Motorola Droid Pro Video Hands-on ,and Netbook Navigator Nav 9 Slate PC

Can BlackBerry addicts finally jump to Android without any switcher’s Sony VGP-BPS13 Battery remorse? From the looks of the Droid Pro, coming to Verizon Wireless, Motorola makes a pretty strong case. During our brief hands-on time with this world phone, we really liked the feel of the terraced keys, and Motorola promises that the error correction is top notch. The 3.1-inch display is on the small side, but we think plenty of users Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q Battery will be willing to put up with less real estate in exchange for a Toshiba PA3534U-1BRS keyboard you don’t have to slide out to access. Too bad the resolution of the screen is just 480 x 320 pixels, which is less than the BlackBerry Torch (480 x 360).

Check out more Toshiba PA3593U-1BRS details, a full gallery, and video below and let us know if you’d trade your current smart phone for this Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery Android-powered business workhorse.

Business-friendly features of this 1-GHz smart phone include easy access to your corporate directory (for checking availability, proposing new meeting times, etc). You also get QuickOffice Mobile for editing documents on the fly. As with the Droid 2 and Droid X, you can use this Sony VGP-BPS13/B Battery handset as a mobile hotspot for up to 5 devices. IT managers will breathe easy knowing that the Droid Pro Sony VGP-BPS13B/B Battery has corporate-level security. That means the ability to wipe the phone and SD card if it’s lost or stolen, remote password Toshiba PA3591U-1BRS management, and data encryption on the device (coming early next year).

As you might expect, this Android device runs the 2.2 OS, so you get full Flash Player 10.1 support. The Droid Pro doesn’t Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q Battery include an HDMI port like the Droid X, but you can stream content via DLNA.

Netbook Navigator Nav 9 Slate PC

This Windows enterprise tablet is marred by short battery life, a lackluster Sony VGP-BPS13A/S Battery resistive touchscreen, and a high price.

Now that HP is targeting the business Sony VGP-BPS13/Q Battery crowd instead of the masses with its Windows 7-powered Slate, it would seem that Netbook Navigator is in the right place at the right time. In fact, this reseller is beating HP to the punch with its Nav 9 Slate PC (starting at $599, $974 as configured), an 8.9-inch Windows 7 touchscreen device powered by an Atom processor. While the Nav 9 has some potential for on-the-go productivity, the battery life is short, the performance sluggish, and the Sony VGP-BPS9 Battery touch experience downright frustrating. Is this tablet worth using even with a stylus?

Design

From afar, the Toshiba PA3480U-1BRS Nav 9's rounded edges and flush battery make it seem like your Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery standard Windows slab. Look closer, though, and you'll see that this tablet looks and feels far cheaper than its starting price. Take, for instance, the shiny plastic and the reflective bezel, or the resistive display, whose two layers have air bubbles trapped in between them. Let's just say that we disagree with Netbook Navigator's claim that the Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery Nav 9 is the most attractive mobile computing device since the iPhone.

At 2 pounds, the Nav 9 is heavier than the 1.8-pound iPad, which has a larger display. However, because the Nav 9 Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery has a narrower shape, it's easier to hold single-handedly. This slate Toshiba PA3594U-1BRS is a bulky 0.8 inches thick but accommodates more ports than the iPad and other tablets.

The Nav 9 comes Toshiba PA3479U-1BRS with a small silver stylus that's about as long as a matchstick, but Sony VGP-BPS9/S Battery there's not even a place on the tablet in which to stow it. Even the blue LED lights lining the top edge make this machine seem more like a netbook with its keyboard cut off than a modern slate.

Display and Sound

Thanks to the Nav 9's 1024 x 600 Sony VGP-BPS8A Battery resolution, web pages fit the 8.9-inch screen nicely. Although the Nav 9 runs Windows, you'll have to install Flash yourself. Once you do, you can enjoy video from sites such as YouTube. When we played YouTube clips at full screen, the action Sony VGP-BPS2 Battery was smooth but some colors appeared washed out. The viewing angles also weren't great. When we viewed the screen head on, we Sony VGP-BPS2A Battery could easily watch videos, but if we laid it flat on a table or on our lap, or rotated it backward in our hands, the Satellite a200 battery display's reflective finish became too distracting.

Likewise, music sounded tinny. When we Sony VGP-BPS2B Battery listened to "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes, for example, we could barely make out the bass notes, which would normally sound prominent. Also, even when we cranked the volume in both Windows and in Slacker's player, the Sony VGP-BPS2C Battery sound was still weak.

This smart phone's 12-MP camera

This smart phone's 12-MP camera is top-of-the-line, but its sony vgp-bps8 sluggish, unfriendly software make for an uneven experience.

After releasing the ahead-of-its-time N95 in 2007, Nokia has failed to keep pace with Apple, HTC, Motorola, and other handset-makers. Now, Nokia has rolled out the N8, Toshiba PA3450U-1BRSwhose 12-megapixel camera puts it at or near the top sony vgp-bps13b/q of all smart phones in terms of still and video-recording capabilities. But Vostro 1510 Battery is a super high-res camera enough to recommend a $549 device which only runs the relatively obscure Symbian^3 operating system?

Design

The N8 measures 4.3 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches and weighs 3.7 ounces. Its rounded edges are reminiscent of the iPhone sony vgp-bps13a/q 3GS, but the two ends of the N8 taper in slightly. The N8's camera and flash protrude jarringly Inspiron 1545 battery from the back, but the device's dark aluminum case looks stylish and is comfortable to hold.

The front of the N8 is dominated by the touchscreen; a single home/menu sony vgp-bps13/b button is below in the bottom left corner. The left side features a microSD slot, a SIM card slot, and a microUSB charging port. The right side features a volume bar, a sleep button, and a physical camera button for taking pictures. The top of the phone features Latitude E6400 Battery a 3.5mm headphone jack, an HDMI output, and a power button. The bottom has a small sony vgp-bps13/q port for a Nokia charger.

Keyboard

When you type on the N8, Sony VGP-BPS9/B prepare to be a little frustrated. In portrait mode, the virtual keyboard is a keypad format; Sony VGP-BPS13 the predictive text feature helped, but typing was slow. The horizontal virtual keyboard is a full QWERTY one that is quicker but has small input keys that are all the same size. Both keyboards have haptic feedback, which was strong enough to notice, but not overwhelming. Still, Android smart phones and the iPhone have both portrait Sony VGP-BPS9 and landscape QWERTY keyboards, making it easier to type no matter how you hold those devices.

Display

The Nokia N8's AMOLED screen comes in at 3.5 inches and displays Sony VGP-BPS9/S 640 x 360 resolution. It looks sharper than any other Nokia screen we've seen, but when you sit it next to the Apple iPhone 4's 960 x 640 retina display or the Motorola Droid X's 4.3-inch 854 x 480 screen, the N8 looks like it's a generation behind. Text on web Sony VGP-BPS9A/B pages is a little hard to read unless you zoom in, but Sony VGP-BPS2 photos and videos look pretty good.

User Interface

Nokia decided to Toshiba PA3457U-1BRS use the new Symbian^3 operating system for the N8, which is essentially the earlier Symbian^2 optimized Sony VGP-BPS2B for touch screens. It adds in home screens, multitouch, and HDMI outputting, but it still lacks the intuitiveness and sophistication of competing mobile OSes. For example, Symbian3 offers three home screens, which is far less than Android 2.2, which has seven home screens. Moreover, text and icons look Sony VGP-BPS2C dated.

Each screen Toshiba PA3399U-1BAS can be customized with widgets such as an e-mail preview or shortcuts for apps, but Sony VGP-BPS2A the process involves several more steps than Android does. Say, for example, you wanted to add the camera shortcut to the screen. First, you must press and hold the screen a few seconds until it buzzes; a box and plus sign will then appear where you can add a wigdet. Press it again, Toshiba PA3399U-1BRS and it gives you a list of widgets. You then must Toshiba PA3534U-1BRS scroll down to Shortcuts, which will populate toshiba pa3535u-1brs battery the area with the icons for four apps. In order to change them, you must then press and hold until a Settings menu pops up. You can then change the four shortcuts to the apps of your choice. We much prefer Android's methods; press and hold on an empty spot, then Toshiba PA3451U-1BRS select an icon to put there, or simply drag an icon up from the Apps menu.

We had someone Toshiba PA3465U-1BRS who had never used a Symbian phone before battery test the device briefly, and he got frustrated fast, especially when drilling down into menus. On our end, we had a hard time finding a simple way to turn off the GPS locator--something that should be easy to do and is easier to find on iOS, Android, BlackBerry, and webOS devices. To turn off individual positioning methods, you have good battery to go through 4 menus. (Settings > Application Settings > Positioning > Positioning good batteries Methods).

BlackBerry Torch Hands-on: What We Like, What We Don’t

The pressure is on for RIM, and the Torch could be viewed as a make-or-break Sony VGP-BPS13 Battery device for the company. Yes, the BlackBerry brand is still riding relatively high, but an increasing number of smart phone shoppers say they want iOS or Android. What the Torch needs to do is get those wandering eyes back. We spent a good 20 minutes with RIM’s new slider, which features the latest BlackBerry 6 OS, and came away with mixed feelings about its new flagship phone. There’s a lot to like about the Torch, including Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery the much-needed interface makeover, better media capabilities, social feeds, souped up browser, and other goodies. But the slider also has its fair share of shortcomings.

We’ll be bringing you our full review soon, but in the meantime we wanted to summarize our early impressions. Check out our Sony VGP-BPL9 Battery hands-on video, pros and cons, and the gallery and tell us what you think. Is the BlackBerry Torch good enough?

What We Like

•Improved UI: BlackBerry 6 brings a new notifications window you can launch with Sony VGP-BPS9 Battery a tap, where you can see upcoming appointments, incoming messages, social networking updates, and more. It feels a little cleaner and more organized than the Android OS. Swiping to the right lets you see favorite apps, and you’ll see other screens (for media, downloads, etc) as you continue to swipe.

•Premium Design:We really like the fit and finish of the Torch, from the smooth sliding mechanism to the dark chrome accents. The optical trackpad also worked well.

•Universal Search: Yes, we know Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery that RIM borrowed this idea from webOS, but so far the execution of this feature looks pretty solid, with the ability to scan folders, apps, e-mail, and more on the Web. We especially like the integration with third-party apps, like Slacker.

•Social Feeds: If Motoblur and other Android widgets make your head spin, you’ll appreciate the simplicity of this app, which integrates Facebook, Twitter, and more in a single feed that looks like an inbox. Swiping to the right allows you to add RSS feeds.

•Much Better battery Browser: Based on WebKit, BlackBerry is back in the game with this browser, which supports pinch to zoom and an intuitive Sony VGP-BPS9/S tab interface that lets you switch between tabs and add more without leaving the page you’re viewing. (However, it didn’t feel very fast. See “What We Don’t Like”)

•Good on-screen keyboard: Despite the fact that the Torch sports a small 3.2-inch display, we found the onscreen keyboard to be fast and accurate. Plus, you don’t have to deal with any annoying SurePress feedback that the Storm series had. It just works. In fact, at least based on our initial impressions, we prefer the on-screen keyboard to the physical one.

•Enhanced Multimedia Experience: RIM really stepped up to the plate in this category, Sony VGP-BPS9A Battery refreshing its music player UI while adding a host of premium apps, including PrimeTime2Go for downloading shows. Photo management is made easier with folders and the ability to select multiple images simultaneoulsy.

What We Don’t Like

•Performance a Bit Sluggish: Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery To be fair, the devices we played with weren’t quite final, but we did notice a fair bit of lag when switching between screens in the main menu and when zooming in and out in the browser (at least while the page was still loading). There’s a 624-MHz Marvell ARM 11 processor under the hood.

•Relatively Small, Low-Res Display: In the age of superphones with 4- and 4.3-inch screens with 800 x 480 resolutions, a 3.2-inch LCD with 480 x 360 pixels might not cut it for some. This is really a matter of personal taste, but you definitely notice the smaller size when web surfing.

•Physical Keyboard Not Fujitsu Laptop Battery That Great: The fact that it’s a toss up for us as to whether we prefer the Pre Plus’ keyboard or the one on the Dell Latitude E6400 Battery Torch isn’t the best sign. Maybe it’s the case that the Torch’s QWERTY will feel better once we break it in, but at first we thought it was a little flat and stiff.

•QVGA Video Recording? Seriously? The iPhone 3GS had VGA recording last summer, and now the iPhone 4 and a host of other Android phones to 720p video. So why does the Torch record only QVGA clips? That’s a major shortcoming for a $199 smart phone these days.

•Still Lacking High-Quality Games and Killer Apps Noticeably absent from today’s launch Dell Inspiron 1545 battery were any demos of high-octane games. Granted, webOS showed off some pretty cool titles and that wasn’t enough to move the needle, but App World could really use some 3D eye cany, assuming the hardware can handle it.

BlackBerry Torch Outlook

Based on our early Dell Vostro 1510 Battery impressions, RIM has probably done enough to keep a fair share of BlackBerry loyalists around, but we’re not convinced the combination of the Torch hardware and the new BlackBerry 6 OS will keep those already interested in devices like the Evo 4G, Droid X, Captivate, and iPhone 4 from thinking twice. We may change our mind though once we’ve done our full review. Stay tuned.

HP Envy 14

The 14.5-inch version of HP's premium laptop line Sony VGP-BPS13/B Battery combines style and fast performance with a great display and audio quality.

About a year has passed since HP released its Envy 13 and 15, high-style notebooks aimed directly at Apple's MacBook Pros

. We generally Sony VGP-BPS13 Battery liked the designs of these metal-bodied machines, but their high prices and mediocre ergonomics dampened our enthusiasm. Now here comes the Envy 14, which starts at $999 ($1,289 as configured). HP has tweaked the design by adding Dell Vostro 1510 Battery an optical drive and a backlit keyboard, but the most intriguing change is the new display size of 14.5 inches. This screen puts the Envy 14 smack dab in between the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook, and its Core i5 processor and ATI switchable graphics offer comparable performance to Apple's premium portables. More imporantly, HP has updated its touchpad so that it's much easier to use. The brilliant Radiance display is ideal for movies and games, Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery and the notebook's Beats Audio is a pleasure for the ears. So is the Envy 14 the complete package we want it to be?

Design

Stylistically, the Envy 14 looks the same as its predecessors: it has a taupe aluminum and Sony VGP-BPL9 Battery magnesium body with a paisley-esque etched pattern on the lid and deck. We also like little touches like the backlit HP logo on the lid and the mostly smooth black bottom (where you can attach the optional slice battery).

As it Sony VGP-BPS9 Battery now accommodates an optical drive, the laptop's dimensions-- 14 x 9.3 x 1.1 inches--make it slightly thicker than previous Envys, but it's still easy to slide into a messenger bag. Disappointingly, the Envy 14 weighs even more than the Envy 15 (5.4 vs. 5.2 pounds). While it's a pound heavier than the 13-inch MacBook Pro, it's slightly lighter than the 15-inch MacBook Pro (5.6 pounds). Overall, the Envy 14 doesn't look radically different than the Envy 13, but it's still easily one of the most elegant notebooks Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery on the market.

Heat

One of the biggest problems we had with the Envy 15 was its poor heat dissipation; Sony VGP-BPS9/S that notebook's quad-core CPU raised the touchpad to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the wrist rest to 103 degrees. Fortunately, the Envy 14 exhibited none of those issues. After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 minutes, the touchpad measured 81 degrees, the space between the G and H keys was 82, and the middle of the underside was 98 degrees, all acceptable temperatures for their locations.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Like previous Envys, Sony VGP-BPS9A Battery the Envy 14 features a black island-style keyboard. New, though, is backlighting: while it only has two settings (on or off, as opposed to the gradient lighting on MacBook Pros), it's a nice addition. While typing, we liked the smooth surface of the keys and the lack of flex, but we sometimes had to press slightly harder than usual. We were pleased that we didn't need to hold down a two keys at once to change settings like the screen brightness or volume; simply using one of the function keys by itself Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery was enough.

As before, HP integrated the mouse buttons into the touchpad, which is a spacious 4.25 x 2.5 Dell Latitude E6400 Battery inches. We wish it was moved slightly more to the left, but we didn't encounter the problems we had with the Envy 15--namely, our palm accidentally moving the cursor. Overall, navigating the desktop was easy--as it should be.

Historically Dell Inspiron 1545 battery with all non-Apple touchpads of this style, those who use two hands to navigate will find that the cursor moves abruptly when they click; this was less of an issue on the Envy 14, though we noticed it still happening on occasion. Multitouch gestures worked fairly well, but when pinching to shrink an object, we had to remember that our thumb could not start out in the area where the buttons were battery.