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    First look at the Suzuki Smash Cool 115: good looks that won’t wreck your wallet

    There’s a certain charm to riding a motorcycle down the metro’s perennially clogged roadways. If you’re thinking of owning a motorcycle for a first time, or just thinking about upgrading your old ride you can do no better than the recently launched Suzuki Smash Cool 115. We were on hand for unveiling of the Smash Cool 115 at the Mariott in Pasay, and we weren’t disappointed.

    The latest model of the 115cc bike has been upgraded with a new higher-revving, strong-pulling 115cc engine that produces more power and lower fuel burn which, in turn, creates a perfect mix of performance and economy. It’s also equipped with Suzuki’s patented PAIR (Pulsed Secondary Air Injection) system ignites unburned gases inside the exhaust port which allows it to maximize engine efficiency and produces cleaner emissions.

    The bike also features a new GSX-R inspired design that racing fans will definitely appreciate. The bike has a low seat height that translates to a more comfortable ride. The new chassis is slimmer than the previous Smash, and gives it better overall maneuverability in tight metro streets. It also features a high wattage multi-reflector headlight, complemented by a rear combination lamp with multi-polygon reflector and transparent cover. The dash board also features a sports-watch inspired speedometer with gear position indicator.

    On hand during the launch was Suzuki Philippines President Satoshi Uchida, who laid down their target buyers: “With the new Suzuki Smash 115, we are confident that we have a bestselling model that will appeal to a large segment of motorcycle fans, ranging from novice riders who want an easy handling entry level bike, to company employees who want an affordable and reliable vehicle for their daily commuting needs, to experienced riders looking for a durable performance machine.”

    Also present during the launch was the racing Smash owned by famed rider John Lerry Enriquez, which basically shows off what a bit of aftermarket parts and a bit of polish can do to a Smash. Check out the other photos of the event in our gallery below. The Suzuki Smash 115 will retail for about Php 53,000 for the spoke version, and Php 59,900 for the mags version.

    HP Launches the stylish G Series, our hearts flutter

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    So you’re looking for a powerful, stylish and reasonably priced notebook. Well, HP says you shouldn’t look further than the new HP G42 during their launch earlier today in the Discovery Suites in Ortigas.

    The main value proposition for the newest member of the HP notebook family is “basically a new entry perfromance notebook with a very good design with value for money” says Tracy Sin, Business Development Manager, Mobile Business Unit, Personal Systems Group. “There’s also the new 30 minute express service in which the unit’s keyboard, DVD, battery and adaptor is serviced in 30 minutes or less.”

    Mr. Albert G. Mateo, Country General Manager for HP Personal Systems Group, is optimistic and bullish about the HP G42. “With these new technology and design enhancements, we offer customers a better computing and entertainment experience.”

    From left to right, Kathryn Wong Market Development Manager for Consumer Notebooks, Albert G. Mateo, Country General Manager for PSG, Tracy Sin, Business Development Manager Mobile Business Unit, PSG

    The new HP G42 is equipped with a 14-inch HD HP BrightView LED display. It also sports HP’s trademark imprint finish that won’t attract dirt and fingerprints.

    The imprint finish runs through the whole notebook, and is present even in the wrist rest and the trackpad. There are three SKUs available for the HP G42 – two Core i3 powered machines, one with Windows 7 and one with free DOS, and one Core i5.

    There’s plenty of connections available on the HP G42, as evidenced by the multiple ports on the right side. There’s HDMI, LAN, 2 USB, audio jacks and a SD/MMC card slot.

    On the right side sits the power and Kengsington Security slots, another USB slot and the DVD drive.

    Audio is provided by Altec Lansing speakers. Notice the distinctive pocket style keyboard.

    Interestingly enough, the G42 will also sport its own discrete graphics solution by way of an ATI Mobility Radeon 5470 with 512MB of memory, and a 500GB hard disk drive for storage.

    The HP G Series starts at  Php 37,990. We’ll get our first impressions up as soon as we get some hands on time with the unit.

    Asus Eee PC 1018P, WiCast EW2000 unboxing

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    Lookie what we have here. Our awesome friends at Asus has decided to send us over two new products: the absolutely gorgeous Eee PC 1018P in white, and the wireless HD slinging WiCast. Let’s take a look at the Asus Eee PC 1081P first, shall we?

    The 1081P comes in the standard brown carton that most Eee PCs ship with. But don’t be fooled, contained within this seemingly ordinary brown box is a real looker.

    It’s a pretty netbook, that’s for sure, easily one of the prettiest one we’ve seen so far from Asus, and that’s saying a lot. This 10-inch netbook packs the usual hardware for most netbooks of its class – Intel Atom N455 running at 1.66GHz, about 1GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive.

    A cursory glance at the right side of the 1018P reveals two USB connectors, audio jacks, an Ethernet plug that swivels down, SD/MMC card slot and the power jack.

    On the right side sits another USB slot, a Kensington Security Slot and a d-sub connector.

    The keyboard is an island-type one that’s fairly comfortable to type on. The lower chassis is made out of a nice combination of aluminum and plastic. The touchpad gets the same aluminum finish as the wrist rest. Be warned though, the left and right buttons don’t have a seperator, so you’ll have some mis-clicks now and again from it.

    On the upper right side beside the WiFi button is the button that boots the Asus Express Gate OS, which is basically a faster booting operating system that allows you to do basic stuff like check your email, view photos and so on.

    The Windows experience index isn’t one of the most accurate benchmarking tools, but it does give you a sense of what to expect from a notebook or a netbook according to its score. This is an unedited screenshot from the 1018P, in which Windows gives it a 2.3, pretty much what you’d expect from a netbook.

    Another look at the 1018P.

    Next on the list is the WiCast EW2000. Now this nifty little gadget allows you to beam HD images from a number of devices to your HDTV wirelessly, up 10 meters as long as there’s line of sight. The device also allows you to transmit up to 8 channel sound while doing so.

    This is back view of the transmitter that plugs into your device.

    This is the back view of the receiver that goes into HDMI equipped projectors, LCD monitors and of course, HDTVs.

    Power and HDMI cables for both the transmitter and receiver.

    And that’s it. As usual, watch out for our November review of these awesome gadgets.

    LG 32LE5500 unboxing

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    So LG delivered their brand spanking new 32-inch LE5500 to the Gadgets office the other day. Which was excellent timing as I’ve been hankering to test another LED TV, and there was a pile of movies sitting at my desk just waiting to be enjoyed. So I present to you the LE5500 in all her anorexic glory.

    The box comes in the standard LG red and white color scheme, with the requisite picture icons teasing the features of the TV within.

    The actual TV. It’s not as flashy as other TVs design-wise, but I personally like its understated elegance.

    The back connections. There’s enough connectivity options here to satisfy most consumers.

    Two USB connectors grace the side, along with audio connectors.

    Contents of the box. Manual, the usual LG remote, additional connectors and installation CD.

    Check out how thin this thing is. That’s a Nokia 6600i mobile phone inserted for comparison.

    What the TV looks like when fully assembled.

    Well, that’s it for this unboxing. Watch out for our review of this beautiful TV in the November issue of Gadgets Magazine!

    Gadgets Sunday: Asus Ares, Samsung NX10, Shure PG27, Neo ELAN L4300-3D, Ozaki iFinger

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    Your weekly source of the hottest gadgets is here. Featuring Asus Ares, Samsung NX10, Shure PG27, Neo ELAN L4300-3D, Ozaki iFinger.

    Got a question? Ask Gadgets!

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    Are you having problems with your computer? Can’t figure out which smart phone is best for you? Or are you looking for a software to make your work easier? Don’t know what new video game to buy, maybe?

    No need to go anywhere else! Just ask Gadgets and we’ll have our editors answer them! Your fellow tech enthusiasts might also chip in an idea or two. Interesting questions and selected answers from our community/fans may be rewarded with prizes as well.

    You may email your queries at [email protected]. If you want to join the contest, post your question on our facebook page!

    ASUS unveils new Eee PCs, Lamborghini VX6, N53 and NX90 notebooks

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    Asus is pulling out its big guns as witnessed in their unveiling of their new notebooks in the recently concluded Asus Regatta event in The Lighthouse Marina Resort in Subic. The new notebooks, which include the co-branded Lamborghini VX6, Eee PC 1001PQ targeted at tweens, the entertainment powerhouse N53J and the massive NX90, which is their current top of the line entertainment notebook, co-developed with audio giant Bang and Olufsen.

    Asus also conducted technical seminars for both the press and dealers regarding Asus technologies and benefits, including the 500GB free web storage that they offer for their netbooks. Asus users now have access to a wealth of applications, programs and games via their application portal http://access.asus.com. Asus also took the time to award their loyal dealers for their part in making them a strong number 3 in the local market.

    Sadly, we weren’t able to get some serious hands on time with the units on display during the event, but rest assured Gadgets fans that we’ve already arranged for a number of the units to grace the Gadgets office, and we will be posting unboxing and first impressions as they arrive. In the meantime, you can check out the units on display during the event in our photo gallery below.

    Gadgets Sunday: Nokia 7230, Acer Tablet PC, Samsung N220 Netbook

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    Here’s another weekly dose of Gadgets Sunday for all you readers out there. This week we’re going mobile featuring the savvy slider Nokia 7230, the new windows tablet pc Acer 1825PTZ, the feature packed mobile HTC Wildfire, and the affordable and portable Samsung N220 Plus netbook.  Only here at Gadgets Magazine.

    NVIDIA officially launches GTS 450, gamers on a budget rejoice

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    NVIDIA, together with their hardware partners has today unveiled the latest addition to the Fermi family, the GeForce GTS 450 in the Swissotel Le Concorde, Bangkok Thailand. Gadgets Magazine, together with other press from the Asia Pacific region had a firsthand look at NVIDIA’s newest card aimed at budget gamers.

    Paul Liu, Director, APAC Channel Marketing wasn’t shy about telling the press what gamers thought of NVIDIA. “Gamers today, when they think about games, they think about NVIDIA. Games = NVIDIA,” he says, as he highlights the distinct NVIDIA advantage over their competition. Aside from the clear performance jumps from their Fermi architecture, Paul also pointed out that users don’t have to throw away their old graphics cards – they can simply connect them via SLI to their new cards and use the old ones as PhysX engines, which in turn improves game performance. Paul also shares that NVIDIA is serious about compatibility with today’s games and as a result they have established their own testing center to continually test hardware compatibility with games. The result is their clear market leadership when it comes to hardware sales – a study showed that out of 4.2 million PCs in iCafes in China, a staggering 89.8% use NVIDIA based graphics solutions.

    Gaming isn’t the only space NVIDIA is an active player in either. John Milner, VP, GeForce Worldwide Channel Sales says that “the products that we make, touches your life in some way.” Aside from the GeForce line of  products aimed at gamers, NVIDIA also has solutions for designers and Fortune 500 companies in the form of Quadtro, and supercomputing from their Tesla supercomputers. NVIDIA also has solutions for mobile devices in Tegra and Optimus.

    The newest member of the Fermi family, the GeForce GTS 450, John extols, combines performance and value in one package. Sitting in the 99$ to 149$ price range depending on the manufacturer, the GeForce GTS 450 is a highly versatile GPU that’s a direct replacement of their GTS 250 GPU. It’s fully capable of DX11, and provides 2.4X greater geometry performance and 2X greater game performance when compared to its predecessor, the GTS 25o with DX11. The new card when stacked up against their competitor’s nearest equivalent, the 5770, performs better with the GeForce GTS 450 managing 50 FPS in Starcraft 2 against the 5770’s 42 FPS.

    Of course, all of these benchmarks were done by NVIDIA themselves, and while we can’t confirm the numbers being paraded in front of us ourselves, the general consensus of the reviews online for the GeForce GTS 450 seems positive. We’ll be able to do our own benchmarks once we get our own review samples.

    Also present during the launch were NVIDIA’s hardware partners, and we’ve been fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of their latest product offerings for the GeForce GTS 450 GPU. We’ve included a few product shots of the hardware on display, and will be able to review a few of them once the hardware samples gets to us. In the meantime, enjoy the pictures below of the different cards on display during the conference.

    NVIDIA Thailand

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    Hey Gadgets fans! We’ve been fortunate enough to be invited to Thailand for NVIDIA’s unveiling of their newest products, which in all probability will include the newest addition to the Fermi family, the GTS 450. We’ll be front and center during the entire event, and will give all of you the lowdown on what NVIDIA and it’s hardware partners are up to as soon as the event wraps up tomorrow at around 3 PM.

    New site feature: Online Magazine

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    The fans wanted it so we’re giving it!

    We are very pleased to announce the release of our website’s newest feature – the Online Magazine. Our readers are now able to view their favorite tech and lifestyle magazine from cover to cover right here in our website. No registrations, no pass codes, no hidden strings attached, no hassle – just go to our website and start reading.

    Our online magazines have a neat and easy to navigate interface that’s just ideal for everyone. Just flip through the pages as if you’re reading the actual magazine . There are also custom views and adjustable zoom so you won’t miss a thing. An embed code can also be generated so you could share this to your own site. Send us a comment so we can see it too. :)

    Our readers can also browse the magazine even while on the go. It’s also coming out for the iPod touch and the iPad real soon. Go to http://issuu.com/mobile for more info.

    The best part of it is that you can get all these features ABSOLUTELY FREE. What are you waiting for? Read now! You can also click on the twitter/facebook button below to share this amazing new feature to all of your friends.

    Gadgets Sunday: Samsung PX2370 LED monitor, ASUS VG236, LG Infinia, Vixia HF M300.

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    Catch the latest online issue of Gadgets Sunday featuring the HTC HD Wildfire, Samsung PX2370 LED monitor, ASUS VG236 3D LCD monitor, LG Infinia LX9500 3d Full-LED, and Vixia HF M300 video camera.

    Share-and-Tag to win more Ocean Adventure GCs!

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    Hello everyone!

    We had very good feedback from our last contest so Ocean Adventure was kind enough to give us MORE tickets to give away to our fans!  It’s our way of thanking all the fans, the readers, and the supporters for the continued support to Gadgets Magazine. It’s so easy to join! Here’s how:

    Mechanics of the Share-and-Tag Ocean Adventure promo!

    1. Go to www.gadgetsmagazine.com.ph and pick your favorite article.

    https://gadgetsmagazine.com.ph

    2. Click on the SHARE button!

    3. Tag gadgets magazine by putting @Gadgets magazine on your post.

    Make sure your post is set to everyone so it’ll appear on the Gadgets Magazine fanpage. :)

    4. Get your friends to like comment on your post for a chance for THEM to win tickets too!

    THE PRIZES

    We’re giving away Three (3) Ocean Adventure GCs (for 4; worth P2,000) to 3 lucky persons who shares his/her favorite articles.

    but wait!

    We’re also giving away Three (3) Ocean Adventure GCs (for 2; worth P1,000) to 3 lucky persons who liked the winning post*.

    What are you waiting fore? SHARE, SHARE, SHARE and LIKE, LIKE, LIKE to get more chances of winning! It’s not a “paramihan” game so everyone has a chance to win. :)

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    Promo runs until September 13, 2010 so hurry and get a chance to bring your barkada or family to the most exciting sea show in the country! Winners will be announced on September 14, 2010 here in our website.

    *will be verified by letting our Online Marketing Officer view the winner’s page by adding them as friends.

    Our sizzling hot September issue is out now!

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    It’s a sexy September for Gadgets Magazine as we feature the hottest, most daring gadgets and gizmos around. Read our reviews on the Acer 182PTZ, Asus ARES, Delsey Securitech, Nokia 7230, Samsung NX10, and so much more. Take a sneak peek of the gorgeous 3D tv: LG Infinia LX9500, the sleek point-and-shoot: Canon Vixia HF-M300, and the dazzling feature packed mobile: HTC Wildfire.

    You can also catch John’s review on today’s biggest RTS game: Starcraft II, along with Michelle’s feature on Modern Home Designs by Ed Calma. For the music lovers, check out Danee’s feature on the very talented hiphop artist, Quest.

    On our cover: it’s the sensational girl group the eyecandies.

    This is definitely an issue you shouldn’t miss on. Visit your favorite 7-11, National Bookstore, Filbar’s or any other local magazine stand and grab a copy now!

    Announcement: Winners of the Ocean Adventure GCs!

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    Yesterday, we announced that we were going to give OCEAN ADVENTURE GCs to a few lucky fans of our facebook page. First and foremost, we would want to thank Ocean Adventure for providing us with the tickets and of course, all of you!

    Without further ado, here is the first batch of winners!

    1. Carmela Bobis

    2. Charmaigne Cruz

    3. Jam Padilla

    4. Janice Rue Delos Reyes

    5. Jeanne Sheila Ngo Dipad

    For those who didn’t win, don’t worry! We still have A LOT more to give away for the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned and invite more friends to have better chances of winning. :)

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    For the winners above, kindly send the following details to [email protected] on or before September 11, 2010.

    Name/ Email Address/ Contact no.

    More details will be sent to your email. :)