Month: January 2015

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Microsoft FINALLY brings Tablet Optimized Office Apps to Android!

After we saw a demo of an iPad running Office apps, Android fans wondered, rather vocally, when we would also get to take part in the business grade festivities.

Oh sure we had an Office Phone app for basic viewing, editing, and formatting, but it lacked proper tablet support.

Microsoft office word document for android tablet app somegadgetguyAll that changed yesterday when Microsoft’s Word, Excel, and Powerpoint tablet apps were finally approved on Google Play. Each service is an individual app, and downloading the apps is totally free. When not linked with an Office 365 subscription, the apps function as viewers, and wont allow you to edit docs or spreadsheet. Though with unlimited cloud storage coming to OneDrive with an Office 365 subscription, it’s not a bad value when compared to other cloud storage solution.

Linking to Office 365 opens up a full world of document and presentation creation and editing, very similar to what we saw on the iPad version. The full toolsets of Office are included, with advanced formating and formula support, and are well optimized for touch screen use. Tied directly into Office Online, OneDrive, and can be linked to DropBox, it’s a fairly robust ecosystem for sharing and collaborating.

Microsoft office excel for android tablet app somegadgetguy

As they’re beefy services, the download sizes are pretty large. Expect all three apps together to clock in at around 370MB. There’s also an issue with compatibility. Most of the tablets I ave lying around are not yet approved to install the apps. No Asus Transformer, no NVIDIA Shield, even the newer Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 was a no go, so my first impressions were performed on a Nexus 7.

Still it’s a great collection for Android, and now Windows Tablet and Phone fans can start the waiting game as we should see touch optimized Office apps arrive with Windows 10.

Microsoft Word on Google Play
Microsoft Excel on Google Play
Microsoft Powerpoint on Google Play

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NX1 Cinema 4K Video Samples: 4096 x 2160 from Samsung’s Pro Mirrorless Camera

We’re just starting to review the NX1, but that doesn’t mean we can’t share some video samples! Samsung’s newest APS-C mirrorless camera is a beast capable of shooting true Cinema 4K resolution. Here’s an afternoon in Los Angeles shot in Ultra High Definition. Be sure to hit full screen, and toggle your quality settings to see every picture from this monster video file. Enjoy!

Shop the NX1 on Amazon.
More info on the NX1.

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FCC Public Advisory: Blocking Personal WiFi Hotspots is Prohibited

marriott hotel logoAn interesting story has been developing in the use of WiFi hotpots in hotels.

The FCC fined Marriott hotels for blocking their customers from using their own WiFi, powered by phones and MiFi’s using 3G/4G data connections. The fine amounted to $600,000, and Marriott petitioned the commission, asserting that blocking customers was a way for them to better protect the security of the networking solutions they were offering.

The FCC responded with a public advisory yesterday reaffirming their previous stance:

Personal Wi-Fi networks, or “hot spots,” are an important way that consumers connect to the Internet. Willful or malicious interference with Wi-Fi hot spots is illegal. Wi-Fi blocking violates Section 333 of the Communications Act, as amended.1 The Enforcement Bureau has seen a disturbing trend in which hotels and other commercial establishments block wireless consumers from using their own personal Wi-Fi hot spots on the commercial establishment’s premises. As a result, the Bureau is protecting consumers by aggressively investigating and acting against such unlawful intentional interference.

Continue reading “FCC Public Advisory: Blocking Personal WiFi Hotspots is Prohibited”

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Lens Review: 16mm f/2.4 Pancake Prime for Samsung NX Mirrorless Cameras

I’ll admit it. I’m a prime snob.

In moving from Canon to Samsung, I was worried about lens selection. While it’s certainly not as robust as Canon’s first party offerings, Samsung has some really decent glass to play with. Let’s check out one of the wider lenses available for this APS-C shooter!

Shop the 16mm f/2.4 Prime Lens for NX Cameras
Shop the Samsung NX30 Mirrorless APS-C Camera
Shop the Samsung NX1 Mirrorless APS-c Camera

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Review: Samsung Galaxy Tab 4, 10.1 on AT&T – LTE on an Android Mid-Ranger

I’m really happy to see more tablets offering LTE connectivity at a wider range of prices. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 is targeting consumers shopping in the mid range, how does it stack up to the competition? Let’s take a look!

Shop the Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 LTE on Amazon.

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Home Improvement Review: OxyLED Motion Sensor Light

Purchasing outdoor lighting for your home can get expensive real quick. What we need is an affordable solution. So today we are taking a look at OxyLED’s Solar Motion Light from His Gadget Inc.

Good things come in small packages is exactly what OxyLed’s Motion Sensor Light is. What you will find in the box is the OxyLED light, mounting hardware, warranty card and user manual. Upon opening the box you will notice the construction of the light is made from aluminum and weighs a mere 8.0oz. The light itself measures a compact 5.35” X 3.54” X 1.74” so mounting the light and saving space should be no problem.

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Continue reading “Home Improvement Review: OxyLED Motion Sensor Light”

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IBM to Set Record for Corporate Layoffs Next Month, Over 100 Thousand

ibm logoAnd if they break that record, as they’re expected to, IBM will be taking the layoffs crown from…

IBM

In an age where companies are rushing away from the kinds of server and data solutions IBM has traditionally offered to focus on “cloud” things, International Business Machines is looking to cut a quarter of its 400,000 employee workforce. They’re scrambling to catch up with Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in a hyper competitive services market, and one has to wonder how they’ll do that paying for an incredible number of severance packages, and with customer confidence likely taking a hit.

While the company sells mainframes, something you would think would be necessary for a cloud economy, that hardware only makes up about 10% of IBM’s business. Continue reading “IBM to Set Record for Corporate Layoffs Next Month, Over 100 Thousand”

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Microsoft Windows 10 Announcement: OS Updates, XBOX Gaming Cross Platform, and HoloLens Augmented Reality!

Back in September we got our first look at the next version of Windows. It was a somewhat underwhelming affair, detailing the next steps Microsoft will take to retain their lead in corporate computing, and the gist of that announcement was focused on how to make their current version of Windows feel more like their last version of Windows.

But there’s a whole wide world of devices out now, and manufacturers are starting to deliver on hardware that blurs the lines between consumer tablets, laptops, desktops, and workstations. Microsoft windows 10 keynote announcement somegadgetguy (1)Taking the stage, Terry Myerson, Executive VP of Operating Systems, thanked the Windows Insider participants for their interactions with the Windows 10 BETA. Microsoft is working hard to make this version feel like it’s been built from a community perspective.

The focus moving forward is on ecosystem and tying data and devices together. Being able to move seamlessly from device to device with data and apps intact, for both business and consumer solutions, creating a “global” platform. Continue reading “Microsoft Windows 10 Announcement: OS Updates, XBOX Gaming Cross Platform, and HoloLens Augmented Reality!”

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