Best & Worst Laptops of 2010: Know Before You Buy in 2011!

Consumers are not always aware of what is happening in the market until they need to buy something. Computers can cost a tidy sum, and even budget PCs run a few hundred dollars. It is important to know which are rated as good buys, and which are wastes of money.

Best Laptops of 2010

* Since taste varies, choosing the best laptop computers of 2010 is not easy, but some were clearly ahead of the game based on reviews and sales figures. Some that made the cut are:
* Apple MacBook Pro: Mac lovers will be thrilled that this portable is at the top when it comes to the best of the best. Apple is known for its technical support which is way ahead of many others in the business. The attractive design and system performance are also impressive.
* The Dell Inspiron 14 was also a big player in this area in 2010. Dell continues to provide consumers with reasonably priced laptop computers that offer great performance and usability. The Adamo XPS and Vostro V13 also kept the Dell flag flying.
* The Satellite helps to keep the Toshiba brand on the top of PC lover's lists. If minor performance issues are addressed it will be tough to beat.
* The Lenovo brand continues to improve each year. For 2010 they were rated highly by many reputable reviewing sites. The ThinkPad T410 scored highly partly because of its keyboard.
* HP was out there with the best of them when it came to notebooks in 2010. The ProBook 531m earned its props not only due to looks, but also for the keyboard and screen display.

Worst Laptops of 2010

Of course there were some laptop computers that simply didn't live up to expectations. Brand names had nothing to do with this, as some were manufactured by established companies. Also, some weren't all clunkers, they just scored badly in some areas. Some of these include:

* Samsung as a brand didn't sit quite right with laptop computer buyers in 2010. Its R530, while decent for basic computing, is not ideal for resource-heavy work.
* Fujitsu didn't make the grade in 2010 when it came to battery life which is really important. The MH380's keyboard was criticized, as was the T4410 design which was seen as outdated.
* MSI, while putting out reasonably priced laptops, has a way to go to gain reviewers' respect. With the exception of the MSI X340, few of the company's laptops were received favorably.


When looking to buy PCs the battle of the brands will always exist. For 2011, before making any buying decisions search for reviews. Some brands that are highly rated are:

* ACER is known for being innovative, and if its Ferrari One is anything to go by, 2011 will be a good year.
* ASUS is not afraid to bring out new winning technology which makes this brand worth watching.
* Lenovo as stated above is a cut above many laptop manufacturers.


This knowledge can save you frustration and, of course, money in the long run. In these trying economic times especially, everyone wants real value.

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HDTV in the News: What's Upcoming, & What's a Myth

The technology surrounding HDTV gets a lot of attention. While some of the HDTV news is pretty accurate, there is also some of it that's pretty mythical. That's mainly because the technology is always changing and advancing, and it's often hard for the industry to stay ahead of the new developments that have occurred.
It's also due in part to over-zealous consumers who may often mistakenly spread or start their own idea of HDTV news before the facts are proven.

All of this goes to prove how popular the technology has become and how it's going to continue to impact the industry. With so many changes, it is hard to keep up with it, but we've compiled a list of facts and myths to try and keep things straight. Take a look at some of the news surrounding this impressive technology and you'll see why it creates such a buzz.

News: OLED Displays
The displays will become even narrower and skinnier than they are now. There are going to be newer lighting and designs structured into current year models. The original look of the bright screens on the original OLED TVs are going to become a thing of the past, although industry experts cannot say for sure what the price tag on the new look will be.

Myth: Wii HD
This rumor has been circulating for a while, but still no proof that this will actually happen. When the rumor first began, it was speculated that Nintendo would sell the ramped-up Wii's for less than $200, which would be a veritable steal for the consumer. But, at the end of 2010, there was no Wii HD, and no confirmed plans from the company as to its debut.

News: Laser TVs
They are expected to also become sleeker and slicker with current year models. The current laser television technology hosts several different rear- and front-end projections. With many of the laser television sets on the market today, the bulk of them are rear projection sets.
These sets use a digital light processor that reflects light towards the screen from a light source. Within the unit, these somewhat bulky components will be slimmed and trimmed down more in order to create an outer shell that makes the unit skinnier.

News: Plasma TVs
They are going to get larger, and get there fast. Whereas many of the plasma television makers have been able to produce extra large units, they have not been for consumer use. However, all of that is about to change and be made available for consumers to buy the very large television, upwards of 50 inches or more. Consumers demanded it and the industry is answering them.
CONCLUSION

HD TV technology will always be a popular conversation in most any consumer circle. As there are more changes to the technology, there are more consumers who become aware of its impressive entertainment qualities. Conversations and news about it will grow as well. Until then, this current list of facts and fiction will be around.

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iPad 2 Could Be Unveiled March 2

Apple will reportedly unveil the iPad 2 on March 2, giving the world its first glimpse of the successor to the iPad, which has sold more than 15 million units. This leaves the tech world just under a week to rev up even more speculation surrounding the iPad 2 feature set, as well as keep a watchful eye on Android competitors arriving on the market.

Amid reports of iPad 2 delays until June, tech pundits corroborated their sources and believe March 2 to be the date Apple will unveil the new tablet. Kara Swisher at All Things Digital scooped the date, John Gruber of Daring Fireball says this "sounds right on schedule" and Miguel Heft at The New York Times reports next Wednesday is D-Day, too. Expect to hear about press invitations in the next few days, too, if March 2 is indeed the iPad 2 day.

iPad 2 specs ahoy

In Apple's traditional secretive manner, no official details about the iPad 2 have been unveiled, something that leaves plenty of space for speculation and reports from sources "close to the matter" or "familiar with company plans." However, by putting together reports on the iPad 2 specs over the past few weeks, a clearer picture emerges.

In a natural evolution, the iPad 2 is expected to be thinner and possibly lighter than its predecessor. It's possible Apple could opt for a higher-resolution display on the iPad 2, but because of developers' issues over a new resolution to work on, this could be unlikely. There is, however, the high chance to find a faster processor (maybe dual-core?), more RAM and a better graphics chip in the iPad 2.

Dual cameras have also been on the table for the iPad 2, but most recent reports indicate that the new tablet will have at least a front-facing camera to use with Apple's FaceTime and other video calling apps like Skype. Dual radio chips are also said to appear in the 3G iPad, allowing people to use the tablet with AT&T or Verizon. Price-wise, the iPad 2 is believed to stay within the same price points as the original, which would be sold alongside the new version at a lower price.

The real competition begins

Apple might have had the tablet market to itself last year (with the notable exception of the Samsung Galaxy Tab), but this year Android is tackling the tablet market, too. Android phones are outselling iPhones worldwide, so could we see a similar behavior in the tablet market also?

Verizon is now selling the 10-inch Motorola Xoom tablet, though at a higher price than the equivalent iPad and without Flash support initially. Samsung, HP and Research In Motion are also on track to launch their tablets this year, something that will make it more difficult for Apple to sell as many iPad 2s as the original model.

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iPhone 4 vs. Droid Incredible a Verizon smartphone showdown

The iPhone 4 is now on Verizon's network. But the Droid line of smartphones, running Google's open-source Android operating system, is already there ... and it's not going anywhere!

In an earlier article, I compared the iPhone 4 to the Droid X, Verizon's top-of-the-line Android smartphone. Now let's see how it compares to the Droid Incredible: Verizon's budget Droid, at only $99.

Droid does

HTC says that the Droid Incredible was inspired by an Italian sports car. It's not as minimalist as the iPhone 4's sleek, industrial design, but the ridges along the back help you grip the phone (per the Engadget review), and the extra buttons on the front serve a purpose. The menu is hidden in most apps until you tap the Droid's Menu key, freeing you from distractions; and the optical trackpad seems useless at first glance, but when you need to position the cursor while working with text it's a lifesaver.

Because the Droid Incredible is an Android phone, it can do things that the iPhone can't. While you're browsing the web, it reflows text to fit the screen width, so that you don't have to scroll horizontally while you're zoomed in. It can use a limited version of Flash, and the home screens can sport widgets, like the Mint finance one that lets you see your bank balance at a glance.

HTC's Sense interface takes Android to a new level, with sleek custom apps and widgets that let you easily check Facebook and Twitter. It also lets you pinch the screen to zoom out, and see all of your home screens at once. HTC Sense is shiny, and the animated weather widget is a nice touch.

Droid doesn't

The Droid's most obvious hardware deficiency, compared to the iPhone 4, is its lack of a front-facing camera. Its main camera has an 8 megapixel resolution, compared to the iPhone's 5, but unlike the iPhone it can't record HD video. The Droid also has a maximum of 40 GB of storage, compared to the iPhone's 16 or 32 GB, but only if you buy a 32 GB memory card for it; it only has 8 GB built-in. And you'll need at least a cheap 2 GB memory card, because some apps require it.

Speaking of apps, the Droid lets you buy them from Google's Android Market, which has over 150,000 according to Google CEO Eric Schmidt. But what he doesn't say is that one reason that number is growing so quickly is because it's much easier to put an app on the Android Market than it is on the iTunes App Store. There's no approval process, and many of the "apps" are just ringtones and wallpaper packs. The Droid does have access to the essentials, like eBay and Angry Birds ... but it's also loaded with garbage Verizon apps that you can't uninstall, unlike the Verizon iPhone.

Finally, the Droid's AMOLED display isn't as sharp as the iPhone's Retina Display, and looks washed-out when you're outdoors.

The verdict

The $100 savings over the iPhone doesn't stack up to the cost of a data plan. If you like Android's features, go with the Droid Incredible; otherwise, go for the iPhone. Keep in mind that both are going to go out of date soon, though, with 4G Android phones and this year's new iPhone model on the way.

Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.

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The 5 Best iPad Financial Apps

The Apple iPad is another great gadget combining portability with power in enabling customers to view data, graphics, and documents wherever they may be. There are many great iPad financial applications that assist customers in managing their money.
The 5 best iPad financial apps can be divided into the following categories:

1.) Calculator
2.) Budget
3.) Expenses
4.) News
5.) Investments

Best iPad Calculator App: powerOne Financial Calculator

A good, solid calculator for crunching numbers on every day bills like car insurance to more involved cash flow calculations is always valuable. The powerOne Financial Calculator, made by Infinity Softworks, transforms the simple calculator into an "Advanced Calculating Machine."

Here is just a brief list of the calculations available on powerOne:

• Algebra
• Area
• Arithmetic
• Auto loan
• Bonds
• Cash flow
• Currency
• Investment
• Mass
• Medical
• Profit margin
• Real estate
• Trigonometry
• Volume

This powerful app has so many calculating features that it leaves all competitors in the dust. The library of templates - which can be customized for individual needs - may be one of the best features.

For a small fee, customers can acquire the powerOne Financial Calculator.

In July 2010, Apple staff recommended this app to their customers. According to AppAdvice, the powerOne Financial Calculator is "The creme de la creme of calculators." Apple customers gave it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Best iPad App for Budgeting: SplashMoney

Balancing the budget has been made much easier with SplashMoney (created by Splash Data) for the iPad. This is one of the best iPad financial apps because it is a mature budgeting tool.

SplashMoney helps customers clarify their financial positions by displaying account and transaction information. The display lists "Accounts" on the left and individual "Transactions" on the right.

It is easier for customers to understand the status of their budgets when viewing multiple accounts and transactions on the same screen. Multiple account types - checking, savings, credit cards, and money market - are supported.

SplashMoney uses "Direct Connect" to link with banking accounts. This app uses the Blowfish encryption for security protection. SplashMoney can be purchased for a small fee.

Best iPad App for Tracking Expenses: xPenseTracker

During business travel, keeping track of expenses on trips can be time-consuming and confusing. It is easy to lose valuable receipts, invoices and documents.

The xPenseTracker app, made by Silverware Software, has simplified the process of filling out expense reports. Not only can users manually enter their data into their iPad, they can also take a photo of their receipts permitting more organized expense reports.

Multiple expense reports can be created. Sorting can be done based on date, category or client.

The xPenseTracker app has nice large buttons that are easy-to-read. There is a small fee for the xPenseTracker.

MSN rated the xPenseTracker as a "must-use" app for 2010. Apple customers gave this app a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Best iPad App for News: Bloomberg

Accurate, timely financial news can be the difference between profits and losses when making trading decisions. Over the years, Bloomberg has become a trusted name in financial circles.

The Bloomberg app for the iPad offers a variety of economic news from around the world so that people can keep abreast of the most important market news of the day.

This financial app displays stock quotes, market statistics, price charts and market analysis. The multimedia content is probably the most attractive feature with links to other interesting subject material.

Consumers can customize options so they are more tailored to their own special financial interests. They can use the dashboard to track their portfolio of stocks, commodities or currencies.

One serious drawback is the dominance of banner advertisements on the screen. This is a recurring problem with "free" apps and all of Bloomberg's competitors have the same problems with their iPad apps.

Bloomberg has made this iPad application available for free.

The Bloomberg app has garnered a top rating by users at the App store. Apple customers gave this financial app 3 out of 5 stars.

Best iPad App for Investments: Stockwatch

StockWatch is a good, accurate iPad app for monitoring stock, bonds and mutual funds on more than 50 exchanges. Regular traders can easily keep an eye on multiple securities.

StockWatch, made by Toughturtle, has a great user interface where customers can view securites on their "Watchlist." Smaller screens display individual stocks and charts. This app can be purchased for a small fee.

Apple customers gave StockWatch 3 out of 5 stars.

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Buying mobile phones – The tips on getting cheap phones

If you want to buy cheap mobile phones, you will have to decide whether you need a phone with various features or if you need just a simple one. Generally a cell phone providing simple features is available at low prices. However, if you think that you would like to buy a cell phone with different technical and advanced attributes, you will have to avail of various offers on the internet.

Buying cheap mobiles

There are various ways through which you can buy cheap mobile phones.

¶ You will have to research on the web on different mobile types and the associated features. You will be able to find different kinds of phones of numerous brands in different price range. If you don’t want a phone from any specific brand, you may get cheap phones with many attributes at the same time. However, you need to be very particular with the usage and functioning of electronic items. So, even if you don’t go for top brands, you should better opt for the ones just after the top ones. It is better to avoid any unknown brands.

¶ You can also take part in the cell phone buying test which can help you find the best cell phone for you as per your affordability and requirements. There are many websites that offer you such cell phone buying tests for free.

¶ Talk to different vendors about your requirements and your affordability. Vendors know a lot about different brands and the cell phone attributes. You will also be able to get used phones from the vendors at low rates. It is all the more advantageous to buy second hand cell phones from the vendors because you may also get high end phones at low coasts. However, before buying a second hand cell phone you should make sure that the phone will last at least for a year or some months. It should be in the working condition.

¶ You can also check out with the different cell phone providers. They generally offer cheap cell phones with free connection facilities to prospective users. They may require you to subscribe with them for one or two years at a stretch.

Moreover, cell phones have become cheap over the years than what it was when it was first introduced. However, before you buy a cell phone, make sure that it is a good one and can cater to your needs.

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Sprint to sell dual-screen 'Echo' smartphone

Sprint Nextel Corp. on Monday unveiled a smart phone with two screens, one stacked on top of the other. The top screen slides out and can be snapped it into place so that the two lay side by side, producing screen space that rivals a tablet computer.

The phone, called the Echo, is made by Japanese manufacturer Kyocera Corp. and has screens that are each the size of an iPhone's display. Put together, they create a larger space for typing e-mails, playing games and watching videos. The resulting display is still about half the size of an iPad's. But it's still a larger surface area than those found on most phones.

If people wish, they can use just one screen, or have something — say, a YouTube clip or Google Maps — stretch across both screens. But Sprint also lets people use certain applications so that different parts of the app show up on each screen. For example, you can read e-mails on one screen and respond using an oversized onscreen keyboard on the second display. Or, you can play a game such as "The Sims" in one window with the controls taking up the lower screen. Like many other smart phones, the Echo runs Google Inc.'s Android software. Adding an extra screen is Sprint's way of making the phone stand out from dozens of others that also run Android.

For now, Sprint has re-configured the basic e-mail, text messaging, photo, video and Web browser features, along with some games, so that you can use these apps while doing different things on each screen. That list will grow to include more specific Android apps, Sprint said.

One question that remains about the Echo is how long it's likely to last on a charge. For now, Sprint says the phone can offer at least 5.5 hours of talk time, though the company might succeed in stretching the battery life by the time it goes on sale. The iPhone, in contrast, claims 7 hours of talk time.

Perhaps to preempt any complaints about its endurance, Sprint will include a spare battery in the box, along with a device that can recharge both the phone and the second battery at the same time.

The phone will go on sale in the spring and cost $199 with a two-year contract.

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New iPhone app helps with confession

A new "Confession" application for Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch has received the blessing of a Catholic bishop.

"Confession: A Roman Catholic App," is the first program for the Apple devices created by a South Bend, Indiana-based company called "Little iApps."

Its developer, Patrick Leinen, said the app was designed to be used in the confessional and was intended "for those who frequent the sacrament and those who wish to return."

He said the app, which provides a step-by-step guide to the sacrament, had received the imprimatur from Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese, the first program to receive the stamp of the church.

Leinen said he was inspired in developing the app by Pope Benedict XVI's call to the faithful to use new media to good purposes.

"Our desire is to invite Catholics to engage in their faith through digital technology," Leinen said in a press release on his littleapps.com website.

"Taking to heart Pope Benedict XVI's message from last year's World Communications Address, our goal with this project is to offer a digital application that is truly 'new media at the service of the Word,'" he said.

The app costs $1.99 in Apple's iTunes store.

It offers password protected customized profiles, a guide to performing the sacrament as well as a list of acts of contrition.

"Individuals who have been away from the sacrament for some time will find Confession: A Roman Catholic App to be a useful and inviting tool," Leinen said.

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Android tops iPhone in US: comScore

Google's Android surged past Apple's iPhone last quarter and is closing in on the Blackberry as the most popular smartphone platform in the United States, market tracking firm comScore said.

According to comScore, 63.2 million Americans owned smartphones at the end of December, up 60 percent from a year earlier.

Blackberry maker Research in Motion was the US smartphone leader at the end of the fourth quarter with 31.6 percent of the market but its share fell from 37.3 percent the previous quarter, comScore said.

Google's Android mobile operating system was next with a 28.7 percent of the smartphone market at the end of December, up from 21.4 percent at the end of September.

Apple was third with 25.0 percent of the market, down from 24.3 percent the previous quarter, according to comScore.

Microsoft software was running on 8.4 percent of the smartphones in the United States, down from 9.9 percent the previous quarter, comScore said, and Palm, which is owned by Hewlett-Packard, saw its market share slip to 3.7 percent from 4.2 percent the previous quarter.

Source: Yahoo News

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AP will test digital ad 'inserts' for smart phones

NEW YORK – The Associated Press is developing mobile versions of the advertising and coupon inserts that come with weekend newspapers.

The news service said Friday that its board has approved testing the new offering, called iCircular.

Advertisers would be able to target customers on their devices by ZIP code. Readers would be able to search for specific products and share deals with friends.

The AP said newspapers would sell the ads and build the iCircular feature into mobile versions of their websites and applications for smart phones and tablet computers.

The development comes as companies such as Groupon offer services for local advertisers to reach people on websites and mobile devices. AP's iCircular would allow newspapers to offer similar mobile services, rather than cede that business to other companies.

The AP said iCircular will also let retailers promote sales and specific products, just as they now do with printed weekend inserts. Groupon, by contrast, focuses on offering steep discounts on a single product or business, such as bottles of wine or yoga classes, for a limited time.

"In my experience in calling on large retail customers, this is one of the most enthusiastic receptions I have seen," said Mary Junck, president and CEO of Lee Enterprises Inc. and chairwoman of AP's Revenue Committee. "They are impressed by the features and functions, and by the fact that the idea comes from the newspaper industry."

The AP, a not-for-profit cooperative owned by its member U.S. newspapers, plans to build and test iCircular over the next four months with a limited group of publishers and retailers.

Source: Yahoo News

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Corning expects high demand for TV glass

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Corning Inc. said Friday it expects its annual sales to grow more than 50 percent to $10 billion by 2014, driven by surging demand for ultra-thin glass used in television monitors, smart phones and touch-screen tablets. Its stock climbed to a nearly three-year high.

The world's biggest maker of liquid-crystal-display glass predicts the global appetite for flat-panel LCD TVs, computers and mobile devices will drive up industry volume to around 5 billion square feet in 2014 from 3.1 billion square feet now.

Demand for LCD glass in 2011 will run between 3.6 billion and 3.8 billion square feet, it said.

Corning's revenue reached $6.6 billion last year, up 23 percent from $5.4 billion in 2009.

Its shares rose 80 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $23.24 Friday, its highest close since June 2008.

Sales in Corning's display technologies group, its biggest business by far, should grow from $3 billion in 2010 to between $3.4 billion and $3.8 billion in 2014, Chief Financial Officer Jim Flaws told analysts and institutional investors at an annual meeting in New York.

Driven by a fast-emerging Gorilla cover glass business, specialty materials revenue will rise from $600 million in 2010 to at least $1.8 billion to $2 billion in 2014, Flaws said.

"We believe there's considerable upside potential to this number ... given the rapid increase in cover glass needs and the significant opportunities we see outside consumer electronics," he said.

Invented in 1962, Gorilla glass failed to find a commercial use and languished in a research lab for almost a half-century. Corning is hoping the latest trend in TVs — frameless flat-screens that could be mistaken for chic glass artwork on a living-room wall — could catapult it to multibillion-dollar status.

Hard to break, dent or scratch, Gorilla glass generated around $250 million in sales in 2010, but soaring demand could boost revenue to $1 billion this year as it begins to migrate from cell phones and tablets to high-end TVs. Sony Corp. said it will soon incorporate Gorilla in a new line of Bravia TVs.

"We need to see how big" the nascent market for Gorilla-equipped TVs turns out this year, Flaws said. "If they sell really great, we could be a long way up on that (forecast)."

The market's shift to mobile computing will bring rapid growth of tablet devices in the personal computer space, presenting an "exceptional growth opportunity" for the 3-year-old Gorilla business, which competes with LG Display Co. and Asahi Glass Co., said James Clappin, Corning's glass technologies group chief.

The 160-year-old company, based in western New York, also makes ceramic auto-pollution filters and is the world's largest producer of optical fiber and cable. It employs 24,500 people.

Revenue in its telecommunications group will grow from $1.7 billion to between $2.3 billion and $2.6 billion in 2014 and "additional acquisitions could make this even higher," Flaws said.

Corning expects LCD TVs to remain a favored TV technology in coming years, driven by robust demand in China and other emerging markets and a shortened TV replacement cycle than traditional sets.

The company said it took back some market share in the fourth quarter as retail demand for LCD TVs stalled in the United States last year. But research firm DisplaySearch projects renewed demand in North America this year, with shipments climbing 8 percent to 40.5 million units.

With LCD-TV market penetration reaching 65 percent in the U.S., China will become the global leader in total TV sales. Corning is planning to build an $800 million advanced LCD glass plant in Beijing, with operations to start in early 2012.

Its China sales will rise from more than $800 million in 2010 to an estimated $1.2 billion this year and could reach $2 billion in 2014.

Source : Yahoo News

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85 percent of US adults own cellphone: survey

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Mobile phones are the most popular gadget among adult Americans followed by computers, digital music players, game consoles and electronic book readers, according to a new survey.

The survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project found that 85 percent of Americans 18 and older own a cellphone and 90 percent of all adults live in a household with at least one cellphone.

Fifty-nine percent of American adults own a desktop computer, 52 percent own a laptop computer and four percent own a tablet like Apple's iPad, Pew said in the study, "Generations and their gadgets."

Forty-seven percent own an iPod or another MP3 digital music player and 42 percent own a game console.

Five percent own an e-book reader like Amazon's Kindle.

Only nine percent of those surveyed do not own any of the devices although the percentage of "gadget-less" rises to 20 percent among Americans aged 66 to 74 and to 43 percent among those 75 or older.

Americans between 18 and 34 were more likely to own a laptop computer (70 percent) than a desktop computer (57 percent). Only 28 percent of Americans 75 and older own desktops and only 10 percent own laptops.

Digital music players are most popular among the 18 to 34 crowd with 74 percent of so-called "Millennials" owning one, Pew said, and the percentage decreasing steadily by age.

Game consoles are equally popular among adults aged 18 to 34 and those 35 to 46, with 63 percent of both age groups owning the devices and the number falling to 38 percent among those between the ages of 47 to 56.

Pew said the survey of 3,001 American adults was conducted in August and September and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Source : Yahoo News

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Nook and Kindle: Which e-Reader is Best for You?

People don’t read anymore, right? We’re all too busy watching TV, playing video games, and surfing the internet to care about literary masterpieces. Then someone should tell that to Amazon and Barnes & Noble, makers of the Kindle and Nook e-readers respectively, who each have a have huge success with their e-readers. People are reading as much now as they ever were and maybe even more now that we have thousands of titles available to us at the touch of a button through e-book services. If you’re in the market to download the Jane Austen library, but are not sure which e-reader to invest in, here are a few things to consider.

Connectivity and Storage

First of all, your choice of e-reader really depends on the kind of features you need, based on how, where, and when you read. If you’re the type who reads everywhere and is constantly looking for new material, you’ll probably want to consider connectivity. Both the Kindle and Nook come with wi-fi connectivity and 3G access on upgraded models, although the Nook is slightly more expensive. But if you really want to store an entire library, you’ll probably want to go with the Nook. All Kindle models come with 4GB of storage (roughly 3,500 books), and the Nook comes with only 2GB (about 1,800 books), but all Nook models come with the ability to expand your storage with MicroSD cards up to 16GB.

Light and Battery Life

Again, where and when you read will determine your preferences for lighting and battery life. Both readers come with e-ink technology that looks very similar to the written page, but you’ll need an external light in order to read at night. However, the Nook offers models that come with LCD backlit screens and touch screen functionality, so you don’t need to rely on book lights of bedside tables for night reading. Some Kindle models come with a light as well, but it is not backlit; it is built-in lighting that simply illuminates the screen. But with backlighting, comes lower battery life. The Kindle battery life, on most models will last you up to a month of normal reading, where as the Nook models will only last you 10 days or so.

Formats

Another big difference between the two e-readers is the number of formats they can read. The Kindle beats the Nook hands down on this one. Although the Nook can open epubs, pdfs, and jpgs, the Kindle can open all those formats plus Word docs, html, txt, and more. The Nook Color, however, beats them all, covering just about any known format known to man, including mp4, ppt, and more.

If you’re looking for an e-reader with a long battery life that will open most e-book formats, go with the Kindle. But if you want an e-reader with expandable memory and a fancier display, the Nook might be the better choice.

About the author: Diane Johnson writes about a number of her interests including four wheeling, online courses, shopping, and traveling.

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LG to show off glasses-free 3D Android phone

Small 3D displays that don't require glasses are in, and LG plans to show off what it's calling the first "full" 3D smartphone at a mobile conference later this month.

The LG Optimus 3D isn't really the first Android phone to do the glasses-free 3D trick—after all, we heard word of the no-glasses, 3D-enabled Sharp Galapagos in November, while the Samsung W960 (granted, just a feature phone) beat everyone to the glasses-free 3D phone party last May.

But LG is promising a "full" 3D experience thanks to a dual-lens camera capable of taking 3D pictures, which (presumably) you'll be able to view instantly on the handset's 3D display.

So, how big of a display are we talking here? LG's press release goes way easy on the details, adding only that the Optimus 3D will come with HDMI support and DLNA for sharing 3D content, with "further details and a live demo" slated for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this month.

For a picture—or a purported picture, at least—of the Optimus 3D, we need look no further than Phandroid, which has a snapshot of what appears to be a new LG Optimus handset with a four-inch-ish screen.

A tipster claims that the Optimus 3D will come with a dual-core processor, same as on the recently announced Optimus 2X, while a little dot that appears to be a lens for a front-facing camera sits in the upper-right corner of the handset's bezel.

In any case, we'll be getting the full skinny on the Optimus 3D at LG's MWC press event; I won't be making the trip to Barcelona, unfortunately, but I'll be following along remotely.

Handheld devices with small, glasses-free 3D displays will be getting a major test with the arrival of the Nintendo 3DS later this month in Japan, with a worldwide release to follow in March. During my brief hands-on with the 3DS, I called its 3D screen "far better than I was expecting" with "a real sense of depth to the image," although I could "feel the eye strain creeping in" when the 3D effect was pushed too far.

Expect more glasses-free 3D smartphones to arrive on the heels on the LG Optimus 3D, although whether we're talking an honest-to-goodness trend or little more than a gee-whiz fad remains to be seen.

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