Phone, Tablet and Gizmo Thread #0x02

archan · Post by **archan** » 13 Jun 2013 13:42

And to think that most of these things are assembled geographically much closer to us than to the USA. It has got to be the duties.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Jun 2013 15:28

china is the biggest market for computer desktop/laptop now. earlier US as the biggest market set the price point of BOM + profit and the rest of world was forced to pay that + local duties.

but chinese profit margins are low, the stuff gets made locally from local or taiwan/soko parts .... are these products priced the same in cheen as in the US or significantly cheaper than US ?

Zynda · Post by **Zynda** » 13 Jun 2013 18:26

It turns out Lenovo UK, France website is pathetic. I tried accessing Cheen website using chacha translate...was not successful. I also checked Lenovo Canadian & Australian websites. Here is the kicker, Lenovo is offering Father's day sale in both US & Canada. Oz prices seem to be comparable to desh for similar spec.

Archan saar, I think we can pay USD equivalent prices if we are getting similar spec machines

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 13 Jun 2013 23:31

archan wrote:And to think that most of these things are assembled geographically much closer to us than to the USA. It has got to be the duties.

Yes. Duties, taxes and currency exchange fudge factor accounted for. Prices in desh are comparable to EU, but in some cases EU taxes are higher on the same chinni made junk is what I noticed. Prices are good in HK though.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 03:08

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 14 Jun 2013 04:32

anmol mia....come on now. Bose boss is doing a fantastic job backing you in your absence but your tashreef on this thread will make it mucho fun.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 04:58

As promised I will indulge in piskology on this thread without warning so I may be posting stuff exactly opposite of what I think

I think anmol mian got sent to sasuraal - I dunno if its permanent exile or temporary visit.

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 14 Jun 2013 05:02

^^ yes, I am aware of it and his ban should have been rescinded/expired by now. IMO, he should be able to join if he tries (hope he does it at least for this dhaga

).

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 14 Jun 2013 05:06

Raja Bose wrote:Google Glass teardown

The parts are essentially smartphone parts except the display. Its an interesting read for people who like to tinker with electronics. Culprit for low battery life complaints seems to be running a OMAP4 with Android on a 570mAh battery.

Possibly due to most parts of the circuits are active (IOW not shut down?) because of the need for constant monitoring of the environment?

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 05:20

^^^Typically in these devices you won't be running the app processor all the time and it will be in sleep mode a lot. The display also might be the culprit in this case - its slightly older technology and quite robust but not power efficient for all day use (not to mention poor outdoor visibility). They should make a version of Glass without the display - just the audio I/O and camera - a very flat design like a tongue cleaner (

) which attaches to the side of the head (kinda like GoPro Lite++). Most people are anyway fixated at the video recording use cases.

hanumadu · Post by **hanumadu** » 14 Jun 2013 05:55

Raja Bose wrote:

They took the flat design concept too far

Now you have to read a paragraph on iOS instead of being able to find it at a glance. I don't know how it is on the device, but the text in the screen shots looks small and blurry.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 14 Jun 2013 06:53

Raja Bose wrote:... like a tongue cleaner ( ) ...

I was stopped once in Toronto (the only time I went via Canada to India), I was getting a bunch of tongue cleaners (the stainless steel variety) and was asked by the US immigration whether they are some kind of martial arts related equipment. So

back at you, RB.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 07:03

See you could have told them it was top secret super miniaturized device proto onlee.

For some strange reason they have US border checkpoint right inside Toronto airport - is the part of the airport beyond the immigration counter officially massa land?!

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 14 Jun 2013 07:16

Have you never passed through Heathrow? There are US immigration people in London. Of course, you might have never experienced this route (high probability event) considering that it is hard to resist the explosive mixture of "polished (literally) PYT air-hostesses of Singapore Airlines" and "direct to west coast destinations". May be should go into L&M or no L&M pills?

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 07:29

My first flight into massa was thru LHR using briturd airways but they didn't have US immigration in there.

I had to go thru US immigration in Miami - one of the worst airports massa has.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 14 Jun 2013 07:41

Raja Bose wrote:My first flight into massa was thru LHR using briturd airways but they didn't have US immigration in there. I had to go thru US immigration in Miami - one of the worst airports massa has.

Bhayya, what about l8ter flights? My second flight (ever in my life) was also by BA to Zurich. They were very good (long tim-e-back). I had a seat right next to a PYT British flight attendant (as my ticket was booked very very close to my flight date) and was allowed to smoke to boot. She was very nice and supplied me with several pegs of fine Scotch (you have to pay $7 for a drink nau-e-din - even on international flights) on an empty stomach (I was a vegetarian - much-reviled on BRF now a din - at that time, you see). That was the last time I had a good experience on BA. My dost, the food is terrible as usual and they stopped the fine scotch.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 07:45

l8r flights were thru MartinAir/KLM/SG/EWA. Out of them MartinAir was best with garam-a-garam air hostesses running hot and cold.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 14 Jun 2013 08:21

Are you suar it is not MortAir?

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 08:36

^^^I was expecting someone to ask that

member_20292 · Post by **member_20292** » 14 Jun 2013 09:40

How to determine;

1. when to buy a new laptop?
2. when to buy a new smartphone?

member_20292 · Post by **member_20292** » 14 Jun 2013 09:50

Suraj wrote:Who uses webOS anymore on Touchpad, hainji ? I'm terrified to log into it myself and always boot Cyanogenmod instead, because I'm afraid I no longer remember how to navigate or shut down the thing when I'm done

webos clock looks is better.

more stable.

beats audio implementation is much better (of course) thus sound of music much better

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 14 Jun 2013 21:35

Raja Bose wrote:See you could have told them it was top secret super miniaturized device proto onlee.

For some strange reason they have US border checkpoint right inside Toronto airport - is the part of the airport beyond the immigration counter officially massa land?!

I don't know about Canada, but flights coming from EU to US have additional checking by non-airline personnel. These people are a mix of US and EU persons, but are not in any sort of US ICE uniforms. I suspect they are contracted by the airlines or ICE. This has been going since the days of the fellow who tried to light up his chaadi.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 21:49

I am talking about proper US CBP checkpoints. In Toronto they have the US CBP checkpoint right in the airport so when you land in massa, say NYC, you don't go thru immigration any more. That made me wonder if the portion of the airport behind the checkpoint is US territory or not.

Mort Walker · Post by **Mort Walker** » 14 Jun 2013 22:59

Raja Bose wrote:I am talking about proper US CBP checkpoints. In Toronto they have the US CBP checkpoint right in the airport so when you land in massa, say NYC, you don't go thru immigration any more. That made me wonder if the portion of the airport behind the checkpoint is US territory or not.

Well, it wasn't clear what you said. In other words, you did not have to go through any immigration control at a airport in the US. For Canada, that may be the case, I don't know about Mexico, but somehow I doubt the same privileges. I don't think any part of YYZ is in US territory even though it is just a couple of miles away.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Jun 2013 23:21

These privileges are probably reciprocal. Canucks might have same privileges in NYC?

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 14 Jun 2013 23:58

Similar in some caribbean countries. Bahamas was like that when I flew earlier this year. Pretty solid setup since our flight flew direct into ATL domestic terminal.

Vayutuvan · Post by **Vayutuvan** » 15 Jun 2013 00:06

It is more to do with whether you are flying into a non-international airport into US via UK or Canada by an American domestic fights which would land in domestic terminal area. Back in 1980-90 when flying from India one would have had to transit via Heathrow and fly on an American airlines (not the company - but generic) to NY/Chicago/LAX which would come into domestic terminal where they did not have immigration facilities. Also, there would have been a lot of Euro traffic via London as that was (is?) the busiest outside US (Chicago at that time). Made sense to have immigration people at that airport.

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 15 Jun 2013 00:08

no

its only for Can to US - right now - anywhere else they have to land at one of the normal entry airports with proper immigration

this allows airlines to fly into many of the so called international airports without them having to have any immigration

since outbound there is no immigration other than adoc check

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 15 Jun 2013 06:42

Got my paws on several phunwas.

1. I take back my mocking of iOS7. It is not all pixie dust as sir ive would lead us to believe, but it is not a total unicorn rainbow vomit either. Mostly they have their "flow" and gestures pinned down. They have whittled down all the chrome and heavy borders. The screen seems more spacious without random junk taking up space. The icons and colors if improved would make the phunwa much better and I think that it is a fixable problem. I wish the font were a bit heavier. There is this tendency for everyone to have light gray letters on slightly lighter gray background as though they don't want you to read what's written. Anyway.

Contrary to what fruitco would lead you to believe, this is a thoroughly copied UI change. They borrowed good ideas liberally from everyone. That is not a ding on them: rather the copying makes the phone quite natural to use. The only thing I miss coming from android world is widgets and back button.

The software looks incomplete though. More like a preview (which mahdi would have never done). They probably did it to capture mindshare, because they have been silent for a long time. I think they will iterate and get much better in a year or two.

2. Used SG4 a lot. It is actually surprisingly well made. Plastic or no plastic, it doesn't feel cheap at all. People who are trotting out "feels cheap onleee" haven't used it, probably saw it once or twice on YouTube. Ofcourse the construction does not compare with HTC one but I personally would give up unibody design, with SG4 level of construction for replaceable battery and SD card.

Also waving in front of the phone for scrolling between images works surprisingly well.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 15 Jun 2013 07:16

^^^I have used the Sammy S4 for ~week - I stick to my guns. Sorry Sammy doesn't get a pass. It may be argued that its "better" in build quality compared to GSIII but that's like saying a pig turd smells less than dog turd

FruitCo has the strongest brand loyalty in the history of CE which even a decade and a half of incompetency in between could not destroy. iPhunwa with iOS7 will sell. Every iPhunwa has a party trick - this time the party trick allegedly will be the finger print reader encased in fairy kissed sapphire glass button.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 15 Jun 2013 07:46

MakerBot's Replicator 2 joins Amazon's newly launched 3D printer store

Amazing how fast 3D printing technology is coming down in price. This is a machine with 100 micron tolerance and its already below $3K. In comparison a 16 micron machine (different 3D printing takniki though) today costs $65K. 2 years ago a machine with the same capability cost $250K. The one segment where price hasn't changed in the high-end machines which do multiple materials, composition etc. which still cost a cool half a million or so. In those you can print complete action figures from scratch in 1-go, all coloured parts, weapons etc. fully assembled and in place when it comes out of the printer.

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 15 Jun 2013 09:12

silicone implants and red mull toys can be done in a jiffy then!

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 15 Jun 2013 09:43

molds for the implants, yes. not the implants themselves. red mull toys, perhaps...onlee if he promises not to get them too wet.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 15 Jun 2013 09:53

Sony has opened internals of its smart watch to developers...hoping to get some apps going before samsung and apple come out.

Hopefully both will have the tom tom gps watch internals inbuilt. Its a real hassle during races to periodically refer to the phone for any idea of pace. Plus the dedicated gps watches cost minimum 10k..hopefully it will be just a part of these next gen kit and cost the same due to much higher volumes

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 15 Jun 2013 10:18

Sony has its watch API available for a while now though true hax0rs used Metawatch onlee....and now Pebble

If you can carry phunwa in paakit during races then it might better for watchwa - that way watchwa doesn't need its own GPS and can get GPS coordinates from phunwa thru BTLE plus GPS is battery hog and phunwa has mucho larger battery which watchwa wont have due to form factor constraints.

member_20292 · Post by **member_20292** » 15 Jun 2013 10:23

Raja Bose wrote:MakerBot's Replicator 2 joins Amazon's newly launched 3D printer store

Amazing how fast 3D printing technology is coming down in price. This is a machine with 100 micron tolerance and its already below $3K. In comparison a 16 micron machine (different 3D printing takniki though) today costs $65K. 2 years ago a machine with the same capability cost $250K. The one segment where price hasn't changed in the high-end machines which do multiple materials, composition etc. which still cost a cool half a million or so. In those you can print complete action figures from scratch in 1-go, all coloured parts, weapons etc. fully assembled and in place when it comes out of the printer.

Can probably use this to make die casts.

someone I know is a designer who designs for the rich and famous. he casts brass, and makes large items. this will make life easier.

member_20292 · Post by **member_20292** » 15 Jun 2013 10:28

bhaiyon aur behenon.

I have someone who is visiting massa for a while...I want to get back stuff for myself.

I keep an eye out on http://www.slickdeals.net for deals on laptops and smartphones....But truly do not need either. already have a 11.6 inch ultrabook i3 with 256 GB SSD. also use a t mobile vibrant; the SGS1. so donot need upgrade. 2 yr old and 3yr old respectively.

what else? ipod? do not use.

decaffeinated coffee is always good. prolly get back some of that green topped nescafe instant decaf.

3D printer? maybe. its good to tinker with such things.

Abhijeet · Post by **Abhijeet** » 15 Jun 2013 10:53

iOS 7 has a back gesture in place of the Back button apparently.

I think all Canadian airports have US immigration on the Canadian side. I've gone through it at Ottawa and Toronto. Going from the US to Canada, immigration is on the Canadian side though.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 15 Jun 2013 12:31

It is not really a back gesture -- it is a panel from the left that you get when you swipe from the left. Kinda like Chacha's applications, except the panel covers the entire screen, instead of 3/4 of the screen. Also the panel is shown first. So it is kinda a back gesture when it actually isnt. More like a pull out panel from the left.

I think it was mischaracterized in the iOS presentation.

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 15 Jun 2013 20:49

Education has always been traditionally a big market for all these ITvity software firms. That is where the future consumers come from. That was allegedly going to be the Mahdi's next disruption except he met his 72 and didn't leave Bawarchi detailed notes.