They
say that Houdini is one of the greatest magicians ever alive (some
prefer to use the term “illusionist”), and if you are a huge fan of his
past work, you might be interested to know that Thinkgeek has something
right up your alley with the $19.99 Houdini Puzzle Lock.
If you are able to unlock these locks, you are a bona fide magician –
at least among your family members and friends, that is.
Needless to say, you will only be able to open these locks only if
you know the trick, and there are two choices to pick – Dead Lock and
Lock & Key. Each purchase would come with two keys to go along with
individual locks for that added security, just in case you know, you
happen to pass one of these trick puzzle locks to a butterfingers.
Definitely one of the more friendly approaches that you can take to
amuse not only your friends, but your co-workers as well. Hopefully the
Houdini Puzzle Lock comes with the relevant instructions to inform you
on how you are going to unlock them.
It
seems that we are all into automatic stuff these days – anything that
ain’t automatic just is not going to cut the mustard. After all, they
did say that if you want to prevent anyone from stealing your car, just
buy stick – as car thieves these days are unable to drive stick, so they
will most probably settle for an automatic car. Well, surely you have
grown up all along, using a manual nail clipper to ensure those nails
remain nice and short, right? Fast forward to the 21st century, and the
power of electricity would help you shorten those claws in the form of
the $39.95 Easy To Use Powered Nail Clipper.
The Easy To Use Powered Nail Clipper is pretty much self explanatory,
and if it was not, then it certainly does not deserve the “easy to use”
tag. Operating be a couple of AA batteries, it is ideal for those who
happen to have limited manual dexterity. It has a 0.5″-long x 1/16″-wide
alloy bit which will spin at 500-rpm, allowing it to use its precisely
beveled blades to safely and gently trim nails each time you gently
nudge your fingernail against the bit, and all of this is done without
having to squeeze the fingers one bit, neither do you need to bend your
wrist or risk cutting the cuticle. Easy as pie, no?
Samsung’s
latest puppy to hit the market might have arrived at the wrong time, as
it could very well have done a whole lot better if it were to be a
trailblazer a couple of years ago. Having said that, let us not judge a
particular device before using it, so here we are with the announcement
of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, where it will once again take advantage
of the insanely popular Galaxy name of device. Armed with a moniker like
the Galaxy S4 Zoom, you can be dead sure that this particular
smartphone is serious about the photography department, and we as end
users are certainly more than happy to see features such as 10x optical
zoom thrown into your everyday smartphone.
Is it a phone? Is it a camera? I will
leave its primary function to the owner of the Galaxy S4 Zoom, since he
or she would know best what they are going to do with it. The Samsung
Galaxy S4 Zoom can be said to be the realization of Samsung’s dream to
conjure a single device which is capable of playing the role of an
industry leading smartphone in addition to being a high-end compact
camera. I guess they have more or less achieved their ambition at the
moment in the form of the Galaxy S4 Zoom, where it boasts of the
aforementioned 10x optical zoom, and will be accompanied by a
16-megapixel CMOS Sensor, OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and Xenon
flash, all running on the most recent Samsung Galaxy S4 technology in
order to set new standards for perfect mobile photography for the others
to follow.
There is the presence of an all new Zoom Ring which is said to make
photography with the Galaxy S4 Zoom all the more natural, letting you
shoot more often instead of spending time to go through the various
control dials as found on a regular digital camera. Android 4.2 Jelly
Bean would be the operating system of choice, although it remains to be
seen just when the Galaxy S4 Zoom would be released, and for how much?
It’s gotten to a point where I need to marvel at just how attached to
our phones we have become. I am old enough to remember a time when not
only did we not have cell phones… our phones were attached to a cord, and
most homes only had one. Now I live with a kind of low level anxiety
about how much battery life I have left on my phone, and have collected
several gadgets to guard against ever being phone-less, due to a dead
battery.
It seems the more our phones can do… the less time they can actually
do it, before the battery goes dead, so backup charging is an absolute
must. Please welcome Duracell’s Snap Battery, designed to get your
iPhone 5 up and running quickly and easily, the SnapBattery allows you
to simply snap on a Duracell-grade battery that more than doubles your
iPhone 5′s battery life, while allowing you the option to easily add and
remove the battery (and the extra bulk) as often as you need, snap on
when you need it, off when you don’t.
The SnapBattery can easily be recharged via USB, or even be juiced up by being placed on one of Duracell’s Powermats
thereby gaining a convenient wireless charge. It even appears that
these wireless charging stations are a growing trend in malls, coffee
shops and entertainment venues everywhere.
Duracell offers the SnapBattery in a ‘PowerSnap kit’ bundle for $99.99, or you can buy it together with a wireless Travelmat
for $199.99 or buy them separately for $59.99 (Snap battery) and
$129.99 (Travel mat). Duracell Powermat’s new lineup for iPhone 5 is now
available at Duracellpowermat.com.
A E3 this week a new gadget has been unveiled called the Nyko Smart
Clip that has been designed to wen able you to easily attach your
smartphone to your next generation console controller.
The Nyko Smart Clip has been designed to fit both the Xbox One and
PlayStation 4 controllers and will allow Xbox One owners to experience a
second screen using Microsoft’s Xbox Smart Glass features.
The Nyko Smart Clip enables you attach any iPhone, Android, Windows
Phone, or Blackberry smartphone up to 3.5 inches wide to your
controller.
The Nyko Smart Clip will be first available for the Xbox 360 rolling
out for the Xbox One and PS4 later this year, together with a new
charger and Xbox One headset adapter.
If you enjoy taking photos with your smartphone an innovative new
clockwork turntable called the BubblePod might be worth a little more
research.
The BubblePod has been designed to securely hold your smartphone and
allow you to easily take 360 degree photographs. Watch the video after
the jump to learn more about the BubblePod project and see it in action.
“The BubblePod is a clockwork turntable that grips your
smartphone and then rotates it 360º. Totally smoothly, totally
silently. As it does so, the BubblePix App (Available on Apple, Android
and BlackBerry 10) captures an absolutely perfect 360º image. You simply
rotate it once to wind it up, fire up the App and then hit the button. As your smartphone spins our BubblePix app captures images using
your smartphone’s camera and then stiches them together to make a
perfect high-resolution 360º image. Really simply and with a superb
‘professional’ result every time. We call them Bubbles and you can shoot
and share them in less than a minute.”
The BubblePod project is currently over on the Kickstarter website
looking to raise enough pledges to make the jump from concept to
production. So if you think BubblePod is something you could benefit
from, visit the Kickstarter website now to make a pledge and help BubblePod become a reality.
For some reason it's a common belief that
Android
devices and Macs just don't get along. This misconception may have been
true back in Android's infancy, but nowadays there's a long list of
methods, apps, and services that let you use your Android device with
your
Mac. It's impossible to cover every app and service available, but I'm going to share the best of the bunch.
Most of the services listed below rely on the cloud to make the
process of moving data between devices painless, while other methods
require the tried and true method of data transfer through a USB
connection.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)
Syncing documents
Unlike with the iPhone, transferring files is as easy as dragging and
dropping. The way you do this, however, will depend on what version of
Android your phone runs. Not only can you sync documents on your Android
device, but your phone can also act as a jump drive, storing vital
documents for you or helping move files around among computers.
Older Android devices have a USB Storage Mode that can be activated
by plugging your device into your Mac, pulling down the notification
shade, and tapping on the USB notification. From there, select "Turn on
USB Storage."
At this point, your Android phone will appear as a drive on your
desktop. Open it, and you'll be able to move files to and from your
phone's various folders.
When using this method, make sure you unmount your Android device
before disconnecting it from your Mac. To do this, open Finder and click
on the Eject icon next to your device. Not ejecting, or unmounting,
your device before disconnecting can corrupt the storage on your device,
which results in lost files.
Newer Androids require you to use an app to sync files between your
two devices. Google recommends you use its Android File Transfer (AFT)
program, which you can download at Android.com/filetransfer.
With AFT you can browse the folders system of your Android device and
drag and drop files between it and your Mac. The program is very basic,
but it works.
While AFT is more than sufficient for basic file syncing, other apps
such as Droid NAS make it possible to wirelessly share files between
your device and your Mac with ease. The program works by effectively
making your phone or
tablet
appear as a shared computer in your Mac Finder, allowing you to
transfer files without ever reaching for a USB cable. Read through Ed
Rhee's guide to Droid NAS to see how you can set up syncing profiles based on Wi-Fi networks. I've been using this app and love it.
Another
way to wirelessly access files and other content on your Android device
is to use AirDroid, a free service that lets you remotely access and
modify your phone's files from a browser window. AirDroid 2
is currently in an open beta and will allow you to manage a long list
of items on your device wirelessly. Or you can install the original version of AirDroid, should you not want to mess with a beta.
Music
There
are a number of scenarios that will determine how you sync music files
on your computer with your Android device. As you know by now, you could
just drag and drop your entire music library on to your phone, but
you'll run into a couple of issues. First, you don't want to have to do
this each time you download a new song. Second, you might not have
enough room on your device to store all those files.
Luckily,
Google Music solves these problems and makes the process of syncing
music easy. With Google Music, you're able to upload your entire music
library (up to 20,000 songs) and stream or download to your phone so
long as you have an Internet connection. And, each time you download a
new song on your Mac, it'll become available on your phone.
To get started with Google Music, you'll first need to download the Music Manager app.
After
downloading the app on your Mac, you'll need to show it where your
music is stored. Once you've given it a folder to monitor, the app will
automatically upload your music to Google's Music service. Not only does
this method provide a simple way of getting your music to your device,
but it also frees up storage space that would otherwise be taken up by
music.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)
Once you've set up your library, you can download any artist,
album, or playlist via Wi-Fi or cellular connection within the Android
Music app itself. Just tap on the pushpin icon to start the download
process.
Best of all, you won't have to fuss with iTunes when
syncing music between your Mac and your Android device. You simply tell
the Music Manager where your music library is; when new files are added,
they're automatically uploaded for you. You can store 20,000 songs for
free.
Photos
There are a few different ways to sync
photos between your Android device and your Mac so that each time you
take a photo, it's backed up to your Mac. The beauty of some of these
approaches is that -- beyond initial setup -- you don't have to do
anything else to get the photos from your phone to your Mac. Not only
does this type of system allow you to easily access photos on your
computer, but it also ensures that you constantly have a backup of your
photos should you lose your phone. Before you continue, sign up for a Dropbox account if you don't already have one.
Dropbox provides a free way for your photos to automatically sync via its service,
which downloads them to a Camera Uploads folder on your Mac. This is
the quickest way to get photos from your device to your Mac, but not the
only way. SyncMate
Expert will also help you achieve the same results, as will the AFT and
Droid NAS apps, albeit not automatically as Dropbox does.
There's also another app called DoubleTwist,
which has an AirSync add-on feature. The app requires you to install
software on both your Android device and your Mac. Once installed and
set up, you can sync your music, photos, and videos wirelessly between
the two devices.
Movies
The larger screens commonly
found on Android devices make them ideal for watching movies. But you
don't only have to rely on Netflix, Hulu Plus, or HBO Go for your
entertainment; you can load movies you own on your phone and watch them
anywhere, even when you're offline. Transferring movies or large videos
between your Mac and Android will be time-consuming, so make sure you're
not doing this when you're rushing to make a flight.
Solutions
like AirDroid, DoubleTwist, SyncMate, Droid NAS, and AFT will all allow
you to transfer movies and videos to your Android device from your Mac.
But, do keep in mind that some of the wireless services may be slower
than the wired approach the Android File Transfer app offers.
No
matter which method you choose, you'll need to add any movie files to
the Movie folder located on your Android device. If the folder isn't
already present, go ahead and create it.
Where you're likely to
run into problems is with playing the various video file types on your
Android device, as the stock video player only supports so many formats.
But if you'd rather not worry about that, download MX Player from the Play store and use it as your primary video player. It supports a long list of file types.
Of
course, all this video-transferring will quickly hog precious storage
space, so consider incorporating a cloud solution. One option is to stream videos stored in your Dropbox
account through the Dropbox app. Just keep in mind that streaming
videos over a cellular connection will eat into your data plan.
Contacts and calendars
Many
of us would be completely lost if we were to lose the contacts in our
address book. Long gone are the days of memorizing phone numbers,
addresses, and birthdays; now we rely on our devices to store this vital
information for us. Also long gone are the days of needing a USB
connection to sync this type of information between devices; now service
providers such as Google and Apple ensure that all of our devices are
up-to-date with important information once it's added to an account.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)
The good news is that Google and Apple really do play
nicely together when it comes to syncing your contacts and calendars. On
your Mac, sign in to your Google account in both the Contacts and
Calendar apps. You can do this by launching either app and navigating to
the Preferences (from the menu bar, click on the app name, then click
on "Preferences"). Once you can see the Preferences page, click on the
Accounts icon at the top. In the Contacts app, click on "On My Mac" and
then check the box to begin synchronizing with Google. You'll need to
sign in to the same Google account you used on your Android device.
The
process in the Calendars app is similar, but instead of selecting On My
Mac, you'll need to click on the "+" sign at the bottom of the window
and then select Google from the list of services you can add. Again, log
in with the same Google account as you did on your Android device.
On
your Android device, launch the Settings app and view your Google
account under the Accounts section. Tap on your account name and make
sure the check box next to Calendar and Contacts is checked. Any changes
made to this information will wirelessly sync between your Android
device and Mac on a regular basis. Most of the time the changes are
near-instant, but there can be slight delays in syncing.
If
you're an iCloud user who would rather not switch over to Google
services for your contacts and calendar needs, check out the SmoothSync
for Cloud Calendars or Contacts apps. Either of these apps will allow you to sync your iCloud information with your Android device.
Browser bookmarks and tabs
Syncing
your browser's bookmarks and tabs is one of those features that once
you start using it, you don't understand how you ever lived without. It
allows you to seamlessly switch from your Mac to your smartphone (or
vice versa) and continue browsing where you left off. Instead of
e-mailing or messaging yourself a link, you simply launch your browser
and everything will be waiting for you.
The easiest way to
ensure that your bookmarks, open tabs, and other browser preferences
sync between your Mac and your Android device is to use Google's own
browser, Chrome.
If your Android device doesn't come with Chrome preinstalled, you can download it for free here. And of course you'll need Chrome for Mac, which can be downloaded here.
Log
in to Chrome on both devices with the same Google account and then view
the Settings page. Check the box next to the services you'd like to
sync.
Note that you'll need to be using an Android device
running Android 4.0 and above to install Chrome. If you happen to be
running an older version of Android, you can try using SyncMate. The free version doesn't provide bookmark syncing, so you'll be looking at paying $35 for the Expert version.
Obviously
we can't cover every app or service when it comes to using an Android
device with a Mac, so if you have one you're fond of, please mention it
in the comments. And if we left any categories out, please let us know
so we can go back and add it.
The $199 Basis Band from Basis Science puts a new spin on the personal health monitor. Like many similar products on the market, such as the Jawbone Up, Nike FuelBand, and Fitbit Flex,
this watch-style gadget functions as a pedometer to track steps and
basic activity level. Additionally the Basis can measure how long and
how well you sleep, a trick both the Up and Flex manage as well. What
really sets the Basis Band apart from other fitness devices is that it
also keeps an eye on heart rate, skin temperature, and perspiration. The
gadget can use several criteria to measure the intensity of your
activity and record sleep data automatically, the first device of its
kind to do so. Also innovative is how the Basis Band pushes users to
adopt "healthy habits" such as burning more calories taking walks
throughout the day. Combine this with the product’s new wireless
Bluetooth-syncing capabilities plus Android app and it’s easy to see why
the Basis is a very compelling personal fitness solution. Design
When I first got my hands on the Basis Band, I admit I wasn’t blown away
by the its styling. At first glance the Basis looks like a standard,
even basic digital watch. It’s not exactly thin, either; its monochrome
LCD screen is small, and there’s only one obvious button, which is
located on the right edge.
Flip the watch over, however, and you’ll begin to realize that this is
no ordinary timepiece. On the bottom of the device are six stud-shaped
sensors plus two green LED lights. The Basis uses these to measure your
heart rate by estimating bloodflow through your skin.
An array of sensors records biometric stats.
(Credit:
Brian Bennett/CNET)
Additionally, the four silver circles placed in each corner of the watch
face (which I immediately thought were ordinary screws) are actually
capacitive buttons. The two buttons on the right cycle through views for
steps, calories, and heart rate (either up or down). The key in the
top-left corner activates the Basis Band’s backlight, and tapping the
bottom-left button pulls up the date.
It turns out that these fancy touch-sensitive controls aren’t just for
show. They help you operate the watch in wet environs without fear of
moisture entering the Basis’ chassis. Indeed the Basis Band is splash
resistant so taking it out in the rain or keeping it on in the shower
isn’t a problem.
On the left edge of the watch are four metal contacts. They connect to
the Basis Band’s wired charging cradle, which in turn plugs into USB
ports. The folks at Basis Science claim the watch’s lithium polymer
battery can run the Band for four days straight between charges.
Features
As mentioned before, the Basis Band uses a built-in accelerometer to
record the steps you take. But its features go way beyond the average
pedometer. The device relies on a pair of green LED emitters to pulse
light into your wrist periodically. An optical sensor simultaneously
uses the pulse to calculate the amount of blood flowing through your
skin, and ultimately your heart rate.
Other sensors take note of your skin temperature and perspiration level.
Since body temp typically drops significantly during sleep, as does
heart rate, the Basis uses the data its sensors generates to determine
the length and quality of your slumbering. What’s more, the device does
so automatically. Other gadgets, such as the Jawbone Up and Fitbit Flex,
require you to press a button to begin sleep logging. After a very long
day, remembering this step can be a tall order.
What’s really innovative about the Basis Band and the Basis system is
how it’s built around what the company calls "healthy habits."
Essentially, to buy into the Basis lifestyle, you must adopt habits for
various preset behavior patterns. For instance a "Get More Sleep" habit
asks you to log a certain amount of sleep for at least one night a week.
The better you perform, i.e. more nights you fulfill your requirements,
the more points you earn.
You can then use the points accrued toward opening up access to more
habits. Gaining more habits ups the level of your profile, which also
rewards you with more-demanding habits to choose from -- and I imagine
some bragging rights, too.
The Basis Band now syncs via Bluetooth to Android smartphones running a custom app.
(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)
A new ability, and one that Basis has been promising since it first
showcased the Basis Band a few years ago, is wireless syncing via
Bluetooth to a companion Android app. I had the privilege of taking the
application for a short spin ahead of its official launch. I have to say
that I’m impressed. The software is smooth and aside from a brief
glitch or two, it operates as advertised.
Also, while the Basis app is only officially supposed to function on Samsung’s Galaxy S2, Galaxy S3, Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note, and Galaxy Note 2 handsets, I successfully had the software up and running on my HTC One and LG Nexus 4
test phones. Be advised that you'll only be able to download the Basis
application from the Google Play store using officially sanctioned
devices.
Unlock new habits to complete by gaining points.
(Credit:
Screenshot by Brian Bennett/CNET)
Outlook
I had high hopes for the Basis Band when it debuted a while back at CES
2012. I was concerned, though, when the promised Bluetooth-to-Android
phone syncing didn’t materialize in a timely manner. Now that Basis
Science has brought these features onboard, I have renewed enthusiasm
for the Basis solution.
Sure, it can be cumbersome to wear a watch 24-7, especially one as thick
as the Basis Band. That said, it’s relatively compact and light
compared with many all-metal timepieces I’ve owned. I also think the
habit approach to changing people’s behavior has a shot to succeed and
hopefully motivates others (other than just the fitness-crazed) to live a
better lifestyle. That said, it may be difficult to get your hands on a
Basis since the company's Web site says units are currently out of stock. Be sure to check back soon for a full review of the Basis Band.
It
looks like the next generation video game console war is about to heat
up, with the Microsoft Xbox One announced at E3 2013, bringing along
with it a whole lot more information compared to what we heard not too
long ago when Microsoft presented a glimpse of the next generation
console. Here is the quick skinny of things – the Xbox One will be
arriving in the US later this November, where it will be accompanied by a
$499 price tag which could very well make it a decent holiday season
purchase. This also means you have roughly five more months or so to
save up for an Xbox One if you desperately want to give its launch
titles a go, too.
There is a number of titles that will be
released at launch for the Xbox One, and Microsoft kicked off this
year’s E3 event with the viewing of the highly anticipated Metal Gear
Solid V: The Phantom Pain trailer, featuring a younger Snake in all
sorts of interesting scenarios, including riding on a horse. Revolver
Ocelot does not have his eye patch just yet, meaning he is a whole lot
younger. Other titles at launch which one can expect would be the
surefire sales winner, Halo, as well as Battlefield 4. If you want to
play the role of a Roman general leading a garrison into battle against
the barbarians, then you will be pleased to know that Ryse: Son of Rome
would offer such an opportunity. Perhaps the decline of the Roman Empire
was due to the fact that they could not spell “rise”. I jest!
Apart from the Xbox One, folks who prefer to take the tried and
tested route would be able to enjoy an updated Xbox 360 model, where the
new design has already started to ship today to retailers across the
US, UK, Canada, Ireland and Australia, with other Xbox regions receiving
the revamped model in the coming months, further extending the life
cycle and legacy of the Xbox 360 for a while more. The new Xbox 360 does
seem to be a looker regardless of the angle you view it from, and it
will not see a pricing tier change as the 4GB, 250GB and 4GB Kinect
Bundle will still go for $199.99, $299.99, and $299.99, respectively.
Earlier this morning,
there are two different events that have captured the attention of
millions of people around the globe – at least from the tech
perspective. First, there is E3 in Los Angeles that can be said to be
the mecca of all video game news and releases on an annual basis, and
for fans of the bitten fruit, you would have overcome your gaming
cravings to tune in to what Tim Cook has to say at WWDC 2013 in San
Francisco. Well, it seems that your patience to see what new hardware
has Apple cooked up this time around has paid off, with Cupertino
announcing that there is a new MacBook Air model in the market to keep
up with the times.
Needless to say, the MacBook Air has
been long overdue for a revision, and Phil Schiller, Apple’s head of
marketing, took up the responsibility to unveil a couple of newer
models. These will not be immediately available, although you will be
able to place an order for them this coming Monday, with prices starting
at the usual $999 point. Needless to say, you won’t find too many folks
picking up the soon-to-be-obsolete MacBook Air between today and next
Monday, as this is the chance to exercise patience and experience the
proverb, “good things come to those who wait.”
Just what kind of hardware improvements will the new generation
MacBook Air models bring? We are looking at an all day battery life,
fourth generation Intel Core processors with faster graphics, 802.11ac
Wi-Fi and flash storage which has been touted to be up to 45% faster
compared to its previous generation. The 13″ MacBook Air will start from
a new lower price of $1,099, which would certainly make it more
accessible to the masses as Apple does their bit to fend off the growing
Ultrabook market that runs on Windows 8.
We are looking at 9 and 12 hours of battery life for the 11″ and 13″
MacBook Air models, respectively, with support for next generation
802.11ac Wi-Fi thrown in alongside the new Intel HD Graphics 5000
chipset which allows the MacBook Air to enjoy up to 40% faster
performance for gaming and graphics intensive apps. Other hardware
specifications include dual microphones, a FaceTime HD camera, a
high-speed Thunderbolt port and a couple of USB 3.0 ports, with dual
display support and video mirroring thrown in for good measure.
With a small form factor comes great responsibility
Mobility. Mobility. Ultramobility. Everyone in the computing industry
is obsessed with ultra-mobility, and make no mistake, that's where all
the growth is, where all the additional currency tokens are to be made.
But
the fact is, if you want to produce something pukka on your PC or get
on with some proper gaming, you'll still be needing a full-fat desktop
rig. One with serious computing power, proper peripherals and a decent
screen.
Problem is, with all the focus on mobile machines of
various persuasions, some of the key players in computing have taken
their eye off the ball when it comes to the desktop. There's no question
that the raw processing power of Intel's mainstream CPUs is
increasingly compromised in the name of low power and mobility.
For several generations, we've been stuck on four processor cores while
Intel has spent the extra transistors that come with improved
manufacturing tech on ramping up the performance of its integrated
graphics. And that only makes sense in a mobile context.
Having
said all that, there's one angle to all this ultramobility malarkey
that's actually quite interesting on the desktop, especially now that
we're a few generations into processors that fuse CPU cores with
graphics into a single chip. If the future is mobility - if proper
computing will soon be held in the palm of your hand - surely powerful
desktop computing can be squeezed into a smaller package than ever
before?
That's pretty much the proposition on offer from Intel's
Next Unit of Computing (otherwise known as the NUC). On paper, what it
promises is modern processing power, sophisticated DX11 graphics and
plenty of connectivity in a positively puny package. These are very
small boxes indeed.
It's also worth noting that historical
objections to really small form factor PCs probably no longer apply.
Wireless may be an added extra, but you do get digital video interfaces
and ports to allow for as much external storage as you can eat.
Okay, it isn't as upgradeable as a conventional PC, but the big test is going to be performance.
Specs ops
Intel's
NUC currently comes in two flavours, and both sport an Intel Core
i3-3217U CPU with HD 4000 graphics. It's a 1.8GHz chip with two cores
and HyperThreading for a grand total of four software threads.
We've
got the DC3217BY version, which sports a single HDMI video port, along
with a Thunderbolt socket. This adds a wide range of connectivity
options, even if many are currently somewhat theoretical. Finally, you
also get three external USB 2.0 ports. All of this is packaged in a
shallow little cuboid that measures around 11cm a side and 4cm deep.
What
you don't get is memory, storage or wireless networking - at least not
as standard. You have to add those features yourself.
Then you're
looking at the cost and hassle of installing the operating system of
your choice. For most punters, installing Windows via an optical drive
is bad enough, but the process of creating a bootable USB and loading it
with the correct installation files is a complete non-starter. The same
goes for Intel's bare bones approach. Few will want (or, frankly, be
able) to choose components to complete a functional system.
Benchmarks
Single-thread CPU rendering performance Cinebench R11.5: Points: Higher is better INTEL NUC DC3217BY: 0.74 Multi-thread CPU rendering performance Cinebench 11.5: Points: Higher is better INTEL NUC DC3217BY: 1.82 CPU Video encoding performance x264 v4.0: Frames per second: Higher is better INTEL NUC DC3217BY: 10.4 Graphics rendering performance Heaven, tessellation: Frames per second: Higher is better INTEL NUC DC3217BY: 11 Storage performance AS SSD: Mb/s: Higher is better INTEL NUC DC3217BY: 469 Storage performance AS SSD Incompressible data: Mb/s: Higher is better INTEL NUC DC3217BY: 237
As
a basic proposition, the Intel NUC is attractive, configurable and
optionable Crack it open and you're treated with neat engineering. It's
all very nicely integrated and gives you the feel of a device you'll be
able to open at whim without risk of breakages. But it does have its own
limitations.
The CPU is soldered into the socket. What's more,
your choice of storage solutions are limited to mSATA and mini-PCI
Express. You can't simply slap in any old 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD.
There's no space or standard SATA connection, so the NUC can't offer
lots of cheap internal storage.
The thing is, you realise that it
doesn't actually matter. Solid-state storage is a critical part of
making these puny PCs feel plausible on the desktop. That's apparent the
moment you begin the OS installation process.
Our NUC arrived
fully configured with a fast 180GB Intel 520 series mSATA, so while it
lacked USB 3.0 connectivity, it absolutely tore through the install
process from a USB key. Once complete, it booted into Windows in a
flash. It's every bit the desktop experience.
The NUC's Intel 520 SSD is pretty nippy by any standard - it's as quick as a full-on 2.5-inch 520 Series drive.
Verdict
The
NUC gives us the hots as a general purpose system. With the Intel 520
SSD, it's slick and super responsive to use. And while the Intel HD 4000
graphics fail the fragging test, you do get QuickSync. Within certain
limitations, then, you could even use the NUC to crunch video encodes.
If
you ignore the gaming angle, we only have two real objections to the
NUC. Firstly, it's a bit pricey. By the time you add memory, an SSD and a
mini PCI Express Wi-Fi card you're looking at £400 or thereabouts. The
other disappointment is lack of support for screen resolutions beyond
1,920 x 1,200. It's a niche complaint, perhaps, but we like the idea of
running the NUC with a 27-inch, 2,560 x 1,440 display.
So
you might not have the healing factor of Wolverine, but this does not
mean that you should continue to writhe in pain the next time you suffer
an injury from your endeavors in sport or while you are at work. Well,
the $199.95 Wide Coverage LED Pain Reliever
is something that relies on technology developed by NASA in order to
heal astronauts’ injuries, where it lives up to its name since it can
cover a wide 3.5″-diameter area with the help of 72 LEDs in order to
produce safe infrared heat. That is not the only thing that it does,
however, as it is also capable of stimulating blood circulation,
relieving swelling in joints, and loosening tight muscles.
In fact, in a study at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee,
it depicted the LED technology was successful in reducing painful
inflammation by up to 37%. It is different from heating pads which only
treat injuries that are located just below the skin’s surface, as the
LED light will be able to penetrate deep into tissue for lasting relief
from muscle aches. The device itself can be placed on the skin or 0.25″
above the skin, where it begins to relieve pain in as few as three
treatments. Sporting a brush-shaped design that is lightweight, it is
obviously easy to move around the body and hold in place.
Father’s
Day is just around the corner, so you might want to ensure the entire
family has something special for dad. After all, hasn’t dad busted his
back over all these years to do his level best and provide for the
family? Assuming it is your family tradition to perform a cook-out each
year on Father’s Day, and dad being the main cook of the home as he
makes the best hamburgers, how about a present that he needs not wrap
around his neck (aka the dreaded tie), but rather, the $49.95 Marinade Infusing Meat Tenderizer?
It should be a gizmo that he will appreciate, as this particular meat
tenderizer will be able to infuse food with marinade. This is made
possible thanks to a built-in plunger which will release marinade into
meat through a trio of needle-like applicators, where it will quickly
saturating the interior of food with flavor enhancing ingredients. A
total of 27 seven stainless steel blades would do the job of severing
tough connective tissue, softening the meat in the process. Capable of
holding up to 3 oz. of marinade (which for the kitchen challenged, is
enough to flavor 2 lbs. of flank steak), the tenderizing blades will
feature two depth settings to deliver optimal penetration of thick
roasts or steaks. Not only that, when it goes up and about its job, it
will not alter the meat’s thickness.
A Chinese site says this is the version number of Windows 9 Milestone 1
With Windows 8,
Microsoft tried - not entirely successfully - to make tablets part of a
continuum that goes from number-crunching workstations and high-end
gaming rigs through all-in-one touchscreen media systems and thin-and
light notebooks down to slender touch tablets, all with the same OS,
aiming for the best of both of today's computing worlds. What will it do
for the next version of Windows?
Despite rumours of an aggressive
development and shipping schedule, there's no official word about
what's in the next version of Windows, but there are plenty of rumours
(many of them from Chinese enthusiast sites that claim to have leaked
builds), plus more reliable information from job adverts for the Windows
and Windows Phone teams.
There are also patents, which may or may
not be relevant, and some rare comments from developers on the Windows
team. Here's what we've heard about Windows 9 and what we think is
happening.
Windows more often: Windows 9 and Windows Blue
Job adverts for Windows and Windows Phone and LinkedIn profiles for developers on the Windows Server team all refer to "Windows Blue" in relation to a future version of Windows, Windows Server and Windows Phone.
That's
only a codename and it's a codename not for the specific versions of
these operating systems but for the new development cadence, where
Microsoft puts out new releases of Windows, Windows RT and Windows
Server every year, the way it already does for Windows Phone.
The
next version of Windows is being referred to by Microsoft people who
post their details on LinkedIn as Windows 9; as usual, that will be a
codename that might change.
While still just a codename, Windows 9 has also been referenced by Microsoft in a job posting, spotted by MSFT Kitchen
on 13 March 2013. The ad, for a Bing Software Development Engineer,
says that the team will be delivering products "in areas including
Windows 9, IE11 services integration, touch friendly devices including
iPad and more."
Screenshots claiming to show a leaked build show
the kernel number as Windows 6.3; that just means that Microsoft is
still being careful not to break applications that look for the Windows
version number.
That's why Windows 7 was version 6.1 internally
and Windows 8 is version 6.2; it doesn't mean this is 'only a service
pack'. (What would normally have been Windows 8 SP1 was released through
Windows Update before Windows 8 shipped in October 2012.)
Windows 9 release date
Microsoft communications chief Frank Shaw said Microsoft wasn't ready to talk about how often Windows might come out
when we spoke to him in January, but he agreed "you have certainly seen
across a variety of our products a cadence that looks like that;
Windows Phone is a good for example of that, our services are a good
example of that".
The rumours say Windows 9 will be finished in
July or August 2013; that's a year after the RTM (release to
manufacturing) of Windows 8. We don't know if it will be available to
users straight away through Windows Update or if PC makers will get time
to test and integrate updates for their systems (the RTM version could
go on MSDN (Microsoft's Developer Network Platforms site) in July, giving hardware partners a month to test before release in August).
We
also don't know if Windows 9 will be available as an upgrade from
Windows 7 that you can buy as a standalone product or if you'll have to
have Windows 8 to get the upgrade (which would explain new Windows
business chief Tami Reller talking about "multiple selling seasons" for
Windows 8, as well as rumours that Windows 9 will be either a free
upgrade or part of an upgrade service you can subscribe to).
Microsoft
seems to be on track; rumours say the first milestone, M1, was finished
in mid February, putting the team halfway through the development
cycle, with milestone 2, which may be released publicly as the Milestone
Preview in a few months (perhaps May or June, to incorporate bug fixes
in a July or August release).
Windows 9 features
To be
competitive with iOS Windows RT has to get annual updates and it would
make no sense not to release those updates to the WinRT runtime for
Windows 8 as well, but the job ads say there's more to the next version
of Windows than that with improvements to "the start screen; application
lifecycle; windowing; and personalization… enhancing ease of use and
the overall user experience".
Screenshots claimed to come from
leaked builds show a new version of Internet Explorer, IE 11 (which
isn't surprising - and might explain why IE 10 for Windows 7 has taken so long, if the IE team has been concentrating on this).
Other
rumours say the Search charm will show results from multiple apps
automatically, instead of waiting until you click another app in the
list to see is search results. This would be more like the universal
search in Windows 7 which showed results from Explorer, Outlook and
other search providers in the same list of results. Again, a Chinese site claims this is a leaked version of Windows 9 with IE 11 in
Windows 9 to be cheaper, smaller, with more apps
In the last Microsoft earnings call CFO Peter Klein made it clear that Microsoft has got the message that Windows 8 tablets
need to be cheaper; "we know that our growth depends on our ability to
give customers the exciting hardware they want, at the price-points they
demand."
One of the rumours about Windows Blue is that it will
be optimized to run on 7" and 8" tablets - a form factor where Microsoft
is losing out to Apple and Google right now.
That would explain
rumours saying Windows 9 will improve "scaling"; if apps can be scaled
down automatically, developers won't have to rewrite apps to run on
different resolutions and screen sizes.
Another revealing
Microsoft job advert talks about having Windows Phone and WinRT apps run
on both Windows Phone and Windows. "Do you wish the code you write for
Windows Store apps would just work on the Windows Phone and vice versa?
If so, then this is the role for you! We are the team leading the charge
to bring much of the WinRT API surface and the .NET Windows Store
profile to the Phone."
That sounds like a longer term goal, given
that the job advert was on the Microsoft Careers site at the beginning
of February, and it's being driven by the Windows Phone team (we don't
expect to see the next version of Windows Phone until the autumn), but
it could give developers an incentive to write apps for the Windows
Store and give Windows 9 users more to choose from. Scaling apps to fit
different size screens would help here too.
Windows 9 power management
A
recent Channel 9 video featuring Bruce Worthington, who leads the team
working on Windows power management fundamentals, included some rather
technical details about saving power in Windows and the improvement in
Windows 8.
"If you look at the number of times we would wake up
the CPU per second," he explained, "for Windows 7 you would typically
see numbers on the order of one millisecond. We would literally be
waking up the CPU a thousand times per second. If you look at Windows 8,
on a clean system, we have numbers that are better than a hundred
milliseconds. "
Now that Windows Phone 8 is based on the Windows
Phone kernel, power management has to get better. "Now we're looking
forward to the next release and we can get even farther - especially as
we start interacting more and more with our phone brethren.
"They
want us to be quiet for multiple seconds at a time. They even talk
about minutes in some scenarios which is pretty far afield for us, to be
thinking about minutes of being completely quiet. At least getting into
the multi-second we're definitely ready to think about that."
Especially with Haswell
bringing Connected Standby to Core systems, not just low-power Atom
tablets, saving power looks like a priority for Windows 9 (especially if
it comes out at the same time as Intel's new chips.
"For the next
release there's all kinds of things we've already identified that are
going be quite challenging but at the same time the user is going to get
a tremendous boost forward," Worthington promised.
Windows 9 gestures and experiences
There
are features we predicted for Windows 8 based on Microsoft patents and
technologies we've seen demonstrated by Microsoft leaders like CTO Craig
Mundie that didn't make it into the OS. There are features Microsoft
plans for every version of Windows that get cut to ship on time;
sometimes they reappear, sometimes they don't.
Kinect-based 3D
gestures might be on the cards this time around, especially as we hear
that some notebooks will soon get 3D cameras - although from other
suppliers rather than Microsoft.
Using two cheap webcams rather
than an expensive 3D camera could make gesture recognition hardware
cheap enough for laptops and then you could wave at the screen from a
distance.
And maybe Direct Experience will arrive in Windows 9. The patent
explains this as a way of starting Windows to play media files in a
special purpose operating system and there are improvements in Hyper-V
for Windows Server 8 that Microsoft could use to make Windows 9 work
better for this, like being able to move a virtual machine from one
place to another while it's running.
Maybe that would even work
with the next version of the Xbox - which will be based on the Windows
kernel and is expected to ship in the autumn. Direct Experience would start up a media version of Windows if you booted with a USB stick of music files plugged inOne
obvious question is whether Windows 9 will be 64-bit only - something
that Microsoft threatened even before Windows 7 shipped - but that's
going to depend on what chips are in PCs.
ARM is 32-bit now and
even when 64-bit ARM chips come along Microsoft may want compatibility
with Windows 8 and 9 tablets. And although Intel is talking about 64-bit
Atom systems, if Atom Windows 8 tablets have sold well, Windows 9 will
need to support them.
Create Your Own Smartphone App With Infinite Monkeys – No Coding Knowledge Required
It would be great if we all had the time, skills, and patience to
learn computer coding, especially since technology pervades so many
areas of our life. But thankfully, there are applications and web
developers out there who provide ways for the rest of us to produce apps
with little or no coding skills.
Back in June, I reviewed one such web application called Buzztouch,
which is designed to allow anyone to create their own smartphone
application. Now a similar program has just been released called Infinite Monkeys,
a web-based tool geared toward niche communities who want to share
content on the iPhone and Android platforms. Infinite Monkeys is not as
polished theme wise as Buzztouch, but unlike the latter, Infinite
Monkeys, says the developers, “Is completely web-based, and works on any
computer or tablet device. You never touch the source code and don’t
have to know what it is or how it works.” There are several other
differences that also might make Infinite Monkey more accessible to
non-programmers than Buzztouch. But you’re free to explore both and see
which fits your needs.
Web-based GUI
Infinite Monkeys’ web-based graphic user interface allows users to
incorporate existing web content from social networking sites like
Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, and blogging sites.
These web-based apps of course don’t compare to more advanced apps like Angry Birds,
but they are great for small niche communities and businesses, such as
school associations, sports teams, churches, musicians and restaurants,
who want to share content privately or publicly.
Infinite Monkeys provides three different app platform models,
ranging from free to the pro level version of $499. But for many users,
the free HTML 5 web-based, and ad-supported model should suffice.
Building An App
Infinite Monkey provides a seriously easy step-by-step process for
creating a smartphone app in less than an hour; that is if you have an
ample amount of content already posted on the web.
The great thing about using a web-based platform is that you can
constantly add content and updates to your app via your blog site,
YouTube channel, photo sharing site, etc.
The Infinite Monkey web application uses a familiar drag-and-drop
process. You start off by giving your app a title, followed by choosing a
privacy setting. You can make the app public, or private for closed
community access which will prompt users to enter a password to view
content.
You can of course customize the background image and splash screen, as well as the font colors for the title and other text.
Core Content
The core content of your app consists of primarily news and third-party feeds such as your blog site(s) and specific URLs.
Infinite Monkeys includes additional content models for music and
books, food and beverages, events, sports, reference materials, and
location services such as a map and directions.
With the click of a button you can easily preview your app at any
point in the development process. The online app also includes an
embedded short video tutorial for each of the three part steps and
multifunction tools.
You have poor control over the content of your app, including links
to streaming videos, live chatrooms, shared calendars for upcoming
events, shopping links to recommended products, and tap–t0–call phone
contact information.
Publishing App
The free version of Infinite Monkeys allows you to instantly post
your HTML 5 version immediately to the web so that anyone with a
web-enabled smartphone can access it through the assigned URL.
Since your app is ad-supported, Infinite Monkeys will host it for
free on their server. While it is not nearly as polished as professional
apps that you will find in say the iTunes App Store, it does provide a
way for anyone to get their content into this space.
For other mobile app creation ideas, check out these articles:
Buying Guide Choose the Windows Phone 8 handset that's right for you
The phone your phone could be
When it comes to Windows Phone there's a new player in the starting line up in the form of Windows Phone 8 – Microsoft's latest attempt to make a significant dent in the mobile market.
While
Android and iOS lead the way when it comes to mobile operating systems,
you can draw many similarities between the two which may leave you
feeling like you want some new. A fresh start, a new perspective.
That's exactly what Windows Phone 8 offers with a completely new way of providing you with your smartphone fill.
We've
taken the time to go through all the Windows Phone devices available to
pick out the best ones around and while there's some serious Nokia
dominance in this list a handful of other manufacturers are also getting
in on the action.
1. Nokia Lumia 520
Usually
the number one place in our top lists is claimed by a powerful,
flagship smartphone but as you can see here that's not always the case
will the incredibly affordable Lumia 520 grabbing the "Best Windows
phone" title.
While it may not have a ridiculous amount of power,
super sized screen or market leading camera, what the Lumia 520 does
offer is the perfect smartphone experience on a budget.
It's got a
decent spec sheet for such a keenly priced device with a 1GHz dual-core
processor, 4-inch display, 5MP camera and micro SD card slot to make up
for a small internal storage.
In may not have a front facing snapper or fancy NFC
technology, plus the battery life could better, but for the money
you'll be hard pressed to get something better than the Lumia 520.
All
in all it's cheap and extremely cheerful and if you want to try Windows
Phone 8 but don't want a handset which will break the bank, or your
pocket then the Nokia Lumia 520 is the one you should plump for.
2. Nokia Lumia 920
What's
better than a top Windows Phone 7 handset? A Windows Phone 8 one, and
we've got no qualms about telling you the Lumia 920 is one of the best
Windows Phone out there.
Simplicity is the key here, the Lumia 920
does the basics well, from contact integration and calling, to web
browsing and messaging – oh and it's 4G enabled.
The
8MP camera on the back of the Lumia 920 is one of the best we've used
and for anyone looking to get a top end cameraphone you need to
seriously consider this Nokia.
The 4.5-inch display is also a
good'un, crisp and clear it makes watching movies, surfing the web or
Facebook stalking an enjoyable experience, thanks to the PureMotion HD
technology on offer.
It's major flaw though is its size, so if
you've got delicate hands you may want to side step the weighty Lumia
920 for something a little more manageable - perhaps take a look at the HTC 8X.
Oh and you can even use it with gloves on... what more could you want? You're right: holograms. But they don't exist yet.
3. Nokia Lumia 820
If
you're pockets aren't so deep, or your hands are a little smaller, you
may want to take a look at the Nokia Lumia 820, which still provides you
with the full Windows Phone 8 experience, albeit on a slightly smaller
screen.
The 4.3-inch AMOLED display is still a strong performer, while the camera comes with the Nokia class that we've come to expect.
It
still has the fancy tricks of Lumia 920, including wireless charging,
4G, NFC connectivity, but it also brings changeable covers so your phone
can reflect your mood – exciting times.
There aren't any giant
flaws with the Nokia Lumia 820, and while there may be a couple of minor
niggles they certainly don't get in the way.
4. Samsung Ativ S
The
Samsung Ativ S is one of the unsung heroes of the Windows Phone 8
brigade, a handset which hasn't been thrust into the limelight and while
it may be a little tricky to get hold of you won't be disappointed.
Sporting a similar design to its Android toting brother the Samsung Galaxy S3
the Korean firm works on its winning design formula and breaks away
from the styles employed by the likes of Nokia, HTC and Huawei.
It's
also so light and slim. Given the size of the handset, the weight and
dimensions genuinely surprised us when we picked one up.
With a
4.8-inch display it's already the sort of phone that may poke out of
your pocket, so the skinny design is much appreciated.
A removable
battery and miroSD card slot are welcome bonuses and helps set the Ativ
S apart from the rest of the Windows Phone 8 crowd.
We love our smartphones! They're little buddies that go
everywhere with us, keeping us company on long train rides, boring
meetings, and anytime we wait in line. But you know where they're a bit
of a pain? In bed! Who doesn't want to settle down and watch a video or
play a game while they're waiting for the sandman? But having to hold
your phone and crane your neck while you're laying down doesn't help
matters!
Here's where this gadget comes in! With this adjustable, hands-free
stand for your smartphone, now you can watch and play while you relax!
It works for most smartphones, including iPhones, Android phones,
Windows mobile, Blackberries! The best part: it's super easy to use!
Just slide it between your mattress and box spring, and it's set. Or
find other uses around the house, like with your desk -- great if you
have a habit of spilling your drink all over or keep misplacing your
phone all over the house! Product Specifications
Works with most smartphones including: iPhone/iPod Touch, Android, Windows, Blackberry
Completely hands-free usage! Relax with your device.
Slide under your mattress or seat cushion
Easy to use! No bolts, screws, Velcro, clips, adhesive, or suction cups
Great for Movies, skype, facetime, Digital sheet music, and more
Ever been bummed out when you found a totally awesome speaker dock that only worked for that other
phone? You know, the one you don't have. We know this happens a lot
because every time we post a cool iPhone speaker dock, there are
comments from sad panda Android users. We're with you there, which is
why we were really stoked to find this product.
The Bluewave Bluetooth Audio Receiver is an adapter that converts any
iPhone Speaker Dock into a wireless speaker system compatible with
iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, and more!
You did just read that correctly. Go back and find that iPhone dock that
made you cry, Android friends. You can has nao! After a quick and easy
setup, you'll be able to use that iPhone speaker dock with any Bluetooth
capable smartphone. You don't even need to dock your device: just walk
in range and your tunes will happily blast forth from the speaker dock. Product Specifications
Play your music from any iPhone speaker system
No iPhone required! Works with iPad, iPod, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry
Allows you to use your old dock with the iPhone 5!
All you need is a Bluetooth capable device
Automatically connects when you walk in range
Check email, tweet, and play games while your tunes play
Remote control function right from your device
No need to dock: works totally wirelessly
No hassle design uses a direct connection to the 30-pin iPhone speaker device
Uses Bluetooth Version 2.0+ EDR for high quality audio
The eagle is a symbol of power, courage, and of course, American
pride across the world. Ever wished that you had one of those falcons or
hawks under your care, where they would be able to look out on your
behalf at the same time increase your coolness factor by +1? Well,
rearing an eagle is not all that easy in the first place, and with many
eagles under the endangered species list, you might not get the chance
to do so. Why not get the $359.99 Remote Control Eagle instead?
It does not need any kind of grooming, and neither do you have to
worry about anyone reporting you in for having an endangered species in
your home as a pet. The Remote Control Eagle will be able to soar, glide
and swoop unlike any other kind of remote controlled avian friend you
have ever come across before. Sporting detailed graphical details and a
massive wingspan of 6.5 feet, this is surely an American icon that will
amaze onlookers with its lifelike grace and speed. Hopefully, no other
birds of prey will see it as a rival and get into a fight with it,
because when that happens, you can kiss goodbye to your hard earned
cash. It takes just minutes to assemble the Remote Control Eagle and it
is powered by a rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery.
Sony is certainly serious about making a mark in the Ultrabook
market, and they took the opportunity to make an announcement of the
Sony VAIO Duo 13 slider hybrid Ultrabook at Computex 2013. It is not
Sony’s first foray into the Ultrabook market, and I am pretty sure by
all means that this too, will not be the last either. In a nutshell, you
can say that the VAIO Duo 13 slider hybrid Ultrabook will be able to
offer a multitude of new use solutions thanks to its unique form factor
in addition to delivering accurate and versatile pen solutions.
I guess you can more or less say that
the highlight of the Sony VAIO Duo 13 would be its unique Surf Slider
design which enables one to enjoy a quick and seamless transition
between slate and keyboard modes. For starters, you can slide the screen
back while it is still in slate mode so that the hidden keyboard is
revealed, where it will be accompanied by a touch pad. If you opt to
return it to its original position afterwards, the VAIO Duo 13 will be
in slate mode, where touch and pen manipulation are preferred as the
means of navigation instead.
The Sony VAIO Duo 13 boasts of innovative standby technology which is
touted to deliver its fair share of advantages. For instance, the VAIO
Duo 13’s constant connection to the internet, even when it is in sleep
mode, would allow it to update applications and ensure that your inbox
is always up to date without missing a beat. Not only that, waking up
the VAIO Duo 13 from sleep takes under a second, letting you be a whole
lot more productive than you normally would with other Ultrabooks.
Here we are with yet another couple of Ultrabooks from the good
people over at Sony, with the VAIO Pro 13/11 being announced. These were
claimed by Sony to be the lightest touch capable Ultrabooks in their
respective classes, and I don’t suppose that the clever implementation
and use of carbon fiber for its case had anything to do with such an
“achievement”, hmmm? The touch enabled VAIO Pro 11 would tip the scales
at approximately 870 grams, while the touch enabled VAIO Pro 13 is a wee
bit heavier by weighing down the average scale by a mere 1.060 kg.
Regardless of which particular model you
decide to settle for, the VAIO Pro 13/11 will come with a uni-direction
carbon fiber body and Hexa-shell design that delivers the kind of extra
durability which mobile computers tend to require. Not only that, being
lightweight does not mean that Sony has skimped on quality – no sir, as
the Japanese firm also brings a comfortable typing experience for the
VAIO Pro 13/11 by featuring a wide key pitch and stroke in order to
allow for an extremely natural typing experience. Apart from that, the
VAIO Pro 13/11 will also make use of a unique palm rest that which
gradually merges into the, delivering virtually unrivaled comfort while
typing for hours on end.
Your eyes would also be more than happy to greet the TRILUMINOS
Display, letting you enjoy a wide palette of rich natural colors
courtesy of Sony’s BRAVIA expertise. Merge this with a full HD display
and Sony’s super resolution technology, X-Reality for mobile, and you
can be sure that looking at other displays on rival Ultrabooks that have
a lesser configuration would certainly be a dampener, especially when
your heart swells with pride in picking the right Ultrabook – at least
where visuals are concerned. Both models will be available for purchase
sometime later this month, although pricing details have yet to be
determined.
The BubblePod project is currently over on the Kickstarter website
looking to raise enough pledges to make the jump from concept to
production. So if you think BubblePod is something you could benefit
from, visit the Kickstarter website now to make a pledge and help BubblePod become a reality.
(Credit:
Jason Cipriani/CNET)
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)
(Credit:
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET)
Father’s
Day is just around the corner, so you might want to ensure the entire
family has something special for dad. After all, hasn’t dad busted his
back over all these years to do his level best and provide for the
family? Assuming it is your family tradition to perform a cook-out each
year on Father’s Day, and dad being the main cook of the home as he
makes the best hamburgers, how about a present that he needs not wrap
around his neck (aka the dreaded tie), but rather, the $49.95 Marinade Infusing Meat Tenderizer?
Here we are with yet another couple of Ultrabooks from the good
people over at Sony, with the VAIO Pro 13/11 being announced. These were
claimed by Sony to be the lightest touch capable Ultrabooks in their
respective classes, and I don’t suppose that the clever implementation
and use of carbon fiber for its case had anything to do with such an
“achievement”, hmmm? The touch enabled VAIO Pro 11 would tip the scales
at approximately 870 grams, while the touch enabled VAIO Pro 13 is a wee
bit heavier by weighing down the average scale by a mere 1.060 kg.