India's $35 laptop

A low-cost laptop was launched by India’s human resource ministry in New Delhi, India on Thursday.


NEW DELHI—First the Nano, now the “Nano” computer.
Tata won praise world-wide for developing the world’s cheapest car, an innovation designed to put millions of Indians behind the wheel. The Indian government Thursday unveiled a computer it hopes will put millions of Indians in front of a keyboard.
As the iPad spreads globally, along with its hefty pricetag, this new computer, aimed at students, costs the same as the country’s cheapest cell phones.
“This is real, tangible and we will take it forward,” Kapil Sibal, minister for human resource development, said at a press conference in New Delhi. The touchscreen tablet will cost about $35, or 1,500 rupees, when it hits markets by early 2011.
The device was developed by students and professors at India’s premier technological institutes, using open-source programming, according to the Associated Press. The Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, Mumbai, Chennai and Kharagpur and the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore researched it in collaboration with the government-operated National Mission on Education.
The National Mission on Education is working to spread connectivity to India’s universities and colleges.
“We have made the breakthrough and are now ready to capture the market,” Mamta Varma, spokeswoman for the human-resource-development ministry, said Friday.
Ms. Varma said the government plans to roll out one million such computers for university students during the first phase, and expand later to primary and secondary schools.
Last month, Uruguay awarded the nonprofit One Laptop per Child a contract to provide 90,000 of its XO laptops for high-school students in the country. The group hopes in the future to price its durable device around $100; right now it sells for more than that.
India’s new device is an improvement over another hardy computer for the masses launched at Tirupathi in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh last year that had been criticized for its cost, among other things.
Ms. Varma said the ministry has also made open invitation to national and global manufacturers to improve upon the prototype unveiled Thursday. “If more innovations will emerge, the cost of the gadget might be further reduced to $20 or $10,” she said.
The yet-to-be-named device, which has the look of an iPad, has the option of charging by a sleek solar panel. It will have features including an Internet browser, a multimedia player, searchable PDF reader, video conferencing ability and wi-fi connectivity. It is supported by a two-watt backup source for places where power supply may be poor. It also comes with a small, 2-gigabyte memory but no hard disk.
-Emily Veach contributed to this article.


(copyright http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/07/23/going-for-cheap-indias-35-laptop/)
->Read More...

Alienware M11x Review

In the past, Alienware's laptops have been anything but compact. In fact, the company's whole strategy with their laptop line has been to market them as "portable desktop replacements." While Alienware's 15-inch and 17-inch powerhouses can be transported easily, using them on the road is difficult due to their bulky chassis and short battery life. Fortunately, the crew over at Alienware took note of the absence of an ultra-portable gaming solution in the laptop market and at CES 2010 introduced their answer: the M11x. Boasting a slim, lightweight 11-inch design, the ability to run high-definition games at high specs, and a starting price of just $799, the M11x seems like an unbeatable product. Does it live up to its promises? We put the M11x through the paces and find out.



When we first saw the M11x at CES 2010, we were quick to liken it to a netbook, but after spending time using the system, we've learned otherwise. Although the M11x may bear a striking resemblance to the standard netbook archetype – a sub-12-inch display, slim, lightweight casing, wireless connectivity, and no disc drive – the similarities end as soon as you start it up for the first time. Netbooks are, by definition, specialized for web applications; checking email, browsing the internet, etc., however the M11x is capable of far much more. For one, every M11x comes standard with a full 64-bit edition of Windows 7, and it runs the hefty PC operating system with ease, booting up in less than a minute. Furthermore, each system comes loaded exclusively with a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 335M graphics processor, which is capable of powering a wealth of high-definition games.




Our System's Specs

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.3GHz
GPU: 1GB NVIDIA GT 335M
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Memory: 4GBs of DDR3 Memory
Hard Drive: 500GB SATA II
Other Features: Bluetooth Module, WWAN Port
MSRP: $1,099


The M11x's graphical prowess is substantial for a system of its size. Naturally, the M11x cannot compete with a full-sized tower loaded with dual GPUs and high-speed processors, but its ability to run detailed games at high specs is certain to impress. We tested the M11x with a diverse collection of games, ranging from the visually jaw-dropping Mass Effect 2 to the no-frills, but relentlessly fun Left 4 Dead. The M11x met, and in most cases surpassed, our expectations with just about every game we tested. We were most surprised by the M11x's ability to run Mass Effect 2 with every visual effect turned on and resolution set to maximum (1366 x 768). Not only did Mass Effect 2 run at maxed out specs, but it consistently ran above the industry standard of 30 frames-per-second. The average framerate for Mass Effect 2 at max specs on our M11x was around 45 frames-per-second, although at times it reached up to 50 or 60 frames per second.



While Mass Effect 2 took the cake in terms of the most visually astounding benchmark title we used when testing the M11x, we saw impressive results with other titles as well. Borderlands was the next most recent title we tested, which despite its seemingly less demanding visual style, ran slightly slower than Mass Effect 2, which we attributed to its more numerous enemies and more extensive interactive environments. Still, with settings set high on Borderlands, we found the M11x running the game at an average of 30 to 40 frames-per-second, momentarily dipping just below 30 during intense combat. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the M11x handled the zombie hordes of Left 4 Dead with no framerate drops of any kind at maxed out settings, running at an average of 50 frames-per-second. Finally, we gave the M11x a runthough with the RTS favorite – Company of Heroes. Given the large, detailed maps paired with multiple enemies, on-screen and off, we expected only average results, but to our surprise the M11x ran the game with little or no system strain.

Running an RTS like Company of Heroes also gave us an opportunity to get a feel for the M11x's keyboard, which is larger than those you typically find in a laptop of this size. The keyboard extends from edge to edge, and the keys are of comparable size to that of a Logitech G19 keyboard. While the M11x's keys are sizable, they are extremely low-profile and, at times, hard to differentiate without looking directly at. The directional keys seemed to be crammed in the lower right section of the keyboard, but since a majority of titles rely on the W-A-S-D key arrangement for movement, it's rarely noticeable during use. The M11x's trackpad, on the other hand, is quite impressive given the limited surface area Alienware had to work with. The trackpad is textured for a little extra grip and incredibly responsive, making it functional for gameplay control if mouse control is not available or ideal.

Like it's full-sized brethren, the M15x and M17x, the color of the M11x's keyboard illumination can be altered to match just about any color in the RGB spectrum, ranging from red to pink to white using Alienware's proprietary AlienFX software. Unlike the M15x or M17x, however, the keyboard has only one color zone rather than three. Otherwise, users can alter the colors of the the row of indicator lights just above the keyboard, along with the alien head power button, and speakers. Each color zone can be programmed to actively transition between two colors, glow a solid color, or pulsate.

Dimensionally, the M11x measures in at 11.25-inches wide and 9.19-inches deep with an overall thickness of 1.29-inches and a weight of just over 4 pounds. The size and scale of the M11x makes it perfect for carrying in a backpack, shoulder bag, or even in a small sleeve. Aside from day-to-day travel around town, the system is also perfect for car trips and air travel due to its impressive battery life for both gaming and standard laptop uses. The M11x is unique in that it can actively switch between its CPU's integrated processor and the high-powered NVIDIA GT 335M GPU depending on whether a user is looking to conserve battery life or maximize performance. Using the integrated chipset, we were able to up to 7 or 8 hours of battery life for regular laptop use, while gaming on the NVIDIA GT 335 reduced the battery life to only 3 or 4 hours. Obviously results will vary depending on how you use the system and which features you leave turned on, but for the most part, the M11x's battery performance was more than enough to get through our traveling gaming sessions. Perhaps the most useful aspect of the M11x's discrete graphics swapping is that that it does so without requiring a system reboot, allowing a user to actively regulate their processor use for maximum battery life.




The M11x's lack of a disc drive may be a worry for some, but fortunately the system comes standard with a wide variety of connectivity solutions. In terms of wireless connectivity, the M11x incorporates a 802.11n Wi-Fi chip, and through optional upgrade, can be outfitted with Bluetooth and WWAN hardware. If you opt include a WWAN port on your M11x, you'll be able to connect the system to any supported wireless network by inserting a data-enabled SIM card chip from your cellphone or purchased separately. Each M11x can be pre-configured with support for AT&T or Verizon, however, network settings can be altered to accommodate other networks as well. We were disappointed to find that our initial impression that the M11x was capable of accessing an iPhone's 3G network via the WWAN port to be inaccurate, as iPhone network chips are device-specific unless unlocked. Still, the feature is noteworthy for those in need of go-anywhere internet connectivity.

Again, the M11x is not a netbook, but Alienware further emphasized the web connectivity of the system by pre-loading Steam on every device. We used a combination of the preloaded Steam software and Direct2Drive to download benchmark software and while slow download speeds could be a problem for some, we didn't find it to be a tremendous inconvenience when the system is left downloading overnight. Of course, if you're particularly fond of hard-copy media or hell-bent on semi-instantaneous satisfaction, a USB disc drive can be attached to the system to load games. The M11x includes two passive USB ports, one powered USB port, an IEE1394a (4-pin) port, VGA-output, HDMI-output, DisplayPort-output, 2 audio output jacks, and one microphone jack. HDMI output on the M11x is strong, but we did notice a slight slump in the system's graphical processing prowess when outputting to external displays.





As for the integrated 11-inch 720p LED-backlit display, we were quite satisfied with its color representation and brightness, although contrast range can be lacking at times. Similarly, the display's class screen is a little less-than-ideal due to its high reflectivity and proclivity for collecting dirt. There is also the matter of the M11x's heavy black border around the display area, which we would have rather seen go from edge to edge. Still, there is plenty of screen space to appease a user's eyes. At the top of the screen is a standard built-in webcam, which can be used for video chat or Alienware's AlienSense facial recognition software that allows users to log into the system without entering a password.

Despite a few minor hiccups, our experiences with the M11x were almost entirely positive. In terms of performance and form factor alone, the M11x is an amazing machine, but when you pair that with its alluring starting price of just $799, it is tough to beat. Even though our demo system would retail for over $1,000 due to the inclusion of an expanded hard drive, Bluetooth, and WWAN port connectivity, the core gaming performance results can be achieved for just over $900.


Read more : http://gear.ign.com/articles/106/1065816p1.html

->Read More...

New iPod Touch With 5 Megapixel Camera Coming In September?

Unofficial news about new iPod Touch was told by John Lewis to media in UK. John said Apple is planning to release the new iPod Touch by September this year.





Apple is rumored to equip the new iPod Touch with a 5MP camera as the one in iPhone 4, and able to record video in 720p HD. Expect Apple will get three-axis gyroscope and accelerometer as the gaming on iPod Touch is getting popular these days.

No leak of pricing yet.

read more : http://thecoolgadgets.com/new-ipod-touch-with-5-megapixel-camera-coming-in-september/


->Read More...

ASUS U43JC, U43F Bamboo-covered laptops available under $1000

As we mentioned on our news ASUS’s Bamboo Covered U6V Notebook for Korean Geeks over a year ago, ASUS actually had showed their intention to offer notebooks with Bamboo cases in 2007 (with EcoBook concept) to be eventually followed by the launch of the U6Vmodel with Core 2 Duo T9400, GeForce 9300M GS, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/, Blu-ray drive and HDMI Out but available only in few countries (Japan not included). And at the beginning of this year, they unveiled their latest U Series Bamboo Collection at CES 2010.





Now we have two models from that collection, the U43JC and U43F both sporting a 14″ LED-backlit screen, Core i5-450M processor, 640GB HDD (5400 rpm), 4GB DDR3 memory, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition 64-bit OS pre-installed, and facial recognition technology. The main difference is U43JC packs a NVIDIA GeForce 310M graphics with Optimus GPU coming with a price tag of $999.99, whereas U43F packing Intel UMA graphics and coming for $949.99.
Via ASUS


Read more : http://www.akihabaranews.com









->Read More...

Acer Aspire 4745, 5745 and 7745 specifications and review

After Ethos Acer Aspire 5943G and Acer Aspire 8943G and Aspire 5741 and Aspire 7741, the Taiwanese company completes the range of consumer notebooks with the new Acer Aspire 4745, Acer Aspire 5745 and Acer Aspire 7745 for digital entertainment.





Acer Aspire 4745, Acer Aspire 5745 and Acer Aspire 7745 notebooks are the new digital entertainment company dedicated to Taiwan, due to the high performance computing, audio and video quality, but also for the slim design and sophisticated. The new Acer Aspire range is characterized by the latest Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 ensuring optimal performance for applications related to music, gaming, video, movies, photos, social networking, but also thanks to the power and speed Intel Turbo Boost.

As suggested by their initials, the new Acer Aspire 4745, Acer Aspire 5745 and Acer Aspire 7745 respectively, have screens from 35.5 cm (14 inches), 39.5 cm (15.6 inches) and 44 cm (17.3 inches) high definition CineCrystal Acer, 16:9 format. The filmed entertainment extreme is also supported by the system Dolby surround sound system with two built-in stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater, third generation True surround sound output set to 5.1. There is also a range of cutting-edge graphics solutions and Blu-Ray option.

The equipment is completed by two hard drives up to 1.28 TB (for storing music and video) and 8GB of DDR3 memory for ultra-fast response of the system and ongoing management of applications multitasking. Acer Aspire 7745 with quad-core processors have 4 memory slots so it can grow up to 16 GB DDR3. It replaces, thanks to its large display, a desktop PC, while Aspire 4745 combines high portability with excellent computing capacity. Aspire 5745, in the middle, perfectly combines the features of both.

The new Acer Aspire series is distinguished from previous series for a black chassis, gloss, rounded shapes that offers a touch of class and elegance. The keyboard, comfortable and spacious, is accompanied by a dedicated media console for total control over all forms of entertainment (not available ON Acer Aspire 4745). The input devices are completed by the multi-touchpad gesture.Le latest wired and wireless technologies provide a total connectivity: 802.11b/g/n WiFi network connection supporting Acer SignalUp Nplify wireless technology, Bluetooth 2.1 + optional Gigabit LAN and modem.

Acer Video Conference solution includes the Acer Crystal Eye webcam, Acer Video Conference Manager software and technology Acer PureZone allow, finally, to keep in touch with friends and family, or to make video conferencing work. Only available on some models, Acer Arcade Deluxe is a media portal is unique in its kind: a complete solution for digital entertainment that uses an intuitive interface to access their favorite media – music, video, photos, DVDs and all’Acer Crystal Eye webcam. Acer PowerSmart technology extends battery life up to 8 hours.

Acer Aspire 7745 product specifications
• Processor: Intel Core i7-820QM (7745G) (8 MB L3 cache, 1.73 GHz Turbo Boost up to 3.06 GHz, DDR3 1333 MHz, 45 W), i7-720QM (6 MB L3 cache, 1.60 GHz up to 3 Turbo Boost 2.80 GHz, DDR3 1333 MHz, 45 W), i7-620m (4 MB L3 cache, 2.66 GHz Turbo Boost up to 3 3.33 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W), Intel Core i5-430m / i5-520M/i5- 540m (3 MB L3 cache, 2.26/2.40/2.53 GHz Turbo Boost to 32.53/2.93/3.06 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W), Intel Core i3-330M/i3-350M (3 MB L3 cache, 2.13/2.26 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W)
• Memory: up to 4 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz
• Hard disk: 1 or 2 discs 160/250/320/500 GB or higher
• Screen: 17.3 “HD + 1600 x 900 pixel, high-brightness (220-nit) Acer CineCrystal LED
• Video card: Intel integrated or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 or Mobility Radeon HD 5650 (7745G) with 1024 MB of DDR3 VRAM, Mobility Radeon HD 5470, or (7745G) with 512 MB of memory, Unified Video Decoder (UVD) OpenEXR High Dynamic-Range (HDR), Shader Model 5.0, Microsoft DirectX 11, OpenGL 3.1, OpenCL 1.1
• Audio: 2.1 system with two stereo speakers and a subwoofer, optimized for third-generation Dolby Home Theater with Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Headphone, Dolby Natural Bass and Dolby Sound Space Expander, Dolby Audio Optimization, Dolby High Frequency Enhancer, integrated microphone
• Expansion: multiformat memory card reader, Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO (MS PRO), xD-Picture Card (xD)
• Optical Drive: 4X Blu-ray Disc recorder / DVD-Super Multi double-layer or combo 4X Blu-ray Disc / DVD-Super Multi double-layer or 8x DVD-Super Multi double-layer
• Networking: Wireless-N WLAN Intel Centrino 1000 b / g / n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED with Acer Nplify and MIMO technology, Acer InviLink Nplify 802.11 b / g / n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, Acer InviLink 802.11b / g Wi-Fi, WPAN Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Gigabit Ethernet LAN-enabled Wake-on-LAN
• Interfaces: 4 x USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI with HDCP, headphone and microphone jack, Ethernet RJ-45, RJ-11 Modem
• Dimensions: 410 (W) x 286 (D) x 35/41.5 (H) mm
• Weight: 3.25 kg with 6 cell battery
• Battery: 6 cell Li-Ion 48.8 W 4400 mAh Acer QuickCharge
• Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, Windows 7 Home Basic 64-bit
• Other: Acer Crystal Eye, multi-gesture touchpad

Acer Aspire 5745 product specifications
• Processor: Intel Core i7-820QM (5745G) (8 MB L3 cache 1.73 GHz Turbo Boost up to 3.06 GHz, 45 W), i7-720QM (5745G) (6 MB L3 cache 1.60 GHz to 2.80 GHz Turbo Boost, 45 W)
• Intel Core i7-620m (5745) (4 MB L3 cache, 2.66 GHz Turbo Boost up to 3 3.33 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W), Intel Core i5-430m / i5-520M/i5-540M (5745) ( 3 MB L3 cache, 2.26/2.40/2.53 GHz Turbo Boost to 32.53/2.93/3.06 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W), Intel Core i3-330M/i3-350M (5745) (3 MB L3 cache, 2.13 / 2.26 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W)
• Memory: up to 4 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz
• Screen: 15 “HD 1366 x 768 pixel, high-brightness (200-nit) Acer CineCrystal LED
• Video card: Integrated Intel (5745) or (5745G) NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M TurboCache supporting up to 4GB of memory (1024 MB of dedicated DDR3 VRAM, plus 3GB of shared memory), NVIDIA CUDA, PhysX, PureVideo HD, OpenEXR High Dynamic-Range (HDR), Shader Model 4.0, Microsoft DirectX 10.1, or NVIDIA GeForce 310M TurboCache supporting up to 4GB of memory (1024 MB of dedicated DDR3 VRAM, plus 3GB of shared memory), NVIDIA CUDA, PhysX, PureVideo HD, OpenEXR High Dynamic-Range (HDR), Shader Model 4.0, Microsoft DirectX 10.1
• Audio: speaker system optimized for third-generation Dolby Home Theater with Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Headphone, Dolby Natural Bass and Dolby Sound Space Expander, Dolby Audio Optimization, Dolby High Frequency Enhancer, integrated microphone
• Hard disk: disks 160/250/320/500/640 GB or higher
• Expansion: multiformat memory card reader, Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO (MS PRO), xD-Picture Card (xD)
• Optical Drive: 4X Blu-ray Disc recorder / DVD-Super Multi double-layer or combo 4X Blu-ray Disc / DVD-Super Multi double-layer or 8x DVD-Super Multi double-layer
Networking •: WLAN-N + Advanced Intel Centrino WiMAX 625014th Nplify with Acer, Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 b / g / n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Nplify and MIMO technology with Acer, Acer InviLink Nplify 802.11 b / g / n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, Acer InviLink 802.11b / g Wi-Fi, WPAN Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and 3.0 + HS, Gigabit Ethernet LAN-enabled Wake-on-LAN
• Interfaces: 4 x USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI with HDCP, headphone and microphone jack, Ethernet RJ-45
• Dimensions: 379 (W) x 250 (D) x 25.5/34.1 (H) mm
• Weight: 2.6 kg with 6 cell battery
• Battery: 6 cell Li-Ion 48.8 W 4400 mAh Acer QuickCharge
• Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, Windows 7 Home Basic 64-bit
• Other: Acer Crystal Eye, multi-gesture touchpad

Acer Aspire 4745 product specifications
• Processor: Intel Core i7-620m (4 MB L3 cache, 2.66 GHz Turbo Boost up to 3 3.33 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W), Intel Core i5-430m / i5-520M/i5-540M (3 MB L3 cache , 2.26/2.40/2.53 GHz Turbo Boost to 32.53/2.93/3.06 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W), Intel Core i3-330M/i3-350M (3 MB L3 cache, 2.13/2.26 GHz, DDR3 1066 MHz, 35 W)
• Memory: up to 4 GB of DDR3 1066 MHz
• Screen: 14 “HD 1366 x 768 pixel, high-brightness (200-nit) Acer CineCrystal LED
• Video card: Integrated Intel (4745) or (4745G) ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 with Switchable Graphics, up to 40913th MB of HyperMemory (1024 MB of dedicated GDDR3 VRAM memory, plus up to 30675th MB shared memory) with Unified Video Decoder (UVD), OpenEXR High Dynamic-Range (HDR), Shader Model 5.0, Microsoft DirectX 11, OpenGL 3.1, OpenCL 1.1, or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 with Switchable Graphics, up to 3GB of HyperMemory (512MB of dedicated DDR3 memory VRAM, plus up to 3GB of memory shared) with Unified Video Decoder (UVD), OpenEXR High Dynamic-Range (HDR), Shader Model 5.0, Microsoft DirectX 11, OpenGL 3.1, OpenCL 1.1
• Audio: speaker system optimized for third-generation Dolby Home Theater with Dolby Digital Live, Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Headphone, Dolby Natural Bass and Dolby Sound Space Expander, Dolby Audio Optimization, Dolby High Frequency Enhancer, integrated microphone
• Hard disk: disks 160/250/320/500/640 GB or higher
• Expansion: multiformat memory card reader, Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO (MS PRO), xD-Picture Card (xD)
• Optical Drive: 4X Blu-ray Disc recorder / DVD-Super Multi double-layer or combo 4X Blu-ray Disc / DVD-Super Multi double-layer or 8x DVD-Super Multi double-layer
• Networking: Acer InviLink Nplify WLAN 802.11 b / g / n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, Acer InviLink 802.11b / g Wi-Fi, WPAN Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Gigabit Ethernet LAN-enabled Wake-on-LAN
• Interfaces: 4 x USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI with HDCP, headphone and microphone jack, Ethernet RJ-45
• Dimensions: 342 (W) x 245 (D) x 21.1/29.1 (H) mm
• Weight: 2.23 kg with 6 cell battery
• Battery: 6 cell Li-Ion 48.8 W 4400 mAh Acer QuickCharge
• Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, Windows 7 Home Basic 64-bit
• Other: Acer Crystal Eye, multi-gesture touchpad



Read more : http://www.bloggerisme.com/acer-aspire-4745-5745-and-7745-specifications-and-review.html

Hot Girl With Acer Aspire 4745(G)








->Read More...

Cisco Cius Vs Ipad

As the first major tablet to be officially announced after the iPad's launch, Cisco's Cius is bound to be compared to Apple's pioneer. But really, they're two very different devices, aimed at two very different markets. You could almost think of the Cius as the BlackBerry to the iPad's iPhone: It has a specific set of tools for a specific segment of buyer, and those buyers could well find it as indispensable as the BlackBerry. After all, BlackBerry is still kicking the iPhone's ass in sales--the business market is powerful and huge.




The Cius is a 7-inch Android tablet, weighing in at 1.5 pounds (the iPad is a 9.7-inch tablet, at 1.6 pounds, for comparison). We've seen that spec before, but the Cius has some really interesting customizations. It's got 32GB of memory (and an SD slot for adding more, or easily uploading pictures from a camera), along with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor. Cisco claims the tablet can eke out eight hours of battery life, which would be extremely impressive--the Atom processor is pretty powerful but also a much bigger battery drain than a mobile chip like Apple's A4 or Qualcomm's Snapdragon. Luckily, that battery is also easily replaceable, so you could pack an extra one for long trips.

A boon for its teleconferencing capabilities (see below), it has a front-facing 720p camera as well as a rear-facing 5MP camera that can capture either stills or VGA-quality video. That shows that Cisco is putting the emphasis firmly on video calling--it's highly unusual to have a better-quality camera facing forward than backward.

In terms of wireless, Cisco says the Cius will have an a/b/g/n Wi-Fi card, as well as 3G or 4G service "through your data provider." There are few specifics, here--either the Cius will be available through a carrier or it'll have something like a USB port to support external wireless cards. There's a trade-off to both--an internal card is neater and doesn't require a dongle, but an external card allows flexibility of service, easy upgrading, and possibly better reception. Given the Cius's embrace of ports (like that SD slot), I'd say either is possible.

The Cius is also notable for its desk-to-mobile transformation. It has a docking station called the HD Soundstation which provides a faster wired ethernet connection, as well as a USB 2.0 port for external keyboards--great for hammering out emails or documents. (Of course, it also supports Bluetooth 3.0.) It also supports dual monitors, so you can push video onto a second, larger monitor if you want.


Now, the interesting bit: software. This isn't stock Android, but it's not a simple skin like we're used to from HTC, Motorola, or Samsung. It's a suite of software specifically using Cisco's excellent business conferencing products, with some nice new additions. Tap the name of a contact, and you'll be presented with different ways to communicate with that contact, like email, IM, telepresence, or conference. Cius supports both TelePresence and the WebEx Collaboration Cloud, allows integration of social networking with real-time communication through Cisco Quad, and lets you create and share videos with Cisco Show and Share.

Of course, the Cius also supports the fast-growing (though perhaps not that high quality) Android Market app store, and Cisco included some sort of Firefox browser, though desktop Firefox isn't very touch-friendly, and Fennec (mobile Firefox) is far from ready for the masses.

The Cius is a really interesting device. It's not an iPad competitor at all--we're going to have to stop thinking of tablets as all competing with each other, especially as they gain in popularity. I think there's definitely a huge market for the Cius, but it remains to be seen if business users will add it to their arsenal along with the BlackBerry and Lenovo laptop.

The Cius is expected to see release in the first quarter of 2011. Pricing details were not released.

Read More : http://www.fastcompany.com/1665181/cisco-cius-a-business-focused-android-tablet-for-teleconferencing-on-the-go


->Read More...

Apple iPad review

The iPad has finally landed in the UK and we've bagged one for a test. The launch was put back until the 28th of May while Apple scrambled to manufacture enough units to satisfy US orders, and even now there are still supply problems - orders taken after 13 May have been delayed until the 7 June, for example.

This has all been down to unprecedented UK demand - clearly anybody who thought the iPad's hefty UK price tag meant it was going to fail on these shores has already been proved wrong.

The Wi-Fi-only iPad starts out at £429 for the 16GB version, then goes up to £499 for the 32GB and £599 for the 64GB. You can add another £100 onto the price for the 3G model, but here we're looking at the 32GB Wi-Fi version. If you want to consider the 3G model, check out our iPad 3G review.








So, what is the fuss all about? The iPad essentially revolutionises the concept of a tablet computer. Previously tablet devices addressed a legitimate consumer need (casual, lazy, couch-bound computing), but left most people frustrated with a stylus-driven handwriting recognition system and an operating system that was really designed to be used on a desktop PC.

While it's not the perfect implementation of a tablet computer, the iPad is quite simply the best yet. The use of the iPhone OS and its clever data-entry scheme - virtual keyboard, multitouch gestures and all - turns the iPad into an immeasurably more usable device than any Windows-based tablet PC we've seen.


The iPad is also sleek and portable, sports a palpably speedy processor, and dines on battery power with the appetite of a strung-out celebrity ingénue in emotional distress.




That's the iPad's hardware story - but hardware isn't even half the story. Indeed, what really makes the Apple tablet kick ass are the apps that have been optimised for the platform. The extra screen real estate afforded by the jump from iPhone to iPad opens up a bold new world of user-interface opportunities.

Read more: http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/laptops-portable-pcs/laptops-and-netbooks/apple-ipad-681021/review#ixzz0sRgSA3iG








->Read More...

Apple iPhone 4 review

The iPhone 4 is no small thing to review. As most readers of Engadget are well aware, in the gadget world a new piece of Apple hardware is a major event, preceded by rumors, speculation, an over-the-top announcement, and finally days, weeks, or months of anticipation from an ever-widening fan base. The iPhone 4 is certainly no exception -- in fact, it may be Apple's most successful launch yet, despite some bumps on the road. We've already seen Apple and AT&T's servers overloaded on the first day of pre-orders, the ship date for the next set of phones pushed back due to high demand, and die-hard fans in line outside of Apple locations a week before the phone is actually available. It's a lot to live up to, and the iPhone 4 is doing its best -- with features like a super-fast A4 CPU, a new front-facing camera and five megapixel shooter on the back, a completely new industrial design, and that outrageous Retina Display, no one would argue that Apple has been asleep at the wheel. So the question turns to whether or not the iPhone 4 can live up to the intense hype. Can it deliver on the promises Steve Jobs made at WWDC, and can it cement Apple's position in the marketplace in the face of mounting competition from the likes of Google and Microsoft? We have the answers to those questions -- and many more -- in our full review, so read on to find out!





Hardware



Perhaps the most notable change with the new iPhone is the drastic industrial design overhaul -- Apple seems to have completely rethought its strategy on how the phone should look and feel, and the results are nothing if not striking.

Industrial design


In his WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs likened the design of the iPhone 4 to that of a "beautiful, old Leica camera," and as we've said before, he wasn't off the mark. Instead of hewing to the curved, plasticky, silver-bezeled look of the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the company has turned the casing and face of the device into something decidedly more detailed and sophisticated. From the design aesthetic through to the actual build process, Jony Ive and his team have reset what we expect in an iPhone, coming up with something that clearly harkens back to the retro-future Braun designs of Dieter Rams. The iPhone 4 is made up of three basic parts: two pieces of smooth, strengthened glass, and a stainless steel band which wraps around the sides, top, and bottom of the phone. The effect is clean but not simple, and Apple has added little details, like altered volume buttons (what used to be a rocker is now separated into circular clickers labeled + and -), and notches in that metal band which serve to improve radio connections (more on that in a minute). The phone is noticeably thinner than the 3GS at .37 inches compared to .48 inches, but it weighs the same 4.8 ounces, making the whole package seem tighter and denser. It feels great in your hand, with good heft, although it might take a little time to get used to the lack of a rounded back if you're coming from the 3G or 3GS.


We can't overstate how high-end the design of the iPhone 4 is. The 3GS now feels cheap and chubby by comparison, and even a phone like the HTC Droid Incredible -- which just came out -- seems last-generation.

As we said, there are three main pieces of the phone, which together create an effect not wildly dissimilar to that of an ice cream sandwich. You know, but far pricier... and not edible. The face of the device is made up of extremely strong glass which Jony Ive says is "comparable in strength to sapphire crystal, but about 30 times harder than plastic." A small slit for the earpiece and the front-facing camera are embedded in the glass above the display, with the familiar home button towards the bottom -- a button we should note feels much clickier than on our 3GS. On the left side of the phone you've got the new volume buttons, a redesigned mute switch, and a small notch towards the base of the unit. On the right side is the Micro SIM slot and another notch in the band at the bottom, and up top there's the power / sleep button, headphone jack, another notch, and new noise-canceling microphone. Along the bottom is a speaker, microphone, and the 30-pin dock connector port. The backside of the phone is made from the same kind of ultra-strong glass as the front, interrupted only by the new five megapixel camera, its LED flash companion and, of course, the Apple logo.


Overall, the iPhone 4 outclasses pretty much every smartphone on the market in terms of industrial design. It just comes off like a far more expensive device, like a Mobiado or Vertu -- but better designed. And it's not just the way the phone looks; the materials feel good -- premium -- in your hands. The first few days we had our test unit, we were definitely freaked out about dropping or losing the phone, and some of that had to do with the fact that it's just a really beautiful device to use and hold.



copyright by engadget.com

->Read More...