Author Archive: Gareth

Seasoned tech blogger. Host of the Tech Addicts podcast.

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By December 30, 2013 Read More →

Another Notion Ink Adam?

Notion Ink AdamBack in 2010 when Android tablets were seen as a gamble and often compared to oversized smartphones, many companies chanced their arm to shape the tablet scene. Advent, Toshiba and Samsung were making waves however there were an number of smaller companies pushing their way into the spotlight. One of these was Notion Ink, an Indian company who spent most of 2010 putting together a mindful and exciting tablet experience.

The Notion Ink Adam was a tablet I really wanted to get my hands on, however I never managed to. Running a Nvidia Tegra 250 processor with a 1 GHz Dual Core Cortex A9 the Adam delivered Android 2.2 Froyo with a heavy overlay that dared to be an all in one companion. 

2-angled

 

3-angled-2

Recently Notion Ink have launched the Adam II. A surprise as few expected the Adam to have been popular enough to have warranted a follow up.

  •  1.5GHz Dual Core Cortex A9
  • Quad-Core Mali 400 (clocked at 400MHz)
  • DDR3 1GB (clocked at 400MHz)
  • 10.1″(diagonal), 1280×800 resolution with Wide Viewing Angle & IPS technology
  • Multi-touch Capacitive & Asahi Scratch Resistant Glass
  • Super Twister Nematic (STN), 100×5 pixels, 2 Displays
  • WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 3G (Data only, no calls)
  • 8GB internal Memory, Mirco-SD card support (up to 32GB)
  • 3.15MP front and back with BSI Technology, 720p HD Video Recording
  • Mini-HDMI, High speed micro USB 2.0 (OTG) & 3.5mm Headphone Jack
  • Dual 1.0W front facing speakers, front facing built-in microphone
  • 6000mAh Lithium Polymer Ion battery
  • Android 4.2.2

Whilst the specifications are hardly anything to write home about, a killer feature is included.  A secondary display built into the tablet’s side. This “super-twisted nematic” screen display notifications and contextual information in black and white along the side of the device.

4-stn-close-up

 A gimmick? Perhaps, however thinking of the tablet in a slip case this may work for some. Others will probably use a phone or perhaps a wearable to keep up with updates. However, we will endeavour to locate a device and give it a good going over, if we are lucky.

Posted in: News, Tablets
By December 28, 2013 Read More →

The Toshiba Chromebook leaked

Toshiba ChromebookIt’s nice to see another well know hardware manufacturer dipping their toe into the Chrome ecosystem. Toshiba are joining the ranks of HP, Dell, Samsung and Asus by putting out their own version featuring Google’s Operating System. Things look quite similar aside from one particular design aspect: the screen.

So far we have seen Chromebooks currently feature either 11-inch, 12-inch or 14-inch. Toshiba have opted for a 13.3-inch screen. The back of the screen has a textured feel. Running at a resolution of 1366×768 is fairly standard. There is no touch-support or super hi pixel density.

As with the recent HP, Acer and Dell devices, the Toshiba uses an Intel Celeron 2955U CPU. This dual-core Haswell chip is clocked at 1.4Ghz and, for the most part, is more than up to the job of powering Chrome OS and Chrome Apps. Also on-board are 2GB of RAM, while there is also the now-standard 16GB SSD.

Screen-Shot-2013-12-26-at-15.41.33

As an energy-efficient chip Toshiba estimate that their Toshiba Chromebook can run for 9 hours before needing a charge. Elsewhere there’s a smattering of USB 3.0 ports, built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, a Kensington lock, SD card reader and full-size HDMI out.

At less than 1-inch thick and weighing in at 3Ibs, the Toshiba device is more than matched with Chromebooks on offer from Samsung and Acer.

Finally, price. PC Mag say that the device will retail in the US at $279. This is the same price as the HP Chromebook 11, and $20 cheaper than the larger (if similarly spec’d) HP Chromebook 14.

Posted in: Laptops, News
By December 26, 2013 Read More →

Bargains galore from Phones 4u on Boxing Day

image003Christmas Day is over again for another year and Boxing Day 2013 is already upon us! With Phones4u you can be the among first in-line to get your hands on a contract price drop, which includes a number of stand-out ‘free from’ handsets. One of the hottest smartphones of the year – the HTC One will be reducing to free from £29 (was free from £33), whilst the Nokia 1020 will be reducing to free from £42 (was £47), and the Sony Xperia Z will also be reducing to free from £25 (was £29).

After Christmas we can all be a little strapped for cash, so Phones4u is also offering up to £200 instant cash back on a range of handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini, Moto G and Sony Xperia SP.

The goodwill gestures don’t stop there, with some cracking SIM Only deals, and up to 25% off all Vodafone12M3G SIMO plans, as well as a range of amazing deals on pay as you go smartphone purchases. Phones4u is offering up to half price on the Nokia Lumia 625, now from £139.95 on selected networks (previously £299.95), PAYG from £2.95 when you upgrade, and up to 45% off the Sony Xperia SP, now from £179.95 on selected networks (previously priced £329.95).

A range of handsets free from £18.99 on 4G EE – the lowest ever 4G free from, offering you a saving of up to £120. This tariff has 1000 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB data. Handsets available on this great deal include the new Samsung Galaxy Ace 3, Sony Xperia SP – exclusively in Red, Nokia 625 and HTC One SV.

Last but certainly not least, Phones4u be offering you a free wireless speaker worth £120 with every Samsung Galaxy on both 3G and 4G.

Posted in: News, Phones
By December 24, 2013 Read More →

Paick plan super-slim ½-inch thick 6000mAh portable battery

unnamedPaick is set to show off at CES a new super-slim ½-inch thick 6000mAh portable battery. This ultra-thin wallet-sized is designed for the back pocket or to be thrown in a bag with a dust-proof dual USB/Micro USB slot for Smartphone Charging. The battery is tipped to be compatablie with iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Android Phones, tablets and most USB devices.

Paick www.paick.com,  the company creating new digital fashion ideas for life, launched today Noble, the ultra-thin ½ inch portable 6000mAh power bank for business professionals.  Fashionably styled with a streamlined wallet-sized aluminium alloy high performance casing, Noble is much thinner than other power banks, which are usually over 1 inch thick.  Noble easily fits in a back pocket or bag for easy portability and is low cost with a promotional pricing of only $49.99 from now until March 23, 2013 (normally priced at $64.99).  Noble features an intelligentdustproof pop-up interface with two USB slots and 1 Micro USB slot that lets you pop-up for access to the USB charging slots or pop-down to keep it extra slim and free of dust.

Charges iPhone Three Times, Galaxy Twice and iPad Once – One Touch Screen Activation

A Li-polymer battery charger, Noble is more stable and safer than Li-ion batteries.  Noble charges iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Android phones, tablets & most USB devices, fully charging an iPhone three times, a Galaxy phone twice, or an iPad once.  Noble also features an Advanced Odin Circuit System with efficient synchronous rectifier output, an intelligent on/off touch sensor with one-touch screen activation, Smart Safety Protection and LEDs that show remaining power: 1 LED indicates less than 25%, 2 LEDs: 25%-50%, 3 LEDs: 50%-75%, 4 LEDs: 75%-100%.

Noble to be Introduced at CES 2014 in Las Vegas

Paick will introduce the new Noble super-thin low-cost 6000mAh power bank at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held Jan. 7-10, 2014 in Las Vegas, at the Noble Booth #70902 – Venetian Ballroom.  To schedule press meetings at CES, contact: Karen Thomas/Eva Yutani/Bill Kouwenhoven[email protected], [email protected] [email protected].

Noble Features:
• 6000mAh portable charger.
• Charges iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, Samsung Galaxy, HTC, Android phones, tablets & most USB devices.
• Unique pop-up interface provides the best dustproofing and a slim design.
• LED lighting design displays remaining battery life.
• Intelligent on/off touch sensor with one-touch screen activation.
• Dual USB ports:  One 5V-2.1A and one 5V-1A USB output.
• 1 Micro USB port.
• Odin Circuit System: Synchronous Rectifier Output.
• Intelligent fast charging.
• Smart Safety Protection ensures safe charging.
• Dimensions: 4.6” length x 2.8” wide x ½” thick (118.2 x 2.2 x 13.6mm).
• Low-cost.

Promotional Pricing until March 20, 2013

Noble includes the power bank, USB/Micro USB cable, and skid-resistance rubber belt.  Normally priced at $64.99, with promotional pricing of $49.99 from now until March 20, 2013, Noble is available immediately from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GRSD37G.

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Posted in: Gadgets, News, Phones, Tablets
By December 24, 2013 Read More →

Stay connected with the ZTE MF730M dongle from Three

urlThe ZTE MF730M dongle is now available from Three stores and three.co.uk on both monthly and Pay As You Go price plans.

Available for a one-off upfront cost of £4.99 on a one-month rolling contract of £15.99/month for 5GB of data, or from £24.99 on Pay As You Go with 1GB of data pre-loaded. The ZTE MF730M dongle is connected to Three’s Advanced 3G network, which already covers over 80 per cent of the UK population.

If you don’t have a connected tablet or want to stay online but don’t have a modem built into your laptop, the ZTE MF730M dongle connects to the internet via Three’s mobile network. Simply plug it into your laptop and you are ready to browse the internet, work on the go, stream videos, download music and files or play online games just as you would on your phone.

The handy dongle is just 86mm long and 10.5mm slim, it fits easily inside a pocket, briefcase or bag so simple to access and use while you are travelling.

According to the latest YouGov DongleTrack survey, Three is the best rated network for mobile broadband, leading on 11 out of 12 measures of quality including download speeds, network coverage, quality and reliability.

Key features

  • Plug it straight into your laptop to get the internet whenever you want
  • Connects to Three’s Advanced 3G (DC-HSDPA) mobile network
  • Works with PC and Mac
  • Windows 8 certified
Posted in: Gadgets, News
By December 23, 2013 Read More →

Samsung Galaxy Gear Unboxing Video

wpid-Samsung_Galaxy_Gear_smartwatch.jpgSamsung has made a smartwatch and it’s called the Galaxy Gear. The wearable has been around for a while and it’s type are starting to pick up momentum. Sony have release a few now and a number of Independent companies are hoping to make a name for themselves.

Echoing the original Galaxy Tab back when tablets were strangers Samsung a shaping the industry with a high priced concept that has Make or Break written all over it.

In the video below you can see me unboxing the Galaxy Gear and then putting it through its paces a little.

Posted in: Gadgets, MP3 Players & Accessories, News, Videos/Unboxings
By December 21, 2013 Read More →

Samsung’s slew of Galaxy tablets

galaxynotepro02It looks like those rumours about Samsung pushing out new Android tablets might be accurate. A new report clearly names three new tablets coming in the first quarter of 2014. One of them is the previously-rumoured 12-inch tablet we have heard hints about throughout the year. This tablet will be called the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 and will supposedly be announced between February 3rd and February 9th. That’s not all. We also have word of a Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 and a Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4. Here are the current rumours regarding these devices in a quote below.

Quote:
The exact release of the 12.2-inch tablet is said to happen in the week that starts on February 3 and ends on February 9. It will come with 2,560×1,600 resolution, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal storage space, and a 9,500 mAh battery. It will run Android 4.4 KitKat from day one, and it’s going to weigh 750 grams. Its model numbers will be SM-P900 and SM-P905. Both Wi-Fi-only and LTE capable versions will be available, and the tablet will be out in black and white.This, however, isn’t going to be the only tablet that Samsung will launch in the first quarter of 2014. We’ve already told you about the Galaxy Tab 3 Lite, the cheapest tablet ever to come out of the Korean outlet. But alongside these two, Samsung will also release the Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 and Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1.The Tab Pro 8.4 is obviously expected to come with an 8.4-inch display, and its model numbers will be SM-T320 and SM-T325. It will arrive in the sixth week of the year, just like the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. It will sport 16 GB of storage and will be out in black and white.

The Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 (model numbers SM-T520 and SM-T525) is going to land sometime between February 10 and February 16. Both Pro tablets will have Wi-Fi-only and LTE-capable versions. The Tab Pro 10.1 will also be offered in black and white, and it too will have 16 GB of storage.

Posted in: News, Tablets
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By December 19, 2013 Read More →

Amazon Kindle phone from HTC coming soon?

HTC-Amazon-Kindle-SmartphoneAn unnamed sources from Taiwan has reported that Primax Electronics has received an order from Amazon for compact camera modules (CCM.) Rumour has it these will be for smartphones hitting the market in the first half of 2014. These smartphones could feature floating point technology, and each phone will be equipped with six CCMs for sensing.

This bit of detail backs up previous rumours that a Kindle smartphone will have multiple front-facing cameras that will determine where the user’s face is located, and render the 3D on screen accordingly. However, the mention of “floating point” technology would indicate that the phone may have some form of motion sensing feature, allowing a user to control the phone without having to touch the screen.

Recently sources have reported Amazon has been working with HTC on three smartphones, and that one of these devices was in an advanced stage of development yet would not be ready to ship until 2014, if at all. Based on previous rumours, the phone will likely have four cameras on the front for the motion sensing/3D aspect, another camera on the front for video calling, and one on the back for taking pictures.

Posted in: News, Phones, Rumours
By December 19, 2013 Read More →

Kindle Fire HDX 7” £169 until 2nd January.

wpid-2013-12-18-13-07-26.pngAmazon.co.uk is offering a £30 discount on its new Kindle Fire HDX 7 inch tablet – perfect for those looking for a last minute Christmas gift! With this great offer, customers can pick up one of the stunning devices from as little as £169 from now until 2nd January.

The all-new Kindle Fire HDX tablet combines groundbreaking hardware, the latest version of Fire OS, Kindle FreeTime, expanded X-Ray for films and TV, and the revolutionary new Mayday button.  It has a stunning 1920 x 1200  (323 PPI) 7″ HDX display, quad-core 2.2 GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 11 hours of battery life, and dual stereo speakers with Dolby Digital Plus audio. The offer is available on Wi-Fi devices and come in the choice of 16GB (£169), 32GB (£199) or 64GB (£229) storage. The Kindle Fire HDX is also available with 3G and ultra-fast 4G LTE.

For more information please visit www.amazon.co.uk/hdx.

Posted in: News, Tablets
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By December 19, 2013 Read More →

Mobile Tech Addicts Podcast 216: Longer and Larger

Podcast-Logo_thumb.jpgGareth, Dan and Phil are here with another UK update on the mobile front. This weeks podcast is the Best of 2013 Awards. Matt threatens to call in on Google Glass and Dan shows off another of his goodies.

Featuring Gareth, Dan and Phil

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Posted in: News, Podcast
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