Asus Ultrabook Announcement

Last week ASUS revealed their ultrabook pricing starting at US$999 (11.6″ UX21) and US$1099 (13.3″ UX31). Branded as ‘Zenbooks‘, their specifications match or beat the MacBook Air. Hoping that CF King brings them in at a good price

Brief Specifications (Specifications from ASUS)

  • UX21
    • 11.6″ screen. Resolution: 1366×768
    • 5+ hours battery life
    • 128GB SSD
    • US$999: Core i5
    • US$1199: Core i7
  • UX31
    • 13.3″ screen. Resolution: 1600×900
    • 7+ hours battery life
    • SD card reader
    • US$1099: Core i5, 128GB SSD
    • US$1349: Core i5, 256GB SSD
    • US$1449: Core i7, 256GB SSD
  • 4GB RAM
  • 2 second resume
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Ports: 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, microHDMI, microVGA

Other coverage from Engadget, This is My Next, Ubergizmo (Ubergizmo states that the devices come with with USB to ethernet and miniVGA to VGA adapter).


Asus Ultrabook Announcement: UX21/UX31 (starting at US$999/$1099) (mp3)

Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman available in Brunei for B$350 at Incomm and QQeStore

Seems like a great budget Android phone with a slightly larger screen than the Xperia Mini pro but without a keyboard to make it more svelte. Seems to share all the same common good specifications for a budget phone but a slightly larger screen and slightly cheaper at B$350.

Quick Specifications

  • Android 2.3
  • 320 x 480 pixels, 3.2″ capacitive screen
  • 1GHz Processor
  • 512MB RAM
  • 320MB for applications
  • 5 megapixel camera w/ 720p video
  • Front facing VGA camera
  • xLOUD™ loudness enhancement makes it possible to listen loud without distortion.

    • Full specifications / details at Sony Ericsson / GSM Arena
    Buy at Incomm or QQeStore

    Introducing the Byte of the Day

    Byte of the Day - Podcast cover/album art


    Download link: Introducing the byte of the day (mp3)

    We are adding another show to the podcast line up to give quicker technology news updates and just provide a small snippet of information. We are gearing this more for current news items and events by summarizing them in under 5 minutes.

    Audioboo is being used as the backend as it allows quick mobile uploads from any device supported. Due to that, it will take some time to integrate it properly with the website so the best way to follow is just to subscribe to the Byte of the Day feed or follow us on Twitter where it should auto tweet the podcast.

    P.S. I know that the date says 19th September which was the day I recorded the introductory episode which was needed for the iTunes feed. Also it seems that Audioboo auto-tweeted the episode that day but am only officially launching it now (i.e. some episodes to come very soon) =)

    Gagalcast 2: Windows 8 Developer Preview Installation Fail

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:32 — 5.3MB)

    When Windows 8 Developer Preview was released (download your copy here) to enthusiasts and developers, we were excited to try it out. Sadly our enthusiasm was curbed as we learned to fail at Step 1: Installation of the OS…

    Steve Jobs: 1955 – 2011 RIP

    Steve Jobs: 1955 - 2011. RIP
    Steve Jobs: 1955 - 2011

    Steve Jobs
    1955 – 2011

    Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

    If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com

    Source; Apple – Remembering Steve Jobs

    No matter what you think about the man personally, he did great things and did inspire many.

    Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005

    The Crazy Ones Ad

     

    Corner Geeks 11: SugarSync

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:29 — 8.0MB)

    SugarSync

    SugarSync Website

    • https://www.sugarsync.com/
    • Free 5GB with no file size limit (source)
    • SugarSync’s comparison page
    • Main Sections
      • Synced Folders: select which folders which are to be available for syncing with other devices (can select any folder on computer and use SugarSync manager to select with folders to Sync with)
      • Magic Briefcase is the Dropbox folder. Anything in it will be synced to all computers with it installed
      • Web Archive: web backup but not available to sync
      • Mobile Photos: photos from mobile devices
    • Upload by email
    • Good sharing: can share within app itself. read / write access
      • Selectively share any file
      • Share folder
        • Photo gallery (to public)
        • File structure (to SugarSync users)
    • Web Client available
    • Mobile Client applications are pretty full featured:
      • Can share folders / files straight from the device
      • Ability to manually sync folders/files to the device: good if going offline
      • Added bonus: Android does background photo upload and syncing.
    • Cons: Versions only 5 previous versions
    • Availability: Windows, OS X (No Linux), iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch), Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Symbian
    • 500MB referral bonus (free account) or 10GB if referral to paid subscriptions of 30GB or more with no limit (source)
    • Cheaper than Dropbox (SugarSync plans vs Dropbox plans)
      • 30GB @ $4.99/month or $49.9/year
      • 60GB @ $9.99/month or $99.99/year
      • 100GB @ $14.99/month or $149.99/year
      • 250GB @ $24.99/month or $249.99/year
    SugarSync - Webclient
    SugarSync Webclient
    SugarSync - WebClient - Sharing
    SugarSync WebClient Sharing

    Corner Geeks 10: Online Storage and Dropbox

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:36 — 15.0MB)

    Corner Geeks Logo

    Dropbox https://www.dropbox.com

    • Free 2GB with no file size limit
    • Can increase storage by referrals (250MB for each up to 8GB). Must sign up and Install
    • A Dropbox folder . Anything you drop there will be synced to any computer that access to the same folders
    • Stored locally on computer (no need to download to retrieve as it is auto downloaded when changed elsewhere)
    • Simple. Just save files in the Dropbox folder
    • Can share folders (full read and write access only)
    • Versions of documents for the past 30 days
    • Public folder: but folder link does not show all files in that folder, i.e. must direct link to each file
    • Bandwidth limits for public files: 10GB/day limit for free plans, 250GB/day for paid plans
    • Quite expensive for paid plans:
      • 50GB $9.99/month or $99.99/year
      • 100GB $19.99/month or $199.00/year
    • Clients for: Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, BlackBerry
    • Web Access via website
    • Closed source
    • Recent security issues: optional passwords, config.db issue

    Corner Geeks 9: Live Streaming setup for Ran8adidas

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 52:18 — 30.0MB)

    Show Notes

    What we wanted

    • Live streaming of the event
    • Video
      • multiple cameras if possible
      • perhaps one overview shot
      • one on-the-go camera following events like the Twitter hunt. Follow contestants around “Amazing Race” style
    • Sound
      • clean sound from the mixer for opening ceremony / speeches
      • also want to capture atmosphere/sound around the camera
    • Internet
      • need for streaming
      • simplest of them all. 3G dongle
    • Master control at the laptop controllilng the stream / switching audio and video accordingly

    Mobile video

    • DSLR / camcorder approach:
      • Possible but need wireless transmitters making it cumbersome
      • DSLR sensor limited time
    • Keep-it-Simple-Stupid approach:
      • Use smartphones with Wifi and cameras
      • Small, simple, only need wireless access point if needed
      • Possible to attach external microphone to device for interviews
      • Advantages
        • Can move around freely
        • Requires no additional hardware for video capture hardware on computer.
        • Fairly cheap and easy to setup if you already have the devices (more people have smartphones now)
      • Disadvantages
        • Latency
        • Lower quality?
        • Potentially unreliable connection vs wires? Wireless inteference. Network going down?
        • No zoom!
      • Mobile Video apps

        • IP Webcam
          • Android
          • Free
          • Starts a webserver on camera device. Accessible from any computer on the network. View and listen in a browser
        • PocketCam (Desktop software)

          • iOS / Android
          • US$4.99 / BND$6
          • Windows or OS X software to be installed on the host
          • Creates video and audio device driver on host. Once connected access like a webcamera and USB mircophone
          • Audio lag!
        • WebCamera
          • iOS / Blackbery / WinMo / Symbian
          • US$2.99 / US$19.95 / US$19.95 / US$9.95
          • Works similar to PocketCam: Windows or OS X software to be installed on the host
          • Used iOS version that can take video and photo from camera and it will send it to host computer
        • There are other apps for Android and iOS but many do not provide audio which is what we wanted
      • Multiple Camera feasibility study
        • IP Camera: separate VLC instance for each video and each audio for each camera. Gets complicated very fast
        • Pocket Camera / WebCamera: only one PocketCamera / Webcamera host software allowed to run at one time on one machine
        • Not possible to use multiple cameras using only one app. Mixer and match is possible
        • Needed proper communication between in-the-field camera user and master control

    Sound

    • Input from mixer via line-in on laptop (not don’t have get a USB sound card)
    • LadioCast for audio mixing and piping of audio. Can even monitor sound without sending it to live stream

    Internet

    • Needed wireless coverage
    • Used iPod Touch as a WiFi signal monitor. Activated voice control, tap the wireless signal to hear the strength level (probably there is an app for this but did not explore)
    • To forgoe a 3G router: OS X Internet sharing (Connetify.me for Windows)

    Other things we used

    • Phone holder to tripod mount
    • Tripod: can place camera in certain places. Can extend tripod to get different angles
    • Charging cables! Must remember to charge mobile devices. iPod Touch 4G lasted about 2 hours of streaming

    Final Setup

    • iOS Webcamera easiest to work with
    • CamTwist to add overlays
    • Ladiocast to pipe audio. Connected to mixer when needed. Add microphone from the mobile cameras when interviewing / asking questions
    • Tripod to place camera so no need to be there
    • uStream to send out stream and record it

    Other Considerations

    • Phone upgrades:
    • Have a sign that says, “we’re streaming live”. While recording I was thinking of the implications of this for privacy
    • Have a dedicated chat room to interact with the viewers. At least had a screen of some hashtag that we could sometimes show on twitter.
    • Get better upstream for better video and audio
    • Have a dedicated screen / projector / laptop on our booth showing what’s streaming.

    Asus EeePad Transformer

    I came to know of the EeePad Transformer’s existence in Brunei via Goh De No’s article in the Brunei Times last week. The Transformer is an Android tablet but also a ‘laptop/notebook’ with the keyboard dock that adds functionality to make this an interesting device.

    Specifications

    • Android 3.1 (according to Goh De No in the Brunei Times article)
    • 10.1" IPS screen at resolution of 1280×800
    • NVIDIA® Tegra™ 2
    • 1GB RAM
    • microSD card slot
    • miniHDMI
    • Keyboard Dock provides
      • keyboard + trackpad
      • 2 x USB 2.0
      • 1 x full size card Reader (MMC/SD/SDHC)
      • added battery to charge the slate

    More specification details at: ASUS’s Transformer page

    Price: B$899 for the 16GB version with the keyboard dock at C.F. King in Kiulap (no non-bundled price available)

    Android 3.2 is available to this device via the Transformer’s download page and thus adds better functionality and compatibility with applications developed for phones with the new ‘zoom’ mode. This should scale applications up just like the iPad does for iPhone apps. While phone apps should install and run on Honeycomb tablets, the layout may look weird or even broken and this feature should resolve it.

    While I’m saddened that CF King did not offer a price without the keyboard dock, the Transformer is a device that can have some productivity uses with the keyboard dock which allows the device to be used for up to 16 hours (the other 8 hours in the day can be used for sleep!). Damien from Carrypad is actually trying to use the Transformer as an enterprise productivity device and I’m curious to see the outcome of his experiment. Coincidentally he has just posted an article about week 1 of the Transformer usage.

    Another thing interesting about the Transformer is that it will have a dongle to convert the HDMI to VGA output: a great tool if you wish to use it for presentations on the move, as VGA is still much more compatible and widely available on projectors. I believe this is the only other tablet besides the iPad that has VGA output and is something I would recommend for teachers or anybody else who gives presentations and wants to have a minimal yet functional setup with them.

    Read full reviews of the Transformer at LaptopMag, AnandTech, Carrypad (Part 2 here) and Engadget. If you’re interested in the device I suggest heading down to CF King and have a go at the device. One of their staff, Poh, is a nice and friendly guy there, I’m sure he could help you out.

    For other innovating / whacky tablets from ASUS keep a look out for the 10" Eee Pad Slider, 7" Eee Pad MeMO 3D or the 10" pad and 4.3 phone that make up the Padfone. One thing is for sure, none of ASUS Android tablets are typical. As the fore father of the netbook with the Eee PC I salute you!