15" Pro

 Apple's MacBook Pro 15"

 I gotta tell you folks, I have a thing for fine engineering. This baby right here is manufactured from a single piece of aluminum, thus replacing many parts with just one resulting the "unibody" MacBook Pro.

 Let's round up the specs:

 Display: 15 inch
 Processor: Intel Core i7 2.2GHz quad-core
 Ram: 4GB @1333MHz
 HDD: 750GB @5400rpm
 Video: Intel HD Graphics 3000 + AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1GB GDDR5
 Baterry life: up to 7 hours

 Special features: Thunderbolt- the most versatile I/O in a notebook today
                              The new FaceTime HD camera
                              Multi-touch trackpad
                              Baterry @77.5Wh
                      OS: X Lion

 The system's performance is above average and if you're into Macbooks this machine is worthy of your attention, if not there's always an alternative depending on your needs. So, what's your game, macbooks or notebooks?

 Links: MacBook Pro
            OS X Lion
            Where to buy
           

XT311 - Moto's Fire

 Motorola Fire XT311

 Let's take the word "phone" as an example, how many of you think of "smartphones" when you hear it? And the answer would be - many :)
 Nowadays smartphones come in all kind of "flavors": iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, meeGo, Symbian and others. It wasn't long ago that "cheap" was similar to low quality products. The game has changed - this time in the buyer's interest. Now let's "light" this "Fire" up. Steady, ready and go :)

 Specs wise, under the hood there's the most typical hardware available: an ARM 11 clocked at 600 mhz, 256mb of RAM, WiFi b/g/n, and bluetooth 2.1. OS wise - Gingerbread (Android 2.3) runs the show and adds value to the "Fire". The reception is good - no dropped calls, messaging is a breeze thanks to the hardware qwerty keyboard (Blackberry styled) although the user can opt for the software one as well. The overall built quality is above average and the handset feels good in hand.

 The 3MP camera takes some good snapshots given the proper lighting conditions are provided - no autofocus or flash for this price tag though. The battery backup is not the best there is out there but it can get you through the day and the "People centric" widget by Moto along with the low ram (only 256mb) can lead to occasional lags in the user interface.

 To sum it up - the Fire delivers the "bang for the buck".

 Links: Motorola Fire XT311
            Where to buy

Be mighty big - Gingerbread flavored :)

 Samsung Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 "Go Big. Be Mighty."

 Tablets come in different sizes and hardware configurations but in the end it all comes down to the user's needs. I remember the Dell Streak's reviews - too small for a tablet and too big for a phone. It was the first 5 inch screen tablet/phone.
 Nowadays the Samsung Galaxy Note is a hit with its 5.3 inch screen but unlike the Dell's Streak the Note has both the hardware and the software to prove its worth among Android's top dogs.

 The Galaxy S WiFi 5.0 is for the Galaxy S line of smartphones what the iPod Touch is for iPhone, meaning you get the Galaxy S smartphone's performance at a lower price without the phone function i.e. with GSM and 3G modules stripped off. Still, the device has an earpiece and a microphone built in so calls through wifi are possible whether you use Yahoo, Skype or other voip(voice over ip) solution and the front facing camera makes video calling a viable option too.

 I was a bit skeptical about a 5 inch device but the hands-on experience was better than what I was expecting. Hardware wise the device has the same specs as the Galaxy S smartphone. Under the hood there's a 1Ghz Hummingbird processor that powers an Android 2.3 Gingerbread. 

 Hummingbirds and gingerbreads... funny :)

 The performance is fluid, there are no hiccups and the TouchWiz interface adds to the eye candy although I personally prefer the vanilla experience. Android Market makes up for 50% of this device cause of the huge apps and games selection. Videos look great on the 5 inch screen, audio output is great in case you use some quality headphones - the stock ones are not state of the art but get the job done. I haven't played the latest Android game titles on it but all I can say is Angry Birds runs great on it :)

 The internet experience is pleasant. All the flash videos and animations loaded flawlessly although I'm certain that there are some sites out there in the wild that would stress the hardware, keep in mind that this is not a dual-core platform. At 2500 mAh, the battery life is above average but it also depends on the user's usage style - light or heavy.

 Overall this is a great product, more like a niche product, it also features a GPS module and a 3MP camera with flash and autofocus making up for a good price/quality ratio.
 I recommend it to anyone who doesn't have an Android powered smartphone or to anyone in search of a small tablet or PDA.

Links: Galaxy S WiFi 5.0
           Where to buy

          

Kal El - Nvidia's "Superman" :)

 Tegra 3 (Kal-El)

 The new generation of Nvidia's mobile SoC is codenamed Kal El, guess that Superman has fans everywhere or they just might tease their competitors in the likes of Texas Instruments or Qualcomm.
 The race is on ladies and gents, place your bets and let's get started before it's too late 'cause I doubt that someone will find the "kryptonite" to stop Nvidia's "Superman" on his tracks...
 Here are some of the specs for all ya geeks (hot tech chicks included) out there:

 Processor: Quad Core ARM Cortex A9 MP Core, up to 1.5 GHz;

 Graphics: 12 Core Nvidia GPU with support for 3D stereo and Ultra Low Power GPU mode,
                  video output up to 2560x1600 pixels and 1080p H.264 High Profile video decode.

 The Kal EL's CPU and GPU are to be about five times faster than those on Tegra 2 wich is already faster than any other SoC. For all Superman's fans out there there's no word on X-ray vision capability yet :p

 Tegra 3 SoC (system on a chip) will be available later this year for Android based tablets and for smartphones starting from 2012. Microsoft's Windows 8 would run on SoC's just fine but I guess that each software program that the user would want to run would have to be recompiled.
 Who knows? Someday, maybe the mobile apps for iOS and Android will replace the desktop/notebook ones... or maybe I'm thinking too far ahead since there are still lots of people who use Windows XP and bulky desktop PC's on a daily basis.
 The mobile technology gets better by the day, and it's up to the users/consumers to set the trends. Based on the fact that many of the users want to play 3D games and watch HD video on the go, the mobile technology is constantly developing and improving.
 Meanwhile I'm lookin' forward for your comments. See ya!

 Links: NVIDIA Kal El reference tablet
           NVIDIA Tegra
           Mobile Technology

Tablet hardware - Netbook form factor

 Toshiba AC100

 To begin with, I started this blog writing about "smartbooks" and today I can give you a heads up regarding this category of devices.
 The AC100 is a niche product and in my opinion it has been launched ahead of its time. The "smartbook" defines a product that has the hardware of a smartphone inside a netbook form factor.

 Nowadays the smartphones tend to be an important part of our everyday lives and interesting crossovers have emerged (see the Motorola Atrix and its docking station).
 Nevertheless the Nvidia Tegra 250 SOC (system on a chip) has been designed for every mobile form factor that exists today. Today the users tend to own a notebook, a tablet ('cause of the hype) and a smartphone. Sooner or later you'll think about having a single device that can do it all. The AC100 isn't such a product by any means but it's a step forward. It has great hardware and the Android 2.2 does the job well although the Android Market is not officially supported. "Let's roll" - this time with the specs, not with the Autobots :)

- 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 250 SoC (built around a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore processor);

- 8GB, 16GB or 32 GB SSD;

- 512MB of DDR2 memory;

- 802.11n WiFi, optional 3G data, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

- 1.3 megapixel webcam;

- HDMI out;

- headphones jack;

- microphone jack;

- 1x USB 2.0;

- SD card reader;

- 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 pixel display;

- integrated stereo speakers;

- "fanless" design - no noise during operation;

 The keyboard is comfortable to use whether you write e-mails, chat with friends or edit a doc. The chassis is quite slim an the weight of the device is "featherweight".
 I'm not aware of future software updates for AC100 but Toshiba released an update by the end of July that solved some battery draining issues. They might be able to update the AC100 with an Android 3 version aka Honeycomb given that the Asus Transformer runs it pretty well.
 So, what the future holds? Quad core tablets and netbooks for mobile fan(s)atics...

 Links: AC100
           Hacking the AC100

FinePix for FinePeople :)

 Fujifilm FinePix Z900 EXR

 Remember the old days when you had to carry around a bulky cam to shoot even the most casual set of pics? Well, compact cameras aren't a novelty but the set of specs gets better by the day. Here's what the Z900 has to offer:

 - 16 megapixel EXR-CMOS sensor;

 - 5x optical zoom covering 28-140mm (35mm equivalent);

 - 3.5 inch touch-screen LCD with Multi Touch functionality;

 - rich user interface using Vector fonts/graphics and Flash animation;

 - CMOS Shift Image Stabilisation;

 - up to ISO 6400;

 - 1600% wide dynamic range;

 - high speed shooting up to 12 frames per second;

 - Full HD movie capture using H.264 (MOV) format;

 - mini HDMI port;

 - new EXR Auto mode featuring 27 scenes;

 - 360° Panorama mode;

 The compact size makes it ideal to take it everywhere, though it's not waterproof. Its performance wouldn't match a DSLR camera so pros might get the Z900 as a secondary camera. It's still summer people, so be sure to take a camera along on your vacation!

Link: FinePix Z900 EXR

K10 + K1 = K11

 Acer K11 projector

 The K11 is the world’s smallest projector featuring 200 lumens brightness and offering great mobility by fitting in your pocket.

 The projector has an intuitive user interface and offers easy setups for various environments like: your mom's living room, your office, your garage, the back of your limo, etc.

 With a 2000:1 contrast ratio the K11 delivers good image quality. The native SVGA resolution of 858×600 pixels and 4:3 aspect ratio is ready for photos, presentations and multimedia.

 Get your popcorn ready 'cause the K11 can also be adjusted to a 16:9 aspect ratio suitable for watching movies.

 Rounding up the specs it features: 1x HDMI port, 1x USB 2.0 port, a SD card reader, 1x D-sub and 1x composite video/audio. The retail box should also include a remote control and a carrying bag.

 So, globetrotters and traveling businessmen/women alike, this one might be for you. Have a good one!

 Links: Acer K11

           Projection calculator