Fedora and Ubuntu on my new Acer Aspire E11
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There are a couple of things in this list which caught my attention. First, no cooling fan so it is going to run very quietly - but I wonder if it will really stay cool enough? Second, it has at least one USB 3.0 port, which is still not all that common on notebooks in this size and price range. Third, it has Bluetooth, which is also not always included in this price range.
The construction and packaging of this unit is significantly different from the previous Acer Aspire / Aspire One models I have owned. For one thing, it has most of the external connection ports on the back (power, RJ-45 wired network, two USB, HDMI), while the trend for the past few years has been to put all the ports on the sides. On the sides there is only one USB port, the SD memory card slot and the Kensington Lock slot.
Also, there is no external access/removal for the battery with like Compaq 236310-B25 Battery, Compaq 134096-B21 Battery, Compaq PP2051A Battery, Compaq Armada M300 Battery, Compaq Armada PP2050 Battery, Compaq Armada PP2070 Battery, Compaq Armada 7400 Battery, Compaq NCQ006 Battery, Compaq 342668-001 Battery, Compaq Armada 7700 Battery, Compaq Armada E700 Battery, Compaq 354126-001 Battery, it is closed up somewhere inside the unit.
There is also some bad news about the hardware. First, and by far the worst news, is the dreaded "clickpad"-style touchpad. Just to be clear about what this is, it is not just an ordinary "touchpad" as is used on most laptops today, this is a different beast. It has no separate buttons, you are supposed to be able to click by pressing anywhere on its surface - I don't mean "tap" here, I really mean "click", you can feel the mechanical snap under your finger. It is then left up to the driver to determine what kind of click it was (left or right) based on where on the surface of the touchpad you clicked. I've seen some diagrams of this, and in principle if you click somewhere in the lower right corner, approximately where the button "should be", it should be interpreted as a right-click. Should be. Yeah, right.
I really don't like those things... and if anything, this one is worse than any I have tried to use in a long time. I can't get a normal right-click, no matter where I try clicking on it, and I can't get click-and-drag to work, no matter how I try. I can get right-click by two-finger-tapping, and I can get click-and-drag with one-finger tap-and-drag, but... ugh.
The other potential hardware problem is the wi-fi adapter. Broadcom adapters are very frequently a pain, and I don't even recognize the specific number in this one, so I assume it is some kind of new or updated chip. I have struggled with Broadcom wi-fi adapters going all the way back to my fist HP 2133 MiniNote. Sometimes they work ok, sometimes they are a bit flaky, and sometimes they are difficult or even initially impossible to get working with Linux. I hope that this one will be one of the "easy" kind.
There is also some bad news about the hardware. First, and by far the worst news, is the dreaded "clickpad"-style touchpad. Just to be clear about what this is, it is not just an ordinary "touchpad" as is used on most laptops today, this is a different beast. It has no separate buttons, you are supposed to be able to click by pressing anywhere on its surface - I don't mean "tap" here, I really mean "click", you can feel the mechanical snap under your finger. It is then left up to the driver to determine what kind of click it was (left or right) based on where on the surface of the touchpad you clicked. I've seen some diagrams of this, and in principle if you click somewhere in the lower right corner, approximately where the button "should be", it should be interpreted as a right-click. Should be. Yeah, right.
I really don't like those things... and if anything, this one is worse than any I have tried to use in a long time. I can't get a normal right-click, no matter where I try clicking on it, and I can't get click-and-drag to work, no matter how I try. I can get right-click by two-finger-tapping, and I can get click-and-drag with one-finger tap-and-drag, but... ugh.
The other potential hardware problem is the wi-fi adapter. Broadcom adapters are very frequently a pain, and I don't even recognize the specific number in this one, so I assume it is some kind of new or updated chip. I have struggled with Broadcom wi-fi adapters going all the way back to my fist HP 2133 MiniNote. Sometimes they work ok, sometimes they are a bit flaky, and sometimes they are difficult or even initially impossible to get working with Linux. I hope that this one will be one of the "easy" kind.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Does the Asus PadFone/Tablet combo represent the future of personal computing?
Does the Asus PadFone/Tablet combo represent the future of personal computing?
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
I am not sure if the Apollo crew actually understood how underpowered the computers were that guided them to the moon but thankfully they did not question it and made their historic journeys and came back in one piece.
However, the idea we have this kind of computing power in our pocket is, I believe, a significant fact and one that could make a smartphone the most important computing device we have and eventually be used to power all types of personal computing products.
About 23 years ago, I wrote a research paper on what I called “a vision for modular computing”. I have had to travel a great deal in my career and, in the early days, I carried around portable computers that looked like Singer sewing machines. Once clamshell based laptops came out, I started carrying them but even they weighed six to nine lbs and had short battery with such as Compaq Presario A900 Battery, Compaq Presario C700 Battery, Compaq Presario F500 Battery, Compaq Presario F700 Battery, Compaq Presario V3000 Battery, Compaq Presario V6000 Battery, Compaq Presario V6600 Battery, Compaq W20700 Battery, Compaq 232593-B25 Battery, HP HSTNN-UB18 Battery, HP HSTNN-LB05 Battery, HP HSTNN-DB05 Batterylives. But I envisioned (actually, longed for) a time when I could carry a small modular computing core with me and plug in to a TV in my hotel room or in to a connector on a plane where a keyboard would be on the flip side of a seat tray and the screen was on the backside of the seat in front of me. Or plug in to a connector at my office where it would be connected to a display and keyboard. You get the idea. I wanted the full power of a personal computer in a small device that could connect to all types of stationary devices. Now I know I was describing what smartphones have become today although they have the screen and keyboards built in as part of their design.
In one of the more interesting products I have seen come to market this year, Asus created something that embodies that original vision I had for modular computing. The Asus PadFone X Mini is a unique product that includes a smartphone that slides into a tablet and powers the actual tablet. The idea is all of the intelligence and computer power is based in the smartphone and the tablet becomes kind of a slave that mirrors what is on the smartphone. The tablet has a 7″ screen as well as another battery in it. That means you can power it off of the phone’s or the tablet’s battery or can charge both at the same time. You can even charge the phone in the docked tablet.
However, if you undock the phone from the tablet it does nothing. All you get is a blank screen since the actual computer power comes from the smartphone when it is docked. Here is a video of how the docking works.
Actually, this is one of the great bargains I have seen for the holidays. The smartphone and tablet together cost $199 without a contract. It works with AT&T’s Go prepaid program where you can get unlimited talk and text for $60 a month. The unlimited texting covers 2 GB of data using ultra fast LTE and all other unlimited data uses the slower 2G. They also have a cheaper plan for $45 that has 1 GB of data using LTE and all other unlimited data using 2G. This is one of the best combo deals you can buy.
But the idea the computing power is in the smartphone and can be used to power other things like a tablet is quite interesting and very modular in design. I am hearing another angle on this in the works coming out of the China supply chain that takes a smartphone and lets you pop it into a laptop clamshell design and use the smartphone as the core CPU. It mirrors the OS and the apps on a 12″ laptop screen with a full keyboard.
Motorola had a product like this on the market a few years back called the Atrix Smartphone with LapDock. However, it never took off for a number of reasons, the main one being smartphones in 2011 weren’t powerful enough to actually deliver a full laptop experience. Even though Motorola was early with this concept, now that smartphones are getting as powerful as some of the laptops on the market today, this concept of using a smartphone docked to a laptop shell is being tossed around in design shops in Asia. We could see new versions of this idea sometime in 2015.
Since I have been researching this concept for decades, I still think this idea has a lot of potential. What Asus delivers with the PadFone could just be scratching the surface of this design concept. It would not surprise me if, someday, my original modular computing vision finally plays itself out in ways that make the smartphone the center of our computing experience as it becomes docked into tablets, laptops and desktops that power our future computing experiences.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
I am not sure if the Apollo crew actually understood how underpowered the computers were that guided them to the moon but thankfully they did not question it and made their historic journeys and came back in one piece.
However, the idea we have this kind of computing power in our pocket is, I believe, a significant fact and one that could make a smartphone the most important computing device we have and eventually be used to power all types of personal computing products.
About 23 years ago, I wrote a research paper on what I called “a vision for modular computing”. I have had to travel a great deal in my career and, in the early days, I carried around portable computers that looked like Singer sewing machines. Once clamshell based laptops came out, I started carrying them but even they weighed six to nine lbs and had short battery with such as Compaq Presario A900 Battery, Compaq Presario C700 Battery, Compaq Presario F500 Battery, Compaq Presario F700 Battery, Compaq Presario V3000 Battery, Compaq Presario V6000 Battery, Compaq Presario V6600 Battery, Compaq W20700 Battery, Compaq 232593-B25 Battery, HP HSTNN-UB18 Battery, HP HSTNN-LB05 Battery, HP HSTNN-DB05 Batterylives. But I envisioned (actually, longed for) a time when I could carry a small modular computing core with me and plug in to a TV in my hotel room or in to a connector on a plane where a keyboard would be on the flip side of a seat tray and the screen was on the backside of the seat in front of me. Or plug in to a connector at my office where it would be connected to a display and keyboard. You get the idea. I wanted the full power of a personal computer in a small device that could connect to all types of stationary devices. Now I know I was describing what smartphones have become today although they have the screen and keyboards built in as part of their design.
In one of the more interesting products I have seen come to market this year, Asus created something that embodies that original vision I had for modular computing. The Asus PadFone X Mini is a unique product that includes a smartphone that slides into a tablet and powers the actual tablet. The idea is all of the intelligence and computer power is based in the smartphone and the tablet becomes kind of a slave that mirrors what is on the smartphone. The tablet has a 7″ screen as well as another battery in it. That means you can power it off of the phone’s or the tablet’s battery or can charge both at the same time. You can even charge the phone in the docked tablet.
However, if you undock the phone from the tablet it does nothing. All you get is a blank screen since the actual computer power comes from the smartphone when it is docked. Here is a video of how the docking works.
Actually, this is one of the great bargains I have seen for the holidays. The smartphone and tablet together cost $199 without a contract. It works with AT&T’s Go prepaid program where you can get unlimited talk and text for $60 a month. The unlimited texting covers 2 GB of data using ultra fast LTE and all other unlimited data uses the slower 2G. They also have a cheaper plan for $45 that has 1 GB of data using LTE and all other unlimited data using 2G. This is one of the best combo deals you can buy.
But the idea the computing power is in the smartphone and can be used to power other things like a tablet is quite interesting and very modular in design. I am hearing another angle on this in the works coming out of the China supply chain that takes a smartphone and lets you pop it into a laptop clamshell design and use the smartphone as the core CPU. It mirrors the OS and the apps on a 12″ laptop screen with a full keyboard.
Motorola had a product like this on the market a few years back called the Atrix Smartphone with LapDock. However, it never took off for a number of reasons, the main one being smartphones in 2011 weren’t powerful enough to actually deliver a full laptop experience. Even though Motorola was early with this concept, now that smartphones are getting as powerful as some of the laptops on the market today, this concept of using a smartphone docked to a laptop shell is being tossed around in design shops in Asia. We could see new versions of this idea sometime in 2015.
Since I have been researching this concept for decades, I still think this idea has a lot of potential. What Asus delivers with the PadFone could just be scratching the surface of this design concept. It would not surprise me if, someday, my original modular computing vision finally plays itself out in ways that make the smartphone the center of our computing experience as it becomes docked into tablets, laptops and desktops that power our future computing experiences.
Friday, November 28, 2014
BMW 3 Series Plug-In Hybrid: 245 HP and 117 mpg [Photo Gallery]
BMW 3 Series Plug-In Hybrid: 245 HP and 117 mpg [Photo Gallery]
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
As the name might suggest at first, the power and torque figures of the ‘electrified’ version will be close to the ones of the 328i. However, BMW still refuses to reveal the complete specs of the thing. According to their press release, the new car will have ‘approximately’ 245 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque coming from the hybrid power train.
That power train will be made up of a N20 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and an electric motor, mounted on the rear axle. Just like it’s the case with the X5 eDrive Concept, the two will be working together, seamlessly.
The normal 328i uses the same internal combustion unit, tuned to deliver 245 HP on its own, but less torque, rated somewhere at 350 Nm (258 lb-ft). With the added torque of the electric motor, things should be spiced up.
Even so, we can’t ignore the presence of the batteries with like HP 441132-001 Battery, HP RQ203AA Battery, HP 462891-162 Battery, HP HSTNN-CB30 Battery, HP 372771-001 Battery, HP HSTNN-UB0W Battery, HP 586007-541 Battery, HP 586021-001 Battery, HP TouchSmart tm2 Battery, HP 582213-121 Battery, HP HSTNN-Q46C Battery, HP Mini 210 Batterythat will be needed to power the motor. They will be installed towards the end of the car, most likely in the boot, eating up some of the luggage space. BMW declined to offer more details as to their exact location or the capacity they will have but do mention that the practicality of the 3 Series won’t be drastically affected.
75 mph and 22 miles electric range
The plug-in hybrid will also be usable in all electric mode. Thanks to driving modes, the car will be usable in either ECO PRO, Comfort or Sport settings and the entire drive train will adapt to the demands of the driver.
Thanks to the 8-speed automatic gearbox, the car will be capable of going up to a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph) on electric power alone and cover a range of 22 miles (35 km). Not only that but according to BMW, the average fuel consumption will be ‘approximately’ 2 l/100 km (117 mpg) with 50g/km CO2 emissions when in Comfort mode. Those are even better numbers than the i8 that is rated at 2.1 l/100 km (112 mpg).
BMW EfficientDynamics and ConnectedDrive working together
Trying to create the best possible mix, BMW looked beyond the power train when creating this car. They adapted the navigation system to the car’s transmission so that when the car reaches a hill or a traffic jam, it knows before hand and prepares the optimum gear to make sure the least amount of fuel is burned. We explained that technology some time back in a full cover story.
Apart from that, there’s also an intelligent energy management system on board that controls the power train and allows you to charge up your car’s battery on the go.
You get to choose between different plug-in hybrid modes. Going into MAX eDrive you drive with zero emissions, using the car’s stored energy to zoom around town. You can also go into SAVE Battery mode where the 3er will be charging its battery. The process takes place even faster if the battery is under 50 percent.
This way, you can charge your battery outside town to make sure you go around in it with zero emissions. It’s going to be particularly good for megacities, where a combustion tax might be quite pricy.
For now, things are looking good and BMW claims that the same technology will be used throughout all of its brands in the future, including M cars and MINIs. Until we get the final numbers, we should all take all this news about our ‘electrified’ future with a grain of salt.
UPDATE: BMW released a full set of photos of their 3 Series LCI Plug-In Hybrid Prototype and its drivetrain. We attached them all in the photo gallery below.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
As the name might suggest at first, the power and torque figures of the ‘electrified’ version will be close to the ones of the 328i. However, BMW still refuses to reveal the complete specs of the thing. According to their press release, the new car will have ‘approximately’ 245 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque coming from the hybrid power train.
That power train will be made up of a N20 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and an electric motor, mounted on the rear axle. Just like it’s the case with the X5 eDrive Concept, the two will be working together, seamlessly.
The normal 328i uses the same internal combustion unit, tuned to deliver 245 HP on its own, but less torque, rated somewhere at 350 Nm (258 lb-ft). With the added torque of the electric motor, things should be spiced up.
Even so, we can’t ignore the presence of the batteries with like HP 441132-001 Battery, HP RQ203AA Battery, HP 462891-162 Battery, HP HSTNN-CB30 Battery, HP 372771-001 Battery, HP HSTNN-UB0W Battery, HP 586007-541 Battery, HP 586021-001 Battery, HP TouchSmart tm2 Battery, HP 582213-121 Battery, HP HSTNN-Q46C Battery, HP Mini 210 Batterythat will be needed to power the motor. They will be installed towards the end of the car, most likely in the boot, eating up some of the luggage space. BMW declined to offer more details as to their exact location or the capacity they will have but do mention that the practicality of the 3 Series won’t be drastically affected.
75 mph and 22 miles electric range
The plug-in hybrid will also be usable in all electric mode. Thanks to driving modes, the car will be usable in either ECO PRO, Comfort or Sport settings and the entire drive train will adapt to the demands of the driver.
Thanks to the 8-speed automatic gearbox, the car will be capable of going up to a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph) on electric power alone and cover a range of 22 miles (35 km). Not only that but according to BMW, the average fuel consumption will be ‘approximately’ 2 l/100 km (117 mpg) with 50g/km CO2 emissions when in Comfort mode. Those are even better numbers than the i8 that is rated at 2.1 l/100 km (112 mpg).
BMW EfficientDynamics and ConnectedDrive working together
Trying to create the best possible mix, BMW looked beyond the power train when creating this car. They adapted the navigation system to the car’s transmission so that when the car reaches a hill or a traffic jam, it knows before hand and prepares the optimum gear to make sure the least amount of fuel is burned. We explained that technology some time back in a full cover story.
Apart from that, there’s also an intelligent energy management system on board that controls the power train and allows you to charge up your car’s battery on the go.
You get to choose between different plug-in hybrid modes. Going into MAX eDrive you drive with zero emissions, using the car’s stored energy to zoom around town. You can also go into SAVE Battery mode where the 3er will be charging its battery. The process takes place even faster if the battery is under 50 percent.
This way, you can charge your battery outside town to make sure you go around in it with zero emissions. It’s going to be particularly good for megacities, where a combustion tax might be quite pricy.
For now, things are looking good and BMW claims that the same technology will be used throughout all of its brands in the future, including M cars and MINIs. Until we get the final numbers, we should all take all this news about our ‘electrified’ future with a grain of salt.
UPDATE: BMW released a full set of photos of their 3 Series LCI Plug-In Hybrid Prototype and its drivetrain. We attached them all in the photo gallery below.
$99 HP Stream 7 is The Black Friday 2014 Deal To Get Now
$99 HP Stream 7 is The Black Friday 2014 Deal To Get Now
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
Forget expensively priced Windows 8 tablets with large screens that are great for productivity, but make enjoying media and reading booms a bit of a hassle. The HP Stream 7 is an Intel-powered Windows 8 tablet that’s available for just $99 as a part of Microsoft’s Black Friday 2014 deals.
Microsoft began selling the HP Stream 7 shortly after it first teased its Black Friday 2014 deals. Users buying the $99 HP Stream 7 are getting a pretty decent Windows 8 tablet for watching videos, reading books and browsing the internet.
The HP Stream 7 has a 7-inch display as its name suggests. Inside is an Intel Atom quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Users can add more storage using a MicroSD card just like they can with other tablets and even smartphones. There are only two ports on the entire device, a single MicroUSB 2.0 port and a headphone jack. There are both a front-facing and rear-facing camera, though neither one of them are going to be up to current smartphone standards. The rear-facing camera is only capable of 2 megapixel shots.
All in all it’s a great entertainment tablet for anyone who’s looking for one. Battery with such as HP WQ001AA Battery, HP HSTNN-DB1U Battery, HP HSTNN-IBOI Battery, HP Envy 15 Battery, HP Envy 14 Battery, HP LF246AA Battery, HP Pavilion dv9005 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB81 Battery, HP 504610-001 Battery, HP HSTNN-IB99 Battery, HP Envy 13 Battery, HP Pavilion ZD8000 Batterylife is about 8 hours. Where the HP Stream 7 pulls away from the competition is in productivity extras. Running Windows 8 and having an Intel processor inside gives the HP Stream 7 powers not even Microsoft’s own Surface 2 tablet has. Apps can be installed from the Windows Store, but users can also deep dive into the Desktop and install apps they’re familiar with like iTunes and Windows Media Player. HP Stream 7 buyers would also be able to install the Desktop version of Microsoft Office if that were necessary.
Installing Microsoft Office isn’t necessary though because The HP Stream 7 comes with a free year of Office 365 Personal. Office 365 Personal grants users’ access to the complete Microsoft Office suite of apps. That means HP Stream 7 users can expect to write in Word documents and edit budgets in Excel with no problem.
The HP Stream doesn’t include HDMI video out. Instead, it has Miracast support so that users with a receiver can show things on large displays – like Power Point presentations. Free Skype credit is included in the deal too, which makes using that front-facing camera all the more likely. The HP Stream has Bluetooth, making it possible for users to connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Along with a stand, the HP Stream 7 could also be the most versatile Windows PC being sold as a part of a Black Friday 2014 deal.
Microsoft shook up Windows hardware requirements earlier this year to ensure that PC makers could create tablets like the HP Stream 7. Today, a lot of users have high-end tablets, but at some point cheaper devices will overtake devices like the iPad mini and Surface 2. The trick for Microsoft is balancing low-end specifications and making sure tablets like the HP Stream 7 run smoothly. Most reports indicate that the tablet runs fine. Users may want to limit the amount of Desktop apps they have open though. To be clear, running high-end PC games well isn’t possible either. Typical tablet games like Angry Birds will work just fine.
As this is a Microsoft Signature PC, no extra apps and services that aren’t actually needed are installed at all.
It’s unclear how long Microsoft plans on running this HP Stream 7 Black Friday 2014 deal. As such, it’s probably a good idea to move quickly if you were already planning on purchasing a low-end tablet this holiday season. Microsoft Store offers completely free shipping for orders over $75 during the holiday season.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
Forget expensively priced Windows 8 tablets with large screens that are great for productivity, but make enjoying media and reading booms a bit of a hassle. The HP Stream 7 is an Intel-powered Windows 8 tablet that’s available for just $99 as a part of Microsoft’s Black Friday 2014 deals.
Microsoft began selling the HP Stream 7 shortly after it first teased its Black Friday 2014 deals. Users buying the $99 HP Stream 7 are getting a pretty decent Windows 8 tablet for watching videos, reading books and browsing the internet.
The HP Stream 7 has a 7-inch display as its name suggests. Inside is an Intel Atom quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Users can add more storage using a MicroSD card just like they can with other tablets and even smartphones. There are only two ports on the entire device, a single MicroUSB 2.0 port and a headphone jack. There are both a front-facing and rear-facing camera, though neither one of them are going to be up to current smartphone standards. The rear-facing camera is only capable of 2 megapixel shots.
All in all it’s a great entertainment tablet for anyone who’s looking for one. Battery with such as HP WQ001AA Battery, HP HSTNN-DB1U Battery, HP HSTNN-IBOI Battery, HP Envy 15 Battery, HP Envy 14 Battery, HP LF246AA Battery, HP Pavilion dv9005 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB81 Battery, HP 504610-001 Battery, HP HSTNN-IB99 Battery, HP Envy 13 Battery, HP Pavilion ZD8000 Batterylife is about 8 hours. Where the HP Stream 7 pulls away from the competition is in productivity extras. Running Windows 8 and having an Intel processor inside gives the HP Stream 7 powers not even Microsoft’s own Surface 2 tablet has. Apps can be installed from the Windows Store, but users can also deep dive into the Desktop and install apps they’re familiar with like iTunes and Windows Media Player. HP Stream 7 buyers would also be able to install the Desktop version of Microsoft Office if that were necessary.
Installing Microsoft Office isn’t necessary though because The HP Stream 7 comes with a free year of Office 365 Personal. Office 365 Personal grants users’ access to the complete Microsoft Office suite of apps. That means HP Stream 7 users can expect to write in Word documents and edit budgets in Excel with no problem.
The HP Stream doesn’t include HDMI video out. Instead, it has Miracast support so that users with a receiver can show things on large displays – like Power Point presentations. Free Skype credit is included in the deal too, which makes using that front-facing camera all the more likely. The HP Stream has Bluetooth, making it possible for users to connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Along with a stand, the HP Stream 7 could also be the most versatile Windows PC being sold as a part of a Black Friday 2014 deal.
Microsoft shook up Windows hardware requirements earlier this year to ensure that PC makers could create tablets like the HP Stream 7. Today, a lot of users have high-end tablets, but at some point cheaper devices will overtake devices like the iPad mini and Surface 2. The trick for Microsoft is balancing low-end specifications and making sure tablets like the HP Stream 7 run smoothly. Most reports indicate that the tablet runs fine. Users may want to limit the amount of Desktop apps they have open though. To be clear, running high-end PC games well isn’t possible either. Typical tablet games like Angry Birds will work just fine.
As this is a Microsoft Signature PC, no extra apps and services that aren’t actually needed are installed at all.
It’s unclear how long Microsoft plans on running this HP Stream 7 Black Friday 2014 deal. As such, it’s probably a good idea to move quickly if you were already planning on purchasing a low-end tablet this holiday season. Microsoft Store offers completely free shipping for orders over $75 during the holiday season.
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
How To Get The Best Battery Life From Your Laptop
How To Get The Best Battery Life From Your Laptop
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
Take a look at our top tips for getting the most life out of your notebook off the plug; we review everything from screen brightness to wireless card usage.
Reduce Your Screen Brightness
The most notable consumer of power in a notebook computer is the screen. Notebook makers have alleviated this somewhat in recent years by switching from CCFL backlighting units to LED, but the fact remains.
First, here’s how to adjust your screen brightness in Windows 7 and 8/8.1:
•In the system Tray, click the power plug/battery with such as HP NZ374AA Battery, HP HSTNN-DB90 Battery, HP HSTNN-DB91 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB92 Battery, HP GJ655AA Battery, HP HSTNN-IB52 Battery, HP RW557AA Battery, HP HSTNN-IB45 Battery, HP BQ352AA Battery, HP ProBook 5310m Battery, HP KU530AA Battery, HP 500014-001 Batteryicon
•When the pop-up appears, click More power options
•The next screen will show you the available power plans; the one that’s currently selected will be bolded. Click the Change plan settings link next to it
•Now you’re looking at settings specific to your current power plan. The power plan has different settings depending on whether you’re using AC power or on battery. Move the Adjust plan brightness slider to the desired position for On battery mode and then click the Save changes button to apply your settings.
We suggest you begin by moving the slider all the way to the left (minimum brightness) for the On battery settings and moving it up bit by bit until it’s comfortable. Remember to keep the brightness as low as you can because even reducing screen brightness by 10 percent can significantly extend how long your notebook lasts unplugged.
One brightness setting will not fit all situations; you may have to increase the brightness in a sunlit room to make the screen usable, for example.
For the best results, consider setting up your own customized power plan using our guide here.
Avoid Resource-Intensive Activities
Two other leading consumers of electric power in a notebook computer are the processor (CPU; Central Processing Unit) and the graphics card (GPU; Graphics Processing Unit). The processors and graphics cards used in notebook computers are specially designed to be most efficient at lower power states; they can throttle back their operating frequency (GHz) and voltage to very low levels. They’re only able to do this however when the user is not running strenuous activities that require significant processing power. Strenuous activities include but aren’t limited to the following:
•Photo and video editing
•Playing video games including 3D and Flash/browser-based games
•Playing video, especially HD
The CPU and/or GPU will use more power while performing the activities above. Here are examples of activities that require very little processing power for modern computers:
•Web browsing (standard; non-Flash-based websites)
•Word processing
•Music playback
In other words, try to plan what you’re going to do on your notebook in advance while on battery.
budget laptop offers good value for less than £350
budget laptop offers good value for less than £350
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
Toshiba has been showing off a bit recently, introducing new models such as its stylish Kira Ultrabook, and the thoroughly over-the-top 4K display of its P50 laptop. However, the company still tends to focus most of its efforts on what it calls the 'value' end of the market, and its new C50 is a good budget laptop for anyone on a really tight budget. (See also: 20 best budget laptops of 2014.)
Prices for the C50 range start at just £229 for a model with a Celeron processor, but even this top-of-the-range C50-B-IIL comes in at just under £350 with an i3 processor running at 1.8GHz, 4GB memory and 750GB hard disk. That's a decent specification for a laptop in this price range, even if the Ivy Bridge i3 doesn't have a turboboost option to enhance performance. Its score of 2160 points in the general-purpose PCMark 7 isn't bad at all for an i3 that is only backed-up by a 5400rpm hard drive. The Home and Work Suites in PCMark 8 also produced entry-level scores of 1883 and 2240 points respectively. But, to be fair, we've seen similar scores from other budget laptops with like HP WY165AA Battery, HP 619438-001 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB53 Battery, HP KU528AA Battery, HP HSTNN-IB64 Battery, HP Pavilion DV3000 Battery, HP BQ350AA Battery, HP HSTNN-IB82 Battery, HP Pavilion dv3 Battery, HP NB801AA Battery, HP NU089AA Battery, HP HSTNN-OB93 Batterycosting £100 more than this, so the C50 performs quite respectably for a laptop in this price range.
It's no speed demon, of course, but when using the Windows 8 fast-start option the C50 boots into the Start screen in a relatively snappy 20 seconds. We were also pleased to see that it was ready to start launching applications straight away, with there's no thumb-twiddling or cursor-spinning while it got itself together. It'll handle routine web browsing and work in Microsoft Office perfectly well, so it gets all the basics right for a budget laptop. (See all Ultrabooks reviews.)
In fact, there are few obvious signs of compromise in the C50 at all. The 1366x768 resolution is perfectly acceptable at this price, and the 15.6-inch display provides a bright, detailed image that worked well in our streaming video tests. The horizontal viewing angles are very respectable – close to 150-degrees – with the only weakness being the more limited vertical viewing angle. The brightness of the screen drops off quite quickly even if you push it back just a couple of inches, so you might need to nudge the screen occasionally in order to improve visibility. The speakers are also a bit of a disappointment, sounding quite thin and lifeless, so you'll want to use headphones or a set of external speakers for listening to music.
Build quality is quite good, though. The plastic case has a bit of a cheap-and-cheerful feel to it, but seems sturdy enough to cope with life in a backpack. It won't break your back either, as Toshiba has managed to reduce the weight of the C50 to just 2.2kg. That's well below average for a 15-inch laptop that has a built-in DVD drive, so you should be able to carry it down to a coffee shop for a spot of wifi browsing without too much trouble.
The C50 even managed quite respectable battery life. We weren't expecting its Ivy Bridge processor to last very long, but it actually managed to nudge just past 5.5 hours (333 minutes) in our streaming video tests, so you should easily get six hours or more if you're not using wifi all the time. The only thing it can't really handle is 3D gaming, as the C50 could only manage 21fps when running our Stalker casual gaming test at 1366x768 resolution. (See also: What's the best laptop you can buy in 2014?)
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
Toshiba has been showing off a bit recently, introducing new models such as its stylish Kira Ultrabook, and the thoroughly over-the-top 4K display of its P50 laptop. However, the company still tends to focus most of its efforts on what it calls the 'value' end of the market, and its new C50 is a good budget laptop for anyone on a really tight budget. (See also: 20 best budget laptops of 2014.)
Prices for the C50 range start at just £229 for a model with a Celeron processor, but even this top-of-the-range C50-B-IIL comes in at just under £350 with an i3 processor running at 1.8GHz, 4GB memory and 750GB hard disk. That's a decent specification for a laptop in this price range, even if the Ivy Bridge i3 doesn't have a turboboost option to enhance performance. Its score of 2160 points in the general-purpose PCMark 7 isn't bad at all for an i3 that is only backed-up by a 5400rpm hard drive. The Home and Work Suites in PCMark 8 also produced entry-level scores of 1883 and 2240 points respectively. But, to be fair, we've seen similar scores from other budget laptops with like HP WY165AA Battery, HP 619438-001 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB53 Battery, HP KU528AA Battery, HP HSTNN-IB64 Battery, HP Pavilion DV3000 Battery, HP BQ350AA Battery, HP HSTNN-IB82 Battery, HP Pavilion dv3 Battery, HP NB801AA Battery, HP NU089AA Battery, HP HSTNN-OB93 Batterycosting £100 more than this, so the C50 performs quite respectably for a laptop in this price range.
It's no speed demon, of course, but when using the Windows 8 fast-start option the C50 boots into the Start screen in a relatively snappy 20 seconds. We were also pleased to see that it was ready to start launching applications straight away, with there's no thumb-twiddling or cursor-spinning while it got itself together. It'll handle routine web browsing and work in Microsoft Office perfectly well, so it gets all the basics right for a budget laptop. (See all Ultrabooks reviews.)
In fact, there are few obvious signs of compromise in the C50 at all. The 1366x768 resolution is perfectly acceptable at this price, and the 15.6-inch display provides a bright, detailed image that worked well in our streaming video tests. The horizontal viewing angles are very respectable – close to 150-degrees – with the only weakness being the more limited vertical viewing angle. The brightness of the screen drops off quite quickly even if you push it back just a couple of inches, so you might need to nudge the screen occasionally in order to improve visibility. The speakers are also a bit of a disappointment, sounding quite thin and lifeless, so you'll want to use headphones or a set of external speakers for listening to music.
Build quality is quite good, though. The plastic case has a bit of a cheap-and-cheerful feel to it, but seems sturdy enough to cope with life in a backpack. It won't break your back either, as Toshiba has managed to reduce the weight of the C50 to just 2.2kg. That's well below average for a 15-inch laptop that has a built-in DVD drive, so you should be able to carry it down to a coffee shop for a spot of wifi browsing without too much trouble.
The C50 even managed quite respectable battery life. We weren't expecting its Ivy Bridge processor to last very long, but it actually managed to nudge just past 5.5 hours (333 minutes) in our streaming video tests, so you should easily get six hours or more if you're not using wifi all the time. The only thing it can't really handle is 3D gaming, as the C50 could only manage 21fps when running our Stalker casual gaming test at 1366x768 resolution. (See also: What's the best laptop you can buy in 2014?)
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Have Microsoft’s Surface Pro vs. MacBook Air TV ads worked?
Have Microsoft’s Surface Pro vs. MacBook Air TV ads worked?
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
I have been watching the current crop of Microsoft’s TV ads that pit the Surface Pro against a MacBook Air with great interest. They also have one that shows the Lenovo Yoga vs. a MacBook Air although the majority of the ones I have seen in the last few weeks highlighted the Surface Pro. At the very least, these ads are clever. However, has it actually swayed any prospective MacBook buyers to switch to the Surface Pro?
It is probably too early to tell if there is many switchers but if you look at the channel numbers for MacBook’s in general and the MacBook Air specifically, it does not seem to have had any impact as of yet. In fact, Apple with like HP HSTNN-IB39 Battery, HP 438518-001 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB77 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB84 Battery, HP KU531AA Battery, HP HSTNN-XB69 Battery, HP AH547AA Battery, HP 454668-001 Battery, HP PB995A Battery, HP EG415AA Battery, HP Compaq 417066-001 Battery, HP Compaq EV088AA Batterysaw demand for Mac’s go up about 1 million more units in the last quarter over the same time period a year ago and their laptops had the bulk of this growth. My friend Walt Mossberg over at Re/code just did a great piece entitled “The Mac’s Second Act-From Obscurity to Ubiquity” which highlights the fact Macs can be seen everywhere these days and seem to outnumber Windows PCs in a lot of places.
This is especially true on college campuses. I recently spoke to a large class in which every student had a laptop on the desk in front of him or her. Of the 100 or so students in the room, I only saw two Windows laptops — the rest were Macs. I also observed something similar when on a long plane ride recently. As I walked back to the restrooms in the rear of the plane I counted how many people where using laptops. Of the 33 people using them, 25 were Macs.
Just a short 15 years ago, Windows PCs and laptops dominated the marketplace and Macs were rarely seen outside of schools and some graphically focused businesses. Today they are everywhere. They are even the dominant laptop used in TV shows and even if they cover up the Apple Logo, Apple’s designs are so unique you know they are using a Mac as part of a TV show prop. To be clear, Mac’s represent only 6% of the PC market and Windows PCs still dominate the overall market. But what Apple has achieved with the Mac is really incredible given the fact Macs have premium pricing over PCs and yet they still sell in big numbers.
The product that really pushed Mac sales forward is the MacBook Air. In fact, Mossberg states, “Now I believe it’s the best line of computers on the market, and I consider one model in particular — the thin, light and rugged MacBook Air — to be the best consumer laptop ever made.” In fact, the MacBook Air has become the gold standard in laptops and all PC vendors are innovating around this same basic design. Of course, Apple has the advantage of controlling the entire ecosystem of hardware, software and services, while the OEMs who are trying to design competitive laptops have to use Windows, which is the same OS on every PC model shipped, which makes it hard for these OEMs to actually differentiate at the OS and UI level.
Trying to compare a Surface Pro to a MacBook Air is challenging at best for Microsoft and their partners. While highlighting the touch screen and tablet angle is valid, our research shows most people want the clamshell design of laptops and, for many, the MacBook is the best they can buy. In fact, this highlights one of Microsoft and Intel’s overall challenges when it comes to what they call 2 in 1’s or convertibles.
I recently had a meeting with top officials in one of the major PC companies and asked them about their position on 2 in 1’s and convertibles. They told me they believe they need to have one or two models of these designs in their overall line up but the majority of what they will create and bring to market will still be clamshell based. They pointed out they are not seeing any real demand for these in IT yet and only slight interest by consumers. One reason the interest in something like Surface Pro is low is because of its price. They are two to three times the price of a cheap laptop.
Unless the Surface Pro is targeted at field service or as a replacement for those who use clipboards, I believe IT interest will continue to be soft at least for the 2 in 1 detachable. Lenovo tells me they have actually done well with their Yoga convertibles, especially in enterprise accounts, however it is still a minority when it comes to the total number of clamshell laptops they ship each year.
It will be interesting to see if these ads will have any impact on MacBook Air sales this holiday season but my gut sense is it will not have any impact at all. In fact, I believe Apple will have its largest quarter ever, which includes record sales in iPhones and Macs, with MacBooks continuing to be the lion’s share of Macs sold during the calendar 4Q for Apple.
If so, Microsoft is about to waste a lot of money on ads targeting the MacBook Air this holiday season.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Compaq Laptop Battery
I have been watching the current crop of Microsoft’s TV ads that pit the Surface Pro against a MacBook Air with great interest. They also have one that shows the Lenovo Yoga vs. a MacBook Air although the majority of the ones I have seen in the last few weeks highlighted the Surface Pro. At the very least, these ads are clever. However, has it actually swayed any prospective MacBook buyers to switch to the Surface Pro?
It is probably too early to tell if there is many switchers but if you look at the channel numbers for MacBook’s in general and the MacBook Air specifically, it does not seem to have had any impact as of yet. In fact, Apple with like HP HSTNN-IB39 Battery, HP 438518-001 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB77 Battery, HP HSTNN-OB84 Battery, HP KU531AA Battery, HP HSTNN-XB69 Battery, HP AH547AA Battery, HP 454668-001 Battery, HP PB995A Battery, HP EG415AA Battery, HP Compaq 417066-001 Battery, HP Compaq EV088AA Batterysaw demand for Mac’s go up about 1 million more units in the last quarter over the same time period a year ago and their laptops had the bulk of this growth. My friend Walt Mossberg over at Re/code just did a great piece entitled “The Mac’s Second Act-From Obscurity to Ubiquity” which highlights the fact Macs can be seen everywhere these days and seem to outnumber Windows PCs in a lot of places.
This is especially true on college campuses. I recently spoke to a large class in which every student had a laptop on the desk in front of him or her. Of the 100 or so students in the room, I only saw two Windows laptops — the rest were Macs. I also observed something similar when on a long plane ride recently. As I walked back to the restrooms in the rear of the plane I counted how many people where using laptops. Of the 33 people using them, 25 were Macs.
Just a short 15 years ago, Windows PCs and laptops dominated the marketplace and Macs were rarely seen outside of schools and some graphically focused businesses. Today they are everywhere. They are even the dominant laptop used in TV shows and even if they cover up the Apple Logo, Apple’s designs are so unique you know they are using a Mac as part of a TV show prop. To be clear, Mac’s represent only 6% of the PC market and Windows PCs still dominate the overall market. But what Apple has achieved with the Mac is really incredible given the fact Macs have premium pricing over PCs and yet they still sell in big numbers.
The product that really pushed Mac sales forward is the MacBook Air. In fact, Mossberg states, “Now I believe it’s the best line of computers on the market, and I consider one model in particular — the thin, light and rugged MacBook Air — to be the best consumer laptop ever made.” In fact, the MacBook Air has become the gold standard in laptops and all PC vendors are innovating around this same basic design. Of course, Apple has the advantage of controlling the entire ecosystem of hardware, software and services, while the OEMs who are trying to design competitive laptops have to use Windows, which is the same OS on every PC model shipped, which makes it hard for these OEMs to actually differentiate at the OS and UI level.
Trying to compare a Surface Pro to a MacBook Air is challenging at best for Microsoft and their partners. While highlighting the touch screen and tablet angle is valid, our research shows most people want the clamshell design of laptops and, for many, the MacBook is the best they can buy. In fact, this highlights one of Microsoft and Intel’s overall challenges when it comes to what they call 2 in 1’s or convertibles.
I recently had a meeting with top officials in one of the major PC companies and asked them about their position on 2 in 1’s and convertibles. They told me they believe they need to have one or two models of these designs in their overall line up but the majority of what they will create and bring to market will still be clamshell based. They pointed out they are not seeing any real demand for these in IT yet and only slight interest by consumers. One reason the interest in something like Surface Pro is low is because of its price. They are two to three times the price of a cheap laptop.
Unless the Surface Pro is targeted at field service or as a replacement for those who use clipboards, I believe IT interest will continue to be soft at least for the 2 in 1 detachable. Lenovo tells me they have actually done well with their Yoga convertibles, especially in enterprise accounts, however it is still a minority when it comes to the total number of clamshell laptops they ship each year.
It will be interesting to see if these ads will have any impact on MacBook Air sales this holiday season but my gut sense is it will not have any impact at all. In fact, I believe Apple will have its largest quarter ever, which includes record sales in iPhones and Macs, with MacBooks continuing to be the lion’s share of Macs sold during the calendar 4Q for Apple.
If so, Microsoft is about to waste a lot of money on ads targeting the MacBook Air this holiday season.
Amazon slashes Lenovo Flex 2 14-inch touchscreen laptop price
Amazon slashes Lenovo Flex 2 14-inch touchscreen laptop price
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Is $649.99 a good price to pay for the Lenovo Flex 2 14-inch (59435728) touchscreen laptop with resolution of 1366×768? Well, its reasonable but not great to be fair and this is why Amazon has decided to slash the price by $150.00 (23%).
Amazon is now selling the Lenovo Flex 2 for only $499.99 with free shipping, and this laptop model number (59435728) is both tablet and laptop rolled into one. The 14-inch LED HD 10-point multi-touch screen can flip 300 degrees so that you can use the keyboard when you want, or simply turn it into a fully fledged tablet.
Laptop on your lap, table ir desk one minutes and then the next you can sit it on your lap in tablet form or use the stand mode to be social with others. Other main features include 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB DDR3 RAM, 7-hour battery with such as Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 Battery, Lenovo 57Y6440 Battery, Lenovo 121000918 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y650 Battery, Lenovo L08S6T13 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y650A Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S10 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S10E Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S9 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S12 Battery, Lenovo L08S6C21 Battery, Lenovo 45K2176 Batterylife, Windows 8.1 operating system and 500 GB hard drive.
There is no need to wait for Amazon Black Friday even though there are some amazing deals coming, you can but the Flex 2 14-inch (59435728) touchscreen laptop right now for only $499.99 instead of paying $649.99. Please do remember that the AccuType keyboard on this laptop does NOT come with a backlight.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Is $649.99 a good price to pay for the Lenovo Flex 2 14-inch (59435728) touchscreen laptop with resolution of 1366×768? Well, its reasonable but not great to be fair and this is why Amazon has decided to slash the price by $150.00 (23%).
Amazon is now selling the Lenovo Flex 2 for only $499.99 with free shipping, and this laptop model number (59435728) is both tablet and laptop rolled into one. The 14-inch LED HD 10-point multi-touch screen can flip 300 degrees so that you can use the keyboard when you want, or simply turn it into a fully fledged tablet.
Laptop on your lap, table ir desk one minutes and then the next you can sit it on your lap in tablet form or use the stand mode to be social with others. Other main features include 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB DDR3 RAM, 7-hour battery with such as Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 Battery, Lenovo 57Y6440 Battery, Lenovo 121000918 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y650 Battery, Lenovo L08S6T13 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y650A Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S10 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S10E Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S9 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S12 Battery, Lenovo L08S6C21 Battery, Lenovo 45K2176 Batterylife, Windows 8.1 operating system and 500 GB hard drive.
There is no need to wait for Amazon Black Friday even though there are some amazing deals coming, you can but the Flex 2 14-inch (59435728) touchscreen laptop right now for only $499.99 instead of paying $649.99. Please do remember that the AccuType keyboard on this laptop does NOT come with a backlight.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Lenovo Thinkpad lithium-ion battery recall
Lenovo Thinkpad lithium-ion battery recall
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo recalls Thinkpad notebook batteries
Lenovo has issued a product recall notice concerning their Thinkpad notebooks. It concerns lithium-ion batteries supplied with the notebooks shipped worldwide between October 2010 and April 2011. The batteries were also supplied as optional or replacement batteries. The following models are said to be affected:
•ThinkPad T410, T420, T510, W510, X100E, X120E, X200, X201, X201s Series
•Edge 11, Edge 13, and Edge 14 Series
•Option P/Ns 43R9255, 51J0500, 57Y4186, 57Y4564, 57Y4565, 57Y4625, 57Y4559, 43R9254, 0A36277
The initial recall was made in March 2014. Lenovo states that the lithium-ion batteries may overheat, potentially creating a risk of fire. The manufacturer is asking owners to turn off the system, remove the battery, and only power the notebook with battery like Lenovo 57Y6309 Battery, Lenovo L09S6D21 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U550 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y450 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y550 Battery, Lenovo 55Y2054 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad W700 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad W701ds Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4655 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4518 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Battery, Lenovo 43R1965 Batteryby plugging in the AC adapter and power cord. If you think you may be affected by this recall you should visit the recall page.
Leigh Day and faulty consumer products
Specialist consumer safety solicitors at Leigh Day have extensive experience of dealing with claims relating to house fires caused by defective consumer products which have resulted in personal injury and loss of property. The product liability team has been recognised as the UK’s leading firm in this area for many years by the Legal 500 and Chambers guide to the legal profession and has successfully secured compensation for clients who have been injured by faulty consumer white goods such as fridge freezers, fridges, faulty medical devices and drugs. To speak to a member of the team please contact Jill Paterson on 020 7650 1283 now for a free and friendly initial consultation.
Information was correct at time of publishing. See terms and conditions for further details.
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Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo recalls Thinkpad notebook batteries
Lenovo has issued a product recall notice concerning their Thinkpad notebooks. It concerns lithium-ion batteries supplied with the notebooks shipped worldwide between October 2010 and April 2011. The batteries were also supplied as optional or replacement batteries. The following models are said to be affected:
•ThinkPad T410, T420, T510, W510, X100E, X120E, X200, X201, X201s Series
•Edge 11, Edge 13, and Edge 14 Series
•Option P/Ns 43R9255, 51J0500, 57Y4186, 57Y4564, 57Y4565, 57Y4625, 57Y4559, 43R9254, 0A36277
The initial recall was made in March 2014. Lenovo states that the lithium-ion batteries may overheat, potentially creating a risk of fire. The manufacturer is asking owners to turn off the system, remove the battery, and only power the notebook with battery like Lenovo 57Y6309 Battery, Lenovo L09S6D21 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U550 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y450 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y550 Battery, Lenovo 55Y2054 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad W700 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad W701ds Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4655 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4518 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Battery, Lenovo 43R1965 Batteryby plugging in the AC adapter and power cord. If you think you may be affected by this recall you should visit the recall page.
Leigh Day and faulty consumer products
Specialist consumer safety solicitors at Leigh Day have extensive experience of dealing with claims relating to house fires caused by defective consumer products which have resulted in personal injury and loss of property. The product liability team has been recognised as the UK’s leading firm in this area for many years by the Legal 500 and Chambers guide to the legal profession and has successfully secured compensation for clients who have been injured by faulty consumer white goods such as fridge freezers, fridges, faulty medical devices and drugs. To speak to a member of the team please contact Jill Paterson on 020 7650 1283 now for a free and friendly initial consultation.
Information was correct at time of publishing. See terms and conditions for further details.
Share this page: Facebook Twitter Share on google_plusone_shareShare on linkedinPrint this page
Lenovo N20p Chromebook review
Lenovo N20p Chromebook review
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo was not among the first computer makers to embrace Google’s Chrome OS. The company chose to test the waters tentatively with an education model, rather than dive in with a full consumer release. Now that Chromebooks have caught on, the company has decided not to just hop on the bandwagon, but to fight for the reigns as well. Today, Lenovo offers a handful of Chromebooks, which is a huge sign of commitment.
The $330 Lenovo N20p is the least expensive Chromebook that the company currently offers. While the price may seem low, it’s a lot for a Chromebook. The most affordable alternative, for example, is Acer’s Chromebook 11, which starts at $200. Lenovo is often very competitive on price, but in this case, it’s aiming for the more expensive end of the market.
Selling something at a premium means that premium features must be added, of course, so the N20p packs impressive hardware with battery such as Lenovo 57Y6528 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4585 Battery, Lenovo L08L6C02 Battery, Lenovo 3000 G430 Battery, Lenovo 3000 G530 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Z360 Battery, Lenovo 51J0500 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4801 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4819 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad W510 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad SL510 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad SL410 Battery. The processor inside is an Intel Celeron chip with a base clock of 2.16GHz, the display supports 10-point multi-touch, and the hinge rotates 300 degrees to enable touchscreen-only use. The N20p also includes a 16GB SSD, and 2GB of memory.
Can these features justify spending up to $130 more than you would on a competing Chromebook? Let’s have a look.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo was not among the first computer makers to embrace Google’s Chrome OS. The company chose to test the waters tentatively with an education model, rather than dive in with a full consumer release. Now that Chromebooks have caught on, the company has decided not to just hop on the bandwagon, but to fight for the reigns as well. Today, Lenovo offers a handful of Chromebooks, which is a huge sign of commitment.
The $330 Lenovo N20p is the least expensive Chromebook that the company currently offers. While the price may seem low, it’s a lot for a Chromebook. The most affordable alternative, for example, is Acer’s Chromebook 11, which starts at $200. Lenovo is often very competitive on price, but in this case, it’s aiming for the more expensive end of the market.
Selling something at a premium means that premium features must be added, of course, so the N20p packs impressive hardware with battery such as Lenovo 57Y6528 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4585 Battery, Lenovo L08L6C02 Battery, Lenovo 3000 G430 Battery, Lenovo 3000 G530 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Z360 Battery, Lenovo 51J0500 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4801 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4819 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad W510 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad SL510 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad SL410 Battery. The processor inside is an Intel Celeron chip with a base clock of 2.16GHz, the display supports 10-point multi-touch, and the hinge rotates 300 degrees to enable touchscreen-only use. The N20p also includes a 16GB SSD, and 2GB of memory.
Can these features justify spending up to $130 more than you would on a competing Chromebook? Let’s have a look.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Lenovo Vibe X2 vs Micromax Canvas 4 Plus A315
Lenovo Vibe X2 vs Micromax Canvas 4 Plus A315
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo launched Vibe 2 in India last week at a price of Rs 19,999. Today it launched the phone on Flipkart at the same price. Lenovo with its new launch has entered into a tough competition with India’s most used smart phones in India. With competitive price, high end features, stylish finishing, the phone is no less when compared to top rated phones which will fit the same budget of 10,000 to 20,000. Read: Lenovo launches Lenovo Vibe X2; world’s first layered smartphone
Vibe X2 has a 5 inch HD screen and is powered with a MediaTek MT6595m system on chip with a 2GHz octa-core processor coupled with 2GB RAM. The phone lets you support lot of data with 32 GB. Lenovo Vibe X2 is also described as the first smart phone with a tri-layered design. It is supported by Android 4.4 KitKat OS
It has Vibe UI 2.0 skin on top and also has a micro SIM as well as a nano SIM slot. The 13 MP camera lets you click amazing images and selfies with clarity with a 5MP front camera. 2300mAh battery with like Lenovo 43R9252 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4656 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U350W Battery, Lenovo 57Y6352 Battery, Lenovo L09N8P01 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4690 Battery, Lenovo 51J0497 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad T410s Battery, Lenovo 45K2221 Battery, Lenovo L08S6D01 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y430 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad V450a Batteryis feature that will let your battery stay live for long. On the connectivity end, the phone supports 4G LTE, Wi-fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth and GPS. The phone comes in colors of white, red, gold and dark grey.
Here is a comparison of Lenovo Vibe X2 with other phones within the same budget and features.
LG G3 Stylus has a 0.5 longer screen size than Lenovo Vibe X2. On the memory again Vibe tops with G3 having 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt memory. While both share 13 MP primary camera, G3 has 1.3 MP while Vibe X2 has 5 MP camera. The phone gives a better battery life with 3000mAh at Rs 19,499. It also has an additional feature of stylus hence called LG G3 stylus. The phone also comes with 3G connectivity and pre installed Android 4.4. The phone comes in the colors of black, white and gold.
Huawei Honor 6 H60-L04 comes with an operating system of Android 4.4. It also has a Micro SIM as well as single SIM type. This phone has an amazing internal memory of 16 GB and is expandable upto 64 GB which is two times of what X2 supports. It has the same clarity camera with 13 MP primary camera and 5 MP front camera. Another notable feature of the camera is the 3100mAh battery at Rs 19,999
This phone priced at Rs 14,900 has a battery of 2300 mAh. This one again share a camera of 13MP primary camera with LED flash , auto focus and 5MP front facing camera. It has a screen size of 5-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 1200 x 720 pixels resolution and 16M color support. It comes with a operating system of Android v4.4.2 KitKat operating system with 1.7GHz MT6592 Tru octa core processor. The phone comes with a native memory of 1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory expandable up to 32GB and dual SIM (GSM+GSM). Compared to the tow phones earlier, this phone has 2000mAH lithium-ion battery providing talk-time of 7 hours and standby time of 205 hours.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo launched Vibe 2 in India last week at a price of Rs 19,999. Today it launched the phone on Flipkart at the same price. Lenovo with its new launch has entered into a tough competition with India’s most used smart phones in India. With competitive price, high end features, stylish finishing, the phone is no less when compared to top rated phones which will fit the same budget of 10,000 to 20,000. Read: Lenovo launches Lenovo Vibe X2; world’s first layered smartphone
Vibe X2 has a 5 inch HD screen and is powered with a MediaTek MT6595m system on chip with a 2GHz octa-core processor coupled with 2GB RAM. The phone lets you support lot of data with 32 GB. Lenovo Vibe X2 is also described as the first smart phone with a tri-layered design. It is supported by Android 4.4 KitKat OS
It has Vibe UI 2.0 skin on top and also has a micro SIM as well as a nano SIM slot. The 13 MP camera lets you click amazing images and selfies with clarity with a 5MP front camera. 2300mAh battery with like Lenovo 43R9252 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4656 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U350W Battery, Lenovo 57Y6352 Battery, Lenovo L09N8P01 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4690 Battery, Lenovo 51J0497 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad T410s Battery, Lenovo 45K2221 Battery, Lenovo L08S6D01 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y430 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad V450a Batteryis feature that will let your battery stay live for long. On the connectivity end, the phone supports 4G LTE, Wi-fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth and GPS. The phone comes in colors of white, red, gold and dark grey.
Here is a comparison of Lenovo Vibe X2 with other phones within the same budget and features.
LG G3 Stylus has a 0.5 longer screen size than Lenovo Vibe X2. On the memory again Vibe tops with G3 having 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt memory. While both share 13 MP primary camera, G3 has 1.3 MP while Vibe X2 has 5 MP camera. The phone gives a better battery life with 3000mAh at Rs 19,499. It also has an additional feature of stylus hence called LG G3 stylus. The phone also comes with 3G connectivity and pre installed Android 4.4. The phone comes in the colors of black, white and gold.
Huawei Honor 6 H60-L04 comes with an operating system of Android 4.4. It also has a Micro SIM as well as single SIM type. This phone has an amazing internal memory of 16 GB and is expandable upto 64 GB which is two times of what X2 supports. It has the same clarity camera with 13 MP primary camera and 5 MP front camera. Another notable feature of the camera is the 3100mAh battery at Rs 19,999
This phone priced at Rs 14,900 has a battery of 2300 mAh. This one again share a camera of 13MP primary camera with LED flash , auto focus and 5MP front facing camera. It has a screen size of 5-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 1200 x 720 pixels resolution and 16M color support. It comes with a operating system of Android v4.4.2 KitKat operating system with 1.7GHz MT6592 Tru octa core processor. The phone comes with a native memory of 1GB RAM, 16GB internal memory expandable up to 32GB and dual SIM (GSM+GSM). Compared to the tow phones earlier, this phone has 2000mAH lithium-ion battery providing talk-time of 7 hours and standby time of 205 hours.
Is It Good for Business?
Is It Good for Business?
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo's latest ultraportable laptop is a sleek, flexible work machine. In fact, it's thinner and lighter than Apple's 13-inch (33 centimeters) MacBook Air, making it one of the most portable laptop computers around. Plus, it packs a super-sharp display and a powerful processor, and it lives up to the Yoga name with a design that folds back so you can use the laptop like a tablet. But the device isn't perfect, as it has an unimpressive battery life and a hefty price tag. Check out a full review of the Yoga 3 Pro at our sister site Laptop Mag, or read on for a quick breakdown of the device's pros and cons for business with battery such as Lenovo ThinkPad X200t Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad X201t Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4658 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4651 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad SL300 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 Battery, Lenovo 45J7706 Battery, Lenovo 3000 Y500 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y730a Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4542 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad X200s Battery, Lenovo 43R9255 Battery.
Pros:
•Flexible design: Yoga laptops get the name from their flexible hinge, which lets you use the machine like a typical laptop computer for productivity, or fold the display back a full 180 degrees to use the device as a large tablet. You can also fold the screen back 90 degrees to prop it up in display mode, which is handy for business presentations.
•Portability: At just 0.5-inches (1.3 cm) thick and 2.6 lbs. (1.2 kilograms), the Yoga 3 Pro is incredibly thin and light, so it won't weigh you down on business trips, or on your daily commute. In comparison, the Yoga 2 Pro is 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) thick and weighs 3 lbs. (1.4 kg), while Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air measures 0.68 inches (1.7 cm) thick and weighs 2.9 lbs. (1.3 kg).
•Efficient processor: The Yoga 3 Pro is extremely snappy for a notebook this thin and light. It runs on Intel's new Core M processor, which provides good speed with a lot less energy and heat than an Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 chip. That helped Lenovo build a thinner, more compact laptop that's still very fast. Other hardware highlights include a brilliant high-res display, and compatibility with Lenovo's desktop dock.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo's latest ultraportable laptop is a sleek, flexible work machine. In fact, it's thinner and lighter than Apple's 13-inch (33 centimeters) MacBook Air, making it one of the most portable laptop computers around. Plus, it packs a super-sharp display and a powerful processor, and it lives up to the Yoga name with a design that folds back so you can use the laptop like a tablet. But the device isn't perfect, as it has an unimpressive battery life and a hefty price tag. Check out a full review of the Yoga 3 Pro at our sister site Laptop Mag, or read on for a quick breakdown of the device's pros and cons for business with battery such as Lenovo ThinkPad X200t Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad X201t Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4658 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4651 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad SL300 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 Battery, Lenovo 45J7706 Battery, Lenovo 3000 Y500 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y730a Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4542 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad X200s Battery, Lenovo 43R9255 Battery.
Pros:
•Flexible design: Yoga laptops get the name from their flexible hinge, which lets you use the machine like a typical laptop computer for productivity, or fold the display back a full 180 degrees to use the device as a large tablet. You can also fold the screen back 90 degrees to prop it up in display mode, which is handy for business presentations.
•Portability: At just 0.5-inches (1.3 cm) thick and 2.6 lbs. (1.2 kilograms), the Yoga 3 Pro is incredibly thin and light, so it won't weigh you down on business trips, or on your daily commute. In comparison, the Yoga 2 Pro is 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) thick and weighs 3 lbs. (1.4 kg), while Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air measures 0.68 inches (1.7 cm) thick and weighs 2.9 lbs. (1.3 kg).
•Efficient processor: The Yoga 3 Pro is extremely snappy for a notebook this thin and light. It runs on Intel's new Core M processor, which provides good speed with a lot less energy and heat than an Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 chip. That helped Lenovo build a thinner, more compact laptop that's still very fast. Other hardware highlights include a brilliant high-res display, and compatibility with Lenovo's desktop dock.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Lenovo Vibe X2: First Impressions
Lenovo Vibe X2: First Impressions
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo on Thursday launched the Vibe X2 in India at price of Rs. 19,990. The smartphone, which had first debuted at IFA 2014, is exclusive to Flipkart in India and will be available starting Monday, November 10 at 10am IST.
We at NDTV Gadgets got a chance to spend some time with the Lenovo Vibe X2, and these are our first impressions.
The Lenovo Vibe X2 has a unique, colourful 'multi-layered' design, which certainly looks fresh compared to the kind of designs we are used to seeing these days. From the side you can see three stacked layers of different colours, apart from the front, which is black with battery such as Lenovo 40Y8314 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T5206 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T5251 Battery, Lenovo 3000 Y300 Battery, Lenovo 43R1954 Battery, Lenovo L08S6D12 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U330 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y330 Battery, Lenovo 43R1955 Battery, Lenovo 121TS040C Battery, Lenovo 3000 Y410a Battery, Lenovo 3000 Y400 Battery.
Lenovo says that the unibody frame is made of 'Magnesium Alloy' and has a fingerprint-resistant coating. The device feels solid and premium in hand, and the fingerprint problem has indeed been taken
The power key and volume rocker are on the right edge, and the 3.5mm headphone jack is on top. The left edge hosts a SIM card tray that can accommodate one Micro-SIM and one Nano-SIM. The Vibe X2 supports dual standby. Band 3 and band 40 LTE will work in India. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth, and Micro-USB.
The Vibe X2's multi-layered concept extends to enable snap-on accessories called Vibe Xtensions which look like additional layers. At just 5.1mm thin, Lenovo's Vibe X2 Battery can be clipped on to the device just like a cover, to keep it charged.
The second accessory is called Vibe X2 Speaker, a clip-on Bluetooth speaker which can also function as a stand. Interestingly, it includes a battery which the company claims can provide five hours of uninterrupted audio playback.
While the Vibe X2 Battery will be available this month on Flipkart, the Vibe X2 Speaker will come in December, said Lenovo during the launch in New Delhi
The Vibe X2 features a 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920-pixel) IPS screen and runs Android 4.4 KitKat with Vibe UI 2.0. The screen appears very vibrant, but we had a little difficulty with it in bright light outdoors.
Lenovo said during the launch event that it is betting heavily on the Vibe 2.0 UI, as it is intuitive and different from others. We quite like some of the features we were able to see, but Lenovo's improvements need to be examined in depth, which we will do in our full review.
On the camera front, the Vibe X2 has a 13-megapixel autofocus rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. We did test both cameras in outdoor as well as indoor lighting conditions, and they performed decently. (sample image below - click to enlarge)
The Lenovo Vibe X2 is powered by a 2GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6595m processor. It comes with 2GB of RAM and includes 32GB of inbuilt storage. In the battery department, the Vibe X2 uses a non-removable Li-Po 2300mAh battery. According to Lenovo, battery life is the best in its class.
In our limited time with this phone, we felt that it operates smoothly and it could handle multitasking with ease. It will be interesting to see that how Lenovo handles competing devices such as Huawei's Honor 6 (Review | Pictures) which costs the same amount and is buzzing in the market with its octa-core Kirin 920 processor and 3GB of RAM. Do stay tuned for more detailed observations and comprehensive test results in our full review.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo on Thursday launched the Vibe X2 in India at price of Rs. 19,990. The smartphone, which had first debuted at IFA 2014, is exclusive to Flipkart in India and will be available starting Monday, November 10 at 10am IST.
We at NDTV Gadgets got a chance to spend some time with the Lenovo Vibe X2, and these are our first impressions.
The Lenovo Vibe X2 has a unique, colourful 'multi-layered' design, which certainly looks fresh compared to the kind of designs we are used to seeing these days. From the side you can see three stacked layers of different colours, apart from the front, which is black with battery such as Lenovo 40Y8314 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T5206 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T5251 Battery, Lenovo 3000 Y300 Battery, Lenovo 43R1954 Battery, Lenovo L08S6D12 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U330 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Y330 Battery, Lenovo 43R1955 Battery, Lenovo 121TS040C Battery, Lenovo 3000 Y410a Battery, Lenovo 3000 Y400 Battery.
Lenovo says that the unibody frame is made of 'Magnesium Alloy' and has a fingerprint-resistant coating. The device feels solid and premium in hand, and the fingerprint problem has indeed been taken
The power key and volume rocker are on the right edge, and the 3.5mm headphone jack is on top. The left edge hosts a SIM card tray that can accommodate one Micro-SIM and one Nano-SIM. The Vibe X2 supports dual standby. Band 3 and band 40 LTE will work in India. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth, and Micro-USB.
The Vibe X2's multi-layered concept extends to enable snap-on accessories called Vibe Xtensions which look like additional layers. At just 5.1mm thin, Lenovo's Vibe X2 Battery can be clipped on to the device just like a cover, to keep it charged.
The second accessory is called Vibe X2 Speaker, a clip-on Bluetooth speaker which can also function as a stand. Interestingly, it includes a battery which the company claims can provide five hours of uninterrupted audio playback.
While the Vibe X2 Battery will be available this month on Flipkart, the Vibe X2 Speaker will come in December, said Lenovo during the launch in New Delhi
The Vibe X2 features a 5-inch full-HD (1080x1920-pixel) IPS screen and runs Android 4.4 KitKat with Vibe UI 2.0. The screen appears very vibrant, but we had a little difficulty with it in bright light outdoors.
Lenovo said during the launch event that it is betting heavily on the Vibe 2.0 UI, as it is intuitive and different from others. We quite like some of the features we were able to see, but Lenovo's improvements need to be examined in depth, which we will do in our full review.
On the camera front, the Vibe X2 has a 13-megapixel autofocus rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. We did test both cameras in outdoor as well as indoor lighting conditions, and they performed decently. (sample image below - click to enlarge)
The Lenovo Vibe X2 is powered by a 2GHz octa-core MediaTek MT6595m processor. It comes with 2GB of RAM and includes 32GB of inbuilt storage. In the battery department, the Vibe X2 uses a non-removable Li-Po 2300mAh battery. According to Lenovo, battery life is the best in its class.
In our limited time with this phone, we felt that it operates smoothly and it could handle multitasking with ease. It will be interesting to see that how Lenovo handles competing devices such as Huawei's Honor 6 (Review | Pictures) which costs the same amount and is buzzing in the market with its octa-core Kirin 920 processor and 3GB of RAM. Do stay tuned for more detailed observations and comprehensive test results in our full review.
A Tasty Confection with a Few Lumps
A Tasty Confection with a Few Lumps
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo is getting pretty aggressive, with all its most recent products having distinctive personalities. The Vibe X2 is fun and fresh, but it isn't just about superficial appearances. This device packs some impressive hardware under the hood and has a very attractive price too. We're really interesting in seeing what Lenovo has managed to pull off here.
Lenovo might not command the same respect for its phones that it does for desktop and laptop PCs, and is not usually at the top of anyone's mind when it comes to shortlisting an Android device to buy. The company knows this, and has a lot to prove - it badly needs a product that will be a mainstream hit and make people seriously consider buying a Lenovo phone rather than a Samsung or Sony. That's a huge task, and we're curious to see whether the Vibe X2 can be that phone with battery like Lenovo ThinkPad X120e Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4789 Battery, Lenovo 57Y4559 Battery, Lenovo 121001096 Battery, Lenovo 57Y6455 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad G560 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Z570 Battery, Lenovo Thinkpad R400 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad T400 Battery, Lenovo 41U3196 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T5227 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T5264 Battery.
First of all, there are the stripes. The Vibe X2 looks like something that came out of a bakery or chocolatier, not a smartphone factory. Lenovo has clearly tried hard to ensure that its latest launch looks nothing like the black rectangles we usually see everywhere. It's a bold move, and quite a lot of people will buy this phone based on its looks alone while others will take one look at it and wonder if the whole world has gone crazy.
Lenovo calls it gold, but it's actually only the rear layer that's a pale champagne colour, while the middle layers are peach and fiery orange. The frontmost layer is black and is just a little smaller than the rest, which means the black screen has an orange border when viewed head on, and really stands out. The look is certainly unique, and we like that Lenovo has really gone wild in an effort to make the Vibe X2 feel new and different.
Only the gold model is currently available through Lenovo's exclusive retail partner, Flipkart. Lenovo's website also has a more sober version in black, white and grey, as well as another in black, red and maroon if that's more to your taste. Sources indicate these will be launched in India at a later date.
The Vibe X2 is a bit awkward to hold, and its corners and edges dug into our palms a little. It's definitely light, which only somewhat makes up for that. Lenovo includes a protective screen film and a clear plastic case in the box, which itself also has the same colour scheme and a pretty neat design with stacked compartments.
A recessed tray on the upper left holds two SIM cards - one Micro and one Nano. The buttons are on the right, and there's no microSD slot. The battery is built in and not accessible. Three dots on the lower rear act as contacts for optional clip-on accessories - an extended battery and a speaker - which aren't available yet.
The front face is very plain and free of branding - you'll only see the capacitive buttons when they light up. The Vibe X2 feels smaller than other phones with 5-inch screens - and it is in fact quite narrow, with next to no space at all on the sides of the screen.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
Lenovo is getting pretty aggressive, with all its most recent products having distinctive personalities. The Vibe X2 is fun and fresh, but it isn't just about superficial appearances. This device packs some impressive hardware under the hood and has a very attractive price too. We're really interesting in seeing what Lenovo has managed to pull off here.
Lenovo might not command the same respect for its phones that it does for desktop and laptop PCs, and is not usually at the top of anyone's mind when it comes to shortlisting an Android device to buy. The company knows this, and has a lot to prove - it badly needs a product that will be a mainstream hit and make people seriously consider buying a Lenovo phone rather than a Samsung or Sony. That's a huge task, and we're curious to see whether the Vibe X2 can be that phone with battery like Lenovo ThinkPad X120e Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T4789 Battery, Lenovo 57Y4559 Battery, Lenovo 121001096 Battery, Lenovo 57Y6455 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad G560 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad Z570 Battery, Lenovo Thinkpad R400 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad T400 Battery, Lenovo 41U3196 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T5227 Battery, Lenovo FRU 42T5264 Battery.
First of all, there are the stripes. The Vibe X2 looks like something that came out of a bakery or chocolatier, not a smartphone factory. Lenovo has clearly tried hard to ensure that its latest launch looks nothing like the black rectangles we usually see everywhere. It's a bold move, and quite a lot of people will buy this phone based on its looks alone while others will take one look at it and wonder if the whole world has gone crazy.
Lenovo calls it gold, but it's actually only the rear layer that's a pale champagne colour, while the middle layers are peach and fiery orange. The frontmost layer is black and is just a little smaller than the rest, which means the black screen has an orange border when viewed head on, and really stands out. The look is certainly unique, and we like that Lenovo has really gone wild in an effort to make the Vibe X2 feel new and different.
Only the gold model is currently available through Lenovo's exclusive retail partner, Flipkart. Lenovo's website also has a more sober version in black, white and grey, as well as another in black, red and maroon if that's more to your taste. Sources indicate these will be launched in India at a later date.
The Vibe X2 is a bit awkward to hold, and its corners and edges dug into our palms a little. It's definitely light, which only somewhat makes up for that. Lenovo includes a protective screen film and a clear plastic case in the box, which itself also has the same colour scheme and a pretty neat design with stacked compartments.
A recessed tray on the upper left holds two SIM cards - one Micro and one Nano. The buttons are on the right, and there's no microSD slot. The battery is built in and not accessible. Three dots on the lower rear act as contacts for optional clip-on accessories - an extended battery and a speaker - which aren't available yet.
The front face is very plain and free of branding - you'll only see the capacitive buttons when they light up. The Vibe X2 feels smaller than other phones with 5-inch screens - and it is in fact quite narrow, with next to no space at all on the sides of the screen.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
The first Core M laptop paints a depressing, mediocre picture for Intel’s Broadwell
The first Core M laptop paints a depressing, mediocre picture for Intel’s Broadwell
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
To say there’s a great deal riding on the launch of Intel’s Core M is something of an understatement. The chip — and Intel’s 14nm hardware — is nearly a year late. The delays have raised investor questions about Intel’s ability to maintain or leverage a technological advantage over its rivals, and while Intel’s own demos have looked amazing, these always take place on very friendly turf under controlled conditions. There’s no substitute for shipping hardware, and that’s why a great many eyes have turned to Lenovo’s Yoga 3 Pro — the first shipping device with Broadwell inside. Somewhat unfortunately, this critical first system doesn’t seem to live up to Intel’s hype.
While many reviewers praise its diminutive size, low weight, and display quality, complaints about battery with like Lenovo FRU 92P1182 Battery, Lenovo 3000 C100 Battery, Lenovo 40Y8313 Battery, Lenovo 121000929 Battery, Lenovo 57Y6632 Battery, Lenovo L09S3Z14 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S100 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U165 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U150 Battery, Lenovo 57Y6460 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E10 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad X100e Batterylife, heavy throttling, and poor performance are common. Curiously, reviewers are completely split on whether or not the system even has a fan. Some reputable outlets make specific note that the computer lacks one, while others complain about the sound level. What everyone agrees on is that the system throttles constantly, possibly in part because Lenovo chose to set a 3.5W target for the chip rather than the 4.5W TDP that Intel specifies (the Yoga 3 Pro allows for bursts of up to 12W total system consumption, however).
Lenovo’s claim of “up to nine hours” on battery life is farcical. WindowsCentral.com claims 5-6 hours, at the very most. PC Pro hit eight hours, but only by turning screen brightness to its lowest levels; turn brightness up and battery life plummets. UltraBookReview reports that under various workloads battery life ranges from 6 hours to 4 hours 40 minutes depending on workload. Part of the problem is Lenovo’s decision to equip a 44 watt-hour (Wh) battery — the 13-inch MacBook Air, which tends to be the go-to comparison for a system in this price range, has a 54 Wh battery.
Multiple reviewers have commented that the laptop runs remarkably poorly in Chrome, that its gaming performance is sometimes a regression over the Yoga Pro 2 and other Intel laptops, and that the Yoga Pro 3 is incontrovertibly slower than its predecessor. The overall picture painted by multiple reviews is of a product straining and gasping to manage more than a minimally acceptable level of performance. This is in direct opposition to the sleek, razor-thin Core M devices that Intel has previously demoed.
These issues don’t necessarily point to an underlying problem with Broadwell, however. It’s possible that Lenovo’s own software utilities for power management are improperly cutting clock speeds where the system needs them, throttling down hard in the middle of workloads where throttling shouldn’t occur, then failing to adjust power consumption in other areas. On a desktop, no one cares if the southbridge draws an extra 0.5W due to a driver flaw, but in a laptop with a 12W power ceiling, 0.5W is 4% of your power budget. The fact that Chrome runs poorly — markedly worse than Internet Explorer — could be indicative of GPU driver issues, while the 3.5W TDP target Lenovo apparently locked in would explain the throttling behavior. The Core M-5Y70 chip inside the Yoga 3 Pro already clocks its GPU down to 100MHz, as opposed to the 200MHz target of other ultrabooks — and if the chip is getting stuck at 100MHz on the graphics core while simultaneously driving a 3800×1800 screen, that would explain a great deal of sluggish behavior.
One of the reasons we can’t tell if the problems reviewers are experiencing are fundamental issues with Broadwell, or caused by Lenovo’s bad system design, is because the history of PC laptops is basically the history of terrible design decisions writ large upon an unsuspecting but increasingly unhappy populace. Granted, we see this trend across other device categories as well, but it’s always been the most pronounced in laptops. Boutique manufacturers use CPUs and GPUs that their chassis either can’t cool or can’t cool without sounding like jet turbines. Manufacturers opt for lower-durability construction and weaker hardware in the name of shaving a scant millimeter off a measurement. In this case, Lenovo cuts battery capacity, tosses in a high resolution display with an insane power draw, tightens the screws on the CPU to compensate, and then wraps the display in flimsy construction that multiple websites call out as flawed.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
To say there’s a great deal riding on the launch of Intel’s Core M is something of an understatement. The chip — and Intel’s 14nm hardware — is nearly a year late. The delays have raised investor questions about Intel’s ability to maintain or leverage a technological advantage over its rivals, and while Intel’s own demos have looked amazing, these always take place on very friendly turf under controlled conditions. There’s no substitute for shipping hardware, and that’s why a great many eyes have turned to Lenovo’s Yoga 3 Pro — the first shipping device with Broadwell inside. Somewhat unfortunately, this critical first system doesn’t seem to live up to Intel’s hype.
While many reviewers praise its diminutive size, low weight, and display quality, complaints about battery with like Lenovo FRU 92P1182 Battery, Lenovo 3000 C100 Battery, Lenovo 40Y8313 Battery, Lenovo 121000929 Battery, Lenovo 57Y6632 Battery, Lenovo L09S3Z14 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad S100 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U165 Battery, Lenovo IdeaPad U150 Battery, Lenovo 57Y6460 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E10 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad X100e Batterylife, heavy throttling, and poor performance are common. Curiously, reviewers are completely split on whether or not the system even has a fan. Some reputable outlets make specific note that the computer lacks one, while others complain about the sound level. What everyone agrees on is that the system throttles constantly, possibly in part because Lenovo chose to set a 3.5W target for the chip rather than the 4.5W TDP that Intel specifies (the Yoga 3 Pro allows for bursts of up to 12W total system consumption, however).
Lenovo’s claim of “up to nine hours” on battery life is farcical. WindowsCentral.com claims 5-6 hours, at the very most. PC Pro hit eight hours, but only by turning screen brightness to its lowest levels; turn brightness up and battery life plummets. UltraBookReview reports that under various workloads battery life ranges from 6 hours to 4 hours 40 minutes depending on workload. Part of the problem is Lenovo’s decision to equip a 44 watt-hour (Wh) battery — the 13-inch MacBook Air, which tends to be the go-to comparison for a system in this price range, has a 54 Wh battery.
Multiple reviewers have commented that the laptop runs remarkably poorly in Chrome, that its gaming performance is sometimes a regression over the Yoga Pro 2 and other Intel laptops, and that the Yoga Pro 3 is incontrovertibly slower than its predecessor. The overall picture painted by multiple reviews is of a product straining and gasping to manage more than a minimally acceptable level of performance. This is in direct opposition to the sleek, razor-thin Core M devices that Intel has previously demoed.
These issues don’t necessarily point to an underlying problem with Broadwell, however. It’s possible that Lenovo’s own software utilities for power management are improperly cutting clock speeds where the system needs them, throttling down hard in the middle of workloads where throttling shouldn’t occur, then failing to adjust power consumption in other areas. On a desktop, no one cares if the southbridge draws an extra 0.5W due to a driver flaw, but in a laptop with a 12W power ceiling, 0.5W is 4% of your power budget. The fact that Chrome runs poorly — markedly worse than Internet Explorer — could be indicative of GPU driver issues, while the 3.5W TDP target Lenovo apparently locked in would explain the throttling behavior. The Core M-5Y70 chip inside the Yoga 3 Pro already clocks its GPU down to 100MHz, as opposed to the 200MHz target of other ultrabooks — and if the chip is getting stuck at 100MHz on the graphics core while simultaneously driving a 3800×1800 screen, that would explain a great deal of sluggish behavior.
One of the reasons we can’t tell if the problems reviewers are experiencing are fundamental issues with Broadwell, or caused by Lenovo’s bad system design, is because the history of PC laptops is basically the history of terrible design decisions writ large upon an unsuspecting but increasingly unhappy populace. Granted, we see this trend across other device categories as well, but it’s always been the most pronounced in laptops. Boutique manufacturers use CPUs and GPUs that their chassis either can’t cool or can’t cool without sounding like jet turbines. Manufacturers opt for lower-durability construction and weaker hardware in the name of shaving a scant millimeter off a measurement. In this case, Lenovo cuts battery capacity, tosses in a high resolution display with an insane power draw, tightens the screws on the CPU to compensate, and then wraps the display in flimsy construction that multiple websites call out as flawed.
Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 launches for $979 starting price, available in two models
Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 launches for $979 starting price, available in two models
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
The Lenovo ThinkPad helix second-generation Windows convertible is now available for purchase in two models, sporting a $979 starting price on the company's website.
Lenovo took the wraps off its ThinkPad Helix 2 back in September at the IFA 2014 trade show, stirring plenty of interest among convertible device fans. The gadget is now officially available for purchase in two configurations, aiming to cater to the enterprise market.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 sports an 11.6-inch Full HD display and is among the first devices to boast Intel's new Core M Broadwell processor under the hood. The device also comes with a detachable keyboard dock, allowing users to easily switch between tablet and notebook modes.
The second-generation ThinkPad Helix is essentially a powerful yet compact 2-in-1 ultrabook with a sturdy design and a battery with such as Lenovo FRU 92P1188 Battery, Lenovo 3000 C200 Battery, Lenovo 3000 N100 Battery, Lenovo 42T4815 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E30 Battery, Lenovo L3000 G230 Battery, Lenovo L08S6D21 Battery, Lenovo L08S4X03 Battery, Lenovo L08S7Y03 Battery, Lenovo Ideapad U110 Battery, Lenovo 41U5025 Battery, Lenovo L09S8L09 Battery
"Use your Helix as a Tablet or snap it into an external keyboard to use it as a fully capable Laptop PC, or display in Tent or Stand Modes. Should you want to use it as a Desktop, simply attach it to a dock for use with a larger monitor, full-sized mouse and keyboard, etc. Get adaptability on your terms," touts Lenovo in describing the device's features.
"The ThinkPad Helix includes a detachable keyboard for on-the-go productivity. Choose from one of two distinct models. The Ultrabook Keyboard offers additional USB and HDMI connectivity, and TouchPad navigation. Or, enhance your productivity even further with the Ultrabook Pro Keyboard featuring a second battery for up to 12 hours of battery life, adjustable viewing angles, support for Stand and Tent modes, and legendary, precision TrackPoint navigation."
The base model of the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 comes with a $979 price tag and sports an 11.6-inch full HD 1080p display, an intel Core M 5Y10 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage capacity. Other specs and features include Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0, keyboard dock, active digitizer, and digital pen, among the highlights.
The higher-end model, meanwhile, goes up to $1,300 and packs 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage capacity, and a more powerful Intel Core M 5Y70 processor.
Compared to Intel Atom processors, the new Core M chips use a bit more power, but deliver notably better CPU and graphics performance.
To learn more about the new Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 or to place your order, head over to the product page on Lenovo's website at this link.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the Lenovo Laptop Battery
The Lenovo ThinkPad helix second-generation Windows convertible is now available for purchase in two models, sporting a $979 starting price on the company's website.
Lenovo took the wraps off its ThinkPad Helix 2 back in September at the IFA 2014 trade show, stirring plenty of interest among convertible device fans. The gadget is now officially available for purchase in two configurations, aiming to cater to the enterprise market.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 sports an 11.6-inch Full HD display and is among the first devices to boast Intel's new Core M Broadwell processor under the hood. The device also comes with a detachable keyboard dock, allowing users to easily switch between tablet and notebook modes.
The second-generation ThinkPad Helix is essentially a powerful yet compact 2-in-1 ultrabook with a sturdy design and a battery with such as Lenovo FRU 92P1188 Battery, Lenovo 3000 C200 Battery, Lenovo 3000 N100 Battery, Lenovo 42T4815 Battery, Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E30 Battery, Lenovo L3000 G230 Battery, Lenovo L08S6D21 Battery, Lenovo L08S4X03 Battery, Lenovo L08S7Y03 Battery, Lenovo Ideapad U110 Battery, Lenovo 41U5025 Battery, Lenovo L09S8L09 Battery
"Use your Helix as a Tablet or snap it into an external keyboard to use it as a fully capable Laptop PC, or display in Tent or Stand Modes. Should you want to use it as a Desktop, simply attach it to a dock for use with a larger monitor, full-sized mouse and keyboard, etc. Get adaptability on your terms," touts Lenovo in describing the device's features.
"The ThinkPad Helix includes a detachable keyboard for on-the-go productivity. Choose from one of two distinct models. The Ultrabook Keyboard offers additional USB and HDMI connectivity, and TouchPad navigation. Or, enhance your productivity even further with the Ultrabook Pro Keyboard featuring a second battery for up to 12 hours of battery life, adjustable viewing angles, support for Stand and Tent modes, and legendary, precision TrackPoint navigation."
The base model of the Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 comes with a $979 price tag and sports an 11.6-inch full HD 1080p display, an intel Core M 5Y10 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of internal storage capacity. Other specs and features include Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0, keyboard dock, active digitizer, and digital pen, among the highlights.
The higher-end model, meanwhile, goes up to $1,300 and packs 8GB of RAM, 256GB of internal storage capacity, and a more powerful Intel Core M 5Y70 processor.
Compared to Intel Atom processors, the new Core M chips use a bit more power, but deliver notably better CPU and graphics performance.
To learn more about the new Lenovo ThinkPad Helix 2 or to place your order, head over to the product page on Lenovo's website at this link.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Best laptop brands in South Africa
Best laptop brands in South Africa
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
South Africans are less satisfied with their laptops than last year, according to the latest data from the South African Consumer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi).
While overall satisfaction for laptop brands remains quite high – with a satisfaction score of 75.1 out of 100 – this is four points lower than in 2013.
Relative to the international Acsi scores, South Africa’s laptop industry score is slightly lower than that that of the USA (79) which serves as the international benchmark.
Over 1,300 South African scored top laptop brands in the latest SAcsi survey, with each one of the brands recording a lower satisfaction score than last year.
Dell was the only brand to significantly pass the industry average, while Acer and Hewlett-Packard dropped below, with the former declining the most.
“There is little differentiation amongst the various laptop with battery such as IBM 40Y6793 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1125 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1121 Battery, Lenovo 40Y8321 Battery, Lenovo FRU 92P1216 Battery, Lenovo 3000 V200 Battery, Lenovo ASM 92P1219 Battery, Lenovo 41U5025 Battery, Lenovo N200 Battery, IBM ASM 92P1126 Battery, IBM ThinkPad 600 battery, IBM 02K7016 batterybrands from a customer satisfaction point of view and only one brand scored higher than the industry average,” said Professor Adré Schreuder, founder and chair of the SAcsi.
When compared against other industries, laptops had a relatively low rate of complaints.
Specific grievances raised by South African customers included a short battery life, hard drive and hardware problems, screen issues and freezing or slow machines.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
South Africans are less satisfied with their laptops than last year, according to the latest data from the South African Consumer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi).
While overall satisfaction for laptop brands remains quite high – with a satisfaction score of 75.1 out of 100 – this is four points lower than in 2013.
Relative to the international Acsi scores, South Africa’s laptop industry score is slightly lower than that that of the USA (79) which serves as the international benchmark.
Over 1,300 South African scored top laptop brands in the latest SAcsi survey, with each one of the brands recording a lower satisfaction score than last year.
Dell was the only brand to significantly pass the industry average, while Acer and Hewlett-Packard dropped below, with the former declining the most.
“There is little differentiation amongst the various laptop with battery such as IBM 40Y6793 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1125 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1121 Battery, Lenovo 40Y8321 Battery, Lenovo FRU 92P1216 Battery, Lenovo 3000 V200 Battery, Lenovo ASM 92P1219 Battery, Lenovo 41U5025 Battery, Lenovo N200 Battery, IBM ASM 92P1126 Battery, IBM ThinkPad 600 battery, IBM 02K7016 batterybrands from a customer satisfaction point of view and only one brand scored higher than the industry average,” said Professor Adré Schreuder, founder and chair of the SAcsi.
When compared against other industries, laptops had a relatively low rate of complaints.
Specific grievances raised by South African customers included a short battery life, hard drive and hardware problems, screen issues and freezing or slow machines.
Volkswagen Eyeing 400+ Mile Solid-State Batteries
Volkswagen Eyeing 400+ Mile Solid-State Batteries
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
Solid-state batteries capable of delivering on a 400+ mile range per single charge are a real possibility and possess “great potential” according to Volkswagen’s Chairman of the Board Dr Martin Winterkorn.
Those comments from Winterkorn were made recently during a Stanford award ceremony for “Science Award Electrochemistry.”
Bold comments (relatively so anyways). Of course, if such a battery can be economically manufactured, then that would more-or-less turn the industry upside-down — pretty much eliminating “range anxiety anxiety” and opening EVs up to a segment of the market that is currently disinterested in driving them.
As sister site GAS2 notes, “the ability to bring 1,000 Wh/l to EVs [makes] them rival the range of many conventional cars. Current battery energy is in the area of just 260 Wh/l, so Winterkorn is looking at nearly quadrupling the density of the current crop of battery with like IBM FRU 92P1141 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1137 Battery, IBM 02K6651 Battery, IBM 02K6928 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A30 battery, IBM ThinkPad A31 battery, IBM ThinkPad X60 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1167 Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z60t Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z61t Battery, IBM ThinkPad G40 battery, IBM 08K8026 batterytech.”
Another key factor will be bringing down the costs, with the VW exec saying that lowering the price to about 100 euros ($124) per kWh would “significantly increase the market potential of electric vehicles.”
The solid electrolyte of solid-state batteries is also much less likely to catch fire compared to the liquid solutions many EVs currently use (not that such a concern compares to the concern of a gasoline tank catching fire). Toyota claims to already have a 400 Wh/l battery pack, but it’s clearly not excited about or bullish on EVs, so….
While Volkswagen has been something of a late arriver to the EV market, the company is slowly making gains towards its goal of a diversified EV lineup. Company executives have previously stated that they expect to have EVs with ranges of 300+ miles by the end of 2017. While this article has mostly dealt with solid-state technologies, Volkswagen is also reportedly pursuing lithium-air battery technology.
The question is, what is going to be cheaper and easier to create: a $30,000 with a 200-mile range and a dense quick-charging infrastructure or a $30,000 car with a 400-mile range and a not-so dense quick-charging infrastructure. We need to look at current trends and near-term developments in order to decide.
Right now, the 80 – 110 mile range for today’s $20 – $30k EVs works great for commuting and running errands around town. Sales are decent and growing at a brisk pace. Every 3 – 5 years, we can expect at least a 10% improvement in range and intermittent cost reductions like Nissan did with the LEAF a few years back just based on the evolutionary development of battery technology and the balance-of-systems (i.e. improving efficiency, reducing weight and drag, etc.) that comprise the rest of the car. Each increase in performance, especially range, opens up a larger market for these vehicles while a lengthening history of ownership and word-of-mouth will calm uneasiness about range anxiety and other misconceptions as time goes on. I see a “tipping point” approaching when Tesla comes out with their $30k, 200-mile range vehicle and when LEAF / Focus EV / Spark EV-type cars can deliver 150 miles of range for most driving conditions opening up the market a great deal. This will be especially true if Tesla makes their supercharger connections compatible with the rest of the industry and oil prices don’t tank for an extended period of time.
The 400-mile VW with a solid-state battery will be competing against these factors in 2020 or whenever it actually hits the market. The battery will have less production history and real world longevity data than its liquid electrolyte counterparts. If it can come in at a similar price to competing, shorter-range vehicles, a certain subset of car buyers will prefer it, just like people today buy cars with a lot more horsepower / towing capacity / interior volume than they use most of the time. However, whether VW can release a product that can be competitive with the current market offerings after 6 more years of evolutionary development remains to be seen.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
Solid-state batteries capable of delivering on a 400+ mile range per single charge are a real possibility and possess “great potential” according to Volkswagen’s Chairman of the Board Dr Martin Winterkorn.
Those comments from Winterkorn were made recently during a Stanford award ceremony for “Science Award Electrochemistry.”
Bold comments (relatively so anyways). Of course, if such a battery can be economically manufactured, then that would more-or-less turn the industry upside-down — pretty much eliminating “range anxiety anxiety” and opening EVs up to a segment of the market that is currently disinterested in driving them.
As sister site GAS2 notes, “the ability to bring 1,000 Wh/l to EVs [makes] them rival the range of many conventional cars. Current battery energy is in the area of just 260 Wh/l, so Winterkorn is looking at nearly quadrupling the density of the current crop of battery with like IBM FRU 92P1141 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1137 Battery, IBM 02K6651 Battery, IBM 02K6928 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A30 battery, IBM ThinkPad A31 battery, IBM ThinkPad X60 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1167 Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z60t Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z61t Battery, IBM ThinkPad G40 battery, IBM 08K8026 batterytech.”
Another key factor will be bringing down the costs, with the VW exec saying that lowering the price to about 100 euros ($124) per kWh would “significantly increase the market potential of electric vehicles.”
The solid electrolyte of solid-state batteries is also much less likely to catch fire compared to the liquid solutions many EVs currently use (not that such a concern compares to the concern of a gasoline tank catching fire). Toyota claims to already have a 400 Wh/l battery pack, but it’s clearly not excited about or bullish on EVs, so….
While Volkswagen has been something of a late arriver to the EV market, the company is slowly making gains towards its goal of a diversified EV lineup. Company executives have previously stated that they expect to have EVs with ranges of 300+ miles by the end of 2017. While this article has mostly dealt with solid-state technologies, Volkswagen is also reportedly pursuing lithium-air battery technology.
The question is, what is going to be cheaper and easier to create: a $30,000 with a 200-mile range and a dense quick-charging infrastructure or a $30,000 car with a 400-mile range and a not-so dense quick-charging infrastructure. We need to look at current trends and near-term developments in order to decide.
Right now, the 80 – 110 mile range for today’s $20 – $30k EVs works great for commuting and running errands around town. Sales are decent and growing at a brisk pace. Every 3 – 5 years, we can expect at least a 10% improvement in range and intermittent cost reductions like Nissan did with the LEAF a few years back just based on the evolutionary development of battery technology and the balance-of-systems (i.e. improving efficiency, reducing weight and drag, etc.) that comprise the rest of the car. Each increase in performance, especially range, opens up a larger market for these vehicles while a lengthening history of ownership and word-of-mouth will calm uneasiness about range anxiety and other misconceptions as time goes on. I see a “tipping point” approaching when Tesla comes out with their $30k, 200-mile range vehicle and when LEAF / Focus EV / Spark EV-type cars can deliver 150 miles of range for most driving conditions opening up the market a great deal. This will be especially true if Tesla makes their supercharger connections compatible with the rest of the industry and oil prices don’t tank for an extended period of time.
The 400-mile VW with a solid-state battery will be competing against these factors in 2020 or whenever it actually hits the market. The battery will have less production history and real world longevity data than its liquid electrolyte counterparts. If it can come in at a similar price to competing, shorter-range vehicles, a certain subset of car buyers will prefer it, just like people today buy cars with a lot more horsepower / towing capacity / interior volume than they use most of the time. However, whether VW can release a product that can be competitive with the current market offerings after 6 more years of evolutionary development remains to be seen.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Lenovo prototyping sub-10mm laptops, expect even lighter models
Lenovo prototyping sub-10mm laptops, expect even lighter models
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
I sat down with Dilip Bhatia, Vice President, Global PC Design and Marketing at Lenovo, to discuss the company's vision for its laptop range, less than a day after it launched the third iteration of its Yoga Pro range.
Bhatia came to Lenovo when the latter acquired IBM's PC business range nearly 10 years ago and helped maintain (and cement) the status of the ThinkPad range as one of the best laptop families in the world.
The acquisition brought in a team of highly qualified engineers, a brand with a lot of goodwill on the market, IP, IBM's international network and its manufacturing technology. Oh, and an exceptional PR platform as well as the Chinese company previously known as Legend was thrusted into international limelight overnight.
But its success relied on engineers as much as on customers and the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro with battery such as IBM ThinkPad X61 battery, IBM ThinkPad T61 battery, IBM ThinkPad X41 battery, IBM ThinkPad X40 battery, IBM ThinkPad X20 battery, IBM ThinkPad R60 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T60 Battery, IBM 40Y6797 Battery, IBM 40Y6799 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1139 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T21 battery, IBM ThinkPad T20 battery, Bhatia stated, is a culmination of research efforts that started by observing the world around them.
A good example of that philosophy can be found in the design of the award winning ThinkPad, a 22-year old portfolio, that was originally inspired by the black Shokado Bento lunch boxes.
The Yoga 3 Pro and the Yoga tablets though have been inspired by the humble physical journal (Bhatia used the expression, "Journal Design Language").
"Design has to stand for something and there's a certain amount of DNA that goes into the design of the Yoga 3 Pro [from that Bento box]; "stylish", "premium", "adaptable", "simplicity" were some keywords mentioned during our research".
I also probed him about Lenovo's relationship with Microsoft and Windows 10. "I like the direction and simplicity", Bhatia said. "Bringing back the Startup menu is a great move, meaning that Microsoft listened to its customers but while that might get rid of the edge swipe, it won't kill the switch to touchscreen display".
But he did confirm that Lenovo would neither launch a Windows RT product (leaving Microsoft to go it alone) nor a "Think" branded smartphone ("my words were distorted", he said, referring to reports published last year).
Listening to customers is what Lenovo did when it came up with the Harmony software that is one of the USPs of the Yoga 3 Pro. It is essentially a crowdsourcing application recommendation service that provides with a list of top applications sourced from the Windows ecosystem, one that's continually updated based on customer feedback.
What's next for Lenovo? He hinted that CES next year is likely to be a major event for the Chinese company. Despite being primarily a consumer-focused event, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon was unveiled there. In hindsight, IFA also saw the launch of a number of Thinkpad models.
For the Yoga family, there's more in the pipeline when it comes to thinner and lighter models. Bhatia mentioned that prototypes of a sub-10mm laptop are already here but still need to be refined especially when it come with the tactile experience.
"Weight is more important than thickness", he quipped, before adding that the engineers' goal was to keep keep battery life at nine hours, which explains why the battery capacity in the new Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro has been cut by 14%, that was probably the biggest factor in the weight reduction.
Ultimately, the Yoga 3 Pro is all about form over function. For those looking for something different, there's always the Thinkpad X1 Carbon that panders for more business-focused users, one that's significantly thicker but also offers more connectivity options and advanced enterprise features.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
I sat down with Dilip Bhatia, Vice President, Global PC Design and Marketing at Lenovo, to discuss the company's vision for its laptop range, less than a day after it launched the third iteration of its Yoga Pro range.
Bhatia came to Lenovo when the latter acquired IBM's PC business range nearly 10 years ago and helped maintain (and cement) the status of the ThinkPad range as one of the best laptop families in the world.
The acquisition brought in a team of highly qualified engineers, a brand with a lot of goodwill on the market, IP, IBM's international network and its manufacturing technology. Oh, and an exceptional PR platform as well as the Chinese company previously known as Legend was thrusted into international limelight overnight.
But its success relied on engineers as much as on customers and the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro with battery such as IBM ThinkPad X61 battery, IBM ThinkPad T61 battery, IBM ThinkPad X41 battery, IBM ThinkPad X40 battery, IBM ThinkPad X20 battery, IBM ThinkPad R60 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T60 Battery, IBM 40Y6797 Battery, IBM 40Y6799 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1139 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T21 battery, IBM ThinkPad T20 battery, Bhatia stated, is a culmination of research efforts that started by observing the world around them.
A good example of that philosophy can be found in the design of the award winning ThinkPad, a 22-year old portfolio, that was originally inspired by the black Shokado Bento lunch boxes.
The Yoga 3 Pro and the Yoga tablets though have been inspired by the humble physical journal (Bhatia used the expression, "Journal Design Language").
"Design has to stand for something and there's a certain amount of DNA that goes into the design of the Yoga 3 Pro [from that Bento box]; "stylish", "premium", "adaptable", "simplicity" were some keywords mentioned during our research".
I also probed him about Lenovo's relationship with Microsoft and Windows 10. "I like the direction and simplicity", Bhatia said. "Bringing back the Startup menu is a great move, meaning that Microsoft listened to its customers but while that might get rid of the edge swipe, it won't kill the switch to touchscreen display".
But he did confirm that Lenovo would neither launch a Windows RT product (leaving Microsoft to go it alone) nor a "Think" branded smartphone ("my words were distorted", he said, referring to reports published last year).
Listening to customers is what Lenovo did when it came up with the Harmony software that is one of the USPs of the Yoga 3 Pro. It is essentially a crowdsourcing application recommendation service that provides with a list of top applications sourced from the Windows ecosystem, one that's continually updated based on customer feedback.
What's next for Lenovo? He hinted that CES next year is likely to be a major event for the Chinese company. Despite being primarily a consumer-focused event, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon was unveiled there. In hindsight, IFA also saw the launch of a number of Thinkpad models.
For the Yoga family, there's more in the pipeline when it comes to thinner and lighter models. Bhatia mentioned that prototypes of a sub-10mm laptop are already here but still need to be refined especially when it come with the tactile experience.
"Weight is more important than thickness", he quipped, before adding that the engineers' goal was to keep keep battery life at nine hours, which explains why the battery capacity in the new Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro has been cut by 14%, that was probably the biggest factor in the weight reduction.
Ultimately, the Yoga 3 Pro is all about form over function. For those looking for something different, there's always the Thinkpad X1 Carbon that panders for more business-focused users, one that's significantly thicker but also offers more connectivity options and advanced enterprise features.
Lenovo Unveils YOGA 3 Pro Notebook, YOGA Tablet 2
Lenovo Unveils YOGA 3 Pro Notebook, YOGA Tablet 2
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
hanneling his recent performance as a young Steve Jobs, actor Ashton Kutcher was on-hand in London yesterday to take the wraps off Lenovo's new YOGA Tablet 2 and YOGA 3 Pro. The company hired Kutcher as a product engineer last year.
The hardware manufacturer is billing the YOGA Tablet 2 as “built for entertainment buffs.” The tablet features a built-in Pico projector, allowing users to project a 16:9 high-resolution image of up to 50 inches on any surface. Lenovo is claiming up to three hours of playback time for the table. The device will also come with an 8-watt sound system and a subwoofer, the company said.
Aside from the projector, the tablet will sport a 13-inch QHD 2560x1440 screen. Lenovo with battery like IBM 08K8198 Battery, IBM 08K8197 Battery, IBM 92P1075 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R32 Battery, IBM 02K6928 Battery, IBM 02K7054 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A20 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A20M Battery, IBM ThinkPad A21M Battery, IBM ThinkPad 240 battery, IBM ThinkPad 240Z batterysaid the design of the Tablet 2, including its increased screen size and projector, was in response to the way users are consuming media, with 88 percent using their tablets to watch TV, movies or play video games.
It will also come with a new “Hang” feature mode, allowing users to hang the tablet from a wall as a sort of portable flat-screen TV. The YOGA Tablet 2 Pro will run on the fourth generation Intel Atom processor, which Lenovo said will help smooth multimedia playback and rendering while multitasking. It will also come with an 8-megapixel rear camera, 32 GB of storage and up to an additional 64 GB through a micro SD slot. It will run on either Android or Windows.
Kutcher said he was not concerned about the upcoming launch of Apple’s new iPad, saying that he doubted it could come up with anything better than what Lenovo unveiled on Thursday.
The YOGA 3 Pro is being touted by Lenovo as its new, ultra-slim notebook offering. It takes 17 percent off its predecessor’s width, coming it at 12.8mm thick. The new model is also 14 percent lighter, at 1.19 kilograms.
Lenovo credits the reduction in size and weight to its new “watchband” hinge. The design allows the YOGA 3 Pro to work in multiple modes. In the Laptop mode, it will function as a traditional notebook. In Stand, the keyboard will face down while the screen faces out for video chatting. Tent has the keyboard and screen forming a tent shape with the screen facing out for watching movies and television. In Tablet, the screen is rotated 180 degrees and rests flat against the keyboard to resemble a tablet.
It will also come with Harmony, a new application that Lenovo said will automatically optimize settings such as screen brightness and color temperature in response to the activity and environment. The model will be available in three colors, clementine orange, platinum silver, and champagne gold.
The YOGA 3 Pro runs on an Intel Core M chip, and will offer SSD of up to 512 GB. It also features a 3200x1800 display and JBL speakers. Lenovo is claiming up to nine hours of battery life for the laptop.
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
hanneling his recent performance as a young Steve Jobs, actor Ashton Kutcher was on-hand in London yesterday to take the wraps off Lenovo's new YOGA Tablet 2 and YOGA 3 Pro. The company hired Kutcher as a product engineer last year.
The hardware manufacturer is billing the YOGA Tablet 2 as “built for entertainment buffs.” The tablet features a built-in Pico projector, allowing users to project a 16:9 high-resolution image of up to 50 inches on any surface. Lenovo is claiming up to three hours of playback time for the table. The device will also come with an 8-watt sound system and a subwoofer, the company said.
Aside from the projector, the tablet will sport a 13-inch QHD 2560x1440 screen. Lenovo with battery like IBM 08K8198 Battery, IBM 08K8197 Battery, IBM 92P1075 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R32 Battery, IBM 02K6928 Battery, IBM 02K7054 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A20 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A20M Battery, IBM ThinkPad A21M Battery, IBM ThinkPad 240 battery, IBM ThinkPad 240Z batterysaid the design of the Tablet 2, including its increased screen size and projector, was in response to the way users are consuming media, with 88 percent using their tablets to watch TV, movies or play video games.
It will also come with a new “Hang” feature mode, allowing users to hang the tablet from a wall as a sort of portable flat-screen TV. The YOGA Tablet 2 Pro will run on the fourth generation Intel Atom processor, which Lenovo said will help smooth multimedia playback and rendering while multitasking. It will also come with an 8-megapixel rear camera, 32 GB of storage and up to an additional 64 GB through a micro SD slot. It will run on either Android or Windows.
Kutcher said he was not concerned about the upcoming launch of Apple’s new iPad, saying that he doubted it could come up with anything better than what Lenovo unveiled on Thursday.
The YOGA 3 Pro is being touted by Lenovo as its new, ultra-slim notebook offering. It takes 17 percent off its predecessor’s width, coming it at 12.8mm thick. The new model is also 14 percent lighter, at 1.19 kilograms.
Lenovo credits the reduction in size and weight to its new “watchband” hinge. The design allows the YOGA 3 Pro to work in multiple modes. In the Laptop mode, it will function as a traditional notebook. In Stand, the keyboard will face down while the screen faces out for video chatting. Tent has the keyboard and screen forming a tent shape with the screen facing out for watching movies and television. In Tablet, the screen is rotated 180 degrees and rests flat against the keyboard to resemble a tablet.
It will also come with Harmony, a new application that Lenovo said will automatically optimize settings such as screen brightness and color temperature in response to the activity and environment. The model will be available in three colors, clementine orange, platinum silver, and champagne gold.
The YOGA 3 Pro runs on an Intel Core M chip, and will offer SSD of up to 512 GB. It also features a 3200x1800 display and JBL speakers. Lenovo is claiming up to nine hours of battery life for the laptop.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Google CIO Ben Fried Says IT Critical to Corporate Culture
Google CIO Ben Fried Says IT Critical to Corporate Culture
Welcome to a laptop battery specialist of the IBM Laptop Battery
The Morning Download comes from the editors of CIO Journal and cues up the most important news in business technology every weekday morning. Send us your tips, compliments and complaints. You can get The Morning Download emailed to you each weekday morning by clicking here.
Good morning. CIOs have a unique opportunity to shape a company’s culture with the tools that they provide to workers or accept in the workplace, Google Inc. CIO Ben Fried tells The Wall Street Journal.
Mr. Fried, who joined Google six years ago after 13 years at Morgan Stanley, leads IT at a company where no one needs to be convinced about the value of the cloud, and where choice in the use of technology has been enshrined for years. Most businesses are headed in that direction—Google just got there sooner. In an interview, Mr. Fried spoke about the link between technology and company culture.
“So much of the culture stems from how we work,” he says. “When people feel like they aren’t part of the decision-making process, they feel treated like children, they feel resentful and you find examples of belligerent compliance. When people feel like they have had a say, like they have been empowered, you get collaboration and cooperation.”
For health sensor data, context is king. The health industry sees big promise in wearable devices that could provide doctors with greater insight into their patients’ health. It is trying to get a better handle on how best to understand this new data. “The data is not collected from a hospital with battery like IBM ThinkPad T40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T41 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T42 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T43 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R50 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R51 Battery, IBM FRU 08K8193 Battery, IBM 92P1060 Battery, IBM 08K8214 Battery, IBM 08K8195 Battery, IBM 08K8193 Battery, IBM 08K8192 Battery, and no one is making sure sensors are working properly … and yet we’re supposed to make health decisions,” Santosh Kumar, an associate professor in the computer science department at the University of Memphis, tells CIO Journal. Mr. Kumar is leading the Mobile Sensor Data-to-Knowledge center, which is developing software that makes it easier to gather, analyze and interpret data that’s created by mobile and wearable sensors.
Family Dollar’s move to Apple bring app development challenge. Family Dollar Stores Inc. district managers are swapping their laptops for iPhones and iPads, which they use to access data about store operations, troublesome trends, and sales. But as part of the transition, the company has had to overcome a steep learning curve. “You’re forced to re-write everything that they used to do on the laptop for the new form factor,” CIO Joshua Jewett tells CIO Journal. “If you do that right, it’s much more efficient.”
The evolution of the Internet of very smart things requires an Internet reboot. As the Internet of Things become the Internet of “Hundreds of Billions” of Things, organizations need to consider new architectures to complement today’s centralized cloud. “Supporting hundreds of billions of IoT devices at radically lower costs requires a decentralized peer-to-peer architecture, capable of near unlimited scalability,” Guest Contributor Irving Wladawsky-Berger writes. Connectivity is not an end in itself, but “a means to create better products and user experiences.”
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
SAP cuts outlook. Enterprise software provider SAP SE lowered its earnings outlook for this year, even as it reported a 15% increase in third-quarter net profit, boosted by growth in subscriptions for its cloud-based software products, the WSJ’s Christopher Alessi reports. Accelerated adoption of its real-time HANA database platform led the company to boost its outlook for cloud revenue in particular. The company, which uses its own accounting methods, anticipates short-term pressures on margins and less upfront revenue as it refocuses its business on cloud-based software technology.
As SAP moves further into the cloud, its revenue will increasingly be distributed over longer contract periods and be based less on one-off licensing fees for on-premise software, SAP executive board member Bernd Leukert told The WSJ. “In the long run, this is a more healthy business,” Mr. Leukert said.
Apple Pay rolls out, with holes in the system. Apple Inc.’s new mobile payment system is here, but it isn’t ubiquitous. The WSJ’s Daisuke Wakabayashi and Greg Bensinger say Apple Pay starts today and participants in the service include McDonald’s Corp., Whole Foods Market Inc. and Walgreen Co. as well as the three major credit-card networks: Visa Inc., MasterCard Inc. and American Express Co. But many retailers—including the nation’s largest, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. —aren’t part of Apple’s network. Only a minority have machines capable of reading the near-field communication radio signal that makes Apple Pay work. And then there’s the fact that only Apple’s newest phones, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, include the technology. Ahead of the Tape’s Spencer Jakab reports notes that in the U.S., credit- and debit-card transactions are around $4 trillion, or 40 times the annual iPhone sales that analysts expect Apple to report. But margins are much lower on the card transactions.
IBM selling semiconductor operations. International Business Machines Corp. has reached an agreement for Globalfoundries Inc. to take over its semiconductor operations. The company, looking to reduce costs tied to maintaining an expensive chip business, will pay Globalfoundries $1.5 billion to take the operation off its hands, the WSJ’s Don Clark and Dana Mattioli report.
Yahoo CEO set to refresh turnaround plan. Yahoo Inc. chief Marissa Mayer will seek to fend off a challenge from activist investor Starboard Value LP this week by detailing her plan for turning around the struggling Internet business, the WSJ’s Douglas Macmillan reports. When the company shares its third-quarter results Tuesday, Ms. Mayer is expected to outline cost-cutting efforts and give new details about how the company is evaluating possible acquisitions.
Twitter to offer new tools for app developers. Twitter Inc., at its first developer conference in four years, is expected to announce on Wednesday a suite of tools to make it easier for programmers to build apps, the WSJ’s Yoree Koh reports. Two years ago, Twitter irked developers with stricter rules for applications that plug into the social-media service. The new tools are aimed at part at regaining their trust, and also at attracting a broader set of app makers.
Microsoft plans to launch wearable device within weeks. Microsoft Corp. has a smartwatch too, Forbes reports. The device will boast a battery life of more than two days. Yes, there will be a heart monitor, but beyond that, there’s not much known about the features.
FCC chief says he agrees with Obama on fast lanes for the Web. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said he opposes the creation of so-called fast lanes for Web traffic as the agency rewrites open-Internet rules, Bloomberg reports. President Obama last week said he opposes letting companies pay for better service, and said Mr. Wheeler, his appointee, was aware of his position.
Dial and redial: Phone hackers stealing billions. Hackers are hijacking phone lines at small businesses, rerouting premium rate numbers through the switchboards of smaller local phone companies that don’t have the sophisticated equipment required to detect fraud. The result, reports the New York Times, are bills for $200,000 for one weekend of calls. “The law is not much help,” the NYT says, “because no regulations require carriers to reimburse customers for fraud the way credit card companies must.”
Hackers use suppliers to gain access. Cyber criminals are developing ever more sophisticated methods for breaching a company’s firewall, and experts warn that the supply chain is a source of great risk, the Financial Times reports. In the case of Target Corp.’s significant breach late last year, for instance, a criminal gained access to data on millions of customers by entering the system using access granted to a refrigeration and air conditioning supplier.
There is another possible suitor for T-Mobile US. Two recent suitors for T-Mobile US failed in their efforts to buy the firm, but there is another potential dealmaker lurking in Dish Network Corp., the Financial Times reports. Regulators are expected to look more favorably on a tie-up between a wireless player and a satellite company, a combination also being pursued by AT&T Inc. and DirecTV. But even without a transformational deal, the sector faces a period of upheaval.
Tesla’s autopilot isn’t revolutionary. The vision of a car driving itself around your neighborhood with a sleeping driver isn’t any closer to reality than it was before, but Tesla’s new system can take control on highways, park itself in a garage or intervene ahead of a collision, the Verge reports. That makes it a mere incremental step above other systems that are already on the road.
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The Morning Download comes from the editors of CIO Journal and cues up the most important news in business technology every weekday morning. Send us your tips, compliments and complaints. You can get The Morning Download emailed to you each weekday morning by clicking here.
Good morning. CIOs have a unique opportunity to shape a company’s culture with the tools that they provide to workers or accept in the workplace, Google Inc. CIO Ben Fried tells The Wall Street Journal.
Mr. Fried, who joined Google six years ago after 13 years at Morgan Stanley, leads IT at a company where no one needs to be convinced about the value of the cloud, and where choice in the use of technology has been enshrined for years. Most businesses are headed in that direction—Google just got there sooner. In an interview, Mr. Fried spoke about the link between technology and company culture.
“So much of the culture stems from how we work,” he says. “When people feel like they aren’t part of the decision-making process, they feel treated like children, they feel resentful and you find examples of belligerent compliance. When people feel like they have had a say, like they have been empowered, you get collaboration and cooperation.”
For health sensor data, context is king. The health industry sees big promise in wearable devices that could provide doctors with greater insight into their patients’ health. It is trying to get a better handle on how best to understand this new data. “The data is not collected from a hospital with battery like IBM ThinkPad T40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T41 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T42 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T43 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R50 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R51 Battery, IBM FRU 08K8193 Battery, IBM 92P1060 Battery, IBM 08K8214 Battery, IBM 08K8195 Battery, IBM 08K8193 Battery, IBM 08K8192 Battery, and no one is making sure sensors are working properly … and yet we’re supposed to make health decisions,” Santosh Kumar, an associate professor in the computer science department at the University of Memphis, tells CIO Journal. Mr. Kumar is leading the Mobile Sensor Data-to-Knowledge center, which is developing software that makes it easier to gather, analyze and interpret data that’s created by mobile and wearable sensors.
Family Dollar’s move to Apple bring app development challenge. Family Dollar Stores Inc. district managers are swapping their laptops for iPhones and iPads, which they use to access data about store operations, troublesome trends, and sales. But as part of the transition, the company has had to overcome a steep learning curve. “You’re forced to re-write everything that they used to do on the laptop for the new form factor,” CIO Joshua Jewett tells CIO Journal. “If you do that right, it’s much more efficient.”
The evolution of the Internet of very smart things requires an Internet reboot. As the Internet of Things become the Internet of “Hundreds of Billions” of Things, organizations need to consider new architectures to complement today’s centralized cloud. “Supporting hundreds of billions of IoT devices at radically lower costs requires a decentralized peer-to-peer architecture, capable of near unlimited scalability,” Guest Contributor Irving Wladawsky-Berger writes. Connectivity is not an end in itself, but “a means to create better products and user experiences.”
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
SAP cuts outlook. Enterprise software provider SAP SE lowered its earnings outlook for this year, even as it reported a 15% increase in third-quarter net profit, boosted by growth in subscriptions for its cloud-based software products, the WSJ’s Christopher Alessi reports. Accelerated adoption of its real-time HANA database platform led the company to boost its outlook for cloud revenue in particular. The company, which uses its own accounting methods, anticipates short-term pressures on margins and less upfront revenue as it refocuses its business on cloud-based software technology.
As SAP moves further into the cloud, its revenue will increasingly be distributed over longer contract periods and be based less on one-off licensing fees for on-premise software, SAP executive board member Bernd Leukert told The WSJ. “In the long run, this is a more healthy business,” Mr. Leukert said.
Apple Pay rolls out, with holes in the system. Apple Inc.’s new mobile payment system is here, but it isn’t ubiquitous. The WSJ’s Daisuke Wakabayashi and Greg Bensinger say Apple Pay starts today and participants in the service include McDonald’s Corp., Whole Foods Market Inc. and Walgreen Co. as well as the three major credit-card networks: Visa Inc., MasterCard Inc. and American Express Co. But many retailers—including the nation’s largest, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. —aren’t part of Apple’s network. Only a minority have machines capable of reading the near-field communication radio signal that makes Apple Pay work. And then there’s the fact that only Apple’s newest phones, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, include the technology. Ahead of the Tape’s Spencer Jakab reports notes that in the U.S., credit- and debit-card transactions are around $4 trillion, or 40 times the annual iPhone sales that analysts expect Apple to report. But margins are much lower on the card transactions.
IBM selling semiconductor operations. International Business Machines Corp. has reached an agreement for Globalfoundries Inc. to take over its semiconductor operations. The company, looking to reduce costs tied to maintaining an expensive chip business, will pay Globalfoundries $1.5 billion to take the operation off its hands, the WSJ’s Don Clark and Dana Mattioli report.
Yahoo CEO set to refresh turnaround plan. Yahoo Inc. chief Marissa Mayer will seek to fend off a challenge from activist investor Starboard Value LP this week by detailing her plan for turning around the struggling Internet business, the WSJ’s Douglas Macmillan reports. When the company shares its third-quarter results Tuesday, Ms. Mayer is expected to outline cost-cutting efforts and give new details about how the company is evaluating possible acquisitions.
Twitter to offer new tools for app developers. Twitter Inc., at its first developer conference in four years, is expected to announce on Wednesday a suite of tools to make it easier for programmers to build apps, the WSJ’s Yoree Koh reports. Two years ago, Twitter irked developers with stricter rules for applications that plug into the social-media service. The new tools are aimed at part at regaining their trust, and also at attracting a broader set of app makers.
Microsoft plans to launch wearable device within weeks. Microsoft Corp. has a smartwatch too, Forbes reports. The device will boast a battery life of more than two days. Yes, there will be a heart monitor, but beyond that, there’s not much known about the features.
FCC chief says he agrees with Obama on fast lanes for the Web. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said he opposes the creation of so-called fast lanes for Web traffic as the agency rewrites open-Internet rules, Bloomberg reports. President Obama last week said he opposes letting companies pay for better service, and said Mr. Wheeler, his appointee, was aware of his position.
Dial and redial: Phone hackers stealing billions. Hackers are hijacking phone lines at small businesses, rerouting premium rate numbers through the switchboards of smaller local phone companies that don’t have the sophisticated equipment required to detect fraud. The result, reports the New York Times, are bills for $200,000 for one weekend of calls. “The law is not much help,” the NYT says, “because no regulations require carriers to reimburse customers for fraud the way credit card companies must.”
Hackers use suppliers to gain access. Cyber criminals are developing ever more sophisticated methods for breaching a company’s firewall, and experts warn that the supply chain is a source of great risk, the Financial Times reports. In the case of Target Corp.’s significant breach late last year, for instance, a criminal gained access to data on millions of customers by entering the system using access granted to a refrigeration and air conditioning supplier.
There is another possible suitor for T-Mobile US. Two recent suitors for T-Mobile US failed in their efforts to buy the firm, but there is another potential dealmaker lurking in Dish Network Corp., the Financial Times reports. Regulators are expected to look more favorably on a tie-up between a wireless player and a satellite company, a combination also being pursued by AT&T Inc. and DirecTV. But even without a transformational deal, the sector faces a period of upheaval.
Tesla’s autopilot isn’t revolutionary. The vision of a car driving itself around your neighborhood with a sleeping driver isn’t any closer to reality than it was before, but Tesla’s new system can take control on highways, park itself in a garage or intervene ahead of a collision, the Verge reports. That makes it a mere incremental step above other systems that are already on the road.
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