Windows 8 DOA
The Windows 8 Consumer Preview has been out long enough for people to try and get used to its dual Metro/Desktop interface. But the longer it’s out there, the less people like it, and there’s a backlash against the dual system from people ranging from normal users to engineers. Will Microsoft listen and fix the hybrid operating system?
What a whole lot of FAIL, Vista 2.0 here we come. This is great for tablets, but tablets are a fad. This has no place on a desktop operating system. Smart phones are the evolution of computing. Mark my words – in 5 years, tablets will not exist. You will have a phone that will be your primary mobile computer. At home, you will connect your phone to a wireless mouse, keyboard and display.
“Windows 8 just dumps you into the Start screen. No tutorial, no help icon on the main screen, nothing. This will be fixed by launch or Windows 8 will fail.”
Bibik is on target. Most people who use Windows 8 on traditional computers rather than tablets will spend their time in the Desktop because that’s where the apps they most use are, notably Microsoft Office, which won’t run as a Metro app. Yet the Windows 8 Desktop is less useful than in previous versions because the Start menu and Start button have been taken away.
Metro and the Desktop are essentially two different operating systems incompletely bolted together. Sure, techies can figure out how to navigate between the two interfaces, but other people will have a hard time.
$99 tablet computer
Hewlett-Packard is offering a fire-sale on it’s TouchPad tablets, that it just released months ago. HP has confirmed plans to stop making PCs, tablets and phones, in order to refocus on software. Hewlett-Packard, the world’s top personal computer maker, announced Thursday it is exploring a spinoff of its PC unit in a historic shift away from the consumer market.
“HP is recognising what the world has recognised, which is hardware in terms of consumers is not a huge growth business anymore,” said Michael Yoshikami, chief executive of YCMNET Advisors.
“It’s not where the money is. It’s in keeping with the new CEO’s perspective that they want to be more in services and more business-oriented.”
On the sale of its PC business, HP said it “will consider a broad range of options that may include, among others, a full or partial separation… from HP through a spin-off or other transaction”.
Now this may be a hard deal for many to pass up, even though HP is discontinuing webOS and its hardware products. But HP will begin selling the 16GB TouchPad for $99 starting tomorrow. Likewise, the 32GB model will sell for just $50 more.
The Touchpad uses a proprietary operating system called webOS, and is based on the Linux kernel.
Got my 32 GB model w/ Wireless Keyboard, Case, and TouchPad Charger Stand for $260 (normal price $700, so 63% off), including tax, direct from HP.
I figure I’ll use webOS until it EOLs then pop the Ice Cream Sandwich source on it (which should be out by then).
Computer Innovation
As we roll into the 21st century, everyone is scrambling for iPADs and Tablet PC’s with touch screen interfaces. They create a new vertical market of personal and business computing, that compliment netbook and laptop computers. But what about desktop computers? The design and size have not changed greatly in the past fifteen years. This should change in the coming years as Keyboard PC’s become more evident to consumers.
The prices are very reasonable for a starting at $50 and topping out at $600. I think $600 is a bit much, but thats my opinion and I am a frugal computer user these days. Two models mention the following specifications:
- Intel Atom N270, the EeeKeyboard gets 1GB of RAM and 16GB SSD. It has a 5-inch LED-backlit multitouch LCD display, integrated keyboard, VGA out and HDMI out. Bluetooth and WiFi 802.11b/g are supported.
- Intel’s Atom 1.6GHz processor and NVIDIA Ion graphics, the Cross PC has 2GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive. The U510 comes with a 5-inch touchscreen display and a stylus. It supports WIFI 802.11n connectivity.
Here are some images for review:
Not everyone needs a 1GB video card, or a i7 quad-core CPU with copious amount of memory to browse the web, read email, skim through Facebook, or run iTunes. Now that I think about, one doesn’t even need Windows for that, but I digress.
Computer prices for consumers have readily come down and will continue to fall. In time, your computer (digital appliance) will be as ubiquitous as the microwave or toaster.
Later in the week, I will write about surface computing devices running Ubuntu and integrated surface computing for the desktop, tabletop, wall or countertop of your home.
Verizon to sell Galaxy Tablet
Summary: Verizon to sell Galaxy Tablet starting November 11th for $599.99
America’s largest carrier has announced plans to sell Samsung’s Galaxy Tab for… $599.99. The 3G, Android 2.2-based unit (which will be loaded with V CAST apps, of course) will hit retail on November 11th, and since it’s being sold at full price, a data plan (which starts at $20 per month for 1GB) is completely optional. It looks like customers will have some fairly strong choices on Big Red, considering that the impossible-to-ignore iPad is being made available in Verizon’s stores as well. Tough decisions are ahead for potential tablet buyers — but we’re sure you’ll do what’s right. Check out the full press release below, and good luck!
Verizon Wireless Puts Samsung Galaxy Tab™ in Stores in November
Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Tab™ will be available Nov. 11 for $599.99. Running on Android™ 2.2, the Samsung Galaxy Tab features a brilliant 7-inch touch screen; robust HTML Web browsing experience with full support for Adobe® Flash® 10.1 for video and mobile gaming; and a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application processor.
“This is an incredible time in mobile technology, and as a company we’re excited to add the Samsung Galaxy Tab to our portfolio,” said Marni Walden, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab brings together the reliability of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network and the power of Android 2.2 to deliver on our promise of providing consumers and business customers with a host of options to help manage their lives.”
India has come up with a low-cost tablet, a touch-screen computing device that costs $35
India’s Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal this week unveiled the low-cost computing device that is designed for students, saying his department had started talks with global manufacturers to start mass production.
“We have reached a (developmental) stage that today, the motherboard, its chip, the processing, connectivity, all of them cumulatively cost around $35, including memory, display, everything,” he told a news conference.
He said the touchscreen gadget was packed with Internet browsers, PDF reader and video conferencing facilities but its hardware was created with sufficient flexibility to incorporate new components according to user requirement.
Sibal said the Linux based computing device was expected to be introduced to higher education institutions from 2011 but the aim was to drop the price further to $20 and ultimately to $10.
The device was developed by research teams at India’s premier technological institutes, the Indian Institute of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science.
India spends about three percent of its annual budget on school education and has improved its literacy rates to over 64 percent of its 1.2 billion population but studies have shown many students can barely read or write and most state-run schools have inadequate facilities.
Features and specification of Rs 1500 Laptop :
- 7 inch touchscreen display and inbuilt keyboard as well.
- Capable of browsing the web
- 2GB of RAM
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- USB port
