Gadgets Magazine | The Philippines' First Tech-Lifestyle Magazine

Gadgetslab: yurbuds Inspire

GadgetsLab

-

1 Mar 2013

Sports aren’t for everyone. Some people just aren’t cut out for running, jumping and breaking a sweat; it’s tiring. Still, it’s a good idea to go out and raise your heart rate on a regular basis, so you should do everything possible to make the experience a little more tolerable. One of the simplest ways to get in the mood to work out and keep that mood going is through the use of music. For the average fitness enthusiast, it is a way to distract yourself from the miles and burning sensation in your legs. For the more hardcore, it gives you something to think about while you knock out another 1 OOk. The weakest link in any sports audio system, however, is your earphones. Bounding around leads to the inevitable exit of all but the toughest earbuds from your ear canal, cables whip and tangle, and headbands are never really the most comfortable.

Fortunately, yurbuds has come out with the lronman series of earphones that promise a superb fit even through the most violent of workouts. We got a pair to test, and I had the good fortune of being able to use them exclusively for a week’s worth of workouts. The yurbuds Inspire (yes, the brand likes keeping the”y”lowercase) is a simple pair of earphones that come in a fetching array of sporty colors. It is a standard pair of in-ear plugs that comes with a convenient, cloth-wrapped cable and angled jack. The drivers themselves look pretty ordinary, but what makes them shine is the proprietary locking system yurbuds designed. It’s not a complicated hook-type thing that goes around the back of your ear, or a headband, or one of those weird wedges that you cram into your ear; it’s a simple, oversized rubber cup that sits snugly just outside your ear canal with a little channel that plugs shallowly inside. The shape makes a comfortable seal that you will cease noticing after a few short minutes. Sitting down at my desk, I could immediately say that this is one of the most comfortable pairs of earbuds I had ever tried. There was just enough give to seat, but they weren’t so soft that they’d pop out immediately.

Sound quality is really quite good for a pair of earbuds. The light weight might make some wary of the bass response and range of the headphones, but they are surprisingly clear. They lean a little towards the bright side, but bass if definitely present, though not as powerful as some other brands. I do appreciate the clear, clean highs and mids, and it doesn’t make me feel like I’m drowning in bass, which is a major plus in my book. While you wouldn’t get a pair of sports headphones solely for the sound quality, it’s nice to know these guys can hold their own. The real test of any pair of earphone designed for the sport crowd is an actual workout. I took the yurbuds, my trusty phone, loaded up some tracks and got to it. The snug fit and light weight really led themselves to a comfortable listening experience even as my workout started to get rolling. No matter how hard the bumps, the inserts did their job superbly, and I was not the least bit concerned that they would pop out at an inopportune time. Because they seat so deeply in the space outside your ear, they are a little warmer than the usual sport headphones, but by no measure were they uncomfortable no matter how long I ran. Running with music has always been a little worrisome for me, as I tend to zone out and pay a little less attention on the road. The yurbuds, however, allow a fair amount of ambient sound to come in from the outside, allowing you to hear trouble before it becomes a problem. A lot of the sport headphones I have tried in the past were problematic because of the cable. Rubber or vinylenclosed deals usually weigh a little bit, and eventually cause even the most secure-fitting plugs to come out eventually. The fabric-wrapped cables on the yurbuds are particularly light, so apart from decreasing the strain on your ear canal, the bounce doesn’t affect the fit nearly as much as on other pairs. It’s not a very big thing on paper, but trust me, you’ll feel it when you’ve been running for any longer than half an hour.

There’s a reason yurbuds is the biggest-selling sport headphone brand in the US. They perfectly bring together comfort, a secure fit and surprisingly clear, powerful audio in a sweatproof and waterproof package.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Cord:1.2M,fabric-wrapped Frequency response:20Hz to 20KHz Connector: 3.5mm Stereo plug
Sweat-resistant
Drivers:15mm

WHAT’S HOT:
• Super secure
• Extremely comfortable,and lets
outside sound in
• Light-weight

WHAT’S NOT:
• A little warm

BOTTOMLINE:
If you can’t pound pavement without some tunes,this is the pair of
headphones with which you should
headphones
be doing so.

Words by Ren Alcantara

First published in Gadgets Magazine March 2013

Gadgetslab: Canon Pixma MG3170

GadgetsLab

Ren Alcantara

-

1 Mar 2013

0

While wireless printers have certainly been around for a couple of years, they still aren’t as prevalent as regular wired ones. There are several reasons for the disparity, but the bottom line is cost. Wireless printers are usually the top-end models, and carry a ton of features that most users don’t really need. That’s not the case with Canon’s newest wireless all-in-one printer, the Pixma MG3170. This AIO is able to connect to your home network sans wires without driving up the price of admission. Let’s take a closer look at it.

With dimensions of 449 x 304 x 152mm, the PIXMA MG3170 is certainly a substantial printer. You will have to clear out dedicated space for this particular machine somewhere in your home or office, that’s for sure. The MG3170’s controls are on the panel on the top left of the printer. It’s scanner tray can accommodate documents of up to A4 size. Similarly, it can take up to A4 size paper on its front feeding tray. The Pixma MG3170 is capable of duplex printing, which should theoretically save you some pages of paper if you’re printing backto- back.

To be able to offer the MG3170 at a price that most regular folks can afford, Canon had to cut a few features found on their higher-end, Wi-Fi-enabled printers. The most obvious omission for the MG3170 is a detailed LCD screen. Instead, you’re given a relatively simple LED display. This means you cannot connect the MG3170 to your network without the aid of a PC. This isn’t a big problem (you will have to connect your PC to the device anyway) but it’s something that may irk advanced users who want to start printing as soon as possible.

Setup of the MG3170 is pretty easyyou pop in the software that comes with it into your CD drive (if your PC doesn’t have a CD drive, you can always download the software from Canon’s website) and choose which connection type you’d like to useeither USB or wireless. If you select wireless, the software will install the necessary drivers into your machine before showing you the dialogue where you can connect to the wireless network of your choice. From there, it’s all a matter of selecting the correct SSID and encryption method then entering the password to the network and you’re in business.

The MG3170 uses Canon’s two-ink system-one color cartridge and one black cartridge. This isn’t the best setup for printers as it forces you to change out the color ink tank when one of the colors run out even if there’s still plenty of ink left for the other colors. At its price range, that’s to be expected as Canon usually reserves the multiple-ink system for their higher end models.

Print quality is good, although we did notice that the printed pictures ofthis month’s cover seemed a bit darker than what’s displayed on the monitor. Prints from our photos weren’t quite as bad, so we’re willing to attribute the darker prints on our cover to software issues. The MG3170 isn’t the speediest of printers, but its 5ppm for color and 9ppm for mono printing performance is more than adequate for most people. It’s also capable of printing photos in less than a minute, and typically needs around 45 seconds to print out a 4×6 photo.

The MG3170 is also capable of scanning documents up to A4 size. Users can also produce copies oftheir documents using the scanner as well, but we won’t recommend doing that very often as you’ll go through the ink stores of the device relatively quickly. As far as scanning speed is concerned, the MG3170 is able to scan an A4 document in 14 seconds at 300 dpi. Priced at around PHP 4,495, the MG3170 is probably the most affordable Wi-Fi printer around. While it lacks some of the nicer features of higher-end models, this wireless AIO will definitely free up your home or office from the curse of cluttered wiring.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Drivers:40mm Range:16Hz to 20kHz Cable:8.2 ft.
Plug: standard 3.5mm,with 6.3mm adapter
Impedance:32 Ohm
Sensitivity: 109dbN
Mac input power: 200mW
WHAT’S HOT:
·Wireless
• Easy to setup
• Affordable
• Duplex capability

WHAT’S NOT:
• Two ink system
BOTTOMLINE:
If you’re looking for an affordable,
Wi-Fi enabled printer,then the Canon
Pixma MG3170 might be for you.

Words by John Nieves

First published in Gadgets Magazine March 2013

Gadgetslab: Fujifilm XF1

GadgetsLab

Gadgets Team

-

1 Mar 2013

0

Compact cameras are evolving faster than ever. Some of them offer full manual shooting modes. Some have Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities. Some even have operating systems in them. The industry just keeps putting more and more power into the pocket camera. For some users, though, these devices still won’t do, and they look for something just as portable, but can give them as much control over the lens as a DSLR. An interchangeable lens camera is an option, but is still too bulky to fit in an average-sized pocket. So, what should this type of consumer choose? The Fujifilm XF1 is a worthy alternative, and we think it deserves a closer look.

The Fujifilm XF1 is a compact camera with a slight twist. It enables you to manually operate the zoom function-a feat that is rare in point-and-shoot cameras. This, combined with full manual control over shutter speed and aperture, plus the ability to shoot in RAW, makes the XF1 a good option for serious photography enthusiasts who want a compact camera they can tote. Inside the XF1 is a 12.0-megapixel 2/3-inch EXR CMOS sensor and EXR image processor that work together to enhance low-light performance, as well as the device’s overall speed and response.

Given its slimness and compact size, the XF1 is a pocketable delight. It’s the kind of camera you’d have no trouble popping in your pocket or in your tiny bag. The XF1 is not only sleek, but also stylish. Its aluminum body is wrapped in an attractive leather coat that comes in red, tan and black. The XF1 ‘soldfashioned design is something that both analog rangefinder enthusiasts and retro fashion aficionados will adore.

For cameras geared towards enthusiasts, a viewfinder is sort of a must. Alas, the XF1 doesn’t have one. It does, however, have a 3-inch LCD monitor out back with which you can compose your photos. A flash hotshoe is also absent, but the device has a little pop-up flash on the top left area. The camera has no protruding grip, but I doubt the device will slide through your fingers as the texture of the leather coating provides a solid grasp.

Mounted on the XF1 is a 25mm- 1 OOmm (on a 35mm format) Fuji non lens that, as I mentioned, is operated manually with a zoom ring. This allows users to have full control over what part ofthe scene goes into the frame. This makes the composition more precise. Twisting the zoom ring enables you to not only zoom in or out of a scene-it is also the only mechanism by which the camera is switched on. Simply pull the lens out, twist, and the screen lights up. When you need to put it away, you can just pop the lens back into the body and twist it again to keep it locked.

The manually operated zoom barrel is not the only thing that’s hot about the XF1 ‘s lens. With its f/1.8 maximum aperture, more light is permitted to enter the camera each time you hit the shutter button, making the XF1 incredibly handy in low-light conditions. In fact, I used it to capture a gig in a small bar, and it worked terrifically with the dimness of the venue.

Overall, images are sharp and have just the right color saturation. My only concern with photo quality would be the noise levels. The XF1 has an ISO sensitivity of up to 3200, but there is already a drop in quality at this level. Metering is generally accurate, while image stabilization is so-so. The AF lock is impressively quick-something you’d want to take note of if you’re into street photography.

The ability to shoot in RAW format, the manual shooting mode, and the custom settings mode are other attempts at appealing to more professional users. For more casual users, however, automatic and semiautomatic modes are also on deck. The XF1 also has a video recording function that can shoot 1920×1 080 Full HD videos at 30 frames per second (fps) and 320×112 slow motion videos at200fps.

Interestingly, the XF1 features photo filters that recreate different types of film. There’s Provia, the default look; Velvia, which makes hues more saturated; and Astia, which gives a soft, smooth tonality to your scene. There’s also the BW (black and white) film simulation mode that probably tops the in-camera black-and-white filters of any other brand. The black-and-white images produced are very dynamic, and users are given the option to pair the monochrome filter with yellow, red and green filters to enhance tonality. On a full charge (which usually takes less than three hours) the XF1 runs for about four hours of heavy use, which includes both stills and video recording. The Fujifilm XF1 costs PHP 21,500-a price that is notably within range of certain smart cameras in the market. However, given the choice, oldfashioned users will more likely spend money on the XF1.

Amidst the pool of bridge cameras and smart cameras, unique compact cameras like the XF1 are a breath of fresh air. The XF1 ‘s manually operated zoom, the ability to shoot in RAW and manual control over exposure settings help users become the master of their scene. Sure, ILCs can do that, too, but they’re not nearly as portable as compacts. What’s possibly missing from the XF1 is a bigger sensor, a viewfinder and manual focus control, but if Fujifilm were to throw those in, then it would have to become a slightly bulkier package.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Specifications:
Sensor: 12MP 2/3-inch EXR CMOS Processor:EXR Image Processor
Zoom and optics: 25-1OOmm Fujinon
4x optical zoom lens;with 2x digital zoom
Dimensions:107.9(W) x61.5(H) x
33.0(D) mm
Weight: Approx. 225 g with battery and memory card
Approx.battery life: 300 frames (CIPA
standard)
Memory: 25MB internal memory;
expandable via SD/SDHC/SDXC

WHAT’S HOT:
• Attractive retro design
• Fast AF response
• f/1.8 maximum aperture
• Dynamic black-and-white filters

WHAT’S NOT:
• No viewfinder
• No manual focus
• High noise levels
• Within price range of more high
end cameras

BOTTOMLINE:
The Fujifilm XF1 offers a fast lens that enables manual zoom in a sleek,
ultra-portable,retro-looking package.

Words by Racine Anne Castro

First published in Gadgets Magazine March 2013

Gadgetslab: AKG K512 Mini

GadgetsLab

Ren Alcantara

-

1 Mar 2013

0

Music is serious business. It takes thousands of dollars of equipment, hundreds of man-hours and otherworldly musical talent to create even the simplest of songs that you listen to. Why then would you listen to music on stock headphones? It’s a terrible waste. If you take listening to music seriously, one of the best investments you can make is to cash out for a pair of decent headphones.

The AKG 1<512 MKII is another headset from the Austrian brand. It’s the second incarnation of the 1<512, in case the “MKII” designation didn’t give it away, and manages to do a lot right. While this isn’t the most hardcore of headphones, that’s just fine; it’s not supposed to be. Instead, the manufacturer has taken the best part of more expensive headphones from their lineup, stripped the things that drive the price up, to give you a pair of cans that sound great but won’t cause you to sell off the rest of your audio equipment.

The package is pretty impressive. It comes in packaging that is similar to that found in their higher-tier products. This doesn’t really have any bearing on the product in question, but I do like feeling like I’m getting a real treat. The headphones themselves are pretty plain and understated; just the way I like it. A simple frame plus an elastic headband so the whole setup sits snug on your head. The frame isn’t overly stiff and lets the cans sit on your hears without really pinching. The separate stretchy headband is also very comfortable and can barely be felt. The cups are quite large, completely covering your ears. The foam padding is quite thick, and rather firm. This doesn’t cause any discomfort, though, given the springiness of the headband. Oddly enough, I found this pair remarkably more comfortable than other headphones with much cushier ear pads. After wearing one for the majority of the workday, I actually fell asleep wearing them. Any accessory you can fall asleep in wins in my book.

Style-wise, the K512s aren’t going to win any awards. Though they are far from it, they do look like a pair of headphones from a lower price tier. Still, the lack of any metal or particularly dense materials means that the weight of these cans is kept at a very low 200 grams. To be honest, it feels even lighter than that. I suspect this is partly because of the wide headband and how broadly it distributes the weight of the muffs. The loose fit of the cans on your ear does cause quite a bit ofsoundleakage,butnotenough to bother my seatmate in our quiet office given reasonable (and safe) listening volumes. There is a little loss of isolation, but again, even at safe levels of volume, it’s not really a problem unless maybe you are out on the street.

Sound quality on the 1<512 MKIIs is very impressive. Though the lows aren’t quite as punchy as I am used to, they are present. The sound is a little flat, with just a little emphasis on the mids, which brings out the vocals beautifully. The highs are just right, though I did notice the hard “S” sounds a little more than on my default earbuds. It is a very pleasant, tame, neutral pair of cans with a range of 16Hz to 20KHz; more or less par for the course. You are given about 8.2 feet of cable; more than long enough for most uses, and though it isn’t tanglefree, it’s covered in a springy sort of rubbery plastic that is easy to undo.

On the whole I am quite pleased with this pair. It’s really comfy, isn’t too bass-y, clear and not warm on the ears. I see it being used as a daily pair of cans that you wouldn’t really mind putting through some hard use. It’s a great pair from a great brand that has consistently delivered great products. I have little doubt you could go wrong with the AKG K512 MKII.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Drivers:40mm Range:16Hz to 20kHz Cable:8.2 ft.
Plug:standard 3.5mm,with 6.3mm
adapter Impedance:32 Ohm Sensitivity:109dbN
Mac input power:200mW
WHAT’S HOT:
·Comfortable
• Great sound
• Light
WHAT’S NOT:
• Plain design
• Occasional sibilance issues

BOTTOMLINE:
Looking for a good pair of daily carry, over-ear headphones? These’ll do ya.

Gadgetslab: Windows Phone 8X by HTC

GadgetsLab

Ren Alcantara

-

1 Mar 2013

0

Years ago, when Windows had nearly complete dominance of the computing market, they tried to break into mobile devices. These devices, unfortunately, were little more than scaled-down desktop devices, whose Uls were not the best for styli and mobile use. The devices had a small but loyal following which, as the market usually proves, isn’t enough to keep companies producing them. Fast forward to today, and we see Windows 8 Phone devices slowly picking up steam, leading many to say that the OS is one of the sleeping giants of the mobile scene.

The Windows Phone 8X by HTC is one of those devices. It brings together a simple and stunning operating system, and beautiful product design. It’s impossible not to find this combination appealing. One word that immediately comes to mind when handling the phone is “smooth:’The 8X has completely done away with sharp edges. Everything about the phone, from the Gorilla Glass 2 screen to the matte black back is very gently curved. This, coupled with a nice heft, makes for a device that just feels so rich and well-put together. I swear, before you even switch the phone on, you’ll spend a good few minutes just holding it. It feels great. It measures in at a very svelte 5.21 x 2.61 x 0.40 inches and a hefty, but not heavy, 130 grams. It also has a curved back panel, which gives it the appearance of being thinner than it actually is.

Switching the phone on reveals a gorgeous 4.3-inch S-LCD2 screen with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels. This gives the phone a very crisp 342 pixels per inch. To compare, Apple’s Retina displays give a density of about 326 pixels per inch. It produces vibrant images, even under the sun. The phone’s complete name is pretty long: Windows Phone 8X by HTC because it is the only Windows 8 phone that has “Windows Phone 8” branding. This phone was built from the ground up for the OS; that’s no mean feat, and speaks a lot about the device and its pedigree. The simplicity of the look and exec
ution of the Windows Phone 8 is something that I had been trying to achieve with all the launchers I have ever installed in my other devices. It’s clean, sharp and simple, but doesn’t lose any of the functionality of its more complicated brethren. The Live tiles in the default screen constantly keep you updated on your different news feeds, and works to fill the same void widgets do in competing mobile operating systems.

One of the features I loved most about it was the “Attentive Phone” setting. These features made the device smarter than the average smartphone. When switched on, the phone rings louder when in a bag or pocket, rings quieter when you pick it up to answer or look at who is calling, and shuts up altogether if you flip it over. This is not an entirely new feature in HTC’s lineup, but it has always been appreciated, and I did miss it in the other phones I have handled in the past. It also gives you an amazing 8MP main camera that takes superb shots, even in low light, and reproduces color beautifully. The front camera also saw some extra TLC, giving users an extra-wide 88- degree field of view to make sure everyone can join in on the video calling action.

Under the hood, the 8X runs a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 1.5GHz Krait processor with 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. While the processor and RAM are more than plenty with which to run almost any app, as well as play movies in glorious HD, some people might find the internal storage a little lacking. HTC knows this and has made SkyDrive available, so if you need space, the cloud will have you covered. The 8X will happily handle any compatible file you hand it. I tried HD video files while running a few background apps, and things worked flawlessly. Music, documents and web pages all flow smooth as butter, and just as slick. The home screen responds instantly, something previously unknown to everyone but iOS users. Google service users should beware, however. Due to the ongoing war between Google and Microsoft, by the time you read this, Google will have dropped support for a lot of Google’s services. One of the most pressing is that Gmail will no longer sync with the Email client installed on Windows Phone 8 devices, and with no WP8 Gmail app coming any time ever, this could be a problem.

Another concern is the comparatively small number of apps available for the Windows Phone 8 OS. HTC and Windows have addressed this by reiterating that Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 have the same code Kernel, and many apps for the desktop version are being ported as we speak. Battery life on 3G and 2G networks came up at just under two days with moderate use ofWi-Fi and data, as well as about an hour of calls and under a hundred texts a day.

Users who are curious about the Windows Phone 8 environment, or those who want a good, solid phone that feels great and performs even better would do well to take a look at this device. It offers a very nice change from the majority of the phones out there, and performs like nothing you have ever tried before. Just make sure you have your wallet ready. It’s going to be hard to put the thing down.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Network: 2G: GSM 850 I 900 I 1800
I 1900, 3G: HSDPA 850 I 900 I 1900
12100
SIM:Micro
Dimensions: 5.21 x 2.61 x0.40 inches
Weight: 130 g
Screen: 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.3 inches
(-342 ppi pixel density)
Memory: 16GB storage, 1 GB RAM
Processor: Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait
Camera: 8 MP primary, 2.1 MP
secondary
WHAT’S HOT:
• Absolutely amazing feel
• Beautiful OS
• Smart, even by smartphone
standards
WHAT’S NOT:
• Limited apps, for now
• Limited on-board storage
• Limited Google services functionality

BOTTOMLINE:
I think I’ll get one for myself. That tells
you enough.

Gadgetslab: AiAiAi Tracks

Uncategorized

Ren Alcantara

-

1 Mar 2013

0

The Tracks is a set of headphones from AIAIAI with a design reminiscent of the classic Walkman headphones. These cans combine style and performance to create a pair of headphones that don’t try too hard to impress. There’s little wonder these headphones won the Danish Design Prize. Upon opening a box ofT racks, I found out that I had to assemble its three main parts: sliders, earcups and a metal brace. A colored slider is snapped on to each earcup and then slipped into the metal brace. While it might seem unusual to have to assemble a pair of headphones, it’s a fairly simple set of steps. This threepart design is what makes the Tracks a unique set of headphones.

The Tracks makes use of sliders when adjusting the position of the earcups, instead of the conventional preset adjustment you can find in regular headphones. This means you can fully adjust the position of each earcup by simply sliding it on the brace for a customized fit. The sliders also allow the earcups to pivot, which means the cups rest comfortably over your ears no matter what your head shape or size is. A box ofT racks headphones comes with three pairs of different colored sliders so you can customize and change the colors as you wish.

Another feature worth mentioning is the Tracks headband. Unlike the old Walkman design with a thin and flimsy head support, the Tracks’ brace is more similar to a headband with a wider base. What I liked about it is that it was wide enough to rest comfortably on my head while staying in place and remaining light-weight. I was able to easily move around while wearing the Tracks, and I didn’t have to struggle with keeping it on my head even as I commuted. Unless you’re the headbanging type, there shouldn’t be any problem with the Tracks staying on your head while you’re on the go.

These headphones have an in-line mic with a three-button function for play/pause/volume which I was able to use for answering and making calls. The buttons however, were difficult to press, but the omnidirectional mic was able to capture my voice even while I made calls on the go. I used the Tracks for five straight hours as I listened to music and made calls without having to take them off due to discomfort or chafing.

The Tracks delivered very well in terms of audio performance. The Tracks have a relatively wellbalanced sound with equal lows, mids, and highs that allow for good song detail. It has a balanced mixture of frequencies for a smooth and clear sound. It’s safe to say that the Tracks sound good in a wide range of genres including rock, acoustic and pop. I did, however, listen to more pop with the Tracks because I enjoyed how its warm bass is paired with a slight”thump” – complementing the pop genre very well. One major issue I had with the Tracks is the sound leakage. In a quiet environment like an office, turning up the music on high wouldn’t be a very good idea because it’s likely that everyone will hear what you’re listening to. There were times when I had to check if my music was too loud, particularly when I came in for work from my commute, where I set the volume on high to compensate for the city noise. This shouldn’t be a big problem though, as you can opt to ignore everyone else, or turn the volume down a bit to also save your ears from damage.

Overall, the Tracks are sure to please a wide range of listeners, audiophiles and casual listeners alike with its superb sound quality and unique design. Priced at PHP 3,250, these headphones may be pricey for its type, but the Tracks deliver a sound performance that can be nearly as good as the bulky higher-end headphones in the market.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Driver: 40mm
Plug Angled Stereo: Plug 3.Smm
Impedance: 30 Ohm
Speaker Sensitivity 94dB =I= -32dB
Max Input Power: 70mW
Freq Response: 2-=2-KHz
Microphone Directivity Omnidirectional
WHAT’S HOT:
• Superb audio quality
• Designed for a custom fit
WHAT’S NOT:
·Sound leakage
·Pricey
BOTTOM LINE:
The Tracks combines design,
functionality, and performance that
sound great with a wide range of
genres

Words by Addie Mendoza

First published in Gadgets Magazine March 2013

Gadgetslab: Trendnet N300 Wireless Range Extender

GadgetsLab

Ren Alcantara

-

1 Mar 2013

0

Gadgetslab: Trendnet N300 Wireless Range Extender

What is a wireless extender? A wireless extender basically connects to any router you might have and extends the range of the wireless network. This can be useful for big spaces such as offices or spacious homes, or to cover up dead spots so that your entire home or office has Wi-Fi access. Sometimes one router doesn’t cover the whole house, and buying a second router either stretches the budget or isn’t totally necessary. This is where the wireless extender comes in, since it’s not exactly a router, but rather, an extension of one.

The Trend NET N300 wireless extender resembles a regular router, but it is a bit smaller. There are also two detachable antennas that you have to put on to the wireless extender. No tools are required for setup. After attaching your antennas, you then plug the extender into the power outlet, make sure the wireless extender is in range of your router’s wireless network. and then hit the wireless protected setup (WPS) button on the router, go over to the extender, and then press the WPS button on the extender to have it adopt your router’s settings and wireless encryption.lf your router doesn’t support WPS or you don’t want to use it, you might need to take quite a few extra steps to configure your extender, so I highly suggest having a router that supports WPS before buying the TrendNET N300 wireless extender or be willing to use WPS for a much easier setup. There is also an Ethernet port available on the extender, so there is also an option for those who are using traditional desktop PCs or need a stable connection to the Internet via an Ethernet cable. The old tech adage, read the manual (RTM), is difficult to apply here, namely because there isn’t much to see in the manual-the manual is mostly pictures and not that much in the way of text that explains how to set up your wireless extender. That means even techies might have to consult any tech internet forum or go directly to Trend NET support to get help with their wireless extender setup if they are having any issues.

Does it really extend the router’s wireless reach without sacrificing the speed? It’s hard to tell-llive in an apartment, and the router is intended for large spaces, something an apartment is not. My router alone gets full signal no matter where I am in the apartment, and I even get signal with the router outside my apartment, so testing it with wireless seemed redundant unless I went out into the hallways of my complex. I tested it with my smartphone without any significant drop in connectivity, and also tried out the Ethernet port with an older laptop and still got decent speeds. Decent speeds will obviously depend on what you do on the Internet (Facebook. You Tube, games, etc.), your router, and your connection plan with your ISP. You can get up to 300 Mbps on the wireless extender with the 802.11 n standard, but if you’re on a lesser standard (802.11 b/g) and/or have multiple Wi-Fi devices competing for bandwidth, that number will be less (54 Mbps for 802.11 g, 11 Mbps for 802.11 b).

I also have an additional dilemma since I live in an apartment-networksecurity. Even though we are all separated by walls, which decrease any wireless signals, those living in apartments also have to worry about wireless signals seeping into other apartments. Make sure your wireless network is protected with at least the Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) security protocol (or WPA2-PSK if possible) to prevent unauthorized access to your network. If you live in a home or if you use this for your office, where large areas need to be covered, the wireless extender will live up to its full potential.

Not everyone needs a wireless extender, but if you have large areas to cover or want to clean up those dead spots that you might have in your home, a wireless extender is a good thing to have. Just make sure you have good network security backing it up so that others don’t connect to your network and take up any bandwidth you have.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Ports: 1 0/100 Mbps LAN Port
Data Rate: 300 Mbps (802.11 n), 54
Mbps (802.11 g), 11 Mbps (802.11 b)
Encryption: 64/128 bit WEP, WPN
WPA2-PSK
Frequency: 2.4GHz band
Dimensions: 120x26x88mm
Weight: 145g
WHAT’S HOT:
·Compact
·Good for large areas
·Works with any router
WHAT’S NOT:
·Instructions in the manual not very
clear
BOTTOM LINE:
If you’re good at reading pictures (or
have the patience to find solutions on
the Internet) and/or have large areas
to cover, this wireless extender will be
a good solution for the home or office.

Words by Jose Alvarex

First published in Gadgets Magazine March 2013

Groupon’s CEO gets a bum deal. (He just got canned.)

Technology News

Ren Alcantara

-

1 Mar 2013

0

Groupon’s CEO gets a bum deal. (He just got canned.)

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason, under whose watch, a Google buy-out was rejected, has been fired. This follows yet another quarter of losses suffered by the group buy site. Groupon, whose value has now dropped frighteningly below even Google’s original offer, has tried to reverse the downward trend the business has been on by giving consumers more than just their daily deals offers. The company was at one point, one of the biggest internet IPOs in existence, saw their bubble burst when competition and faltering consumer interest started drop growth. Mason seems to have taken the curve ball well, keeping his chin up in a statement that praised the company’s growth during its heyday, taking responsibility for the drop, and wishing everyone in the company the best, and likening the experience to the game Battletoads.

Groupon has maintained that they will be focused on growth, even as they search for a new CEO to take the reins and hopefully turn the arrow back upward. This may be easier said than done, as Groupon stock closed Thursday at USD 4.53, from USD 20 in November 2011; a solid 77 percent drop. They also posted a quarterly loss of USD 81 million at the close of 2012, and a deficit of USD 67 million last year. As of the moment, the future looks a bit bleak for the online commerce site, causing some people to view the whole thing as a replay of the dot com crash of the late ’90s-200s.

Mason’s letter follows:

People of Groupon,

After four and a half intense and wonderful years as CEO of Groupon, I’ve decided that I’d like to spend more time with my family. Just kidding – I was fired today. If you’re wondering why… you haven’t been paying attention. From controversial metrics in our S1 to our material weakness to two quarters of missing our own expectations and a stock price that’s hovering around one quarter of our listing price, the events of the last year and a half speak for themselves. As CEO, I am accountable.

You are doing amazing things at Groupon, and you deserve the outside world to give you a second chance. I’m getting in the way of that. A fresh CEO earns you that chance. The board is aligned behind the strategy we’ve shared over the last few months, and I’ve never seen you working together more effectively as a global company – it’s time to give Groupon a relief valve from the public noise.

For those who are concerned about me, please don’t be – I love Groupon, and I’m terribly proud of what we’ve created. I’m OK with having failed at this part of the journey. If Groupon was Battletoads, it would be like I made it all the way to the Terra Tubes without dying on my first ever play through. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to take the company this far with all of you. I’ll now take some time to decompress (FYI I’m looking for a good fat camp to lose my Groupon 40, if anyone has a suggestion), and then maybe I’ll figure out how to channel this experience into something productive.

If there’s one piece of wisdom that this simple pilgrim would like to impart upon you: have the courage to start with the customer. My biggest regrets are the moments that I let a lack of data override my intuition on what’s best for our customers. This leadership change gives you some breathing room to break bad habits and deliver sustainable customer happiness – don’t waste the opportunity!

I will miss you terribly.

Love,

Andrew

(Photo via forbes.com)

What threatens your business?

Archives

Ren Alcantara

-

1 Mar 2013

0

This is a very important question that secure content and threat management solutions developer Kaspersky has asked and sought to fine out. In their study, it has appeared that businesses are threatened firstly by a weak or wobble economy, but in close second is cyber crime in its various forms.

In its report entitled “Global IT Security Risks: 2012,” which interviewed 3,300 senior IT professionals in companies from 22 countries, half of the respondents (50%) ranked cyber-threats as one of the top three concerns in their business. Closely following that were damage to brand and reputation, intellectual property theft, computer fraud and industrial espionage, all of which are very closely related to the pressing concern of cyber crime. Such knowledge of threats point to familiarity of senior executives about the possible dangers they could face as they continue to rely on technology.

Cyber threats are becoming an even bigger threat. 42 percent of the respondents view cyber crime as a huge concern in the future, as compared to the 39 percent who view economic uncertainty as the major concern.

Of the cybercrime problems, malware infection, pegged at 35 percent, is reported as the most common external cause of data loss, followed by email and phishing attacks, while internally, vulnerabilities in installed programs cause the same problem. Even more worrisome is that 35% of the respondents have reported data loss due to flawd IT security within the companies; this included customer information, financial data ad employee data; each one a key piece in the overall function of a business.

People’s increased reliance on personal mobile devices has also caused problems, as they are easy targets for cyber-threats, either through negligence, loss or something as simple as a phone’s prediction software ending an email to the wrong address.

Kaspersky Lab Chief Product Officer Petr Merkulov said that the survey still reveals how low the number of companies are who think that they are prepared against cyber-threats. Only 59% of respondents said they are ready to face cyber-threats, which is just 1% more than in 2011.

“The fact that this view has changed very little since 2011, the measures being taken by IT specialists are woefully inadequate – only a little more than half of the respondents believe their company is really secure,” Merkulov said.

Merkulov made several recommendations for companies who want to strengthen their corporate IT security and to prepare them from further attacks.

· Data encryption — It is strongly recommended that the partial or complete encryption of data as an additional layer of security. Even if a device ends up in the wrong hands or a malware attack is successful, a cybercriminal that gains access to files that have been encrypted will not be able to see their contents.

· Paying particular attention to personal devices – Companies must implement security policies that cover the use of both personal and corporate mobile devices for work-related tasks.

· Be prepared for targeted attacks — It is recommended putting measures into place now for combating targeted attacks, and in particular paying more attention to proactive protection methods designed to prevent threats rather than dealing with the consequences.

· Educating staff – The survey showed that there is low level of computer literacy among employees which can lead to a company’s IT infrastructure being infected or confidential information being leaked. That is why teaching company personnel all the basics of IT security is no less important than installing the latest security software.

Gadgetslab: Nexus 4

GadgetsLab

Gadgets Team

-

28 Feb 2013

0

SPECIFICATIONS:

Operating System:Android 4.2
CPU: l.SGHz quad-core Snapdragon
54 Pro (APQ8064) processor with an
Adreno 320GPU with 2GB of RAM:
2GB of Memory
LCD size: 4.7-inch,True HDIPSPlus capacitive touchscreen PhysicalDimensions:133.9 x 68.7 x
9.1mm
Weight:139g
Band:GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100
Internalmemory:8GB/16GB

WHAT’S HOT:

Impressive styling
Excellent hardware
Impressive battery life
Wireless charging ready
Decent camera

BOTTOMLINE:

The LG-made Nexus 4 is one of the best Android smartphones you can buy today,if not THE best. Beg,steal or borrow to get one.

Google’s Nexus line-up of devices has evolved in recent months.What was previously just a smartphone line that showcased the latest Android update has evolved into something else entirely,as evidenced by the newest tablet releases (Nexus 7 and 1O) and the Nexus 4. While the Nexus 4 has the latest Android version out in the market today, it only delivers an incremental update to the overall Android experience (Android 4.2,still technically Jelly Bean) compared to previous Nexus devices.

That’s not to say that the Nexus 4 isn’t worthy of the illustrious Nexus name.Like other Nexus devices,the construction and manufacture of the Nexus 4 was farmed out to another manufacturer.This time around, the lucky OEM was LG,with design direction fromGoogle.

And what a device it is.The Nexus 4 is possibly the finest device that LG has ever made.The device is surrounded by Gorilla Glass on the front as well as the back, and features sleek curves all around the device.It’s easy to handle and feels extremely good in your hands.Like most new Android devices,the front of the Nexus 4 is almost solely dominated by the 4.7-inch,True HD IPS Plus capacitive touchscreen.The back of the device features a checker-board design that may or may not be to your liking. There’s a 1.3-megapixelcamera located on the upper right portion of the display,and a notification light is hidden in the middle ofthe bottom of the front face.On the left side of the Nexus 4 is the volume rocker, as well the micro-SIM slot.The right side of the device holds the power button,while a 3.5mm jack sits on top.The micro-USB slot is located at the bottom.The Nexus 4 uses a non removable 21OOmAh battery.

Naturally ,the Nexus 4 is imbued with the best components available to LG at the time of manufacture.Aside from the awesome 4.7-inch display, the Nexus 4 sports a 1.5GHz quad core Snapdragon 54 Pro (APQB064) processor with an Adreno 320 GPU with 2GB of RAM thrownin.On paper, that means that the Nexus 4 is one of the fastest Android devices in existence.

As mentioned earlier,the Nexus 4 is powered by the latest version of Android–4.2-which weirdly enough,stillretains the Jelly Bean name.This means that the latest versionof Android isn’t a major update.So what’s new in this particular version? The answer is notifications and settings.When you pull down the notifications bar, you’ll see a quick settings button on the right side of the screen.Pressing that button allows you to see your Wi-Fiand Bluetooth status,as well as your battery and signal levels. Other improvements include native widget support straight from the lock screen,as well as better Google Now integration.The former means that you’ll be able to see much more information on just the lock screen. Unfortunately,the latter may not apply to our country,as one of the core improvements is finding local events and concerts.The new update also improves the default keyboard of Android and now allows gesture typing,which speeds up your typing cadence once you get used to it.

The Nexus 4 also has an 8-megapixel camera on the back,a step up from the 5-megapixel sensor found in the previous Nexus device,the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The images that the Nexus 4 takes are pretty good, although a bit bright,especially when used with its LED flash-a minor issue for sure,but something to watch out for.

As far performance is concerned,the Google Nexus 4 did not disappoint not unexpected,really,given the hardware inside it.In AnTuTu’s benchmark test,it managed to score 17655 points,putting it a smidge above Samsung’s Galaxy Note II in terms of overall performance.The Google Nexus 4 was able to power through most of the apps that we used without any issues at all.

Battery life for the Nexus 4 is around 12 to14 hours-agood figure, considering the hardware that it’s packing.As a bonus,the Nexus 4 is apparently able to utilize wireless charging out ofthe box as it’s Qi Wireless Charging-compliant,though we didn’t have a wireless charger on hand to test that capability.Probably, the only thing that we don’t like is that it will only be available in storage capacities of 8GB and 16GB,and it does not even have a microSD slot.

All in all,the Nexus 4 is one impressive smartphone. lt has all the right things going for it,and is one of the best Android devices you can buy today.

First published in Gadgets Magazine February 2013

Words by John Nieves

Gadgeslab: Canon Powershot G15 Digital Camera

GadgetsLab

Cla Gregorio

-

28 Feb 2013

0

Gadgeslab: Canon Powershot G15 Digital Camera

SPECIFICATIONS:

SENSOR: 12.1 megapixel111.7-type
CMOS sensor,
SENSOR ZOOM AND OPTICS:6.1-
30.5mm,F1.8-2.8
ISO RANGE:ISO 80-12800
PHYSICAL DIMENSION: 4.20 x 2.99 x
1.58 in.I 106.6 x 75.9 x 40.1mm
WEIGHT:12.4 oz.I 352g
STORAGE USED: SD I SDHC I SDXC

WHAT’S HOT:

Flexibility of key settings on a compact camera
Good photo quality
Good video and audio quality
Battery Life

WHAT’S NOT:

Overheating after an extended period of use

BOTTOMLINE:

The Canon Powershot G15 is a digital camera that let’s you shoot like a pro without carrying around the bulk of a DSLR.ease and comfort.

Being part of the art team,the higher-ups gave me the honor of taking the newest member of Canon’s Powershot G series,the G15, out for a spin. The G15 marked the first time I had ever gotten my hands on a prosumer camera, but fortunately, getting used to it was easier than I thought. I have always shot either with an analog or digital SLR, and my initial opinion was that it was like shooting with a full DSLR, minus the weight. Almost as small as my palm,the G15 handled most, if not all,my shooting needs, while managing to fit in my everyday purse.

I prefer to shoot in manual, so the direct access dials and buttons placed on the right side ofthe camera puts all the controls within reach.The controls are simple and straightforward,giving you complete control of the camera’s settings. Beside the shutter button are:(a) the mode dial,which can be easily accessed by your index finger,should you decide to switch models;and (b) the exposure compensation dial, which you can easily tweak with your thumb. Adjusting other settings in Manual Mode is a breeze.The shutter speed dial sits just above the camera’s grip,and the aperture dial rests beside the screen.If you’re either in aperture or shutter speed priority,however,the only dial you have to fumble with is the one beside the grip.The dials are strategically placed and easy to access,so alii had to worry about was composing my shot and getting the light exposure right.

The G15 has a nicely-textured rubber grip and thumb rest,just like other Canon units,which makes holding the camera steady easy, even for harder-to-compose shots. The aperture dial right beside the screen is the same control by which you access the other functions of the camera,such as playback and Movie Mode.The G15 also gives you a dedicated menu button for your system and shooting settings and the easy-access function button controls everything else you might need,such as image type,digital filters,white balance and the like.

Key features such as fast lens and optical zoom are reintroduced with the G15.You also get a 1.8 maximum aperture and 5x optical zoom that’s great for macro shooting.

Autofocus is fast and accurate most of the time,except in very few low light conditions.Manual focusing, accessed through the direct button on the directional pad,is as easy as scrolling up and down to determine the sharpest point in your scene.

The G15 lets you compose your shots on its fixed 3.0-inch LCD screen. The articulating screen has, unfortunately,been left out of this update.It still has great viewing angles,though,so it’s no problem. I find less use for the optical viewfinder as there is usually a slight problem with parallax.

The image and video quality are good. The colors are vibrant without being overly saturated and image noise only starts to be an issue starting at ISO 1600.The G15 is able to take videos in 1920×1080 Full HD at 24 frames per second.The only thing that left me a bit irked was the continuous autofocusing the camera does when shooting video,as I was shooting a very jumpy musical act. Other than that little issue,everything was good, including the audio quality.With today’s fad of instant image effects, thanks to lnstagram and the like,those who like playing around with their images will enjoy the myriad of image effects featured in the G15.

You get Fish-eye,toy Camera,Soft Focus and Monochrome on top of a few other features.Just turn your mode dial to the Creative Filters mode and go crazy. The G15 tends to overheat at an extensive period of use.I first noticed this when I was taking pictures the day I received the device, but it became most obvious when I brought the camera to cover a show.The G15 was already getting unusually warm while I was taking pictures of the second act. By the time I had started taking videos of my favorite act in the finale,it started to overheat to the point that I had to shut it down for a while.Putting its heating issues aside,the G15 is quite a warrior,and I was never left wanting for more juice despite all the activities I had this holiday season.

It’s obvious that G-series cameras are designed for the advanced photographer,although I can confidently say that it will take very little time for the average Joe to get used to the device.The G15’s flexibility let me shoot whichever way I needed, with amazing picture and video quality. Because ofthese and all the other features crammed into such a small device,I wouldn’t mind keeping it as a personal on-the-go camera.

First Published in Gadgets Magazine February 2013

Words by Cla Gregorio

Gadgetslab: Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini Smarthone

GadgetsLab

Ren Alcantara

-

28 Feb 2013

0

Gadgetslab: Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini Smarthone

SPECIFICATIONS:

Form Factor:Candybar
2G Band:GSM 850I 900I 1800I 1900
3G Band:HSDPA 9001190012100
Dimensions {4.79 x 2.48 x 0.39
Screen:480 x 800 pixels,4.0 inches super amoled
Camera:5 MP {primary),VGA Secondary
OS:Android 4.1 Jelly Bean
processor:1 GHz dual-core Cortex-A9

WHAT’S HOT:

Great feature set
Handy size
Decent battery life

WHAT’S NOT:

Still comes with a lot of Samsung bloatware

BOTTOMLINE:

I personally need a new phone, and I think my search is over

Samsung’s flagship phone, the Galaxy S Ill is a marvel of modern technology. It is the culmination all of the tech Samsung had developed from the very beginning. If there was anything that was a little off about the device though, it might have been the size. It was a large hunkin’ phone bordering on phablet territory. I am all for screen real-estate, but there is a limit to it, and the S Ill was dangerously close to being too large to be practical.

Fast-forward a few months, and I have, for review, the Galaxy S Ill Mini. It has all the power of its larger elder brother with a much more reasonable four-inch screen. This led me to wonder, though: Was the magic of the Sill due to the convenience of that huge AMOLED screen, and would a smaller, though similarly capable device fizzle out with all the other smartphones out there?

The Mini, a name which I will henceforth use to refer to the phone, is basically a scaled-down version of the SIII all aspects. It is just a little smaller, at 4.79 x 2.48 x .39 inches, but looks exactly like the Samsung flagship. The layout is pretty much the same, the only difference being a different location for the front camera. Without anything by which to compare scale, you would not likely be able to tell the difference between the two.

As I mentioned earlier, the screen of the Mini is a smaller four-incher, with a slightly looser 223 ppi pixel density, though it is still the same beautiful Super AMOLED capacitive affair as the larger phone. The difference in sharpness is barely noticeable, and unless you read your text messages with a microscope, will probably be forgotten once you have used it for a little while.

Internal memory options are also scaled down, with the Inbeing made available with either 8 or 16GB on-board, but don’t fret. If you need more storage, the Mini comes with a micro SD slot under the battery. It also accepts the older Simms there is no need to cut up your regular-sized SIM card to make it fit in the tray.

Using the device is dead easy. It comes with Android 4.1Jelly Bean out of the box, and thanks to a snappy dual-core processor clocked at 1GHz,the OS loads, runs and transitions smoothly despite my best efforts at straining the hardware.

There really is more power available on tap than the OS requires plus the same 1GB RAM as the S Ill, so even if the processor isn’t the same quad core deal as its big brother, you really wouldn’t be able to tell with daily use. The S Ill Mini comes with the same usable software suite as the S Ill, all the calendar, office and recreational apps are present. It even comes with the same, handy S Voice assistant, which came in very handy for everything from Google searches to setting my daily alarms. I’m glad to see they didn’t cut this feature out, as it really is more useful than many people might think. It will require a data connection though, so be prepared to have one handy.

The phone, on the whole, really shines with data. Integration of your Google account is just as smooth as any other Android smartphone out there, and other apps such as maps, searches and the aforementioned S Voice assistant really come together to give a slick user experience.

The camera, while an older S-megapixel deal is still pretty great. It’s capable of taking sharp, balanced photos that represent colors well, and works great for capturing the odd moment or two. I did wish it would boot up and capture a little faster, but that is by no means a deal-breaker. The camera makes up for this by offering the same super-fast burst mode so you don’t miss a shot even when there’s a lot of action going on. It is still capable of recording some pretty high-quality video at 720pand 30fps, so it’ll gladly double up as a handy video camera when called to do so. Because the Mini is meant to be more of a budget offering than the S Ill, a few other features were left out, such as the free Dropbox space (though Dropbox will still work just fine once you install it),and the massive 2100mAh battery. The 1500mAh deal on the Mini is just fine though, and, even with some moderate to heavy use, should last through the better part of two days thanks to the power saving processor.

On the whole, the Galaxy SIll Mini is a great phone. It does everything well and doesn’t leave anything really important out. Sure, its light may dim a little when compared to the SIll,

but almost any other phone out there would do the same. If a single thought could sum up this device, it would be to call it an S Ill lite. It leaves out just enough to keep the price down but still leaves you with enough to get the whole experience. Would recommend it to anyone who wants a flagship phone without the flagship price tag, all in a very reasonable size.

First Published in Gadgets Magazine February 2013

Words by Ren Alcantara

Gadgetslab: Linksys EA 4500 Wireless Dual-band Router

GadgetsLab

Ren Alcantara

-

28 Feb 2013

0

Gadgetslab: Linksys EA 4500 Wireless Dual-band Router

SPECIFICATIONS:

Wireless Technology: Wireless-N
Bands: Simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Ports x Speed: 4x Gigabit, USB IPv6 Support: Native IPv6 and 6rd support

WHAT’S HOT:

Simple setup
Great range
Amazing feature set

WHAT’S NOT:

Some may have an issue with a web-based interface

BOTTOMLINE:

A router is something worth investing in, and the EA4500 is a great way to go.

Routers. There usually isn’t much to say about them. If you’re a non-power user, The process is pretty much “power, plug, forget.” It’s a device that we don’t really notice until it stops working, and when it does, it’s expletives, prayers and a quick trip to the computer store. This happened to me recently, and I was determined not to have it happen to me again. I decided it was time to get a new router that would give me solid service and a whole bag of features. Before that could happen, however, I got the Linksys EA4500 to review, and I couldn’t be more pleased with it.

The Linksys EA4500 is a wireless router, yes but it is much, much more than that. The unassuming little box is about the size and weight of a large paperback book. It has no external antenna to snag, catch or otherwise get in the way of placement. It’s a device that is meant to disappear into your network, and the slim profile really lends itself to that. Initial setup is pretty straightforward, as routers are supposed to be. I unpacked the device, plugged in the power supply, and the LAN cable, and it was live.

I then connected to the router and went on to change the important settings to get started. Everything went without a hitch, and, frankly, I could have stopped there. I did, however, know that the router was capable of so much more, so after a very quick, painless firmware update, I was able to gain access to my own Linksys Smart Wi-Fi account that lets me control the router remotely, from anywhere in the world, as long as my home router is online. Before I go on to that, let’s dive into the basic specs of the device.

The EA4500 is a simultaneous dual-band (2.4 and 5GHz), wireless a/b/g/n router that does everything a regular router can do, plus a few neat tricks to boot. On the back of the device are four gigabit ports for wired connections, the main connector where the cable from the modem plugs in and a power port.

It has an internal antenna, which gave surprising coverage. It allowed a strong signal to places in our house that the older router couldn’t reliably reach, all without the unsightly antenna. The connection provided was rock-solid, with not a flicker even through one floor and a bunch of solid concrete and stone walls.

The EA4500 also had a USB port for plugging in and sharing storage media over your wireless network. I was very pleased to have this feature, as it made sharing media and other data with other computers dead easy, without having to go through complicated network settings. It was a breeze to get the network storage feature to work.

I just plugged in storage media and navigated to the appropriate address within the network, and there were all my files, ready for transferring, from any computer connected to the EA4500. The port can also be used for printer sharing, and remote access via FTP with the same simple setup. on top of this, the EA4500 is a DLNA- certified media server, so other smart devices play nice with it, guaranteed.

For those who like having friends over, the EA4500 has a special “Guest Network” setting that allows users to connect to the router without having access to the rest of the local network through a simple browser-based sign-in and password. The password can be a simpler, easy-to-convey phrase, as security is taken care of by the device. It’s pretty slick, and useful if you want to have a nerd coalition over for a party.

The EA4500 is a great device just with those features, but what really makes it shine is the web interface. After the quick firmware update and an even quicker sign-up, the Linksys Smart WiFi interface can be accessed from any location as long as the router is connected to the Internet. This allows me to control every aspect of the router from media prioritization that gives more bandwidth to certain devices, to parental controls that can keep devices from going to certain sites or kill a connection completely with the flip of a switch or based on a schedule. It even allows you to install apps that give you value-added features, such as additional streaming software, security software and even an iOS/Android app that gives you the same functionality as the browser interface, right from the comfort of a native app.

The EA4500 is a great router on its own that gets a leg up over the competition because of a solid name and all the value-added features thanks to the Smart Wi-Fi web interface. It has all the hardcore features of a regular router, but all in a package that any average Joe can understand and control.

First published in Gadgets Magazine February 2013

Words by Ren Alcantara

Gadgetslab: Canon PowerShot SX50 HS DIGITAL CAMERA

GadgetsLab

Gadgets Team

-

28 Feb 2013

0

Gadgetslab: Canon PowerShot SX50 HS DIGITAL CAMERA

SPECIFICATIONS:

Sensor: 11mm 12.1MP CMOS sensor
Zoom and optics: SOx optical zoom;
1OOx digital zoom
Physical Dimensions:122.S x 87.3 x
10S.Smm
Weight:SS1g
Estimated battery life: Approx.31S shots when using LCD,approx.33S shots when using EVF
Memory used/internal capacity:SD

WHAT’S HOT:

Unparalleled zoom capacity in its category
Good photo quality
RAW format recording
Zoom Framing Assist Seek and Lock buttons

BOTTOMLINE:

Matched with superb image quality, its impressively powerful SOx optical zoom and 1OOx Zoom Plus make the Canon PowerShot SXSO HS stand out in its category.

In Photokina 2012,Canon claimed that the SOx optical zoom of the PowerShot SXSO HS matches that of a 24-1200mm lens, topping the zoom range of its 2011 release,the PowerShot SX40 HS.That SOx optical zoom capacity, said Canon,can even be expanded using the camera’s 1OOx Zoom Plus. I happily volunteered to take the camera for a spin to see if I can put that claim to the test.

One thing I loved about the PowerShot SX50 HS-and one advantage it has over DSLRs with long lenses-is that it is surprisingly lightweight. There was hardly any struggle carrying the camera around anywhere I went, whether it was in my backpack or out in the open. In fact, if you take a look at the spec sheet, you’ll see that it weighs only a little over half a kilogram. Although it may look like a DSLR to the layman, owing to its pronounced handgrip, electronic viewfinder (EVF), external flash hotshoe and mode dial, the camera is less bulky and more compact than your average DSLR. The PowerShot SX50 HS looks no larger than its eldest brother, the PowerShot SX30 IS.

Laid out on its body are all your standard camera buttons such as the shutter release button, playback button, menu button, display controls. There are, however, new buttons that might need introduction, such as the Zoom Framing Assist Seek and Lock buttons on the side of the protruding lens and the assignable shortcut button in the far upper left on the camera’s rear. I had no problems with the button layout or the grip. Once I was even able to operate the camera using only one hand.

Aside from having an electronic viewfinder, the camera also has a titlable 2.8-inch LCD screen, which made it easier for me to monitor my shots even when taken at odd angles. A minor issue, though, is that when you move your eye towards the viewfinder, the camera doesn’t automatically redirect the display from the LCD to the EVF, unlike in DSLRs and a number of points-and shoot models. To port the display from LCD to the EVF and vice versa, you’d have to press the display button.

Armed with a 12.1-megapixel sensor, the PowerShot SX50 HS is able to capture photos with minimal noise. The ISO range is pretty wide at 80-6400, but the aperture range isn’t quite satisfying with only f/3.4 at the widest point and f/6.5 at the telephoto end. It’s also important to note that the PowerShot SX50 HS wields a DIGIC 5 image processor the same chip found in Canon’s high end DSLRs.

Remember I said I’d attempt to put the camera’s zoom to the test? Well, the PowerShot SX50 HS is a surprising heavy-hitter. What defeats all of its flaws is its impressive zoom capacity. Here are some sample situations that will hopefully illustrate the power of the camera’s zoom range: At ground

level, I was able to get an amazing close-up shot of the moon. I was also able to single-out an ornament from a giant Christmas tree in the UST Grandstand. Scan the QR code at the end of this review, and you’ll see more incredible photos that showcase the zooming power of the PowerShot SX50 HS.

One of the challenges of shooting photos while zoomed in is keeping the camera steady enough to get a clear and focused shot. My first suggestion would be to use a tripod, but if you prefer handheld shooting, this camera packs some nifty features that can help. When you hit the Zoom Framing Assist Seek button (on the side of the lens) while you are zoomed in on a desired subject, the camera temporarily zooms out to full wide to let you know where you are. You will see a white box indicating where you were when you were zoomed in. This may not be practical for moving subjects, but the other button on the lens-called the Zoom Framing Assist Lock button-tracks a subject and automatically locks onto it by keeping it in the center of the frame until you’re ready to fire the shot. The photos I produced had minimal noise. Though white balance is a bit off at times, I have no complaints as to photo quality.

Sometimes, though, my photos may have appeared in-focus on the LCD screen, but turned out to be out-of focus when viewed on my computer. This could be due to the low resolution of the LCD screen, which makes it hard to discern whether or not the elements onscreen are in-focus.

One important little nugget that Canon threw in as an improvement to the SX40 HS is the ability to shoot in RAW format. This makes the PowerShot SX50 HS more attractive to presumes as they are given the freedom to manually process their images.

Aside from being a powerful stills shooter, the camera can also function as a video recorder that can shoot videos in 1080p Full HD at 24 frames per second (fps). I had no complaints as to video and audio quality, just that the AF hunt is a bit slow when zoomed in-the same complaint I have in taking stills. It also has a slow-motion video feature that can take video clips at 240 or 120 fps and a Movie Digest mode that combines snippets of each video you take into one movie.

With all these features and abilities, the camera retails at PHP 25,998. It costs just as much as an entry-level DSLR with an 18-135mm kit lens, but I’d definitely consider putting my money on this little trooper because it is compact, lightweight and easier to manage. The quality of telephoto images taken by DSLRs with long lenses remains unmatched, but the PowerShot SX50 HS reigns supreme in its own turf as it gives you the power to zoom in from any distance without compromising quality.

First Published in Gadgets Magazine February 2013

Words by Racine Castro

Parade: Fujifilm XF1, Interchangeable Lens Camera

Archives

Gadgets Team

-

28 Feb 2013

0

Parade: Fujifilm XF1, Interchangeable Lens Camera

If you can’t get close enough to your subject, the Fujifilm XF1can.Its Intelligent Digital Zoom feature can double the zoom beyond the 4x optical zoom range without losing any detail. Manual zoom is also enabled on the 25-1OOmm lens so that you have total control over which part of the scene to be included in your frame. The camera comes with the extended function (E-Fn) button, which lets you customize your XF1 to offer access to the controls you use the most. The camera includes a 12-megapixelEXR-CMOS sensor, 100-12800 ISO, a 3.0-inch LCDmonitor, and Full HD (1080p) movie recording. Its wide maximum aperture at f/1.8 allows you to quickly capture your subject even in low-light settings. The Fujifilm XF1 is the perfect fashion companion as it comes in three stunning colors: red, black and brown.

PHP21,500

First published in Gadgets Magazine February 2013