The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 somehow becomes larger than its predecessor while barely changing hardware at all, leaving potential buyers to scratch their heads on the necessity of an upgrade.
In the last year, Samsung has released more tablets than you can shake a stick at. So many, in fact, that it has run out of sensible ways to name them all, leaving us with the new “Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1.” No it’s not the second Galaxy Tab, and it won’t even be the only 10.1-inch Android tablet from Samsung this year. Pretty soon we’ll have the Galaxy Note 10.1 to contend with as well. Strange name aside though, is the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 worth your time? Find out below.
Read more...
Denon Electronics announced three mid-range IN-Command Series of network-capable, home theater receivers featuring a streamlined new design, built-in AirPlay and 4K video capability. The new models, include the 7.2-channel AVR-3313CI, AVR-2313CI, and 7.1-channel AVR-2113CI (photo top), which replace last year's AVR-2112CI, AVR-2312CI, and AVR-3312CI receivers. The new line adds a robust new content services platform, streamlined new design and easy-to-access front-panel inputs, as well as 4K video capability. Notably, all three feature access to popular content sources including Sirius XM, vTuner Internet radio and Pandora. Purchasers of IN-Command receivers can also download a free upgrade for the new Denon Remote App, allowing them to control their receiver via iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
The 'IN' in 'IN-Command' stands for Integrated Network, offering dramatically enhanced surround sound, multi-zone networking and AirPlay capabilities. The new receivers allow users to stream their iTunes music whether from Mac or PC, as well as music stored on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. The new receivers also feature Direct Connectivity for iOS devices via a front panel USB input.
AVR-2313CI
Read more...DISH released it's iOS and Android Remote Access apps some time ago. To be perfectly honest, they got the job done, but didn't offer much in the way of stability or efficient use of the platforms. Now, DISH has completely reengineered the iOS app to take advantage of the iPad's larger screen - and also to address multi-tasking and ease-of-use. The new (and still free) app improves the performance and enhances the on-screen dashboard so customers can easily find and watch their favorite programs. Customers can continue to watch live and recorded TV anytime, anywhere using the app in concert with an Internet-connected DISH receiver and a Sling Adapter. On the iPad, DISH offers the added ability to stream thousands of titles from an expansive on-demand library of Blockbuster @Home titles and premium networks.
Read more...
With a suggested retail price of £79 in the UK and $99.99 in the US, the Kodak ESP 3.2 finds itself joining the entry-level multi-function printer fight.
Taking on the likes of the ridiculously cheap HP Photosmart 5510 and the Canon Pixma MG3120, the Kodak ESP 3.2 offers a competitive set of features at an affordable initial cost.
Read more...
Priced at £69 in the UK (about $110), there's little to separate the Kodak ESP 1.2 all-in-one printer from its stablemate, the ESP 3.2, which costs £79 in the UK and $99.99 in the US.
Both offer wireless printing, plus scanning and copying. Setting them up with Wi-Fi is fast with the new ESPs, and both come Google Cloud Print-ready.
Read more...
Although the first 802.11ac routers have just begun to be launched, wireless chip providers like Broadcom are already looking at the next big thing: WiGig, offering 7-Gbit/s wireless data transfers across short distances, possibly as an HDMI cable replacement for TVs.
Broadcom provided the 802.11ac networking chips at the heart of new routers from Netgear that Netgear launched on Tuesday. Consumers who buy the new routers will enjoy three times the throughput of today's 802.11n routers, enough that multiple high-definition video streams from Netflix or Hulu could be watched simultaneously in different rooms of the house.
Read more...
Faster, cooler and for only another £13 on top of the price of the vanilla AMD Radeon HD 7870 - why wouldn't you go for the new Sapphire HD 7870 OC Edition? The mid-range Southern Islands/7-series/Graphics Core Next (GCN) cards from AMD have impressed us. They may not have the raw graphics grunt of the Tahiti GPUs in the excellent HD 7950 or the crazy-expensive HD 7970, but they're hitting some decent price/performance numbers. The HD 7870 and HD 7850 are like-for-like replacements for the HD 6950 and HD 6970, at similar prices and with extra pace to boot. They also benefit from the new 28nm production process, which provides extras like the Zero Core Power tech that enables seriously low-power states when the monitor goes to sleep. It also makes them serious overclockers, and that's why we've been waiting with bated breath for board partners to bring out special factory-overclocked cards just like this Sapphire HD 7870 OC Edition. Tough sell The HD 7850 is our favourite of the new mid-range graphics cards, for the simple reason that it outperforms the HD 6950 it's replacing, and comes in cheaper too.The HD 7870 is a tougher sell as it's only slightly faster than the HD 6970, and is a little more expensive. That's not a great combination, but as we've said, you get the goodness of the 28nm GCN architecture, and there's that overclocking headroom too. Sadly though, Sapphire has been rather conservative with the overclocking of this card. The vanilla card is also known as the GHz Edition, sporting, as it does, a full 1GHz clock speed. This OC Edition only comes with a paltry 50MHz boost over the stock speeds. That's disappointing when we had the stock AMD reference edition with the standard cooler running happily with a 1.2GHz clock speed. As you might expect then, the extra 50MHz on the factory-overclocked card doesn't amount to a lot in terms of performance. So why opt for one of these factory-overclocked cards over the vanilla version when you're only getting an extra 50MHz? Well, theoretically you ought to be able to push the GPU clock further on this Sapphire OC Edition thanks to the third-party cooling array it has screwed onto the PCB. That's the theory, but in practice it doesn't quite work out like that. BenchmarksDirectX 11 tessellation performance
Heaven 2.5: Frames per second: Higher is betterSapphire HD 7870 OC: 21.2
AMD HD 7870: 20.3
Read more...
The LG Optimus L3 is a budget Android handset that takes its design cues from the brand's higher-end models, but has it got a performance to match?
Read more...
Lenovo announced the ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop, the lightest 14-inch Ultrabook in the industry. With an amazingly thin and extremely powerful design, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon shatters the mold of traditional laptops.
Created for those who demand the highest levels of performance, mobility, entertainment and design, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon exceeds Ultrabook specifications by using a premium carbon fiber rollcage to create a durable Ultrabook weighing less than three pounds. Other premium features include 3G connectivity for anywhere anytime access, Lenovo RapidCharge for a near-full battery charge in 30 minutes, and Intel vPro technology for manageability.
"We crafted the ThinkPad X1 Carbon with premium carbon fiber material in order to make it incredibly thin and light, yet durable," said Lu Yan, senior vice president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. "Our new ThinkPad laptop portfolio embodies much of the innovative thinking exemplified in the X1 Carbon, such as a backlit keyboard, super-bright high definition display, Dolby Home Theatre and rich communications features that balance business performance with personal use."
Read more...
Lenovo announced the ThinkCentre M92p "tiny" desktop PC, the first Intel vPro Technology enabled one-litre desktop measuring just the width of a golf ball (34.5 mm). The ThinkCentre M92p, along with the same sized M72e for enterprise-class productivity, both offer an innovative tiny form factor allowing it to fit in practically any space while maintaining first-class productivity with up to 3rd Generation Intel Core vPro processors.
The ThinkCentre tiny form factor is equipped with the latest desktop power manager for optimal energy efficiency and enhanced reliability and manageability features. It's the perfect desktop for users who need superior computing power in a small package.
The ThinkCentre tiny form factor can conveniently be positioned on a desktop, hung on a wall or mounted under a desk. With up to a 3rd Generation Intel Core i5 processor, the tiny form factor can fit in today's shrinking office space without sacrificing power. The M92p tiny also supports up to four monitors in Mosaic Mode or three independent monitors without the need for a graphics card. Lenovo is also expanding its accessories portfolio to include options specifically created for the tiny form factor.
Read more...
Avira has a problem on its hands. A software update the German anti-virus vendor sent to paid subscribers is apparently having the unwelcome side effect of blocking trusted processes and safe applications, and in some cases even preventing PCs from booting, H-Online reported Tuesday.
A bug in the update "results in the ProActiv behavioral monitoring component becoming oversensitive in its treatment of executable files," according to the security blog. Processes that are affected include cmd.exe, rundll32.exe, taskeng.exe, wuauclt.exe, dllhost.exe, iexplore.exe, notepad.exe, and regedit.exe, H-Online reported, while programs like Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, Google Updater, and the Opera Web browser have also been blocked after the update was installed, according to users on the Avira support forums.
Read more...
Google reportedly plans to give multiple mobile device makers early access to its next version of Android in an attempt to create a more robust ecosystem to take on Apple and also to reassure partners that its Motorola Mobility acquisition won't squeeze them out.
The new strategy would be a major shift away from Google's current practice of working with a single maker of smartphones or tablets on a "lead device" based on a new Android release, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.
Read more...
On the first day that "Diablo 3" launched, the most feared monster was "Error 3006": the error which blocked users from accessing the game for several hours.
Activision Blizzard was forced to take the Diablo III servers offline at least twice on Tuesday to fix "several issues" that were impacting the game. According to a support thread on the Battle.net forums, Activision took down the game's servers at 10:22 AM PT for an hour, then from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, then from 2:15 PM PT until 3:30 PM. Players posting to the Blizzard support threads, however, reported not being able to play for hours.
Read more...
NASA is currently training astronauts to land on asteroids and hopes to send humans to one of the distant space rocks in about a decade, The Telegraph reported over the weekend. As in the movie Armageddon, one motivation for the endeavor is to figure out a way to destroy or deflect a large asteroid that could be on a collision course with Earth.
In June, a group of astronauts will begin learning how to operate vehicles and move about on asteroids, according to the U.K. newspaper, which interviewed a British astronaut who is participating in the training program.
Read more...
Microsoft said this week that Windows 8 will allow parents to monitor their kids' Web activity and receive weekly reports describing their PC use.
For secondary accounts, Windows 8 users can check a box that says, "Is this a child's account? Turn on Family Safety to get reports of their PC use." No downloads, installation wizards, or configuration is required, Microsoft said in a blog post.
Read more...