Apple has unveiled the latest version of its popular Tablet PC, the iPad 2 – boasting a 33% thinner and upto 15% lighter design, combined with a new dual-core A5 chip, promising improved graphics, and a faster & better user experience, with 2 cameras, HD video – the Apple iPad 2 release date has been set for 25 March 2011.

iPad 2 – Dual Cameras

The new Apple iPad features a set of dual cameras – a front facing camera lets you shoot VGA quality photos and record video at 30 fps (frames per second) and enables users to make FaceTime video calls over WiFi to other iPad 2 owners, iPhone 4 devices, the new iPod Touches and Apple Mac computers.

There is a better quality rear facing camera on the iPad 2 tablet that enables HD video recording (720p) at 30 fps with audio and the still camera features a 5x digital zoom function to get closer to your subjects.

Owning the newer iPad with 2 cameras opens up new possibilities for communication and entertainment, particularly when utilizing the wide variety of iPad applications that push the creativity and fun factor even further, such as the iPad Photo Booth app.

iPad 2 Photo Booth

The new camera photo manipulation software app Photo Booth comes built in with the latest iPad – demonstrating a slew of fun, artsy and even weird photo distorting effects live on the display – but moreover, the Photo Booth app shows off the capabilities and power of the new dual core A5 chip, enabling such improved graphics processing, as it displays a 9 panel screen preview each with a unique photo effect that updates and changes as you move in real-time.

iPad 2 Multi Touch Display

Pinch, tap and swipe on the multi-touch display that detects the movement of your fingers by sensing the electrical fields as you touch the screen.  The iPad is fully controlled by your touch, from browsing the web, to tapping out an email or reading an eBook – the iPad 2 Multi-Touch display screen is both intuitive and a joy to use.

iPad Smart Cover

The new iPad 2 and the iPad Smart Cover were designed with each other in mind – both feature built in smart magnetic technology that  enables the two to work together in clever and innovative ways.  For example, the iPad Smart Cover fits neatly over your iPad to protect the display – fold back the Smart Cover and your iPad wakes up instantly and ready to use! Close the cover again and it puts your iPad back to sleep.  What’s more, the iPad Smart Cover can be folded over itself into the perfect iPad stand for those times when you want to watch a movie, play some games or browse the web.

The iPad Smart Cover comes in 10 vibrant colour choices, including 5 of which are made in a rich, aniline-dyed Italian leather.

iPad 2 Games

With the introduction of the new dual core A5 chip on the latest iPad 2, it does twice the work, faster and with up to 9x faster graphics performance the iPad 2 is able to offer an even better gameplay experience with smoother and more improved graphics on the high resolution 9.7 inch iPad display.

Combined with the built in accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and a compass that all work together – the iPad knows your every movement, allowing for an added dimension and sense of realism from new iPad applications and games.

Apple iPad 2 Built In Apps

iPad – 10 Hour Battery Life

The new iPad may be thinner and lighter on the weighing scale, but with the power-efficient A5 chip, the iPad 2 can still offer a generous 10 hour battery life that lets you do more of what you love, for longer.

Related Sites

• Apple iPad 2 (Official UK Site) [Apple.com]

Cheap desktop PCs costing as little as £98 are due to be made available to millions of Britons through a government scheme to encourage people to get online for the first time.

A 12 month trial is being run as part of the Race Online 2012 scheme, whose goal is to reach out to the 9.2 million adults in Britain who are currently offline.  Refurbished computers are being offered with prices starting from £98 and a subsidised internet connection is also available for £9 a month.

The UK’s digital champion, Martha Lane Fax told the Financial Times: “Motivation and inspiration are still two of the biggest barriers [to using the internet], but clearly perception of price is another big deal for people“. “A good price point is certainly part of what helps people get online.”

Offline Disadvantage

Race Online 2012, hopes to “make the UK the first nation in the world where everyone can use the web“, – it estimated that four million people in Britain are socially and economically disadvantaged because they have not gone online.

Where To Buy

The cheap PCs are being distributed by Remploy, and will operate on open-source software such as Linux and are being shipped with a flat screen monitor, keyboard and mouse.  A PC warranty will be included and there is a dedicated telephone helpline.

Remploy specialises in helping disabled and disadvantaged people find work and which runs the computer recycling scheme e-cycle.

Subsidized Internet Dongle

Research carried out by Race Online 2012 suggested that going online can help people save around £560 a year.  It negotiated cheap internet packages which work through the use of a mobile dongle, and costs £9 a month or £18 for three months, to help encourage people to go online – many thousands of jobs are now exclusive and only offered online, it is hoped that such schemes will help minimize the cost barrier preventing people from accessing the web.

Toshiba announces the release of the NB500 and NB520 netbook computers in the NB500 series of portable computer laptops, with the premium Toshiba NB520 model featuring the new Intel dual core Atom N550 processor and Harmon/Kardon speakers built in.

The entry-level Toshiba NB500 offers an Intel Atom N455 CPU, has a 10.1 inch display with a screen resolution of 1,024×600 typical of most netbooks.  The NB500 is said to provide up to 8 hours of battery life on a single charge and the Toshiba NB500 netbook is available to buy in a choice of colour styles:

Toshiba NB500 Colour & Style Options

• Blue
• Brown
• Green
• Resin Black

Toshiba NB520 Netbook

The premium NB520 model in the new NB500 family line of netbooks by Toshiba is being marketed as the netbook for music lovers, featuring high quality Harmon/Kardon speakers built in and support for Dolby Advanced Audio technology to enhance the sound even further.

The Toshiba NB520 netbook comes loaded with Windows 7 Starter Edition, 1GB of RAM, and a 250GB hard drive for storing all your media files.  The NB520 also boasts an impressively long battery life of up to 10 hours.

Toshiba NB500 & NB520 Features

Both Toshiba Netbook models include the following features:

• 10.1-inch LED backlit screens
• Intel Atom Processors (Dual Core on the NB520)
• Built in Web Cameras with Microphones
• 3 USB 2.0 ports,
• 2-in-1 Card Reader
• Relatively lightweight 1.32kgs approx

The Toshiba NB500 & NB520 release date is expected to be sometime early January 2011.

See Also

• Toshiba Laptops
• Laptops

Creative Labs announce the launch of the ZiiO entertainment internet tablets in a 7-inch and 10-inch model, based on the Android operating system, with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.

The Creative ZiiO tablets are touchscreen based entertainment devices that allow you to watch movies, play games and enjoy music, powered on the Android operating system, enabling you to send emails and browse the web.

Creative ZiiO Key Features

• 7-inch ZiiO features 16.8 million colour display, while the 10-inch model has a 262K color display.
• Connectivity options include Bluetooth 2.1 EDR (with apt-X and A2DP) and  are Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g capable for internet connectivity.
• Creative highlights  the X-Fi Audio Enhancements (X-Fi Crystalizer, X-Fi Expand) for superior sound quality, with audio support for MP3, AAC, WMA9, FLAC, OGG, ADPCM, MIDI, WAV, Audible Format 4
• Video Support includes: H.264, MPEG4, WMV9, MJPEG, MOV, AVI, MKV
• Creatize ZiiO supports JPG, BMP, and PNG images, and there is a HD Video-Out port enabling you to connect the device to a large HD TV for example, for high definition playback on the big screen.
• Other built in features include a front facing VGA camera, built-in microphone and built-in stereo speaker.
• ZiiO is bundled with an Accelerometer, a motion sensor that can auto-rotate the display as you turn the device on its side into landscape format (or back to portrait).
• Creatize ZiiO battery life includes playtime of up to 25 hrs (MP3 music), and up to 5 hrs (for video playback)
• Expandable memory options, with a microSD slot on the 7-inch ZiiO and a SD card slot on the 10-inch ZiiO model allowing up to a total of 32GB memory.

Creative ZiiO Options & Pricing

The Creative ZiiO 7-inch tablet comes in white with a 480 x 800 resolution, while the 10-inch ZiiO model is black and features a 1024 x 600 resolution display – with both models available in 8GB and 16GB capacities.

• Creative ZiiO 7 inch 8GB – £199.99
• Creative ZiiO 7 inch 8GB – £219.99
• Creative ZiiO 10 inch 8GB - £249.99
• Creative ZiiO 10 inch 16GB – £269.99

Perhaps what is most notable about the launch of the Creative ZiiO is that the entertainment tablet is competitively priced at nearly half the price of the Apple iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab internet tablet pc devices.

Creative ZiiO Images

JVC first announced the ultra-slim 32-inch LT-32WX50 display monitor at the CEDIA 2009 expo, a lightweight and aesthetically designed thin display monitor, catering for the custom install market (such as shop-front displays).

In a press release, JVC highlights its collaboration with industry professionals, furniture craftsmen and interior designers with a focus on improving the way monitor displays are used and fitted, with particular emphasis on the thin and lightweight properties of the JVC LT-32WX50 display monitor which is a mere 6.4mm thick (at its thinnest point) and weighs a relatively light 5.7kg.  The JVC LCD Monitor has a Contrast ratio of 4000:1 (native) and a wide colour gamut providing 90% Adobe RGB coverage to ensure image reproduction with exceptionally high resolution.

The bulkiest point of the monitor is around 25mm thick, for connectivity options, which includes 2 HDMI ports, a PC input and slots for an SD memory card and USB memory stick.  There’s no tuner built into the monitor, which is not unexpected for a display monitor, but consumers intending to buy the LCD TV for the home will need to connect it to a suitable media device such as a dvd player, game console, freeview box or similar input source.

Toshiba joins the Tablet PC market with the release of the Folio 100 Tablet powered by the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, offering a cheaper alternative to both the Apple iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab devices.

The Toshiba Folio 100 is a 10.1-inch tablet pc featuring a capacitive touchscreen with multi-touch support that lets you tap, pinch and swipe the screen to zoom and flick through the menus.  The Folio 100 has a screen resolution of 1024×600 but also integrates a mini-hdmi output port allowing you to connect the device to a TV with full HD 1080p playback.

Toshiba Folio 100 Side View Images – Ports & Connectivity

The Toshiba Folio 100 comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity options on board, while a mobile broadband 3G enabled version of the Folio 100 is expected to be released early next year in the first quarter of 2011.

Android 2.2 Froyo Platform

Powered by the Android 2.2 operating system ensures there is a wide range of apps available, although at the present time most Android applications have been optimized for smaller screen mobile devices so the large screen of the Folio 100 may not always be utilized to its fullest – this will likely change as Android application developers begin to cater for the larger screen tablet devices.

However, the Toshiba Folio 100 does have 10.1 Adobe Flash support, something which is lacking in the Apple iPad.  On the front of the Folio 100 device is a 1.3 megapixel camera for video calls (over WiFi), and there’s 16GB of storage included, which can be expanded up to 32GB with an optional high capacity SD Card.  A built in Accelerometer allows you to rotate the display, which will automatically turn the orientation of the menu interface, and this can also be locked into place, which is convenient if you are retiring to watch a movie for example.  The Toshiba Folio 100 measures 14mm thick and weighs 760g and has a stated battery life of 7 hours, calculated on the basis that you browse the web for most of the time (65%), a bit of video (10%) and some time on standby (25%).  The Toshiba Folio 100 is out now and has a retail price of £329.

So long as you haven’t been living in a cave for the past 6 months, you’ll be aware that the iPad has finally been released. There are thousands of apps already available for it, and many of these are fantastically useful. You may have heard of some of them already. We all know you can use the iPad to read books and play games, but what follows are a few things that maybe you didn’t realise it could do.

7.  Make Phone Calls

Now you can even afford to give up your iPhone, thanks to the Truphone iPad app, which allows you to wield around your brand new gadget like an enormous iPhone, even though you might end up looking a little ridiculous.

Truphone is a free VoiP application, which uses the web rather than regular phone lines. The makers state that calls to other users of Truphone, as well as Skype and Google Talk users is totally free, while the rate to call land lines and mobiles is in their words “really, really low”.

6.  Write With Your Finger

The new Writepad app is a handy little tool that allows you to take notes anytime, anywhere, without having to mess around typing. Simply use your finger like a pen and scrawl all over the screen! You can set Writepad in a blank notepad mode for taking notes at a meeting, or else you can use it while viewing documents and web pages in order to jot things down quickly and easily.

5.  Dictate Text

Going one step further than taking notes with your finger, how about having the iPad just take the notes for you? The Dragon Dictation app is the cheapest secretary you’ll ever employ, costing absolutely nothing. It uses voice recognition software to take down notes, which you can then copy paste and send as emails, messages etc.

4.  Gaze At The Stars

Astronomers will love this one. The award-winning Pocket Universe app works just like a telescope, except that it does even more! Point your iPad at the sky and the app’s built in digital compass will work out what you’re looking at and replicate that image on-screen, only with far more details than you’ll get from gazing at it by yourself. Names of stars and planets will be displayed, and clicking on any one of them brings up more additional information, and it’ll even direct you where to look in order to see special sights and events throughout the year!

3.  Watch TV

You can even use your iPad to watch thousands of your favourite TV shows and movies thanks to the Netflix streaming app. This app is totally free though you’ll need to sign up for a Netflix account for around £5 a month.

2.  Paint Pictures

Anyone looking to express their creative talents on their iPad should look no further than Brushes, one of the best illustration applications to appear yet. It allows you to choose from 13 different brushes to perfect your work, blend images, import photos for you to enhance and even watch video replays of you recreating your masterpieces. The very fact that several paintings created with Brushes have made it to the cover of Time magazine shows illustrates just how much potential this application has.

1.  Use It As A Cash Register

Our final feature showcased today is probably the most unusual one that anyone could imagine, yet perhaps it’s also the most useful one yet! Shop owners will be blown away by the potential of the free Square application, which transforms your iPad into a hi-tech cash register that’s able to recognise finger signatures, generate SMS and email receipts, calculate VAT and upload every sale onto an accounting dashboard to keep track of what you’ve sold. And if you buy the separately sold credit card swiper, you can even take credit card payments!

Apple has unveiled the next generation of its ultra-slim and lightweight laptops, the new MacBook Air, which now comes in 11-inch and 13-inch models.  The thinnest and lightest MacBook yet, is designed to combine the best attributes of the iPhone handset and the iPad tablet pc with the Apple Macintosh laptop series.

Apple MacBook Air Laptop

MacBook Air: Thin & Light In Size, Not In Features

Measuring only 17mm thick (or thin!) at it’s thickest point when closed and weighing a mere 1 kilo compared to the common weight of approx 2.5kg – 3.6kg in traditional laptops, the new MacBook air is aptly named and is powered with a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with additional upgrade options available for increased processing power and storage space.  Other key specs include 2GB of RAM, upgradeable to 4GB and there’s a web camera built in allowing for FaceTime video calls.

MacBook Air: Instant On

The MacBook Air includes 64GB of flash based storage rather than the typical hard drives found in traditional laptops, allowing the new MacBook Air to power up from standby and be ready to go, almost instantly.

The 11-inch MacBook Air features up to 5 hours of battery life on a single charge and up to 7 hours on the 13-inch model, while they can sleep for up to 30 days in standby mode.

MacBook Air:  Multi-Touch Glass Trackpad

The latest MacBook Air comes with a spacious and smooth glass trackpad with multi-touch capability that lets you tap, pinch, swipe, drag, rotate and scroll with ease.

Prices start from £849 for the 11 inch MacBook Air and £1099 for the 13 inch MacBook Air model.  Apple also revealed that its MacBook laptops will soon have an app store, mirroring the one that already exists for its mobile devices.

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Hardly a day goes by without a new virus threat. That’s in addition to trojans, hackers, keyloggers, spyware and all sorts of nasties that can creep into your PC and do all sorts of damage without you knowing.

It’s easier to protect your computer than it is to get rid of infections once they’ve occurred. That’s why it’s so important to take steps to maximise your protection against every type of online threat there is. Fortunately, there are plenty of programs out there that can help you do this.

Close The Door To Your PC

Firstly, if you haven’t already done so, you need a Firewall. If you’re running Windows then the Windows Firewall should already be protecting you to some extent. However, Windows Firewall is very basic. Much better is Zonealarm. Zonealarm is one of the most downloaded programs in the world and should give you greater peace of mind. The basic Firewall is free, but you might like it so much you could upgrade to one of their paid-for products such as ZoneAlarm Extreme Security which includes just about all the online protection you’ll ever need.

Don’t Catch Something

Secondly, you’ll need an antivirus. Again, there’s a free option out there for instant protection. AVG Antivirus will give you solid protection against most threats. Just make sure you keep your virus database updated. Remember though, most standalone antivirus products won’t pick up everything. Many experienced PC users will run two or more antivirus products – usually one running around the clock and another to make ‘on-demand’ scans – just make sure they’re compatible with each other as some programs may conflict if run at the same time.

Who’s Spying On You?

Very often, users don’t realise the problems spyware can cause. The fact is spyware and malware can prevent other security measures, such as your anti-virus from functioning effectively, so, in a sense, you should make malware your priority. Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware will do this for free. SuperAntiSpyware has done excellently in tests but only the on-demand scanner is free, so this might be a good scanner to use in conjunction with Malwarebytes. Ad Aware was popular in the past but is known for not picking up everything that might be on your system.

Get To The Root Of The Problem

Don’t forget rootkits either. These hide files deep in the operating system making the intruder difficult to detect or identify. There are plenty of anti-rootkits available, although few work with Windows 7 yet. Perhaps the easiest to use is Sophos Anti-Rootkit.

If you are using Windows, always make sure you have all Windows Security Updates installed. Microsoft are eager to make sure their product works effectively and are usually on top of things when it comes to new dangers to their operating systems.

Finally, if you’re using a router don’t forget to secure it. Most routers come with Firewalls and security programs built in, so find out how to use yours most effectively and always password protect your network using a good encryption method such as WPA2.