KIKR S1-2-in-1 Phone Holder & Dual Wireless Charger

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We received a Kikr S1 a bit ago but were delayed in reviewing it due to distractions from Covid and other business events. According to the folks at KIKR here are details and information on the product. Fully Adjustable S1 is truly a fully adjustable stand. It features a foldable design with adjustable height. You […]

KitKat: Google’s Weapon Against Apple

KitKat: Google’s Weapon Against Apple (via slashdot)

For years, Google’s critics railed that the Android operating system had a fragmentation problem, with too many manufacturers installing too many versions of the software on too many phones. As a result, they argued, the Android ecosystem was a mess…

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Apple plans to rain on Nokia and Microsoft with 22 October iPad launch date

Apple plans to rain on Nokia and Microsoft with 22 October iPad launch date (via The Inquirer)

GADGET DESIGNER Apple reportedly plans to hold an event on 22 October to showcase its next iPad tablets along with its refreshed Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks operating system. We have no reason to dispute this speculation from Allthingsd, as the website…

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CES 2012 Blackberry Playbook and Deals on the Playbook

I had the opportunity to check out the new os update for the Blackberry Playbook 64gb version. It is a great deal for $ 299.

With the new version of the OS I am more impressed by it than in the previous iteration.

It reminds me of the HP Touchpad with a better user interface and support.

The application support is getting better.

Here is a video overview of it:

and one on their communications from Blackberry’s website.

and another–>

Features–>http://us.blackberry.com/playbook-tablet/#!tabletFeatures

Intel at CES 2012 Press Conference and Releases Ultrabooks, Smartphones and Tablet Platform

First a light hearted start of the press event the history of Dance–>

Next

Press Release from CES 2012–>

Intel Strikes Multi-year, Multi-Device Strategic Partnership with Motorola Mobility*, Including Smartphones that Motorola Will Begin to Ship in 2H 2012

Lenovo K800 Smartphone Based on Intel® Technology Available in Second Quarter 2012 in China

INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW, Las Vegas, Jan. 10, 2012 – Intel Corporation today announced a number of advancements across its smartphone business, including a multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship with Motorola Mobility*, Inc. and a handset by Lenovo* based on the company’s new Intel® Atom™ processor platform. Several smartphones based on the new Atom processor are expected to come to market in 2012.

“The best of Intel computing is coming to smartphones,” said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini. “Our efforts with Lenovo and Motorola Mobility will help to establish Intel processors in smartphones and provide a solid foundation from which to build in 2012 and into the future.”

Otellini made the announcements during a keynote address at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show. He also detailed Ultrabook™ category momentum and described how the company is innovating to deliver superior experiences across a range of mobile devices.

Intel Computing Inside Smartphones and Tablets
Intel CEO highlighted the Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 platform, formerly “Medfield,” which was specifically designed for smartphones and tablets, and delivers leading performance with competitive, energy efficiency.

Sanjay Jha, chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility, joined Otellini onstage and the two executives detailed their companies’ multi-year, multi-device strategic relationship. The effort includes smartphones that Motorola will begin to ship in the second half of this year using Intel Atom processors and the Android* platform. The collaboration, which also covers tablets, combines Intel’s leadership in silicon technology and computing innovation with Motorola’s mobile device design expertise.

Liu Jun, Lenovo senior vice president and president of Mobile Internet and Digital Home, also joined Otellini onstage to debut the Lenovo K800*smartphone based on Intel technology and running the Android* platform. Liu Jun said the K800 smartphone will be available in China in the second quarter and will run on China Unicom’s 21Mbs network. The smartphone features the low-power Intel® Atom™ processor Z2460 with Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology, support for HSPA+ with the Intel® XMM™ 6260 Platform, and the Lenovo LeOS user interface for a localized experience in China.

Otellini said enabling the best mobile experience is a priority for Intel. Michael Bell, general manager of Intel’s Mobile and Communications Group, also joined Otellini onstage to demonstrate the Intel® Smartphone Reference Design that aims to shrink device development time and costs for phone OEMs and carriers. This fully functioning smartphone features sleek packaging, a 4.03-inch high-resolution LCD touch screen for crisp text and vibrant images, and two cameras delivering advanced imaging capabilities, including burst mode that allows individuals to capture 15 pictures in less than a second with 8-megapixel quality.

Showcasing the popular Angry Birds* application on the phone, Bell pointed to broad Android* applications support that allows Intel technology-based smartphones to run the vast majority of Android* applications, including those compiled for other architectures.

Otellini said Intel will raise the bar on tablet experiences by offering compatibility with the millions of existing applications and devices; an instant-on, software and apps experience; and support of the Metro* user interface. Onstage was the world’s first public demonstration of the forthcoming 32nm Intel Atom SoC for tablets and hybrids running on Microsoft* Windows* 8, codenamed “Clover Trail.”

Ultrabook to Completely Redefine PCs
Intel is leading the industry to re-invent personal computing again with the creation of the new category of Ultrabook devices, delivering a no-compromise computing experience in thin and elegant designs.

In just eight months, and built on a foundation of broad consumer appeal and ecosystem support, the category has gained strong momentum with a total of more than 75 ultra sleek, ultra responsive and secure Ultrabook systems expected to ship this year from industry partners.

Jeff Clarke, vice chairman of Global Operations and End User Computing Solutions at Dell*, joined Otellini onstage to announce the company’s first Ultrabook, the new XPS 13* powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 processor. Scheduled for February availability, the sleek and stylish design weighs only 2.99 lbs and provides up to 8 hours of battery life.

Intel is committed to the continued rapid improvement in user experience. The company’s engineers will further accelerate Ultrabook innovation in 2012 with 3rd generation Intel Core processors, codenamed “Ivy Bridge,” with the help of Intel’s revolutionary 22nm 3-D Tri-gate transistors.

This next generation of devices will expand the computing experience beyond anything realized today. Two Ultrabook concept designs powered by “Ivy Bridge” were demonstrated during the keynote speech.

Intel’s CEO promised that these devices will be more secure and eliminate the discussion on trade-offs for computing, like form factor, user interface or performance. He also said Ultrabooks will offer a flagship platform for a premium, no-compromise environment that helps deliver on the Microsoft* Windows* 8 promise of re-imagining Windows.

Applications specifically suited for the Ultrabook are available from the Intel AppUpSM center, a one-stop shop for the latest PC apps. Intel announced a strategic relationship between Intel and Technicolor* surrounding M-GO, an app powered by Intel AppUp that will bring high-definition, premium digital content for television, movies, music and apps to Ultrabook devices and other Intel-based devices with Intel® Insider™ in the second quarter of 2012. M-GO will provide movies and TV shows from major Hollywood studios and help manage HD premium content across multiple devices and platforms via a single intuitive, secure user interface.

About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.

Intel, Intel Core, Atom, Ultrabook, the Intel logo and Ultrabook are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries.

Intel and has been an amazing organization, who offer exciting and cutting edge technology.

Engadget and their hands on with the Motorola Xyboard 10.2, and a video overview from Youtube

Are LTE speeds and an improved silhouette enough to lure wayward users back into the company’s willing embrace? Does anyone even care about non-Ice Cream Sandwich tablets? Read on as we explore the odd ends and angles of this curiously-shaped slate.
Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1 vs Xoom LTE… fight!

So, let’s face that elephant in the Xoom head-on: this iteration of the Xyboard is lighter at 1.33 pounds (603 grams) and considerably thinner at just 0.35 inches (8.8mm). Gone are the hard edges that marred Moto’s original tab and, instead, we’re treated to the same curved edges that made their debut on the Droid RAZR, as well as a flanking of soft touch plastic. Immediately, you’ll notice the device’s ergonomic improvements over its predecessor, but it’s still a far cry from being a pleasure to hold. In fact, those awkward angles dig into your palms no matter how you orient the slate. Sure, the Xyboard’s looks serve to set it apart from the competition, but we’re not sold on this build as the model going forward.

Though this fella was meant to be a clean break from the company’s tablet past, it appears as though Motorola simply couldn’t part with its ill-advised decision to mount the power button and volume rocker on the device’s backside — here somewhat easily locatable on the upper right. It takes some getting used to, but we acclimated to this placement soon enough. Soft touch plastic surrounds the gunmetal grey aluminum back, which neatly stacks Motorola’s insignia atop that of Verizon’s own and the operator’s 4G LTE logo. Up top, the slate’s 5MP rear camera with single LED flash lies centered between the stereo speakers. Ports are mainly relegated to the bottom, where you’ll find a removable tray for the SIM card, as well as a micro-HDMI out and micro-USB. While the 3.5mm headphone jack is left by its lonesome on the opposite end, with the 1.3MP front-facing camera just beneath it.

With a dual-core processor bumped up to 1.2GHz and an ample 1GB of RAM, the Xyboard zooms along, hampered only by the addition of Moto’s Blurring of the Honeycomb OS.

The O.G. Xoom repped a 1,280 x 800 WXGA display which, although decent for its time, literally pales in comparison to the Xyboard’s TFT-IPS. Colors are noticeably bolder, the panel is brighter and images come across much crisper. Motorola’s claim of 178-degree viewing angles are no joke, either — the screen retains a stunning visibility even when tilted nearly full out of eyesight. Obviously, this bump in quality should go over well with folks who intend to consume mass amounts of streaming video on the tablet.

With a dual-core processor bumped up to 1.2GHz and an ample 1GB of RAM, the Xyboard zooms along, hampered only by the addition of Moto’s Blurring of the Honeycomb OS. Indeed, transitions are often choppy and lack the fluidity of Samsung’s TouchWiz UX. Why the company chose to break from offering users a pure Google experience and overlaid a choppy skin is beyond us. Again, tradition seems to prevail here. Save for the original Droid, all subsequent brand descendants shipped with the OEM’s special skinned touch. And so, too, has Motorola extended that consistently poor software customization to its successive Android 3.2 tabs.

With skinning comes crapware and the Xyboard has it a plenty. Third party apps like Amazon Kindle, Citrix, Dijit, Evernote, Fuze Meeting, Let’s Golf 2, Madden NFL 12, Netflix, Quickoffice, and Slingbox come pre-installed. That list doesn’t include Verizon’s own branded offerings which help to crowd the app drawer. Certainly, some of these applications are useful, but we’d like app downloads to ultimately be the user’s choice and completely uninstallable.

Verizon’s LTE service in New York City hasn’t fared so well in the past few days, dropping off and defaulting the Xyboard to a 3G connection due to network issues. Things look to have been fixed on the operator’s end since and we’re back to enjoying those blistering speeds, which maxed out at 27.64Mbps down and 8.12Mbps up on the Xyboard. Typically, performance will hover between 17Mbps to 22Mbps down and 5Mbps to 7Mbps up, so if you’re planning on a marathon Netflix session, you won’t be left wanting. Big Red’s 4G coverage has had the benefit of an early head start and, consequently, signal strength was relatively hardy.

Perhaps to add that extra value oomph to the Xyboard, Motorola’s bundled a stylus into the box. But don’t let that get your hopes up, the functionality reeks of last minute add-on.

Perhaps to add that extra value oomph to the Xyboard, Motorola’s bundled a stylus into the box. But don’t let that get your hopes up, the functionality reeks of last minute add-on. Wondering why Evernote comes pre-loaded? Wonder no more, the app is one of three options made available when the stylus icon is activated from the tablet’s dock on the lower right. Users wielding Moto’s pen, which itself is actually well-made and feels great in the hand, can choose between Floating Notes to create and save memos, Open to see a list of saved memos and the aforementioned Evernote. Integration doesn’t run too deep, as you’ll only be able to choose from three distinct pen tip / eraser widths and eight colors. The handwriting recognition software showcases an apparent lag, trailing behind our hand’s movements and forget about resting your palm on the screen, as that’ll impede your ability to write. That’s not to say it totally fail to recognize your attempts at legible scrawl, but it’s definitely a hit or miss experience. Navigation and typing can also be managed via the stylus, although it’s not ideal.

For the power user, Motorola’s released a slew of accessories to extend the Xyboard’s functionality. There’s an HD station for docking the tablet that packs an extra three USB ports and HDMI out so you can watch content on your flatscreen, a portfolio cover that flips back to create an impromptu stand and a wireless keyboard with portfolio. We took the Bluetooth keyboard for a trial run and despite its decidedly less than premium construction, its usefulness actually exceeded our low expectations. The hard-edged square keys are stiff, but have just enough travel to make typing surprisingly fluid and natural feeling. We did occasionally encounter difficulty locating some of the modifier keys, shrunken as they are to fit the layout, but Motorola did manage to include shortcuts for menu, home, back and search. Depressing any of the alphanumeric keys while viewing the homescreen accesses the tablet’s search function, displaying a list of relevant contacts, search terms and applications. And to make up for the lack of a trackpad, there’s a soft rubber-coated mouse button that lies centered between the G, H and B keys. It’s implementation is actually more frustrating that helpful, as it’s overly sensitive and difficult to control. So much so, that we found ourselves defaulting to touch navigation out of resignation.

HP Web OS Conference today to launch new products and tablets

Right now, HP is announcing new products including tablets. It should be interesting to see what they are launching as well as the price range. I am intrigued and interested in seeing what is being launched. I will post more information later.

My opinion in reference to the 2 Commercials

I thought that the Apple commercial launched in 1984 attracted the worlds attention, it was unique and innovative and to many respects true. I remember how amazing the first black and white macs were. They were unique and interesting just like the Mac Cube.
In regards to the new commercial it is unique, and interesting. Now 27 years after the first commercial, Apple is now the trend setter, the innovator, the “big” guys. We shall see what the future brings.

I am intrigued by the new Honeycomb Android tablets. They should prove to be feature rich and powerful.