Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro Review

PRICE IN INDIA

75,490

Technoluverz RATING

5.5

A

Hybrid laptops seems to be the mantra for all laptop manufacturers these days. It’s inevitable to not come out with one to counter competition. That’s the reason why we’re now witnessing a sudden flow of these convertible devices. Samsung’s offering in this segment is the ATIV series, which currently comprises two models for the Indian market—ATIV Smart PC Pro 700T and Smart PC 500T1C. We got our hands on the former, which competes with premium offerings by other brands such as the Sony Vaio Duo 11 and Dell XPS 12. Let’s find out how much punch it packs.

Thanks to the detachable design, you don't need to tote around extra bulk

Design and features
Samsung has gone in with a detachable design for both the models in the ATIV series, just like the HP Envy X2. But there’s a difference; the keyboard dock that the ATIV bundles – a physical keyboard and a touchpad, plus you get two USB ports (one on each side). On the other hand, the dock of the Envy X2 is more utilitarian with HDMI output, card reader and a battery back that adds a couple of hours of battery life. That said, the detachable design makes the Samsung ATIV Smart PC primarily a tablet with an option to transform it into a laptop should the need arise—you want to use the tablet in “laptop mode” when you’re at your desk or if you need physical input devices to work efficiently. The Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro weighs 888 grams and the dock adds around 700 grams, which makes for a combined weight of 1.6 Kg—a tad heavy for an Ultrabook. Majority of the dock’s weight comes from the metal housing at the rear that supports the tablet. Samsung had no choice, as a plastic housing wouldn’t be sturdy enough to bear the weight and keep the screen steady.

A tablet that can transform into a laptop

The Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro uses the Ultrabook platform, similar to Dell XPS 12 and Sony Vaio Duo 11. In fact, it’s spec’ed very close to both. The core comprises a 1.7GHz Core i5-3317U processor, 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD. The most striking feature is the crisp 11.6-inch full HD display—thankfully, Samsung didn’t compromise by using a conventional 1366 x 768 pixel panel. As for connectivity, you have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Most of the buttons and ports are placed on the top side. The top panel of the laptop houses a headphone/mic combo jack, power button, screen orientation button and a USB 3.0 port covered by a plastic flap. Further, towards the right lies a microSD card slot. The left side has a micro HDMI port and volume rocker. All this is tightly packed in a slim 11.89 mm thick shell.

Headphone/mic combo jack, USB 3.0 port and screen rotation lock button

The digitiser is a bonus feature and you get a pen (called S Pen) that resides in the housing on the back. The bundled apps include apps is S Note with which you can draw or take notes using the S Pen. In addition to this, the S Pen comes in handy for editing photos and selecting text/objects. Samsung has bundled five additional tips and a tool to extract the tip.

The S Pen and its housing on the rear

Build quality
The biggest weakness of the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro is the average build quality. The shell is made of plastic and the rear has a brushed metal-like finish. The device looks good, but it feels plasticky—it doesn’t have the feel of a premium product. The build of the keyboard dock is even worse. Except for the metal housing that holds the tablet firmly in place, the rest is made of plastic. Although the housing feels solid, its hinge didn’t feel strong enough to bear the weight of the tablet. The tablet tends to wobble when using the touchscreen and you have to be careful when you’re folding it down on the dock. After bringing the tablet half way down, it tends to drop automatically with slight force due to the bulk.

We found something strange while using the review unit that was sent to us by Samsung. When using the tablet while it was docked to the keyboard, we could repeatedly hear notification sound of a USB device being unplugged and plugged. We found that it was because of a loose connection between the dock and the tablet. And this was despite the connector of the dock locking tightly, making a "click" sound. We tried reinserting several times and even cleaning the contact points, but the problem persisted. It was disappointing to face such a serious issue related to build quality, and that too with a premium product.

Ergonomics
The keyboard is island-style with good amount of spacing between the keys, which is the only good thing. The keys don’t travel much, and the tactile feel is just about average; very similar to what you find in some entry-level notebooks. We found the placement of the touchpad a bit odd. It’s placed at the centre of the width and not centred to the home row (the second row of alphabet keys) or the space bar. So, if you use the touchpad with your thumb while your fingers are positioned on the home row, you reach the top corner of the touchpad. This isn’t the case with most laptops that have the touchpad aligned with the spacebar, wherein the thumb reaches the centre of the touchpad.

Well-spaced keys and a moderately large touchpad

We also found the placement of the USB port on top of the tablet very odd—imagine a USB flash drive or a USB cable sticking out from the top. It would have been better had Samsung placed the port on the side instead.

Performance
The performance of the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro was close to that of the more-expensive hybrids with a similar configuration. It couldn’t log similar scores probably because of the slower read and write speeds of the 128GB SSD. If you compare the scores of the real world tests, you’ll find the ATIV Smart PC Pro at par with the others. The sequential read and write speeds of 439MB/s and 247MB/s are commendable but slightly slower than competition. The same goes for 4117 and 10017 points in PCMark 7 and 3DMark Vantage respectively. With a powerful configuration, you can rest assured that tasks such as full HD video playback, video transcoding and basic everyday applications will run butter smooth. The full HD display is a visual treat. The colours are vibrant and the viewing angle is very good. The only qualm we faced was the back of the tablet getting hot after prolonged used due to heat build-up. There are vents on the top that give way to the hot air spewed by the CPU cooler, but the tablet still heats up due to very little space inside the chassis for heat dissipation and air circulation.

Comparison of scores

The battery life is one area where the ATIV Smart PC Pro takes the lead. A full charge lasted for 2.5 hours with Battery Eater Pro running in Classic mode and Wi-Fi disabled. An average laptop doesn't survive for more than 1.5 hours in this test.

Verdict and price in India
At an MRP of Rs 75,490, the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro is cheaper than Dell XPS 12 and Sony Vaio Duo 11 by more than Rs 10,000. Being better value for money is arguable because of the average build quality and ergonomics, but you get almost the same configuration for much less. Despite that, it’s still very expensive. The price would have been justified if it was priced only a few thousand rupees higher than an Ultrabook for the detachable design, SSD and full HD display. You can buy an Ultrabook with a similar configuration for around Rs 55,000. So, a price tag of around Rs 60,000 would have been sweet. But even then, just an iPad would be more practical if you don’t need the Windows OS. And if you do, a basic ultra-portable laptop should suffice. The combined price of an iPad and a laptop would be less than the price of this fancy machine.

Dell Inspiron 15z ultrabook launched for Rs 41,990

New Delhi: Dell has announced a new addition to the line of Inspiron series - the Inspiron 15z ultrabook. It includes a built-in optical drive, Intel Rapid Start Technology and Intel Smart Response Technology along with 3rd Gen Intel Core CPUs. It is available at a starting price of Rs 41,990.
The ultrabook measure 21 mm thick; it weighs 2.17kg. The Inspiron 15z is designed with curved edges to easily slip into your bag. It has an edge-to-edge Corning Gorilla glass touch display. It is powered by Nvidia's GeForce GT630M 2GB DDR3 graphics.
"With impressive battery life, you can stay connected on-the-go even when you're miles away from WiFi hotspots or an AC outlet. Its elegant brushed aluminum exterior makes the Inspiron 15z not only a fun to use, but a phenomenal looking machine," said the company.

It has an edge-to-edge Corning Gorilla glass touch display, andNvidia's GeForce GT630M 2GB DDR3 graphics.

Key features:
- Stylish, 21mm thin brushed aluminium case in your choice of Moon Silver or optional Fire Red finish. (Touch screen version is 23mm thin and comes in Moon Silver only)
- Quick & responsive Intel Rapid Start Technology resumes in seconds
- Available Intel WiDi (wireless FHD 1080p / 5.1 surround) shares your video & pictures wirelessly to your home entertainment system
- HD webcam, pre-loaded Skype TM help you keep in touch with friends & family wherever you go
- Skullcandy speakers & 2011 Grammy Award winning Waves MaxxAudio 4 audio processing result in crisp sound and ultra-clear web chats
- Windows 8 optimised backlit keyboard for comfortable typing even in the dark

Xbox 720 and PS4 to be first truly 3D capable consoles?

 

Microsoft’s expected Xbox 720 and the suspected PS4 will be the first truly 3D centric games consoles, Codemasters’ Paul Jeal has suggested as the F1 2011 game is released in the UK

The long awaited Xbox 720 release date and Sony PS4 launch could see the first generation of truly 3D enabled consoles land, industry expert and BAFTA award winning game developer Paul Jeal has revealed.

Speaking exclusively with T3 ahead today’s F1 2011 release date, Jeal, Senior Producer on the high-speed Codemasters franchise, suggested 3D capabilities were not likely to be heading to next year’s Formula 1 release as the developing house holds out for the next-generation of home consoles before jumping into bed with the extra-dimensional technology.

“We’re working through the steps at the moment for F1 2012 and trying to work out where it lies,” Jeal said. “I’d be surprised if 3D went in; it’s at quite an early stage. When the next-generation of consoles come out, perhaps 3D will be ranked up top, until then we’ve still got a lot of game related feature ideas we want to get in for next year.”

Whilst Jeal is unconvinced by the inclusion of 3D technologies in F1 2012 he was keen to outline areas he thought the Formula 1 based series could benefit from it in the future.

“I think if we use it in the right places with bits of damage or debris flying out of the screen it could work. Perhaps it’ll help you gage the braking distances better with the car in front.”

Are you looking forward to snapping up F1 2011 ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix or waiting for one of the year’s other upcoming premium titles? Let us know via the comments box below.

Sony hints at PS4 reveal

Sony has hinted it may reveal its next generation PS4 console at a media event in New York City on February 20th
 

Sony's next gen gaming console, the PlayStation 4, may be revealed as early as this month if the industry buzz is anything to go by. The Japanase tech giant sent out a raft of invitations to an event in New York City on February the 20th.
However, a video - embedded below - released by Sony heavily teases that the PS4 reveal may be in the offing. The company also tweeted last night on its official feed, inviting attendees to 'see the future'.

 Naturally the video and tweet have sent the gaming media and blogosphere into something of a tizzy. This has been helped in no small part by a quote from Sony spokesman to Reuters about the event saying, ""we will be talking about the Playstation business," although neither he, nor Sony has explicitly confirmed any plans to reveal the PS4.
However, The Wall Street Journal has run an article in which it claims that "people familiar with the matter" have confirmed the PS 4 will indeed be revealed on February 20th.The event takes place at 6pm EST, which is 11pm local time.
Who needs E3, eh? And one has to wonder what Microsoft is making of all of this...

Muscle-zapper forces gamers' own hands against them

TALK about a hands-on gaming experience. A device for smartphones that sends jolts from a game right into the muscles in your hands has been created to give you a real white-knuckle feel for the action on your screen.

Instead of using motors that drive the vibrating "rumblers" inside phones and game-console controllers, the new system uses two small wired electrodes attached to your forearm to electrically stimulate nerves, making your hand muscles contract.

Developed by Pedro Lopes and colleagues at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany, the feedback system uses electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to mimic the signals that the central nervous system sends to activate muscle groups. Such technology is often used to rehabilitate the muscles of people with varying degrees of paralysis.

The new system creates a strong, painless contraction - in your palm flexor muscle, say - that makes you tilt the phone. "The user then fights that contraction using another muscle to oppose it, so they feel they are fighting a force," Lopes says.

In tests, 10 people played a specially designed video game - in which aircraft had to fight against a strong wind from a giant wind turbine - and compared the new technique with the smartphone's conventional rumbler. "All of them preferred our mobile force-feedback over traditional vibrotactile feedback," Lopes claims.

Because the system has no motors, the researchers say the prototype will be easy to miniaturise and build into a simple add-on for a smartphone, tablet or portable console. And it uses far less power than traditional vibrating motors, he says, so it will not drain a device's battery as quickly.

Chris Harrison of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has developed haptic touchscreens for tablets and phones. He notes that beyond medicine and muscle training, EMS has been mainly brought to the fore by artists like Daito Manabe of Japan, who used it to set his facial muscles twitching alarmingly to music.

"As far as we know we're the first to apply EMS to force-feedback in mobile gaming," says Lopes. The system will be demonstrated at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Paris, in April.

Apple patent turns every stranger into an ATM

(Image: Fuse/Getty)

You're starving but the cafe won't take cards and you've got no cash. Not only that, there isn't an ATM in sight. That sandwich might have to wait...
A new Apple patent, published today, might help save your lunch. It describes an idea for an app that lets you use nearby strangers as mobile ATMs.
The idea for what Apple calls an "ad-hoc cash-dispensing network", is that you launch the app and tap in how much you need. The software uses your location details and broadcasts your request so that everyone else with the app in the vicinity is notified of your predicament.
When someone agrees to stump up the money, you are told their location, and go and pick up your cash. Other iterations of the idea include a map in which would-be bankers are indicated with either a star to say they have accepted your request, a question mark to say that they haven't or a cross to say they have declined.
Ratings could also come into play, with ad-hoc "bankers" given a score to say how satisfied - or not - other users have been with their service. Then you can filter your request to only ping others who have been given a certain rating or above. All depends on how desperate/hungry you are.
Once you've met your creditor, you confirm on your iPhone that the transfer has taken place and your iTunes account is debited. The incentive for would-be good Samaritans to help you out is that a small service charge is also taken from your account and credited to theirs, as well as the cash that you have taken.
Apple doesn't lose out either, of course, it also takes a little slice of the service charge for hooking the two of you up. The patent describes a scenario in which $50 is transferred between two parties. Apple snaffles $5 as a service fee, while the person who provided the cash nets $3. A price worth paying if you're in real need, perhaps.

Facebook is developing an App that Will Make Hiding Impossible

Bangalore: The most popular trend in Facebook these days is hiding from your family. Teenagers block their family members by categorizing them under a group which has limited privileges. With the new app that Facebook is developing, teenager’s nightmares will come true.

Do you remember the days when your parents would ask you, “honey where are you going, it’s getting dark?” and you would make an excuse about going over to your friend’s place to complete your science project, well that’s not going to work anymore because now, you parents won’t have to ask you where you are going anymore. They can monitor your whereabouts with this new app that Facebook is developing – Ahhh!

The app is reportedly being developed by engineers from Glancee, a startup that Facebook acquired in mid-2012. The social networking giant is reportedly due to release the app by the middle of March. The app will help users find nearby friends and family. Now if you think that light bulb in your head has come on and you can simply switch off the app then be prepared to hear your dad saying – Aha, Gotcha! The app will continue to track a user's location even when the app isn't open.

You hate Facebook for some things but you will also love it for those very things – because you can monitor your friends and family too. This application has the potential to make an honest man and woman out of its users, even though, there is a question of how well will it be accepted by the market? Apple's Find My Friends and Google's Latitude already allow users to track each other's locations but introducing such a function in a social media network can be a huge breach to one’s privacy.