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Linx 7 Tablet review. A budget tablet worth the money. by @jimboireland #Linx7 #Windows #Review

Ok so we are all pretty use to seeing plenty of Android tablets on the market and to be honest most of them if not all that fall under the €109 mark are piles of trash,the specs look good and that is as far as it goes,i have tried many budget tablets running one or another kind of version of Android but below that price is only going to be a headache.

Now we are beginning to see some new Windows tablets coming onto the market and thankfully they are not running on RT which is kind of annoying and basically has no real place in the market now.

So lets look at the outside then we will check out what’s inside and how it performs.

Build quality is quite good its solid and does not feel cheap even though its completely housed in a plastic it has some kind of premium feel to it so we are happy there with this.

The top of the device is i must say somewhat pleasing to look at all the action seems to be in one place so its no fumbling around looking for buttons etc.

 

On the top we have our camera,home key,headphone socket,USB port,SD card slot and HDMI and down to the right we have our power on/off key and volume toggles.I like how all is place together and it does not look cluttered either.

Specifications.

Windows 8.1 OS,1GB RAM,7 INCH IPS TFT LCD DISPLAY,2 MP FRONT CAMERA,2MP REAR CAMERA,HDMI OUTPUT,43 GB INTERNAL STORAGE,MICRO SD SUPPORT,3,500 MAH BATTERY,BLUETOOTH,WIFI. 

Unboxing of the linx 7 and walkaround 

Ok lets begin with the camera its a 2MP camera and to be honest its poor,it will not be taking any wonderful photos at all,i am by no means any camera expert but the sample below was the best i could get and trying different exposure settings but then again a tablet is not for taking photos and when i see people in the public doing so i can only just laugh but hey people do it but with this tablet no,do not attempt it.

There is no point at all in going into video,i did not bother to be honest with the results from trying to use the camera,another downfall is that you can’t share images once captured which is probably just as well in this case.however the camera is there should you perhaps come across something urgent and do not have a phone at hand.

MUSIC 

For music we use Mix Radio,its not pre installed but you can get it in the app store and it works a treat,no lag,no problems at all we have to say,the speaker is the problem though,placed at the bottom it does from time to time sound a bit tinny,the tablet could of had one on top too to be honest but again its a budget tablet so dont expect top end performance,also you can add your own speaker to it too via the headphone socket to enhance the sound,Mix Radio is free to download from the store and unlocking the features is £4.99 per month,preloading Mix Radio on every Windows Tablet sub 9 inch would be a fantastic idea in my opinion as its a superb service to have..

1 / 7

Gaming 

Well i was impressed with how it handled games,i am not a huge gamer no more but from time to time i like to check out what’s out there and see how they run same as i do with my Lumia devices,the tablet did not let down here which was good to see.For example we tried FIFA 15 and it worked a treat it did not lag at any stage..

Apps 

Having such good performance with gaming we expected no issues with apps,this was true all our apps worked fine from social media,Netflix,Office and One Note for example,Browsing the web was also fine using IE,All the preinstalled apps worked like clockwork plus what we have downloaded app wise to our personal taste i was happy with this overall..

Maps.

We are a fan of HERE maps which is also not preinstalled on the device HERE maps is also free to use and download and the benefit of HERE maps is you can use them offline which is a great bonus and proves and much better overall than Google Maps.HERE worked flawlessly we are delighted to say..

 

Under the hood.

Intel Atom QUAD CORE, Processor Speed IS 1.83 ghz

Windows 8.1 OS.

16/GB 32GB storage we used the 32GB version in our review this is expandable via SD to 64GB

1GB RAM ,this is not so great but it performed well to be fair with what we threw at it.

Front and rear camera is just 2MP which was its biggest letdown for me..Video res 720p @ 30FPS.

Video files supported H.264, WMV, MP4, AVI, ASF , and Audio files AAC, WMA, MP3, PCM, M4A, WAV, ASF.

Display – Was quite fine to be fair and sporting IPS (1280 X 800) TFT LCD it does the job.

Battery – 3,500 mAh it  will see you a good 3 to 4HRS use if you are heavy on it.

Good points to keep in mind.

HDMI output,this is not something you see on most tablets today even on Android.

One Year of Microsoft Office 365 FREE this is quite handy to have…

Overall my opinion is this is a great tablet for the price which is around €99  you can’t really go wrong,the only big issue with it is its camera and video capabilities ,having said that you don’t buy tablets to take photos but some do,IF you are one of these people stay away from it apart from that it excels many Android tablets in the same price bracket in many ways,again an issue would be apps especially local apps this is another area to consider should you be requiring apps but for the majority the apps are there be it third party or not..Its also a fingerprint magnet too.

Any questions on the Linx 7 Feel free to ask below or we can also assist on Twitter @jimboireland.

Lend your sight to the blind with #BeMyEyes app. #Blindness #Apps #Vision by @jimboireland

Its certainly a world of apps these days and its ever so becoming more true that there is an app for just about anything,some may be a cause for concern and some not and this app has certainly turned heads so far and what its intention is to have one lend their vision as an act of kindness and people are signing up for it too..

Be My Eyes makes life easier for the blind, by connecting them with sighted helpers through a smartphone app. This allows the blind to handle big and small tasks, while sighted get the joy of helping someone else in a easy and informal way.

It only takes a minute to choose the right tin can from the shelf, look at the expiration date on the milk or find the right thing to eat in the fridge – if you have full vision that is. For visual impaired individuals smaller tasks in their home can often become bigger challenges. Be My Eyes hopes to change that!

 

Through a direct video call the app gives blind people the opportunity to ask a sighted volunteer for help, for tasks that requires normal vision. The blind person “lends” the helper’s eyes all through his or her smartphone. The sighted helper is able to see and describe what the blind person is showing the sighted helper by filming with the video camera in the smartphone. That way, by working together they are able to solve the problem that the blind person is facing.

 

The team behind Be My Eyes

Be the eyes for a blind person in need of help remotely through a live video connection if you are sighted or be assisted by the network of sighted users if you are blind.

Be My Eyes is all about contributing to and benefiting from small acts of kindness, so hop on board and get involved!

Blind users can request help from a sighted person and the sighted users will then be called for help. As soon as the first sighted user accepts the request for help a live audio-video connection will be set up between the two and the sighted user can tell the blind person what she sees when the blind user points his phone at something using the rear-facing camera.

As a sighted user you don’t need to worry about missing a call and ‘leave a blind person hanging’ – you are a part of the bigger Be My Eyes helper-network and we will find the next available sighted person in the network. The challenges that the blind person needs help with can be anything from knowing the expiry date on the milk to navigating new surroundings.

Note: We encourage blind users to be patient when requesting help because we rely on real people to help you.

– Live audio-video connection between blind and sighted users
– Add the languages you know under settings
– An easy way you can make a difference for blind people

 

So what do you think of this app and will you help out the blind ? Its a great idea… The app is only on iOS at the moment..

DOWNLOAD 

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Nexus 6 – Spigen Case Review by @jimboireland. #Cases #Review #Nexus6

The Nexus 6 is soon to be made available in Ireland via Google play but you can also ship it in from Amazon UK or elsewhere,those who now have the burly Nexus 6 may or may not have cases for it yet but here is our first case review from the manufacturer Spigen,this is the first of a few cases we have on the way for the device to give you some idea of what is available and what we think is best to keep your device in good shape.

5 / 10

You can check out Spigen who are based in the USA but ship via Amazon UK etc,the case in the review cost €18 plus shipping which is not bad and quite a decent price..

 

A Classroom mobile app and new teacher goodies. #GoogleClassroom. by @jimboireland #Teaching

Google classroom launched 6 months ago and now today it has launched a mobile app for Android and iOS,To access them though you will need to have a classroom account and it looks pretty neat.The idea is to save paper,time and be organised and to have the ability to access files..You can also share from other apps inside Google classroom.

 

With the mobile app, students and teachers can:

  • Snap a photo: Right from the assignment page in the mobile app, students can snap a photo and attach it to their assignment — whether it’s the experiment they just did for a science class, or a drawing they made of their family tree. And if they’ve forgotten their homework, they can ask someone at home to snap a photo, text it and then turn it in with the app. Of course, if the dog has actually eaten it, Classroom can’t help you.

 

  • Share from other apps: Students can also easily attach images, PDFs and web pages from other apps to their assignments. For example, when you’re in a drawing app, you can create a graphic for an assignment. When you click “share” in that app, Classroom will come up as an option, and you can attach the graphic to an assignment.

 

  • Offline caching: Even when Internet access isn’t available, students and teachers can get information about their assignments in the Classroom mobile app. Class streams and assignment information are automatically cached every time you open the app with an Internet connection, so that you can see them when you don’t have a connection.

 

Download  Classroom mobile app for both Android and iOS (also available in Google Play for Education)

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Microsoft announce the Comfort Headset. by @jimobireland #Accessories #Microsoft

After todays announcement of the two new low end devices the 435 and the 532 a quiet announcement so to speak was learned,it was the introduction of a new headset called the Comfort Headset,Currently there is no price available on this headset but will be available to buy..

Unlike many other headsets, the earpieces match the shape of the human ear. They are designed to sit securely in the ear while maintaining maximum comfort – it’s a great fit for most people’s ears.

The earpieces direct sound deeper in the ear for minimum sound loss. Ergonomic design and a perfectly placed earpiece speaker create a super-comfortable, high-quality listening experience.

 

Pick the one that matches your personality. Add a bit of fun with bright orange, keep it neutral with white, or stay classy with black. Get outstanding sound quality and a color that looks great.

  • Specifications

    • Audio
      • Frequency response: 20 – 20 000 Hz
      • Speaker impedance: 32 ohm
      • Audio features: Stereo
    • Connectivity
      • AV connectors: 3.5 mm stereo headset connector
    • Usage
      • Earpiece type: Semi canal
      • Operating temperature: -5 – +40 C
    • User Interface
      • Operating keys: Answer/end key
    • Dimensions
      • Weight: 12 g
      • Cable length: 120 cm
    • Environmental features
      • Materials: Free of PVC, Free of BFR, rFR as in NSL
      • Packaging: Packaging is 100 % recyclable
      • Product recycling: 100% recoverable as materials and energy

Its been a long long time since i used in-ears as im loving my overheads so it will be interesting to see how things have changed in this form factor..

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Ryanair said to trial Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment this year. by @jimboireland #Ryanair #WiFi

Ryanair ,the no frills airline is said to bring passengers some inflight entertainment and Wifi this year by way of trials,since other airlines are already offering these services this does look bad on the company regardless especially in todays world when the technology is available and i’m sure with a fleet as huge as Mr O Learys this could be made affordable at best,we have seen some airlines charge people silly money for using Wi-Fi on board their planes but now in a tech driven world this could easily become a sustainable extra for passengers..

 

Since a pledge last year by Chief Executive Michael O’Leary to stop “unnecessarily pissing people off”, Ryanair has slashed penalty charges, overhauled its web site, tripled its marketing budget and launched business class fares.

While Ryanair has long been synonymous with levying extra charges for services offered free on more established airlines, it says it may offer both of the new services for free, Chief Technology Officer John Hurley told journalists on Tuesday.

Improvements to its much maligned customer service has helped the airline boost ticket fares and increase passenger numbers by 10 percent this year and sent its share price to an all-time high last week.

Ryanair, which made a failed attempt to rent out inflight entertainment devices a decade ago, will try again with a system that streams films and television shows to customers smartphones and laptops on flights to holiday destinations this summer.

The service, launched by several U.S. airlines recently, may be offered free of charge, subsidized by advertisements for companies operating in the destination city, Hurley said.

Wifi will likely be trialed later this year on routes frequented by business travelers, a key focus for the airline which launched a flexible business ticket last year.

Pricing has not yet been decided, but light use for emails may be free, while heavier usage would be more expensive, he said. The service is unlikely to be offered on all planes.

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Vertu announce the alligator range,will start at only 9K. by @jimboireland #Vertu #Alligator

Vertu is well known for its expensive phones and expensive they are indeed,all commanding big money so you will need deep pockets,let that be no mistake here.The last phone which was Vertu for Bentley only cost €12,500 but with this new range they begin at €8,900 and the top spec now cost €15,000 which is to be honest madness,but bespoke or custom phones like this are common these days either be it from the manufacturer themselves of companies offering to encrust your phone in diamonds of your choice….Vertu devices run on Android too so this makes it that bit easier a sell in my opinion..

First up is the Diamonds Black Alligator. Price €8,900 

  • 33 Black & 22 White Diamonds (0.16 cts)
  • Polished Stainless Steel V Pillow
  • Polished Titanium Black PVD Upper Back Plate
  • Black Alligator Leather

 

The Aster Diamonds Black Alligator sparkles with 33 Black Diamonds and 22 White Diamonds, artfully set with a jeweller’s skill into beautifully polished Stainless Steel; with a polished grade-five Titanium black PVD upper back plate. This Vertu has been wrapped in carefully selected alligator leather, crafted by a specialist European tannery, to ensure an elegant look. Making a glamorous statement wherever you go, Aster Diamonds Black Alligator is a beguiling expression of your individuality.

Operating system
Android™ 4.4 (KitKat)
Hardware characteristics
  • Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 2.3GHz Quad-core processor
  • 4.7” 1080p, brilliant, high contrast display at 473dpi, protected by sapphire crystal
  • 13 MP main camera with autofocus and twin LED flash
  • 2.1MP Skype™ compliant front camera
  • 64GB of internal memory
  • Stereo High-fidelity 11mm x 15mm loudspeakers with Dolby® Digital Plus surround sound decoding support
  • A-GPS + Compass
  • Gyro and accelerometer for orientation and game play
  • Qi Compatible Wireless Charging

Battery¹
  • Built-in rechargeable 2275mAh Li-ion battery
  • Talk time: Up to 15 hrs 30 mins (WCDMA)
  • Stand-by: Up to 380 hrs

Connectivity

  • Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • WCDMA Bands I, II, IV, V, VIII
  • DC-HSPA+ Release 8, Cat24, 42Mb/s Downlink, Cat6 5.76Mb/s Uplink
  • LTE Bands² 1-5,7,8,17,20 & 25
  • LTE FDD² Cat4,150Mb/s Downlink, 50Mb/s Uplink
  • Dual-band WLAN 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac incl. WAPI for PRC
  • MicroAB USB system connector with USB On-The-Go support
  • 3.5mm audio socket
  • Bluetooth® v4.0 + LE
  • CSR aptX® high quality encoded audio support
  • NFC including support for embedded and SIM based secure elements
  • WiFi hotspot (tethering & portable hotspot)

¹Some features are location, network and/or service dependent

²RoW (Rest of the World) software build only

Second up is the Diamonds Red Alligator  Price €8,900 

  • 55 White Diamonds (0.15 cts)
  • Polished Stainless Steel V Pillow
  • Polished Upper Back Plate
  • Red Alligator Leather

 

The Aster Diamonds Red Alligator dazzles with 55 gorgeous White Diamonds, set with a jeweller’s precision into beautifully polished Stainless Steel pillow; with a polished grade-five Titanium upper back plate. This Vertu has been wrapped in carefully selected alligator leather, crafted by a specialist European tannery, to achieve a truly striking appearance. Creating an unmistakable impression in every setting, Aster Diamonds Red Alligator is an enticing statement of your uniqueness.
As we use only the finest natural materials, each Vertu is individual, so may differ slightly to what you see here.

Operating system
Android™ 4.4 (KitKat)
Hardware characteristics
  • Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 2.3GHz Quad-core processor
  • 4.7” 1080p, brilliant, high contrast display at 473dpi, protected by sapphire crystal
  • 13 MP main camera with autofocus and twin LED flash
  • 2.1MP Skype™ compliant front camera
  • 64GB of internal memory
  • Stereo High-fidelity 11mm x 15mm loudspeakers with Dolby® Digital Plus surround sound decoding support
  • A-GPS + Compass
  • Gyro and accelerometer for orientation and game play
  • Qi Compatible Wireless Charging

Battery¹
  • Built-in rechargeable 2275mAh Li-ion battery
  • Talk time: Up to 15 hrs 30 mins (WCDMA)
  • Stand-by: Up to 380 hrs

Connectivity

  • Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • WCDMA Bands I, II, IV, V, VIII
  • DC-HSPA+ Release 8, Cat24, 42Mb/s Downlink, Cat6 5.76Mb/s Uplink
  • LTE Bands² 1-5,7,8,17,20 & 25
  • LTE FDD² Cat4,150Mb/s Downlink, 50Mb/s Uplink
  • Dual-band WLAN 802.11 a,b,g,n,ac incl. WAPI for PRC
  • MicroAB USB system connector with USB On-The-Go support
  • 3.5mm audio socket
  • Bluetooth® v4.0 + LE
  • CSR aptX® high quality encoded audio support
  • NFC including support for embedded and SIM based secure elements
  • WiFi hotspot (tethering & portable hotspot)

¹Some features are location, network and/or service dependent

²RoW (Rest of the World) software build only

 

Finally The Pure Jet Alligator Diamonds. Price  €15,900 

  • 124 Brilliant White Diamonds Set In A White Gold Pillow Trim
  • Stereo Sound Bar With White Gold Detail
  • Brushed and Polished Black PVD Titanium
  • Jet Alligator Skin
  • Jet Ceramic Pillow

The Signature Touch Pure Jet Alligator Diamonds dazzles with almost half a carat of brilliant white diamonds, set into an eye-catching white gold pillow trim. With a brushed and polished black Grade-5 PVD titanium back plate and sides it also features a white gold microphone port. This striking edition is finished in alligator skin crafted by specialist French and Italian tanneries, for a supple feel and stunning appearance. As we use only the finest natural materials, each Vertu is individual, so may differ slightly to what you see here.

Operating system
Android™ 4.4 (KitKat)
Hardware characteristics
  • Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 801 2.3GHz Quad-core processor
  • 4.7” 1080p, brilliant, high contrast display at 473dpi, protected by sapphire crystal
  • 13 MP main camera with autofocus and twin LED flash
  • 2.1MP Skype™ compliant front camera
  • 64GB of internal memory
  • Stereo High-fidelity 11mm x 15mm loudspeakers with Dolby® Digital Plus surround sound decoding support
  • A-GPS + Compass
  • Gyro and accelerometer for orientation and game play
  • Qi Compatible Wireless Charging

 

For people that are not aware with Vertu you get a whole lot more when you buy a device from them which is quite amazing but then again for the price of the devices its at least something your hard earned money to begin with,You get Concierge offers 24-hour worldwide assistance, recommendations and priority bookings.You also get a selection of accessories too which again are quite costly..

Would you buy one of these if you had the money ? For me i can’t say to be fair ,these are mostly devices for the rich and famous or for those who just like to splash the cash and have it as a fashion or status statement..

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Shout off below what you think…

 

The alarm that won’t shut up till you smile. #Rise&Shine #Apps #iOS by @jimboireland

Alarms are important in most peoples life and we all hate them,we often hit snooze and keep hitting it im a great offender of this and i hate alarms and here is a new alarm that might make you hate alarms even more,or maybe not..

This alarms works by simply not turning itself off until you smile,not the face people will want to see first thing in the morning but with this app you can also share your lovely morning self to all.Lets be honest most of are not morning people,myself included..

 

What rise and shine can do….
• Setup multiple weekly repeating alarms
• Beautiful dynamic interface adjusts to the current time of day where ever you are.
• Bedhead! Rise & Shine can snap morning photos of your bed head to laugh at later. (Can be disabled, only stored locally)
• Full Photo Editor for your bed head photos. (Brought to you by Aviary)
• Use built in alarm library or your own iTunes Music
• Add Vibrate or Strobe to your alarm if you need more push to wake up. (Only active while Rise & Shine is open)
• Dark Room mode intuitively adjusts to any light to recognize your smile (Can also toggle manually)
• Suggests optimal sleep times when setting an alarm to wake up most rested.

 

DOWNLOAD

Samsung announces the A7 and its got metal on it. #Samsung #A7 by jimboireland

Samsung have been know now for a long time to sport plastic bodies which has over time became increasingly boring and fans also got bored and fed up with this,recently they have tried to change this with devices such as the Galaxy Alpha which is now been shelved and the Galaxy Note 4 which is a powerhouse,sadly the Note Edge did not live up to the Note 4 being housed in plastic which of course probably kept its high price down but still its a powerhouse and looks great and i’ve enjoyed it the last while along with the Note 4 but the Edge wins my vote.

 

The Galaxy A7 is equipped with a multicore processor combining two separate quad core processors, enabling users to quickly and easily perform data intensive tasks. The Galaxy A7 has 16GB of memory and 2GB of RAM to power all of a user’s favorite apps and media, and is supported by a long-lasting 2,600mAh battery.7

The Galaxy A7 also supports the intuitive features and services offered by the Galaxy A5 and A3, with an advanced 5 Megapixel front-facing camera and advanced selfie features including ‘Ultra Wide Shot’ and ‘Auto Selfie’ modes, which make it possible to take a photograph using only a voice command or even a simple wave of the hand. The device also features ‘Always Clear Voice Auto Control’ to reduce noise from the surrounding environment, as well as LTE Category 4 support for quick and easy photo and video uploads on any social network. In addition to these features, the Galaxy A7 offers a Private Mode, which adds an extra layer of security for important files and documents. The A7 also has Multi Screen app function capability.

 

 

 

Prices have not been announced nor a release date so this will be another key feature here,the Alpha was highly priced here and has not sold too well as people opted for the S5 instead,will you get one??

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