the Options > Hotkey menu. The program supports both a one-click look up and a traditional keyboard shortcut look up hotkey.

The program preferences can be used to change the English locale (you are asked during installation to pick one), to enable vulgar or offensive words under synonyms and suggestions or to make the program stay always on top in the operating system.

The program is offered as a free and pro version for Windows and a version for Apple’s iPhone. Interested users can download the free version from the developer website or purchase the pro version from this page.

Verdict

Wordweb Pro is a sophisticated English thesaurus and dictionary. The program’s easy to use, integrates well with all kinds of applications and shines thanks to its ability to integrate third party services in the interface.

Samsung Galaxy S III : Review

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 01:00:00 +0530

Samsung's rise in the mobile phone arena in the last few years has been phenomenal. The company has truly come a long way and the success of its last two flagship smartphones played a huge role. It is in this backdrop that Samsung's latest flagship phone becomes so important to the company.

When JK Shin, President and Head of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung, was standing on the podium on May 3, 2012, stakes were high and everyone was anticipating a smartphone that would leave the competition behind. It was going to be the third iteration of company's much successful Galaxy S smartphone. He did unveil something that was extraordinary and full of exciting features and industry leading specifications, but will this new smartphone be able to leave the competition behind and prove powerful enough to take on Apple's upcoming iPhone and HTC's flagship One X? We will find out in this review.

Hardware
Smartphone after smartphone, Samsung has showcased that it continues to put more emphasis on the display of the smartphone and same is visible in S III. The 4.8-inch display on the phone is the single main highlight of the phone. It almost takes the whole of the front, leaving little space for the buttons, front camera and sensors. We don't mind that because by limiting the bezel and removing any unwanted space, Samsung has been able to fit the huge display in much smaller device, which is easier to hold and operate. But, you still have to adjust your grip at times and use both hands while operating the phone at many occasions.

There is nothing extraordinary about Galaxy S III design apart from the fact that it houses so much in such a thin body. Company has played safe and conservative, while the direct competitor to the phone One X is a result of HTC's attempt to do something different, which actually works quite well.

We are not saying that the Galaxy S III design is bad but it is definitely uninspired. However, it is quite functional and well-built. The no frills design borrows quite a few elements from company's last two Galaxy S models. The home button makes an appearance once again, coupled with same Android button arrangements, and familiar speaker/ ear-piece grill.

Similar to other flagships, a single sheet of glass carefully covers the front; the only bumps are home button and ear-piece grill on the top. As we are on the topic of the home button, it is important to point out that home button was actually a little disappointment for us. In the attempt to fit everything in smaller case, Samsung has reduced the size of home button considerably. We would've preferred a capacitive touch button instead of this small physical home button.

Back to the build of the smartphone, thanks to the plastic body and the usual paper thin battery cover, company has been able to keep the smartphone weight to just 133 grams, which is just 3 grams more than HTC One X.

It is interesting to note here is that Samsung has been able to pack a 2100 mAh user- removable battery in just 8.6mm thick body along with microSD card slot. So, rather than paying more for a bigger internal memory version of the phone, you can actually just pop in a card when required.

It also packs a Micro-USB port at the bottom, which is also used for charging, data transfer via PC and to connect to HDMI devices.

Overall, with all the glossy finish and rounded corners, the build quality is quite decent. Despite being plastic, the smartphone feels nice in hand and is very well put together.

Display
The huge 4.8-inch display on Galaxy S III is obviously the first feature that you will notice on the smartphone and it won't let you down. S III comes with a Super AMOLED HD display, which has the same underlying technology as Galaxy Nexus but has been improved a lot during the time period between both the launches. However, HTC's One X is still able to score over Galaxy S III in the display category; the LCD on One X has great viewing angles, best in the class clarity and colour balance. On the other hand, the bluish tinge is present on Galaxy S III display and the automatic brightness doesn't work as expected.

We won't go in Pentile vs non-Pentile debate here, as that doesn't really matter in the real-life usage of the smartphone. Overall, the colours are vivid, text is clean, readable and viewing angles are great.

Camera
HTC has set a high bar for smartphone cameras with its One X but Samsung has been able to best it with Galaxy S III. The image quality of the smartphone is simply outstanding. The images are sharp and clear, and even the full resolution images are pretty neat.

The 8MP camera on-board provides a holistic imaging experience and removes any need to carry multiple devices for basic photo needs.

Company has also included burst mode in smartphone camera, which allows consumers to capture 20 shots in one go with around 6 shots per second.

The camera software is pretty similar to what you might have seen on Galaxy S II; it is simple and easy to use. Most of the settings and controls are present on the left and the video/photo mode toggle along with capture button is on the right. It might not be as intuitive as One X's camera app, but the quality of images taken from camera fills up that gap.

Samsung has added HDR mode to Galaxy S III, which takes multi shots at various exposure values and combines them to create a single image. HDR helps you in situations where two parts of your photo frame have very different lighting condition.

The 1.9MP front camera on the smartphone is pretty neat and gives decent output. As the smartphone comes with built in video call support over telecom network, you will find using it quite often.

Moving on to the video recording, thanks to the ultra-fast processor inside the device, recording video worked as expected, auto-focus is slightly spotty but rest works fine. Galaxy S III also allows tap-to-focus in video recording, thus helping you in capturing even better videos.

The only missing part is on the optical side, Galaxy S III only supports a maximum aperture of f/2.6, which is well behind than f/2.0 on HTC One X. It means, Galaxy S III will be slightly worse in low-lighting conditions.

Software/ Interface

Samsung Galaxy S III runs on Android 4.0.4, but if you remember Ice Cream Sandwich from its stock looks, then you won't be able to recognise it on the smartphone. Samsung has gone all out to skin the hell out of ICS on S III.

There is hardly any part of the smartphone that looks like ICS on Galaxy Nexus. But, then it is expected from the Korean manufacturer to help it differentiate the device in such a competitive market.

Do these customisation work or are they just adding bloat to refreshing Ice Cream Sandwich? Well, up to a large extent, they do work.

One of major part of Samsung's Galaxy S III announcement was dedicated to the several software customisations that company has made in this smartphone. Several new features that have been added to it are not present in any other Android smartphone even from Samsung.

Samsung has not only added these features but has also decided to stay away from Android buttons introduced in ICS ( Home, Back and Multitasking) and has chosen to use good old Gingerbread style buttons - Home, Back and Menu (no multitasking button here and it can be managed by long pressing the home button).

Apart from home screen, the first customisation to be noticed on Galaxy S III is the set of quick toggles present in notification bar. Other such improvements include trash icon shortcut in Gallery app, and quick access of detailed volume control.

Many of the old Touchwiz features are still present in S III, like swiping the contact name left or right to message or call. Lock screen has been customised as well to include app shortcuts, which can further be altered as per your preferences.

The additions are not just limited to these little tweaks; company has made some big feature additions as well. One of our favourites from these features is "Pop up Play," the ability to play video anywhere on your screen simultaneously while doing other tasks. S-Beam is another enhancement from the company that has been made over Android beam, which is present by default in ICS. Samsung has actually combined the functionalities of NFC and Wi-Fi Direct in S-Beam, thus allowing you to transfer not only small packets of information but also big amount of data. S-Beam currently works with Galaxy S III only, so the functionality is limited right now.

Coming to the Samsung's answer to Apple's voice assistant Siri, S-Voice, we must say that it is just a big gimmick and adds no value whatsoever. Even in terms of gimmick quotient, the functionality of S-Voice is very limited when compared to Siri. S-Voice only responds to typical command, there is no personality to it at all, so if you were planning to ask some random question, stop right there, it won't answer.

It works well with commands and we are not sure how much of use would that be to you. After looking at the next version of Siri at WWDC, S-Voice is now looking even more inferior. One positive with S-Voice over Siri is that the former understands the Indian accent better.

Other such features include Smart Stay, Direct Call, Social Tag, Buddy Photo Share, and All Share Play/Cast. During our time with Galaxy S III, the Direct Call functionality that allows you to directly call a person whom you are sending a text by simply picking up the phone and putting it next to your ear, worked perfectly. However, we are disappointed by Smart Stay; it did not work as advertised by the company. The results were irregular, only working sometimes.

If you are wondering about the stock ICS features, under the Samsung's nature inspired UI, all of the additions that were made by Google in ICS are also present on the phone including Face Lock, detailed data info, and battery usage charts.

Well, not everything is hunky-dory here. Some of the Samsung's tweaks to Android 4.0 actually fall flat and the method of creating folders is one of them. The dragging and dropping an app on another to create folder doesn't actually work in Galaxy S III. To make a folder, you will have to open app drawer select one app and then drag that to create folder icon, which will then be placed on the home-screen. Another such fail is the removal to Play Store shortcut from top right corner of app drawer screen; Samsung has replaced that with a link to downloaded apps.

Performance/ Battery Life
No surprises here. The 1.4GHz Exynos Quad powered Galaxy S III is really a powerhouse and it is clearly visible in every single action on the smartphone. If you liked using Tegra 3 powered tablet or even One X, you will like the S III even more.

We won't go into any technical jargon or benchmarks here, although they agree, but in real-world usage, the Galaxy S III performs brilliantly and does everything that you throw at it without showing any strain.

Whether you are working on image heavy documents, opening huge webpages or watching 1080p clips, there is no lag at all. The performance is simple unsurpassed. We can't wait for the apps that fully exploit the S III's power.

Call quality and network reception are both superior and you will not face any issues.

Performance review cannot be completed without actually talking about the battery life of the smartphone and the Galaxy S III packs in a big 2100 mAh battery, which is also user-replaceable (do need to keep in mind that stock battery also houses NFC chip).

Despite the big HD display and quad-core processor on board, Samsung Galaxy S III will not give you a battery low warning in a day's judicious use, but heavy users might not be so lucky. Because of the presence of a big battery, Galaxy S III also takes around three hours to get fully charged.

Verdict
Consumer expectations were very high after Galaxy S II and Galaxy Nexus, and Samsung has been able to beat them by presenting a technological marvel in the form Galaxy S III. The camera, processor, and the software customisations, all are best in the class right now. It might not have the looks of One X, but it scores in almost everything else.

In the end, it all comes down to one thing - the pricing is, somewhat surprisingly, on the upside. Priced at Rs. 43,180, it is way more than HTC One X's Rs. 37,899 maximum retail price. Street price might be a little lower, but looking at the current pricing, HTC One X is the better deal however Galaxy S III is a better phone. So, if price is no barrier to you, go for it.

iPod Touch : Review

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Wed, 4 Jul 2012 15:18:00 +0530

At Apple's last event, Steve Jobs called the iPod touch the company's "most popular iPod," and it's easy to understand why. In just a few short years, the iPhone-with-no-phone has kept in lockstep with Cupertino's halo device, benefitting from the same kind of constant hardware and software updating that has helped turned the iPhone into an iconic gadget. The touch has been right alongside the iPhone's meteoric rise in popularity, becoming the go-to second-pocket slab for millions. There are good reasons, too. Apple boasts about gaming on the device -- claiming it beats out both Nintendo's and Sony's offerings in sales... combined. While we can't concede that the device is a dedicated game console, it most definitely games. And it's still an iPod, an internet device, and a thousand other things thanks to Apple's vastly populous App Store. Now the player has once again reaped the rewards of iPhone updates, boasting a new Retina Display, the A4 CPU, two cameras which allow for FaceTime calling and 720p video recording, and all the new features of the company's latest mobile operating system, iOS 4.1. But despite all of the plusses, we still have to ask: is the little do-everything box still worth the premium price tag? We took a deep dive on the latest model and have the verdict, so read on to find out.

Hardware

If you own the last version of the iPod touch, the design of the latest version shouldn't come as a major surprise. Instead of aping the iPhone's new glass-sandwich looks, the touch hews close to its roots with a super thin profile made up of one part glass screen and one part all-metal back. The device still bears the smudge inviting chrome rear panel, and continues the trend of shrinking the thickness as far down as possible. We thought the iPhone 4 was crazy thin, but the new touch looks like a toothpick by comparison. In our large hands, we might even argue that it's a little too small -- but it should be just right for the legion of teens and tweens that will clamor for this come holiday time.

As with earlier version, hard buttons come in the form of a single home key, a power / sleep button (finally moved to match the iPhone's placement at the top-right of the device, as opposed to the opposite side on previous versions), and two volume buttons on the left. Around back there's now a small camera lens in the upper corner of the device, while a single, VGA shooter peers out from behind the glass on the front of the player. A quick note: we had a little trouble consistently finding the sleep button when using the device -- it's a bit buried in the housing.

All told, we think it's break even in the looks department. The thinness is certainly welcome, but not a game changer. While we like the iPod touch design overall, there's nothing present in the new version that makes it significantly more lust-worthy than previous generations.

Internals

Inside the new iPod touch is Apple's A4 CPU, the same engine used to power the iPhone 4 and iPad (and that new Apple TV as well). We assume the device is sporting the same 512MB of RAM that the iPhone has, but we won't know for sure until someone like iFixit gets their hands on it. The 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen is called a Retina Display, which means it had equal resolution (960 x 640) and pixel density (326 ppi) as the iPhone 4, but it's not the same IPS panel that you're used to on the touch's big brother. What does that mean in real world terms? Well in our testing we could see noticeable difference in viewing angles, but only at pretty extreme positions. We also felt like the touch's display was slightly darker than the iPhone 4 screen. In general, we don't see this as a major detractor for the device, but there's no question that the iPhone 4 is sporting a qualitatively better display. It may be an "iPhone with no contract" in many regards, but not when it comes to the screen.

Aside from that you've got WiFi (802.11b/g/n to be exact), Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and Nike + support built in. No GPS here, and obviously no cell radios.

We're a little confused by Apple's reluctance to add a GPS chip to these devices. Since the App Store is litered with navigation software, and this could easily take the place of a TomTom or Garmin device, it seems like a short walk to paradise for the company. The touch checks a lot of boxes on the list, but true navigation is still blank, and we can't really understand why.

Cameras

Just like Apple wanted, much has been made about the touch's camera capability. It seems like the idea of a touch with cameras has been a long time coming (and based on what we've seen from case manufacturers since the last fall Apple event, we're actually about a year behind schedule). But the cameras on this device aren't quite the same pair that you get on the iPhone 4, and there should be no mistaking one for the other. The rear camera on the device is capable of 720p video, but that means that its maximum resolution is 1280 x 720 -- and when it's used for still photos, that resolution becomes 960 x 720 (that's a 720p at a 4:3 ratio). Obviously this is not the same lens or sensor as the iPhone 4, and when we asked Apple about it, they said it was more a consideration of size rather than cost. According to Greg Jozwiak, using something closer to the iPhone 4's sensor would have made the casing for the touch considerably larger. The camera is also fixed-focus rather than auto-focus, which means that tapping on the screen has no discernible result except for altering the white balance and exposure. Oh, and there's no flash to be found. Around front, the phone sports a VGA camera (similar to that of the iPhone), but again this is a fixed-focus lens.

We really would have liked to see a higher quality shooter on the back of this device -- maybe the iPhone 4 has spoiled us, but even something like 3 megapixels wouldn't have felt out of place here. And we're pretty sure Apple could figure out a way to keep this thing thin and light in spite of it.

In our side by side shots with the iPhone 4, it's obvious that the touch's performance for still images is far below that of its big brother. For taking quick shots (which don't require tight focus), you'll be fine, but if you want to grab printer-ready pics, the touch definitely will not be a reasonable stand-in. However, when it comes to video, the 720p performance was actually quite surprising, and the device seemed to have no problem capturing smooth HD content. See the clip below (and check the raw file here) for a look at what kind of results it can produce.

Sound quality

As with the new nano, the touch did seem to sound a little better than previous versions, but it's not such an astounding difference that you should toss your last gen model in the garbage. Overall, playback seemed solid to us -- at least it didn't leave us wanting for quality. If you're planning on using the external speaker for listening, however, you might want to reconsider. We can't remember the last time we heard something so tinny. Of course, it's not surprising considering the size of this housing. Even though it's located in a similar spot as the iPhone 4's speaker, the volume and quality of audio it produces is not even in the same vicinity. Still, how often will you use this?

Software

If you've used an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 4, there will be few (if any) surprises here. The touch performs exactly like any other iOS device, though admittedly you'll probably notice faster performance if you're upgrading from an earlier model of touch. Our review unit was loaded up with 4.1, which means we had access to a non-beta Game Center, as well as some of those proximity and performance fixes Apple told us would be coming -- though without seeing 4.0 on this device, it's hard to spot the differences.

Overall, performance was silky smooth on the touch -- games didn't lag, and getting around in the OS was as painless as it is on the iPhone 4. Multitasking worked flawlessly, and for those of you using the device heavily as a media player, it makes juggling playback functions along with the other "stuff" the touch does dead simple.

The new touch does come equipped with FaceTime, though now instead of using your phone number (and SMS) to connect, it asks for your email address as an identifier. Unfortunately, only other 4.1 devices can make a connection with the touch, so we were only able to make a handful of calls. In general, the application worked as effortlessly as it does on the iPhone, though we still had some freezes and breakups even on our strong WiFi connection. Ultimately, we still see this as a side dish and not the main course for these devices. With the iPhone 4, we complained that without 3G options for FaceTime calls, the feature remains limited in use, and that's now doubly true with the touch -- unless you're carting around a MiFi, you're stuck mostly indoors (and probably at home) for these calls. One thing to note about FaceTime on the touch -- on our device the volume seemed extremely low even when cranked up (in keeping with our experience for music playback), though the New York Times' David Pogue told us his device sounded loud and clear. "Like an iPhone," he said.

As we said, Game Center is installed on the device, but no games seem to take advantage of the feature just yet. We did field a few friend requests, but all we could do was look at our list of contacts. We'll likely take a longer look at this feature when it's accessible to all iOS 4 users, but for now the most notable thing about the app is that Game Center looks nothing like any Apple product you've ever seen. That font!

Wrap-up

Reading through this review, it should be clear that there isn't actually a whole lot to say about this device that hasn't already been said. The new touch isn't magical or revolutionary, or even unfamiliar. What it is, however, is a product without a peer; a media player that does far more than media playing. Besides the smaller screen real estate, the touch might be better compared to a tablet or netbook -- it has many of the same functions (more, in some cases). So you're not just dropping $229 (8GB), $299 (32GB), or $399 (64GB, also, ouch) on a music and video player -- you're buying into a mini-computer, a video camera, and a game system all with a massive ecosystem.

If you're already carrying around a smartphone with the above functions, maybe the iPod touch doesn't make sense, but for the legions of buyers out there who have yet to make the jump (or are stuck with an outdated handset), this device's appeal is hard to deny. Don't get us wrong, the touch isn't without faults -- the lack of GPS and a fairly low-quality still camera come to mind -- but there's nothing major here that gives us pause (and frankly, nothing else like it on the market). With the addition of HD video shooting, the new Retina Display, and a faster A4 processor, the touch has just gone from "nice to have" to nearly irresistible.

Alienware M14x : Review

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Sat, 12 May 2012 01:30:00 +0530

Price: 94,500

Rating: Excellent

4.5/5

Features:

Performance:

Value:

Design:

PROS

High-end performance
Unique style and design
Vibrant screen

CONS

RAM, HDD is limited

Summary

The new Alienware M14x gaming laptop is the successor to Alienware M15x, the now defunct 15-inch laptop option. Sitting between the tiny Alienware M11x and gargantuan M17x, the Alienware M14x offers gaming enthusiasts a middle ground that's easy to drag to a LAN party without compromising on high-end performance.

REVIEW

The new Alienware M14x replaces the Alienware M15x for high-end enthusiast gamers looking for a slightly more portable gaming laptop that continues to deliver uncompromising performance. Sitting between the M11x and M17x, the Alienware M14x is a 14-inch gaming laptop with a widescreen form factor and enough firepower within to bring the latest and greatest games down to their knees. Let’s take a closer look at the Alienware M14x gaming laptop.

Design and Build:

The Alienware M14x sports a unique style and design which if famously synonymous with Alienware machines, be it laptop or desktops. The 14-inch, widescreen laptop’s chassis is made of magnesium alloy and the laptop looks and feels rigidly built with metal almost everywhere (except the glossy screen). But the laptop’s slightly curved spine restricts the screen and chassis’ central hinge to a small section near the centre, giving the screen a slightly flimsy air. Nonetheless, the M14x’s thick, brawny profile with angular edges adds to the premium appeal of the laptop.

With an 8-cell in-built battery, the laptop weighs just about 3 kg -- heavier than most 14-inch laptops -- and it doesn’t win any awards for being slim and trim. But the Alienware M14x is the way it is for a reason and that’s to accommodate all the high-end hardware that sits within. It has huge heat vents along the chassis edge and the screen spans edge-to-edge -- much like an iMac -- which blends in well with the Alienware M14x’s charm.

Features:

The new Alienware M14x has a 14-inch widescreen WLED display screen that’s glossy in nature. And unlike most 14-inch laptops that make do with a 1366x768 screen, the M14x’s glossy screen houses a 1600x900 pixel resolution display -- a true 16:9 aspect ratio screen. This enables the M14x to play games at higher resolution resulting in more fun. Its screen has a tiny webcam hole at the top bezel, it’s barely visible but the thing comes in handy if you do a lot of videochats over Skype, Facebook or Google+. The Alienware M14x’s screen is one of the brightest, most vibrant display’s we’ve seen in a laptop for some time -- the brightness and contrast levels are high, colour reproduction very good, and there’s very little motion blur which augers well for high octane gaming.

Alien FX Command Center

The Alienware M14x, like all previous Alienware machines we’ve reviewed, comes with an Alien Command Center software that among other things allows you to customize the gaming laptop’s glowing LED lights in a variety of colours and patterns. You can have just the keyboard split in three different sections with unique light glows, the same for the laptop’s logo and front vents. No other laptop comes anywhere close to offering the array of LED customization options that Alienware M14x does. It adds to the laptop’s overall appeal, no doubt.

Apart from a very good 14-inch display and Alien FX console, the Alienware M14x laptop sports an Intel Core i7-2720QM 2.2 GHz processor, 6 GB of DDR3 RAM, a 320GB hard drive and 1.5 GB Nvidia GeForce GT555M graphics. Quite a potent hardware combination for a laptop. The Alienware M14x has three USB ports, a VGA and HDMI port, 9-in-1 card reader, gigabit ethernet, headphone and mic for connectivity, apart from Wi-Fi 802.11n and Bluetooth for wireless communication. The laptop ships with a 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. All good but the only minor complaint we have is that the manufacturer should’ve offered more RAM and a larger capacity hard drive with the Alienware M14x at its asking price.

Performance:

The Alienware M14x’s performance is in line with the laptop’s high-end hardware parts. With a PC Mark Vantage score of 9,181 and a 3D Mark 2006 score of 12,556, the Alienware M14x has achieved one of the highest scores among laptops we’ve tested till date. It’s a testimony to the gaming laptop’s high-powered Core i7 processor, oodles of RAM, fast-spinning hard drive and discrete Nvidia graphics. At this level, most of your day-to-day apps will work well and multitasking will be a breeze. Even 3D video editing and high-end graphics rendering applications can run well on the Alienware M14x’s hardware.

Gaming was decent as well — Far Cry 2 at 1600x900, Ultra, 4xAA averaged at 31 fps, while Crysis 2 at 1600x900, Ultra averaged at 22 fps with bit of framing. But importantly, with the Alienware M14x, you will be able to tackle most latest games as and when they release. Not only a contemporary gaming powerhouse, the M14x is also a very good multimedia and entertainment machine, its screen is nice and bright for watching HD 1080p videos, the onboard speakers surprisingly good for pumping out music at acceptable audio levels. As expected, the Alienware M14x’s battery life isn’t great compared to a mainstream 14-inch laptop — just under 90 minutes while looping a music video. But expect between 3 to 3.5 hours of battery backup while browsing the Web on a conservative power plan.

The Alienware M14x gaming laptop sports a backlit keyboard and touchpad. The keyboard has closely packed flat-top keys that are different from isolated, chiclet-styled keys. All the same, the keys are a delight to type on and great to use, day in day out. The keyboard deck has no flex to speak of and every key’s feedback is very good. Even in complete darkness, the keys are visible under a variety of backlighting options. The laptop’s trackpad has an LED strip illuminating along its four edges, and its very good for use -- even while gaming. The trackpad’s two isolated mouse buttons are good to use as well.

Verdict:

The Alienware M14x manages to fill an important gap in Alienware’s mobile gaming offerings, with a laptop that’s easier to carry around than the bulky M17x and performs as well. The laptop has a pretty formidable hardware setup, is very well built, and offers all the regular connectivity features. And of course, none come close to matching the Alienware M14x’s unique aura and charm that is one of its kind. Overall, a very good gaming machine well worth its price.

How to Use: Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:49:00 +0530

Different social media have different uses, strengths, and advantages. Twitter could be called a 'real time social networking' site, a place for sharing information as it happens and for connecting with others in real time, often making lasting friendships and contacts.

Learning how to use this fun, free, and useful tool can be a bit intimidating for the beginner, but don't be put off – with a little effort and a lot of innate feeling your way through, being able to use Twitter well can make you 'digitally' famous!

Tweeting and Getting Followers

1
Learn the Twitter lingo and use it appropriately.
- Retweet or "RT" - taking a tweet from one user and posting it yourself, automatically crediting the source, so that all of your followers can see the tweet. The original Retweeting style would take a tweet and re-post it via your own account in the following format: 'RT @(username of person who originally tweeted the tweet you're retweeting): (contents of tweet)'. The current system does away with this format, and instead directly re-posts the tweet, crediting the origin underneath. For example, 'retweeted from @username'.
- Tweet - a Twitter single update of 140 characters or less, which include @Mentions to other users, hashtags, external links, or simply regular text.
- TweetUps - Using Twitter to meet with other Twitter folks.
- Trending Topics (TTs) - Trending Topics are a range of subjects which many users across Twitter are talking about simultaneously. Initially, Trending Topics would include the matters of interest people across Twitter had been talking about throughout the entire week, but the refined algorithms made it easier to keep up to date with the latest most-talked-about subject, by only displaying Trending Topics related to things thousands of people across the whole of Twitter are discussing at any one time. Clicking on a Trending Topic in the list will bring up a range of tweets mentioning the matter of interest, and for each Trending Topics, there will be up to three 'Top Tweets'. These are tweets which are relevant to the Trending Topic, that have been Retweeted more than 150 times. You can view a list of Trends in your area in the right column of the home page.
- Lists - Users can organize the people they follow into 'Lists' of businesses or personalities which are related in some way. For example, a user could list all of the NPOs and charities they follow into a single List, for easy reference.
- Promoted Tweets - A single Trending Topic which a company or organization can pay to 'trend', as to gain attention and traffic from Twitter users worldwide.
2
Tweet. If you want to let your followers know what you are doing, type it in the 'What's happening' text box and then click on the 'Tweet' button. Note that tweets are limited to 140 characters or less; otherwise, the "Tweet" button will go into a minus.
- As you type, a countdown is offered to help you keep track of the character count of your tweets. The allowed characters are in gray, then the last 10 go red, and then a red minus symbol appears when you are past the zero (0) indicator.
  
  As you type, a countdown is offered to help you keep track of the character count of your tweets.
3
Use hashtags. Prefacing a word with a '#' will create a hashtag. A hashtag makes a certain word easily searchable. For more info on hashtags see the wikiHow article on How to use Hashtags with Twitter.
- Some Trending Topics will include hashtags, thus making it easier for users to tap into a Twitter-wide conversation regarding a single matter of interest.
  
  Some Trending Topics will include hashtags, thus making it easier for users to tap into a Twitter-wide conversation regarding a single matter of interest.
- A prime example of the usage of hashtags can be seen with Major League Baseball, which uses team-name hashtags (#Mets, for example) to pull together lists of in-game tweets, which they display on their website.
4
Gather Followers. Your twitter can be as intimate or as big as you choose. If your goal is to gather lots of followers, though, be sure to keep your posts interesting and relevant. You shouldn't underestimate the power of following others, either—often times if you follow someone they'll follow you back. Finally, give your favorite followers shout outs occasionally. This could be through direct tweets, blogs, or a simple #FF (#FollowFriday) mechanism. This will often be reciprocated, meaning your name gets circulated!
5
Check the replies from your followers that are directed at you. Click '@Mentions' to see if there are any replies to any of your 'tweets'. When tweeting, using '@' followed by a username (with no spaces) in your tweet will send a mention to the user you choose. For example, '@username' will send a mention to 'username', and the entire tweet will show up in his '@mentions' section.

The arrow shows where to click to find these
6
Decide your own style and times for tweeting. Twitter, like many social media applications, can become addicting and time-sucking. Make a decision early on about how much time you will devote to it and about how big your "tribe" of followers will be. Avoid worrying about getting heaps of followers; that's competitive rather than relating and it will end up wearing you out. Instead, focus on quality connections and information-sharing and don't get too upset when someone unfollows you; it happens and you can't change it. If you feel Twitter is overwhelming at any time, simply take a break from it and come back later, refreshed.
- Anthropological and sociological studies have claimed time and again that we can only cope with being part of a tribe of 150 to 200 people. Anything more than that and we get confused and lose the intimacy of connection. Keep that in mind when aiming for too many follows!
- Read How to avoid a Twitter addiction and How to defeat a Twitter addiction if relevant!

Setting Up Your Profile

1
Upload a profile picture. This picture will be displayed with your name across the site. It must be a JPG, GIF, or PNG file and must be smaller than 700k. To do so, click on "settings" in the drop down menu below your username. Then click on "Choose File" to select a file from your computer.
2
Add your name, location, and website. Under your profile picture, you have the change to enter your full name. Adding a full name allows you to keep a professional aspect regardless of your username. You can also a location to let people know where you're tweeting from and link to your homepage or blog if you desire.
3
Work on your pithy 'bio'. Make it eye-catching and interesting. Do it just right and it will help you build up followers; people thinking of following you do read the bios to see if they have reason to follow you. Bear in mind that a bio can be up to 160 characters long, so you'll have to keep it short and to the point. Don't worry about typing your real name or website URL here—those can both be entered separately (as shown in the previous step).

Example of a clear and quick bio
4
Decide whether you want your tweets to be posted to Facebook. This can give you more view per tweet. If you so desire, click the "Posts your Tweets to Facebook" button at the bottom of the profile page.
5
Edit your language and time zone. Under the "Account" tab of settings, you have the ability change the language and time zone that your Twitter is in. Do so by selecting the desired language and time zone from the drop down menus. You can also change your username and email address here if you ever need to.
6
Check the box below time zone to add a location to each of your Tweets. This is different than the location on your profile—it is specific to each Tweet and can be as general as a town or as specific as your exact location. Even when this feature is enabled, you have the option to turn it on or off with each individual tweet.
7
Review the Tweet Media and Privacy settings. These are listed under the Account tab of your settings. Check the applicable boxes and hit save.
8
Change your password periodically. Protect your account by periodically changing your password. To do so, click on the "Password" tab under Settings. Enter your old password, then your new one twice. Hit "Change" when finished.
9
Decide when you want to receive emails from Twitter. Under the "Notifications" tab, there is a list of actions. Check the boxes next to those actions for which you'd like to receive an email.

Other Features

1
Send DMs. DMs are Direct Messages. They go straight to the intended person that you are messaging. The DM feature utilizes an inbox and outbox system, but you are still limited to using 140 characters; you are also limited to sending DMs to only those users who follow you. DMs cannot be seen by anyone other than yourself and the chosenrecipient, and are thus more personal. To send a DM, go to the page of the follower you're sending one to, and click on the "Message" box.
- Be aware that some people really dislike DMs on Twitter because they reason that Twitter is an open conversation and a fast one, not a disguise for sending each other private messages. Also, DMs are not appreciated when they involve marketing or advertising.
2
Use third-party applications for ease of mobility and account sharing. Third-party applications such as TweetDeck and Twhirl (desktop), Twitter for iPhone (iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad), or Twidroid (Android) can help you to manage your Twitter account(s) better. If you have lots of followers and if you follow lots of people, at which point it can be difficult to keep up with everything on Twitter's official website, you might want to try something a bit more advanced like Hoot Suite or Blossome.

Video

Tips

Try to use just one tweet to get your point across. If it carries on to another tweet it should be shortened.
URL shorteners are sites you'll learn to love as a Tweeter: it shortens your long URLs into things that will easily fit into the 140 character limit.
If you're looking for big follower totals, find a niche for your Twitter account. Tweet about politics, or hockey, or fashion, whatever interests you.
Look on websites you frequent for Twitter accounts; this can help you populate your Twitterverse with people whose opinions and insights interest you the most.
If privacy is a concern, Twitter offers an option to make your tweets only visible to followers whom you have previously approved of (this can be changed in Settings > Account > Tweet Privacy).
You can download Twitter onto smart phones.

this article is taken from WikiHow

iPad 3 Review: Better Than Anything Else, but Kind of a Letdown

noreply@blogger.com (Shashank) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:30:00 +0530

There are many things the new iPad is:

A lovely object
A spec bump
The future of home computing
The best tablet on the market
And there are many things the iPad New is not. But we're going to skip right to the end of that list and hit you with the main point:
It is not worthy of a press conference.
We've spent more than a week with this thing, and yes, the screen is lovely. That A5X processor is a tab-loading, game-rendering beast. Yes, the optional stupid fast LTE connection smokes even my leveled-up home cable connection. And yes: It is pretty. But if you've owned—or even played with—an iPad before, Cupertino's new hotness will leave you cold. It's an upgrade. It feels like an optional configuration rather than something, shall we say... resolutionary. And that, frankly, is a bummer.

Why it Matters

Make no mistake: This is the best tablet any amount of money can buy: the successor to the best tablet money could buy, which was, in turn, the successor to the best tablet money could buy way back when Steve Jobs was alive and Palm was alive and Android was still a scrappy upstart. But Palm and Steve Jobs are both dead, and Android is a no-foolin' juggernaut now. There are more expensive and more powerful and faster tablets to be bought. But they're substandard.

Another year has passed; a hundred trillion zillion Android devices have come and gone, and the iPad remains comfortably at the top of an ever-growing hill by virtue of the most refined mobile operating system on the planet and an industrial design that even looks decent when it's poorly copied.

But here's the thing: This iPad is cruising. It's still living off its predecessors' reps and some seriously excellent inherited software. Its design isn't new, and, in fact, it violates one of Jobs' Laws by getting thicker instead of thinner. And on the OS side, Apple seems to have stopped innovating. The opportunity for a competitor to crash Apple's party is now.

Like

Swipe. Tap. Play. Watch. You know how a tablet works. In this case, it's wonderful. iOS 5.1 is incredibly refined and mature. Touch-events are instantaneous, and everything loads with a dual-core spring in its step. The extra RAM keeps even complicated Web pages at the ready during a multi-tab browsing sesh.

The difference in power between an iPad 1 and a new iPad is dramatic; but when you compare Apple's latest tablet to the one that came right before it, the difference is imperceptible unless you're running a seriously heavy app. Real Racing 2 HD, for example, loaded an average of 6 seconds faster on the iPad New than the iPad 2. But in races to run image-heavy websites like Gizmodo or must-have apps like Netflix, the discrepancy is negligible—if you pick it up at all.

The 2048 x 1536 pixel Retina display is positively lickable, bursting with color and sharpness and saturation that make comics and high-res photographs look impossibly good. Text looks sharper on the new iPad than on any other electronic device; an e-reader is still easier on the eyes, but that's because light coming off a screen can wear out your peepers. In terms of glowing electronic displays, there is none better than on this device. Anywhere. There are a million more pixels in the new iPad than in a 1920 x 1080 HDTV. Think about that: This little 9.5-inch slate has more dots than the 50-inch flat screen you ooh and aah over. The effect is dramatic—sometimes.

Other times, frankly, you don't notice it. Because it's not like the iPad 2's display is bad. It isn't, not by any stretch. And most of the time, you aren't close enough to your tablet's screen to pick up the pixels anyway. Yes, the Retina display is an unquestionable upgrade. But it is an upgrade you can live without.

Thanks to that bigger battery, the iPad New lasts just as long as the iPad 2—an exactly-as-advertised 10 hours of real-world use and days upon days of standby time. But the differences end when charging time comes around. In our tests, it took up to twice as long to charge new 'Pad's 42.5-watt-hour battery—as many as nine hours of plug time. That means that an average American sleeper could plug his iPad in at night and wake up to one that's still not fully juiced. That sucks. You know what else kinda sucks? The new iPad gets warm—a well-documented 116 degrees. No, it's not gonna burn you. But it does make you want to put the thing down. That is aproblem for a device that's meant to be held.

One way you shouldn't hold the new iPad is like a camera. Even though Apple wants you to. This is messed up: Apple's engineers worked some serious magic on the rear-facing "iSight" camera, bumping it up to 5 megapizzles and outfitting it with an infrared filter and side illumination tricks like you'll find on the iPhone 4S. Congratulations: You have a capable digital camera the size of a magazine. But while the iSighter got all fixed up, the front-facing "Facetime" camera remains VGA. Which is stupid. Because videochatting on an iPad is really wonderful. Talking with far-off friends or family members and actually seeing them react to the conversations is one of those legitimately magical moments when you realize that yes, technology can make your life better. But not any better than it can with an iPad 2.

But the biggest issue with the new iPad is buyer's remorse. If you own an iPad 2 and buy an iPad 3, you will feel it: that sightly nauseous sensation that you just spent $500 on something that isn't much better than what you already had. If you took all the hype around this thing at face value—yes, we were part of it, but nothing compared with the breathless pomp and braggadocio of Apple itself—you'd think the new iPad was a miracle. It's not. It's little more than marketing, and that's a change for Cupertino, which has a long history of delivering on huge promises. Fortunately, Apple has a 14-day return policy.

Should You Buy This?

If you don't have a tablet and you want to buy a tablet, buy this tablet. It's excellent. But unless you are a comic book fanatic or do a ton of reading on your previous-gen 'Pad, there is no reason to upgrade from an iPad 2. It's simply not that much of a difference. Yes, it's better brighter faster stronger, but the hard truth of this new iPad is, it's not very new.
- Apple iPad
  Price: $500 - $700 Wi-Fi; $630 - $830 LTE and "4G"
  Screen: 9.7-inch 2048 x 1536 pixels
  Processor and RAM: Dual Core Apple A5X; 1 GB of RAM
  Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64 GB
  Cameras: VGA front-facing; 5 megapixel rear
  Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.3 x 0.37 inches
  Weight: 1.43 pounds

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iPad 3 Review: Better Than Anything Else, but Kind of a Letdown

There are many things the new iPad is:

Why it Matters

Like

Should You Buy This?