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    New Razer Orochi mouse launched, gives mobile gamers an unfair advantage

    Gadgets Team
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    New Razer Orochi mouse launched, gives mobile gamers an unfair advantage

    While not a lot of us game on the go, there seems to be enough individuals who partake in some sweet, sweet, mobile pwning for Razer to make the Orochi. Now Razer’s original mobile gaming mouse has been updated and now sports a nice black chrome finish in addition to Razer’s gaming pedigree.

    The Orochi is a wireless mouse, although it can also plug into your PC via a gold plated USB connector if things get really serious. All the features you’d expect from a Razer mouse is still there, including a 4000dpi 3G Laser sensor, On-The-Fly Sensitivity adjustment and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity.

    Samsung offering discounts for the Galaxy S II

    Gadgets Team
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    8
    Samsung offering discounts for the Galaxy S II

    Samsung’s about to launch their newest superphone, the Galaxy S II on July 2. If you’re the sort who really, really want to have it but balk at the price, then you’re in luck. Samsung is offering more than Php 6,000 discount values for the Galaxy S II – all you need to do is hit up the link we’ve embedded below anytime during the period of June 24, 2011 12:01AM to June 30, 2011 11:59PM and reserve your own. There’s only going to be 300 units available for the promo, so it’d be best if you bookmark that link and stay awake a wee bit later on the 24th.

    Link: www.samsung.com/ph/SII

    Edit: We took a closer look at the official email, and it seems that the discount is in discount values, and not an actual cash discount (but that can still be in the cards). Our apologies for the confusion. The Galaxy S II will retail for Php 29,990.

    Edit: We’ve finally got confirmation from Samsung – people who manage to reserve their units will get a Php 3,000 discount off the sticker price of Php 29,990, plus Php 3,000-worth of add-ons, which includes vehicle kit and casing.

    Capture panoramic video with your iPhone

    Gadgets Team
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    Capture panoramic video with your iPhone

    Panoramic videos might be one of the most amazing things I’ve seen in quite a long time. It essentially allows users to shoot everything within visible range in its surroundings in a continuous horizontal loop. Once the video is posted up onto YouTube or other similar sites, users can actually interact with the video with their mouse pointers.

    Originally only available for DSLRS, this technology will soon be possible on your iPhone.

    Meet the GoPano micro (pictured above), designed by Pittsburgh inventors at EyeSee360. The device essentially attaches to the iPhone’s lens with the help of a specially built case. Once the device is in secured, all users have to do is hit “record” and everything will be shot in full panoramic perspective. GoPano is currently still a project looking for funding.

    Users can alternatively turn to the Dot (pictured above) by Korgeto, another Panoramic attachment that fastens to the iPhone’s lens similar to the GoPano. Unlike its counterpart however, a Dot-equipped phone must be held in a horizontal orientation during shooting (as seen in the photo below), meaning that users can’t really preview what’s being shot until after. While it might seem disadvantageous, it does have its benefits as well since it allows users to place their phones on a flat surface for hands-free operation.

    The Dot is slated to be available by August, retailing for roughly $98 (approx Php 4,250) but is available for preorders. The GoPano micro is targeted at $80 (Php 3,470) with no announced release date yet.

    Smart fires up 4G LTE network in Manila – let the 4G wars commence

    Gadgets Team
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    Smart fires up 4G LTE network in Manila – let the 4G wars commence

    Smart Communications, Inc. has started up its first LTE (Long Term Evolution) network in Metro Manila at the company’s Annual General Meeting in Makati yesterday. LTE is billed as one of the fastest 4G technology currently available, with download speeds of up to 70Mbps. Smart did an initial test in Boracay earlier this year, and the results have been positive (at least, from what we’ve heard).

    “Everyone wanted to experience downloading movies in minutes and streaming in High Definition, and now here it is” said PLDT and Smart Technology Head Rolando G. Peña. “Soon, we will bring the same breakneck connection speeds to cities and municipalities all over the Philippines.”

    If you remember, Globe has rolled out their own 4G offering, though through the slower HSDPA+ tech (for now), with plans to upgrade later on. This means when Smart starts rolling out packages and phones that use LTE, their subscribers will have an enormous speed advantage over Globe users.

    Details like pricing, area availability and units are still scarce, however. We’ll update you guys as soon as we have more info.

     

    Review: ASUS N53SV

    Gadgets Team
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    3
    Review: ASUS N53SV

    Desktop replacements have always been my laptop of choice. You can have all the skinny ultraportables and all the netbooks you want, I’m sticking with the notebook heavy-hitters. Sure, they’re significantly heavier than your typical notebook and you’re probably be working more muscle groups when you start lugging them around, but their higher number-crunching abilities and graphic processing prowess more than make up for their weight. The Asus N53SV is such a notebook.

    The N53V is an example of Asus’ typical approach to making notebooks. The overall color scheme is a tasteful dark grey, with a bit of surface gradations that look similar to brushed aluminum across the lid. Unfortunately, the lid isn’t made of metal, but it’s a nice effect nonetheless.

    There’s a large speaker grille near the top of the keyboard where the hinge is. Right below the speaker grille are shortcut buttons for a number of different things, including the power management key (which is also boots the Express Gate Cloud OS) and volume controls.

    The keyboard is nice and big, and comes with a keypad on the right. The keys have enough travel and are extremely easy to use. The wrist rest has this nice, faux wood grain effect going on. The touchpad is the right size, though the mouse buttons use the single bar config without separators, which annoyed me to no end.

    The left side of the notebook housed the HDMI and Ethernet port, along with 2 USB ports and an SD card slot.

    The right side housed the optical drive, headphone and mic jacks and 2 more USB ports.

    Hardware-wise, the N53SV is powered by an Intel Core i7-2630QM running at 2GHz, 4GB worth of DDR3 memory and the most important bit – an NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M graphics card. The N53SV is also armed with a built-in GPU courtesy of the Intel HD 3000 graphics that the machine switches to when you’re in power saver.


    With such massive hardware, it wasn’t a big surprise that the N53SV managed to run my games without any problems, specifically my newest MMOG addiction World of Tanks. The combination of the Core i7 processor with the burly GT 540M GPU meant that the notebook is able to handle most mainstream and a few hardcore games at decent resolutions.

    Another feature that Asus is touting with the N53SV is the Bang and Olufsen audio that’s integrated into the device, and with good reason – as the sound was definitely better than some of the other notebooks I’ve heard, and the N53SV is pretty damn loud, if anything.

    Of course all that processing power comes at a price, namely decreased battery life. It’s pretty much the same for the N53SV, with the notebook on high performance the battery only lasted for about an hour and a half off the plug. It was only slightly better with powersaving on, at about 2 ½ hours.

    But mobility isn’t the point of the N53SV. Processing power is, and that’s where the notebook excels. The Asus N53SV is a great buy for anyone looking for a notebook with a little bit of extra oomph in it. Unfortunately, the N53SV won’t be officially carried by Asus locally, so finding it is going to be a bit of a challenge. Thankfully there’s an alternative – a more compact and affordable version, the N43SL that will retail for 39,995.

    What’s Hot:

    Excellent audio

    Powerful processor

    Can handle mainstream and a bit of hardcore games

     

    What’s Not:

    Battery life is woefully low

     

    Bottomline:

    The N53SV is a great buy for people looking for a powerful notebook, that is if you can find it.

    Buy meter: 8.5

     

     

    Comcast and Skype: Video call with your TV

    Gadgets Team
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    Comcast and Skype: Video call with your TV

    If you can watch videos on your phone, it’s only right that a TV can take video calls. The wait for that possibility is over. Thanks to a strategic partnership between Comcast and Skype, Comcast subscribers can now make high-definition quality video calls through their televisions.  You can also receive Skype video calls from family  and friends, be it from their home TV, PC, smartphone or tablet. For this to happen, you’ll need Skype software, a video camera, an adaptor box, and a specially-designed remote control which will enable customers to make and receive video or audio calls and text messages. Customers will also be able to access mobile features conveniently through Comcast’s Xfinity Mobile app.

    Here are a few things customers will be able to do through this offering:

    • Make and receive Skype video and audio calls, or send instant messages via Skype on a television while watching their favorite TV show at the same time, and accept incoming calls during a TV show with the help of Caller ID.
    • Make and receive video and audio calls, or send instant messages via Skype on a compatible mobile phone or tablet.
    • Import friends to their address book from their Facebook, Outlook, Gmail and smartphone contact lists, find them on Skype and see when contacts are online and available to talk.

    Personally, I don’t think I’d want anyone calling me up on my TV while I’m watching Law & Order. But that’s just me.

    Source: Comcast

     

     

    Intel’s interactive Escape video is a fun, novel way of pimping Sandybridge

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Intel’s interactive Escape video is a fun, novel way of pimping Sandybridge

    We’ve previously shared Intel’s first Escape video that shows off what their second generation Core i processors could do for you, but the prolific chip maker decided it wasn’t enough and made a second one with a difference – this one’s interactive. You’re not going to see Heavy Rain-esque levels of interactivity here, but it’s a new and novel way of showing people what their Sandybridge processors can do. The video makes use of your Facebook account and puts you in the center stage of the whole escape, with two of your friends (that you select) making a cameo. Hit on up the link below to go to Intel’s YouTube page to play the game.

    Source: YouTube (Intel)

    Sony launches Music Unlimited

    Gadgets Team
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    1
    Sony launches Music Unlimited

    Yet another cloud-based music service has been launched, and this time its by Sony.

    Dubbed as Music Unlimited for Android phones, users are granted unlimited subscriptions and their own personal library. Created with the help of Qriocity, the app is available on the Android Market for free, with an online database of over 7 million tracks that can streamed via Wi-Fi and/or 3G. Users can also upload their own tracks onto the cloud and stream them from their wireless capable devices.

    Subscriptions offered come in two plans, a Basic ad-free version ($3.99 or Php 240) and a Premium ($9.99 or Php 700) which offers playlist creations and access to personalized radio channels. For those that are wary to drop money right away, they can avail of a 30-day trial account.

    For more information, visit Qriocity’s official web page.

     

     

     

    Source: Qriocity – Music

    HTC Sensation and Wildfire S launched, we have piccies and prices

    Gadgets Team
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    2
    HTC Sensation and Wildfire S launched, we have piccies and prices

    HTC has just officially launched its new smartphones – the Sensation and the Wildfire S in Republic located in Pasay tonight. The two new smartphones are aimed at strengthening the already impressive range of HTC devices in the market.

    Like the HTC Desire S before it, the HTC Sensation is made from a single block of aluminium. This 4.3-inch beauty is powered by a Qualcomm dual core processor that runs at 1.2 GHz.

    As you can see here, the size of the unit is pretty impressive. The device also feels extremely well built, and the weight just felt right in my hands. The device will have a suggested retail price of Php 31,990.

    The HTC Wildfire on the other hand, is a smartphone designed for the mid-market. It sports a 3.2-inch screen, and apparently will be available in different colors.

    It’ll be powered by a 600 MHz processor. To be honest it felt a bit light and small to me, but seeing as I don’t have issues with 4.3-inch screens due to my large hands, this may be a personal thing. The Wildfire S will retail for Php 15,500.

    We’ll have a review up as soon as we have the units.

     

     

    LulzSec at it again, hacked game developer Bethesda and Senate website

    Gadgets Team
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    1
    LulzSec at it again, hacked game developer Bethesda and Senate website

    LulzSec, the hacking group behind the recent breach for a porn website is at it again, and now they’ve set their sights a bit higher up the food chain. Recently they’ve managed to break into game developer Bethesda and, believe it or not, the website for the United States Senate. Bethesda says on their official blog that “a hacker group attempted an unlawful intrusion of our websites to gain access to data. We believe we have taken appropriate action to protect our data against these attacks. While no personal financial information or credit card data was obtained, the hackers may have gained access to some user names, email addresses, and/or passwords.” The group has taken credit for the attack, and has released some of the information to prove that they’ve actually done what they said they’ve done, stopping short of giving away the information of 200000+ Brink user accounts. “We actually like this company and would like for them to speed up the production of Skyrim, so we’ll give them one less thing to worry about,” said the group on the press release they published on their site.

    Their hack of the United States Senate site however, wasn’t as friendly. The release they published for that little act reads like a major challenge to the superpower. “We don’t like the US government very much. Their boats are weak, their lulz are low, and their sites aren’t very secure. In an attempt to help them fix their issues, we’ve decided to donate additional lulz in the form of owning them some more!  This is a small, just-for-kicks release of some internal data from Senate.gov – is this an act of war, gentlemen? Problem?” If you’d recall, the Pentagon recently concluded that could be considered an act of war. There’s still no official response out of the White House, but at this point in time it’s probably safe to say that the group is treading in really dangerous waters.

    Source: Lulzsec (1), Lulzsec (2), Bethesda

    Get your game on with NBA 3-on-3 Philippines presented by Sprite

    Gadgets Team
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    0
    Get your game on with NBA 3-on-3 Philippines presented by Sprite

    The season may be over but basketball fans can still enjoy their favorite game (and even meet some of their favorite basketball stars) in a 3-on-3 game that will sure ease the pains of those who are still hung over from the summer vacay.

    The first-ever NBA 3-on-3 Philippines presented by Sprite will take place in Manila at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall from July 1-3. The event combines exciting on-court competition with authentic NBA entertainment and experiences for fans.

    The NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite will provide youth with an opportunity to hone their skills and compete amongst their peers. The competition is open to boys and girls ages 11-19, with an open division for men. Registration is a first come first serve basis and runs until June 28. Information on the event is available at www.nba3on3.com/Philippines.

    To enhance fan experience, NBA Legend Horace Grant, a four-time NBA Champion (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93 with Chicago, 2000-01 with L.A. Lakers) and an NBA All-Star in 1994, will make appearances and interact with fans through clinics and community events. Current All-Stars and legends from the

    All participants of the NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite will receive a jersey and NBA sling bag, with early registrants (those who sign up before June 10) receiving a signed photograph of NBA Legend Horace Grant. There will be prizes for the winner of each division.

    For more information about the NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite and chances to win daily quiz prizes, please log on to www.nba3on3.com/Philippines. Fans can also get updates on the event by following the NBA on twitter at www.twitter.com/NBA_Philippines and through Facebook at www.facebook.com/nba.

    Final Cut Pro X: available by next week?

    Gadgets Team
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    Final Cut Pro X: available by next week?

    Final Cut Pro X, Apple’s famed video editing software, is rumored to finally be available by next week, after years of an update hiatus since its predecessor.

    Available only through direct download via the App Store, Final Cut Pro X sports a newly designed interface and is now 64bit, which allows users to access their RAM’s full potential. Furthermore, it has purportedly been developed with increased support for other software programs as well as added functionality with ThunderBolt I/O technology.

    Other added improvements were directed towards a quicker workflow, such as the ability to edit footage as the file is being imported, background rendering and complete utilization of multicore processors. An “auditioning” tool has also been added, allowing video editors to preview different cuts without having to completely revamp any previous edits.

    There will also be more organizational features, such as a tagging tool that is able to detect when a certain person is in a shot and the type of framing that is used (close-up, medium or wide-angle).

    Final Cut Pro X will reportedly cost $299 (approximately Php 12,970) via the App Store.

     

    Source: CNet

    Nokia comes out on top over Apple patent war

    Gadgets Team
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    Nokia comes out on top over Apple patent war

    After two years of intense litigation, Apple and Nokia has finally come to terms. Both companies have arrived at a settlement agreement and have agreed to withdraw their lawsuits against one another. Coming out on top is Nokia, which have agreed to license their patents to Apple for a one-time payment and royalties, the amount of which hasn’t been disclosed. “We are very pleased to have Apple join the growing number of Nokia licensees,” said Stephen Elop, president and chief executive officer of Nokia. “This settlement demonstrates Nokia’s industry leading patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing opportunities in the mobile communications market.” While this marks the end of one lawsuit, Apple still has to contend with the onslaught of the Korean manufacturing giant Samsung in their ongoing patent war. Will their problems with Samsung turn out the same? Only time will tell.

    Source: Nokia

    Bento concept device is like Voltron for your PC/tablet/smartphone

    Gadgets Team
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    Bento concept device is like Voltron for your PC/tablet/smartphone

    Here’s a unique thought: what if you could merge your tablet, smartphone and notebook into one device and use the result as a notebook, yet still have a way to undock them whenever you want? That’s the whole design concept for the Bento. Created by René Woo-Ram Lee, it’s a conceptual modular system wherein you can tailor the look and performance of the notebook by the modular devices you dock into it. The system consists of a laptop with a 15-inch OLED screen, 11-inch tablet, 4-inch smartphone, solar powered lithium-ion battery and a 1TB SSD drive.

    The idea is that the dock itself is a blank slate, which is powered by the different modules. You can then upgrade the modules depending on the available technology and upgrade the performance of the dock without replacing the whole thing. The multiple touchscreens on the device acts as input devices, with the tablet pulling duty as the keyboard and the smartphone as the trackpad, with the functions changing depending on the program. Hit the link below to see more of the concept.

    Source: Yanko Design

    Creative shows off wireless solutions and modular speakers

    Gadgets Team
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    Creative shows off wireless solutions and modular speakers


    One of the most annoying things about setting up a good speaker system is also one of the most important components: wiring. It’s complex and complicated enough that most novice users are intimidated to even try and do some basic wiring. Creative, the folks who specialize in audio wants to solve that little issue with their wireless speaker and headphone offerings, most notably with the Creative ZiiSound Dx of modular speakers.

    The ZiiSound D3x, D5x, and DSx are all compatible with each other and can be daisy chained to one another to give users excellent sound without the wires. Both the D3x and the D5x can function on their own without being connected to another speaker, while the DSx pulls subwoofer duties when connected to either one. You can chain up to 3 speakers (plus the DSx together) wirelessly giving you 3.1 sound surround, unfortunately 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound isn’t supported. Still, an upgraded version of the speakers isn’t unfathomable, and the wireless flexibility of the Dx series makes it perfect for the amateur music lover.

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