Just saw this new gadget on the net, and wow its very sleek and cool to use, its some sort of an iMac clone but sure its better. It’s easy to look at the Touchsmart and dismiss it as an iMac wannabe, but you’d be missing the point. That point is the tip of your pointer finger; the beauty of the Touchsmart is the fact that all 22 inches of its screen are touch-sensitive. The touch recognition is pretty accurate as well, allowing us to navigate My Computer without accidentally formatting the hard drive. Occasionally we’d hit the wrong program when playing with the start menu, but after a little practice even this cluttered area became perfectly controllable with our delighted digits.
Not that you’ll be using the Vista interface much. If all you want to do is write basic notes, surf the net, watch TV, play music and browse your happy snaps, you’ll probably utilise the custom HP interface instead. It shares some similarities with Vista’s Media Centre (which is also part of the software install), using an icon based approach that is easy to see from a long distance. This makes it perfect for use from the couch, but you won’t need Inspector Gadget arms to do so – the Touchsmart comes with a media remote. If you’re up nice and close, the real benefit of the custom HP interface becomes apparent, being built with touch control in mind. It shares many of the same features as the iPod touch, such as gesture controlled zooming and rapid scrolling. Considering HP is a PC manufacturer and not an operating system creator, it’s done an admirable job with this custom interface. Combine this fantastic GUI with the accurate touchscreen, and the result is a truly revolutionary computing experience, that isn’t just a bullet point in a PowerPoint presentation. It’s ready to buy right now. As this reviewer can attest, there are people out there who didn’t grow up with a mouse and keyboard (his parents being a golden grey example) and using gestures to control the computer might be just what they need to get past their lack of experience. It worked for Nintendo’s Wii, so there’s a good chance it’ll work for the Touchscreen.
To review this PC based on specs alone wouldn’t be fair, but surprisingly enough, it stacks up pretty well. The 22in monitor is 1,680 x 1,050 resolution, not quite true HD but crisp enough to make your DVDs look great. It’s got a glossy finish, which opens up glare issues but helps reject oily fingerprints as best it can. The inbuilt speakers won’t be shaking the foundations of your abode, but for standard TV viewing they’re more than adequate. Speaking of which, the TV tuner in our model was standard definition rather than true HD, but unless you’re a Blu-ray fiend you probably won’t notice the difference. All 4GB of memory is actually used, thanks to HP’s choice of 64-bit Vista, while the 2.16GHz Core2 Duo chip provided plenty of oomph for day to day needs. It also does it at a temperature cool enough for the PC to remain whisper quiet. The only area that is lacking is the video processor, utilising the NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS chipset. Gamers beware.
We’re big fans of the Touchsmart. It’s a great all-rounder, whose unique interface is as much fun to use as it is worthwhile. Two thumbs up.
GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/27 August) – Despite apprehensions over security, a festive mood prevailed among residents here who greeted the opening Sunday of the weeklong tuna festival with fun and revelry, and officials who emphasized the contribution of the local tuna industry to the city’s progress.
Street dancers clad in colorful costumes with tuna themes bopped to the beat
of drum, lyres and other musical instruments.
Mayor Pedro Acharon acknowledged the contribution of the tuna industry as he appealed for ocean conservation to protect the industry that enabled this city to land in the national and international market maps.
He called on industry players to pursue environmental governance projects to conserve dwindling marine resources that are the lifeblood of the industry.
“The tuna industry has contributed a lot in improving the economy of the locality. It is but proper to fete it with honor,” the mayor said in a speech at the city oval plaza where tents offering various merchandises have risen.
“I thank the tuna and fisheries related investors for locating in our city,” he added.
This year is the 8th Tuna festival that would culminate on September 5, the 38th charter anniversary of the city.
No prominent national figures, however, graced Sunday’s opening ceremonies, unlike in the past years.
Roads surrounding the oval plaza were closed to traffic to give way to the activities. Uniformed police and military personnel were highly visible due to lingering terror threats to the area. Bomb sniffing dogs swept the periphery for explosives.
Acharon called for public vigilance against any acts of terrorism that might be committed during the festival to avoid spoiling the upbeat mood.
Senior Supt. Alfredo Toroctocon, city police chief, called on the public to cooperate in security checks in a bid to curtail untoward incidents.
”We have heightened our security and we hope nothing bad will happen in the duration of the festival,” the police official said.
The highlight of this year’s festival will be the tuna congress, an event expected to gather hundreds of key tuna industry players in the country and abroad.
Slated on September 1 and 2, this year’s congress is themed “Quality and Sustainability: Key to Competitive Philippine Tuna Industry.”
Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban and Sen. Ramon Magsaysay, chair of
the Senate committee on agriculture, will be the key guests in the opening ceremonies.
The Philippines annually produces approximately 400,000 metric tons of tuna with a value of P18 billion (about $330 million), of which about 85 percent (roughly P15 billion or $280 million) is exported to various regions, including Japan, the US, and Europe, according to the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
The bulk of tuna production takes place in this city, which is dubbed the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines.”
The local tuna industry here provides direct and indirect employment to at least 100,000 fisherfolk, laborers and factory workers.
Six of the country’s eight tuna canneries are based in this city.
Original Article from: www.Mindanews.com
Youtube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJq8SxWKJJY
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