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    MMDA’s traffic navigator app is now available from the Ovi store

    Gadgets Team
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    MMDA’s traffic navigator app is now available from the Ovi store

    Own a Nokia featurephone and are jealous of Android, BlackBerry and iOS phones’ ability to find out how hellish traffic is in EDSA before going out? Fear not, as the utterly useful MMDA traffic app has now made an appearance at Nokia’s Ovi store. Nokia featurephone owners running Symbian S40 can now direct their mobile browsers here to download the free traffic app, which shouldn’t be much of a burden data-wise at it’s only 0.37 MB. Now you won’t have an excuse to not know that EDSA’s a virtual parking lot the next time you set off for your next meeting.

    Source: Ovi

    Intel’s Ivy Bridge gets April 29 launch date

    Gadgets Team
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    Intel’s Ivy Bridge gets April 29 launch date

    Intel’s next generation of silicon, Ivy Bridge, has oft been postponed and delayed. No longer – CPU-World has reported that that sweet slice of next generation processors from the chip manufacturer now has a released date – April 29. The tech outfit also says that both the mobile and desktop versions of Intel’s third generation of Core processors will be available in the same time frame, with the Core i5 and Core i7 family SKUs coming out first, followed in Q3 by the more mainstream Core i3 SKUs.

    Source: CPU-World

    Review: Nokia C6-01

    Gadgets Team
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    Review: Nokia C6-01

    By JC Ansis

    The last time I owned a Nokia phone was in 2004. It was a white 3110 and was conveniently small, had animated screensavers and polyphonic ringtones. And it glowed in the dark. Back then, Nokia phones were hot like freshly baked butter cookies. It came out with new handsets almost every month, and people were purchasing them like crazy. So when I was handed the Nokia C6-01, I actually felt oblivious. I didn’t know what to expect because I was never really into the Symbian OS and I was clueless of Nokia’s recent developments as far as touchscreen phones were concerned.

    Let’s talk about aesthetics first. The Nokia C6-01 measures 103.8mm (tall) x 52.5mm (wide) x 13.9mm (thick) and weighs about 131 grams. It’s a chunky gizmo—a bit on the heavy side. The housing consists of a chrome trim bordering the touchscreen and a metal rear casing. The metal cover gives the phone an “indestructible” feel to it, but also provides an ergonomic sense of comfort in the palm of your hand.

    A 0.3-megapixel camera for video calling can be seen on top of the screen. Underneath the display are three backlit buttons for Call and End, flanked by a Menu button in the middle. Lined on the right side of the phone are the volume buttons, lock switch and the camera shortcut button. Revealed at the bottom are a microUSB port for PC connectivity, the charging connector port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

    The Nokia C6-01 is powered by a 680Mhz ARM 11 processor and comes preloaded with Nokia’s Symbian^3 OS. The device runs on 256MB of RAM and has approximately 340MB of internal memory. For the display, the C6-01 features a ClearBlack AMOLED capacitive touchscreen. There was a high level of responsiveness when I played around with it, having minimal instances of sluggishness. The screen does a great job of showing off its colors even in bright light.

    On the homescreen are three panes that can be populated with a bunch of widgets, shortcuts, apps and other stuff. It’s got a block-like layout, and tapping or holding on any item allows you to change or remove them with ease. Though I must warn you that anyone with remotely big fingers should steer clear of this phone for fear of frustration when typing a text message using the QWERTY keypad. The keys are small and sometimes what the screen captures isn’t accurate, causing me to use “backspace” a lot. I ended up using the phone entirely in portrait mode with its numeric pad.

    If you’re worrying about connectivity, you shouldn’t be. The smartphone has all the essential tools one might need on the go. The C6-01 has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB on-the-go support, HSDPA and GPS. There’s a built-in software for all your office documents and there’s one app that lumps your Facebook and Twitter updates together. Additional apps can be downloaded from Nokia’s Ovi Store which is growing slowly but obviously still very far behind its Apple and Android rivals. Setting up mail accounts for Yahoo! and Gmail was a piece of cake with its improved mail client support.

    I did, however, have some issues with Nokia’s browser. It was very slow and stuttered when swiping around, especially on large pages. The browser struggled when trying to pan, zoom, and input text. And loading rich websites can lead to somewhat jerky navigation.

    To compensate for its flaws, the C6-01 is equipped with an 8-megapixel camera. It’s easy to use and very clear-cut in snapping shots. The snapper has fixed focus, dual LED flash, face detection, geo-tagging, and 2x digital zoom capabilities. I experienced a minor issue with macro shots, which often looked blurry and murky. The editing software that comes with it is very useful and one of the most comprehensive editing tools I’ve seen built in a smartphone. Video recording was slightly above average, capturing videos of up to 1280 x 720 resolutions at 25fps.

    The music player can play MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, AMR, and MIDI formats, while the video player supports MPEG4, H.263, H.264, RealVideo 10, and Flash Video. Voice calls were clear and crisp. When I received or made a call in a busy environment, the Nokia C6-01 still maintained good volume and audibility. The phone’s battery life lasted for about two days on a full battery charge, despite my heavy use of the camera, web browsing, GPS and media playback.

    Overall, the Nokia C6-01 is a solid gadget. Nokia handsets have been known to be trusty gadgets that gets the job done but with little flair, and the C6-01 is one of them. Though it may lack some of the glitz of rival devices based on Android or iOS, the Nokia C6-01 performs to be a dependable everyday smartphone.

    Specifications:
    FORM FACTOR: Candy bar
    DIMENSION: 103.8 x 52.5 x 13.9 mm
    SCREEN: 3.2” AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 360 x 640 pixels
    PROCESSOR: 680Mhz ARM 11 processor
    CAMERA: 8 MP (back), 0.3 MP (front)
    CONNECTIVITY: GPRS, EDGE, 3G HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
    OS: Symbian 3

    What’s Hot:
     • Great build and classy look
    • Excellent audio quality
    • USB on-the-go support
    • 8MP camera

    What’s Not:
     • Browser’s poor response
    • Camera’s fixed-focus could do better

    Bottomline:
    If you’re looking for a reliable, good-looking smartphone that combines “pocketability” and performance, the Nokia C6-01 is an impressive option.

    Buy Meter: 8.4

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

    Samsung opens first digital imaging brand store in the world in Davao city

    Gadgets Team
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    Samsung opens first digital imaging brand store in the world in Davao city

    You don’t see a lot of Samsung digital imaging stores. In fact, until today you couldn’t – as there simply weren’t any. That all changed when Samsung opened the doors of their first digital imaging brand store in SM Davao. Jiho Ha, (business unit adviser for audio-visual group) along with Nelson Perez (sales head for digital imaging) and Jeffrey Ong (owner of iClick Digishop Business Corporation) led the ceremonial ribbon cutting to officially open the store.

    Visitors to the store will be able to see and touch Samsung’s newest imaging offerings which include the WB150F, a high zoom performer, and the DV300F. Samsung’s NX series of interchangeable lens cameras will also be present at the store. The store is located at the 2nd floor of SM Davao’s new wing.

    HTC One X with Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 gets benchmarked, beats down NVIDIA Tegra 3 in test

    Gadgets Team
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    HTC One X with Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 gets benchmarked, beats down NVIDIA Tegra 3 in test

    HTC’s latest superphone, the One X, will be coming in two flavors – a quad-core Tegra 3 version for the regular market, and a dual-core Snapdragon S4 for the LTE folk. On paper, most people would assume that the quad-core Tegra 3 version would smoke the dual-core Snapdragon S4 version in the benchmarks, but surprisingly that isn’t the case at all.

    An AT&T employee has posted on the Android Central forums preliminary results from two benchmarks – Quadrant and Vellamo – which show the Snapdragon S4 version of the One X trouncing almost every other mobile device currently out, including the Tegra 3 equipped Asus Transformer Prime.

    While synthetic benchmark tests on their own are in no way representative of actual, everyday performance, it’s gives users a rough idea of what they can expect out of a device.

    Nokia Lumia 800 is a Globe exclusive at plan Php 1,499

    Gadgets Team
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    Nokia Lumia 800 is a Globe exclusive at plan Php 1,499

    It took its sweet time getting here, but better late than never, right? Nokia’s Windows Phone 7 powered Lumia 800 is finally, officially in our country, and will can be had for just Php 1,499 a month. The phone will be under Globe’s My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo data plan, and the phone will be also be offered at minimum cash-out for lower plans. In case you’ve forgetten what the specs of the Lumia 800 are, let us refresh you: 3.7 AMOLED clear black display, Qualcomm 1.4 GHz Scorpion processor, 16GB memory + 5GB in SkyDrive and 8MP auto-focus camera with HD video recording.

     

    Limitless mobile surfing with Globe My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo

    Gadgets Team
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    1
    Limitless mobile surfing with Globe My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo

    If you’re looking for a postpaid plan that will let you surf all you want on the smartphone of your dreams, search no more. Globe gives you exactly what you need to be connected to the Web minus the horror of high data charges.

    With Globe My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo, the country’s only customizable unlimited data plan, Globe provides users with uninterrupted mobile surfing, their gadget of choice, monthly load and freebies all in one subscription.

    Creating your own My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo is easy. You first select your gadget from the world’s top brands for free or with a discount. Gadgets include the latest Apple and BlackBerry smartphones, the hottest Android smartphones, and the fastest tablets, all geared up for some serious mobile browsing.

    You then select your choice of plan, all of which come with unlimited data. My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo is available in the following monthly subscriptions: Php 999, Php 1799, Php 2499 and Php 3799. For as low as Php 999 a month, subscribers can browse, chat, stream videos, e-mail, and post updates on their favorite social networking sites without paying additional fees or the fear of billshock.

    All plans are bundled with free services that you choose and can change as often as monthly, from calls and texts to Globe/TM or other networks and international calls and texts, to unlimited calls and texts to one Globe/TM number.

    Plan 1799, 2499 and 3799 subscribers are also entitled to monthly load worth Php 800, Php 1500 and Php 2800 respectively, which can be uses for both local and international calls and texts. All plans can be further boosted with additional unlimited call and text services such as unlimited call and text to 1 Globe/TM, unlimited text to Globe/TM, unlimited call landline, unlimited call mobile and landline, unlimited text to all networks, and unlimited call and text to Globe/TM.

    “My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo is designed for tech-savvy subscribers who want to make the most out of their smartphone devices. Through our portfolio of unlimited data plans, they can enjoy mobile surfing all they want, wherever they are and whatever time of the day,” explains Martha Sazon, Head of Globe Postpaid.

    Globe Postpaid subscribers are also guaranteed of a worry-free experience with the 7-day phone warranty and exclusive access to expanded Globe customer service channels which now include a real-time chat feature via the Globe website and Yahoo Messenger, as well as a text hotline with faster response time and conversation tracking feature. Add the Talk2Globe account (Talk2GLOBECHAT) on YM! or text HELP to 1234 for free to access the Globe Text Hotline.

    Visit any Globe Store, log on to www.globe.com.ph/postpaid or call 730-1010 to know more about My Super Plan Unli Surf Combo.

    Car of the Year Philippines 2011-2012 to be awarded this week

    Gadgets Team
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    Car of the Year Philippines 2011-2012 to be awarded this week

    It’s that time of the year again where another vehicle will be crowned as Car of the Year Philippines by The Car Awards Group Inc. (CAGI). This time it’s for 2011-2012, and a total of 36 cars in different categories ranging from basic mini cars to full-sized luxury SUVs introduced between November 1, 2010 and October 31, 2011 are competing.

    Every ride has gone through a qualitative test that’s based on “look” and “feel”, and a technical test that analyzes acceleration, braking, and handling performance. Carried out by some of the country’s best motoring journalists, the results have been tallied and audited in order to determine the car with the best value for money.

    Among the previous winners of this award are the Honda Accord (2004), Honda Civic (2005), Mazda 6 (2006), Volvo C30 (2007), Subaru Impreza STI (2008), Subaru Legacy 2.5 Liter GT (2009), and the Chevrolet Cruze (2010-2011).

    The award will be given on the opening day of the 8th Manila international Auto Show the day after tomorrow, March 29, 2012 at the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) in Pasay City.

    James Cameron reaches the deepest part of the ocean, sends Tweet to tell you about it

    Gadgets Team
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    James Cameron reaches the deepest part of the ocean, sends Tweet to tell you about it

    It’s a little known fact that while we’ve sent a bunch of people to space and the moon, you can count the number of people that’s been to the bottom of the deepest point on earth with one hand. That glorious fraternity is now joined by award winning director/diving connoisseur James Cameron, who today has reached the deepest point in the ocean in his custom built, one man submersible that’s able to withstand the enormous 15,969 PSI of pressure around him. As a sign of the ages, James sent a tweet from the bottom of the 36,07 feet Marianas Trench’s Challenger Deep, saying that “Just arrived at the ocean’s deepest pt. Hitting bottom never felt so good”. To put the depth in perspective, the 36,070 feet trench is quite lower than the typical cruising altitudes (29,000 feet) of aircraft is high. Cameron’s submersible is armed with a variety of recording devices which include 3D-cameras, so it’s a safe bet that you’ll see the exploits of the Titanic director in an IMAX near you in the near future.

    Source: Twitter

    Asus is looking for the ultimate power user, will send him to COMPUTEX 2012

    Gadgets Team
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    Asus is looking for the ultimate power user, will send him to COMPUTEX 2012

    Asus is on the hunt for the ultimate power user, and is looking to send the lucky bloke to the mecca of all things related to PCs – the crazy/wonderful trade show that is COMPUTEX. Dubbed “Race to COMPUTEX”, the competition will run as a series of online weekly challenges that will test their knowledge in PC Components, gaming and overclocking. If selected, Asus will send said awesome individual on an all expense paid trip to Taiwan for COMPUTEX 2012, where he/she will be witnessing brand new Asus tech and innovations first hand. Interested? Of course you are. You can head over to their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ASUSph) to find out more.

    Teaser: Gadgets Magazine sizzles this summer with Jennylyn Mercado

    Gadgets Team
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    Teaser: Gadgets Magazine sizzles this summer with Jennylyn Mercado

    Summer, sand, sun, sea, and the hottest gadgets this side of the planet. Gadgets Magazine takes you on a trip and gives you all of the travel essentials you’ll need to have an awesome summer. And with our very sexy cover girl sporting the latest Speedo swimsuits, you are in for a stylish and scenic treat. From mobile phones to travel apps, this April issue will surely keep you cool all summer long.

    All-new Ford Focus revealed in Bangkok

    Mika Fernandez-David
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    All-new Ford Focus revealed in Bangkok

    The all-new Ford Focus was revealed today to eager members of ASEAN media that were flown in to Thailand for the Bangkok International Motor Show.

    Following the Ford Ranger launch that is set for March 29 at the MIAS, the Ford Focus will be the second of the eight all-new global vehicles to be introduced in the Philippines within five years under the One Ford Program.

    Set to go on sale in the region by Q3 of this year, the dynamic Ford Focus will be produced at Ford’s new USD 450M – state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Rayong, Thailand, which will be supplying the entire ASEAN region as well as other export markets.

    Loaded with technology usually reserved for the mid and high-end vehicles, the Focus has evolved from the first-time buyer’s car to the best car available at that price point.  “The all-new Focus represents the strengths and benefits of our global One Ford strategy in serving our customers across the region,” said Joe Hinrichs, president, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa. “We’ve gone further in every aspect of this next-generation vehicle to give our customers quality, fuel efficiency, safety and smart technology beyond their expectations.”

    The new Focus is loaded with smart and affordable technologies that are segment – and even market-firsts.

    Ford SYNC lets you connect almost any mobile phone or digital media player to your new Focus via Bluetooth and USB connection respectively. Control your music, make and take calls by just using your voice – with eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

    Other notable safety features are the Active City Stop, the Active Park Assist, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Smart Keyless Entry, Ford Power Start and Torque Vectoring Control.

    The all-new Focus is fitted with a completely new Duratec 2.0-liter Ti-VCT GDi engine that uses the latest powertrain technologies to deliver 20% more power than the previous model while delivering a significant improvement in fuel economy.

    While the exact specs and price range of the Philippine version is still under wraps, a certain tall executive mentioned that it is safe to say that most of the features will be onboard.

    Yeay for Ford! We can’t wait to test dive one of these babies. Go further.

    [album: https://gadgetsmagazine.com.ph/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/[email protected]/Ford Focus reveal in BKK/]

    Review: Lenovo B470

    Gadgets Team
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    Review: Lenovo B470

    By M.R. Gavin

    I recently bought a new game and tried it on the Lenovo B470 test unit. Unsurprisingly, I got more than what I expected.

    For a game fan like me, it has always been hard to find the perfect laptop. I always stumble upon notebooks that don’t support enough graphics or keeps lagging. I almost gave up finding one, until I got my hands on a Lenovo B470.

    I was able to play my games properly, thanks to the B470’s Nvidia GeForce 410M that delivers amazing graphics. Its 13.3-inch screen is just enough for any kind of laptop needs. Although a little smaller than the average 14-inch notebook screens, but it certainly works well with almost everything.

    There are plenty of ports on the sides like VGA, Ethernet, HDMI, 4 USB 2.0 ports (one of which is an eSATA/ USB combo drive), audio ports, 6-in-1 card reader, and optical disk drive and burner. The keyboard is chiclet type and a bit curved in for easier typing. The touchpad is wide with two separate mouse buttons which makes it easier to navigate.

    I tried running multiple applications all at the same time and it doesn’t lag. Even high-definition movies were not a problem at all. I can see all the graphical details on the games. I usually have to adjust the brightness of my notebooks to make it just right for the eyes and to save on energy consumption but this notebook is really clear and bright despite the fact that it was on power-save mode. Its 1366×768 resolution is capable of 720p HD viewing, and can go as high as up to 1080p HD when connected to an HDTV.

    The B470 comes with an integrated 3G and Wi-Fi makes connectivity easier while on the go, but the short battery life is a downer. It could only last three hours on full charge. If you carry around this Lenovo notebook, be sure to bring the AC adapter.

    Lenovo B470 has the second-generation Intel Core i3 processor with Sandybridge graphics. It is also packed with Lenovo’s business features such as OneKey Rescue System that can protect and restore data in case of a crash and DirectShare for syncing files with another computer without using the Internet connection. It also has RapidBoot technology which makes startup and shutdown faster.

    A fingerprint scanner is situated on the lower right of the keyboard; this gives additional protection for the laptop and the users. This makes it safer from hacking or unauthorized usage of the notebook.

    While I was using it, a friend even admired its metal finish that looked classy and elegant. Definitely, the Lenovo B470 combines work and play with its features and special add ons. It’s design makes it sleek and stylish without sacrificing good functionality. There’s even an option to get a B470 bundled with Windows 7 home Premium or Professional.

    Specifications:
    OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 7 home premium or professional
    PROCESSOR: Intel Core™ i3-2310M Processor ( 2.10GHz 1333MHz 3MB )
    MEMORY: 4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz
    DISPLAY: 14.0” HD Glossy

    What’s Hot:
     • Curved chiclet-type keyboard
    • Clear and bright screen
    • Nvidia GeForce 410M

    What’s Not:
     • Short battery life

    Bottomline:
    In a very reasonable price, Lenovo B470 is your lappie either for home or for business.

    Buy Meter: 9.2

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

     

    Pimp your BlackBerry PlayBook with 4 pinoy made apps

    Gadgets Team
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    Pimp your BlackBerry PlayBook with 4 pinoy made apps

    Alright, so you’ve updated you BlackBerry Playbook to OS two-point-oh. Now what? Well, you can cram it with weird, semi-useful apps or you could download these four pinoy made apps that’ll help and amuse you. Not a hard choice is it? Among the growing number of pinoy made apps is the MMDA Navigator (handy for knowing and avoiding the clogged streets in the metro) PH Weather, Deal Detector (which gives you the lowdown on the latest deals in town) and a digital version of an old pinoy boardgame standby, Dama. All four apps is now available for download at the BlackBerry App World.

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

     

    Google wants to patent tech that listens to background noise to deliver better ads

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Google wants to patent tech that listens to background noise to deliver better ads

    There’s creepy tech and then there’s really creepy tech, and Google’s looking to patent the latter – The Next Web reports that the search giant is looking to patent tech that listens to background noise during phone calls and then promote the appropriate ads. Titled “Advertising Based on Environmental Conditions,” the proposed new tech will be able to listen to background noise such as a raindrops, yapping dogs and such and deliver context sensitive ads such as umbrellas and pet related products, for example. While the new tech sounds incredibly invasive, the patent application mentions that Google will not be actively listening to calls, and instead will use real-time monitoring tech to deliver the ads. Efficient or really, really creepy? You decide.

    Source: The Next Web

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