Going through patent application and refinement could take well into 2013 for Synaptics but their ThinTouch keyboard technology could help shave more from the thickness of an Ultrabook. Video below. Current Ultrabook keyboards are still based on the ‘scissor’ action mechanics that have been around for years but those keyboard below 3.5mm in thickness is proving to be a challenge. ThinTouch has a key travel of 0.75 mm vertically but includes a horizontal movement too. Total keyboard thickness is 2.5mm which could enable a 12mm thin Ultrabook design.

You might have seen the Nokia-produced images comparing the Lumia 920 and another unknown smartphone. You might have also heard that they were just representations of the quality difference the the Lumia 920 can achieve with its optical stabilization. Today, at Photokina in Koeln, I was able to see it with my own eyes and I can tell you, Nokia are not lying. The OIS feature on the Lumia 920 enables shutter speeds down to the 1/4 second range without blur and helps create amazingly stable videos.

The usual disclaimers apply here. Photos were taken handheld under non-scientific conditions. All I can say is that you should look at the EXIF data for some comparisons on sensitivity. I found the sensitivity to be very good but image clarity/sharpness a little lacking. Obviously I can’t draw any conclusions with a 30 minute hands-on but I’m posting the images for you anyway. Originals have been uploaded to Flickr where the EXIF is easier to read. Hands-on video and more here.   

I get into the user interface in this demo of the Samsung Galaxy Camera from Photokina in Koeln and give you a walk round of the device. I have some sample photos for the next post.

Here’s a set of images of the Samsung Galaxy Camera including some of the user interface features showing sharing, Google Play.  Hands-on video and some sample images will be posted after this (should be here when posted.)      

I’ve just had about 45 minutes with the Samsung Galaxy Camera. It’s damn impressive and after 30 minutes I haven’t been able to find any a major issues in either the OS, the build or the camera quality. The OIS system, a key advantage over any smartphone (apart from the Lumia 920) is good and really helps get the most out of the zoom. ISO 3200 images will be OK for online use and the operation of the device stretches from point-and-shoot, all the way up to a fairly usable […]

One of the aims of attending the Intel Developer Forum last week for me was to find out as much as possible about 2013, Haswell and what it means for Ultrabooks. I’m sure there’s more detail to come soon (and possibly, a new roadmap) but I came away with a lot of useful information that I’ve summarized below. What is clear is that Haswell is more about mobility than any other Core CPU to date. It will extend down into tablet territory enabling detachable screens and new form factors. There […]

I really liked the look of the HP Env X2 I tested at IDF 2012. The size and weight proportions are more conducive to mobile operations than some of the Core-based solutions and in addition, there’s a battery life advantage to be had over Core but it’s not quite up to replacing a desktop for most people so there’s a big trade-off. The ASUS Vivo Tab is the same, but looks even better! I got hands-on at IDF and you can see that in the video below. I walked away […]