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  • Top 4 of the Best Iphone Deals Avilable

    Top 4 of the Best Iphone Deals Avilable

    SO you have finally decided to make the upgrade and get yourself the newest of the new. Now you have to make the tough decision and decide on the model, size and color. Now to find the best deal possible on your new purchase, everyone wants your iPhone business so lets take a look at the 4 best places to get yours.

     

    1. T-mobile, Apple iPhone X

    Switching to T mobile may be the best move right now. Instead of shelling out $1000 for the new iPhone X you can bring your number to Tmobile, pay just $304 for the most powerful and breathtaking smartphone ever conceived. The plan will const you $100 a month, but includes unlimited everything and free Netflix. Plus under the right conditions, there is even a buy one get one free option.

    2. Verizon,  iPhone X

    This option I like, If you have an iPhone 6 or above you can get half off the Iphone X. So for 0$ and only 101.79 a month you will get the IPhone X 64 gb and unlimited service from Verizon. I do recommend paying the extra 10$ for the upgrade unlimited service though. With this particular deal it is best to wait out the 2 years as the half off promotion is paid out monthly for 24 months

    3. Best Buy, All iPhones

    Through best buy you can buy 2 iPhone 8 and 8 plus at a buy one get one free when you buy both on AT&T Next. Offer eligible for new or upgraded lines of activation. The nice thing about this offer is if you are an existing AT&T customer, you don’t have to switch to a new service. Little insider tip, buy both and take advantage of the bogo and $200 off. Purchase an AT&T iPad from Best buy as well and move it on to the second iPhone line to decrease the cost monthly to $10 and give you connection on the iPad.

     

    4. Sprint, Lease option on the iPhone X

    There is a pretty decent option here, Sprint service is greatly improved. Especially if you are in some of their big markets like Orlando, Chicago or Kansas City. For $80 up front you can lease the X. The monthly lease is only $20 a month, added to their $60 unlimited plan and you have your self a pretty great deal.

     

  • SmartPhone Spotlight: iPhone X

    SmartPhone Spotlight: iPhone X

    Apple wants an iPhone that is entirely screen. One so immersive the device itself disappears into the experience. And so intelligent it can respond to a tap, your voice, and even a glance. With iPhone X, that vision is now a reality. Say hello to the future.

    The Great

    • Everything
    • Great screen
    • Premium, strong design
    • TrueDepth camera is powerful
    • Insanely Powerful

    The Not

    • The most expensive flagship phone around
    • Metal rim can scuff without case

    The Conclusion

    A great blend of handheld comfort and a big, gorgeous OLED screen. Rear telephoto camera outshoots the 8 Plus in low light, and the front camera snaps impressive portrait selfies. Face ID generally works fine. iPhone X is an overdue and winning evolution of the iPhone, but you’ll need to leave your comfort zone to make a jump into the face-recognizing future.

     

     

    The X

    It’s ten years since the iPhone was first unveiled and Apple has marked the occasion with a new iPhone that doesn’t just jump one generation, it jumps several. Apple has leapt straight from iPhone 7 all the way to X, or the roman numeral for 10. The iPhone X is the handset we’ve been demanding from Apple for years.

     

    The Interface

    Gone are the touch ID and home button, this brings about a new interface on the X. One reliant on gestures and swipes. While at first you may think It now takes longer, requires more steps and additional gestures to use and navigate the new user interface of the iPhone X than any of its predecessors, which is a major step backward and the cause of many frustrations. Once you adjust to this interface it is quite intuitive and quick. Jump in and embrace it, it will become second nature.

    That Display and the Notch

    Turn on the iPhone X, and it’s easy to forget almost every other phone released this year. Apple’s leading the bezel less  smartphone design trend, where the edges around the screen melt away to offer an immersive all-screen experience. Technically, other phones may have slightly smaller bezels, but I like the approach Apple took here. They have upgraded to the OLED screen from LED and it is brighter, more beautiful and needs less power.

    The notch above the X’s display, which cuts out a small chunk of the upper screen to make room for the phone’s front-facing camera and sensors, doesn’t impact many apps or videos. In fact most I’ve tried put any critical info below that notch by default. But that does mean the effective display area is even smaller, with black bars on the top and bottom. My only issue with the notch is that it now removes the battery percentage icon from the display. Now I have to use the drag down gesture to check the percentage.

    The Camera

    The Camera is insane, Dual cameras and new facial land marking create dramatic studio lighting effects in Portrait mode.  The photos generally turned out great. Low-light gains aren’t as dramatic as I expected compared to the already excellent iPhone 7 Plus, but the photos I’ve been taking have generally looked phenomenal.

     

    Portrait Mode, which debuted last year, now supports flash photography and HDR. The 8 Plus and the X add a new photo technique called Portrait Lighting, a beta feature that adds simulated 3D lighting to faces and even strips out backgrounds to create a studio-shot effect.

     

    Face Id

    This is the biggest wow on the phone. The X looks at me, verifies I am me and unlocks. It is slightly longer then not using a pass code, but works great. I’m blown away by how well it works when I am wearing glasses or late at night in dark room. The biggest bonus to this is not just the ability to unlock my phone with my face, but sign in to everything with my face. All the apps, websites and verification that constantly need info from me now just input by verifying my face. Its amazing.

    And Animojies. They were fun for like 7 mins.

     

    The Final Thought

     

    This is  the Cubans, baby. This is the Cohibas, the MonteCristos. This is the This is my Eiffel Tower. This is the Rachmaninoff’s Third. The Pietà. It’s completely elegant, it’s bafflingly beautiful.

     

  • SmartPhone Spotlight: iPhone 8 Plus

    SmartPhone Spotlight: iPhone 8 Plus

    Phone 8 Plus introduces an all‑new glass design. The world’s most popular camera, now even better. The most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone. Wireless charging that’s truly effortless. And augmented reality experiences never before possible. iPhone 8 Plus . A new bigger generation of iPhone.

     

    The Great

    • Insane performance
    • Dual Camera, Portrait Mode
    • Excellent, versatile camera
    • Great screen
    • Super speakers
    • Wireless charging is nice to have
    • 3gb of RAM

    The Not

    • Its heavy
    • …come on, its perfect

    The Conclusion

    The iPhone 8 is great, the iPhone 8 plus is better, bigger, and a much better camera

     

    But the Size

    I know everyone thinks they don’t want to carry a bigger phone in their pocket. Its too big they say. Ill drop it. Calm down, you will adjust to the size in a few hours. Its size is perfect, not a liability. Once you adjust you will feel like you could crush the 8 in your palm because its too puney.

    the iPhone 8 Plus represents a new update on a modern classic. There are nice upgrades to the screen, camera and processor, although nothing that will really make you say ‘wow’. It’s an iPhone 7S Plus but better.

     

    What Do You Get with a Plus

    There are a few differences with the iPhone 8 plus over the 8 than just the size. One big difference is the extra GB of memory. The iPhone 8 Plus has 3GB of RAM, while the iPhone 8 has 2GB. Battery: A tear down revealed that the iPhone 8 has a 1,821mAh battery, while the iPhone 8 Plus has a 2,675mAh battery. Camera: Both phones have a 12MP rear camera with an f/1.8 aperture and optical image stabilization.

    This Camera

    The major difference is the dual camera on the back. Why do I want two cameras on the back of my phone? Portrait Mode. That is why. Dual cameras and new facial land marking create dramatic studio lighting effects in Portrait mode.  The photos generally turned out great. Low-light gains aren’t as dramatic as I expected compared to the already excellent iPhone 7 Plus, but the photos I’ve been taking have generally looked phenomenal.

    Portrait Mode, which debuted last year, now supports flash photography and HDR. The 8 Plus and the X add a new photo technique called Portrait Lighting, a beta feature that adds simulated 3D lighting to faces and even strips out backgrounds to create a studio-shot effect.

     Quick Spec Look

    • – IP67 certified – dust and water resistant
    • Apple A11 Bionic Chipset
    • 3 gb of Ram
    • Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral)
    • Apple GPU (three-core graphics
    • 12 MP (f/1.8, 28mm), phase detection autofocus, OIS, quad-LED dual-tone flash,
    • 7 MP, f/2.2, 1080p@30fps, 720p@240fps, face detection, HDR, panorama
    • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot
    • Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
    • Non-removable Li-Ion 1821 mAh battery (6.96 Wh) 14 hours in uses, 40 hours stand by
    • LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
    • 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.4% screen-to-body ratio)

    The Final Thought

    I like the plus, its the iPhone but bigger and better. Its beautiful and powerful, like Vin Deisel. Yes that the best way to put it, its the Vin Deisel of phones. Its the Iphone with More RAM, More Camera, More Screen.

  • SmartPhone Spotlight: iPhone 8

    SmartPhone Spotlight: iPhone 8

    iPhone 8 introduces an all‑new glass design. The world’s most popular camera, now even better. The most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone. Wireless charging that’s truly effortless. And augmented reality experiences never before possible. iPhone 8. A new generation of iPhone.

     

    The Great

    • Insane performance
    • Vastly improved cameras
    • Wireless charging
    • Assured, timely software updates

    The Not

    • ….

    The Conclusion

    Its not the iphone v android, its what model iPhone do you want? It has been reigning king for 10 years. Only question to ask your self is what color.

     

    The Look

    This is the same design ans size as the previous model. you have seen it, you know it. How do you tell the difference between the 8 and the 7 physically? you want other people to know you are rocking the latest model of the iPhone, don’t you? The glass back design is a dead give away you are a true baller and have the iPhone 8.

    Whats New

    iPhone 8 Plus has an all-new glass-backed design, along with the same color-matching, 7000 Series aluminum edges and glass front as iPhone 7 Plus. Apple says the rear glass is the strongest glass in any smartphone, with a 50 percent deeper strengthening layer.

    A Quicker Performance Boost.

    iPhone 8 Plus has Apple’s latest A11 Bionic chip. It has two performance cores that are 25 percent faster, and four high-efficiency cores that are 70 percent faster, than the A10 chip in iPhone 7 Plus. The A11 chip also has a neural engine and a more powerful M11 motion coprocessor vs. M10.

     

    Wireless Charging

    iPhone 8 Plus supports wireless charging based on the Qi standard. The device can charge by being placed on an inductive charging pad, such as Apple’s upcoming AirPower mat or third-party options from accessory makers such as Mophie, Belkin, and Incipio. It will not support the non Qi wireless charging systems.. this is not an issue unless you use the Duracell power mat. I will note even on the fastest of wireless chargers its still much faster on the plug, but life is nice when you have options.

    Quick Spec Look

    • – IP67 certified – dust and water resistant
    • Apple A11 Bionic Chipset
    • Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral)
    • Apple GPU (three-core graphics
    • 12 MP (f/1.8, 28mm), phase detection autofocus, OIS, quad-LED dual-tone flash,
    • 7 MP, f/2.2, 1080p@30fps, 720p@240fps, face detection, HDR, panorama
    • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot
    • Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
    • Non-removable Li-Ion 1821 mAh battery (6.96 Wh) 14 hours in uses, 40 hours stand by
    • LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
    • 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.4% screen-to-body ratio)

    The Final Thought

    All in all, those features make the iPhone 8 Plus a considerable upgrade over the iPhone 7 Plus, which is perhaps why Apple skipped over calling it the iPhone 7s Plus. Alongside the iPhone X, it’s an option worth having.

     

  • Laptop Lookout: Dell XPS 15 2 in 1

    Laptop Lookout: Dell XPS 15 2 in 1

    It’s a hybrid inside a hybrid. That’s the best way to think about the new XPS 15 two-in-one from Dell. This big-screen laptop has a 360-degree hinge, so it folds all the way back to form a tablet — we’ve seen that plenty of times before, but never in Dell’s high-end XPS 15 line.

     

    The Great

    • Gorgeous 4K display
    • Blazing fast CPU
    • Much improved battery
    • Legacy ports still at play
    •  Clear audio
    • Strong performance

    The Not

    • Middling graphics
    • Poor webcam placement
    • Lots of Bloatware

    The Conclusion

    This is the best 15-inch laptop money can buy. That’s thanks to strong build quality, a brilliant screen, a comfortable soft-touch deck and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 GPU that can handle entry-level gaming and some serious Photoshopping.

     

     Dell’s new XPS 15 2-in-1 makes the statement this time around. As its name implies, the XPS 15 is a 2-in-1 convertible that lets you fold the 15.6-inch screen back on itself for use in tablet mode or tent mode.

     

     

    The XPS 15 combines jaw-dropping resolution and vibrant color in a large 15.6″ touch display. Its crisp, sharp detail and rich color is perfect for editing photos and graphic design with Full HD or the optional UltraSharp™ 4K Ultra HD (3200×1800). Comes with 500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive + 32GB Solid State Drive Windows 10 Home 64-bit English and 8GB 2400MHz, DDR4; up to 32GB (additional memory sold separately). View amazing graphics on the 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge, Non-touch and Intel HD Graphics 630 videocard.

     

    The Updates

    It looks a lot like the notebook, but Dell has done more than slap a new hinge on its existing design. The XPS 15 2-in-1 is an all-new design that takes dramatic measures to reach its weight of 4.3 pounds and thickness of .63 inches – figures that are among the best in its class.

    Dell has incorporated Gore fabric into its chassis. More commonly used for lightweight athletic apparel, Gore is an excellent insulator, yet also light and thin. That apparently makes it a good fit for directing heat through a notebook chassis. You can’t feel the fabric when you touch the machine, but it’s there, keeping heat where it should be.

     

    Quick Spec Look

    • Intel Core i5-8305G or i7-8705G
    • GPU       Radeon RX Vega M
    • RAM      Up to 16GB
    • Storage Up to 1TB PCIe SSD
    • Display  15.6-inch 4K or 1080p
    • Size        3.9 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
    • Weight 4.3 pounds
    • Battery Up to 15 hours
    • Ports     Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-C, microSD card, HDMI, Headphone

    The Final Thought

    All the benefits of the 2 in are here, it has the flexibility. Its durable and powerful, sounds great and a performance monster. I can say it runs a little hot, and i wish there was a better GPU for new gaming.

  • Muse Speaks to Me While I Drive

    Muse Speaks to Me While I Drive

    Speak Music’s Muse is terrific way to bring Alexa voice commands to your car. Plug the Oreo-sized accessory into your car’s USB port or lighter socket and connect it to your phone via Bluetooth and you’ll be able to order Alexa to play and control your music, get the weather, add items to your to-do list, control your smart home device

    The Great

    • Small
    • Inexpensive
    • Easy setup
    • Lets you stream music

    The Not

    • No turn-by-turn directions
    • Lacks Spotify integration
    • Alexa slow to respond

    The Conclusion

    This small Bluetooth dongle lets you use Alexa while you’re driving, but the voice assistant could respond faster.

    I Said To Myself

    Do you have no one to talk to while you drive? Have you ever said to yourself I wish I could bring Amazon’s versatile voice assistant to your car and say goodbye to boring commutes or fumbling with the phone. Be productive and entertained while keeping our eyes on the road and hands on the wheel but no one was there to listen to you? Well Now there is

    Muse Auto is a small Bluetooth device that brings the power and convenience of Amazon Alexa to the car. Just plug it in, pair with your smartphone and say “Alexa”.

    How Does It Do

    Like other in vehicle Alexa peripherals this needs to link to your phone and use your phone’s data through the Muse app. I found connecting to the Muse by Bluetooth plus using cellular data chews through my battery super fast. I end up closing the app when I leave my car and restarting it each time I get in the car. I also plug in my phone to keep it from dying. Pretty easy workarounds.

    For voice commands you need to say the wake word, wait a few seconds until you hear a low sound, give the command, then you hear a second sound that the command was received. My trouble is the first sound is too quiet and not distinctive so I can’t always tell if the Muse heard my wake word.

    Very easy to install. Downloaded the app and it walked me right though it. The device is small and I mounted mine on the driver’s side of my center console where only I can see it.  Yeah I’m stealthy like that. When I want to interact with Alexa I just set the car audio input to Bluetooth, a one button push in my Ford, and it works. It’s pretty cool to be able to “talk” with Alexa in my car. The kids like to play 20-questions and I get the news read to me on the way to work. There is a short delay between calling out “Alexa” and hearing the soft tone which indicates the device is listening to you, but I got the timing down after a few tries and now she obeys my every command! I’m king of the car again

    The Final Thought

    Overall the Muse is adequate if you don’t mind yelling “Alexa” a whole bunch, or plugging in your phone, or fiddling with an app when you start or leave your car. Not ideal for quick trips but if you’re taking a long trip or have a substantial commute it can be worth setting it up before the trip. Most of the issues can be handled with software updates so I’ll hang on to it. And there is something cool about turning up the thermostat when I leave work then pulling in the driveway saying “I’m home” and having the lights turn on. So there is a little Alexa magic. It’s just not seamless yet.

  • Huwaie P20 Rumors and Speculations

    Huwaie P20 Rumors and Speculations

    Huawei is releasing the new P20 at the end of this month. This is turning out to be a tumultuous year for Huwaie who was poised to make a big splash and become a major player. The Huawei P20 may be the follow-up to the 2017 Huawei P10 and become the flagship of the Huawei line.

     

    Here are press renders of the Huawei P20, P20 Lite and P20 Pro smartphones that will be announced officially later this month.  This also shows camera specifications of the phones and display notch for all where the earpiece, sensors and the front camera are present. The fingerprint sensor is present on the front for the P20 and the P20 Pro, but it is located on the back on the P20 Lite.

    3 Camera Pro

    he Huawei P20 Pro is their top of the line model which comes with a total of 3 cameras. Im not sure why or what that means but ill check it out. WE know it will be able to take portrait like photos, but i cant fathom a need for a 3rd depth camera.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The P-Series is usually regarded as Huawei’s “fashion-forward” smartphone, with an emphasis on design.  We have some big assumptions and guesses as to what we are going to see. Huawei may adopt a controversial “notch” at the top of the display,image files found in the software that help obscure particular areas around the top of the screen. The firmware stated the unnamed device has a 6.01-inch screen with a 2,244 x 1,080-pixel resolution, longer than a traditional 1,920 x 1,080-pixel screen.

    Maybe Animojies

    While I cant confirm that Huawei face detect and depth camera will be ready for the P20, but if they have have pushed this tech into the P@0 we will most certainly see an Apple like animojies.

     

    Quick Spec Look

    Huawei P20 Lite rumored specifications

    • 5.84-inch (1080 x 2280 pixels) Full HD+ 2.5D curved glass display
    • Octa-Core Kirin 659 processor (4 xA53 at 2.36GHz + 4 x A53 at 1.7GHz) with MaliT830-MP2 GPU
    • 4GB RAM, 64GB storage, expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD
    • Android 8.0 (Oreo) with EMUI 8.0
    • 16MP rear camera with LED flash, Hybrid zoom, secondary 2MP camera
    • 16MP / 24MP front-facing camera
    • Fingerprint sensor
    • Dimensions: 148.6×71.2×7.4mm; Weight: 145g
    • 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS / GLONASS
    • 3000mAh (typical) / 2900mAh (minimum) battery

    The Huawei P20 Lite is expected to come in Blue, Black, Rose Gold and Gold colors. The new Huawei P20 series will be announced an event in Paris on March 27.

     

    The Final Thought

    Its all speculation and hype so far. While I love the irradecent color and the blue I could never see my self carrying  one and Im curious to test the Kirin 659 processor against the Snapdragon 845, that is about where the excitement ends on this. Here is to hoping for something cool we don’t even know about.

     

  • Laptop Lookout: Dell XPS 13

    Laptop Lookout: Dell XPS 13

    The razer-thin, Dell XPS 13 has been my  favorite consumer laptop for a few years, thanks to its attractive design, gorgeous screen and strong battery life. Dell’s laptop is now available in two different models, both of which we recommend.

     

    The Great

    • Attractive design
    • Vibrant screen
    • Strong performance
    • Good battery life overall
    • Runs cool

    The Not

    • No USB Type-A Ports
    • Improved webcam still looks up your nose
    • Steeper starting price
    • White option is pricier

     

    The Conclusion

    The new XPS 13 9370 is the slimmest and lightest model yet, with a stunning new rose gold and white color scheme. It also sports an extremely vibrant display, which is available in 4K resolution, better performance and up to 12 hours of battery life. However, if you want an even-longer, 16 hours of endurance and access to full-size, USB Type-A ports, the older, XPS 13 9360 could be an even better choice.

     

    Dell Xp is the standard all widely adopted laptops are measured, and usually sound wanting. Its the supreme, the alpha. It has everything most of us need, with none of the stuff we don’t at a price we can handle.

    Like most laptops in 2018, there is the choice to buy a high-end configuration, complete with the specs that you need for your daily duties. If you need a faster processor, there are two models featuring a 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U (4GHz with Turbo Boost) to choose from.

    Quick Specs Look

    CPU: 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-8550U (quad-core, 8MB cache, up to 4.0GHz)
    Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
    RAM: 16GB DDR3 (2,133MHz)
    Screen: 13.3-inch, Ultra HD (3,840 x 2,160) UltraSharp InfinityEdge touch display
    Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
    Ports: 2 x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C), 1 x USB-C 3.1, micro SD card reader, headset jack
    Connectivity: Killer 1435 802.11ac Wi-Fi,  Bluetooth 4.1
    Camera: Widescreen HD (720p) webcam with 4 array digital microphones
    Weight: 2.67 pounds (1.21kg)
    Size: 11.9 x 7.8 x 0.3-0.46 inches (3.02 x 1.99 x 0.78-1.16cm; W x D x H)

     

    The Final Thought

    Dells XP laptops are already best in class, so  to make its laptop thinner, Dell switched to a smaller battery and got rid of USB Type-A ports. As a result, some users will prefer the previous XPS 13 9360,  which is still for sale and is powered by the same Intel 8th Gen Core CPUs. It’s a little more expensive than it was previously, but the Dell XPS 13 makes up for the higher price tag by noticeably boosting the performance.

  • Laptop Lookout: Microsoft Surface Pro LTE

    Laptop Lookout: Microsoft Surface Pro LTE

    Its almost here! The New Microsoft Surface Pro is coming. Better than ever, the new Surface Pro gives you a best-in-class laptop, plus the versatility of a studio and tablet. The stunning PixelSense Display supports Surface Pen and touch, while up to 13.5 hours of battery life gives you plenty of juice to work all day and play all night.

    The Great

    • Top Tablet, PC Notebook
    • Better performance and battery life from its CPU update
    • Flexable keyboard
    • LTE antenna

    The Not

    • Keyboard cover and Surface Pen are still sold separately.
    • No USB-C and Thunderbolt options

    The Conclusion

    I truly love this thing,  it’s a beast.  For such a small package it really is amazing. It powers 3 monitors for me through the dock, bunch of USB devices, do Photoshop, web dev, emails, everything. Make sure to not go cheap on the processor or ram or you’re stuck with a brick. Microsoft says it, The ultimate laptop with versatility of a studio and tablet.

     

    What To Do..

    So here is my problem, I need to solve for the following. I need to replace a laptop, with a powerful desktop, and a tablet. It has to run Lightroom, Photoshop, Visual Studio, Office stuff and Age of Empires all at once. I need a  pressure-sensitive pen for drawing and to convert it to a workstation . I want a decent and equally powerful tablet form factor for reading, games, and video watching with decent tablet battery life

     

    What to do, what to do.. And there is an easy, elegant answer.. the Surface Pro with Advanced LTE. Surface Pro delivers even more speed and performance thanks to a powerful Intel Core processor that runs full desktop apps with ease plus 50% more battery life than Surface Pro 4 and 2.5x more performance than Surface Pro 3. With brilliant color on the high-resolution PixelSense Display with a stunning screen that responds to your touch, its heaven. The Surface has been great, whats the new one do?

     

    Whats New?

    From a hardware perspective, the Surface Pro with LTE Advanced is almost indistinguishable from its non-LTE sibling, the surface pro (2017) which in turn is remarkably similar to the 2015-vintage surface pro 4.

    A close inspection of the exterior reveals one difference. Behind the kickstand, the Surface Pro with LTE Advanced includes an expansion slot that’s about 5/8 of an inch wider than its non-LTE cousin. That’s just enough room to squeeze a nano SIM tray alongside the familiar MicroSD memory card slot. Surface Pro’s LTE connectivity makes it the first “true mobile computer.

    A Cat 9 modem supports cellular connections up to 450 Mbps in speed, and an embedded SIM allows connections to pay-as-you-go data services without the need for an external SIM card. GPS support is also included, making this a useful option for any application that requires precise location information and navigation.

     

    The Final Thought

    The Surface has everything thing I need to truly replace my PC, laptop and tablets. It works, its great and im not stuck only get mobile versions of apps and websites. While the upgrades since 2015 are minimal, they are useful and necessary with out any gimmicks and features I don’t need and wont use.

     

     

     

  • Laptop Lookout: HP ZBook X2

    Laptop Lookout: HP ZBook X2

    Its not a Notebook, barely a laptop but it a great PC solution. Hp is Introducing the world’s most powerful detachable PC with remarkable performance and versatility to push your favorite Adobe applications to the limit. Yes it’s a full-performance workstation-class laptop experience with full-sized keyboard and integrated stand. With HP Quick Keys, keep working in your Adobe® apps without the use of a keyboard. The full-sized Bluetooth® keyboard stays active when detached, so you can keep working.

     

    The Good

    • Adobe featured
    • great stylus
    • Great shortcut OS features
    • Good Keyboard

     

    The Not

    • Battery-life not great
    • Lacks graphic performance
    • Overpriced

     

    The Conclusion

    I cant call it a 2 in 1, its barley a laptop but much more then a notebook or tablet. Really its everything and does it all pretty well but is a master of none.

     

     

    This is no notebook. This is  a specialized tool designed to serve as a complete solution for digital artists, photographers and other creatives. It’s massive, but designed to provide easy access to shortcuts. It also has a professional-grade stylus and a matte 4k display that feels as if you’re drawing on paper.

     

    The Design

    You’ve never seen a laptop like this before. The ZBook is industrial in a way that looks powerful. It’s a large octagon of metal. The back is a very plain gunmetal gray with a reflective Z logo and a whole bunch of vents for cooling. The pull-out kickstand could use a little more to put you fingers in the small notches on the side, but it pulls out almost flat, up to 165 degrees.

     

     

    With a 4k Display and only a 14 inch bezel surrounding it makes it very attractive to look at. Windows Hello is in place with an infrared camera and webcam stuffed in the top. The best part of the design is the 12 programmable shortcut buttons built down the sides. Down the right side you will find  a fingerprint reader, an SD card slot, a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI output, a pair of Thunderbolt ports and a barrel-shaped charging jack.Its a big heaver then the others in its class at 4.9lbs but it feels much more rugged and sturdy. The metal body helps this.

     

    The Power

    It has the power,  it has all the specs of a workstation PC: a quad-core i7 processor (from Intel’s Kaby Lake-R line), an Nvidia Quadro M620 graphics card, and up to 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD in a versatile desgin. These are the top line specs so you are gonna have to pay more to get the juice. It also rocks a  Wacom EMR-enabled and battery-free stylus with 4,096 levels of pressure, comparable to many of Wacom’s gaphics tablets. Then there’s the four modes that the detachable 2-in-1 can be used in. That includes a docked mode where the device can connect to two external 4K displays simultaneously and a “detached” mode where the keyboard functions as a Bluetooth keyboard.

     

    The Final Thought

    Its got some neat, unique features and functions. The short-cut keys, the kickstand. Its got the versatility being a tablet, 2-1, and powerful PC. Yes its the most powerful detachable pc tablet laptop but at what cost?  It’s a good fit for for artists, 4K videographers, and anyone who needs massive power in a versatile form…