Saturday 22 June 2013

Samsung Ativ Q tablet runs both Windows 8 and Android

 
Ativ Q Samsung's new tablet runs both the Windows and Android operating systems
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Samsung has unveiled a tablet that can switch between the Windows 8 and Android operating systems.
The Ativ Q has a 13.3in (33.8cm) screen that sits over a keyboard that can be folded out for typing or set to act as a stand. In addition it has a stylus.
It comes just over a fortnight after Asus unveiled its own laptop-tablet hybrid which also runs both Microsoft and Google's systems.
One analyst said he expected this to be a trend that other firms would follow.
"It's a very cost-effective way for manufacturers to offer extra value to consumers at a time when it's very hard to differentiate benefits from one device to another," said Chris Green, principal technology analyst at Davies Murphy Group.
"You can tap into the industry-standard Windows productivity solutions - from Office to third-party programs - as well as all the mobile apps of Google's system. It's the logical next step."
The Ativ Q runs off Intel's new Haswell chip and Samsung said it offered up to nine hours of battery life. It added that the device's screen had been designed to be bright enough to be used outside on a sunny day.
The launch was announced at a press conference in London.
Android camera Samsung also showed off another touchscreen computer, the Ativ Tab 3 which it described as the world's thinnest tablet to run the full Windows 8 system, as well as new PCs.
Among the other announcements was the Galaxy NX - a camera which allows its lenses to be changed, runs off the Android system and supports 4G data transfers.
It marks the firm's latest attempt to sell a device which offers higher quality images than the typical smartphone, but also allows pictures and video to be edited with apps and uploaded to the internet.
Galaxy NX camera Samsung added an Android-powered interchangeable lens camera to its Galaxy line-up
It adds to a product line that also includes a handset featuring a 10x optical zoom.
"The Galaxy NX camera looks impressive and is more likely to appeal to serious photographers than its S4 Zoom, which is quite a bulky smartphone because of the lens on the back," said Graeme Neill, deputy editor at Mobile Today.
"Samsung's main difference from its rival Apple is the sheer volume of products it brings to market.
"It is really determined to be making a smartphone, tablet, camera and laptop for everybody, from those who want high-end devices to consumers on a budget."
The announcements come at a time when the South Korean firm's stock has come under pressure.
Samsung Electronics shares have fallen by nearly 14% since 4 June after a number of banks cut their profit forecasts for the company.
They said they were worried its flagship Android device, the Galaxy S4, was not selling as well as they had previously predicted and raised concerns about rising competition from Chinese smart device makers.

iPhone users are brain-dead zombies, says new Nokia ad

In its latest attempt to paint those who have an iPhone as retrograde, Nokia offers that its camera doesn't need to use flash, while the iZombie camera pales by comparison.
 

A severe case of red-eye.
(Credit: Nokia/YouTube screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET) They are red-eyed and dead-eyed.
They are brain-dead and stiff-lipped.
Their pale faces stare at you, ready to infect you, so that they can affect you. Who are these people? These are the iZombies.
Yes, no sooner had Samsung become somewhat bored with smacking at Apple's pinata of faith then Nokia decided that it, too, must show iPhone users as a group gone awry.
In a new ad to press home the advantage of the flashy, nonflashy camera on the 925 phone, Nokia paints iPhone users as zombies: all flash and no panache.

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Here we have the lone Nokia user. Yes, it's David Byrne from his Talking Heads days.
He walks a lonely path. Well, he is the only person in his neighborhood with a Nokia 925.
Some balk at its bulk. Some collapse at its lack of apps. But it has a wonderful camera.
All around him, there are those who wish to blind him with their light. He, though, finds it all rather sinister.
"Can't they see themselves? he wonders. "Don't they realize what pale imitations they are? Even Apple admits that all its users are simply mindless cultists who need to photograph the world on their iPhone, rather than, say, living."
It seems they realize nothing. There are too many of them. They no longer have minds of their own. They just want to flash him with their wares.
How will it end? Will he end up one of them? Will his eyes turn red, his neck turn stiff, and his gait become that of a drunk?
I'm in the dark on that one.

An iPhone 5S with better camera? Bring it


An iPhone 5S with better camera? Bring it



Apple could furnish the 5S with a better camera.
Apple could furnish the 5S with a better camera.
(Credit: Apple)
Word is that the iPhone 5S is a minor upgrade. But if it's got a better camera, it's major.
Smartphone camera competition is getting stiff. And a phone's photo shooting prowess is increasingly the focus at dedicated camera review sites.
IEN Reviews recently did a shootout of the cameras on the Galaxy S4, HTC One, and iPhone 5.
The iPhone 5 fared well, though it was a close contest with the S4 in some areas. The HTC One was good in low-light conditions.
HTC, in fact, is a good example of a company trying to push the envelope on camera tech. The One has an Ultrapixel camera (see image at bottom) with larger sensors that pull in more light, boosting low-light shots.
Meanwhile, the Samsung S4 boasts a 13 megapixel sensor versus the iPhone 5's 8MP, which makes a difference in photo size, as IEN Reviews points out.

Though more megapixels is a less meaningful spec these days, Samsung will undoubtedly continue to be aggressive with optics.
The larger point is that a smartphone is the only camera for a lot of people. So, any phone maker that comes out with manifestly better camera tech will get a lot of attention and sway buyers.
Count me as one of those buyers. And an iPhone 5S that looks identical to the iPhone 5 (what Apple typically does with S models) but packs a better camera would constitute a sway-worthy upgrade.
So, what's in store for the 5S? Reports point to a higher-resolution camera and improved low-light mode.
Ostensible photos of the back shell of the 5S show a larger LED flash.
If all of this is true, the 5S could be a much better shooter than the 5. I'd smile for that camera.




Ultrapixel: HTC is focusing on camera tech.
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Ultrapixel: HTC is focusing on smartphone camera tech.
(Credit: HTC)