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Matthew Lentini

Stylistic Fujitsu Tablet Claims World’s First Executive Class Slate PC

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Fujitsu has launched its Stylistic Q550 Windows 7 tablet with enterprise in mind, with its security features built from the ground up.Directed at business, education and governments, the Q550 slate PC is a 10.1 inch tablet with 3G broadband capabilities alongside its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings as well as high-end security that sets it apart from the consumer range of smartphones and tablets.

On the other hand, it shares the more convenient features of these consumer tablets with multi-touch interface, built-in handwriting recognition to convert script to text and long-lasting battery life to see users through the work day.

While RIM has touted its BlackBerry PlayBook as a ‘professional grade’ tablet that has scope both in the business and consumer world, Fujitsu has dismissed its fence-sitting tablet competition, claiming its own device “is the world’s first executive class slate PC.”

“Many slate PCs on the market today are fun toys, but they don’t come anywhere close to addressing the business and security needs that are holding enterprises back from embracing the latest mobile computing technology,” said Fujitsu PC Australia manager, Bert Noah.

The tablet shifts intuitively between stylus and hand touch control so that pens and fingers don’t get muddled together when navigation through the device. When the pressure-sensitive pen is recognised, the hand can be rested on the screen without throwing off the touch controls. When the stylus is put away, the tablet automatically readjusts to touch control.

 

On the back-end, the Q550 runs on a next-generation Intel Atom CPU and a removable, large-capacity battery, still weighing only 680 grams with a standard battery.

On the security side, there’s fingerprint authentication, smart card reader, embedded security chip and encrypted SSD.

The Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 currently runs at an RRP of $1688 and is available now through its Australian distributor, Bluechip Infotech and Multimedia Technology.

Apple Makes Symbian Look Old Hat

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Apple has taken the lead in the Australian phone market for the first time, gaining 10 per cent market share as Nokia loses that same 10 per cent over the last quarter.Apple currently holds nearly 40 per cent market share following a 13 per cent increase in iPhone shipments over the last quarter according to market intelligence researcher IDC. This increase was shown despite an overall 5 per cent dip year-on-year.

“Nokia suffered a double whammy, the feature phone market collapsed, with 79% of new mobiles shipped now being smartphones. Meanwhile, Symbian took a huge tumble, as consumers shy away from the platform ahead of Nokia’s transition to Windows Phone,” said Mark Novosel, Telecommunications Analyst, at IDC.

Symbian is now third in the market at 22 per cent, behind Android which holds roughly 30 per cent.

“2011 will be an increasingly difficult year for Nokia, as consumers side-step Symbian smartphones and feature phone popularity continues to dwindle,” added Novosel.

The negative slump could change for Nokia in 2012 as it abandons Symbian and moves to Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system.

“Microsoft will also face a tough year with slow Windows Phone 7 growth expected, as the iOS and Android tussle intensifies. As Nokia launches its first Windows Phone models in early 2012, and Symbian shipments eventually stop, Microsoft should start to see an uplift,” said Novosel.

Acer’s New Ethos Aspires To Cinematic Notebook Computing

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As tipped by SmartHouse early last month, Acer has released a new pair of multimedia notebooks under the Aspire Ethos range that feature a standout design with its detachable touchpad.The original story can be found here.

The 15.6 inch Aspire 5951G delivers 720p video, while the larger 8951G delivers 1080p video output on its 18.4 inch screen.

With a focus on media consumption, the two laptops feature Dolby Home Theatre v4 surround sound on their five in-built speakers and subwoofer, as well as an optional Blu-ray or DVD drive for HD movies.

Apart from being a high-powered machine with its Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GeForce GT500 graphics card, the main focus is on its standout piece of design – the detachable touchpad.

Unique to the new Acer notebooks is the touch-sensitive MediaRemote which doubles as the typical touchpad for the computer. The slide-out remote features quick media launch buttons and dual orientation like a smartphone – a step ahead of the typical pop-out remotes of other media-centric laptops.

Both laptops are available now, with the Aspire 5951G set at an RRP of $2,399 and the Aspire 8951G set at $2,799.

Click over to the next page to see the comprehensive list of specs for each model.

 

IBM Expands Cloud Out Of US

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IBM Corp will set up a data centre for its cloud-based LotusLive services in Japan – the first of its kind outside of the US.The data centre, which will be housed in existing IBM Japan centres, will be able to handle millions of users of IBM’s LotusLive collaboration network when it is debuted in late September. The closest hub for these services is currently the US.

Australia is in a similar situation, set to piggyback off a distant data centre in Singapore for IBM’s SmartCloud enterprise cloud computing service. But IBM engineer Michael Shallcross has expressed his expectation of an Australian server being set up domestically if the demand warrants it in an interview with ITnews.

HP has also been developing its cloud services, yesterday launching its PC Backup Services for desktop and notebook data back-ups for mid-sized businesses.

IBM made a similar move on Monday, introducing SmartCloud Archive, SmartCloud Virtualised Server Recovery and SmartCloud Managed Backup, with a focus on fast data recovery for critical business files and documents in times of crisis.

Hitachi Joins Sony & Toshiba LCD Screen Merger

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Hitachi is looking to join Toshiba and Sony in merging operations for manufacturing small and mid-sized LCD panels, according to Japanese reports.Toshiba and Sony are said to be in talks to put their units together in a joint venture with part-private, part-public company Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) to manufacture LCD screens fit for smartphones and tablets.

Hitachi is aiming to join in that conversation and reach an agreement with the involved companies in July, according to a report by Japanese news source, Nikkei.

The Japanese electronics companies, which face heavy competition from their Korean and Chinese neighbours, are putting their operations alongside Japanese government investment through INCJ, potentially selling a multi-billion dollar stake in the new company to the government.

The talks between Sony and Toshiba originally surfaced earlier this month. The proposal would see manufacture of next-generation OLED panels that could be seen on devices locally as soon as the PlayStation Vita handheld console by Sony is released.

Motorola: New 7-Inch Rugged Tablet Has “More Targeted Market Than PlayBook”

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Motorola Solutions has announced a tough-build, 7-inch Android tablet that means business, made especially for bulk-buying enterprise.

The ET1 features Android 2.3 and runs on a 1GHz dual-core processor with 8GB of internal storage, expandable up to 32GB through microSD. The rugged device is built tough with Gorilla Glass and weighs in at around 600 grams.

Motorola is burning the bridge between the consumer and enterprise tablet that devices like the BlackBerry PlayBook and the now-defunct HP TouchPad were looking to blur to gain sales in both markets.

While PlayBook sales have dipped, Motorola Solutions’ director of product marketing, Sheldon Safir, said that the ET1 would pull up better as it “has a much more targeted market than PlayBook.”

The device is intended for retail and warehouse workers, with Motorola Solutions running a beta program overseas with retailers. The unit is currently Wi-Fi only, but features connecting accessories like barcode readers and magnetic stripe readers.

The ET1 is set to be sold in bulk to business at a price somewhere under the US$1000 mark. While many competing tablets sit below the $500 mark, Safir said that the expected three to five year device life from the rugged build will outlast consumer devices.

 

This rugged build features hardened Gorilla Glass and a casing that protects against knocks. The battery is also swappable and can be done without shutting off the device.

The Android 2.3 software will be customised especially for different organisations, with additives like multiple user log-in software to access different profiles and their applications and documents.

The device fits into the Motorola Solutions Mobility Services Platform that allows businesses to manage a large fleet of devices with security features like GPS tracking and remote data wipes.

The ET1 is expected for a late 2011 release.

Samsung Revamps Designer Notebooks From i3 to i7

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Samsung has upped the offerings in its premium class of notebooks with three new models in the Series 9 suite, including an Intel Core i3 version for the budget buyer.Samsung’s answer to Apple’s MacBook Air, Series 9 notebooks throw together high performance with style and durability in a lightweight chassis.

High performance comes on the back of second generation Intel Core processors (now becoming the norm in new release notebooks) and solid state drives (SSD) instead of typical hard disk drives.

The weight is dropped on these slim models with their lightweight components and hard duralumin encasings which double as design pieces with their metallic charcoal finish. The award-winning design comes at a high premium price though.

The three new models include an Intel Core i7, i5 and i3 version, ranging from 13.3 inch screens down to 11.6 inchers.

“Consumers can now tailor their Samsung Series 9 Notebook purchase to their performance needs and budget, without having to compromise on style or design,” said Samsung’s head of IT, Emmanuele Silanesu.

An i3 version with a compact 11.6 inch screen in a tiny 1.06kg frame will set buyers back $1,499, but some of the inner detail is cut out of the deal. The SSD is capped at a small 64GB, with no additional memory slots for upgrading RAM and a smaller battery than the i5 and i7 models.

 

On the plus side, it’s fitted with 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Bluetooth 3.0 compatibility, Micro-HDMI connector, USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports and is the lightest model on offer.

For a premium on price, there’s the i5 version that, according to Samsung, is the world’s thinnest and lightest i5 13 inch notebook on the market. It’s bigger than the i3 version, but houses more screen real estate and innards than the latter. The SSD is upgraded to 256GB, and the 4GB RAM can be upgraded to 8GB.

The i5 model sells for $2,299. Add an extra $500 to the price for an i7 model, featuring 8GB RAM as standard on the same 1.31kg body as the i5 version. Apart from the stocked RAM and the better processor, the two laptops are identical.

The three models are now available for major electronics retailers.

Review: Optus Smart Safe Eliminates Download Quotas From The Cloud

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The issue that plagues IPTV and cloud services in Australia is that most broadband connections come with a download quota – especially limited on mobile device connections. Optus has used its position as a telecom provider to sidestep the issue and offer cloud storage, minus the download cap.Optus’ Smart Safe is a free mobile-centric cloud service for Optus customers with the hope of enticing customers to pay for larger subscriptions. Optus mobile customers automatically get 500MB of free storage, but can upgrade to 10GB for $5.99 per month, or 300GB for $14.99. The service allows entire backups and restorations of mobile device data on up to five linked devices.

The Smart Safe app, downloadable for a range of mobile device operating systems, is a simple utility with four main buttons – but it’s a little too simple. There are backup and restore buttons as well as one to manage your subscription and one to display quick, handy tips on using the Smart Safe. The app is not compatible with iPhones though, but works on Android, Windows Phone 6, BlackBerry and Symbian.

It being a little too simple means that you can’t pick and choose what files you want to upload or download from the mobile app, though there is a settings section for choosing what type of media and content (whether it be music, photos, SMS, contacts, etc) you want to back up. Managing specific files will always lead you back into the less-than-perfect web app rather than using the Android app. Otherwise, you can also customise automatic back up scheduling and caps on backups.

The web app for browsers on PCs, Macs and mobiles offers a similar feature set, but more in-depth. Files on a computer or saved into the Safe from a linked device can be explored under subheadings like Videos, Contacts, Documents, etc. From here, they can be played, downloaded, edited or shared over social networks.

 

If you were to lose your mobile phone, all of your data could be replaced onto a new phone by signing the device up to your account, though there’s a cap of five linked devices. If you were to cancel your Optus mobile account, you’re given a 60 day leeway to re-subscribe to Smart Safe and access stored files again.

The big perk of the unlimited download/upload quota is also only applicable to Optus mobiles rather than desktop broadband connections. There are also charges involved in mobile roaming, though this is switched off by default.

It’s a good start from a telco jumping into mass consumer cloud offerings, but the process could be a lot more refined with a few app redesigns and tweaks. It’s simple, functional and very useful. Whether you’re paranoid about losing data or want to access all your phone data across devices and computers like Google’s cloud, this service is worth adopting if you’re already with Optus (unless you’re an iPhone user, in which case you’ll be looking out for iCloud).

Acer’s New Ethos: Aspire Notebooks With Detachable Touchpads

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The new Acer Aspire Ethos 8951G has taken a new angle on the media remote, with a removable touchpad that doubles as a media remote.The soon-to-be-released step up on the current high-spec 8950G (that sells to the tune of around $2.5k) sports an 18.4 inch screen with a solid state drive and hard drive together under the hood.

One of its funkiest design fixtures which has been somewhat understated by the company is its chiclet-style remote that doubles as the touchpad. While most media-centric notebooks feature a pop-out remote slotted into the side, the touchpad of the Ethos slides out and displays backlit function touch-buttons.

Like a typical smartphone, the remote supports dual orientation so it fits in the hand either landscape or portrait.

With the focus on media, the laptops feature HD display, 5.1 surround sound (with its own inbuilt subwoofer) and in-built Blu-ray writers. The large screen on the 8951G sports the size to fit Full HD 1080p video, and the meat behind the screen to process it.

 

Acer is also releasing a 15.6 inch model, the 5951G, with similar high performance specs. This screen runs HD video at 1366 x 768 resolution. Each run the latest Intel Sandy Bridge processors that ‘turboboost’ up to 3.4GHz and Nvidia GT500 Series graphics cards that can make short work of most gaming sessions.

It’s fast when it’s on, and it’s also fast initially turning on. An ‘InstantOn Arcade’ key allows fast-booting into multimedia mode that goes straight into movies, music, photos and other media quicker than a whole boot-up.

The Acer Aspire Ethos 8951G and its little brother will both be hitting shelves around the end of June. The 8951G will be selling at $2,999, while the 5951G will go for $2,499.

iReview iTwin: Scared Of Cloud Security? How About A Physical Alternative With High-Security & Simplicity?

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UPDATED: The iTwin bypasses the virtual world of cloud services to turn your physical storage into its own networking solution.

This simple solution to remote file access between computers is made up of two USB keys that notch together as a double-ended USB stick. The software is housed in the sticks themselves, so the iTwin is practically plug-and-play on any Windows machine. Forget cloud hosting or remote servers, the iTwin creates its own server through your internet connection with your data housed solely on your computers.

The two ends of the iTwin come connected and are initially plugged into a computer to install and register the product. From here, the other end is unplugged and slotted into any other Windows machine with a broadband connection, installed and ready to use. A simulated drive is created that files can be drag-and-dropped into to be accessed between the two connected computers. As the physical storage is all held in the computer’s hard drive rather than somewhere online or on the USB sticks, this drive acts as a simple directory to wherever the files or folders inserted are actually saved.

The iTwin is an attractive option for networking, even physically. The sleek unit comes in a metallic, charcoal colour or lime green, adorned by a blue light on each side to indicate connection and the iTwin logo. The edges are rounded, and the solidly-built units clip smoothly together at the ends. The packaging comes with a simple step-by-step guide that boils this unit down to its base functionality as simply as possible. In other words, anyone can use the iTwin without a lick of tech-savvy.

The iTwin requires a broadband connection on both ends, and with this can achieve transfer speeds over 3MBps – easily quick enough to instantaneously transfer large documents and images, and still fast for larger media. On each computer, the file transfer is split up into two folders – the local and the remote. Local files are thrown into the local storage folder to be found on the other computer’s remote folder, and vice versa. Being able to see what files are on your main computer and which are stored elsewhere is a particularly handy additive as opposed to sharing one big folder of mixed files stored natively and elsewhere.

AES 256-bit encryption adds typical security to the file transfers on the iTwin, but needing the have the physical USB sticks connected adds an extra element to security. In the event of losing one or both keys, users can also remotely disable the keys through a code emailed when first registering the product.

 

With the installed side of the iTwin attached to your main computer (like your home PC, for instance), you’ll need your PC to be constantly on and connected to the internet to be able to access your files remotely from other computers. It’s also limited to Windows and Mac machines, so forget using Android devices with USB ports – browser-based cloud solutions take the lead on this point.

Unlike Google Docs, you’re never aware of when a shared file is being accessed on two separate computers until you each save the edited file, so if you were to be updating a Word document at home aat the same time as someone else abroad, whoever saves and closes the document last would have a notice telling them the document were modified and that they should rename and save the file separately. It’s not the safest bet for sharing and editing documents on the fly between people, instead working best as a mobile solution for a single user accessing important files away from home.

If you’re looking for a secure system for remote file access that you can take with you wherever you go, but have the nagging anxiety over storing sensitive data on cloud servers, then the iTwin is a safe bet. It has its limitations, but this single-function unit is an original and effective alternative to cloud services thanks to its physical element, yet with the perk of holding no physical storage in itself. For a single fee, the iTwin is a hybrid service/product to rival conventional methods of file sharing and storage.