Samsung Syncmaster 2033SW LCD Monitor
We have reviewed quite a few Samsung TVs already this year, so I think it’s time we shift focus to the more personal, more engaging product segment which is PC monitors. Samsung has a respectable name here too, and today we have something they term as ‘hot’ on their website! The model is Samsung Syncmaster 2033SW and it’s a 21.5 inch LCD monitor…
Design
The unit has all the bearings of a typical Samsung design released in the past 3 years. The bezel is their regular high piano gloss finish, with a shiny surface going all the way down to the oval stand. The monitor is pretty light, weighing in at 4.45 kg. The back panel is fancier than the front. We have little flowers etched out, or rather magnified snowflake patterns all around. Why have they done this, I have no clue, as designs should be where the eye can see them, not at the back of a screen.
The bottom panel has the Samsung logo printed in the center, with a thick transparent hard plastic strip accenting on the bottom edge. This edge is curved too, and the center houses a thin blue LED strip that lights up when the power is on. All in all this section looks good, and reminds the user of the older TV models. They have this same design.
The build quality is overall pretty sturdy, there are no loose corners or weak joints. There is one thing I want to make a complaint about: the stand, at least in our package, did not come attached, and this model has a weird ball and socket style joint between screen and stand. Once fixed it is sturdy, though fixing it can be a pain as it is not well illustrated in the manual, and it takes a bit of trial and error. Also, the joint allows the screen to rotate on one single vertical axis (up to down), and not left to right which can sometimes be required in LCD monitors. In the package we get a CD with essential stuff like a user manual and drivers, plus Samsung has thrown in a nice soft blue cloth to the clean the unit. Overall the monitor is quite no frills, and that is a good thing as USB ports, speakers etc. are not really what make a good monitor.
Features and specs
This monitor is a 16:9 screen measuring 21.5 inches. The resolution is 1600:900, and the brightness is 300 cd/m2. Contrast is rated at 15,000:1 dynamic and 1000:1 native. Response time is at 5 ms (gray to gray). They have a name now for this feature, Samsung calls it Magicspeed. The features of the monitor are expectedly numerous, as is typical to the brand. There is proprietary stuff thrown in like Magicbright and Color effect, which actually is nothing but a set of presets, which we will go over in the performance section. Lastly the viewing angle is 170 degrees. Samsung has not mentioned it anywhere, but we are assuming that this monitor is a TN panel, as the viewing angles are not that hot when actually looked at from the side, and the cost is less. Samsung does state 16.7 million colors which would be 256x256x256 steps in the Red, green and blue parts of the pixel. 256 would then obviously mean 2x2x2x2x2x2x2x2 (8-bit). It is a fact that general TN panels are generally only true 6 bit, not 8 bit, meaning that the pixels cannot actually have 256 different levels of gray… but brands use something called frame rate control or FRC to dither their way into 8 bit color. Thus we are also assuming that the panel is an 8 bit one, albeit enhanced 8 bit. I wish Samsung and all brands provided this info directly to customer, so there are no assumptions to be made.
Samsung NV9
We’ve reviewed quite of few ultra compacts lately that go all the way when it comes to packing features, but suffer considerably when it comes to performance. Samsung hopes to break away from that trend by balancing the two, with the Samsung NV9.
To start off, the NV9 boasts of a really compact frame that measures a measly 95 x 60 x 21 millimeters. Add to that the fact that it weights just 180 grams, and you have a really portable camera. The left and right sides of the camera are rounded and there are no protruding parts, ensuring that its portability isn’t marred by the odd edge that tugs at your pocket when you slide it in.
The camera features a black metallic finish (it’s available in silver too) that looks great and doesn’t attract fingerprints. The button placement’s pretty much on target – the shutter button and mode dial are placed on the top side (towards the right) of the camera, while the power button’s on the far left, ensuring that you never press it by mistake. Between these buttons, nest two analog meters to show your current battery and memory’s status. While it’s not the most useful feature, it works well and adds to the camera aesthetically; call me silly, but I find the touch of analog in a digital camera really cool.
Getting back to the button placement, the facing side of the NV9 has a zoom toggle near the top. It isn’t the most convenient placement for it, since it’s a little high for your thumb to reach naturally, but it’s in no way a deal breaker. Below the toggle are the Image Stabilization, Function, Preview and Exit buttons. In between them is the navigation pad with a menu/ok button in the middle. Besides the buttons sits a 2.7 inch, 230,000 pixel screen.
Overall, the NV9 boasts of simplistic design, accentuated by a few features like two analog dials and a lit up blue ring around the power button, that add aesthetic appeal and a touch of individuality.
Samsung W7900 Comes With Integrated Projector
Samsung is once again in the news. This time they’ve showcased a mobile phone with a built-in projector. The W7900 also being called ‘The Show’ (aptly named) features integrated mobile phone projector technology (pico-projector) in what seems to be a rather slick and stylish body.
Other than the projector, which is of course the primary feature the handset is also equipped with –
- a 3.2-inch, 240 x 400 pixels, OLED touch screen display,
- 5 megapixel camera, secondary VGA video-call camera
- 3G data connectivity, EDGE/GPRS
- TV tuner
- Bluetooth with A2DP
The W7900 is capable of throwing images up to 50 inches on to any flat clear surface and warms up to 10 lumens worth of bright-power according to the reports. The projector was developed by Texas Instruments.
There’s no pricing on this baby nor information on availability, but again it’s quite likely to be seen at MWC (Mobile World Congress
Samsung P3
A while back Samsung had launched their YP-P2 PMP with its touch screen capabilities and Bluetooth functionality. While it wasn’t much of a comparison to the iPod Touch, the additional features both players employed like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth was what made me a personal fan. Not particularly of either device, but of devices in general that offer something a little more than just video and music playback. Samsung’s latest, the P3 is also equipped with Bluetooth and tries to offer a more iTouch-like interface. Here’s how it fares as a standalone device though.
Form Factor
It’s an eye-catcher, no doubt. Its sleek and slender lines with a metallic finish also gives it a little bit of a classy feel. It’s light weight, so portability is one of the few things you won’t have to worry about. The 3-inch TFT touchscreen display has a 480 x 272 pixel resolution and also supports very intuitive haptics. A touch sensitive quick access bar to the currently playing music and skip keys is located just under the display.
A hold/power key along with volume control keys and a tiny speaker are located on the top of the device. Samsung’s proprietary connectivity port is located at the bottom near the 3.5mm earphone socket.
While I do like the overall design, the speaker is negligible. Some of the cheaper mobile handsets provide louder and better quality sound.
Features and Performance
Interface
The P3 comes loaded with features. First off is the display characteristic and touchscreen functionality. Like the P2 before it, Samsung hasn’t managed to fix the sometimes awkward touchscreen. It tends to be a little too responsive at times and sometimes annoyingly non-responsive. I do like the interface though. It’s vibrant and colorful, depending on the theme you choose and can be spread across more than one screen, just like in the iTouch.
Trying to keep pace with Samsung’s Omnia and F480 mobile handsets, the P3 also has a Widgets section that can be accessed by simply pressing the screen at any place. The widgets themselves are very animated and serve a variety of purposes. Some are useful, like the dimmer for the display, clock, notes, access to the photo album and calendar. Some don’t seem to serve any purpose at all like the flower or the butterfly and some other odd animated characters. Other than some inane provision for entertainment in those moments of sheer boredom, they don’t do much else. You can also adjust the layout by moving the icons around just like you would in the… wait for it… iTouch.
Samsung to Launch Android Phone This Year
Reports are stating that Samsung is gearing up for the launch of an Android powered mobile handset sometime this year. Unfortunately, we are still not yet a target audience for Android as Samsung is planning on launching the device with T-Mobile and Sprint Nextel.
The handset would of course feature a touchscreen UI and include Google-oriented applications like Google Maps, Search, Gmail for mobile and of course a mobile G-Talk application.
As of now there’s no pricing on the handset or a time frame of its availability.