Update – Samsung making the nexus 10, has given the google tablet a form of confidence. But it’s being reported now how the next Samsung galaxy tablet pc will match the google nexus 10’s specifications, with improved ppi’s, and gorilla glass, a quicker processor and improved battery power. That’s all conjecture in the interim as Samsung have not developed any news or proposals, but while the next nexus 10, that will likely to be manufactured by Motorola and intended for later this year, Samsung must consider quickly.
Samsung, which manufactures Google’s Nexus 10 tablet with an ultra high resolution display, is rumored to be launching a tablet of its own under the company’s Android Galaxy branding. Thus far, the device is code named Roma, and is said to carry all of the specs from the Nexus 10 tablet and will come with Samsung’s proprietary TouchWiz user interface overlay on top of the stock Android that the Nexus 10 is boasting. Moreover, Roma will also be getting a variant with 4G LTE connectivity.
Roma has appeared before in earlier leaks and the device was rumored to be launched with a Galaxy Tab 3 Plus name, where the Plus indicates the device’s high 299 pixels per inch screen with a 2560 X 1600 resolution. Like the Nexus 10, the device will have a 10.1-inch display.
GSM Arena is reporting that Roma will be announced soon by Samsung, but did not give any estimates on when that would be.
The addition of 4G LTE connectivity will be a nice feature for those who demand always-on mobile broadband connectivity and would rather not have to find an open WiFi hotspot to tether to all the time. It’s something that’s missing from the Nexus 10, though Google did add a version of the HSPA+ connectivity for the smaller Asus-made Nexus 7 slate.
Additional rumored specs include a dual-core Exynos 5 processor–not the Exynos 5 Octa on the international Galaxy S4 flagship–that’s clocked to 1.7 GHz, a 5-megapixel rear camera, 1.9-megapixel front-facing camera, 9000 mAh battery, and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
Given that Google I/O is in mid-May, an introduction of Roma with Android Jelly Bean may make the newly launched tablet appear stale as Google is expected to unveil Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie at the developer conference. And like most Android OS releases, Google’s Nexus lineup will be among the first to get the Key Lime Pie upgrade, so it may be a while before we see Android 5.0 head to Roma despite its high-end specs.
Thus far, Samsung has not commented nor made any announcements about Roma or the Galaxy Tab 3 Plus despite numerous leaks in recent months. Pricing isn’t known at this time either, but we do know that the Nexus 10 goes for $399. The addition of a 4G LTE modem on Roma should push the price higher.
Recently, other Galaxy Tab 3 family leaks include a regular 10.1-inch model without a high resolution display as well as a Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 model. It looks like Samsung may favor the 8-inch premium display over the current generation 7-inch screen. One reason is that given Apple’s introduction of the 7.9-inch iPad mini, the 8-inch display may be given premium pricing whereas Google is pushing down prices of 7-inch slates with its $200 Nexus 7.
And though prior leaks have mentioned the Galaxy Tab 3 Plus by name, there was also another recent leak suggesting that Samsung may rebrand its tablet efforts under the Galaxy S Tab moniker. Perhaps, then, Roma could even debut as a Galaxy S Tab or Galaxy S Tab Plus.
Source – http://www.gottabemobile.com/2013/04/19/leaked-samsung-roma-rumored-to-be-touchwiz-clad-nexus-10/
Sunday 30 June 2013
Friday 28 June 2013
What iphone Apps are superlative for Teaching Offspring?
Tablet pc’s can be brilliant teaching tools, as I have discussed at great length in supplementary internet posts. So, having recognized that, what apps are the best for teaching the basic topics and encouraging literacy and numeracy in small ones?
Available for £1.99 is ‘Herd Absurd’, which is an application that mixes and matches characters and their attributes, of this application, Guardian.co.uk said,
“Herd Absurd! is a characterful take on those children’s books where you flip sections of the page to put different heads, bodies and legs of characters together. Here, it’s animals that your kids will be mixing and matching, with suitably cheeky animations making them smile along the way”.
Herd Absurd is best played along with your youngster, sort of a book or a game (of which it’s a mixture). Also for £1.99, ‘The Land of Me’ is another amusing game that doubles for a learning experience; this one introduces children to ‘Shape, Size and Colour’ (as the subtitle suggests). The Guardian said of this one that,
“British startup Made In Me has been exploring interactive children’s fiction with its The Land of Me apps, scooping a BAFTA nomination in the process. This latest example focuses on, yes, shapes, sizes and colours as kids create monsters, animals and vehicles”.
Somewhat cheaper at £1.49 and perhaps, a small bit more literate is the app ‘Five Little Monkeys Play Hide and Seek’. This one is more like a digital book, but with interactive basics. The same guys who designed the Dr. Seuss apps create this one. In line with the Guardian’s Top thirty list,
“It’s a digital version of a book starring five cheeky monkeys trying to get out of bedtime by playing games. Expect rhyming text, lots of chances to practise counting, and a mixture of voice narration and word highlighting to help young readers”.
For our acquaintances across the pond, ‘Ansel & Clair: Paul Revere’s Ride’ is a kid-friendly application that teaches American history in enjoyable, engaging, bitesize chunks. According to Teach Thought.com, the makers are ones to keep an eye on.
“Cognitive Kid is one of those companies that will go down in history as being one of the first to develop outstanding learning content, where discovery is the model & play is the focus, where students love it as much as the teachers and every school considers it a must have! Let us share some feedback from the students during round one. When kids were asked to respond why they thought it was a good way to learn, the responses were plain and simple. “Because it teaches important history stuff in a fun to play way.” Or, the let me get right to the point comment, “Made boring history fun.””
Teach Thought also highlights ‘Eye Paint Animals’ as being an application which is pleasurable, educational and highly creative. Within ths app, the child’s imagination is to the fore, but there are educational elements as well. Of these developers, Curious Hat, Teach Thought stated that,
“They strive to design tools for children that encourage discovery play and foster creativity, they succeed spectacularly. Curious Hat has taken the iOS user experience to a whole n’other level. Luca states, “Our apps are not games, they are discovery tools aimed at energizing kids to play, create, invent, explore and learn in enjoyable ways without the limitations of set parameters.””
Available for £1.99 is ‘Herd Absurd’, which is an application that mixes and matches characters and their attributes, of this application, Guardian.co.uk said,
“Herd Absurd! is a characterful take on those children’s books where you flip sections of the page to put different heads, bodies and legs of characters together. Here, it’s animals that your kids will be mixing and matching, with suitably cheeky animations making them smile along the way”.
Herd Absurd is best played along with your youngster, sort of a book or a game (of which it’s a mixture). Also for £1.99, ‘The Land of Me’ is another amusing game that doubles for a learning experience; this one introduces children to ‘Shape, Size and Colour’ (as the subtitle suggests). The Guardian said of this one that,
“British startup Made In Me has been exploring interactive children’s fiction with its The Land of Me apps, scooping a BAFTA nomination in the process. This latest example focuses on, yes, shapes, sizes and colours as kids create monsters, animals and vehicles”.
Somewhat cheaper at £1.49 and perhaps, a small bit more literate is the app ‘Five Little Monkeys Play Hide and Seek’. This one is more like a digital book, but with interactive basics. The same guys who designed the Dr. Seuss apps create this one. In line with the Guardian’s Top thirty list,
“It’s a digital version of a book starring five cheeky monkeys trying to get out of bedtime by playing games. Expect rhyming text, lots of chances to practise counting, and a mixture of voice narration and word highlighting to help young readers”.
For our acquaintances across the pond, ‘Ansel & Clair: Paul Revere’s Ride’ is a kid-friendly application that teaches American history in enjoyable, engaging, bitesize chunks. According to Teach Thought.com, the makers are ones to keep an eye on.
“Cognitive Kid is one of those companies that will go down in history as being one of the first to develop outstanding learning content, where discovery is the model & play is the focus, where students love it as much as the teachers and every school considers it a must have! Let us share some feedback from the students during round one. When kids were asked to respond why they thought it was a good way to learn, the responses were plain and simple. “Because it teaches important history stuff in a fun to play way.” Or, the let me get right to the point comment, “Made boring history fun.””
Teach Thought also highlights ‘Eye Paint Animals’ as being an application which is pleasurable, educational and highly creative. Within ths app, the child’s imagination is to the fore, but there are educational elements as well. Of these developers, Curious Hat, Teach Thought stated that,
“They strive to design tools for children that encourage discovery play and foster creativity, they succeed spectacularly. Curious Hat has taken the iOS user experience to a whole n’other level. Luca states, “Our apps are not games, they are discovery tools aimed at energizing kids to play, create, invent, explore and learn in enjoyable ways without the limitations of set parameters.””
Thursday 27 June 2013
Legendary musician Ray Manzarek, passes away at 74
Ray Manzarek, the influential keyboardist best acknowledged for his work with iconic American rock band ‘The Doors’, has passed away aged seventy four.
Manzarek was in Rosenheim, Germany, being treated for bile duct cancer.
Ray Manzarek’s life reads like a rock n roll fairy tale, with all the pieces falling into position at exactly the right time.
Manzarek had taken piano lessons since he was a child in Chicago, Illinois, but he in addition had a passion for movies. It had been this interest that led young Ray manzarek to enrol in UCLA (University of California) and travel to Los Angeles in 1962.
In the beginning, Ray played in the band called ‘Rick & The Ravens’ together with his brothers Rick and Jim. The group was moderately successful, releasing three singles.
At the same time as studying at UCLA, Ray manzarek met upcoming Doors singer/lyricist Jim Morrison and the two decided to create a band together in ’65. He also met his future wife, Dorothy Fujikawa, at UCLA. The pair were hitched in 1967.
Manzarek and Morrison teamed up with guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore, forming ‘The Doors’ (they procured the identity from your paperback by Alduous Huxley).
Due to the deficit of a bass player, the multi-talented Manzarek regularly performed the bass notes on his piano.
One year after creating, The Doors released their debut record on Elektra records; it is, of course, a success.
The Doors went on to record several more records, taking an iconic position in the annals of Rock n Roll and galvanizing a generation. The band has since sold over a hundred million albums worldwide.
In 1971, lead singer Jim Morrison died in unexplained circumstances in Paris, France. The band lasting for two more successful albums and tours, before disbanding in 1973.
Following the band’s break up, Ray manzarek went on to become a record producer and a Grammy-nominated solo performer in his own right, as well as playing and recording with really high-profile Doors followers as ‘Echo & The Bunnymen’ and Iggy Pop.
In 2002, following a few of sporadic reunion shows, Ray manzarek and Robby Krieger joined up with ‘The Cult’ singer Ian Astbury to create ‘The Doors of the 21st Century’. The group, though a highly successful live show, also suffered from controversy, due to a court case from former Doors drummer Densmore.
Additionally, Manzarek’s autobiography ‘Light My Fire’ made him a bestselling writer upon its release in 1998.
He died together with his wife Dorothy and his brothers at his bedside.
SOURCES:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22604798
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ray-manzarek-doors-keyboardist-dead-at-74-20130520
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/20/185608273/ray-manzarek-founding-member-of-the-doors-dies
Manzarek was in Rosenheim, Germany, being treated for bile duct cancer.
Ray Manzarek’s life reads like a rock n roll fairy tale, with all the pieces falling into position at exactly the right time.
Manzarek had taken piano lessons since he was a child in Chicago, Illinois, but he in addition had a passion for movies. It had been this interest that led young Ray manzarek to enrol in UCLA (University of California) and travel to Los Angeles in 1962.
In the beginning, Ray played in the band called ‘Rick & The Ravens’ together with his brothers Rick and Jim. The group was moderately successful, releasing three singles.
At the same time as studying at UCLA, Ray manzarek met upcoming Doors singer/lyricist Jim Morrison and the two decided to create a band together in ’65. He also met his future wife, Dorothy Fujikawa, at UCLA. The pair were hitched in 1967.
Manzarek and Morrison teamed up with guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore, forming ‘The Doors’ (they procured the identity from your paperback by Alduous Huxley).
Due to the deficit of a bass player, the multi-talented Manzarek regularly performed the bass notes on his piano.
One year after creating, The Doors released their debut record on Elektra records; it is, of course, a success.
The Doors went on to record several more records, taking an iconic position in the annals of Rock n Roll and galvanizing a generation. The band has since sold over a hundred million albums worldwide.
In 1971, lead singer Jim Morrison died in unexplained circumstances in Paris, France. The band lasting for two more successful albums and tours, before disbanding in 1973.
Following the band’s break up, Ray manzarek went on to become a record producer and a Grammy-nominated solo performer in his own right, as well as playing and recording with really high-profile Doors followers as ‘Echo & The Bunnymen’ and Iggy Pop.
In 2002, following a few of sporadic reunion shows, Ray manzarek and Robby Krieger joined up with ‘The Cult’ singer Ian Astbury to create ‘The Doors of the 21st Century’. The group, though a highly successful live show, also suffered from controversy, due to a court case from former Doors drummer Densmore.
Additionally, Manzarek’s autobiography ‘Light My Fire’ made him a bestselling writer upon its release in 1998.
He died together with his wife Dorothy and his brothers at his bedside.
SOURCES:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22604798
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ray-manzarek-doors-keyboardist-dead-at-74-20130520
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/20/185608273/ray-manzarek-founding-member-of-the-doors-dies
Friday 21 June 2013
75th celebration of that first arrival of Superman.
In the week sees the 75th celebration of the first arrival of Superman.
June 1938 saw the first edition of ‘Action Comics’, which contained the very initial emergence of the individual that will inspire millions of people worldwide. It is, to all intents and purposes, the delivery of the superhero story.
The individual was an instant hit, inspiring not only the whole genre of superhero fiction, but additionally radio plays, movie serials and reams of products.
Superman creators Jerry Siegel (writer) and Joe Shuster (artist) had worked for years, first to generate the individual and then to retail him to the publisher.
In 1932, the pair created a fanzine called ‘Science Fiction’ which contained the tale ‘Reign #of the# Supermen’, featuring a infamous, all-powerful being. Later that very same year, this embryonic ‘Superman’ was re-tooled into the greater heroic version we all know today.
The idea for the new Superman apparently came to Siegel one sleepless night, during which he wrote the complete story that will eventually appear in ‘Action Comics’ inaugural issue. The next day, Shuster made the character’s iconic appearance and a hero was delivered.
In 1933, following a number of rejections, a disconsolate Shuster in fact set fire to this early edition of the story. All that survived was the cover art, an image that has ever since become iconic.
Editor Sheldon Mayer was the very first person to take a big gamble on Superman, giving the colourful hero a cover appearance on the first issue of Action Comics. This issue, in mint condition, can now reach fees as high as $2Million.
Superman has remained admired in comic book series like ‘Superman’ and ‘Action Comics’ also as abundant spin off series starring his supporting characters like Superboy, Supergirl, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen.
He has also drawn crowds with hit movies like Richard Donner’s 1978 ‘Superman’ film as well as the 2006 movie ‘Superman Returns’. The character can also be a Television mainstay, being depicted in lucrative series such as ‘Lois & Clark’ and ‘Smallville’ also as many kid’s cartoons.
Superman’s seventy fifth celebration will see DC Entertainment unveiling a brief Superman-themed emblem celebrating this landmark anniversary.
The special event will also be commemorated by an innovative new Superman comics series entitled ‘Superman: Unchained’ made by the creative team of Scott Snyder (writer), Jim Lee (artist) and Scott Williams (inks).
Elsewhere, the modern Superman movie ‘Man of Steel’, starring Henry Cavill, will open in theatres from Friday 14th June, ensuring the occasion is well and truly marked.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUPERMAN!
June 1938 saw the first edition of ‘Action Comics’, which contained the very initial emergence of the individual that will inspire millions of people worldwide. It is, to all intents and purposes, the delivery of the superhero story.
The individual was an instant hit, inspiring not only the whole genre of superhero fiction, but additionally radio plays, movie serials and reams of products.
Superman creators Jerry Siegel (writer) and Joe Shuster (artist) had worked for years, first to generate the individual and then to retail him to the publisher.
In 1932, the pair created a fanzine called ‘Science Fiction’ which contained the tale ‘Reign #of the# Supermen’, featuring a infamous, all-powerful being. Later that very same year, this embryonic ‘Superman’ was re-tooled into the greater heroic version we all know today.
The idea for the new Superman apparently came to Siegel one sleepless night, during which he wrote the complete story that will eventually appear in ‘Action Comics’ inaugural issue. The next day, Shuster made the character’s iconic appearance and a hero was delivered.
In 1933, following a number of rejections, a disconsolate Shuster in fact set fire to this early edition of the story. All that survived was the cover art, an image that has ever since become iconic.
Editor Sheldon Mayer was the very first person to take a big gamble on Superman, giving the colourful hero a cover appearance on the first issue of Action Comics. This issue, in mint condition, can now reach fees as high as $2Million.
Superman has remained admired in comic book series like ‘Superman’ and ‘Action Comics’ also as abundant spin off series starring his supporting characters like Superboy, Supergirl, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen.
He has also drawn crowds with hit movies like Richard Donner’s 1978 ‘Superman’ film as well as the 2006 movie ‘Superman Returns’. The character can also be a Television mainstay, being depicted in lucrative series such as ‘Lois & Clark’ and ‘Smallville’ also as many kid’s cartoons.
Superman’s seventy fifth celebration will see DC Entertainment unveiling a brief Superman-themed emblem celebrating this landmark anniversary.
The special event will also be commemorated by an innovative new Superman comics series entitled ‘Superman: Unchained’ made by the creative team of Scott Snyder (writer), Jim Lee (artist) and Scott Williams (inks).
Elsewhere, the modern Superman movie ‘Man of Steel’, starring Henry Cavill, will open in theatres from Friday 14th June, ensuring the occasion is well and truly marked.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUPERMAN!
Thursday 13 June 2013
CNet are first to get their hands on the initial 8.9 inch kindle fire
Latest news – Many of us feel affection for the amazon kindle fire, what an excellent gadget, using the huge rise in 7 inch tablets the kindle fire hd hit the ground running, now though to compete with the google nexus 10 and even the ipad, plus various other ten inch tablets Amazon have developed the kindle fires slightly larger brother a 8.9 inch or we shall call it as a 9″ tablet. the below site has one of the earliest evaluations of that pc tablet and you may read it beneath in its full glory.
Amazon’s regular E Ink Kindle continues to be massively popular thanks to its easy to read display and Amazon’s vast collection of digital books. The Kindle Fire HD tablets aim to take that popularity and add high-definition colour screens and a host of media streaming services on top.
The 8.9-inch model reviewed here begins at £230 for the 16GBmodel or £259 for 32GB. Both of those are subsidised slightly by displaying ads on the lock screen. An extra £10 will get you the tablet with no ads. You can always buy the ad-supported version and pay to remove the ads if you find them annoying.
Should I buy the Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch?
The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is identical to its 7-inch sibling in basically every way. They share the same outward design, run the same simple-to-use-software and have access to the same multimedia content from Amazon. The only difference is down to the physical size of the screen.
With a bigger display and higher resolution, the 8.9-inch Fire will be better suited to watching videos and reading glossy magazines on without zooming in as much. On the other hand, it’s slightly less portable than the 7-inch model and less comfortable to hold up in one hand. If you primarily want a Fire for ebooks, with just a splash of social networking, the smaller Fire might be the one for you. It’s really down to personal preference.
Both models rely almost entirely on Amazon’s various streaming services and dedicated app store. Although there’s plenty of content available, if you want to browse a much wider selection of apps or make more use of other, non-Amazon services, an Android tablet might be a better choice.
The Google Nexus 7 is still a superb option, providing a high definition screen and powerful processor. At £160, it’s £70 less than the cheapest Kindle Fire. Spend an extra £39, however, and you can snag an iPad mini. Its metal frame is much more luxurious, you can download videos from iTunes for offline playback and you’ll have access to hundreds of thousands of apps in the iOS app store.
Design and build quality
In design terms, the 8.9-inch Fire is identical to its 7-inch sibling. Both models share the all-black colour scheme and rubberised back with metal strip. That rubberised back looks rather smart although picks up greasy marks a bit too easily. It’s not as luxurious as the metal on theiPad mini, but it doesn’t feel cheap either.
The difference between it and its little brother is in size only. The expanded screen size means it now measures 239mm wide, 163mm tall and is 9mm thick. It’s slightly slimmer than the smaller model, although isn’t pushing the iPad mini’s svelte 7.2mm thickness. At 567g, it’s heavier than the iPad mini too, but it’s far from bulky. You won’t struggle much to hold it in one hand while reading for at least an hour.
There’s no flex in the chassis, nor is there any annoying loose panelling, which helps make it feel like a well constructed slate. I’d have no worries about chucking it into my carry-on luggage and waltzing through the airport. If you want to keep it pristine for as long as possible though, there’s a wide selection of cases and covers on Amazon.
Around the edges you’ll find a micro-USB port for charging and data transfer, a micro-HDMI port for connecting it to a big TV, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, a volume rocker and power button. The buttons sit almost perfectly flush with their surroundings, which makes them very difficult to find by touch alone, and I found this a little annoying. They’re easy to press once you eventually find them though.
There’s no slot for a micro SD card, so you’ll have to make do with whatever storage amount you chose. If you get the majority of your content using streaming services like Spotify, Lovefilm and Netflix then you’ll probably be fine with the 16GB model. If, however, you’re likely to buy a lot of image-rich magazines, want to save photos and music locally and are a serial app addict, I recommend opting for the higher capacity model.
Tucked into the metal strip on the back are a pair of speakers. I was far from blown away by the sound they produced, but then speakers on tablets and phones never impress. They do the job for the odd YouTube clip, but if you want to enjoy your movies at their best, you’ll want to plug in a good set of headphones. Having speakers on either side does at least mean you aren’t constantly covering them up if you hold one side, as I constantly find to be a problem with my third-generation iPad.
You won’t find a camera on the back, but there is a front-facing lens to make video calls over Skype.
Screen
The 8.9-inch display boasts a 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution, making it Full HD. That’s quite impressive for a device of this size. It gives it a pixel density of 254ppi. By contrast, the 7-inch model has 216ppi, while the iPad mini brings up the rear with 168ppi.
Although it has a higher pixel density than its little brother, I actually found the smaller screen appeared sharper. The fine detail in a tree’s leaves in my test image were much clearer on the smaller screen. Colours are slightly warmer on the 8.9-inch model, but it isn’t noticeable enough to make much difference when you watch movies.
It might not look quite as crisp as its sibling, but fine text still looked perfectly sharp. It therefore functions well as an ebook reader and can display your streamed movies in Full HD without any problems. It’s also bright and rather bold too, so it’s generally well-equipped to act as a all-round excellent media device.
Amazon Kindle software
At its core, the slate is running on Android software, but it’s unrecognisable from the Android you’d experience on phones like theSamsung Galaxy S3 or HTC One. Amazon has essentially taken the architecture of Android and built its own software on top.
Instead of multiple homescreens, you’re met with a carousel showing your most recently accessed books, music, photos and apps. Pressing and holding an item can remove it from the carousel, but that option is perilously close to the ‘remove from device’ button and there’s no confirmation request if you hit it by accident.
Along the top is a list of items for games, apps, books, music, videos etc. Pulling down from the top of the screen unveils a notifications bar, in which you’ll also be able to access system settings. Home and back navigation buttons appear on the right-hand side, but are able to hide away in apps and videos so you can enjoy your content in full screen.
It’s neatly laid out and isn’t difficult to use. Even the most chronic technophobe shouldn’t find themselves struggling after an hour or two of playing around.
The on-screen keyboard is clearly laid out and easy to use, although one problem I found was the back navigation button is placed roughly where you’d expect the backspace key to be. On several occasions I navigated back a page when I intended to delete a word. It’s the same issue Jason Jenkins found when reviewing the smaller Kindle Fire too.
Apps
It might be an Android slate at heart, but the Kindle Fire HD doesn’t have access to the Google Play store or its vast catalogue of apps held within. Instead, Amazon curates its own stripped down app store. It has around 20,000 apps, including most of the essentials. Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Real Racing 3 are there, but Google’s collection including Gmail, Google Drive and Maps, along with apps like Instagram, aren’t available.
If you’re an app addict who likes nothing more than boring entertaining your friends with your high scores on the latest fashionable mobile game then this probably isn’t going to be the slate for you. If your app needs don’t stretch further than keeping up with Facebook posts then you won’t have any problems with the store’s shelves.
Music, video, books and magazines
The Kindle Fire HD is primarily designed to be a multimedia consumption device. As such, you’ll have access to Amazon’s vast collection of music, ebooks and magazines as well as video from Lovefilm.
The process for buying books is the same as on regular Kindles. You can browse on the tablet or on Amazon’s desktop site and, once purchased, your book will be instantly downloaded to your registered devices. It’s totally fuss and trouble free which will suit the gadget geeks and tech-fearing people alike.
Buying music works in much the same way. Any music you have previously bought from Amazon’s music library will be available, and you can transfer up to 250 songs from your computer to Amazon’s cloud service for free.
You can up that number to 250,000 for a yearly £22 fee. Amazon has over 20 million songs in its catalogue so you’re unlikely to find your favourite artists missing. You can access the cloud music service from up to ten devices, including iPhones, Android phones and desktop computers.
Amazon’s newsstand allows you to download the latest issues of a variety of magazines and newspapers. You’ll generally pay around the same as you would for a single issue of the paper mag in a shop, but you do at least get the convenience of carrying numerous issues around in a small tablet.
The screen is just about big enough to enjoy magazines, but you will find yourself zooming in on smaller text. Swiping through the pages of an issue of Olive magazine was fairly smooth, although pages sometimes took several seconds to render properly, which could prove irritating if you’re skimming through to find a particular article.
Video is delivered to the tablet by Lovefilm. While you do have access to a huge library of TV shows and movies for £4.99 per month, it’s a streaming service only — there’s no way to save video locally to the device. You therefore need to maintain a constant Internet connection in order watch your shows.
That’s a problem for the Fire, as with both Apple’s iPad and regular Android tablets you can buy movies to watch offline. Watching films on trains without Wi-Fi, on planes, or just with a dodgy Internet connection isn’t going to work. The only way you’re going to get video offline is if you transfer the files over from your computer.
Processor and performance
The 8.9-inch Kindle Fire runs on a Texas Instruments OMAP4470 processor — a dual-core 1.5GHz affair. In terms of straight-line power, it isn’t going to offer any kind of challenge to the supercharged quad-core tablets, but it’s not designed to. Instead, it’s supposed to pack enough wallop to handle your media needs.
Thankfully then, it seems to do just that. Navigating around the interface was mostly free of any noticeable lag as was opening menus and settings. It was able to stream Full HD video without any judder too — it would have been a huge problem if it struggled with this.
Gaming fans will appreciate the Fire’s grasp of 3D graphics too. Playing Real Racing 3, I was impressed at the crisp graphics, detailed lighting reflections and, crucially, the smooth frame rates it achieved. There aren’t masses of games available in the store — and some that are there are more expensive than their Android counterparts — but the tablet is ready to tackle the ones you do find.
Conclusion
As a purely media-focused device, the Fire HD 8.9 has a lot going for it. Its Full HD screen is ideal for video playback and Amazon’s various streaming services provide a wealth of content to enjoy. You’re limited to only using Amazon’s stores though, so if you ever plan on buying your media elsewhere — or want a more expansive app selection — a standard Android tablet might be the better option.
Original source – http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/ipad-and-tablets/amazon-kindle-fire-hd-8-9-review-50010785/
Amazon’s regular E Ink Kindle continues to be massively popular thanks to its easy to read display and Amazon’s vast collection of digital books. The Kindle Fire HD tablets aim to take that popularity and add high-definition colour screens and a host of media streaming services on top.
The 8.9-inch model reviewed here begins at £230 for the 16GBmodel or £259 for 32GB. Both of those are subsidised slightly by displaying ads on the lock screen. An extra £10 will get you the tablet with no ads. You can always buy the ad-supported version and pay to remove the ads if you find them annoying.
Should I buy the Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch?
The Kindle Fire HD 8.9 is identical to its 7-inch sibling in basically every way. They share the same outward design, run the same simple-to-use-software and have access to the same multimedia content from Amazon. The only difference is down to the physical size of the screen.
With a bigger display and higher resolution, the 8.9-inch Fire will be better suited to watching videos and reading glossy magazines on without zooming in as much. On the other hand, it’s slightly less portable than the 7-inch model and less comfortable to hold up in one hand. If you primarily want a Fire for ebooks, with just a splash of social networking, the smaller Fire might be the one for you. It’s really down to personal preference.
Both models rely almost entirely on Amazon’s various streaming services and dedicated app store. Although there’s plenty of content available, if you want to browse a much wider selection of apps or make more use of other, non-Amazon services, an Android tablet might be a better choice.
The Google Nexus 7 is still a superb option, providing a high definition screen and powerful processor. At £160, it’s £70 less than the cheapest Kindle Fire. Spend an extra £39, however, and you can snag an iPad mini. Its metal frame is much more luxurious, you can download videos from iTunes for offline playback and you’ll have access to hundreds of thousands of apps in the iOS app store.
Design and build quality
In design terms, the 8.9-inch Fire is identical to its 7-inch sibling. Both models share the all-black colour scheme and rubberised back with metal strip. That rubberised back looks rather smart although picks up greasy marks a bit too easily. It’s not as luxurious as the metal on theiPad mini, but it doesn’t feel cheap either.
The difference between it and its little brother is in size only. The expanded screen size means it now measures 239mm wide, 163mm tall and is 9mm thick. It’s slightly slimmer than the smaller model, although isn’t pushing the iPad mini’s svelte 7.2mm thickness. At 567g, it’s heavier than the iPad mini too, but it’s far from bulky. You won’t struggle much to hold it in one hand while reading for at least an hour.
There’s no flex in the chassis, nor is there any annoying loose panelling, which helps make it feel like a well constructed slate. I’d have no worries about chucking it into my carry-on luggage and waltzing through the airport. If you want to keep it pristine for as long as possible though, there’s a wide selection of cases and covers on Amazon.
Around the edges you’ll find a micro-USB port for charging and data transfer, a micro-HDMI port for connecting it to a big TV, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, a volume rocker and power button. The buttons sit almost perfectly flush with their surroundings, which makes them very difficult to find by touch alone, and I found this a little annoying. They’re easy to press once you eventually find them though.
There’s no slot for a micro SD card, so you’ll have to make do with whatever storage amount you chose. If you get the majority of your content using streaming services like Spotify, Lovefilm and Netflix then you’ll probably be fine with the 16GB model. If, however, you’re likely to buy a lot of image-rich magazines, want to save photos and music locally and are a serial app addict, I recommend opting for the higher capacity model.
Tucked into the metal strip on the back are a pair of speakers. I was far from blown away by the sound they produced, but then speakers on tablets and phones never impress. They do the job for the odd YouTube clip, but if you want to enjoy your movies at their best, you’ll want to plug in a good set of headphones. Having speakers on either side does at least mean you aren’t constantly covering them up if you hold one side, as I constantly find to be a problem with my third-generation iPad.
You won’t find a camera on the back, but there is a front-facing lens to make video calls over Skype.
Screen
The 8.9-inch display boasts a 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution, making it Full HD. That’s quite impressive for a device of this size. It gives it a pixel density of 254ppi. By contrast, the 7-inch model has 216ppi, while the iPad mini brings up the rear with 168ppi.
Although it has a higher pixel density than its little brother, I actually found the smaller screen appeared sharper. The fine detail in a tree’s leaves in my test image were much clearer on the smaller screen. Colours are slightly warmer on the 8.9-inch model, but it isn’t noticeable enough to make much difference when you watch movies.
It might not look quite as crisp as its sibling, but fine text still looked perfectly sharp. It therefore functions well as an ebook reader and can display your streamed movies in Full HD without any problems. It’s also bright and rather bold too, so it’s generally well-equipped to act as a all-round excellent media device.
Amazon Kindle software
At its core, the slate is running on Android software, but it’s unrecognisable from the Android you’d experience on phones like theSamsung Galaxy S3 or HTC One. Amazon has essentially taken the architecture of Android and built its own software on top.
Instead of multiple homescreens, you’re met with a carousel showing your most recently accessed books, music, photos and apps. Pressing and holding an item can remove it from the carousel, but that option is perilously close to the ‘remove from device’ button and there’s no confirmation request if you hit it by accident.
Along the top is a list of items for games, apps, books, music, videos etc. Pulling down from the top of the screen unveils a notifications bar, in which you’ll also be able to access system settings. Home and back navigation buttons appear on the right-hand side, but are able to hide away in apps and videos so you can enjoy your content in full screen.
It’s neatly laid out and isn’t difficult to use. Even the most chronic technophobe shouldn’t find themselves struggling after an hour or two of playing around.
The on-screen keyboard is clearly laid out and easy to use, although one problem I found was the back navigation button is placed roughly where you’d expect the backspace key to be. On several occasions I navigated back a page when I intended to delete a word. It’s the same issue Jason Jenkins found when reviewing the smaller Kindle Fire too.
Apps
It might be an Android slate at heart, but the Kindle Fire HD doesn’t have access to the Google Play store or its vast catalogue of apps held within. Instead, Amazon curates its own stripped down app store. It has around 20,000 apps, including most of the essentials. Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Real Racing 3 are there, but Google’s collection including Gmail, Google Drive and Maps, along with apps like Instagram, aren’t available.
If you’re an app addict who likes nothing more than boring entertaining your friends with your high scores on the latest fashionable mobile game then this probably isn’t going to be the slate for you. If your app needs don’t stretch further than keeping up with Facebook posts then you won’t have any problems with the store’s shelves.
Music, video, books and magazines
The Kindle Fire HD is primarily designed to be a multimedia consumption device. As such, you’ll have access to Amazon’s vast collection of music, ebooks and magazines as well as video from Lovefilm.
The process for buying books is the same as on regular Kindles. You can browse on the tablet or on Amazon’s desktop site and, once purchased, your book will be instantly downloaded to your registered devices. It’s totally fuss and trouble free which will suit the gadget geeks and tech-fearing people alike.
Buying music works in much the same way. Any music you have previously bought from Amazon’s music library will be available, and you can transfer up to 250 songs from your computer to Amazon’s cloud service for free.
You can up that number to 250,000 for a yearly £22 fee. Amazon has over 20 million songs in its catalogue so you’re unlikely to find your favourite artists missing. You can access the cloud music service from up to ten devices, including iPhones, Android phones and desktop computers.
Amazon’s newsstand allows you to download the latest issues of a variety of magazines and newspapers. You’ll generally pay around the same as you would for a single issue of the paper mag in a shop, but you do at least get the convenience of carrying numerous issues around in a small tablet.
The screen is just about big enough to enjoy magazines, but you will find yourself zooming in on smaller text. Swiping through the pages of an issue of Olive magazine was fairly smooth, although pages sometimes took several seconds to render properly, which could prove irritating if you’re skimming through to find a particular article.
Video is delivered to the tablet by Lovefilm. While you do have access to a huge library of TV shows and movies for £4.99 per month, it’s a streaming service only — there’s no way to save video locally to the device. You therefore need to maintain a constant Internet connection in order watch your shows.
That’s a problem for the Fire, as with both Apple’s iPad and regular Android tablets you can buy movies to watch offline. Watching films on trains without Wi-Fi, on planes, or just with a dodgy Internet connection isn’t going to work. The only way you’re going to get video offline is if you transfer the files over from your computer.
Processor and performance
The 8.9-inch Kindle Fire runs on a Texas Instruments OMAP4470 processor — a dual-core 1.5GHz affair. In terms of straight-line power, it isn’t going to offer any kind of challenge to the supercharged quad-core tablets, but it’s not designed to. Instead, it’s supposed to pack enough wallop to handle your media needs.
Thankfully then, it seems to do just that. Navigating around the interface was mostly free of any noticeable lag as was opening menus and settings. It was able to stream Full HD video without any judder too — it would have been a huge problem if it struggled with this.
Gaming fans will appreciate the Fire’s grasp of 3D graphics too. Playing Real Racing 3, I was impressed at the crisp graphics, detailed lighting reflections and, crucially, the smooth frame rates it achieved. There aren’t masses of games available in the store — and some that are there are more expensive than their Android counterparts — but the tablet is ready to tackle the ones you do find.
Conclusion
As a purely media-focused device, the Fire HD 8.9 has a lot going for it. Its Full HD screen is ideal for video playback and Amazon’s various streaming services provide a wealth of content to enjoy. You’re limited to only using Amazon’s stores though, so if you ever plan on buying your media elsewhere — or want a more expansive app selection — a standard Android tablet might be the better option.
Original source – http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/ipad-and-tablets/amazon-kindle-fire-hd-8-9-review-50010785/
Wednesday 12 June 2013
The next generation of Video games, one nil to Sony
Japanese technology giants Sony have unveiled the 4th instalment of the hugely admired Playstation series.
The video games device, that was officially revealed at this year’s E3 Fair in Los Angeles, California, have been ardently anticipated.
Although many of the console’s features and upgrades were announced in February, Sony had kept prospective consumers guessing on some important information, including the general design of the Playstation 4.
Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, said that the PS4 represents, in many ways, a very new Playstation.
Maybe the reports that has many people discussing is the declaration the Playstation 4 will seriously undercut its close rival, Microsoft’s Xbox One, on price. Mr. House announced that the PS4 could be offered at US $399 (£349) upon release, whilst, at the same fair, Microsoft had earlier revealed how the Xbox One would be US $499 (£429).
Another important declaration came when it was revealed that Sony wouldn’t be introducing any restrictions on second hand games. In fact, the PS4 is not going to even require gamers to frequently authenticate their consoles via the Internet to be able to continue play.
Conversely, Microsoft has added more limitations regarding who a player can purchase second-hand titles from. The corporation has even gone so far as to need Xbox One players to connect to the web once every day in order to use their console.
In response to Sony, there is around a hundred and forty PS4 video games presently in development, with 100 or so expected to go for sale within the Playstation 4′s 1st year of issue. Industry insiders have speculated that Sony are attempting to reach out to independent designers, mainly those who feel muted by Microsoft.
Drawing an enormous cheer from the audience, Jack Tretton, boss of SEA said, “PS4 won’t impose any new restrictions on your use of Playstation 4 game discs,”
BBC correspondent Dave Lee reported that, “If console battles were decided through the frequency and volume of whoops and cheers from highly strung games fanatics, then Sony has won it hands down”.
The present Sony machine, the Playstation 3, outsold Microsoft’s Xbox 360 by a decent margin, but was in turn outsold by Nintendo’s Wii. It’s thought that Sony are attempting to rectify this with the release of the Playstation 4.
Sony’s announcement is seen by some as a calculated hit against Microsoft, with IGN.com’s UK Editor-in-Chief Alex Simmons recounting it as a incredibly public slap across Microsoft’s face.
Sony declined to provide a release date for the new machine, but tenaciously hinted the Playstation 4 should turn up around Christmas time.
The video games device, that was officially revealed at this year’s E3 Fair in Los Angeles, California, have been ardently anticipated.
Although many of the console’s features and upgrades were announced in February, Sony had kept prospective consumers guessing on some important information, including the general design of the Playstation 4.
Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, said that the PS4 represents, in many ways, a very new Playstation.
Maybe the reports that has many people discussing is the declaration the Playstation 4 will seriously undercut its close rival, Microsoft’s Xbox One, on price. Mr. House announced that the PS4 could be offered at US $399 (£349) upon release, whilst, at the same fair, Microsoft had earlier revealed how the Xbox One would be US $499 (£429).
Another important declaration came when it was revealed that Sony wouldn’t be introducing any restrictions on second hand games. In fact, the PS4 is not going to even require gamers to frequently authenticate their consoles via the Internet to be able to continue play.
Conversely, Microsoft has added more limitations regarding who a player can purchase second-hand titles from. The corporation has even gone so far as to need Xbox One players to connect to the web once every day in order to use their console.
In response to Sony, there is around a hundred and forty PS4 video games presently in development, with 100 or so expected to go for sale within the Playstation 4′s 1st year of issue. Industry insiders have speculated that Sony are attempting to reach out to independent designers, mainly those who feel muted by Microsoft.
Drawing an enormous cheer from the audience, Jack Tretton, boss of SEA said, “PS4 won’t impose any new restrictions on your use of Playstation 4 game discs,”
BBC correspondent Dave Lee reported that, “If console battles were decided through the frequency and volume of whoops and cheers from highly strung games fanatics, then Sony has won it hands down”.
Sony’s announcement is seen by some as a calculated hit against Microsoft, with IGN.com’s UK Editor-in-Chief Alex Simmons recounting it as a incredibly public slap across Microsoft’s face.
Sony declined to provide a release date for the new machine, but tenaciously hinted the Playstation 4 should turn up around Christmas time.
Sunday 9 June 2013
Are Samsung playing Apple at their own game
When this issue was original put to me, my instantaneous thought was (adopts Jerry Seinfeld’s terrible English accent) “not bloody likely”. On the other hand, after a bit of study, I was shocked to find that it is, actually true.
In February, research firm IDC established that Samsung had doubled its tablet PC market share in the final 3 months of 2012. Based on BBC news:
“Samsung, which makes the Galaxy range of tablets, sold 7.9 million units, up from 2.2 million a year ago, taking its market share to 15.1%. Market-leader and iPad-maker Apple saw its share slide to 43.6% from 51.7%, despite also seeing a jump in sales. The two have been competing to get a greater share of the tablet PC market, seen as key to their overall growth”.
IDC attributes this rise in progress to a rise in pc tablet business commonly and with a better significance in portable technology in modern years. IDC’s Tom Mainelli said,
“New product launches from the category’s top vendors, as well as new entrant Microsoft, led to a surge in consumer interest and very robust shipments totals during the holiday season.”
Microsoft’s Surface only received a indifferent reaction, shifting 900,000 models overall in the last three months of 2012. IDC believed that the elevated costs of the Surface (and Microsoft window 8 pc tablets usually, no doubt) had hurt sales overall. The varied reviews can not have aided much, either.
So why has Samsung done so well? The testimonials were not universally fantastic. Matt Egan of PC Adviser.com, gave the Galaxy Tab 2 a tepid 3.5/5, saying,
“A year ago we liked the Tab 10.1, and for the second generation the hardware specs remain broadly the same, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has a much better operating system. All for £100 cheaper than it was. We love the bright screen, and adding SD support and 1080p video capture are both improvements. The problem is the competition: the Nexus 7 in particular has changed the game for Android tablets, and is a little more than half the price of the Tab (albeit with a smaller screen, half the storage and no front-facing camera). Meanwhile the iPad remains a cut above for £100 more than the Tab 2 10.1”.
Meanwhile, Dave Oliver of Wired.co.uk said,
“It’s a step down from the Galaxy Note 10.1, but the Galaxy Tab 2 offers some serious improvement to its predecessor as a good value Android tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich and a fine screen”.
But, the Galaxy Note series is faring somewhat better. Reviewing the Galaxy Note 10.1, Mr. Oliver was just a little bit more enthused. Saying,
“The Galaxy Note 10.1 is a top-end tablet with a price to match (same as the iPad, basically). It can’t beat Apple’s sales behemoth on its screen, but in terms of versatility, with its writing interface and expandable memory, plus a good quality camera and very fast quad-core processor, it just about slots in at the top of the Android tablet tree making it a worthy challenger to iPad domination”.
And a noticeably commendable contender it would appear to be, since the Galaxy Note seems to be the reason for the unexpected sales spike, at least some of the most of it. However, Samsung have always been putting out quality products for a very long time now and that exact development is showing no signs of stopping, or maybe slowing down.
In February, research firm IDC established that Samsung had doubled its tablet PC market share in the final 3 months of 2012. Based on BBC news:
“Samsung, which makes the Galaxy range of tablets, sold 7.9 million units, up from 2.2 million a year ago, taking its market share to 15.1%. Market-leader and iPad-maker Apple saw its share slide to 43.6% from 51.7%, despite also seeing a jump in sales. The two have been competing to get a greater share of the tablet PC market, seen as key to their overall growth”.
IDC attributes this rise in progress to a rise in pc tablet business commonly and with a better significance in portable technology in modern years. IDC’s Tom Mainelli said,
“New product launches from the category’s top vendors, as well as new entrant Microsoft, led to a surge in consumer interest and very robust shipments totals during the holiday season.”
Microsoft’s Surface only received a indifferent reaction, shifting 900,000 models overall in the last three months of 2012. IDC believed that the elevated costs of the Surface (and Microsoft window 8 pc tablets usually, no doubt) had hurt sales overall. The varied reviews can not have aided much, either.
So why has Samsung done so well? The testimonials were not universally fantastic. Matt Egan of PC Adviser.com, gave the Galaxy Tab 2 a tepid 3.5/5, saying,
“A year ago we liked the Tab 10.1, and for the second generation the hardware specs remain broadly the same, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has a much better operating system. All for £100 cheaper than it was. We love the bright screen, and adding SD support and 1080p video capture are both improvements. The problem is the competition: the Nexus 7 in particular has changed the game for Android tablets, and is a little more than half the price of the Tab (albeit with a smaller screen, half the storage and no front-facing camera). Meanwhile the iPad remains a cut above for £100 more than the Tab 2 10.1”.
Meanwhile, Dave Oliver of Wired.co.uk said,
“It’s a step down from the Galaxy Note 10.1, but the Galaxy Tab 2 offers some serious improvement to its predecessor as a good value Android tablet with Ice Cream Sandwich and a fine screen”.
But, the Galaxy Note series is faring somewhat better. Reviewing the Galaxy Note 10.1, Mr. Oliver was just a little bit more enthused. Saying,
“The Galaxy Note 10.1 is a top-end tablet with a price to match (same as the iPad, basically). It can’t beat Apple’s sales behemoth on its screen, but in terms of versatility, with its writing interface and expandable memory, plus a good quality camera and very fast quad-core processor, it just about slots in at the top of the Android tablet tree making it a worthy challenger to iPad domination”.
And a noticeably commendable contender it would appear to be, since the Galaxy Note seems to be the reason for the unexpected sales spike, at least some of the most of it. However, Samsung have always been putting out quality products for a very long time now and that exact development is showing no signs of stopping, or maybe slowing down.
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