HowWouldYouChange
Latest
How would you change Dell's XPS 15z?
It's the slickest mainstream machine to emerge from Round Rock in years, and outside of the short-lived Adamo XPS, it might just be the most beautiful Dell laptop from the past decade. It's the XPS 15z, and it's winning the hearts of folks who were previously dead-set on HP's Envy line. We obviously found favor with our review unit, and we're pretty sure the company has managed to move quite a few of these things. If one (or more) ended up on your doorstep, here's your chance to speak out. Are you satisfied with the keyboard design? How's the panel treating your retinas? That hardware configuration living up to your needs? Would you offer the next one in a multitude of hues? Go ahead and get crafty in comments below -- maybe that whole "Design Studio" thing will bleed over to here.
How would you change Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1?
It's been around in a few different hues, and has since grown into a TouchWiz UX kind of outfit, and we're guessing it's about time Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 found its way into our weekly HWYC feature. It's undoubtedly the Android slate to beat, even today, but that doesn't mean that it's spit-shine perfect. For those who opted for this beaut, we're keenly interested in hearing how your experience has been. Are you still satisfied with Honeycomb as a tablet operating system? Is the screen still wowing you? Any durability issues we should know about it? And if you had the keys to Sammy's Design Kingdom, what would you do differently on the next Tab 10.1? Realign the aspect ratio? Go matte? Up the screen resolution? Speak up in comments below -- and keep it sane, cool?
How would you change Samsung's Droid Charge?
Skipped over the Thunderbolt, did you? If you were waiting for that other LTE phone to come your way, Samsung's Droid Charge may have been the one that caught your eye. For those who settled on it, we're interested in knowing how things have been going. How's that Super AMOLED Plus panel treating you... outdoors? Is the LTE radio smashing your battery life? Are the Android tweaks to your liking? Still feel it was worth the price premium at launch? There's no doubt that the Charge is one of favorites on Big Red right now, but that's not to say it doesn't have its quirks. Speaking of which -- it's about high time you tossed in a few opinions of your own in comments below.
How would you change Nikon's D5100?
It's been a long, long while since Nikon's full-frame stable saw a refresh, but the company's been keeping it clicking down at the low and mid-range. Take the D5100, for example -- for $900, it offers up a fairly stout set of specifications, but as with everything else, we're certain those that bought in have a thing or two to say after a summer's worth of shooting. So, let's have it! Are you satisfied with the quality of the 1080p movie mode? How's that low-light performance? Is the construction solid enough for your clumsy hands? Are you feeling the burn with no built-in AF motor? Go on and nitpick in comments below -- mama always said her kids deserved to be heard.
How would you change T-Mobile's G-Slate?
Splurged on a T-Mobile G-Slate, did you? Here's your opportunity to voice your opinion to LG (and anyone else who'll listen). Sporting an unorthodox aspect ratio and an affinity for a carrier that may not exist on its own by this time next year, it's certainly one of the odder slate options on the market. Combine that with the inability to buy a WiFi-only model, and you've got yourself firmly into niche territory. That said, we're confident that LG moved quite a few of these, and chances are that some of those buyers are reading these words right now. If that's you, we're interested to hear how you'd do things differently the next go 'round. Are you a fan of the form factor? Pining for a matte panel? Would you have preferred a WWAN-less variant? Is the UI everything you'd hoped for... and more? Go on and drop your thoughts in comments below -- mama always encouraged the art of getting things off your chest.
How would you change ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer?
It arrived but a few months ago, and already ASUS' Eee Pad Transformer has been eclipsed by quite a few of its Android-toting brethren. That said, it's still one of the most uniquely designed Android slates on the market, and those who believe in it seem to be unshakably loyal. If we had to guess, we'd say ASUS is already well on its way to conjuring up the second generation of this here tablet, and we'd love for you to telepathically send over a few tips on how to do it best. Or, you know, drop your suggestions in comments. Would you up the screen resolution? Change the aspect ratio? Tweak the matching dock? Tone down that glossy finish? The floor's yours.
How would you change RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook?
RIM's 7-inch PlayBook may be lovely to hold, and that gesture area along the bezel is downright genius, but the QNX-powered slate hasn't had the easiest time taking on the likes of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Apple's iPad 2. Still, RIM's following is amongst the most loyal in the industry, and those who wouldn't leave the house sans a BlackBerry handset may have been inclined to give this guy a go. If that's you, we're overly interested in hearing how you'd do things differently. Would you have preferred a larger screen? Android app support right out of the box? A beefier software store? Go on and get creative in comments below -- something tells us RIM isn't exactly in a position to turn a deaf ear.
How would you change the Kyocera Echo?
We get the impression that Kyocera's design team had been hacking away at the Echo for years -- largely due to the blocky corners that remained, despite the current market's affinity for curvation -- and in a way, we're actually relieved that Sprint took a chance with it. We've seen what's to come when looking at dual-screen handsets, and if executed properly, the future seems bright. The Echo itself surprised us with its flexibility, and while it's obviously a niche device, we're certain a few of you have ponied up for one. So, here's your chance to tell us all what you'd do differently the next time around. Would you change the form factor in any way? How's about that slider / locking mechanism? Was Android 2.2 the right choice? Do you wish it were available on a different carrier? Go on and get creative in comments below!
How would you change Nokia's E7?
Hard to believe the last great Communicator was launched but a few months back, huh? In the time since, Nokia has bestowed upon us the first image of its forthcoming WP7 handset, rolled out the MeeGo-based N9 and flaunted the dev-only N950. That said, Symbian's still claiming a staggering piece of the market from a global perspective, and even though Elop and co. have largely given up on it for their future smartphones, we're pretty certain at least a few of you sprung for the oh-so-gorgeous E7. So, now that you've had a few months to put it through its paces, what say you? Would you change the keypad in any way? Is that panel dense enough for you? Would you have preferred a different OS? How's about a non-EDoF camera? Shoot the breeze down in comments below, but let's keep it civil, okay? It's Sunday, after all.
How would you change HTC's Arrive?
We know, we know: Mango. But outside of wishing for Microsoft's most significant update yet to Windows Phone 7, we're curious to know how else you'd change the HTC Arrive. Your pickings are slim for WP7 on The Now Network, and while the Arrive has an absolutely rock-solid design, we're sure you've picked up on a few quibbles over the past few months. Would you have tweaked the keyboard in any way? Boosted the resolution? Thrown in a WiMAX radio? Improved the camera? Softened the edges somewhat? Go on and get vocal down in comments below!
How would you change Samsung's Series 9 laptop?
We know, Samsung already took the wind out of your "price cut!" sails, but hey -- we're pretty certain you've still got a few things you'd like to see changed on the altogether lovely Series 9. Sammy's sexiest laptop to date has surely found its way into the homes of quite a few ultraportable aficionados, boasting a Core i5 chip, USB 3.0 and lovely all-in-one trackpad. 'Course, even those enamored with the design have probably found a few chinks in the armor after a few month's use, so we're anxious to hear what you'd recommend Samsung do with revision B. Would you tone down the gloss? Arrange the ports any differently? Toss in a magnetic power connector? Boost the screen resolution? Voice your opinions down in comments below -- it's a free country, you know?
How would you change Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play?
It came with a bang, but even Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play seems to have already become yesterday's treasure in a world swamped with dual-core superphones. Still, the Play remains the only Android phone on the market with a full-on slide-out gamepad, and while the library's still lacking, there's oodles of promise here. And that, friends, is where you come in. For those that forked over whatever it took to snag one, we're anxious to know how you'd do things differently. We're guessing that SE didn't sink an absurd amount of resources into this thing without a successor in mind, so what are you hoping to see in Revision B? A higher-res display? A few more buttons to mash? Ice Cream Sandwich? Get as crazy as you wanna be in comments below, won't you?
How would you change Nintendo's 3DS?
It took 'em longer than anticipated to sell a cool million of these things, but we're guessing the hardcore among us are in that crowd. The Nintendo 3DS is definitely trying something quite different, and while it's tough to tell if the Big N has a bona fide hit on its hands, we're feeling pretty certain that it'll pop out a second edition in due time. To that end, we're interested in hearing what existing owners would change if given the power. Would you tweak the displays in any way? Change up the colors? Modify the form factor? Alter the control scheme? We can't promise you that Luigi's listening, but feel free to get the ideas flowing in comments below.
How would you change Fujifilm's FinePix X100?
Photokina 2010 was the launching pad for a relatively new class of point-and-shoot, and Fujifilm's FinePix X100 was just one of the many high-end, zoomless compacts designed to put DSLR-level image quality into your right (or left, for southpaws) rear pocket. Of course, the compromise is the inability to swap lenses and the omission of an optical zoom, but evidently the market research has shown that there's a market for this thing, yet. The X100 oozes beauty, but it most definitely comes at a cost -- over $1,000 at last check. For those with plenty of disposable income and a hankering for anything new, we're as curious as can be to hear how your experience with this guy has been. Have you been overly impressed with the design? Would you have tweaked the lens at all? Thrown together a less rigid chassis for the sake of weight / cost? Added an option for an interchangeable lens mount? Go on and get creative in comments below -- you've earned it.
How would you change Samsung's Galaxy S 4G?
Oh, sure -- Samsung's Galaxy S II should be hitting American airwaves quicker than you can say "Where'd my weekend go?," but we're living in the here and now, aren't we? Now that you've survived whatever scare was scheduled for today, it's time to get back to what matters most: answering fictional questions. This week's episode of HWYC involves the T-Mobile variant of Samsung's heralded Galaxy S. Yeah, this one's been around the block on other carriers before, but that makes our prodding all the more pertinent. If you had the power to overhaul T-Mob's Galaxy S 4G, would you? And if so, how? Upgrade the battery? Change the construction material? Toss a fresher copy of Android on there? Feel free to let us know in comments below -- you've managed to live another day. Won't you do something worthwhile?
How would you change Apple's Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Pro?
Same 'ole, same 'ole? There's no doubt that Apple's newest MacBook Pro looks awfully similar to the models that have come before it, but the engineers in Cupertino still managed to shake a few things up on the early 2011 model. Aside from throwing an AMD GPU under the hood, pairing that with Intel's integrated HD 3000 chipset and implementing Sandy Bridge, there's also an entirely new I/O port: Thunderbolt. But was that really enough? For those of you who couldn't escape the upgrade bug, we're curious to know if you've been satisfied with the upgrade. If you had control of things, what would you change? Add a few more USB ports? Insist that native USB 3.0 support be added? Throw in a Blu-ray drive? Maybe add a couple of palm rest stickers? Toss your ideas out in comments below -- but let's keep it civil down there, cool?
How would you change Motorola's Xoom?
Two Motorola products in a row here at HWYC? Say it ain't so! A week after throwing the Atrix 4G out for discussion, Moto's Xoom tablet is on the docket next. As the world's first commercialized Honeycomb tablet, it obviously launched with heightened expectations. That over-the-top Super Bowl ad didn't help, but we digress. For those who've chosen the Xoom over countless others, we have to ask: are you happy with your decision? How's the software treating you? Taken those cameras out for a spin yet? Battery life still living up to your lofty hopes? If you had the opportunity to tweak anything, what would you do? Shrink the form factor? Toss LTE in from the start? We're hearing whispers that Motorola may end up partnering with Mazda on the Xoom-Xoom, so get your recommendations in now. Now!
How would you change Motorola's Atrix 4G?
Motorola's Atrix 4G may have some serious competition from a performance standpoint, but it's still got one thing going for it over all of the other Android superphones hitting the streets these days: an optional laptop dock. 'Course, it's debatable whether or not said accessory is truly worth paying for, but the phone itself has certainly done its fair share of impressing. You've read our take on Motorola's latest Android whizkid, and now it's your turn to vent. If you had the power necessary to overhaul the Atrix 4G, how would you go about doing so? Would you nix Motoblur altogether? Toss the latest build of Android onboard? Make it available on more carriers? Handle the laptop dock differently? All (sane) opinions are welcome, and comments are open below.
How would you change Lenovo's ThinkPad X120e?
It's one of the first Fusion-based laptops out of the gate -- certainly one of the first with a semi-business-oriented shell -- and we found it to be one of the best modern ThinkPads we'd seen when reviewing it a few months back. Naturally, the quantity of machines shipping with the E-350 APU is swelling, but the X120e still touts one of the most unique feature sets available. For those who picked one up (for business or pleasure... we're hardly picky), we'd love to know how you'd tweak things. Are you satisfied with the build quality? The value? Would you encourage Lenovo to tweak a design that has remained largely constant for the better part of the last millennium? Would you have swapped out the APU for something a bit less integrated? Toss your thoughts in comments below; you never know if you'll be the dude / dudette that pushes the ThinkPad into its next evolution.
How would you change the Verizon iPhone?
It's an iPhone 4... but not the original iPhone 4. Verizon Wireless became the first CDMA carrier in the States to call an Apple smartphone one of its own, and the resulting handset is eerily similar to the AT&T variant in most regards. That said, we're sure that a few of you folks would have done things differently if given the design credentials needed to do so, and this is place for you to vent. Would you have added any features to this guy not already found on the GSM iPhone 4? Offered a Big Red-exclusive color? Thrown an LTE radio in there? Changed up the antenna layout? Included a secondary display, Echo-style? Go on and get creative in comments below -- you never know what suggestions may shape the shape of the iPhone 5! (Or something like that.)
