New Trends In Technology

Where to buy Cheapest DSLR in the Philippines or Manila?

2010-11-13T08:06:00.000-08:00

If you’re looking for a right place to buy Cheap DSLR cameras and other photographic equipment in the Philippines for the lowest prices, then it’s in Hidalgo St., Quiapo.

The place in general is notorious as one of Manila’s shabby and crime infested areas (full of pirated CDs/DVDs, counterfeit electronics, snatchers, garbage).
Round trip airfare to
Manila and a few days’ expenses.

If you’re wondering why the stores in Hidalgo sell it for such a low price, it’s because space rentals in Quiapo are much cheaper and because they sell most items with a local/store warranty. Meaning, if you need to have it fixed/replaced, you won’t be able to do it in just any service center of your camera brand, but only in the store where you bought the camera.

How to get there? To get there, ride the LRT (Yellow Line) and get off at Carriedo Station. Using the Google map as a reference, walk further along Carrideo St., at the first intersection you will find SM Quiapo to your right. Enter SM and go to the other side of the building. When you exit, you will be somewhere in front of Watson’s and Henry’s. the other stores are not far from there. There’s a Banco de Oro branch along the street to your right, in front of it is Mayer.

Here’s a list of Camera Shops in Hidalgo St., Quiapo and their contact details:

Henry’s Photo Supply
Tel: 733-7723, 734-6198
Fax: 734-4018
Email: henryscamera@yahoo.com
Mayer Photo
Tel: 733-7598, 733-7722
Watson Photo Shop
Tel: 733-7697
Aperture Trading Corporation
Tel: 732-8991, 731-1708
Fax: 741-9743 (telefax)
Email: aperturetrade@yahoo.com
Avenue Photo Supply
Tel: 733-2761, 733-5474, 734-3307
Email: avenue98@info.com.ph
24K, formerly Fotohaus
Tel: 734-4471, 734-3304 to 05, 733-4565, 733-5531
Fax: 733-5528
Email: fotolam@vasia.com
JT Photoworld
Tel: 523-4396, 536-6590, 536-6591
Fax: 521-3621
Email: inquiry@jtphotoworld.com

For point and shoot cameras and DSLRs, Henry’s and Mayer are two of the most popular stores. Depending on the item, prices may vary in each store, so it would be best to contact them beforehand for prices.
Remember to be on high alert when you’re in Quiapo! It’s not one of the safest places in Manila so the quickest you can go in and out, the better. The safest places there are: inside the LRT Station, inside SM, and inside the stores. If you’re anywhere outside these areas, walk fast and be extra alert. It would also be best if you bring one or more persons along with you during your visit.

Lenovo new ultra-portables and business laptops

2010-01-06T03:48:00.000-08:00

It’s the new year, and time for some new stuff from Lenovo. The laptop manufacturer announced their latest and greatest recently, the new ThinkPad X100e and the ThinkPad Edge (amongst others).

The ThinkPad X100e is one of Lenovo’s new ultra-portable line, running on either an AMD Neo or Turion CPU. It features a full size keyboard, ships with Windows 7, and is available in red or black. The X100e should be
available now, starting at $449.

Additionally, Lenovo announced the release of the ThinkPad Edge, also available with the Turion or Neo chipset, and featuring a 13, 14, or 15 inch screen. The Edge system are said to be extremely energy efficient, and will reportedly run for up to 8 hours between charges. The 13-inch version is available now, with the larger screens coming out in 2Q1010.

Lenovo also made some changes to their ThinkPad T series. The T410 and T510 are the latest versions of their business line, and the only real news about these systems is their use of the new Intel CPUs, the Arrandale. These new systems will be available with the Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors. The T410 and T510 will start at $999, and will be available starting on the 7th. We’ll see if we can get some more information out of Lenovo when we visit them at their booth.

There’s some hotter stuff (the tablet-y U1 for instance) but we’ll cover those separately as the week progresses.

Kodak Slice touchscreen camera

2010-01-06T03:40:00.000-08:00

Kodak pretty much started the point and shoot camera market, but they’ve been behind for a while as far as innovation goes. In fact, this is pretty much an attempt to catch up with Nikon, Canon, and the other manufacturers who are using a touchscreen interface.

The cutely named Slice is a seemingly typical P&S camera, albeit with a 14MP sensor and
the previously mentioned touchscreen interface. It’ll shoot 720p 30 FPS video, features image stabilization and a lithium ion battery, just like the other cameras in this market segment. Kodak really isn’t doing anything new with the Slice, however I will have to admit I do like the look of the little guy. The price may be a bit of a problem though, it’s going to MSRP for $350 which might be a bit steep for the casual purchaser. Expect to see the Kodak Slice at your favorite electronics retailer sometime in April 2010.

From the press release:

KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera Lets You Share and Relive Moments Instantly

New Digital Camera Boasts Sleek Exterior with Thousands of KODAK Moments Inside

Rochester, NY, January 7, 2010 – Eastman Kodak Company today announced the latest addition to its consumer digital product portfolio, designed to make it easier than ever for people to share pictures with family and friends anytime, anywhere. The KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera lets consumers carry a personal photo album worth sharing and reliving at all times. With a sleek and intuitive 3.5-inch touchscreen, and the KODAK SLICE Search Feature, consumers can find the pictures they want from up to 5,000 that can be stored on internal memory. Then, they can easily share those pictures right from the back of the camera.

“Kodak knows that consumers want the ability to share life’s memories at a moment’s notice, whether it’s pictures that evoke a tear or just the funny everyday moments,” said John Blake, General Manager, Digital Capture and Devices and Vice President, Kodak. “The power of sharing and reliving life’s moments drove the development of our new SLICE Camera. It provides instant access to all of your KODAK Moments, and it’s right at your fingertips.”

Store, Sort and Share with the SLICE Camera
With the ability to store up to 5,000 pictures in HD resolution, the SLICE Camera’s onboard KODAK SLICE Search Feature and Face Recognition allow consumers to sort through thousands of pictures by person, place, date, or occasion in order to locate and share a collection of treasured moments.

The touchscreen and Share Button allow consumers to tag pictures directly on the camera for effortless uploading to popular sharing sites including Facebook, KODAK Gallery, Flickr, and YouTube. Pictures can also be tagged to email or to send directly to the new KODAK PULSE Digital Frame.

KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera features include:
• Intuitive 3.5-inch, 16:9 LCD touchscreen with anti-reflective coating
• KODAK SLICE Search Feature and Face Recognition to easily sort, locate and share pictures
• Share Button for easy upload to Facebook, KODAK Gallery, Flickr, YouTube sites and e-mail
• Store up to 5,000 pictures in HD resolution
• Stunning image quality with a 14MP CCD sensor and 5X SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH Lens
• Built-in optical image stabilization
• 720p/30fps HD video capture
• Kodak’s exclusive Smart Capture feature, which analyzes scenes and automatically adjusts camera settings to deliver beautiful pictures more often
• Compatible with PC or APPLE iLife Software
• Li-Ion rechargeable battery included
The KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera will be available in black, nickel and radish for US $349.95 MSRP beginning in April 2010. Best Buy will initially be the exclusive retailer for in-store sales. The KODAK SLICE Touchscreen Camera will also be sold online at Amazon.com and Kodak.com.
Kodak is also introducing a case for the SLICE Camera, which was designed in a competition among accessories students at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. The final case design was chosen by celebrated designer Steve Madden and FIT faculty.
*Colors and availability may vary by region

2010-01-06T03:30:00.000-08:00

Two of the most anticipated mobile phones of 2010 are now being sold in gray markets in Metro Manila. Saw a couple of them, HTC Touch HD2 and Nokia N900, being sold at InfoMax for a pretty big wad of cash.

The HTC Touch HD2 (HTC Leo) is selling for Php49,500. The last remaining unit was sold to an expat but the sales clerk says they’ll have new stocks soon.

The Nokia N900, rumored to be released in
March 2010, is also selling for Php48,000. Only one remaining unit left as the other one was sold last December by InfoMax MegaMall.

If those are the gray market prices, then there’s a huge chance that the official SRP would be much lower than that. I reckon that if InfoMax gets somewhere between 20 to 30% margins on these units, the official prices will be Php35k to Php40k when they arrive.

But if you’re itching to get your hands into one of these babies ahead of everyone else, you’ll have to shell out the additional Php10k premium.

The Bendable One Skiff eReader

2010-01-06T03:23:00.000-08:00

It’s the CES once again and we’re seeing tons of new drool-worthy gizmos and gadgets. One of them is the preview of the Skiff, a bendable eReader. Check out the photos below to believe.

The Skiff gets and awesome display size at 11.5″ with a resolution of 1200×1600 pixels.

The company, Hearst, hints the device is durable and is actually bendable since it uses a
flexible sheet of stainless-steel foil. It’s got WiFi, 3G, a 4GB built-in storage for ebooks and SD card expansion slot.

The Skiff is said to be locked to Sprint so I don’t think we’ll be able to see or use one here in the Philippines. No price indicated but we’ll update this post once it’s officially announced at CES.

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t Multi-touch Tablet

2010-01-06T03:17:00.000-08:00

Lenovo today announced their next generation netbook, the IdeaPad S10-3t, which is actually a capacitive, multi-touch tablet PC. There are 2 models actually — the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 and the S10-3t.

The S10-3t is the industry’s first multitouch capacitive convertible netbook tablet, meaning it is built with
Lenovo NaturalTouch responsive fingertip touch screen technology versus pressure touch technology.

10.1″ multi-touch display @ 1366×768 pixels
Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz and 1.83GHz Intel Atom N470
Up to 2GB DDR2 667MHz
Up to 320GB SATA HDD
WiFi 802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
Built-in 3G and WiMax (optional)
2 USB ports
6-in-1 card reader

1.3MP webcam
Li-Ion battery 4-cell (4 hours) or 8-cell (10 hours)
Windows 7

The same specs are made for the non-tablet version of the IdeaPad S10-3. Lenovo says that pricing will be available this quarter for the Philippines.

I remember the first S10 was priced at around Php27k when it first came out so my guesstimate is that the touchscreen tablet netbook will be priced between Php30k to Php35k while the standard one will be under Php25k.

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Smartbook review

2010-01-06T03:10:00.000-08:00

Lenovo sent us an exhaustive list yesterday of their new PC offerings in time for CES but they omitted this one which I liked the most — a hybrid tablet and touchscreen netbook in one called the IdeaPad U1.

Maybe it’s because this product is
not ready for prime time yet but I really liked the implementation.

I guess they’re just showing it off to people at the moment but should be able to ship it by June this year.

The netbook part runs an Intel Core 2 Duo SU4100 1.3GHz with Windows 7 but if you take off the screen and use the tablet alone, it’s powered by a Qualcomm ARM Snapdragon processor (same CPU in HTC HD2 and Nexus One phones) so it’s basically a smartphone in a netbook (thus the term smartbook).

The IdeaPad U1 has a an nice 11.6″ display (1366×768 resolution), WiFi 802. 11b/g/n, 3G for the tablet with maximum 4GB of RAM (512MB for the tablet). The estimated retail price — $999. I know it’s a tad bit expensive but you’re getting two pretty devices here so let’s call it split even at $499 each.

Google Nexus One as a Replacement To iPhone

2010-01-06T03:00:00.000-08:00

It wasn't much of a secret, really, but the sleek, Android-powered Nexus One is finally here, and yes: you can buy it directly from Google, over the Web. As expected, the unlocked, no-contract Nexus One will cost you a pretty penny, but subsidized versions will also be available from T-Mobile and ... what's this, Verizon Wireless? You betcha.

Announced Tuesday during a press conference at Google's Mountain View headquarters, the Nexus One (designed by
phone maker HTC under Google's strict supervision) is available for purchase right now on Google's new Web store rather than through a carrier—a twist that some observers see as a paradigm shift in the wireless market, where the balance of power is usually tipped in the carrier's favor.

Then again, Google is sticking with the practice of charging an arm and a leg for an unlocked, no-contract handset. If you want it unlocked for use with any SIM card and without a contract, the phone will set you back a cool $530. Here in the U.S., you'll be able to use the Nexus One with either an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM card; that said, AT&T users will only be able to tap into the carrier's EDGE data network, while T-Mobile customers can use both EDGE and 3G.

Another option is to opt for a traditional two-year contract with T-Mobile, which brings the price of the Nexus One down to $180. That detail has already been well leaked; one of the surprises Tuesday, however, was the news that Verizon Wireless in the U.S. (which currently has the Android-powered Motorola Droid) and Vodafone in Europe are also on board with the Nexus One, with versions of the handset for those networks due in the spring. Interesting. (I should note, though, that the current unlocked Nexus One will only work on GSM-based networks, not CDMA carriers like Verizon or Sprint; I'm assuming that the eventual Nexus One for Verizon will be a CDMA phone.)

If you've been following all the rumors over the past few weeks about the Nexus One, few of the hardware details revealed by Google on Tuesday will come as a surprise. Yep, the Nexus One is slim and trim, alright, measuring about 0.45 inches thick and weighing in at a relatively light 4.6 ounces, and as predicted, it'll come with a speedy 1GHz "Snapdragon" processor under the hood, a five-megapixel camera with an LED flash, Wi-Fi, stereo Bluetooth, a slot for microSD memory expansion, and a standard 3.5mm jack for headsets. Missing in action: a slide-out keypad and "multitouch" for the Web browser (for "pinching" or "zooming" Web pages).

Also on board the Nexus One: the latest version of Android (version 2.1, to be precise), which adds a series of interface enhancements, more home screens (five, up from three), live news and weather widgets, "live" wallpaper (which, as demonstrated during Google's press conference, might feature a forest scene with falling leaves and water that ripples at your touch), and even built-in voice recognition for any text field on the phone (meaning you can simply speak rather than type out a text message).

Now, I haven't personally seen the Nexus One yet, but the bloggers at Engadget have, and their praise is, well ... somewhat guarded. No question, they say, the Nexus One is a sleek, sexy, and speedy handset, but the bloggers conclude that the much-vaunted 2.1 version of Android doesn't look all that different from the Droid's version of Android. Also, while the Nexus One is "fast," says Engadget, it's "not so much of a leap up from the Droid."

So yes ... it sounds like the big news with the Nexus One is the way in which it's being sold, not so much the handset itself (although the hardware certainly does sound impressive). But while I'm pleased that Google is selling the Nexus One unlocked out of the gate, the unsubsidized $530 price tag is awfully steep (otherwise, I would have definitely bought one myself).

In any case, that's the scoop; if you're interested in more details about the Nexus One, you can check out Google's site right here.

So, show of hands: Who's interested in snapping up the unlocked Nexus One?

Samsung NX Series DSLR

2010-01-04T06:26:00.000-08:00

Samsung just announced what amounts to their own micro four thirds DSLR with 3-inch AMOLED screen and DSLR-sized sensor. The camera should be available in the Spring but we’ll definitely see it at CES this week where all the hot gadgets will be hanging out.

Not much to tell right now but
it records video at 720p resolution and takes shots at 14.6 megapixels. I still haven’t seen a micro four thirds/mini-DSLR I’ve liked so this had better be amazing.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge

2010-01-04T06:22:00.000-08:00

Though the leaks have been out for a couple of days now, Lenovo has officially confirmed and announced two series of notebooks — the ThinkPad Edge series and the ThinkPad X100e.

The ThinkPad Edge comes in
13″, 14″ and 15 inches with options for AMD Neo X2, AMD Turion and Intel Core 2 Duo ULV.

The 13″ model will have an Intel SU7300 1.3GHz and 6-cell battery while the 14″ and 15″ comes with a 9-cell battery. Lenovo promises over 8 hours of battery life.

Options for Bluetooth, 3G and WiMax is available on top of the WiFi N standard. The ThinkPad Edge will have a starting price of Php36,990.

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e

2010-01-04T06:18:00.000-08:00

ThinkPad X100e, Lenovo did not exactly shared the complete specs but it hinted of an AMD Athlon Neo single and dual core processors or a Turion dual core. It comes in an 11.6″ form factor, a multi-touch trackpad. Aside from black, it’s also available in color red. WiFi 802.11n is standard but Bluetooth and 3G is
optional.

Here’s a sample specs for the X100e:

AMD Neo MV-40, AMD Neo X2 L335, or AMD Turion Neo X2 L625
ATI Radeon HD 3200
11.6″ display @ 1366×768 pixels
up to 4GB DDR2 RAM
WiFi 802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
Gobi 2000 3G module with GPS (optional)
3 USB 2.0 ports
4-in-1 card reader
160GB, 250GB or 320GB HDD
3-cell (2 hours) or 6 cell (5 hours) Li-Ion battery

The ThinkPad X100e will have retail price of Php28,990.

About Neo Edge Z3265

2010-01-04T06:12:00.000-08:00

This is the very first Neo laptop I’ve reviewed here so the Edge Z3265 gave a lasting impression about the Filipino company’s future in the PC-making business. Check out the review of the Neo Edge Z3265 after the jump.

Neo is a local company who’s a little young in
the PC business but they’ve made a mark for offering really affordable laptop alternatives to the market. The Neo Edge Z3265 does not seem to fit into that grand scheme of things.

First, the Edge series represents the thin and light category for Neo. The Edge Z3265 is 13.3″, an under an inch (23mm) thin and is lightweight (1.45kg) for its size. the slightly curved edge also gives an impression that it’s thinner than it actually is. The lid is smooth and shiny; same goes with the screen — that gives you a nice crisp and bright display but gets a lot of glare outdoors.

Like many other laptops in its class, you get a really good real estate, a full keyboard with a rounded, square-type keys (similar to the ones we’ve seen on MSI and Acer notebooks). The trackpad is great to use and despite the fact that the left and right clickers are not separated, it’s easy to use and I rarely miss the mark. The right side of the trackpad also has a small area dedicated for auto-scrolling.

Compaq Mini CQ10

2010-01-04T06:05:00.000-08:00

Compaq Mini CQ10 followed the design of the HP Mini 110 but taking the specs of the Mini 210.

Compaq Mini CQ10
10.1″ display @ 1024×600
Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz
Intel GMA 3150
1GB DDR2 RAM
250GB HDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g
6-cell battery
Windows 7 Starter

We’ll see more details on
these after CES 2010 which is coming up real soon. As usual, their prices will not be far from the prices when the Mini 110 and 2140 were first introduced (about Php21 to 24k) and should arrive here as early as February or as late as March 2010.

HP Mini 210 review

2010-01-04T06:02:00.000-08:00

Like most other multi-branded global companies, HP makes similar products for their Compaq line-up and prices them a bit cheaper. We’ve seen this done by Acer on their Gateway and eMachines brand. So it’s no surprise that the upcoming HP Mini 210 has a fraternal twin in the name of Compaq Mini CQ10.

So the Mini 210 took some
design inspirations from the Mini 5101, specifically the chiclet-type keyboard.

HP Mini 210
10.1″ display @ 1024×600
Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz
Intel GMA 3150
1GB DDR2 RAM
250GB HDD
WiFi 802.11 b/g
5-in-1 card reader
6-cell battery
Windows 7 Starter

The Pine Trail platform should help bump an additional half an hour to an hour of battery life. The HD model with higher resolution is also available (1280×720 pixels) but as we’ve seen in the past with the Mini 2140 HD, I don’t think it will be distributed locally.

Expect to be surprised by Apple tablet

2010-01-04T05:29:00.000-08:00

If its engineers hew to recent history, Apple's tablet computer may look nothing like what the prognosticators foresee.

The speculative madness surrounding Apple's rumored tablet computer has finally reached its frothy peak.

Tech's chattering classes are
obsessed with the unconfirmed product, which Apple (AAPL) may announce at an event in January, or February, or March, depending on which set of reports you adhere to. Apple, not surprisingly, is mum.

The hunger for information—and misguided speculation—reminds me of the mistaken prognosticating about the iPhone before its introduction three years ago. It may be time to step back and realize that Apple may uncork a product so surprising that the company again leaves the tech industry scrambling to catch up to its products' smooth operation and sleek design.

Documented facts about the tablet are few. This much we do know: In November 2008, Apple took control of the trademark name TabletMac from a company called Axiotron, which converts MacBook laptops into tablet computers running Apple's Mac OS X.

In April, BusinessWeek talked with people who had seen prototypes of a device they called a media pad as well as a small iPhone, described as "iPhone lite" by the person who saw it.

Then there's outside speculation. In November the Taiwanese Web site Digitimes, often regarded as a solid source of information regarding the plans of Taiwan's electronic manufacturing sector, reported that the Apple tablet had been delayed until the second half of 2010 because of the price to build its display.

On Dec. 24, New York Times blogger Nick Bilton quoted two people—one an unnamed source, the other a former Apple employee—dropping tantalizing clues. Jobs is "very happy" with the machine, and users will be "very surprised at how you interact with the new tablet," the Times wrote. About the same time, the Financial Times reported that Apple plans to reveal the new device at an event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on Jan. 26.

Missing the Mark on the iPhone

It's important to take reports like these with an appropriate helping of salt. Apple holds numerous trademarks it doesn't actively use; ever hear of MacTel, Vingle, or Drypod? In addition, Apple's top-secret labs in Cupertino, Calif., have probably developed numerous tablet prototypes, some of which may be used to show potential partners but that don't represent a finished product. And leakers have a tendency to exaggerate what they know, or invent from whole cloth.

A similar speculative frenzy surrounded the January 2007 iPhone launch. Looking back at Apple rumor site postings in the months leading up to its debut, I noticed how far off the mark many were about the iPhone's looks, Apple's partners, and who the carrier would be who could resell it. For example, enthusiasts' home-made design drawings that emerged on rumor sites showed a phone that sported a navigation wheel similar to the iPod's. Others imagined the iPhone would have a slide-out keyboard.

Few saw the potential for a touch-sensitive display, which eventually became the signature design element of the iPhone and iPod touch.

Consider the fevered imaginings endemic to Apple. The company engenders such strong reactions from its customers that users tend to "project the known upon the unknown," says Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at market researcher Interpret. That's why so many observers took the well-understood iPod and grafted a phone onto it when imagining Apple's iPhone plans.

A Larger Screen?

Apple's tablet may revolve around a larger touch-sensitive screen than the iPhone's, which could be central to its design and control. I've speculated about it myself in a past column. The iPod touch is so useful an Internet device that I keep one handy on my bedside table. It would make a lot of sense for Apple to market a device with a larger screen—say, 7 in. to 10 in. diagonally—that runs applications downloaded from the iTunes app store, wouldn't it?

Writers and tech pundits think so. But we're not Apple engineers and designers. What seems from the outside to be a logical progression may seem merely simplistic to the folks at Apple's 1 Infinite Loop headquarters. Their job isn't so much to think about the next logical step on a path as to set a divergent course for what people are likely to want for years to come.

Apple may throw everyone a curve ball here. Imagine an Apple tablet about the size of a 11-in. spiral notebook with an iPhone-like touch screen. How about the ability for the machine to recognize voice commands and dictation of text? A built-in video camera and maybe a mini-projector for meetings would be nice. And if the reports of Apple's discussion to land print media content in the iTunes store are true, how about an easy-on-the-eyes display for reading electronic magazines and books?

Embracing Two Worlds

A more fundamental question is whether Apple's tablet will more closely resemble an iPhone or a Mac. It will be fascinating to see how whatever emerges straddles those two worlds.

We use PCs and laptops to get things done when we're stationary; we use mobile devices to stay informed and complete small tasks when we're out and about. This device, it seems, will either have to incorporate both paradigms or have to create one of its own.

My bet? There will be a product from Apple reasonably described as a tablet, and Apple will reveal it during the first quarter of 2010. That's not going too far out on a limb. As the iPhone enters its third year, Apple needs something new to sell to keep delighting its customers, inspiring envy among its competitors, and increasing its sales.

Check your expectations about this product at the door, though. We're probably all in for a very big surprise.

Eight boring HP computers leak out before CES

2010-01-03T08:09:00.000-08:00

Whoops, it looks like most, if not all, of HP’s CES computer lineup has leaked a few days early. So far detailed spec sheets are missing for the four notebooks and four deskstops, but none of them really seem to be all that exciting. The most noteworthy one out of the bunch is the Mini 210 HD netbook that comes sporting a Pine Trail CPU and Broadcom’s Crystal HD video playback chip for $329. Besides that, the rest are
just your standard Best Buy-bound computers.

Now all of this info should still be classified as a rumor until HP makes it official next week. But each system seems like the next evolutionary step for HP. There is nothing out of the ordinary here like, say, a tablet with a revolutionary content delivery system. LogicBuy, the deal site that originally posted the leaks, states the ship date for the systems is January 7, 2010, so expect word before then.

iConvert Photo Scanner promises simple 4×6 snapshot

2010-01-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

You don’t really have to start in on your New Year’s resolutions until Monday. Friday was pretty much a gimme and now it’s the weekend, so just rest up for whatever thing you’re going to try to do for a week before quitting. If digitizing old-timey family photos is on your list, this new-ish scanner is powered via
USB cable and features simple one-button operation.

Designed for 4×6 photos, the iConvert Photo Scanner turns your old pictures into 100, 300, or 600dpi digital images. It’s both Windows and Mac compatible and costs $100 though SkyMall or Brookstone.

Acer Aspire One 532h gets more juice?!

2010-01-02T01:00:00.000-08:00

Acer added another model into their Aspire One line-up and it now comes with the new Pine Trail processor claiming longer battery life. The Acer Aspire One 532h looks like the same 10-incher we’ve seen in the D250. Spotted on the Acer website is the refreshed Aspire One with Pine Trail CPU.

Acer Aspire One 532h
10.1″ screen @ 1024×600 pixels
Intel Atom N450 1.67GHz Pine Trail
Intel GMA 3150
160GB or 250GB HDD
1GB DDR2 RAM
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
0.3MP webcam
Windows 7 Starter
The 5600mAh 6-cell Li-ion battery promises up to 10 hours of battery life. The Pine Trail system is already showing off its promise of better power efficiency here.

There’s an optional built-in 3G modem but like the previous Aspire One that came before this, I don’t think we’ll see those in the units that are shipped here. We’re not sure when this will hit the Philippines or how much it will cost (should be close to existing price of the D250).

Ten Technologies That Will Rock 2010

2010-01-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

Now that the aughts are behind us, we can start the new decade with a bang. So many new technologies are ready to make a big impact this year. Some of them will be brand new, but many have been gestating and are now ready to hatch. If there is any theme here it is the mobile Web. As I think through the top ten technologies that will rock 2010, more than
half of them are mobile. But those technologies are tied to advances in the overall Web as well.

Below is my list of the ten technologies that will leave the biggest marks on 2010:

1. The Tablet: It’s the most anticipated product of the year. The mythical tablet computer (which everyone seems to be working on). There are beautiful Android tablets, concept tablets, and, of course, the one tablet which could define the category, the Apple Tablet. Or iSlate or whatever it’s called. If Steve Jobs is not working on a tablet, he’d better come up with one because anything else will be a huge disappointment.Why do we need yet another computer in between a laptop and an iPhone? We won’t really know until we have it. But the answer lies in the fact that increasingly the Web is all you need. As all of our apps and data and social lives move to the Web, the Tablet is the incarnation of the Web in device form, stripped down to its essentials. It will also be a superior e-reader for digital books, newspapers, and magazines, and a portable Web TV.

2. Geo: The combination of GPS chips in mobile phones, social networks, and increasingly innovative mobile apps means that geolocation is increasingly becoming a necessary feature for any killer app. I’m not just talking about social broadcasting apps like Foursquare and Gowalla. The advent of Geo APIs from Twitter , SimpleGeo, and hopefully Facebook will change the game by adding rich layers of geo-related data to all sorts of apps. Twitter just recently launched its own Geo API for Twitter apps and acquired Mixer Labs, which created the GeoAPI.

3. Realtime Search: After licensing realtime data streams from Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and others, Google and Bing are quickly ramping up their realtime search. But realtime search is still treated as a silo, and is not regularly surfaced in the main search results page. In 2010, I expect that to change as the search engines learn for what types of searches it makes sense to show Tweets and other realtime updates. In the meantime, a gaggle of realtime search startups such as Collecta, OneRiot, and Topsy will continue to push the ball forward on the realtime search experience. Realtime search will also become a form of navigation, especially on Twitter and Facebook. The key will be to combine realtime search with realtime filters so that people are delivered not only the most recent information but the most relevant and authoritative as well.

4. Chrome OS: In November, Google gave the world a sneak peek at its Chrome operating system, which is expected to be released later this year. The Chrome OS is Google’s most direct attack on Windows with an OS built from the ground up to run Web apps fast and furious. Already a Google is rumored to be working on a Chrome Netbook which will show the world what is possible with it a “Web OS.” It sounds like it would be perfect for Tablet computers also (see above). Chrome is a risky bet for Google, but it is also potentially disruptive.

5. HTML5: The Web is built on HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and the next version which has been taking form for a while is HTML5. Already browsers such as Firefox and Google’s Chrome (the browser, not the OS) are HTML5-friendly. Once HTML5 becomes more widespread across the Web, it will reduce the need for Flash or Silverlight plug-ins to view videos, animations, or other rich applications. They will all just be Web-native. HTML5 also supports offline data storage, drag-and-drop, and other features which can make Web apps act more like desktop apps. A lot of Websites will be putting HTML5 under the hood in 2010.

6. Mobile Video: With video cameras integrated into the latest iPhone 3GS and other Web phones, live video streaming apps are becoming more commonplace—both streaming from phones and to them. As mobile data networks beef up their 3G bandwidth and even start to tiptoe into true broadband with 4G (which Verizon is heading towards with its next-gen LTE network), mobile video usage will take off.

7. Augmented Reality: One of the coolest ways to use the camera lens on a mobile phone is with the increasing array of augmented reality apps. They add a layer of data to reality by placing everything from photos to Tweets to business listings directly on top of the live live image captured by the camera. Tonchidot’s Sekai Camera, Layar, GraffitiGeo and even Yelp are examples of augmented reality apps.

8. Mobile Transactions: As mobile phones become full-fledged computers, they can be used for mobile commerce also. One area poised to take off in 2010 are mobile payments and transactions. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey’s latest startup Square turns the iPhone into a credit card reader. Verifone has its competing product, as does Mophie. The idea is that any mobile phone can become a point of sale, and those mobile transactions can tie into back-end accounting, CRM, and other enterprise systems.

9. Android: Last year saw the launch of nearly two dozen Android-powered phones, including the Verizon Droid. In a few days, Google’s Nexus One will launch as the first Android phone which can be unlocked from any given carrier (it is launching with T-Mobile). Android is Google’s answer to the iPhone, and as it reaches critical mass across multiple carriers and handsets it is becoming increasingly attractive to developers. There are already more than 10,000 apps on Android, next year there will be even more. And other devices running on the mobile OS are launching as well.

10. Social CRM: We’ve seen the rise of Twitter and Facebook as social communication tools. This year, those modes of realtime communication will find their way deeper into the enterprise. Salesforce.com is set to launch Chatter, it’s realtime stream of enterprise data which interfaces with Twitter and Facebook and turn them into business tools. Startups like Yammer and Bantam Live are also making business more social.

New Years Resolutions For Apple And The iPhone In 2010

2010-01-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

Last night, as we waited for Carson Daily to tell us that it was time to make a lot of noise, I found myself laying on my buddy’s lawn with glass number one-too-many of something toxic in my hand. As I stared up at the stars, I pondered something I’d imagine most of the country was pondering as well:

Does Steve Jobs make New Years Resolutions?

I mean, really; outside of continuing to kick cancer’s ass and perhaps expanding his
wardrobe, there’s probably not much that needs resolving in El Jobso’s personal life. His number one pet project (outside of that other one), however, could probably use a bit of work right now.

Now, now, Apple fans, cover those teeth back up. The iPhone is doing just fine by most counts, but it has its flaws — and, as Motorola’s “iDont” campaign proved, competitors will be more than happy to play on them. It’s been 6 months since the launch of iPhone OS 3.0, and things are just starting to get stale; with the mobile space heating up and Android finally finding its feet, that’s the last thing Apple wants.

And with that, we present: Six New Years Resolutions For Apple And The iPhone In 2010, a completely theoretical (and highly hopeful) to-do list for the folks in Cupertino going into the New Year.

Stop hogging background processing:

Apple’s own apps can continue to run in the background after they’re closed, but the other 100,000 applications available for the platform can’t.

Apple cites battery efficiency as the primary reason why they’ve kept backgrounding to themselves. Jailbreakers have long had an application available to them called backgrounder, which lets them run any application in the background – and you know what? The battery does just fine.

It’s long past time to open this up. Certain apps will surely be more battery hungry than others – but, as with anything that uses a battery, it’s really up to the user to learn how to make the most of it.

Stop going home so often:

This one goes hand-in-hand with number one. If Apple ever gets around to allowing background processing on a larger scale, they’ll need a quicker way to hop between running apps. The homescreen is great and all, but do we really need to see it every time we want to switch applications?

The jailbreak community recently launched an app called “Proswitcher”. With this, users can switch between any apps running behind the scenes, calling up the switcher using any one of 10 or so options from holding the home button to double tapping the top bar. It’s essentially a direct rip of the cards system found on Palm’s webOS, but it’s incredibly smooth and has entirely changed the way I use my iPhone.

Stop with the crappy cameras:

The first two iPhones rocked a 2 megapixel camera, and the 3GS bumped it all the way up to.. 3. Really? 3 megapixels? The megapixel count isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to image quality, but 3 megapixels is down-right itty bitty by high-end smartphone standards these days.

As augmented reality, image processing, and video sharing become more commonplace, the quality of the camera is getting more and more important. Lets hope the next iPhone brings a bigger upgrade to the camera than another one megapixel bump.

Embrace the stack:

The iPhone uses Qualcomm’s BlueMagic 3.0 for all of its Bluetooth needs, yet makes no use of a significant chunk of the features it supports. A number of these, such as OBEX (for wireless file transferring) and HID (for Bluetooth keyboard support) are profiles that are pretty much standard on other smartphones.

Oh, and hey Apple – feel free to add support for Wii remotes while you’re at it.

Learn to sideload:

Apple seems to be loosening their death-grip, but there are still a million-and-one applications that they’ll never allow on the App Store – and that’s just fine. What’s not fine, however, is that there’s no other way — sans hacking — to get said apps onto the phone at all.

If only Apple allowed people to add whatever they wanted by way of sideloading, everyone would be happy. Power users get whatever apps they please, and Apple keeps the App Store clean to their specifications.

And why wouldn’t they do it? The only semi-decent argument against it is that it (potentially) makes piracy easier by opening another gateway to the device that Apple has to protect. Considering how easy it is to get pirated apps on the iPhone already (read: it’s really, really easy) — and how unlikely it is that Apple will ever be able to block it — I’d say the benefits outweigh the risks.

Make Background Notifications suck less:

Screen shot 2010-01-01 at [ January 1 ] 5.36.39 PM
Whether or not Apple decides to support background processing, they’re going to need to fix the background notification system. Before changing their focus from web apps to native applications, Apple never really intended to have to deal with such things. As a result, the notification system is a bit tacked on – and it shows.

Notifications blast onto the screen, interrupting whatever you’re doing. Only one notification is supported at a time. If a second alert comes in, the first just disappears into the ether. It’s a nasty solution that just barely gets the job done, especially when compared to the notification systems of webOS or Android.

There are plenty of other things that we’d like to see Apple do with the iPhone in 2010 — breaking up with AT&T (or at least setting their status to “Open Relationship”), for example — but now we want to hear from you. If you could change one thing about the iPhone going into 2010, what would it be? Let us know down in the comments.

The Motorola Mirage might just be the best Android phone yet

2009-12-31T22:22:00.000-08:00

Oh, Android – how good you have been for Motorola. It was only months ago that they were teetering on the edge of obscurity; one 350-person Android task force later, they’ve got the most popular Android handset in the lands and are being name dropped on a nearly daily basis around the rumor mill.

A Chinese leakster managed to get his mitts on this (confusingly obscured) shot of an unreleased Motorola handset, and was nice enough to
share it with the world. According to the original source, the handset you see up there is called the Motorola Shadow (or “Mirage”, depending on who’s translation you believe.)

What the tipster lacks in well-framed pictures, they make up for with knowledge of the specs: coming in at a ridiculously thin 9mm, this baby supposedly packs a monstrous 4.3 inch screen running at a resolution of 850×484, an HDMI port (shown in the pic), and an 8 megapixel camera ready to shoot video in 1080p. They don’t mention an operating system, and the pic doesn’t help much in that department – but unless Motorola’s doing something crazy, it’s a pretty safe bet that we’re looking at a UI mod of Android.

Samsung Mobile to launch absolutely nothing at CES?

2009-12-31T22:17:00.000-08:00

Remember the last time Samsung went more than a few days without launching a new phone? Yeah, neither do we – so you’ll have to pardon us if we sound a bit skeptical here. When we got word that Samsung Mobile was holding their CES press conference at the ungodly hour of 7:30 A.M on the Day 2 of CES (otherwise known as Day 1 of being hungover), my curiosity was piqued. I mean, who the hell launches a new phone at 7:30 in the morning, halfway through a show? Not Samsung, it
seems.

We reached out to a source who has never steered us wrong with the Samsung-related knowledge before, in hopes that they could shed some light on what ol’ Sammies prepping for launch. Their response? There’s nothing to shed light on. As of this morning, roughly a week before what is quite easily the most important electronics show in the US, we’re told Samsung Mobile has no plans to launch any handsets at CES. Expect TVs-a-plenty from Samsung – but unless something changes soon, all will be quiet on the mobile front.

Acer’s Aspire One officially gets a little spec bump

2009-12-31T22:13:00.000-08:00

Hold on to your hats, folks! It’s a doozy. Wait… I’m being told it’s actually a minor, but significant, change to an Acer Netbook, and one we already heard about. Sorry.

Well, as long as you’re here: it seems that the popular Acer Aspire One, a perfectly decent netbook if
I ever saw one, is going to be sporting the new Atom N450 processor. This is the newest Atom, and it lowers wattage while integrating graphics. So you can expect slightly better battery life and better performance, although the clock speed is still hanging out at the same old 1.66GHz.

Good for Acer, but hold on to your wallets. We expect pretty much every netbook maker have similar specs after the next week or so. That’s not so long to wait, is it? Just chill a bit, watch our CES coverage, and then decide which is the best afterwards. I’m betting Doug is just itching to get hands-on with all these things. He’s like that.

Here are the full specs from the press release. Should go for $300 MSRP, less of course on the strizzle.

Acer Aspire One AO532h
• Intel® Atom(TM) Processor N450 (1.66GHz, 512KB L2 cache, 667MHz FSB)
• 10.1″ WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite(TM) LED-backlit Display
• Mobile Intel® NM10 Express Chipset
• Integrated Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 3150
• 1024MB DDR2 667MHz Memory
• 160GB(2) 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
• Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader
• Acer InviLink(TM) Nplify(TM) 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi CERTIFIED®
• 10/100 Fast Ethernet LAN (RJ-45)
• Built-in Webcam
• Two Built-in Stereo Speakers
• Multi-Gesture Touchpad
• 3 – USB 2.0 Ports
• 6-cell Li-ion Battery (4400 mAh)
• 2.76 lbs. | 1.25 kg
• 10.17” (W) x7.28” (D) x .99” (H)
• Windows® 7 Starter
• Three stylish colors: Onyx Blue, Garnet Red and Silver Matrix.
• MSRP: $299.99

Handheld PS3 device for fanbois to cuddle at night

2009-12-31T22:04:00.000-08:00

So here’s a somewhat interesting gadget. Instead of converting a PS3 into a hand-held device, a crafty modder named techknott built a custom transmitter. The transmitter allows a player to not only control their PS3 remotely, but also to view the output on a small video screen.

Essentially, you’re combining a
controller with a wireless video device, and a small LCD screen. Sounds simple right? Well, it’s might be simple, but looking at the fabrication quality in the video, it’s obviously something that required quite a bit of time and effort.

Watch the video below:

Swype For Android Beta Unofficially Available For Motorola Droid

2009-12-31T01:56:00.000-08:00

When Swype was nice enough to give us the world’s first hands-on with their ultra-nifty alternative keyboard on the Motorola Android platform, I wasn’t about to leak the installation files. It’s just not my style. Now that someone else has gone and leaked them, though, I’m more or less obligated to show you how to get it up and running. I tell you, folks — this blogging thing is one endless inner conflict.

After coming up with an awesome name for
their blog, the guys over at DroidMuff.in got their hands on a beta copy of Swype for Android and uploaded it for all to share. This specific installer won’t work on every Android handset — in fact, it won’t work on most. This one’s tailored to work with WVGA phones, so it’ll work fine on the likes of the Motorola Droid and the Xperia X3, but not the Droid Eris or HTC Hero.

If you’re ready to dive in, here’s how to get it done:

Download and install the Astro file manager from the Android Marketplace
Download this zip file
Unzip that file, which will give you a file called “[mfhs]Swype-SwypeReference-WVGA854-trial-release.0.35.3959.apk”
Copy the APK file to your handset’s SD card
On your Android handset, go to Settings > Applications > and check the box next to Unknown Sources
Use Astro to browse for the apk file on your SD card, install it.
Go to Settings > Language and Keyboard. Enable the Swype keyboard.
You should now be able to switch between the standard keyboard and the Swype keyboard by tapping-and-holding on any text input field.
Enjoy!

You’ve heard what we think of Swype, so be sure to tell us what you think down in the comments below.

Mophie To Launch Their Own iPhone Credit Card Reader

2009-12-31T01:27:00.000-08:00

Between CES and Google’s press event, next week is bound to be a torrential mess of press releases. Looking to sneak onto the radar before every tech writer in the lands is pulled into cranking out post after post on the latest and great from the industry’s big guns, iPhone accessory maker Mophie has gone ahead and put their upcoming wares on the table.

Known primarily for their battery packs and cases, Mophie is about to jump into a
whole new ball pit: credit card readers for the iPhone.

Considering that Mophie has thus far stuck solely to the hardware end of the iPhone add-on game, this seems like an odd market for them to dive into. So much so, in fact, that I initially thought they were just releasing the credit card reader (pictured above) as an alternative to typing your credit card into various applications by hand or, perhaps, as a more aesthetically pleasing piece of hardware for Jack Dorsey’s Square.

With a bit more reading, however, it looks Mophie might be prepping to square off (had to do it) against Dorsey’s service with a software solution of their own. Here’s what Mophie said on the matter:

Marking its first combination hardware and private label iPhone application device, mophie is launching its innovative new credit card reader, empowering users to complete financial transactions on the go.

The wording of that was just vague enough that it left things a bit unclear; they are indeed bringing their own software – but what was it for? Under that definition, this could still be little more than an easier (if a bit silly) way for consumers to input credit card numbers whilst ordering online. We prodded for more info – here’s the response:

The credit card reader works with an iPhone application and is meant for small business owners to conduct transactions easier.

So there we have it folks – Mophie’s getting into the transaction business. Whether or not they’ll be handling the payment processing themselves (as Square is) or simply acting as a middle-man for a service like Paypal or Authorize.net is still unclear. Look for more details to emerge during CES next week.

Google Nexus One Mobile Review

2009-12-31T01:08:00.000-08:00

It’s all official now. Google has sent out invitations to the January 5, 2010 launch date of the Nexus One Android phone.

When it first leaked out, I wasn’t too excited about it because of a couple of things — that this isn’t the first Google Android (the G1 was), that there are other similarly configured Android phones in the market (HTC Hero, Motorola Droid) and most especially that this isn’t really
manufactured by Google but instead, by HTC all the same.

Still, the Google Nexus One is a looker with the promise of the better and sleeker Android 2.0 OS. The specs in itself is drool-worthy.

Nexus One
Qualcomm Snapdragon QSD8250 1 GHz processor
3.7 inches, 480 x 854 pixels
AMOLED capacitive touchscreen
512MB RAM, 512MB ROM
up to 32GB (on microSD card)
HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1
Stereo FM radio with RDS
5 MP camera with autofocus ( 2560х1920 pixels) and LED flash
Li-Ion 1400 mAh
Android OS v2.1

All these for a suggested retail price of $530. Not bad at all considering I bought my HTC Hero for $642 last month.

The other rumor that was going around before was that Google wanted to sell the Nexus One at cost for just $200 and will take profit from the use of Google services, apps and other content. That would have been awesome but did not materialized.

Nevertheless, The Nexus One deserves a good stare and people are excited just because it’s Google. If it starts selling in the US for $530 on January 5, I think you can order one and have it shipped to the Philippines all for under Php30,000 (taxes, custom duties and shipping included). Hopefully, I can grab a unit to show and review, assuming I have the budget.

Sony VAIO W netbook for $375

2009-12-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

If you like pink, you can save a heap on Sony’s 10.1-inch VAIO W netbook. The Microsoft Store is selling it for just $374.25 with free shipping. The same netbook is available in white for $499.

You’ll recall that the VAIO W features a 1368×768 resolution screen despite being only 10 inches, as well as
a 1.66GHz Atom N280 CPU.

Other specs include 1GB of RAM, 250GB hard drive, Windows 7 Starter, two USB ports, Bluetooth, six-cell battery, VGA output, webcam with face tracking, and a weight of just under three pounds.

iPhone Weather Application

2009-12-30T08:56:00.000-08:00

I typically use the Weather iPhone app once a week, at most. The only reason I would ever use the application is if a friend asked me the weather for a certain day of the week. Outside is trying to change the way we see weather applications on the iPhone with their new iPhone app developed by Robocat.

Outside combines current weather and local forecasts with custom
push notifications on the iPhone. With Outside, you can setup push notifications for various weather conditions and get alerts when the weather matches your criteria, even when the app isn’t running. To get the notifications, you have to sign up for a subscription service. You get 30 days of push notifications when you purchase Outside, and then for $1, you get another 90 days of notifications. A yearly plan is in works as well.

The application’s UI is beautiful, and it’s the work of Michael Flarup, one of the most amazing designers I’ve seen on the internet. Just his blog is breathtaking, which of course translates to the apps beautiful design as well.

In the end, Outside is really trying to change the way we see the weather applications, and make them enjoyable to use, and I can definitely see Outside making that happen.

Helix iPhone Gaming Grip controller

2009-12-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

What’s so hard about this, guys? I mean, obviously you can’t make a controller that works with all the games out there, but if you make a good, cheap, basic one, plenty of developers will add a control option that accommodates it. Instead, we get garbage like the Game Grip and this plastic Batarang-looking thing.

Look. You have a
handle, some buttons… here, I’ll save you the trouble of hiring a designer:

How’s that look? Doable? My god, can it really have taken three years for something like this to come out?

Nokia N900 controlling a PS3 via Bluetooth? (Yes.) Watch The Video!

2009-12-30T08:46:00.000-08:00

This is a video showing BlueMaemo, an application that allows you to control your PS3 with a Nokia N900. Well, it will allow you to control any number of devices, it’s just that there’s a video of it interacting with a PS3. All hail mighty Bluetooth, king of the wireless protocols.

The video is in Italian, but it
should be easy enough to follow. It’s not like too much is going on or anything.

The application is totally free, and was developed by Valério Domingos Valério, a Benfica fan. Incidentally, that makes he and I mortal enemies, being a former Sporting season ticket holder. (And how good is Jorge Jesus? Oh, wait, nobody knows what I’m talking about!

Watch it below:

Tekken 3 on HTC HD2

2009-12-30T08:38:00.000-08:00

So there’s actually two things to tell you about here; for one thing, you can play Tekken 3 on your HTC HD2 phone. That’s cool and all, but the big story is the emulator used to play it. The emulator, named FPSECE, not only supports the Playstation 1, but the touchscreen as well.

The software is free, but you’ll have to
provide your own ROMs of course. The setup can be a bit twitchy but the developers site has some links to video to help you get it set up properly. Who cares though, cause at the end of you’ll be playing Tekken 3 with a touchscreen. How sweet is that?

Watch the video below:

National Geographic In External Drive

2009-12-30T08:26:00.000-08:00

National Geographic Magazine has been one of the most important publications ever printed. From the insightful articles to the brilliant photography, NatGeo has been the benchmark that other magazines compare themselves to. Now, you can own a copy of every single issue without having to build a new addition to your house to store it.

What you get is a
digital version of every issue, including the articles, pictures, maps, advertisements, everything that’s made NatGeo great over the years. It comes on a 160GB external hard drive, of which only 60GB is actually pre-loaded. Of course, you could probably pick up a 160GB drive for only $80, but it wouldn’t have all the NatGeo content. The package also comes with a DVD offering tips on better photography, a behind the scenes look at how National Geographic is produced and interviews with some of the photographers about their most famous pictures. It’ll set you back $199.95, but I think it’s totally worth it. Honestly, I’ll probably be ordering a copy for my personal library.

XP Phone Reviews

2009-12-29T10:15:00.000-08:00

After the xpPhone was announced back in May, word of its development went surprisingly quiet – enough so, in fact, that I’d been convinced the project had gone the way of Duke Nukem Forever.

With this recent media dump, however, the xpPhone is looking more real than
ever. ITG released a handful of prototype images just weeks ago, and followed it up shortly thereafter with a video of the Windows XP-powered handset booting up. This latest video goes on to show a bit of what the phone can actually do — that is, make phone calls in Windows XP.

Watch the video review below:

With that, there’s not much doubt left in our mind on whether or not this thing will make it to the shelves; whether or not anyone will actually buy it, however, is still up for debate.

webOS 1.3.5 for Palm Pre starts rolling out

2009-12-29T10:10:00.000-08:00

Pre-toting people around the Internets have been hoping and praying that Palm would add video recording support to the Pre ever since the device launched. When Palm’s CEO Jon Rubinstein mentioned that webOS 1.3.5 would be hitting the Pre in just a few days, people started getting antsy; surely this would be the
one that brought video, right?

No such luck. While it does fix a handful of issues (most importantly, they’ve upped the number of apps you can have installed at once), the lack of video isn’t one of them.

The official patch notes are pretty minimal, but here’s what Sprint has to say:

* Improvement in battery life optimization when in marginal coverage areas.
* QCELP capability fix to allow play and audio of video sent via MMS.
* Launch Google Maps or Sprint Nav when tapping an address from contacts.
* Minimized package of MR size through binary difference. Customers can now download over 2G connections if necessary.

We’ve heard a few reports of 1.3.5 hitting handsets already – let us know when you get it, would you?

The One With The Most USB Port

2009-12-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

If you saw the post yesterday about the 10-port USB hub and thought to yourself, “We’re getting there but I still need MORE!” then here’s your answer. It’s a 24-port USB hub. If 24 ports isn’t enough for you then I give up.

This one’s a $70 affair, which seems like a
lot for a USB hub until you remember that you’ve now got 24 ports to work with. It actually doesn’t look that insanely large, either.

Photo frame With built-in scanner

2009-12-29T09:54:00.000-08:00

Oh boy, here’s the perfect digital photo frame for grandma, grandpa, or anyone else who’s deathly afraid of technology. Aside from the $200 price tag, it’s actually not a bad idea. It’s a digital photo frame with an integrated 4×6 photo scanner.

You can also
dump pictures onto the frame the old fashioned (new fashioned?) way via memory card or USB connection. The frame itself features an 8-inch LCD, 1GB internal memory, calendar, clock, MPEG playback, and remote control.

The big draw, of course, is the scanner, which Hammacher Schlemmer says works “as easily as feeding bills into a vending machine.” Vending machines also being scary to old people.

PQI Cool Drive U366 USB 3.0 flash drive

2009-12-29T09:51:00.000-08:00

Get ready for the USB 3.0 flash drive enslaught. PQI has launched its first salvo and it looks mighty strong. The Cool Drive U366 comes equipped with a 64GB capacity and speeds up to 5Gbps. That’s ten times faster than USB 2.0, kiddies. Previously the only way to get that type of speed on a portable drive is to
opt for an eSATA flash drive — if you can find one — and even then, most aren’t as fast as this drive from PQI.

Don’t worry if your rig isn’t USB 3.0 friendly yet, the interface is backwards compatible with USB 2.0. The drive will be available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB sizes, but the company hasn’t announced the release date or MSRPs just yet. You can bet though that it will cost a tad more than the average Newegg-special flash drive.

PQI Announces USB3.0 UFD ~ Cool Drive U366

2009.12.28

Taipei, Taiwan ~ Only just a week ago, Power Quotient International Co., Ltd. (PQI) announced two 2.5inch USB3.0 external hard drives, H566 and S533. Today, PQI releases their first USB flash drive device in the form of Cool Drive U366. PQI’s U366 is encased in an all aluminum shell with a clear plastic lid that can perfectly fit on the end tip so users need not worry about loosing the lid.

The new USB3.0 features 5Gbps/sec maximum bandwidth, which is 10 times the maximum bandwidth of USB2.0 as it eliminates the issue of external connection bandwidth being smaller than the output bandwidth of the storage device. This allows portable, ultra fast and high capacity storage device to flood the market as USB3.0 is deemed to take over USB2.0 as the standard for future external connections!

PQI’s Cool Drive U366 is one of the few USB3.0 flash storage devices on the market, and it features a read up to 97MB /sec. The release of U366 reassures PQI’s dedicated advancement in storage technology, research and development capability!

Cool Drive U366 specification:

Interface: USB 3.0 (backwards compatible with USB 2.0)

Transfer rate: Read up to 97MB/sec

Capacity: 16GB / 32GB / 64GB

Dimension: 87 x 22 x12 mm

Lenovo’s mini wireless keyboard/trackball combo looks sofa-friendly

2009-12-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

Well hello there, Handsome. File this one under “Stuff I Want Despite No Practical Use In My Household” and cross file it into the “Not Bad For $60” folder.

We’re looking at an HTPC-friendly remote control with built-in keyboard, trackball, and media buttons from Lenovo.

It’s a 2.4GHz wireless affair with a range of over
30 feet, which should be plenty unless you like to sit reaaallly far away from your TV. It’s priced at $60 and is compatible with Windows.

Gyration Air Mouse for only $30

2009-12-28T08:46:00.000-08:00

If you’re diligent about mail-in rebates, you can get this Gyration Air Mouse for $10. For the rest of us, it’s $30 through Woot.com today only.

The Air Mouse, if you’re interested, is a standard wireless mouse with the added feature of being useable in mid air – like magic! Imagine the bewildered looks on
your coworkers faces as you run your next team meeting. You’re sitting down, then you open a PowerPoint presentation and – GASP!!! – stand up from your chair and present like you’ve never presented before! You’ll be the talk of the break room for hours, maybe even days.

The $20 mail-in rebate is good until the end of January.

Google Chrome OS netbook specs don’t quite add up

2009-12-28T08:44:00.000-08:00

A handful of sites are linking to a post on NetbookNews.de, which links to a post on a UK-based site called IBTimes titled Google Chrome OS-based netbook tech specs are out. It seems fishy and the site doesn’t get a lot of traffic in the first place but if the post ends up being credible, I apologize.

The post starts out with
“the tech specs of the rumoured Google Chrome OS-based netbook are already out” followed by “tech bloggers have already begun speculating about the netbook’s specs” followed by “The Google netbook, it is reported, will run on Chrome OS…” etc. But where is this being “reported”? And is this information based on speculation by tech bloggers or actual sources? There’s a world of difference there.

Then the next paragraph begins with “It is also being rumoured that the netbook will sport…” So we have that the tech specs are “out” but all the information seems to be based on rumors. Whatever the case, here’s what we’re apparently working with:

* NVIDIA Tegra platform with ARM CPU
* 10.1-inch TFT HD-ready multi-touch display
* 64GB solid state drive
* 2GB of RAM
* Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB ports, webcam, card reader
* Subsidized at less than $300, sold directly to consumers by Google

The post then ends by saying “Now if all of these are true, it’s like getting a Ferrari for the price of a Mini Cooper.” That’s pretty much an admission that none of these specs can be officially confirmed. And let’s look at the actual plausibility of the specs.

- Subsidized at $300 or less: Maybe. Google says Chrome OS netbooks “will be in the price range that people are used to for netbooks today.” The Nokia Booklet 3G is subsidized at $300, but that’s about the top of the scale as far as pricing goes.

- Sold directly to consumers by Google: Maybe. When initially asked about Chrome OS netbook pricing, Google said “You will hear that from our partners.” Recent rumors, however, seem to indicate that Google may be seeking a hardware developer to build a Google-branded netbook. It seems odd, though, that Google would create its own netbook only to then partner with a wireless company to subsidize the price of it and that such a product would be sold directly by Google and not also in the wireless carrier’s retail locations.

- NVIDIA Tegra platform with ARM CPU: Plausible, likely.

- 10.1-inch TFT HD-ready multi-touch display: Not likely to get multi-touch for $300. If it’s indeed being subsidized, multi-touch is a possibility.

- 64GB solid state drive: This is the biggest red flag, as far as I’m concerned. Everything is supposed to be “in the cloud” with this platform. Maybe a 4GB or 8GB solid state drive. There’s no use for a 64GB drive and it’d add to the overall cost of the netbook.

- 2GB of RAM: Likely.

- Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, etc.: Plausible, likely.

Now it’s entirely possible that these could be the specs for a particular vendor that’s intent on selling a Chrome OS-based netbook, but the idea of a flagship Chrome OS netbook with a 64GB drive and subsidized price tag sold directly by Google to consumers seems unlikely.

Top Apps and Innovations For iPhone of 2009

2009-12-27T10:37:00.000-08:00

The iPhone and iPod touch have become immediately recognizable names around the world. Apple recently announced that the iPhone is the most popular mobile phone in the US. In addition, the iPod touch is generally regarded as the media player of choice, offering much more than just music. Perhaps the key to their success is
the ever-growing app store which currently boasts over 100,000 apps.

For those of you not crazy about math, that’s a huge number—you would have to purchase and download over 11 apps an hour, every single day for a year to test them all. While it is safe to say the majority of apps available are less than appealing, there are a few gems that stand out from the rest. We took a look and compiled a list of the best apps 2009 had to offer.

2009 brought some of the best apps to the iPhone and iPod touch to date. Gaming has now advanced to a point that rivals the Sony PSP or Nintendo DS. As the mobile market grows and hardware continues to improve, we are going to see some amazing things come our way. If 2008 was about experimentation, 2009 was about innovation. In 2010, developers will push this innovation to enhance our mobile experience—whether through augmented reality, cloud-based computing, or something completely new.
Below you will find our top 10 overall apps, our top 15 games, and top 5 innovations. Tell us which apps are on your top 10 list in comments.

TOP 10 APPS

Facebook 3.0
Access your friends, notes, pictures, and events using almost every feature the actual site offers. This app, based on the enormous social networking site, has seen many changes and just keeps getting better with time.
LINK: AppVee’s Facebook 3.0 Review

Fandango
View trailers, see showtimes, purchase tickets and read reviews using this free movie app. This is a must have for any moviegoer, giving you all you need to know about movies in your area at your fingertips.
LINK: AppVee’s Fandango Review

Beejive 3.0
One of the first applications to take advantage of push notifications, this multi-client instant messaging app is in a class of it’s own. Using its push features, iPhone and iPod touch users can easily hold IM conversations with their friends anywhere.
LINK: AppVee’s Beejive 3.0 Review

LogMeIn
Brings your desktop to your iPhone or iPod touch. Link up with your computer and access your computer screen from afar. The interface is easy and feature-filled, delivering the best VNC experience to your device.
LINK: AppVee’s LogMeIn Review

Mobile Navigator
Filling the void left by the default maps application, this app offers turn-by-turn directions from your device just like any dedicated GPS would. It provides a landscape GPS with plenty of features and a user interface that makes sense.
LINK: AppVee’s Mobile Navigator Review

Dropbox
Sync up with your Dropbox account and have access to all of your files right from your device. You can download files, upload photos, and maintain control of your folders.
LINK: AppVee’s Dropbox Review

Textfree Unlimited
No one likes paying to text. This app offers free texting via push notifications. The interface is similar to the default SMS app and is a great alternative to paying your phone company.
LINK: AppVee’s Textfree Unlimited Review

Google Mobile App
This app has revolutionized search on the iPhone with its voice search and in-app browsing. Speak a search query and the app will accurately recognize it and do a Google search. Not a Google fan? Check out the Bing app.
LINK: AppVee’s Google Mobile App Review

TweetDeck
All the wonderful features that can be found in the TweetDeck desktop app are packed into this iPhone version. With a sleek interface and great features, this app is one of the best of the many Twitter apps out there.
LINK: AppVee’s TweetDeck Review

Craigsphone
Offers the entire Craigslist experience in one easy package. Buy, sell, and save more by searching through posts and bookmarking ones for later use.
LINK: AppVee’s Craigsphone Review

Ustream
One of the first apps to bring live television to the iPhone, Ustream gives you the ability to see many live streams of all types of content on your mobile device.
LINK: AppVee’s Ustream Review

TOP 5 INNOVATIONS

Red Laser 2.2
A step forward in innovation, this app scans barcodes using the iPhone camera and then returns pricing from various online sites. While still in its infancy, this app could revolutionize the way we shop.
LINK: AppVee’s Red Laser 2.2 Review

Hitchcock
Storyboarding in your pocket. Hitchcock allows aspiring cinematographers to create movie layouts while on the go.
LINK: AppVee’s Hitchcock Review

I Am T-Pain
Impress your friends by altering your voice with autotune. This app was an instant hit and gives you the ability to be a star the next time you are ‘on a boat.’
LINK: AppVee’s I Am T-Pain Review

Mailtones
Ringtones for email. Mailtones allows you to identify who just emailed you by their individual sound tone. Offers a new level of customization for your inbox.
LINK: AppVee’s Mailtones Review

Leaf Trombone
Leaf Trombone is a fun app that lets you play a slide instrument on your iPhone. Create your own songs and share them with the world.
LINK: AppVee’s Leaf Trombone Review

Most Downloaded Games of iPhone for 2009

2009-12-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

below are the most downloaded games for this year.

Flight Control
The line drawing game that started it all, this app is very simple but insanely addicting. Each level gets harder as you play and keeps you coming back for more.
LINK: AppVee’s Flight Control Review

Peggle
Combining awesome graphics, addictive gameplay and a little bit of randomness, Peggle is an
exciting mix. This game brings a casual experience to the iPhone that has yet to be rivaled.
LINK: AppVee’s Peggle Review

Rolando 2
The sequel to the hit game, this app takes the Rolando tilt formula and cranks it up. This game is an improvement in almost every way to the original and really shows what iPhone-specific gaming can provide.
LINK: AppVee’s Rolando 2 Review

Pocket God
The king of all time-wasting games, this app puts you in charge of some prehistoric pygmies who are completely at your mercy. Regular updates and features make it a pleasure to continue feeding them to the fishes.
LINK: AppVee’s Pocket God Review

Enigmo 2
Taking the puzzle genre to new heights, this app gives players everything they loved in the first game and puts it all in three dimensions. And you thought the first one was hard…
LINK: AppVee’s Enigmo 2 Review

N.O.V.A.
One of the best first person shooters that can be found in the app store, N.O.V.A. puts the Halo formula into your pocket with a complete single-player and four-player multiplayer experience.
LINK: AppVee’s N.O.V.A. Review

Labyrinth 2
Building on the app that started it all, this version gives you more than just holes to worry about as you will have to solve puzzles and dodge all sorts of objects. The game also offers the option to create your own boards and share them with the world.
LINK: AppVee’s Labyrinth 2 Review

Skeeball
Everyone loves skeeball. Now it has been brought to the iPhone in a fun way. One of the most recognizable arcade games, this app is simple and addictive.
LINK: AppVee’s Skeeball Review

Zenonia
As a full-fledged action RPG, this app brings the complete role-playing experience to the iPhone. Zenonia features attractive graphics and rewarding gameplay.
LINK: AppVee’s Zenonia Review

Real Racing
Arguably one of the best racing games for the iPhone, this app has great graphics, tight controls and immersive sound, making it one of the coolest racing experiences ever on a handheld.
LINK: AppVee’s Real Racing Review

Sims 3
Start a family and watch them interact in this full-featured Sims experience tailored specifically for the iPhone.
LINK: AppVee’s Sims 3 Review

Rock Band
EA’s answer to the popular Guitar Hero franchise, this app employs some big names in the music industry and lets you tap your way to fame.
LINK: AppVee’s Rock Band Review

Super Monkey Ball 2
This exciting balance game gets a small overhaul and some great new maps making it the king of its kind.
LINK: AppVee’s Super Monkey Ball 2 Review

Doodle Jump
Another highly addictive game that sells for cheap but never grows old. The game is casual and simple, a perfect addition to any iPhone.
LINK: AppVee’s Doodle Jump Review

Words With Friends
A Scrabble clone with a great interface, this app allows you to play multiple games against players all over the world by alerting you via push.
LINK: AppVee’s Words With Friends Review

Review of Nokia E72

2009-12-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

The Nokia E72 looks almost like a twin brother of the older and successful E71 series. With improved features and design, we’ve got a good hands-on with the E72 for a couple of weeks now.

The Nokia E72 has a more polished and elegant look with the faceplate made of
aluminum in brushed-metal finish. From afar, you’d find it hard identify it apart from the E71 (the dimensions and weight are practically the same) but up close, you’d see some very fine differences.

I’d recommend reading my review of the Nokia E71 here first, then we go and enumerate a number of differences and improvements added to the Nokia E72:

* A shorter space bar that doubles as a flash light button.
* Two additional keys at the bottom row are added due to more space from the shrunk space bar.
* An optical trackpad in the center of the D-pad.
* A 3.5mm audio jack on the top end.
* The camera section at the back protrudes a bit more.
* Inclusion of an accelerometer.
* Faster 3G — HSDPA 10.2 Mbps and HSUPA 2 Mbps
* More internal storage — 250MB vs. 110MB
* Speakers are found beside the camera at the back.

Here’s my previous photo comparison of the Nokia E72 vs. the Nokia E71 for a better perspective.

The 5-megapixel autofocus camera has somewhat improved in terms of photo quality but not by much. The AF is also a true autofocus (unlike before where you need to press the letter “t” to activate autofocus).

The optical trackpad that’s integrated into the D-pad is a nice addition but sometimes could be frustrating whenever you accidentally touch it and missed a selection. Fortunately, there’s an option to disable it.

Aside from the physical enhancements, the OS on the Nokia E72 was also improved (Symbian 9.3 OS Series60 3rd Edition w/ Feature Pack 2). The UI feels more responsive because of the inclusion of subtle transitions and, of course, because of the faster processor (ARM 11 600 MHz). That’s way faster than the 434MHz of the Nokia N97.

You also get a full suite of connectivity features — GPS, Bluetooth, 3.5G/HSDPA up to 10.2Mbps and WiFi 802.11 b/g. Surfing the web on 3G and especially on WiFi is easy and the pages are rendered faster. The default browser is also full-featured and can display Flash on the page (Flash Lite v3.0). Another nice addition is the integration of keypad
shortcuts for browser navigations.

Battery life (Li-Ion 1500mAh) is as impressive as ever and can last an average 3 days on casual use. Running 3G and WiFi continuously will drain the whole thing in 3 or 4 hours top (I use JoikuSpot for 3G sharing over WiFi). Good thing though is that the unit can now be charged via USB port so you’ll never worry about running out of juice when hooked up to your laptop.

Is the Nokia E72 a worthy upgrade to the Nokia E71? I’d say yes, but a conditional yes. The Nokia E72 retails for about Php19,000 to Php22,000 in stores. It’s introduction brought the E71 down to just Php15,000. If you have the budget, I’d say go for the Nokia E72 because of the 62% faster CPU, UI improvements and additional features — all worth the ~Php5k price difference. The elegant design is just icing on the cake.

If you’re on a tight budget, the Nokia E71 will do. If you already own an E71 for a year like me, you can sell the unit at Php9-11K and a lot of people will grab the deal. You can then use the extra dough to get yourself a brand new Nokia E72.

-yugatech

LG GW620 Black review

2009-12-25T06:25:00.000-08:00

The LG GW620 features a vivid 3.0 inch touchscreen display and slide out QWERTY keyboard striking the perfect balance for web browsing and staying in touch. The GW620 runs on the Google Android operating system which lets you enhance your phone with downloadable apps from the Android Market, access to Google services such as Gmail and Google Maps and customize the phone to suit your needs. The LG GW620 also features HSDPA, Wi-Fi and GPS and a 5.0 Megapixel camera.
Android Operating System

The LG GW620 runs on the Android operating system, developed in part by Google. Make your Android smart phone smarter with downloadable applications from the Android Market app store. Full customisation and support for Google sevices such as Google Maps, G-Mail and Google Search are all Possible with Android.

Touchscreen

The LG GW620 features a crystal clear 3 inch TFT touchscreen display. Use your fingers to navigate through menus; once you've used a touchscreen phone you'll never look back! The GW620 even has a built in accelerometer which automatically rotates the screen to match how the phone is held plus a slide out QWERTY keyboard so you'll be firing off emails and messages in no time.

3G

The GW620 features 3G which stands for third generation, and the system is the third generation in the evolution of mobile networks, after analogue and GSM. 3G offers high speed data transfers and the ability to make video calls between compatible mobile phones.

HSDPA

HSDPA offers a similar benefit to a 3G network that GPRS offered to the GSM networks. It offers a higher speed data transfer with a compatible handset. HSDPA is often referred to as Mobile Broadband.

Wi-Fi

With Wi-Fi you can use your LG phone to connect to a local wireless network (W-LAN) to connect to the internet. This offers a cheap (sometimes free) method of connecting to the net to download emails, files, or check on your favourite website.

GPS

With built in GPS you can use the GW620 to locate your position, plan your journey, and as a general SatNav device, when used in conjunction with compatible mapping software.

Web Browser

With a built in Web Browser you can access internet sites directly from your handset. Check the latest scores, look up train times, get a weather report, or find the answer to the question in the pub quiz. With the inbuilt web browser you have the power of the internet with you, wherever you are.

5.0 Megapixel Camera

Thanks to a built in 5.0 megapixel camera, with auto focus, the LG Android phone takes quality pictures that you will want to share with your friends. Store them in your phone, email them to friends or upload them to your blog or favourite photo sharing site such as Flickr.

Bluetooth v2.0

Thanks to Bluetooth wireless technology, data transmission is quick and easy. And what's more, with Bluetooth wireless printing, sending images or documents to a compatible printer is child's play wherever you are, allowing you to produce quality printouts effortlessly.

Music Player

With a built in music player, you can carry your tunes with you, in your pocket, and listen to them when you want. Most digital formats are recognised on the phone, including MP3 and AAC.

Email Client

The LG GW620 has an email client, which will allow you to receive email from your own personal email account, and send pictures, videos or text emails to any email account anywhere in the world. Email access on the phone is simple to set up and a cost effective way of keeping in touch.

See few of its specs below:

Features
Android Operating System
HSDPA
Wi-Fi
GPS
A-GPS
QWERTY keyboard
MP3 Music Player
MP3 ringtones
WAP 2.0 / XHTML
Bluetooth v2.0
Accelerometer
Instant Messaging
E-mail
Organiser
Voice memo

Dimensions
TBC
Weight
TBC
Main Display
TFT resistive touchscreen, 256K colours
320 x 480 pixels, 3.0 inches
Digital Camera
5.0 megapixel
2560 x 1920 pixels
Autofocus
Video Capture
Memory
On board TBC
microSD (TransFlash)

Also known as

The LG GW620 is also known as the Etna.

What's in the box?

Instruction Manual
Standard Li-ion Battery
Mains Charger

About the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

2009-12-25T05:40:00.000-08:00

The Sony Ericsson X10 is the first Android device that is released for by Sony Ericsson. Considering it to be their first Android attempt on a smart phone, they have done a pretty good job. The phone is sleek and slim and a treat to the eyes. The 4 inch touch screen is a marvel and an absolute pleasure to look at.

The resolution of the screen is
450 x 854 pixels and this is enough for you to be able to see crystal clear pictures and smooth graphics. The color palette is also quite vibrant although the color limitation of 64 K of the Android 1.6 makes it a bit disappointing sometimes. Apart from that, the contrast and the visibility in the sun are great and the visibility in bright sunlight is in fact, much better that most of the other full touch phones. Although the phone is a little larger than most other phones to accommodate the huge display, it is quite light and portable. In fact, the grip on the Sony Ericsson X10 is strong and secure.

The other thing that is bound to impress you is the responsiveness of the touch screen. The screen responds quickly and promptly to your commands and there is no time lag in between your touch and the response. A slight touch is enough and no pushing is required here. There are three keys below the touch screen. The one in the middle opens the menu, the right one is the back button and the left one takes you to the home page. The physical keys are well spaces and elevated and are easy to use. On the right side of the Sony Ericsson X10 is the volume control key which also serves as a zoom in and zoom out button. The key seems small in the beginning but soon you will get accustomed to it. The Sony Ericsson X10 has a 3.5 mm audio jack instead of its regular proprietary jack which is a welcome change. The USB slot is covered with a plastic flap preventing it from getting dirty by the accumulation of dirt and dust.

The 8 megapixel camera at the back of the phone is accompanied by an LED flash which enables you to take pictures in the dark. However, the camera lens is not protected which means that you have to extra careful while keeping the phone in your pocket or on a rough surface. The microSD card slot is located under the battery cover which means that you have to restart the phone every time you wan to take out the card which is a bit of a disappointment. The rounded back and the slim design of the X10 make it a phone that is a pleasure to handle. It is much lighter than it contemporaries which enables single handed usability. So overall, the Sony Ericsson X10 is a great phone with a nice User Interface and definite thumbs up for a first try.

Samsung M5650 or the Samsung Lindy

2009-12-25T04:43:00.000-08:00

The Samsung Corby (sold in the UK as the "Genio") has been quite a sales success this year, even spawning a couple of spin-offs in the Corby Pro and Corby TXT devices.

Taking things a little but more up-market than the Corby is the Samsung Lindy or Samsung M5650, which takes the same basic approach of being a fun and stylish touchscreen phone, but it adds a lot more features.

Samsung Lindy M5650 The Lindy M5650 is very
lightweight for a touchscreen device, coming in at just 98 grams and measuring 106 x 57 x 12mm. Central to the phone is the 2.8" QVGA display, plus a navigation key, call and end key and multimedia controls. Flip the Lindy M5650 over and there's a 3 megapixel camera with video capture capabilities. There's an FM radio in addition to the built-in media player, and all the usual features are here such as Bluetooth, USB connectivity and microSD expandable memory.

The Corby was a GSM-only device, but the Samsung Lindy M5650 is a fully-connected 3.5G handset that supports downloads of up to 7.2 Mbps, and on top of that it is also WiFi capable, which is ideal for households with wireless networking.

There's a pretty comprehensive range of software including a web browser, email client and support for social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and more. The user interface has a "cartoony" look and feel about it, and when combined with the blue or black external styling, then it is very clearly a mobile phone aimed at younger customers.

Samsung have decided to go for a very soft launch with this phone, and it turns out that they have already been selling it in Portugal for a little while at for €159 through a few retailers. Samsung say that it should be available in most markets outside the Americas very soon.

Sony Ericsson Elm & Sony Ericsson Hazel

2009-12-25T04:36:00.000-08:00

A pair of new "GreenHeart" handsets, the Sony Ericsson Hazel and Sony Ericsson Elm are two fairly conventional phones that slot into the upper midrange market.

What sets these two handsets apart from most other phones is their environmental credentials. Although all mobile phones
are quite environmentally unfriendly, mostly due to the exotic materials that they are made from, the Elm and Hazel do go some way to reducing the
impact that they make.

To this end, the Sony Ericsson Hazel and Elm are made with a high proportion of recycled plastics, are free from hazardous chemicals and come with a low-power consumption charger. There is an electronic manual in the phone itself, plus a "Walk Mate eco application" and "Green calculator". The handsets are shipped in minimal packaging in order to reduce waste.

We have always said that one of the best ways to minimise the impact that your mobile phone habit has on the environment is to pick a really good phone and keep it for longer, and then recycle it when you are done. Some "environmentally friendly" phones in the past have been of such a low specification that they have been almost obsolete before they ship. With the Hazel and Elm phones, Sony Ericsson have made sure that the devices have a decent enough specification so that they should still be useful in two to three years time.

The Sony Ericsson Hazel is a slider phone with a 2.6" QVGA display, the Elm is a lightweight monoblock device with a smaller 2.2" QVGA screen. Almost all the other technical specifications are identical between the two phones - both the Elm and Hazel have a 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus, flash and geo-tagging, they include a GPS receiver with Google Maps and a trial version of the Wisepilot turn-by-turn navigation application, they have 3.5G support plus WiFi, microSD expandable memory, a multimedia player and an FM radio.

From the front, both the Elm and Hazel have a very standard layout, but one novel and elegant feature is the way that the back of the phone is curved to fit into the palm of the user's hand, something that is particularly noticeable on the Elm. This is a very simple piece of industrial design, but it certainly makes these two handsets more noticeable and we suspect that we will see it on other phones in the future too.

Sony Ericsson handsets tend to come with a slew of multimedia and personal information management tools, and the Elm and Hazel are no exception. Of course, there's a web browser, email client and RSS reader and these two phones with synchronize with Microsoft Exchange too.

At just 90 grams in weight and 110 x 45 x 14mm in size, the Elm is pretty lightweight for a 3.5G phone like this, the Hazel is a fair bit chunkier at 120 grams and 102 x 50 x 60mm.. but then it does have a much bigger screen. For both handsets, talktime on 3G is quoted as about 4 hours with a maximum of around 18 days standby time.

The Elm will be available from Q1 2010 in Metal Black and Pearly Rose colours, but for some reason you will have to wait for the nearly identical Hazel until Q2 2010, and that will come in Superior Black and Passionate Red schemes. There's no guidance on price, but our best guess is that these will come in the €250-€300 price range SIM free when they hit retail outlets.

Critics of Sony Ericsson might argue that the best thing that the company can do to help the environment is to make phones that work properly in the first place, so that they don't have to be replaced under warranty when they go wrong. If Sony Ericsson can't get its quality control up to scratch, then the whole GreenHeart project is really rather pointless.

New Nokia 5235 With Music

2009-12-25T04:28:00.000-08:00

The Nokia 5235 Comes With Music is a low cost touchscreen smartphone with a large display, and 12 or 18 months of free music downloads from Nokia's Comes With Music service.

The handset might look familiar, and that's because the
hardware on the 5235 is identical to the 5230, and it is also closely related to the 5800, 5530 and X6 touchscreen phones.

As with the 5230, the Nokia 5235 comes with a 3.2" 640 x 360 pixel touchscreen display, microSD expandable memory, Bluetooth, 3.5G support, a 2 megapixel camera, FM radio, multimedia player and a 3.5mm audio connector. There's a big 1320 mAh battery too which can give up to 5 hours talktime on 3G.

There's no WiFi support on the 5235, but it does support HSDPA downloads of up to 3.6 Mbps. If you want WiFi, then our recommendation is to go for the 5800 instead.

We mentioned the 2 megapixel camera, which is the same unit as found on the 5230. Really, it's pretty poor when it comes to stills photographs, but it can capture video at up to 640 x 480 pixels at 30 frames per second which is rather good, and certainly good enough for uploading to YouTube.

The Nokia 5235 works with Facebook, MySpace, Ovi and YouTube, and because this is an S60 smartphone then there are a load of applications available for it. The large screen is ideal for web browsing, and it's remarkable to find a display of this quality in a handset that's so cheap.

We keep talking about price - so how much is the Nokia 5235? Nokia say that the handset should retail for around €145 before tax and subsidy, around the same as the current 5230. The 5235 offers very good value for money even before you take into account the music downloads, so if you take advantage of Comes With Music then this looks like a real bargain.

It is perhaps worth noting that the 5235 doesn't come with a memory card in the standard sales package, but it does include a wired headset. Some of Nokia's data sheets say that it includes a USB cable, whereas others say that it doesn't.. so if you need a USB cable, check before ordering.

Nokia say that the 5235 Comes With Music should be available during Q1 2010 in White or Black colour schemes, each with an ice-blue tinted chrome rim.

Motorola MILESTONE review

2009-12-25T04:20:00.000-08:00

The Motorola MILESTONE is the GSM version of the Motorola DROID, and is tipped to be the first Android 2.0 smartphone to be released in Europe.

There are a handful of differences between the DROID and MILESTONE, the most obvious one being that this is a
GSM / UMTS device.

Just in case you missed the fuss over the DROID last week, we'll recap briefly: the Motorola MILESTONE has a large 3.7" 480 x 854 pixel touchscreen display, a five megapixel camera, 3.5G support, WiFi, and GPS. Inside is a 550 MHz ARM Cortex A8 processor which is reportedly as powerful as the CPU in the Apple iPhone 3GS. There's a fairly conventional slide-out QWERTY keyboard , and Motorola say that this is the slimmest device like this coming in at 13.7mm.

Although the camera seems a little basic, it does have autofocus, dual LED flash and can capture widescreen 720 x 480 pixel video at 24 frames per second. The new version of Android also has significantly improved camera software.

Android 2.0 is a big improvement over previous versions, but one major difference between the software on the DROID and MILESTONE is that the MILESTONE doesn't have the new version of Google maps with turn-by-turn navigation, and instead it comes with a trial version of Motorola's MOTONAV application. Presumably, Google Maps will be upgradeable when it becomes available in Europe.

There's a little confusion over the MILESTONE's touchscreen features, Motorola's product data sheet shows that it might have multi-touch capabilities that are apparently lacking from the DROID. The rest of the software suite is comprehensive and appears to be the same overall features as the DROID.

Most major video and audio formats are supported on the MILESTONE, and there's a 3.5mm audio socket and stereo Bluetooth as well. As standard, the Motorola MILESTONE comes with an 8GB card in the box (the US DROID has a 16GB card), and this is expandable up to 32GB using a compatible microSD card.

This is a quad-band GSM phone with 900 / 2100MHz UMTS support, HSPA (3.5G) high-speed downloads and uploads, plus 802.11b and g WiFi. The large 1400 mAh battery gives up to 6.5 hours talktime and 14 days standby time, although it is not clear if these are GSM or 3G figures. Measuring 116 x 60 x 13.7mm and weighing 165 grams, the MILESTONE is quite a large device, but then it does come with a large screen and QWERTY keyboard.

There's no exact word on availability, except that we know Germany and Italy will see it first. O2 Germany's page indicates a SIM-free price of €481 which seems to be good value for such a high-end handset. With a bit of luck, the MILESTONE will be available in some regions before Christmas, although when it will turn up in the UK is a mystery.

One optional extra is the MILESTONE Multimedia
Station which is a combined docking station and charger, and there's also a Phone Holder so that the MILESTONE can be used as an in-car satellite navigation system.

This is an impressive looking device, and crucially it seems cheaper than the Nokia N900 and the new version of Android closes the gap somewhat between this type of phone and the iPhone. If Motorola can get the MILESTONE to market quickly enough, and if they can make sure that everything works properly.. then this handset could well be a winner.

JVC’s HA-FX700 Wooden Earphones

2009-12-24T20:35:00.000-08:00

About a year ago, JVC started selling headphones with wooden housing in Japan, claiming the superior sound quality they bring justify the high price ($730). And today the company announced the HA-FX700 [JP], earphones partly made of wood. And we have the
same things coming with it again: JVC promising high sound quality and a relatively high price.

The earphones operate in a 6Hz to 26kHz frequency at 16Ω, feature an overpressure value of 104dB/mW and support a maximum input of 200mW (IEC). They weigh 9.6g and come with ear pieces sized at S/M/L. Technically, the HA-FX700 is based on the HP-FX500 JVC introduced back in 2007.

The updated version will hit Japanese stores in February next year, costing a whopping $330. Ask Geek Stuff 4 U or the Japan Trend Shop in case you live outside Japan and are interested in these earphones.

Motorola MOTOROKR E8

2009-12-24T04:20:00.000-08:00

Introducing a music phone that morphs to fit your desires; be it for tunes, talking, texting or taking pictures.

Motorola's advanced ModeShift™ technology makes the MOTOROKR E8 whatever you want it to be. A touch of a button transforms its keypad and display from phone to music player to camera to phone to
music player…you get the idea.

And what's more, the unique FastScroll™ touch-sensitive wheel enables you to actually "feel" your way through your content.

With a built in 2GB memory (expandable to 6GB), a 2-inch TFT display, a 2 megapixel camera and a high-speed 500MHz processor, dare we say one thing? This rocks.

Viliv N5 Clamshell Launching at CES

2009-12-24T04:07:00.000-08:00

We’ve just been invited to see the Viliv N5 at CES.

4.8”, 1024×600, Clamshell design, 3G, Wifi, GPS and we can probably expect Viliv’s usual high quality build and battery life. The UMID M2 has a competitor!

Note that the S10 is
launching too. We should have some more details very soon so stay tuned.

Apple iMacs iLemon Review

2009-12-24T03:58:00.000-08:00

Regular readers will know my affinity for Apple products. In general, they’re high quality, and I’m willing to pay a bit more for that. But a lemon is a lemon, regardless of who it’s made by, and must be labeled as such. These new 27-inch iMacs? Lemons.

In case you haven’t heard yet, the screens on these massive things are failing left and right. Granted, not all of them seem to be
affected, but 110 pages worth of support questions/rants on Apple’s Support page for the issue tells me the problem is pretty widespread. That’s 1,640 replies, so far. And that thread has been viewed an incredible 264,630 times. The next closest recent page with that many views has 26,852 — and guess what? It’s also about a problem with the 27-inch iMac screen.

Two days ago, Apple issued a fix for the issue. The only problem? The fix doesn’t appear to work.

It did look like the fix was working for a little while, but today I’m back with the same constant flickering and random screen shutoffs that have plagued many of us. It basically makes the machine unusable. The support board is already filling up with users who applied the fix and still have the same problem. And, in fact, the only other TechCrunch writer with the new 27-inch iMac also has had the same issue and the fix hasn’t worked for him either.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Apple was delaying further shipments of the 27-inch iMacs until it could get to the bottom of the screen issue. Many believed the fix two days ago was the solution, but it’s not. And so Apple appears to have a very big problem on its hands, literally. If I have to send this bad boy back, it will be the second time I’ve done so. The first time, it shipped to me with a crack in the screen. A problem which is also not an isolated one.

Perhaps you read about how the FDA delayed the replacement one because it thought it was a piece of fruit. I was mad, but I shouldn’t have been. The truth is, these new iMacs are a piece of fruit. They’re lemons.

iPhone Now The Most Popular Phone In The US

2009-12-23T06:13:00.000-08:00

Ranking cell phone companies is a tough thing to do. Some of these companies have a bunch of popular handsets, whilst others have just one or two yet manage to sell as many or more. Rank the companies by cumulative sales across all of their lines and the results will swing one way; rank them model-by-model, and they might look completely different.

Such is the case with the iPhone, according to the latest numbers from
The Nielsen Company. While RIM’s marketshare with their BlackBerry line is still nearly double that of Apple’s, the iPhone has now surpassed everything else to become the most popular phone in the US.

The iPhone’s lead is fairly tight, coming in at 4.0% of all mobile phone owners while the BlackBerry 8300 series follows closely behind at 3.7%. The rest of the list is made up primarily of feature phones, outside of appearances by the BlackBerry Storm and the BlackBerry 8100 series in 7th and 10th respectively. As the iPhone 3GS doesn’t make an individual appearance on the list, we’re assuming that they’ve combined the 3G and 3GS into one product line.

A few more interesting tidbits gleaned from the Nielsen report:

* The most popular reason people pick pre-paid phones isn’t because the lack of contract — that’s actually #4 — but because the plans are more straightforward. It’s followed by “No monthly bills” and “Emergency use only”.
* 21% of households now use mobile phones only, with no land line to call their own. This is up from 15% in 2006
* 15% of households now own at least one smartphone

See the results below:

Taptu iPhone app gets real-time search with OneRiot

2009-12-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Taptu, the mobile search engine, announced a partnership with OneRiot last month to provide real time search results in their mobile-friendly web site. This worked from any mobile client, not just the iPhone. But one of the points of using a smartphone is the use of native applications. Today Taptu announced that they’ve rolled the real-time search results into their iPhone app.

With the new version, we have added integration with OneRiot, including:

* Real-time hot topics right on the home page
* Real-time search results that appear alongside other search results
* Filter for Real-time results

In addition to OneRiot integration, we added a few other things in to this 1.6 update :

* Thousands of new Touch-friendly sites
* Re-tuned the engine to improve relevancy including one-tap access to the most popular site
* Super fast pre-loading of source sides while connected via Wi-Fi
* Bug fixes & memory leak fix

Fujitsu’s LifeBook MH380 with Pine Trail processor

2009-12-23T05:55:00.000-08:00

Intel’s Pine Trail Atom processor (1.66 GHz Atom N450/unveiled earlier this year) is one of the key elements in the LifeBook MH380, Fujitsu’s latest netbook. The MH380 has a 10.1-inch glossy LCD screen with LED backlight, 200nits brightness and no less than 1,366×768 resolution. What’s quite unique design-wise is the tiny circle area (next to the trackpad), which enables circular motion scrolling.

You also get
2GB of RAM, a 250 GB SATA HDD, a card reader, a 1.3 MP web camera, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, USB/SD/SDHC ports, and Windows 7 (Starter). The made-in-Japan MH380 has a battery life of 7.5 hours and weighs just 1.3kg (2.97 lbs).

Fujitsu America will start selling the MH380 next month (price: $449). It will be available in brown, black and white.

Q-TV 2.1 speaker system mounts to flat panel’s backside

2009-12-23T05:48:00.000-08:00

This just makes sense. Most flat screen’s speakers are the suck, but there are those that don’t want bulky speakers cluttering up their space. Enter the Q-TV 2.1 speaker system.

The speakers mount to the HDTV’s VESA port and can fit any flat-screen between 30- and 42-inches. The whole system offers
only 100W of total power spread between the front channels and a subwoofer, but that should be more than enough power to out-perform the OEM speakers. Q Audio has announced a price yet for the US, but are planning on showing off the set at CES in a few weeks.

NZXT launches new Hades gaming case

2009-12-23T05:45:00.000-08:00

NZXT announced the launch of their new chassis (don’t call it a case) today. The new chassis, named the Hades is aimed directly at the gamer enthusiast market. Out of the box it’s set up for air cooling, however it’s pre-drilled to make it easier to add a water cooling mod later.

It supports up to 5 fans for air cooling and will fit the new generation of extra-long video cards like the ATI 5970. The motherboard tray holes are set up with
rubber grommets to allow wire management without the risk of accidental shorts.

The Hades is currently available from NZXT’s website, for a MSRP of $89.99

From the press release:

El Monte, CA – December 21, 2009 – NZXT, a company built on realizing the dreams of gamers worldwide, is proud to unveil Hades, a chassis that provides an array of advanced features for the most demanding PC enthusiast. Airflow is optimized with 5 fans(dual 200mm intake, 200 mm front fan, dual top 140mm fans, side 200mm fan, and rear 120mm exhaust). NZXT includes all the fans with the exception of the top 140mm and also provides a dual fan 8W per channel controller giving enthusiasts freedom to manage intake and exhaust airflow. A three temperature display on the front panel allows the user to see the temperature inside the chassis even when the door is closed. Additionally, the meshed 5.25” bays, door, and bottom panel allows for air to naturally flow into the system with ease.

Hades also boasts premium expandability with up to nine 5.25” bay setup or five 5.25” and four 3.5.” It also features VGA clearance room for 300mm cards like the new ATI 5970. The punched side panel and motherboard tray with rubber grommets on the motherboard routing holes enables advanced wire management and quick CPU bracket removal. Additional advanced features include a solid state bracket allowing for two SSD drives, pre-drilled water cooling holes on the backplate, mounting holes for a dual radiator at the top, and a removable filter at the bottom PSU.

“Enthusiasts and gamers have a lot to be excited about with the advanced airflow and control options that Hades brings to the table” said Johnny Hou, Chief Designer at NZXT. “With an array of options for limitless upgradeability, Hades has the performance and longevity that gamers desire.”

Dell Mini 10 netbook line to get specs bumped in January

2009-12-23T04:45:00.000-08:00

Dell’s line of Mini 10 netbooks will be getting a few boosts here and there sometime next month. For starters, you’ll be able to get one outfitted with an Atom N450 CPU at 1.66GHz. The six-cell battery option will apparently provide up to 9.5 hours of battery life as well.

Aesthetically, the netbooks will be available “with a fresh new
look” sporting “a textured, smudge-resistant palm rest [and] sculpted keys.” You’ll be able to further personalize the design of your Mini 10 “with a broad range of optional colors or hundreds of optional custom artwork designs available in the Dell Design Studio.”
Full feature list includes:

Intel Atom N450 CPU at 1.66GHz
10.1-inch display with 1024×600 and 1366×768 options
HDTV tuner and GPS options
Broadcom Crystal HD GPU option for HD videos
802.11b/g wireless standard, Bluetooth optional
1GB DDR2 memory
160GB or 250GB hard drive
Three- or six-cell battery
Windows 7 Starter, XP Home, or Ubuntu
Starting weight of between 2.75 and 3.1 pounds with three-cell battery
Prices starting at $299

Again, no firm release date yet except for “early January.”

MSI Wind U135 running Pine Trail

2009-12-22T01:03:00.000-08:00

During yesterday’s announcement of the new Atom Pine Trail processors, we were able to test out a new but un-named MSI netbook. It’s now official that it was an MSI Wind U135.
We were actually making some
wild guesses as to what would be the SKU name for it and the closest I think I got was U145.

The two new 10 inch MSI Wind are U130 and U135, the latter having chiclet-type keys. Aside from an Atom N450 1.66GHz Pine Trail processor, the netbook has 250GB of drive space, 1 GB RAM, Intel GMA 3150 256MB, Bluetooth and WiFi N. Windows 7 Starter was also pre-installed.

Here’s a screenshot of the Windows Experience Index with a score of 2.3:

The unit came with a 3-cell battery. Was not able to run BatteryBar with it but based on the indicator, it could not have more than 3 hours of battery life on a single full charge.

I’m not sure when will this model be introduced in the Philippines or how much it would sell for but I’d hazard a guess it will be around Php21-Php23k where the older models ere pegged when they first arrived.

-yugatech

Atom N450 Pine Trail CPU

2009-12-22T00:53:00.000-08:00

In global conference call today at the Intel
Philippines office, the company officially announced its new Atom processor — the Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz and Intel GMA 3150.

We were shown an engineering unit (an upcoming MSI netbook) running the new Pine Trail CPU with the NM10 Express Chipset. Screenshots of the CPU and GPU are shown below.

Unlike the old architecture, the graphics/display and memory controller is now
integrated into the processor. The software cannot fully identify the CPU and GPU so some of the details are still blank in the scans.

New netbooks with the Pine Trail N450 CPU should start coming out by January of 2010. The old N270 and N280 batch should also go down in prices once the N450 replaces them. The Atom Z5xx series will remains the same.

Intel also showed the new Atom N410 Single Core and Atom N510 Dual Core processors for the low-power desktop PC, replacing the old N330 models.

How to save your soaked Phone?

2009-12-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

This happened to mine. whatever you do immediately take your phone battery out.

The reason why our phones stop working after its in the water is because you try to turn it on again without letting it dry and the battery shorts the phone. now u have to
be patient this is the ONLY WAY.

You have to put ur phone in a bag of rice. I know this sounds crazy but the rice sucks up all the moisture..leave it there for 2-3 days.. WITHOUT turning the phone off..that is crucial. and then try to leave it on something warm like a tv..I did this and i turned my blackberry on and it works PERFECT. i swear it was even sitting in water for over 30 secs. GOOD LUCK..and whatever you do..DO NOT CHECK TO SEE IF IT WORKS...wait at least 2.5 full days.

good luck

ASUS Eee PC 1101HA to 11.6 inches

2009-12-20T08:13:00.001-08:00

There have been earlier reports of this but until I saw it on the Asus Philippines website, I didn’t believe their 11-inch model in Seashell series will get an underpowered Atom Z520 1.3GHz.

The Eee PC 1101HA still has
that signature design of the Seashell series with a glossy finish and thin form factor.

Asus Eee PC 1101HA
11.6″ display screen @ 1366×768 pixels
Intel Atom Z520 @ 1.33GHz
1GB DDR2 RAM
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR
160GB HDD
1.3MP camera
At 1.36kg, it’s still light for its size. That includes a 6-cell battery that Asus claims can last from 9.5 to 11 hours on a single full charge. The only disappointing part is the CPU speed.
The model is not yet officially launched in the Philippines so we don’t have any retail price at the moment. However, we can compare this to the Acer Aspire One AO751 which goes around for Php27,000. Expect the price to be a bit higher than that

LG Chocolate BL40 Touch Screen

2009-12-18T00:04:00.000-08:00

LG’s most awaited mobile phone has arrived in the Philippines. The new LG Chocolate (LG BL40) is the 4th handset in LG’s Black Label Series and successor to the highly-acclaimed LG Chocolate (on the top 5 of most sold handsets in the world).

This 4-inch multi-touch screen has a
form factor that reminds me of a Hershey’s bar.

The 4-inch screen has a resolution of 345×800 pixels with an internal storage of 1.1GB but can support up to 32GB via microSD card. For connectivity, it has WiFi 802.11 b/g, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, GPS, and Bluetooth 2.1.

For multimedia, it has FM tuner and FM transmitter, a 5 MP autofocus camera (Schneider-Kreuznach optics) with LED flash, Dolby Mobile sound speakers, 3.5mm audio jack and TV out.
The LG BL40 is now being displayed in LG Concept Store in Megamall and has a reported retail price of Php26,000.

Ideapad Y550P: Lenovo’s 1st Core i7 Laptop

2009-12-15T05:16:00.000-08:00

Last week, Lenovo showed us their very first gaming laptop running an Intel Core i7 processor. With a 15.6-inch screen, the Ideapad Y550P packs a good punch that could beat most desktops out there.
Wasn’t sure if the Core i7 processor was rated at just 1.6GHz but since it’s got Turbo Boost Technology, I think the CPU can overclock on its own when the
need arises.

You get a Core i7 CPU, 500GB HDD, 8GB DDR3 RAM, Nvidia GeForce GT 240M with 1GB RAM, a Blueray drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. The 15.6″ screen has a resolution of 1366×768 pixels.
The laptop was previewed during their evening Media Christmas Party so I wasn’t prepared and didn’t brought my dSLR with me. However, I managed to play around with it and ran Windows Experience Index which gave me this results:

This model will be available in the market starting January 2010 and will have a suggested retail price in the vicinity of Php95,000+.

Sony Ericsson X2 Mobile 8.1 Megapixels

2009-12-13T09:03:00.000-08:00

Work, connect, communicate. Just the way you want to. Business or leisure - with flexible panels, the Xperia™ X2 has no boundaries.

Personalise your panels. And with the SlideView key and Windows 6.5 user interface, you have instant access to your messages, schedule, contacts and more.Someone's trying to grab your
attention? Stay in touch with clients and colleagues as you like.

Just use the touch display - or go for the QWERTY keyboard.Check out the news on CNN. Find more friends on Facebook. View video clips on the hi-res 3.2" screen. Work or play, you choose.

Here are the Most Important infos about the X2 Mobile:

Camera

Auto focus

Automatic focus for optimal clarity.

Camera - 8.1 megapixel

Capture and share special moments.

Digital Zoom - up to 16x

Get close to your subject.

Geo tagging

Have your photo tagged with information on where it was taken.

Image stabiliser

Avoid blurriness caused by slight hand movements.

Picture blogging

A function that lets you take a picture and send it straight to a live blog

Touch focus

Touch the screen to set the focus area.

Video light

Music

Album art

Choose music by browsing CD album arts or other images

Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)

Music from phone to headset over a wireless connection.

Media Player

An in-phone media player for music and video

Music tones - MP3, AAC

Use original artist recordings as ringtones.

PlayNow™

Download music and games to your phone.

Stereo speakers

Listen out loud - a full sound experience via stereo speakers.

Windows Media® Player Mobile

Enjoy your videos and music - and create your own playlists.

Internet

Bookmarks

Quick access to your favourite websites.

Google™ search

Find what you’re after with the Google™ search function.

Web browser - Internet Explorer® Mobile

Full Internet browser with support for standard protocols, images and video.

Web feeds

Get the news in your phone as it happens.

Entertainment

3D games

Enjoy quality games with full color and depth.

Java

Add extra applications and games to your phone.

Media

Media content in one place for fast and easy access.

Motion gaming

Gaming gets physical - turn, swing, move your phone to control the action.

Tracker

Track your route - this sports application has GPS support.

Video Clip

Video clip viewing and transfer to another phone or PC

Video streaming

Realtime video streaming, e.g. live cam

YouTube™

View your favorite YouTube™ videos, or upload your own - access is easy via the YouTube™ application.

Connectivity

aGPS

Utilise GPS powered location based services.

Bluetooth™ technology

Secure wireless connectivity for transferring items to other Bluetooth™ products up to a range of 10 meters.

Google Maps™

Find your way to your destination.

Microsoft Office® mobile

Work with your Microsoft Office® documents on your phone.

Modem

GSM internet dial-up support

Synchronisation PC

Synchronise and share phone content with PC

TV out

Go for a bigger screen – connect the phone to a TV, projector or other device.

USB support

PC to phone USB cable support

WiFi™

Utilise high-speed Internet at Wi-Fi™ hotspots at airports and other facilities.

Messaging

Email:

Built-in email client with inbox, outbox, compose, send and other functions

Exchange ActiveSync®

Stay seamlessly synchronized with your Microsoft® Exchange email server.

Instant messaging

Online chat. On the move.

Picture messaging (MMS)

Colourful multimedia messaging.

Predictive text input

Fast and easy text messaging.

SMS long (Text Messaging)

Concatenated text messaging up to 9600 characters. This feature must be enabled when sending text messages with pictures and sounds attached (EMS).

Communication

Speaker phone

Loudspeaker suitable for using the phone as an office handsfree

Vibrating Alert

The phone vibrates and you can feel when a call comes in

Design

Auto rotate

Switch from vertical to horizontal mode by rotating the phone. Whatever you are viewing will rotate to suit.

Picture wallpaper

Background picture on-screen when the phone is in standby mode

QWERTY keyboard

Easy typing with the full QWERTY keyboard.

Wallpaper animation

Animated wallpaper – moving background pictures. In standby, your display wallpaper has a pleasing graphic pattern with smooth movement and colour blending.

XPERIA™ panels

Press dedicated panel key to enjoy access to different experiences - Web, multimedia, slideshows - from your desktop.

Organiser

Alarm clock

Set a time, and your phone will ring at that time

Calculator

Built-in fully functional calculator

Calendar

Fully functional calendar with day, week and month views and reminders

Flight mode

Disable the radio receivers and transmitters in your phone so you can safely use other functions.

Handwriting recognition

Write as you would with a pen. Your handwriting becomes digital text.

Notes

Digital notes for things you need to remember.

Phone book

Store names and phone numbers

Stopwatch

Measure time

Tasks

List of things to do

Timer

Set your phone to alert after a specific time elapsed

Touchscreen

Intuitive navigation and text input – just touch the screen

Windows Mobile®

Windows Mobile® operating system for flexibility and efficiency.

Here are the key features of Sony Ericsson X2 Mobile:

Instant access - SlideView key

To stay efficient, every little detail matters. The SlideView key gives you one click access. Your email, calendar, applications and more - instantly, at the flick of your finger.

Present with TV out

Need a big screen? Connect your phone directly to a projector via TV out and go ahead - make your presentation.

Empowered by QWERTY

Prefer typing the keyboard way? With full QWERTY, your phone lets you handle your messaging the easy way.

Arc slider design

The arc design gives XPERIA™ X2 a distinctive and unique look. Slide the screen upwards to reveal the wide-pitch QWERTY keyboard.

XPERIA™ panel interface

Enjoy access to different experiences - Web, multimedia, applications - from your desktop. Navigate with the tip of your finger. Configure and have your XPERIA™ panels just the way you want them.

HSPA - serious speed

Turbo 3G gives you broadband-like speed in your phone. Download large files and email attachments in a snap. Get Web sites and news feeds to your screen in seconds.

Rich Web

Your phone lets you enjoy a multitude of Web services. Find your way via Google Maps™ Mobile. Get the latest news straight to your phone screen via RSS feeds. Blog pictures, send instant messages. It's all at your fingertips.

Xperia™ services

With your X2, you get a tailor-made service package. From the support panel in the phone, you can choose to contact our dedicated Xperia™ services support team or go straight to our web support. And in the unlikely event your X2 stops functioning while abroad, we'll give you a replacement phone within 48 hours in most areas.

Handwriting Recognition

Text input using stylus on touchscreen: write a character as you would with a pen, and it transforms it into the corresponding letter on a keyboard.

Web wherever

Truly mobile Internet lets you enjoy browsing the Web and manage your email effectively with the convenience of your phone, wherever you are.

Integrated camera

Built-in digital camera with screen viewfinder, dedicated menus and direct interaction with in-phone imaging and messaging features.

Capture the action

Video clips are ideal for those unexpected great moments that happen when you're out there, enjoying life.

So what else do you need? Let me know by simply leaving your comment!. :)

Satio Sony Ericsson Mobile 12.1 Megapixels

2009-12-13T08:41:00.000-08:00

Capture moments, let pictures do your talking, be a part of the action and share your life through the - the best audio-visual experience around.

The 12.1-megapixel camera with Xenon flash and intuitive touch focus gives you stunning, high-resolution shots you’ll want to blow up big and keep.With the Sony Ericsson Satio™ phone, all your favourite stuff is just a touch away. Tap directly into TV series, mobile videos, podcasts and music via
the ingenious full-touch media menu on this amazing entertainment phone.

Feast your eyes on films and images in 16 million colours on the Sony Ericsson Satio™ phone. On the razor-sharp 3.5", 16:9 ratio screen, you'll enjoy them as they're meant to be seen.

Here are the key features for Satio Mobile Phone:

Experience more. Discover how

Allow your phone to stay up-to-date, in shape – and improve.

Standby panels

Tap directly in to your favourites. Enjoy your mobile life just the way you want it - your Satio™ has five standby panels.

Touch UI

The touch user interface makes navigation truly intuitive - regardless if you browse the media menu, adjust your camera settings or play music.

Drag, drop, enjoy - Media Go™

The perfect entertainment organiser - Media Go™ makes it easier than ever before to bring your media with you, wherever you go. Transfer your media files between your phone and PC via drag and drop. File conversion is hassle-free, too: Media Go™ automatically converts films and music files to give you the best possible quality.

Entertainment. Your way.

You choose how, where and when to be entertained. Who you want to share you experiences with, in every way you can think of. Satio™ is designed to give you the very best in entertainment. And so are these products:

YouTube™ compatible

Watch your favorite clips over and over again. And when that funny moment you just caught on video deserve a wider audience, upload it for all to see. Your phone is fully YouTube™ compatible.

Find the way - aGPS

You'll never get lost again. Your phone has built-in aGPS. Location-based services like Google Maps™ and Wisepilot™ help you find the way to your destination. Or add location info to your images - use the geo-tagging function.

Web browsing - WAP 2.0

The Internet is never more than a few clicks away. Browse mobile Web sites via WAP 2.0 - anytime, anywhere.

Light up - Xenon flash

Don't let poor lighting conditions stop you. Use the Xenon flash and get excellent pictures in dark environments too.

Face detection

Want the people in your photos come out sharp and clear? With the Face detection function activated, the camera automatically finds - and sets the focus to - the face in your viewfinder.

And Here are the Main Specifications of Satio:

Auto focus

BestPic™ - Take 9 pictures in one second. Pick the best.

Camera - 12.1 megapixel -Capture and share special moments.

Digital Zoom - up to 16x - Get close to your subject.

Face detection - Your phone automatically sets the focus on the faces in your pictures.

Flash / light type - Xenon flash - When lighting conditions are poor, your picture can still be good.

Geo tagging - Have your photo tagged with information on where it was taken.

Image stabiliser - Avoid blurriness caused by slight hand movements.

Photo fix - Optimize image quality. Photo fix adjusts light balance and contrast after you have taken a picture.

Picture blogging - A function that lets you take a picture and send it straight to a live blog

Red-eye reduction - Use it when taking people photos using flash.

Smile detection - Let the camera automatically snap the shot when your subject flashes a smile.

Touch Capture - Touch the screen to set the focus area.

Video light - More light when shooting video.

Video record - Record video clip

Review of SAMSUNG I8910 HD Mobile

2009-12-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

SAMSUNG's I8910 HD leaves nothing to be desired. It shoots video in full HD and photos with 8MP. The world's largest AMOLED display at 3.7" is your own personal movie screen that auto rotates. That along with high-speed web access, there's no reason to
leave work or play for later on.

Add to that up to 16GB of built-in memory and we're sure you'll find plenty of ways to use it - 35 movies, 12,000 MP3 songs or 18,000 photos.

Shoot life's craziest moments in high definition without carrying your video camera everywhere. The I8910 HD captures memories and doesn't sacrifice quality. It's the world's first mobile phone with a real HD video camera built right in - one of the most advanced devices ever made. Share live video as you shoot it or wait and play it for friends on your HD home theatre system with wireless DLNA. Best yet, there's no converting of files. Now it's easy to show and tell, in full HD.

Still not satisfy? See below the basic specifications for SAMSUNG I8910 HD Mobile:

Camera	Camera Resolution	8.0 Megapixel

Video	Video recording	Video Recording (MPEG4 / H.263)
Video	Video messaging	Yes

Music & Sound	Music Player	Yes (MP3 / AMR / AAC / AAC+ / e-AAC+ / WMA / RA)

Fun & Entertainment	FM Radio	Yes

Business & Office	Document Viewer	Yes
Business & Office	Mobile Printing	Yes

Connectivity	Bluetooth	Yes
Connectivity	USB	USB 2.0

Memory	User Memory	8GB / 16GB User Memory
Memory	External Memory	External Memory (microSD)

So now? What else do you need? If you are not yet satisfied, you should try another 8 Megapixels mobile phones.

Samsung Jet mobille : Smarter than a smartphone!

2009-12-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

JET demonstrates the dominant performance that full touch users expect centering around multimedia. Speedy processor and ultra brilliant display maximize user satisfaction. The mobile of tomorrow offering consumers’ real wants in a full touch mobile.

Here are the basic spec for Samsung Jet:

Camera	Camera Resolutio	5MP

Video	Video recording	Yes
	Video messaging	Yes
	Video telephony	Yes

Music & Sound	Music Player	Yes
Music & Sound	3D sound technology	DNSe / 5.1Ch

Fun & Entertainment	FM Radio	Yes

Business & Office	Document Viewer	Yes
	Mobile Printing	PictBridge
	Voice memo & Voice mail	Yes

Connectivity	Bluetooth	v.2.1 EDR
	USB	2.0 High Speed
	WIFI	Yes
	TV-Output	Yes

Memory	User Memory	2.0GB + microSD
Memory	External Memory	microSD (up to 16GB)

Further Informations	Touch Screen	Yes (R-Type)
Further Informations	Mobile Tracker	Yes

And here are the key features of Samsung Jet:

sleek design

Sleek lines and subtle curves personify its ergonomic intelligence, cradling perfectly and comfortably in your hand. The highly touchable main key, a black gem-like cubic icon, is beautifully inlaid into a slightly textured matte surface designed for durability. Incorporating high-end materials and otherwise highly polished surfaces that will easily maintain its clean, pristine character for you to use and enjoy without worry.

intuitive 3D user interface

Intuitive touch interface delivers a faster, more responsive user experience. Supported by a high performance processor, Samsung Jet lets you do what you want with the flick of a finger or wrist.

music player

Music lovers won’t have to compromize anymore with tiny ear buds given Samsung Jet’s built-in 3.5mm ear jack lets you plug in your trusted stereo headphones. You could enjoy the multi-format music player that accommodates all music files, especially convenient for downloads or opening music files from friends.

mobile tracker

Mobile tracker automatically sends an SMS message to a pre-designated number alerting you when your phone’s SIM card is changed, increasing your chances of recovering a lost or stolen mobile phone.

ultra brilliant display, AMOLED

The vivid color and outstanding luminescence of AMOLED on a large 3.1” display, with ultra high WVGA (480 x 800) resolution, maximizes viewing enjoyment. You can watch movies from any angle and enjoy response time on par with the speed of light, enhancing your comfort and ease of use.

QWERTY keypad

Reply quickly to messages with the full touch QWERTY keypad which looks like a tiny version of your computer's keyboard and makes typing easier.

5.0 megapixel camera

You will benefit from a 5 megapixel auto-focus camera installed with all the necessary features to create excellent photos every time. Dual power LED provides double the light of a normal flash, flooding your subject with light when needed.

online widgets

You can maximize the usefulness of your mobile with different kinds of embedded widgets, adding more as needed and customized by preference via downloadable widgets.

WiFi

Hit your favorite WiFi hotspot with Samsung Jet’s one-finger zoom capability and keep in touch with your online communities.

Have you made your decission?

Newest Nokia 7230 Slide 3.2 Megapixel Camera

2009-12-13T07:48:00.000-08:00

The Nokia 7230 has a built in FM radio, Bluetooth and it comes with a Nokia WH-102 headset and a 2GB microSD card, it measures 98mm by 48mm by 14.75 mm and weighs in at 100g.

Battery life is up to 14.3 days of standby time and up to 4.1 hours of talk time, the Nokia 7230 will be available shortly in
Europe for 100 Euros about $150.

Here are few of the most important key features of Nokia 7230:

Camera

3.2 megapixel camera (2048 x 1536 pixels)
Digital focus
Still image formats: JPEG
Zoom up to 4x (digital zoom)

Image capture

White balance modes: automatic, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
Capture modes: still, sequence, self-timer, video
Color modes: normal, false colors, greyscale, sepia, negative, solarise
Dedicated capture key
Photo Editor on device
Direct printing to compatible picture printers

Video camera

3.2 megapixel video camera
Up to 4x digital zoom
Maximum clip length only restricted by available free memory
White balance modes: automatic, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
Color modes: normal, false colors, greyscale, sepia, negative, solarise

Video codecs & formats

Video capture at up to 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA) at 15 fps
Video recording file formats: MP4 (default), 3GP (for MMS); codecs: H.263, MPEG-4
Audio recording file formats: AMR-NB
Video playback file formats: MP4, 3GP; codecs H.263, H.264
DRM support: OMA DRM 2 video, Windows DRM-10, WMV

Video sharing and playback

Video sharing support via Share on Ovi
Share Online connectivity to popular sharing services
Support for video streaming

Browsing and internet

OSS browser
Supported markup languages: HTML, XHTML
Supported protocols: WAP 2.0
TCP/IP support
WM DRM 10, OMA DRM 2.0
Video streaming support
WebSearch Midlet
Nokia Download! to support to discover, download, and install add-on applications and widgets
Ovi Share connectivity to popular sharing services

Software platform & user interface

S40 user interface
Active Idle
Voice commands
FOTA (Firmware update Over The Air)

Applications

Photo Gallery
Radio Player
Music Player
Nokia Messaging
Nokia Email
Facebook client
Share on Ovi
Contacts on Ovi
Ovi Store
Nokia Maps 2.0
Nokia Download!
My Nokia
Opera Mini Browser
Widets support
OSS
Java™ MIDP 2.1
Nokia Search 2.0
Flickr Image Upload
Add more applications via over-the-air (OTA) downloads

Memory

MicroSD memory card slot up to 16 GB
Internal user memory: 70 MB (45MB after content preinstallation and user content)

Operating Frequency

Quad band GSM EDGE 850/900/1900/2100
WCDMA 850/1900/2100 (Latin America, North America, Australia and Israel)
WCDMA 900/1900/2100 (rest of the world)
Automatic switching between GSM bands
Flight mode

Gaming

Included games :
- Snake III
- Bounce II
- Sudoku II
- Rally Start

Standard Sales Package

Nokia 7230 device
Nokia Stereo Headset WH-102
Nokia 2 GB microSD Card MU-37
Nokia Compact Charger AC-3
Nokia Battery BL-4CT
User guide

Little Review for Nokia 6700 slide

2009-12-13T04:07:00.000-08:00

The colorful and compact Nokia 6700 slide is designed for you to capture and share life's special moments, and to enjoy your choice of messaging and social networking services.

See details and pictures below:

Here is a broad Key Features for New Nokia 6700 Slide:

Messaging

Faster data connections mean you can quickly transfer files, enjoy chat, and update your status – and stay in constant touch with your friends.
Sync your existing email and access it from your phone – the most common protocols are supported, such as SMTP, IMAP4 and POP3.
Use Nokia Messaging to set up your own email account, or get a free account from Ovi Mail.
You can also access other 3rd party email services, like Hotmail, directly from your phone.
Send instant messages and chat with your friends with Ovi Contacts.

Ovi Contacts

Stay in touch with your friends, family, and colleagues with quick access to Ovi Contacts – check status messages and see what your friends are up to.
Synchronise your contacts list at the touch of a button and back up to your PC.
Chat with your friends, share your location and arrange to meet, or share what song you are listening to.

Design

The Nokia 6700 slide has just the right proportions – it's slim and ready to play.
Choose from a variety of colorful covers: Petrol Blue, Purple, Pink, Red, Lime, Raw Aluminium – which color fits your style?.
Enjoy the warm and robust feel of well-crafted metallic finishing.

Photos and Video

Take great pictures with the high quality 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens.
You are always ready for those special moments with the dedicated capture key, autofocus and dual LED flash.
View your photos on the bright 2.2" screen, edit on your phone, and instantly share your pictures to Share on Ovi, Flickr, Picasa or other sharing sites.
Shoot video, stream video from the mobile web, and make video calls by taking advantage of the secondary camera on the front of the phone.

Home screen

See your favorite contacts and their pictures on your home screen – you can click to call them, or check their text messages and call logs.
Get Ovi Share notifications straight to your home screen – know immediately when your friends are commenting on your photos.
There are plenty of applications for social sites – like Ovi, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube etc. – all grouped together in your menu so you can access them quickly and easily.

Music

Listen to music on the move – enjoy your music collection or listen to the stereo FM radio.
Manage your music and rip tracks from your compatible PC with the Nokia Music Manager.

Ovi Share

Take photos and instantly share them – choose share online and upload to your favorite site at the touch of a button.
Share and comment on your photos with your friends with Share on Ovi – and see when you get new notifications on your phone's home screen.
Quickly share links to your files with Ovi Share – or give access to your album to just a few of your contacts.
Shooting and sharing videos is just as easy as sharing photos – you can make edits on your phone and then upload to sites like YouTube – all while you are on the move.

The full comprehensive details of its specifications:

The Dolce & Gabbana Sony Ericsson 3.2 Megapixels

2009-12-13T03:48:00.000-08:00

This is really one great phone from sony ericsson. It offers a huge number of key features where you can actually go directly to Youtube and many sites that are included in the software package!

Read the full specs and see the photos we have provided you below:

Here are the complete Specifications for Sony Ericsson Dolce & Gabanna:

Camera

Camera - 3.2 megapixel

Digital Zoom - up to 3.2x

Geo tagging

Photo feeds

Photo fix

Picture blogging

Video light

Video record

Music

Bluetooth™ stereo (A2DP)

Media Player

MegaBass™

Music tones - MP3, AAC.

PlayNow™

TrackID™

Internet

Bookmarks

Google™ search

Web browser - Access NetFront™ Web Browser

Web feeds

Entertainment

3D games

Java

Media

Motion gaming

Video Clip

Video streaming

Walk Mate

YouTube™

Connectivity

Bluetooth™ technology

Google Maps™

Modem

Synchronisation PC

USB mass storage

USB support

Messaging

Conversations

Email:

Exchange ActiveSync®

Instant messaging

Picture messaging (MMS)

Predictive text input

SMS long (Text Messaging)

Sound recorder

Communication

Speaker phone

Vibrating Alert

Video calling (Main camera)

Design

Auto rotate

Picture wallpaper

Wallpaper animation

Organiser

Alarm clock - Set a time, and your phone will ring at that time

Calculator - Built-in fully functional calculator

Calendar - Fully functional calendar with day, week and month views and reminders

Flight mode - Disable the radio receivers and transmitters in your phone so you can safely use other functions.

Notes - Digital notes for things you need to remember.

Phone book - Store names and phone numbers

Stopwatch - Measure time

Tasks - List of things to do

Timer

Here are the key features of Sony Ericsson Dolce & Gabanna:

Stay in shape

Your phone comes with a Walk Mate step counter and a BMI calculator.

Mirror, mirror on the phone

Remain flawless. At the touch of a button, the phone screen turns into a mirror. Just give it a quick, discreet glance and make sure you look as good as your phone.

MMS

Take a picture of where you are, record or write a greeting and send to any MMS-capable phone or email address. Send pictures, text, sound and video.

Integrated camera

Built-in digital camera with screen viewfinder, dedicated menus and direct interaction with in-phone imaging and messaging features.

Photo fix for better pictures

Improve pictures that didn't turn out like you hoped they would. In a one-press operation, you adjust brightness, light and contrast to give you the best possible picture.

Accelerometer - auto-rotate

Enjoy your pictures in portrait or landscape mode. To move between modes, simply rotate the phone and the picture follows.

FM Radio

There's music in the air - just tune in and enjoy. Your phone has a built-in stereo FM radio.

Email in your pocket

Built-in email client - access your inbox anywhere, check and send email from anywhere in the world.

Music recognition

What’s that sound? Just record a few seconds of music and TrackID™ (powered by Gracenote Mobile MusicID) returns the song name, artist and album to your phone within seconds.

YouTube™ compatible

Watch your favorite clips over and over again. And when that funny moment you just caught on video deserve a wider audience, upload it for all to see. Your phone is fully YouTube™ compatible.

hmmm? so now what? what can you say about this newest from sony ericsson? Does it look great to your blinking eyes? :) cheers!!

Reviews For New Nokia 3710 fold

2009-12-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

Find out how the feature packed nokia 3710 can help you stay with your love ones!

There are a few surprising things to note about the Nokia 3710 Fold. Firstly, there's the price tag of about €140 before tax and subsidy, but then there's the rather surprising fact that the 3710 features 3G data and GPS too.

see the complete details below:

Size

Form: Fold
Dimensions: 89 x 47 x 15.2 mm
Weight: 94 g
Volume: 54 cc
Handy and compact size
Easy to open
Rounded edges make it comfortable to hold
Optimal display angle

Display and 3D

Main display
- Size: 2.2"
- Resolution: 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA)
- Up to 16.7 million colours
- TFT
Secondary display
- Size: 1.36"
- Resolution: 160 x 128 pixels
- Black/White
- TFT
Hidden cover secondary display
- the display is activated when a call or message is received, and when the volume key is pressed

Keys and input method

Numeric keypad
Dedicated volume keys
Hidden cover camera icon on Navi^TM Key
Large keys - easy to use

Colours and covers

Available in-box colours:
- Plum
- Pink
- Black

Connectors

MicroUSB connector
2.5 mm audio connector
DC Charging connector

Memory

MicroSD memory card slot, up to 8 GB
Up to 70 MB free user memory

Power

Battery BL-4S
Talk time:
- GSM up to 4 h
- WCDMA up to 3 h

Environmental features

Energy efficiency:
- Unplug charger reminder
- High Efficiency Charger AC-8
Eco content and services via Ovi Store
- Eco zone via Ovi Store
Materials:
- free from PVC
- free from nickel on the product surface
Recycling: Device is up to 80% recyclable
Packaging:
- up to 60% recycled material
- reduced compact package size

Operating frequency

Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
WCDMA 850/1900/2100 or WCDMA 900/1700/2100
Automatic switching between GSM bands
Flight mode

Data network

GPRS multislot class 32
EGPRS multislot class 32
WCDMA up to 384 kbit/s UL/DL, Power class 3
TCP/IP support
Capability to serve as data modem

Local connectivity and synchronisation

Bluetooth version 2.1 with Enhanced Data Rate
MTP (Mobile Transfer Protocol) support
Support for PC synchronisation with Nokia PC Suite

Call features

Integrated hands-free speakerphone
Number screening for messaging and calls
Automatic answer with headset or car kit
Any key answer
Call waiting, call hold, call divert
Call timer
Missed call/message indicator light in hinge
Automatic redial
Speed dialling
Voice dialling
Fixed dialling number support
Vibrating alert (internal)
Side volume keys
Mute/unmute
Contacts with images
Conference calling with up to 10 participants
Video calling

Messaging

SMS
Speed dialling for SMS sending
List of recently used numbers in message editor
Multiple SMS deletion
EMS picture messaging (receive only)
MMS 1.3, message size up to 600 kb
Automatic resizing of images for MMS
Audio messaging
Common inbox for SMS and MMS messages
Number screening for messaging
Distribution lists for messaging
Instant Messaging with Presence
Cell broadcast

E-mail

Supported protocols: IMAP, POP, SMTP
Support for e-mail attachments
IMAP IDLE support
OMA e-mail notification

Web browsing

Supported mark-up languages: HTML, XHTML, WML
Supported protocols: WAP, HTTP, HTTPS
TCP/IP support
OSS Browser (Webkit 413)
- JavaScript 1.1, DOM Level 2, Ajax
- ECMAScript support
- CSS support
- Smart rendering support
Web search

GPS and navigation

Integrated A-GPS
Nokia Maps application

Photography

3.2 megapixel camera
4x digital zoom
Full Focus
LED flash
Flash modes: on, off, auto
White balance modes: auto white balance, daylight, incandescent, fluorescent
Capture modes: still, self-timer, video
Scene modes: portrait, landscape
Colour tone modes: normal, sepia, negative, false colours, greyscale, solarise
Full-screen viewfinder
Hidden camera icon in Navi^TM Key
Side volume keys work as zoom keys when camera is active
Landscape (horizontal) orientation
Photo editor on device
Photo gallery:
- view and sort images
- thumbnail image viewing
- pictures are organised automatically on a timeline
- easy creation of albums
- portrait and landscape viewing with auto-rotation
- slideshow
- easy picture editing e.g. rotation, cropping, adding effects like clipart, frames and text
- Easy photo sharing direct from phone via MMS, Email, and Ovi Share

Video

Main camera
Up to 4x digital video zoom
Front camera
Video recording file formats: .3gp
Audio recording formats: AMR
Automatic video white balance: auto white balance, daylight, incandescent, fluorescent
Colour tone modes: Normal, False Colours, Greyscale, Sepia, Negative, Solarise
Multimedia Player
Video playback file formats: MP4, 3GPP, AVI, ASF; Codecs: H.263, H.264, MPEG-4 SP, VC-1 (WMV9) SP, VC-1 (WMV9) MP
Video streaming: .3gp, .mp4, formats are supported
Landscape mode video playback
Video calling (2 way)
Video ring tones

Music and audio playback

Music player
Music playback file formats: MP3 music files, Midi, AAC, AAC+, enhanced AAC+, WMA
Audio Streaming
Dedicated volume keys
Stereo FM radio
Radio as alarm clock (with headset)
2.5 mm Nokia audio connector
Support for MP3 and AAC ringing tones, True tones and MIDI ringing

Voice and audio recording

Voice dialling
Voice recorder
Audio recording formats: AMR
NB-AMR (Narrow Band-Adaptive Multirate)
EFR (Enhanced Full Rate)
FR (Full Rate)
HR (Half Rate)

Personalisation: profiles, themes, ring tones

Customizable profiles
Support for MP3 ringing tones, True tones and MIDI ringing,
Video ring tones
Colour matched theme with 3 to 4 additional theme options (different themes in different areas)

Software platform and user interface

Series 40 version 9.1
Active standby
FOTA (Firmware update Over The Air)

Personal information management (PIM): contacts, clock, calendar etc.

Storage of up to 2000 contacts
Advanced contacts database: multiple number and e-mail details per contact, contacts with images
Support for assigning images to contacts
Support for contact groups
Closed user group support - preset
Fixed Dialling Number support
Clock; analogue and digital in secondary display; digital in main display
Stopwatch
Countdown timer
Alarm clock
Reminders
Calculator
Calendar with Month, Week and Day views; up to 2000 entries
Converter II
Active Notes
To-do list
PIM information viewable during call

Applications

MIDP 2.1 Java^TM pre-installed games and applications
Flash Lite 2.0
Instant Messaging with Presence
OSS Browser

Gaming

Pre-installed Java^TM games

Sales Package Contents

Nokia 3710 fold
Nokia High Efficiency Charger AC-8
Nokia Battery BL-4S
Nokia Stereo Headset WH-101
Nokia 2 GB microSD Card MU-37

Well, you just read the full specs for the nokia 3710, for me, I don't think folded phones are good, the bad thing about these folded phones are the Flex, you should be afraid of its Flex because it easily get broken, and I swear you that!
Let me know what you think! :) Cheers!!

New Trends In Technology

Where to buy Cheapest DSLR in the Philippines or Manila?

Lenovo new ultra-portables and business laptops

Kodak Slice touchscreen camera

The Bendable One Skiff eReader

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t Multi-touch Tablet

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Smartbook review

Google Nexus One as a Replacement To iPhone

Samsung NX Series DSLR

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge

Lenovo ThinkPad X100e

About Neo Edge Z3265

Compaq Mini CQ10

HP Mini 210 review

Expect to be surprised by Apple tablet

Eight boring HP computers leak out before CES

iConvert Photo Scanner promises simple 4×6 snapshot

Acer Aspire One 532h gets more juice?!

Ten Technologies That Will Rock 2010

New Years Resolutions For Apple And The iPhone In 2010

The Motorola Mirage might just be the best Android phone yet

Samsung Mobile to launch absolutely nothing at CES?

Acer’s Aspire One officially gets a little spec bump

Handheld PS3 device for fanbois to cuddle at night

Swype For Android Beta Unofficially Available For Motorola Droid

Mophie To Launch Their Own iPhone Credit Card Reader

Google Nexus One Mobile Review

Sony VAIO W netbook for $375

iPhone Weather Application

Helix iPhone Gaming Grip controller

Nokia N900 controlling a PS3 via Bluetooth? (Yes.) Watch The Video!

Tekken 3 on HTC HD2

National Geographic In External Drive

XP Phone Reviews

webOS 1.3.5 for Palm Pre starts rolling out

The One With The Most USB Port

Photo frame With built-in scanner

PQI Cool Drive U366 USB 3.0 flash drive

Lenovo’s mini wireless keyboard/trackball combo looks sofa-friendly

Gyration Air Mouse for only $30

Google Chrome OS netbook specs don’t quite add up

Top Apps and Innovations For iPhone of 2009

Most Downloaded Games of iPhone for 2009

Review of Nokia E72

LG GW620 Black review

Features

Dimensions

Weight

Main Display

Digital Camera

Memory

About the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

Samsung M5650 or the Samsung Lindy

Sony Ericsson Elm & Sony Ericsson Hazel

New Nokia 5235 With Music

Motorola MILESTONE review

JVC’s HA-FX700 Wooden Earphones

Motorola MOTOROKR E8

Viliv N5 Clamshell Launching at CES

Apple iMacs iLemon Review

iPhone Now The Most Popular Phone In The US

Taptu iPhone app gets real-time search with OneRiot

Fujitsu’s LifeBook MH380 with Pine Trail processor

Q-TV 2.1 speaker system mounts to flat panel’s backside

NZXT launches new Hades gaming case

Dell Mini 10 netbook line to get specs bumped in January

MSI Wind U135 running Pine Trail

Atom N450 Pine Trail CPU

How to save your soaked Phone?

ASUS Eee PC 1101HA to 11.6 inches

LG Chocolate BL40 Touch Screen

Ideapad Y550P: Lenovo’s 1st Core i7 Laptop

Sony Ericsson X2 Mobile 8.1 Megapixels

Camera

Music

Internet

Entertainment

Connectivity

Messaging

Communication