Goodbye Nokia

And just like that the greatest phone manufacturer is gone. We can all say we saw it coming but that doesn’t prevent the emotions. Even if you are an iOS or Android fan you must admit you’ve died a little inside. As a Nokia fanboy I will try and look for the positives if at all there will be any. Perhaps the greatest positive would be to buy the last ever Nokia device which is likely to be kick ass and hope it will serve me for a few years until I can finally move on.

The first time things became thick was in 2011 where the demise of not only Meego but also Symbian was made known. You see, the plan was to reserve Meego for high end phones and continue with Symbian on midrange phones while also developing a series 40/Asha alternative called meltemi. This was indeed a great plan. Symbian had a large market share while Meego would have received the market percentage currently enjoyed by windows phone or even higher since Meego is way better than Windows Phone. Anyway, most symbian die-hards jumped ship and found solace in Android. After the N8 I was also forced to get myself a Galaxy device as I waited for Windows phone to mature. With the release of Windows Phone 8 I, like many other Nokia fans, decided to go back to Nokia. For a brief moment we knew things were looking up and next year would be significant due to the next major windows phone 8 upgrade. Things now appear blique and all hope lost.

A company selling its soul to the OS maker isn’t such a bad thing. On the android front the Nexus devices are loved by many, I included. Therefore the Motorola deal with Google can only be seen as positive especially given Motorola were struggling. A nexus device from Motorola will turn things around for the device makers. Already the Moto X is receiving positive reviews from consumers and things appear to be destined for the best. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about Microsoft. The Microsoft Surface did not do too well and not having the Nokia name in future Lumia series will hurt sales.

The only positive thing I can think of right now is timely updates. I am still waiting for the Amber update on my Lumia device but I am sure with Microsoft there will be no more waiting. Perhaps the other positive thing is the financial backing. Microsoft has the resources and that means that packing the greatest gadgets on future Lumia devices will not be an issue. But that beats the Nokia philosophy. We like Nokia because Nokia products are cheap and are for the masses. If you cannot afford the best Nokia device you have a alternative. If you cannot afford the soon to be launched (in the country) Nokia 925, then you can always choose the Lumia 520/620/625 without worrying too much about performance.

Lumia 520

So where exactly does a Nokia fan go from here? Wait for the Note 3 and jump ship without thinking twice or wait for the rumoured Nokia phablet? I will probably wait for the phablet since the great android devices will always be there waiting. Chances are that some Nokia employees will lose employment or walk out. The long term dream is that these employees will join the Jolla community and we will finally have the Meego that eluded us. I can only hope.  Goodbye Nokia.

Cross platform wars

Part 3: Google and Android

The fastest growing operating system is also the most loved. What can I say about android that hasn’t been already said? People find android the natural choice and the OS has many developers. While most of these developers contribute through creation of apps, others contribute through hacking and customizations. Custom ROMS have become the operating systems of choice. With android you cannot get bored by the interface, you customize it as you wish and if the OS doesn’t appeal to you anymore you flash a new one (if ROMS are available for your device).

It is the numbers that are helping Android. Most manufacturers like Samsung, HTC, Motorola and Sony make so many phones in a calendar year that Android by default sells the most phones. Google are so quick with updates such that before the latest version of android has sunk in another version is released.

All operating systems have their downfall and even the mighty android has several setbacks. Google releases timely updates but manufacturers are always slow to update the devices. It’s a shame that some phones are still on the path to receive ICS while Google is now working on another update after Jelly Bean. Manufacturers are so unreliable that most users are forced to rely on custom ROMS like cyanogenmod and AOKP among others. I have friends who only buy the top end devices because at least they are assured of getting the next update. Look up these devices and you will notice the high cost of acquiring them. So does that mean that if you cannot afford a high end android device you are basically screwed? In most cases the answer is yes.

Nexus 4

Android also has the tendency of inflating hardware requirements. You now need Quad core to run android well. The embarrassing thing is that some of these quad cores and dual cores still lag. This only means that you need a new phone every time Google updates android. The current iPhone 5 specifications or the announced windows phone 8 devices are the same as average or midrange android devices. This only means that android is still unfinished.

With the extreme specifications battery life is dealt a huge blow and hence need for bigger batteries. Again, what this does is that it inflates the price. Bigger batteries are obviously more expensive.

Android tablets are good but they have to run at least ICS for them to count. Honeycomb was too buggy and it is only about 2 months ago that the galaxy tablets were receiving the ICS update. I wonder how long the Jelly Bean update will take.

Android has so much going for it but the manufacturers have to be on their feet as Google tries to refine Android. The other recommendation would be for android to try and use less hardware resource.  If this sounds impossible then they can try and “chop” down the OS so that there will be a version for the low end phones, kinda like what Microsoft did with Windows Phone 7.8 which gives a taste of Windows Phone 8.

Google’s Android is the most popular OS and while it has it’s flaws it keeps getting better and hopefully there will come a time when all the flaws will be dealt with. But for now we can just splash the cash on high end devices and enjoy what Google has to offer.

 

10-inch Tablets shoot-out

Just to be fair this will have to be a two-part series where the dual core slates battle it out in one category while the quad core beasts battle it out in another. And no am not saying dual core tablets can’t compete with quad core ones.  Actually the Qualcomm S4 dual core chip does well against Tegra 3 quad core chipsets but for Today we won’t go there. So we start with the dual core fight. One last thing, the iPad 3 will battle it out with the quad core beasts. This is not because it is that powerful but because it is that expensive.

The screen size debate still rages on but many would agree 10 inch is a sweet spot for tablets. I personally prefer 10 inch tablets mainly because I won’t have to zoom in websites all the time and watching videos feel at home on 10 inch panels. But that’s just me. So I decided to shortlist these tablets; Asus Transformer TF101, Acer Iconia Tab A200, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, iPad, iPad 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. This is going to be a tough one.

Aesthetic value is important and the iPads look really good. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is also good and is the thinnest of the bunch. The TF101 and the Xoom are bulky while the A200 is just in between. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 brings a new look and a similar design will be carried forward to the Galaxy Note 10.1 which is highly anticipated. The TF101 is laptop-like with its keyboard dock and still manages to be lighter and thinner than a regular laptop.

The beautiful iPad 2

The tech conscience will care less about the aesthetics and more about the power inside. The TF101, A200, Xoom and the galaxy Tab 10.1 have the same Tegra 2 chip meaning they have dual core 1GHz processors and 1GB Ram. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 has similar specifications only that it uses a different and  less powerful TI OMAP chip with PowerVR Graphics. The iPad runs on single core 1GHz with only 256MB Ram while the iPad 2 utilizes a dual core 1GHz processor with 512MB Ram. So the original iPad is the least powerful machine while the rest are more or less at par. We can’t make out much from the specifications but if you love gaming then you may want to go with the iPad 2 and the all the Tegra 2 tablets.

Operating system is a big deal so we will look at what each slate runs. The apple fans have two choices here. The iPad and the iPad 2 run iOS but you are safer going with the iPad 2. The rest are Android tablets. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 comes with ICS out of the box. The others however also have the ICS upgrade but the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is late to the party though by being the last tablet to be updated to ICS. Things get better for the Xoom as it will get Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the TF101 also receive the update but via unofficial means so we won’t count that in this case. So if you want the latest firmware upgrade get the Xoom and the iPad 2 since the iPad 1 doesn’t get the latest iOS.

Asus Transformer TF101 attached to its keyboard dock

So far it’s been pretty straight forward. We will look into the unique selling points of each tablet. The TF101 boasts a keyboard dock that adds the battery life. It also makes it easy to type documents and you also get full sized USB ports for plugging in flash drives, hard drives and game controllers if you’re into that sort of thing. The Acer Iconia Tab A200 has decent battery life (about 8 hours video playback) but that’s standard for all these tablets. The main selling point is the full USB port without the need for a dock. The A200 has no rear camera though you won’t really need the rear camera on a tablet. The Xoom will get Jelly Bean and together with the A200 it has a standard microUSB port for data synching therefore no need for proprietary cables. Instead you just use the USB cable you use on your Smartphone. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is really thin and light but lacks a microSD port so no expansion on the 16GB or 32GB that it comes with. However it packs 3G Radios so you don’t have to rely on Wi-Fi only. The two iPad are very user friendly therefore very easy to use. iOS also has lots of applications. However the first iPad only has a single core processor and you may run out of processing power. The iPad 2 is great at gaming and has a high resolution which means the screen is good to look at and text is clear. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 comes with ICS and adds an SD support that the first Galaxy Tab 10.1 lacks. It’s however less powerful than the Galaxy Tab 10.1. The Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 also has 3G support.

The last key comparison factor is the price. All of these tablets can be bought for less than KShs. 40,000. The Acer Iconia Tab A200 is the cheapest followed by the Xoom and TF101 (including its keyboard dock). The Galaxy tab 2 10.1 is about KShs. 32,000. A second hand Galaxy Tab 10.1 is just about KShs. 40,000 but a new one can reach the 50,000 mark. The iPad 2 is also in the 40,000 region. But it all comes out to availability. Locally you can find the Galaxy Tab 10.1, iPad and iPad2 but am not so sure about the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 though it’s the tablet used by Strathmore University students.

Galaxy Tab 2 10.1: it has the same design as the Galaxy Note 10.1

All the above tablets are good and you can’t go wrong picking any. If you are an Apple fan then its best if you go with the iPad 2. Actually in my opinion it’s even better to have the iPad 2 than the iPad 3, more on that some other day. If you are a Google fan then you will be spoilt for choice. If you want data connectivity on the go then you are better off with both the Galaxy Tabs since they pack 3G connectivity. If you want to type a lot on your tablet then get the Asus Transformer with its keyboard dock. If you want the latest Android update then get the Motorola Xoom. If you will use hard drives, flash drives or even gaming controllers then get the Acer Iconia Tab A200. The choice is yours.

~Eddy

 

 

7 inch shootout

They say size matters. No it’s not what you think. Tablet screen sizes range from 7 inches to 10 inches, oh no wait, Toshiba have a 13 inch slate, the Excite 13. Those who prefer portability will always go for the small tablets in the 7 inch range which includes 7.7.  That category has become very competitive and subject to this post. They are also generally cheap and sufferers like me can be able to afford them.

The main culprits here are the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7, Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, Toshiba Excite 7.7, Blackberry Playbook and of course the recently announced Asus Google Nexus 7. It’s a tough face off and I can easily pick any one of them. So let’s look at each one of them briefly.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus runs on a dual core processor clocked at 1.2GHz with 1GB Ram. It has a 7 inch screen and has 3G connectivity and ability to make calls. It runs on Honeycomb but Samsung have promised an ICS update this or next month. Price is around KShs. 40,000 or less second hand. The Galaxy Tab 7.7 has the brightest 7.7 inch screen and its dual core processor is clocked at 1.4GHz. It also has a GB of Ram and 3G connectivity with an option for Wi-Fi only. It has the best battery though the most expensive of the bunch. The Toshiba Excite 7.7 has a 7.7 screen and it’s also as good as the Tab 7.7 screen given that they are both super AMOLED. It runs on quad core Tegra 3 processor with a Gig of Ram. It runs ICS out of the box. Not sure about its price but Toshiba tablets still haven’t found their way to the Kenyan market. Hope things will be different with their Excite line up.

The Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 has a dual core processor clocked at 1GHz with 1GB Ram. It runs ICS out the box and its price should be around KShs. 20,000. It also has 3G with support for voice calls. The Blackberry Playbook has a 7 inch screen, 1GB ram and a 1GHz dual core processor. It runs on Blackberry Tablet OS and you can find it for less than KShs. 40,000. Finally the Nexus 7, it’s a quad core 7 inch slate with a price tag of around KShs. 20,000. It also runs Android’s latest OS, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Asus Google Nexus 7

If money is the issue then we only have two tablets to consider, the Tab 2 7.0 and the Nexus 7. If you want performance go for the Nexus 7 but if you want connectivity go for the Tab 2 7.0. The Nexus 7 is powerful but lacks SD card support, 3G and rear camera. The Tab 2 7.0 is less powerful but offers full connectivity including SD card support for those who will want to store more. It also has a rear 3.2 MP camera. Both tablets have a nice build quality even at that low price point.

If money is not the issue then you can choose from the remaining tablets. The Excite 7.7 has a bigger screen and one of the fastest quad core processor. It has a rear 5 MP camera, SD card support and runs on ICS. A clear winner on paper but performance is what matters and where the Galaxy Tab 7.7 comes in. It only has a dual core processor though the 1.4GHz can compete with quad core tablets. It has a better build quality and boasts the best battery with up to 12 hours of video playback. The only downside is that it still runs on honeycomb though an ICS update is coming soon

Toshiba Excite 7.7 and the Galaxy Tab 7.7 Below

We also have tablets that are in between the cheap and the expensive ones. The Tab 7.0 plus sits between the Tab 2 7.0 and the Tab 7.7. It’s one of those tablets that seem to please everyone. If budget is the issue then you can still go for it and if you need performance you still go for it. The Playbook seems to be in a league of its own. It’s a good tablet but may be let down by the OS if you are crazy about applications since it still has few. But for ordinary tablet usage such as web browsing and media consumption then it does well. Also, if you are Blackberry person you may want to crown it with a Blackberry tablet. Oh, and the Playbook can run Android applications via a software.

Blackberry Playbook

It’s a tough competition and that only means consumer sovereignty. But even though we have a choice we still don’t have the perfect choice. The perfect choice would be the Nexus 7/Toshiba Excite performance with Galaxy Tab 7.7 screen and design , Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 connectivity, Galaxy Tab 7.7 battery life and Nexus 7/Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 price. The best we can do now is identifying the tablet that suits us best. No point in choosing an expensive powerful tablet if we will only browse the web and social network.  7 inch tablets are built around mobility so it’s good to choose a tablet that will have full connectivity such as 3G, SD support and maybe USB on the go (OTG) support. The choice is always yours.

Update: ICS update started rolling out this week the galaxy tab line up

~Eddy

The Nexus 7: A Misunderstood Slate

The Nexus 7 has been making news this week. The first ever Google tablet is finally here. It’s basically a Tegra 3 beast enclosed in a 7 inch IPS LCD display without SD support and rear camera. This is not a review or preview but a response to the unfair negative comments that have started emerging about the slate. Opinions are always welcome but some are irrational. A review is coming up soon so keep it Tech254.

The Nexus 7

Well, the big deal here is the comparison between the Nexus 7 and the mighty iPad with tech reviewers registering a clean sweep victory for the iPad. It’s first best to clearly define the niche taken by the Nexus 7. It’s makes more sense pitching the Nexus 7 against the immediate 7 inch rivals like the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 or even the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with the biggest competition being the Kindle fire.

The Cost of the Nexus 7 is also another factor that must be considered. The slate was designed with cost in mind. However, just holding or looking at the tablet, the cheapness doesn’t show. In fact the slate has a premium finish to it. The price will be hard to beat though and in order to do it manufacturers have to make sacrifices on components such as the processor as is the case with the Galaxy tab 2 7.0 and camera as is the case with the Acer Iconia Tab A200.

The Nexus 7 has it’s downsides as well with lack of SD support being the major one but even the iPad doesn’t have SD support, does it? The other one is lack of a rear camera and I have nothing to say about that since I can never use my Tablet to take pictures. Others may have different opinions but generally a tablet camera is ceremonial. Oh, almost forgot about 3G. There is will be no 3G version. For me that’s a big deal but I can always make it work. Also having data plans on both phone and tablet is sort of extravagant. I can use my data plan for both phone and tablet.

The iPad and the Nexus 7 are in totally different leagues. A comparison would be inappropriate. They both serve their categories well. As usual it’s all up to the user. If you need a big kick ass tablet an iPad is an option and not necessarily the option. On the other hand if you need a cheap small and very powerful tablet then the Nexus 7 is an alternative. Honestly, the Nexus 7 is what the Kenyan market needs. It’s made for the masses. The iPad has been here for ages and I could count the people who own them.

Choose one, don’t bash the other.

The Jelly Bean Home screen

~Eddy

Google+

As of June 28th Google+ (G+) will be officially a year old. This social hub has come a long way and now has over 170 million users which is not a small fete. Its privacy settings, its intertwined nature with Google services, its layout, and Circles are what attract users to this flourishing social hub.

The app does its parent website proud…The updated app though makes for a lovely viewing experience but one can say it displays too many images, many have suggested there should be a blend of images and more text. This might have impact on data plan but I’m yet to see one. All in all I love the app and the presentation of it.

The major & attractive features about Google+ are:

1. STREAM – occupies the middle of three columns on the page, users see updates from those in their Circles. There is an input box which allows users to enter a post. Along with the text entry field there are icons to upload and share photos and videos. The Stream can be filtered to show only posts from specific Circles.

2. CIRCLES – enable users to organize people into groups for sharing across various Google products and services. Circles is a nifty tool allowing one to filter Streams to the extent of favouring some circles to others. Each Circle has a “slider” configuration item with four positions: nothing, some things, most things, and everything (for filtering into the stream).

3. HANGOUTS – are places used to facilitate group video chat (with a maximum of 10 people participating in a single Hangout at any point in time).

4. MESSENGER – (formerly: Huddle) is a feature available to Android, iPhone, and SMS devices for communicating through instant messaging within Circles. Additionally, users can now share photos in Messenger between their Circles.

5. SPARKS – a front-end to Google Search, enabling users to identify topics they might be interested in sharing with others.

Reasons why I use it:

1. Cause its less congested compared to Facebook…..
2. Gives you the best of both worlds, Facebook (like Stream) & Twitter (#hashtags & Timeline exclusivity)
3. Integration with other Google Apps.
4. Circles… need I say more
5. Instant Upload – specific to mobile devices; it stores photos or videos in a private album for sharing later.

Things I don’t get:

Messenger….don’t we already have Google Talk?? (Wouldn’t it make sense to unify the two experiences so users could just as easily chat with someone in Google Talk and Messenger without having to switch between apps or worry about where they communicated with someone?)

Where are the women & children? (On facebook) According to statistics, early adopters of Google+ have been mostly male (71.24%). The dominant age bracket (35%) is between 25 and 34.

~DGM

Android for the Beginners

Now that you’ve joined the Android community by purchasing or inheriting a new device, I’m sure the question eating at you is, what apps do I get for my device…. This is a simple guide for those who recently acquired Android phones or are interested in discovering what other people consider good apps!!

The data represented here is sourced from a couple of my friends who wield the mighty droids….

I’ve done my best to break the wide array of apps into six essential categories….namely Social Networks, Music/Media, RSS & Feeds, Browsers, Utilities & Games!!!

Social networks

• Facebook – the app is self-titled but I prefer to use the browser.
• Twitter – Tweetcaster & tweetdeck take the throne here.
• Google+ – A really big application(size wise) but really worth it if you’re into GOOGLE stuff.

Music/Media

• Music players- PlayerPro, PowerAmp & Winamp are really powerful tools & offer a great music experience.
• Video Player – MX player handles most if not ALL conceivable codecs.
• Soundhound – Used to ID songs playing in the ‘wild’.
• Gstrings – for those in love with/play guitar.

RSS readers & feeds

• Personally I’d recommend PULSE – which is a full feature RSS/Feeds reader…but is data consumptive if misused…another is gReader handles feeds well & is pocket friendly!
• WordPress app for blogs…
• Free merriam-webster dictionary
• Bible – A simple multi-version app
• Goal – For the best info on European Soccer

Browsers

• Opera Mini – cost effective & supposedly fast.
• Dolphin Browser – Wholesome & easy/fun to use browser.
• Firefox – To experience the WHOLE internet + save as PDF, but comes with its data cost.
• Wapedia – Exposure to the Wiki family at ridiculously low costs!!

Utilities

• JuiceDefender – For battery management [IT REALLY SAVES YOUR BATTERY]
• Battery Indicator – Displays battery stats.
• Data Counter – Simple DATA WIDGET…displays data use per day/week/month!
• Watchdog – to limit & monitor your data usage per day!
• ThinkFree Office – all in one document editor & reader.
• ES File Explorer – self explanatory… & very thorough.
• Bluetooth File Transfer – in assisting those with Bluetooth problems (ideos)
• GoSMS pro – For enhanced sms-ing
• Go Launcher – For a better home screen experience

Games

Speed3Dx, angry birds and many more…. here, its all upto you.

~DGM