Samsung Galaxy Tab: More details revealed on iPad competitor
Sep 2, 2010 Technology
Samsung today released new details about the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the first viable iPad competitor we know of. (For basics on the device, see our blog, Samsung Galaxy Tab: The first serious iPad competitor from last week).
Here’s the new information:
- The tablet weighs about 13 ounces. Its TFT-LCD display’s resolution is 1024 x 600 and measures 7 inches. That makes it 7 ounces lighter than the iPad and its display quite a bit smaller than the iPad’s 10 inches.
- Powered by a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor, the Galaxy Tab will connect via 3G, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. You’ll be able choose from models with 16 or 32GB of built-in memory; an external slot can accept up to 32GB of removable memory. Samsung claims the Galaxy Tab’s battery will last 7 hours playing movies.
- With a camera on the front (1.3MP), you’ll be able to do videoconferencing. The rear camera is 3MP, with auto focus and LED flash. A gyroscope sensor, geo-magnetic sensor, and accelerometer add location, direction, and motion capabilities.
- Samsung didn’t list a dedicated USB port as part of the Galaxy Tab’s connectivity. Presumably, USB connections are made via the 30-pin connector.
- The tablet will also play HD videos, supporting a variety of multimedia formats. Access to films and video will be available, Samsung says, through the company’s “Media Hub” and to music via its “Music Hub.” Samsung says its e-reader app, Readers Hub, will provide access to reference materials as well as classics and bestsellers.
The company says that the Galaxy Tab will be launched in the US “in coming months.”
—Donna Tapellini
Tags: News, Photography, tablet computers
Daily Dispatch: Navteq works to humanize GPS directions; Skyfire: flash capable iPhone browser submitted to Apple for approval
Sep 2, 2010 Technology
In today's Digital Dispatch:
Navteq tries to make GPS directions more 'human' (cnet)
…Rather than say, "turn right in 150 feet," as current GPS devices do now, Navteq's system gives directions based on landmarks. The instructions will include "turn right after the yellow shop," or "turn right at the traffic signal," the company said in a statement.
Google Making Extraordinary Counteroffers To Stop Flow Of Employees To Facebook (TechCrunch)
…One recent Googler, we’ve confirmed, was recently offered a counter offer he couldn’t refuse (except he did). He was offered a 15% raise on his $150,000 mid level developer salary, quadruple the stock benefits and…wait for it…a $500,000 cash bonus to stay for a year. He took the Facebook offer anyway.
Mercedes-Benz updates mbrace app with fancy pants 'Concierge' service (engadget)
…Mercedes-Benz just announced a new app that connects its in-car navigation systems with its customers' iPhones.
BeamAtic Premium headlights might be the next big thing (ubergizmo)
…will rely on an on-board camera and selected image processing software which is capable of tracking oncoming vehicles, while featuring several movable dousers attached to the headlights to deflect light so that it will not bother others who share the road with you.
Flash Coming to the iPhone? Skyfire Submits First Mobile Browser to Apple Capable of Playing Flash Video (skyfire)
Skyfire is submitting a mobile browser to Apple’s App Store capable of playing Flash video while adhering to all Apple’s guidelines regarding HTML5 open-video standards on Apple devices.
Police embrace Twitter but lack strategy (BizReport)
A new study from the Canadian Association of Police on Social Media takes a look at the Tweeting habits of cops and their agencies in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. It transpires they're doing a cracking job but, as with other corporate users, could do with putting social media policies in place.
Lighter Side: Unhear It' – Get One Annoying Song Out of Your Head With Another (urlesque)
Unhear It is a simple website with a simple goal: To get the annoying earworming song out of your head.
About Digital Dirk's Dispatches
Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily to bring you the Digital Dispatch—a compilation of the most important and interesting tech news for consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.
Tags: apple, daily-dispatch, News, Photography
Daily Dispatch: iPhone as stethoscope; Prepaid smartphones may be coming to Verizon
Sep 1, 2010 Technology
In today's Digital Dispatch:
iPhone set to replace the stethoscope (guardian)
The stethoscope – medical icon, lifesaver and doctor's best friend – is disappearing from hospitals across the world as physicians increasingly use their smartphones to monitor patients' heartbeats.
Prepaid Droid, BlackBerry and Palm phones coming to Verizon? (engadget)
…Apparently received by Android Does from a helpful tipster, the documents list a whole new lineup of prepaid phones, including a slew of BlackBerrys, the Palm Pre and Pixi Plus, and just about every Android-based phone Verizon offers…
Google Launches Blog Finder for Any Topic (ReadWriteWeb)
…Do a search on the general web search interface, google.com. Then, click on the "more" link in the left-hand sidebar if "blogs" doesn't already appear as an option. Once you're looking at blogs from this perspective, then a new option will appear in the sidebar: search for posts or blog home pages related to your query.
Designer Creates Dress With Recycled Wires (WIRED)
Electronic waste can sometimes find a surprising second lease on life, as designer Tina Sparkles has proved by making a dress using recycled wires
Facebook Wins Patent For Search Results Based On Clicks of Friends and Other Users. (Inside Facebook)
…The patent could, in theory, be used to create a search engine based on the clicks of one’s friends and friends of friends, or stifle a similar product of Google’s forthcoming social network Google Me.
Cars: The next hacking frontier? (cnet)
..."Technology in cars is not designed to be secure because there's no perceived threat. They don't think someone is going to hack a car like they're going to hack a bank," said Desautels of Netragard. "For the interim, network security in cars won't be a primary concern for manufacturers. But once they get connected to the Internet and have IP addresses, I think they'll be targeted just for fun."
About Digital Dirk's Dispatches
Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily to bring you the Digital Dispatch—a compilation of the most important and interesting tech news for consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.
Tags: digital cameras, Internet, Photography
E-book reader wars: Borders cuts prices for the Kobo, Aluratek
Aug 31, 2010 Technology
E-book reader price wars are raging again. Weeks after the launch of low-priced versions of the Amazon Kindle and Barnes and Noble Nook, rival Borders has cut the price of its two already-cheap readers, the Kobo and Aluratek eBook Reader Pro.
The company also began taking pre-orders for two new color devices that ship on September 30: the Velocity Micro Cruz Reader, $200, and the Velocity Micro Cruz Tablet, $300.
The relatively new Kobo, with its 6-inch screen, will cost $129, effective tomorrow, down from the original $149. That higher price is what the junior Nook costs, while the new budget Kindle is $139; those are both also 6-inch devices. The Aluratek, an older 5-inch device that's in our Ratings (available to subscribers) and is still listed on Borders at $129, will now cost $99.
But the Kobo and Aluratek will still have trouble competing with the Nook and Kindle, due to their connectivity–or lack thereof. Where the cheaper Nook and Kindle both offer Wi-Fi capability (rather than the Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity of their $189 versions), both Borders devices require tethering to a computer via USB cable to get new content, a significant drawback in a portable device.
The new Cruz devices both boast 7-inch color touchscreens, albeit with differing technologies, and will weigh in at around a pound. The $300 version is very much sold as a tablet, rather than a reader.
We plan to get both Cruz devices soon and test them in our labs. We are already testing the Kobo, and plan to add it next month to our e-book reader Ratings.––Paul Reynolds.
Tags: digital cameras, electronics, paul reynolds
Video review: New Kindle is the best yet, despite some minor flaws
Aug 27, 2010 Technology
The new Amazon Kindle (3rd Generation)
The new, third-generation Amazon Kindle e-book reader, which begins shipping today at a price of $189, is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. And that’s just fine with me.
Despite huge changes in the e-book reader market since the first Kindle debuted in 2007, Amazon has stayed the course with each iteration of its flagship model. It’s generally eschewed bells and whistles like a beefed-up browser (Kindle’s remains low-key, still under a tag of “Experimental”), a built-in reading light (though one is built into a new, optional $60 case we show in the video: The New Kindle), and features like book lending. Instead, the company has stayed focused on steadily improving the basics of e-book reading, like providing the crispest type and the snappiest screen refreshes when you turn the page.
The newest Kindle, then, again noticeably improves both contrast and page speed over its predecessor—though our initial tests can’t yet verify that the contrast is 50 percent better and page turns are 15 percent faster, as Amazon claims. We also can’t confirm claims that the new version has even longer battery life—up to a month with the wireless mode off.
The new version is also about 15 percent lighter than the second-generation Kindle, and about 25 percent lighter than the rival Nook e-book reader from Barnes & Noble, which has the same-sized screen. Amazon has also made the overall size, or “footprint,” of the new Kindle around 20 per cent smaller, while retaining the same 6-inch screen size. There’s a small price for that in navigation, however: The top row of the device’s keyboard has been removed, and you need to select page numbers using a virtual menu.
Other enhancements to this new Kindle include the ability to select not just type sizes (which are the same as on the second-generation Kindle) but the typeface (regular, condensed, or sans serif styles). You can also adjust how closely the lines are spaced, and the number of words on each.
I have a few other navigation quibbles with the new Kindle, beyond its trimmed keyboard. The five-way Kindle joystick is gone, replaced by a small touchpad with very narrow—too narrow, I find—clickbars around it. There are now bars to return to a previous page on both sides of the Kindle, which is a nice addition. But I find all the turn bars are very narrow, and they turn in an outward direction, rather than in, which increases the likelihood of inadvertent page turns when handling the device.
In addition to holding the price of the regular Kindle, with its access to the AT&T 3G network, to the same $189 as its predecessor, Amazon also added a new Wi-Fi-only version for $139. That just happens to be $10 less than the Wi-Fi-only version of the rival Nook e-book reader that Barnes & Noble began selling a few months back. (Amazon also added Wi-Fi to the 3G Kindle as well, again to match the capabilities of the 3G Nook and to allow speedier connections, especially when using that “Experimental” browser.)
Bottom line: The third-generation Kindle isn’t perfect, especially for navigation, but that’s true of every e-book reader on the market. Based on our initial tests, we believe this newest iteration of the device takes what was a fine e-book reader and makes it even better, in ways (such as its light weight and high-contrast type) that competitors will have trouble matching.
Next month, we’ll add the new Kindle, and a host of other models, including a new version of the jumbo Kindle DX, to our e-book reader Ratings, available to subscribers.
—Paul Reynolds
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Tags: books, internet/online, peripheral devices, wired/wireless network
Where are the Atom N550 netbooks?
Aug 27, 2010 Technology
Earlier this week we posted a blog about Intel’s new dual-core processors for netbooks. The company’s press release talked about all the new netbooks “available now” from various manufacturers.
A trip to Google Shopping yielded only an Acer N550-based netbook in four colors, with a 250GB hard drive, for $400. Engadget reports that Asus is readying an Eee PC using the new processor, but it’s not out yet. Other sites are also awaiting the announced netbooks, including SammyNetbook, a blog covering that manufacturer and its products.
Meanwhile, AMD also has dual-core processors for netbooks in the market. HP’s Pavilion dm1z is an 11.6-inch netbook with an optional Athlon Neo II dual-core processor for $475.
Intel says the N550 should provide netbook users with better experiences when playing games and using Adobe Flash technology for viewing videos on services like Hulu and YouTube. The latter addresses a concern voiced by many over the Apple iPad’s lack of support for Flash, although you can use both Hulu and YouTube via iPad apps.
Have you seen any new N550-based netbooks yet?
—Donna Tapellini
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Tags: computers, digital cameras, electronics, netbooks, Technology
Daily Dispatch: Google Voice comes to Gmail for all; Netflix app for iPhone and iPod Touch
Aug 26, 2010 Technology
In today's Digital Dispatch:
Make Free Phone Calls from Gmail (Google Operating System)
Gmail added a long-awaited feature: making phone calls. If you install the voice and video chat plug-in, you can call phones in the US and Canada for free. You can also call in other countries, but you'll have to pay.
New Augmented Reality App Brings Luxury to Your Car for $2.99 (ReadWriteWeb)
…If a car suddenly slows ahead of you, the app will detect the approaching vehicle and warn you. It can also detect other cars in neighboring lanes, and can tell when you change lanes.
Google Voice Telephone Booths Coming to an Airport or College Near You (Mashable)
…As part of its campaign to raise awareness for Google Voice (Google Voice), the company is getting creative. Sometime soon (likely before the end of the year), you’ll start seeing red Google Voice phone booths in public venues, primarily at airports and college campuses.
SkyFire for iPhone To Be Submitted To Apple Next Week? (TechCrunch)
TechCrunch is reporting that SkyFire may be coming to the iPhone. SkyFire is a smartphone browser that brings Flash video and other rich media to devices that would not normally be able to view this content.
Netflix App Adds Support for iPhone, iPod touch (PCMAG)
…The app, which streams the company's "Watch Instantly" library, has previously only been available for the iPad, but can now be accessed on the smaller screens of the iPhone and iPod touch.
Time's 50 Best Websites 2010 (Time)
Lighter side: Stephen Colbert's Internet Privacy Smackdown (GIZMODO)
About Digital Dirk's Dispatches
Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily to bring you the Digital Dispatch—a compilation of the most important and interesting tech news for consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.
Tags: computers, dirk klingner, News, Photography
Daily Dispatch: Google Finance brings enhanced features to smartphones; GE partners with Energy Department to improve home energy efficiency
Aug 25, 2010 Technology
In today's Digital Dispatch:
Google Finance smartens up for your smartphone (Google Mobile Blog)
…Our new design gives you a unified experience across desktop and Android or iPhone phones, offering nearly all the same features and functionality on both.
GE Counting On Energy Monitoring And Solar To Cut Home Energy Usage By 70% (TechCrunch)
In an effort to push the limits of home energy efficiency, General Electric is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy on a $5 million project to connect homes in the Western U.S. to its energy management system, LED lights, appliances and solar panels.
Mobile Maps Are Moving Indoors To Pinpoint Specific Items On Store Shelves (mocoNews.net)
…Today, it is rolling out an application with Meijer, a chain of super centers in the Midwest, that will allow shoppers to pinpoint where items are on and direct them to promotions and sale items.
The 300,000 Biggest Websites, Visualized With Their Icons (GIZMODO)
An interactive map is available allowing you to search for specific sites.
Google Testing Web-based VoIP in Gmail (ReadWriteWeb)
…The feature is different from the voice and video chat that is already available from Gmail using the chat feature, in that it isn't solely between chat users. Instead, the new feature looks to allow users to call any type of phone directly from their Web browser.
The Touching Story of Two Brooklynites in Love (Gawker)
Meet Danny and Annie, two Brooklynites married for 27 years and in love the entire time. Here's the story of their relationship, from first date to death, captured in a poignant animation by StoryCorps.
Lighter side: Seattle's famous wall of gum (Holy Kaw!)
…Since the 1990’s, ancy theatre goers have been sticking their chewed up gum bits on the wall while waiting in line.
About Digital Dirk's Dispatches
Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily to bring you the Digital Dispatch—a compilation of the most important and interesting tech news for consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.
Tags: daily-dispatch, digital, digital cameras, energy, Photography
Daily Dispatch: Google Finance brings enhanced features to smartphones; GE partners with Energy Department to improve home energy efficiency
Aug 25, 2010 Technology
In today's Digital Dispatch:
Google Finance smartens up for your smartphone (Google Mobile Blog)
…Our new design gives you a unified experience across desktop and Android or iPhone phones, offering nearly all the same features and functionality on both.
GE Counting On Energy Monitoring And Solar To Cut Home Energy Usage By 70% (TechCrunch)
In an effort to push the limits of home energy efficiency, General Electric is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy on a $5 million project to connect homes in the Western U.S. to its energy management system, LED lights, appliances and solar panels.
Mobile Maps Are Moving Indoors To Pinpoint Specific Items On Store Shelves (mocoNews.net)
…Today, it is rolling out an application with Meijer, a chain of super centers in the Midwest, that will allow shoppers to pinpoint where items are on and direct them to promotions and sale items.
The 300,000 Biggest Websites, Visualized With Their Icons (GIZMODO)
An interactive map is available allowing you to search for specific sites.
Google Testing Web-based VoIP in Gmail (ReadWriteWeb)
…The feature is different from the voice and video chat that is already available from Gmail using the chat feature, in that it isn't solely between chat users. Instead, the new feature looks to allow users to call any type of phone directly from their Web browser.
The Touching Story of Two Brooklynites in Love (Gawker)
Meet Danny and Annie, two Brooklynites married for 27 years and in love the entire time. Here's the story of their relationship, from first date to death, captured in a poignant animation by StoryCorps.
Lighter side: Seattle's famous wall of gum (Holy Kaw!)
…Since the 1990’s, ancy theatre goers have been sticking their chewed up gum bits on the wall while waiting in line.
About Digital Dirk's Dispatches
Dirk Klingner, our technology-trend watcher, sifts through hundreds of blog posts and news articles daily to bring you the Digital Dispatch—a compilation of the most important and interesting tech news for consumers. If you have a tip on a story you want to share, leave a comment below.
Tags: computers, digital cameras, dirk klingner, energy
In the CR TV Test labs: New plasma, LCD TVs, including two 3D models
Aug 25, 2010 Technology
LG’s 55LX6500 LCD TV is among its first 3D sets.
Photo: LG Electronics
Photo: LG Electronics
HDTV testing continues unabated in the Consumer Reports TV Test Labs, and the latest group includes a fairly wide assortment of LCD models that span all sizes and prices, including a new 3D TV from Sony, plus two new plasma models. Here’s a list of what’s currently being evaluated:
LCD TVs
- AOC LE23H062, $320: A 23-inch 1080p model with an edge LED backlight from a price-oriented secondary brand.
- JVC LT-46P510, $1,200: A 46-inch 1080p set with 120Hz technology and the company’s integrated “Teledock” iPod dock.
- LG 32LE5300, $1,000: A step-up 32-inch 1080p set with an edge LED backlight
- LG 55LX6500, $3,600. A 55-inch 1080p 3D model—the company’s first—with an edge LED backlight that can be locally dimmed, and 240Hz technology. It’s a Wi-Fi-ready set with access to LG’s NetCast online service, which includes streaming movies from CinemaNow, Netflix, and Vudu. It can also be used with a wireless HDMI media kit that sends video and audio signals to the TV wirelessly.
- Magnavox 37MD350B/F7, $500: A lower-priced 37-inch 720p LCD TV/DVD combo.
- Magnavox 46MF440B/F7, $900: A lower-priced 46-inch 1080p model with 120Hz technology.
- Mitsubishi LT-55154, $2,500: A 55-inch 1080p set with an edge LED backlight, 120Hz technology, and two USB ports. It also has a 12-speaker integrated sound system and the Vudu Apps Internet platform, with access to streaming movies from Vudu and Pandora Internet radio.
- Philips 22PFL3505D, $250: A 22-inch 720p (1366×768) set.
- Philips 46PFL7505D, $1,400: a 46-inch 1080p set with an edge LED backlight and 120Hz technology.
- Samsung UN55C8000, $3,500: A pricier 55-inch, 3D-capable 1080p flagship model with 240Hz technology, an edge LED backlight with local dimming, and Samsung’s Internet apps, with access to streaming movies from Blockbuster, Netflix, and Vudu, plus Pandora’s Internet radio service.
- Sanyo DP42840, $550: A lower-priced 42-inch 1080p model that includes Audyssey’s Dynamic Volume technology for maintaining volume levels when switching between channels or when commercials come on.
- Sanyo DP52440, $1,000: A lower-priced 52-inch 1080p set with 120Hz technology and Audyssey Dynamic Volume.
- Sharp Aquos LC-46D78U, $1,100: A 46-inch 1080p set with 120Hz technology.
- Sony XBR-52LX900, $4,000: A flagship 52-inch 1080p 3D model with 240Hz technology and built-in Wi-Fi. The set includes the Bravia Internet Video service, which includes streaming movies from Amazon and Netflix and Pandora and Slacker Internet radio, and it comes with two pairs of 3D glasses.
Plasma TVs
-
Panasonic TC-P58S2, $1,900: A fairly basic 58-inch 1080p plasma that doesn’t include the company’s Viera Cast online service. - Samsung PN50C6500, $1,600: A 50-inch 1080p model that has day/night calibration modes and Samsung’s Internet apps, with access to streaming movies from Amazon, Blockbuster, and Netflix and Pandora’s Internet music service.
Keep checking back with our blog to find out when these TVs are fully tested and included in the latest HDTV Ratings (available to subscribers).
—James K. Willcox
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Tags: in the labs, Internet, james k. willcox, lcd tvs, plasma tvs
