TECH for the Holidays

ComputersTablets

TVs

Everything Else

The $300 Computer

• Intel Celeron Dual Core or AMD A4 APU• Onboard AMD Discrete Class Graphics or Intel

HD graphics• 2-4 Gb DDR3 RAM• 500GB SATA Drive• Windows 10• 15.6” 1366 x 768 LED Screen• Did we mention it’s a LAPTOP!!!• And one more thing…

$150

What to expect for $300

• Intel Core i3 4th Gen• Intel HD 4600 • 4 - 6 Gb DDR3 RAM• 500Gb – 1Tb hard drive• DVD+-RW drive• 15.6” 1366 x 768 LED

Screen• Windows 10

• Intel Core i5 / i7 5th or 6th Gen CPU • 5th or 6th Gen CPU are denoted by the first number after core i

number e.g.: i5-5600 is a 5th gen, i7-6300 is a 6th gen.

• 8 Gb DDR Ram is minimum• High end integrated or Hybrid Graphics

- AMD or Nvidia– At least 2GB video Memory

• 1TB hard drive, try to get SSD drive- Do not get less than 256GB

- Hybrid gets you more capacity per dollar with half performance of normal SSD

• Most laptops in this category do not have DVD drives

• Go for a 1080p resolution or better

What to look for in a good Laptop (>$500)

What's an Ultrabook?• Ultrabook is a trademark of Intel for high end (high price) ultra

portable notebooks• 1.8 Ghz or higher Ultra Low Voltage CPU (All dual core) with a “U”

designation at the end of the CPU model• Some have discrete graphics• Weight under 4 Lbs• 8-16Gb RAM• Screen Size 11” to 15.6”

– From 1366 x 768 to 2160p• 128 - 512 Gb SSD Drive• Wireless AC and Bluetooth, possible WAN Modem• Windows 10• Longer battery life then larger counterparts• Cost between $600-1800 (price usually doesn’t change much)

A New Form of Laptop?

…No

What's a 2 in 1?• Convertible or 2 in 1 Laptops are a “hybrid” of tablet and laptop• Usually come in 2 styles: detachable or flip• Range greatly in spec from 1.3Ghz Atom to 2.0 Ghz or higher Core i7 with a

“U” designation at the end of the CPU model• Some have discrete graphics• Weight is usually under 3 Lbs• 2-16Gb RAM• Screen Size 8” to 11.6”

– All are touch screen– From 1366 x 768 to 1080p

• 32 - 512 Gb SSD Drive• Wireless AC and Bluetooth, possible WAN Modem• Windows 10• Longer battery life then larger counterparts when paired with the keyboard

(usually has second battery installed)• Cost range greater than any computer, from $130-1700

What about tablets?• Tablets have the widest range of variation from size,

hardware, OS and price• CPUs are either ARM or x86 based with 1 to 8 cores• can run Android or Windows• Weight is usually under 2 Lbs• 512MB - 16GB RAM• Screen Sizes from 4” to 12”

– All are touch screen– From to 400x800 to 2160p (1280 x 768 is most common)

• 4GB - 512GB SSD Drive• Wireless G and Bluetooth, possible WAN Modem• Cost range from $20!!!-$1600

What to look for in a tablet?• If going with ARM tablet, the more cores the better.

– Try to get at least 1.5Ghz dual core or 1.2Ghz quad core minimum• Get at least 1GB for Android and 2GB for Windows• Get a minimum screen resolution of:

– 1024 x 600 Android – 1280 x 800 Windows

• Get a minimum drive space of:– 8GB storage for Android– 32GB storage for windows

• Wireless G and Bluetooth• Cost range for above specs:

– $60 to $300 Android– $130 to $500 Windows

• ***Note*** DO NOT get a windows 8 tablet now. If a tablet is still on the market with windows 8 it means that it did not meet the requirements for an upgrade.

What About Desktops?• $300 Desktops

- Celeron or Pentium- 4Gb DDR3 RAM– 500Gb hard drive or 32GB

SSD– DVD+-RW drive (maybe)– Onboard Graphics with

HDMI hookups (maybe)– Windows 10– 15.6” – 21.5” LED Screen

• Usually touch screen

A new form of desktop exists called convertible desktops. They are basically tablets with large screens and a battery installed.Cost is usually $400 and up.

Stuff For Your Computer

$14.99

$8.99

$3.99

$2.99

What's new in TV land?• Terms you should know:

– UHD: applies to screen resolutions above 1080p, usually, but not necessarily 2160p (is applied to 8K resolution as well but very rare)

– 2160p: standard resolution adopted by most TV manufacturers with a resolution of 3840 × 2160 (8.3MP at 16:9)

– 4K: is a term used interchangeably with UHD, but the official standard for 4K is 4096 × 2304 (9.4MP at 16:9)

– 8K: is the next gen resolution 7680 × 4320 (33.2MP 16:9)

What to Look For in HDTV• 1080p or 2160p

– 1080p for 49” and under– UHD for 50” and over

• 120Hz or better. For 4K make sure the refresh rate at full resolution is at least 60hz (some manufacturers cheat on this so do your research!)

• Curved TVs are showing up now. The principle is that it delivers a more immersive experience. I have found that it distorts the image at wider viewing angles. This is an opinion should be experienced for yourself.

• 3D, don’t worry bout it.– Many manufacturers have dropped this feature or do not currently market

it.• If going for 4K, Make sure the TV has HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2

– These are the only cabling standards that support 4K at 60hz and above.• Get a smart TV if going 4K

– Most 4K content will rely on streaming direct to TV.

Do your research

• Retailers are starting to stack the decks when it comes to doorbusters.

• Many ads will have a small disclaimer saying only at {insert retailer}.

• This usually means it’s built to order by retailers for sale on BF.

• They may be built with inferior components, lack some features, or have no online or direct manufacturer support.

What To Look For in a Digital Cameras

• Native Sensor Size– Some cameras have high resolution but small sensors. This can cause

apparitions or Moiré in photos– APS-C or 35mm is best

• Optical Zoom– Digital zoom will crop pictures giving lower quality picture.– 5x to 10x is optimal

• Image Stabilization– Electronic vs. Optical– Get optical or both

• Screen resolution– With many cameras ditching the viewfinder/EVF The screen on the back

is the only way to frame your picture. Screens on the camera may be big but it may not be clear

• Video– Not always used but can be useful. Some have 720p or even 2160p.

Be mindful of film duration and if any normal camera functions are disabled in movie mode (this can mean no zoom or no autofocus!)

$100 Cameras10-16MP Resolution5x-10x Optical ZoomMany photo shooting options

Digital SLRs – Now under $50018-24MP ResolutionOptical Image StabilizationLive Preview Options4K Video

Predictions

Door Stoppers• 42” 4K HDTV

– $400• 50” LCD 1080p HDTV

– $169• 15.6” Laptop

– $149• Android Tablet

– $39• iPhone 6 or Galaxy S6

– Free (when you sell your soul to Verizon, Mua ha ha! )• BluRay Player

– $39• 24MP SLR Digital Camera

– $399• 240GB SSD Drive

– $59• The smile I will get when I get all this for Christmas

– Priceless

Show and Tell