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    Samsung Galaxy Camera hands-on, first impressions

    Gadgets Team
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    Samsung Galaxy Camera hands-on, first impressions

    When Samsung announced the Galaxy Camera in IFA this year, we were all slightly curious as to what an almost eternally connected camera would mean for us. Because of its Android origins, the Galaxy Camera’s appeal would inevitably be one of instantaneous sharing, wherever, whenever. And from the way things are going, this concept isn’t going to be lost on other manufacturers as well, and we’re pretty sure that this is just the beginning of a whole new chapter in digital cameras.

    We got to see the Galaxy Camera during the local launch of the Galaxy Note II, and we spent a little time with it there. While we were initially impressed at what the device had to offer, we couldn’t really gauge image quality and how the it handled being an Android device. Today we’ve managed to score a little more time with the camera, and we’re liking what we’re seeing so far.

    If it hasn’t been abundantly clear from the previous stories that we did, make no mistake – the Samsung Galaxy Camera is big. With physical dimensions of 128.7 x 70.8 x 19.1 mm, it’s not the most portable camera around. There’s few physical controls present on the device itself, and most of it is located on the top – the zoom controls, shutter and power buttons are all clustered together.

    There’s an enlarged, textured area near the left side of the camera that acts as the grip to help you get a solid purchase on the device when you’re using it with one hand. On the right side of the device you’ll see the flash button that pops up the built-in flash.

    The Galaxy Camera has a large, 4.8-inch Super Clear LCD capacitive screen that has a resolution of 720×1280 pixels, which puts it pretty much on par with another Samsung product, the Galaxy S III. Inside the camera beats the heart of a Samsung Exynos 4412 quad-core processor running at 1.4Ghz paired with 1GB of RAM, which weirdly enough puts the processing power of the Galaxy Camera leagues away from most mid-tier Android smartphones currently in the market today.

    When you initially turn on the Galaxy Camera, you’ll be greeted by a traditional camera GUI. You can select the shooting mode that you want using the menu on the right side of the display, while the camera’s settings can be controlled by pressing the gear icon near the top left of the GUI. Shooting effects are accessed by pressing the arrow on the bottom, while you’ll be able to quickly capture videos by pressing the large record key on the left side of the GUI. All the videos and the pictures that you shoot can be accessed anytime by pressing on the small thumbnail on the bottom left of the display.

    The Galaxy Camera transforms from a simple camera to a fully featured Android device once you press on the home icon on the top left of the display. Once pressed, you’ll be treated to a familiar Android 4.1 menu with Samsung’s TouchWiz UI layered on top. Samsung has made a few adjustments to the UI for the Galaxy Camera, which include quick adjustments to the shooting modes that you use. To get back to the camera function of the device, there’s a camera icon on the bottom left of the UI that’s present in all of the home screens.

    The Galaxy Camera feels like a smartphone in terms of usage, chiefly because of its Android origins. You can do pretty much everything you can do with an Android smartphone with the Galaxy Camera except make a voice call.

    Because the device has a microSIM slot, you can chuck in a data SIM inside and always have internet access with it, which allows you to share your pictures instantaneously the minute you take a picture with it.

    Speaking of pictures, the Galaxy Camera uses a 16.3-megapixel sensor that’s capable of taking quality pictures. The Galaxy Camera is also equipped with a 21x optical zoom, and has a wide-angle 23mm lens. Check out our unedited, full-sized pictures below for a taste of its image quality (click on the pictures to enlarge):

    That’s it for now. We’ll be posting the full review of the Samsung Galaxy Camera later next week, so keep tuned.

     

    Manli releases GeForce GT 630

    Gadgets Team
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    Manli releases GeForce GT 630

    Manli has released the GeForce GT 630 on our shores, and with Blu-ray 3D support, DirectX 11 support and OpenGL 4.2 support, you’ll have a quality card on your hands that doesn’t take up a lot of space.

    With an 1.3 GHz memory clock and an 810MHz GPU clock, your games will be up to five times faster than if you were playing on an integrated graphics setup, and its 1 GB of DDR3 memory ensures that your games and movies won’t stutter or lag. Its connectivity options include dual-link DVI, HDMI, and VGA, so whether you’re using a flat screen HD monitor or an older LCD monitor, you can still utilize the card. Manli’s GeForce GT 630 also holds support for Blu-ray 3D, so if you have a monitor that supports 3D, you can also play your games or watch your movies in 3D HD.

    Microsoft is selling four times as many Windows Phones compared to last year

    Gadgets Team
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    Microsoft is selling four times as many Windows Phones compared to last year

    To say that Microsoft has its work cut out for it in the mobile space is an understatement of epic proportions. In a world where a majority of mobile users either use iOS or Android (with a smattering of BlackBerry OS in between) the firm from Redmond is swimming in mighty rough seas. That’s the reason why it came to no surprise to us that Steve Ballmer was excited to tell everyone present at company’s shareholder meeting that the new OS managed to sell four times as many Windows Phones compared to last year.

    “Windows Phone 8 has been on sale for a few weeks and is off to a great start,” Ballmer said at a shareholders’ meeting today. Handsets made by HTC Corp and Nokia Oyj  “are getting rave reviews and have initially sold out in many countries.”

    While the CEO of Microsoft is rightfully proud of their current achievements, it’s still not clear just how many phones they’ve managed to sell. Until Microsoft releases that particular information, it’s still up in the air if the company will be able to catch up to the performance of both Android and iOS, two of the most successful OS out in the market today.

    Source: Bloomberg

    Nokia conducting pre-Christmas sale on Dec. 1-2, up to 50% off on 9 phone models

    Gadgets Team
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    Nokia conducting pre-Christmas sale on Dec. 1-2, up to 50% off on 9 phone models

    Just got your 13th month paycheck and wondering where to drop it on? Well, you might want to buy yourself something pretty from Nokia. Nokia Philippines is conducting their pre-Christmas sale on Dec. 1 to 2 with deep cuts on the prices of phones for 9 of their models. Up for grabs is the entry-level Nokia 1280, the Nokia X1-01, Asha 200 and 305, Nokia 500 and even the 41-megapixel Nokia 808 Pureview. Nokia will also be putting up select models for their Lumia lineup in the sale, which includes the Lumia 800 and the Lumia 900. The sale will only be available in select Nokia stores in SM Mall  of Asia, Nokia Store Festival Mall and SM Dasmarinas. First come, first  serve and strictly no reservations.  The sale is open for cash  and straight transactions and only those in-line and in-store are entitled  to avail of the promo.

    US congressman proposes 2-year ban on bills about the Internet

    Gadgets Team
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    US congressman proposes 2-year ban on bills about the Internet

    Earlier this year, SOPA and PIPA were defeated in the wake of mass protests and concerns about privacy. Now, bills about the Internet in general might be stopped—at least in America, but it could have wide-reaching effects around the world as well. Congressman Darrell Issa, a Republican from California, seeks to ban bills about the Internet for at least two years. Issa posted the full text of the bill, which can be found here.

    Issa, a proponent of online freedom, said, “Together, we can make Washington take a break from messing with the Internet.”

    “After SOPA and PIPA (the Senate’s similar Protect Intellectual Property Act), it became very clear that we needed a cooling-off period to figure out a better way to create policy that impacts Internet users, job creators and all Americans,” a spokesman for Issa said.

    Some were a bit skeptical of Issa’s proposal, saying, “I have a problem with legislation that preemptively ties your hands for years at a time. You can’t know what the internet or society will look like in six months, let alone two years, and making it harder to respond to emerging threats or opportunities is an abdication of your responsibilities as a member of Congress.”

    Another user said, “The answer is NOT to ban new regulation. We need regulation,” another said. “But, I don’t believe ANYBODY in Congress has the vocabulary, is intelligent in knowing how the internet or computers work, or has the foresight to put current trends and future technologies together in a context to create those new regulation that protect the internet and it’s users/consumers.”

    For those who frequent Reddit, you can also add to the discussion on Issa’s proposal on his IAMA here.

    ZTE is rumored to be making a smartphone that uses an 8-core processor

    Gadgets Team
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    ZTE is rumored to be making a smartphone that uses an 8-core processor

    Thought your quad-core smartphone was impressive? Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet. There’s fierce rumors going around that ZTE will be coming out with an 8-core processor equipped smartphone codenamed “Apache”. MediaTek will be stuffing a yet to be announced ARM15 MT6599 chip that’s been manufactured with TSMC’s 28nm process.

    Other specs of the Apache includes a high-resolution 1080p display, along with a 13-megapixel camera with LTE support (for the markets that have it). If the rumors are true, it means that ZTE hopes to make a big splash on the mobile market that’s currently saturated with other, more premium brands. While ZTE has created other, more budget friendly devices, it has yet to break out into the Android smartphone scene with a drool-worthy device that gives other manufacturers like Sony, Samsung and Apple a run for their money.

    Source: MyDrivers.com via Unwired View

    Leaked images of BlackBerry 10 powered L series phone appear (again)

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Leaked images of BlackBerry 10 powered L series phone appear (again)

    It’s understandable that a lot of people are waiting to see a glimpse of BlackBerry’s next OS and series of handsets. Well, until the big reveal of the device in early 2013, RIM-aholics will have to get by through leaked product images dropped online by people in the know. One of those people has graciously taken multiple pictures of the BlackBerry Powered L Series phone and plastered it all over the net for everyone to see. If you’re curious to see what the next step in BlackBerry’s evolution looks like, you only need to look at the images posted n the link below.

    Source: TechSuplex

    Razer updates mobile-friendly Orochi mouse, more powerful sensor and longer battery life

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Razer updates mobile-friendly Orochi mouse, more powerful sensor and longer battery life

    Razer’s updating another product in their peripheral line, and this time it’s their mobile mouse, the Orochi. Much like the DeathAdder that came before it, the Orochi is getting a newer, higher resolution 4G 6400 DPI sensor, which should make it more sensitive than ever before.

    Razer also made the new Orochi more efficient, as its Bluetooth 3.0 connection to notebooks and power optimization give it long 30 hour continuous battery life, or 3 months of actual usage – at least according to Razer. The new Orochi should be hitting stores in the States and will retail for $69.99 or Php 2819. We haven’t gotten any word when this particular mouse will hit our stores.

     

    Microsoft plans to send over OTA update to alleviate random reboot issues for Windows Phone 8 users

    Gadgets Team
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    Microsoft plans to send over OTA update to alleviate random reboot issues for Windows Phone 8 users

    Remember the random reboot issue that some Windows Phone 8 users were experiencing? Well, if you’re one of the unlucky ones that has been hit with that particular annoying bug, you’ll be happy to know that Microsoft is planning to push out an OTA update to correct the issues that you’ve been experiencing. Microsoft has identified the cause of the issue and has managed to find a fix for it, though mum’s the word on what exactly caused all those problems.

    Source: AllThingsD

    Gmail integrates Google Drive, allows file transfers of up to 10 GB

    Gadgets Team
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    Gmail integrates Google Drive, allows file transfers of up to 10 GB

    Do you feel like sending your friends your vacation photos—and maybe throw in an HD quality feature length movie with it? Need to send PDFs to your co-workers? Google has announced that its email service, Gmail, is integrating Google Drive, allowing file transfers of up to 10 GB, which is 400 times bigger than a regular email attachment.

    “Like a smart assistant, Gmail will also double-check that your recipients all have access to any files you’re sending. This works like Gmail’s forgotten attachment detector: whenever you send a file from Drive that isn’t shared with everyone, you’ll be prompted with the option to change the file’s sharing settings without leaving your email. It’ll even work with Drive links pasted directly into emails,” product manager Phil Sharp said.

    The catch? You’ll have to update to Gmail’s new composing window. The service is expected to be released over the next few days.

    Perez tops 5th round of Lateral Drift Championship Series

    Gadgets Team
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    Perez tops 5th round of Lateral Drift Championship Series

    More than 2,000 motor enthusiasts and spectators attended the 5th round of the Lateral Drift Championship Series night race at the Clark International Speedway.

    Pro Division Winners
    (L-R) 3rd placer Ralph Tan, champion Alex Perez, and 2nd placer Gio Rodriguez

    Five-time Lateral Drift champion Alex Perez bested Gio Rodriguez in the battle for the top spot in the professional division. Rodriguez falls short and lands in second place.

    Perez vs. Rodriguez

    Ralph Tan of Team Hankook was able to defeat Ryan Agoncillo of Team Yellow Cab in the battle for third place.

    Pao Agregado of Team Hankook reached the highest speed at 100kph, but failed to make it into the final four.

    The championship leader in the previous rounds, Audel Sison, falls short as he lands on the 8th spot. Perez capitalizes with 457 points, while Sison tails behind him with 440 points.

    Amateur Division Winners
    (L-R) 3rd placer Rad Albano, 2nd placer Jesus Salas, and champion Jet Mathay

    In the amateur division, championship leader Jet Mathay bagged the top spot, knocking Jesus Salas into second place. It was Rad Albano of Team Autocraft who landed in third place.

    Jet Mathay racing under Team HKS

    The sixth and final round of the Lateral Drift Championship Series will be on December 8, 2012 at the Clark EXPO open parking grounds.

    The Lateral Drift Championship Series was made possible by the following sponsors: 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, HKS oil, Emperor Motor Sport, and Zero-400.

    Photos by Chris Kho of Kotse.com

    PLDT refreshes TelPad offering, now throws in a Huawei-made TelPad S7 Lite with service

    Gadgets Team
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    PLDT refreshes TelPad offering, now throws in a Huawei-made TelPad S7 Lite with service

    PLDT’s TelPad service has been around for oh, some time now, so it’s not surprising that the company is refreshing the tablet that they are including with their revolutionary offering. This time around, the company is packaging the Huawei S7 with the TelPad service. The TelPad S7 Lite is a 7-inch, IPS equipped tablet from Huawei that packs a 1.2GHz Cortex A8 processor paired with 1GB of RAM along with 8GB of storage that can increased through a microSD slot up to 32GB.

    The tablet has ICS on board, and comes free (yes free!) with any of PLDT’s TelPad plans. PLDT hopes that users will be able to enjoy their internet connections more with a feature packed tablet. Considering what you’re getting, we think that PLDT’s TelPad plans are more than fair. Speaking of plans, check out the offerings:


    Old subscribers will be able to upgrade to plan as well, though Patrick Tang, VP PLDT Home Solutions, say that there’s going to be a slight fee depending on how long you’ve been with the old plan. Early adopters will be able to exchange their devices straight up without any issue, though anyone under a year or under six month would have to pay a slight fee to get their newer S7 Lite.

    Samsung hopes to release flexible plastic OLED displays next year

    Gadgets Team
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    1
    Samsung hopes to release flexible plastic OLED displays next year

    The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Samsung thinks it’ll be able to release flexible plastic OLED displays by next year. The Korean company says that it is “in the last stage of development” for the displays, and hopes to be able to release them in 2013. If Samsung manages to keep to this particular timeline, we may see radically new phone designs based on the new technology near the second half of 2013 (Samsung and other manufacturers have to build the prototypes as well, a phone isn’t just a display). It has to be said though that the objective of these flexible displays isn’t to create a phone that can be folded in your pocket (though that may be the reality someday) – it’s more to do with improving the strength and flexibility of highly fragile displays that are used in hi-end smartphones today.

    Source: Wall Street Journal

    Nokia Asha 205 rolls out dedicated Facebook button

    Gadgets Team
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    Nokia Asha 205 rolls out dedicated Facebook button

    Nokia’s been rolling out low-cost Asha featurephones like crazy in the recent months, and it doesn’t look like the Finnish company is going to stop soon. The latest Asha device to be unveiled by the company is the Asha 205 which was especially built for the social web which is evidenced by a dedicated Facebook button on the device. Nokia says the new button should allow users to instantly connect to their friends, by allowing them to see which of their friends are online to start chatting with them right away, start messages and group chats fast and reach more of the people they know, wherever they are, no matter what device they are using.

     

    The button also allows users to quickly share their status updates and photos, though at this point in time we’re not exactly sure how it works. We suppose it’ll closely mimic the experience on HTC’s own Facebook specialized phone, the ChaCha though at this point in time it’s purely speculation from us. Other specs of the Asha 205 include a 2.5-inch display, QWERTY keyboard and dual-SIM capabilities. No price has been set as of writing.

    Stop posting that Facebook privacy meme – you’re making yourself look stupid

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Stop posting that Facebook privacy meme – you’re making yourself look stupid
    From George Takei’s Facebook

    We’ve been seeing a couple of people on our friends list posting a long, slightly legalese statement about their privacy and copyright guidelines. A bunch of you might have read this on your news feed lately:

    In response to the new Facebook guidelines I hereby declare that my copyright is attached to all of my personal details, illustrations, comics, paintings, professional photos and videos, etc. (as a result of the Berner Convention).

    For commercial use of the above, my written consent is needed at all times! (Anyone reading this can copy this text and paste it on their Facebook Wall. This will place them under protection of copyright laws.) By the present communiqué, I notify Facebook that it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, disseminate, or take any other action against me on the basis of this profile and/or its contents. The aforementioned prohibited actions also apply to employees, students, agents and/or any staff under Facebook’s direction or control. The content of this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of my privacy is punished by law (UCC 1 1-308-308 1-103 and the Rome Statute).

    Facebook is now an open capital entity. All members are recommended to publish a notice like this, or if you prefer, you may copy and paste this version. If you do not publish a statement at least once, you will be tacitly allowing the use of elements such as your photos as well as the information contained in your profile status updates.

    We hate to break it to you guys, but this is all a hoax. The long and short of it is this: your copyright is already attached to whatever you post on your Facebook account, from that seemingly artsy shot of your unremarkable food a few days ago to that drunken binge that you posted with your friends when you weren’t thinking straight. There is no need to declare it, again. Even Facebook tells you this in their TOS: “You retain the copyright to your content. When you upload your content, you grant us a license to use and display that content.”

    If you don’t believe us, you can check out this statement that Facebook posted regarding this issue:

    There is a rumor circulating that Facebook is making a change related to ownership of users’ information or the content they post to the site. This is false. Anyone who uses Facebook owns and controls the content and information they post, as stated in our terms. They control how that content and information is shared. That is our policy, and it always has been.

    TL;DR; Stop posting that status because it makes you look stupid. Instead, post pictures of cats because they are infinitely more adorable.

     

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