Tag Archives: Video

How to Make Money on YouTube in 2024

October 26, 2023 Nir Shein

YouTube is one of the most popular platforms for content creators, influencers, and entrepreneurs. It has over 2 billion monthly active users, and more than 500 hours of video are uploaded every minute. YouTube also offers various ways to monetize your videos, such as ads, memberships, merchandise, and more.

But how can you make money on YouTube in 2024? What are the best strategies, tips, and tools to grow your channel and earn a steady income from your videos? In this blog post, we will answer these questions and share some of the best practices for making money on YouTub.

Choose a niche and target audience

The first step to making money on YouTube is to choose a niche and target audience for your channel. A niche is a specific topic or category that you focus on, such as gaming, beauty, fitness, or education. A target audience is a group of people who are interested in your niche and are likely to watch your videos.

Choosing a niche and target audience will help you create relevant, engaging, and valuable content for your viewers. It will also help you stand out from the competition and attract loyal fans who will support your channel. To choose a niche and target audience, you should:

Research what topics are popular and trending on YouTube
Identify what problems or needs your audience has and how you can solve them
Analyze what other successful channels in your niche are doing and how you can differentiate yourself
Use tools like Google Trends, YouTube Analytics, and Keyword Planner to find keywords and phrases related to your niche

Optimize your channel and videos for SEO

The second step to making money on YouTube is to optimize your channel and videos for SEO (search engine optimization). SEO is the process of improving the visibility and ranking of your channel and videos on YouTube and Google search results. Optimizing your channel and videos for SEO will help you drive more traffic, views, subscribers, and revenue to your channel. To optimize your channel and videos for SEO, you should:

Create a catchy and descriptive channel name and banner
Write a compelling and keyword-rich channel description and about section
Add relevant tags, categories, and playlists to your channel
Use high-quality thumbnails and titles that capture attention and curiosity
Write engaging and keyword-rich video descriptions and tags
Add captions, subtitles, cards, and end screens to your videos
Use tools like VidIQ, TubeBuddy, and Morningfame to optimize your channel and videos for SEO

There are many ways to download YouTube videos, but not all of them are legal or safe. Some methods may violate YouTube’s terms of service, or expose your device to malware or viruses. Here are some of the best and safest ways to download YouTube videos without breaking any rules. Read more: https://technologer.net/how-to-download-youtube-videos

Monetize your channel with YouTube Partner Program

The third step to making money on YouTube is to monetize your channel with YouTube Partner Program (YPP). YPP is the official program that allows you to earn money from ads that are displayed on or before your videos. To join YPP, you need to meet the following requirements:

Have at least 1,000 subscribers
Have at least 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months
Follow YouTube’s policies and guidelines
Have an AdSense account

Once you join YPP, you can choose what types of ads you want to show on your videos, such as skippable ads, non-skippable ads, bumper ads, overlay ads, display ads, or sponsored cards. You can also customize where you want to place the ads on your videos, such as at the beginning, middle, end, or throughout the video.

The amount of money you can make from YPP depends on various factors, such as the number of views, clicks, impressions, watch time, ad type, ad rate, ad quality, viewer location, viewer device, viewer behavior, etc. Generally speaking, the more views and engagement you have on your videos, the more money you can make from YPP.

Diversify your income streams with other monetization options

The fourth step to making money on YouTube is to diversify your income streams with other monetization options. While YPP is the most common way to make money on YouTube,
it is not the only way. There are many other ways to monetize your channel and videos,
such as:

Memberships: You can offer exclusive perks and benefits to your viewers who join your channel as members for a monthly fee.
Merchandise: You can sell branded products such as t-shirts, mugs, hoodies, stickers, etc. to your fans through YouTube’s merch shelf or third-party platforms like Teespring, Spreadshirt, or Merch by Amazon.
Super Chat & Super Stickers: You can enable your viewers to pay for their messages or stickers to be highlighted in your live chat during live streams or premieres.
Channel Memberships: You can offer exclusive perks and benefits to your viewers who join your channel as members for a monthly fee.
Super Thanks: You can enable your viewers to show their appreciation and support for your videos by sending you a one-time tip or donation.
YouTube Premium: You can earn a share of the revenue from YouTube Premium subscribers who watch your videos without ads.
Brand Deals: You can partner with brands and companies to promote their products or services in your videos for a fee or commission.
Affiliate Marketing: You can recommend products or services that are relevant to your niche and audience and earn a commission for every sale or action that is made through your affiliate links.
Courses: You can create and sell online courses that teach your audience something valuable or useful related to your niche.
E-books: You can write and sell e-books that provide in-depth information or guidance on your niche topic.
Patreon: You can create a Patreon page and offer exclusive content and rewards to your patrons who support you with a monthly pledge.

Diversifying your income streams with other monetization options will help you increase your earning potential, reduce your reliance on ads, and build a loyal fan base.

Grow your audience and engagement with social media and email marketing

The fifth and final step to making money on YouTube is to grow your audience and engagement with social media and email marketing. Social media and email marketing are powerful ways to connect with your existing and potential viewers, drive more traffic to your channel, boost your brand awareness, and increase your conversions and sales. To grow your audience and engagement with social media and email marketing, you should:

Create accounts on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc.
Share your videos, behind-the-scenes, teasers, previews, tips, polls, questions, etc. on your social media accounts
Engage with your followers by liking, commenting, replying, following back, etc.
Collaborate with other influencers and creators in your niche or related niches
Use hashtags, keywords, tags, mentions, etc. to increase your visibility and reach
Create a landing page or website for your channel
Build an email list of your subscribers and fans
Send regular newsletters, updates, offers, etc. to your email list
Use tools like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or AWeber to manage your email marketing campaigns

Conclusion

Making money on YouTube in 2024 is not easy, but it is possible if you follow these five steps:

Choose a niche and target audience
Optimize your channel and videos for SEO
Monetize your channel with YouTube Partner Program
Diversify your income streams with other monetization options
Grow your audience and engagement with social media and email marketing

By following these steps, you can create a successful YouTube channel that provides value to your viewers, generates income for you, and allows you to pursue your passion.

We hope you found this blog post helpful and informative. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave them in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow our channels for more tips and tricks on how to make money on YouTube in 2024!

Audio, Video

How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Audio

April 18, 2023 Nir Shein

YouTube is a platform that has revolutionized the way we consume video content. With millions of videos uploaded every day, it’s no wonder that YouTube is one of the most visited sites on the internet. However, sometimes you might want to listen to a particular video’s audio without having to watch the whole thing. This is where converting YouTube videos to MP3 files comes in handy. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of converting YouTube videos to MP3. Whatever your reason, converting YouTube videos to MP3 is a simple and convenient way to get high-quality audio from any YouTube video.

Desktop / Laptop

There are many websites and programs that can help you convert YouTube videos to MP3, but not all of them are safe and reliable. Some of them may be buggy, malicious, or even illegal. In this article, we will show you how to use some of the best and safest YouTube to MP3 converters for desktop and mobile devices.

Before we begin, we need to address a legal issue. You can legally convert and download YouTube videos that are in the public domain or have a Creative Commons license, or if you have permission from the copyright owner. However, you cannot legally convert and download copyrighted videos without permission. This may violate YouTube’s terms of service and result in legal consequences.

So, make sure you only convert and download videos that you are allowed to. Also, make sure you have updated antivirus software on your device to protect yourself from any malicious websites or programs.

Now that we have cleared that up, let’s see how to convert YouTube videos to MP3 on desktop and mobile devices.

How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 on Desktop

There are many desktop programs that can convert YouTube videos to MP3, but we will focus on four of them: Dirpy, Motionbox’s YouTube To MP3, 4K Video Downloader and MediaHuman.

4K Video Downloader (Best overall 🏆)

Here are the steps to follow:

Download and install 4K Video Downloader from the official website.
Copy the URL of the YouTube video you want to convert from your browser.
Launch 4K Video Downloader and click on the “Paste Link” button.
Select “Extract Audio” as the format and choose “MP3” as the quality.
Click on the “Browse” button and choose the destination folder for your converted file.
Click on the “Extract” button and wait for the conversion to finish.

key features that make it stand out from other similar tools:

Download playlists and channels from YouTube and other platforms.
Download subtitles and annotations along with the videos.
Download videos in 4K, 8K, and other resolutions.
Download videos in 3D and 360° formats.
Transfer downloaded files to iTunes automatically.
Apply smart mode settings to all future downloads.

4K Video Downloader offers three plans for different needs and budgets. You can choose from:

Free plan: download up to 30 single videos per day, up to 10 videos per playlist, and up to 5 videos per channel.
Personal plan: pay $15 once and get unlimited downloads, no ads, no watermarks, and premium support for 3 computers.
Pro plan: pay $45 once and get all the features of the personal plan plus channel subscription feature, in-app proxy setup, and future updates for 3 computers.

You can try 4K Video Downloader for free and see how it works for yourself. It is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. Download it today and enjoy your YouTube videos as MP3 files anytime, anywhere.

That’s it! You have successfully converted a YouTube video to MP3 with 4K Video Downloader software. You can now play it on any device or use it for any purpose you want. Enjoy!

Try Video Downloader

YTD Video Downloader

If you want to download and convert Youtube videos to mp3 format, you can use YTD Video Downloader software. Here are the steps to follow:

Download and install YTD Video Downloader from its official website: https://www.ytddownloader.com. The software is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems and supports over 900 websites besides YouTube.
Open the software and click on the “Paste URL” button.
Copy the URL of the Youtube video you want to convert and paste it in the box.
Select “mp3” as the output format from the drop-down menu.
Choose the quality and destination folder for your mp3 file.
Click on the “Download” button and wait for the process to finish.

key features

It supports downloading videos from YouTube and other popular sites like Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion, etc.
It can convert videos to various formats, including MP3, MP4, AVI, WMV, MOV, etc.
It can download multiple videos at once and resume interrupted downloads.
It can automatically add the downloaded videos to your iTunes library and sync them with your devices.
It has a built-in video player that lets you preview and play the downloaded videos.
It has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy to use for anyone.

Plans and packages:

YTD Video Downloader offers two plans: a free version and a pro version. The free version allows you to download and convert videos up to 30 minutes long, but it has some limitations such as ads, slower speed, and no batch downloads. The pro version costs $29.90 per year and removes all the limitations of the free version. It also offers some extra features such as faster speed, no ads, batch downloads, priority support, and more.

You can now enjoy your mp3 file on any device or player. YTD Video Downloader is a fast and easy way to convert Youtube videos to mp3 format.

TRY YTD

SnapDownloader

If you want to download YouTube videos as mp3 files, you can use SnapDownloader YouTube to Mp3, a free and easy-to-use tool that lets you convert any YouTube video to mp3 format in a few clicks. Here are the steps to follow:

Download and install SnapDownloader YouTube to Mp3 from its official website.
Copy the URL of the YouTube video that you want to convert to mp3.
Paste the URL into the search box of SnapDownloader YouTube to Mp3 and click on the Search button.
Select the mp3 format from the list of available formats and choose the quality that you prefer.
Click on the Download button and wait for the conversion to finish.
Enjoy your mp3 file!

SnapDownloader is not only a YouTube to MP3 converter, but also a video downloader that can download videos in up to 8K resolution and VR formats. It also has a video trimmer feature that lets you cut any part of the video before downloading it. Moreover, it has a schedule downloads feature that allows you to set a date and time for your downloads to start automatically.

Plans: SnapDownloader offers a free trial version that lets you download two videos per day for 24 hours. If you want to unlock all the features and enjoy unlimited downloads, you can purchase a lifetime license for $19.99 or a yearly license for $9.99. Both plans come with free updates and customer support.

SnapDownloader is a powerful and easy-to-use tool that can help you convert YouTube videos to MP3 in no time. Whether you want to listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, or lectures offline, SnapDownloader can handle any video and audio conversion task with ease.

TRY SnapDownloader

Dirpy

Dirpy is a website that lets you convert YouTube videos to MP3 in high quality (up to 320 kbps). It also lets you edit the ID3 tag data of the audio file, such as the title, artist, album, genre, etc. Here’s how to use Dirpy:

Go to the YouTube video you want to convert and copy its URL from the address bar.
Go to Dirpy and paste the URL into the search field. Then click the Dirpy button.
You will see various details about the video, such as the name, duration, ID3 tag data, etc. You can edit them if you want.
In the Record Audio section on the right, set the format to mp3 and set the quality to 320 kbps (or lower if you want smaller files).
Click Record Audio and you will be prompted to save the MP3 file to your computer.

Motionbox’s YouTube To MP3

Motionbox’s YouTube To MP3 is another website that lets you convert YouTube videos to MP3 in different formats and qualities. You can also use it to convert videos into other audio formats, such as FLAC, OGG, AAC, and WAV. Here’s how to use Motionbox’s YouTube To MP3:

Go to Motionbox and make sure the conversion option is set to MP3.
Paste the URL of the YouTube video you want to convert in the appropriate field.
After the conversion, a mini audio player will appear. Click the three dots and choose Download to save the file.
You can also choose Share if you want to send the file via email or social media.

MediaHuman

MediaHuman is a desktop program that lets you convert YouTube videos to MP3 in bulk. You can download multiple videos at once and choose different quality settings for each one. You can also use it to download playlists and channels from YouTube. Here’s how to use MediaHuman:

Download and install MediaHuman.
Launch MediaHuman and click the Paste URL button on the toolbar.
Go to the YouTube video you want to convert and copy its URL from the address bar.
The video will be added to MediaHuman’s download queue. You can repeat this step for as many videos as you want.
To change the quality settings for each video, click the gear icon next to it and choose Preferences.
To start converting and downloading all the videos in the queue, click Start All on the toolbar.
The converted MP3 files will be saved in your Music folder by default. You can change this location in MediaHuman’s settings.

Alternatively, you can use the following steps:

Step 1: Choose a YouTube video

The first step is to choose a YouTube video that you want to convert to MP3. You can use the search function on YouTube to find the video you want. Once you’ve found the video, copy the video’s URL from the address bar at the top of your browser.

Step 2: Choose a YouTube to MP3 converter

YTMP3: This website allows you to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or MP4 with high quality. You just have to paste the URL of the video and click on convert. Then you can download the file or save it to Dropbox. YTMP3 is free and ad-free, but it has a limit of one hour per video. YTMP3 works on any device and browser and you can access it from their website.
OnlineVideoConverter: This website allows you to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other audio formats like AAC, OGG, M4A, etc. You can also choose the quality and bitrate of the conversion. You just have to paste the URL of the video or upload a file from your device and click on start. Then you can download the file or scan a QR code to transfer it to your device. OnlineVideoConverter is free and ad-supported, but it has no limit on video length or number of conversions. OnlineVideoConverter works on any device and browser and you can access it from their website.
2Conv: This website allows you to convert YouTube videos to MP3 or other audio formats like WMA, WAV, FLAC, etc. You can also choose the quality of the conversion. You just have to paste the URL of the video and click on convert. Then you can download the file or send it by email. 2Conv is free and ad-supported, but it has a limit of two hours per video. 2Conv works on any device and browser.

Step 3: Paste the video URL

Once you’ve chosen a converter, paste the YouTube video URL into the converter’s search bar. Some converters may require you to select the video format or quality before conversion. Make sure to select MP3 as the output format.

Step 4: Convert the video

After pasting the video URL and selecting the MP3 format, click on the convert button to start the conversion process. Depending on the length of the video, it may take a few minutes for the conversion to complete.

Step 5: Download the MP3 file

Once the conversion is complete, you’ll be given the option to download the MP3 file to your device. Click on the download button to save the file to your computer or smartphone. Some converters may also allow you to send the file directly to your email or cloud storage.

How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 on Mobile

One of the easiest ways to convert YouTube videos to MP3 on your mobile phone is to use a dedicated app that does the job for you. There are many apps available for both Android and iOS devices that can download and convert YouTube videos to MP3 in a few steps. Here are some examples of such apps:

SnapTube: This app allows you to download videos and music from YouTube and other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. You can choose the quality and format of the download, including MP3. You can also manage your downloads and play them offline within the app. SnapTube is free and ad-supported, but you can upgrade to a premium version to remove ads and unlock more features. SnapTube is only available for Android devices and you have to download it from its official website.
YMusic: This app is designed to play YouTube videos as audio files without downloading them. You can also download videos as MP3 or other audio formats with different quality options. You can also browse YouTube within the app and create playlists. YMusic is free and ad-free, but you can donate to support the developer. YMusic is only available for Android devices and you have to download it from its official website.
Documents by Readdle: This app is a file manager that also has a built-in browser and downloader. You can use it to access YouTube and other websites and download videos as MP3 or other formats. You can also transfer files between your device and cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. Documents by Readdle is free and ad-free, but you can purchase additional features like PDF editor, VPN, etc. Documents by Readdle is only available for iOS devices and you can download it from the App Store.
Other options include Kapwing or Ringtone Maker.

To use any of these apps, you just have to follow these general steps:

Install the app on your device and open it.
Search for the YouTube video that you want to convert to MP3 or paste its URL in the app.
Select the download option and choose MP3 as the format and the quality that you prefer.
Wait for the download to finish and enjoy your MP3 file offline.

In conclusion, converting YouTube videos to MP3 is a simple process that can be done with the help of online converters. Just make sure to choose a reliable converter and be cautious of any potential copyright violations. Also, please respect the rights and interests of the original creators and do not use their content for commercial purposes or without their permission. With these steps, you can enjoy your favorite YouTube content as audio files on your devices.

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Disclosure: Please note that we may receive affiliate compensation for some of the links below, at no expense to you, should you decide to purchase a paid plan. This blog does not provide financial advice, it is purely for entertainment and fun.

Video

How To Download YouTube Videos for PC, Mac and Mobile (2024)

April 13, 2023 Nir Shein

YouTube is one of the most popular platforms for watching and sharing videos online. But sometimes you may want to download a video to watch it offline, or to save it for later. How can you do that?

There are many ways to download YouTube videos, but not all of them are legal or safe. Some methods may violate YouTube’s terms of service, or expose your device to malware or viruses. In this blog post, we will show you some of the best and safest ways to download YouTube videos without breaking any rules.

Method 1: Use YouTube Premium

The easiest and most official way to download YouTube videos is to use YouTube Premium. This is a paid subscription service that lets you watch videos ad-free, play them in the background, and download them for offline viewing. You can also download videos from YouTube Music and YouTube Kids.

To use YouTube Premium, you need to sign up for a monthly plan that costs $9.99 in the US, or equivalent in other countries. You can also get a free trial for one month if you are a new user.

Once you have YouTube Premium, you can download any video that is available for offline viewing. To do that, just follow these steps:

Open the YouTube app on your device and find the video you want to download.
Tap on the Download button below the video player. You can choose the quality of the video from low, medium, or high.
Wait for the video to finish downloading. You can see the progress on the Downloads tab in the Library section of the app.
To watch the downloaded video, go to the Downloads tab and tap on the video. You can watch it without an internet connection for up to 48 hours. After that, you need to reconnect to the internet to verify your subscription and renew the download.

Method 2: Use a Third-Party App or Website

Another way to download YouTube videos is to use a third-party app or website that allows you to do that. There are many such apps and websites available online, but you need to be careful when using them. Some of them may not be trustworthy, or may contain ads or malware that can harm your device. Also, some of them may violate YouTube’s terms of service, which prohibit downloading videos without permission from the owner.

If you decide to use a third-party app or website, make sure you do some research before downloading or installing anything. Check the reviews and ratings of the app or website, and look for any red flags or complaints from other users. Also, make sure you have a good antivirus software on your device to protect it from any potential threats.

One of the most popular and reliable third-party apps for downloading YouTube videos is 4K Video Downloader. This is a free software that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It allows you to download videos in various formats and resolutions, including 4K and 8K. It also supports downloading playlists, channels, subtitles, and 3D videos.

To use 4K Video Downloader, you need to follow these steps:

Download and install 4K Video Downloader from its official website: https://www.4kdownload.com/products/product-videodownloader
Open the YouTube app or website on your device and find the video you want to download.
Copy the URL of the video from the address bar or by tapping on the Share button.
Open 4K Video Downloader and click on the Paste Link button at the top left corner.
Choose the format and quality of the video from the pop-up window. You can also select whether you want to download subtitles or not.
Click on the Download button and wait for the video to finish downloading. You can see the progress on the main window of 4K Video Downloader.
To watch the downloaded video, go to the folder where you saved it and open it with your preferred media player.

Try Video Downloader

Alternatively, if you want to download a YouTube video for personal use or educational purposes, you can go to a YouTube video downloader website, such as Y2mate.com, SaveFrom.net, or ClipConverter and follow these steps:

Find the video you want to download on YouTube.
Copy the video’s URL from the address bar.
Go to a YouTube video downloader website, as mentioned above.
Paste the video’s URL into the downloader’s search bar.
Select the desired video quality and format.
Click the download button and wait for the video to finish downloading.

It’s important to note that downloading copyrighted material from YouTube without permission is illegal and may result in legal consequences. Additionally, some videos may have restrictions that prevent them from being downloaded.

Conclusion

Downloading YouTube videos can be useful for many reasons, but you need to be careful when doing so. Always respect the rights of the video owners and follow YouTube’s terms of service. Also, make sure you use a safe and reliable method to download videos without risking your device’s security.

We hope this blog post has helped you learn how to download YouTube videos in a legal and safe way. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.

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Accessories, Video

Best Webcams of 2024: Top Models and Buying Advice

April 3, 2023 Nir Shein

Webcams are essential devices for many people who work, study, or socialize online. Whether you need a webcam for video conferencing, streaming, gaming, or recording, you want a device that can deliver high-quality video and audio, as well as features that suit your needs and preferences. In this article, we will review some of the best webcams that are expected to hit the market in 2024, based on their specifications, performance, design, and price.

Logitech Brio 500

This is the successor of the popular Logitech Brio 4K, which is one of the best webcams for 2022.

If you are looking for the latest and greatest high-quality webcam that can capture stunning 4K video, you might want to check out the Logitech Brio 500. This webcam is one of the best on the market, offering a range of features that make it ideal for video conferencing, streaming, or recording.

The Logitech Brio 500 has a premium glass lens that can deliver crisp and clear images in any lighting condition. It also has a wide 90-degree field of view that can capture more of your surroundings. You can adjust the zoom, pan, and tilt of the camera using the Logitech Camera Settings app. The webcam also supports Windows Hello facial recognition, which allows you to log in to your device with just a glance.

One of the most impressive features of the Logitech Brio 500 is its ability to record and stream in 4K resolution at 30 frames per second. This means you can enjoy ultra-high-definition video that looks realistic and lifelike. You can also choose to record or stream in lower resolutions, such as 1080p or 720p, at higher frame rates, such as 60 or 90 fps. The webcam also has HDR technology that can enhance the contrast and color of your video.

The Logitech Brio 500 also has a built-in dual microphone system that can capture natural and clear audio. The microphones have noise-canceling technology that can filter out background noise and focus on your voice. You can also use an external microphone if you prefer.

The Logitech Brio 500 is compatible with most popular video platforms and applications, such as Zoom, Skype, OBS, XSplit, and more. It works with Windows, Mac, Chrome OS, and Linux operating systems. It connects to your device via a USB 3.0 cable that supports data transfer and power delivery.

The Logitech Brio 500 is a webcam that can elevate your video experience to the next level. It is easy to set up and use, and it offers amazing performance and quality. If you are interested in buying this webcam, you can find it on Amazon for $199.99.

View at Amazon

Microsoft Modern Webcam

This is a new webcam from Microsoft that aims to provide a simple and affordable solution for video calls. The Microsoft Modern Webcam has a sleek and minimalist design that can be attached to any monitor or laptop. It offers 1080p resolution at 30 fps, with True Look technology that enhances color, brightness, and skin tone. It also has a noise-canceling microphone and a physical shutter for privacy. The Microsoft Modern Webcam is compatible with Windows 10 and Mac OS, and works with Skype, Teams, Zoom, and other apps. It is expected to cost around $70.

View at Amazon

Insta360 Link

If you are looking for a webcam that can do more than just capture your face, you might want to check out the Insta360 Link. This is a new AI-powered 4K webcam that offers a range of features and modes to enhance your video calls, live streams and presentations.

The Insta360 Link is not your typical webcam. It has a gimbal head that can rotate and tilt to capture different angles and perspectives. It also uses Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF) to focus faster and more accurately than other webcams, and auto exposure to keep the video natural and balanced.

One of the most innovative features of the Insta360 Link is its AI technology that can automatically adjust the video according to your needs. For example, you can use the DeskView mode to show your tabletop when you are presenting something during a video call. The webcam will zoom in and out to fit your workspace and keep it in focus.

Another mode that is useful for online classes and work presentations is the Whiteboard mode. This mode can enhance your whiteboard or any other flat surface by squaring it off and making it clearer for your audience. You can also use the Overhead mode to capture a bird’s-eye view of your activity, such as unboxing a product, playing piano or sketching a floor plan.

If you are into live streaming or social media, you will appreciate the Portrait mode of the Insta360 Link. This mode allows you to shoot in 9:16 aspect ratio by rotating the gimbal head, which is ideal for mobile phone viewing. You can also use the webcam with universal accessories, thanks to its built-in 1/4″ mounting point.

The Insta360 Link is a versatile and powerful webcam that can help you communicate better than ever. It is compatible with Windows and Mac computers, and supports various video platforms such as Zoom, Skype, OBS, YouTube and Facebook. You can buy it from the official website for $299.99.

View at Amazon

Elgato Facecam Pro

This is the successor of the popular Elgato Facecam – 1080p60.

If you are looking for a new high-quality webcam for your streaming or video conferencing needs, you might want to check out the Elgato Facecam Pro 4K. This webcam offers a stunning 4K resolution at 30 frames per second, with a wide-angle lens and a Sony Starvis sensor that delivers crisp and clear images in any lighting condition. The Elgato Facecam Pro 4K also features a built-in microphone with noise cancellation, a privacy shutter, and a flexible stand that can be mounted on any monitor or tripod. You can also customize your settings and preferences using the Elgato Camera Hub software, which lets you adjust the exposure, white balance, zoom, and more. The Elgato Facecam Pro 4K is compatible with Windows and Mac OS, and works with popular apps like OBS Studio, Zoom, Skype, and Discord. Whether you are a professional streamer, a casual gamer, or a remote worker, the Elgato Facecam Pro 4K can help you elevate your online presence and communication. The Facecam Pro is listed online for $299.99.

View at Corsair

These are some of the best webcams for 2024 that you can look forward to buying. Depending on your budget and needs, you can choose from these options or explore other models that may suit you better. Webcams are not only useful devices but also fun gadgets that can enhance your online experience.

Also Read: Best Gaming Headsets | Best Gaming Laptops | Best External Drives | Best Gaming Keyboards

How to choose a webcam

Here are some tips and factors to consider when buying a webcam:

Resolution: The resolution of a webcam refers to the number of pixels that it can capture and display. The higher the resolution, the sharper and clearer the image quality. However, higher resolution also means more bandwidth and storage requirements, so you need to balance your needs and resources. The standard resolution for webcams is 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels), which is suitable for most purposes. However, if you want to stream or record in 4K (3840 x 2160 pixels) or higher, you will need a more powerful webcam and computer.
Frame rate: The frame rate of a webcam refers to the number of frames that it can capture and display per second. The higher the frame rate, the smoother and more realistic the motion quality. However, higher frame rate also means more bandwidth and processing power requirements, so you need to balance your needs and resources. The standard frame rate for webcams is 30 fps (frames per second), which is sufficient for most purposes. However, if you want to stream or record fast-paced or action-packed scenes, you may want to opt for a webcam that can support 60 fps or higher.
Autofocus: Autofocus is a feature that allows the webcam to automatically adjust its focus based on the distance and movement of the subject. This is useful for ensuring that you always appear sharp and clear on the screen, without having to manually adjust the focus. However, autofocus can also cause some problems, such as losing focus when there are multiple subjects or objects in the frame, or when there is low light or glare. Therefore, you may want to look for a webcam that has an option to turn off autofocus and use manual focus instead.
Microphone: A microphone is a device that captures and transmits sound. Most webcams have built-in microphones, which are convenient and cost-effective. However, built-in microphones may not have the best sound quality or noise cancellation features, which can affect your audio clarity and quality. Therefore, you may want to consider using an external microphone or headset instead of relying on your webcam’s microphone.
Lighting: Lighting is a key factor that affects the image quality of your webcam. Poor lighting can result in dark, grainy, or washed-out images, which can reduce your visibility and professionalism. Therefore, you should always try to use natural or artificial lighting sources that are bright and even, and avoid backlighting or direct sunlight that can cause glare or shadows. You can also use a ring light or a lamp that attaches to your webcam or monitor to enhance your lighting.
Compatibility: Compatibility refers to the ability of your webcam to work with your computer and software. You should always check the specifications and requirements of your webcam before buying it, and make sure that it is compatible with your operating system, processor, memory, graphics card, USB port, and internet connection. You should also check if your webcam supports the software or platform that you intend to use it for, such as Zoom, Skype, OBS Studio, Twitch, YouTube, etc.
Price: Price is another important factor that affects your choice of a webcam. Webcams vary in price depending on their features and quality. You should always set a budget and compare different models and brands before making a purchase decision. You should also look for discounts, deals, coupons, or reviews that can help you save money and get the best value for your money.

These are some of the tips and factors that can help you choose a webcam in 2024. We hope that this blog post has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.

—

Video

5 Great Tips for Starting a YouTube Channel at Home

September 19, 2019 Technologer

Whether you’re looking to connect with other like-minded people, grow an audience as a career, or just want to express yourself with something you’re passionate about, starting your own YouTube channel can be one of the best ways to move forward. We live in an age of content, and it’s not surprising you might want to try the path out for yourself.

However, getting started with your own YouTube channel is no easy feat, and while a lot of creating content is trial and error to see what works and what doesn’t, today we’re going to explore the top five tips you need to know to get off to the best start.

Get the Essentials

The amazing thing about YouTube is the fact that anybody can do it. All you need at a real basic level is a camera and a microphone. When you’re starting out, even just an iPhone or smartphone will be enough, but there are a few pieces of basic equipment that can help you improve your quality from the word ‘go.’

Things like gimbal stabilizers, tripods, external microphones, lenses, decent lighting equipment, and memory cards are all fantastic things that will help you make content easier. Don’t forget you’re also going to need some form of video editing equipment!

Provide Valuable Content

When you’re going through your content during the editing process, you need to make sure every single second of content is providing value to your viewers. You might spend days, weeks, or even months creating and recording content, but if it doesn’t fit into the final cut, don’t put it in or try and force it. Create a plan you can follow.

The idea of creating content is the fact that you enjoy yourself, and you keep your viewers engaged in what you have to offer. Of course, if your style is to be all over the place, that’s also fine!

Quality Audio is Key

So many YouTubers starting out will focus on making sure their video is the highest possible quality, and everything looks as good as it can be. However, it’s important to remember that the audio is just as, if not more, important. If people can’t hear what you’re saying and can’t listen to your ideas, they’re not going to be able to connect with you.

Whether you need to invest in a proper microphone or learn how to sound proof a room, there are plenty of ways to improve the quality of your audio easily. Again, just keep it in mind as you’re creating content!

Start Small, Build Up

Just because you’ve started making content, you don’t need to splash on expensive equipment and fancy editing software that costs thousands of dollars. Start small with free software and experiment. Get to know the features and what it can do, and slowly build yourself up over time. This will help you learn the skills you need, rather than overwhelming yourself too quickly.

Use Other Social Media Channels

Just because you’re on YouTube, doesn’t mean you need to just stay on YouTube. Instead, start a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram account to work alongside your YouTube channel. You can create other content throughout your day, and it will help you grow and interact with your audience, only resulting in more loyal viewers.

Summary

Whereas you can follow these tips to help you successfully get started on YouTube with your own channel, it’s important to remember that everyone’s journey is different, and you’ll need to think outside the box and, most importantly, be yourself!

Hardware, Video

5 Reasons Why Businesses need Security Camera Systems

July 21, 2016 Technologer 2 Comments

Don’t have any security cameras installed at your office or places related to business? If yes, think again! From strengthening safety, cross checking the stock, deterring criminals to increasing productivity –a complete surveillance system is good for real! And moreover, a business owner needs to have eyes at each and every corner of his place.

To further convince you with the benefits of an HD security system, we have listed down 5 reasons as to why businesses need to install them.

1) Discourage Internal & External Theft

Every business whether big or small, is always under a risk of burglary and crime. And, this threat is augmented when you have employees that could add up to the list.

It would first appear shocking to hear that approximately 50 billion dollars are lost each year just because of employee theft. Such crime incapacitates small businesses. In fact, employee theft becomes the sole reason for almost 33% of the businesses to go bankrupt.

This is where you can make a huge difference to your bottom line. Install an HD security camera to curb employee theft today. A professional product like an Ultra HD system will eliminate all the blind spots, deter criminals and burglars and stamp out employee theft.

2) Boost Productivity and Profits

When you hadn’t established your business (and probably was working for someone else) you must have come across the phrase “It’s time to play, when the boss is away”. And if you try to remember more vividly, no one ever dared to take unnecessary breaks from their work when the boss was watching over. Today, your employees might be doing the same to you!!!

If you require a set of extra eyes, an HD IP security camera can really prove its worth. You can remotely view all the nooks and corners of your office with the help of free mobile apps and software provided with such systems. All you need to have is a smart phone, tablet, or computer with working internet connection.

3) Protect Private and Sensitive Areas

Every business has some “restricted-access areas”. To prevent illegal entry to these off –limit areas, getting help from sleepless eyes of a night vision security camera is a wise decision. The discrete look of an IP security camera is good to trick would-be burglars and force them to think twice before committing any crime.

There are many unscrupulous individuals who leak out trade secrets or even worse, sale them for their own benefits. Every business owner should take a proactive action to protect his/her business against this trade secret theft. For that, they might get help from a professional surveillance firm to evaluate their premises and take necessary actions to protect it.

4) Increase Customer Satisfaction

If your customers are satisfied with your services and products, they’ll come back over and over again. Thus, they should be catered exclusively. But, you can’t be there all the times to welcome them. What you can do is, keep an eye on your employees to know how they are behaving with your customers. This will obviously help in increasing the customer retention.

Video surveillance can also help you find out the products that you sell the most and then, accordingly you can develop your marketing strategies.

5) Protect Yourself from False Liability Law Suits

Best systems, such as Ultra HD surveillance systems, can even help solve legal/official issues to an extent. Property management firms could be the ones that can be benefited because they have to handle piles and piles of claims. Now, to curb false claims out of the pile, firm may install a cctv camera and be ready with a video proof for any and every ambiguous event.

Storage space is the next thing to be kept in mind. A crafty lawyer is well aware of the fact that after a certain period of time, data gets overwritten thereby eliminating proofs, if any. But, a system with unlimited data storage allows you to revisit the frames of any time in the past. This will surely give you the much required mental peace.

Conclusion
Clearly, there are many benefits of installing a complete system for your business. You can sleep easy when you know there are prying eyes to take care of your hard earned assets and establishments.

So, what are you waiting for? Go and get your system today!

__________________________

Author Bio: Rohan Sharma is a gadget wizard, an active blogger, and an eminent speaker. With more than 10 years of experience to his credit, Rohan has always been a pertinent contributor to the security industry. He is closely associated with Revo America, a well renowned security products manufacturer and retailer. Needless to say, Rohan boasts for paramount and credible products only, with Revo’s being his favorite.

Video

The Future Of Video And How Powerful It’s Gonna Be

May 31, 2016 Technologer

All the statistics that surround video as a medium tell us that it is the future and brands not engaged in video or planning to implement it are seriously setting themselves up to fail. Here is an example. By 2019, it would take one person in excess of five million years to watch the volume of video that will be crossing global IP networks every month by then. Here is another. In three years, consumer internet video traffic will make up 80% of all consumer internet traffic on a global scale.

It is not just brands and companies that are noticing. Consumers love video and they also love to hate it when it’s done badly. Let’s take this example. More than three in every four consumers say that they have bought a product or service after watching a video. The flipside is, if it is a bad quality explainer video, consumers will let you know as it turns them off making a purchase entirely. Other elements that put consumers off include how long a video is, bad animation and unclear explanations of the product or service.

For a more detailed analysis of the power of video and where it will lead us in the future, see this infographic created by the people over at One Productions.

Hardware, Video

REVIEW: SpotCam HD 720P WiFi Security Camera With Free Cloud Storage

January 14, 2016 Technologer

Home monitoring solutions have helped to curb crime levels by a significant amount. However, a lot still remains to be done before the battle against criminal activities can won completely. There are many home monitoring solutions that are available on the market thereby making it hard for customers to choose their preferred surveillance system easily. Today, a good number of householders and business setups are currently using Wi-Fi cameras to monitor the happenings at their premises of residence. However, the use of Wi-Fi cameras based on physical servers is common today. Based on this, it is a good idea to switch to cloud based Wi-Fi cameras. There are numerous features that make such systems worth going for.

Stay connected anytime on any device. Smart phone, tablet, laptop, or PC. Receive alerts by email or mobile APP, and watch real-time video whenever you are connected to the internet.

Smart phone, tablet, laptop, or PC. Receive alerts by email or mobile app, and watch real-time video whenever you are connected to the internet.

Easily setup in a matter of seconds. Setup SpotCam is as easy as setup your mobile phone, yes, there is no setup.

Connect your SpotCam to WiFi and apply an account on MySpotCam.com, then you are ready to go!

Setup can be done easily with PC/Laptop/Mobile/Tablet.

View it now and save for later.

Choose our NVR plan to store video and review video footage as long as 30 days after it happens. Server is no longer required when you are using SpotCam.

Easily setup in a matter of seconds. Setting up SpotCam easy. Connect your SpotCam to WiFi, apply an account on MySpotCam.com, then you are ready to go!

Setup can be done easily with PC/Laptop/Mobile/Tablet…

View it now and save for later. Choose a cloud NVR plan to store video and review video footage as long as 30 days after it happens. A server is no longer required when you are using SpotCam.

Camera Spec

Dimensions: Bracket Ф 7.5cm

Body Ф 4.8cm × 14.8cm

Weight: 198g

Power Input: 12V,1A

Video: Up to 720P HD (1280×720) at 30 frame/sec

Streaming: H.264 encoding

Field of View: 110 degrees (diagonal)

Audio: Speaker and microphone

Night Vision: 12 High-power IR LEDs

Warranty: One-year

Operating Temperature: 0°C – 50°C, designed for indoor use

Live video streaming

If you want to enjoy unlimited access to the videos that are being captured by your surveillance camera, you can take advantage of cloud based Wi-Fi cameras. You can say bye to restricted access to surveillance videos. Enjoy live streaming of videos in HD. You can use any online systems to do this provided it is compatible with the camera. The system requires any internet connection that is sound enough to facilitate the live streaming of surveillance videos. This feature can enable you to monitor your home while you are out engaging in other important life activities.

Gain access to the footage from anywhere in the world

If you want to gain access to the camera videos from anywhere in the world, you can do well to upgrade to the cloud based systems. Thanks to these systems, home monitoring has never been easier. You can enjoy unlimited access to camera footage from anywhere in the world. This feature can enable you to easily monitor the security status of your home as often as the need arises.

Cameras compatible with almost any device

In order to access camera footage, you will need to use any compatible device. With this surveillance camera, you will be free to use any device provided it has a live streaming feature. You can use devices such as smartphones, tablets, PCs and any other compatible device. Today, there are also smart watches which have a live streaming feature. Such watches can also be synchronised with the camera and used to view security footage.

Use of electric cables not appropriate

If you are using the cloud based Wi-Fi camera, you will be free to enjoy wireless connections from the camera to the audio-visual system of your choice. You simply need to setup the Wi-Fi connections to be in a position to interface between the camera and the audio-visual system of your choice.

Highly resistant to extreme weather conditions

The Wi-Fi cloud based surveillance cameras are designed to withstand any kind of harsh weather conditions. You can still enjoy unlimited home security surveillance irrespective of the prevailing weather conditions. The cameras are designed to withstand water, strong winds and any form of precipitation.

General, Video

How To Choose Your Next TV

November 20, 2015 Technologer

With so many options out there, and technology that changes so fast, it is easy to get overwhelmed by all of the choices. In this article, We’ll give you advice for deciding on the best TV for you to purchase.

There are three things to look out for when deciding on your next TV set, and those are:

3D
size
internet connectivity.

In addition to that, with so many 1080p and 4K TVs, and now UHD TVs, choosing the right size TV is more difficult than ever before. You also need to consider the size and weight of the TV very closely. However, no matter what television set you have, you can enhance it with Direct TV for your home to get the most out of your viewing experience. Conversely, you must select a package keeping in mind the kind of television set you have. For example, there is no point in paying for 4K content if you do not have a television that can display such such quality.

With older big screen TVs, the clarity was lost the closer you got to them. Now, technology has advanced so that high-definition big-screen TVs look just as good or better close up. Screen sizes are getting bigger and bigger. Now you can get good deals on TVs as large as 90 inches with HD, and 110 inches with UHD. Consider one of these if you have an extremely large living space to take full advantage of what they have to offer. You’ll also need a pretty large bank account though.

How Do You Measure Up?

Break out the tape measure before you head to the electronics store. You need to know just how big a TV your living space can accommodate before you make a choice. Keep in mind that televisions are measured diagonally, so even a couple of inches can make a large difference in terms of both height and width.

Measuring before you go shopping will also help you in keeping perspective. It is very difficult to guess which TV will work best when you are faced with an entire wall of them if you have no numbers in hand. When you approach things in this manner, you are less likely to make a mistake.

In most cases, a bigger screen is better, as very few people spend a lot of time wishing they were watching a smaller screen.

Weight

You need to know if you want to mount your TV, or place it on a stand. If you are planning on putting it on a stand, you need to know how much surface area you have on the stand, and must be sure that it can support the weight of any TV you have in mind.

If you want the TV mounted on your wall, there are several other factors you must take into account. You must have a wall mount that is strong enough to support the weight of any TV you are considering. That mount may also need the wall mount to be anchored to studs in your wall. The last thing you need is your your expensive new TV to fall and break because your drywall gives way.

In general, you can expect most flat screens to weigh around 45 pounds. That number can increase with larger screens and display size. Edge-lit LEDs are the lightest, around 25 pounds, while UHD displays will add more weight to the equation.

Take all of these factors into account when you go shopping for a new TV. There is a number of options out there which is why it is important to act wise.

[Image by Adrian Black via Flickr http://flic.kr/p/5ggqca]

General, Video

NASA GoPro Footage Brings You One Hour Long of Incredible Spacewalk

April 12, 2015 Nir Shein

Have you ever wondered how fun it would be to perform a spacewalk from a Space Shuttle? Well, thanks to NASA and their amazing team of scientists, engineers, and fearless astronauts who were busy conducting different ExtraVehicular Activities (EVA) outside of the International Space Station back in February, you finally can.

As it turns out, the astronauts on the ISS were wearing GoPro cameras on their special suits to provide some amazing video footage as well as additional images from their EVA 30 and 31 missions.

Below, is the stunningly beautiful video result featuring astronaut Terry Virts performing a one hour-long of EVA spacewalk. This makes you want to join the walk, no?

Hit The Play To Watch The Video

[via Jalopnik]

General, Music, Video

WATCH: Christina Aguilera Brilliantly Impersonates Britney Spears, Shakira and Cher

February 24, 2015 Nir Shein

[youtube id=”uD2nOjV3AaI”]

So this just happened at Jimmy Fallon’s latest and greatest show, when Grammy award-winning singer Christina Aguilera performed in a game called the “Wheel of Musical Impressions.” Turns out the singer was pretty good at it and she just made a point that she is definitely the tops when impersonating Britney Spears, as well as certain others like Shakira and Cher.

Watch the video and let me know what you think about her performance

[interaction id=”54ec8fd49cf6a70335b1bf09″]

[Via Youtube]

Video

Imgur’s Web Tool Makes It Easier To Convert Any Video to GIF

January 29, 2015 Nir Shein

GIFs are the internet. Wherever you go across the net, you see a lot of crazy photos posted all over web. Whether these are cats, dogs or any other pet you have, let alone extreme and funny activities or just a crying newborn baby take– It’s all there. And people like GIFS, really, they do, but what is the most convenient way to make one? There are many tools to create animated GIFs online, that can easily be found on the Internet by doing a simple search on Google.

Imgur, the popular photo sharing service, today released another tool to the pond, but not JUST another one, if you will, but more like the easiest of ’em all. Yeah, the online tool (sorry, mobile users but service is currently only available on the desktop site) which goes under the name Video to GIF will help you turn a video into a GIF image by simply copying the wanted URL address from a wide range of popular video websites directly into the given input window. From there on, when you’re surfing in the following link (imgur.com/vidgif) just click and drag to set your start time and drag to adjust the total runtime, rightly after. You can add any text at your choice if you want and then choose the “Create GIF” option to officially start the process.

The tool is not perfect, but yet allows us to create some truly beautiful high-quality GIF images. Sometimes it will save the file into a .gif and in some other occasions will push it into Imgur’s GIFV format in the form of a .gifv extension.

Let us know what you think about the new service.

CES, tablets

Dell’s Super Slim Venue 8 7000 Tablet Now Officially Available For $400

January 7, 2015 Nir Shein 2 Comments

We’ve already got the chance to see Dell’s ultra thin Venue 8 7000 slate when it was first unveiled back in September but now, at CES 2015 the 8.4-inch slab, powered by a 2.3GHz Intel Atom quad-core processor, is finally set to make a debut. And while not as cheap as some other mid-range Android devices available on the market right now, it is reassuring to know that your money is going to be well spent and not wasted on some ordinary specs. In that concern, the Venue 8 7000 device is well equipped with a stunning QHD 2,560 x 1,600 OLED edge-to-edge display, alongside Intel’s state-of-the-art Real Sense Snapshot 3D camera. That’s right, the tablet houses an in-depth rear 8MP camera at the bottom as well as duo 720p stereoscopic sensors atop. The Venue 7000 is definitely one of the first tablets to incorporate Intel’s latest 3D technology, hence the reason it arouses a lot of curiosity among the geeksters around the world.

Measuring in only 6mm thin (thinner than the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3) the Venue 8 7000 is said to include 2GB of RAM under the lid, along with your choice of WiFi or LTE connectivity options, an Android 4.4 KitKat for the OS and an internal memory of 16GB which can be further expanded via a microSDXC memory card.

The Dell Venue 8 7000 is now available on Dell’s website both in the US and in Canada for $399.99 and will complete global release in different countries like Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, India, Germany, and the UK by early 2015.

[youtube id=”A8HGZWZXQGg”]

Video courtesy of Liliputing

General

Nokia Returns With The $250 N1 Android Tablet

November 18, 2014 Nir Shein

It’s been a while since Nokia has officially released a brand new Android/Windows tablet to the wild, so it is nice to see them adding one more. The Finnish company which was acquired by Microsoft a little under a year ago for $7.2 billion, is finally back on track with the addition of a 7.9-inch slate. So, what this is all about? We’re looking at a 6.9mm thick device, dubbed the Nokia N1, that features 2GB of RAM inside as well as WiFi connectivity and 32GB of internal storage.

While this N1 tablet looks a lot like Apple’s iPad mini 3, it is actually thinner and lighter than pictures would suggest. Nokia outfits the new slab with a nice HD display that measures 7.9 inches diagonally and features a resolution of 2048-by-1536 pixels on top (same as Apple’s 3rd-gen iPad mini model). The front-facing camera offers 5-megapixel resolution alongside an 8-megapixel shooter on the rear. In terms of speed and performance the N1 will arrive to the market with a 64-bit 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor on board, together with a duo set of speakers, and your choice of either “Natural Aluminum” or “Lava Grey” colors.

The tablet runs on Android 5.0 (which has just been confirmed to be called Lollipop) but there is a software layer that Nokia has added on top of its existing proprietary platform, called the Z launcher. Furthermore, the tablet is said to be one of the first devices in the world to feature the reversible type-C faster USB connector. Unfortunately, it is likely to be the only single USB port.

The N1 is due to launch in China for $249 sometime before the Chinese New Year which takes place on February 19, 2015, with a release in Russia and a few European countries to follow shortly after.

Hit the Play to watch the video

[youtube id=”IwJmthxJV5Q”]

tablets

Google Introduces The 8.9-Inch Nexus 9 Android Lollipop Tablet

October 15, 2014 Nir Shein

We knew it was coming and now Google has finally shared details with its upcoming tablet, the Nexus 9. Slated to arrive in stores on November 3 (with pre-orders to start on October 17), the 8.9-inch 2048 x 1440 super HD slab, which was built in partnership with HTC, features a relatively small and portable device, made of a brushed aluminum all-metal body. The slate, which is set to cost about $399 for the 16GB packing version and $479 for the 32GB model is said to arrive with 2GB of RAM, as well as an Nvidia Tegra K1 chip, and a 8-megapixel rear camera shooter plus a 1.6-megapixel camera up front. The Nexus 9 will also include an optional 32GB 4G LTE variant, which will brandish a price point of $599 when it’s officially released.

The Nexus 9 is powered by Google’s latest edition of Android, also know as the Android Lollipop version 5. In addition to that, the Mountain View-based internet giant will also be offering a nice keyboard folio that magnetically attaches to the back of the tablet, and can easily fold into two different angles. The Nexus 9 will have a black, white or gold choice of colors.

[youtube id=”yYHY3MFiq1o”]

[Google]

tablets

HP Unveils Stream 7 and Stream 8 Budget Windows Tablets

September 30, 2014 Nir Shein

Today, HP has launched a bunch of new Windows tablets, at the entry-level price range. The two, dubbed the Stream 7 and stream 8, are said to offer a year-long subscription to Microsoft’s Office 365 Personal package, plus a very generous 1TB OneDrive storage, as well as 60 minutes of free Skype calls. The smaller model, the 7-inch HP Stream 7 tablet, which will be due on November for only $99, is powered by an Intel Atom quad-core processor (Atom Z3735G) under the lid, paired with a 1280 x 800 pixel display on top with 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of solid state storage. We’re also looking at a pair of integrated stereo speakers on board alongside an optional 4G LTE network connectivity, and a standard microUSB hosting port. The bigger flavor, the 8-inch HP Stream 8, is much like the 7-incher, with a similar interface and the same capacity and internal processor. It comes with an extra inch for the real-estate surface and a $150 price tag and with the same guaranteed delivery date for ground shipping, starting sometime this November.

Hit the Play to watch the video

[youtube id=”CSvd48xufjs”]

video courtesy of Liliputing

General

VIDEO: Fully Working iPhone 6 Spotted Online a Few Hours Ahead Of Apple event

September 8, 2014 Nir Shein 1 Comment

More and more iPhone 6 rumors keep on cycling around every corner of the world, and we are right now doing as much as we can to filter the info and bring you the best. This time we’re looking at one of the longest, most detailed instructional videos on Youtube of what appears to be a model of the next generation iphone device. At this point, we have no way to verify this footage, whatsoever! But still it is an interesting early glimpse of what we are about to see tomorrow.

Hit the Play to watch the video

[youtube id=”eQopSbASO40″]

[toggle title=”TRANSLATION OF TEXT”]

One is an iPhone 5s and the other is, I’m not sure what it is gonna be called, probably the iPhone 6. You guys might be curious if this phone that I am holding might be a knock off or fake, but it does have an Touch ID, I (you) don’t think so? Let’s try and see that again.

My personal feel of the phone is that it is faster than the 5s. When I got the phone, I personally feel that it is very light, much lighter than expected when seeing the (leak) images online. It might be seen that the iPhone 6 is gonna be heavier, but it is not. Thus, I feel the iPhone 6 is much a lot lighter than the iPhone 5s. That is the first thought about the phone.

(80% accuracy)
The second thought is about the screen size. One might think that it is gonna be too big and needs more than one hand to operate, and Apple has done it with only one hand usage. (Not sure: By making the screen size taller to achieve it). Still feels comfortable using the iPhone just like the iPhone 5s.

(50% accuracy)
Thirdly is the ‘radians’ (according to Google Translate) or ‘Bezel’ on the sides, somewhat like the Samsung’s I9300 (or SIII). Which makes it feels comfortably good with one hand. [Talks about technology of the screen with him mentioning “2.5”.

On the back, it still retains the design of the iPhone 5 backing of the 3 parts. And still on the back, the iPhone 5s camera is within the body of the phone, but the one on the iPhone 6’s camera is protruding outwards. Some may feel that it is ugly, but I personally feel that if the camera quality is better, it is something good too (or I don’t mind either).

Since there isn’t much apps or software running, the performance feels about the same. But if according to Apple, the internal specs would certainly be an increase. For that, we would only know after the event.

Let’s open the camera app, this is the screen, (takes picture), taking pictures feels very fast, very fast, can’t imagine that. *Goes on opening the Photos app* Photo still feels quite small.

And that is all.

*Shows the different apps on the phone*
Unsure of the megapixel of the camera due to the lack of information.
The health app may connect to the iWatch.

And that is pretty much it.

Translation is courtesy of 9to5Mac

[/toggle]

General, Mobile, Video

13 Brands and Institutes That already Use Instagram’s New Hyperlapse App

August 28, 2014 Nir Shein

Instagram has recently released Hyperlapse, a standalone app for taking time lapse videos on the iPhone and iPad devices. The app which already ranks #3 on the Apple App Store, is a very simple, yet sophisticated tool that lets you capture high-quality time lapse videos at a lower frame-rate than usual, but with a built-in stabilization technology that lets users create moving, handheld time lapses at a glance. Simply open up the app, tap to record video, and then choose the video speed, which can be varied from 1x to 12x, and tap again to end the session. Videos are given the opportunity to be shared directly to Facebook or Instagram.

We designed Hyperlapse to be as simple as possible. You don’t need an account to create a hyperlapse. Instead, you open up straight to the camera. Tap once to begin recording and tap again to stop. Choose a playback speed that you like between 1x-12x and tap the green check mark to save it to your camera roll. You can share your video on Instagram easily from there.

Instagram says that inner technology behind the Hyperlapse app is based on a video stabilization algorithm called Cinema, which basically helps us regular users to smooth our shaky videos out in a snap, and make them look very slick and professional. It’s like a “$15,000 video setup in your hand” said Wired and we couldn’t agree more.

[vimeo id=”104409950″]

We also witnessed a few popular brands and institutes that immediately decided to try the new app. It’s definitely a risky move from the marketing perspective, but you should know that whether you win or lose, at least you’ve done your best to engage with your audience in a fun and creative way.

Here are 13 brands already using the Hyperlapse application:

MERCEDES

Bud Light

THE WHITE HOUSE

Sonic Drive-In

NAKED JUICE

Polyvore

Sydney Opera House

Burton Snowboards

Taco Bell

Mountain Dew

Drink Arizona

Foot Locker

COSMOPOLITAN

If you have stumbled upon any other great examples of brands using Hyperlapse, please post them in the comments below.

tablets

LEAKED: NVIDIA’s Next-Gen Gaming Shield Tablet (Update: Now Official)

July 18, 2014 Nir Shein

Gaming company Nvidia has already been rumored to be developing a new gaming focused slate that could be running a Quad-core Tegra K1 processor inside as well as 2GB of RAM and a 7.9-inch screen display. While still unofficial, a leak courtesy of @evleaks seems to confirm the word on the street. So far, Nvidia was offering the Tegra Note 7 tablet as a way to highlight its Tegra 4 processor (which hasn’t been a huge success, btw) but now the company is looking to expand with more richer gaming experience and improved entertainment value of game (thanks to the Unreal Engine 4 capabilities).

A quick look at the picture above suggests that Nvidia’s next-gen Shield successor will probably be available in a gunmetal grey color, covering a front-facing VGA camera as well as a nice pair of stereo speakers along the top and bottom of its panel. The new device, which will run under an Android platform, is expected to launch before the end of the year.

Update1: Nvidia’s shield tablet is going up for sale in the US and Canada on July 29th, and in Europe on August 14th, with prices starting at $299 for the basic 16GB wifi-only model, and up to $399 for the 32GB device, including LTE 4G support. The gamepad accessory is another $59.

Update2: Now with an official video: and full specs:

Full specs:

8-inch “Full HD” 1920 x 1200 IPS LCD screen
NVIDIA Tegra K1 SoC
5MP front-and-rear facing cameras
Front-facing stereo speakers
Black and Steel Gray colors
Directstylus 2
16/32GB of internal storage, expandable up to 128GB via microSD
WiFI a/b/g/n, Optional LTE
19.75 Watt Lithium Ion battery

[youtube id=”VohrddwVQqg”]

Mobile

Video: Drop Test Samsung Galaxy S 5 Vs iPhone 5S, VS HTC One M8, Which Stronger

April 3, 2014 Nir Shein

Now that both Samsung and HTC officially released their latest and greatest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8, it is time to put to a test which of the phones is stronger enough to survive a random drop test. In this following video, the two has been put up to the test alongside Apple’s popular iphone 5S. Can you guess which model has managed to last longer? The answer may well suggest what would be a good investment for your money. As a reminder, the back of iPhone 5S is made of aluminium and glass, while the HTC One M8, is entirely made from a metal alloy and the rear part of Samsung’s Galaxy S5 is made from plastic. Check out the video below to see the result.

[youtube id=”NYgg6RMB6g4″]

General

MtGox Finally Makes a Public Statement About Its Shutdown

February 25, 2014 Nir Shein

MtGox, the bitcoin exchange site that handled most of the bitcoin transactions online, and whose website went down on Tuesday after a ‘Huge Theft’ has just released a new statement clarifying the current situation. Here is the short statement in full:

Dear MtGox Customers,

In the event of recent news reports and the potential repercussions on MtGox’s operations and the market, a decision was taken to close all transactions for the time being in order to protect the site and our users. We will be closely monitoring the situation and will react accordingly.

Best regards,
MtGox Team

While it’s difficult to measure actual effects of the aforementioned text on the future of global bitcoin market, MtGox exchange has apparently decided to take its website down without ever taking responsibility for what may affect the outcome. From now on, and until a new notice is made, the Bitcoin-related payment processing company will suspend any further activities concerning the trade in the bitcoin.

Update1: According to a somewhat “authentic” yet unofficial slide that is floating around the internet and is called “Crisis Strategy Draft,” Mt.Gox has lost roughly 744,408 bitcoins due to theft, worth around $350 million. In addition, it says that the digital currency exchange has a future plan to rebrand itself as Gox.

Update2: The guys over at Fox Business have just confirmed with Mt. Gox CEO, Mark Karpelesthe, the authenticity of the slide (PDF) that recently leaked.

Update3: Mt.Gox has officially filed for bankruptcy protection ater losing 750,000 of its customers’ bitcoin savings plus 100,000 bitcoins of its own, worth together more than $450 million. In a press conference held after the bankruptcy filing, Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles said that regretfully, all the bitcoins are GONE “due to weaknesses in the system.”

Update4: Mt. Gox source code just leaked by a Russian hacker with the nickname of nanashi_. It. The code, which has approximately 1700 lines, includes the Bitcoin class for Mt. Gox exchange and the transaction processing system that used to drive the online activity. The hackers also say that they have managed to obtain a 20GB treasure trove of customers’ personal data information, including passport scans and contact information (some belongs to the company’s employees).

Update5: Mt. Gox has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy proceedings in the United State.

Check out the video for this action:

[youtube id=”NeuCuM9CkBc”]

[Image credit: Antana]

tablets

Lenovo Takes Wraps Off The Android-Powered Yoga Tablet 10 HD Plus

February 24, 2014 Nir Shein

Lenovo’s Yoga Tablet 8 and 10, which only launched four months ago, are somewhat of a different breed in their appearance and design, featuring a long wide kickstand at the back and a curvy handle that’s not afraid to bend a few rules. Today, however, the company has slightly improved these fancy shamncy Android models even further with the addition of a better line of specifications. While the overall shape of the Yoga is preserved, the internal structure has been functionally upgraded.

The new version, known as the Yoga Tablet 10 HD+, comes equipped with a 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 Full HD display, compared to the early model’s 1,280 x 800 screen resolution. This model features a quad-core 1.6GHz Snapdragon 400 processor under the hood, while previous slates were mostly based on a 1.2GHz MediaTek processor. Finally, the internal memory is doubled to include an integrated 2 gigs of RAM and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera vs. a 5-megapixel shooter on the first iteration of Yoga tablets.

Lenovo offers 16GB or 32GB storage configurations with the new Yoga 10 HD Plus. Moreover, there’s an optional 3G wireless connectivity as well as microSD slot expansion, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11n standard Wi-Fi, and last but not least, a massive 9,000mAh battery pack, with up to 18 hours of continuous run time.

Yoga 10 HD+ tablet is likely to be shipped with Google’s Android Jelly Bean version sometime in April with prices starting at $349 for the 16GB option.

[youtube id=”flZCgPbaNu8″]

Video courtesy of Mobilegeeks

tablets

Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet Specs Leaked (Now Official)

February 17, 2014 Nir Shein

Another day, another @evleaks leak. This time it’s a new successor to the beautiful Sony Xperia z1 tablet, which happens to be registered under the name of Xperia Z2 (is anyone surprised?). If rumors are proven correct, the next Xperia iteration is likely to pack a SnapDragon 800 2.3GHz x4 processor under the hood, alongside a 10.1-inch 1920×1200 Full-HD Triluminos Display, with a system memory of 3GB RAM, and an internal storage capacity starting at 16GB and doubling at each step. The storage is obviously expandable via microSD slot expansion, and the camera features are top of the line as well. Apart from 8MP rear camera, the device also holds a 2MP secondary camera for video calling and runs on Android Kitkat 4.4 OS. And while the actual product photo is not available, It is also rumored to come with a very thin body measuring at 6.4 mm and it’ll also be enclosed in a waterproof body. More details to follow.

Update1: The guys over at @evleaks just posted an unverified image of the next Xperia tablet. Initial look and feel is very similar to the first generation, the Z1 tablet, only with some better specs. We look forward to learning more about this product at Sony’s Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona on February 24.

Update2: Mobile World Congress 2014 began yesterday in Barcelona, lifting the curtain of the upcoming Xperia Z2 tablet which Sony claims to be the thinnest and lightest waterproof slate in the world. Other than that, leaks were right on the spot with the new Z2 packing a 10.1-inch 1,920 x 1,200 pixel Triluminos display along with 3GB RAM, a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, dual 8.1/2.2-megapixel cameras, and a super slim chassis measuring in only 6.9mm thick. Naturally, it comes running the latest and greatest Android OS known as 4.4.2 KitKat.

[youtube id=”fA4dIRau5Mc”]

video courtesy of T3

Computers

Happy 30th Birthday Apple Mac

January 24, 2014 Nir Shein

Apple is celebrating 30 years of the Mac today. The Cupertino company has revamped its website completely, including a page dedicated to the special event with a nice and interactive timeline that is walking you through the various models the company has launched throughout the years. In addition, there’s a special place where you can share with Apple some info about your first Mac, how did you discover it and what did you use it for.

Here’s the statement the company has released, along with the Mac’s 30th anniversary video

Thirty years ago, Apple introduced the Macintosh with the promise to put the creative power of technology in everyone’s hands. It launched a generation of innovators who continue to change the world. This 30 year timeline celebrates some of those pioneers and the profound impact they’ve made.

[youtube id=”Xp697DqsbUU”]

[Apple]

tablets

Lenovo ThinkPad 8 Breaks Cover! 8-Inch Windows Tablet Packs HD Screen and 2.4GHz Quad-Core Processor.

January 8, 2014 Nir Shein 1 Comment

At CES 2014 — Lenovo has officially announced a new joiner to its burgeoning Windows tablet lineup. Once again, we’re looking at a mid-range 8-inch device which is expected to launch by the end of the month. What stands out about the display however is the exceptional high-def screen resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixel it has, while most other contenders have only 1280 x 800 pixel screens to offer (iPad Mini aside). The Thinkpad slate, which is conceptualized as being more for business use, comes with an 8.3-inch screen, 2GB of RAM, your interesting choice of 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB storage capacities, a micro-HDMI output, microUSB 3.0 port, a nice aluminum back panel, and an optional 4G LTE support. The device features a 2.4GHz Intel Atom Bay Trail processor under the lid, and its batteries will last for about 8 hours of continuous work.

The Thinkpad 8 is very thin, measuring in at 8.8mm thick (weighing in at 430g), and features a primary camera of 8-megapixels on the back, and a 2 megapixels one on the front. Naturally, as a business-class device, the Thinkpad 8 will come with some nice exclusive goodies for free, such as the Microsoft MS Office, and all the benefits that Windows 8.1 Professional offers, like Snap, Share, and so many more.

As mentioned, the tablet will be available later this month, with prices starting at $399 for the wi-fi only model. Lenovo is also offering an optional smart cover case called the “QuickShot cover” which will be available for a purchase online and in stores at roughly $50. The kicker of this cover is that it attaches magnetically at the side of the tablet (same as Apple’s smartcover), protecting the screen from scratches or damages and waking it up when it’s removed or putting it to sleep when it’s attached. In addition, you can easily fold back the cover to use it as a stand.

If you’re in the market for a new Windows tablet, you really should check out Lenovo’s new Thinkpad 8, it’s a wonderful device and definitely worth the purchase.

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Videos courtesy of Lenovo and Mobilegeeks.de

Mobile, Operating Systems, software, tablets

iOS 7 Finally Gets an Untethered Jailbreak

December 23, 2013 Nir Shein

According to a chart posted on Apple’s developer website in early December, iOS 7 adoption is already at 74 percent. This means that three quarters of Apple iDevices are closely familiar with the new operating system, and that’s A LOT. What else happened since then? Glad that you asked, because the iOS 7 officially has an untethered jailbreak, courtesy of the great Evasi0n7. The tool, which many of you may have expected to see, is now available for both Windows and Mac users and can snappily help you unlock any iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models running iOS 7.0, 7.0.1, 7.0.2, 7.0.3 and 7.0.4, including the new ones (e.g iPad Air and iPhone 5s). As usual you should proceed with caution and happy jailbreaking!

Click the source below to get the software.

[youtube id=”QcZaDZb3zcs”]

[Evad3rs]

tablets

Lenovo Officially Announces a New Line Of ‘Yoga’ Android Tablets With 8- and 10-inch Screens

October 30, 2013 Nir Shein 1 Comment

You know how it goes, first there’s the leak and then there’s the official announcement, and in Lenovo’s case a new line of two Yoga Tablets. What was previously best known as the IdeaPad B6000 and B8000 is now available in 8-inch and 10-inch iterations with 1,280 x 800 IPS screens that can easily rotate up to 135 degrees. The Chinese corp has appointed Ashton Kutcher to promote the new products and unveiled a low introductory price of $249 for the smaller device and only $299 for the slightly bigger version (both are gonna kick off today on Best Buy).

The new slates will pack a quad-core MediaTek processor under the hood, along with dual cameras (1.6MP in front, 5MP in back), Google’s Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 for the OS, and up to 16GB of integrated storage (expandable via microSD slot). There’s also 1GB of RAM inside the box and a lithium battery providing up to 18 hours of continuous work. At least that is what the company says.

What’s unique about these Yoga tablets is the new and conceptual design with the massive kickstand thing positioned widely on the back of the slabs, the textured plastic cover and this rounded tube placed at the base – the kind of pipe you’d find on Apple’s wireless keyboards. While designs remain pretty much the same, the overall weight is slightly different between one Yoga device to another. The 8-inch model weighs only 0.88 pound while the 10-incher is at 1.33 pounds.

Hit the “play” and watch the video

[youtube id=”fzK_qP-rK80″]

tablets

Apple Announces The iPad Air and IPad Mini 2

October 22, 2013 Nir Shein 2 Comments

It’s super Tuesday, and Apple had a few announcements to make. Again, it’s no surprise that the Cupertino company was planning to launch a new generation of its iPad tablets. The only question that remained was whether there will be a Retina Mini 2nd-Gen or not, and we’re glad to report the iPad Mini 2 will indeed receive a Retina display and an A7 chip. Although the new iteration will be in short supply at launch, be sure it will meet with a great demand. Apple has also released a thinner, and much lighter version of the 9.7-inch iPad. The fifth-generation delivered the biggest surprise of the evening and from now on is said to be called the iPad Air. Perhaps a sign that Apple is going to separate the lines, but we’ll see.

iPad Mini 2

As expected, the iPad mini 2 will be released with the Retina display. The resolution in case you were wondering is 2048 x 1536 pixels on a relatively small 7.9-inch LED Backlit display. Too bad there is no substantial improvement in the rear camera department, the iPad Mini 2 will stay precisely with the same 5-megapixel iSight shooter on the back, while the front-facing camera will work with a new feature called FaceTime HD. The new iPad mini also gets Apple’s new 64-bit A7 chip that delivers up to 4 times faster performance on CPU, and 8 times faster in graphics. It comes with a 10-hour battery life and your choice of either Silver White or Space Grey colors. The iPad Mini 2 will be officially out this coming November starting at $399 (wifi) and up to $529 (cellular), with storage capacities range from 16Gb to 64GB. First iPad Mini price drops to $299.

iPad Air

First thing you’ll notice is that the iPad Air is CRAZY thin (about 20% thinner in profile). It measures only 0.75 mm thin and weighs just about 1 pound from head to toe. As expected, the new iPad Air features that same stunning 9.7-inch Retina display on board. Besides the fact it is thinner and lighter than previous iPad versions, it will also sport Apple’s A7 chip inside, as well as the new mysterious M7 motion co-processor (as seen on the iPhone 5s). Other features of the iPad Air include a 64-bit desktop architecture support with more than 1 billion transistors, a faster WiFi connectivity, improved backside illumination, dual mics, and two integrated cameras: a 5-megapixel iSight camera on the rear and a 1080p FaceTime camera up front. The battery is claimed to maintain a 10-hour battery life as well. The iPad Air will be available November 1, either in Space Gray or White hues, with prices to start at $499 for the Wifi-only version and $629 for the cellular one.

Mind you, there’s no Fingerprint ID button on Apple’s next-gen iPads.

Apple has sold 170 million iPads since the tablet launched in early 2010. There are over 475,000 apps designed for iPad in the App Store

Here’s a link to the full video of Apple’s event: http://bit.ly/18Gd42s

[youtube id=”XOPZBbbF9bA”]

[Apple]

tablets

Dell Announces Venue 8 Pro and Venue 11 Pro Windows 8.1 Tablets

October 4, 2013 Nir Shein

If Android operating system is not exactly your cup of tea and if you aren’t as enthused as holding a Microsoft Windows tablet in your hand, Dell’s Venue 8 Pro and Venue 11 Pro might be a really good option. Well, at least if you are willing to shell out a minimum of $300 for the 8-inch tablet, and up to $500 for the 10.8-inch model. Yes, the Venue 11 screen size is actually a little bit smaller than you’d expect, but not that much. In any case, the display on this particular Dell device is a full HD with 1920 X 1080 pixels resolution and with 10 multi-touch points at a time. Measuring in at 8.9mm thick and tipping the scales at 712g (or 798g, depending on setup), the new Venue 11 Pro has a matte-textured design and offers up to 10 hours of battery life. Moreover, this tablet uses Intel’s Atom quad-core Bay Trail processors under the hood, or alternatively, Intel’s fourth-gen Haswell Core i3/ Core i5 chips, has two cameras, front at 8-megapixel and back camera with 2-megapixel resolution, massive 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, WiDi wireless capabilities, Wifi, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC control. The Windows 8.1 device comes equipped with a range of ports, including HDMI out, a full-size USB 3.0, and a microSD card slot, expandable up to 64GB of storage on the go.

Dell will also offer an accessory bundle to complement the Venue 11 Pro, including a folding style case with keyboard, similar to the one offered by Redmond with Microsoft’s flagship model, the Surface Pro, a Mobile Keyboard which will get you an additional built-in battery, full keyboard and touchpad capabilities plus USB and HDMI ports.

The Venue 8 Pro is Dell’s compact 8-inch iteration, running Intel’s new Atom quad-core processor code-named Bay Trail inside, along with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The 8.8mm thick device packs a 1,280 x 800 IPS display on board (with an optional digitizer pen), as well as a Micro-USB 2.0 port, 802.11n wifi connectivity, and a pair of cameras: 5-megapixel on the back, and a 1.2-megapixel in front. The tablet will be available in WiFi-only, HSPA+ and/or LTE configurations on October 18 for the reasonable price mentioned above.

Update: Dell’s Windows 8.1 Venue 8 Pro tablet finally goes on sale Stateside, and will be priced at starting price of around $300 while the stylus pen option will set you back $35.

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[toggle title=”FULL PR TEXT”]

Dell Introduces New Line of Tablets and Updated XPS Laptops: Create, Share and Access Content from Virtually Anywhere

· New Dell Venue Pro tablets offer the ability to connect, share and access content with ease
· XPS 11 is the world’s thinnest, lightest and most compact 2-in-1 in the world with the world’s first Quad HD display on an 11.6-inch 2-in-1
· XPS 15 powerhouse laptop offers the world’s first 15.6-inch Quad HD+ display for jaw-dropping visuals and the ultimate experience

Bracknell, UK, 2nd October, 2013 – Dell today took a bold step in unveiling a new family of tablets and new laptops, including a 2-in-1 Ultrabook. The Dell Venue Pro line of tablets is comprised of two new ultrathin models designed to address the changing way people live and work today. Dell’s “damned sexy” tablets, as described by leading Enderle Group analyst, Rob Enderle, deliver leading performance and quality, backed by Intel processing technology. With compact designs that make it easy to stay connected on the go, the Dell Venue Pro tablets have an exquisite fit and finish.

In addition to the versatile new Dell Venue Pro tablets, Dell is introducing new XPS laptops, each with breakthrough displays for a phenomenal viewing experience with vibrant, crisp images in any available screen size. The new XPS 11, the thinnest, most compact 2-in-1 in the world, also features the first Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display on an 11.6-inch 2-in-1. The XPS 15 multimedia powerhouse boasts a stunningly thin design, and offers as an option the first 15.6-inch Quad HD+ (3200 x 1800) display in the world, which is the highest resolution available on a laptop of that size. Dell is also refreshing its award-winning XPS 13 Ultrabook with faster processors, touch Full HD (1920 x 1080) display and improved battery life. With these three laptops, Dell is leading the industry with the highest resolution displays possible.

“People today expect the best experience possible from their technology – they are counting on it to keep them connected and move with them, wherever they are,” said Sam Burd, vice president Dell Personal Computing Group. “The new Dell Venue tablets and XPS laptops give customers the stellar experience they expect from us, with performance that allows them to work how they want, when they want, in a design they’ll be proud to show off and own.”

Dell Venue Tablets: Connect, Share and Access Content With Ease
Dell Venue Pro tablets are designed to give people on-the-go a selection of sizes and options to meet their varying needs. With the 8 and 11-inch Windows-based tablets complete with keyboard and stylus options, Dell has created a dedicated brand of tablets to meet the needs of customers who are the epitome of the evolving workforce.
· The Dell Venue 8 Pro and Dell Venue 11 Pro Windows 8.1-based tablets combine the level of performance, design and responsiveness end-users love while giving IT departments what they need – the ability to integrate into an existing corporate environment with full compatibility with current Windows applications and Microsoft Office integration. Both tablets feature optional advanced security features and services such as TPM.
· The lightweight Dell Venue 8 Pro runs Windows 8.1, has a bright HD IPS display, advanced connectivity options and provides long battery life so range anxiety is no longer an issue. People can also stay productive with Office 2013 Home & Student, included with the device, and the optional Dell Active Stylus.
· The Dell Venue 11 Pro, also based on Windows 8.1, provides ultimate 2-in-1 flexibility with the power of an Ultrabook, convenience of a detachable keyboard and experience of a desktop. Unlike competitive tablets, it has a user removable/replaceable battery, and its large, Full HD display with wide viewing angles makes it easy to read and create content while staying mobile. It is also available with a variety of keyboard and stylus options:
o Dell Active Stylus makes it easy to annotate, draw or take notes.
o Dell Slim Keyboard, designed for travel, also serves as a cover for the screen when folded up.
o Dell Mobile Keyboard with integrated battery provides all day productivity with a full-sized keyboard while extending the battery life.
o Dell Tablet Desktop Dock for full productivity on a desk with USB 3.0 ports, and dual display out ports for display extension.

Both Dell Venue Pro tablets are based on Intel processing power for speed, responsiveness, and battery efficiency. The Dell Venue 8 Pro and Dell Venue 11 Pro feature the new Intel Atom quad-core Baytrail processors, code named “Bay Trail”. The Venue 11 Pro offers up to 4th Generation Intel Core i3 and i5 processor options and Intel vPro for manageability.

Dell XPS Laptops and 2-in-1: The Ultimate Experience with Gorgeous Displays
Dell’s award-winning XPS laptop line just got even better with the new XPS 15 powerhouse laptop, the introduction of the XPS 11 2-in-1, and an update to the flagship XPS 13 Ultrabook. In keeping with the XPS tradition of offering the best computing experience in any product category, the XPS laptops and 2-in-1 feature machined aluminium, carbon fibre, vibrant displays, and Corning Gorilla Glass NBT for performance, durability and the ultimate experience.

· Starting at 2.5lbs / 1.1kg¹ and just 11-15mm thin, the XPS 11 is the world’s thinnest, lightest and most compact 2-in-1 Ultrabook available today, offering a tablet-first design with laptop functionality. It easily transitions from tablet to laptop with a 360 degree rotating hinge design, and an innovative solid surface backlit touch keyboard that provides a superb experience from lap to bag. The XPS 11 has a bright, crisp viewing experience. The display also features True Color viewing powered by eeColor, which enables customers to enjoy true, rich consistent color in nearly any lighting environment.
· The XPS 15 continues to be a multimedia powerhouse delivering the highest resolution in its class, and incredible power in an ultra-thin, light wedge design, starting at 4.44lbs / 2kg¹. Designed for creative enthusiasts, the XPS 15 packs 4th Generation Intel Core i5 and i7 quad core processor options and NVIDIA discrete graphics options. Every XPS 15 boots and resumes within seconds with hard drive configuration options from 500GB to 1TB², both with a 32GB mSATA SSD, to a 512GB solid state drive, all including Intel Rapid Start Technology³.
· The award-winning XPS 13, with its 13.3-inch, edge-to-edge display that innovatively fits into a footprint similar to an 11-inch laptop, is razor thin and light, starting at under 3lbs / 1.3kg¹. It is now even faster with 4th generation Intel Core processors, Intel HD 4400 graphics, and has longer battery life for the mobile professional who values a sleek design, responsiveness and ultimate mobility. Its Full HD display provides a brilliant viewing experience and is now even more versatile with a touch option.

“Dell appears to have its innovative mojo back,” said Tim Bajarin, President of Creative Strategies. “These new products clearly emphasize Dell’s commitment to create innovative mobile solutions for businesses and consumers and I believe represent some of the best products they have made in many years.”

Get the Most Out of Your Technology with Dell Services
Dell customers can get the most out of their technology with Dell Services, dedicated to keeping them connected and productive, whether they’re using their tablet or XPS purchase for work or home. Dell’s technology experts are available around the clock. Consumers can include additional protection such as Accidental Damage Service, Premium Phone Support and Rapid Return for Repair services. Business customers can be rest assured that their devices will fit seamlessly and securely into their corporate IT environment with Dell ProSupport on the Dell Venue 8 Pro and Venue 11 Pro tablets.

Availability and Pricing
The Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet will be available from November 19th and the Dell Venue 11 Pro tablet will be available from November 7th on www.dell.co.uk. Pricing and availability for the XPS products will be available in the coming weeks. Starting prices for the new tablets are as follows:
· Venue 8 Pro: pricing available in the coming weeks
· Venue 11 Pro: £349 excluding VAT & freight

[/toggle]

tablets

Dell Introduces Venue 7 and Venue 8 Android Jelly Bean Tablets

October 3, 2013 Nir Shein 2 Comments

Dell, the popular company that manufactures and sells desktop and laptop computers all around the world, was notably absent from the tablet market scene for quite some time, but not anymore. The US electronic giant has just unveiled a pair of new Android tablets at a press event in New York City; both of which use the moniker “Venue” and are likely to run on Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS. In addition to that, the two newcomers from Dell, which appear to be a more accessible and budget-friendly than before, will respectively include 1.6GHz/2GHz dual-core Intel Z2580 chips under the lid, alongside a 1,280 x 800 IPS panel, a microSD slot expansion (expandable up to 64 GB), GPS, Bluetooth connectivity, and a Wifi-only option, with a choice for you to upgrade to a 4G LTE version.

So, what’s the difference between the two, you ask? While both slates are practically the same in terms of quality and performance (with a minor advantage to the bigger model), the smallest device out of the two, also known as the Venue 7, will basically come up with a 7-inch screen, as well as a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera plus a 3-megapixel camera on the back, a total of 16GB of internal storage, and a relatively small and very lightweight body shape (only 8.3 ounces in weight).

The Venue 8, on the other hand, will obviously have a slightly bigger screen on top (at 8 inches diagonally), along with a little better camera set on both sides (2 megapixels on the front and 5 megapixels on the back), and the privilege to choose between 16GB and 32Gb of internal storage mods. As already mentioned, this tablet version is actually a tad larger than the first one, at 10.3 ounces and 8.3 x 5.1 x 0.35-inches all around, compared to the 7.6 x 4.6 x 0.38-inches the 7-incher boasts.

The new tablets are due out October 18, in red or black hues, with prices to range between $149 for the Venue 7 model , and up to $179 for the basic Venue 8 flavor.

[youtube id=”a-QWx2IqJus”]

General, tablets

New 8-inch Acer Iconia W4 Tablet Spotted in the Wild

September 29, 2013 Nir Shein 1 Comment

While still unofficial, a rumor about a new successor to Acer’s Windows-powered Iconia W3 tablet has reportedly been floating around for quite some time now. The Taiwanese corp has yet to say a word about it, but nonetheless the device was already spotted yesterday at an Intel event. It is very similar looking in design to the previous model, the W3. It is quite small, and would fit in the palm of your hand quite easily, but then of course there are some differences as well. The most notable one is the new Intel Bay Trail chip, the 1.33GHz Atom Z3740 processor. But the 1,280 x 800 display has been improved as well (IPS panel, contrast, viewing angles), while the storage and memory remain exactly the same – 32GB of storage capacity with 2GB of DDR3 RAM. Pricing and availability haven’t been disclosed at this point, but you can check out the Bouweenpc.nl video to learn even more.

Update: The new W4 is now officially available for a purchase starting at $330 for the 32GB model and only $50 for double the storage capacity.

[youtube id=”c-zC3Bc8SmE”]

General, Mobile, Phones

Apple Unveils Faster, Stronger iPhone 5S and Cheaper, Colorful iPhone 5C

September 10, 2013 Nir Shein 6 Comments

Apple’s Tim Cook took the stage today at the company’s media event in Cupertino to officially introduce the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, Apple’s next generation of mobile devices. As most rumors already suggested, the iphone 5S, which is considered as Apple’s new flagship machine, looks exactly the same as the previous model, AKA the iPhone 5; rear aluminum build and a front glass panel, surrounded by a metal stripe around the sides.

Clearly, the new 5S is Apple’s fastest handset yet, and it runs a super powerful A7 chip under the lid. It’s the first and probably the only smartphone in the world to ship with a 64-bit configuration in the form of the new A7 processor, with a “desktop-class architecture” housing 1 billion transistors, which are twice the amount you’ll find on an A6 chip. This brings the A7 chip performance to more than double the speed of an “old” iphone 5. As for the graphics, Apple has announced a new support for the OpenGL ES 3.0 standard like the new Nexus 7. But that’s not all, ladies and gents, because there seems to be a secondary chip, that Apple is tossing in alongside the A7 processor, and it’s called the M7. This one, is more of a “motion processor” and it will help measure motion stuff like the accelerometer, compass, and gyroscope. In addition, it’ll improve support in a few apps within the health and fitness fields.

One of the most important questions the media had to deal with was how big is the screen on the Apple iPhone 5S/5C smartphones? Today, we’ve finally got the answer, the new Apple iPhones come with a 1136 x 640 pixel 4-inch Retina display, which is about the same as we had as with the iPhone 5 model. In other words, DISAPPOINTMENT. We truly expected from Apple to offer a larger screen alternative. But I guess it won’t happen until probably the next iphone generation, number 6, I presume.

As mentioned, the outside box doesn’t bear any notable changes from the older version, except one significant update in the form of a revolutionary fingerprint sensor that Apple has placed under the home button. Yes, you’re getting a fingerprint sensor that is likely to boost your mobile security BIG time, and will ultimately replace all those user ID passwords. NEAT. The button itself is said to be made from a laser-cut sapphire crystal materials, which are basically unscratchable. And while rumors were spot on, this fingerprint reader – The TouchID – that Apple has managed to attach underneath the iphone home button is nothing but amazing. The technology behind it can literally read your fingerprint at “an entirely new level” if you will. Touch ID Sensor is about 170 microns thin, and senses 500 ppi resolution. Generally speaking, it can scan all of your “sub-epidermal skin layers.” Touch the button and DANG, your phone’s unlocked.

Another cool thing that Apple has added, is the upgraded camera. The company has improved the current rear 8MP camera from the iPhone 5 with a new f/2.2 aperture. The new camera technology features a backside illumination, and will apparently endorse about 15 percent larger active sensor area. Other than that, we’re also looking at a new flash at the back of the phone (with two LEDs attached), and a cool shooting option with an auto image stabilization mode. The front facing webcam is at 1.2MP, while the rear one was specifically designed to capture 720p HD video at a very high speed, at 120FPS. It basically means that you can easily take slow-motion videos out of your phone. Last but not least, you will now be able to shoot at burst mode & up to 10 frames per second. Which is crazy if you come to think about it.

In addition to that, the iPhone 5S will also include support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G LTE network. As far as storage goes, the 5S model will ship with your choice of either 16/32/64 GB of storage — No 128 GB flavor for you at this point. Bummer.

The phone will arrive in Silver, Gold, and a new Space Gray colors. Is anyone surprised?

The second device that Apple has officially unveiled today is the iPhone 5C which the good guys over at Cupertino are aiming for the low-mid mobile market. The cool thing about this model is the variety of colors that you can choose from (Blue, White, Pink, Yellow, and Green), and the fact that it’s light and made from a cheap plastic flavor. Apple says that It’s made of a hard-coated polycarbonate material, if you really want to know. It also features a 4-inch Retina display with the same 8-megapixel rear camera and the regular support for LTE bands, dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity, and Bluetooth 4.0. The chip inside is an A6 processor, same as the iPhone 5.

Both devices will run Apple’s latest and greatest iOS 7 out of the box. The platform, which Apple has completely built from the scratch around the 64-bit technology, in a new “flat” design, is due out September 18th. Supported devices include the iPhone 4 or later, iPad 2 or later, iPad mini or fifth-generation iPod touch.

As for prices and availability, the two new iphones will officially go on pre-order at Apple’s online store September 13th, with both devices to start shipping on September 20th in the US, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and the UK. The most significant thing here is that it would probably be the first time that China is getting in the first phase of the iPhone’s release. This is huge for a company like Apple who’s been making efforts to penetrate the Chinese market for quite some time now.

The iPhone 5S will offer a range of 16 GB to 64 GB models and will be priced as follows:

16 GB: $199 (with a 2-year contract), or $649 off-contract.
32 GB: $299 (with a 2-year contract)
64 GB: $399 (with a 2-year contract)

The iPhone 5C will offer 16 GB/32 GB capacities and will be priced as follows:

16 GB: $99 (with a 2-year contract), or $549 off-contract.
32 GB: $199 (with a 2-year contract)

Apple will also offer dyed leather cases for $39 each, and a set of rubber skin cases for the iPhone 5C, priced at merely$29 apiece.

Finally, Apple to discontinue the iphone 5, while the 4S version remains as a free model in a 2 year contract.

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tablets

New Nexus 7 Available For Pre-Order at $229.99 With Android 4.3 On Board

July 24, 2013 Nir Shein 3 Comments

Oh my my, what do we have here? It looks like Google is all set and ready to launch the new iteration of its popular Nexus 7. The tablet, which is the product of joint venture between Google and Asus will soon be featuring a 1920 x 1200 display resolution (323ppi), along with 2GB of RAM, and a powerful 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro 8064 processor, with Adreno 320 for the graphics. In addition, this highly anticipated device, which proves to be a great upgrade to the already high level of quality in the first generation, will pack a 5-megapixel camera on the back (about time!) while the front-facing camera will sport 1.2 megapixels, and the slate will run a future generation of Android 4.3 OS. The pre-order page at Best Buy suggest it’ll go for between $229.99 with 16GB of internal storage, and $269.99 with the 32GB option.

Update1: Google officially announces the Nexus 7. Google’s Sundar Pichai says that the new device is 2 mm thinner, 6 mm narrower, and 50 grams lighter than the earlier Nexus 7. Further more, the Android 4.3 machine includes dual band wifi (802.11 a/b/g/n), along side the NFC technology and 4G LTE support. There’s also an HDMI output to connect the tablet to your tele, together with a Bluetooth 4.0 and wireless charging capabilities.

Update2: The Nexus 7 will be available Stateside on 30 July in wide range of stores and retailers like Amazon, Walmart, RadioShack, and Best Buy. Other countries, such as Canada, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Japan, Australia, and South Korea will hopefully get the new slate sometime in the following weeks.

[youtube id=”5LysTmwDan8″]

Check out this quick hands-on video, courtesy of Android Police.

[youtube id=”PO2ZsvwRMuY”]

General, Video

Panasonic HC-V520 Video Camera Features a Massive Intelligent 80x Zoom, With Wi-fi and NFC Capabilities

July 9, 2013 Technologer

Videos have already become a vital part of our everyday life, as taking a footage is now a whole lot easier thanks to the popularity and innovation of intelligence mobile devices, like the iPhone for example. While shooting a video with your smartphone is comfortable, the quality is not as good as it is with a dedicated HD camcorder. And if you really don’t want to spend a ton of money on a camera but still like to get excellent results, the Panasonic HC-V520 has plenty of amenities and very cool things to offer.

This small and powerful Full-HD device, has a 1/5.8in CMOS under the hood, and a 2.51 megapixels sensor based on a backside illuminated technology. There’s also a sharp and bright 3-inch screen that enables intuitive fingertip touch-operation, and the optical zoom is supplemented by an 80x Intelligent Zoom. Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

As mentioned, there are plenty of features in this camera which is best suited for video, at which it works great (1080/50p AVCHD 2.0 format), but also as a very high quality 10 megapixels still camera. In addition to that, there’s the ability to add filter effects to your vids (such as Miniature Effect, 8mm Movie, Silent Movie and Time Lapse Recording) to further enhance your creativity, and the camera includes a 2D to 3D conversion function as well.

Want more? Not a problem! The HC-V520 is also equipped with WiFi and NFC connectivity that allows users to transfer pictures and videos wirelessly to mobile devices or computers. Moreover, the camera can be controlled remotely and can stream video to your smartphone or tablet via mobile networks and wireless internet connections.

All these goodies for only £396 or $346.

Here’s what you get:

WiFi camera makes a great remote-photography/video streaming tool. The new range of Panasonic camcorders come with Wi-Fi interface enabled, which allows live streaming, and the option for images and videos to be wirelessly transferred. Here’s how it works:

Computers, Events, Mobile

Apple Unveils iOS 7, OS X Mavericks and New MacBook Air at WWDC 2013

June 11, 2013 Nir Shein 5 Comments

Apple’s annual event for WWDC 2013 has finally come to an end. In a nutshell: no new Apple iphone or iPad. So what did we end up getting? Some rumors have indicated that we would see Apple laptop hardware updates this week, while other rumors pointed to a whole new software design. At the end of the day, I guess it was probably a good mix of both. From the hardware part, Apple has announced a refresh of its MacBook Air & Macbook Pro devices, and software wise, the guys over at Cupertino launched a new OS X (10.9) and the most anticipated iOS 7, which Tim Cook referred to as the “biggest change to iOS since the iPhone.”

But first, as usual they started with some numbers:

• Apple says that under 5 years, users have downloaded from the App Store about 50b times.

• There are now 900,000 apps in the App Store, of which 375,000 are for the iPad.

• Over 600 million iOS devices sold.

• 800 billion iMessages sent.

• 240 million Game Center users.

Macbook Air & OS X Update

Apple just announced the next generation of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air products, with claims that the power consumption will be reduced for both machines (they call it the “all day battery life”). The new MacBook Air is distinctively similar to the previous model, but if you’re going to take a closer look you’ll find the new “Haswell” 4th-gen processors from Intel. In addition, the new line is said to offer a faster 802.11 ac Wifi connectivity, alongside Intel HD Graphics 5000, which is supposed to provide graphics performance that is 40 percent faster. Apple claims 9 hours of battery life for the 11-inch model, while the 13-inch MacBook Air now provides up to 12 hours of continuous work. They’re both available starting today, with the 11-inch Air going at $999 for the 128GB base model, and $1,199 for the 256GB version. The larger 13-inch Air will be priced at $1,099 for the 128GB entry model, and $1,299 for double the size (256GB).

Apple unveils its latest operating system, the OS X “Mavericks.” First thing you’ll notice, is that the company is replacing its traditional practice of calling Mac operating systems after cats. Instead, it is going after an undersea rock in California that apparently creates big waves. Symbolic, isn’t it? Anyway, the new operating system is said to extend battery life to the most, reduce boot-up time, and enhanced multiple display support (with the ability to tweak elements between screens). Furthermore, the Mavericks features a range of improvements and new features aimed at both users and developers alike. That includes the “finder tabs” addition, which will organize different finder windows into one, documents tagging, new iBooks and Maps app integration, a new version of Safari browser, including a whole new bookmark bar, a redesigned calendar, improved notifications, and a powerful iCloud keychain feature, an encrypted 256-bit AES functionality for password and private info management.

iTunes Radio

Music streaming services are growing big these days. Google has recently unveiled its Google Play Music and the market is packed with some major streaming players such as Rdio, Spotify and Pandora. Today, Apple is joining that group with recent announcement of its iTunes Radio music platform, which was described by the A-team as “a new way to discover music.” At present, there is no need to pay any fee for this, but the free radio service supported by ads. You can either listen to the channels the service offers from various sources (e.g Twitter trending songs, integrated stations, your personal music collection), or simply create your private iTunes Radio station at your choice. You can also modify existing stations to your own taste by choosing the ‘Play more like this’ or ‘Don’t play music like this’ sections. The service is expected to launch in the U.S first and then expand globally, sometime in the future.

iOS7

And now we’re finally getting to the highlight of the show: Apple has revealed a completely new iOS 7 software, featuring a all-new design with a modern “Flat” approach. It has a much smoother look, and considered by the Cupertino-based company as “the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone.”

With so many new options and features installed, I think that iOS7 was definitely worth the wait. It has a nice clean form, some pretty colorful icons and a very friendly interface on top. What else can we find in there?

Control Center – An Android-like area where you can manage and adjust some of the most important settings on your phone. (Wi-Fi, brightness, volume, etc.). To get in there, you simply need to swipe the screen down from the upper area on your mobile device, and voila!

Airdrop – This is an OS X feature that Apple has finally imported to its mobile devices. What it basically does is to enable mobile users that have smartphones, tablets or laptops to send files or pictures to anyone around them in real time. Unfortunately, it only supports iPhone 5, fourth generation iPad, iPad mini, and fourth-gen iPod touch.

Multitasking – The multitasking app cards were a major feature of Palm’s WebOS platform. This is probably the best way to switch between the apps, monitor them and determine which ones are being used the most. With the card interface, you get a clear view of your content instead of multiple tiers of very tiny icons.

Siri – As you all probably know, Siri is a personal assistant built into the iphone. In iOS 7 Siri gets a whole new look and a new refreshing voice. From now on, you’ll be able to adjust your settings with Siri, conduct search queries from Bing and Wikipedia, and dictate your map navigation and messages, thanks to the in-car iOS support (Apple is said to bring iOS dashboard to Honda, Mercedes, Nissan, Chevy, Kia, Volvo, Acura and others).

Camera and Photos – There’s a new stuff going on in the Camera app and the Photos section. For a start, they both look very good now, with the latest and greatest iOS Seven. Users can now create Shared Photostreams in a two-way collaborative system, while the new Photo app is now capable of intelligently organize and present your entire digital albums, by automatically clustering them into “Moments” or collections (chronologically). With the new Camera app, you can easily swipe between various modes such as video, still, or “square” (for Instagram shots), and even spice them up with a wide range of integrated filters.

Safari – Apple’s good ‘ol browser is getting a fresh new look in iOS7. The interface is much bigger than what we have known in previous versions, and there’s a new tabbed view (which is kinda similar to Chrome for Android), along with a vertical cover-flow carousel browser. The search field has been upgraded as well, to a unified search menu, and you are also getting access to the iCloud keychain password management control.

New App Store – The App Store segment is also getting a new design in your phone. In that regard, the apps will now start updating themselves automatically in the background, and you’ll be able to search for apps, based on rates, popularity and your personal preferences and location.

Activation Loc – Basically, if your iphone gets stolen and the thief tries to turn the Find My iPhone off, then he or she will not be able to reactivate it again, without including your personal iCloud password.

Release Date

iOS 7 coming to developers TODAY, and for the rest of the world, sometime in the fall. The platform will support the following devices: iPhone 4 and later, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini, and iPod Touch 4th gen.

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[Apple]

tablets

Hisense Launches Entry Level Sero 7 LT and Pro Android Jelly Bean Tablets

May 26, 2013 Nir Shein 8 Comments

Buying a tablet doesn’t require a big fortune these days. All you have to do is go down to the local supermarket, and get yourself a brand new mid-range slate. At Wal-Mart, for instance, you’ll find an inexpensive pair of Android Jelly Bean devices, currently sold under the popular Chinese brand of Hisense (for either $99 or $149 US dollars a piece). The two, the Sero 7 LT, and the Sero 7 Pro, are in fact very similar in design and cut, but somewhat different in technical specs. While the cheaper version boasts a fairly reasonable 1.6GHz dual-core processor under the lid, alongside 1GB of RAM, 4GB of storage, a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera, 4 hours battery life, and 7-inches screen, supporting 1024 by 600 pixels resolution, the Pro version runs inside a powerful 1.3GHz quad-core Tegra 3 chip, accompanied by 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, dual-camera configurations, with a 5MP rear camera, and a 2MP front shooter, WiFi, Bluetooth and a crisp 1280 by 800 HD resolution display. Now, that’s not bad at all considering the fact that the hardware is far superior than other tablets in that range.

Update: We’ve added a brief video hands-on to help you get a sense of what this tablet is all about.

[youtube id=”VRgsutdhiOY”]

[toggle title=”FULL PR TEXT”]

Hisense Launches Sero 7 LT and NVIDIA Tegra 3-Powered Sero 7 PRO Android Tablets Exclusively at Walmart

Category-Leading Battery Performance, Screen Quality And Pricing Redefine Value For Broadest Market Appeal

New York, NY, May 23, 2013 – Hisense today entered the tablet marketplace with the Sero 7 Series, delivering category-leading battery performance, stunning screen quality and exceptional value. The Hisense Sero 7 PRO ($149) and the Sero 7 LT ($99) are available in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com on May 24.

“Hisense is proud to introduce cutting-edge tablet technology that is accessible to the broadest demographic, with unmatched performance in the current market landscape,” said Jonathan Frank, Vice President of Marketing, Hisense USA. “Our new Hisense Sero 7 tablets provide Walmart customers with an attractive, robust and highly powerful entertainment, communication and productivity tool.”Powerful, High Quality Tablet at $149

Hisense Sero 7 PRO is a 7-inch 1280 x 800 High Definition touch screen powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 quad-core processor and runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Key features include:• NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor

• Android 4.2 Jelly Bean

• 7 inch, 1280 x 800 IPS display

• 1GB of RAM

• 8GB of on-board memory

• 2.0MP front camera

• 5.0MP rear camera with flash and auto-focus

• Mini HDMI, SD, and USB ports

• 10-hour battery life – Twonky Beam, which allows users to share local and Internet resources with other equipment via a DLNA network• Built-in NFC (Near Field Communications) to share pictures, playlists and videos clips

• Bluetooth enabled, providing secure transmission of data to and from devices

“Tegra 3’s quad-core processor and fifth battery saver core deliver outstanding performance and amazing battery life,” said John Lonergan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Americas, NVIDIA. “The Hisense Sero 7 PRO, powered by Tegra 3, functions effortlessly with battery-saving technology and brilliant graphic capabilities, providing an amazing experience at a fantastic price for consumers.”$99 Tablet With Stunning Screen, Unmatched Features

The Sero 7 LT is a feature-packed introductory tablet that is the foundation for the Sero 7 family. It is a perfect gift, PC companion or introduction of technology to a young child at just $99. Features include:• 1.6 GHz dual core processor

• Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

• 7 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display

• Built-in WiFi, Mini HDMI, SD, and Micro USB ports

• 1GB of RAM

• 4GB internal memory

In addition to being Google Play certified which provides users with an almost-endless array of apps, games and more, the Hisense Sero 7 tablets come preinstalled with VUDU, walmart.com, sams.com, Nook eReader, Pandora Internet Music, Facebook and NVIDA’s TegraZone applications.

“Driven by enthusiastic, technology-loving consumers combined with dynamic and progressive app stores, the tablet has quickly evolved from a standalone computing device into a highly connected, eminently-useful component of the home ecosystem. As one of the largest and most advanced true CE manufacturers – with offerings in entertainment, communication, HVAC and white goods – it’s fitting that Hisense makes a strong showing in the tablet sector and today’s introduction of Sero 7 comprehensively achieves this goal!” concluded Frank.

For more information please visit: www.hisense-usa.com.

About Hisense USA Corporation

Established in 2001, Hisense USA Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hisense Company Ltd., headquartered in Qingdao, China.

Hisense USA offers a broad range of technology driven consumer electronics products that are manufactured and distributed across North American, including televisions, refrigerators, air-conditioners, dehumidifiers, beverage coolers and freezers. Hisense USA sells into national retailers across North America, including Walmart, Sams.com, hhgregg, Canadian Tire and more. The Company has established R&D centers in Atlanta, Georgia and San Jose, California to enable localized product development and innovation.

Hisense Company Ltd. has production facilities in China, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt as well as Mexico and is one of the largest television manufacturers in the world with over 10 million televisions produced per year. The Company has sales offices in North America, Europe, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East and Asia while exporting products to over 130 countries and regions throughout the world.

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tablets

Acer’s New 7.9-inch Iconia A1 Tablet Officially Announced

May 5, 2013 Nir Shein 1 Comment

Earlier this weekend in New York City, Acer unveiled the Iconia A1, a 7.9-inch Android Jelly Bean tablet with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor under the hood, a very sharp IPS panel, and 1024 x 768 pixels screen resolution for high definition display. This isn’t Acer’s first foray into the popular mid-range tablet market. The company announced another 7-inch device, with Android’s latest 4.1 version, only four months ago. And while the first iteration (also known as the Iconia B1-A71) packs a dual-core processor, the new product boasts a quad-core technology onboard. In other words, a lot more power and a lot more speed that you get in here. Other than that, this 11.1mm thick slate, which is going on sale in the US of A later this month, also comes with WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, a 5MP rear-facing camera, and your choice of either 8GB or 16GB of data storage, with an expandable microSD slot. The forthcoming tablet will retail for a very competitive price tag of $169 and $199, respectively.

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Video, courtesy of phoneArena

Operating Systems, software

Apple Releases iOS 6.1.3 To Fix Lock Screen Security Breach

March 19, 2013 Nir Shein

Well, that didn’t take Apple too long to roll out a new iOS update, to correct several issues that cropped up with their latest 6.1/6.1.1/6.1.2 versions. The new release, which obviously gets the serial name of iOS 6.1.3, includes a few notable fixes for the iDevices platform, such as this small software trick that has given users the option to circumvent iPhone lock screen, without entering the proper code, and one or two performance improvements in the Japanese Apple Maps app, and some other pertinent security aspects. The update is now available in iTunes, and is also available over-the-air to existing iOS 6 users.

Update: You know what they say, it’s not over until it’s over. So, if Apple thought it has completely removed the lock screen bypass glitch, with the recent iOS 6.1.3 release, there seems to be another problem that may need a better solution. We won’t go into explaining the new issue again. Let’s just say it involves using the voice command feature and ejecting the SIM card tray. Hop past the break, and watch the walkthrough video (made by by YouTube user videosdebarraquito).

[youtube id=”QCGJTuTZf8M”]

[Apple]

Mobile, Phones

Samsung Galaxy S 4 Officially Introduced: 5-inch 1080p Screen, 13MP Camera, and 1.9GHz Exynos Processor

March 15, 2013 Nir Shein 1 Comment

At Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy S4, a phone that will let you “experience life without boundaries.” That’s right, according to the South Korean corp. the Galaxy S4 is your ultimate “Life Companion” and it will greatly serve you, both in your house and whenever you decide to take it on-the-go. The S4, which is somewhat a mix of Samsung’s Galaxy S3 and Note II mobile phones, offers a wide range of functions and features, including a beautiful 5-inch 1080p (1,920 x 1,080) Super AMOLED screen display (441 ppi), capable of use with gloves in wet, cold and dusty conditions, your choice (depends on the region) of either a 1.6GHz Exynos Octa-core chip or a 1.9GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor (probably the Snapdragon 600), 2GB RAM, and 2,600mAh battery to match.

When it comes to connectivity, the 7.9mm thick device has quite a lot to give, starting with the very exceptional WiFi 802.11ac (which also supports the usual a/b/g/n bands), that comes alongside an IR blaster to let you fully control the big tele (access via Samsung’s WatchON service), a built-in NFC technology, as well as MHL 2.0, radios for HSPA+ (850/900/1900/2100MHz) plus Cat 3 100 / 50 Mbps LTE, and last but not least, a Bluetooth 4.0 + LE module.

Moving on with the specs, the GS 4 is running an Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean platform under the lid, with Samsung’s well-known TouchWiz interface layered on top. You get to choose between 16, 32, or 64GB of storage capacities, and there’s a microSD addition, expandable up to 64 gigs, an option that will give you the potential for a whopping 128GB of total memory.

Another important part of the Galaxy S4 is obviously the new 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture and autofocus capabilities. The camera is claimed to be able taking more than 100 shots in four seconds, and then re-arrange them all in one single frame. It’ll also record video at the 1080p range, and with the “dual camera” mode, you’ll be able to use both the front-facing camera and the rear-facing camera, concurrently, and put ’em together in a pic-in-pic mode. And yes, there’s also a 2MP front-facing camera, in case you wondered.

As mentioned earlier, the GS4 is stuffed with tons of tweaks and features. A quick roundup of some of the good things going on inside:

[list type=”plus”]
[li]Eye-tracking features[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]Smart Pause – Will pause a video by simply “looking away”[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]Smart scroll[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]Air View interface[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]Air Gesture[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]S Translator – That literally understands 9 languages, both speech to text, and text to speech[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]S Voice Drive – Voice commands for driving[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]Optical Reader – Scans QR codes and business cards, turns them into text[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]Swipe-to-type keyboard[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]Group playing – Play music with multiple phones at the same time[/li]
[/list]

[list type=”plus”]
[li]S Health – Tracks your fitness activity[/li]
[/list]

Samsung is planning to sell the Galaxy S4 around the world via 327 carriers in 155 countries, sometime towards the end of April. And while prices are yet to be disclosed, we hear that the GS4 is made of a tough polycarbonate frame, and will be launched either in Black Mist or White Frost colors.

So… Are you getting one?

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[Samsung]

tablets

ASUS Officially Announces The FonePad: A 7-inch Tablet with Phone Capabilities

February 26, 2013 Nir Shein

All in a sudden, the tablet-phone trend has become visible at Mobile World Congress. First it was Samsung to include a cell phone functionality inside the Galaxy Note 8.0, and now it’s the Taiwanese corp with their latest and greatest Asus FonePad (not to confuse with the company’s PadFone), which still features the same 7-inch 1,280 x 800 IPS form factor, alongside a 1.2GHz Atom Z2420 chip, 1GB of RAM, and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. The positive point of this tablet other than the display sharpness and relatively strong CPU, is the stylish design, with either gray or gold colors covering the back, and the thin bezel that gives the unit a clean and polished look. The FonePad comes equipped with a 4,270mAH battery that can provide up to nine hours of continuous work, and of course, as the title suggests, there’s an HSPA+ radio connectivity, running under Google’s Android 4.1 Jelly Bean platform. Inside the device you’ll also find a micro-SIM slot, 16GB of built-in storage, a digital mic, and a microSD card reader (expandable to 32GB).

Asus has revealed it is planning to release the FonePad in Europe, this coming March, for £179 or €219, depends on your country of residence. And while a US release date has not yet been set, Asus has already confirmed a $249 price tag. Hit the break for full PR and some videos.

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ASUS Announces Fonepad™
ASUS’ latest mobile lifestyle device features built-in 3G for fast mobile data and full telephony support along with the versatility and power of a 7″ tablet

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain (25th February, 2013) – ASUS today announced Fonepad™, a competitively priced handheld with 3G voice and mobile data for all the features of a smartphone, with the versatility of a 7-inch tablet. Powered by a new Intel® Atom™ Z2420 processor with Android 4.1, Fonepad™ features a vibrant HD display with IPS technology for wide viewing angles and outstanding clarity.
“It is ideal to have a larger screen with entertainment, social media and other online activities now playing an increasingly important part in our mobile lifestyles,” said Jonney Shih, ASUS Chairman. “The incorporation of 3G mobile data with full telephony support makes the Fonepad™ a perfect combination of tablet and phone in one single device.”
“Extending our long history of collaboration, including most recently on the Ultrabook™ and Intel-based tablets, we are very excited to be partnering with ASUS again,” said Hermann Eul, Intel® vice president and co-general manager of the Mobile and Communications Group. “Intel’s new Atom™ Z2420 processor delivers the power, performance and flexibility required to accommodate a range of devices and market needs. We think the ASUS Fonepad™ is a very innovative device in an emerging category of 3G tablets with telephony features.”

Beautiful metallic design with Intel® Atom™ performance
ASUS Fonepad™ is ideal for people who value both the voice communication features of a smartphone and the entertainment opportunities afforded by a tablet, but prefer the convenience of carrying just one device. Fonepad™ is a sleek and compact tablet with a metallic design that can be held comfortably in one hand, thanks to its light 340g weight and slim 10.4mm profile. Powered by the latest Intel® Atom™ Z2420 processor with full Android compatibility, Fonepad™ features a perfect balance of performance and energy efficiency, with hardware-accelerated 1080p Full HD video decoding and up to nine hours of battery life.
The 7-inch screen features 10-point multi-touch, and a crisp 1280 x 800 HD resolution for crisp, readable web page text and incredibly detailed photos. IPS technology ensures vibrant color with 178-degree wide viewing angles, and images that are clear and bright, even outdoors.

Built-in 3G for mobile data and voice calls
Built-in 3G with HSPA+ mobile data means ASUS Fonepad™ is an always-connected mobile device for seamless web browsing, fast downloads from Google Play Store, and smooth streaming of audio and video. Thanks to its full 3G telephony support, Fonepad™ can also be used for voice calls using the built-in noise-cancelling digital microphone or a Bluetooth headset. With just one mobile data plan to pay for, running costs are also much lower than those of a separate smartphone and 3G tablet.
Fonepad™ will be available in the UK with 16GB of internal storage and up to 32GB of additional storage with a microSD card. All models feature a front 1.2-megapixel camera for easy video chat and ASUS SonicMaster audio technology with MaxxAudio 3 processing by Waves ensures clear, well-rounded sound quality.

Exclusive ASUS apps and accessories for greater productivity
ASUS Fonepad™ comes with a number of exclusive ASUS productivity apps: Floating App for easy management of running apps and multi-tasking; SuperNote Lite for handwritten notes and drawing; and WebStorage Office Online for Microsoft Office-compatible document editing on the move. Fonepad™ users also get 5GB of free lifetime ASUS WebStorage for syncing and sharing data with other devices.
Two new optional accessories are also available for Fonepad™. Available in four different colors, VersaSleeve 7 is a wraparound cover with a folding design that both protects Fonepad™ and props up the screen in two different positions for typing and watching video. Turn Case is a lightweight hard-shell case for Fonepad™ that features a soft interior to keep the screen clean and a built-in stand that places the screen at a perfect angle for watching video.
###
*Specifications may vary without prior notice. Options, pricing, performance and availability dependent upon region. For more details about the product mentioned in this press release, please visit http://press.asus.com .

AVAILABILITY & PRICING – UK
ASUS Fonepad™ and accessories will be available in the UK late Q2 2013. Prices start from SRP £179 (inc VAT) for the 16GB Fonepad. VersaSleeve costs £19.99 and Turn Case £39.99 (both SRP inc VAT). Exact pricing and specifications will be confirmed closer to launch.

tablets

Lenovo Rolls Out Three New Android Tablets, 7-inch A1000 and A3000, and 10-inch S6000

February 25, 2013 Nir Shein

As a leading manufacturer of personal computers, and laptops, Lenovo has predictably returned to Mobile World Congress with a heaping armful of new tablets of both the 7-inch and 10-inch variety, all of which run Android Jelly Bean under the hood, and will probably be globally available sometime in Q2. Starting with the 7-inch models, key specs for the entry level A1000 tablet, include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, alongside a microSD slot expansion (32GB at max), 1,024 x 600 screen resolution, and up to 16GB of inbuilt storage. The A3000, on the other hand, boasts a tad stronger 1.2GHz quad-core MTK processor inside, together with an IPS display, expandable microSD slot (up to 64GB), and optional HSPA+ network.

The 10-inch form factor, dubbed the S6000, is an high-end slate, housing a 1.2GHz quad-core MediaTek’s 8389 / 8125 CPU, a much better 1,280 x 800 IPS display, a shell that’s 8.6 mm thick and weighs just 560 grams (the 7-inchers measure at 11mm), and with eight hours of battery life to work with. Regretfully, there are no price details at the moment, but you can check out the videos and read the full PR after the break.

Update: Lenovo has finally begun selling the A1000 and A3000 slates online, with prices starting at $149 (after $40 discount) for the very basic IdeaPad device, and up to $229 in case you’d like to try the better alternative.

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The two videos are courtesy of gadgetjm

Lenovo Announces New Android Tablets

Series includes new functionality and various configurations, tailored for distinct customer segments

BARCELONA – February 24, 2013: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today announced a line-up of new Android tablets, offering configurations and form factors to match consumer needs for both ultra-portable tablets and multimedia performers. The portfolio, which also boasts unique connectivity features, will be available starting in the second quarter 2013.
The range starts with two new A-series tablets, seven-inch devices, designed for optimal mobility while still packing a performance punch. The A1000 is ideal for first-time tablet buyers and features enhanced audio, while the A3000 offers quad-core processing for speedy performance whether for gaming or web-browsing. Alongside these models, Lenovo also announced the new 10-inch S6000, which offers extended I/O options, a large, vibrant screen and a super-slim profile that looks sophisticated and elegant, whether the user is web-surfing in the coffee shop or enjoying movies and games at home.

“Lenovo’s latest Android tablet family is designed to meet the demands of a wide range of customers, particularly young, active users who are always on the go, and have adopted the seven-inch form factor as their own. With these latest additions to our tablet portfolio, we’ve created devices that address these customers’ needs, as well as devices for more demanding gamers and multimedia users,” said Chen Wenhui, vice president Lenovo and GM Mobile BU, “We believe that our Android family of tablets will appeal to customers across the world as we’ve built our products to be highly accessible and flexible to serve multiple needs and budgets.”

S6000, Mobile “Home Entertainment” Center
As tablets have continued their march into the mainstream, increasing demands with regards to larger screen devices have raised the bar for tablet makers. Lenovo has responded with the S6000, a sleek and powerful option for customers looking for a device that switches seamlessly from entertainment to social media and beyond. Powered by the MTK 8389/8125 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, the S6000 shines as a multimedia and gaming tablet fronted by a 10.1-inch IPS 1280X800 display with a wide, 178-degree viewing angle, micro HDMI port and digital microphone. The S6000 also offers a number of additions to optimize its performance as a connectivity tool for social networkers including optional HSPA+ and a substantial battery that allows for more than 8 hours of continuous WiFi web browsing. Even with these specifications though, the S6000 does not lose track of style and convenience; it is all tied together in a super slim (8.6mm) and light (560g) frame that feels good and helps you look good.

A3000, Full Performance in a Compact Package
In today’s connected world, devices must be mobile, without skimping on performance. The A3000 bristles with specifications typically found in a much larger device, all packed into a seven-inch form factor that is thin and light. Powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core, MTK processor, the A3000 optimizes the user experience for games, video, photo-sharing and web-browsing, offering seamlessly fluid navigation and highly responsive performance. The benefits of the seven-inch form factor are not ignored on the A3000 either. The tablet, which sports an IPS 1024×600 screen, weighs in at less than 340g and is only 11mm thick, but can still hold a wealth of content with an extensive memory, which can be extended to 64GB with the external micro-SD card. Optional 3G HSPA+ support ensures you stay connected when you’re on the go with Lenovo’s ultra-portable tablet.

A1000, Pocket Studio with Dolby®

The A1000 delivers an audio experience normally reserved for more expensive tablets in a seven- inch device. With Dolby Digital Plus integrated into the device and large, front-facing speakers that ensure the sound is directed at the users’ ears rather than the floor, the A1000 is perfect for music lovers and those seeking a “pocket studio” for either music or movies. The A1000 runs Android Jelly Bean 4.1 on a 1.2GHz dual-core processor and has on-board storage of up to 16GB, extendable to 32GB with a micro-SD slot, so users can load content up and take it to the gym, the office or anywhere else they want to experience high-quality sights and sounds. It also comes in either black or white, allowing users to customize their Lenovo pocket studio to their lifestyle.

Lenovo Mobile Access
All the new Android tablets come with Lenovo Mobile Access, a unique service that allows users to connect instantly “out of the box”. When customers first power up their Lenovo device, they will see an icon indicating Lenovo as their access provider. Without having to set up a special data plan, they can immediately start browsing web pages, accessing their email and sharing content with friends using HSPA+ 3G access or through WiFi according to their specific configuration. When the initial Lenovo Mobile Access service expires users will be prompted with the option to easily renew their plan or select an alternative service.

Pricing and Availability
The newest Android tablets will be available worldwide from Q2, 2013. Although pricing varies according to market, configuration and model, each tablet in the range is competitively priced to ensure maximum accessibility to a premium user experience for all customers.

tablets

HP Drops a Bomb, Announces $169 Slate 7 Android Tablet with Beats Audio Speakers

February 24, 2013 Nir Shein 2 Comments

At MWC 2013 — HP announces their entrant into the increasingly crowded mid-sized tablet market (after a not so successful run with the Touchpad), with a brand new 7-inch slate. The new device, which runs a Jelly Bean platform under the lid, aims to be one of the cheapest tablets across the pond, only $169, and yet still offers a fairly reasonable line of specs, including a 1.6GHz dual-core A9 ARM processor, 1GB of RAM, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1, dual camera (3MP rear and VGA front facing), advanced Beats Audio system for superior sound quality, about 16GB of internal storage, and 1,024 x 600 resolution of FFS+ LCD touchscreen display. The cover is stunning with the brilliant Red or Silver colors, and the casing materials are of finest standards. Touring around the slate, you’ll find a micro-USB port down the chassis, a volume rocker on the right, a microSD slot expansion, and a headphone jack plus a power – lock button placed at the top. HP says the Slate 7 slab will be out in April, and we have every reason to believe these should sell like hotcakes. Full PR and a first-impression video after the break.

Update: The 7-inch HP slate is now officially available for purchase in the US, through the company’s online store, at only $170 a piece.

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Video courtesy of pocketnowvideo

HP Unveils Android Consumer Tablet

HP today announced the HP Slate7, an affordable Android Jelly Bean consumer tablet that provides customers with easy access to Google Mobile services.

With a 7-inch diagonal screen and weighing 13 ounces, the HP Slate7 is an ideal trusted personal companion, featuring a stainless-steel frame and soft black paint in gray or red on the back. It also is the industry’s first tablet to offer embedded Beats Audio, for the best-sounding, richest audio experience available on a tablet.

The HP Slate7 delivers the Google experience with services like Google Now, Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive and Google+ Hangouts for multiperson video chat as well as access to apps and digital content through Google Play.(1)

“To address the growing interest in tablets among consumers and businesses alike, HP will offer a range of form factors and leverage an array of operating systems,” said Alberto Torres, senior vice president, Mobility Global Business Unit, HP. “Our new HP Slate7 on Android represents a compelling entry point for consumer tablets, while our ground-breaking, business-ready HP ElitePad on Windows® 8 is ideal for enterprises and governments. Both deliver the service and support people expect from HP.”

The HP Slate7 joins the recently introduced HP Chromebook as part of HP’s push to offer access to the Google experience.

HP’s tablet offerings reside in the company’s newly formed Mobility Global Business Unit, established in September 2012 with the hiring of Torres. Torres joined HP from Nokia, where he was executive vice president and oversaw the MeeGo products and platform.

HP Slate7 makes computing easy while on the go

Powered by an ARM Dual Core Cortex-A9 1.6 GHz processor, the HP Slate7 is fast and responsive. Integrated wireless allows customers to access email, the internet and key applications, while the High-aperture-ratio Field Fringe Switching (HFFS) panel offers wide viewing angles that provide easy viewing of documents, games, photos and videos-even in outdoor lighting conditions.

The HP Slate7 includes a 3-megapixel camera on the back and a VGA camera on the front for chatting, videos and photos.

With the HP ePrint (2) application, customers can easily print while at home or on the go, and the exclusive native printing capability enables customers to print directly from most applications. A micro USB port allows customers to easily transfer files, and a suite of applications from HP spans exclusive games to productivity tools.

HP will provide an array of simple and easy-to-access support tools and resources to help customers take full advantage of all of the features the HP Slate7 has to offer. In addition to extensive phone and online support offerings included with the HP Slate7, HP is offering customers the opportunity to add to the standard product limited warranty with its HP Care Pack services. HP Slate7 customers will have the option to protect their investment with a two-year HP Care Pack for $29 or a two-year HP Care Pack with Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) for $49.(3)

Pricing and availability(3)
The HP Slate7 is expected to be available in the United States in April with a starting price of $169.

Additional information about the HP Slate7 is available at www.hp.com/slate and The Next Bench.

tablets

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 Now Official

February 24, 2013 Nir Shein 3 Comments

Samsung was obviously looking to build on the success it had with the Galaxy series (both mobile and tablets), and so the question we needed to ask was when rather than if the next Galaxy device, will be launched. Today the company officially announced the Galaxy Note 8, and finally confirmed our previous suspicions. No actual release date has been mentioned, only that the mid-sized slate will be globally available sometime in Q2. Other than that, we have learned that Sammy’s new slab is going to include an 8-inch 1,280 x 800 TFT display (189ppi), alongside a 1.6GHz Samsung Exynos 4 Quad processor, 2GB of RAM, WiFi a/b/g/n connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS navigation platform (with GLONASS), your choice of 16GB or 32GB storage capacities, both expandable via microSD, and HSPA+ 21 (850/900/1900/2100MHz) network support.

In terms of look, the Android Jelly Bean Note 8.0 tablet measures only 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.31 inches, and sports a plastic covering, with a 4,600mAh battery under the hood. The system comes pre-loaded with all sorts of S Pen apps, running with added TouchWiz UX, and Smart Stay, Air View and Multi-Window support. There’ also an AllShare Play and Cast feature, along with those Popup video capabilities, e-reader functionality, and some 3rd-party bloatware such as Flipboard, and Awesome Note. Of course, you can use it as a living room companion, thanks to the integrated Smart Remote app and the inbuilt IR blaster, up on the right. And while prices are yet to be determined, you can jump past the break to read the full PR, and share with us your feelings and thoughts.

Update: We’ve also added a quick hands-on video, so check it out after the break

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Video courtesy of AndroidCentral

INTRODUCING THE GALAXY NOTE 8.0,

A NEW ERA OF PORTABILITY AND EVERYDAY PRODUCTIVITY

SEOUL, Korea [February 24, 2011] – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the launch of the 8 inch tablet, the GALAXY Note 8.0; a new era of intelligent Note technology set to re-ignite the mid-size tablet category that Samsung established in 2010. Providing unrivalled multimedia performance within a compact one-hand-grip screen, the GALAXY Note 8.0 has the power and advanced technology to evolve the tablet experience and ensure you achieve new levels of efficient multi-tasking while benefitting from superb voice call functionality*. Furthermore, the intelligent S Pen brings together the latest innovation and the ease of using a traditional pen and paper; creating a sophisticated mobile experience that will enhance life on the go.

“Back in 2010 the launch of the first Samsung GALAXY Tab with 7 inch screen opened a new chapter in the mobile industry. Now almost three years later, Samsung continues to evolve the sector that meets the demands of modern life.” said JK Shin, President of the IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

“The GALAXY Note 8.0 breaths fresh life into the category as it delivers the perfect fusion of portability and everyday productivity – the result is a pioneering, pocket-sized solution that enhances and enriches our everyday lives, whether at work or play,” added Shin.

At the core of the GALAXY Note 8.0’s innovative solutions are beneficial functions, including multi-window options to split the portable 8inch screen and allow optimal access to a number of live applications; a new generation of Samsung’s intelligent S Pen with advanced usability; access to a suite of S Note templates and tools that allow you to create, edit, manage and share everyday documents; the Samsung “reading mode” technology to enjoy e books with optimized resolution, video and voice calls*. In addition, a suite of exciting new content and services are pre-loaded for users at no additional cost including, for the very first time on Samsung GALAXY tablet, the innovative Flipboard, and Awesome Note.

A smart diary for life on the go

Slim and compact enough to become the perfect on-the-go work and play companion, the GALAXY Note 8.0 brings powerful performance and functionality to support even the most demanding of lifestyles. Designed to store and manage your personal and professional data efficiently, the new era device gives users the perfect pocket-sized hands-on organizational tool. Practical S Note templates and S Planner feature help to manage everyday tasks, including meeting notes, to-do lists and even personal diary entries. All content can be entered and updated with the finest of detail thanks to the evolution of the intelligent Samsung S Pen. Enhanced precision is offered with Handwriting-to-Text conversion and advanced Productivity Tools that support formula and shape recognition are now available at the touch of your S Pen.

New content and services

GALAXY Note 8.0 is packed with pre-loaded content and apps specifically for the value maximizing, mass multimedia consumer. Upgraded Chat-On provides easy instant messaging and group chatting in multiple formats – images, video, voice, contacts – for simple, enjoyable communication. Awesome Note, an integrated application that is introduced in android tablet for the first time with NOTE 8.0, is capable of unlimited note-taking uses including Memo, Diary and Must-remember lists. With Flipboard, your news, social network and other feeds come together in one stylish, flippable format so you can enjoy all your news and life’s great moments in one place. Flipboard developed a customized version of its application exclusively for Samsung that allows users to take the S Pen’s hover feature and preview article headers beneath Flipboard’s main screen tiles. Finally, Smart Remote, gives you a universal remote control and electronic programming guide allowing you to manage TV and video watching seamlessly.

A new age of S Pen intelligence

Optimized to aid personalized creativity, the Samsung S Pen has evolved to increase everyday usability and enhance creation expression. Embedded within the tablet, the S Pen is an extension of the GALAXY Note 8.0. Removing the S Pen from the device will automatically launch innovative features such as Pen Detection that will suggest adapted menus that it thinks you’ll need and Page Buddy, a feature that will intuitively activate your most recently adapted S Note home screen.

S Pen technology is now so advanced that it doesn’t even have to touch the screen. With Air View, the S Pen needs only to hover over the screen to see previews of videos, emails, photos and appointments on SPlanner without opening the file or application in full. S Pen Gesture allows images and content to be easily edited and cropped, whilst Paper Artist and Photo Note allow photos to be artistically personalized.

In addition, for the very first time in GALAXY NOTE category, you can use S Pen to control the physical menu/back buttons on the device with WACOM technology.

Maximizing mass multimedia consumption

Creative multi-tasking with the GALAXY Note 8.0 is effortless due to innovative Dual View feature, two multi window options that seamlessly allow you to facilitate multi-screen usage. Dual View’s split screen accommodates optimal operation of different apps, such as launching the S Note on the web browser screen and allowing content to be resized, dragged and dropped as required.

Multi-tasking is extended to phone calls*. Pop Up Note allows you to access S Note at any time to keep track of key actions and Pop Up Video ensures you can keep surfing the web whilst chatting – content windows can be easily resized by pinching to enlarge or reduce.

Perfect info-tainment partner

Packed with features to engage, entertain and excite, the GALAXY Note 8.0 supports your practical everyday needs. Reading Mode transforms the GALAXY Note 8.0 into an e-Book reader, provides the optimal reading conditions to ensure you can curl up and enjoy a good book. You can even turn it into a universal remote control with Smart Remote, to seamlessly manage TVs, set-up boxes, DVD & Blu-ray players.

tablets

Vizio Introduces a 10-inch Tegra 4 Tablet and a Skinny 7-inch Android Slate

January 9, 2013 Nir Shein

Vizio is all over the place at CES 2013, whether it’s their smartphone, TV, laptop or tablet. Earlier this week the company announced its first entry into the Windows 8 tablet market. Today, however, the US-based company is back on track to launch a new pair of Android Jelly Bean devices. The first, and certainly the most interesting of Vizio’s latest tablets is a 10.1-inch slab, powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 4 chip – the world’s fastest mobile processor, to date. But it’s not only the super fast and powerful CPU that makes us so curious about it, but also the 2560 x 1600 high-pixel resolution screen, which is quite remarkable, to say the least. Some of the other specs of the product include a stock Android Jelly Bean OS, running smoothly under the shell, 32GB of internal storage, WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0, an NFC antenna and 5-megapixels rear camera alongside a 1.3-megapixels snapper on the front.

The 7-inch frame, which is quite impressive as well, will come pre-loaded with a lower resolution of 1280 x 800, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean for the OS, 16GB of in-house repository, and a “rather weak” Tegra 3 processor. No NFC capabilities in this forthcoming tablet form.

No prices were given, but both machines are due out in the first half of 2013.

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Video courtesy of engadget / Image credit: IGN.com

tablets

Gigabyte Unveils 11.6-inch S1082 and S1185 Windows 8 Tablets

January 8, 2013 Nir Shein

At CES 2013, Gigabyte is finally up and ready to launch a new line of Windows 8 tablets, including the S1185 which is targeted for the personal consumer market, and the S1082 that is more of a business oriented. The first model, S1185, that you’ll be able to see over the next few months, boasts a 1080p 11.6-inch IPS screen, powered by a robust Intel Ivy Bridge processor at your choice (either Core i3 or Core i5 chips), two cameras, back and front (at 5MP and 1.3MP, respectively), a range of 64GB to 256GB of internal flash storage, HDMI out, and last but not least, a VGA port. Besides that, the S1185 offers a complete set of useful accessories alongside the tablet itself. A magnetic keyboard is one of the options, but also an optical finger navigation device, to ease your way while using the slate. The entire pack, if you’re wondering, is set to go live sometime before April, for about $1,000. The second slab, the S1082, sports the usual dual-core Intel processor under the plate, with cellular HSPA+ data capabilities to connect to GSM/UMTS networks worldwide, your choice of either 500GB HDD storage drive or the faster solution of the SSD housing. This new 10.1-incher (1,366 x 768 pixels) will be getting the same VGA/HDMI ports attached to its bulkier chassis, as well as LAN connectivity and a similar set of keyboard and cover add-ons. The S1082 will be priced at $649 and will be available come February 2013.

[via Mobile Geeks]

tablets

Asus Updates VivoTab Windows 8 Series With a New VivoTab Smart Tablet

January 8, 2013 Nir Shein

Las Vegas — Asus has just added a new tablet to its latest and greatest Windows 8 VivoTab series, the ASUS VivoTab Smart. So what is so different about it that merited the “Smart” in its name? The 10.1-inch, 1366 x 768, screen display looks pretty much the same, and so does the camera pack (8-megapixel on the back plus 2-megapixel on the front) and the NFC technology support. The chip inside, however, is an Intel Atom Z2760 dual-core processor, and you’re also getting a brand new “TransSleeve” keyboard dock, that will serve you well in protecting your slate, as well as a comfortable and quiet typing surface, thanks to the low-profile physical keys, and as a solid case that doubles as a stand. Pricing and availability are still unknown at the moment.

Update1: More info is coming from the CES show floor. Apparently, the ASUS VivoTab Smart will be priced at $499 in the US market, while the case-keyboard-stand sleeve will most likely run you an extra 129 bucks. Take a look after the break.

Update2: The 10-inch Vivo Tab Smart is now set to hit British shores on January 31st, under the ME400 moniker, with prices to start at £399 for the basic Windows 8 tablet with a dual-core 1.8GHz Atom processor behind the lid. Besides that, the cover add-on will run at £39.99, while the cover plus keyboard extension will set you back £89.99. Full PR after the break.

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Video courtesy of engadget

ASUS Launches VivoTab™ ME400 Tablet with Intel® Atom™ Processor
for Full Windows 8 Experience

Affordably priced 10.1-inch tablet with TranSleeve Keyboard provides full compatibility with existing Windows software and hardware

London, United Kingdom, (22 January, 2012) – ASUS today launched the VivoTab™ ME400 tablet with 10.1-inch HD display and full Windows 8 experience, all at an affordable price. The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 is perfect for work and play, at home or on the move. Thin and light, ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 features an Intel® Atom™ dual-core processor for full compatibility with new and existing Windows 8 software, and an optional TranSleeve Keyboard that magnetically combines screen protection with a wireless keyboard for enhanced productivity.
Perfect for productivity, ideal for entertainment

Just 9.7mm thin and 580g light, ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 has a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display with a crisp 1366 x 768 HD resolution. IPS display technology delivers 178-degree wide viewing angles and ensures clear and bright images, even when seen from the side. VivoTab™ ME400 also features 5-point multi-touch for fluid fingertip control with Windows 8. The TranSleeve Keyboard is an innovative accessory that is a cover, keyboard, and stand all rolled into one. It not only aids in the typing experience, but protects the tablet as well.

With its Intel® Atom™ Z2760 dual-core processor, the ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 delivers fast and responsive performance, while still providing up to 9.5 hours battery life on a single charge. The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 gives complete peace of mind to users too, thanks to complete compatibility with both Windows 8 Store and Desktop apps, along with plug and play support for a wide range of existing peripherals.

The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 features high-quality cameras front and rear. The 8-megapixel rear camera with auto-focus, five-element lens and 1080p Full HD video recording captures precious moments with crystal clarity, while the front 2-megapixel camera is perfect for face-to-face video chat. The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 also features renowned ASUS SonicMaster audio technology for incredible sound quality for all kinds of listening material from its built-in stereo speakers.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING

The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 comes in ceramic white, diamond blue and poppy red, and is available as of the 31st January 2013 from Argos and CarPhone Warehouse. The ASUS VivoTab™ ME400 has an SRP of £399.

ASUS TranSleeve Keyboard will be sold separately.

tablets

Barnes & Noble Announces Nook HD and Nook HD+ Android Tablets

September 27, 2012 Nir Shein

Hot on the heels of Amazon announcing plans to release the 8.9-Inch Kindle Fire HD, popular book retailer Barnes and Noble have just revealed their latest line of Android Ice Cream Nook tablets, the NOOK HD and NOOK HD+. This isn’t the first time the company has jumped the line with a NOOK. The last time was about a year ago, when Amazon officially announced its 7-inch Kindle Fire and B&N has replied with a slate of its own. Today, we are pretty much back in the same place for similar reasons.

And so without further ado, let’s dive into the nitty gritty details. The first in this family of tablets is the 7-inch Nook HD. Weighing around 11.1 oz (319 grams), this nice gadget is available in Snow or Smoke colors and has a high-def 1440 x 900 screen resolution (243 ppi) for both 8GB and 16GB capacities which will run you $199 and $229, respectively. In addition, it boasts a 1.3GHz Dual-Core TI OMAP4470 processor under the hood, and likely to include 1GB of RAM, a tweaked version of Ice Cream Sandwich, and a microSD slot providing additional capability of memory storage expansion.

The second in that series, and the better model between the two, is the NOOK HD+ that sports many of the same specs, only slightly bigger and stronger, to improve its performance. The screen in here is a 9-inch Full HD display, with 1920×1280 resolution (256 ppi), and the CPU was upgraded from 1.3GHz to 1.5GHz dual-core processor. And while RAM remains the same at 1GB, the tablet offers 16GB of internal storage to start with ($269), and up to 32GB ($299) for the larger version. There’s also a micro USB port, and HDMI out function via an adapter.

Both devices are set to start shipping in late October, with B&N to give NOOK users easy access to its video-on-demand service, that houses many HD movies and TV shows for streaming and download.

Hands-on video after the break.

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Video courtesy of The Verge.

[BARNES & NOBLE (PDF)]

Media Players

Apple Introduces New iPod Touch, iPod Nano, and iPod Shuffle Media Players

September 13, 2012 Nir Shein

At San Francisco California, Apple has just introduced a new line of iPod devices, including a powerful iPod Touch, a redesigned iPod Nano and a new version of the tiny iPod Shuffle.

iPod Touch:

The fifth-gen iPod touch player appears to be one of the most impressive products that has ever hit the market.

This new iteration boasts that same gorgeous4-inch display (326 ppi panel) the new iphone 5 packs, while the structure itself is nothing but amazing. Only 88 grams (3.1 ounces) of heft behind it and it just 6.1mm thin. As far as architecture goes, the new Touch will sport an A5 chip inside, that is guaranteed to give you roughly seven times the graphics performance (compared to Apple’s previous model).

The built-in battery was also upgraded. When fully charged, it seems to last at least 8 hours of video broadcast or 40 hours of music playback.

The rear camera has been bumped up to 5 megapixels, alongside a backside-illuminated sensor and an f/2.4 lens aperture. There’s also support for 1080p video playback / recording, in addition to the new and highly efficient image stabilization factor. The front facing camera of the Touch holds the 720p resolution.

We’ve also learned that the one strange silver button on the back of the Touch was added in order to hook up a safety lanyard onto the body. OK, whatever. Fortunately, there are some positive news for us software aficionados, as the new player said to support Siri personal assistant, out of the box, and claimed to be shipped along with Apple’s latest and greatest iOS 6 platform.

Finally, the iPod Touch will be offered in a variety of colors, including raw aluminum, black, blue, yellow,and red. We’re also told that the rest of the system’s configuration is pretty respectable, with the new ipod Touch models to run you $299 and $399, housing either 32GB and 64GB, respectively.

More about the new lineup after the break.

Update: Looks like Apple’s new iPod touch, shuffle and nano players just went up on Amazon, so you can place your orders right away, with shipping to start in about 2 – 5 weeks.

iPod Shuffle:

A new version of the iPod shuffle was also recently announced. And while most of the the changes to this new iPod flavor are basically minor, we still thought they’re worth a mention. Well, as a matter of fact there is only one major change, and if you haven’t guessed by now, we’re talking about the colors. The new iPod shuffle will come in eight different colors. That three additional hues from the latest line of shuffles.

iPod Nano:

Apple says it wanted to “reinvent” the nano lineup for quite some time now, and that’s exactly what they’ve done. The new iPod nano (seventh-gen if you’re counting), like the Shuffle, will come in seven different colors. But if the colors weren’t enough, Apple was looking to give it a large display, some nice controls, a thin design and that same small 8-pin lightning connector. The results are pretty impressive, to say the least. The new and entirely revamped nano device holds a few physical controls along the chassis, while the 2.5-inch screen, on top of the DAP, is the biggest display the company ever put in a nano, and it’s covered with a multitouch interface. Oh, and there’s a home button, can you believe it? And it’s widescreen too. That’s nice and all, but at the end it’s the inner parts of the product that make it so special, and in this case, there is a bluetooth connection for pairing wireless headsets or cellphones, along with an FM radio tuner and a fitness pedometer. The average battery life is rated at about 30 hours for audio, with the standard capacity to sell for $149 and 16GB of storage.

[Apple]

Mobile, Phones

Apple Announces The iPhone 5: 4-Inch Display, 8MP Camera, A6 Processor, LTE, Coming September 21

September 12, 2012 Nir Shein

Today at Apple’s event the company announced the iPhone 5 which will be available for Pre Orders September 14th and goes on sale September 21th. As expected, all rumors confirmed this time, so no surprises at all. But before we get into the details, first some numbers from the Cupertino spreadsheet. According to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, the company “sold more iPads than any PC manufacturer sold of their entire PC line.” And guys, we’re talking about 84 million pieces in here, where in the last quarter alone, Apple had already sold 17 million. That’s crazy! As for the the iOS App Store, apparently it has just crossed the 700,000 apps, while 250,000 are iPad applications. Cook says that 400M iOS devices sold through June 2012, an incredible milestone for the CEO and the entire team.

Now that you know the numbers, let’s get to the juicy stuff. Apple’s Phil Schiller first words on stage were: “Today we’re introducing iPhone 5.” Of course you are, that’s what we’ve all been waiting for. But when the applause died down, we finally could get some info. So let’s break it down into specs:

The new iPhone 5 comes with a larger screen than previous versions, 4-inch at 1136 x 640 resolution (to be on the accurate side), just as the mockups predicted. And yes, this is a 16:9 widescreen Retina panel we have inside, with 44% more color saturation, and full sRGB rendering support. And just to add another quote from Phil, “you see, we’re able to add a fifth row of icons.”

As for measures, the iphone 5 is only 7.6mm thick (about 18% thinner than the 4S ), and weighs 112 grams (which makes it 20% lighter). Phil Schiller claims this is “the most beautiful product we have ever made.” And frankly speaking, it sounds too polished to live up to its competition. But hey, it is made completely out of glass and aluminum hardware.

Connectivity wise, Apple is going to release the iPhone 5 with 4G LTE, supported by all three major U.S networks (Sprint, Verizon and AT&T). Other than that, there’s a dynamic “ultrafast wireless technology” under the lid, featuring the 5GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi support for a wireless experience up to 150 Mbps. Too bad there’s no NFC chip out of the box. Perhaps in iphone 6 (oh well). Yet, you can either choose between CDMA or GSM configuration, depends upon your mobile provider.

As it turns out, the rumors were true about that new A6 processor as well, which according to Apple is more energy efficient, 22% smaller, and two times faster in CPU and graphics performance.

The battery is one of Apple’s strongest components, in general, and the iPhone 5 is no different in that area. The numbers tell the whole story: 8 hours on LTE, 10 hours of video playback, 40 hours of music, and 10 hours even when you wirelessly browsing. Overall, you’re getting 225 hours at standby mode, which looks and sounds quite impressive!

Up next, are the camera shooters (called the iSight). Basically, we are looking at the same “things” we’ve been looking at before, in the previous model. In that regard, there’s a front-facing 720p webcam, alongside an 8-megapixel sensor on the back, shooting pictures at 3264×2248 with backside illumination, hybrid IR and an f/2.4 aperture. It definitely should be better, when you take everything into consideration. In fact, it is claimed to be 40% faster when taking pictures. Not to mention the dynamic low light mode that is supposed to improve performance in low light conditions, and this uber cool Panorama mode, that will get you up to 28 megapixel of widescreen nature images. And then, there’s the 1080p video capturing element that comes native, as part of the deal.

So what else, you’re asking? There are three microphones in this monster, front, back, and bottom. While the new earpiece technology now includes noise canceling on your own audio out. And speaking about audio, Apple is now giving away a new set of earbuds, also known as the earpods. Apple’s guy said they’ve spent about 3 years in order to get to the new in-ear design, which ultimately gives you greater canal comfort . Interesting!

As for the cord, Apple has finally got rid of the good ‘ol 30 pin dock connector (not that we had any complaints about it), unveiling instead a newly designed 8-pin cable connector, dubbed the Lightning (a play on the Thunderbolt). This one is 80 percent smaller, in case you were wondering, but it will match your previous accessories with a $29 Lightning port adapter. Just another way for Apple to make some extra money on the side.

Then, there’s the iOS 6 on iPhone 5, which has over 200 new features, compared to iOS 5. Apple says it will go live Sep 19th, one week from today.

For those asking THE “how much do I have to spend” question, well, the short answer would probably be “same prices” no matter if you choose the black one or the white color. The long asnswer is the following: $199 for 16 GB, $299 for 32 GB, $399 for 64 GB version, on a two-year contract. Regretfully, Apple discontinues the 3GS model, but keeps the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S as part of its lineup.

So yeah! This is pretty much it for now. You can jump on past the break, either read the full PR or take a look at the nifty videos below.

Update1: Prices of unlocked iPhone 5 mobile devices just showed up on Apple’s U.S online store. Here are your options: $649 (16GB), $749 (32GB) And $849 (64GB).

Update2: Apple has officially reported it sold over 2 million iphone 5 devices in the first 24 hours (long before the retail craziness begins). More than double the iPhone 4s opening weekend sales. A new record, for sure!

[Apple]

Continue reading Apple Announces The iPhone 5: 4-Inch Display, 8MP Camera, A6 Processor, LTE, Coming September 21 →

tablets

Archos 101 XS Tablet With Built-in Keyboard Station Will Go on Sale in Early November

August 23, 2012 Nir Shein 1 Comment

Archos has been quite the little busy bee in these past few months, considering their long-term strategy and efforts to gain more market share in the oh-so-crowded slates business. And while the primary focus seems to rest with the entry level priced devices, the multi-media French corporation has officially announced it has plenty to offer. The new revelation is the 10-inch (1,280 x 800 screen resolution) Archos 101 XS tablet, which is due to come out in November.

The tablet itself will almost definitely include the Android OS, although we don’t know if this will be the Ice Cream Sandwich or the newer Jelly Bean version, by the time it will be released (Update: According to Archos the 101 Jelly Bean upgrade will be delivered by October 2012). Under the hood, we’re also looking at a 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP-4470 processor, alongside a 1GB of RAM, 1.3-megapixel camera, and 16GB of internal storage.

But the biggest benefit of this XS tablet, which is set at $399, is of course the keyboard dock (AKA: Coverboard) that serves both as a full-fledged typing surface and a nice protective cover case — That sticks magnetically to the chassis. In addition, it will be sporting a standard USB 2.0 hub, mini-HDMI and a microSD card slot.

To wrap this one up, Archos also announces a couple of docking solutions for added optional features, like the Boombox speaker dock, or the Cradle audio output, with a bunch of USB sockets and some other type of ports. Hit the break for the full PR and a quick look video.

[youtube id=”w5P00tqx9TA”]

Denver, CO – (August 22, 2012) – ARCHOS, an award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, is pleased to announce the unveiling of its Gen10 XS tablet line. The ARCHOS 101 XS, a 10.1-inch tablet that weighs only 21 ounces and measures 0.31 of an inch thin, will be the first of this new line of extra slim AndroidTM tablets to debut mid-September followed by the release of the ARCHOS 97 XS and ARCHOS 80 XS later in 2012.

In addition to creating a new standard of thin for tablets, ARCHOS continues to push the technological boundaries with the innovative Coverboard, a unique magnetic keyboard conceived for each tablet model that will offer protection, a kickstand, docking and easy typing. The Coverboard is included in the box with each tablet.

The entire Gen10 XS line is GoogleTM certified, features Android 4.0 and allows full access to Google PlayTM featuring over 600,000 apps. The range will be upgradable to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in Q4 2012.

“As the pioneer in the Android tablet market, we strive to continually push the technological boundaries of tablets and user experience,” says Henri Crohas, ARCHOS Founder and CEO. “We are taking our

tablets to the next level by releasing an entirely new design that will redefine thin while providing more functionality and a better price than any current Android tablet in the market.”

Magnetic Coverboard: 4 Steps Ahead

The ultra-thin magnetic Coverboard included with all Gen10 tablets enables users to protect, stand and dock the tablet as well as type with a full-size QWERTY keyboard.

Protect

The 0.2″ thick protective cover is secured to the tablet with magnets. To open, the Coverboard simply twists to separate and reveal the full keyboard and magnetic kickstand.

Stands

The magnetically guided docking system enables perfect alignment on the keyboard, eliminating the need for clips or stands. The integrated magnetic kickstand holds the tablet to the Coverboard as one solid unit, allowing users to sit back and enjoy their music and movies comfortably.

Docks

When docked the Coverboard is powered by the tablet providing hours of productivity. The Coverboard also has a DC in, so when it’s plugged into a power outlet the keyboard functions like a dock and charges the tablet.

Types

The Gen10 XS series come fully equipped with a chicklet-style QWERTY keyboard and a complete version of OfficeSuite Pro 6, a $14.99 value. This critically acclaimed application allows you to view, create, edit, print and share Word, Excel and PowerPoint files as well as open attachments and read PDF files. Combine that with a full QWERTY keyboard that also has intergrated Android shortcut keys for direct access to main tablet functions for the ultimate in productivity.

Play Anything and Share Wirelessly with the ARCHOS Media Center

ARCHOS Gen10 XS tablets come with tailor-made Media Center apps for full HD video, complete codec and format support, jackets & meta-data for your music, videos and wireless sharing over your home network. In addition, each tablet features a Video Carousel for a video library experience like no other including automatic jacket download and an easy to use search tool for finding title, series, actor, subtitle or other information. Other media center functions include:
• Wireless streaming, home file sharing and read media from external storage
• ARCHOS remote control app
Pure Android experience
Certified by Google, ARCHOS Gen10 tablets include full access to Google PlayTM, including DRM support for downloading books, music and movies.
• Play Apps and Games: Over 600,000 apps and games
• Play Music: Access millions of tracks and artists
• Play Books: Over 4 million books to choose from
• Play Movies & TV: Thousands of movies including HD titles, new releases, award-winning films
or your favorite classics.
Powered by an unskinned version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, ARCHOS Gen10 tablets deliver a pure AndroidTM experience and will be upgradable to Android’s next OS, Android 4.1 or Jelly Bean. Additional features include:
• 1.5 GHz smart multi-core processor and 1GB of RAM
• Google’s suite of mobile applications including GmailTM, Google TalkTM, YouTubeTM and
Google+TM.
• Google MapsTM with Street View and Navigation
• Google DriveTM with 5GB of free cloud storage
Gen10 XS Series Accessories

The ARCHOS Gen10 XS series has an assortment of designed accessories including a Speaker Dock, Docking Station and protective carrying Pouches.

ARCHOS Speaker Dock: The perfect musical companion for your Gen10 tablet easily combines a sleek design with remarkable sound and quick charging station.

Archos Docking Station: An ingenious little product allows you to charge your tablet while providing a great viewing solution. It also includes USB ports and audio ports for easy connectivity to a hard drives and existing stereo system from your tablet.

ARCHOS Pouches: Provide protection and an easy carrying solution for tablet and Coverboard. They will be available in a large selection of colors and finishes.

Availability

The first tablet in the Gen10 series to be released will be the ARCHOS 101 XS. The 101 XS tablet, which is 15 percent thinner than the new iPad3, weighs only 21 ounces and measures 0.31 of an inch thin and will be in stores and online in North America starting in November with a suggested retail price of $399.99.

Additional specs for the ARCHOS 101 XS include:
• OMAP 4470 CPU with PowerVR SGX544 GPU
• 10.1-inch screen with 1280 x 800 resolution
• 16GB Flash Memory
• Micro USB, MicroSD (SDXC up to 64 GB), Mini HDMI
• WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0

For more information about the ARCHOS Gen10 XS tablet series and accessories, visit www.ARCHOS.com .

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