Hasta La Gadget!

I um’d and ah’d and hovered over the purchase button for a day or two, but eventually I clicked: I preordered Microsoft’s Surface. Jumping onto new hardware always makes you consider exactly how you’re going to integrate it into your life, but my intentions this time around were pretty clear. I liked the cut of Microsoft’s jib: that its new version of Windows (and the flagship hardware to run it on) was made not only for sitting back and browsing through content, but for actual, proper content creation. I had visions of leaving my MacBook Pro at home and slipping a slender Surface into my bag instead. And then, with shipping just around the corner, I cancelled the order.

I’m not against impulse purchases, or extraneous hardware. As long as you can afford it, I’m not going to judge you for having a coffee table full of tablets, even though most people only really need one (and that’s if they can ever be said to “need” one at all). My cupboards are a morgue of expired tablets and other geek detritus, acquired over years of “yes, I’ll definitely need one of those” and “oh, what a bargain, I’ll jump on that”; HP’s TouchPad rubs shoulders with an old Samsung UMPC, itself snuggled close to the tiny body of a Fujitsu LifeBook convertible with its dinky little resistive touchscreen. They’re not alone in there.

“Space is at a premium in my bag”

Space, though, is increasingly at a premium in my tiny London flat, and even more limited in my bag. I’ve an iPad and a Nexus 7 that each get regular use at home, but they never come out with me; I won’t spare the weight, especially if I’m also carrying a DSLR. So, on that level, Surface appealed because it could potentially replace, not add to, what I was carrying.

Surface does have some advantages over rival tablets. The integration of keyboard and tablet – while still remaining low profile – and the obvious consideration Microsoft’s designers have given to how the two parts coexist are particularly distinctive, and as someone who does plenty of typing every day that’s an appealing factor versus typing on glass. The USB port meant I could potentially plug in a CompactFlash reader and pull photos off my Canon, too.

For me to consider truly carrying around a tablet – and for it to replace, say, my current MacBook Pro – though, I’d need to be able to actually work on it. Office is all well and good, but like many these days I live my work life in the browser. If a tablet is going to be my sole travel machine, rather than a nice-but-not-essential accessory, then it has to do the essentials my Mac can do.

I’m not just talking about writing – heck, I’ve written full editorials in Evernote on a smartphone before now – but actually formatting and publishing articles, complete with images (cropped, resized, tweaked, and watermarked if necessary), tags, and everything else. It’s those requirements that have undermined the iPad so far – little things like Flash-based image uploaders, for instance – and, while Surface looked like it stood a better chance of satisfying my needs, it’s clear from our Surface RT review that it’s not quite there.

Microsoft wants us to think differently about Surface than we do about iPad, and other slates. It’s both a tablet and a PC, we’re told; that’s great, but then it has to deliver on both of those elements. The saving grace is Surface Pro, running full Windows 8 and tweaking some of the other blips that were concerning me about the RT model: Full HD resolution (even with ClearType, I wasn’t convinced by the first version’s 1,366 x 768) and a digital pen. I’m a big believer in the value of the stylus, no matter how much Apple and others have told us it’s passé.

“I’m not the only one yet to be persuaded”

I’m apparently not the only one yet to be persuaded. We’ve been running a poll since Surface pricing was announced, and – of the near 11,000 responses when I write this – the numbers of those definitely intending to buy a Surface (either the cheapest or one with a Touch Cover) and those planning to wait for Surface Pro are equally split. Around 13-percent said they’d be waiting on the first reviews to come in before making a buying decision; I’d be very interested to hear from those people in the comments, as to whether real-world reports on Surface and Windows RT convinced them of its worth.

So, I’ll be revisiting Surface as my potential next tablet in early 2013, when the Pro model arrives. It’s undoubtedly going to be more expensive, however, and if the battery life can’t compete with my current Mac, then it may have simply moved the hurdles to elsewhere in the value proposition. Finding the right machine for your needs is always complicated, and I’ve a feeling early adopters who’ve jumped on Surface may also find themselves wondering whether Microsoft’s tablet/notebook hybrid strategy best suits their needs as well.

I cancelled my Microsoft Surface order is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Apple’s iPad Mini is right around the corner, and as expected, just about everyone is talking about the tablet. What’s more, the device isn’t even on store shelves, but a host of people are saying that they plan to buy the tablet. It’s a fascinating thing. And it speaks to Apple’s ability to attract customers.

But for all of the other people on the fence about the iPad Mini, trying to decide whether to buy the tablet isn’t so simple. Those folks want to see what kind of features the tablet will come with before they make a decision. And chief among those elements in decision-making is the price.

And price is precisely the feature I want to dig into.

For years now, Apple has been offering products that are substantially more expensive than those that its competitors sell. But the iPad Mini is different. The tablet is cheaper than the high-end iPad and other top-of-the-line products. Price is now more of a consideration for Apple. Before, it knew it could offer its tablet at whatever price it’s wanted and moved on. Now, though, it has to find the proper balance.

So, what might that proper balance be? Furthermore, at what price does the iPad Mini become an absolute must-have?

It’s tough to say. But value comes down to price and features. And if the rumors are true, Apple’s tablet will come with a host of features that customers will like, including a 7.85-inch display and solid design. So, from a features perspective, it’ll be hard for customers to put the device down.

But will $400 strike the right value balance to make customers want to buy the top-of-the-line iPad Mini without thinking twice? Some might say yes, since the device is still notably cheaper than its bigger counterpart. However, it’s worth noting that $400 is far more expensive than the Nexus 7, which starts at $199.

So, perhaps the best iPad Mini version would be better at $350. If Apple delivers on the rumors, the company’s product will be much better than those from other vendors. And at just $100 over the Nexus 7’s best model, it seems like prime real estate for Apple.

“There is no chance that Apple will offer its best iPad mini for less than $350”

Chances are, there is no chance that Apple will offer its best iPad Mini for less than $350. As history has shown, Apple likes to price its products higher and make the point that it believes customers will need to pay a premium for the right to have its products.

The question is, will $350 for the top iPad Mini be the right price point for consumers to want to jump at buying the device?

Remember: the iPad Mini is a complement to what’s out there now. If the rumors are true, the iPad Mini will not be able to compete with the better tablets on store shelves. So, Apple will have to deliver something awfully special to make its iPad Mini a worthwhile choice for everyone – current iPad owners and new entrants to the tablet space.

As for me? I’m not sure at what price the iPad Mini would be a must-buy. But I can say for sure there’s one for everyone. And that’s probably why the iPad Mini will come in so many different configurations.

Once again, Apple might just find a way to make the iPad Mini a must-have for everyone.

SlashGear is liveblogging the whole Apple event today – join us at 10AM PT (1PM ET) at live.slashgear.com for all the news!

At What Price Is the iPad Mini A Must-Have? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you’re asking yourself if the brand new $249 Samsung Chromebook is going to get you through the school year, you’ll want to know a few details on how this device actually functions. First of all, it may look surprisingly like a MacBook Air, but it’s not a full-fledged system in the way you’re used to – this device isn’t made for massive video editing and it’s certainly not ready for any big-name gaming adventures. What it is made for is web-based action – and lots of it.

If you’re ready for a web-only experience, the Chromebook might be right up your alley, especially since it’ll only run you $249 USD. The notebook looks and feels rather similar to what you might already be used to with your MacBook or Acer Aspire notebook – if you’ve got one or the other – or any of the recent high-end Samsung notebooks that look rather similar to this model. With this device you will not have the same power as a full-fledged laptop, but physically you’ll feel like you always do.

“If you’re ready for a web-only experience, the Chromebook might be right up your alley.”

This device works with one giant heap of Google Cloud services, including Google Drive. With Google Drive you’ve got file storage on the web in Google’s servers, and with a purchase of a Chromebook here, you’ve got 2 free years of 100GB of space on those servers. You’ll be working with Google’s services primarily – or that’s what’ll be easiest – including Gmail, Google Docs, and the like, but you can also work with a variety of Chrome apps as well.

Chrome is not just an operating system, it’s a web browser as well – the same one you use on the computer you’re on right this minute. Chrome has a variety of apps that do all manner of tasks that you’d otherwise do on your desktop, here optimized for the web browser. Have a peek at the Chrome Web Store now to see if you’ve got enough greatness there to do every single task you’d normally do in a day.

“…not that far away from a high-end smartphone…”

The hardware you’re working with on this new Samsung Chromebook announced this week is a dual-core A15-based Samsung Exynos 5 Dual (5250) SoC paired with 2GB of RAM, for starters. That’s not that far away from a high-end smartphone, mind you. That’s the kind of processing power you’re working with. You also get 16GB of built-in flash storage as well as Bluetooth and wi-fi capabilities. The display has a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, it’s got one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 socket, and a headphone/mic jack too. You can boost your storage with the full-sized SD card slot this device works with as well.

Sound find enough to you? You’ll be able to pick this beast up through several online sources and it’ll be out in stores extremely soon – you’ll be able to see it in person at Best Buy likely by the beginning of next week, for example. You’ll also be able to purchase this Chromebook from the Google Play store too. Think about it!

Should I buy a $249 Chromebook for school? is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

I love my televisions. One of them, a 55-inch set, sits in my living room, ready and willing to deliver all kinds of entertainment. Another set, a 42-inch model, is running in my bedroom for those times when I want to relax and catch up on some shows on my TiVo.

Recently, when I was watching a movie on the aforementioned 55-inch set in my living room, I got to thinking about screen size. On numerous occasions, people have come into my house, looked at the screen, and made some sort of laudatory statement about how “big” my television was. To them, the size, and not the fact that the set is extremely thin and delivers outstanding picture quality, was most impressive.

Realizing that, I decided to head down to Best Buy to examine people’s actions in the store. Much to my surprise, the vast majority of folks centered their attention on a precious few televisions that lacked overall quality, but were much larger than their upper-end counterparts. I was also surprised to see that the aisle with smaller televisions was largely ignored by customers.

All of that has made me wonder whether screen size matters too much to us. According to NPD DisplaySearch, the average screen size of today’s televisions is 36.8 inches. That’s up two inches in just the last year alone.

In a discussion on the topic recently, NPD DisplaySearch senior vice president Paul Semenza said that for today’s customers, “its about, how big of a set can I get into my room?” That mentality has come to the detriment of overall quality.

“People are buying the biggest TV they can fit through the door”

So, why does size matter so much? I know I own above-average televisions in terms of screen size, but I have the rooms to accommodate them. According to Semenza, people are simply buying the biggest television they can fit through the door. Sometimes, those big sets fit into a space. In other cases, they just don’t.

Those who buy televisions and research them typically come across tips from sites like this that tell them how big a screen should be for a certain room. Typically, the golden rule is to get a screen size based on where the viewers will be sitting, not how big a room is. The closer you sit to the set, the smaller the screen should be.

But how many of us actually listen to such advice? Judging by the data, and my own admittedly non-scientific research, it appears we throw logic out the window when buying a television. To us, the bigger the screen, the better.

Of course, TV makers love that about us. Televisions with larger screens are more expensive. So, the more people ignore smaller sets for larger ones, the more those companies will make. It’s a great deal.

Perhaps, though, it’s time for us to change. Screen size, while important, is not nearly as integral to the viewing experience as the device’s internal components. Without high-quality visuals, who really cares how big a television screen is, anyway?

Say what you will about television screen size, but I’m going to start advocating smaller sets. Such a move might just benefit us all.

When Does A TV Get Too Big? is written by Don Reisinger & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

I was wrong. If you’ve been following along with the strategy Samsung has been working with over the past year, you’ve noticed that they’ve been doing rather well the Samsung Galaxy S III as a single hero smartphone across the globe with no design compromises. They’ve just thrown that all away with the Samsung Galaxy S III Mini. In a move that very well could have expanded the power of the Galaxy S III with a little cousin in the Mini, Samsung instead opted to tear off the skin and the nametag from the larger device and place it on a disappointingly low-level afterthought in this newer handset.

The only redeeming factor present in the Galaxy S III Mini is its inclusion of the newest Android system 4.1 Jelly Bean – and the Google Now system that comes with it. But we all know that the excitement one feels with a new Android system is fleeting – they’ll likely have another newer one in just a few weeks. Also included in this iPhone 4-sized pea-shooter is a 4S-inch Super AMOLED display running at WVGA 800 x 480 resolution, less than the original iPhone 4, and only equal to the original Galaxy S.

Above: the original Galaxy Note sits near the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note 10.1 – the Galaxy Note II alleviates the ugly duckling syndrome going on here, then the Galaxy S III Mini takes it another step by adding another size – but without the specs to back up its relation to the rest of this top-class family.

In fact, given the specifications this device is working with – other than its dual-core processor – we’ve essentially been shown the original Galaxy S all over again – this is a device that was originally shown off several years ago, long outdated by now. You do get Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, S-Beam, and is extremely portable, on the other hand. You’ve got just 111.5g of weight here at 121.55 x 63 x 9.85 mm – perfect for everything except playing games, watching movies, and snapping photos.

I say snapping photos because the back-facing camera here is a 5 megapixel shooter while the front-facing camera is VGA. This phone is clearly aimed at those who haven’t used a smartphone in the past – or if they have, haven’t had the pleasure of working with one of the 8 megapixel cameras that have been in devices mid-tier and upward for nearly two years. The device is able to do this:

That being working with S-Beam (as mentioned above) with the Galaxy S III. It’s not quite clear yet if this device will be working with AllShare Play as the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note 10.1, and Galaxy Note II do, but we’re going to go ahead and guess that yes, it will. That’s where the good news starts and ends.

Because even if you take the Galaxy S III Mini and say “this is part of the extended hero series,” you’ve got another device to answer for. It’s called the Samsung Galaxy Premier (without the “e”), and it’s basically kicking the Galaxy S III in the gut. The Samsung Galaxy Premier, a device with a dual-core 1.5Ghz processor, a 720p display, and an 8 megapixel camera on its back, is exactly what the Galaxy S III Mini should have been.

Instead Samsung is taking the awesome power it gained with a launch of the same Galaxy S III model across carriers, borders, and seas, and is tossing it in the ocean by taking what was built up and spreading it very, very thin. The hero brand power thins each time a new device comes out with a nature-themed casing by Samsung, I assure you.

Samsung just dropped the mobile ball is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.