Eye-Fi card makes cameras talk to phones

If you are old enough, you probably used to marvel that digital cameras could show a picture right after it was shot, eliminating the need for a trip to the photo store. Now, they look nearly as dated as fax machines, as smartphones allow instant sharing of photos through the magic of wireless uploads and Facebook.

But there is a way for the good old-fashioned digital camera to catch up a bit and remain relevant. A company called Eye-Fi Inc makes an SD memory card that fits most cameras. Through a nifty bit of engineering, it can send images directly to smartphones and Tablet computers as they are shot.

You get the benefits of a standalone camera - its zoom, its strong flash, its high-resolution sensor and other features that trump the smartphone - with the ability to post photos right away. It works with videos, too.

Well, you get all that under ideal circumstances. In testing the Eye-Fi card and its new Direct Mode, I encountered some problems.

It's still worth a look, though.


The Eye-Fi is designed to send photos to iPhones, iPads and devices that use Google Inc's Android software. Working with an iPhone and iPad proved cumbersome and unreliable. The process was much easier on an Android phone or Tablet, but I still had glitches.

The stamp-sized Eye-Fi card, which starts at US$50, works like a miniature Wi-Fi router, producing a "hotspot" that stretches about 10ft around the camera. The phone or Tablet then latches onto that hotspot, and the free Eye-Fi application starts pulling over the photos (or video).

Images end up in the phone's Gallery or Camera Roll, where photos shot with the built-in camera also go. From there, they can be e-mailed, picture messaged or posted to photo-sharing sites.

On the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S 4G phone and Motorola Xoom Tablet, this mostly worked elegantly. The Eye-Fi app on the Android device stayed in the background, sensing when the camera was trying to communicate. It automatically made a wireless connection to the memory card's hotspot and notified me when the pictures had been transferred. In the meantime, I could use other apps.

However, the app on the Xoom often crashed, forcing me to wipe out my settings and start over.
Apple's devices are much less friendly to the Eye-Fi. Apple doesn't let apps do much in the background, while other apps are working. To start a transfer, you have to first make sure the device is connected to the hotspot, then start the Eye-Fi application. Only when the transfer is done can you close out of the app.

This gets extra fiddly if you're using another Wi-Fi hotspot for Internet access because you have to switch the connection back and forth between that hotspot and the camera's. Even when I went through this whole ritual, the Eye-Fi often failed to send photos to my iPad.

The reasons are unclear, but the problem highlighted another weakness in the system. The camera doesn't give you the slightest bit of help in figuring out what's going on because it was never designed to work with the Eye-Fi.

There are no camera controls and no screen indicators to tell you a transfer is ongoing, or if not, what the problem is. The most you can do is turn the camera on and off to see if that might fix it, which was about as effective as kicking a vending machine.

This lack of responsiveness is particularly galling when using the Eye-Fi in the way it originally launched.

The Eye-Fi has been on sale for a few years - it's just the Direct Mode that's new. In the original mode of operation, rather than create a hotspot, the cards connect to an existing one, such as your home WiFi router. It then transfers the images to a website or a folder on your computer. But the camera doesn't give you a clue whether this is happening or not.

Because Direct Mode frees the cards from being tied to particular hotspots, I expect it to be the default mode for users from now on. Older cards can be upgraded to Direct Mode capability as long as they have an "X2" designation.

I should point out that even if the Eye-Fi fails to transfer your photos wirelessly, they're not lost. The Eye-Fi works like a standard memory card too, storing every photo that's shot. The only caveat is that it may not work in your PC's built-in SD card slot because of differences in the electronics. You may need to use a card reader, which is included and sticks into a USB port.

There's another limitation to the Eye-Fi as well. Don't expect to be able to see every pixel in your high-resolution photos just because you've moved them over to a Tablet with a big screen. The photos are moved over in full resolution, but won't display on the phone or Tablet that way. This will disappoint photographers who want to check details and sharpness.

Despite its lack of reliability and some shortcomings, I think you'll find the Eye-Fi useful if you're a camera bug and have an Android phone.

Owners of iPhones and iPads will be better served by Apple's Camera Connection Kit, which costs US$29. It's simply a memory-card reader that attaches to the USB port, so there's no need to fiddle with a camera that has no idea it's been kicked into the future and is now a wireless device.

Eye-Fi card makes cameras talk to phones

If you are old enough, you probably used to marvel that digital cameras could show a picture right after it was shot, eliminating the need for a trip to the photo store. Now, they look nearly as dated as fax machines, as smartphones allow instant sharing of photos through the magic of wireless uploads and Facebook.

But there is a way for the good old-fashioned digital camera to catch up a bit and remain relevant. A company called Eye-Fi Inc makes an SD memory card that fits most cameras. Through a nifty bit of engineering, it can send images directly to smartphones and Tablet computers as they are shot.

You get the benefits of a standalone camera - its zoom, its strong flash, its high-resolution sensor and other features that trump the smartphone - with the ability to post photos right away. It works with videos, too.

Well, you get all that under ideal circumstances. In testing the Eye-Fi card and its new Direct Mode, I encountered some problems.

It's still worth a look, though.


The Eye-Fi is designed to send photos to iPhones, iPads and devices that use Google Inc's Android software. Working with an iPhone and iPad proved cumbersome and unreliable. The process was much easier on an Android phone or Tablet, but I still had glitches.

The stamp-sized Eye-Fi card, which starts at US$50, works like a miniature Wi-Fi router, producing a "hotspot" that stretches about 10ft around the camera. The phone or Tablet then latches onto that hotspot, and the free Eye-Fi application starts pulling over the photos (or video).

Images end up in the phone's Gallery or Camera Roll, where photos shot with the built-in camera also go. From there, they can be e-mailed, picture messaged or posted to photo-sharing sites.

On the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S 4G phone and Motorola Xoom Tablet, this mostly worked elegantly. The Eye-Fi app on the Android device stayed in the background, sensing when the camera was trying to communicate. It automatically made a wireless connection to the memory card's hotspot and notified me when the pictures had been transferred. In the meantime, I could use other apps.

However, the app on the Xoom often crashed, forcing me to wipe out my settings and start over.
Apple's devices are much less friendly to the Eye-Fi. Apple doesn't let apps do much in the background, while other apps are working. To start a transfer, you have to first make sure the device is connected to the hotspot, then start the Eye-Fi application. Only when the transfer is done can you close out of the app.

This gets extra fiddly if you're using another Wi-Fi hotspot for Internet access because you have to switch the connection back and forth between that hotspot and the camera's. Even when I went through this whole ritual, the Eye-Fi often failed to send photos to my iPad.

The reasons are unclear, but the problem highlighted another weakness in the system. The camera doesn't give you the slightest bit of help in figuring out what's going on because it was never designed to work with the Eye-Fi.

There are no camera controls and no screen indicators to tell you a transfer is ongoing, or if not, what the problem is. The most you can do is turn the camera on and off to see if that might fix it, which was about as effective as kicking a vending machine.

This lack of responsiveness is particularly galling when using the Eye-Fi in the way it originally launched.

The Eye-Fi has been on sale for a few years - it's just the Direct Mode that's new. In the original mode of operation, rather than create a hotspot, the cards connect to an existing one, such as your home WiFi router. It then transfers the images to a website or a folder on your computer. But the camera doesn't give you a clue whether this is happening or not.

Because Direct Mode frees the cards from being tied to particular hotspots, I expect it to be the default mode for users from now on. Older cards can be upgraded to Direct Mode capability as long as they have an "X2" designation.

I should point out that even if the Eye-Fi fails to transfer your photos wirelessly, they're not lost. The Eye-Fi works like a standard memory card too, storing every photo that's shot. The only caveat is that it may not work in your PC's built-in SD card slot because of differences in the electronics. You may need to use a card reader, which is included and sticks into a USB port.

There's another limitation to the Eye-Fi as well. Don't expect to be able to see every pixel in your high-resolution photos just because you've moved them over to a Tablet with a big screen. The photos are moved over in full resolution, but won't display on the phone or Tablet that way. This will disappoint photographers who want to check details and sharpness.

Despite its lack of reliability and some shortcomings, I think you'll find the Eye-Fi useful if you're a camera bug and have an Android phone.

Owners of iPhones and iPads will be better served by Apple's Camera Connection Kit, which costs US$29. It's simply a memory-card reader that attaches to the USB port, so there's no need to fiddle with a camera that has no idea it's been kicked into the future and is now a wireless device.

Eye-Fi card makes cameras talk to phones

If you are old enough, you probably used to marvel that digital cameras could show a picture right after it was shot, eliminating the need for a trip to the photo store. Now, they look nearly as dated as fax machines, as smartphones allow instant sharing of photos through the magic of wireless uploads and Facebook.

But there is a way for the good old-fashioned digital camera to catch up a bit and remain relevant. A company called Eye-Fi Inc makes an SD memory card that fits most cameras. Through a nifty bit of engineering, it can send images directly to smartphones and Tablet computers as they are shot.

You get the benefits of a standalone camera - its zoom, its strong flash, its high-resolution sensor and other features that trump the smartphone - with the ability to post photos right away. It works with videos, too.

Well, you get all that under ideal circumstances. In testing the Eye-Fi card and its new Direct Mode, I encountered some problems.

It's still worth a look, though.


The Eye-Fi is designed to send photos to iPhones, iPads and devices that use Google Inc's Android software. Working with an iPhone and iPad proved cumbersome and unreliable. The process was much easier on an Android phone or Tablet, but I still had glitches.

The stamp-sized Eye-Fi card, which starts at US$50, works like a miniature Wi-Fi router, producing a "hotspot" that stretches about 10ft around the camera. The phone or Tablet then latches onto that hotspot, and the free Eye-Fi application starts pulling over the photos (or video).

Images end up in the phone's Gallery or Camera Roll, where photos shot with the built-in camera also go. From there, they can be e-mailed, picture messaged or posted to photo-sharing sites.

On the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S 4G phone and Motorola Xoom Tablet, this mostly worked elegantly. The Eye-Fi app on the Android device stayed in the background, sensing when the camera was trying to communicate. It automatically made a wireless connection to the memory card's hotspot and notified me when the pictures had been transferred. In the meantime, I could use other apps.

However, the app on the Xoom often crashed, forcing me to wipe out my settings and start over.
Apple's devices are much less friendly to the Eye-Fi. Apple doesn't let apps do much in the background, while other apps are working. To start a transfer, you have to first make sure the device is connected to the hotspot, then start the Eye-Fi application. Only when the transfer is done can you close out of the app.

This gets extra fiddly if you're using another Wi-Fi hotspot for Internet access because you have to switch the connection back and forth between that hotspot and the camera's. Even when I went through this whole ritual, the Eye-Fi often failed to send photos to my iPad.

The reasons are unclear, but the problem highlighted another weakness in the system. The camera doesn't give you the slightest bit of help in figuring out what's going on because it was never designed to work with the Eye-Fi.

There are no camera controls and no screen indicators to tell you a transfer is ongoing, or if not, what the problem is. The most you can do is turn the camera on and off to see if that might fix it, which was about as effective as kicking a vending machine.

This lack of responsiveness is particularly galling when using the Eye-Fi in the way it originally launched.

The Eye-Fi has been on sale for a few years - it's just the Direct Mode that's new. In the original mode of operation, rather than create a hotspot, the cards connect to an existing one, such as your home WiFi router. It then transfers the images to a website or a folder on your computer. But the camera doesn't give you a clue whether this is happening or not.

Because Direct Mode frees the cards from being tied to particular hotspots, I expect it to be the default mode for users from now on. Older cards can be upgraded to Direct Mode capability as long as they have an "X2" designation.

I should point out that even if the Eye-Fi fails to transfer your photos wirelessly, they're not lost. The Eye-Fi works like a standard memory card too, storing every photo that's shot. The only caveat is that it may not work in your PC's built-in SD card slot because of differences in the electronics. You may need to use a card reader, which is included and sticks into a USB port.

There's another limitation to the Eye-Fi as well. Don't expect to be able to see every pixel in your high-resolution photos just because you've moved them over to a Tablet with a big screen. The photos are moved over in full resolution, but won't display on the phone or Tablet that way. This will disappoint photographers who want to check details and sharpness.

Despite its lack of reliability and some shortcomings, I think you'll find the Eye-Fi useful if you're a camera bug and have an Android phone.

Owners of iPhones and iPads will be better served by Apple's Camera Connection Kit, which costs US$29. It's simply a memory-card reader that attaches to the USB port, so there's no need to fiddle with a camera that has no idea it's been kicked into the future and is now a wireless device.

Quick review of Nokia X7 and E6

Nokia Corp launched its first smartphones to run on the updated Symbian software with new icons, enhancements and a faster browser.

Nokia X7

It said the two models - the E6 and X7 - have longer battery life, better text input and new Ovi Maps applications with improved search and public transport routes.

The Nokia E6, with a standard Qwerty keypad and high resolution touch display, is aimed at corporate customers, while the Nokia X7 is an entertainment-focused handset with a 4in (10cm) display made for games.

The world's largest cellphone maker did not price the handsets.

Markets seemed unimpressed by the announcement, which comes as Nokia continues to struggle against stiff competition, especially from Apple Inc and Research in Motion Ltd.



More than 200 million phones, with 150 million more expected on the market, use Symbian technology, seen by some developers as clumsy and dated. At the end of last year, it was surpassed by Android as the world's No 1 smartphone software.

Nokia said the new, faster Symbian software, known as Symbian Anna, will be available for previously released top models, including the N8, E7, C7 and C6-01 devices "in coming months."

In February, Nokia and Microsoft surprised the industry by announcing they were joining forces to challenge major rivals.

Nokia said it will use Microsoft Corp's Windows Phone software as the main platform for its smartphones but will continue to develop and use the new Symbian software.

But they have a tough battle ahead.

The iPhone has set the standard for today's smartphones and Research In Motion Ltd's BlackBerrys have become the favourite of the corporate set.

More recently, Google Inc's Android software has emerged as the choice for phone makers that want to challenge the iPhone.

In trail
A key challenge will be to produce quality devices with a hip factor that helps position Windows Phone as an attractive alternative in a market where image plays a central role.

Nokia E6

Windows Phone 7, launched last year, has a lot of catching up to do both in the number of users and "apps" available for the phones.

Nokia, which claims 1.3 billion daily users of its devices, said it hopes the partnership with Microsoft will lead to capturing the next billion users to join the Internet in developing growth markets.

Last year, the Finnish firm retained its No 1 spot as the world's top mobile phone maker - a position it has held since 1998, selling 432 million devices - more than its three closest rivals combined.

But market share has continued on a downward spiral - from a high of 41% in 2008 to 31% in the last quarter of 2010.

Also, its share in smartphones has plunged - to 30% at the end of 2010 from 40% a year earlier.

And, at the end of last year Nokia and the Symbian platform was surpassed by Android as the world's No 1 smartphone software, according to Canalys research firm.

Nokia, an Espoo-based company, near Helsinki, employs 132,500 people.

Quick review of Nokia X7 and E6

Nokia Corp launched its first smartphones to run on the updated Symbian software with new icons, enhancements and a faster browser.

Nokia X7

It said the two models - the E6 and X7 - have longer battery life, better text input and new Ovi Maps applications with improved search and public transport routes.

The Nokia E6, with a standard Qwerty keypad and high resolution touch display, is aimed at corporate customers, while the Nokia X7 is an entertainment-focused handset with a 4in (10cm) display made for games.

The world's largest cellphone maker did not price the handsets.

Markets seemed unimpressed by the announcement, which comes as Nokia continues to struggle against stiff competition, especially from Apple Inc and Research in Motion Ltd.



More than 200 million phones, with 150 million more expected on the market, use Symbian technology, seen by some developers as clumsy and dated. At the end of last year, it was surpassed by Android as the world's No 1 smartphone software.

Nokia said the new, faster Symbian software, known as Symbian Anna, will be available for previously released top models, including the N8, E7, C7 and C6-01 devices "in coming months."

In February, Nokia and Microsoft surprised the industry by announcing they were joining forces to challenge major rivals.

Nokia said it will use Microsoft Corp's Windows Phone software as the main platform for its smartphones but will continue to develop and use the new Symbian software.

But they have a tough battle ahead.

The iPhone has set the standard for today's smartphones and Research In Motion Ltd's BlackBerrys have become the favourite of the corporate set.

More recently, Google Inc's Android software has emerged as the choice for phone makers that want to challenge the iPhone.

In trail
A key challenge will be to produce quality devices with a hip factor that helps position Windows Phone as an attractive alternative in a market where image plays a central role.

Nokia E6

Windows Phone 7, launched last year, has a lot of catching up to do both in the number of users and "apps" available for the phones.

Nokia, which claims 1.3 billion daily users of its devices, said it hopes the partnership with Microsoft will lead to capturing the next billion users to join the Internet in developing growth markets.

Last year, the Finnish firm retained its No 1 spot as the world's top mobile phone maker - a position it has held since 1998, selling 432 million devices - more than its three closest rivals combined.

But market share has continued on a downward spiral - from a high of 41% in 2008 to 31% in the last quarter of 2010.

Also, its share in smartphones has plunged - to 30% at the end of 2010 from 40% a year earlier.

And, at the end of last year Nokia and the Symbian platform was surpassed by Android as the world's No 1 smartphone software, according to Canalys research firm.

Nokia, an Espoo-based company, near Helsinki, employs 132,500 people.

Quick review of Nokia X7 and E6

Nokia Corp launched its first smartphones to run on the updated Symbian software with new icons, enhancements and a faster browser.

Nokia X7

It said the two models - the E6 and X7 - have longer battery life, better text input and new Ovi Maps applications with improved search and public transport routes.

The Nokia E6, with a standard Qwerty keypad and high resolution touch display, is aimed at corporate customers, while the Nokia X7 is an entertainment-focused handset with a 4in (10cm) display made for games.

The world's largest cellphone maker did not price the handsets.

Markets seemed unimpressed by the announcement, which comes as Nokia continues to struggle against stiff competition, especially from Apple Inc and Research in Motion Ltd.



More than 200 million phones, with 150 million more expected on the market, use Symbian technology, seen by some developers as clumsy and dated. At the end of last year, it was surpassed by Android as the world's No 1 smartphone software.

Nokia said the new, faster Symbian software, known as Symbian Anna, will be available for previously released top models, including the N8, E7, C7 and C6-01 devices "in coming months."

In February, Nokia and Microsoft surprised the industry by announcing they were joining forces to challenge major rivals.

Nokia said it will use Microsoft Corp's Windows Phone software as the main platform for its smartphones but will continue to develop and use the new Symbian software.

But they have a tough battle ahead.

The iPhone has set the standard for today's smartphones and Research In Motion Ltd's BlackBerrys have become the favourite of the corporate set.

More recently, Google Inc's Android software has emerged as the choice for phone makers that want to challenge the iPhone.

In trail
A key challenge will be to produce quality devices with a hip factor that helps position Windows Phone as an attractive alternative in a market where image plays a central role.

Nokia E6

Windows Phone 7, launched last year, has a lot of catching up to do both in the number of users and "apps" available for the phones.

Nokia, which claims 1.3 billion daily users of its devices, said it hopes the partnership with Microsoft will lead to capturing the next billion users to join the Internet in developing growth markets.

Last year, the Finnish firm retained its No 1 spot as the world's top mobile phone maker - a position it has held since 1998, selling 432 million devices - more than its three closest rivals combined.

But market share has continued on a downward spiral - from a high of 41% in 2008 to 31% in the last quarter of 2010.

Also, its share in smartphones has plunged - to 30% at the end of 2010 from 40% a year earlier.

And, at the end of last year Nokia and the Symbian platform was surpassed by Android as the world's No 1 smartphone software, according to Canalys research firm.

Nokia, an Espoo-based company, near Helsinki, employs 132,500 people.

iPads take a place in kindergarten

Kindergarten classes are supplementing crayons, finger paints and flashcards with iPads, a development that excites supporters but that detractors worry is wasted on pupils too young to appreciate the expense.

Next fall, nearly 300 kindergartners in the central Maine city of Auburn will become the latest batch of youngsters around the country to get iPad2 touchpad Tablets to learn the basics about ABCs, 1-2-3s, drawing and even music.



"It's definitely an adventure, and it'll be a journey of learning for teachers and students," said Auburn kindergarten teacher Amy Heimerl, who received an iPad ahead of the full deployment in the fall. "I'm looking forward to seeing where this can take us and our students."

But the US$200,000 that Superintendent Tom Morrill is proposing to spend on iPads - which retail for around US$500 each - might be better spent on some other school programme, said Sue Millard of Auburn, who has children in the fourth grade and high school.

She also questions whether kindergartners are old enough to appreciate the effort. "I understand you have to keep up with technology, but I think a five-year old is a little too young to understand," she said.

Maine was the first state to equip students statewide with computers when it distributed Apple laptops to all seventh- and eighth-graders in 2002 and 2003. The programme has since expanded, with laptops parcelled out to about 50% of high school students.

The state Department of Education says it believes Auburn is the first school district in Maine that will give iPads to kindergartners. The school board has unanimously approved the plan to give all kindergartners iPads next fall.

iDea
The iPad is a powerful education tool with hundreds of teaching applications, Morrill said. With its touchpad screen, it's simple to use and can bring learning to life with imagery and sounds, he said.

"It's a revolution in education," Morrill said.

Apple spokesman Trudy Muller declined to comment on how iPads are being used in schools, but dozens of school districts around the country have been giving iPads to students.

Schools in Omaha, Nebraska; Columbiana, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; Paducah, Kentucky; Charleston, South Carolina; and Scottsdale, Arizona, are among the places where kindergarten pupils are using them.

Angus King, the former Maine governor who launched the state's laptop programme, said the idea of iPads in kindergarten wows him. Anything that holds the attention of pupils will help in the learning process, he said.

TESTING IT: A kindergarten teacher trying out a program for learning letters
on an iPad in Auburn, Maine. Five kindergarten teachers were given iPads to
try out in preparation for next year when nearly 300 kindergarteners will be
given their own iPad2s.

 "If your students are engaged, you can teach them anything," King said. "If they're bored and looking out the window, you can be Socrates and you're not going to teach them anything. These devices are engaging."

Morrill is convinced that in the end, using iPads to teach kindergarten will lead to improved student proficiency scores.

Heimerl, one of five kindergarten teachers in the district who got the iPads early, was impressed as she checked out apps for phonics, building words, letter recognition and letter formation.

"The more education teachers have using these tools the better we can enhance children's learning and take them to that next level," said Heimerl, a teacher at Park Avenue Elementary School.

Not convinced

Not everyone is sold. Larry Cuban, professor emeritus of education at Stanford University and the author of Oversold and Underused: Computers in Schools, said there's no proof that computers bring learning benefits to pupils that young.

"There's no evidence in research literature that giving iPads to five-year-olds will improve their reading scores," he said.

Peter Pizzolongo of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, based in Washington, said iPads can be an effective supplement to 3D objects, whether they be books or building blocks.

"We can't say whether what the school district in Maine or anywhere else is doing is good or not good, but what we can say is when the iPad or any other technological tool is used appropriately, then it's a good thing for children's learning," he said.

The best use of iPads is probably in elementary and special education classes because the devices are so easy to use, said Nick Sauers of Iowa State University's Centre for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. There are hundreds of education apps to choose from with a touch to the screen.

Sauers expects a boom soon, with most current iPad initiatives being billed as pilot or experimental programmes.

"I think next year is when we'll see our first big bubble," Sauers said. "There will be districts next year that implement it school-wide, whether it be at the high school level or elementary level."

Morrill said most of the criticism has been about the costs during tough economic times - not about whether Tablet computers are age-appropriate.

He said he plans to raise the money needed for about 325 iPads and teacher training from foundations, the federal government, the local school department and other sources.
As bullish as he is on the kindergarten iPad, he cautions that it needs to be properly supervised and isn't a panacea.

"I'm not saying they should be on this 24-7," he said. "The students still need to move, get up, dance, socialise."

iPads take a place in kindergarten

Kindergarten classes are supplementing crayons, finger paints and flashcards with iPads, a development that excites supporters but that detractors worry is wasted on pupils too young to appreciate the expense.

Next fall, nearly 300 kindergartners in the central Maine city of Auburn will become the latest batch of youngsters around the country to get iPad2 touchpad Tablets to learn the basics about ABCs, 1-2-3s, drawing and even music.



"It's definitely an adventure, and it'll be a journey of learning for teachers and students," said Auburn kindergarten teacher Amy Heimerl, who received an iPad ahead of the full deployment in the fall. "I'm looking forward to seeing where this can take us and our students."

But the US$200,000 that Superintendent Tom Morrill is proposing to spend on iPads - which retail for around US$500 each - might be better spent on some other school programme, said Sue Millard of Auburn, who has children in the fourth grade and high school.

She also questions whether kindergartners are old enough to appreciate the effort. "I understand you have to keep up with technology, but I think a five-year old is a little too young to understand," she said.

Maine was the first state to equip students statewide with computers when it distributed Apple laptops to all seventh- and eighth-graders in 2002 and 2003. The programme has since expanded, with laptops parcelled out to about 50% of high school students.

The state Department of Education says it believes Auburn is the first school district in Maine that will give iPads to kindergartners. The school board has unanimously approved the plan to give all kindergartners iPads next fall.

iDea
The iPad is a powerful education tool with hundreds of teaching applications, Morrill said. With its touchpad screen, it's simple to use and can bring learning to life with imagery and sounds, he said.

"It's a revolution in education," Morrill said.

Apple spokesman Trudy Muller declined to comment on how iPads are being used in schools, but dozens of school districts around the country have been giving iPads to students.

Schools in Omaha, Nebraska; Columbiana, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; Paducah, Kentucky; Charleston, South Carolina; and Scottsdale, Arizona, are among the places where kindergarten pupils are using them.

Angus King, the former Maine governor who launched the state's laptop programme, said the idea of iPads in kindergarten wows him. Anything that holds the attention of pupils will help in the learning process, he said.

TESTING IT: A kindergarten teacher trying out a program for learning letters
on an iPad in Auburn, Maine. Five kindergarten teachers were given iPads to
try out in preparation for next year when nearly 300 kindergarteners will be
given their own iPad2s.

 "If your students are engaged, you can teach them anything," King said. "If they're bored and looking out the window, you can be Socrates and you're not going to teach them anything. These devices are engaging."

Morrill is convinced that in the end, using iPads to teach kindergarten will lead to improved student proficiency scores.

Heimerl, one of five kindergarten teachers in the district who got the iPads early, was impressed as she checked out apps for phonics, building words, letter recognition and letter formation.

"The more education teachers have using these tools the better we can enhance children's learning and take them to that next level," said Heimerl, a teacher at Park Avenue Elementary School.

Not convinced

Not everyone is sold. Larry Cuban, professor emeritus of education at Stanford University and the author of Oversold and Underused: Computers in Schools, said there's no proof that computers bring learning benefits to pupils that young.

"There's no evidence in research literature that giving iPads to five-year-olds will improve their reading scores," he said.

Peter Pizzolongo of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, based in Washington, said iPads can be an effective supplement to 3D objects, whether they be books or building blocks.

"We can't say whether what the school district in Maine or anywhere else is doing is good or not good, but what we can say is when the iPad or any other technological tool is used appropriately, then it's a good thing for children's learning," he said.

The best use of iPads is probably in elementary and special education classes because the devices are so easy to use, said Nick Sauers of Iowa State University's Centre for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. There are hundreds of education apps to choose from with a touch to the screen.

Sauers expects a boom soon, with most current iPad initiatives being billed as pilot or experimental programmes.

"I think next year is when we'll see our first big bubble," Sauers said. "There will be districts next year that implement it school-wide, whether it be at the high school level or elementary level."

Morrill said most of the criticism has been about the costs during tough economic times - not about whether Tablet computers are age-appropriate.

He said he plans to raise the money needed for about 325 iPads and teacher training from foundations, the federal government, the local school department and other sources.
As bullish as he is on the kindergarten iPad, he cautions that it needs to be properly supervised and isn't a panacea.

"I'm not saying they should be on this 24-7," he said. "The students still need to move, get up, dance, socialise."

iPads take a place in kindergarten

Kindergarten classes are supplementing crayons, finger paints and flashcards with iPads, a development that excites supporters but that detractors worry is wasted on pupils too young to appreciate the expense.

Next fall, nearly 300 kindergartners in the central Maine city of Auburn will become the latest batch of youngsters around the country to get iPad2 touchpad Tablets to learn the basics about ABCs, 1-2-3s, drawing and even music.



"It's definitely an adventure, and it'll be a journey of learning for teachers and students," said Auburn kindergarten teacher Amy Heimerl, who received an iPad ahead of the full deployment in the fall. "I'm looking forward to seeing where this can take us and our students."

But the US$200,000 that Superintendent Tom Morrill is proposing to spend on iPads - which retail for around US$500 each - might be better spent on some other school programme, said Sue Millard of Auburn, who has children in the fourth grade and high school.

She also questions whether kindergartners are old enough to appreciate the effort. "I understand you have to keep up with technology, but I think a five-year old is a little too young to understand," she said.

Maine was the first state to equip students statewide with computers when it distributed Apple laptops to all seventh- and eighth-graders in 2002 and 2003. The programme has since expanded, with laptops parcelled out to about 50% of high school students.

The state Department of Education says it believes Auburn is the first school district in Maine that will give iPads to kindergartners. The school board has unanimously approved the plan to give all kindergartners iPads next fall.

iDea
The iPad is a powerful education tool with hundreds of teaching applications, Morrill said. With its touchpad screen, it's simple to use and can bring learning to life with imagery and sounds, he said.

"It's a revolution in education," Morrill said.

Apple spokesman Trudy Muller declined to comment on how iPads are being used in schools, but dozens of school districts around the country have been giving iPads to students.

Schools in Omaha, Nebraska; Columbiana, Ohio; Huntington, West Virginia; Paducah, Kentucky; Charleston, South Carolina; and Scottsdale, Arizona, are among the places where kindergarten pupils are using them.

Angus King, the former Maine governor who launched the state's laptop programme, said the idea of iPads in kindergarten wows him. Anything that holds the attention of pupils will help in the learning process, he said.

TESTING IT: A kindergarten teacher trying out a program for learning letters
on an iPad in Auburn, Maine. Five kindergarten teachers were given iPads to
try out in preparation for next year when nearly 300 kindergarteners will be
given their own iPad2s.

 "If your students are engaged, you can teach them anything," King said. "If they're bored and looking out the window, you can be Socrates and you're not going to teach them anything. These devices are engaging."

Morrill is convinced that in the end, using iPads to teach kindergarten will lead to improved student proficiency scores.

Heimerl, one of five kindergarten teachers in the district who got the iPads early, was impressed as she checked out apps for phonics, building words, letter recognition and letter formation.

"The more education teachers have using these tools the better we can enhance children's learning and take them to that next level," said Heimerl, a teacher at Park Avenue Elementary School.

Not convinced

Not everyone is sold. Larry Cuban, professor emeritus of education at Stanford University and the author of Oversold and Underused: Computers in Schools, said there's no proof that computers bring learning benefits to pupils that young.

"There's no evidence in research literature that giving iPads to five-year-olds will improve their reading scores," he said.

Peter Pizzolongo of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, based in Washington, said iPads can be an effective supplement to 3D objects, whether they be books or building blocks.

"We can't say whether what the school district in Maine or anywhere else is doing is good or not good, but what we can say is when the iPad or any other technological tool is used appropriately, then it's a good thing for children's learning," he said.

The best use of iPads is probably in elementary and special education classes because the devices are so easy to use, said Nick Sauers of Iowa State University's Centre for the Advanced Study of Technology Leadership in Education. There are hundreds of education apps to choose from with a touch to the screen.

Sauers expects a boom soon, with most current iPad initiatives being billed as pilot or experimental programmes.

"I think next year is when we'll see our first big bubble," Sauers said. "There will be districts next year that implement it school-wide, whether it be at the high school level or elementary level."

Morrill said most of the criticism has been about the costs during tough economic times - not about whether Tablet computers are age-appropriate.

He said he plans to raise the money needed for about 325 iPads and teacher training from foundations, the federal government, the local school department and other sources.
As bullish as he is on the kindergarten iPad, he cautions that it needs to be properly supervised and isn't a panacea.

"I'm not saying they should be on this 24-7," he said. "The students still need to move, get up, dance, socialise."

Quick reveiew of Dual-core LG Optimus 2X

LG Electronics recently announced that its latest Android 2.2 smartphone, the Optimus 2X, will be locally available next month.

The Optimus 2X features a 4in touch-sensitive display (480 x 800-pixels) that is made of scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass material.

An 8-megapixel autofocus camera, complete with geo-tagging, face and smile detection, adorns the back of the camera. It is also able to record 1080p HD videos at 24 frames per second.

Additionally, the phone has a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera for making video calls.

LG said the smartphone features a new 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor to deliver higher performance when playing video and audio as well as allow users to multitask without any lag. The faster processor also enables the smartphone to play graphics intensive games smoothly and deliver a faster, smoother web browsing experience.


Other notable features of the Optimus 2X includes 1080p HD video playback through HDMI on a larger screen. Content can also be connected wirelessly to any DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compatible HDTV.

Quick reveiew of Dual-core LG Optimus 2X

LG Electronics recently announced that its latest Android 2.2 smartphone, the Optimus 2X, will be locally available next month.

The Optimus 2X features a 4in touch-sensitive display (480 x 800-pixels) that is made of scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass material.

An 8-megapixel autofocus camera, complete with geo-tagging, face and smile detection, adorns the back of the camera. It is also able to record 1080p HD videos at 24 frames per second.

Additionally, the phone has a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera for making video calls.

LG said the smartphone features a new 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor to deliver higher performance when playing video and audio as well as allow users to multitask without any lag. The faster processor also enables the smartphone to play graphics intensive games smoothly and deliver a faster, smoother web browsing experience.


Other notable features of the Optimus 2X includes 1080p HD video playback through HDMI on a larger screen. Content can also be connected wirelessly to any DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compatible HDTV.

Quick reveiew of Dual-core LG Optimus 2X

LG Electronics recently announced that its latest Android 2.2 smartphone, the Optimus 2X, will be locally available next month.

The Optimus 2X features a 4in touch-sensitive display (480 x 800-pixels) that is made of scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass material.

An 8-megapixel autofocus camera, complete with geo-tagging, face and smile detection, adorns the back of the camera. It is also able to record 1080p HD videos at 24 frames per second.

Additionally, the phone has a 1.3-megapixel front facing camera for making video calls.

LG said the smartphone features a new 1GHz Tegra 2 dual-core processor to deliver higher performance when playing video and audio as well as allow users to multitask without any lag. The faster processor also enables the smartphone to play graphics intensive games smoothly and deliver a faster, smoother web browsing experience.


Other notable features of the Optimus 2X includes 1080p HD video playback through HDMI on a larger screen. Content can also be connected wirelessly to any DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compatible HDTV.

MINI Inspired by Goodwood: Rolls-Royce limited edition

Rolls-Royce is the ultimate in luxury, so a MINI blessed with the feel and smell of a Rolls should be a highly coveted luxe accessory with no lack of takers – it’s the perfect partner to that limited edition LV bag! Say hello to the MINI Inspired by Goodwood, a 1000 unit collaboration of the two BMW owned British brands that some say might be priced as high as £50,000.

This little dose of the good life from Goodwood comes with a bespoke cabin supervised by Rolls-Royce interior designer Alan Sheppard. Here, the standard MINI interior is covered with materials that Phantom and Ghost owners are familiar with, including walnut burr veneers on the instrument panel and door pulls, Corn Silk beige leather on the fascia, seats, centre console, door cards and pillar trim. Also check out those deep lambswool fleece carpets.

There’s more. The roof lining, sun visors and boot cover are not in standard fabric, but coated in a Rolls-Royce-spec cashmere blend. The instruments feature RR fonts. The standard colour is RR’s Diamond Black, but one can opt for Reef Blue metallic by MINI.

It’s based on the Cooper S, so you’ll get a twin scroll turbo 1.6L that makes 184 hp and 240 Nm of torque, or 260 Nm on overboost. Sorry, the Rolls-Royce V12 couldn’t fit!

Gallery after the jump.

MINI Inspired by Goodwood: Rolls-Royce limited edition

Rolls-Royce is the ultimate in luxury, so a MINI blessed with the feel and smell of a Rolls should be a highly coveted luxe accessory with no lack of takers – it’s the perfect partner to that limited edition LV bag! Say hello to the MINI Inspired by Goodwood, a 1000 unit collaboration of the two BMW owned British brands that some say might be priced as high as £50,000.

This little dose of the good life from Goodwood comes with a bespoke cabin supervised by Rolls-Royce interior designer Alan Sheppard. Here, the standard MINI interior is covered with materials that Phantom and Ghost owners are familiar with, including walnut burr veneers on the instrument panel and door pulls, Corn Silk beige leather on the fascia, seats, centre console, door cards and pillar trim. Also check out those deep lambswool fleece carpets.

There’s more. The roof lining, sun visors and boot cover are not in standard fabric, but coated in a Rolls-Royce-spec cashmere blend. The instruments feature RR fonts. The standard colour is RR’s Diamond Black, but one can opt for Reef Blue metallic by MINI.

It’s based on the Cooper S, so you’ll get a twin scroll turbo 1.6L that makes 184 hp and 240 Nm of torque, or 260 Nm on overboost. Sorry, the Rolls-Royce V12 couldn’t fit!

Gallery after the jump.

MINI Inspired by Goodwood: Rolls-Royce limited edition

Rolls-Royce is the ultimate in luxury, so a MINI blessed with the feel and smell of a Rolls should be a highly coveted luxe accessory with no lack of takers – it’s the perfect partner to that limited edition LV bag! Say hello to the MINI Inspired by Goodwood, a 1000 unit collaboration of the two BMW owned British brands that some say might be priced as high as £50,000.

This little dose of the good life from Goodwood comes with a bespoke cabin supervised by Rolls-Royce interior designer Alan Sheppard. Here, the standard MINI interior is covered with materials that Phantom and Ghost owners are familiar with, including walnut burr veneers on the instrument panel and door pulls, Corn Silk beige leather on the fascia, seats, centre console, door cards and pillar trim. Also check out those deep lambswool fleece carpets.

There’s more. The roof lining, sun visors and boot cover are not in standard fabric, but coated in a Rolls-Royce-spec cashmere blend. The instruments feature RR fonts. The standard colour is RR’s Diamond Black, but one can opt for Reef Blue metallic by MINI.

It’s based on the Cooper S, so you’ll get a twin scroll turbo 1.6L that makes 184 hp and 240 Nm of torque, or 260 Nm on overboost. Sorry, the Rolls-Royce V12 couldn’t fit!

Gallery after the jump.

HP accuses former exec of stealing its secrets

Hewlett-Packard Co has filed a lawsuit against a former executive over allegations he took trade secrets with him when he went to work for rival Oracle Corp.

The case against Adrian Jones, who was a senior vice-president in HP's server, storage and networking division in Asia, shows the growing rancor between the Silicon Valley technology titans.

HP's and Oracle's decades-long partnership is being strained by growing competition between the companies.

The company said Jones resigned Feb 16, before he was about to be fired for allegedly violating HP's standards.

He is accused in the lawsuit of failing to disclose a "close personal relationship" with a subordinate, and of submitting thousands of dollars in expenses for visiting the subordinate that didn't have a legitimate business purpose.

HP alleged Jones downloaded hundreds of files and thousands of e-mail messages detailing HP's secrets before he quit.

The company, based in Palo Alto, said the lawsuit "seeks to prevent Jones from using the theft of confidential HP documents to place HP in an unfair competitive disadvantage."

A phone number for Jones could not immediately be located.

The HP-Oracle rivalry kicked off with Oracle's US$7.3bil acquisition last year of Sun Microsystems, a server computer seller that competes with HP.

It ratcheted up with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison's ridiculing of HP's board in the fall for firing his friend and HP CEO Mark Hurd over inaccurate expense reports.

The rivalry continued with Oracle targeting Hurd's replacement, Leo Apotheker, in a separate court case involving the theft of trade secrets and his former employer, SAP AG.

HP accuses former exec of stealing its secrets

Hewlett-Packard Co has filed a lawsuit against a former executive over allegations he took trade secrets with him when he went to work for rival Oracle Corp.

The case against Adrian Jones, who was a senior vice-president in HP's server, storage and networking division in Asia, shows the growing rancor between the Silicon Valley technology titans.

HP's and Oracle's decades-long partnership is being strained by growing competition between the companies.

The company said Jones resigned Feb 16, before he was about to be fired for allegedly violating HP's standards.

He is accused in the lawsuit of failing to disclose a "close personal relationship" with a subordinate, and of submitting thousands of dollars in expenses for visiting the subordinate that didn't have a legitimate business purpose.

HP alleged Jones downloaded hundreds of files and thousands of e-mail messages detailing HP's secrets before he quit.

The company, based in Palo Alto, said the lawsuit "seeks to prevent Jones from using the theft of confidential HP documents to place HP in an unfair competitive disadvantage."

A phone number for Jones could not immediately be located.

The HP-Oracle rivalry kicked off with Oracle's US$7.3bil acquisition last year of Sun Microsystems, a server computer seller that competes with HP.

It ratcheted up with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison's ridiculing of HP's board in the fall for firing his friend and HP CEO Mark Hurd over inaccurate expense reports.

The rivalry continued with Oracle targeting Hurd's replacement, Leo Apotheker, in a separate court case involving the theft of trade secrets and his former employer, SAP AG.

HP accuses former exec of stealing its secrets

Hewlett-Packard Co has filed a lawsuit against a former executive over allegations he took trade secrets with him when he went to work for rival Oracle Corp.

The case against Adrian Jones, who was a senior vice-president in HP's server, storage and networking division in Asia, shows the growing rancor between the Silicon Valley technology titans.

HP's and Oracle's decades-long partnership is being strained by growing competition between the companies.

The company said Jones resigned Feb 16, before he was about to be fired for allegedly violating HP's standards.

He is accused in the lawsuit of failing to disclose a "close personal relationship" with a subordinate, and of submitting thousands of dollars in expenses for visiting the subordinate that didn't have a legitimate business purpose.

HP alleged Jones downloaded hundreds of files and thousands of e-mail messages detailing HP's secrets before he quit.

The company, based in Palo Alto, said the lawsuit "seeks to prevent Jones from using the theft of confidential HP documents to place HP in an unfair competitive disadvantage."

A phone number for Jones could not immediately be located.

The HP-Oracle rivalry kicked off with Oracle's US$7.3bil acquisition last year of Sun Microsystems, a server computer seller that competes with HP.

It ratcheted up with Oracle CEO Larry Ellison's ridiculing of HP's board in the fall for firing his friend and HP CEO Mark Hurd over inaccurate expense reports.

The rivalry continued with Oracle targeting Hurd's replacement, Leo Apotheker, in a separate court case involving the theft of trade secrets and his former employer, SAP AG.

Nokia Drop allows wireless sharing

Nokia's user can now transfer URLs and photos from their computer to their mobile device without syncing their phone thanks to an experimental service called Nokia Drop.

"Nokia Drop allows you to ditch the Bluetooth dongle or the data cable and instead send links or photos from your computer browser with one click of the mouse and watch them magically and instantly appear on your Nokia device," explains Nokia.

The wireless file sharing solution comes in two parts: an application for your phone and a plug-in for your browser (Chrome and Firefox only for the moment).


Google offers a similar service for Android smartphones.

Introduced in mid 2010 for smartphones running Android 2.2, the Chrome to Phone extension "seamlessly pushes links, maps, and currently selected text and phone numbers to your Android device."

While Google's Chrome to Phone has been tried and tested for months, Nokia warns that its app is still in testing and "may change or disappear after the trial period."

Nokia Drop is currently available for free for Nokia N8-00, C6-01, C7-00, E7-00, X6-00, 5228, 5230, 5235, 5530, C6-00, N97 and N97 mini phones.

Nokia Drop allows wireless sharing

Nokia's user can now transfer URLs and photos from their computer to their mobile device without syncing their phone thanks to an experimental service called Nokia Drop.

"Nokia Drop allows you to ditch the Bluetooth dongle or the data cable and instead send links or photos from your computer browser with one click of the mouse and watch them magically and instantly appear on your Nokia device," explains Nokia.

The wireless file sharing solution comes in two parts: an application for your phone and a plug-in for your browser (Chrome and Firefox only for the moment).


Google offers a similar service for Android smartphones.

Introduced in mid 2010 for smartphones running Android 2.2, the Chrome to Phone extension "seamlessly pushes links, maps, and currently selected text and phone numbers to your Android device."

While Google's Chrome to Phone has been tried and tested for months, Nokia warns that its app is still in testing and "may change or disappear after the trial period."

Nokia Drop is currently available for free for Nokia N8-00, C6-01, C7-00, E7-00, X6-00, 5228, 5230, 5235, 5530, C6-00, N97 and N97 mini phones.

Nokia Drop allows wireless sharing

Nokia's user can now transfer URLs and photos from their computer to their mobile device without syncing their phone thanks to an experimental service called Nokia Drop.

"Nokia Drop allows you to ditch the Bluetooth dongle or the data cable and instead send links or photos from your computer browser with one click of the mouse and watch them magically and instantly appear on your Nokia device," explains Nokia.

The wireless file sharing solution comes in two parts: an application for your phone and a plug-in for your browser (Chrome and Firefox only for the moment).


Google offers a similar service for Android smartphones.

Introduced in mid 2010 for smartphones running Android 2.2, the Chrome to Phone extension "seamlessly pushes links, maps, and currently selected text and phone numbers to your Android device."

While Google's Chrome to Phone has been tried and tested for months, Nokia warns that its app is still in testing and "may change or disappear after the trial period."

Nokia Drop is currently available for free for Nokia N8-00, C6-01, C7-00, E7-00, X6-00, 5228, 5230, 5235, 5530, C6-00, N97 and N97 mini phones.

WiFi Galaxy Tab price, release date reviewed

Samsung announced its WiFi-only Galaxy Tab will arrive in selected retail stores and websites in the United States from April 10. The 7in device will be sold for US$349.99, US$150 cheaper than Apple's least expensive iPad 2.

"The 7in Galaxy Tab is the first truly mobile Tablet on the market, allowing users to comfortably hold the device in one hand while typing or navigating the Web with the other," said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile in an a statement announcing the Tablet's price.

The WiFi-only version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab arrives in a market that is fast filling with competing Android Tablets - devices that are mostly still trying to prove their worth against Apple's popular iPad 2.

While we are yet to see the start of cutthroat Tablet price wars, carriers in the United States are already reducing the price of Samsung's 7in (3G-enabled) Galaxy Tab by up to US$200; the Tablet can now be purchased for US$199.99 on a two-year contract.


Industry insiders are questioning if the price cuts signal that the 7in Galaxy Tab is reaching the end of its life.

"Carriers need to make way for newer Tablets like this summer's larger-screen Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9, and the Sprint Evo View (the Sprint 4G variant of the HTC Flyer)," explains PC World's Melissa Perenson.

WiFi Galaxy Tab price, release date reviewed

Samsung announced its WiFi-only Galaxy Tab will arrive in selected retail stores and websites in the United States from April 10. The 7in device will be sold for US$349.99, US$150 cheaper than Apple's least expensive iPad 2.

"The 7in Galaxy Tab is the first truly mobile Tablet on the market, allowing users to comfortably hold the device in one hand while typing or navigating the Web with the other," said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile in an a statement announcing the Tablet's price.

The WiFi-only version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab arrives in a market that is fast filling with competing Android Tablets - devices that are mostly still trying to prove their worth against Apple's popular iPad 2.

While we are yet to see the start of cutthroat Tablet price wars, carriers in the United States are already reducing the price of Samsung's 7in (3G-enabled) Galaxy Tab by up to US$200; the Tablet can now be purchased for US$199.99 on a two-year contract.


Industry insiders are questioning if the price cuts signal that the 7in Galaxy Tab is reaching the end of its life.

"Carriers need to make way for newer Tablets like this summer's larger-screen Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9, and the Sprint Evo View (the Sprint 4G variant of the HTC Flyer)," explains PC World's Melissa Perenson.

WiFi Galaxy Tab price, release date reviewed

Samsung announced its WiFi-only Galaxy Tab will arrive in selected retail stores and websites in the United States from April 10. The 7in device will be sold for US$349.99, US$150 cheaper than Apple's least expensive iPad 2.

"The 7in Galaxy Tab is the first truly mobile Tablet on the market, allowing users to comfortably hold the device in one hand while typing or navigating the Web with the other," said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Mobile in an a statement announcing the Tablet's price.

The WiFi-only version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab arrives in a market that is fast filling with competing Android Tablets - devices that are mostly still trying to prove their worth against Apple's popular iPad 2.

While we are yet to see the start of cutthroat Tablet price wars, carriers in the United States are already reducing the price of Samsung's 7in (3G-enabled) Galaxy Tab by up to US$200; the Tablet can now be purchased for US$199.99 on a two-year contract.


Industry insiders are questioning if the price cuts signal that the 7in Galaxy Tab is reaching the end of its life.

"Carriers need to make way for newer Tablets like this summer's larger-screen Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 8.9, and the Sprint Evo View (the Sprint 4G variant of the HTC Flyer)," explains PC World's Melissa Perenson.

Full Review of Sony Ericson Xperia Arc

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc is a beautiful Android smartphone with a lot to offer.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc, the latest model to join the Xperia family, is a stylish, ultra-lightweight smartphone that will turn heads.

At first glance, you will be impressed by how slim (8.7mm) and lightweight (117gm) it is. The sleek, super-slim Arc is so light that it makes the iPhone 4 feel bulky in comparison.

The smartphone boasts a 4.2in Reality display with Mobile Bravia Engine, and is flat in front but sports an unusual concave back, hence the name.

It is Sony Ericsson's largest screen on a handset to date. The large screen takes up most of the front because the Home, Back and Settings buttons take up very little space at the bottom.

Take off the flexible plastic back cover and you'll find the Li-ion BA750 battery, 8GB microSD card and SIM card slot. The wafer thin plastic cover is light, but can be easily scratched.

So ladies, try to not chuck this beauty into your handbag if you want to keep it scratch-free.


Speedy smartphone

This sleek phone houses a 1Ghz Qualcomm MSM8255 processor (Snapdragon) and an Adreno 205 graphics processor which is the same pairing used in the Xperia Play, a model catered for gamers.

So this smartphone not only looks stylish, it also packs a punch in terms of display quality, performance and speed.

The Arc comes with the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). This will certainly excite almost any Android user because the latest version of Google's OS comes with a slew of improvements.

As a fairly new Android user, I am impressed with its tight integration with Google Apps and native applications for Gmail, Google Talk, and Google Calendar.

For instance, you can easily manage your Gmail by adding and removing labels, just like you would do on your desktop PC. Watch your contact list magically populate as Android intelligently grabs your friend's profile photo from your social media accounts.

The Arc works well enough as a phone. It's easy to make and receive calls, and send text messages. You can even create shortcuts to your favourite contacts on the homescreen.

The Xperia Arc also holds up well in terms of speed and touchscreen sensitivity. You can switch from the homescreen to the applications drawer quickly without any lag.

Surfing the Internet is a joy on the Xperia Arc because of its ultra-sharp display and Android's Voice Search feature.

Impress your friends by simply speaking the name of a website and a list of matched websites will appear. Voice Search works best with popular websites such as Google, Yahoo! and, of course, The Star Online. Also, the nifty Voice Search allows you to speak instead of typing out commands such as "send text," "listen to," "navigate to," "call" and "send e-mail."

Pinch-to-zoom which was introduced first with the Xperia X10 works well on the Arc too. However, the grey resize bar (showing the plus and minus sign) which appears and blocks part of the display when you are pinching and zooming is somewhat redundant.

Snappy shooter

The Xperia Arc comes with an 8.1-megapixel camera that is comparable to any point-and-shoot camera phone. The array of features the camera offers are impressive.

You can control exposure value, toggle image stabiliser, adjust white balance and even switch on geotagging to add location information to your photos.

The camera also offers scene selection and comes with Landscape, Night portrait, Sports, Portrait, Night scene, Beach and Snow, Party and Document modes. You can even select up to three types of shutter sound. Now that's a whole lot of customisation for a camera phone.

You can capture photos in 4:3 or 16:9 resolutions. However, zooming is only allowed when shooting in 2-megapixel mode.

When holding the phone in landscape mode, you are able to take pictures by pressing down the tiny camera button on top or use the touchscreen mode to capture shots.

I prefer to use the latter because you would need to really hold the smartphone firmly and depress the camera button fully to take a shot. Using the camera button would cause you to shake the camera in most instances.

There is no front-facing camera on the Arc, so you can kiss your self-portrait moments good bye!
Video recording is adequate and it supports autofocus during recording. It takes a few seconds for the camera to adjust itself when an object comes into view.

The smartphone also comes with a port for HDMI output so all you have to do is hook it up to a HDTV to view your HD videos.

Other features

Sony Ericsson phones are generally known for their music playback capability. The Arc carries on this tradition by providing simple playback controls and comes with a wide selection of preset equaliser settings.

Also, setting your favourite MP3 song as ringtone is as simple as selecting it by clicking on the Settings button during music playback.

Timescape lets you view all your communications at a glance. You can check your missed calls, text messages, Facebook and Twitter updates from a single location.

You can also drag down the Notifications Bar to easily view updates on missed calls, messages, social media and network connections.

The downside to having such a thin, feather-weight phone with a large screen is the short battery life.

With moderate use of Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, and snapping the occasional photo and sharing it on Picplz (sorry, no Instagram on the Android), the Arc allowed me to enjoy six hours of battery life.

You can disable vibrate mode and Haptic feedback to further save battery.

The phone heats up slightly if the vibrate mode is left on and notifications keep coming via Google Talk, Twitter or Facebook.

Conclusion

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc will appeal to the style conscious or gadget lover who doesn't mind spending a little extra for a beautiful product. The attractive phone will surely make heads turn and fuel many conversations.

However, the big turn off to most people would be the short battery life but this is only expected from a phone with a 4.2in screen.

The Arc is one of Sony Erisscons' most feature-packed smartphones and is worth checking out if you looking for an Android phone running the latest version of the OS.

Pros: Incredibly stylish, slim and lightweight; large ultra-sharp screen; display is great for viewing videos and playing games; lots of handy features.

Cons: Start and camera buttons are tiny and unresponsive; heats up easily; short battery life.

Xperia arc
(Sony Ericsson)
Android smartphone

NETWORK: GPRS, EDGE, GSM 850/900/1800/1900
OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
DISPLAY: 4.2in (854 x 480-pixels)
CAMERA: 8.1-megapixels
CONNECTIVITY: HDMI out, aGPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, USB 2.0, 3.5mm audio jack
MEMORY: 320MB
EXPANSION SLOT: MicroSD (8GB card included)
STANDBY/TALKTIME: 400 hours/7 hours
DIMENSIONS (W x D x H): 125.0 x 63.0 x 8.7mm
WEIGHT: 117.0g