 | Review: SonicWALL firewalls for less than $1,000
SonicWALL recently started shipping six new firewalls to replace the low-end of their product line. The new firewalls are the TZ100, TZ200, and TZ210, each also available with 802.11n wireless integration. This product release completes SonicWALL's transition to the Cavium Networks' Octeon processor line, putting all of their firewalls on the same code base and with a similar feature set. UTM performance: The yo-yo effect
In our testing of the SonicWALL TZ200 and TZ210 systems, we discovered a significant performance impact when UTM features were enabled on typical Internet traffic. Motorola Droid (Verizon) Smartphone
The first time you pick up the Motorola Droid ($200 with a two-year contract from Verizon; price as of 10/28/09), you'll notice its solid feel and heft--there's a lot going on behind the crisp, 3.7-inch touchscreen. Making good use of Android 2.0's new features, the Droid is a powerful Web surfing and communications tool that has a chance of living up to its hype. The Droid's biggest flaw, however, is in its hardware design: The keyboard is shallow and flat, which can make typing uncomfortable. Samsung Moment (Sprint)
For the hardware alone, Samsung's Moment ($180 with a two-year contract from Sprint) impresses. With a beefy processor, a full QWERTY keyboard, and a vivid AMOLED display, the company's first Android-powered phone in the United States is a strong contender among the rapidly increasing number of Android devices. In terms of software, however, the Moment falls a bit short. Unlike the Motorola Cliq or the HTC Hero, it has no customized overlay to spruce up its somewhat drab user interface. And the touchscreen feels a bit sluggish at times. Acer Aspire One D250-1613 (Android) Netbook
The latest model in the Aspire One netbook line is fairly nondescript. The D250-1613 has the same 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, plus 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a tiny keyboard, and a microscopic multitouch pad. With its cookie-cutter netbook design, it fits into the crowd somewhere between the Fujitsu LifeBook M2010 and, say, the Lenovo S10. The only real difference is that, for a $350 asking price, Acer is offering a dual-boot system, with both Windows XP and Android tailored for a netbook. Regrettably, throwing in Google's OS gratis isn't enough to make this netbook a winner right out of the box. Jitterbug J (Sprint)
The Jitterbug J ($147, no contract; price as of 10/22/09), a clamshell CDMA cell phone manufactured by Samsung, is a study in simplicity. Like the original Jitterbug Dial of a few years back, the unit's keypad and menus couldn't be more straightforward. And if you don't want to deal with the phone's few settings and features, live help is a keystroke away. BlackBerry Curve 8520 (T-Mobile) Smartphone
Mixing social networking and entertainment features with the familiar BlackBerry-brand business-centric tools, the lightweight BlackBerry Curve 8520 ($130 with a two-year contract; price as of 10/22/09) is a solid but underpowered addition to Research in Motion's lineup of thumb-friendly smartphones. Samsung Intrepid (Sprint)
The Samsung Intrepid ($150 with a two-year contract from Sprint; price as of 10/19/09), successor to the Samsung Ace, features a touchscreen and a sleek design, measuring just 4.9 by 2.4 by 0.5 inches. The cover is soft black plastic, and at 3.2 ounces the phone is light. As far as looks go, it's definitely an attractive device--usability, however, is a different story. RIM BlackBerry Storm 2 (Verizon) Smartphone
When the BlackBerry Storm debuted last fall, RIM's first touchscreen device received not-so-stellar reviews. RIM took reviewers' and customers' gripes into consideration, however, when designing the BlackBerry Storm 2 ($200 with a two-year contract from Verizon; price as of 10/14/09). The result? This is the Storm that I wish RIM had released last year--the device's build, the on-screen keyboard, and the software are miles beyond the first generation. Even so, pressing to type still takes some getting used to. Motorola Cliq (T-Mobile)
The Motorola Cliq ($200 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile) caught my attention because of its sleek design and its innovative MotoBlur overlay for Android. Overall, the new features lived up to my expectations, and I applaud Motorola for doing something different to separate itself from the Android pack. The Cliq isn't perfect, however: Its camera disappoints, and it doesn't ship with the latest version of Android. HTC Pure (AT&T) Smartphone
What's in a name? A few months ago, this smartphone was known as the HTC Touch Diamond 2. Now, it's called the HTC Pure ($150 with a two-year contract from AT&T). Rebranding aside, the handset improves significantly on its predecessor, the Touch Diamond, with better specs, a more sophisticated design, and the new features supported by Windows Mobile 6.5. Unfortunately, the phone lacks multimedia panache while retaining WinMo's trademark sluggishness. November giveaways
Cisco Subnet is giving away free books on VMware vSphere security. Microsoft Subnet is giving away training from New Horizons and free books on Exchange Server 2010. Google Subnet is giving away free books on Android app development. Entry forms can be found on the main contest page. Trivia answers are revealed on each main Subnet page. Network World on Twitter? You bet we are |
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