REVIEW >> Samsung NC215S Solar

Samsung Netbook New Solar Powered NC215S Survived Being able to 14.5 Hours!

Samsung announced a netbook with a built-in solar panel and 14.5-hour battery life. The NC215S also offers hybrid fast start technology, the ability to charge portable devices even when it’s turned off, a choice of Atom processors, and a 250GB or 320GB hard disk drive.

The solar-powered NC215S just might fit the bill, especially for those who work — or play – outdoors, far from a power outlet.

While some observers consider the netbook form factor passe, Samsung is leveraging the clamshell design to provide something new: a built-in solar panel. According to the company, the NC215S‘ solar cells provide one hour of work for each two hours of recharging in the sun.

The netbook isn’t totally dependent on solar power, because it also comes with a six-cell battery that, Samsung claims, can provide up to 14.5 hours of operation. It’s also said the unit’s three USB 2.0 ports can recharge devices such as phones or MP3 players even when the netbook is sleeping or turned off.

Samsung adds that sun-worshippers will be able to read the NC215S‘ display outdoors while they and the laptop catch some rays. Perhaps because the solar panel already drives up cost, Samsung has not chosen to reduce power consumption by adopting a solid state disk drive. The NC215S instead comes with a 2.5-inch, 5400rpm hard disk drive, offered in 250GB and 320GB capacities.

However, the company does tout an “innovative hybrid sleep mode” it calls Samsung Fast Start. The other features on the 2.86-pound NC215S are more typical, including a choice of Atom processors (the dual-core N570 or single-core N455, 1GB of RAM (presumably expandable to 2GB), and a 10.1-inch screen with 1024 x 600 resolution. The NC215S is equipped with Windows 7 Starter Edition, according to the company.

First introduced for the African market, Samsung’s NC215S will be hitting Russia in early August for 13,999 rubles ($479). The netbook sports a lid almost entirely monopolized by a solar panel, which contributes to an overall estimated battery life of 14.5 hours.

The NC215S packs a 1.6GHz N570 Intel Atom dual-core processor, 250GB of storage, and 1GB of RAM into a 2.9 pound frame. Just a little over a month ago, our own J. Angelo Racoma gave you a look at the NC215S from Samsung, a solar-powered netbook that was hitting African markets first.

It’s set to pack a 1.6 GHz dual-core Intel Atom N570, a full gig of RAM, a relatively small 250 gig of storage (which is still pretty substantial on an absolute level, but some pack four times that or more), Samsung’s Fast Start system, and the Sleep And Charge system in which you can connect your various USB devices to the laptop and use its solar panel to not only recharge the battery but also divert some of that charge into your batteries.

Samsung has announced it will be launching the NC215S solar-powered netbook this August for customers in Russia. Using solar panels to keep laptops running is nothing new, but the company claims a world’s first here due to the panel being integrated into the lid of the netbook’s 10.1in, 1024 x 600-pixel display.

Rather than fueling the netbook, the solar panel is designed to sustain battery life, notching up a possible 14.5 hours on the go. The NC215S itself is on a par with the current crop of Samsung netbooks, running Windows 7 Starter and sporting an Intel Atom N570 (1.66 GHz) dual-core processor, 1GB of Ram and a 250GB or 320GB drive.

The image of snow covered boots tends to accompany thoughts of the Russian climate, but it’s one helluva big place and this launch suggests Samsung is minded to look on the bright side.

Specifications listed for Samsung’s NC215S include:

•     Processor — single-core Atom N455 or dual-core N570 (both @1.66GHz)
•     Chipset — Intel NM10
•     Memory — 1GB of DDR3 RAM (expandability not cited)
•     Display — 10.1-inch screen with 1024 x 600 pixel resolution and anti-reflective coating; solar panel on back
•     Storage — 250GB or 320GB hard disk drive
•     Expansion — SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC slot
•     Networking — gigabit Ethernet
•     Other I/O:

              *  3 x USB 2.0 with sleep-and-charge functionality
              *  VGA
              *  audio — headphone jack, microphone input

•     Battery — six-cell
•     Dimensions — 10.19 x 7.06 x 1.4 inches
•     Weight — 2.86 pounds

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Full REVIEW >> Barnes & Noble ‘All-New NOOK’

 

Barnes & Noble took the wraps off of its latest eReader, the “All-New NOOK,” just last month. Its grayscale screen strays from the NOOK Color, and while the device still runs Android, it looks and feels much more like a traditional eReader. However, the new NOOK has a brand new E Ink Pearl display that not only works as a touchscreen, but refreshes less often than other eReaders and transitions faster. I’ve been using the new NOOK for the past week extensively, staying up late at night reading and pulling the NOOK out on the subway for quick page turns between stops. At $139, the NOOK is competitively priced with the Wi-Fi Kindle, but is it good enough to be your next (or first) eReader?

Hardware

Remember going to the library and picking up a thinner book and thinking to yourself at least this won’t be a pain to lug around? That’s the exact feeling I had the first time I picked up the new NOOK, and it’s the same feeling I get every time I pick it up. The NOOK Simple Touch eReader is 6% thinner than the original and 35% lighter. It measures 6.5in x 5.0in x 0.47in, which is about the size of a small paperback. Of course, the best part is that the NOOK can pack up to 1,000 books and magazines, and there’s even a microSD card slot for adding more storage. At 7.48oz, the NOOK is light, too, so it’s never noticeable inside a bag. In fact, during one dinner I pulled the NOOK out of my pocket and a friend remarked “Whoa, you can fit that in your jeans?” Yep.

The entire body around the device’s 6-inch display, which has a 50% greater contrast than the first edition NOOK, is a soft touch rubbery material. The NOOK feels very sturdy and I doubt you’d have much of an issue with cracking if it fell off of a coffee table. There’s a microUSB charging port on the top of the eReader, and there’s also a hatch on the right side for adding a microSD card.

There are four physical buttons surrounding the display that can be used to quickly navigate forwards or backwards through a book. I was a little confused by which button performed each function at first: when you turn the page on a book it doesn’t always reflect the actual print book page, so it can sometimes be difficult to tell if you’ve stepped forwards or backwards in the story. These buttons worked well and I adjusted to them after about five minutes of reading. You can also customize which button does what.


User Interface

The All-New NOOK’s user interface is exactly what I want out of an eReader. The main home screen shows a thumbnail your of latest book, magazine, or newspaper and how far into it you are; you can tap it to quickly resume reading the book where you left off. However, there’s also a list of new available reads to the right of that icon, and below both there’s a large area with suggestions on what to read next. These suggestions — large icons of the book covers themselves — are pulled in from what your Facebook, Twitter or Google friends are reading. If you have your Facebook, Google, or Twitter account setup on the NOOK, you can also quickly share the title you’re reading with your friends.

There’s an on-screen keyboard that pops up from the bottom of the screen whenever necessary. The keys are on the smaller side given the device’s compact design, but the keypad is actually pretty easy to use. You’re not going to be sending long emails from the NOOK, and it’s definitely sufficient for quick searches as is intended. At any time you can press the home button below the screen to navigate to the settings, back to the home screen, or change between seven text sizes or six font styles.

The all new NOOK is equipped with support for Wi-Fi networks, which means you’ll only be able to download books when there’s a Wi-Fi connection available. The 3G Kindle, by contrast, allows you to download books from anywhere. This was never an issue for me, since I am usually only reading a few books at a time, but it could become an issue if you forgot to buy the newspaper before hopping on the train. Wi-Fi was a breeze to setup, thankfully, and books downloaded in just a few seconds.


Reading Experience 

I absolutely loved using the NOOK Simple Touch Reader for… reading. I stayed up more than a few nights reading a Jay McInerney novel I’d been meaning to read, and appreciated being able to quickly read an article in the latest edition of Foreign Affairs magazine on the subway.

The only reason I haven’t purchased an eReader for personal use yet is because I absolutely despise the refresh flicker that E Ink technology typically exhibits when you advance to the next page. The all new NOOK eliminates that almost entirely. Pages only refresh after the sixth page turn, so text appears to just quickly morph each time you want to advance further in a book. I’m in love with it.

The one issue with the refresh technology is that sometimes a page won’t fully refresh, and so there’s a little ghosting from the previous screen on the new one. This only happens when navigating around menus and the main home screen, however, so it didn’t interfere with my reading experience. It’s also easily resolved by moving to another menu option.

Unlike the Amazon Kindle, the new NOOK doesn’t offer a full-blown web browser. You can secretly access one by searching for a web address in the search box, but most sites don’t load properly. Perhaps this is a feature that Barnes & Noble will activate in a future update, but I wouldn’t rely on it.


Battery 

I’m not sure that a battery life section is necessary here, because the NOOK’s battery life is insane. Barnes & Noble says it will last for two months with the Wi-Fi off, but I haven’t had the unit long enough to confirm it. The point is: you don’t need to worry about charging the all new NOOK. It uses a microUSB charger, too, so you can simply carry your cell phone’s charger around (unless you use an iPhone… or a Veer, or something) and use that whenever needed.


Conclusion 

The choice between going with a Barnes & Noble eReader and an Amazon reader is a tough one. Amazon offers the new “Kindle with Special Offers” for $114, which is surely an attractive offer to some (in fact, it’s currently the best selling Kindle). The NOOK and Kindle also have different book stores, of course, so if you’re upgrading from a Kindle you won’t be able to take your old books with you — at least, not without a few workarounds.

But for me, it comes down to the overall reading experience, and Barnes & Noble has pushed the current eReader technology boundaries with the new NOOK. Its Pearl E Ink touchscreen display meant I didn’t have the extra bulk of a physical keyboard, and also that the pages refreshed less often — an annoyance that has delayed my personal entry into the eReader market. Most of my previous eBook purchases have been through my Amazon Kindle account — I read books on my phone, computer, and tablets pretty regularly — but the All-New NOOK has convinced me it’s time to make the switch.

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REVIEW >> ViewSonic ViewBook 730 Android Tablet

 

ViewBook 730 Price

A Leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, ViewSonic Corp has introduced an entry-level multimedia Android tablet, called ViewSonic ViewBook 730. The ViewBook 730 tablet offers users an excellent multimedia experience with a very affordable value proposition. You can purchase the ViewSonic ViewBook 730 with starting price at $250 with free An additional stylus and 1-year limited warranty on parts and labor. The ViewSonic 730 tablet is expected will be available at the end of this month.

ViewBook 730 Features

The 7 inch ViewBook 730 is an alternative for Nook Color. The device is support Amazon Kindle software, support format TXT, HTML, EPUB, PDF and fully integrated with the Amazon Appstore. ViewSonic ViewBook 730 is the ideal Android tablet for staying connected and enjoying all the exciting possibilities of digital media content on the move which offer a 7 inch LED backlit display with a high-resolution 800 x 480 and a brightness of 380 CD/M2, Sketcher app and RiteTouch technology that lets you write, draw, swipe across content, scroll through emails on the screen with a stylus or your finger and AirSync technology to ensure that tablet owners will receive over-the-air device updates.

ViewBook 730 Specifications

ViewSonic ViewBook 730 is powered by an ARM Cortex-A8 1Ghz processor, 512MB RAM, 8GB internal memory, front-facing VGA webcam for video chats, microSD card slot up to 32GB, integrated speakers and microphone, HDMI out port supports 1080p video playback, 3.5mm earphone jack, mini-USB port and Li-Polymer 5000mAH battery for up to 8 hours of use per charge.

For connectivity, the ViewBook 730 Android tablet is packs with Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11b/g WiFi and access hotspots around the world. Dimensions of ViewSonic ViewBook 730 tablet are 8.19 x 5.23 x 0.56 inch and running on Android 2.2 Froyo for Operating System. As the Android tablet, you can also access to Android market for download more than 150.000 apps.

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REVIEW >> Pioneer Computers DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0

 

Pioneer Computers, the Australia-based company has release their new Android tablet, called DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0. Pioneer Computers DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0 tablet is based on Android 3.0 Honeycomb for operating system with a 1GHz nVidia Tegra 250 dual-core Cortex-A9 SoC for processor and Flash support. Pioneer DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0 is available now for purchase with starting price at $500.

DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0 Features

Pioneer Computers DreamBook ePad P10+ tablet features 1.5W SPK w/ stereo with support Realtek ALC5624, Internal Microphone support, support 1080P Video and Streaming HD Video, 1.3MP Webcam, G-sensor, Microsoft Exchange support and measuring in 275 x 178 x 13.6 mm with weight 700g – 750g depending on configuration. The DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0 Android tablet also support for docking station.

DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0 Specifications

Pioneer Computers DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0 tablet is boasts a 10.1-inch multitouch display with a resolution of WXGA (1024 x 600 pixels), 512MB of RAM, 512MB of ROM with support MicroSD card slot up to 32GB, Up to DDR2-667MHz or 800MHz downgrade, USB port, 3,5 mm headphone jack, HDMI port, SIM card slot and 3300mAh Li-Polymer battery provide up to 6.5 hours of HD playback or 16 hours of music playback. For connectivity, the DreamBook ePad P10+ 3.0 is offer Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and optional 3G WWAN.

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Tech News: Amazon E-Books Outselling Traditional Books

It will only be a matter of time before printed, paper-based books will go the way of the dinosaur as a business model in publishing. With e-book readers and tablets now proliferating the world, more and more people now prefer reading the electronic version of popular book titles than the traditional paper-based sort. And this time, the change may be evident in the numbers that Amazon has recently provided.

Amazon, the popular online book retailer for both the electronic and the traditional kind, recently announced that its customers are now buying more e-books for its Kindle e-book device than traditional books, both the hardback and the paperback versions combined. It took around three years (the period that the Kindle has been available in the market) for this to happen, the quick turnover of which also caught the online company by surprise.

According to Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, “Customers are now choosing Kindle books more often than print books. We had high hopes that this would happen eventually, but we never imagined it would happen this quickly — we’ve been selling print books for 15 years and Kindle books for less than four years.”

Although this may already have been expected to happen any time soon, it may not totally represent the whole picture. The sales of printed books from other book shops and book retailers have not yet been factored in. The numbers may only refer to the sales that Amazon has made for both its Kindle and printed book divisions. On the whole, e-books still remain as a small part of the overall book market. But it is expected to reach 20 percent growth in a couple of years, according to analysts.

Source: CNN

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REVIEW: New Kindle Tablet in the Works?

 

A China-based hardware manufacturer (Quanta) claims that Amazon ordered them to develop new color Kindle tablets that may feature “fringe field switching display” touchscreens.

In layman’s terms, these Kindle tablets will feature color LCD screens that can be viewed even at 180 degrees. The fringe field switching screens would also provide improved visibility, more realistic image and color representation, and reduced power consumption.

Amazon has yet to confirm this report, but we doubt they will announce it before the unveiling. That is, if such a tablet is in the works.

Source: CrunchGear

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Review: Kobo eReader Touch Edition

Book retailer Borders also has its own ebook reader in the form of the Kobo eReader to compete with Amazon’s Kindle. And recently, it has just announced that it is coming up with the new version of the said ebook reader called the Kobo eReader Touch Edition. By its name alone, you might perceive that it features a touchscreen display.

The Kobo eReader Touch Edition does feature a touchscreen display, which may be quite unlike current ebook readers using E ink Technology. By this feature, it might be closing in on becoming a tablet, if only it has a colored interface. But still, the new Kobo eReader may still attract because it is already WiFi ready, supports PDF files and, most of all, still remains quite affordable. The new Kobo eReader Touch Edition is available at borders for US$130.

Image Source: Borders

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Review: Barnes & Noble Unveils Smaller, Touch-Capable Nook E-Reader

 

Barnes & Noble has introduced its latest Nook e-book reader, which comes in a smaller 6-inch Pearl e-ink touchscreen and a battery life that lasts up to two months. The new Nook weighs 7.5 ounces and does not have a QWERTY keyboard, which is why B&N could not help but brag about how their Nook has “37 less buttons than the latest Kindle.”

The new-generation Barnes and Noble Nook comes at US$139, which is close to how much a Kindle is. Shipping begins on June 10 with pre-orders starting today on Nook’s online store. Meanwhile, the old Nook comes in a $119 WiFi-only model and a $169 3G-only version, while supplies last.

Source: CrunchGear

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