More
    Home Blog Page 1268

    Pentagon approves the use of BlackBerry 7 for its personnel

    Gadgets Team
    -
    0
    Pentagon approves the use of BlackBerry 7 for its personnel

    A while back, we heard about how officials from the U.S Department of Defense all carry around BlackBerry phones and how the U.S government also approved of Dell-made Android devices running Android 2.2.

    Nowadays in the U.S Department of Defense, BlackBerry is still the device of choice due to its security features. In fact, they’ve approved RIM’s BlackBerry 7 devices for agency-wide use. The U.S Army and Defense Information Systems Agency has certified the following devices for use by its personnel: BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930; BlackBerry Torch 9810, 9850, and 9860; and BlackBerry Curve 9360.

    The U.S Department of Defense is one of RIM’s biggest customers—currently with about 250,000 BlackBerry phones in use. This helps pave the way for the release of the BlackBerry 10 in the future.

    Review: Samsung 55-inch ES8000 Smart TV

    Gadgets Team
    -
    2
    Review: Samsung 55-inch ES8000 Smart TV

    We initially did a in-depth hands on before on Samsung’s Smart TV offering, the 55-inch ES8000 that could almost be called a review, but in truth it lacked a few important details. Stuff like picture quality, color reproduction and all-around performance wasn’t included in the original article because we didn’t have the right tools to evaluate those things (no Blu-ray player or disks were offered during our brief stay, nor did we have HD content on hand). In light of this, Samsung graciously invited us back to Maxims to finish the review, which we accepted. We trotted back to Maxims last Sunday to once again spend the night with the ES8000, now armed with Blu-ray discs and HD movies. This review is best enjoyed by reading our hands-on first, located here.

    We’re not going to waste your time talking in-depth about all the other features we’ve covered about in our previous outing with the ES8000, though we will refresh your memory a bit. The ES8000 is Samsung’s top of the line Smart TV offering, and as such has a multitude of new features crammed into it, including voice control and gesture control (ala Kinect). The ES8000 also features a very thin bezel that almost disappears when you’re in the correct viewing distance.

    We were initially a bit disappointed to hear that the ES8000 uses an edge-lit LED array (with Micro Dimming Ultimate) instead of a full array with local dimming (like what LG did with their Smart TV, the LM9600). For people who are not aware, edge-lit displays have their backlights near the edge of the bezel, instead of directly behind the panel. This particular arrangement gives TVs an overall thinner profile though some have said that picture quality suffers somewhat. The edge-lit array is paired with a picture technology they’ve dubbed as Micro Dimming Ultimate. Samsung claims the new tech “enhances picture quality with threefold adjustments – optimization of contrast, colours and details – offering viewers a rich and delicate viewing pleasure while maximising the potential of the TV.”

    For our test, we used the provided Blu-ray titles of Samsung (the Shrek Trilogy and some scenes from Monsters Vs. Aliens) as well as our own 1080p copy of Ironman II. After performing the requisite calibration requirements, we fired up the Blu-ray player and started the test.

    One of the things we noticed the most was that the ES8000 had excellent color reproduction and gradation. Our initial worries about the edge-lit array not being able to deliver adequate backlight was unfounded – the black levels on the ES8000 was extremely good. There was also no motion judder or any kind of overdrive trailing (halos moving around fast moving objects), something that older HD TVs are susceptible to. Scenes from Shrek II was bright and colorful, and really looked fantastic. The climactic battle between Ironman, Warmachine and Whiplash was particularly epic, and shows how good the black levels of the ES8000 really is.

    We managed to talk about this before but it bears repeating – the ES8000 still uses active shutter lenses for its 3D, though there’s a few differences this time around.

    First is that the glasses are pretty cheap – a Samsung exec told us that the glasses would retail for around 500 pesos per pair, which makes it one of the cheapest active shutter glasses around. The glasses are powered by a single battery though we have no idea how long these things last before the batteries need to be changed. Though we’re not a huge fan of the overall design, Php 500 for a pair is extremely cheap, and you probably won’t mind very much when one of these things get lost.

    Overall, the 55-inch ES8000 Samsung Smart TV is an excellent buy. While there may be a few issues with the voice and gesture control, those little niggles can probably be fixed by software updates down the line from the Korean manufacturer. In addition, the Evolution Kit feature allows people who have already bought the TV to upgrade its functionality easily, without needing to buy a new set.

     

    What’s Hot:

    Voice and Gesture Control

    Access to apps and ability to surf the internet

    Streaming content via Vicki Premiere

    Excellent picture quality and color reproduction

    Slim Bezel

    Ability to be upgraded every year via the Evolution Kit

     

    What’s Not:

    Voice and gesture control is sometimes a hit and a miss

    Pricey

     

    Bottomline:

    Samsung’s 55-inch ES8000 Smart TV is a sexy and innovative evolution of the lowly boob tube. You won’t regret buying one – that’s assuming you’ll be able to afford it, that is.

     

    Buymeter: 4.5/5

     

    Tech Specs

    • Technology: Edge lit LED
    • Screen size: 55-inches
    • Picture technologies:  Ultra Clear Panel, 800Hz Clear Motion Rate, Ultimate Micro Dimming, Digital Noise Filter, Wide Color Enhancer (Plus)
    • Physical Dimensions: 1230.3 x 761.6 x 210mm (with stand)

     

    Smart introduces better Power Plug-It and Always On Packages

    Gadgets Team
    -
    1
    Smart introduces better Power Plug-It and Always On Packages

    The new Smart Bro Power Plug-It from Smart has advertised speeds of up to 7.2 mbps, making it the fastest 3G broadband stick in the market today. As with the previous offerings, it requires no installation and users can check their balance, make voice calls, and send text messages via its user interface. The Power Plug-It can be bought for Php 1,245 and it includes 240 hours worth of free surfing and 400 text messages to Smart and Sun subscribers valid for 10 days.

    Smart has also beefed up its Always On packages. This is for internet users who wish to pay for only the data that they consume regardless of how long they’re connected. For instance, users who only check their social networking sites and don’t download anything can avail of the 300 MB package for Php 299 and stay online for the whole month. On the other hand, those who download movies and music can purchase a 2GB package for Php 995. Below is a table that shows the new Always On packages.

    Vibe is the first Philippine electronic bookstore, launches two new tablets

    Gadgets Team
    -
    1
    Vibe is the first Philippine electronic bookstore, launches two new tablets

    Just recently, the first Philippine electronic bookstore called Vibe was launched by Vibe Technologies Inc. along with the Vibal Foundation. Filipinos will be able to access and buy all kinds of reading material through their tablets, smartphones, and computers. This includes an abundance of digital books, newspapers, and magazines. Vibe is also the name of a reading app that can be downloaded for free and installed on those devices.

    In fact, Vibe Technologies Inc. even launched two of their own tablets, the Vibe 8” Tablet and the Vibe 10” Tablet. The 8-inch version runs on Android 4.0 and comes with a 1.2 Ghz Samsung Exynos Dual-Core Cortex A9 processor with 1 GB of RAM. The 10-inch version runs on Android 2.3 and comes with a 1 Ghz Telechip Cortex A8 processor and 512 MB of RAM. Both tablets have a micro SD port and a mini HDMI port, which is ideal for teachers using it as a tool for learning.

    These tablets are designed as an affordable educational tool that can read e-books and supplement classroom learning. Vibe is also offering the Apple iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and Acer Iconia A200 among its line of education tablets. In fact, the Vibal Foundation has already equipped hundreds of grade 1 students with a Vibe Tablet. If you think about it, it does make more sense for a student to have a tablet where all of his learning material can be found instead of lugging around dozens of textbooks every day. It fits more books and makes learning more efficient and interesting through the use of internet links, videos, and sound.

     

    Lumia 610 first impressions [VIDEO]

    Gadgets Team
    -
    0
    Lumia 610 first impressions [VIDEO]

    Nokia has graciously sent us a Lumia 610 for review. This particular member of the Lumia family is aimed at the budget smartphone shopper, and its specs reflect that – 800 GHz processor, 8GB of internal storage, 5-megapixel camera. Curiously, the Lumia 610 and it’s bigger brother, the Lumia 710, both have the same size screen – 3.7-inches – which means that even though you’re picking up a budget device, you’re not losing out on screen real-estate compared to other Android offerings. Check out our full video first impressions below.

     

     
    [album: https://gadgetsmagazine.com.ph/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/[email protected]/Lumia 610/]

     

    Happiness? There’s an app for that

    Gadgets Team
    -
    0
    Happiness? There’s an app for that

    We all know there’s apps for everything – from making stupid lightsaber sounds to stalking women, but did you know that there’s an app for happiness? The app doesn’t actually make you happy (you don’t press a button and get giddy all of a sudden) but helps you to track what makes you happy throughout your day. The app systematically tracks your happiness by sending you alerts throughout the day and allows you to pinpoint what factors bums you out, and what makes you grin stupidly throughout the day. The app is part of Matt Killingsworth’s doctoral research at Harvard University, so you have him to thank once you realize your crippling planking habit is the root of all your worries.

    Source: trackyourhappiness.org

    Ford literally cuts out the noise in the all-new Focus

    Gadgets Team
    -
    1
    Ford literally cuts out the noise in the all-new Focus

    While driving, we tend to experience all sorts of noise in our vehicles produced by combustion, wind, and the road. According to Ford, the new Focus has been tested and tweaked to literally “cut out the noise”. In fact, there’s even an NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) team at Ford’s Technical Center in Germany to specifically deal with these issues.

    In order to improve the NVH, the Ford team has done a number of things such as improve the dashboard and headliner absorption, introduce an NVH-optimized engine cover, a newly developed exhaust system, and reinforced hoses. They also performed tests that involved pressurizing the vehicle with air to fix any leakage, thus sealing the body as much as possible.

    In the diesel engines, they revised the fuel injection system and reduced combustion noise. However, Ford’s Dr. Hildebrandt explained that they added a symposer to the engine to also improve the quality of its sound to match Ford’s sporty character. The Ford team even looked at metrics like Speech Intelligibility to measure how well passengers can communicate with each other with certain background noise present.  They’ve made numerous attachment points on the vehicle a lot stiffer in the new Focus in order to reduce wind and road noise.

    Compared to the current Focus, the changes are supposedly outstanding. The new Ford Focus will debut in the Philippines during the second half of this year.

     

    Razer revamps the classic Naga mouse, adds removable panels, new matte finish

    Gadgets Team
    -
    0
    Razer revamps the classic Naga mouse, adds removable panels, new matte finish

    Razer’s MMO loving’ Naga mouse has gotten an overhaul, and now sports a better, anti-slip finish to help players pwn opponents. While the mouse still retains its massive 12 button thumb buttons on the side, Razer has seen fit to allow players to choose the left panels of the mouse, helping them find the right fit for their hand through three interchangeable plastic panels. Razer has also reportedly repositioned the buttons on the top of the mouse, which the company says helps in actuation. Interested? Well, this particular mouse will set you back about $79.99, though there’s no word how much this particular mouse will cost in the Philippines. You can go to http://www.razerzone.com/getimba to know more about the new Naga.

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

    New HP Elitebook makes short work of CAD, can probably crush your desktop

    Gadgets Team
    -
    0
    New HP Elitebook makes short work of CAD, can probably crush your desktop

    There’s a special segment of notebooks that are aimed at people who absolutely need to have the fastest processors and video cards possible while still retaining the mobility side of the notebook equation. HP’s Elitebook series of portable workstations are especially aimed at these individuals, and can probably best most typical gaming rigs today in raw computing power. The newest entry to that particular product line is their 8770w and  8570w. While the PC company hasn’t released solid specs yet, opting instead to give us vague product descriptions like “highest-performing professional graphics and extreme processing power”. Nevertheless, you can expect these monstrous notebooks to sport 17.3- and 15.3-inch displays respectively, as well as carry workstation level graphics and processors, all stuffed in a frame that’s rife with connectors and ports.

     

    HP launches ENVY Sleekbook series of ultrabooks

    Gadgets Team
    -
    1
    HP launches ENVY Sleekbook series of ultrabooks

    There’s ultrabooks that looks nice on the store shelves, and there’s ultrabooks thay you’ll actually buy.  The second category is where HP’s recently launched line of ultrabooks fall under, and possesses a name befitting the moniker. The Sleekbook features a relatively large 14- and 15.6-inch screen and both devices are only 19.8mm thin.

    Curiously, the 14-inch version will either be powered by Intel’s second or third generation of Core i processors while the bigger, 15.6-inch version will supposedly carry AMD’s second generation mainstream APU. Both devices will have HDDs rather than SSDs, with the 14-inch version carrying a 500GB HDD while the 15.6-inch version possesing a smaller capacity, 320GB HDD. The HP ENVY Sleekbook with 14-inch display size is expected to be available in the United States on May 9 with a starting price of $699.99. The HP 15.6-inch Sleekbook is expected to be available in the United States on June 20 with a starting price of $599.99. No word on availability in the Philippines yet.

    Globe announces ITXTALL30 text promo

    Gadgets Team
    -
    0
    Globe announces ITXTALL30 text promo

    Globe’s rolling out a new text promo for the summer. Dubbed, ITXTALL30, the new text promo allows users to send a combination of 100 local texts to Globe, TM, Smart, Sun, Talk N Text, or Red Mobile, or international texts to 54 destinations worldwide. Globe claims that the new promo is the lowest in the market, and is available for only Php 30 valid for 1 day, which works out to about P0.30 per text message.

    To register, prepaid subscribers can text ITXTALL30 and send to 8888, or dial *143#, choose All-Time Fave Promos and then select International Call and Text Promos. To avail of the discounted rate, subscribers should follow the standard text format for local text messages (09XX-XXXXXXX or +639XX-XXXXXXX) and international text messages (00<country code><mobile number> or +<country code><mobile number>).

    There’s a lot of overseas destinations covered, which include the following countries: Afghanistan, Alaska, American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Grenada, Guam, Guinea, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Montserrat, Northern Marianas Islands, Pakistan, Palestine, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sint Maarten, South Korea, Syria, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, UAE, USA (Main), and Yemen.

     

    New malware accuses users of violating IP, downloading illegal porn, extorts money

    Gadgets Team
    -
    1
    New malware accuses users of violating IP, downloading illegal porn, extorts money

    In the world of malware, ransomware is the worst and nastiest kind of bug known to man. For those not in the loop, ransomware basically does what it sounds like – it holds your PC ransom (usually by hiding your files in encrypted folders) until you give in to their demands, much like a kidnapper would in real life. There’s been several cases of this kind of virus floating around the net, but the one spotted by Roman Hussy from abuse.ch certainly takes the cake as far as deviousness is concerned.

    The malware locks your PC and displays the image above though there’s slight variations to the theme, with different images used for different countries targeted ( U.K., Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and the Netherlands). The gist of the malware is that it basically accuses the user of violating IP rights, saying that protected material was found in the infected PC and that the PC has been locked to prevent further damage. “To unlock your computer and to avoid other legal consequences, you are obligated to pay a release fee of £50 (Php 3,386),” the sign says.

    The malware then tells users to pay the release fee using Paysafecard, a prepaid payment card that’s offered in European countries and some parts of the US, and even gives instructions on how to get a Paysafecard if users don’t have one. Roman has noted that he has already seen an earlier version of this particular malware, this time accusing infected PCs of downloading illegal pornographic material on their PCs. Hussy says that users get infected by visiting infected websites with the  Blackhole exploit kit. The kit tries a number of exploits on a PC and when one is successful, it downloads itself into the victim’s PC.

    Aside from extorting money from users, the malware also contains a component called Aldi Bot, which steals personal and financial information as well as conduct DoS (denial of service attacks) on websites. As of writing, Hussy says that only 4 of the 42 security products on VirusTotal can detect the malware.

    Source: abuse.ch

    Android powered tablets were the most popular in developing ASEAN nations last year

    Gadgets Team
    -
    0
    Android powered tablets were the most popular in developing ASEAN nations last year

    Seems that Google has more reasons to celebrate, as GfK Asia has announced that Android powered tablets are apparently the device of choice for developing ASEAN nations (which includes us). The report states that most tablets bought last year in countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam were powered by Android OS. Two out of three tablets purchased in the region were powered by Android, and the research firm expects this upward trend to continue this year. In fact, in the first two months of the year Android powered tablets have already managed to rack up 243 million dollars in sales, further climbing in its volume by 70%. Manufacturers managed to sell 1,038,000 Android OS powered tablets last year.

    “Due to the open source nature of the Android OS, tablets running on this system are generally priced lower than those running on other OS and its greater affordability encourages mass consumer adoption which in turn accelerates further development of its ecosystem.” explained Gerard Tan, Account Director for Digital Technology at GfK Asia. “The combined muscles of numerous manufacturers have helped proliferate adoption of Android OS in SEA. This is a compelling factor for developers to create more applications to cater to market needs, leading to the tightening of gaps between Android and the reigning market leader,” said Mr. Tan. “Moreover, the good transparency of the Android OS also bodes well in the business vertical industry, whereby specialized applications can be developed and implemented to improve a company’s productivity. As long as Google continues fine-tuning and improving its Android ecosystem, this OS is here to stay for the long haul,” he concluded.

    .

    Nielsen: Android is the OS of choice for US smartphone owners

    Gadgets Team
    -
    2
    Nielsen: Android is the OS of choice for US smartphone owners

    While Apple might be raking in cash by the truckload, research firm Nielsen has found that Google’s Android OS is still the top choice of smartphone buyers in the US. In a survey done last March, the research firm has found that a majority of phone owners in the US (50.4%) have smartphones and of those, 48.5% use Android. Apple’s iOS comes in second at around 32.0%, with RIM at 11.6%. What’s surprising is that if we’re interpreting this right, Microsoft’s long obsolete Windows Mobile OS accounts for more users at 4.1% than it’s current generation OS, Windows Phone which sits at a paltry 1.7%. The report also said that there’s slightly more female owners of smartphones compared to men (50.9% compared to 50.1%) and that Asian Americans lead smartphone adoption with 67.3 percent using a smartphone as their primary mobile handset.

    Source: Nielsen

    1...1,2671,2681,269...1,396Page 1,268 of 1,396
    LOG-IN

    © 2020 - Great Minds Media Inc.