DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE
Offers Advanced Camera Capabilities, Beats Audio and 4G LTE Speeds from Verizon Wireless

From International CTIA Wireless® 2012, Verizon Wireless and HTC today announced the new and exclusive DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC. The new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE enhances the customer experience by offering high-quality photo and audio capabilities, combined with the power of 4G LTE speeds. Running the latest version of HTC Sense™ 4.0, HTC’s branded user experience integrated with Google’s™ mobile operating system, Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich, the new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE brings a sophisticated, pocket-friendly device to America’s fastest 4G LTE network.

DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC features Beats Audio™ which is enabled across the entire experience for a rich and authentic sound whether customers watch a YouTube™ video, play a game, or stream music over 4G LTE. Beats Audio allows customers to listen to music the way the artist intended with thundering bass, soaring midrange and crisp highs.

The DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE captures life’s special moments with an advanced 8-megapixel camera with quick activation from the home screen so customers never miss that perfect shot. Additionally, there’s no longer a need to choose between shooting video or taking photos, HTC Video Pic™ allows users to shoot HD video and capture photos at the same time. With 4G LTE speeds, sharing photos and video via email, uploading to the cloud or posting to social networking sites is a breeze.

DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE is packed with features to make life easier and customizable. Customers can personalize and use lock screen shortcuts to quickly access their four favorite apps. Folders can easily be created on any home screen for additional customization and organization. A Read Later feature allows people short on time the ability to save browser content like news articles and websites that can be viewed later, even while offline. The smartphone is also NFC capable so customers can take advantage of Android Beam™ to quickly share Web pages, apps, contacts and YouTube™ videos with friends by simply tapping two compatible phones together.

The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network is available in 230 markets across the Unites States. In real-world, fully loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. When customers travel outside of 4G LTE coverage areas, devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, where available, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.

Additional features:
• 4-inch super LCD qHD display
• 8 megapixel rear-facing camera with autofocus, LED flash, BSI, f/2.2 and 28 mm lens
• Front-facing camera for video chatting with friends and family
• 1.2 GHz dual-core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ S4 processor
• Mobile Hotspot capable to share 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
• Support for up to 32 GB microSD™ memory card
• 1,700 mAh lithium ion removable battery

The new DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at verizonwireless.com in the coming weeks.

HTC One V to Arrive in the U.S. This Summer

HTC One V aims to impress with premium design, amazing camera and authentic sound

First U.S. preview to be held at International CTIA Wireless 2012

New Orleans – May 8, 2012 – HTC, a global designer of smartphones, today announced the global version of the HTC One™ V, part of its highly anticipated HTC One series of smartphones, will be displayed for the first time in the U.S. during the International CTIA Wireless 2012. The HTC One V is expected to be available through a variety of U.S. partners later this summer.

The HTC One series represents HTC’s most premium mobile experience with a new level of premium design, amazing camera and authentic sound experience. With the HTC One V, HTC integrates Android™ 4.0 (ICS) with HTC Sense™ 4, the new version of HTC’s branded user experience with HTC ImageSense™, a new suite of camera and imaging features that set HTC One apart from other phones. HTC Sense 4 also includes broad enhancements to audio quality and simplifies how people listen to music on their phone.

Amazing Camera

With HTC ImageSense, the HTC One V offers an amazing camera that delivers fast image capture, better image quality under adverse conditions, and an easy-to-use display with side-by-side photo and video capture buttons. The camera can be quickly activated from the home screen and the superfast autofocus enables continuous shooting to ensure you don’t miss those special moments.

The 5-megapixel camera with f/2.0 back illuminated sensor, means that more light is allowed into the sensor to capture quality photos in adverse conditions, such as low light, no light or bright backlighting. With HTC Video Pic™, the smartphone is also capable of capturing still photos while simultaneously recording HD video, and in addition, can capture still images during video playback.

HTC Sense 4 also integrates Dropbox, enabling customers to get 25 gigabytes of free Dropbox space for two years – enough to keep more than 10,000 high-quality photos – and makes it easy to edit, save and share photos, videos, documents and other kinds of files. HTC One V also gives an easy way to share photos and videos with family and friends through Media Link HD* which wirelessly sends content from the smartphone to any TV with an HDMI input.

Authentic Sound

HTC One V also provides authentic sound with Beats Audio™ that allows listeners to experience music as the artist intended, creating rich, premium sound experiences whether listening to music, watching a movie, or playing a game. HTC Sync Manager software makes it easy to transfer songs, artists and playlists from a music library on a computer to the smartphone. The new HTC Car Stereo Clip* also allows customers to easily bring their mobile music to their car’s sound system.

Premium Design
Utilizing the classic, award-winning design of the HTC Legend, the HTC One V brings iconic design to a smartphone with broad appeal and a premium experience. The timeless, simple aluminum unibody architecture and slightly curved chin allow the HTC One V to fit smoothly in the palm of your hand. The 3.7-inch screen is a delight to the eyes, made out of reinforced glass and is scratch resistant. The HTC One V features a speedy Qualcomm™ Snapdragon S3 1 GHz processor, and is supported by a 1,500 mAh battery.

Availability

The HTC One V will be available in the United States from a variety of partners in the summer of 2012. More information on the HTC One series of smartphones can be found at htc.com/us/.

Media can view the global version of the HTC One V during International CTIA Wireless 2012 at HTC’s Booth # 3519.

Having reviewed earlier versions on various devices I can clearly admit that Version 4 of PressReader is even more beautiful than previous efforts. Reading e-papers is now so effortless that whatever confusion may have existed has disappeared like Hermione and Harry devaporating at the wave of wand.

For Android devices you can get PressReader from Google Play. What I like about Google Play is if you access it online you can install any program to multiple devices (if you have them). If you are logged into your Google account the list of registered devices are available when you try to install the App. I looked at PressReader on a tablet – the Galaxy Tab 7.7 to be specific – to get the best view.
PressReader on Google Play

After you install PressReader, the first screen you see lets you activate a free trial or begin your account if you are upgrading:

From PressReader4

If I want to keep getting new editions of certain papers I can scroll through Sources – Country, Favorites, or Recent list. Then tap on a paper. This brings up a calendar. Choose your dates and if you wish this paper to be a “Favorite”:

From PressReader4

Access “My Library” to view the several papers which you can now download. Note that the audio icon is next to the name and date of each paper. You can Listen Immediately after a download or read immediately.

From PressReader4

Once a paper is downloaded this is indicated by a green ribbon:

From PressReader4

Choose your newspapers from a list of countries, languages, your favorites and recent papers from the menu at the top right:

From PressReader4

The GUI for PressReader has really been improved considerably. Take note of the indicator at the bottom of the screen. This lets you know which section of the paper you happen to be on – with just a glance and that lime green color that just POPS. Give the page a Tap and this menu pops up. Here you can share the article you happen to be reading, listen to the audio, give it a thumbs Up or down and view it only as text.:

From PressReader4

This shows the article being read to you after you selected audio mode. As before you can mute, pause and move to the next / previous article easily:

From PressReader4

When I zoom in as close as possible it still looks good:

From PressReader4

Zoomed into photo. Yes, while I can see jpg artefact’s (at least to my artist’s eagle eye), it’s still clear enough with details.

From PressReader4

And if I wish to read a single article as ‘text’, it looks fine. It uses the font I have chosen in my Tablet or phone preferences.

From PressReader4

If you select SmartFlow in the PressReader preferences this gives you additional control over how the pages can be manipulated. See that small rectangle at the bottom left end of the screen? That lets you toggle between the regular Page View and SmartFlow. While your view is in SmartFlow you can tap those Green Double Arrows to open the full article. If you find the font size too small or to big “pulling” two fingers on the screen apart or together will pop open a little window which interactively change the font size just to your preference. you can also tap the “aA” on the upper right of the screen. This shows a few font faces to choose from. The “Sans Serif” in my case is the font I have chosen in my main tablet font prefs. On my tablet this is “Rosemary” (Screen > Screen Display > Font Style > pick from list or get a font online.)

From PressReader4

Tap bottom bar (which indicates newspaper sections) to pop up thumbnails of the pages. Now scroll through thumbnails to find the page you are looking for. Note that the page number and the name of the section is always clearly shown.

From PressReader4

I have to admit I’m delighted with the improvement with PressReader 4. It’s fast, seamless, very easy to navigate and frankly makes reading the newspaper format on devices a real joy. And no ink on the fingers!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today unveils the latest additions to the popular Samsung Galaxy line of handheld and portable devices. The two new Galaxy Tab 2^TM products and two new Galaxy Players ^TM continue to showcase Samsung’s commitment to providing users with choice, flexibility and connectivity to the full Samsung ecosystem of products, apps and services.

Galaxy Tab 2 – Powerful, Smart, Easy to Use 

The Galaxy Tab 2 Series, available in both 10.1” and 7.0” screen sizes, are powerful dual-core tablets running the latest version of Android – Ice Cream Sandwich. The devices feature an integrated IR blaster for universal remote capabilities, as well as an easily accessible memory card slot for convenient loading of multimedia files in a range of supported file formats.

The new tablets offer endless content access in a sleek design that can maximize the home entertainment experience. The Smart Remote App and built-in IR Blaster turns the Tab 2 into a universal smart remote, helping users easily find their favorite shows. Users can choose from more than 450,000 apps, access favorite movies and TV shows from Google Play or Media Hub, and surf millions of web pages with Adobe® Flash™ support.

In addition, the Galaxy Tab 2 products are fully Google certified for complete access to Google Play (formerly Android Marketplace) and competitively priced at $399.99 and $249.99, respectively – so consumers no longer need to compromise when selecting a tablet.

“These new Galaxy Tab 2 and Galaxy Player devices deliver what consumers have come to expect from all Samsung products – exceptional design, impressive connectivity options and a selection of choices for each type of person and user scenario,” said Tim Baxter, President, Samsung Electronics America. “A one size fits all solution is just not sufficient.”

Galaxy Players put Android in the Hand – without Service Contracts

With the two new Galaxy Players, available in 4.2 inch WVGA screen or 3.6 inch HVGA screen variants, gaming, videos and music are more fun than ever.

Easily connect to Wi-Fi hotspots anywhere to get instant access to the latest content. Users also can play their own video and music in a variety of formats, connect to other devices using USB 2.0 or Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity, or simply load the device via a micro SD card. Because the device runs on Android™ 2.3, Gingerbread, a world of apps is a touch away.

Plus, dual-stereo speakers (on the Galaxy Player 4.2) deliver an incredible music, video or gaming experience – anywhere.

The new Galaxy Tab 2 and Galaxy Players will be available for purchase at a variety of retailers including Best Buy, Amazon, Tiger Direct and others. The Galaxy Player 3.6 is available now for $149.99 exclusively at Best Buy and soon at other retailers. The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 will be available for preorder today at $249.99, and for purchase on April 22. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and Galaxy Player 4.2 will both be available for pre-order on May 4 and for purchase on May 13, at $399.99 and $199.99 respectively.

Key Specs for Tab and Player devices

More information can be found at www.samsung.com.

It was a beautiful day in Manhattan when Sprint and HTC unveiled its latest cool, neato phone – the HTC EVO™ 4G LTE – the next generation of EVO since the first one 2 years ago. As we entered the event hall the sounds of Adele playing “Rolling in the Deep” was filling the room. The main screen had moving graphics of pins rolling about. After we all settled in the meaning of this was eventually revealed. Dan Hesse – Sprint’s CEO – walked out and talked about the history of Sprint’s high standards of quality in audio. “Hearing a pin drop” brought back memories of those Sprint commercials. The big innovation with this phone is HD Voice. It introduces new technology in the phone – like dual microphones and decoders – as well as the network. More on this later when I was able to experience this in their sound-proof rooms.

The preorders for the HTC EVO™ 4G LTE begin on May 7 for $199.99.

HTC president Jason MacKenzie came out and talked about the design of the phone body. What I noticed when I had a change to see it for myself was a nice thin light phone with a soft aluminum body and red accent around the body. The kickstand is also in this red accent. The screen is a healthy 4.7-inch, 1280-by-720-pixel super LCD. It certainly is quite beautiful.

HTC president Jason MacKenzie and Dan Hesse - Sprint's CEO holding their new phone, the HTC EVO™ 4G LTE

From Sprint – HTC Event

The HTC EVO™ 4G LTE has 16GB of internal storage
Beats Audio works with separate purchase of headphones (pic), HDMI connection
powered by a 1.5-GHz, dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor
runs on Android 4.0 with the delicious name of “Ice Cream Sandwich”

settings:

Settings

From Sprint – HTC Event

Camera
Frankly, when I was looking over the camera features it was obvious that there are so many and they are so complex that a brief look will not let me have a good feel for what it can do. The basic stats: 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera with a dedicated camera button.
Fast Autofocus – take continuous shots by holding down the shutter button.
Superfast Capture – takes a picture REALLY fast – like 0.7 seconds. Soon these cameras will just read your mind.
Image Sense – Smart flash which properly judges distance from what you are photographing so that they don’t get over-exposed.
Concurrent Video/Still Capture – take both video and still simultaneously. While recording a video you tap the shutter button to grab a still. In addition you can also review the video in frames and keep any you wish. Wow.
Various camera settings:

From Sprint – HTC Event

shows highest video and still image resolution

From Sprint – HTC Event

Stereo video!!!!

From Sprint – HTC Event

various still resolutions

From Sprint – HTC Event

a huge list of effects - accessed from that blue circle on the bottom

From Sprint – HTC Event

one of the effects - "dots", I think

From Sprint – HTC Event

HD Voice

The goal is to reduce background noises and make your calls as clear and understandable as possible. The Event had set up sound proof booths for this demonstration. The image below shows two booths, the right is where the demonstrator is and he is holding the HTC EVO™ 4G LTE phone. I stepped into the left booth and heard the fellow on two phones: the 2 year old EVO without HD Voice and the new EVO WITH HD Voice. The fellow I was speaking to had loud music playing in his booth. When I was speaking to him with the older EVO I heard the music damp down when he spoke and it popped up again when he didn’t speak (when he was listening to me talk). When I took the new EVO phone I did not hear the music AT ALL. I’m not kidding. It was entirely OUT. The man’s voice sounded a just bit deeper than a normal call but it was clear and crisp. It was impressive. Now, the “trick” with this is that HD Voice can only work between two EVO phones with HD Voice and on the LTE network. Sprint is moving away from it’s 4G WiMax network into the new LTE network. This will be available in six markets (Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City and San Antonio) by summer. The entire 4G LTE network will be completed by the end of next year.

From Sprint – HTC Event

Beats Audio works with any and every audio needs you and your phone may experience. Like YouTube, Pandora, your own list of music, and so on. The audio settings change depending which device is connected. I was also informed that their Bluetooth is Lossless! :

From Sprint – HTC Event

Beats Audio Headphones. Note the red cord and accent color. They sound quite nice. Very clear with a healthy range of tones:

Beats Audio Headset

From Sprint – HTC Event

From Sprint – HTC Event

From Sprint – HTC Event

I have to admit I am impressed with this phone. Light and easy to use with an impressive camera and great sound qualities. Sounds like a winner to me.

Continuing our Galaxy Note Accessory review series, we take a look at not just one, but two accessories: the Flip Cover and the Leather Pouch case for the Galaxy Note. Which one do we prefer? You’ll need to read this two-in-one review or scroll down to the conclusion. The first part of our Galaxy Note Accessory series can be found right here.

Samsung Galaxy Note Flip Cover

Samsung created 3 cases for the Galaxy Note: A vertical pouch case, a horizontal pouch case and a flip cover. We’ll leave the horizontal pouch case for an upcoming review and focus on the vertical pouch case and the flip cover. Let’s start with the latter.

The Flip Cover EFC-1E1 comes in 5 colors: Blue, Brown, Orange, White and if standing out is high on your priority, a very flashy Black faux Snake skin finish. As the name implies, the EFC-1E1 isn’t a case, but more of a cover. It consists of two parts: a replacement battery cover and an attached flap that covers the screen. The replacement battery cover looks almost exactly like the original battery cover, except for a few small changes. At first sight they seem exactly the same: same textured finish, same speaker grille and even the exact same Samsung logo is there.

Taking a closer looks reveals that it’s slightly raised, making it a hair thicker than the original one. You really have to look very close to spot the extra thickness and isn’t something you’d even notice during with daily use. The extra thickness was done to accommodate the flap that’s actually sandwiched between two layers of plastic. The flap rests on the cover, while an extra layer of plastic was then molded on top. This means that the flap is not attached to the cover, but actually molded into the cover itself. This method ensures that the flap is very securely attached to the cover and shouldn’t come off easily. During daily use, the extra millimeters in thickness aren’t noticeable. One benefit from the extra thickness is that camera lens and LED light sit deeper in the case adding extra protection and making it more difficult to get scratched. With the original battery cover they are fully exposed sitting at the same height as with the rest of the battery cover. As a result, when you put Note on a flat surface it actually rests on the camera module. As you pick it up or put it down it’s slightly dragged across the surfaced where it’s even more likely to get scratched. With this case, the lens is still out in the open, but at least sits much deeper which should more difficult to get scratched. On the other hand, the S Pen now also sits a bit deeper into the case, which does make it a tiny bit more difficult to get out. It’s not a huge difference, but it does mean that you’ll need to dig a bit deeper with your nails to get it out.

The flap is attached to the battery cover by a flexible extension that allows it to easily be opened or folded behind the phone. This part seems to have been designed with bending in mind as there is no peeling of the material or color, despite a month of heavy usage. Usually with these types of covers the colors, the paint and material quickly starts to crack, peel or simply break. The extension on the flip cover case still looks as good as new and in fact due to the bending of the material, it created some extra crinkles that seems to add to the illusion of leather.

The flap itself is made out of a plastic and the texture on the front is designed to look like leather. The “Galaxy Note” logo on the front of the case is a nice details, while an opening on the top ensures that the earpiece isn’t covered, making calls with the flap in front of the screen possible. The inside of the flap has a microfibre lining, which as it slightly rubs against the screen cleans it a bit.

You put the cover on just like you would with the standard battery cover and once you do, you’re treated it with one stunningly classy cover. It simply is one of the best looking cover/case I’ve seen in years striking a balance between luxury and simplicity. This is especially the case with the Brown version, which together with the size of the Note, make for one luxuries and imposing looking device. I don’t it’s the same with the other colors, except for maybe the White version. The Note already is and looks like a very expensive device, but by adding this cover you’re stepping into a different territory that’s looks more like a luxury item than just your standard GSM phone. If design and the aesthetics are important on your list, this probably is the one to get. You could in fact buy this cover in different colors and it completely changes the look and feel of the Note. With the brown cover it essentially felt like a new phone and certainly more upscale.

The cover not only looks good, but also does a good job of protecting the screen. However it lacks in one key area, simply failing to provide any protection for the metal rim. When I had Galaxy S II it took a nasty fall creating a deep dent into the metal rim, which is similar to the one found on the Note. With this cover on, the screen would surely be protected, but the fragile metal rim won’t. The back cover isn’t a problem here as it’s just a matter of taking it off and getting a new cover. Getting the metal rim damaged however, probably means one very expensive repair which in most cases requires replacing the entire screen! In the case’s defense I can say that due to the flap, you’re more like to use the Note with two hands and add the fact that the material used on the case add grip, you’re less likely to drop it.

With this case you do get lots and lots of attention. The Galaxy Note is already quite the attention grabber, but add this case and you literally have a portable show. People were not only commenting about the size of the phone, but also how beautiful the case looked. There is a price to pay for the design: sometimes the flap just gets in the way. You can take calls without ever opening the flap by activating the Note’s automatic answering function, but obviously almost all functions do require an open cover. This means either you’ll be holding it like a book or simply fold the flap behind the phone, which is what I almost always end up doing. By doing this, it makes the entire device feel bulky and less comfortable to use. There’s simply nothing you can do about this on these flap-based designs, but for some it can get annoying very quickly. Another negative point is that you can’t use the case with the Desktop Dock.

Aesthetically speaking, this is one beautiful cover, but if you drop your Note, just pray that it doesn’t land on the metal rim.

Samung Galaxy Note Leather Pouch Case

The EFC-1E1LBECSTD is a vertical pouch type case where you slide the Note in from the top. While it looks like Black, it’s actually dark Blue. This perfectly matches the Note, which itself doesn’t come in Black, but a very dark shade of Blue. As far as I know this is the only color it’s available in, so for now you can forget about that matching White Leather Pouch Case. They claim it’s genuine leather, but I have my doubts and willing to bet it’s not. This Case has to accommodate the biggest phone currently available, while also leaving some extra space to be able to get the Note out. As a result, this is one large case reminding me of the blade on a paddle. Unlike the attention grabbing Flip Cover, its design pretty simple. The Leather Pouch case also has the Galaxy Note logo, while there’s an opening on the back for the speaker. The inside also has a microfibre lining, which should clean the screen when you slide the Note in.

The pouch provides lots of protection from all sides, with only the top being slightly exposed (Hey, you need to get it out.) If you’re looking for the case that provides the most protection, this definitely is the one to get. When you first get the pouch it’s extremely difficult to get the Note out, but as the materials loosen it becomes manageable. While this case provides lots of protection, all of this comes at the cost of practicality. Each time you get a phone call or need to use the phone, you need to get it out of the case. Once you’ve finally managed to get the Note out, you have to hold the case in one hand and use the Note in the other. It’s even worse when one hand is full, where it quickly becomes a juggling act ironically increasing your chances of dropping the Note while it’s not in the case. The fact that you need hold the case, while operating the phone can be frustrating. Having to do this several times a day can quickly get frustrating

The case itself exudes quality and due to its dark color doesn’t attract attention, even for something of this size. The case is also constructed in a way that the edges are of a very hard material and there’s some space between the edges and the Note. When you push against the edges, the case expands and opens. All of this means that when you drop the case, it not only protects the screen and the rest of the body, but the construction of the case seems to be able to dissipate the impact energy which should help protect the Note even more.

Unlike the cover, you can just simply take out the Note and put it in the dock. This means that if you’re planning on getting the dock, I would recommend the pouch case.

Which one should you get?

After using the two for about a month, I found myself using the flip cover 9 out 10 times. It simply looks amazing and is a lot more practical. In the end what made a huge difference and what made me choose the flip cover is the fact that I don’t have to constantly have to take the Note out which is the case with the Pouch. The flap does get in the way sometimes, but I can easily fold it behind the Note and use it single handed, which can’t be said for the leather pouch. With the pouch, getting the Note out requires two hand. You also need two hand once the Note is out: one to hold the pouch in one hand and the Note in the other hand.

The leather pouch provides a lot more protection, but due to the larger size of the Note, you simply handle it differently which forces you to be more careful. That’s why you’re also less likely to drop it when compared to smaller phones. The same can be said for tablets, as the device gets larger, you’re more careful and less likely to drop it. Which is why I’m more inclined to choose the cover. The flip cover simply looks good, is more practical and turns a lot of heads. Only if you’re likely to drop your phone, I would recommend the leather pouch.

The Flip Cover gets an 8 out 10, while the Leather Pouch gets a 6.9 out of 10.

A special thanks to our friends at Mobilefun. You can find more mobile phone covers  and phone cases on their website.

Pros

Flip Cover

Looks Amazing

Provides extra protection for camera lens/LED light

Protects screen

Calls are possible with flap covering screen

Microfibre Ligning

Quality material

Cover looks almost like orginal

Leather Pouch

Provides lots of protection

Can be removed to use with Dock

Microfibre lining

Quality material

Cons

Flip Cover

Doesn’t protect metal rim

Flap can get in the way

Can’t work with dock with cover on

Flap folded behind phone makes the phone feel bulky

Leather Pouch

Phone has to be removed from case

Difficult to get phone out of case

Can’t make calls with the phone in case

Requires one hand to hold the case and one for the phone

Not very practical

When Dyson introduced their Air Multiplier fans back in 2009, I was intrigued by the concept of a fan that replaces the traditional spinning blades with loop amplifiers. The result was indeed not only elegant and futuristic, but also quite pricey, costing several times more than a conventional fan. There was no denying that it also looked a lot better too. Two years later they introduce sort of a hybrid product, combining both their previous rethinking of the fan while going one step further by adding a heater into what is now called the Dyson Hot. I was quite excited to put the Hot through its paces to get a feel of how the Air Multiplier technology works, but also to see how the technology copes with the added functionality of a heater and most importantly to find out if it could replace the traditional fan. This review is based on a long term usage of the Hot during the past wintery months and will try to answer the question: Is it just a stylishly designed piece of tech or could Dyson’s latest be a legitimate replacement for the 100+ year old fan?

Specification

What’s in the box?

• Base
• Loop amplifier
• Remote control
• Operations manual

The Dyson Hot fan heater AM04

The Dyson Hot fan heater AM04 is as the name suggest a hybrid between a traditional fan and heater, but judging by the design alone, there’s nothing traditional about the Hot. The way it creates air flow is even more radical.

The AM04 uses Air Multiplier technology to efficiently produce airflow. It basically takes surrounding air via the openings in the base and pushes it out at high speed through slot that runs along the sides of an elliptical loop called the Amplifier. The magic happens once the air streams out where it encounters a curved surface, which naturally creates negative air pressure. This pressure causes the outgoing air to accelerate while drawing even more air from the back. As the air travels down the expanding ellipse, it creates another area of low pressure behind the fan which again automatically pushes even more air through the fan and causing the air in front of it to accelerate even faster. Lastly as the air exits the fan as a large cylinder of air that comes of the edge, more air is added through a process called viscous shearing. Dyson’s approach is simply genius and efficient in the sense that the fan is designed in such a way to naturally create low pressure areas. This all comes down to using the laws of physics to accelerate the air, drawing in lots of air from the back with very little initial effort. The concept is pure brilliance!

The Hot is a heater first and a fan second: While it happens to be the only Air Multiplier machine that’s able to heat a room and function as a fan, its performance as a fan does take a backseat to the heater function. This means that the other Air Multiplier fans will easily outperform the Hot when it comes to the ability to accelerate (or multiply it as Dyson likes to call it). The regular fans can “multiply” the incoming air anywhere from 15 to 18x, while the Hot is only able to do this at 6x. There are probably two reasons for this. The first is that they actually needed less multiplication, otherwise the Hot wouldn’t be able to heat the hair fast enough and  as a result , wasting energy in the process. The incoming air from the back needs to slow down a bit for it to effectively heat the entire column. Secondly, when it comes multiplying the air, the elliptical shape simply is less efficient than the round shape found on the AM01 or AM03 . Just look at the AM02 Tower fan (with its elliptical shape). It’s able to accelerate the air at 16x, while the circular-shaped AM03 Pedestal Fan does this at 18x.

So how is the Hot positioned in Dyson’s line of Air Multiplier devices? A flagship device usually is the most expensive and feature-packed product in a particular line. One look at the AM04 name would have you believe that the Hot is Dyson’s flagship Air Multiplier. This is based simply on the fact that the higher number usually means the better the product. Add the fact that the Hot is the only Air Multiplier with both the fan and heating functionally and you’d definitly think it’s Dyson’s flagship device. The Hot is actually part of a separate line of hybrid devices that have both the fan and heating functionality, while there’s a another line that consists of fan-only devices. In that sense the Hot is the flagship in the heater line, since it’s the only product in that group. Among their line of fan-only devices, the flagship title goes to the AM03 Pedestal which just happens to be their most expensive and highest performing air multiplier device. So, depending on your definition of a flagship,  being either the most expensive or the most feature-packed, that title can go to either the Hot AM04 or the AM03 Pedestal.

The Hot is available in two color combinations: Iron/Blue and White/Silver, with both being offered at $399.99. I was send the White/Silver version that matched the Grey and White color palette I used in my apartment exactly. With it’s neutral color palette, I think that version should work well with most modern interior designs. The Iron/Blue is a beautiful color combo but isn’t very neutral which could make look a bit out of place in many homes. Dyson should consider offereing the Hot in a full Iron and full Black color options. I suspect that there is a market for these color, especially if they made a full Black version.

Design

Let’s get one thing straight, the Hot is one beautifully designed piece of tech. It’s design is very distinctive and even if you don’t know what it is, you’ll have to stop and take a second look. For those that do know what it is, it’s instantly recognizable, leaving no doubt that you’re looking at a Hot. Like many Dyson and Apple products, the Hot will surely be remembered for its iconic design and radical departure from the traditional device it replaces. If it wasn’t for the fan and heating functionality, the Hot could easily be mistaken for a stylish piece of modern art. As a result, the Hot doesn’t have a problem blending in with the rest of the décor and in my opinion even adds to the overall interior design. Just as interesting is the reaction from visiting friends and family to the Hot. Unable to determine what it does, they always start by asking what it is, followed by comments on the how beautiful the design is. Lastly, once the confusion sets in, they always end up asking how it works. The Hot is one of the those rare devices that’s not only able to attract lots and lots of attention, yet manages able to fit in nicely with the rest of the furniture and décor. Just ask any wife how much they love those new large tower speakers in the living room. The Hot on the other hand will easily get the wife approval.

The Hot looks like a smaller version of the floor standing the AM02 Tower Fan, retaining the same elliptical ring Dyson calls the “running track shaped” amplifier. This shape was chosen to take up limited desk space. In comparison to the other Dyson’s fan it requires the least amount of space due to its slim profile, with the base being its widest element. Even when it’s fully tilted forwards or backwards or when oscillating, it never reaches beyond the borders of the base. This allows the Hot to fit in some very tight corners which is a big plus when compared to wider traditional fans or even the other Dyson fans.

The unit consists of the large elliptical ring, called the Amplifier, the pedestal and the removable base. The only assembly required is twisting the base into place to connect it to the Pedestal. It seemed easy, but I found it a bit difficult to properly align the lines and screw the base into place. Points have to be given to the folks at Dyson for at least trying to make the process incredibly easy with arrows and symbols indicating exactly what to do. But when it came down to actually attaching the base, it definitely wasn’t as intuitive or easy as it should be. After several minutes I finally got it right, something that should have taken mere seconds. I also tried removing the base, but that was even worse. After trying for a few minutes, I finally decided to simply give up. No matter what I did, I simply could not get it off. If there is one area that needed improvement, it should be this detachable base. Dyson should simply go back to the drawing board and permanently attach this to the body or make it much easier to attach and remove. Luckily this is a one-time thing and will probably remain attached to the body. The base itself isn’t very wide, but is enough to add all the stability needed. Despite being very tall and narrow, the Hot is aided by its low center of gravity and the base. As a result, the Hot is surprisingly difficult to topple over. Even when in what seems like a gravity-defying tilted position, it remains very stable.

The pedestal is divided into two halves, making tilting possible. The lower part houses all the controls and buttons: the Power button, Thermostat control, Airflow speed control and oscillation control. One very cool detail is the LED lights that indicates the temperature and airflow speed. It uses matching White lights that nicely fit the rest of the glossy White finish. Once turned off, they completely disappears, leaving an area that’s no different from the rest the glossy White body. A very nice and elegant touch. Small and thoughtful details like this are scattered all around the Hot, clearly indicating how much thought and effort went into the product. The receiver is located below the display, where there’s an opening covered by a clear cover. It appears to be using IR and doesn’t require an exact straight line-of-sight or a close proximity. It operate just fine at large distance and even when slightly pointed to the sides. This doesn’t mean that a large couch won’t hinder operation, because it does. But considering the typical placement of the Hot between furniture, Dyson should consider using RF technology. This way it can  even be operated from different rooms, while obstructions like large furniture won’t have any effect. The lower part of the pedestal allows for the entire unit to swivel.

The upper part allows the Amplifier to be tilted, allowing it to direct air downwards or upwards. The sliding action is very smooth and requires very little effort. It doesn’t have predetermined stops, but allows you to position it at any specific locations without any unwanted movements. The entire sliding mechanism feels incredibly solid. The only possible way Dyson could make this better is by making the tilt function mechanically controlled. Tilted forwards or backwards, it looks like it’s about to come crashing down at any moment, but instead seems to give the illusion of doing a gravity defying balance. The first time I tilted the Hot, I had to stop for a few  seconds and just admire how cool this looked. It really looks like it’s being suspended by some magical force that prevents it from falling over. This feature doesn’t only serve the purpose of directing air upwards or downwards, but also adds a very interesting visual element to the Hot. The upper part of the pedestal houses nothing but the grilles through which air is drawn in.

The amplifier is de piece de resistance and is probably the first thing you’ll see when looking at the Hot. It sits a bit sunken into the pedestal and is silver on the inside and glossy White on the outside. At the back of the Amplifier there’s a slot that runs along its entire perimeter. This slot is where the heated air is pushed out. This heating is done by heating stones  embedded in the Amplifier. I think it’s these heating elements that make the Amplifier walls on the Hot thicker than those found on the much larger AM02 Pedestal. While it looks like the air comes out along the entire perimeter, it actually only comes out of the straight part of the slot and not through the curved areas. The Amplifier is bit more narrow in the back and slightly widens in front. There are many small, almost unnoticeable elements that appear to be insignificant or just there for the aesthetics, but are actually key in the process of accelerating the air. Take for example the slightly raised area just in front of the slot and the slight widening of the amplifier that help in creating two different low pressure areas.

Many electronic devices with an emphasis on design seem to sacrifice utility in favor of design. In this case it’s exactly the opposite: the unusual shapes and every tiny detail seems to serve a purpose, yet at the same time it all comes together in package that scores high when it comes to the aesthetics.

The remote looks like a larger and longer third generation iPod shuffle and appears to be made out of Aluminum. One closer look reveals that it’s actually plastic. The quality, fit and finish on the remote is high enough to fool you into thinking it’s metal.

I had to take a very close look to make sure it was plastic. It also never gets cold, something that obviously would happen if it was Aluminum. The exact same controls on the pedestal are mirrored on the remote. The buttons sit completely flush with the body with no raised area to actually tell you’re pressing a button. The problems comes when sitting in the dark where it becomes difficult to operate. I’d love it if Dyson would put backlit buttons on future versions of this remote. That would make operation in the dark a whole lot easier. The use of a light sensor would also aid with conserving power.

One neat detail is that the remote can magnetically attach to the top of the Amplifier, creating an unusual, again almost gravity-defying visual effect. The top of the Amplifier is round and very glossy, putting the remote here looks like it will slide and come crashing down. As you get closer it reassuringly snaps into place by using magnets. It’s also handy to have a place where you can put the remote and come back and find it. We all know how remotes tend to mysteriously disappear. It’s thoughtful details like this that show the amount of thought that went making the Hot and  at the same time it’s visually an interesting detail. One part I consider to be a negative is the use of disposable batteries in the remote. Sure, it will take a while before it needs to be replaced, but at this point in time it’s simply environmentally unacceptable. I think Dyson should keep the remotes ability to be magnetically stored on the Hot, but add inductive charging similar to devices like the Powermat. This way the remote can charge up while docked on the Hot and most importantly no more disposable batteries! This method is not elegantly fitting for a device such as the Hot. Dyson engineers, if you’re reading this, get to work and get it done!

Daily Use & Performance

Working with the Hot is very simple. When you set it to 0, the power button will turn Blue and the Hot will operate like any normal fan. But if you set the temperature anywhere from 1 to 37 degrees Celsius the button will turn Red, indicating that it’s running in Heater mode. Do notice that the temperature scale will vary by region: our European version for example uses Celsius while our US-based readers can obviously expect Fahrenheit. On the US version setting the temperature to 32 degrees will activate fan mode.

How does the Hot fair as a heater? Once you set it to a specific temperature it will produce hot air trying to maintain the entire room at this heating level. If the room is already at that particular temperature (or higher) it will simply stop running and go into some kind of a stand-by mode where it continues to monitor the room temperature. I love this feature, because this prevents the Hot from running all the time wasting energy, but it also takes away the hassle from having to remember to turn the Hot Off when the room is at the desired temperature. Once it drops below the specified level, the Hot will turn back On and repeat the entire process. It’s that simple. I also like the fact you can precisely control the temperature which is something I’ve rarely seen on modern portable heaters. It’s actually entertaining seeing the Hot turning itself On and Off trying to manage the room temperature. In some cases it would turn Off (indicating that it reached the desired temperature), but just seconds later it would turn back On. This to me indicates that the Hot is very sensitive to slight variations in temperature which could trick it into unnecessarily turning itself back On. This doesn’t affect its performance or the room temperature, but it can a bit odd seeing it turn Off and then shortly after turn back On. While the Hot is very efficient at managing the temperature, it is perhaps a bit too sensitive when it comes to these minute temperature changes. This doesn’t affect its overall performance, but it’s perhaps an area that Dyson should slightly tweak.

The Hot is no slouch when it comes to heating performance where it really impressed me with its ability to quickly produce hot air in less than a minute, indicating its ability to rapidly heat the stones inside. More impressive was the fact that it managed to do this from a cold start. Specifically when oscillating and running at close to the max air speed it was able to quickly heat my entire living room in about 10 minutes, something my floor heating system could never achieve. The fact that this was done from a relatively small machine is even more remarkable. You really start to see the benefits of the Hot on those cold days where you come home to a cold room and you’re able to quickly to heat it up. The same can be said when just want to keep a small area like your feet or just a reading nook warm. To achieve this local heating affect, all you need to do is lower the air speed. A higher air speed setting has the tendency to spread the heat around and heat a larger area.

After a cold start, the Hot actually starts blowing unheated air which can be a bit uncomfortable during the Winter months. One cold morning for example it was quite painful getting a sudden jet of cold air, just before it started producing hot air. This happens because it obviously needs to heat the stones inside, before it’s able to heat the air. I wish the folks at Dyson would reprogram the Hot in such a way that it wait until the stones are fully heated, before it starts producing air. This isn’t a deal breaker, but it definitely requires a reprogram to change this uncomfortable aspect. Once the stones do heat up however, it quickly makes up for this with a gloriously warm and comfortable stream of air. As you know, the air can get very dry during the Winter and having a product blowing hot air with relatively low humidity can have a drying effect on the skin. This can easily be alleviated by having a separate air humidifier, but it would be interesting if the folks at Dyson could integrate humidifier function into the Hot. It’s already producing Hot air and spreading it around your entire room, why not add humidifier into the process?

When it comes to the air multiplication, I did notice that the Hot significantly slows the process down when in heating mode. My guess is that at max air multiplication, it isn’t able keep up with and heat the large amounts of air coming through it. Slowing the process allows it

When running in Fan mode, the Hot is running at peek multiplication and even so it isn’t as quick as the other fans. My guess is that elliptical shape is less efficient at producing air when compared to the round shape. I don’ consider this to be negative point, as it’s a heater first and a fan second. To give you an idea, the Hot multiplies the air at about 6 times, while Dyson’s lower-end desk fans do this at 15 times! At 15 times the air would be going by so fast, it simply wouldn’t get the chance heat it up.

Unlike conventional fans, you can safely put your hand in the middle of the amplifier, making it very kid friendly. If you put your hand behind or right in de middle of the ellipse you won’t feel any air. It’s only when you stand in front of the Hot you are you greeted with a constant and smooth column of air. The effect is very different from a standard where you can feel a very choppy, unstable air. The air feels more like a constant breeze, with no perceptible turbulence. The When in heating mode I was able to put my hand on the inner parts of the elipse without any problems. It was hot, but not uncomfortably hot, while the outside remained cooled to the touch. It’s only when you put your fingers near the slots where the hot air exits the fan, does it get uncomfortably hot. It never gets hot enough to burn you, which is a plus.

There’s a neat hidden feature where the Hot will turn itself Off if you knock it over. I tried gently knocking my sample of the Hot over on a pillow and it completely turned off. Even when I tried turning it back on by using the power button on the unit it wouldn’t turn back On. It wasn’t until I set it to its normal upright position was I able to start it back up.

As a fan the Hot works quite similar to when in heating mode. But unlike the heating mode, you can’t set the temperature, but you do have control over the airspeed. One thing you’ll notice is that while running in Fan mode, the multiplication process works a lot faster, producing significantly more air. It works great as a fan, but compared to other Dyson fan it is a few steps behind, being able to only do 6x multiplication, compared to the 18x on the AM03 Pedestal. If you’ll mostly be using the fan function, my advice is too look at the other Dysons fans which have a higher air mulplication rating. But as it stand, the Hot is still a impressive heater and a good fan, but not as good of a fan as Dyson’s other model.

One thing to consider is the sound produced by the Hot: it can be described as a gentle “whooshing” sound that’s a bit different then then the sound produced by a conventional fan. At max speed, the Hot is quite a bit louder, but It’s still within I would call the comfortable zone. Most potential buyers won’t have any problems with the sound produced by the Hot, but there will be a small group that simply won’t like. The motor sitting in the pedestal is silent, but it’s actually the air exiting the slot that produces this whooshing sound. The air speed can be set anywhere from 1 to 10. Anything above airspeed level 8 is a bit too loud for me. I do hope that in future version, Dyson improves on the technology to cut down on the noise level. The beauty of the hot however comes from the fact that you can set it at the lowest levels where it doesn’t seem to produce much air, but more importantly produces this strange and very relaxing cooling effect. As a fan the Hot is a few steps behind Dyson’s own fans, yet exceeded my expectations. The sound is different and at max volume a bit loud, but at the lower levels it’s much smoother than a fan where it’s able to create a more effective cooling effect.

Conclusion

The Hot is a remarkable piece of tech that combines an eye-catching design with functionality. It’s one of those rare devices that stands out while still being able to blending in with the rest of the décor and in my opinion even adds to the overall interior design. If it wasn’t for the fan and heating functionality, the Hot could easily be mistaken for a stylish piece of modern art. Small touches like the magnetically docking remote control, gravity defying tilt function, its ability to shut off when knocked over show and the LED lights that completely disappear when turned Off, show the amount of thought that went into designing the Hot. However I had a bit trouble attaching and removing the base and using a disposable battery for the remote at this stage is environmentally unacceptable. Due to the fact that the buttons on the remote sit flush, I sometimes wish they were backlit.

Working with the Hot is very simple. You set the desired temperature and it does the rest, even shutting down to conserve power and turning back On to maintain a stable temperature. The Hot is no slouch when it comes to heating performance where it really impressed me with its ability to quickly produce hot air in less than a minute, indicating its ability to rapidly heat the stones inside. More impressive was the fact that it managed to do this from a cold start. Specifically when oscillating and running at close to the max air speed it was able to quickly heat my entire living room in about 10 minutes, something my floor heating system could never achieve. The fact that this was done from a relatively small machine is even more remarkable. You really start to see the benefits of the Hot on those cold days where you come home to a cold room and you’re able to quickly to heat it up.

As a fan the Hot works great, but the sound produced is a bit louder than a normal fan and can be described as a gentle “whoosh.” Most will be ok with the sound, but some simply won’t like it.

The Hot is a legitimate replacement for the fan, with the added bonus of a beautiful design, while thoughtful little details seal the deal. The $399.99 price might be a big hurdle for many, but you do get what you paid. I simply love the Hot. It gets an 9.7 out of 10.

Pros

Beautiful Iconic design

Design should blends easily with rest of décor

From a cold start fans heats air in less than a minute

Very stable and difficult to topple over

LED display disappears when off

Small footprint requires little space

The remote attaches magnetically to the top of the Amplifier

Can heat up a room very quickly

Cons

Remote uses batteries

A bit loud

Base difficult to remove or attach

After a cold start: the initial jet of air is uncomfortably cold

LG Marquee and the Samsung Replenish both come preloaded with Mobile ID. The customer can access apps, ringtones and wallpapers. When I first turned on one of these I was able to immediately get info about the Boost phones. I downloaded the PDF User Guild from the phone and read the PDF immediately. Both phones are small, light and attractive. The LG Marquee is actually quite thin at 0.36″ or 9mm.

From Boost

Samsung Replenish

Samsung Replenish comes with USB cable/AC adapter and SD card adapter. Easy to use QWERTY keyboard. The 2.8-inch, 240-by-320-pixel QVGA display is hard for my older eyes to see. This will probably not matter in the least to the younger crowd. But I do find it annoying when trying to read my Facebook pages because the Facebook app does not have a zoom feature. Of course I could always get stronger glasses but that’s SO boring.

The OS is Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread and runs fine but I can tell it’s not quite as fast and responsive as other Android phones I’ve used. But it’s a dual-band EV-DO Rev 0 (800/1900 MHz) device with 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, so it’s doing it’s best. The sound quality during calls is ok, occasionally a bit tinny, but the Sprint connections I have had in the past at home are now  vastly improved. If you are in the market for a CDMA phone the Replenish will do just fine. I had no difficulty using the virtual Android keyboard or the QWERTY keyboard. Logging into my gmail and accessing my Google Voice and Facebook worked just fine. And a device JUST working is the bottom line.

The 2-megapixel camera is ok but nothing exciting.

If you experiment you can get decent shots. Here’s some peppers with Fluorescent White Balance. I was able to get a better red than the other White Balance settings but you can see the highlights are a bit blown out. :

From Boost

Outdoors yields better closeups:

From Boost

And then there are videos. Here’s one with the Blue Filter. Other phones have more exciting filters:

Play Slideshow

From Boost

LG Marquee

While not having as large a screen as some phones it’s not bad. It’s a 4-inch, 480-by-800-pixel NOVA capacitive touch display. It’s a dual-band EV-DO Rev. A (800/1900 MHz) device with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. And like the Replenish making calls in the cemetery does not result in dropped calls. Yes, the cemetery is one of my “test” locations. Some older phones drop calls  like a drunken sailor drops bills on the bar. The Samsung and LG perform quite well. Like the Samsung the Lg comes with a 2gig microSD card. But it has a nice big 2.79GB of internal storage. I transfered some of my custom ring-tones via Bluetooth and also by plugging into my laptop. As with any Android device one just let’s the phone show up as a storage device and one can look around the files like in any other removable HD. And no matter where the files are as long as they are in a folder called Ringtones they will be found when you are linking one to a contact. The microSD card is accessed by removing the phones’ cover. But  unless you wish to replace it with a 32GB or larger card there’s no reason to ever open the phone.
The LG having GPS enabled makes using maps fast and easy.
The Marquee’s has a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and LED flash. The Camera button is on the left side of the Marquee body just under the volume buttons. On the LG it’s on the right where I have generally seen it. There’s also a 2-megapixel front camera.

How successful at getting close up images? not always. I have to work at it. But if you look through the album linked at the bottom of this article you will see that sometimes I got and sometimes I didn’t. Maybe I just need more practice.

 
Don’t forget to look at the LG Marquee with Solarize filter. The video is a nice 1280×720 pixels.

From Boost

 
Album of pictures and videos made by the Boost phones:

credit: lg.com

THE G-SLATE

Out of the box the G-slate is an attractive device. It feels sturdy and sleek with an attractive glass front. On the back what first attracts attention is the brushed aluminum Google logo inserted into the plastic black matte finish. A T-mobile and LG logo are silkscreened on the back, but the device’s name is strangely absent. Two cameras on the back instantly signal 3D imaging capabilities and their orientation are a strong hint as to how the tablet was designed to be held.

On the front, a camera is situated in the upper-left corner instead of being centered like on the iPad. The 1 pounds, 7 ounces feel solid in the hand–weighty without being heavy. No buttons adorn the front. A volume rocker switch is located on the top horizontal edge, along with tiny hole for the mic. On the bottom edge are an HDMI port (a cable is included in the box is an appreciated touch), and a micro USB port. A small, clicky power-button sits out-of-the-way on the left vertical edge. On the same side, and also unlabeled are a 3.5mm headphone jack and a DC power port for the included wall charger. A single speaker grill on the left, and two on the right, are perfectly positioned to be covered by the user’s hands as they hold the G-Slate.

As an Android 3.0 device, the G-Slate is fast. A dual-core, 1GHz ARM A9 with an integrated 3D chipset makes the G-Slate a snappy multi-tasker and competent game console. The G-Slate comes with 1GB of RAM–twice as much as the rival iPad 2, if that sort of thing is important to you–and 32GB of built-in storage, which is plenty for most users.

The 1280 by 720 screen is vivid and crisp, protected by a layer of scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass. The handsome Honeycomb interface runs smoothly, and there is no lag switching between applications. The native Browser application is adequate for most web browsing tasks; however, the bezel design of the G-Slate is narrower on the long sides causing the tablet to be awkward to hold for portrait-oriented browsing.

NOT A TABLET FOR YOUR GRANDFATHER 

If picked up at a closeout price, the G-Slate would be better appreciated in the hands of someone comfortable with troubleshooting the myriad number of bugs and quirks that sometimes throw up unexpected roadblocks.

The G-Slate user guide is available to download from the T-Mobile site, but the box containing the review unit did not include any documentation. Within, the guide warns that the G-Slate can only be charged through the wall wart, not through the USB port. How such a device can be released in 2011 is a mystery to me, and constitutes a serious deficiency in the usability of the tablet.

When the G-slate is completely drained of battery, it flashes a red icon on the screen for several minutes before booting. I watched with growing certainty that the G-Slate was DOA, but after a few minutes the cheerful T-Mobile chime sounded and everything was okay. At least, until I tried to setup my Google account. The G-Slate’s internal clock set itself to 2008, causing security certificates to silently block my setup attempts. Manually setting the clock got me past the problem, but the solution was one I stumbled on by luck.

Once my account was setup, I was pleased by the easy access to the variety of Google services I use daily, including Gmail, Reader, and Images. Concerning Images, I was surprised by how quickly the G-Slate was able to load my galleries, and pleased by their thoughtful presentation and ease of navigation.

The camera application locked up badly enough that the application manager was helpless to fix it. Resetting the G-Slate brought the camera back online. Not that having access to the camera was necessarily a blessing.

Most ordinary users will find the small but not uncommon glitch to be a steady source of frustration in owning the G-Slate, and even true gadget nuts will grow impatient with the lack of polish.

THREE WEAK CAMERAS

Two 5 megapixel cameras on the rear of the G-Slate are set apart about the same distance as a pair of human eyes. The cameras have a stereoscopic view of the world, enabling support for 3D imaging. In theory this could open the door to some unusual and creative photography. In practice, the red-blue anaglyphs aren’t very satisfying to watch due to washed-out colors and exhaustion in forcing the eyes to focus on the artificial dimensionality.

For those who want to shoot old-fashioned 2D pictures, the G-Slate is still disappointing. While shooting indoors, even under bright lighting, the G-Slate produces noisy, blurry pictures. Turning on the LED flash only makes the problem worse by adding narrow hotspots to the image. The G-Slate just isn’t the device on which to capture fond memories.

The front-facing camera is just as muddy as the twins in the back, and presents its own oddness. The front camera is on the top-left corner while holding the tablet in landscape orientation. For a use like video chat, it’s difficult to keep the user centered in the frame, necessitating the camera be held at about a ten degree angle from the natural position. The user, even when looking directly at the screen, appears to be thoroughly disengaged, staring off at something at the direction opposite to the camera’s placement. A centrally placed camera would have fixed that, but its compromised position is probably meant to be a compromise for users who want to hold the G-Slate in portrait mode. It just doesn’t work.

A MEDIOCRE TABLET

But for a few incomprehensible design choices and not-quite-ready for prime time software, the G-Slate is a decent device. Unfortunately for LG, Android tablet makers are filling the market with a wide variety of better hardware. The strengths of the G-Slate include its quick processor and crisp screen, but those aren’t enough to make up for the inclusion of bad cameras and the lack of ICS upgradeability. The G-Slates faults pull the tablet into the below average range, but the right user will probably appreciate the G-Slate if they can find one at a good price.

Positives:

• Beautiful screen
• Lots of built-in storage (32GB)
• Fast hardware for games, applications, and multitasking

Drawbacks:

• Glitchy software (camera, system)
• No supported upgrade to Ice Cream Sandwich
• Three cameras, none can take a decent picture
• Can only be charged by power port

Bottom line: Despite the pitiful cameras and the foreclosed upgrade path, the G-Slate is a fast tablet with a beautiful display. Glitches often worm out of the woodwork, but if a tolerant tech person finds one of these for a discount price, it’s worth picking up.

So you  just got a brand new Galaxy Note? Well, we’ve got some good news for you: We’re preparing  a series of Galaxy Note Accessory reviews and first up is  Samsung’s  own Desktop Dock. Let’s have a look at this dock and find out if it’s a must-buy or if you’re better of skipping this one.

The Samsung Desktop Dock for the Galaxy Note (EDD-D1E1BEGSTD) is more desktop holder that allows you to hold your Note in portrait or landscape mode while charging the device. Another neat little feature is that it also has a 3.5mm audio output which is perfect if you want to hook it up to external speakers. As far as we can tell it only comes in Black with metallic accents, so if you do own a White Note you’re pretty much out of luck if you were hoping for a matching docking station. The dock cost $51.99 and doesn’t include a charger or a 3.5mm audio cable, which is expected from these type of accessories. It should work just fine with you’re Note’s included travel charger. The EDD-D1E1BE is actually one of two docks Samsung is offering for the Note. The other model, the Samsung Galaxy Note Holder and Battery Charger (EBH-1E1SBEGSTD) is  marketed more as holder when in fact both can be considered “holders” and and not a dock in the traditional sense of the word. A dock usually is associated  with not only charging, but also data sync, which both of these accessories lack. The Holder does have the benefit of being able to charge a spare battery, but unlike the Dock we’re reviewing today it doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio output.

With a device as large as the Note you wouldn’t expect the dock to be small and in fact it isn’t, being quite a bit larger than other phone docks I’ve seen in the past. Once you do get the dock out of the equally large box, you quickly see that we’re talking about a serious piece of kit and not just any piece of plastic that can hold your phone upright. First impressions of the dock is that it exudes quality and it does have a weight to it that again in my opinion is indicative of quality.  The dock pretty much looks like a pyramid that sitting on its side. It’s not only esthetically pleasing design, but from a practical point of view, the pyramid shape, in addition to the weight and slanted design, it makes it much much harder to topple over. 

On the front part the unit, the upper edge is removed, allowing the Note to slide into the dock and USB connector on the bottom. The edges are done in a glossy plastic, while a matte plastic is used for the part where the Note rests in the dock. The Samsung logo sits on sunken part of the dock, which is a nice design detail. It’s a good thing that they decided to keep things simple without going crazy with metallic accents all over the place or even a metal Samsung logo. You literally have to slide the Note in, which was a cause for some concern with regard to getting the metal rim on the Note scratched up. But after testing this for a few days now, I’m happy to report that this doesn’t seem to be an issue. On the lower right side, there’s a Blue LED light that lights up whenever the Note is resting in the dock itself and receiving a charge. I would have prefered a White light, but the the Blue is ok and just does the job right. If you look closely you’ll notice a small opening on the front part of the dock, right where the Note’s external speaker will rest when docked. Basically this is meant to channel the sound from the external speaker and push it out the back, in a system Samsung calls “Sound Path.” The idea was to cut costs by having to integrate a speaker, but still allowing you to use the Note’s speaker which otherwise would be blocked.

The sides are open revealing a hollow dock, sort of like hollow pyramid with two of its sides removed  which allows the sound coming from the external speaker to be channeled out the back through a much larger opening. The inner part of the dock is done in a nice matte metal finish while the bottom, sides and bottom are done in a matte soft plastic material. On the top there’s another Grey Samsung logo, while on the bottom there are three rubber feet which do a good job in preventing ay sliding.

The most interesting part of the dock is on the back where both the USB charger input jack and the 3.5mm line out jack are found. Both are placed inside chrome point that interestingly curves to the left, creating a very cool design effect. While using the dock, I’ve noticed that this isn’t just for the aesthetics alone as it actually makes it easier when plugging cables on the back of the dock. Because it slightly curves to the sides you don’t have to turn the dock comply around, just a half turn has the ports facing you. A nice little detail.

Sliding the Note into the dock activates a unique desktop clock mode. This happens even when the dock isn’t powered by the charger, which indicates that somehow it’s signaling the Note to enter a docking mode, without ever needing the charger. The docking mode is very similar to the “Desk clock” you’ll find in the default clock application, but adds quite a few extra options not found in the regular app: a scrollable bar on the bottom that by default shows icons for the: Alarm, Music Player, Gallery, Voice Search, S Memo and the Readers Hub. On the top right it also adds an exit button and a button that allows you to toggle between using the built-in speaker or outputting sound to the 3.5mm audio jack. Worth noting is that if you have other desktop clock-type applications, the Note will ask you to choose among the various options. In my case, these where Lightning Bug and TuneIn Radio in addition to the regular Clock function. The default screen shows the time, date, location and current weather conditions which is a lot of handy info when used on a desk or at the side of your bed. If that wasn’t enough it also allows you to hide the bar at the bottom or customize the various icons, allowing you to add your most used applications. Going into settings reveals even more options to fiddle with, like Brightness settings, wallpaper, dock options etc, etc. If you do need more option, you can always exit this mode and continue using your phone normally.

With the Note in the dock, it makes for one imposing and impressive package that looks more like a home appliance than smartphone or mobile device. The Note is one expensive piece of kit, but the dock gives it an even more upscale look. The angle at which the Note sits is almost perfect, requiring to be pushed back just a bit more to be just perfect. For most people the angle Samsung decided to go for is good enough. Surprisingly the dock works great sitting on the it’s side, which is perfect for watching videos. It looks very cool in landscape mode as a part of the note seems to be floating in mid air. Samsung seems to have designed the dock with landscape mode in mind, as the it sits quite securely with no unwanted movements. Having the Note on my desk in an upright position is very hand, instead of having to pick up it up each time to have a look various functions. Strangely the dock doesn’t isn’t meant to be used for data synchronization, but only for display and charging, that’s why marketing  as “dock” can be confusing. This probably not going to be a problem for most Note users since it does offer wireless sync through KIES Air function, but I simply can’t understand why they decided to omit this, especially the cable and USB function is there. Samsung doesn’t even recommend charging it via your PC stating that: “We recommend charging the desktop dock with the travel adaptor because there maybe a risk of damaging your PC when charging via USB cable.” In other words, keep you the dock far away from your PC which is a shame. Samsung does sell a MHL TV-Out Adaptor for HDMI-equipped TV’s, but considering the fact that this doesn’t sync data, I doubt this will work.

I was interested to what effect “Sound Path” feature would have on the overall sound. To my surprised it did not only increase the overall perceived volume, but it aided with lower tones, so it does improve the sound a bit, but don’t expect any miracles. Incoming calls sounded great with the Note in the dock, so it should work great as a speakerphone.

Should you buy the Samsung Desktop Dock? If you’re sitting at a desk for a great part of your day I would say: Definitely! It not only looks great, but it really is handy having it sitting upright which allows for quick glances and operations, without having to constantly pick it up. If you’re like me and you’re Note is your primary source of music and videos and use external speakers I would recommend seriously considering this dock. It has the 3.5mm output, but if you’re like me and use Bluetooth audio it also works great since it’s sitting at a great angle. However those looking for a dock to charge and sync should looks elsewhere. The Samsung Desktop Dock for the Galaxy Note (EDD-D1E1BEGSTD) gets a 7.3 out of 10.

More Samsung Accessories can be found at MobileFun.

Pros

High Quality Build and materials

Weight indicative of quality materials

Pyramid design is difficult to topple over

Can be used in both landscape and portrait mode

External can still be used

The Sound path amplifies the sound a bit

Handy when sitting at a desk

The Note sits at a good angle

Cons

No data sync

Not recommend to charge via PC

No MHL TV-Out Adaptor for HDMI compliance

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Feb. 22, 2012 —

Consumers are increasingly demanding more from their smartphones — keeping them entertained, staying connected with loved ones and enabling them to complete more tasks using a single device. A recent T-Mobile survey³ found 79 percent of smartphone users are less likely to carry other technology devices, such as cameras, laptops and GPS devices, when they have their smartphone.

T-Mobile’s newest 4G smartphone offers a variety of features and applications to help consumers be entertained and have access to the information they need when they need it. The Galaxy S Blaze 4G entertainment offerings make it easy for T-Mobile customers to stream their favorite movies on Netflix^®, enjoy live or on-demand TV programs on T-Mobile^® TV in mobile HD⁴ or download a popular movie or TV show using Samsung Media Hub. Additionally, the smartphone features TeleNav GPS Navigator, which provides hands-free, voice-guided turn-by-turn driving directions, real-time traffic alerts, full-color 3-D moving maps and local alerts, helping customers get to where they need to go. The Galaxy S Blaze 4G also comes preloaded with a customized version of the Yelp mobile application, featuring the ability to save profiles so users can keep preferences the same with one touch in any city, making it easy to find and read reviews for local places to eat, shop, drink and play.

Also pre-loaded on the device, the T-Mobile 4GPro App Pack offers an aggregation of key business applications, such as DropBox, Evernote, Square, TripIt, Camscanner and LinkedIn, helping busy consumers be even more productive while balancing their professional and personal lives.

“The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G is loaded with rich features and services to keep consumers entertained and connected virtually anywhere they want to go,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. “Paired with T-Mobile’s fast 4G network and our unlimited data plans, we’re making it easy for consumers to enjoy the benefits of 4G experiences at a price they can afford.”

Featuring a sleek and stylish form factor, the smartphone comes in a carbon black color and runs on Android^™ 2.3 Gingerbread. The Galaxy S Blaze 4G also features a Snapdragon^™ S3 processor by Qualcomm^® with 1.5 GHz dual-core CPUs and a beautiful 3.97-inch Super AMOLED^™ touch screen providing consumers with a rich experience watching their favorite movie or TV show on the device.

The Galaxy S Blaze 4G also makes it easy to connect and share photos and video with loved ones. It features a 720p HD video recorder, 5-megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, flash and advanced shooting modes, as well as a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat.

Availability

The Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G is expected to be available at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers and retailers nationwide, and online at http://www.t-mobile.com starting late March. The Galaxy S Blaze 4G is expected to cost $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate card, with a two-year service agreement and qualifying Classic voice and data plan. For more information, visit http://galaxy-s.t-mobile.com/samsung-galaxy-blaze.

It uses a braille board and finger pads for accessing emails, text messaging, playing music, and reading books.

SEOUL, Korea – February 21, 2012 –

Building on the market success of GALAXY Ace and GALAXY mini since their release last year, GALAXY Ace 2 and GALAXY mini 2 are ideal devices for users with active lifestyles who value individuality and style without compromising on performance or affordability.

“Launched in 2011, GALAXY Ace and GALAXY mini have been a huge success in the global market. Today, we introduce GALAXY Ace 2 and GALAXY mini 2 with upgraded features and services,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics. “Our goal remains the same—to continue to create new and improved mobile experiences that deliver something suitable for everyone. This is the hallmark of Samsung’s GALAXY range and what has made the GALAXY brand such a runaway hit with consumers around the world.”

Double-Engine Power, GALAXY Ace 2

GALAXY Ace 2 delivers efficient multitasking, lightning-fast screen transitions and high-quality graphics for even the most demanding applications and games. HSPA 14.4 connectivity provides an enhanced browsing experience and fast content downloads with minimal lag-times. Additionally, 4GB of internal storage ensures that films, photos and a whole array of personal multimedia content can be easily stored and taken out and about; a 1,500mAh battery adds to GALAXY Ace 2’s on-the-go performance for active, demanding use.

Enhanced Samsung Hubs and ChatON services ensure that users are never far from the content or social connections they care about. Music Hub allows one-step access to over 17 million tracks at anytime; Game Hub offers users the very latest gaming titles; Social Hub allows users to view their instant messages, social network and email communications all in one single inbox. Samsung’s ChatON service connects users with other phone users – across any platform – into a single community, providing easy multi-format instant messaging and group chatting.

Compact and Trendy for more fun, GALAXY mini 2

GALAXY mini 2 packs a real performance punch into its slim and colorful 11.9mm-thick casing. The 3.27” HVGA touch-screen enables high-quality multimedia viewing while maintaining the device’s portability.

The compact GALAXY mini 2 ensures comfortable Web browsing and easily handles the demands of the most resource-intensive applications. An improved 1,300mAh battery capacity also guarantees extended multimedia usage and longer chat sessions. 4GB of storage allows users to comfortably store videos, music and images.

Like GALAXY Ace 2, GALAXY mini 2 keeps users connected through ChatON and Social Hub, while Music Hub allows one-step access to over 17 million tracks at any time.

For multimedia content and more detailed information, please visit www.samsungmobilepress.com.

Samsung GALAXY Ace 2 Product Specifications:

Network

HSDPA 14.4Mbps  900/2100

EDGE/GPRS      850/900/1800/1900

Processor

800MHz Dual-Core Processor

Display

3.8” WVGA(480×800) PLS TFT

OS

Android 2.3(Gingerbread)

Camera

Main(Rear): 5 Megapixel Auto Focus Camera with Flash

Sub(Front): VGA Camera

Video

Codec: MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, VC-1, VP8

Playback/ Recording: 720p

Audio

Codec: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, FLAC, Vorbis

Music Player with SoundAlive

3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS

Value-added

Features &
Services

Samsung TouchWiz / Samsung L!ve Panel UX

Samsung Apps

Samsung Kies / Samsung Kies air

Samsung Hub

- Social Hub

Integrated Messaging(Email, SNS), Contacts, Calendar Sync

- Music Hub

- Game Hub

Samsung Hub Widget

- Music Hub/ Game Hub

Samsung ChatON mobile communication service

Polaris

GPS/ Glonass

Connectivity

Bluetooth® technology v 3.0

USB 2.0

Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct

Sensor

Accelerometer, Digital compass, Proximity, NFC (optional)

Memory

4GB User memory + 768MB (RAM)

microSD (up to 32GB)

Dimension

62.2 x 118.3 x 10.5 mm, 122g

Battery

Standard battery, Li-ion 1,500 mAh

* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Samsung GALAXY mini 2 Product Specifications

Network

HSDPA 7.2Mbps  900/2100

EDGE/GPRS     850/900/1800/1900

Processor

800MHz Processor

Display

3.27” HVGA(320×480) TFT

OS

Android 2.3(Gingerbread)

Camera

Main(Rear): 3 Megapixel Fixed Focus Camera

Video

Codec: MPEG4, H.263, H.264

Playback: WVGA@30fps

Recording: VGA@25fps

Audio

Codec: MP3, Vorbis(OGG), AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB/WB, WAV, MIDI,

WMA, FLAC

Music Player with SoundAlive

3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS

Value-added

Features &
Services

Samsung TouchWiz/ Samsung L!ve Panel UX

Samsung Apps

Samsung Kies / Samsung Kies air

Social Hub

- Integrated Messaging(Email, SNS), Contacts, Calendar Sync

Music Hub (Downloadable via Samsung Apps)

Samsung ChatON mobile communication service

Google^TM Mobile Services

- Android Market™, Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Search™, Google Maps™,

Syncing with Google Calendar™

ThinkFree (Downloadable via Samsung Apps)

A-GPS

Connectivity

Bluetooth® technology v 3.0

USB 2.0

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA

Sensor

Accelerometer, Digital compass, Proximity, NFC (optional)

Memory

4GB User memory + 512MB (RAM)

microSD (up to 32GB)

Dimension

58.6 x 109.4 x 11.9 mm, 106.8 g (NFC)

58.6 x 109.4 x 11.6 mm, 105.3 g (Non-NFC)

Battery

Standard battery, Li-ion 1,300 mAh

All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability, and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice or obligation.