About Archos 7

In today's post I wrote about the Archos 7. The 7-inch version of the Archos Tablet has very few differences compared to the Archos 5 we reviewed before. See the review of the Archos 7 after the jump.

I suggest reading our Archos 5 Review first before you continue to read on this one to get a better perspective. Aside from the obvious increase in screen real-estate, the Archos 7 didn’t really add anything much on the Android tablet line for Archos. In fact, some of the nice features that the Archos 5 had were absent from the Archos 7. One of them is the ability to be hooked up to the Archos DVR Station so you can project the screen to a bigger display via HDMI.

The Archos 7 comes in a nice 7-inch LCD display but like the 5-inch model, the brightness is good but the contrast levels aren’t that great — it’s a bit washed out when set to full brightness which makes it almost unviewable in the outdoors or against bright light sources.

The display resolution is 800×480 pixels which is good for web browsing although you will have to use a stylus to navigate the resistive screen. As such, don’t expect any sort of multi-touch with this one.
Archos 7 Home Tablet
7″ TFT LCD @ 800×480 pixels
ARM Cortex A8 @ 600 MHz (main CPU)
32 bit DSP @ 430 MHz (additional processor)
128MB DDR RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 32GB via microSD
WiFi 802.11 b/g
USB 2.0
3.5mm audio jack
Android 1.5

The tablet is pre-installed with version 1.5 of the Android OS but there’s no Android Market in sight (the unit I got had an alternative app downloader though). There seems to be no hope in having the Android OS upgraded considering the amount of buint-in RAM on this unit (128MB only). The system feels a little slow already at its current state.
As usual, the kickstand at the back allows you to position the tablet for better viewing angle when playing videos or music. The unit has an 8GB built-in storage but that can be extended by adding a microSD on the provided slot.

Battery life is decent and can do a couple of full-length movies. The unit tends to heat up on prolonged usage though.  When I learned that the suggested retail price of the Archos 7 is just Php11,500 despite the fact that it’s got a bigger form factor than the Archos 5 (with SRP of Php15,500), it got me a bit curious. So far, the Archos 7 is the cheapest Android-based tablet I’ve seen.

It’s got the basic features you’d expect from a tablet device (multimedia and connectivity) and the price point is something that could interest a lot of people looking to try a tablet PC for the first time. Don’t expect a lot from it though.

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Samsung Pixon 8800

In today's post I wrote about the Samsung Pixon 8800. Looks like 8 megapixel is becoming the battleground for newer mobile phones. We’ve yet to see the 8MP Samsung Innov8 to hit store shelves and here’s yet another one coming out of Samsung’s door — Pixon M8800.

Yet another phone that’s more like a camera. The Samsung Pixon’s 8 megapixel camera can do 16x digital zoom with dual-power LED Flash, Advance Shake Reduction, Face Detection, Smile Shot, Face Tagging, Geo-Tagging, Auto Panorama Shot. It can record video up to 720×480 pixels at 30 fps, QVGA at 120 fps (MPEG4/DivX and Xvid).

Also has 3G/HSDPA (up to 7.2 Mbps) connectivity in a 3.2 inch display (240×400), 5.1 channel virtual surround sound, FM radio with RDS, Bluetooth and TV-Out.

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The mobile phone manufacturers

The mobile phone  manufacturers today are in constant battle to win over your dollars with the latest mobile phones science has to offer. Many people receive their first mobile phone after they sign up to a cell phone carrier for the first time. There are so many differences when it comes to choosing mobil  phones.Mobile phones such as, camera phones, PDA and GPS are all the rage on today's market but you need to look at your own needs before choosing.

Camera Mobile Phones:
Camera Mobile phones are as their name suggests a mobile phone that can capture photographs. All in all the camera phone is good quality fun phone to have.

GPS Phones:

GPS mobile phones are at the higher end of the scale and once again all the major mobile phone manufacturers are making them. The GPS phone is generally more expensive.

PDA Phones:

PDA mobile phones are more like your home PC, they are ideal for those who work in an office environment and need to travel to clients or simply work from home. PDA mobil phones are great as mini computer and ideal for office workers or even students. If you wish to travel internationally with your mobile phone you need to check two things: Firstly ask your mobile phone carrier about the coverage and roaming rates in the country you intend travelling too, roaming rates can be very high depending on what carrier you are with. Secondly your cell phone may need tri or quad band functionality so check the specifications of the mobile phone before purchasing.

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About Introduction of iPad

The iPad runs the same operating system as the iPod Touch and iPhone—and can run its own applications as well as iPhone applications. The iPad uses a Wi-Fi data connection to browse the Internet, load and stream media, and install software. Apple released the first iPad in April 2010, and sold 3 million of the devices in 80 days.


Smaller than the iPad but featuring a camera and mobile phone, it pioneered the multitouch finger-sensitive touchscreen interface of Apple's iOS mobile operating system. By late 2009, the iPad's release had been rumored for several years. For wired connectivity, the iPad has a proprietary Apple dock connector; it lacks the Ethernet and USB ports of larger computers.
The iPad also contains a microphone that can be used for voice recording.

 iPad also features 1024 x 768 VGA video output for limited applications,screen capture,connecting an external display or television.

The iPad uses an internal rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery (LiPo). Apple claims that the iPad's battery can provide up to 10 hours of video, 140 hours of audio playback, or one month on standby. Like any battery technology, the iPad's LiPo battery loses capacity over time, but is not designed to be user-replaceable. In a program similar to the battery-replacement program for the iPod and the original iPhone, Apple will replace an iPad that does not hold an electrical charge with a refurbished iPad for a fee of $99 (plus $6.95 shipping).

The iPad was released with three capacity options for storage: 16, 32, or 64 GB of internal flash memory. The iPad is assembled by Foxconn, which also manufactures Apple's iPod, iPhone and Mac Mini, in its largest plant in Shenzhen, China.

The iPad runs almost all third-party iPhone applications, displaying them at iPhone size or enlarging them to fill the iPad's screen.Application developers use iPhone SDK for developing applications for iPad.On September 1, it was announced the iPad would get iOS 4.2 by November 2010.

The iPad comes with several applications, including Safari, Mail, Photos, Video, YouTube, iPod, iTunes, App Store, iBooks, Maps, Notes, Calendar, Contacts, and Spotlight Search.The iPad syncs with iTunes on a Mac or Windows PC.The iPad has lots of third party applications available for it; as of September 1, 2010, there were 25,000 iPad specific apps on the App Store.

The iPad employs DRM intended to lock purchased content—including TV shows, movies, and apps—to operate only on Apple's platform. Also, the iPad's development model requires anyone creating an app for the iPad to sign a non-disclosure agreement and pay for a developer subscription.

Like other iOS Devices, the iPad can be "jailbroken", allowing applications and programs that are not authorized by Apple to run on the device.For the iPad launch on April 3, 2010, the iBookstore is available only in the United States.In April 2010, The New York Times announced it will begin publishing daily on the iPad.

Apple's App Store, which provides iPhone and iPad applications, imposes censorship of content, which has become an issue for book publishers and magazines seeking to use the platform. Release
Apple began taking pre-orders for the iPad from U.S. customers on March 12, 2010. The Wi-Fi version of the iPad went on sale in the United States on April 3, 2010.Between July 1 and September 30, 2010, Apple sold a further 4.2 million iPads. The iPad was initially only available online at The Apple Store as well as the company's retail locations.Apple released the iPad in Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore on July 23, 2010. On September 17, 2010, the iPad officially launched in China.The iPad launched in India on January 27, 2011. The 16GB Wi-Fi iPad version costs  27,990 and the 3G + Wi-Fi variant of the same is  34,900. The 64GB 3G + Wi-Fi iPad model is the most expensive at  44,990.The Wi-Fi iPad version now costs  24,500 (16GB),  29,500 (32GB),  34,500 (64GB) and the 3G + Wi-Fi variants cost  31,900 (16GB),  36,900 (32GB),  41,900 (64GB).

On May 28, 2010, the iPad was released in Australia, Canada, and Japan, as well as several larger European countries. Media reaction to the iPad announcement was mixed. Reviews of the iPad have been generally favorable.Michael Arrington of TechCrunch said, "the iPad beats even my most optimistic expectations. PC World criticized the iPad's file sharing and printing abilities.In contrast they criticized the iPad for being a closed system and mentioned that the iPad faces competition from Android based tablets.Many colleges and universities have also used the iPad. The iPad is able to support many music creation applications in addition to the iTunes music playback software.

On March 2, 2011, the iPad 2 was announced.The iPad 2 added a dual core Apple A5 processor as well as CDMA support for Verizon Wireless in the United States.Alongside the iPad 2, Jobs also announced that the iOS 4.3 operating system would be available March 11, 2011.
The iPad 2 has appeared on the Apple.com store, but is not available for purchase until March 11.

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Samsung Virgin (Slash) Review

The good

The Samsung Slash is compact and easy to use, with basic features such as Bluetooth, voice dialing, and a speakerphone. It also has good call quality.

The bad
The Samsung Slash has a few cramped buttons, a lackluster display, and a poor-quality camera.

The bottom line
The Samsung Slash is a decent entry-level phone with a few extra features that put it just above a basic handset.

Review:

Most phones available for Virgin Mobile are from UTStarcom, Pantech, Kyocera, and LG, and the handsets are typically basic entry-level phones with minimal features. The latest phone to join Virgin Mobile is the Samsung Slash, which is the first Samsung handset for the MVNO carrier. Though it's still fairly basic, the Slash does come with a VGA camera, Bluetooth, voice dialing, and a Web browser. However, it's quite affordable at only $79.99 with no contract required.

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