PctechPortal

#TBT: Mobile phones: Then and Now

2013-11-14T02:18:00.001-08:00

If you grew up in the 80′s or 90′s, you’d definitely see the huge difference and improvements in the mobile industry. For our Throwback Thursday this week, we look at one of the most popular handset of of the 21st century and compare it with the handset of the 20th century.

We’re sure you still remember the Nokia 5110. It was one of the best phones of the 90′s. We compare it to the Apple iPhone to see what we’ve gained and what we’re missing.

Sometimes, technology doesn’t really improve things — they just make them more complicated.

Source: Yugatech

Jony Ive co-designs rare Leica M for Project RED

2013-11-14T02:15:00.003-08:00

In an effort to continue his global crusade to fight HIV-AIDS, Product Red founder and U2 lead singer Bono taps Apple’s SVP of Design Jony Ive and world-renown industrial designer Marc Newson to design a one-of-a-kind Leica M (RED) camera which will be auctioned on the 23rd of this month.

This is what they came up with:

Not to take anything away from the two brilliant minds that designed this Leica M, but I think that it looks like a toy camera rather than a serious photographic tool. But knowing that all the proceeds that it’ll generate will go to a noble cause, I can care less about its looks. And besides, it’s not like I’m gonna bid for it anyways.

Source: Yugatech

ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7 Review

2013-11-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

ASUS set really good standards on what a 7-inch Android tablet should be with theGoogle Nexus 7. Now that they have to launch their own 7-incher under the Nexus shadow, they needed something that can shine in its own right without getting burned by its pure-blooded cousin. The company’s answer is the ASUS MeMO Pad HD 7.

Design and Construction

At first glance, the HD 7 looks similar to the 2012 Google Nexus 7 especially if you look on the front. The dimensions are almost the same and if it weren’t for the ASUS logo found below the display it could almost pass as a Nexus 7.

Motorola Moto G budget phone: 4.5-inch display, Snapdragon 400, 1GB RAM, 5MP camera

2013-11-14T02:07:00.000-08:00

Motorola has announced its intentions to become a dominant force in the low-end smartphone market. That plan will be carried out in the form of the inexpensive Motorola Moto G smartphone, a wallet-friendly device with a 4.5-inch 720p display and quad-core Snapdragon 400 CPU for just $179.

Despite its affordable price, the Motorola Moto G isn’t short of decent specs and features. Besides a big display with high resolution and relatively fast mobile CPU, the phone also has a fast mobile data support and an adequate amount of RAM (1GB). The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3 for improved resistance to drops and scratches. There’s even coating inside for added water resistance.

Essentially, the Moto G is the Moto X in budget form. Touting a similar curved design, this budget phone has a removable back cover that can be swapped for another color (yellow, red, black, white, pink, dark and light blue). It doesn’t have the same level of customization as its high-end sibling, but the Moto G offers a number of accessories, including flip covers, colored cases, and wireless speakers. A dual-SIM variant is also in the works.

For more info: Noypigeeks

Epson donates 2 million pesos to aid Typhoon Yolanda relief operations

2013-11-14T02:04:00.000-08:00

Continuing its practice of extending aid to disaster-affected areas, the Epson group of companies in the Philippines has donated Php2 million for relief operations in the areas severely affected by the Typhoon Haiyan (local name: Yolanda). The assistance was made through the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), a local non-profit organization.

Aside from monetary aid, Epson employees will also work with PBSP personnel to undertake on-site relief operations. Voluntary contributions from Epson employees are also being aggregated by the company to complement the aid that the company has donated.

Typhoon Haiyan struck central areas of the Philippines, including the islands of Leyte and Samar in the Visayas region. Many consider it as one of the worst typhoons to hit the Philippines in recorded history. The full extent of the damage is still unclear.

“Epson employees grieve with the families affected by Typhoon Yolanda. Our prayers go along with our donation and our manpower support. We stand with you in this harrowing ordeal,” said Epson Environment Manager Joyce Tan.

Epson wishes to extend its sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives, and hopes for the speedy recovery of the areas damaged by the disaster.

Clash of Clans: How to link your iOS and Android device

2013-11-14T02:01:00.001-08:00

I’ve just started playing Clash of Clans and, so far, I’m really enjoying the game. If you’ve recently switched to Android from an iOS device and want to continue where you left off, there’s an easy way to import your progress.

Importing your Clash of Clans progress is called linking, doing of which is shown below:

In your iOS device, simply go to the settings menu.
Link a Device
This is the OLD DEVICE
I want to link to another device.
Now in your Android device, go to the settings menu.
Link a Device
This is the NEW DEVICE
Enter the link code displayed in your iOS device.

Note that the settings menu is accessible only after you’ve finished playing the tutorial. Since the Android device is presumably where you will import your old game progress, it doesn’t matter what username you chose and the new progress you’ve made—they will be, after all, overwritten by the imported file.

Finally, linking your iOS device with an Android gadget is only done once. Both devices are then synced together, so you can play on either one with your latest progress in the game. Also, linking to a new device no longer works if said device comes with a Town Hall Level 4 or have already made purchases.

The satisfaction of building a great base and the thrill of invading those of other players are opportunities too good to pass up. Indeed it’d be so disappointing if you have to start all over again just because you switched platforms. Luckily, developers these days make great games like Clash of Clans, while not forgetting cross-platform compatibility.

Recently ported to Android just last month, the Clash of Clans app is a free download via theGoogle Play Store. For those who can afford it or just want to speed things up a little, in-app purchases are also available.

Skype offers free credits for users affected by Typhoon Haiyan

2013-11-14T01:58:00.003-08:00

In an effort to help people affected by Typhoon Haiyan get in touch with their loved ones to let them know they’re alright, Skype is pitching in to give aid in the form of free credits.

You might want to check the e-mail you used to register for your Skype account to get your voucher code. Head to the Skype website to redeem your $2 free credit. It may not seem enough but call rates to U.S. numbers is just 2.2 cents per minute so that should give you a lot of time to let your friends and relatives know how things are at your end.

Lenovo Vibe Z: Snapdragon 800, 5.5-inch 1080p display, dual-SIM, 2GB RAM

2013-11-14T01:56:00.001-08:00

Setting itself apart by sporting a Snapdragon 800 processor (instead of the MediaTek chips that Lenovo usually employs in its devices), the Lenovo Vibe Z is an upcoming smartphone with dual-SIM functionality and runs a custom Android-based ROM.

You can think of the Lenovo Vibe Z as a more powerful version of Vibe X, announced back in September. Almost every aspect has been pretty much revamped, although the same back finish for minimal fingerprint smudges is still there. The newer handset is also thicker at 7.9mm, albeit still considered thin in today’s standards. The display is now a 5.5-inch IPS display with 1080p (full HD) resolution. Standing in as the rear camera is a Sony IMX135 sensor that apparently can shoot ten photos in half a second, with a low-light mechanism and dual-LED flash that ultimately result to brighter pictures with minimal noise.

Besides the CPU, the innards consist of an Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of DDR3 RAM. There’s a dual-SIM tray and a yet-unspecified battery that Lenovo claims to last 278.5 hours on standby for the WCDMA + GSM model. This is just one of several models to be made available for Chinese carriers, while a GSM + 4G LTE version is headed for the international market.

Source: Noypigeeks

BenQ launches Flicker-free monitors, helps save your eyes

2013-11-14T01:52:00.002-08:00

Eye health is one of the major concerns for a lot of people, especially those who are always working in front of the computer. In today’s digital world, almost everyone uses computers heavily.

One of the most common problem is the Computer Vision Syndrome that is a result of long periods of exposure to computer monitors that causes headaches, blurred vision, redness and dryness of the eyes, eye fatigue and even myopia.

Last November 5, 2013, BenQ launched the Flicker-free line of monitors that reduce the risks of eyestrain while enhancing work productivity. Flickering, or the flashing effect of the monitor is the effect of the LED backlight controller adjusting to the changes in the brightness level. This strains the human eye as the ciliary muscle adjusts to the invisible flickering resulting to the abovementioned eye problems.

For more info: Pinoytechblog

Introducing the new NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 with 384 CUDA cores

2013-11-14T01:49:00.001-08:00

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 is a well-rounded, main stream graphics card capable of delivering

greatperformance for its price. The New NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 now comes with 384 CUDA Cores, is built on the award winning NVIDIA Kepler Architecture, the same architecture found on the more expensive GeForce GTX 700 series.

The Kepler-based GK208 GPU is baked into the new NVIDIA GeForce GT series cards which mean the NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 now features 384 CUDA cores, up from the previous model and its 96 cores. The new NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 also features a clock speed of 902 MHz. It also supports UltraHD 4K resolutions. Build on the 28nm Kepler GPU architecture, it is up to 40% more power efficient than the previous model, while boosting performance and runs up to 38% faster.

The New NVIDIA GeForce GT 630 takes the gaming to a new level thanks to the cutting edge Microsoft DirectX and NVIDIA PhysX® technology. These two features responsible for realistic effect with tessellation and help create more detailed characters and terrain in games, providing a crisper, lifelike images. With the Adaptive V-Sync and Kepler GPU architecture coupled with the FXAA Anti-Aliasing polishes the rough edges and produces beautiful smooth lines with minimal impact on the performance and allows the players to experience enjoyment without hindrances.

For more info: Pinoytechblog

List of standard Twitter Hashtags for Typhoon Yolanda updates and efforts

2013-11-14T01:46:00.000-08:00

Filipino netizens agreed on standard Twitter hashtags to coordinate news, updates, rescue and relief efforts relating to Typhoon Yolanda. This will be of help for people using or heavily relying on social media for information as hashtags now cut across different online social networks.

For a quick reference of the standard hashtags, please refer below:

#ReliefPH – Rescue Coordination

#RescuePH – Urgent Rescue Needed

#SafeNow – Resolved #RescuePH

#FloodPH – Damage Reporting

#TracingPH – Report Missing People

#YolandaPH – Media storm coverage

The hashtags, if used properly, can help facilitate exchange of information relevant and significant to those who seek information about this tragedy. As a courtesy, do refrain from using the hashtags out of their supposed functions so messages and updates are effectively tracked.

Source: Pinoytechblog

Bose SoundDock Series III Lightning Speaker Dock

2012-12-11T22:48:00.001-08:00

Bose expands its SoundDock Series with the latest Lightning-equipped model of digital music system. Known as SoundDock Series III, the new speaker dock switch from the 30-pin dock connector to Apple’s smaller and smarter Lightning connector for charging and playing music from the latest iPhone 5, iPod touch 5th gen and iPod nano 7th gen.

The SoundDock Series III features a unique acoustic design and digital signal processing to deliver accurate, detailed, room-filling sound. It has the same signature Bose industrial design as the SoundDock II with clean, modern lines, and a sleek, slim profile. The speaker dock also includes 3.5mm AUX input jack for playing other audio devices. A remote control is included to control the system and basic iPod or iPhone functions, including playlist navigation.

Soundfreaq Sound Platform 2 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker heading to CES 2013

2012-12-11T22:45:00.004-08:00

Though CES 2013 will be held January 8-11 next year, Soundfreaq just can’t wait to unveil its speaker lineup for the upcoming event. The Sound Platform 2 (model SFQ-06), the successor to the original Sound Platform, is acoustically balanced to complement every genre, at any volume; and is designed to fill a room with powerful, balanced sound, natural bass response, and true stereo separation.

The new Sound Platform uses Bluetooth wireless technology for music streaming from any Bluetooth-enabled smartphones, tablets, notebooks and PMPs. To deliver improved acoustic performance, the Sound Platform 2 features enhanced bass at high-volume listening, larger speaker drivers, acoustically tuned dual-port chamber, UQ3 spatial enhancement and Tone Control. The wireless speaker system includes the DSS (Dual System Streaming) that can pair two SFQ-06 devices together to play left and right audio.

Mushkin to ship the World’s First 480GB mSATA Solid State Drive

2012-12-11T22:22:00.002-08:00

Mushkin, maker of SSD and memory products, is back with the world’s first 480GB mSATA solid state drive. Coming on January 2013, Mushkin’s new 480GB high-capacity Atlas SSD drive has a MO-300 (mSATA) form factor measuring 50.80 x 29.85 x 4.85mm, and uses SATA III 6Gbps interface.

Mushkin managed to fit 8 NAND flash chips and a controller on a mSATA PCB, allowing Ultrabook and slim notebook users to go beyond 256GB mSATA storage capacity. The US-made Atlas mSATA SSD is equipped with SandForce SF-2281 SSD processor with unthrottled IOPS, and uses MLC NAND flash to deliver fast performance. The mSATA drive supports TRIM command, S.M.A.R.T. and built-in ECC error correction.

Archos GamePad 7-inch Android Gaming Tablet

2012-12-11T22:03:00.000-08:00

Playing games on Android phones and tablets is nothing new, but most of time you have to play on the touchscreen. Not many Android devices on the market have integrated physical gaming button. Sony has the first attempt with the Xperia Play PlayStation phone with sliding gamepad, and here comes Archos‘ new GamePad 7-inch Android gaming tablet.

The GamePad features 14 physical buttons, including D-pad, four actions buttons, two shoulder buttons and dual analog thumb-sticks to “bring the physical aspect back to the gaming experience”. The device is powered by a 1.6GHz dual-core processor with Mali 400 MP quad-core GPU and 1GB of RAM, and runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean with full access to Google Play for downloading games. Though designed for gaming, the tablet works like other Android devices, and gets a 7-inch 1024×600 capacitive touchscreen display.

Using the mini HDMI output, you can connect the GamePad to your HDTV for playing games and watching movies on a big screen. The tablet also sports a front-facing camera, built-in speaker, 8GB onboard storage and a microSD/SDHC supporting up to 32GB. It supports WiFi connectivity.

Sony details Xperia mobile accessories, throws in discounts for Xperia buyers

2012-12-11T21:57:00.000-08:00

Aside from selling Android-powered Xperia smartphones, Sony has also been pretty active in the mobile accessory space. We sat down with Mr. Patrick Larraga, Head of Mobile Business for Sony Philippines and other Sony execs earlier today to talk about a few of their mobile Xperia accessories, namely the Sony SmartTags, SmartWatch and the Smart Wireless Headset Pro.

The Sony SmartWatch isn’t particularly new, but it’s still a pretty cool gadget to have nonetheless. It’s basically a small display that you pair with your Android device that allows you to monitor and control your device. You can remotely check your email, SMS messages, missed calls and even use the watch as a remote viewfinder for your Android device if you’re into that kind of thing.

The Sony Smart Wireless Headset Pro does exactly what it says – it links with your smartphone and allows you to listen to the music on your smartphone wirelessly. Don’t want to link it to your Android device? No problem – it’ll work as a stand-alone music player without any issues. You can also read text messages on the small LCD display, and gives you access to the people in your call list without taking out your phone.

Canon wraps 2012 PhotoMarathon Manila leg with 2,500 participants

2012-12-11T21:54:00.000-08:00

The Manila leg of Canon’s 2012 PhotoMarathon competition drew to a close last Saturday with a record-breaking number of participants shooting in the streets of Intramuros, Manila.

“This has by far the greatest attendance among all our PhotoMarathons from the past seven years,” said Alan Chng, president and CEO of Canon Marketing Philippines. “This is the perfect year-end occasion to thank those who have supported Canon and continuously strengthened the photography community.”

Last year’s Manila leg consisted of around 2,000 participants, while the Luzon and Visayas legs of 2012 were able to gather over 200 and 100 participants, respectively.

This year, 2,500 participants from the point-and-shoot, DSLR, and camcorder categories took on the challenge of shooting the best scenes or subjects within a given theme and time limit.

The Canon Crusaders of Light judged the entries. The winners of each category were awarded with top-of-the-line Canon gadgets and accessories.

Canon PhotoMarathon 2012 is co-presented by Aperture Trading, Benro, Cebu Pacific Air, Columbia Digital, DELL, Echo Store, Gatorade, Intel, and Mang Inasal. Major sponsors are Black Rapid, Datacolor Spyder 4, FPPF, Petron, Selecta Overload, Selecta Magnum, Spider Holster, Tenba, Thinktank, Transcend, Xfinity, Zesto Fruitsoda, and Zesto Slice. Media partners include BusinessMirror, Digital Photographer Philippines (DPP), HWM, iMag, and Manila Bulletin’s Picture Perfect.

Globe announces Huawei Ascend P1 LTE as its first ever LTE handset

2012-12-11T18:50:00.002-08:00

Globe’s made good on their promise to out an LTE device on their network. The local telco has chosen the LTE version of the Huawei Ascend P1 as the first ever device on their LTE network.The Huawei Ascend P1 LTE is available for free at Globe Unli Surf 1799 with unlimited data, along with a Php 800 monthly consumable for calls and texts, and three call and text freebies that can be changed monthly.

Globe will also be offering a lower postpaid plan for the Huawei Ascend P1 LTE, under Unli Surf 999 at P500 cashout for 24 months. Prepaid kit is also available at P21,000. We’re not exactly sure who Globe is targeting with the pre-paid LTE kit for the P1, but we’re assuming that they’re trying to get early adopters of their LTE service to buy the LTE phone to stick their LTE SIMs inside instead of the USB dongle that was initially offered. The Huawei Ascend P1 LTE has a 1.5GH dual-core processor, 1GB RAM, 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Capacitive Multi-Touch Screen, Android ICS with 8 megapixel camera, WiFi, and BlueTooth.

Beats By Dr. Dre Executive Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

2012-10-17T06:00:00.003-07:00

Along with the Beats Pill, Beats Electronics also introduces the Beats By Dr. Dre Executive, its first set of headphones after ending the partnership with Monster Cable. The new headphones is built with premium materials such as aluminum alloy, stainless steel and leather and delivers signature Beats by Dr. Dre sound.

The Beats Executive features Active Noise Cancellation, which the company said is powerful enough to reduce a ket engine to a whisper, to deliver music without outside noise and interruption. Its soft leather headband and comfortable ear cups are designed for long wear, and the folding design makes it easy to carry. It comes with a standard 3.5mm audio cable and an iOS-compatible cable with in-line microphone and remote for phone functionality and music control. Also inclded are an airline adapter, a hard shell carrying case, a cleaning cloth and two AAA batteries to power Active Noise Cancellation.

Beats By Dr. Dre Beats Pill Portable Wireless Speaker

2012-10-17T05:59:00.001-07:00

Beats Electronics introduces the new Beats By Dr. Dre Beats Pill portable wireless speaker with NFC and apt-X technology. Specifically designed to optimize sound quality, the Pill integrates Beats Audio algorithm, apt-X technology and a four-speaker system to provide the “highest quality portable listening experience.” The speaker is also the first product developed by Beats Electronics, after breaking up with Monster Cable.

The Beats Pill uses Bluetooth for wireless streaming and supports NFC for one-tap pairing. It is also a speakerphone featuring built-in microphone for hands-free calling, and echo cancellation for call clarity and feedback controo. The speaker also has 3.5mm line-in jack for connecting directly with audio source, and a 3.5mm line-out jack for connection to an external speaker system. Its rechargeable li-ion battery provides 7 hours of continuous play, and can be charged via micro USB. The auto-shut-off feature will turn the Pill off after 30 minutes of no signal detection so as to save power.

ADATA Premier Pro SP600 SATA III SSD

2012-10-17T05:58:00.001-07:00

ADATA adds to its Premier Pro line the new SP600 entry-level solid state drive wuth SATA III 6Gbps interface. The new line allows consumers who want to experience the fast speeds of SSD at an affordable price. Based on MLC NAND and powered by JMicron JMF661 controller, the SP600 offers up to 360MB/s read, 130MB/read, and 40,000 IOPS random read and 30,000 IOPS random write performance.

The Premier Pro SP600 is available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB capacities, and buyers can choose from two packaging options to their needs. The Desktop Pack will include a 3.5-inch conversion bracket for mounting the SP600 to a desktop PC, and the Notebook Pack will come with an aluminum drive enclosure for users to turn their old notebook drive into a portable hard drive.

Logitech Broadcaster WiFi Webcam for Mac ,iPhone and iPad

2012-10-17T05:57:00.001-07:00

Logitech introduces the Broadcaster WiFi webcam made for video professionals, bloggers and hobbyists. Designed for users to share their passions and interests with the world, the webcam is able to instantly stream live video to UStream with a simple press of a button. Users can also use the Broadcaster app on Mac, iPad or iPhone to control and preview the video, manage the broadcast, post announcements on Facebook and Twitter, and interact with viewers in real time.

Logitech’s Broadcaster WiFi Webcam is capable of HD 720p video capture and includes Fluid Crystal Technology for enhanced image quality and WiFi 802.11n high-speed internet connection for smooth video streaming. It also features 3x digital zoom, digital pan/tilt and built-in illumination lamp, and uses H.264 video compression. You can also use the Broadcaster as a second camera by pairing it with your Mac’s built-in camera using the Broadcaster app for recording two different views at the same time. You can then use iMovie or Final Cut Pro to edit and stitch together the two recordings. The WiFi webcam can also add a second point of view to Skype video calls. It also works with QuickTime, PhotoBooth, FaceTime and iChat.

Patriot Memory Gauntlet 320 Wireless Portable Hard Drive

2012-10-17T05:56:00.001-07:00

Patriot Memory is launching the Gauntlet 320 wireless portable hard drive. Like other wireless hard drives, Patriot Memory’s new offering is an ideal solution to expand storage capacites of mobile devices such as tablets, smartphone and notebooks. You can store all your files and media including music, videos, images and docuemtns on the WiFi drive and stream and share them wirelessly and on-the-go.

The Gauntlet 320 has 320GB capacity and uses WiFi 802.11b/g/n connectivity with WEP/WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK security. It can connect with up to 8 devices and stream to five at the same time. The wireless portable drive also has USB 3.0 for direct connection with USB 3.0-compatible computers for high-speed data transfer. The internal li-ion battery provides up to 5.5 hours of continuous streaming.

Patriot Memory will release iOS, Android and Kindle Fire apps for use with the Gauntlet 320. The wireless drive will be released in January for $159.

HP L2401x Slim Full HD LED Monitor for Business

2012-10-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

Other than the x2401, HP also brings the commercial version L2401x slim monitor for business users. The 24-inch display has a sleek design with 11mm slim profile, a black bezel and brushed metal case. Based on MVA panel, it provides wide 178-degree horizontal and 178-degree vertical viewing angles. The L2401x features 1920×1080 Full HD resolution, LED backlight, 5000:1 contrast ratio, 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast, 250 nits brightness and 12ms response time.

The HP L2401x provides HDMI, DisplayPort inputs, and two USB 2.0 ports. It is priced at $269.

Meet the Sony Xperia miro

2012-10-17T05:49:00.001-07:00

Still here at the Sony event, and we have another treat for you—a peek at the Sony Xperia miro!

The miro runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and has 4GB RAM and 2.2GB ROM that’s expendable via microSD. It wields a 3.5-inch display with a 320 x 480 resolution, and has both front and rear cameras. The front camera hosts a 5-megapixel sensor.

It’s packed with xLOUD audio technology and the Walkman app for your music listening pleasure, plus Facebook inside Xperia that gives you instant access to Facebook without having to constantly login.

The Xperia miro will cost PHP 9,990 when it hits the market, which is expected to happen within the year.