Google tablet targets iPad Mini

With the addition of the -iPad mini, Apple offers touchscreen devices in three sizes. Now rival Google is doing the same, introducing a 10-inch tablet, an upgraded 7-inch tablet, and a new smartphone.Introduced Monday, the Nexus 10, which Google developed with Samsung, is the company's first tablet that competes directly with Apple's 9.7-inch iPad. Most significantly, it undercuts the iPad's price: A Nexus 10 with Wi-Fi and 16 gigabytes of storage costs $400, compared with $500 for an equivalent iPad. Google did not say whether a model with cellular data would be available.Google's Nexus 4 smartphone, which it developed with LG, has a 4.7-inch iphone4 protective cases and wireless charging capability.Google also upgraded its Nexus 7 tablet, which was introduced this year, to include a cellular data connection which is the predecessor to the newest cell technology, 4G LTE. The model with the newest technology has 32 gigabytes of storage costs $300.
 Now that Windows 8 is finally available the genuine discussions are beginning, and back on Earth Microsoft faces major challenges with Windows 8 tablets and PCs, including a mostly indifferent public.However, Windows 8 also has the potential to streamline the tablet, PC and smartphone experience in the enterprise like no other company can.To push the mobile envelope even further, Microsoft on Monday announced Windows Phone 8, an updated version of Microsoft's struggling smartphone OS that will share compatibility with Windows 8. If anything, Windows 8, Windows RT and Surface just made the increasingly competitive tablet market even more exciting, along with Apple's iPad Mini and fourth-generation iPad announcements last week.
Consumers and businesses now have more tablets of various shapes and sizes at their disposal from Apple, Wholesale Tablet Keyboard, Google and, at long last, Microsoft. All this choice is great for you and me.Microsoft now needs to beef up the Windows Store, a sparsely populated area within Windows 8 and Microsoft's Achilles' heel. Yet industry analysts say that the 9,000 apps now in the Windows Store is a sufficient amount for a launch and something to build on.
Last Friday, I was a guest on NECN (New England Cable News) to discuss these subjects and more with NECN Business host Mike Nikitas. Check it out below.The average person now has available to him or her gadgets that 18 years ago would have been considered magical, if not impossible. With only one week's worth of minimum wages in California ($8/hr), you can buy yourself an iPad mini: a device that connects you to all information in the world; that holds and displays and edits and takes thousands of videos and photos; that holds your entire music library; that lets you read millions of books; that holds and displays maps of the entire world; that lets you explore the cosmos by simply pointing at the stars at night; that lets you read hundreds of newspapers; that lets you plan and reserve flights and hotels all over the world for free.

EE woos iPhone 4S customers to 4G with ￡99 upgrade

T-Mobile and Orange customers with an iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy S III or HTC 1X can upgrade to 4G for ￡99, according to parent company EE.The mobile operator is giving people the chance to swap these handsets for a 4G version and switch their contract to a 4GEE phone plan, if they want to get the faster speeds delivered by its soon-to-launch 4G network. They will be able to move to the iPhone 5, the Samsung Galaxy S 3 LTE or the HTC One XL, among other smartphones.The offer runs out on 31 December, and is open to retail customers only. They must be less than six months into their existing plan and sign up to a new minimum-term contract, too.Pricing for 4G contracts was revealed today by EE, with tariffs starting from ￡36 a month for consumers and ￡30 for small businesses. However, there are no unlimited data plans, which means customers will be charged extra for downloading data beyond their limit.
EE's 4G network is scheduled to go live in 10 UK cities on 30 October, with coverage expected to reach another six by the end of the year. The launch will give the operator a head-start on rivals Vodafone and O2, which must wait until the spectrum auction in early 2013 to get started on their 4G networks. Three has the 1800MHz now cleared for 4G use, but cannot exploit it without the go-ahead of EE, from which it bought the spectrum.Orange and T-Mobile have plans tied to the Huawei Ascend P1 LTE, Samsung Galaxy Note II LTE, Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820, as well as the handsets listed above.
Devices running the Android operating system were also considered. While Apple and RIM were said to have direct control over the devices that implement their operating systems and have measures to detect and disable attempts to modify the operating system, Google in contrast provides the operating system as open-source across various manufacturers and implementations that can modify elements of the operating system to accommodate new features. " What is a strength for Google, is a risk for ICE," according to the document.Apple and RIM both received full scores on operating system modification detection, while Android scored one on a scale of zero to five. Android also rated lower on product uniformity and predictability, an area in which Apple's iOS was on top.There are no physical buttons on the ProMini 4000; it uses a single touch on/off button. To check the battery power quickly, press on the on/off button and the  four blue LEDs tells you how much power you have ( 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%). Note above I've actually still got the shipping protective sticker attached that shows where the touch button is.

iPhone 5 Review: A Month with the New iPhone

A little over a month ago, I finally caved and bought a new iPhone 5 to replace my iPhone 3GS which I had had for three years. And after spending a solid month with the device, I wanted to share my thoughts about Apple's new iPhone with those that might be thinking about picking one up. Here is my iPhone 5 review after a month of using it as my go-to device.Over the past month, I have been using my iPhone 5 as my primary smartphone. For those that don't know, I also own a Samsung Galaxy Nexus for Verizon. I had been waiting, with an iPhone 3GS, for Apple to release a smartphone with 4G LTE data speeds and finally, with the iPhone 5, I got my wish and made the plunge.It wasn't an easy decision, not with the new Nexus coming up, not with the Galaxy Note 2 and not with the Windows Phone 8 launch just over the horizon. However, because of my amazing experience with the cheap Wall Charger, I decided to pre-order an AT&T iPhone 5 32GB as soon as the opportunity became available and thus far, I truly feel like I made the right decision, based on my needs.
Like I said, I could have probably used my iPhone 3GS on iOS 6 for another year but I am certainly glad that I didn't because the iPhone 5 has been treating me well over the last four weeks.So, after spending a month with the iPhone 5, here's what I've found.Coming from the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 5 runs iOS 6 like a dream. Yes, the experience on the iPhone 3GS is good, but it has nothing on the iPhone 5 in terms of overall performance.I can zip through my home screens. (I recently move to a single home screen.) Apps open in a flash. Games look absolutely beautiful on the larger 4-inch display and run extremely smooth. There were definitely times where iOS 6 would stutter a bit with the iPhone 3GS. There is no such stuttering on the iPhone 5. This is an extremely fast phone and a big thanks goes to its new A6 chip from China Car Charger suppliers.
Something else I should mention, specifically, is how fast the camera opens from the home screen. With the iPhone 3GS and iOS 6, there were often moments when the camera app would take quite awhile to open. With the iPhone 5, I've never missed a photo or video opportunity and that's really something that I have come to appreciate over the last few weeks of owning it.I should also point out that I rarely have experienced any lag. The hardware easily handles the operating system. It's definitely comparable to how well the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean run together. Smooth as butter.Battery life on the iPhone 5 is as I expected it to be. It certainly can't last all day, especially when I take it out into 4G LTE territory but it's still extremely solid and I can definitely pull down 12 hours of web browsing, email, video watching and more with a combination of LTE, 4G and Wi-Fi.

Otterbox Offers the Ultimate Protection for Your iPhone 4S

If I owned an iPhone 4S I’d have it in an Otterbox case for maximum protection. I have an Otterbox case on my Samsung Captivate and I love it, it offers more than enough protection for my phone. You can get one of four new Otterbox cases for your iPhone 4S, it all depends on just how much protection your want or need for your phone as to which you’ll choose. You can pick from the Defender, Reflex, Commuter or Impact series of cases.    The OtterBox Defender Series is the ultimate bodyguard for the new Siri assistant and other advancements of the iPhone 4S. This is the original multi-layered case: a built-in screen shield, sturdy polycarbonate shell and robust silicone outer layer keep the smartphone safe from scratches, dust and drops. A wide range of colors are offered, including Realtree camouflage designs. For those interested in hands-free carrying, a holster-style swivel belt clip is also included.
Sleek, adaptive protection is provided by the Reflex Series. This case is a slim-fitting single layer of polycarbonate and rubber, easy to install or uninstall for quick docking. Reflex Zones in the corners absorb impact when dropped so the device does not. A self-adhering screen protector is included to prevent scratching.The OtterBox Commuter Series is a pocket protector that iPhone 4S lovers will want to use. Its slick exterior slides in and out of a pocket, purse or bag easily, while the silicone and polycarbonate combination offers strength and style in a variety of different colors. Also included for additional defense is a self-adhering screen protector.
Durable silicone and an innovative inner coring comfort the iPhone 4S in a simple yet substantial form with the Impact Series. This is an ideal case for those wanting additional fortification against potential scuffs and scratches. Similar to other OtterBox lines, the Impact Series provides a self-adhering screen protector.Sometimes what you want is exactly what you need. OtterBox bridges the gap between accessory and necessity with protective cases for what is known as "the most amazing iPhone yet." For more information about OtterBox cases for the iPhone 4S visit here.The Patent Pending SoL Hybrid Power Pack is a product that includes an Internal 2,400 mAh Battery, Rapid Charging Technology, Priority Charging, a built-in super bright LED flashlight and comes with a mini 5 pin USB charging cable as well as 3 free screen protectors (Mirror, Privacy and Fingerprints). Not only can the device be used as a fast-charging power pack on the go, but also as a full time protective charging case. No other charging accessory in the world will keep an iPhone as connected as the SoL Hybrid Power Pack.

Edmond dedicates substation to former Electric director

The power of tomorrow's Edmond got a boost Wednesday with the dedication the C.R. Burgett Substation, located at 3033 N. Air Depot north of Covell.Retired Edmond Electric Utility Director Charlie Burgett is the namesake of the  project. Burgett was with Edmond Electric for 17 years beginning in 1992."This is just tremendous," Burgett said. "During the time I was with Edmond Electric we saw over 100 percent growth in number of customers and amount of power used in the city of Edmond. This is just another indication of Edmond's commitment of meeting the growth in our city and supplying it with very reliable and inexpensive electricity."
Mayor Charles Lamb was among the city's staff and business leaders on hand to celebrate the substation. Lamb said the project represents the city's second electrical feed into Edmond from the north. Generations to come will benefit from the C.R. Burgett Substation, he added."Edmond is the envy of electrical systems in Oklahoma, in large part due to (Burgett), his time on watch," Lamb said.Burgett commended the City Council for approving the project and opening it before the peak energy demand of summertime.The cost of the project was $2.5 million, said Dean Sherrick, distribution superintendent.Jenkins began a hobby of collecting radios and ended up having a neighborhood radio-repair business. He found a 1924 radio that his grandparents had in the basement and repaired it.He remembers the speaker: "Beautiful needlepoint tapestry."
His love for old electronics never stopped.It was in 2001 that Jenkins met up with Jonathan Winter, another Bellinghamite, who also loved old radios — so much that he started the Bellingham Antique Radio Museum.The two joined forces.Jenkins bought an old brick department store at 1312 Bay St. in Bellingham that had been converted to office space.It became the Spark Museum and in the 11 years since, the building keeps getting work done on it, and exhibits keep getting expanded.When more money has been needed, Jenkins has sold one of his valuable collector's items, including a 1912 Marconi radio receiver such as was used on the Titanic.Jenkins says the museum is finally close to breaking even, with 15,000 visits last year.The cage was designed by Sedro-Woolley artist Rik Allen, who does a lot of sculptures with rocket imagery and is a fan of the museum.He made sure the wire mesh enveloping the cage has such small holes that nobody could stick their fingers through it and get accidentally zapped.One of the original plans had it looking more like a cylindrical bird cage. Now the top is rounded to point at the Tesla coil.

Campus set to honor LED inventor Holonyak

Nick Holonyak Jr. does not shy away from a challenge, especially in science.So when chemists at General Electric criticized his approach to making lasers back in 1962, he responded directly and, in his mind, appropriately."They were telling me I was nuts in pretty foul language — New York language — and I was giving it back in language from the coal fields of southern Illinois," Holonyak remembered with a laugh last week.Holonyak, now one of the University of Illinois' most recognized scientists, proved his critics wrong and found a new alloy that would emit light in the red part of the visible spectrum, creating the first practical light-emitting diode.
Fifty years later the incredible fruits of his discovery are everywhere — from laptop screens and digital clocks to medical instruments, Christmas tree bulbs and spacecraft. His work led to dimmer switches, the lasers that make CD and DVD players possible, and fiber-optic communication networks.Holonyak, 83, who holds the John Bardeen Endowed Chair in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics, will be honored by the campus Tuesday to mark the 50th anniversary of his invention of the first practical LED. A symposium on Oct. 24-25 at the I Hotel will bring together Nobel laureates to discuss his work.Tuesday's celebration at the Illini Union, scheduled for 11 a.m., will include enough cake for 500 people, a separate cake with LED candles and a talk by Holonyak. The first 100 guests will receive a copy of a Holonyak documentary called "A Brilliant Idea."
"Our lives today are marked by everything he has contributed," said Professor Andreas Cangellaris, head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "Sometimes people don't even have a clue that many of the great things that they are enjoying go back to Nick's thinking about how do you make wild things happen."For Holonyak, that's what it's all about. Thinking. Ideas. Hard work.Coincidentally, Tuesday is the day the Nobel Prize in Physics is to be announced. Holonyak won't be waiting by the phone. He's won just about every other science, technology or engineering prize there is. He'd just as soon be in the lab.Russ DuPuis, a noted engineering professor at Georgia Tech and one of Holonyak's former graduate students, started a Nobel campaign for his mentor last year. DuPuis and others argue that Holonyak should have won in 2000, when the Nobel committee recognized Herbert Kroemer and Zhores Alferov for their development of semiconductor "heterostructures" and Jack Kilby, another UI engineering alumnus, for his part in creating the integrated circuit.