Kindle Fire HDX and HDX 8.9 - Impressive

www.androidcentral.com 

Amazon has just announced the latest version of the popular Kindle Fire tablet.  There are several upgrades and changes to mention, all of which make this a top notch device.

• Exclusive 7" HDX display (1920x1200), high pixel density (323 PPI), and perfect color accuracy (100% sRGB) for vivid, lifelike images that go beyond standard HD
• The fastest processor on a 7" tablet—powerful 2.2GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM for fast, fluid multi-tasking, gaming, and video
• Introducing the "Mayday" button—revolutionary, on-device tech support. Connect for free to an Amazon expert 24x7, 365 days a year
• Stay productive on the go with ultra-fast web browsing, built-in OfficeSuite, and updated e-mail and calendar support for Gmail, Outlook, and more

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One one hand, the HDX is simply catching up to the competition in terms of internal specifications. But the innovative software feature that may make other companies uncomfortable is the "Mayday" button.

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Live technical support offering remote control of your device is not something new by any stretch of the imagination, but to do this on such a large scale with tablets, as opposed to desktop computers, is remarkable.  Some people may find this unsafe or downright creepy, particularly with such a potent 'privacy' hysteria sweeping the nation.  But it makes a lot of sense. In the early days of Kindle vs. Nook, one argument against the Kindle was the lack of physical stores with technical support. This feature basically makes this a moot point. Plus, it is REALLY cool....but a little creepy. 

The other major changes that I absolutely love is the change in design to incorporate magnesium into the slimmed down body.  The Kindle Fire HD also has very good build quality, with a soft rubberized finish, but this style is even better. Amazon appears to be taking one of the best aspects of Microsoft's Surface tablet and giving it the magic touch. 

And for the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9: 

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• Exclusive 8.9" HDX display (2560x1600) with unsurpassed pixel density (339 PPI) and perfect color accuracy (100% sRGB) for vivid, lifelike images that go beyond standard HD
• Breakthrough ultra-light design—weighing just 13.2oz, it's 34% lighter than the previous generation
• Ultra-fast 2.2GHz quad-core processor—3x more powerful than previous generation—with 2GB of RAM and Adreno 330 GPU for fast, fluid gaming and video
• Introducing the "Mayday" button—revolutionary, on-device tech support. Connect for free to an Amazon expert 24x7, 365 days a year
• 8MP rear-facing camera with LED flash for high-resolution photos and 1080p HD video, plus a front-facing 720p HD camera for Skype video calls and more
• Stay productive on the go with ultra-fast web browsing, built-in OfficeSuite, plus e-mail and calendar support for Gmail, Outlook, and more

mashable.com 

There are two major updates here. First, the weight is almost 10oz less than the full size iPad with with a higher screen resolution at 339PPI at 2560x1600 compared to the iPad's 264PPI at 2048x1536. Granted, the iPad has a larger screen at 9.7 inches. But many people have complained about the iPad heft and difficulty holding the device for extended periods of time. Amazon is showing how a large tablet can be light and powerful.

Second, the HDX 8.9 has an 8 megapixel rear facing camera with flash.  That is a big upgrade to the Kindle Fire line.  However, upgrades to the larger tablet will cost you a pretty penny, starting at $379 for the lowest model, as compared to $229 for the HDX (with no rear camera).

mashable.com 

The other thing to mention is the price increase for upgrading internal storage.  For the Kindle Fire HDX, doubling the storage is only $40 from 16gb to 32gb and $80 from 16gb to 64gb.  And upgrading the storage on the HDX 8.9 is only $50 each time.  

SO WHY CAN'T EVERYONE DO THIS????? Any other company charges $100 to double the internal memory of smartphone and tablet devices (hmmmm....Apple).  That is completely ludicrous in today's technological landscape. But why should Apple be smart about pricing when no one else is charging less for storage upgrades?  Maybe Amazon will be able to push other companies to come to their senses.     

 

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To finish on a positive note, Jeff Bezos has worked his magic once again. I might even break down and get an HDX myself, although I really do not need it at all. But when someone does something right at the right price, they can entice a lot of people to throw money their way. At least this should be money well spent.

First Impressions of iOS 7

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I like it....for what it is...

Let me explain.  iOS 7 brings several new and useful features which Apple products have lacked since the inception of the iPhone in 2007.  Notable among these are "Control Center," notifications, system wide search, multi-tasking, better Siri and better camera and photo apps.  I particularly like a couple of things.

First, control center was a desperately needed addition.  When you swipe up from the bottom of the screen, you can control music playback, volume, Airplane Mode, WiFi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb, Mute, Brightness, Timer and activate the camera (and a flashlight for the iPhone).  I also really like the new multi-tasking interface, where a double-tap of the home button shows you a list of full screen views of the applications running in the background. You can then swipe up to stop the application. This is SO much better than holding down the icon and trying to tap the little 'x' in the corner. 

hypebeast.com
This is a great summary of the important changes.

But the real change being offered is in the design interface.   Everything about iOS has been visually modified to signify a new chapter in Apple's philosophy for technology, spear-headed by Sir John Ive (Tim Cook is really just the kind southern uncle of the group).  First, the Parallax. No, not the Green Lantern super villain, but Apple's description of the very cool motion of the background against the icons, almost like they are two separate layers. Then, there are the colors. Neon is the only word I can use to describe the color scheme.  Surprisingly, I accepted it much quicker than I thought I would.  The colors blend in very well with the overall design of the software. Apple has been pushing 'colors' extremely hard for the past year or so and this feels like the culmination of their vision for the company. 

For the first few minutes after I downloaded iOS 7 to my iPad 3 (it took 3 hours, but that's what happens on launch day), I immediately had doubts about leaving iPhone for the Galaxy Note 2. 

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Then, the reality of the software kicked in.

Nothing has fundamentally changed.  It looks shiny and new, but there are no major changes to pull me back to Apple. Same screen, (basically) same battery, same price point.

In the end, this is a welcome change to the software and a successful transition to a new identity. But it will not bring back those who, like myself, left the iPhone for devices which could easily last one day on a single charge with a more respectable screen size.

Still, maybe I can have a Galaxy Note 2 and an iPhone 5S.......

Galaxy Gear. Here's what to LOVE and what to HATE.

gadgets.ndtv.com

As I come down from cloud-9 and consider the ramifications of Samsung's announcements, I feel torn right down the middle.  Half of me is waiting in line to order the Galaxy Gear. The other half is disappointed and longing for the Galaxy Gear 2.  Let me start with my dislikes and and end on a positive note......THE GALAXY NOTE 3 (ha, ha).

allthingsd.com -

The disappointments:

One day Battery Life

This is one of the major concerns in the wearable-tech sphere.  How much productivity do you sacrifice for convenience? Apparently, for Samsung, almost none.  With only 25 hours of battery life, the Galaxy Gear will most likely become a 'charge every night device.'  That will not sit well for power-users and technology buffs who expect more life with less battery.  Many early adopters of smart watches have been spoiled by Pebble, which lasts approximately 5-7 days on one charge. However, the extended battery life comes at the extent of functionality. The Galaxy Gear is unquestionably a more powerful and versatile product. Samsung made the conscious choice to sacrifice battery life for performance and features. The perfect smart watch would have no such compromises.

The Camera 

On one hand, no one expected the Gear to have a camera built into the wristband. It will be a useful selling point if the software is functional. The problem is, Samsung shouldn't have launched a wristband camera with just a 1.9 megapixel sensor.  I understand it must have been an engineering challenge to incorporate any camera at all, let alone a battery, flash storage and RAM, in such a small device. And I also understand a bigger camera would have been a drain on battery life and storage on the device. And I also also understand even the best smart phones on the market only carry a 2 megapixel front-facing camera.  

All that being said, if Samsung wanted to surprise us with this feature, I would have been much more impressed if the MP count was a little higher.

Limited Market

Once the Gear is usable with the S3, S4 and Note 2, sales will explode...I think.  Samsung is taking a risk by shunning the masses and only rewarding loyal customers with this smart watch.  Only time will tell (what a great joke) if the Gear can be profitable as well as functional.

What I LOVE:

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The Applications

I am a proponent of a small smartphone screen on my wrist, not just a cursary look at notifications and caller ID. The Gear truly feels like a small smartphone with over 70 applications at launch which are specifically designed for the smart watch. However, it is unclear how independant these applications can be when not paried to the phone. Heck, they may be completely unusable without the Note 3.

The Calling Feature

I should find this gimmicky, but I don't. I think it would be extremely cool (maybe geeky is the right word) to raise my hand to my face to answer a call. As with many Samsung products, real world testing is necessary to see the responsiveness of this feature. I really hope it works well.

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The Design

I don't think anyone can argue that Samsung crashed and burned with the design.  The build and materials are high quality, making this device a pioneer in fashionable wearable tech, an industry that will explode when Google, Apple and Microsoft get in the smart-watch game. I can definitely see myself wearing this device everyday.

Verdict

Will I get a Galaxy Gear? Definitely not until I know the Galaxy Note 2 is getting the necessary software upgrade. Even then, I want to see what the technology world thinks of this device, particularly in battery life and application usefulness. But I'll guarantee one thing, I am getting a smart watch as soon as I think the industry has matured. Again....time will tell.