seo science

Olympus PEN Lite / E-PL3 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 01:14:00 GMT

The Olympus PEN Lite/E-PL3 is identical in terms of output to the recently reviewed Olympus E-P3. We have tested to verify image quality (and of course include these tests in the review). Where appropriate, you will find our comments and judgements identical to those expressed in our in-depth review of the Olympus E-P3. Much of the original content in this article then is devoted to assessing features and functionality unique to the E-PL3.

From the outset, Olympus has positioned its E-PL lineup as a simplified, lower-cost alternative to its higher-end E-Px cameras. The release of the third generation Olympus PEN E-PL3 (dubbed PEN Lite) continues this tradition while sporting much of the functionality and nearly all of the performance gains of its big brother, the Olympus E-P3. One difference this time around, however, is the simultaneous arrival of the E-PM1/PEN Mini, which now becomes the entry-level model in the PEN lineup. The PEN Lite sits between the PEN Mini and Olympus' flagship E-P3, offering a combination of external control points and compact-camera-like handling that may appeal to those who want high image quality in a small package, and are ready to move beyond an 'auto everything' experience.

The PEN Lite introduces handling and operational changes from its predecessor, the Olympus PEN E-PL2. Among the most obvious of these are the lack of a hand-grip along the front plate, the addition of a tilting 16:9 format LCD screen and a clip-on flash unit that occupies the hot shoe and rear accessory port (in contrast to the E-PL2's built-in flash). While it shares a sensor and image processing engine with the higher-priced E-P3, the PEN Lite has more distinct styling and better feature differentiation from the high end model than we've previously seen. As such, the E-PL3 is a very different looking camera than its predecessor, the E-PL2. In fact, the design aesthetic and reduced size of the E-PL3 point more closely to that of the Olympus XZ-1 compact camera; a none-too-subtle hint perhaps at Olympus' intended target audience.

Make no mistake, however, the E-PL3 does not skimp on features. External control points, a mode dial, hot shoe and accessory port all carry over from the E-PL2. And, as we've come to expect from a PEN series model, the E-PL3 offers a high degree of customization over camera operation along with a variety of art filters and effects that can be applied to JPEG image captures. We're also pleased to note that, like the E-P3, the PEN Lite has an AF illuminator to assist low-light focus acquisition.

Having regularly acted as a trailblazer (Olympus was an early exponent of DSLR live view, in-camera image stabilization and art filters), and subsequently watching other manufacturers adopt similar features, the E-PL3 sees Olympus taking the opportunity to borrow ideas for a change. There's something decidedly NEX-like about the E-PL3's protruding lens mount and tilting LCD screen, not to mention its separate clip-on flash.

Curiously, the PEN Lite's flip-out screen is in the 16:9 aspect ratio - well suited for shooting HD video but much less so when shooting stills in the camera's native 4:3 format. This format mismatch leaves black bars down both sides of the screen, areas which are then solely devoted to displaying camera settings.

Olympus PEN Lite key specifications:

Updated 12MP Live MOS sensor
120 Hz 'Fast AF' focus system with 35-point area AF
Clip-on flash (included)
Built-in autofocus illuminator light
460,000 dot tilting LCD screen (16:9 aspect ratio)
Dual-core TruePic VI processor
1080i60 movies in AVCHD format
Shadow tone adjustment control
Revised and expanded Art Filter mode (with quick preview option)

Compared to the Olympus PEN E-P3

Differences between the PEN Lite E-PL3 and PEN E-P3

Faster continuous shooting: up to 5.5fps vs. 3fps
Tilt/flip LCD display vs. fixed OLED screen
Lower resolution screen (460,000 vs. 614,000 dots) in 16:9 vs. 3:2 aspect ratio
No thumb dial
No orientation sensor
Slower flash sync speed of 1/160th vs. 1/180th of a second
Four fewer Art Filters (Loses Pale Light & Color, Light Tone, Gentle Sepia and Cross-Process)
No built-in flash (clip-in unit included)
No level gauge

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G Review: Blazing Fast

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 4 Nov 2012 22:41:00 GMT

While it may look like another rehash of the old Galaxy S, under the hood the new Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G packs blistering speed, with a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and lightning fast 4G. Does the rest of the device measure up? We take an in-depth look.

This model is available exclusively at T-Mobile USA for $150 with a two-year service contract and $50 mail-in rebate. Without the contract it's $450.

Build & Design

Given its name, you would expect that the Galaxy S Blaze 4G is a rewarmed version of the two-year-old Galaxy S in a new package. Well, not exactly. While it has undeniable similarities, it's clear that the Blaze has been through quite a retrofit, delivering a much more modern experience.

The first impression you get from holding the Blaze is that it's remarkably light, even for a keyboard-less device. There's several reasons for that, including the screen (which we'll talk about in a minute) and the relative simplicity of the design.

This smartphone's design is very minimalist: no clutter, no extra parts, it's pretty much just literally the screen and the battery. Nicely enough, the microSD card is accessible from a side door without removing the main battery cover.

The Blaze probably isn't the most bulletproof device in existence, given how light it is, but there's nothing really to complain about with the build quality. It's simple, it's solid, and northing's going to pop off or go bad too quickly. It's simplicity in action.

Screen

Part of the reason for the Blaze's lightness is its Super AMOLED screen. Displays of this type use a single layer of glowing elements to form the picture, instead of regular LCDs which have one layer to create a picture and another to light it up. This makes Super AMOLED thinner and lighter than other screens, as well as providing better contrast, with black actually appearing as black rather than dark grey. The Blaze uses the same basic Super AMOLED screen seen in a lot of Samsung's older or mid-range models, not as clear and vivid as the ones in the Galaxy S II and Samsung Infuse, but still nice. Even contrasted against your average, more modern LCD, it's going to hold up very well.

Performance

Without a doubt, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G's highest end spec is its processor: a whopping 1.5 GHz dual-core chip gives it as much raw power as just about any smartphone out there, even the higher end stuff. That makes it an ideal choice for games and high-end video for those who don't want to break the bank. Using Quadrant Standard benchmarks, the Blaze earned a whopping 3565 average. When you consider that the Verizon flagship Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX only scores around 2700, that's impressive.

Once you branch out past the processor though, the Blaze is pretty standard mid-range fare. Running on the slightly older Android OS 2.3 (Gingerbread), it isn't the sort of device I'd expect to see get an Android 4.0 upgrade, so don't count on it. But then, there's as yet very little real advantage using 4.0, as most apps are still designed for 2.3.

A lot of the online spec sheets about the model are wrong: it definitely does not have 16 GB of memory. Instead, it has 4 GB internal (of which 2 GB are available) and is pre-loaded with a 4 GB microSD card. That adds up to a reasonable amount for a middle of the road device, but not nearly so exciting as if the spec sheets had been right.

One unfortunate quality is that the Blaze comes stocked with a lot of T-Mobile branded "bloatware" apps. While it's not quite as bad as some of the Verizon models, the ten -- yes, ten -- T-Mobile branded apps like their own app store, their own version of 411, their own version of caller ID, etcetera, do tend to be tiresome. And they can't be uninstalled, although you can at least remove the widgets that come plastered all over the home screen.

Communication

While T-Mobile is currently the only major provider that isn't deploying an LTE network, that doesn't mean you should underestimate their own high speed internet options. The carrier's souped-up HSPA network is still amply capable of delivering broadband at speeds of 10 to 12 megabits downstream, which is competitive with even Verizon's 4G LTE service. Uploading is slower, but not so slow that it should bother you unless you're sending 50 MB videos on a regular basis.

A nice thing about T-Mobile's service that you can't get elsewhere is their WiFi Calling option. Basically, whenever you're hooked up to WiFi your T-Mobile Android phone will default to running your phone's voice, data, and messaging all over the WiFi connection. This effectively gives you the same thing as native T-Mobile service anywhere you can get WiFi, even if you're way, way out in the boondocks, or buried deep in an office building with no other reception. And unlike the signal boosters offered by other providers, you don't need any special hardware or setup, and it works anywhere.

One slightly surprising inclusion on the Blaze is Near Field Communication, or NFC. This is a means to transmit small bits of information such as URLs, contact information, or other bits of text. This can be device to device, like sharing a contact; picking up a URL from an NFC-enabled poster or advertising display; or transmitting data or an authorization from your phone to another device. NFC hasn't seen much adoption in the US, but Google has been pushing it for use with their "Google Wallet" service, essentially trying to make your smartphone into also being your credit card. Although why you'd want that, I have a hard time imagining.

Productivity

Unfortunately the Blaze doesn't stock over-much in the way of productivity software. Beyond the standard email, contacts, and organization apps, the only other particularly useful thing it sports is a copy of Polaris Office, allowing you to work with Microsoft Office documents while on the go.

Entertainment

There's much more of an emphasis on entertainment with the Blaze, with not just Google's own music, books, and video apps included, but also clients for T-Mobile's version of MobiTV, Netflix, and Zinio. All of which, unfortunately, require paid subscriptions to get the most out of them, but at least they mostly offer free trials too.

Camera

In the camera department, this Samsung smartphone unfortunately hasn't gotten an upgrade from its ancestors. While its 5 megapixel camera is a fairly standard resolution, the optics leave a lot to be desired, giving you fuzzy photos lacking in detail compared to other phones based on more recent designs. Even in good light, you will lose a lot of detail.

Battery Life

Despite being a fairly slim and light device, the Blaze packs a 1750 mAh battery. That's close to standard size if you're talking about devices running on LTE, but for T-Mobile's network it's well above the rest of the crowd, giving the device excellent battery life. It's pretty safe to say that you'll get through the day with this thing even if you're using it roughly with a lot of 4G and the brightness cranked up.

Conclusion

All in all, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G makes for a fairly good Android phone. Is it worth your $150? I would give it a conditional yes. Of all the major carriers, T-Mobile probably has the scarcest options in terms of good Android devices. Compared to the rest of the carrier's offerings, the Blaze makes a decent mid-point between the newer Samsung Galaxy S II on the higher end, and the truly cheap options like the T-Mobile Sidekick 4G and the Samsung Exhibit II.

That said, the Blaze isn't going to match up with the amount of bang for your buck that you'd get on other carriers. The same price on AT&T or Verizon would net you a better phone -- but also a higher monthly bill than you'll get with T-Mobile. Either way, you get what you pay for.

Although it may not be the best Android phone available for its $150 suggested retail price, the Blaze is still a pretty good device, and it's one of the few "small" Android devices on the market that still has a truly high-end processor in it. That alone may merit some attention. Otherwise though, I would call it a solid mid-range choice for those who don't need the Galaxy S II, and one they'll likely be very happy with.

Pros:

Slim and light

Great battery life

Fast processor

Cons:

Other specs are less impressive

Lots of clutterware

Slightly higher price than comparable devices on other carriers

Bottom Line

A decent but not extraordinary device, the Blaze 4G is a good choice for those who want a mid-range device on T-Mobile, or a compact Android phone with a fast processor.

Samsung NX20: First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 04:48:00 +0100

On a recent trip to Samsung's Seoul headquarters I got the opportunity to use the new NX20, and get a feel for how it performs. I only had a short time with a pre-production camera, but overall, my impressions of its handling and performance are very positive. Certainly, anyone who has used and liked the NX20's predecessor, the NX10, will find little to complain about in the new model, and much that is very familiar.

Where it sits in the lineup

The NX20 sits at the top of Samsung's totally refreshed NX lineup, above the NX210 and NX1000. All three are based around the same 20MP CMOS sensor and all offer eight frame-per-second continuous shooting and Wi-Fi-connectivity and control, but the NX20 includes a handful of feature unique within the range.

The NX210 doesn't include a viewfinder, nor is its OLED screen articulated - making it less expensive - but it steps forward from the NX200 by adding Wi-Fi, faster continuous shooting and the option to use a cable shutter release and proprietary external microphone. The NX1000 is less expensive still, and features a plastic body, VGA rear screen and retractable kit zoom. Here we'll mainly look at the features of the NX20 that it offers over these other cameras, since they are what makes it the range-topping model.

Articulated 'Clear' AMOLED display

Externally, the most obvious difference between the NX20 and its predecessor is an articulated rear screen. The 3" AMOLED display offers VGA-equivalent resolution in the now-familiar Samsung 'pentile' arrangement, giving a perceptual resolution higher than its relatively-low dot-count of 614k dots might suggest. It's the same underlying OLED panel that we've seen on all of the NX models so far, and as such it is contrasty and detailed, with a wide viewing angle. Articulation makes the screen that bit more usable, of course, especially when it comes to shooting video or stills from high and low angles.

The NX20's display itself might offer the same specification as the previous-generation NXs, but there is one significant design change - the air-gap between the display and protective covering has been eliminated by filling it with a UV-cured resin that reduces internal reflections to improve contrast and visibility in bright lighting conditions. Samsung claims that this 'Clear AMOLED' display offers a 20% improvement in contrast ratio and, although I wasn't able to test the NX20 alongside an NX10, it does seem to deliver a genuine benefit in terms of clarity, and I was impressed by how usable the screen is in direct sunlight.

Aside from the articulated screen, the NX20 handles in a very similar way to the NX10. The main difference from more recent cameras like the NX100 and NX200 the provision of an electronic viewfinder, but the grip too has been changed - it is now more pronounced, making the NX20 a generally 'rounder' and more comfortable camera to hold. Where the NX200 looks sharp and stylish, the NX20 looks softer, curvier and more welcoming.

The softer, more rounded design belies a serious feature set though - 8fps at full-resolution and an electronic first-curtain shutter allowing a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 sec with reduced shutter lag (40 milliseconds) are both pretty impressive. These improvements will be welcomed by enthusiast photographers, as will a new 'Custom Mode' feature that allows you to save up to three shooting setups as custom shooting modes. These can then be recalled, either from the Smart Panel, or from a dedicated 'C' position on the exposure mode dial.

Custom shooting modes can be named using an on-screen text-entry dialog or if you're in a hurry, saved automatically by date. Existing features have been given a refresh too - we've been very impressed by the evolution of Samsung's 'iFn' on-lens function feature in the NX range, and iFn 2.0 adds even more options. It's great to see an electronic spirit level added to the NX20, too, which indicates roll and pitch.

The 100% coverage electronic viewfinder is the key differentiator between the NX20 and the NX210, and although I was using an early sample which I was told may not have been up to production quality, I enjoyed using the finder for image composition. The resolution of the NX20's EVF is SVGA (800 x 600 pixels, 1.44M dots), and in my experience remains pleasantly contrasty and detailed in all but the strongest side light (where like the NX10, the screen image is prone to 'flaring out').

The only serious annoyance that came out of my short time with the NX20 was related to the position of its direct movie recording button. I shot a lot of movie clips on the NX20 when I used it, but most of them were recorded accidentally thanks to the prominence of the movie record button on the upper right shoulder of the camera.

Apart from this minor irritation though the NX20 is, like its predecessor, a pleasant camera to use, with an interesting and competitive feature set. The addition of Wi-Fi is of huge significance to Samsung as a step on the way to achieving its stated aim of creating a generation of 'connected cameras' and refinements like increased continuous shooting speed and display articulation add real benefit in day to day shooting.

I wasn't able to save (or even closely examine) images from the NX20 that I used in Korea, but there is nothing to suggest that image quality won't be broadly in line with our expectations based on experience with the NX200, which uses the same 20MP CMOS sensor. We should be receiving an NX20 shortly, and we will publish a more in-depth assessment and sample images as soon as possible.

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Nikon D3200 Hands-on Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 01:32:00 +0100

Nikon has updated its entry-level DSLR offering with the addition of a 24MP CMOS sensor. This makes it equal to Sony's A65, A77 and NEX-7 in offering the highest pixel count we've yet seen at the APS-C sensor size, and second only to the full-frame professional-grade D800 in Nikon's entire range. The significant thing, though, is that it does so at a starting price of $699 (the same launch price as the D3100 and Panasonic DMC G3, for comparison). It may not be revolutionary, but it promises a lot of camera for a competitive amount of money.

Pixel-count aside, the changes from the D3100 are subtle but, with 1080p30 video, a 920k dot LCD and the option to add an affordable Wi-Fi transmitter, there are clear benefits over the D3100's pretty capable specification. As usual for Nikons at this level, the D3200 doesn't feature a built-in focus motor, doesn't offer auto exposure bracketing and has simplified Active D-Lighting options but beyond these, there's little missing that you could reasonably expect for this class of camera. It even regains the option to trigger the camera with an infrared remote - with the inclusion of sensors on the front and rear of the camera.

The inexorable rise of the mirrorless camera has undoubtedly put particular pressure on the entry-level end of the large sensor market. The smaller body sizes of mirrorless cameras, combined with their more compact-camera-like operation has helped win-over some people who would otherwise have bought a DSLR, as well as drawing people away from high-end compacts. However, entry-level DSLRs still offer a very attractive and polished photographic tool - and with continuous autofocus behavior that no mirrorless camera has come close to matching (aside from Nikon's own 1 V1 and 1 J1, which feature smaller 'CX' sensors). With this in mind, it's understandable Nikon would wheel-out a camera with a big headline specification to look impressive on the shop shelf.

Although its upgrades aren't necessarily the product of great leaps of ingenuity, the D3200 is a continuation of a carefully evolved - and tailored to suit its market - line of cameras, that offers tremendous capability with well thought-out ease-of-use. If the image quality comes anywhere near that of the 24MP Sonys, the D3200 is going to be a tough camera to compete with.

The only thing that seems odd on the D3200 is the lack of image processing filters at the point of capture. Since Olympus introduced its Art Filters to the E-30 back in 2008, processing filters have become increasingly common on most cameras. And, while they're not an essential feature by any means, they're nice to have, especially in a camera at this level. Given that Nikon's P7100 offers a selection of special processing effects, it's a little odd not to see them here. There's an option to re-process JPEGs, though - with examples in our preview samples gallery.

Nikon D3200 specification highlights

24MP CMOS sensor
ISO 100-6400 (plus ISO 12,800-equivalent Hi1 setting)
Expeed 3 processing
3.0", 920k dot screen
Full HD 1080p30 video (with 25p and 24p options)
Microphone socket
Twin IR remote receivers
4 frame-per-second continuous shooting
Guide mode

Compared to its peers:

Side-by-side against the Panasonic G3, it's immediately apparent the size trade-off you make to retain an optical viewfinder. In this comparison the mirrorless Panasonic has a slightly smaller sensor, but Sony's NEX and Samsung's NX models aren't much larger than the G3 while boasting APS-C sensors.

The D3200 is very similar in size to Canon's Rebel T3/EOS 1100D, with which it nominally competes. The T3, while a very likeable camera, looks very off-the-pace with its 12MP sensor, 720P movies and 230k dot screen.

Wi-Fi option (WU-1a)

Alongside the D3200, Nikon announced an optional Wi-Fi transmitter for the camera. The WU-1a clips into the USB socket of the D3200 and allows you to broadcast its images to smartphones and tablets running a Nikon app. The unit allows the camera's live view output to be streamed to the smart device and allows images to be shot remotely (at a distance of up to 49ft, but with no control over the camera's settings).

Initially an app will be available for Android phones and tablets, with an iOS version expected in fall/autumn 2012. We're told the app will allow either full-size or VGA-resolution images to be transferred from the camera, but we have yet to see how long it would take to grab a 24MP image. We would also like to see how securely the unit attaches to the camera, given that it sticks out of the side, and looks like it might be a little easy to dislodge. It also requires the port cover that reaches all the way up the camera's flank to be left hanging open all of the time that it's in use.

First Impressions: Using the Nikon D800

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 6 Jun 2012 04:59:00 +0100

As updates go, the Nikon D800 is a pretty major one. Compared to its predecessor the D700, Nikon's newest DSLR features an impressive set of key specifications, and subtly refined ergonomics, too. After more than three years we expected the D800 to outclass its predecessor, but products don't exist in a vacuum, and it wasn't long after the 12MP D700's announcement that Canon brought out the movie-shooting EOS 5D Mark II.

Not only was the 5D II Canon's first video-equipped DSLR, but at 21MP it offered a class-leading pixel count, effectively equal in resolution to Canon's professional EOS-1 Ds Mark III. The D700 won plaudits for its versatility, low light image quality and 51-point autofocus system, but it couldn't compete with the 5D II on resolution, or of course, video.

The D800 changes all that. Compared to the D700, the D800 is a thoroughly modern camera, boasting a highly advanced feature set for both still and video shooting. At 36.3MP the $3000 D800 comfortably eclipses its competitors in terms of pixel count and makes the $8000 Nikon D3X look distinctly irrelevant, too.

Compared to D700: Specification highlights

36.3MP CMOS sensor (compared to 12.1MP)
15.3MP DX-format capture mode (compared to 5MP)
25MP 1.2x Crop mode
51-point AF system with 15 cross-type sensors, rated to -2EV* (compared to -1EV)
ISO 100-6400 extendable to ISO 25,600 equiv (same as D700)
1080p video at 30, 25 or 24 frames per second, up to 24Mbps, with uncompressed HDMI output and audio monitoring options*
3.2", 921,000 dot LCD with anti-fog layer* (compared to 3in, 921k-dot)
Maximum 4fps continuous shooting in FX mode, 6fps in DX mode** (compared to 8fps in FX mode)
Advanced Scene Recognition System with 91,000 pixel metering sensor* (compared to 1005-pixel)
'Expeed 3' Image Processing*
Dual-axis Virtual Horizon (on LCD screen/viewfinder)* (compared to single-axis)

* Same or almost identical to Nikon D4

** Maximum frame rate in DX mode is dependant on power source

We've had a D800 in the office for a few days, and we've spent that time shooting with the camera not only in our studio but also out in the big, bad 'real world'. We're some way off being able to publish a full review, but I wanted to share with you some first impressions. You've already read our in-depth preview, and you know what the professionals think, but now that we've got a production sample to play with, I want to give you an idea of what the D800 is actually like to use.

Handling

The D700 was a generally pleasant camera to hold and use, and so is the D800. Nikon hasn't made many drastic changes to the handling experience, and those that it has made are broadly in line with Nikon's design philosophy for 2011/12. Gone is the 'traditional' MF/AF-S/AF-C focus mode switch on the lens throat, to be replaced by the same combined MF/AF switch and AF mode button control that we've seen on the D7000 and D4. This updated approach to focus mode selection is nice and neat, because it associates all of the many options with a single physical control point, but as I pointed out in my recent article about the D4, it does make switching between AF-S and AF-C less rapid than it used to be.

Of more signficance to the average D7000 user will be the D800's updated drive mode dial and dedicated live view switch. Live view mode on the D700 was very much a 'first generation' implementation and although effective and useful, setting it via the drive mode dial was a pain, especially if you needed to grab a quick high or low-angle shot.

Improved Automatic ISO Sensitivity Mode

The D800's automatic ISO mode is inherited from the D4 and is improved over the same mode in earlier Nikon DSLRs. Previously, auto ISO customization was minimal, and consisted simply of an option to set the maximum ISO and minimum shutter speed when the camera was used in auto ISO mode. The currently-set ISO counted as the minimum ISO sensitivity (and in fact still does). This system was fine for shooting with a fixed focal length lens, but less useful with zoom lenses, where a 'safe' minimum shutter speed at either end of the focal range might be several stops apart.

In the D4 and D800, Nikon has (at long last) added an 'Auto' option to the minimum shutter speed options, which allows the camera to automatically set the minimum shutter speed based on its knowledge of the focal length that you're working at. This response can be biased in 5 steps, from 'slow' to 'fast' depending on whether you'd like the camera to err on the side of slower or faster shutter speeds. A small change but one that takes Auto ISO a little closer to being the 'set and forget' function that it should have been long ago.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 4 Jun 2012 04:14:00 +0100

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 is a compact travel zoom camera with a pretty elaborate GPS setup. Not only does the ZS20 log your location, it also has a database of a million landmarks and maps of ninety countries. The ZS20 also packs a new 20X zoom lens, 14.1 Megapixel MOS sensor (which Panasonic says has less noise than the CCD used in the ZS10), super-fast autofocus, 10 frame/second continuous shooting, a great auto mode, in-camera panorama stitching, and Full HD 1080/60p video recording.

Compared to ZS10 and ZS15

As with all of Panasonic's recent travel zooms, the ZS20 has a little brother known as the DMC-ZS15. The ZS15 shares much in common with the ZS20, except for its lens (same as the ZS10), sensor (which is the same as the one on the DMC-FZ150 super zoom), and movie mode. It also lacks the touchscreen LCD and GPS functionality found on both the ZS10 and ZS20.

If you read last year's GPS-equipped Compact Ultra Zoom comparison, you may recall that I was quite disappointed with the DMC-ZS10, mostly due to its image quality. Panasonic says they've taken care of that on the ZS20. Did they? Find out now in our review!

Note that the DMC-ZS20 is known as the DMC-TZ30 in some countries. The DMC-ZS15 is also known as the DMC-TZ25.

What's in the Box?

The DMC-ZS20 has a rather unremarkable bundle. Then again, so do most cameras these days. Inside the box, you'll find:

The 14.1 effective Megapixel Lumix DMC-ZS20 digital camera
DMW-BCG10 lithium-ion battery
AC-to-USB adapter
Wrist strap
USB cable
DVD featuring PhotoFunStudio 8.1 Premium Edition, Map Tool, and LoiLoScope trial
34 page basic manual (printed) + full manual (on CD-ROM)

Despite being their flagship travel zoom camera, Panasonic has built just 18MB of memory into the DMC-ZS20. Needless to say, you'll want to buy a memory card right away, unless you have one sitting around already. The ZS20 supports SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards, and I'd recommend a 4GB card for most folks, and an 8GB or 16GB card for movie enthusiasts. You'll want a card rated Class 6 or faster for best performance, especially when it comes to movies.

The DMC-ZS20 uses the same DMW-BCG10 lithium-ion battery as its predecessor. This battery packs just 3.2 Wh of energy into its plastic shell, but thankfully Panasonic manages to squeeze pretty good battery life out of it, as you can see in this table. Note that battery life numbers are provided by the manufacturer, and are calculated with the GPS turned off.

The ZS20's battery life is a bit above the group average. That said, you might want to pick up a spare battery, as that GPS is power-hungry, especially if it's on all the time (more on that later). An extra battery will set you back around $32.

Panasonic has changed the way in which batteries are charged on their 2012 models. Batteries are now charged internally via the USB connector, which can be plugged into the wall or your PC. The reason why manufacturers are using this method more and more is pretty obvious to me: it costs a lot less to include a small AC-to-USB adapter than a full external charger. The bad news is that internal charging is a lot slower -- it takes a whopping 260 minutes to fully charge the ZS20's battery. Thankfully, Panasonic still sells the external charger (model DE-A65BA), which can be yours for about $25. It's more convenient than internal charging, allows you to charge a spare, and it's 100 minutes faster, too.

Something else about the included charger: while it's an AC adapter, you cannot use it to power the camera -- it's for charging only. If you want to use the ZS20 on "shore power", then you'll need to buy the hard-to-find AC adapter listed below.

Optional Accessories

A pretty short list, yes, but then again, the ZS20 is a compact camera. As I've hinted at several times, Panasonic accessories can be very hard to find - I don't even have prices for half of the stuff!

Panasonic includes PhotoFunStudio 8.1 Professional Edition software with the Lumix DMC-ZS20. This Windows-only software handles basic tasks fairly well, though the whole "wizard" system gets tired quickly. On the main screen you'll see the usual thumbnail view, and you can view photos by folders, date, or by things as specific as scene mode. The software can learn to recognize faces (much like the camera itself), which offers you another way to browse through your pictures. Available editing features give you the ability to crop, rotate, or change the aspect ratio of your photos, as well as adjusting color, brightness, saturation, and more. You can apply special effects to photos, overlay text, or remove redeye. Something else that's nice is that the software maintains a history of the changes you've made to a photo, so you can go back in time if you don't like something you've done.

Another included program is Lumix Map Tool (for Mac and Windows), which lets you choose which maps of the world you want to load onto your memory card. The North/Central America map is 1.88 GB, so maybe getting that 8 GB SDHC card isn't such a bad idea, after all. Another important application, known as GPSASIST, is actually built into the camera itself. When you attach it to your Mac or PC via USB, select "GPS Assist Data" on the camera, and you'll find the software on the virtual disk mounted by the camera. Loading the GPS Assist Data can reduce satellite acquisition times.

As with other recent Panasonic cameras, the ZS20's manuals are split into two parts. In the box is a leaflet that will get you up and running, but not much further. For more information about the camera, you'll have to load up the full manual, which is in PDF format on the DVD that comes with the camera. The full manual certainly won't win any awards for user-friendliness, but it should answer most questions you'll have about the ZS20. Instructions for using the included software is installed onto your PC.

This review was first published at www.dcresource.com, and is presented here with minimal changes, notably the inclusion of a full set of product images, our usual studio comparisons and an expanded samples gallery, plus the addition of a standard dpreview score.

Analyst Says the Apple iPhone 4S Is Heading for Sprint, T-Mobile

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 1 Jun 2012 08:28:00 +0100

The next smartphone from Apple will be called the iPhone 4S, according to one industry analyst. This model will supposedly be offered by not just AT&T and Verizon, but also Sprint and T-Mobile.

This information comes from Peter Misek, a telecommunications analyst from Jefferies & Company, who says he got it from "industry checks". Apple itself has not yet said anything about its next-generation handset, which up to now many have been calling the iPhone 5.

For many years, AT&T was the exclusive provider of Apple's smartphones. Earlier this year, though, Verizon was allowed to introduce the iPhone 4. So adding two more carriers to this list would be a departure from Apple's current strategy, but not a huge one.

According to Misek, some versions of the iPhone 4S will support HSPA+, a 4G wireless networking standard used by AT&T and T-Mobile. It won't, however, have LTE or WiMAX, the 4G standards used by Verizon and Sprint, respectively. AT&T is also building an LTE network, and Apple supposedly wanted to add LTE support but the necessary chips won't be ready in time.

The analyst from Jefferies went on to predict that this model will have better cameras, though he didn't specify what the new resolutions for the front- and rear-facing camera will be. Previous reports have said the rear-facing one is going to jump from 5 megapixels to 8 megapixels.

He also said that it is going run the Apple A5 1 GHz dual-core processor. This same processor is used in the Apple iPad 2, and there's a general consensus that this company's next-generation smartphone will be built around it too.

Misek's sources said the smartphone will include unspecified "minor cosmetic changes". However, they apparently made no mention of the next iPhone having a larger screen, a feature of many previous reports about this handset. According to those earlier sources, this bigger display will not increase the overall size of the device. A few images and renderings supposedly showing this new configuration have appeared on the Web.

Coming this Fall?

This analyst said nothing about when the iPhone 4S is going to be released, just that it's headed for all four of the top U.S. wireless carriers. However, there's growing evidence from other sources that it's not going to hit store shelves until months after many had previously expected.

For several years now, Apple has released a new smartphone near the beginning of each summer. This year many be different. There are reports from an array of sources such as analysts and even an AT&T employee that the fifth-generation iPhone isn't going to debut until late summer or early fall.

Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS:

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 May 2012 11:48:00 +0100

Hands On Review

Last year's Canon SD4000 IS was the first ELPH to approach high-end compact territory, a realm previously reserved for Canon's S and G series models. The SD4000 combined a bright lens, reliable image processor, and a new sensor that was designed for quick performance and extra sensitivity to light. It worked out well, and the SD4000 nabbed some strong reviews and favorable comparisons to the Canon S90 advanced compact. It set the stage for a wave of lower-cost Canons with the same processor/sensor combination -- now branded as the High Sensitivity (HS) system -- and changed the point-and-shoot landscape for the better.

As it tends to go in the camera world, Canon has already replaced the SD4000 with the ELPH 500 HS. The familiar lens/processor/sensor combo remains, but the interface has been overhauled, now sporting an enormous touchscreen and very few physical buttons. Can this trendy new design can make a great thing even better? Read on to find out.

Body & Design

The ELPH 500 is a small camera, but a bit too bulky to be considered an ultra-compact model. Its body is roughly the same size as this year’s S95, though the design is most similar to last year’s SD4000, with rounded corners, soft lines and a vaguely bulbous profile. It falls somewhere between the homely SD4500 and sharp-dressed ELPH 300, but of course, true beauty is in the eye of the photographer.

A 3.2-inch, wide-format, touchscreen LCD gobbles up most of the rear panel. Most of the controls flow through that monolithic monitor, so there are just a few physical buttons. A lonely playback key sits to the right of the screen on the rear. Up top, from left to right, there’s a slider to switch between Auto mode and, well, "not Auto" modes; a power switch; and the shutter release, encircled by a zoom tilter.

There isn't much of a button layout to speak of, so ergonomics are a secondary concern here (though I’ll get to the touchscreen’s implications in the User Experience section below). There is just one notable design issue: Like the other Canons we’ve tested this year, the shutter release is flush with the body. It looks cool, but it’s difficult to find by touch; a shaped or textured shutter release would improve usability.

A bright-and-wide 24-108mm (4.4x zoom) f/2.0-5.6 lens -- arguably the ELPH 500’s centerpiece, and one of the nicest lenses on any compact camera at this price -- sits up front, joined by the flash and LED focus-assist lamp. A big plastic panel covers the mini-USB, A/V out, and mini-HDMI ports on the right side of the camera. On the bottom, there’s a sliding door for the battery and SD/SDHC/SDXC card compartment, as well as a metal tripod threading.

Performance & User Experience

Whether they’re ELPHs or EOS dSLRs, Canon cameras are almost always a pleasure to use. Grandma and grandpa can figure out how to use them, and more importantly, actually like it.

Canon tries to port that user experience to a predominantly touch-based interface on the ELPH 500. The results are lukewarm. Touchscreens work wonders for smartphones and tablet computers, but not cameras. The best implementations keep the tried-and-true tactile controls, and use touchscreens to complement the user experience with functions like tap-to-focus. One can shoot an entire session with a camera like the Panasonic ZS10 and never use its touchscreen, but the touchscreen does open up some extra possibilities when they're appropriate.

With the ELPH 500, on the other hand, it’s almost impossible to work around the touchscreen. Basic functions like the shutter release and zoom are still tied to physical controls, but aside from a dedicated playback toggle, all the navigation and setting adjustments are touch-based. If it was as responsive as the iPhone, it might’ve worked, but it lags, and it’s a major drag on the user experience. Missed shots abound. Clumsy navigation awaits. The “buttons” are often too small. Scrolling is particularly frustrating. The battery life suffers as well, managing a middling 180 shots per charge. Aside from tap-to-focus, there is not a single function that a button-based interface could not have done better.

When the touchscreen can stay out of the way, the ELPH 500 is a nimble performer. From power-on, it’s ready to shoot in under a second. Autofocus is quite fast and accurate in good lighting, though there’s a noticeable drop-off when light starts to fade. Even so, shot-to-shot times are less two seconds under dimmer artificial lights. At its best, it can churn out a respectable 3.4 frames per second in continuous drive mode, matching the speed of entry-level dSLRs and significantly out-performing most run-of-the-mill point-and-shoots. It can maintain that pace indefinitely, so there’s no need to worry about filling up the buffer and missing any shots while the camera writes to the card. Slow(er) and steady wins the race, sometimes.

Straight-up Auto mode is easy to use and grabs a good exposure most of the time. A small handful of specific scene pre-sets are available under the “not Auto” tab, including Portraits, Foliage, and Kids & Pets, but Auto mode usually detects when it should use those presets anyway, so some users may never need to manually select them. Canon’s typical fun effects and filters are present, too, including Color Swap, Color Accent, Black & White, Sepia, so on and so forth.

Then there are the more "serious" modes. Like most of Canon’s recent compacts, the ELPH 500 has an in-camera high-dynamic range (HDR) mode, known here as Handheld NightScene. It snaps three or more rapid-fire shots at slightly different exposures, and combines them into one evenly exposed, almost surreal-looking image. Bright areas are controlled, dark areas are visible, and colors really pop. There’s also a dedicated Low Light mode, which boosts the ISO sensitivity and drops the resolution down to three megapixels. It’s only really useful in super-dark situations if you just want some semblance of a photo to (kind of) capture a moment.

And of course, the enthusiast's bread and butter: Program, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority (no full Manual exposure control, though). They offer the hands-on exposure control that experienced users want and that casual users can use to explore and experiment. But the touchscreen cripples them. “Scrolling” through apertures and shutter speeds is slow, inaccurate, and horribly painful. It’s there if you need it, but be ready to wait.

So the user experience is a big mixed bag with the ELPH 500. It does offer the best of what the Powershot line has to offer: A dead-on auto mode, useful (or at least fun) scene modes, some hands-on control, and nimble performance. It’s just all trapped in an irritating touchscreen interface.

Image & Video Quality

Canon’s ballyhooed High Sensitivity system is at the heart of the ELPH 500 HS (hence the “HS” tag at the end there). It’s a combination of the vaunted Digic 4 image processor -- found in any Canon camera worth its salt, from the pro-level 5D Mk. II down through this year’s A Series shooters -- and a 1/2.3-inch backside-illuminated CMOS sensor, which keeps shots looking clear at high ISO settings. It also has a wide-open f/2.0 maximum aperture, which lets in about as much light as any point-and-shoot out there.

In layman’s terms, that means that the ELPH 500 HS can take great pictures in pretty much any setting. Low-light image quality is a big selling point in particular. My photos from some nights out at a bar and a local rock concert are clearer and more evenly lit than I’d usually get from a compact camera. Details are a bit soft by the highest standards of low-light photography, but it’s easier on the eyes than the rough, splotchy noise and sloppy noise reduction that so many cameras pepper their pictures with at high ISO settings. I also took fewer blurry shots than usual; since the aperture is so wide, the shutter speed remains pretty quick even in the dark, reducing the chance that hand-shake will ruin the photo.

Bear in mind that the laws of physics still apply to the ELPH 500. The lens and sensor scoop a lot of light compared to plenty of point-and-shoots, but it’s still a small camera with a tiny sensor; it can’t keep up with a big-sensor mirrorless compact or dSLR. Even so, it’s a great low-light shooter by point-and-shoot standards. Shots up to ISO 1600 are still detailed and color-saturated -- totally usable for medium-sized prints, in other words. Up at ISO 3200, things get a bit fuzzier, but they’ll work for viewing on a screen.

It's a great shooter in bright situations and low ISO settings, too. My initial reaction was that details are a bit soft at the low end of the ISO range, but after comparing it to some of last year’s CCD-based Powershots, the difference is barely visible. (I generally find that CCD sensors produce sharper results than CMOS sensor at the lower-end of the ISO range, but quality degrades faster at higher ISO settings.) It's adept at capturing nuances in lighting, both in the dark and the daylight, and the wide-open lens can sometimes achieve the eye-pleasing shallow depth-of-field look (sharp subject, soft background).

Viewed at full resolution, the ELPH 500’s shots do have a bit of a dabbed-on texture, smooth rather than sharp, but I’d call it an aesthetic quality rather than a problem. Most compact-cam shooters rarely view their shots at full resolution anyhow. I'd bet my lunch money that if we lined up medium-resolution shots from the ELPH 500 and critically acclaimed Canon S95 side-by-side, most people would not be able to determine which camera took which photos, and some folks would even prefer the shots from the cheaper ELPH.

The ELPH 500 does run into a few issues, though, most of which S95 manages to avoid. At the widest, brightest lens settings, shots show some noticeable barrel distortion, though this is somewhat expected coming from a lens like this. There's also a slight tendency to blow out highlights (very bright areas of a shot), also likely due to the light-greedy lens. Some occasional green and purple fringing popped up in high-contrast areas, but again, this is expected to a degree, and far, far from the worst case I've seen. As usual with Canon compacts, automatic white balance tends to cast a yellow tint on pictures taken under artificial lights, so either find a better preset, or take twenty seconds to customize the white balance.

The most puzzling quirk, to me at least, was the random tendency to slightly underexpose shots taken in comfortable outdoor conditions. It happened to a couple shots in each of my test batches. It may have just been my particular camera, as I haven't heard of anyone else running into this problem. Weird. Anyhow, none of these issues should be deal-breakers, as they almost never ruin shots (nothing that 30 seconds of post-processing can't take care of), and the great overall image quality outweighs these minor inconveniences.

Video mode, as we've come to expect from Canon, is very good. The ELPH 500 shoots 1080p video at 24 frames per second for that classy cinematic look. Optical zoom is available while recording without much of an audible motor zoom. Low-light video quality holds up nearly as well as the still image quality. It's a perfectly suitable substitute for a standalone pocket camcorder -- it has a better zoom range, for sure -- and can capture some better-than-average clips for YouTube, though it's still just a compact camera video mode.

Conclusion

Canon's goal was clearly to make an ELPH that was high-end in every sense, but they got too ambitious. With the SD4000, they nailed down the formula for great performance and picture quality, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they should use that formula in another camera. They didn't need rocket scientists to design a touch interface either, but they should've at least found somebody who's used an iPhone for five minutes. The interface isn't frustrating just because it's a touchscreen. It's frustrating because it's just a bad touchscreen.

Ultimately, the ELPH 500 is still a solid camera. We recommend it, since it's almost impossible to find this kind of picture quality for $300. We're giving a low A minus rating, but it could've been a solid A or even a rare A plus if Canon had played it safe and paired the HS system with a tried-and-true button-based interface (for the same price, of course). There will be plenty of users who learn to live with the ELPH 500's control scheme. Those folks will probably have small fingers and shoot almost exclusively in Auto mode.

But any prospective buyers would do well to look at cameras like the Canon S95, a true advanced compact with an oversized sensor and a robust control scheme, or perhaps the Nikon P300, a high-end point-and-shoot with similar specs as the ELPH 500 but a traditional interface and higher price tag.

Pentax K-01 Hands-on Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 27 May 2012 14:22:00 +0100

The advent of mirrorless has offered camera makers the chance to move beyond the film-era definitions of just how a camera should look. And few have embraced this opportunity to defy convention as enthusiastically as Pentax. For a company that makes admirably no-nonsense DSLRs, its two mirrorless offerings are both interesting expressions of creative design. The Pentax Q is easily the smallest mirrorless camera on the market, with a sensor size to match while, with the K-01, Pentax also claims the crown for the largest mirrorless camera we've yet seen.

While the K-01 may (intentionally) look un-camera-like, its combination of mirrorless design and a sensor inherited from the excellent K-5 means it shouldn't be dismissed. If the K-01 can successfully combine best-in-class image quality with a dedicated live view camera and many of the K-5's photographic features, then it'll really be the worth some attention.

The K-01 is a camera that's likely to polarize opinion at first glance. Its bulky cuboid design is an inevitable consequence of having a full-depth K-mount. Its rather toy-like buttons and switches, however, were voluntary design choices that will put some people off. Aesthetics aside, it's another consequence of using a conventional K-mount that may present the K-01 with its greatest challenge. On the one hand, the K-mount means that the camera can use a vast range of legacy and current Pentax lenses - avoiding the lens drought that early system adopters usually have to endure. On the other hand, the K-01 is a contrast-detect camera in a system designed for phase-detection autofocus, a combination that has rarely resulted in great AF speed.

Also, because the K-01 doesn't have an aperture coupling, it has no way of working out what aperture a pre-1983 (pre-KA) lens is set to. Instead you have to use the green button, which stops down the lens and sets the shutter speed to the metered value for that aperture. This isn't necessary for KA and newer lenses.

With a list price of $749/£629/€823 body-only, it's a much cheaper camera than the K-5 and, with its unconventional styling, manual focusing aids and decent video specifications, there may yet be niches for the K-01 to thrive in. And that's before you start considering how many people would like a body on which to use their existing K lenses.

Pentax K-01 specification highlights:

16MP APS-C
6 frame per second shooting
Built-in image stabilization
Lens distortion and chromatic aberration correction
1080p video (30, 25 or 24)
Microphone socket with adjustable volume level
MF focus assist 'peaking'
Built-in HDR

Compared to the Pentax K-5

Canon PowerShot ELPH 510 HS / IXUS 1100 HS

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 25 May 2012 01:23:00 +0100

The Canon 510 HS (IXUS 1100 HS in Europe) is a small, stylish point-and-shoot camera that's packed with technology. Core features include a 12x optical zoom lens with an effective focal range of 28mm-336mm, a backlit CMOS sensor with a maximum output resolution of 12MP and a 3.2 inch touchscreen LCD, which is central to the camera's operation. Although Canon has recently refreshed its PowerShot lineup, the ELPH 510 HS, released late last year still boasts a compelling feature set.

Key Features:

12x zoom (28-336mm equivalent)

12.1MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor

ISO 100-3200

3.2in, 461k-dot PureColor II Touch LCD

Powered IS Smart Auto (32 scenes)

High-speed Burst (7.8fps) and Super Slow Motion Movie

iFrame movie

Movie Digest (combines still images with short video clips)

Creative modes

Hints & Tips

Weight (with battery): 206g / 7.27 oz.

Dimensions: 99 x 59 x 22mm (3.9 x 2.3 x 8.7in)

Click here for full product information including reader reviews and image samples (opens in new window)

The 510 HS comes bundled with a rechargeable battery and charger, a USB cable, wrist strap and a printed getting started guide. A full electronic manual is provided on a CD along with Digital Camera Solution Disk v. 93.0 JEC software, which includes ZoomBrowser 6.8 for Windows, ImageBrowser 6.8 for Mac along with Camera Window DC 8.6 and PhotoStitch 3.1/3.2. You'll need an SD/SDHC/SDXC card and, if you want to show off your photos and videos on an HDTV, pick up a mini-HDMI connector.

Available in silver, high gloss black or red, the stylish 510 HS measures a mere 3.9 x 2.32 x 0.86 inches, and at 7.27 ounces (206g) with battery and memory card, it slips easily into most pockets. As expected, there's no optical viewfinder but the 461,000 dot, 3.2-inch LCD is bright, clear and usable under almost all lighting conditions. As a touch panel, the 510's LCD responds to tap or touch (you can calibrate the screen for optimal responsiveness) and icons are large and easy to read. When enabled, the built-in help offers brief but useful explanations of the camera's various modes.

Handling and Operation

Although the touchscreen is reasonably responsive (to the extent that touching it almost always causes something to happen), scrolling through the vertical Function and Menu lists is laggy, frustrating and nowhere near as fluid as using a typical touchscreen smartphone. It does have its advantages though, including convenient touch-to-focus and touch-to-capture functionality (the latter can be turned off if you prefer to use the mechanical shutter release).

Since the ELPH 510's operation is so heavily dependant on its less than perfect touch-sensitive screen, it often takes longer to change settings than it might with a more traditional button-driven interface. On the plus side the GUI is customizable to an extent. I added ISO and white balance to the main screen for example since those are two of the settings I adjust most often. A Function option (also onscreen, available by touching the FUNC icon) is available to adjust white balance, ISO, metering, exposure compensation, among other settings but you'll still have to go to the main menu to change autofocus mode, activate red-eye correction, apply the wind filter and many other functions.

The only physical controls on the 510 are the playback button on the rear panel and the shutter/zoom lever combo, on/off button and a toggle switch to move between auto and non-auto shooting modes. In addition to Program, Auto or the standard scene modes, the 510 also boasts a range of interesting options including Movie Digest, which captures a video clip for each shot you take to create a visual diary of a day's shooting and Smart Shutter, which can be programmed to take a picture when your subject enters the frame or winks or smiles.

The camera also features a high speed burst mode of 7.8 frames per second (at 3 megapixels) and slow motion video. When set to Best Image Selection, the camera shoots a series of 5 images (again at a reduced resolution of 3 megapixels) and then automatically selects the best shot. Handheld night scene also captures a series of images and combines them to get the best exposed, least blurry photo. For fun, there are special effects like fisheye, miniature, and toy camera, which can also be used in video mode.

Sony SLT A57 Hands-on Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:36:00 +0100

Sony's original SLT models - the A55 and A33, showed the company was willing to try something different to compete with the well-entrenched SLR makers. With the SLT-A57, it looks like Sony is intent on competing more fiercely than ever. The specs may hint at a gentle update but, from what we've seen, it's an overall package that DSLR makers should take seriously.

For a start, it's based around the excellent 16MP sensor seen in many of the best current DSLRs and features a body more like the A65. But it also offers to make its wide range of features more easily accessible than before, helping the first-time user to get the most out of the camera.

We've enjoyed using the SLT cameras we've used so far. Concerns about light-loss, electronic viewfinders and ghosting may have made DSLR purists nervous, but most people who tried using the cameras couldn't help but be impressed. Having light constantly directed to the AF sensor meant the SLTs could offer autofocus both during video shooting and 10 frame-per-second shooting - a combination still unmatched at the consumer end of the market.

Even if you don't need any of the tricks its design allows, the fixed, semi-transparent mirror design also allowed Sony to make good on its ambitions of cameras that offer a seamless shooting experience whether shooting SLR-style or in live view. And this is an ability that shouldn't be under-appreciated - even if you're only used to shooting through a viewfinder, being able to shoot using the rear screen and have consistent operational behavior and speed is a real bonus.

The A57 can still shoot at 10 frames per second (or 12fps in an 8.4MP cropped mode), but it gains the ability to shoot 1080p video at 60 or 24 fps (50 or 25 on European models) and the high-contrast edge enhancing 'peaking' mode for manual focusing in video and with non-AF lenses. It also gains the now expected image processing 'Picture Effects,' such as retro, pinhole and miniature filters. But, more significantly, it gains the 'Clear Image Zoom' digital zoom mode that uses an image database to 'intelligently' interpolate between captured pixels to give full resolution output.

Making practical use of this ability, the A57 also has a mode that will re-process your people pictures with what it thinks is a better composition. It does this by searching for faces and re-cropping into portrait orientation with the subject's eyes positioned according to the rule-of-thirds. The crop is then re-sized back up to 16MP, using the Clear Image Zoom scaling.

The viewfinder, like the A55's, is still an LCD rather than the high-resolution OLEDs used in the more expensive models but even this has been tweaked. The magnifying optics in front of the LCD panel have been redesigned to allow more of the screen to be seen. There are also two magnification modes within the viewfinder, designed to change the eyepoint (viewing distance) of the finder to make life easier for users with glasses.

Key Specifications :

16.1MP CMOS sensor
Latest Bionz processor
Larger, FM500H battery (same as A65 and A77)
ISO 100-16000
Auto ISO 100-3200
1,440,000 dot LCD electronic viewfinder
920,000 dot bottom-hinged rear LCD
10 frame per second continuous shooting mode with AF (12fps at 8.4MP crop)
Picture Effects processing options
Clear View Zoom up-sizing digital zoom
Peaking manual focus guide overlay
1080p AVCHD 2.0 movies at 60 or 24 fps (50 or 25 in Europe)

Compared to the SLT-A55

Nikon D3200 Hands-on Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 7 May 2012 13:22:00 +0100

Nikon D3200 specification highlights

24MP CMOS sensor

ISO 100-6400 (plus ISO 12,800-equivalent Hi1 setting)

Expeed 3 processing

3.0", 920k dot screen

Full HD 1080p30 video (with 25p and 24p options)

Microphone socket

Twin IR remote receivers

4 frame-per-second continuous shooting

Guide mode

Compared to its peers:

Wi-Fi option (WU-1a)

Canon Powershot G12 Quick Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 7 May 2012 03:34:00 +0100

This is the latest in our series of 'Quick Reviews.' We use this format for cameras that are operationally similar and identical in terms of output to models we've already reviewed. We test to confirm the image quality is identical (noise tests and shots of our 'compared to' studio scene at all ISOs), then concentrate the review on the differences between the two cameras. To learn everything about the camera you are interested in we recommend reading not only the Quick Review but also the full review of the Canon Powershot G11.

Canon's Powershot G-series is a stalwart of the high-end compact camera market. Originally designed to offer film SLR users a (relatively) affordable ladder into enthusiast digital imaging, over the past ten years G-series cameras have evolved to become what they are now - aspirational, high-quality compact cameras and attractive second bodies for existing DSLR users, fitting into the niche between 'mainstream' compact offerings and small DSLRS.

As you may have seen in our recent high-end compact camera group test, competition in this segment of the market is fierce. But not only does the Canon Powershot G12 have to contend with this most recent crop of compact cameras, it also faces stiff competition from an entirely new category - mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. In recent months, Panasonic, Olympus, Sony and Samsung have started attacking the high-end compact market aggressively with high-quality, but small cameras with much larger (APS-C or Four Thirds) sensors. A camera like the recently unveiled Olympus PEN E-PL2 with its collapsible 14-42mm kit zoom isn't much bigger (or more expensive) than the G12, and it has a considerably larger Four Thirds sensor (over 5x the light-collecting area).

Along with the Nikon Coolpix P7000, the Canon Powershot G12 is the largest 'traditional' (i.e. fixed lens, small sensor) compact camera currently available. Is the convenience of its 28-140mm (equivalent) built-in zoom and articulated LCD enough to make it stand out from today's crop of compact and mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras? Read our quick review to find out.

Compared to Canon Powershot G11 - key differences

The G12 is extremely similar to its predecessor the G11 in terms of specification, but Canon has made some significant improvements. Here is a list of the key differences:
Slightly lighter (by 4g)
Higher resolution video mode (720p up from VGA)
ISO expansion up to 12,800 (at 2.5MP)
ISO control in 1/3EV steps
New front control dial (similar to that found on EOS DSLRs)
Greater choice of aspect ratios
Hybrid IS mode
HDR mode
Electronic spirit level
Tracking AF mode

S90, G11 and G12 compared (key differences)

Samsung Series 9 review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 5 May 2012 04:18:00 +0100

Simply super-looking. But power is sacrificed

When you think of the thinnest and lightest laptops in the world, a few names immediately spring to mind. For most people, the Apple MacBook Air would be the first, and for those in the know, the first Samsung Series 9 900X3A would be second.

Samsung has now released an update, concisely named the Samsung Series 9 900X3B, but the similarities between the two Series 9 codes doesn't really matter. The new 13.3-inch Series 9 will not only supersede its older brother as the flagship Samsung model, it also takes the crown of the world's thinnest laptop.

Wow factor and desirability are key to what Ultrabooks stand for, and this is also the ethos that has driven the Samsung Series 9's design. When closed, the laptop is just 14mm thick, and sits like a folded piece of paper on the desk.

Best Ultrabook: 15 top thin and lights for 2012

At first the Samsung Series 9 900X3B intrigues onlookers, but the real appreciation is saved for when it's picked up. The Series 9 weighs just 1.2kg, making it lighter than the MacBook Air, and thinner too.

It's impossibly strong, and there's zero flex in any part of the lid and keyboard, something that the Toshiba Portégé R830 suffers from.

Any Windows laptop released at the moment will be immediately categorized as an Ultrabook, but Samsung has opted not to allow Intel to brand the Series 9 900X3B with its new category.

The Samsung Series 5 is the company's official Ultrabook, and while it's a solid performer, uninspiring looks and bland design only make the Series 9 more appealing.

Samsung wouldn't be cowed on why it rejected the Ultrabook moniker for its flagship product, but the company takes pride in its Series 9, which extends across TVs and other consumer electronics. With Samsung trying to carve out a brand identity, it wouldn't want the Series 9 to be diluted with third-party labels.

Naming conventions aside, the Samsung Series 9 900X3B shares all of the same technology with the Ultrabook crowd, which is growing on a weekly basis. There's a low voltage 1.6GHz Sandy Bridge processor with Turbo Boost, fast resume from sleep, long battery life and decent graphical power.

Head-turning looks is one thing, but if you're paying out £1,200 for a laptop, it needs power. The Intel Core i5 2467M processor in the Samsung Series 9 900X3B is a middle-of-the-road offering that matches most of the Ultrabooks on the market.

For this top dollar price we'd have liked to see a top-of-the-range Intel Core i7, which is available on the £999 Asus Zenbook UX31. The problem for Samsung is that adding extra power means more heat, and that requires more cooling, which in turn adds bulk.

There are faster Ultrabooks on the market, such as the Asus Zenbook and Acer Aspire S3, but the Samsung Series 9 900X3B is more than capable of doing some light image editing and HD movie watching.

Our 3D graphics tests produced a lower score than a lot of its rivals, so it's certainly not the right choice for those who need buckets of power.

The decent processor is backed up by 4GB of RAM, which is standard for Ultrabooks and ultra-portable laptops. Intel's built-in HD graphics do the job nicely for basic tasks, and there's also an SSD drive, which massively boosts performance.

The Samsung Series 9 900X3B wakes from sleep in a blink of an eye, and is genuinely impressive.

We do have some issues with the Samsung Series 9 900X3B, which unfortunately spoil a blotless copybook. First up is the trackpad. We highlighted the problem on the first generation of the Series 9, and it's here again.

The multi-touch trackpad is super sensitive, and until you're used to it, it can have a mind of its own. We found that ignoring the physical button altogether is best, which diminished mis-presses and chaotic moments. But that habit can be hard to kick after a decade of laptop use.

The keyboard itself is a great size and very easy to use, with the right amount of travel, and good cushioning. It's not as comfortable to use as the superb keypad on the MacBook Air, but we were able to work for long periods, and made very few mistakes.

The keyboard is also backlit, and is clever enough to know when it's dark so there's no wasted power.

Benchmarks

Cinebench 10: 7,265

3D Mark 06: 3,577

Battery Eater 05: 172 mins

In our lab tests, the Samsung Series 9 900X3B offered mixed results, and whichever way you look at it, this is a portable PC that will appeal more to style-conscious web surfers than power users.

The processor tests revealed a good score for the Intel Core i5 processor, which is in line with other Ultrabooks, and the Apple MacBook Air. There's more than enough power to edit pictures and multitask your favourite programs without testing the limits of the chip.

However, the graphic benchmarks left a lot to be desired. As with most Ultrabooks, the Samsung relies on the built-in Intel HD 3000 graphics core, which delivers mediocre performance.

You can forget gaming, but there's enough power there to keep an HD movie smooth and seamless, and use programs such as Photoshop Elements.

We can forgive the poor graphical performance of the Samsung Series 9 900X3B, just because of its waif-like size. It's not designed to take on the might of the Apple MacBook Pro, and it's an achievement that a laptop this slim can still have enough power to be used as a primary machine.

On such a portable laptop, battery life is key, but this fell short of our expectations when tested in our labs.

We use a highly demanding testing process that involves looping HD video and performing an automated writing task until the battery dies. The Samsung Series 9 900X3B lasted 172 minutes - a little under three hours - which equates to five hours of light use.

To put these results in context, the Asus Zenbook UX31 lasted 234 minutes, and the MacBook Air 205 minutes under the same conditions.

One huge selling point of the Samsung Series 9 900X3B is its excellent screen, which is one of the best matt displays you'll find. It's pin-sharp and really bright, making it great for creative types and media lovers. But by dispensing with the visually enhancing glossy TFT coating, it won't be rendered useless in direct sunlight.

High definition movies looked superb, with vibrant colours punching out from the panel, and we would highly recommend it for anyone looking to pass the time on long commutes, or just catch up on TV shows in bed.

Despite the lack of graphical power and the mediocre battery and processor scores, using the Samsung Series 9 is extremely pleasurable, thanks to the responsiveness of the system.

The 128GB SSD hard drive does a lot of this work, enabling the Samsung Series 9 900X3B to start up in around 10 seconds.

The SDD and Sandy Bridge processor also combine for some scarily fast system resumption times. You can open the lid and have a responsive desktop in about two seconds, which is a big sell for anyone looking for the immediacy of a tablet, but functionality of a Windows PC.

The Samsung Series 9 900X3B is a fantastic-looking laptop that doesn't sacrifice usability like many ultra-portable laptops. Yes, there's a lack of power here, battery life is uninspiring and the price is colossal. Those things usually equate to a bad review, but the Series 9 commands a certain respect.

The engineering and vision that's gone into making something beautiful and unique goes beyond benchmark scores and gripes over price. We made excuses for the original Apple MacBook Air, which wasn't usable as a main machine.

We liked

The look and feel of the Samsung Series 9 900X3B is almost unrivalled. But aside form the design, we loved the speed and responsiveness of the system, thanks to the SSD drive.

The speedy resume from sleep, and the ability to be in a fully functional version of Windows in just 10 seconds makes the Series 9 as usable as a tablet, but infinitely more versatile.

We disliked

While we got used to the trackpad, we still found it to be a hindrance rather than an enabler. The input features - namely the trackpad and keyboard - can't touch the MacBook Air for quality, and that's a big issue.

Windows isn't really that gesture-friendly either, while OS X Lion is, so the only time we really noticed the amount of gestures on offer was when we'd accidentally zoomed Internet Explorer to the size of a postage stamp.

While five hours of light us is acceptable on any laptop, we were slightly underwhelmed by its poor score in our lab test. It was outstripped by many existing Ultrabooks, and for a laptop with the emphasis on portability, we'd like to have seen more longevity.

Verdict

The Samsung Series 9 900X3B is one of the best looking Windows laptops we've ever seen, and one of the most covetable, too.

There are performance issues, arising from its waif-like size, but it's still more than capable of serving most people's needs, while offering head-turning style that few competitors can offer.

Digital Cameras: The Top 10 Things You Need to Know

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 1 May 2012 12:33:00 +0100

1) Resolution is less important than you think

There is a popular misconception that more megapixels lead to better pictures. This is not the case.

Sure, higher resolution gives you the ability to crop more aggressively or print large pictures, but only a fraction of digital photographers will benefit from this ability. If you're a casual shooter who won't be printing pictures larger than 8x10" or doing extensive computer editing, then a camera with 5- or 6-megapixel resolution will be sufficient.

More advanced photographers will likely appreciate the flexibility of higher resolution, but a 10+ megapixel camera is by no means necessary to create stunning pictures. Choose a camera you can understand and afford, and don't be fooled by glitzy high-resolution specs.

2) Zoom is more important than you think

Whether you're shooting distant wildlife or close-up portraits, you can never have too much zoom. The majority of digital cameras have 3-, or 4x optical zoom, but you will never regret choosing a model with more telephoto power.

Fortunately the extended zoom camera category is growing rapidly, and there is a great selection of models with 8-, 10-, or even 12x optical zoom. For the ultimate in zoom control and quality, look for an extended-zoom camera with image stabilization, which will ensure that shots taken at full telephoto will be tack-sharp, even without a tripod.

3) Travelers should use cameras with AA Batteries

Digital cameras come in two varieties: those that use AA-size batteries and those that are powered by proprietary lithium-ion batteries. If you are a traveler, particularly someone who enjoys remote or rustic locations, choose a camera with AA batteries.

When a camera that uses proprietary batteries runs out of power, you have no choice but to plug the battery into a power outlet to recharge it. This requires an available outlet, a battery charger, and, if you're in a foreign country, a power converter. If access to an outlet is ever in doubt, or if you don't want the hassle of carrying cords and chargers, then the limitations of this system are obvious.

When a camera that uses AA-size batteries runs out of power on a trip, you can simply throw out the old batteries and drop in a new set of high-performance AAs like the Energizer E2 Lithium line. Two or three sets of such batteries can usually take you through a 10-day trip. If you're out of high-performance batteries, you also have the option of using standard alkaline batteries, which are available anywhere in the world, and make a cheap and convenient source of backup power (though they only offer a fraction of the life of high performance batteries).

Recent trips to Asia and Africa have borne this theory out—after my companions' cameras had been sidelined by dead batteries, I was still happily shooting away with my AA-powered Canon PowerShot.

4) Small cameras get shots that big cameras don't

Sure, that big, black SLR with the long lens may look fancy, but it won't do you any good if you're not carrying it. Never underestimate the importance of having a camera that is small enough to fit into your pocket—you'll be amazed at the spontaneous pictures you'll have the opportunity to take. While the photo quality produced by an ultra-compact does not equal that of a large SLR, the ability to whip it out and snap a shot while others are fumbling for their bulky cameras more than outweighs this drawback.

5) Canon makes great cameras

Canon digital cameras receive consistently great reviews, and for good reason: Over the last 2+ years, Canon has time and again proven itself capable of producing well-designed cameras that produce impressive results. From the EOS line of digital SLRs to the diminutive PowerShot ELPHs, Canon invests substantial time in the design process, and the results pay off—photographers of all abilities rave about their Canon cameras.

There have been some mistakes along the way—the Canon A70 was built with a design flaw that produces crippling error messages and black lines on the LCD, but newer models seem to be free of this problem. If you're looking for a great combination of features, price, and performance, Canon will almost always deliver. (NOTE: Digital Camera HQ is in no way affiliated with Canon, nor do we derive any benefit from recommending one brand over another).

6) Kodak makes great, easy-to-use cameras

When I bought my mother her first digital camera, I chose a Kodak, having read countless reviews that raved about their user-friendly controls. The reviews were right—Kodak's EasyShare digital cameras are remarkably easy to use: the menus are simple, the LCD text large and clear, and the controls largely self-explanatory. The results are just as impressive, with attractive, saturated colors and crisp definition. Don't be fooled into thinking that Kodak digital cameras are just for beginners, however—their simplicity aside, many of the high-end EasyShare models offer a full suite of manual controls for ambitious photographers.

7) Digital cameras can and will break

Whether it's due to accidental damage or simple wear and tear, digital cameras are not as durable as their film counterparts. Many photographers have film cameras that are ten or twenty years old—don't expect this kind of longevity from your new digital toy. Some cameras suffer from design flaws (like black lines on the LCD screen of the Canon A70), while others fall victim to the kind of mechanical breakdowns that effect every kind of electronic gear.

Does this mean that you shouldn't buy a digital camera? Absolutely not. A digital camera will so fundamentally change the way you think about photography that you will wonder how you ever got along without one. You must, however, be comfortable with the fact that one day your camera will cease to work.

For some, this knowledge may keep them from spending top dollar on a fancy camera; others simply accept it as the sole downside of working with digital. The most important thing is to do your homework before you buy—any fundamental design flaws will be quickly apparent in user reviews.

8) Don't put all your pictures on one card

After returning from a trip to Asia, I eagerly inserted one of my memory cards into a card reader to download my new pictures. For still unexplained reasons (likely a static electricity discharge), a card that should have held over 200 pictures was suddenly rendered blank. Two weeks and $250 later (thanks to www.drivesavers.com), I had recovered about 90% of my pictures, but the rest were lost permanently.

The moral of the story? Like any other technology, flash memory is not flawless. It is very rare to lose images, but it does happen, and the fact that I had spread my pictures between 5 memory cards protected me from the possibility of losing two weeks' worth of irreplaceable vacation memories. Given the choice between choosing a single 1GB memory card, or four 256MB cards, I will always choose multiple cards.

9) Find & use a simple photo editing program

Most digital photographers will never take the time to master expensive and powerful photo editing programs like Adobe Photoshop or Jasc Paint Shop Pro—these programs are too complex and time-consuming for all but the most dedicated photographers. Fortunately there are a variety of easy-to-use editing programs that even novice photographers can use to edit, improve, and organize their digital photos.

My favorite program is Picasa, and it is absolutely free at www.picasa.com. With Picasa you can perform all the basic editing tasks like sharpening, contrast correction, cropping, and straightening—most with just the touch of a button. Spend a few minutes on your best photographs and you will be amazed at the results. Picasa also make it incredibly easy to organize your best shots so you don't have to sift through hundreds of unwanted pictures to find your prizewinners.

10) Print and display your pictures

Far too many people take great digital images, only to have them languish in obscurity on their hard drive, never to be enjoyed by others. Don't let this happen to you.

Online image hosting and printing companies like Snapfish or Kodak Gallery can turn your digital images into high-quality prints of any size. You can simply upload your pictures onto the website. From there you can order prints of every size as well as photo mouse pads, calendars, t-shirts and other gifts. You can also send a link to friends so that they can view your pictures online and order their own copies.

If you want to see more of your own pictures, nothing beats using them as a screen saver on your computer. Simply right-click on your desktop, choose Properties/Screen Saver/Settings, and you can direct your computer to the pictures you wish to use. Set the screensaver to change images every 10 seconds and you'll have an instant slide show every time your computer is idle.

Samsung NX20: First Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 1 May 2012 02:03:00 +0100

Where it sits in the lineup

Articulated 'Clear' AMOLED display

Education, Linux and the BRIC

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:59:00 +0100

Some interesting news this week from Russia, where a Linux pilot may see all Russian schools switching over to the open source by the end of the year

Some interesting news this week from Russia, where a Linux pilot may
see all Russian schools switching over to the open source by the end of the year.

The project will see three schools trying out Linux, in order to save cash and to limit the use of pirated software, and if the move is successful, reports claim that all schools in the country will switch to Linux and open source software by the end of the year.

Russia isn’t alone in developing economies in adopting Linux in the public sector – in fact it’s the last of the BRIC countries to give official support for Linux in the education sector. China, Brazil and India have all seen government support for Linux, particularly in education, since the middle of this decade.

Government support for Linux may not have made much of a dent in Microsoft’s share of the desktop space, with most counties still showing a continued preference for Windows. But by taking alternative operating systems into schools, a generation of students is being exposed to open source and is learning that there is an alternative to Windows.

There are lots of commercial reasons still to use Windows or Unix if needs be, but for the education sector, even with added incentives for schools and colleges that are offered by many of the big IT vendors to use their products, or include them in the curriculum, you have to go a long way to beat free software.

But of course, it raises the question, of why haven’t any governments in the Gulf shown the same level of support for open source as other emerging markets? There are quite a few projects at individual schools and colleges, but no initiative, that I know of, to favor open source. Perhaps with a tightening of belts and a growing focus on improving the standard of education in state institutions in the region, we might see a change in the situation. Aside from any consideration of 'vendor' preference, to ignore open source in education is to ignore computing skills for students, and takes up budget that could be spent elsewhere.

Nokia Asha 303 Price in India and Specifications Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:33:00 +0100

Till some time back only local Indian mobile companies were successfull in low cost mobile. Howeever now even Nokia has launched some of its low price smartphones in India. Nokia Asha 303 price in India at Rs. 7,800 has proven this point very rightly. Despite Nokia Asha 303 price being at low level, there is no compromise on features. In fact, Nokia Asha 303 features on certain applications are even better than its competitors in the market. Also to add more fun, Nokia Asha 303 features 3G as well 3.5G connectivity which will ensure its users have access to fast speed download from internet.

Nokia Asha 303 price has been kept low keeping in mind demand for low cost smartphones in the market. Also this segment will bring highest growth rate in smartphones in coming period in Indian market. Usually people who have been using ultra cheap mobiles and also young professionals are main in this category.

Hence Nokia Asha 303 has both price and features matching the need of these people.

Nokia Asha 303 features enables its customers to customise home screen by aligning location as well as style of icons. Also users can select icons which they want to keep and remove rest of them so as to maintain efficienct usage. For giving style to home screen of Nokia Asha 303, users can install screen savers and wall papers of their choice which can be from movies, games, celebrities. Another aspect which can be used to customise home screen is MP3 ringtones which can be either downloaded from net or songs from mobile can be set as ringtone.

Nokia Asha 303 price in India and specs are really attractive for its intended customers. Some of the important Nokia Asha 303 specifications are Nokia store which has huge collection of bollywood and other songs and games of different variety. All these will ensure enduring entertainment and fun to its customers anytime and anywhere without any high cost. Also users can install applications of their own choice to make it more personalised.

In this way, Nokia Asha 303 price is highly justfied in Indian market. Also this smartphone is good buy for its target customers in the market.

Nokia Asha 303 Price in India and Specifications Review

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:33:00 +0100

Hence Nokia Asha 303 has both price and features matching the need of these people.

In this way, Nokia Asha 303 price is highly justfied in Indian market. Also this smartphone is good buy for its target customers in the market.

Modern Kitchen Design

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:53:00 +0100

Sometimes referred to as the heart of the home, the kitchen is a place to prepare and cook food and, depending on the size, can be used to eat and entertain guests. In Ancient Greek homes, this room was a central open air patio but it was not until around 1800 that the stove, which enclosed fire completely, made cooking indoors possible. As technology advances, so do kitchens' design and efficiency. The introduction of the kitchen island has lent more flexibility to the positioning of the kitchen cabinets and kitchen sink, and helped make open plan kitchens and dining rooms a reality.

Sony Launches SmartWatch: Android-Powered Wristwatch

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 01:03:00 +0100

Today, Sony launched SmartWatch MN2: a wristwatch-like device that allows owners to read text messages, social updates and emails, manage calls, as well as control music that is on an Android smartphone. It promotes easy access to those who prefer to keep their smartphones hidden in a pocket or bag.

The SmartWatch features a 1.3-inch OLED display. It has a selection of pre-loaded apps, including Facebook and Google Maps.In order to alert users for an event or an incoming call, the device simply vibrates.

The wristwatch is made out of aluminum and polished plastic and comes in a variety of colors such as blue, pink, and white. It also comes with a rubber wrist strap that comes in a standard black color.

In order to use the SmartWatch, it must first connect via Bluetooth to a device running Android 2.1 OS or higher. According to Sony, the product's battery life last about 3 to 4 days under typical usage, and approximately 14 days under standby. In order to charge the device, a user can simply plug it in through a USB connection.

For $150, Android users can purchase the Sony SmartWatch on the company’s store and online marketplace. The wristwatch will be available through other retailers soon. Customers can purchase separate wrist band colors for $20 each.

HTC Says No to Physical Keyboards

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 01:27:00 +0100

There's bad news for fans of smartphones with physical keyboards: HTC is going to stop making devices that include them.

Claude Zellweger, this company's creative director, said at a press event "As a company, the QWERTY keyboard we're moving away from in general. We feel that putting too much effort into that would take away from our devices."

Instead, HTC is going to work to improve the haptic feedback that is included with the on-screen keyboards it will use in future handsets.

Touchscreens vs. Keyboards

Many years ago, virtually all smartphones had a physical keyboard, with RIM's BlackBerry line and Palm's Treo models being the most obvious examples. Then Apple experienced huge sales of the first iPhone, which was focused entirely on its touchscreen, and other companies took note.

A few models with keyboards are still released each year, such as the Motorola Droid 4, the HTC EVO Shift 4G, and Samsung Stratosphere, but these are definitely in the minority. Instead, the focus is on ever slimmer designs.

Physical keyboards are usually most popular with businesspeople, as their main focus for their smartphone is generally email. This is part of the reason why RIM has continued to use them, and other companies have followed suit when making devices aimed at professionals.

MG Icon Concept preview

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:11:00 +0100

At the 2012 Beijing Auto Show MG will present the Icon Concept, a midsize SUV with a design inspired by the brand’s classic model.

At the upcoming Beijing Show (25 April – 2 May 2012), MG is unveiling the Icon Concept, which – as the name suggests – adopts a design influenced by MG’s heritage.

More specifically, the front end with the round headlights and chromed grille and the fastback rear end have some reminiscences of the MGB GT of the 1960s.

The interior is more futuristic and features a symmetric dashboard with integrated LCD displays.

Among the main design elements are the metal-finished stripes that run in the door panels and along the lower area of the dashboard and the three circular air vents at the center of the dashboard, visually recalled by the steering wheel center piece.

The rear seats can be folded to leave space for a flat cargo area.

According to the first information the car – developed by SAIC designers – is based on the Roewe 350 and could be launched on the market with a 1.5 liter gasoline engine and a choice between front- and all-wheel drive transmission.

Former BMW DesignWorks designer speculates on the production BMW i8

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:22:00 +0100

BMW DesignWorks former senior designer Sonny Lim has created a set of interesting renders that could preview the upcoming i8 production model, based on the recent spy shots and the i8 Spyder Concept.

The images created by designer Sonny Lim and published on his page on Behance showcase a possible production version of the i8 hybrid sportscar, with a more realistic bodywork, without the LED strips and with less intricate lines.

As reported, the i8 will have a shorter wheelbase and length, a total power output of 399 hp and will have a weight of approx. 1,450 kg, achieved through the extensive use of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

Lamborghini Urus Concept: first images

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:14:00 +0100

The first renderings of the Urus Concept, the high performance SUV that will be unveiled by Lamborghini at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show.

We report the first low resolution renderings of the Urus, the new SUV Concept set to debut as a static model at the upcoming Beijing Show.

The design study has an aesthetic language similar to the latest creations of the company, with aggressive, angular shapes and sharp lines.

The dimensions are generous (4.99 x 1.99 x 1.66 meters), and the proortions are close to those of the BMW X6, compared to which the Urus is 11 cm longer, 1 cm wider and 4 cm lower.

The exterior features distinctively sloped shoulder line, complemented by a descending roofline, while the stance is enhanced by the muscular rear shoulders and the 24-inch wheels.

The adoption of the current design language – already expressed with the Estoque and the Aventador, is evident in many details, including the color scheme, the carbon-fiber details, the Y-shaped headlights and the angular front air openings.

Active aerodynamics elements include an adjustable front spoiler, a variable ride height system and an adaptive rear wing.

The interior features four individual seats, a carbon-fiber trimmed dashboard and a touch screen on the center console.

The name Urus refers to the ancestor of domestic cattle. According to the first information, the car is planned to be produced in approx. 3,000 units per year.