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    Command and Conquer Generals 2 revealed, will be made by Bioware

    Gadgets Team
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    Command and Conquer Generals 2 revealed, will be made by Bioware

    Oh man. Gametrailers has just released an exclusive trailer for the newest entry in the Command and Conquer franchise: Command and Conquer Generals 2. While it’s just a short 30 second trailer, we managed to glean a couple of facts from it. One, it’s going to be made on the Frostbite 2 engine that currently powers Battlefield 3 and two, it’ll be made by Bioware, the same company that brought you RPG classics such as Dragon Age, Knights of the Old Republic and the Mass Effect franchise. While Bioware’s RPG chops is unquestioned, this is the developer’s first foray into real-time strategy games, which just makes us anticipate the game more. The game is slated to hit on 2013, so you have plenty of time to practice sending faceless soldiers to their deaths.

    Source: Gametrailers

    Motorola wins German suit against Apple, no more imports of iPhones into Germany for now

    Gadgets Team
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    Motorola wins German suit against Apple, no more imports of iPhones into Germany for now

    Seems like Apple’s having a run of bad luck lately, what with a their request for an injunction against Samsung being denied by a judge in California. Now another brand, Motorola Mobility, has managed to score a win against the firm from Cupertino – Germany’s Manheim Regional Court has decided that Apple infringes on a patent held by Motorola Mobility (“core cellular communications patents related to data packet transfer technology (GPRS)”) which is used by several of Apple’s products, and as such, is now forbidden to import the infringing devices. The patent covers a whole range of Apple products, most notably its iPhone and iPad range of devices. This suit only affects future shipments from Apple into Germany, and the company is free to sell the devices it already has in-country. Apple has already appealed the decision, and if its appeal is denied, it’ll have to play nice with Motorola Mobility and pay them for the privilege of selling their products on German soil.

    Source: Phandroid

    Philippine PC market post record shipments for Q3 2011, netbooks still selling well

    Gadgets Team
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    Philippine PC market post record shipments for Q3 2011, netbooks still selling well

    While the rest of the world seems to be heading to a post-PC era, it seems like pinoys still prefer PCs over tablets and other similar devices. According to IDC, the local PC market posted record shipments for Q3 of this year, which equates to 498,000 units. The portables segment grew 13% from the previous quarter, while the desktop segment remained stagnant, only shipping about 189,000 units. It seems that the main driver for notebook growth for this quarter has been mininotebooks (netbooks), with consumers responding favorably to aggressive price cuts like the Php 9,999 B3325N NEO notebook. Overall, the Philippines PC market increased by 7% sequentially and 25% year-on-year.

    Price sensitivity is still a huge concern when buyers consider notebooks. According to Ng Juan Jin, Market Analyst for Client Devices Research at IDC ASEAN, “The popularity of mininotebooks is evidence of end users prioritizing affordability over more advanced specifications. The surge in shipments indicates that first time users are content with the functionality of mininotebooks. And, given the relatively low adoption rate of PCs and the large low-income segment in the Philippines, there is still growth potential for mininotebooks provided prices remain low relative to other competing IT devices.” Sequential and year-on-year growth rates for mininotebooks are at 29% and 36% respectively. He adds, “AMD’s new processors are also increasingly popular among MNCs that are looking to diversify their model lineup while keeping prices low.”

     

    webOS goes open source, still no new hardware planned as of now

    Gadgets Team
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    webOS goes open source, still no new hardware planned as of now

    It seems like there’s still life after death after all, at least for webOS. After being killed by former HP Chief Léo Apotheker earlier this year, webOS is being brought back from the dead by HP. The company has announced in its webOS developer blog that the mobile OS will be going open source, with the resources of the company behind it. This means that the mobile OS will now be a viable choice for other companies to use in their products, and we may soon see smartphones and tablets running the once dead OS. Unfortunately, HP doesn’t have plans to make a new TouchPad (or any other webOS powered device), so if you’re one of the few people who absolutely love webOS, you may have to wait until new products crop up (assuming you weren’t able to get a TouchPad) to get your webOS fix.

    Source: HP, webOS developer blog

    Acer will stop making cheap, unprofitable products, hedging its bets on ultrabooks next year

    Gadgets Team
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    Acer will stop making cheap, unprofitable products, hedging its bets on ultrabooks next year

    Acer has not had a good year. The Taiwanese manufacturer has posted its first loss in a decade, and as a result its CEO has deemed that some kind of refocusing is in order. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Acer CEO J.T. Wang has said that the company will shift their focus from pursuing market share blindly with cheap and unprofitable products. The Acer head honcho wants to put a big focus on ultrabooks, saying that “Ultrabooks will become our key growth driver next year as customers want a lighter, thinner notebook with longer battery life. Selling more ultrabooks will also help improve our profit margins as they command higher prices.” It’s still unclear what products will get the axe, and Acer has gone on record that they’d never give up netbooks, so your guess is as good us ours on which products Acer will drop next year.

    Source: All Things D, Digitimes

    Beyond the Box officially open in One Rockwell, offering special promos

    Gadgets Team
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    Beyond the Box officially open in One Rockwell, offering special promos

    Beyond The Box, an Apple premium reseller, officially opened their second branch in One Rockwell in a fun-filled event hosted by MYX VJ JOaquin Valdes and Shiela Valderama, with entertainment provided by DJ Orocay.

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    Review: Asus Zenbook UX21

    Gadgets Team
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    Review: Asus Zenbook UX21

    Anyone who has ever used an ultraportable notebook knows all too well the sacrifices that come with mobility. The rule of thumb was that the lighter and thinner your notebook was, the greater the hit in performance was. Road warriors had always had to make the painful choice between mobility and performance, and the results weren’t pretty. That’s why I was pretty skeptical of Intel’s ultrabook initiative, which basically promised to deliver extremely thin and light notebooks with performance that was close to those of mainstream notebooks. But after my time with the Asus Zenbook UX21, I’m a believer.

    I actually saw the UX21 way back in June during COMPUTEX in Taiwan, and my reaction, like most of the media present during the official launch event, was awe and amazement. At first glance, the notebook was so impossibly thin I swore that it was channelling chi from long dead supermodels.

    The whole thing is only 9mm thick at the deepest point (3 at the thinnest). The UX21 sports a beautiful 11.6-inch 16:9 HD (1366×768) LED backlit display which surprisingly, was very bright. Externally, the UX21 is beautiful – its chassis is made from aluminium, and the way the notebook just refracts light makes it look like something else other than a notebook. And while it looks like the UX21 would be a hefty notebook, it lightly tips the scales at 1.1 kilos.

    Of course, some sacrifices had to be made to make the notebook as thin and as light as possible. The keys are slightly smaller than the regular keyboards on notebooks, and you only get two USB ports though kudos to Asus on making one of the ports 3.0. There’s no optical drive (understandably) and no Ethernet plug either. You’ll also have to buy mini-VGA and HDMI ports if you want the image on the notebook to stream on a TV or projector. You also get an all-glass trackpad that’s clickable (like the one on MacBooks) with a subtle separator for the left and right mouse button.

    Internally, the UX21 uses an Intel Core i5 2467M Processor (1.6 GHz) with about 4GB of DDR3 memory. Storage is done by way of a 120GB SSD drive which, in theory, should speed up access and boot times and improve battery life.

    Because the UX21 uses an SSD drive, it’s able to post extremely fast boot times, both in cold boot (with the notebook off) and recovering from hibernation. The UX21 turns on quickly, requiring less than 20 seconds (18 seconds in fact) from switching the power on to actually seeing the Windows 7 desktop. Recovering from hibernation takes about 13 seconds.

    Overall performance was great. The UX21 was able to handle almost everything I used it with, from watching video to browsing several sites while covering the BlackBerry Developer Conference a while back. Streaming HD video wasn’t a problem with the UX21 and though it’s not the right device for hardcore gaming, it’s still capable of running casual and mainstream games at acceptable resolutions. And while I typically don’t expect much from notebook speakers (ultraportables especially) the UX21 managed to delightfully surprise me. Music and video clips played from the UX21 were loud, crisp and clear, and though it had pathetic bass, it’s still a leg up against other similar notebooks.

    Battery life wasn’t that stellar though, and the UX21 managed roughly 4 ½ hours on a single charge with constant use. Then again, there isn’t a whole lot of space in the UX21 to cram a large battery in, and we suppose that’s the price you pay for added mobility.

    Of course, being Asus’ first ultrabook, it’s not perfect. The keyboard for example has shallow travel, and as a result, the keys feel really mushy. The trackpad also exhibited some weird behaviour, and doesn’t recognize input right away – it actually felt like the same kind of lag I experience when using a wireless mouse.

    Possibly the biggest thing that potential users will balk at is the price – the UX21 retails for about Php 53,995, which pretty much puts it on par price-wise with the MacBook Air. Then again, the UX21 is possibly one of the most beautiful notebooks I’ve ever used so far for the Windows platform, and while I don’t necessarily hate Macs, I really can’t imagine myself using one. If you’re a person that values portability and mobility the most, and can’t imagine yourself using a Macbook Air, then you might want to take a look at Asus’ Zenbook offerings. I guarantee that you won’t regret it.

     

    What’s Hot:

    • Solid construction
    • Fantastic styling
    • Extremely thin and light
    • Good performance
    • Excellent sound

     

    What’s Not:

    • Keys are mushy and have shallow travel

     

    Bottomline:

    Looking for an absolutely beautiful, thin and light notebook that runs Windows? Well, you might want to pick up the UX21.

     

    Buymeter: 8.9

     

    Tech Specs

    • Screen Size: 11.6-inch 16:9 HD (1366×768) LED
    • Memory: 4GB DDR3
    • CPU and chipset:  Intel Core i5 2467M Processor (1.6GHz)
    • Physical Dimensions: 299 x 196 x 9mm
    • Warranty: 1 year on parts and labor

     

    Before 2011 ends, Gadgets takes you back to the future of technology

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Before 2011 ends, Gadgets takes you back to the future of technology

    The Mayans have their predictions and we have ours and they look rather promising in today’s fast-paced, fast-growing high-tech world. NFC, 4G, SSDs – those are just a few things we see in our very reliable crystal ball for 2012. Of course, what would Gadgets Magazine be without the latest innovations, gadgets, and lifestyle must-have filling our pages. And helping us usher the year ahead is no less than the beautiful and talented Iza Calzado herself who takes on Raquel Welch’s classic look in One Million Years B.C.

    So don’t wait for the world to end. Grab your copy of our December/January issue of Gadgets Magazine out now!

    Archos unveils their G9 tablets

    Gadgets Team
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    Archos unveils their G9 tablets

    Archos officially launched their brand new Gen9 tablets, and you know what? They look pretty impressive.

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    Gadgets Magazine officially releases its exclusive Nokia Ovi App

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Gadgets Magazine officially releases its exclusive Nokia Ovi App

    The Philippine’s first tech-lifestyle magazine goes mobile

    GADGETS Magazine, the Philippine’s first tech-lifestyle magazine, has taken even greater strides to strengthen its online presence by offering loyal readers its very own Nokia Ovi App.

    Nokia users can now stay connected for FREE and receive the latest updates from the Gadgets Magazine website, to stay up-to-date on breaking news, the latest devices, the best bargains and the hottest events in the luxurious world of technology and lifestyle.

    Those who avail of the app will have complete access to Gadgets Magazine’s product reviews, which has been at the core of the publication’s unparalleled success. Users can now refer to the expertise of the Gadgets Magazine team wherever they are, providing them a mobile and reliable guide to the hottest and latest devices.

    The Gadgets Magazine Ovi App is completely FREE and is available for download at the Nokia Store. Visit http://nokiaappwizard.com/app/458780 to download.

    The Blackberry Market isn’t shrinking – 4 myths about the brand that isn’t true

    Gadgets Team
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    The Blackberry Market isn’t shrinking – 4 myths about the brand that isn’t true

    Like any self-respecting tech outfit, we follow technology sites and blogs from the US religiously. As a result, we went into the BlackBerry Developer Conference in Singapore with the mindset that RIM was a company floundering and was in the precipice of losing relevance. But boy, were we wrong. Dead wrong. While BlackBerry may not be doing that well in the US, it seems that the Canadian company was flourishing in Asia, and has managed to grab a large share of the market in several countries which include Thailand and Indonesia. So why all the reports of the doom and gloom?

    “To be blunt, it’s lazy reporting,” says Alec Saunders, VP of Developer Relations and Ecosystems Development for RIM. “If you sit down and looked carefully at RIM’s business, you can’t walk away with notion that the company is going nowhere. This is a company that grew its subscriber base from 50 million to 70 million – that’s a 44% growth rate in one year.” He adds, “We got no debt on the books and the business is profitable with no debt – it’s not in trouble. It just boggles my mind.”

    Alec also compiled a couple of myths that’s usually associated with the brand and we’ve managed to include them all below. The key message that we felt RIM wanted to impart to the press during the whole conference was that the company may not be doing well in the US, but it’s doing a killing in Asia and in other, larger markets. Let’s just hope the love spreads everywhere, eh?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Smart Money rolls out NFC payments via Tap2Pay, one step closer to wallet-less transactions

    Gadgets Team
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    Smart Money rolls out NFC payments via Tap2Pay, one step closer to wallet-less transactions

    After successfully conducting their first NFC-enabled project a few months ago, Smart is at it again with their NFC powered Tap2Pay initiative launched together with BDO. The new service leverages the Telco’s Smart Money service to power the new service, which will be used during Worldbex’s Services International’s World Bazaar Festival. Like the previous offering for NFC, only postpaid Nokia C7 toting Smart subscribers will be able to partake in the NFC party, who will be given free Smart Money accounts with a credit amount of P50. They can then use Tap2Pay to gain entrance to the Philippines’ longest-running charity event which will be held from December 10-18, 2011 at the World Trade Center in Manila. All they have to do is use their Nokia C7 handsets to tap on specially-marked posters located at the bazaar entrance to avail of their entrance ticket to the bazaar.

    Before Nokia C7 owners can make use Tap2Pay, however, they must first update their phone software to activate the NFC feature. This can be done by going to the phone’s update menu or by connecting the phone to a computer using Nokia PC Suite (standard data rates apply).

    Similarly, C7 users can also visit the nearest Nokia Care Center to have their phone software updated for free. Tap2Pay by Smart Money only works with NFC-enabled phones.

    It seems that this particular event is a beta test of sorts for Smart’s NFC system, and it’s pretty certain that the telco will roll out a more comprehensive NFC program integrated with their Smart Money service, especially since NFC capability is showing up in more smartphones than ever before.

     

    Adding social elements makes apps perform better – RIM

    Gadgets Team
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    Adding social elements makes apps perform better – RIM

    Word of mouth is a powerful thing. Recommendations from friends and colleagues usually sway opinions and convince people to try the latest restaurant, check out the latest film and influence purchase decisions on gadgets and applications. That’s the reason why word of mouth is being leveraged by RIM to help developers to get their apps downloaded more. RIM has said that apps that use their BBM Social Platform typically perform better than apps without during one of our sessions with the Canadian company during BlackBerry Devcon Asia. An app called Caro for example, enjoyed 4 million downloads in less than 3 months, thanks to sharing via BBM. Additionally, RIM has said that BBM Social enabled apps typically perform 15 times better than apps without it which is great news for developers, since it never hurts to have your apps absolutely everywhere.

    HTC brings back music, art and fashion with 3 new phones

    Gadgets Team
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    HTC brings back music, art and fashion with 3 new phones

    HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, unveiled 3 of their latest smartphones just in time for the holidays – the HTC Rhyme, HTC Explorer, and HTC Radar.

     

    The elegant HTC Rhyme delivers a fresh approach of integrating distinct colors, HTC Sense and complementary accessories for a natural personal experience.

    With a beautiful 3.7-inch WVGA, super LCD display and high-quality stereo sound, HTC Rhyme also offers advanced imaging capabilities that begin with its 5-megapixel camera that includes auto focus, power LED flash and instant shutter for capturing those memorable moments whenever they arrive.

    In addition, the camera features a number of photo-taking and sharing elements, including face detection, which ensures that friends are always in focus, action burst scene, which automatically takes five consecutive shots of a scene, and panoramic mode, which lets users stitch several photos for those larger-than-life views. The HTC Rhyme’s locked home screen can be customized to display the most important content, making it quick and easy to see social updates, photos, snapping a photo or the weather forecast by simply turning on the display.

    The HTC Rhyme in Clearwater color will come bundled with the HTC Rhyme Docking Station, HTC Rhyme Tangle Free Headphones and HTC Rhyme Charm and is now available at HTC authorized resellers at a suggested retail price of Php 25,000.

     

    The HTC Explorer brings an advanced smartphone experience to first time smartphone customers.  With a curved and compact design, a 3.2” HVGA touchscreen and 3MP camera, HTC Explorer offers smartphone performance in an attractive and affordable phone.

    With HTC Sense integrated, customers experience sharp graphics, vibrant animations, a wide variety of widgets and a cinematic and immersive weather experience. HTC Explorer also includes a customizable lock screen that functions as a real-time window to the customer’s most important information and content, such as social updates, photos, weather or stock updates that are viewed by simply waking up the display.

    HTC Explorer provides a complete web browsing experience with Adobe Flash support, and is the first in its class with a HVGA display, allowing you to run nearly all of the applications in Android Market. Smart URL prediction provides quick access to the top 100 websites, while automatic URL correction streamlines web navigation.

    The HTC Explorer allows you to access multiple work and personal email accounts and combine different calendars into a single view. New calendar invites are also managed from one tab allowing you determine the best use of your time. HTC Explorer offers you control over your data and mobile services with a usage monitor that tracks your call minutes, messages and data to keep you on top of your spending.

    The HTC Explorer in metallic black is now available at HTC authorized resellers at a suggested retail price of Php 11,900.

     

    The HTC Radar features a dedicated hardware camera button which enables you to capture vivid images while the f/2.2 aperture lens and back-illuminated sensor provide improved low-light performance – making sure you never miss that perfect shot. With 28mm wide-angle lenses you can capture more of the scene in front of you while the new panoramic feature lets you create dramatic pictures of skylines and landscapes.  HTC Radar can shoot bright and vibrant HD (720p) videos, making them perfect companions for family functions or a night out with friends. And with the HTC Photo Enhancer, you can quickly touch up pictures and upload them to Facebook, tagging your friends as you go using automatic face detection built in to Windows Phones.

    Elegantly crafted with an aluminum unibody, HTC Radar brings you closer to the important things in life, with the new People Hub from Windows Phone. The People Hub keeps you up to date with your friends’ latest news showing all of your communication history with each person, as well as their recent social network updates and photos.

    Utilizing Virtual 5.1 surround sound for a rich audio experience, the HTC Radar is your perfect entertainment on the go.  Internet browsing is fast and smooth with HTML5 support.  You also get an amazing mobile gaming with Xbox LIVE, giving you access to a great selection of games for Windows Phone, which include features like Leaderboards and Achievement that connect you with your friends and the Xbox LIVE community around the world.

    The HTC Radar is now available at HTC authorized resellers at a suggested  retail price of Php 21,500.

    Review: Huawei MediaPad 7″ Tablet

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Review: Huawei MediaPad 7″ Tablet

    Huawei sets off on an ambitious mission of entering the tablet market, sending a message that they dare to tough it out with the overwhelming competition.

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