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    Globe set to offer the new iPad on May 29

    Gadgets Team
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    Globe set to offer the new iPad on May 29

    Like clockwork, local telcos have started to tease their offerings in anticipation of the local Philippine launch of the new iPad. Globe has notified us that they will be offering the new iPad once it becomes available come May 29, and we’re pretty sure the firm will be offering it through their mobile internet brand, Tatoo.

    “We’re very excited to launch the incredible new iPad in the Philippines,”said Peter Bithos, senior adviser for Consumer Business of Globe Telecom.”Customers using our network on their new iPad will experience great valueTattoo data plans and amazing speed for an unbeatable user experience.”

    Globe has not offered any kind of price or pricing details for the new iPad for customers in the Philippines, although there’s already a mini-site in Globe’s Tatoo portal that details the features of the new iPad.

    Seagate to buy LaCie for at least $186 million

    Gadgets Team
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    Seagate to buy LaCie for at least $186 million

    Storage manufacturer Seagate has just announced its intentions to buy Paris based consumer storage manufacturer LaCie. LaCie made its name in creating elegant, hi-end storage devices for the consumer market, and is one of the preffered brands for Mac users. Seagate has agreed to buy a 64.5% stake in LaCie, which is currently held by LaCie’s current Chairman and CEO, Philippe Spruch.

    The transaction would combine two highly complementary product and technology portfolios, adding LaCie’s line of premium branded consumer storage solutions, network-attached storage solutions and software offerings to Seagate’s array of mainstream consumer storage products,” Seagate said in a statement. “The combination would accelerate Seagate’s growth strategy in the expanding consumer storage market, particularly in Europe and Japan, and add strong engineering and software development capabilities, as well as relationships with several key retailers.”

    Source: Forbes

     

    Canon EOS 650D Rumors

    Gadgets Team
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    Canon EOS 650D Rumors
    Last year's Canon EOS 600D

    In April 2010, Canon released the EOS 550D. The year after that in March 2011, the company followed it up with the EOS 600D. This year, we’re expecting to see another mid-level DSLR successor—namely the Canon EOS 650D—launched sometime in June.

    We don’t know much about the upcoming EOS 650D, although some of its specs have leaked. Rumors state that it will have an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor but we don’t know whether it’ll be the same one in last year’s 600D model. Supposedly, it will also have a 9-point autofocus system and continuous autofocus in live view and video recording modes. Lastly, it will allegedly come with a touchscreen LCD display that was not present in the previous 550D and 600D models. That’s all we know so far, unfortunately, so we’ll have to wait a little bit longer for a more comprehensive list of specs.

    LG takes lid off 55-inch “ULTIMATE DISPLAY” OLED TV at Monaco

    Gadgets Team
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    LG takes lid off 55-inch “ULTIMATE DISPLAY” OLED TV at Monaco

    Film director Jean-Jacques Annaud, model Gemma Sanderson and F1 Champion Sebastian Vettel pose in front of LG’s new 55-inch OLED TV in Monaco
    LG has just taken the lid off of what they call their “Ultimate Display” OLED TV at Monaco’s renowned Salle des Etoiles. The Korean company says that their interpretation of the OLED TV is currently the “world’s largest and slimmest 55-inch OLED TV on European soil” (though we’re sure Samsung would have something to say about that). In front of a captive audience of press, dealers and VIPs, LG vowed that they would bring the OLED TVs to the European market come the second half of the year.

    “In the history of television, there have been very few innovations as impactful as the coming of OLED TV,” said Havis Kwon, President and CEO of LG’s Home Entertainment Company. “We say THE ULTIMATE DISPLAY because LG OLED TV is truly above all expectations and beyond everyone’s imagination with uncompromising picture quality and beautiful design. This year, we plan to make OLED synonymous with LG.”

    OLED TVs are hailed as the next evolution of TVs, and unlike current generation flat panel displays, do not require backlights to function. Instead, OLED panels can generate their own light, which allows for crazy-thin panels that are usually less than the overall width of a pencil. LG’s OLED TV is only 4mm thin, and weighs in at a mere 10 kilos. LG calls this their Paper Slim design philosophy, and though their OLED TV is only 4mm thin, it still has all the features you’ve come to expect from a top notch HD TV, and is fully 3D capable.

    RIM and Globe launches BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 in the Philippines

    Gadgets Team
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    RIM and Globe launches BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 in the Philippines
    BlackBerry Curve 9220

    Last Tuesday RIM, together with Globe, launched the BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320. These two new members of the Curve family are currently the most affordable devices in RIM’s BlackBerry portfolio, and are currently being offered by Globe telecom in affordable plans. The BlackBerry Curve 9220 will be available for free with Plan 499 plus a Php 99 unlimited chat subscription. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 will come free with My Super Plan BlackBerry Unli Surf Combo Plan 999. Prepaid customers can grab the BlackBerry Curve 9220 at Php 9,990 and the BlackBerry Curve 9320 at Php 11,990.

    BlackBerry Curve 9320

    Since these two devices are obviously aimed at the budget market, you’re not going to get a lot of cutting edge features. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 has a 2.4-inch screen, QWERTY keyboard, touch-sensitive optical trackpad, WiFi, 3G and is powered by BlackBerry OS 7.1. The BlackBerry Curve 9220 is essentially an identical version of the 9320, with the only difference being that it does not have a 3G module packed in it.

     

    Globe officially opens pre-orders for Galaxy S III, free at plan 2499

    Gadgets Team
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    Globe officially opens pre-orders for Galaxy S III, free at plan 2499

    The floodgates has opened for the pre-order of Samsung’s newest high-end smartphone, the Galaxy S III. Globe is offering the newest member of the Samsung Galaxy family in a number of plans, and will come free for subscribers who sign up for their Plan 2499. If that particular plan isn’t your thing, the cheapest you can get the Galaxy S III through Globe’s My SuperPlan 999, with unlimited data and a monthly cashout of Php 700 bucks. There’s also other plans if you feel you require a higher plan to satisfy your text, data and calling needs.

    Source: Globe

    Google officially acquires Motorola Mobility

    Gadgets Team
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    Google officially acquires Motorola Mobility

    The I’s have been dotted and the ink has dried, and today, Google is now officially the owner of a brand spanking new (well, probably not new) firm, Motorola Mobility. The confirmation of the acquisition came from Google head honcho himself, CEO Larry Page in a blog post. The $12.5 billion purchase of the company was recently OK’d by Chinese regulators, and comes a good 9 months after Google officially announced its intentions. There’s also management changes in store for the company, with Page announcing that Sanjay Jha will be stepping down as the CEO of Motorola Mobility and will be replaced by long-time Google employee, Dennis Woodside.

    Page said on the official blog that “Motorola is a great American tech company that has driven the  mobile revolution, with a track record of over 80 years of innovation, including the creation of the first cell phone. We all remember Motorola’s StarTAC, which at the time seemed tiny and showed the real potential of these devices. And as a company who made a big, early bet on Android, Motorola has become an incredibly valuable partner to Google.”

    He adds It’s a well known fact that people tend to overestimate the impact technology will have in the short term, but underestimate its significance in the longer term.  Many users coming online today may never use a desktop machine, and the impact of that transition will be profound—as will the ability to just tap and pay with your phone.  That’s why it’s a great time to be in the mobile business, and why I’m confident Dennis and the team at Motorola will be creating the next generation of mobile devices that will improve lives for years to come.”

    Source: Google

    Hands-on: Asus Zenbook Prime UX-21A

    Gadgets Team
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    Hands-on: Asus Zenbook Prime UX-21A

    It was inevitable that Asus would do a refresh on its ultrabook line, the Zenbook, especially since Intel’s new breed of silicon, Ivybridge, is now out and about. Unsurprisingly, that’s exactly what they did with the new Asus Zenbook Prime UX-21A. Not only did the Taiwanese firm yank out Sandybridge and stuff in the 22nm sweetness that is Ivybridge, they also took the opportunity to correct a few of the main complaints that we had when we reviewed it the first time around.

    Externally, the Zenbook Prime looks exactly like the previous model, save for minor differences. You’re still looking at a chassis that’s extremely slim at 9mm with a fantastic metallic spun finish.

    This time ’round, Asus has decided to chuck the old, horribly unresponsive keyboard with a new, island-style backlit one that’s extremely responsive to key presses. The travel distance could use a bit more work, but to be honest it’s leagues better than the old one, and that’s what counts.

    The screen needs to be mentioned as well, as Asus has changed out the old one for a newer, full HD IPS display that’s capable of 350 nits of brightness.

    Like we mentioned before, the Asus Zenbook Prime is powered by Intel’s newest slice of silicon, Ivybridge. In the Zenbook Prime’s case, the processor is a Core i7 deal which is paired with 4GB of RAM.

    The unit that was shown to us earlier today had a 256GB SSD drive, though we’re sure that there will be other variants made available (though availability is another matter entirely). We’ve also learned that the UX21’s bigger brother, the UX31 will also be getting the same refresh treatment, and might also get a discrete graphics card to increase graphical number crunching.

    No word on price and availability for the Philippines has been set yet.

    Microsoft makes a social network site called So.cl

    Gadgets Team
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    Microsoft makes a social network site called So.cl

    So.cl (pronounced as “social”) is one of Microsoft’s latest service offerings that began as an experiment and is currently still an experiment. It’s set up as a social network with a social search tool at its core where users type in a search term to get results in the form of videos, photos, websites, or news. These results can then be pulled into your feed and shared as well used to make a rich post made up of a mixture of all the different media types—creating a scrapbook-like response to queries. All searches made within So.cl are public by default, allowing other users to discover these rich posts that were created under similar searches. This makes posts a collaborative work and helps other users save their energy and learn things they hadn’t initially considered.

    The So.cl system is more like Twitter as opposed to Facebook in the sense that users will have followers and those followed instead of a network of friends that they already know. The idea behind So.cl is that users can make new relationships based on similar interests and related searches. Users can sign in with either their Facebook or Windows Live account and allow So.cl to search their Facebook address book for friends that are already on So.cl. Users can even set it up so that whatever they post on So.cl will automatically be posted on their Facebook news feed as well.

    You can visit www.so.cl to see the site for yourself.

     

    Review: LG Optimus L7 P705 (P700)

    Gadgets Team
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    Review: LG Optimus L7 P705 (P700)

    LG has set its sights on the mid- and low- end market with their L series of phones. We’ve reviewed the budget friendly L3 a few weeks back and now it’s time to set our sights on the biggest and baddest in the line – the Optimus L7 P705 (P700).

    When we first laid eyes on the Optimus L7, we couldn’t shake that feeling of déjà vu. The overall design of the device isn’t striking nor ugly. Think of it as the Will Smith of smartphones – dark and acceptable to all palates. The L7 measures in at around 125.5 x 67 x 8.7mm and weighs in at 122 grams. The Optimus L7 uses a large, 4.3-inch IPS LCD screen that has a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. There’s not much in the way of manual controls – there’s a volume rocker on the left side and a large home button in the bottom of the screen (which is flanked by two capacitive keys for navigation). The back panel of the Optimus L7 features a textured finish to help you grip the phone better.

    There’s a 5-megapixel camera on the back with LED flash, as well as a secondary, VGA camera on the front.

    Internally, the Optimus L7 uses a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon processor that’s mated with 512MB of RAM. The Optimus L7 uses Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) as its OS with LG’s UI enhancements layered on top. There’s 4GB of internal storage on tap, which is expandable via the microSD slot integrated in the Optimus L7. A large, 1700mAh li-ion battery provides the juice to keep everything running.

    We had initial fears that the Optimus L7’s processor wouldn’t be able to keep up with the demands that are expected of a device in its class. While the Optimus L7 performed well most of the time, there was several times where the unit became sluggish and a bit unresponsive, usually when we tried to unlock the device to use it. The L7 struggles somewhat with some apps and games (especially ones with a lot of animations and 3D graphics), which is a direct result of using a slower, single core processor.

    AnTuTu paints a pretty bleak picture performance-wise, as the Optimus L7 only scores about 2787 points, which puts it below the Samsung Galaxy S.

    Quadrant Standard is a little bit better, and gives the Optimus L7 1996 points, which puts it below the LG Optimus 2X but above the HTC Desire HD.

    One upside of the single-core 1GHz Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon processor is that battery life is significantly better than comparable dual-core devices. Combine that with the relatively large 1700mAh battery, and the Optimus L7 is capable of delivering battery endurance that other phones only dream of. We managed to log almost two and a half days of useful battery life with moderate use, and we’re sure some of you out there may be able to log three. In today’s world of perpetually discharged gadgets, battery endurance like the Optimus L7’s is in short supply.

    Another thing that we liked with the Optimus L7 is the incredibly bright screen. We’re not sure if the L7 is imbued with the same extremely bright Nova display that was in LG’s previous Optimus Black, but we’re sure that the L7’s display is close to the Optimus Black’s nit rating.

    Ultimately, the Optimus L7 is an exercise in compromise. You’re not getting a dual-core processor and you’ll definitely feel the performance hit once you start using the device, but the tradeoffs is that you get much better battery endurance that allows you to use the device longer. The LG Optimus L7 retails for Php 15,990.

    What’s Hot:

    Bright, clear display
    Long battery life
    Uses Android 4.0

    What’s Not:

    Sluggish
    Screen is sometimes unresponsive

    Bottomline:
    While the Optimus L7 suffers from the use of a single-core processor, it’s one of those phones that can last for more than two days on a single charge with moderate use.

    Buymeter: 3.5/5

    Tech Specs:

    • Operating System: Android 4.0
    • CPU: 1GHz Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon
    • LCD size: 4.3-inch IPS LCD screen, 480 x 800 pixel resolution
    • Physical Dimensions: 125.5 x 67 x 8.7 mm, 122 grams
    • Band: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100

    Vergence Labs to release its own electric sunglasses

    Gadgets Team
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    Vergence Labs to release its own electric sunglasses

    This year, we heard a lot about video-capable and augmented reality glasses, especially those being made by Google and Oakley. ZionEyez and Pivothead are two companies that already offer sunglasses with built-in video cameras. Now we learn that Vergence Labs is also working on something similar, which they call Social Video Electric Eyewear, and the company is looking to raise US $50,000 for the project via the funding site, Kickstarter.

    Although Google and Oakley are planning to make glasses that can perform smartphone-like tasks, Vergence Labs is content with just two key innovations built in. Firstly, they’re a pair of electric-powered sunglasses that use chromatic shifting conductive glass to enable the lenses to be lightened or darkened by pressing a button. Secondly, they contain a small camera in a pinhole set between the two lenses that can record video at 720p, allowing users to capture video from a first-person perspective. The video is then saved to a microSD card. Supposedly, battery life is only two hours, though.

    The company also plans to add Wi-Fi capability to the glasses to allow live streaming to a phone or tablet. A so-called “reality visor” is also in the works, which allows users to be fully immersed in a 3D environment when watching a video recorded on the first-person camera.

     

    Use your smartphone to detect bombs

    Gadgets Team
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    Use your smartphone to detect bombs

    You can turn your smartphone into an explosives detection device. Some students at the Military University of Technology in Warsaw have developed an app called Saper that will enable your smartphone to do just that.

    Saper, which is also the Polish term for “minesweeper”, is an acronym for Sensor Amplified Perception for Explosives Recognition. The app makes use of your smartphone’s magnetometer, which is usually responsible for compass-like functions, in order to detect small disturbances in the magnetic field around an explosive substance. The app is able to sniff out 40 different kinds of explosive materials from 30 cm away.

    To use it, you have to first let the app calibrate to the environment. Then you wave your smartphone as if painting a grid measuring a maximum of 30 x 30 cm no further than 30 cm away from the potential threat source. The app then connects to a cloud-based server and compares the recorded magnetic disturbance signature with those found in the database. If a threat is detected, a warning message returns with a possible identification of the certain type of explosive in the sampled area.

    The app has been developed exclusively for the Windows Phone operating system, but it will be made available on other platforms soon. The team is also exploring other things such as using the magnetometer to detect wires within a wall or foreign objects in the human body.

    Review: ASUS XONAR U3

    Gadgets Team
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    Review: ASUS XONAR U3

    By Steven Vea

    One of the most common frustrations that many users face with their laptops is the inadequate built-in sound cards that don’t have the capacity to satisfy the needs of audiophiles. The ASUS Xonar U3 just might change all that, by providing the necessary bridge to enjoy premium sound options while remaining portable at the same time.

    The whole concept of having a laptop or netbook is mobility. Therefore, it seems intuitive that any external accessories or enhancements should be equally convenient to transport as well.

    This is where the Xonar U3 really shines. It is an external USB soundcard, and what makes it appealing is its small size—it is only a little wider than the average thumb drive. Don’t be fooled by its dimensions however, for it provides a worthy upgrade to your pre-installed soundcard.

    Setting it up is a breeze, but it is not as simple as plug-and-play. After inserting the Xonar U3 into an available USB port (which fits in nice and secure), you will have to install the driver from the included CD-ROM and then reboot for the changes to take effect. Nevertheless, installation is fairly quick, and once it’s up and running, clicking on the volume icon in the Windows task bar reveals an additional mixer to independently control the Xonar U3. All your audio is now routed through the USB sound card, although you may change your settings to allow both soundcards to function at the same time, and you may specify which applications access either device.

    To further fine-tune your audio settings, you must launch the Xonar U3 Audio Center, which can be done through the Windows notification tray or Start Menu. The initial “compact” user interface is simple and well-designed—it consists of a graphic EQ that doubles up as VU meters. It provides a wonderful visual representation of your audio and it is fairly accurate with its real-time readings. This compact GUI mode also shows which other settings are active, namely DSP Mode, EQ Mode, and Output Device.

    The Xonar U3’s expanded GUI reveals all its options and is easy to navigate, regardless of whether you’re completely brand new to setting up sound cards or have some previous experience. The learning curve is minimal, and you will have no problem customizing your preferences. The usual standard preset EQ modes are available, such as Rock and Jazz, but you will probably dabble with the 10-band equalizer in order to achieve your preferred frequency balance. You can then save your own presets as UserDef files for quick access later on, which is useful for instantly applying your personal settings for different output systems.

    There are also several DSP effects available, although I usually consider this as a novelty rather than a necessity. There are two interesting add-ons however, the Karaoke and VocalFX modes. As the first implies, it gives several creative options such as Key Shifting, Vocal Cancellation and Mic Echo. Out of the three, only Key Shifting presents any real viable use—it is able to effectively alter the pitch of your audio while preserving the tempo, but some users might experience stuttering and clicks in their audio because this can be a hardware demanding process.

    The VocalFX mode on the other hand, lets you add some nice effects (i.e. delay, reverb) to audio from the X3’s microphone input, which can be fun to use during VOIP or gaming. An additional feature under the VocalFX mode is Magic Voice, which allows you to alter and modify your own voice, which can be fun for multiplayer gaming or just for messing around.

     

    With regards to the Xonar U3’s sonic quality, this will mostly depend on the superiority of your headphones and/or speaker system. However, what this little pocket-sized device offers is a significant amount of amplification compared with your laptop’s built-in soundcard, which is perfect for headphones. This boost in overall volume provides a greater amount of headroom for increasing the volume later on, which helps in audio that have low volumes to begin with. Moreover, the Xonar U3 also adds a tiny amount of audio clarity, opening up a little bit more detail to high frequencies at lower listening volumes.

    This little external soundcard also gives you the ability to enjoy 7.1 surround sound, providing you have the necessary speaker setup. It supports various Dolby technologies, so it is highly unlikely for you to run into any compatibility issues. Having full-fledged surround sound definitely amps up your laptop’s multimedia capabilities, and once you see how small the Xonar U3 is you will find it hard to believe how such a small device can be a bridge for such enormous sound.

    The Xonar U3 is perhaps one of the most useful products that ASUS has come out with. It is small, convenient and does everything it offers to provide. It’s well designed, and is unobtrusive to your existing setup, unlike other soundcards in the market. It delivers, and it does so with flying colors.

    Specifications
    Dimensions: 19.6 x 9.7 x 19.6cm
    Weight: 340g

    What’s Hot:
     • Pocket size
    • 7.1 surround sound

    What’s Not:
     • Not plug-and-play

    Bottomline:
    The ASUS Xonar U3 is on the cusp of perfection – it provides the ability to enjoy high-quality audio on your laptop, in a device that can literally fit inside your pocket.

    Buy Meter: 9.5

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

    Pentax K-30 isn’t afraid of the rain, dust or cold

    Gadgets Team
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    Pentax K-30 isn’t afraid of the rain, dust or cold

    It doesn’t take much to take out a DSLR – add some rain, heavy dust and if you live in places where the temperature drops routinely below zero, cold. Those three things don’t faze the Pentax K-30 though – this particularly rugged DSLR is said to be weather sealed and can probably take a nice trip in the rain without breaking down. Of course that doesn’t mean that this thing is completely waterproof – it’ll still break if you submerge it in water – but you can be sure that it’ll handle a summer drizzle just fine. Pentax also says that this particular shooter is able to withstand temperatures as low as -10 Celsius, so if you’re ever stuck in a photshoot in Siberia, you can be sure that this thing will soldier on no matter what. Sensor-wise, you’re looking at a 16-megapixel CMOS sensor, and the Pentax K-30 is able to shoot in ISO 100 all the way up to 25600. The Pentax K-30 is slated to retail for $850 for just the body and $900 with an 18-55mm kit lens. No word on local availability as of yet.

    [album: https://gadgetsmagazine.com.ph/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/[email protected]/Pentax K30/]

    Diablo 3 accounts hacked a week after release

    Gadgets Team
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    Diablo 3 accounts hacked a week after release

    If your character in Diablo 3 just happens to lose all of its fantastic armor and/or gold, then you might have been a victim of a hack. Eurogamer is reporting that one of its own, writer Christian Donlan, had his account hacked and then hijacked by someone else. The rash of account hacking is apparently spreading, with multiple sources and players reporting that their gold and items are being taken from their accounts. Blizzard has taken note of the issue, and have been rolling back accounts to recover some of the items and gold taken from players, but the issue still persists.

    One probable cause of all the determined hacking is the real-money auction house feature of Diablo 3, where players can buy and sell equipment with real life money. Hackers have apparently seen the possible benefits of compromising other people’s accounts with the lure of creating real cash from virtual items.

    Eurogamer gives potential reasons how the accounts may have been hacked. “The reports coincided with the EU Diablo 3 servers going offline on Sunday afternoon for around four hours, preventing players from logging in (error 33). It has been suggested that the EU servers were taken offline following a SQL injection attack, but this remains unconfirmed,” they said. “One theory suggested by players on the Battle.net forum revolves around hijacking session identifiers, which would allow hackers to take over accounts without alerting Blizzard’s authentication server. Again, this remains unconfirmed.”

    We advise players to be extremely vigilant when playing. Standard account protection rules apply if you don’t want your stuff to get stolen.

    Source: Eurogamer

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