Must Have Gifts

Epic Tech Fails in 2012

2013-01-10T08:23:00.001+00:00

We love tech stuff. Instead of watching TV or dining out, we read stuff on the web for all sorts of gadgets. So you could say we keep a close eye on the goings on in the tech industry.

Looking back over 2012, we can identify at least five advancements and innovations that seemed so important at the time... but they never really lived up to expectations. And now they could risk fading away unless something changes. Hey we could be wrong by the way as some of these we love. Here they are.

1. Google+

We don't know if Google+ is growing or not, but we do know one thing: No one ever talks about it anymore. Occasionally, We will click one of those Plus links like the one alongside this article. And we have heard a few tech luminaries have a presence on Google+. But we see signs of failure: Just about every article we've read in the past few months has a big fat "zero" next to the Plus link. That can't be a good sign, especially when the the number of Tweets and the Facebook likes are in the hundreds or thousands.

2. 3D Projectors

It seemed like a brilliant idea at the time. A 3D projector for business made sense because you could liven up a presentation, or entertain the crowd with clips to demonstrate a point. Besides, 3D seems like it is here to stay at the local Cineplex why not in the office? But until 3D technology advances to the point where you can flip a switch at your next meeting, not hand out goggles, to show a bar graph in 3D, these products might be doomed for the bargain bin forever.

3. Klout Scores

We was into Klout scorekeeping for a while. The service, which looks at your Twitter activity and connections and analyzes your social networking behavior, seemed to catch on last year over the summer. We heard about companies that wanted potential employees to put a Klout score on their resume, and a few people even listed a link in their email signature. Then, nothing. We stopped hearing about the service, perhaps because there was something amiss with the metrics.

4. Bluetooth Watches

We are not ready to say the Bluetooth watch is dead, especially since Pebble Watch has not even started shipping. The idea is brilliant: Turn the time-keeping device you wear all day into a smart reminder system, a music player, and even a navigational add-on. The problem: We already use phones that do all of those things, including showing us the time at a glance.

5. Dropbox

Put this in the "you can't be serious" category, We know. Dropbox is amazingly popular, and the simplicity of this sync-and-store service is great for personal use. But then last August, someone hacked Dropbox, which had more of a direct impact on us. (As a side note, so did the recent Nationwide breach.) At that point, Dropbox became a failure for business use for us. Dropbox added two-factor authentication in late summer, but by then the damage was done. Many businesses have told me they have stopped using the service.

CES Show 2013

2013-01-10T08:05:00.001+00:00

There’s a lot of speculation as to what new products might be released at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year.

With the start of a New Year comes a great deal of excitement as to which new electronic products we might see arrive this year. It has become a popular venue for all manufacturers to showcase their latest technological innovations and we're almost certain that 2013 will be no different from the norm.

To keep you right up to date with the news as it happens, we recormend you check out the live stream of TPN.tv at www.TPN.tv

The Gift You Wish You Had Given

2012-12-27T16:21:00.002+00:00

Feeling a little spenders' remorse over the present you gave employees this holiday? Next time, try this gift instead.

The winter holidays are over and your employees are straggling back to the office, clad in garish new sweaters, fumbling with new e-readers—and in a quite a few instances, nursing a bad case of spenders’ remorse. You may feel some of that remorse yourself, as you reflect on how few employees seemed really to like getting figgie pudding from you again this year, or as you have second thoughts about the generous cash bonuses you handed out in a fit of foolish optimism that Washington would dodge the fiscal cliff.
So, I have a suggestion for your next holiday: Give gift cards. Your employees will appreciate them at least as much as figgie pudding, and dollar for dollar, you can sow more good will than you would with a cash bonus. Full disclosure: My company, Card Hub, runs an online gift card exchange among other things, so I am, frankly, prejudiced in favor of them. But if you decide to give plastic, there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it. That’s the point of thinking about this now.

How to get more gift for the buck

The single best way to save on gift cards is to buy them on the secondary market. Gift cards have been the most popular type of holiday present for six consecutive years, yet roughly $41 billion worth of buying power went unused from 2005 to 2011 and another $2 billion won’t be redeemed in 2012, according to TowerGroup data. That obviously works out great for Card Hub’s exchange, but it can also be good for you. You can buy gift cards at discounts of up to 80% on exchanges and present them to employees and clients without the recipients being any the wiser.

If you go with gift cards, do it right

To maximize your savings, you should:

Favor retailers’ cards over general-purpose gift cards: While retailers book a profit the moment you purchase one of their gift cards, general-purpose issuers like Visa, American Express, and MasterCard have to charge fees to make money. Their gift cards therefore often come with inactivity fees, purchase fees, etc., which eat away at the balance you load. That’s why it’s typically most efficient to give cards from specific retailers that you have reason to think your employees enjoy.
Use caution when redeeming rewards for gift cards: Chances are, your personal or business card offers great redemption rates when you trade in points for gift cards, thanks to deals struck between the card issuer and various retailers. That means you can often get more value by buying gift cards with points rather than with cash. However, this isn’t the case with every retailer, so do your homework on rewards redemption value.
Pay with the right card: If you’re not going to be able to pay off your holiday expenses in full by the end of the billing period, don’t use a business credit card, as it won’t give you interest rate stability. Since you are personally liable for the debt whether you use the business card or your personal card, you might as well use the latter for the greater protection it offers against unexpected increases in interest rates.
Watch out for scammers: Some gift card exchanges (include the one operated by Card Hub) give the option of purchasing from an individual seller or a trusted gift card depot. You may save more buying from an individual, but it’s best to meet the seller in a public place so you can call the 1-800 number on the back of the card to verify its balance.

Obviously, it’s too late now to take advantage of gift cards for the 2012 giving season. But as word filters back to you that your employees were less than thrilled by those cute coffee mugs with the heat-activated picture of you and your dog, you might give gift cards some thought for next year. That said, I’ll leave it to you. Happy New Year, and may 2013 be filled with savings and business success.

10 Luxe Designer Gifts That Cost $50 Or Less

2012-12-10T10:13:00.005+00:00

Obtain some more ideas from these 10 great ideas. Click here to read more

Gift Guide: What to Get Friends, Staff and Customer

2012-11-22T15:11:00.001+00:00

Evernote Smart Notebook by Moleskine, $24.95

Available in a pocket size and notebook size (for $29.99), this Moleskin pad uses either lined or "squared" pages. Using the Evernote Camera App, you can snap a photo of the page and transfer the notes as searchable text to the app (iPhone or Android). Price includes a three-month subscription to Evernote Premium

Hydros Bottle, $27.99

You don’t really want to know what is in an ordinary glass of tap water. And even if you use one of those water machines at the office, bacteria can build up on the dispenser. This water bottle uses a filter on the bottle itself that removes most contaminants like chlorine and chloramine.

Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad, $25

Nothing says “thanks for being an awesome employee” like a bottle of wine. Freixenetusa.com imports cava sparkling wines from the Sant Sadurni d'Anoia region near Barcelona. This blend, aged on lees for about three years, comes from hand-picked grapes and vinified from nine different wines.

Parker Ingenuity Pen, $190

A bit pricey but built for a lifetime of use, this high-end writing instrument uses a “smart glide” tip that adjusts to your writing style. The grip has a texturized rubber finish, and there is a gold finish on the arrow and tip. Bonus: The pen comes in a stylish gift box. Refill cartridges cost $8 each.

Biscoff Holiday Favor Boxes, $22.95

This set of four gift boxes, meant to hang on a tree, includes four cookies in each box. They’re caramelized crisps, originally served on Delta airlines as a coffee accoutrement. To buy them in bulk, there’s also an eight-box set available at Biscoff.com for $36.95.

Marbles JuggleFit, $24.99

Minnesota-based Marbles Brain Store makes games that improve gray matter. Studies show that learning how to juggle can improve brain cell activity in one week. This kit includes three scarfs for practicing and three heavier balls, plus a training DVD and a handy tote.

The Fruit Guys TakeHome Case, $26

This eclectic mix of fruits and nuts comes in a few different sizes to fit your budget. There are mini packs with five or eight pieces of fruit all the way up to a bountiful 36-piece pack with four bags of nuts. There’s also an organic veggie case with avocados, garlic, sweet potatoes, and kale.

Gadgets That Changed The World Part 1

2012-11-14T09:19:00.001+00:00

Every so often, a device comes along that changes the way we live our daily lives and things are never the same again. With today's digital technology, such devices may come more frequently than in the past, but our list revolutionary gadgets extends back two centuries.

Apple Macintosh

The personal computer debuted in the 1970s, but the 1984 introduction of the Macintosh set the standard for how they would operate from then on. A Mac-like computer had debuted a year earlier -- the Lisa -- but at nearly $10,000, it was a flop. At $2,495, the Macintosh wasn't exactly cheap by 1984 standards, but it revolutionized the way people interacted with their computers, establishing the interface and metaphor that every current OS uses.
We do love our gadgets. They serve as tokens of tribal identification, but they also make our lives easier. And sometimes they change everything. Who would have thought fifteen years ago that we could have our entire music libraries in our pockets to listen to whenever we wanted? For that matter, who would have thought 35 years ago that we could take music with us wherever we went?
Some of the 19 gadgets on our list are obsolete or nearly so, but even those changed the world by paving the way for what comes after. They represented a paradigm shift: they caused a permanent change in our idea of what was possible, and they created new standards that later devices had to meet.

ATM

For our money -- get it? -- this is probably the most revolutionary gadget in the list. It's hard to believe there was a time when the money you had in hand by 3 PM on a Friday afternoon was all the money you had for the weekend. Experiments with cash-dispensing and deposit-taking machines at individual banks started in the early sixties, but it was in 1963 that the first networked ATM made its debut. Nightlife would never be the same.

GPS

These days we can always know where we are and how to get where we're going, thanks to the portable satellite receiver known as a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit. The system was first conceived by the U.S. military in the 1970s, and the satellites that let the units triangulate their locations were launched between 1989 and 1994. Magellan claims to have been first out with a hand-held unit, in 1989.

VCR

First introduced in 1963, the VCR may now be almost obsolete, but it revolutionized Americans' relationship with their TV entertainment. We no longer had to make sure we watched something when it was first broadcast or risk missing it forever, and it enabled us to watch our shows whenever we wanted rather than when the networks thought we should.

Microwave Oven

It might come as a surprise that the microwave has been around for more than 60 years, but in fact, there was a commercial model (almost 6 feet tall and weighing 750 pounds) on the market in 1947, two years after a chocolate bar melted in the pocket of an engineer working around a source of radio waves. College students and harried homemakers everywhere owe their ability to eat something resembling real food to that happy accident in 1945

Samsung Galaxy Camera for £399

2012-11-05T15:03:00.001+00:00

If you've been looking for an unholy union 'twixt smartphone and compact shooter, then Samsung's Galaxy Camera can't come soon enough. The Android-powered snapper arrives in the UK on Thursday November 8th, with an RRP of £399, unless, that is, you're in the vicinity of the Samsung store. If so, then the devices are being sold early at 5:00pm on November 7th, when you can snag one a few hours early and enjoy some Champagne and canapés supplied by the Korean behemoth.

Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Camera is a bit of a wild card, marrying Google's Android Jelly Bean OS with a 16-megapixel camera -- heck, it's even got a 4.8-inch 1,280 x 720-pixel (308 ppi) touchscreen display. Yup, rather than offering a digital viewfinder out back like a normal digital point-and-shoot, the Samsung Galaxy Camera offers a multitouch panel; the entire back consists of that 4.8-inch screen, edge-to-edge. It's not all touchscreen, though -- several buttons (controlling a pop-up flash, power, zoom toggle, and shutter release) are also part of the somewhat bulky build. Beyond the WiFi radio built in, the Galaxy Camera also comes with 3G/4G support via micro-SIM -- which we now know at least one carrier will support: AT&T.

During an event with the cellular data carrier this evening, we got our hands-on the Galaxy Camera once more (albeit now with an AT&T micro-SIM on board). That speedy 1.4GHz quad-core processor helped us along, speedily swiping through Jelly Bean's panes and launching its photo app promptly. Apps like Instagram were also on display, allowing for even nicer photos to be defiled by software filters (we kid!). The AT&T connectivity allowed us to upload photos directly to the cloud while snapping, utilizing its Auto Cloud Backup feature; image quality isn't quite professional-grade, but its no slouch either.

The Galaxy Camera is, for all intents and purposes, a full-on Android smartphone ... minus that whole "phone" thing. Its heft is perhaps more than we'd like in a point-and-shoot, but that gigantic -- and gorgeous -- viewfinder out back certainly helps assuage our space concerns. The device arrives at both carriers and camera retailers this October for an unknown price.

6 Ways Windows Surface Beats the iPad

2012-10-31T11:53:00.001+00:00

It's not (yet) an iPad killer, but the new Windows tablet does have a few impressive features for business.

In a perfect world, the better gadget would always win. For the brand new Microsoft Surface RT tablet there is no question Microsoft has decided to embrace the world of touch computing, hoping to dethrone the mighty iPad and attract mobile users in droves.

We are not yet ready to say Surface RT is better than the iPad. But there are some significant features that make it attractive for business.

1. Behold, the Keyboard

You can obtain a portable keyboard for the iPad, but the Surface RT includes one that is downright brilliant. Some might argue it is not that different from the soft keyboard on the iPad, and I've seen some speed typers at airports who make me wonder how they do it. The Surface RT includes a cover that doubles as a keyboard, and there are two surprises. One, even though the keyboard only has slightly raised keys, I can type much faster and more accurately on it than the iPad. Also, there's a stand on the back of the Surface RT, so you can fold off the cover, prop up the tablet, and start typing like you are on a laptop. Brilliant. Microsoft offers a rainbow of colors and the keyboard/cover snaps into place with a click.

2. Free Office Apps

Microsoft includes the Office 2013 apps for the Surface RT for free. That's a major plus for business owners who decide to deploy the device to employees. The suite uses a fresh, clean-cut design that runs smoothly on the mobile processor that powers the Surface RT. There are the big three--Word, PowerPoint, and Excel--plus the 2013 version of OneNote, a collaboration and info gathering tool. So far, what I like best about Word is that you can quickly save a document to Microsoft SkyDrive for cloud storage, and that the app runs stable and with familiar tools. Plus, no install programs to run.

3. Smart Store

There are plenty of Windows Store naysayers, and I'm not exactly a diehard fan. There are many apps missing, including a few of my favorites like SproutSocial. But while the store is missing important apps, there is one benefit: The apps you will find are designed to run fast and reliably on the RT tablet. I tested Skype, the Kindle e-reader, the Zinio app, and several others. The apps use the same tile approach of Windows 8 for touch apps with plenty of open space and finger-aware buttons. Presumably, there will be touch apps for many popular desktop programs, including Photoshop and many others.

4. Connections, Natch

Microsoft has included several options for connecting the tablet to other gadgets. The RT supports Bluetooth 4.0 so you can connect a new crop of devices like digital pens that can automatically adjust pressure sensitivity. There's a USB port, which means you can attach keyboards and mice, webcams, and just about any add-on that does not require a driver designed only for the Windows 8 desktop version. Under the stand, you'll even find a microSD port for loading pictures and videos.

5. Battery Life

It's easy to become a slave to re-charging. Hunting for outlets at airports, connecting up as soon as you walk into a hotel room. Since the RT lasts almost 10 hours, you might find that re-charging is not as much of an issue. Ten hours is enough to get you to your next meeting after jumping off the plane, and that's really all that matters. I also found I did not have to dim the display or turn off features to get good battery life.

6. Screen Tech

The screen on the Surface RT has a sharpness that I don't see on Android tablets. At 400 nits, it is also quite bright and readable even outside. The resolution is more in line with a typical laptop, but Microsoft has used some type-smoothing tech to improve readability. Swipes and gestures on the RT worked reliably every time, and colors looked outstanding for games and photos. In many ways, the screen is the most important hardware element because it is what you look at all day. The iPad 4, announced last week, is arguably more crisp with a higher resolution, but the Surface RT gets major points for brightness and text clarity.

iPad Mini unveiled by Apple.

2012-10-24T09:28:00.003+01:00

Apple has unveiled its widely-anticipated 7.9in (20.1cm) tablet, the iPad Mini. The device, which is 7.2mm (0.3in) thick and weighs 0.68lbs (0.3kg), was announced at an event in California. The entry wi-fi-only model, with 16GB storage, will cost £269 in the UK and be available on 2 November. The iPad Mini will compete directly with cheaper similar-sized tablets recently launched by Google, Amazon, Samsung and others. Apple's vice-president of marketing Phil Schiller told attendees that the device was 23% thinner and 53% lighter than the third-generation iPad, which was released in March this year.

Change of heart

The iPad Mini launch ends years of speculation that Apple was considering launching a new, smaller version of its bestselling iPad range.
In 2010, late founder Steve Jobs described 7in tablets as being "too small".
However, the company's apparent change of heart comes in the face of mounting pressure from its closest competitors, who already offer smaller - and crucially, cheaper - products. In the UK, both Amazon's new 7in Kindle Fire HD and Google's Nexus 7 cost £159.

During the presentation, Mr Schiller stressed the importance of being able to hold the device in one hand - a nod to the more travel-friendly appeal of the smaller devices. However, Adam Leach, principal analyst at Ovum, said he had expected the iPad Mini to be more competitively priced. "We got a mix of a bit of new Apple and bit of old Apple in the same announcement," he said. "This is new for Apple to be responding to competitors instead of pioneering their own way. It's old Apple as they've gone into this market with a premium pricing strategy. At the moment this doesn't place a lot of pressure on the Kindle Fire or the Nexus 7." He added that the iPad Mini was an indicator that Apple might be nervous about losing its control over a market which it has dominated in recent years.

During the nineties, Apple found itself outpaced in the home computer market by Microsoft and Windows-powered computers - a period of the company's history it will be conscious to avoid repeating. "The popularity of the Kindle e-reader and the Android smartphones made consumers aware of Amazon content and Google services," said Francisco Jeronimo, research manager at consultants IDC. "The low price points of the Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon Kindle Fire have been attracting consumers looking for more affordable devices that also come with the content and services they already use or want." But he added: "This new product from Apple will disrupt the market again. The iPad Mini is now the new category killer."

The other iPad Mini wi-fi-only models will have a recommended retail price of £349 for 32GB and £429 for 64GB.

Kick in the face

Apple also announced a lower-key upgrade for the full-sized iPad. Calling it the "fourth generation" iPad, Mr Schiller said its new A6X chip meant it had twice the CPU (central processing unit) power of the third-generation model.
Paddy Smith, online editor for Stuff.tv, said some Apple users might see the iPad upgrade as a "kick in the face" as the previous model was just seven months old. "I think a lot of people will be upset to see a new full size iPad so soon," he said. "For many people that represents a pretty major purchase, something you wouldn't want to do more than once a year."

Stuff.tv's Mr Smith agreed that Christmas shoppers could be hesitant.
"I think if they look at the competition and they see that the Google Nexus 7 is £100 cheaper it's going to be hard to ignore that - unless you're buying for a hardcore Apple fan." However, IDC predicted that the new device would boost Apple's already dominant position in the tablet market. It forecast that Apple would hold a 68% share of the market in 2012, compared to 29% for Android tablets. Both would fall off slightly next year with the launch of Windows 8 tablets, IDC said.

The firm also announced upgrades to its Macbook Pro, iMac and Mac Mini ranges of computers. "Its new iMac machines have been made 80% thinner at the edges than previous models", Mr Schiller said.

Apple set to launch smaller iPad

2012-10-23T13:09:00.001+01:00

Apple is widely expected to launch a smaller version of the iPad later on Tuesday, into what is becoming an increasingly crowded tablet market.

The launch will be watched by fans keen for a cheaper device while detractors will see it as another test for chief executive Tim Cook. Demand for smaller tablets have been proved by the success of Amazon's Kindle and Google's Nexus 7. The event in San Jose, US, kicks off at 10:00 local time (17:00 GMT).

Price point

Most analysts agree that the price of the pocket-sized iPad will be key to its success.
Currently Apple's 9.7in iPad 3 has a starting price of $499 (£399 in the UK) while its iPad 2 can be bought for $399 (£329). To date, Apple has sold more than 84 million iPads, with the device accounting for 26% of Apple's third quarter revenue.

The new mini iPad is expected to shave a couple of inches from its larger cousin with analysts predicting a "sweet spot" price of about £200. That would make it an "affordable Christmas present", said Maciej Gornicki, an analyst at IDC. The risk for Apple, said Ovum analyst Adam Leach, will be cannibalising its existing iPad range.

"If an iPad customer wants to upgrade will they still go high end?" he asked.
A survey of 1,000 consumers by US firm Baird Equity Research suggested that, on average, consumers would be prepared to pay $242 (£150) for a 7in iPad and $268 (£167) for an 8in model.

Amazon's new 7in Kindle Fire HD costs $199 (£129 in the UK). A slightly larger version, shipping on November 20, will sell for $299 (£159). Google's Nexus 7 has a price tag of $250 (£159).

The launch of the mini iPad will be keenly watched by Apple critics who have questioned whether the firm has lost its edge since the death of Steve Jobs.
The fact that, unlike previous product launches, there is little doubt about what is coming could be significant, thinks Mr Leach.

"It represents a change in the way Apple go to market and the way people perceive Apple. It is a move away from how Steve Jobs did things. It is being headed, dare I say it, more like a normal technology company," he said.

'Sea change'

Two years ago when mini tablets began to hit the market, Steve Jobs famously said that in his opinion they would not succeed because the size was insufficient to "create great tablet apps".

That Apple has changed its mind represents another important "sea change" for the company, thinks Mr Leach "Apple is now in the role of following what the market is doing, responding to the threat of the Google Nexus and the Kindle Fire," he said.

While internally Apple may be regretting losing its image as a market leader, it could be good news for consumers, thinks Paddy Smith, editor of Stuff.tv. "Having buckled under public pressure to increase the size of the iPhone's screen, Apple can now be seen once again creating a product based on listening to its customers, rather than thinking it always knows best. "We think a smaller iPad - with a lower price tag - is a sure-fire Christmas hit. And Apple knows it, too," he said.

Boosted by its new iPad, Apple will continue to dominate the tablet market, predicts IDC. It said that Apple will hold a 68% share of the market in 2012, compared to 29% for Android tablets. Both will fall off slightly next year with the launch of Windows 8 tablets, IDC said.

Tips for the Novice Business Traveler

2012-10-22T09:37:00.001+01:00

Now I know that this is not an item on those must have gifts, however I know that most of us do travel with our gadgets which go me thinking that may be some tips for travelers may be a good idea. These are good if you have just starting out on the road or if you have been out and about for a while, does not hurt to check and rethink once in while?

Growing your business will often require you or your partners to hit the ole pavement. Often business travel becomes necessary to visit clients or make sales pitches or visit satellite offices. Whatever the reason, here are a few tips to look into before your next trip.

1. Membership Rewards

It is never too early to sign up and start using membership rewards programs. Be it points on select credit cards to travel rewards programs through hotels and airlines, if you are going to spend you might as well accumulate points toward rewards. Believe me, they add up. This year, my family and I will take three week long vacations, all courtesy of various rewards programs. So sign up and use them.

2. Build Extra Time Into Your Schedule

We are all about efficiency these days, but in our zeal to be efficient we often lose focus on quality. For instance, if you have a 9 a.m. presentation in New York City, don't risk a flight in from Atlanta that morning. Take a flight the night before, spend the night, and be refreshed and ready to go in the morning. You'll be less stressed and more likely to nail your presentation if you do. Likewise, if your presentation or meetings are scheduled until four in the afternoon, don't book a 5 o'clock flight. Nothing says you aren't important to me like leaving a meeting early to catch a flight. Book a later flight. You can always move it up if you end early.

3. Be Willing to Fly Standby

If you get done with your work early and head to the airport hoping to catch an earlier flight, be willing to fly standby. Ask the attendant if there is an earlier flight. If so, ask how many open seats there are left. If it is not a full flight, simply ask to be put on standby for that flight. It doesn't cost a thing, and for flights with open seats you will usually get on. This is one way of avoiding the re-ticketing charge you will receive if they simply move you up to the earlier flight.

4. No Downtime, Ever

In our 24/7 world, we are always connected. Who cares if there is not an earlier flight. With technology, you can be at the office working even if you are hundreds or thousands of miles away. Personally, my smartphone acts as a Wi-Fi hot spot for my laptop, and I can also access my desktop remotely. Invest in the technology that works for you to keep getting the job done no matter where you are.

5. Power Up

All that technology, however, requires juice. So whenever possible, make sure you plug in. While waiting for your meeting to begin, plug in. Most airports now have free charging stations. Plug in. If they don't, just look around: There's an outlet somewhere on the wall. There has to be. It's code.

6. Internet Deals

Always look for the best deals using the Internet. Expedia.com and Travelocity.com are great for booking hotels and flights even at the last minute. And make sure to scroll through their options, looking for the websites' stars as well as user ratings. Oftentimes you can find hotels that are just as nice for half the price. For instance, last night I was in New York City and needed to be in the Times Square area at 9 a.m. for meetings. Rather than simply booking at my old standard, which would have been $499 for the night (Welcome to New York), I poked around on Expedia.com and booked a room at a neighboring hotel for $250! I saved $249, and the hotel was every bit as nice as my old favorite.

7. Maintain Healthy Habits (If You Have Any)

One of the toughest things about being on the road is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. So many of us get on the road and say, "Hey, tonight it's me, a bag of Doritos, and whatever Nicholas Cage movie is showing on TNT." On the road or not, you've got to behave the same way as you would at home. If you exercise, don't miss it because you are on the road. What greater way to see the city you are staying in than a quick jog or power walk? Of course, it is so easy to throw food caution to the wind. I mean, how can you eat a whole bag of Doritos without having some Oreo cookies to finish it off? But you must resist the temptation.

HP unveils first NFC-enabled mouse.

2012-10-07T19:48:00.002+01:00

In addition to unveiling all those laptops, HP just announced a boatload of peripherals. Of the bunch, the most compelling might be the NFC-enabled Touch to Pair Mouse, which, as the name suggests, can be paired with another device simply through tapping. (Good thing lots of computers currently have NFC, right?) If, by chance, you don't have NFC on your laptop -- and you probably don't -- the mouse will function just fine as a regular old Bluetooth device. Look for it in November for $39.

Elsewhere on the wireless mouse front, HP announced the X6000 (pictured), which has four-way tilt scrolling and can be used on most surfaces, including glass. That arrives this month for $59. Finally, if your tastes are a bit simpler, there's also the Wireless Mouse X4500 and X5500, which will be available this month for $29 and $39, respectively.

Beyond mice, HP also trotted out the $29 Wireless Classic Desktop keyboard, along with the $49 Wireless Elite v2. For audio lovers, there's the HP Portable Bluetooth Speaker, which will go on sale next month for a cool $79. Eighty bucks (or thereabouts) will also get you a 90W universal power adapter that claims to be compatible with most notebooks. It also has a built-in USB port, allowing you to charge a mobile device at the same time. Rounding out the list is the Webcam HD 4310, a $69 ~~$89~~ shooter capable of 1080p video, autofocus, autoexposure and three-way video calling. All that in more digestible form in the PR after the break.

4 Long-Lasting Smartphones

2012-10-05T23:13:00.001+01:00

Don't get stuck with a fancy--but battery draining--device. Check out these handsets that are built to last.

A smartphone that lasts all day can be a life saver. While trendier phones like the iPhone 5 can last a good six hours or more, some models are rated for a full 20 hours or more, which includes heavy data usage. Here are my top picks.

1. Motorola Droid RAZR M

This brand new Android-powered phone, which works on the Verizon network, is rated to last a surprising 20 hours of normal use--checking email, browsing the Web, and even checking YouTube clips. (Some smartphones give you only the "talk time" rating for usage.) The phone still has a sharp 4.3-inch screen that uses a technology called AMOLED--so, it's bright and clear but not power hungry. One important spec: Even with the amazing battery longevity, the phone still connects to Verizon's high-speed LTE network. Turn off some of the wireless options and you'll get even better battery life.

2. Lumia 920

Keep an eye on this new Windows 8 phone, which should be available in late October. The battery life is rated at 17 hours for talk time, but 10 hours for data use. That's about four hours longer than the iPhone 5 and much better than many Android phones on the market. The main perk to this phone is the camera, which uses image stabilization techniques, shoots in low light, and can even take multiple shots in succession. The Windows 8 tile interface is also easier to use.

3. Samsung Galaxy SIII

Another phone with an AMOLED display (a stunning 4.8 inches), the SIII is rated for nine hours of talk time, which is a bit less than the Lumia 920 but still higher than many Android phones. But it also has some rather unique battery-saving features. For one, the phone knows when you are looking at it. When you look away, the Smart Stay feature dims the screen automatically. Another bonus: The SIII is the "halo" phone for Samsung, which means they make extra accessories for it, like a dock for charging up.

4. Motorola ES400S

This is one of those old-school phones from a few years ago, but it has one clear advantage: It will last about 12 hours of talk time and won't break easily. Since the older Windows 6.5 operating system is on board (one that is now two versions out of date) you won't see any snazzy apps or multimedia tools. However, the phone is ruggedized for serious field use. You can drop the phone, use it on a wintry day--even spill water on the screen and expect it to keep humming along all day, without getting damaged.

Nokia Lumia 920 pricing

2012-10-02T11:34:00.002+01:00

Earlier this week, Nokia officially announced prices for the Lumia 920 and 820 models in Russia, Italy and Germany. Despite news of pricing in Europe, Nokia refused to specify how much the devices would cost in the UK and when they will be made available. Pricing and availability in the America is still unknown. A lot has been made of how much the Nokia Lumia 920 is going to cost compared to it's fellow Windows Phone flagships; the HTC Windows Phone 8X and the Samsung ATIV S, and most importantly, how the prices compare to the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy SIII.

Comparing how much devices cost based on pricing in different markets is tricky at the best of times and somewhat nothing more that speculation as different countries have different taxation systems. Unfortunately, while Nokia continue being evasive, people will carry on speculating to such an extent that it could be detrimental. Anyway, we will try our best in applying reason and common sense in our comparison.

In Russia, the Lumia 920 will cost 24,990 roubles (£496/$800), while the 820 will go on the market for 19,990 roubles (£396/$640). In Germany, the Lumia 920 will cost €649 (£517/$834) and the 820 model will be available for €499 (£398/$642). In Italy, the 920 will be priced slightly lower at €599 (£477/$769).

Although Nokia would not confirm UK pricing, we have reason to believe that the Lumia 920 will more than likely to be closer to Italian pricing, so, somewhere around £475 SIM-free. The device will be free on contract when it's available on EE's network. The Lumia 920 seems a reasonable proposition when compared to the iPhone 5 yet the Lumia comes with a lot more features. Whichever way you look at it, the Lumia is definitely cheaper that the iPhone 5. It comes with NFC, PureView camera, PureMotion display, Nokia Maps (actually works!) and more.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy SIII is round about the same price as the Lumia 920. That is despite the Galaxy SIII being a few months older than the Lumia 920. We suspect Nokia is holding back on announcing UK and US pricing as they want to make sure they hit the sweet spot.

Kindle Fire has the Fastest Wi-Fi

2012-10-02T11:26:00.002+01:00

When it comes to HD content, bandwidth is everything. Without it, you get video buffering, slow downloads and dropped connections. Kindle Fire HD solves that by using state-of-the-art dual-antenna, dual-band Wi-Fi for over 40% faster speeds than the original Kindle Fire.

Two Antennas, Better Bandwidth

Kindle Fire HD is the first tablet to feature dual Wi-Fi antenna and Multiple In/Multiple Out (MIMO) technology for powerful, HD-ready Wi-Fi. This allows reception or transmission over both antenna simultaneously to increase capacity and reliability. So you'll enjoy fewer dropped connections and more than 40% faster media streaming.

Dual Band Support

Many Wi-Fi devices, from other tablets to baby monitors, only operate in the 2.4 GHz band. The more of these devices that you and your neighbours have operating in the band, the slower your connection is. Kindle Fire HD is capable of automatically switching between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequencies, which will allow you to use this less congested 5 GHz band for better range and less interference.

Kindle Fire Safe for Children!

2012-09-25T11:11:00.001+01:00

Kindle Fire has built in safe guards for your children to use this gadget. Unlike some tablets, this unit will help protect your children and ensure they do not wonder off to those doggy websites.

Parent Controls

Protect your kids with easy-to-use Parental Controls. Simply add a password in the settings menu to restrict access to web browsing, content purchasing, or your Kindle Fire content libraries.

Ebooks for Fun and Education

Explore ebooks featuring beloved characters. Flip through picture books including Tiger Who Came to Tea and the Mr. Men and Little Miss series. Discover hundreds of ebook apps including Maisy, Duck and Goose, Elmo, Bing Nate, titles from Sandra Boynton (Moo, Baa, La La La!), and more.

Built to Last

Kindle Fire HD is designed to stand up to accidental bumps and scrapes. Our state-of-the art display is 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, so you can let your child play, without worry.

Beloved Kids' Movies and Shows

Amazon for Kids also includes the TV shows your children want to watch, with episodes from Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine and many more.

The Best Games for Kids

Featuring dozens of children's games like Drawing Pad, A Day at the Circus and The Cat In the Hat - Dr. Seuss, and popular early development games like Kids Learn to Read.

Enjoy your content on many devices

At Amazon, we make it easy for you to access your content on other devices and platforms. Apps and games that you buy for your Kindle Fire HD can be used on other Android devices. Kindle books can also be enjoyed on Amazon apps for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. Movies from LOVEFiLM can also be watched on your internet enabled TV, PS3, Xbox 360, laptop and iPad.

Buy your Amazon Fire Direct from Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/amazonfireuk8

Nintendo to revamp 3DS handheld with bigger screens

2012-06-22T09:41:00.001+01:00

As from July 2012 Nintendo will start selling a version of its 3DS handheld gaming console with bigger screens.

The 3DS LL, which will be known as the XL outside Japan, will have displays that are almost twice as big as those on the current version. It will be priced at 18,900 yen (£150) in Japan and $199.99 (£128) in the US. No European prices have been given. The 3DS faces growing competition from smartphones, tablets and Sony's Playstation Vita handheld. However we feel that their is still a strong market for this product with children, who are not permitted to have a smartphone.

The gadget will go on sale in Japan and Europe from 28 July 2012, but will not reach the US until 19 August 2012.

Screen Sizes and Power

Screens on the 3DS LL will be 4.88in (124mm) and 4.18in (106mm) across as compared to 3.53in (90mm) and 3.02in (77mm) in the older model. The larger size of the gadget will also mean it has a longer battery life. For 3D games, the device should run for more than six hours between recharges. For 2D games it should last up to 10 hours.

About 17 million 3DS devices have been sold since the device was released in 2011. In April 2012, Nintendo reported its first annual loss as sales of its Wii console and other gadgets started to slow. It has hopes that a revamped games console, the Wii U, will return it to profitability. Nintendo's shares have fallen 60% since the first 3DS launched in February 2011.

Asus Memo 370T

2012-01-22T10:41:00.000+00:00

Nvidia and Asus teased a product that may change everything. At the Nvidia press conference at the CES 2012 show the companies flashed that a quad-core, Tegra 3-based 7-inchtablet would soon be released for only $250.

The tablet in question actually turned out to be the Asus Memo 370T. An upgraded version of the 7-inch stylus-supported Memo tablet Asus debuted at CES 2011.

While the previous version ran on Honeycomb and utilized a dual-core Qualcomm 8260-1.2Ghz CPU, the 370T will ship with Ice Cream Sandwich and houses a quad-core Tegra 3. No word yet on the actual speed of the processor, though. The previously announced stylus peripheral has been dropped for the device.

The 370T comes with 1GB of RAM and at least 16GB of storage. It also sports a 1,280x800-pixel IPS screen that delivered smoothly scrolling menus. Holding it in my hands, the tablet felt and looked very similar, dimensionally, to the Acer Iconia Tab A100. The 370T even hits the typical-for-a-7-inch-tablet weight of 0.88 pound, right on the nose.

Other details include a Micro-USB port, a microSD card reader, and a Micro-HDMI port. Lastly, the tablet will feature the same great 8-megapixel camera found on the Transformer Prime.

Last year, the $200 Kindle Fire had a similar effect, by offering users a quality tablet experience that didn't necessitate taking out a second mortgage.

The existence of the 370T now demonstrates that performance doesn't necessarily require a price premium. While this is likely to have a tangible effect on tablet prices, we may see an even greater effect on the portable gaming market.

Look for the Asus Memo 370T in the second quarter of 2012.

Nokia Lumia 900

2012-01-18T08:02:00.001+00:00

Best smartphone of the CES 2012 show this year has to be the Nokia Lumia 900 with Windows phone 7.5 at last making a punch in the mobile phone market.

"It's the first one built for and designed for the North American market," said Stephen Elop, Nokia's CEO. He unveiled the new phone at CES in Las Vegas.

The Lumia 900 is somewhat larger version of the overseas Lumia 800 model and Polycarbonate never looked so good. The 900 additions: the larger, 4.3-inch screen (as with the 800: AMOLED, at 800 x 480 resolution); support for LTE/4G cellular. The Qualcomm 1.4GHz CPU and 512MB of RAM should make Windows Phone 7.5 just as quick and smooth as it is on the 800 and 710 models.

The back camera has a 28-millimeter focal length, meaning users can squeeze more into photos than with most camera phones. The Lumia 900 also has a front-facing camera for video conferencing.

Nokia worked closely with app developers to create apps that really take advantage of the Windows Phone "Metro" user interface, said Kevin Shields, a senior vice president at Nokia. He showed off ESPN and CNN apps that Nokia helped develop. "We're going to make the sports nuts who are Lumia customers delighted," said Nokia.

Both Microsoft and Nokia are hoping to boost lagging performance in mobile phones, which I think we all agree that of we have a great Windows mobile OS, then most of us would welcome a Windows unit to sync more effectively with our Windows desktop. Microsoft had just 1.5 percent share of the worldwide smartphone market in the third quarter of 2011, down from 2.7 percent in the previous year, according to research from Gartner. Nokia was still the top phone maker, with 23.9 percent share of the mobile device market in the third quarter. But its share has been steadily declining over the years; it dropped from 28.2 percent in the third quarter of 2010, Gartner found.

Nokia have no launch date for this phone yet as well as no details of the price tag. T-mobile may be the first operator to offer the unit in the UK.

Envy 14 Spectre

2012-01-18T07:43:00.000+00:00

Pretty much every computer maker showed off an Ultrabook laptop at this years 2012 CES in Las-Vegas, with varying chassis designs and sizes but with the same MacBook Air-inspired fundamentals of being thin, weighing little, using power sparingly, and using SSD storage, plus Intel's own contribution of fast bootup.

Hewlet-Packard's Envy 14 Spectre stands out not because it is in the Ultrabook camp but because of its innovative glass lid, which frees up the space normally used by the frame to allow the use of a larger screen in the same space. HP claims it can thus fit a 14-inch LCD in the same laptop dimensions normally holding a 13-inch LCD. It also supports nearfield communications (NFC) very-short-range wireless. The base model ships on Feb. 8 for $1,399.

Apple is Number One - Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2011

2011-06-03T12:17:00.000+01:00

Gartner has reported that Apple is number one supply chain company for 2011. Who is in the Top 25? read below for the full list.

1. Apple
2. Dell
3. P&G
4. Reasearch in Motion (RIM)
5. Amazon
6. Cisco Systems
7. Wal-Mart Stores (Asda)
8. McDonald's
9. PepsiCo
10. Samsung
11. The Coca-Cola Company
12. Microsoft
13. Colgate-Palmolive
14. IBM
15. Unilever
16. Intel
17. HP
18. Nestle
19. Inditex
20. Nike
21. Johnson & Johnson
22. Starbucks
23. Tesco
24. 3M
25. Kraft Foods

Also note Amazon are the top retailer beating off Wal-Mart. Also Tesco UK Based Supermarket chain in the top 25 of the world.

PC and Notebook pricing fall delayed now until Quarter 4

2011-01-07T15:50:00.001+00:00

PC pricing depends on market demand, tecnologies used, routes to market, and brand value. It also depends on the components used in PC manufacturing, and their prices. In the past 20 months or so, trends in PC component pricing have experienced two major changes, with the expected strong -- albeit delayed -- effects on PC pricing.

We tracked the UK distributor list price or Dealer Buying Price level 2 (DBP2) for these components through 2009 using our PriceIT benchmark service. We saw a consistent, increase from one month to the next, with DRAM among the most strongest categories.

Component shortages caused wide-ranging price rises early in 2009 that worsened as the year progressed. Some component manufacturers had scaled back production too far in their bid to survive last year’s economic downturn.

According to our data, component prices increases across the UK carried on well into the first half of 2010 as the available supply consistently failed to meet demand. Eventually, although not the only factor in play, the rise in component costs ratcheted up actual PC pricing during the first half.
Effect of rising component costs

However, the effect of rising component costs on PC pricing was considerably delayed – in some cases by up to three months. Also, it did not affect all product categories to the same extent. Prices for desktop systems rose fastest, and standard-sized notebooks were more conservative, because deal fulfilment in this category was under much more pressure.

After around 18 months of consistent month-on-month component cost increases, those costs began to decrease again in the early part of the third quarter this year.

According to our analysis, memory component costs in the UK fell by around 18 per cent in Q3 on a sequential basis, including average price declines of 18.5 per cent for desktop RAM systems, and 18 per cent for notebook RAM systems. This shift was caused largely by wide-ranging adoption of improvements in component production technology.

This enabled manufacturers to produce components more efficiently and pass the cost savings on to their customers. Weaker-than-expected demand in the run-up to the back-to-school season in August and September also contributed.
PC system prices continued to rise sequentially in the third quarter despite the decline in component costs over the same period.

Our PriceIT data suggests that desktop pricing went up by about six per cent in the third quarter from the previous quarter. Notebook pricing increased on average by just 0.24 per cent during the same period. Price rises for ultra portable notebooks are being countered by falling prices in the standard notebook category.

Assuming the usual three-month delay between component cost changes and their impact on PC system pricing, we would expect the latest component price declines to have no effect on PC pricing before the fourth quarter – bearing in mind that consumer sector price reductions might be held back during the first two months of the quarter to support special vendor promotions in the run-up to Christmas.

Also, PC price decreases might be somewhat counterbalanced again by the rise in VAT in January.

Closely monitor contract pricing

The commercial component price changes in the third quarter suggest that resellers should closely monitor their contract pricing. This way they can ensure that any component cost savings by vendors are passed onto them. Passing on current component cost savings is a great way to manage customer relationships or even win new accounts – even if actual system price declines, due to the delay in their implementation, might not take effect before the next technology upgrade in early 2011

Acrylic iPhone and iPad holders

2011-01-07T13:00:00.000+00:00

Ice Blue Line is a Danish design firm that is offering some unique iPad and iPhone holders made of acrylic and steel. There are four different iPad wall mounted holders. Three of them are arcylic and one is steel. There is also one iPhone holder for your desk, that is made of acrylic and available in two colors. The wrap around hands are cute, but I think they would just get in the way of using the devices… All of the Ice Blue Line holders are available now with a price range of $42.00 – $60.00.

IPad Holder
A feminine expression characterizes this wall-mounted iPad holder: Powder Puff. With its soft ornamental look it is a fine contrast to the somewhat tighter iPad. Bright polished and special-designed screws come with this model. Hung on the wall it serves both as a decoration and as a holding device for the iPad when recharging.

IPhone Holder
One Hand. Toned in grey or green this iPhone holder signals timelessness. Its classic colour matches the iPhone whereas the design adds a twist of lively youthfulness. Together they form a fine frame for the iPhone when parked or recharging. The holder is made by curved acrylic.

Nokia and Microsoft's Windows Phone 7

2010-12-21T16:44:00.000+00:00

Nokia is reportedly mulling whether to offer Windows Phone 7 phones according to the rumor mill. The idea does sound interesting.

First, these rumors may be completely half baked, but they do add up and have appeared before. Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is a former Microsoft man. He’s evaluating the Nokia’s prospects and aiming to reposition the company. By now he has figured out that Nokia’s core competency is hardware and scale.

Of course, Nokia may have some software mojo, but it has been consolidating its Symbian efforts. Meanwhile other analysts have said Nokia should ponder Android devices. Why stop there? Nokia should evaluate Windows Phone 7 and Android devices. Why shouldn’t Nokia be a player more like HTC or Motorola, two companies that primarily focus on hardware?
Nokia should hedge its bets on software across the board. Nokia should offer Android, Symbian and Windows Phone 7 devices.

Here’s the Google Translation of Eldar Murtazin’s newsletter on Nokia-Microsoft:

In the last month behind closed doors is a discussion of expanded cooperation Nokia and Microsoft (two-way discussion, initiated by the new leadership of Nokia). Not simply the exchange of technology, but creating an entire line of Windows Phone devices that may go under the name Nokia, through the sales channels for the company, and will also have the characteristic features of its products. This is a desperate measure of the two companies.

One quick thing to note: Desperation can sometimes work. Windows Phone 7 is a good mobile operating system in search of distribution. Nokia has scale, global reach and products for every price point. Nokia has everything but an OS. On paper, the Nokia-Microsoft thing could work.

Matthew Miller notes:
I am personally a fan of the new Windows Phone 7 operating system, I have always been a Windows Mobile fan, and also enjoy using Nokia devices. WP7 is obviously a much more modern and exciting operating system than the current Symbian OS found on devices like the Nokia N8, but Nokia is working hard on future versions of Symbian and their MeeGo OS with Intel so I highly doubt they are going to throw in the towel and adopt a Microsoft OS that is in its infancy and has a long way to go. If they were going to adopt another OS, it would make more sense to go with Android that is far more advanced and selling at a much faster pace than anything else at the moment.

Wharton professor Kartik Hosanagar said in a recent Knowlege@Wharton article:

Not owning the software platform used in its phones means that Nokia would be “giving up significant revenue and profit potential. So it wouldn’t be my first strategy. But if Nokia can’t get its act together in a year, I think it may well be the only thing to do. I think Android on Nokia could be very appealing to consumers. But Nokia is not going to embrace the Android bandwagon so soon. There’s the issue of giving up on a lucrative software platform. And then there’s the question of whether a former Microsoft exec will so easily embrace Google’s Android.”

Other Wharton profs say that Nokia’s choice of operating system is the biggest decision Elop will make.Miller calls the Windows Phone 7-Nokia rumors wild, but I don’t see Nokia’s software strategy as a zero sum affair. Nokia should hedge its mobile OS bets in a few places. And Microsoft would give Nokia some sweet terms just to get distribution. Nokia’s future business model may look a lot more like HTC’s.

Nokia’s choice is to fight the last war or move forward. When it comes to mobile Microsoft is basically in the same boat. Those facts may make Nokia and Microsoft good allies.

I'm dumping my iPad for a Samsung Galaxy

2010-12-16T12:20:00.002+00:00

Samsung's Galaxy Tab is a 7-inch tablet that looks a lot like an overgrown Galaxy S phone, without the phone functionality.

I've been eagerly awaiting a viable alternative. I'm a Windows loyalist from way back, and I've used Windows Mobile smart phones since I got my first, a Samsung i730 back in 2005. I still have an Omnia II running WinMo 6.5, but recently I was won over to Android, first by testing a Droid X and then by testing a Samsung Fascinate. I fell in love with the Fascinate, which is a Galaxy S phone, so I had a feeling I was going to like its big brother, the Galaxy Tab. And I was right. In fact, despite the Tab's somewhat high price, I've decided to dump the iPad for the Tab. Here are 10 reasons why.

1. Size

Yes, I loved the iPad's 9.7-inch form factor when I got it. That's because it was so much smaller and thinner than the tablets (Windows-based convertibles and slates) I'd used in the past. But it still wasn't quite enough. It's just a little too big to slip into my favourite small bag. Want to put it in your pocket? Forget about it. And unless you're a big, burly guy (I'm not), holding it in one hand isn't easy to do.

Steve Jobs pronounced 7-inch tablets "dead on arrival." He might think bigger is better, but I disagree. The Tab's 7.48- by 4.74-inch dimensions (compared to the iPad's 9.56-by-7.47) make it roughly half the size of the iPad. And that means it's easier to hold onto and manipulate, easier to "thumb type" on, and easier to fit into a small bag or even a large jacket pocket.

2. Weight

At 25.6 oz. (a little over a pound and a half), the iPad seems light -- especially if you're comparing it to older style tablets that weighed 3 to 4 pounds. However, if you hold it up for a moderate period of time, you find that it gets tiring. This is especially important if you use your tablet for reading eBooks. And carrying it around adds a noticeable, if not burdensome, weight to your bag.

The Galaxy Tab weighs in at a trim13.4 oz., less than a pound. The difference might not seem like much, but it makes it far easier to use for longer times without tiring and makes it more likely that I’ll bring it along at times when I might not bother to bring the iPad because of its bulk and weight.

3. Expandable Storage

One of my biggest complaints about the iPad was the lack of a flash memory slot to allow me to add more storage space. Of course, Apple didn't want me to buy an SD/microSD card from one of many vendors -- they wanted me to buy a higher capacity, more expensive iPad from them. That type of blatant gouging is one of the reasons I hate giving any of my money to Apple.

The Galaxy Tab has a microSD slot that will officially accept cards up to 32 GB in capacity. I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if we can tweak it to use 64 GB cards when they become readily available, just as we could use 8 GB cards in phones that officially only accepted cards up to 4 GB.

Another nice thing about the Tab is that the memory card slot is easily accessible -- unlike on the Galaxy S phones, where you have to remove the back to change out the card (although I give Samsung credit for not making you remove the battery to change the card, as you have to do with many of today's phones). On the Tab, the slot is on the side of the device and you just open the small cover to access it.

4. Choice of 3G Carriers

The iPad has finally come to Verizon Wireless -- well, sort of. The problem is that it's the Wi-Fi only version, since Apple doesn't make an iPad with built-in support for CDMA/EVDO (the technology used by Verizon and Sprint). To use it with Verizon's 3G network, you have to buy their MiFi mobile hotspot device and then connect the iPad to that via Wi-Fi. The upside is that you can connect up to five devices to the MiFi -- but it means carrying around yet another (albeit small) component.

The Galaxy Tab is going to be available through all the major wireless carriers and will have 3G capabilities built in, so there is no extra device to carry.

5. Better Bluetooth

The iPad comes with Bluetooth 2.1 support, whereas the Galaxy Tab has Bluetooth 3.0. The later version supports faster speeds, up to 24 megabits per second.(Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR supports a data rate of 3 Mbps.)

6. Two Cameras

The iPad lacks a camera of any kind. I don't really mind not having a rear-facing camera, since my phone has a camera and is much better suited for taking photos. Holding the big almost 10-inch iPad up to snap a picture would be awkward anyway. But I always thought the tablet form factor would have been perfect for video conferencing -- if only the device had a front-facing camera.

The Galaxy Tab has two cameras, a 3.2 MP rear-facing and a 1.3 MP front-facing one. And the device itself is small enough so that the rear camera will be a lot less awkward to use.

7. Flash

Steve Jobs has made it clear that he hates Adobe Flash and doesn't want it on the iPhone or iPad. I'm not a big fan of Adobe myself, but there are just too many Websites out there that rely on Flash, and the lack of support for it can make browsing the Web with an iPad a frustrating experience.

The Galaxy Tab includes Flash Player 10.1, so you can access those Flash-enabled sites. This does slow things down a bit, but it's far better than not being able to access them at all.

8. Swype

The iPad is too big for thumb typing, and although you can (sort of) touch type on it, that's likely to result in a lot of errors, in my experience. That leaves me doing a modified version of touch typing, in which I have to look at the keyboard while I'm typing, and it slows me down. Worse, it's uncomfortable to try to do it for any length of time. Thus, I use the iPad for consumption but try to avoid creating text content on it.

The Tab, like the Galaxy S phones (and other Android phones I've tried) comes with Swype. It's a different way to enter text, by sliding your finger from key to key, and at first you can't believe it would really work, but it does. I first became acquainted with Swype when I got my Omnia II Windows Mobile phone, and within a week was able to enter text at over 50 wpm -- on a phone! I swore I'd never have another phone that didn't use Swype. After you get used to the longer distance your finger has to travel, it works fine on the Tab, and it's far less tiring than typing on the virtual keyboard.

We keep hearing rumours of Swype coming to the iPhone/iPad, but so far, it hasn't happened.

Even if you prefer to tap the keys instead of Swyping, the Tab has a feature that makes text entry much better than on the iPad: You can tap and hold a key to get a secondary character. On the iPad, if you want to type a number, you have to switch to the alternate symbol keyboard. On the Tab, you can simply hold down the appropriate alphabetic key to type the number displayed above the letter. Switching back and forth between the alpha and numeric/symbol keyboards on the iPad drives me nuts, so I love this feature.

9. Comparable Battery Life

One thing I really did love about my iPad was the battery life. Compared to just about every other portable computing device (other than a simple MP3 player), its stamina was amazing. I easily got close to 10 hours of fairly heavy usage out of it, and since I don't normally use it that heavily, I could go a week sometimes between charges. This was the deal breaker on most of the alternative tablets I saw. Many of them sounded great -- until you got to the part that said "Battery life: 4 hours." I wanted something that was comparable to the iPad, that would at least let me use it heavily for a full workday without recharging. The Galaxy Tab doesn't quite measure up to the iPad in this respect -- but it's good enough. It's rated at seven hours for video playback, and longer for less intensive tasks. That stacks up well against the iPad, with which I got about eight hours when streaming video constantly.

Another plus is that you can charge the Tab from your computer's USB port, although you have to use the cable that comes with the device to do it since Unfortunately, Samsung used a proprietary connector on the Tab's side. This was a strange decision, given that the Galaxy S phones have a standard mini USB port.

10. Freedom

For those who chafe at being under Apple's thumb when it comes to software, the Tab offers something that's priceless -- the freedom to install apps that don't have to be "approved" by the phone's maker. The Android Market is a convenient and easy way to download apps, but you aren't limited to its offerings.

Of course, the carriers do lock down their devices to an extent, and depending on where you buy it, the Tab may have vendor-installed crapware on it that you can't easily remove. However, rooting the Tab is easy; there is a one-click app for that called z4root. And it's likely that custom ROMs for the Tab will emerge in the near future, as they have for Android-based phones .(Just remember that rooting -- similar to jail breaking an iPhone/iPad -- voids your warranty.)

Summary

The iPad is slick and pretty and does some things well. I had fun with mine, even though at times I felt like throwing it into the lake. But it lacked a lot of the things I want and value most, such as the ability to expand storage, to "type" at a decent speed, and to carry and hold it comfortably for long periods of time without it becoming burdensome. I also need to be able to view Flash content and do video conferencing. The Tab offers all that, and more. Sure, the next generation of the iPad will probably include some of these features. But there are some that the iPad is likely to never give us, such as expandable storage and freedom of choice when it comes to our apps. Those things might not be important to everyone, but they're important to me. So important that I'm dumping my iPad in favour of the Tab.