Hisense Sero 7 LT Android Tablet Review

Happy New Year everyone. Here's my first YT post of 2014 - a gadget / tech review.

This is the Hisense Sero 7 LT Android Tablet.7 inch screen, runs on Android JellyBean 4.1.1

Here are some specs:
3GHz dual-core processor, 1gb RAM
3,400mAh battery
Screen resolution of 1024 X 600 pixel
runs Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean out of the box
has a mini-HDMi port
internal storage of 4 gb, expandable storage (up to 32 gb)

A few things it's lacking:
No GPS capabilities
No Bluetooth capability
No rear-facing camera, and its front facing cam is only 0.3MP

It has a rear audio speaker which is adequate for the casual user.

Purchase price was well below the $100 mark including the shipping.
Straight out of the box it was already charged up but I decided to go ahead and charge it overnight. The package was delivered during a very cold evening so the device felt very cold to the touch as soon as I unpacked it. I ordered it from an online retailer and they did a piss-poor job of packaging the box so right from the get go I had my concerns with this tablet working properly. This is not the fault of Hisense since there's no way they can control how individual retailers ship their products.

Back to the device - I had no issues with wifi connectivity which is always a plus. It wasn't preloaded with a lot of bloatware. It did prompt me to do a system update as soon as it was connected online which I went ahead and did (took less than a few minutes). The touch screen was quite responsive. I didn't get a chance to test out any games on this but the primary use for this device was for viewing media such as Youtube vids and Netflix so those were the ones I wanted to check first. I also downloaded a forum app, Tapatalk Pro, which worked  fine on it as well. The Hisense Sero 7 LT does come with the Google marketplace. On a full charge, the battery lasted a little over 4.5 hours after doing some web surfing, video watching (via YT & Netflix), trying out various apps. I didn't get to try Instagram or Minecraft on it - I only address this because this seems to be the most commonly asked questions regarding tablets, at least for me.

This would be ideal for an entry level device, especially for a casual user. Originally, I was seeking for the Hisense Sero 7 Pro but was unsuccesful. This LT version showed up during my search for a great reduced price during an extended Cyber Monday sale so we snapped it up.

You can still purchase one at Amazon, here's the link:

http://amzn.to/1kj1MsL

Emerson 4.3 Inch Android Tablet ICS Review

Unboxing video 

First Impressions Review

Emerson 4.3 inch screen size (multitouch screen)

Operating system: 4.0 ICS Android Tablet

Model EM543

Color: White

Price is $60

Screen is capacitive.

Ram: 512MB DDR3

Internal memory 4gb

Has external microsd slot - can use up to 32gb

Since this seems to be popular with the entry level android tablet crowd - be sure to charge it up fully before attempting to use it straight out of the box.

What it comes with:

The tablet, USB cable (for charging battery and file transfers), a quick start guide and a slip of paper that has the info regarding where you can purchase the AC adapter which is $14.95. It's an 800 number.

It has a front facing camera - works fine for vid, still photos, and video chat.

I didn't have any issues connecting to the wifi at all.

It comes with preloaded apps. Some of them you can uninstall and some you'll have to find a root app remover from the app store.

It has 1mobileapp and amazon apps market installed. I ended up just keeping and using 1mobileapp.

Originally I intended to install Google market in this but after comparing the available apps between the two, I decided against it. 1mobileapp is sufficient.

We bought this for our younger son who is autistic so I customized the apps according to stuff he will use it for. Mainly for some games, surfing, YouTube, Netflix, and as an AAC talker (brief review of this particular app is up on my YT channel).

After cleaning up the preloaded apps I freed up quite a bit of space. We also put in a 4gb microsd card in the device.

Games:

Tried out several games to see if there's any lag on any of them - surprisingly everything worked as expected. It does have 3D game support, the accelerator works just fine.

Web browsing:

Pages loaded up quickly.

Video playback:

Netflix - works seamlessly. The initial time I synced the account, the image blurred and pixellated for a few seconds. After that, no issues.

YouTube - Very good load time, no issues encountered.

I would say this a great portable media device. I was happy with the quality of the image and for such a small device it's extremely loud.

Battery time:

I played games for 2 hours straight on it on a full charge and still had plenty of power to go by for maybe an hour of light browsing. I would say for general web use you can probably stretch out usage to 4 hours, maybe even 5 if you optimize everything (shut down unnecessary apps running in the background).

The only complaint I have on this is that it doesn't include an ac adapter.

Also it might be a little challenging to find a case for it. I ended up getting a Nintendo DS case - it fits perfectly in it.

Overall I would give the device 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Great entry level android device for the casual user. If you intend on using it as e-reader you're better off getting at least a 7 inch screen to reduce eyestrain.

Here's the manufacturer site for this tablet.

http://southerntelecom.com/emersonsupport/index.html

It has FAQs, system updates, download, quick start guide. Really helpful place to answer most of  your questions.

Note: I will sometimes do gadget reviews and tech editions here at ApocalypseHub since I'm a big fan of gadgets and I rely on a lot of it to run and maintain this site as well as many others. 

 

I'm not one for impulse purchases especially on electronics so I usually do a considerable amount of research first before buying something.

I hope these reviews helps people to be smarter consumers. 

 

Thank you kindly for your support!

Asus Transformer TF101 Android Tablet First Impressions Review

This post is a little different than the usual. Technology is a big part of my life and
how I work as well as how I run my sites.

We've been on the market to get another tablet - this is my second one and I knew that I
wanted to stick with the Android OS. Nothing against Apple products, I actually own
several. We just needed more flexibility among other things.

As with any major purchase I always assess what its main function would be in our
household and how it would fit in our lifestyle. Based on that I do an extensive product
research.

The main reasons we went with this tablet:
Storage - has option to expand storage via MicroSD
Optional Keyboard Dock - "Transforms" the Android tablet into a netbook-ish contraption.
It increases battery life as well as storage space.
Price - $349.00 (tablet only)

First impressions

The good:
Beautiful display, as expected with the IPS screen.
Decent sound from the speakers
Multitasking work horse
Easy transition to Ice Cream Sandwich Android OS
Cloud storage by ASUS
Splashtop remote desktop feature
Flash compatible
Battery life has been decent so far
front facing and rear cameras are decent for what I use it for

The bad:
Fingerprint magnet (minor detail, really. I just end up wiping the screen down after every
use just because I'm a neat freak)

File manager is a bit confusing

Apps 2 SD type applications don't automatically recognize the external storage so I'm
having to manually drag everything into the microSD card. (From my understanding this is
not an isolated issue and that it affects Honeycomb and ICS OS) Again it's not a deal
breaker but more of an inconvenience.


The ugly:
None


Overall: 5/5 stars so far for this device.  I'll be doing additional assessments of this tablet as I
get more use out of it and will post my thoughts on that as well as on the assortment of
apps that I like. Stay tuned.

Gadget Preps: My Digital Prepper Library

Being fairly new to prepping, I feel that acquiring knowledge and new skills is more important than having a lot of cool gear. 

One of the first things I did was to create a reading list of sorts. Shelf space is very limited for us being in a city / urban setting and I didn't want to crowd our place with clutter.

Solution? I've loaded my Android tablet with pdfs / epub / mobi files for use on either the Nook, Kindle, Aldiko or ezPDF reader apps.

I've used this in conjunction with Dropbox where I store the ebooks to save space on my chosen device. I always double backup my files (just in case!) so I also store the files in a microSD card which also enables me to access the data in any compatible device.

Not only do I use this for prepper / survivalist / bushcraft books, I also use it with fiction books. It's been a great way of keeping everything organized and accessible.

So far I have probably a bit over 20 books (and growing) in my prepper digital library. If I read a book that I really enjoy, I purchase a print version of it as well.


With the price point for a standard ereader now as low as under $100 for either the Nook or Kindle (you can get a decent starter Android tablet for around $200-250), I highly recommend adding this to your preparedness / prepper arsenal.

Zombies, Run! (App) - Working Out to the Tune of Zombie Apocalypse

We all can probably get into better shape these days, right?

You ask: What's my motivation?!

To which I answer: A race to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Yeah, you heard me. There's an app in development right now thanks to a successful Kickstarter funding.

It's called Zombies, Run! and in a nutshell, it's an interactive zombie story for runners.During your run you collect items (medicine, batteries, ammo) and at the end of your run you get o allocate these supplies then resume the adventure on your next run.

Storytelling, physical fitness, and zombies. What else do you need?
To be released for iPhone and Android in 2012

Check out their site http://www.zombiesrungame.com/

Quantum Levitation - Quantum Trapping in action

I know what you're thinking. Hoverboards like Marty McFly had is just around the corner, right? Maybe even a game of Quidditch. Not quite. Superconductors only have the field vanishing qualities during extremely cold temps. You would need room-temp conductors for that, which hasn't been discovered yet. Plus there's other components that factor in. But let's just keep the geek dream alive eh?

For a more detailed explanation, read the physics behind it.

Car of the future? Self-driving cars could be out by end of decade.

Vehicles that partially drive themselves will be available by the middle of the decade with more sophisticated self-driving systems by the end of the decade, General Motors Vice President of Global Research and Development Alan Taub says.

These advances in autonomous vehicle technology are built on leading-edge advanced active safety systems, Taub told the Intelligent Transport Systems World Congress in Orlando on Sunday.

Sensors, radars, portable communication devices, GPS and cameras are the tools that supply critical information to the driver and the automobile’s computer system. Combined with digital maps, the same technologies will allow the driver to let the vehicle concentrate on driving while he does something else.
“The technologies we’re developing will provide an added convenience by partially or even completely taking over the driving duties,” Taub said. “The primary goal, though, is safety. Future generation safety systems will eliminate the crash altogether by interceding on behalf of drivers before they’re even aware of a hazardous situation.”

GM is already putting some of these advanced safety systems into its vehicles. For example, a lane departure warning system is available on the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain; a side blind-zone alert is available on the Cadillac Escalade, Buick LaCrosse, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban. A host of vehicles, including the Equinox and Terrain, offer back-up cameras.

Additional advanced safety systems under development will provide the foundation for autonomous driving including:

• An industry-first crash avoidance system available on the 2012 GMC Terrain uses a camera to help drivers avoid front-end and lane departure crashes. The system uses a high-resolution digital camera mounted on the windshield ahead of the rearview mirror to look for shapes of vehicles and lane markings, alerting the driver to possible collisions and lane departures.

• Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication systems gather information from other vehicles, roadways and traffic signals to warn drivers about possible hazards ahead, including slowed or stalled vehicles, hard-braking drivers, slippery roads, sharp curves and upcoming stop signs and intersections. These systems, on display this week at the ITS World Congress, can be embedded in the vehicle or be added as applications to portable devices/smartphones that connect wirelessly to the vehicle.

• The EN-V urban mobility concept combines GPS with vehicle-to-vehicle communications and distance-sensing technologies to enable autonomous driving. The EN-V’s capabilities being demonstrated at the ITS World Congress includes pedestrian detection, collision avoidance, platooning and automated parking and retrieval, where the EN-V drops off its driver, parks itself and then returns to pick up the driver via commands from a smartphone.

“In the coming years, we believe the industry will experience a dramatic leap in active safety systems, and, hopefully, a dramatic decline in injuries and fatalities on our roadways,” Taub said. “GM has made a commitment to be at the forefront of this development.”

GM and Carnegie Mellon University worked together to develop the “The Boss” Chevrolet Tahoe that brought autonomous vehicle operation to life in 2007 and won the DARPA Urban Challenge. The event required teams to build a driverless vehicle capable of driving in traffic and performing complex maneuvers such as merging, passing, parking and negotiating intersections over a 60-mile course.

Navy's UFO-like X-47B Makes First Flight in Cruise Mode

The Navy’s ultimate stealth fighter drone has achieved a new milestone — it flew in cruise configuration for the first time, stowing its landing gear for a streamlined flight. 


The jet-powered, autonomous X-47B is designed for aerodynamic flight — it doesn’t even have a tail — partly to improve its stealth capabilities. But until now, its flight tests hadn’t retracted the landing gear, making it difficult to test its aerodynamic attributes. Further tests will help engineers prove the aircraft’s performance under a wide range of altitude, speed and fuel conditions.
Northrop Grumman is developing the X-4B on behalf of the U.S. Navy, which plans to use them on aircraft carriers. The drone is designed as a robotic strike aircraft, capable of taking on a multitude of missions at much higher speeds than its prop-powered kin, the Predator and Reaper.
It will be the first unmanned aircraft to take off and land on an aircraft carrier deck. As such, the Navy is also studying drone intelligence, so each X-47B will not need to pester the tower when the pattern is full.

[Via PopSci]

Wireless Biometric E-Passports And E-ID Cards Roll Out In 2014 For EU

Digital security specialists, major European electronics makers, and experts in biometrics worked together to make passport control at airports faster. The technology also could have broader applications on the way our identity documents are design and on the way we access public services.






The BioP@ss project, funded through the EUREKA micro-electronics cluster MEDEA+, has developed advanced chip cards and embedded software for next-generation biometrics-enhanced passports and identity cards as well as access to pan-European public services. Contactless card scanning and very high speed data interfacing will reduce queues at airports and frontier posts while boosting European security.

The technology will improve passengers safety while reducing government administration costs and simplifying access to public pan-European electronic services for citizens. The elements are already being incorporated in systems to meet air travel security standards from 2014.


Some 380 million identity cards are in circulation in the EU’s 500 million population. However, security levels must be raised for electronic e-ID cards and passports while also simplifying access to electronic public services for citizens across Europe. The challenge facing the digital security industry was to meet new standards without changing the infrastructure already in use in airports. It was also necessary to speed card reading to cut waiting times and enable access to much more data.

Extended security required

E-passports and e-ID cards incorporate a microprocessor chip storing crucial private information such as biometrics as well as name, date and country of birth. The EU required extended security to ensure that the chip could not be read without physical access to the ID document and that data exchanged between contactless chip and reading device is encrypted.

New technologies and standards developed during the project, implement asymmetric cryptography reliant on a shared key between reading device and chip during authentication. The result is enhanced data confidentiality which prevents skimming or eavesdropping.

Security specialist Gemalto set out to meet the new requirements through a project bringing together 11 partners in five countries covering all elements of the smart-card platform. “Gemalto invests heavily in research to retain its leadership position and we like co-operative programmes such as EUREKA for this type of complex innovative project,” explains Patrice Plessis of Gemalto.

While the initial focus was on e-passports and e-ID cards, applications were also envisaged for health-service access, electronic voting and driving licences. “We built on the results of the previous MEDEA+ Onom@Topic project,” says Plessis. The project won two years ago the prestigious EUREKA Innovation Award, rewarding every year a research project leading to outstanding commercial results.

Match-on-card environment

Facial image verification is the main use of biometrics features with e-passports and e-ID cards. The goal of BioP@ss was to develop an innovative match-on-card biometrics environment, suitable for on-card processing, and to develop an environment enabling users to interact from a biometrics e-ID personal device with a set of multiple near-field communication (NFC) enabled terminals. Concretely, airplane passengers will simply have to pass through a gate with their passport in their pocket to be immediately identified. This could replace the long waiting line at airports’ passport controls.

All this required new chip technologies which have provided several innovations such as very high bit rate contactless interfaces, able to transmit thousands of data parameters within a few seconds, advanced biometrics and NFC connectivity that will enable the delivery of innovative services to citizens by simply using a personal e-ID.

Advances in BioP@ss included further development of security chips and encryption technologies, and security software for personal computers. Data transfer rates between cards and readers have been increased more than tenfold – from 800 kb/s to 10 Mb/s. Moreover, a new chip-card operating system makes it possible to use future e-ID documents on the Internet without any additional software components on the PC.

“We also worked on proof of security for supplemental access control for e-passports, contributing a new standard called PACE -Password Authenticated Connection Establishment-, which was adopted in mid 2011,” says Plessis. In addition, the EUREKA project contributed to a new ISO standard for contactless data transfer, currently under consideration, and to the CEN IAS standard for the European Citizen Card.

Increasing security and mobility

BioP@ss made advances in the development of a software making operations on ID related data more transparent, thus creating the necessary protocols for what are already called third-generation passport, e-ID cards and resident permits. Those are very important for the new travel regulations initiated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, or ICAO, entering into practice from the end of 2014.

The technologies developed are being incorporated into card platforms by the BioP@ss partners. Packages including the technology are already on the market, while card specialists Gemalto and Giesecke & Devrient are working on complete contactless means of Internet authentification. Benefits include increased mobility in Europe with faster and more flexible access to e-government and better protection of personal data. “Moreover, it will be possible to reuse the building blocks developed in middleware/software, biometrics and protocols in other projects and platforms to improve European security and competitiveness,” points out Plessis.

[Via Eureka Network]