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    Samsung gives you a chance to win a Galaxy S III via interactive AR Android app

    Gadgets Team
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    Samsung gives you a chance to win a Galaxy S III via interactive AR Android app

    Dreaming of an upgrade to Samsung’s newest and greatest, the Galaxy S III? Well, here’s your chance – Samsung is running an interactive scavenger hunt using Augmented Reality technology. Are you up for it? Great. Here’s what you need:

    • An Android device (obviously).
    • The Video AR app onto your Android-powered device. You can get it for free the Google Play Store (or you can download it from here).
    • Register and log in via one’s Facebook account, or create a dedicated new account for the contest within the app itself.
    • Search for the GALAXY S III logo anywhere – print ads, billboards, the Internet, posters, et cetera – and scan it in using the app.
    • Watch the exciting GALAXY S III video that pops up after each successful scan to earn ONE (1) raffle entry.
    • Earn up to TWENTY (20) raffle entries per day. The more logos you hunt down and scan each day, the more chances you have of winning.

    Up for grabs are 5 Samsung Galaxy S IIIs. Better hurry, the promo will only run till September 15, 2012.

     

    Globe launches their own tablet, dubs it Tattoo Mediapad

    Gadgets Team
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    2
    Globe launches their own tablet, dubs it Tattoo Mediapad

    Globe has apparently launched their own branded tablet, aligning it with their broadband service, Tattoo. The new tablet is dubbed as the Tattoo Mediapad, and will be made available through their Tattoo plans. From the pictures, it seems like Globe has rebranded Huawei’s own 7-inch Mediapad and is selling it through their own Tattoo channels. The Tattoo Mediapad is powered by Android 4.0, and can be yours at only P10,990 available at 12 months to pay at 0% interest when subscribed to a Tattoo Personalized Plan 999.

    Samsung throws ‘housewarming’ event featuring Digital Appliances

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Samsung throws ‘housewarming’ event featuring Digital Appliances

    We saw a lot of nifty digital home appliances yesterday at Samsung’s Housewarming Party where they launched a lot of cool and helpful gadgets that fit the needs of the modern home.

    The digital appliances were exhibited in a simulated household, complete with a kitchen, a bedroom, a wash room, and a living room. Among the fashion and lifestyle icons who demonstrated the various appliances were Daphne Oseña-Paez, Amanda Griffin, Rissa Mananquil-Trillo and Tessa Prieto-Valdes.

    At the bedroom area, we were introduced to the elegantly designed Samsung digital airconditioner whose Smart Inverter Technology makes it 60% more energy-efficient. It also has a technology called Virus Doctor that immobilizes and deactivates bacteria.

    At the wash room setup, we saw Samsung’s fully automatic digital washing machines that are equipped with Samsung’s Eco Bubble technology which makes washing more efficient and saves up to 70% more energy.

    In the kitchen display, we encountered the Samsung digital refrigerators that featured no-frost technology which prevents the buildup of ice. The Digital Refrigerators also run on Inverter Technology for energy efficiency. We were also introduced to the one of its digital microwaves, which had an anti-scratch and anti-bacterial ceramic enamel cavity.

    Samsung also introduced its Digital Vacuum Cleaner which is extremely easy to use. Its Super Twin Chamber technology enables it to hold more dirt.

    One of the digital appliances that caught our eye was the Samsung NaviBot, which is pretty much like a smart robotic pet that cleans up the house by roaming around and collecting dirt. Samsung tells us that it actually creates a schematic map internally after its first try around your house. This means that when you use it again, it’ll automatically know where to go and sweep up dirt.

    For more information on Samsung’s awesome digital appliances, you can head on over to their website www.samsung.com/ph.

     

    Is this what the new iPad Mini will look like?

    Gadgets Team
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    Is this what the new iPad Mini will look like?

    We’re getting really close to the eventual release of the new iPhone and the rumored iPad Mini, and as always a whole deluge of rumors have started coalescing into the greater internet. 9to5 Mac has gotten a tip on what the eventual form of the new iPad Mini will finally look like, and they describe it as looking like a gigantic iPod Touch with smaller side bezels. The tech outfit has managed to get a mock-up of the rumored tablet going, and to be honest we like what we see. There will be accidental screen touching on the side when you try and pick it up to use it in portrait mode because of the thin side bezel, but we think that Apple will have worked out how that will work by the time they launch the product (possibly increase the deadzone on the bezels when you pick it up in portrait mode?). Do you like what you see? Sound off in the comments.

    Source: 9To5Mac

    Microsoft’s Surface will supposedly retail for $199 at launch?

    Gadgets Team
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    1
    Microsoft’s Surface will supposedly retail for $199 at launch?

    Engadget is reporting that Microsoft’s RT version of the Surface Tablet will supposedly retail for $199 when it comes out next month. The price supposedly comes from a reliable source, and if it’s true, it places the Surface tablet at a unique position to compete with Google’s Nexus 7, which is also priced at $199 in the US. If the rumored low price point is true, it means that Microsoft is going to take a hit when it starts churning out these tablets, as there’s no way to make a bunch of profit at that low of a price point.

    Source: Engadget

    Researchers crack retinal code to deliver artificial vision

    Gadgets Team
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    1
    Researchers crack retinal code to deliver artificial vision

    One of the things many people believe about going blind is that they’re never going to see again. Blindness is often a side effect of a variety of diseases, one of the most common being diabetes. Although significant research and development has gone into helping the blind see again in some capacity, a major breakthrough has been made by scientists in order to help the blind see like everyone else.

    Two researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have deciphered a mouse’s retina’s neural code and coupled this information to a novel prosthetic device to restore sight to blind mice. The researchers say they have also cracked the code for a monkey retina—which is essentially identical to that of a human—and hope to quickly design and test a device that blind humans can use.

    “It’s an exciting time. We can make blind mouse retinas see, and we’re moving as fast as we can to do the same in humans,” says Dr. Nirenberg, a professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and in the Institute for Computational Biomedicine at Weill Cornell.

    This new approach provides hope for the 25 million people worldwide who suffer from blindness due to diseases of the retina. Because drug therapies help only a small fraction of this population, prosthetic devices are their best option for future sight.”This is the first prosthetic that has the potential to provide normal or near-normal vision because it incorporates the code,” Dr. Nirenberg explains.

    “Incorporating the code had a dramatic impact,” Dr. Nirenberg said. “It jumped the system’s performance up to near-normal levels—that is, there was enough information in the system’s output to reconstruct images of faces, animals—basically anything we attempted.”

    Jabra outs SUPREME UC Bluetooth headset designed for mobile workers

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Jabra outs SUPREME UC Bluetooth headset designed for mobile workers

    A year following the introduction of the Jabra SUPREME—the first non-stereo headset to incorporate active noise cancellation—global headset manufacturer Jabra offers another wireless communications solution to today’s mobile worker.

    Yesterday, Jabra introduced a new Bluetooth headset optimized to fit the needs for internet calls, online conferences and handsfree mobile phone calls—the Jabra SUPREME UC. The device is specifically crafted to work with all leading Unified Communications (UC) applications, including Microsoft, Cisco, Avaya, and Skype. It is also designed to take voice commands, so you can make or take calls and pair with your mobile devices by simply telling the SUPREME UC to do so.

    Jabra Country Manager (Philippines) Larsen Sandoval demonstrates the SUPREME UC

    “As the workforce continues to move towards mobility, both inside and outside of the office, Jabra is focusing on making communicating on the go as productive and seamless as possible,” says Ralph Ede, Jabra Managing Director for South Asia.  “The mobile worker is a key customer of ours, and we want to be sure we are offering products that keep them connected wherever, and however, they please.”

    The SUPREME UC is equipped with a dongle that users can plug into their laptop, and although Ede stated at the press conference that you can still pair your notebook with the headset even without it, it’s pretty helpful as it increases Bluetooth range. The SUPREME UC is a plug-and-play device, which means you don’t need any special applications or drivers to use it. Plus, you can download free upgrades on Jabra.com.

    What’s great about the device is that it has active noise cancellation. Ede claims that the device also has a built-in technology that makes your voice sound clearer to the user at the other end. So even if you’re walking along the streets of Metro Manila while talking to your boss or your clients, you’ll still hear and sound crystal clear.

    Jabra Managing Director for Southeast Asia answers questions about the SUPREME UC

    The device has a conveniently foldable design that enables users to turn it on and off by simply flipping the headset. Best of all, the device and the dongle can be conveniently tucked away in a compact container that can fit in your pocket.

    The Jabra SUPREME UC retails at USD$149.00, which is roughly PHP 6,258.

    Samsung is no. 1 in the Philippines for mobile phones, says GfK

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Samsung is no. 1 in the Philippines for mobile phones, says GfK

    The folks in the local Samsung HQ should be in a bit of a celebratory mood, as GfK has dubbed Samsung as the no. 1 brand for mobile devices here in the Philippines. According to GfK Retail and Technology Philippines, Ltd, Samsung has managed to nab 37.3% of the market share’s volume with a value of 46.6%, covering the period of July 2011 to June 2012. As a heartfelt thank you to the people who made this happen, Samsung has decided to conduct a Thank You Sale From August 04 to September 02, 2012, the Korean brand is offering discounts and freebies for purchases of its products. One can own a Samsung Galaxy for as low as P4,790.  Also, during the sale
    period, the latest Samsung Galaxy S III comes with a free Enjoy Club Membership and a case protector. Other Samsung mobile brands are also offered at specially-discounted rates.

     

    Kickin’ it old-school with your iPhone

    Ren Alcantara
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    0
    Kickin’ it old-school with your iPhone

    Despite the presence of amazingly powerful gaming machines such as the PS3 and Xbox 360, there’s something about retro gaming that tugs at the heartstrings of big kids everywhere. Maybe it reminds us of our childhood. Maybe they’re just more fun. Whatever the reason, the machines on which we used to play them can easily be blown out of the water by a simple iPhone. Alas, Apple frowns upon emulators, and won’t let us have our retro-gaming fun. There are solutions for Jailbroken iOS devices, but not everyone wants to go that route. For those people, there is THIS. It’s a web-based emulator that lets you play games from the NES, Gameboy and other old systems from your childhood. It’ HTML5-based, so you can run it right from a supported browser. The experience may vary, as the controls are a bit wonky when translated to a touchscreen, but it’s still worth a try, if only to relive lazy weekends when all we had to worry about were grades.

     

    Photo via www.retrogamenetwork.com

    Cherry Mobile conducts anniversary sale, 60% off W900 Dragon Phone

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Cherry Mobile conducts anniversary sale, 60% off W900 Dragon Phone

    Jonesing for a Cherry Mobile W900 Dragon Android phone but find your funds lacking? Well, you’ll be happy to know that Cherry Mobile will be conducting a 1-day anniversary sale of their W900 Dragon Phone tomorrow, and will be slashing 60% off of the price. Yes, 60%! Which means you’ll be able to walk home tomorrow with your very own W900 Dragon Phone for only Php 5,999! The sale will be available in all Cherry Mobile Concept stores and Kiosks tomorrow, so get your wallets ready!

     

    Review: HTC Desire V

    Gadgets Team
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    1
    Review: HTC Desire V

    When people say dual-SIM, the first things that come to most people’s minds are tacky, plastic pieces of cheap China crap. Dual-SIM phones don’t elicit the same emotional response as purpose built smartphones – they’re more of a necessary purchase more than anything else. That perception is something that HTC is trying to change with the newest member of their Desire family, the Desire V. Purpose built to be a dual-SIM Android smartphone that people will actively lust for, the Desire V is a step in the right direction as far as dual-SIM Android phones are concerned.

    The overall construction of the Desire V is pretty solid, and at first glance you would never really would have guessed it was a dual-SIM device. The design is simple yet elegant, and the lines and curves that wraps around the device gives it a premium feel. Size-wise, the Desire V is a bit smaller than HTC’s recent offerings, measuring in at only 118.5 x 62.3 x 9.3 mm. The Desire V uses a 4-inch, 480 x 800 resolution display. On the bottom of the screen lies the three Android navigation buttons, while the volume rocker is located on the right side. The Desire V uses a matte, rubberized non-slip material for the back cover. The 5-megapixel camera with LED flash is located on the back.

    The Desire V isn’t going to start breaking performance records soon, as evidenced by its slightly dated hardware. Powering the Desire V is a 1 GHz Cortex-A5 Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon processor with 512MB of RAM. Unlike other dual-SIM Android devices in the market, the Desire V comes with Android 4.0 (ICS) right out of the box, so you won’t have to wait for updates to get your device running in the latest version of Android. As an added bonus, HTC has also lightly skinned the Desire V in its Sense UI overlay, which puts the device in line with its more recent Android offerings. The Desire V also has Beats Audio Technology.

    While the Desire V is a dual-SIM device, it only requires one SIM card to facilitate data. Once you pry apart the back portion of the Desire V, you’ll see the 3G SIM slot on the left side of the device, with the second SIM card slot on the right. The Desire V is powered by a single 1650mAh battery.

    Using the dual-SIM Desire V isn’t much different from HTC’s other smartphone offerings. Every SMS that you receive will have a corresponding SIM number attached to it denoting which number the message arrived in, and the notification bar gives you a quick summation of the signal strengths of both SIM cards. You’ll also have the option of choosing which number your outbound messages gets sent out to via the two SIM icons located on the right of the messages you compose.

    Calls pretty much follow the same pattern – each call you get is accompanied by the SIM number where the call originated from.

    There’s not a lot to say about the Desire V’s performance, partly because of the slightly dated hardware it uses. A quick run-through AnTuTu gives the Desire V a score of 2973, which AnTuTu tells us is along the same line as the Google Nexus S.

    On Quadrant, the Desire V gets a score of 1864, which puts it roughly in the same league as the Desire HD.

    We noticed a bit of lag when we used the Desire V, which isn’t a surprise seeing that it uses slightly dated hardware. Unlocking the device from a reboot for example was a bit of a chore, as the unlock animation would take its sweet time actually unlocking the thing for use. Don’t get discouraged though – aside from slight issues like the ones mentioned, the Desire V is a solid performer, and is capable of powering through most apps without much issue.

    For dual-SIM devices, battery life is a big issue, chiefly because these smartphones use two radios at the same time which speeds up power drain. We’re happy to report that the Desire V isn’t affected too much by the use of dual-radios, as we managed to get about a day of useful battery life from it before reaching for the charger.

    So, is the HTC Desire V worth it? Short answer is yes. While it’s slightly letdown by its less than stellar processor and memory, the HTC Desire V is still a fantastic dual-SIM Android smartphone that you’ll actually want to buy out of desire. We’re pretty sure that there’s a large number of people out there who are looking for a dual-SIM smartphone that actually looks good, and for that particular market, the HTC Desire V blows the competition away.

     

    What’s Hot:

    Excellent design

    Android 4.0 (ICS) out of the box

    Good battery life

     

    What’s Not:

    Slightly letdown by dated processor

     

    Bottomline:

    The HTC Desire V is one of the few dual-SIM Android devices that we actually want.

     

    Buymeter: 4.5/5

     

    Tech Specs

    • Operating System: Android 4.0 (ICS)
    • CPU: Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon 1 GHz Cortex-A5
    • LCD size: 4.0 inch, 480 x 800 pixel resolution
    • Physical Dimensions: 118.5 x 62.3 x 9.3 mm
    • Weight: 114g
    • Band: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1, GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 2, HSDPA 900 / 2100 – SIM 1 only
    • Internal memory : 512GB RAM, 4 GB storage, expandable through microSD

     

    The history of Caps Lock

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    The history of Caps Lock

    The Caps Lock key seems to be just another key on the keyboard. You can see capital letters everywhere, as it is a part of proper grammar and spelling. However, Caps Lock has gained a special status as an abused key, and messages typed in ALL CAPS have made its way to emails, texts, Internet comments, and social media. In fact, Caps Lock even has its own designated day (October 22). But does anyone really know where the whole idea of Caps Lock originated, long before it became used as a way to ensure proper grammar and spelling, and later on, a tool of annoyance to everyone who has had to look at a computer screen, ever?

    This infographic shows some of the fun facts behind the Caps Lock key. In fact, Caps Lock was invented as early as 1878, to add capital letters to a Remington No. 2 typewriter. Back then, Caps Lock and the Shift key were one, and it was known as Shift, to shift between capital and lower case letters. Eventually, Caps Lock became Shift Lock, and by 1984, when the personal computer made its way into the home, the Caps Lock and Shift keys were separated into the modern day keyboard as we know it.

    As mass consumption of the Internet came about, Caps Lock began to get its bad reputation because people started to send messages in all capital letters to get attention (i.e. “URGENT” in the subject line of an email). This became known as the typing equivalent of shouting. Social media only accelerated the constant abuse of the key, especially now that more people than ever had access to the Internet. In fact, one of the main reasons that typing in all caps is discouraged is not only because it’s rude, but that according to the infographic, studies have shown that capital letters are harder to read than lowercase letters, particularly in large blocks to text (known to Internet users as a wall of text), due to the equal heights of the letters. This makes it harder for your brain to distinguish the individual shapes of the letters while reading.

    The problem with people typing in ALL CAPS has gotten so bad that several people have made proposals to even remove the key from the keyboard, as shown in the infographic. So if you like keeping Caps Lock on, now is a good time to turn it off: you’re not only being rude, but you’re also giving people vision problems. Think about that the next time you decide to shoot off emails, messages or texts in all caps.

    Behind the Scenes: A sneak peek at our August 2012 Photo Feature!

    Gadgets Team
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    Behind the Scenes: A sneak peek at our August 2012 Photo Feature!

    Hey guys! Here’s a sneak peek at what’s in store for you in our Photo Feature this month. We had a blast shooting with bright and bubbly car show darling Gwen Ceridwen! Don’t forget to grab a copy of our extra-special August 2012 12th Anniversary issue at your leading bookstores to see how the photos turned out.

    Check out tons of other videos of the latest tech updates at GadgetsMagazineTV.

    The Bosch Group, Ningbo Polaris team up to develop eScooter motors

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    The Bosch Group, Ningbo Polaris team up to develop eScooter motors

    The Bosch Group plans to form a joint venture with Ningbo Polaris Technology, a Chinese provider of motors for electrically driven scooters (eScooters), with Bosch holding the majority. The joint venture is to develop, manufacture, and sell a comprehensive product portfolio of eScooter motors. An agreement to this effect was signed on August 13, 2012. It has been agreed that details of the transaction, which is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities, will not be disclosed. Ningbo Polaris Technology specializes in developing, manufacturing, and selling of eScooter motors in China under the POLTM brand. In 2011, the company sold over one million eScooter motors and employed some 450 associates.

    “With a growth rate of 6% per year, the market will reach up to 46 million units in 2020,” said Udo Wolz, president of the Electrical Drives division. “Therefore, besides being a strong addition to Bosch Electrical Drives, the establishment of this joint venture is a milestone for us as we move into the global eScooter motor market.”

    Bosch is adding to its extensive portfolio of electromobility solutions–a portfolio that ranges from drive units for electrically assisted two-wheelers, also known as pedelecs, to complete powertrain systems for hybrid and electric vehicles. “We can see excellent growth opportunities,” said Dacheng Luo, CEO of Ningbo Polaris Technology. “As a preferred partner of the global automotive industry, Bosch Electrical Drives offers system solutions for automotive applications, and can draw on a broad portfolio of leading motor technologies.”

    Bosch Electrical Drives offers system solutions and services for electric actuation of power windows, steering columns, seats and sliding sunroof units, motors for electrical power steering as well as modules for engine cooling, vehicle air conditioning, water pumps and valves, and wiper systems. Bosch Electrical Drives products provide direct benefits to the drivers and passengers as well as to the environment through enhanced driving comfort and reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

    Commercial launch of Smart’s LTE confirmed on 8/25/2012

    Gadgets Team
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    2
    Commercial launch of Smart’s LTE confirmed on 8/25/2012

    We’re fresh from Smart’s LTE Forum today, and just when we thought that there wouldn’t be talk about the official availability of Smart’s ground breaking LTE service, Ron Molina, Senior Manager for Smart Telecommunications announced that the company would be officially launching the service on August 25, 2012. That’s right kiddos – about a week from now, Smart will finally be launching its ground breaking service, and along with it, possibly LTE enabled devices as well. Where exactly is Smart getting LTE devices (aside from the USB LTE dongle that we used during the beta test)? Possibly from partner NTT Docomo, who has had a commercial LTE service starting 2010. Coincidentally, NTT Docomo also has the same LTE spectrum as smart (2100MHz) which means LTE devices from NTT Docomo will work here.

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