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IDC predicts that the media tablet market is set hit 10x of 2010 shipments by 2015

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14 Jul 2011

IDC predicts that the media tablet market is set hit 10x of 2010 shipments by 2015

We knew that the tablet industry was booming, but now we know how much – IDC predicts that Media tablets will experience a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 54% in Asia/Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) region, multiplying nearly ten times to 21 million units from 2 million units shipped in 2010. In stark contrast, eReaders will carry a lower 18% CAGR as eReader are limited to a single function, one that media tablets cover anyways. The lack of localized content is one of the main reasons why eReaders have failed to take off as well as tablets, says Dickie Chang, Senior Market Analyst for Client Devices Research at IDC Asia/Pacific. In China for example, some consumers are still relying on pirated Internet downloads. Online bookstores haven’t been earning device vendors wide margins on content, and face aggressive iPad pricing, squeezing them further.”

Further delving into the report, IDC predicts that Apple will set the pace of the market for the next five years, and with competitors facing a stiff battle moving forward. Competitors to iPad must innovate ways to differentiate their products though, lest consumer interest wanes in favor of the next tech gadget. Some of this demand may be driven by the education sector, such as the Thai government’s recently announced plan to distribute 800,000 Android tablets to primary school students. While this latest announcement has not been yet factored into IDC’s forecast, there are certainly opportunities out there to keep driving media tablet growth,” adds Melissa Chau, Research Manager for Client Devices Research at IDC Asia/Pacific.

Petron earns Tambuli, Trusted Brand awards

Press Release

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14 Jul 2011

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Petron Corporation, the undisputed oil industry leader, recently won accolades from two award-giving bodies.

ArtPetron 10 received a Bronze Tambuli Award in the Best Youth Brand category during the 2011 Tambuli Awards held last 09 June 2011. Themed Alay sa Natatanging Pamayanan, ArtPetron 10 featured Petron’s involvement in the communities and its dynamic partnerships with local folk in uplifting their quality of life. ArtPetron 10 encouraged the student artists to render creative renditions and transform its partnerships with Filipino communities into exceptional paintings and photographs.

The ArtPetron National Student Art Competition is a painting and photography contest open to all college students. It is Petron’s advocacy with the Filipino youth, and is also an expression of the oil company’s long-standing support for the preservation, appreciation and rediscovery of Philippine arts, culture, values and traditions.

The Tambuli Awards recognizes effective integrated marketing communications programs and is awarded annually by the University of Asia and the Pacific.

For the eleventh consecutive year, Petron was, again, bestowed the Gold ‘Trusted Brand’ Award in the Petrol Station category by Readers Digest in ceremonies held last 02 June 2011 at Resorts World Manila.

The award is the result of a survey where respondents vote for the brand they trust and rate them in terms of trustworthiness, credible image, quality, value, understanding of customers’ needs, and innovativeness. Thus, the Readers Digest Trusted Brand award is a representation of the brand’s perceived values and opinions based on a highly objective consumer voting process.

Petron Corporation is the largest oil refining and marketing company in the Philippines. Its oil refinery produces a full range of petroleum products to supply nearly 40% of the country’s fuel requirements. Through more than 1,500 service stations nationwide — the largest service station network in the country — Petron retails gasoline, diesel and kerosene to motorists.

Bronze Tambuli Award for ArtPetron 10. Petron brand marketing manager Ramon M. Cruz (extreme left) and Petron AVP-marketing Ana M. Neri (2^nd from left) received the award last 09 June 2011 at the UA&P auditorium.

Samsung unveils new monitors

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Gadgets Team

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14 Jul 2011

0

Samsung has hit yet another milestone to add credence to their established reputation as a leading manufacturer of electronics. The company has unveiled two new SyncMaster monitors, catering to the HD and 3D craze that has swept through the globe.

With that said, meet their newest monitors, the LT23A350 and the SA950.

A TV on your Desktop?

Having been a global leader in monitor sales since 2006, everyone should be on the edge of their seats to hear about Samsung’s latest products. Say hello to the SyncMaster LT23A350, a Full HD multi-function monitor with an internal HDTV receiver, which means that it can adopt digital TV capabilities such as TV Shows guide and auto channel search. Moreover, it also features Picture-in-Picture, which can amazingly display a live television show and your computer’s screen simultaneously.

The LT23A350 comes with Samsung’s “zero-bright spot” guarantee, provides 250cd/m2 brightness, and is equipped with Mega DCR technology, resulting in crisp movements and intensely sharp details. With these features, you don’t just have a monitor, it’s a television on your table top.

3D-licious…

The SyncMaster SA950 is equipped with a 3D HyperReal Engine, with extremely quick response times that reduces dizziness, especially when used in conjunction with Samsung’s 3D Active Glasses (with support for 1920X1080). When using this monitor, images are guaranteed to be even more vibrant and lifelike than before, with its Ultra Clear Panel for enhanced contrast and sharpness. It can also transform any of your 2D images to 3D, for a truly amazing experience.

Drawing inspiration from the “elegance of nature”, the SA950 combines subtle grace with a stellar performance. This monitor is truly eco-friendly, with a casing that is 100% recyclable so that it “enhances the work environment while protecting the environment”. It also has an onboard Eco Motion Sensor and Eco Light Sensor, which tells the monitor when to turn on/off by detecting body heat in front it and by automatically adjusting the screen’s luminosity.

Both monitors have a zero-bright spot guarantee and are equipped with Samsung’s “Magic” functions, which provides users intuitive features that will optimize viewing angles and breathe new life into colors and details.

SyncMaster LT23A350 SRP: Php 14,990

SyncMaster SA950 SRP: Php 31,990.

Source: Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation (SEPCO)

Awkward Family Photos Board Game

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Gadgets Team

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14 Jul 2011

1

From the blog that gave you Awkward Family Photos, a board game of the same name is now available for the whole family to play and enjoy.

Sold by All Things Equal, maker of fun and creative family and party games, the Awkward Family Photos board game requires you to get those creative juices flowing in order to win all with the help of a set of awkward photo cards, chips, and dice. After you roll the dice, your job is to guess who gave the best answer to an open-ended question about the card and take the chips of your opponents.

Now it’s no Cranium but it’s not rocket science, either. You’ll definitely have fun making each other laugh and feel well… awkward.

Source: Trendhunter

iOS users: downloading PDFs may lead to your devices being hacked

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Gadgets Team

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14 Jul 2011

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iOS users: downloading PDFs may lead to your devices being hacked

That’s basically what the German government said in a warning a few days ago. The vulnerability stems from an exploit and was discovered by a team of hackers at Jailbreak.me. The exploit gives hackers administration access to your device, which basically gives them free reign to do whatever they want – including grab contact information and sensitive data without being detected by the user. “Had this exploit been released by a malicious party, it could have been used to hijack personal information on the device, install malware, surveil the user by tracking their GPS information, access the camera and/or microphone, or a perform a myriad of other nefarious tasks,” said iPhone hacker and data forensics analyst Jonathan Zdziarski.

For their part, Apple is working hard for a fix for the issue, although they have still not released a patch for the exploit. Jailbroken devices, ironically, can already download a patch that fixes the exploit.

Source: Tomsguide

Review: Asus K43SJ

GadgetsLab

Gadgets Team

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13 Jul 2011

11

Asus is a prolific notebook manufacturer that has a wide array of product lines that include everything from high profile gaming lappies, entry level notebooks and everything in between. Today we’ll be talking about their K43SJ, a 14-inch notebook that offers a good mix between affordability and power.

The K43SJ is a 14-inch deal that sports aluminum texture on some parts of the chassis. It comes in several distinct colors (our review unit was blood red), and for the most part the lid design is simple yet elegant and not overly tacky. It has overall dimensions of 34.8 x 24.2 x 2.95 ~3.48cm, which is pretty much the norm for notebooks of its class.

It has all the usual ports you might need (3 USB, HDMI, Ethernet, D-sub and SD card), and has audio powered by Altec Lansing. The keyboard is of an island variety, has enough travel and was very comfortable to type with.

Hardware is your run-of-the-mill Intel Core i3 -2310M running at 2.1GHz with about 2GB of DDR3 memory.

Graphics is done by way of an Nvidia GeForce GT 520M, and you get 500GB of space to put your data in.

While the device is capable of a bit of gaming, it’s not the platform for gamers. The NVIDIA GT 520M doesn’t have enough graphics power to run newer games in the resolutions and graphics detail that I’m comfortable with. With that being said, it can run newer games, but be prepared to lower the resolution and detail levels down. It all comes down to how much of a graphical hit you’re willing to take – your mileage may vary. It handles lower spec games fine though, and if you’re only after casual gaming it’ll hit the right spot.

With an overall weight of 2.44 kilos, it’s pretty hefty. Lugging it around isn’t a backbreaking deal compared to bigger desktop replacements, but it’s not light either. If you’re not looking to develop new muscle groups, it would be best if the K43Sj stays on your desk.

Battery life is good, with the K43SJ lasting for about 4 hours on a single charge. Web browsing and light use was pretty pleasant, as well as some photoshop on the side. The K43SJ had no issues with full HD decoding and playback.

It’s not perfect though, and the major sense of my irritation has got to be the trackpad buttons. I’m pretty sure the buttons need to be level to one another, but the demo unit that we had for the test had buttons that were a bit sunk in the middle, forming a wide V shape. The buttons emit a loud click every time you press on it, and it may not be a big deal to some, but it annoyed me to no end.

But all those considerations suddenly disappear when you find out that the K43SJ retails for a mere Php 29,995 without an OS, and Php 32,995 with Windows Home Basic. Value for money is the keyword here, and at those prices, it’s hard to deny it’s appeal.

What’s Hot:

Design is solid and elegant

Very affordable

What’s Not:

Trackpad buttons are annoying

Slightly underpowered GPU

Bottomline:

If you’re looking for a notebook that won’t break the bank, then the Asus K43SJ is it.

Buymeter: 8.2

Tech Specs:

Screen Size

14-inch, 16:9 HD (1366×768) LED backlit

Memory

DDR3 1333 MHz SDRAM,2 x SO-DIMM socket for expansion up to 8 G SDRAM

CPU and chipset

Intel Core i3 2310M, running at 2.1GHz

Physical Dimensions

34.8 x 24.2 x 2.95 ~3.48cm

Warranty

1 year warranty on parts and labor

Review: Philips SHL5000 headphones

GadgetsLab

Gadgets Team

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13 Jul 2011

3

GADGETSLAB

Philips SHL-5000 Headband Headphones

Purchasing a pair of headphones is no easy task nowadays, especially with people’s increased reliance on portable media players. Whether you’re traveling somewhere or simply laying back with some tunes, headphones must be comfortable and sonically excellent at the same time. And…they have too look good as well.

Filed under Philip’s Ear Gear Style Range, the SHL-5000 headband headphones certainly fit the category. Even while encased in its packaging, one will instantly realize that style was heavily invested into this product’s design. Available in five different colors, this reviewer received the crimson red adorned with black matte trim (also available in orange, green, white, and black). While these headphones are definitely candy for the eyes, they are not extravagant and still retain the charm of what is modernly minimal. The very simplicity of its design will surely garner notice, yet has the charm to seamlessly blend in as well, which could potentially cater to a lot of people’s tastes.

The headphones are very lightweight and extremely compact, especially once they are folded up for transport. Of course, some sense of durability is sacrificed for the sake of portability, but the SHL-5000’s feel sturdy enough to withstand quite a bit of punishment, and could be a perfect companion for traveling in the metro or the great outdoors.

If you’re looking for a pair of headphones that you can literally use the whole day, look no further. The SHL-5000’s padded ear cushions will feel like clouds upon your ears, as this reviewer was personally able to wear them for five consecutive hours without feeling the dreaded ear strain in any way. The steel spring headband is flexible and will adjust comfortably to whoever is wearing them. Moreover, even when they’re simply hanging around your neck, the headphones barely feel like they’re there. Philips certainly adhered to one of this product’s advertised traits: “You’ll forget you’re wearing them!”

The sound quality of the SHL-5000’s are satisfactory, for lack of a better word. They are not disappointing, but not spectacular either, which is to be expected from a pair of headphones in this price range. Moreover, for a product that was advertised as having extra bass, the 30mm sound drivers of the SHL5000 do not exactly give a bass rich experience, although they did boost the overall volume significantly . The lower frequencies sometimes sound quite “boomy”, along with low-mids that have a tendency to sound “tinny”. However, with respect to higher frequencies of the spectrum, these headphones are crisp, clear and have a character unlike similar products in its brand and class.

Moreover, the SHL-5000’s excel in its noise canceling abilities – low volume listening on an mp3 player blocked any outside interference. Combine this with these headphones’ comfortable ear cushions, and you have a set of cans that are perfect for long hours of sound tripping.

All in all, the Philips SHL-5000’s would be a great purchase for those who want a pair of headphones that look great, are kind to the wallet, but still pack a punch.

What’s Hot:

– extremely comfy ear cushions

– lightweight

What’s Not:

– lack of bass definition

Buy Meter: 8.8

Conclusion:

The Philips SHL 5000’s are great economical headphones – they are comfortable, stylish and provide a good enough sound experience for its price range.

SPECIFICATIONS:

•Acoustic system: Open

•Diaphragm: Mylar dome

•Frequency response: 10 – 28 000 Hz

•Impedance: 32 Ohm

•Maximum power input: 50 mW

•Sensitivity: 106 dB

•Speaker diameter: 30 mm

•Cable Connection: Two-parallel, symmetric

•Cable length: 1.2 m

•Connector: 3.5 mm stereo

•Finishing of connector: 24k Gold plated

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

Google’s redesigned the Android Market, now easier to find great apps

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Gadgets Team

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13 Jul 2011

0

Google’s redesigned the Android Market, now easier to find great apps

We love Android to death, but one thing that’s really been bugging us since day one is how difficult it is to find great apps, as well as the meh design of the market. Well, our prayers have been answered, as Google has overhauled the Anroid market and has made it even easier to find the right apps for you. The home page has been visually cleaned and spruced up, and it’s now easier to navigate than ever before. Purchasing and dowloading an app is also easier, and the redesign has made it so that you’ll be able to grab the stuff you want in as little as two steps. The new client is now starting to roll out to Android 2.2 devices and higher, and Eric Chu, Android Developer Ecosystem says that “the update should reach all users worldwide in the coming weeks”. You can see a sneak peek of what the new experience looks like in the video embedded below.

Source: Android Developers Blog

Meet Balance: Propellerhead’s first audio interface

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Gadgets Team

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13 Jul 2011

0

Meet Balance: Propellerhead’s first audio interface

Propellerhead has recently announced their first hardware audio interface, Balance, which will be released alongside Reason Essentials and the all new and updated Reason 6.

The Swedish-based company has gained its following for their award winning software, Reason, a music production program first unveiled in November 2000. It revolutionized computer-based music because it provided an array of quality synthesizers, samplers and other audio tools that weren’t greedy on system resources. Furthermore, it offered a sleek and distinct graphical interface modeled after vintage hardware. (screenshot below)

With a solid reputation in creating stellar software, what does Propellerhead have to offer in their first hardware product?

Balance is 2-in / 2-out audio interface that is USB2 powered and features 8 input connections, allowing users to keep their gear connected and ready to record with the press of a button. One of its flagship features is “Clip Safe”, a new technology that can clean up distorted recordings, which is said to be achieved by recording “ghost” digital audio tracks and dynamic information.

While there are a plethora of choices among audio interfaces which offer more advanced features, Balance has a chance to stand out because of its distinct design. However, this author is wondering why a software-based company hasn’t included MIDI functionality on their interface, which would seem like the most logical step to integrate all their products.

Balance is officially available on September 30, 2011. In the meantime, enjoy the teaser videos below.

Balance Teaser video

Source: Propellerhead

Razer Mouse Bungee keeps your mouse cord off your desk and your sights on target

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Gadgets Team

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13 Jul 2011

0

At first glance, the Razer Mouse Bungee looks like a superfluous product. But if you’ve ever missed a headshot, or a critical cap because of unsightly, tangled wires, you’ll find that it’s an invaluable tool for hardcore gamers. It works by keeping the cord of your mouse from dragging or tangling on objects and surfaces that might mess up your aim, especially in competitive FPS where a critical shot means the difference between winning and getting teabagged by the opposite team. The bungee is weighed down so it stays rock solid even after extended gaming sessions. It’ll retail for about $19.99, though no local pricing has been set.

Cosmic Panda: the new face of YouTube

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Gadgets Team

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12 Jul 2011

0

First there was Google+, now and to keep the ball rolling on more newfangled sites, Google has introduced a new YouTube redesign.

“Cosmic Panda” which boasts A New Experience for Videos, Playlists, and Channels takes on a much darker note with its dark gray background as opposed to the plain white original design. The video screen is also much larger, taking up the center of the page while browsing options, related videos, and comments are on the bottom. So from what was once split into two columns has become a row in design, giving more space and attention to the main video. This way, the page looks less cramped and more organized.

Feedback is encouraged so check it out for yourselves and see if this cute little panda can’t win you over.

Source: PSFK

Contest time! We’re giving away a digital camera!

Archives

Gadgets Team

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12 Jul 2011

2

Everybody loves free swag, and to commemorate the release of July issue, we’re giving away a 12.1 megapixel ViviCam T324N digital camera made by Vivitar. The rules are simple:

Like us on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.

Tweet: Follow @GadgetsMagazine for a chance to win a 12-megapixel digital camera #GadgetsGiveaway

Send us a photo of yourself holding the latest issue of Gadgets Magazine and put “Gadgets Magazine Vivatar Giveaway” as the subject line.

Send your photos to [email protected].

A winner will be picked at random and will be announced on July 20.

Globe proposes 3-year plan to reduce interconnection rates

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Gadgets Team

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12 Jul 2011

0

Globe proposes 3-year plan to reduce interconnection rates

Here’s some good news: your cellphone bill may be cheaper in the future, if Globe has its way. In a press release sent earlier today, Globe Telecom told us that they have submitted a position paper detailing its proposal on reducing fees for subscribers calling and sending texts outside their respective networks. In the paper, Globe suggested a 3-year “glide path” implementation method beginning January 31, 2012. The proposal outlines a reduction in interconnection charges for voice calls at P2.50 for the first year, P2.00 on the second year, and P1.50 on the third year. For SMS, charging is P0.25 on the first year, P0.20 on the second year and P0.15 on the third year. “Globe is in full support of NTC’s call to lower domestic interconnect rates among telcos. In fact, Globe also supports mobile to landline interconnection and vice versa, where interconnection fees should also be reduced. This way, subscribers will experience lower service charges,” said Atty. Froilan Castelo, Head for Corporate and Legal Services Group of Globe. “So as to give ample time for Globe to adjust its tariffs and billing system, Globe requests the NTC to implement these new charges by January 2012.”

15 minute Bioshock Infinite video makes us want the game right now

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Gadgets Team

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12 Jul 2011

0

15 minute Bioshock Infinite video makes us want the game right now

We’re massive fans of the Original Bioshock, a game that automatically became one of our all time favorites because of its unique setting, story and gameplay elements. So it’s not surprising that we’re pretty stoked for Bioshock Infinite. Though not a direct sequel, the game has the same design and gameplay elements as the previous one. Also, it takes place in a floating city in 1912. If that’s not enough to pique your interest in this game, the awesome, gameplay demonstration from E3 might. On display in the demo are zeppelins, floating cities, freaking awesome zip rides along rails and a massive bird/boss that would make any big daddy wet his already soaking pants. We’ve embedded a presentation of Gametrailers TV below, but if you want a more actiony and less talky version, you can hit up the official Bioshock Infinite page here.

Tags: GameTrailers.com, GTTV – BioShock Infinite, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Interact with a 360VR image of Discovery

Gadgets Team

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12 Jul 2011

0

Interact with a 360VR image of Discovery

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to be inside a space ship, here’s your chance, via 3d imaging.

Click here to interact with an amazing 360-degree panoramic image of the Space Shuttle Discovery, which is one of NASA’s famous orbiters, having traveled a total of “238 million km in 39 missions, completed 5,830 orbits, and spent 365 days in orbit in over 27 years.” [sltrib]

Having been recently decommissioned and now currently under decontamination, the Discovery will be given to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum for the public to marvel at. However, for those of us that are unable to see it in all its splendor and glory, this interactive image is the next best thing.

Shot by Jook Leung, this amazing panoramic image completely captures both the magnificence and the complexity of a space shuttle. Despite the reputation of science to be mechanical and technical, anybody with an eye for what is beautiful would be hard pressed not to find these images fascinating. As surprising as it may seem, if inspired by the right vision, it is possible to romanticize technology after all.

360-degree panoramic image of the Space Shuttle Discovery

Source: 360 VR via PopPhoto