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			    <title>Wi-Fi | Technologie - Technology News Aggregator</title> 
				<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/wifi</link> 
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			<title>You can have iPhone 5, I&#039;ll take HTC One</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/you-can-have-iphone-5-ill-take-htc-one</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Anyone moving up from a feature phone to smart one and considering iPhone 5 should look at HTC One. From a design perspective, both stand out for mostly metal enclosures, and they share similar design aesthetics. On T-Mobile USA, HD voice is available for both phones, too. Beyond that, their functionality couldn&#039;t be more different, because of screen resolution, physical size and overall interaction -- the latter more about operating systems than anything else.
I probably would chose the One over S4 but haven&#039;t used the Samsung. I reviewed iPhone 5 in September and one is in process for the HTC flagship. Simply stated: One is the best smartphone I have ever used. The device is so beautiful, the display equally so, that I want to hold and caress the device. Often. Social and news UI BlinkFeed changes how and how often I use a smartphone. More. More. More. The smartphone makes me happy in a way not since the original iPhone nearly six years ago.
The One may be HTC&#039;s last stand, and a helluva, well, one, too. Someone put great thought into the design -- from hardware, software to services. The Taiwan-based company struggles of late, losing shipment and subscriber share in key geographies, and reporting disappointing financial results. The One needs to be a big hit -- and it is with me. Magnanimously. 
As I write, HTC offers a trade-in promotion that ends May 5. Buyers get a prepaid Visa card when trading in their old handsets -- $300 to $375 for iPhone 5 and $250 for BlackBerry Z10, for example, and $100 guaranteed. If you recently bought one of these handsets -- or have iPhone 4S and Galaxy S III, among others -- HTC offers buyer&#039;s remorse cash so you can get the One. The manufacturer sells the unlocked One direct for $574.99. Locked prices start at $199. AT&amp;T, Best Buy, Cincinnati Bell, Sprint and T-Mobile sell the smartphone.
My HTC One arrived on Tuesday. I ordered from T-Mobile, paying $99.99 upfront before tax and shipping. The phone is sold-out locally and online when I purchased mine. I didn&#039;t know that HTC sold unlocked phones, which probably would be better way to get faster Android updates.
I started this post by suggesting the One is the choice for people coming from feature phones. I specify them for not having invested in a platform. Existing iPhone owners must justify buying new apps on Android. However, because Apple changed the connector on iPhone 5 and overall physical shape, upgraders must get new cases and replace some peripherals, which makes platform switch easier. They&#039;re paying for add-ons either way. Android users thinking iPhone 5 absolutely should strongly consider the One. HTC&#039;s flagship offers many of iPhone 5&#039;s most-appealing attributes, starting with the striking design, but offer many more benefits. 
Hardware Lifestyle
Specs. Smartphones are not just devices that should be compared spec-to-spec. They represent different kinds of digital lifestyles and pointed philosophies about what matters more to mobile users. I&#039;ll start the lifestyle discussion with hardware.
HTC One: 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display with 1920 x 1080 resolution and 468 ppi; 1.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 quad-core processor; 2GB RAM; 32GB or 64GB storage; 4MP front-facing and 2.1MP rear-facing cameras; 1080p video recording; 4G: LTE (Asia 1800/2600 Mhz), EU (800/1800/2600 MHz), AT&amp;T (700/850/AWS/1900 MHz), Sprint (1900 Mhz), T-mobile USA (1900 Mhz); HSPA/WCDMA (850/900/1900/2100 MHz); GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz); WiFi N; FM radio; GPS + GLONASS; Bluetooth 4; NFC (carrier chooses); DLNA; ambient-light and proximity sensors; accelerometer; digital compass; gyroscope; 2300 mAh battery; Android 4.1.2 with HTC Sense. Measures 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm and weighs 143 grams. In the United States, AT&amp;T and Sprint: $199.99 for the 32GB model, with 2-year contract. AT&amp;T sells the 64GB One for $299.99. T-Mobile: $99.99 upfront and 24 $20 monthly payments for 32 gigger.
Apple iPhone 5: 4-inch display with 1136 x 640 resolution, 326 ppi; Apple A6 dual-core processor; 1GB RAM; 16GB, 32GB or 64GB storage (depending on model); 8MP rear-facing and 1.2MP front-facing cameras; UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), LTE (bands vary by carrier model and region); accelerometer; ambient-light sensor; gyroscope; GPS; proximity sensor; digital compass; Bluetooth; WiFi N; 1440 mAh fixed battery; carrier locked; iOS 6. Measures 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm and weighs 112 grams. With 2-year contract sells for: $199 (16GB), $299 (32GB), $399 (64GB). Carrier locked, but in United States not Verizon model. T-Mobile: $99.99 upfront and $24 $20 monthly payments.
Style. Aesthetically, I find iPhone and One to be the two most-pleasing smartphones currently available in North America, with BlackBerry Z10 also ranking highly. Both feel solid in the hand because of their aluminum enclosures. Metal gives the handsets a ruggedness uncharacteristic of a market so dominated by plastic. Fit and finish is striking on both phones in either color, black and white for iPhone 5, black and silver for HTC One. 
Carrying a handsome device is a lifestyle decision. How the phone looks says something about you. For some people, appearance doesn&#039;t matter; for many others it&#039;s all that matters. I like the aesthetic of both handsets. One is the first Android that looks as good, or better, than any iPhone. 
Size is a digital lifestyle choice. Which matters more to you: Having a more pocketable phone or one with larger display, which granted is better for viewing websites, photos or videos? Do you use handset-to-face rather than wired or Bluetooth earphones and does the appearance against the head matter to you? I don&#039;t find One to be over-sized, but the device is larger in every way, including thickness and weight, than iPhone 5. HTC&#039;s device is heftier by every measure (see full specs above).
Screen. I&#039;m simply stunned how good everything looks on the HTC handset. The screen is larger, 4.7 inches to iPhone&#039;s 4 inches, but the measurement deceives. Screen size is a diagonal measure, and iPhone is unusually narrow, making that 4 inches in many ways less than handsets with comparable measure. 
One&#039;s screen isn&#039;t just bigger but offers higher resolution. Like the S4, full 1080p but more pixels per inch (468). iPhone 5 is 1136 x 640 resolution and 326 pixel density. The HTC&#039;s screen is gorgeous, from virtually any viewing angle, with superb contrast and color accuracy -- and it&#039;s bright. I enjoy the screen so much, my tablet collects dust now. iPhone 5&#039;s display, which is no slouch, can&#039;t compare.
Sound. The screen is an important part of the One&#039;s aesthetic, but surprisingly so are the speakers, which grills flank the display and are pleasingly incorporated into the design. The One features Beats audio, which from front-facing speakers booms. For sheer sound volume and reach, iPhone 5 can&#039;t compare. 
But there&#039;s another measure, which is carrier specific. T-Mobile offers HD audio, which is fantastic. My daughter has iPhone 5, which also supports the capability. Calls are crystal clear. The audio is simply amazing. Both handsets have the feature, but only from select cellular providers.

Shutter. Apple and HTC adopt very different approaches to the cameras. iPhone 5&#039;s is 8 megapixels and pretty good. One is 4 megapixels, which deceptively looks like a step backwards. More megapixels isn&#039;t necessarily better and often is worse. Manufacturers typically add more pixels to the same size sensor. They&#039;re smaller and tend to introduce artifacts and other deficiencies, while performing poorly in low-light situations.
HTC takes a different approach, by putting fewer pixels and larger (2 micron pixels) on the sensor. The lens is f/2 aperture, which is a little better than iPhone 5&#039;s f/2.4. But it&#039;s the sensor that makes the difference. HTC claims up to 300 percent more light sensitivity than 13-megapixel cameraphones. Oh, there is optical image stabilization, too, for when in low light shutter speed is slow.
As a test, I snapped the photo of our cat in the living room around 12:30 am. There were three light sources: The 42-inch screen and two IKEA lamps -- Stranne and Barometer -- neither pointed at the feline. I switched to &quot;Night Mode&quot;. Auto ISO is 780.
Connected Lifestyle
Being I write on Saturday, I&#039;ll restrain the rest, but not ignore other lifestyle benefits.
Software. My last three smartphones all ran stock Android. But my newest is a step backwards to Jelly Bean 4.1.2, rather than current 4.2.2, the version on my Nexus 4 and what Samsung Galaxy S4 packs, too. HTC skins Android with Sense 5 UI. I expected to really loathe it, being a bit stuck up about stock and put off by Samsung&#039;s garish ToucWiz UI. Instead, I rather like Sense, which is tasteful, uses attractive font and adds to Jelly Bean rather than truncate benefits.
Jelly Bean and Sense 5 are killer combination, for simplicity and utility. iOS 6 feels five years too old, by comparison. There&#039;s a vibrancy and vitality that iPhone 5 can&#039;t match. 

Social. BlinkFeed delivers some of the vitality. The feature brings together social and news feeds into a full-screen Flipboard-like experience, only better. I&#039;m using Twitter now again and even monitoring Facebook -- plus being more informed, whether from social or news feeds. Presentation is excellent and immersive. My gripe: BlinkFeed offers too limited number of sources and no real customization. Why is Huffington Post there alongside AP as a news wire? Where are Google+, Instagram or Pinterest?
Still, I wouldn&#039;t give up BlinkFeed for anything. It&#039;s an addiction now. Neither Apple, nor its app partners, offers anything comparable. HTC&#039;s software/service is its own screen, and you won&#039;t find that on iPhone 5 if for no other reason that Apple restrictions.
Shooter. I wrap up returning to the camera, and one of HTC One&#039;s unique capabilities. Briefly, as more will come in my actual One review: HTC adds feature call Zoe, essentially 3 seconds of video and 20 still images. If there&#039;s a killer app here, Zoe is it along with companion Highlights Reel. The latter takes the Zoe and turns it into a 30-second clip with music -- and the presentation is fantastic.
Apple has got nothing like Zoe or Highlights Reel. I also prefer the overall software shooting experience. HTC keeps the process simple, like iPhone but unlike Galaxy smartphones, while offering meaningful and easily accessible controls. 
Photography is another lifestyle choice. I&#039;d buy HTC One just for the camera, software and supporting services.
That&#039;s a wrap. I reached gadget nirvana this week. You can have iPhone 5 -- Galaxy S4 or Nexus 4 -- I&#039;ll take HTC One.

 
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			<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2013 21:07:33 EDT</pubDate>
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			<title>What I really think about Google Chromebook Pixel</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/what-i-really-think-about-google-chromebook-pixel</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Second in a series. Fourteen days using Google&#039;s first computer, my decision is made: I would buy one and will someday (taxes are brutal, so my options are limited short-term). I firmly believe that most buyers willing to spend $1,299 (32GB WiFi) or $1,449 (64GB 4G LTE) will be satisfied with Chromebook Pixel. That&#039;s because I presume they wouldn&#039;t dole out that much without really examining how the computer would fit their lifestyle; also, Google seeks the same people coming from Windows who might buy MacBook Pro 13-inch.
Seven days ago, in my first-impressions review, I looked at the overall experience and price benefits from the perspective of hardware. Here, I start to answer larger question: Can Pixel be your main and only machine? For most people, the answer is an unequivocal &quot;No&quot;. But &quot;most people&quot; isn&#039;t Google&#039;s target market.
Pay to Play
I&#039;m amused by the mixed reactions to Chromebook Pixel. Price is a barrier for many reviewers, but clearly not for the brave geeks who buy one. 
People perplexed by Pixel pricing (say that three times fast) need to understand something. The $1,200-plus draws a line that leaves behind the majority of computer buyers. By pricing high but packing in hardware that justifies the cost, Google assures that a smaller, more-enthusiast crowd will buy Chromebook Pixel -- and a group more likely to be passionate and vocal about their experiences. These are people willing to be different -- to live another computing lifestyle -- and don&#039;t mind paying to field test a new platform.
Chrome OS at $249 on Samsung&#039;s ARM Chromebook is one platform. Chrome OS for $1,050 more, with high-resolution touchscreen, is an altogether different platform. Touch and 2560 x 1700 resolution change everything. A $199 Acer Chromebook could replace a primary PC but most people won&#039;t use it that way. Pixel is meant to replace, rather than displace, the computer you&#039;ve already got. The usage scenarios are different. 
But there&#039;s more: High-resolution and touch change the overall usage experience and how people interact with Chrome OS. But that&#039;s all a work in progress. Not all the touch-enabled apps are there -- actually very few that take full advantage of the screen&#039;s capabilities. Chromebook Pixel is really only ready for people willing to take the challenge -- living in the cloud and adapting to change. Google makes them pay for the privilege. 
That&#039;s one reason I call them field testers rather than beta testers. There&#039;s nothing beta about Chromebook Pixel and Chrome OS 25. Hardware and software experience is rock-solid. Simply, the usage scenarios will expand as more apps support the resolution and touch capabilities. Google should want a vocal, enthusiast crowd buying the machine before the apps ecosystem is mature.

Chromebook Pixel owners pay to play. Some people will balk and accuse Google of exploiting customers, but I assume most who do wouldn&#039;t spend $1,200-plus for a laptop anyway. So don&#039;t gripe, if you wouldn&#039;t buy one. But the approach makes sense. Think about it. Who is more likely to show off a new car and boast about it? The guy or gal buying a $3,000 used clunker or someone plunking down six figures for a finicky euro sports car? Chromebook Pixel is that pretty machine with somewhat eccentric character, like the euro car. 
Juxtaposed Opinions
From reading reviews over the past week, clearly many professional reviewers don&#039;t get the Pixel concept, so they don&#039;t recommend the computer. The tone from one to the next is similar: The hardware is great kit, but there&#039;s no software. By stark contrast, I see nothing short of praise from the people who buy the laptop. Satisfaction runs high and from some unexpected adopters. 
Users. Uglydoll creator David Horvath gives one of the best responses to naysayers: &quot;I run our company on Pixel now&quot;. So much for creatives-and-Mac stereotypes. He is living proof of what I&#039;ve expressed repeatedly for the past two weeks -- here and on Google+, about the target market. Google sees would-be MacBook Pro 13-inch buyers as potential pixel purchasers (that&#039;s easier to say three times). Best candidates are moving from Windows.
Another Pixel user makes similar observation. Don MacAskill, SmugMug CEO:
Wow. Blown away by how much I&#039;m liking my Chromebook Pixel. I even had momentary frustration when I went back to my MacBook Pro Retina. That&#039;s a first. Summary: Screen gorgeous. Touch awesome (finally!). Great trackpad (a first on a Chromebook!). Very fast. Solid &amp; well-machined.
There are things I won&#039;t be able to do on it (my IDE comes to mind, as does git) but this is a major leap in the right direction. This is the single Apple competitive laptop on the market. I wonder what the gang over in Cupertino thinks about it?
You need to understand the context. SmugMug is a huge shop of Mac users, and its apps support Apple platforms before any other. Google doesn&#039;t want to sell Chromebook Pixel to the masses, but people like Horvath and MacAskill, creatives who either use or are predisposed to Macs. 

Linux creator Linus Torvalds also extols the computer&#039;s benefits: 
I&#039;ve joined all the cool kids in having one of the new Google &#039;Pixel&#039; laptops (aka Chromebooks) -- and it is a beautiful screen, to the point where I suspect I&#039;ll make this my primary laptop. I tend to like my laptops slightly smaller, but I think I can lug around this 1.5 kg monster despite feeling fairly strongly that a laptop should weigh 1 kg or less. Because the screen really is that nice.
Not surprisingly, Torvalds sees Linux in his Pixel&#039;s future.
Software developer Jerry Daniels received his Chromebook Pixel yesterday: &quot;OK, been using my Pixel out of the box for over three hours on a 50 percent charge. I just now plugged in the power supply. Two things happened: 1) The power plug went into that socket on the side of the unit in a very sexual way (not kidding)...2) The screen just went to a whole other level of operation (brighter, clearer, wow). This whole thing&#039;s getting like 2001 a Space Odyssey. Did Kubrick design this thing?&quot;
Reviewers. Professional reviewers don&#039;t share these buyers&#039; enthusiasm. Writing for ArsTechnica, Andrew Cunningham quips: &quot;Hardware is worth $1,299, but Chrome OS isn&#039;t&quot;. I disagree but do agree that the &quot;Pixel seems better positioned as a means to an end rather than as a product that is itself intended to reach a mass-market audience&quot;. Which is my main point in this post and its predecessor.
For Mashable, writing about the &quot;agony and the ecstasy of the Chromebook Pixel&quot;, Chris Taylor concludes: &quot;As lovely as the device is, I&#039;m not quite ready to recommend it&quot;. Bloomberg columnist Rich Jaroslovsky calls Pixel &quot;upscale overkill&quot;.
I could go on, but most of the reviews are similar ilk and strongly contrast to people paying for Chromebook Pixel rather than using a Google loaner. There&#039;s a big difference between someone choosing to spend money on something versus someone who doesn&#039;t. 
The Big Question
Who is Chromebook Pixel for? Probably not you, if you&#039;re most people.
Scenarios. Originally, I planned to make this second part about usage scenarios, but I changed my plan. That&#039;s now more for part three, and primarily intended for people strongly considering Chromebook Pixel and wondering what apps they can use. I&#039;ve given many usage scenarios related to Chrome OS in previous posts and want to spend more time working with the best apps. Usage scenarios for Pixel aren&#039;t yet that different from lower-cost Chromebooks, but that will change as more apps are fine-tuned to take full advantage of the gorgeous touchscreen.

Some posts for reference:

&quot;Chromebook changed my life&quot;
&quot;I Shacked up with Chromebook&quot;
&quot;Samsung Series 5 550 Chromebook first-impressions review&quot;
&quot;Google&#039;s $249 ARM Chromebook isn&#039;t &#039;for everyone&#039;, but could be for you [first-impressions review]&quot;

Touch. Before continuing, little has changed in my second week with Chromebook Pixel, other than I like the computer all the more and use it as my primary PC without reservation or hesitation. I love this computer. Because I started using a Chrome OS computer as my main machine starting in May, the transition is easy for me. I already live in the cloud, which experience is remarkably better because of the high-res touchscreen. But that lifestyle isn&#039;t typical, which is one reason part three will look at Pixel as daily machine and what limitations or opportunities cloud apps present on the gorgeous touchscreen.
Then there is sense the touchscreen is too far ahead of the operating system and apps, which is one reason I regard Pixel for field testers who love change and the bleeding edge or creative-types who see potential that others don&#039;t readily.
I recently reviewed Surface Pro, which also features a high-resolution touchscreen, although lower than Pixel. The usability experience between the two user interfaces is shockingly different. Google presents Chrome as the major motif. Windows 8&#039;s Modern UI is a full-screen motif that licks the display&#039;s edges and presents big, bold elements that are easy to touch.
For example, I find the experience using Internet Explorer 10 to be visually and tactfully more satisfying on Surface Pro than Chrome on Google&#039;s laptop. Microsoft smartly places the navigation controls at the bottom of the screen, which diminishes Gorilla arm and puts them closer to the fingers for when people use keyboard and touch -- which is the idea for Surface Pro. Additionally, going back or forward to webpages is easier. Just swipe your finger left or right. Somebody really thought-out this user interface.
Chrome OS responds to touch but doesn&#039;t love the finger. That matters less if the apps are. The 500px photo-sharing app is fully-tuned to Pixel and foreshadows just how transforming and exciting the user experience could be.
Legacy. Related, I must agree with Cunningham, who writes:
The problem with Chrome OS isn’t that you can’t do most of your day-to-day tasks in a web browser, but if you’ve spent any time getting used to a certain set of tools, you’ll probably need to trade them in for web-based ones. And the real sticking points are those applications that have no easy web-based replacements. If you rely on even one piece of desktop software to get your work done, the absence of that client in Chrome OS will make the Pixel that much less plausible as a primary computing device.
I&#039;ve found nearly all needed web apps and had no major software dependency before using Chromebook Pixel. Actually, because of the Core i5 processor and high resolution, I have better choices on Pixel than other Chromebooks, and my general productivity is hugely improved. More importantly, I enjoy working on this computer. It&#039;s the joy factor missing among the reviewers compared to the users above.

Specs. This is a good place to recap specs: 12.85-inch touchscreen, 2560 x 1700 resolution, 239 pixels per inch; 1.8GHz Core i5 processor; Intel HD graphics 4000; 4GB DDR3 RAM; 32GB or 64GB of storage; HD WebCam; backlit keyboard; dual-band WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n 2x2; 4G LTE (on one model); Bluetooth 3.0; mini-display port; two USB ports; Chrome OS. Measures: 297.7 x 224.6 x 16.2 mm. Weighs: 1.52 kg (3.35 pounds). Cost: $1,299 (32GB WiFi); $1,449 (64GB WiFi/4G LTE). 1TB Google Drive storage is included free, for three years.
Storage. &quot;The three-year terabyte was a major factor in my going for the Pixel&quot;, Daniels says. &quot;The Pixel might be the perfect laptop for CIOs or CTOs who may well find themselves under circumstances not unlike my own. I&#039;m speaking purely from the storage point of view. The great OS and device are candy&quot;.﻿
Security. I feel safe using Chromebook, and I&#039;m not alone. &quot;The thing I think I&#039;m most excited about Chrome OS as a platform is security&quot;, MacAskill says. &quot;No real OS or storage to worry about, cloud-managed auto-updates, cloud monitoring for exploits, etc&quot;.﻿ Remember, a Mac user says this, and Apple&#039;s OS is considered to be much freer from malware than Windows.
The Answer
Chromebook Pixel isn&#039;t for most people, with price being major reason and inertia another. For example, if:

You never under any circumstances would spend more than $1,200 on a personal computer.
You are attached to using some desktop application, or recently purchased expensive software.
You depend on macros, templates or other customizations that are directly tied to an application.

Chromebook Pixel is for anyone willing to spend $1,200 or more on a computer and who:

Primarily writes
Is truly creative
Lives the Google lifestyle
Wants a touchscreen laptop
Primarily uses Chrome for everything
Wants to run Linux alongside Chrome OS
Loves being on the cutting edge of computing
Considers buying MacBook Pro 13-inch with Retina Display

To emphasize:
1. I am absolutely convinced that creative types will love Chromebook Pixel, and those, who like Horvath or MacAskill, give it a chance will discover in the Chrome Web Store apps they can use to make magic. 
2. Google enthusiasts will find that Pixel is the Chromebook they waited for. The computer is superbly handsome and feels fast in all the right ways. Everything syncs with their existing lifestyle.
3. Geeks like Torvalds will delight in the high-resolution touchscreen and possibilities, which include dual-booting some other operating systems (can you say Linux). They can have the cloud and legacy apps, too, with touch and beautiful bod.
That&#039;s a wrap, until part three.
Photo Credits: Joe Wilcox

 
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			<pubDate>Sat, 09 Mar 2013 03:16:46 EST</pubDate>
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			<title>Watch this! Surface Pro runs Android x86 rather than Windows 8 (video)</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/watch-this-surface-pro-runs-android-x86-rather-than-windows-8-video</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Check this out! One Surface Pro owner was able to install Android x86 rather than running the default Windows 8 operating system on the device, but it comes with some sacrifices. While the WiFi and Bluetooth features do not work, it is still nice to see someone able to install a competitors operating system on a Surface Pro.
read more]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:07:56 EST</pubDate>
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			<title>Cisco slashes mobile data growth rate forecast for Oz</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/cisco-slashes-mobile-data-growth-rate-forecast-for-oz</link>
			<description><![CDATA[Carriers will still need mobile-to-WiFi offload to cope With the spotlight on its very latest Visual Networking Index forecasts for mobile data, The Register is interested to note that Cisco has actually trimmed the five-year growth rate for Australian mobile data consumption.… ]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:07:58 EST</pubDate>
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			<title>Is Android 4.2 killing your Nexus&#039; battery life?</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/is-android-42-killing-your-nexus-battery-life</link>
			<description><![CDATA[My joy at receiving Nexus 7 32GB HSPA as a day-after-Christmas present turned to deep disappointment just two weeks later. Google replaced the device, and a second runs down the battery in about 15 hours, whether sitting idle or actively used. Near as I can tell, and others share my problem, Android 4.2 is root problem. My woes with the replacement tablet started with the point-two update, while others suffering similar misery report troubles with 4.2.1. Google really needs to fix this problem. Fast.
I wasted many hours troubleshooting. The prescribed fix is restore and reset, which I&#039;ve done about a half-dozen times. No change. Perhaps the cellular radio drains the battery fast. I removed the SIM. No change. Maybe one of my apps keeps Nexus 7 from going idle. I restored and set up with my wife&#039;s Google account. No change. The battery app consistently lists the &quot;screen&quot; as top consumer, which suggests something prevents the tablet from going idle. Last night, I charged up. Nine hours and thirty-minutes later, there is 45 percent charge. At that rate, I&#039;ll set a new record: 16 -- maybe even 17 -- hours to zero. What a lucky day this is.
Battery Drains When Off
My story starts with the returned tablet, which developed problems almost immediately after updating to Android 4.2.1. I observed unusually high battery drain when idle, considerably more than the 8GB tablet reviewed last summer. I got such good life, I didn&#039;t think about it. Definitely days. Stated standby in Google product marketing is 300 hours, 8 hours used. I easily got as good or better.
I never found out how much with the first 32 gigger, because the tablet got so little screen time before dying. Being busy the week after Christmas, I let Nexus 7 sit idle for three or four days, only to find the screen dark when looking to use it. My 8GB model never burned down the charge that fast. I plugged in, charged up and didn&#039;t worry. This time, I turned off the device. Two days later, the tablet wouldn&#039;t turn on. WTH? Plugging in revealed a dead battery. While off! 
On January 11, I posted to Google+ asking if anyone knew if the 3G radio somehow remained on even when the device was off and explained: &quot;The last two times I turned off the tablet after using. Both times, the second this morning, Nexus 7 wouldn&#039;t turn on. Black screen...all attempts to resuscitate my device have failed. I&#039;m unhappy returning it; being new and not much used&quot;.
I called Google Play customer support, which after hearing my problem and troubleshooting efforts, quickly processed a return. I received an email with link to order a new device at no charge, but got a $299 temporary authorization placed on my credit card (in case the defective unit wasn&#039;t returned). The replacement arrived two days later, and I shipped back the old one. Battery life returned to being exceptional.
Replacement Tablet Troubled, Too
But that changed after updating to Android 4.2.2. which started rolling out to Nexus devices on February 11. On Sunday February 17, I asked on Google+ if any one else had problems with battery drain:
Yesterday, I awoke to find the tablet dark, about 18 hours after charging. Nexus 7 wouldn&#039;t respond even after an hour on the socket. So I tried USB port on Surface Pro, which stirred some life. I later plugged into electrical and charged. This morning, I awoke to the battery drained again, well, nearly. Just 5 percent. This is highly abnormal. I did update to Android 4.2.2 either Thursday or Friday, I don&#039;t recall which.
If you check the online forums, many posters warn never to let Nexus 7 run down the battery, because restarting the device can be rather difficult. 
The failed troubleshooting started. Two days later, I lamented: &quot;For my purposes, the device is ruined. Battery life is consistently 15 hours or less no matter how little or much used. Sitting idle, unused, battery burns down in 15 hours. Gone are days of stand-by time&quot;.
While I had searched online for anyone else having problems, not until the weekend just passed did my efforts produce something enlightening and disappointing: Google Group discussion about Nexus 7 battery problems. The first post is November 18. Android 4.2 released five days earlier.
Nexus-shared Misery
Not only was I not alone, but other Google device owners had problems with Android 4.2 and 4.2.1, too. Some struggled with Galaxy Nexus as well. Muhammad Mulla posts about the 8GB Nexus 7: 
I have found that after the Nexus 7 OTA update to Android 4.2, my battery is draining a lot more quickly. There is also a square shape appearing on the side of the unlock screen. The battery drain issue is the most concerning, however. Previously the screen would be the highest power consumer, as it should be. Now, since the 4.2 update, battery drain is showing as 51 percent for Android OS, Google services as 13 percent and the screen as 9 percent. I am finding time between charges to be much shorter with similar usage.
Strange, for me, screen time increased with discharging problems. He, like me, runs stock Android, unrooted. &quot;I am having exactly the same issue, in fact mine is draining even when &#039;sleeping&#039;&quot;, Paul Apted responds. &quot;If I leave the Nexus in sleep mode at night, in the morning it has gone through 40 percent of the battery. On other forums a reset is suggested&quot;.
That didn&#039;t work for me, while other posters report success. 
&quot;After a factory reset my standby usage was better, but after about a week it went bad again (mostly &#039;Android OS&#039;)&quot;, Joel Luth posts. Then he states what I also observed: &quot;We&#039;re chasing multiple causes for the standby battery drain. Some of us see Android OS as the big consumer, others Play, Maps, Google Services, whatever. What helps one person may not help others because they have a different root problem&quot;.
December-vintage Devices
While different Nexus device users report similar battery-drain problems, there is little consistency what the device shows as the biggest consumer. Charge-to-zero times vary, as well. I should feel lucky. DionJL says his &quot;tablet rubs through a full charge in under 11 hours with no use&quot;.
On my replacement Nexus 7, battery doesn&#039;t discharge when turned off. Helen Ochej reports same kind of problem I had with my first 32GB model, which is same purchase vintage as hers:
I&#039;ve had my Nexus 7 since December 2012. I don&#039;t use it every day, so I turn if off when I&#039;m done with it.  After several days of not using it, I find the battery totally discharged.  The first time this happened, I recharged it, but had to reboot to get it to display. It just doesn&#039;t seem to hold a charge very long when it is not used every day. I&#039;m disappointed when I pick it up when I&#039;m going out, only to find it totally dead.
There are plenty more posts like these, lots of troubleshooting stories and modest success. Poster mrsi reports battery problems after updating to Android 4.2 -- resolved by what I consider drastic action: &quot;If you go to settings -&gt; apps -&gt; swipe to show ALL -&gt; then select &#039;google play services&#039;, you can hit DISABLE. This asked me whether I wanted to uninstall the updates to this app -- I said yes. Viola. My Nexus 7 now lasts 72 hours again on standby&quot;.
Evan Selinske &quot;Got my Nexus tab on Xmas -- worked great for two days while I ignored the prompts to update. After doing so, the battery drain was immediate and dramatic&quot;. He observed Google Play services as &quot;running constantly no matter what I did so I ignored all the dire warnings and disabled it. Result: After one day (it&#039;s early, I know) all seems peachy. Except of course for the effing update in the first place&quot;.
I haven&#039;t tried that one yet.
Report from Google+
Last night I posted again to Google+ about my battery woes, asking who else might have them. Brian Fagioli has &quot;battery drain on WiFi Nexus 7 since 4.2.2&quot;. Kevin Gault is &quot;running into the same battery drain on my GNex after going to 4.2.2. With so many having battery drain issues, I&#039;m thinking it is more an issue with the OS than the hardware&quot;.
At this point, I get about 5 percent of the standby time that Google marketing promises. That&#039;s unacceptable. Nexus 7 is pretty much useless to me now. I can&#039;t sell it for enough, not wanting to pass on the problem to someone else. I may see if Google Play will issue a refund. Whichever, something is not right here.

 
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:07:58 EST</pubDate>
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			<title>February Patch Tuesday delivers Connected Standby and WiFi fixes for Windows RT</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/february-patch-tuesday-delivers-connected-standby-and-wifi-fixes-for-windows-rt</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Today is February 12th, the day Microsoft releases security updates for this month&#039;s Patch Tuesday. But for those who own a Surface RT, today is also the day Microsoft releases some non-security updates for Windows RT, including a fix for the pesky Connected Standby and WiFi issues that many users were experiencing.
read more]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:07:49 EST</pubDate>
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			<title>Open Spectrum Does Not Mean Free Internet</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/open-spectrum-does-not-mean-free-internet</link>
			<description><![CDATA[CowboyRobot writes &quot;FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski recently proposed making RF spectrum publicly available, and many in the media (including the Washington Post) have been mistakenly conflating open access to WiFi signal with free Internet access; anyone can put up a wireless access point but that doesn&#039;t give them access to the Internet. The proposal will probably mean more attempts at providing free Internet access to specific neighborhoods or municipalities, but as Larry Seltzer at NetworkComputing points out, these programs also usually forget that access to signal is not the same as access to the Internet. After getting the funding to wire a city, these isn&#039;t money left to pay for the actual bandwidth usage.&quot;    Read more of this story at Slashdot.]]></description>
			<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:07:51 EST</pubDate>
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			<title>Surface Pro first-impressions review</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/surface-pro-firstimpressions-review</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Surface Pro is magnificent. A classic. It&#039;s the Windows experience you longed for but were denied. The tablet is a reference design for what -- and what not -- Microsoft OEM partners should achieve. The device is the past and future, pure personal computer and post-PC. Simply put: Surface Pro is jack of all trades, both master of many, and (gulp) none. Capabilities astound, yet quirks abound. But even they are endearing, giving Windows 8 Pro personality and dimension.
For the past five days, I&#039;ve had the privilege of using Surface Pro, which goes on sale February 9, as my primary PC. That&#039;s not enough time to fairly evaluate the tablet, which is why I write a first-impressions review. I&#039;ll add much more as my month with the device progresses. For now, I will share my early reactions, while offering context about Microsoft&#039;s objectives for the product and how well it achieves them. Unquestionably, Surface Pro isn&#039;t for everyone. But it could be for you.
Before We Start
I should begin by giving some personal context. For June 2012, I planned to spend the month using an Android tablet -- ASUS Pad 300 -- as my primary PC. Then, unexpectedly, as May closed, Google and Samsung announced the Series 5 550 Chromebook. I spent the next month on that computer and never looked back. 
For February, I prepped for the Android experiment again, this time with Google Nexus 10. But, again, a surprise switch; I got Surface Pro for review on January 31. So the grand tablet as primary PC is on again with different device and one likely to darkly color any future Android adventure.
I come to Surface Pro from a perspective probably unique to most other reviewers -- Chrome OS and working solely in a browser for the past seven months. I&#039;m also new to Windows 8, which will get separate review in a few weeks. My experience with the operating system was brief -- the Consumer Preview on an 11.6-inch Samsung slate for a few weeks in April 2012. 
So I bring fresh eyes to hardware and software but with muscle-memory experience using Windows the way we all remember it. Hopefully my unusual starting place brings fresh perspective. I believe so, but you tell me after reading the review.
Which? Pro or RT?
Surface is not one but two tablets, selling at juxtaposed prices, aimed at different market segments and using distinct system architectures. Anyone considering Surface should ask which is better choice, hence why my review starts with question: Which one? Surface Pro stands out from RT in three distinctive ways: Speed, screen and software. I&#039;ll explain how in this section and the next.
Surface RT competes with iPad and costlier Androids and like them uses ARM architecture. The operating system, Windows RT, looks like 8 Pro but appearances deceive. Both present two motifs -- the more traditional Desktop and newer Modern UI. But only on Surface Pro can users expect to install and use legacy applications coded for x86 chips. If you have need to run any Windows software, Pro is the only choice. RT users can expect to get apps from the built-in Windows Store -- some of which run in Desktop mode, Office 2013 being one of them.

Pricing matters. The two tablets look similar at first glance, but Surface RT is considerably slimmer and lighter -- about the same as iPad or Nexus 10. Price starts at $499 versus $899 for Surface Pro. Microsoft prices the thinner tablet against iPad and the other meets MacBook Air and Windows ultrabooks. Contrary to FUD spewed by the Apple Fanclub of analysts, bloggers, journalists and other writers, Surface Pro is not overpriced and doesn&#039;t compete with iPad. Stated correctly: iPad can&#039;t compete with Surface Pro. Performance and broader capabilities simply aren&#039;t comparable, which is one among many reasons why the new 128GB iPad, which went on sale today for as much as $929, is overpriced compared to Microsoft&#039;s flagship tablet.
Surface Pro specs. 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display with 1920 by 1080 resolution; 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor and HD 4000 graphics; 4GB RAM; 64GB or 128GB storage; 720p front- and rear-facing cameras (meaning they&#039;re for video more than photos); accelerometer; ambient-light sensor; compass; gyroscope; Wi-Fi A/N; Bluetooth 4; USB 3; Windows Pro 8. Dimensions and weight: 10.81 x 6.81 x 0.53 inches and just under 2 pounds. Price: $899 (64GB); $999 (128GB).
Surface RT specs. 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display with 1366 by 768 resolution; Nvidia T30 processor; 2GB RAM; 32GB or 64GB storage; 720p front- and rear-facing cameras; accelerometer; ambient-light sensor; barometer; magnetometer; Wi-Fi A/N; Bluetooth 4; Windows RT. Dimensions and weight: 10.81 x 6.77 x 0.37 inches and just under 1.5 pounds. Price: $499 (32GB); $599 (32GB with keyboard cover); $599 (64GB); $699 (64GB with keyboard cover).
Keyboards. Microsoft offers two different keyboard covers, Touch and Type, which retail separately for $129.99. Type keys are more traditional and physically prominent. Touch Keyboard is more recessed and my preference.
Value proposition. RT comes with Office 2013 Home and Student, while Pro, which uses digitized display, has a stylus. From that vantage point, Surface RT is hybrid device -- touch and keyboard, tablet and notebook alternative -- while the costlier model is more tribrid, by adding the stylus.
For anyone looking for value, the lighter model makes sense. Everyone else, particularly those wanting benefits of touch, keyboard and existing software, should chose Pro.
For those buyers wanting better battery life, Microsoft claims 9 hours (or more) for RT and 4 to 5 hours for Pro.

In retrospect, Microsoft chose wrongly by releasing Surface RT first, October 26 concurrently with Windows 8. Particularly looking at the tepid computer lineup from partners, Surface Pro would have really stood out and sold better than RT -- or so I believe. Also, the market better accepts perceived price cut than increase. Surface RT released now would look like a bargain compared to the costlier tablet.
Scratching the Surface
Hours after unboxing Surface Pro, I handed it to my wife. She spoke the words I had thought in first reaction: &quot;Heavy&quot; and &quot;fast&quot;. They stuck with me for the past five days, as I adapted to the tablet&#039;s heft and its speed spoiled me. The slate weighs 907 gram -- that&#039;s the aforementioned 2 pounds, Americans and Brits. Nexus 10 is 603 grams (1.33 pounds). But the VaporMg chasis gives extra sense of heft and also ruggedness. The case is considerably thicker than most other tablets, but tapered such it seems to disappear. The design approach reminds of some Lenovo ThinkPads.
In the hand. The tablet&#039;s weight and heft will trouble some users. My concerns dispatched within a few hours. But the real test is to come. Prolonged use over several weeks will reveal much.
Heft is well-packaged. Surface Pro is a luxury car, a classic sportster with defined lines and metal exterior. By comparison, my ARM Chromebook looks and feels like a fiber-glass Ford. Better: Yugo to Aston Martin. There&#039;s something Euro-car about the smoky exterior and boxy, slanted sides. Surface Pro&#039;s handsome, rugged design is a Siren&#039;s call to the hands. To touch, to feel, to caress.
Fast setup. The tablet sets up in seconds if you&#039;re a fast typist. Process is little more than powering up, connecting to WiFi, entering in Microsoft Account ID and choosing default or advanced setup (former for me). The process is similar to other portables running Windows 8 Pro. But from there, Microsoft&#039;s tablet pulls ahead. 
Stunning screen. The display is beautiful -- exceptional for the size class, and that conceding iPad 4 and Nexus 10 have higher resolution; but they aren&#039;t digitized. Microsoft maximizes the enjoyment by providing beautifully designed stock Start screen apps. I haven&#039;t seen them look better on any other Windows slates (Hey, I hang out at Microsoft Store doing some Windows shopping).
The screen is 400 nit, but feels brighter. That&#039;s comparable to MacBook Air (hint, hint again about the competing product).
Performance. Then there is the speed. The beast roars and runs fast. Windows Experience rating is 5.6, held back by the graphics processor. The sold-state drive is 8.1 and 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor is 6.9 -- on a scale of 9.9. But overall responsiveness feels like a 10. For sense of speed in the real world, which is the best benchmark: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 installed in less than 60 seconds (before the required reboot).

Real storage space. My Surface is the 128GB model, and I received it with about 90GB free space. I recommend using it for apps and storing data in the cloud. Microsoft SkyDrive is easily accessible from the Start screen. The 64GB model only has 23GB of free space, which won&#039;t be enough for data and the demanding apps I expect most users will install. Pay the extra $100.
Big benefits. There&#039;s something to be said for maturity. Youngsters tend to believe they know better, that they&#039;re more modern. But Android and iOS, even Chrome OS, are new kids in town. By comparison, you can feel the maturity in Windows 8, on Surface Pro with Intel Core. Performance is smooth, software responsive and feeling of solidness everywhere. Software, hardware and services integration is tight -- the best I&#039;ve seen on anything. Yes, more than Mac laptops or tablets.
Simple example of maturity related to usability: The Start screen presents different options for my Epson Artisan 730 WiFi printer -- including driver update. Windows 8 Pro found the networked peripheral and provides what I need to use it, unprompted.
Surface Pro is the computer you waited for and proves that Microsoft should have designed and sold its own PCs long ago, and leaves me feeling something strongly: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is indebted to former Windows &amp; Windows Live president Steven Sinofsky and should be careful about who&#039;s fired next.
You Need to Read This
Surface Pro is the most important platform product to come out of Microsoft since Windows NT 4. The operating system was foundational for what followed, Windows 2000 and XP, particularly. NT 4 represented in-house developers&#039; thinking about what a modern OS should be and the capabilities that should extend to developers. The same could be said of Windows 8 and RT, but more. Microsoft seeks tighter integration between software, hardware and services. Surface Pro culminates all three, providing existing customers a lifeline to the past while extending forward to new digital lifestyle -- anytime, anywhere computing.
Like Windows NT 4, Surface Pro is a transitional product. Microsoft&#039;s platform goals are more about Modern UI and doing away with the Desktop motif. But the company has a longstanding tradition, unlike Apple, of ensuring backward compatibility for older apps -- and to a fault. This approach has often held back future Windows development. Surface Pro runs older apps via the Desktop, while offering the familiar keyboard experience many longstanding PC users demand. But tablet size, touchscreen, Modern UI, cloud service integration and other attributes push forward. Windows 8 Pro and this tablet together seek to be the best of the past, present and future. It is a haughty ambition.
Windows 8 and RT fulfill design ambitions Microsoft tried to bring to market in the 1990s. Modern UI derives heritage from the Active Desktop, which the software giant released before its time. Internet pipes reaching businesses, or even consumers, weren&#039;t fat enough in the late 1990s, and there wasn&#039;t enough quality content. But Microsoft had the right idea. Live titles transform the desktop into a living, breathing thing. It responds to you, anticipates you. I simply cannot express the sheer value, when set alongside aspects of the overall user interface.
The best user interfaces make products more human, more approachable and responsive. The human body doesn&#039;t have one UI, but many working together, giving dimension to living -- sight, sound and touch, primarily. The best products are similar. Visuals are important because they appeal to sight, and the eyes are the main tool by which we take in the world around us. Modern UI is beautiful, as are many of the active -- seemingly living -- cues it provides. There, Live titles add richness and movement to Surface Pro running Windows 8 Pro.

But humans are primarily tool users. We look and then touch. Keyboard and mouse are unnatural constructions, even though they are so familiar to a generation of PC users. But touch is more natural and extension of you. There&#039;s more intimacy involved with touching something on the screen than interacting with it via keyboard and mouse.
Surface Pro&#039;s screen is the most accurate I&#039;ve ever used. Even touching text in this document hits the right spot every time. Cutting and pasting is easiest on any touch device tested. The little circle that marks the finger&#039;s touch looks good and works even better. Dragging it with my finger highlights text. Accurately.
But where touch brings Surface Pro alive is the Start screen chock full of tiles with content in motion. The user experience is far superior to Android or iOS. The desktop looks so alive, so quickly responds to touch, I could swear that it breathes.
Beneath the Surface
More than Surface RT, Pro users will spend time in Desktop mode. Apps and usability across motifs matter much, but more function of software than hardware.
Windows 8 reviews. My colleague Mihaita Bamburic posted a lengthy Windows 8 review in October, while developer Robert Johnson delivered a compelling series:

Windows 8 is a compelling story
Windows 8 simplifies computing
Windows 8 is a graphic shift in computing habits

I highly recommend these four for getting a good sense of what to expect from Windows 8 Pro. My perspective here is more about usability on Microsoft&#039;s tablet and how it matches up to the design goals laid out in the previous section.
Apps availability. Microsoft is with Windows 8 where Apple was with OS X in 2001 -- presenting developers and users with dual-motif. But integration between Desktop and Modern UI is much tighter and moving between them smoother than was the Mac environments.
Apple struggled to get developers to create apps -- thanks largely to Windows XP, which released the same year. Microsoft sees similar developer distraction from Android and iOS. If it&#039;s any measure, major apps took nearly four years migrating to OS X. Windows has an advantage -- a built-in app store that promises developers payments rather than piracy.
Tragically, the app selection isn&#039;t sufficient and won&#039;t be for some time. That makes the software you have now all the more important and another reason why Surface Pro is better choice than RT. My colleague Martin Brinkman writes regular column &quot;Best Windows 8 apps this week&quot;. On Friday, he reported 27,282 apps available from Windows Store -- the majority of which won&#039;t matter much to hardcore Pro users. They&#039;ll want productivity apps and real PC games.
I hope that with Surface Pro&#039;s actual release more apps will go native. But it&#039;s hard to imagine developer enthusiasm when Microsoft misses with Office 2013, which can be accessed from Modern UI Start screen but runs in Desktop mode. The company sets a terrible example for developers and does deep disservice to customers. Office, as the primary productivity program I expect Pro&#039;s target market will use, should be fully usable from the new motif. The few native Windows apps Microsoft provides are simply exquisite and demonstrate what Office could have been as Modern UI flagship application.
Some of the Desktop apps turn the stomach. Chrome is butt ugly. I blame Google developers for making no real effort to support Surface Pro, and I understand there is some bad blood because of third-party browser restriction on Windows RT. Surface Pro&#039;s magnificent display makes Chrome look all the worse, while Internet Explorer is a gem. Fonts are major reason.
Generally, Google is a lost cause on Surface Pro. The search giant develops beautiful apps for competing iOS but largely ignores newest Windows. How strange is that? I resort to accessing Gmail and Google+ in Internet Explorer 10 on Modern UI. The services stun, they look so good on Surface Pro&#039;s screen.
Desktop Mode. Functionally, the two motifs demonstrate fine workmanship -- they so seamlessly mesh. Usability is another matter. Moving from one motif to another is jarring, in part because the one is so exquisite and expansive. Where Modern UI feels alive, Desktop is dead -- dull, uninviting. It&#039;s a graveyard, by comparison. I don&#039;t want to work there.
While the more familiar motif, Desktop doesn&#039;t respond to the user the way Start screen does. Touch is often rejected, rather than welcomed. The touch accuracy I praised earlier is for Modern UI. In the other motif I sometimes struggle to get even the close button to respond. From that perspective, Surface Pro disappoints, particularly since the whole point is backward compatibility to existing apps. Which run where? In the graveyard.

While Microsoft reaches for the future, Desktop can&#039;t escape Windows&#039; past. On February 1, I received the Nexus 4 ordered from Google Play for my wife. On Groundhog Day, I prepared her Galaxy Nexus for sale and used it as opportunity to look at Surface Pro media transfer capabilities. Windows 8 Pro easily detected the handset and offered several tools via Desktop mode. I dragged the DCIM folder with photos to the desktop. While looking over pics, I wanted to post one to Google+. The file manager presents &quot;Share&quot; as one default option in the menu bar. Excellent! But the Share feature is for enabling access to other users, not posting to social networks or emailing, which is what I intended. Surely some commenters will bark: &quot;What did you expect? This is how Windows works&quot;. Yes, but sharing now means something quite different to many people.
There are reasons then why in the previous section I refer to Surface Pro as a transitional product and allude to Windows NT 4. Microsoft&#039;s tablet offers many compelling features and represents a vision for the future, which likely is Windows 9 running on the device. For the present, users must contend with two motifs and sometimes conflicting (and confusing) ways of working. That said, the shortcoming -- quirks, if you will -- give the product personality and dimension. iPad and iOS are flat, manicured landscapes by comparison. Surface Pro and Windows Pro are together the jungle -- rich and lush throughout but not free of barren areas.
The point: I much prefer working on Surface Pro, and even the Desktop graveyard has its charms. But do bring along a keyboard.
How I Surface
Microsoft&#039;s tablet challenges me, because I come from a different place than the target customer. As mentioned about 2,500 words ago, I moved from Chromebook, working in a browser for about seven months. Google&#039;s motif is fairly contained, with most mouse movement restricted to tabs across the top of the screen. Surface Pro demands more work with fingers going every which way, such as pulling down a thumbnails of open web pages rather than simple tabs.
Modern UI. To my surprise, I find all the movement kind of refreshing, even fun, like using more of my senses -- and fingers as tools -- to get work done. Additionally, I find Modern UI absolute joy to use -- on this machine. Yes, the motif demands more work, such as seemingly endless scrolling left or right. But the design appeals and draws me in. It&#039;s immersive and as previously expressed alive.
There is something about Modern UI that is different on this computer. I&#039;ve spent some time at my local Microsoft Store using Windows 8 or RT on various PCs or tablets. My reaction, like when using the Samsung slate last year, was ho-hum. But Modern UI enthralls here, and I largely credit Surface Pro&#039;s bright, crisp display and smooth, speedy performance.
Touch and type. I interact with Surface Pro using fingers on screen or keyboard in both motifs. The tablet has a kickstand that tilts the display back at a satisfying angle. I attach the Touch Keyboard, which gives audible electronically-generated sound when tapped. I adapted to the keyboard in less than an hour of typing this review, which I started writing on WordPress in IE10 almost immediately.
During the workday, Surface Pro rarely leaves the desk, although over the month will go on jaunts to the coffee shop to see what shakes up. At night, I sometimes sit the slate on my lap and work. While the default on-screen keyboard is too large for my tastes, typing more than satisfies. Here we go with another benefit of the screen. I can type just about as well on-screen as off, Microsoft&#039;s keyboard is so responsive. No Android tablet or iPad that I&#039;ve used compares.

I simply can&#039;t express the importance of this benefit, which works in concert with another: Surface Pro&#039;s screen is viewable from pretty much an angle -- clear and crisp, with no distortion. As a hybrid device meant as tablet and laptop, the latter concerns. Kickstand and Touch Keyboard aren&#039;t lap friendly. But Surface laid in the lap is highly functional with touch keys and brilliant display. I can work this way, and so can you. It&#039;s superior to iPad or, say, Nexus 10 similarly used.
I interchangeably use trackpad and touchscreen. Microsoft makes a Surface mouse, but I don&#039;t need it, and neither should you if you really give touch a chance.
Battery life. I can&#039;t get give comprehensive report on battery life. Several discharges in different usage situations will be necessary. That said, while writing this review, I unplugged the power cord at 9 am PST today. Ninety minutes later, set to &quot;balanced mode&quot;, Windows 8 Pro reported 55 percent charge left, or 3 hours 5 minutes. At 12:30, 36 percent and 90 minutes remaining. At 1:30, a message flashed across the screen warning just 10 percent charge remained. Fifteen minutes later, with 8-percent warning, and Windows claiming 23 minutes usage time left, I plugged in. Likely then, charge would have gone 5 hours. That&#039;s on par with marketed battery life.
Challenges. Being fresh to Windows 8, I don&#039;t know fully where usability ends and my ignorance begins. For example, the group chat service we use at work doesn&#039;t have a Windows 8 app. So I use IE10. Problem: I get no notifications, and the service disconnects when I work in other tabs. Same can be said for Gmail or Google+. Now matters would be much better if I lived a Microsoft lifestyle connected to more of the company&#039;s services and other devices. Start screen would display much of what I need.
Users spending more time in the Desktop graveyard can expect typical third-party apps and services support. As for Metro UI, Surface Pro isn&#039;t the problem but application maturity, which will come over time.
Wrapping up, potential users will want to weigh applications against everything else, what&#039;s needed or wanted. Surface Pro demands changes to longstanding habits and will jar some users traversing the two motifs. Adapt if you can and be rewarded but expect some usability penalty along the way.
Surface Pro is Jack of all trades, attempting to be many things and doing some better than others. Imperfections glare because the broader experience is so clean -- and fun. There are shortcomings, but returning to the auto analogy they are easily overlooked. Idiosyncratic is the word sometimes used to describe the best, classic cars, which are appreciated more for their beauty and handling.
Surface Pro&#039;s shortcomings, like those of classic cars, add character. In a sea of sameness, where so many PCs or tablets are hard to tell apart, Microsoft&#039;s slate stands out. If only other device manufacturers made as much effort as Microsoft to truly innovate. By that measure, Surface Pro achieves greatness, faults and all.
Photo Credits: Joe Wilcox

 
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 05 Feb 2013 22:08:09 EST</pubDate>
			</item><item>
			<title>Grab your wallet, iPad 128GB is for sale</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/grab-your-wallet-ipad-128gb-is-for-sale</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
We recently learned that Apple would release a 128GB tablet. Well, that day has finally arrived -- two versions of the new, mega storage, iPad are up for sale now in the Apple store online and, likely, in the company&#039;s retail locations as well.
There are two flavors of this apple available -- a WiFi-only that retails for $799 and a version with WiFi plus cellular connectivity. The latter will lighten your wallet by $929. The cellular version can work with either Sprint, AT&amp;T or Verizon. You will need to choose your network during the purchase process. You can also choose a financing plan of six, 12 or 18 months. Given the price, you may need one of those plans. All models are available to ship in &quot;1-3 business days&quot;.
I am not sure why a person would need 128GB of storage on an iPad, but if you plan to store a lot of media on the device and don&#039;t mind spending $1,000 (after tax) then this is the ideal model for you. It is also likely in response to the upcoming release of the Microsoft Surface Pro, which is also available in a 128GB model and will be on sale next week. The good news is, that this new iPad will almost certainly have more storage available than that upcoming Microsoft tablet.

 
]]></description>
			<pubDate>Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:08:04 EST</pubDate>
			</item><item>
			<title>HP releases the chunkiest Chromebook</title>
			<link>http://w3bguru.com/news/article/hp-releases-the-chunkiest-chromebook</link>
			<description><![CDATA[
Is it my imagination, or does each new Chromebook get bulkier than the last? Today HP joined the Google operating system family, introducing the heaviest model (1.8 kg/3.96 pounds) with largest display (14 inches). Lenovo&#039;s ThinkPad Chromebook, announced in mid-January, is a tad lighter but the Acer C7, with smaller screen, is thicker. Perhaps the problem is this: PC manufacturers adapt low-cal Windows notebooks to Chrome OS; new Acer, HP and Lenovo models are more licensing plays than any attempt to innovate.
For PC manufacturers looking to offer something other than Windows, pay nothing for an operating system or capitalize on Google&#039;s bulging brand name, Chrome OS is enticing option. The lack of real investment, which demonstrates no sincere commitment, is wrong way to win or satisfy customers. Samsung proves the better Chromebook partner, by at least making some effort around system design, including adapting ARM processors.
Too Little
Last week, responding to rumors about the HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook, David Hoff posts to Google+: &quot;I&#039;m hopeful manufacturers also cater to the high end/power user segment by providing more than 2 GB of memory. To date, I&#039;ve not heard of any machines that match the Samsung 550 in terms of performance. I&#039;d like to see a machine with 8 GB of RAM, as my tab sprawl has doubled&quot;.
He&#039;s right. Simply doubling memory to 4GB makes Samsung Series 5 550 Chromebook much more usable than newcomers. I moved from top-line MacBook Air to the 550 last May and found performance more than adequate. The Series 3 model feels sluggish, by comparison, particularly how Chrome OS refreshes tabs to keep memory from running out. That Chromebook has 2GB of fixed RAM; no easy upgrades, if at all.
If the operating system is free to license, what&#039;s a couple bucks more for 4GB RAM? Because the Acer and HP models (presumably the Lenovo, which isn&#039;t yet for sale) are based on Windows machines, at least memory is upgradeable, unlike the Samsungs, which I consider to be more pure Chromebooks.
RAM is basic, and misses the bigger problem: real effort by most PC manufacturers to release compelling and original Chromebook designs or to offer beyond basic hardware.
HP Pavilion 14-c010us Chromebook specs: 1.1GHZ Intel Celeron 847 processor; 14-inch LED display with 1366 x 768 resolution; 2GB of RAM (upgradeable to 4GB); Intel HD graphics; 16GB SSD; three USB ports; HDMI port; WiFi N; Bluetooth; Ethernet; and Chrome OS. Weighs 3.96 pounds. Price: $329.99.
The Pavilion 14 Chromebook is based on the Pavilion 14 Sleekbook, which packs, at the base $399.99 price: dual-core AMD processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive and Windows 8 64-bit. 
Some Google+ posters see the problems I do: &quot;The HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook&#039;s bigger screen means heavier weight and poorer batter life&quot;, Richi Jennings says. &quot;Also, it&#039;s the same actual resolution as its smaller competitors&quot;.
Specs underwhelm, while the Pavilion hefts up, without offering real advantages for it. I certainly don&#039;t want lesser screen resolution on larger display.
Steve Hall asks the right question: &quot;Doesn&#039;t this kinda miss the point of being a Chromebook, then?&quot; Yes, it does. Jeff Dunn shares similar sentiment: &quot;HP joining the Chromebook game, but it seems to me like it&#039;s missing the point. Hope I&#039;m wrong&quot;. I wish that you were.
Too Late
HP is a big partner for Google to gain, because the OEM is, along with Dell, among the most loyal to Windows. &quot;Looks like more and more manufacturers are fleeing from Windows&quot;, Norbert Rittel opines. Brandon Padgett asks: &quot;Who&#039;s next?&quot;
Doesn&#039;t matter. There is a lot of excitement around Chromebook, which looks like a hit in the making. But same could be said about netbooks four years ago. Numerous analyst firms predicted the portables would easily take 10 percent of PC sales. Now netbooks are virtually gone. Strangely, by the specs, Chromebooks aren&#039;t far removed. 
I see in Chromebook a similar approach to netbooks: Manufacturers taking a cheapskate approach. Prices and configures underwhelm. But the OS is different and promises much if utilized. OEMs are only good for the platform if they make it more appealing. Instead they are true to character, by offering as little as possible to eke out pennies more margins.
Google really needs to step up the game here, before Chromebook momentum is game over. The market won&#039;t sustain these low-powered computers once the excitement wears thin, and it will. PC manufacturers aren&#039;t just looking for a free ride, meaning paying no Windows licensing fees. They want to cut component costs to the bone, something they think is possible because of Chrome OS seemingly lighter spec requirements. 
Using Chromebooks full-time for nearly 10 months I can attest that more is better. This is a browser running on Linux after all, and it largely depends on life-sucking Adobe Flash for many web apps. 
It&#039;s time for some Google leadership, which we saw with the first Samsung Chromebooks. The difference is proven. Android tablets were dead on arrival before the search giant took charge on numerous fronts, such as establishing better screen-size standards, relaunching the app market as Google Play and releasing not one, but two, exciting tablets -- Nexus 7 and 10, with partners ASUS and Samsung. 
Chromebook looked good going into the holidays, with release of the affordable and slim Samsung Series 3, which packs ARM rather than Intel processor. Somebody put thought into that mobile, which contrasts against the thoughtless models coming from the aforementioned three OEMs. 
Chromebook is a seed looking for earth. Google must plant it, water it and nurture it. Otherwise, the Windows 8 storm will someday wash away the crop.

 
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			<pubDate>Mon, 04 Feb 2013 20:08:04 EST</pubDate>
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