Mobile Feed Weekly : Episode 3 - Keep it Juiced

Mobile Feed Weekly - Episode 3 - Keep it Juiced ... keeping your mobile devices powered can be a real issue, in this episode I show you three great solutions.


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Samsung Galaxy Note - The LARGE Phone for Everyone

Samsung says it makes a phone for everyone, including, apparently, people with huge hands. That's the only possible explanation for the Galaxy Note "phablet." While its size verges on a tablet, its software and usage scream "phone." That leaves the Note an unfortunate tweener, and this too-big phone is hard to love.

 

The Note isn't the first phone-tablet hybrid. The idea has been knocking around since the 1990s. The Note is probably the best-engineered device of its kind, but there's something about this physical size, versus the average size of the human hand, which isn't quite working.

 

Physical Design, Phone Calls and Internet
The Galaxy Note ($299 with contract) looks like a Samsung Galaxy S II phone blown up to an impractical size. At 5.8 by 3.3 by .4" (HWD) it's slender and beautiful, with a gorgeously sharp, 5.3-inch, 1280-by-800 Super AMOLED screen showing colors so deep you can fall into them. There's an 8-megapixel camera on the back and a 2-megapixel unit on the front, as well as standard MicroUSB and 3.5-mm headset jacks. A memory card slips into a slot under the back panel.

 

The phone is slim and light. It's just way too wide. While I can grip the Galaxy Note safely in one hand, it doesn't leave any leeway for my fingers to actually move around the touch screen. For most people, it will be totally impossible to use this phone one-handed. I've been trying to do so and failing miserably. Most notably, I can't reach the critical "back" button with my thumb when cradling the phone in one hand. I couldn't even answer a phone call with one hand.

 

The Galaxy Note is a fine phone, although it's a bit odd to hold up to your head. I was concerned that the microphone would be so far away from my face, it would cause problems with background noise, but that isn't an issue because of Samsung's aggressive noise cancellation technology. Reception was decent. Sound quality through the earpiece is excellent; voice tones are wonderfully warm, with perfect volume. The speakerphone is loud enough to use outdoors. Transmissions through the mic, altered by the noise-cancellation software, sounded a bit computery, and the noise cancellation didn't knock out all of the background noise from a passing bus.

 

The Galaxy Note works on AT&T's 4G LTE network as well as both AT&T's and international HSPA+ 21 networks. I got perfectly fine LTE speeds of about 10Mbps down and 4Mbps up. AT&T's 4G network isn't available across the country—but you shouldn't be disappointed with HSPA+ 21 either. The Note connects to Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, including automatically sniffing out and hooking up to AT&T's paid Wi-Fi hotspot network. The Galaxy Note works as a tethered modem or Wi-fi hotspot with the appropriate plan.

 

I got 8 hours, 30 minutes of talk time on the gigantic 2500 mAh battery. That feels low, although it's long enough to not factor into your buying choices. I'll retest the phone over the next few days. 

 

Taking Notes on the Note
The Galaxy Note is just about the size of a Moleskine notebook, and note-taking is one of its premier features. The Note comes with a little plastic stylus called the S Pen, which tucks into a slot in the bottom. Using the S Pen, you can draw or take notes in Samsung's S Note app, Autodesk's Sketchbook Mobile, or anywhere else you choose. The S Pen also enables a few tricks—for instance, taking snapshots of Web pages and doodling on them.
Using the S Pen is a little awkward, though, because it's so short and skinny. I found it difficult to use without touching the screen with the side of my hand, which disrupted the input. Things got easier when I put the S Pen in the larger S Pen Holder ($59.99), which gave my hand some more distance from the screen.

 

This isn't an ordinary capacitive stylus. It's based on Wacom technology, and it's both more precise than a regular stylus and pressure-sensitive, at least in the S Note app. I couldn't find any other apps, including Sketchbook Mobile and Evernote's Skitch, that properly took advantage of the pressure sensitivity.
And a lot is lost when you're translating from pen to touchscreen. I've spent years taking notes without looking, and the Note's S Pen stylus lacks the tactile bite of pen on paper that helps to guide my hand. Digital ink is just a little bit annoyingly slower than regular ink, too. It's "Why I Hate Touch Screens," all over again. You can take notes with it, certainly, but it's an inferior experience to using a regular pen.
What's the advantage of S-Pen over just-plain-pen? Electronic notes are captured and filed, and can be shared easily. You can annotate Web pages or other things you see on the screen. A stylus is also good for artists, as it can pretend to be different brushes and such.

 

Overall the Galaxy Note is an amazingly sophisticated device and It's running on one of the Nation's best Networks AT&T 4G LTE, if you have large hands this device is for you! 

 

Written by Andrew Tatter

My New Daily Mobile Phone

My New Daily Mobile Phone ... a lot of you have been asking what my new daily mobile is ? perhaps a Blackberry, something with Google Android in it, or a return to the iPhone. Check this video to find out.


Useful Links
My 2nd Channel http://www.youtube.com/dailytechtv

Mobile Feed Weekly : Episode 1 - Blackberry Prime

Mobile Feed Weekly - Episode 1 ... in this first episode there is something to tickle your tech tastebuds from Asus and Blackberry.


Buy your Transformer Prime here
http://amzn.to/ATPrime

Useful Links
Supplied by http://www.vodafone.co.uk/
Supplied by http://www.uk.asus.com/

Sony Tablet S Unboxing & Product Tour

Sony Tablet S Unboxing & Product Tour... this is the 16GB WiFi only version, there is a 32GB WiFi version & 16GB WiFi + 3G version also available. Check back on the channel later for first turn on & setup video.


Useful Links
Manufactured by: http://www.sony.co.uk/

Geek Gifts Guide 2011

I love Christmas, the snow is on the ground (almost), tree is up adorned with tinsel and lights. The morning brings with it the excitement of the children, followed by the gorgeous smells of that lovely home-cooked roast dinner. But wait… who am I kidding? It is all about ripping my gifts open like the big kid that I am. What follows are my wishes for Christmas, here's hoping all you Geekanoids Geeks have an awesome Christmas too.

 

Money is No Object
I am not all that fussed about 3D, but I do like to watch a good movie and the bigger the better! The Sony VPL-VW90ES (£5,299 or $7,500) delivers full HD at up to 300-inches of glorious jaw dropping movies in my own home, yes please. It just happens to do 3D too, so I might give that a try in the New Year. Oh and since this in the my 'Money is No Object' category, best buy me a Beamax 10505 A-Velvet projector screen to go with it please, it's only an extra grand.

 

Gifts Under £2,000
For him and her, whether you are in the Mac or Windows camp, either of these beauties is sure to put a smile on your face…

 

MacBook Air (£1,349 or $1,599)
For me it would be the top end 13-inch MacBook Air, with it peppy dual-core i5 processor and superb display. The elegance, power and simplicity of the Mac OSX operating system means that even a beginner can open up this beauty and start enjoying it. Give the recipient of this gift five minutes and they will be surfing the net, sending emails and exploring the included iLife suite of software. Not to mention its gorgeous design aesthetics. It is so super thin, I might just carve this years Turkey with it ;)
Buy the MacBook Air here. 

 

Asus ZenBook UX-31E (£999 or $1,449)
And for those into getting their Windows thing on, you don't have to put up with heavy slabs of plastic on your lap any more. Thanks to the uber-talented designers from Asus, we have the ZenBook UX-31E. Not only does it look super sexy, it pack a punch too with either an Intel i5 or i7 processor cooking away inside. The latest WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 will keep you connected. Plus the battery life will see you through almost two weeks of standby. Almost matching the Air's minuscule measurements, the ZenBook is just 3mm at the front, so should make a good job on that turkey too.
Buy the Asus ZenBook here. 

 

 

Under £500
Everyone loves to take photos and what better time than when all the family is together at this time of year. The latest compact from Canon, the PowerShot S100 (£382 or $429) offers up superb quality in a very small package. Not only do you get 12.1 megapixel snaps, but also full HD video for capturing all those magic moments. The lens is superb too, very good in low light situations, one of the better compact cameras for sure. It's size also manes you can take it everywhere you go. Let's just hope it hits the shops in time for the 25th.

 

Under £250
Again, this might not make it to the UK quite in time, but the Kindle Fire (£199 or $199) brings colour to your world of books and magazines. This Android based tablet offers up web browsing too, plus free cloud storage for your Amazon content. Early reviews have been pretty good, revealing the ease with which you can install other launchers to take your out of the Amazonified user interface. Take into account that this is a dual core tablet with a capacitive touch screen, capable of playing games as well as delivering you movies & music. It certainly sounds like a bit of a bargain, coming it at under £200 you could also stuff a £50 Amazon voucher for some books in my stocking too.

 

I think I can get away with saying this one is educational and for the kids. Don't tell the wife, but I have always wanted a Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 (£189 or $250). I love lego so so much, but being able to build a robot, alligator, or even a beach buggy complete with camera is amazing. "I will let you into a little secret… I have wanted one of these for years, but could never justify the price. Maybe one year Santa will pop one down the chimney for me". Note to Santa… this will keep me entertained for weeks.
Buy your Lego Mindstorms here. 

 

Under £50
Shop around or feel a little more generous and you might just be able to pick up a Logitech Tablet Keyboard for the iPad or iPad 2 (£49.95 John Lewis or $75) within this smaller budget. There are lots of this type of device around, but the Logitech took my fancy due to its sturdy design and tactile feedback. It is really nifty too, the keyboard case converts into a nice stand for your iPad or iPad 2, how cool is that! Logitech make some stunning products, so I would just love this to appear under my tree.

 

Give me a game and I will be a happy bunny. If your loved one has not yet got his/her frag on with Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 (£39 or $50), then you will be in their good books forever for buying this. Endless fun and a surefire way of improving one's sniping skills. Remember though, rated 18, this is not one that grandma will approve of… unless she has a keen sniping eye that is !!!
Buy COD MW3 here.