Samsung is continuing its run at the netbook market with incremental tweaks to design and function, and that's where the N120, blood brother of the Samsung N110, comes in. You won't find anything revolutionary here, just some nice extras that give you a little more choice.
The first thing you'll notice upon opening the N120 is the mirrorlike reflection from the glossy 10.1-inch panel. While the N120's screen looks great under ideal lighting conditions indoors, you'll have to deal with annoying glare pretty much everywhere else. Cranking up the screen's brightness will mostly compensate for the problem, and once you get accustomed to the glossy finish, you'll find a crisp, good-looking screen.
On our test machine the default color settings were slightly red-shifted, but we easily remedied that with the bundled color-correction software. Once properly balanced, the colors were quite good; videos and still images looked well balanced and natural. Text was sharp too, and the 1024-by-600-pixel resolution is good enough for most computing tasks.
The N120's touchpad is also well made, sporting a virtual scroll bar along the right side to make screen navigation easier. You get only a single rocker button for both left- and right-clicking, however, so if you're used to feeling for a separate button instinctively, the N120 will take some getting used to.
If you've been put off by puny netbook keyboards and you want some extra room, note that the N120's keys are a little larger than those of the N110. To accommodate the bigger keys, the N120 is nearly a half inch wider than its predecessor, a fair trade-off for a bit more typing room. As nice as that is, though, the key layout is still almost as cramped as that of any other netbook.
You get some handy shortcut keys. One launches Samsung Magic Doctor, which can perform a full system diagnosis and restore. The Speed Manager button toggles between silent, normal, and speed mode so that you can adjust performance and battery power conservation. For globetrotters, the N120 even has a euro key.
Overall the N120 has nice fit and finish, sporting trim lines and a logical layout that's very similar to the N110's. Even with a slightly larger chassis, it doesn't have much room for a lot of extras. Still, the external ports--VGA-out, three USB ports, and microphone and headphone jacks--give you pretty much everything you'd want. The RAM slot is also readily accessible after you make a few turns of a Phillips screwdriver, and you can easily remove the battery by using two sliding latches. It's a handsome, functional netbook.
Though the N120 managed to earn generally higher benchmark scores than the N110, it still isn't a barn burner. The boost in performance comes mainly from the upgrade to DDR2 800 RAM. Everything else under the hood is essentially the same: It has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, a 160GB hard drive, and an Intel 945 video chipset.
On the downside, the N120 uses a less powerful battery than the N110 does, and in testing its battery life was about 40 minutes shorter than that of the N110--even so, the N120's excellent 7 hours, 43 minutes of battery life is nothing short of awesome. In the end, the N120 locked in a total WorldBench 6 score of 35, versus the N110's 36.
The N120 carries a subwoofer for upgraded sound over the N110. While the dedicated low-end speaker does offer a bit of bass, audio distortion and clipping are still problematic, as it is with all but the most advanced portable computers. The built-in speakers are good for basic sound, but the subwoofer doesn't add much to the mix. Just use a good set of headphones, and you'll enjoy quality sound from the N120's sound chip.
Like the N110, the N120 comes with an excellent suite of software that features backup, restore, and network software that's easier to use than XP's interface. A clearly written, organized, and detailed user guide, also loaded onto the hard drive, describes everything from hardware functions to tips for using the included software. Samsung did really well here, and made the user experience much friendlier than most.
Samsung's N120 is a nice alternative to the N110 if you're willing to give up some battery power for a slightly roomier keyboard and small bumps in performance. The good news is that they cost the same ($439), so you won't pay a price for your choice. Whether you'll notice the snappier performance or miss the extra battery life more is up to you. If you want a solid netbook that looks good, works well, and does pretty much anything you ask it to without complaining, the N120 is a worthy choice for anyone seeking an ultracompact travel companion.
Get it : Samsung X360-34G 13.3-Inch Laptop (1.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9300 Centrino 2 Processor, 3 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, Vista Business)
Read More...
Monday, June 15, 2009
What's the difference between the N120 netbook and the N110? A little more horsepower but a little less battery life.
HD Video Hits Desktops With Hardware, Software
LifeSize Communications and Radvision are taking two different routes toward high-definition desktop videoconferencing, both aiming to bring more participants into the virtual room.
The quality of video meetings has taken great strides in the past few years with the advent of room-sized systems that deliver lifelike 1080p (1,080-pixel, progressive-scan) video on large flat screens and strategically placed sound. But rank-and-file employees who can't get to a video room, or get a seat in one, are often left with a lower quality experience if they try to participate from hotel rooms or cubicles.
On Monday, LifeSize introduced desktop software to complement its family of dedicated videoconferencing systems, while Radvision teamed up with Samsung Electronics to introduce a PC monitor that doubles as a high-definition screen for meetings.
The LifeSize Desktop application is designed for use on standard Windows XP and Vista systems, including laptops, particularly for employees who work at home or on the road, said Michael Helmbrecht, director of product management.
Most full-size laptops purchased in the past 18 to 24 months will have the power to run LifeSize Desktop, he said. The software is designed to have a relatively small impact on the processing power of the PC. Tests by LifeSize indicate the application will consume about 40 percent of a typical Intel Core 2 Duo-based system. That makes it possible to run the software alongside regular productivity applications without a major hit to performance, he said.
LifeSize Desktop can decode incoming video from a larger conferencing system at 720p and 30 frames per second. It can encode video of the user at 480p, also at 30 frames per second, to send upstream for viewing on full-size systems or other PCs. Depending on the quality setting that is used, the software can work with an Internet connection of between 128Kb per second (Kbps) and 2Mbps, and a user or administrator can set asymmetric limits on how much bandwidth the application can use upstream and downstream, Helmbrecht said.
The software was designed primarily to meet the demands of LifeSize customers, both large and small enterprises, that want to complement their existing videconferencing systems with something for workers on the road. But it can communicate with any standard videoconferencing system using the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) standard, Helmbrecht said. LifeSize Desktop will be available in the third quarter, starting at US$199 per seat license, with packs of licenses ranging from one seat to 100 seats.
Radvision and Samsung bypassed the CPU power question altogether, while allowing users to integrate their desktop videconferencing systems with their PCs physically. The VC240 is a 24-inch Samsung high-definition PC monitor with a built-in DSP (digital signal processor) for videoconferencing. The unit also includes a built-in high-definition camera, speakers, and a microphone with echo cancellation.
The VC240 can work as a standard monitor until the user needs to join a videoconference, and then show the meeting either on the full screen or in a window, said Bob Romano, vice president of enterprise marketing at Radvision. Because of the built-in DSP, videoconferences don't drain the PC's processor. Alternatively, the unit can sit on the desk and operate as a standalone platform for video or audio conferencing.
Radvision is a longtime maker of IP (Internet Protocol) videoconferencing products that makes products such as gateways and MCUs (multi-conference units). Cisco Systems resells some Radvision MCUs. The VC240 is fully interoperable with Radvision's Scopia product line, so users can participate in meetings with colleagues in high-end video rooms, he said.
Romano compared the VC240 to standalone desktop videoconferencing units from competitors such as Tandberg and Polycom but said it will come in at just a fraction of the cost. The units should sell for less than $3,000, he said. The product will ship in volume in the third quarter of this year, Romano said.
Informatioan : Kensington 64343 MicroSaver DS Notebook Computer Lock with Keys (PC/Mac)
source : www.pcworld.com
Read More...
