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PS Vita to Support PS One Games

Archives

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7 Jun 2012

If you haven’t felt the need to jump on the Vita bandwagon, this latest news might just convince you to take the plunge. Sony has announced that the Vita will officially support PS one games through a software update this summer. It is yet unclear exactly how games will be transferred from game disc to Vita, but official support will likely mean better ports and a smoother experience overall. So if you miss the good old days, you can relive all the classics (Resident Evil, anyone?) anywhere you go. Stay posted for more news about the planned system update.

Free trips to Boracay from my.Smart

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Gadgets Team

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7 Jun 2012

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Smart is giving you the chance to win a trip to Boracay with the my.Smart Boracay Getaway promo!

To earn a raffle entry, all you have to do is register at https://my.smart.com.ph and do any of the following:

For postpaid subscribers: Enroll in e-pay or e-statement, enabling you to view your billing statements and pay your bills online
For prepaid subscribers: Enroll in any promo package or make a call-and-text card inquiry through my.Smart

A lucky Smart, Talk ‘N Text, or Smart Broadband subscriber will be drawn from the pool of entries on July 2 (covering May 25-June 24), August 3 (covering June 25-July 24), and on September 3 (covering July 25-August 25).

The winners will receive two roundtrip plane tickets to Boracay with free hotel accommodations at the Boracay Plaza.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with my.Smart, it is an online portal that lets you manage your prepaid, postpaid, and broadband accounts easily. So when you register from now until August 25, you not only get easy access to your Smart accounts–you also get a chance to win an island getaway!

ECS outs gold plated Z77H2-AX Black Extreme motherboard

Gadgets Team

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7 Jun 2012

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ECS outs gold plated Z77H2-AX Black Extreme motherboard

No, you’re not seeing things. That motherboard above is indeed a gold plated, Z77 motherboard made by ECS. And though it looks too blingy to actually be used in a gaming rig, thee’s a method to the madness – gold plated electronic parts do not oxidize in air and its conductivity stays consistent over time. ECS says that their golden board features triple-thickness gold plated connectors that won’t wear out after extensive component upgrades. This particular model has features like ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI graphics support with next generation PCI Express 3.0 ,QoolTech IV visible temperature technology to protect your valuable PC components, and support for the fastest 3rd generation Intel Core processors.

The Z77H2-AX has three PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots, so you can go wild if you ever decide to slap on an enormous number of videocards in your future rig. The Z77H2-AX also incorporates the Mini PCIe feature that provides mini SATA or mini PCIe interface in order to support Intel Smart Response / Intel Smart Connect / Intel Rapid Start technologies, enabling better power saving as well as system longevity with greater responsiveness. The Z77H2-AX is also equipped with an eSATA x2 (6Gb) and SATA x6 (6Gb/s x4 + 3Gb/s x2), which means that it’s able to handle large amounts of storage with greater speed. The board also allows users to enjoy Wireless LAN, Bluetooth and Gigabit LAN and offers multiple USB 3.0 slots.

ECS says that this board should now be hitting stores worldwide, and each purchase is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity personally signed by the Director of Research and Development of ECS. We have no idea what the price will be for one of these things will be once it hits the Philippines, but you can be sure it’s definitely not going to be cheap.

[album: https://gadgetsmagazine.com.ph/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/[email protected]/ECS Black Z77H2-AX/]

Hands-on with Intel Atom powered smartphones – XOLO X900, Orange San Diego and Lenovo K800

Gadgets Team

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7 Jun 2012

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Hands-on with Intel Atom powered smartphones – XOLO X900, Orange San Diego and Lenovo K800

It’s been roughly a year when Intel demoed mobile devices running on their Atom processor, and we thought it would be a good idea to see how the PC chip maker was coming along in regards to making Android-friendly chips for mobile applications. And wouldn’t you know it, we managed to see three Intel Atom powered smartphones running Android in their booth at COMPUTEX earlier yesterday, so we decided a bit of a hands-on was in order. The three Atom powered smarthphones in question was the XOLO X900 that’s now heading to Indian subscribers, the Orange San Diego for UK customers and the Lenovo K800 (pictured above) that’s destined for the China market.

Overall the look and feel of the three devices were quite reminiscent of the early days of Android – the devices themselves weren’t flashy and have simple yet functional designs. Both the XOLO X900 and the Orange San Diego had similar sized displays (4.03-inches) and very similar designs, with minimal differences.

We gather that from a distance, you probably couldn’t tell them apart. The Lenovo K800 is different – not only does it have a bigger, 4.5-inch IPS display, it sports a body that’s more angular than the rectangular designs of the XOLO X900 and the Orange San Diego.

No matter how similar or different the three phones are, they all run Intel’s 1.6 GHz Z2460 Atom processor and tweaked versions of Google’s Android OS (2.3). All three are also capable of high-speed mobile internet via HSPA+, and have 8-megapixel cameras that’s capable of burst shooting. All three is also capable of beaming video and other content to compatible HD TVs via Intel’s wireless display technology.

Overall all three devices were quick and snappy, and generally responded well to our touch. All three devices had Android, and it was nice to see that the Intel Atom processor inside them was able to handle general smartphone duties well. Of course, we didn’t have a lot of time with the three devices, so it’s not possible to make an assessment of how these units will fare in the long run. It’s interesting to see how far Intel’s gone into making its plans to break into the mobile processor market, a market that’s already crowded with different companies that are quickly establishing deep relationships with manufacturers – brands like Samsung, NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Texas Instruments.

As for the prices of the devices? Well, it varies. Orange is offering the San Diego in their Pay As You Go plan for £199.99, which is roughly equivalent to Php 13,375. The XOLO X900 is being offered in some Indian stores for INR 21,999, equivalent to Php 17,199. The Lenovo K800 is being offered by Chinese carrier Unicom for about RMB 3,299 which is equivalent to Php 22,452.

Honda adds 2 big beauties to their stable, the Honda Odyssey and Pilot

Mika Fernandez-David

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6 Jun 2012

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Honda adds 2 big beauties to their stable, the Honda Odyssey and Pilot

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) added two big beauties to their stable today with the launch of the all-new Honda Odyssey and all-new Honda Pilot.

Developed with the concept of being the “Ultimate Family Vehicle,” the all-new Honda Odyssey combine cool styling, class-leading performance, safety and utility. As a mom, that just about sums up everything you look for when choosing a family vehicle. An interesting factoid shared Odyssey’s by Stephen Frey (Principal Engineer / Manager, Chassis Design, Honda R&D Americas, Inc.) at the launch was that they actually used Honda associates and their families as their first test market — since they actually fit the demographic the Odyssey was created for. The Odyssey is fitted with power sliding doors at both sides of the vehicle to allow effortless opening and closing, as well as a power tailgate that allows for easy closing. With the kiddies in mind, the side and back doors all have an anti-pinch function to prevent anyone from accidentally being caught when closing. In 2011, this CBU from the US not only received a five star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), but also got a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The all-new Pilot is Honda’s first full-sized SUV in the Philippine market. “Intelligent Family Adventure” was the peg for this vehicle, and one of its aims is to provide each member of the family (or passenger) an equally enjoyable experience from the various amenities and flexible cargo options, while staying true to Honda’s core of being fuel efficient, fun to drive, as well as environment friendly. While Kerry McClure (Principal Engineer, Engineering Operations, Honda R&D Americas, Inc) explained that the Pilot shares many features with the Odyssey, the Pilot caters to the more adventurous lot who need to go off road and/or pull heavy loads like jetskis or the like. Also like the Odyssey, the Honda Pilot also received top marks from both the NHTSA and IIHS.

For more details, please visit www.hondaphil.com.

QUICK SPECS

2012 Honda Odyssey

Variant: 3.5 EX-L
Engine: 3.5L i-VTEC V6, 24 valves
Variable Cylinder Management (VCM)
Horsepower: 250 ps @ 5,700 rpm
Torque: 35 kg-m @ 4,800 rpm
Active Noise Control
Mechanical: 5-speed automatic transmission
Unit-body construction
MacPherson strut front suspension
Multi-link double wishbone rear suspension
Ventilated disc front brakes
Drum in disc rear brakes
Dimensions: Length: 5,152 mm
Width: 2,011 mm
Height: 1,737 mm
Wheelbase: 3,000 mm
Turning radius: 10.8 m at wheel center
Curb weight: 1,970 kg
Exterior: Power sunroof with anti-pinch function
Power tailgate with key-integrated remote
Power sliding doors on both driver and passenger sides with key integrated remote
Fog lights
17” alloy wheels
Seating: 8 passengers seating capacity
All leather seats
10-way power adjustable driver seat
4-way power adjustable front passenger seat
3rd row 60:40 folding Magic Seats with seatback adjustment
Comfort & Convenience: Tri-zone auto climate control air conditioning system with independent controls for the driver, front passenger, and 2nd row passengers
Cooler box
Cruise control
Bluetooth Hands Free Link
Rear back-up camera with backing sensors
Front and rear corner sensors
8-inch high resolution QVGA multi-information display
Leather-wrapped steering wheel with mounted audio controls
Audio: Module-type single CD in-dash with MP3 and WMA playback capability
2GB flash memory CD library
USB connection and exterior auxiliary jack
Bluetooth audio streaming
7 speakers including 1 sub-woofer
Safety: Dual-stage, multiple-threshold front SRS airbags for driver and passenger
Front airbags
Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor for all 3 rows
Advance Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
2nd and 3rd row Lower Tethers and Anchors for Children (LATCH)
Exterior color: Smoky Topaz; Mocha Metallic; White Diamond
Suggested Retail Price: Php 2,800,000 (+ Php 25,000 for White Diamond)

2012 Honda Pilot

Variant: 3.5 EX-L
Engine: 3.5L i-VTEC V6, 24 valves
Variable Cylinder Management (VCM)
Horsepower: 257 ps @ 5,700 rpm
Torque: 35.4 kg-m @ 4,800 rpm
Active Noise Control
Mechanical: 5-speed automatic transmission
Four-wheel drive (4WD)
Hill Start Assist
Variable Torque Management 4-Wheel Drive System (VTM-4)
Unit-body construction
MacPherson strut front suspension
Multi-link with trailing arm rear suspension
Ventilated disc front brakes
Drum in disc rear brakes
Dimensions: Length: 4,875 mm
Width: 1,995 mm
Height: 1,845 mm
Wheelbase: 2,775 mm
Turning radius: 5.63 m at wheel center
Curb weight: 2,087 kg
Exterior: Power sunroof with anti-pinch function
Tailgate with glass hatch with key-integrated release button
Auto on/off and manual leveling multi-reflector halogen headlights
Fog lights
17” alloy wheels
Integrated tow hitch with cover
2,045 kg towing capacity
Seating: 8 passengers seating capacity
All leather seats
10-way power adjustable driver seat
4-way power adjustable front passenger seat
Comfort & Convenience: Tri-zone auto climate control air conditioning system with independent control for the driver, front passenger, and 2nd row passengers
Cruise control
Bluetooth Hands Free Link
Rear back-up camera with backing sensors
Front and rear corner sensors
8-inch high resolution QVGA multi-information display
2nd and 3rd row reading lights
Leather-wrapped steering wheel with mounted audio controls
Audio: Module-type single CD in-dash with MP3 and WMA playback capability
2GB flash memory CD library
USB connection and exterior auxiliary jack
Bluetooth audio streaming
7 speakers including 1 sub-woofer
Safety: Dual-stage, multiple-threshold front SRS airbags for driver and front passenger
Front side airbags
Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor for all 3 rows
Advance Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA)
2nd and 3rd row Lower Tethers and Anchors for Children (LATCH)
Exterior Colors: Taffeta White; Crystal Black; Dark Amber
Suggested Retail Price: Php 2,600,000

Samsung Series 5 Ultra Convertible first impressions [Update: now with video]

Gadgets Team

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6 Jun 2012

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Samsung Series 5 Ultra Convertible first impressions [Update: now with video]

We swung by Samsung’s booth here in COMPUTEX and spotted one of their ultrabooks that was just a little bit different from the rest. Ladies and Gents, meet the Samsung Series 5 Ultra Convertible, an ultrabook that can also double as a (somewhat akward) tablet. The premise is not unlike Lenovo’s Yoga ultrabook – the Samsung Series 5 Ultra Convertible has a display that can flip all the way back, with the 13-inch display doubling as the main touch interface. The body of the device looks like it was made with a combination of metal and plastic, and the build quality looked ok. There’s a good amount of ports scattered all around the body of the unit, which include USB 3.0 ports. The keyboard feels suspiciously like the one on the Series 5 Ultra, which is a good thing. Flipping the display over is pretty easy, although carrying it around this way will be a bit of a bother as the keys will be protruding on the bottom while it is on tablet mode. We have a feeling that the build quality and usability will improve once the retail model hits, though no firm word has been set for the release of this notebook hybrid. It goes without saying that this particular device will ship with Windows 8 on-board. We’re uploading a demo video of the device as we speak, so stay tuned.

[album: https://gadgetsmagazine.com.ph/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/[email protected]/Samsung Series 5 Ultra Convertible/]

ROG Maximus V Extreme Z77-based Motherboard announced

Gadgets Team

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6 Jun 2012

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ROG Maximus V Extreme Z77-based Motherboard announced

The next iteration of the Asus ROG Maximus Extreme line is here. The Maximus V Extreme is the ultimate motherboard that serious overclockers and gamers want, and has a ton of features that’ll definitely excite peeps who take overclocking seriously. Asus’ ROG Extreme Engine DIGI+ II technology ensures optimum energy efficiency through the use of digital controllers for precise overclocking control over the CPU, DRAM, and iGPU, while top tier Japanese Nichicon GT-Series 10K black metallic capacitors ensure that the board is built to last. Asus has also seen fit to include their patented OC Key which allows an hardware basedd overclocking graphical overlay that displays the parameters of OSD TweakIt and OSD Monitor. Along with the new hardware features, Asus has also created a real-time leaderboard called ROG Exchange and OC Knockout which allows overclockers to compete with like-minded individuals in real-time. No word on the price for the Philippines yet, but you can expect this to cost you a pretty penny once it lands.

[album: https://gadgetsmagazine.com.ph/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/[email protected]/Maximus V Extreme Z77/]

E3! Sony! Now with more video!

Ren Alcantara

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6 Jun 2012

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If you know your tech, you know E3 is happening right now, and if you have been following this site, you’ll remember we posted about E3 and Sony. You should. We just posted it. In any case, the E3 news keeps rolling in, and if you haven’t already seen the press conferences, the video replays are available for streaming and direct download from the E3 site. This Sony keynote is almost an hour and a half long, so make sure you get some popcorn and drinks ready before you hit play.

(via e3.gamespot.com)

PS Mobile and PS Vita updates from Sony’s E3 keynote

Technology

Gadgets Team

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6 Jun 2012

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PS Mobile and PS Vita updates from Sony’s E3 keynote

Sony has just finished its E3 presentation, and while most of it puts the spotlight on PS3, Sony also managed to throw in some other updates.

The PlayStation Suite, which was intended to bring PlayStation-style gaming to other devices, was first announced early last year as a PlayStation Store with games for Android. At E3, Sony revealed that PlayStation Suite will be renamed as PlayStation Mobile, thereby emphasizing the mobility of PS-level gaming.

As part of the PS Mobile expansion, HTC joins Sony’s PlayStation Certified license program. HTC and Sony will team up to develop and expand PS support for HTC portable devices. These devices, including the HTC One X, One S, and the One V, will be PlayStation Certified. According to Sony, PS Mobile content is also compatible with PS Vita.

Speaking of PS Vita, Sony has also scheduled the Vita to undergo system software updates to allow support for classic PS1 games such as Twisted Metal 2, Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy VII and Crash Bandicoot. Currently–although there is a huge setback in quality–PS1 classics are also being supported on PS3.

Review: Epson EB-S10

GadgetsLab

Gadgets Team

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6 Jun 2012

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[This review originally appeared in the November 2011 issue of Gadgets Magazine]

By Benjamin Arnold

THE EB-S10 3LCD projector may have been designed for the busy business man. At 5.07 lbs., one could easily bring this projector from the car straight and to a presentation as it comes with a simple carrying case that holds all the needed accessories. With the plug-and-play feature, all you have to do is set up the projector and hit the power button and it boots up straight away. Upon clicking the power button it took around 10 seconds to turn on and another 20 seconds to warm up the light to its full brightness.

The Epson EB-S10 features adjustable legs that ensure that you can set up the projector anywhere with easy just by sliding the legs to the height you need. Unfortunately, it doesn’t feature the auto keystone and angle detection that its sibling models (the EB-X10 and W10) feature. So it takes time to adjust the angle of the projection properly. This is okay though, as the menu of the projector is easy to maneuver through and simple to understand.

There are multiple ways of connecting the projector to your laptop. I am not sure if it was just the unit I tested or all the units out there, but when using the VGA connector, for some reason the projector wouldn’t display the color red, and instead substituted it with the color black. Even after adjusting the settings of both the computer and projector and testing it out on multiple units, I couldn’t get the red to project. This led me to using the USB connector.

With the USB connector, all I had to do was connect the cable and install the driver that auto-plays upon connecting the cable to the computer and I was good to go. This remedied the problem of the VGA connector and projected the visual in a bright and vivid full-color projection. The problem though with the USB cable is that it slowed down the refresh rate of my computer and caused it to lag. It also wouldn’t let me play any movies for some unknown reason. I could tell it was from the projector as the moment I turned off the projector, the movies started to play, and the lagging disappeared.

In terms of brightness, the projector is superb. Even in a fully light room, the images displayed by the projector were still vivid and bright. When in a small room though, the images can get so bright that it becomes blinding, but that was an easy fix by simply adjusting the brightness of the projector. It also makes the projector heat up pretty quickly, but the large exhaust fan compensates for this.

There is also a security feature that allows you to chain the projector to a stand if necessary, as well as apply a lock and password so that others can’t mess around with the settings or protect it from theft. It also comes with a remote that can serve both as a way to adjust the settings as well as a pointer and mouse.

WHAT’S HOT:
• Comes with carrying case
• Plug-and-Play
• Quick boot up
• USB connection option
• Bright even in fully lit room
• Great security option
• Remote control works both as pointer and mouse

WHAT’S NOT:
• When connected via VGA connector, the color red is subbed with black
• When connected via USB causes computer to lag

BOTTOMLINE:
Though it has a few snags here and there, the Epson EB-S10 3LCD Business Projector gets the job done with bright visuals and easy-to-handle carrying case.

SPECIFICATIONS:
PIXEL NUMBER: 480,000 dots (800 x 600) x 3
NATIVE RESOLUTION: SVGA
ASPECT RATIO: 4:3
LAMP HOURS: Normal Mode: 4000 hours; Eco Mode: 5000 hours
BRIGHTNESS: Normal Mode – White Light Output 2600 lumens, Color Light Output 2600 lumens; Eco Mode – White Light Output 2040 lumens, Color Light Output 2040 lumens
CONTRAST RATIO: 2000:1
DIMENSION: 228mm x 295mm x 77mm
WEIGHT: 5.07 lbs

Buy Meter: 7.8

Get freebies for every purchase of selected HP printers and toners!

Archives

Gadgets Team

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6 Jun 2012

0

Get freebies for every purchase of selected HP printers and toners!

HP is giving you more reasons to get yourself a new printer with the Print More, Save More, Get More promo. HP is giving away freebies from Philips and SODEXO, and all you have to do is buy HP LaserJet printers.

For every purchase of a participating HP LaserJet printer, you’ll get a Philips headset—for free! Participating models include the HP LaserJet Pro P1102, HP LaserJet Pro M1132 and the HP LaserJet CP1025.

If you purchase an additional CE285A toner with the HP LaserJet Pro P1102 or the HP LaserJet Pro M1132, you will get Php200 worth of SODEXO Premium Pass gift certificates. The same will be rewarded to those who avail of an HP Original CMYK toner with the HP LaserJet CP1025. If, however, you purchase an additional set of HP Original CMYK toners with your printer, you will receive Php1,000 worth of SODEXO GCs.

You can claim your free Philips headset by submitting a photocopy of the sales invoice or original purchase receipt, the serial number cut-out from the printer box and a photocopy of two (2) valid ID’s to Great Minds Integrated Consultancy Inc. To claim your SODEXO GCs, present the sales invoice of the toner and HP LaserJet printer purchase, the cut-out of the hologram on the toner box and a photocopy of two (2) valid ID’s. Requirements can also be submitted to any LBC branch in a sealed envelope, marked with a mailing address and contact number. Remember: the printer and the toner must be in a single sales invoice or original receipt.

The promo ends on June 15, so head on over to the nearest and HP printer outlet and grab your freebies!

First Impression: Samsung Galaxy S III

Ren Alcantara

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5 Jun 2012

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It has finally arrived at the Gadgets office, and I have the good fortune to do the unboxing. Here goes!

The first thing you notice as soon as you pick the S III up out of the box is the pleasant heft. It isn’t a heavy device, but it feels very solid in hand. We got the unit in ceramic white, and I have to admit, it’s a sexy little cookie. It’s almost *too* thin. Any thinner and you would have little left to grab on to. Samsung’s new flagship device is all curves, and you won’t feel a single hard edge on the whole device.

The front of the device is basically all screen, and what a screen it is. Bright, crisp and super clear. The whole front of this Samsung is clad in Gorilla Glass 2, save for the single hard button at the bottom of the front face. The only other hard keys are the volume rocker and power, on the left and right edges of the phone respectively. It’ an easy verdict: This is a phone you’re going to want to own based on looks and feel alone.

Stay posted, We’re going to send this to the lab and put it through its paces. You’ll get a proper review soon.

Asus PadFone first Impressions

Archives

Gadgets Team

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5 Jun 2012

2

We’ve talked about the PadFone before, but we’ve only had the opportunity to get our eyes on and handle the product today, at COMPUTEX. On the whole, the phone part of the PadFone feels extremely solid, and the screen looks bright and crisp. The 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen of the PadFone looks fantastic, and the overall build quality of the device is top-notch.

To use the device as a tablet, you need to dock the phone to the tablet part of the PadFone, which is done by lifting the lid on the back of the 10.1-inch (1280 x 800) capacitive multi-touch screen.

After connecting the PadFone to the tablet dock, the tablet display lights up, and you’re able to use it as a tablet. The PadFone uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 8260A Dual-Core 1.5 GHz processor which provides a quick and snappy user experience.

There’s also a keyboard dock accessory available, which to be honest looks and feels like the other, detachable keyboard docks in the Transformer line. The device uses Android 4.0 (ICS) and each peripheral that it attaches to (the tablet and the keyboard dock) provides additional battery power to give you longer battery endurance.

Unfortunately, there’s still no word when this particular device will be available the Philippines – the device is still in short supply and there’s rumors circulating that it’s one of the products that are suffering from the rumored Qualcomm S4 processor shortage.

Asus Zeus Concept X79 motherboard eyes-on, dual onboard GPUs and dual Thunderbolt on board

Gadgets Team

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5 Jun 2012

0

Asus Zeus Concept X79 motherboard eyes-on, dual onboard GPUs and dual Thunderbolt on board

Here’s a nice find at Asus’ COMPUTEX booth today- the Zeus, a concept X79 motherboard like no other. The Zeus is pegged by Asus to have dual onboard premium GPUs as well as dual Thunderbolt ports. This isn’t the first time we’ve ever seen Asus make a concept board (remember Danshui Bay last year?) and it won’t be the last. If you notice, the board does not have any provision to put discrete GPUs in – a consequence we are told by an Asus rep by having two Thunderbolt ports on it. The Zeus uses a LGA2011 processor and can accomodate 4CH DDR3 memory (max 128GB).

[album: https://gadgetsmagazine.com.ph/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/[email protected]/Zeus concept board /]

Google buys Meebo

Gadgets Team

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5 Jun 2012

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It’s been confirmed that Google has bought yet another company—this time it’s the Silicon Valley startup called Meebo. In order to expand Google’s social networking service, Meebo will bring more tools to Google+ and will serve as an alternative to Facebook as an online hangout place.

Meebo, which had been getting around 100 million total users per month, allows users to create interest profiles and enables publishers to boost user engagement. Its toolbar was also one of its most profitable schemes, integrating chat and a variety of sharing features as well as ads. Supposedly, Meebo was acquired at a price that is in the $100 million neighborhood and will now be part of the growing Google+ social structure.