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HP ElitePad 900 review: Smart & useful

[email protected] (TNN)
March 16, 2013

HP_ElitePad_900New Delhi, Mar 16: HP has launched its ElitePad 900 tablet in India that is aimed at enterprise consumers. The company aims to make it the device of choice for business users who may oterwise opt for an Apple iPad because of the convenience it offers - merging a laptop and a tablet in a handy package with a number of hardware design and usage customisation offerings.

Design and hardware:

HP has given a lot of thought to the design of its new ElitePad 900, as it looks very elegant. The machined aluminium body of the tablet appears classy and gives it premium looks. The designing is such that it is easy to hold and at 680gram, its weight is equal to that of iPad.

The tablet sports a 10.1-inch LCD touchscreen with 1280x800p resolution. The touchscreen is quite responsive and we did not experience any problems while typing using the on-screen keyboard as compared to other tablets/hybrid laptops with Windows 8. It gives fantastic viewing angles, which are quite good (thank the IPS panel for that) and render true colours even at steep angles.

The ElitePad 900 is available in two variants - one with 32GB storage and Windows 8 and the other with 64GB storage and Windows 8 Pro operating system pre-bundled. Both the variants are powered by a superfast 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom CloverTrail processor with 2GB RAM. It has a Power/Lock key, volume rocker, speaker grille, earphone jack, auto-rotation controller and a proprietary connector used for charging the battery (no universal charging!).

The 8MP rear camera with LED flash of ElitePad 900 is a pleasant surprise as it is so uncommon with rivals. The only tablet with an 8MP unit is Sony Xperia Tablet Z, which is aimed at the mass market rather than enterprise users. Though this camera adds value to the spec sheet of this device, we are unsure how many users - and that too business consumers - use a tablet to take photos.

What we like more is the front camera that can record HD videos, a must have for those who frequently partake in video conferences in large corporates with dedicated links. The camera settings allow you to lower the noise level and make the image more suitable to the environment, thus improving the video call quality.

The battery of HP ElitePad 900 runs for approximately 10 hours on a single charge. If you want even more juice, you can plug it into the accompanying battery pack provided by HP and extend the life by another cool 7-9 hours (approximately).

Software:

On the Windows Experience Index, our Windows 8-powered unit scored 3.3 and was quite snappy during our review. We came across no lag or hanging during the tests, but were never felt overwhelmed by its computing capabilities. Some enterprise-oriented features of HP ElitePad 900 are Security Manager, Credential Manager, Password Manager, Device Access Manager with Just In Time Authentication and Drive Encryption. These are security solutions that can be crucial in enterprise environments so that your machine is never susceptible to cyberattacks.

Connectivity and accessories:

HP brings 3G mobile data to the table with ElitePad 900, a useful proposition for those who are frequently on the go. On the rear is a flap that houses a microSD and sim card reader; just insert the sim card in the tablet and you are good to go. Internet connectivity over 3G was smooth and we found no hiccups in the usage. Other communication features of this tablet include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC.

You may have noticed that ElitePad 900 lacks USB ports and card reader and this is where the proprietary connector comes into play. HP offers three accessories with this tablet - a docking station-cum-battery pack, a keyboard cover and a hard cover-cum-casing. These connect with the tablet via the proprietary connector and have two much-needed USB ports, a HDMI port and card reader.

Thus, you must buy one of these accessories if you want to expand the storage of the device. The sad part is that they don't come cheap. HP has priced these connectors between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000, making them quite a pricey proposition. Another useful accessory is the stylus, which is quite handy, but costs another Rs 3,400.

If you don't want to buy any accessory, you can opt for a microSD card expansion, but another 32GB of memory is unlikely to be enough for most requirements. It is advisable to buy the HP covers since our review unit only gave us 9GB of free space out of 32GB.

Rivals:

HP ElitePad 900 does not have much competition in the enterprise segment as most of the tablets in India are aimed at the mass market rather than business users. Its main rival is Panasonic ToughPad, an Android-powered tablet that costs a steep Rs 65,000. That device is water and dustproof and resistant to damages when dropped; it also comes with a host of enterprise solutions. Where HP's device scores is pricing, as the difference of over Rs 20,000 is quite substantial. However, it loses out when it comes to the apps portfolio, as Android marketplace overwhelms the Windows 8 app suite.

Other tablets in India that HP ElitePad 900 challenges include Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and the upcoming Sony Xperia Tablet Z. All these devices have over 7,00,000 apps, but are not as optimised as ElitePad 900 is for the business environment. Another tablet that can give competition to this tablet is its sibling HP Envy X2, which has similar features and a detachable keyboard, but it costs Rs 59,990.

Another good option is Dell XPS 12 touch-laptop, which features a swivelling screen that allows it to be used as a tablet. However, this device costs Rs 92,000 for the base variant (though it has far better specifications) and is quite heavy when used as a tablet, thus eliminating the convenience factor. Another Dell product that can be used as an alternative is the touch-enabled Inspiron 15z laptop, which costs less than Rs 50,000. However, you will once again not have the convenience that a tablet offers when it comes to using it on-the-go.

Verdict:

We feel that HP ElitePad 900 is a nifty, bright tablet offering and can actually replace a laptop for most purposes, but with a premium price tag. Of course, its premium looks, handy (though pricey) accessories and long battery life work to its advantage. However, the lack of some popular apps on Windows 8 platform may hurt its chances among those who seek a tablet with a decent app portfolio.

Overall, ElitePad 900 has all the makings of a winner. It will require some effort on part of HP's branding and marketing teams to properly highlight its advantages to business users as compared to the popular iPad. Touch-enabled computers and hybrid laptops aimed at business users are hard to find in India and this tablet can be quite a good option, especially considering its portfolio of security features.

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Agencies
February 6,2020

Washington D.C., Feb 6: An international team of astronomers has found an unusual monster galaxy that existed about 12 billion years ago when the universe was only 1.8 billion years old.

The team of astronomers was led by scientists at the University of California, Riverside.

Dubbed XMM-2599, the galaxy formed stars at a high rate and then died. Why it suddenly stopped forming stars is unclear.

"Even before the universe was 2 billion years old, XMM-2599 had already formed a mass of more than 300 billion suns, making it an ultra massive galaxy," said Benjamin Forrest, a postdoctoral researcher in the UC Riverside Department of Physics and Astronomy and the study's lead author.

"More remarkably, we show that XMM-2599 formed most of its stars in a huge frenzy when the universe was less than 1 billion years old and then became inactive by the time the universe was only 1.8 billion years old," Forrest added.

The team used spectroscopic observations from the W. M. Keck Observatory's powerful Multi-Object Spectrograph for Infrared Exploration or MOSFIRE, to make detailed measurements of XMM-2599 and precisely quantify its distance.

The study results appear in the Astrophysical Journal.

"In this epoch, very few galaxies have stopped forming stars, and none are as massive as XMM-2599," said Gillian Wilson, a professor of physics and astronomy at UCR in whose lab Forrest works.

"The mere existence of ultramassive galaxies like XMM-2599 proves quite a challenge to numerical models. Even though such massive galaxies are incredibly rare at this epoch, the models do predict them."

"The predicted galaxies, however, are expected to be actively forming stars. What makes XMM-2599 so interesting, unusual, and surprising is that it is no longer forming stars, perhaps because it stopped getting fuel or its black hole began to turn on. Our results call for changes in how models turn off star formation in early galaxies," the professor stated.

The research team found XMM-2599 formed more than 1,000 solar masses a year in stars at its peak of activity -- an extremely high rate of star formation. In contrast, the Milky Way forms about one new star a year.

"XMM-2599 may be a descendant of a population of highly star-forming dusty galaxies in the very early universe that new infrared telescopes have recently discovered," said Danilo Marchesini, an associate professor of astronomy at Tufts University and a co-author on the study.

"We have caught XMM-2599 in its inactive phase," Wilson said, who led the W. M. Keck Observatory data acquisition
Co-author Michael Cooper, a professor of astronomy at UC Irvine, said this outcome is a strong possibility.

"Perhaps during the following 11.7 billion years of cosmic history, XMM-2599 will become the central member of one of the brightest and most massive clusters of galaxies in the local universe," he said.

"Alternatively, it could continue to exist in isolation. Or we could have a scenario that lies between these two outcomes," he stated.

The study was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA.

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News Network
March 13,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 13: In the wake of fresh cases of Covid-19 reported in Karnataka, Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murty has urged the Karnataka government to take steps to shut malls and theatres, saying the coronavirus multiplies in air-conditioned areas.

In a letter to the government, she said preventive measures should be taken to control the spread of coronovirus before it gets worse.

Murty, who also leads the State government-constituted Karnataka Tourism Task Force, said she has discussed the current situation with Chairman and Executive Director of Narayana Health, Devi Prasad Shetty.

She suggested closure of all schools and colleges with immediate effect, malls, theatres and “all air-conditioned areas where the virus multiplies”, and allow only essential services like pharmacy, grocery and petrol bunks.

“It is not scientifically proven that the virus dies in high temperature,” she said pointing to spread of the virus -- despite heat -- in peak summer in Australia and Singapore, which have “summer all 12 months”.

“I request you to vacate one government hospital with at least 500 - 700 beds for this purpose (to deal with coronavirus cases), which requires oxygen lines and pipes,” she said.

“Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic and CSR arm of software major Infosys, would do the civil work and Devi Shetty has agreed to share resources like medical equipment,” she added.

“We would like to work with the government proactively so that we can prevent this as early as possible,” Sudha Murty said.

The total number of confirmed coronavirus positive cases in Karnataka is five, including the 76-year old man from Kalaburagi who died on Tuesday night.

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Agencies
March 10,2020

New Delhi, Mar 10: Crisis-hit Yes Bank on Tuesday said that it has enabled inward IMPS and NEFT services.

The move allows people to send money from other bank accounts to their Yes Bank account through IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) and NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer) mode.

In a tweet, the bank also said that Yes Bank customers can pay their credit card dues and loan obligations from other bank accounts.

"Inward IMPS/NEFT services have now been enabled. You can make payments towards YES BANK Credit Card dues and loan obligations from other bank accounts. Thank you for your co-operation. @RBIA @FinMinIndia," said tweet.

Last week Yes Bank was placed under moratorium and a withdrawal cap of Rs 50,000 was imposed till April 3.

The administrator of Yes Bank, Prashant Kumar and Rajnish Kumar, the Chairman of the State Bank of India are hopeful that moratorium would be lifted within a week.

As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) draft reconstruction scheme for the crisis-hit private lender, the SBI will take up 49 per cent in the bank by investing Rs 2,450 crore.

The new board of directors will stand constituted from the appointed date. It will comprise a CEO and MD, non-executive chairman and non-executive directors. The SBI will have nominee directors appointed on the board of the reconstructed bank.

The RBI may appoint additional directors to the board, who shall continue in office for one year, or until an alternate board is constituted by Yes Bank.

The SBI will not reduce its holding below 26 per cent before completion of three years from the date of infusion of the capital.

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