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Old 06-20-2013, 11:12 AM   #1306
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glos View Post
I think it may be short for "circa" which means "about/approximately"
I didn't think it was used outside Italy but wikipedia said it's also used in English, so...
Perfect definition.
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Old 06-20-2013, 11:13 AM   #1307
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Originally Posted by pilotbob View Post
What is "ca." ??? You use it quite a lot and I can't figure out what it means.

BOb
Sorry for that!
Glos described it perfectly: ca. = circa = roundabout as in "roundabout 15 hours".
I wish it was short for "California". Would have loved to use my MacBook Air for 15 hours in California :-)

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Old 06-21-2013, 11:08 AM   #1308
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glos View Post
I think it may be short for "circa" which means "about/approximately"
I didn't think it was used outside Italy but wikipedia said it's also used in English, so...
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgmueller View Post
Sorry for that!
Glos described it perfectly: ca. = circa = roundabout as in "roundabout 15 hours".
I wish it was short for "California". Would have loved to use my MacBook Air for 15 hours in California :-)
Ah thanks... I know what Circa is, I just never saw that abrv. used before. I usually use @ for circa. I think I've see it as c1235 and ~1235 for years.

BOb
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Old 06-21-2013, 10:09 PM   #1309
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I finally got the Sony Vaio Duo 13. Since we can't get the i5 with a 256GB SSD locally I had to spring for the i7 with 8GB RAM. After one day of heavy usage the verdict is quite positive. The screen is great, the battery life amazing. The swivel mechanism works extremely well. The built quality seems excellent and I generally like the keyboard. Much less crapware than Sony machines in the past. On the negative side I hate the small right shift key (but I am slowly getting used to it) and the screen smudges easily. The trackpad is, of course much too small but I always use a mouse in laptop mode anyway, except when at airports or so. Therefore the palmrest is also somewhat short.

For tablet use the size is no problem at all, of course the weight is, but manageable. I guess at this point in time you can't do much better and still get full functionality. I didn't hear any fans kicking in yet and no hot air has been emerging from the ventilation slots until now. The casing feels totally cool, as cold as when it is turned off. In tablet mode the screen is a little top heavy but feels comfortable to hold. The 2 little feet mgmueller mentioned are a distraction, but quite far inside so by now I hardly notice them. The responsiveness of the screen to finger touch is as good as expected, same as Android or Windows RT. I didn't test out much more until now.

Didn't try the pen much yet. The storage on the right side in tablet mode is good when not using the PC, but gets in the way when holding the device in tablet mode. Very unfortunate it can't be stored inside.

Last edited by HansTWN; 06-21-2013 at 10:13 PM.
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Old 06-22-2013, 09:56 AM   #1310
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HansTWN View Post
I finally got the Sony Vaio Duo 13. Since we can't get the i5 with a 256GB SSD locally I had to spring for the i7 with 8GB RAM. After one day of heavy usage the verdict is quite positive. The screen is great, the battery life amazing. The swivel mechanism works extremely well. The built quality seems excellent and I generally like the keyboard. Much less crapware than Sony machines in the past. On the negative side I hate the small right shift key (but I am slowly getting used to it) and the screen smudges easily. The trackpad is, of course much too small but I always use a mouse in laptop mode anyway, except when at airports or so. Therefore the palmrest is also somewhat short.

For tablet use the size is no problem at all, of course the weight is, but manageable. I guess at this point in time you can't do much better and still get full functionality. I didn't hear any fans kicking in yet and no hot air has been emerging from the ventilation slots until now. The casing feels totally cool, as cold as when it is turned off. In tablet mode the screen is a little top heavy but feels comfortable to hold. The 2 little feet mgmueller mentioned are a distraction, but quite far inside so by now I hardly notice them. The responsiveness of the screen to finger touch is as good as expected, same as Android or Windows RT. I didn't test out much more until now.

Didn't try the pen much yet. The storage on the right side in tablet mode is good when not using the PC, but gets in the way when holding the device in tablet mode. Very unfortunate it can't be stored inside.
Congratulations!
From what I've heard about the Asus Taichi 31, the Sony Duo 13 probably was a wise choice.

I'm (positively for you) surprised about the fan. On the Duo 11 that I had bought ca. 4 months ago, the fan was on most of the time (I don't remember, whether it was on from the very beginning. But it definitely was on quickly and then basically didn't go off again). Same with the 2 samples I've checked out in the store.
Maybe it's about the processor? Yours has an i7, mine did have an i5. It would make sense, that a more powerful processor for the very same task (often probably web based tasks) needs less "effort", thus less heat. On the other hand, the sales guy I spoke to (but how competent and experienced they are you only can tell after some more detailed discussions) claimed exactly the opposite: More power = more heat = more frequent fan use.
Maybe you can do some kind of "stress test"? For example playing a HD movie and surfing in parallel?
Did you modify any settings for the fan? I think I tried on mine, without much of a difference (did work on Toshiba Libretto, though).

How do you hold it in tablet mode?
This was the issue that bothered me a bit and eventually (after maybe 3 hours of testing) was the reason for giving it back:
The lower part with the keyboard is wider than the upper part. And the upper part with the display, if I remember correctly, is trapezoid.
Meaning: If you look at it from the side, it's not a single edge pressing against your palm. It's a "step" from the keyboard to the display and than diagonally for the display. Hard to describe, I've made a scheme below.
I found it hard to hold that way. But I have to admit: I even don't like the curved edges on iPad because of that, so I'm probably squeamish about that.

In tablet mode, looking at it from the side:
___________
______/
_____/
l
l___________

Last edited by mgmueller; 06-22-2013 at 10:00 AM.
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Old 06-22-2013, 11:59 PM   #1311
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I am streaming a movie in HD from Netflix while I am writing this with several more browser tabs open. The top middle part of the device is very slightly warm (I am 40 minutes into the movie) and occasionally a small gush of hot air comes from the vent at the top (at the top when holding it in tablet mode). But I haven't heard any fan running yet. I have also read that the new Haswell processors need very little or no ventilation. No idea if that is true. Apparently the PC gets warmer with Netflix running from the desktop than when running the Netflix Metro app. Still, no problem either way for me. And I haven't played with any fan settings.

In tablet mode I hold it left and right. There is the tapered edge you have drawn, but the second "edge" inside is round. Feels good to me (though the edges are a little sharp, as some reviewers have pointed out), I guess everyone has to try such things for themselves. The keyboard is the same width from top to bottom, but the device is heavier at the top. In tablet mode my hands never touch the "warm" area and the edges stay cold.
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Old 06-23-2013, 07:24 AM   #1312
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glos View Post
I think it may be short for "circa" which means "about/approximately"
I didn't think it was used outside Italy but wikipedia said it's also used in English, so...
The word "circa" is commonly used in English, but not the abbreviation "ca.".
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Old 06-23-2013, 07:44 AM   #1313
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HansTWN View Post
I am streaming a movie in HD from Netflix while I am writing this with several more browser tabs open. The top middle part of the device is very slightly warm (I am 40 minutes into the movie) and occasionally a small gush of hot air comes from the vent at the top (at the top when holding it in tablet mode). But I haven't heard any fan running yet. I have also read that the new Haswell processors need very little or no ventilation. No idea if that is true. Apparently the PC gets warmer with Netflix running from the desktop than when running the Netflix Metro app. Still, no problem either way for me. And I haven't played with any fan settings.

In tablet mode I hold it left and right. There is the tapered edge you have drawn, but the second "edge" inside is round. Feels good to me (though the edges are a little sharp, as some reviewers have pointed out), I guess everyone has to try such things for themselves. The keyboard is the same width from top to bottom, but the device is heavier at the top. In tablet mode my hands never touch the "warm" area and the edges stay cold.
Hmmmm...
It really seems to be worth checking it out again.
Either I did have a "Monday" unit 3 months ago, given the more or less constantly on fan noise.
Or the new processor generation really is more efficient. I've heard the latter mentioned a few times already, so probably that's it.

I really liked the sliding mechanism and the keyboard, so this only would leave the "tapered edge" to check again...

Oh man, does the buying never end?
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Old 06-24-2013, 02:10 PM   #1314
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Packaged web apps on Chromebook Pixel

http://www.omgchrome.com/packaged-ap...-os-dev-users/

No need for being online.
Not running in a browser window, but standalone.
Nice evolution!
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Old 06-26-2013, 01:23 PM   #1315
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pilotbob View Post
I'm really coveting one of those new MacBook Airs with the Haswell cpus... they say 12 hours now, for the 13inch. Me want!

BOb
As you brought it up and put it in my mind

I've got the August 2011 MacBook Air 11":
1.8GHz i7
4GB 1333MHz DDR3
256GB SSD

The spec for the new MacBook Air 11" says:
1.7 GHz dual-core i7
4GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 (up to 8GB)
256GB SSD (up to 512GB)

Any idea, what kind of speed-boost I could expect?
In general, I'm still perfectly fine with my MacBook Air.
But...
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Old 06-26-2013, 02:34 PM   #1316
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Originally Posted by mgmueller View Post
As you brought it up and put it in my mind

I've got the August 2011 MacBook Air 11":
1.8GHz i7
4GB 1333MHz DDR3
256GB SSD

The spec for the new MacBook Air 11" says:
1.7 GHz dual-core i7
4GB 1600MHz LPDDR3 (up to 8GB)
256GB SSD (up to 512GB)

Any idea, what kind of speed-boost I could expect?
In general, I'm still perfectly fine with my MacBook Air.
But...
I know the Haswell CPUs are much more battery efficient. Also, the new graphics HD 5000 is supposed to be about 40% faster. I'm not sure on the CPU part... but I expect it would be about 20% faster... Also, they use faster ram and flash memory now. I guess it depends on what you do as to whether it will seem faster to you. Here is an article with some quick benchmarks.

Oh, and it also sport 801.11ac !! For super fast WiFi.

http://www.macworld.com/article/2041...h-storage.html

I know it would be a screamer compared to my 2009 Era MacBook.

BOb

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Old 07-27-2013, 09:11 PM   #1317
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I finally got the Sony Vaio Duo 13. Since we can't get the i5 with a 256GB SSD locally I had to spring for the i7 with 8GB RAM. After one day of heavy usage the verdict is quite positive. The screen is great, the battery life amazing. The swivel mechanism works extremely well. The built quality seems excellent and I generally like the keyboard. Much less crapware than Sony machines in the past. On the negative side I hate the small right shift key (but I am slowly getting used to it) and the screen smudges easily. The trackpad is, of course much too small but I always use a mouse in laptop mode anyway, except when at airports or so. Therefore the palmrest is also somewhat short.

For tablet use the size is no problem at all, of course the weight is, but manageable. I guess at this point in time you can't do much better and still get full functionality. I didn't hear any fans kicking in yet and no hot air has been emerging from the ventilation slots until now. The casing feels totally cool, as cold as when it is turned off. In tablet mode the screen is a little top heavy but feels comfortable to hold. The 2 little feet mgmueller mentioned are a distraction, but quite far inside so by now I hardly notice them. The responsiveness of the screen to finger touch is as good as expected, same as Android or Windows RT. I didn't test out much more until now.

Didn't try the pen much yet. The storage on the right side in tablet mode is good when not using the PC, but gets in the way when holding the device in tablet mode. Very unfortunate it can't be stored inside.
I saw the Sony Vaio Duo in German Saturn Markt yesterday.
In the showroom I couldn't check the fan noise (if any).
But it definitely looks more stylish than the former model (the one I briefly had in February).
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Old 07-27-2013, 09:42 PM   #1318
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I saw the Sony Vaio Duo in German Saturn Markt yesterday.
In the showroom I couldn't check the fan noise (if any).
But it definitely looks more stylish than the former model (the one I briefly had in February).
The white one looks quite cool. There is a fan, but I haven't noticed it yet. Up to now I am very pleased, especially with performance and battery life. The keyboard takes some getting used to, especially if you switch between computers, though it feels great once I have used this machine exclusively for a few days (when I travel). What would be nice is a cover with an adjustable angle tablet stand. Haven't found anything yet. Unfortunately the keyboard only gives you one angle.

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Old 08-10-2013, 12:53 PM   #1319
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BlueStacks

Since BlueStacks stopped working on Surface Pro about 3 months ago (I could roll back the video driver updates, but I don't want to), I've tried on Dell Latitude 10.
In the past, it had not been working. My guess back then was the Atom processor.
But, surprise, surprise: It's working now.
Some may ask: Why use Android apps on Windows 8?
Well, my usual answer: Because I can ;-)
So far, it's working good enough.
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Old 08-16-2013, 10:07 AM   #1320
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Kobo Aura HD

Just received my Kobo Aura HD.
Via Amazon, as usual without any delays or problems.

Very briefly:

It comes in a cardboard package without any pictures or description (neither on the package nor within).
Absolutely no marketing at all.
No biggy for me. I guess, it's simply because of their indirect sales channels.
Still: Extremely obvious, compared to the "luxury boxes" from Apple or even Microsoft...

I've ordered the Espresso colored one and it's really a unique look.
Still: It's relatively ugly and a bit less stylish then Kindle Paperwhite for example.

Why did I order it?
I came to love my Kindle Paperwhite.
I can read perfectly well on Tablets. But eInk (or whatever the technology is called nowadays) and the built-in light make for a perfect combination.
As I've got some 250 eBooks from Kobo, Aura HD seemed to be a natural additional choice.
I'll check out B&N as well, but ordering the Aura HD from Amazon Germany was so much more convenient...

You can setup the reader over WiFi or the computer app/program.
I want to do it via WiFi.
But as so often: I've got MAC address protection, so I can't just log in.
Some (Google Chromebook Pixel for example) gadgets show the MAC address on this very configuration screen. Others, like Aura HD obviously, hide it somewhere in settings.
Yes, I may be one of the few to use MAC addresses. But is it really so complicated to just show it on the initial screen?...
In this case, there doesn't seem to be a workaround. I can't enter the settings yet to check for the MAC address. But I can't log into my WiFi either without the MAC.
Okay, I have to use another WiFi for now...
While typing this and thinking about WiFi, I've checked out the reader more intensively. Well: It's really ugly! A red plasticky power button. It somehow reminds me of some Eastern German technology circa 1980...

I'm setting up the time zone now: Enter a town nearby.
Wow! It actually even finds Augsburg!
(I'm a bit of a local patriot. I don't want to enter Munich ).
Downloading the first update immediately, without having finished the settings yet.
Seems to be a rather big update, takes more than 2 minutes to download...

Now they show a quick introduction of 10 pages.
Buttons for power and light on the top.
Light only has 2 settings: On and off. Can I increase the brightness gradually, like on Kindle Paperwhite? Ah, page 7 of the introduction describes adjusting the brightness.

Micro USB, Micro SD and reset on the bottom.
The Kobo website states "Micro SD up to 32GB". But I'll test one of my 64GB cards later on. Only out of curiosity, the internal 4GB should be more than plenty for now (the 2GB on Paperwhite are too limited for me, I can't download my travel guide books or Dilbert and Garfield books, each about 50MB because of that limit).
Wow! 4GB did seem plenty. But after downloading only 201 books from my Kobo account, there's only 150MB of the 3253MB left. Too many Dilberts, I guess.

Lots of dictionaries to chose from. Not only single language one, but bidirectional ones as well.

You can adjust the refresh rate. Standard is: Every 6 pages.

There are some games in "Extras": Chess, Solitaire, Word Scramble, Sudoku. Plus Sketch Pad and Web Browser.

In "Account" I find "Adobe Authorization": "Not signed in". No idea, how to sing in. Maybe I have to connect to the PC or download some ADE books?
Just authorised via ADE. Strange, that one can't authorise directly via WiFi and ADE account.

So much for first impressions.
Now I'll download my library...
Nice! There's a "download all" menu entry! Love it! Hate to download all books manually...

Turning pages and such is highly responsive.
The display seems excellent. I have to compare to Paperwhite, but definitely nothing to complain about!

A bit annoying: If you turn it off with the light on, after restarting again the light remains off. Usually, I'd like to restart exactly the way I left...

Nice! When in screensaver mode, the top of the screen says "powered off". I like that! Some of my other gadgets mysteriously drain batteries while stored away and a while later I ask myself "Didn't I turn it off but leave it in standby instead? Or why did it drain the battery?". Nice to have assurance about the status of the unit with a single glance.

There are some extremely helpful features. On my Dilbert books (pardon me), I can set the strips to full screen and such. This setting remains through the entire book, very helpful.

Kobo Aura HD vs. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite:
Personally, I find the background of Kobo Auro slightly more yellow-ish.
I think, the standard fonts on Paperwhite might be chosen a bit more effectively.
I don't care much about the slightly bigger display of Kobo Aura. For the books I'll read on both, 6" is perfectly fine.
Over all, I'd say the differences are marginal.
The slightly lighter background of Paperwhite is a bit more to my liking. But it's not much of a difference.
Paperwhite will remain my favorite eInk reader with built-in light. But Aura HD is a close second.
BTW: Main criticism about Paperwhite was/is about the uneven lighting. I don't have any problems with it, but it actually seems a bit more even on Aura HD. But again: Marginal differences.
I almost forgot: I still find the free 3G (globally!), available for most Kindles (with the exception of most of their tablets), a stroke of genius!

Last edited by mgmueller; 08-21-2013 at 12:17 PM.
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