Reviews of the Big Daddy of Media Players: iPod Touch

Apple has created some of the great modern technology products. Led by the dynamic Steve Jobs, the firm has taken first place amongst tech firms as the creator of such brands as the iPod and iPhone, in the process becoming the most admired company in the United States; a recent survey revealed that for most youngsters Apple was the one firm they wished to work for. Their products are based on a simple, minimalist design that has endeared them to the masses.

The iPod Touch is a portable media player that doubles up as a game console and a digital assistant. It has direct access to the iTunes store and Apple’s App store; which means you can buy content and download it straight to the device. It weighs 3.6 ounces and measures 4.4 by 2.3 by 0.3 inches. The device is powered by Apple’s custom A4 chip and has a beautiful multi-touch screen with an ultra-sharp Retina display. With a resolution of 960 by 640 pixels, it emerges hands down as the brightest of any other similar product on the market. It has two camera lenses, one at the top and the other located at the rear.

The iPod Touch is powered by the iOS4. It works like a charm and takes the trouble out of navigating. All you have to do is to tap the icon and-you can do anything you want! The horizontal keyboard is a joy to use and changes its preferences depending upon your choice of grip. Another great bit is how easy it is to navigate music menus on the device. This can be done using a range of formats, such as CoverFlow, searching for songs or artists, etc. You can scroll through song or artist lists through the flick of a finger. You can easily access iTunes through Wi-Fi and download it seamlessly onto the device.

With a battery life of seven hours for video and 40 hours for audio, you’ve got a great thing going!

The Kindle 3 Reviews: A book lover’s delight!

Once upon a time there were books. Now there is the Kindle. A small revolution in the domain of what is known as e-reading, the Kindle, launched by Amazon, aroused fascination and howls of protest from those who believed it was the end of the printed page and those who took to the device like fish to water. When all is said and done, the device has more than held its own against naysayers who deplored the fact that the printed page was dead and buried.

The first Kindle was released on Nov 19, 2007 and was priced at $ 399. It sold out quickly. It helped users to download, read and browse books, magazines, newspapers and other types of digital media. There was a second generation Kindle, a slight improvement over the first one. The latest Kindle, known as Kindle 3, was released in July 2010.

The so-called Kindle 3 differs in several aspects from its predecessors. For starters, it is 21 per cent smaller (190 x 213 x 8.5mm) and at 247g, lighter than the previous Kindle; so it is easy to lug around. The keyboard action has been modified for better typing. What’s more, the E Ink display has been cranked up to be 20 per cent faster than the Kindle 2. It also has a 50 percent superior contrast ratio. The device can store up to 3,500 books, claims Amazon with its 4GB storage capacity. It is available in two colors-white and graphite, which lends it a stunning look.

The keyboard has been compressed which has brought the buttons closer for ease of typing. The navigation buttons have also been rearranged. These now offer a better grip. In fact, the new Kindle features redesigned buttons. On both sides of the screen are forward and back buttons; these are like mirrors and shown by arrows, unlike words (like Kindle 2). The beauty of this is that the Kindle works great for both left and right-handed users. One great aspect of this device is that line spacing can be changed to suit the users’ requirements. With one month of battery life, what better can you ask for!

iPad Reviews: A mantra for the new millennium!

The iPad was easily the most anticipated gadget in 2010, eagerly awaited by millions of people all over the globe. This handheld tablet from the Apple stable was more than just a product-it was a statement from the company which is constantly raising the bar of technological innovation.

The first thing you notice about the iPad is its screen-all of 9.7 inches, with a dimension of 1024 x 768, and a capacitative multitouch LED-backlit display encircled by a shining black bezel that helps in keeping the screen safe from being accidentally handled. The colors are brilliant and the gadget can made painfully bright with the help of a brightness control icon. Weighing in at 1.5 pounds, it is surprisingly easy to handle. It works best when it is held flat; typing then becomes a breeze.

The device is run by a 1GHz Apple ARM A4 chip. The operating system on the iPad is patterned upon the OS X. Basically, if you own an iPhone, you will find this device easy to handle. Some other applications include 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, a digital compass, an accelerometer, microphone, and an ambient light sensor. Its 3G model will have the added advantage of UMTS / HSDPA data and would boast an AGPS chip. The device is available in capacities of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB. But what has baffled most users is a lack of camera. Many are finding this a bit of a put-off. There’s nothing wrong with the battery though. Apple claims that the battery can be used up to ten hours at a stretch.
Apple has defined the iPad by endowing it with a new iWork suite, meant specifically for this device. A brand new version of Pages and a Keynote further add to its luster. There’s also a version of Numbers, which is basically a spreadsheet app. The device is snazzy, beautifully designed, easy to hold and fast. Truly a device for the new millennium!

Canon's Vixia HF M41 and company review

In my more cynical moments, I'm convinced that camera and camcorder manufacturers conspire to make buying decisions confusing by overwhelming us with unnecessary choice. Example: Canon currently lists 20 HD camcorders on its site, eight of which are 2011 models, 11 from 2010, and one is older. All are still available, and the overlap in prices--not to mention the $50 price increments--is enough to make your head spin.

Today's befuddling trio of camcorders in the $650 to $800 (list) range are the Canon Vixia HF M400, M40, and M41. They're pretty much the same, except the M400 has no memory, the M40 has 16GB, and the M41 has 32GB plus an EVF. So to figure out which to buy you must first decide whether you need the viewfinder; the screen is hard to view in direct sunlight, so I recommend it. But if you've ruled it out, you then have to figure out how much a 16GB Class 4 or better SD card will cost--it's about $30 at the moment, FYI. So if you can find the cheapest M40 for less than $30 more than the cheapest M400, get the M40. Otherwise, get the M400.

Still, if you've got to do that much research to decide among three products just from one manufacturer, before you even start comparing to competitors, there's something wrong.

Source: cnet.com