Review lenovo’s new IdeaPad S10-2 is an update of the S10e. The hardware is conventional netbook fare with a dual-core Atom processor and a 10.1in screen all dressed up in a smart chassis that makes it look like a baby ThinkPad. There have been a number of updates for this model, such as an increase in the frontside bus speed for the Atom processor to 800MHz and DDR 2 Ram that runs at 667MHz rather than 533MHz.
lenovo‘s IdeaPad S10-2 takes on Windows 7 Starter Edition
Previous models of IdeaPad came with a 160GB hard drive while our S10-2 has 250GB of storage, and if you poke around you’ll spot another couple of minor changes to the hardware. The LED-backlit screen used to have a strange resolution of 1024 x 576 while the S10-2 has 1024 x 600 pixels, which is a more conventional figure.
The other change we spotted lies on the expansion side of things. The original S10 had two USB 2.0 ports and an ExpressCard 34 slot, while our S10-2 has three USB 2.0 ports and no ExpressCard slot. In the event that you fancy upgrading the 802.11b/g wireless to 802.11n and prefer a neat ExpressCard to a sticky out USB dongle then you may consider this is a backwards step. Read the rest of this entry »
Review TomTom’s Start is essentially the satnav specialist’s new low-end model. Rather than say so, though, it’s not pitching the product on price but for its simplicity. It’s a device designed to get you from A to B and nothing more.
TomTom’s Start: cuts to the chase with a simple, straightforward UI
But it’s also being described by the company as “the satnav designed for people who still think they prefer reading maps”, implying this is the gadget that will finally get the doubters to leave their Readers’ Digest Book of the Road at home.
The Start certainly lacks a lot of the clever stuff electronics can do that paper can’t. There are no traffic updates, fuel price and local services searching here because it doesn’t support TomTom’s Live offering. Likewise, there’s no lane guidance beyond broad ‘keep to the left’ instructions. It does incorporate TomTom’s iQ Routes system, which is designed to apply to route planning an understanding of what roads get busy and when they do so, the better to steer you onto quieter, faster roads.
The Start is really about route planning pure and simple, which is why it presents you with just two, large icons: “Plan Route” and “Browse Map”. Read the rest of this entry »
Review It doesn’t seem five minutes since we looked at the CX1 – well, back in April actually – so it’s quite surprise to find that Ricoh has already launched its successor, the CX2. Again, this is a super-zoom compact seemingly aimed at the enthusiast or the DSLR user who occasionally wants to pack something simpler and smaller. That said, there are a few surprising omissions for a top-end compact.
Ricoh’s CX2 offers a more powerful zoom and some image processing tweaks
At first glance, there’s little difference between the CX1 and CX2 – both have the same box-shaped metal body with relatively few buttons and a 3in LCD screen composed of 920,000 dots. The most obvious design change has been the addition of a textured hand grip on the right hand side of the CX2’s body.
The cameras are also a similar size and weight, with the CX2 measuring 102 x 58 x 29mm and weighing around 200g with battery and card. Although the CX2 is highly portable, you will need deep pockets to carry it around comfortably. Both models use SD/SDHC cards and include 88MB of internal memory.
Even below the skin both cameras have some similar features including a 1/2.3in CMOS sensor with 9.20Mp and Smooth Imaging Engine IV image processor. So, is the CX2 simply a case of the same chocolates in a slightly different box? No, but that said, if you were one of those who rushed out and purchased the CX1 a few months ago, you shouldn’t feel too bad about missing out on the CX2. Read the rest of this entry »
Review The W5810 range represents Sony’s first move into the Freesat market, allowing you to sample the delights of true HD broadcasting without coughing up any extra cash for a Blu-ray player or Sky HD subscription.
Sony’s Bravia KDL-46W5810 – one of the company’s first Freesat tellies
As the name implies, the KDL-46W5810 is the 46in representative of the W5810 range, although there are other models available that range from 32 to 52 inches in size. Sony’s press office prefers not to discuss anything as mundane as pricing, but a quick detour into our local Sony Centre yielded a price of £1300, and online prices seem to be much the same. Sony is never the cheapest of brands, but that isn’t a bad price for a 46in model that provides an impressive image, good connectivity and the Freesat option.
Still, it’s not the most elegant TV we’ve ever looked at, as the screen is bordered by a chunky 2in wedge of black plastic, supplemented by an additional 2in strip of speaker grille running along the bottom edge of the screen. This gives the unit a rather monolithic appearance, as it sits there waiting for you to turn it on. Read the rest of this entry »
Review HTC has just about the fullest range of Windows Mobile smart phones on the market at the moment with a wide variety of types and prices. The HD2 is at the apex of its range, offering arguably the most bang, but also demanding a considerable amount of bucks. It lines up as HTC’s most complete package to date though, with a huge screen, the latest Sense UI, Windows Mobile 6.5 OS, HSDPA 3G, a 5Mp Camera, Wi-Fi, FM radio, GPS and social networking integration.
Quite a display – HTC’s HD2
There’s no getting around it, the HD2 is a large handset and looks as if it’s well on the way to becoming a notebook PC. HTC has sweetened the pill however by making it exceptionally slim and fairly light, so it measures up as 121x67x11mm and 157g. It’s still a handful, but not a huge jump from the iPhone and, in practise, we found it surprisingly pocket-friendly.
The capacitive LCD touch screen is a mighty 4.3in with 480×800 pixel resolution and both looks and feels fantastic. The display is clear and sharp for viewing but it’s also sensitive enough that it never seems to have any trouble distinguishing between brushes and strokes – not something that you’ll find on all Windows Mobile touch screen phones (are you listening Acer?). It is a bit of a fingerprint magnet however, seemingly lacking the sort of anti-grease coating that the iPhone revels in. Read the rest of this entry »
