While ultra-compact nettops have been around for some time now, they’re still yet to revolutionize the HTPC market as we were initially promised. Hoping to change all that is Lenovo with their new IdeaCentre Q150, packing NVIDIA’s Ion 2 GPU paired with a low-power Intel Atom CPU. Lenovo say it’s good for 1080p HD; does the real-world experience live up to the spec sheet? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
Synology promised us speed, speed and more speed with their new DiskStation DS411+ NAS, and so we had to take them up on the challenge. A four-drive RAID array targeted at demanding home users or SMBs, the DS411+ may look sober on the outside but with the spec sheet promising read rates of 112MB/sec and write rates of 106MB/sec, it’s hardly an unattractive proposition. Can Synology back up their claims? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
Toshiba’s Portege R705 is an unexpected addition to the company’s ultraportable range. Based on the Portege R700 unveiled as part of Toshiba’s 25th anniversary for notebooks, the R705-P25 is a Best Buy exclusive with an MRSP of $889.99 but a street price that scrapes in at under $800. That makes it the cheapest Portege to date, and Toshiba would like us to remember it’s also the lightest 13.3-inch notebook with an integrated optical drive (outside of Japan, at least). Light in the bag and light on the wallet: is the downside lightweight performance? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
The VoIP landscape has changed over the years, with many providers evolving into more than just the desk-phone VoIP we used to know. VoIP companies continue to add ways to entice consumers and small businesses. In this article, I will be sharing my experience with several BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) VoIP providers. Most BYOD VoIP providers use SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) to allow softphones or other devices to connect; I’ve been using Acrobits SoftPhone on iPhone, SipDroid on Android phones, and a Linksys PAP2 VoIP adapter. As for my connection, I was using FIOS with 25Mbps download and 25Mbps upload when connected to WiFi or LAN; while mobile, I’m connected to AT&T 3G and T-Mobile 3G. For all my tests, I used the G.711 (uLaw) codec on WiFi /LAN connections and G.729 on 3G. Read on for my real-world test results.
Nanovision’s MIMO range of USB companion displays are no strangers to the pages of SlashGear, and we’ve reviewed our fair share of them over the months. Standing proudly on the test bench today, though, is the company’s biggest to date, the 10-inch touchscreen iMo Mini-Monster. A titan among USB secondary displays (and a Tinkerbell among regular LCDs), the iMo Mini-Monster promises the same ease of connectivity as its smaller siblings but with the same resolution as a 10-inch netbook. Worth the $259.99, then, or has Nanovision overestimated exactly what consumers want from their companion LCDs? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
It’s a tough world for a consumer desktop PC. Laptops have stolen all the glamour; you need to offer something special if you’re going to stand out among the rank and file of stationary computing. Acer’s Aspire X3400-U2012 may not be a true portable PC but, with a small-form-factor (SFF) chassis paired with desktop components does the grunt-for-the-footprint balance make it a sensible buy? Check out the SlashGear review after the cut.
If you can judge a firm’s faith in their products by the length of warranty they offer, the Saddleback Leather Company‘s 100 year cover for their Thin Carbon Black briefcase has to suggest almost overwhelming confidence. Still, at $411 and up, we’d expect no small amount of longevity. Is the faith founded? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
As notebook markets go, the 15.6-inch segment is probably the most hotly contested; manufacturers are forced to look to gaming, multimedia or battery longevity in order to differentiate their wares. Gateway’s NV59C09u picks HD video as its forte, squeezing in a Blu-ray drive as standard together with easy connectivity for your HDTV. Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
Back when we reviewed the Seagate GoFlex HDD we concluded that, while the concept of an external drive with interchangeable cables was reasonable, we thought it would make more sense when used with the company’s multimedia docking stations. Happily that’s just what we have on the SlashGear test bench today, the Seagate GoFlex TV HD, a standalone media player that boasts compatibility not only with the company’s own GoFlex drives but with any USB storage.
As people grow more used to reaching out and stabbing at displays with their fingers, the all-in-one touchscreen PC market keeps expanding. Gateway could almost be considered stalwarts of the segment; their latest model is the Gateway One ZX6900-01e, a 23-inch Full HD desktop packing Intel’s latest Core i3 processor. But is it a touch of genius? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
The results are in, and we've had a great time watching, reading and listening to entries for the HP Data Vault X510 Giveaway. Unfortunately only one person can actually take away the Windows Home Server itself, and that's Robert Oschler. Robert's Lady Gaga parody, Out of Space, popped out as our winner, and you can hear it after the cut.
Read The Full Story
Two screens, Android OS and ebooks a-plenty: no, not Barnes & Noble’s nook, but the Spring Design Alex. Promising extra flexibility than its big-name rival and an imminent partnership with Borders, the Alex nonetheless has to deliver if it’s going to live up to a whopping $399 price tag. Can it hold off not only the Kindle and nook but the iPad currently looming over the ereader market? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
