Lenovo IdeaPad S10

This Intel Atom based netbook won’t be breaking any speed records, but it performed more than adequately for normal activities. Windows startup took less than 30 seconds and internet browsing, word processing, and even photo editing tasks were downright “snappy.” While the 3D graphics benchmark numbers aren’t particularly impressive, it’s important to keep in mind that netbooks are not designed for playing computer games. The S10 and similar netbooks are mobile internet portals and productivity tools for getting some quick work done without needing to carry a giant laptop.

Is the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 the best netbook currently on the market and the best value for your dollar? Well, the answer isn’t simple, particularly considering the way that new netbooks seem to arrive every week. The S10 does several things right that we wish more manufacturers did with their netbooks.

First, Lenovo was smart enough to realize and ExpressCard slot is important if you want to make a netbook useful. The ExpressCard slot gives you the option of adding more USB ports, Firewire, eSATA, or any number of other ports to the S10. More importantly, the ExpressCard slot makes it easy to add a broadband modem to the S10 so that you can stay connected to the internet anywhere with cell phone reception.

Second, the S10 has built-in Bluetooth. Frankly, we’re amazed that every netbook doesn’t come with built-in Bluetooth since it allows you to connect devices to the netbook without using one of the USB ports.

Last, but certainly not least the S10 combines the surprisingly capable Intel Atom processor with a standard hard drive. While budget SSDs are nice, most consumers can’t get over the limited storage capacity of SSDs and that is why hard drives still have a place in netbooks.

On the other hand, the S10 still suffers from some of the same limitations as other netbooks: relatively high temperatures, small battery, and a cramped screen and keyboard.

Ultimately, the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 is a great ultra-portable laptop priced below $500. However, if you’re willing to put up with a bulkier notebook then it’s still possible to find a computer with more features and performance for almost the same price on sale.

ASUS F6Ve

ASUS included a wired USB optical mouse and carrying case with the purchase of F6Ve-B1. As far as freebies go they are pretty nice if you don’t already have comparable items. The carrying case provides adequate protection for the notebook, which is vital if you are carrying it around a college campus where you run the risk of dropping it. This is the first free ASUS case that we’ve seen in our office that carries the “Targus” brand name … potentially a good sign of the quality of this free bag. The USB mouse is fine as a backup travel mouse, but there are much better non-free options on the market.

System performance is what the ASUS F6Ve was designed for, with its Intel 2.66GHz T9550 processor and 512MB ATI Radeon Mobility 4570. This 13.3″ notebook is fast enough completely replace a desktop if you aren’t looking for something that has to run the latest games at the highest settings. It is very fast for things like decoding HD video, running many applications at the same time, or ripping and compressing music or video for a media player. Newer games work fine with some visual settings tweaked, pushing the limits of the ATI 4570 graphics card. The previous top performing 13.3″ notebook of choice was the LG P300, but it had to make compromises such as removing the optical bay to handle the additional hardware; ASUS managed to pull it off without removing any hardware.

Conclusion
The ASUS F6Ve could have been a much nicer notebook if the same hardware were inside a more attractive chassis. The design looks dated, build quality isn’t up to par, and overall doesn’t feel like what you would expect to get for spending $1,299 on a 13.3” notebook these days. Hardware performance is excellent without any doubt, but it feels really out of place compared to the current ASUS offerings like the N81, W90, or even the 1000HE. If you really need a compact gaming notebook, move up barely one inch to the N81Vp. It outperforms the F6Ve in nearly every category, gets double the 3D performance, and looks a heck of a lot nicer.

ASUS F6Ve-B1 Specifications:
* Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1, 32-bit)
* Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T9550 (2.66GHz, 6MB L2, 1066MHz FSB)
* 13.3″ WXGA Glossy LCD (1280×800, 16:10)
* ATI Mobility Radeon 4570 with 512MB GDDR2 VRAM
* Atheros AR928X 802.11n + Bluetooth 2.0
* 4GB DDR2 800 SDRAM (2GB x 2)
* 320GB Serial ATA hard disk drive (5400RPM)
* DVD SuperMulti (+/-R double layer) drive
* 1.3 megapixel webcam
* Dimensions (WxDxH): 12.2″ x 9″ x 1.2-1.4″
* Weight: 4lbs 14oz with battery, 5lbs 12oz travel weight
* 11.1v 4800 mAh 53Wh 6-cell battery
* 90W(19V x 4.74A) 100-240V AC Adapter
* 2-Year Standard Limited Warranty, 1-Year Accidental Damage Warranty

Samsung Super Write-Master SH-S223Q

Samsung has produced a burner that promise DVD write speeds of 22x. As of now, there is no other media capable of that, making it the fastest drive out there.

Samsung’s Super-Writemaster is a quiet burner, which makes a difference, as many drives are quite loud. It also works very quickly which is its main sellable feature. It features Light Scribe as well; an optical disc recording technology that utilizes specially coated recordable CD and DVD media to produce laser-etched labels with text or graphics. Other great feature of this drive are the SpeedPlus, which allows for writing at the fastest speeds and the Speed Adjustment Technology, low noise and Buffer Under Run Technology.

source: gadgetnew.uni.cc

HTC S740 QWERTY smartphone video

The HTC S740 QWERTY, and its U.S. 3G equipped S743 variant, is a compact smartphone that features not only a functional 12-key alphanumeric keypad, but also a spacious, 4-row QWERTY keyboard that slides out sideways from behind the phone's bright and crisp QVGA resolution display. The QWERTY keyboard's keys don't offer the best tactile feedback available on the market, but they are nicely shaped and nearly perfectly laid out.

The slider action of the keyboard is nicely sprung, and the entire device feels very solid. I am particularly fond of the d-pad, which has a raised outer edge that makes it easy to use in any number of ways. The rear cover of the S740 features the same oddball faceted surface as HTC's Touch Diamond, but at least this time around it is covered in a nice rubbery soft touch paint that hides fingerprints to a large extent.

The S740 we tested out was built for the European market, and as such features 900/2100MHz 3G/HSDPA support instead of the 850/1900MHz 3G support that will be found on the U.S. bound S743. Both versions feature quad-band GSM/EDGE support, though I have to admit that the S740 was only an average performer on the North American half of those frequency bands. The S743 may fare better, being tweaked for this particular part of the world. In any event, both smartphones can be easily hooked up to WiFi networks, and both support a full range of Bluetooth connectivity.

Call audio on the S740 seemed pretty good, and battery life was acceptable, if not earth shattering. The phone is rated for over 5 hours of 3G talk time and up to 16 days of standby time, but normal use will probably require recharges every other day. The phone's contacts system supports all sorts of data, and the profiles system is also quite reasonable. A voice tag based voice dial system is available, and speed dials can be set for both phone numbers as well as applications, which is quite handy.

source: www.okephones.com