Samsung Galaxy S5 Review

     

Reviewed by Maribelle Alba
The last Samsung phone I owned was a red, bejeweled Samsung T500 flip phone, which earned huge brownie points with my mom when I passed it on to her. That was over a decade ago and I must confess that when I decided to get on the Android bandwagon, the smartphone I got did not start with an S. However, this latest flagship offering intrigued me enough to take it for a two-week spin.

Specifications:
OS : Android KitKat 4.4.2
Network: LTE
CPU: 2.5GHz quad core Krait 400 processor,
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset
Display: 5.1” Super AMOLED capacitive touch
screen, 1080x1920 resolution, 432ppi
Memory: 2GB RAM,16GBROM, microSD slot up to 16GB
Camera: Rear 16MP phase-detection AF, front 2MP wide-angle lens
Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) MIMO
2x2, Download Booster (simultaneous LTE+WiFi),
Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, USB 3.0, IrLED, GPS with
GLONASS
Dimensions: 142x72.5x8.1mm
Weight: 145g
Battery: removable 2800mAh Li-ion

DESIGN
There are no dramatic changes to the Galaxy S5. It is slightly bigger and heavier, with less rounded corners, than its predecessor, but possibly the most distinctive design cue is the dimpled pattern on the removable plastic back cover, which has a nice matte finish. A major, but not so visible, design upgrade is its IP67 rating, which means it is totally protected against dust, and water resistant up to depths of one meter. To achieve this, the rear cover is sealed with silicon gaskets, and the USB 3.0 charging port is covered with a hinged flap. While appreciating the added protection, having to constantly open the charger flap is inconvenient and worrisome, and I’m afraid the flap hinge might one day break off. Wireless charging would have offered an elegant, if more expensive, solution. Underneath the back cover is the removable 2800mAh lithium-ion battery as well as the overlapping microSIM and microSD tray.

HARDWARE
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is powered by the latest Snapdragon 801 chipset, with a 2.5GHz quad-core processor that delivers speedy, fluid performance even for the most demanding tasks. The 2GB memory makes multi-tasking a breeze, and its multi-window feature allows you to run two apps on the screen at the same time. On-board storage is 16GB; a microSD slot brings in extra capacity of up to 64GB. The Galaxy S5 has a Full HD 1080x1920 display, measuring 5.1-inch in diagonal, for a 432ppi pixel density, resulting in a bright, vivid screen with outstanding clarity even in bright sunlight. The Super AMOLED display can be configured to various screen modes, or you can turn on Adapt Display to let the phone choose the best setting. The one area where I found the Galaxy S5 truly outstanding was its blazing fast internet speed, thanks to two innovations: Download Booster, which uses LTE and Wi-Fi simultaneously; and 2x2 MIMO (multi-input, multi-output) that uses two internal Wi-Fi antennas. While downloading the same file, the Galaxy S5 left an iPad Air in the dust, finishing in mere seconds what took the iPad at least a minute to complete. The main camera on the Galaxy S5 has received a major upgrade to 16MP, with faster auto-focus and rich HDR (high dynamic range) imaging. The camera app also has a host of settings and modes, to capture beautiful snapshots. My only gripe is the absence of optical image stabilization so my shaky hands produced a few blurred photos. The Gallery app also crashed randomly on me. A much-touted feature is the fingerprint scanner, located on the physical Home button below the screen. You are supposed to slide your finger over the lower part of the screen, down over the Home key. In practice, I found the process to be something of a hit-or-miss, affair and eventually just turned it off.

USER EXPERIENCE
Possibly the single thing that has prevented me from getting a Samsung smartphone in the past is its user interface, which I found too “gimmicky” and not very intuitive. The new TouchWiz interface on the Galaxy S5 came as a very pleasant surprise, and I found it simpler, cleaner, and easier to use. In the two weeks that I had the Galaxy S5 with me, I must confess that the function I used most extensively was Screen Mirroring. Normally, I stream videos wirelessly from my NAS to my Samsung Smart TV, but often experience playback and buffering problems. The Galaxy S5 delivered faster and more stable video streaming, which I enjoyed on the large TV screen via Screen Mirroring. Another useful tweak that Samsung has introduced in the Galaxy S5 is its ultra power saving mode. The battery itself is a 2800mAh Li-ion brick, which could go for around 12 hours of moderate use. In extreme cases where you don’t have access to a power source, the ultra power saving feature turns the display to black and white and shuts down everything except the phone, SMS, and the browser so you can stay on the grid for up to 12 days. Data usage settings allow you to set your mobile data limit, keep track of your usage, and automatically disable the mobile data connection when the specified limit is reached, thus ensuring that you don’t get bill shock from unexpected data charges.

VALUE
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is flagship-priced at PHP 34,990. Even with subsidized plans from the two major telcos offering more attractive pricing options, it is definitely targeted at the premium market. This is a feature-rich, multi-functional device that is a perfect match for the diverse lifestyle needs of smart trendsetters who want only the best and the latest. For  those who don’t mind shelling out the cash, the Galaxy S5 can be considered an investment, since its superior technical specifications will keep it future-proof and current for the next 2-3 years, or even longer.

Bottomline
It is not surprising that Samsung is the dominant player in the Android ecosystem. With the Galaxy S5’s superior hardware and feature-rich functionalities, there is no doubt that it will continue to top sales charts. And while it does not elicit the “wow” response of previous models, the Galaxy S5 nevertheless deserves its flagship status, with overall excellent build quality and future-proof specifications.

BenQ Launches Full-HD Gaming Monitors

     

Featuring exclusive Revolution Eyes technology for exceptional performance

BenQ has launched XL-Z series of firstperson shooter (FPS) purposebuilt gaming monitors: the 68.6cm (27-inch) XL2720Z and 61cm (24-inch) XL2420Z and XL2411Z widescreen full-HD displays. Featuring BenQ's exclusive Revolution Eyes technology for exceptional monitor performance, the displays feature motion blur reduction, Low Blue Light technology, zero flicker, gaming refresh rate optimisation management (GROM), and 1ms GTG response times. In addition, the new models offer BenQ's latest firmware, which enables third-party utility support for further optimisation options.

The end result is striking visual clarity, seamless motion fluidity, and added viewing comfort for hours of action-packed game play. The FPS mode featured in XL- Z series lets players tap into the fundamental insights of pro gamers and view the game the way a gaming legend would see it. This feature automatically adjusts monitor calibrations to provide users with optimal brightness, contrast, sharpness and colour tint.

Featuring Low Blue Light technology, the XL-Z monitors successfully manage the exposure of blue spectrum light emitted, resulting in more comfortable viewing. To help gamers protect their eyes during extended periods, the monitors provide several adjustable low blue light levels that automatically adjust emission without affecting quality.

With the GROM management system, gamers also gain the freedom to custombuild their personal gaming experience according to viewing preferences such as refresh rates (100/120/144Hz), display resolutions and screen sizes.

BEST TABLETS & EBOOK READERS OF 2013

     

SMALL-SCREEN TABLET
GOOGLE NEXUS 7
The Nexus 7’s $229 price is an amazing value, but Google’s flagship tablet would still be a good buy even if it cost more. Its high-res screen is extremely sharp, battery life is long, and the tablet’s body is narrow enough to hold comfortably in one hand. This tablet makes a perfect ereader or backseat entertainment gadget. —SASCHA SEGAN

LARGESCREEN TABLET
APPLE IPAD AIR
The Air isn’t a radical break from Apple’s previous iPads, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a well-built, slim, and light platform for a terrific range of tablet apps, with an unusually fast processor and a much lighter frame than last year’s model, but with no loss of battery life. As with previous iPads, it’s close to a no-brainer. —SS

IPAD ACCESSORY
BELKIN ULTIMATE KEYBOARD CASE
Keyboard cases for the iPad generally come in either traditional folio or thin-and-light cover styles, but both have their drawbacks. This case splits the difference, combining solid protection, sleek design, and a comfortable keyboard in one terrific package. —EUGENE KIM

EBOOK READER
AMAZON KINDLE PAPERWHITE

Amazon’s revised Paperwhite is faster and more refined than last year’s model, with brighter edge lighting and lots of useful new features. It’s comfortable to hold and lasts for weeks on a battery charge. Plus, Amazon’s ebook store and overall app ecosystem remain the best in the business. —JAMIE LENDINO

Stay Safe From Scammers

     

BY FAHMIDA Y. RASHID

What’s the scariest thing that happened to me on Halloween this year? It was a phone call. According to the caller ID, it came from a local number. When we answered, a male voice identified himself as calling from the “Kings County Sheriff’s Office” and asked for a member of my family. When we explained that she wasn’t available, we were told that there was an outstanding warrant out for her. We were also told she was going to be arrested in the next 45 minutes, because of outstanding federal taxes from 2010.

We are always willing to cooperate, within reason, so we asked for more information. After giving us a phone number and the name of the person we should speak with at the federal government office, the caller transferred us to that number. The agent who answered the phone claimed that if we wanted to resolve this right away, we would have to provide a cell phone number. The person wasn’t very pleased when we refused, and kept repeating that our lack of cooperation meant that this family member would be arrested in 45 minutes. Scary? A little bit.

RED FLAGS APLENTY
There were lots of ways to tell right away that this call was a scam.

1. New York City residents know that we don’t have a “Kings County Sheriffs Office.” We have the NYPD. We do actually have a Sheriff’s Office, though, and it does handle tax evasion issues, but as the friendly spokesperson at the Sheriff’s Office told me when I asked, the office handles only cases for local taxes.

2. The caller kept saying
“federal government”—not the IRS. Not the Internal Revenue Service.

3. Law enforcement doesn’t call and say, “Pay up or we will arrest you.” If there’s a warrant, the arrest happens first and there’s an opportunity to fix it. Usually with a judge.

4. The demand that we “act in 45 minutes” was clearly a social-engineering tactic to create a high-pressure situation, said White Hat Security’s Robert Hansen.

5. I didn’t mention this in my initial summary, but we were told we were going to be transferred to speak with “Michael Black.” Yet when he answered, he said, “This is Khan.” If you are going to run a scam operation, get your names straight.

BEST SCANNERS PRODUCTS OF 2013

     

SMALL OFFICE DOCUMENT SCANNER
XEROX DOCUMATE 5445
This highly capable desktop scanner delivers fast speed with duplex (twosided) scanning, an assortment of world-class software, and features such as a 75-sheet automatic document feeder. Its balance of speed, input capacity, duty cycle, and price, along with its well-chosen set of application programs and capable scan utility, make this an excellent choice for moderately heavy-duty use in a small office or workgroup. —TH

PERSONAL PORTABLE PHOTO SCANNER
FLIP-PAL MOBILE SCANNER
The Flip-Pal mobile scanner offers an innovative design with PC-free scanning, a 4-by-6 flatbed, and a 2GB SD card. It has a neat trick for scanning originals that won't fit under the flatbed lid: Take off the lid, turn over the scanner, and place the glass on top of the item to be scanned. The scan quality is good and as a flatbed scanner it eliminates the risk of mangling photos or delicate documents that's possible with a sheet-fed scanner. Its 1.7-inch LCD lets you preview scans on the spot. —TH

BEST PROJECTORS PRODUCTS OF 2013

     

INTERACTIVE DATA PROJECTOR
EPSON BRIGHTLINK 436WI
The Epson BrightLink 436Wi Interactive WXGA 3LCD Projector brings Epson’s leading-edge interactive features (such as automatic calibration) to a more affordable projector. The 436Wi also offers an attractive balance of image quality, brightness, and price. Unless you need 3D support, it’s the shortthrow, interactive projector you want. —TH

MOBILE PROJECTOR
NEC NP-M311W
This LCD-based projector delivers a bright image, WXGA (1,280-by-800) resolution, 1.7x zoom lens, long lamp life, nearexcellent data image quality, and better video quality than most data projectors can offer, plus it is reasonably portable. If you don't require 3D or a short-throw lens, it’s a compelling choice. —TH

HOME THEATER PROJECTOR WITH 3D
EPSON POWERLITE HOME CINEMA 5020UBE
The Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 5020UBe is impressive for its price. It delivers  high-quality 2D and 3D images, a wide range of brightness settings, and advanced features that include an unusually large zoom and lens shift, an auto-iris, frame interpolation, superresolution, and more. —TH

HOME ENTERTAINMENT PROJECTOR WITH 3D
EPSON POWERLITE HOME CINEMA 3020E
The 3020e offers high-quality 2D and 3D at full 1080p, both as a home theater projector and as a home entertainment projector that stands up to ambient light. It works directly with HDMI 1.4a devices such as Blu-ray players, and is an excellent low-cost 3D home theater projector. —TH

BEST PRINTERS PRODUCTS OF 2013

     

SMALL-OFFICE INKJET
HP OFFICEJET PRO X551DW PRINTER
A winning balance of speed, output quality, paper handling, low cost per page, and additional features such as mobile printing makes the HP Officejet Pro X551dw Printer a smart pick over its direct competition. Its print quality could be a little better, but for most workplaces the X551dw hits all the right marks. —TONY HOFFMAN

SMALL OFFICE MONO LASER MFP
SAMSUNG MULTIFUNCTION XPRESS M2875FW
The Samsung Multifunction Xpress M2875FW has lots of strong points and no notable weaknesses. Its speed, output quality, paper handing, multifunction printer basics, and small conveniences—Wi-Fi Direct, the ability to copy single-sided originals to double-sided copies—all add up to the proverbial “more than the sum of its parts.” That’s enough to make it an excellent fit for a micro or small office. —TH

PERSONAL MONO LASER
SAMSUNG XPRESS M2625D
The Samsung Xpress M2625D printer offers unusually capable paper handling for personal use. In addition to an automatic duplexer, it includes a 250-sheet paper tray and a one-page manual feed slot, so you don’t have to swap out paper every time you want to print on a different paper stock. Its paper handling, solid speed and output quality, and small size make this a highly attractive printer for the price. —TH

SMALL OFFICE COLOR INKJET MFP
HP OFFICEJET PRO X576DW
Outside, the HP Officejet Pro X576dw Multifunction Printer’s fast speed, highquality output, excellent paper handling, and the conveniences a 4.3-inch touch screen allows, combined with a long list of MFP features, put it way out in front of the pack, even before considering its low cost per page. This laser-class inkjet looks like a laser, feeds paper like a laser, and performs like a laser. —TH

SMALL OFFICE COLOR TABLOID SIZE MFP
BROTHER MFC-J6920DW GTX 780 SLI
If you need a tabloid-size (11-by-17-inch) MFP that’s both inexpensive and loaded with features, the Brother MFC-J6920DW may be what you’re looking for. It’s perfect for a micro or small office needing to print and scan at tabloid size. Its combination of duplex scanning, NFC, and large touch screen make it appealing for users who need any or all of these features. —TH

3D PRINTER
TYPE A MACHINES SERIES 1
The Type A Machines Series 1 is geared toward professionals and hobbyists: It’s relatively easy to set up and operate, versatile, and can print large, good-quality objects in a range of resolutions. —TH

BEST NETWORKING PRODUCTS OF 2013

     

ROUTER
BUFFALO AIRSTATION EXTREME AC 1750 GIGABIT DUAL BAND WIRELESS ROUTER
Buffalo’s AirStation Extreme AC1750 Gigabit Dual Band Wireless Router offers good performance and the latest wireless networking standard, 802.11ac. An extremely welldesigned and powerful user interface caps off this premium, feature-rich, dual-band router, which can also operate as an access point or wireless bridge. —SAMARA LYNN

NAS (SOHO/PROSUMER) 
SEAGATE CENTRAL
The Seagate Central is simply the best fixed, single-drive NAS device we’ve tested, and is ideal for sharing and streaming files throughout your home network. Seagate also provides a complimentary remote access service, so you can access your data anywhere, any time. —SL

NAS (SMB)
SYNOLOGY DISKSTATION DS1812+
With capacity of up to 32TB—that can be expanded to 72TB!—and top-notch performance, this box can handle anything an SMB could think to throw at a NAS. The often-dreary task of storage management is brightened by Synology’s Hybrid RAID technology and the ease of configuring the unit’s fault tolerance. —SL

NETWORK UTILITIES

WD MY CLOUD (ANDROID)
The WD My Cloud app is a companion to Western Digital’s My Cloud NAS device, delivering a surprisingly robust level of data management as well as excellent remote access. A well-designed interface makes it a snap to manage the My Cloud from any smartphone. —SL

NETWORK APPLIANCES
KERIO OPERATOR 1210
The Kerio Operator Box 1210 is a full-featured small-business VoIP in a compact box. Good security tools, detailed reporting, and extensive administrative functions sweeten the deal. —SL

NETWORK MANAGEMENT TOOLS
NETWORK TOOLBOX (IOS)
The intuitive Network Toolbox turns your iOS device into a networking toolkit. It’s a one-stop, central console chock full of networking utilities such as SHODAN, FTP, Telnet, Ping, and more. —SL

BEST SECURITY PRODUCTS OF 2013

SECURITY SUITE
NORTON INTERNET SECURITY
Norton still has it all: excellent blocking of malicious and fraudulent websites; and intelligent firewall that sets permissions for known good programs and monitors unknowns for risky behaviors, without ever popping up a confusing query; multilayered antivirus protection for fending off new threats and rooting out those already present; and antispam tools that keep your inbox clean and protect valid mail. Plus, Norton won’t trample your system’s performance. —NEIL J. RUBENKING

PASSWORDS
DASHLANE 2.0
Dashlane generates, manages, and protects all of your passwords, and version 2.0 is better than ever, with automatic form field capture, security breach alerts, secure sharing of login credentials, and a new browser extension for Firefox and Chrome. —NJR

STANDALONE ANTIVIRUS
BITDEFENDER ANTIVIRUS PLUS
Bitdefender's antivirus technology routinely takes top scores in tests by independent antivirus labs and also scored well in our hands-on testing. Antivirus Plus is one of a very few products that detects phishing sites better than Norton, and it can optionally prevent transmission of private data out of your computer. The new Wallet stores passwords and personal data, the SafePay secure browser protects financial transactions, and SafeGo flags
dangerous links in your Facebook profile. It even finds unpatched security vulnerabilities. —NJR

PARENTAL CONTROL
OME-KIDS
Setting up OME-Kids email accounts for your children gives them access to spam-free email while letting you keep an eye on their correspondence. Each OME-Kids account gets the same extremely accurate spam filtering as OnlyMyEmail Personal. You can control the child's email activity at different levels: Hold all incoming mail pending parental approval, review received mail, or just get a BCC of all messages the child sends. As the child gets older, you can step down the monitoring level and allow more privacy. —NJR

MOBILE SECURITY
BITDEFENDER MOBILE SECURITY AND ANTIVIRUS 1.2.3 (ANDROID)
To fully protect your phone, a security app needs to bring together protection from malicious software as well as tools to keep your phone safe from loss and theft. Bitdefender for Android does both gracefully, and for a reasonable $9.99 per year—far less than many other big-name competitors. With it, you can also use SMS commands to take control of your phone when it's missing, and evaluate how much of your private information each app accesses. It's lightweight and laser-focused on security. —ME

BEST SOFTWARE & INTERNET PRODUCTS OF 2013

     

PHOTOGRAPHY/DESIGN
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CC

Not only is Photoshop CC the first version to be offered in a reasonably priced, subscription-only format, it offers exciting new imaging possibilities, with the impressive Camera Shake Reduction feature, Smart Sharpen, Intelligent Up Sampling, and Camera Raw as a filter. A lot of what's new targets professionals, with more CSS support, automated asset slicing, and conditional actions. No longer are high-end functions restricted to the Extended editon—you get every Photoshop tool with the subscriptio including 3D, video, and image analysis.

UTILITY
VMWARE FUSION 6
There comes a time when every Mac user just has to access something on Windows. The
smooth-running and least obtrusive method on the market is VMWare Fusion 6. It's compatible with hundreds of operating system “guests,” so try them all. —ERIC GRIFFITH

VIDEO EDITING
CYBERLINK POWERDIRECTOR 12
CyberLink PowerDirector is a longtime favorite among prosumer video editors. It offers speedy performance, an intuitive interface, and lots of editing goodies. The latest version now has multicam viewing (up to four angles), 3D and 4K editing and output, direct  uploading to sharing sites, and can even author Blu-ray discs. —MM

OPERATING SYSTEM
APPLE OS X 10.9 MAVERICKS
Microsoft made some impressive strides this year with Windows 8.1, but OS X remains the smoothest, most reliable, most convenient, and most manageable consumer-level desktop operating system on the planet. Top-notch, unobtrusive security is a major plus; so are its tight integration with social media and the ability to run Windows applications through third-party apps. It’s also loaded with useful features and, best of all, it’s completely free. —MM

WEB APP
IFTTT
“If This, Then That,” or ifttt, is all you need to remember because this amazingly simple yet powerful service can automate just about anything else, from backing up your Facebook photos to sending you text message reminders of upcoming appointments. —JD

CLOUD STORAGE & SYNC
GOOGLE DRIVE
Part office suite and part filesyncing service, Google Drive retains all the best features and core functionality of its predecessor, Google Docs, while also upping the ante on how much it enables collaboration. It is one sweet package. —JILL DUFFY

WEB BROWSER
GOOGLE CHROME
Our speedy Editors' Choice browser made impressive strides in 2013, offering new support for WebRTC, which lets the browser act like Skype, using your PC's camera and microphone for real-time communication. The search ad giant also added a new set of “app” capabilities,
with new desktop widgets that actually run outside of the browser window. All this is added to the ever increasing lead in HTML5 support, speed, and simplicity that distinguish Chrome. —MM

The Tech Behind 100TB Hard Drives

BY SEBASTIAN ANTHONY

Running out of storage space? Thanks to engineers at Florida International University (FIU), hard drives with 100TB or more of storage space could be on the horizon. Most magnetic storage breakthroughs have been fundamentally 2D in their implementation, and thus are ultimately restricted by superparamagnetic limits: Magnetic bits can only be so small before neighboring bits or changes in temperature can randomly alter the magnetism. Therefore, the only solution is to move beyond simple improvements—and into the third dimension.
The FIU researchers have created a new hard drive platter that allows for the writing and reading of 3D magnetic data. In essence, instead of having just one magnetic layer, the new platter has three, with isolation (insulation) layers sandwiched in between. On a conventional hard drive platter, a magnetic site stores just a single bit of data; here, each magnetic site can store up to eight (north/north/north, south/south/south, N/N/S, N/S/S, and so on).

To read data, a weakly magnetic head measures the vector sum of the three magnetic fields. To write data, each layer of the recording medium has slightly different properties, so that they can only be written by a specific type and strength of magnetic field, which is output by a special recording head. For now, FIU’s new magnetic recording medium is an in-the-lab tech demo. Whereas conventional hard drive platters are mass-produced using a simple process called magnetron sputtering, FIU’s platter is more like a small disc of silicon that goes through dozens of painstaking processes, including e-beam lithographic patterning. This isn’t to say that multilayer 3D (ML-3D) recording won’t become a reality, but alternatives such as heat-assisted magnetic recording are much closer to commercial adoption. That ML-3D might be used to create 100TB or larger hard drives in the future, though, is still exciting news—and, interestingly, perhaps the technology that will finally kill off the magnetic tape, which is still hanging in there as the preferred bulk offline storage medium.

When the Sun Sets, Sun Xtender® Shines

AGM Deep Cycle Sun Xtender® Batteries are built by Concorde Battery Corporation to the highest quality battery standards in the aircraft industry. Sun Xtender® batteries are built with the same proven technology Concorde uses to manufacture aircraft batteries that are installed by airframe manufactures and adopted by military air forces worldwide. Using these standards, Sun Xtender® batteries are customized to perform under the conditions unique to renewable energy and photovoltaic applications.

Featured here are four of the newest, high capacity Group 31 Sun Xtender® Batteries in 12 Volt, 6 Volt, and 2 Volt configurations for flexible options when designing battery banks.

• Ideal for both off grid and grid tied renewable energy systems.
• Sealed, non-spillable and maintenance free – never need watering.
• Copper alloy corrosion free terminal connections facilitate maximum conductivity.
• Low impedance design – tolerates high in rush current for faster recharge.
• Thicker plates than the industry standard for excellent cycling capability, better float life and extended battery life.
• Proprietary PolyGuard® microporous polyethylene separators around the positive plates and AGM protect against shorts. Unique to the industry!
• Robust “over the partition” intercell connections are fusion welded for increased strength and lower resistance in contrast to commonly used spot welds that are often a weak point and source of resistance.
• Shockproof high impact case restrains from bulging.
• Sun Xtender batteries are non-spillable and ship Hazmat Exempt.

Sun Xtender batteries are crafted for quality in the USA

Concorde Sun Xtender PVX 2580L AGM Solar Battery

 See Price and Buy

Child's Toy, Robot or Video Game? Sphero 2.0 is all this thing and more

Sphero iOS and Android App Controlled Robotic Ball - Retail Packaging - White

Be Your Own It Now

How can a plastic ball about the size of a baseball be a robot? How can it be safe enough to be used as a child's toy? And how can this simple round ball be a video game? Because Spehero 2.0 is amazingly adaptable. It's so much more than it look like from first glance. Sphero 2.0 may seem like just a simple plastic ball, but it's not.There are mechanisms inside it that make it sound like a small animal running around inside. When you pick it up you can feel the weight of the mechanisms moving around. It's these mechanisms used in conjunction with your iOS device that make it so versatile.

If you've ever driven a radio-controlled helicopter or car, you can imagine one of the first uses for the Sphero. This cylindrical plastic toy does everything those radio-controlled vehicles do. And it does it all with just your iOS device, wheter it be an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

We were all excited to open up the Sphero 2.0 box. Each of us found something about it that would be fun to us. I knew my 20-year-old son would find the most use for it. He's a major video gamer and is also a former engineering student with and interest in robotics. He is also an aspiring Physics teacher, so the inner-makings of this toy/robot/game were fascinating to him.

Because my son would find the most use for the Sphero, I wanted him to remain in control of it, so he used the bluetooth capabilities to pair it up to his iPhone 5c, instead having it paired up to my iPhone, iPad, or my daughter's iPod Touch.

Not that it was easy to give up control of this fun device. While I knew it was something more meant for my son than anyone else, I didn't want to give it up and was secretly using my mothering ways to exert control over it. I'll admit, I love electronic gadgets as much as the next person, so I was finding the Sphero just as cool as my kid were. He might want to keep it locked up. I might end up "borrowing" it ... often.

My son downloaded the app into his iPhone and was up and rolling - literally - with the Sphero 2.0 within literally minutes. I was trying to finish up dinner in the kitchen, yet the Sphero was running circle around me and everything else with the RC vehicle capabilities. It was all being controlled by the iPhone.

However, the Sphero was proving itself to be indestructible. Not that my son isn't a good driver, but this ball can really picking up speed and would sometimes ram into me, the dog, the furniture, or the bar stool legs.

The Sphero comes with a charging base, a stand, and two ramps. It take some coordination and practice to get the Sphero to go over the ramps. You have to create enough speed first and also have to be addressing  the ramps at the right angle. But after you have mastered the ramps that come free in the box, you can create your own obstacles and ramps for the Sphero to race around and through.

Fear not. The Sphero is seemingly indestructible. It issues a noise when it runs into something, just to let you know it reached a barrier in case it was out of your eyesight, which does happen, as it has a tendency to take off on you. But it is always okay.

Even when it went down the stairs it was okay. I could hear it hit each stair - stairs, I'll add, that are also covered in Pergo laminated flooring - as it went down two flights. I completely flipped out thinking my son had just ruined this device that I needed to review and was in complete panic mode. But I shouldn't have been. The Sphero was absolutely fine. It dropped down two fights of laminated stairs, one step at a time, and was no worse for the wear at the bottom. My panic was unfounded.

The Sphero is also waterproof. That doesn't mean that if you accidentally spill some water on it that it should be okay. It means that you can totally immerse it in water and that it will be okay. Not only that, but it will swim in the water. You can use the RC vehicle capabilities to drive it around a bath tub, pool, hot tub, etc., and it will "swim." Those who have read my articles here in the magazine or our website know about my experiences with toilets and sinks and iPhones and know why i just couldn't take that chance.

Can you imagine a robot taking a bouncing ride down the stairs or being fully immersed in water? But that's exactly what it is. It may look like just a ball, but there's no doubt that it is every bit a robot with the way you can control it with not just the regular Sphero app, but also the additional apps that can be downloaded from the App Store.

You can download an app to turn your Sphero into somewhat of a Simon game, with ColorGrab. You earn points by grabbing the Sphero every time it flashes a certain color. You can play alone or against friends. There are also sports games such as Bowling and Golf. There's also an app that will allow you to turn your iOS device into what amounts to an Etch-a-Sketch by manipulating the Sphero in your hand. There's even an app to use your Sphero to help you DJ your next event!

But where the Sphero and its apps really shine are with augmented reality. There is a zombie fighter. With Sharky the Beaver the Sphero becomes a big-toothed wood loving animal walking around your home interacting with you.

But the fun play of Sphero isn't limited to the downloadable apps. If you are so inspired, you can also use it and a few programming apps, MacroLab and OrbBasic, to create your own functions and play for Sphero 2.0. Kids don't have to just sit on the couch to play video games. They can be challenged to create their fun.

You can personalize your Sphero more by adding a "Nubby Cover". These are rubber covers that go around your Sphero to add more protection as it bumps along through your home. Again, it's always okay when it hits somethings, but you won't need to worry about it getting scratched if it has a Nubby Cover.

Watching my son play with the Sphero, despite the fact that he's a 20-years-old adult, I can only imagine the thrill it would be for a parent to watch a younger child play. It's eductional, inspirational , and fun.

Just like a video game, Sphero can be hard to put down. But this is one electronic toy you won't mind if your kids play with it just five minutes more. You'll only mind if it encroaches on your time to play.
by Laura Tucker

Sphero iOS and Android App Controlled Robotic Ball - Retail Packaging - White

Be Your Own It Now

Get ready for the iPad Pro

Ted Landau looks at what we can expect from an iPad Pro

Apple’s iPad Air has received overwhelming praise as the best full-size tablet you can buy, and it racked up sales records. And why not? It’s lighter, thinner, smaller, and faster than its predecessor. In fact, it’s so ‘impossibly light’ that Macworld’s Jason Snell described handling it as being “like picking up a movie prop”. Thus the rationale for adding the word Air to the iPad’s name. Still, it’s tempting to consider a potential second implication of the name change. Apple sells another product with ‘Air’ in its name: the MacBook Air. It’s marketed as an entry-level laptop, with the MacBook Pro as the alternative for those who crave more power and higher-end options. While predicting Apple’s future product releases is often a fool’s errand, we believe the introduction of an iPad Air suggests that an ‘iPad Pro’ is in the
works for 2014.

That’s the easy prediction. The hard one is describing exactly what an iPad Pro might be. In particular, how would Apple distinguish an iPad Pro from the iPad Air and iPad mini? Understanding that we are about to go so far out on a limb that it might well break beneath me, here’s my speculation.

A larger display
This would almost certainly be the primary distinguishing feature of an iPad Pro. How much larger? There are rumours that Apple has already settled on a 12.9in display. This strikes us as just about right. It places the iPad Pro at around the same display size as 13in MacBooks. Furthermore, it would allow for a clear separation between the three iPad models: 7.9in mini; 9.7in Air; and 12.9in Pro.

Touch ID
Apple’s Touch ID fi ngerprint detection debuted on the iPhone 5s. The handset remains the only Apple product to include this feature thus far, and while many people had hoped to see Touch ID on the iPad Air, that didn’t happen. Apple might well reserve the option for the debut of an iPad Pro, but if so, it will almost certainly be only a temporary distinction. Within a year or two, we anticipate that Touch ID will be included in almost all iOS devices.


Laptop/tablet hybrid
There’s been much debate about the ideal mobile computer: if you can have only one, should it be a laptop or a tablet? Or is neither su cient on its own? A potential solution to this dilemma is for one device to serve as both, as Microsoft has attempted with the Surface. Some have envisioned an iPad Pro that goes in this same direction, functioning as an iPad/MacBook hybrid. At one point, we imagined a hybrid that would have a detachable display (as opposed to, say, a 180-degree swivelling display). When the display was  attached to the keyboard, it would function as a MacBook running OS X. When detached, it would instead serve as a touchscreen iPad running iOS. While some might see this as combining the advantages of both worlds, others view it as merging the drawbacks of each platform. Apple is clearly in the latter camp. At Apple’s October media event, Tim Cook said: “Our competition is di ferent. They’re confused. They chased after netbooks. Now they’re trying to make PCs into tablets and tablets into PCs.” He went on to assert that Apple has no intention of going in that direction. In other words, despite predictions of an OS X/iOS hybrid device this year, our expectation is that an iPad Pro would remain purely an iOS device.

Physical keyboard
Although an iPad Pro might not be a hybrid, it needn’t eschew a physical keyboard altogether. Keyboard cases and covers for iPads, from companies such as Logitech (see above) and Zagg, are already popular options, and it’s easy to see why. If you do a lot of typing, a physical keyboard goes a long way toward making that task easier.

Make no mistake, however; there’s a downside here. Even the thinnest, lightest keyboard cover adds signifi cant heft to an iPad. And a keyboard case too often gets in the way when you want to use an iPad for tasks where no keyboard is required. Still, for the intended market of an iPad Pro (more on this in a moment), a physical keyboard would probably
be a welcome addition. Then again, Apple could continue to market its Bluetooth stand-alone keyboard as an iPad Pro accessory, leaving keyboard cases and covers to third-parties. However, we believe that Apple will o ffer something new, such as a keyboard case and/ or keyboard cover that’s specifi c to the iPad Pro.

Pro-specific hardware features
For us, this is the biggest question of all. Will an iPad Pro simply be an iPad Air with a larger display? If so, we’ll be surprised and disappointed. For an iPad Pro to carve out a
niche for itself, we believe it needs to di er in some more signifi cant way. Of the features we’d most like to see, the top one would be external connectivity. In particular, an iPad Pro should expand beyond the ubiquitous Lightning connector, offering a fully functional USB and/or Thunderbolt port. This would allow for options such as directly connecting an external drive to the iPad, which is essential to enable full local backups without requiring a Mac. A USB port would also make it much more practical to access peripherals such as portable scanners. We know that the future is all about wireless connectivity, but we’re not there yet. Unfortunately, given the company’s history of avoiding any moves in this direction

– by restricting access to fi le storage on iOS devices as well as keeping ports to a minimum on all Apple computers
– we have little confi dence the company will implement such a change. If not external ports, then what? We don’t know. In the end, this has us thinking that an iPad Pro could turn out to be little more than a larger Air after all.

Target audience
At this point, we can imagine many readers throwing up their collective hands, decrying: “This makes no sense. The iPad market is moving toward smaller displays, not larger ones. The iPad mini’s market share continues to grow. It’s expected to eclipse the sales of the Air. No one wants an iPad that is even less portable than the iPad Air.” These are excellent points that are hard to argue with. Still, we see a potential audience for a larger iPad. Apple could target it at iPad users who value a larger display more than maximum portability. If you plan to use an iPad primarily in just one or two locations, with an emphasis on productivity tasks, you might fi t the profi le. Bear in mind that, even with a 13in display, a hypothetical iPad Pro qualifi es as portable; it would still likely be smaller and lighter than a MacBook Air.

Mac replacement
The web is overfl owing with articles about the shift away from traditional computers and toward tablets. For a signifi cant minority of users, a tablet is already their primary or only computing device. An iPad Pro would likely further that trend. Still, for the vast majority of professional users, with their emphasis on work and productivity over leisure and consumption, a Mac would likely remain essential for the foreseeable future. Yes, you can
get work done with an iPad; that debate has largely been settled. And, as this Apple video makes clear, there are already many “work” situations where an iPad functions better than a MacBook. Still, there’s no way any iPad can compete with the raw power of a Mac Pro or even a top-end iMac. At least not yet. Until an iPad can run Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Photoshop CS, BBEdit, Terminal, and other ‘pro’ apps; until an iPad’s touchscreen interface is as e ective as a Mac’s trackpad for working with these apps; until iOS adds features that
close the fi le system gap with OS X; and until you can develop iOS apps on an iOS device, pro users will continue to need Macs. That aside, an iPad Pro would up the ante. Accelerating a trend that has already begun, many desktop Mac owners would potentially choose an iPad over a laptop as their secondary computer. For an increasing number of non-pro users, an iPad will su ce as their only computer. Whatever an iPad Pro turns out to be – even if it turns out to be more rumour than reality – the iPad itself will remain at the
core of Apple’s future.

Apple iPad Air MD788LL/A (16GB, Wi-Fi, White with Silver) NEWEST VERSION
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Apple iPad Air MD785LL/A (16GB, Wi-Fi, Black with Space Gray) NEWEST VERSION
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JOE DANGER

This tricky racer plays like Evel Knievel at his evilest
It didn’t surprise me to learn that Hello Games got its idea for Joe Danger from an old wind-up toy. You play Joe, a washed up Evel Knieveltype character trying to catapult his potbellied form back to stuntman superstardom. You race along a single plane on a tiny motorbike, performing tricks between jumps, bounce pads, and deadly pits to power up your blue plasmic exhaust-fart speed boost power. It’s a fiendish and demanding rhythm game dressed up as a Pixar comedy short, rich with accessible Saturday morning appeal. As if it was a child’s toy, I immediately wanted to pick Joe Danger up and play with it.

The original wind-up toy belonged to Hello Games artist Grant Duncan, who rescued it from his parents’ attic. He and three friends had fled big-budget development at studios like EA and Criterion to make something on their own. They started prototyping ideas with figurines, and the little pull-back-and-go motorcycle man caught their imagination. Before long, they were making ramps out of books and firing their wind-up toy at the annoyed faces of the telephone company salespeople who shared their office. “We always knew the type of game we wanted to make,” game director Sean Players will be able to create and vote on each others’ levels in-game.

Murray explained. “Something that was bright, colourful and vibrant, but also had depth. Mario is this really cheery game, but it’s such a hard, skillful game.” Mario never had to wrestle a bike through a minefield at 50mph, however. I tried a few high-difficulty tracks and was still completely absorbed 20 minutes later. YouTube is full of videos of frustrated players trying to conquer the toughest tracks in the Xbox version. Now, free of console exclusivity deals, Joe Danger (and its sequel, Joe Danger 2: The Movie) are finally coming to PC with new features. The level editing system that lets you plop obstacles into an environment and instantly playtest them existed in the console versions, but the PC version will have Steam Workshop support.

Players will be able to create and vote on each others’ levels through an in-game portal to the Workshop. If JD builds a community on Steam, it could last forever. The PC version also lets you race against your own ghosts, and share ghosts with friends. Both games support Steam’s Big Picture mode, making it easy to play on a flatscreen TV—a setup that Joe Danger is perfectly suited to. The first game is all about Joe on his bike, trying not to die; the
second adds dozens of characters and vehicles, and has a chaotic multiplayer racing mode that’s perfect for parties. A great game for kids, it also has enough depth to challenge hardened Trials experts. The PC deserves
more games like Joe Danger