The week in tech: 5 must-know things
Source: Zach C. Cohen
Apple hasn't taken over the tech world just yet. This week, Microsoft, Samsung and others took to the (tech) plate with new hardware and software.
Meet the Microsoft Surface, the newest tablet
Software giant Microsoft aims to compete with Apple's iPad with its new tablet computer, Microsoft Surface.
Ever since the late 1990s, Microsoft hoped to tap into tablets as the future of computing. It produced tablets through IBM that also had a keyboard but had a short lifespan and an even shorter battery life.
Surface's need to know features
The tablet has a cover with a built-in stand and fold-out keyboard (yes, an actual keyboard). It is the same thickness as the new iPad. It has a bigger screen than the iPad and boasts a USB port and dual Wi-Fi antennae.
Any corporate intrigue I need to know about?
Microsoft, which usually only creates software, is designing the Surface itself in-house, cutting out its usual partners such as HP.
Where'd it mess up?
An AP review said some of the software functionality is sub-par and slow, making the iPad look speedy and slick in comparison.
Still, Surface sounds cool. When can I get one?
The Surface will go on sale in the fall at a yet-to-be-disclosed price. It will come in three data storage options: 32 GB, 64 GB or 128 GB (iPad offers 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB.)
Microsoft double-header: Announcing the Windows Phone 8
Developers were thrilled to see all of the new, under-the-hood improvements to Microsoft's smartphone lineup, including increased processing speed and security and better sharing of apps across devices.
On the consumer side, those who already own Windows phones won't get to experience all the new features on Windows Phone 8, codenamed "Apollo." Because the technology in WP8 is so advanced, previous phones aren't compatible.
Key features of WP8
• New customizable start screen with resizable tiles (one of the few features Microsoft will make available to those already using a Windows Phone)
• The ability to pay using credit or debit cards with a "digital wallet"
• Integration of voice calls and video calls
• The potential for voice activation in any app in the Marketplace.
• microSD card slot for uploading and downloading apps, photos and more.
The Samsung Galaxy S III is, in fact, out of this world
USA TODAY's Ed Baig got a hold of Samsung's new smartphone and found it top-notch.
"The highly anticipated successors to Samsung's popular smartphones are sleek, attractive and … the finest Android handsets I've come across."
The phone comes with some pretty nifty features such as facial recognition for instant Facebook tagging and easy touch sharing phone-to-phone.
However, the new Galaxy's S Voice is flawed and doesn't match up to Siri. It sometimes has trouble understanding what the user is saying and has limited functionality.
All the numbers and nothing but
• Galaxy S III runs Android 4.0, or "Ice Cream Sandwich," the most recent Android software
• 8-megapixel camera with flash and HD video
• Massive, high-definition screen measures 4.8 inches
• Price runs from $200 to $280 depending on data capacity and the cellular plan.
Samsung, LG bet big bucks on big TVs
Two South Korean technology companies have invested millions in new television technology.
As TV sales go cold, Samsung and LG hope the new OLEDs will bring in fresh revenue for an industry that's been hit hard by the recession and is competing with ubiquitous Internet access to live and recorded entertainment and cheaper options from China.
The awesome techy stuff
The 55-inch OLED, short for "organic light-emitting diode" makes flat-screen televisions look dull in comparison while making the body of the TV itself even thinner than its flat-screen predecessors.
Where's the risk?
Televisions are expensive (especially OLEDs, which cost at least $9,000 at the moment before they are mass-produced), and people are less likely to buy every TV, like they might with a phone or tablet.
Spotify offers free app
Spotify, an online music library, is rolling out a free app for iPhone and iPad to entice users to pay for a premium, ad-free version.
Spotify prides itself on its integration with Facebook (that's why you know your college roommate is not-so-secretly listening to Justin Bieber and Katy Perry).
Who does Spotify compete with?
•Pandora offers similar options: a free app supported by advertisements and a paid, premium version without ads. Pandora doesn't let users choose a song, but only the type of music they would want to listen to. It functions more as a personalized radio station or DJ.
•iTunes gives Apple fans the ability to play the songs they want wherever and whenever offline. Playing songs stored on a device typically uses less battery power than streaming music from the Web. It's expensive: each song is 99 cents, and it costs an extra 30 cents to share the song with more friends.
•YouTube has plenty of free songs on its site, both illegally and legally uploaded. It's a great place to get a hit of that song you're dying to hear, but the hassle of picking a new song or album each time it's over can get tiresome.
•Google Play is the newcomer on the block. Similar to iTunes, Android users can buy songs online. Unlike iPod, Google Play songs are stored online, so it requires Internet access. Some of the songs can be stored on the Android device for offline listening.
Quick facts
•Spotify has 3 million paying subscribers.
•10 million people used the site in the past month.
•Spotify launched in the USA a year ago next month.
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