Archive for the ‘Operating Systems’ Category
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
The free GoFlexAccess app allows the iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones to access media shared on the Seagate’s GoFlex Home network storage system.
The free app is now available for download from the iTunes Store and Android Market. The application can be found by searching for “Seagate” or “GoFlex” in either storefront using the computer or the app store on a iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or Android compatible mobile device.
Seagate’s GoFlex Home network storage server is designed as a simple to set up shared storage drive, which provides back up and sharing capabilities within a home network and is also accessible using remote access from a personal computer.
With the introduction of the GoFlexAccess app, the GoFlex Home network can be accessed from mobile devices as well.
- The possibilities enabled by the GoFlexAccess app include:
- Access photos, movies, music and documents stored in the GoFlex Home network from an iPad, iPhone or Android smart phone.
- Create slideshows from photos in the network drive and play music at the same time to accompany it.
- Stream music or video to mobile devices over 3G/4G and WiFi.
- large number of files and file types.
- Album art support for music files.
- Access Excel, PowerPoint, Word documents and PDFs etc.
- The app features content type filters, to simplify access to content that may contain a large number of files and file types
| Capacity |
SRP |
| 1 TB |
S$219 |
| 2 TB |
S$319 |
| 3 TB |
S$379 |
Available in 1TB, 2TB and 3TB capacities, the GoFlex Home storage system allows files to be centrally stored, easily accessed and continuously backed up wirelessly from computers on the home network running either Windows or Mac OS X operating systems.
Storage capactiy of GoFlex Home system can be increased simply by connecting additional drives to the USB port. What’s more, this USB port can be used to wirelessly share a USB printer with all computers on the network.
Tags:GoFlex, GoFlexAccess, Seagate
Posted in Accessories, Android, App, iOS, iPad, iPhone, Phones, Prices, Seagate | No Comments »
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
Google has unveiled its first two Chrome-based notebooks from Acer and Samsung at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco. They will be available for order online from June 15.
Acer’s Wi-Fi only Chromebook will cost $349, while the Samsung Chromebook will cost $429 for the Wi-Fi only version and $499 for the 3G version.
The Acer Chromebook is a netbook running Google’s Chrome OS. It has an 11.6 inch display, 1.66 GHz dual-core Intel Atom N570 processor, 16 GB SSD drive and 2 GB RAM, with 6 hours battery life. It is available in black.
Acer Chromebook
The price of $349 is for the Wi-Fi only version. 3G will be an additional optional configuration.
Chromebooks will be available online June 15 in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Spain. More countries will follow in the coming months. In the U.S., Chromebooks will be available from Amazon and Best Buy and internationally from leading retailers.
Tags:Acer, Chrome, Chromebook, Google, netbooks
Posted in Acer, Chrome, Chrome OS, Gadgets, Google, Notebooks, Operating Systems, Prices, Samsung, Specifications | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Google has unveiled today its first Chrome-based notebooks from Acer and Samsung at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco. They will be available for order online from June 15.
The Samsung Chromebook will cost $429 for the Wi-Fi only version and $499 for the 3G version, while Acer’s Wi-Fi only Chromebook will cost $349.
Samsung Series 5 Chromebook
The Samsung Series 5 Chromebook is a netbook running Google’s Chrome OS. It has a 12.1 inch display, 1.66 GHz dual-core Intel Atom N570 processor, 16 GB SSD drive and 2 GB RAM, with 8.5 hours battery life.
Looking similar to the CR-48 prototype, the Series 5 is available either in white or “Titan Silver”.
Chromebooks will be available online June 15 in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Spain. More countries will follow in the coming months. In the U.S., Chromebooks will be available from Amazon and Best Buy and internationally from leading retailers.
Here are the main specifications:
- A 12.1-inch (1280×800) SuperBright display at 300 nits, with a 16:10 aspect
- 1.66 GHz dual-core Intel Atom N570 processor
2GB RAM- 16GB SSD drive
- 8.5 hours battery life
- Stereo speakers
- Two USB 2.0 ports
- SD/SDHC/MMC/SDXC card slot
Mini-VGA port- 11.6 x 8.6 x 0.79 inches
- 3.26 lbs / 1.48 kg
- A full-size keyboard
- Multitouch touch pad
- Built-in dual-band Wi-Fi and World-mode 3G (optional)
- HD Webcam with noise cancelling microphone
- Instant-on from standby, and an 8-second boot time
Tags:Acer, Chrome, Chromebook, Google, netbooks, Samsung, Series 5
Posted in Acer, Chrome, Chrome OS, Events, Gadgets, Google, Launch, Notebooks, Operating Systems, Prices, Samsung, Specifications | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
Google will reveal its first Chrome-based notebooks from Acer and Samsung at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco. They will be available for order online from June 15.
The Samsung Chromebook will cost $429 for the Wi-Fi only version and $499 for the 3G version, while Acer’s Wi-Fi only Chromebook will cost $349.
It’ll be interesting whether consumers will bite, considering that you can buy a decent Netbook or an iPad the $499 price-tag for the 3G Samsung Chromebook.
Acer Chromebook
Chromebooks will be available online June 15 in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Spain. More countries will follow in the coming months. In the U.S., Chromebooks will be available from Amazon and Best Buy and internationally from leading retailers.
Equipped with dual-core processors from Intel, the Chromebooks boast all-day battery life, and instant-on ability and built-in Net connectivity. Chromebooks will get updates and patches automatically every few weeks, like its browser cousin Chrome.
A special pricing is available for schools – Google will charge $20 a month for each Chromebook. The price will include hardware, administrative support, hardware upgrades, and warranty.
With this long awaited foray, Chromebooks will be taking on the tablet market dominated by Apple’s iPads, and the PC market dominated by both Microsoft and Apple.
Samsung Chromebook
The Chromebooks will run a new new bare-bones operating system that is basically a web browser that allows users to access applications like email, wordprocessors and spreadsheets directly on the web, instead of installing software such as Outlook or Office directly on the computer’s harddisks.
Users can also store their music and documents in the cloud for access from other computers as long as there is an Internet connection. Naturally, that means that a lot of the functionality may likely be unavailable or crippled offline.
Google has been touting Chrome as an alternative to Microsoft Windows for some two years now, but it has encountered delays producing computers designed to use the software.
Tags:Acer, Adobe, Chrome, Chromebook, Google, Microsoft, Samsung
Posted in Acer, Apple, Chrome, Events, Gadgets, Google, Launch, Microsoft, Notebooks, Operating Systems, Samsung, Tablets, Tech news, Technology | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones on BlackBerry 7 operating system, new Facebook and Video Chat apps for the PlayBook tablet — these are some of the initiatives unveiled by RIM just prior to the BlackBerry World 2011 conference.
A range of enterprise solutions for unified communications, device management and mobile security for smartphones and tablets were also announced.
The annual BlackBerry World is now ongoing at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Florida from 3 – 5 May. Typically, new devices, solutions and initiatives are announced during this period. This year, there is much anticipation on what devices will be unveiled, given the large number of leaks about Research In Motion’s (RIM) lineup of smartphones for 2011.
Here is a roundup of releases just prior to BlackBerry World. Some are for RIM’s consumer devices while others are from their traditional stronghold of mobile IT solutions.
New BlackBerry Bold Smartphones on BlackBerry 7 OS
The BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 smartphones will be the thinnest and most powerful BlackBerry devices yet. The easy-to-use BlackBerry keyboard is integrated with a brilliant, high resolution, capacitive touch screen. These smartphones are built on a new platform powered by the BlackBerry 7 operating system and designed to deliver high performance in communications, multimedia and productivity for users around the world.
Sporting a 1.2 GHz CPU, a 2.8 inch 640×480 pixels VGA display at 287 dpi resolution, the smartphones support 4G and NFC (Near Field Communications).
The two Bold models are expected to be available from carriers around the world beginning this summer.
New Facebook and Video Chat apps for BlackBerry PlayBook tablet
Following the release of the Facebook for BlackBerry® smartphones app, RIM has announced the Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook app. This new app delivers popular features of Facebook, optimized for the 7″ high resolution, multi-touch LCD display of the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook offers users a highly engaging experience by integrating popular features such as viewing and adding friends, seamless photo and video viewing, connecting with friends by using Facebook chat, and viewing and interacting with the News Feed.
The app be available on BlackBerry App World later this month.
RIM has also announced the availability of the BlackBerry PlayBook Video Chat app – an easy and fun way for friends and family to place and receive video calls between BlackBerry PlayBook tablets over an internet connected Wi-Fi network. Key features of the PlayBook Video Chat application include: one-click video and voice over Wi-Fi calls, incoming call notifications, powerful in-call functions and a friends list.
The app will be distributed to existing BlackBerry PlayBook customers through an over-the-air software update and is available on BlackBerry App World.
BlackBerry Balance for Work-Life Balance on BlackBerry
RIM is advancing work-life balance on BlackBerry smartphones with BlackBerry Balance. This new technology allows the convenience of using a single BlackBerry smartphone for both work and personal purposes without compromising company security or personal privacy. RIM is introducing this technology in response to the growing trend by businesses to allow employees to use personal BlackBerry smartphones for work, or company-owned smartphones for personal, and the need for businesses to secure, manage and control confidential company or client information.
Multi-Platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution for Smartphones and Tablets
RIM has announced plans for a multi-platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution for managing and securing mobile devices for enterprises and government organizations.
The solution will make available the market-leading management, security and controls of BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express for BlackBerry devices. In addition, through RIM’s pending acquisition of ubitexx (creator of the ubi-Suite device management solution), the solution is expected to incorporate secure device management for Android and iOS based devices and tablets, all managed from a single web-based console.
The multi-platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is planned for general availability later this year.
BlackBerry Mobile Voice System 5 with Voice Over Wi-Fi Calling for Avaya and Legacy Nortel Communications Systems
To help more businesses bring together the desk phone and smartphone. RIM announced plans to make BlackBerry Mobile Voice System 5 (BlackBerry MVS 5) available to more corporate phone systems and unified communications applications. BlackBerry MVS 5 with voice over Wi-Fi calling will soon be available for Avaya Aura 6.1, Avaya CS1000 Communication Server, as well as legacy phone systems such as Avaya Communications Manager and Nortel Communication Server. BlackBerry MVS 5 has also been re-architected to be more extensible with third party applications and phone systems.
Tags:Apps, BlackBerry, Bold, enterprise IT, Facebook, Playbook, RIM, smartphone, Video chat
Posted in BlackBerry, BlackBerry OS, Bold, Events, Gadgets, Launch, Phones, RIM, Tech news | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
Starting at S$1,648, the iMac has been updated with next generation quad-core processors, powerful graphics, Thunderbolt I/O Technology and a new FaceTime HD camera.
Apple claims that, compared to the previous generation, the new iMac is 70 percent faster and new graphics deliver up to three times the performance of the previous generation.
Apple’s desktop line of computers features quad-core Intel Core i5 processors with an option for customers to choose Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz. These next generation processors feature an integrated memory controller for a responsive experience and a powerful new media engine for high-performance video encoding and decoding. The new AMD Radeon HD graphics processors give the new iMac an extremely powerful graphics capability.
Thunderbolt
iMac is the first desktop computer on the market to include groundbreaking Thunderbolt I/O technology. Apple had launched its updated MacBook Pro line of notebooks on February 25 earlier this year with the new Thunderbolt I/O technology. It was the first computer on the market to implement the new technology Apple had developed in collaboration with Intel.
The 21.5-inch iMac has a single Thunderbolt port while the 27-inch model features two ports for even greater expansion. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, Thunderbolt delivers PCI Express directly to external high performance peripherals such as RAID arrays, and can support FireWire and USB consumer devices, and Gigabit Ethernet networks via adapters.
Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Freely available for implementation on systems, cables and devices, Thunderbolt technology is expected to be widely adopted as a new standard for high performance I/O.
FaceTime
The iMac includes a built-in FaceTime HD camera and Apple’s innovative FaceTime software for crisp, widescreen video calling the whole family can enjoy. The new camera supports high definition video calls between all FaceTime HD-enabled Macs and standard resolution calls with iPad 2, iPhone 4, the current generation iPod touch and other Intel-based Macs.
Software
The iMac comes with Mac OS X Snow Leopard and iLife – Apple’s innovative suite of applications for creating and sharing photos, movies and music.
Snow Leopard includes the Mac App Store for finding new apps for the iMac.
iLife ’11 features iPhoto with full screen views for browsing, editing and sharing photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use tools to transform home videos into fun theatrical trailers; and GarageBand with new ways to improve your playing and create great sounding songs.
The iMac continues to feature its signature aluminium and glass design, brilliant IPS LED-backlit high resolution display, SD card slot and comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.
On the Green front, the iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold rating. iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac uses PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.
Pricing & Availability
The new iMac is available through the online Apple Store and Apple Authorised Resellers.
| 21.5-inch iMac |
| S$1,648 |
2.5 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
AMD Radeon HD 6750M
500GB hard drive |
| S$2,048 |
2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
AMD Radeon HD 6770M
1TB hard drive |
| 27-inch iMac |
| S$2,348 |
2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
AMD Radeon HD 6770M
1TB hard drive |
| S$2,748 |
3.1 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
AMD Radeon HD 6970M
1TB hard drive |
Configure-to-order options include faster Intel Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz, additional hard drive capacity up to 2TB, a 256GB solid state drive, additional DDR3 memory and AppleCare Protection Plan. Additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options and accessories are available online.
Tags:Apple, computer, desktop, FaceTime, GarageBand, iLife, iMac, iMovie, iPhoto, launch, Snow Leopard, Thunderbolt, update
Posted in Apple, Desktops, Gadgets, Launch, Mac OS, Prices, Specifications | No Comments »
Friday, April 29th, 2011
The latest 10.1 inch Android 3.0 tablet from Asus arrived in Singapore today at the launch event at Zirca in Clarke Quay. The 16GB Wi-Fi only version (Eee Pad + Docking keyboard) is priced at S$898.
But as part of its launch promotion, you can get a S$99 discount at S$799. If you choose to purchase only the pad and not the docking station, you can get the 16GB Wi-Fi only version at the launch promotion price of S$699.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101 arrived in Singapore on April 29, 2011
What are the biggest grouses of tablet users today? No Flash, short battery life, no keyboard, no USB ports and card readers. Asus tries to address all these shortcomings in the Asus Eee Pad Transformer TF101.
The optional docking station provides a full QWERTY keyboard for work involving intensive typing. It costs S$199 if you purchase it separately, but purchased together with the pad, you need only top up S$100 for it. The docking station makes available an additional 24.4 Wh battery that extends the pad’s 9.5 hours battery life to 16 hours instead.
A card reader (MMC/SD/SDHC) and two USB 2.0 ports are also available on the keyboard. The keyboard also props up the docked pad as a stand.
And finally, Adobe Flash 10.2 is supported, so you can visit all those glitzy sites running Flash animations and video.
The docking station is a full QWERTY keyboard that doubles up as a stand and contains an extra battery to extend the 9.5 hours battery life of the pad to 16 hours. It also contains USB ports and a card reader.
I played with the Eee Pad on display and found the IPS (In-plane switching) LED backlight screen brilliant and sharp at with 1280×800 pixels packed into the 10.1 inch panel, offering a wide viewing angle of 178 degrees – I could still view the screen display from the side.
The touch screen senses up to 10 fingers for multi-touch - seen here with the Piano app from Android Market.
The pad feels slightly heavier than the iPad 2 but comfortable to hold. The book reader app included with the pad was standard fare – offering animated page turning, highlighting and bookmarking etc.
Photos and videos taken with the camera was clear even though the ambient lighting was dark.
Prices and configurations
The 16GB Wi-Fi only tablet is the only configuration available at the moment. Together with the docking station (keyboard), it sells for S$898 at the major retailers in Singapore – Challenger, Best Denki, Harvey Norman etc.
During this launch period, the promotional price for the 16GB Wi-Fi only Transformer sells for S$799 (Eee Pad + Docking station) and S$699 (Eee Pad only). Currently, the docking stations are out of stock and will only be available from the week of May 9 onwards.
The 32GB Wi-Fi only version will also only be available later in May.
“The 3G version is being tested now and will likely be launched in the second or third week of June,” Bernard Wen, Business Operation Manager of Asus Technology told me. “In the meantime, we’ve tested the Pad with USB dongles from SingTel, Starhub and M1 and found that they are all compatible,” he added.
Tags:Adobe, Android, Asus, tablets
Posted in Android, Asus, Eee Pad Transformer TF101, Gadgets, Prices, Specifications, Tablets | 2 Comments »
Friday, April 29th, 2011
The update to the TomTom App for iPhone offers TomTom’s latest release of the maps of Malaysia and Singapore. Current owners of the TomTom App can update to the new version for no additional charge.
For new users, the updated TomTom App (Version 1.7) for iPhone is now available in the App Store for USD $59.99. The app is available on iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS & iPod touch 3rd Gen running iOS4.
Tags:Apple, Apps, GPS, TomTom
Posted in Gadgets, GPS, iOS, iPhone, TomTom | No Comments »
Thursday, April 28th, 2011
Another tablet arrives in Singapore tomorrow – this time from Asus, the Taiwanese company that created the netbook niche. This Android-based tablet tries to redefine the tablet experience by packaging it with a docking keyboard cum extra battery.
Will update on the actual use and feel after the launch event tomorrow.
The Asus Eee Pad Transformer has a 10.1″ LED backlight WXGA (1280×800) screen and a docking QWERTY keyboard which also serves as a tablet stand, provides USB ports and contains an extra 24.4 Wh battery that extends the 9.5 hours battery life of the tablet to 16 hours.
The screen is IPS (In-plane switching) Panel which typically has a wider view angle than a traditional LCD screen – Asus boast a wide view angle of 178° for this screen. Apple’s iPad also uses an IPS panel.
There is a 1.2M pixel front Camera and a 5M pixel rear Camera. The standard range of sensors are included: G-Sensor, Light Sensor, Gyroscope, E-Compass, GPS.
The Transformer is based on the Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS and supports Adobe Flash 10.2. It has an NVIDIA Tegra 2 1.0GHz dual-core CPU which provides multitasking and 1080p video playback.
Memory-wise, it has 1 GB RAM and comes in either 16 or 32 GB versions for permanent storage. Unlimited ASUS Webstorage is included free for a year.
Network-wise, it is fairly standard with WLAN 802.11 b/g/n at 2.4GHz and Bluetooth V2.1+EDR. What is conspicuously missing is a 3G version so you’ll probably need a mobile broadband USB dongle or a Wi-Fi network to access the Internet.
The docking keyboard comes with two USB 2.0 ports, one card reader (MMC/SD/SDHC) and a touch pad. It can be purchased in the UK for an additional £50 and in the US for an additional US$149 over the base price of the tablet alone.
The tablet itself contains one 2-in-1 Audio Jack (Headphone/Mic-in), one Micro SD Card Reader, and one mini HDMI 1.3a for outputting the display onto an external HD screen. Stereo speakers are built in.
Physically, the tablet measures 271 x 171 x 12.98 mm and weighs 680 g.
The Transformer was first launched in Taiwan on March 25, then in the UK on March 30, and two days ago in the US on April 26. Prices in the US are $100 less than the “equivalent” iPad model.
US Prices
- 16 GB: US$399
- 32 GB: US$499
- Keyboard: US$149
Tags:Android, Asus, keyboard, tablets
Posted in Android, Asus, Eee Pad Transformer TF101, Events, Gadgets, Launch, Tablets, Tech news | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, April 19th, 2011
The 7-inch tablet from Research In Motion (RIM) hits the shelves in the US today. Here’s a quick roundup of the likes and dislikes from those who have tried out the shipping version of the BlackBerry PlayBook.
There’s a lot to like about the PlayBook, but there’re also plenty of frustrations out there from those who’ve had the privilege of playing with the PlayBook. The general feel seems to be that the PlayBook has the potential to be something great – just that it’s not quite complete at the moment.
Already behind the iPad 2 and other Android tablets in terms of launch date, my feel is that RIM wants to get the hardware out as soon as possible before the specs get old – even though the software isn’t quite as ready yet.
Dare I compare that with an evolutionary release of the iPad 2 with bigger steps only to be expected for the upcoming iPad 3?
With such stiff competition in the tablet market, it is no wonder these slate-makers are rolling off their products as soon as possible. In all honesty, I do believe RIM will sort out the grouses that reviewers have complained about, but the question is whether consumers are willing to fork out the dough to buy what’s beginning to be perceived as an unfinished product, that is only going to be made complete after a few more months – if ever.
Perhaps, RIM should have launched it at a discounted price – you know, an early bird discount – to entice consumers and grab market share. Given that the hardware is fabulous, the discount may have worked to convince consumers to buy first and wait out for the software to catch up.
At any rate, below is a quick round-up of the likes and dislikes from people who has played with the PlayBook so far. Prices for the 16, 32 and 64-gigabyte models in the US are $500, $600, and $700 respectively.
| Likes |
Dislikes |
Mitigation |
| Fabulous display, and user interface |
Tiny recessed power button difficult to find and press |
Nothin’ much can be done about this – but do I care? |
Sleek:
10mm / 0.4 inch thick
Light:
0.9 lbs / 425 g |
No native email, messenger, contacts and calendar |
Need to be Bluetooth tethered via a BlackBerry smartphone to access these.
Native support could be added later on |
| Lightning fast processor |
No 3G connection |
3G version in summer
4G version end 2011 |
| Impressive multi-tasking |
Small repository of Apps (~3,000) |
Compatibility with selected Android apps to be introduced later, plus build-up of PlayBook specific apps. |
| Supports Flash and HTML5 |
No video chat |
Video chat app to be released later. |
Tags:BlackBerry, Playbook, RIM, tablets
Posted in BlackBerry, BlackBerry Tablet OS, Events, Gadgets, Opinion, PlayBook, Review, RIM, Tablets, Tech news | 2 Comments »
