Best Gadget & Smart Phone

Ten Tech Trends to watch in 2012

2012-02-15T01:20:00.000-08:00

1. 3D Scanners
HP was the first to show one off,but this technology for scanner objects has many applications and will prove popular.

2. Ivy Bridge
If we haven't made it clear how excited we are for this new technology from Intel. then we haven't been doing our jobs.

3. Hi-Def displays
Handheld and portable devices with high-DPI are on the rise and as gadgets get more powerful, we want the displays to match.

4. Quad-core Tablets
The power we mentioned above? It's chipsets like the Tegra 3 that will be supplying it.

5. Glassless 3D
If there's a universal complaint about 3D, it's the need for glasses - so any tech that removes the need is going to be big.

6. Content delivery devices
The Kindle Fire would be nothing without Amazon services behind it will other companies try and enter this market?

7. NFC Payments
Aside from PayWave, NFC gets short shrift in Australia, with few devices supporting it... up until now, at least.

8. ARM chips for Windows
ARM wants to get into Windows especially with tablets and notebooks - watch this space.

9. Windows 8
This is the biggest change to the Windows operating system since, well, Windows. Either on the desktop or when mobile, MS has to get this right

10 Kinect for Windows
Now that MS has got its cameral voice recognition system off the Xbox and onto the PC, we can't wait to see what's coming,

Review Roland JP80 Jupiter 80 Live Synthesizer

2012-02-02T23:29:00.000-08:00

Review Roland Jupiter-80

Roland is well known for having made some of the most legendary and influential synthesizers of all time, and in recent years it has been bringing some of these much-loved classics back to life - only this time around they are packed with cutting-edge technology. The latest to get a makeover is the Jupiter-SO, based at least in name on the Jupiter-B. Billed by Roland as a performance synthesizer, it's an extremely solid piece of kit, and in contrast to the standard muted looks of modern synths has a multitude of coloured buttons and lights, in keeping with the design of the original

Ins and outs

Before we get to the sounds, let's look at the hardware. Around the back you get XLR and jack main outputs as well as two sub outputs, a mini stereo audio in jack with level controls, pedal inputs, MIDI ports, coaxial digital audio out and a USB-to-computer port that can carry both audio and MIDI (after you install the relevant driver). As is the case with many of Roland's synths, this feature is really handy to have since it means you can fire sound directly into your DAW (and MIDI out of it into the synth) without needing to buy any extra kit.

To the left of the front panel is the regulation pitch/mod controller, an additional USB port for inserting a memory stick for the playback and saving of MIDI songs and audio files, plus Roland's programmable D-Beam controller, which as always can be used as something akin to a Theremin for the real-time manipulation of sounds. You interact with the Jupiter-BO either via its many physical controls or its large colour touchscreen. Roland has been using these in its higher-end workstations for a while now and has cracked the secret of making the system easy to use on the surface, but with advanced tweaking and programming tools lying just beneath. The Jupiter-SO is a performance instrument, and as a result the focus is on sounds rather than workstation style features. Heavy emphasis is placed on the layering and zoning of sounds, to the extent that there are areas of colour permanently marked just above the keyboard to denote the different key zones. These correspond to four sets of controls in the Part Balance section located to the left of the screen, from where you can switch each part on or off as well as set its level. These parts are Percussion, Lower, Upper and Solo: they in turn match up with the colour-coded buttons that run Just above the keys. These provide access to banks of sounds, and the colour coding - as well as being a nostalgic nod to the past - helps in visually linking buttons with functions.

Quick flip

For each of these button sections there is an 'alternate' button that switches the current sound with a similar one without you having to do any fiddling around on the screen. Unusually, for a modern synth, the Jupiter-SO has a number of Registration buttons along the very front edge just below the keyboard (you would not normally expect to find controls or ports here at all, save perhaps for headphones).

These are essentially 'quick' controls that enable you to select previous and next patches or jump directly to a number of preset patches that you have set up in advance, sorted into banks. They are backlit, too, and will be invaluable to anyone playing on a dark stage and needing to flip quickly between sounds without having to bend over to see the screen and risk pressing the wrong button.

As well as the touchscreen there are a number of other physical controls which are both large and user-friendly. They include a MIDI song player and recorder, reverb on/off and a large jog wheel that enables you to zip through settings quickly. You also get transpose controls on the front panel and an arpeggiator that can be set differently for the lower and upper parts. You can activate drum parts as well as control the rotary effect from the front panel.

Supernatural sounds

The Jupiter-80's sound engine is powered by Roland's SuperNATURAL technology. As is the case with other Roland synths we have played, it offers stunning sound-generation. It is able to model everything from acoustic to fat electronic sounds with equal ease and is combined here with something called Behaviour Modelling Technology (BMD)

BMT takes performance-related information such as keyboard phrasing, tempo, velocity, chords or legato (as well as any control signals like pitch-bend, D-Beam or control pedals) and uses it to modify the sounds in ways that amaze. You can add all sorts of expression and variation to your playing and some of the time you won't even know how it's doing it. Guitar chords or phrases can be generated with only minimal input from the user, while synths bend and twist under your fingers. The more information you give it or the more complex the part you play, the more interesting it gets. It's hard to describe how much fun this can be you can play huge, complex-sounding parts with only minimal input.

The onboard sounds are meant to be zoned and layered, although, of course, you can just play one at once, even if this would be to miss the full potential of the synth. An excellent range of tones are available, from grand pianos, strings and brass through to accurately modelled acoustic guitars, woodwind and more. There's a curious focus on synthesized brass - a nod perhaps to the originalJupiter-8. More up-to-date sounds are available as well of course: the instrument is packed with cuttingedge, modern synth and bass sounds that almost burst from the speakers. The output of the Jupiter-80 is smooth but fearsome, buzzing with energy and urgency. This is helped by the onboard effects, of which there are four multi-FX each for the upper and lower parts (each with up to 76 effect types). The percussion and solo parts have a compressor, EO and delay, plus there's a four-band equalizer available to strap across the master outputs.

Play it again

The layering and zoning features make this synth almost insanely playable, with interesting sounds leaping from every area of the keyboard. Taking things further is a Tone Blender, which tweaks the values of several different parameters at the same time then lets you capture that perfect sound as a Live Set. You can also assign the Tone Blender to be controlled by the D-Beam. Live Sets are what Roland calls big, multi-stacked patches. The sound engine can deal with four tones; with some clever setting up you can have up to nine tones going on at any one time. The Tone Blender extends the already vast sound-creation possibilities, making them virtually limitless. The Jupiter-80 is an incredibly powerful synthesizer that manages to retain some of the spirit of the model from which it takes its name while offering technology that is truly at the cutting edge. A glance at the price tag, though, will tell you that this is no toy, despite the colourful lights. It's a serious synth that also happens to be great fun to play.

The sounds are by turns huge, rich and attention-grabbing, and you'll find as many modern sounds as patches reminiscent of the 1980s. With the emphasis on layering and zoning sounds as well as the Tone Blender, these sounds rarely exist in isolation anyway, so you're constantly mixing and combining to make new ones. Even if you eventually exhaust the sounds on offer - which might take a while there's a huge depth of tweaking and editing available via the touchscreen and its clever tabbed interface. Given the popularity of synth sounds - especially retro synths - in 2011, the Jupiter-80 should find many fans across a range of musical genres.

WHY BUY
+ Stunning sound
+ ALmost limitless bLending and patch-creation possibilities
+ Handy Live performance features
+ Comprehensive reaL-time sound-shaping controLs
+ ExtremeLy pLayabLe
+ SuperNATURAL technoLogy
+ Easy to naVigate
+ Advanced tweaking if you want it

WALK ON BY
- Not particuLarLy portabLe

A powerful and excellent-sounding synth that demands to be played. More than worthy of the Jupiter name and heritage.

Source : MusicTechFocus

REVIEW - LOGITECH FOLD-UP KEYBOARD FOR IPAD

2012-01-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

REVIEW - LOGITECH FOLD-UP KEYBOARD FOR IPAD

Because all you ever really wanted was for your iPad to be a laptop

Since the iPad debuted a couple of years ago, people have been trying to turn it into a low-cost, lightweight replacement laptop. Adding a Bluetooth keyboard is a good start, of course, but then you're stuck lugging around two separate items. That's hardly an argument for being able to simplify your life with an iPad. Or is it? Logitech's Fold-Up Keyboard turns your iPad into a Transformer, letting you use it tablet-style, or with a full-size keyboard when you need a productivity boost.

The Fold-Up Keyboard attaches to the back of your iPad 2 and two halves of the keyboard slide out from either side at the push of a button. It doesn't offer any screen protection, but you can use it in conjunction with a Smart Cover to protect your tablet's display. The plastic frame props up the iPad at a comfortable 45-deqree angle, and it's sturdy enough that it can be used while you sit upright at a desk (or hunched over and cross-legged in bed, as I was while writing this review). Unfortunately, the Fold-Up Keyboard only works in landscape orientation—we would have liked an option to rotate the iPad into portrait. To put the keyboard away, you simply pull the halves apart and tuck them back in place underneath your iPad.

The keyboard connects via Bluetooth and is a typical Logitech affair: comfortably spaced chicklet keys with enough room for your fingers to roam. There are numerous function keys available— including one to launch Photo Frame mode, and media controls— and the keyboard supports the iPad's Copy and Paste functions. As an added bonus, the keyboard's Bluetooth connection turns off when you close it up, which saves battery power. Our only caveat with the keyboard is that it adds a full pound to your iPad. As long as you're willing to put up with the added ght and bulk, the Fold-Up Keyboard is a great solution or those who frequently juggle a separate keyboard, 'he bottom line. Logitech Fold-Up Keyboard is le iPad's Transformer-mode—a full keyboard when you need it, that stays neatly out of the way when you don't.—Florence Ion

Computer Diet For Weight Loss

2012-01-11T17:37:00.000-08:00

The trouble with eating is the body does not tell you exacriy when your needs are satisfied, and by the time you feel full, you might well have packed away extra calories that show up on your waisriine. That is where the Mandometer, they claim, helps. The device consists of a scale that is connected to a computer.

The software allows the patient to see on the computer display a comparison between a normal rate of eating and level of satiety and an overweight user's own rate and satiety perception. In arollnd four months, the user is apparenriy trained to eat like a normal person does. Eat normal, weigh normal, voila!

Essential Things To Know WebCams

2012-01-11T00:21:00.000-08:00

When going home isn’t an option, you can share the latest news and stay in touch with family and friends using a Web cam. Models are specifically available for desktop or laptop computers, but Web cams that work with both are another option.

What is the purpose of a Web cam?
A Web cam is often used with an online video phone service, so you can chat face-to-face with family members and friends no matter where you are.

What are the advantages of a high-definition Web cam?
An HD Web cam captures high-quality video in resolutions such as 1,280 x 720 or 1,920 x 1,080. This lets the people on the other side of your conversation see you clearly. Some HD Web cam models also offer an autofocus feature or software that applies color filters and other fun effects to enhance your video chat session.

Can I use a Web cam to record and share images and video on Web sites?
Yes, some Web cam models include software that lets you record and instantly post personal videos on media sharing and social networking sites. Thanks to motion tracking technology, some Web cameras have lenses that can automatically follow your movement so you’ll always be visible to who you’re talking to.

Do Web cams include special effects and audio settings?
Yes, personalized effects on some models add fun frames and filters to incorporate creative unique visuals. Depending on the camera’s capabilities, a Web cam may also feature echo-reducing or noise-canceling technology so you can be heard well by those on the receiving end of your chat.

What else can I do with a Web cam?
Web cams offer a more personal way to keep in touch with others. For instance, grandparents can check in to see how big their grandkids are getting on a frequent basis. You can also record special messages for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries and post them to social media Web sites. First

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$$ NEW POTATO TECHNOLOGIES 1001-01005 Pinball Magic for iPhone and iPod Touch - Software - Retail Packaging - White

2011-11-13T04:32:00.001-08:00

NEW POTATO TECHNOLOGIES 1001-01005 Pinball Magic for iPhone and iPod Touch - Software - Retail Packaging - White

The Pinball Magic accessory is the most realistic experience your iPhone or iPod touch has ever known. Realistic machine cabinet with folding legs for easy transport and storage. Download the free app from the App Store online store - Multi-player games - Dual flippers, plunger/shooter - Animated Backbox with LED's behind the glass, oscillating LED indicator to enrich gameplay experience - Classic and unique playboard layouts- Tilt detection, tilt warning and activation

Pinball Magic is powered by iPhone and iPod touch, just connect it into the 30-pin connector
Classic pinball game controls: Ball launching plunger, plipper buttons, credit/select button
Animated backbox with rotating beacon light to reward your pinball wizard skills
Realistic machine cabinet with folding legs for easy transport storage
Various multi-ball modes and TILT mode

$29.99 (14%Off)

$$ Phonic Helix Board 18 Universal 18-Input Mixer with USB 2.0 & FireWire Interface

2011-11-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Phonic Helix Board 18 Universal 18-Input Mixer with USB 2.0 & FireWire Interface

96 kHz FireWire interface for streaming 16 independent channels of audio to computer with zero latency
Pre/post setting for swapping USB 2.0/FireWire input channels sent to computer from pre-low cut, -EQ to post-EQ, post-fader
100+Tap 32/40-bit high-definition digital multi-effects
S/PDIF digital audio output
8 extremely low-noise mic preamps

Pre/post setting for swapping USB 2.0/FireWire input channels sent to computer from pre-low cut, -EQ to post-EQ, post-fader 18-input small-format analog mixer with extremely low noise circuitry Channel 15/16 routed to computer can be selected from main mix, group 1/2 and AUX 2/3 DFX, our 32/40-bit high definition algorithm digital multi-effect processor with 100 programs plus tap delay, foot switch jacks and volume controls for sending processed signal to AUX send 1 & 2 6 mic/line channels with inserts 4 stereo channels, 2 with mic inputs 3-band EQ with swept mid-range 75 Hz low-cut filter on mono channels Three AUX sends,

one with Pre/Post switch Two stereo AUX returns, one with effect to monitor level control +48V phantom power on Mic channels Solo feature on each input and output Two true subgroups with Main L and R routing switches Built-in switching power supply with universal connector, 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz Rack-mounting kit included Compatible with Mac OSX and Windows XP, Vista &
7 Steinberg's Cubase LE digital audio workstation software included The Helix Board 18 Universal is part of the new generation of USB / FireWire mixers from Phonic.

The Universal mixer features a FireWire and USB interface that can individually stream up to 16 independent channels of audio to the computer and return two tracks for monitoring, all at screaming fast transfer rates of up to 24-bit/96 kHz with near-zero latency. Pre/post switches on each input channel ensure users can adjust the outgoing USB/FireWire signal between a pre fader and post fader signal with the utmost of ease. There are 8 extremely low noise Mic preamps, each with phantom power, spread across six mono mic/line channels and four stereo Line channels. Additional features include three AUX sends, two stereo Aux returns, input and output solo, two true subgroups and a rack mounting kit.

$599.99 (31%Off)

TOP 10 - THANKSGIVING GIFTS 2011

2011-11-07T05:44:00.000-08:00

If the stress level of your family’s Thanksgiving is equivalent to fishing, then going to your significant others' Thanksgiving can feel like catching stingrays with your mouth. The good news is that most families will be too embroiled in their own holiday dynamics to focus on you. That means many of your flops from the past year will slip under the radar.

Help breeze into the party by starting off on the right foot and not showing up empty-handed. No matter how rich they are or where they come from, you’ll look like a deadbeat if you show up with nothing. Bring the right gifts and your host will give you the benefit of the doubt when you make other mistakes, like ripping on soccer when her dad loves Pele, or giving the diabetic dog pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

Here are the top 10 things to bring on Thanksgiving.

No.10 Dessert
Even the most obsessive-compulsive mother won’t mind another saccharine temptress joining her well-planned menu. The obvious choice here is pumpkin pie, but chances are your store-bought pie will be joining three homemade ones without much thought. Unless your pumpkin pie recipe causes mouth orgasms, throw the guests a sugary curveball. Bring pumpkin ice cream and a bottle of brandy to pour a shot on each scoop (if you live in the Southwest, try tequila). Another option is going to your local bakery for the town's specialty. People enjoy being introduced to new things -- just make sure it’s not a Scottish dessert made with sheep innards.

No.9 Bread
This doesn’t mean showing up with a loaf of Wonder Bread -- go to your local bakery and ask what they recommend for a Thanksgiving dinner. If you really want to score bonus points, bake your own -- you don’t even need a bread machine. Make cranberry corn bread in your oven. If you want to stay macho, make beer bread -- it calls for six ingredients (one of which you can drink) and it only takes an hour to bake.

No.8 Gifts for the pets and/or kids
If history tells us anything, women cannot resist two things: men holding babies and men petting cute animals. You can blast Young Jeezy on grandma’s turntable as long as you’re also slipping a new sweater on Fluffy. Find out what animals will be around and bring appropriate gifts. If there are children, bring activities for them. Show them how to make hand turkeys with colorful paper. If they’re older, bring a new title for their video game system. The parents will adore you for distracting them for even a short time.

No.7 Coffee
Don’t skimp by bringing Folgers or be unoriginal by buying Starbucks. Go to a nice cafe and ask questions about people- pleasing coffees. Don’t go too dark or too light. Buy a great dessert coffee, a good decaf and something that kicks everyone in the ass the next morning. Have the cafe grind it in a fresh bag. Bringing whole beans to a grinder-less house is like bringing a knife to a gunfight -- useless. Premium coffee is often an overlooked detail during Thanksgiving. It’ll make you look meticulous, a trait that scores big points with fathers who don’t want their daughters ending up with a Seth Rogen-type character.

No.6 Fall bouquet
If you’re walking into a Mom-zilla situation, she’ll already have the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece. Bring a nice bouquet that won’t outshine her arrangement. This will score you huge mom points, which you’ll need when Uncle Larry drinks too much eggnog and challenges you to a fistfight. If your lady thinks her mom may not have a centerpiece, drop some extra cash on a bouquet set in a pumpkin or fancy bowl. That way it can be placed on the dinner table or coffee table.

No.5 Seasonal
wine charms There’s nothing more embarrassing than Great-Grandma Shirley screaming at you because you accidentally gulped Merlot from her glass. Bring Thanksgiving-themed wine charms and save everyone some awkward moments. You can pick up a set for under $10. While you may be tempted to spend more, chances are they already have a nice set if they’re a wine family. The seasonal charms will make you look festive, and each Thanksgiving they’ll think of you with each pour -- whether you’re still around or not.

No.4 DVDs
While everyone is tripping out on tryptophan, be the hero and pop in the perfect holiday DVD. "Son-in-Law" and "Home for the Holidays" aren’t great movies, but they’re both Thanksgiving-themed and safe for families. If there aren’t children around, bring the Thanksgiving classics "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" or "Hannah and Her Sisters". If there are children, bring the latest Pixar film or "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving". Usually, you can’t go wrong with your favorite Christmas film either -- unless they’re Jewish.

No.3 Games
Skip Monopoly, otherwise Aunt Sandy will be chucking hotels at you by 3 a.m. Board games like Scattergories or DVD games like Scene It? are great ways to avoid conversation. Research Thanksgiving trivia and write up your own 10-question game. Have everyone guess the answers and award the winner with a prize. If her family likes football, coordinate a small pool for the Thanksgiving games. After children go to bed, ask if anyone wants to play Texas Hold‘Em and break out your poker chips. Just be sure to keep the stakes friendly and let her dad win.

No.2 Camera/video camera
Everybody likes their holidays documented, but many times no one wants to be in charge of the camera. Bring your digital camera and snap lots of photos. Upload them to an online album and send e-mails to the family. Even if they didn’t like you before, they’ll appreciate the effort afterward. If you’re video-inclined, capture some footage and splice together a home movie. Burn DVDs and give them out as holiday presents. If something funny happens (and isn’t embarrassing), cut together a short YouTube video. Families love to pretend they’re on America’s Funniest Home Videos.

No.1 Booze
Do your research -- find out who drinks and ask what that person’s favorite poison is. Spend the most on the patriarch’s bottle, but surprise the wayward uncle with his favorite gin and the sister-in-law with blueberry- infused vodka. If you’re not sure what people drink, bring a couple of six-packs of holiday ale or pumpkin beer and nice bottles of white and red wine (Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are Thanksgiving classics). Once you establish yourself as a drinking buddy, strained conversation will cease. They’ll kick back and tell you family secrets. Remember: You can learn a lot about your date from her drunken uncle.

3estPrice - Garmin nüvi 1350LMT 4.3-Inch Portable GPS

2011-11-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

The widescreen nüvi 1350LMT adds free Lifetime Maps and Traffic to the nüvi 1350. In addition, this thin GPS announces streets by name, guides you to the proper lane for navigation, offers pedestrian navigation options and calculates a more fuel-efficient route with ecoRoute.

Sunlight-readable, 4.3-inch backlit TFT color touchscreen display with 480 x 272 WQVGA pixel resolution
Preloaded with City Navigator NT data for the lower 48 states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, with nearly six million points of interest
Free lifetime map and traffic updates for the most up-to-date maps, POIs, and navigation info, along with constantly updated traffic information
Advanced navigation features including voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, lane assist, fuel-saving ecoRoute
Includes travel tools such as JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock, currency/measurement converters, calculator and more
Comes with lifetime traffic and mapping updates
4.3 in. easy-to-use enhanced touchscreen interface
480 x 272 pixels WQVGA color TFT with white backlight
Lane assist; EcoRoute fuel efficient routing
Preloaded with City Navigator NT for North America

Nikon ProStaff 3-9 x 40 Black Matte Riflescope (BDC)

2011-10-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

Nikon ProStaff 3-9 x 40 Black Matte Riflescope (BDC) Boasting Nikon's fully multicoated optical system and innovative adjustment technologies, the tried-and-trusted ProStaff 3-9x40 riflescope offers a superior hunting performance at a price that fits into the budget of virtually any hunter. The scope's optical system transmits up to 98 percent of available light, ensuring maximum brightness from dawn to dusk. To simplify field adjustments, Nikon also integrated a zero-reset turret into the riflescope. Just sight in as usual, lift the spring-loaded adjustment knob, rotate to your "zero," and re-engage. Field adjustments are now as simple as dialing in your subsequent ranges. And hunters will love the patented BDC reticle, which allows them to hold "dead on" at ranges exceeding those previously thought possible. The BDC's unique see-through ballistic circles offer an incredible advantage for long-range shooting, yet allow a normal sight picture for shorter-range shots where the crosshair itself is the aiming point.

Nothing boosts a shooter's level of confidence better than generous, constant eye relief, which is why Nikon provided 3.6 inches of eye relief in the ProStaff. No more rough kickback from heavy recoiling cartridges, lightweight rifles, severe shooting angles, and just plain excitement. Other features include a nitrogen-filled, O-ring-sealed housing that's waterproof and fogproof; support for an optional sunshade accessory for bright, rainy, or dusty conditions; and a quick-focus eyepiece. Offering enough power for the longest shots and a wide field of view for thick brush or timber, the ProStaff riflescope carries a lifetime warranty.

Specifications
Finish: Matte black
Reticle: BDC
Actual magnification: 3 to 9x
Objective diameter: 40mm
Exit pupil: 13.3mm (3x), 4.4mm (9x)
Eye relief: 3.6 inches
Field of view: 33.8 feet @ 100 yards (3x), 11.3 feet @ 100 yards (9x)
Tube diameter: 1 inch
Objective OD: 1.98 inches
Eyepiece OD: 1.73 inches
Adjustment graduation: 1/4 MOA
Max internal adjustment: 80 MOA
Parallax setting: 100 yards
Length: 12.4 inches

About Nikon
The world leader in sports optics, Nikon is recognized globally for setting new standards in product design and performance. The unique strength of the Nikon brand is attributable to the company's unwavering commitment to quality, performance, technology, and innovation. Nikon markets and distributes riflescopes, field scopes, and binoculars.

2011 Mavic Wintech Ultimate USB - Wireless Computer

2011-10-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

2011 Mavic Wintech Ultimate USB - Wireless Computer

If you're a serious peddler, you know Mavic. We're happy to report that the company's WinTech Ultimate USB Wireless Computer will appeal to high-level cyclists. From its diminutive size and light weight to its mu ltiple telemetry reports for cadence and speed information, it looks, feels and performs like a device for pros. The computer communicates wirelessly with heart and cadence sensors to provide the usual array of data points-heart rate, cadence, speed-and the " Alti" model provides altitude as well. The hardware does not, however, provide GPS data. But serious cyclists know where they're riding, right?

During our tests, we noticed a lag in some of the telemetry. This was most noticeable around elevation changes, but we occasionally witnessed it with speed changes as well. The documentation for installing and syncing the computer is also deficient. Otherwise, we liked this kit. The ability to choose from multiple speed sensors-forkmounted, front-wheel skewer, and even ankle-mounted, to name a few-is a nice touch. And being able to plug the Wintech main unit into a USB port to analyze ride data on a computer seals the deal.

Review Motorola Defy

2011-10-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

Motorola Defy
A lovely screen and rugged design go hand in hand with a very reasonable price

Daft names clearly aren't the preserve of desktop PC manufacturers, but ignore the Defy moniker and this is a gem of a smartphone. Motorola's latest model has a lovely 3.7in, 480 x 854 capacitive screen - that's a higher resolution than the giant HTC Desire HD - and a lot more besides.

If the screen doesn't catch your eye, the unusual design certainly will. With its exposed screw heads and grippy plastic chassis, the Defy looks more like a rugged GPS than a modern smartphone, but it isn't just for looks.

The Defy is water-, dust- and scratch-resistant and has an IP (ingress protection) rating of 67. There's a flap covering the USB port, a rubber-sealed battery compartment and impact- and scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass on the front. It will survive a rain shower no problem, or even a one-metre dunking.

The Defy comes with Android 2.1, with the promise of an upgrade to 2.2 in early 2011. Asa result, it was quite quick in our tests. The BBC homepage loaded in just 13 seconds, while the SunSpider test completed in 16 seconds.

General responsiveness wasn't quite as good as with the HTC phones ortheiPhone 4, though, probably due to the phone's slightly slower 800MHz processor.

The presence of Android 2.1 means no Rash 10.1 support, but you do get Motorola's excellent Motoblur software. Motoblur brings together a whole host of social networking, email and photo sharing services under one roof, grouping together contacts and contact images, updates, feeds and more. It lets you post to many services simultaneously, and the resizable Motoblur widgets for the Android desktop are as slick as anything you'll see on an HTC handset.

Aside from that, the Defy has a decent 5-megapixel camera with an LED flash, which produces sharper, cleaner shots than many of its rivals. It has good battery life, with an admirable 60% left on the meter after 24 hours of testing. And Motorola has also thrown in theSwype text-entry system, a welcome bonus that speeds up typing no end.

This is an excellent phone in its own right, and the price is good too. It misses out on an award this month only by dint of the overall excellence and slightly superior responsiveness of the HTC Desire, but there's very little in it.

Summary Performance 4/5
Battery 4.5/5
Features & Design 5/5
Value For money 4.5/5
Overall 4.5/5

Apple TV

2011-10-03T02:11:00.000-07:00

Not a television per se, Apple TV is a neat box that streams your iTunes assets from a drive on your network, and movies and TV shows direct from the iTunes Store with the help of Apple Remote.

Steve Jobs famously described Apple TV as a hobby. It's a monicker that has unfortunately stuck, despite the product being far more powerful and exciting than earlier editions.
The new Apple TV is a small. neat black box. It's far smaller than previous editions - 80% smaller, in fact - having lost the earlier Apple TV's internal hard drive. It has no moving parts, and thus no fan, so it's entirely silent and perfect for sitting in the living room below your television.
Apple TV is, in effect, the ultimate iTunes add-on. It connects to your shared media library to stream your movies, TV shows and music.

Under the hood you'll find an Apple A4 processor - the same as was found in the original iPad and the iPhone 4 - while around the back there's a power socket, HOMI port for connecting to your television, optical output and an Ethernet port for wired networking. A sensor at the front works with the Apple Remote so you can control it from the comfort of your favourite armchair.

Apple TV works even better if you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. For starters, you can swap the sleek Apple Remote for the iOS Remote application, which lets you use a full keyboard to search for media by name, rather than using the hunt and peck menus.

Better yet, because Apple TV uses Apple's AirPlay technology, you can play any media downloaded to your iOS device on you without connecting it directly, simply best the icon on the transport control and selecting the appropriate destination.

Apple TV doesn't have a tuner or any built in storage. Instead it relies on streaming media from a hard drive somewhere on your local network, or direct from the iTunes Store. It doesn't need a keyboard or mouse, so to watch a movie through the Store you search it on your TV screen using the Apple Remote, watch the preview and, when you're sure it's the film you want, start streaming it right away. You can choose from SO and HO versions of each film and, whichever you chose, have 48 hours in which to finish viewing it.

If you don't have an iTunes Store account, or prefer not to stream your entertainment from the net, then you can also use Apple TV to stream your local media. The simple menus let you quickly navigate your iTunes library, picking out films and tracks.

You can also use it to show off your photos, making it the equivaler old-school projector

Via ✔ The Independent Guide to the Mac

Harman Kardon Soundsticks III 2.1-channel multimedia sound system

2011-09-21T00:30:00.000-07:00

Praised for its stunning design, the harman kardon® SoundSticks II speakers and subwoofer system became a milestone in harman kardon history when it became part of the permanent collection at New York City's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Improving on its famous sibling's pop-culture appeal, the SoundSticks III system is all that and much more. As a three-piece, 2.1-channel multimedia sound system, SoundSticks III brings a new level of excitement to music, games and movies to your home - with its exceptional sound clarity, enhanced color scheme and bare minimum of wiring. Beyond its eye-catching appeal, SoundSticks III continues to be incredibly capable - with 40 watts of dazzling amplification, a down-firing powered subwoofer, eight full-range transducers and compatibility with all sorts of multimedia devices. As the sublime sequel to a prized performer, SoundSticks III is performance art at its finest.

Harman Kardon SoundSticks® III
A 6-inch, 20-watt downward-firing powered subwoofer. Eight 1-inch full-range transducers. Plug-and-play compatibility with virtually any multimedia device. And stunning industrial design that perfectly matches the clarity of the sound. The Harman Kardon SoundSticks III desktop sound system brings a new level of excitement to music, games and movies with a minimum of wiring and looks spectacular doing it.

Highlights
Incredible industrial design Compatible with all devices with a stereo minijack output Realistic room-filling sound Outstanding bass performance Touch volume and mute controls Subwoofer volume control Angle-adjustable satellites

Key Specifications
■ System: Frequency response: 44Hz – 20kHz; Audio input connection: 3.5mm stereo; Power consumption : 65W (maximum); 4W (idle)
■ Subwoofer: Low-frequency transducer: 6-inch down-firing cone; Amplifier output power: 20W RMS; Dimensions (W x H): 9-3/16" x 10-3/16" (232mm x 258mm); Weight: 4 lb (2.2kg)
■ Satellites: Full-range transducers: Four x 1-inch per channel; Amplifier output power: 10W RMS per channel; Dimensions (W x H): 2" x 10" (51mm x 254mm); Weight: 1.5 lb (0.7kg)

Devon Medical 300CW Fingertip Pulse Oximeter

2011-09-15T02:02:00.000-07:00

Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 1.2 x 2.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 8 ounces

Accurately measures SpO2 value, and pulse rate
Auto shut-off after device is idle for 8 seconds
Lightweight, compact, and easy to carry
Icon to indicate when battery power is low
High-quality red color LCD display
Readings show up in the dark for nighttime use
1 year limited warranty

The Devon Medical 300CW fingertip pulse oximeter is one of the most affordable pulse oximeters available on the market. It has a simple design, but is fast, accurate, and best of all: convenient. The 300CW Fingertip pulse oximeter is perfect for everyday noninvasive spot-check measurements of oxygen saturation levels and fits right into your pocket. Widely used for sports, climbing, and avionics. Non-Medical use only.

Price : $34.99

Livescribe Pulse Smartpen 2GB (APA-00002)

2011-09-13T04:32:00.000-07:00

LIVESCRIBE SMARTPEN - Capture It, Replay It & Send It

Meet The Livescribe 2GB Echo Smartpen
Livescribe smartpens record everything you write and hear, so you never miss a word. With a smartpen in hand, you can review meetings or lectures by tapping your written notes and listening to audio from that same point.

The Last smartpen from Livescribe, the 2GB Echo Starter Pact will record up to 200 hours of audio and thousands of pages of notes. As with all Echo smartpen models, you can also :

Play back notes with audio directly from your paper or from your Windows or Mac Computer
Use Livescibe Desktop to save, search and organize your notes and recordings on your computer - get fast, easy access to what's important
Share notes and audio from your paper or Livescribe Desktop as a Pencast PDF or Other file formats
Customize your smartpen by adding productivity, education, and entertainment apps from Livescribe's application store.

Send & Share With Livescribe Connect

With Livescribe Connect you can easily send notes and audio as a pencast to people and destinations of your choice. All you need to do is draw a line and write “send,” tap the pages to send, and your notes and audio are automatically sent as a pencast, which is an interactive PDF file. This unique feature lets you easily share notes or collaborate with others—all from your paper.

Share your notes and recordings as a Pencast PDF,

> which provides the full interactive Pencast

> experience of synced notes and audio in the

> standard PDF file format

Connect Basic is preinstalled on all Livescibe

> smartpens, and can connect with Evernote, Facebook,

> My-Livescribe, mobile devices, and computers

Connect Premium is bundled with 4 GB, 8GB and 8GB Echo Pro Pack models, and can connect to Google Docs and email

TomTom GO 2535M LIVE 5-Inch Portable Bluetooth GPS Navigator

2011-09-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Portable GPS TomTom HD Traffic Changes GPS Navigation

Quick Overview
The TomTom GO 2535 M LIVE gets you where you need to go, and it does so with a new technology that will get you to your destination faster.With TomTom HD Traffic, the TomTom GO 2535 M LIVE captures and reports traffic information every two minutes. As a result, you’ll be alerted to traffic incidents and the smart GPS will give you an alternative, faster route.

Perfect For
Drivers who want a next-generation navigation GPS that updates every two minutes to safely and efficiently drive from point A to point B.

Outstanding Benefits
?5-inch WQVGA (480 x 272 pixels) multi-touch color widescreen 􀁴 5-inch WQVGA (4

5-inch WQVGA (480 x 5-5-inch WQVGA (480 x 272 pixels) multi-touch color widescreen ?

Preloaded maps of the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which give you access to 1 million more miles of mapped roads in the U.S.

One year of free TomTom LIVE services includes TomTom HD Traffic,Local Search, Fuel Prices, and Weather Forecasts

Bluetooth allows you to make hands-free phone calls

Intuitive voice recognition with one-step address entry

Advanced Lane Guidance and turn-by-turn directions with street names

Coolest Feature
Using the revolutionary TomTom HD Traffic feature, you’ll be equipped to handle unexpected traffic surprises with accurate reporting, more coverage, and frequent updates.

LG Optimus 7 And 7Q Review

2011-09-03T00:56:00.000-07:00

The LG Optimus 7 and 7Q are two of the few elite phones running Microsoft’s totally overhauled mobile platform, Windows Phone 7. Owing to a two-year-long collaboration with Microsoft, LG Optimus 7 and 7Q have been developed in perfect harmony with the intuitive hubs and live tiles of the new OS, bringing exclusive enhancements to Windows Phone 7 such as DLNA-DMR based Play To*, augmented reality, and Voice to Text**, that will give consumers a revolutionary new taste of mobile life.

Game and watch
Entertainment is the LG Optimus 7’s specialist subject – a top-rated 5MP camera capable of shooting HD movies is good, but being able to share your pictures over super fast Wi-Fi or stream HD video to your TV is life-changing. Images or video can literally be slid from the phone’s screen to a TV using Play To technology. And with the console pedigree of Microsoft’s Xbox in its corner, the LG Optimus 7 promises a portable experience second to none.

A new vision
At the heart of Windows Phone 7 are six centralised hubs - People, Pictures, Games, Music + Video, Marketplace and Office. Each brings together related content from the Web. It’s a whole new way to interact. For example, the People hub unites all your social media content, including live feeds from social networks and photo sites. It also provides a central point from which to post updates to Facebook and Windows Live. The Games hub brings Xbox LIVE to your phone. For the first time Xbox Live Avatars, Achievements and Gamer Profiles can be accessed on the move. LG Optimus 7 and 7Q are the evolution of mobile social entertainment.

HTC ChaCha - Update your Facebook?

2011-09-01T23:19:00.000-07:00

HTC ChaCha - Update your Facebook?
The company with the tag line 'Quietly Brilliant' has once again hit the bull's eye with its Facebook phone. The HTC ChaCha comes with a dedicated 'f key in blue at the bottom. Hitting the key allows you to directly update the status on their Facebook wall or post images from a gallery or those captured on a camera. You can also post on a friend's wall by selecting the friend's name from the list. By long pressing the T key, you can check in places on Facebook. For anything else like checking Facebook stream, notifications, chat, etc, you have to go to the dedicated application that comes preinstalled on the phone. Many users would think the phone gives more bragging rights than utility value.

But the ChaCha is also a smartphone operating on Android v2.3.3. It is a candy bar phone with touch interface and QWERTY keypad. The 2.6-inch capacitive display looks a bit small but HTC has smartly overlaid the Sense Ul, including a great unlock screen and no-hassle launching of four apps without unlocking the screen. The QWERTY keypad and the four touch sensitive keys are comfortable to use. Long pressing the fullstop compensates for the shortcut key by launching the camera and even allowing you to click images.

Technical Details

HTC ChaCha has a Facebook button that lets you share just about anything with just one touch. Show whatever, whenever, at the touch of a button.
HTC ChaCha's Facebook chat widget means you can group all your friends together, and see when anyone is online. Start a live instant chat.
Heaps of friends, heaps of things you want to say.
HTC ChaCha comes with a QWERTY keyboard, so you can knock out your messages fast. HTC Sense is an experience designed around many little insightful ideas.

Acer Iconia A500 - The showstopper Tablets

2011-09-01T00:58:00.000-07:00

Acer Iconia A500 - The showstopper Tablets
There is a new showstopper in town. Acer has just launched a tablet that can make the most luxe of tablets stare in admiration. The Iconia's looks are inspired by Acer's Timeline series of notebooks—brushed aluminium back and dark grey plastic running along the sides. The front has al 0.1 -inch screen running edge to edge. On the sides are located the power, volume and screen orientation lock keys along with a couple of ports such as Micro HDMI and USB. Yes, unlike most tablets, the Iconia A500 has a USB port that eases connection to a memory drive. It can also connect a USB keyboard in case you do not want to use the virtual one.

What, however, brings this tablet to life is an excellent 1280 x 800 resolution touch screen. The Iconia A500 runs on the latest Android Honeycomb OS and is powered by NVIDIA's 1 GHz dual core Tegra processor. Users get five front panels that can hold preferred program icons or widgets. More of these can be downloaded from the Android or Acer app stores. Acer has also added its own interface, which sorts various applications under different heads like social, games and multimedia. Three hi-def games, including Need for Speeds Golf, are included. The tablet sports two speakers at the back, while a good pair of headphones is part of the package.

The Iconia A500 has a 5 MP camera with flash at the back and a 2 MP camera in the front that facilitates video chats. And while Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are active on this tablet, 3G, sadly, is not. But if you flip over the memory card slot cover you will see a covered stump of what possibly will become a SIM slot in another version. Either that or Acer decided against 3G connectivity at the last minute. We ran some HD 720p movies on the system and it didn't do too badly. The frame rate dropped in high paced action sequences but nothing that would kill the fun. The 480p movies run the best. But you will need to convert other video files to MP4 or 3GP if you want to run them on the Iconia tab. (We recommend Yamb 2.1, a free application for Windows that can convert most video formats to MP4.) At the end, we have to say that the Iconia A55 impressed us a lot.

PS3 Navigation Move Controller - The Sidekick an essential part of the move controller system

2011-08-25T01:59:00.000-07:00

PS3 Navigation Move Controller - The Sidekick an essential part of the move controller system

The first peripheral (and possibly the most important one) for PlayStation's Move system is the Navigation Controller. Like the Wii Remote's Nunchuck peripheral, this gadget allows for greater control over games that make use of the Move system. Unlike the Nunchuck, though, the Navigation Controller is wireless, and requires recharging.

The Navigation Controller is slightly shorter than the black part of the Move controller, and features an analogue stick, directional pad, two top mounted triggers and an X and O button. It frees up some of the responsibility from the Move controller (the X and O buttons specifically) and is meant for games in which the player needs to move their character around, as well as make motions with the Move controller.

Like the original controller the Nav controller is solidly built and comfortable to use. Folks with smaller hands may have to hold the controller slightly higher up to comfortably reach the analogue stick, which is right at the top of the controller's 'front'. This will make using the D-Pad a little uncomfortable. The positioning on the other buttons is fine but, once again, small hands may have a little difficulty.
This is a good addition to the Move system - actually, it's pretty much a necessity.

Pros : - Greater Control
- Long battery life
Cons : - Tough for small hands

by : Alex Scanlon

Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse - The curve has been included as an art.

2011-08-19T01:30:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse - The curve has been included as an art.

A mouse? What's next, a fax machine?
Very droll. The Arc Touch actually deserves a bit more respect than you've allowed it. That humped back Isn't just for show; It collapses to make it easier to carry alongside your laptop. In fact, as peripherals go, this one's in the Premier League. If you're wearing a hat, take it off. If you're not, put one on and then take it off again.

Is that It?
Of course not. Pop It up and you'll activate the three touch-sensitive buttons and capacitive "touch strip'', a kind of virtual scrollwheel that reacts to how you move your finger. Flick It to scroll speedily through docs and websites, or stroke it precisely for accurate navigation. It even has haptic feedback, to give you a little rumble while you read.

Nice. But that must eat through AAAs...
The act of flattening it also turns the Arc Touch off, so you shouldn't ever dig it out of your laptop bag to find its battery has run flat. Its tiny transceiver tucks up neatly Inside when not In use to quash any worries you have about losing it or a squirrel mistaking it for a space-age nut. Next month: the external modem that origamis into a Filofax.

Night Owl Pro Nexgen Night Vision Binocular (5x)

2011-08-17T23:58:00.000-07:00

Night Owl Optics NOB5X offers high magnification--5x--top-notch ergonomic design and precision engineering. High-quality all-glass optics offer both objective and ocular lenses with two electronic intensifier tubes for precision and control and 50mm lens diameter. A powerful built-in illuminator provides clear and bright viewing in complete darkness and features extended infrared operation at low battery voltage.

Product Features

Generation 1 technology; 5X magnification
Field of View - 53 feet at a distance of 200 feet
Minimum focus range: 6.6 feet
Interocular distance = 2.27 to 2.95 inches
High-quality all-glass optics for both objective and ocular lens

Features:

5X Magnification
50mm lens diameter
High quality, all glass optics for both objective and ocular lenses.
Two electronic intensifier tubes for precision and control.
Powerful built-in illuminator provides clear and bright viewing in complete darkness.
Protective finish
Low Battery Indicator
Extended Infrared operation at low battery voltage.
Comfortable handling

Specifications:

Generation: 1
Magnification: 5x
Lens Diameter, mm: 50
Angular Field of View: 15
Field of View at 200 ft.: 53'
Dimensions, Inches: 7.8L, 5.8W, 2.9H
Weight, oz (without batteries): 38.8
Power Supply (not included): One 3-Volt Lithium
Minimum Focus Range: 6.6'
Interocular Distance: 2.27-2.95
Built-In Infrared: Yes

How Night Vision Works:

Available light is gathered by the front Objective Lens, where it is transmitted through a set of optical lenses to the Electronic Intensifier Tube (E.I.T.). High levels of energy, produced by the device's complex power supply, knock out electrons from the Photocathode Screen, located on the front of the Electronic Intensifier Tube. This same energy creates a highly static field, pushing the electrons to the Phosphorescent Screen, a sensitive layer, located on the back of the EIT. These electrons strike the Phosphorescent Screen with great speed, causing the screen to illuminate. This process produces an image, which is then magnified by the Ocular Lens located at the back of the device. By looking through the ocular lens you will see the image as if you just looked through a regular optical device, except the image will appear in a monochrome green color. Finally, the Ocular Lens provides adjustment for your particular eyesight, while the Objective Lens lets you adjust the focus according to the distance of the object you are viewing.

Call It In - Garmin's GDL40 On-Demand Cellular Marine Weather Receiver

2011-08-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

Call It In - Garmin's GDL40 On-Demand Cellular Marine Weather Receiver

The first cellular marine-weather reciever on the market -- brings weather information directly to a compatible NMEA2000 Garmin chart plotter.

The pay-as-you-go unit allows anglers to buy weather data when they need it by communicating with nearby cellular network to download the infomation from Digital Cyclone, a Garmin-owned weather provider.

Anglers can purchase day passes by selecting "Buy Weather" on their chart plotters. Data includes live radar, wind speeds, sea-surface temperatures, wave height and more.

The Garmin GDL40 comes with a low-profile antenna and costs $311.46 (Amazon.com)

Garmin forerunner 210

2011-08-13T01:01:00.000-07:00

Garmin forerunner 210

Garmin crammed a lot into this small package, including GPS and heart rate monitor.

Featuring an easily readable face with all the information you need - running time,mileage ane real-time pace or hearth rate -- this unit won big points with our testers for ease of useand variety of data.

The addition of a foot pod to the package makes this unit ideal for both indoor workouts and outdoor efforts.

The battery life wasn't bad, eather. It lasted about six hour before need to be recharged

Technical Details

High sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix
Heart rate training (with optional heart rate monitor): tracks heart beats per minute and allows for customizable heart rate zones and alerts
Compatible with foot pod: measure speed, distance and runner's cadence indoors and outdoors
ANT+TM compatible
USB interface, compatible with Garmin ConnectTM