If you've been looking for an unholy union 'twixt smartphone and compact shooter, then Samsung's Galaxy Camera
can't come soon enough. The Android-powered snapper arrives in the UK
on Thursday November 8th, with an RRP of £399, unless, that is, you're
in the vicinity of the Samsung store.
If so, then the devices are being sold early at 5:00pm on November 7th,
when you can snag one a few hours early and enjoy some Champagne and
canapés supplied by the Korean behemoth.
Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Camera
is a bit of a wild card, marrying Google's Android Jelly Bean OS with a
16-megapixel camera -- heck, it's even got a 4.8-inch 1,280 x 720-pixel
(308 ppi) touchscreen display. Yup, rather than offering a digital
viewfinder out back like a normal digital point-and-shoot, the Samsung
Galaxy Camera offers a multitouch panel; the entire back consists of
that 4.8-inch screen, edge-to-edge. It's not all touchscreen, though --
several buttons (controlling a pop-up flash, power, zoom toggle, and
shutter release) are also part of the somewhat bulky build. Beyond the
WiFi radio built in, the Galaxy Camera also comes with 3G/4G support via
micro-SIM -- which we now know at least one carrier will support: AT&T.
During an event with the cellular data carrier this evening, we got our
hands-on the Galaxy Camera once more (albeit now with an AT&T
micro-SIM on board). That speedy 1.4GHz quad-core processor helped us
along, speedily swiping through Jelly Bean's panes and launching its
photo app promptly. Apps like Instagram were also on display, allowing
for even nicer photos to be defiled by software filters (we kid!). The
AT&T connectivity allowed us to upload photos directly to the cloud
while snapping, utilizing its Auto Cloud Backup feature; image quality
isn't quite professional-grade, but its no slouch either.
The
Galaxy Camera is, for all intents and purposes, a full-on Android
smartphone ... minus that whole "phone" thing. Its heft is perhaps more
than we'd like in a point-and-shoot, but that gigantic -- and gorgeous
-- viewfinder out back certainly helps assuage our space concerns. The
device arrives at both carriers and camera retailers this October for an
unknown price.
It's not (yet) an iPad killer, but the new Windows tablet does have a few impressive features for business.
In a perfect world, the better gadget would always win. For the brand
new Microsoft Surface RT tablet there is no question
Microsoft has decided to embrace the world of touch computing, hoping to
dethrone the mighty iPad and attract mobile users in droves.
We are not yet ready to say Surface RT is better than the iPad. But
there are some significant features that make it attractive for
business.
1. Behold, the Keyboard
You can obtain a portable keyboard for the iPad, but the Surface RT includes one
that is downright brilliant. Some might argue it is not that different
from the soft keyboard on the iPad, and I've seen some speed typers at
airports who make me wonder how they do it. The Surface RT includes a
cover that doubles as a keyboard, and there are two surprises. One, even
though the keyboard only has slightly raised keys, I can type much
faster and more accurately on it than the iPad. Also, there's a stand on
the back of the Surface RT, so you can fold off the cover, prop up the
tablet, and start typing like you are on a laptop. Brilliant. Microsoft
offers a rainbow of colors and the keyboard/cover snaps into place with a
click.
2. Free Office Apps
Microsoft includes the Office 2013 apps for the Surface RT for
free. That's a major plus for business owners who decide to deploy the
device to employees. The suite uses a fresh, clean-cut design that runs
smoothly on the mobile processor that powers the Surface RT. There are
the big three--Word, PowerPoint, and Excel--plus the 2013 version of
OneNote, a collaboration and info gathering tool. So far, what I like
best about Word is that you can quickly save a document to Microsoft
SkyDrive for cloud storage, and that the app runs stable and with
familiar tools. Plus, no install programs to run.
3. Smart Store
There are plenty of Windows Store naysayers, and I'm not
exactly a diehard fan. There are many apps missing, including a few of
my favorites like SproutSocial. But while the store is missing important
apps, there is one benefit: The apps you will find are designed to run
fast and reliably on the RT tablet. I tested Skype, the Kindle e-reader,
the Zinio app, and several others. The apps use the same tile approach
of Windows 8 for touch apps with plenty of open space and finger-aware
buttons. Presumably, there will be touch apps for many popular desktop
programs, including Photoshop and many others.
4. Connections, Natch
Microsoft has included several options for connecting the
tablet to other gadgets. The RT supports Bluetooth 4.0 so you can
connect a new crop of devices like digital pens that can automatically
adjust pressure sensitivity. There's a USB port, which means you can
attach keyboards and mice, webcams, and just about any add-on that does
not require a driver designed only for the Windows 8 desktop version.
Under the stand, you'll even find a microSD port for loading pictures
and videos.
5. Battery Life
It's easy to become a slave to re-charging. Hunting for
outlets at airports, connecting up as soon as you walk into a hotel
room. Since the RT lasts almost 10 hours, you might find that
re-charging is not as much of an issue. Ten hours is enough to get you
to your next meeting after jumping off the plane, and that's really all
that matters. I also found I did not have to dim the display or turn off
features to get good battery life.
6. Screen Tech
The screen on the Surface RT has a sharpness that I don't see
on Android tablets. At 400 nits, it is also quite bright and readable
even outside. The resolution is more in line with a typical laptop, but
Microsoft has used some type-smoothing tech to improve readability.
Swipes and gestures on the RT worked reliably every time, and colors
looked outstanding for games and photos. In many ways, the screen is the
most important hardware element because it is what you look at all day.
The iPad 4, announced last week, is arguably more crisp with a higher
resolution, but the Surface RT gets major points for brightness and text
clarity.
Apple has unveiled its widely-anticipated 7.9in (20.1cm) tablet, the iPad Mini. The device, which is 7.2mm (0.3in) thick and weighs 0.68lbs (0.3kg), was announced at an event in California. The entry wi-fi-only model, with 16GB storage, will cost £269 in the UK and be available on 2 November. The iPad Mini will compete directly with cheaper similar-sized tablets recently launched by Google, Amazon, Samsung and others. Apple's vice-president of marketing Phil Schiller told
attendees that the device was 23% thinner and 53% lighter than the
third-generation iPad, which was released in March this year.
Change of heart
The iPad Mini launch ends years of speculation that Apple was
considering launching a new, smaller version of its bestselling iPad
range.
In 2010, late founder Steve Jobs described 7in tablets as being "too small".
However, the company's apparent change of heart comes in the
face of mounting pressure from its closest competitors, who already
offer smaller - and crucially, cheaper - products. In the UK, both Amazon's new 7in Kindle Fire HD and Google's Nexus 7 cost £159.
During the presentation, Mr Schiller stressed the importance
of being able to hold the device in one hand - a nod to the more
travel-friendly appeal of the smaller devices. However, Adam Leach, principal analyst at Ovum, said he had expected the iPad Mini to be more competitively priced. "We got a mix of a bit of new Apple and bit of old Apple in the same announcement," he said. "This is new for Apple to be responding to competitors instead of pioneering their own way. It's old Apple as they've gone into this market with a premium pricing strategy. At the moment this doesn't place a lot of pressure on the Kindle Fire or the Nexus 7." He added that the iPad Mini was an indicator that Apple might
be nervous about losing its control over a market which it has
dominated in recent years.
During the nineties, Apple found itself outpaced in the home
computer market by Microsoft and Windows-powered computers - a period of
the company's history it will be conscious to avoid repeating. "The popularity of the Kindle e-reader and the Android
smartphones made consumers aware of Amazon content and Google services,"
said Francisco Jeronimo, research manager at consultants IDC. "The low price points of the Google Nexus 7 and the Amazon
Kindle Fire have been attracting consumers looking for more affordable
devices that also come with the content and services they already use or
want." But he added: "This new product from Apple will disrupt the market again. The iPad Mini is now the new category killer."
The other iPad Mini wi-fi-only models will have a recommended retail price of £349 for 32GB and £429 for 64GB.
Kick in the face
Apple also announced a lower-key upgrade for the full-sized
iPad. Calling it the "fourth generation" iPad, Mr Schiller said its new
A6X chip meant it had twice the CPU (central processing unit) power of
the third-generation model.
Paddy Smith, online editor for Stuff.tv, said some Apple
users might see the iPad upgrade as a "kick in the face" as the previous
model was just seven months old. "I think a lot of people will be upset to see a new full size iPad so soon," he said. "For many people that represents a pretty major purchase, something you wouldn't want to do more than once a year."
Stuff.tv's Mr Smith agreed that Christmas shoppers could be hesitant.
"I think if they look at the competition and they see that
the Google Nexus 7 is £100 cheaper it's going to be hard to ignore that -
unless you're buying for a hardcore Apple fan." However, IDC predicted that the new device would boost Apple's already dominant position in the tablet market. It forecast that Apple would hold a 68% share of the market in 2012, compared to 29% for Android tablets. Both would fall off slightly next year with the launch of Windows 8 tablets, IDC said.
The firm also announced upgrades to its Macbook Pro, iMac and Mac Mini ranges of computers. "Its new iMac machines have been made 80% thinner at the edges than previous models", Mr Schiller said.
