Android Invasion - part 2 of 3

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla G1 Hardware Impressions The T-Mobile G1 is smaller than it looks in pictures. It feels nice in the hand and we absolutely love the matte black finish and the subtle rubber feel of the back cover. It is easy to hold, has a generally good grip and the weight feels even. This is one smartphone that we feel confident enough to carry without a case or even a screen protector. The only other device that made us feel this way was a BlackBerry Curve. More after the jump. We did use a makeshift InvisibleShield protector (from an iPhone) to cover the G1's screen but that was peeled off after a day since it really dampened the touchscreen's sensitivity and rendered it nearly useless (more on this later). With the keyboard tucked in, the G1 feels really well put together, the only gripe we have is the annoying placement of the camera button on the lower right hand side. It would have been, you know, more intuitive to use the scroll ball. As a result, taking snapshots with this button placed so far below is difficult if you have large hands or long fingers. ' We're bummed that the G1 does not have a proper headphone jack but uses a USB port (the same one you charge the device with) as the sole way to listen to music on headphones. The included headphones are awful in size and shape we found them a pain to use. The cord length is way too long plus the volume control and microphone remote is freaking huge and heavy. We wouldn't use this in the gym for fear of taking someone's eye out if it swings the wrong way. We just can't understand the reason why, with all the perfectly good headsets available out there, HTC and Google decided to cripple the G1 by limiting it to USB only audio. We hope to get some sort of adapter to circumvent this limitation. The touchscreen is nowhere as accurate or sensitive as what we are used to on the iPhone. I am not sure if our particular G1 has issues but with a screen protector on, dialing on the keypad was next to impossible. God forbid you need to reach 911 and the damn thing doesn't accept your key presses. Again, we only have the iPhone to compare it to, but there seems to be a hit or miss thing with this touchscreen. There's a shades feature which allows you to get more information from the status bar (which is on the top of the screen) by making a sweeping gesture. Well, we've only been able to get this to work once. Even after we removed the screen protector it was terribly difficult to click on icons, move them around or even manage the touch buttons. If this were a touch-only device, it would be pretty crappy. Thank goodness for the buttons, they are truly necessary. Keyboard Mode The QWERTY keyboard on the G1 could be better but it works fine. We find the mechanism that flips it open and close to be a bit violent. I guess the springy action and the resounding snap that follows is unnerving. When the keyboard is enabled, the screen automatically reverts to horizontal orientation. This happens quickly and is quite seamless. Now, the body of the G1 seems to feel a bit less solid, the screen tilts back a bit too much. A lot has been said about how tricky it is to type on specially since you need to compensate for the area where the buttons are but, like with most of the odd features of the G1, you learn to live with it. Next: Part 3 - Functionality and Conclusion

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Sony Reader Update

Here at the Canadian Reviewer we are big believers in the possibilities of E-ink technology and eBook and eReader devices like Sony’s Personal Reader System and Amazon’s infuriatingly Insular and unavailable Kindle. These devices do one thing simply and well, they allow you to carry and read hundreds of books in electronic format – saving entire forests of tress and cutting down substantially on packaging, transport and storage resources. We’re happy to report that Sony is taking this initiative seriously – slowly adding more content to its eReader store (still limited to US and Canada based users with stores in France and England opening up soon) and it continues to launch new devices. More on the Sony Reader after the jump. The latest Sony Reader, named the PRS-700, integrates touch controls for navigating pages, the ability to highlight text as well as make notes with a stylus. It also comes with a built in reading light which illuminates the surface in those less-than optimal lighting situations. At US $399, it is a hundred dollars more expensive than the current model, the PRS-505, which we have in our labs and have been using extensively. In other news, Amazon’s next Kindle device has been leaked in a series of pictures. The new Kindle seems to have improved on certain aspects like the built-in keyboard but is still awkward. Amazon’s big win is that its device works wirelessly so you can buy books without a computer, its biggest failure is that it is only enabled for US users so even if it has access to more books it still serves a limited amount of users and does not have a global presence. We advocate electronic books, their portability, reduced footprint and cheaper prices. We only hope this movement gains ground as people begin to see the value of eco-friendly book production.

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Nikon D60 – Prosumer and Pro Fun - Review

Nikon has been very busy these past two years securing their foothold in the consumer and prosumer DSLR market. Its popular D40 line of cameras introduced DSLR photography to legions of non-professionals and made it easy for them to take amazing photographs. More after the jump. As a replacement to the famed D40 line, the D60 offers all the benefits of the Nikon system but adds a number of fun features to make photography less technical and much more enjoyable. Nikon’s focus for this segment of the DSLR market is on creativity rather than technical expertise and we believe this will attract even more users to the D60. Rocking a 10.2 Megapixel resolution, a new lens, an innovative dual dust reduction system and enhanced performance features like an orientation sensor for horizontal/vertical shooting, the D60 is well on its way to being the new crowd favorite. Nikon listened to its users and made a list of features and improvements that went into the D60. While the camera body of the D60 is very similar past models, the included lens seems a bit bigger. This is because the AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G lens now comes with vibration reduction technology that ensures fewer blurred photos and missed opportunities. There is also an eye sensor that saves the batter while the LCD turns on or off when it senses the proximity of the users eye. Fun features abound in the D60 and include a number of photo color and effect filters that simulate the more expensive screw-on versions and a stop-motion movie mode that stitches 100 JPEGs into short movies for an interesting time-lapse effect. The D60 utilizes Nikon’s aptly named EXPEED technology to maximize image quality and processing speed. The camera also offers creative features that are designed to allow the optimization and adjustment of images without the need for a computer. Image optimization is achieved through functions like Active D-Lighting (which compensates for strong shadows), and the automatic correction of false eye color when using the built-in flash. With its software, Nikon has essentially removed the tedious process of altering images with programs like Adobe Photoshop and given users the ability to create interesting images on the camera before they even reach a computer. We have used the Nikon D60 and its sibling, the D40 here at The Canadian Reviewer for the past two weeks and love the ease of use, sturdy build quality and the amazing pictures we've been able to take. The D60 is a very capable DSLR which is thoroughly enjoyable to use and is perfect for those who are seriously considering getting into DSLR photography for the first time. The D40 may be simpler but it would be a better choice for a first time DLSR buyer. Black's Photography recently had the D40 body on sale for $329. Canadian - a great bargain for a great camera. Inheriting a lot of the technology found on more expensive DLSRs, the Nikon entry level DSLRs D40 and the D60 offer first time buyers a great package and many easy ways to take amazing pictures while learning the intricacies of DSLR photography.

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