Samsung's Galaxy Note
remains in a class of its own. With its 5.3-inch display and S Pen
stylus, the "phablet" blurred the line between phone and tablet and made
for a completely new user experience. Yes, it was big (maybe too big
for some), but it brought new functionality to the cell phone world.
Today in Berlin at IFA,
Samsung unveiled the successor device, the Galaxy Note 2. Larger and
more powerful, the Note 2 is a stunner in many ways, but it still
involves a big (no pun intended) adjustment for users.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Recently, Samsung gave me a sneak peek at its new Galaxy Note 2 in
action. Of course the device I saw demonstrated, and briefly handled
myself, was a top-secret engineering sample and not the full production
model. Even so, I was struck by the power and capabilities of this
ambitious gadget.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Before I get any further let me explain that my hands-on time with the
Galaxy Note 2 was brief. Also, the cadre of intense Samsung product
managers and marketing folks surrounding me insisted I not play with the
apps too much since the phone had software that was not final.
Additionally I was forbidden from snapping photos or shooting video
during my meeting and Samsung didn't announce pricing information.
Luckily CNET's Stephen Shankland was able to grab pictures direct from
IFA in Berlin. Design
When the Samsung marketing executive sitting to my left slowly produced
the Galaxy Note 2 by carefully unwrapping a felt cloth, I pursed my lips
and whistled. Wow, I said to myself, I really thought the first Galaxy
Note was massive, but now there’s this monster. If the Incredible Hulk
or The Thing perhaps needed a proportionally sized handset, here it is.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
That’s not to say the Galaxy Note 2 is bigger exactly, but more
specifically longer. The device’s 5.55-inch AMOLED screen (1280x720) is
diagonally wider than its predecessor the first Galaxy Note
(5.3 inches). That translates into a display with a wide-screen 16:9
aspect ratio, which is, as Samsung puts it,"optimized for today's
visually oriented apps."
Indeed the vast screen is as lovely as ever, with deep blacks and
vibrant colors viewable from very wide angles. Some people may question
the need for this ability, but I wholeheartedly disagree as someone who
views Netflix content daily while blowing through household chores.
Washing dishes and screening "Deep Space Nine" is a perfect combination.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
During my briefing, Samsung didn’t provide details about the Galaxy Note
2’s dimensions. Still, the device looked just as thin as the original
Galaxy Note and Galaxy S III.
I was also shown two hues, white and gray, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S
III devices. A large home button sits below each device’s screen,
flanked by two capacitive buttons on either side.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
A better S Pen
Just like the Galaxy Note 10.1,
the Galaxy Note 2 serves up a host of new S Pen tricks. Samsung made it
clear to me that the stylus-like input device now enables a higher
level of mobile multitasking. For instance, I was shown how the S Pen
will create a virtual pointer/cursor on the Galaxy Note 2’s screen. This
happens without the stylus touching the screen and functions almost as a
physical laser pointer would.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Hovering over items such as photos and videos will open windows to see
more details or even begin playback. Samsung also demonstrated the Note 2
playing video while viewing Web pages or other documents at the same
time, giving the device an almost PC-level of functionality.
I saw other tricks, too, like "flipping over" photos to their virtual
back sides. From there the S Pen was used to scribble handwritten notes
for personal reminders. It’s an interesting ability, but since it only
works with the Galaxy Note 2 and other Note devices, I doubt it’ll take
the world by storm.
One feature that may appeal to bloggers and other technophiles, though,
is Screen Record. Essentially this function will record everything that
happens on the screen, including stereo audio and pen markings, then
save them as a video file. Just think of all the custom Android ROM
installation demos you could do!
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Performance
Harnessing the full power of a 1.6GHz quad-core Samsung Exynos
processor, a large 2GB helping of RAM, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the
Galaxy Note 2 was certainly fast when operated by its Samsung handlers.
The product also felt nimble and lithe in my hands, and pushed its apps
and menus around with agility.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Powered by a 3,100mAh battery, I also hope battery life can keep up with
the Galaxy Note 2’s fire-breathing list of components. Of course the
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 device I saw was the global unit that lacked LTE
4G data hardware. Most likely a U.S. model will feature a dual-core
Snapdragon S4 processor, which plays nicer with LTE modems. Though the
S4 isn’t bursting with cores, it is plenty fast, very efficient, and a
power miser.
The Galaxy Note 2 comes with an 8MP main camera and 2MP front-facing
image sensor. It's not as high-res as other sensors on competing
products but if it's as good as the shooter on the Galaxy S III then I
doubt many will complain.
Outlook
I see the future of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 really hinging on how many
people would like to ditch either their tablet or their phone in favor
of one device serving both purposes. Actually, big-screened Android
phones such as Samsung’s own Galaxy S III and HTC One X, already do this.
Samsung also reiterated that it sold more than 10 million first-gen
Galaxy Notes globally. I wonder how much of that comprises U.S. sales.
The real question, however, is if users can find value in a high-tech
notepad. Until devices like this emulate the feel of real pen and paper,
it’s a hard bargain. Perhaps this new Note can convince us. Be sure to
check back soon for our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and
judge for yourself.
By Brian Bennett http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-note-2/4505-6452_7-35426722.html
The hype around the upcoming iPhone 5 - which is rapidly approaching
the hysterical peak that we've all come to expect every time Apple rolls
out a new model - has already generated a number of possible reasons
for Google and its Android partners to worry about the device's impact.
COUNTERPOINT: 5 reasons Android users will switch to the iPhone 5
But hang on - does the emperor really have any clothes? As impressive
as the iPhone 5 is almost certain to be, it's possible that the Android
world has already passed Apple by.
1 - Hardware
Apple hasn't been the top dog in this department for some time.
Comparing the iPhone 4S to the Galaxy Nexus (which launched within about
a month of each other) shows this pretty clearly -- The GNex has a
significantly faster processor, twice the RAM, 4G/LTE connectivity and
support for 5GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi.
The only areas where the iPhone wins out are in available storage -
both devices have 16G and 32GB models, but 64GB iPhones are available -
and display features. Those advantages are marginal at best, however -
Apple's vaunted Retina Display technology only provides a minor
difference in on-paper pixels per inch, and the GPU used doesn't
substantially outclass that used in the Galaxy Nexus.
Naturally, the iPhone 5 is expected to make a number of improvements
in this department, but will it be enough to catch up to an Android
lineup that features technical heavyweights like the Samsung Galaxy S
III?
2 - Jelly Bean
Even though there are relatively few devices running it, Android 4.1,
or Jelly Bean, represents a turning point in the battle between the two
operating systems. Google's addition of performance improvements,
better notification data and a voice search feature that - depending on
who you ask - is as good as or better than Siri trumps the improvements
that Apple made with iOS 6.
Android's always provided a more variable user experience than iOS,
and that problem is still there to a large extent - Jelly Bean isn't
helping you much if you're stuck running Gingerbread with a crappy
vendor overlay, thanks to slow updates from service providers and OEMs.
Still, as the slick, powerful Android 4.1 becomes more common, Apple's
reputation for delivering the best user experience out there - deserved
or not - could take a big hit.
3 - Openness
With some exceptions - I'm looking at you, locked bootloaders -
Android offers a more open ecosystem than iOS, which is one thing that's
highly unlikely to change with the release of the iPhone 5.
This isn't just an advantage to serious geeks looking to tweak and
tinker in their spare time - Android's open-source nature and more
modern programming tools make it more fertile ground for developers
looking to craft creative new applications. Given the critical importance of a healthy selection of third-party apps, this is not a trivial concern.
4 - Variety
Despite the gadget world's fascination with the latest and greatest
(and really, who could blame it?), it's important to occasionally take a
step back and look at the entire ecosystem of devices, rather than just
the most powerful high-end gear.
Android offers a huge array of potential options for users on a
budget or those that need non-standard features. Want a physical
keyboard? There are plenty of Android choices out there for that. Don't
want to pay $200 and up for the top of the line? Get the last
generation's powerhouse for next to nothing.
5 - Perception As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, there's invariably
an enormous amount of hype surrounding every iPhone launch - Apple has a
huge number of devoted, noisy fans, including a not-inconsiderable
number of media types. In the early days of the iPhone, when it really
was something qualitatively different from the rest of the market, this
type of product launch helped create buzz and cement the iPhone in the
public eye as the cool device to have.
The smartphone landscape is very different now, however. The iPhone
just isn't the uniquely desirable device that it once was. It's still
well-designed, slick-looking and expertly marketed, but it's now merely
one entry among many in an increasingly competitive marketplace, and, in
several ways, it has actually begun to lag behind the competition.
This means that the expectations for the iPhone 5 are sky-high.
Should it fail to justify the hype in even minor ways, a lot of users
might just decide to opt for an Android device instead.
Full disclosure - the author has been an Android user for three
years. His current phone is a Nexus S 4G on Sprint, and he really wants
an update to Jelly Bean.
By Jon Gold, NetworkWorld
Aug 27, 2012 5:40 pm http://www.pcworld.com/article/261502/5_reasons_android_users_wont_switch_to_the_iphone_5.html
Have reports of PC gaming's demise have been greatly exaggerated?
The latest news regarding PC games sales, up over 200%, along with box-office busting success from Diablo III suggest just that.
Of
course, you can certainly make a case for a PC gaming industry on the
slide. For starters, much of the mainstream media interest is dominated
by the big games consoles. Those consoles are a lot more cost effective
than PCs, too.
The purchase price of a console is a small fraction
of a good gaming PC. And the life cycle of a console – as much as seven
or eight years - is aeons compared to the relentless upgrade cycle of
PCs.
Making matters worse, consoles have been that little bit more
innovative when it comes to controllers and interfaces. Whether its the
Wii shaking things up with motion sensors or Microsoft taking things a
step further with Kinect and now SmartGlass, it's consoles that have been at the cutting edge.
At
the same time, a lot of the buzz in terms of the growth of gaming of
late has involved mobile devices - smartphones and tablets, in other
words. Put simply, girls and older gamers aren't going to be getting
into PC gaming.
Then there's the trend towards cloud gaming which
threatens to pull the rug out entirely from the very idea of
distinguishing between different platforms. If cloud gaming takes off in
a big way, surely it will be endsville for the PC as a gaming device?
Maybe.
But just about every time it looks like the towel is finally arcing
across the canvas on PC gaming, it leaps up, Muhammed Ali style, and
gets ready for another round.
In the last few years, it's been the success of the Steam platform from Valve and epic single-title online games like World of Warcraft that have made the argument for PC gaming's viability.
More recently, the crusty ancientness of the two high-tech (relatively speaking) consoles, the Sony PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360,
seems to have given PC gaming a lift. The gap between the graphical
performance of consoles and PCs is now absolutely monstrous.
Will consoles continue to suffer?
The upshot of which is that PC game sales are up 230%, while console games have slipped 28%. Meanwhile, Diablo III topped the all-platform gaming charts earlier this year, something a PC title hasn't done for a while.
Right now, then, there's no question PC gaming is on the up, even if the money spinner that is World of Warcraft has seen its user base shrink. But will it last? Later this year, a raft of triple-A console titles are due - Halo 4, Grand Theft Auto 5 et al. That's bound to give the consoles a boost.
The
next generation of console hardware is looming, too, which will be the
real test for the PC. And if the rumours are right, both in hardware and
software terms at least one of those new consoles could turn out to be
little more than a gaming-optimised PC.
Exactly what that will do
to the relationship between consoles and the PC is a very interesting
question. But based purely on the PC's indisputable coffin-dodging
ability, I'm going to predict that computing most resilient and
adaptable platform will remain in the game for the foreseeable future.
Normally when you purchase a physical good like a vehicle, clothing or
even computer components, you have every right to resell that item when
you no longer have a use for it. If the same laws also apply to creative
work (which they do), why then aren’t they also applicable with regards
to ownership of digital content like music? That exact question is at the center of a lawsuit pitting Capitol Records against ReDigi,
an online service that allows users to sell “used” or “recycled” songs
purchased through iTunes at a fraction of the price it originally cost.
The service operates using a pretty simple philosophy from chief
technology officer Larry Rudolph – “You buy it, and you own it. You
should be able to sell it. If you steal it, you shouldn’t be able to
sell it. It’s very simple.”
Capitol Records, on the other hand, sees ReDigi as nothing more than a
clearinghouse for copyright infringement. "While ReDigi touts its
service as the equivalent of a used record store, that analogy is
inapplicable: used record stores do not make copies to fill up their
shelves," as noted in Capitol’s filing.
Naturally, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) agrees
with the record label and has even sent the service a cease-and-desist
order.
It’s a tricky situation no matter how you slice it as both sides have a
valid argument. Logic and the law says you should be able to resell
something you legally purchased but at the same time, the potential to
abuse the system is seemingly overwhelming although ReDigi goes through
an exhaustive process to verify ownership and prevent duplicates from
being created.
The case is expected to go to trial before a judge in October.
By Shawn Knight
http://www.techspot.com/news/49869-should-you-be-able-to-sell-digital-music-you-legally-purchased.html
Because engineers and designers can post their work for all to see, more
and more companies are realizing they can see what people can actually
do, not just say they can do.
In the red-hot market for skilled software engineers, companies
looking to make great hires are discovering that relying on traditional
services that showcase candidates' work histories -- but not their
actual work -- is a great way to miss out on the best available talent.
These days, there's a new game in town -- GitHub, a place where hiring
managers and recruiters alike are increasingly turning to find not just
the potential employees who look best on paper, but the ones that
actively (and publicly) demonstrate their capabilities.
Last month, Andreessen Horowitz, one of the hottest venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, put $100 million -- its largest-ever investment -- into GitHub,
a company built to facilitate the organization of open-source projects,
and that makes money by selling licenses to commercial and corporate
users.
Asked why his VC firm ponied up the nine figures, partner Ben Horowitz
cited GitHub's dominance these days in being a central repository for
open-source code. But he also touted the company's growing role as a
place to find top-tier tech talent -- and, more to the point, a
preferable alternative to LinkedIn.
"I was talking to my friend [who] runs a tech screening process
for looking at engineers," Horowitz told CNET. "I said, 'What do you use
for recruiting?' He said GitHub. I said why not LinkedIn? He said, 'why
would I look at their resume when I can look at a body of work?' And
since he said that to me, I ask everybody [what they use] for engineer
recruiting, and everybody uses GitHub. That's a big deal. It means if
you're an engineer and you don't use GitHub, you don't exist."
Every engineer and all the code
In Horowitz's view, GitHub has become a place where the hottest
engineers are coming together to share their code, and as a result, the
service is home to the most important project and collaboration tolls,
as well as application life cycle management systems in the business.
"They've got the ultimate advantage," Horowitz said, "because they have
every engineer and all the code."
This assessment is shared widely throughout the tech industry. From
small startups to established, household name powerhouses, GitHub is now
seen as the go-to place to spot quality talent. To be sure,
there are still engineers who will get Silicon Valley jobs without
putting up a GitHub profile, and for whom LinkedIn is still an
employment lifeline, and every company's mileage may vary, but a common
view is that a developer who has a profile there has an advantage over
those who don't.
At many companies, the feeling is that engineers who take the time to
develop a GitHub profile and put in the energy to participate actively
in the community can be better evaluated in advance than others.
"It's an excellent opportunity to see what they are passionate
about, their coding style -- good or bad -- and fun side projects," said
Will Young, director of Zappos Labs. "We love when developers see a
need and just go ahead and code a solution to share with the community.
We are looking for some amazing problem solvers on our team. This is
hard to get from an interview or resume. But sometimes, we see someone's
GitHub library and think, 'Wow, that is really cool and handy.'"
GitHub itself has been looking to its own service's community for
talent, sometimes hiring people that may not present the most stellar
picture on paper, but who show off stellar programming skills in real
life. "Previously, where you went to college was the be all and end
all," said Zach Holman, who evangelizes for GitHub. "The fact that
that's not true anymore is fascinating."
Holman also said that internally, GitHub is seeing more and more signs
that outside companies are using the service as an initial indicator of
whether a potential hire is good or not. "Whether or not somebody has
contributed to open source is a good indicator of whether they're a good
engineer," he said.
Distinguish themselves
What's particularly attractive to the people who work at GitHub, Holman
added, is that the service has become such a great way for developers to
distinguish themselves, even as it got its start more as a place where
people were sharing their work for no reason other than to do so.
But that sense of selflessly participating in open-source projects is
something that is increasingly attractive to hiring companies. "I've
heard some of our portfolio companies mention the number of [GitHub]
contributions people make and how active they area, and connecting that
with their credibility in the community," said Craig Driscoll,
recruiting partner at Highland Capital Partners. "There's just the
signaling that someone using those types of communities is a general
type of qualifier...[especially the] frequency and quality of the
contributions."
Indeed, some tech companies are turning to GitHub to identify potential
new hires who aren't even actively looking for a new job, and who may
not have a resume online. Of course, almost anyone getting hired is
still going to have their resume checked out and their education
scrutinized, and recruiters are still combing LinkedIn's millions of
active users, but their GitHub presence may be the single-most important
factor. "We're always looking for people who have forked a lot of
[open-source] projects and contributed back into those projects," said
Tim Milliron, director of engineering at Twilio,
a developer of cloud-based communications apps. "We like people
contributing into open source...That carries a lot of [weight with] us."
Milliron said that Twilio has been looking at GitHub as a recruiting
platform for more than a year, but that the pace of doing so has
accelerated significantly in the last six months. "If we look at 20
people and five have GitHub profiles," he said, "and one has
[contributed a lot], then that person tends to bounce to the top of the
list."
To be sure, GitHub is hardly the only open-source community that is
being looked at by companies searching for technical talent. But in
talking to people throughout the technology industry, it appears that
GitHub is getting the lion's share of the attention. As Barney Pell, CEO
of QuickPay, and the founder of Powerset, whose technology became the
basis of Microsoft's Bing, put it, "Online open-source communities like
GitHub bring large numbers of...developers together and are thus a
natural place for recruiting."
If you prefer reading your RSS feeds without the backlight, there's hardware for that, and if you'd prefer not reading your Twitter feeds at all, there's now hardware for that as well. Mix an Arduino Ethernet board,
an Emic 2 Text-To-Speech Module and the knowhow to put them together,
and you've got SocialChatter -- a neat little build that'll read your
feeds aloud. The coding's already been done for you, and it's based on Adafruit's own Internet of Things printer
sketch with a little bit of tinkering so nothing's lost in translation.
If your eyes need a Twitter break and you've got the skills and kit to
make it happen, head over to the source link for a how-to guide. Don't
fill the requirements? Then jump past the break to hear SocialChatter's
soothing voice without all the effort.
By Jamie Rigg posted Aug 16th 2012 11:58AM
http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/16/socialchatter-arduino-build/#continued
It's pretty obvious from Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan's one-man presentation at Gamescom that he's buzzing about his new gaming keyboard. Ready to accompany the accessory maker's Ouroboros
gaming mouse (hands-on impressions coming very soon), the Deathstalker
will arrive in Ultimate and Standard versions. They both plump for
chiclet-style keys and the pricier (and larger) Ultimate felt both light
and slim. The standard issue packs three backlit color options, while
the bigger board adds in Razer's light-up Switchblade UI, seen on its first gaming laptop.
The first part of this is ten LCD keys that can be customized to gaming
buttons or more typical PC use. They're still contextual, meaning if
you launch the calculator from one of the keys, they will then transform
into more appropriate calculator functions. Beneath that, a touchpanel
LCD can act as a trackpad and accepts several gesture motions. It can
also display your Twitter feed, game information and plenty more. The
keyboard will also feature Synapse 2, Razer's new cloud-based settings
service. The CEO explained that a player's custom layout and profile for
the 'board could be stored online and then accessed from any computer
it's plugged into, ready for your next (online) fight. Get our first
impressions after our gallery and the break.
We're liking these style lines, and it all follows the same
design lines and sentiment of the Razer Blade. While the chiclets may
not be to everyone's tastes, --Razer already has their own range of
mechanical keyboards -- the keys on the ultimate version felt responsive
enough during our brief play, and they still have the same optical
effect found on the blade, meaning the image seems to float atop those
LCD keys. We still need more PC titles to offer up their own
customizations, but users will soon be able to take matters into their
own hands, as Razer has launched the SDK for its Switchblade UI
alongside this new keyboard. Both the standard and ultimate iterations
are set for a global launch next month, priced at $80 and $250,
respectively.
By Mat Smith posted Aug 15th 2012 11:00AM http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/15/razer-deathstalker-gaming-keyboard/
As the Oct. 26 launch date for Windows 8 creeps closer, more information about Microsoft's next operating system is trickling out.
I'm not talking about the major ideas, about which we've learned plenty through the Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Release Preview.
It's mostly little things that until recently have gone unanswered.
Let’s take a look at some of the blanks that Microsoft has filled in
lately:
Metro is a Must
We'd previously heard chatter that Microsoft will disable any hacks that bring back the Start button in Windows 8, and this week ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reported that the ability to boot directly into the desktop is gone as well. In other words, if you use Windows 8, even in the enterprise, you must confront the suddenly unnamed new Start screen.
Desktop Users Not Entirely Neglected
In the lead-up to Windows 8, there's been a common refrain among Windows veterans: What's in it for us? To woo these users, Microsoft has announced a File History
backup application for the desktop. For files stored in Libraries,
Desktop, Favorites and Contacts, the system will scan for changes every
hour (or at other optional intervals). File History can store these
changes to a dedicated, external storage device, so users can always
revert to older versions of their files.
Microsoft has also announced
new versions of Windows Photo Gallery and Movie Maker for the desktop
in both Windows 7 and Windows 8. Movie Maker has new features like video
stabilization, audio waveforms and text effects, while Photo Gallery
now has an “Auto Collage” feature and built-in sharing to Vimeo. [For more on what Windows 8 has to offer for power users, check out Jason Cross' rundown and our list of features for businesses.]
Scaled-Down Office for Windows RT
You didn't think that free copy of Microsoft Office for Windows RT tablets would be full-featured, did you? As The Verge reported this week, Office
RT won't support third-party add-ins, macros and Virtual Basic for
Applications. Other smaller features may be missing as well. Microsoft
hasn't confirmed the report, but if it holds true, Windows RT tablets
will be a little less desirable for business users.
More Start Screen Backgrounds Coming
Though you can't use a custom background image
on the Windows 8 Start Screen, Microsoft is adding more built-in start
screen patterns in the final version of the software. The Verge has
posted a gallery of the new patterns, including psychedelic landscapes and flowing flowers in addition to the muted color patterns we've seen so far.
A Little More Incentive for Solitaire
Sometimes, you need to stop working and start wasting time playing
Solitaire or Minesweeper. In Windows 8, those lost hours won't be all
for naught; Eurogamer reports
that these classic Windows games will fall under a new banner dubbed
“Xbox Windows,” each worth 50 achievement points for players' Xbox Live
accounts. Just make sure your boss isn't keeping an eye on your
Gamertag.
By Jared Newman, PCWorld
Aug 8, 2012 9:08 AM
http://www.pcworld.com/article/260582/windows_8_what_weve_learned_lately.html
Editors' note, August 7, 2012: This story has been updated to include the Google Nexus 7. Note, however, that we expect both Amazon and Barnes & Noble to introduce updated e-book readers and
tablets before the end of 2012. There are also continued rumors that Apple may introduce a smaller, cheaper iPad Mini. In the meantime, the comparisons below are limited to the current available product lines of all companies.
Shopping for an e-book reader? At first glance, the task seems
daunting -- there are more choices than ever before. The good news is
that the list of worthwhile choices is actually fairly short. The other good news? Prices and features are better than ever.
When we say "e-book readers," we're now really referring to three
classes of products: black-and-white e-ink readers ($80 to $150); 7-inch
color LCD media tablets ($200 to $250); and full-size color tablets
like the
iPad
(most $400 and above). The market has consolidated around a handful of
major players: Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble are the leaders,
with Google, Kobo, Samsung, Sony, and a host of
Android tablet manufacturers bringing up the rear.
Choosing
among those three categories of readers is the dilemma facing any
shopper today. But don't worry; CNET's here to help. If you're an
experienced shopper, you can jump straight to our current recommendations -- or check our lists of top e-book readers and top tablets. And, if you're just trying to decide between a Kindle Fire and a Nook Tablet, check out Kindle Fire vs. Nook Tablet: How to choose.
But if you're looking for a more in-depth discussion, read on to
consult this quick guide, which boils the purchase decision down to
seven questions:
1. Reader vs. tablet: Do you want more than just reading?
Start
by asking yourself what you're really looking for. Do you just want to
read books? How about magazines and newspapers? What about browsing the
Web? Want to add multimedia to the mix -- music, audiobooks, or video?
Are you a Netflix junkie? Do you need Flash support? E-mail and
messaging? Gaming?
Products like the Nook Tablet (left) and Kindle Fire split the difference between e-reader and tablet.
(Credit:
CNET/Sarah Tew )
If you want to stick with "just reading" -- books, and maybe
some newspapers and magazines (in black and white) -- an e-ink reader
($79 to $149) is probably your best bet. They come closest to
duplicating the experience of reading a book, and -- while they have
some online features -- you won't be distracted while reading by a
stream of incoming e-mails, tweets, or Facebook messages.
If you
want more functionality and a color screen, you'll need to step up to a
tablet. High-end full-size (10-inch screen) tablets like the iPad 2 (the
16GB version is still on the market), the third-generation iPad, or the
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are much more versatile than e-ink readers, and
they can replace a laptop for some tasks. But they'll cost you upwards
of $400 or more to start.
But there's a growing class of smaller
tablets that split the difference between e-ink readers and full-size
tablets. The Nook Color blazed the trail in 2010, and has since been
joined by the Nook Tablet, the Amazon Kindle Fire, and -- most recently
-- the Google Nexus 7. In addition to working as e-readers, these 7-inch
color LCD tablets utilize Android operating system to deliver a growing
variety of media, productivity, and entertainment apps. Most
significantly, these products are priced from $199 (or even less if you
opt for the Nook Color, which is still on the market).
As of summer 2012, the Google Nexus 7 is far and away the best
7-inch tablet you can buy. For the same $199 price as the current Kindle
and Nook models, it has better hardware features (Bluetooth, camera,
GPS, better graphics) than both. And -- unlike the Kindle and the Nook
-- the Nexus 7 offers the full Android "Google Play" app store, not the
"curated" versions that Amazon and Barnes & Noble offer (which have
thousands of fewer apps).
Most importantly, the Nexus 7 (and all Android tablets) still allow you to access Amazon and Barnes & Noble e-books through their respective apps.
2. How large of a screen (and weight) do you want?
Even
if you plan to never leave home with your e-book reader, you should
consider its size before buying one. Since you hold the device in front
of you whenever you want to read, the weight and size is a critical
issue.
The smallest and lightest dedicated e-book reader that
we can recommend is the entry-level 2011 Kindle. Unlike the step-up
Kindle Touch model, the baseline Kindle includes neither a touch screen
nor any audio features. However, the trade-off is that you get the
lightest e-book reader currently on the market -- just under 6 ounces.
Touch-screen models all weigh a tad more. The 2011 Kobo weighs a bit less than 7.1 ounces. The Nook Simple Touch,
meanwhile, tips the scales at a very portable 7.5 ounces -- more than a
third lighter than the original -- while the newer GlowLight Nook is
even lighter, at just under 7 ounces. The aforementioned Kindle Touch
weighs 7.5 to 7.8 ounces, depending if you go with the Wi-Fi or 3G
model. But even with cases, all of these 6-inch e-ink models are light
enough to hold for extended reading sessions without tiring.
With their color screens and beefier batteries, the 7-inch tablets are heavier than their e-ink counterparts. The Google Nexus 7
is 12 ounces, and the weights tick up from there. The Nook Tablet
weighs 14.1 ounces, the Kindle Fire weighs 14.6 ounces, and the Nook
Color is almost a full pound (15.8 ounces). To put that into
perspective: the 10-inch Apple iPad 2 weighs 1.33 to 1.35 pounds (21.3 to 21.6 ounces -- the heavier one is the 3G model), but it has twice
the screen area of the 7-inchers. (The third-generation (2012) iPad is a
tad heavier -- 1.44 to 1.46 pounds.) That's why many people pick up a
7-inch tablet and say, "This is heavier than I expected."
Besides the iPad, other 10-inch models include the e-ink Kindle DX, the Asus Transformer Pad TF300, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (or similar Android models). All of them weigh between 1.2 and 1.4 pounds.
Remember,
all e-book readers let you adjust the font size of the content you're
reading, so even a small screen can display much larger type than you're
used to seeing in a book, magazine, or newspaper. In other words, a
smaller screen does not mean you need to sacrifice text readability.
However, small screens often make magazine and PDFs look cramped, since
they're generally designed with large print sizes in mind.
Beyond the preference of the screen, the weight
is often a bigger issue. Unlike a laptop, which sits on a table or in
your lap while in use, you'll be actively holding these readers or
tablets aloft. For long reading sessions -- say, more than 45 minutes or
so -- many users will find that their fingers and arms becoming
strained.
Finally, remember that if you add a case or a screen
cover to your reader or tablet of choice, it's going to add some weight
as well.
3. What are your screen preferences: E-ink or color LCD?
E-ink: As close as you'll get to a printed page
Dedicated e-book readers, such as the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, and Sony
Reader, use an e-ink screen. However, e-ink screens have some drawbacks:
they're black and white, and the pages don't refresh as quickly as
those on an LCD do. However, they do an excellent job of reproducing the
look of printed paper. Also, you can read e-ink readers in direct
sunlight, which is something you can't do on an LCD screen (a fact
Amazon is keen to point out in its advertising).
Previously, the biggest drawback for e-ink screens was
that they were not self-illuminating (unlike LCDs, which are backlit by
definition). But that's now changed with the release of the Simple Touch with GlowLight,
which uses a unique side-lighting technology to illuminate the e-ink
screen for reading in dark environments. It costs $40 more than its
non-illuminated counterpart, but that's actually cheaper than the $60
Kindle covers that include built-in lights (which add considerable
bulk): Lighted Cover for Kindle ($60); Lighted Cover for Kindle Touch ($60).
The
"Pearl" screen by E Ink is now standard on all major e-ink readers. So,
whether you're getting the Nook or Kobo or Sony Reader or Kindle,
you're basically getting the same exact screen. (Whether that changes
later in 2012 remains to be seen.)
Many users of e-ink readers
dislike the refresh flashing that occurs between page turns. While those
flashes still exist, user settings now allow them to happen once every
five to six page turns, rather than every time a page is refreshed.
Also, page turns on the latest e-ink screens are notably faster than on
previous years' models.
LCD: Bright, backlit -- and potentially tiring
Color LCD screens found on all tablets (including the Nook Tablet and
Kindle Fire) are bright, colorful, beautiful displays. But those
advantages have trade-offs. The reflective screens on LCD tablets make
it hard to read in bright light, and many people find that the backlight
tires their eyes over long reading sessions.
New for 2012 is
the Retina Screen of the third-generation iPad. At 2,048x1,536 pixels,
it's far and away the best-looking LCD screen out there, and arguably
the best experience for reading text on a backlit screen. But as great
as it looks, it's still LCD -- and still suffers from the issues
mentioned above.
LCD readers are prone to glare.
(Credit:
David Carnoy/CNET)
Touch screen: All but the entry-level Kindle All
tablets (iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook Tablet, etc.) have touch
screens, as do all current models of major brand e-ink readers -- except
the entry-level $79 Kindle. Most users will find the touch screen to be
the most natural way to interact with a device. That said, if you're
only interested in reading -- without taking notes, tweeting, or doing
other text input -- that supercheap, superlight Kindle may well be all
you need.
How to choose So, which screen is better for reading: e-ink or LCD? We can't answer that question for you. (See "LCD vs. e-ink: The eyestrain debate".)
If you don't have a problem staring at your laptop or LCD monitor
screen for hours on end -- or if you enjoy reading in low light without
an external light source -- you'll probably like an LCD screen.
Likewise, if you enjoy reading Web sites, magazines, and newspapers, and
if you want support for interactive children's books, you'll want to go
with color. However, if you prefer the look of newsprint or if you
enjoy reading outside, an e-ink display is your friend. And if you like
reading in bed, the Nook GlowLight may well be your ideal solution.
Whether you're checking your preference for e-ink versus LCD or touch
screen versus keyboard controls, we'd strongly recommend that you try a
few devices before you buy one. You'll find most major e-book readers
(Kindles, Nooks, Sony Readers, Apple iPads, Android tablets) under one
roof at your local Best Buy; iPads can be found at Apple Stores, of
course, and all flavors of Nooks are on display at your local Barnes
& Noble store.
When buying many tablets and some e-book readers, you'll need to make a
choice between two versions: the Wi-Fi model or the 3G/4G version. In
other words: do you want the more affordable Wi-Fi model (which requires
you to be near a Wi-Fi hot spot to download books or access the
Internet), or do you prefer to pay a premium -- via a higher up-front
price and/or a monthly bill -- to add 3G access on a cellular wireless
network?
If you're primarily interested in reading books, you're probably
going to be fine opting for Wi-Fi-only models. You only need Wi-Fi
access when you're buying new books. (E-book files are stored on the
device -- once downloaded, Internet access isn't necessary.) So, if
you're a voracious reader, you can (for instance) buy a bunch of books,
toggle off your Wi-Fi, and work your way through them at your leisure.
In fact, many users keep the wireless on their readers switched off most
of the time since it significantly boosts battery life.
If you're using your hardware to access anything besides
e-books -- magazine or newspaper subscriptions, e-mail, the Web, apps,
and so forth -- ubiquitous wireless access becomes more important.
Still, if you're using the reader/tablet primarily at home, Wi-Fi will
probably remain sufficient.
If you're a power user or frequent traveler, opting for a 3G or 4G product is worth considering.
The
current Nook Simple Touch, Nook Tablet, Kindle Fire, and Kobo models
are only available in Wi-Fi versions. Amazon offers two versions of the
Kindle Touch with 3G wireless (using AT&T's cellular network). The
wireless is free, but it's limited to shopping for new books and
downloading new issues of magazines and newspapers -- don't expect to be
surfing the Web and watching video, even if that was pleasant on those
e-ink screens (it's not).
Tablets, of course, offer a much wider
array of media options -- and, as a result, cellular (3G or 4G) data
access is much more tempting. Many Android tablets are available in
carrier-specific versions with terms similar to that of smartphones: you
get a discount on the hardware, but you'll need to sign up for a
two-year contract with beefy monthly bills. (Most Android tablets now
also offer contract-free Wi-Fi-only versions.)
On the iPad, there
are now two cellular options: the 3G iPad 2 (16GB only) or the 4G
third-generation iPad. (Both are available on Verizon or AT&T.) In
addition to paying a $130 premium over the Wi-Fi-only counterpart for
each, you'll pay a monthly fee to the wireless provider, but it's a
prepaid monthly service, not a long-term contract; in other words, you
can cancel or restart any time, without paying an expensive
early-termination fee. (Annoyingly, a recurring $35 activation fee may
apply if you start and top the service, though.)
Ironically, the
Kindle Fire offers no 3G version. With its reliance on "cloud"
entertainment options -- streaming video and audio from the Amazon
online store -- it's a curious omission. (That said, some -- but not all
-- videos can be downloaded and stored on the Fire for offline
viewing.)
Is broadband wireless a must-have? That's a question
you'll need to answer. Just remember that -- with more phones offering
Wi-Fi hot-spot functionality and establishments such as Starbucks
offering free Wi-Fi -- there are plenty of ways to get seamless online
coverage with your reading device without it having 3G network support
built-in.
5. Apps vs. hardware: Which reading platform offers the most flexibility? One
of the advantages of having your reading collection "in the cloud" is
that you can access your books on multiple devices, though some e-book
vendors offer better cross-platform support than others do.
This
is where terminology can get a bit confusing: the e-book stores can be
available on different devices, including (in the case of Apple) those
of rival e-book publishers -- the e-book equivalent of buying a can of
Pepsi from a Coke vending machine.
The iPad offers access to
all major e-book stores via their respective apps.
(Credit:
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET)
This multidevice support is accomplished through apps.
On tablets (iPad, Android, and more), smartphones (iPhone, Android,
BlackBerry, and others), and PCs (Mac and Windows), users can download
free apps that let them read e-books from a variety of vendors. So, you
can read a Kindle book on your iPad, a Nook book on your Android phone,
or a Kobo book on your BlackBerry -- and that's just for starters.
As of August 2012, here's how app support breaks down for each major e-book platform:
Kindle:
Besides Kindle hardware readers, Kindle books can be accessed on iPads,
iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later),
Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, Windows PCs, Macs, Windows
Phone 7 phones, and via Web browsers (the Kindle Cloud Reader). Full details here.
Nook:
Besides Nook hardware readers, Nook books can be accessed on iPads,
iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later),
Android tablets, Windows PCs, Macs, and via Web browsers (the Nook for Web). Full details here.
Kobo:
Besides Kobo hardware readers, Kobo books can be accessed on iPads,
iPhones, iPod Touch handhelds, Android phones (version 2.1 and later),
Android tablets, many BlackBerry phones, the Palm Pre (WebOS), the
BlackBerry PlayBook, Windows PCs, and Macs. Full details: smartphones, tablets, PCs/Macs.
iBooks: Apple's e-book store is currently only available on Apple iOS devices -- iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch.
Sony Reader:
Besides Sony Reader hardware, Sony books can be accessed on Android
phones, Android Tablets, Windows PCs, and Macs. (The Sony Reader iOS
app--originally rejected by Apple -- has yet to appear in the iOS App Store at the time of this writing.) Full details
Nearly
all of these apps allow you to sync your position in a book across
devices, so if you read up to, say, Page 229 on your phone, you can pick
up on that same page on your tablet or reader, and vice versa.
All
of the apps are free, and -- since each bookstore offers a wide
selection of free books -- you can freely experiment with any and all of
the apps that work with your respective hardware.
Many local libraries offer the ability to check out an e-book on loan --
just as you can do with a regular book. Previously, support for this
varied across e-readers and tablets. However, now it's basically
universal. The Kindle was the last major holdout, but as of September
2011, Amazon's e-reader can be used to read free library
loaners as well.
Library support is generally accomplished
in one of three ways (all of which, of course, require you to have an
account with your local library):
For dedicated e-readers -- download and sync:
Users of the Nook, Kobo, and Sony Readers can download e-book files
from their local library's Web site and transfer them to the readers via
a USB cable. You'll need free software such as Adobe Digital Editions
to complete the process. The video below details the process on the
Nook, but the process is similar on Kobo, Sony, and other reader that's
compatible with EPUB files. (You can also do a version of USB sync for
the Kindle -- see below.)
For tablets, smartphones, and computers -- OverDrive Media Console:
If you're reading on a tablet (iPad or Android), a smartphone (iPhone,
Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7), or a computer (Windows or Mac),
reading e-books from the library is far simpler. Just install the free
OverDrive Media Console app. OverDrive will allow you to download and
read library e-books -- and MP3 audiobooks -- within the app itself,
without the need to sync up with a computer. (See the video below for
more information.)
For Amazon Kindle (hardware or app): Amazon
partnered with OverDrive to enable library lending, and the result is
pretty seamless. Choose the e-book from the Web site of your local
library, add the Kindle version to the cart, and check out. You'll be
redirected to the book's corresponding Amazon page, where you can
automatically send it to your Kindle reader or app (next time you sync
via Wi-Fi), or you can download the file and sync via USB.
Amazon Kindle Owners' Lending Library: It's also worth mentioning that Amazon has its own version of a library. The Kindle Owners' Lending Library
makes thousands of books available to Amazon Prime subscribers at no
additional charge -- think of it as "Netflix for books." (Prime costs
$79 per year, and also entitles members to free two-day shipping on most
physical Amazon orders, plus free access to thousands of streaming
video titles on Amazon Instant.) There are many caveats: besides needing
to pay the Prime membership fee, you can only "check out" one book per
month, and it only works with Kindle hardware (not via Kindle apps on
other devices). The biggest issue is the comparative dearth of quality
titles -- there are more than 100,000 titles overall, but the majority
are self-published titles that don't come from the large publishing
houses. And because of the licensing issues (read: potential loss of
sales), don't count on more publishers signing on.
Current recommendations
As of August 2012, CNET's overall suggestion when shopping for e-book readers and tablets is: wait a few weeks..
As
we approach the autumn -- and the run-up to the Christmas buying season
-- there are several unknowns. Amazon and Barnes & Noble will
almost certainly release new products, and Apple is rumored to be
working on a smaller iPad.
With those likely or possible products on the horizon, it's best to
hold off any non-essential purchase, at least until Thanksgiving.
If
you can't wait -- or if you don't mind buyer's remorse if an updated
version of your purchase is released just weeks after you bought it --
we can recommend three e-ink e-book readers, one 7-inch LCD tablet, and
two full-size LCD tablets.
Best overall e-ink reader:Barnes & Noble Simple Touch with GlowLight.
The latest version of the Nook Simple Touch is the only e-ink model
that offers self-illumination -- and we think that's a pretty killer
feature. It's also a great touch-screen e-reader, and -- unlike most
versions of the Kindle -- it's ad-free.
Best audio-enabled touch-screen e-ink reader:Amazon Kindle Touch with Special Offers.
Unlike the Nook Simple Touch, the Kindle supports audio (Audible
audiobooks, MP3 playback, and text-to-voice autonarration). Add support
for library lending, the Kindle Owners' Lending Library (for Prime
members), and integration with Amazon's world-class online store, and
you've got an e-ink reader that edges out the competition for just $99.
Best bargain e-ink reader:Amazon Kindle.
It's pretty much the only e-reader you can buy that doesn't have a
touch screen. Nor does it have the audio or "X-ray" (Shelfari-powered
metadata) features found on its big brother, the Kindle Touch, that
costs only $20 more. But at $79 (with ads), the 2011 Kindle is the
cheapest -- and lightest -- e-reader you can buy. And if you don't need
touch-screen navigation and you don't do a lot of text input (for notes
or social media), it's a pretty great basic e-reader.
Best sub-$200 color e-reader:Google Nexus 7. It used to be a flip of the coin between the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet or the Amazon Kindle Fire.
At this point, though, the Nexus 7 blows both of them away. If you
can't wait for the next set of products from Amazon or B&N, the
Nexus 7 (running the Kindle and/or Nook app) is your best bet.
Best full-featured reading tablet: The Apple iPad: Apple iPad (third-gen) (starts at $499), iPad 2
(starts at $399). If you want a more full-featured tablet that can
double as an e-book reader, the Apple iPad is currently the best choice.
It offers free Kindle, Nook, and Kobo reading apps, with full access to
the content in those e-book stores. (Additionally, the iPad offers
Apple's own iBooks application, though those e-books can't be accessed
on any non-iOS device.) And the iPad's Good Reader app remains the best
way to read, edit, and annotate PDF files that we've seen to date. To be
fair, Android tablets also double as good e-book readers, with those
same three major e-book apps available -- but for $399 to $499, we'd
still rather have an iPad.
The $399 iPad 2 remains a great
tablet that beats nearly all of the Android competition, and it's a few
ounces lighter than the third-gen iPad. But for $100 more, the 2012 iPad
offers that gorgeous Retina Screen that will especially appeal to
readers.
If you do prefer Android, the Asus Transformer Prime and Asus Transformer Pad TF300 (both with 10-inch screens) and the Google Nexus 7 (7-inch screen) are currently among our top-rated Android tablets.
Depending
on what features are important to you -- color versus black-and-white
screen, backlight versus readability in the sun, touch screen versus
not, cheap versus expensive, 4G versus Wi-Fi, lightweight versus heavy,
reading-only versus full-featured -- the device you prefer may be
different from ours. However, there's no arguing that the range of
choices for e-book readers is better and more affordable now than it
ever has been.
Share your thoughts and experiences about e-book reader preferences in the comments below.
After "seven minutes of terror" involving guided entry, parachute and powered descent, and even a sky crane, NASA's Curiosity rover has successfully touched down
on the surface of Mars. Better yet, the 2,000lbs (900kg) science lab
has established communications with Earth and is sending back telemetry
along with the first pictures of Gale crater. These initial grayscale
images are only 256 x 256 pixels in size but show Curiosity's shadow on
the Martian soil. Peek at our galley below and stay tuned for updates. Update: Hit the break to check out a video of all the "seven minutes of terror" highlights.
After jumping the hurdles of our review gauntlet, the MacBook Pro with Retina display
proved itself as a top-notch machine for the creative professionals
it's geared towards, and anyone willing to pay a premium. Save for a
brief bout with Diablo III, our time spent gaming on the hardware was limited. Ever since, we've wondered how the Kepler-toting, Ivy Bridge-packing
laptop would handle one of our favorite graphics-intensive pastimes.
Sure, Apple machines aren't exactly en vogue when it comes to playing
video games, but Cupertino's ultra-high-resolution Mac simply begs to be
put to the test. We loaded up Windows 7 on a MacBook Pro carrying an
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1 GB of VRAM, the stock 2.3GHz processor and
16GB of RAM (upgraded from the vanilla 8GB configuration) and put it
through its paces to see how it performs.
Windows on Retina display
Making full use
of the Retina display's 2,880 x 1,880 resolution, the Windows desktop is
startlingly huge with tiny text and dwarfed navigation buttons lost
within it. Pegging the dpi at 200 percent, however, strikes a balance
between readability and definition. System text, icons and windows are
easy on the eyes, but third-party apps are hit-or-miss, as they require
developer support for large, crisp and readable visuals. With a bit of
tweaking, the oversized-desktop is useable, but a 1,920 x 1,080
experience is a bit easier on the eyes, and is more forgiving of apps
that lack support for the extra pixels.
Performance
Ready to traverse the frozen fields of Tamriel? No problem, as long as
you stick to the so-called standard HD resolutions. Dialed in at 1,920 x
1,080 without anti-aliasing, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim nets an average of 37 fps on ultra quality and 53 fps on high. Arkham City fares similarly, producing playable experiences at high detail, clocking framerates above 50 fps. Grand Theft Auto IV is a little tougher on the system, but averages over 30 fps at high settings.
When the Retina display struts its stuff, however, things aren't as
peachy. The very same games that wowed us at 1080p struggle to run
smoothly under the burden of the rig's pixel-pushing native resolution. Skyrim,
for example, isn't the steadiest of rides at ultra settings. In fact,
it's downright choppy, squeezing out just 21 fps with anti-aliasing
turned off. Shifting gears to medium ekes out more frames for Skyrim, but still makes for a rocky ride.
Settings
FPS (2,880 x 1,880)
FPS (1920 x 1080)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Ultra
21
37
High
25
53
Medium
26
58
Low
36
82
Arkham City
Extreme
10
20
High
29
54
Medium
34
61
Low
36
61
Grand Theft Auto IV
High
18
33
Medium
20
39
Low
22
49
Team Fortress 2
Very High
62
128
High
67
140
Medium
73
187
Low
137
212
Note: tests conducted on Windows with anti-aliasing turned off.
Running at full bore under Windows, Team Fortress 2
clocked in at an average of 62 fps when taking advantage of the Retina
display. Making compromises pushes framerates further up the ladder,
with very high settings at 1,920 x 1,080 pumping out 128 fps. While the
Mac version performs similarly at full resolution and high detail, it
doesn't do as well overall. Notched in at low settings, for example, we
hovered around 70 fps -- a figure that nearly doubles in Windows. At
maximum resolution, kicking up anti-aliasing to its limits proves to be
an issue for both versions, with framerates chugging along at 11 fps on
OS X and 20 fps on Windows.
On Windows, we wandered the vast
expanses of Tamriel at 1,920 x 1,080 with medium settings for an hour
and 40 minutes before our battery gave way. Under our standard battery
test, the laptop kept alive for three hours and 39 minutes -- a far cry
from the nine hours and 22 minutes managed under OS X. While the
machine's underside can cause discomfort if it sits in your lap for long
enough, the real issue comes courtesy of the keyboard. The WASD chiclet
keys and aluminum trenches between them get seriously hot, making an
external keyboard the better option.
PCMarkVantage
3DMark06
Battery life
MacBook Pro with Retina display w/Windows (2.30GHz Core i7, GeForce GTX 650M, 16GB)
In terms of cold, hard numbers, the Mac garnered a PCMarkVantage score
of 15,152, sliding in above the Razer Blade and MSI's GT70, but below
the Maingear Pulse 11. With a 3DMark06 score of 14,426, the
aluminum-cased machine comfortably slots in above Razer's offering and
the Maingear, but falls short of the GT70.
Wrap-up
The Retina display-equipped MacBook Pro is a capable machine -- and it
should be for its $2,199 starting price (or $2,399 for 16 GB of RAM in
our case). NVIDIA's screaming Kepler architecture has more than enough
oomph for the MacBook to handle most current games thrown at it,
providing an enjoyable experience at respectable settings and
resolutions. If playing video games is your prime directive, a portable
rig built for gaming from the ground up should still top your list, but
rest assured that Apple's "best Mac ever" can have some fun too.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Recently, Samsung gave me a sneak peek at its new Galaxy Note 2 in
action. Of course the device I saw demonstrated, and briefly handled
myself, was a top-secret engineering sample and not the full production
model. Even so, I was struck by the power and capabilities of this
ambitious gadget.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Before I get any further let me explain that my hands-on time with the
Galaxy Note 2 was brief. Also, the cadre of intense Samsung product
managers and marketing folks surrounding me insisted I not play with the
apps too much since the phone had software that was not final.
Additionally I was forbidden from snapping photos or shooting video
during my meeting and Samsung didn't announce pricing information.
Luckily CNET's Stephen Shankland was able to grab pictures direct from
IFA in Berlin. 
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
That’s not to say the Galaxy Note 2 is bigger exactly, but more
specifically longer. The device’s 5.55-inch AMOLED screen (1280x720) is
diagonally wider than its predecessor the first Galaxy Note
(5.3 inches). That translates into a display with a wide-screen 16:9
aspect ratio, which is, as Samsung puts it,"optimized for today's
visually oriented apps."
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
During my briefing, Samsung didn’t provide details about the Galaxy Note
2’s dimensions. Still, the device looked just as thin as the original
Galaxy Note and Galaxy S III.
I was also shown two hues, white and gray, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S
III devices. A large home button sits below each device’s screen,
flanked by two capacitive buttons on either side.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Hovering over items such as photos and videos will open windows to see
more details or even begin playback. Samsung also demonstrated the Note 2
playing video while viewing Web pages or other documents at the same
time, giving the device an almost PC-level of functionality.
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Performance
(Credit:
Stephen Shankland/CNET)
Powered by a 3,100mAh battery, I also hope battery life can keep up with
the Galaxy Note 2’s fire-breathing list of components. Of course the
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 device I saw was the global unit that lacked LTE
4G data hardware. Most likely a U.S. model will feature a dual-core
Snapdragon S4 processor, which plays nicer with LTE modems. Though the
S4 isn’t bursting with cores, it is plenty fast, very efficient, and a
power miser. 
