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    Review: Arnova 7d G3

    Gadgets Team
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    Review: Arnova 7d G3

    One should not expect too much from a tablet. Tablets are simply made for on-the-go productivity and aren’t meant to replace a laptop or a smartphone. Take the ARNOVA 7d G3, for instance. It’s just a regular tablet with basic functions. It has no retina display, no special stylus, and no unique kickstand with a keyboard. That’s perfectly fine in my opinion; tablets are meant to consume content, not create it. This is why it is reasonable to settle on a basic low-cost tablet like the device at hand.

    The ARNOVA 7d G3 is a 7-inch tablet that runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and packs a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor with 1GB of RAM. It comes with 4GB of internal storage, which is expandable to 32GB with a microSD card. The device is Wi-Fi only, although it’s capable of utilizing 3G through a USB module.

    Though its shell is plastic, it’s still very solid. The thing I love the most about the device is that it’s slim and lightweight, being as thin as an Archie Double Digest and weighing only half as much as your typical compact camera. This made it easy for me to pack it in my bag and carry it around.

    This tablet is a pretty straightforward device, as it hosts no special ports or buttons. Flanked on its side are the power button, a LED indicator, a microUSB port, a 3.5mm standard audio jack for your headphones, and a reset button. The front face holds the 7-inch capacitive touchscreen with an 800 x 480 display (16:9 aspect ratio), and the device’s speakers. The tablet has an accelerometer that lets you use it in whichever orientation you’re comfortable with.

    Also on the front face of the device are a camera and a mic. The device doesn’t have a back camera, which makes it difficult to take pictures because you can’t frame your shot the way you normally do. Having the camera on the front face, though, allows you to make and take video calls. One has to note, however, that its placement on the right side of the screen makes it ideal only when you use it in portrait orientation.

    While it runs on Android, some of the apps from Google Play aren’t compatible with the device. This is why the brand carries its own app store—the AppsLib. Here you can find dozens of apps for your ARNOVA device.

    The device has some performance issues. For one thing, it doesn’t do well when several apps are running. Oftentimes I had to deal with apps being frozen or suddenly not responding, and I had to restart them several times. I also encountered lags with the device’s touch screen when I used it for browsing and gaming.

    Another issue is its battery life. I was surprised that I had to plug it into a wall socket for nearly 6 hours just to get a full charge. The battery lasts for an average of only 4 hours of heavy use, which includes gaming, browsing and multimedia playback. It isn’t practical for something that’s made for the convenience of portability to have a short battery life.

    Despite the device’s weaknesses, it still served its purpose. I was able to browse, watch videos, play games, read e-Books, and edit documents (using the Office Suite app) while I was on the go. The device became very helpful to me, in particular, since I’m not a smartphone owner and it eliminated the need for me to lug around my laptop to perform basic office and multimedia tasks.

    Even if the capture quality of the built-in camera isn’t stellar, the device’s multimedia playback is pretty good. Despite the resolution of the screen, I was able to enjoy watching videos. The tablet supports playback for H.264 video files up to 1080p resolution, as well as AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV and FLV videos. I really appreciated the device’s sound quality, which wasn’t too loud, but clear and audible enough for me to enjoy watching videos without my headphones on.

    The price of the ARNOVA 7d G3 is very attractive, at only PHP 5,990, which is a good enough deal for a decent tablet that gives you basic functions and features. However, if you’re looking for something more special, you should probably look elsewhere as ARNOVA has yet to come up with a tablet with super powers.

     

    What’s Hot:

    Slim and lightweight

    Affordable

    What’s Not:

    Laggy touchscreen response

    Does not do well with multiple apps running

    Short battery life

    Bottomline: The ARNOVA 7d G3 is nothing special, but it sure is handy and portable enough to use when you’re on the go.

    Buy Meter: 3.0/5.0

    Tech Specs: 

    • OS: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
    • CPU: 1GHz ARM Cortex A8 processor
    • Display: 7-inch Capacitive MultiTouch Screen (800 x 480 pixels resolution)
    • Physical Dimensions: 223mm x 142mm x 12.2mm
    • Weight: 340g
    • Memory: 1GB RAM, 4GB ROM (expandable via microSD)

    Globe will not be differentiating between their iPhone 5 3G and LTE phone plans when Apple OKs LTE on iPhone 5

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Globe will not be differentiating between their iPhone 5 3G and LTE phone plans when Apple OKs LTE on iPhone 5

    Globe Telecom’s Pether Bithos has stated at the company’s official iPhone 5 presscon today that they will not be differentiating between the plans they have for the 3G version of the iPhone 5 and the LTE plans of the device. The Globe executive cited that it would be “too difficult to explain to the customer the difference between the two to the customers.” Which makes sense – even some technology journalists have trouble explaining and understanding what LTE is really about. This is a major line in the sand for Globe, and a commitment that most customers will appreciate. On the subject of the official availability of the LTE on the iPhone 5, Peter has said that the ball is now in Apple’s court, as the company has it’s own approval process when it comes the LTE certification. It’s also important to note that all Globe iPhone 5 devices being sold in the Philippines are all LTE capable – once Globe’s LTE application with Apple gets green-lighted, all early adopters of the iPhone 5 will get an OTA update to turn on the LTE modules in their devices. It’s also important to note that to get LTE service, your SIM and account will have to be provisioned for it.

     

    ZTE unveils the Grand Era; world’s slimmest Quad-core Smartphone

    Ren Alcantara
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    ZTE unveils the Grand Era; world’s slimmest Quad-core Smartphone

    ZTE, the world’s fourth largest manufacturers of smartphones, has just released the ZTE Grand Era and the 4.3-inch Grand X LTE T82. The Grand Era V985 is the company’s new flagship smartphone, and as such is brimming with features. It runs a Tegra 3 quad-core CPU and runs Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, with an available upgrade to the 4.1 Jellybean Operating system. It has built-on 3D acceleration, and 8-MP main camera and a 4.5-inch High definition screen with a resolution of 1280×720. All if this is crammed into a frame that’s only 8.6mm thick, making it the thinnest quad-core phone in the market today. Along with the launch of the Grand Era, ZTE also released the Grand X LTE T82, a dual-core LTE phone with a 4.3-inch screen, Qualcomm MSM8960 chipset and Android 4,0 ICS. Along with the top two phones on ZTE;s new roster, they also launched the Grand X V970–a dual-core ICS device with a 4.3-inch screen and a 5-MP camera, the ZTE V887, their model with a 5-inch screen and  a dual-core processor, the ZTE V889M dual-core phone with a 4-inch screen, and the ZTE V790, their single core, 3,5 inch screen phone.

    All of the ZTE devices are dual-sim capable, and cater to the needs of everyone from users who aren’t looking for all the bells and whistles of a top-tier phone, to those who want their device to be as fast and slim as humanly possible. The phones will be made available to the public through ZTE’s official distributor MSI-ECS starting on the first quarter of 2013.

    Telecentre.org Foundation uses Microsoft Lync for efficient community transformation projects

    Gadgets Team
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    Telecentre.org Foundation uses Microsoft Lync for efficient community transformation projects

    Microsoft Philippines has partnered up with the Telecentre.org Foundation to help strengthen the business process of the organization’s community by providing them with Microsoft Lync, an enterprise-ready unified communications platform that allows users to keep track of the availability of their contacts, send messages, start or join audio, video or web conferences, or make a simple phone call all through a consistent, familiar interface.

    The Telecentre.org Foundation is a global organization of telecenters that aims to promote personal and social development through communication technology training, and is intended for people living in remote or rural locatons around the world. These telecenters provide public access to the Internet and other digital technologies, making it convenient for rural Filipinos.

    “As a global organization, it is important for us to stay connected with telecenters outside the country for us to achieve our vision of improving digital literacy locally,” shared Vida Zorah Gabe, Manager, Communications and Community Learning of Telecentre.org. “Microsoft Lync empowers all our employees to cost effectively conduct online conference calls with colleagues, wherever they may be. The various features of Lync such as presentation and desktop-sharing and convenient options to dial-in allows us to stay constantly updated with our business operations and partners around the world.”

    “With Lync, our quarterly communication technology cost estimate is down from 3 million pesos to 15 thousand pesos,” Gabe revealed. “This gives us more funding for programs that essentially benefit the communities we support.”

    “We at Microsoft believe that technology can help transform and empower communities to strengthen their business productivity. Our partnerships with organizations like Telecenter.org Foundation are in line with Microsoft’s commitment in helping communities,” said Tovia Va’aelua, the Business Group Lead at Microsoft Philippines.

    Google Maps returns to iOS

    Gadgets Team
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    3
    Google Maps returns to iOS

    After Apple unceremoniously cut ties with Google’s mapping service with the latest version of iOS, Google Maps makes a comback to the Apple App store. This comes after Apple’s own built-in mapping service on iOS 6 was proven to be inherently flawed by users, which received much mocking and derision by some of its users. Google announced the return of the mapping service in an official blog post, and has stated that they’ve redesigned Google Maps to be easier to use on iOS. Until Apple manages to get its flawed mapping service together, Google will probably still rule the roost as far as navigation is concerned.

    Source: Google

    Suzuki Philippines opens dealership in Isabela province

    Gadgets Team
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    Suzuki Philippines opens dealership in Isabela province

    To serve customers in northern Luzon, Suzuki Philippines has opened a dealership in Brgy. Mabini, Santiago City, Isabela province. This dealership is a one-stop shop and provides units, spare parts and auto service features.

    Suzuki’s General Manager for Automobile, Mr. Shuzo Hoshikura, states that the widening of the company’s dealership network is Suzuki’s answer to the increasing mobility needs of Filipinos. “We’d like more Filipinos to benefit from Suzuki’s brand of excellence: from quality, fuel-efficient automobiles to above par after-sales servicing.”

    “The new dealership is an exciting development for Santiago City. Suzuki is known for its thoughtful design and fuel economy—which are key elements we know our clients appreciate,” said Jocel Violago of Car Depot Commercial Phils. (CDCP), Corp., the dealership owner.

    Suzuki currently carries eight automobile products. This includes the fuel efficient compact cars Alto and Celerio, the five door hatchback Swift, sporty Sx4 Crossover and the eight seater APV Type II. Suzuki also carries the 4 wheel drive Jimny and Grand Vitara. The brand recently launched its flagship executive sedan, the Suzuki Kizashi.

    Hands-on Sony Xperia V LTE courtesy of Smart

    Gadgets Team
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    2
    Hands-on Sony Xperia V LTE courtesy of Smart

    We’re here at Smart’s official unveil of one of their first LTE phones ever, the Xperia V. While we’ve covered the Xperia V before, it’s nice to see the device finally heading to stores courtesy of Smart’s LTE plan and allows us another chance to fondle the device.

    The Sony Xperia V has some pretty specs – Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz dual core processor, 4.3-inch, 1280 x 720 resolution display and has the highest levels of dust and water resistance in a smartphone (IP55/57+), and sports Android 4.0. The Xperia V holds the distinction as being one of the newest devices to sport Smart’s 4G LTE service, and are offering it at their LTE Plan 1500.

    The Xperia V isn’t the fastest Android device around, but since it’s capable of using Smart’s LTE network, it’s capable of wickedly fast speeds. We did a speedtest on the Xperia V during the launch earlier today, and as you can see, it’s pretty much burning rubber as far as download speeds are concerned. Of course, you will have to be within range of Smart’s LTE network to actually experience those speeds, but that’s probably not much of an issue as Smart has expanded the coverage of their LTE network to cover major spots in Metro Manila.

    Sony has also said that the Xperia V will be offered in the retail channels as well, but you will not be able to get your hands on it without a Smart plan until February at the latest. As far as retail pricing is concerned, Sony did not want to reveal any numbers, but they did say that it would probably retail around 25-27K if it was sold without a plan. Curiously enough, the Xperia V will sport LTE right out of the box, and a Sony exec did confirm that it would work on both Smart AND Globe’s LTE network. So if either Smart or Globe start selling LTE-enabled prepaid SIMs, you can probably use an unlocked Xperia V with their LTE service.

     

    HP showcases new business and enterprise solutions at Channel Odyssey

    Gadgets Team
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    HP showcases new business and enterprise solutions at Channel Odyssey

    Yesterday, HP launched their latest marketing effort to showcase the company’s portfolio for the enterprise solutions. The roadshow, dubbed as Channel Odyssey, is being conducted in select cities in the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia, China, India, Korea,  Japan, and the Philippines. The Manila leg was held at Dusit Thani Hotel.

    HP unveiled an array of products belonging to different categories, namely: Mobility and ePrint, Graphics Solutions, Workflow Digitalization and Security, Thin Computing, and Retail. Attendees were given a tour and product demonstrations of the various devices on display.

    Among the featured devices at Channel Odyssey are the HP Elitepad 900–the company’s soon-to-be released business tablet—the HP Compaq Elite 8300 All-In-One business PC, the HP Elitebook Folio 9470m and the HP LaserJet Enterprise 500 MFP (multifunction printer) M575C.

    “Our commitment to the HP channel community and keeping Philippine businesses empowered with reliable computing is as strong as ever. This year, HP is bringing new technologies that will not just broaden options for large businesses, but also boost productivity for small to medium-sized enterprises,” said Albert Mateo, HP Printing and Personal Systems Country General Manager.

    Catch the golden ultrabook on your smartphone and win your own ultrabook, courtesy of Intel!

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Catch the golden ultrabook on your smartphone and win your own ultrabook, courtesy of Intel!

    To further enhance the consumers’ awareness on ultrabooks, Intel launched its Catch and Win an Ultrabook campaign, which gives smartphone users a chance to win an ultrabook and ultrabook discount vouchers worth up to PHP 20,000. The promo runs until December 31, 2012.

    To join, simply download the Pocket Intel App on your Android, BlackBerry or iOS smartphone. Launch the app, scan the AR markers at Intel events and/or tech stores, and watch ultrabooks of various colors fly across your smartphone’s screen. The goal is to catch the gold ultrabook by tapping it on the screen. Once you tap the gold ultrabook, you’ll be redirected to a multiple choice question that you must answer to be qualified for the raffle. The time from when the app was launched until you tap the gold ultrabook will be recorded and ranked among the scores of others in the leaderboard.

    The top scorer in each cycle will win a new ultrabook. The promo has three two-week cycles: the first is from November 15 to December 2, the second is from December 3 to the 16th, and the last cycle runs from December 17 to 30.

    Promo markers can be found in Intel’s retail partners in some of the major malls in Metro Manila, namely: SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, Festival Mall, Alabang Town Center, Park Square/Glorietta and Robinson’s Ermita.

    In addition to the Catch and Win an Ultrabook promo, Intel—in partnership with Rovio—has also launched the Angry Birds Ultrabook Adventure Facebook. The app lets you challenge your friends as you compete in ten levels. Angry Birds Ultrabook Adventure  is the first fully branded Angry Birds Facebook app.

    For more information, you can visit catchme.intel.com and facebook.com/IntelPhilippines.

    Hands On: The HP Elitepad 900

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Hands On: The HP Elitepad 900

    Yesterday at the HP Channel Odyssey Manila leg, we had the chance to preview the company’s soon-to-be-released Windows-powered tablet—the Elitepad 900.

    The Elitepad 900 is marketed towards business users, unlike the HP Envy x2 which is more of a consumer tablet. Powered by an Intel Atom Clover Trail chip and donning Windows 8 Pro, the Elitepad hosts 2GB memory and a 32/64GB SSD hard drive.

    Its 10.1-inch multi-touch-enabled screen wields a resolution of 1280×800 pixels and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The screen sports Corning Gorilla Glass. The graphics are powered by an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator.

    On the back you will find the 8-megapixel camera. On the upper left side of the rear, you can see the microSD and SIM slot protected under a little door. Below the device is the port for the docking station.

    Together with the Elitepad 900, HP will release accessories for the device, such as a docking station and a protective case that they call the “Smart Jacket”. The Smart Jacket protects the device and adds a lot to its functionality—it extends battery life and adds extra ports. One jacket lets you have two full USB ports, a full-sized SD card slot and an HDMI port. There’s also another variation of the Smart Jacket which features a keyboard for the tablet.

    HP says that the Elitepad 900 will be available in January next year. No word yet on pricing.

    THQ shows off Metro 2033 sequel, allows players to download digital version of Metro 2033 for free

    Gadgets Team
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    THQ shows off Metro 2033 sequel, allows players to download digital version of Metro 2033 for free

    THQ is fast becoming one of our favorite game developers. After releasing the Humble THQ bundle a few weeks back, the company is now releasing one of their better games on the PC for free. The company is showing off the official sequel to their acclaimed post-apocalyptic title, Metro 2033, and to celebrate the developer is allowing PC gamers everywhere to download the first game, absolutely freaking free. If you didn’t jump on the Humble THQ bundle a few weeks back and did not get this game, this is a perfect time for you to do so. The game’s not your typical FPS, and while it took a beast of a machine to run when it first came out, we’re pretty sure most gaming rigs nowadays are perfectly capable of running this game now.

    Source: THQ

    MIT creates tiny 22nm transistor without silicon

    Gadgets Team
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    MIT creates tiny 22nm transistor without silicon

    The term “Silicon Valley” is extremely familiar to techies and non-techies alike—it’s a place in the San Francisco Bay Area where big tech firms such as Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Adobe, Intel, Oracle, Western Digital, nVIDIA, and SanDisk are located, and also home to some of the most visited websites in the world, such as Google, Facebook, and Yahoo!. Not surprisingly, Silicon Valley is also the birthplace of the microprocessor, the microcomputer, and of course, the silicon-based integrated circuit, all mainstays in most of the devices we use today.

    However, on the other end of the United States is one of the most important research universities in the whole world, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and they have taken the silicon out of the tech world with a new 22 nm transistor, something that may seem unthinkable, as the one element that is often tied to tech products happens to be silicon. Researchers at MIT’s Microsystems Technology Lab (MTL) have created the smallest transistor fashioned from indium gallium arsenide, a material that is being positioned as an eventual successor to silicon.

    The science that lead to indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) was fashioned through normal semiconductor processes, but instead of using silicon, scientists went with evaporated indium, gallium, and arsenic atoms. They then allowed the materials to react, forming a very thin crystal of InGaAs that will become the transistor’s channel in the thin, lighter line at the tip of the inverted V in the picture. The element molybdenum is then deposited at the source and drain, oxide is deposited at the gate, the inverted V, and a tiny, exotic transistor is formed.

    Why take silicon out of the tech world? One thing many people might not know is that the world’s supply of silicon, the basic building block of every computer chip, is dwindling quickly—estimates put the remaining supply of the world’s silicon at around 10 to 20 years. As components in computers continue to shrink in size, silicon won’t function as a semiconductor anymore, and alternatives will have to be sought out to replace it. In the picture below are some of the proposed alternatives to silicon and their applications.

    MIT’s InGaAs will take anywhere from five to ten more years before it can hit the market. Another problem with these silicon alternatives is that they’re competing to replace some of the most sophisticated and advanced technology in the world. It is said that billions, perhaps trillions of dollars were sunk into complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) research and development, and it is suggested that the fate of these silicon alternatives lies in the hands of Intel, which has the time and resources to put into their research and development. It is also currently unknown how much further silicon alternatives will scale from silicon. If Moore’s Law, which dictates that the number of transistors on integrated circuits doubles every two years, holds to be true, we might have a successor to the so-called Silicon Valley—how does InGaAs Valley sound?

    Perez, Salas finish first in final leg of 2012 Lateral Drift Championship Series

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Perez, Salas finish first in final leg of 2012 Lateral Drift Championship Series

    The Lateral Drift Championship Series 2012 culminated with its sixth and final leg held last Saturday, December 8, 2012 at the Clark Expo open parking lot.

    Five-time Lateral Drift champion Alex Perez, representing Team Yellow Cab, bagged the top spot in the sixth leg and emerged as the 2012 overall champion. Norman Agojo of Team Autocraft and Goodyear finished in second place, while Gio Rodriguez of AtoyCustoms and Hankook finished third.

    Jesus Salas topped the sixth round of the amateur division, with Rad Albano of Team Autocraft Drift ranking second and Jet Mathay of Team HKS finishing in third. All three placers in the amateur division move up to the pro division next year.

    The Lateral Drift Championship Series 2012 was made possible by Hyundai Philippines, Dickies, DC shoes, AtoyCustoms, Edsahosting, Aguila Auto Glass, Aikkapaints, Speedlab, Light hand Dental Clinic, Wave 891, Racing beat, Philippine Daily Inquirer,Sprocketph.com, Kotse.com, StoplightTV, TopGear PH, Motorcycle Magazine, Power Wheels, Autoreview, Pinoy Speed, Manila Standard, Gadgets Magazine, Daily Tribune, Savers Appliance depot, and Clark Development Corporation.

    First batch of Globe iPhone 5s arrive in the Philippines

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    First batch of Globe iPhone 5s arrive in the Philippines

    We had previously announced some of Globe’s pricing plans for the iPhone 5, but we can now confirm that they are here in Globe’s warehouse and ready for their release in stores on December 14. Above is a picture of the iPhone 5s in Globe’s warehouse.

    If you have yet to pre-order your iPhone 5, you can go to http://www.globe.com.ph/iphone5 and customize a plan for your iPhone 5. The iPhone 5 for prepaid customers will run at Php 35,400 (16 GB) and Php 40,800 (32 GB). There are currently no available prepaid kits for the 64 GB model. Postpaid customers have a greater degree of customization for their iPhone 5 plans and a wide range of freebies and boosters. As we mentioned before, Globe is also throwing in other freebies for those who pre-order, such as four months of free Globe Gadget Care (Php 1,596 value), a free one year subscription to GCASH American Express Virtual Card, 0% interest up to 24 months installment with major credit cards, free and exclusive downloads of new Globe Mobile Apps, $5 shipping coupon (or Php 150 GCash for iTunes purchase) and up to 50% off on iPhone 5 accessory vouchers.

    Man gets MacBook Air to boot Windows 8 through EFI – no Bootcamp needed

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Man gets MacBook Air to boot Windows 8 through EFI – no Bootcamp needed

    If you’re a Mac user and are a bit jealous of all the Metro UI action that Windows 8 notebook users are experiencing, you need not fret. YouTube user besweeeet2 has found a way to boot Windows 8 through EFI instead of using Bootcamp, which results in faster boot times. You will be paying a steep price for the convenience though, as you will need to delete your files on your machine as you’ll be redoing the partition on your drive for this to work. But if you’re a tinkerer by nature and want to dive into the deep end and get it to work on your machine, you can check out his step-by-step instruction here.

    Source: The Techerra

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