Technicational

Last week I spotted an unusual device on my desk that was called a Ubiquiti NanoStation^®M: M5. After hours of reading and help from my awesome networking and other computer related terms a human being should not know, lecturer Mr Michael Headlam. I understood the full capability of this foreign object. Welcome to the most technical review ever done by a human being! Well, ever done by me.

What the hell is this thing?

It's... Hold on, let me Google this again. This foreign object is called a NanoStation^®M: M5. The function of this gizmo is a bit more complex to explain with two to three words. One thing for sure is that it is a directional Wi-Fi device with a lot of versatility and range. It has 4 major modes it can operate in and they are as follows.

Those are the four major functions this device can do, but the interface and efficiency at which it does this is at a level that I have never seen.

Signal Strength and Other Specs

 

The unit of antenna gain is measured in dBi. The gain of the antenna is what determines the distance of its coverage. So most Wi-Fi routers that are used in the homes range from 2dBi to 4dBi at a frequency of 2.4GHz, and if you have deeper pockets you can buy one that goes up to 8dBi with dual frequency of 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The NanoStation^®M: M5 is not meant for household use and comes with a mind blowing 16dBi and transmits at 5GHz. This 16dBi means that this can transmit/receive a signal to or from 15Km away. Of course, this is possible only in a clear line of sight without any obstructions in the way, but that is still a monumental distance. Also, the 5GHz frequency automatically eliminates more than half the number of persons in Jamaica that can see or access the signal on the devices. This is due to the fact that most Wi-Fi device can only see frequencies up 2.4GHz. Only really high end future proof devices at the moment can see a 5GHz wi-fi signal like….

The list is a bit longer than what is above, but you get the idea of what you need to even try and access such a high frequency signal. This helps in the security department and cuts down the amount of possible intruders to your Wi-Fi signal. Also, you should know that this device comes with many more security features and encryption modes.

So who is this for?

This type of device is certainly geared towards businesses that has multiple locations and needs a secure way of transmitting and receiving data quickly from point A to point B. This can also be used to connect two networks that are kilometers apart without compromising the security.

Final Thoughts

I know one or two schools and businesses that would greatly benefit from owning an Ubiquiti NanoStation^®M: M5. I didn’t get the full 15Km out of this device due to well developed area I was in, but I did get more than what any other router or directional antenna could provide. The products mentioned in this article were provided courtesy of Royale Computers and Accessories telephone#: 906-1067, 906-1068, and 754-5048.

So it's that time of the year again. It’s that time of the year where you start feeling insignificant about your Smartphone because there is a new Samsung Galaxy phone on the market. But this year is a bit different, because there are no doubts or questions about if the Galaxy s6 is really an upgrade to its predecessor. This year Samsung went back to the drawing board and came back with not one, but two high-end devices. The Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge are the crowned champions of android smartphones and Tech Times got the chance spend a week with the S6 Edge. Welcome to the full review of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge.

What are the internal components?

It’s no surprise that owning a Galaxy S device means owning a device that has top notch components. This year the Galaxy line comes in comes in two flavors which is Samsung Galaxy S6 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge. Both phones are identically specification wise expect for the curved screen that comes with added features on the S6 Edge. Luckily we got our hands on the edge version of the S6, and these are the internal specification.

This year it’s not a war to see who is the top android smartphone… it’s an all our slaughter. It seems like Samsung is not pulling any punches this time around, and is out for blood or apple juice depending on how you look at it.

Everything is different this time around!

Samsung seems to keep building on the already daunting feature list that they have for their Smartphones. This year they throw all of that out the window and started from scratch, thus the code name project zero. So to make things a little bit easier to explain I’ll point out what has changed since the Galaxy S5.

Final Thoughts

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but what is the worth of a video? You can checkout the video review of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge below and see some of the features in action. 

Anyhow, the Samsung Galaxy S6 is a significant upgrade over last year’s Galaxy S5 with an excellent camera, octa-core processor, finger print scanner, latest Android OS, and a better battery life. This is the new standard for android phones.

It’s safe to say that tablets have gone main stream in a big way. Kids all ages have them playing with and adults also have them watching TV series and movies on. They are a million and one tablet makers, but only two OS (Operating System) you generally see in the hands of consumer. These two are iOS and Android of course, but what happen to the other white meat… sorry, I meant the other OS. I am talking about Windows 8. This week we explore a tablet that dared to go with Windows 8 as its OS. The iView i800QW is this week’s reviewed device.

Is Windows 8 a Good Tablet OS?

I have been asked this question many times and the reason for this is the lack of Windows 8 tablets in Jamaica. Yes, Windows 8 is a great tablet OS and it is the close experience you’ll ever get to a Desktop PC on any tablet platform. You can install desktop application on Windows 8 tablets and even plug in and use USB mouse, Keyboards, DVD burners, External Hard Drives without rooting or jail breaking. No modification is needed to run a Windows 8 tablet at its full potential.

Can I Download Apps?

Yes you can… but… Yes, there is a but and it’s not a Nicki Minaj one. Windows 8 will have most of the popular Apps that IOS and Android has, but not all of them. It takes some time to get use to, but the essentials are there and also plenty of games.

Is The iView i800QW A Worthy Windows 8 Tablet?

When it comes to Windows 8 tablets the options out there are slim pickings.  The Microsoft Surface tablets are extremely expensive although what you are getting is a very high end device. Still most can’t find the cash for such an investment. The iView i800QW is the cheapest Windows Tablet I have found to date. It comes with everything you would expect form a Windows device and it has a sharp and beautiful display. Included in the package is a long list of goodies such as protective case, Bluetooth Keyboard, and USB OTG cable. It has a rear camera that is 5MP and a front 2MP camera. They are not the best cameras you can find on a tablet, but they do take ok photos. Also, don’t attempt to take photos in the dark with these cameras, because they don’t have any flash to help in low light situations. Performance side of things the i800QW is very smooth and I had no problems at all surfacing the web, typing up documents or watching HD videos. The only downside I found was the small amount of built-in internal storage that comes with the i800QW. This limits the amount of applications you can install on the device; however storing media and documents isn’t a problem since you have the option of using external storage.

Final Thoughts

I don’t really mind trying out new tech, because you’ll never know what’s better than what you already have. The iView i800QW might not be for everybody, but with a decent price tag and all your desktop PC needs built-in it might just be for you. The products mentioned in this article were provided courtesy of Royale Computers and Accessories telephone#: 906-1067, 906-1068, and 754-5048.