Tag: Tablets

Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 Tablet

Superseded by the new Samsung Galaxy 3 range

The new Galaxy Tab2 10.1 is now in stores, and we’ve got one here to see what’s in the box and to take a closer look at Samsung’s latest Android tablet offering.

When we lift the lid off the box, we see the Tab2 10.1 with its plastic protective sticker. Lifting up the cardboard Tab, we can see the power supply, australian adapter, and USB cable. Over here we have the quick start guide and underneath is a set of personal headphones with different sized ear buds to help fit most ears.

This Tab2 10.1 weighs in at 581 grams, is easy enough to hold in one hand, and is 9.7 millimeters thin. The natural way to hold this tablet is in the landscape mode.

It keeps its ports to a minimum, with the proprietary connection underneath used for both USB and PC connection, and for recharging via the power supply. There’s no buttons on either side, and the top area contains the power button, volume toggler, microSD card slot and headphone jack.

The back of the unit contains a 3 megapixel camera, and the front has a VGA camera for video chat services. At the front we also find the speakers for a front firing audio experience. As we know most tablets have the speakers at the bottom or at the back, so it’s good to see these have been placed where it makes most sense.

The screen is a 10.1 inch 1280 by 800 TFT LCD, and is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor. It uses N wireless for fast internet access and Bluetooth for connection to keyboards and other wireless devices.

Samsung have made a few tweaks to the Android 4 operating system to make it easy to find and consume content, as well as commonly used apps.

The S suggest app looks at popular apps on the Google Play network and suggests hot apps for you to try based on your app usage. You can even log in via facebook to see if your friends are suggesting or liking any apps. It’s another way to discover content and apps that you may not have otherwise. The S suggest also filters the apps to ensure they are compatible with your device.

All share play is another app that lets you take advantage of any DLNA-compatible device in your home. For example, you can push Tab2 movies to your big screen TV, or watch content that is on your PC.

Samsung hubs help you manage your content into easy to remember areas. Games Hub for gaming, Readers Hub for eBooks, and Music Hub for music.

Samsung’s Live Panel reveals commonly used tools for instant access no matter what you’re doing, like calculator, alarm, music player and task manager, making it even easier to multitask.

Being a Google Android device, you can customise your home page with widgets to deliver live feeds of your choice, such as weather, news, email and finance updates right there on the screen.

Audio and video format support is also quite extensive, with audio in MP3, FLAC, WAV and WMA, and video in MP4, WMV, MKV and AVI among the formats that can be played back without a third party app.

Samsung also include a heap of localised content as well, such as Channel 10, Reading Eggs, Quickflix, Good Food Guide and Magshop which has access to a huge range of Australian digital magazines. Of course, there is access to the Google Play marketplace as well for your own choice of apps.

The new Samsung Galaxy Tab2 10.1 makes it easy and fun to consume your favourite content, and with heaps of Australian produced content and smarts to use with your existing devices at home, it’s a great option for your mobile lifestyle.

So come on in to your nearest Bing Lee store or purchase online right now.

Trend Micro Maximum Protection

Online security has never been more important, given the amount of time we spend on not just our computers, but also our smartphones and tablets. After all, the three things we’re doing online the most these days are browsing the internet, reading and writing emails, and connecting with our friends and family through social networks. With Trend Micro’s Maximum security, you’ll be protecting yourself on multiple platforms and devices.

Maximum Security provides a license for up to 5 devices, across Windows, including Windows 8 PCs and tablets, Macs and Android tablets and smartphones. You can assign the licenses according to the devices you have in any combination.

So let’s check out some of the powerful features that Maximum Security provides.

AntiVirus is still the most important aspect of any security package, and Trend Micro’s Titanium console gives you the control and reports in an easy to read format. You can run instant anti-virus scans, see how secure your PC is right now, and see reports on what viruses have been stopped in their track and whether they were web-based or localised viruses and spyware.

Now, the social network protection is invaluable now that we spend so much time on Facebook and Twitter. How do you know what links are safe to click on, especially if it looks like an interesting link and your friend has shared it with you?

Titanium scans your facebook wall or twitter feed, and provides a guide for what links are safe to visit. Green means safe, those that might be unsafe are highlighted in red. You can also then warn your friend that their link is potentially malicious to give them the chance to take it off their wall, and therefore off all their friends feeds.

If you have an expanded online social life, you’ll be glad to know that this feature also extends across Google plus. linkedin, pinterest and myspace amongst others.

Navigating privacy controls in Facebook can be a little daunting as well. Titanium Maximum protection helps you set your privacy controls to the level you want, and even makes suggestions on what to change to optimise your privacy level. We’ve all accepted friend’s requests to play games and join other apps on Facebook, and Trend Micro helps you control what apps have access to your private information.

Maximum Security is also working hard in the background to ensure your online and email activity is protected as well, by blocking unsafe web pages, blocking links and attachments in emails, and letting you know what web pages might be unsafe.

Trend Micro also offers a raft of other features, like parental control, remote data locking, 10 gigabytes of secure online storage, and secure erase that doesn’t just deletes a file but wipes it completely from the directory of a PC.

As you can see, with Trend Micro’s Maximum Security, you can be safe in the knowledge that your browsing, emails and social networking will be protected and secure.

So come on in to your nearest Bing Lee store, or purchase online right now.

Samsung XE500 ATIV Smart PC

Superseded by the new Samsung Ultrabook range.

The XE500TC Ativ Smart PC is the new Windows 8 Slate PC from Samsung. Let’s unbox and have a close look at this mobile device.

Lets take the lid off and see what we have inside. On the underside we can see a layer of foam to protect the tablet during transport. Now the first thing we see in the box is the Infinity tablet, wrapped in plastic. Directly below it is the keyboard dock. After we take the dock out, we can see the small documentation slip including a user guide and warranty, along with a cleaning cloth. Underneath that we can see the power supply and USB cable which connects to the power supply unit and to a PC.

The ATIV Smart PC is a sturdy and solid Slate. At seven and sixty grams, it’s very portable, is only nine point nine millimetres in thickness.

Taking a look around the device we find the volume toggle and the micro HDMI on this side. On the top we have a headphone output, power button, rotation lock, a USB 2 port and micro SD card slot. On the other side we have the slot for the S pen – more on that later, and on the base there is the the dock port.

On the back we have an eight megapixel camera, and on the front we find a 2 megapixel camera that can be used with Skype and other video messaging services.

The display is an eleven point six inch LED with a thirteen sixty six by seven sixty eight 768 resolution, which pumps out 400 nits of brightness allowing for a great reading and viewing experience in pretty much any indoor and outdoor environment. The two speakers sit on the sides right near the edge of the slate, providing great front firing stereo sound. The Windows button positioned below the screen takes you back to the start screen in Windows 8.

Internally, the ATIV is powered by a specially designed dual core Atom chip for tablets and slates running at one point five GHz for quick response for apps and the OS. It features two gigabytes of RAM for superb multitasking, and a sixty four GB flash drive to hold all your documents and files. Of course with the Micro SIM card you can also expand your memory or easily transfer photos and other files to and from the ATIV.

If you want to share your content, it’s a cinch to use a HMDI cable to connect to your flat panel TV to show off your photos and movies.

The ATIV Smart PC provides up to fourten hours of battery life. To extend the functionality and productivity of your Slate, the included keyboard dock provides a notebook-like experience. With the addition of two additional USB ports you can add additional peripherals and storage just like a standard PC. And when you want to take it on the go, it’s easy to undock and take the screen portion by itself.

Along with the full functionality of a Windows 8 PC, the S Pen enhanced the touch screen experience by providing a pressure sensitive stylus that can be used to edit, create and sketch on the ATIV screen. Combine that with S note and you have a handwriting recognition program that will convert your scribbled notes into a more professional document that you can edit and then share with colleagues or save for future reference.

Lastly, because the ATIV Smart PC uses the full blown version of Windows, you can install all the third party Windows programs you’re used to using, or discover many more apps on the Windows store.

So if you’re looking for a full high definition, high performance tablet that provides the best of both worlds in play and work, then the Infinity is worth considering.

So come on in to your nearest Bing Lee store, or purchase online right now!

Samsung Galaxy Tab2 7.0 Tablet

Superseded by the new Samsung Galaxy 3 range

The new Galaxy Tab2 7.0 is now in stores, and we’ve got one here to see what’s in the box and take a closer look at Samsung’s latest 7 inch Android tablet offering.

When we lift the lid off the box, we see the Tab2, with its plastic protective sticker. Lifting up the cardboard Tab, we can see the power supply, australian adapter, and USB cable. Over here we have the quick start guide and underneath is a set of personal headphones with different sized ear buds to help fit most ears.

The Tab2 7.0 weighs in at only 345 grams, is very easy and comfortable to hold in one hand, and is 10.5 millimeters thin. The natural way to hold this device is in the portrait mode.

It keeps its ports to a minimum, with the proprietary connection underneath used for both USB and PC connection, and for recharging via the power supply. There’s no buttons on either side, and the top area contains the power button, volume toggler, microSD card slot and headphone jack.

The back of the unit contains a 3 megapixel camera, and the front has a VGA camera for video chat services. At the front we also find the speakers for a front firing audio experience. As we know most tablets have the speakers at the bottom or at the back, so it’s good to see these have been placed where it makes most sense.

The screen is a 7 inch 1024 by 600 LCD, and is powered by a 1GHz dual core processor. It uses N wireless for fast internet access and Bluetooth for connection to keyboards and other wireless devices.

Samsung have made a few tweaks to the Android 4 operating system to make it easy to find and consume content, as well as commonly used apps.For example, the Tab2 7.0 allows you to unlock your device through face recognition instead of a password.

The S suggest app looks at popular apps on the Google Play network and suggests hot apps for you to try based on your app usage. You can even log in via facebook to see if your friends are suggesting or liking any apps. It’s another way to discover content and apps that you may not have otherwise. The S suggest also filters the apps to ensure they are compatible with your device.

All share play is another app that lets you take advantage of any DLNA-compatible device in your home. For example, you can push Tab2 movies to your big screen TV, or watch content that is on your PC.

Samsung hubs help you manage your content into easy to remember areas. Games Hub for gaming, Readers Hub for eBooks, and Music Hub for music.

Samsung’s Live Panel reveals commonly used tools for instant access no matter what you’re doing, like calculator, alarm, music player and task manager, making it even easier to multitask.

Being a Google Android device, you can customise your home page with widgets to deliver live feeds of your choice, such as weather, news, email and finance updates right there on the screen.

Audio and video format support is also quite extensive, with audio in MP3, FLAC, WAV and WMA, and video in MP4, WMV, MKV and AVI among the formats that can be played back without a third party app.

Samsung also include a heap of localised content as well, such as Channel 10, Reading Eggs, Quickflix, Good Food Guide and Magshop which has access to a huge range of Australian digital magazines. Of course, there is access to the Google Play marketplace as well for your own choice of apps.

The new Samsung Tab2 7.0 makes it easy and fun to consume your favourite content, and with heaps of Australian produced content and smarts to use with your existing devices at home, it’s a great option for your mobile lifestyle.

So come on in to your nearest Bing Lee store or purchase online right now.

Acer w510 Review Video

Transcription: The Acer Iconia W510 PC is the latest Windows 8 Tablet from Acer. Let’s unbox and have a close look at this mobile device.

Lets take the lid off and see what we have inside. The large upper compartment holds the protective leather pouch to use when you’re travelling. Beneath that is some documentation and the the Iconia W510 wrapped in plastic.Lifting the tablet out, there is another small box which contains a quick start guide and a cleaning cloth. The box to the side of the tablet contains the power supply, a micro to full USB adapter and a HDMI to VGA adapter.

The Iconia W510 is well designed with a white frame and powdered metal finish on the back. It weighs just five hundred and eighty grams and 9 millimeters thin.

Taking a look around the device we find a speaker on this side. On the top we have a headphone output, a lock switch and the power button. On the other side we have a mic, volume toggle, HDMI output, micro USB and micro USB slot and the completion of the speaker pair.

On the back we have an eight megapixel camera, and on the front we find a 720p webcam that can be used with Skype and other video messaging services.

The display is an 10.1 inch IPS LCD screen with a thirteen sixty six by seven sixty eight resolution,. The two speakers deliver great stereo sound. The Windows button positioned below the screen takes you back to the start screen in Windows 8.

Internally, the Iconia W510 is powered by a specially designed dual core Atom chip for tablets and running at one point five GHz for quick response for apps and the OS. It features two gigabytes of RAM for superb multitasking, and a sixty four GB flash drive to hold all your documents and files. Of course with the Micro SIM card you can also expand your memory or easily transfer photos and other files to and from the Iconia W510.

If you want to share your content, it’s a cinch to use a HMDI cable to connect to your flat panel TV to show off your photos and movies. Wireless connectivity to expand your sharing capabilities include high speed wireless capability, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC for easy tap and transfer between NFC capable devices.

The Iconia W510 provides up to nine hours of battery life. Combine this with the stylish leather case and you have a tablet that can keep you up to date all day long without battery anxiety, and it will be safe from bumps or scratches while you’re on the go.

Because the Iconia W510 uses the full blown version of Windows, you can install all the third party Windows programs you’re used to using, or discover many more apps on the Windows store.

But the big news is that Acre are including a full version of Microsoft Office 2013 Home and Student so that you can be connected and productive from the moment you won your new Iconia W510. This includes a full licence for Word, Excel, Powerpoint and OneNote. Combining this with a skydrive account will let you update and create documents easily, and switch devices and seamlessly continue to use the latest versions of those documents.

Not only that, but The Iconia W510 also comes with a bonus Windows 8 starter pack valued at $150, including online tutorials, live coaching and priority helpline. What a great deal!

But wait… yes, there’s more! If you buy this Acer tablet before the end of August, you’ll also receive a bonus 1 year accidental damage cover directly from Acer, covering accidental drops, liquid spills and electrical surges. See in-store for more details.

So come on in to your nearest Bing Lee store, or purchase online right now!

Tablets – Which One to Choose

If you haven’t already joined the tablet revolution, chances are you will be soon. Tablets are quickly taking over as the preferred mobile device for casual gaming, web browsing, social networking, movie and TV show viewing ebook reading. But what are the differences between the different platforms? Let’s have a look at the main three.

Windows 8: Windows 8 tablets are a great companion to your desktop computer. Using Skydrive, you are able to synchronise your documents, photos and other files for seamless access at home, at work and at large. The operating system is built for touch use and status updates and other information refresh on the home page tiles, giving your screen a great at-a-glance appeal. One of the biggest appeals of the Windows 8 tablet range is the ability to load your own programs on the desktop mode, giving you complete flexibility to switch between the app-driven home page and the desktop area. This “fusion” of apps and productivity is what gives Windows 8 products its edge.

Android: Google’s operating system is famous for it’s flexiblity and complete customisation. Unlike Windows, which is more of a full operating system, Android is a much lighter and mobile phone-like experience. It’s easy to access common settings, set up widgets to see updated info, and extend your Android phone apps across to your Android tablet. Android tablets are wide and varied in hardware as well – from standard touch tablets, to ones with pens, to ones with keyboards. Google services form a huge part of the Android experience, with Gmail, Google Play, Google Plus, Google Drive, Google Maps and Google Now delivering a dedicated mobile experience across gaming, productivity, navigation and social networking.

iOS: Apple can’t be faulted for vaulting the tablet market into the mainstream with the release of the iPad, and chances are if you are an iPhone user, then you would be looking to an iPad or iPad Mini as your large screen companion. If you’ve used iTunes and the App Store, then you can easily access apps you’ve already purchased, watch and listen to shows and music you’ve bought, and all under the same easy to use operating system as the iPhone. Even if you are a Google services user, if you’re inclined to look at the iPad you’ll be happy to know that most Google Apps are available in the app store and will sync with your Google Account.

As you can see, all three platforms have their distinct character and user experience – Windows with its familiar desktop and program ability, Android with its deep Google services offering and Apple’s iOS with it’s familiar and reliable interface and iTunes/App store content offering bar none. Have a great weekend!

Windows 8 Tablets – Windows On The Go

iPad, Android, Windows – these days there a multitude of options available when you are looking for a tablet PC. So which one is right for you? Today we’re looking specifically at the Windows tablet range, and what works well with these devices. The two Windows tablets we’re going to look at are the Asus VivoTab and the Samsung ATIV, both of which are great examples of the new generation of Windows devices. But first, a little refresher on Windows 8. There are two general types of Windows devices – ones that run Windows RT, and those that run Windows 8. The Windows RT models are very much like an iPad or Android tablet in that they run apps from their dedicated store, in this case the Windows store. On the other hand, any device, be it tablets, notebooks or desktops, that run on Windows 8, will have the same touch friendly environment and has the added benefit of being able to run all standard Windows-based programs. Now, here’s a little trick that you may not have known, but if you are a heavy iTunes user on your PC, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to get an iPad to take your tunes and movies with you. Because both the Windows 8 tablets we’re looking at today run the full blown version of Windows, you can install iTunes on this tablet and download all your purchased content onto it, effectively turning it into a portable iTunes device, and could be an alternative to an iPad if you want to have your Windows documents and programs with you on the road. So here are two product highlights for two Windows 8 tablets. The first is the Asus VivoTab Smart, a 10.1” touchscreen with nifty features like HDMI output and NFC. Keep your eye out for more uses of NFC in the near future as more devices come with it built in. Soon you’ll be able to pay for things, transfer files and photos just by tapping the NFC area on your phone or tablet.

The second product is the Samsung ATIV Slate, which combines an 11.6” touchscreen with a keyboard dock, giving you the option to type away as you would on a notebook when you need to. This model would be a great choice if you needed to do a fair bit of document editing while you were away from your desk.

If you’re a heavy Windows user, and want the flexibility of a very mobile device that can also handle all the usual Windows programs you use day to day, then both the Asus and Samsung tablets are well worth considering.

Great Reasons to Own a PC Tablet

The PC tablet is the latest innovation in consumer computers. As many laptop users make the switch to a PC tablet, the primary reasons are increased portability and user friendliness. What exactly is it about this emerging device that makes it excel so much in these areas? Accessibility With no keyboard and more efficient use of hard drive space, PC tablets are much smaller and lighter than most laptops. The most important outcome of this fact is that not only can you take them anywhere, you can easily use them while on the move. Whether waiting for a train or walking down the street, the efficient design of a PC tablet means it’s accessible anywhere. Battery Life Again an effect of efficient hardware and software design, PC tablets feature a fantastic battery life, with most of them claiming in excess of seven hours of usage from one charge, with some of the better ones boasting up to twelve hours. In contrast, most laptops are lucky to last five hours. Functionality A common feature from PC tablet manufacturers is an online marketplace where hundreds of both free and paid applications can be downloaded and installed within seconds. The advantage here is just how amazingly easy it is to customize your PC tablet to suit your needs. No fiddling around with CDs, serial keys and registration. Most of the time, you need only search for what you want on the marketplace, click install and it’s done faster than you can read this article. Uninstalling is a breeze, too. Interactivity If you’ve ever tried to draw with a mouse, you know exactly how natural it doesn’t feel. The touch screen is a standard feature of the PC tablet and provides a direct method of interacting with what you see on your screen instead of through peripheral devices which are often clunky and counter-intuitive. While PC tablets will likely never surpass desktops in terms of raw power, they were made for one thing: to make computers more mobile than ever before. In that regard, the PC tablet definitely does its job with everything you need and nothing you don’t.