Move Over Ubuntu, Here Comes Lightweight Linux
The article title is a oxymoron and it will become clear as you read the article. It is however accurate. This article does not attempt to sell Linux in-lieu of Microsoft Windows. If you...
Category: Review
Review of Micromax Canvas Lapbook L1161 Laptop
Micromax is a well known name in electronics in India. They have introduced a slew of products such as mobile phones, tablets, LED televisions etc. Recently they have introduced Laptop computers featuring Intel processors and licensed Microsoft Windows 10 OS. The laptops have contemporary hardware and are priced very competitively. Are these laptops only good on paper or will they delivery in price – performance? Read the detailed review to find out.
Review of Clip-on Lens for Mobile Phone. Fish-eye, Wide-angle and Macro.
Mobile phones have replaced the pocket watch, the scientific calculator, the compact camera for most people. While the camera capabilities of mobile phones is improving at an exponential rate, users want features such as closer, further, wider. Solutions such as clip-on cameras that use your mobile phones as LCD monitors exist but are falling out of favour. While mobile phone makers ponder how to implement paper thin lenses that provide 10x zoom, interim solutions exist as clip-on lenses. These are cheap and simple with tall claims. Do they actually deliver? Do they work identically? Will they work on your phone? Read on to find out how they fared in my tests.
Review of Panasonic SC-HTB3GW-K Sound Bar
The Panasonic SC-HTB3GW-K Sound Bar is a Bluetooth-enable 20W RMS speaker designed to improve the audio-experience of LCD TVs. The sound-bar also features the ability to play from USB Pen Drive. While 20W RMS is pretty loud and a tall claim, sound-bars are saddled with small drivers and generally do not offer sound that is fulfilling. At just Rs. 2599/-, Panasonic has attempted to create a speaker that it hopes will stand apart and set the benchmark. Read on to discover if the sound-bar delivers on Panasonic’s promises.
MB102 Breadboard Power Supply Module 3.3V 5V
Powering components on a breadboard is always challenging. Solderless breadboard certainly make it easy but for elegance, you will need to invest in an expensive bench power supply. Trying to power a mass of sensors using the power-pins on a Raspberry Pi or Arduino board is not a good idea because of the limitations placed on maximum current draw that these boards apply.
A $1 Breadboard Power Supply module from China is an elegant drop-in solution. It supports 6.5V – 12V input and outputs stable 3.3 V and 5V over two rails up-to 700mA.
Comparison of Budget Android Media Players with Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku and nVidia Shield
Last few months have been very exciting for those who want to move to a digital streaming media player and move away from the conventional set-top boxes. Apple fanbois have been going crazy about the impending launch of Apple TV 4. Roku fanbois have declared victory already. Google Nexus TV is and will probably remain a niche output of their R&D division. Amazon’s Fire TV is taking the technology of Nexus TV and making it practical. nVidia is joining the race as a me-too. Outside of USA, none of these boxes will ever achieve mass penetration. These markets are dominated by China-made Android Media Players. The article compares the Media Player devices by listing their prices vs. technical specifications.
Review of MXQ Android Media Player
The MXQ OTT Android Media Player features an Amlogic S805 Quad Code 1.5 GHz processor with 1 GB RAM and 8 GB Internal Storage. It is capable of decoding H.265 videos at 1080p. When compared to the MK809V and the M8H, it does seem to be straddling a middle position. Does it deliver middling performance or awesome bang for buck?
Review of M8H Android Media Player
The electronic brains that have been converting my ordinary TV into a Smart TV, have undergone considerable churn. It has been an Intel Core i5-430M CPU based laptop, followed by an Intel Core i5-2430M CPU based laptop, followed by an Intel Core i3-4005U CPU based laptop, followed by a Raspberry Pi B+. Now it is an Amlogic S812 CPU based Android Media Player and I am sincerely hoping that the churn would come to a rest.
The M8H Android Media Player features Amlogic S812 CPU, 2GB RAM and 16GB Internal Storage and is capable of playing 4K videos encoded using H.265 Codec without breaking a sweat. It performs admirably well as a full-fledged HTPC replacement but rough edges exist. How does the device stand-up to rudimentary testing? Continue reading to find out.
Technical Comparison of Casio CTK-7300IN, CTK-6300IN and CTK-860INK2
Casio has launched the CTK-7300IN , CTK-6300IN and CTK-860IN keyboards for India with emphasis on Indian tones and rhythms. These keyboards are technically advanced and priced to be affordable for the average Indian house-hold. Article compares the technical features of the keyboards vis-a-vis price to enable appropriate selection by potential buyers.
Review of Orange Pi Mini 2
The Orange Pi Mini 2 is a Single Board Computer based on Amlogic H3 Quad Core CPU using ARM architecture. While it is based on the original concept by Raspberry Foundation’s Raspberry Pi, the Orange Pi technically exceeds the Raspberry Pi in it’s specifications. While, evolution in technology is natural and newer equipment automatically benefit, the underlying technology alone does not define a product that meets or exceeds user expectations. Ergonomics, usability and compatibility define if a product will succeed or fail. The Orange Pi Mini 2 gets a number of factors right and has scope for improvement in others.