Slate 8 - Great media device - Sprint Product Ambassadors

The Slate 8 isn't going to win any awards for fastest, most powerful or highest resolution tablet. But what it does have is a super clear IPS screen and enough horsepower to run Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Google Play Movies. So what you have here is a fantastic kids or back seat media device. Or, in my case, a way to catch up on Top Gear during my lunch break! And bonus - it's basically free for existing subscribers and only few dollars a month for new customers!







Both LTE and WiFi playback kept up with the clean resolution on the tablet. I found no lag, stuttering or buffering problems watching full episodes or jumping from clip to clip on YouTube. I'm really impressed with the screen on this tablet - it's nicer than the Galaxy S2 tab I have. Brighter, clearer and wider angle of view.



Now all I need to do is find a stand or case for this to properly prop it up on my desk!







Disclaimer: The Product Ambassadors are Sprint employees from many different parts of the company that love technology. They volunteer to test out all sorts of Sprint devices and offer opinions freely to the Community. Each Product Ambassador shares their own opinions of these devices, therefore the information in this post does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sprint. The PA's do not represent the company in an official way, and should not be expected to respond to Community members in an official capacity. #sprintemployee

Studio Ghibli’s The Secret World of Arrietty Is on Its Way to America (With Trailer)

Studio Ghibli’s The Secret World of Arrietty Is on Its Way to America (With Trailer):
The latest Studio Ghibli animated feature to make it to America, The Secret World of Arrietty has the same beautiful and elegant craftsmanship expected of all their films, even though this one was written and supervised — but not actually directed — by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki.

It won’t be out in U.S. theaters until February 17, but I had the chance to see the version dubbed for American audiences a short time ago, and I loved it. The Secret World of Arrietty has all the polish of a classic Miyazaki film, but is closer in plot and characterization to classic American animated films, so may be more accessible to U.S. audiences than most Japanese animated films. Based — somewhat loosely — as it is on Mary Norton’s classic Borrowers children’s novels, the film may in fact seem somewhat familiar to American kids. See the trailer below.



I very much hope it will succeed, as it has the potential to become a classic of the genre. The dubbed American voices of Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, and Carol Burnett (among others) fade seamlessly into the film as though it had been made with them in mind.

The only thing I don’t love about the film is its title, which I’m afraid may not resonate with American audiences because of the unfamiliar name “Arrietty” (which is taken from the Borrowers, but still isn’t exactly a commonly-heard name). But it has the weight of Disney’s marketing behind it, so let’s hope it finds the audience it deserves.