Thursday, October 31, 2013
Dell XPS 12 Convertible Touch Ultrabook
Dell has released its own Windows 8 centric laptop, the Dell XPS 12 Convertible Touch Ultrabook. Lenovo used the traditional Tablet PC for factor for its ThinkPad Edge 230su and Sony used the less familiar but not innovative slider design for its Sony Vaio Duo. Dell, well they did something different using a new type of swivel mount.
All three laptops allow for the use of the device as both a laptop and tablet. Dells solution is the most novel. Dell also calls their device an Ultrabook.
The Dell XPS 12 Convertible Touch Ultrabook weighs in at 3.3 pounds which meets Intel standards for an Ultrabook, but its 0.95 inches in thickness does not. That is a minor point. Its price of Php65,990 is not. That is some serious money.
But the Dell XPS 12 Convertible Touch Ultrabook specifications seem to be enough to justify the hefty price. The laptops 12.5-inch display is a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display, the Intel Core i5-3317U processor is powerful enough and the 4 GB of RAM is sufficient. Also is comes with a SSD drive, a 128 GB unit being equipped on the 65K unit. For this much money, I would have like double the RAM and storage. Battery life in real world tests is a tad over 5 hours.
After looking at three new offerings designed around Windows 8, all are expensive. The Dell XPS 12 Convertible Touch Ultrabook actually compares pretty well price wise comparing favorable with thins like a 13-inch MacBook Air (Php57,990), with the 8K difference being justified by the Full HD display.
If you want a new touch oriented Windows 8 laptop, this is the best of the three I have seen so far.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
LG Optimus G versus Google Nexus 4
The LG Optimus G and Google Nexus 4 are essentially the same phone. Both phones are powerful quad-core Androids with large 4.7-inch HD displays. The Optimus G was LGs flagship phone for 2012. The Nexus 4 is a modified Optimus G manufactuer for, and sold under the Google brand. The Optimus G is selling for as low as Php24,500, with an official warranty. The Nexus 4 can be had for a few thousand less at Php21,250, also with an official warranty.
What does the LG Optimus G give you for the additional 3K or so.
1. The Optimus G has more internal storage at 32 GB, as against the Nexus 4s 16 GB. This is important since neither phone has a microSD card slot.
2. The Optimus G has a LTE radio, while the Nexus 4 is limited to HSPA.
3. The Optimus G has dedicated capacitative buttons, so the screen is not occupied by the home, back and multi-tasking buttons. The Nexus 4 uses on screen buttons, effectively making its screen smaller. I thin on screen buttons are cool though.
Despite being cheaper, the Nexus 4 has on advantage. Being Googles top of the line phone, it gets software updates faster.
Which is better? It depends. If you want LTE or more storage, the Optimus G is the obvious choice. If these two dont matter, saving a few thousand is never a bad thing.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Samsung Galaxy S IV Teaser Video First of a Series
Samsung Mobile has posted a teaser video for its Galaxy S IV, which will be launched on March 14, 2013. Yawn...
Nothing in the video gives us any hint of what the phone looks like, or creates any sense of excitement in mu opinion. Let us hope that the next installments of this teaser video series are more interesting.
Nothing in the video gives us any hint of what the phone looks like, or creates any sense of excitement in mu opinion. Let us hope that the next installments of this teaser video series are more interesting.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Globe Tattoo MediaPad
Globe is offering the Huawei MediaPad under its Tatoo brand. The Huawei MediaPad is a 7-inch Android tablet which has HSDPA connectivity. The MediaPad is a pretty current device with a HD display (720 x 1280) display and powered by a 1.2 GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor with 1 GB of RAM. The operating system installed out of the box is Android 3.2, Honeycomb, but it is upgradeable to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.
The MediaPad has 8 GB of internal storage, 5.8 GB of which is user available. While 5.8 GB is not much for a tablet, storage is expandable via a MicroSD card. The MediaPad also come with a 5 MP primary camera and a 1.3 MP secondary camera. Connectivity options are good, with the MediaPad being equipped with Bluetooth, a HDMI port (to plug it into your LCD TV) and USB-on-the-Go (so you can plug USB Flash Drives into the tablet via an adapter).
In order to get the MediaPad from Globe, you have to subscribe to a unlimited data plan. With a Php999 per month data plan you can get the Huawei MediaPad for Php10,990. This is not a bad deal since you can expect to pay at least 17K for a HSDPA enabled tablet. Globe Telecom will also allow you to pay the Php10,990 over a period of 12-months at zero interest, making the package more affordable. You will be locked into Globe for 24-months on Plan 999.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
How to Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
How to Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7:
Windows 8, the latest OS from Microsoft, was released in October last year and has come up with mixed reactions. While many users were satisfied with Windows 8, many did not like the way Microsoft changed the start menu and removed the start button. After the release of Windows 8, most of the new laptops and desktops are shipping with Windows 8 as the primary OS.
Now, you have purchased your new laptop or desktop running Windows 8 and used for quite some time now and is not satisfied with the performance, then you can downgrade to Windows 7. Some PCs come with a feature called Downgrade Rights, which means you can downgrade to Windows 7 from Windows 8 without having to format the drive and ending up losing all data.
These rights are available to PCs which comes with Windows 8 and not for users who have upgraded to Windows 8 using the promo offer. So it is basically only Windows 8 Pro OEM users.
Windows 8 Pro includes downgrade rights to:
Now wait for the install process to complete. Once the process is complete, your PC might show activation failed message or it will not be activated. This is because you have used a key which is already in use. For getting a new key, you need to call up Microsoft support and explain to them about your downgrade rights. This might require you to validate your purchases or exiting Windows 8 keys.
Once this is validated, you will receive a new activation key for Windows 7. You will need to do this for all PCs which you have downgraded. You can install back Windows 8 anytime using the recovery disk or the recovery partition.
Thanks HowToGeek for this tip.
Read More..
Windows 8, the latest OS from Microsoft, was released in October last year and has come up with mixed reactions. While many users were satisfied with Windows 8, many did not like the way Microsoft changed the start menu and removed the start button. After the release of Windows 8, most of the new laptops and desktops are shipping with Windows 8 as the primary OS.
Now, you have purchased your new laptop or desktop running Windows 8 and used for quite some time now and is not satisfied with the performance, then you can downgrade to Windows 7. Some PCs come with a feature called Downgrade Rights, which means you can downgrade to Windows 7 from Windows 8 without having to format the drive and ending up losing all data.
What are Downgrade Rights?
Downgrade rights are an end-user right, documented in the Software License Terms that customers accept upon first running Windows software. These are mainly for businesses who buy new PCs that come with Windows 8 installed, but are not ready for the transition yet. Such businesses can downgrade to Windows 7 and also upgrade back to Windows 8 when they are ready to use it.These rights are available to PCs which comes with Windows 8 and not for users who have upgraded to Windows 8 using the promo offer. So it is basically only Windows 8 Pro OEM users.
What is offered in Downgrade rights?
The customer can:- Purchase a PC with Windows 8 Pro preinstalled.
- Downgrade—at no additional cost—to Windows 7 Professional.
- Move to Windows 8 Pro at the appropriate time. The system is licensed and ready for conversion.
Windows 8 Pro includes downgrade rights to:
- Windows 7 Professional
- Windows Vista Business
How to Downgrade to Windows 7 from Windows 8:
The actual downgrade process is tricky and not a straight forward one. You first need to take a system recovery disk for your existing Windows 8 in case you want to bring it back to Windows 8 in future. Once done, you need to enable legacy boot. You will need a Windows 7 Professional DVD. Insert the Windows 7 disk and boot it. Now install Windows 7, you might need to enter the license key to go past the installation. Here you can enter any used Windows 7 key since activation does not happen here.Now wait for the install process to complete. Once the process is complete, your PC might show activation failed message or it will not be activated. This is because you have used a key which is already in use. For getting a new key, you need to call up Microsoft support and explain to them about your downgrade rights. This might require you to validate your purchases or exiting Windows 8 keys.
Once this is validated, you will receive a new activation key for Windows 7. You will need to do this for all PCs which you have downgraded. You can install back Windows 8 anytime using the recovery disk or the recovery partition.
Thanks HowToGeek for this tip.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Extreme Endurance Test Nokia Lumia 900
Extreme Endurance Test Nokia Lumia 900 | If you are familiar with models of old nokia phones, such as: 6310, 5110, or 3310 are legendary, then you must agree that Nokias products are priority factors and resilient.
However, along with the growing sophistication of mobile phone products today, and increasingly concentrated on the design of Nokia full touch such as: the Lumia series, the question that arises is whether Nokia is still promoting factors durable and resilient in their product?
Your curiosity will be answered by the CNET test the durability of the Lumia 900, through a series of extreme tests, such as frozen in the fridge freezer, oven baked via and also hit with a hammer.
Read More..
However, along with the growing sophistication of mobile phone products today, and increasingly concentrated on the design of Nokia full touch such as: the Lumia series, the question that arises is whether Nokia is still promoting factors durable and resilient in their product?
Your curiosity will be answered by the CNET test the durability of the Lumia 900, through a series of extreme tests, such as frozen in the fridge freezer, oven baked via and also hit with a hammer.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Lenovo A800 A good value for money 4 5 inch Android phone
Yesterday I took a look at the newly released Lenovo S720, which feels a tab bit expensive, but Lenovo has released another 4.5-inch Android, the Lenovo A800, and this one hits all the right cords. The Lenovo A800 is priced at Php6,999, or 3K less than Lenovo S720.
For the lower price, the A800 gets a downgraded display, a 4.5-inch FWVGA (480 x 854) display instead of the qHD (540 x 960) display on the S720. The camera on the A800 is a 5 MP unit, instead of the 8 MP unit in the S720. You also loose the front camera. The A800 is also a bit thicker and heavier than the S720.
The rest of the specifications are the same, with Android 4.0.4 on board, dual SIM capability, 512 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal storage, a MicroSD card slot and a 2000 mAh battery. As a "bonus" the A800 has a faster 1.2 GHz dual core processor than the 1.0 GHz processor on the A720. Both phones use MediaTek chipsets.
At the lower price point, it is Php500 cheaper than the MyPhone A888. The MyPhone has a higher resolution qHD display, but the a A800 has a larger battery (2000 mAh versus 1700 mAh). It is a though choice between these two.
The A800 costs Php700 more than a Cherry Mobile Flame, but the A800 has a a larger battery and a more powerful processor and graphics.
Competition also comes from the Cherry Mobile Blaze and SkyFire, but the 1500 mAh battery in those phones, combined with large 4.7-inch displays means poor battery life. The A800 would be well worth the additional Php500 to Php1,000 as compared to these two.
It not a clear win, but with a 7K budget, the Cherry Mobile Flame, MyPhone A888 and the Lenovo A800 are the best three choices.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Share Videos on Twitter with Vine for iPhone
Twitter has announced a new app for iPhone, Vine, which allows you to share short videos on Twitter. It is a free mobile service that lets you capture and share short looping videos of 6 seconds or less. There are many third party tools to share videos on Twitter, but now with Vine you can directly embed them on Twitter. You can easily create short, beautiful, looping videos in a simple and fun way for your friends and family to see.
Although you don’t need a Twitter account to use Vine, but signing up is a little quicker if you do.
Features of Vine;
- Unlimited uploads and free
- Instantly post videos on Vine, then share to Twitter and Facebook
- Find, follow, and interact with people close to you
- Explore trending posts, featured hashtags and editor’s picks
Download Vine
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082 versus Lenovo S890
Two new mid-priced 5-inch Android phones were recently launched in the Philippines. The Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082 versus Lenovo S890. The Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082 can be had for Php16,800 while the Lenovo S890 is priced much lower at Php12,800.
At first glance, the lower priced Lenovo S890 actually looks like the better overall choice. The Lenovo S890 has a 5-inch qHD (540 x 960) display which results in a 220 pixel per inch density. The Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082 has a lower resolution 5-inch WVGA (480 x 800) display which gives you a 187 pixel per inch density. The Lenovo S890 has a larger 2250 mAh battery, as compared to the 2100 mAh battery of the Samsung. The Lenovo S890 is also a tad bit slimmer and more compact package.
On closer inspection, the Samsung has its own set of advantage, having 8 GB internal storage as against the 4 GB in the Lenovo S890. Since both phones have MicroSD card slots, this is not a decisive advantage. The Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082 has a better front camera, a 2 MP unit, as against the Lenovos S890 VGA camera. The Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082 can also capture 1080p video while the Lenovo S890 is limited to 720p video. Now this is something you should realy consider. Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082 has a faster HSPA radio.
Basically, it is a tough between these two, but I would pick the Lenovo S890 because of the sharper screen.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Understanding the Post PC Phenomenon Apple iPad versus 11 inch MacBook Air
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| This... |
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| ...or this. |
This post was inspire by Joanna Stern and Kevin Tofels discussion on Twitter.
The worse than expected decline in the sales of traditional desktop and laptop computers has spurred a lot of debate on the Web recently. What is the culprit? It really is not too hard to understand. A comparison of two products will explain this phenomenon easily enough. Lets compare the Apple iPad 64 GB with the 11.6-inch Apple MacBook Air 64 GB.
Price. The iPad WiFi 64 GB will cost you Php33,900 at the local Apple Store. The 11.6-inch MacBook Air 64 GB will set you back Php46,990. In this first round, the iPad wins the day by a cool 13K. The question is, can the 11.6-inch MacBook Air 64 GB make up for a 13K deficit?
Winner: iPad
Display. The iPad 64 GB has a 9.7-inch display as opposed to the 11.6-inch display, and following the bigger is better theory, the 11.6-inch MacBook Air wins that aspect of this category. But this is only part of the story. The smaller iPad display has a sharp 2048 x 1536 resolution display, against the 11.6-inch MacBook Air 1366 x 768 display. Overall, I think most of you will agree, the higher resolution gives the iPad the edge.
Winner: iPad
Portability. The 11.6-inch MacBook Air is "razor" thin being just 0.67-inches at the thickest point. It is also terribly light at 2.5 pounds. Still, this feels thick and heavy compared to the iPads 0.37-inches and 1.44 pounds.
Winner: iPad
Battery Life. The 11.6-inch MacBook Air has a battery that will last up to five hours. The iPad will run up to 10-hours on a single charge.
Winner: iPad
Apps. The iPad App Store has over 300,000 dedicated iPad apps. Apple does not post on its website how many apps there are in it MacBook App Store. Two years ago, there were 30,000. I think it is fair to say, the iPad has more available apps.
Winner: iPad
Keyboard. The MacBook Air has a nice keyboard. The iPad has none out of the box. You can add a keyboard to the iPad, but it still wont be as nice as the keyboard on the MacBook Air.
Winner: MacBook Air
Score:
Apple iPad 64 GB: 5
11.6-inch Apple MacBook Air 64 GB: 1
Many of you will point out that there are other things I should look at like USB or Thurderbolt ports. Other will see I should give the iPad another win for having more and better cameras or having an LTE option available. I think, most of the market sees it my way, with the six categories I selected being what most buyers will consider.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Smart Communications offers the Samsung Galaxy S4 for Pre Order Sort off
Smart Communications now has a pre-order page up for the Samsung Galaxy S4. But do not get too excited. No details are provided as to what plan the Galaxy S4 will be offered at, when it will be available and whether Smart will be offering the Exynos 5 (i9500) or Qualcomm (i9505) version.
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