WEBSITE OF THE DAY: Gov.uk
A single government website? Quite possibly?
To anybody living in the UK at the moment, the notion of “a single Government” anything is a fanciful one.
We have a collation where the right hand doesn’t seem to know what the one in the middle is doing, if you get my tortured, politically anatomical metaphor.
These days, ask Downing Street a question and you’re likely to get an opinion, a printable comment and a strategy, only to receive a diametrically opposed set of all three an hour later.
So, to see www.gov.uk opening its virtual doors is a breath of (hopefully) fresh air.
This is the proposed replacement for the Direct.gov website, which is where you go to find out anything you need to know about how this country is run. Or at least that’s the theory.
The difference with this beta trial site is that it’s massive simplified, with a single search box that will hopefully get you straight to what you’re looking for.
Most refreshing though is an overt request for feedback and help to shape what this site might become.
So have a look and let them know what you think. You could see this as a form if democracy in action, which has to be a good thing.
Tags: WebsiteOfTheDay Websites Software Online
WEBSITE OF THE DAY: Gov.uk originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0000
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Qualcomm voice over LTE test hints at a complete 4G future
LTE to WCDMA mid-call
Now, stick with us, because this might sound like the most technical opening to a news story in the history of Pocket-lint but it is a pretty big deal in the evolution of mobile phones: Qualcomm, working alongside Ericsson, has successfully completed the first voice call handover from an LTE mobile network to a WCDMA network using Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC).
We told you it sounded complex.
It really isn’t though and simply hints that we’re heading to a complete LTE (or 4G, if you prefer) future for mobile.
The successful test means that networks using a single chip – Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 – are able to switch a user’s call seamlessly to a WCDMA network when using VoLTE (voice over LTE, an internet-powered voice call) if it leaves the LTE network’s coverage area. And there’s no need for smartphones to use separate LTE and 3G radios and modems.
“As LTE networks are deployed alongside 3G networks, the ability for multimode 3G/LTE mobile devices to connect to different network technologies will be an important part of providing the best possible mobile voice and data experience to consumers,” said Cristiano Amon, senior vice-president of product management, Qualcomm.
“Qualcomm is committed to the successful deployment of LTE networks worldwide in conjunction with 3G networks, and the milestone we’ve achieved with Ericsson is another step towards making VoLTE technology a commercial reality.”
This might still read as overly technical but it is a massive step towards a complete 4G solution for users. By the time the UK finally sees some LTE love (possibly this year, probably next) we should be well on our way….
Qualcomm voice over LTE test hints at a complete 4G future originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:56:00 +0000
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Miley Cyrus’ Parents Drop Divorce
Billy Ray Cyrus announces on ‘The View’ that he and Tish have decided to work things out.
By Jocelyn Vena
Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus
Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images
<P>After announcing their split last year <a href="/news/articles/1654720/miley-cyrus-divorcing-parents-put-house-up-for-sale.jhtml">Billy Ray Cyrus now says</a> that he and his wife of 17 years, Tish, have decided to reconcile. "I dropped the divorce," Miley Cyrus' dad told the hosts of "The View" during a pre-taped appearance on the show airing Friday, according to <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/entertainment/post/2011/03/billy-ray-cyrus-drops-divorce-to-put-family-back-together/1" target="_blank"><I>USA Today.</i></a> "I wanted to put my family back together." Cyrus, who appeared on the show to promote his new album, <I>I'm an American,</i> out in June, said he and his family are working out their problems. "Communication I think is one of the biggest problems that we as human beings have in this whole world," he said. "And I think for the first time me and my entire family are finally communicating with each other in a way that, it's been quite some time … and to answer your question, things are really the best they've ever been." Cyrus also seemed to retract the statements he made in a <i>GQ</i> interview, in which he said that his and Miley's hit Disney series <a href="/news/articles/1657998/miley-cyrus-hanna-montana-disaster-billy-ray.jhtml">"Hannah Montana" "destroyed" their family</a>. "I feel like I kind of got my Miley back in a way," he said. "I feel like we are the daddy and the daughter that we were before 'Hannah Montana' happened. I love 'Hannah Montana.' I love Disney. That didn't tear my family apart." The country singer did, however, say that fame had something to do with the family's troubles. "Now fame, fame is a different animal, you've got to be careful with that thing because it can … all things considered, hey, it's all good."</p>
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Pentax K-01 compact system camera pictures leaked
With DA 40mm f/2.8 XS lens details
There have been rumours that Pentax is about to join the compact system camera race floating around for a few weeks now, but we’ve now seen evidence for ourselves that this is true. Pictures of the new mirrorless snapper, the Pentax K-01, have appeared online – on a Chinese Pentax forum – alongside a new K-mount lens, the?Pentax DA 40mm f/2.8 XS.
It still remains that little is known about the K-01′s specifications, although earlier rumours suggested that it would feature the same 16-megapixel sensor as the K-5. And that it would sport the same 3-inch, 920k-dot LCD display on the rear.
Previous claims also state that its dimensions will be?121 x 79 x 59mm and will weigh 560g with the battery, while the shutter speed will be up to 1/4000 and it’ll be able to record Full HD video.
Now, it seems, we have pictures to go along with the specification?murmurings. So it shouldn’t be too long before the final product is revealed to us. Watch this space.
The forum at Xitex.com also leaked a number of details about the DA 40mm f/2.8 XS lens. It’s focal length is, obviously, 40mm (Equivalent to 61mm in 35mm format) and the aperture is f/2.8 – 22.
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Pentax K-01 compact system camera pictures leaked originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:55:00 +0000
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APP OF THE DAY: Remarks review (iPad)
Take note….
Readdle is back with yet another note-taking app, this time in the form of Remarks which it describes as a new way to “write down your thoughts, capture ideas and information, annotate documents and outline notes anywhere from university class to sofa at home”.
But instead of capturing ideas and generally making our time on planet earth a little bit more meaningful, we decided to take Remarks for a spin by chucking in pictures of animals and writing incomprehensible notes. As you’ll see in today’s App of The Day.
Remarks
- Format
- iPad
- Price
- ?2.99
- Where
- iTunes
The first thing that you’ll probably want to know is how Remarks differs from Readdle’s PDF Expert App. Well, not a great deal to be honest except that it’s aimed a bit more at the casual user and things are a bit more streamlined.
But that’s not to say it isn’t still an incredibly useful app – it is. You’ll be making notes, annotating PDFs and sharing your creations left, right and centre before you know it. Literally we mean, you’ll be accidentally dragging your content all over the screen if you forget to switch off the drag control.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Allow us to rewind a little. Basically, Remarks is an app that treats whatever is on screen, whether that be a PDF file, an image or simply an empty text file, as your notepad. You can do with it what you want.
You can add typed notes with several font options, you can hand write notes using a varied selection of virtual pen and pencil types (with different thickness), you can highlight, you can chuck in shapes or arrow and you can insert pictures. It’s simple to use your finger but it’s obviously designed with styluses in mind (we used the Griffin Crayola one).
It’s all very easy to navigate, using the simple-to-use and well labelled toolbar at the top, and everything works very quickly, with rapid response times for turning pages, adding notes, going back to your library of notes or sharing your creations. There’s also a nifty zoom function that allows for some close control annotating.
Sharing is possible across email and, if your pals are using Remarks too, you can collaborate on works together. You can also print your notes and, coming soon, upload them to Dropbox or Box.net. At the moment, it does allow you to open files from Dropbox, but not save them directly (although there is a workaround by using an office app such as Docs to Go).
Remarks is a fully fledged PDF annotator with plenty of useful note-taking features thrown in, all wrapped up in a simple to use package. At less than ?3, it’s a steal.
Tags: Apps iPad apps App of the day Remarks
APP OF THE DAY: Remarks review (iPad) originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000
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Huawei Ideos X3
Cheap but imperfect
Huawei is slowly building a name for itself. If you haven’t yet heard it, you will in the next year or so. For a start, the firm has the world’s slimmest smartphone in its CES-announced Ascend P1 S. And it seems committed to making the move from backroom hardware – Huawei equipment runs mobile networks the world over – to the customer-facing side.
The Ideos X3 is a budget handset, which you can pick up online for around ?130. It’s got Android 2.3.4 installed as well as a 3.2-inch screen. It’s small, light and clearly aimed at people who care more about having a phone, than having the latest and greatest phone.
Design
To look at, the X3 is much like other Android handsets, while managing to pull off something a little different. For example, there’s a home button – a physical one rather than the capacitive type – and three touch-sensitive controls for “back”, “menu” and “search” functions.
There’s not a massive amount different here from any other budget smartphone. There’s a headphone jack at the top – a great location for this – along with a power button and, on the right of the handset, a volume rocker switch. On the bottom, there’s a USB socket for charging and data transfer.
To access the battery, you slide the back of the handset down, and the rear plastic case detaches. Inside, there’s a microSD slot, to take cards up to 32GB and, as you would expect, a full-sized SIM socket. The battery is a 1200mAh pack, which will provide quite modest standby times.
Overall, it’s not a bad-looking phone, it’s not super-sexy, nor is it a minger. You’re looking at middle of the road here.
Customisations
Huawei has approached the Android customisations with similar gusto to Samsung. Indeed, it’s app drawer looks very similar to the one in the Korean firm’s TouchWiz. It’s nice enough here, and certainly isn’t a visual disaster.
Huawei has built-in a 3D effect when you flip from one home screen to the next. This is entirely unnecessary, but it does make the phone look quite different. It works fine too, and there’s no extra stutter or lag introduced by its presence.
In the status dropdown, there are controls for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, data and auto-rotate. These toggles are really handy, and we’re always pleased to see them. They look nice too, Huawei has done a good job of keeping everything subtle and in keeping with the Android OS.
You get some custom apps too. For example, there’s a data monitor system, called Smart Traffic, that asks you what your monthly allowance is, and then warns you when you get near to it. It also – and we like this a lot – puts a reminder in your status and notifications dropdown. Very cool.
Huawei also includes something called “Streams” which is a social media timeline that can include updates from your friends via Twitter and Facebook. This is much like any similar app on any platform. It can be interesting to casual users, but more-devoted fans of social networks will find it adds little to the existing apps for those services.
The screen
Visually, the screen on the Ideos X3 is quite nice. It’s not the most detailed we’ve seen, but it certainly is good enough for most purposes. There’s more than enough brightness, and the auto-adjustment of the backlight seems very capable. Adjust it manually to maximum, and you’ll have enough light to see the screen even in bright light.
The resolution is 320×480, and that gives you 180ppi on the 3.2-inch screen. Not the best technically, but it looks absolutely fine. There are no problems similar to those on the HTC Explorer either, where moving text gets very blurry.
The problems come, not from the panel though, but from the capacitive screen. In our testing, we found that it was often confused by swiping. Single taps were fine – although we had the devils own job typing on the Huawei supplied virtual keyboard – but swipes often went wrong.
We noticed this most when trying to scroll down the app tray, or in the Android menu system. We’d be trying to scroll, but the inevitable finger lift and reapplication would cause the system to think we were tapping. It seems clear that other phones must deal with this differently, as it’s the first time we’ve really seen this problem this severe.
Camera
The built-in 3.2-megapixel snapper is nothing to write home about. It works though, and it’s fuss-free. There’s no autofocus and the camera app itself is a little basic, but it works and there’s a digital zoom – although you’d be mad to use it, there’s just no point. The X3 can shoot video too, although you won’t be blown away by the results.?
Power
This is certainly not a phone for the power user. It has a 600MHz Qualcomm CPU and just 256MB of RAM. This is very much an entry-level phone, and one for people who have never heard of Angry Birds or Tiny Tower.
Interestingly though, in day-to-day use, the lack of ooomph isn’t a massive problem. Web browsing, for example, is snappy enough. And the screen makes it easy enough to read pages. Scrolling around also presents no problem, honestly, we’ve seen more problems from higher-powered devices.
Battery
Despite it’s modest capacity, the 1200mAh battery did fine for us. We used the phone all day, and with modest use, occasional web checking, push email and phone calls, it lasted easily. You’ll see more drain if you’re out-and-about and we tested it mostly on Wi-Fi, which is less of a power hog than using 3G constantly.
But as this phone is aimed at the Smartphone refusniks who has been forced in to the 21st century against their will, it will probably be more than enough to see them through. Hopefully though, this plucky little smartphone will soon get them addicted to all manner of modern mobile apps, and they’ll be looking for the next step up.
Verdict:
We like the X3. It’s not the fastest phone, but its small size, decent screen and more than acceptable call quality is enough for the casual user. More advanced owners might find the touchscreen tedious, but you could certainly live with it.
If you make huge numbers of calls, or end up using the Internet a lot, you might also find the low-capacity battery doesn’t last very long. But overall we wouldn’t really expect too much more from a cheap, entry-level phone.
Tags: Phones Huawei Huawei Blaze Huawei Ideos X3
Huawei Ideos X3 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:39:00 +0000
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Jessica Alba Hot GQ Video
My new favorite celebrity MILF Jessica Alba (she was always my favorite, but just recently became a MILF) is looking scrumptious in the new GQ UK video. For a while after giving birth Jess started going down the dumpy road but at some point she must?ve straightened her path, because these last photos of Jessica [...]
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Sony shake-up: Sir Howard Stringer resigns as president and CEO
Kazuo Hirai takes over
Sir Howard Stringer has stepped down from his roles as CEO and president of Sony. The British figurehead has called it a day after a series of scandals and misfortunes rocked the Japanese company in the last year, with Stringer himself claiming that it had to suffer?”everything but toads and pestilence”?and blaming the company’s poor showing in the mobile phone market on “Mother Nature”.
The current chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment, Kazuo Hirai, will become the new president and CEO of the entire organisation on 1 April. He has also been serving under Stringer as representative corporate executive officer and executive deputy president of Sony Corporation.
Hirai was hotly tipped to take over in 2013, when it was expected that Stringer would step down, but the decision has been brought forward by a year:
“Three years ago, I started to work with the Board on succession plans, and in February, 2009 we named a new generation of leaders to be my management team,” said Stringer. “Among them was Kaz Hirai, who had distinguished himself through his work in the PlayStation and networked entertainment businesses. Kaz is a globally focused executive for whom technology and the cloud are familiar territory, content is highly valued, and digital transformation is second nature.”
The reason for Hirai’s appointment becomes clear when you realise the areas Sony wants to focus on in the immediate future: “The path we must take is clear: to drive the growth of our core electronics businesses – primarily digital imaging, smart mobile and game; to turn around the television business; and to accelerate the innovation that enables us to create new business domains,” said the new president-to-be.
Sir Howard Stringer will, from June, remain with the company as chairman of the board of directors, replacing?Yotaro Kobayashi.
Tags: Sony Howard Stringer Kazuo Hirai
Sony shake-up: Sir Howard Stringer resigns as president and CEO originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:40:36 +0000
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Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition
Mini Xoom
Many, including Motorola, followed the iPad’s about-10-inch route with the launch of their first tablet, but there’s a lot to be said for a more compact format as seen here with the 8.2-inch Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition.
But with challengers in this more portable Android tablet war, does the Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition offer anything that the likes of Samsung haven’t? And could it, by some bizarre twist of fate, be better overall than its bigger 10.1-inch brother?
Design
The Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition follows the same design lines as the larger Xoom 2 model, most easily identified by the clipped corners. This gives the Xoom 2 ME a more aggressive look than the likes of the iPad or the Samsung Galaxy Tab range. It’s sharp, angular and interesting.
There is a hint of the rugged about it too, although this isn’t a rugged tablet, apart from the SplashGuard coating that will save it from little accidents. Around the back the six Torx screws hold on the metal back plate with the edges offering a tactile, softer finish. It might look sharp and angular, but it’s actually grippy and comfortable to hold.
At 388g it’s easily light enough to hold one-handed, but you don’t get much space around the screen to grip. Motorola have thankfully dealt with this problem, so it can detect a thumb on the screen and ignore it – without it stopping you from performing other touch actions.
In terms of controls, like the other Xooms, the buttons are on the rear. The volume and standby buttons are all adjacent to each other in a slightly recessed panel which makes finding them tricky. It looks tidy, but in practical terms we couldn’t change the volume without looking. Even after a month of use, it’s an arrangement we haven’t got used to.
The placement of the connections does work for us however. The headphone socket sits next to the IR port on one end, the Micro-USB and micro HDMI sit on the other, alongside a flap which opens to reveal… nothing. We imagine that this will offer a SIM card slot on some models. There is no option for microSD expansion, unfortunately.
The hardware
One of the things we like about the Xoom 2 ME is that it matches the specs of the 10.1-inch Xoom 2. It has the same 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4 processor, you get the same 1GB RAM, you get the same 16GB of internal storage. It even has the same resolution display.
At 8.2-inches the 1280 x 800 pixel resolution display means you get an impressive 184ppi. That might not sound like much in smartphone terms, but it is also an IPS display, so offers nice sharp details and good colours, with wide viewing angles. The smaller size and tighter pixel pitch means that everything looks good, from the best Honeycomb app, to streaming video and everything in-between.
If we’re being really picky, there is a small amount of bleed at the edges, which you might notice when watching video in the dark, but it’s nothing to get upset about.
You get all the normal wireless connections you expect, but we found a familiar oddity with Wi-Fi where it would occasionally fail to connect to our home network, needing a little nudge to get going. Bluetooth, GPS and all the sensors are here, including a barometer, something that might see more use in the future than it does now.
The overall package is put together well. The Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition feels like a quality tablet and despite the lightweight, it doesn’t bend, flex or creak and it’s survived the odd drop on to the bedroom floor too.
What is a Media Edition?
That’s an interesting question. It does make the name more of a mouthful, although we guess that this tablet will colloquially be known as Xoom 2 “the small one”. Its media credentials don’t bring with it any better handling of “media” over any other Xoom, in fact it’s the same experience as the regular Xoom 2. Motorola has said it was down to the fact that it’s more portable, for media on the move.
Whatever the reason, as we’ve already established, video playback looks great. It will handle full HD video, although the native codec support isn’t very wide. Fortunately, as this tablet – like all of Motorola’s recent releases – chooses to use MotoCast USB for moving content on to the device, it will convert video as necessary, so the experience isn’t too bad. If you need wider video support you’ll find options on Android Market to do so.
Also wrapped up in MotoCast is the remote access side of things. MotoCast will set itself up as a server on your PC or Mac, so you can access your content from your Motorola device on the move. It’s simple and it works with minimal fuss, as long as your home PC is turned on.
There is, however, no sign of conventional DLNA streaming software, so it’s worth installing something like Skifta to stream content over your Wi-Fi network at home, because MotoCast will send it via Motorola’s servers in the process, which is a waste of broadband. We found it worked perfectly. We also had no problem streaming content from websites like BBC iPlayer, or through the Netflix app, both of which benefit from the quality of the display.
Also sitting in support of media in general is the IR transmitter. Whilst many companies are releasing apps to enable Wi-Fi control over their connected TVs, the resurgence of IR transmitters is welcomed as it acknowledges what people are actually doing with their tablets – sitting in front of the TV, using it as the third screen.
Unlike the more sophisticated offering of the Sony Tablet S, which has a much better remote control app, the Xoom 2 ME relies on Dijit. This is still simple enough to use and we had no problems setting up our TV with it, but it lacks the gloss of the Sony rival.
When it comes to music, you’ll find that Motorola have offered some audio control to improve the listening experience. This basically revolves around widening the sound stage through your headphones, so if you want virtual surround sound, you can have it. It works nicely and overall the Xoom 2 sounds great through good quality headphones.
The speakers are rather clever too, as there are three openings, two on the left (or top) and one on the right (or bottom). This means that one wayward hand doesn’t block all the sound. Volume is reasonable, although we found vibration across the back when at high volumes – but in all seriousness, are you going to use a tablet at full volume? Probably not.
Everything else
You also get some of Motorola bundled business apps in the form of Citrix and various meeting apps. There is a front facing camera should you wish to take advantage of video calling and a second 5-megapixel camera on the rear, offering a flash and autofocus. We don’t put much stock in tablet cameras as we’ve yet to ever need to use one in anger, but it works well enough.
The Xoom 2 ME also gives you 720p video capture, but this is slightly limited by the fixed-focus offering, so it isn’t ever the sharpest video out there.
Otherwise the experience is very much a stock Android Honeycomb experience and a good one at that. Aside from that minor niggle with Wi-Fi, we’ve found the Xoom 2 ME to be stable. Flash videos play well, apps open and close with ease and the whole experience is on a par with other top Android tablets. Sure, we bemoan the number of tablet-specific apps that you get on Android, but that’s not Motorola’s fault.
It’s a shame that this tablet doesn’t arrive with Ice Cream Sandwich, but it is in the works, with Motorola’s older Xoom tablet already receiving the update in some regions.
We’re also impressed with the battery. The internal 3900mAh unit doesn’t last as long as larger models, but it has faired well in standby and offers about six hours of constant use. It will entertain you across the Atlantic, if not quite all the way to your destination.
Verdict:
There is a lot to like about the Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition. Where we weren’t sure that the larger Xoom 2 offered quite enough, there is something more exciting about the smaller version. The size means it is light and portable, but also it’s easy to type with two thumbs – without the stretch of a larger tablet.
We also like the fact that Motorola haven’t messed around with it. There has been the slight tweak here and there, but the interface is essentially raw Honeycomb, so you don’t have to contend with added, unnecessary, features. We also found it to be stable in most cases, with nothing to suggest there was an underlying problem.
On the flipside of this equation you have the occasional Wi-Fi problems and the increased portability means a smaller battery. For home users that shouldn’t be a problem, but obviously it will only last you so long away from power. The lack of an external option for memory expansion rounds out the flaws of the device.
In summary then, we have no problem recommending the Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition to anyone looking for a compact and portable tablet. The build and design are both good quality and the niggles are only minor. Where the Xoom 2 10.1-inch didn’t offer much of an incentive to buy over the original Xoom, the smaller Media Edition is more attractive offer.
Tags: Tablets Motorola Motorola Xoom Android Honeycomb Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition Motorola Xoom Media Edition
Motorola Xoom 2 Media Edition originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:27:00 +0000
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Bayan Audio Bayan 7
Speaker time
iPod speakers?fall into two categories, they are either bog standard and fairly cheap, or they attempt to be iconic in their design. Sometimes this division is so great that they polarise potential customers into thinking it is either the best-looking thing in the world or the most fugly thing they have ever seen.
The Bayan Audio Bayan 7 sits, as you might have gathered from the picture, in the second of those two camps coming with a striking design.
“Interesting” design
The design starts with a large, square, box with a further four speakers on the front, mounted into a large sheet of clear Perspex.
Fo those who like tech specs, the Bayan 7 has a 120W power output through its twin amplifiers, a 5-way?2.1-channel stereo speaker setup and an 8-inch subwoofer for deep bass control. Then there is a pair of 2-inch mid-range and a 1-inch tweeters. Its frequency range is 30Hz – 47kHz.
The 7 is available in black or white, but whichever you choose, you end up getting a wall of speakers and docks with a big box behind it. The Bayan Audio Bayan 7 is more akin to a microwave than your usual iPod speaker.
That presents its own issues, in that it will take up most of a sideboard, and certainly be too big and too heavy for most shelves – ?something to bear in mind if space is at a premium.
Size aside, design, as already mentioned, is something that you’ll either love or hate. It’s certainly striking, causing plenty of conversation to everyone we’ve shown. Personally we’re not so sure it works. We prefer the more subtle lines of the B&W Zeppelin, but each to their own. We’re sure the designer loves it.
Performance and sound quality
Get past the “kooky” design and you can start to enjoy some of the more unusual features of the Bayan 7. Like the two docking station slots on the front allowing you to charge two iDevices at the same time. Which means both you and your other half’s iPhone can be charging together.
As well as being charged, you can switch between the two iThings via the accompanying remote control although that’s as far as it goes. Would-be DJs: there are no fading options.
Each dock is designed to accommodate the array of iPods and iPhones on the market, but if you’ve got a iPad it won’t fit without blocking the speakers above.
If you haven’t got an iDevice, then you can still play with the addition of a Line-in around the back, and for Android tablet users there is a USB charging slot as well – a nice touch.
The remote, as you would expect, allows you to control volume – although we found this to be pretty slow to respond – and if you are using an iPhone or iPod you can skip through tracks and other standard playback functions.
While the remote has a bass and treble button, but no visual feedback on whether these were working, we couldn’t notice any audible difference even after pressing the buttons violently to change the settings.
One thing we did notice was that, for some reason, the volume control wouldn’t work correctly with our first-generation iPod touch. Annoying.
With the volume controls buried at the back out of quick reach – a strange decision – you’ll have to control playback and volume either via the remote or with the Apple device itself.
So, what about the quality??Not surprisingly the Bayan 7 sounds really good. The speaker combination gives a clear sound, coping well with both bass and treble on the tracks we played via an iPod touch and iPhone 3GS we had in the office.
We tested a range of music from Adagio for Strings (Platoon Soundtrack), to Daft Punk, to more challenging tracks from NoFX and TaTu – All The Things She Said.
Sound is crisp and clean compared to the Zeppelin – which offers a more base-heavy feel. Volume is loud enough to fill a medium-size room comfortably.?
Verdict:
The Bayan Audio Bayan 7 sounds great, but with a design that isn’t likely to be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s also one that will most likely be just too big to fit anywhere in your house, unless it’s a mansion.
But if you lived in such a grand abode you would probably go for something a lot more impressive, leaving us with very mixed feelings for the Bayan 7.
We actually like the dual iPhone charging station idea for the iPhone or iPod friendly family, but it isn’t enough to seal the deal for the microwave-sized music-monster.
Tags: Audio Speakers Bayan Audio iPod speakers
Bayan Audio Bayan 7 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:53:00 +0000
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