The Buff Gadgets

Cool gadgets for 2012

2011-12-10T01:31:00.000-08:00

While some of you are busy buying gadgets for this holiday season, there are some looking forward for 2012's gadget list. Of course we cannot end this year without having a sneak peek on the stuff to want for next year. You may want to add these 2012 gadgets on your wish list.

1. Samsung's Windows 8 Tablet = This is perhaps the most closest tablet to a laptop. It will have HDMI ports, USB, microUSB and a dock that can support mouse and a keyboard.

This 11.6-inch screen tablet has dual-core processor 1.6 GHz Intel i5, with the memory capacity 4GB of RAM and extended memory up to 64GB.

2. Asus Padfone = This is a perfect combination of tablet and a cool smartphone. Though it started like a humor, a little elusive, it has been decided to finally materialize for next year. This desirable Tegra 3 chipset Asus Padfone just went big = quad core Tegra 3 + Android 4.0.

3. Wii U = Its a phenomenon that Wii started a great motion revolution when it comes to gaming, but not in terms of games sales compared to PS3 and Xbox. For 2012, Wii offers a console for 1080p output with a tablet controller. Oh yes it is predicted to have more tablets for 2012.

The second best tablet

2011-12-09T23:17:00.000-08:00

Apple's iPad 2 has been the best tablet out there, but did you wonder what's the second best? Don't be surprised if I'd tell you that it is Amazon’s Kindle Fire, considering that they hit that after a month and a half.

“Nearly two years after Apple Inc. rolled out the iPad, a competitor has finally developed an alternative which looks like it might have enough of Apple’s secret sauce to succeed,” IHS analyst Rhoda Alexander said in a statement. “Initial market response strongly suggests that Amazon, with the Kindle Fire, has found the right combination of savvy pricing, astute marketing, accessible content and an appropriate business model, positioning the Kindle Fire to appeal to a brand-new set of media tablet buyers. The production plans make it clear that Amazon is betting big on the product.”

iPad blogging apps

2011-12-09T02:30:00.000-08:00

For bloggers like me, we wanted to have a taylored fit app that we can access on our iPad or iPhone. For sure we can access it from the Safari browser, but would be great to have one click app for this. Here are some of my favorites:

BlogPress
With its price of $2.99, this is well rounded than WordPress. It supports a great number of blog providers, but you will like its image-editing tools.

WordPress
Nothing beats Wordpress when it comes to blogging, the fact that you don't even need to pay a single cent. (Yes it's FREE!!!) It's a bit limited when it comes to the posting tools & the fact that it is buggy at times, (where the program would just crash).

Blogsy
Getting Blogsy would cost you $4.99, but what you will like about this app is how convenient to add photos, videos and post contents. It has the preview mode where you get to see where your photos would be placed exactly as it would appear on your page. It supports Blogger, Wordpress and Posterous platforms.

Nothing beats "BEATS"

2011-12-09T01:04:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a headphone or earphone with awesome bass, advanced speaker, noise cancelling reduction and eye candy designs.

Studio Limited Edition, €299.99

iBeats, €99.99

Pros: Its audio quality was mouth spread all over, its a given fact that it has an exceptional crisp and top notch audio, comfortable design. Oh and the carrying case is superb.

Cons: The only way to make it function is to use batteries, a bit pricey than the others.

Overall, if you are looking for an overall audio experience, this one suits you. You know that you are paying for an item that gives you an improved sound quality. Once you go to beats, you would never go back to your old brands.

Beta Windows 8 in February

2011-12-08T22:31:00.000-08:00

Microsoft revealed the beta Windows 8 app selling portal.With its metro type interface, it has contents from Disney, magazines, games and some digital books. Business apps will also be available to fill every enterprise need. The Windows Store is set to be available sometime in February of next year, with the crew accepting free apps submitted by invitation only. I'm sure a lot of app developers are eager to see the new windows portal.

Rejuvenating your old photos

2011-12-06T19:22:00.000-08:00

On this digital age, photos are very important in keeping good memories. There is an app that you can use for your iPhone or iPad that takes old pictures, crops or modifies it for you -- it is called Shoebox. I'll let you know how to maximize this photo app.

How it Works

With only 6MB in file size, you can easily get this from Apple Store. This is designed to be used on apple devices (iPhone, iTouch) with camera features. In order to use it, you will need to sign up for an account at 1000memories, very quick registration.

To 'scan' in your photos, all you're really doing is taking a picture of them. It's best to put the photos on a surface with contrasting colors, like a dark wood table for lighter color images. This is so the edge detection software can pick up the borders of the photo. If it doesn't, you can always drag the little pointers around to get it just right. The software will then crop your image and upload it to the 1000memories.com site.

For each image you process, you have the option to include info like a caption, the date it was taken, or the location. You can also choose to make the image private. If you don't make it private, then the photo could be publicly accessible. The images can also be shared to Facebook or Twitter, but only through the website.

Holidaytown, another Christmas App!

2011-11-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

If you have enjoyed Zynga's Cityville in Facebook, you would definitely enjoy Holidaytown on your iOS devices! Your objective is simple, help Santa rebuild the north pole, as you decorate the entire place. You will be assisted by the elves, create cozy houses and workshops. Existing Cityville Hometown players can get gifts or bonuses or even unlock special items. Just an FYI, your Hometown is not associated with Holidaytown account, and you need to be connected to the internet to play this app.

Game Features:

★ Attract new elf residents by building a variety of homes.
★ Make it your own - Choose who moves in and customize names for your residents and buildings.
★ Find your Facebook friends, visit their towns, and get their help in building your Holidaytown.
★ Grow your economy by building workshops to earn coins.
★ Plant and harvest magic winter crops for your workshops.
★ Help your elves achieve special goals and unlock more items!
★ Beautify your town with decorations to earn bonus payouts on businesses.

This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad. You can get this from App Store for free with the file size of 19.3MB.

Ejecting the sim tray of your iPad2

2011-11-17T22:04:00.000-08:00

Holiday season is approaching and maybe you already have your gadget gifts like iPad. So this should help you on how to eject the iPad 2 SIM tray:

* Place the iPad 2 face down on a soft surface.

* Locate the SIM eject tool that came with your iPad 2.

*Insert the SIM eject tool at an angle slightly greater than 45 degrees (as shown) into the hole in the SIM tray.

* Push the SIM eject tool in firmly. The SIM tray will partially eject from the iPad 2. Pull the tray the rest of the way out.

Note: Only use the iPad 2 SIM eject tool to open the SIM tray in the iPad 2.

Inserting the SIM eject tool

The Sim Tray

May the best motion controller win

2011-10-29T22:16:00.000-07:00

It’s officially on. That is the motion control wars and, don’t hate, but Nintendo isn’t one of the combatants. Nope, this war is clearly between Microsoft and Sony. It’s the Kinect vs the Move. Full body tracking vs 1-1 controller tracking. This is going to turn out great for you, me, and both Sony and Microsoft.

Nintendo really deserves some recognition here. They blazed the path in this field, educating and showing consumers why motion control deserves a spot in their living room. Millions and millions of people have used and feel in love with the Wii over the last few years and now both Microsoft and Sony are ready to steal a lot of consumers into their world.
The two camps are radically different. Kinect touts full body control of up to two people at one time. Tracking is accurate and seemingly lag-free. But the games are virtual Wii-clones. It’s clear the market that Microsoft is primarily targeting even though there will be some more adult titles like Star Wars and Metal Gear Solid.

The Playstation Move controller is just like you would imagine how Sony would make a Wii Remote: dark, industrial, but solid and smart. There’s also a second smaller controller that helps complete the experience for some games.

Yeah, it sounds like the Wii, right? It kind of is, but so much more powerful. There isn’t a cable connecting the two controllers, the controller doesn’t wobble on-screen, but more importantly it has 1-1 tracking in 3D space. That means you can move the controller side-to-side, forward and back and every which way. The Playstation 3′s powerful core allows the games to take full advantage of this system.

Simply put, the Playstation Move is all about games where Kinect feels like something more. It feels like Microsoft is on the verge of something really big and is using its Xbox 360 gaming platform as a sandbox for the motion tracking system. Kinect is built into the Xbox 360′s dashboard and users can fully interact with the gaming console with nothing more their hands and voice.

It’s important to note that Sony and Microsoft are distinctly different companies. Sony is a hardware company first where Microsoft has primarily been in only software. Sony wants to sell you your whole entertainment system from the TV to the speakers to the gaming system and media playback devices. Microsoft wants to connect your world with Windows, Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360. Both Sony and Microsoft have developed their motion control system with these goals in mind.

To quote the outspoken Playstation spokesman, Kevin Butler,

“I say we focus on what really matters, the games.”

That pretty much sums it up in the end. Sony is about the gaming first where Microsoft isn’t. They are about the user experience. But the real winner in the end is, well, everyone. Both systems will provide awesome gaming experiences that Nintendo showed us could be possible.

But there’s a problem. Gaming add-ons don’t sell. They never have. There has never been a blockbuster gaming add-on unless you count the Gamecube Wavebird controller. Sony and Microsoft will have the tough task from here on out convincing current system owners — and Wii owners — that they should drop some hard cash down for these systems. It’s going to take hit titles and heavy media coverage for them to even get off the ground.

Don’t think for a minute that either of these systems will be an instant hit. Yeah, sure, fanboys and pundits will proclaim their system of choice, but it’s your parents, non-techie friends, and Wii owners that will decide this one. It’s going to get bloody and that’s awesome.

Samsung laptop, the third series

2011-10-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

These budget friendly lappies are anything but cheap looking or feeling. The entire lineup has followed in the footsteps of the Series 9, opting for soft brushed finishes that are, at the very least, metal-esque. Gone are the shiny plastics that made your notebook look like evidence at a crime scene. At the bottom end is a 15.6-inch model sporting a dual-core AMD A4 CPU and (oddly) a glossy display.

If you want to wipe the reflective sheen from that screen, jump up a notch to the $599 Core i3-sporting version. The 15.6 models reach all the way up to a quad-core Core i7 CPU for $819 and all the Intel varieties pack WiDi (as do the 12.5-inchers). The other sizes (11.6, 12.1, 13.3, and 14 inches) all sport the same premium finishes, solid keyboards, and pleasant touchpads, while being expected to be easy on the wallet.

An Introduction to Archos

2011-09-23T23:50:00.000-07:00

Angling for a new Android 3.1 tablet, are ya? If so, Archos has a new pair emerging from Paris today, the 80 G9 and 101 G9. Predictably, the biggest differentiator between the two is the screen size, with the former offering an 8-inch panel with a 1024 x 768 screen resolution and the latter stepping up to a 10.1-incher (1280 x 800). Both of 'em are proudly using Seagate's 7mm Momentus Thin in order to scale to 250GB, but of course, only time will tell how a power-hungry HDD will do in tablet form factor.
Under the hood, you'll find a dual-core OMAP 4 processor (1.5GHz ARM Cortex A9), support for Flash, access to the Android Market and a full-size USB port -- one that's good for accepting the outfit's new G9 3G WWAN stick ($49). You'll also get an HDMI output, support for 1080p playback and a pay-as-you-go option with the aforesaid 3G dongle. The duo is scheduled to go on sale at the end of September (you know, just a month or two before Ice Cream Sandwich makes Honeycomb look like old hat), with the 80 G9 going for $279 and the 101 G9 for $349. Don't ever say Archos' accountants didn't look out for you.

Update: We snagged a gallery's worth of hands-on shots from Archos' reveal today in Paris. We're running back for more as we type, so hang tight!

Update 2: A reader over at Engadget Spanish noticed that the ES specifications link for the new G9 tablets mentions a 16GB + microSD arrangement for those who aren't feeling a 250GB HDD. Interesting!

Is HTC Evo View 4G just a Giant Phone?

2011-09-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

The running joke since the iPad laced up its shoes is that tablets are big, over-glorified phones. That's silly! They share electricity, touchscreens, apps, and rectangularity, but that's about it. Except the Evo View, which is the joke's punchline.

Plusses

The 7-inch tablet is a maligned genus (and some might say an oxymoron), but whatever you want to call it, I like the way this thing, a conglomoration of aluminum and rubber, feels. Its weight (weighty), its girth (girthy), and its grip (um, grippy). The notification light is built into the power button. It's totally serviceable for web, mail, and other staples. It's got stereo speakers, surprisingly. The best detail? Orientation-shifting touch buttons along the bezel, so you really can use it in any orientation. Someone cared when they built this.

Minuses

This is, again, mostly just a big Evo. That's pretty much all it is. It's not running the designed-for-tablets Honeycomb—it's Gingerbread. And it stutters on occasion, more than it should. Reaching back into the primordial haze of tech time, the View clutches a little capacitive stylus, giving you the ability to do, well, not very much with an $80 accessory. You can take screencaps of anything you're looking at and draw on them, or you can take down handwritten notes to be emailed or tweeted away. It's $400 with a two-year contract. Locking yourself to this for 2 years would be silly.

Specifications of HTC Evo View 4G

Processor: 1.5 GHz MSM8655
Screen Size: 7"
Resolution: 1024 x 600
OS: Android 2.3
Storage: 32GB
Memory: 1GB, LPDDR2
Cameras: 5MP rear, 1.3MP front
Networking: 4G WiMax
Dimensions: 7.69"x4.42"x0.52"
Price: $400 w/ 2-year contract

The Evo View 4G's a runt—so it needed to be either cheaper or faster, and it's neither. But I'm still willing to give seven inches a chance...if its given by someone else.

Playstation Vita

2011-09-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

It’s not often that a mobile gaming device sets the standard for an entire industry. Then again, it’s not often that something like the PlayStation^®Vita arrives. With a full set of unique new features, that both complement and enhance the gaming experience, you are now free to take the world you play in, anywhere you go.

Price Starts at $249

Awesome Features:

* Chat on the fly in the midst of multiplayer action or while watching videos
* Multitouch Display. Catch every detail with the PlayStation®Vita system’s stunning, multitouch 5-inch OLED display.
* Augmented Reality. Merge the real world and the game world with front and rear camera enabled augmented reality
* Always on. Take on your friends — or the whole world — anywhere, anytime with Wi-Fi or always-on 3G
* Dual analog sticks. Feel the full-on intensity of First Person Shooters with Dual Analog Sticks.
* PS3™ Integration. Enjoy continuous, uninterrupted gameplay between your PS3™ and PlayStation®Vita systems with compatible titles.

Iphone vs Samsung Galaxy S II

2011-08-17T20:50:00.000-07:00

The developers of the new iPhone will have to make a few changes if they want to stay ahead of their Android rival Samsung Galaxy S II. While iPhones have always been praised for their polished look and usability, Android phones managed to win users with their capabilities, e.g. the turn-to-turn navigation system, which is available for free on Androids, is missing from iPhone’s current OS.

Time for a head to head match

These are some of the areas that Apple should work on for the next iPhone 5/4S, in order to be able to compete with the Galaxy S II, and other Android phones:

Thickness: The Samsung Galaxy S II is only 0.33 inch (8.5 mm) thick, whereas the iPhone 4 is 0.37 inch (9.3 mm). iPhone 4 is 24% thinner than the previous iPhone model (3GS), so let’s hope that Apple will follow its pattern, and make the upcoming iPhone slimmer.
Display Size: The screen size on the on the Galaxy S II smartphone is 4.3 inch. It is rumored that the next iPhone will sport a 4 inch display. The current iPhone has a 3.5 inch display.

Camera: A lot of Android phones have an 8 megapixel camera, including the Samsung Galaxy S II. The iPhone 4 only has a 5 megapixel camera, and users are not very pleased with it. Hopefully, as WSJ reported, the iPhone 5 will get an 8 megapixel camera also. Some people are claiming that Sony will supply the cameras for the upcoming iPhone.

A5 Chip: Samsung’s Galaxy S II is powered by a dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 Mali-400MP GPU Orion chipset processor. Apple has recently put a dual-core A5 chip in the new iPad 2, so we are expecting to see the same faster chip in the new iPhone.

OS: Galaxy S II is currently powered by Android 2.3 or Gingerbread, but Google revealed that the new Android version will sport features like face tracking, camera focus, and voice recognition. Also, not too long ago, Google launched their Google Wallet (NFC-enabled mobile payment platform), giving the users the opportunity to make payments by simply tapping their phones at the point-of-sale. With all these new things that Androids are offering, Apple’s iOS 5 for iPhone should bring comparable features.

There you have it folks, now its time to pick your choice.