Live and Unsigned finalists The Vecks.Picture by paultuckerphotography.co.uk
THE Vecks will be playing London’s O2 after securing their place in the grand final of Live and Unsigned, Britain’s biggest original music competition.
The band’s big moment came at the southern finals held at Portsmouth Guildhall last Saturday.
They performed their own song FFFCC into Foster The People’s Pumped Up Kicks in front of 600 people, including scores of their own fans and supporters who wore T-shirts and waved flags emblazoned with the band’s name.
Frontman Jack Skinner said: "The feeling after we played was incredible. When you connect with a song and the audience connects with you, there’s no feeling like it.
"It was also said we had a standing ovation from the judges, which meant a lot to us."
The band had to endure a long, nervous wait backstage before their moment in the spotlight finally arrived.
Jack said: "We were ready from the word go. We had worked really hard to put our song together for the day. We knew we had a lot of support coming on the day and we knew we had to step up our game. And I think we did that!
"A huge thank you to everyone involved with The Vecks, Wightlink for giving us a deal on travel and everyone who come on the day."
The Vecks were one of only two bands to go straight through to the final on July 14, with the chance to win £10,000, a recording contract and the chance to appear at 15 festivals.
Cowes band Blue Motion won the exposure award for their efforts with publicity, and won a brand new TC Electronic amp.
LaCode 4, however, did not make it through to the national final.
The band’s Johnny Green, from Freshwater, said: "We were on stage for three-and-a-half minutes and did two songs, one of our own, Dirty Little Something, and a cover version of Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots Are Made For Walking.
"We had a fantastic time. It was all so professional with people looking after us backstage and helping us to set up our equipment and do a sound check.
"It was a great experience and we can only learn from it."
Reporter: martinn@iwcpmail.co.uk
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Google, Samsung team up for new PCs - Australian Financial Review
Google, Samsung team up for new PCs
Google has taken the “next step” along the way to convincing us that computers built around its Chrome operating system are worth giving a damn about, launching two new Chrome OS computers with Samsung and penning a little haiku to accompany the news:
Last year we announced
a new kind of computer
This is the next step
Though, equally, the haiku might have read like this:
Here are two PCs
They don’t do a lot of stuff
Does anyone care?
Not many people cared the first time around – I can’t say that I know too many people who own a Chrome OS computer – but who knows what will happen this time? A partnership between Google, the world’s largest advertising company, and Samsung, the world’s largest consumer electronics company, must eventually produce results, right?
Chrome OS (for those of you who didn’t care the first time) is a lightweight operating system designed for people who run most or all of their computing services in the internet cloud. If you use Google Docs instead of Microsoft Word for your word processing, and Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Contacts instead of Microsoft Outlook, you could well be a candidate for one of these two new machines.
One of the new Samsung devices is a “Chromebook” laptop known as the Samsung Series 5 550. It’s said to have a battery that lasts 2.5 times longer than Samsung’s first foray into Chromebooks, the Series 5.
It will go on sale in Best Buy stores in the US, as well as online, for $US449 for the Wi-Fi-only version, and $US549 for a version that incorporates 3G mobile broadband.
Perhaps of more interest is the other new device, known as a Chromebox. It’s what would once have been called a thin-client PC, or maybe an Apple Mac Mini, with an Intel Core processor, 4Gb of RAM, 6 USB ports, ethernet as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a DVI output for attaching it to a monitor. So, not all that thin, at least from a hardware specs perspective. It will sell for $US329.
The Samsung Chromebox: just add a monitor
Source: Google
One of the main criticisms of the previous generations of Chromebooks (to the extent that anyone bothered criticising them at all) was that they weren’t very good at doing stuff when they weren’t attached to the internet.
For cloud-centric machines, they were a little too cloud-centric.
But Google promises it has fixed that issue with the latest version of Chrome OS, which will sport a version of Google Drive (Google’s cloud-based storage system) that supports offline file access, and a version of Google Documents (Google’s answer to Microsoft Office) that allows you to work on documents even when you’re not attached to the internet.
That’s on top of what Google promises are hundreds of “offline-capable web apps” already in the Google app store, a phrase that must be less oxymoronic than it sounds.
Windows 8 so cheap, it’s almost free
Windows 7 users who feel a little short-changed by the shift to Windows 8 in coming months will be able to upgrade for pocket change. Microsoft has set the price for a Windows 8 upgrade, and it’s only $US14.99.
Depending on currency fluctuations between now and the launch of Windows 8 in October*, that could cost you as little a five cups of coffee.
But there’s a catch with that low price: it only applies to people who buy a Windows 7 PC after June 2 this year.
Whether or not you’d really want to upgrade a Windows 7 to Windows 8 is another matter, though.
If you’re buying a Windows 7 machine between now and October* (or indeed between now and next January, which is when the cheap upgrade offer expires), the chances are it won’t have a touch sensitive screen, and given that most of the enhancements to Windows 8 work best with a touch screen, Windows 8 will have limited, no, or possibly even negative appeal to many potential upgraders.
But there are a few things to Windows 8 that might convince a non-touch screen PC owner to shell out those $15. In the Windows 8 Release preview, the company greatly improved the software which drives touchpads, bringing it closer to the rich gesture-based, multi-touch experience that Mac owners have enjoyed for years. Multi-monitor support will be better in Windows 8 than in Windows 7, too: you’ll have more control over the location of the task bar, and will even be able to have a task bar on each monitor, with each one containing icons only for the applications that are displayed on that monitor.
By the time it’s released in October*, Windows 8 should also use less disk space, take up less memory, and use less CPU power than Windows 7, all of which might matter a great deal to someone without a touch screen PC but with, say, a low-voltage Ultrabook which didn’t come with a lot of memory or a lot of hard disk space in the first place. For such people, $US14.99 might seem like a bargain indeed.
(*Microsoft has yet to announce an official launch date for Windows 8, but in his blog the man in charge of Windows, Steven Sinofsky, wrote that Windows 8 would “enter the final phases of the Release To Manufacturing process in about two months”. This would put Windows on course for that much-rumoured October release.)
Samsung teases Series 5 Hybrid PC, a Windows 8 tablet with magnetic keyboard dock and pen support (update: hands-on photos) - engadget
You wanted Windows 8 tablet / laptop mash-ups, you got 'em! On the heels of some rather inventive product launches from Acer and ASUS here at Computex, Samsung is teasing a Win8 device of its own, the Series 5 Hybrid PC. For now, Samsung's not sharing many technical details -- we don't even know the screen size! -- but the concept, at least, is self-explanatory: this is a Transformer-like tablet that slots into an accompanying keyboard dock. In an interesting twist, though, this device doesn't make use of your run-of-the-mill latch mechanism; instead, the slate attaches magnetically.
The Hybrid is rated for 10 hours of battery life and has a pair of 2- and 8-megapixel cameras. It also supports pen input, and will come bundled with the same S-Pen and S-Memo software used on the Galaxy Note 10.1 (but modified for Windows, of course). This might be a good time to clarify that unlike the 10.1 (or any other Galaxy Tab, for that matter), this is not an ARM-based slate, but rather, an X86 PC. This means, of course, that it runs full Windows 8, and not just the RT version. As it happens, Engadget had the chance to check out a prototype in advance of the launch, and it was running a two-watt Intel Clover Trail CPU. At the time, a Samsung rep told us the company was considering an ultra low voltage notebook-grade processor. Other possible specs: a 1080p display option, with some lower, unspecified resolution offered as well. Lastly, the early model we saw had a USIM slot, a microSD reader and a Superspeed USB port. Keep in mind, though, that all these details are subject to change.
Back when we got a sneak peek at the Hybrid, we handled a non-powered unit, and members of the press were not permitted to take photos or video that day. We can't speak to the software experience, then, but we did find the build quality to be solid. If the idea of a magnetic hinge gives you the willies, this one seemed quite sturdy -- we don't see the slate slipping out of its cradle without any effort on the part of the user. At 747 grams (1.65 pounds) and 9mm (0.35 inches) thick, it feels denser than similar-looking products like the ASUS Transformer Prime, but then again, this is a fully functioning PC. Though Samsung won't confirm the screen size, a quick once-over told us it measures between 10 and 11 inches diagonally, matching other Win8 tablets announced this week. For now, this blend of facts and educated guesses will have to suffice, but we'll naturally hit you back with more particulars as we hear them.
Update: Samsung reps staffing the company's Computex booth confirmed that the screen measures 11 inches.
Zach Honig contributed to this report.
Samsung Galaxy S III vs. iPhone 4S: Which One Breaks First? [VIDEO] - Mashable
The Samung Galaxy S III has a lot of cool features, including a couple of “first evers” among smartphones, like its voice-activated wake-up feature. But is it just as revolutionary in its durability?
To find out, SquareTrade, an independent warranty provider, subjected Samsung’s hot new Android phone to a drop test. For comparison, it also dropped another hot phone with which you may be familiar: the iPhone 4S.
It’s actually a three-part test. First, SquareTrade dropped the phone from ear level — certainly a fair test since a drop while making a call is probably the worst case scenario because of the phone’s height above the ground. Next, they gave both phones to two small (and super-cute) kids, simulating what a toddler might do to a parent’s phone. (SquareTrade says one in four parents have had their kids damage their phone in some way.)
Finally it was time for the car test, letting both phones slip off the back trunk of a moving vehicle as it pulls away. One in 15 people have damaged their phones “in and around” their cars, according to the company.
So who wins? It’s actually a close one, with both phones sustaining damage in all three tests. However, the iPhone 4S came out with less wear and tear after two of the three tests. Samsung’s latest and greatest withstood the Attack of the Kids better than the iPhone, though — possibly due to its plastic back (the iPhone’s is glass).
How much punishment should a smartphone be able to withstand? And does any phone on the market impress you with its durability? Let us know in the comments.
BONUS: 6 Ways to Kill Your iPad
Apple, Samsung continues tablet dominance - Zd Net Asia.com
Apple, Samsung continue tablet dominance: 59 Jakarta 10350, Indonesia Tablet shipments reached 18.2 million devi... http://t.co/FyXROl1U
36 minutes ago by SebastianDony on twitterSamsung Galaxy S III Ready to Challenge Apple iPhone 4S - gamenguide.com
Samsung is ready to launch its biggest attempt with its Galaxy S III to take the smart phone throne away from Apple’s iPhone 4S.
The Korean mobile giant will make the device available in five U.S. carriers with same branding and design. The phone will be available on Sprint and T-Mobile on June 21, and AT&T, Verizon, and U.S. Cellular will follow.
Now there had been lots of discussions in the past of who can actually challenge the status that Apple has set with its iPhones, but none managed to succeed. But if there is one phone that could come as close to beating it, Galaxy S III might be it.
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Since two years ago, Samsung started earning reputation with its Galaxy S series, now becoming the second most popular smart phone model after iPhone.
One big plus for Galaxy S III is its availability in five different U.S. carriers. While Apple iPhone is only available in Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T, Samsung was able to make deals also with T-Mobile and U.S. Cellular. And just like iPhone, Galaxy S III will have the same brand and design across different carriers.
This had been a major change that other phones were not able to accomplish in a long time. When a phone was available in different carriers, there had been slight differences in design and/or brand. Samsung Galaxy S III will be same across all different carriers.
What is the benefit, one might ask.
For one, it will be helpful in building the reputation of the S series. The consistency will also help accessories developers, since they are free of worrying about all the little changes. And the more of same models in the market will also boost its marketing effect.
Of course, having the same brand and same model across different carriers cannot be the only aspect that could put Galaxy S III in the same league with iPhone 4S.
The new device is coming out with amazing specs, including the 4.8-inch 1280 x 720 HD Super AMOLED display, Snapdragon S4 processor with two cores at 1.5 GHz each and 2 GB of ram, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and Samsung’s TouchWiz interface skin. The back camera comes with 8-megapixle and the front camera with 2-megapixle. The device is capable of recording 1080p/720p HD video as well. And Galaxy S III supports 4G LTE and HSPA+.
The launch of the first models is only week away. And when it does, we will see whether it could really take the throne away from Apple’s iPhone, or just another Android’s failed attempt.
Samsung Galaxy S3 Verizon unveiled, no release date mentioned - popherald.com
June 4th, 2012, 2:15 P.M.-- Verizon Wireless finally unveils its Samsung Galaxy S3, will ship with Long Term Evolution, competitive price tag, and a physical home button. However, Verizon is not yet announcing the phone’s release date.
Yes, we can definitely say the word “finally,” because Verizon Wireless unveiled its next smartphone today that might convince you to switch to Long Term Evolution, the Samsung Galaxy S3. Surprisingly, at least for me, is the price tag of the Verizon Galaxy S3, only $199.99 on 2-year contract agreement, similar to Apple’s iPhone 4S also with 16GB storage.
According to Verizon, it will start the pre-order process this week, on June 6th, starting at 7 in the morning New York City time. Apparently, you can place your pre-orders in Verizon stores nationwide. No word yet from Verizon Wireless or even Samsung about the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3′s exact release date, but based on other wireless providers’ Galaxy S3, it looks like the rumored June 20/21 is a sweet spot.
I should note that the Samsung Galaxy S3, aside from its Long Term Evolution support, is very different from the original unlocked Galaxy S3 smartphone that can be found overseas. Starting from the phone’s CPU or System-on-a-chip, you’ll not find Samsung’s Exynos quad-core chip, and instead, the phone is equipped with the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Krait CPU with integrated LTE radio. Is this a good news or a bad news? Well, it is a trade-off, and due to network-related issues, Snapdragon S4 will do just fine.
Verizon's Samsung Galaxy S3 with the clicky physical home button and two colors to choose from.
According to Extremetech’s report posted last quarter, Snapdragon S4 is arguably a battery saver because it is ”capable of dynamically altering the clock speed of each core individually to respond to system demands,” which means, it saves battery while maintaining the phone’s high-quality performance. The report also added that using NenaMark benchmark, third-party testers found that Qualcomm’s chip can compete with TI’s OMAP4 or even the new Nvidia Tegra 3.
I’m not into the chipset war that sparks debate, because I’m not a businessman. However, the tests are impressive enough to convince me that Snapdragon S4 is a “no slouch” piece of technology.
Meanwhile, Samsung is claiming that its Exynos 4, the quad-core CPU found in the international unlocked Samsung Galaxy S3, is also a battery saver because it was built using 32nm HKMG and they claim that it consumes 20 per cent less power than the previous Exynos generation developed on 45nm, the dual-core chip found in the 2011 smash hit, the Galaxy S2.
Also, the Verizon Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with 2GB RAM, twice bigger than the international’s Galaxy S III with 1GB RAM. The Verizon S3 is also equipped with the same 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 coating, so your phone can survive your angry car keys.
Other features are Android Ice Cream Sandwich, currently the latest version of Google’s OS, 8-megapixel back-facing camera, front-facing camera, and Samsung’s new Nature UX that replaced the love/hate TouchWiz user interface.
The Samsung Galaxy S3 of Verizon also comes with a physical home button, the clicky hardware design that will allow you to access Android’s new ICS multitasking user interface, plus, Samsung’s new S Voice, the voice command feature which is similar to Apple’s Siri. Not only the Verizon model, according to one leak available online, the T-Mobile variant is also shipping with the same design.
Credit Card Friendly Price Watch: The Verizon LTE-equipped Samsung Galaxy S3 is more affordable than the international unlocked model, however, the overseas variant is already available and you can order it online to the tune of $800 to $900, yikes! Bloody expensive. I think the subsidized Verizon Galaxy S3, or the other Galaxy S3 U.S. variants (Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and AT&T) are more attractive as of the moment, especially if you’re eligible for an upgrade. Also, be sure to watch your data plans, less is more.
Samsung Galaxy S3 vs. Motorola Droid 3: Android Smartphones' Shootout - ibtimes.co.uk
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Dimension
The Droid 3 has dimensions of 124 x 64 x 13mm and weighs 167g, whereas the Galaxy S3 measures 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6mm and weighs just 133g.
Display
The Droid 3 features a 4.0in TFT capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 960 x 540 pixels at 275 pixels per inch (ppi). The Galaxy S3 comes with a 4.8in Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels at 306 ppi. It is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 which offers better touch responsiveness than its predecessor. It includes the TouchWiz 4.0 User Interface that features visual improvements as well as motion gestures.
Processor
The Droid 3 is powered by a TI OMAP 4430 chipset with a 1GHz dual-core Cortex-A9 processor. By comparison, the Galaxy S3 is powered by a quad-core Exynos 4212 processor, which was clocked at 1.4GHz. The Droid 3 ships with 512MB of RAM while the Galaxy S3 comes with 1GB of RAM.
Camera
Both smartphones pack eight megapixel rear-facing cameras with auto-focus, LED flash, touch focus, geo-tagging and face detection and both phones allow users to capture videos at 1080p. The Droid 3 has a secondary VGA-quality camera, while the Galaxy S3 comes with a 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera.
Operating System
The Droid 3 runs on the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) operating system whereas the Galaxy S3 comes pre-installed with the latest version of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS)) - Android 4.0.4.
Storage
The Droid 3 has just the one model - with 16GB of onboard memory. It does, however, accept a microSD card and provides for additional memory of up to 32GB. The Galaxy S3, in contrast, comes in three internal storage variants - 16/32/64GB. The 64GB model is expected to arrive later this year. It too has a microSD card slot and provides more additional memory than the Droid 3 - 64GB.
Connectivity
The Droid 3 offers Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR. By comparison, the Galaxy S3 features Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and EDR.
Battery
The Motorola smartphone comes with a Li-Ion 1540mAh standard battery which allows for talk time of up to 550 minutes and stand by time of up to 300 hours. On the other hand, the Samsung smartphone is has a Li-Ion 2100mAh standard battery which allows for talk time of up to 11 hours 40 minutes and stand by time of up to 790 hours on 3G networks.
Any views or opinions presented in the comments above are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the Isle of Wight County Press.