Keen IO will provide an opportunity to work with "big data" in their own

Young company Keen IO prepares to challenge Google and other leaders in the field of analysis of “big data.” Its co-founders believe they can offer two key success factors – an easy way to combine multiple third-party online services and make it a convenient way for a particular client.

One of its founders – a graduate of the University of Illinois Spreets Ryan (Ryan Spraetz). He describes the future of online business, using metaphors and references to the Renaissance. In particular, recalling how the analysis of large (for the time) data stimulated the first scientific revolution.

Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe bόlshuyu spent most of his life, recording observations of the night sky. For more than thirty years, every night he recorded the position and brightness of the observed stars. After his death, a young assistant Johannes Kepler formulated on the basis of these records laws of planetary motion and was able to mathematically prove Nicolaus Copernicus revived the heliocentric model of the ancient astronomer Hipparchus of Nicea.

How Spreets concludes, had already identified the development of data analysis and outlook led to the division of scientific labor, “Tycho Brahe devoted his life to the collection of data. Kepler remained analyze them and write his name in history. ” On this analogy Spreets explains that provide software solutions KennIO online companies around the world like the ability to effectively use the already existing data and “become the new Kepler.”

Companies such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, today achieved huge success. To a large extent it is due to the ability to handle huge amounts of data generated by their online services. Now ambitious startups tend to bring the benefits of Big Data to other companies through various projects with open source.

Some developing sophisticated analysis tools that require rare technical talent and powerful IT infrastructure. Others provide users with easy-to-learn, but less powerful predictive analytics application that runs even on smartphones. The company is looking for a way to combine KennIO ease of use with the power of specialized platforms and data centers.

Wilde previously worked as a programmer in the company FableLabs, dedicated gaming applications. Then he spent several months on the creation engine for processing and analysis of usage statistics of user actions in real time. Study of the reaction of visitors to the different changes helped him make the best guide for players: it did not put its volume and contained sufficient evidence to support the initial interest: “This result can be achieved only with the help of a really deep analytics. He allowed us to rise almost to the level of Zynga with a minimum number of employees. “

Seeing the potential of their development, Wilde left FableLabs and co-founded Kenn IO. This year, the team received an initial investment of $ 2.35 million ready yet only basic web service and several software libraries. All interested are invited to use them to extend the functionality of third-party analytic applications by sending queries to the service through Kenn IO API.

Daniel Kedor explains that it’s easier than it may seem: “Google has a similar service Big Query, and at Amazon – Red Shift, but Kenn gives you more control over the data. You can use simple logical questions, and we will take care of all the complicated things: we will think about how best to store your data on our servers, and scale the system to process queries faster. “

This thesis is confirmed by one of the first customers – Edward Dowling (Edward Dowling), author of the project App.io: «I was under the impression not so much of what Keen handles millions of events, but the opportunity to do it differently. Other services are always impose their own methods and forms. “

Today, instead of having to start to build the entire online business from scratch, you can collect the basic infrastructure of the existing services. Amazon cloud services provide basic computing power, Keen – analyst in a convenient form, Imgix – image processing, Twilio – voice and text communication -, etc. According to the founders of Keen IO, a new paradigm of online business: “Now you must create only part of his personal web site according to the main activity, and maximum use third-party services. “

Keen IO will provide an opportunity to work with "big data" in their own

Service for searching public data supported the New York Times

Newspaper New York Times, as well as venture capital funds Comcast Ventures, American Express Ventures and Crosslink Capital, invested $ 4.5 million in start-up company Enigma, which specializes in the aggregation and provision of access to arrays of information published by various organizations.

Both companies and public authorities in different countries to spread sharing a huge range of information – petabytes, according to estimates that do in Enigma. They can be used without the aid of intermediary companies. However, this requires significant effort: data scattered mass sources, they are difficult to understand and even harder to combine with each other.

It is this part of the work and takes Enigma. The Company collects publicly available information, prepares and cleans them, and then provides access to them through a single software interface. Using it, you can compare the data gleaned from various sources, and quickly find connections between them.

 

Service allows you to make queries to known him datasets. Found information can be explored with the help of built-in analytical tools.

Enigma website gives some idea of what kind of data can be found in its database. The service allows you to retrieve information about the registration of corporations, licenses FCC, data on patents granted, records of results of voting in the legislature, information about political donations and lobbyists, identify links between politicians and various companies and organizations. In addition, it keeps track of a variety of economic indicators, contains data on the level of oil and gas in various wells location and scale power plants, climate information and more.

Interestingly, in the list of investors includes New York Times. This is explained by the fact that the newspaper is aware of the opportunities service firsthand. “New York Times used the Enigma to look for stories,” – said one of the founders of Enigma Mark Dacosta publication VentureBeat. And the New York Times – not the only organization applying service for journalistic purposes. Enigma’s clients include many news agencies.

Service business model is simple: pay for access. Minimum rate plan provides for payment of $ 195 per month. For $ 395 Enigma is ready to serve up to 50,000 requests per month. On payment of a higher load will have to negotiate separately.

Service for searching public data supported the New York Times

I, Frankenstein: My father - Watch or not?

As the idea to make a movie that Frankenstein’s monster, galvanized and therefore soulless, gradually becomes a man and the soul finds the judges, in the course of the play taking its unnatural origin, it would be very bad, another thing that comic thriller with this task can not handle, you do not vampire elegy Neil Jordan and Jim Jarmusch. And then there’s someone known only feasible participation in creating a storyline to the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” Stuart Beattie after the release of teenage nouneym-boevichka “Tomorrow, when the war began” (in our localization “Invasion: The Battle for Paradise”) sharply felt the director- blokbasterostroitelem and off to the winds with the budget and Aaron Eckhart.

It is clear from this that get anything worthwhile could only under one circumstance – if the appointed Stuart Beattie suddenly remembered that he was still primarily a screenwriter, and wrote a comic book would be normal script with dialogue there a coherent logic of actions and characters Boring other about which is not written in Manuals for ‘gold standard’, and glimpses which flashed, for example, too utterly zashtampovannoe “accomplices” .

Beattie but this time it all without interest, he dabbles with animal electricity and slightly shramirovannym Eckhart in a scene, but because the film began as a mournful “He made me a bastard and I drove it for his wife and killed himself left the wind driven and he me but caught cold on the way and then I brought him back and buried as it is with a book in his bosom that what animals are we “because, in general, and continues with the same level of motivation. Ah, the demons came for me, so I’ll hunt demons (by the way, as he did without gorgulinyh crosses), ah, gargoyles for the main Miranda Otto, means for gargoyles I will not hunt. And other daisy-like I do not.

So do not shoot movies and TV shows, of which half a dozen now similar in level. Especially seriality added secondary characters forever for someone mowing Hollywood (former synulya John MacLane Jai Courtney so frankly decimated by Worthington that last for even uncomfortable), clumsy staging and delusional boevok dialogues about who when and why to release the Kraken will kill all humans. Well at least as a result of endless snoozes premiere visual part managed to bring to the screen relative to the normal level, although the flying stone gargoyles somehow still do not believe that they are not flight physics.

In the course of a few general gloom brightens futuristic shpetseffekt revitalize the rat (also, of course, roughly shramirovannoy across all without this in any way), but not for long, because it starts again running for a book, then for Adam, then again for a book, then again for Adam. Have you already decided!

In fact, going to the movies are only one and a half minutes – the penultimate scene of “luring”, where Eckhart all this in slow motion, and the camera, which is across the bottom of his flies. The viewer has been waiting for a kiss on the diaphragm, but it will leave us at last, and yet blunt gargoyle mindlessly rushing into the room, while we strongly hinted at a sequel.

I, Frankenstein: My father - Watch or not?

Review Legend of Hercules: watch or not?

This movie was very lucky with the premiere date – within six months from the ancient Greek myths and legends you want to relax. In March come out suspicious-looking latecomers time “300: Rise of an Empire” , and promised another summer movie about Hercules, shot no less controversial director Brett Ratner , who, before this gets only good comedy. But even if they are dull, ugly, looping patterns, they can not reach the level of the film by Renny Harlin. Level of Greek comedy.

 Legend of Hercules, 2014 

Director: Renny Harlin

Screenplay by: Renny Harlin, Sean Hood, Daniel jayate, Steve Giglio

Operator: Sam McCurdy

Composer: Tuomas Kantelinen

Produced by Renny Harlin, Boaz Davidson, Danny Lerner

Starring: Kellan Lutz, Gaia Weiss, Scott Adkins, Roxanne McKee, Liam Gerrigan and others.

The fact that the shoot and how Rennie seems long ago ceased to be soared. Absolutely. Last year, he came out of a horror Dyatlov Pass , who produced Rodnyanskii , and before that – a propaganda film about the 2008 events in South Ossetia, which, unfortunately, has not been seen, otherwise hide behind the words “from the director of “Die Hard 2″ was would be more difficult. Now Rennie released 70,000,000th peplum instead to take a job as a cashier or at least back to the advertising business.

Because Rennie can not even read to the end just to the Wikipedia page. Apparently, it was him too hard. Working on the script, he recorded his notebook a few names, and the fact that Hercules – son of the god Zeus some steep, the rest invented himself. Alcides remained without feats and became cheerful Disney Simba , which deprived the throne and the woman he loved Hebe, of course, the princess. So much of the film is devoted to the campaign Alcides jauntily back home to fit all dictators on schscham with turntable and find marital happiness – for which Zeus was still sleeping with his mother, really.

Hercules himself – half-dead, but endlessly smiling male model with pink stained lips, which is not so much a game as posing. He has a special jumping ability, kills computer lions with his bare hands and wrestled with Greek gladiatorial arena against homeless people with funny hair styles of the ’80s. One of these fights, shot, by the way, in the spirit of “300″ , ends beautiful, pathetic scenes falling to the ground obviously rubber weapons.

Twenty minutes later, Hercules also handed foam stones on chains – especially for one action scenes. And in the final draw the sword out of his lightning, cheap, almost cartoon like in the TV series “Highlander” . The last scene of all infernal – cardboard square, the sword of lightning psevdorimskie armor terrible downpour, which has a barrier of fire computer. Ahead – the king, who was asked to recite all the lines in the spirit of “This is Sparta!”. During one of these replicas in his beard comes unstuck. Shortly before this poor Greeks Heracles met with cries of “He’s back!” And “Son of God!”

Only women in the frame try that seems totally inappropriate. Crying in the middle of this circus. Only upon his filmography

Review Legend of Hercules: watch or not?

In the United States died star Internet Colonel Meow - a cat with the longest hair

Cat named Colonel Meow, which last year hit the Guinness World Records 2014 as the owner of the longest hair in the world, died at his home in the U.S. city of Los Angeles at the age of two years and three months.

On the death of the cat reported on his personal page on Facebook hostess animal. Woman noted that report details as soon cease to be a bitter loss so acute.

The fact that because of the length of wool 23 centimeters Colonel Meow was in Guinness Book of Records, it became known in August last year. The new edition of the popular publication was published in September 2013.

Hosts Himalayan cat breed Evie Ann Marie and Eric Rosario took him from a shelter in Seattle. Before assessing the merits of the experts its exterior Colonel Meow gained popularity on the Internet – it’s personal page on Facebook has hundreds of thousands of “likes” and the videos on YouTube with his participation scored more than one million views.

Unusual fluffiness and stern look, because of which the cat got his nickname, his fans made millions of Internet users.

In November last year it was reported that Colonel Meow got in serious condition in a veterinary clinic. Examining the state of health of the animal, doctors found he had congenital heart failure. In the end, save the cat doctors failed.

In the United States died star Internet Colonel Meow - a cat with the longest hair

Review Asus PadFone Infinity (The new)

Positioning

At the end of September 2013, Asus has released the device PadFone Infinity, consisting of a smartphone and tablet (“e-frame” with the battery).On sale in Russia, he entered the end of November 13th of the year. Unfortunately, for me personally phone and docking station did not become sold separately, though in itself a smartphone rather good and original. Also restricts price – 34 000 rubles. But it’s the lyrics, it is necessary to explain the difference between the previous and novelty gadget with quite logical prefix «The new».

Package Includes:

• Phone


• Charger


• USB-cable


• Headphones


• Docking Station

Device PadFone Infinity 2 received an updated version of the firmware (4.1 to 4.2). Developers slightly redesigned camera software. Despite this, virtually no significant changes observed. Probably have to wait for “coming” fresh firmware. As you know, in the PadFone Infinity used or 32 GB of internal memory, or 64 GB. The novelty it was slightly less (16 GB and 32 GB, however, to see the sale of only 32), but the unit got very necessary slot – to install a microSD card up to 64GB. The most significant change occurred in the “heart» Asus PadFone, ie chipset. Instead quite popular Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 2 Infinity started using one of the fastest chip to date – Snapdragon 800. Overall, the upgrade went pleasant, but, in my opinion, is not so interesting for the end user. It’s like with iPhone 5S: everything seems to be cool, and in fact went 5-ka

Design, size, controls

Describe in detail the appearance of the device will not, because it is not much different from the appearance of the previous flagship device, but I will say that the smartphone market at the moment there are very few original uses of metal enclosures. Here is aluminum with vertical grinding that is pleasing aesthetically. At first glance it seems that the metal body, but if you look closely, the rear socket covers only the back side and lateral sides and bottom – separate metal insert. The upper and lower ends – plastic inserts are made of this material for better signal transmission.These elements are slightly different in colors: top and bottom – dark gray, bronze casts and cover. The face of Kant passes a thin plastic bezel.Some special functional load shall not be: increases and so does not the smallest thickness of the device – 8.9 mm. Although large metal smartphone is quite normal. By the way, about the size. They are, alas, perhaps, fortunately, have not changed:

• Asus PadFone Infinity (The new) - 143.5 x 72.8 x 8.9 mm, weight – 145 g


• Asus PadFone Infinity - 143.5 x 72.8 x 8.9 mm, weight – 141 g


• Meizu MX3 - 139 x 71.9 x 9.1mm, weight – 147 g


• Apple iPhone 5S - 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, 112 g


• HTC One - 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm, 143 g


• Nokia Lumia 1020 - 130.4 x 71.4 x 10.4 mm, 158 g


• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 - 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm, 168 g


• Samsung Galaxy S4 - 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm, 130 g


• Sony Xperia Z1 - 144 x 74 x 8.5 mm, 170 g

If we compare the size with the other “top-end” devices, then, as you can see, many of them little more compact than the Asus.

Materials PadFone Infinity 2 quality: a few weeks of active use on the rear panel there is not a scratch, dent or chips. Screen also remained intact, despite the fact that the machine is usually in a backpack with other test devices. This is understandable: the glass surface is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass (the manufacturers do not modify). Thanks to a special layer (HCLR Film Anti-fingerprint coating) on ​​the screen prints remain though, but almost invisible. On the metal cover them too much to be seen.

Building a new PadFone Infinity great. I was unable to achieve backlash and creaking housing torsional also nothing terrible happens – felt solidity.In his hand is good thanks to the sloping edges and a smooth cover.

However, if the manufacturer has reduced slightly beyond the screen top and bottom, the gadget would be more convenient to handle.

On top of the front panel is the voice speaker. It is covered with decorative metal rectangular inset. The speaker volume is high, listened mostly mids interlocutor can hear clearly and legibly. Echo and other extraneous sounds are absent.

To the left of the speaker – front camera, right – light sensors and proximity. They work quite correctly, but you can adjust the brightness and it would be a little faster. Below the display is engraved gray «ASUS». If no logo is on the front side PadFone would look like any other touchscreen phone. Over logo – three touch buttons “Back”, “Home” and challenge previously running applications. From my perspective, the last button is better to assign the call menu. As it turns more functional and applications are available by long pressing on the “House”. By the way, this combination launches specialty menu with a choice of “fast” applications, appointed in advance in the same program: 5 slots for any “APPS” and 4 fixed – “Voice Search», «Google Now», «Menu” settings “fast” applications.

At the lower end are the main microphone and micro-USB-connector. On the top – the second microphone and 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones.On the left are metal sled nanoSIM-card. For what and why Asus put “nano-SIM” I do not know: I understand when this slot is used in iPhone (small size, thin body, light weight), but no problems here would fit the usual mini-or microSIM. For example, I am tormented with “nano” as corny without changing your service provider is not anywhere else to put this “Simcoe”.

Just below – the memory card slot. Pleasant innovation. Covered with a metal cap slot.

Handsfree speaker, no matter how it was strange to be on the right side above. He took a metal mesh. Below – the power button (thin, small but comfortable) and key-volume rocker.

On the back side there are: eye of the camera, framed by a metal insert, flash and embossed inscription «Padfone». In official sources, the word «PadFone» is spelled with a capital letter «F», and on the device with little reason.

If we talk about the dock, it causes much less emotion because its appearance is quite primitive: a black bezel with a thick frames (almost 20 mm), rather big size, large thickness, plastic rear surface “soft touch”. Dimensions «Pad» – 264,6 h181, 6×10, 6 mm (at its thickest point – 16 mm). With the phone weighs about 680 grams.

Sloping side of the device, the materials are pleasant, comfortable to hold with two hands, one can even, good display frame let you do it without much difficulty. Frame, which is set smartphone is made of metal and rubberized surface inside. Shield Mark, but should be removed easily. Body does not creak, the assembly is not satisfactory.

On the front side – camera for video calls, top left – button lock / unlock the screen (flat, almost recessed into the body), key-volume rocker – left, right – speaker grille (it alone here), bottom right – micro-USB connector .

Smartphone is easily inserted into the dock, and is firmly in the slot. No special movements for seizures do not need to make the phone, you need to gently housing for “Smart” pull up.

Displays

Asus PadFone smartphone equipped with a screen that has a diagonal of 5 inches (physical size – 62h110 mm). To date, this standard almost all flagship devices at the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014. I really hope that within 5 inches standard does not “crawl” Resolution predictable – FullHD (1920×1080 pixels), the density – 441 pixels per inch, of course, with this amount of pixelation point invisible. Here set IPS-matrix of very high quality: any angle picture is not distorted, even brightness is practically unchanged. Although the test pictures show that all is not so rosy.

Capacitive touch layer, fulfills up to 10 simultaneous touches. Sensitivity is very high.

It seemed to me that the matrix PadFone displays full image without any kinks. Black color is quite deep, clean white. Matrix backlight brightness can be set manually or automatically. Control range is not the greatest: the minimum brightness still want to do less, for example, at night.

In the settings screen there is the item “Read mode”. Consists of two switches: the regime of image and text, text-only mode. When you activate the first white color becomes warmer, and when the second gets very warm shades. You can select the program that will work with these settings screen.

Another feature – the application Splendid. With it you can adjust the temperature and brightness, as well as to include the regime «Vivid» (saturated colors).

Battery

As implied use Asus PadFone Infinity in pairing mode (plus smartphone docking station), the manufacturer decided to build not only the battery in the phone, but in the “tablet.” The smartphone uses non-removable lithium-polymer battery 2400 mAh, and a docking station – the same type, but with a larger capacity – 5000 mAh, 18.5 Wh.

Results smartphone:

• 1080p video playback (“mix” of different formats – MP4, MPG, AVI) at maximum brightness and the volume in the headphones – 6 hours and 40 minutes


• Browsing through Wi-Fi – about 10 hours


• Browsing through 3G – about 8 hours


• The total average time of the device (3G, calls, sms, emails, twitter) – about 9:00


• Games – about 2 hours 30 minutes

Results of the “smart phone in the dock”:

• 720p video playback (“mix” of different formats – MP4, MPG, AVI) at maximum screen brightness and volume in headphones – about 8 hours


• Browsing through Wi-Fi – about 15 hours


• Browsing through 3G – about 12 hours


• The total average time of the device (3G, calls, sms, emails, twitter) – about 17 hours

In the setting of the dock, you can choose these parameters at which it will act as a charger.

Memory and memory card

This model uses 2 GB RAM (32-bit dual-channel 800 MHz LPDDR3). In the previous generation was a two-channel 533MHz LPDDR2. The smartphone is a new generation of free-usually around 900 MB of RAM.

Internal memory was less – 16 and 32 GB. Online only saw 32 GB. However, do not despair, because a manufacturer established in Infinity 2 memory card slot microSD. By the way, a rare case when “top” of the smartphone has a slot for memory cards.

Camera

Traditionally, there are two camera modules: core 13 MP, 2 MP front. Yet there is a camera in the docking station, but it is much easier – 1 MP. Both cameras on a smartphone equipped with decent aperture lenses with an aperture of F2.0.

The maximum resolution that can “shoot” the main camera – 4160h3120 pixels, front – 1088h1920 pixels. The minimum value of ISO – 50, maximum – 1100 (by hand – 800).

Among Asus tried to invent something similar technology in Nokia PureView or UltraPixel in HTC. This thing called PixelMaster, and the bottom line is that the camera software combines pixels in such a way that a (in theory) a sharp and clear picture in 3-megapixel resolution (2080×1560 pixels).In practice, we just get a 3 megapixel photos with a slight increase, in fact – “CROP”. Perhaps some improvement there, but a normal user would be extremely difficult to tell the difference.

If we talk about the camera Asus PadFone Infinity 2 in general, it has left a positive impression. Until Samsung Galaxy S4, LG G2, Sony Xperia Z1 and some others, it does not hold out, but takes quite well: a little noise, white balance is not “lying”, focusing accuracy and speed are great.

Settings for shooting a huge amount of photos: Auto mode, HDR, retouch portraits, panorama, night shots, intelligent removal of unwanted objects, shot with a smile, create animation file (GIF), a variety of color effects. Furthermore, exhibiting the value of ISO, white balance, exposure.

Videography conducted at a maximum resolution of 1920×1080 pixels. You can change the number of frames: 30 f / s or 60 f / s (the actual number of frames – 40). Sharp picture quality is excellent. Sound is recorded in stereo, it was clean, but could hear the noise is used to cut off the program “squelch.”

Feature video:

• File Format: MP4


• Video Codec: AVC, 17 Mbit / s


• Resolution: 1920 x 1080, 25 f / s


• Audio Codec: AAC, 96 kbit / s


• Channels: 2 channels, 48 ​​kHz

Performance and software platform

Modern flagship unit – modern and powerful “iron”! In Asus PadFone Infinity new generation, the most recent to date hardware platform from Qualcomm – Snapdragon 800. Model Number MSM8974, process technology – 28 nm HPm (“high performance for mobile applications”), ARMv7, Krait processor 400 (quad core), as a graphic accelerator Adreno 330 acts. Similarly, “outfitted» LG G2, Samsung Galaxy Note 3 LTE, recently released Acer Liquid S2, Nokia Lumia 1520 popular Nexus 5 and many others.

About the performance of virtually nothing to say, because at the moment the chip is one of the top. Shorter, steeper than you can imagine.Some detail about the system, user interface and other matters described in this review Eugene Vildyaev previous PadFone.

At the time of writing the phone system was installed Google Android version 4.2.2. No updates for the period of testing is not “flies”. Sadly, I would like to see is at least Android version 4.3

Multimedia

Music player and radio. To listen to music using all the usual Play Music app. If everything is clear with the music (the sound is loud, clean, perhaps a little lacking bass), then having problems with the radio. The fact that no station has not been “caught”: all noise in the headphones

Video player “cool” everything in all resolutions. The device supports from the “box” and AVI, and MPG, and MKV. Audio codecs not so much. It is therefore easier to install something like MX Video Player.

The speaker volume is low, and if the hole is covered, and did not hear anything. The speaker volume is in the docking station is very high sound quality even heard basovitye notes.

Conclusion

Update PadFone Infinity company Asus came out successful: here you and cool the chipset, and memory card slot, and new software for the camera, and improves the quality of images, and a new version of Android. One can only understand what audience designed this device, what positioning? But the answer to this question in the test device, I could not. I think that if PadFone sold separately from the dock, he would find a lot more fans, because for 34,000 rubles, not every user can afford this unit. At the start of the price was justified, it is now high.

For 20 – 24 000 rubles easily find LG G2, Sony Xperia Z1, then add another 10 000 and take the Nexus 7 (2013). And if you do not bother much with the chipset, buy Samsung Galaxy S4, Meizu MX3 or HTC One. By the way, stop and iPad.

Pros Asus PadFone Infinity 2:

• Powerful chipset


• Quality materials


• Docking Station Included


• Great value matrix screen


• Good camera


• Memory card slot


• LTE

Cons Asus PadFone Infinity 2:

• Price


• NanoSIM


• Quiet speaker phone

Features:

• Class: smartphone


• Materials: plastic, metal and glass


• Operating system: Google Android 4.2.2


• CPU: 4 core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 800


• RAM: 2 GB


• Data Memory: 16/32 GB


• Connectivity: Wi-Fi (b / g / n), Bluetooth 4.0, LTE, 3.5 mm headset jack


• Screen: capacitive, IPS-LCD with a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels


• Camera: 13 MP (main), 2-megapixel (front)


• Extras: accelerometer, light sensor and proximity, gyroscope, digital compass


• Battery: removable, Capacity 2400 mAh


• Dimensions: 143.5 x 72.8 x 8.9 mm


• Weight: 145 g


• Price: 34 000 rubles (Q4 2013, Q1 2014)

Review Asus PadFone Infinity (The new)

Review smartphone teXet TM-3204R

Introduction

Smartphone 3204R – an updated version of the first protected “smart” machine TM-3200R from JSC “Electronic Systems” Alkotel. “ Appearance remained the same, protection class IP67 not changed, but the inner content has undergone a little modernization. Instead of the outdated Qualcomm MSM7227 (year 2008), the new product has appeared 2-core chipset MSM8225 (2012 release), RAM was 768 MB, and it was only 256 MB, updated version of Android from 2.3 to 4.0.

Unfortunately, the rest of the gadget has remained the same: a small 3.2-inch diagonal screen with a low resolution of 320×480 pixels, a simple camera 5 MP, the same 2000 mAh battery, the weight and size would be smaller.

Package Includes:

• Phone


• Battery


• Wired Headset


• Adapter with two USB-cable


• Carabiner with Compass


• Warranty Card


• Film screen

Design, size, controls

This version of the smartphone apparently completely unchanged compared to the previous flagship protected. The device is made in the traditional black and yellow coloring with rubberized plastic and durable matte plastic. The phone’s design seems to have been borrowed from toughphone pro-smart from JCB – the world-famous corporations for the production of light and heavy machinery. Brutal Appearance: dense rubber inserts on all faces, hard caps on the connectors, metal screws on the front and back panels, a large projection for fixing the carbine. In general, everything was done to impress a reliable and robust devices.

Once again, this model is based on the protection class IP67, ie phone can be submerged in water up to one meter for a short time, and he will not be afraid of dirt and dust.

Gadget pretty massive and heavy – 124x68h20 mm, 210 grams. This is particularly noticeable on the background, for example, Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, Acro S, Go, Lenovo A660 and so on. However, there are different degrees of protection, but not the essence. However, we must not forget that even teXet and shockproof, so the body is much thicker and bigger. Tests have shown that if this unit falls onto the tile floor, concrete, asphalt at a distance 2.5 – 3 meters still undesirable. The first thing that fails, it is not difficult to guess – the display, because the hull split is not so easy. Well, dust and dirt at the moment to “surprise” a gadget relatively difficult: to some extent, each unit is protected from moisture. For example, Meizu MX and MX2 accidentally drowned in the bathtub, Samsung Galaxy S4 couple times fell in the mud, and low-end models nehilye krashtesty kept in a bag with a heap of different piece of iron.

In a man’s hand is a smartphone like a glove, keep safe.

Top center of the front panel is the voice speaker, taken away the metal mesh. Speaker quality is surprisingly great. Tapped mainly middle and high frequencies, the volume is high, the interlocutor can hear clearly and legibly. After the moisture necessary to shake it out and dry, turning the speaker phone down.

Under Speaker – light sensors and proximity. They are in a small recess, so there often clogged dust and dirt. Right – front camera.

Touch the “Menu”, “Search” and “Back” – under the screen. They have no backlight, and it should not be noted as a positive factor. Three mechanical buttons. Left – “Reception” on the right – “End” in the center – “Home” (the touch – rough). Pressing hard, the course is minimal, convenient to use. However, during the operation instinctively pressed the “End” to exit the application and the menu, but this button only works to clear the call.

Under the “Reception” is a microphone. Voice quality is average, affects protection against dust and moisture.

Button to activate the backlight flashlight – left. It is tight and has no lock: push the button – lights let – ceased to glow. Given that the button tight, inconvenient to use: it is necessary to apply force to a flashlight shone all the time. Just above – micro-USB under the rubber plug. Should warn that it is inserted is not an ordinary micro-USB, and with an elongated connector. Maybe I was unlucky, but the house was not such cables. Perhaps that is why in the kit are two “yuesbishnika.”

On the right side of the same type as the “flashlight” button to create a photograph. When the screen is locked it is not working properly used, for example, if the touch control is not available. Above – two separate volume control buttons. It is tough.

At the top there is a power button. It is round, and it seemed a bit distracting from the design: chrome plated plastic, seemingly too “Chinese”. Left – jack for headphones with 3.5 mm jack. He drowned, so you have to use direct “Jack.”

Handsfree speaker covered with a metal mesh, big eye, framed by chrome plastic insert, and flash – on the back side of the device.

To get to the battery, two simkarty standard size, microSD, unscrew the two screws. Inside the lid is laid on the metal plate and the rim is protected from moisture and dust rubber tourniquet.

Display

In this model, set the screen diagonal is 3.2 inches. Physical size – 45h68 mm, aspect – 16×9, resolution of 320×480 pixels, the density – 180 pixels per inch. Pixelation is almost unnoticeable. The manufacturer’s website indicated that the matrix is ​​based on technology IPS. Quality is good, but no more, since the angles slightly decrease brightness and contrast. When moving desktops and scroll lists plume appears as if the low response rate of the matrix. Brightness is low at maximum comfortable only in the office building. On the street, and even more so in the sun, the screen fades, moreover, strongly glass “mirrors”. It seems to me like the phone display should be done with very high brightness, no glare.

Battery

In this model, costs quite capacious battery 2000 mAh. Official data tell us that the talk time machine runs until 5:00, surf the Internet in a mode – up to 6 hours Standby time – up to 360 hours. As you can see, not even the best show from producer. The fact that all the fault gluttonous chipset Qualcomm MSM8225. Written many times about the series chips 8225/8225Q, which put the battery on time. Probably the work of such a device can be extremely important, because, for example, without recharging 3204R within 10-15 hours survives with difficulty, that really there to talk about a few days …

If you use the phone about 6-7 hours, the battery is fully discharged, provided: 20-25 minutes a day, 2 hours continuous use Wi-Fi-Internet (Twitter, e-mail, downloading applications and installing them), about 4 – hours of mobile internet.

Communication features

Apparatus teXet TM-3204R works over cellular networks 2G (GSM / GPRS / EDGE, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (900/1900/2100 MHz). In this case, one “sim” only works in 2G, another – in 2G or 3G.

Available Bluetooth Version 3.0 (EDR) for file transfer and speech. There is wireless Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b / g / n. The apparatus may naturally be employed as an access point (Wi-Fi Hotspot) or modem. In the setting of this item is listed as “Tethering”. There is Wi-Fi Direct.

Memory and memory card

In this model, installed 768 MB of RAM. Of this amount of RAM available on the average about 400 MB.

Internal memory of 4 GB is available for installation applications about 1GB of storage a little less than 2 GB. A slot for memory card microSDHC up to 32 GB.

Camera

Traditionally, the majority of Android-based smart module contains two chambers: the main 5-megapixel front facing 0.3 MP. There is an outbreak, but she shines at best 30-40 cm maximum resolution of 2592×1944 pixel images, videos – 640×480 pixels at 20 frames per second. In fact, the optimal resolution clips chipset Qualcomm MSM8225, which is used in this machine.

Photo quality is satisfactory, given that the device will definitely not be used as a camera. Encouraged by the presence of AF, the correct white balance, no loud noises. ”Tachfokusa” No, why would either have to remove the mechanical pressing the button, or click on the touch.

Video can be seen here as the extra chip, since all of its parameters are very low.

Feature video:

• File Format: 3GP


• Video Codec: AVC, 1300 Mbit / s


• Resolution: 640 x 480, 20 f / s


• Audio Codec: AAC, 96 kbit / s


• Channels: 1 channel, 16 kHz

Performance

Smartphone teXet TM-3204R is equipped with one of the most common chipsets of Qualcomm – MSM8225. This Snapdragon S4 Play, dual-core processor ARM Cortex-A5, 45-nm process technology, the clock frequency of 1.2 GHz. I think lineup Play one of the worst: low productivity and high energy consumption. Earliest Taiwan MTK6577 and then show better results, at least shell interface operates smoothly and battery “live” long enough. Responsible for the graphics simple Adreno 203.

Multimedia

Music and video player, radio. Habitual use radio (without a headset is not working, although in such a thick body could pave the antenna), and standard music player. Volume of the music in the player is high, the quality is quite decent. Volume ring dynamics slightly above average.

The unit plays video at resolutions up to 720p and then with great difficulty.

Conclusion

At the beginning of this review, I will briefly compare the old and new versions of the phone. As a result, I can say that these two models do not differ from each other, the only thing that catches your eye – a fresh OS “android.” Those who acquired the TM-3200R, is worth changing your phone is not on the 3204, and a more advanced 4104R. Price, incidentally, is not much higher. Screen and there is more, and protection abruptly.True, the old chipset – MSM8225.

As can be seen competitors Lenovo S750. It costs about 9000 rubles, while on board a powerful chipset MTK6589, 4.5-inch diagonal display with a resolution qHD, 8 megapixel camera on the protection class IP67.

Up to 10 000 rubles have Senseit R413 – MTK6575, Android 4.0, 4.1 inch display with a resolution of 480×800 pixels; Huawei Ascend G350, Philips Xenium W8500. As more expensive options – Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2, Caterpillar Cat B1, RugGear RG220, signed Huawei Honor 3.

Pluses teXet TM-3204R:

• Shockproof


• Protection class IP67


• Quality speech speaker


• Good camera for a similar number


• Relatively capacious battery

Cons teXet TM-3204R:

• Low screen resolution


• Low productivity

Features:

• Class: smartphone


• Form factor: classic


• Materials: plastic, rubber


• Operating system: Google Android 4.0


• Network: GSM / GPRS / EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), UMTS (900/2100 MHz)


• Processor: dual core, 1200 MHz, Qualcomm MSM8225


• Memory: 768 MB


• Data Memory: 4 GB


• Connectivity: Wi-Fi (b / g / n), Bluetooth 3.0, jack microUSB (USB 2.0) for charging / synchronization, 3.5 mm headset jack


• Screen: capacitive, IPS 3.2” with a resolution of 320×480 pixels


• Camera: 5 megapixel autofocus c + 0.3 MP, Flash


• Navigation: GPS


• Extras: accelerometer, sensors and lighting approach, FM-radio


• Battery: removable capacity of 2000 mAh


• Dimensions: mm 124x68h20


• Weight: 210 g

Review smartphone teXet TM-3204R

Review Pedometer Oregon Scientific Ssmart Dynamo Activity Tracker PE128

Most noticeable in the pedometer from Oregon Scientific is a name that did not just unpalatable, but huge – like behind many letters trying to hide quite familiar functionality bracelet-pedometer, which is not different from the competition and looks similar to the first generation of products, for example, Fitbit Flex. Bracelet Ssmart Dynamo is a typical product of the second wave, when all sorts of manufacturers have realized that there is a demand for such devices and began to create their own solutions – in the image and likeness of existing, without introducing any novelty or raisins.

For simplicity we will call bracelet Dynamo, give the full name can not be due to its size. So, this bracelet is available in one size – not on my small hand fit with ease, a baby arm dangles, while women are fit, have to pull it all division. Normal silicone bracelet, default black color, it easily remain dust particles, clothing and so on – covering such that shines. Perhaps this is the first and most conspicuous minus bracelet.

The design is such that the module vdevaetsya in silicone, we have seen this in a number of other products. Advantage of Dynamo worth noting the possibility to swim in the bracelet (up to 10 meters, so it is written), but the instructions are prohibited to dive, this module will not sustain. I confess that I did not swim in the bracelet, but his hands were washed repeatedly, filling it with water from the tap, at first glance, it did him no harm, no water gets inside.

Clasp plastic, the design is quite convenient, no problem – unlike FitBit Flex / Force everything works right from the start, no need to break in the buckle.

Includes charger, which is unique for this bracelet – which can be considered net of any such devices, failure of the normal charge is failing.

Anyone can buy for $ 20 set of two bracelets bright complementary colors – it is possible that someone they seem justified in terms of appearance, guess girls. Material bright bracelets exactly the same – to shine, plus on the light surface clearly visible scuff another color – dirt to them and sticks.

Unfortunately, there is no bracelet display only indicator that has 4 color backlight. When charging is red, fully charged bracelet changes on the blue backlighting. On the body there is a key, pressing it during the day, you can see you have fulfilled your purpose or not – there is no red, blue – yes. Not very informative, and the goal in terms of the number of steps in the program exhibited on iOS. There is also a yellow indicator (low activity), green (medium activity). But it is not too revealing, you do not realize how much you need to go without a companion device, the information is not very interesting. Use this bracelet apart from your smartphone or tablet is difficult.

In memory stores data for 14 days and can synchronize with Android-device OS version 4.3 and above, as well as iOS. Of the additional features include sleep tracker, which is activated by holding down long.

Program in which you can watch your results, very modest in its capabilities – nothing more. You can set an alarm (vibration), it almost does not notice. Configuration or no analysis, as well as opportunities to transfer data anywhere, any cloud service or social component – compete with your friends will not work.

At Oregon Scientific website offering this bracelet for $ 80 ($ 20 discount from the typical price in the U.S.). Even given the fact that most products of competing costs around $ 100, this solution has no obvious advantages and disadvantages in the presence of a plurality. In particular, we can say that the program on your phone very miserable and does not correspond to the level of such decisions (Withing Pulse or Fitbit Flex have immeasurably better software). This is a product that created based on a random, unconscious purchase – what is called, and the surrender and let’s have a bracelet. No reason not to choose Dynamo, as well as unique features, advantages over classmates. Typical products created based on sales within the growing market. I do not recommend to even consider it for a purchase, it is better to look at the FitBit Flex / Force.

Review Pedometer Oregon Scientific Ssmart Dynamo Activity Tracker PE128

Review smartphone Philips Xenium W8555

Introduction

By the end of 2013, many brands that manufacture mobile devices on Android, were more likely to show high-quality smart phones with high-resolution screen. Despite the dubious pleasure in FullHD on a small diagonal display, such things we will see in the new year with an even grander scale.

Package Includes:

• Phone


• Battery


• Wired Headset


• Power Adapter with USB-cable


• Warranty Card


• Film screen

Thanks to one of the best chipsets MediaTek MT6589 (in every sense of power, performance and price) developers managed to get to work properly on Android FullHD, so 2014 will be the trend in the use FHD cost devices. And by the summer we will see from the same Taiwanese manufacturer 8-core chipset, and thus we get to 2K or 4K screens for little money.

In the meantime, we will rejoice smartphone Philips W8555 for 13 000 – 14 000 rubles with screen 5 inch FHD, 4-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, 8 megapixel camera and a pretty long battery 3300 mAh.

Design, size, controls

Almost every smartphone manufacturer has its own unique design fishechki products. Usually phones Philiips isolated because their body is made of very high quality plastic or partly of metal and glass with corporate identity design. At this time in W8555 was, perhaps, only the design as externally recognizable gadget, but as soon as you take it in hand, you realize that there is clearly not enough quality material: plastic soft, easy to bend, no metal, gold paint on the rim does not cause confidence. In general, it is felt that Philips has invested most of the money in a matrix screen, and the rest had to save a little.

The device is large and quite thick – 144 x 73 x 10.7 mm. The latter can be explained by the fact that inside the battery stands at 3300 mAh.Nevertheless it, for example, the flagship Sony Z1 is roughly the same size (not including thickness) – 144h74h8, 5mm. Weighs 158 grams Xenium – not very many, but not “anorexic” like the iPhone 5.

As previously mentioned, the case of this model is made entirely of “soft touch” plastic dark gray. Rectangular shape, edge strongly oblique, upper and lower bounds are slightly convex back surface slightly sloping. Due to the fact that the back cover has such a shape to hold the phone in his hand relatively safe.

During the tests on the body there is not scratches or scuffs. The screen is protected with a durable glass Gorilla Glass. However, at the manufacturer’s website does not specify what kind of modifications. In any case, a couple of weeks left without display “injury.” Prints from fingers on it remain, but not much visible and erased quite easily. Another part of the body is exposed to virtually no trace of the appearance, at least, they are not visible.

Despite the good build (no backlash, too, especially the creaking is not observed), when you take into the hands of W8555, feel it hlipkovat. Did I pick, but I would like a little more than downed device.

Top center – the voice speaker is decorated in an oval frame, coupled with a thin border. It is covered with a thin metal mesh light. Speaker volume is relatively high, the interlocutor can hear clearly and legibly, tapped as medium and low frequencies. No noise, no echo. Hold the phone near your ear comfortably and nicely framing the speaker does not cause discomfort.

Touch the “Back”, “Home” and “Menu” under the screen. Designated translucent white paint. There are lights, it is dull, but not blinding at night and during the day characters are visible without it.

At the bottom end – micro-USB and a microphone on the top – single 3.5 mm jack. Thin and long button-volume rocker is on the left edge, while the power button (pressed gently stroke average) and a special switch from normal operation to energy saving and back – on the right edge.

On the reverse side: eye of the camera, framed by chrome plastic insert, flash, microphone and a slot where the handsfree speaker. In addition, in the center of the rear panels show the position where the antenna NFC-module.

To remove the back of the socket, it is necessary to pry the recess on top of the device. Inside – two regular full-size slots for SIM-cards and slot for memory card standard microSD.

Display

Actually, the main feature that distinguishes among smartphone Philips W8555 “crowd” similar – high resolution screen. Today FullHD-screen no surprise, however, to 15 000 machine with displeychik 1920×1080 pixels still a novelty, if we talk about more or less known brands. In Xenium installed screen diagonal is 5 inches – standard for most mobile devices the end of 2013 and beginning of 2014. Matrix is ​​made of IPS technology without air gap.

The picture quality is great, but at certain angles still image violet and yellow, though not so badly it looks like on the LG G2. Since I did not have devices with IPS-matrix of A-brands, had to compare Philips W8555 matrix display matrix display Meizu MX3. Findings have been mixed, Meizu MX3 screen a little brighter, a little more viewing angles, white color is correct, but in general, less saturated colors, but black is not the best. Photo below.

Backlight brightness matrix W8555 average, would be higher because it is comfortable only when the office lighting, outdoors, and even more so in the sun the screen fades. Touch layer naturally capacitive type. High sensitivity. Supports five simultaneous touches – pyatipaltsevy “multitouch”.

Battery

Since the smartphone is a series of Xenium, complete expectedly find a high capacity battery. At this time, the manufacturer does not stinted – 3300 mAh. According to official figures, the unit “lives” in standby 720 hours and talk time can work up to 18 hours. As always – impressive.

If you use the phone about 25-30 hours, the battery is fully discharged, provided: 20-25 minutes a day, 8 hours on Wi-Fi-Internet (Twitter, e-mail, downloading applications and installing them), about 7 hours of mobile Internet and a couple of hours listening to music.

Listen to music only possible within 65 hours, only to watch the video (maximum brightness, high volume, movie resolution – HD 720p) a little less than 10 hours. If you want to play with toys (like Asphalt 8), it also will not have the energy saving – the battery becomes exhausted after only 4 hours!

From USB battery charging for 7 hours, the AC adapter for 3 – 3.5 hours.

Communication features

Like most modern inexpensive devices, Philips W8555 only works in 2G and 3G, in addition, the gadget is equipped with two slots for SIM-cards.There is Bluetooth version 4.0, Wi-Fi b / g / n, USB 2.0, and even chip NFC (present special software – “Trick” and MasterCard Mobile contactless payment).

Memory and memory card

We have become accustomed to the fact that these devices are equipped with RAM or more 1 GB. In this model, all grown-up: inside is  2GB! Apparently, due to so many small volume smoothed possible braking system, as the chipset MTK6589 not fully cope with the high resolution screen. Available from 2GB about 1.4 GB – thanks again “naked” version of Android without shells that load the system.

Another good news for you would be the amount of built-in memory – 16 GB. Available applications for slightly less than 2 GB and storage – a little less than 12 GB. Additionally, you can select where to install programs: the memory card microSD (up to 32 GB) or internal memory.

Camera

Unit supplied with two camera modules: basic 13 MP front – 2 MP. Present Simplex LED flash. Maximum resolution photos – 3264h2448 pixels, video – 1920×1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. Main camera Aperture – F2.2, focal length – 30 mm, front – F2.8.

Photo quality is quite good, especially pleases pleasing background blur when creating shots in macro mode. White balance is almost always perfect, great detail, the nature of the noise does not cause disgust (usually in such chambers picture becomes murky, and color rendition is strongly violated), a relatively wide viewing angle.

The minimum value of ISO – 90, maximum cars – 600, maximum shutter speed – 1/10 and the minimum – 1/2000 s.

Video unit writes in FullHD resolution. The picture is good, do not swim, high sharpness. Sound quality, stereo – stereo base – well spaced, ie clearly audible, where the right and left where. If there is insufficient lighting conditions the number of frames may drop from 30 to 15.

Feature video:

• File Format: 3GP


• Video Codec: MPEG-4, 24 Mbit / sec


• Resolution: 1920 x 1080, up to 30 f / s


• Audio Codec: AAC, 128 kbit / s


• Channels: 2 channels, 48 ​​kHz

 

And System Performance

In Philips Xenium W8555 uses MediaTek MT6589 chipset with index T – 4 cores, each frequency 1.5 GHz, 28 nm process technology, ARM Cortex-A7 (ARMv7), a graphics accelerator PowerVR SGX544MP1 (frequency 357 MHz, OpenGL ES 2.0). Detail paint will not, because now every second smartphone to 15 000 is equipped with this chip – performance, low power consumption.

The device runs on Google Android operating system version 4.2.2. As mentioned earlier, there is no proprietary shell – application for a set of messages, Ringer part – standard.

Multimedia

Music player. Standard music player known to all by “naked» Android 4.xx. Equalizer presets: normal, classical, dance, flat, folk, heavy metal, and so on. Customizable “own” five-band equalizer from 60 Hz to 14 kHz. There are two sliders: bass boost and 3D-effect.

The sound quality of the headphones is great (just like to add the “bottom” – it would be great), and the volume is very high – “shaking” almost all available in my test headphones.

Volume ring dynamics slightly above average. If Xenium W8555 put back down, the speaker does not locked, so the volume is not falling. If you close it with your finger, the volume will decrease by 90%, ie almost nothing is heard.

FM-radio. The receiver operates at frequencies of 87.5 – 107.8 MHz. Supported RDS, broadcast is recorded in 3gpp. Radio without a headset is not working.

Video player. There is a separate player. Understands MP4, 3GP and AVI, but not all audio codecs. Resolution “eats” any.

Conclusion

Communication quality does not result in complaints: good signal even in difficult reception conditions. Vibrating alert is average power (probably due to the large size of the device) and palpable only in the inner pockets.

Philips Xenium W8555 smartphone produced ambiguous impression because I personally do not like the look of and used in the device materials. It is possible that I pick, but they usually have a little plastic Philips higher quality (probably not the right word – just seemed too plastic plastic) or metal is present. But everything else is worthy of praise: not the highest price (13 000 – 14 000 rubles), a larger battery (3300 mAh), the relative performance chipset (MTK6589T), a large amount of RAM (2 GB) and built-in Flash-memory (16 GB + slot for microSD), classy IPS-display with high resolution (FullHD), a good 13-megapixel camera and the presence of the chip NFC (not so common even in more expensive smartphones).

Features:

• Class: smartphone


• Materials: plastic


• Operating system: Google Android 4.2.2


• CPU: 4 cores, 1.5 GHz, MTK6589T


• RAM: 2 GB


• Data Memory: 16 GB + microSD


• Connectivity: Wi-Fi (b / g / n /), Bluetooth 4.0, jack microUSB (USB 2.0), 3.5 mm headset jack, microSD


• Screen: capacitive, IPS 5” with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels


• Extras: accelerometer, two slots for SIM-cards, GPS


• Battery: removable Li-Ion (Li-Ion) 3300 mAh capacity


• Dimensions: 138h69h10, 4 mm


• Weight: 173 g

Review smartphone Philips Xenium W8555

Review smartphone Huawei Ascend Honor 3

Chinese companies (Huawei, Lenovo) gradually come to the middle segment with decent models that occupy an intermediate link between the flagship B-brands and last year’s flagship A-brands.

Options

• Smartphone


• Charger


• Cable connection to a PC (also part of the charging device)

Say something more about the complete set is problematic, as the smartphone came to us without packaging.

Appearance, materials, controls, assembly

At first glance, we see a normal smartphone without any design refinements. But if you look a little bit, you know, that looks Honor slightly better than the same with Samsung Galaxy zamylennye angles. The main material used – semi-gloss plastic. He did not so much collects prints as covers of the same Galaxy S4 or LG G2, but to call it a frosted hand is not raised.

Most of the front side takes screen with a diagonal of 4.7 inches above it are mesh earpiece eye front camera and ambient light sensors and proximity, as well as the indicator light (it may turn red, yellow or green).

Underneath the panel of three touch buttons: “Back”, “Home”, “Menu”. As you can see, Huawei used the old solution with a separate button “Menu”, although many are now trying to move the button «Recent apps».

Can be seen from the top connector microUSB, and bottom – the microphone hole and a plug which hid under 3.5 mm jack for headphones.

On the right are the volume rocker and power button. The keys have a nice soft stroke, use them conveniently. Pressing hear a click. The buttons are made of aluminum.

On the back cover, locate the peephole 13 megapixel camera, flash and speaker grille core. The lid itself is removable, to remove enough to pry her groove bottom. Shoot it hard, which, however, will save you from further backlash. At great speaker volume reserve, while even unscrew it to the maximum, it will not “rattle”.

Under the hood hiding removable battery, memory card slot and a slot for a SIM-card format microSIM.

Use this month to assemble the unit does not appear any claims, smartphone perfectly assembled: backlash and no squeaks.

Dimensions

Describing the dimensions Huawei Honor 3, is very problematic to give them qualitative characteristic. This is largely due to the ever growing smartphone diagonal.

So let’s just say – on the background of smartphones with a diagonal of five inches and above Honor 3 looks compact, if we talk about the devices with a diagonal of 4.3 inches and below, in comparison with them Honor 3 large.

• Huawei Honor 3 - 133 x 67.2 x 9.9 mm, 138 grams


• Lenovo P780 - 143 x 73 x 10 mm, 176 grams


• Samsung Galaxy S3 - 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm, 133 grams


• Samsung Galaxy S4 - 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm, 130 grams


• HTC One - 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm, 143 grams


• iPhone 5S - 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm and weighs 112 grams

In comparison with the Meizu MX2 and Acer Liquid S2

Smartphone is easy to hold with one hand, but managed only thumb you can not, because it will not reach to about 30% of the screen.

Screen

Display size – 4.7 inches, resolution – 1280×720 pixels, type of matrix – IPS, supported by “multi” to ten simultaneous touches, the value of PPI – 312. Screen covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass, has an oleophobic coating. In the apparatus has an automatic brightness control (does not work very well, underestimates a comfortable level of brightness) and the ability to customize colors.

In my opinion, Honor 3 excellent display with natural colors, good viewing angles and sufficient clarity of the picture. Among the shortcomings, I would note a higher threshold of minimum brightness in the dark you want to make it even smaller.

Importantly, the screen of the smartphone flagships inferior to B-brands with FullHD resolution, but due to the lower resolution of Honor at all three much better performance and oleophobic coating significantly improves the usability.

The screen is almost completely blind.

Operating system

Smartphone running the operating system Android 4.2.2, which is installed on top of a proprietary shell Emotion UI 1.6. I examined in detail the features of this shell in the review Huawei Ascend Mate. Those who want to read more about it can follow the link below.

Once again, I should mention that I love how much attention, Huawei pays its shell, but I’m still unhappy with some features in its localization (eg, the lack of additional symbols in Russian layout) and changes in the shell itself (especially annoying when you call the small picture subscriber). We should also mention speed. Apparently, this option is especially elaborating in detail. Huawei Honor 3 in the native launcher just flies, even if you use special visual effects when scrolling. He stumbles a bit except when moving wallpaper.

Performance

The smartphone is based on its own quad-core HiSilicon K3V2E, operating at a frequency of 1.5 GHz, video card – Vivante GC4000, RAM – 2 GB of internal storage capacity – 8 GB (4.8 GB user available), supports memory cards up to 64 GB or less.

Small internal memory could negatively affect the number of games with large cache, which you could set up on the device, but as is the case with the onscreen buttons, Huawei managed to elegantly “get out” of the situation. In the settings section “Memory” can be interchanged internal memory and memory card.

Actually, the processor is already quite old, his version without index “E” used more in Huawei Ascend Mate and Huawei FHD10, but the worst of it was not. Smartphone demonstrates excellent performance of battery life in everyday use (browser, email, twitter, video). As for toys, here let’s just say – you can play most of the “kazualok” and even run from the device hard game, but rely on the fact that they will go without a slowdown, not worth it. This is not a gaming device.

Autonomy

The smartphone is removable lithium-ion battery capacity of 2150 mAh. Figures are quite modest by today’s standards, however, let’s look at the test results.

While reading (30% brightness mode “Airplane” is included) Charge smartphone enough for nine hours.

View Mode HD-video at the maximum brightness of the discharge device almost five hours.

With everyday use (mail, twitter, web-surfing a couple of hours in total, plus 10-20 minutes of calls, SMS and listening to music for an hour) Huawei Honor 3 lasted one day. In general, on the part of battery life 3 Honor did not surprise.

Watching videos and reading

Honor 3 perfect as a portable video player, if you certainly want it diagonal. Problems with codecs and video formats not supported containers MP4, MKV and AVI and the following codecs: H.264, Xvid, DivX, VC1, as well as audio codecs: MP3, FLAC, AC3, DTS (not all video files). In public transport for easy viewing enough brightness at 80-90%.

Read with Honor 3 too comfortable (except for the dark room without additional light sources, due to the high threshold of minimum brightness you will quickly get tired eyes), HD-resolution enough for the eyes, but here again the question arises diagonally if you have enough or not.

Camera

The smartphone is set the main camera with a resolution of 13 MP and LED flash and a front facing 1.3 megapixel resolution. Below you can see examples of photos and video from the main camera. Video writes in the resolution with 1080p at 30 frames per second.

The front facing camera is perfect for Skype, no problems with no support.

Wireless interfaces

Mobile networks - phone works over cellular networks 2G (GSM / GPRS / EDGE, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (900/2100 MHz).

Wi-Fi (b / g / n) - in the settings you can turn on “hand” mobile Internet via Wi-Fi, as well as take advantage of transferring files via Wi-Fi Direct.

Bluetooth 4.0 - supports all popular profiles including A2DP.

GPS - cold start takes about five seconds.

Waterproofing

Smartphone certified to protection IP57. This means that you can no problem dropping it in the water or talk to him in the rain. I tried to bathe in the sink Honor 3 and threw him into the snow. After all the test unit still works fine.

Conclusion

Claims to the quality of communication I have, you and your partner can hear each other perfectly.

Suggested retail price Huawei Honor 3 is 12 thousand rubles. For the money you get a smartphone with a sleek design, good screen, nice (albeit non-ideal) shell and great speed. Here are just squeezed Honor 3 in a very difficult segment. First, it is 13-14 per thousand can buy last year’s flagship (Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X), which will win the camera and performance, and secondly, in the same segment of “play” and the flagship brands with B- FullHD resolution, there’s even a model for 9000 rubles.

You know, testing a large number of devices from the B-brands, I come to the following conclusions: despite the best features, they are still inferior to the decisions of the A-brands. Honor and 3, though inferior to the characteristics of B-brands, but they still enjoy pleasant. This is largely due to higher speed and, of course, the oleophobic coating.

But the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X – it really is a formidable competitor, but let’s compare with Honor and 3.

Galaxy S3 wins best camera and dimensions on the side of Honor 3 higher-quality materials and speed (if it comes to work launcher). On the other hand, as the playing device is more suitable Galaxy S3. With screens very controversial issue. I was a longtime user of S3, I can say that I display in Honor 3 like much more crisp small text, natural color reproduction, no Pentile, although the screen S3 great black and bright contrasting colors.If it is important for you to play with the most powerful smartphone in the game and make high-quality images, you should pay attention to the Galaxy S3, if you prefer a more calm colors, the best speed in the launcher and you need moisture protection, the advantage on the side of Honor 3.

If we talk about One X, it definitely wins the screen quality, and shell design. Now with autonomous operation of the smartphone, I can not say, because from the moment it left many drivers use that, like, fixed problems with autonomous operation. On the side of Honor 3 left except water protection, removable battery and support the memory card slot.

There is another competitor – Lenovo P780. Beautiful aluminum smartphone from Lenovo with a huge battery life. It’s simple: if you want long lasting smartphone – take P780, if you need moisture protection – that Honor 3, last, by the way, is also faster, and on the side of R780 is the support of two SIM-cards.

Huawei Honor 3 itself turned out good, but for 12 thousand rubles from him a huge amount of competitors, so that, in my opinion, Huawei is worth considering to lower the price.

Review smartphone Huawei Ascend Honor 3

Review Notebook Asus VivoBook S200

Introduction

About six months ago the major manufacturers of laptops (Acer and Asus) announced that they begin to curtail production of netbooks. It was clear that this segment can not disappear just like that, and even the appearance of tablets completely covers the needs of netbook users. Therefore, the producers decided to produce full-fledged laptop with a price tag in the region of 18-20 thousand and dimensions of conventional netbooks.S200 considering today is just such a model.

Options

• Notebook


• Charger


• Documentation


• Warranty Card

The notebook comes in packaging made of recycled cardboard, like other recent models of the manufacturer. Whether it is connected with the economy or the environment in mind, I do not know, I will assume that both factors played a role.

We should also note the dimensions of the charger. Finally, manufacturers are beginning to abandon bulky power supply and gradually transform into a compact format.

Appearance, materials, controls, assembly

With the first ZenBook Asus able to find their own unique style and try to stick to it and the other models. At S200 also present similarities with Zenbook, it concerns primarily the appearance and the materials used. For example, the laptop lid is made of aluminum.

Speaking of cover: closer to the edge aluminum replaced the small plastic strip, apparently, this is done for easier opening. Despite this practical material, such as aluminum, on the laptop still remain scratches, although I 2 months of active use there is only one.

At the bottom of the laptop are vent, four legs and two stereo speakers. Material lower surface – matt rubberized plastic. Thanks to him, the device is comfortable to hold while carrying.

On the right side there were the following ports: VGA, USB-port, 3.5mm headphone or microphone and built-in card reader.

Left you can see the hole for the charger, Ethernet-port, HDMI, two USB-ports (one USB 3.0) and a slot for locks Kensington.

I would like to underline how the full set of connectors installed in this laptop: there are Ethernet, and VGA, and HDMI, and USB 3.0, and the USB-ports themselves for three pieces. In modern laptops increasingly abandoning one or more of these connectors, so it was pleasant to see them all in the S200.

On sale will be four different colors notebook: beige, hot pink, black and dark brown (and it was something we have on test)

Excessive pressure on the top cover it flexes slightly, but otherwise the assembly has no complaints: laptop perfectly assembled, squeaks and no backlash.

Dimensions

Despite the resemblance to the Zenbook, when you take S200 in hand, that is a little disappointing, it seems thick (although let’s not forget that this is a device in the segment to 20 thousand rubles).

Overall dimensions are at S200 netbook and weighs a little more. Although if you take the nearest competitor Acer V5 (11” model), we can see that it is thicker 6mm than VivoBook S200.

• Acer ASPIRE V5-171-33214G50ass - 285h202h27, 4 mm, weight 1.38 kg


• Asus VivoBook S200 - 303x200x21.7 mm, weight 1.4 kg

Screen

Diagonal – 11.6”, 1366×768 pixels resolution, type of matrix, apparently, TFT-TN. Supported by the “multi” to ten simultaneous touches.

Screen made me mixed feelings. On the one hand, it is good for everyday work, and on the other, it has small viewing angles, and at the slightest deviation image is inverted.

The maximum opening angle of the lid is approximately 135 degrees.

The display supports finger pressure, responsiveness is very good. Sometimes it is convenient to click on a link or select a word using the touch screen, but in most cases prefer the touchpad or mouse.

Unfortunately, the touch screen includes a glossy finish, so you have to twist the brightness, not to see his own reflection. Also I did not like a huge black glossy frame around the screen, it clearly could do less.

Operating system

Laptop runs on Windows 8 Pro x64. LATEST VERSION “OSes” from Microsoft came highly controversial: on the one hand, the added touch screen optimized tiled interface, and on the other – get rid of the “Start” button and Word did not even run out of this interface.

Therefore, in most cases, standard work desk, rather than tile cladding.

Performance

There are several complete sets of laptops, for example, you can choose one of three processors:

• Intel ® Core ™ i3 3217U Processor


• Intel ® ULV Pentium ® 987 Processor


• Intel ® ULV Celeron ® Processor 847

And also one of the two volumes of internal memory:

2.5 “SATA

• 500GB 5400RPM


• 320GB 5400RPM

RAM size also varies from two to four GB.

At our test configuration was a top notebook: Core i3, 500 GB HDD, 4 GB RAM.

For the graphics in the older configuration meets discrete graphics Intel HD 4000 in junior – Intel HD 2000.

Personally, I think a bunch of 4 GB RAM + Core i3 + Intel HD 3000/4000 is optimal for undemanding users all simple programs are fast, there is no children’s ills like braking when scrolling, and with all that such a configuration is still more or less budget.

Play on this laptop is certainly not necessary, but it is not needed for this. But to work in Word, watch videos (at resolutions up to Full HD included) to check mail and surf quite comfortable.

As for the noise and heat: notebook virtually silent, except for uniform clicks (enacted hard drive), and the heat is minimal, laptop strongly heated only when viewing video heavy.

Autonomy

The laptop installed lithium-polymer battery capacity 5136 mAh. Despite the fairly good capacity, the average laptop runs for 3-4 hours at 60-70% brightness.

Indicators, of course, not the best. When brightness is reduced to 10%, you can “squeeze” out of it for six hours of work, but not anymore. So it is better to carry a charger, it does not benefit heavy.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The notebook uses Chiclet keyboard, English letters are in the middle, Russian – in the lower right corner. The key size is slightly smaller than the standard, but because of the distance between them quickly get used to the keyboard. It’s nice that there were not narrow the last letters of the bottom row.

Traditional disadvantages keyboards laptops not spared and this model: S200 at small “efki” and navigation arrows.

The touchpad is slightly recessed into the body and is slightly offset to the left. The touchpad is quite large, it is convenient to use. Supported by the “multi” in particular, you can quickly scale the text in the browser using the “pinch” two fingers. Below the touchpad are two buttons. simulate left and right mouse buttons.

Right of the touchpad, you can see five LEDs: first lit when the notebook is turned on, the second – during charging (or if the laptop is low), the third flashes when the hard disk, the fourth – with the Wi-Fi, the fifth – when your device is locked.

Wireless interfaces

Wi-Fi (b / g / n) - the module to no complaints.

Bluetooth 4.0 - supports all popular profiles.

Camera, speakers and microphone

Front camera not amazing, the quality standard for such devices and sufficient for use in conjunction with Skype, no more.

Built-in microphone provides good connection. No claim to it.

Speakers though are below, but give good sound (at least it’s not “tweeter” who usually put in netbooks).

Conclusion

As I mentioned earlier in this article, the major manufacturers refused to release netbooks and gradually began to replace them more productive, but the same compact models. Personally, I like this trend, because in fact, to a netbook with Intel Atom many did not, and even memory they put no more than two GB.

As for the S200, this is a great compact notebook for a variety of tasks: from it you can and popechatat and watch videos, and display the same video on an external monitor or projector via HDMI or VGA. And this despite the fact that its value is now 16-17 thousand rubles.

Have S200 and disadvantages to them, I’ll take the bad viewing angles and low battery life for such devices.

The main competitor S200 – Acer ASPIRE V5-171-33214G50ass, it is almost identical in performance, but does not have a touch screen, but it and stands on 2-3 thousand cheaper. From the pros VivoBook – large capacity battery.

Technical characteristics
Processor	Intel ® Core ™ i3 3217U Processor Intel ® ULV Pentium ® 987 Processor Intel ® ULV Celeron ® Processor 847
Chipset	Intel ® HM76/HM70 Express Chipset
Memory	DDR3 1333 MHz SDRAM, OnBoard Memory 2 GB / 4 GB
Display	11.6 “16:9 HD (1366×768) LED Backlight
Graphic	Integrated Intel ® HD Graphics
Storage	2.5 “SATA 500GB 5400RPM 320GB 5400RPM
Card Reader	2-in-1 card reader (SD / SDHC / SDXC / MMC)
Camera	HD Web Camera
Networking	Integrated 802.11 b / g / n or 802.11 a / b / g / n (Optional) Built-in Bluetooth ™ V4.0 10/100 Base T
Interface	1 x COMBO audio jack 1 x VGA port / Mini D-sub 15-pin for external monitor 1 x USB 3.0 port (s) 2 x USB 2.0 port (s) 1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert 1 x HDMI
Audio	Built-in Speakers And Microphone
Battery	2Cells 5136 mAh 38 Whrs Polymer Battery
Power Adapter	Output: 19 V DC, 1.75 A, 33 W Input: 100 -240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal
Dimensions	30.3 x 20.0 x 2.17 cm (WxDxH)
Weight	1.40 kg (with 2 cell battery)
Manufacturer Warranty	2-year limited International hardware warranty. * Different by country 1-year battery pack warranty On-line problem resolution through web interface (BIOS, Driver update) OS (Windows ® 8) install / uninstall consultation Bundled software install / uninstall consultation ASUS software supporting
Note	• Mobile Intel ® HM76 Express Chipsets (i3-3217U); Mobile Intel ® HM70 Express Chipsets (Pentium 987/Celeron 847)

Review Notebook Asus VivoBook S200