Years back, I got caught up in the UMPC — UltraMobilePC- fad. (I blame James Kendrick and his JKontheRun blog.) None of those devices lived up to their promise of a full PC in a small, touchscreen device. Fast forward, and that promise has been realized in the Microsoft Surface line of computers. microsoft, via CDW sent one to Judie; I “borrowed” it. 🙂
When I got my 2015 13″ MacBook Pro retina, Kev inherited my “old” 2012 15″ MacBook Pro retina. So when I read the Dell XPS 15’s reviewer guide and saw that Dell was calling it the “smallest 15-inch laptop on the planet”, heck yeah I was skeptical! But I had the means to do a quick and dirty size comparison, and guess what? Dell wasn’t exaggerating.
Acer is busy at CES this year! They’ve always been a big player in laptops, smartphones, tablets, and computer equipment in general, and they have updates for just about everything this year! There’s a lot to be excited about, whether you’re looking for a high-end Windows machine or a simple Android tablet, so let’s check it all out!
Alcatel Onetouch is very busy at CES this year. They’re covering a ton of areas, from Android phones to Windows tablets and child-focused watches with safety features. Basically, whether you want a phablet or a device to keep your elementary age kiddo safe, Alcatel has a product for it. On the Android front, Alcatel has a tremendous number of new phones available in the Pixi 4 line. Do you hate the trend towards bigger and bigger phones? Alcatel has a 3.5in phone coming. Looking for a phablet? They’ve got one with a 6 inch screen. And if Android tablets are…
There is one device in our computerized world that while being indispensable gets the least amount of respect. I am talking about the mouse. Humorously named, yet this is where many of us made our first connection with a computer. Logitech has introduced the MX Anywhere 2 Wireless Mobile Mouse to enhance the portability and productivity of that experience.
Like Michael, last November I bought the HP Stream 7 Tablet. As Windows users everywhere were getting the button in the notification bar that you can reserve Windows 10 for your PC, the Stream 7 didn’t because it uses a compressed version of Windows 8.1. That does not mean it will not run the new OS.
Last year Mark of the Unicorn announced Digital Performer 8 at NAMM in January but didn’t ship until late September. This year they have turned around the new version much more quickly-Digital Performer 9 is now available with loads of new and updated features to make this an essential upgrade for all owners!
Last fall I attended IFA, and one of the biggest announcements to come out of the show was the introduction of Intel’s newest Core M Processor. This year there are quite a few laptops that take advantage of Core M, and the HP EliteBook Folio 1020 G1 is one of them.
When the Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook was announced at CES, it definitely piqued my interest. This laptop puts a 13.3″ screen in the body of an 11″; it is available with a 5th Generation Intel Core i5 Processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and a touchscreen. It also has an SD slot, something I’ve sorely missed on my 11″ MacBook Air.
Released just a month ago as the least expensive Windows tablet at $99, HP’s new Stream 7 Windows 8.1 tablet was featured on a Black Friday sale at Office Depot. With an Intel processor, 32GB storage, and a 1280 x 800 resolution screen, the Stream 7 promises much for a low price. Here are some first impressions a week later.
Do you remember when desktop computers were so large that they had to go under (or to the side of) the desk? Oh wait; most of them still are still that large. The HP EliteDesk 800 G1, however, is an exception. The EliteDesk is small enough to fit almost anywhere, and using one requires very few compromises.
The other day I reviewed the HP Pavilion X360 laptop. In many ways it is a 2014 netbook with a cool design and touchscreen. This is the first in a series of posts on the Dell Venue 11 Pro tablet/keyboard I was sent as part of the Intel 2in1 Program. I could not be more surprised that … I love this computer.
Here’s something different — a Windows laptop that can handle just about every work scenario imaginable without looking like a dowdy, chunky, black box. The HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G1 takes several style points from Apple, and in the process becomes one of the thinnest, lightest, sleekest and best-looking notebook PCs I’ve handled. What makes it special?
I’m currently working on a review of the INSTEON Connected Home Control and Monitoring system. Simply put, I’m impressed and I think you will be too. This morning comes news that the company will be releasing Windows and Windows Phone Apps for the system. Moreover, INSTEON products will soon available in Microsoft Stores and at MicrosoftStore.com.
Apple added a big change to iOS 7.1 when it comes to app purchases. Previously, once you entered your password for an app purchase the system automatically didn’t ask for it again for 15 minutes. To prevent in-app purchases by accident, you can now set it to ask every time. But how else can in-app purchasing be fixed?
Microsoft continues to push Windows 8 hard in both the traditional laptop/desktop and the exploding tablet space, and the Dell Venue 8 Pro is one of the more compelling devices launched yet.
There’s no doubt that Nokia makes amazing phones. You may not like the operating system, but Nokia does a great job of bringing everything together into a very polished package. Their newest accessory is another “little thing” that makes Lumias better; the “Treasure Tag”, an NFC and Bluetooth-enabled accessory to insure you never lose your keys again.
A coworker came to me recently for advice about buying a tablet for his family, one that he and his wife could use and share with his toddler. Specifically, he wanted a way to create timed parental controls, and he wanted to make sure he was right in believing the Kindle Fire was a better fit than the iPad.
Samsung is an absolute powerhouse in the technology world. But aside from a rather disastrous Windows Mobile phone a few years ago, I’ve never experienced firsthand what makes Samsung stand out from the crowd. After spending a few weeks working with the Samsung Series 7 Ultrabook though, I’m starting to see why they succeed — this Ultrabook is sleek, stylish and powerful!
Gear Diary has written about PhatWare apps on a number of occasions, including here, here, and most recently, here. One of their best known products is PhatPad, a note-taking app that features handwriting recognition. I’ve used PhatWare products, including PhatPad, off and on for years. I’ve always been impressed with the quality of its handwriting recognition.
As much as I like using touchscreen tablets, there are times when a keyboard simply makes life easier. And as much as I enjoy using mobile operating systems optimized for speed and convenient apps, there are times when they fall short. Is it possible to have it all — portability, a touchscreen, speed, apps, a keyboard, and a full OS?