Gadget Centris

Series 9 notebook from Samsung has an amazing Duralumin (aircraft grade aluminum) unibody with a total thickness of just half an inch. That might just fit inside a brown paper envelope.  Samsung is setting the bar for the new ultrabook class, although Samsung doesn’t like the “ultrabook” moniker, we’ll just let it be the Samsung Series 9 notebook to make them happy. It’s powered by a hefty Intel Core i5 processor and comes with USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and an SD Card slot. As shown, it has a 13.3 inch matte screen sporting a 1600×900 resolution and weight of just 2.5 pounds. Original Series 9 notebooks had 2.8 pounds, even if it was outfitted with plastics here and there instead of the aluminum unibody shell like here. What was not shown off was their 15-inch version of the same notebook....

Heads up Android users: Symantec has just identified a certain nasty bug going around targeting Android devices, hiding inside legitimate apps. Dubbed Android.Counterclank, Symantec says the bug is a bot-like threat that can receive commands to trigger certain actions, as well as steal information on any device it’s in.  This particularly nasty piece of malware is currently the biggest distribution of any malware identified so far this year, meaning it’s currently spreading like wildfire. Symantec has helpfully provided a list of applications that this bug has been riding in, so if you have downloaded ANY of the apps below, it’d be best if you uninstall the app and do a wipe on your device. Another way to identify if this bug is currently residing in your phone is the  presence...

These days, a paper based A4 notebook for your child at school is so out of fashion. What he or she needs is a laptop, but which one do you choose? Ntombezinhle Modiselle of Intel provides some advice. Whether your child is starting high school or is well into their tertiary education, a new computer or an upgrade if they’ve had it for more than four years should top their list of back-to-school necessities for the myriad of tangible benefits.  But which one do you pick from the dazzling array of new technology available?  Buying the right machine is not that all that simple for us non-techy parents. To make the best purchase for your child you need to consider how it will be used for the next four years and consider all areas of functionality. Entry level laptops are perfectly...

Samsung had to think big when planning the next in their “S” series line of Android smartphones to keep up with the rich traditions already established by the Galaxy S, S II and the Galaxy Note.   It seems that Galaxy S3 will indeed be a monster, powered by a Quad-Core chipset capable of speeds in the range of 1.6 GHz. The picture gets even more enticing with industry expert Eldar Murtazin claiming through Twitter that he has got his hands on an S III and is bowled over by what it offers. While mortals get to look at S III in a month or so when it gets unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Murtazin is apparently taking the newbie from Samsung through its paces. Of course, you guys will have to wait till you get to taste the Ice Cream Sandwich-run S III, signs suggesting...

When it comes to playing PC games, portability is often sacrificed. The true monster machines are almost always burly desktops. But that doesn't mean all is lost for gamers who want to be able to take their systems on the road. While mobile graphics chips aren't quite as advanced as their desktop counterparts, some can still push polygons at an incredible pace.That power comes at a premium, though. For a variety of budgets, here are five worth considering. Budget Options: Acer Aspire TimelineX AS3830TG-6431  The name's a nightmare, but this is one of the most powerful thin laptops on the market -- and one of the best choices if you plan to do a lot of gaming on the go.It's packed with a speedy i5 processor and weights less than 5 pounds. The screen size is a bit smaller than most, coming...

Sony Tablet S and Tablet P will soon upgrade its OS into the latest Android Version 4.0; also known as "Ice Cream Sandwich" to its tablet portfolio this spring – which is the first time the company has actually named a time frame for the update. Before, Sony would only confirm a 'coming soon' but at an event in London, a spokesperson for the company said that ICS would be hitting both the Sony Tablet S and Sony Tablet P in the spring and at the same time. This means that the tablets will be getting Ice Cream Sandwich around the same time as Sony's phone portfolio. Cream of the tablet cropSony also said that both tablets would be getting a new update in the near future which would bring Microsoft Office functionality but the company didn't actually dwell on what this update would entail. Sony...

Kaspersky Lab has announced an update of its Android security solution - Kaspersky Mobile Security Lite. The updated version features new Anti-Virus Lite functionality aimed at better protection against the growing number of malicious programs aimed at the Android platform. Anti-Virus Lite is an easy-to-use tool that performs on-demand checks of newly downloaded Android programs. This new feature implements Kaspersky Lab Cloud Security Scanner technology, which uses the cloud-based Kaspersky Security Network to react quickly against threats as they emerge. Users of Kaspersky Mobile Security Lite are advised to scan all new programs using Anti-Virus Lite in order to ensure the safety of personal data. The paid-for version – highly recommended for those who are especially concerned about the...

Apple yesterday announced record sales of iPhones, iPads and Macs, with only iPods declining in sales. And lurking beneath the results was a new trend: international sales now dominate. These results compare to revenue of $26.74 billion and net quarterly profit of $6 billion, or $6.43 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 44.7 percent compared to 38.5 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 58 percent of the quarter’s revenue. The Company sold 37.04 million iPhones in the quarter, representing 128 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 15.43 million iPads during the quarter, a 111 percent unit increase over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 5.2 million Macs during the quarter, a 26 percent unit increase over the year-ago...

How does a 1.27 pound tablet/netbook hybrid running Android 4.0 ICS sound to you? That’s what you get with Lenovo’s new IdeaTab S2. The lightweight tablet features a 10-inch display and a user experience that Lenovo describes as “flawless”. Official specifications are as follows: Processor: Qualcomm 8x60A/8960 1.5 GHz Dual Krait processor OS: Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 Display: 10.1″ 1280×800 IPS screen display Memory: 1GB LP-DDR2 memory Storage: 16GB/32GB/64GB storage; 64GB ssd Communication Standards: WLAN 802.11b/g/n , BT 2.1+EDR , GPS/AGPS connectivity, Integrated front (1.3M HD) & back (8M+AF+LED+flash) mounted webcam Connectors: 17pin Docking conn.( micro USB compatible ), micro SD, Micro HDMI ,SIM card (only for 3G), 3.5mm Audio Jack, optional keyboard dock Camera: Integrated...

It seems it is time for the ultra-thin Motorola Droid RAZR to pass on the torch for the world’s thinnest smartphone. The new Huawei Ascend P1 S pushes the boundaries of thin at just 6.68mm, versus the 7.1mm size of the Droid RAZR. The P1 S just marginally beats out the new waterproof Fujitsu Arrow, which is only 6.7mm in thickness. From a design standpoint it looks very similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S devices, actually. As for the brand Hauwei, yes, it’s not typically pushed on larger carriers but is often found on budget networks or pay-as-you go packages. This impossibly thin smartphone runs Android 4.0 ICS, has a 4.3-inch super AMOLED display (540×960 resolution), a 1.5GHz TI OMAP 4460 processor, 1GB of RAM, 8MG capera, a 1.3 front facing camera, HDMI out, and a 1800 maH battery. There...

We'll be seeing Windows 8 Ultrabooks in the second half of this year and Acer will be among the first to produce them. According to Acer's CEO J.T. Wang, they predicting that they will be mainstream during the next two years. "By Q2 this year we will have four models of Ultrabook [on the market]. More will come when next generation Windows launches in the second half [of 2012] we will launch another wave of Ultrabook product line," said J.T. Wang, who also lamented the poor economic outlook for 2012. The company announced the Acer Aspire S5 today to complement the already-launched Aspire S3. Acer also revealed the Aspire Timeline Ultra, the first Ultrabook-spec machines to feature an optical drive. Wang also said that he expected Ultrabooks to form a considerable part of Acer's sales this...

The new version of Android, 4.0 or Ice Cream Sandwich, comes with a slogan that must appear wishful thinking to users of earlier versions: "Enchant me. Simplify my life. Make me awesome." While some tablets using earlier versions of Android, like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and HTC Flyer do indeed enchant, they still have to discover the second two parts of the slogan. Can the Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet, running Honeycomb – Android 3.1 –  enchant?The Lenovo brand is certainly a rarity in being enchanting in the notebook  arena. Its ThinkPad X1 notebook, described as the thinnest business laptop on the market, offered enterprise users the same sexy look and feel as well as portability that tends to be associated only with ultrabooks like the MacBook Air. On top of that, Lenovo asserted,...

According to sources of the Taiwanese tech website, there will be two versions of the 2012 iPad, which some are already calling iPad3; One targeting the high-end segment while the other is in the midrange price category. The two new iPad models, they say, will both run on an Apple A6 processor - with yet to be disclosed features - but the high-end model will come with a high resolution screen (2048x1536) and the mid-tier model will sport the same display as iPad 2 (1024x768).  But the more interesting bit has to do with the pricing scheme for the mid-level iPad. If you notice, the price schedule of Apple's tablet has been the same since the release of the first generation iPad in 2010. The most affordable Wifi-only variant starts at $499 with the price going up to $829 for the most...

Gadget kicks off the new year with a new format for phone reviews, First out of the starting blocks is the new Apple iPhone 4S. Apple fans make many excuses for the iPhone 4S, mainly insisting that it is indeed a significant step up from the 4, and Apple never promised a 5, and there’s nothing wrong with incremental improvements, and millions are lining up to buy the 4S.  All of which is true, but it doesn’t change the fact that the hype machine that is normally so kind to Apple, let the brand down this time. Apple usually rides the tide of expectation leading up to a new product launch, and then delivers in spades. This time it did nothing to manage those expectations, and the result was a let-down to all but those already converted. The company and its evangelists put a beligerent...

As we anxiously await any kind of formal announcement from Apple about a true iPhone 5 successor to the current iPhone 4S, we turn to the various design studios on the web for insights and inspirations. Here is one such example. The iPhone SJ is the vision of Antonio De Rosa from ADR Studio in Italy. Of course, this is not at all sanctioned or endorsed by the team in Cupertino, but it could give us a glimpse into what the next iPhone will bring. For starters, this is decidedly thinner than the iPhone 4S, seemingly putting this iDevice in the same slimness league as the new Motorola RAZR Android phone, for example. The overall design, though, appears to be roughly similar to the iPhone 4S, only squished down. The physical home button, from what I can tell, is still there. The display has...

If what's happening to Sony's Playstation Vita in Japan is any indication as to how it might fare once it's released in the U.S., Sony might want to consider a backup plan. Despite strong first week sales of about 325,000, the new portable is dropping off quickly. Only 72,500 units were sold in its second week, followed by third week sales of just 42,600, according to sales tracking group MediaCreate. That dropped the Vita to a dismal fourth place finish for the week ending January 1, trailing the Nintendo 3DS, Sony Playstation 3, and perhaps most damning, the seven year-old original PSP, which moved 63,000 units over the same period. The tech-heavy handheld system  is set to launch in the U.S. on February 22 for $249 (a $299 3G model will also be available), the same launch price...