Tablet Operating Systems

The tablet is a device between a Notebook and a smartphone. Because of this positioning, the operating system used to support it is coming from both worlds: Mobiles and Notebooks.


1. Mobile operation systems:

Those operating systems are adapted from the smartphone to bigger screens. They are all using a walled garden environment which allows the development of third party applications under the control of the OS vendor. Except of iOS, all the other operating systems are under development to be compatible with bigger screens.

iOS (Apple)

iOS is the adapted version of the iphone software. It's built for ARM processors, allows touch screen, and operate in a walled garden environment. Apple has been able to leverage the success of its application store and open it also for its tablet. iOS is only available with iPad.

Android (Google)

Android is a Linux based software developed by Google for smart phones. Like the iOS, it's built for ARM processors and operate in a walled garden environment. In their hurry to catch up with Apple iPad, some vendors like Samsung have used the Android 2.2 Froyo on their tablet but with a mixed results. In fact, this Android version is not adapted for tablets. Today, Google is preparing an new version of its Android software for tablets called Gingerbread. Many vendors are waiting for it to launch their tablets in the first quarter of 2011.

WebOS (HP)

After the acquisition of Palm in 2010, HP confirmed the development of the famous Palm WebOS for their future tablets. The first release is expected in the first quarter of 2011.

BlackBerry tablet OS (RIM)

BlackBerry tablet OS is based on QNX system acquired by RIM early in 2010. The OS will be launched in the first quarter of 2011 on the new RIM PlayBook.


2. Notebook operating system:

Windows 7 (Microsoft)

Microsoft is going against the flow in the OS market for tablets. While all the other vendors are using their mobile OS to make a compatible version for tablets, Microsoft is refusing to use its Windows 7 Mobile for the same purpose. Instead, it's proposing Windows 7 for Notebooks which is compatible with a traditional PC architecture (x86) with additional touch feature. This option has the disadvantage of being expensive for tablet manufacturers, heavy comparing to the other mobile based OS, and doesn't have the application base to attract third party developers.

Tablet World - Introduction

Even though the tablet computer was introduced initially by Microsoft in 2000, it didn't really attract  consumers until the successful launch of the Apple iPad in the beginning of 2010. Thanks to its marketing strategy, Apple has made an interesting segment out of the tablet.

This renewed enthusiasm around this product, created a new gold rush for all the PC makers who want to get their share of the tablet pie. That's why, we have been so overwhelmed this year by tons of announcements, that we are unable to get a clear picture about what is really happening.

Whether you are an informed reader or a novice, you deserve to get a concise summary about this fast growing market without wasting your precious time surfing from a website to an other, or chasing information from different sources. 

To satisfy this need, we have decided to start publishing regular posts on our blog about tablet computers.

Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any comments or suggestions.

Happy reading.

Start asking, start saving !

Kids are good teachers.

Whenever my 3 years son is asking for something and I refuse, he will keep asking until I surround and give him whatever he wants. Am I weak? Maybe, but so are so many other people around us.

What children are doing is called persistence. They simply keep asking until they get what they want. Unfortunately, we loose this skill with age.

You should be wondering what all this has to do with IT products. In fact, 3 months ago, I have decided to apply my son's tactic with sales people on the ground. I started asking for a discount whenever I go shopping. It was scaring in the beginning but I got used to it with time. Today, I don't buy anything without asking and insisting to get a discount.

You will be surprised, but most of the stores can give between 5 to 10% discount on their IT products, or at least some free items. All you need to do is ask for it. This applies of course to all the other products and services, so don't buy anything blindly without asking.

You will see how much you can save if you get back your ''childish'' attitude.

Happy shopping !

How to get your Kindle to your doorsteps in the UAE

After my last post yesterday regarding the new Kindle from Amazon, I received many emails asking to explain how we can get a Kindle from the US if it's not available for the Gulf countries. It's true that if you go to Amazon.com and you select UAE as your country of origin, you will not be able to buy your device.

Fortunately for Kindle fans, there is a way to get it to your doorsteps with a hassle free process:
1) Open an account with a shipping company which can give you a US address. Personally I use Aramex. It will cost you 35 $ for a life account and 2 addresses, one in the US and the second in UK
2) Open an Amazon account with your new address in the US
3) Order your Kindle and ship it to your Aramex address
4) Aramex will take care of the delivery to your local address for 39 AED


Once you have your Kindle, you will get access to the Amazon US store which has 630,000 ebooks at competitive prices.

Please share with us your personal experience, so everybody can benefit from it.

Are you books or ebooks?

I love reading books and I buy 4 to 5 of them on monthly basis. One year ago, there was a lot of discussions about Amazon Kindle and ebooks. As a puritan, I was rejecting the idea of loosing the pleasure of holding and turning the pages of my paper book. But after the launch of the iPad,  I started reading my first ebooks on its Amazon application.

The experience was good especially that I was able to carry as many books as I want wherever I go. Few months ago, Amazon who is the leader in the ebook market, responded to Apple by launching the new kindle. I saw the reviews on Internet and all of them were very positive about the new device. I immediately ordered one from the US to try it myself and I must agree that I am impressed by its reading quality.

Even if I still enjoy a traditional book from time to time, I have definitely shifted to ebooks after I got my Kindle.

Having ebooks on your Kindle has so many advantages:
1) You can carry up to 3500 ebooks, which is enough for a lifetime reading for most of us
2) The e-ink technology is comfortable for the eyes
3) The new kindle is very light : 241 g
4) The battery can last for up to 1 month
5) ebooks are cheaper than the normal books. If you read a book from time to time, this is not a strong argument, but if you buy 4 to 5 books per month, you can easily see the difference
6) Kindle price is cheap : starting from only 139 USD for the wifi version
7) Your wife or husband will not complain anymore about your growing stock of books which is taking a lot of place at home

Some people are still considering the Kindle, with its black and white screen, as archaic comparing to the iPad, which is true if you are looking for a multi-tasking device. But if you are looking for a pure ereader, the new Kindle is the best.

iPad - not a competitor to the usual newspaper

''Should I buy my notebook and camera during Gitex?''

I was on my way to the airport few days ago, when the taxi driver asked me about my job. I told him I was working in the IT industry. Then, he started immediately talking about Gitex and asked me a very simple but tricky question: ''Should I buy my notebook and camera during Gitex?''

This question reminded me that there are still so many people who believe in Gitex offers, which is good for the industry, so I decided to publish this post in order to answer this question for the taxi driver and for so many other UAE residents.

First of all, the IT industry is one of the rare markets where price inflation doesn't exist and where competition is very high. So, you can predict with high accuracy to get equivalent or better prices for any future purchase.
Second, suppliers margins used to be high in the past and they were able to cut them during Gitex in order to make their offers more attractive to the customers.

Today, the first idea remains the same but the second one is less accurate. Suppliers margins are very limited and they can not afford anymore to give important discounts.

So my answer is yes, you can get a better offer in Gitex but you can also get a much better offer after Gitex, especially from retailers who want to liquidate their Gitex unsold stocks.

To summarize, my advise is the following:
1) Select now the product you want to buy
2) Watch the actual prices next week in the retail shops: Carrefour, Sharaf DG, Jumbo and Jacky's
3) Check prices also on online shops
4) Go to Gitex shoppers and verify the prices

If you find a big difference, buy the product. If the price is the same, wait until the end of Gitex because you may get a better offer.

''PlayBook'' Blackberry innovation for the Tablet Market

Mike Lazaridis, the co-CEO of Research In Motion (RIM) the Canadian company behind the blackberry smart phones, announced recently its PlayBook ''the first professional tablet'' to the market. The announcement came as RIM answer to the growing popularity of the Apple iPad in the consumer segment.

According to Susquehanna analyst Jeffery Fidacaro : “RIM decided to focus its PlayBook tablet on enterprise, rather than consumer, which may prove strategic in the short term, however, our concern is that the vast majority of the Tablet addressable market will still be consumer- related and that the same smartphone usage trends will likely carry over to Tablets, which RIM needs to address.”

The official launch of the tablet will be in early 2011 in the US market, but we already have some information about what we can expect from RIM new device:

1. The tablet will focus more on Internet connection and will be less dependent on applications.
2. It will have two cameras, one on the front and a second on the back.
3. It will support full multitasking.
4. It will have a 7 inch screen comparing to 9.7 inch for iPad
5. It will weigh around 400 g.
6. It will be compatible with Adobe Flash 10.1.

Knowing the popularity of the Blackberry smart phones among the professional segment in the Middle East, we expect also a lot of interest around the PlayBook. Even if the official launch in the region will be probably by the end of 2011, Internet and shipping companies have made it easier to get any new technology device well in advance. We will keep you posted once we have more information about the price and the exact date of the official launch.

Digital Camera: How To Find The Best Digital Camera

by nicktan69:

It seems that every month, if not every week, different manufacturers are coming up with the latest digital cameras to entice potential clients. And it's just not working for us!

After spending sizeable amount of time at the mall figuring out which is the best digital camera for us, we finally have enough money to buy for that eye-popping, 7 mega pixel, 10x digital zoom, potable, candy colored, up to 512MB expandable memory of super hi-speed SD memory card and not to mention very portable, (that will be the envy of almost everyone we know). We march to the mall armed with our life savings and lotsa pride in ourselves, when we pass by a new display - an eight mega pixel, up to 1G expandable memory, with built it mic and stereo surround, video playback capable, with 22 scenic modes kind-of-camera. And we sigh because the producer of this amazing gadget claims that this is the best digital camera yet out in the market. And so as we always want to have the best, armed with our life savings and a few credit cards, we buy the "best digital camera." But then again, that doesn't last too long, after two months or so, there's another "best digital camera."

And so it confuses us. What makes a digital camera, the best digital camera?

Well, there are certain factors to consider when looking for the "best digital camera" for us.

MEGAPIXELS. One of the most important features of digital camera to make it into the best digital camera category is its mega pixel property. The higher the mega pixels the better the actual photograph will come out. A mega pixel is equivalent to one million pixels. The resolution of your image is based upon the mega pixel property of your camera. This means that as you enlarge the picture, you would get more detail and less blurry colors.

LCD SIZE. The best digital camera will always have a large LCD to help you frame your subject without having to squint to the viewfinder. This is also helpful when reviewing your images, some cameras enable touch up and editing features with its LCD. A 1.5-inch display is average, a 2-inch LCD display is good, but the best LCD size would be 2.5 inches or higher.

ZOOM. Most digital cameras have both digital and optical zoom. A higher optical zoom is always better than a higher digital zoom. Digital cameras are usually furnished with optical of between 3x to 10x. The better the optical zoom, the higher it climbs up to the best digital camera category.

MEMORY CARD. Always make sure that your memory card is the right one for your digital camera. There are different types of memory card like the xD, SD, Flash card and the likes. And these types of memory cards go with certain types of digital cameras. of course memory storage is also up there in choosing the best digital cameras. Choose the size of memory that you need, if you're a photo junkie, you might need more than 32MB. Memory cards can go up to 1G.

The key point to find the best digital camera is to find one that will best fit you and your lifestyle. Don't just buy the latest or the one that claims they are the best digital cameras out in the market. You wouldn't want to buy a DSLR and use it with your home activities or family outing and have to lug it around?! Or you don't want to buy the latest point and shoot camera when you're serious about being a professional photographer. (Of course, you can use this for starters, but if you're not a novice photographer anymore, you wouldn't want to get this kind of camera.)

Actually, the best digital camera is the one that you will enjoy and use. Not the type that you'll just leave rotting in its box or after a few weeks of usage or so, up there in the attic.

Comparing The Apple iPad Features Against A Netbook

by Jim Cady:

The Apple iPad features are so diverse that it has been criticised for not really having a clear target market. After all you can have great mobile computing power with the Smartphones and netbooks. Does the iPad really compete well with the existing machines? Whether it does compete or not the iPad has taken off in terms of sales since it was launched. Here is a step by step comparison of the iPad features and a netbook features.

Price

The range of netbooks are cheaper than the iPad. There are many different options in both ranges from basic mobile computing to high spec. multimedia computers. But a netbook will always be better priced than an equivalent iPad model.

Battery Life

Th iPad will run for over 10 hours using all the functionality that it has. A netbook will boast long battery life but as soon as you start using some of the power hungry applications you will see a sharp drop in battery life. So the iPad is a clear winner when it comes to battery life.

Operating System and Built in Software

Netbooks really look quite archaic when compared to Apples iPad operating system. The bespoke nature of it means that Apple have really made it very intuitive and easy to use. They don't even need to include instructions which is a bit unnerving. The iPad just works and beats the netbooks easily in this department.

Hardware

The netbooks are very easy to connect to the outside world with usb and card readers. The iPad has none of this built is. You can't expand the iPad with external hardware and addons. For many users this is not an issue because they do not need bespoke hardware and applications. For high tech programming and top end multimedia production the iPad is limited. It is really for a user and not a product producer. There is also no keyboard with an iPad so for serious typing you need an iPad keyboard dock.

Apps and Functions

Th initial problem of only being able to run one app at time has been solved with some special apps for multitasking. Its not as smooth as changing programs on a netbook. Where the Apple iPad is better is in the sheer number of free and very low cost apps you can add.

Summary

In terms of scoring with apple iPad features against the netbooks the iPad wins in terms of number of options and cost per app. In terms of coolness the iPad has it. The netbook is much better if you are a writer, programmer or producer of graphics and other memory hungry applications. If you are someone who needs a mobile computer to use in a straightforward way then the Apple iPad wins easily.

Several Reasons to Buy Your Gifts Online

by: Paul Jesse

These days, online shopping is increasingly becoming a preferred method for a lot of people, and for good reason. The internet has certainly provided an effective avenue for local as well as international consumerism to flourish and now, it is continuing to be an amazing tool for sellers as well as buyers.

If for instance you are looking to purchase a gift for someone special, you might want to buy your gifts online. Here are the top 4 reasons why you should:

Wide Variety in Product Choices
The internet is a veritable marketplace for a lot of products and if there is one thing you can expect from it, it is that there is a plethora of choices from which you can choose. Regardless of the type of product you are looking for, you will get the chance to pursue as many of its kind as possible.

Budget Friendly Prices

Just as online shoppers have the opportunity to choose from among a wide product selection, they can also choose affordable gift items that suit their budget. If you are looking to spend as little money as possible, online stores would be the perfect place for you to shop. You would also be pleased to know that there are several deals you can score if you know which websites to go to..

Convenience in Shopping

While it can be fun to purchase gift items at the mall, not everyone has the time to do it, especially when you have a full time job and other responsibilities. With online shopping, all you need to do is enter the site and check out the available products they have available. When you are done choosing, a few clicks will finalize the transaction. In addition, you do not have to carry items home with you because everything will be shipped to you within a day or two.

Tips:
When purchasing items online, you have to take advantage of the choices. That is, it would be beneficial if you compare product quality as well as prices before making a decision. Shop around first and see what else is being offered so you can get the best deal there is.

Buy only from reputable online sites. Keep in mind that you run the risk of getting sub standard products if you are not careful in choosing which online stores to buy from.

In all, shopping for gifts online can be incredibly rewarding not only for you but also to those whom you will give the present.

Compaq CQ60 - 305EA – True Value From a Simple Yet Reliable Notebook

by: Alex Bradbury

As more companies are now manufacturing computers, especially laptops and notebooks, we, the consumers, have become very lucky as this piece of integral hardware has dropped prices and there are many options to choose from. And not because they are now relatively cheaper, that doesn’t mean that their performance takes a dip. The Compaq CQ60-305EA is such a notebook, made for the average user with regular usage; it is a notebook that is very simple and affordable with a remarkable 15.6 inch widescreen that delivers very well in terms of speed and performance.

The Compaq CQ60-305EA though is far from the ideal notebook to lug around. It is a bit chunkier and heavier than most of the latest designs and users of the Compaq CQ60-305EA have made use of the notebook more as a home PC. But its widescreen display makes up for the fact that it’s a notebook and provides a feel of a desktop.

Design wise, the Compaq CQ60-305EA looks very much the same as the other Compaq laptops and notebooks in their line-up. The case has a glossy black outer shell with a silver letter “Q” on top. As mentioned, it can be a bit heavy as it weighs in at 6.5 pounds. This weight can be attributed to the fact that it has a large frame measuring 37.8 cm lengthwise, 25.2 cm in width, and 4.4 cm in height. Although it can be tiring to lug around, it is still very portable. And with a large frame comes usually a large screen, and this Compaq notebook has a widescreen that has a 15.6 inch display that has a pixel resolution of 1366 x 768 and with the BrightView Technology of HP, the screen provides more than ample performance and quality displaying a glossy and reflective finish enhancing the brightness and depth of colour of the screen and its images. The screen can also natively display HD content with 720 p because of its 16:9 aspect ratio. This means that whether at home or on the road, you will be able to watch High Definition videos.

Again, because of its large frame, the Compaq CQ60-305EA can support a full keyboard, which to a good number of people is an added bonus; also, there is a dedicated numeric keypad perfect for those who have just moved from a desktop to a laptop. Keyboard colour is black on the CQ60-305EA which is the same with the rest of the models in this line. Just below it is a silver palm rest and a touchpad. What is lacking though is the availability of controls for media and for volume adjustment. Alongside the keyboard surface, you will be able to find switches, buttons, and controls for WI-FI, power, and for the touchpad.

As mentioned above, the Compaq CQ60-305EA is a very reliable notebook for the average user, but this notebook is not for gamers. With such affordability comes some sacrifice, and unfortunately, this comes in the form of the performance. But again, for those that use their laptops and notebooks for simple operations, the CQ60-305EA provides more than adequate performance, but for gamers and for video editing and other advanced features, this is not the unit for you.

Overall, the Compaq CQ60-305EA is a notebook recommended for general use. For regular tasks such as web browsing, making documents, watching videos, you can be rest assured that it will perform superbly. For advanced tasks, don’t get your hopes up.

What is happening for the iphone 4 offers in UAE?

1 month ago, the best offer on the iphone 4 16GB was proposed by Carrefour at 3699 AED. At that time other outlets were proposing the same model at more than 4399 AED.

Thanks to the official launching by Etisalat and Du, things have changed drastically, but some retailers adapted very fast and others are still working on the old prices. We decided to give you more information about what is happening in the market so you don't lose your money.

Please contact your retailer or service provider for more details.

1) Etisalat packages:

16 GB from 0 to 2049 AED + monthly subscription

32 GB from 350 to 2399 AED + monthly subscription

 

2) Du packages:

16 GB @ 2449 AED with free data for a year

32 GB @ 2849 AED with free data for a year

3) Carrefour:

16 GB @ 2699 AED

4) Sharaf DG :

16 GB @ 3829 AED

32 GB @ 4269 AED

5) Nahel.com:

16 GB @ 3499 AED

32 GB @ 4199 AED

Will the iPad cannibalize the Notebook market?

Before buying an iPad and using it I was saying an absolute NO to this question. I was even mentioning a survey from NPD where it's shown that only 13% of the iPad owners bought the devise instead of a Notebook or Netbook.
But after using the iPad, I realized that I really need it. I am not using anymore my traditional NB like before. When I want to do some office work, I use my desktop at home which is more comfortable. For anything else, I use my iPad.
A lot of people around me are still very skeptical about this question, but none of them is an iPad user, and all iPad owners I know are happy with it.
According to the main retailers in the UAE, Notebook demand remains strong and iPad is still a secondary device for most of the people, but we need to watch closely what will happen once the iPad prices will go down in the next few months.

Please share with us your personal experience.

Gitex Dubai 2010

Gitex will open its doors in Dubai from the 17th to the 21st of October. It's the biggest IT event in the Middle East (http://www.gitex.com). All the brands will be present with their special offers, and we are used to a very competitive prices.
This year, we have seen a sharp drop in prices in the last 3 months due, according to some big players in the market, huge stocks and low consumer demand.
We will see if Gitex this year will be up to its promises or we will have for the first time the same current prices.

Apple iPad

Even if the apple iPad haven't made its official start in the UAE yet, most of the retail outlets are proposing it at different prices, so be careful from where you are buying as prices are not fixed.

1) 16 GB, Wifi:
ecomputerdepot: 2499 AED
Carrefour: 2699 AED
Sharaf DG: 2699 AED


2) 16 GB, 3G:
ecomputerdepot: 2899 AED
Sharaf DG: 3299 AED
Carrefour: 3799 AED


3) 32 GB, 3G:
ecomputerdepot: 3499 AED
Sharaf DG: 3799 AED
Carrefour: 3999 AED

4) 64 GB, 3G:
ecomputerdepot: 3899 AED
Sharaf DG: 4199 AED
Carrefour: 4299 AED

How to Buy a Laptop

From all the information available on the Internet we have found this article useful if you want to buy your laptop.

How to Buy a Laptop

Introduction

Who are we?

We are a group of friends living in the UAE and excited about IT products.

Why this blog?

The IT industry is changing very fast, and the average consumer is not able to follow and make the right choice when he wants to buy a product for him or his family.

We have a lot of friends coming to us on regular basis in order to get some advice about the ''right product'' to buy. We have discovered that the problem in most cases is about getting the latest information to make their choice.

So we decided to publish this information online to allow the maximum people in the UAE to benefit from it.

What could we find in this blog?

We will publish on weekly basis, the latest offers available in the market with their specifications, prices and where to buy them.

We will also publish product reviews whenever it's available.

Our objective is not to choose in your place, but to give you all the information required in order to make your choice.

Is this blog only for UAE?

Yes and No. Yes for the prices and products availability in the retail outlets. No for the product reviews which are of course valid for any other country.

We hope that you will find this information valuable, and we encourage you to share your comments and suggestions in order to improve the life of IT consumers in the UAE.

Enjoy,

Smart Buy - UAE