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Black Friday Open Topic

There’s a lot of potential gadget buyers showing up today after searching for obscure devices, so I thought it might be useful to post an open topic.

Got a question? Ask.

If you’re getting an Android tablet for someone for Christmas, I’ve written a couple getting started posts (2011, 2010). The newer one has a bunch of suggestions from readers on what apps you might want to install.

Got a really cheap Android tablet, one which is so cheap that it doesn’t have a decent app store? Then you might want to install Android Market using a set of simple instructions which have worked on many Android tablets running v2.3 Gingerbread to v4.0 ICS from many different brands (here).

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Comments


Gary November 22, 2012 um 9:30 pm

I don’t know if this is the proper place to post this but its been bothering me for a while so I thought I’d ask for your opinion. the HP Envy X2 was debuted at IFA 2012 in Berlin in August and was followed by a flood of comments and accolades by a host of tech reviewers. The product was officially released on November 14th and has been followed by absolute silence by the hoards of reviewers since. Do you have any clue why such indifference has evolved from such initial euphoria? I’m mystified. I’m hoping your insider information might be able to shed some light on the matter.

Thanks… Gary.

Nate Hoffelder November 23, 2012 um 7:24 am

I don’t know why this particular laptop was not reviewed, but I suspect that it was simply list in the crowd. An awful lot of Win8 laptops have been released in the past month.

Brad Linder November 23, 2012 um 7:42 am

The Envy X2 is up for pre-order, but it won’t actually ship until December. So aside from the hands-on time that a few of us got to spend with the tablet this summer, there’s not much to report yet since nobody has been able to take one home yet.

Gary November 25, 2012 um 10:02 am

I contacted HP directly and got the following information to 3 questions I asked.

1. When will the Envy X2 be available in retail stores?
Answer: "Around December"
2. Does it support a stylus pen?
Answer: It supports any standard stylus.
Comment: Obviously, not a Samsung Note style pen… which is what I was asking.
3. Is the advertized 7 hour battery life for the tablet and keyboard EACH or combined?
Answer: The 7 hrs is the COMBINED battery life for the tablet and keyboard.
Comment: How incredibly disappointing! Several other similar Win8 hybrids boast 9-10 hr battery life… unless they’re lying. I guess HP is compromising battery life for bragging rights on weight and size. I was hoping to get a combination similar to the ASUS Transformer Infinity or at least somewhere in the ballpark. Fat chance. Maybe the Intel Atom, et.al., aren’t comparable to the ARM processors after all.


Connie Qualey November 23, 2012 um 6:56 pm

Need help & you folks seem most informed! I have an Ipod touch 4th Gen. Love it..but. Do a lot of traveling, camping etc. and want ability to connect in various places for maps, etc. need GPS! So, because it’s small am considering the Mini with both Wifi and 4G and Glonass, whatever that is?
Is there a GPS gadget for Ipod. Is it worth it, or would you guys go with the Mini? I am not familiar with others. Have had 3 Ipods, sony Vaio laptop, so uninformed. I’d be grateful for thoughts and suggestions. Thanks

Nate Hoffelder November 23, 2012 um 7:38 pm

The latest iPod Touch doesn’t have GPS but it does have Bluetooth. You could get a separate GPS receiver which would connect to the iTouch over Bluetooth.

Tyler November 24, 2012 um 10:18 pm

Then how does this work?

http://www.apple.com/ios/maps/

Nate Hoffelder November 25, 2012 um 7:31 am

Magic.


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