What is it?

The HP Pavilion dm1 laptop tries to bridge the gap between tablet and fully fledged laptop.

In a world where Ultrabooks are now posing a very real threat to laptops while also being portable and tablets are capable of satisfying most users’ needs while too being extremely portable, the day of the Notebook could be getting shorter every day.

How does the Pavilion dm1 fit into this ever growing and crowded laptop/tablet market?

Hardware

The Pavilion dm1 is a real looker, its matte black (Glossy on the screen bezel) style with silver trim is sure to turn many heads as it actually looks more expensive and premium than it truly is.
With the dimensions of 29.2 x 21.5 x 3.2cm, and a weight of just 1.6kg, the Pavilion dm1 is ideal for students, writers or anyone on the go really. Even for couch surfing it’s perfect.

Don’t let the size and weight put you off the dm1 however, inside it’s still powerful enough to perform most tasks you could throw at it. It combines portability with power fairly well.

Connectivity-wise we have a HDMI port, SD Card slot, headphone & mic jack, VGA, Ethernet and three USB 2.0 ports. Again, given the size this is quite an impressive array of connection options – suitable for almost any device or display.

Along the front-bottom of the laptop are the speakers, powered by Beats Audio (more on those later) while the bottom contains the battery and intake fan.

Build quality is solid overall, the laptop feels well-built and sturdy, although there is a noticeable amount of give on the lid and on the G & H keys along with audible creaking.
Not enough to mar the entire experience but if it’s definitely not in the same league as a MacBook Air in terms of that reassuring sturdiness – then again, it’s nowhere near as pricey.

The trackpad does the job, but won’t win any awards. It supports two finger scrolling and pinch to zoom gestures among a few others but these can be somewhat finicky to use. The dedicated left and right mouse buttons are quite loud and plastic-ey, they feel very cheap.

Typing on the keyboard isn’t the most pleasant experience either, the keys feel hollow and again we’re forced to use the word cheap.
There’s a nice amount of travel on them given the laptops size and they’re well-spaced, but they’re quite sharp on the corners which makes it somewhat hard to slide your fingers across them – not what you want when trying to type.

Software & Performance

The Pavilion dm1 contains a 1.65 GHz AMD Dual-Core E-450 processor which according to AMD has been specially designed to work in laptops, in order to make power consumption lower while still maintaining performance.

This is on a much lower level than Intels i5 or i7 chips, they run the price up much more than the cheaper AMD chipset.

Don’t expect to be playing Crysis on this thing, but some graphically light games aren’t completely out of the question – we managed to play Portal just fine.

Be warned though that in order to keep the size and weight low, this laptop doesn’t have an optical drive – not a deal breaker these days as they are dying out in laptops but just know that you’ll be using USB drives/cables for all your data needs.

The dm1 handles most of what the average user will throw at it on a daily basis, it was capable of tabbed browsing with music playing in Zune while transferring files to and from SkyDrive without any noticeable slowdown.

Try to open up too many programs at the same time however and the strain does start to show, just like if you throw more and more tabs in your browser or more file transfers it will eventually struggle – sooner than we would have liked.

Overall though it’s more than fast enough for most users, anyone who wants more should be looking at higher end laptops to begin with.

The 11.6 inch screen has a resolution of 1366 x 768, which is great for the size. Movies look crisp and clear in HD, we have no faults here. Viewing angles are great and the hinge actually folds down parallel to the keyboard – a bit unnecessary but not a complaint.

Wrap Up

The HP Pavilion dm1 is a great machine for its size and class, the lack of an optical drive and sub-par keyboard shouldn’t deter you from this hidden gem.

With the inclusion of Beats Audio that produces impressive sound, a really nice design and good range and number of connectivity options, the Pavilion dm1 is the perfect laptop in its price range.

You can contact the author of this post, Luke Hoare Greene at Luke@TechTV101.com or Follow him on Twitter.

What is it?

The Phillips HMP2000 Smart Media Box is Phillips’ answer to Apple TV on a budget.

With the ability to use Netflix, YouTube along with streaming content from a USB Drive, Phillips are definitely aiming for the consumer who wants to get into the ‘Smart TV’ revolution but doesn’t want to break the bank.

Is this little glossy box filled with a world of entertainment, or should you save your cash?

The Hardware

Design is the first thumbs up for the Smart Media Box, we would have preferred matte black over the glossy black chosen due to dust and fingerprints but only the top is glossy so it’s not a major problem.

The top of the Box is angled downwards from the back to the front which makes for a strange shape that works well, while the back-top angles the opposite direction until about halfway down when it changes into a flat back.

These angles give the Box a kind of triangle shape towards the back yet a slim, almost tapered edge at the front, again it’s a strange but nice design.

On the bottom-back is the power socket and one HDMI port, the right side contains one USB port while the left side remains bare.

Overall it’s a minimalistic design that works very well, there’s one LED light on the top of the device that glows green when on or red when in standby.

The Software

The menu presented to you upon start up is pretty basic, Netflix, YouTube, USB, Internet Services and Settings.
Netflix is the bread and butter here while it feels as if YouTube and USB support was thrown in only to justify the price.

Netflix has a very Metro feel to its UI, much like the Xbox 360 dashboard and the upcoming interface in Windows 8. The shows and movies are presented in a cover flow style which is quite nice on the eyes and easy enough for anyone to use.

YouTube is a bit less straightforward on the other hand, offering some sort of ‘tabs’ on the left hand side with seemingly random videos loaded into each one, it’s not the worst use of YouTube we’ve ever seen but it’s by no means the best either.
Quite simply put, it gets the job done – just.

USB support is a very welcome addition but again an addition that’s quite bare-bones and feels it.

It does support a wide array of video types and allows playback of music and photos also, but the menus are just very slow and clunky.
It’s a very useful addition nonetheless and one that’s lacking on Apple TV.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a nicely designed and attractive device to help you turn your TV into a Smart hub of sorts, where Netflix and YouTube can become a common sight in your living room then the Phillips HMP200 is aimed squarely in your direction.

Solid Netflix and YouTube support combined with a bland but simple to use interface and a good USB support option make this an attractive purchase at a decent price.
We also would have liked to see more features such as 4OD, VEVO or RTÉ Player and DLNA support for smartphones.

It’s sadly let down by its frustratingly small and cheap-feeling remote control along with the lack of an Ethernet port, but if you’re looking for much more at this price point then you’re not Phillips intended buyer to begin with.

Lets get the spec’s out of the way first.
The Vodafone Smart Tab 10 is a 10.1inch Android Tablet. The screen is running at 1280*800. It’s got a 1.2ghz Dual Core Snapdragon processor inside along with 1gb of RAM and 16gb of Storage (upgradeable via MicroSD Card). Connectivity wise, on the bottom there is a proprietary connection that allows for charging and data transfer via the included USB cable.

There should also be an adaptor available soon to allow for HDMI out from this port. On the left of the Tablet we have the 3.5mm Headphone Jack and a cover that conceals the MicroSD card Slot and the SIM Card slot. The Vodafone Smart Tab 10 is only available with 3G and carries a little extra in the price department to reflect that. It supports everything up to HSPA+ so speed over 3G, from what I’ve experienced, is not an issue. Moving up, we have the Left Stereo speaker (yes, stereo speakers!).

On the top, we have the Lock/Power button along with the Volume Rocker.

Finally, on the right there is only the Right Stereo Speaker. The sound from these speakers is really good. Much better than in other, similar tablets and considerably better than the mono speaker found in the iPads!

The back of the tablet has a lovely texture and in the upper right there is a 5mp Camera (though No LED Flash, but this is not a concern).

There is a front facing 2mp camera as well for video calls / self Portraits. Battery wise, there is a 6800mAh battery that we’ve found good for about 8-10 hours (depending on usage / if you’re on Wifi or 3G). In the box, you get the Charger, USB Cable, a set of headphones and a neoprene pouch to protect the tablet while travelling (this is a nice touch and saves you having to buy one, but I’m hoping that we’ll see some proper cases soon so I don’t have to keep taking the tablet in and out of the pouch to use it!)

All this hardware is supported by the Android OS, in this case, it’s Honeycomb 3.2 (We’re awaiting confirmation from Vodafone when Android 4.0 will be pushed to the device. I’m assuming they are waiting for ZTE, the manufacturer to confirm when this will happen).

As far as network customization goes, there isn’t a huge amount here. A couple of Apps for managing your SIM Card / Account with Vodafone is about it, which is nice. There is full access to the Google Apps and Play Store so getting down the extra Apps you require isn’t an issue (as it has been in the past for some tablets – I’m looking at you Archos!)

Right, so what’s to say about the Vodafone Smart Tab 10 beyond the spec’s noted above, well, in the hand it feels really nice. It’s nicely balanced and there is a subtle dip in the back where the shiny bezel meets the plastic back that makes it really comfortable to hold. Given that it’s running Honeycomb, there is no hardware based system controls so they move about as you re-orientate the tablet so finding a comfortable position is nice and easy.

Some of the inbuilt apps include Dropbox, Swipe Keyboard (though I much prefer Swiftkey’s Tablet keyboard), Pulse Newsreader, a File Browser (I really like this addition), Kindle Reader and Quick Office HD (which is great for Word / Excel creation and editing). There was also a few games preloaded from EA, NFS Shift and the SIMs were nice to see on there.

In terms of the display, it’s a standard LCD Panel (not an IPS) in a 16:10 aspect. The viewing angles are decent and it’s nice and bright. I would avoid enabling the “auto brightness” setting as the light sensor is right where I found my thumb to sit when holding the tablet in landscape mode. There is also some minor light bleeding from the backlight, nothing I’m overly concerned about, but it might irk some people. If found unless the screen was completely black, it wasn’t noticeable at all, especially if you knock the brightness down a couple of notches.

I downloaded Netflix on there right away and it worked perfectly. Looks better than on the iPad thanks to the proper Aspect of the screen and the picture quality was bright and clear. The stereo speakers were really evident and the sound quality was amongst the best I’ve heard on a tablet. Other apps worth getting down is the FilmOn app (this gives you the UK channels streaming live), also head to www.aertv.ie for the Irish Channels Streaming live. The combination of the above 3 gives you access to pretty much all the TV and Movies you could want on a tablet and I found proves very effective when there was 2 people around and there is only 1 television!

The 3G reception was excellent and I was consistently clocking speeds of 3-4mbps down and 1mbps up! Having this ability out and about is brilliant. The stock browser is really snappy and when combined with the fast Vodafone Connection, surfing / downloading / getting online when away from your home wifi is a breeze and I was glad to have it available on several occasions! I found the reception was much better than on my Galaxy Nexus most of the time, with the Vodafone Smart Tab 10 averaging 1 or 2 bars stronger coverage than my phone was getting. This is great as there are a few places where my phone struggles to get 1 bar of coverage, but the Smart Tab 10 had 2 to 3 bars and I was able to keep going!

What about pricing? Well, this is where things get REALLY interesting. On Pay As You Go, you can have the Vodafone Smart Tab 10 for a mere 349euro! You pay for data per day as you need it and starts at 3euro a day for 500mb!
On Bill Pay, you can have the Smart Tab 10 from 169euro at 24.99 per month for 10gb of data (or 199euro at 19.99 per month for 10gb of data)
When comparing that to other tablets out there, lest say, for example, the iPad 2 (NOT the new iPad). A 16gb iPad 2, with 3G and Wifi will set you back 519euro (the ‘New’ iPad in 16gb with 3G and Wifi will cost a whopping 599euro!) When you compare it to the likes of that, the Vodafone Smart Tab 10 is a steal on Pay As You Go, and it’s a phenomenal price on the Bill Pay options!

Before getting my hands on the Vodafone Smart Tab 10 I was a little anxious how it would perform compared to the iPad / Other Android Tablets, but after spending some quality time with the Vodafone Smart Tab 10, I can say I’m very impressed and it’s well able to stand on it’s own to feet and compares very favorably against the competition, but when it comes to cost, it wins hands down!! Bar the few niggles with back light bleed (which the iPad also suffers from), I found very little to not like about the Smart Tab 10. If I could change 1 thing, i would drop the proprietary connector in favor of a Micro USB connection, but it’s minor niggle in an otherwise impressive device!

Here’s the official Specs from Vodafone:

What’s in the box

Headset
Charger
USB cable
Documentation
Network

EDGE (XMM 6260)
3G HSPA+ (21Mbps)
VOIP
Quad band UMTS (850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz)
Quad band GSM (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
HSUPA (5.76Mbps)
Connectivity

Specification
USB2.0
Category
Bluetooth technology v2.1 + EDR
WiFi 802.11(a/b/g/n)
ConnectionType

Prepay
OnAccount
Memory and storage

16GB solid-state drive shared memory
Sensors

Gyroscope
Ambient light
Accelerometer
Video

Formats: MPEG4, H263, H264
Camera

Front: 2.0-Megapixel
Formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, BMP, AGIFM
Audio

3.5mm headphone jack
Formats: MP3, OGG, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR- NB, AMR-WB, WAV, MID
Dual stereo speakers
Software

Android UI / Android browser
Google Mobile Services

Google Talk Video Chat, Google Maps, Google Music, YouTube, Android Market for more applications and content

Here is our hands on  review of the Motorola Xoom 2. This android tablet is running on Honeycomb 3.2.2 and has a 10.1 HD IPS-LCS display. There is also a 5MP camera round the back and a 1.3MP on the front. It’s just 8.8mm thick with stereo speakers, Micro card SD Slot and 16 or 32GB built in. This really is one of the most impressive android tablets I’ve played with.

With the world slowly but surely being overtaken by apple products, Philips have seen the huge amount and also impending wave of Airplay enabled products and have decided to produce their very own Airplay enabled speaker.

The Fidelio DS8800 speaker is quite the looker with it’s stylish curves and symplistic design. The sound quality from this speaker really is impressive but did require a bit of audio tweaking in the settings of say your itunes or whatever device you are streaming your audio from.

Setting up the wifi on the device was a little bit tricky so the manual is essential. Once it’s connected though, all you need to do it just switch it on whenever you want to stream audio and it connects automatically. I used my itunes on my Macbook Pro and the music on my iPad to test the Airplay and can say it worked a treat. I did have a few cut out issues but that was more an issue with my wifi than the player itself.

Philips also have their very own apps for iOS devices with the DockStudio app for iPad being really handy. It works almost like a bedside alarm clock, weather and music playing app when connected to your Airplay speaker. It also lets you stream thousands of internet radio stations to your Airplay enabled speaker.

I have to say, I found this app really intuitive and well thought out, it evens lets you connect with your Facebook and twitter accounts to tell your friends what songs or stations you are listening to.

Having used the speaker for a few weeks now, I can say I’m really pleased with the overall performance and the design of this speaker would suit any room in the house. Here are some more detailed specs on the device:

• Width 17.9 in
• Depth 5.9 in
• Height 6.5 in
• Weight 5.5 lbs

• Speaker Type Active

• Woofer size (inches) 130 mm, 19 mm
• Nominal (RMS) Output Power 30 Watt
• Response Bandwidth 20 – 20000 Hz
• Signal-To-Noise Ratio 90 dB
• Audio Amplifier Integrated
• Connectivity Technology Wireless – AirPlay via Wi-Fi,
  Wired
• Additional Features Apple AirPlay technology,
  USB charging
• Features Speaker – 2-way – 30 Watt – 20 – 20000 Hz – 8 Ohm
• Driver Details Speaker : 2 x Woofer driver – 130 mm,
  Speaker : 2 x Tweeter driver – 19 mm

Connections

• Connector Type 1 x USB,
  1 x Audio line-in ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )

Miscellaneous

• MP3 Player Compatibility iPod touch (4G),
  iPod touch (2G),
  iPhone 3GS,
  iPhone 4,
  iPod touch,
  iPod touch (3G),
  iPad,
  iPhone 3G,
  iPhone
• Remote Control Remote control

To help you with this tough quandary, we break down the consoles performance below and a review of some of the launch titles will follow throughout the week.

For those of you, who want the quick low-down, check out our “At a glimpse” table below.

The in-depth review.

The first thing noticed about the Vita was the screen. Being very picky about my graphics and frame rate, I was very apprehensive about the Vita’s biggest feature. The truth is the apprehension was misplaced. The Vita’s five-inch, 960×544 resolution OLED screen delivers bright, colourful, and stunning visuals, just below those of the PS3. I know it’s hard to believe that a portable console would even be in the same range of that of its big sister, but it is.

Look & Feel

The Vita is a very sexy piece of equipment. The sleek, round chassis is ergonomic and sits comfortably in your hands. The body has no sharp edges and doesn’t dig into your hands during extended gaming sessions. The sleek and sturdy Vita feels great in your hands. A downside is the size. The Vita is perhaps the biggest portable piece of kit you will own, a fair whack larger than its competitors and your smartphone.

Though it has a similar layout, the buttons feel different compared to the PS3 controller. Your stand Playstation buttons are there but unfortunately they aren’t pressure-sensitive enough. I have to say that the built-in dual control sticks really set the Vita apart from the PSP, 3DS and the Xperia Play (Smartphone gaming). It helps you forget you’re playing a handheld although they lack the same range of movement and don’t double as buttons when pressed. A major flaw with the sticks is how close they’re situated to the d-pad and the face buttons. Those of us with slightly larger hands may have some difficulty switching between the two.

Battery Life

The Vita can support about 4 to 5 hours of continuous play, which is OK but far below that of the Nintendo DS. This can be extended to about 6 to 7 hours if you use the sleep and power save mode.

User Interface

The menus should look familiar to most smartphone users, as every available piece of software gets its own specific application. The first thing people will notice is that navigating the Vita is a touch screen-only affair. The Vita’s homescreen houses large icons and images, with crisp and sharp text. There can be up to ten icons per page, which sway gently back and forth. Mini-notifications for signal strength, open programs and battery status sit above the display. Icons can be moved around, but cannot be bundled or organized in any other fashion, like that on an iOS device. When you start an app, you will find an icon/shortcut is created that can be reached by swiping the screen to the left. These shortcuts can be removed by simulating a peeling motion of the dog-eared corner.

Some of the assorted applications can run simultaneously, such as games and the trophy viewer application. In order to multi-task, you have to pause a game, swipe-close the software or game and then open the other app.

In truth, the functional aspects and the usability of the PlayStation Network and browser on the Vita is still on par with that of the PSP. There is no way to share multiple accounts on one Vita like you can on a PlayStation 3 and you’ll find a better browser on your phone.

Touchscreen

Some of you may groan as you read this part but fear not. The Vita is 90% touchscreen controlled. Outside of playing games, everything is controlled by the touchscreen: menu navigation, setting changes, etc. The back of the system also serves as a touchpad as well, but it cannot be used to navigate the menus. An amazing plus here is that the touchscreen works flawlessly. This multi-touch display is blazing fast. The touch abilities of the back of the handheld fare just as well as the front. The tilt and motion sensing seem more responsive then other gyro-based devices, as well.

Camera

Not much to say here. Nearly all portable devices created now, contain a camera and other than the cameras being used for augmented reality gameplay purposes, I can’t really see a use for either the forward and backward-facing cameras. And in truth, most of you will have a better or similar camera on your phone, when compared to the Vita’s 1.3-megapixel cameras.

Multimedia

Ok let us say for the sake of argument that you’re still not content with your iPod, phone, Digital camera and laptop and want the Vita to handle all your videos, pictures, and music. Well the device can do this but getting them on the console can be a bit of hassle. The Vita’s Content Manager Assistant is slightly cumbersome to use and in truth reminds me of an early version of iTunes. Finding the content you want to put on the handset is easy but downloading them requires some strange folder navigation.

The final word

Truth be told, my complaints listed above about the Vita are pretty superficial, but still will niggle at you and it’s also worth noting that the battery cannot be replaced without replacing the entire system. Aside from those small bits the PS Vita is a pretty impressive system, with incredible graphics, responsive touchscreen and tilt mechanics, and the extra control stick round out the package. The major downfall of this beautiful console is the cost. Even the cheap bundle in GameStop Ireland is €269.99 (PS Vita WiFi + Fifa or Virtua Tennis). But this need for purchasing a proprietary memory card doesn’t the cash flow problem as you can’t do much without a memory card. I’d recommend you get the a bundle that comes with some memory thrown-in. The PS Vita WiFi + Uncharted + 16GB Memory Card will only set you back about €329.99. In my opinion the Vita will satisfy both the casual touchscreen gamer and the hardcore gamer who wants full control and amazing graphics.

Finally, the Vita did come to market with a seriously impressive bunch of launch titles like Uncharted: Golden Abyss and WipeOut 2048, so the finding a game to suit you from game library shouldn’t be an issue.

I was recently giving my Sony CP-ElS (as a gift and for around €25, what a great stocking filler!). I know it’s not Christmas but it’s a really nice way to say thanks to someone you know who regularly runs out of battery in there phone.

The CP-ELS is smaller than the bigger CP-A2LS (4,000 mAh) but comes with 2000mAh capcity, which should be enough for a single charge of your smartphone. Both models can be fully charged via an AC outlet in around six hours. Also, a low self-discharge rate means that even after a year you should still have around 80% of your initial charge left. Handy to have in your backpack!

These USB Portable Power Supplies have been around a month or two but as they have just come up on my radar I said I’d bring it to your attention. So remember, a geek will really thank you for this gift and will always be able to call you after to say it!

I’m sure you have lots of burning questions, so here at TechTV101 we are looking for those unusual but very important queries that you would like answered. Our new section is going to be called “Derek’s Dilemmas”. So save your Google search credits and drop me a line. My minions and I will  do all the work for you. Contact details below.

Derek’s first dilemma is from Sarah. Sarah asks whether it makes any difference which headphone you put in which ear. Thanks for your question Sarah. I’m going to have to answer in a few different parts.

Part 1: It’s all down to the shape.

Some headphones are oriented only one way due to the design i.e. they will only fit on your head if you put the left head phone over the left ear. This is also true for some of the more expensive in-ear buds and again only fit a certain way. The cheaper head phones and in-ear buds fit over or in either ear.

Part 2: Watching movies.

The left/right difference will be most evident when watching a movie with headphones on/in. For example the movie shows a car driving from left to right across the screen. If you have the headphones/buds on/in the wrongs ears then direction of the sound will be in reverse. Simple when you think about it.

Part 3: Listening to music

Many musicians will use the stereo sound channels for sound effects aimed at one or the other ear.  Some types of music make more use of these effects than others. In my research, especially Classical for example, the string sections should always be in your right headphone. For normal pop music it’s rare that it would make any difference to you at all whether you put the buds in the ‘right’ or the ‘wrong’ ear, but this trend does seem to be changing.

Part 4: On the phone

Makes no difference if you just pop them on/in to take make a call unless you are talking to someone in a car chase or a member of a band during a sound check. Obviously still joking, it makes no difference. Just listen and talk.

So I hope that answers your question Sarah. Some people will disagree with me and say the only reason that there is a little “L” or “R” on your headphones is to keep those of us out there with O.C.D. happy….!

If you would like to send in your dilemma or just say hi you can contact me on derek@techtv101.com or follow me on twitter

We got the chance to play with Sony’s first android tablet, the Sony Tablet S. The tablet comes in either 16GB or 32GB versions and both are WIFI only. It’s got a 9.4″ screen with Sony Bravia Mobile technology implemented to help create true blacks and vivid colour. The device has a unique shape which is pleasing on both the eye and in the hand. It has a 5MP camera on the rear and a VGA camera on the front for video calling. Unberneath, there is a 1GHZ dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM. The user interface is smooth and responsive running on top of Google’s android Honeycomb 3.2 OS. Overall this is a really nice tablet and one of the only true competitors to Apple’s iPad. This is a very impressive first entry from Sony and I’m extremely excited to see what they have plan in their future tablet devices.

Recently on the road and realised that I needed a file that was back in the office but everyone was already gone home….step in the iTwin.

The iTwin is “The USB Drive Reinvented”. It is two ends of a cable without the cable. It works as simply as plugging in a USB flash drive. There is no capacity limit. You can access/upload/edit all of your files.

All access is encrypted with AES-256 and you can remotely disable lost iTwins.

Winner of the reddot design award in 2011 which has previous winners which include the iPhone 4 and BMW 5 Series.

So all you need is two computers connected to the internet and running Windows.

The iTwin was developed by iTwin Inc., headquarter located in Singapore with a department in the USA.

“iTwin facilitates data transfer and access between two computers connected to the Internet. The two identically designed parts of the device are plugged into the respective USB port of each computer. This permits files and folders to be exchanged independently from the location of the two computers, also allowing for reciprocal data processing from each of the devices.
The 256-bit AES encryption guarantees a secure connection. The housing is made of recyclable aluminum and carries a logo inspired by Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam”. Its similarity to a USB stick conveys a high recognition value and promises easy operation. The unit occupies minimal space and can be carried along anywhere. For transport, the two elements are interlockable.”

As mentioned above, the iTwin requires both computers to have access to a broadband wired/wireless Internet connection. Do note that this product (currently) only works on Windows systems, respectively XP, Vista and 7. Both computers must be online (as in: connected to broadband internet, the PC itself can be in sleep mode to save power). I see a MAC update seems to be available.

Should you buy one? Yes if a plug and play option is what you’re looking for but no if you are tech savvy enough to know how to operate a VPN (if you have to ask what VPN is you’re in the plug and play category…..)

Talking to a friend recently we were discussing how some people are no longer wearing watches because they didn’t feel the need  to have a timepiece as they had their mobile phones. This did not sit well with me because I really like a nice watch. I also like a really good phone so I was so pleased to see i’mWatch coming into the marketplace.

Over 40 years ago the first digital electronic watch was developed. Now watches come in all shapes and sizes. There are watches in the market that have a tape measure inside, some store flash drives while others even hide a spy camera. What has been missed is a truly smart watch to match our smart phones and that’s where i’mWatch fits in.

The i’mWatch will not replace the smart phone but will making handling it directly from your wristwatch possible. Running a custom version of the Android OS fear not iPhone users as it also works with the iOS through Bluetooth and using the new “Personal Hotspot” function that Apple have made available in the latest iOS 4.3 version. i’mWatch have therefore succeeded in making two great competitors like Apple and Android interact. Future updates will also connect with other phones including Blackberry.

Italian design and technology, multi-tasking, an extremely high resolution display with an original multi-touch touch screen on curved surface all with performances never before seen on such a small object.

Only accepting pre-orders for its release towards the end of September the company are blown away with the level of interest! With over 5,000 i’mWatch pre-orders and 200,000 visits to the website the two young entrepreneurs from Vicenze (Bertolini and Zanella) are delighted with the reaction.

Specifications for developers to develop specific Apps for the i’mWatch have been released so full integration with the likes of modern homes for switching on and off appliances/heating etc. Other useful Apps are also being developed.

The i’mWatch was originally presented to the market at a much higher price point of starting with the i’mJewel collection from €599 up to €14,999. The i’mColour range is a more reasonable price of €299 (€249 special pre-order price finished 30 June, did you order yours already?).  There will be 7 flashy colours white, yellow, pink, light blue, green, red and black. This lower priced version is identical to the luxury version as far as hardware and software are concerned.

Inbound calls, text messages, emails, Facebook or Twitter notifications, or other useful information are all shown on the high resolution screen. With this smartwatch it is possible to communicate through speakerphone and therefore without having to reach into bags or pockets in search of the phone.

“i’mWatch” is provided with a 1.55” touchscreen, Bluetooth connection and 4GB memory card. The minimalist GUI recalls the iPhone icons and those of other smartphones on the market and includes time, city and weather forecast. Moreover, the high resolution screen (that of iPod nano) will have an original multi-touch touchscreen on curved surface and will be protected by sapphire glass. The first collection, that will be available beginning end of September, 2011, can already be ordered on the www.imwatch.it website. It is important to remember that delivery will be made only to those placing pre-orders on line with a 20% deposit and will be made on a first-in first-out basis.

I truly think this will be not just “the” fashion accessory this year but the “Tech and Fashion” accessory for this year.

Here at TechTV101 we are looking forward to getting our hands on some to road test soon!

User review to follow.

note from the video: Magnet Subscribers can pay an extra 3.99euro to add the extra channels onto the free package.

1) Can you talk a little about the tech behind the Magnet Web TV service?

Magnet has invested considerably in building up Ireland’s first IPTV video headend.
Is has taken almost 5 years to build, upgrade and maintain. We saw an opportunity
to leverage the fact that we had an IPTV headend and as such, could easily bolt on
an online streaming service that would enable us to take live video in the highest
quality, re-encode and mass distribute to all who wanted it.

We’ve taken the very same live video services we deliver to our customers in Fibre
To-The-Home developments, re-encoded them to MPEG4 video and then wrapped
the IP stream in either Flash (RTMPE) or HTML5 for Apple HLS. We’re using a very
well known content distribution engine to deliver the live streams to browser / mobile
clients.

The service is unique in that, as an ISP also, our transit links with other ISPs mean
we can service consumers who are not on our network, while limiting the traffic
impact on our network.

2) Will you be offering an option to select a different quality stream?

Our intention is to offer the best quality available to users depending on their
broadband downstream speed and equally if they are a Magnet customer. We
plan to introduce adaptive streaming in the near future which does not require the
consumer to tell us what quality profile the user wants, the service will be delivered
in the highest available. Of course, Magnet customers will find themselves being
delivered the highest quality not only because they’re a customer, but because they
have the fastest broadband available to them.

We decided to pitch the service at a medium quality because we felt the consumers
accessing the service from other broadband providers would have a poor experience
if we pushed the highest quality video we have available. The reality of the situation
is that we had to throttle back the bit-rate to ensure everybody got a fair opportunity
to use the service. Where issues do crop up regarding failure to deliver the WebTV
service to consumers due to inadequate broadband speeds, it’s up to the other
operators to clearly explain to their customers why they are unable to deliver a basic
level of service.

3) I see you now support HTML5 video for the Apple Devices, will HTML5 feed
be used anywhere else, or will you give users the option to select it as a feed?
(e.g. on Android Devices)

Our intention is to use the best delivery mechanisms available to each devices.
We noted with great interest the significant effort put in by Adobe to ensure the
flash player on Android is up to date and reliable, which is why we have selected to
continue using Flash as the delivery mechanism for Android. If HTML5 proves to be
better in the future, we’ll switch to that. The same goes for PC / MAC. The key driver
in these decisions will be quality of experience for the customer.

4) Are there any plans to open up the whole package to non-Magnet
subscribers? (i.e. Pay “x” for the whole package per-month)

No plans as yet. Our content contracts have strict stipulations as to where we can
distribute video to.

5) What’s the future of Magnet Web TV? Are we going to see it embedded on
Consoles perhaps? (like the RTE Player on PS3 or Sky on the Xbox360)?

We’ve just added the new Free-To-Air channels released on the Saorview platform
along with some international news channels. Consumers can now watch 11 great
live TV channels on the free pack.

The difficulty with pushing the service across all the gaming and smart TV platforms
is a clear lack of conformity from each of the manufacturers. They all want a piece
of the app market pie and as such, have driven the cost of deploying services such
as WebTV sky high as each platform requires an individual development cycle. This
invariably means the customer looses out. We were really excited when we heard
about Google TV and thought it was a platform we could work with if only some other
manufacturers signed up. Unfortunately that has not happened which forced us to
have a re-think and review what platform is a priority and what platform is not.

6) What’s the delay off real time for the a) Flash Feed and b) HTML5 feed?

Delay is not part of our vocabulary here. True, there is some latency in encoding
video for streaming to Magnet WebTV. We’ve clocked it at approximately 8 seconds
for both.

7) Are there any plans for an App to make it even easier to access the service?

We don’t have any plan do this just yet. The approval process for App stores can be
quite long and complicated. We believe customising the front end to render correctly
on mobile devices gives us a quicker time to market.

8 ) What are the minimum requirements, in terms of PC/Mac Spec and
Bandwidth, both Mobile and Fixed Line, and what’s your recommended system
for the best possible experience using the service?

We didn’t feel the need to advertise minimum requirements as we expect that
consumers using the service have had some experience of using You Tube or
maybe even the player from RTE. If their PC works with these, then it will work for
Magnet WebTV. It’s the same reason we decided to deliver the medium quality
bitrates from the off, we’re trying to reach as many consumers as possible without
any strings attached.

Regarding bandwidth, we believe a dedicated downstream connection of 1mbps is
sufficient as we expect consumers may be doing some background browsing while
watching live TV on WebTV.

I recently came across “Square” in a hotel lobby magazine. Currently only operating in the US but no doubting it’s future growth worldwide here at TechTV101 we wanted to give you the heads up first! It basically is an App and attachment for your iPhone, iPad or Android phone or tablet where you can accept card payments from friends, family, customers for your products or services.

Sounds great! So for a start up business to established businesses Square offers a fixed transaction fee of 2.75% per swipe along with other benefits. Such as free card reader, fast set–up and next day payment into your chosen bank account. Based in San Francisco Square recently announced some new features.

The new, free Square Register app for iPad streamlines checkout, tracks sales, and makes it easy for businesses to communicate with customers on their mobile phones. The company also introduced Card Case, which enables iPhone and Android users to explore local businesses; view menus; track and store digital receipts; and open digital tabs to make instant, effortless purchases – all on their phones.

“Cash registers and credit card terminals are relics of an expensive, complicated, and impersonal commercial transaction system,”

said Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square.

“With Register and Card Case, we’re transforming everyday transactions between buyers and sellers into something special,”

said Dorsey.

 

“We revolutionized the payment industry with the Square card reader which makes it possible for anyone to accept credit cards on their phone,”

said Dorsey.

“Now, with Square Register, we’re reinventing point of sale with a beautiful, intuitive iPad app. Card Case goes beyond point of sale to transform the entire buyer-seller relationship.”

Square Register

Square Register replaces the complicated and expensive cash registers that clutter store counters with a beautiful, full featured, touch-enabled point of sale and checkout solution. Using Register, businesses can easily manage the items they sell, check daily transactions, update pricing, automate checkout, generate digital receipts, and maintain virtual storefronts so customers can discover and explore new offerings when they’re in the neighborhood. New features introduced with Register include:

Directory

Using the location-based Directory feature, sellers can be discovered by customers in their neighbourhood. Consumers can explore nearby shops, cafes, and restaurants before they ever set foot in the store.

Menus

The new Menus feature, much like a digital sandwich board, enables local shops and restaurants to advertise current menus, prices, daily specials, and the most popular trending items right on customers’ phones. Updates are pushed instantly, giving businesses a powerful, cost effective way to build awareness and communicate with customers.

Tabs

Similar to one-click purchases made popular by online retailers, Tabs make payments instant and effortless in the real world. Once a customer opens a tab on their phone, sellers can verify a customer’s identity with a stored profile and photo on Square Register and approve their purchase with just one touch. Tabs eliminate the need for cash or credit cards at checkout, enabling customers to leave their wallets at home.

Receipts

With Square Register, sellers can automatically generate and send digital receipts to customers, enabling them to track and store their purchase history right on their phone. This eliminates the need for costly, wasteful paper receipts.

Card Case

Card Case, a feature of the Square app for iPhone and Android, enables customers to access Directory and Menus, and open Tabs at their favorite merchants, making purchasing instant and effortless. Card Case can be activated through a text message invitation from Square after making a credit card purchase at a participating merchant.

Availability

The Square Register app for iPad is available for free beginning today in the App Store. Businesses interested in offering Card Case can apply online at squareup.com/cardcase. Consumers can activate Card Case at one of the 50 currently authorized Square merchants in Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Card Case for Android phones will be coming soon.

About Square

Square has revolutionized millions of everyday transactions between buyers and sellers with its free card reader for mobile devices. Square Register and Card Case are transforming the relationship between buyers and sellers. Founded in 2009, and headquartered in San Francisco, Square is currently available in the U.S. More information is available at squareup.com.

We’ll keep this short and sweet as I’m sure most of you would like to know if this thing actually works! In short, yes. So, Vodafone sent us over one of their Sure Signal devices (thanks Vodafone! ) to have a look at recently and since our good buddy, Mr. Steven Cooper from 98fm was having such trouble at home with his Vodafone 3G, we thought he’d be the best person for the job!

I’ll let Steve fill you in with the rest:

This week I have the new sure signal from vodafone, This is the box you plug into your broadband at home or in your office to boost your 3G signal for your phone. My vodafone signal at home averages on 2 to 3 bars on 3G. So i was very keen to check this out, so I have gone online and registered the details of what numbers i want to work on the sure signal! So anyone who visits us regularly gets on the list of 10. And the serial number sent off too! So i’m now just waiting for the email back to get set up! So watch this space . . will i have full 3G coverage at home?

UPDATE:::: Sure signal  . . .Wow it actually works i have full 3G coverage  . . . Amazin Check it out

This is before i had the sure signal installed

And After Sure signal

Right, so as you can see, the Sure Signal most definitely works. NOW, how does it work? Well, it basically piggy backs your home broadband connection (you need to have a fixed line (either landline based, or cable based) broadband connection. This Sure Signal plugs into that, and when it picks up a number that’s registered to it (it can have up to 10 numbers registered to it as once), the calls / data are routed through the Sure Signal and your coverage at home / where ever, is improved. You don’t need a sure Broadband connection. Steve has a “standard” 3mb eircom line with 512kb up and it seems to be working no problem (so far)!

If there’s any update on this, we’ll keep you posted!

So 3 Months on, how do I feel? No different from that Video to be honest. Still delighted with my purchase! It does everything I need it to do, but in a slim, light and sexy package!

It’s been a great few days for Apple Fans. So far we’ve seen iLife 11 and a little Teaser of Mac OS X 10.7 or Lion for those in the know! Also announced was the new Macbook Air Duo. A 13″ and an 11.6″ version. We managed to get some play time with the new MacBook Air 11.6’’. There’s 2 models available off the shelf. Both have 1.4ghz Core2Duo processors (1.6ghz available online as an optional upgrade). The main difference between the 2 models is the available storage. Your options are 64gb and 128gb. The model we managed to get to play with was the 64GB model. This little baby (and I mean baby) is soo light and tidy in the hands and apart from when I opened it the back pinched my hand about, em, 5 times, it’s just a sight to behold. We didn’t care much for the previous models as we thought for there spec it was not worth near 2K!!

When you open the box you are first greeted with the MacBook Air, its power supply and a nice little USB Key, which is actually the reinstall disks! It’s in a Key form because the MacBook Air has no CD/DVD drive.

First off this is one of Apples smallest notebooks and don’t be put off by its small size because one this it’s not lacking in is function! Its got good specs for a system its size! Apart from the 1.4ghz processor mentioned above, there’s 2gb of RAM (upgradeable to 4gb online). The storage (either 64gb or 128gb) is flash storage, yep, no hard drives in sight!! This is one of the reasons it’s soo speedy! No spinning drives to slow you down! Also included is a Nvidia 320m Graphics chip with 256mb of ram.

iLife ’11 on this little beauty, ran like a dream even when using Garage Band and iMovie the system is very quick. This is alot down to the flash memory! We must admit that 64GB is not alot of storage, but before you diss its memory, this is not intended to replace a computer, but more compliment a more power machine that maybe has greater storage capicity. it’s a great system it is Apples answer to a “netbook” (though Apple would never officially call it that), it can properly out preform most netbooks out there!

It turns on in less then 13 seconds and off in less then 2. This instant on and off is just amazing and we very surprised at its speed! I mean you would think the the specs is low when you read them on paper, but the flash storage makes all the difference. It’s Running Snow Leopard smooth as silk! It’s also incredibly light at 1.06kg /2.3lbs (the 11.6’’ model) so you wont be screwed over going on a flight for excess baggage charges! (and we’re not naming any Airline in particular here, but you know who you are!).

The MacBook air is all about portability, It’s got the portability of the ipad with a full Mac OS X and it’s barely 1lb heavier! Don’t forget you also get a full multi-touch trackpad, (which previous Air’s didn’t have, but all the most recent Macbooks have!) and Of course the webcam, or as it’s now known, the Facetime Camera!

Apple have also been very clever in pricing the Macbook Air. The entry model kicks in at 999 Euro (that’s for the model tested above) We think the reason behind this is that high End iPad is 899 so for 100 quid extra you can have a Full Mac OS and it can Run Flash

So if we were given a choice between the top end iPad model or the entry level MacBook Air I would pick the MacBook Air without even thinking about it!

As mentioned above the new MacBook Air comes in a total of 4 different flavors. Two 11.6’’ models, one with a 64GB or 128GB flash storage and processors up to 1.6ghz or 13’’ model, with 128GB or 256GB storage, Intel Core2Due up to 2.1Ghz

The 2010 MacBook Air, in a nutshell, is small, light and powerful little system which will be great for collage, traveling or for the business person and runs full Mac OS X and capable of running anything you can put on it .

Pop into any Compu b Store nation wide to have some hands on time yourselves with this amazing little machine!

I finally got a chance to play with the new 2010 iPod Nano with a multi-touch screen. At first glace you would think it was a Shuffle (which a lot of people have mistaken it for!). Hands on it’s a quick little unit that’s considerably smaller then pervious Nanos (much like a lot of Apples new gadgets have shrunk! See Apple TV and other iPods and the rumored upcoming 11inch Macbook Air)

Its got a nice screen, its small, but not so small that you can’t see what’s going on. In working the unit acts like a little iPod touch (but of course with no apps, at the moment) so any one that has used a touch (or not) can still operate it.

You can still do all your fun Nano stuff on it like playlists, Genius Mixes, view photos & More! It also has a build in pedometer, which is very cool. I did a quick test of 100 steps in work walking up and down and the little device, is well on top of it and was pretty accurate! The design is very sweet! it’s a little bigger then the new shuffle and it’s got the clip that the shuffle has so you can clip it anywhere you want! (which is nice)!

Like Pervious Nanos it has an FM Radio with Live pause and I was very impressed with the live pause. The Nano comes in new colors and you can still get the product red one online at www.Apple.ie (personally I think the product red one is the best looking one!). You can “twist” the screen in any direction so whichever way the Nano is clipped, it’ll still be comfortable to view and you can still access the menus properly.

One specific function of the new Nano that I loved has to be the great little clock Function! You can get a strap for the unit and wear it like a watch!! This is all well and great, however, if I was using it as an “i-watch” I would of liked Bluetooth headphones but sadly the Nano don’t have Bluetooth and I think this was a little let down! I’d use it more as a watch only for the having to run the cable from your headphones up your arm and on to your ears. In saying that, Apple are not making this unit to be an “i-watch” but it would be great if they did!

The Nano in a nutshell is small, fast and looks looks good. It’s Ideal for jogging or traveling on the bus train etc. The battery life is very good for such a small unit. I’ve used it for 3 days and the battery only died recently! It’s going to be a great Socking Filler for Christmas and I cant put it down! It’s a great little piece of kit and it comes in 8GB and 16Gb flavors and its pricing is not bad either, starting at 159 Euro. If you want to have a look at it yourself just drop in to any Compub store around the country

I Finally got a chance to Play With the New Apple TV.

On First Glance you will see Apple TV is Now A hell of a lot Smaller but what it lacks in Size it makes up for in what it can do. The menu is pretty much the same a old Apple TV however there is a few differences in using it. First off you need an Apple iTune’s Account or you won’t be able to stream your music to the baby. Once you are all Accounted up you are ready to roll.

The menu now has a Computer tab which basically means you can See your iTunes Library on you PC or Mac as Apple TV now has no Build in Memory.

I was never a fan of Apple TV when it had a Hard-drive as I tough why bother with it my Xbox and PS3 can basically do everything Apple TV can do but the new one has turned me. I am a big fan of it I love its size for one and it has a very sleek design with a nice black body and on the back you got your HDMI, mini USB port and Your Power Cord of Course.

Due to the smaller size you don’t have your Aux Ports for Non-HDMI TV so this one if for HDMI TV’s only, oh yeah and HD Ready ones as well.

In the box you get the new Apple Remote which is looks a lot better then the old Boring white one Its A little Aluminum remote and it feels good in the hand. Also you are greeted in the box by the little Apple Manual and the Famous Apple sticker. You don’t get a HDMI cable so you will have to buy one if have not got one already. You also get your new cable for power which matches the unit.

When you turn the Apple TV on its a lot quicker to start up and it then asks you the usual questions to get set up. Now the big difference I found with it compared to Old Apple TV its all round a lot quicker. Now the thing that really made me love the unit was its Price at 119.00 Euro its for anyone, and if you are a iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone user this is great. Its got a new feature called Airplay. Now what this can do is swell! You can now Stream from your iPad, iPods and iPhones so say your on a bus watching a movie and its your stop you did not finish the movie just basically Pause it then when ya get home you Flick the Movie over to Apple TV and it Pick’s up where you left off!! Nice or What!?

You will need the Airtime App to do this and I’ve only tested a Beta version and it impressed me. The full App will be soon available and you can have happy watching or listening. And some more new stuff you can now access Flicker , Netflix and If you have a Mobile Me Account you can access Movies from that in the Clouds. You wIll need a fast Internet Access to do this.

There is one Small Flaw with the unit, its great to rent a movies on the unit but buying a Movie on the new Apple TV is a no more. The reason is it has no Hard Drive so if you want to buy a movie you will have to Buy it on iTunes on your Computer then you can Watch it From Apple TV the same goes for songs a well, but that’s basically the only Flaw. Ok you will have to have your Computer on all the time you use Apple TV or your iPad’s and iPods, but don’t let that put you down. All round its a great complement for your HD TV and hell, its nice iCandy.

All in all Its is a good value unit and a lot of fun! You can have a play around with the Apple TV in CompuB Store’s aronud the country and we’re sure it will be available for you to bring home very soon.

by Ray Faughner

I’ve been using an Android App for the past couple of months and just had to share it with everyone out there. Calling it an “App” is a bit misleading. It’s actually a replacement input method, i.e. Keyboard, for Android, and it’s nothing less than AWESOME!!
I’ve got the HTC Desire, running Android 2.2 (aka Froyo) and all is fine and dandy, in fact, HTC’s stock keyboard is amongst the better of them out there in Android land, but compared to SwiftKey, it’s like going from a hammer and chisel to a Macbook keyboard (I LOVE the keyboard on the Macbook, so that’s a good thing, if you don’t, replace the word Macbook with a keyboard you really like!).

Ok, so why is SwiftKey soo good, well, not only does it predict what word you are currently typing, it actually learns from the messages you’ve sent in the past and predicts the word you’re going to type next! It’s freaky some times. I’ve actually sent whole messages with out even pressing a letter on the keyboard. It correctly predicted every word I wanted to say! I know this sounds weird, and while it took a day or so to get used to, once you do, there’s no going back!
SwiftKey say that it enables you to write up to 50% faster and gets about 1/3 of next word predicted. According to the stats in my phone, I’ve saved nearly 24,000 keystrokes, thus making me over 20% more efficient!

Here’s what SwiftKey have to say about their Next Word Prediction Technology – Fluency™ :

“SwiftKey offers intelligent next-word prediction by analysing the context of a user’s sentence and input behaviour. This is accomplished through TouchType’s Fluency™ prediction engine, which employs statistical language models generated by analysing billions of words of background text. In our tests, around a third of next words are correctly predicted without any characters being entered and roughly 80% are predicted within two or fewer character prompts.”

The keyboard its self is a really nice, well spaced and clearly labeled. In the most recent beta, Multitouch has been enabled, which has worked really well and again helped speed up my typing on the phone.

The App is currently in Beta and free to download from the Android Marketplace, on Thursday coming (23rd Sept), the Full version will be released! It’s going to be priced at 99c for the first week and then 3.99 there after, but honestly, having used it now and know how good it is, I don’t think I could go back to “stock” keyboards and would pay double that just to have it on my phone. I’m hoping that we start seeing this inbuilt to the phones SOON. For those of us who still don’t have paid apps available in our Android Marketplaces (HEY GOOGLE, Get the thumb out already and sort that out, it’s becoming a bit of a joke at this stage), the guys and girls at SwiftKey have assured me there will be an off marketplace purchase option fairly soon, but in the mean time, you won’t have to go without, as there’ll be a “trial” version that should see you through. Once this goes on sale, if there’s one App you should pay for, it has to be this one!

I’m gonna give it an A++ rating for being just soo dammed awesome!

SwiftKey Site: http://www.swiftkey.net/index.html

How to Dowoload: http://www.swiftkey.net/download.html

or just scan this QR Code:

Here’s a video comparing Swiftkey to the Stock Android Keyboard. (note this video was shot early on, and it’s even more awesome now!)

The main camera
The new iPhone has a bigger sensor for the main camera, with bigger lenses. This one is capable of capturing high definition video at 720p 30 frames per second. The sensor maintains the same 5 megapixel count, but it increases the size of the sensor, so it has a higher ISO. That means that you would be able to take better photos and video in low light conditions.

The camera also has a LED-based flash, which works both for photographs and video.

The video conferencing camera
In the front, there’s a video conference camera, with standard VGA resolution. This camera will be used with third-party applications, as well as Apple’s own video conference solution.

Gyroscope

The new iPhone 4 has a gyroscope built-in. This means that it can track movement with a very high precision, much higher than the built-in accelerometers in the previous iPhones. It’s 3-axis, so it’s capable of detecting pitch, roll, and yaw. Couple with the accelerometer, you have 6-axis motion sensin