ABC TEST CENTRE

Sanmanasullavarkku Samadhanam 11 April 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 Apr 2014 12:55:00 +0000

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DISNEY USB FLASH DRIVE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:46:00 +0000

Disney has launched a range of licensed USB flash drives. The pen drives come in different shapes and capacities feature various Disney characters. We received three products for testing; Mickey Mouse 4 GB and 8 GB drives and one Spiderman 4 GB drive. The drives are embedded in a rubber body so they are scratch proof and damage resistant. The body itself is thick and could make the drives hard to use with another pen drive in an adjacent port. The 4 GB drive shows a usable capacity of 3.65 GB. It gives a write speed of up to 4.4 MB/s and an impressive read speed of up to 21 MB/s, so the drives are best suited for accessing files rather than transferring data. At Rs 750 for 4 GB, and 8 GB priced at Rs 1,250, they are a little expensive.
Verdict: A good gift option for children.
For: Good read speed, sturdy rubber body.
Against: Slightly bulky.

SPECIFICATION
www.accessinfoworld.com
Capacity: 4 GB, 8 GB; Interface: USB 2.0.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICES LIKE NET BOOKS, SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Mobile computing makes it possible to do just about anything on the go - work, learning, banking, communicating and entertainment. With the growing number and types of mobile computing devices like netbooks, smartphones and tablets available for both consumer and business use, figuring out which device suits your needs requires some important consideration. Here we compare the performance, capabilities and ergonomics of different mobile computing devices and what they are best suited for.

NET BOOKS

Net books are classified as personal computers designed for mobile use. They are relatively smaller and cheaper than notebooks, but they have limited scope of usage, such as basic wireless internet access and limited operating system options. Most netbooks are equipped with lesser storage capacity, RAM and weaker processors than notebooks in order to improve battery life and portability. All of these features make netbooks ideal only for basic computing tasks and Internet browsing with the use of a full keyboard, touchpad and 10-14 inch screen.

SMARTPHONES

Smartphones are mobile phones that offer more advanced computing capabilities and features than contemporary phones. In fact, smartphones are often more like handheld computers that come with mobile telephone capabilities. The latest smartphones usually have a touch screen interface and sometimes offer even a QWERTY keypad for input. Smartphones run on various operating systems. They are the most portable computing device and are great for basic Web browsing, email access, and communication. But with screen sizes averaging around four inches, they are pretty small and not very comfortable for extended reading.

TABLETS

Tablets or tablet computers are complete personal mobile computers that are designed for portability. They are generally larger than mobile phones and feature a flat touch screen that is its primary means of operation. The screens, ranging in size from 7 to 10 inches, offer multi-touch capabilities, and tablets are compatible with hundreds of thousands of mobile apps or software for different functions. With a long battery life and a large touch screen that includes a virtual keyboard, tablets are perfect for reading, writing, Internet browsing, mobile communication and entertainment.

OPERATING SYSTEM

Smartphones are produced by a range of developers using their own technologies and operating systems. Currently, the most popular operating systems for smartphones include BlackBerry OS, Windows Phone 7, iOS and Android. Whatever the operating system, developers are looking to develop apps that are simple and cheap to download on smartphones to increase their use and functionality.

Tablets, however, have integrated a different sort of OS as compared to the one you’d expect on a netbook. Android has the biggest presence in the tablet space, with most devices running one of many Android versions. Apple’s iPad runs its own iOS and some tablets like the Viewsonic Viewpad 10 utilize the touch-screen features of Windows 7. Whatever the operating system, a tablet’s larger display and better hardware gives them the ability to perform almost the same amount of tasks that a netbook can perform.

Windows 7 and Android can be modified to run on netbooks as well, but the powerful hardware such as dual core processors and up to 2 GB RAM of netbooks allows them to use full-fledged operating systems that allow the user to perform almost any task on the move. However, netbooks can be twice as heavy and bulky when compared to a keyboardless tablet.

BATTERY LIFE

Battery life is a major issue when using a smartphone. Most of the manufacturers implement batteries that are mostly just designed for making and taking calls. Receiving emails and powering an always-on data connection tend to drain the battery very fast. These batteries are not as durable when running multiple applications and applications that are always running in the background, such as GPS. Simultaneously swapping between Wi-Fi and a data network for long periods of time also takes its toll on the battery life.

The batteries in netbooks and tablets are similar. Both provide a backup of up to eight hours. Tablets do require a lot of power for the large touch screen interface, but this is compensated for by the comparatively lower powered hardware as compared to a net book.

MULTITASKING AND PROCESSING POWER

Although many smartphones are capable of multitasking, some of which include BlackBerrys, Android devices, and handsets running Windows Phone 7, they still are not powerful enough to perform them smoothly and they consume more battery and also slow the phone down.

Tablets and netbooks are usually designed to run like regular notebooks, so they are much more capable of running more than one program or app at a time without being bogged down. Processor speed is the main thing to consider here. You will obviously get a much higher speed from tablets and netbooks thanks to a full-fledged processor. Whether you opt for Intel, ARM or any other processor, it will always be faster than a smartphone, and can also offer speeds up to 1.6 GHz.

STORAGE

Tablets and smartphones have a long way to go as far as storage space is concerned. Mostly using flash drives, they offer a maximum of 16 GB storage as compared to the 160 GB hard drives in netbooks. Most smartphones and tablets come with enough space so you can always store every document you’ve ever written, in addition to music and video. Although they have the option of adding up to 64 GB of additional storage in the form of a memory card, it’s still not enough to match the memory of netbooks, which can be extended to more than 320 GB. Netbooks are also compatible with external hard drives of up to 1 TB via a 2.0 USB port.

PRICE

The price range for a smartphone is variable depending on the level of performance and features it offers. However, for a smartphone that can compete with a netbook or tablet, the price is in the range of Rs 20,000-30,000. As a rule of thumb, tablets are more expensive than netbooks. The higher cost is attributed to the touch screen technology and the compact form factor. However, the tablets that have been on the market have not reached their full potential yet. With technology evolving so quickly, there’s no stopping the portable technology sector. Netbooks offer the best features at the moment, and provide an excellent choice for those who need access to full laptop features in a small form factor. Tablets, however, are catching up.

Although smartphones may seem hindered by their relatively lower powered processors and smaller screens, they are actually quite powerful. The introduction of features such as multi-touch go a long way towards enhancing the smartphone user experience by allowing users to use more than one finger for certain tasks.

Nevertheless, the smaller screen size is a significant stumbling block. Although it is likely that such devices will continue to improve in the future, even the most advanced smartphones equipped with 4-inch screens and dual-core processors simply cannot compare with tablets and netbooks at present.

The main advantage of tablets lies in their flexibility. Unlike netbooks, which require a stable, flat surface to place them on, you can use one hand to hold a tablet and the other to operate it. This is one of the reasons why tablets are preferred by people who are always on the go.

Note-taking is one use where tablets excel considerably over notebooks. Tablets also have their drawbacks though, in terms of the price. For a given specification, tablets cost considerably more than netbooks. But if you were to analyze all three devices on the basis of functionality, portability and ergonomics, the tablets do come out on top.

WESPRO PC TABLET 786

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:48:00 +0000

At first glance, the Wespro 786 tablet will definitely impress you. It features a VIA WM8650 processor clocked at 850 MHz along with 256 MB of RAM and 2 GB of internal storage. The display is a 7-inch resistive touchscreen sporting a resolution of 800x480. Other features include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a VGA camera. The tablet also sports the unique functionality of wired networking and USB host by plugging in the bundled dongle. Using the internet via the Ethernet port makes it easier if you do not own a wireless router. Additionally, the two USB host dongles are great for easily transferring, storing or accessing large files from a pen drive.
Though the Wespro 786 has a good feature-set and an awesome price, the product does have quite a few downsides. The touchscreen being resistive makes the user interface very sluggish. There is no USB port to allow you access to the tablet using a PC, hence no rooting and tweaking are possible, which means using apps which need Root privileges are impossible to use. Also, the app market featured here is not the standard Google Android Market app. It is a thirdparty market app, which is pre-installed by the manufacturer and allows you to browse the market with limited versions and choices of apps that are only compatible with the tablet. The overall build quality is also below average and the performance scores were almost unacceptable.

Judging the overall features, build, ergonomics and performance, this tablet is only recommended for those who want a super-cheap tablet and wouldn’t mind the issues that come along with it. The lowest price of this tablet is the
only reason it managed to bag the Best Value award.
Verdict: If budget is your main constraint, the Wespro 786 is the tablet for you.
For: Cheapest tablet available, Ethernet and USB host functions.
AGAINST: Sluggish UI, resistive touchscreen, below average build quality.

Specifications
Dimensions (WxHxD): 20.6 x 11.7 x 1.7 cm; Weight: 390 g;
OS: Android v2.2; Processor: VIA WM8650 850 MHz; RAM: 256 MB;
Storage: 2 GB; Display: 800 x 480, 7-inch resistive;
Others: USB x 2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Ethernet.

IBALL SLIDE i7011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:37:00 +0000

It’s great to see Indian brands offering super-affordable tablets. Although most of these devices are manufactured by Chinese OEMs, it’s a nice initiative to come out with models for those who cannot afford premium tablets. The iBall Slide i7011 is a 7-inch Android tablet that offers incredible value for money thanks to its feature set.
It uses a 1 GHz ARM v7 CPU and comes loaded with Android 2.3. Apart from standard features such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and memory expansion via a microSD card, the rest of the features completely justify the price of this tablet. A glance at the right side where the various ports and microSD slot are housed will surprise you. There are two USB ports (OTG and Host), a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a Mini HDMI port.
These features are rare to come across even in high-end tablets. The Slide supports 3G, but via a dongle, which hooks up to the USB OTG port. The round button with the letter ‘i’ at the center is the home button and the Menu and Back buttons are located along the side at the top-right. One might easily mistake them for volume up/down buttons. To adjust the volume, you have to tap on the icons in the status bar, which is very annoying, especially when you want to adjust the volume while playing games or watching movies.

The UI is very fluid and the 1 GHz CPU does help in app loading and quick response while using apps. The only major drawback of the iBall Slide is its poor viewing angle. In landscape orientation, the viewing is affected with even the slightest vertical tilt. However, these flaws can be overlooked considering the awesome value for money that it offers.
Verdict: An affordable tablet with an excellent feature set and good ergonomics.
For: 8 GB built-in storage, powerful processor, good audio quality, USB host function.
AGAINST: Viewing angle issues, no physical volume control.

Specifications
Dimensions (WxHxD): 20.7 x 13.3 x 1.3 cm; Weight: 415 g;
OS: Android v2.3; Processor: ARM v7, 1GHz; RAM: 512 MB;
Storage: 8 GB; Display: 800 x 480, 7-inch capacitive;
Others: USB host, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

LG OPTIMUS 2X

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:24:00 +0000

The LG Optimus 2X was the first to make the cut and it even set a Guinness World Record for being the world’s first dual core mobile handset. The handset’s simplistic yet slick design form is quite a contrast to the sophisticated hardware it is loaded up with. Packed with 8 GB of storage and a 4-inch IPS LCD display panel, LG tried to make sure that you were well equipped. It also features HDMI out and DLNA support for media streaming. Needless to say, LG has managed a pretty decent looking handset with a powerful engine. An LG customized user interface is laid on top of the otherwise basic stock Android UI. LG has included quite a few gesture based controls, like tapping the sides to switch tracks or images. For your media enjoyment, you’ve got DivX and XviD codec support, with full HD playback support. Dolby Mobile audio enhancement and SRS Virtual Surround sound are also part of the package. The 8 megapixel camera can capture video in 1080p resolution @ 30fps. Like the S II, it is provisioned with plenty of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, 3G and DLNA. A few extras like F-Secure to monitor mobile threats, a memo pad that allows you to add images to notes, Polaris Office that can access Box.net to open and view documents in Word, Excel or other extensions are also preloaded out of the box. Apps like a calendar that syncs with Google, an alarm clock etc. are also present

Verdict : For all that the 2X offers,it’s real value for money.
For: IPS display, 8 GB built-in storage, very good value for money.
AGAINST: A tad heavy.

Specifications
Dimensions (WxHxD): 123.9 x 63.2 x 10.9 mm;
Weight: 139 g; CPU: Dual-core 1 GHz; Built-in
storage: 8 GB; Display: 4-in IPS LCD, 480x800;
Camera: 8 MP.

SONY ERICSSON EXPERIA ARC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:19:00 +0000

The Xperia Arc is certainly a large handset but still quite comfortable to hold and lightweight. It runs a 1 GHz Scorpion processor with the Adreno 205 GPU for accelerating games and video playback. The LED backlit display sports a 480 x 854 pixel resolution that’s high enough to make colours seriously stand out. It doesn’t have a hot swap slot for the microSD which could be an issue for some, however 320 MB of internal storage is available for apps. Sony Ericsson has included the TimeScape UI option and widget for simultaneously updating both your Twitter and FB accounts. TimeScape also allows you to view all your messages, people’s updates on FB/Twitter and new calls/messages from this one vertical scrolling interface.
The native audio player with its few EQ presets managed to dish out audio quite well. Tones, although slightly jarring on full volume, were still decently well balanced. The Arc doesn’t support DivX or XviD video codecs out of the box. So you’ll have to download and use a third party media player from the Android Market. The Arc is well equipped for connectivity from 3G, standard EDGE/ GPRS, Wi-Fi with DLNA compatibility and tethering to creating a 3G Wi-Fi hotspot. The 8 megapixel camera is ccompanied by an LED flash that’s quite handy in low lit areas. However, the quality of images shot was quite average especially in low light. The Arc’s 1500 mAh battery serves it well. It lasts for a little over two days with moderate usage. For its price, it should have offered more features such as a dual-core CPU, larger screen and more storage space.

Verdict: The slimmest and most feature-rich handset in its class.
For: Smooth user interface, good audio quality.
Against: No DivX and MKV support.

Specifications
Dimensions (WxHxD): 125 x 63 x 8.7 mm ; Weight: 117 g; CPU:1
GHz; Built-in storage: 320 MB; Display: 4.2-in S-LCD, 480x854;
Camera: 8 MP.

ODYSSEY NEO 700 RB UPS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:11:00 +0000

Power backup solutions are available from various manufacturers and Odyssey is one of them in the market of UPS manufacturers. The Neo 700 RB is a Line Interactive UPS with a power rating of 600 VA. The UPS has a pretty well-built body with a black, matte-finished surface. It is built using a 12 Volt 7.5 Ah SMF battery. The product features just a power switch and three LED indicators while the rear has only three 5A power sockets, with no reset button or fuse. We tested the UPS using 220 Watts of load. Sadly, the PC ran for a maximum of five minutes including the one minute reserve before going dead. To sum up, the Neo 700 RB is only good for an emergency power backup solution; just enough to save important data.
Verdict: A very basic and low cost emergency power backup solution.
For: Straight-forward installation and use.
Against: Just five minute backup, no fuse or reset button.

Specifications
www.compuageindia.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 101 x 143 x 301 mm; Power rating: 600
VA; Battery type: 12 V SMF.

ANTEC VP450P SMPS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 03:09:00 +0000

The Antec VP450P is a non-modular design power supply and comes built with a single six-pin connector, four SATA power connectors, four Molex connectors and a floppy disk connector. There’s a 120mm fan being used on the power supply, that’s protected by a large grill. The quality of the metal used is of good quality. The primary 24-pin power cable has sheathed cables and it isn’t too flexible. The rest of the cables aren’t sheathed so don’t feel like they’re of very good quality. Some cables are bundled in just a couple of places, which leaves a lot of cabling lying in the open. We ran the VP450P without any stability issues. The fan was silent, with no vibrations and voltage fluctuations were minimal.

Verdict: A solid product made for entry-level PCs that should be able to take the load of reasonably high-end
hardware.
For: Solid build quality, plenty of connectors, large fan.
Against: A tiny bit expensive, averagecable quality.

Specifications
www.antec.com
Power output: 450W; Fan size: 120mm; Dimensions: 86x150x
140 mm ; Weight: 1.5 kg; Connectors: SATA (4), Molex (4),
Floppy (1), PCI-E (1), 20+4 pin

XAGE MT 711 MOBILE PHONE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:48:00 +0000

The XAGE MT 711 has a decent build quality, with a sturdy plastic body and a big 3.2-inch TFT LCD touch-screen that is quite bright and clear. Unfortunately, the screen is a resistive touchscreen that is laborious and difficult in comparison to capacitive touchscreens. The MTK OS seems to be an amalgam of Android and iOS and is quite smooth. Hardware-wise, the speakers are loud and crisp, but other hardware is below par. The 3.2 megapixel camera is average but the flash light is dull and low light shots are pixellated. The headset is of poor quality and there is no 3G or Wi-Fi support. Added features include FM Radio, Aanlog TV and a 3D engine, but all in all, the MT 711 falls short of the mark.
Verdict: A phone with a few unique features, but fails in comparison to other phones in the same price range.
For: Great build quality, clear and loud speaker.
Against: Heavy, resistive touch-screen, poor camera

Specifications
www.xagemobile.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 59 x 13 x 110 mm; Weight: 131 g;
Display: 3.2-inch TFT LCD screen; Camera: 3.2 Megapixel;
Storage: upto 16GB Micro SD; Connectivity: Bluetooth, mini
USB, GPRS, EDGE; Functions: FM Radio, MP3 player, Analog TV,
Video playback.

ANTEC ONE HUNDRED PC CASE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:46:00 +0000

Antec, one of the largest manufacturers of high quality gaming PC cases has just released the One Hundred, which is definitely not going to rip a hole through your wallet. It sports a jet black shell with a powder-finished body, which looks pretty decent. It has enough room to accommodate up to three optical drives, six 3.5-inch hard drives and one 2.5-inch hard drive (bottommounted bay). The top of the case also features an inland plastic tray for placing portable storage drives or pen drives or simply other smaller stuff. The top also features the power button, LEDs for HDD and power, four USB ports and front-audio connectors, all placed at a 45-degree angle for easy access when placed either under the desk or on the desktop.
Verdict: A good quality budget gaming case with a simple and elegant look, but sadly, it lacks those fancy lights.
For: Good price, cable routing, plenty of air vents.
Against: Expansion slot blocking plates not provided.

Specifications
www.antec.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 19.7 x 48 x 47 cm; Weight: 6.9 Kg;
Drive bays: 6 x 3.5-inch, 3 x 5.25-inch, 1 x 2.5-inch;
Cooling fans: 1 x 140 mm (Top), 1 x 120 mm (Rear).

SEAGATE FREEAGENT-GOFLEX DESK

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:43:00 +0000

The FreeAgent GoFlex Desk comes with 3 TB of storage and is upgradeable to USB 3.0. It has a usable space of 2.72 TB and has a spindle speed speed of 7200 rpm. The front consists of status LEDs while the back consists of the power supply slot and micro USB connectivity. Seagate has bundled some security and backup software with the drive. We put the drive through a few synthetic and real world tests. CrystalDiskMark scores gave a random 4K read speed of 0.573. Sequential write speed was 28.64 MB/s. The scores are pretty decent for a 3 TB drive. Users wanting to buy this drive should use it as a desk-based external drive with partial portability. Overall, we’d love to see a price drop for the 3 TB drive - who wouldn’t - but the drive is definitely a good buy.
Verdict: Massive storage space and good performance for a good price.
For: Plenty of storage space, fast, good design and build.
Against: None.

SPECIFICATION
www.seagate.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 124 x 158 x 44 mm; Weight: 1.08 kg;
Capacity: 3 TB; Interface: USB 2.0 (upgradeable to USB 3.0).

SYNOLOGY DISKSTATION DS411J NETWORK STARAGE AREA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:34:00 +0000

The DiskStation DS411j is a NAS device geared towards home and small office users. Although somewhat bulky, it has a solid, attractive metal design. Installation of drives is simple and the two 80mm fans at the rear offer sufficient cooling. It has space for four 3.5-inch drives. There are also two USB 2.0 ports at the back for additional storage drives. The DS411j supports a wide range of RAID configurations, so you can setup all the drives for performance or for reliability. The DS411j is powered by a 1.2 GHz processor and 128 MB of DDR2 RAM. Most the features lie in the browser-based firmware and software. User and user groups can be created, and quotas and permissions can be set. Windows file sharing and FTP access are also present. For home users, support for iTunes and DLNA should make media streaming easy. For SoHo users, there’s support for backups across a number of devices and network drives. Home users will find plenty of P2P services. At a street price of Rs 25,000 (MRP Rs 34,000), the DS411j isn’t cheap, but it is the ideal solution for those looking for performance and data storage.
Verdict: A solid NAS device for SoHo users looking for a good storage solution.
For: Stylish design, sturdy build, great features for SoHo and home user.
Against: Expensive, few software packages.

SPECIFICATION
www.ebm.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 184 x 168 x 230 mm;
Weight: 2.23 kg; Hard drive slots: 4; USB 2.0 ports: 2;
Ethernet: 1x Gigabit.

HIS RADEON HD 6670 GRAPHICS CARD

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:31:00 +0000

While being perfectly suited for home theatre PCs, the Radeon HD 6670 also addresses the entry-level segment of discrete graphics cards for casual gaming and video acceleration and transcoding.The HD 6670 is available in both DDR3 and GDDR5 variants. This card by HIS has 1 GB of GDDR5 memory that runs at 1000 MHz and connects to the GPU via a 128-bit memory bus. The GPU has 480 stream processors and runs at reference speed, which is 800 MHz. We have seen a few HD 6670 graphics cards with single-slot designs, but this one uses a dual-slot cooler. The heat sink used in this card is slightly larger and the fan mounted on top adds to the height. The 70 mm fan with translucent blue blades is housed in a plastic grille that clamps onto the heatsink. It’s a good design because the fan can be easily detached to clean the hinksink. But you have to be careful while detaching the grille because the build quality is quite average. The card features DVI, DisplayPort and HDMI outputs and the power is drawn via the PCIE slot. The card logged 1647 points in 3DMark 11. It is just about able to run games at 1920x1080 with minimal settings. Just Cause 2 and Mafia II ran at 38 fps and Crysis Warhead ran at 44 fps in Performance mode. The HIS HD 6670 is a worthy consideration only if you need it for casual gaming and media processing.
Verdict: An entry-level gaming card that can also be used in HTPCs.
For: Detachable fan grille, silent, low power consumption.
Against: Dual-slot design, average quality of fan and grille.

SPECIFICATION
www.tirupati.net
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6670; Memory: 1024 MB GDDR5;
Memory bus width: 128-bit; Speed: (Core | Memory):
800 MHz | 1000 MHz; Stream processors: 480;
Video outputs: Dual-link DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort.

MICROMAX X450 VAN GOGH PHONE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:28:00 +0000

The X450 aka Van Gogh comes bundled with a Bluetooth headset as its USP. It is a well designed handset with a rear panel that can be swapped. The lack of a micro SD hot swap slot is a bit of a disappointment. The 2.4-inch display is clear even in bright outdoor conditions. The Bluetooth headset has a built-in cradle at the rear of the handset and in no way hinders usage. It features a pretty standard Java OS that manages to function quite smoothly except when it came to refreshing the media sections. It handles dual SIM (GSM + GSM) functions quite seamlessly. The music quality is better than average, with playback for low res videos and a built in FM radio also thrown in. The bundled Bluetooth headset is comfortable to wear, but the lack of a era-clip could hamper prolonged use. The X450 supports GPRS and WAP with Bluetooth (A2DP) and USB 2.0. eBuddy is thrown in for chatting and Opera Mini can be used as an alternative to the native browser. The 2 megapixel fixed focus camera delivers average image quality at best. The Van Gogh manages to provide excellent battery life, which is a major factor to take into account.
Verdict: The X450 works out to be quite a value for money handset with an innovative USP.
For: Well designed handset, ergonomic Bluetooth handsfree kit built in, good audio quality, great battery life.
Against: Average photo quality, no email support.

SPECIFICATION

www.micromaxinfo.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 52x116.7x20.3 mm;
Weight: 110 g; Display: 2.4-in, 320x240 pixel;
Camera: 2 megapixels; Other features: dual-SIM, FM
radio, Bluetooth headset; Rated talk time: 4 hours.

D-LINK BOXEE BOX MEDIA PLAYER

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:17:00 +0000

The Boxee Box is essentially a media player just like the WD TV Live Hub. Connectivity includes two USB 2.0 ports with NTFS support, a LAN jack, HDMI, Optical audio-out and stereo-out. Wi-Fi ‘n’ comes built-in by default. The remote has standard navigation buttons on one side and a QWERTY keypad on the other. The navigation buttons have a good response and so does the keypad. The Boxee Box is powered by an Intel Atom CE4110 SOC processor. The apps available cover popular categories such as YouTube, TuneIn Radio, Vimeo, etc. The menu is divided into TV Shows, Apps, Movies and Local, making it easy to navigate. The Boxee Box is quite speedy since the interface isn’t very graphical. Its main USP is the streaming video services from various sources around the Web. Besides streaming, you can also connect your hard drive or SD card and use it as a HD media player. It supports 1080p video in most major formats. It really shines in the software department, which is rivalled only by XBMC. But at Rs 13,999, it feels expensive. For a good experience, you’ll need a speedy Internet connection for streaming videos. A very good alternative to this would be the WD TV Live Hub, which retails for around Rs 10,000.

Verdict: Good app support, but a bit expensive for a media player.
For: Easy to use UI, compact design, 1080p decoding, good app support.
Against: Expensive, no in-built storage, many streaming services are not available in India.

SPECIFICATION

www.dlink.co.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 4.5 x 4.5 x 4.6 in; Video formats:
Flash 10.1, H.264 (MKV, MOV), VC-1, WMV, MPEG-4,
AVI, Xvid, Divx, VOB; Audio formats: MP3, WMA, WAV,
FLAC, AAC, DTS, Dolby Digital, Ogg; Image formats:
JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PNG; Connectivity: HDMI, Composite,
S/PDIF, USB 2.0, eSATA, Wi-Fi n

LENOVO IDEACENTRE A320 PANEL PC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:14:00 +0000

The IdeaCentre A320 is a lot more ergonomic compared to Lenovo’s earlier models. The entire screen is supported on a single hinge that can swivel and tilt, allowing you to adjust it to suit your sitting position. The screen is a 21.5-inch Full HD display with LED backlighting and the panel is protected by a glass that covers the bezel, giving it a seamless look. The quality of the panel is very good and due to the glossy effect, the colors appear rich and crisp.

The bezel also houses a webcam and microphone. Below, there are three white LED status lights for the HDD activity, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. On the right, there’s a bunch of touch sensitive menu buttons which is a first for an all-in-one. The sensitivity of the buttons could have been better though. The options include brightness, Novo Vision (viewing modes), mode switch, volume and OSD language.
The rest of the components are tucked into the base of the desktop. All the ports are lined up along the side and extend all the way to the back. Connectivity includes two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, headphone and microphone jack, memory card reader, and HDMI-in and HDMI-out. The A320 is powered by Intel’s newest Core i3 2310M mobile chipset based on the Sandy Bridge architecture. Other components include 3 GB RAM, 750 GB hard drive, external DVD burner, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a wireless keyboard and mouse. There’s no discrete graphics card, which means you can forget about playing the latest games. The bundled mouse is comfortable, albeit a bit small, but it’s not very ergonomic. The keys on the keyboard are too soft and many times, the inputs weren’t registered.
Windows runs smoothly on the configuration at hand and so do full HD movies. The glossy screen does attract reflections, but it makes the pictures and video a lot livelier. The built-in speakers come with SRS enhancement, which makes the sound louder, but not by much. You can watch cable TV through the provided port and Lenovo also bundles a remote, which works with Windows Media Center. The extra HDMI connector means you can easily connect a DVD player or a game console using the same display.
The A320 is available at a street price of Rs 50,990, which offers better value than the B500 as it’s a bit cheaper and more feature-rich. However, it’s still a bit expensive since you get the mobile version of the Core i3 processor, which is a bit underpowered for a desktop. Also, the lack of a dedicated graphics card means you won’t be able to do any serious gaming. Other areas of concern are the built-in speakers, which aren’t too loud and the keyboard is not a full-sized one
Verdict: Stylish, but a bit expensive and underpowered for a desktop pc.
For: Looks good, great build quality, ergonomic and feature rich,

good quality screen

Against: Keyboard and mouse is not very comfortable, a bit

underpowered, slightly expensive, usage is limited due to slower

components

SPECIFICATION
www.lenovo.com
Processor: Intel Core i3-2310M; RAM: 3GB DDR3;
HDD: 750GB SATA; Windows: Windows 7 Home
Premium; Display: 21.5 in; GPU: NA; Keyboard and
mouse: Wireless; Wi-Fi: Yes; Bluetooth: Yes

ZOTAK ZBOX NANO PLUS AD10 PC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:07:00 +0000

The Zbox Nano Plus AD10’s size is one of its most interesting features, with the length and breadth measuring just five inches. The top and bottom panel are black and a green LED ring lights up when it is on. Zotac has fitted a 2.5-inch 320 GB internal HDD along with a 2 GB RAM in this variant of the Nano Plus. Connections for this are in the form of HDMI, DisplayPort, USB 2.0 and 3.0, along with an Ethernet port and an eSATA port. This mini-PC is powered by an AMD E-350 1.6 GHz dual core processor, which features an AMD M1 chipset. The integrated GPU is an AMD Radeon HD 6310. Though this mini PC comes without an OS, one can hook an optical drive to it and install it. It does, however, come with drivers to configure the USB 3.0 and ports and GPU. The performance of this PC was tested by running synthetic benchmarks as well as real world tests. 3D Mark recorded a score of 678 points while PC Mark scored 2236 points. This PC was not designed to play games, and from the scores, you can tell. The average fps noted for Resident Evil 5 and Dirt 2 were 11.2 and 15.5 respectively. The Zotac AD10 is priced at Rs 17,999 and it makes a really good choice for an HTPC.
Verdict: Perfect HTPC solution with superior connectivity and small size.
For: Small in size, vast connectivity options, perfect for an HTPC, well priced.
Against: No preinstalled operating system.

Specifications
www.zotac.com
CPU: AMD E-350, 1.6GHz; Integrated GPU: AMD Radeon
HD 6310; RAM: 2 GB DDR3; Hard disk: 320 GB;
Video outputs: DisplayPort, HDMI.

BRAG CARNELIAN PC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:01:00 +0000

Brag PC is a brand by Prime ABGB (a popular PC hardware vendor in Mumbai) that specializes in workstations, gaming PCs and home theater PCs. Brag has chosen to use the blood red NZXT Phantom case so that it goes with the name of the PC which is a red gemstone. It sports a unique chiselled design and offers all sorts of provisions to house high-end gaming hardware, and we must say Brag has used them all very well. All the power cables from the Corsair HX650W power supply are routed from behind the back plate on which the motherboard is mounted. The hard drive bays are oriented sideways and have trays for easy installation of hard drives. The primary drive is a 64 GB OCZ Agility 3 SSD and the secondary drive is a 1 TB WD Caviar Green hard drive. So you have a speedy SSD for quick loading of applications and games and a high-capacity drive for storage.
The Carnelian is powered by Intel Core i5-2500K CPU, 8 GB of G.Skill Ripjaws RAM and Asus GTX 560 Ti Direct CU II graphics card. These components are installed on the Asus P8Z68-V Pro motherboard. The quad-core Core i5-2500K features an unlocked BCLK multiplier, which makes overclocking a breeze. The Eco II liquid cooler by CoolIT Systems has been installed to take care of the extra heat dissipated by the CPU during overclocking. The cooler’s radiator, along with the fan, is fitted on the rear.
The motherboard and graphics card chosen to build this PC are excellent choices. The Asus P8Z68-V Pro supports both CrossFireX and SLI. It also features an on-board Bluetooth adapter and has video outputs (HDMI, DVI and D-sub) on the rear. The motherboard lacks a Wi-Fi adapter but that has been taken care of by a 802.11 n card fitted into a PCI slot. The Asus ENGTX 560 Ti DirectCU II is a premium GTX 560 Ti graphics card featuring a dual-fan cooler with thick copper pipes for effective heat dissipation.
The NZXT Phanom has the provision for ample number of fans for good air circulation. There’s a 200 mm blue LED fan fitted on the top, a 140 mm front intake fan and two 120 mm fans on the side panel. Regulators are present on top of the case. The I/O panel has two USB ports, an eSATA port and audio jacks.
The overall performance of the Brag Carnelian is excellent. Despite plenty of fans, it’s extremely silent. The configuration scored 20,112 points in PCMark Vantage and 4035 points in 3DMark 11. The GTX 560 Ti is a great midrange graphics card with good power to run games comfortably at full HD without compromising on visual effects. At 1920x1080 Crysis Warhead ran at 39 fps in Enthusiast mode. With PhysX and AA enabled, Mafia II ran at 37 fps with effects set to high. Unigine Heaven benchmark logged 38 fps with normal tessellation.
The Brag Carnelian is an excellent option if you’re looking out for a custombuilt premium gaming PC. You can get in touch with Brag if you wish to customize the configuration.
Verdict: An excellent gaming PC built with choicest components.
For: Excellent cabinet, good configuration, well managed cables, liquid cooling.
Against: No dust filters for fans.

SPECIFICATION
www.bragpc.com
CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K; Motherboard: Asus P8Z68-V
Pro; RAM: 8 GB G.Skill Ripjaws; Hard disk: 64 GB SSD
and 1 TB hard disk; Graphics card: Asus GTX 560 Ti;
Optical drive: Blu-ray combo; Wi-Fi: 802.11 n;
Power supply: Corsair HX650W.

CANOON IXUX 220 HS DIGITAL CAMERA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:24:00 +0000

The IXUS 220 HS isn’t very different from the IXUS 115 HS. Both the models have a 12.1 megapixel sensor and feature similar designs. However, the IXUS 220 HS offers a better lens. It’s much wider at 24 mm and the zoom extends to 5x. The controls lie next to the 2.7-inch LCD. There’s a switch that lets you instantly switch between the Auto mode and other modes. In Auto mode, the camera automatically recognizes the type of scene and adjusts the exposure parameters. The user can only set the timer, image size and quality.
If you want to tinker with the exposure settings and get creative, switch away from the Auto mode. Besides the Program mode, Canon has provided a bunch of scene modes and effect filters such as Fish eye, Toy camera, Poster, Monochrome and Miniature that can make your photos stand out. The IXUS 220 HS can shoot 720p videos with great ease and optical zoom is functional while shooting. Full HD video recording is also possible, but at 24 fps. The list of shooting modes has a very cool feature called Super Slow Motion Movie. This mode shoots videos at very high speed for super slow motion playback – fast paced action videos look great in slow motion. Video recording can be started by simply pressing the record button on top of the D-pad. The 5-way d-pad has shortcuts for Macro, EV, Flash and Display settings. Unfortunately selftimer is missing, which compels the user to select it from the Function menu. The overall performance of the IXUS 220 HS is very good. We shot landscapes, people, still objects, close ups, videos and they all came out very nice. Outdoor performance in bright daylight with ISO set to 100 is good, but not outstanding. The reproduction of colors and details was good, but fringing was very apparent around objects against bright backgrounds such as the sky or viceversa.
The overall contrast of the images was good, but if you’re meticulous about good results, you’ll need to spruce up the contrast and details in an image editing program. Left untouched, the results produced are quite good for printing. Indoor images, both with and without flash came out nice. Some images were shot at ISO 1600 and with shutter speed as low as 1/20 sec. Surprisingly, the noise was well controlled and there was no blur thanks to image stabilization. The video recording quality is very good. Shooting in full HD seemed a bit difficult for the camera. There was quite a bit of stuttering in fast action scenes and while panning. However, 720p videos came out flawless, except for some fringing in highcontrast scenes.
We liked the Canon IXUS 220 HS for its compact design, ease of use, interesting feature set and good performance, both indoors and outdoors. It offers a good bang for the buck, but we find the IXUS 115 HS better when it comes to value for money.
Verdict: An affordable camera with great build quality and performance.
For: 24 mm wide angle, easy to use, super slow motion video shooting.
Against: Full HD video recording at 24 fps.

SPECIFICATION
www.canon.co.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 92 x 56 x 20 mm; Weight: 140 g;
Resolution: 12.1 megapixels; Focal length: 24 -120 mm
(5x optical zoom); Aperture: F2.7-F5.9; Shutter speed:
15‑1/2000 sec; ISO: 100-3200; Screen: 2.7 in,
230k dots; Video recording: 1920x1080 @24 fps.

DELL VOSTRO 3750 LAPTOP

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:03:00 +0000

The 3750’s design is very similar to the V130’s, except that it’s not as slim or portable. The body is built well and feels sturdy, but the lid has too much flex, which you can clearly see it contorting. For connectivity, we have a total of four USB ports which includes two USB 3.0 ports. We also have a DVD burner, HDMI and VGA port, card reader, Express card slot and microphone and headphone jack. Opening up the lid, we have a full sized chiclet keyboard that is spaced out very well. The keys offer a good feedback and are comfortable enough for long typing sessions. Security is handled by a finger print scanner.

Along with the power button, there are three shortcut buttons for quick settings, Dell support centre and one that you can customize for opening any application you choose. Unlike the smaller sized Vostro notebooks, the battery is removable this time and you have a choice between a 6-cell and a 9-cell battery.
The notebook is powered by Intel’s Core i7 2630QM, which runs at 2 GHz with the ability to Turbo up to 2.9 GHz. The processor is the same one used in the Asus G74SX, so it doesn’t shy away from number crunching. To complement this, there is 6 GB of RAM, a 750 GB hard drive and Nvidia’s GT 525M GPU with Optimus technology. Other features include Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi n and Gigabit Ethernet. The Vostro 3750 also features Intel WiDi technology, which lets you clone your desktop onto a TV wirelessly. You’ll be able to play most DX10 games at the native resolution with a mix of medium to high settings.
The Vostro 3750 makes a really good desktop replacement thanks to the very comfortable keyboard. The chiclet keys offer good feedback and are well spaced out so you don’t accidently hit the wrong key by mistake. The same cannot be said about the trackpad. The Latitude was the only one so far that didn’t give us such a major problem.

The screen’s resolution is 1600x900, which is just about right for a 17-inch panel. The icons aren’t too big or small and you have plenty of real estate to play around with. The brightness level is quite adequate and the screen is viewable even with high levels of ambient light in the room. The notebook will easily do 1080p video and you can either use the onboard or the discrete graphics for rendering.
We managed to get 1 hour of battery life with Battery Eater Pro. This is with a 6-cell battery pack and using the onboard GPU for running the program. For regular use with ‘Power Saver’ mode, you should get about 2 - 2.5 hours of battery life.
One would typically expect a 17-inch notebook with a high end CPU and GPU to cost a bomb, but oddly, that’s not the case here. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that the Vostro 3750, with all the bells and whistles, will cost you a reasonable Rs 63,275, which makes it cheaper than the Vostro V130. This is very good pricing on Dell’s part and makes the Vostro a good option for someone looking for a desktop replacement with good productivity and multimedia features.
Verdict: A business notebook with a very strong gaming pedigree.
For: Powerful specifications, aluminum chassis, USB 3.0, good design , good price
Against: Average battery life, annoying trackpad.

SPECIFICATION
www.dell.co.in
Dimensions (WxDxH): 418.4 x 286.7 x 34.8 mm;
Weight: 3 kg; Processor: Intel Core i7-2630QM;
Hard drive: 750 GB; Screen: 17.3 in, 1600 x 900;
GPU: Nvidia Geforce GT 525M; RAM: 1 GB; Ports: HDMI,
USB 2.0, 3.0, eSATA, Firewire; OS: Windows 7 Home
Premium

MOTOROLA XOOM 3G TABLET

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:50:00 +0000

Motorola’s Xoom was the first commercially available tablet to rock Google’s Honeycomb OS. The Xoom comes with Android 3.1, which is lot faster and smoother than the 3.0. An aluminium frame makes up most of the body which is smooth and does not attract finger prints. The 10.1-inch screen sports a 1280x800 pixel resolution and the Xoom is powered by Nvidia’s Tegra 2 CPU which runs at 1 GHz. The internal memory is 32 GB and is the same for both, the Wi-Fi and 3G models.
The video player only supports MP4 and WMV file formats along with codecs like H.264 and H.263. 1080p videos play just fine provided they are in MP4 format. The music player is very basic too, with no equalizer presets or enhancement options. The supported file formats include MP3, WAV, WMA and AAC+. Sound quality is once again just average so if you’re serious about music, look elsewhere.
The 3G version supports quad-band GSM and HSDPA, HSUPA, dual-band Wi-Fi n and Bluetooth v2.1. The 3G SIM can only be used for data since the Xoom does not have any telephony functions. The default WebKit browser is good enough for casual surfing as it supports tabs, full Flash 10.1 support, etc. Also, once connected, the Xoom does not show up as a removable drive, but as a ‘Media Device’.
The 5 megapixel auto-focus camera on the Motorola Xoom 3G is capable of 720p video recording at 30 fps. The picture quality is strictly average for indoor shots while it fares slightly better outdoors. The dual-LED flash is powerful and easily illuminates the subject in a pitch dark room provided you maintain a distance of 5-6 feet. The captured image is clear, with good amount of detail. 720p video recording is smooth for most part, but while panning, slight jerks are present. Motorola didn’t mention what capacity battery they’ve used in the Xoom, only that it will deliver up to 10 hours of video playback. In our video drain test, the tablet managed 7 hours 15 mins, where as our loop tests lasted close to 10 hours.

At a street price of roughly Rs 34,999, the Xoom’s only other competitor is the Samsung Galaxy Tab 750. Both are almost equally powerful and have similar feature sets, except for the fact that the Tab 750 has only 16 GB of internal memory as opposed to 32 GB on the Xoom. We can’t say for certain which is better until we’ve tested the Tab 750.

Motorola hasn’t done any customizations of their own, so out of the box, the Xoom’s feature set is pretty limited until you install apps. This is where Samsung’s TouchWiz UI may turn the tables in their favor. If it’s anything like their mobile version, then we can expect wider video and audio format support out of the box, DLNA, etc.
Verdict: Currently, the cheapest 3G Tablet with 32 gb storage in the market.
For: Good value, Honeycomb 3.1, dual core, HDMI, Good camera.
Against: Average battery life, no customization for Motorola’s end, not very slim .

SPECIFICATION
www.motorola.com
Dimensions (HxWxD): 249.1 x 167.8 x 12.9 mm;
Weight: 730 g; Processor: Dual core 1 GHz;
OS: Android 3.1; Display: 10.1 in, 1280 x 800;
Camera: 5 megapixels; Internal storage: up to 32 GB;
Connectivity: 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, USB,
EDGE, GPS

BLACKBERY TORCH 9810 SMARTPHONE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:38:00 +0000

Nearly a year after the original Torch arrived in the market, RIM has revealed the Torch 2 - or 9810. From a design and form-factor point of view, the 9810 is exactly like its predecessor and the build is just as solid. The slide out QWERTY keypad is just as smooth, but the keypad could have been slightly more spread out to optimize typing. The only thing that may give the phone away would be its new color scheme: shiny silver instead of the gunmetal grey finish.
It’s still just a little on the heavy side at 161g and the rubberized sides do allow you to get a good grip on it. As usual, the bundled handsfree and cables are as good as they come. The inclusion of a smart case would have been brilliant, or a memory card for that matter, but considering the internal storage has been beefed up to 8 GB, the latter point is quite moot. It was never too hard on the eyes and the new jazzed up color combo adds a bit of elegance to the overall appearance. The 3.2-inch screen gets a decent bump in resolution, and it now runs at 480 x 640 pixels.

While the exteriors might be the same, there are a few very good changes on the inside, most important among them being the processor. With the inclusion of a 1.2GHz CPU, the 9810 can now play toe-to-toe with the fastest smartphones in the market. This change, along with OS 7.0, makes for a superb browsing and in-app experience. The phone responds and moves from task to task effortlessly and screen renders are instantaneous. Browsing especially gets a shot in the arm, and we think even the fastest Android phones may struggle to keep up.
Media capabilities are still quite up there with the best, though the lack of 1080p video playback might be considered a drawback. It supports XviD and DivX codecs and plays most file formats except FLV and MKV. Music playback, thanks to the audio engine’s Audio Boost and EQ presets, worked as well as RIM’s other offerings and the bundled handsfree proves well-matched to the output quality for calls and music.Although this device is equipped with a GPS module, you’ll still have to contend with BlackBerry Maps showing you in the middle of an empty screen for Indian residents. The other option is Google Maps or paying for third party software.

The 5 megapixel auto focus camera (with LED flash) also remains unchanged. It features settings like image stabilization and geo tagging, face-detection, as well as continuous auto focus while recording video at 720p. Image quality is just as good as the 9800’s.
Seeing as smartphones, and especially BlackBerrys, are the type of handsets that one would tend to use on a frequent basis, the Torch 9810’s battery proved to be average. It’s expected that a device of this caliber would offer a little more than just keeping in tow with the rest.
Verdict: A good piece of mobile hardwareand quite worth the price.
For: Well designed, fluid UI, solid build quality.
Against: Still a little bulky, battery life could have been better.
Specifications
in.blackberry.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 61.9 x 111 x 14.5 mm;
Weight: 161 g; Display: 3.2-in, 480x640 pixels;
CPU: 1.2 GHz; RAM: 768 MB; Internal storage: 8 GB;
Camera: 5 megapixels with autofocus and LED flash;
Rated talk time: 6.5 hours.

SONY CYBERSHOT DSC-HX100V DIGITAL CAMERA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:08:00 +0000

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V sports a bridge camera look, and while its Carl Zeiss lens occupies a lot of space, the overall design looks good.
The 3-inch flip out screen at the back can be tilted so one can easily click images from either high or low angles. The buttons to the screen’s right include a four-way navigational pad for display, continuous shooting, timer and flash. A jog dial located on the top-right side of the camera at the back can be used for adjusting various settings like ISO sensitivity, aperture priority, etc. The sturdy pop up flash is housed directly above the lens. A unique feature of this camera is that it can be charged directly by plugging it to a power source. The overall build quality of the camera and its bays for the battery or HDMI and USB ports are good.

The camera features a 16.2 megapixel CMOS sensor with Sony’s Exmor R technology that allows users to capture images well in low-lit environments. The button on the jog dial aids in the fluency of changing settings. The color scheme of the interface can be changed, allowing one to view the page in two other colors. The screen has an auto rotation function, which is a neat feature that is not seen in most cameras. The camera features a sensor, which detects whether the user is using the EVF or the LCD, and allows automatic switching between the two. Other features include full high-definition video recording in 1080p at 60 fps, 3D sweep panorama and a GPS compass. The HX100V supports SD cards as well as Sony’s own MS card. Overall, Sony has fitted the camera with some pretty interesting features.

With the aperture set at its highest, i.e. at f/2.8, a fair amount of depth of field was noticed. This was not the same with aperture set at f/8. It is not recommended to use these higher sensitivities such as 3200 or 1600 unless shooting in a low light area. The camera has a 30x zoom and when used outdoors, the image appeared very crisp. The image stabilization capability of this camera is pretty impressive and there was no blur whatsoever. The camera records video at 1080p and the video playback rendered well. It is able to record sound in stereo which, is a recent trend appearing in cameras. The images that were shot indoors had minimum amount of grain and this was something that we really liked. Outdoor images shot really well too, and there was minimal color fringing. The camera automatically goes into macro mode when it is near a subject and when pictures were captured in this setting, a lot of detail as well as depth of field was noticed.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V with a price tage of Rs 21,000, is targeted at the prosumer camera audience, particularly those looking to travel. The performance of this camera is pretty good and those who like vibrant colours will surely enjoy using it.
Verdict: a superb with great performance,but at high price.
For: Small and compact, 30x optical zoom with IS, flip-out screen.
Against: Over-vibrant display, expensive.

Specifications
www.sony.co.in
Weight: 577 g; Resolution: 16.2 MP; Focal length:
27‑810 mm; Optical zoom: 30x; Aperture: F2.8-F5.6;
LCD: 3-inch; Shutter speed: 30-1/4000 sec; Video
recording: 1080p.

FUJIFILM FINEPIX HS20 EXR DIGITAL CAMERA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:16:00 +0000

Those into wildlife photography or landscapes are spoilt for choice with the number of super zooms entering the market. These cameras may definitely not be a replacement for DSLRs, but can surely provide consumers with ample features for taking these sort of pictures. Fujifilm launched the FinePix HS10, a superzoom camera not too long back and it performed well. The company has now launched the FinePix HS20 EXR, an updated version of the HS10, which comes with features such as a 30x optical zoom, and 16 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor, amongst others.

Design and Build Quality
The Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR looks a lot like the HS10. The design of the HS10 was received well and Fujifilm has stuck to it while manufacturing the HS20. Like the HS10, this camera too has the bridge camera design. It has a matte black finish and is made of plastic with rubber pads on the hand grip and a patch on the rear that assists in the handling of this large camera. The first thing that one notices when they see this camera is the large lens that occupies the front. The lens too has a rubberized padding on the telephoto ring, which helps in the handling. Located at the base of the fixed lens is a focal ring. The 3-inch flip out screen is located at the back and protrudes from the body a bit, adding to the bulky look of the HS20. Like the HS10, the various buttons are scattered all over the rear of the camera. This is not a bad design aspect as it makes it look more like a DSLR. Fujifilm has added two dials at the top of this camera. This design is something that is common to high end DSLRs, where there are multiple jog dials. The buttons located at the back are rounded and though the rear is cluttered with controls, they are all spaced out well. An interesting yet uncommon feature of this camera is that it has a flash mount. The pop up flash is very sturdy and can be deployed by pressing a small button next to it.

There is a sensor next to the electronic view finder (EVF) which helps in auto switching between the LCD and the EVF. The connectivity options found on this camera are mini HDMI, mini USB and an AV in. The flap that covers these connectors are made of plastic and have a sturdy build as well. The battery bay for the four AA batteries is located on the bottom of the HS20. A nice addition to this camera is the separate memory card slot that is located at the side. This slot is usually housed in the battery bay and makes it inconvenient if one runs out of storage space and wants to easily swap memory cards. The battery bay locks well, but the flap does feel a bit flimsy. The overall build of this camera is good and it looks as though it can withstand a few accidental knocks.

Features
Fujifilm has fit a 16 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor on this FinePix HS20 EXR superzoom camera. They have stayed away from using higher megapixel sensors in the previous version of this camera - FinePix HS10. However, they have not held back any features with this model. With backside illuminated (BSI) technology, the sensor becomes more sensitive to light. The more sensitive it is, the less light is needed to get a properly exposed photo and the less noise is created. Being a superzoom camera, the main feature of this is the 30x optical zoom having an effective range of 24 - 720mm. The inbuilt image stabilizer helps in this process thus making it reduce the amount of blur noticeable.

The FinePix HS20 has a 3-inch flipout display that is tiltable to an extent. It cannot be rotated or folded like some cameras seen in the market. A few higher end superzoom cameras feature this sort of screen and this type of display helps in capturing images in either high or low angles. The HS20 has a sensor, which detects when one is viewing through either the LCD or the EVF. This can be locked to either the LCD, EVF or auto switch between both. EVFs are a common feature found in many superzooms these days, with them previously being limited to DSLRs. The camera has a flash mount allowing one to attach an additional flash, apart from the very capable in-built flash featured in the camera.
The interface is simple and one can easily learn how to operate the camera within minutes. An interesting part of this menu is that the scene can be viewed in the background and doesn’t take up the entire screen. Another interesting feature is the manual zoom ring and focus ring. Some superzooms with this design have dual zoom controls with the ability to zoom using the ring on the lens or a zoom trigger. This camera, unfortunately, is not one of them. Another noticeable absentee is a lithium ion battery. This camera uses 4 AA batteries to power it. A slightly annoying feature of the HS20 EXR is that when one needs to alter the various settings such as ISO, aperture, etc. the designated button has to be held down while the navigational pad is tapped to select it. The HS20 EXR has an internal storage capacity of 20 MB and cards such as SD, SDHC and SDXC are supported.

Performance
At aperture set to widest, which is f/2.8, a lot of depth of field was noticed but the image was not as crisp. The flash of this camera can easily light up an area of 15 feet. In our controlled setting, during the flash test, the colours looked crisp when the flash was on and areas which could not be easily noticed were easily visible when the flash was fired. This camera has a 30x optical zoom with an in-built image stabilizer. During our zoom test, the image captured quite well at maximum zoom. However, there were some focusing issues noticed.
The ISO sensitivity at 100 is crisp and there was no noise noticed. All colors looked natural and, as expected, at such a low ISO in a controlled setting, images would be really good. At ISO 400, there was a fair amount of noise and there was a bit of discoloration as well, but images were still usable. ISO 800 is the highest usable sensitivity setting for this camera. From ISO 3200 onwards, there is a lot of image noise and this setting would be advisable to use only in low light conditions.
Outdoor images captured well with this camera and there was minimal color fringing noticed. All colors appeared natural. Focusing was a bit of an issue here, and it took a bit of time to focus on the subject. Video recording wasn’t great as there were weird artifacts appearing on the screen. There were slight focusing issues during video recording as well, especially when moving from a bright to a dark area. Fujifilm rates the battery of this camera at approximately 350 shots. However, we used a new set of batteries and it was exhausted barely within minutes of usage.

Verdict
At Rs 26,999, the Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR is a bit steep for a camera with such attributes. While the camera has done well during our zoom test, there are other options out there which sell for a lower price point and offer similar specifications, such as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HS100V. This is definitely not a bad camera and is better than the HS10, but the price is a bit high. However, if one has no qualms about spending a couple of thousands more, this could be a good option.

Verdict: A really good superzoom, but would be better if it had a lower price.
For: 30x super zoom with IS works like a charm, 3-inch flip out screen, very sturdy.
Against: Uses AA batteries, focusing issues while video recording.

Specifications
www.fujifilm.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 131 x 91 x 126 mm;
Weight: 730 g; Resolution: 16 MP; Focal length:
24‑720 mm (30x optical zoom); Aperture:
F2.8‑F5.6; Shutter speed: 30-1/4000 sec; LCD:
3-inch; Video recording: 1080p @30 fps;
Batteries: 4x AA.