Mga Laruan ni Stan

Are you having a headache in finding the right ultra portable laptop for you? With myriads of ultra portables coming out in the market nowadays at a price of a mid-range phone; soon anyone will have its own ultra portable. Started by the now ubiquitous Asus EEPC, now you have every manufacturer jumping on the subnote bandwagon. We now have MSI Wind, Lenovo Idea Pad, IBM's X61, Fujitsu's U1010, HP's mini note, Astone's UMPC, and many more. Now, how would you decide to buy the ideal ultra portable for you amidst several options in the techno jungle? I'm going to share a few points in this article to help you decide the right one but i will focus on reviewing HP's ultimate tablet; The HP TX2500 series with the latest Puma platform from AMD.

Choosing the right ultra portable.

HPTX2500a

What type of person are you? Are you the type who loves to watch movies and listen to music on the go? Are you the business man who travels a lot and brings the entire office with him? Are you the multimedia /gamer who spends a lot of time tinkering with his laptop looking for a better game plan? Every ultra portable excels in one area so you have to know your needs and prepare your budget. An ultra portable today is priced between Php 16,000 ($340) to Php 28,000 ($600) at different computer resellers. But high end subnotebooks can cost as high as Php 60,000 ($1,200) to Php 100,000 ($2,100). You have to get the best value for your money.

For the young professionals who often use office programs and presentations all the time, you can live with the Asus EEPC series of ultra portables, Blue H1 or the New Blue Lithium, price between Php 16,000 to Php 24,000. That's a good price without leaving a deep hole in your pocket. The subnote is powerful enough to run your regular suite of office applications and it's light enough to be carried around without adding too much bulk in your luggage. You also have a choice for the screen size between 7 inches to 10 inches. I wouldn't recommend the 7 inches since you'll likely spend most of  the time proof reading your presentations because of the small screen.

For people who likes entertainment on the go, with enough juice to run your favourite movies and music without skipping frames, you're better off with HP's mini note, MSI wind and Acer Aspire one with a price range between Php 24,000 to Php 30,000. I'd go for the HP mini note for full size keyboard and stylish finish.

For the gamer and power users, the best ultra portables include the Dell XPS M1330 , Sony Vaio SR series, and HP TX2500z series. They have the fastest processors and most powerful architechture among the ultra portables, enough to challenge the performance of mid-range desktops.

In buying the right ultra portable, be particular with the processor speed, memory size, hard disk capacity, video card and expandability options. Hard disk and memory are easy to upgrade but not processor and video card memory, so you have to make a wise choice. A decent spec for an ultra portable that would perform most office and entertainment functions without difficulty should have at least 2.0 ghz of processor speed, 2 gb of ram, and at least 160 gb of hard disk space. Ok, so that should give you a brief idea when shopping for the right ultraportable laptop for you. Now on to my review :)

Introducing the HP Pavillion TX2500 series entertainment PC.

First impression. This is my first tablet PC so i'll try to be objective in my review. The HP Pavillion TX2500 is the much awaited upgrade to the already old but still reliable HP TX1000 about a year ago. Unboxing the HP TX2500 and setting it up is a breeze. Coming from an all Mac computer to a Windows machine, i immediately noticed the difference in their packaging. While the Mac is usually encased in a high quality package cocooned with high quality paperboard molded to fit the shape of its accessories and the unit covered in dust resistant plastic, the HP is boxed with the same old boring brown box. Like just buying a new microwave or what not. The unit is securely encased by styro sheet though to be fair. The box includes the wacom pen, the tablet pc unit, the power adapter, the battery, and the weight saver accessory (an blank light plastic that you can use in place of the DVD rom drive to save some extra pounds).

Holding the unit for the first time, makes me feel that its an expensive gadget. The HP TX2500 is covered with a glossy scratch resistant shell inlaid with an echo pattern that runs from the LCD to the palm rest. I think it gives the unit a nice aesthetic touch and makes it ideal for digital artists like me. The unit is bit heavier than my macbook air but more powerful, with enough juice to run for five long hours.

Quick specs. I got the high-end model and using it for a week now, i keep on losing track of time being busy playing with my new toy. Here is the lowdown on the specs. AMD X2 Ultra 2.2 ghz ZM82, utilizing the latest and most powerful platform from AMD called Puma with  Hyperthreading 3 and tight integration with ATI's 3200 graphics card for mobile. 320gb HDD at 5400 rpm and 4 Gb of DDR 667 mhz ram. I also got the 8 cell extended battery. This unit has a 12.1 passive matrix LCD with a Wacom pen enabled digitizer (Which means better hand writing recognition. With a Windows Vista performance index of 4.0 it's pretty fast for an ultraportable.

Features. The HP TX2500 is a convertible ultra portable tablet pc. Which means you can use it as a regular laptop with a full size keyboard or twist the screen and use it in slate format to bring out the artist in you. The tablet is adorned with all possible ports and expansion slots you can imagine situated on the sides and on the LCD itself.  3 USB 2.0 ports, 1  RJ 45 or lan port, 1 modem port, 1 express card 32 port (which also happens to be a docking port for the included remote control for the media center), 2 headphone jacks with 1 supporting SPDIF, 1 microphone jack and a proprietary port called Expansion port 3 by HP. It also comes with a lightscribe enabled dual layer capable multi-dvd superdrive with a 1.3 megapixel web cam and microphone supporting stereo sound recording. High quality speaker is also provided courtesy of Altec Lansing. The LCD is also adorned with buttons as well; a DVD dedicated button with controls, a screen orientation button, a button that brings up the windows mobility center and a finger print biometric scanner...whew that was a lot for a package as small as this. The jack of all trades of ultra portables.

Performance. The Tablet PC perfoms faster than the Macbook Air and with a Windows Vista performance index of 4.0 utilizing the new discreet ATI Radeon 3200 graphics card, it performs suprisingly well on power hungry strategy games like Command and Conquer Generals and EA game's Lord of The Rings Battle for Middle Earth. The Adobe CS3 suite of application also runs decently with multiple applications open. A true multimedia powerhouse, i believed HP have a winner on this. But the true magic of the HP TX2500 lies in its LCD with an active digitizer. Using the included Wacom pen, you can easily turn the tablet into a digital canvass with different levels of pressure sensitivity, you will have precise control of the user interface in Photoshop or a more pen friendly program called Alias Sketchbook Pro. The unit also has a very powerful hand writing recognition software suitable for note taking.

HPTX2500b

The Verdict.

With a slew of multimedia features plus a Wacom enabled digitizer and an Entertainment PC at the same time, the HP TX2500 is a powerful tablet PC if not the most equipped and most powerful in its class. If not for high heat emissions and a grainy LCD, the HP TX2500 is a true winner. The unit is priced between Php 60,000 to Php 89,000 in local computer resellers.

Introduction

A personal look at LG's flagship model, the KU990 aka VIEWTY. This shiny brick of metal and hi grade plastic has a dual personality, a 3 inch touch screen phone and messaging device in front and a high quality imaging and video device at the back which resembles the look and feel of a portable point-and-shoot digital camera. Don't be fooled by it's beautiful facade, and don't compare this to a dumb blond, inside hides a multimedia beast. HSDPA (3.5 g), haptics feedback, a 5 megapixel camera with auto focus and digital image stabilization, a video capability that can record up to 120 frames of high speed motion , DIVX support and a snappy Flash interface to boot, these are just some of its main features. Pass the drool bucket please :) LG's first attempt on the 5 megapixel arena with the LG KG920 is a major disappointment with it's horrendous design and lack luster interface. This device is set to change LG's reputation on the mobile phone market. A successor to the LG Prada with a sleeker interface, let's see how the LG VIEWTY lives up to its expectation.

Design / Build quality

LGku990

This device is built as an iPhone killer. But is it a worthy contender? I would say yes but not enough to beat the king of touch screens. The LG KU990 is lighter than the iPhone because of the materials used and a smaller screen. Nevertheless, it still manages to pull out a sturdy and stable device. It looks sexy in shiny black with metal accents on the side. The back is mostly dominated by the camera lens but sad to say no lens cover, so the camera is prone to scratch. You have to always remember where you put your keys or you'll end scratching the precious Scheider Kreuznach lens. One complain on the design though is that it doesn't support hot swapping of memory cards. You have to open the battery cover and pull out your micro SD card to swap. There are incidences and reports that the touch screen has been unresponsive and to some point will render your unit unusable. I think this is a case to case basis. This happened to me once and brought it to LG service center. The technician told me that the connecting pins of the screen is very sensitive and has been disconnected (maybe a manufacturing flaw, im not sure). I never dropped my unit or placed it under heavy physical stress, it just happened suddenly. But since my unit is under warranty for a year, i didn't pay a dime. It now works very well.

Calling / Messaging

Calling is standard, nothing to write home about. Messaging is impressive, you have several options for input including QWERTY, hand-writing recognition and keypad. The screen automatically rotates when using the full QWERTY input method. One major step is the integration of haptics (slight vibration) when you press a button on the screen providing better tactile feedback than the iPhone. You can navigate the interface using a stylus or your fingers. This is one of a few devices that integrates a full Flash interface. Though the OS is very responsive, its still a long way compared to the multi-touch experience on the iPhone. Scrolling on VIEWTY is unfortunately very difficult even with the stylus. Finger swiping works but still very tasking especially with sweaty hands like me. :) Good thing the camera manual focus jog dial also works as a navigation tool to scroll. It supports viewing of standard office documents but no editor since this is not primarily a business phone. This device supports several email protocols and also MMS. It has a unified interface for composing sms and mms.

Connectivity / Browsing / Multimedia

VIEWTY supports HSDPA of up to 3.6 mbps, talk about broadband on your phone. Bluetooth is standard with support for stereo sound output or A2DP. It lacks wifi though which is a necessity nowadays. The opera browser is good and comes with nice features but not as good with the Safari on the iPhone. I think the major strength of this device is it's imaging and video capabilities. Though 5 megapixel is becoming a standard nowadays, this device continues to push the envelope with image stabilization, auto and manual focus and a powerful flash. This can shoot videos at VGA resolution of up to 120 fps and play it back as a slow motion movie (the first of it's class on a mobile phone). A very nice feature indeed, where you can play with high speed motion capturing water splatters, flying birds, and high speed cars in full detail. You can't find this feature on other 5 megapixel snappers like the Sony Ericsson K850i, Nokia N95 and the Samsung G800. Also, a great feature is that it comes integrated with Youtube, so you can upload your videos instantly to the community. A standard Google pack also comes pre-installed with Google Mail and Google Maps. Another note-worthy advantage is its support of DivX playback, meaning you can view high quality but highly compressed videos in DivX format. The built-in video and music editing software is also a joy to use, not to mention the myriad of effects you can do with photos including screen graffiti :)

Technophile's verdict

A sexy slab of hitech wonder outside and a multimedia beast inside, LG's KU990 is gadget to consider if you're looking for a light weight but loaded camera phone. Navigating is a bit challenging but with the jog dial and a little bit of getting used to, you'll get the hang of it in no time. Capturing moments in slow-mo is priceless.

Introduction

Zinc2

The XDA Zinc is an all-in-one device from O2 that i got to try on. This is a smart phone running Windows Mobile 5 but i've upgraded mine to Windows Mobile 6 Prof. The main features of the XDA Zinc will impress every technophile out there. You'll get zero degrees of separation using this device, which means you're always connected anywhere through wifi, bluetooth and 3G. This PDA phone supports 2 major input method which distinguishes it from other PDA phones. You can input info using the stylus or it's full featured QWERTY keyboard ideal for composing emails and editing documents. This device has a built-in 2 megapixel camera with flash enough for quick snapshots.

Design / Build quality

O2's design on the Zinc is a bit conservative. You'll not see the usual ergonomic curves but rather a boxy look in gray. I like the brush aluminum embellished keyboard though. The Zinc is about the same size and weight as the Dopod 838 Pro and has the same features except that the Dopod 838 Pro has HSDPA but has a slower processor. Personally, i like the conservative design of the Zinc while other people find it boring. My only gripe about this device is it's not pocketable. It's thicker than two iphone's combined! Not unless you have Mc Donald's pocket, then you'll not have any problem :) Carrying it with the leather case adds to its thickness. Feels like you're carrying a brick where ever you go. I guess that's the trade off for an all-in-one device.

Calling / Messaging

Once you use it's messaging features you'll almost forget your gripe on it's size and weight. This device is built for the mobile warrior. It's like carrying an ultraportable computer. It even supports push email. Which means you can configure it to retrieve you email at a certain time interval. I configured mine to retrieve my mail every 4 hours. I got my Yahoo, Gmail and Company email configured and the best thing is that O2 built an auto configuration feature, so you don't have to enter those tasking mail setting like pop and smtp. You just provide your username and password and you're set to go. Windows Mobile 6 by the way supports HTML in emails so you'll see those Friendster alerts in it's full glory :)

Calling is average based on my experience it's not as good as the Nokia phones. The speaker is above average compared to other PDA phones which you'll not hear ringing if you're in a noisy environment.

Connectivity / Browsing / Multimedia

This is one of the best connected device out there, hence it's tag line "Zero degree of separation". You can connect virtually anywhere to browse or check your emails as long as you have a signal. I was able to use this in Cavite and i have no problems checking my mails and browsing the net. It even supports A2DP and AVRCP, a bluetooth profile that would allow you to stream and control stereo sound on your stereo bluetooth headsets. With 3G, connecting to the net is cheap using Smart that only charges 10 pesos for 30 minutes. Be careful though, if you create a setting for your mail to continuously check every hour, it will try to connect to your 3G signal every hour, which in my experience counts as 10 pesos per connection so you'll be disappointed that you got no more credit before the day ends.

Technophile's verdict

The XDA Zinc is a device that every technophile will love. We'll it's not something that you'll write home about with it's size and design, but with full connectivity options plus a QWERTY keyboard, you'll forget that it's also a phone :) It retails at about 35k pesos on malls today but you'll get half the price at ebay or tipidpc if you know how to search wisely. So good luck and let me know your experience with this device.

Blogpic

Well, it appears that most of the people in my industry are into blogging, so i decided to join the "blogdom" too. So this will be my first blog site. But this blog will not focus on my life story and my everyday adventures but rather with the things i love most -- my gadgets and gismoz. :) So this blog will be a tech review and a medium where i can share my hands on experience with gadgets with a local flavor. So this includes cellphones, PDA's, laptops, cameras or anything under the sun that makes our life easier and more fun. I will also include a section where you can ask me anything about these gadgets or the technology protocol that you're not familiar with. The likes of HSDPA, A2DP, AVRCP etc. I'll answer your questions the best way i can and explain it the most earth friendly way. hehe

So how my love for gadgets started? Well, way back 12 years ago when i was still in high school, i always find myself fascinated with technology. I remember i had my first PDA then, A Casio digital diary with 64kb of memory. I always use this at school to jot down my assignments and store contact numbers, a time where most people just use a pen and paper for everything.  I never had a cellphone though until 4th year college since i have to save a lot of money for it. Cellphones are very expensive at that time, only a few people have the privilege to have one. My first mobile phone was a Motorola startac, the first true Razr :) then followed with Nokia 3210 the first nokia with an internal antenna. My first laptop was a Prestigio 15 inches Centrino 1.6 ghz. That was just about 6 years ago. Then my love for gadgets grew and became a passion for me. Since that day, i had about 20 to  30 mobile phones from different manufacturers , about 8 digicams, more than 10 PDAs and 6 laptops. Geez, i never realized i could have created a museum for these toys already. Currently, i have a Macbook Pro, A Fujitsu lifebook Ultraportable, An iPhone, An XDA Zinc, An LG KU990, and a PSP slim. I'll try to review them one by one through the days to come :)

My friends told me that i should be admitted in a tech rehab if such facility exist hehe. I know some people out there shares the same passion. So this blog will serve as sanctuary for the technophiles like me and of course as a review site where you can exchange opinions or ask questions before you actually purchase a gadget. I'll try to objectively review all of them though i love each tech toy i have, so you have options before you spend your hard earned money for anything.

I'll try to religiously update this blog as long as i can and when my schedules will permit. Feel free to throw me any questions or comments.