Sony is now rolling out Ice Cream Sandwich updates for the Xperia Go, U and Sola.

In terms of software updates, I think Sony is now the top Android manufacturer in this regard. Sony does not just take care of its top of the line phones, but even humble offerings like the Sony Live with Walkman got upgraded to Android 4.0 ("Ice Cream Sandwich").

Sony is now rolling out Ice Cream Sandwich updates for it mid-to-entry level range 2012 phones, the Xperia Go, U and Sola.

Hello everyone,

Today we’re starting our software rollout for Xperia go, Xperia U and Xperia sola including Ice Cream Sandwich Android 4.0 upgrade and new unique media applications. The rollout will continue over the next few weeks in markets globally.

Some of the cool features and functionality you can look forward to include:

• New ways to experience your tunes, images, videos and films with Sony’s media applications – “WALKMAN”, “Album” and “Movies”
• Extended standby mode, increasing standby time by up to four times (depending on user-profile and data consumption)
• Lock screen with improved functionality
• Resizable widgets for improved personalization
• Improved control of your mobile data consumption
• Recent Apps button for a clear overview of your applications

I’m also excited to tell you about “Glove Mode” – a sweet feature in the software upgrade for Xperia sola (known as Xperia sole in some markets). It’s an extension of our “floating touch” technology that makes it possible to use your Xperia sola in the cold whilst wearing gloves… just in time for the winter months. My colleagues at Developer World have taken a closer look – head on over to check it out!

We’re kicking-off the rollout today, and ramping it up over the weekend – from mid next week you’ll be able to see software kits as they’re released (customized specific to your operator and handset) on our support community. Please check-back then for the direct link and continue to do so, as the list will be updated when new kits become available.

It’s worth noting that in order to upgrade, you will need to connect to a PC or Mac – please visithttp://www.sonymobile.com/update and follow the instructions.

Thanks for all your questions so far and as always, feel free to drop a comment or question below.

Ant.

*The availability and scheduling of this software upgrade and specific models upgradeable to Android 4.0 will vary by market and carrier requirements

Source: Quote and Image from the Sony Xperia Product Blog

Asus X401U versus Asus X401A

With two versions of the 14-inch Asus budget thin and light in the market, which one is the better choice? You have the AMD powered Asus X410U and the Intel powered Asus X401A. Except for the processor and graphics both have identical specifications.

The AMD powered Asus X410U is the less expensive of the two, starting at Php16,990. With Windows Home Basic pre-installed, it will set you back Php18,990. The Intel powered Asus A410A is starts at Php20,990, and adding Windows also costs 2K, bring the price up to Php22,990.

The Asus X410U is cheaper for a reason. The performance of the two in terms of processing power is rather large

Source: PassMark CPU Benchmarks

Basically, the AMD version cost 4K less than the Intel version, but overall provides almost a third of the processing power. The AMD E2-1800 does have a good graphics chip which can play Full HD video with ease.

Asus X401U-WX050R

Asus has released another version of their X401 laptop, the X401U. What makes Asus X401 series so interesting is that it is a low cost 14-inch laptop that weighs only 4.1 pounds. To put this into perspective, Acer's 14-inch budget offering, the Aspire 4750, weighs in at 5 pounds.  HP's new low cost HP1000-1116TU weighs in at 4.8 pounds. Compare it to more expensive models, and the X401 fairs well too. A 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Pro weighs in at 4.5 pounds and the 13.3-inch Sony Vaio S comes in at 3.8 pounds. 

The first X401 series laptop released, the Asus X401A, with an Intel B970 processor, is priced at just Php22,990 with Windows Home Basic installed. A DOS version is priced at Php20,990. The Asus X401U swaps the Intel processor for a AMD E2-1800 Accelerated Processing Unit with a 1.7 GHz dual core processor and Radeon 7340 graphics. This allows Asus to bring down the price to Php18,990 with Windows Home Basic Installed, for those who do not need an operating system pre-installed, a DOS version is available for Php16,990.

Other than that, it has the same specifications as its Intel powered sibling, with 2GB of RAM, a 500 GB, card reader and the other standard equipment you can expect to find in a laptop these days. The 6-cell battery is rated at 4400 mAh, which is what you expect from a laptop in this price range. In addition, you Altec Lansing speakers, HDMI out and a new fast USB 3.0. This laptop does not have an optical drive though.

Fashionably thin at just over an inch at the thickest point, the Asus X401A, already ruled budget the thin and light 14-inch laptop market. A lower cost AMD E2-1800 makes this laptop a netbook competitor too, and I would recommend it over any netbook in the market. 

Ivy Bridge Portables: Sony Vaio S SVS13116FG

Yesterday, we took a look at Apple's new entry level MacBook Pro and the new Samsung  NP540U4C S03 "Ultrabook". The Samsung NP530U4C S03 was lighter, sports a more desirable Core i7 processor, is lighter, cheaper and overall looks like a better choice.  The is another worthy Ivy Bridge contender in this category, our longtime favorite, the Sony Vaio S series. 

Sony Vaio S SVS13116FG. The Sony Vaio S has been upgraded with a new Ivy Bridge processor, the 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5-3210M processor. This is the same processor found on the entry Apple MacBook Pro. Like the MacBook Pro, it has an a 13.3-inch display (but with a higher 1366 x 768 resolution). It also has an optical drive.

The question is, does it offer anything more which will allow it to beat the Samsung NP530U4C S03?

The Sony Vaio S is the lightest of the three, being at 3.8 pounds. For graphics, that Sony Vaio S has the standard Intel HD Graphics 4000 plus a nVidia GeForce GT 640M LE with 1 GB of dedicated video memory. So it does a better job than the entry level MacBook Pro in matching the Samsung NP530U4C S03 in term of processing and graphics power.

Still, the Sony Vaio S falls short in other categories, offering less RAM, at 4 GB, and coming with a smaller 640 GB hard drive as compared with the Samsung NP530U4C S03

The Sony Vaio S also cost more, Php59,900 with Windows 7 Premium (64-bit) pre-installed. You can get 10% off the price for cash and straight credit card purchases, making it 4K more expensive than the Samsung NP530U4C S03. 

So our recommendation is pretty much the same as with the Apple MacBook Pro. If you need an optical drive, the Sony Vaio S SVS13116FG is a better choice than the Samsung NP530U4C S03, and a much better choice than the entry level Apple MacBook Pro. If not, the The Samsung NP530U4C S03 is lighter, sports a more desirable Core i7 processor, is lighter, cheaper and overall a better choice.

One caveat. If you are willing to spend Php7,999 more, you can get a slice battery for the Sony Vaio S, which doubles its battery life to 12-hours. This 4-6 hours longer than its Apple and Samsung rivals. Considering this, at 50K the Samsung NP530U4C S03 is a better value for money option. But if you are will to spend about 62K, the Sony Vaio S SVS13116FG becomes a very compelling option.

Ivy Bridge Portables: 13-inch MacBook Pro (2012) and the Samsung NP530U4C S03

Earlier we took a look at a pair of very portable 13-inch laptops, an Apple MacBook Air and Samsung Series 5. Those needing a bit more power and will to lug around a but more weight might want to consider the MacBook Pro or the 14-inch Samsung Series 5 instead.

This article is a continuation of the previous one. To read it in context, visit the previous article at this link. 

MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro design is getting a bit out dated. What used to be a slim and light laptop when the design was originally released is looking heavy by today's standards. The entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro sells for the same price as the 13-inch MacBook Air.

As compared to the 13-inch MacBook Air, the 13-inch MacBook Pro seems to be a bad choice at first glance. The MacBook Pro has a lower resolution 1280 x 800 display as compared to the sharper 1440 x 900 resolution of the MacBook Air. At 4.5 pounds, the MacBook Pro weighs 50% more than the 3 pound MacBook Air.

Still, the entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro has some trick up it sleeve. It still has an optical drive and a LAN port. Something disappearing in many of today laptops. The MacBook Pro has a faster Intel Core i5 processor as compared to the MacBook Air (2.5 GHz versus 1.8 GHz). The RAM on a MacBook Pro can be upgraded after purchase. RAM upgrades on the MacBook Air have to be done before purchase.  

The entry level MacBook Pro also has more storage. The entry level 13-inch MacBook Pro has a 500 GB hard drive which is a lot bigger than the 128 SSD storage on the entry level 13-inch MacBook Air, but that is really a plus and a minus. One offers more space. The other one is faster and more power efficient. Cabled connectivity includes a Thunderbolt Port, and USB 3.0.

If you want a little more power than the 13-inch MacBook Air, or need an optical drive on the road, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is a viable alternative. Otherwise, I would recommend the 13-inch MacBook Air. 

Samsung NP530U4C S03. Samsung though is offering another very viable alternative for mobile users needing more power than the typical Ultrabook. This a large notebook, with a 14-inch, 1366 x 768 resolution display. Still, weighing in a 4.05 pounds it is actually much lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The Samsung NP530U4C S03 is a 14-inch Intel Core i7-3157UM (1.9 GHz) powered laptop. For graphics, it has the standard Intel on board graphics plus a nVidia GeForce GT 620M with 1 GB of dedicated RAM. It also offers 6 GB of RAM, which is 2 GB more than what comes with the entry level 13-inch MacBook Air or Pro, or its own Series 5 13-inch sibling. Storage is 1 TB, with a 24 GB SSD used for sleep and hibernation. Cabled connectivity includes a HDMI Port, and USB 3.0.

All this comes in a package which costs just Php54,900 with Windows 7 Premium (64-bit) pre-installed. The price is just 3K less than the Apple MacBook Pro, but pay cash or make a straight payment through a credit card and you will get a discount on the price making the difference all of 8K.

The Core i7 on the Samsung NP530U4C S03 processor runs slower than the Core i5 on the MacBook Pro, but has a larger cache. Which of the two is faster depends on the task. Given a choice between the two, I would prefer the cooler running Core-i7 UM processor on the Samsung.

The Samsung NP530U4C S03 does not have an optical drive, and those that want one should consider the 13-inch MacBook Pro instead. Other than that, the Samsung NP530U4C S03 offers NVIDIA gaming grade graphics and double the storage of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, for less money and in a lighter package.

Acer Timeline Ultra M5-481TG-53316G52MASSS

Acers Timeline series started life as a CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) laptop. CULV's were lower powered laptops which brought longer battery life. The next generation of Timeline laptops, the TimelineX were full powered laptops with higher capacity batteries and slim and light profile.  The Timeline series is now continued by the Timeline Ultra which is a hybrid between an Ultrabook and a gaming laptop. With each generation of Intel processors the Timeline series has lost its niche and is trying to find a new home for the Timeline name. Acer is hoping the new generation of Timeline the right portable for you.

 

Acer Timeline Ultra M5-481TG-53316G52MASSS is a 14-inch laptop that has features of an Ultrabook. It is a 1.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-3317U Ivy Bridge platform, the same platform used by Apple's MacBook Air and the bevy of new Ultrabooks. It is package in a slim Ultrabook like 0.8-inch thick frame.

On the flip side, it weighs in a very at 5.1 pounds, which is much heavier than an Ultrabook. The additional heft is due to use of a conventional hard drive, the inclusion of an optical drive and discrete graphics. The Acer Timeline Ultra M5-481TG-53316G52MASSS has a NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M LE Kepler GPU, with 1GB of Dedicated GDDR5 VRAM, under the hood, giving it up to 4x more graphics punch than the Intel HD 4000 graphics you will find in the latest MacBook Air and Ultrabooks. 

Quick specifications:

Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
14-inch (1366 x 768) display
1.7 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-3317U
6 GB RAM
500 GB hard drive
Optical drive
2 x USB 3.0 with one power off charging
2-in-1 card reader
HDMI out
Php44,990 retail price

The Acer Timeline Ultra M5-481TG-53316G52MASSS is a very solidly built laptop with an aluminum lid and palm rest. The rest of the laptop also exudes high build quality which include a battery that has a 1000 charge cycle life which provides over 6-hours battery life in real world use.

As much as I like the Acer Timeline Ultra M5-481TG-53316G52MASSS, I really am  not too keen on a portable with a 5.1 pound weight. I would have preferred it if Acer had dropped the optical drive. Still, you would only save about 0.25 pounds, or so, from removing the optical drive. 


This should have also allowed Acer to make the casing a bit smaller or thinner and save some more weight.  In order to get close to 4-pounds, which is about as much as I am willing to lug around these days, Acer would have to ditch the conventional hard drive for a SSD which would really push up the price.

So what do you think of Acer's new Kepler powered Ultrabook like laptop?

Apple launches its 2012 MacBooks

MacBook Air. As expected, Apple announced new versions of its second generation MacBook Air, which move from the Intel Sandy Bridge platform to the newer and faster Ivy Bridge platform. This also brings USB 3.0 to the MacBook Air.

What is refreshing is that the new MacBook Air's are cheaper than last years models. The entry level 11.6-inch MacBook Air is 2K cheaper than last years model. The upgraded version with a 128 GB SSD is 7K cheaper than last years model.

The new 13-inch MacBook Air's are also priced lower than last year models. The entry level 13-inch MacBook Air being 8K cheaper than last years model, and the version with the 256 GB drive being 7K cheaper.

13-inch MacBook Pro. Apple now also upgraded its 13-inch MacBook Pro by moving it over to the Ivy Bridge platform.

This one is a little more disappointing, since we were expecting a lighter chassis. The MacBook Pro at 4.5 pounds was already feeling heavy, with its main competitor, the Sony Vaio S at 3.8 pounds. With all the Ultrabook being launched, 4.5 pounds does not feel all the portable anymore.

Still if you need an Ethernet ports or optical drive, this in the one for you. 

But thankfully, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro also gets a cut in price, being 4K cheaper than last years models.

New 15-inch MacBook Pro. We never cover Apple's 15-inch MacBook's because they go above the 5 pounds, and we do not cover laptops the weight over 5 pound and Apple has updated last years 15-inch MacBook Pro.

But this year, Apple has two 15-inch MacBook Pro, the upgraded version of last years model, and a new 15-inch MacBook Pro, which really should have been called the 15-inch MacBook Air. It is 0.71 inches thin, and weighs in at 4.4 pounds, a bit less than 13-inch MacBook Pro.

This new 15-inch MacBook Pro's also sport 2880 x 1800 "retina" display. The new display is really just a 220 pixels per inch (ppi) display and does not meet the 300 ppi standard Apple touted as a "retina" display, but really, you really do not need a 300 ppi display.

While called Pro, this really is more an air as it ditches the Ethernet Port and the optical drive.

The new MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro are faster and cheaper than last years model, and the new 15-inch MacBook Pro is refreshing with its new light chassis, though it is on the rather expensive side. 

Lenovo ThinkPad EDGE e420 - Affordable small business notebook

The Lenovo ThinkPad EDGE e420 falls under the category of what are called thin-and-light laptops. These days, 1.1-inches does not look all that thin, and 4.6 pounds don't feel all that light, the Lenovo ThinkPad EDGE e420 is pretty light for a standard 14-inch laptop.

 

Ultrabooks are all the rage these days as far as portable business notebooks are concerned. But those 0.7-inch thin frames do have their drawbacks. In order to make everything fit in the the ultra-thin cases, compromises are made. Notably, shallow keyboards. While I carry 13-inch MacBook Air around for use in the field. The MacBook Air has an excellent keyboard for its class, but still has shallow keys. When you press a key it does not have much room to travel. After a year and a half with my MacBook Air, when it comes to typing long documents, I tend to favor my 2007 HP Compaq 6510b.

Keyboards are really is the best reason to select a traditional thin and light laptop, and the Lenovo ThinkPad EDGE e420 has an excellent keyboard. It also comes with a 14-inch, 1366 x 768 matte display, which many prefer because of its low glare characteristics. 

It includes other features which are important to a mobile professional. It secures your data by protecting the 500 GB hard drive in case of falls with its Active Protection System which stops the disk from rotating when the laptop detects that it is falling. The hard drive is also mounted on shocked absorbers. In case of a serious accident, your files should be secure in the hard disk even in the even of a fall that renders the laptop unusable. The keyboard is also spill resistant to protect your laptop from accidental spills of fluids.

Priced at Php33,000, it comes adequately equipped with an Intel Core I3 2350M processor. Graphics are switchable between the on chip Intel 3000 HD graphics, and when more power is needed the discrete AMD Radeon HD6630M graphics card which has 1 GB of dedicated RAM. The six cell  battery provides almost six hours of battery life.

The Lenovo ThinkPad EDGE e420 does not come with an operating system, so that will cost you a few thousand more if you want Windows. I am typing this on a laptop with Ubuntu 12.04, so I actually prefer hardware without an operating system, as I do not want to pay for something I do not plan to use.  The Lenovo Thinkpad EDGE should be Ubuntu 12.04 friendly.