Classroom technology has a new device. Intel has recently launched it latest and greatest in classroom computers by the way of tablet. Dubbed the Intel studybook, this new tablet has been released into the developing world with the hopes to bring education to some of the tougher and harsher places in the world.
Image via CrunchBase
As a sturdy platemate, the Intel studybook is also created to be a precise educational tool. Loaded into the tablet is Intel’s Learning Series software as well as LabCam applications and an interactive ereader.
Not only is it education friendly, but it is kid friendly, too. Developed from a single piece of plastic, the tablet is both dust-proof and water proof. The screen is surrounded with shock absorbers. In addition, it has been drop tested onto concrete from 70 centimeters, the height of a child’s desk.
Intel’s Educational Market Platforms Group director of research, Wayne Grant, reports that, with the tablet, emerging economies will be able to give a valid scientific experience to students. He explains that the tablet supports the virtual world students live in. And, perhaps most importantly, Intel’s line of PCs is not sold. Instead, Intel licenses them throughout the world to design manufacturers in countries where the devices will be used. From there, the manufacturer will set the price.
With a seven-inch screen, and 1060 x 600 pixel resolution, Windows 7 or Android Honeycomb software can be accessed. Other features on the tablet include a multi-touch LCD screen, rear-facing and front cameras, light sensor support and a microphone all encompassed in a mobile learning environment. It is powered by an Intel Atom Z650 processor.
What do you think: good solely for developing world use, or for everyone?
Speculation swirls around the release of the iPad 3. Some are saying that it will not be the iPad 3 at all, but instead the iPad HD that we should all be expecting. Of course, however, mums the word. In typical Apple fashion, there has neither been a confirmation or denial about such theories.
First support of the iPad HD rumor comes from the longtime peripheral makers entrusted by Apple. Griffin and Belkin were found to have iPad HD cases buried in accessory listings. Additionally, an app developer added a rumor to a Romanian forum claiming that he saw an iPad HD.
To further feed the rumors, several media sites were finding the iPad HD to be the official new name, according to their trusted sources. These sites included VentureBeat, CNET, and Mashable.
With all the rumors swirling, however, one has to take whisperings with a grain of salt. The same sort of speculation resided around the release of the iPhone 4S launch. Then, a few days before the release, rumors were aplenty in explaining that the phone would not be called the iPhone 5. Because of this, the anticipation of a surprise name is regarded more seriously.
So is it the iPad 3 or the iPad HD? While the trend seems to be new updates are given a new version number, this time there are several features rumored to be added that lend credibility to the HD tag. Retina display is the highly anticipated feature of the new iPad, yet because the term is not known outside of the technical industry, HD seems to be a more well-known, user friendly tag to describe the new feature.
With the release date soon, Apple enthusiasts are anxious to find out not only what the name will be but what other features will be added to Apple’s latest tablet.
Many people are using their mobile devices to tap in to Facebook these days. It is no secret that Facebook has its own mobile products. However, the main Andriod and Facebook iOS apps are felt to be confusing a number of users and a high number of mobile Facebookers agree that a stronger app is the Windows Phone app.
As far as sending messages, Facebook also has a highly focused app of its own. It is found to be confusing and somewhat cumbersome from a usability perspective, however, and many will recommend, instead, two new focused apps which have come from third parties. These third-party apps work by offering you one piece of Facebook which allows you an interface that is clean and mobile friendly.
One app is called Likes! This app works with Andriod and iOS and it works by collecting the “likes” for locations close to you that have been marked by your Facebook friends. This is especially useful when traveling and looking for a great place to eat or tour in a new town. With more and more locations popping up as ‘liked’ on Facebook, this is a fantastic app to have.
The other new app is Jildy. Jildy is an app for iOS and it will help you make friends lists that are smarter than the lists Facebook allows you to make. You are able to see your Facebook friends lists and create clustered lists based on the friends lists. In simpler terms, this app will notice and help you create cliques. The chatting takes place in a word cloud.
Lists can also be created based on keywords. For example, a list can be set up called “Titans” for your child’s football team. You can set keywords such as “football, practice, games”, etc. Jildy will also keep lists of links posted by your friends saved to Instapaper, making communicating and finding friends within a certain circle easy.
With the Internet and communication becoming such a big part of the world, many are wondering what this upcoming year will hold in technology world. As new technology continues to come out and old products revamped and reintroduced, some of last years popular trends may no longer be in this year, and new expected trends could surprise you.
In the new year, people will use differing devices to access the Internet, although none of them will be used exclusively. Because most people can readily afford mobile phones more than computer laptops, the Internet will most be accessed through this way. This does not mean the end to computers and cyber cafes. Libraries, schools and workplaces will still use computers. But, regular Internet access will be in the form of mobile phones.
3D TVs will not be big in our homes. The demand for 3D does not seem to stretch beyond the movie theater and those currently buying 3D TVs are mostly doing so due to the fact that the TVs are priced the same as standard TVs but offer more features.
Adoption of hybrid and electric vehicles will not be seen this year. The breakthrough on battery technology has not been enough that consumers are saving greatly on gas. Furthermore, the cost of the vehicle is enough to keep many away.
Also, to be seen soon are connected cars. We will see this in 2012, but not dramatically. The auto industry still has much to figure out in terms of what to include and what not to include in connected, technology driven cars.
A more durable glass for our mobile handsets is on its way but will most likely not be adopted by many this year. Corning’s Gorilla Glass proves 20 times stronger than typical glass and more devices are beginning to use this, allowing your phone to withstand more accidental drops. However, some mobile devices are currently sticking with the aluminosilicate or optical quality glass.
Google, Nokia and others have launched indoor location marketing tools, as of late. These will take a few years to spread and may be seen first in high traffic areas such as malls and airports. It was already used somewhat this year during Black Friday to track consumer shopping behaviors, but will likely not become popular until much later.
This Christmas season is exciting for the techies in our lives. Many items may be topping their Christmas list this year. The top ten most wanted techie items this season starts off with the Apple iPod touch 32GB (4th generation). iPod’s newest release is capable of recording HD quality video and digital pictures. Enhanced quality game playing and video calling are also among its new features. Additionally, the Apple iPad Tablet is something many techies are looking forward to finding in their Christmas stocking. Numerous apps are available for the iPad, including exciting games and new ways to get access to internet information.
The Xbox 360 Kinect Console tops the list of many good boys and girls (and men and women) this year. This year, the Kinect is equipped with voice activations features, along with its remote free operations while playing video games. Not to be outdone, the Playstation Move is the newest member of the Playstation family. Motion gaming can be brought to your Playstation 3 by adding the PS Move motion controller and the PS Eye camera to track your movements.
Amazon is keeping readers hi-tech with their electronic readers. These are capable of storing, downloading and allowing ebooks to be read. The newest member of the Kindle family is the Kindle Fire, which offers WiFi, thousands of apps, web browsing and games.
The Canon Powershot 12.1 MP digital camera is the thinnest digital camera in the world. This camera encompasses 32 predefined shooting situations. The ultra wide-angle lens is 24mm. Also found in this tiny camera is optical image stabilizer and 5x optical zoom.
The Google TV update is finally here. Devices of Sony Internet TV will be the first to receive this update. Next, units with Logitech Revue will be activated at a careful rate. Not all units will be affected at once, but rather at an individual pace.
You will have to be patient while you wait. As with the large majority of mass updates, it may take some time for you to actually be able to access the update. So how can you tell when it has finally reached you?
By checking in the ‘About’ section found in the ‘Settings’ menu, you can check to see if your update has occurred. However, you should notice a pop-up once your box’s number has been activated. This pop-up is to make you aware when the number of your box has been accessed for the update.
Google TV will now be equipped with the Android Market, as well as a completely new user interface. In addition to this, the system is currently built into the release of the newer Android 3.1. This will allow a smoother experience for consumers. Great promise has been shown through Google TV. This most up-to-date feature advances the draw to Google TV even more.
When it was first announced, the cry went across the technology platforms that the Amazon Kindle Fire was going to be the iPad killer. This cry has gone out almost every time a new tablet has been introduced. If you compare the two tablets side by side, hardware to hardware, the technical specifications of the Amazon tablet don’t seem to be on the same operating level. The Apple iPad2 measures 10 inches while the Kindle is 7 inches. The Apple comes in varying levels of memory capacity while the first generation Kindle is offered in only an 8GB format.
If you stack the tablets side by side and look at them dollar for dollar, the iPad weighs in at $499 while the Kindle Fire is $199. How will you choose? As with any kind of hardware you purchase you need to know what you will use the tablet for then compare the tech specifications to see if the tablet of your choice can perform.
Consider that the Fire is lacking hardware such as it has no microphone or camera – two things that the iPad has. The Fire also only offers the 8GB of memory while the Apple offers 16, 32 and 64GB models. The Fire and the iPad are evenly matched in battery life at 8 and 8.5 hours respectively. Also, when you take into consideration that the iPad is releasing the iPad3 soon, the gap will likely widen the hardware gap considerably.
Apple has its own app store and also has access to the iTunes universe in addition to its ability to retrieve movies, books, music apps and more. The iPad is also a cloud-based technology. The Fire operates on the Android platform and offers access to instant movie streaming, its own music store and the Kindle book store.
As with any new technology it is a personal decision.
It is finally here! Apple has made refurbished iPad 2’s available at their online store. Because they are refurbished, they cost has been discounted by fifty dollars less than a new iPad.
The United Sates online store is stocked with the 32 GB Wi-Fi + 3G, and is offered in all four carrier or color combinations for $679. Also available is the 64 GB Wi-Fi available in both colors for $649. Lastly, the 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G, made available in all four carriers or color combinations, for $779.
Although the iPads are refurbished they will still have return and warranty policies like that of a new iPad. Outer shells and new batteries are included in the refurbishing. Any defective part is replaced during the refurbishing course of action, as every other factor of the unit is assessed and cleaned. When a unit is already in stock at the time of ordering, Apple states the shipping will occur in one to three business days, which will get your “new to you” iPad in your hands quite quickly.
Additionally, original refurbished iPad models have been presented at lower prices than they have ever been. For only $299, one can obtain a refurbished 16 GB Wi-Fi model. Be advised that customers are on the hunt for such amazing deals and finding available stock is difficult.
With such discounts, you may want to consider upgrading. The top-of-the-line 64 GB iPad is available online at the current sale price of $599. With holiday shopping just around the corner and speculation of the release of the newer iPad 3, Apple is trying to make use of back to school shopping to clean out discounted and refurbished units.
Mid-September is the focus date for the release of the iPhone 5 handset, according to a Boy Genius Report. Rumor has it that AT&T is urging its retail stores to complete new hire trainings in order to prepare for the rise in excited consumers upon this release.
Although this is a rumor, for now, September has long been the expected time for some type of new iPhone updated version. There has even been some speculation that Apple could launch additional iPhone varieties all at once. As stated in the BGR report, announcement of the iPhones will come in August, while the handsets themselves will not be available until early September.
MacRumors speculation on the launch date coincides with the BGR report. Their report references that Apple has contacted former employees in its retail realm to offer them part time work from mid-August to mid-September. Speculation is wary as this is also the back-to-school shopping timeframe, in which Apple could be preparing for. But many are hoping this is in preparation for the flood of iPhone 5 customers expected.
As of now, it looks as though we will soon see the launch of the next iPhone. Based on reports that the supply chain utilized by Apple has been preparing for iPhone 5 production, some guess the iPhone could be launched as early as the end of August, while others guess the end of October.
New features expected for the iPhone 5 are lighter weight, thinner profile, possible upgrade of rear camera and possible larger display. Possibilities of compatibility with GSM and CDMA networks has been mentioned by the Wall Street Journal.
The HP eStation all-in-one printer has many desirable features and a fairly reasonable price tag for those who are seeking to really make the most out of their multimedia printer. One thing that truly sets this printer apart from the rest and really makes it pack a serious punch is the included Zeen Android tablet with a touch screen.
Here’s a quick look at the features:
-Wireless supports for iPrint and ePrint documents
-You get a free trial with eFax.com (20 faxes for free every month)
-Black and color separated tanks for ink storage
-Comes with the Zeen Android table; a wireless tablet that is powered by Android
-Lists for $399.99
This printer is relatively easy to setup and will only take you a few minutes to get it synched to your computer and up and running. The paper tray is of ample size, so no fretting over the dreaded “load paper” error message. The touch screen Zeen tablet allows for streamlined access to the control panel and it is wireless, so you can print from a different room if you so desire.
In the end, the eStation does truly offer a lot of bang for the buck. You get a custom tailored and wireless control system that is powered by Android. You get a high quality printer that can do pictures and read nearly every kind of memory card. You can fax and scan from it as well, and it’s entirely wireless. No more clutter of cables and cords. Just easy printing, faxing and scanning for fewer than $400.
Recent Comments