iPad vs Samsung Galaxy vs Toshiba Folio 100 vs OlivePad

Apple iPad has set in a tablet frenzy. Hardware vendors of all sizes have jumped on the tablet bandwagon to challenge Apple's tablet and cash on the new computing segment. Latest to join the fray is Korean giant Samsung and Toshiba who recently unveiled their iPad challengers. 

In India too the tablet PC market is hotting up. Recently, Olive Telecom launched its iPad contender which is country's first 3.5G tablet. 

Here's how the recent launches in the tablet space -- Samsung Galaxy Tab, Toshiba Folio 100 and OlivePad VT100 -- compare on looks, OS, camera, connectivity and apps front with each other and Apple iPad.

1: Dimensions

iPad: Apple's iPad measures 9.56 inches in height, 7.47 in width and 0.5 inch in depth. iPad weighs 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg), the 3G version is 0.1 pounds heavier.

Galaxy: Measuring 7.84 X 4.74 X 0.47 inches, the device weighs mere 380 gram. 

Toshiba Folio 100: Folio measures 181 x 281 x 14 mm and weighs 760 gram. 

OlivePad: Measuring Width 110(W) X 11.5 (D) X 179.4 (H) mm, the device weighs 410 gram.

2: Display

iPad: The device has a 9.7-inch LCD colour screen. iPad uses iPhone's multi-touch technology, Apple's Magic Mouse, and the company's trackpad technology found in some of the company's laptops. 

Galaxy: Sporting a 7-inch TFT LCD display, the Galaxy Tab has a screen resolution of 1024 by 600 pixels. 

Toshiba Folio 100: Featuring a 10.1-inch display, the device has a multitouch screen. The screen has a resolution of 1,024 x 600 pixels. 

OlivePad: With 7-inch touch capacitive screen, the device has screen resolution of 800 x 480 pixels. The device can also be used to make phone calls.

3: Camera

iPad: Apple's iPad lacks camera. Lack of camera is widely seen as a negative in iPad as the device is said to be placed somewhere between a smartphone and laptop. 

Galaxy: Unlike iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab comes with a 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera. The device also has a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera. 

Toshiba Folio 100: There's a 1.3 megapixel camera. 

OlivePad: The device boasts of a 3 megapixel camera with 4x zoom and a front facing camera.

4: OS & processor

iPad: iPad runs on Apple iOS 3.2. The device has a 1GHz chip that has been custom designed by Apple. 

Galaxy: The device uses Google's Android 2.2 operating system. 

Toshiba Folio 100: Folio runs Nvidia Tegra 2 processor. The device will come with Google Android 2.2 OS. 

OlivePad: The device runs on ARM11 600MHz processor and packs Android 2.1 (Eclair) OS.

5: Memory

iPad: Apple iPad comes in 16, 32 and 64GB versions. 

Galaxy: The device comes in 16 and 32GB version. 

Toshiba Folio 100: Toshiba's iPad rival comes with 16GB of storage. 

OlivePad: In terms of storage, OlivePad VT100 has 512 MB of internal memory which can be extended upto 32GB.

6: Adobe Flash

iPad: The device doesn't offer support for Flash. This means users will encounter those 'big, empty video boxes in the middle of a page' while surfing on the pages which require Adobe Flash. Youtube will be supported just like in iPhone but no Flash games. In iPhone 3GS too when users browse through Web pages with Adobe Flash, it displays empty spaces with missing icons. 

Galaxy: Samsung Galaxy Tab offers support for Adobe Flash 

Toshiba Folio 100: Folio 100 supports latest Adobe Flash Player 10.1. 

OlivePad: The device runs Adobe Flash.

7: Connectivity

iPad: It supports both WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The WiFi antenna supports 802.11 a/b/g/n. The device also packs GPS. 

Galaxy: For connectivity, Galaxy supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3G cell phone networks. 

Toshiba Folio 100: The device supports WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1. Toshiba announced that a 3G version will be launched soon. 

OlivePad: The device has WiFi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR), and microUSB connectivity.

8: Battery

iPad: It offers battery life of upto 10 hours. The standby time is approximately a month. 

Galaxy: It promises upto 7 hours of video playback. 

Toshiba Folio 100: As for battery, Toshiba claims that the device promises upto 7 hours of Web browsing. 

OlivePad: The device comes with 16 hours of standby time and 7 hours of talktime.

9: Apps

iPad: The device can use virtually all the over 140,000 apps currently available for the iPhone. However, iPad will let you download applications only from Apple's AppStore. iPad doesn’t allow users to download any apps other than from the App Store. 

Galaxy: For applications, Galaxy Tab offers access to Android Market in addition to non-Market apps. 

Toshiba Folio 100: Users can download apps from Toshiba App Place. 

OlivePad: It has access to Android MarketPlace.

Apple TV versus Google TV

Apple Inc unveiled its new Apple TV on Wednesday, setting it up to compete with Google Inc's soon-to-be released Google TV. Here's a look at how they compare: 

Cost

Apple: $99 (Rs 4455) 

Google: Not yet announced

How they work

Apple TV is a compact box that hooks into TVs and allows viewers to stream shows and movies that they have rented or downloaded from iTunes. It requires an Internet connection and can access YouTube, Flickr and other sites. 

It can stream music from iTunes and play shows or movies that have been downloaded on separate devices from iTunes. Apple TV can be controlled through iPods, iPhones and iPads after downloading an app. 

Google TV: Google TV will allow viewers to search and watch programs from the Internet and their DVR recordings. Sony TVs and blu-ray players, as well as Logitech TVs, will come with Google TV installed. 

A separate stand-alone device is also available. The software has a Chrome Web browser built in so users can access whatever videos, photos, music and games are online. The Android Market will be on Google TV starting in 2011.

Availability

Apple: Chief Executive Steve Jobs said Apple TV would be available in a month, and the devices can be pre-ordered now. 

Google: Unknown date this fall.

Content

Apple: TV shows will cost 99 cents (Rs 4455) to rent, movies will cost $4.99 (RS 224.55) to $2.99 (Rs 134.55) to rent. 

Google: All free online content can be accessed. DISH Network Corp subscribers can also browse and watch their content with the device.

Partners

Apple: Netflix Inc, News Corp, Walt Disney Co 

Google: Sony Corp, Logitech International SA, Intel Corp and DISH Network Corp

Track record

Apple: This is the second incarnation of the Apple TV. Jobs has said the first version, released in 2006, has "never been a huge hit." 

Google: This is the first Google TV of its kind for the company.

Tech to improve voice clarity on mobile phone

A technology that improves voice clarity on mobile phones by filtering out unwanted sounds is on offer. 

High Definition (HD) Voice claims to reduce the background noise and 'hisses' that often mar mobile phone calls and offer users 'crystal clear' sound. 

HD Voice, which went live Wednesday, should help those people who frequently make calls from trains and noisy workplaces, reports the Daily Mail. 

The firm also claims that HD voice is able to 'eliminate the perceived distance between callers making it easier to hear the emotions in people's voices.' 

Jonathan Leggett of mobile phone comparison website Top10.com said: "It's ironic that as smartphones have become more multi-functional, they're arguably not much better at their primary function as a conduit for calls. 

"We don't expect Orange's HD Voice technology to sway young smartphone users. 

"However, improving the calling experience will appeal to less tech-hungry consumers who use their handsets predominantly for making calls and texting," added Leggett. 

Recent research from Orange has shown that a third of business leaders say they routinely struggle to hold phone conversations due to the noisy environment they work in. 

Other countries already have networks using the technology including Moldova and Germany.

5 Hottest Qwerty phones

Nokia E72

The E72’s multimedia skills beat all the others here. It’s very stylishly built, flaunting an elongated profile and a robust metallic rear battery bonnet. The keyboard’s domed buttons (which include dedicated punctuation keys) are easy on the thumbs, feeling almost ceramic to the touch, although not as distinct as the BlackBerry’s.

The Symbian S60 interface is a bit dated but highly customisable. The push email set-up rivals the BlackBerry for ease of use, and while Nokia’s Ovi Store isn’t overflowing, it offers a decent choice of apps and games to download.

Verdict: With outstanding media and SMS talents, the E72 is the best all-round QWERTY phone.

Specs: OS: Symbian Series 60; Display: 2.4in, 320x240; Camera/video: 5MP/VGA@ 15fps: Storage: 250MB + microSD; Battery 6hrs talk, 576hrs standby.

Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro

The X10 Mini Pro is the smallest here and could be the dinkiest smartphone we’ve ever handled. A flick of a thumb is enough to slide the screen up with a satisfying snap to reveal the surprisingly roomy QWERTY.

In our tests it proved a fine platform for speedtyping, but those with larger digits than ours may find it more challenging. Beneath the responsive capacitive touchscreen is an Android-based interface that’s been tweaked to accommodate the small screen size. If you’ve previously been put off QWERTY handsets by their size, the Mini Pro could change all that.

Verdict: A lesson in smartphone miniaturisation that’s incredibly user-friendly.

Specs: OS: Android 1.6; Display: 2.6-in, 320x240 capacitive touchscreen; Camera/video: 5MP/VGA@ 30fps; Storage: 128MB + microSD; Battery: 3.5hrs talk, 360hrs standby.

Palm Pixi Plus

Thanks to Palm’s flexible webOS, the entry-level Pixi Plus is a multitasking demon. No rival QWERTY handset can switch between apps and features so effortlessly.

It’s very slim, light and well made, and while the keyboard looks cramped it’s great to use. The soft rubbery domes are very tactile, you get dedicated full stop and comma keys, and the phone’s slender profile means you can easily tap out messages one-handed. This frees your other hand to use the responsive capacitive touchscreen or the gesture pad.

Verdict: This multitasking smartphone has more appeal than its entry-level status suggests.

Specs: OS: webOS 1.4.1; Display: 2.63in, 320x400; Camera/video: 2MP/VGA@ 30fps; Storage: 8GB; Battery: 5.2hrs talk, 350hrs standby.

Acer Neo Touch P300

The Acer’s 3.2-inch widescreen display is a beauty. Unfortunately, this Windows Mobile-powered phone doesn’t follow through with performance to match. The sliding keyboard is spacious and geared for drafting long messages and emails.

Flush to the surface with an almost pressurepad action, each key is distinguishable by a smooth rubberised finish. The same can’t be said of the resistive touchscreen. It copes fine with aggressive taps on the main menu icons, but swipe and scroll and it becomes temperamental.

Go off-road from the main menu and you’ll be grabbing the stylus to negotiate the fiddly sub-menus. Also, the processor seems to have trouble if you throw it a quick volley of taps or swipes, needing time to catch up. Ultimately this lack of response overshadows the fairly impressive set of features.

Verdict: A great QWERTY is let down by a moody touchscreen and sluggish processor.

Specs: OS: Windows Mobile 6.5; Display: 3.2in, 240x400; Camera/video: 3.2MP/320x240@30fps; Storage256MB+microSD; Battery: 4.4hrs talk, 400hrs standby.

BlackBerry 9700 Bold

In terms of design and ergonomics, the BlackBerry’s keyboard is the finest on test. Inspired by the frets on a guitar, it has reasonable-sized keys that are ridged to help your thumbs keep their bearings.

It’s a pleasure to use and great for instinctive typing, even in the absence of standalone punctuation keys. Like the Nokia E72, the Bold is a traditional messenger, so there’s no touchscreen but there is a touchsensitive optical trackpad. Teamed with its splendid keyboard, for pure messaging the BlackBerry is hard to beat.

Verdict: Its thumb-friendly keyboard makes this BlackBerry a top-class messenger.

Specs: OS: BlackBerry 5.0; Display: 2.4in, 480x360; Camera/video: 3.2MP/480x352@30fps; Storage: 256MB + microSD; Battery: 6hrs talk, 408hrs standby.

Sony Ericsson launches 3 mobile phones

Sony Ericsson unveiled three new models of mobile phones, including entry level handset for 3G.

The company unveiled Xperia-X8 entertainment smartphone on Android platform, besides Cedar, the basic entry level model for 3G and Yendo,the full touch walkman phone. "We continue to offer an amalgamation of communication and entertainment by fusing together best quality touchscreen experience, in the second half of the year," Sony Ericsson India Marketing head Anurag Kunto told newsmen.

"The newly launched models shall be available at the stores from September," Kunto said.

According to Kunto, Android platform in mobile handsets has begun taking away market share worldwide.

Sporting a 3-inch HVGA capacitive touchscreen (320 x 480), Xperia X8 comes with 3.2 megapixel camera, full Web browser, FM radio, support for video streaming, access to social networks through Timescape and music player with PlayNow and TrackID.

Xperia X8 runs on 600MHz processor and Google Android OS 1.6. For connectivity, the phone includes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The phone packs 128MB of internal memory and a 2GB microSD card. The memory can be expandable upto 16GB.

In the walkman series, Sony Ericsson has launched its first full touchscreen phone called Yendo. Featuring four corner touch user interface (UI), Yendo comes with 2 megapixel camera with 4X digital zoom.

The phone's music features include FM radio, music player, walkman player, MP3/AAC tones and a Bluetooth A2DP stereo.
Sporting a 2.6-inch TFT screen with 320 X 420 pixel resolution, Yendo has 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth, micro USB connector, USB mass storage and modem.

The company has also launched an entry-level 3G phone called Cedar. The phone offers quick access to social networking sites through a feature called Widget Manager 2.0.

Featuring a 2.2-inch display, the phone packs a 2 megapixel camera and 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone's battery promises upto 4 hours of talktime on 3G network.

The company has close to 1,000 point of sales in western region including Maharashtra and Gujarat, and nearly 4,000 across the country.

Close to 100,000 million GSM handsets sales are projected for the Indian market in 2010, of which 70 per cent are priced below Rs 3,000, a company official said.

BlackBerry solution in India soon

BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion may provide some solution next week to help Indian security agencies access corporate email by obtaining encrypted data in readable format, a government source said. 

Research In Motion (RIM) faces an August 31 deadline to give Indian authorities the means to track and read BlackBerry Enterprise email and its separate BlackBerry Messenger service. 

The government, concerned about the potential for militants to use the secure BlackBerry network to carry out attacks, has vowed to shut the services ifRIM fails to comply, cutting it out of one of the world's fastest-growing telecoms market. 

An RIM technical team in New Delhi has been working with the department of telecoms and security agencies to find a way out. 

"We are expecting they will come up with some solution for Enterprise mail next week," the source said. He did not want to be named as RIM's discussions with the government are not public. 

India said this week that it would allow the messenger service to continue beyond the deadline as it had been assured access to the services, but could shut down the secure email service if access is not given by then. 

India is one of a number of countries putting pressure on RIM, which has built the reputation of the BlackBerry, popular with business professionals and politicians, around confidentiality. 

Government officials have said RIM has assured manual access to BlackBerry instant messenger by September 1, and automated access by year-end.

Fujifilm launches 3D camera

Fujifilm has launched the world's first 3D camera and printing service. 

Photographs on the new FinePix camera can be printed on special 3D paper, ready to stick in the family photo album or be instantly viewed on the camera's built-in display. 

Unlike the 3D films in cinemas, special glasses do not need to be worn to show the 3D image. The camera takes two photos simultaneously from its two lenses which are fixed a similar distance apart to human eyes, reports the Telegraph. 

Using "lenticular" technology, the separate left and right eye images are interlaced on a furrowed surface to create the stereoscopic illusion. 

This method has been used since the 1940s typically on novelty items and stickers, featuring simple two-frame animations, such as a winking eye. The new camera also incorporates a high-definition 3D video camera, allowing users to watch their home movies back on any 3D TV. 

The new FinePix Real 3D W3 will go on sale in early September, costing around 400 pounds.Fujifilm said its 3D printing service would be available "shortly" after the camera's launch.