Samsung ATIV S, Samsung's First Windows 8 Phone: First Look

It's taken its time showing itself, but we finally get a first look at Samsung's first Windows 8 Phone: the ATIV S. At Microsoft's launch event, for its new mobile OS (Windows Phone 8), the ATIV S's 4.8 inch display really poped , with a higher resolution. It does offer plenty of power with a 2,300 mAh battery. It also has a micro SD slot, a combination that looking pretty rare among Windows 8 phone devices.

Along the base, the central physical button is emblazoned with Microsoft's new logo with the back and search capacitive buttons taking up the rest of the bezel below the screen. Flipping the device around, there is a brushed metal-style battery cover with a grill seperating it from the chin. At the top you will see a very familiar looking 8 megapixel camera, flash and loudspeaker.

The ATIV S gives you exactly what you want from Microsoft's new UI, Windows 8. The 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor fares well  performance wise. We're still waiting for the company to confirm a release date. If you liked the Galaxy S3 but want the Windows Phone 8 OS, the Samsung ATIV S just might be for you.

Post by © 2012 Andy Chin

© Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd  

The World's Most Powerful Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 690

The GeFore GTX 690 has two of Nvidia's most powerful and dedicated graphic cards based on the codename Kepler graphics architecture. The card has a sleek, exotic look with an outer frame made from trivalent chromium-plated aluminum. It has a fan housing made of magnesium alloy, and it delivers a monstrous performance with lower power using a heavy-duty but efficient power supply.

Amazingly, the GTX 690 has 3,072 CUDA cores, which means it can handle both graphical and non-graphics processing tasks. The GeForce GTX 690 delivers approximately double the frames of the GeForce GTX 680, which has a single Kepler-based chip.

The new GeForce GTX 690 graphics card itself will be worth approximately $999 USD, almost twice as much as your typical laptop.




Post by © 2012 Andy Chin

© 2012 Nvidia Corporation

   

Best Intel / AMD Processors For Your PC

Picking out the best CPU (central processing unit) can sometimes be a very difficult task, especially if you do not know what to choose. There are many, many choices are there, but  there are only two major companies as of right now that develops processors. There is AMD and Intel, but which one should you choose?

AMD vs. Intel 

Intel and AMD have been developing processors for years now. For many years, Intel has always been preferred over AMD, for specific reasons you'll see down below.

Top AMD Processor:

AMD FX8150 8-Core

This bad boy is the best of what AMD has to offer. The FX8150 is the first native 8-core desktop processor, and it works incredibly well when it comes to multitasking. One simply cannot deny the speed of the AMD FX8150, but unfortunately, it falls behind an Intel Core i5, which basically means it won't even be a match for the Core i7. The price is what makes this powerful processor stand out. 


Clock Speed: 3.6 GHz

Cores: 8

Price: $189.99 (Amazon)



Top Intel Processor:

Intel® Core™ i7-3940XM Extreme Edition

This monster of a processor here is the fastest Intel Ivy Bridge processor as of right now. Those who require incredibly raw power for their new systems, should definitely get this processor.

Clock Speed: 3.0 GHz, up to 3.9 GHz

Cores: 4

Price: $1096.00 



Post by © 2012 Andy Chin 

© 2012 Intel Corporation
© 2012 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. 

iPad Mini Announced!

Apple had a little more to share today at San Jose, California during its media event. The Cupertino tech giant finally announced the long-rumored iPad Mini. The company has also unveiled the upgraded iPad 4, a mere six months before the third generation iPad came out.

As for the iPad Mini, the device boasts a 7.9-inch 1024x768 IPS display and measures 7.2 mm in thickness. The wi-fi only version goes on sale November 2nd for 16 GB at $330, a 32GB model at $330, and a 64GB version selling at $530.

The 4G LTE model will hit the shelves on November 16th starting at $460. Those looking for larger storage capacity can take a look at the 32GB and the 64GB models.

The iPad Mini contains a 1GHz dual-core A5 processor, a front-facing HD camera for FaceTime, and a 5-megapixel camera on its backside. Apple claims the iPad Mini will have a battery life of 10 hours. Preorders begin Friday, October 26.

The new iPad Mini will be available beginning November 2nd at $500 for a 16GB WiFi model and a 4G LTE version at $630. Supported carriers include AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.

For comparison, the Nexus 7 running Android 4.1 sells for $199 at its lowest point. It has better hardware like a 1.3 GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, and a higher resolution 1280x800 HD IPS display.

Review by © 2012 Andy Chin

© 2012 Apple Inc. 

Microsoft Touch Mouse With Windows 8 Support

 Microsoft promised that its touch mouse would get Windows 8 support in time for the release of the big software release day. Mouse and Keyboard Center 2.0 saves time for those not graced with a touchscreen by introducing multi-touch swipes that bring up Windows 8's Charm Bar, switch between active apps and invoke Semantic Zoom. This mouse is easier on your wallet than most other mice.

Post by  © 2012 Andy Chin

© 2012 Microsoft Corporation  

New 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Retina Display?

        
Apple's little surprise next week should not be a complete surprise, hopefully. If this is what we get along side the rumored release date of the iPad Mini, then we'll probably take it. The possible leak shows a 2500 x 1600 LCD (Four times higher in resolution than the current 13 inch MacBook Pro), and importantly, no sacrifices in expansion versus the 15-inch model. Vital details like specifications and the price are left out.

 
Post by © 2012 Andy Chin

© 2012 Apple, Inc.

Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 Review

                           

The Lenovo IdeaTab can be best described as uncomplicated. This device looks as if it were heavy - but surprisingly, it is only 0.34 inches thick, and weighs a surprising 1.28 pounds. That should be good news for any consumer who intends to make this tablet an integral part of their life.

The S2110 has an  1280x800 HD IPS display that is accompanied with excellent viewing angles.

Want to know what the new Lenovo IdeaTab S2110 filled to the brim with? That's right. "Crapware", otherwise referred to as bloatware. One third of this bloatware are games, such as Solitaire and Hearts Online. The rest is a mix composed of Zinio, AccuWeather, SugarSync, Shazam and News Republic just to name a few of the bloatware. Unfortunately, these apps cannot be uninstalled - the only thing you can do is to disable it and to hide it from sight.

It's not hard for you to expect the worse out of a 10-inch keyboard when the screen is only 11 inches. It is very sturdy, and somewhat workman-like. Adding to the array of network options on the S2110 itself, are two 2.0 USB ports, one for micro-USB, as well as a full-sized SD card slot up front of the Lenovo.

Since the IdeaPad closes like a notebook laptop, logic tells us it should open like one, too. But it doesn't, ironically. The depression beneath the trackpad does not leave enough space for fingers of any size whatsoever to easily slide in and resulting in a clumsy two-handed maneuver to actually pry both halves apart. And that should be your only problem when it comes to the dock.

The keys are nice and quite solid, and bounce back with a softness we've become accustomed to on laptops. The trackpad also works well, but the surface does not allow us to glide our finger across as smoothly as we expected.

SYSTEM SPECS:

CPU (Processor): Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core (1.5 GHz)

Operating System (OS): Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Memory (RAM): 1 GB

Dimensions: 259.8 x 178 x 8.69mm (10.2 x 7.0 x 0.34")

Camera: 1.3MP webcam (Front), 5MP, LED flash, autofocus (Back)

Weight: 580g (1.28 pounds)

Audio: 2 Speakers, SRS TruMedia software

Storage: 16GB, 32GB (eMMC)

Wireless Connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, APGS (3G models only), WCDMA/EVDO

Battery Life: 9-10 Hours, 18-20 Hours With Docking Station


Review by © 2012 Andy Chin


© 2012 Lenovo Group Limited

Introducing the New Samsung Chromebook at $249

The new Samsung 11.6-inch Chromebook costs only $249, has up to 6.5 hours of battery life, and supports Full HD 1080p video. Google just launched the latest iteration of its Chrome OS based laptop right here in San Francisco. It has a ARM A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual processor, is 0.8 inches thick, and weighs only 2.43 pounds with 6.5+ hours of battery. It boots in under ten seconds and supports 1080p video playback. Pre-orders for the new Samsung Chromebook starts today on Amazon and PC World. It will be available for sale on the Play Store and is features prominently in stores like Best Buy.

Specs-

Processor: Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (ARM-A15 based)
Memory:  2GB RAM, 16GB of built-in flash storage
Wireless:  WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0
Display: 1366x768 HD LCD
Other: USB 2.0/3.0, combo headphone/mic jack, SD card slot

Post by © 2012 Andy Chin

Photo Credit: BGR

© 2012 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd




 

Xbox 360 Getting Internet Explorer With Windows 8's Release

It is official, users will soon have to ability to surf the internet on their Xbox once Windows 8 is released to the public. Microsoft announced today that the Internet Explorer browser will be included with a new update to the Xbox 360 dashboard. The update will come with the release of Windows 8 on October 26th.

Along with being able to search the entire internet straight from the Xbox, users will be able to use Xbox Smart Glass on web features like text input, scrolling, pinch and zoom.

Microsoft also announced that with the release of Windows 8 it was adding 30 million music tracks to its Xbox Music Service. The service will let users stream music for free, create custom playlists, as long as they are willing to hear an occasional advertisement here and there.

Review by © 2012 Andy Chin

Photo Credit: The Verge

© 2012 Microsoft Corporation

LG Optimus G Preview

The LG Optimus G is the first smartphone to utilize the quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, which is to offer state-of-the-art performance. From what we see, it is incredibly fast indeed.

It looks like the new LG Optimus G is going to be a great competitor to the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3. The elegant phone sports a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro Processor paired with 2GB RAM, a 4.7-inch True HD IPS Plus display, a 13 or 8 megapixel camera depending on regions, and 32GB of internal storage.

With a 2-year contract the Sprint LG Optimus G will retail for only $199.99, which is in line with the most high-end smartphone launches, except for a few exceptions.

Although performance looks great on paper, exactly how good is it?

Technical highlights

	Optimus G/ Korea/Sprint	Optimus G/ AT&T	iPhone 5	Galaxy S3
Display	IPS Plus 1280 x 768	IPS Plus 1280 x 768	IPS (1136x640)	HD S-AMOLED (1280×720)
Display size	4.7"	4.7″	4.5″	4.8″
Display PPI	320	320	326	306
Processor	Snapdragon S4 Pro	Snapdragon S4 Pro	Apple A6	Snapdragon S4/ Exynos 4 Quad
Storage	32GB built-in	16GB+32GB microSD	32GB	32GB + 64 GB microSD
microSD	no	yes (up to 64GB)	no	yes (up to 64GB)
Battery	2100mAh	2100mAh	1430mAh	2100mAh
Width	2.71” / 68.9 mm	2.51″ / 132.95 mm	2.31″	2.51″
Rear Camera	13 MP	8 MP	8 MP	8 MP
Front Camera	1.3 MP	1.3 MP	1.2 MP	1.9 MP
Network	Sprint CDMA – EVDO Rev. A, LTE	SM Quad Band/UTMS Tri Band/LTE Dual Band	LTE	LTE
Height	0.33″ / 8.45 mm	0.34″ / 8.6 mm	0.3″	0.34″
Length	5.19″/131.9 mm	5.17″ / 131.3 mm	4.87″	5.47″
Weight	5.11oz / 145 g	5.19oz	3.95oz	4.69oz

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The industrial design is respectable. LG did a good product design, a hair thinner than the Galaxy S3. The slim body features a great build with a textured backside, covered with a smooth glass-based finish.

Display

First of all, the LG Optimus G is slimmer than both predecessors: 8.45 mm, versus 8.9 mm, for the Optimus 4X HD and the Optimus LTE 2. Although the Optimus G display is a tad bit smaller, it has a high resolution, therefore, the pixel density has improved. LG also introduced its new ZeroGap technology to make the device thinner and reduce glare, or the screen reflectivity.

Processor

The LG Optimus G is the first phone to be able to boast the Quad-Core 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Pro SoC with an Adreno 320 CPU.

Camera

The camera has been improved (compared to the LTE 2 and the LG Optimus Vu) on both the resolution side and on the quality side. The autofocus and shutter speed are much faster than on the LTE 2, for example. The management of dark and light zones are also improved.

Design

The LG Optimus G design is pretty good, and although it has a texture, it is better done than the LTE 2. The texture with the diamond pattern is only for visual purposes, at it is covered by a layer of glass. 

Review by © 2012 Andy Chin, revised by Grant Han
 
Photo Credit: Engadget

© 2012 LG Electronics

4 Smartphone Apps to Make Life More Efficient

We are all looking for ways to make life easier, and of course, more efficient. With modern day technology, many of these goals and wishes are possible.
Smartphone app developers have made some of our days easier. Here are four productive apps to help your life to become more efficient.




Evernote

You can create and send notes as well as snap photos of them for conversion and saving. If, instead you prefer audio recordings, Evernote allows you to record and playback voice memos. All the notes you make are synced onto your account, so the information is consistent no matter what device you are using. You can easily manage passwords, take large screenshots of entire web pages and searching through all of your notes. Evernote backs up your information in the cloud so you never lose any valuable information. If your head is exploding with ideas or you have difficulties keeping  track of all the to-dos, Evernote is a must-have app.

Daily Routine

With daily routines, you can quickly manage your daily routine to help set up your day. Set up reminders for things you usually forget. This app is great for people who manage their own time, such as entrepreneurs, freelancers, etc. You can even sync your routines to iCloud or Dropbox, print the information and even integrate it with iCal to get a more accurate outline of the day ahead.

Rocketr
If you work with a remote team, or a small in-house team, that is looking to improve collaboration and communication while remaining productive, Rocketr is the app for you. You can add an unlimited number of editors to your social notebook - where you make and change notes - who will also be able to add and change the content of notes they are adding to. You can easily share and combine ideas no matter where your team is. Rocketr also comes in handy when you are in need of family input on a long shopping list.

PageOnce

If you are managing a small company's finances, a small business loan or are looking for a way to keep track of personal finances better, PageOnce brings all your financial information to one place. PageOnce lets you check transactions, balances, investments, and even cellphone minutes. Whether you are managing a small business or three credit cards, your information can all be accessed with one app. PageOnce used 128-bit encryption data for security, which is important when you are dealing with private financial information or passwords. Spend less time checking multiple websites when you can just use one app.

Post by © 2012 Andy Chin

iPhone 5 Features

The iPhone 5 has a two-toned back and is slightly taller than the previous iPhone, the 4S. It is made entirely of glass and aluminum, with all the buttons in the same place. It's the thinnest iPhone ever, at 7.6 mm thick, or 18% percent thinner that the iPhone 4S.

The retina display has a ppi of 326, just like the 4S. The new screen is a 4 inch display; the resolution is 1136 x 640 pixels with a 16:9 ratio. This provides more screen space above the virtual keyboard when typing up an email or searching for something.

Touch sensors that are 30% thinner have been built into the display, and are less prone to glare.
The wireless is said to be 'ultrafast,' and the phone supports 4G LTE. The LTE chip has a single chip for voice and data, single radio chip, and a dynamic antenna. The phone can now switch between GSM and CDMA networks.

The new iPhone 5 has an A6 (1.3 GHz dual-core) processor, 2X faster than the A5, including the graphics. It is 22% percent smaller than the A5 chip. The new dock is now the new magnetic Lightning connector, which saves space, but renders older accessories unusable.

The iPhone 5 is available to all major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint), except T-Mobile.


Battery life is 8 hours 3G talk time and 3G browsing. 8 hours LTE browsing, 10 hours Wi-Fi browsing, and 10 hours video. And, of course, 40 hours of music. Approximately 225 hours of stand by.

The iSight Camera is an 8 Megapixel sensor, with backside illumination, hybrid IR filter, five-element lens, f2.4 feature, and is 25% smaller. There is also a built-in panoramic for 28 megapixel panoramics. The camera also has face detection for ten people, and now you can take photos while shooting video.

The front camera is a FaceTime HD camera with 720p HD support, backside illuminated sensor, and now FaceTime works over cellular with iOS 6.

The price for the new iPhone 5 (16 GB) is $199, same as the iPhone 4S. Unfortunately, there is no 128GB model. It is $299 for 32GB and $399 for 64GB.




 
Review by © 2012 Andy Chin

Photo Credit: Apple

© 2012 Apple, Inc.

Sony Vaio Tap 20

Pros: A good battery inside a 20-inch all-in-one touch screen to make the Sony Vaio Tap 20. The company has given birth to both a new PC and tablet with great potential in tech savvy homes.

Cons: The touch screen can have some frustrating drag, and Sony made a few mistakes among some otherwise reasonable sacrifices for portability and price.

Bottom Line: A compelling experiment in tablet-desktop hybridization, the Sony Vaio Tap 20 is a great fit for home tech enthusiasts willing to try something new and different.

For a 20-inch all-in-one touch-screen desktop with no optical drive and a low-voltage Core i5 chip, $999 seems like a lot to ask for. This new Sony device just might be the most unique Windows 8 launch PC.

The Tap 20 measures 19.75 inches wide, 12.3 inches high, and at its thickest point of its back panel, 1.5 inches. It weighs just under 11.25 pounds.

The display itself is covered in glass, but the body is all soft, rounded plastic, with grippy indents. You probably wouldn't carry this big thing around in a backpack or a briefcase, but the average adult can easily carry this around with little difficulty. And while 11.25 pounds is almost 8 times the weight of an iPad, its not so heavy that it is uncomfortable to sit on your lap for an extended period.

When you set it down on a table or on your lap, the touch screen is probably the easiest way to interact with the Tap 20. The touch screen feels as responsive as that of a smartphone. You also might notice a slight drag on your fingers in apps that require continuous contact, such as air hockey or doodling. The drag isn't bad enough to spoil the entire experience, but it can be frustrating.

Low voltage translates to slower performance, and that is reflected in the Core i5's 1.7 GHz core clock speed. Standard voltage third generation Core i5 mobile CPUs start at 2.5 GHz. The lower voltage, which also improves the speed of the embedded Intel HD Graphics 4000 graphics processor, improves the Tap 20's battery life, and also limits heat output. Despite its low-voltage, the Tap 20 gives outstanding performance running standard Windows applications.


Review by © 2012 Andy Chin

© 2012 Sony Corporation 

iPod Nano: 7th Generation Review

This new iPod Nano is a tiny, miniscule music player. This new, clip-less model is far thinner than the previous 6th generation iPod Nano. The 7th generation is only a mere 5.6mm, while the 6th generation iPod Nano was 8.8mm thick. The 7th Gen iPod Nano is also taller (76.5 mm) and a bit wider (39.6 mm). This tiny device weighs in only at 31 grams, half the weight of the new iPod Touch 5th Gen (See post below.), or about ten Juicy Fruit sticks of gum.

The reason for this change in dimensions is to move away from the square 240 x 240 resolution LCD found in the last-gen nano. The old display is now replaced by a 2.5 inch, 16:9 ratio, multi-touch LCD with a resolution of  240 x 432.

The new nano is bright and nice-looking, but viewing the colors on the screen from a tilted angle can make the colors look washed out. The new nano also includes a home button, much like an iPod. Not much has changed since the 6th generation, but this new one has a more streamlined feel to it. There are nine icons displayed on the screen; 6 on the first page, and 3 icons on the second page; the icons can be rearranged.
Photo viewing is also possible, with pinch and zoom. Images will also rotate as you rotate the nano.

This New 7th gen iPod nano brings out all the functionality of the previous version. The Nike+ makes runners happy, though it still cannot take photos or record video. But at $149 for 16GB there are certainly a number of cheaper options out there for you to choose. But if you're looking for something light, convenient, and beautiful, take a look at this.


Review by © 2012 Andy Chin

Photo Credit: Engadget

© 2012 Apple, Inc. 

Windows 8 Now Available To Try At Best Buy

Microsoft has already been flooded with pre-orders of Windows 8. The picture above are a trio of Windows 8 laptops for users on the fence to goof off in. These laptops are located in the Best Buy at St. Cloud, Minnesota. After calling several other stores, it was confirmed other Best Buy stores also have a similar setup. Windows 8 is coming out on October 8, but if you want to try out Windows 8, you know where to look.



Post by © 2012 Andy Chin

Photo Credit: WinSource

© 2012 Microsoft Corporation
© 2012 Best Buy Co., Inc. 

iPod Touch 5th Generation

This 2012 model of the new iPod Touch has slimmed down to a mere 6.1 mm. It is also around ten percent lighter than the fourth generation, despite having retina display. Not only is it bigger and thinner, its is also much faster and now has two cameras - one on each side of the iPod.

Its width and height measure at 4.83 x 2.31 inches. It is also noticeably lighter than the 4th gen. The 5th gen weighs in at around 3.1 ounces, while the 4th generation weighed in at about 3.56 ounces. The storage capacities of the iPod 5th Gen are 32GB and 64GB. Priced at $299 and $399. The back of the 5th Generation is now a matte aluminum shell that comes in six iodine colors to choose from.

The growth in height was only for one reason: to accommodate to the 4 inch display. This new iPod runs on an A5 Dual-Core processor and is paired with Dual-Core PowerVR graphics, just like the iPhone 4S. While there are many new features of the new iPod, it is the new camera that stands out the most; there is a 1.2 megapixel camera on the front of the device, and also a 5 megapixel camera on the back. It also captures stunning 1080p videos.


Review by © 2012 Andy Chin

Photo Credit: Apple

© 2012 Apple, Inc. 

Kupa UltraNote Windows 8 Modular Tablet

     It is a 0.6 inch (15mm) thick device powered by an Intel Core i7 with 4GB RAM and a 64GB SSD. It features a 10.1 inch 1920 x 1200 pixel IPS display with a ten point capacity multitouch layer. Other features include WiFi a/g/n. Bluetooth 3.0, and 3G/4G LTE radios along with dual cameras, NFC and fingerprint reader. There is also a SIM slot, headphone jack, mini HDMI output, and two USB 3.0 ports on the right side of the UltraNote. It is the modular design that make this new device unique in its own way.
     
There is an ASUS Transformer-like keyboard dock which includes an additional battery, SD card slot, Ethernet connecter, VGA output, and two additional USB 3.0 slots. The Kupa Ultranote Tablet weighs a surprisingly light weight of 760 grams, or 1.67 pounds only.



Review by © 2012 Andy Chin