HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web Review

HP’s Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web All-in-One Printer is a color inkjet multifunction printer with one truly new feature: the ability to access Web-based applications for viewing and printing items on the machine. It’s a cool concept, but it’s not quite polished: The initial apps appear tantalizing, but have some frustrating limitations.

As a traditional MFP, the TouchSmart performed competently in our tests. Using default settings, it printed plain text and graphics at better-than-average speeds of 8 pages per minute and 3.7 ppm, respectively. (HP’s specs of 33 ppm for text and 32 ppm for graphics were derived from draft mode.) Print quality was fairly smooth and realistic, just a little grainy on plain paper.

When we printed a one-page Word document wirelessly (the printer has support for 802.11b, g, and n Wi-Fi) and through a USB connection with our Mac, the TouchSmart took about 20 seconds to complete the task though either connection. A 10-page Word document took on average 1 minute and 17 seconds to print, and again the times were consistent over both the wired and wireless connections. There was a noticeable difference, however, when it came to printing a four-page PDF file; the wireless connection took about 1 minute, 34 seconds to print, while the USB connection was slightly faster, taking an average of 1 minute, 23 seconds.

Printing wirelessly from an iPhone using the free HP iPrint Photo 2.0 ( ) application proved easy. Once installed, our iPhone immediately recognized the TouchSmart as the closest available printer. While printing a photo, the TouchSmart automatically detected that we loaded the photo paper incorrectly and prompted a message indicating to us that we needed to flip the paper over, with the glossy side facing downward.

The TouchSmart’s touchscreen offers a number of time-saving options for scanning, such as opening the image through software such as Preview, HP Scan, or iPhoto. Our test unit’s scanner was very fickle when it came to transferring scans through the network; sometimes it would work effortlessly and sometimes an error message would appear instructing us to plug in a connection when it was not necessary to do so. A simple reboot of the TouchSmart would usually get it working again, but it became tiring after numerous times encountering this problem. When starting a wireless scan from the Mac instead of the scanner’s touchscreen however, the process ran a lot smoother.

The TouchSmart includes a 100-sheet, letter/legal input tray and a 20-sheet photo tray, plus a 50-sheet output tray. The automatic duplexer is an especially nice feature. Connectivity is generous, including USB, ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Slots accommodate CompactFlash, Memory Stick, SD Card, and XD-Picture Card, and the unit also has a PictBridge port.

Ink costs are average, running at 4.4 to 4.8 cents per text page and 12 to 15.5 cents per four-color page, depending on whether you use the standard or high-yield inks.

The Web-based apps are canned, limited versions of certain Web sites. For instance, in Google Maps, you can type in an address, view the location in map or satellite mode, and print the results in a few different layouts. If you want to print out directions, which we figure most people who use Google Maps intend to do anyway, you would have to download a separate application[jg1]. The USA Today application lets you select and print a type of news (such as sports or weather), but you can’t preview the contents beforehand. Considering how expensive ink and paper can be, and the fact that the same news content is available online or on its newspaper, it seems wasteful to use this feature. If you’re a Snapfish photo site user, you can view, print, and upload photos, but you can’t use the slideshow function, which would seem a natural fit for the TouchSmart’s 4.33-inch, color LCD. HP says it’s considering this feature.

Those apps and a handful of other home-oriented ones arrived preloaded on our test unit; you can download more from the HP App Studio Website. HP says that a software development kit will be available in early 2010-now, that could be fun.

Note that the Web functions do not work unless the machine is connected directly to a network with Internet access. A typical installation via USB to your Mac gets you nowhere with the Print Apps, even if your Mac has Internet access. This seems like an important point, but HP confirmed that it isn’t documented anywhere. Also, in order to install the printer drivers into your computer, the printer has to already be up and running through an Internet connection in order for your driver to “detect” what you need to be installed. If you skip this process, the installation process can get hairy and you may not be able see the TouchSmart showing up as a printer option in your Print and Fax System Preferences.

Review by: HP Photosmart Premium TouchSmart Web Review | Printers | Digital Photo | Macworld.

FireWire vs USB: Which is faster?

Most modern Macs—except for the MacBook Air and some MacBook models—offer both FireWire and USB connections. When shopping for an external hard drive, then, you have many options for something that will work with your Mac. Today, USB hard drives are more common and less expensive than FireWire or even FireWire/USB combo drives.

But ubiquity doesn’t necessarily equate to superiority. All other areas of comparison aside, what many people want to know is how the two technologies match up in terms of speed. USB 2.0 has a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 480 Mbps, versus 400 Mbps for FireWire 400 and 800 Mbps for FireWire 800. To get a sense of real-world performance, however, we ran drive tests on both a 2.4GHz 17-inch MacBook Pro with a 160GB, 5400RPM internal hard drive and a Mac Pro 3GHz 8-core system with a 250GB, 7200RPM internal drive (each with OS X 10.6.2 and 2GB of RAM installed).

Western Digital My Book Studio

When we connected the MacBook Pro to a 2TB Western Digital My Book Studio drive and copied a 1GB file to it from the internal hard drive, we found that it took 23 percent less time over FireWire 400 than over USB 2.0. Duplicating that file using FireWire 400 on the WD drive took 10 percent less time than when run over USB 2.0. To see how the different connections performed in more typical backup tasks, we copied over a 2.5GB folder containing 5000 individual files and folders. In that test, we found the FireWire 400 transfer to be 26 percent faster than USB 2.0. Using AJA’s System Test application, we found the MacBook Pro’s FireWire 400 connection to be 46 percent faster than USB in the writing tests. In the reading tests, however, the edge went to USB, which was nine percent faster than FireWire 400.

Using the same hard drive, but connected to our Mac Pro, we found the FireWire 400 connection to be 19 percent faster than the USB on the copy to the external drive, 21 percent faster on both the duplication test and the copy 5000 files test, and exactly the same in terms of performance difference on the AJA read and write tests as with the MacBook Pro.

Comparing the FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 results on the MacBook Pro with the My Book Studio showed the FireWire 800 connection to be 35 percent faster at copying the file to the external drive, 51 percent faster duplicating that file on the external drive, and 37 percent faster copying over the 5000 files and folders. The AJA write test showed the FireWire 800 connection’s throughput at almost three times faster than the USB connected WD, with 58 percent faster read scores.

The My Book tested on the Mac Pro showed the FireWire 800 connection to be 48 percent faster than USB at copying the file to the external drive, 54 percent faster duplicating the file, and 49 percent faster copying over our 5000 files and folders. The AJA write tests showed the 800 connection writing twice as many megabytes per second as the USB connection, and 49 percent faster reading.

Verbatim portable

We also tested a zippy little Verbatim portable drive, which was 23 percent faster than USB in the copy to external test on the MacBook Pro, 21 percent faster at the duplication test, 14 percent faster on the 5000 file copy test, 42 percent faster on the AJA write throughput, and 8 percent faster on the AJA read throughput.

Connected via FireWire 800, we saw FireWire speeds 42 percent faster than USB at our copy to external test, 55 percent faster on our duplication test, 32 percent faster in the 5000 files test, and two times faster in the AJA read and write scores.

On the Mac Pro, the Verbatim with a FireWire 400 connection was 13 percent faster than USB at our copy to test, 10 percent faster at our duplication test, 12 percent faster in our 5000 file copy test, 18 percent faster in AJA’s write tests and five percent faster than USB in the AJA read tests.

Connected to the FireWire 800 port, the Verbatim was 47 percent faster at our copy to test than when connected over USB. It was 49 percent faster than USB in our duplication tests, 44 percent faster in our 5000 file copy test and again, twice as fast as USB in both the read and write tests we ran using AJA’s System Test software.

via FireWire vs USB: Which is faster? | Storage | From the Lab | Macworld.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs receives salary of $1 in 2009

Steve Jobs was compensated $1 for his work as Apple’s CEO in 2009, a tradition that has existed since 1997.

Steve Jobs officially made $1 in salary in 2009, continuing a tradition started in 1997. Apple disclosed this information in a preliminary proxy statement sent to its shareholders on Wednesday.

Jobs holds nearly 5.5 million shares of Apple’s stock, a position he has held steady since 2003, making his holdings in the company worth over $1 billion. He is also the largest single shareholder in The Walt Disney Co. at 7.4 percent.

Earlier in December, Jobs was named the world’s best-performing CEO in the January-Feburary 2010 edition of Harvard Business Review. He was credited with delivering a 3,188% industry-adjusted return since he rejoined the company as CEO in 1997.

Jobs was given the title “CEO of the Decade” by Fortune for his role in turning Apple into a groundbreaking technology leader and “the most valuable company in Silicon Valley.” He was also a finalist for Time magazine’s 2009 “Person of the Year.”

Apple’s annual shareholder’s meeting is currently scheduled for February 25, 2010.

via AppleInsider | Apple CEO Steve Jobs receives salary of $1 in 2009.

Steve Jobs Apple Tablet

Apple Tablet rumors have exploded in the past few days with reports suggesting that Apple may introduce the device as early as January. A New York Times Blogpost by Nick Bilton adds a few tantalizing tidbits about the upcoming device.

As we’ve known, Bilton reports that Apple has been working on a tablet on-and-off for many years but never felt to be good enough to go to market. Some of the previous technology had already been adapted for the iPhone launch. It seems, however, that Apple has finally gotten the tablet to the point to launch to the market, and according to a current senior employee at Apple, Steve Jobs is said to be “extremely happy with the new tablet.”

Furthermore, another source told Bilton, “You will be very surprised how you interact with the new tablet.” No other details are offered as to what this interaction might be. Apple, of course, holds many patents on multi-touch technology and has been expected to apply it to their upcoming tablet. Implementing more advanced gestures have been considered possible, though we’re not sure if this would be considered a surprising interaction.

I am excited to see if they do release this apple tablet. I will probably consider buying one.

Google’s “Nexus One” test phone Confirmed; details surface

We all know about “the google phone” by now. But, for those who don’t, rumors and reports of google giving its employees a phone to test out have been surfacing the past week. Well, google has confirmed the existence of the phone, but not much else.

Look in the reflection on the phone, looks like it was taken with an iphone. Ironic

Though not confirmed yet, the google phone is going to be named “Nexus One.” However, names like passion are still rumored to be the true name of the phone. Claims are already being made that the iPhone may finally have a real run for its money. In my opinion, Android has all the potential to beat out the iPhone, but the thing that has set the iPhone apart in the past and may work out again is the hardware. The touchscreen on the iphone has not yet been matched, and I think that the touchscreen is the one thing that gives the iPhone such an advantage. So, if google can pull that off, i think they will have a pretty good chance at getting some iPhone users to switch.

Back to the google phone though. It is said that it will run on T-Mobile 3G, but google will sell it unlocked without any carrier. For those who aren’t tech-savy, unlocked means that they would be able to use any serviceprovider.

Specs

Specs are hard to come by, but based on reports byEngadget and others, this device will probably have a screen slightly longer than the iPhone’s (just under 5 inches), OLED display, trackball, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, and a microSD expansion slot. The device is also believed to be thinner than the iPhone.

Just Testing or Prelaunch?

Rumors are suggesting the device would be launched by Google in early January, but there’s also speculation the Nexus One/Google phone could just be a test device for trying out the latest Android platform. It’s also possible that Google could be developing the hardware and software, but wouldn’t produce or brand the device. Instead, the company could license its design out to other manufacturers, a very Microsoft-like move. ( I don’t like Microsofy)

In my opinion this seems to be a cool phone, it looks cool and android is a good Mobile OS. If it comes out before i get a new phone, i’ll consider buying it, but I am set on the droid at this point. But, what do you think? Is this “Google Phone” the real deal? If so, will you be buying one?

AppleInsider | Apple to delay iMac orders, citing display issues

Graphics issues have caused Apple to delay shipments of the 27-inch iMac model until the cause of the problem can be determined.

Apple authorized resellers have reported delays in shipments of new 27-inch iMac models due to reports of display problems. Reports of flickering screens and yellow-tinged displays have become more common around the internet, so much so that a website has been created to catalog reports of issues from users.

According to the Apple iMac (Fall 2009) Issues blog, out of 678 respondents, nearly half have had problems with flickering displays. The author does note that the numbers are part of an “unscientific survey” and should not be considered representative of all iMacs sold.

The blog also reports that Apple resellers have been told of delays of 2 weeks in order to give Apple time to replace the graphics cards on the 27-inch iMacs. The iMac model in question comes in either dual-core or quad-core formats and contain the AMD ATI Radeon HD 4670 or 4850 model graphics cards.

Computerworld reported that multiple U.S. resellers report delays of anywhere from five days to two months.

AppleInsider noted in late November that users were reporting issues with the 27-inch model, with some receiving dead computers and others receiving models with cracked displays. Issues of stuttering when playing flash content were also common and were fixed for some by an update in early November.

via AppleInsider | Apple to delay iMac orders, citing display issues.

Lowest prices on good printers!!! — Buy the HP Photosmart C4680 All-in-One Printer direct from HP

photos at your fingertips

Print, copy, and scan with one compact machine

Drag and drop photos into HP Photo Print Gadget1 to get consistent results and avoid print errors

Automatically remove red eye and make other enhancements before printing: just pop in your photo memory card

View and print photos without a PC using the color display with HP TouchSmart frame

Scan, copy, and enlarge with the hassle-free HP TouchSmart

Make lab-quality photo reprints without a PC

Use paper efficiently by printing multiple pages on each side of the paper

Combine content from multiple Web pages on one page with the Smart Web Printing feature2

Click the link below to buy this product

via HP® Official Store — Buy the HP Photosmart C4680 All-in-One Printer direct from HP.

Google Releases Experimental Phone to Employees – PC World Business Center

Google has handed out a new mobile phone running its Android software to some employees, stirring another wave of speculation that the oft-rumored Google Phone is real.

In a blog post on Saturday morning, Google said the phones are being distributed so that workers can experiment with new mobile features. It did not say the device will be a Google-branded phone.

But in a Twitter message earlier, a Google employee who said she has the phone referred to it as a “Google phone,” fuelling the latest speculation.

Since even before Google unveiled Android, onlookers wondered if the search giant would release its own phone. Instead, it released an open source operating system that other hardware vendors can use to make phones.

In the Google blog post, Mario Queiroz, a vice president of product management, said the company gave the phone to employees as a way to test new technologies.

“We recently came up with the concept of a mobile lab, which is a device that combines innovative hardware from a partner with software that runs on Android to experiment with new mobile features and capabilities, and we shared this device with Google employees across the globe,” he wrote. “This means they get to test out a new technology and help improve it.”

He said he could not share specific details about the product.

The post appeared to be a response to a Twitter message posted by a Google employee Friday evening, who said she had the phone. The post, first reported by TechCrunch, sparked the new round of speculation.

“ZOMG we had fireworks and we all got the new Google phone. It’s beautiful,” wrote Leslie Hawthorn, a program manager on Google’s open source team.

While the term “Google phone” has been used to describe a device built and branded by Google, many also use the term to refer to any phone running Android. So it was unclear if Hawthorne was talking about a device that will be branded and sold by Google.

A podcast producer for CNET said Friday he had seen one of the phones, adding to the speculation. The hardware is made by HTC and running Android 2.1, the next generation of the software, Jason Howell wrote in a Twitter message. The phones were given to employees unlocked and the one he saw was running on AT&T’s network, he said. Because it is unlocked, workers could also choose to use T-Mobile.

“It was thin. Dare I say as if not a bit thinner than iPhone,” he wrote. The phone used an on-screen keyboard instead of a hardware keyboard. He said Google was expected to reveal more details in the next few days.

via Google Releases Experimental Phone to Employees – PC World Business Center.

I have been thinking of getting a droid instead of an iphone, i am pretty sure im gonna get the droid.

Green Day: Rock Band Confirmed for 2010

YAY!!!!! GREEN DAY ON ROCKBAND!!
I am definitely going to buy this game when it comes out. Green day is my favorite band, rockband is my favorite game. Combine the two… AWESOMENESS!!!!

December 12, 2009 – The Beatles appear to be only be the first of many band-centric music titles fans can expect to be released by MTV/Harmonix. A new teaser trailer released today points to punk rock group Green Day as being the next band to receive this special treatment.

The trailer highlights the band playing their hit single “American Idiot,” while showcasing vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool fully modeled in the game.

No other details were given, so we’re not quite sure if this will be a full Green Day-themed retail title, or just an extensive download pack with playable avatars.

Singer Billie Joel hinted at a full Green Day game earlier this year on KROQ 106.7 FM, however.

We’re likely to have more information soon. IGN has contacted MTV for additional details.

Update: During Spike TV’s Video Game Award Show, the band made an official announcement of the title. “We’re making a videogame,” said Mike Dirnt. He added the title is coming “next year” and will feature the band’s favorite “songs, venues, and imagery.”

via Green Day: Rock Band Confirmed for 2010 – Xbox 360 story – at IGN.

Should Microsoft Dump its Phone Efforts? – PC World

Over at the New York Times’ Bits blog, Steve Lohr is reporting on a shocking recommendation from tech analyst/writer Mark Anderson: Microsoft should abandon the phone business. Anderson says that Microsoft doesn’t get consumers — with the exception of game-playing consumers — and it’s time for the company to focus on business customers.

As Lohr says, the chances that Microsoft will give Windows Mobile a respectful burial and move on are slim. Very, very slim. If I were Steve Ballmer, I sure wouldn’t: Even if the company’s phone strategy is in crummy shape, some chance of getting back on track is better than no chance. Phones are the future of personal computing: To exit the business would be the equivalent of Warner Bros. giving up on TV in 1950, or the New York Times shuttering its Web site in 1998 or so.

Personally, i hate windows mobile. I am currently trapped by a 2 year contract and have to stick with my windows mobile running samsung omnia!
I hate it because it is glitchy and slow. I don’t care if MS stops making windows mobile, i just know that i am never buying a phone that runs it ever again!

What say you?

Original Should Microsoft Dump its Phone Efforts? – PC World.