Thursday, 30 June 2011
Social network Facebook has hired a computer hacker who was recently sued by Sony for hacking the online game system PlayStation 3, The Sun reported. Facebook, however, did not reveal what 21-year-old George Hotz will do for the firm. Hotz - also known by the alias "GeoHot" - gained notoriety in 2008 when he developed a software for unlocking the iPhone and allowing it to be used by other networks.
He also released instructions on Sony PlayStation 3 that helped owners modify their consoles to run unauthorised applications and pirated games. After Sony sued Hotz, hacker group Anonymous retaliated by bombarding the firm's servers. They also broke into Sony's systems and stole personal information from online accounts of 100 million customers.
Via : technoholik
Thursday, 30 June 2011 0
A lot of people has been asking on our facebook page whether to buy the Nexus S or the galaxy S.
so, here's a quick look at the specs of both the android phones to help you decide.
Nexus S
1. The Google experience phone
Sporting a curved glass oloeophobic screen, the version available in India is priced at Rs. 19,999 and comes with a Super Clear LCD display instead of the AMOLED screen of the original. That's not all.
2. Core Specs
Screen: 4 inch Super Clear LCD display, 480 x 800 pixels,
CPU: 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, PowerVR SGX540 GPU, Hummingbird chipset
RAM: 16GB storage, 512 MB RAM
Camera: 5 MP, 2560 x 1920 pixels, autofocus
Battery: 1500 mAh
3. Pros
Camera has LED flash
NFC capabilities
It's the Galaxy S without Touchwiz, which may not be everyone's favourite UI customisation.
Since it is a Google experience phone, it's likely to get firmware updates first.
4. Cons
No MicroSD card slot
No HD video recording capabilities
5. Verdict
The ideal phone for an Android developer, but without the AMOLED screen, HD recording capabilities and expandability options, it's on a lower rung than its predecessor.
Galaxy S
1. Android Champ
This went up against the iPhone 4 when it was out last year, the Galaxy S still has plenty of appeal in it. It's down 10 grand from its launch price, and at Rs. 22,900, it's a tantalizing deal.
2. Core Specs
Screen: 4 inch, Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 480 x 800 pixels
CPU: 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, PowerVR SGX540 GPU, Hummingbird chipset
RAM: 16GB storage, 512 MB RAM, 2GB ROM
Camera: 5 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, autofocus
Battery: 1500 mAh
3. Pros
Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP
Has FM Radio
Records video at 720p@30fps, the Nexus S records video at WVGA resolution.
Supports microSD cards up to 32GB, for a potential 48 gigs of onboard storage.
4. Cons
No NFC capabilities
Camera has no LED flash
5. Verdict
That AMOLED screen that's worth the extra three thousand bucks, barring a few features, the Galaxy S has better specs than its newer variant.
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Here comes some exciting news for Apple iPhone enthusiasts from India. If you have been waiting for the iPhone to get affordable, your wish has been fulfilled. The 8GB iPhone 3GS is now priced 19,990 INR and will be sold unlocked via Aircel and Airtel for GSM users.
The iPhone 4 is already available in the market, but its predecessor is now available at price where various mid-level smartphones are placed. The iPhone 3GS is now going to be a tough competitor for even the best of Android devices, and it would be interesting to see if it triggers a price cut from other manufacturers.
The iPhone 4 is already available in the market, but its predecessor is now available at price where various mid-level smartphones are placed. The iPhone 3GS is now going to be a tough competitor for even the best of Android devices, and it would be interesting to see if it triggers a price cut from other manufacturers.
Wednesday, 29 June 2011 0
Back in April, when LG announced the Optimus 2X the Korean manufacturer also mentioned that the Optimus Black would be making its way to the Indian market sometime later. Well the device is finally available in the India and is priced at 19,990 INR. Apparently this is the lightest high-end Android smartphone, weighing in at just 109 grams.
The Optimus Black runs Android 2.2 FroYo and an Android 2.3 Gingerbread update is expected sometime later in the next month. It has a 4-inch NOVA display, 5 megapixel rear camera and a secondary 2 megapixel front facing camera. It is powered by a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor and includes 2 GB of internal storage.
While the device has decent hardware, it is going to face a lot of heat from the iPhone 3GS now that Apple has brought down the price of the 8GB 19,990 INR. Well, we are yet to get our hands on the device but one thing is for sure, the Optimus Black is going to face tough competition.
HTC has finally launched its very first Android tablet in the Indian market. The HTC Flyer tablet runs Android 2.4 and is powered by a 1.5GHz processor. The tablet supports WiFi as well as 3G connectivity. It sports a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera and a 5 megapixel rear camera.
The Flyer also includes a tablet optimized version of the famous HTC Sense UI, and is bundled with a few other exciting services like the HTC Watch, HTC Scribe and OnLive. HTC Watch will allow users to stream HD quality videos directly to their tablet device. HTC Scribe is the capacitive stylus technology supported technology from HTC. Finally, OnLive is a cloud based gaming service which brings some interesting games to the device.
The hardware on the HTC Flyer is decent, yet not up to the mark to compete with the newly released Android tablets, or even RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook and Apple’s iPad 2. To our disappointment the tablet is officially priced at 39,890 INR and it seems a lot more expensive than what we had earlier speculated. However, it is noteworthy that the tablet will introduce a unique experience when compared to various stock Honeycomb-based tablet devices available in the market.
The hardware on the HTC Flyer is decent, yet not up to the mark to compete with the newly released Android tablets, or even RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook and Apple’s iPad 2. To our disappointment the tablet is officially priced at 39,890 INR and it seems a lot more expensive than what we had earlier speculated. However, it is noteworthy that the tablet will introduce a unique experience when compared to various stock Honeycomb-based tablet devices available in the market.
Via : technoholik
Apparently, a new Nokia device has bee caught on camera and it is supposed to be an upcoming Symbian-based device from the Finnish manufacturer. The device is for now being reffered to as the Nokia N5 according to the guys at Excellular, while another blog has mentioned that the same device is also referred to as the Nokia RM-701, although it seems like a codename for the device.
There is no light on the specifications of this phone, but what we can make out is that the device will be available in black and white colors, a full touchscreen (probably 3.2-inches) and a 5 megapixel camera.
Furthermore the device is also supposed to include a new version of the Symbian mobile operating system which would be an advanced version of the new Symbian Anna update. The new update will apparently bring a new user interface which would be similar to MeeGo, an improved browser, performance upgrades, Android-like notifications and more homescreen widgets.
Well, we believe there is along wait before the device surfaces and when it does we will keep you updated as usual.
If you are one of those people who wait for the official announcements to buy a device, then you can now lay your eyes on Motorola Xoom.
Motorola India is selling two versions of Xoom in India. Motorola XOOM Wi-Fi version [32GB] is Rs 32,990 (MRP: Rs 34,490) and the Best Buy for the 3G version [32GB] is Rs 39,990 (MRP: Rs 41,490).
A quick recap at the features:
- Android 3.0
- 1GHz nVIDIA Tegra 2 processor
- 1GB RAM
- 10.1 inch HD display
- 5 MP rear-facing camera with flash captures HD video, and a 2 MP front-facing camera
“Motorola XOOM is redefining the tablet experience by pre-empting the future mobile experience today,” said Rajan Chawla, Mobile Devices business country head for Sales and Operations, India and South West Asia, Motorola Mobility.
Via: androidOS.in
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Nokia has been trying to maintain an Apple-like secrecy over its upcoming Windows Phone, but one of the attendees didn't get the memo, despite an explicit plea by Nokia CEO Stephen Elop. "This is something that is super confidential, and we do not want to see this out in the blogosphere." Well, the cat is out of the bag. Technet.hu has filmed the handset codenamed "Sea Ray", revealing a phone that looks very much like the N9.
The phone has a dedicated camera button, as is standard in all WP7 smartphones, and will be running Windows 7 Mango. The first Nokia WP7 phones are expected to launch by Q4 this year.
Thursday, 23 June 2011 0
Motorola seems to be planning to launch a WiFi only version of Xoom also in India along with 3G version. According to a listing on Flipkart, 32 GB + WiFi version will cost you INR 32,990. It is 7K less than the 3G version, which is going to cost 40K for the same internal memory. Retailer is now taking orders for both the versions.
Official launch is expected in the last week of this month.
 |
| Bollywood superstar Salman Khan unveil the BlackBerry PlayBook in Mumbai |
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) Wednesday launched its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in India. It is available at Rs.27,990 (16 GB), Rs.32,990 (32 GB) and Rs.37,990 (64 GB), depending on the models.
It will be distributed nationally through Redington India and Ingram Micro, initially in 1000 retail stores across eight cities and will then expand to other parts of the country. Accessories for the BlackBerry PlayBook will also be available in these stores from Wednesday, the company said.
It will be distributed nationally through Redington India and Ingram Micro, initially in 1000 retail stores across eight cities and will then expand to other parts of the country. Accessories for the BlackBerry PlayBook will also be available in these stores from Wednesday, the company said.
"The BlackBerry PlayBook is an incredibly powerful and innovative product in the growing tablet marketplace. It's perfect for both large organizations and individuals, and it gives users an unmatched mobile experience," said Frenny Bawa, managing director, India, (RIM).
"With the BlackBerry PlayBook, we are stepping into a new era of mobile computing and opening up new and even more exciting opportunities for developers and content publishers with support for Adobe Flash, Adobe Mobile AIR and HTML-5," she added. The PlayBook is also equipped with Wi-Fi support
"With the BlackBerry PlayBook, we are stepping into a new era of mobile computing and opening up new and even more exciting opportunities for developers and content publishers with support for Adobe Flash, Adobe Mobile AIR and HTML-5," she added. The PlayBook is also equipped with Wi-Fi support
Sony Ericsson has announced two new Android phones at the CommunicAsia 2011 held in Singapore. These are called Xperia Ray and Xpera Active, they include full touchscreens, while the Sony Ericsson Txt is a non-touchscreen, full-QWERTY feature phone.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray is a 9.4mm slim smartphone which weighs just 100g. It sports a BRAVIA engine powered 3.3-inch FWVGA display with 854 x 480 pixel resolution. The smartphone will include an 8.1 megapixel camera with autofocus and Exmor R backlit sensor, it can capture 720p videos, 300 MB internal memory expandable up to 32GB via microSD card along with GPS, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. The device will be available in the market in Q3 2011 and would come in black, white, pick and gold.
Next up is the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active and it is a device meant for sports enthusiasts. It is a dust proof and water-resistant Android smartphone, it has a scratch resistant screen and wet finger tracking support, so that it also works fine with sweaty fingers during workouts. It has a 3-inch BRAVIA engine powered display, 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and 720p video recording, 320 MB of internal memory expandable up to 32GB via microSD card. The device is powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, includes DLNA support, Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity, GPS and A-GPS. It comes with pre-installed sports applications and runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The pricing is not yet revealed, it is expected to hit the stores sometime in Q3 2011.
Finally, there is the Sony Ericsson Txt which focuses on social network users. It includes a 2.5-inch (non-touch) display along with a full-QWERTY physical keyboard. It includes a ‘Friends’ application which brings you the latest updates from your top five friends and has a shortcut key for messaging. It has a 3.15 megapixel camera with fixed focus and Wi-Fi connectivity. The device will come in Pink, Blue Black and White and would be available sometime in Q3 2011.
Source : technoholik
Pros:
Build quality, excellent low light performance, vari-angle LCD
Cons:
No dedicated ISO button
The Bottom Line
The D5100 offers a lot for the asking price: excellent high ISO results, fantastic quality video and great battery life.
FULL REVIEW
Nikon now has quite a few DSLRs in the low to mid range price bracket. Starting with the 25k D3000, the D3100 (the only 30k DLSR that can record smooth 1080p video) going up to the 38k D5000. So as you can imagine, the new 40k D5100 slots in just above the D5000, both in terms of features and price. The D5100 shares some features (and the sensor) from the more expensive D7000, but because of the price, is firmly a midrange contender. Pick it up, and you may be surprised at how small the D5100 really is.
In fact, if you have large hands, you may find it a tad uncomfortable to hold. At about 560 grams, it's not too heavy either. Looking around the camera, the first thing you'll notice is that the D5100 has a vari-angle LCD — but not like the D5000's limited system — this one swivels out from the left, can be closed shut and can be angled out in any direction . In fact, the vari-angle LCD is almost exactly the same as its closest competitor, the Canon EOS 600D. The LCD itself is a pin-sharp , highres affair with adjustable brightness.
You'll also notice that the camera has stellar build quality, with the nice speckled finish found in high-end DSLRs with magnesium bodies. There are a few changes in the control scheme as compared to the other Nikons (the dedicated video recording button is now near the shutter button, and the live view button has been replaced by a spring-loaded lever located near the mode dial), but it's nothing that you won't get used to. Other specs include 11 autofocus points, 1080p video recording with selectable frame rates (30/25/24fps) and ISO levels adjustable from 100 to 25,600.
While recording video, the fast phase-detection type autofocus system is not available, but a slower, contrast-detection type of autofocus is. While it generally is accurate, the slow response of the focus means that you will be better off by focusing manually while taking video. A nice feature is the integrated HDR(High Dynamic Range) mode — with this active, the camera automatically takes multiple images at different exposures and combines them to create a single photograph. The resultant image has better details in the shadow areas without making other areas too bright. Obviously, this works best if you use a tripod and if the subject is stationary.
In conclusion, the D5100 offers a lot for the asking price: excellent high ISO results, fantastic quality video and great battery life — over 600 shots with mixed use of the flash. Direct competition exists in the form of the Canon EOS 600D, and you would be hard pressed to tell them apart in terms of quality. The only reason to choose one over the other would be if one control scheme suits you better over the other or if you already have lenses/accessories of a particular brand.
Specs: 16.2MP CMOS sensor, Expeed 2 processor 4fps continuous shooting, SD/SDXC card slot, 3-inch vari-angle display, 1080p HD video recording, mini HDMI out, 560 grams
Soorce : Technoholik
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Turns out that PocketNow’s leaked press shot is in fact Nokia’s long awaited MeeGo handset, the N9. The rumor mill has thrown out a few different specs on this device, including a QWERTY keyboard (which is not present here), so we’re glad to finally be able to set the record straight.
The N9 is an entirely buttonless handset (with the exception of a volume rocker and camera shutter button), and is basically just a 3.9-inch sheet of 854 x 480 AMOLED screen. On the back, that polycarbonate shell is colored all the way through so you don’t have to worry so much about those ugly scratches.
Nokia’s new MeeGo-powered handset runs an OMAP 3630 1GHz processor and comes with 16GB or 64GB of internal memory and 1GB of RAM. The phone’s 8-megapixel autofocus camera is capable of wide-angle shots, and aperture of F2.2 for high-quality low-light performance, along with the ability to capture video in 720p. The N9 also comes with a quad-band GSM radio, a penta-band WCDMA radio, along with NFC, GPS, and Bluetooth 2.1.
As far as hardware is concerned, the Nokia N9 measures in at 116.45mm x 61.2mm x 7.6-12.1mm and weighs in at 135g. Battery life is said to last 50 hours listening to music, 4.5 hours watching 720p video, or between seven and 11 hours of chit chat. The phone comes in three color flavors, including black, cyan and magenta, and will come with an ambient light sensor, compass, orientation sensor, a micro SIM slot, and tethering support.
Along with Angry Birds Magic, Galaxy on Fire 2, Real Golf 2011, and OpenGL ES 2.0, the Nokia N9 also comes loaded with a Maps app, which will offer free turn-by-turn drive and walk navigation along with voice guidance if you happen to be driving. Other software specs include a Webkit2-based browser which features pinch-to-zoom support, and a unified center for Facebook notifications. Status updates and other profiles will show up in phone contacts, and the Events view will bring up Twitter and RSS feeds.
If you’re willing to take a dive into MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan, the Nokia N9 is looking like a pretty great choice. Pricing and availability are not yet available but you can be sure we’ll be keeping a close watch on this one.
[via Engadget]
Tuesday, 21 June 2011 0
Monday, 20 June 2011
Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer Huawei today revealed their first Honeycomb as well as world’s first Android 3.2 tablet MediaPad at an event preceding CommunicAsia. With MediaPad, Huawei is trying to launch an affordable yet performance heavy tablet in the market.
“With the Huawei MediaPad, we are demonstrating yet again that design, functionality and performance is within anyone’s reach”
- Victor Xu, Chief Marketing Officer, Huawei Device
Huawei MediaPad Features:
- Android 3.2
- 7 inch IPS display
- 1.2 GHz Qualcomm dual core processor
- 5MP rear camera with HD support, 1.3 MP front cam
- 4100 mAh battery
- HSPA+ support
- 1080p playback
- 10.5 mm thick
- 390 grams
- WiFi 11n
- Over 6 hours battery life
- Flash 10.3
Availability: The MediaPad will be available in selected markets from Q3 2011. We have already reported that Huawei is planning to launch it in India at the same time for a price around INR 25K.
VIA : androidos.in
Monday, 20 June 2011 0
Sunday, 19 June 2011
A Worthy Rival to the iPad 2
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi is the first Android tablet to mount an effective challenge to Apple's iPad 2 in the area where Apple does best: design. And let's face it, where tablets are concerned, design occupies center stage. Happily for Samsung, the Tab 10.1--available in limited distribution starting today, starting at $499 for a 16GB version--parlays its design and its Android 3.1 operating system into a machine that vaults to the head of the Android pack.
In my hands-on testing, the Tab 10.1 achieved perhaps the best design compliment an Android tablet could hope for--often being mistaken by passers-by (including Apple iPad users) for an iPad 2. The confusion is understandable when you see and hold the Tab 10.1 for the first time. It has a slim profile of 8.6mm (0.34 inch)--a hair's breadth slimmer than the iPad 2's 8.4mm depth.
From the side, the two tablets look very similar. The Tab 10.1 edge is more rounded, though, while the iPad's is tapered. The tablet comes in two colors: Shipping first is the White model, which couples a silver-painted plastic edge with a white plastic back (identical to the limited edition Google I/O version of the Tab, but without the Android graphic imprint); available on June 17, when the Tab 10.1 is slated to ship in volume, will be a Metallic Gray alternative, with edges and back that more closely match. I preferred the Gray version, which is less likely to be mistaken for Apple's ultrahip tablet, because I liked the feel and texture of the dark backing; the white backing somehow felt chintzier.
The Tab 10.1 weighs slightly less than the iPad 2, as well, at 1.25 pounds versus the iPad 2's 1.33 pounds. And it stands slightly taller and narrower than iPad: 10.1 by 6.9 inches, as against the iPad 2's 9.5 by 7.3 inches.
Using the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi
All of these details matter less, though, than how the Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi handles. The Tab 10.1 feels lightweight and extremely well balanced; I found it comfortable to hold in one hand or two, and it weighed so little that I hardly noticed it was in my bag. I would still like to see the weight on tablets of this size drop closer to 1 pound, while the devices increase their built-in functionality with additional ports and other features; but this model is a significant step toward that goal--especially if you consider that (discounting the heavier, thicker, region-specific 10.1V) the Tab 10.1 is Samsung's first mass-market tablet of this size.
The Tab 10.1 takes minimalist design cues from Apple, as well. Beyond the docking port, it offers a power button and volume rocker at the top (in horizontal orientation) or along the right side (when held vertically). Also along the right top is the headphone jack; it's awkwardly situated if you hold the tablet horizontally and engage in video chat at the same time, because the jack is just above and to the right of where the camera is. But if you flip the orientation to put the jack at the bottom of the horizontal display, or if you hold the tablet vertically with the jack running along the right side, the jack's location works fine).
The stereo speakers are situated a little more than an inch down from the top, along the left and right horizontal edges. This positioning worked well, since my hands didn't get in the way of the speakers. The speakers were above average for an Android tablet sound system, and far better than the iPad 2's single rear-facing speaker. But audio still sounded too tinny on my test tracks.
The 1280-by-800-pixel-resolution display looked bright and brilliant, two characteristics we've come to associate with Samsung's phone and tablet displays. Like the 7-inch Galaxy Tab before it, the Tab 10.1 has a display that tends to oversaturate colors. On a color-chart test image, most of the colors, including reds and blues, were blown out. In our test images of sights and scenes, images popped but had a bit too much red and blue in the mix. In side-by-side comparison, the Apple iPad 2 generated better color reproduction, especially when in the soft browns of skin tones.
Still, the Tab 10.1 rendered images with terrific sharpness and detail. This is the first Android tablet to ship natively with Google's Android 3.1 update, and images clearly benefited from the updated OS, looking crisp and lacking any sign of the fuzzy rendering issue that plagued earlier Honeycomb versions.
Inside the Galaxy Tab 10.1
Like other Honeycomb tablets, the Tab 10.1 runs Nvidia's Tegra 2 platform, with a dual-core 1GHz processor and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. The Tab 10.1 has many of the now-standard tablet accouterments like rear- and front- facing cameras (3- and 2-megapixels, respectively, with rear flash), a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a digital compass, and an ambient light sensor.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi's specs have changed--for better and for worse--since its introduction at CTIA a few months ago. Most notably, the weight has decreased from 1.31 pounds to 1.24 pounds. Unfortunately, that weight reduction might be due to the now-departed microSD card slot--a disappointing late scratch in an area that would have given the Tab 10.1 a significant advantage over the iPad 2. Also missing so far is any mention of a 64GB version, which Samsung had previously announced was in the works.
The Tab 10.1 supports Adobe Flash, but my test unit came without Flash preinstalled. Nor did the unit have a shortcut on the desktop linking directly to Adobe's Flash Player on the Android Market, as other Honeycomb tablets have done to handle the Flash installation conundrum (Flash is not native to the Android OS).
And yet other, positive file-support surprises abound. The Tab 10.1 supports Windows Media audio and video files (including .WMA, .WMV, and .AVI)--formats that Android 3.1 doesn't natively support--so Samsung deserves credit for jumping in to the fill the void here. The Tab 10.1 can also read Xvid, another format not cited on Android's official list.
The Tab 10.1 comes preloaded with Quickoffice HD, for reading and editing Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files and for file browsing. (Interesting observation: Files that I downloaded via Gmail appeared only in the Download folder, even though the images and videos appeared directly in the Gallery app, and even though the music showed in the Music app.)
As shipped, the Tab 10.1 comes with the stock Android 3.1 OS on board, with very little customizing. The Tab 10.1 is the first Honeycomb tablet to ship with Google's facile Android Movie Studio (Google's answer to Apple's iMovie on iOS). In addition, it offers a customized keyboard from Nuance, with trace typing capabilities. This keyboard is the default keyboard, but you can switch to the native Honeycomb keyboard if you prefer. I liked the Samsung keyboard: It's gray with black letters, large keys, and mostly useful shortcut keys such as @, .com, and :-) in the e-mail keyboard.
Beyond that, you get Samsung's attractive orange-and-blue sunrise-like wallpaper scheme; Samsung Apps, Samsung's nascent and (for now) irrelevant app store; Samsung Music Hub, a music store and player powered by 7digital; and the Pulse news reader.
Samsung's more customized overlay, TouchWiz UX, will be available later this summer as an over-the-air update. It's not available preinstalled at launch, Samsung says, because the company didn't have time to test it thoroughly with Android 3.1. When the overlay does arrive, Samsung says, users can opt to use elements of it, or they can revert to stock Android. That said, we won't know the details of the implementation until it arrives.
TouchWiz UX will add various interface customizations to improve Android 3.1's usability. It will also add Samsung's Media Hub movie and TV purchase and rental service, along with Reader Hub (powered by Kobo Books and Zinio) and Social Hub (for accessing social networks under one roof).
Of special interest to business users: You can set the Tab 10.1 to encrypt user data; and it supports enhanced Exchange ActiveSync, Cisco AnyConnect SSL VPN, and F5 SSL VPN.
What You Sacrifice
To achieve its slim and light design, Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi accepts some compromises that may temper its appeal, depending on your needs. Like the iPad 2, it has no ports beyond its docking port, which is centered along the horizontal bottom edge. To add connectivity, you must invest in the optional dongles due to arrive later this month.
Samsung will have docking port dongles to add USB, SD Card, and HDMI, but all of these feel like the afterthoughts they are. It would be nice to get to a point where at least HDMI and USB connectivity are integrated directly into the tablet. Many competitors in the red-hot tablet space build in at least one such port--but those competitors are also far heavier, at 1.5 to 1.65 pounds. Once the dongles are available, I'll update this review with further hands-on testing.
Another thing I noticed in my casual testing: The 7000-mAh battery took inordinately long to charge. After 2 hours plugged in, my test unit had reached only about 30 percent charged. The battery is rated for up to 9 hours of use.
The full-scale launch of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Wi-Fi is scheduled for June 17, when you'll be able to buy the tablet at Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, and Micro Center; and online at Amazon.com, Best Buy, Newegg, and Tiger Direct. The 32GB version is priced at $599, $100 more than the 16GB model; both prices match Apple's comparable offerings. Additional mobile broadband versions will come; Verizon starts its presale today for 4G versions of the Tab 10.1, at a $130 premium over the Wi-Fi prices (that's the same premium as for the 4G iPad 2).Bottom Line
Whether you go Wi-Fi only or opt for a connected version, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the first Android tablet that makes a credible and successful run at competing with Apple's iPad 2. It matches iPad 2 in design, price, and even that intangible IT factor. Its decision to sacrifice ports is disappointing but not a dealbreaker; heck, Apple's been doing the same thing from the outset. It's more difficult to find tablet-optimized apps at Google's Android Market than at Apple's App Store does, but again, that may not be a dealbreaker. If neither of those constraints faze you, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 may be a good match. It certainly is one of the top tablets available today. And it becomes the flagship Honeycomb tablet for showcasing what Android 3.1 can do.
Sunday, 19 June 2011 0
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