Windows 8 Beats the iPad!

Windows 8 is now available for anyone to download, and it already shows a ton of potential. In fact, Microsoft’s bold new OS, which reminds us a lot of Windows Phone, outshines the iPad in some key areas. Granted, there were things we didn’t like in our Windows 8 Consumer Preview — and the iPad 3 or iPad HD is just around the corner — but there’s no question that Apple will soon have a real fight on its hands. Here are the top 10 ways Windows 8 is better than the iPad right now. 

1. Windows 8 is more personal than iOS
While iOS represents photos with a flower icon, Windows 8 lets you choose any photo you want to populate the live tile that lives on the Start screen. And that's just one of many ways you can customize the screen you'll see most. You can move items around, name groups of apps around and name them using the Semantic zoom feature, and pin everything from your favorite people and websites to the Start screen.

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2. Faster multitasking on Windows 8
No double- tapping a button to see your stuff here. Windows 8 lets you thumb through the applications you recently opened fast and fluidly just by swiping from the left edge of the screen. If you want to see all of your open apps at once, swipe from the left edge and then pull your finger back towards the edge to reveal a thumbnail view.

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3. People App: Beyond the Address Book
One of our favorite features in Windows 8 is the People app. Why? Because it automatically links duplicate contacts so that there’s only one person for a given name. So, for example, if your friend is on Windows Live, Exchange, and Facebook, you’ll see all of those accounts listed. Plus, you can see your contacts’ latest updates on Facebook and Twitter.

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4. Windows 8 gives swifter access to Settings
Want to connect to a different Wi-Fi network or the settings for your app? On iOS you need to exit the app you’re using and open the Settings app. On Windows 8 you just swipe left from the right side of the screen and tap settings. There you’ll see network settings, shortcuts for adjusting everything from volume to brightness, and those settings related to the app you’re using. It’s just faster.

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5. You can access and attach files in Windows 8
Yes, Android does this already, but Windows 8 does it better. Using the Mail, for example, you can easily attach photos or documents to outgoing emails using Windows 8's well-designed file picker. It's a cinch to select more than one file, whether it's stored on your PC or in the cloud on SkyDrive. The file picker is also open to third-party apps. With iOS, you can't attach anything to outgoing messages within the email app and the file system is hidden.

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6. Windows 8 lets you snap apps next to each other
Say you want to work on a spreadsheet while rocking out to Slacker. Or you want to watch some videos while cleaning out your inbox. Windows 8 makes it easy with its Snap feature. Building on Windows 7, you can easily resize the window so it takes up one- third or two- thirds of the screen when you place it next to another open program, whether it's with your finger or a mouse. Plus, Microsoft is working with developers to enhance their apps so that you get all the functionality you need even in a smaller window.

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7. Internet Explorer 10 Is a super fast browser
Internet Explorer 10 is one of the fastest browsers we've tested. Period. On our home network connection sites loaded almost as soon as we were done entering the URL in the address bar. In a side-by-side test with the iPad 2, our Samsung Tablet loaded with Windows 8 narrowly beat Apple’s slate, loading seven popular sites in an average of 4.3 seconds, versus 4.8 seconds for the iPad. While we wish the tabs were always visible, we like how Windows 8 makes it easy to close all of the tabs you're not using with a single tap.

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8. Windows 8 is optimized for keyboard use
While you can add a keyboard case to an iPad, Windows 8 is optimized for mouse and keyboard use. Our favorite feature: the ability to search for an app just by typing on the Start screen. Windows 8 also has a ton of keyboard shortcuts, such as Win C for opening the Charm menu, Win D for showing the desktop, and Win Z for opening the app bar. We’re excited to see more designs like the IdeaPad Yoga that combine both touch and keyboard input.

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9.  Xbox is built in
If you have an Xbox you’ll be glad to know that the Xbox Live Games app (currently in preview mode) presents your 3-D Avatar and lets you keep track of your game activity. You can also download games from the app, since it has a built-in marketplace. For now the selection is very skimpy, but we anticipate the number of Xbox Live games to explode by the time Windows 8 launches. The separate Xbox Companion app lets you stream videos you’ve purchased from your Windows 8 PC or tablet to the console. It works, but right now the quality is only so-so.

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10. Windows 8 supports more devices
Out of the box, Windows 8 will support lots more peripherals than the iPad or iOS because it’s built on Windows 7. If you have a USB drive, keyboard, printer, or camera, it should just work. Microsoft’s new OS makes it simple to access these add-ons via the Devices charm. Just swipe from the right side of the screen. And you can add devices from the PC settings menu.

Nokia N8 vs iPhone 4

By: Peter Chubb

Nokia has great expectations of their N8 smartphone device, but how does it truly compare to the likes of the Apple iPhone 4 – or other smartphones? The Nokia N8 has still not been released to the market yet, but from what we can tell there are a few problems.

There are certainly some great features that will help the N8 stand out, but are they enough to challenge the iPhone 4? An article written by Surojit Chatterjee on MSNBC aims to find out. (See below.)

There seems to be five main issues with Nokia’s upcoming handset, these are as follows: weak processor, low memory, Symbian OS, internal battery and finally its price.

The 680MHz processor will not cut it in today’s age, most smartphones now run a 1GHz chip, the upcoming Droid 2 R2D2 Edition is rumored to come with a 1.25GHz processor – almost double that of the N8.

The two biggest issues I believe are the mobile OS, and its price. There were rumors that Nokia were considering a move to Windows Phone 7, and although there is no evidence of this – it does show the failings of Symbian. The $549 price tag could be the deciding factor on how well the N8 does, but with cheaper Android handsets on the market – things do not look that great.

Source: www.product-reviews.net

5 Reasons Nokia's N8 Won't Beat the iPhone 4

The new smartphone may help boost Nokia's market share, but will it move the company to the top of the heap? 

Nokia's new N8 smartphone has impressive specifications and is perhaps the best smartphone the Finnish mobile phone maker has launched yet. Its powerful camera features, Symbian 3 OS, and huge storage capacity (up to 48GB via a MicroSD card slot) are certain to attract early adopters. But can it be a threat to Apple's iPhone 4?

Analysts don't think so. Though the N8 is "a clear improvement" over previous Nokia offerings, Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi believes that the N8 won't wipe the floor with the competition.

According to independent technology analyst Per Lindberg, the N8 is "certainly a step in the right direction (as) it's much more multimedia" than previous Nokia smartphones, but "whether it will move Nokia's market share upwards is more debatable."

Ovum's Tony Cripps also thinks the N8 is far from being industry changing: "I don't think Nokia would position the N8 as a revolutionary device."

There are five reasons the N8 won't be able to beat the iPhone 4 or the latest smartphones from rivals such as Motorola, HTC, or Samsung.

1. Weak processor.  

Nokia claims the N8 has a "lightning-fast processor" and is capable of rendering graphics and playing videos and games "smoother and faster" than previous Nokia smartphones.

Technically, Nokia is right, because its last smartphone, the N97, ran on a 434MHz processor, while the N8 runs at 680MHz. However, to call the N8's processor "lightning-fast" is a misnomer. The iPhone 4, HTC's Evo 4G, Motorola's Droid 2, and Samsung's Galaxy S all run on a more powerful 1GHz processor. Comparing the N8 processor to these models is like comparing an Oldsmobile to a Lamborghini.

2. Low memory.

For a top-end smartphone, the N8 has a low memory capacity. The device has only 256MB of SDRAM, while its high-end rivals boast twice as much. If you run too many applications at once, the N8 will quickly succumb to the pressure.

3. Symbian OS.

Although Symbian OS is N8's strength, it is also its biggest weakness.

According to Gartner, even though Symbian OS will have controlled 40.1% of the smartphone market in 2010, it will witness a sharp drop to 30.2% by 2014. The only OS expected to gain ground over the period is Google's Android platform, whose market share will surge from 17.7% in 2010 to 29.6% in 2014. But even Research In Motion, Apple, and Microsoft are expected to lose less OS share than Nokia will.

According to CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood, Nokia's new smartphones were "critical" in the fight to grab market share, but the Symbian software, despite refinements aimed at making it easier for developers to write apps for the phones, was "not positioned to challenge the iPhone."

"Nobody doubts Nokia's credentials. It has the market share but has lost the mindshare," Wood said. "Nokia, along with all the other mobile manufacturers, has been wrong footed by Apple and Google, and it will be a tough road to recovery."

There's nothing to set Symbian apart from its competition, and that's contributing to its sharp decline. Symbian devices are also unable to update beyond the core system software with which they shipped. Updates are an essential part of how smartphones work -- not only to offer bug fixes, but also to introduce new features and develop brand equity and loyal users. Android, BlackBerry OS, and Apple's iOS all offer upgrade paths beyond core system updates. For instance, users of the two-year-old 3G iPhone can upgrade their device from iOS 2.0 to iOS 4.1. Likewise, anyone who got a Motorola Droid last year can switch from Android 2.0 to Android 2.2. But Nokia has historically not supported a commercial upgrade path for older Symbian-based devices.

4. Internal battery.

Like the iPhone, the N8's battery is sealed inside the unit. Nokia has recommended that N8 users not try replacing the battery. "It can easily be replaced at a Nokia service center," the company said in a blog post.

5. Price.

The N8 will cost $549 in the United States. Meanwhile, you can get a 32GB iPhone 4 for $299 by signing a two-year contract with AT&T. Other top-end smartphones -- including the BlackBerry Torch 9800, Droid 2, Evo 4G, and Samsung Galaxy S -- are available at subsidized prices between $149 and $249 when you sign with a provider.

Not surprisingly, some observers believe that Nokia's insistence on selling its devices unsubsidized and without operator input represents arrogance on the company's part that has become its pitfall.

Conclusion  
The N8 is no iPhone killer. It may also have a hard time competing with other leading smartphones. But analysts suggest that the N8 represents a good start from a company that's always struggled in the high-margin smartphone segment and could herald the start of a good fight toward smartphone leadership.

Source: www.msnbc.msn.com