Tech-Gadget Mantra

Motorola Milestone

2010-04-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

The web is richer. Photos are sharper. Videos pop. It has the most advanced Google browser and the very latest software with an advanced processor and 3G speed for faster search. It can help you navigate turn-by-turn. It even has a 5MP camera with a flash, image stabilisation, and a DVD-quality recorder. It's the phone without compromise.

Apple iphone 4g: features, specifications, launch date, reviews, details

2010-03-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

If rumors are to believed, the Apple iphone 4g will be launched very soon. The company might come out with its 4g phone in May end or early June, 2010. It is also rumoured that the next generation Apple iphone 4G will be powered by Qualcomm. However, there is trouble for the iphone 4g as workers have gone on a strike and have been destroying company's property at a touchscreen plant in China.

China's Wintek Corporation is the world's biggest touchscreen manufacturer for cellphones and supplies Apple with panels for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The strike will surely affect iPhone and Ipod Touch supples and this might delay the lauch of the Iphone 4G.

The new iphne 4g will be a gret leap forward compared to the present iPhone 3GS. It is believed that Apple Iphone 4G will have some features that have never been seen before in any of the smart phones.

The features and specifications of the iPhone 4G :

OLED touchscreen

Dual Core processor

Removable battery

5 megapixel (HD video recording and LED Flash)

Video calling

Double storage capacity (64GB and 32GB)

Touch sensitive outer casting like Apple Magic Mouse.

A lot of other innovation will be seen not only in the hardware but also in the software. Going by the details and reviews on a number of sites, it appears that Apple iPhone 4G will surely further revolutionize the mobile industry. The price of the Apple iPhone 4G s not yet confirmed.

iPad 2.0: What's next for the Apple tablet?

2010-03-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

What will the iPad successor bring to the table?

As the the first scramble for Apple iPad pre-orders begins, we of course still have a bit of a waiting to do before we get our hands on the 'revolutionary' device. In a bid to fill the iPad-shaped void in our lives, we've stared into the future to see what the next instalment of the iPad could have in store for us.

As we anticipate more outings of the iPad as we now expect from the iPhone, here's is our thoughts on what the follow up to the iPad could be packing.

Read below for iPad 2.0: What's next for the Apple iPad?

Smart bezels

Apple filed a patent to extend the touch panel beyond the screen, allowing you to control iTunes without losing fullscreen cover art for video.

How likely? 6/10

Dual connectors

Why not be able to dock it sideways for watching videos? It'd also be more useful for typing for most people. Flies in the face of Apple's aesthetic, though.

How likely? 4/10

3D screen

Apple has patented a 3D interface but it seems overly complex for the iPad. Given zero Blu-ray support we can't see Apple going for 3D video either...

How likely? 1/10

Flash support

Most online video uses Flash, so alot of content isn't available on the Flash-free iPad. Apple seems to have it in for the manufacturer Adobe.

How likely? 4/10

Multi-tasking

Everyone wants to surf the web and exchange instnat messages while listening to Spotify. Apple has to listen to public opinion on this one...doesn't it?

How likely? 7/10

Camera

With augmented reality set for lift-off and IM video chat becoming ever more popular, a mobile device without a camera now feels like a car without wheels.

How likely? 8/10

F1 Tech: Inside a Formula 1 steering wheel

2010-03-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

See the button-infested control set-up that will guide Button and company around the track

Getting to grips with having F1 in our lives once again, we take a look at the space-age steering device set to be on the receiving end of Schumacher's jabbing fingers this season.

1/ MSG OK

Confirms settings dialled in with multi-function dial and menu settings.

2/ Menu scroll buttons

Steps through menus of settings chosen using the master switch (14).

3/ Differential adjustment

Can be shifted to suit track conditions and tyre wear, for instance to increase traction, grip, braking stability and turn-in.

4/ Neutral switch

Engages neutral/reverse.

5/ Front wing switch

Adjusts angle of front flaps to increase downforce.

6/ Radio LED

Illuminates in blue to inform the driver that the pit-to-car radio is active.

7/ Pit-to-car radio

On/off toggle.

8/ Fuel mix adjustment

Adjusts the fuel mix and revs either to preserve the engine or increase performance, as required.

9/ Throttle map override

Adjusts throttle and power characteristics to suit track conditions.

10/ Overtake button

Momentarily increases the engine revs to its 18,000rpm maximum. Helps with overtaking and scaring off pigeons.

11/ Pitlane speed limiter

On/off toggle.

12/ Engine braking level

Particularly useful in the wet for increasing rear-end stability.

13/ Tyre configuration

Optimises car settings for slick, intermediate or wet tyres. Also activates the rear rain light.

14/ Master multifunction switch

Allows the driver to access a number of system settings including engine maps, front wing controls and an aero-mapping function that monitors and maximizes car airflow.

First Samsung 3D TVs available worldwide

2010-03-15T06:26:00.000-07:00

The great and good of Samsung gather to officially kick-start their global 3D TV rollout. Black Eyed Peas, Shrek and new 3D TV starter packs set to join soon.

Hot on the heels of Sony's 3D TV launch in Tokyo, Samsung today set out their stall for the global roll out of seventeen new 3D products, covering 3D LCD, 3D LED and 3D plasma and 3D blu-ray player at New York's Time Warner building and Shrek, Donkey and the Black Eyed Peas look set to have a starring role.

Surrounded by a sea of 3D screens, Samsung's President of Visual Display Boo Keun Yoon and US President, Consumer Electronics, Tim Baxter unveiled plans for their worldwide campaign to convinve us to get 3D into our front rooms.

The first 3D models are officially available worldwide today but sadly those in the UK, hungry to be first to experience home 3D cinema, will have to wait a little longer than with the first available sets likely to hit UK stores toward the end of April.

According to pcmag.com a 46" flagship 9000 Series will set you back a tidy $5,999 in the US, while the most affordable 3D-ready HD TV in the range looks likely to come in at $1,699. We're still waiting on UK pricing but this could mean a lot of the price tags are not too out of touch with some of Samsung's 2009 HD TVs.

In a bid to clear up some of the questions around the supply of specs, Samsung also revealed plans to bundle 3D glasses and content together in a 3D starter kit they are calling the 'grab and go soluition'.

The first package, which will ship with any 3D TV or 3D blu-ray purchase, comes with Monsters vs Aliens which was unveiled as an exlcusive 3D deal between Samsung and Dreamworks at CES.

Taking that relationship further still, Dreamworks is also teaming up with Samsung to exclusively deliver the Shrek in full 3D. We got a sneak preview of the green ogre, Donkey and co in action and have to say this is a film where 3D could really flex its muscles. Exactly the kind of content that will drive the family vote.

Speaking at the launch, Dreamworks Jeffrey Katzenerg said: "3D is the entertainment revolution of our time"

Samsung also gave some pointers as to how they plan to educate potential 3D buyers Stateside, with in store demos, 3D Imax adverts and TV ads created by the brains and camera technology behind Avatar. We'd expect to see a similar approach in the UK which should mean you'll be able to experience 3D TVs somewhere near you sooner rather than later.

"This year Samsung want to take LED into a new dimension," said Boo Keun Yoon. Settingt their stall out right behind 3D Tim Baxter added, "The goal is to continually redefine entertainment and to enable the seamless convergence of devices - 3D will help make that happen."

3D in 2010: Big 3D launches to look out for

2010-03-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

Make a note of those all important 3D release dates

So you''ve just haemorrhaged your finances on the finest new HDTV money can buy, problem is though, 3D TV is on its way and it's ready to battle for some of that precious living room space.

While 3D TV may well hog the headlines, there's also a host of other gadgets set to enter the third dimension and hopefully our lives in 2010.

Saving you the job of searching out those key 3D releases, we've looked into the year ahead to see when you'll be able to get your hands on all those brand new pieces of 3D tech.

Sony PSP Go (black)

2009-12-27T14:01:00.000-08:00

Released on: 10/01/2009

On the surface, Sony's PSP Go doesn't really look like anything radically new for the PSP franchise. Yes, it's more compact than the three earlier generations of the portable gaming and multimedia handheld device. And yes, it features such additions as built-in Bluetooth, slide-out controls, and a smaller, more pocketable overall design. But the real change here--the radical departure, if you will--is the fact that the Go is the first dedicated handheld gaming system to go completely digital and move away from cartridges or optical discs.

Is that a good idea? Well, with the success of Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch as casual gaming devices, Sony has little choice to head down this path and it's probably smart that's doing it sooner rather than later (you can argue whether it should have done it four years ago, but that's another story). That said, while we applaud the jump to a digital-download-based system, it's certainly fraught with challenges, and how Sony overcomes them will go a long way to determining the PSP Go's success.

Design

While the features list differs little from earlier iterations of the PSP, the PSP Go is a complete redesign, with a focus on trimming the console down in almost every way. The initial version is available in black or white; don't be surprised to see more colors or specially branded versions in the future.

For starters, Sony has removed the UMD media slot and opted instead for 16GB of internal storage. It's also shrunk the screen from 4.3 inches (diagonally) to 3.8 inches while maintaining the same resolution at 480x272 pixels and its wide-screen aspect ratio. On top of that, the Sony-proprietary Memory Stick Pro Duo slot has been swapped out for the smaller M2 Micro memory card slot--another proprietary Sony format. And finally, a slider mechanism has been incorporated to hide the controls when not in use.

All these design choices pay dividends, as the 5.4-ounce PSP Go is noticeably smaller than the PSP 3000 , measuring only 5 inches wide, 2.75 inches tall (when closed), and just over half an inch thick. Particularly when it's closed, it has a nice, minimalist look, and we're happy to say that it's the first PSP that can fit comfortably in your pocket (when the screen is slid open, the device expands to about 4 inches tall).

The screen itself does not seem to have the interlacing issue that plagued the PSP 3000, and it does seem more vibrant and a bit brighter than the 3000, as well. The smaller surface area does give you less of a viewing space, but since the resolution is still intact, some graphics do seem a bit sharper.

The body of the PSP Go is reminiscent of the glossy black plastic seen in all previous models and still remains a fingerprint magnet. The plastic surrounding the buttons and the D-pad, however, has more of a matte look. The back of the Go keeps the glossy finish, but also has two rounded rubber stoppers that help you grip the device.

The PSP Go feels great in your hands but we definitely had some gripes with how the new button layout performed in-game. Since the analog stick has moved to the right of the D-pad, you may feel off-centered. We tested our PSP Go with Motorstorm: Arctic Edge and could not help but notice that the new positioning felt a bit awkward. While it may not be as much of an issue to newcomers, veteran PSP users will certainly notice the change.

The analog stick is also smaller than in previous PSP models, but it feels more durable and sturdy. There's also more friction when moving it around, which we prefer over the much looser analog stick we saw in the PSP 1000 through 3000.

For the most part, the buttons themselves feel and perform very well. The D-pad and face buttons all have a much more solid tactile operation to them, almost exactly like those seen on the Nintendo DSi. They are also a bit smaller compared with the 3000, and they aren't as loose as in previous PSP models.

The L and R buttons are much more prominent, too, and we definitely prefer their feel over the clear shoulder buttons that adorn earlier PSPs. As for the Select and Start buttons, we felt that they're placed too close to one another, and for some reason they don't have the tactile click the other buttons have.

The display, volume, and sound buttons have also been moved: they now lie in between the L and R shoulder buttons. They all seem to work fine, but unfortunately you will need to glance at their location when the screen has been slid up in order to use them.

Most of the other switches and sliders remain basically in the same areas as preceding PSP models: the power/hold toggle is still on the lower right side and the wireless switch is on the lower left side, immediately below the new M2 Micro memory card slot.

As noted, the PSP Go does add Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity. That should make it easy to connect wireless headsets, though we could not get it to pair with one stereo Bluetooth headset that otherwise worked fine with an iPhone. However, the addition of Bluetooth does add the somewhat curious ability to control the PSP with a PS3 controller--though to set that up, you'll need to link both the portable and the controller to a PS3 simultaneously via USB cables.

Like the PSP 3000, this model has a built-in microphone for such applications as Skype calls via Wi-Fi. The microphone is located in between the analog stick and Select and Start buttons. (You can also opt to use a mic-enabled wired or Bluetooth headset instead.)

Two things you won't find on the PSP Go: a second analog stick and a touch screen. The former has long been on the wish list for the PSP, since it would effectively duplicate the familiar control scheme found on the PS2 and PS3. That would make (for instance) first-person shooters much easier to play. The dearth of a touch screen is notable because rival gaming platforms DS/DSi and iPhone/iPod Touch both utilize them. A touch screen on the PSP would also have allowed for an onscreen keyboard for Web surfing and data entry--both of which remain a chore.

Games and multimedia

With the removal of the UMD slot, all gaming and multimedia must be accessed via the 16GB of internal storage or a M2 Micro memory stick. Users can download software off of the PlayStation Store directly to their PSP Go (it's got built-in Wi-Fi) or transfer data from their PC or PlayStation 3 via USB.

Sony will also be selling bigger-budget downloadable games (that will also be available on UMD) and for those titles we recommend transferring the data directly off your PC or your PS3 rather than using the Wi-Fi connection on your PSP. For example, our download of Motorstorm: Arctic Edge (520MB) took more than 2 hours to complete from the Go. When we grabbed it off our PC, it took less than 20 minutes.

As of October 1, Sony is pledging to expand the available online offerings to include more than 225 games, 2,300 movies, and 13,300 TV episodes. Among the key games will be brand new (and highly anticipated) titles such as Gran Turismo and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge. Other notable PSP favorites include PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe, Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, Madden NFL 10, Soulcaliber: Broken Destiny, Beaterator, God of War: Chains of Olympus, Daxter, Star Wars: Battlefront II, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas, Tetris, and Fieldrunners. While you'll be able to download these games directly from the PlayStation Store, the newly announced Amazon.com PSN store does not have access to some titles in the Sony store.

As we said, in an effort to compete with the microtransaction-based download system that's been so successful with the iPhone and the iPod Touch, Sony's doing its best add a similar element of casual gaming to its PlayStation Store. At the forefront of the initiative are PSP Minis, a new type of bite-size casual game offered exclusively on the PlayStation Store, starting October 1. To be clear, these games aren't exclusive to the PSP Go (any PSP owner can download these games to a memory card), but their launch is tied in with the launch of the Go. Games can be bought online by loading up with PlayStation Store credits or buying prepaid cards at retailers (which provide a unique unlock code). As of now, PSP Minis range in price from $5 to $10--a bit more than what customers might be accustomed to paying in other places like Apple's App Store.

The PlayStation Store isn't the most intuitive experience we've had using an online app store. You can't see screenshots of games and, for the most part, they aren't necessarily organized in the most logical of ways. Plus, once you've started a download, your PSP Go is essentially locked down, meaning you can't use it for anything else until your download is complete.

If you have content across multiple Sony devices, you're going to want link the Go to your online PlayStation Network account to ensure that it will be able to play or view whatever you've purchased (games and video). This isn't the most practical process, but it does work, and the fact that you can share content with up to five Sony devices (PSPs and PS3s) is really convenient. The best deals are the so-called PSone classics--games originally designed for the original PlayStation that can be played on either the PSP or the PS3. Buy them once, and download them to any of the PSPs or PS3s on your account, at no extra charge.

For those PSP owners who may be upgrading to the Go, you'll have to manually move saved files over to your new system since your Pro Duo stick is no good on the new device. Of course, this process is only worthwhile if the game you're trying to play has been downloaded off the PlayStation Store. The lack of a UMD drive prevents you from playing all of your old UMD-based games, and--despite early rumors--there's also no trade-in program for existing UMD games at this time. That's another reason current PSP owners will want to think twice before upgrading.

Beyond gaming, the PSP Go is also a solid multimedia portable. In addition to playback of videos, digital music, and photos, it's also got a built-in rudimentary Web browser. Additionally, it's got a dedicated Internet radio player as well (though, again, setting it up and accessing music is somewhat more convoluted than it should be).

Separate cables must be purchased in order to hook the PSP Go up to a TV. You'll have the option of buying either a composite or component cable for displaying videos and games.

Operating system

The PSP Go seems to be running a slightly modified operating system than the older PSPs. Our review sample is running a software version 5.70, while our PSP 3000 is updated to 6.00. There are slight differences between the two versions as far as we can tell, most likely due in part to the fact that the PSP Go's slider affects the device's behavior.

For example, when the screen is closed (slid down), the device enters a sort of screensaver mode, where an analog clock and date are displayed. You can hit both shoulder buttons together to bring up a calendar and scroll through the months by hitting either L or R. When slid back open, you're returned back to the cross media bar (XMB). You can also change the way the PSP Go behaves when the screen is closed. Instead of the clock display, you can set it to go to sleep. While playing a video, you can close the display and continue watching. (If you really want to turn the PSP Go off, you'll need to hold the power switch for about three seconds. Slide the switch or the screen to power it up again.)

The only other significant improvement on the PSP Go's firmware is the option to pause a game and return to the cross media bar. During gameplay, hitting the PlayStation logo button in the bottom left corner of the screen will bring up a menu similar to the older PSP's home button options. By selecting "Pause Game" you can essentially freeze your game and return to it later by clicking "Resume Game" under the game icon in the XMB. It does take about 10 seconds to pause a game, but we found this to be a very useful feature.

Performance and battery life

While there are some rumors that the PSP Go sports a faster chipset that may offer performance benefits in the future, we didn't notice any discernible differences between our review sample and the PSP 3000 we had on hand. Playing the digital version of Motorstorm: Arctic Edge, the load times were virtually identical on both devices and the games played the same.

Much like the iPhone, the PSP has never been known for offering great battery life. And while the PSP Go seems to perform roughly the same as the PSP 2000 and 3000, it's important to note that the battery isn't user-replaceable, which means you can't just carry around an extra battery to swap in during long road trips or flights. This seems to have been a deliberate move by Sony to combat piracy, as previous PSP models have been exploited via custom battery packs such as Pandora's Battery.

Sony claims a fully charged PSP Go should net you around 3 to 6 hours of gaming time. We were able to squeeze just over 5 hours playing MotorStorm: Arctic Edge with the brightness on the lowest level and the volume only up 25 per cent. Of course your results may vary depending on your display settings. We were hoping for better battery life--especially considering there are no longer any moving parts--but the PSP Go's battery performance appears to be on par with the 3000's.

On a related note, we noticed that in other PSP models, you can manually check the battery's current status, but we couldn't find the same option in the PSP Go's system settings. Perhaps that feature will arrive with the next firmware upgrade (as noted, our system had system 5.7 firmware even though system 6.0 is the current version for other PSP models).

Accessories

Included with the PSP Go you get an AC adapter, a USB cord, Media Go software, and an instruction manual. Unlike previous models, the PSP Go does not offer a standard mini-USB port. Instead, everything has to be connected via a proprietary port. That includes the AC adapter, the USB cord (the Go charges when connected to a USB port on your PC), and the aforementioned PSP Go AV cable accessories that allow you to view games and videos on a TV screen.

The included Media Go software lets you convert most videos for playback on the PSP Go and can rip audio CDs to the device as well. The software acts as a mediator (think iTunes for an iPod) between your PC and PSP Go. (Plenty of other software--such as Format Factory--is also available to handle the conversion of videos to a PSP-friendly format.)

Conclusion

As we said in the intro, the PSP Go represents a bold move for Sony. In terms of design, this model, which is the sleekest and most pocket-friendly PSP yet, is very appealing, though not without a few downsides. However, its success will largely depend on the software that runs on it and whether Sony is able to get a large number of developers on board to produce inexpensive, compelling games, along with a core staple of AAA titles that fully exploit the PSP's graphics and gameplay advantages (yes, this remains a powerful little system) .

Because we've yet to see what Sony will offer as far as PSP Minis or additional nongaming applications, it's hard to pass final judgment on the Go at this time. For now it's safe to say that this is a sexy gaming handheld that's got potential but is overpriced at $250. If Sony had launched its PSP franchise with this model we wouldn't be as nitpicky. But as it stands, with the existence of the perfectly good $170 PSP 3000, it's really hard to tell people to go run out and buy the Go, which is limited by the number of games it can currently play.

Of course, as Sony works out the transitional kinks, builds out its PSP Minis offerings, and perhaps offers up some interesting, nongaming apps, we'll update our review accordingly.

Make no mistake: the PSP Go is a work in progress. Buy it if it strikes your fancy but realize that it's got some maturing to do. And also be aware that by the time it hits its stride, it will probably cost less--or may even be replaced by a better model.

In the meantime, if Sony were to lower the price of the PSP Go, create a smoother, more intuitive PlayStation Store experience, and offer all the titles available on the PSP platform in the PlayStation Store, we'd have a much easier time recommending the system over the current PSP 3000.

Comparison Between Top Consoles: Sony PlayStation 3 Slim (120GB), Sony PlayStation 3 (60GB), Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite, Sony PlayStation 3 (80GB), Nintendo Wii.

2009-12-24T15:16:00.000-08:00

Sony PlayStation 3 Slim (120GB)

2009-12-24T15:06:00.000-08:00

Back in 2004, four years after first launching the PlayStation 2, Sony brought out a new, much more compact PS2. Timed to come out just as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was hitting stores, the redesigned console helped breath new life into the PS2 franchise. It remains on store shelves today--you can pick one up for just $99.

Needless to say, Sony hopes that a trimmed down--and less expensive--PS3 Slim will similarly invigorate sales of the PlayStation 3, which has lagged behind the Nintendo Wii and the Microsoft Xbox 360 and has taken some of the luster off the PlayStation brand (even as earlier versions of the PS3 received high marks from this publication). To many industry observers, the Slim PS3 represents a moment of reckoning for the PS3--a chance at redemption if you will--and clearly some serious engineering has gone into the creation of Sony's latest black gaming box and media player.

If you're a fan of the PS3 or have been sitting on the fence, waiting for its price to drop to $299, the good news is that from a features standpoint, the 120GB Slim PS3 is nearly identical to the 80GB and the 160GB "fat" PS3 models that Sony's in the process of phasing out. Aside from losing the capability to install another OS (Linux) on your PS3, nothing much else has changed. You still get built-in Wi-Fi connectivity (the Xbox 360 Wi-Fi adapter is a $100 add-on accessory), two USB ports for plugging in external storage devices and charging the PS3's Bluetooth wireless controller (one DualShock 3 controller comes with the Slim), and the same built-in Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player with BD-Live capabilities.

Like its predecessor, the Slim also supports playback of MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4/h.264 video files from USB or disc-based media, as well as JPEG image viewing (the slideshow functionality is quite impressive). Like the Xbox 360, the PS3 can act as a digital media hub, with the ability to stream content from any DLNA-compatible network device, including PCs and network attached hard drives. And you also get a built-in Web browser (optional Bluetooth keyboards are available), which is serviceable, though not as good as any of the major browsers available for PCs.

Around back, you'll find an Ethernet jack, an HDMI output (no cable included), an optical digital audio output (SPDIF), and the proprietary PlayStation AV output for analog audio and video. A composite AV cable ships with the unit, and because it uses the same connector as the PlayStation 2, that system's S-Video and component cables should work with it, as well (to get HD video, you'll need component or HDMI).

The bad news is that Sony didn't add new features to the Slim. Alas, while we didn't think the company would be nice enough to throw in an IR receiver so you could control the PS3 with a standard IR universal remote, Sony has eschewed IR again. Also, if you're pining to play your collection of PS2 games on Slim, you'll be disappointed to note that backward capability remains a thing of the past (the option only existed only on some of the earlier PS3 systems Sony released).

The story here, then, is all about design, and it's generally a good one. For starters, the Slim is 33 percent smaller and 36 percent lighter than its predecessors, and it really does look significantly more compact when you put it up against the "fat" PS3. Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder, and many people, including this reviewer, think the Slim's new frame is fairly fetching.

Yet, we've also heard people say that the new "textured," or matte, finish gives the system a cheaper look. Maybe so, but pick the Slim up and it feels quite substantial. And while we're sure Sony doesn't want people referring to the Slim using adjectives like cheap (except when it comes to the price tag), the company does want this PS3 to appear more "casual" and appeal to a wider audience (read: casual gamers).

In that regard, the PS3 Slim's new design and finish seem well thought out. And the new system is not without a little glam--there's a mirrored strip on the front of the unit next to the opening of the slot-loading disc player and some glossy plastic on the sides. Those shiny finishes, like the glossy finish on the "fat" PS3, do pick up fingerprints, and it's also worth noting that the matte finish does absorb the oil from your skin and attracts smudges. In other words, if you end up handling your PS3, expect to have to wipe it off from time to time just like the old "fat" model.

More important than some branding changes (the PS3 logo and lettering has undergone a redesign), the touch-sensitive power on/off and eject buttons on the front of the unit have been replaced by standard push buttons and the master power switch that was on the back of the old unit has been removed (alas, you still can't charge the controllers while the system is off).

Some people will like that the master power switch is gone, but parents with small children would probably prefer if Sony had left it on the back to keep their toddlers from accidentally turning on the system. The new button in front is nice and responsive and doesn't require too firm a touch to turn the system either on or off (this system appears to boot up just as quickly as the old system--in just less than 20 seconds), so your little ones will have no problem firing up your PS3 in your absence.

According to Sony, to achieve the new small size, the internal design architecture of the PS3 Slim has been completely redesigned, "from the main semiconductors and power supply unit to the cooling mechanism." As always, we're impressed that Sony engineers have been able to build the power supply into the system itself rather than forcing you to deal with a giant external power supply like the one found on the Xbox 360.

The PS3 Slim is powered by a new 45nm version of the Cell processor, which runs at the same speed as the 60nm processor in the "old" PS3 but is smaller and more energy efficient. Company representatives said that power consumption for the Slim has been cut from 280 watts to 250 watts. (We'll be verifying the Slim's power consumption with our own independent testing soon.)

Ramping down the power consumption and, more importantly, the heat the system generates has let Sony tone down the cooling fan. With the Slim, you'll still hear some fan noise if you're close to the unit, but the hum is fainter, and it shouldn't bother you during quieter scenes in movies so long as you're not sitting right next to the PS3. (Fan noise on the previous systems varied wildly; some were noticeably loud, others were all but silent.) We also noticed that after playing a game and Blu-ray Disc for more than an hour, the light breeze the fan emitted was warm but not hot (you can hold your hand up to it without fear of getting scorched).

A couple final notes about the design: With earlier PS3s you could prop your unit up vertically or lay it down horizontally. Out of the box, the Slim is designed to be used in a horizontal position, but Sony will sell a $24 stand that lets you stand it up vertically and not worry about having it tip over. And in case you were wondering, you can also upgrade/replace the hard drive without voiding the warranty, though Sony has moved the hard drive from the side of the unit to the front for easier access. (To remove the hard drive, you simply unscrew two screws on the bottom of the Slim that are covered by a small door that snaps open and closed.) The only caveat: the Slim uses the smaller 2.5-inch drive size generally found in laptops. They're more expensive than the larger 3.5-inch hard drives that go into desktop computers.

We ran some tests of disc load times and some basic Blu-ray performance tests and came to the conclusion that the Slim runs just as well as the older model and keeps the PS3 near the top of our Best Blu-ray Players list.

At this point, as we await the release of version 3.00 of the PS3 firmware (it comes out September 1, 2009), there's not a whole lot to say about our experience using the PS3 Slim because it was, well, pretty much like using the "fat" PS3. That leaves us with some pre-existing qualms with the PS3 experience versus that of the Xbox 360. While we like that the PlayStation Network is free (versus Xbox Live's $50 per year fee), it's also a bit less full-formed. Yes, downloadable movies, TV shows, and games are available (all for per-download prices), and now the system includes the Netflix streaming subscription found on the 360. However, PS3 owners must use a BD-Live Blu-ray Disc every time they want to stream a movie. Hulu video--once available through the browser--is now blocked (Hulu's fault, not Sony's). Thankfully, the Play On software offers a work-around, but it'll require you to leave your PC running to view those services.

At the end of the day, you can quibble about the Slim's new casual look, the lack of backward compatibility for PS2 games, no IR port, and such former extras as a built-in memory card reader and extra USB ports (we'd still like one on the back of the unit). But the fact is the PS3 Slim costs half of what the original PS3 cost when it first launched. It's also smaller, more energy efficient, quieter, and retains virtually all the impressive gaming, multimedia, and home-theater functionality of previous PS3s. In short, there's a lot of machine here for $299.

ICD Ultra Android tablet hands-on

2009-12-21T03:19:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed, we had a chance to get our hands on a fairly interesting little tablet made by ICD dubbed the Ultra. The 7-inch, touchscreen tablet (resistive in the version we saw, but with capacitive versions to come) sports quite an impressive set of specs, including a 1GHz Tegra T20 CPU, 512MB of RAM and 512MB of ROM, 4GB of hardwired storage, 2G / 3G radios, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera, HDMI out, USB 2.0, and a microSD slot. The device also has an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, and 3.5mm headphone jack. The version we had a chance to play with -- a prototype running Android 2.0 -- was blazingly fast when it came to 1080p playback and web browsing (as you can see in the video), but was pretty incomplete as far as the rest of the software was concerned (though the company says they're working on optimizing the experience all around). In terms of pricing, ICD reps didn't have a solid number, though they said they expect the Ultra to sell for somewhere in the $249 price range, with potential for free, subsidized versions depending on what kind of deals they work out with partners. We expect to see a whole slew of devices like this at CES in just a few weeks, but this is nice a taste of things to come. Check out our exclusive hands-on pics in the gallery below!

Cowon V5 HD set for South Korea debut on January 1

2009-12-21T02:44:00.000-08:00

Cowon has finally made its latest and greatest PMP official, and the spec sheet does not disappoint. Mixing appealing curves with a 4.8-inch display, the V5 HD offers 720p video playback that can be channeled out via HDMI or Composite outputs. On the software front, there's the usual litany of wide-ranging file compatibility and basic apps -- cortesy of Windows CE 6.0 -- as well as a world clock, RSS reader, Flash games, voice recorder, and an optional T-DMB tuner. We still don't know what's doing the dirty work under the hood, but you won't be wanting for storage, with integrated memory options up to 32GB being augmented by SDHC expandability. Battery life is rated at 10 hours of video or 45 hours of music, and the Korean landing date is January 1 with prices starting at 299,000 KRW ($256). Until then, you can check out more pictures after the break.

Android powered Archos 5 Internet Tablet review

2009-12-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

Android powered Archos 5 Internet Tablet review

It’s been almost a year since the unveiling of the Android OS, and we’ve fallen for the charms of the HTC G1, Magic and most recently the DEXT, in short it’s been mobile-tastic. But now, please welcome, the new Android powered gadget, the Archos 5 Internet Tablet. The first non-cellular slice of tech to come powered by the OS.

- Video: Hands-on video with the Archos 5

- Get closer to the Android powered Archos with our exclusive pics

- 24: Live your day through Android apps

- 10 Ways Google has made Android even better

Out of the box you could be forgiven for thinking that the device is the Archos 5 media tablet, in terms of looks they’re near identical. The pockmarked copper back is a tad fingerprint friendly, but it feels well built and with hardly any hard buttons to speak of it's slimline and very pocketable. Both Flash memory (8GB up to 64GB) and harddrive options (160GB up to 500GB) are available, the latter is slightly chunkier and may be too much so for some.

Fire it up, and the Linux-based OS has been replaced by the much loved Android. Dazzling on the 4.8-inch screen you get three fully customisable home screens with widgets in tow that you can drag on and off the homescreen easily using the uber responsive touchscreen. With just three home screens, it can get cluttered very easily regardless of the larger estate. If you’re all for the minimal approach there’s also the main menu screen to house your unwanted widgets.

Without a camera or a compass Google wouldn’t give the green light to this product so don’t expect any Market Place action. Archos has fashioned it’s own app store named the Apps Lab. Once connected to a nearby Wi Fi, tap on the widget and you’re ready to go. The interface is simple enough, with three main tabs to search, update and download. The device comes housing a few apps preloaded for your use, the main four are Twitroid, ebuddy (for instant messaging), Craigsphone (to keep up-to-date with classified ads) and Thinksfree (synch your Microsoft Office apps). To-date don’t expect the volume or choice of Market Place or the Apps Store, it’s pretty basic but the essentials are covered.

Also with no 3G and only Wi-Fi compatibility you’ll have to find yourself in a hotspot before making good use of the apps and the additional features available. Without a connection unfortunately you won’t get access to the app store, the multitude of internet radio stations. An even bigger faux-pas is without a Wi Fi connection the killer feature of Flash compatibility allowing iPlayer and web TV viewing is a no-go.

There is a but, and it comes in the shape of tethering to your mobile phone. Connect the device via Bluetooth and you can piggy-back the 3G to get a connection. It’s a bit of a tedious process and we found the success rate a bit low and not worth the effort of setting it up in the first place.

Apart from the initial Android interface, we were left wanting for more from the OS. The welcome addition of so-called superwidgets allow direct access to you videos and music, but in terms of multimedia that’s as far as the OS goes. A few touches and we were back in the somewhat confusing Archos OS of old. This is essentially the Archos 5 media tablet with an OS reskin. Think the Toshiba TG01 and its reskin of Windows Mobile.

The device comes with two HDMI ports and is capable of 720p video playback. As expected from the Archos heritage playback is impressive. Add a pair of decent cans and the sound is fantastic too, although don’t expect much from the buds provided.

As with most Archos products, there are a bundle of add-ons, not least the TV aerial dock available. Slot in the 5 tablet for access to digital channels on the go. It comes at a price you’ll have to fork out another £80 for the privilege. There’s also GPS on-board, but again you’ll have to part with your hard earned cash to get more than a 7-day free trial.

We reviewed the original Archos 5 earlier this year and awarded it four stars, when it comes to multimedia this latest tablet remains a strong performer. We expected more from the OS and without a strong app store and a significant change to the original it’s much of the same product, but the new concept just doesn't add up.

Nokia N900 review

2009-12-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

Nokia N900 review

Having released a series of solid, but unexciting handsets in the last couple of years and seen the HTC Hero, Pre and (particularly) the Apple iPhone 3GS, grab market share and the tech lovers’ imagination, Nokia needs a big handset success and fast. The N900 eschews Symbian for the open-source Maemo 5 OS and despite a few gripes; it’s the best handset Nokia has produced in a long time.

At 18mm deep, the N900 is chunkier than you’d expect, but feels solid and well built. There are no buttons on top, the 3.5-inch screen slides back to reveal an excellent full QWERTY keyboard. One thing you’ll notice straight away is that with the exception of making calls, it only works in landscape mode, making it near impossible to operate one-handed, potentially putting some people off.

- Check out the hands-on video to your right

Marvellous Maemo

Maemo 5 is based around open source Linux technology, which means developers are free to create apps for it. Intuitive and flexible, it makes Symbian look antiquated. Swipe through four home screens, each fully customisable with website shortcuts, RSS feeds, applications (that update live), contacts and shortcuts to your address book, calendar, web etc. You could have one home screen for work, one for your personal life and one for all your favourite web links.

Open applications and web pages appear as tabs on the virtual ‘dashboard’ screen, which sits between the menu and home screens, here you can swap between different programs and shut them down. Phone settings are accessed through the applications menu.

The resistive touchscreen is a bit unresponsive; a quick touch activates commands, but press too hard and nothing happens. This could be because we had an early sample, but at the moment it’s not as responsive as the iPhone or the Palm Pre.

Crucially, a major issue we’ve got with the N900 is that it’s not obvious when you’ve received a message. If you miss the message bubble, the indicator light flashes and the corner button glows, but only when you click through to the dashboard can you find out who the message is from. It really needs information displayed on the lock screen like the new Windows 6.5 handsets.

Screen dream?

With a resolution of 800x480 the screen is fantastic. It’s bright, colourful and sharp and Flash 9.4 support lets you play back You Tube clips, although we noticed slight juddering and lag when playing back a video from T3.com. The Mozilla powered browser is excellent, displaying full web pages and loading T3.com in about six seconds.

Scroll by moving your finger around the page, alternatively dragging onto the screen from the left introduces a movable navigation arrow, this isn’t something we’d use, but it’s a useful alternative to the stylus when navigating websites. Zoom in and out by double tapping, or via the volume control, although this last method does leave you unable to adjust the sound when listening to music. It’s all very simple, but we found the iPhone’s multi-touch gestures more intuitive.

The ARM Cortex-A8 processor, coupled with a generous 1GB RAM means you can run multiple applications simultaneously. We swapped between the music player, a You Tube Video, multiple web pages, the camera and various contacts and message folders, without any of the sluggishness you get from other handsets. Although after 24-hours of moderate calling and texting, WiFi continually on, some browsing and photography, we needed to recharge. Cane the web and you’ll need to carry a charger around with you.

Apps will also be available from Ovi Store for Maemo 5 when it launches, as well as developer portal Maemo Select which has 50 apps including FaceBook for Nokia and Amazon.

It's all about the networking

The N900 supports a host of IM services, including: Ovi by Nokia, Skype, Google Talk, Jabber and SIP. Messages are displayed alongside SMS’s in the ‘Conversations’ tab and it’s very simple to synch contact information across programs. Push email is a cinch to set-up too, but is separate. It would have been useful to have them both - along with Tweets and Facebook messages - in one central place, like Motorola’s MotoBlur interface. Although the beauty of Maemo is that an app could rectify this.

There’s no support for MMS’s, because Nokia says the N900 is a ‘computing/imaging solution.’ This is a little short-sighted; for many people the N900 will be their primary telephone.

Crucially, a major issue we’ve got with the N900 is that it’s not obvious when you’ve received a message. If you miss the message bubble, the indicator light flashes but there’s nothing on the home screen - only when you click through to the dashboard do you read it. The keys glow, but you’ve got to have the handset open. It could do with information displayed on the lock screen like the new Windows 6.5 handsets.

Mammoth memory

With 32GB of internal storage there’s plenty of room for music and photos. Pictures taken with the 5MP camera are fine and are geotagged, but with an LED instead of Xenon flash, it just isn’t as good as the Sony Ericsson Satio. Surprisingly you can’t access pictures via the Media Player (which isn’t as good as Sony’s Xross Media Bar), just videos, internet radio and music. Ovi maps are supplied, but they’re no match for dedicated sat nav software.

With a customisable interface, great multimedia features and capable browser, the N900 is far better than any Nokia handset we’ve seen in along time. In terms of browsing and sheer multitasking capability, it’s also superior to other smartphone rivals. Yes, we’re going to use the term smartphone, whatever Nokia says.

Nokia introduces Booklet 3G 'mini laptop'

2009-12-20T04:48:00.000-08:00

Nokia introduces Booklet 3G 'mini laptop'

You might think MikroMikko is the name of some Asian fusion restaurant, but it was actually Nokia's first computer line -- and in 1987, the MikroMikko 3 was a state-of-the-art MS-DOS machine with 1MB of RAM and 20MB drive. It's been about 25 years since Nokia's made a computer bigger than an N900, but it's back in the game with its first netbook, the Booklet 3G. Nokia's pitching the Booklet as a top-of-the-line machine with an all-aluminum chassis, integrated connectivity and GPS apps, and at $599 it's certainly priced that way -- although inside it's got a low-power Atom processor and 4,200rpm hard drive. The Booklet 3G is one of the best-looking netbooks out there, but is Nokia's entry back into the market a winner? Click on to find out what we think of the entire system in our full review.
Nokia Booklet 3G Review

Design and ergonomics

First things first: when it comes to looks and build quality, the Booklet's the belle of the ball. The chassis is carved from a single piece of aircraft-grade aluminum, much like the unibody MacBook. The entire machine feels solid and very thick, in a good way -- and we're really into the angled edges, although we can't quite explain why. On top of the aluminum lid is a high-gloss plastic cover (available in white, black, and blue) which unfortunately gets covered in fingerprints. You'll thank Nokia for the included soft cloth.

Although the Booklet's aluminum body makes it feel stronger than other netbooks, it also makes it slightly heavier: at 2.8 pounds it's heftier than the Eee PC 1008HA, but it's still comfortable to hold and carry in one hand. Nokia's also managed to fit the 16 cell battery (yes, 16-cells) flush to the bottom of the case, so the whole machine is just .78-inches thick, thin enough to nicely fit into a bag or purse. Around the sides of the machine you'll find three USB ports, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and SD and SIM card slots -- but there's no VGA or Ethernet ports. We were frustrated by the latter when we traveled to a location that had a weak 3G connection and no WiFi network, although you can obviously buy a USB Ethernet adapter.

The first thing you notice when you open up the Booklet is the attractive 10.1-inch edge-to-edge glass display. While we could have done with a smaller bezel, the 1280 x 720 screen is high quality and much roomier than the usual 1024 x 600 netbook resolution. The LED-backlit display was actually easier on the eyes than we'd anticipated, and 720p video clips looked vivid and crisp.

Below the screen you'll find a familiar, chiclet-style keyboard, which honestly could be better. The keys themselves have a slightly rubbery, yet comfortable feel to them, but they're smaller than those on the HP Mini 5101, ASUS Eee PC 1008HA or the Toshiba Mini NB205. We can't help but wonder why Nokia didn't try and extend the keys to the edge of the keyboard deck. On the other hand, the trackpad was done just right. The pad itself is large enough to navigate the desktop and the dedicated right and left mouse buttons are responsive, though they're little louder than you'd expect. The pad doesn't support any fancy multitouch gestures, but we're just fine with that -- we'd rather have a good single-touch trackpad than a poorly-implemented multitouch unit (cough, HP!).

Performance, battery life, and connectivity

Nokia chose to use the lower-power Intel Atom Z530 instead of the usual N270 or N280 in the Booklet, and though it increases battery life, it's definitely more sluggish in performance. The Booklet could handle running Firefox and Word simultaneously, but adding an app like TweetDeck to the mix caused things to drag. Worse, we often got a "not responding" message when we tried to do "too much," like streaming a movie on Hulu while running Tweetdeck, AT&T's connection manager and Microsoft Word. And the numbers back us up; on Geekbench the Booklet scored 825 points, which was just under 100 points behind the HP Mini 5101's 920.

But the Booklet's sluggishness can't be blamed solely on the processor: it also has 4,200rpm, 120GB hard drive that's slower and smaller than the 5,200rpm units in most other netbooks. Again, the numbers have our back – it took the Booklet over a minute to boot Windows 7 Starter Edition (and the preloaded F-Secure security suite didn't help). Oh yes, the Booklet runs Windows 7 Starter edition, so forget about changing the desktop background or extending your desktop to another monitor.

We were happy to leave the Booklet's charger at home: its battery consistently ran for eight hours when we used the system at 75 percent brightness to browse the web and edit documents. That is longer than most netbooks with six-cell batteries which annoyingly protrude from the notebook, though the $399 Toshiba Mini NB205 runs for over 8 hours.

The Booklet also has an integrated SIM slot that lets you connect to AT&T's 3G network -- at $60 a month for 5GB of data. Around New York City download speeds averaged between 1.0Mbps and 1.5Mbps, while upload speeds ranged between .08Mbps and .30Mbps. On a train ride to the suburbs the experience was pretty smooth: the Booklet only dropped the connection once, but we blame that more on AT&T.

There's also assisted GPS in the form of an Ovi Maps widget for the desktop. It struggled to find our location while in an office building, but when standing next to a window it found our apartment location and plotted it quite accurately. Nokia also bundles its Ovi Suite for syncing a Nokia phone and its Social Hub software, which is useful for centralizing your social networks (Twitter, Facebook) to one desktop application. It also lets you easily send text messages from your SIM.

Wrap-up

There's a lot to like about the Booklet: we were really excited about its beautiful design, high-resolution screen and embedded 3G connectivity -- until we started waiting around for it to load Windows 7 Starter, wondering if it was really worth $599 unsubsidized or $299 on a 2-year AT&T contract. We just can't forgive the slower processor and hard drive when there are significantly cheaper options out there that offer better performance -- and don't look so bad either. Straight up, the $399 Toshiba Mini NB205 is $200 less and performs better with a similarly long battery life, while Verizon offers the HP Mini 311 with a faster processor, NVIDIA Ion and hard drive for $199 on contract.

If you ask us, it all comes back to the MikroMikko and Nokia's recent inexperience in the laptop market. Sure, it's one of the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers (though Michael Gartenberg argues it needs to change drastically to survive as innovators), but when it comes to laptops and netbooks it's important to know the basics and get performance right before attaching a premium price to a product. The Booklet 3G is a great-looking netbook with stellar endurance, but its price and performance simply don't match up.

Do You Want to Guest Post on This Blog?

2009-11-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

Tech-Gadget Mantra gives the most priority to its readers. As an effort to interact with the readers more, I have decided that readers should be encouraged to write guest posts on this blog. If you are interested to write a guest post on this blog, please let me know.

Why become a guest author?

1. By becoming a guest author your blog will be exposed to the readers of Life as i know it as the post you write obviously will have a link to your blog.

2. You can have the taste of writing something different from your own blog’s niche and you can have your voice heard. For example, if you own an Online Marketing Blog and want to publish a post on Technology, you will not be able to do that in your blog. But appearing as a guest author in this blog, you can fulfill that desire.

Some guidelines

1. Guest posts must be related to the subjects discussed in Tech-Gadget Mantra. For example, Latest gadget, Latest reviews, Technology, Gaming consoles, Comparision between various products etc. which is educational.

2. Guest posts will have one link going to the author’s blog’s main page or profile page or a particular post. But guest posts must not have any other links going to any other posts of the respected guest author.

3. Posts should be under 3000 characters. Posts might have pictures in it.

4. Posts must be original.

Optional: You can link to the guest post from your blog if you wish to.

How to send requests

1. First you will kindly have to write to me saying that you are interested. You will have to mention the address of you blog also so that I can have a look. After this I will get back to you and confirm your request as soon as possible.

2. After receiving confirmation, you will kindly mail me the guest post so that I can review it. If I make any changes to that post, you will be notified before I do that.

4. You can skip all these steps and send me the guest post right away. However, then the chances of getting featured in this blog will get slightly slimmer.

Respected guest authors will be notified by email once their posts are published.

Thanks in advance. You can use the contact form below or mail to me manually at saurabhnsonar@gmail.com