Author Archive: Gareth

Seasoned tech blogger. Host of the Tech Addicts podcast.

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By December 14, 2013 Read More →

Dell getting in on the Chromebook frenzy

wpid-dell-chromebook-11-1.jpegLooks like Dell is planning to release a Chrome OS devices. We have hard this before as they had considered it back in 2009, but then nothing came of it. Dell has now announced the Chromebook 11 and it is looking like a great option for those looking to get a Chromebook soon. The Dell Chromebook 11 has fairly typical specifications and comes with a large focus on education.

Dell Chromebook 11 specifications

  • 11.6-inch 1366x768p display
  • Intel Celeron 2955U processor
  • 16 GB Solid State drive
  • 4 or 2 GB of DDR3 RAM (depending on the model)
  • 720p webcam
  • WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
  • Two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI port
  • 10 hours of battery life

Dell’s Chrome OS computer comes with some powerful specs, so it will definitely be one of the top options in your lists. The promise of 10-hour battery life is certainly exciting, and paired with those specs this computer should run very smoothly!

Price and Availability

The laptop will be released in Q1, 2014 Stateside. Dell state it will cost you “under $300″. Which probably means it will cost $299 or so, for the higher-end model. Whether that is dollar for pound is anyone’s guess at the moment! My guess is probably.

Posted in: Laptops, News
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By December 14, 2013 Read More →

SteamOS is out there, now!

steamos,9-U-402114-3Earlier this year Steam announced they would be releasing a dedicated operating, based on Linux, for the ultimate gaming experience. Hardware could be made to run of OS, more like an Xbox or Playstation, however those with PCs would also be able to access the OS, in a dual boot mode with Windows to gain access to their gaming collection.

The main plus point is to eliminate slow down that might be due to Windows running in the back ground. A more refined operating system designed to give the best performance for you gaming experience. Also help with some of the attitude Microsoft is adopting towards the gaming platform. SteamOS is now available for download in a limited beta format.

SteamOS Download links:

According to the FAQ, SteamOS is a fork of Debian GNU/Linux. The first version (SteamOS 1.0) is called ‘Alchemist’ and it is based on the Debian ‘wheezy’ (stable 7.1) distribution. Here are the system requirements:

  • Intel or AMD 64-bit capable processor
  • 4 GB or more memory
  • 500 GB or larger disk
  • Nvidia graphics card (AMD and Intel graphics support coming soon)
  • UEFI boot support
  • USB port for installation

Currently SteamOS is in beta, so those without Linux knowledge may want to wait until next year for a more polished version. Reports are coming in that the downloads are failing, and Steam have recommended using some form of download manager. If you want to wait for the final hardware, we’ll see it all in January at CES.

Posted in: Desktop Computing
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By December 13, 2013 Read More →

Will Google make a Nexus TV?

stvscreensGoogle is apparently to be working on a Nexus TV. Google TV fans have been hoping for a Nexus-branded TV or set-top box for a long time. It seems it may be finally happening, except this rumoured device would not be Google TV that we know and somewhat ignore. More than likely this will be the oft mentioned “Android TV.”

The rumour comes from The Information, who’s sources claim this Android-based set-top box would could be released as early as the first half of 2014. This device would be able to stream video from services like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube. In addition, the box would also allow you to play some video games.

This sounds a lot like Google TV, except for one factor – it will not support live broadcast TV. Which is the biggest known difference between Android TV and Google TV. What will become of the existing Google TV? I’ll this be a TV with a Chromecast built in?

So many questions and it will be a joy to find out the answers.

Posted in: News, TV & Home Cinema
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By December 13, 2013 Read More →

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Review

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 ReviewThe Samsung Galaxy Note was a device that many figured would die at launch. It was a gamble thankfully turning out to be a good one. The device was the first of a new craze and met with great reviews and only the cynical labelled it “too large.” Here we are two years later and the second revision of that ground break device has been launched and the eyes are on it. Can the King of the Phablets play a hat trick?

I have used the Samsung Galaxy Note II for a full year and would continue to be using it now had it not been for a slight accident that resulted in a cracked screen, a home repair left the device non-replaceable under insurance and a tear forming in the corner of my eye. “Worry not” I figured “the Note III will be here soon and shall pack all kinds of awesome, I shall never look back.”

Certainly, it arrived with an almighty clap of thunder but I did not hit any plastic to keep it in my life, and here’s why.

Posted in: Phones, Reviews, Tablets
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By December 12, 2013 Read More →

Mobile Tech Addicts Podcast 215: Short and Sweet

Mobile Tech Addicts Podcast 215Gareth, Dan and Phil are here with another UK update on the mobile front, this week with Phil Lain.

This weeks podcast was supposed to be the best of 2013 however it would appear the Hangout suffered from some form of technical set back and the majority was lost. However, we still have the news from this week and Dan shows us his new tool…

Next week we hope to record again with the Best of Award show in all it’s grandeur.

Featuring Gareth, Matt, Dan and Phil

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Posted in: News, Podcast
By December 11, 2013 Read More →

Nokia step in and sort out unhappy Samsung customer

nokiaGood old Nokia has turned up trumps this week in a manoeuvre that will impress many. Nokia USA is offering a Lumia to Richard Wygand who’s Samsung Galaxy S4 recently caught fire whilst charging. Richard took to a social network to show off the damage.

Posting a video on Youtube of the flames licked device Richard was offered a replacement by Samsung, however he was asked to remove the video from Youtube. Samsung was hoping to keep the issue a secret and sort out any issues without publicity. Richard refused to remove the video.

 

Nokia rushed to the rescue, taking the opportunity to turn things in their favour and sent Richard a free Nokia Lumia (model not mentioned.) Their comments were for Richard to experience customer service as it really should be. I’m not sure if this means Nokia sent Richard a broken Lumia as a number to get it fixed…

zxz

 

Posted in: News
By December 10, 2013 Read More →

The Samsung Galaxy S4 with metal body?

w640There was talk months ago about Samsung releasing a few different variants of the Samsung Galaxy S4. A tough and rugged one that could accompany you on adventure holidays or onto the building site. A larger, almost dedicated camera version. And finally a higher quality version as many have given the majority of Samsung’s flack for their all plastic construction.

The recently release of the Galaxy Gear with it’s impressive steel construction has gotten some rumours going that the S5 might be of metal construction. Instead we see that the Samsung Galaxy J is being launch in Taiwan. Additionally the phone has 4G LTE-A technology inside it.

Here are the features we could dig as it is essentially the same as and S4

Phone Features

  • Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.0 inches
  • Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 Quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400
  • RAM 3 GB
  • Primary camera 13 MP, 4128 x 3096 pixels
  • Secondary camera  2 MP,1080p@30fps
  • Works on 2G, 3G and 4G networks
  • Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to v4.4 KitKat
  • Li-Ion 2600 mAh battery
Posted in: News, Phones
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By December 9, 2013 Read More →

The No Glasses 3D Tablet

83344_1000x1000Hammacher Schlemmer has an interesting tablet for the holidays. Costing $349.95 this is a glasses-free 3D tablet. The company claims this is the only tablet on the market that displays 3D movies and images without those pesky glasses.

According to the company, 3D delivery is accomplished by using a parallax barrier layer placed on top of the 8- inch screen. The device delivers a slightly different set of pixels to each eye, thus creating a depth of field when held in specific angles without colour distortion.

Specification details are limited, the tablet has an 8-inch touch-based screen with a 1280 x 800 resolution, backed by Android 4.1 “Jelly Bean” and a battery promising five to seven hours of use on a two-hour charge. The company claims that playback “automatically distinguishes between 3D and 2D content.” The tablet will even convert 2D material for a 3D-like effect.

The 3D tablet also packs 16 GB of internal storage, an SD card slot for up to 32 GB of even more storage, and support for USB flash drives via a presumed microSD 2.0 port. Other features include Bluetooth and likely Wireless N networking, a 2MP camera on the back, a 0.3MP camera on the front, and a wireless keyboard case. The tablet measures 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.75 inches and weighs a mere one pound.

Unfortunately, the product description isn’t specific about other hardware details like the processor and amount of RAM. $349.95 does seem to be a larger sum to ask for a bit of a gamble. For more information about the No Glasses 3D tablet, head here.

Posted in: News, Tablets
By December 9, 2013 Read More →

Google launches the Player Choice Poll

google-play-trophyGoogle is giving you the opportunity to vote for the best games and apps of the year. Player’s Choice Awards contest, is decided by the people who actually play the games and not an a panel of insiders There are 6 categories in all, three for games and three for apps, each category containing eight nominees. Best of all, if you don’t like Google’s choices, you are can suggest your own favourite.

The categories, and the nominees for each, are:

Posted in: Apps & Games, News
By December 9, 2013 Read More →

Stare at the Oppo Find 7 with crazy eyes

Oppo-Find-5-660x479-635x460We didn’t get to see the Oppo Find 5 in the UK, however it was one we followed in the hope we would. However, rumours suggest that we will the phone’s followup. According to recent whispers, the Oppo Find 7 could launch with a mighty Snapdragon 805 CPU, Qualcomm’s latest and greatest system-on-a-chip for mobile devices.

Perhaps one of the most exiting features of the Find 7 is the claimed 5.7-inch 2,560×1,440 touchscreen that will make it one of the first 2K devices on the market.

Other rumoured specifications include 3GB of RAM, a 13MP camera, and 4G LTE support. Oppo recently posted an image to their Web page “4G LTE, I’m ready!” a pretty clear indication that we should expect this. If the Find 7 lives up to these rumours, we could be dealing with a serious phone from the daring mobile manufacturer looking to make a name for itself and standing out of all the Android options out there.

Posted in: News, Phones
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