Design: 4 / 5
Sound Quality: NA / 5
Build Quality: 4 / 5
Operating System: 3 / 5
Available Software: 2 / 5
Battery: 5 / 5
MSRP: $599.99 (CAD)
Overall: 2 / 5
The toys you can get your grubby hands on when you know people that know people that know other people that know the right people that can introduce the appropriate people. And when all of those people happen to have exactly the same toy you want? Priceless. =)~
I think that if I had played with this Android powered device BEFORE I played with the Playbook, I'd probably enjoy it a bit more. Unfortunately The Playbook's UI is infinitely more user friendly and more intuitive. You simply waste too much time trying to get everywhere and out of everywhere. Oh, and then there's the power button, which is BEHIND the machine; while the inconvenience isn't insurmountable, it's an inconvenience nonetheless. For me however, it's about efficiency, and all this is just a little too counterproductive.
When it comes to the apps, Xoom has the benefit of the entire Android catalogue at its disposal. Unfortunately, the ones that I played with (including Angry Birds), doesn't seem optimised for a tablet. On top of that, at 10", the device is significantly larger than the Playbook, which is great if you're using it on a table or at home, but mobility is the point isn't it?
Again, I can see the potential for this device too....But for my money, I gotta go with the device that's more intuitive, more efficient, and more mobile.
~Cheers
Showing posts with label Accelerometer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Accelerometer. Show all posts
Monday, 9 May 2011
Friday, 6 May 2011
Product: Blackberry Playbook
Design: 4 / 5
Sound Quality: 4.5 / 5
Build Quality: 4 / 5
Operating System: 3.5 / 5
Available Software: 2 / 5
Battery: 5 / 5
MSRP: $499.99 - $699.99 (CAD)
Overall: 4 / 5
I've had the opportunity to play with the Blackberry Playbook for a few days and at first blush, it is indeed quite impressive.
We can go all day about all the different features and whatnot, so I'm going to try to sum quickly some of my likes and dislikes.
Likes:
I love how the Playbook is an extension of your Blackberry. There's an app called Blackberry Bridge, that once synchronised, your phone and your tablet work almost seamlessly. The Playbook's interface is great. It's clean, intuitive, and very functional. The images are clear and crisp, the webpages load quickly, and there is real multi-tasking capability. At 7", it's a great device to hold in one hand, leaving your other hand to navigate, type, and in my case, have a cup of coffee.
Dislikes:
While it's a beautiful device and I want it and crave it and find it completely droolworthy, it is simply not ready. There are too many OS updates, and scarcely any apps. I am fairly confident that all of this will be solved over time, but in the meantime, it isn't doing what I need for it to do. The Playbook is at the moment, is not stable enough, and with every OS update, you have to make accommodations for possible changes in how you've gotten used to using the device. And of course, there's the issue with the power button. I don't think it's a big deal, since the device will go to sleep on it's own, but turning The Playbook off requires you to sharpen your fingernails into a sharp pin.
Overall
I love it. But it's not ready. Even most of the apps that ARE available aren't ready. And the apps that I will require the most (Documents-To-Go） are nothing more that larger versions of the one that's currently on my Blackberry Torch. Given what's available to date, I drool at the potential of this device. The hardware is great. The software is VERY GOOD....but not exceptional....yet.
Sound Quality: 4.5 / 5
Build Quality: 4 / 5
Operating System: 3.5 / 5
Available Software: 2 / 5
Battery: 5 / 5
MSRP: $499.99 - $699.99 (CAD)
Overall: 4 / 5
I've had the opportunity to play with the Blackberry Playbook for a few days and at first blush, it is indeed quite impressive.
We can go all day about all the different features and whatnot, so I'm going to try to sum quickly some of my likes and dislikes.
Likes:
I love how the Playbook is an extension of your Blackberry. There's an app called Blackberry Bridge, that once synchronised, your phone and your tablet work almost seamlessly. The Playbook's interface is great. It's clean, intuitive, and very functional. The images are clear and crisp, the webpages load quickly, and there is real multi-tasking capability. At 7", it's a great device to hold in one hand, leaving your other hand to navigate, type, and in my case, have a cup of coffee.
Dislikes:
While it's a beautiful device and I want it and crave it and find it completely droolworthy, it is simply not ready. There are too many OS updates, and scarcely any apps. I am fairly confident that all of this will be solved over time, but in the meantime, it isn't doing what I need for it to do. The Playbook is at the moment, is not stable enough, and with every OS update, you have to make accommodations for possible changes in how you've gotten used to using the device. And of course, there's the issue with the power button. I don't think it's a big deal, since the device will go to sleep on it's own, but turning The Playbook off requires you to sharpen your fingernails into a sharp pin.
Overall
I love it. But it's not ready. Even most of the apps that ARE available aren't ready. And the apps that I will require the most (Documents-To-Go） are nothing more that larger versions of the one that's currently on my Blackberry Torch. Given what's available to date, I drool at the potential of this device. The hardware is great. The software is VERY GOOD....but not exceptional....yet.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Product: Jawbone Era
Design: 3.5 / 5
Sound Quality (in): 5 / 5
Sound Quality (out): 4 / 5
Build Quality: 4 / 5
Battery: 5 / 5
Comfort: 4 / 5
MSRP: $129.99 (USD)
Overall: 4.5 / 5
I started using wired headsets while in University. I was pretty active, so the only time I really had to talk on the phone was when I was cooking, or doing laundry. So when I found out about Bluetooth headsets, I jumped at the opportunity of getting one. I picked up my first BT headset to use with my Sony Ericsson T68i (still one of my favourite phones I've ever used). I've been hooked ever since. I have since developed a big distaste for wires in general, opting for the wireless alternative at any opportunity.
For Valentine's Day, I was given my newest headset, Jawbone Era. It boasts using Noise Assassin 3.0, a military grade noise canceling technology using the vibrations of your jaw, and blah blah blah. I'll just let the video tell you what it does.
Jawbone decided that they were going to introduce some new technology to their latest release.
It has the ability to "learn". You can plug it into your computer via its microUSB port, and download apps for it. You can change the voices that talk to you, and other little gimmicky features.
They've also put in an accelerometer. Pretty cool, but totally useless. Another gimmick to increase the price of what I suspect could have cost under $100. But it's certainly gives you pause to think about some of the possibilities of having such technology in place for a headset. I'm fairly certain that, and excited to see, more useful applications will be rolled out in the future. You can currently shake the headset 4x to put it into pairing mode, and double tap to take and end calls.
The incoming sound is a VAST improvement from previous iterations of the Jawbone line. It was pretty good before, but a little soft, and slightly "tinny". The Era has a 25% bigger speaker, giving fuller, richer sounds. It features pretty good stereo-over-mono music (music in one ear), and adaptive volume, depending on how loud your surrounds are.
They boast 5 hour talk time and deliver. And at the push of a button, a voice tells you how much more time you have to speak.
I am however, getting a little bored with their design. It still looks great, but I think it's time for them to try something different. I also don't like their hidden on/off switch, which is located on the inside of the headset. That being said, I am THRILLED that they've done away with the flashing LED light that broadcasts to everyone around you that you're on the phone. Instead, they've put it subtly on the inside of the headset, forming a sleek ring around the jawbone sensor.
Fantastic improvements overall, but I still wish that SOMEBODY (hopefully Jawbone) will come out with a commercial BT headset that will get rid of wind noise.
~Cheers.
Sound Quality (in): 5 / 5
Sound Quality (out): 4 / 5
Build Quality: 4 / 5
Battery: 5 / 5
Comfort: 4 / 5
MSRP: $129.99 (USD)
Overall: 4.5 / 5
I started using wired headsets while in University. I was pretty active, so the only time I really had to talk on the phone was when I was cooking, or doing laundry. So when I found out about Bluetooth headsets, I jumped at the opportunity of getting one. I picked up my first BT headset to use with my Sony Ericsson T68i (still one of my favourite phones I've ever used). I've been hooked ever since. I have since developed a big distaste for wires in general, opting for the wireless alternative at any opportunity.
For Valentine's Day, I was given my newest headset, Jawbone Era. It boasts using Noise Assassin 3.0, a military grade noise canceling technology using the vibrations of your jaw, and blah blah blah. I'll just let the video tell you what it does.
Jawbone decided that they were going to introduce some new technology to their latest release.
It has the ability to "learn". You can plug it into your computer via its microUSB port, and download apps for it. You can change the voices that talk to you, and other little gimmicky features.
They've also put in an accelerometer. Pretty cool, but totally useless. Another gimmick to increase the price of what I suspect could have cost under $100. But it's certainly gives you pause to think about some of the possibilities of having such technology in place for a headset. I'm fairly certain that, and excited to see, more useful applications will be rolled out in the future. You can currently shake the headset 4x to put it into pairing mode, and double tap to take and end calls.
The incoming sound is a VAST improvement from previous iterations of the Jawbone line. It was pretty good before, but a little soft, and slightly "tinny". The Era has a 25% bigger speaker, giving fuller, richer sounds. It features pretty good stereo-over-mono music (music in one ear), and adaptive volume, depending on how loud your surrounds are.
They boast 5 hour talk time and deliver. And at the push of a button, a voice tells you how much more time you have to speak.
I am however, getting a little bored with their design. It still looks great, but I think it's time for them to try something different. I also don't like their hidden on/off switch, which is located on the inside of the headset. That being said, I am THRILLED that they've done away with the flashing LED light that broadcasts to everyone around you that you're on the phone. Instead, they've put it subtly on the inside of the headset, forming a sleek ring around the jawbone sensor.
Fantastic improvements overall, but I still wish that SOMEBODY (hopefully Jawbone) will come out with a commercial BT headset that will get rid of wind noise.
~Cheers.
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