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These two are going to fight it out yard by yard!

When I first wrote the now world famous LawnBott Evolution Review  and Robomower TC-G158 Review, I had no idea the impact it would have.  Since this Robomower-LawnBott Evolution Review I have written two more, LawnBott LB3500 Review and LawnBott LB1200 Review.

 I am basing this review on models shipping direct from the US distributors on November 1, 2005.  Both companies may modify or change model performance and specifications over time.  I realize that many “experts” are going to read this and send me emails of performance enhancing techniques, I’d love to hear every story.

This is meant as an out-of-the-box comparison review for someone who has an internet education in robotic lawnmowers or someone looking to upgrade from an another model.   I’ll try not to go into the technical aspects any deeper than I have to.  My purpose is to highlight the differences, strengths, and weaknesses for an average user.  As corrections need to be made I will be updating this review so please check back frequently.

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Commonality?

Mow the yard.  Simple enough right?  How can two robots assigned to this common task be so diverse?  How do you equate two similar items that are incomparable?  Which is best?  How many nasty-grams can my email box hold? 

It is shorter to list how they are alike than how they differ. 

       *They both need a perimeter wire (well, actually the Lawnbott Evolution doesn’t NEED a perimeter wire to mow). 

       *They both have rechargeable batteries, well the Robomower TC-G158 uses two lead acid while the Lawnbott Evolution uses one lithium ion (a second  can be added). 

        *They both use a blade to cut, well the Lawnbott Evolution uses a single 4-edged blade while the Robomower TC-G158 uses 3 double edged blades. 

        *They both have wheels, well, the Lawnbott Evolution has 4 and the Robomower TC-G158 has 3. 

        *They both automatically return to a charging base, even that is about as different as day and night- one goes clockwise and the other counter-clockwise. 

         *I guess the only thing they have in common is they are waterproof.  Oh yeah, and they both do an excellent job mowing the yard.

Market Share

The Israeli made Friendly Robotics Robomower TC-G158 robotic lawn mower has a huge US market share lead against an under marketed, Italian made, Zucchetti Lawnbott Evolution automatic lawnmower.  Since the beginning, the Robomower has enjoyed dominance of the US market, but they are a big fish in a tiny, tiny pond.  Can they keep ahead of the competition as the market grows and new robotic mowers enter the market?

Since 2000, Friendly Robotics has kept the same outward appearance, only changing the color.  The inside however has been constantly upgraded with new firmware, motors, and self-protection devices.

Zucchetti (makers of the Lawnbott line) however continues to change looks with performance.  The Lawnbott Evolution, Deluxe, and Professional, while on similar chassis have different internal parts and external hoods.  As of this writing they have several mowers for smaller yards in Europe.

Size and weight

The Robomower TC-G158 is definitely the heavy weight in this match coming in at 78 lbs with a huge size advantage at  26w x 35l X 12 1/2 h. 

The Lawnbott Evolution weighs a mere 22lbs and a tiny 16 1/2w X 22 1/2l X 10 1/4h . 

Can the ‘Efficiency is Everything’ European philosophy over come the SUV ‘Bigger is Better’ US mentality?

The Robomower TC-G158 being wider means that it can cover more space with each pass, it also means that it cannot get into some tight spaces.  10 inches can mean the difference between weed eating and not around trees and garden areas. 

The Robomower TC-G158 brags 3 -150 watt blade motors turning at 5,800 RPM.  The Lawnbott Evolution has a single 24 volt blade motor spinning at 3,200 RPM.   Common sense would say that the Robomower TC-G158 would do better in thicker taller grass but both did equally poorly in my neighbor’s uncut yard, going about the same distance before stopping and giving me warning messages.  Both are meant to maintain a yard automatically, thus there should be no need to thrash through a jungle.  Both manufactures recommend cutting your yard the traditional way if the grass is too tall.               

Batteries

The Robomower TC-G158 uses 2-12 volt lead acid batteries that run for about 2 1/2-3 hours on a fully charged battery.  An optional power pack allows fast changing of one set of batteries to be pulled and charged while the other is in the mower.  The standard charge time is about 20 hours, with an optional fast charger it can be reduced to about 6 1/2 for a full charge.

The Lawnbott Evolution comes with a lithium ion battery.  Unofficially a second lithium ion battery can be added that can add about another 1/4 to 1/2 acre.  With one battery the Lawnbott Evolution can run about 3 hours and a recharge time of about 4.  A second battery gives about 5 hours of running time and no significant increase in charging time.   The lithium ion batteries are much lighter than lead acid batteries, they recharge faster, and do not suffer from the “memory” problems.  In fact the Lawnbott Evolution weighs about as the Robomower TC-G158 battery pack.

Looks

The Robomower TC-G158 robotic lawnmower looks like a lawn mower.  The Lawnbott Evolution automatic lawnmower looks like a sleek European sports car (driver not included).  

Coverage

The Robomower TC-G158 robotic lawn mower was rated for 16,000 sq ft., although on the official website they now have 21,500 sq ft. of actual grass.  The Lawnbott Evolution automatic lawnmower can cover 33,000, unofficially a second battery can be added to push that number closer to 50,000 sq ft (over 1 1/4 acres).  I say unofficially, the manufacturer has approved the use and recommends it in some circumstances, it just isn’t documented.

Hills and slopes

The Robomower TC-G158 can handle slopes of up to 15 degrees.  Power is not the problem, it has a long body and the front sensor is very low to the ground.  The manual is quite explicit on not exceeding the 15 degree recommendation.  One of the problems is steep hills will dramatically decrease the life of the gear case, not an inexpensive repair!

In a mower-pull contest the Robomower TC-G158 could drag the Lawnbott Evolution around like a kid sister, okay, a pretty kid sister.

The Lawnbott Evolution can handle slopes of up to 27 degrees.  I have seen the Evolution take some pretty serious climbs with no power loss.  The downside is in possible safety issues ( I may be overly concerned on this, call me the Ralph Nader of robotic lawn mowers).  It is not unusual for the Evolution to pop a wheelie trying to climb a tough slope (from a distance it is really cool!)  It also means that the bumper has to be higher off the ground with the potential danger of running over very low solid objects such has tree roots or concrete steps, for this to be a problem the blade has to be set very low.

For extra traction spiked wheels are available.  My yard is fairly flat except for the slope to the curb.  I have the spiked wheels because I like the look. In fact, if you are going to get an Evolution, get the spiked tires, the added traction is well worth the price.

Home Base

Both will return automatically to the charger.  When the battery level runs low (or if they are on a timed mowing sequence) they will both search for the perimeter wire and follow it back to the base.

The Robomower TC-G158 has an open base with the recharging points on the nose.  It follows the wire in a counter-clockwise direction.

The Lawnbott Evolution has a little garage.  The charging points are on top.  It follows the wire in a clockwise direction.

I don’t see any disadvantages to either method, although many people that I talk to prefer the Evolution’s closed garage for aesthetic reasons.

Blade

The Robomower RL100 uses three blades.  It comes with the high blades.  A low blade which is good for mulching is available.  The Lawnbott Evolution uses a single 12 inch blade that is reversible, use one side until it is dull then flip it over.  The Robomower TC-G158 has a built in time sequence to tell you to change the blades every 200 mowing hours, I like that.

The Robomower TC-G158 mow height adjustment is done by a screw on the front wheel and a latch on the back in the battery holder it is adjustable from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches with the standard high blades and down to about an inch with low cut blades.  The Lawnbott Evolution requires an allen wrench and a little more consideration, it can be adjusted from about 1/4 inch to 2 3/4 inches, there is a marker on the telescopic arm that shows the depth.

Noise Level

The Robomower TC-G158 is rated at 90db, from a distance it sounds like a buzzing beehive The Lawnbott Evolution is rated at 58db.  From inside the house I can hear the Robomower TC-G158 mowing, but not the Lawnbott Evolution, in fact, it is difficult to hear the Lawnbott Evolution at all outside of 20 feet.  The difference in noise is noticeable but definitely not bothersome.

Perimeter Wire

Running the perimeter wire for both mowers is not really all that difficult or hard work.  Both come with rulers, but I prefer the Robomower TC-G158 as it has the markings, the Lawnbott Evolution is just a plastic generic metric ruler. 

The Robomower TC-G158 comes with 500 ft. of 16 gauge single strand copper wire.  While the Lawnbott Evolution comes with 500 ft. of stranded steel wire.  For extra wire I use 14 gauge THHN wire from Lowe’s.  All three wire types work equally well in my yard.  The Lawnbott Evolution has been running fine on 1,500 ft. of the 14 gauge.  There is nothing mystical or proprietary about the wire used.

It is very important that the wire for the Lawnbott Evolution be tacked down every few feet otherwise the wire will get sucked up into the blade.  I didn’t have that problem with the Robomower TC-G158, I suppose because the front wheel kept the wire down.

Zones

The term “zone” has different meanings to both mowers.  The Robomower TC-G158 has a main zone with the charger, additional, entirely different areas can be setup using a perimeter switch.   The Robomower TC-G158 can be programmed to automatically come out at a specified time in the main zone and mow without human intervention.  The Robomower TC-G158 must be manually driven to each of the other zones and the perimeter switch manually turned on.  When it has finished it must be manually driven back to the charger.

The Robomower TC-G158 can be set to mow for a defined period of time for up to 4 different zones.  This is nice if the area is a very small.

The Lawnbott Evolution requires one continuous wire from the charger, around the perimeter and back to the charger.  This means the wire must be placed over the driveway, sidewalk, or other non-grass surfaces. This can require some extra effort, but it is a one time event for years of benefit.

Personally, I just put the wire between the expansion cracks in the concrete, but I have heard of people renting concrete cutters.  A water-forced hose attachment to dig a tunnel under the pavement would work too, I have used those for running PVC pipe.

The Lawnbott Evolution can be programmed for up to three different zones.  The Evolution will drive itself to that area to mow.  It too can be set for a defined amount of time or until the battery starts to rundown and then it will find the wire and return back to the charger.  In other words it will mow the primary zone, then go back to the charger, next time out it will go to the next zone, go back to the charger, then the third zone, then back to the charger, then cycle back to the primary zone.

A closed-off zone is not an option with the Lawnbott Evolution.

Theoretically, the Robomower TC-G158 could use the entry point option to simulate the Lawnbott Evolution zones.  The manual makes no mention of it, but some creative wire laying and programming should do the trick. It is probably advisable to only set up two zones and have two different entry points into each zone as the Robomower TC-G158 uses a set pattern of angles which could cause some places to be consistently missed if using only one entry point.

Remote control

The Robomower TC-G158’s remote is attached to the mower while the Lawnbott Evolution has an IR wireless remote.  Both have advantages and disadvantages.

The Robomower TC-G158 has the LCD screen and controls on the remote so most changes and commands can be done while standing or sitting.  The LCD is easy to read but it is not back lit.  This creates major headaches for me at night because the controller really requires two hands which leaves no hands for a flashlight.

The initial set up is somewhat of a chore, but after that the menu selection system and choices are easy to understand.  They are displayed in plain English.

Driving can be a bit annoying, it drives like a tank.  When backing up you have to hit the right arrow to turn left, for me this requires a bit of conscientious forward thinking.  Sometimes when I’d hit the left arrow it would start to backup and turn to the right.  It can turn on a dime when stopped, a left turn will cause the right wheel to go forward and the left wheel to turn backward, this is nice for getting into tight spaces.  To mow from the controller requires two hands and some dexterity.

The Lawnbott Evolution control panel and LCD screen is permanently attached to the mower so accessing the panel requires crouching.  Since the wireless remote can be used to start, stop, and return to base, this is a minor disadvantage.  Some menu options require the manual, going  through all the options is beyond the scope of this review, but having the manual readily available makes the initial set up go smoothly.

The LCD screen is backlit, this is nice at night.  As the Lawnbott Evolution is mowing it displays the two wheels and blade speed, it also shows the digital battery meter.  When the battery meter reaches a certain level it will go back to the charger.  

The wireless IR is nice, but not without its limitations.  For one you must be directly behind the mower and within about 10 feet during the day and about 20 feet at night.  The remote needs fresh batteries otherwise operation even close up becomes sporadic.  Oh by the way, throwing the remote against the house in frustration does not help.

Since these two robotic lawnmowers are marketed to the less mobile the controller is an important feature, maybe even something that could be a deciding factor, neither are ideal, but I would have to give the advantage to the Lawnbott Evolution just because once it is programmed the control panel becomes unnecessary and the IR remote makes manual driving easier and going back to the charger a simple two button operation from a distance.

Automatic Operation

The Robomower TC-G158 can be set up to mow the main zone up to once a day, seven days a week.  It can be set for different times each day say Saturday at 9:00 am and Sunday at 1:00 pm.

The Lawnbott Evolution can be programmed to mow up to twice a day with at least 4 hours between mowings.  It will go out at the same time everyday, there is no provision for different times each day.

However the real strength of the Lawnbott Evolution is the self programming feature.  When parked in the garage the screen displays the next scheduled start time.  This is one of those AWE factors when showing it off to friends.  The mow time parameters can be limited , for example from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.  For some, it is best to select daytime hours or when you are likely to be home because of theft concerns.

As the Lawnbott Evolution mows it will determine the size of the area and the resistance of the grass (or leaves) against the blade.  When it goes back to the charger it will calculate the next time it needs to come out to keep the yard cut at the optimal height.  This is an important feature, particularly during rapid growth times (and when the leaves are falling).

Another feature that isn’t really mentioned much is how the Lawnbott Evolution controls the blade.  With the Robomower TC-G158 the sound of the blade is a constant hum.  The Lawnbott Evolution in low cut areas such as crossing the driveway or in previous cut areas slows the blade down but ramps up rapidly when resistance is detected and ramps up even more in higher grass.  I suppose it is to save energy, but it is another feature to show friends.

Manual Operation

The Robomower TC-G158 is very methodical.  It uses an onboard compass-like device to navigate in relation to the perimeter wire.

Pressing the GO button to manually start to mow can best be described as “Hurry up and Wait.”  The display will ask if you want to skip edging.  There is not a NO button so if you want it to edge the perimeter you will just have to wait about 20-30 seconds, selecting yes by pressing the GO button will have the mower back up out of the charger for another long pause as the Roboscan warms up.  Then the blades will start to ramp up and the mower will turn to the left, after another long pause it will finally start to mow.  Once it hits the wire or an object it will back up turning slightly and then start going backward until it hits the wire again.  Then it will move forward, turn slightly and start to mow forward.

When it hits one end of the yard it will weave its way back.  It can be programmed to enter at 4 different points so  you can have it start one time going North and South, then the next time it will drive to a point that will have it start to mow East and West, this will help eliminate any missed spots.

The Lawnbott Evolution is much more impulsive.  Once it is commanded from either the panel or remote to go, that is exactly what it does, go!  It will back out of the charger turn to the right, get its bearing and take off.  When it runs over the wire or hits an obstacle it will backup, turn a random direction and start running again.  

Another feature of the Lawnbott Evolution is the Smart Spiral.  When it detects high or thick grass it will start in a tight spiral and work outward.  This not only gives extra cut time, it will help make sure there are no missed patches.  The Lawnbott Evolution is fun to watch, I’d say less exciting than football but more exciting than baseball. 

Speed-wise Lawnbott Evolution can literally run circles around the Robomower TC-G158 (especially using the remote).

Obstacles

The Robomower TC-G158 brags 360 degree bump sensors.  While mowing inside the perimeter it only takes a light touch for the Robomower TC-G158 to stop, BEEP, and go the other direction.  Hitting the back bumper while it is moving forward sets off a BEEP, but does not affect operation.  I have turned off the non-safety related sounds on the control panel yet the collision BEEPing continues.

The only real safety concern I have with the Robomower TC-G158 is when it is following the wire, either edging or going home. If it runs into an obstacle while following the wire it will stop, BEEP, backup a little and proceed forward with determination.  If the obstacle is still there it will BEEP, backup and through brute force try and move the obstacle like a tank possessed.  Only after the third try will it finally try to go around.  Kids, trees, or garden borders all get the same treatment.  How can something so gentle in the yard can become such a rabid dog trying to get back to the base?

The Lawnbott Evolution has only a front bumper detection system that works moderately well.  It doesn’t have the sensitivity that the Robomower TC-G158 has, but it won’t knock over a flower pot either.  If it detects an obstacle following the wire back to the wire it will stop, backup turn the right and make a left-arc back to the wire.  It doesn’t have a rear detection system, but it doesn’t backup far enough to run over anything.

Rain Sensor

The Robomower TC-G158 does not have a rain sensor.  This is bad, particularly for its weight class.  I have heard stories of Robomower owners keeping bags of sand at the ready when their mowers get stuck in the soft mud and dig trenches.  I have also heard tales of having to wash the clumped grass from the mower blades.

The Lawnbott Evolution has a rain sensor and a marginally effective wet grass detector.  If it starts to rain or it detects wet grass it will head back to the charger.

Upgradeability

Many Robomower owners have upgraded their machines by replacing the EPROM.  This normally costs $50 or more.  It is not uncommon to replace the motherboards either.  Friendly Robotics used to sell an EPROM upgrade (and the charging base) from the RL850 to TC-G158, but have recently stopped.  Upgrading the Robomower to a certain level is achievable for a price.

The Lawnbott firmware is upgradeable through the internet with an optional cable.  This is a free service to customers.

Pine Cones

The Lawnbott Evolution handles pine cones extremely well.  I have had no problems.  The Robomower TC-G158 however has a tendency to get smaller ones lodged in the mowing chamber.  Gumballs do not other either mower.

Fenced Yards

Neither one can automatically open and close a fence gate.  The Lawnbott Evolution can be put in a fenced in area and ran without a perimeter wire.  It is really not advisable, but doable on the user control panel.

Playing Together

The Robomower TC-G158 is terribly territorial.  Two Robomowers wires cannot be active at the same time.  If you and your neighbor have a Robomower TC-G158, a coordinated schedule must be made to ensure that only one wire signal is active at a time!

The Robomower TC-G158 definitely DOES NOT play well with any Lawnbott!  The Lawnbott wire signal is always active, even when in the docking station.  This is because a Lawnbott may have more than one mower active in the same zone (call me for details).

The Robomower TC-G158 wire needs to be at least 25 feet from the Lawnbott wire.  During a demonstration with both wires active I have seen the Robomower TC-G158 leave its zone and jump the curb into the street before I was able to retrieve it.  So if you have an Robomower TC-G158 make sure your neighbors do not get a Lawnbott!

Even at 25 feet from the Lawnbott wire the Robomower TC-G158 may get confused and just stop, but at least it won’t head for my wife’s flower bed.

The Lawnbott mowers are not affected by the Robomower signal.

If you like your neighbor’s Lawnbott you don’t have a convenient option of using the Robomower TC-G158.   The Lawnbott solves this by making available an optional ‘B’ channel.  This will allow simultaneous Lawnbotts in two separate coverage areas with no interference.

Which One is Best?

They both have little things that drive me crazy sometimes, but it is far, far less time consuming than mowing it myself.

The Robomower TC-G158 has the most problems.  Sometimes it will just stop.  Unfortunately after a few minutes of inactivity the screen goes blank so when I finally get out there I don’t know what the problem was.  When I get the screen back on it will say something like “Move elsewhere.”  (My wife has been telling me that for years, so I am used to it.) So I have to manually drive it inside the yard.  It doesn’t happen at any particular spot and it doesn’t happen all the time, but it does happen.

If the TC-G158 is  “lost” in the yard overnight it will not respond at all until I pick up the battery box for about 5 seconds and the drop it back in.  But then I have to reset the time.  It’s not difficult, just aggravating, it remembers all the other settings, so why not the time?

I have a depression from what used to be a garden, it has about a 1 inch lip.  The Robomower TC-G158 has a tendency to get stuck on it with a “Front Wheel Problem.”  Once again, it is not all the time, just sometimes.  I get the same “Front Wheel Problem” if it pulls into the charger but the charger is not plugged up or the power goes out. BEEP BEEP BEEP

The Lawnbott Evolution is not without annoyances either.  Their is a small drainage hole in my side yard.  For the most part it would hit that hole and move on like the Army during Desert Storm .  But from time to time it gets trapped.  There is also a tree that BUMP, BUMP, BUMP, no problem but just at the most inconvenient time it will try and climb that tree and get stuck.  I finally had to run perimeter wire around both of them.  The hole I could see, but the tree shouldn’t have been a problem.  Another attention grabber is the beeping noise it will sometimes make back at the charger, I’ll be outside and BEEP BEEP BEEP, why it’s beeping I don’t know.  No error messages, no intervention needed it just gets lonely sometimes I guess, heck maybe it’s a mating call. 

The Robomower battery pack needs to be replaced every 2-3 years for those reaching the 1/2 acre coverage.  The higher costs of the blades and batteries average out to about $100 more per year for the Robomower TC-G158 over the Lawnbott Evolution.

Good News!

The good news is they both do an excellent job of keeping the yard cut.   My neighbors like coming to the fence as the mowers are out, in fact they love throwing leaves in front of them like they’re feeding a horse or something.  Even after several months they still have to tell me they saw one or the other out recently, giving me a full report of who else was watching.  They know that the Robomower TC-G158 will be out at 7:00 am and on what days.  The Lawnbott Evolution is more elusive because in the summer and when the leaves are falling it may go out twice a day, but now it goes out once every 28-30 hours and makes like Punxsutawney Phil if it starts raining.  By changing a setting on the control panel I could have it go out a lot less often, but I am afraid that my neighbors would bring out their lawn chairs and wait for it like some UFO watch.

The Robomower TC-G158 does a good job for a defined area.  If you don’t mind manually driving it from one section to the next then it is a good choice.  In spite of the occasional trek out into the yard to send it back to the charger, it really does do a good job.  

I think that if most people were given both to try that the Lawnbott Evolution would be the overwhelming favorite.  The Lawnbott Evolution is far more sophisticated and advanced, it is also more expensive.  I have it mow my side yard as the primary zone and the front yard as the secondary zone.   The rain sensor is significant as is the self-programming feature.  Since cordoning-off the hole in my side yard and around the tree, the Lawnbott Evolution has been on auto-pilot, without any help from me.

Final Advice

Since you have read this review completely, allow me to offer one last piece of advice, please do not buy a robotic lawn mower from anyone based on price.  Find a knowledgeable dealer that you trust and can work with you after the sale if you have problems.  I get many emails and phone calls from people who read my reviews after-the-fact.

google tablet, android tablet, android apad, tablet pc, apple ipad, android ipad, iped
Watch out, iPad: Google may be getting into the tablet game. In a move reminiscent of its recent step into mobile phone design, Google is reportedly working on its own custom Android-powered tablet.

Most of the specifics are still unknown — what features a Google tablet would include, for example, or who would manufacture it — but if there’s one thing we can count on, it’s with whom a Google-made tablet would compete.

Google Android Tablet: What We Know

The Google Android tablet news comes by way of a story published in The New York Times on Sunday. The story, a piece about upcoming competition to Apple’s iPad, states that Google is currently “exploring the idea” of creating its own tablet computing device. The gadget is described as “an e-reader that would function like a computer.”

The info, according to The Times, comes straight from the big dog’s mouth: Google CEO Eric Schmidt is said to have divulged the Google tablet scoop while chatting with friends at a recent party in L.A. Other insiders supposedly confirmed the concept.

“People with direct knowledge of the project — who did not want to be named because they said they were unauthorized to speak publicly about the device — said the company had been experimenting in ’stealth mode’ with a few publishers to explore delivery of books, magazines and other content on a tablet,” The Times reports.

Envisioning a Google Android Tablet

Knowing the principles of the Android operating system, one can make a few educated guesses about what a Google Android tablet could be and how it might compare to Apple’s iPad. First and foremost, it’d likely be a far more open device in terms of customization: While Apple tends to maintain a tight grip on its user experience, Android-based devices typically allow users to configure the interface to their likings and replace stock components as they choose.

The same principle applies to applications: Compared to Apple’s highly controlled approach to app development and approval, Google’s Android Market for apps allows anyone to submit and publish programs without scrutiny. Android-powered devices — with the exception of those that run on AT&T — also let users download apps from unofficial third-party sources. One would imagine these qualities would be among the basic tenets of a Google-made Android tablet.

Along those same lines, a Google Android tablet would likely provide support for Flash — something Apple has long forbidden on its mobile computing devices. The existence of an open app marketplace could also mean immediate support for tethering, as we’ve seen happen via third-party utilities on Android phones. And, of course, any Android tablet would presumably provide feature-rich apps for Google services such as Gmail and Google Voice, something Apple also does not permit.

As for the device’s form, Google has previously published conceptual images of how a Google-centric tablet might look. Those concepts, however, revolved around the idea of a Chrome OS-based tablet, so they may or may not apply to an Android-based design.

Google Android Tablet: A Reality Check

It’s fun to imagine what a Google Android tablet could do, but don’t let some of the headlines out there fool you: From what we know so far, there’s no reason to believe a Google-made Android tablet is an “imminent” or even a certain thing.

Read back over what the info provided by The New York Times actually states: Google is “exploring the idea” of building a tablet device. It is “experimenting” with possibilities. Despite some bloggers’ tendencies to fill in the blanks with big words, there’s no indication that this is a done deal, let alone something that’s likely to occur at any moment.

We do know, however, that a slew of new tablets is on the way for 2010, and many of them are expected to be powered by Android. So whether or not Google ends up building its own tablet, numerous new options will soon be headed our way. The iPad may have been the first serious contender, but it won’t be the only one for long.

At the recent CCEF 2010 Shenzhen show in China, a company called eSalesChina released a new medium sized 7.0 inch touch screen tablet pc called the E-7001 running on the Google Android 1.5 operating system.

The E-7001 is powered by the Android 1.5 operating system and runs on the Rockchip 2808 600Mhz processor. but offers some interesting specs such as an 800 x 480 resolution display, ipad 3g support WCDMA/EVDO selectable 3G HSDPA, it has a WiFi b/g and LAN connectivity. Other features include a USB, 1.3MP front-facing camera, 720p HD capable playback, built-in MIC, headphone jack and stereo amplifier. It has SD card storage which accepts between 2GB to 32GB.

The tablet can run chat software such as Skype, MSN , etc and supports the usual type of Android application software.

The E-7001 is good for mobile web browsing, watching HD movies, sending and receiving mail, accessing files such as pictures or use for listening to music, the E-7001 is competent. The tablet measures 9.33 x 4.92 x 0.56 inches and has a 2500mAh battery rated for 5 hours of run time per charge and only costs 950 Chinese yuan equivalent to about $140 usd.

A new Ebook reader which will soon become available for purchase worldwide. What is the reason why so ebook seems to attract. For only $ 168 usd, you get 7 inches ebook reader running on Android. The New e-book comes with 2 models: 2GB and 4GB internal memory. Also Ebook reader support word processor like Word, Excel, PPT, PDF file and email client.

China Android E-book Specifications:

• 7 inch high brightness TFT screen with display resolution 800 x 480 16:9
• Touch screen with icon or menu drag features and auto rotation.
• OS: Google Android
• CPU: VIA MW8505 600MHz
• Multimedia Codes: Support MP3 / Audio Format suppor, AVI (Motion JPEG) / Video Format support WORD, EXCEL, MAIL &PDF READER / Support VIDEO ONLINE
• Web vedio with the ICON
• RAM: 128MB 800Mhz DDR
• HARD DISK: 2GB or 4GB NAND FLASH, support most 16GB mobile HDD
• Netbook support: Ethernet 10/100M, WIFI: 802.11B/G
• Camera: 1.3 mage pixel (only for 10.2″ inch)
• Audio: High-Fidelity stereo speaker output
• Software: Google Android (Total Free) or Win CE 6.0 r3& softmaker embaded (extra USD2.2 for basic USD1.1 for browser)
• Software included (WinCE base):
  - MailBox Medio Youtube MSN SKYPE WINRAR
  - Application software
  - WordPad EXCEL Powerponit
• Slot list:
  - SD x 1 (support up to 32G HCSD)
  - 30 pin interface
  - Stereo Audio out x 1
  - Microphone in x 1
• Color: White
• Approved: CE / FCC
• After sales service: 1 year warranty

	iPod nano (4th generation)		iPod nano (5th generation)
Storage	8GB	16GB	8GB	16GB
Songs	2,000	4,000	2,000	4,000
Price	$149	$199	$149	$179
Built-in FM Radio	Not included.		Displays station and song information. Lets you pause Live Radio and tags songs that you can preview and purchase in iTunes1.
Video Camera	Not included.		640-by-480 VGA video camera. iPod nano formats recorded videos as VGA video H.264 at 30 fps with AAC.
Pedometer	Not included.		Built-in Pedometer to count your steps and count calories.
Spoken Menus	Spoken Menus lets you hear many of the names of menus, song titles, and artists without viewing the screen.		Spoken Menus lets you hear many of the names of menus, song titles, and artists without viewing the screen.
VoiceOver	Not included.		While listening to a song, hear the name of the song and the artist at the press of a button. Hear the names of your playlists2, allowing you to select from among them.
Built-in microphone	Not included.		For video recording and voice memos.
Built-in speaker	Not included.		Listen to any audio on iPod nano without earphones or headphones—except for the built-in FM Radio, which uses the earphone or headphone cord as an antenna.
Voice Memos	Not included, but supported with accessory: Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic.		Record voice memos using the built-in microphone in iPod nano or an optional iPod nano–compatible microphone. Set chapter marks while you record, store voice memos on iPod nano and sync them with your computer, and add labels to voice memos.
Display	2-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight.		2.2-inch (diagonal), 240-by-376 display at 204 ppi.
Battery life	Up to 24 hours of music playback; up to 4 hours of video playback.		Up to 24 hours of music playback; up to 5 hours of video playback.
Ports	Dock connector, stereo minijack.		Dock connector, stereo minijack.
Connectivity	USB through dock connector; component and composite video through dock connector (with AV cables, sold separately); audio through headphone jack.		USB through dock connector; component and composite video through dock connector (with AV cables, sold separately); audio through headphone jack.
Charge time	About 3 hours (1.5-hour fast charge to 80% capacity).		About 3 hours (1.5-hour fast charge to 80% capacity).
Audio support	AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, WAV, and AIFF.		AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV.
Photo support	Syncs iPod-viewable photos in JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG formats.		Syncs iPod-viewable photos in JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG formats.
Video support	H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.		H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats.
Nike + iPod Sport Kit	Supported.3.		Supported.3.
Size	3.6 x 1.5 x 0.24 in. (90.7 x 38.7 x 6.2 mm).		3.6 x 1.5 x 0.24 in. (90.7 x 38.7 x 6.2 mm).
Weight	1.3 oz. (36.8 g).		1.28 oz. (36.4 g).
Included accessories	Earphones, USB cable, dock adapter.		Earphones, USB cable, dock adapter.
Notes: Currently available only in the United States on radio stations that support iTunes Tagging. Requires separately available Earphones with Remote and Mic or In-Ear Headphones with Remote and Mic. Requires separately available Nike + iPod Sport Kit.

Search around Esaleschina.com and you’ll find reviews of any number of iPad cases, bags, and sleeves, along with announcements about plenty more that are on their way to market. And that’s all well and good, as carrying and protecting the device is quite often the first thing that new iPad users think of when their minds turns to third party accessories. And Apple itself has offered up a few basics such as a keyboard and dock. But where are the rest of the iPad accessories?

Other than iPad earbuds, which have the benefit of being the exact same earbuds you’d use with Apple’s other iDevices and thus already existed even before the iPad was announced, there’s been a startling lack of other kinds of iPad related hardware products come to market thus far for the device which was announced three months ago this week. Some of that undoubtedly has to do with the fact that none of the existing iPhone/iPod accessory makers could get their hands on an iPad test unit in advance, meaning they’re behind the curve, as they haven’t had any more hands on time with the iPad than the rest of us have. But that having been said, three weeks after the device began shipping, we’ve seen that it’s apparently going to be a mainstream success, and yet the lack of announcements of even vague plans for upcoming iPad accessories (beyond yet more cases, bags, sleeves, chargers, screen film, and other non-innovative) is almost startling.

It’s not difficult to imagine a dockable stereo system designed to seat an iPad instead of an iPhone; in fact the iPad’s larger size may relieve some of the pressure to miniaturize the system often faced when creating accessories for the smaller iPhone. Nor is it hard to picture mounting your iPad to the front face of your dashboard to run an App Store GPS app in all its ten inch glory; surely, glancing at a GPS device while driving would be safer if you’re not having to squint to see it. And those are just the automatic ideas, the ones that come from recycling the kinds of products that have already been proven to be hits for the iPhone and iPod product lines. That’s all before we even talk about the kind of hardware accessories that treat the iPad like the small computer that it is, and not the supersized iPod touch that it also is.

Maybe it’s just too early. Perhaps vendors are working on whiz-bang iPad hardware accessories of all kinds as we speak, afraid to reveal it in a preview announcement just in case they’re the only one who’s come up with the idea thus far; every vendor knows that every competing vendor also reads those press releases. But even so, here’s hoping that the economic troubles of the past few years, and/or vendor uncertainty about the iPad’s mainstream potential isn’t holding back development of what by all rights should be a thriving iPad accessory industry – if not now, then soon.

Alas, for now, iPad users will have to be content to live with their cases, bags, and sleeves, along with all those shiny App Store apps, to tide them over until the real wave of innovative iPad accessories (hopefully) shows up.

Today can be compared with the iPhone’s large touch-screen music phone is few, iPhone also has the third year of the king of the throne on board, not any other phone can win back the throne from the iPhone? The Nokia X6 which announced first at the Nokia meeting has the power.

Nokia X6 has red-black, blue-white colors two style to choose, with Symbian OS v9.4 operating system, based on S60 5th Edition platform. Nokia X6’s body is just the thickness of only 13.8 mm, compared with older N97, 5800 XpressMusic is much more thiner,but little thicker than iPhone. Besides Nokia X6’s continuous playback time is up to 35 hours, almost the same with iPhone .

Nokia X6 comparison with Nokia N97

Nokia X6 positioning high-end market with 5 million pixel “Carl. Zeiss” autofocus and dual LED flash camera head, this point is far better than the iPhone. Nokia X6 effective frequency of 433MHz CPUs and 32GB of storage space body, matched with the iPhone. However, Nokia X6 omitted a relatively large memory is more sad to third-party micro SD (T-Flash) memory card slot, while 16 million color 360 * 640 resolution TFT touch screen 3.5-inch viewing area reduced to 3.2 by the inch.

Moreover, the X6 also comes with Nokia Ovi store and support Come With Music service, Ovi is Nokia’s priority to build shop store software, although there is much less than Apple’s App Store, but in the future full of Ovi services will have the opportunity to fully beyond the App Store.

Powerful network application

This Nokia X6 has a strong network application performance. The first is support for WCDMA networks as a smart phone, Nokia X6 be a quad-band WCDMA network for the support, which marks this Nokia X6 will be within the scope of the global environment for WCDMA networks, will not be in different regions the impact of using different frequency bands. It can be said is a truly global mobile communications.

Music playback

In front we have spent considerable length to give you about this Nokia X6’s performance in network applications. But even Nokia X6’s performance in the mobile Internet, we should not forget how good this phone is a main feature of the X family’s flagship product on music, With its music, and related applications, the performance of naturally represents the highest current level of Nokia’s music phone.

While the X6 is a flagship of Nokia’s smart phones, but the machine in the built-in music player and other aspects of the S60 is not the fifth edition of mobile phones have different units. Interfaces are still used in traditional play the traditional interface, much of the album’s songs under the icon is the appropriate information. We in the player’s settings can be adjusted equalizer and stereo expansion function is more basic.

Iif you must find the difference from Nokia X6 with other products , I think the following two aspects have a good convincing. First is built-in 32GB of storage space. Second, at the side of the dual independent body set up speakers. The addition of these two no doubt greatly enhance the user’s experience in the music player.

Most of the previous description seems to feel a little tired is not it? That we have to listen to some music to relax it. But we hear it? I think this scene should be above everyone’s daily life is also very common. So everyone is how to handle it?

No matter what method you use I think everyone in the X6 after using a Nokia will not encounter this problem. Because the X6 on the practical and Nokia has installed a name you feel small software jukebox. After the user into the software, simply input the current state of mind Nokia X6 will be from your own music library was screened for the music at this time to meet everyone’s demands. Although the thought of no thought is so obvious, but is still in operation, no doubt bring a lot of fun..

Content above is the author for this Nokia X6 functional performance of some of the views. Although this Nokia X6 excellent functional application far more than those mentioned in the text, but the problems mentioned above must be all in the most commonly used in daily life, so hope this article will bring to you on this Nokia X6 section for more information.

September 9, 2009 in San Francisco, Apple’s U.S. release latest iPod nano music player. Fifth-generation iPod Nano as early as people guess, is equipped with a camera. In addition, this product also increase the screen size, expansion of body volume, increased FM radio, pedometer, and built-in loud speaker speaker and microphone. In the day’s launch, Apple CEO Steve Jobs wearing his trademark black turtleneck sweater and jeans, this stage introduces the latest products. This is the beginning of this year received his first public appearance after liver transplantation.

Fifth Generation iPod Nano will be available in two versions, 8GB and the 16GB , and still offers a variety of colors. Screen resolutions up to 376×240. Amazing is that the built-in camera provides 640×480 resolution H.264 video recording. The prices, 8GB versions offer 149 U.S. dollars, 16GB version of the offer of 179 dollars.
5th Generation iPod nano with a 2.2-inch display, people can immediately play after the camera view, you can also connect to your computer, upload it to the video site to share with others. In addition, this new product also comes with built-in FM radio and pedometer. iPod nano features by adding a camera to make little immediate transfiguration of a player a super-compact, ultra-portable camera, capturing any time to meet your needs.
Through the built-in microphone and built-in camera, iPod nano can immediately capture audio and video. When you watch the video with the iPod nano, the screen will be heard and recorded sound at the same time. This means that your player is now making it into your player, but also easy to share with friends. In addition to the increased camera, iPod nano5 added include pedometer, recording, Voiceover, automatic mixing, FM radio, speaker, there are photographic camera functions.

The release of a new generation of iPod Nano5 on behalf of the appearance on the increase, excluding the camera, almost the same as the other, and 4th generation (slight changes in paint technology), after all,how much Steve Jobs gave us a surprise with it?
On the screen, the new version of iPod nano5 increased 2.2-inch screen, showing a ratio of 1.5 to 1, the greater the effect of screen and more of the more pleasant. IPod control as a landmark design, scroll wheel (wheel) of the operating body stuck in the flat surface, the new version of iPod nano5 replaced the arc-shaped body, scroll wheel from the plane into a three-dimensional, or handle to use it good. Arc-shaped design at the same time hold more comfortable in the hand. New version of the iPod nano5 most important sign is it the camera, mounted on the bottom left of the back of the fuselage, iPod nano5 relatively newly introduced camera features unique to photography but can not take pictures, Steve Jobs explained that because of nano is so thin, can not fit the equipment automatically set focus.

FM radio function is also one of the latest features iPod nano5. With different camera, FM radio effect of surprised that the author. First, the need to plug in headphones to radio. Second, the broadcasting area is divided into five regions: the Americas, Asia, Australia, Europe and Japan, select “Asian” and then quit. During playback interface, press and hold the middle of the round key to switch the volume and channel selection.

Apple owns the world’s most powerful music management system, in support of the format did not worry. But as usual, with how we look at hardware and software to support the sound format: AAC (16 至 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (the iTunes Store to buy), MP3 (16 至 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2,3 and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV. The official data shows the frequency range of 20Hz response to 20,000 Hz, a very powerful addition to support human to set volume limits, equalizer, volume balance is done enough homework

In the picture browsing function, iPod nano5 as always, in the preview box, and his party showed four searches. When viewing the pictures, because the application of gravity sensing system, when the body rotates, nano5 can sense the direction of gravity, pictures are also able to flip at any time, can be seen from the diagram, picture shows clear colorful, high-quality reduction the screen character. This is entirely thanks to Apple’s iPod family has been proud of screen display technology.
Video playback, supports H.264 encoding and MPEG-4 encoded m4v, mp4, mov format, maximum support rate is 2.5 Mbps, the maximum support for the video of the original resolution 640 × 480, the maximum playback frame rate of 30 per second, Low- Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile and Simple Profile for MPEG-4 AAC-LC audio formats with a maximum 160Kbps, 48 KHz. Simple data from the player point of view, with little change in 4 generations.

iPod nano 5 when the battery is full up to 24 hours of music playback, or up to 4 hours of video, This ultra-thin body of the nano, it’s not good. Another fast charging time of about 1.5 hours (charges up to full power 80%), and complete about 3 hours charging time

Always be those who say that Apple is not buying any other purchase, buy is the “apple.” Indeed, Apple’s sound quality still continue nano4 in nano5 on the chip and the sound design, and can not be regarded as the world’s best sound quality of MP3, but the 5th generation camera and a high number of playable video filter function to increase, so nano5 become the history of the most fun nano! Apple’s iPod as “World of Warcraft” positioning, they are no longer selling the product performance and quality of nature, more of a personalized design and good user experience. Simple and bright colors, simple interface is not fancy, this is Apple.

Apple iPhone in the beginning, voices of doubt have been constant reports, after all, Apple is a winner in the field of digital music, brilliant in the field area can be copied to the phone really worth watching. Observing the global mobile phone market, intense competition can imagine, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and other phone giants have already occupied most of the mobile phone market space, Apple’s entry into the field to have much chance? But after a year of development, the fact that, iPhone is not only still alive, and has achieved global sales of 6,000,000 units of the results. Jobs figures released to the industry’s first feeling is that there is nothing impossible.

Then again, back to the early iPhone market, as 3G mobile phone market was already in a germinating state, so when some people wonder, Apple is not known trends you leader? Not say he is the spokesman for fashion? Why iPhone is not supported 3G? From the sentimental point of view, this is indeed contrary to Apple’s long-standing principle of product development. But from a rational point of view, started his mobile phone in the field for a layman, the technical background enough coordination with operators still need time, how to ensure stable sales volume is the first consideration may be the problem. Therefore, from 2G cut into the mobile phone market, can be seen as Apple’s attack, retreat and defend a good move.

Today, Apple’s iPhone has been popular in the market, timely introduction of 3G version of iPhone has been the general trend. The basis for such a good market, before it is due to rational choice.

The successful conclusion of the annual Macworld Expo, and had different, 3G version of iPhone’s inside information has been one month before the General Assembly will pass storm. Obviously, after a year of time accumulated in the lung power, let Apple get publicity for the iPhone OF SHAOGUAN many. According to foreign reports, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs actually introduced nearly two hours with a 3G version of iPhone, shows, iPhone in Apple’s position has been not only a new product line, we can re-define its future development strategy for the Apple cornerstone.

According to Apple’s statement, 3G version of iPhone combines iPod, cell phone, mobile Internet terminal, GPS, music player five functions, can be said that Apple’s ability to housekeeping are used in the iPhone. If we take the iPod as a special forces, then the iPhone is the special forces unit. It can be said, iPhone’s combat effectiveness is strong, but once the discrepancies, the consequences could be so Apple can not afford.

In addition, not only in the 3G version of Apple’s iPhone have extraordinary publicity move, the pricing is also beyond most people’s expectations. Apple offers two 3G version of iPhone in the market reference price, storage capacity of the 3G version iPhone for the 16GB sells for 299 U.S. dollars , 8GB dropped to 199 U.S. dollars . Apple’s sales target is year 2008 sales of 10 million units, accounting for the global handset market volume of 1%. Jobs himself on such a big a splint the loss point estimated profit is inevitable.

Another interesting thing is that although Apple claims the one hand, in the July 11 after the 3G version of iPhone into 22 countries and regions, and this year will be 3G version of iPhone sales area expanded to 70 countries and regions , but does not include the Chinese mainland and Taiwan. On the other hand is different from the first version of the iPhone 3G version of iPhone, joined the Chinese input method. If combined with some recent rumors, such as the 3G version of iPhone sales wider region, but also covers Hong Kong, in July 11 after a month of parallel imports will be able to enter the Mainland market, and prices have been forecast even to 2,500 yuan.

The move of Apple, is preparing to enter the Mainland market, or acquiescence of parallel imports of existence? Or it can be seen as China’s telecom operators a silent protest against it.
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From the June 2007 , Apple iPhone, has been born three years, developed the 3rd generation. Apple iPhone 3G previous view, because the design is basically the same shape, I believe some people have a Shenmeipilao products, but Apple’s charm is still endless. U.S. investment bank Piper Jaffray, in a survey of U.S. youth found that 14% of young Americans already have at least one Apple iPhone, while 31% of American young people hope to buy as soon as possible to their Apple iPhone mobile phone.

The survey shows that at least 31% of young people over the next six months time, get a Apple iPhone, compared with last year’s survey, this ratio increased by 9%. Last year’s survey shows that only 8% of young people to buy the Apple iPhone, but this proportion has now risen to 14%. Piper Jaffray analyst believes that Apple in the consumer electronics industry is still the dominant position has not changed, and people desire to buy Apple products showed increasing trend, this phenomenon is particularly evident among young people, of course, some of the elderly also Apple’s electronics obsession.

Compared to iPhone, Apple iPod, the market leader in the United States is more significant, 97% of young people in the U.S. have their own MP3, while 92% of young people to buy Apple’s iPod line of players is far higher than the purchase of Microsoft’s Zune and Sony Walkman series of proportion. As the number of users to use Apple iPod, Apple’s iTunes music download the current service has been very popular. Analysts believe that the success of Apple in the U.S. market, the key is to cater to the tastes of young people, and lead the fashion, even though the product design, Apple is not perfect, but Apple is still incomplete brought us the feeling of aesthetic.

The current generation of tablet PCs iPad Apple has also opened new sales, the industry has for the iPad the introduction of the larger controversy, but from the perspective of Apple users, iPad continues Apple’s style, and brought new customers to use experience. Apple is very optimistic about the future of the iPad, though Apple also admitted that the introduction of the Apple iPad some products will have a negative impact on consumption, but in view of future development, iPad huge sales will make Apple to get more profits.