Xerox ColorQube 9300 Series Introduced

Xerox unveiled the second generation of their high speed solid ink multifunction printers - the ColorQube 9300 Series - featuring Xerox's flexible Hybrid Color Pricing Plans this morning.

The ColorQube 9300 Series is a follow up on the ColorQube 9200 series, the series that first introduced the unique color pricing plans that allow customers to pay only for the amount of color on a given page, saving them up to 50% compared to laser printers. The company bases the Hybrid Color Pricing Plans on three standard levels of color:

• Useful documents - For when businesses want to use only a small amount of basic color, think a company logo or a single color highlighting important text
• Everyday color - Pages with moderate color coverage, so adding images to the initial small amount of color
• Expressive color - A high color coverage, think full page color with photos, etc.

The ColorQube 9300 Series features Xerox's unique solid ink technology using solid ink sticks offering 90% less waste than the traditional ink because the solid ink sticks have less packaging and no cartridge body.

The non-toxic solid ink sticks - made from resin - resemble large crayons (for more information, check out our solid ink article or Xerox Phaser 8560 review). The sticks are also designed for easy loading. And thanks to the solid ink technology, there are no fuser kits or drums to replace, just one simple cleaning unit that is only replaced every two to three years depending on the work flow.

The ColorQube 9300 series offers three models: the ColorQube 9301, ColorQube 9302 and the ColorQube 9303.

All three models feature print, scan, copy and fax capabilities along with a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of system memory, 1.5 GHz processor, 100-sheet automatic duplexing document feeder, a standard paper capacity over three trays of 3,200 sheets with a 100-sheet bypass feeder, front side USB port, built-in networking and automatic duplexing.

The ColorQube 9301 features print speeds up to 50 ppm in black and 38 ppm in color with a print resolution up to 600 x 600 dpi and a monthly duty cycle up to 150,000 pages.

The ColorQube 9302 features print speeds up to 55 ppm in black and 45 ppm in color with a print resolution up to 600 x 600 dpi and a monthly duty cycle up to 225,000 pages.

The ColorQube 9302 features print speeds up to 60 ppm in black and 55 ppm in color with a print resolution up to 600 x 600 dpi and a monthly duty cycle up to 300,000 pages.

Xerox offers several standard solutions with the ColorQube 9300 series including Color by Words, Mobile Print, user permissions, embedded videos on the user interface for troubleshooting, new security options and advanced scanning.

The ColorQube 9300 Series is available for order now through Xerox direct sales and authorized resellers starting at $22,299 for the base model.

HP Veer 4G First-Look Review

AT&T's HP Veer 4G is a webOS smartphone in a tiny little package. It has a 2.6-inch 320 x 400 touchscreen, a 5 megapixel camera with video capture, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi b/g/n plus mobile hotspot capability.

It will be available from AT&T on May 15 for $99 with a new two-year service contract, but we were able to get an early review unit so we could give a sneak peek and learn more about this interesting new phone.

BUILD & DESIGN

The Veer is best described as a pebble-shaped slider phone. When closed, the device is smaller than a credit card, which is a definite contrast to many of today's larger phones. All of the edges are rounded and it feels really good to hold in your hand. You'll hardly notice that it's in your pocket, since it weighs under 4 ounces.

Slide up the screen to expose the physical QWERTY keyboard; it's incredibly tiny, but I was surprised at how well I was able to use it right out of the box. There's a good amount of space between each key and strange as it sounds, I strongly prefer this keyboard to that of the HP Pre 2, even though this one is smaller.

The screen looks nice, though it's not terribly bright and is somewhat hard to see when you're standing in direct sunlight. Since I just got this phone today, it's hard to say whether it's a major issue with the screen or a case of my just not having found the brightness control yet.

PERFORMANCE

The HP Veer is snappy, responding to my every touch by launching the relevant app, switching between apps, etc. That's a nice surprise since it's powered by just an 800 MHz processor. I am slightly concerned about network reception, however, because I haven't been able to connect to 4G at my office. I will test this further in other locations to get a better idea of whether it's a concern about the Veer or just another example of my office as a dead zone.

The external speaker is plenty loud enough and the sound quality is good when listening to music. I'm quite concerned about the headphone jack though, which isn't actually part of the phone. In order to plug in headphones, you have to use a separate accessory that magnetically attaches to the side of the phone. It's an elegant solution to the problem of where to put the headphone jack when you're trying to design an ultra-small phone, and I'm glad it's included instead of requiring consumers to make a separate purchase, but I'm not sure how well it will work in real life.

The 5-megapixel camera takes nice photos with good detail, though it does seem a bit slow to focus and actually take the shot, especially when compared to a photographic powerhouse like the HTC Droid Incredible 2 I'm also reviewing. I didn't see any obvious problems with exposure or graininess though of course I will have to test the camera more thoroughly before I can make any definite conclusions.

PRELIMINARY CONCLUSION

I'm surprised by how much I already like the HP Veer 4G, even though I've only had it for a few hours. After reviewing so many gigantic smartphones it's nice to use something more petite that takes up hardly any room in my pocket.

I'm not sure whether my initial infatuation will last, however, because the Veer is the smallest phone I've ever used. The keyboard is surprisingly usable, but I do have to do a lot of scrolling to see entire email messages, for example, so there are some obvious downsides to the small form factor.

New China Mobiles available in Indian Market

China Mobile C2000 - Touch Screen + Gaming

PRICE : Rs. 6,700.00
Product Features : Sliding, Games & Free TV Mobile Phone 3.0" Touch Screen

• 120 x 58 x 20mm, 110g
  
• Dualband, GSM 900/1800
  
• Unlocked and ready to use in any GSM network in UK, Europe, Australia & Asia Pacific
  
• Does not work in USA, Canada & Mexico's networks
  
• Sliding screen for TV & Games
  
• TV tuner for free TV program, FM Radio
  
• Dual SIM cards Switching
  
• 3.0" LCD touch screen
  
• Hand writing recognition
  
• Bluetooth
  
• MP3 audio player
  
• 3GP & MP4 video players
  
• MP3 Ringtone, 3D Sound
  
• Digital video recording
  
• 2 & 1.3 mega pixel dual cameras (front & back)
  
• T-Flash memory card support
  
• Calendar, calculator & organizer
  
• Built-in games
• Plug & play with Windows XP & Vista, no software needed
  
• English, Italian, Malay, Portuguese, Spanish & Persian multi-languages support
• In the box

Samsung Launches Samsung Galaxy Ace, Samsung Galaxy Fit, Samsung Galaxy Pro And Samsung Galaxy Mini

Samsung has launched all new Galaxy smartphones namely Samsung Galaxy Ace, Samsung Galaxy Fit, Samsung Galaxy Pro and Samsung Galaxy Mini officially although they were available for sometime now.

All these smartphones comes loaded with Android 2.2 operating system and some attractive features. These phones have Wi-Fi connectivity and Social Hub facility in common.

Users can easily view their emails, contacts and SMSs in a single page layout for these handsets. Also, the users will be able to access more than 100,000 Samsung and Android apps.

Samsung Galaxy Ace- it is decked with a 3.5” HVGA display, Google Voice search, ThinkFree document viewer and runs a 800 MHz processor.

Samsung Galaxy Fit- it has a 3.31” QVGA display and a 5MP camera. It has office viewer and runs a 600 MHz processor.

Samsung Galaxy Pro- it has a 2.8” touchscreen, a 3.2MP camera and runs an 800MHz processor.

Samsung Galaxy Mini- It has a 3.14” QVGA display, Quick Office document viewer and runs a 600 MHz processor.

RIM Unveils BlackBerry Bold 9900 And 9930 Smartphones

At the annual BlackBerry World conference, Research In Motion (RIM) launched two BlackBerry Bold smartphones named BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930.

The company also launched the BlackBerry 7 operating system which will run on its upcoming devices. According to sources, these two new models are the most efficient and thinnest smartphones by BlackBerry till today.

Both the models are adorned with a touch screen along with BlackBerry keyboard and works on BlackBerry 7 OS. It runs on 1.2 GHz processor. Its stylish design accommodates both BlackBerry keyboard and also a seven-centimetre touch screen.

Mike Lazaridis, RIM president and co-CEO said, "The new BlackBerry Bold smartphones and BlackBerry 7 operating system are inspired by millions of customers around the world who want the ultimate combination of performance, functionality and style. These fully-loaded and beautifully-crafted smartphones offer a highly refined user experience with blazingly fast performance, a brilliant touch screen and an outstanding typing experience."

Lenovo Optimizes Start-Up Speeds on New ThinkPads

The instant-on feature of tablets and smartphones is one reason why people love them. Laptop users could definitely benefit from faster boot up as well, since every second counts these days.

Lenovo has engineered its newly introduced ThinkPad T420s to boot in 10 seconds or less, thanks to BIOS and hardware optimizations coupled with solid state storage. The RapidBoot Extreme technology is part of Lenovo's Enhanced Experience (EE) 2.0 program. Other features include reduced time for shutting down or resuming the laptop as well as speedier application launch times.

Lenovo says its RapidBoot Extreme is the company's fastest hardware configuration available. Besides booting in under 10 seconds, you'll also see applications open up two times faster than normal. This is thanks in large part to the speed advantages of solid state drives.

A video on Lenovo's website showcasing the technology (and starring race car driver Danica Patrick) reveals some of the start up optimizations, like bypassing a logo boot screen. The ThinkPad T420s even beat out the MacBook Air, known for its fast start and wake times.

Side view of Lenovo T420 laptopFast start times are also promised in other Lenovo laptops that have EE 2.0 but not the solid state drive. Those PCs will start up on average in 20 seconds and shut downs will be 28 percent faster than a typical Windows 7 PC. Resuming Windows, even without an SSD, will take less than a second (36 percent faster than average).

The ThinkPad T420s also boasts a 14-inch HD+ (1600-pixel by 900-pixel) display and a slim, lightweight profile: it clocks in at 3.94 pounds and is 0.83 inches thin. Other features include a second-generation Intel Core i3 or i5 processor, a DVD recordable drive, 250GB HHD, and up to 8GB of memory. The T420s is available for customizing and ordering now, with prices starting at $1,630.

Look for RapidBoot in future Lenovo laptops, including an IdeaPad Y570 laptop expected in June.

Aluminum Laptop Cases Molding the Way of the Future

MEZZI, world renowned aluminum case manufacturer, is noticing a dramatic increase in the number of reviews for its lines of aluminum laptop cases. From the virtual mouths of bloggers and video reviewers, the online world is buzzing with positivity for the dependability and portability of the MEZZI aluminum laptop case.

“In this modern day and age so many people are carrying laptops, either for business or pleasure or both,” explains MEZZI President, David Mezzi, “and the online community has seemed to latch onto the quality and reliability they find in our aluminum cases. Bloggers, reviewers and freelance writers who rely on their laptops for their business need something to protect their equipment. In fact, their laptop is their number one tool, so those who have experienced the quality of our cases are feeling inspired to spread the word to others.”

Unlike the soft, minimal protection of a stylish leather laptop bag or, perhaps worse, the zero-protection of throwing a laptop into a backpack, the lightweight, molded durability of MEZZI’s aluminum laptop carrying cases have impressed a growing number of online reviewers.

“I am loving my new MEZZI laptop case,” says one reviewer at TheDirtytShirt.com. “Not only is it the most sturdy case I have ever used but it also seems very roomy even with my laptop in it. I took it to a meeting I had recently and the first thing, even before I shook the man’s hand, he commented on my case and asked where to get one. I love when that happens because not only do I get to tell my readers about the wonderful products I have tried out but I can also tell complete strangers about them and point them in the right direction to get one for themselves.”

Roomy, spacious and secure – these are only a few of the descriptors the online community has used to explain the value they found in MEZZI’s aluminum laptop briefcases. Standard in every aluminum laptop case is customizable padding, so different sizes of laptops can be given a snug fit. And in order to accommodate a wide range of personal tastes and styles, MEZZI’s laptop cases range in color and covering, from simple jet black to gold or a high-grade wood finish.

MEZZI aluminum cases, however, have been no strangers to attention. Several of its aluminum cases have appeared in high-profile movies, television shows and music videos. Very recently, a MEZZI aluminum case was used in Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Also MEZZI was featured in Jay-Z’s “Show Me What You Got” music video and on the television game show, “Deal or No Deal.” At the box office, MEZZI cases have appeared in the hands of Jason Statham in 13 and Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible III.

MEZZI’s full line of aluminum laptop cases can be found at http://www.MEZZI.com/Laptop-Cases/. MEZZI can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

About MEZZI
MEZZI has been manufacturing and retailing fashionable, affordable aluminum cases for more than 15 years. In that time, MEZZI has grown its business from only a handful of briefcases to a full line of cases suitable for a variety of uses, including metal gun cases, art portfolio cases, travel cases and business card cases. The company’s cases are frequently sought by celebrities and producers for movies, television shows, music videos and high-end gifts.

Nielsen Study: Tablets Replacing Laptops and eReaders

New survey results from Nielsen show that users are ditching their laptops, abandoning their ereaders, and leaving their MP3 players behind. For a large, and growing segment of the population, the tablet is the new primary computing and entertainment device.

According to the Nielsen data, about one third of the tablet owners who were surveyed indicated that they use their desktop PC less--or not at all--since getting a tablet. The same is true for laptops, netbooks, ereaders, and even portable music players. Across the board, the tablet is making more than a little dent in the way people use technology.

This Nielsen chart illustrates the many reasons users cite for choosing the tablet over other devices.It makes sense. Is it a better computer than your laptop? Probably not. Is it a superior platform for reading electronic books? Not necessarily. Is it the most convenient method of carrying and listening to your music collection? No. But, it has an advantage in that it is capable of doing all of those things--and doing them quite well in most cases--in one portable device.

If you go on a trip and you can only take one device, which would you choose? If you take the laptop, good luck reading a book by the pool, or rocking some tunes on your headphones while you take a walk. If you take the ereader, you will have the pool thing covered, and can probably listen to some music in most cases, but checking Facebook, writing an email, or editing an Excel file could be problematic. If you have a portable music player, you're probably stuck listening to music unless you have something like the iPod Touch. In that case, you essentially have a mini tablet, but the diminutive display is not ideal for reading books or getting any productive work done.

Why is the tablet chosen over its mobile gadget rivals? According to Nielsen, the number one reason given is that is "easy to carry / take with you". Other reasons cited include: light weight, convenience, fast speed, fast startup and shutdown, and size. I am surprised that exceptional battery life wasn't listed as one of the top reasons.

The tablet is the natural winner in the "if you could only take one device, which would it be?" challenge. There are some gadgets like the Nook Color, that can come close. But, although it is technically an ereader, its Android-based OS, and Barnes & Noble app store make it closer to an iPad than a Kindle.

Of course, in order for the tablet to truly be a ‘post-PC' device and replace desktop or laptop PCs, Apple needs to cut the cord and not require a PC for activating, syncing, and updating the iPad. There are rumors that Apple is hard at work developing over-the-air updated for iOS 5 that might do just that.

As tablets become more powerful from a hardware perspective, and the tablet OS and culture evolve, the trend away from traditional PCs will probably continue.

Get a refurbished 17-inch HP laptop for $350

Sometimes I wonder just how much cheaper laptops can get. I mean, I can recall a time when if you wanted a desktop replacement, a system with a big screen and keyboard, you could plan on spending at least $1,000.

Today, Radio Shack is offering a refurbished HP G72-B63NR 17.3-inch laptop for $349.97, plus sales tax in most states and $6 for shipping.

That is just plain unreal, people. (It's also just plain online: this deal isn't available in stores--though you can save the six bucks on shipping by opting for free ship-to-store.)

The G72 isn't the spec champion of the world, but it's loaded well enough to satisfy most home users. It comes with a dual-core 2GHz Intel Pentium P6100 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and a 17.3-inch screen.

That screen tops out at 1,600 x 900, which is a bit shy of full 1080p, and it's powered by integrated Intel graphics--not fabulous for higher-end video. On the plus side, the system does include an HDMI port in case you want to connect to an even bigger screen.

All the other specs are about what you'd expect, including a DVD burner, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Windows 7 Home Premium x64. Because this is a refurb, however, the warranty expires after 90 days.

And the deal itself will no doubt expire long before that--possibly even today. So if you're looking for a big, big laptop for a low, low price (one of the lowest I've seen, in fact), act fast.

Report: Google to sell Chrome laptops

Google is getting ready to begin selling a laptop running its Chrome operating system in a $20-per-month "student package" that combines hardware and online services, according to a Forbes report that cited an unnamed senior Google executive.

Google representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The package is likely a precursor of similar products for businesses and developers in the offing, as the executive reportedly hinted at.

"Small and medium-size businesses are banging on our doors to get something like this," the executive told Forbes.

The offering could prove valuable for Google as a product testing mechanism and lay the foundation for a future market as the students using the Chrome laptops graduate to the workforce.

Chrome OS, Google's browser-based operating system, is in a tough position. It was supposed to debut last year for Netbooks, but Google only delivered a prototype for developers, and the software remains a work in progress.

The announcement would likely be made tomorrow during Google's keynote address at day two of its I/O developer conference in San Francisco.