Special Feature The
Special Feature The Nomadic Revolution Half-tablet, half-phone: a winning combination Dell introduces the Streak, phone-sized with tablet capabilities The believer: Finch is confident the Dell Streak has got it right By Joe Morgan In a tour de force across a broad spectrum of products – including the tablets, desktops and laptops – Dell is eager to present itself at as a company in tune with where the future of technology is heading at IFA. “It is all about the broad assortment of products that Dell has to offer,” said Matthew Finch, EMEA In-direct Consumer Marketing CSMB, at Dell while holding Dell’s Streak Tablet in his hand. The Streak, a 5-inch Androidbased tablet, marks Dell’s move into this burgeoning market, although Finch admits that the 5-inch device sits in the “blur” between the tablet and the smartphone. But after the product’s recent launch in the UK, US, France and Germany, Dell is finding that most customers are using the Streak as a tablet. “Being 5-inches makes the positioning of this product very interesting. It has functionality and portability, meaning you can access your music on it, download videos and use it as a navigation device. We wanted something that was portable that you could put into your pocket,” says Finch. The Streak comes with builtin wi-fi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity, enabling easyaccess for downloading and listening to music, updating social networking status and staying connected to friends and family through e-mail, text, IM, and voice calls. “Many phones in the past have been able to only view a slimmed down version of a website. By giving this device a five inch display and by using the Google Android platform you are able to get the full web site experience,” Finch said. “The Dell Streak hits the sweet spot between traditional smartphones and larger-screen tablets. The device’s unique size provides people with new ways to enjoy, connect, and navigate their lives.” Finch also pointed to Dell’s Alienware M11x, which he describes as the world’s most powerful 11-inch gaming laptop, equipped with Core i5 and Core i7 processors which combine the latest Nvidia Optimus technology for high-definition mobile gaming. ViewSonic targets both ends of tablet market Products are ‘moving the marketing doors closer to the customer’ By Neil Crossley IFA sees the launch of two tablet devices from ViewSonic - the Viewpad 7 and the Viewpad 100. The ViewPad 7 features a 7-inch screen, version 2.2 of Android and 3G, and ‘full-phone’ functionality. It is being marketed as an entry-level model, with a suggested retail price of €399. Its hardware includes front- and back-facing cameras, 3G for both phone and data transmissions, and a full-sized SIM slot. “This device gives you a lot of freedom to experience tablet technology,” said James Coulson, European Marketing Manager for ViewSonic Europe Ltd. “It’s a full-on mobile communications device. It’s also an un-tethered device, so you’re not locked to one contract, and it’s a good entry to tablet technology. A lot of the competitors come in at around €700, so this is an attractive, realistic price.” By contrast, Coulson describes the Viewpad 100 as “a full desktop experience with Android and Windows on the same device”. This is the device’s unique selling point he says. The ViewPad 100 is a wi-fi-only tablet that comes with 16GB of storage and a Micro SD slot for another 32GB. An Intel Atom N455 1.66Ghz processor powers the tablet and the screen has a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution. ViewSonic's ViewPad Additional features include Bluetooth, A-GPS (Assisted- GPS) and a 1.3-megapixel webcam. Coulson says that ViewSonic will be “moving its marketing doors much closer to the customer” with the Viewpad 7 and 100 devices, and that the company will be working closely with a telecoms provider. The Viewpad 7 and 100 will be rolled out initially in the UK, Germany, Russia and Spain. 32
Special Feature The Nomadic Revolution You will Envy HP’s new 3D laptop Sound and vision quality will attract gamers and music lovers By Neil Crossley HP has entered the 3D notebook market with the release of the Envy 17 3D laptop, placing the company firmly in the space occupied by existing 3D laptop manufacturers Asus, Lenovo and Toshiba. Powered by an IntelCore i7 Quad Core processor and running Windows 7 Home Premium, the Envy is aimed squarely at gamers and those who want to watch movies. As its name suggests, the Envy 17 3D laptop features a 17.3-inch screen and a resolution of 1080 pixels. Essentially, the The Envy 17: “Immersive visual experience” Envy 17 is designed to be a desktop replacement. It offers up to 2TB of storage capacity and runs Intel Core i7 quad-core processors. It also ships with AMD's ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics card and is able to play Blu- Ray movies. To view content in 3D, a pair of 3D 120Hz active shutter glasses are included. HP says that the Envy 17 features the best sound quality that the company has ever provided to its customers. This high-quality sound system consists of speakers and triple bass reflex subwoofer which provide rich, clear sound tuned specifically for Envy’s audio components. It also features the Beats audio system, produced by HP, and Beats by Dr. Dre. The Envy 17 also offers what HP describes as an “immersive visual experience”. This is due largely to the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 dedicated graphics card, which supports the enhanced graphics capabilities of the laptop and multiple external displays. Its ATI Eyefinity technology, for multiple external display, supports up to 2TB of storage capacity. The laptop has a 14 inch screen and comes with a choice of Intel processors. The other important introduction was that of TV connect, a wireless device that allows users to stream HD movies and videos from the HP laptop to a television set. Galaxy launches Samsung into tablet space Portability is key to tablet with mobile phone proportions Powered by the Android Operating System 2.2, the Galaxy Tab is the first of Samsung’s tablet devices. Stay connected while you sweat! Sennheiser cx 6801i By Neil Crossley Anticipation was high at the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 7-inch tablet (GT-P1000) at IFA 2010 and with good reason. Here is a device that packs a diverse range of features into its lightweight frame. Sennheiser Hall 3.2, Stand No. 124 It incorporates numerous Samsung innovations — including PC-like web browsing and access to all As we are all constantly connected these days, the new Sports headsets from Sennheiser and adidas enable you to stay connected even during exercise using voice controls! The Sennheiser and adidas joint headphones range of the CX 680i Sports, MX 680i Sports, OMX 680i Sports and PMX 680i Sports models, all compatible with the iPhone. All four Sports headsets are equipped with Sennheiser’s moisture protection system. This not only effectively protects the sound system from sweat and rain, it also means that, after your workout, you can simply rinse the headset under the tap. forms of multimedia content on the 7-inch display. Users can also continuously communicate via e-mail, voice and video call, SMS/ MMS or social network with the optimised user interface. The Galaxy Tab has a 1024x600 TFT colour screen, flickable between portrait and landscape views. It comes with 16GB or 32GB of memory, expandable to a further 32GB. The device features two built-in cameras and a number The Galaxy Tab is the first of Samsung’s tablet devices Hall 20 of pre-installed Google applications, including Maps and Places Mobility-of-use was a prime factor in the creation of the Galaxy Tab, a point highlighted at Samsung’s opening IFA 2010 conference, by Thomas Richter, Head of Portfolio Management, Telecommunications Europe. "At this size and weight, the Tab is just as portable as a mobile phone,” he said. “This is not just another tablet. We call it a smart media device." Galaxy Tab-specific applications include its Music and Readers Hub, which feature a dedicated newspaper, magazine and e-reader. The device also features an email client with a unified inbox and two-pane window display, as well as a stock calendar application. Users also have access to the Samsung Apps Store and the Android Market, providing users with a broad selection of apps, widgets and games to download. www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday, 6 th September 2010 33
