lgpOnTheMove

Wish List - Building the Ultimate Slate

If there was ever a year to mark a spurt in slate innovation, then 2013 has to be that year. With Microsoft's anticipated release later this year of Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 along with Intel's just-announced low-voltage Haswell parts, those in the know are probably waiting to see just when (and not if) the "next big thing" is coming.

My experience with various slates of recent has shown me that they continue to progress. While still focused primarily on content consumption, devices such as the Surface RT and Surface PRO can tackle productivity in a way that would render even a netbook or notebook obsolete. Given my stubborn insistence on keeping my 10" netbook, is there a recipe for a perfect slate that could satisfy those such as myself who have been holding out all this time? Read on for my thoughts.

Last year I had probably my first acceptable experience with an Android slate, the Nexus 7. Google and Asus addressed much of what was lacking in the original Samsung Galaxy Tab, and had I been in the market for a 7" Android slate, would have more than likely made the purchase.

Move forward to 2013 and we now have Google's refresh sporting the same exact name, but with some key upgrades to both hardware and software. Is the design and feature set still as attractive to me? Let's take a quick look.

Regular readers here will notice I have somewhat of an attachment to Toshiba's Qosmio line of notebooks, not surprising since I've been a happy owner of a X305 since 2009. It's a fantastic gaming and productivity workhorse, never mind it's impressive audiophile underpinnings.

Of course, it's been a while since I looked at the X775 model, and Toshiba has in that time made not one but two refreshes. The latest Qosmio X70 offers up Intel's newest Core i7 Haswell quad core alongside nVidia's most recent GK106 silicon dubbed GTX770M. Does the solution impress? More important perhaps, what in the world would compel me to relegate Toshiba to my Shame File? Read on for the entire story!

Once again I have the pleasure of looking at another one of Toshiba's flagship Qosmio notebooks here on lgpOnTheMove. The just-released X70 continues where the X875 model left off, offering the latest Intel Haswell quad-core processor along with a new mobile GPU and various other tweaks.

Go ahead and browse over the various images I have here, and make sure to come back next week for a very different kind of review!

Long-time critics of slates such as myself will tell you that they fail to provide a suitable productivity experience, based largely on the limitations inherent in a smartphone OS. On the other hand, many proponents will argue that the overhead of a full desktop OS is not necessary to carry around with you all the time. With the plethora of keyboard case accessories available for so many slates on the market today, one still has to question if turning a slate into a notebook replacement is indeed a viable proposition, or just armchair experts blowing smoke.

My recent detailed look at the Microsoft Surface RT showed that you can indeed make a workable compromise between a plain slate running a crippled smartphone OS versus a full-blown netbook such as my HP 210 Mini. To illustrate just how well Microsoft thought out their first-ever venture into the slate market, I've put together a list of 50 things that you can do today with a Surface RT slate.

I'm not ashamed to ask for money - corporate America takes it from me every day! For those not aware, lgpOnTheMove is a project that I am doing in my free time and do not get paid for. Yes, I do run ads on my site, but that revenue has been next to nothing despite an increase in page views. I need your continued support!

Fortunately, Blogger allows me to do just that. lgpOnTheMove now has a support button for donations and contributions. Using PayPal, you can send money my way to help support my efforts here and continue the flow of articles and hardware reviews.

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Accessory Corner - Netgear R6200 and A6200 Dual Band Combo

Hard to believe how fast time flies, but it's been almost THREE YEARS since I looked at Netgear's N300 modem-router and USB adapter combo here on lgpOnTheMove. In that time, Netgear have made quite a few changes to their product lineup, most notably the addition of 802.11ac equipment.

The R6200 wireless router and A6200 wireless USB adapter make for a sweet combination, providing connection speeds well in excess of 800Mbps for netbooks/notebooks. Should you be interested in upgrading to this latest wireless standard? Read on for a detailed look.

Having been so impressed after my experience with the Surface RT, it was with great anticipation that I took to putting the higher-end Surface Pro under my detailed scrutiny. Microsoft's flagship slate takes a jab where no other slate has gone before, marrying a full Windows 8 touch-optimized x64 OS with today's most cutting-edge mobile PC hardware crammed inside an incredibly svelte form-factor.

Does it succeed when so other similar attempts in the past have failed? More importantly, can it truly replace a Windows 7 netbook/notebook? Hang on to your wallet, because it's going to be a bumpy ride!