Saturday, January 1, 2011

Samsung W899

Samsung launched its latest gadget devices intended for enthusiasts smarthone newfangled clamshell, the Samsung W899. comes with dual 3.3-inch Super Amoled multitouch.

Samsung W899 has two five-megapixel camera. rear camera, and a second camera to the front. The camera on the front for video calls.

Rear camera has a flash, auto focus and more than a geo-tagging. Geo-tagging can be turned off in the menu of the W899 for the security and privacy if desired. Rear camera can produce video in high definition format.

The first screen located on the front and when the phone is opened it will appear both on the top screen and number pad on the bottom. That means you can choose between a virtual keyboard or a physical keyboard on the inside.

Not only two screens, W899 also features dual connectivity namely CDMA / EVDO and GSM / UMTS. Pacunya own kitchen reinforced with 1 GHz processor and 512 MB of internal memory that runs on the Android operating system 2.2.

To complement the charm, the Samsung W899 sank two cameras (5 megapixel camera and VGA Front Rear facing camera), as well as WiFi connectivity, Bluetooth, mobile hotspot, GPS, and microSD card slot.

Lenovo G560 Laptop Review

Lenovo Essential G560 specifications:

15.6-inch 720p (1366x768) glossy panel with LED backlighting

Intel Core i3-330M dual-core processor (2.13GHz, 3MB L3 cache, 2.5GT/s QPI, 35W TDP)

Intel HM55 chipset

Integrated Intel HD graphics w/ shared video memory

4GB DDR3-1066 dual-channel RAM (2x 2GB)

320GB 5400RPM Western Digital hard drive (WD3200BEVT)

Broadcom 802.11n wireless LAN card

DVD burner (Optiarc DVD RW AD-7585H)

1-year limited warranty

6-cell Li-ion battery (11.1V, 48Wh)

Weight: 5.73 lbs.

Dimensions: 14.8” (L) x 9.8” (D) x 0.7~1.4” (H)

Our test unit has specifications appropriate for what it was designed for – basic use. The Core i3 processor and 4GB of RAM ensure smooth multitasking. Something this machine will not be able to do is play 3D games since it has integrated graphics.

Build and Design

The G560 has a modest-looking exterior with a few high-quality touches. The palm rest area is inlaid with brushed aluminum, which feels cool to the touch. The G560 is rather thin and light given its 15.6” screen, coming in at a shade under six pounds and about 1.3” thin. Despite its all-plastic construction the G560 has a solid feel. The palm rest and areas surrounding the keyboard have good support and do not flex, even under abnormal pressure. The plastic used in the construction has satisfactory quality; it is thick enough to not feel brittle yet not something I would classify as durable.

Unlike the chassis, the lid is covered in smooth glossy plastic, which attracts dust and fingerprints. This is a con – the glossy plastic gets messy quickly unless a microfiber cloth is kept handy at all times. The build quality of the lid itself is average and not as good as the chassis. It flexes easily when twisted by the corners and I made ripples appear on the screen when I pushed in on the back. The G560’s overall build quality is satisfactory; my only real complaint is the glossy plastic used on the lid.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The G560 has a full-size keyboard with separate numeric keypad. The keyboard is one of the highlights of this notebook; it feels solid and is pleasing to type on. Even under significant pressure there is little flex. The keys are quite communicative thanks to the just-right travel (the distance between pressed and un-pressed positions) and moderate actuation force (the amount of pressure needed to depress a key); both of these factors help accuracy. The layout of the keyboard takes some getting used to. Lenovo was only able to fit in a number pad by squeezing the keys to half their normal size – this means a bit more precision is required to hit them.

The touchpad is the polar opposite of the notebook – that is, terrible. After reviewing several dozen notebooks, I can safely say this is the worst I have used. The positives first: the touchpad’s mildly-textured surface is a cinch to track on with moist or dry fingers. It is also appropriately-sized for a 15.6” screen. The negatives: its usability; only about half my intended clicks actually registered, which was quite frustrating. There are no dedicated touchpad buttons; this is a “clickpad”, where the entire surface can be pressed down anywhere (supposedly) to register a click. Pressing the very bottom-right simulates a right-click and everything else is left-click. I had to apply an abnormal amount of pressure to get any sorts of clicks to register, especially towards the edges and center. On top of all this, the clicks are loud.

When I use a touchpad I have one hand to click and one hand to track; this does not work with the G560’s touchpad. It gets confused when there are two fingers on it and works sporadically; I had to change the way I used a touchpad to work with the G560. All in all, the G560’s touchpad was aggravating; those planning to purchase this notebook should also invest in an external mouse.

Screen and Speakers

The G560 has a 15.6-inch screen with a 720p (1366x768) resolution and LED backlighting; this is the only available screen. While its glossy mirror surface helps colors stand out and improves sharpness, it also acts as a mirror, especially when there are light sources behind it. Cleaning is also difficult.

The picture quality of the display is passable at best; it has a low contrast ratio of 150:1 and lacks sharpness. Colors appear somewhat washed out. We measured brightness at 210nit at its peak, which is average for a notebook of this size. Side-to-side viewing angles are also average; colors start to shift about 40 degrees off-center. Vertical viewing angles are narrow; it is viewable about 20 degrees up or down off-center before serious color inversion.

The 1366x768 resolution is the number one problem with the display; it makes multitasking difficult and limits productivity in general. Only about one-half of a page in a Microsoft Word document is visible at a time; additionally, lots of scrolling is required in web pages since there are only 768 pixels of vertical space. Using two windows side-by-side is more or less impractical since only 1366 pixels span the horizontal.

Overall, the display is typical of a low-priced notebook; it is hard to find budget 15.6” notebooks with better. To get a better resolution than 1366x768 one needs to go with a business class notebook, and even then higher resolutions are a rarity.

The G560 has two stereo speakers above the keyboard. They actually sound respectable; tinny, yes, and without much bass however quite usable for casual listening; the sound is fuller than I expected. The touch-enabled volume buttons above the keyboard work well.

modified from notebookreview.com

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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Sony VAIO Y Laptop Review

Sony VAIO Y Specifications:

Intel Pentium U5400 (1.2GHz, 3MB cache)

4GB DDR3 1066MHz RAM (8GB max)

500GB 5400RPM Toshiba Hard Drive

13.3" Widescreen LED Backlit Display (1366 x 768)

Intel GHA HD Integrated Graphics

Atheros B/G/N, 1Gb LAN, Bluetooth

Ports: 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone Output, Microphone Input, VGA, HDMI, RJ-45 Ethernet, FireWire

6-cell 54Wh battery

Dimensions: 12.8"(W) x 0.93 - 1.2"(H) x 8.9"(D)

Weight: 3.81 pounds (with standard capacity battery)

The VAIO Y is a 13.3" ultraportable CULV-powered notebook from Sony, acting as the affordable-brother to the high-end VAIO Z. This model includes Intel GMA HD integrated graphics, an Intel Pentium CULV processor (New models feature Intel Core i3 and i5 ULV processors), 4GB of DDR3 memory and a WXGA resolution display. In this review we see how well this model stacks up against other ultraportable systems and if it should be added to your back-to-school notebook buying list.

At the time of publishing this review, Sony has phased out the older Intel Pentium processors, as seen in this review, and replaced them with the newer Intel ULV Core i3 and i5 processors

Build and Design

The Sony VAIO Y has a laid back design compared to the more expensive VAIO Z, with slightly thicker panels, smoother lines, and a more tried-and-true color scheme. Whereas the Z might include a custom machined faceplate, the Y offers a standard painted body panel. Another change is the color selection between the two models, with the Z offering more professional finishes and the Y including fun and sporty color options. As a whole the Y-series seems to be the thin and light system designed for a younger crowd. The design still includes many cool elements, including the hinge-integrated power button, slice power indicator light embedded in the top edge of the notebook, and island-style keyboard.

Build quality is top notch for a sub-$800 notebook with sturdy body panels and a very strong chassis. The screen cover provides more than adequate protection for the display, preventing any distortions from showing on the LCD with a firm grip to the opposite side. The keyboard and main body don't seem to have much flex and without the optical drive cavity inside the notebook, it almost seems to have less flex on the right side. Without going to the extremes with a fully machine top-plate Sony still managed to create a very sturdy notebook.

Compared to the Vaio Z which included a proprietary SSDarray, the Sony VAIO Y uses a much more basic, and easier to upgrade 2.5" hard drive. This, as well as the system memory, is accessible through the bottom of the notebook. For users looking to upgrade to anSSD down the road this means you wont have to fully dismantle the notebook just to swap out one component.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The VAIO Y has a comfortable Chiclet-style keyboard that is easy to type on for long periods of time. Compared to the Vaio Zthe spacing is a bit different, putting dedicated Page Up/Down and Home/End keys on the right side of the keyboard, instead of including them as secondary functions over the direction keys. This caused some shrinking of the right shift button and left control button as well as slightly tighter spacing. The keyboard also lacks one of the luxurious backlit keys seen on the VAIO Z, but that was expected given the much lower starting price. Keyboard support is excellent with no noticeable keyboard flex under strong typing pressure. Key responsiveness is great as well as very quiet key actions that don't emit much noise when fully pressed.

The touchpad on the VAIO Y is a Synaptics model that is very responsive and has no discernible lag. The touchpad includes some multitouch features, including two-finger scroll which the Z actually skipped in favor of the chiral-scrolling motion. Refresh rates were excellent, preventing any "trails" from the cursor drawing fast circles on the screen. The touchpad settings out of the box were near perfect, with no tweaks needed during the review. I also found the touchpad buttons to be easy to trigger with the edge of your thumb and had shallow feedback when fully pressed. Overall the touchpad was very good and one of the nicer models seen on a thin and light notebook.

Ports and Features

Port selection on the VAIO Y was very good for a thin and light system, including three USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 400, VGA and HDMI-out, audio jacks, and LAN. Expansion slots included a SDHC and MemoryStick card reader, as well as an ExpressCard/34 slot.

Screen and Speakers

The Sony VAIO Y comes standard with a 13.3-inch WXGA panel with no upgrade options for higher resolutions. Compared to other CULV-based notebooks the screen rates above average with good color and contrast. I have to admit that this screen was a step down from the one seen on the VAIO Z, which had a higher color saturation and deeper black levels (at nearly triple the cost!). For users looking to enjoy a movie on the road, enjoy a YouTube clip during class or type a term paper during a study session the screen is perfect. Backlight levels were good for bright indoor viewing conditions, with the surface measuring 196nit at full brightness. Viewing angles were good, although colors did seem to have a narrow sweet spot of roughly 10-15 degrees before colors started to shift or invert vertically. Horizontal viewing angles were much better, spanning over 60 degrees from the side.

Speaker performance was good for a thin and light system, with strong volume levels to fill a small room. Bass and midrange were lacking, but that was not unusual for a system in this class. Sony does include a headphone jack which puts out clean audio for private listening, as well as an HDMI-out jack for connecting the notebook to a HDTV and stereo.

modified from: notebookreview.com