Dell Inspiron 12 Mini
October 28, 2008
A truly bizarre day to announce a new notebook, Dell’s Inspiron Mini 12 is officially the most gargantuan netbook on the block. I wasn’t exactly blown away by it when I scoped it briefly a couple months ago, but Laptop was sufficiently impressed in its more in-depth hands on to compare it to the MacBook Air and Voodoo Envy—but you know, 0.2 inches thicker, more ports and you know, a thousand dollars cheaper at only $599. Read more
Unlocked iPhone 3G to be Sold in Australia?
October 28, 2008
For some people, it’s a dream come true: the ability to buy an iPhone 3G in Australia totally unlocked and without a contract.
When Apple unveiled the iconic first generation iPhone, it tried a new business model that no other handset maker had dared consider: demanding a chunk of the carrier’s monthly plan fee. For that payment, the carrier got exclusivity on selling the iPhone in its country, and Apple was able to sell a very expensive device for what appeared to the consumer as a cheaper up-front cost. Read more
Microsoft Windows 7 brings the web to the browser
October 28, 2008
The next version of Office for Windows will contain lightweight versions of its apps that will be delivered through Web browsers. Even though the release is for Windows, Microsoft representatives confirmed for Macworld that the Office Web apps would work with Safari and Firefox.
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Microsoft Windows 7
October 28, 2008
Just two weeks after releasing Windows Embedded Standard 2009 based on Windows XP, Microsoft said Tuesday that the next version — code-named “Quebec” — will be built atop the Windows 7 code base.
The news is significant, because it indicates that Microsoft is serious about making Windows 7 capable of running on devices with limited power. During the PDC keynote Tuesday, Microsoft Windows head Steven Sinofsky showed the audience a netbook (or sub-notebook) running Windows 7. Most netbooks currently ship with Windows XP or Linux. Read more
BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220
October 16, 2008
BlackBerry shows up with another potential hit on their hands, and it’s clear what they’ve learned in the last couple of years. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 is a much cooler phone than we expected, after months of rumors and spy photos were proven almost entirely correct. In person, the phone feels much more solid, with a soft finish and some gentle, comfortable curves. Read more
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic: More than just an ‘iPhone clone’
October 9, 2008
With many electronics manufacturers around the world once again playing catch-up to Apple’s innovations, it is no surprise that Nokia has announced its first touch-screen mobile, which is more than a little similar to Apple’s iPhone. Read more
Vodafone drops broadband prices
October 9, 2008
VODAFONE Australia has dropped its mobile broadband prices in anticipation of lower consumer confidence in the wake of the global credit crunch.
The carrier has slashed the price of its 1GB mobile broadband plan by $10 per month to $19.95 for customers that sign up for 24 months. Read more
Nokia N96 Review
October 7, 2008
THIS has been a terrible year for the global bourse, but it has probably been the best year ever for the smartphone market, with the advent of Apple’s slick iPhone 3G and RIM’s Swiss Army Knife of mobile business, the BlackBerry Bold.
Nokia N96 slides into multimedia battle
Nokia’s N96 has a long feature and accessory list Not to be left in the prop wash as the smartphone market takes off, Nokia has trotted out its N96, a device it touts as “our most advanced multimedia computer yet”.
Like its predecessor, the 95, the N96 is a two-way slider phone: notch the screen over to the right and a set of four media player buttons is revealed, go right, and there’s a traditional mobile-phone keypad.
Sliding left also puts the screen into horizontal aspect for a better look at video and pictures on the 2.8in, 240×320 pixel display that sits between the iPhone and the Bold in size.
The crisp-looking screen is excellent, offering enough area for even ageing eyes to make sense of video at viewing distances of 40cm to 50cm. The N96 has a long feature and accessory list, which it should for a phone that retails for a hefty $1349, the price of a pretty good laptop.
The phone’s accoutrements include 16GB of internal memory that can be boosted as high as 24GB through the micro SD slot, a 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss camera with dual LED flash that can also shoot quite respectable 30fps video, stereo speakers, assisted GPS, 3.6Mbps HSPA 3G data capability, WiFI, Bluetooth, a video-out lead, car charger, FM radio, a universal 3.5mm headphone jack and a neat little fold-out stand that props up the N96 on a flat surface for watching video.
Unfortunately, one of the N96’s strongest multimedia features, its built-in DVB-H mobile television receiver, is useless in Australia, where the telcos are more interested in trying to run video over their 3G networks than broadcast it through DVB-H.
There’s a reasonably comprehensive software suite both on the phone and for a supporting PC, which includes a video converter that can turn most formats into N96-friendly video.
Anyone used to Nokia’s Symbian/S60 operating system user interface combination will feel right at home with the N96.
That’s part of the phone’s problem against the recent competition.
Anyone who has mucked about with the iPhone’s interface will feel as though they are stepping back into the 20th century when they begin manipulating the N96.
The clunky, D-pad interface takes quite a bit of learning, with lots of scrolling and keystrokes required to drive the rich list of features.
Both RIM and Nokia are hard at work developing touch interfaces and Nokia has already shown off its new 5800 touch model.
With Google’s new Android mobile phone a reality, next year is shaping as the battle of the touchy feely phones.
How To Transfer Your Data from XP to Vista
October 7, 2008
Like many PC users, you’ve probably been looking at Windows Vista since its January release and wondering whether you want to take the jump and buy it. Assuming your computer can handle its demands, and your wallet or plastic can stretch to the price, it’s tempting. But there’s one vital question – can you easily migrate your data to Vista without spending days tearing out your hair? The answer, happily, is yes.
