Posts filed under 'Computers, Laptops & Desktops'
With the announcement of the newest version of the Kindle, Amazon Kindle DX, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at the evolution of the device.
THE KINDLE
The first generation of the Kindle was released November 19, 2007. It can be found at Amazon (new & used) from $257.00. It sold out in 5 hours of its initial offering.
Features include:
a 6-inch display retailed for $399
Just over 1/3 of an inch and 10.3 ounces
Holds over 200 titles
3G wireless allows you to download books right from your Kindle without the hassle of finding Wifi or connecting to a computer.
No monthly wireless bills, service plans, or commitments—we take care of the wireless delivery so you can simply click, buy, and read.
Less than a minute to download a book
Review of the Kindle
THE KINDLE 2
The Kindle 2 was available for purchase on February 23, 2009 for $359. It featured improved battery life on the original with 20 percent faster page-refreshing, and a text-to-speech option to read the text aloud. It’s thickness was reduced from 0.8 to 0.36 inches. It is estimated to hold 1500 books. Unlike the original, Kindle 2 does not have a slot for SD memory cards.
Review of the Kindle 2
KINDLE DX
On May 6, 2009, Amazon announced the newest version of the Kindle, the Kindle DX. It currently retails for $489 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon with an expected release date in the third quarter of 2009. This device seems to be targeted more towards bringing the newspaper readers as well as students who may need a larger screen for their text books.
Features include:
Just over 1/3 of an inch in width and 9.7″ diagonal
18.9 ounces.
Holds up to 3,500 books, periodicals, and documents
Display auto-rotates from portrait to landscape as you turn the device so you can view full-width maps, graphs, tables, and Web pages
Native PDF support allows you to carry and read all of your personal and professional documents on the go
3G wireless
free wireless delivery of books in less than 60 seconds
Read for days without recharging
text-to-speech feature
Over 275,000 books; New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases are only $9.99, unless marked otherwise
With the great success of all these devices, the Kindle is not going away anytime soon. So, it makes you question, what is the next evolution of the Kindle?
May 8th, 2009
LG recently announced its new W53 SMART Monitor Series featuring a few SMART technologies that offer better picture quality, and a feature that helps reduce eyestrain during extended use, with features like a timer that reminds you to take a break from work at predetermined intervals. Another Smart feature includes Auto Brightness that automatically optimizes brightness and other picture settings based on the ambient light in the room and the content being viewed. Another SMART feature is the setting,Cinema Mode, where everything on the screen is blacked out except for the video clip to bring the focus on the content.
LG’s W53 SMART Monitors are available in sizes from 18.5 to 27 inches. Monitors larger than 21.5 inches offer 1920 x 1080p Full HD resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio, making them the perfect fit for Full HD movies and games. The monitors also boast a digital fine contrast ratio of up to 50,000:1 and a 2ms response time.
Via Gear Live
Gear Live is also giving away a 52-inch LG Scarlet Series HDTV! Go HERE for more details.
For other LG reviews head over to the LG Expo or check out this review of LG W1952TQ 19-Inch Widescreen LCD Monitor
April 16th, 2009
The HP 2133 Mini-Note PC is a new full-function, mini-notebook PC priced starting under $500. The Mini Note features a large 8.9-inch diagonal WXGA display, full QWERTY keyboard, anodized aluminum shell, Wi-Fi, and weighs around 2.5 pounds. It weighs in at just 1.27 kg, with a large 8.9-inch WXGA display. It starts at $499 and will be available later this month.
Check out reviews of other HP products like the HP Pavilion dv9000 Notebook
March 24th, 2009
According to Obsessable:
There are rumors coming from China that Taiwan-based company Wintek is working with Apple to supply touch panel screens for a new Apple netbook-type device scheduled for a Q3 2009 release. Steve Jobs has said they are not producing one but the rumors continue.. maybe they should fill the want?
Google’s Android operating system could be compiled to run on existing netbooks, and recent comments by Google CEO Erick Schmidt are now being construed by several different publications to mean that Google is actually working on building a Google netbook.
I guess we will just have to wait for official confirmation before we can really be excited for the Netbooks..
Until then! check out some other netbooks like the HP Mini 1030NR Netbook reviewed by fjangelone:
March 10th, 2009
Eco-friendly Mac geeks rejoice! The new Mac Minis have arrived and they are, according to Apple.com, the world’s most energy efficient desktop computer. Not to mention they are adorable too, if you’re into adorable electronics.
Apple created this compact desktop computer with the following green specs:
* BFR-free
* PVC-free (internal cables)
* Highly recyclable aluminum and polycarbonate enclosure
* Meets ENERGY STAR Version 5.0 requirements
* Rated EPEAT Gold
Find out what Expo member nico thought of the original Mac Mini.
Read why one Apple fan from TheAppleBlog.com is definitely going to make the new Mac Mini his next purchase.
Are you picking up the green Mac Mini for yourself? Be sure to share your opinion of it at Expo!
March 6th, 2009
Sony revealed its $900 “Lifestyle” P series Vaio portable at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas about a month ago. It is now offering a $200 Rebate on the device, only to Verizon Wireless mobile-broadband subscribers who activate or renew a two-year contract for 3G network access. Which makes it convenient that the Vaio P only works with the Verizon network anyways. The rebate comes in the form of a debit card, and activation is required by March 31.
Check out reviews of various Sony Vaio models such as this review of the Sony VAIO SR190NEB Notebook by bbhill:
February 3rd, 2009
Everyone seems to be cutting costs in some way these days. The internet is a necessity that would be hard for me to give up. With advances in modern technology, there are option to your average laptop in the form of a cheaper and smaller netbook that can still do all the basics.
Netbooks are “light-weight, economical, energy-efficient laptop that are designed for wireless communication and Internet access. Suitable for web browsing, email, and general purpose applications, netbooks are targeted increasingly at cloud computing users who rely on servers and require a less powerful client computer.”
The bare-bones, $200 Asus EeePC laptop includes these basics but at $200 it’s hard not to take notice:
* Display: 7″
* Processor: Intel mobile CPU (Intel 910 chipset, 900MHz Dothan Pentium M)
* Memory: 512MB RAM
* OS: Linux (Asus customized flavor)
* Storage: 8GB or 16GB flash hard drive
* Webcam: 300K pixel video camera
* Battery life: 3 hours using 4-cell battery
* Weight: 2lbs
* Dimensions: 8.9 in x 6.5 in x 0.82 in - 1.37 in (width x depth x thickness)
* Ports: 3 USB ports, 1 VGA out, SD card reader, modem, Ethernet, headphone out, microphone in
Check out review of another netbook the ASUS Eee PC 1000 Netbook reviewed here by Crazysamz:
January 28th, 2009
The latest version of Apple’s iLife will be shipped today. The new software comes with updates to iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand. iLife ‘09 will be bundled with all Macs starting Tuesday and will cost $79 if you’re planning to upgrade from an earlier version. If you bought a Mac after the new version was announced on January 6, you can upgrade for just $9.95. Mac OS X Leopard and either an Intel or 867MHz or faster G4 Mac are required to run the software, according to Apple.
Some fun new features that were previewed at Macworld this year include:
iPhoto ’09: Organize photos two new ways: Faces, based on who’s in your photos, and Places, based on where your photos were taken. Then share on Facebook or Flickr with a click.
iMovie ’09: Make a great movie in the time you have. Choose a dynamic theme to enhance your movie in seconds. Or refine every shot with the Precision Editor.
GarageBand ’09: Learn to play piano and guitar. Learn songs from the artists who made them famous. Rock like a legend with new guitar amps and stompbox effects.
iWeb ’09:Design a website to share your photos, movies, and music just by dragging and dropping. Add new dynamic widgets and publish and share with a click.
Check out a review of iLife 08 and decide for yourself if you need an upgrade:
January 27th, 2009
Sony announced VAIO P series netbook, equipped with Verizon WWAN 3G mobile broadband, at the ongoing CES 2009 expo. The netbook will begin shipping in February at price of $900. It is just under an inch thick and weighs less than 1.4 pounds. Its unique design makes it easy to slide inside your overcoat pocket or bag. VAIO P sports 1.6GHz CPU and 128GB SSD instead of HDD. Running Windows Vista, VAIO P also features XMB interface (XrossMediaBar) for faster access to key functions. This netbook also includes WiFi 802.11n, GPS and Bluetooth for connectivity options.
For reviews of other netbooks like the ASUS Eee PC 1000 Netbook by Crazysams:
January 8th, 2009
Macworld 2009 is now going on from January 4-9 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Yesterday the key note speech was given by Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller. He introduced the world to the Faces and Places features on iPhoto. The Faces feature: “can sort photos by person, with something called Face Detection, which gets the first hushed awe from the Macworld crowd. It finds photos with the same person once you’ve tagged a photo with someone’s name.” While Places: “lets you organize your photos around various cities. Places uses GPS geotagging to organize your photos, working with various digital cameras and the iPhone to embed geotags into your photo. The software can ascertain the exact locations within a city.”
Support for Facebook and Flikr were also presented: “You can upload photos from iPhoto directly to Facebook with a new button, and can also take the photo-labeling conventions in Facebook and download those back to your Mac. Same thing for Flickr, which supports the geotagging software.”
Apple has always been a leader in innovation so it is exciting to see what else they will come out with next.
Check out reviews of other Apple products like this Apple MacBook Pro Notebook by horses:
-Froso
January 7th, 2009
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