Smartbooks: The perfect hybrid of a Netbook and Smartphone

After smartphones, it’s Smartbooks now.

Smartbook is a mobile device that is a fusion of a smarphone and a netbook, they are the netbooks with the connectivity and battery life of a smartphone.

Though there aren’t much details available on its exact tech specs, let’s try to find out the features that makes it smart:

• Instant-on access: When switched on, the device turns on instantly, much like smartphones.
• 3-g connectivity: You can enjoy mobile broadband speed provided by your network carrier.
• Battery life – Week long standby and 8-10 hours charge
• Built-in GPS – Helps you in locating places and directions.
• CPU Configuration: A 1 GHz CPU and 600 MHz DSP
• Screen Resolution : A high definition WXGA( 1280 x 768)
• The OS is anticipated to be a Linux-based Instant-On operating system.
• It will possess a display having a size of somewhere in 10-12 inch (diagonally) range.
• It will come with a QWERTY keyboard.

The Tech giant, Lenovo will be the first one to launch a smartbook powered with a ARM (Advanced Risc Machines) based chip called Snapdragon, manufactured by Qualcomm.

AT&T has tied up with Lenovo taking up the role of distributor and they use a chip called snapdragon manufactured by ARM (Advanced Risc Machines). The first Smartbook will be seen in market in JAN 2010.

Pegatron, an Asus copany, is working towards their Smartbooks using Freescale ARM Cortex- A8 processor and 512 MB DDR2 RAM, 1024 X 600 LCD screen.

Acer also has joined the race of Smartbooks and is expected to come up with one of it’s very soon. The price tags are predicted to be around $200.

As we see days nearing for Smartbook’s launch, it would be interesting to see how well this concept seeps into consumers.

Google Voice: An internet based telecommunication service

Its telecommunication, that Google has been experimenting with in recent pasts. Google voice is a service or application that integrates all your phone no.s into one and takes away the worries of managing many contact no.s. Originally, it was GrandCentral, who started the service but Google acquired GrandCentral in 2007 and re-launched the service on 11^th March 2009 with the name Google Voice.

This service is available as invite only. When you sign up for Google Voice first time you can choose between your any of the present numbers and a new Google number as the single point of contact. The calls coming on this no. are forwarded to other phone numbers that user configures while signing up. Depending upon the caller group, calling time and calling number you can decide which number should ring when.

With this as the basic feature let’s have a look at what else Google voice has to offer us:

• It offers free calls and SMS in US and Canada
• International calls are US $ 0.02 per minute. Can it get cheaper than this?
• Call Screening :

1. You can divert calls directly to voicemail box.
2. Notification or announcement of callers based on their numbers.
3. Blocking calls from specified numbers and automated identification for blocked numbers.

• You can record your calls and archive it online.
• Voicemail transcripts: You can view your voicemails as messages online or you can listen to them on any of the phone numbers.
• Voicemail messages are notified through SMS and e-mail.
• Voicemails can be forwarded and downloaded also.
• Based on the calling number we can set personalized greetings for the caller.
• It also provides the facility of conference calls.
• While a call is in progress you can switch phones without disrupting the call.
• Caller’s id is also forwarded along with the incoming call to your various phones.
• When you make a call, you need to make it through the Google Voice service by calling Google Voice no. and using menu choices or by using the web-based portal to place a call.

This unique concept of centralized number is only available in US as of now but Google has given indications about launching it in other countries as well.

Microsoft, as an answer to Google Voice is planning to launch Bing Ring in January 2010 in a limited beta version.

Keep reading to know more about Bing Ring….