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HP ElitePad 900 review: Smart & useful

safia@coastaldigest.com (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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News Network
July 24,2020

Melbourne, Jul 24: Home-made cloth face masks may need a minimum of two layers, and preferably three, to prevent the dispersal of viral droplets associated with Covid-19, according to a study.

Researchers, including those from the University of New South Wales in Australia, noted that viral droplets are generated by those infected with the novel coronavirus when they cough, sneeze, or speak.

As face masks have been proven to protect healthy people from inhaling infectious droplets as well as reducing the spread from those who are already infected, several types of material have been suggested for these, but based on little or no evidence of how well they work, the scientists said.

In the current study, published in the journal Thorax, the researchers compared the effectiveness of single and double-layer cloth face coverings with a surgical face mask (Bao Thach) at reducing droplet spread.

They said the single layer covering was made from a folded piece of cotton T shirt and hair ties, and the double layer covering was made using the sew method described by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The scientists used a tailored LED lighting system and a high-speed camera to film the dispersal of airborne droplets produced by a healthy person with no respiratory infection, during speaking, coughing, and sneezing while wearing each type of mask.

Their analysis showed that the surgical face mask was the most effective at reducing airborne droplet dispersal, although even a single layer cloth face covering reduced the droplet spread from speaking.

But the study noted that a double layer covering was better than a single layer in reducing the droplet spread from coughing and sneezing.

According to the researchers, the effectiveness of cloth face masks is dependent on the number of layers of the covering, the type of material used, design, fit as well as the frequency of washing.

Based on their observations, they said a home made cloth mask with at least two layers is preferable to a single layer mask.

"Guidelines on home-made cloth masks should stipulate multiple layers," the scientists said, adding that there is a need for more research to inform safer cloth mask design.

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Agencies
May 19,2020

Cybersecurity researchers on Monday warned of a Trojan malware campaign which is targeting India's co-operative banks using COVID-19 as a bait.

Seqrite, the enterprise arm of IT security firm Quick Heal Technologies, detected the new wave of Adwind Java Remote Access Trojan (RAT) campaign.

Researchers at Seqrite warned that if attackers are successful, they can take over the victim's device to steal sensitive data like SWIFT logins and customer details and move laterally to launch large scale cyberattacks and financial frauds.

According to the researchers, the Java RAT campaign starts with a spear-phishing email which claims to have originated from either the Reserve Bank of India or a nationalised bank.

The content of the email refers to COVID-19 guidelines or a financial transaction, with detailed information in an attachment, which is a zip file containing a JAR based malware.

Upon further investigation, researchers at Seqrite found that the JAR based malware is a Remote Access Trojan that can run on any machine which has Java runtime enabled and hence it can impact a variety of endpoints, irrespective of their base operating system.

Once the RAT is installed, the attacker can take over the victim's device, send commands from a remote machine, and spread laterally in the network.

In addition, this malware can also log keystrokes, capture screenshots, download additional payloads, and extract sensitive user information, Seqrite said, adding that such attack campaigns can effectively jeopardise the privacy and security of sensitive data at the co-operative banks and result in large scale attacks and financial frauds.

To prevent such attacks, users need to exercise ample caution and avoid opening attachments and clicking on web links in unsolicited emails.

Banks should also keep their operating systems updated and have a full-fledged security solution installed on all the devices, Seqrite advised.

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Agencies
May 10,2020

In the wake of the gas leak at a factory in Visakhapatnam, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued detailed guidelines for restarting industries after the lockdown and the precautions to be taken for the safety of the plants as well as the workers.

In a communication to all states and union territories, the NDMA said due to several weeks of lockdown and the closure of industrial units, it is possible that some of the operators might not have followed the established standard operating procedures.

As a result, some of the manufacturing facilities, pipelines, valves may have residual chemicals, which may pose risk. The same is true for the storage facilities with hazardous chemicals and flammable materials, it said.

The NDMA guidelines said while restarting a unit, the first week should be considered as the trial or test run period after ensuring all safety protocols.

Companies should not try to achieve high production targets. There should be 24-hour sanitisation of the factory premises, it said.

The factories need to maintain a sanitisation routine every two-three hours especially in the common areas that include lunch rooms and common tables which will have to be wiped clean with disinfectants after every single use, it added.

For accommodation, the NDMA said, sanitisation needs to be performed regularly to ensure worker safety and reduce the spread of contamination.

To minimise the risk, it is important that employees who work on specific equipment are sensitised and made aware of the need to identify abnormalities like strange sounds or smell, exposed wires, vibrations, leaks, smoke, abnormal wobbling, irregular grinding or other potentially hazardous signs which indicate the need for immediate maintenance or if required shutdown, it said.

At least 11 people lost their lives and about 1,000 others were exposed to a gas leak at a factory in Andhra Pradesh''s Visakhapatnam on May 7.

The incident took place after it restarted operations when the government allowed industrial activities in certain sectors following several weeks of lockdown.

The lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 for 21 days in a bid to combat the coronavirus threat. The lockdown was then extended till May 3 and again till May 17.

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