Category: Top Story

Mario’s Hands-On Review of the Microsoft Surface

by Mario Armstrong

We’ve had the new Microsoft Surface in our hands for a few days but now that the big Microsoft event happened yesterday, we’re finally allowed to share our hands-on experience with the Microsoft Surface tablet!

The new Surface is a big move from Microsoft as they move to compete head-to-head with Apple and Amazon. And the launch corresponds with the brand-new Windows 8 operating system too. In the video, I walk you through how the new Windows (called Windows RT on tablets) is new and different. Plus I demonstrate the innovative new tablet cover that double as keyboards, called the “Touch” and the “Type,!” We also walk us through the App Store, and give you a general “feel” of using the device. It’s not quite the same as trying it out yourself, but it’s close!

The Surface costs $499. If you want to pick one up try the Microsoft site or the Microsoft retail stores.

For a complete comparison of recent tablets, check out our tablet comparison chart where we compare all the major tablets on the market.

Giving away 10 AT&T smartphone and tablet accessories!

by Shy Mukerjee

We’re giving away a ton of products this month here on Small Biz Go Mobile! Thanks to our sponsors, AT&T, we’ve got a whole grab bag of goodies. Watch the video above to find out more about what we’re giving away, and then hit the contest links below to enter! It’s super easy—each product just has ONE TASK you have to complete, and they’re all simple social actions. Leave a comment or follow us to win!  Read More

iPad Mini: Complete Coverage of Today’s Announcement

by Shy Mukerjee

We’re covering this event in our liveblog below! Plus @MarioArmstrong will be bringing you live updates on Twitter so be sure to follow him there.

Please note, the liveblog below will refresh automatically, with all of the latest updates as Apple reveals them, starting at 1pm ET, 11am PT today.

Plus if you’re on a Mac and using Apple’s Safari web browser, or on an up-to-date iPhone or iPad, you can click on the link below to watch Apple’s iPad Mini announcement live:

http://www.apple.com/apple-events/october-2012/

If you have an Apple TV, you will also be able to tune in to this special announcement live there as well. Unfortunately we don’t know yet if this will work for PCs, but we’ll have all the photos and coverage you could want right here!  Read More

How to Use One Smartphone for Work and Play With AT&T Toggle

by admin

AT&T ToggleDo you carry two phones, one for work and one for personal use? Or do you find that work stuff is crowding out the fun stuff on your smartphone? Anyone who’s using mobile devices to stay constantly connected inevitably ends up needing access to work and personal at all times…it’s just not always very convenient.

Enter AT&T Toggle, a new program designed to let you use one device for everything. Essentially, Toggle has 2 modes (business and personal) that you can switch between, depending on what you’re doing. They are 2 different environments with different apps, settings, etc., and they’re also completely separate from each other, so you don’t have to worry about personal photos accidentally showing up in a REALLY wrong place at a really wrong time! In business mode, users can access all their work contacts, email, and calendars, just like a regular corporate-issued device. Personal mode is the same experience you’ve gotten used to on your device, complete with fun stuff.

It’s also really great for small business owners and IT managers who have security concerns, but also have employees who want to use their own devices. Using the AT&T Toggle Hub, IT managers can control what a user’s “business mode” looks like. There’s a web interface to manage what apps business mode includes, as well as manage access to files and resources, and remotely wipe the device if it’s lost or if the employee leaves the organization. Managers can even “lock” work mode to keep an employee out…sounds like a good way to make sure people actually relax on their vacation!

Plus, AT&T Toggle works on smartphones and tablets running iOS or Android, and is available on most major wireless carriers. That makes it easy to accomodate employees in a professional world where bring-your-own-device is becoming more and more common. Click here for more information on how to use AT&T Toggle to streamline your small business’s mobile use.

Microsoft Announces Surface Starting at $499, Pre-Orders Start Today

by Katherine Elsasser

Microsoft Surface with Touch CoverWe were all set for the Microsoft Surface announcement next week (they sent us an invite and everything) and then all the sudden this morning, we have more details about the device than have leaked out over the last six months.

First off, the 32 GB Microsoft Surface RT will cost you $499. There’s also a 64GB model that will be $599. Both will come pre-loaded with Windows 8 and Windows. Microsoft is also offering 2 different kind of covers, both of which double as keyboards. The touch cover has flat keys that are pressure sensitive, and costs $120. The type cover has more traditional keys that can actually be pushed, and will set you back $130. If you know you’d like both, you can buy the Surface + cover together for $599 (32GB) or $699 (64GB).

Microsoft will be taking pre-orders at Surface.com starting today at 12pm Pacific/3PM Eastern. Devices will then start shipping October 26th. You’ll also be able to purchase the device at one of Microsoft’s new retail stores, if you happen to live near one…and they’re planning to have 44 stores open by the middle of next year, not including temporary holiday stores.

We’ll take more next week about the specs, user experience, hardware and more next week when we attend the Microsoft Windows 8 & Surface event in NYC. Anything you’re excited for? Let us know in the comments!

 

Enter to Win a Free Sony Reader

by admin

enter to win a free sony readerWe just talked recently about how much we like the new Sony Reader. It’s the best e-reader on the market for “Read it Later” web content, like Instapaper, and it’s got great integration with Facebook and Evernote, which sets it apart from competitors. We like it so much, in fact, that we are giving one away on Twitter!

Entering to win is simple: 1. Make sure you’re following @marioarmstrong on Twitter. 2. Tweet him about your favorite book! Pretty simple and it might even help us build up our reading list for the future!

Click here to enter to win a free Sony Reader.

The Reader is Sony’s latest e-reader device, with up to 2 months of battery life and 2GB of storage, plus access to free library books at over 15,000 libraries throughout the country. Click here for more information about the Sony Reader, including how to trade in your old device for credit toward a new reader!

Pre-Order Windows 8 Devices for Small Business from Staples

by Katherine Elsasser

Today Staples started taking Windows 8 pre-orders for a huge variety of devices. It doesn’t officially ship til October 26th, but Windows 8 pre-order will let you be one of the first to get your hands on a brand-new device with Microsoft’s redesigned operating system. There are tons of devices to choose from, from tablets and ultrabooks to high-end touchscreen laptops. Here are a couple of our favorites for mobile productivity:

Staples Windows 8 Pre-Sale Samsung Slate 5
Samsung Series 5
It’s the best of both worlds: the tablet and the laptop. When you pop the tablet into the docking station you get a super-portable laptop that weighs under 2 pounds. Plus it’s designed to work together the the S-Pen stylus, which we love.

Staples Windows 8 Pre-Order Sony VAIO Ultrabook

 

Sony VAIO Touchscreen Ultrabook
This is dedicated 13.3″ Ultrabook that doesn’t sacrifice ports and connections OR processing power to be incredibly portable, making it a good business choice. Weighs in at 3.77 pounds, with a promised 5.5 hours of battery life, making it a good all-around machine.

 

There’s more where that came from! See all of the Windows 8 pre-order devices available from Staples.

Staples Windows 8 Pre-Order Devices

Plus Staples has also announced their free “8 Was Easy” program to make the switch completely painless. They’ll help you set up your new machine to take advantage of Windows 8’s new features and optimize your device’s performance. They’ll also walk you through key new features like the new Windows App Store and Skydrive, Microsoft’s new cloud storage program. AND they’ll help you transfer all of your old data to your new machine or a backup device of your choice for free. That’s a lot of incentive to do your Windows 8 upgrade, especially when you throw in the free phone support!

Click here to pre-order your Windows 8 device before the official launch.

Are you planning to upgrade? What do you think of the new tile layout? What upgrades do you want from Windows 8? Let us know!

Rumor Roundup: The New Google Nexus by LG

by Katherine Elsasser
Google Nexus LG Optimus Photo
Leaked photo of the back of the new Google Nexus by LG

Rumors about Google’s new Nexus phone have really started flying in the last couple days! We’re going to round up the rumors, but remember…they’re just rumors! Even if it seems like a sure thing, it’s all still subject to change. One thing is certain though: now is the time for manufacturers to release their new products. Samsung, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and probably Google, everybody’s pulling out all the stops in anticipation of the holiday season, even though it seems like it’s too soon!

Lots of sources, including NBC, are reporting that the device will most likely be announced on Monday, October 29. Supposedly the device is modeled after (and fairly closely resembles) the LG Optimus G model. The Optimus G is not available yet in the United States, but it did go on sale in South Korea last month, and boasts some really impressive specs: a quad-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, 32GB of storage (plus MicroSD expansion), a 13MP camera and a 4.7 inch screen with 1280×720 resolution.

It’s far from certain how exactly the hardware and Android experience will compare from the Optimus G to the Nexus, but it’s definitely worth noting that this is LG’s first real big push into the high-end smartphone market, and expectations (and promises) are high. The Optimus G is LG’s first real attempt to compete with the Galaxy SIII and the iPhone, and comes with the backing of Google. Rumors are also flying that Google has plans to beef up their support staff to deal with an anticipated increase in customer inquiries, presumably from consumers buying the Nexus.

But perhaps the most fun thing to speculate about is leaked product photos, especially the side-by-side comparison with the iPhone 5. The photos are from Tech Onliner, and if you read Russian you’re welcome to go take a look at their original coverage. For the rest of us, we’ll just take a look at the photos below and hold tight till October 29th!

Read More

MiFi Liberate, the World’s First LTE Touchscreen Mobile Hotspot, Now Available from AT&T

by Shy Mukerjee

MiFi Liberate Touchscreen 4G LTE Hotspot from AT&TAT&T announced recently that they’re going to be bringing the world’s first touchscreen mobile hotspot device to customers in the US. The global-ready MiFi Liberate is a top of the line 4G LTE hotspot that will bring super fast network speeds to your laptop, tablet or oer mobile device anywhere AT&T provides service.

The device will be exclusively available to AT&T customers, and you can sign up for notifications from AT&T to be amongst the first to learn when this and other hot new AT&T devices will ship this fall.

First up, the touchscreen. The Liberate sports a 2.8″ display that will allow you to quickly and easily access your settings, so yo can change your network name or password on the fly. With a powerful battery that boasts up to 11 hours of life, this device should more than outlast any device you connect to it, and then some. The included MicroSD slot will further allow you to share files with up to 10 connected devices super fast.

The global connectivity is another big big selling point for this device as well. AT&T promises that it will work in more than 200 countries–so no matter where your business takes you, you needn’t worry about being able to work while on the go. Whether you just need to send a few emails or upload some images or video, this device has you covered.

For the mobile professional, few devices offer quite the same value as a good MiFi. While tablets often allow us to get more done on the go, being able to get online with your laptop can often mean the difference between making deadlines and having to wait to finish work when you’re back home or at the office. With a MiFi device, your office is everywhere you are.

Why you should take a look at HTC’s upcoming phones on AT&T

by Shy Mukerjee
Three new HTC phones launching this fall on AT&T

At the AT&T Unveiled event last night in NYC, AT&T showed off their full lineup of hot new 4G LTE phones as well as some other cool devices. Over the next few days we’ll be breaking down everything we saw and telling you what to watch out for this holiday season.

Currently, the Samsung Galaxy S III is pretty much the premier Android device on AT&T, but that’s about to change in a big way. HTC’s update to the HTC One phone, the HTC One X+, is going to be a serious contender for that crown.

Want to be the first to find out when HTC’s new phones are released? Sign up for AT&T’s mailing list and get notified when all of the great upcoming 4G LTE Android devices are released this fall!

From the second you pick up this phone, you can tell something great is happening. It’s amazingly thin, light, and the polycarbonate casing feels amazing in the hand. Unlike the harder plastics of phones like the Lumia line and Samsung’s Galaxy series, the polycarbonate case on the One X+ feels a bit softer to the touch, yet still rigid.  Read More