Tech Lounge 101

Exclusive Asus Eeepad Transformer Prime Review

2012-01-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

So last Friday I was able to hook myself up with a blogger friend of mine who is able to get her hands on the Asus Eeepad Transformer Prime, and I got to take a look at it and do a hands-on with you readers out there. This is getting more and more interesting.

Check out the backlid. Pretty glossy and shiny. It kinda followed back the style of the Asus Zenbook.

The dock's holes for the dock station's hooks and connector

3.5mm headphone jack

The volume rocker, micro-HDMI, micro-SD card slot

The micro-HDMI and volume rocker, as well as the power button

Standard 10inch display, with Super IPS+ screen technology of 1280x800 resolution

The look of TF Prime from the side, combined with the dock

The lockscreen

The TF Prime combined with the dock

The trigger to release the tablet from the dock station

The 40-pin connector for power charging

An SD card slot

A USB 2.0 port

The Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich App Drawer

The Recently Opened Apps Tray

System and Notifications Tray

The Asus Homescreen Launcher

(Asus is following back the Honeycomb UI Design, with replaced icons for the taskbar)

8MP Camera with LED Flash

The Speaker Grill

A closer look at the dock point. It seems more rigid than the previous Transformer model.

The volume rocker and micro HDMI port

Hold the screen lock. Drag left to launch the camera, or drag right to unlock from the homescreen.

Asus Customized Settings for additional customization options.

Asus Customized Settings for additional customization options.(2)

The Asus Soft Keyboard Layout

Pros:

One thing good about Android and the Tegra 3 quad core processor chip built into the TF Prime has resulted into better multitasking capabilities.

The colors shown on the TF Prime's screen is nothing I've seen before. It's very clear because of the Super IPS+ display.

Asus is currently well known for its performance optimization of Android 3.0 Honeycomb in Asus Eeepad Transformer. Now we see Android 4.0 perform even better. Kudos to their hard work. User experience of the TF Prime is the smoothest that I've tried so far.

I would say I love the additional services that Asus provides for the TF Prime, especially the Asus sync which synchronizes important data to Asus Web Storage. 8GB of data sync seems enough for daily use.

Graphics wise? Really good! What do you expect? It's nVidia GPU we're talking about here. Try a 3D game on TF Prime, and I'm sure you'l get it. (YouTube some video reviews for TF Prime)

The touchpad on the keyboard dock supports two finger gestures.

Cons:

The TF Prime still has that warranty sticker on the keyboard dock which results to discomfort when putting the right hand on it. They should have carved the details on the aluminium alloy instead, but keep it minimal though.

When TF Prime is combined with the dock, I have to say it's really heavy. It might not be good for people who are always on the go. I'm pretty sure Asus Zenbook is lighter than TF Prime with the dock combined, though I may be wrong.

I'm pretty skeptical of the netbook form factor though.

Comments:

I don't get why Asus and other hardware manufacturers are focusing into quad core gadgets, but then again it's still good, provided that the battery life can be improved, yet they still haven't achieve something as practical as an iPad 2. But I'm sure they're getting there, either by adding more battery power, or some other alternatives.

The price point of the TF Prime is not exactly a thing that I can afford myself. RM2199 with the dock.

TF Prime is indeed impressive. Love to see the Eeepad MeMo (another Asus tablet featured in Consumer Electronics Show 2012) to be out sometime in March 2012 and how it works.

Tech Lounge 101 Mobile App : Work in Progress

2012-01-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

I've been considering all this while, on how to keep my readers interested in tech reviews and updates on my tech blog. So, I've decided to make a mobile application that draws RSS feeds from it. Therefore, please be patient. Tech Lounge 101 Mobile coming up in the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

Added Note : I'm gonna try out something quite experimental on this mobile application where I want to unify the mobile application of the phone form and tablet form as one, according to Android's design guidelines. Let's see how this goes.

Samsung Galaxy Note Review

2012-01-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

So how do you guys feel about mobile devices with large screens with a stylus included? Let's find out with the new mobile device from Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy Note. Borrowed it from a friend to test things out a bit. ;-)

As what you can see here, the Samsung Galaxy Note is really huge, measuring 5.3inch.

The power button...

3.5mm headphone jack...

The micro USB charging port, and the stylus that can be pulled out to use...

As you guys see here, the Note is really thin...

Rough back cover finishing...

A bit large to hold it in the hand, ain't it?

Check out the S-Pen...

Test viewing Techlounge101.com mobile web...

Pros:

Samsung Galaxy Note is huge!

Colors are vibrant on the Note, thanks to Super AMOLED HD.

Lightweight and thin.

Short notes can be taken using a stylus. Very impressive that the S-Pen doesn't use any battery(which HTC Flyer does need a stylus that requires battery to generate heat for the screen to detect) due to Samsung's screen technology.

Battery life is decent at moderate usage in a day.

Cons:
Maybe a bit big to fit in the pocket(I maybe wrong).
Touchwiz(simply because I'm not a fan).

Comments:

The Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone was out on the market like a month ago, and I have to say that people are liking this device. With or without the S-Pen, they would still choose the Note as their daily driver for the fact that they can read on it, since that the text clarity on the Note is superb. I would occasionally see quite a lot of consumers hanging around in Starbucks and taking out the Note just for browsing the Internet and read from eBooks.

I guess people thought that it's worth buying the Note on carrier contract. But I would still encourage that consumers do math first before they barge in to buy the Galaxy Note under contract.

Of the scale of 10, I would give a 9. Samsung has pulled it off quite nicely, job well done.

More tech reviews to come in the future. Stay tuned.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - First Impressions

2011-11-20T18:45:00.000-08:00

Just in case you readers out there didn't know, I got a beta port of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich running on my Nexus S. So I thought it would be appropriate for me to give you guys and gals a walkthrough of the long awaited open source mobile operating system.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus Intro Video

I have a few things to highlight in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich:

Galaxy Nexus - Calling All

Home Screen/Launcher

Favorites Tray

With the new home screen launcher in ICS, the favorites tray is available for users to freely customize. Just drag and drop the application launcher icon to the favorites tray. In addition to that, soft buttons are made available starting from ICS, thus a breakthrough from using capacitive buttons on most Android phones in the market today.

Creating Folders

Creating folders in ICS is made easy by stacking up an app icon on top of the other in the home screen, then renaming the folder to the desired name.

Camera - Panorama Mode

Camera - Panorama Mode

Panorama mode can be the most fun thing that can happen in camera software of phones today. With ICS, panorama mode is now possible in Android's stock camera.

Multitasking

Galaxy Nexus - Simple Multitasking

Android in general allows you to switch tasks and activities by tapping on the notification bar messages or pressing the Home button followed by your desired app, and after that you can easily get back to what you were doing. In the multitasking starting from ICS, users are able to "swipe" away background apps (may vary across phones that has capacitive buttons and soft buttons such as what is found in Samsung Galaxy Nexus) and messages in the notification bar drop down.

Face Unlock

Galaxy Nexus - Face Unlock

This is an optional feature that is included in ICS. Face Unlock adds another layer of security to Android, which is quite self explanatory.

Voice Typing

Galaxy Nexus - Voice Typing

Android is also known for its voice recognition and speech-to-text technology. In ICS, voice typing is instant. Users can now speak as they type, as well as some nifty tricks you can make, such as speaking "question mark" that gives you a question mark, "period" that gives you a full stop, and "smiley face" for a smiling emoticon. How cool is that?

Android Beam

Galaxy Nexus - Android Beam

Near Field Communication (NFC) doesn't have much functionality on the Google Nexus S back then. As of now, Android 4.0 ICS makes use of the NFC by having a functionality called the Android Beam, which allows sharing content via "Touch to Share". The content ranges from games, YouTube videos, images and more. This opens up more number of possibilities, depending on what mobile developers can come up with.

Taking Screenshots

Taking Screenshots in ICS

Taking screenshots on the Galaxy Nexus/Nexus has been made easy by just pressing the Power button, followed by a Volume Down button, or Power button and Volume Down button simultaneously and hold for a few seconds.

Check Data Usage

Mobile Data Usage Check

So far the very neat feature that users get to have in ICS is the data usage feature which enables you to check your data usage through WiFi or 3G/4G LTE and limit your data usage using a toggle on the data graph.

Scrollable Widgets

Scrollable Widgets in ICS

Scrollable widgets are not available as a stock feature in previous versions of Android. Now they've included it in ICS. Widgets now comes in the form of scrollable lists and stacks that are more intuitive to use.

Apart from all these, here is the Ice Cream Sandwich hidden graphic that I've found in the SDK port.

While others who have Android 4.0.1 ICS AOSP build may get this graphic though:

Be sure to long tap the ICS Android graphic for something surprising. You'll love it.

Stay tuned for more Android news from Tech Lounge 101. Signing off.

Sources : Google

HTC Evo 3D Review

2011-11-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

I know this is a bit late for me to review a mobile device that was out like a few months ago. But there may be some things that I want to highlight out from it. HTC Evo 3D, a smartphone comparable to the HTC Sensation, but it may be even better.

HTC Evo 3D A Closer Look

The thing about this device is that it uses the ring style launcher to open up applications, ever since the launch of HTC Sensation and HTC Sense 3.5.

The same HTC style user interface, with four capacitive buttons at the bottom

The rear dual cameras along with dual LED flash. Kinda resemble a cassette tape recorder.

Volume rocker, dedicated camera button, as well as a toggle to enable/disable 3D camera.

The power button and 3.5mm audio jack

The micro USB port

Pros:

HTC Sense 3.5 runs well on this device. UI transitions are smooth(as expected from a dual core device). 3D effects on the homescreen would attract you to it and keeps you engaged to the content it displays. The ring style lockscreen lets you open apps by dragging a ring to the a row of four apps displayed on the lockscreen upon dragging it. In addition to that, the lockscreen is active, so you will see some widgets flying around the screen when you're in the lockscreen.

One of the pros of the HTC Evo 3D has always been about the HTC Sense Widgets, which makes your home screen customizable to a point that you won't have to jump into a mobile application and do your routine.

HTC has been really veteran with its industrial design to their mobile devices, which makes the HTC Evo 3D good to hold and not as plasticky, plus some weight to it makes it feel more solid and nice to hold on to.

HDMI Sharing is possible now with HTC Evo 3D. Hook it up to a HDTV and enjoy looking at photos and videos at a very satisfying quality.

Performance wise, better than the HTC Sensation, although they have some similar hardware components inside them, especially the dual core 1.2 Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Web browsing is undoubtedly fast.

Cons:

The HTC Evo 3D is not lightweight. It is as if I am holding a rock, but it may be useful to show that the industrial feel is there, though I may be wrong.

Comments:

Personally I'm not fond of phones which focuses on 3D. But I would buy it for the sake of the performance and the industrial build of the HTC Evo 3D, and I would treat the 3D camera as an optional feature.

Stay tuned for more hardware reviews from Tech Lounge 101. This is Kevin Tan signing off.

Nokia N9 Review

2011-11-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry you readers out there for waiting for me to post some stuff on this blog because I was busy with my day job. But, I managed to arrange my time slot just for Nokia N9 that I got from a friend for review. So here it goes.

The phone specifications can be referred in Nokia's website. Normally I would write everything here, but not anymore. This is the first smartphone that comes with the MeeGo Harmattan OS 1.2, the said-to-be long awaited mobile operating system from Nokia. People were being less excited by Nokia using Windows Phone 7 operating system. So this is as good as it gets. But not for long because Nokia is gonna discontinue the usage of MeeGo in future Nokia devices. So this is the best and last MeeGo showdown you can ever get, I think.

The thing about the Nokia N9 is that it focuses heavily on swipe gestures to move apps to the background while you access other mobile applications. A very good multitasking feature, I must say.

The N9 limits everything to three views, the background apps, the social feeds and the application drawer. In addition to that, there is a virtual loop between the three views, which makes it very convenient to switch between them.

The stuff bundled with the Nokia N9

The standard stuff is mostly available here, as you can see in the photo above. Apart from that, there is a silicon rubber casing included too, which is confirmed by Nokia to be available in three colors, being the cyan, blue and black. In this case, I got a black one.

Nice unibody design and form factor

Home Screen, with the hidden dock opened by swiping from the bottom edge of the screen to one fifth of the screen height

Multitasking View

Social Feeds and Notifications in a View

Here is a video demonstration on how the MeeGo software works on the Nokia N9, by PhoneArena.com:

Pros:

I personally loved the form factor of the Nokia N9. It's very thin, feels very good in the hand, with or without the silicon rubber casing. The curvy edge of the screen helps in swiping views. The colours are vibrant with the Super AMOLED touch screen.

From the software perspective, I seriously liked the whole concept of swiping applications to the background and access other applications. A must have feature when it comes to doing some multitasking. It is truly feels like a mobile device at its own class.

Camera quality definitely is the best that I have seen. 8 megapixel camera seems to be pretty standard among smartphones nowadays. Carl Zeiss and Tessar lense on a smartphone gives a better quality for shooting video at 720p. Not just that, the camera software is fairly nice to use since lots of customizations that can be made on the fly.

Power saving mode gives users more control when users need to save battery and going for long distance travels.

In addition to that, the packaging of the Nokia N9 is recyclable. How cool is that?

Cons:

The disappointment of the Nokia N9 still lies on the multitasking. I basically tried Facebook mobile application on N9 and it did work well, but when it retrieves feeds in the background, it didn't seem to work smoothly when I swiped it away to access other mobile applications. This could be that the garbage collection of mobile applications within the MeeGo platform is not well handled, or MeeGo needs a better hardware requirement to run smooth. But I'm sure there is room for improvement regarding this matter.

The feel of the touch when swiping through applications is good, but not as responsive compared to other smartphones.

Hardware is mid range and priced around RM1799. I dunno if this is a cons or not, but if you guys can see and appreciate the value of the device, I guess it wouldn't be much of a big deal.

The future of this software has yet to be known. No comment about that.

Comments:

I almost fell in love with the device. If it weren't for the multitasking flaw, I might have the urge to buy one for my own personal use. But seriously it is a very nice attempt by Nokia to come up with this. If I were to be given an option to choose between MeeGo and Windows Phone 7, I'd definitely choose MeeGo. Hopefully MeeGo will not be discontinued because it has potential to improve.

Stay tuned for more reviews from Tech Lounge 101. Signing off.

The Story Behind U Mobile's Network Interruption - Exclusive

2011-11-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

I was just wondering if you readers out there recall U Mobile's network interruption just a few days ago that led to a public apology of the U Mobile CEO, Dr. Kaizad B. Heerjee saying that it was a service upgrade issue? U Mobile users, including myself can't access the Internet and calls at that particular day. I just got a scoop from a reliable source that explained what actually happened that led to that incident.

U Mobile network went down nationwide that day. And analysis confirmed that the incident was caused by a corrupted key Home Location Register (HLR) database, which is found to be supplied by ZTE, the Chinese vendor which is known to be a global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, as well as selling Android phones of their brand and hardware.

According to the reliable source, some undisclosed Western network experts pointed out that this incident will eventually happen after a certain period of time. ZTE's latest HLR Front End has been switched from V3 to ATCA hardware, but up until now there are several commercial applications that uses this version, so the potential problems has yet to be fully exposed.

From my point of view of this incident, I guess the telco network operators will have to consider carefully if ZTE is chosen as their provider, since ZTE has yet to be having any fail-safe mechanism or support that helps to curb this issue. U Mobile must be losing millions, and leaving U Mobile users unsatisfied.

The Lenovo Ideapad K1 Review

2011-08-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

Nice Thursday morning for a consumer electronics launch. The Lenovo Ideapad K1 is launched at the Lenovo store in Midvalley Megamall.

50 lucky ones got to buy the 10.1 inch Lenovo Ideapad K1 for RM1199. But then the retail price is RM1499... Still pretty reasonable.

Test units displaying...

Let us go throuh the tech specs:

NVIDIA® Tegra™ T20 1.0GHz Processor
Android™ 3.1
10.4” x 7.4” x .5” and less than 1.7 pounds
Up to 10 hours battery life
Up to 1GB DDR2 memory, up to 64GB SSD storage
Integrated Bluetooth® and 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity
MicroSD card reader, mini HDMI connector and optional docking port
Integrated front (2M) and back (5M) mounted webcam

So far the software outlook hasn't much changes. The bottom left icons are different from stock Android Honeycomb, and there is an additional button which shows the recently opened applications.

Recently opened applications...

As you can see here, there is a custom widget made by Lenovo which are shortcuts to the most common applications that end-users might open, being Movies, Music, Read, and Mail.

This is the usual stock Android Honeycomb app panel/drawer...

The system tray that shows the time, the battery level, and the wifi connectivity...

This widget and wallpaper selector is also unmodified from the stock...

Picture viewer...

Launch zone settings...

Launch zone settings up close...

The Lenovo appstore...

App description in the Lenovo appstore...

The list view of the Lenovo appstore...

Youtube application launched on Ideapad K1...

Lots of accessories to choose from...

More devices coming up...

Tech Highlights July 23rd

2011-07-23T00:52:00.000-07:00

Haha! So how's everyone doing on a Saturday morning like this? I guess people are up and atom from their beds already. Been busy for the last few weeks, working and working and studying. Hectic life, I would say.

First off, Google+, a new social circle based social network has been debutted and the member are gradually increasing by invitation. I would say that Google's strategy of introducing Google+ to the public is sorta controlled, but it may be a good thing since that Google will not be slammed too hard in case something in Google+ has malfunctioned. Social network done right, with fast loading speeds because of Ajax, and Google App Engine Java backend. Impressive indeed.

Second, just got mt eyes on Asus Eeepad Transformer. It seemed like a perfect device. But, for the purchasing you would have to buy the tablet and keyboard dock. It currently runs Android 3.1.

What else I haven't covered?

Samsung Galaxy S II Launch Event Jun 22, 2011

2011-06-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

Samsung Galaxy S II was officially launched by Samsung and Maxis yesterday. 300 people were in queue for the SGS II yesterday, and among them came as early as 12am to queue up for it!

Stay tuned for more updates on gadgets and gizmos that I'll be reviewing in the near future. The rest of the photos can be viewed in my Picasa Web Album.

HTC Sensation, Salsa, Chacha Launch Party June 22, 2011

2011-06-21T18:13:00.000-07:00

I was invited to the launch event of HTC Sensation, Salsa and Chacha in the KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in Jalan Maharajarela, Kuala Lumpur. I was lucky to have filled in the invitation form for this event, which is posted to Facebook just a few days before.

Before the event starts...

Some mobile devices are on display before the announcement of HTC Sensation, Salsa and Chacha. HTC Wildfire S, Incredible S and the HTC Flyer are displayed. Finally I got to see the Flyer and played around with it. The processing speed is not as fast. But it's still tolerable though. The impressive thing about this tablet is that the Flyer includes a stylus for you to actually draw and write on it.

HTC Flyer, with the stylus...

Wrote something on HTC Flyer...

HTC's Country Manager giving his speech...

The announcement of the HTC Sensation, Salsa and Chacha, as well as photoshoots going on...

The HTC Sensation

The HTC Sensation features a dual core processor of 1.2Ghz, along with a qHD 4.3 inch display. As usual for all HTC devices, they all have HTC Sense as their default skin. For the Sensation, HTC Sense 3.0 is used, and I have to say that it is really impressive. Here's a short live demo.

Hot chick posing with the Sensation

As you can see, the Sensation is really responsive as expected, and it brings a completely different Sense experience compared to the previous versions of Sense. The industrial metalish feel of the device simply attracted me the most. The Sensation shows a bit of a resemblance to a Nexus One, but with better hardware built in, bigger screen, better user experience.

The HTC Chacha

Another hot chick posing with the Chacha

The Chacha, a mid range smartphone for teens or young adults, or whoever that fancies a physical QWERTY keyboard. Running on 800Mhz processor and a small screen, this mobile device will probably last longer than other smartphones in terms of battery life, although the Chacha has only 1250mAh battery life. Oh, there's a Facebook button underneath the physical keyboard!

The HTC Salsa

HTC Salsa, another mid range smartphone running on 800Mhz processor, sorta like a modified HTC Wildfire with a Facebook button.

The entire event is just nice, with free food and drinks, as well as free beer. And, some lucky guests and authorized partners got to win the Sensation, Salsa and Chacha!

Some lucky winners of the HTC Sensation, Salsa and Chacha

More photos can be viewed here.

Picasa Web Album

More exciting and sophisticated hardware coming your way. Stay tuned. Tech Lounge 101, signing off with style. B-)

Nice photo by the way. ;-)

The Zeitgeist Movement

2011-06-15T03:25:00.000-07:00

A pretty inspirational video I've found on the Internet. Just have a look.

The whole concept of resource based economy, renewal energy, modernization, setting aside cultural differences and religion, it's just truly amazing.

Samsung Galaxy S II Review (Malaysia Edition)

2011-06-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

I suppose that this week is an exciting week for me. A lot of mobile devices are coming out this month that comes in a variety of form factors and sizes, being mobile phones and tablets. This week I'm gonna review the long awaited Samsung Galaxy S II which will be launched on the 22nd June. Special thanks to Samsung for hooking me up with this wonderful device. So let's get started.

The Samsung Galaxy S II

Remember this commercial?

So far, this mobile device has been showcased in Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona. Finally the Samsung Galaxy S II (or the SGS II as its nickname) has made its debut. And it's pretty much sought after by Koreans that are country and brand loyal(which turns out that the SGS II is the best selling Android smartphone in Korea, right after the Samsung Galaxy S), and Android enthusiasts around the globe, including myself in it.

The specs of the SGS II is as shown below:

Network

HSPA+ 21Mbps/ HSUPA 5.76Mbps

EDGE/ GPRS Class 12

Quad band GSM 850/900/1800/1900

Quad band UMTS 850/900/1900/2100

Dual Core Application Processor

Dimensions

125.3X66.1X8.49mm

Display

4.3" WVGA SUPER AMOLED Plus(4.27" in actual measurement)

Memory

16GB/32GB

MicroSD (up to 32GB)

Camera

8MP AF with LED Flash + 2MP Front

Connectivity

Wi-Fi a/b/g/n

BT v3.0+HS

USB v2.0

Connectors

MicroUSB, 3.5mm Ear Jack

Battery

1650mAh

Android Platform 2.3

Message

SMS/MMS (OMA v1.2)

Email (POP3/IMAP/SMTP, SSL/TLS)

Exchange ActiveSync Email

Audio

MP3, OGG, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB

AMR-WB, WMA, WAV, MID, AC3, IMY, FLAC, XMF

Video

MPEG4, H.264, H.263, WMV, DivX, Xvid, VC-1

Recording & Playback 1080@30fps

Image

JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, BMP, AGIF

GPS

A-GPS

Convergence

Easy Set-up (WPS PIN/PBC, Wi-Fi Direct)

AllShare (DLNA1.5)

Samsung Kies 2.0, Samsung Kies air

4 Hubs

Social Hub / Readers Hub /

Music Hub / Game Hub

Others

TouchWiz

Google Mobile Services

Hardware:

Front view, the Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touch screen

The standard micro USB port at the bottom

Right side view, there's the power button

Left side view, there's the volume rocker

The 3.5mm headset jack at the top

8MP camera at the back

The moment when I first held onto the device, the first thing that came through my mind was, it feels partly solid, partly plasticky. The hardware's industrial feel just isn't there yet. If you notice the back cover of the SGS II, the cover piece seems too thin and vulnerable and for a minute there I thought I was gonna break it when I tried opening it up.

The back cover of the SGS II

At the processing speed stand point, the SGS II is really fast in home screen transitions, animating live wallpapers, even the 3D gallery is "caffeinated". I personally had opened seven(7) mobile applications on the device and the RAM usage is still at around fifty(50) percent. For a skinned Android operating system, I'm really impressed of its performance.

I don't know if it is me being used to using Android phones with a 4" screen or less than that, but SGS II screen is huge. I guess it's just a matter of getting used to. For an entertainment powerhouse, it somewhat needs a kickstand to actually do some video conferencing or watch videos by placing it on the desk.

The SGS II is incredibly thin, 8.49mm to be exact. It is the thinnest Android phone which is being sold outside of Japan(the thinnest smartphone being NEC Medias measuring 7.7mm thick). I wish I could do a comparison between my Nexus S and SGS II. I don't have an extra camera with me. So, you get the idea from the pictures of SGS II uploaded here.

The screen is composed of Super AMOLED Plus, which gives vibrant colors, an eye candy for end users. Never again users will have to see faded or saturated colours on smartphones with the SGS II. In addition to that, the SGS II screen has a thin layer of coating which resists smudges and dust quite well.

Speaker quality? Just superb. Video playback? Undeniably great with the Super AMOLED Plus screen. Games? Not a problem. Not just that, video calling feature is made better with the SGS II smartphone since it has a 2MP front facing camera built in.

Shakira's YouTube video playing in full screen HD

Pulse New Reader looks great on this device, which makes reading a pleasant experience

Gaming on the SGS II

Software:

The system information of SGS II

The SGS II runs TouchWiz 4.0 user interface, a newly revamped version of TouchWiz which adds a lot of customizations and neat features to the table.

Some of it are shown in the videos I've personally made below:

a. The Motion UI widget dragging(which uses the accelerometer sensor)

b. Widget selection

Scrollable widgets can also be done on SGS II

c. Voice Talk
Voice Talk is useful for hands free calling or texting while driving, or for people with impaired vision.

d. Web Browsing
I really enjoyed browsing the web with the SGS II simply because no matter mobile websites or full webpage, I can still see the words clearly on screen.

e. Two Thumbs Zoom
This is a feature that uses two thumbs and place them in a browser window and gallery and tilt it vertically to zoom in or out.

f. DLNA(Digital Living Network Alliance) support via AllShare
This features help you share you photos and video wirelessly to your TV and other entertainment devices with DLNA support. It's quite a nifty feature to have. Too bad I wasn't able to test it because I don't have a TV or other entertainment devices with DLNA.

Content sharing via DLNA

Other features can be seen in in the video here:

Benchmarking Results
3000+ units on Quadrant Standard, an absolute screamer that beats all of the mobile devices that ran benchmarks before this. According to other reviewer's website, the SGS II also beats the HTC Sensation's benchmarking results with a 1000+ unit difference.

Quadrant benchmark results for SGS II

Batt. Life
1650mAh battery allows you to almost withstand a day's usage, with live wallpapers turned on, plus playing some games and watch Youtube videos. The SGS II can survive longer hours connecting to Wifi than connecting to 3G.

The power saving mode and settings

I like the fact that the SGS II has the power saving mode built in, which allows you to turn off Wifi, Bluetooth, GPS, sync'ing, screen time out or adjust the brightness settings, when the battery runs low, or at a specific battery level. Brilliant feature.

Comments:
I would have to say that the Samsung Galaxy S II is a more than decent entertainment and gaming powerhouse. Really satisfied with its performance, obviously because of the dual core processor and RAM. Not just that, the SGS II can last through a day's usage, although dual core mobile devices are assumed to be a battery killer. Samsung really scored on this one. So if I have this device, I might use it as a daily driver without much worries at all.

I'm pretty much impressed of TouchWiz 4.0 because of the variety and detailed customizations that I wish that stock Android operating system has them.

Despite of that, unfortunately I didn't see any NFC(Near Field Communication) feature on this device. Perhaps the NFC version of the SGS II will be produced later this year.

Thanks again Samsung. Stay tuned for more hardware reviews in the near future.

Sources: Samsung Mobile , The Handheld Blog

This Week's Tech Highlights

2011-06-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

June seems like a good months for hardware and software to make its debut. Let's go through some of them and see what do you think of them.

iOS5 Revealed

Ahh... iOS5, Apple's revolutionized operating system for their iProducts(errr... I'm really not sure about the revolutionized part at this point). iOS5 is showcased in the Worldwide Developers Conference(WWDC) 2011 just two days ago. So far what I have seen is that Apple debuted the iCloud, a 5GB web storage for Apple users which syncs their apps and data, not to mention documents(Documents In the Cloud) to the cloud. Plus, the pull-down notifications are similar to Android's. Looks like Apple is not afraid to steal ideas, not to mention good design. Not just that, the Apple went for the cut-the-cord tactic where software updates are pushed to iDevices via Over The Air via Wifi.

Android Mobile Devices, Samsung Galaxy S II, HTC Sensation, ZTE's Lineup of Smartphones and Tablets, etc...

Some mobile devices and tablet are starting to emerge. The Samsung Galaxy S II is coming out sometime this month, and I'm really excited about it, since that it's gonna have a RRP of RM2099 which is pretty decent. Hopefully I can review it soon.

HTC Sensation is starting to show up in the European markets, and it is expected to debut in Malaysia sometime in July.

ZTE has come up with a lineup of smartphones and tablets today - ZTE Racer and Blade smartphones, and ZTE Light V8 tablet. I don't have much information on that.

E3 2011

Gaming isn't really something I look into nowadays, but Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo has shown their stuffs. I guess I'm quite disappointed and sympathize with Sony since that Playstation Network has been hacked and till now hasn't fully recovered. The best of the best came out from Nintendo as it debuts the Wii U game console, but it's still in the prototype stage.

More updates coming to you guys soon. Oh yeah, and Samsung is gonna bid for Nokia. I'll cover that later.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google IO 2011 Limited Edition Review (Exclusive)

2011-05-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

For you readers out there, you are in luck because I managed to hook up with the founder of CodeAndroid, Nazrul Kamaruddin and played around with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that he obtained during the Google IO 2011 in San Francisco. Let's get to it.

So far Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 hasn't been released in stores worldwide just yet. The experience is great with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 because of the thinness and form factor. The specs of the device are unknown to me, except for the 7200mAh battery life which can last for long hours, and it runs on a dual core processor, rear facing camera with LED flash, front facing camera, and 10.1 inch screen.

The Limited Edition Google IO sticker on the back of the Tab 10.1

The Android Honeycomb tablet user experience

Google Body on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

The main screen of Pulse News Reader on the Tab 10.1

Fragments in one activity taking action

Basically what you see here is an activity that utilizes two fragments, which happens on tablets. So, I can conclude that this application is actually launched on the Android market as ONE app, but the screen display changes when you use a phone or a tablet. Just love reading Pulse news on this device.

It's really thin! Take a look at that!

The sofware version number kernel and version number

If the pricing is right when the Tab 10.1 has its official launch on the market, I would definitely consider it and make it my own development device. But then again, I have to accumulate some money for that. T_T

More cool devices coming up soon. Stay tuned.

How to unlock a Samsung Galaxy S II (If you got one)

2011-05-23T00:18:00.000-07:00

The instructions of how to unlock your Samsung Galaxy S II is shown in the link below.

http://www.unlocksamsungonline.nl/index.php?lang=EN&page=freehash

Unlock Steps:

1. Root your phone.

2. Extract your nv_data.bin from /efs/nv_data.bin

3. Look at the file with an hex-editor and goto offset 0x181460 (Ultra Edit, HxD, Hex-Workshop etc)

4. Take the hashes from 0x18146e (20 bytes), 0x18148e, 0x1814ae, 0x1814ce, 0x1814ee

5. If the hash is 7D3E17CFCD816CACD4E025FAA65004FDD17D51F8 ignore it since that is 00000000

6. Enter hash on in the textfield, and click on Calculate to decrypt your unlockcode.

Enjoy. =D

Info on Samsung Galaxy S II Malaysia

2011-05-21T00:47:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging from Starbucks Coffee Berjaya Times Square now. I happen to pass by Lowyat again just now. So, I went to have a "scan" again to see whether Samsung Galaxy S II is available on stores.

I was told two days ago during my search for the Nexus S, that the Samsung Galaxy S II is coming out after that particular day. The moment I went to the outlet and asked whether that device is available for display, the sales guy said that the devices are immediately sold out after the stock arrived. Just amazing, despite the fact that the device is imported from the UK and is sold for the price as high as RM2599-RM2850.

But anyways, hopefully I can see the Samsung Galaxy S II soon, and do a review on it.

Google Nexus S (I bought it...)

2011-05-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

For mobile development, we will always try to keep up with the latest gadgets and latest technologies that are coming out, because of the specific hardware and extended features we can explore and code on such as the NFC. I was in the middle of deciding whether I should invest on an Android tablet. But, my brother likes the Nexus One, so I guess I should give him. Therefore, I considered in investing on a Nexus S.

Google Nexus S Super AMOLED

You've probably seen my previous reviews on the specifications, so I won't explain the details. The Nexus S Super AMOLED is pretty rare these days that I "lost" the search in Berjaya Times Square. And I had to try my luck again in Lowyat. Eventually I've found it. But it's an AP set though. Never mind about that. This costs me RM1550 for this device. Pretty decent.

So basically the Nexus S comes with the standard stuff such as the US charging port with a USB connector, plus a pair of Samsung earbuds. Impressions? I simply loved it when I saw the screen for the first time and this is something I'd hope for.

Just a tip for you guys who don't wanna get conned and bluffed by dealers out there regarding whether the device is having super AMOLED or SLCD display, check the baseband version in the phone's system settings to be sure. i9020 symbolizes a super AMOLED device whilst the i9023 is the SLCD. There's another tip that you can try out, which is covering the screen from light, then spot the blackness of the black color shown on the screen, whether it is true black or grey black.

So far I've found that the stock experience on Android was definitely impressive, especially when it's running on the Hummingbird processor. But I want extended functionality on my device. So, I unlocked the bootloader, rooted and flashed a custom ROM. Should I prepare a guide on how to do that?

3DMark 06 Score for Asus U41SV

2011-04-27T23:38:00.000-07:00

http://3dmark.com/3dm06/15665655

This website shows the score for Asus U41SV. The settings are default, as well as the graphics drivers are not approved since this laptop model is still new.

Asus U41SV Review

2011-04-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

This year is a new beginning for me, except that my old time workstation, the Dell Inspiron 1420 has finally reached its limit. Good job to Dell for providing me 3 years of laptop experience that I've almost grown accustomed to. But it's time to change into a new model. As a software developer, I need more power and efficiency to do my works.

PC Fair was being held on the 15-17 April 2011. Therefore I went there on the 16th, Saturday, to find a suitable business-type, portable and high performance laptop. Eventually I've found this, an Asus U41SV, the 14inch U series("U" indicating Ultraportable) laptop. FYI, this is the third revision of the U41 series laptop with the second generation Intel Core i3/i5 Processor standard voltage CPU laptop. The processor can be customized from Core i3 or i5, and RAM from 4Gb to maximum of 8Gb. Asus has the Hybrid Engine that extends the battery life on-the-go, up to 10 hours, depending on what type of applications that you're running. It also has a GeForce GT540M graphics card so that games of high graphical requirements can be played on it. Plus, this laptop does feature Sandy Bridge Intel HD Graphics too.

The Asus U31/U41 Series Youtube commercial

The metalish cover... The industrial feel is there, No doubt...

It's lightweight... Around 2.2kg.

It's less than 1 inch thin...

It features the chiclet keyboard...

Comments:

What I've been looking forward to so far in a laptop is the portability and the good looking industrial design. Asus answered my call well. Plus, the laptop feels good when I place it on my lap and work. It didn't feel hot at all.

What I don't really like about Asus U41SV is the placement of the USB ports and 3.5mm jacks. I didn't like the USB port placement further more to the front at the right hand side since I usually plug my USB mouse with it.

What I'm not really used to is the chiclet keyboard. It must have been my experience with the previous laptop keyboards I had with Dell that I kinda grown accustomed to already. Aww well, time to get used to the new chiclet style keys.

I've installed a Ubuntu operating system on it, and it runs pretty well, although Ubuntu 10.10 doesn't support Sandy Bridge graphics and proprietary graphics cards. Perfect for software development. I'll be updating the Ubuntu OS to version 11.04 pretty soon since 11.04, a.k.a the Natty Narwal is coming out on the 28th April.

Some more pictures are shown below...

Logo picture taken from Asus U41SV

Very shiny, and the metalish feel is great to have. Better than plastic...

The touchpad... Feels good so far...

My workstation setup... Didn't like the right hand side USB port placement.

Overall the laptop works just the way I expected. More hardware reviews coming to you soon...

Sources: Asus Official Website

PIKOM PC Fair 15-17 April 2011

2011-04-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that this year has been an exciting year for new devices with new specifications to be released. In this year's PIKOM PC Fair, I've managed to take a look at some of the devices that I may show interest of, and bought a new laptop for work purposes.

Intel ladies directing people to PC Guru...

Overview of the first hall I've visited.

Hmm... GPS Navigators. Useful.

What actually interests me when I take a look at some devices at the CSL booth is the CSL Mi-410, as shown below...

The look of the homescreen... Stock Android...

Impressive 4.1 inch display...

The app drawer...

The specs...

Video playback...

I must say I'm pretty impressed with the Mi-410 because of the big screen it has, plus it's pretty powerful as a Qualcomm Snapdragon device. The only thing that is custom in the operating system was the lockscreen since that the unlocking mechanism requires you to drag a circular lock to the left or right or bottom. This was the device that was announced last year and I didn't manage to take a glimpse of it yet, until now. Actually this is a good buy for those who want an entry level mid-range Android device. It's only RM999!

The Sennheisser PC 350 Headphone.

Sennheisser MM450 travel headphone, playback buttons...

Sennheisser MM450, just a logo on the other earpiece...

Sennheisser travel line headphones...

The Sennheisser booth...

Sennheisser's headphones are indeed expensive, but worth buying since that the sound quality of their devices are really something different that I've experienced with headphones of other brands.

Sennheisser's DJ...

Lenovo Thinkpad's hardware showcase...

One of the Lenovo laptops with high specs yet affordable price...

And now, the speaker's section...

More laptop booths...

Asus and Samsung booth...

Asus Garmin Phone, GPS software...

Asus Garmin, system information...

Asus babes... ;-)

The Asus booth, with new laptop lineups, especially the U series I've been looking forward to...

The Toshiba booth, with new laptop lineups...

Panasonic booth...

Dell booth...

EPSON booth...

Misc...

The GooZEE booth...

GooZEE Android tablet... mid range, affordable.

Oh! There's a mini keyboard along with GooZEE's tablet bundle...

HTC Incredible S with Sense 2.1!

Incredible S promo offer...

Tested out some casual and DSLR cameras as well...

Yay! Cam shot time! (Kidding... xD)

Hmm... Would you buy this voltage regulator sockets thingy?

In this year's PC Fair, I've managed to buy an Asus U41SV, which is the third revised design of the 14inch U series laptop. I'll be reviewing that soon...

HTC Sensation revealed in HTC Event 12 April 2011 London

2011-04-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

HTC Sensation

It seems like this is an exciting year for phones to come out these days and we see a lot of Android phones and a tablet from HTC.

HTC Sensation Promo Video

Just a few hours ago, a HTC Sensation was introduced in the HTC event in London with specifications as shown below.

Size:126.1mm x 65.4mm x 11.3mm
4.96" x 2.57" x 0.44"

Weight:148 grams (5.22 ounces) with battery

Display:4.3-inch touch screen

Screen:109 mm (4.3")
with qHD (540 X 960) resolution

CPU Processing Speed

1.2 GHz, dual core

Storage¹

Internal phone storage: 1 GB
RAM: 768 MB

Expansion slot:

microSD™ memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)

Connectors²

3.5 mm stereo audio jack
micro-USB 2.0 (5-pin) port with mobile high-definition video link (MHL) for USB or HDMI connection

Sensors

Gyro sensor
G-Sensor
Digital compass
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor

Multimedia

Gallery, Music, and FM Radio
SRS virtual surround sound for wired headphone
DLNA for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to your TV or computer

Audio supported formats:

Playback: .aac, .amr, .ogg, .m4a, .mid, .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows Media Audio 9)
Recording: .amr

Video supported formats:

Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .wmv (Windows Media Video 9), .avi (MP4 ASP and MP3), .xvid (MP4 ASP and MP3)
Recording: .3gp

Power & Battery³

Battery type: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery

Capacity: 1520 mAh

Talk time:

WCDMA: Up to 400 minutes
GSM: Up to 495 minutes

Standby time:⁴

WCDMA: Up to 400 hours
GSM: Up to 350 hours

Network⁵

HSPA/WCDMA:

Europe/Asia/T-Mobile US: 900/AWS/2100 MHz

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

850/900/1800/1900 MHz

Platform

Android™ with HTC Sense™

Camera

8 megapixel color camera:

Auto focus and dual LED flash

Front camera:

VGA fixed focus color camera

HD video recording:

1080p HD video recording

Internet⁶

3G:

Up to 14.4 Mbps download speed
Up to 5.76 Mbps upload speed

GPRS:

Up to 114 Kbps downloading

EDGE:

Up to 560 Kbps downloading

Wi-Fi®:

IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

Bluetooth®

Bluetooth® 3.0
A2DP for wireless stereo headsets
FTP and OPP (object push) for file transfer
PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit
Other supported profiles: AVRCP, GAP, GOEP, HFP, HID, HSP, MAP, SPP, SDAP

Location

Internal GPS antenna
With Locations, explore maps with zero wait, zero dead spots, and zero data roaming fees

Tethering

USB and Wi-Fi® tethering

Recommended Windows System Requirements

Windows® 7, Windows Vista®, or Windows® XP
HTC Sync

Comments:

Engadget's HTC Sensation First Hands-On

From what I saw from the Engadget's first hands-on video, I'm really impressed of what the HTC Sense has evolved into. Very nice screen transitions and animation effects, especially on the homescreen, the 3D carousel, as well as the HTC's Weather widget and application.

It's very fast(because of the dual core Snapdragon processor), and the aluminium unibody design and the industrial feel of HTC's devices that never fails to impress.

If this mobile device is introduced in Malaysia, I'll be sure to review it. Stay tuned.

Sources: HTC Official Website, Engadget

Sony Ericsson Xperia arc Review

2011-04-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

The Sony E. Xperia arc, also known as the Xperia Anzu or X12.

Just now I went to Tropicana City Mall in Petaling Jaya to check whether my phone is working properly or otherwise, and found out my SIM card was broken. On the other hand, I got myself a glimpse of the Sony Ericsson Xperia arc that was just announced by Maxis somewhere in Midvalley Megamall today, and it was lucky that I actually found this device at a dealer's store in Tropicana Mall. This device comes with a Cortex A8 Scorpion Processor of 1Ghz.

Let us go through the rest of the device specifications:

Android touch phone with super-screen

View pics and video in vivid colours with your Android touch phone. Crisp and clear on the 4.2” Reality Display with Sony Mobile BRAVIA® Engine

The sleek, super-slim Xperia™ arc

Start with premium materials. Stir in some beautiful curvature. Squeeze down to 8.7 mm. And there it is, a perfect palm fit: the slim, lightweight and strong Xperia™ arc.

HD phone with 8.1 megapixel camera

Your HD phone has a Sony Exmor R™ for mobile CMOS sensor that lets you capture high-quality movies and stills in low light. So go ahead and shoot. Then show, in stunning HD direct on your TV via the HDMI connector.

Screen

- 854x480 pixels

- 4.2" 16,777,216 colour TFT

Memory

- microSD™ (supported to 32GB)

- Phone memory up to 320MB

* Actual free memory may vary due to phone pre-configuration.

Networks

- GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900

- UMTS/HSPA 800/850/1900/2100

- UMTS/HSPA 900/2100

Available colours

- Midnight Blue - Misty Silver

Possible limited market availability.

Sizes

- 125.0 x 63.0 x 8.7 mm

- 4.9 x 2.5 x 0.3 inches

Weight

- 117.0 gr

- 4.1 oz

Sony Xperia arc viewed from the rear

Sony Xperia arc left side view

Sony Xperia arc right side view

Sony Xperia arc top view

Comments:

Sony Xperia arc is possibly the thinnest Android device that I have reviewed so far. Although it has a 4inch display, the form factor of the device is fairly good.

Too bad I didn't get to test out the performance benchmarks of this device since the dealer refused to let me turn on the device. However, judging from the Quadrant benchmark of the HTC Incredible S(that has the same processor speed as the Xperia arc) that scores 1500+, plus the Xperia arc's Mobile Bravia Engine that enhances gaming performance and video playback, the Xperia arc seems to be a decent entertainment powerhouse.

This device was launched today by Maxis with a retail price of RM2100 off contract, and RM1499 for a two year contract, which sounds a little pricey for some reason. Surprisingly this device is sold at RM1940 in one of the dealer's shop in Tropicana City Mall! Fair enough for a single core, second generation processor device.

Source: Sony Ericsson Official Website, Maxis Comm.

Here's a Technobuffalo video review of the Xperia arc...

Samsung Google Nexus S Malaysia Launch by Maxis Comm.

2011-03-30T22:42:00.000-07:00

On 18 March 2011, I was able to go to the official Maxis launch event of Google Nexus S in Pavillion Kuala Lumpur.

As we all know that Google Nexus S is a Google-Samsung flagship mobile device that comes with the Near Field Communication a.k.a the NFC, which is quite new to the mobile industry. It comes with the latest Android 2.3 operating system, the Gingerbread.

Google Nexus S

Let us recap the specifications of Google Nexus S:

Processor and memory

1GHz Cortex A8 (Hummingbird) processor
16GB iNAND flash memory

Cameras and multimedia

Back-facing: 5 megapixels (2560x1920)
720 x 480 video resolution
H.264, H.263 MPEG4 video recording
Auto focus
Flash
Front-facing: VGA (640x480)

3.5mm, 4-conductor headset jack
(stereo audio plus microphone)
Earpiece and microphone
Software noise-cancellation

Connectivity

Quad-band GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900
Tri-band HSPA: 900, 2100, 1700
HSPA type: HSDPA (7.2Mbps) HSUPA (5.76Mbps)

Wi-Fi 802.11 n/b/g
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Near Field Communication (NFC)
Assisted GPS (A-GPS)
microUSB 2.0

Display

4.0" WVGA (480x800)
Contour Display with curved glass screen
Super AMOLED
235 ppi
Capacitive touch sensor
Anti-fingerprint display coating

Battery

Talk time up to 6.7 hours on 3G
(14 hours on 2G)
Standby time up to 17.8 days on 3G
(29.7 days on 2G)
1500 mAH Lithum Ion

Size and weight

63mm x 123.9mm x 10.88mm
129g

Hardware

Haptic feedback vibration
Three-axis gyroscope
Accelerometer
Digital compass
Proximity sensor
Light sensor

Software

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Android Market
Calendar
Gmail
Google Earth
Google Maps with Navigation
Google Search
Google Talk
Google Voice
Voice Actions
YouTube

The launch event viewed from the 1st floor in Pavillion

The side view of the launch event. Booth girls playing and camwhoring around with the Nexus S

The side view of the launch event, which has other devices sold too

The front view of the launch event

The NFC Demo

Comments:

Google Nexus S feels a little bit plasticky and lacks the industrial feel to it. Yet, The processor speed proves to be quite decent. Although it's not a dual core device, the stock Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system performs well on it.

I don't know if it is a cons for a mobile device to not have external memory, but it could be convenient for the users to insert or transfer data with it.

Google Nexus S for this launch comes with the Super Clear LCD, not the Super AMOLED, which is a sad thing. I'm sure that you readers out there might prefer Super AMOLED than Super Clear LCD since Super AMOLED is well known of its vibrant colors, and perhaps visible under sunlight.

The NFC is probably an impressive thing that comes with the Nexus S. This technology has a lot of potential to be implemented with the Touch N Go, and mobile payment systems(if any). For mobile application developers, there is the NFC API that we can check out in the Android developers website that enables NFC reading and writing. Now this unlocks various possibilities of the NFC implementation.

The sad thing about the Google Nexus S launch is that it is sold at RM2499 retail. I wonder who would buy the device with a high price point. A minus one for Maxis to sell their expensive data plans along with it. The original price for the Nexus S is USD529 at BestBuy in the US. It could've been less than that, like around RM2000 +/- perhaps?

If you don't mind the pricing, this could be the mobile device that us techies are looking for. Software developers can get their hands on the Google Nexus S without the hassle of getting it elsewhere.

Stay tuned for other coverage of new gadgets and gizmos in the near future.

Source : Google Nexus S Official Website , Maxis Communications

Samsung Galaxy Tab Review

2010-12-10T00:41:00.000-08:00

Front View of the Samsung Galaxy Tab

Rear View of Samsung Galaxy Tab

Micro SD Card and SIM card Slot

Volume Rocker and the Power Button

Technical Specifications:

Network:
HSUPA 5.76/ HSDPA 7.2Mbps 900/1900/2100
EDGE/GPRS 850/ 900/1800/1900

Dimension:
190.9 x 120.45 x 11.98mm (380g)

Display:
7.0 inch WSVGA(1024 x 600) 169ppi TFT

OS:
Android 2.2 Froyo

Samsung Apps / Android Market : Various applications downloadable

Social Hub:
Integrated SMS, email, IM and calendar accounts.
Integrated Calendar (Google/Facebook/Outlook)

Android Samsung UI:
Multiple Homescreen
Hybrid Widgets

Processor:
1.0 Ghz Processor PowerVR SGX540

Battery:
4000mAh

Camera:
3.0MP back camera with LED Flash + 1.3MP front facing camera

GPS:
AGPS

Video:
Full HD (1080p) Video Player
Video Recorder (720 x 480) @ 30fps

Music:
3.5mm Ear Jack and Speaker
MP3, AAC, OGG, WMA, AMR-NB/WB, FLAC, WAV, AC3, MIDI, RTTL/RTX, OTA,
i-Melody, SP-Midi

Memory:
16GB/32GB+ Micro SD Card (up to 32GB)

Android Browser:
Flash 10.1 support, RSS Reader

Touch:
Multi-touch Zoom

Integrated Email:
Gmail, Ms Exchange ActiveSync

Location Based Services:
Google Maps, Places, Navigation(not available in Malaysia)

eReading:
Newspaper, Book, Magazine

GyroSensor

Additional Features:
Swype, Samsung Apps, ThinkFree Document Viewer & Editor

Comments:
This device is just the right size and it fits and feels well in the hand. Perhaps this is the fastest mobile device I've ever tested, primarily because of the onboard 1Ghz Hummingbird processor. Initially there would be some compatibility issues of applications installed on this device. However, if developers did their UI codes correctly, this shouldn't be much of an issue. As a developer, I have no problems running my mobile applications on the Tab. Plus the 4000mAh battery would certainly make this device last for longer hours. Games look awesome on this mobile device. Tried playing Angry Birds on it, and seriously it looks awesome.

The drawback of the Samsung Galaxy Tab would be
1. It's overpriced at RM2699 retail
2. Built on Super TFT screen, which might be easily scratched.
3. Gyrosensor seems pointless on this device. However Android 2.3 SDK is out, thus this has some functionality if the Tab is updated to Android 2.3, especially when it comes to gaming.
4. Personally I don't like Samsung's TouchWiz UI. Perhaps I might install other homescreen launchers on this device.

Overall, this is a decent device to have, if you don't mind paying lots of money for it.
More tech reviews coming your way soon.

Referred Sources : Samsung Mobile

Tech Lounge 101

Exclusive Asus Eeepad Transformer Prime Review

Tech Lounge 101 Mobile App : Work in Progress

Samsung Galaxy Note Review

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich - First Impressions

HTC Evo 3D Review

Nokia N9 Review

The Story Behind U Mobile's Network Interruption - Exclusive

The Lenovo Ideapad K1 Review

Tech Highlights July 23rd

Samsung Galaxy S II Launch Event Jun 22, 2011

HTC Sensation, Salsa, Chacha Launch Party June 22, 2011

The Zeitgeist Movement

Samsung Galaxy S II Review (Malaysia Edition)

This Week's Tech Highlights

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Google IO 2011 Limited Edition Review (Exclusive)

How to unlock a Samsung Galaxy S II (If you got one)

Info on Samsung Galaxy S II Malaysia

Google Nexus S (I bought it...)

3DMark 06 Score for Asus U41SV

Asus U41SV Review

PIKOM PC Fair 15-17 April 2011

HTC Sensation revealed in HTC Event 12 April 2011 London

CPU Processing Speed

Storage1

Expansion slot:

Connectors2

Sensors

Multimedia

Audio supported formats:

Video supported formats:

Power & Battery3

Talk time:

Standby time:4

Network5

HSPA/WCDMA:

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:

Platform

Camera

8 megapixel color camera:

Front camera:

HD video recording:

Internet6

3G:

GPRS:

EDGE:

Wi-Fi®:

Bluetooth®

Social Networking

Location

Tethering

Recommended Windows System Requirements

Sony Ericsson Xperia arc Review

Android touch phone with super-screen

The sleek, super-slim Xperia™ arc

HD phone with 8.1 megapixel camera

Screen

Memory

Networks

Available colours

Sizes

Weight

Samsung Google Nexus S Malaysia Launch by Maxis Comm.

Samsung Galaxy Tab Review

Storage¹

Connectors²

Power & Battery³

Standby time:⁴

Network⁵

Internet⁶