Archive

Hands-on with the Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 3, 2011

Hands-on with the Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1

Here at IFA Lenovo have thrown their hat into the new Android tablet ring with the IdeaPad Tablet K1, and we get a few minutes hands-on.

It’s the web as you’ve never seen it before; the 10.1” IdeaPad® Tablet K1 with Android 3.1
is optimized for the web like no other tablet. The K1 comes with full support for the latest
Flash content and complete Digital Rights Management (DRM) so you can legally download &
store movies in every available format. Plus, it instantly syncs your photos, music and videos
with a dedicated online storage space, so you can easily share across multiple devices, or
with the wider world through integration with popular social networking sites. And with
access to the Lenovo App Shop and the Android Market, thousands of useful apps and
games are just a click away.

Here are the specs:

Expect a full hands-on review soon.

And below is a short hands-on video. Apologies about the quality, due to all the bright lights the camera had trouble focusing on the screen.

Windows 8 To Include Media Center

Microsoft

Jim McCarthy

-

Sep 2, 2011

3

Steven Sinofsky today confirmed that Media Center will be included in Windows 8. Read on for details!

Steven Sinofsky is in charge of development for Windows 8 and he has been blogging lately. Today, he posted up an interesting tidbit or two about Windows 8 and confirmed that Media Center will be included. Here is what he said:

Media Center

While not a central topic of feedback, I received about 50 emails about Media Center. I want to reassure customers that Media Center will definitely be part of Windows 8. No doubt about it. Knowing how strong the support for Media Center is among pre-release testers, we still have work to do to make sure the quality and compatibility with add-ins is what you would expect even in pre-release (as with any release of Windows, compatibility is a major effort and when we work on the underlying video engine, as one example, we have to make sure features that push these areas receive adequate coverage).

In the coming months, many folks will be testing pre-release builds of Windows 8. As everyone knows, two things are always the case early on. First, the software is not done and things will change—features will be added and removed. Second, the different editions or SKUs are not developed or announced until late in the development process (closer to market availability).

Media Center will not be part of the first pre-release builds. Some other features/capabilities will not be in the first pre-release builds including: Windows 7 games, DVD Creator, upgrade setup, Dot Net 3.5 (Note there are perhaps a couple of other relatively low profile items but just wanted to hit the major ones here). These are engineering decisions as well as business decisions.

As we get closer to market availability, we will make sure to explain how not just these specifically but all features of the product will be made available. As an aside, it is early to start the dialogue about a preference for one SKU with Windows. We’re well aware of this feedback and we always need to balance it with the feedback from our business partners who value a different approach. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Interestingly, the feedback about Media Center was predominantly “we will pay extra, just include it” based on the input directly to me. Today Media Center is part of “premium” SKUs for Windows, which means that is the case today.

Dell Announces the Inspiron 14Z Laptop

Tech

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 2, 2011

0

Today at IFA, Dell announced a new thin laptop called the Inspiron 14Z.

The Inspiron 14Z

No matter what the application is, the new Inspiron™ 14z laptops are packed with the latest technology to handle every task. From 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ i3 and i5 processors, HD (720p) display and excellent battery life, the Inspiron 14z series is ideal for school papers, company reports, mobile entertainment, keeping in touch with friends and pursuing your passions.

Here is the press release:

Berlin, Germany, September 2, 2011 –Today at the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin (IFA), Dell announced the new Inspiron 14z laptop. This latest addition to Dell’s thin and powerful portfolio brings the ultra-mobile “z” distinction to Inspiron, Dell’s best-selling Consumer laptop brand. Combining sizzling performance, rich features, and chic design, the Inspiron 14z is the perfect mobile companion. Whether taking notes in class, or communicating with family across the country, the Inspiron 14z delivers what you need in a sleek and stunning form.

No matter the application, the new Inspiron 14z laptop is packed with some of the latest technology, and can handle the task. Combining 2^nd generation Intel® Core^TM i3 and Core i5 processor options, HD (720p) display, and excellent battery life, the Inspiron 14z is ideal for homework, company reports, mobile entertainment, keeping in touch with friends and pursuing your passions.

The Inspiron 14z is the latest in a series of rolling introductions of Dell’s thin and powerful mobile products launching through the end of the year. Beginning with the XPS 15z, an ultimate blend of performance and style, the Inspiron 14z makes this “uncompromising” concept more accessible than ever.

“The new Inspiron 14z is one of the most powerful, ultra-thin Inspiron laptops we’ve ever offered,” said Aongus Hegarty, vice president and general manager of Dell’s Consumer, Small and Medium Business unit for EMEA. “Today’s ‘on-the-go’ lifestyle demands portability and power, so you can stay connected and be productive wherever you are.”

Accessible Style On-the-Go

When it’s time to kick back and relax, the Inspiron 14z is the perfect portable entertainment device, featuring a brilliant high-definition display and built-in SRS Premium Sound HD. For a theatre-like experience, it can stream full HD movies and video wirelessly with Intel Wireless Display technology or by connecting via HDMI cable to a compatible big-screen HDTV.

All of this is packed into a stylish design that’s thin, lightweight, and is available in standard Diamond Black or optional Fire Red LCD back and matching palm rest, full-size chiclet-style keyboard and HD webcam.

The Inspiron 14z is available with blazing fast 2^nd generation Intel Core i processors, Microsoft® Windows 7 operating system, and high-performance on-processor graphics allowing for long battery life. A built-in media card reader, WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0 and the newest USB 3.0 technology for faster content transfers are also available as standard.

With a 14-inch widescreen HD (1366-768dpi) display, and optional features including up to 8GB memory, choice of a 500GB, 640GB or 750GB hard drive, along with an internal tray-load DVD combo for playing and recording DVDs/CDs, the Inspiron 14z is great for family entertainment, whether watching videos or playing music.

Dell Inspiron laptops also come with the Dell Stage user interface, which offers one-click access to your favourite content including music, photos and video, and SyncUP powered by Nero can keep content and personal information synched with other Stage-enabled Dell PCs and mobile devices within your home Wi-Fi network.

Availability

The Inspiron 14z is available later this month in select Best Buy outlets throughout the UK. It will be available in other retail locations in the UK, and select countries throughout Europe later this year.

And here’s a short video as well:

CyberLink Releases New PowerDVD Mobile for Android

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 2, 2011

0

CyberLink Releases New PowerDVD Mobile for Android

Today also saw CyberLink release PowerDVD Mobile for Android.

Here is the press release:

London — September 2, 2011—CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW) today launched PowerDVD Mobile, a brand new all-in-one media player for Android devices based on the award-winning PowerDVD media player for PCs. Users can now effortlessly play, share and wirelessly stream their local videos, music and photos between their PCs and Android-powered tablets.

The announcement comes as CyberLink also yesterday announced major updates to its flagship PowerDVD11 universal media player.

Key features include:

• Wirelessly download and share media from PowerDVD on the PC to Android tablets with Save To and Share On features.

• Play media from your Android device to DLNA TVs with Play To features. PowerDVD Mobile will stream media to your DLNA TV so you can enjoy the videos and photos from your Android tablet on the comforts of the big screen.

• All-in-one media player for videos, photos, and music on Android tablets so digital media can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.

• Apply one-click photo enhancements to touch up photos and create and watch cool slideshows of the best images.

“CyberLink has always been synonymous with creating innovative digital media solutions,” said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink Corp. “With the release of PowerDVD Mobile, we are proud to add a new solution that takes advantage of the momentum from Android device adoption and brings the premium entertainment experience of PowerDVD beyond the PC. Users can now conveniently enjoy their movies, videos and photos on the PC, in the living room or on the go.”

Product Availability

PowerDVD Mobile is available on the Android Market in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Portuguese. CyberLink also offers PowerDVD Mobile to OEM partners.

CyberLink PowerDVD Mobile Versions
PowerDVD Mobile: UK £3.99

PowerDVD Mobile for Ultra: BONUS license with Purchase of PowerDVD 11 Ultra

CyberLink Releases PowerDVD 11 Updates

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 2, 2011

0

Yesterday CyberLink released an update to PowerDVD 11 and introduced a number of new features.

Here is the press release:

London — September 1, 2011 — CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW) today released a new update for PowerDVD 11, the award-winning media playback software for PCs. PowerDVD 11 now includes new features for seamless connectivity with smart devices so all digital media can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.

PowerDVD 11 empowers users to fully experience a world of digital entertainment no longer bound by location or device. PowerDVD 11 introduces new features that take entertainment beyond the PC with support for wireless transfer and playback of content between tablets, PCs and DLNA devices. Two new smart device apps from CyberLink, PowerDVD Mobile and PowerDVD Remote, work seamlessly with PowerDVD 11 so it is easy to share and play media between several devices.

“PowerDVD earned the recognition as the world’s ultimate media player on the PC through delivering an unparalleled digital entertainment experience,” said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink. “Now CyberLink lets you bring this experience with you everywhere you go—on the PC, in the living room, or on the move.”

Key Features in PowerDVD 11
• Media Entertainment Beyond the PC: New app PowerDVD Mobile for Android tablets, PowerDVD Remote, and PowerDVD 11 easily share, play and download media across different platforms so you can enjoy digital media wherever you choose.

• Ultimate Universal Player: PowerDVD 11 is the only player you will need, perfect player for Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, videos, music, photos and more. Now PowerDVD can also wirelessly stream Blu-ray and HD content over Intel WiDi 2.1.

• Upscale to HD & 3D Quality: CyberLink’s unique TrueTheater™ enhancements allow you to upscale the image quality of your movies and videos. Try TrueTheater® HD to give standard definition DVD and video images the look and feel of true high-definition or convert 2D photos and videos to 3D.

• Your Social Media Hub: Search YouTube directly from PowerDVD and watch TrueTheater™-enhanced video or view Facebook and Flickr photos and slideshows all from one application.

• Play with the PowerDVD Remote: Remotely control PowerDVD playback of Blu-ray and DVD movies, videos, photos and music from the comfort of your sofa with an iPhone, iPad or Android device.

PowerDVD Mobile is an app for Android tablets that plays videos, music and photos as well as wirelessly connects your tablet with PowerDVD on your PC through your Wi-Fi network.

PowerDVD 11 Ultra users can receive free upgrades to this latest version together with a complimentary license for PowerDVD Mobile for Ultra. Users purchasing PowerDVD 11 Ultra will also receive a bonus license of PowerDVD Mobile for Ultra.

Key Features of PowerDVD Mobile
• Wirelessly download and share media from PowerDVD on the PC to Android tablets with Save To and Share On features.

• Play media from your Android device to DLNA TVs with Play To features. PowerDVD Mobile will stream media to your DLNA TV so you can enjoy the videos and photos from your Android tablet on the comforts of the big screen.

• All-in-one media player for videos, photos, and music on Android tablets so digital media can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.

• Apply one-click photo enhancements to touch up photos and create and watch cool slideshows of the best images.

Product Availability

PowerDVD 11 is available online in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Portuguese. CyberLink offers OEM versions to PC and CE manufacturing customers, while a free trial download is also available from the CyberLink website.

CyberLink PowerDVD 11 Versions

PowerDVD 11 Ultra: UK £79.99

PowerDVD 11 Deluxe: UK £54.99

PowerDVD 11 Standard: UK £39.99

Upgrades from previous PowerDVD versions are available starting at £24.99

PowerDVD Mobile for Android tablets is available on the Android Market in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Portuguese.

CyberLink PowerDVD Mobile Versions
PowerDVD Mobile: UK £14.59

PowerDVD Mobile for Ultra: BONUS license with Purchase of PowerDVD 11 Ultra

PowerDVD Remote for smartphones and tablets is available on the Apple App Store and Android Market in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Portuguese.

CyberLink PowerDVD Remote Versions

PowerDVD Remote: UK £3.99 for PowerDVD 11 Standard version users

PowerDVD Remote FREE: BONUS app with Purchase of PowerDVD 11 Ultra/Deluxe

Tranquil PC Offer Bare Bones ixLS

Tech

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 2, 2011

1

I am a big fan of the Tranquil PC iXL, in fact it’s my main media centre machine. Then came the ixLS, and now you can buy a bare bones IXLS to build your own just the way you want.

Here is what Tranquil told us:

Today sees the release of ixLS Bare Bone Special Offer. Normally Tranquil PC hand build ixLS PCs to customer order, and we will still be offering that service, but many customers want to ‘do it my way’ – and why not!

Now users can build their own exclusive fan less ‘power pc’ (AKA Media Centre) – with over £100 off our original bare bones price

What they get / can build, is an exception machine – that will deliver brilliant performance, with near silence!

The offer is now live – don’t forget, for the first 100 orders, the units will come with a 4GB DDR3 RAM module – free of charge!

So if you are in the market for a very good machine to make into a killer media centre, then take a look at this one!

To review the offer or learn more / order your ixLS Bare Bones PC @ £249.00 – visit the Tranquil PC shop here

Samsung Announce the Galaxy Tab 7.7 – The World’s First Tablet with a Super AMOLED Plus Display

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 2, 2011

1

Samsung Announce the Galaxy Tab 7.7 – The World’s First Tablet with a Super AMOLED Plus Display

Yesterday at IFA, Samsung announced the Galaxy Tab 7.7, the World’s First Mobile Tablet featuring a Super AMOLED Plus Display.

Here is the press release:

BERLIN – Sept. 1, 2011 –Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading provider and innovator of award-winning consumer electronics, today announced the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, the world’s first tablet to feature the brilliant Super AMOLED Plus display. The powerful Galaxy Tab 7.7 with a 1.4GHz dual core processor measures just 7.89 millimeters thin and weighs only 335 grams (12 ounces), making this tablet one of the most portable devices in the market.

“The new Galaxy Tab 7.7 demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to offering consumers the most choice in the mobile tablet market,” said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung’s Mobile Communications Business. “The Galaxy Tab 7.7’s ultra-thin design and WXGA Super AMOLED Plus display are impressive differentiators in the tablet marketplace and pillars of our ultimate goal of meeting a wide variety of consumer needs.”

Brilliant Super AMOLED Plus display
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is the first tablet that incorporates Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus display technology, delivering brilliant, high-contrast colors and a beautiful, crisp viewing experience. The Super AMOLED Plus display allows for a wider range of colors with greater separation between lights and darks, making images incredibly vivid.

Sleek Design with Ultimate Portability
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 provides ultimate portability and viewing quality within the Galaxy Tab portfolio, featuring a brighter display combined with a thinner and lighter design that easily fits in your jacket pocket or purse. The elegant, linear design features a stylish metal casing and rounded edges for a sleek look that’s comfortable to hold while you’re sitting or walking.

Impressive Speed, Power & Battery Life
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 features HSPA+ 21 Mbps network for faster uploads and downloads. It also supports Wi-Fi Channel Bonding, bonding two channels into one for improved network connection and data transfer at up to twice the speed. The device is powered by a 1.4 GHz dual core application processor for fast web-loading, seamless multitasking and superior multimedia performance. Thanks to a 5,100 mAh battery providing up to 10 hours of video playback time[1], the Galaxy Tab 7.7 does not sacrifice battery life for its ultra-thin design.

Latest 3.2 Honeycomb OS with “Samsung TouchWiz UX”
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is powered by Android™ 3.2 Honeycomb, Android 3.2 has been optimized for a 7-inch tablet with a new compatibility zoom mode. This optimizes applications that are not designed to run on larger screen sizes, so they fit on the entire screen without distortion. In addition, the tablet supports MicroSD cards of up to 32 GB for direct media files transfer.

Samsung’s TouchWiz user experience is designed with a Live Panel menu for customizing the home screen of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with digital pictures, favorite Web sites and social network feeds.
In addition, the TouchWiz UX includes a “Mini Apps” tray of commonly used features such as task manager, calendar and music player which can be launched while other major applications are already in use. The clipboard feature allows users to copy and paste texts and images.

Powerful Multimedia
Galaxy Tab 7.7 lets you enjoy video clips without limitation, featuring 1080p full HD playback, DivX included multi codec and Micro SD. The device also includes Universal Remote Control functionality, allowing control of the entire home entertainment system – TV, Set top box, DVD, Blu-ray player, AV audio system – from one device.

Samsung Hub Services [AVAILABILITY DEPENDS ON MARKET]
Samsung’s Hub Services offers easy access to content including games, eBooks, music and more. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is the first mobile tablet to include a pre-loaded Game Hub, complete with easy social games, all delivered with lightning fast graphics. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 also features access to Samsung’s Music Hub service, which offers 15 million songs for preview, download and play. The Readers Hub service features a robust library filled with more than 2.3 million books, 2,000 newspapers and 3,000 magazines in up to 49 languages, and Samsung’s Social Hub service aggregates email, contacts, calendar and social network connections into a single interface.

Voice and Video Support for Better Communication
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 offers both voice and video calls for better communication. There is no need to bring a headset and BT for voice calls. In addition, it is possible to call privately in public places with Receiver Mode.

Google™ Mobile Services
The Galaxy Tab 7.7 is preloaded with the full suite of Google Mobile Services including access to more than 250,000 applications on Android Market™, Gmail™, Google Search™, Google Maps™ 5.7 with 3D maps, and Google Talk™ with video and voice chat.

Samsung Announce the SLATE PC Series 7

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 2, 2011

0

Yesterday at IFA 2011, one of the big announcements from Samsung was their Windows 7 SLATE PC Series 7 device.

Here is the press release from yesterday:

BERLIN, Germany – September 1, 2011 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the Samsung SLATE PC Series 7. Designed for users in need of maximized productivity in a mobile working environment, the SLATE PC Series 7 – based on Windows® 7 – delivers the desired performance and productivity of a desktop PC with the usability of a tablet, enabling users to multi-task effectively on a slate with a customized touch interface.

The SLATE PC Series 7 is just 12.9mm (0.5”) thin and weighs only 860g, ensuring it is truly portable. Powered by an Intel® Core™ i5 processor and with an 11.6” screen, the device is powerful enough to serve any user at their desk or on the move. When connected to a docking station – complete with Bluetooth keyboard and mouse – the slate operates as a desktop PC, however it can also be removed and used as an ultra-portable device. Multiple input methods – from touch screen keyboard to digital pen – ensure that it is the perfect solution for presenting, creating and capturing content on the go, without limitations.

“For professionals longing for the productivity of a desktop PC together with the portability and usability of a tablet, Samsung has introduced an innovative form factor designed to revolutionize the way they work,” said Kyuho Uhm, Senior Vice President of the IT Solutions Business at Samsung Electronics. “The Samsung SLATE PC Series 7 takes the laptop a full step towards total mobility – a revolution in portable computing.”

“The Samsung SLATE PC Series 7 is a great example of the commitment Samsung has to continued innovation with Windows,” said Nick Parker, Vice President of Worldwide OEM Marketing at Microsoft Corporation. “With full-PC power packed into an ultraportable device, the SLATE PC Series 7 takes mobility to a new level with an innovative touch-focused design that transforms personal computing and enables richer experiences.”

Customized Slate PC for Every Occasion

The Samsung SLATE PC Series 7 with Windows® 7 operating system provides users with a greater range of options ensuring optimized performance, whatever the occasion. When in need of increased mobility, the SLATE PC Series 7 can be carried around just like a conventional tablet. If users are on the move, they can share documents with a customer or take notes in a meeting or lecture; desktop productivity is at their fingertips in an ultra-portable, ultra-versatile form factor. A battery life of up to 7 hours on a single charge ensures that users can be confident they will stay connected and productive wherever they are.

When working in the office or at a desk, the docking station transforms the SLATE PC Series 7 into a full desktop PC, with all the power and productivity that its Intel® Core™ i5 Processor and genuine Windows® 7 operating system provides. The docking station replaces the traditional desktop by providing the interface and computing power; it even gives users the flexibility to synch up to a larger monitor for even more efficient multi-tasking.

Unlimited Productivity

For maximum convenience and productivity, the SLATE PC Series 7 offers an intuitive user-interface and a wide variety of input methods, including a digitizer pen, touch screen interface and optional Bluetooth wireless keyboard. Users can simply touch, write, or type to take meeting notes, create documents and reports in Microsoft Office 2010 or browse online. An integrated microphone and dual 2MP (front) / 3MP (rear) cameras can record audio/visual files, which can be stored and shared via the full-sized USB port or Wi-Fi, WiMAX* and HSPA connection.

Full Experience on the Go

Benefiting from Samsung’s superior LCD technology, presentations can be delivered with the SuperBright Plus 11.6” HD display, providing outstanding picture quality and text-readability with 400nit brightness, 100% brighter than normal laptop displays, enabling full visual experience even outdoors.

Samsung appreciates that many devices used for work are also used for personal entertainment. Once the day is finished, the SLATE PC Series 7 provides ready-to-go entertainment at your fingertips due to its Samsung FastStart technology. It allows the SLATE PC Series 7 to wake up in 2 seconds and boot from cold in 15 seconds. The touch-launcher allows easy selection of applications including Twitter, Facebook, movies, weather and maps, whilst unrivalled media and software compatibility comes as standard with support for all PC-format video and audio content and support for PC games for Windows.

For more product information and multimedia content, please visit http://www.facebook.com/samsungnotebook

n.b. All are based on factory specifications. Product design, specifications and colors are subject to change without notice and may vary from those shown. Battery life based on MobileMark test scores that will vary based on configuration. Warranty service availability and response times may vary from country to country and may also be subject to registration requirements in the country of purchase. OS reveals lower HDD capacity than the specification as the difference of the calculation way and recovery partition.

BlackBerry PlayBook 16GB Review

Jim McCarthy

-

Sep 2, 2011

5

I was recently given a 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook to sell for a friend who moved to Japan. He is letting me review it first! Read on for details.

The PlayBook is RIM’s tablet product. It uses a much smaller form factor than the iPad and is really intended to be linked with a BlackBerry phone for the best usability.

Here is how RIM describes the product:

Work smarter. Play harder.

Built to perform, the BlackBerry PlayBook helps transform the way you work and play by combining the features you need with a powerful, ultra-portable design you want. Choose the tablet that does it all — and then some. This is what you’ve been waiting for.

Technical specs:

7″ 1024×600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen

Ultra-portable at less than a pound and less than one-half inch thick: 0.9 lbs (425g) and 5.1” x 7.6” x 0.4” (130mm x 194mm x 10mm)

1 GHz dual-core processor

BlackBerry® Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing

MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback

Support for 1080p HD video playback (H.264, MPEG4, WMV)

HDMI out

Dual HD cameras for video conferencing and video capture

1 GB RAM memory

Up to 64 GB internal storage (16, 32 and 64 GB models)

Wi-Fi® (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity

Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR support

Features:

Tons of performance

Packed with a blazingly fast 1 GHz dual core processor, a high resolution 7” multi-touch display and up to 10 hours of battery life, the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet can handle even the most demanding of tasks. And with the new BlackBerry® Tablet OS, you get true multitasking and mission critical reliability you can count on.

Uncompromised web

Enjoy the web the way it was meant to be. All the streaming video, games and social networking you’ve come to expect from your desktop computer is packed into an ultra portable tablet. Support for Adobe® Flash 10.2 and HTML5 means you get all the Internet has to offer. Don’t settle for any less.

Multitasking powerhouse

Apps on the BlackBerry PlayBook run simultaneously and in real time. So go ahead and browse the web while you video chat, or fire off a BBM™ while you watch a movie. Multitasking on the BlackBerry PlayBook is the real deal.

Ultra portable. Ultra powerful.

Proof that great things come in small packages, the BlackBerry PlayBook offers uncompromised performance in an ultra portable design. Weighing less than a pound and at less than half an inch thick, it’s designed to go anywhere and everywhere.

Stunning multimedia

Immerse yourself in a best-in-class multimedia experience with rich stereo sound and a crystal clear, high resolution display optimized for HD content. Take your own HD videos, or enjoy movies, music, home videos and even the web in high definition on your HDTV with standard HDMI connections.

Face-to-face video chat

Connect with friends, family and coworkers like you’re there in person. With built-in video chat, you can call another BlackBerry PlayBook with a simple tap. View your caller on the high resolution 7″ display, or output to an HDTV with HDMI to share the conversation with a group. You can even use other apps while you’re on a call.

More apps. More choice.

Discover a whole new world of powerful apps, built and optimized for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. Plus, many of your favorite apps for BlackBerry smartphones and Android® will soon be available. All in BlackBerry App World™.

The perfect pair

BlackBerry® Bridge lets you view the email, BBM™, calendar and address book on your BlackBerry® smartphone on the larger BlackBerry PlayBook display. Check an email while you’re watching a movie, send a picture over BBM or browse your corporate Intranet, all without missing a beat.

No BlackBerry smartphone yet? No problem. You still get all the web, multimedia, gaming, e-reading and multimedia you can handle.

Overall, this is a feature-packed tablet with a nice dual core processor. However, products are more than the list of parts; how does it stack up?

The Home Server Show Episode 150 Out Now

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 1, 2011

0

Dave at the guys at the Home Server Show have released episode 150.

Here’s what Dave has to say about this weeks show:

It’s a rare occurrence for The Home Server Show. Yes, a podcast that is under 1 hour. We have Jerry, the author of Home Server Status for Windows Home Server 2011. We go over a bit of news and then chat with Jerry about his software. Skype issues kept us from going long but it’s a pretty good show. Dave is buying 15 licenses of Home Server Status for the listeners and you will have to hear the show to find out why. I’ll post a notice in the forums when you will be able to get those free licenses. Enjoy!

As usual you can listen to the show from here.

Toshiba expands its multimedia hard drive offering with STOR.E TV 2

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 1, 2011

0

Toshiba expands its multimedia hard drive offering with STOR.E TV 2

Toshiba also announced a new multimedia hard drive offering – the STOR.E TV 2.

Storage capacity: 500GB/1TB / 1.5TB / 2TB
Interfaces: 1 x USB 2.0, 3 in 1 card reader (SD /SDHC, MMC, MemoryStick)
Analogue output: Composite video and stereo audio out (3x RCA)
Digital output: 1x HDMI connector, coaxial S/PDIF output (1x RCA). Support of Full HD with1920 x 1080p
On-screen menu with an easy to use graphical user interface
Remote control
Dimensions: 235mm x 195mm x 50mm
Audio files: MP3 / WMA / WAV / AAC / OGG / FLAC / Dolby Digital / DTS
Video: MPEG-1 (DAT / MPG) / MPEG-2 (AVI / MPG / VOB / MOV / MKV / M2TS) / MPEG-4 (AVI / MKV / MOV / MP4) / VC-1 (WMV / MKV / M2TS) / H.264 (AVI / MKV / MOV / MP4 / M2TS / FLV) RM / RMVB
Subtitles: SSA / SMI / SRT / SUB / IDX+SUB / TXT
Photo: JPEG / BMP / TIFF / GIF (static display only)

Today, Toshiba Europe GmbH presents the new STOR.E TV 2. The HD multimedia storage drive has a storage capacity of up to 2 Terabytes1 and a broad range of connectivity options supporting most video, photo and music file formats. STOR.E TV 2 comes in an elegant design with rounded edges. The easy-to-use multimedia hard drive will be available in matt black and matt white from fourth quarter 2011 in Europe.

STOR.E TV 2 stores all media files in one place
STOR.E TV 2 can store all media files in one place and allows everyone to enjoy photos, videos and music in the comfort of the living room by simply connecting the device to a TV. The multimedia storage device even plays music whilst displaying a photo slideshow on the TV screen. When a camcorder is connected via USB to STOR.E TV 2, content can be streamed from the camcorder directly to the TV without the need for an additional computer.

Ensuring great picture and sound quality
STOR.E TV 2 features digital technologies and interfaces such as HDMI™, H.264 and the surround sound audio codecs Dolby® Digital and dts™ 2.0+Digital Out to ensure great picture and sound quality.

Graphical user interface for intuitive operation
The new intuitive graphical user interface, operated by remote control, makes navigation easy. The user simply browses the folders in the on-screen menu on the TV screen to locate a file and play the depending on local availability and configuration footage. Content can be neatly organised by creating playlists, media folders and slideshows.

Toshiba Announce the New AT200 Android Tablet

Tablets & Slates

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 1, 2011

3

Toshiba Announce the New AT200 Android Tablet

Another announcement from Toshiba here at IFA was the AT200 tablet device.

It was only yesterday that we posted that the AT100 was being released in the UK, and today we hear all about the AT200. The AT200 looks like a very nice device, and it is certainly thin! I’m hoping to get some hands-on time with it shortly.

Android™ 3.2, Honeycomb
High resolution 25.7cm (10.1’’) capacitive LCD panel with LED backlight, 1,280 x 800 pixels (16:10) and multi-touch support
CPU: TI OMAP 4430, 1.2GHz
RAM 1GB DDR2
Internal memory with up to 64 GB
Micro-USB, micro-SD, micro-HDMI®, Bluetooth®, Wi-FiTM (802.11b/g/n), docking port
GPS, 3D Accelerometer, gyrometer, electronic compass, ambient light sensor
5.0 MPixel camera (rear), 2.0 MPixel camera (front)
Stereo speakers (2x 1.5W)
Toshiba Media Player supporting a wide selection of video, picture and audio formats
Weight: 558g
Size: 256mm x 176mm x 7.7mm
Battery life (backlight 60nits): 8h (100% video playback). 8h (65% web browsing via WLAN 10% video playback 10%; 25% standby)

Toshiba Europe GmbH unveiled an exciting new product today – the ultra-thin 25.7cm (10.1’’) AT200 tablet. Despite measuring only 7.7mm from front to back, the Toshiba AT200 delivers a broad range of essential ports and interfaces. It offers an amazing wide-view display for comfortable content consumption plus full web browsing capabilities to meet the preferred usage for tablets. Every bit as powerful as it is stylish and robust, this tablet is built to exceed expectations. The Toshiba AT200 will be available in the fourth quarter of 2011 in Europe.

Ultra-thin, ultra-powerful
“The new ultra-thin 25.7cm (10.1″) tablet Toshiba AT200, featuring Android™ 3.2, Honeycomb, is the latest in a long line of Toshiba products that are masterfully engineered”, said Marco Perino, General Manager DS Digital Products Division. “With a thickness of only 7.7mm and a weight of just 558g, the elegant Toshiba AT200 is highly mobile yet extremely smart and powerful.“

All essentials on-board
To connect with other devices the ultra-slim tablet comes with all essential interfaces and ports onboard: amongst them micro-USB, micro-SD, Wi-Fi™ and Bluetooth®. The micro-HDMI®-port allows streaming HD content to the large screen of a TV. Front and back HD cameras are ideal for video conferencing and augmented reality applications.

High-quality media consumption – no matter where you are
The Toshiba AT200 allows users to enjoy videos at home and while out and about. It features a brilliant 25.7cm (10.1″) high-definition screen that displays pictures with crisp colours and in full detail. Despite being ultra-thin, it allows up to eight hours of video consumption.

Sound quality at its best
To complement the first-class video capabilities the new Toshiba tablet with stereo speakers allows for a high quality sound playback.
The Adaptive Sound Device Enhancer’s sophisticated algorithm maximises sound quality to achieve a quality that normally only can be found with large speakers. Plus, a technology called Sound Masking Equalizer identifies and enhances sound that is being masked or distorted by surrounding noise. The result is a wellbalanced, powerful playback of music and video sounds even under high ambient noise levels.

Endless usage possibilities
Toshiba’s new tablet also offers a rich web browsing experience including support of Adobe® Flash® Player, access to more than
250,000 apps on Android Market™ and Toshiba Places for endless possibilities.

Toshiba Announce the 55ZL2 Glasses-Free 3D TV

Digital Home

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 1, 2011

1

Toshiba Announce the 55ZL2 Glasses-Free 3D TV

Today at IFA 2011 here in Berlin, Toshiba announced a new 55 inch TV called the 55LZ2. So what’s special about this one? Well it’s a Glasses-Free 3D TV, that’s what!

Now anyone who knows me, or has heard me talk about 3D TVs on the Digital Lifestyle Show podcast knows that I am not a fan of 3D TV. However I have to say that I was very impressed by the 55ZL2. One of the things that has always put me off 3D TVs is the glasses, now that has been taken away and the quality is excellent. No word on price yet, but we shouldn’t have long to wait!

Facts & Figures

· Quad Full HD 16:9 LCD panel, 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, LED backlighting
· Powered by CEVO-ENGINE
· Glasses-free 3D
· Face tracking to fine-tune the position
· Auto Calibration
· 3D Resolution+
· PERSONAL-TV featuring presets for up to four users
· SMART-TV featuring:
Access to Toshiba Places, integrated WLAN interface, Windows® 7 compatibility, USB recording on external HDD, Toshiba Apps Connect
· Tuner for DVB-T, DVBT2, DVB-C, and DVBS/ S2 embedded

Today, Toshiba Europe GmbH announced the launch of the world’s first large-screen glasses-free 3D TV. The 55ZL2 has a screen of 139cm (55”) in diagonal and does not require glasses to experience 3D. Plus, the 55ZL2 is the world’s first TV targeted at consumers that comes with a Quad Full HD screen. This enables the 55ZL2 to offer a 3D TV experience that can be enjoyed by a large group of viewers and displays 2D contents in four times (Quad) Full HD resolution. The 55ZL2’s glasses-free 3D application is powered by Toshiba’s high-performance multi-processor platform CEVO-ENGINE which also allows for many more innovative applications including PERSONAL-TV, enabling the consumer to personalise TV settings, and SMART-TV applications such as USB
recording and access to Toshiba Places. It also comes with an Auto Calibration feature to achieve studio level picture quality. The 55ZL2 will be available from December 2011 in Germany with release dates to be confirmed in other European countries

A new era for 3D TV

Toshiba engineers used their skills in designing software algorithms and developing powerful consumer electronics procesor technology to calculate multiple viewpoints from stereoscopic images, combined with the ability to display them at high picture quality on a large screen. In the 55ZL2, they deployed an array of lenticular lenses that are found for the first time in such a large-screen device ready for market. Sophisticated lenslet technology delivers multiple views
The glasses-free 3D technology is based on the stereoscopic principle of simultaneously delivering a picture for the left eye and another one with a small offset (parallax) for the right eye – these are then superposed in the viewer’s brain to get the 3D effect. To achieve 3D without glasses, it is essential that the lenses guide the dedicated images to the viewer’s eyes. The Integral Imaging technology, powered by the CEVO-ENGINE, applied to the 55ZL2 delivers nine
views which create multiple wide-angle viewing zones in front of the glasses-free 3D TV. This allows several viewers to enjoy the 3D experience at the same time without wearing glasses.

Face tracking optimises glasses-free 3D experience

To optimise the viewing zones in respect to the viewers’ actual positions in front of the TV, the 55ZL2 features a face tracking
application. At the push of the remote, it detects the viewers’ position and sets up the total viewing experience.

Quad Full HD screen for excellent picture quality in 3D and 2D

Delivering nine views from a screen in high definition picture quality is technically challenging. Toshiba therefore embedded a panel with 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, equivalent to a Quad Full HD resolution, to allow up to nine views to be displayed simultaneously. An additional bonus of the 55ZL2’s high resolution screen is the ability to display 2D contents in Quad Full HD resolution. In other words: photos captured with an 8 Mega-Pixel camera can be displayed on screen without compromising the image quality. By using complex algorithms, Toshiba’s Resolution+ technology converts content such as TV programmes in SD or HD resolution – as well as DVD or Blu-rayTM content in four times Full HD resolution – to make full use of the high definition of the Quad FHD display.

A smart and personalised window to the world

The 55ZL2 delivers much more than glasses-free 3DTV. It also features advanced SMART-TV functions providing access to Toshiba Places, Toshiba’s online platform offering streaming, purchasing and sharing Web-based content. Plus, it supports the HbbTV® (Hybrid broadcast broadband TV). Last but not least, the 55ZL2 allows USB recording of digital broadcasting on an external hard disk drive connected to the TV via USB. Thanks to Toshiba Apps Connect,
iPhone® owners no longer need to reach for the remote control but can control the TV using their smartphone.

The 55ZL2 also features PERSONAL-TV applications: The TV is able to store personal picture settings and a personal channel list for up to four users and it supports personal grouping of recorded content. In addition, the TV set is able to remember the volume level of each user
after switching off.

CEVO-ENGINE: the powerhouse behind the innovative features

The CEVO-ENGINE, Toshiba’s high-performance multi-processor platform, is the powerhouse behind the 55ZL2. The CEVO-ENGINE’s outstanding technology is able to deliver the depth information needed to create the 3D effect and then calculates nine different views. It is the only engine available in the TV market today that is able to deliver the huge calculation power required to manage the complex algorithms that implement the glasses-free 3D technology and applications.

Auto Calibration: picture quality at studio level

The 55ZL2 exploits the CEVO-ENGINE’s performance to further increase picture quality. It powers the Auto Calibration2 tool, which optimises the display’s settings to show movies with exactly the colours and grey scale as intended by the films’ directors. Until now, the colour-analyser3-based approach was only used by professionals and required an external computer. Now the CEVO-ENGINE can carry out all calculations internally.

HTC Announce Two New Windows Phone 7 Devices – The Titan and the Radar

Phones

Andrew Edney

-

Sep 1, 2011

2

HTC Announce Two New Windows Phone 7 Devices – The Titan and the Radar

This evening HTC announced two brand new Windows Phone 7 devices, pre-installed with the new version WP7 Mango build. They are the HTC Titan and the HTC Radar.

HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, today hosted a series of consumer meet-ups in London, Paris, Madrid and Berlin to unveil its new HTC TITAN™ and HTC Radar™ with Windows® Phone smartphones. The HTC TITAN brings your favorite content and multimedia experiences closer than ever with a large 4.7 inch display, HTC’s largest phone screen ever wrapped in an ultra-thin 9.9mm aluminum case. The HTC Radar is designed to keep you close to the people, news and entertainment that matters to you most. Consumers enjoyed exclusive hands-on demos of the new devices and got to try out Microsoft’s next release of Windows Phone, code-named Mango.

“The new HTC TITAN and HTC Radar smartphones raise the bar with new advanced photography, multimedia and social capabilities that enable you to take full advantage of the latest Windows Phone innovations,” said Jason Mackenzie, President of Global Sales and Marketing, HTC Corporation. “With its large, cinematic display, the HTC TITAN packs an amazing amount of power and innovation into a device that is unlike anything you’ve ever held before and the HTC Radar’s aluminum uni-body, compact size and finish will capture people’s attention.”

Picture Perfect

Both HTC TITAN and HTC Radar include a dedicated hardware camera button which enables you to capture vivid images without unlocking the phone while the f/2.2 aperture lens and back-illuminated sensor provide improved low-light performance – making sure you never miss that perfect shot. With 28mm wide-angle lenses you can capture more of the scene in front of you while the new panoramic feature lets you create dramatic pictures of skylines and landscapes. Both devices can shoot bright and vibrant HD (720p) videos, making them perfect companions for family functions or a night out with friends. And with the HTC Photo Enhancer, you can quickly touch up pictures and upload them to Facebook, tagging your friends as you go using automatic face detection built in to Windows Phones.

“Phones were originally designed for communication, but they haven’t kept up with the way consumers are actually communicating today. That’s why we built Windows Phone to put people first, building in all the key types of communication people are already using right out of the box,” said Andy Lees, President of Windows Phone Division. “Both HTC TITAN and HTC Radar bring a sleek, modern design that perfectly complements this people first experience, making sure it’s easy to connect & share with the people you care about most so the message always gets through.”

HTC TITAN

With its large and bright 4.7 inch super LCD screen, an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for live video calling, HTC TITAN combines high performance innovation with a super-slim 9.9mm curved body made from a brushed aluminium shell that fits comfortably in your hand and exudes style and quality.

HTC TITAN is also the perfect portable office that enables efficient multitasking like viewing a presentation while you’re on a conference call or listening to music while compiling an email. With its expansive screen with built in Microsoft® Office Mobile, this super smartphone enables you to create, edit and collaborate quickly and easily. Advanced email features like Linked inboxes makes it easy to manage multiple email accounts, synchronize your to-do list and calendars in one place, group contacts to make communication simpler and faster, and even store your latest ideas and notes in the cloud with Microsoft® OneNote®. Typing on the HTC TITAN is quick and easy with the huge virtual keyboard on the responsive 4.7 inch screen.

Processor

• 1GHz

Platform

• Windows® Phone OS

Memory

• Total storage: Up to 8GB

• RAM: 512 MB

(The available storage you can use will be lesser, since the phone’s software occupies some storage)

Dimensions

• 120.5mm x 61.5mm x 10.9mm

Weight

• 137 grams (4.83 ounces)

Display

• 3.8-inch touch screen with 480 x 800 resolution

Network

• HSPA/WCDMA in Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900MHz

GPS

• Internal GPS antenna

• HTC Locations

• Bing™ Maps

Connectivity

• Bluetooth 2.1

• DLNA for wirelessly streaming media to your TV

• Supported profiles: A2DP, PBAP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP

Sensors

• Gyro sensor

• Proximity sensor

• Ambient light sensor

Camera

• 5 megapixel camera with 28mm lens

f/2.2 aperture and LED flash

• Back-illuminated sensor

• Front camera VGA

• 720p HD video recording

Audio supported formats

• Playback: .m4a, .m4b, .mp3, .wma

(Windows Media Audio 9)

Video supported formats

• Playback: .3gp, .3g2, .mp4, .m4v

mbr, .wmv (Windows Media

Video 9 and VC-1)

• Recording: .mp4

Battery

• Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery

• Capacity: 1520 mAh

• Talk time: 250 – 330 hours for GSM and 150 – 420 minutes for UMTS

• Standby time: 250 – 360 hours for GSM and 320 – 340 hours for UMTS

Internet

• 3G: Up to 14.4 Mbps download speed and up to 5.76 Mbps upload

• GPRS: Up to 80 kbps downloading

• EDGE: Up to 236.8 kbps downloading

• Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n

Please note: Specifications are subject to change without prior notice

*Playback of .3gp and .3g2 video possible when the video is an email attachment or part of an MMS message