webOS 2.0 Overview

Seeing Palm, one of the pioneers in the PDA space, stagnate towards the end was sad. But in the Linux-based webOS, Palm would find their much needed shot in the arm--or at least, some part of it. Purely as a mobile operating system, webOS brought a lot to the table on the usability front. While previous iterations of PalmOS, Symbian, and later Android/iOS did support multitasking, it was webOS that placed it at the very center of the mobile user experience. In fact, I honestly feel webOS has one of the most useful and user-friendly multitasking implementations currently available.

Other manufacturers have taken note of this and have slowly but steadily included webOS-inspired features in their respective platforms. And it wasn't just the multitasking ability; the notifications, message, and contact management along with the browser are all top-notch in webOS. It is because of these reasons I have found it very difficult to let go of using the Pre Plus as my primary phone. In spite of the variety of smartphones available these days with vastly superior specifications, platform eco-systems, and build quality, reliance on webOS has made it very difficult for me to upgrade. But that doesn’t mean webOS doesn’t have any flaws or room for further improvement.



Read on to see if webOS 2.0 builds on it's predessors strengths.
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How a .07-second Power Cut Killed Memory Chips

Death to memory chips due to just a blink in the power.data storage storage nas storage network attached

Silicon Power Announces Ultra-Fast E20 SSD

Silicon Power introduced a new, turbo-charged 2.5-inch SSD with TRIM and GC support.data storage storage nas storage network attached

3DMark 11 Advanced Edition

Futuremark is well known for their benchmarks, and now they?re also known for their games too. The most popular of their software is the 3DMark series, and now the newest one is here. They were kind enough to send me over the newest in the series for review, 3DMark 11 Advanced Edition. As with all [...]


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Westinghouse Brings LED & Netflix Enabled TVs to Budget Conscious Consumers

At CES 2011, Westinghouse introduced flat screen TVs ranging from 26" to 60" in size. All the models are targeted towards the budget conscious customer, implying probably lowest cost in that particular class. With a good retail presence in the US, the targeted consumers are going to find it easy to purchase one from their favourite big box stores. Further, the warranty and return grace period provided by retailers like Costco should help cautious consumers.

The new CFL model flat screens are perfect for consumers who are still in the CRT age and those that have taken advantage of the recent DTV box program. Westinghouse is the only value brand which doesn't buy the whole display module, but just the panels and adds the backlighting and other circuitry themselves. The new LED backlit models come with either red or silver trims.

The 26" model is perfect for hooking up notebooks in dorm rooms or other similar situations. Netflix and Vudu (currently planned) only available on one of the 46" models which runs on the Zoran chipset. Other models of larger size running on the Zoran chipset are also capable of Netflix, and are planned for enabling based on demand. Smaller sized models dont get Netflix because there is not enough margin in the smaller TVs to compensate for the licensing costs. Consumers with smaller TVs also run some other Blu-Ray player or media streamer capable of Netflix, so this is not much of a concern.



Other than Zoran, Broadcom DTV chipsets are also being used in the Westinghouse TVs. Both the Broadcom and Zoran chipsets enable a decent level of video postprocessing such as noise reduction, 3:2 pulldown support etc. which are quite necessary in the consumer market segment towards which the models are targeted.

Pricing and full lineup details in the press releases linked below:

Westinghouse - 46 LED Press Release

Westinghouse - CES 2011 Lineup Press Release
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Thermaltake Armor A60 Mid-Tower Case Review

The Armor A60 mid-tower case has the quality and features that people expect from Thermaltake. The interior is roomy and will fit almost all modern video cards. The inclusion of USB 3.0, keyboard/mouse security lock, and the SideClick hard drive tray shows how Thermaltake is looking forward rather than keep everything as is. Read more [...]


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AT Bench Update: Now with Mobile, Smartphone, and GPU 2011 Results!

Since starting our Bench results databases, they've grown by leaps and bounds. Bench is a central place where you can compare products based on the variety of tests and benchmarks we throw at them, and if you haven't checked it out already, you should, because it's downright huge. Our CPU bench alone has exploded, with test results for 121 different processors across 47 different disciplines. Today, Bench virtually doubles in size as we've added three new Benches.

First, and nearest and dearest to my heart, we introduce the Mobile Bench, a database of test results from over fifty different notebooks and netbooks across more than twenty different disciplines. Nearly every notebook we've tested since the beginning of 2010—and even a few towards the end of 2009—is represented here, although not all results are available on every notebook (i.e. high-detail gaming on a netbook isn't a concern). If you want to find the fastest gaming notebook or the best battery life on the market, check out our Mobile Bench.

Second and no less impressive is our Smartphone Bench. Featuring 27 different smartphones, our Bench contains results across 16 different tests, all easily searchable and sortable. If you're looking for the most talking time, the nicest screen, or the snappiest web browsing, the phone you're looking for is probably in our Smartphone Bench.

And finally, Ryan has been working overtime to produce our 2011 GPU Bench. It features the results of 29 different GPU configurations across 48 different tests, updated with DirectX 11 class hardware and the benchmarks to go with it along with some DirectX 10 hardware to use as a frame of reference.

Our Benches are updated regularly as new products get reviewed and entered into them (hence the staggering mass of our CPU Bench), and you find them all through the main AnandTech Bench page. As we review future phones, laptops, GPUs, and CPUs, the database will continue to grow. If you have any questions about or suggestions for the new Benches, please let us know in the comments!
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