Asus made a bit of an ass of themselves earlier today. This happened on Twitter, the official Asus account, @ASUS where they offered the following; “The rear looks pretty nice. So does the new Transformer AIO. #Computex2012 pic.twitter.com/ajafmuDk”
The above link and tweet have since been deleted however you can see the image at the top of this post. Finally, for those concerned, yes we are appalled by this, and for what it is worth — Asus did offer a follow-up tweet with an apology. “We apologise for the inappropriate comment on Twitter earlier. We will take steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
 
Lenovo has announced the worldwide availability of its two latest ultrabooks – the Lenovo U310 and Lenovo U410. If you’ve been waiting for these two portable machines since they were announced during CES, well here it is. Check out your nearest computer dealer to see if they already have them on sale. But be prepared to dish out some precious dough since the these two machines won’t be coming too cheap. To give you an idea, the Lenovo U310 base model with its 13.3-inch screen display will be selling with a starting price of $749 while the base model for the 14-inch U410 ultrabook will be going for $799. If you don’t mind spending that, well, then take your pick. Is it going to be the ultrabook U410 measuring only 18mm thick with a 1TB HDD and nine hours of battery life or the U310 measuring 21mm thick with a 500GB HDD and up to seven hours of battery life? Either way you’ll have 3rd generation Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 for processor and NVIDIA GeForce for graphics. The Lenovo Ultrabook U310 and U410 are available for sale worldwide starting today. Via [Lenovo] and [Engadget]  
And that completes the five carriers’ announcements of the Samsung Galaxy S III. After Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile and US Cellular announced the release of the device earlier this morning, AT&T also did its part by way of activating a landing page for the Samsung Galaxy S III. AT&T also made it official and announced that the device will be offered for $199.99 on contract and that pre-ordering will start on June 6. What’s interesting with AT&T’s announcement is the fact that the carrier will be offering a red model of the device later on. This will be exclusive to AT&T. In case you’ve missed earlier announcements, T-Mobile is scheduled to release the device on June 21 while Verizon is accepting pre-orders starting June 6. US Cellular will have it ready by “July” while Sprint will start accepting pre-orders on June 5 in time for the release of the handset on June 20. Full press release about the announcement is included below. Via [AT&T] Customers will be able to Preorder the Samsung Galaxy S III for $199.99 Starting June 6
Pebble Blue and Marble White Versions to be Followed by Exclusive Red Version Later This Summer
AT&T* customers will be able to get their hands on the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy S® III in the coming weeks with preorders beginning June 6 in company-owned stores and online atwww.wireless.att.com. Only AT&T's version of the 4G LTE-powered Galaxy S III will be able to take advantage of the nation's largest 4G network. AT&T customers will also have exclusive access to a red version of the Galaxy S III this summer, for red, white and blue color choices. The smartphone will be available for $199.99** for the 16 GB model after a two-year service agreement, and AT&T stores will also feature a 16 GB MicroSD card at a low price of $39 for a total of 32 GB for under $238.99. AT&T customers have access to the nation's largest 4G network, covering more than 260 million people. AT&T has two 4G networks that work together for customers, LTE*** and HSPA+ with enhanced backhaul. That means AT&T customers are able to enjoy a widespread, ultra-fast and consistent 4G experience on their compatible device as they move in and out of LTE areas. With other carriers, when you travel outside of their LTE coverage area, you're on a much slower 3G network. Easy to use and comfortable in the hand, the 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED™ display is surrounded by an ultra-thin bezel to maximize the viewing area of the Galaxy S III. Weighing only 4.7 ounces and 8.6 millimeters thin, the combination of a powerful 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and unique services in such an attractive package sets the Galaxy S III apart from other smartphones. The Galaxy S III features advanced options for sharing and adding simplicity to one's life. For sharing, Samsung's AllShare® Play, Group Cast and Share Shot functions help you to share photos with a group of friends or a presentation with co-workers and S-Beam allows easy transfer of large files from one Galaxy S III to another by touching the backs of the two devices. SVoice™ features natural language recognition to allow customers to control applications and services with words instead of touch. The Galaxy S III also includes simple to use camera features like Best Shot to choose the best image from a series when taking a photo. "The addition of the Samsung Galaxy S III to our portfolio of 4G-LTE devices gives our customers another truly cutting-edge smartphone to choose from," said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Devices, AT&T Mobility. "With an exclusive red color this summer and the power of the nation's largest 4G network, AT&T delivers the best wireless experience for Galaxy S III fans." For more information, customers can visit http://www.att.com/galaxysiii.
 
It might have taken Panasonic too long to bring its ruggedized Toughpad A1 Android tablet to the US market but then again the fact that will now be running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is definitely worth the wait. Previously reported to be running with Android Honeycomb,said tablet was reported to have graced the FCC with all of its previously reported specs and features intact. To give you a peace of mind, the FCC documents for this device were spotted with W-iFi and Bluetooth in tow. So you can rest assured that you’ll have both connectivity features in place when the tablet is released and lands in your hands. That is if of course if a ruggedized tablet is your thing. Key features of the Panasonic Toughpad include – 1.2GHz dual core processor with embedded hardware security, a 10.1-inch XGA LED display (1024 x 768), 1GB of RAM, 5MP rear-facing camera and 2MP front-facing camera. No word yet on the official price. Likewise, the release date is still unknown. But knowing how things are, it might not be too long now especially since it got the FCC nod. Via [Engadget] and [Panasonic]  
What is being reviewed?Up for review today is an iPhone 4S battery case and charge/sync dock from Spyder. The model is the PowerShadow i4, which is priced at $89.99 and available by way of the Spyder Digital Research website. This battery case not only brings a 2000 mAh battery, but ships with a charging dock. That included dock was certainly a nice perk, but read on to see whether or not the battery and case portions measure up. Disclaimer: The Spyder PowerShadow i4 battery case and charge/sync dock was provided to GadgeTell for the purpose of this review. 
The specs- 2200 mAh battery promising 8 hours of extra talk time, up to 11 hours of video playback or up to 44 hours of music playback
- Recharge and sync without removing your iPhone from the i4 case
- Impact-resistant polycarbonate body with satin rubber finish
- 4-LED battery level indicator
- Certified “Made for iPhone”
- Dimensions: 5.01 x 2.4 x 0.79 inches
- Weight: 2.6 ounces
My thoughtsBeing what some would consider a power-user I rarely if ever make it through even a half-a-day without my iPhone needing a charge. At this point the days of having my phone capable of staying unplugged all day seemed a thing of the past. Granted, this is my fault as I use some serious battery draining apps. I stream music, I stream video, I track my runs and I even track my daily steps. In short, my iPhone is constantly being used. Fortunately, as someone who works at home I am often next to a power outlet. But despite that comfort, it does not help me for those times when I want to venture out and work somewhere else. That could be a local coffee shop or even on the back deck — these places often do not have power handy and a few hour work session would mean a battery drain that could bring me down to critical levels. Thankfully though, there are lots of options when it comes to iPhone 4S battery solutions. But on that note, having lots of options available means the ones that are available really need to stand out. Enter the PowerShadow i4 battery case from Spyder. And honestly speaking, this is one that I had not heard of, or seen before. Nonetheless, this is one that has since become my favorite for a few reasons. First, the case is sporting a 2,000 mAh battery which means you have more than doubled your battery life (the iPhone 4S has a 1440 mAh battery on the inside). Taking that a step further and the PowerShadow i4 also ships with a charging dock, which means you can easily recharge your iPhone without having to pull out another cable or remove the case. And just in case you are on the go and away from the dock, Spyder ships a USB cable in the box. Otherwise, I have to say that the soft-touch finish was rather nice. In my use (a few weeks) I can say that it appears as if it will hold up well. The one that I have been testing does not have any scratches or scuffs and only gets the odd fingerprint. The case also has an on/off button so you can choose when to use it, and when to use the internal iPhone battery. Keeping track of the charge in the PowerShadow i4 is fairly simple, on the back next to the power button are 4 LED indicator lights with full power obviously being 4 lights. The case does add some weight to the iPhone, an extra 2.6 ounces and while the iPhone will feel super light when you remove the case — it does not feel all that heavy when it is on. Alternatively, the added size does not add any serious amount of bulk. In other words, it should still be able to slide into a front jeans pocket with relative ease. Another point worth mentioning, though I am not sure it is all that surprising — the PowerShadow i4 has openings for everything except the dock connector. You can still flip the ringer switch, adjust the volume, press the power button, use the headphone jack and even snap a picture. The case even has openings for the speakers. The one catch with this case, it does take some effort to get it off. But on that note, being difficult to get off just means a secure fit when on. 
The bottom lineThis is a battery case that I really like and would certainly recommend. The perks include a decent sized battery, a secure fit, the matte black soft-touch finish and perhaps most important for me — the dock. Seriously, for $90 you can get a 2000 mAh battery and a dock. For me that seals the deal and the PowerShadow i4 battery case will likely be my go to option when it comes to needing extra power. Product [Spyder PowerShadow i4]                    
Sony recently launched a new photo gallery application called million moments on Android. Unlike some stock gallery applications that may separate your photos into folders according to the application they're associated with, million moments lets you create your own "books" based on your preferences. Let's say you want to make sure you can easily show off photos you took at a wedding. Instead of looking through every picture on your phone, you can use million moments to tag specific photos to a book that you can name whatever you like. The design of each book is unlike anything a stock gallery offers. Million moments uses a design that's similar to Microsoft’s Metro UI. Up to four photos appear on screen at once in a grid format along with the date they were captured. You can also change the display area of each photo. Million moments is free and ad-free. It's a really attractive way to group specific photos. Google Play Link [Million Moments]  
The Sony VAIO S series of notebooks has been refreshed. The new models are expected to be available shortly. The VAIO S notebook lineup will feature a 13- and 15-inch model with pricing starting at $899.99 and $999.99 respectively. Breaking these down a bit more specifically and we have the following; - S Series 13-inch will start at approximately $899.99 in Black, Silver, White and Pink.
- S Series 13-inch Premium will start at approximately $1119.99 in Carbon Fiber Black, Carbon Fiber Gold and Carbon Fiber Gun Metal.
- S Series 15-inch will start at approximately $999.99 in Black and Silver.
With that, according to Sony, the VAIO S series is designed to offer the “best combination of mobility and performance and all around excellence.” What that means in terms of specs, a notebook with either a 13.3 inch or a 15.5 inch display that are powered by a third-generation Intel Core processors and NVIDIA graphics. The 13.3 inch models will measure in at 3.8 pounds with measurements of 13.04 x 0.95 x 8.85 inches. The 13.3 inch S Series Premium model will be slightly smaller and lighter — at 3.69 pounds and 13.04 x 0.90 x 8.85 inches. Lastly, the 15.5 inch models will weigh in at 4.42 pounds and measure in at 14.97 x 0.95 x 10.06 inches. Other goodies that can be found in the VAIO S series includes a full HD display resolution of 1920 x 1080 (on the 15 inch model), 4GB of RAM, storage options ranging from 320GB up to 1TB, Windows 7, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 + HS, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, VGA, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, memory card slots and a 1.3 megapixel webcam that is powered by Exmor for PC. Via [Yahoo! News]  
Those rocking the Mint.com app on an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad may want to fire up the App Store and grab the latest. The app has recently been updated to version 2.4.200 and with the new version number comes a few new features and improvements. The update does take care of a bug that was preventing people from registering as a new user and in addition, brings some changes dealing with budgets and with splitting transactions. A bit more specifically, the latest release of Mint.com for iOS brings the following new features; - Create new budgets and edit existing budgets while on the go
- Split a single transaction into multiple categories (great for those shopping trips at Target or Wal-Mart)
Via [iOS App Store]  
Sony has officially unveiled the VAIO T series ultrabook for the US market. This also happens to be the first VAIO series notebook to carry the ultrabook branding. That aside though, what we have is a 13.3-inch ultrabook which will be available in the US beginning this month. The VAIO T series ultrabooks will be available in Silver Mist and arrive with a starting price point of $799.99. As to what that (just shy of) $800 will get you, the features will include ultra-low voltage Intel Core processors, options for SSD or Hybrid drive storage using the Intel Smart Response technology and a casing that is made of ultra-smooth full-flat brushed aluminum and magnesium. The VAIO T series will measure in at 12.72 x 0.71 x 8.90 inches and weigh in at 3.54 pounds. Other goodies will include a display resolution of 1366 x 768, Intel HD Graphics 4000, a 4050 mAh battery, memory card slot, 4GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0+ HS and Windows 7. Finally, the VAIO T series ultrabooks will also have HDMI, VGA, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, gigabit ethernet, a headphone jack and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. Via [Yahoo! News]  
We had recently learned that the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone was going to be available here in the US with five carriers. That list included Verizon Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T and US Cellular. And well, following that news was a flood of individual carrier announcements. So far we have seen four out of the five come forward with varying degrees of details. The list of carriers that have made announcements include; Just click the carrier name in the above list to get the specifics. Finally, that leaves AT&T as the remaining hold out. But for those waiting — rest assured in knowing that we will post the details as soon as AT&T shares them with us.  | |
No comments:
Post a Comment