High Performance Computing

GoPro, one of the most well-known brands in outdoor imaging, has released its latest offering: the HD Hero2 Helmet Camera. And there’s nothing humble about the new gear: the company claims it’s twice as good as its predecessor in just about every respect. The best part is that they’ve managed it without having to double the price, so it’s still a reasonable deal whether you’re looking for your first helmet cam or upgrading an old one.

First up, and probably most important, is the video quality. GoPro’s previous helmet cam already had pretty good quality—some would say it was and still is the best in the market—but the Hero2 cranks up the gears and makes it even better. Footage from the camera is right at par with its bulkier professional counterparts, especially with the enhanced low light capacity. It’s probably the only helmet camera that offers decent nighttime video quality, and it goes well beyond that.

Video resolution hasn’t changed from 720p and 1080p. But the added features more than make up for it: users can now switch the field of view from standard to medium (127-degree) and narrow (90-degree). It means a world of new possibilities when it comes to creative footage, and the chance to get those rare wildlife shots or a dramatic sunset picture without having to leave the road. The new 960p mode records up to 48 frames per second, up from the earlier model’s 30. The updated standard-definition WVGA option allows you to go up to 120-fps—perfect for seamless slow-motion videos.

The still pictures are equally impressive. Stills have always been a helmet cam’s weak point; it’s just hard to capture sharp images when you’re bouncing around on a dirt bike. But GoPro again delivers; while you’ll get much better pictures with a tripod, the sensor gets in an amazing amount of detail and clarity. They’ve also improved the resolution up to 11 megapixels, with 8-MP and 5-MP options. This is a huge leap from the first Hero Cam which only took 5-MP snaps.

If you found the first cam hard to navigate or are worried about operating your first, you’ll appreciate the language-based interface of the Hero2. The controls are very intuitive and changing modes is as easy as turning the thing on and off. There’s even a series of lights to tell you when it’s on, so there’s no need to keep checking every two minutes.

The GoPro HD Hero2 Helmet Cam also connects to HD TV sets via a mini HDMI port and allows preview and playback, as well as stream the video online. An external mic jack lets you plug in a microphone for better sound quality. Those are just some of the add-ons—GoPro has a lot more up its sleeve and this camera is sure to become every outdoorsman’s best friend!

The Galaxy Tab 7.7, announced last September, is the world’s first tablet to feature Samsung’s Super AMOLED Plus screen. But a razor-sharp display is hardly the tablet’s only strong suit. It also comes complete with a 1.4GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and storage from 16GB to 64GB with an expansion slot for up to 32GB. All this means that the slim, 340-gram profile houses a mean machine that offers speed, multitasking, entertainment, and all the computing power you’ll probably need.

As of the tablet’s release, the market was still largely dominated by the iPad, but Samsung had already gotten a strong hold of the Android following. Google’s operating system is used by a wide range of other tablet manufacturers, but so far, the experts’ consensus is that Samsung is the fiercest competitor to the iPad. And with the release of this new model, there’s little doubt that the playing field is evening out, if it hasn’t already.

The 7.7 is slightly bigger than the original Galaxy Tab at—you guessed it—7.7 inches diagonally. The resolution is just slightly higher at 1280×800, compared to 1280×600 in last year’s model. But with the new AMOLED (active matrix organic light-emitting diode) technology, that extra bit of screen space is all the more special. According to the company, it offers more contrast and brighter and deeper colors. And if you’re worried about battery life, don’t fret: its 5100mAh battery can run up to 10 hours of video playback.

Functions have also been largely improved, something buyers are probably expecting after the disappointment at the first Galaxy Tab. Samsung’s first release was met with criticism for lacking Android apps and general lack of features. The 7.7 not only comes with Honeycomb 3.2, the latest Android version made specifically for tablets, but also offers more bells and whistles, such as the TouchWiz program which allows users to put frequently used apps in an easily accessible tray. The home screen can be customized with live feeds or user photos, and the screen can be adapted to expand images from smartphones with smaller screens.

There’s also a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 3-megapixel rear-facing one, the latter equipped with a flash. Wireless connections are supported at 802.11 a/b/g/n. Release dates have yet to be finalized, given the company’s current legal glitches with Apple. In any case, the hype’s already up, and it looks like the new tab on the block will not disappoint.

Last month’s CES show made it clear that laptops are set to make a comeback this year, after taking the backseat to tablets for much of 2011. Ultrabooks, extremely thin and light laptops whose style is matched pound for pound by computing power, are just starting to hit the market and creating a good deal of buzz. Over 50 of them were on display at the Vegas trade show, many being unveiled for the first time. If you’re looking to replace your laptop this year, read on for some expert recommendations.

HP Envy 14 Spectre

CNet put this on top of its list for computers and hardware, not least because of its NFC support (for making mobile payments, among other things) and great audio features. They’re far from groundbreaking, but they’re noticeably lacking in the competition. Its supposed selling point is the shiny glass lid, although it can be a turnoff for more mobile users looking for a rugged construction.

Dell XPS 13

For this impressive business laptop, Dell took the sleek profile of the MacBook Air and added the look and feel of its Latitude series. This sets it apart visually from previous models in the XPS line, along with its large, easy-to-use track pad and sturdy Gorilla Glass-covered screen. Technically it’s still a business laptop, although the lines are starting to blur. In any case, at about two-thirds the price of the HP above, it’s a pretty good deal for casual computing.

Acer Aspire S5

At just 15mm thick and under 3 lbs., the Aspire S5 is one of the thinnest and lightest laptops on the market, at least so far. The exterior is magnesium alloy with an Onyx Black finish, adding to its smooth, no-nonsense look. The USB, HDMI, and Thunderbolt ports are hidden away at the back and protected by a port door, which could be great for protection but make connecting peripherals a little complicated.

Samsung Series 9

One of the first touch-screen laptops to hit the shelves, the Samsung Series 9 first appeared in 2011 as an ultrathin laptop that was, as onlookers called it, the closest one could get to a MacBook Air. The updated version was unveiled last month, retaining the skinny 13-inch profile and the fixing some of the obvious creases. An improved trackpad, better display, and lighter construction promise to make it one of the biggest sellers of the year.

Kobo, the company burst out of the Amazon Kindle’s shadow in 2010, has released a follow-up to its hugely popular (and affordable) e-reader. Quite expectedly, much was expected of the Kobo Vox from the minute it was first announced. And it does deliver, although a number of fans have been left wanting.

The Vox retains its minimalist design and shiny black exterior, with colour options for the quilted back panel including pink, blue, and lime green. But all that sleekness covers up its actual bulk—at over 400 grams, it’s more than twice as heavy as the eReader Touch. The makers also opted for a misty, dirt-prone and cheap-looking plastic screen that all but shows the LED diodes if you look close enough.

What it has going for it is the colour screen and a handful of added features that come in pretty handy. Each unit comes with several built-in apps, including Zinio, which allows you to subscribe to and read magazines, and PressReaders, which does the same for newspapers. There’s also a dictionary app as well as your usuals: Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, YouTube, and an internet browser.

Needless to say, there’s an e-library with a link to Kobo’s bookstore, as well as Reading Life. One cool feature is that you can select a quote you like from a book and share it with friends. And although it runs on Android, it doesn’t come with the official Market application, so you’ll have to buy your apps from a third-party platform, GetApps.

The Vox has stopped supporting comic book formats such as CBZ and CBR, which is strange considering the device has just come out in colour. PDF files, Adobe Digital Edition, and other third-party formats are also unsupported, although they were in the previous version. And since there’s no file manager feature, installing a separate e-reader would be rather complicated (although possible).

Overall, though, the Vox is a pretty good e-reader, and the colour viewer makes for a much better reading experience when it comes to magazines, children’s books, and comics if you can find a way to open them. You also get features on Reading Life that aren’t on the Touch, most notably Social Reading, where you can see readers’ comments and ratings. For its price, the Kobo Vox may be a bit steep considering it looks like a hasty release, but it may be worth waiting for some tweaks and upgrades down the line.

Everyone’s got a similar story: the excitement over getting a new iPad is dampened only by the fact that you don’t know what to do with it. That’s what apps are for. Some people know long beforehand what apps they want, but many end up navigating the app store for hours not knowing which ones are worth their time. There’s no single answer, of course: every iPad user has his needs and preferences. But if you’re not sure where to start, here’s a quick guide to help you out.

Internet and browsing

Worried about busting your download limits? Use Instapaper to save offline copies of web pages for later reading. If you’re one of those people who open the same websites every morning, put them all together with Flipboard—it stacks all your favourite websites into your own customized digital mag.

News and entertainment

Sunday TV guides are a thing of the past with the OzTV for iPad—it offers free listings for all Australian channels, along with show information and a search and save feature. Tired of waiting for the morning paper? Stay on top of current events with the SBS and BBC News apps—features include customizable content and up-to-date video reports.

Reading

The Kindle reader has saved university students thousands of dollars and freed up miles of bookcase space, and it continues to work its magic with its iPad version. Use it to buy and store your favourite books in one tap. If you don’t plan on buying books online, Goodreads is a great alternative—you can use it to organize and share with fellow readers.

Social networking

Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and other social networks all have considerable presence in the iPad market, to no one’s big surprise. The Facebook app is especially well-received; the experience offers pretty much everything you would find on the computer version. IM Pro allows you to access all your instant messaging accounts in one place, making it easier to stay in touch on the go.

Utilities

Surprisingly, the iPad doesn’t have a calculator function, something they’ll probably fix in future versions. In the meantime, there’s a load of alternatives, such as the free Calculator++ app. The eye-candy interface comes complete with scientific and trigonometric functions. At the end of the day, make sure you wake up on time with Night Stand, a clock app that doubles as a nighttime display and alarm clock.