Education, Linux and the BRIC

Some interesting news this week from Russia, where a Linux pilot may see all Russian schools switching over to the open source by the end of the year

Some interesting news this week from Russia, where a Linux pilot may 
see all Russian schools switching over to the open source by the end of the year.

The project will see three schools trying out Linux, in order to save cash and to limit the use of pirated software, and if the move is successful, reports claim that all schools in the country will switch to Linux and open source software by the end of the year.

Russia isn’t alone in developing economies in adopting Linux in the public sector – in fact it’s the last of the BRIC countries to give official support for Linux in the education sector. China, Brazil and India have all seen government support for Linux, particularly in education, since the middle of this decade.

Government support for Linux may not have made much of a dent in Microsoft’s share of the desktop space, with most counties still showing a continued preference for Windows. But by taking alternative operating systems into schools, a generation of students is being exposed to open source and is learning that there is an alternative to Windows.

There are lots of commercial reasons still to use Windows or Unix if needs be, but for the education sector, even with added incentives for schools and colleges that are offered by many of the big IT vendors to use their products, or include them in the curriculum, you have to go a long way to beat free software.

But of course, it raises the question, of why haven’t any governments in the Gulf shown the same level of support for open source as other emerging markets? There are quite a few projects at individual schools and colleges, but no initiative, that I know of, to favor open source. Perhaps with a tightening of belts and a growing focus on improving the standard of education in state institutions in the region, we might see a change in the situation. Aside from any consideration of 'vendor' preference, to ignore open source in education is to ignore computing skills for students, and takes up budget that could be spent elsewhere.

Nokia Asha 303 Price in India and Specifications Review

Till some time back only local Indian mobile companies were successfull in low cost mobile. Howeever now even Nokia has launched some of its low price smartphones in India. Nokia Asha 303 price in India at Rs. 7,800 has proven this point very rightly. Despite Nokia Asha 303 price being at low level, there is no compromise on features. In fact, Nokia Asha 303 features on certain applications are even better than its competitors in the market. Also to add more fun, Nokia Asha 303 features 3G as well 3.5G connectivity which will ensure its users have access to fast speed download from internet.

 Nokia Asha 303 price has been kept low keeping in mind demand for low cost smartphones in the market. Also this segment will bring highest growth rate in smartphones in coming period in Indian market. Usually people who have been using ultra cheap mobiles and also young professionals are main in this category.

Hence Nokia Asha 303 has both price and features matching the need of these people.

 Nokia Asha 303 features enables its customers to customise home screen by aligning location as well as style of icons. Also users can select icons which they want to keep and remove rest of them so as to maintain efficienct usage. For giving style to home screen of Nokia Asha 303, users can install screen savers and wall papers of their choice which can be from movies, games, celebrities. Another aspect which can be used to customise home screen is MP3 ringtones which can be either downloaded from net or songs from mobile can be set as ringtone.

Nokia Asha 303 price in India and specs are really attractive for its intended customers. Some of the important Nokia Asha 303 specifications are Nokia store which has huge collection of bollywood and other songs and games of different variety. All these will ensure enduring entertainment and fun to its customers anytime and anywhere without any high cost. Also users can install applications of their own choice to make it more personalised.

 In this way, Nokia Asha 303 price is highly justfied in Indian market. Also this smartphone is good buy for its target customers in the market.

Sony Launches SmartWatch: Android-Powered Wristwatch

Today, Sony launched SmartWatch MN2: a wristwatch-like device that allows owners to read text messages, social updates and emails, manage calls, as well as control music that is on an Android smartphone. It promotes easy access to those who prefer to keep their smartphones hidden in a pocket or bag.

The SmartWatch features a 1.3-inch OLED display. It has a selection of pre-loaded apps, including Facebook and Google Maps.In order to alert users for an event or an incoming call, the device simply vibrates.

The wristwatch is made out of aluminum and polished plastic and comes in a variety of colors such as blue, pink, and white. It also comes with a rubber wrist strap that comes in a standard black color.

In order to use the SmartWatch, it must first connect via Bluetooth to a device running Android 2.1 OS or higher.  According to Sony, the product's battery life last about 3 to 4 days under typical usage, and approximately 14 days under standby. In order to charge the device, a user can simply plug it in through a USB connection.

For $150, Android users can purchase the Sony SmartWatch on the company’s store and online marketplace. The wristwatch will be available through other retailers soon. Customers can purchase separate wrist band colors for $20 each.

HTC Says No to Physical Keyboards

 There's bad news for fans of smartphones with physical keyboards: HTC is going to stop making devices that include them.

Claude Zellweger, this company's creative director, said at a press event "As a company, the QWERTY keyboard we're moving away from in general. We feel that putting too much effort into that would take away from our devices."

  Instead, HTC is going to work to improve the haptic feedback that is included with the on-screen keyboards it will use in future handsets.

Touchscreens vs. Keyboards

Many years ago, virtually all smartphones had a physical keyboard, with RIM's BlackBerry line and Palm's Treo models being the most obvious examples. Then Apple experienced huge sales of the first iPhone, which was focused entirely on its touchscreen, and other companies took note.

A few models with keyboards are still released each year, such as the Motorola Droid 4, the HTC EVO Shift 4G, and Samsung Stratosphere, but these are definitely in the minority. Instead, the focus is on ever slimmer designs.

Physical keyboards are usually most popular with businesspeople, as their main focus for their smartphone is generally email. This is part of the reason why RIM has continued to use them, and other companies have followed suit when making devices aimed at professionals.

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G Review: Blazing Fast

 While it may look like another rehash of the old Galaxy S, under the hood the new Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G packs blistering speed, with a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and lightning fast 4G. Does the rest of the device measure up? We take an in-depth look.

This model is available exclusively at T-Mobile USA for $150 with a two-year service contract and $50 mail-in rebate. Without the contract it's $450.

 Build & Design

Given its name, you would expect that the Galaxy S Blaze 4G is a rewarmed version of the two-year-old Galaxy S in a new package. Well, not exactly. While it has undeniable similarities, it's clear that the Blaze has been through quite a retrofit, delivering a much more modern experience.

The first impression you get from holding the Blaze is that it's remarkably light, even for a keyboard-less device. There's several reasons for that, including the screen (which we'll talk about in a minute) and the relative simplicity of the design.

This smartphone's design is very minimalist: no clutter, no extra parts, it's pretty much just literally the screen and the battery. Nicely enough, the microSD card is accessible from a side door without removing the main battery cover.

The Blaze probably isn't the most bulletproof device in existence, given how light it is, but there's nothing really to complain about with the build quality. It's simple, it's solid, and northing's going to pop off or go bad too quickly. It's simplicity in action.

Screen

Part of the reason for the Blaze's lightness is its Super AMOLED screen. Displays of this type use a single layer of glowing elements to form the picture, instead of regular LCDs which have one layer to create a picture and another to light it up. This makes Super AMOLED thinner and lighter than other screens, as well as providing better contrast, with black actually appearing as black rather than dark grey. The Blaze uses the same basic Super AMOLED screen seen in a lot of Samsung's older or mid-range models, not as clear and vivid as the ones in the Galaxy S II and Samsung Infuse, but still nice. Even contrasted against your average, more modern LCD, it's going to hold up very well.

Performance

Without a doubt, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G's highest end spec is its processor: a whopping 1.5 GHz dual-core chip gives it as much raw power as just about any smartphone out there, even the higher end stuff. That makes it an ideal choice for games and high-end video for those who don't want to break the bank. Using Quadrant Standard benchmarks, the Blaze earned a whopping 3565 average. When you consider that the Verizon flagship Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX only scores around 2700, that's impressive.

Once you branch out past the processor though, the Blaze is pretty standard mid-range fare. Running on the slightly older Android  OS 2.3 (Gingerbread), it isn't the sort of device I'd expect to see get an Android 4.0 upgrade, so don't count on it. But then, there's as yet very little real advantage using 4.0, as most apps are still designed for 2.3.

A lot of the online spec sheets about the model are wrong: it definitely does not have 16 GB of memory. Instead, it has 4 GB internal (of which 2 GB are available) and is pre-loaded with a 4 GB microSD card. That adds up to a reasonable amount for a middle of the road device, but not nearly so exciting as if the spec sheets had been right.

One unfortunate quality is that the Blaze comes stocked with a lot of T-Mobile branded "bloatware" apps. While it's not quite as bad as some of the Verizon models, the ten -- yes, ten -- T-Mobile branded apps like their own app store, their own version of 411, their own version of caller ID, etcetera, do tend to be tiresome. And they can't be uninstalled, although you can at least remove the widgets that come plastered all over the home screen.

Communication

While T-Mobile is currently the only major provider that isn't deploying an LTE network, that doesn't mean you should underestimate their own high speed internet options. The carrier's souped-up HSPA network is still amply capable of delivering broadband at speeds of 10 to 12 megabits downstream, which is competitive with even Verizon's 4G LTE service. Uploading is slower, but not so slow that it should bother you unless you're sending 50 MB videos on a regular basis.

A nice thing about T-Mobile's service that you can't get elsewhere is their WiFi Calling option. Basically, whenever you're hooked up to WiFi your T-Mobile Android phone will default to running your phone's voice, data, and messaging all over the WiFi connection. This effectively gives you the same thing as native T-Mobile service anywhere you can get WiFi, even if you're way, way out in the boondocks, or buried deep in an office building with no other reception. And unlike the signal boosters offered by other providers, you don't need any special hardware or setup, and it works anywhere.

One slightly surprising inclusion on the Blaze is Near Field Communication, or NFC. This is a means to transmit small bits of information such as URLs, contact information, or other bits of text. This can be device to device, like sharing a contact; picking up a URL from an NFC-enabled poster or advertising display; or transmitting data or an authorization from your phone to another device. NFC hasn't seen much adoption in the US, but Google has been pushing it for use with their "Google Wallet" service, essentially trying to make your smartphone into also being your credit card. Although why you'd want that, I have a hard time imagining.

Productivity

Unfortunately the Blaze doesn't stock over-much in the way of productivity software. Beyond the standard email, contacts, and organization apps, the only other particularly useful thing it sports is a copy of Polaris Office, allowing you to work with Microsoft Office documents while on the go.

Entertainment

There's much more of an emphasis on entertainment with the Blaze, with not just Google's own music, books, and video apps included, but also clients for T-Mobile's version of MobiTV, Netflix, and Zinio. All of which, unfortunately, require paid subscriptions to get the most out of them, but at least they mostly offer free trials too.

Camera

In the camera department, this Samsung smartphone unfortunately hasn't gotten an upgrade from its ancestors. While its 5 megapixel camera is a fairly standard resolution, the optics leave a lot to be desired, giving you fuzzy photos lacking in detail compared to other phones based on more recent designs. Even in good light, you will lose a lot of detail.

Battery Life

Despite being a fairly slim and light device, the Blaze packs a 1750 mAh battery. That's close to standard size if you're talking about devices running on LTE, but for T-Mobile's network it's well above the rest of the crowd, giving the device excellent battery life. It's pretty safe to say that you'll get through the day with this thing even if you're using it roughly with a lot of 4G and the brightness cranked up.

Conclusion

 All in all, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G makes for a fairly good Android phone. Is it worth your $150? I would give it a conditional yes. Of all the major carriers, T-Mobile probably has the scarcest options in terms of good Android devices. Compared to the rest of the carrier's offerings, the Blaze makes a decent mid-point between the newer Samsung Galaxy S II on the higher end, and the truly cheap options like the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G and the Samsung Exhibit II.

That said, the Blaze isn't going to match up with the amount of bang for your buck that you'd get on other carriers. The same price on AT&T or Verizon would net you a better phone -- but also a higher monthly bill than you'll get with T-Mobile. Either way, you get what you pay for.

Although it may not be the best Android phone available for its $150 suggested retail price, the Blaze is still a pretty good device, and it's one of the few "small" Android devices on the market that still has a truly high-end processor in it. That alone may merit some attention. Otherwise though, I would call it a solid mid-range choice for those who don't need the Galaxy S II, and one they'll likely be very happy with.

 

Pros:

Slim and light

Great battery life

Fast processor

Cons:

Other specs are less impressive

Lots of clutterware

Slightly higher price than comparable devices on other carriers

Bottom Line

A decent but not extraordinary device, the Blaze 4G is a good choice for those who want a mid-range device on T-Mobile, or a compact Android phone with a fast processor.

Dell gets its Inspiron with Mini 10

 Dell's new Inspiron Mini 10 netbook is now available in stores across the country for AED 1,299...but is it worth your time?

To be honest, most netbooks these days all tend to come with the same specs but what sets it apart is its usability, design and whether it's the right ‘fit' for all that you need. 

 The Inspiron Mini 10 has Intel's new speedy Pine Trail processor and comes with Windows 7 Starter Edition - all the latest and best. But surprisingly, it did let me down in the beginning when I found it took approximately ten minutes just to get it set up for first time use.  Still, once loaded, I forgot about that little hiccup and instead found myself admiring the Dell Dock application on the 10.1"display.

When you think of dock style panels, you invariably end up comparing it to the MacDaddy, but I honestly think this is a great addition to Windows 7. It's customisable so you can drag and drop your favourite programmes, and easily delete the ones you don't use as often.

The keyboard is comfortable to use but the trackpad can get annoying since Dell has embedded the right and left buttons directly into it, so you'll have to press down on the trackpad area for those functions.

The netbook comes in spunky colours and I love the fact that fingerprints aren't that obvious on the cover. The textured palm rest is also a nice touch but the netbook's design mainly stands out because the entire unit is sloped (the base being bigger than the front) with the screen not sitting behind the unit but instead having it fitted on top. It might look a little odd but actually comes in handy when holding the netbook (once open) with one hand. It's one of those things you don't think you need until you see it - and then it just makes SO much sense!

The battery life doesn't quite get to 10 hours but you can easily do nine with just basic applications running so it definitely earns its travel companion badge.

Overall though, the two standout features for me have to be the Dell Dock app and the Inspiron Mini 10 cover that still manages to retain its looks regardless of how many times I obsessively trace circles on it with my fingers....