Power of Two

There is no keypad here,instead you have a pair of the 14” HD 1366 x 768 resolution,high-brightness Acer CineCrystal LED-backlit TFT LCD under the protection of scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass from Corning. The screens support 10-finger touch,while trying to ensure that no fingerprints are left behind. That is a tough demand,for fingers drive this machine.

Just keep all your fingers on the bottom screen as you would in order to type,and voila,the virtual keyboard jumps into action. Since it won’t be as easy to type on a virtual keyboard,despite its size,the notebook tries to help out with features like adaptive typing intelligence and predictive text input. And,like the W500,this one also had the handwriting mode where the notebook easily recognises whatever you doodle on the field.

While there is nothing much I can write about the all-too-familiar Windows 7 OS,it is very difficult not to write about the Acer Ring program launcher,which provides flip-through access to the touch applications and controls. Just move all five fingers on the screen in a circular fashion and the Ring appears,with its once-touch access to the browser,multimedia suites and the superb scrapbook feature. Users can also edit the gestures and make the notebook respond to customised gestures on the touchscreen.

The scrapbook is an excellent way to see the dual-screen notebook’s capability. For instance,you can browse through a webpage on the facing screen,crop a picture or a chunk of test from the page with your fingers and then drag it on to the scrapbook to create a collage or document of your choice.

And then,while browsing the Net,you also have the option of letting the page flow on to the screen below. You can also drag and drop apps and programmes to the bottom screen if you prefer it that way. Both screens can also be switched on and off separately. For instance,while watching a movie on the facing screen,I’m sure you wouldn’t want the other screen to become a 14” distraction,especially since there is Optimised Dolby Home Theater v3 audio enhancement to keep other distractions at bay.

The dual screen is also a great showcase of the powers of the Intel Core i5-480M processor,as well as the Intel HD Graphics with 128MB of dedicated system memory,for it’s no easy task to run graphics of this quality in two screens fed by the same machine.

The notebook has two USB ports and a USB 3.0 port as well as HDMi output. However,there is no optical drive or SD card readers. Another drawback is that the Gorilla Glass makes this a heavy unit at 2.8kg. The battery has a tendency to drain out fast if both screens are on,so switch off the other when not in use. The netbook comes with 640GB of storage and costs Rs 69,999. I wouldn’t suggest a touchscreen device to those planning to do text-heavy work,but for designers and creative artists,this is going to be a

great tool.

Split in Two

The BlackBerry PlayBook is definitely the most serious tablet out there,but it seems to be caught in an identity crisis. Here is a look at what’s good and what’s bad

Thumbs up

SIZE: The PlayBook comes in a very handy 7” size,which allows you to slip it into a coat pocket with consummate ease. This means you can walk into a boardroom with your hands free and make a presentation straight from the tablet.

MULTI-TASKING: No other tablet can dream of the level of multi-tasking that is possible with the PlayBook. I ran an HD video,played Need For Speed,checked my mail and opened 10 Web pages at the same time,without the tablet even letting out a whimper of disagreement.

SECURITY: Keeping your personal data safe is a paramount concern for the PlayBook,so much so that multiple users can work on the PlayBook at different times,with each never having any access to the other’s data. The Bridge app lets you connect your BlackBerry to the PlayBook and allows you to access all the phone data on the larger screen. But as soon as the Bluetooth Bridge is switched off,all data is locked on the phone.

MEDIA: Though a small tablet,the PlayBook has amazing HD quality video,which can be beamed on to a larger screen through an HDMI cable. The sound is also top notch. The front and back cameras are also top of the line.

Thumbs down

NO 3G: The first version doesn’t have 3G,so to go online you have to either “bridge” with your phone or hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot. I believe a 3G SIM slot is imperative to tap the full potential of the device.

APPS: The PlayBook doesn’t try to be the iPad,but still the App World is woefully short of apps,at least those that make sense. While business apps like Analytics and Sheet to Go are very professional,some of the games seem childish.

IDENTITY CRISIS: Despite its strengths,the PlayBook doesn’t seem to like being called a business tablet and tries to be lots of things that it is not. A perfect example is the app list,which includes everything from apps for toddlers to a Tarla Dalal cookbook. All good,but how many business users would want these?

XOOM out

The Motorola XOOM was the most awaited of all tablets post-iPad 2 boom. However,the world’s first device powered by Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) was a tad too late to enter the Indian market,and Acer beat it in the OS race.

In a bid to redeem some pride,the XOOM recently upgraded itself to Android 3.1,with the 400MB update activating the SD card slot. This update also includes improved multi-tasking,which provides instant visual access to a large number of applications as well as re-sizable home screen widgets. The other new features in 3.1 are keyboard,mouse and joystick support (over USB or Bluetooth) direct picture transfer from cameras and preloaded Adobe Flash Player and File Manager.

Otherwise,the XOOM features a 1GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM,front-facing and rear-facing cameras,true multi-tasking functionality,and the latest Google Mobile services on a 10.1-inch widescreen HD display. All great features,but all features you would find in a handful of tablets today.

If you manage to find a store selling the XOOM,you can buy a Wi-Fi version for Rs 32,990 and a 3G version for Rs 39,990.