Gadget Reviews

The New Samsung Series 9 Laptop

The new Samsung Series 9 laptop, model NP900X3A, provides an amazing user experience in an ultra-slim package. Its powerful processor, 128GB solid-state drive and 4GB of RAM allow for lightning-quick operation and effortless multitasking, while its bright, 13.3-inch screen provides 160-degree viewing in almost any light condition. In addition, this laptop’s thin frame and lightweight construction make it incredibly portable, and yet it does not sacrifice durability. The main drawbacks of this Samsung Series 9 laptop are its screen resolution, which is not as high as others in its class, and its hefty $1600 price tag.

Look and Feel

The first thing most people notice about the NP900X3A is its size. It is only .64 inches thick at its thickest point and weighs a mere 2.88 pounds, which makes it easy to carry and transport. However, this does not mean that it’s flimsy; its chassis is made of duralumin, an aluminum alloy that’s used on aircrafts and has double the strength of regular aluminum.

The Samsung Series 9 laptop also has a stylish design. The case is a dark, brushed black with chrome borders and curved edges, and the ports, which include 2 USB ports, a microSD card slot, a mini HDMI port, an Ethernet jack and a headphone jack, are hidden behind port covers. Its matte screen produces crisp images and vivid colors without any glare, and the screen’s 400-nit brightness adjusts automatically according to light conditions. In addition, this laptop has a backlit keyboard and a large, multi-touch mouse. It does, however, only have a 1366 X 68 screen resolution, which leaves a little to be desired.

Hardware

Samsung Series 9 Laptop Model NP900X3A

This laptop has a 1.4GHz Core i5-2537M processor with Turbo Boost Technology and 4GB of included RAM. As a result, the Samsung Series 9 laptop is able to quickly open programs, switch between applications effortlessly, and run many programs at once. It also has a 128 GB solid state drive, which allows the laptop to power up in under half a minute as well as providing ample storage space and minimizing problems with overheating. In addition, this kind of drive has no moving parts, which greatly reduces the chance of hard drive failure. The graphics type on the Samsung Series 9 laptop is Intel HD Graphics 3000, which provides HD viewing capacity and enough power for Flash HD video clips and most games.

Battery Life and Software

Samsung claims that this laptop’s battery can last up to seven hours. In actual tests, however, it only ran four-and-a-half to six hours, depending on the brightness of the screen and what applications were in use. Still, this is impressive for such a thin laptop. In addition, the small charger on the Samsung Series 9 laptop is very easy to carry around.

The NP900X3A doesn’t come with a whole lot of software. It is loaded with several Samsung tools, including Easy File Share, Easy Network Management and Easy Migration, and most models include Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium and Microsoft Office Starter 2010. In addition, the included webcam comes with ArcSoft YouCam software. However, there aren’t many applications on the Samsung Series 9 laptop beyond that.

Conclusion

The Samsung Series 9 laptop model NP900X3A is a serious competitor in the world of ultra-thin laptops. It is stylish, fast and durable, and it contains outstanding hardware. It also boasts an incredibly bright screen, a backlit keyboard and an impressive battery life. For Windows users who can afford the $1600 price tag and don’t mind a 1366 X 768 screen resolution, this Samsung Series 9 laptop may be the perfect option.

Samsung Galaxy S II

The Samsung Galaxy S was one of the best mobile phone releases of last year. In a year defined by several brilliant handsets such as the iPhone 4, Nexus S and the HTC Desire, the Galaxy S stood out even amongst such excellent competition.

You can still get the Galaxy S, and on some very good deal at the moment from all the main mobile phone shops, but it seems that Korean company Samsung feel it is time to move on to fresher pastures. Don’t feel sad though because all this means is that they are launching what they see as a worthy successor to the Galaxy S, the Samsung Galaxy S II.

The first thing that you notice about the new Galaxy S II is just how thin it is at only 8.4mm. There is currently a race going on in the smartphone world about who can make the thinnest phone possible. Currently this crown belong to the iPhone 4 but this phone, once released, will steel that title from Apple.

This is all the more remarkable considering the high specs that Samsung have managed to squeeze inside the Galaxy S II. You will get a super fast dual core 1.2GHz Exynos CPU running the latest version of Android 2.3, 1GB of RAM and a superb 4.3 inch WVGA (800×480) Super AMOLED capacitive touch screen. This resolution is not as good as some of the other high-end Android phones coming to market that use the newer qHD (960×540) resolution though.

As for cameras, this phone has two. One front and one back facing. The front 2MP camera can be used for video calls using a video call app or used with the newly release Google video for Android. The rear facing camera is 8MP and is accompanied by an LED flash. Also, because this phone is dual core, it is able to record video at resolutions up to 1080p!

The Galaxy S was always going to be a tough act to follow but the guys at Samsung have taken on the task with a confidence that shows through a great follow up phone. Let’s hope there’s more to come from Samsung over the rest of the year.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play comes with six games built into its memory, with a further 44 available at the moment for a relatively cheap price. Computer gaming is big business nowadays and since the advent of computer games on phones, with games like snake, and the importance of games on all phones, even a pay as you go phone, it was only a matter of time before something like this was going to happen. Few would argue against the fact that Sony Ericsson, with the Japanese firm’s expertise in the area, are the right people to undertake such as task.

You would be forgiven for thinking that the gaming side of the phone is enough excitement but there are other aspects of the Xperia Play that should prove extremely popular. The rumour that Sony is to include its Music Unlimited service to the phone has left plenty of us eager to get our hands on a phone with this great service on it.

Music Unlimited is coming to the PSP soon with Shawn Layden, CEO of Sony Network Entertainment saying it will “come live on the PSP in a matter of weeks,” he also added that it will be a feature on all Sony Ericsson’s Android phones some point “this year”. Layden went on to reveal the company’s plans for an all encompassing ID for all its products.

“The idea is to make your PlayStation ID your ubiquitous sign-on wherever you go and also allow you to trade off the same wallet” Layden added, and Music Unlimited is a big part of this.

Acer Liquid Metal

Acer isn’t a company that is normally associated with smartphones and most people only know them for producing laptops and monitors.

This however, is Acer’s latest attempt the break into the mobile phone market. Introducing the Acer Liquid Metal, which is true to its name and is indeed mad of metal. It has a the nice 800×480 WVGA touch screen on the front covered with Gorilla glass (according to rumours). The body of the device looks great on official photos, but we’ll have to wait and see how it actually feels in one’s hand. If it’s anything like any of Acer’s previous smartphones, then it should be of a pretty high quality.

The Acer Liquid Metal will be running Android 2.2 at release which has a lot of new features under the hood compared to older version. One of the most important being ability to play Flash inside the phones browser giving the user a more complete mobile Web experience. Acer have also opted to uses their own skin on Android called Breeze, but we hope users will be able to change/uninstall it (unlike the Motoblur on Motorola Milestone 2) and revert back to “pure” Android.

The technical specs look OK. The phone runs on the new Qualcomm MSM7230 ARMv7 Scorpion, which in this case has a 800 MHz CPU and a video chip that is capable of competing with Samsung’s PowerVX 540, i.e. the best one currently on the market. There are also 512 MB of RAM, which is plenty enough to run even the most demanding apps and have more than a dozen of them open at the same time. An upgrade to Android 3 is also possible with these specs in the future.

Other than that, the phone comes with all the modern features you might need: Wifi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, a 5 megapixels camera with 720p video support, HSDPA/HSUPA of up to 14.4 Mbps and 5.76 Mbps respectively, and support for DLNA. This phone should be available in mid-November 2010 in the UK for a relatively low $499 (Just under £300) which will certainly be of interest of a lot of people and potential buyers.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8

The Sony Xperia X8 looks quite bulky, because of its 15 mm thickness, but it sits quite well in one hand and is very easy to operate. It comes in various colors, with the most popular being of course, black and white. Its full touch capabilities are provided by a medium-sized 3.0 inch capacitive screen with a HVGA resolution (320×480), which seems a bit on the low side, but is really more than enough for everyday use (after all, Apple used the resolution on their first three generations of the iPhone and everyone was happy).

The hardware specs are average at most, but then again this phone is made for the masses, not advanced users who will use the full extent of its capabilities. It runs on a Qualcomm MSM7227 ARM processor at 600 Mhz that is more than capable of playing any music, videos, games and rendering Web pages at acceptable speeds, but the phone only has 168 MB of RAM, which severely limits the amount of apps (or for example, Web pages in tabs) you can open at the same time. The Android 2.1 upgrade makes it even slower, but fortunately, you won’t notice anything if you just use the phone for calls, messages, social apps and the occasional game or YouTube video.

Aside from the above drawback, the Sony Ericsson is more than enough for people who are just getting into the whole smartphone world and want something simple and easy to use, yet with enough power and features if they ever need it.

Blackberry Torch 9800

The Torch 9800 has a 3.2 capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 480×360, which is enough for daily tasks, I suppose, but it surely doesn’t stand up to the standard 800×480 on other modern smartphones, never mind the iPhone’s 960×640 super resolution.

It also features a portrait slide out QWERTY keyboard, which is made in a traditional Blackberry style and is very good and should help a lot when typing long messages or even editing documents on the go. The phone is a bit on the thick side at 14.6mm, but that helps it sit extremely well in your hand, which is ultimately better than just having a more fashionable phone.

Other hardware specs are also pretty decent. The Torch 9800 has support for Wifi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, GPS, a 5 megapixels camera with LED flash and image stabilization, light sensor, accelerometer and HSPA of up to 7.2 and 2.0 Mbps, for download and upload. The phone has 4 GB of integrated memory for all your needs and also comes with an external 4GB micro SD card if you ever need it. You can also buy cards of a higher capacity and expand the memory to potentially 32 or even 64 GB and more.

The Blackberry 6 OS is also much better than the previous version. It is more touch optimized and has much better support for apps, plus the developers have more freedom when designing their apps, so now problems like third party aps not being able to use the microphone are gone.

Overall, the Torch 9800 is a solid successor to RIM’s line of professional business phones, and will certainly attract the attention of those who want a solid smartphone in their pockets that will live up to any expectations.

The New Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS system comes with an impressive list of launch games. There are new third-party games, as well as some old favorites. The demand for this incredible system will well outweigh the supply in the first weeks of its launch. The launch price of $249 has developers eager to see the results. Actually, ordering from Amazon right now will get you $25 of free credit toward your choice of games. Below is a list of some new launch titles with descriptions and prices.

- Kid Icarus – This adventure involves a hero that fights in the air and on land – $39.99

- Nintendogs + Cats – A new version with increased player interaction – $39.99

- Animal Crossing – This is a new community-building installment with enhanced features – $39.99

The Nintendo 3DS enters the market with the strongest third-party support in the history of Nintendo. These games will be available for the Spring, 2011.

- Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D – This game is the best of its kind with a 3D re-make.

- Tom Clancy’s Shadow Wars – A tactical strategy game with cell-shaded graphics.

- Resident Evil: Mercenaries – A 3D virtual hunt-down of the undead allows you to compete with a friend.

- Lego Star Wars III – This is a Lego-life animated adventure of The Clone Wars.

- Super Monkey Ball – Guide your monkey through a 3D puzzle with a game made for 3D.

The list goes on and on with exciting graphics and eye-popping interactive action. Unprecedented gaming is yours to experience with the new Nintendo 3DS.

The New Apple iPad 2

The improvements are notable. The CPU is almost twice as fast, and the graphics perform nine times better. This thing zooms!

Apple listened to those who have clamored for both front and back cameras. The rear camera has 5x zoom, and both are video recorders.

You can get the iPad 2 with either a black or white exterior.

There have been some software improvements as well. Apple launched iOS 4.3 concurrently with the iPad 2. It adds FaceTime and Photo Booth, and it improves Safari’s performance noticeably.

Some things have remained the same. The power requirements haven’t changed appreciably despite the huge performance advances. Therefore battery life remains at about 10 hours.

Price is something else left unchanged. Just like its predecessor, the iPad 2 starts at $499 for a Wi-FI only, 16 GB model and ranges up to $829 for a 3G-capable, 64 GB unit. The 3G units use either AT&T or Verizon service.

They even took some things away from the original in designing the iPad 2! For example, some of the bulk and weight is gone. It’s only 8.8 mm thick now; about 1/3 thinner. It lost a little weight, too, and comes in at a little over 600 g.

Extras

For an extra $39 you can get a smart cover for your iPad 2. It automatically wakes or puts the iPad to sleep as it’s opened and closed. The smart cover also comes in leather for $69.

The new camera functions have inspired a couple new apps at $4.99 each called iMovie, which allows you to edit video, and GarageBand, which turns the iPad 2 into an audio 8-track recording and editing studio.

Despite the growing competition, iPad 2 has a substantial lead. Not only do its features dwarf the copycats, but there are over 65,000 apps available for iPad and only 100 or so for Android-based tablets.

Motorola Xoom Android Tablet

As a tablet, the Motorola Xoom seeks to close the gap between Android operating devices and Apple’s iPad. In terms of technology, Xoom actually tries to go toe-to-toe with the iPad. The device features a highly capacitive touch screen, a front facing camera for video chat, and highly proficient apps processor. As for the operating system, Xoom will be one of the first gadgets to feature Android 3.0. This already places Xoom atop the already growing Android tablet market.

However, Motorola has its sights set on competing with the iPad, not other Android devices. This is notable in a number of ways. The iPad is configured for portrait view as a default. This is clearly evident by where Apple placed the home button. Xoom is engineered to start off in landscape view, so that most apps and viewing experiences are orientated towards a wider screen. Xoom also features less of a trim around the screen. While this may help make the device lighter, it makes the Xoom slightly uncomfortable to hold. Sometimes, this also allows for accidental data entry, as there are more opportunities to accidentally brush against the capacitive touch screen.

However, the Xoom partially makes up for that with its keyboard function. Most touch screen smartphones have a tendency to crowd keyboard buttons together, leading to a higher frequency of “fat finger” mistakes. The iPad does not have this problem when the keyboard is in landscape view, but there is a tendency towards mis-keying while in portrait mode. The Xoom does not present this problem in either orientation.

In short, the Xoom may able to provide the iPad with some stiff competition. However, there one certain fact that may make this an uphill struggle. Motorola’s price point is roughly similar Apple’s. Right now, the iPad has credibility as a proven commodity. Since the product has been out longer, there will likely be fewer instances of bugs and glitches. Some users, if they are going to invest hundreds of dollars into a tablet, may opt for the iPad while staying in touch with Android applications via their smart phones. However, this is also still the beginning of the tablet market. Xoom proves could very well be the new rallying point that makes Android devices equal to the iPad. Only time will tell.

Xoom Hardware Specs:

1280×800 display resolution
Android 3.0 Honeycomb
Dual Core 1GHz
Bluetooth 2.1
3G and 4G able
5 MP rear facing camera
2 MP front facing camera
32 GB user memory
SD Card support
10 hour video playback battery

Lenovo ThinkPad X120e

As far as physical specs go the Lenovo ThinkPad X120e has pretty much everything going for it. It has a fast dedicated graphics card known as the Radeon 6310. Having a dedicated graphics card is great for these types of laptops. When a laptop has an integrated graphics card every time it displays something on the screen it is sucking away at CPU power. Less CPU power means a slower computer. With dedicated graphics the laptop has an entirely separate processor that is made specifically for doing graphics. The 6310 is a fast graphics card and will be able to play most games on at least the medium setting.

Lenovo ThinkPad X120e Specs

Lenovo ThinkPad X120e Specifications:
AMD E-350 with AMD Radeon HD 6310 Graphics (dual-core CPU at 1.6GHz and dual DX-11 SIMDs at 500MHz)
4GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM (1333MHz, 2 DIMM)
Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
11.6″ WXGA HD anti-glare LED Backlit display (1366×768)
320GB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
802.11b/g/n, Gigabit LAN
4-in-1 card reader and 0.3-megapixel webcam
6-Cell Li-ion battery
Dimensions: (W x L x H) 11.1″ x 8.2″ x 0.6″/1.2″
Weight: 3.3 pounds (with 6-cell battery)

The processor is pretty medium as far as laptops go. If one were buying a normal sized notebook then the processor found within this computer would be considered extremely slow. However, since it is an ultra portable and battery life is a priority, Lenovo decided to go with a slower processor, clocked at dual 1.6 GHz. Don’t be fooled, however, as this processor is going to be able to do pretty much everything that the average computer user needs. It will be able to run a browser, play music and run anti virus software at the same time without any issues.

The hard drive on this laptop is impressive. Most laptop hard drives have a hard drive speed of 5400 RPM. This particular laptop has a 320 gig hard drive rated at 7200 RPM. When one makes their hard drive go and find something for them the hard drive has to spin up. The faster the spinning the faster the access times and the snappier the computer. This hard drive gives this particular laptop snappy performance.

The screen has a great resolution and a good size for an ultra portable. Many consider the 11 inch screen size to be ideal because it’s not too big and not too small. Large amounts of information will fit onto the screen without being too small to actually read.

All of the other specs on this laptop basically mean that it has all of the bells and whistles that people have come to expect from any laptop. It has a webcam, WiFi, a card reader and a good sized battery. All in all the Lenovo ThinkPad X120e is a great computer at a good price. It will make its owner happy for years to come.