Introduction
In these recent years, with 3G and 3.5G being accepted as a common and popular mobile network, HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access) becomes very crucial for road warriors, as they are much faster than GPRS network and easy to use.
A person will need a 3G or 3.5G-enabled devices to use this high-speed network (of course, this service is dependent on the Telecommunication Company of the country). It can be in-built in the devices already or it can be in an external unit.
This review is based on HuaWei's USB Modem E170. HuaWei Technologies Co., Ltd has been aggressively promoting their USB Modems.
Main Content
HuaWei's latest USB stick modem is much smaller than its predecessor (E220). Technically, this USB stick modem is actually a modem, an USB flash, a virtual CD-ROM drive.
In this review, I will be using the modem from Singapore Telecommunication operator, Starhub.
The Package
The package from Starhub comes in only white colour with a Starhub logo. It is packaged into a DVD size cover with the modem itself and an extended cable. The major difference between E220 (the predecessor) and this E170 is that E170 itself has already a USB connection point. In normal operation, you will not need to use the extended cable. In the operation manual, it states that this cable may be used to enhance the signal. You will need to purchase the SIM Card separately for this modem. Or you can use your existing SIM Card on it. Starhub bundled this package with an unlimited Data SIM Card that is easy to install onto the device.
The Modem
The modem is very light and the finishing is of high quality. The size is slightly bigger than a convention thumb drive. The Dimensions is 80.5mm long by 24.1 mm on the width and 11.8 mm thick. It is glossy white in color and extremely well made. The USB connection is hidden with a cover that is quite sturdy. The cover comes with a silver hinge for you to hang this device around. Near to the USB connection port is the SIM Card holder. It is carefully hidden and flushed with the overall design. I wouldn't be too sure about that as the device may drop off if it is being pulled (and you are left with a cover only).
The Connection
As mentioned previously, this modem is a virtual CD-ROM drive. Reason being that the software is flashed into it and it is detected as a CD-ROM drive when plugged in. A Dell laptop was used for this connection check. It took about 5 minutes to setup the modem automatically. You will be prompt for the first time to install the software into the computer. It is a compulsory step. After the installation, the Starhub connection panel will show up and you just need to click on the connect icon. Starhub connection is based on HSDPA/HSUPA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS/GSM.
It takes a minute for it to connect (the modem that I have is without password. Therefore, it is automatically connected when I push the connect icon).
The main panel will show connected once it is done and on the bottom right hand corner of your computer, you can see the Starhub modem logo.
On the main panel itself, you can switch to the statistics page to see the upload and download speed with a nice graph. There is also the text and phone book page that I did not explore. Basically, according to Starhub, the SIM Card is a data card that could not be used for calling. However, basic text messaging is possible. As for the phone book, it is the contacts storage of the SIM card. For this bundle, there are 500 contact slots.
The Performance
Ideally, the download speed for this modem using the Starhub service should be 7.2Mbps. However, the actual performance showed otherwise. This could be due to the signal strength and download sharing factors.
A few tests were done on a website by clicking a link on it to a heavily pictured page and also by refreshing this same page. Both results were satisfactory as it can be loaded within a minute.
The connection is stable. In fact, this unit was tested with Skype and webcam. It has a little lag but this may be due to the other party wireless connection. Therefore, this is not conclusive.
The Usage
This little device is best for Road Warriors to download emails and surf the Internet. As the form factor is small, it can be easily carried around. With an unlimited Data plan, this unit can be connected to the Internet all day without worrying about the bills.
The HSDPA Downlink is 7.2Mbps & HSUPA Uplink 2Mbps, it is still not the fastest as compared to a LAN network. It is not intended for gaming and if you have many heavy files to upload, you may feel the lagging.
If you intend to use it overseas, please check with your Telecommunication operator on the overseas data rate. It may cause a huge dent in your wallet.
Conclusion
Overall, this device serves the basic purpose of connection on the move. With is small form factor, it can be carried anywhere. The connection speed is very dependent on the telecommunication operator. With testing on the previous model (E220) at a 1.8Mbps to 3.6Mbps, some connection heavy task could be quite taxing. You should seriously consider the minimum standard of 7.2Mbps downlink if you wish to use it frequently. It is a Must-Have item for Road Warriors at this moment.
Showing posts with label technology reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology reviews. Show all posts
Friday, May 9, 2008
Top 3 PDA Cell Phones
When it comes to deciding on a PDA cell phone, the options available in the market are as big as your imagination can handle, so stopping for a while to compare some the different handset models before shopping will always be a wise decision.
Characteristics of a cell phone with PDA capabilities include connectivity with numerous PDA accessories especially designed for such as a smartphone. With this fact in mind, go ahead with your plans to find handheld accessories that might be those you need for improving your communications in the future.
Most people buy a PDA cell phone for making phone calls and to hold some personal information. These features are the entry point most of the times. However, as soon as you are getting familiar with your smartphone, a number of features can be missed in the model of your preference or the need of a special accessory, including those providing connectivity, such as the Bluetooth technology.
If you want to make sure that a smarthphone gives you the best, go for one of the three top PDA cell phones available on the market, from which Motorola PDA cell phone is among the favorites, enabled for the next hook-up.
Motorola's PDA accessories make it possible for almost anything in mobile technology, being also a leader in handheld accessories and the most wanted smartphone when it comes to business productivity
Dell PDA cell phone is another of the top choices in mobile technology, with the background of a desktop computer system that makes it possible for a better understanding of the final user’s needs, and the importance of keeping connectivity between smartphones and other devices.
Dell's PDA accessories include battery replacements and travelers kits, making easier the transition from traditional handheld accessories to phone hook up technology.
Nextel PDA cell phone is closely competing with i-Mate on the top chart of PDA-enable smarthphones, being both one of the most affordable options to access the Internet as well. Like most PDA devices, Nextel and i-Mate offer a number of PDA accessories, along with the functions that everyone can expect for a portable organizer.
Whatever brand is your choice, make sure that your PDA cell phone has full WiFi compatibility and enough handheld accessories so it becomes an investment instead of just an expense. As technology evolves, more and more features may be needed so go for the smartphone with the most options and you will never regret your purchase.
In addition, of course, if you want to go with the majority of people, try Palm. Although with phone capabilities, Palm One and Palm Treo are basically considered PDA devices that guarantee you are getting the full range of functionality and connectivity with other mobile and desktop devices.
Characteristics of a cell phone with PDA capabilities include connectivity with numerous PDA accessories especially designed for such as a smartphone. With this fact in mind, go ahead with your plans to find handheld accessories that might be those you need for improving your communications in the future.
Most people buy a PDA cell phone for making phone calls and to hold some personal information. These features are the entry point most of the times. However, as soon as you are getting familiar with your smartphone, a number of features can be missed in the model of your preference or the need of a special accessory, including those providing connectivity, such as the Bluetooth technology.
If you want to make sure that a smarthphone gives you the best, go for one of the three top PDA cell phones available on the market, from which Motorola PDA cell phone is among the favorites, enabled for the next hook-up.
Motorola's PDA accessories make it possible for almost anything in mobile technology, being also a leader in handheld accessories and the most wanted smartphone when it comes to business productivity
Dell PDA cell phone is another of the top choices in mobile technology, with the background of a desktop computer system that makes it possible for a better understanding of the final user’s needs, and the importance of keeping connectivity between smartphones and other devices.
Dell's PDA accessories include battery replacements and travelers kits, making easier the transition from traditional handheld accessories to phone hook up technology.
Nextel PDA cell phone is closely competing with i-Mate on the top chart of PDA-enable smarthphones, being both one of the most affordable options to access the Internet as well. Like most PDA devices, Nextel and i-Mate offer a number of PDA accessories, along with the functions that everyone can expect for a portable organizer.
Whatever brand is your choice, make sure that your PDA cell phone has full WiFi compatibility and enough handheld accessories so it becomes an investment instead of just an expense. As technology evolves, more and more features may be needed so go for the smartphone with the most options and you will never regret your purchase.
In addition, of course, if you want to go with the majority of people, try Palm. Although with phone capabilities, Palm One and Palm Treo are basically considered PDA devices that guarantee you are getting the full range of functionality and connectivity with other mobile and desktop devices.
Monday, March 24, 2008
New Technology Reviews On Television
Every once in a while it's a good idea to take a look at what kinds of TV display technologies are out there and run through how they're doing compared to each other. The most basic technology used in TV screens of course is the cathode ray tube. This is the big vacuum tube like monstrosity that's been around since the TV was first conceived of well over half a century ago.
The cathode ray tube produces pictures by firing electrons at the screen of the TV where they're converted into photon of various colors, which in turn produce the pixels that the pictures that we see are composed of. This type of technology is still available, but has largely fallen out of favor in recent years because it's difficult to manufacture in the 16:9 aspect ratio that's now preferred for devices like HDTV sets (though there are HDTV sets that take advantage of cathode ray tube technology), because cathode ray tubes take up a lot of space, and because they consume significantly more power than newer technologies. While it would be nice to think that we're above such things, it's worth pointing out that cathode ray tube TV's have also fallen out of favor because flat panel TV displays are much more stylish.
The flat panel displays that are so much in favor these days actually come in two varieties with the possibility of a third variety on the horizon. For a long time the leading type of flat panel TV display on the market was the Plasma screen. Plasma screens are composed of tiny pockets of gas that glow when excited by an electrical current. Each pocket of gas represents one pixel and the result of having them combine to form a picture is a screen capable of rich colors, deep blacks, and an ability to display quick movement.
Another advantage of the Plasma screen display is that there's now physical limit on the size of a Plasma screen TV (although there are economic limits). Plasma screens do have a decent number of disadvantages though. Plasma screens consume a lot of energy, they fade in brightness over time, they don't look that good at higher light levels, and if you try to use one at an altitude in excess of six thousand feet it will make an annoying buzzing sound.
The most popular type of flat panel TV these days is the LCD display. LCD displays have longer theoretical life spans than Plasma screens. They also consume less energy, function well at any elevation, and look better in a wider variety of light levels. LCD screens work well with computers and are becoming increasingly affordable. They do have some problems with displaying deep blacks and have some trouble with blurring while displaying fast moving objects. Both of these issues are less of a problem on newer models.
The flat panel TV technology that's in the pipeline is called Laser TV. This type of technology uses actual lasers to produce images on the screen. It promises to get around some of the problems of the LCD technology while consuming less energy than the Plasm screen. It should also be lighter and more durable than earlier types of screens because of greater use of plastic in the design.
Clearly, no matter what kind of TV you end up with, there are some interesting options out there.
The cathode ray tube produces pictures by firing electrons at the screen of the TV where they're converted into photon of various colors, which in turn produce the pixels that the pictures that we see are composed of. This type of technology is still available, but has largely fallen out of favor in recent years because it's difficult to manufacture in the 16:9 aspect ratio that's now preferred for devices like HDTV sets (though there are HDTV sets that take advantage of cathode ray tube technology), because cathode ray tubes take up a lot of space, and because they consume significantly more power than newer technologies. While it would be nice to think that we're above such things, it's worth pointing out that cathode ray tube TV's have also fallen out of favor because flat panel TV displays are much more stylish.
The flat panel displays that are so much in favor these days actually come in two varieties with the possibility of a third variety on the horizon. For a long time the leading type of flat panel TV display on the market was the Plasma screen. Plasma screens are composed of tiny pockets of gas that glow when excited by an electrical current. Each pocket of gas represents one pixel and the result of having them combine to form a picture is a screen capable of rich colors, deep blacks, and an ability to display quick movement.
Another advantage of the Plasma screen display is that there's now physical limit on the size of a Plasma screen TV (although there are economic limits). Plasma screens do have a decent number of disadvantages though. Plasma screens consume a lot of energy, they fade in brightness over time, they don't look that good at higher light levels, and if you try to use one at an altitude in excess of six thousand feet it will make an annoying buzzing sound.
The most popular type of flat panel TV these days is the LCD display. LCD displays have longer theoretical life spans than Plasma screens. They also consume less energy, function well at any elevation, and look better in a wider variety of light levels. LCD screens work well with computers and are becoming increasingly affordable. They do have some problems with displaying deep blacks and have some trouble with blurring while displaying fast moving objects. Both of these issues are less of a problem on newer models.
The flat panel TV technology that's in the pipeline is called Laser TV. This type of technology uses actual lasers to produce images on the screen. It promises to get around some of the problems of the LCD technology while consuming less energy than the Plasm screen. It should also be lighter and more durable than earlier types of screens because of greater use of plastic in the design.
Clearly, no matter what kind of TV you end up with, there are some interesting options out there.
Technology Review On Hybrid Car
The biggest question popping these days is that, what sort of vehicles are we actually going to be driving in the future? This question has stirred many minds and brains as world oil reserves are dwindling to such a worrying degree that the tip is we could actually run out of that black gooey stuff in about 50 years time. So what is the alternative left with us considering that there will be no black gold after few years? The answer is Hybrid Cars which will run on alternative fuel i.e. solar battery without emission of toxic substances in nature. But are reliable, will they perform well in future? These kinds of questions are just common these days.
Car is now part of daily life and culture, so it's difficult to imagine getting from one place to another without it, irrespective of distance. The future of the car, as we know, is doomed because of emission of large chunk of our greenhouse emissions, and fossil fuels set to become more costly before eventually running out. Thus this has resulted car manufactures to give a deep thought and are serious about alternative ways to produce engine power.
In other words we can say that it is all about developing the car of the future, a vehicle that will be both greener and more efficient. This is when hybrid car makes its entry. Hybrid car these days is gaining popularity as it is not only cheap but also easily affordable. This means owing this car won’t create any environment hazards and also won’t burn hole in your pocket. But is hybrid car reliable and bankable option? The answer is somehow yes, considering current trend of auto industry
A car with Hybrid technology has two engines, side by side, under the bonnet. This means an electric engine here and a petrol engine there. Seeing today’s cars we come to know that majority cars driven by one or the other engine. This means not that cost effective. Thus, for better mileage and maximum performance, you get them both chiming in together, so you get more power. This can only be found in hybrid cars. That’s why people prefer them over others.
In hybrid car the electric engine also charges the batteries, and that neatly gets you around the old problem of electric cars of having to plug it into the mains overnight. This means no need to worry about recharging too. But one of the biggest disadvantages attached with hybrid cars is that they needed big, heavy battery packs which took up all of the back seat. But this is also now rectified as now you get a full four-seater capacity and enough room in the luggage space for two or three small dogs or maybe even one really big one.
Thus, we can now say that hybrid car is the best and safe option to go for. Visit Author's site to learn more on hybrid car technology.
Car is now part of daily life and culture, so it's difficult to imagine getting from one place to another without it, irrespective of distance. The future of the car, as we know, is doomed because of emission of large chunk of our greenhouse emissions, and fossil fuels set to become more costly before eventually running out. Thus this has resulted car manufactures to give a deep thought and are serious about alternative ways to produce engine power.
In other words we can say that it is all about developing the car of the future, a vehicle that will be both greener and more efficient. This is when hybrid car makes its entry. Hybrid car these days is gaining popularity as it is not only cheap but also easily affordable. This means owing this car won’t create any environment hazards and also won’t burn hole in your pocket. But is hybrid car reliable and bankable option? The answer is somehow yes, considering current trend of auto industry
A car with Hybrid technology has two engines, side by side, under the bonnet. This means an electric engine here and a petrol engine there. Seeing today’s cars we come to know that majority cars driven by one or the other engine. This means not that cost effective. Thus, for better mileage and maximum performance, you get them both chiming in together, so you get more power. This can only be found in hybrid cars. That’s why people prefer them over others.
In hybrid car the electric engine also charges the batteries, and that neatly gets you around the old problem of electric cars of having to plug it into the mains overnight. This means no need to worry about recharging too. But one of the biggest disadvantages attached with hybrid cars is that they needed big, heavy battery packs which took up all of the back seat. But this is also now rectified as now you get a full four-seater capacity and enough room in the luggage space for two or three small dogs or maybe even one really big one.
Thus, we can now say that hybrid car is the best and safe option to go for. Visit Author's site to learn more on hybrid car technology.
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