2012)

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

I first spied the Asus UX21E at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month – barely squeaking into the room for Intel’s first keynote and it was standing room only. A seat freed up next to me and I politely let another journalist take it.

Near the end of the keynote, the chap giving the presentation made everyone reach under their seats. The guy who got my seat reached under and pulled out an envelop which had been stuck to the underside of the chair. The envelop contained an Asus UX21E. Yep, happy days.

To say I was gutted might have been an understatement, but I was also seriously impressed. that a notebook could be so petite that it’d fit inside an A4-sized envelope was something the marketing boffins at Apple had already used, but Intel were really onto something by demonstrating that it was light enough to be held to underside of a chair by nothing more than double sided sticky-tape.

in short this was astonishing and th UX21E was clearly an ultrabook I had to review.

Look and Feel

Ultrabooks – high-end sub-notebooks working to a rigid specification set by Intel – are designed from the ground up to be highly portable and sufficiently light that they can be carried anywhere.

Extended battery life without compromising performance is also a big part of the appeal of an ultrabook. This is achieved thanks to the use of ultra-low power Intel processors that feature integrated graphics.

Add solid-state drives to the mix and you have an incredibly responsive and quick notebook that’s not only portable but can even do double duty as a games machine – within reason.

having finally got my paws on the UX21E, I can categorically say, hand on heart, that it is an awesome piece of gear. The UX21E’s slinky blade-shaped body starts at an improbable 3mm thin at the front and finishes at an equally impressive 9mm deep on its curvaceous rear.

It appears to have been hewn out of a single block of alloy – there’s even alloy scrabble tile-style keys on its keyboard. To say that the UX21E is georgeous is akin to calling the roof of the Sistine Chapel an amateur crayon doodle.

From its brushed alloy body through to the concentric ringed pattern on its alloy lid, the UX21E is easy on the eye – without the compromises you’d expect from a design-heavy machine.

Fancypants looks, clever execution and a serious spec are one thing, but thankfully the UX21E also feels well constructed. opening up its display using one corner resulted in minimal flexing, and in use, its entire chassis felt rock solid.

Adding to the UX21E’s design cred, Asus has also thoughtfully bundled a slinky nylon sleeve which resembles a small inter-office memo envelope for protecting the UX21E when out and about. Slipping the machine into the nylon sleeve really drove home just how wafer thin and light (1.1kg) the UX21E really is. Shame I didnt have any double-sided sticky.

If the 11.6″ screen is on the small side, it makes up for this by being both bright and legible under normal use. A slight minus, however, was its glossy coatng, which made it very reflective both indoors and out.

considering the UX21E’s pint-sized form factor, it’s keyboard felt surprisingly roomy and was more than comfy for touch typists.

there are a few qurks though. The cursor keys also do double duty as page up/down, home and end keys. given this is a normal state of play for most notebook PCs nowadays, it wasn’t a show stopper.

What did give me pause for thought was the location of the power button, which Asus bizarrely chose to include as part of the keyboard, next to the Delete key. having lost count of the amount of times that I’d frustratingly turned off the UX21E instead of hitting the delete key quickly became tiring.

Features

On the connectivity front, about the only thing missing from the UX21E is a kitchen sink, which is pretty impressive considering the UX21E’s uber petite ultrabook form factor. On its left-hand side is a mini-VGA and USB 2.0 port as well as a headphone/microphone socket.

On the right is a micro-HDMI port and a USB 3.0 port. being an ultrabook, VGA and HDMI connectivity is supplied via dongles and Asus bundles a USB to Ethernet adapter for 10/100 wired networking.

Wired connectivity aside, the UX21E also packs plenty of wireless options. On the Wi-Fi front, the UX21E has 802.11a/b/g/n built in. Bluetooth 4.0 is also bundled, which bodes well for synching data from smartphones and hooking up Bluetooth enabled widgets.

aside from the dubiously-titled “Asus Vibe Fun Center” for e-book and games downloads, the UX21E was almost completely bloatware free – if you dont count the obligatory Microsoft Office Starter 2010 pack and the Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security apps that came pre-installed.

Under the Hood

Powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-2467M dual-core CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a blisteringly fast 128GB SSD, the UX21E boxes well above its weight to really deliver on Intel’s ultrabook promise.

Thanks to the integrated SSD, boot times from a cold start were sub-40 seconds whilst resuming from sleep mode was near instantaneous. considering its tiny battery, the UX21E also managed to run for a respectable 4 hours 47 minutes before finally calling it quits. All things considered, the battery life of the UX21E was pretty tidy indeed.

Verdict

The UX21E gets a lot of things right. For a start, it is an impossibly sexy looking piece of equipment. better still, it also feels exceptionlly well-built. On the usability front, it is very light, and offers some really impressive bang-per-buck performance.

Only a few minor gotchas mar what is otherwise ultrabook perfection. The reflection prone glossy screen, the lack of a backlit keyboard and the bizarrely placed on/off button spring to mind.

none of these are likely to be enough to put prospective buyers off the UX21E, because like me, they’ll probably take one look at its georgeous blade-shaped alloy body and fall head over heels.

Asus UX21E RRP $1,799Processor Intel i5 2467M OS Windows 7 Professional (64bit)Chipset Intel QS67 Express ChipsetMemory 4GB DDR3 1333 MHz SDRAMDisplay 11.6″ 16:9 HD (1366×768) LED BacklitStorage 128Gb SATA3 SSDNetworking Integrated 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth V4.0Connectivity Headphone-out jack (Audio in/out); USB 3.0 port; USB 2.0 port; micro HDMI; Mini VGABattery 35 Whrs Polymer BatteryDimension 29.9 x 19.6 x 0.3 ~1.7 cm (WxDxH)Weight 1.1 kg

By Pat Pilcher

-torx Screwdrivers - Motorola Droid 4 Teardown - (2/22/2012)

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

The iFixit team have been at its again with their screwdrivers this week, and applied their dismantling skills to Motorola’s Droid 4 smartphone, revealing its inner workings for all to see.

After taking the Motorola Droid 4 apart, iFixit only awarded the smartphone a measly 4 out of 10 for repairability, due to the poor way the Droid 4 has been put together. Making it very tricky to replace certain items now the keyboard is integrated into the motherboard. Meaning you’ll have to replace both components if a key on the keyboard becomes faulty.

The 4 out of 10 repairability score, is by far the lowest iFixit have scored a smartphone bearing the Droid name. Motorola does however provide owners with a rear panel removal tool, which was originally thought to be a Sim removal tool, but after examining the manuals iFixit discovered the truth.

iFixit explains a little about what they found behind the Droid 4′s case:

“The first thing we observed on the innards of this Droid was a large sticker covering the battery. It contained identifying information for the phone, as well as several statements telling the user that the battery is not removable. This is a huge (negative) departure from earlier Droids, where the battery was always user-replaceable.

Removing the sticker revealed the Droid 4′s battery, and confirmed our assumptions: the Droid’s battery is a lot larger and more troublesome to remove than last year’s model. Two T5 Torx screws and gobs of adhesive hold the battery in place. The adhesive is so strong that you may accidentally bend the battery too much (and cause it to possibly ignite) if you try removing it with just your fingers. So instead, use a flat pry tool like a spudger to pry the battery from the phone.”

You can view the complete teardown of Motorola’s Droid 4 smartphone over on the iFixit website.

HTC SIM Free – SIM Free Mobile Phones With Orange and O2

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

From a long time HTC has ruined the mobile market and making a great remarkable position all over world. HTC is all about its brand name, its magnificent feature,its sophistication and the style. HTC has created so many gadgets and smart phones in the market, the great features of the devices offered by HTC include high pixel camera, touch screen, high internal memory storage and many more. These phones give you the great connectivity over 2G as well as 3G networks. You can connect to the internet through GPRS, EDGE, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G and USB. it gives you a great and high speed browsing experience and these Contract phones are also equipped with social networking integration as allow you to connect through face book and twitter.

HTC company is providing their phone with all the deals like contract, pay as you go and Sim free phones. But if you are concerned about your money then you should go for the plan. HTC phones are readily available in the market with huge benefits. the Sim free phones are actually user friendly and one can change the phone easily without going into any signed contract. You can switch of to any network which is more feasible with these mobiles. sometimes the customers are not happy with the service of one of the network provider and cant change the network due to signed contract.
If they change their network than they have to pay a huge penalty or have to buy another handset which is not feasible every time. In that case, Sim free phones are the best phones so that one can enjoy all the benefits of good network and good featured phone.

AT&T customers surprised by ‘unlimited data’ limit

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

(02-13) 07:18 PST NEW YORK, (AP) –

Mike Trang likes to use his iPhone 4 as a GPS device, helping him get around in his job. now and then, his younger cousins get ahold of it, and play some YouTube videos and games.

But in the past few weeks, there has been none of that, because AT&T Inc. put a virtual wheel clamp on his phone. Web pages wouldn’t load and maps wouldn’t render. Forget about YouTube videos — Trang’s data speeds were reduced to dial-up levels.

“It basically makes my phone useless,” said Trang, an Orange County, Calif. property manager.

The reason: AT&T considers Trang to be among the top 5 percent of the heaviest cellular data users in his area. Under a new policy, AT&T has started cutting their data speeds as part of an attempt to manage data usage on its network.

So last month, AT&T “throttled” Trang’s iPhone, slowing downloads by roughly 99 percent. That means a Web page that would normally take a second to load instead took almost two minutes.

AT&T has some 17 million customers with “unlimited data” plans that can be subject to throttling, representing just under half of its smartphone users. It stopped signing up new customers for those plans in 2010, and warned last year that it would start slowing speeds for people who consume the most data.

What’s surprising people like Trang is how little data use it takes to reach that level — sometimes less than AT&T gives people on its “limited” plans.

Trang’s iPhone was throttled just two weeks into his billing cycle, after he’d consumed 2.3 gigabytes of data. he pays $30 per month for “unlimited” data. meanwhile, Dallas-based AT&T now sells a limited, or “tiered,” plan that provides 3 gigabytes of data for the same price.

Users report that if they call the company to ask or complain about the throttling, AT&T customer support representatives suggest they switch to the limited plan.

“They’re coaxing you toward the tiered plan,” said Gregory Tallman in Hopatcong, N.J. he hasn’t had his iPhone 4S throttled yet, but he’s gotten text-messages from AT&T, warning that he’s approaching the limit. This came after he had used just 1.5 gigabytes of data in that billing cycle.

John Cozen, a Web and mobile applications designer in San Diego, hasn’t been throttled yet either, but he’s been so disturbed by a warning that he’s “almost scared to use the phone,” he said. Complaining to AT&T got him nowhere, and now he’s looking to switch to another carrier.

“I don’t think two to three gigabytes is an exorbitant amount,” he said. “Really, I’m just looking at pictures and text once in a while.”

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said that as of last summer, the top 5 percent of data users were using 2 gigabytes of data per month. but he also said the company doesn’t actually throttle all of the top 5 percent “unlimited” data users. Last month, the figure was only 0.5 percent, or about 200,000 people, he said.

That’s because AT&T only throttles users in areas where the wireless network is congested that month, Siegel said.

Siegel also pointed out that aside from moving to a tiered plan, “unlimited” plan users on the cusp of being throttled can use one of AT&T’s 30,000 Wi-Fi hotspots, where usage is unmetered.

The unlimited plan worked fine for AT&T a few years ago, when the iPhone was new. the company had ample capacity on its network, and wanted to lure customers with the peace of mind offered by unlimited plans. now, a majority of AT&T subscribers on contract-based plans have smartphones, and the proportion is growing every month. That’s putting a big load on AT&T’s network.

The limited data plans force subscribers to keep an eye on their usage, so they don’t overwhelm AT&T’s network. Verizon Wireless has adopted similar plans. but the two companies differ in how they manage their remaining “unlimited” subscribers.

Verizon doesn’t slow down the “5 percent” unless the cell tower their phone is connected to is congested at that moment, and it slows them down by the minimum amount necessary. By contrast, once AT&T has decided to throttle your phone, it will be slow for the rest of the billing cycle, even if it’s 3 a.m. and there are no other cell phones competing for the capacity of that particular cell tower.

Verizon’s measures have drawn few complaints, and indeed, may have gone unnoticed even by the “5 percent.”

T-Mobile USA is up front about the level it starts throttling at: 5 gigabytes. AT&T subscribers have no idea if they might be among the top 5 percent until they get the warning, which is soon followed by throttled service. while Trang was throttled at 2.3 gigabytes, he knows other iPhone owners who are using 5 or 6 gigabytes per month with impunity.

“It seems very random,” Trang said.

Sprint Nextel Corp. is hanging on to unlimited data plans without throttling, alone among the “Big Four” national wireless carriers.

Tallman sees few prospects for a lawsuit against AT&T. the company is still providing unlimited data usage to throttled customers, even if the speeds are so low as to make the phone useless for anything but phone calls and text messages. the company made no promises that “unlimited” data would always be coupled with high speeds, he notes.

“They just guaranteed the highway. they didn’t guarantee the speed limit,” he said.

AT&T’s July 29 letter on throttling: bit.ly/qddCeI

Verizon page on its version of throttling: support.verizonwireless.com/information/data_disclosure.html

Peter Svensson can be reached at twitter.com/petersvensson

Sim Free Mobile Phones – Most Lucrative Deal

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

Mobile phones is one such device without which life will almost seem to come at a standstill. These omnipresent gadgets have gained worldwide popularity and there are millions of users all over the world. to attract the attention of users, various deals and schemes are launched. Sim free mobile phones is a deal that has gradually have become a favorite of users. this deal gives users freedom to subscribe services of one service provider only. The Sim free words itself describes the logic behind this deal- users are free to choose a service provider of their choice. they are not bound by any contract nor they have to enter into a contract with a network provider for a particular period of time.

The best thing about this deal is that all the latest mobiles of leading manufacturers like Samsung, Nokia, LG, Motorola, HTC, are available under this deal. they are available with the most sought after leading service providers like Vodafone, O2, Virgin. T- mobile, three, orange so there is no problem of connectivity at all. People will be delighted to know the advantages offered But they should not worry as they can get phones which boast of the most advanced features like GPRS, EDGE, WAN, FM Radio, Mp3 player, camera with high resolutions, accelerometer sensor, browser etc.

An example of SIM free deal phone is the Samsung G600 which has great looks and is sure to attract attention at the first glance. it has an array of features like 5 MP camera with autofocus, video capturing facility along with a flash. this handset can give the sophisticated cameras a tough competition as users can click the most fantastic pictures with it. it has Bluetooth, stereo FM radio, MP3 player and is embedded with 55 MB memory and microSD. Users can buy Sim free mobile online also as there are plenty of mobile shops which provide cheap Sim free phones conveniently.

SIM free mobile phones are probably the best deals that users can get. they are not bind to a particular service provider and can easily switch to any network provider of their choice. they can avail offers of any of the chosen cellular service provider they prefer.

-prepaid Phonecards - The Basics in Starting Your Own Prepaid Phone Card Business on the Internet - (2/22/2012)

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

Selling prepaid phone cards on the Internet is a very lucrative venture. in fact, many profit-minded individuals using phone cards as their online business niche brags of earning a tidy profit, while enjoying a good business reputation. But if you want to start a successful prepaid phone card business on the Internet, then you need to know the basics to give it a good start.

Your Product is your Success

A successful business depends on the product that you sell on the market. in truth, the profit that you will be making during the operation of your business, as well as your business reputation will depend on the product that is beneficial and convenient to your customers. this is also the same with prepaid phone cards.

Instead of selling prepaid phone cards that offers a good profit on your end, it is highly advisable that you make use of prepaid phone cards that will address the need of your customers, and potential ones, for a quality communication media.

First, you need to scout around for a prepaid phone card provider and checking out their offered services and features one-by-one. try putting yourself in the shoes of your customers regarding on what kind of features they would like on their prepaid phone card. While you’re at it, you might want to look for a product that will cost less than an average phone card, since your customers will be looking for one that offers big savings and nothing less.

Designing your Web Site to Maximize Business Potential

Your Web page will serve as your business foundation on the Internet. You need to design your site that will provide an interesting concept to attract potential customers, a layout for easy navigation, and features that will simplify the transactions you will be having with your clients and customers.

For starters, you need to provide informative content about your prepaid phone card to give your visitors all the information they need about your product. Next, you need to properly layout your site that will allow your customers to see that various links and features of your Web site without spending hours looking for it. You might even want to include some instructions to give them some idea if they don’t know what to do next.

You might also want to integrate a user-friendly interface to simplify the purchase of prepaid phone cards from your Web site. in fact, you might want to ask your prepaid phone card provider if they can provide you with a billing system that will help you sell their products on the World Wide Web, as well as other tools that will help you manage accounts, checking balances, and so on.

flatrateonline.net — Prepaid Phone Cards

-leads & Cables - Explore Through The World Of Bulk Speaker Wire And Other Coaxial Cables - (2/22/2012)

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

The technology of cabling has increased by leaps and bounds and today, you will find several innovative bulk and coaxial bulk Ethernet systems working in various professional set ups. It is the sheer result of innovation and development that the bulk and bulk coaxial cables have began to take the lead and offering high quality audio, video and data transmissions within small, medium and large set ups. Bulk speaker wire is the result of innovation and it is used where the need for high quality audio output is desired. While selecting the Bulk speaker wire, it becomes quite necessary that you shop and compare the features as you will come across different models of these wires in the market.

Bulk Speaker Wire will play crucial role in carrying the bulk audio signals from the amplifiers directly to the speakers. The signals transferred are continuous and at high speeds and eventually the result is good quality audio without any noise or disturbance. The bulk speaker wire is used in the sound proof rooms and several audiophile products. along with the wire, oxygen free and long crystal is also employed to add to the quality of out put.

Quick Points to know on Shielded CAT5e Bulk Cable 1000 ft

Shielded CAT5e Bulk Cable 1000 ft is a 1000 ft cable which is integrated with the shielded twisted pair and also has the spinal spacer for minimizing the cross talk interference. The cable has more power and superiority over the Cat 5e as signals can be transferred quickly and smoothly. The specialty of Shielded CAT5e Bulk Cable 1000 ft finds its extensive use in the areas where serious protection is required from the outwards electrical interference. Therefore, you will find it to be ideal for use in the heavy machinery, generators, transformers, and electrical equipment showing electro magnetic interference.

Prominent Features of the RG59 Coaxial CCTV Cable

RG59 Coaxial CCTV Cable is a high density cable which is meant to transfer audio and video data at alarming rates and moreover, it also provides quality transfer of signals. It is the very coaxial nature of this cable which h is otherwise used for running the video to different security cameras. The coaxial cable is available in 500 and 1000 foot spools and you can choose from the black and white colors. The best thing to know about RG59 Coaxial CCTV Cable is that you can easily run the video and power in integrated manner. you don’t need to have a separate power cable to fix to the main electric supply. this special Ethernet can be easily cut to the desired length and integrates with twist-on, crimp-on, and compression BNC connectors.

Keep in your mind that when you are going to buy any of these cables, shop and compare. Once you shop and compare, you will be in a better position to make the right deals. Do not show any hurry while buying the wire of cable system or you may end up choosing the wrong option.

LG First Dual SIM Mobile Phone – LG KS660

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

Dual Sim phone has been on the market for a while, in fact the Korean phone maker giant – Samsung already has few of them on the market. now the Samsung’s rival, LG for the very first time,released its own Dual Sim Card mobile phone – the LG KS660. The handset is the business oriented phone, which may different from other dual SIM phone in term of targeted market. so let see what does LG make its differently.

Dual Sim

Firstly we will see how does the dual SIM works in LG KS660. Beneath the battery , you will found two sim card slot where you can insert your sims. Note that you have to choose a primary sim-card, and secondary sim card in the proper card slot. The cool about this dual sim phone is you can received call and sms without changing Sim-cards or turn off the phone.

Design

Actually the LG KS660 don’t have any interesting innovation or extraordinary means in the design. Not ugly but not impressed me much. The phone has the classic touchscreen candy-bar style design phone. The phone has a dimension of 1055514,9mm and with the weight of 115g which is not a small size phone. on the front is the 3.0-inch TFT screen. like other phone, your fingerprint are easy left on the screen. However, the screen working quite well under bright sunlight.

Special Feature -Anti-theft

The LG KS660 actually is a business oriented phone. so the phone have a feature called Anti-theft Mobile Tracker, which is capable of tracing the handset if ever it is stolen and the important information for a businessman will not lost.

Multimedia

The handset is equipped with a built-in 5 MegaPixel camera which comes with autofocus, flash, and video recording capabilities. The quality of the image is quite acceptable. like most of the high-end phone, the LG kS660 support most of the music format which includes AAC, eAAC, MP3 and WMA. also, the MPEG4 and WMV video file can be play in the intergrated media player too. LG claims that the phone has the capacity of nonstop 15 hours of music playback. The built-in FM Radio providing recording facility,which you can record your favorite radio program anytime you want.

Verdict

The LG KS660 is good for those who always travel across many regions where network signals vary. The phone got what it takes to be a excellent business phone. But the lack of 3G and WiFi make the phone imperfect. However, LG has done a great job on its first dual-sim phone.

-adaptors Sim Cards - BBC to capture Olympic Torch Relay live with Mobile Viewpoints WMT - (2/22/2012)

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

You are here: Home Page » Over the Top Video » BBC to capture Olympic Torch Relay live with Mobile Viewpoints WMT

Feb 22, 2012 4:46 PM

Mobile Viewpoint, in cooperation with the BBC, developed the Continuous Picture Technology (CPT) to ensure a smooth video link for the Olympic Torch Relay that begins in May.

Beginning May 19, the Olympic Torch will be carried in a relay around the UK and will be broadcast live on the Internet, different regional and the national BBC channels.

The vehicle in front of the relay, responsible for the live coverage, will use the Wireless Multiplex Terminal (WMT) from Mobile Viewpoint to transmit the images using a combination of different mobile 3G networks.

The WMT uses four to eight SIM cards from different operators to create a stable video connection. Mobile Viewpoint, in cooperation with the BBC, developed the Continuous Picture Technology (CPT) to ensure a smooth video link driving through the rough country side with varying mobile coverage conditions. the live coverage of the Olympic Torch Relay throughout the UK is challenging due to the long period and the distance, but these difficulties are resolved by the Continuous Picture Technology.

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-batteries For Sharp - A new standard in design: in-depth with the PlayStation Vita - (2/22/2012)

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Cheap Contract Mobiles

It’s a confusing time in the world of mobile and portable gaming. Consumers seem to be moving away from the idea that they need an entirely separate device to play games on the go, settling for cheap, generally simple touchscreen games on their cell phones and tablets. Nintendo, following up the insanely successful DS system that rested on a seemingly gimmicky double screen design, added a newer glasses-free 3D gimmick to its Nintendo 3DS—only to see extremely slow sales force it into a premature price drop. Sony’s PlayStation Portable, meanwhile, has carved out a niche for itself as a serious gamer’s system, especially in Japan, but is beginning to show its age as a system designed in the pre-smartphone era.

For the new PlayStation Vita, Sony responded to this confusion by throwing everything and the kitchen sink into the system. For hardcore gamers, there are two analog sticks—a first for a portable system—and a gigantic screen loaded with pixels. For casual players, there’s the now-ubiquitous touchscreen as well as a unique rear touch panel to enable new tactile, touchy-feely gameplay. The Vita has two cameras, a GPS receiver, and a 3G data option. There’s music and video players, a Web browser, Google Maps, and even a proximity-based social network. oh, and it also plays games, I guess (more on those in a separate post).

It’s as if Sony just decided to include everything it’s seen work on other mobile devices and then some, hoping that absolutely everyone would find something to like. The risk in this strategy is that the final unit could end up being a bloated, ill-designed, feature-creepy mess that doesn’t do anything well and isn’t particularly fun to use. Fortunately, Sony has avoided this fate. The Vita is a beautiful, well-thought-out piece of technology that, despite some quibbles, is probably the best-designed piece of gaming-focused portable hardware I’ve ever seen.

Before we get going, a note on timing: while reviews for the Vita started hitting the Internet earlier this week, we decided to take an extra day or two to really evaluate all of the unit’s core features and make our review as comprehensive as possible. Also, a note on connectivity: while the unit we reviewed was 3G-capable, Sony has yet to provide the SIM card needed to test 3G data functionality, so everything in this review is based solely on WiFi usage. Let’s dive in.

The hardware Size comparison. From left to right: Vita, PSP-3000, DSi XL, 3DS, iPod TouchKyle Orland

The most striking thing about the Vita is its sheer size: 3.3 inches all and a whopping 7.2 inches wide at its most distant points. It’s as if Sony took the footprint of the PSP and decided to add about ten percent to both the width and the height. side by side, the Vita doesn’t just dwarf Nintendo’s DS line, it also comes in a good inch or so wider than even the expanded DSi XL. While heavily rounded edges mitigate the effect of this bulk somewhat, the Vita’s sheer size makes it a tough fit in an average pants pocket, especially if you’re squeezing it in with keys or a phone.

Thickness comparison. From left to right: iPod Touch, PSP-3000, 3DS, VitaKyle Orland

Despite the massive lateral size, the Vita is not incredibly thick. Even with the two analog sticks jutting out from the surface a tad (more on them below), the Vita’s depth is comparable to both the Nintendo 3DS (when closed) and the reduced-size PSP-3000.

The 3G Vita weighs about 10 ounces, which is a couple more than the 3DS, but remains generally imperceptible. In fact, holding the Vita for extended periods is probably a little easier, since there’s no fold-out top screen to alter the weight distribution.

Corner erognomics comparison. Clockwise from bottom left: Vita, 3DS, PSP-3000Kyle Orland

The real story of the Vita’s form factor isn’t in the numbers, though, but in the gentle curves that make it a perfect, comfortable fit even in large hands. The rounded metal edges conform perfectly to the curve of your index fingers as you grip the sides, while a rounded plastic bevel on the backside makes sure there are no sharp corners to press into your skin. you’ll definitely notice the difference if and when you go back to grabbing a DS or even a PSP.

Screen An entire iPod Touch can’t quite cover the viewable screen area on the PlayStation VitaKyle Orland

The Vita’s massive physical size provides space for a luxurious 5″ OLED touchscreen that is a joy to behold. to appreciate the sheer size of this screen, picture an iPhone 4. The screen on the Vita is roughly as big as the entire device—edge, bezel and all—give or take an eighth of an inch on either side.

While the screen’s 960×544 pixel resolution doesn’t quite measure up to something like the iPhone’s retina display, games and apps still looks incredibly sharp. The difference is most striking when you put the system next to a 3DS or even a PSP, both of which look downright pixelated when compared directly with the Vita.

High screen brightness prevents glare or reflections from posing significant problems unless there’s a light shining directly on the screen. It’s also easy to lower the screen brightness to increase the battery life or avoid bothering others in a dark room.

The Vita screen is also a touchscreen, and a highly responsive one at that. There’s no need for a stylus here, since the extra screen size prevents the “fat fingers” problem some complain about with smaller touchscreens. The oily residue left by your fingers is likely to cause an occasional “rainbow effect” on portions of the screen, but that can easily be wiped away with a finger or a cloth.

Battery

Unless you plan on being tethered to a wall outlet, a portable game system is only as good as its battery life. despite the large, bright screen, I was easily able to get through four hours or more of serious Vita gameplay on a single charge, with the precise number varying a bit depending on WiFi usage and loading. That’s not a whole lot for portable game systems historically, but it seems downright luxurious compared to the UMD-spinning PSP or the battery hogging 3DS.

The system takes about one-and-a-half hours to charge completely when plugged into the included wall charger, or you can charge it through any standard USB power source using the included cable. Oddly enough, though, the included power converter doesn’t allow you to plug in other, non-Vita USB cables, meaning it can’t be used to charge other devices. It’s a small, baffling nod to exclusivity in a feature that could easily have embraced open standards.

Tapping the power button immediately puts the Vita into standby mode, shutting off the screen and inputs without fully shutting down any currently running apps or games. The system can last a couple of days in this mode when fully charged, but those who want to keep their juice longer should hold down the button and turn the system off completely (though you’ll have to suffer through a 20-30 second startup sequence when you flip it back on). when in standby, tapping the power button or the PS button brings the system back to life almost instantaneously.

Analog sticks The Vita’s analog sticks do stick out, but not significantly more than the directional pad.Kyle Orland

The PSP’s much-maligned single analog nub has been replaced on the Vita with two legitimate analog sticks, jutting up about five millimeters from the surface on each side of the screen. You’d think these would ruin the form factor of the otherwise flat system face, but it’s not a practical problem with the Vita. rather than feeling pointy, the nubs easily gel with the system’s overall design, and don’t poke out noticeably when slid into in a pocket.

The sticks themselves have a large rubbery grip in the center that feels clean against the thumb. The hard plastic edges on top of each stick are a little less comfortable, but those who prefer to push the analog stick from the side won’t find this too uncomfortable. both sticks features a very light spring action, and it doesn’t take much physical tilt to reach the edge of the moveable area. On the plus side, this means you have to apply only the slightest bit of pressure to get the analog stick to react. On the minus side, this means it takes a very delicate touch to register anything less than a full push in any direction.