The force is with you: Toshiba Qosmio G20

The battle between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will be fought not just in the home video market but also the computer market given the obvious advantages of next-generation discs when it comes to storage. So it’s not surprising that Toshiba, the leader of the HD-DVD consortium, has launched the Qosmio G20 a laptop which not only plays HD-DVD’s but also comes with some great multimedia features.

As you might expect the laptop has an excellent 17 inch screen to enjoy the high-definition video. It comes with a LiteBrite layer for extra contrast and sharpness in addition to being one of the brightest laptop screens around. The G20 also has Harman Kardon speakers for better sound than usually available on a laptop. Other features include a GeForce 7600 Video card for gaming and DVD writing capabilities.

Multimedia features invariably require huge amounts of storage and the G20 delivers with two 80 GB hard drives for a total of 160 GB. The extra drive helps ensure that your precious files are safe if one of the drives fails. Finally, the G20 comes installed with Windows XP Media Centre which is a special version of XP specially tailored to multimedia needs.

Recommended Prescription – Tc4200 Tablet PC

The HP Compaq tc4200 Tablet PC has a convertible design: the screen and keyboard are connected with a hinge and a simple twist will transform the unit from a laptop into a tablet.

Durability and toughness are always important when it comes to mobile computers and the tc4200 delivers. It has a sturdy and compact design and comes with scratch-resistant lamination and a spill-free keyboard to preserve the unit through the inevitable accidents.

It’s powerful on the inside as well with an Intel Pentium M 740 processor which runs cool and offers a battery life of almost 6 hours. Connectivity options include a 56k modem, an integrated wireless LAN card and integrated Bluetooth. The tc4200 comes with a range of navigation options: both a touchpad and a rubber-tipped pointer for mouse-style scrolling in addition to two sets of mouse buttons. It also comes with a graphic pen which can be used on the touchscreen.

Though the tc4200 doesn’t have a dedicated video card, it features a significantly improved graphics chip called GMA900 which means better performance at tasks like photo-editing and gaming.. It also comes with a built-in microphone which is handy for dictation using the voice recognition software.

Executive Class – XDA Executive PDA

There can be few pocket devices which pack in as many features and as much software as the XDA Executive PDA which weighs under 300 grams but can almost be considered a miniature PC.

The first thing you notice about the Executive is the clamshell design: it features a Qwerty keyboard which pivots into the screen making the XDA Exec a bit like a small tablet PC. You can also enter data through the touchscreen and handwriting recognition software.

The Executive has a number of communication features: in addition to being a full-featured GSM phone it has 3G and GPRS for connecting to the Internet and Bluetooth and infrared capabilities for connecting to other devices. For multimedia, the Executive comes with a 1.3 MP camera with video-recording as well as an MP3 player. Its internal memory can be expanded through SD memory cards.

The Executive comes installed with Windows Mobile 2005 and is packed with other Microsoft software like Pocket Office with the mobile versions of Word, Excel and Powerpoint. You also get Pocket Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and Microsoft Active Sync for synchronizing with your PC. The CD contains additional software like ClearVue PDF Viewer.

Apple Laptops

While Apple is increasingly identified with its iPod, the company made its name as a creator of stylish and innovative personal computers. Its latest Macbook and Macbook Pro laptops maintain that tradition. The Pro laptops have bigger screens and better video cards as well a number of extra features compared to the Macbooks. What they have in common is Intel’s Dual Core processors marking Apple’s much-discussed switch to Intel chips. Both laptop series also come with a built-in camera called iSight.

The laptops also come pre-installed with some great software. The operating system is the latest version of Apple’s OS X: 10.4 also known as Tiger. It features improved search capabilities as well a programme called Dashboard for using small desktop applets called widgets. The laptops also come with Apple’s software suite iLife which includes movie and photo editing, DVD making, iTunes and a really neat music creation programme called Garage Band. It may be the best entry-level suite out there and what makes it really convenient is the level of integration between the different programmes: for example the seamless way in which you can take video clips that you have edited and use them to create a DVD.

Gaming on your laptop!

Gaming taxes both the processing power of your computer and its multimedia capabilities so packing in a decent gaming experience on a laptop is quite difficult. Here are the things you should look for on your gaming laptop.

The most important is probably the video card. Because desktop video cards generate too much heat, laptops often make do with integrated cards which are inadequate for many games. Companies like ATI and nVidia do make video cards specially for laptops. Make sure your laptop has one of them with at least 128 MB of RAM. The second big requirement is obvious: a big enough screen to enjoy your games. You would want at least 15 inches and if your laptop has a widescreen display, all the better.

Other important requirements are a powerful processor and adequate RAM: at least 512 MB and preferably 1 GB. A sufficiently large and fast hard drive is also useful. Many of the newer games are released on DVD-ROM so make sure that your laptop has a DVD drive. For a laptop with a decent set of gaming features check out the Sony Vaio FS660.

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Laptop | Gaming | Sony Vaio | Sony Vaio FS660

The right prescription: Tablet PCs

A tablet PC is a mobile computer shaped like a slate on which data can be entered via a touchscreen and a stylus. Tablets are becoming steadily more powerful and sophisticated and there is also more tablet-specific software available. For instance there is Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and some tablets also come with Linux pre-installed.

Tablets come in two basic varieties. Slates consist of a screen and a stylus without a keyboard though it is often possible to attach a separate keyboard either through USB or wireless. Convertibles come with a keyboard attached to the screen at a single joint which can be rotated out when necessary.

The main advantage of a tablet is a much more intuitive interface since for many people writing is still easier than typing. The stylus comes in especially handy for digital art because the mouse is often too jerky a device for precise drawing. It also makes it easier for students to take classroom notes involving graphs or diagrams. Some tablets come with speech recognition software as well and if necessary a keyboard is available on many models.

Tablets, especially slates, are also lighter and easier to handle compared to laptops.


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Tablet PC

Choosing a laptop: Sony Vaio & Dell Inspiron

Perhaps the first thing to consider before choosing a laptop is how much you need to carry it around and what kind of multimedia features you need. The two are closely related.
Lighter laptops generally have smaller screens and fewer multimedia features but of course every kilo of weight saved makes a difference if you intend to carry it around a lot. For instance you might consider the Sony Vaio Z1RA which weighs about 2 kilos. The screen is 14.5 inches and the main features are quite good: a 1.6 GHz processor, 512 MB of RAM and a 60GB hard-drive.

On the other end of the scale is a model like the Dell Inspiron 9300 which weights about 3.5 kilos. This extra bulk helps produce some great multimedia features though. You have a 17 inch wide screen and also two speakers including a sub-woofer which make it a great laptop for watching movies. The DVD writer comes in very handy for storing large multimedia files and the 128 MB ATI video card is essential if you want to play the latest games. These features are comparable to a good desktop and such models are often called desktop replacements.

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Laptop | Sony Vaio | Dell Inspiron

Accessories for your PDA

Protection, data entry and connectivity are some of the features that can be improved by using PDA accessories.

It’s not the most exciting accessory but a protective filter for your PDA’s LCD, like this one for the O2 XDA, is among the most useful and cost-effective. The filter protects the screen from scratches and harmful sunlight and your eyes from ultraviolet rays. It also sharpens the image and improves colour quality.

If you need to enter a lot of data you might consider a Bluetooth keyboard like this model for the HP iPaq. The model is big enough for comfortable typing but can be easily folded and put away when not in use. There is a small stand where you can attach the PDA and Bluetooth means that there are no messy wires between the devices.

For connecting your PDA to a wifi network you might need to buy a separate wifi card like the SDIO WLan card which plugs into the SDIO slot and is compatible with most PDA’s with Pocket PC 2002/2003. Important features included low energy consumption, Wireless Active Sync for synchronizing data with your PC and Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) for secure wireless connectivity.

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PDA | PDA accessories

Power (i)Paq: HP iPaq 6315

The iPaq h6315 is a PDA which can be used as a GSM phone and also has basic multimedia features like a camera making it an excellent device for your mobile needs.

The 6315 comes with a 3.5 inch screen with a 240X320 resolution and 64,000 colours. It is quite bright and very easy to read outdoors even in bright sunlight. The unit includes a VGA camera and you can also play MP3 files stored in the memory. The 6315 comes with some neat accessories including a detachable keyboard, a wired headphone set for hands free phone use and a leather case. Battery life is excellent; the rechargeable and removable lithium-ion battery provides seven hours of usage when fully charged.

The included software bundle is also quite good. The operating system is Windows Mobile 2003 Phone Edition and the unit comes with the standard Microsoft programmes like Pocket Internet Explorer and Pocket Excel. In addition, there are a number of utilities like ClearVue Presentation for viewing Powerpoint presentations and ClearVue PDF for opening PDF files. The included CD also contains Microsoft Outlook and Active Sync: a programme for synchronizing your PDA with your PC.

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PDA | iPaq | iPaq 6315

Tungsten T5: The world in your palm

Perhaps the most distinctive feature about the T5 is the 256 MB of internal flash memory that it comes with. Some of it is used to run applications and the rest can be used to store software files which can easily be transferred to and from your PC via USB. The internal memory can be extended through MultiMedia and Secure Digital expansion cards.
The T5 also offers decent multimedia features with a 65,000 colour display with a resolution of 320X480. You can also listen to music either on the built-in speakers or separately sold stereo headphones. When it comes to connectivity, the T5 has built-in Bluetooth capabilities, allowing you to synchronize with your PC wirelessly or connect to the Internet using a Bluetooth enabled phone.
The operating system: Palm OS has been improved to produce easier access and navigation between your files. The calendar is also improved making it easier to spot upcoming events. Also installed is the handwriting software Graffiti 2 which, along with the included stylus, can be used to enter data. A second data entry option is the on-screen keyboard. Other installed software includes the mobile versions of Real Player and Acrobat Reader.

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Buying a PDA-5: Data input

You will probably need to input a fair amount of information into your PDA and there are several options for doing this.

Smaller units, like the Palm Tungsten T3, come with a stylus and touch-screen which can be used to tap commands and input data. Data input is either in the form of a virtual keyboard which you tap one letter at a time or through handwriting software which converts your writing into text.

For large amounts of data, a physical keyboard is ideal and PDAs like the Blackberry and the Palm Treo come with attached keyboards.

Since a lot of your information will be first inputted on to your PC, it’s important to synchronize your PDA with your computer. Most PDAs come with software like Palm’s Hot Sync Manager and Microsoft ActiveSync which ensure that your PDA has an up-to-date list of contacts and personal information as stored on your PC.

The actual connection will be through USB though it’s useful to have wireless connectivity through Infra-red or Bluetooth as well.

Finally, some PDAs come with voice-recording features which can be used to directly create voice memos and some models have limited voice recognition features as well.


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PDA | Palm Tungsten | Palm Treo | Blackberry | Bluetooth

Buying a PDA-4: Display

The displays on PDAs are LCDs (liquid crystal displays) like those on digital cameras and notebook computers. Today most models come with colour screens so the factors which differentiate displays are screen resolution and colour quality.

Of the two, resolution is probably the more important. Low end models like the VR3 come with a resolution of around 160X240; mid-end models like the Palm Tungsten T3 come with 320X480 while high end models like the Toshiba e800 are now coming out with resolutions of 640X480.

The colour quality depends on a number of factors but one quick measure is the number of colours the screen is capable of displaying. Ideally you would want 65,000 colours or more for a decent display.

If you intend to use your PDA outdoors a lot, make sure the screen is visible in bright light. It’s always useful to have backlighting as well as external controls for contrast and brightness.

Remember that colour displays eat up a lot of power so if you intend to use graphic-intensive features like video and gaming make sure you have adequate batteries. Also remember that such applications require a decent processor and adequate memory.

Next post: Data input

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Buying a PDA-3: Memory

A PDA’s memory is used to store the operating system and programmes as well as provide working space for applications to run. They also store additional files with your data, photos, music and so on. In general, more memory increases your processing speed but your memory needs depend on what functions you want to use.

For basic functions like appointments, contacts and memos, 32 MB is adequate and most PDAs come with at least that much internal memory.

If you want to run more sophisticated programs, particularly those with multimedia features, you will need more RAM. As with a PC, operating multiple programs at the same time requires more memory.

The operating system also makes a difference and typically if you use Windows Mobile you will need more RAM.

Many PDAs allow you to supplement internal memory with flash memory cards like Compact Flash or Secure Digital. If you intend to use your PDA to store a lot of multimedia files like your music or photos make sure such slots are available.

Some newer models like the Palm Life Drive also come with hard drives which make them ideal for multimedia users.

Next post: Display

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Buying a PDA-2: Design

PDAs come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes with heavier devices generally having more features. Sometimes PDAs are classified into palms and handhelds.

Palms, like the Palm Zire 31, are smaller and lighter and operated by stylus rather than keyboard. They weigh around a couple of hundred grams and are small enough to fit in your shirt pocket. They are ideal for carrying basic information like contacts and personal appointments. However data entry is limited to stylus and a touch screen along with hand-writing software and this can be relatively cumbersome if you want to enter a lot of data. Their smaller size usually means a smaller, less powerful processor as well.

Handhelds, like the MDA IV, are larger and may not fit in your pockets. On the plus side they have a separate keyboard which allows for much speedier data entry. They have a larger screen which is ideal for watching video or surfing the Internet and they have the more powerful processors necessary to run such applications. Handhelds themselves come in a wider range of sizes: the smallest are only a little bigger than palms while the largest can weigh more than a kilo.

Next post: Memory

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Buying a PDA-1: Operating System

Do you travel a lot? Can't do without access to your mail and a browser when you are on the road? Well, then this blog is for you. This one is dedicated to covering all types of mobile computing devices and to helping you make informed choices about the gadgets you buy. We begin our series of posts with PDAs or personal digital assistants. Over the next few days, I will tell you everything you need to know about buying a PDA. Welcome to the world of everywhere computing.

In many ways a PDA is a miniature PC and as with a PC the choice of operating system is very important in your overall experience.

The two main operating systems on PDAs are Palm Mobile by Palm Source and Windows Mobile by Microsoft. Traditionally Palm was more common on low-end devices compared to Windows but this distinction has blurred in recent years.

Some important differences remain however: Palm Mobile, found mostly on Palm’s own PDAs, is generally considered easier to use and comes with a lot more third-party software. There are also thousands of shareware programs that you can download including games and utilities. However if you want to create and edit documents compatible with MS Office you may need third-party software.

Windows Mobile, as you might expect, looks like a smaller version of the desktop Windows operating system and is more complex to operate than Palm. Unlike Palm you can keep more than one program running at a time though only one will appear on the screen. The big advantage of Windows is greater compatibility with Microsoft software and the OS comes with smaller versions of familiar Windows programs like Outlook, Office and Windows Media Player.

Next post: Design

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PDA | Windows Mobile | Palm