A to Play Offers Up An Alternative View
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Whilst doing my weekend surfing, I stumbled across 'A to Play' a new website that offers up some no-nonsense writing on alternative media. I liked what I read, including this interesting review of a recent Top Gear Special. It is not often that I spend much time on one website, often flitting between numerous news, rumour and Mac orientated destinations, but 'A to Play' had me reading for quite a while. The Top Gear article and recent Bayonetta review have a nice writing style, so credit is definitely due. If you want an alternative read, then check them out.Labels: Opinion
Amazon UK Turning Away Custom in Recession?
Thursday, December 03, 2009
It is not often that I use the Geekanoids website as a sounding board to air my own frustration. However, I experienced such a shocking series of events over the past few months, that I felt obliged to share it with you.
Over the course of many years, I have personally shopped with Amazon UK. Ordering many personal items and gifts for friends and family. They always proved to have a great selection of products and very competitive pricing. This is still true to this day. During 2009 I experienced a few problems with orders. Without going into two much detail, one item did not perform as described, another came through with missing components and then later developed a fault and another was delivered damaged. At the time this did not bother me. Amazon UK have great customer service, so each time I contacted them with the confidence that they would sort the problem out. To their credit, they did. The customer service representatives were always polite, apologetic, and sorted out the return of said items.
What was not made clear to me was that the readily offered helpfulness and returns, meant that my account was flagged. Someone in their Executive Customer Relations Department was watching me! To my surprise I received an email saying that my account was under review. The email read... "there is a highly irregular amount of refunds created on your account. As a responsible business, we are unable to allow this situation to persist. If the situation does not improve we will have no option but to reconsider our business relationship. We will continue to monitor the orders on a regular basis." I chose to ignore this email, as I was never returning items if there was not a genuine problem with the item. Three months passed and I had continued to order from the company more gifts and items, which all came through as expected and stayed in my possession.
To my surprise I then received another email at the beginning of November. This email contained a shorter introduction, but the same harsh statement as the previous one. I did not deem the second email was at all justified, so responded asking why my account was still under review. The response that I received yesterday was not what I expected. Without running the email here quote for quote, it basically informed me that my account was now closed. I am no longer welcome as a Amazon UK customer. They also strongly advise me against trying to open another account.
Distance Selling Regulations... I am no expert, but the email also said that if I did order from them in the future, they would accept no returns and issue no future refunds. Take note Trading Standards and Watchdog... I am sure you would have something to say about the stance Amazon have taken in this statement, "If you were to open a new account, the same will result and it will also be closed. In the event that you attempt to do so, we will not accept the return of any additional orders, nor will we issue further refunds in connection with any future orders."
So, it seems that by exercising my legal rights to return damaged and faulty goods, Amazon no longer value me as a customer, despite me filling their coffers with many pounds over the years. I did contact them via telephone, but it seems that (according to their customer services) they do not have ANY telephone number for their UK head office. I also attempted to contact their press office, but the phone just rang and rang. Even after all this, I still contacted the Executive Custom Relations to ask if they would reconsider their decision, to which they said NO! It should also be noted that I gave them the opportunity to respond to this article, prior to publication, which they duly declined.
Disclaimer: This is my own personal experience. It in no way indicates how any company would treat their customers as a general rule.
Labels: Opinion
Asus UL Series Laptop Preview - UL30 UL50AG & UL50VG
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
This is my preview of the Asus UL Series Laptops. Available from 22nd October 2009 at a range of high street and online retailers, the pricing will be £599 inc VAT (13.3 UL30), £699 inc VAT (15.6 UL50AG) and £799 (15.6 UL50VG with dedicated graphics).
Labels: Opinion, PC Hardware
Steve Jobs Windows 7 Party Box unboxing
Steve Jobs (well a look-a-like) gets an unexpected Windows 7 Party Box delivered to him. He is so excited with the thought of holding a party, so after this unboxing he will be busy putting together his guest list in time for his party next week.
Labels: Opinion, PC Software
Nokia N900 Hands On @ Nokia World - Internet Tablet Preview
My review of the Nokia N900 will come later in the year. Before my review of this device, I give you a preview look of the device in action at Nokia World 2009. Finally this device can make voice calls!
Labels: Mobile Phones, Opinion
BumpTop 3D Desktop with Multi Touch Gestures
BumpTop is an intuitive piece of software that offers a 3D Desktop with Multi Touch Gestures. Currently only available for Windows XP, Vista and 7, you need to show your support, as the company are looking for feedback to see if there is enough demand for a Mac OS X version.
Check out the features at http://bumptop.com/
Labels: Mac Software, Opinion, PC Software
What's in my Dock - Geekanoids - September 2009
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Want to know what applications I use most? Check out the video What's in My Dock below.
Labels: Mac Software, Opinion
My Mac is a Drug - new Book available for pre-order
Friday, September 18, 2009
Get your reading cap on guys and gals, a new book has been added to the Geekanoids Shop. "My Mac is a Drug" is Paul Camelovi's recollection of how technology, gadgets and mainly Mac computers have taken over his life. The title makes the content obvious with many comparisons to addiction to drugs, through to a look at Apple's design process. Even quality control is covered to some degree. It is also worth noting that if you get your order in early, you can save £2 off RRP. Orders are accepted worldwide. Click the link for a shortcut to the pre-order page.Labels: Apple News, Books, Opinion
Apple's It's only Rock & Roll Event - Expectations
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Today at 10am Pacific Time, 6pm GMT, Apple will be holding an event to launch a slew of new products. The 'It's only rock and roll' event takes place at the Yerba Buena Centre for the Arts in San Francisco, where they have adorned the front with a striking music banner.
Every September we see new iPods. So, it is a forgone conclusion that we will see a new iPod Nano and touch. There have been many pictures doing the rounds of new cases. The most likely being the Hama cases that featured on Engadget. It seems an obvious step for Apple to introduce a camera to the iPod touch, bringing video capabilities and simple editing akin to the iPhone 3GS. The Nano will more than likely only be able to take photos. There has also been rumours that Apple experienced problems with the initial batch of camera units. If this is true, we might see a slight shipping delay after launch.
We might also hear two bits of sad news too. The iPod classic is likely to be retired. When it was announced as the 120GB version available today, the company said it would be the last version of this model. The second wipeout news, is that of the AppleTV. The 40GB version has been showing as 1-2 weeks shipping for a while in the Apple online store. This may well indicate that stock is being run down on this model. It would be nice to think that Apple does keep on developing the AppleTV, maybe even showing us a new version later today.
A new iTunes (version 9) is also likely. With social networking additions for Facebook and Twitter. It seems as though the application is getting a little cluttered now and is certainly trying to do too much. Keep it simple Apple, or people will lose interest! Also rumoured is The Beatles coming to the iTunes Store. This is not a big deal for me, plus I don't think it'll happen today anyway.
The most anticipated product that people want to see is the Apple Tablet. If Steve Jobs takes to the stage, he may well surprise us. I personally don't think it is that likely, but I really would love to see it. A 10-inch touch screen device, with HDMI output would be superb. Surely acting as the coolest media type server on the planet. Of course, it would do a lot more besides just serving up content. Apple will do the touch interface just right and you will see a lot of people opting for these over a laptop. Keep checking back on Geekanoids later today and tomorrow for full coverage of what Apple has up its sleeve(s).
Labels: Apple News, Apple Rumour, Opinion
New Mobile Phones for Christmas
Friday, August 14, 2009
Throughout the first half of 2009 we have been given some really nice choices when it comes to mobile phones. The iPhone was updated to the new speedy 3GS. We have the HTC Magic and Hero, if you want to give Google some loving. Then for the masses, we have the likes of the Samsung Jet, aiming for that mass consumer appeal. As we near the holiday season, the moby manufacturers are not letting up. There are some gems coming that may well make it into your stocking.First up we have the Palm Pre. This is a funny one this. For those in the know, Palm has gone through some really rough times. The PDA was no more and many say that the Pre is their last chance to survive as a company. When they released the handset in the USA, things were not that great, with potential customers experiencing less than awesome customer service. That aside, it is a nice looking handset. Like a smooth pebble, with a slide-out keyboard. You get a nice user interface too, with multi-tasking. Music, photos, videos, GPS, wifi, bluetooth, universal search and a nice calendar to boot. It seems very slick, but will the performance be acceptable. More than that, here in the UK, O2 have got an exclusive on the Pre. This is bad news for many, as their 3G network is not exactly the greatest.
For a more mainstream phone, but with a twist, we have the Samsung i7500. Also known as the Galaxy, this handset will not be that cheap. It does stand a good chance of opening up the Google Android platform to the masses. Android is a really nice mobile platform. It has multi-tasking, some really good applications available in 'Market' and excellent mail and texting apps. Where the Galaxy scores is in the specification that Samsung have given us. a 3.2-inch glorious AMOLED screen. Speed freaks will love the 7.2Mbps HSDPA support. Whilst multimedia junkies will revel in the 8GB of internal memory and ability to add a futher 32GB with a MicroSD card. Add to this, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, GPS, wifi, 5 megapixel camera and you can see that it offers up a lot. If it isn't on the Galaxy out of the box, then the Android Market will cater for your Twitter and other social networking needs. This is definitely a mobile phone to watch.
The wildcard for me in this seasons line-up is from INQ. They are releasing their INQ Chat 3G is the company's first qwerty-style phone. There is also the more compact INQ Mini 3G which provides an entry-level social mobile ideal for the price-sensitive prepay market. The INQ Chat 3G was developed in response to consumer and operator demand for a qwerty-style keypad device from INQ. It has a new email client developed by INQ that incorporates free push Gmail - removing a cost for push mail typically borne by operators or passed on to consumers.
Both of these handsets will appeal to a mass market. The current trend is social networking and both of the INQ handsets will not disappoint on that front. Twitter, Facebook, IM, Skype and web-based email services like Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and GMail are all catered for. If you want a cost effective solution, then watch out for these two.
It is going to be an exciting run up to Christmas for sure. With all this choice, where will your money go?
Labels: Mobile Phones, Opinion
Palm taking the micky with iTunes syncing
Friday, July 24, 2009
iTunes might be free for the Mac & PC, but it is not free for anyone to financially benefit from as a feature of their product. So when Palm released the Pre, everyone was surprised that it synchronised with users iTune libraries. Yes, Palm had taken a somewhat risky move in my opinion. They had done nothing less than hacking into Apple's software, to find out how to make the Pre appear as an iPod (or iPhone). Instead of Apple setting the lawyers loose, they simply released iTunes 8.2.1 to fix the so-called problem.Well, Palm are either stupid or ummm stupid, as they have now released webOS 1.1.0 for the Pre. Their release notes cite in black and white that the new version "Resolves an issue preventing media sync from working with latest version of iTunes (8.2.1)."
They may well be spelling this out to gain publicity from writers like myself. So, to a certain extent, they are getting some free publicity. However, let me put you right, if you are reading this as a Pre owner (or someone who is considering this product). For a company to release a mobile phone, capable of playing back music and video files, to hack into another company's software is very underhand... and that stupid word comes up again. How lazy, they have the manpower to do their own software. From a buyers point of view, how annoyed will the dozen or so Pre owners be, when they have relied on iTunes from day one, only to find that it no longer works (and believe me, Apple will make sure that it stops working).
Apple is being very kind about the situation. They are well within their rights to slap Palm for this and if it went to court, the conclusion is pretty obvious. Maybe Palm are already admitting defeat, clocking up as many Pre sales to pay the big legal bill that they will likely face. In my opinion Apple deserves recompense for every version of iTunes that has been used to sync a Pre... that would be sweet justice for Apple, but if it is on a per-Pre-sale basis it might not equate to much.
Labels: Opinion
HTC Hero to hit the UK 21st July
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
If you are fed up with all things iPhone, then you should be aware, very aware, that there is a rather sexy looking Android offering hitting the UK mobile phones scene. HTC are giving us oodles of quality in their new Hero phone, which runs the Google Android operating system.This little darling has a 3.2-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen, which is ripe for playing back the supported MPEG-4, H.263, H.264 and Windows Media Video 9 movie files. You also get MP3 playback, a 5.0 megapixel color camera with auto focus, plus Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. I almost forgot to mention the internal GPS and Compass.
As if that wasn't enough, you can also download a whole host of applications from the Android Market, which is accessed right on the handset. This gives you access to superb games and utilities to further enhance the handset.
It takes a different standpoint from the iPhone. If you are familiar with the Apple device, you will know that applications are presented as a single screen (or multiple screens) of icons, you tap one and launch the application. To post something to Twitter, you tap the icon, type your tweet, then close the application and get on with something else. HTC have added an overlay to the Android OS called 'Sense'. This gives you up to seven home screens, which you can personalise with different apps, widgets and feeds. So, Twitter can occupy a whole screen, constantly updating and informing you of new tweets. No need to launch the application, it is just always on and looking for those important updates.
There is a whole lot more to the handset than I have mentioned here. It is due any day, either in a graphite grey colour on contract from Orange, or in white Sim Free from various resellers for around £400.
The video reviews are online, you can find them on the links below. A full review of this handset will appear later this week. Many thanks to Clove Technology for supplying the Hero.
Video coverage;
Part One - Unboxing & Goody Bag
Part Two - Performance & User Opinion
Part Three - Teflon coating, camera & gallery app
Part Four - Widgets, widgets & more widgets
Labels: Mobile Phones, Opinion
Come back Steve... with a NetBook
Friday, June 19, 2009
I am sure you will all agree with me that we want Steve Jobs to come back to Apple, in good (and continued good) health. It was expected that Steve might have returned for the WWDC, but it did not happen. Just prior to WWDC there were rumours that he was due to come back at the end of June, with a special event for his return. This would be great and lead me to thinking about what Apple could do for the big Steve Event.
With the repositioning of the 13-inch MacBook into the Pro line, this has got to have left the space open for a smaller device. Could it be that Steve will return to launch the Apple NetBook. A device with no physical keyboard. Instead an 11.6-inch touch screen, with some sort of dock or wireless connection for accessories... mice, keyboards, headsets etc. Whilst this would be great, if Apple could come up with something based on a slightly smaller 10-inch screen, the extra portability would certainly meet with a standing ovation. It could run on the iPhone version of software, or OS X Snow Leopard in it optimised form. This sort of device would negate the need for users to carry a laptop at all.
I am 100% certain that Apple IS working on a NetBook device. I just hope that they do not make us all wait too long. They will add their successful design skills to the device for sure and it will be a very sexy product. So, come on Steve, come back, we need you to give us that 'One More Thing...'
Labels: Opinion
Apple Redefine MacBook Pro - Opinion
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Yesterday, June 9 2009, Apple launched an array of new products. The first to receive the Phil Schiller treatment was the MacBook Pro lineup. This was a surprise to me, as I really thought that the WWDC would concentrate on Snow Leopard, iPhone OS 3.0 and the new iPhone model... more on that later.A thread over on Mac Rumors, which I have posted to, posed a very good question. By launching the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, or should I say re-labeling the existing unibody MacBook, were Apple admitting they were originally wrong to release the unibody MacBook in the first place?
My opinion on this is NO. I do not think they were wrong with the launch of the 13-inch unibody MacBook. It was and still is a terrific machine. However, they need to always innovate and bring out new machines, with new features. By adding Firewire 800 (they listened to their users on this one), plus introducing the SD card slot and improving the battery life, the model had too many pro-level features. Had they kept it as just a MacBook, potential customers would not even look at the Pro models, as the 13-inch version offers just too much. Had they gone the other way and dumbed down the 13-inch model by perhaps keeping the old screen and battery configuration, customers would have complained. So, I think they did the right thing. They gave us new innovative battery technology, more colourful screens and that SD card slot is really handy.
In doing this repositioning of the 13-inch unibody model, they also left just one white MacBook. This model is a good specification, but it sits there all alone. I think they did this on purpose. It really does leave the door open to phase out the MacBook altogether. The obvious next step is a 10-inch or 11-inch NetBook or perhaps the much touted Mac Tablet with touch screen. It also allows them to introduce more than one NetBook model, with pricing starting at around £500 for the base model, up to the current MacBook pricing of £700 without confusing its customers. This was a good move on Apple's part. It really does mean we WILL see a new device, sooner rather than later.
Labels: Apple News, Opinion
My thoughts on Macworld 2009 - Apple goodies
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Yesterday's keynote was for me a mix of missing Steve and really wanting that 'One More Thing' to be a Mac Mini Tower. Everyone comes away from Macworld or from watching the keynote with some sort of complaint, but on reflection it was pretty sound.
Steve Jobs not being there was a big shame. All I really want to say on the matter is that my thoughts go out to you Steve. I hope you are fighting fit real soon and carry on as CEO at Apple for a long time to come.
iLife 09 was really nice to see. Expected, yes, but the content was very good. Face recognition and Places in iPhoto is worth the upgrade alone. Add to this the added functionality in iMovie, where we get better editing modes for more accurate clips, plus lots of nice candy thrown in too. The new version of iMovie keeps it simplicity and adds back some of the timeline features that we missed in iMovie HD without Apple admitting they were wrong making such radical changes to the app last year.
iWork 09 is another nice upgrade. I like the idea of Keynote being controllable with such style from the iPhone. The iWork.com announcement is also very very cool. When it comes out as a full version I hope that Apple add the ability to give editing writes to certain people. Yes, I know they could download the Pages document (for example), make changes and then re-upload a new version. But making online edits or local edits, with true version tracking would be a really powerful combination. Although not of great interest to me personally, the new Numbers and Keynote features are also very good too.
The new 17-inc MacBook Pro had some things to like and others to question. The questionable inclusion is the lack of user replaceable battery or hard drive. Yes, the reasons were explained and eight hours battery life is awesome. Power users will no doubt complain that they need to carry a spare battery with them. Much more positive is the anti-glare screen option. It seems like Apple listened that not everyone likes gloss. Whilst I don't expect this to filter down to the MacBook, I would be very surprised if we did not see this as a CTO option on the 15.4-inch pro version pretty soon. Apple would sell a lot more if they added this to the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro sooner rather than later.
The final iTunes announcements were a nice round-off to the whole event. At last DRM has been kicked into touch and we can now enjoy moving our music downloads around as and where we wish. Well done Apple.
In closing, it really saddens me that there will be no Apple next year at Macworld. No Apple Expo Paris and certainly no appearance by the company at MacLiveExpo London. I just hope that they more than make up for this by holding at least one special event for new products every year... on their own schedule of course.
Labels: Apple News, Opinion
My thoughts - New Apple Products 14th October 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
No doubt you have learnt about the slew of new notebook products launched by Apple tonight. We have a revised MacBook Air for starters. Then there is a complete redesign of the MacBook and MacBook Pro. Thrown in for good measure, a new Cinema Display that matches the current iMac, almost a mirror image.Exactly what I think of these announcements echoes itself in the last two words from my introductory paragraph above "mirror image". I have a 24-inch iMac, a lovely machine. Superb design, wonderful feel to it, brilliant power. The display is fantastic too, but it does annoy me when I can see my face in it. Maybe because I am not an adonis, but more likely I want to only see what I happen to be working on at the time.
When the MacBook was originally introduced, I got one. No sooner had I got the MacBook, I had the opportunity to get a matte screen MacBook Pro. Happy days again, with a professional display. Never have I looked back and yearned for a glossy MacBook display, nor trading my Pro in for the mirrored screen version.
What worries me about these new product announcements is centred solely around the screen. It is acceptable for the MacBook, but for the MacBook Pro it is insane. Users need to quickly snap up remaining stock or purchase the 17-inch version, which is the only one to remain matte.
The new Cinema Display looks superb too. Being an iMac owner, I may well get one, as it would match perfectly. Thousands of design studios though, will not be at all happy. The new display is a consumer or prosumer product, it does not serve the professional market at all.
That said, all of the new products are stunning. Greatly enhanced, superb graphic abilities, nice trackpad, more rigid, lots of positives. I just feel the pro market is being left behind for mass market appeal.
Labels: Opinion
Why my iPhone 3G went back
Friday, July 18, 2008
It is a sad day in the Geekanoids office. I love my Mac computers, my Leopard, all of my iPods, but my iPhone 3G just did not cut the mustard. I had the original iPhone and loved it (still do) and I suppose that the greatness of the original, plus a couple of other things, combined into the decision to return my 3G... let me explain...First off, the iPhone 3G. Yes, it was sexy, but it felt cheap. The 3G connectivity was poor to say the least. I found myself turning 3G off to get a good signal in my area, and to correct an error where the handset would not receive cellular data. This error would stop Maps, Email, Internet, basically anything that needed access to the cellular network would fail. It also ran warm, and after a couple of days use a small pimple had raised up on the back of the handset. These problems may have been isolated to just my iPhone, but they worried me.
Then throw in the equation of the original iPhone. It was better built and felt classy. The brushed aluminum back was really nicely done and did not show those fingerprints. The screen seemed nicer to me, yes, we all know about the yellow added to the 3G, but c'mon Apple, you should give us the choice.
Finally, a look at me. I am in the office probably 75% of my time, bringing you reviews. Of the remaining time that I am out, I probably have my laptop with me. During this time, I only get a few calls, so I can pick those up on my original iPhone. If I want an Application, I can get that over my broadband connection at home (rather than EDGE). If I want to find my way, I have a TomTom. So I came to the conclusion, that problems aside, I did not need 3G. Don't get me wrong, it is a great mobile phone, just not essential for everyone, and definitely not an essential upgrade from the original iPhone.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Opinion
iPhone 3G GPS Not Working - How to fix it
Sunday, July 13, 2008
There have been many reports of the iPhone 3G having problems with its GPS positioning. Many users are reporting that they go into Maps on their new iPhone, click the target to lock onto their position and it is just not working. I too was experiencing this and have three things to advise, that may point to a solution.Firstly, check the version number for your 2.0 software. Mine was factory shipped with 2.0 (5A345). I did a restore through iTunes and it downloaded the later 2.0 (5A347) version. After this was downloaded the iPhone got a cellular signal a lot quicker, plus a lot stronger signal too.
Secondly, check you at least have a cellular or mobile phone network signal. The iPhone (both 3G and first generation) use the cell network to work out your position. I found that once I had a four bar signal or more, the iPhone locked onto my position very quickly. It was not that accurate, but it did respond quickly.
Finally, put your iPhone 3G outside for at least 15 minutes. You will find that if it has a non-restricted path to the satellites you will get it to lock on. After leaving mine outside, the target changed to the blue glowing dot and found my position. It was very very accurate, even tracking if I was at the top or bottom of my back garden. This is very impressive indeed.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Opinion
Eee Monitor - challenge to iMac
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Over at Laptop Mags blog we found some really snazzy photos and brief details of the Eee Monitor. Please check out their gallery and article here.I find this news very interesting for many reasons. Firstly, with my recent acquisition of an Advent 4211, I have been reading with great interest about users getting Mac OS X running on it. My proposed use is to also install Linux (Ubuntu) on this little unit.
Secondly, I have an Asus Eee PC 1000H on winging its way to the Geekanoids office. Why? I hear you ask. Well, I know that we cover primarily Mac based news, but these new mini-PCs or Netbooks, give users the chance to have a really portable device. In my day-to-day use, there is often times when I pop out, to a meeting, or perhaps to a local café for a change of scenary and I don't want to take my 15-inch MacBook Pro with me. I am sure a lot of people have the same thing happen to them, where a cheap 8.9-inch or 10-inch laptop would be ideal.
This leads me to my interest of the Eee Monitor (sorry it took so long to get to the point). For a long time now, if I wanted a second desktop based Mac, perhaps for myself, or another room in the house, my only choice due to price was the Mac Mini. The iMac is just too expensive for a secondary or luxury purchase. Well, if the Eee Monitor comes in at around the £300 mark, they will get my money. It looks very impressive. I am sure the 19-inch monitor will be of a decent quality and the Linux OS will suit me very well for the intended internet browsing and email use. Add into the equation the slim possibility of being able to install Mac OS X and you have a win win situation. The question of whether this is intended to be a monitor for an Eee PC netbook or a standalone all-in-one computer... I favour the latter. It has no VGA or DVI port to accept another computers video signal. Also, if you look closely at the back, it has one ethernet and a modem output, hinting that it has networking built-in. Last, but by no means least, the front of the uit sports an infrared receiver, triggering this would enable the built-in tuner, surely controlled by the units OS. Oh, and one more thing, around the back you can see some fans underneath the central grill... these must be to cool a processor.
I will be watching the Eee Monitor very closely. It really looks as though it is challenging the iMac on the design front and absolutely smashing it on price... interesting!
Labels: Opinion
Advent 4211 Mini Netbook - MSI Wind Rebadge
Friday, July 04, 2008
Always on the hunt for new toys, and primarily a replacement for my 12-inch PowerBook. I had been keeping my eye on the netbook front for the last month or so. Initially I was really tempted to wait for the Asus Eee PC 901 or 1000H, but then through the forums I heard of the MSI Wind U100. This little 10-inch screen notebook looked superb. The term being touted is 'Netbook' due to it being ideally suited to surfing and emails, with the odd office task.A slideshow of this little netbook can be viewed at the bottom of this review.
Anyway, the MSI model seemed to be so hard to get hold of. Then the Advent 4211 appeared on the PC World website. It was a rebadge, sourced and manufactured by MSI, so really just a different colour Wind, except at £279 it is cheaper. The box is tiny and hides this little laptop inside. The laptop itself is very solid and has a nice build to it. The lid that houses the screen has very little flex which is encouraging. The screen itself is very hard, pressing a little causes no ripples, so it seems very robust. The battery is a slimline 3-cell, which proves a bit hard to fit and remove, but a snug fit, which does not protrude from the base of the laptop at all.
The keyboard feels nice and responsive, with the keys have just the right amount of travel. Size is good too, comparing to a full size notebook it is almost the same, just a bit more compact. The symbols on the keys are nice and clear too.On first start up, you are asked a few set-up questions, but it lets you get underway with Windows XP SP3 pretty fast. I was certainly up and running within about five minutes. The only problem I have experienced is getting it to recognise my wireless network, but I am sure I will sort that out.
In use the screen is very crisp and clear. The backlighting seems very even and the brightness is pretty darn impressive. Normally my experience of PC laptops is that the screen never goes as bright as I would like. The Advent 4211 is the first that I have to say I am happy with. A white page is as it should be, white and not grey. After an hours use, the system is running very quietly. I created a restore backup following the instructions, using an SD card. This tooks about 12 minutes, and I suggest you do the same, as it means you have a copy of all the drivers you need too. Overall, the Advent 4211 has impressed. The trackpad is a little small, but again you will get used to it. If you need something really portable thought, then pop into a PC World and take a look. You will be surprised at what £279 gets you. For such a compact package, you can really get truly mobile, with the addition for a PAYG or contract mobile (such as the great offers from Three), you can add mobile broadband easily to this tiny package.*UPDATE* I am happy to confirm that after an official BIOS update and updating the network card driver, the wi-fi connection is now OK and very stable.
Labels: Opinion, PC Hardware, Reviews
The Authors
Dave
Dave has been in the graphic design industry for 14 years. Long time reviewer of technology related products, he is Owner/Editor of Geekanoids.
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