VGP-BPS2A,VGP-BPS9A/B,VGP-BPS13/Q

Only an iPhone 4 will fit in this AirCurve's dock, but Griffin sells a model that's compatible VGP-BPS2 with the iPhone 3G/3GS. To amplify your sound, simply slip the iPhone 4 into the dock. You have to make sure, though, that the iPhone's speaker VGP-BPS13 is aligned with a small hole in the AirCurve. You'll know it's aligned correctly if you can access all the buttons on the phone. If your iPhone has a bulky case, you'll have to remove it. A metal stand lets you rest the dock in either landscape or VGP-BPS13A/B portrait mode.

Keyboards

Like the other Galaxy Tabs, AT&T's version comes with two keyboard options: a VGP-BPS9/S Samsung keyboard and one from Swype, which lets you draw your finger from letter to letter to write words. One slight difference is that the VGP-BPS9/B area between the keys and the bottom row have a blue--rather than a gray--tint.

Performance

The AT&T Galaxy Tab has the same 1-GHz Samsung Cortez A8 Hummingbird processor as the other versions. VGP-BPS9A/B It has 16GB of onboard memory, and can accept microSD cards up to 32GB in size.

In Linpack for Android, the AT&T Galaxy Tab scored 14, about the same as all the VGP-BPS9 other Galaxy Tabs, but far below the ViewSonic G Tablet (36.55), which uses Nvidia's Tegra 2 processor. The Archos 101 scored 10.3 on the VGP-BPS8 same test. On the An3DBench graphics test, the AT&T Tab scored 7,184; again, nearly identical to the other Galaxy Tabs, but well ahead of the Archos 101 (4,200) and the G Tablet VGP-BPS8A (6,325).

Opening apps, swiping screens, and typing on the keyboards was for the most part swift and smooth, VGP-BPS22 but we did notice a pause here and there

The G53Jw's backlit keyboard features chiclet-style keys that were fairly VGP-BPS22A comfortable to type on. However, their flat, square shape lacks the kind of curves that make it easy to feel your way around the rows, and the narrow space VGP-BPS2A between them seems smaller than other devices.

Now that every other major carrier has released its version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, it's only natural that AT&T has come VGP-BPS2B out with its own flavor. This Android tablet is now offered on AT&T's site for $549 without a contract (down from $649 at launch). While it's nice VGP-BPS2C that you're not locked into a two-year commitment and you can use the device overseas, AT&T doesn't offer much on the Tab that can't be found VGP-BPS21A/B on the other carriers.

Editor's Note: For a more in-depth look at the various features of the Galaxy Tab, check out our VGP-BPS21/S review of the Sprint version.

Design

At 7.5 x 4.7 x 0.47 inches and 13.4 ounces, the AT&T Galaxy Tab is the VGP-BPS21 same size and weight as the other models. The only difference is the back: The AT&T Tab has a black checkered pattern, somewhat similar to the Verizon and T-Mobile VGP-BPS21A versions; the Sprint Tab has an all-white back.

Unfortunately, the arrow keys and numeric keypad--both essential for gameplay--are smaller than the rest of the keys, making it difficult to VGP-BPS21B use them as controls. We also would have preferred dedicated media controls, or failing that, reversed Function VGP-BPS13A/Q keys.

Size-wise, the 4.4 x 2.2-inch touchpad has VGP-BPS13A/B everything going for it: a large, smooth--but not too smooth--surface, multitouch gesture support, and two discrete buttons that offer just the right amount of tactile feedback. However, the buttons were a VGP-BPS13/B bit stiff.

Want the power of a 17-inch gaming system in a slightly smaller package? Asus took the components VGP-BPS13B/B from the G73Jh--a Core i7 processor, Nvidia GTX 460 graphics, Blu-ray, and a USB 3.0 port, to name a few--and squeezed them VGP-BPS13B/Q into the 15-inch G53Jw-3DE. While it may be smaller, this $1,769 system still looks like a stealth fighter, and has the muscle to fly through the latest titles. Not only that, but the company also embedded Nvidia's 3D display technology so gamers can now VGP-BPS13A/S add a third dimension to their fragging. Is the G53Jw-3DE the ultimate portable gaming notebook? Read on to find VGP-BPS13/Q out.

What really makes the G53Jw stand out is the rubberized material used on both the lid and good battery deck. More notebooks should use this type of material, because it's incredibly comfortable to touch, resists finger prints, stays cool, dell akku and provides a significant feeling of durability and quality.

Ports and Webcam

The G53 has a decent amount of ports in its large frame. On the right side are Ethernet, HDMI-out, VGA-out, acer akku and two USB ports, one of which is USB 3.0. On the left side is a Blu-ray drive and two more USB ports. The left front lip has an 8-in-1 card slot, and the back apple akku has not one but two Kensington lock slots.

Design

The G53Jw-3DE is the smaller cousin to ibm akku the G73; as such, it has the same stealth fighter-inspired design, only in a (relatively) less bulky package. At 15.6 x 11.9 x 0.8-2.1 inches, the G53Jw is about an inch smaller than the G73, though both are roughly the same thickness--2.1 inches. At 7.9 pounds, it's also about a hp akku pound lighter than the G73, but a pound and a half heavier than the Acer Aspire 5745DG. The G53Jw is even about half a pound heavier than the sony akku HP Envy 17.

Modeled after the F-117 Nighthawk stealth asus akku fighter, the G53Jw lacks the bling of colorful notebooks like the Alienware M17x, but its sleek, angular design and gunmetal gray exterior make it one of the most attractive systems we've seen. The dual exhausts on the back combine with the subtle silver ASUS logo fujitsu akku and Republic of Gaming emblem to make this product look more like one of the planes you'd fly in a game than the notebook you'd be gaming on. Open up toshiba akku the lid, and the subtle theme continues inside. Only a few small buttons sit on top of the simple black keyboard and the gray touchpad simply blends into the acer laptop akku deck. No colorful status lights or bright red buttons here.

The 2-megapixel webcam delivered sharp, colorful images even in the low light. In our dimly lit cubicle, our Skype apple laptop akku image was smooth, sharp, and noise-free.

Heat

For a notebook with a Core i7 CPU and power Nvidia graphics card under the hood, imb laptop akku the G53Jw stays extremely cool. After streaming a video at full screen for 15 minutes, we measured the keyboard at a cool 88 degrees, hp laptop akku the bottom at a temperate 92 degrees, and the touchpad at a chilly 82 degrees. Unlike other gaming notebooks that have hot palm rests and decks, we didn't notice a single hot spot on the G53Jw even when we were gaming--and that's quite an impressive feat. sony laptop akku We consider temperatures below 95 degrees comfortable and below 90 degrees to be basically asus laptop akku imperceptible.

Display

The Galaxy Tab's 7-inch screen provides bright, colorful images at a high 1024 x 600-pixel fujitsu laptop akku resolution. Photos, games, and videos from YouTube were a pleasure to watch.

Who says you need plugged-in speakers to let toshiba laptop akku others enjoy tunes on your iPhone? Griffin's AirCurve Play offers an impressive sound boost like no other unpowered amplifier we've tested. If you own an iPhone 4, there's no denying that this $19.99 add-on is the king when it comes to dell laptop akku battery-free audio enhancement.

Design

Made of hard clear plastic, the AirCurve Play measures 5 x 1.6 x 6.9 inches; the iPhone acer notebook akku 4 fits snugly in a removable rubber sleeve in the center. At 11.2 ounces, this accessory is bulkier than the rubbery Bone Horn Stand Amplifier apple notebook akku (3.2 ounces), but much more portable than the unwieldy Clingo Parabolic Sound Sphere (1.2 pounds).

While not as large as a desktop replacement

While not as large as a desktop replacement, the size and bulk of the 5745DG means it's VGP-BPS9/S not going to travel much. It tips the scales at 6.2 pounds, around the average for a 15-inch system. Its 9-cell battery protrudes out the VGP-BPS9A/B bottom towards the rear, and while it angles the system towards you--making typing more comfortable, it raises the height of the notebook to 2.3 VGP-BPS13 inches.

Heat

Having a spacious underside means that the 5745DG stayed fairly cool. After playing a Hulu video at full screen for 15 VGP-BPS9/B minutes, the touchpad and the G and H keys reached 92 degrees, but the middle of the bottom stayed a cool 85 VGP-BPS9 degrees.



While PC makers initially targeted laptops with 3D displays and glasses at gamers, Acer is VGP-BPS10 hoping to widen their appeal to all sorts of entertainment seekers. Priced at $999, the Aspire 5745DG is the least expensive 3D notebook VGP-BPS13A/B we've tested that uses Nvidia's impressive 3D Vision technology. Powered by a Core i5 processor, this 15.6-inch system can also output 3D content to a compatible TV via its HDMI connection. So is this multimedia machine Lenovo/IBM Thinkpad T410 Battery really a bargain?

Design

There's nothing really remarkable about the vgp-bps8 5745DG's design. Its glossy black lid picks up fingerprints, but a subtle striped metallic pattern adds some visual flair. The rest of the somewhat boxy chassis is a gray plastic, and the palm rest is made to look like brushed vgp-bps13b/q aluminum.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The 5745DG uses the same FineTip keyboard that's vgp-bps13a/q become standard on all Acer notebooks. The keys are flat on top and separated from each other, and a full number pad sits to the right. We found the typing experience fairly comfortable but certainly not best vgp-bps13/b in class.

The 3.5 x 1.9-inch touchpad is comfortably large and friction-free, and we like like the discrete mouse vgp-bps13/q button beneath. However, a divot in the middle would have been appreciated.

Like most other people who live in small spaces, I rely on my laptop or smart VGP-BPS2A phone or MP3 player as my sole entertainment center instead of having a large, fixed system in the living room. This suits me just fine, as it means I’m not VGP-BPS2C confined to one room when I want to listen to music or watch a video. However, notebooks and small handhelds don’t produce the best audio in the world, nor the loudest. Thus, I have about four different speakers around my apartment — VGP-BPS2 bedroom, kitchen, living room, bathroom — and none of them completely satisfactory. Then Logitech sent me the wireless speaker.

Above and to the right of the keyboard is a programmable quick-launch button and VGP-BPS2B an eject button. Considering that the system is geared toward entertainment, we would have appreciated dedicated media keys, or at least pa3535u-1brs ones to control the volume

Staples has pulled the ViewSonic G Tablet from its shelves, citing manufacturing defects, according an Engadget tipster. PA3534U-1BRS Despite the fact that the tablet was featured in a recent circular and the store has no other tablets to sell to customers who want one, Staples has opted to vgp-bps21a send all of the existing stock back. Whatever management thinks is wrong with the G Tablet, it’s serious enough that they’re encouraging vgp-bps21/s employees to process product returns with “empathy and understanding”, according to an internal document. There are no details on what these defects were, but considering the long list of issues cited in our review, it could be any number vgp-bps21b of things.

Will this vote of no confidence from Staples set off similar actions by vgp-bps21 other retailers

The Z515 connects to devices wirelessly vgp-bps21a/b via Bluetooth or the included USB transmitter for PC and Mac and operates on a rechargeable battery, so you can place it anywhere in the house. Both the transmitter and the Bluetooth radio have a similar range. I’m usually able to listen to audio streamed Lenovo 3000 v100 battery from my smart phone up to 20 feet away, though the quality depends on how many thick walls are between the speaker and the Lenovo 3000 v200 battery source.

I really like that the Z515 also includes a Lenovo 3000 n100 battery transmitter for computers, since not all models come with Bluetooth. The USB dongle is about 2 inches long, so it sticks out quite a bit. I ran into a small problem of it interfering with my notebook’s Wi-Fi connectivity when it was plugged in but the Z515 was Lenovo 3000 n200 battery off. I think it was searching for a signal constantly. Pulling it out solved the problem. When not in use, the transmitter fits into a little Lenovo 3000 c200 battery notch on the back of the casing.

There’s also an audio-in jack for connecting devices Lenovo 3000 y410 battery that don’t have Bluetooth, such as MP3 players.

Even though the box, instructions, and product page on Logitech’s website mostly mention Lenovo r51e battery computer, iPhone and iPad connectivity, in reality the Z515 will connect to any device with Bluetooth. I mention this because this information is Lenovo r50e battery a bit buried in Logitech’s included materials. One would assume that a device with a Bluetooth connection would work with all Bluetooth devices, yes, but the persistence of iPhone/iPad mentions might discourage people with other kinds of phones. Lenovo x300 battery Don’t worry, it works. I tested it with an HTC Evo 4G, Samsung Epic 4G, and a Samsung Galaxy Tab

Audio quality is very good for its size, and volume is never a problem. I have never had a reason to Lenovo x200 battery turn it up all the way, even while in the shower or washing dishes. Whether listening to the news or music, voices and instruments are Lenovo thinkpad r61 battery always clear, with good bass and treble.

You can snag the Logitech Z515 for $69 at Amazon. Pop it under the tree alongside the MP3 player, tablet, or smart Lenovo thinkpad t400 battery phone you got the gadget lover on your list

There are a million iPhone cases in the world it seems. Some are beautiful, some are Lenovo thinkpad t500 battery solar-powered, and some add a kickstand, but few are actually fun. Case Mate’s new Quartet and Stacks iPhone 4 cases inject a bit Lenovo thinkpad t61 battery of fancy (as well as customization) into the market. Both cases are made up of interchangeable pieces that users can arrange how they like (for the most part), then rearrange when they want to change things up. The Quartet, as the name suggests, Lenovo thinkpad t60 battery gives users four pieces at a time to work with — each package has 6 total. The Stacks comes with 6 vertical bands that snap together. Lenovo thinkpad t60p battery Case Mate sells each in various palettes. The more you buy, the more customization options you have at your fingertips.

I’ve found several great uses for the Z515. For instance: late-night movie watching. Lenovo thinkpad r60 battery I can set it right next to the bed and the laptop on my desk across the room, then keep the volume relatively low so I didn’t disturb IBM thinkpad r60e battery my roommates.

Logitech claims that the Z515 will last up to 10 hours on a charge. I was able to play music for around 7 hours straight Lenovo thinkpad x60 battery via Bluetooth before the battery light turned orange, and even then it could have gone on for longer. It takes around an hour to charge IBM thinkpad X60S battery up completely.

Stacks cases come in three palettes — Mechanica, IBM thinkpad t40 battery Full Volume, and Passion Play; Quartet cases come in four palettes — High Contrast, Rustic Tweed, Sensuous Silk, Vintage Flanne. Both cost $34.99

Though light, the Pocket feels solid due to its silver metal case, while chrome-colored buttons on the front add a touch IBM thinkpad t42 battery of elegance. The included stylus fits snugly in a port along the right edge. Sony wisely replaced the miniUSB jack on the bottom with a (more standard) IBM thinkpad t43 battery microUSB jack. There's also no longer a separate power port for the A/C adapter; the Pocket comes with an adapter good battery for the USB cord.

Unlike the Touch and Daily Editions, the Pocket has no memory card slots or headphone jack lining the fujitsu laptop akku top and bottom edges. Users will have to settle for the 2GB of internal memory, which can hold thousands toshiba laptop akku of eBooks.

Design

Sony completely redesigned the Pocket Edition to match the look of the Touch and Daily Edition. dell laptop akku Gone is the D-pad, as well as the buttons along the right side of the 5-inch display. Now there are just five slim buttons beneath the acer notebook akku display--Page back, Page forward, Home, Zoom, and Options--and the Pocket now has a touchscreen just like its larger siblings.

At 5.7 x 4.1 x 0.33 inches, the Pocket Edition is one of the smallest eReaders on the market. Weighing just 5.5 ounces, apple notebook akku it's more than three ounces lighter than the Kindle 3G (8.7 ounces). One could fit it snugly into a rear pants pocket, though we wouldn't advise putting it ibm notebook akku there. A better place would be an inside jacket or coat pocket, or the side pocket of a purse or bag.

There's 4G. And then there's 4G LTE

There's 4G. And then there's 4G LTE. Available in 38 metro areas and 60 commercial VGP-BPS13 airports at launch, Verizon's new network raises the bar for mobile broadband with speeds that approach or beat some home Internet connections. And the VGP-BPS13A/B first device that taps into this record-breaking goodness is the LG VL600 ($99 after rebate on a two-year contract). Although Verizon expects data rates to drop once more people jump onto its network, we were amazed with the performance VGP-BPS9 of this device. In our tests, the VL600 blew the doors off of Sprint's Mobile WiMax and T-Mobile's HSPA+ networks. However, we don't love VGP-BPS9/B everything about the experience--or the pricing plans Verizon offers. Is this speedster really a good deal?

Design and Compatibility

Measuring 3.9 x 1.5 x 0.6 inches and VGP-BPS9/S weighing 1.8 ounces, the LG VL600 is pretty bulky for a USB modem. We like the sturdy flip cover and four-color LED service indicator, but the device protruded a fair amount from our ThinkPad. We actually found ourselves shifting our notebook so as not to hit a VGP-BPS9A/B fellow bus passenger's lap. Verizon also includes a handy clip and USB extension cable so you can attach this device to your monitor. The extension cord vgp-bps13b/q can also come in handy if the USB ports on your laptop are fairly close together.

We wanted to try the VL600 in a MacBook Air, but for now vgp-bps13a/q the device supports only Windows machines, and Verizon couldn't give us a firm date as to when it will fix this issue. That's a pretty big oversight given that Apple is now the third biggest seller vgp-bps13/b of PCs

in the U.S.

Coverage and Pricing

At launch Verizon Wireless says its 4G LTE network will cover 110 million people. You can get top vgp-bps13/q speeds on the VL600 in 38 major metropolitan areas (including Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco) and 60 VGP-BPS10 commercial airports. Sprint offers Mobile WiMax 4G in 68 markets, covering 103 million people now and 120 million expected by the end of the year. T-Mobile says its 4G HSPA+ network is available in 80 markets, and that it will cover VGP-BPS2A 200 million people by the end of the year. So while Verizon is off to a good start, it has some catching up to do when it comes to offering a broad VGP-BPS2C footprint.

Verizon takes a different tack than Sprint and T-Mobile when VGP-BPS2it comes to pricing its 4G service. It costs $50 per month for 10GB and $80 per month for 10GB. Overage charges are $10 per GB. The entry-level plan is actually $10 cheaper than what Verizon charges for its 3G-only modems, so VGP-BPS2B these new plans seem like a good deal.

However, Sprint's $59 3G/4G plan for modems and mobile hotspots offers unlimited pa3535u-1brs 4G and a 5GB cap that applies only to 3G data. Clear charges $55 per month for 3G/4G with unlimited 4G, too, or you can get 4G only for $45 PA3534U-1BRS per month. T-Mobile's 5GB plan for 4G modems costs only $39.99 per month right now (it's normally $49.99 but the carrier is running a promotion). You also don't get hit with overages should you go over; T-Mobile will just Lenovo 3000 v100 battery throttle your speed.

How We Tested

We tested the VL600 with a ThinkPad T410s in three different Lenovo 3000 v200 battery locations around Manhattan. First, we used Speedtest.net to measure upload and download speeds (chart below). Then we downloaded the large OpenOffice.org file (147 MB). We also downloaded three popular websites Lenovo 3000 n100 battery (NYTimes, CNN, ESPN) in each location and averaged the speed in seconds, remembering to clear the cache each time. We also uploaded a 6.5 MB file Lenovo 3000 n200 battery to our FTP server

In all of these same locations we compared the Lenovo 3000 c200 battery performance of Verizon's 4G LTE network to Sprint's 3G/4G USB Modem 250U and T-Mobile's webConnect Rocket.

Performance: Speedtest.net

On Speedtest.net, the LG VL600 ran circles around both Sprint's and T-Mobile's modems. We saw download throughput Lenovo 3000 y410 battery range from 7 Mbps all the way up to 18.6 Mbps. However, once more consumers start using its 4G LTE network, Verizon expects download Lenovo r51e battery throughput to drop to 5 to 12 Mbps, and upload speeds to drop to 2 to 5 Mbps. Still awesome.

Sprint's USB modem couldn't latch onto a 4G signal in our first Lenovo r50e battery New York location, and in other locations we saw throughput only get as high as 4 Mbps. (However, we've seen better results in other cities.) T-Mobile's webConnect rocket delivered uneven results, ranging between 1.6 and 6.4 Lenovo x300 battery Mbps, but it was consistently faster than Sprint in our second location.

The LG VL600 on Verizon's LTE network also wiped the floor with Sprint's and Lenovo x200 battery T-Mobile's modems when it came to upload speeds. Data rates ranged between 5.1 and 6.6 Mbps, which is pretty amazing. Meanwhile, Sprint's and Lenovo thinkpad r61 battery T-Mobile's modems registered around 1 Mbps and between 1.2 and 1.7 Mbps, respectively.

Real-World Downloads and Uploads

When we downloaded the large 147 MB OpenOffice.org file, the VL600 took 1 minute and 56 seconds to accomplish the task Lenovo thinkpad t400 battery in one location and an even faster 1:33 in the other location. So we're talking about sustained speeds of 10.1 to 12.72 Mbps, which is Lenovo thinkpad t500 battery faster than many home broadband connections using DSL or cable. The T-Mobile webConnect Rocket took an average of 4.7 minutes, Lenovo thinkpad t61 battery and Sprint's modem averaged over 8 minutes.

On our upload test, the VL600 took a mere 7 seconds to upload a 6.5 MB file in the Union Square area Lenovo thinkpad t60 battery of New York city, while T-Mobile's webConnect Rocket took 43 seconds and Sprint's 3G/4G modem took 53 seconds. To really put 4G LTE to the test Lenovo thinkpad t60p battery we uploaded a 5-minute MPEG-4 video; it took less than 3 minutes, which comes out to a spectacular 5.5 Mbps.

Because of this blistering throughput, 4G LTE doesn't have nearly as much latency Lenovo thinkpad r60 battery as competing 4G technologies, so you should be able to play multiplayer games without a hiccup. (We'll update this review with more test IBM thinkpad r60e battery results.)

Web Surfing

As we expected, the LG VL600 also downloaded web pages at a quicker pace than the competition, but it's edge wasn't as Lenovo thinkpad x60 battery dramatic here as in our other tests. Pages downloaded in an average of 6.2 seconds to T-Mobile's 8.8 seconds, and 10.9 for Sprint. This delta IBM thinkpad X60S battery might not sound that significant, but when you click on multiple links during a given surfing session, 4G LTE's speed advantage starts to IBM thinkpad t40 battery add up. Also keep in mind that apps like TweetDeck and Pandora that hog resources over 3G will continue to run buttery smooth in the background on 4G LTE.

Indoor Performance

Given that there is a widely held perception that LTE technology does better than Mobile WiMax the deeper you get inside IBM thinkpad t42 battery of a building, we decided to pit the VL600 against Sprint's 3G/4G USB modem in different locations inside our office. (Unfortunately, T-Mobile's IBM thinkpad t43 battery modem got stuck on EDGE so we disqualified it.) First, we sat near our front desk in the lobby, which is at least 20 feet away from the nearest window. In this spot, the dell studio 17 battery LG VL600 got 16.9 Mbps down and 5.2 Mbps. In this same location, the Sprint modem notched 2.4 Mbps down and .95 Mbps up. However, as dell studio 1737 battery we walked back toward our bathroom near the freight elevator--where wireless signals are always weak--the Spint 4G modem held strong on the download. It got 2 Mbps down, compared to 1.3 Mbps for Verizon's VL600. Still, the LTE modem dell studio 1535 battery delivered a much better upload rate in this location: 1.3 Mpbs vs. 130 Kbps. And as we noted above, Sprint's modem couldn't hold onto dell latitude e5500 battery a 4G signal in another location where we were indoors and near a window.

3G-4G Hand-offs

Because the LG VL600 integrates two separate technologies on the dell latitude e6400 battery same SIM chip--EV-DO Rev A and LTE--roaming between 3G and 4G can be tricky. When we left New York city on a bus ride to New Jersey during our first round of testing, the modem successfully stepped down to 3G data dell latitude e6500 battery without losing the connection, even as we went through the Lincoln Tunnel. However, the connection manager software still said we had a 4G signal well dell latitude e4300 battery into central New Jersey, which was an error. The following evening, we didn't encounter the same issue.

Going from 3G to 4G is much hairier. Not only do you need to stop the connection dell vostro 1510 battery and close the software, you also must detach and re-attach the modem. Most users won't know to do this, and it's pretty annoying. Verizon Dell inspiron 1545 battery Wireless says it feels our pain and will be issuing a firmware update to address this issue (though it couldn't provide a timetable).

We also encountered a bug in our testing, which may be related just to our unit. Sometimes when connecting, the VZ Access dell vostro 1310 battery software would tell us that the SIM card failed and to contact our service provider, even though the modem was Dell latitude d630 battery working fine.

Value

Since you get faster speeds with 4G LTE than with competing 4G networks, the presumption is that Dell studio 15 battery you'll use more data. And you can easily hit that cap in a hurry, depending on what you're doing. For example, if all you did was watch Hulu, you'd Dell latitude d620 battery exceed the 5GB limit in 16.5 hours. If you were watching Netflix, you'd blow through 5GB in just 7.5 hours. And that's on standard definition. The higher bitrate of HD video would have you paying an extra 10 bucks per gig in about Dell xps m1330 battery 3 hours. In other words, if you were thinking of using the LG VL600 as your Internet connection for home and on the road, you'll want to think twice. Dell inspiron 6400 battery Even if you step up to the 10GB plan, you'll want to watch your data usage, which the VZAccess Manager software makes Dell inspiron 1501 battery pretty easy.

Verdict

Verizon's speed advantage with 4G LTE is so great, this network is practically in its own league. In fact, Dell inspiron e1505 battery the LG VL600's data rates are so blazing that when you drop down to 3G it feels like dialup. This kind of throughput isn't about just Dell latitude d820 battery downloading web pages faster--though the LG VL600 does that. It's about being able to pull down huge files in a fraction of the time of Sprint's and T-Mobile's 4G networks. You can also upload documents, photos, sony akku and videos much faster. Assuming you're in an Dell vostro 1000 battery area with 4G coverage, users simply won't need to bother with flaky asus akku Wi-Fi connections, whether they're in a hotel, coffee shop, convention center, or airport.

All of these benefits could make Verizon's 5GB and 10GB plans a turn-off for heavy data users. Yes, you're paying $10 fujitsu akku less per month than what the carrier charges for 3G-only modems, but you'll have to think about what you're downloading or streaming more because you'll toshiba akku want to use the 4G LTE network more. Having to unplug the modem when roaming from 3G to 4G areas is also frustrating, though Verizon says it is aggressively acer laptop akku working to address this issue, along with adding Mac compatibility. Despite these complaints, the LG VL600 delivers fantastic speeds that put everyone else to shame, making it an excellent accessory for mobile professionals that will become apple laptop akku more valuable as Verizon's 4G network grows.

Today Dell announced its redesigned XPS line of notebooks

Today Dell announced its redesigned XPS line of notebooks, which features JBL vgp-bps21a speakers, Skype HD-certified webcams, and a new look. We went hands-on with the 14-inch XPS 14, which, for $899, gets you an Intel Core i5 460M vgp-bps21 processor, 4GB of RAM, Optimus-enabled Nvidia GT 420M graphics with 1GB of memory, and a 500GB, 7200 RPM The storage device that holds your OS, programs, and data.

Learn Morehard VGP-BPS13 drive.

Given the XPS’ history as a family of premium laptops, it’s odd that in its latest incarnation, it looks a lot like the company’s entry-level vgp-bps13b/q Inspiron series. Not that that’s a bad thing, per se. Both have a sturdy chassis ringed with a thin strip of metal, and a screen that’s planted vgp-bps13a/q closer to the keyboard, leaving more of the hinge exposed behind it.

We wish the area above the keyboard vgp-bps13/b were less cluttered. In that narrow space, you’ll notice twin JBL speakers, which flank the power button and a series of large LED lights, indicating Wi-Fi signal and battery life, along with three touch-sensitive VGP-BPS13A/B buttons.

However, the space left for the speakers was worth it. When playing music or videos, it not only showed off a high range, but was loud VGP-BPS9 enough so that we felt comfortable keeping the audio below the median level.

The 2-MP webcam takes 1600 x 1200 photos and 720p video, and, in a first for notebooks, VGP-BPS9/B is Skype HD-enabled. Although our images were well-lit and sharp and our 720p video was smooth, the colors appeared faded. We like the included Dell VGP-BPS9/S Webcam Central software, though.

The XPS 14 has 2 USB ports, as well as a USB port that doubles as an eSATA port. It also has HDMI output, a FireWire 800 port, an VGP-BPS9A/B Ethernet jack, dual headphone ports, a mic jack, and a 4-in-1 memory card reader. Unusually, many dell studio 17 battery of the ports, including one of the USB ports, and the HDMI, FireWire, and AC ports, are located on the notebook’s back side.

Overall, we really liked the style, performance, and audio quality of the XPS pa3535u-1brs 14, and for $899, it represents a good deal. Stay tuned for our full review.

It’s been a while since Dell updated its PA3534U-1BRS XPS line, the high-performance fleet of multimedia notebooks aimed at A/V-minded consumers. Today the manufacturer intros the newest generation of the notebook family.

Included in the family portrait are 14, 15, and 17-inch XPS machines that are new and improved thanks vgp-bps21/s to souped-up specs like Nvidia switchable graphics, powerful JBL audio, and a hefty focus on HD video and 3D TV-connectivity vgp-bps21/b for 3D gaming or Blu-ray playback.

The smallest of the bunch is the XPS 14 which retails for $899 and packs an Intel Core i5 460M processor, Optimus-enabled NVIDIA Graphics sony vgp-bps21a/b with 1GB of memory, a 500GB 7200RPM The storage device that holds your OS, programs, and data.

Learn Morehard drive, 4GB of RAM, a 2.0-MP webcam, and JBL audio hardware tweaked with vgp-bps13/q Waves MaxxAudio 3 digital sound processing tech. Quite the internal package for the price. Check out our XPS 14 hands-on for more details good battery and our early thoughts on the system.

The remaining two models, the XPS 15 and 17, begin to retail today for $849 battery and $949, respectively. Check out our hands on and look out for our full reviews

The Toshiba Satellite M640 and M645 offer a 14-inch laptop

The Toshiba Satellite M640 and M645 offer a 14-inch laptop with VGP-BPS13 Battery solid performance and an attractive design at a modest price. As parents and students gear up for the back-to-school season, does the Satellite VGP-BPS13A/Q Battery M640 below at the top of your shopping list? Keep reading to see what we think of this Core i5-equipped model with Nvidia discrete graphics.

Build and Design

The Satellite M640/M645 is the latest generation of multimedia notebooks from Toshiba and is designed to offer a perfect balance of performance VGP-BPS13A/B Battery and style. At first glance, the design of the M645 is pretty traditional with sculpted edges, a mixture of smooth VGP-BPS13/B Battery and textured glossy plastics, and some attractive LED accent lighting. The exterior is covered in what Toshiba calls the "Fusion X2 Finish in Charcoal." Personally, I call it black glossy plastic with a textured "chain" pattern imprinted in the surface to help hide fingerprints and dirt. Despite the silly marketing name for the finish, I have to give VGP-BPS13B/B Battery Toshiba credit here. The textured chain pattern gives you the modern look of the glossy plastics but doesn't look like a horrible magnet for smudges, dirt, or whatever else a student spills on a VGP-BPS13B/Q Battery laptop.

Build and Design

The Satellite M640/M645 is the latest generation of multimedia notebooks from Toshiba VGP-BPS13A/S Battery and is designed to offer a perfect balance of performance and style. At first glance, the design of the M645 is pretty traditional VGP-BPS13/Q Battery with sculpted edges, a mixture of smooth and textured glossy plastics, and some attractive LED accent lighting. The exterior is covered in what Toshiba calls the "Fusion X2 Finish in Charcoal." Personally, I call it black glossy plastic with a textured "chain" pattern imprinted in the surface to help hide fingerprints and dirt. Despite the silly marketing name for the finish, I have to give Toshiba credit here. The textured chain pattern gives you the modern look of the glossy VGP-BPS9 Battery plastics but doesn't look like a horrible magnet for smudges, dirt, or whatever else a student spills on a laptop.

The bottom of the notebook includes two access plates for the RAM, wireless card and the hard VGP-BPS8 Battery drive. Despite the fact that most people buying consumer multimedia notebooks don't perform upgrades, Toshiba engineers made VGP-BPS9A/B Battery is very easy to get inside this laptop. You only have to remove one screw to access the hard drive and one screw to get to the RAM and wireless card.

Screen and Speakers

The M645 has a 14-inch diagonal display with LED backlighting and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The overall quality of the display is "very good" VGP-BPS9/B Battery within the narrow vertical viewing angle sweet spot. The backlight is even and bright, contrast is sharp and colors are good though the colors VGP-BPS9/S Battery are a little warm at the default settings. If there is a single obvious issue it has to be the narrow vertical viewing angles. While the VGP-BPS8A Battery horizontal viewing angles (side view) are nearly flawless, the colors become over exposed when viewed from above and significantly inverted and distorted when viewed from below. If you are using this laptop for color-accurate editing you will need VGP-BPS2 Battery to be certain you're viewing the screen from straight ahead.

The display's 1366x768 resolution is a standard resolution for mainstream notebooks. The horizontal VGP-BPS2A Battery resolution is adequate, however only 768 pixels of vertical space means a good deal of scrolling while surfing the Internet and only VGP-BPS2B Battery enough space to view about one-half of a page in a Microsoft Word.

The Satellite M645 features harman/kardon branded stereo speakers located just above the keyboard. These speakers provide an excellent range VGP-BPS2C Battery of highs, midtones and lows with surprisingly rich base for a notebook without a dedicated subwoofer. Since these speakers are located dell latitude e6400 battery above the keyboard they direct sound up and toward the user. Another item worth mentioning is dell latitude e6500 battery Toshiba's "Sleep-and-Music" feature which allows you to isten to music from your MP3 player through these fantastic laptop speakers even when your laptop is powered down in sleep mode. The headphone jack also provides a great, static-free connection for external dell latitude e4300 battery speakers or earphones

Keyboard and Touchpad

The full-size keyboard with LED backlighting on the M645 features Chiclet-style keys that dell vostro 1510 battery are responsive and provide a little extra spacing to prevent typos. The keys are large and flat and have a glossy texture that shows smudges dell vostro 1310 batteryr from your skin oils over time. There is no noticeable flex unless you apply significant pressure to the keys in the middle of the board. A individual key presses are quiet with virtually no "click-clack" noise while typing; making it an excellent choice for taking notes Dell inspiron 1545 battery in a classroom or office meeting room. The keyboard also features dedicated multimedia keys above the keyboard and dedicated home, Dell inspiron 1525 battery end, page up and page down keys.

The Synaptics touchpad is a fairly nice with a matte texture Dell latitude d630 battery that provides smooth cursor movement. The touchpad drivers provide excellent accuracy and minimal lag with a range of options. This is a multi-touch touchpad with customizable gestures and overall this touchpad works exactly like you want a touchpad to work. However, Dell studio 15 battery the touchpad buttons have very shallow feedback with moderately loud clicks when you press the buttons.

Ports and Features

The Satellite M645 features a great range of ports--making this laptop one of the good battery more "future proof" 14-inch notebooks we've recently reviewed. You get two USB 2.0 ports and a combo eSATA/USB 2.0 port in battery case you want to use fast external storage drives. The M645 also features dual video out ports: a VGA connection battery for old-school projectors and HDMI for new monitors and HDTVs. More importantly, the M645 includes an ExpressCard slot so you can upgrade this battery laptop with USB 3.0 ports if you need them. All picture descriptions are left to right.

How Good is the Gaming on Windows Phone 7?

When you have a franchise like Xbox in your arsenal, you better use it vgp-bps13b/q battery to full effect in the smart phone wars. And it looks as though Microsoft is trying to do just that with the launch of Windows Phone 7. We had a chance vgp-bps13a/q battery to check out a few of the titles expected to launch at or around the same time as the hardware VGP-BPS13 battery and came away mostly impressed with the visuals and Xbox Live integration.

Here’s a quick look at a few of the premiere titles, as well as a brief video overview of what Xbox Live offers. (We vgp-bps13/b battery think a lot of people will play with avatars for hours.)

ilomilo (Southend Interactive)

We first took ilomilo for a test drive, a gorgeous puzzle game whose goal is to get two vgp-bps13/q battery cute-looking characters to unite. The backgrounds are wild, and you can zoom in and out using multitouch gestures. We just wish the camera did a slightly better job VGP-BPS13A/B Battery of following us around.

Need for Speed Undercover (EA)

If you’ve played this game on the iPhone, there’s not a lot of new here. But it’s nice to VGP-BPS9 Battery see EA throwing its weight behind the Windows Phone 7 platform. Accelerometer controls worked well, and the graphics looked pretty stunning on the Samsung Focus’ AMOLED display. Plus, only this version integrates VGP-BPS10 Battery with Xbox Live.

The Harvest (Luma Arcade)

An action-RPG game that Microsoft claims VGP-BPS9/B Battery is the best-looking 3-D mobile phone game to date, The Harvest thrusts you into a fight against cyborgs as a mech you can trick out with new weapons and abilities as you progress. The touch-based controls were easy to pick up. In the video you’ll see a sweet stomp move that mows VGP-BPS9/S Battery down all nearby enemies.

Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst (Microsoft Game Studios)

Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst is a tower defense game with a cool twist. Using Bing Maps you can VGP-BPS9A/B Battery defend buildings and other structures right around you. The action is pretty fast and furious, and it’s a clever mash-up. Those PA3534U-1BRS who want to play with friends can team up with other players to build up their defenses.

Rocket Riot (Code Glue/Microsoft Game Stuidos)

At the risk of sounding repetitive, Rocket Riot is a riot. On the surface, this side-view shooter looks pa3535u-1brs like it belongs on ancient gaming console. Then when we fired the game up we realized the 8-bit graphics are just a tip of the hat to an VGP-BPS2A earlier era. The gameplay itself is all modern, involving lots of swiping in different directions with your right hand to shoot as you control your jet pack-equipped hero with a finger on your left hand. Absolutely everything in the environments is destructible–just as it VGP-BPS2C should be.

Xbox Live Quick Tour

With Xbox Live integration on board, gamers can create fun 3D avatars and trick them VGP-BPS2 all with all sorts of accessories. Your gamer profile allows you to track scores and wins, and you can challenge others. However, multiplayer gaming VGP-BPS2B for now on Windows Phone 7 is only turn-based, not simultaneous multiplayer like Game Center for iPhone.

Early Impressions

Overall, gaming on Windows Phone 7 looks like it will be satisfying, and this is only a partial list of what will be available. EA dell studio 17 battery alone today announced that it’s brining Tetris, The Sims 3, and Monopoly to the OS, in addition to Need for Speed Undercover. We’re dell studio 1737 battery also excited to see Star Wars: Battle for Hoth and Bejewled Live. However, we’d like to see EA add more of its marquee dell studio 1535 battery titles to the mix (like Madden), as well as other big developers show us what they have up their sleeves. There’s also no Angry Birds here, though it’s rumored to be making its way over to the platform.

Based on what we’ve seen so far, though, we can tell that Microsoft has paid a lot of attention to the gaming experience on Windows dell latitude e5500 battery Phone 7, and we expect it to only get better through the holiday season and beyond. Although the good battery Android camp is quickly playing catch-up with iOS, Xbox Live on WP7 is already looking better than what Google phones have to offer.

T-Mobile G2 Hands-on: What We Like, What We Don’t

Last night we had a chance to get our mitts on the very hot T-Mobile G2, the Sony VGP-BPS13 Battery carrier’s first HSPA+ phone. With this technology inside the G2 promises 4G speeds in 65 major markets and Sony VGP-BPS13A/Q Battery counting. It’s also the most beautiful Android phone yet, in our opinion, and it has a unique slide-out keyboard with a Z-hinge design.

We’re working to bring you our full review of this Android 2.2 device soon, but in the meantime here’s a quick summary of what Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery we like and what we don’t, along with a tantalizing gallery.

What We Like:Toshiba PA3594U-1BRS Battery

•Great Design: The G2 weights a relatively hefty 6.5 ounces, but it looks and feels like a Sony VGP-BPS13/B Battery truly premium smart phone, complete with an aluminum back and accents up front. The rest is solid plastic. We also like the Sony VGP-BPS13B/B Battery optical trackpad underneath the screen, and the brilliant S-TFT display itself (800 x 480 pixels).

•It’s Snappy: The 800-MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM7230 processor combined with the relatively clean load of Android 2.2 made this Sony VGP-BPS13B/Q Battery phone very swift when moving between menus and opening apps.

•Killer Keyboard: The G2′s keyboard has plenty of space between the keys, making it easy to Sony VGP-BPS13A/S Battery type quickly. We prefer the clickier keyboard on the Epic 4G, but the G2 is a close second.

•4G-Like Speeds: Although T-Mobile is Sony VGP-BPS13/Q Battery still building out its HSPA+ network, we saw speeds between 3 and 4 Mbps in Toshiba PA3591U-1BRS Battery San Francisco. We’ll have to see how well the phone performs in New York City.

What We Don’t Like

•Z-Hinge Design Raises Concerns: The G2 isn’t your typical slider phone. The screen literally rises above the keyboard on a Z hinge as you Sony VGP-BPS9 Battery push it back, kind of like leapfrog. That means when you hold the phone upside down the display will hang down from the keyboard portion Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery of the device. We also have to wonder about the long-term durability of this hinge. I certainly wouldn’t give the G2 to my kids to play with.

•No Mobile Hotspot Feature: When you Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery deliver 4G speeds, you want to be able to leverage that with your laptop. Unfortunately, the G2 doesn’t offer this feature, unlike several other Android phones on the market. You also can’t tether the device to your laptop via USB, though it’s possible that this feature Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery will be added later.

•Googleware You Can’t Delete: As Engadget pointed out in its review, the G2 comes loaded Sony VGP-BPS9/S Battery with lots of Google apps you can’t get rid of, including Places, Shopper, Earth, Sky Map, Latitude, Tracks, Finance, Listen, Translate, and Google Talk. We didn’t find these apps to negatively impact performance, but some may find them annoying.

Quick Take: The G2 looks like it Sony VGP-BPS8A Battery belongs at the top of T-Mobile’s Android lineup alongside the Samsung Vibrant, giving the carrier a great one-two punch. If you want a physical keyboard, it’s a no-brainer. However, some may want to wait for the new T-Mobile myTouch, which will offer video calling. Stay tuned Sony VGP-BPS2 Battery for a full review of the T-Mobile G2.

Best of CTIA Fall 2010

As CTIA Enterprise & Applications comes to a close, there were a few big trends that defined Sony VGP-BPS2A Battery the event: the continued explosion of Android phones, more competition in the 4G wars, and renewed reports that the iPhone was coming to Verizon Wireless (we’ll believe it when we see it). After spending three days scouring the show floor and meeting with lots of companies, we narrowed our favorite products and services Sony VGP-BPS2B Battery to five top selections. So without further ado here is our favorite smart phone, app, wireless accessory, enabling technology, and software from the fall CTIA show, products that have the potential to shake up the mobile tech industry and inspire even more Sony VGP-BPS2C Battery innovation

In a sea of new Android phones, the Motorola Droid Pro stands out because it was built Toshiba PA3479U-1BRS Battery from the ground up for business users. Ideal for those looking to step up from a BlackBerry, this device sports a Toshiba PA3480U-1BRS Battery comfortable keyboard that’s always front and center, plus QuickOffice Mobile Suite for editing documents on the go.

The Droid Pro also covers Toshiba PA3534U-1BRS Battery all the security bases, with remote wipe and password management, as well as data encryption right on the device (coming early next year). While the 3.1-inch screen is on the small side, this 1-GHz handset has plenty Toshiba PA3593U-1BRS Battery of power

HP has updated its powerful and attractive business netbook, the Mini 5103

HP's durable but pricey netbook gets serious sony vgp-bps8 battery with a dual-core processor and robust software package.

HP has updated its sony vgp-bps13b/q battery powerful and attractive business netbook, the Mini 5103, with features that will appeal to small business users and students alike. While retaining the same rugged yet sleek aluminum and magnesium chassis as before, the 5103 now comes with Intel's new dual-core Atom sony vgp-bps13a/q battery processor, which will allow you to do more without compromising portability. Its price tag ($542; $668 as configured) is sony vgp-bps13/b battery nothing to sneeze at, but long battery life, good security apps, and a high-def display make this Sony VGP-BPS9/B Battery netbook a compelling choice.

Editor's Note:The configuration HP sent us Sony VGP-BPS13B/B Battery for review is different from the configurations available to U.S. customers. Our model came with a high-definition, multitouch display, but consumers will only have the option to add a touchscreen to models with the 1024 x 600 resolution. Our review unit also sony vgp-bps13/q battery came with Windows 7 Professional, but that is not a pre-configured option available through HP.com. The price as reviewed reflects a Sony VGP-BPS13 battery configuration with a high-definition panel, but not the touchscreen, and Windows 7 Home Sony VGP-BPS9/S Battery Premium.

Design

Like the Mini 5101 and 5102 before it, Sony VGP-BPS13A/B Battery the 5103 very much looks and feels like a shrunken HP ProBook, which is a compliment. HP hasn't changed the outer design much for this generation, which is mostly a good thing (with the exception of the touchpad). You get a case with anodized aluminum on top Sony VGP-BPS9 Battery and magnesium alloy on the bottom. Add in a soft-touch treatment on the deck and a clear HP DuraKeys coating for the keyboard, Sony VGP-BPS10 Battery and you have a netbook that can stand up to a fair amount of abuse. Not that the 5103 doesn't have style; the Sony VGP-BPS9A/B Battery lid on our unit was a brown espresso color instead of the standard black, a treatment that carries over to the deck.

Weighing 2.8 pounds (with the six-cell battery) and measuring 0.9 inches thin, the Mini 5103 Dell Vostro 1510 Battery can easily slip into a backpack or briefcase. The six-cell battery protrudes a bit from the bottom of the system, but it's Dell Inspiron 1545 battery hardly noticeable. To make the 5103 more attractive to students, a carrying handle is available; it screws on and replaces the rear feet.

Heat

Like its predecessors, the 5103 stayed fairly cool during use, though we noted that the areas around the vent and on the bottom right got a bit hot Dell Latitude E6400 Battery with the system in our lap. After playing a Hulu video at full-screen for 15 minutes, we measured temperatures on the touchpad Sony VGP-BPS2A Battery at 88 degrees, between the G&H keys at 87 degrees, and the center of the bottom at 94 degrees, all within Sony VGP-BPS2C Battery our acceptable range. The area on the bottom right and by the vent reached 99 degrees, which is uncomfortable.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The island-style, spill-resistant keyboard on the Mini 5103 remains one of the best in the netbook category. At 95 percent of full-size, we had no Sony VGP-BPS2 Battery problem typing this review at a fast clip using the included copy of Corel Home Office. We especially like the relatively large Sony VGP-BPS2B Battery right Shift key and Enter key. Some may find the feedback a little mushy, but we found it to be snappy enough. Above Toshiba PA3399U-1BAS Battery the keyboard you'll find a row of keys--such as brightness and volume controls--that don't require the Function key to activate.

The DuraKey coating over the keyboard adds a slight friction that compensates for the keys being completely flat. The coating also protects Toshiba PA3399U-1BRS Battery the letters from wearing off due to heavy usage.

The touchpad on the Mini 5103 is a bit small at 2.5 x 1.3 inches (compared to 3.1 x 1.6 inches Toshiba PA3451U-1BRS Battery for the Toshiba mini NB305). We're also not fans of the glossy black surface; the resulting friction made Toshiba PA3450U-1BRS Battery it somewhat difficult to move the cursor. Still, the dedicated left and right mouse buttons, which received a soft rubberized treatment, responded well.

Display and Audio

Colors on the Mini 5103's glossy HD display are vibrant and the blacks are deep, though we were disappointed to find that both vertical Toshiba PA3465U-1BRS Battery and horizontal viewing angles aren't very wide. While surfing the web or working with an office document, users can Toshiba PA3457U-1BRS Battery push the screen all the way back or share the screen with two others. But when watching video, colors look distorted unless you're in the Goldilocks zone. The 1366 x 768 resolution makes Windows 7's elements rather small on the 10.1-inch screen: We found ourselves squinting to see smaller elements, but were Toshiba PA3475U-1BRS Battery glad we could fit more on the screen when working with two documents Toshiba PA3478U-1BRS Battery side-by-side.

The speakers on the 5103's front lip produced decent volume and offered good audio quality for a netbook. Treble came off tinny as we listened to Sarah Solovay's "Gone," but at least bass proved strong when Last.fm offered up Superchick's "One Girl Revolution (Battle Mix)." At 50 percent volume we were able to hear music clearly, but in order to hear Hulu clips clearly battery we had to turn it up batteries to 75 percent. At this level, the audio was still clear and loud even when we good battery added low-level background noise to the mix.

Sony’s Alpha NEX-3 and NEX-5 Are The Company’s First Interchangeable Lens Cameras

You know a category’s going mainstream when Sony jumps on board. That’s how Akku Sony VGP-BPS8 we felt when the company debuted its first, er, netbook the original Vaio P, and it’s how we feel now about interchangeable lens digital cameras. These cameras have the guts of a point-and-shoot, but take removable lenses, just like a DSLR. Olympus and Panasonic pioneered this hybrid style of camera, and Samsung recently jumped on the bandwagon, but now that Sony has released the Alpha NEX-3 and NEX-5, the category seems to be picking up momentum.

And having spent a little time with the Akku Sony VGP-BPS8a NEX-3 (pictured) and NEX-5, we can tell you these aren’t just me-too cameras. They’re by far the smallest and lightest cameras in this class, so people looking for DSLR quality but not DSLR heft might actually find the right combination of photo quality and camera size. While both are small, the NEX-5 has a bigger hand grip, while the NEX-3 has a more rounded design, reminiscent of a point-and-shoot.

The two 14.2-MP cameras use in-lens image stabilization (right now, there are three options: an 18-55mm, 18-200mm, Sony VGP-BPS8 Battery and a 16mm wide angle lens). For $200, Sony is selling an adapter that will allow Sony’s Alpha DSLR lenses to work with these cameras. The company will also sell ultra-wide and fish-eye converters for $139 each. Both cameras also have 3-inch LCDs with a high resolution of 921,000 pixels.

Both cameras have a user interface that’s designed to be novice-friendly; instead VGP-BPS9/B of cramming in lots of buttons, Sony added soft keys, like the kind you’d find on a phone, whose functions vary depending on the menu you’re in. In our brief hands-on, we especially liked a mode that lets you use the scroll wheel on the back to adjust the sharpness of the background. We think achieving that depth-of-field effect is the number one “artsy” thing amateurs want to pull off, and Sony makes it foolproof.

Finally, both cameras record HD video, VGP-BPS9A/B Battery except that while the NEX-5 records 1080p video using the advanced AVCHD codec, the NEX-3 records 720p video using the simpler MP4 codec. These specs more closely match what you’d find in a pocket camcorder.

Oddly, you’ll pay a premium for an 18-55mm lens, the standard size that comes with any DSLR kit. The NEX-3 starts t $549 VGP-BPS9/S battery with a 16mm lens and costs $599 with an 18-55mm. The NEX-5 starts at $649 with a 16mm lens and costs $699 with an 18-55mm lens. Look for them in July.

HTC Droid Incredible

Motorola Droid owners now have a reason to be jealous. Verizon's third and arguably best vgp-bps8 Droid handset is the HTC Droid Incredible, an Android 2.1 powered device with an updated version of HTC's Sense interface. The Incredible sports a sleek black-and-red design, an optical trackpad in lieu of a trackball, and a brilliant, 3.7-inch 480 x 800 AMOLED capacitive touchscreen. If that isn't enough, the Incredible comes with a 1-GHz Snapdragon processor, a sharp 8-MP camera, vgp-bps8a and tethering capabilities right out of the box (take that, iPhone). While we have some complaints, and the $199 price will be too steep for some, overall the Incredible is one sweet smart phone. laptop

Design

The Incredible is a gorgeous, black phone with red accents (signifying its ties to Verizon). It measures 4.6 x 2.3 x 0.5 inches, making it quite pocketable and thin, and it weighs 4.6 ounces. That's significantly lighter than the Motorola Droid (6 ounces) but the same weight as the GSM version of thevgp-bpl8. It felt light enough that we sometimes didn't notice it in our pocket. Up top you'll find a 3.5mm headset jack and the power button, which serves as a sleep/wake button when the phone is turned on. The right side of the device is clean and devoid of any buttons, the left houses a micro-USB port and a volume rocker.vgp-bps9,vgp-bps9/s,vgp-bps9/b,vgp-bps9a/b

When you flip the Incredible over and look at the back, things start to look busy. There is a large, red 8MP camera with a dual LED flash sitting on a backplate with an odd, terraced design that looks like a topographical vgp-bps13. We wondered whether the ridges and raises were just an arbitrary design feature, but when you remove the HTC emblazoned battery cover, you'll find that they're there because of the phone's internals. You'll also be hit with more red than you've ever seen on a device as both the inside PA3451U-1BRS Battery and the battery are a very bright red. You'll either love it or hate it.vgp-bps13a/b

The face of the phone features a 3.7-inch, 480 x 800 WVGA AMOLED Dell batterycapacitive touchscreen display. Below the screen are the typical Android home, menu, back, and search touch buttons, all of which haptic feedback. The most noticeable design change versus the Nexus One is that PA3478U-1BRS Battery has abandoned a trackball in favor of an optical trackpad. The optical trackpad works well for swiping through screens, icons, and general navigation. When you want to select an item, you just press down on it like you would a trackball. We did find the trackpad to be a little too recessed; also, it felt awkward to PA3450U-1BRS Battery across it because we could feel the edges around the trackpad. Sometimes it wouldn't register our gestures.

Display

While notebook may prefer the huge 4.3-inch display on the HD2, the Incredible has plenty of real estate for surfing the Web PA3399U-2BAS Batteryand running the latest Android Apps, as well as plenty of resolution (800 x 480). Plus, even though the Toshiba Notebook Battery Incredible has the same screen size and resolution screen as the Nexus One, when compared side-by-side the Incredible seems to be richer in color and contrast. The auto-brightness function worked well during most lighting condition changes, and it's also easy to see the screen in bright sunlight (though direct sunlight causes too much glare). The capacitive touchscreen is also very Sony battery and supports multitouch gestures in the browser, maps, and even on the home screen with the Leap feature which we'll get to later. PA3399U-1BAS Battery

On-Screen Keyboard

One thing PA3534U-1BRS Battery we can get really picky about are soft keyboards.PA3435U-1BRS Battery It's really hard to duplicate the accuracy and speed of the iPhone's layout, but the Incredible comes really close. PA3479U-1BRS Battery the soft keyboards on the Motorola Cliq XT or Backflip, the Incredible's keyboard let us fly. The auto-correct feature was fairly accurate and helped us save time, although we found that the space bar occasionally didn't register our input--a problem we've had with other Android handsets. Overall, typing on the Incredible keyboard was a pleasant enough experience that we had no problem texting or e-mailing our friends and colleagues regularly. Yes, some may prefer the Droid's physical keyboard, but that flat layout is one of the few things we don't like about Motorola's handset.

From: batteryblog   laptopbattery    batterymag  laptopbatterymag

Report Sony VAIO W Series Eco Edition

It’s green, but does it cost too much green? With the VAIO W Eco Edition Sony vgp-bps9 seeks to stand out with a design that’s partially made of reprocessed plastic from CDs, as well as a carrying case made of recycled PET bottles. The keyboard, at 86 percent of full size, feels somewhat cramped. And while we like the HD display and the bundled Kidzui browser that’s designed to keep kids safe, parents may think twice about paying an $80 premium (or more) over competing netbooks for Sony’s latest mini-notebook. The $480 VAIO W Eco Edition offers style, eco-friendliness, good performance, and a robust software bundle, but it’s not the best value. Read on to see how this netbook vgp-bps9/s stacks up to the competition.

Design

The rounded edges of the 10.5 x 7.1 x 2.0-inch Sony VAIO W remind us of the Samsung N130’s pebble-like design. The white, vgp-bps9/b matte lid eschews fingerprints and includes a large but tasteful embedded chrome VAIO logo. This color allowed every mark to be immediately apparent, and we wished for something a bit darker to hide scuff marks. Sony offers two other color choices for the non-Eco Edition, but environmentalists will have to live with Sugar White for now. Under the lid, the deck has a dimpled pattern and a tasteful sea green color that meshed well with the silver metallic keyboard. We also like the green interlocking loop pattern on the silver touchpad. vgp-bps8a



The six-cell battery juts out from the bottom of the VAIO W a full three quarters of an inch, which gives the netbook a useful forward incline but also a noticeable thickness in the back. Though it’s not as svelte as some of our favorite netbooks of  vgp-bps9a/b , it weighs the standard 2.8 pounds.

Greenness

As vgp-bps8 implies, the VAIO W Eco Edition has a few more environmentally friendly aspects than most netbooks. The chassis is made from 20 percent recycled CDs. There’s no cardboard packaging to throw out when you buy this netbook—it comes in a carrying case made from recycled PET bottles. However, we would have liked to see the green theme extended to the software package, with Sony battery making it easy for users to monitor and adjust how much energy the VAIO W uses (similar to Toshiba’s eco Utility).



Charging the battery after it was fully drained took 3 hours and 45 minutes. During this time the VAIO W used an average of 31.3 watts. Owing to its relatively short battery life (6:42), this netbook’s LAPTOP Battery Efficiency Rating was 17.5. While that score is equal to the category average, it’s worse than most other Pine Trail netbooks we’ve tested. The dell laptopbattery, for example, has an Efficiency Rating of 10.4. Still, the VAIO W boasts an EPEAT Gold rating of 21 out of 27, which is quite good.

Heat

The VAIO W kept its cool during our heat test. After streaming a Hulu video for 15 minutes, we measured the temperature on the touchpad at 82 degrees Fahrenheit; the vgp-bps12 space between the G and H keys reached 87 degrees; and the middle of the underside rose to 96 degrees. Though the underside’s temperature is right at the cusp of our “acceptable” threshold (below 100 degrees), we were never uncomfortable using the VAIO W on our lap.

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Review Dell Inspiron Mini 10 (T-Mobile)

T-Mobile is very late to the 3G netbook party, but its first entry is the cheapest you’ll find on any network for vgp-bps9  sony vgp-bps9 in terms of total cost of ownership. How much cheaper? The data plan for the vgp-bps9a/b,sony vgp-bps9a/b with T-Mobile webConnect ($199 with two-year contract) costs $40 per month for 5GB. That’s $20 less than what AT&T and Verizon Wireless charge, or $480 less over the length of the contract. For those scoring at home, that’s nearly enough for a Wi-Fi-only iPad. Even better, this mini-laptop delivers considerably faster mobile broadband than other 3G netbooks, especially in areas where the carrier has fully upgraded its network to HSPA 7.2. So what’s the catch? You’re still paying $1,159 over two years for a secondary PC with a relatively small 10-inch screen. And sony vgp-bps9/s battery’s touchpad leaves much to be desired. So is this 3G netbook a good deal or should you pass? 

Design 

 With the sony battery of the little T-Mobile webConnect sticker below the keyboard, the 3-pound Mini 10 looks identical to the more recent models we’ve already reviewed. And that’s mostly a good thing. We like the sleek, wedge-shaped design and the glossy white border on the sides. The lid and bezel are glossy black, but thankfully the area around the keyboard has a textured finish that resists fingerprints.vgp-bps9/b,sony vgp-bps9/b



The keyboard of  vgp-bps12provided good tactile feedback and zero flex. We also like the direct access keys which let you adjust the volume and brightness without pressing Fn first. However, we pretty much despise the touchpad. It integrates the mousepad buttons, xps m1530 battery are stiff, making an otherwise nice machine difficult to use. We also found it harder to select text and to scroll on this netbook than others we’ve tested. It gets worse. Because the touchpad is close to the front lip of the netbook, you have to be careful not to accidentally brush against it when typing so you don’t move the cursor. For us, the touchpad is almost a dealbreaker, but others may feel differently.

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Memory: myth or fact?

The word 'memory' was originally derived from 'cyclic memory'; meaning
vgp-bps9a/b a nickel-cadmium battery could remember how much energy was drawn
on preceding discharges. On a longer than scheduled discharge, the
voltage would rapidly drop and the battery would lose power. Improvements
in battery technology have virtually eliminated this phenomenon.



The problem with nickel-cadmium is not so much the cyclic memory but
the effects of crystalline formation. The active cadmium material
is present in finely divided crystals. In a good cell, these crystals
remain small,vgp-bps9/s obtaining maximum surface area. With memory, the crystals
grow and conceal the active material from the electrolyte. In advanced
stages, the sharp edges of the crystals penetrate the separator, causing
high self-discharge or electrical short.



When introduced in the early 1990s, nickel-metal-hydride was promoted
as being memory-free. Today, we know that this chemistry is also affected
but to a lesser degree than nickel-cadmium. The nickel plate, a metal
vgp-bps9/b is shared by both chemistries, is partly to blame. While nickel-metal-hydride
has only the nickel plate to worry about, nickel-cadmium also includes
the memory-prone cadmium plate. This is a non-scientific explanation
why nickel-cadmium is affected more than nickel-metal-hydride.



The stages of crystalline formation of a nickel-cadmium cell are illustrated
in Figure 1. The enlargements show the cadmium plate in a proper functioning
crystal structure vgp-bps10, crystalline formation after use (or abuse) and
restoration.

New nickel-cadmium cell. The anode is in fresh condition. Hexagonal cadmium hydroxide crystals are about 1 micron in cross section, exposing large surface area to the electrolyte for maximum performance. Cell with crystalline formation. Crystals have grown to 50 to 100 microns in cross section, concealing large portions of the active material from the electrolyte. Jagged edges and sharp corners may pierce the separator, leading to increased self-discharge or electrical short. Restored cell. After pulsed charge, the crystals are reduced to 3 to 5 microns, an almost 100% restoration. Exercise or recondition are needed if the pulse charge alone is not effective.

Figure 1: Crystalline formation on nickel-cadmium cell.
Illustration
courtesy of the US Army Electronics Command in Fort Monmouth, NJ, USA.


How to restore and prolong nickel-based batteries

Crystalline
formation is most pronounced if a nickel-based battery is left in the charger
for days, or vgp-bps12 if repeatedly recharged without a periodic full discharge. Since
most applications do not use all energy before recharge, a periodic discharge
to 1 volt per cell (known as exercise) is essential to prevent memory.


Nickel-cadmium in regular use and on standby vgp-bps13 mode (sitting in a charger for operational
readiness) should be exercised once per month. Between these monthly exercise
cycles, no further service is needed. No scientific research is available on the
optimal exercise requirements of nickel-metal-hydride. Based on the reduced crystalline
buildup, applying a full discharge once every three months appears right. Because
of the shorter cycle life compared to nickel-cadmium, over-exercising is not recommended.

Exercise and
Recondition - Research has shown pa3399u-2brs the crystals ingrain themselves if no
exercise is applied to nickel-cadmium for three months or more. A full restoration
with exercise becomes more difficult the longer service is withheld. In advanced
cases 'recondition' is required.


Recondition is a slow, secondary discharge
applied below the 1 volt/cell threshold. During this process, the current must
be kept low to minimize cell reversal. Nickel-cadmium can tolerate a small amount
of cell reversal but caution must be applied pa3534u-1brs to stay within the allowable current
limit.

Tests
performed by the US Army have shown that a nickel-cadmium cell needs to be discharged
to at least 0.6V to effectively break up the more resistant crystalline formation.
Figure 2 illustrates the battery voltage during a discharge to 1V/cell, followed
by the secondary discharge to 0.4V/cell.,pa3535u-1brs

Figure 2: Exercise and recondition features of a Cadex battery analyzer.If a nickel-cadmium battery has not been exercised for three months or longer, recondition is required to restore capacity. Recondition is a slow, deep discharge to 0.4V/cell. If service is denied for 6 to 12 months, recondition becomes ineffective.

Figure
3 illustrates the effects of exercise and recondition. Four nickel-cadmium batteries of inspiron 6400 battery afflicted with various degrees of memory are serviced. The batteries are first
fully charged, then discharged to 1V/cell. The resulting capacities latitude d630 battery are plotted
on a capacity scale of 0 to 120% in the first column. Additional discharge/charge
cycles are applied and the battery capacities are plotted in the subsequent columns.
The green line represents 'exercise', and the blue line 'recondition'. The exercise
and recondition cycles are applied manually at the discretion of the research
technician.

Figure 3: Effects of exercise and recondition.Four batteries afflicted with memory are serviced. Battery 'A' improved capacity on exercise alone; batteries 'B' and 'C' required recondition. The new battery improved further with recondition.

Battery
'A' responded well to exercise alone and no recondition was required.
This battery of xps m1530 battery may have been in service for only a few months or has
received periodic exercise cycles. Batteries 'B' and 'C' required
recondition to restore performance. Without recondition, these two
batteries would have been discarded.



After service, the restored batteries for inspiron 1525 battery were returned to full
use. When examined after six months of field service, no noticeable degradation
in the performance was visible. The regained capacity was permanent but periodic
service will be needed to maintain the performance.


Applying the recondition
cycle on a new battery (top line on chart) resulted in a slight capacity gain.
This increase is not fully understood, other than to assume that the battery improved
by additional forming. Another explanation is early presence of memory. Since
new XPS M1730 Battery are stored with some charge, the self-discharge that occurs during
storage produces some crystalline formation. Exercising and reconditioning reverse
this effect.


Recondition has its limitations. If no exercise had been
applied for 6 to 12 months, permanent damage may have been inflicted. The capacity
may not recover or the pack may suffer from high self-discharge caused by a marred
separator. Older batteries for Latitude D820 Battery may get worse with recondition. These packs can be
compared to an old man to whom strenuous activity is harmful. Such batteries must
be replaced.


Typically 50%-70% of discarded nickel-cadmium batteries
can be restored when using the exercise and recondition methods of a Cadex battery
analyzer or equivalent. The recovery rate of nickel-metal-hydride is about 40%.
This lower yield Sony battery is, in part, due to the battery's low cycle count.

Field
results on exercise and recondition


After the Balkan War, the Dutch
Army examined how many field batteries Acer Aspire One battery could be restored with a battery analyzer
(Cadex). The army was aware that the packs were used under less than ideal conditions.
They had been sitting in the chargers with only 2-3 hours use per day.


The capacity on some packs had dropped from 100% to 30%. With the analyzer's recondition
function, 9 of 10 batteries Acer Aspire 4315 battery were restored to 80% and higher. The nickel-cadmium
batteries were 2-3 years old.


The importance of exercising and reconditioning
is emphasized by another study carried out for the US Navy by GTE Government Systems Acer Aspire One 10.1 inch battery.
To determine the percentage of batteries needing replacement in the first year
of use, one group of batteries received charge only (no maintenance), another
group was periodically exercised and a third group received recondition. The batteries
studied were used for two-way radios on US aircraft carriers.


With charge
only (charge-and-use), the annual percentage of battery failure was 45% (Figure
4). With exercise, Aspire 4520G battery rate was reduced to 15%. By far the best results
were achieved with recondition. The failure rate dropped to 5%.

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