Archive for April, 2008

It has not even been a day since reports came in about Asus Eee PC 900 UMPC, owners started to complain about how long their batteries were lasting. Well now it seems that Asus are all ready to get something done about the poor battery performance.

When you go to the Asus website and then do a rough translation, the company posted a statement stating that they are thankful for the support of their customers business and that they are now chalking some ideas to resolve the whole battery issue. Asus has said that every single owner of an Asus Eee PC 900 in Honk Kong will be receiving a free 5800mAh replacement battery, not sure on the rest of us yet.

The original batteries were a four-cell 4400mAh which Asus now realize was a mistake as the battery life was from 1.5 to 2.5 hours; both are not fantastic for such a small UMPC.

It is a shame that the Asus Eee PC 900 has got of to a poor start, as the original did not have any of these problems. However; it is satisfying to know that a company like Asus is big enough to own up and admit that they made a mistake and will fix the problem quick.

Source – Engadget

Over the past week I have had the pleasure in reviewing the new LG KF600 mobile phone that has been designed with the latest digital mobile communication technology.

My first impression of the KF600 was that it has a nice design and is quite small considering all the features it has. My phone before this one was the Samsung U600 and I thought that was a great phone as it had everything I needed in a phone and was small enough to carry around in my pocket, well that’s until the KF600 came my way.

I would say that size wise the KF600 (101.2×50.7×14.1mm) is very similar in size to the U600, which is great for me, but out of the two I would say that I prefer the KF600 and let me tell you why.

Let me start with the phones design:
The first thing you will notice about this phone is that it has two screens, a main screen and a touch-sensitive navigation pad. The interact pad changes depending on what feature you’re using which means that every time you use a different part of the phone’s interface, the navigation area at the bottom will change. I have found the touch pad quite easy to use but I must say that having nails helps and of course being female I love the mirror look the phone has which is great for nights out.

There are just two things that I don’t like about the design and that is the finger print marks it leaves behind after you have used it and the screen is very hard to use in sunlight and that’s due to its mirror effect.

Right moving on to the number of great features the KF600 has, the 3 megapixel camera features Auto focus capabilities and an LED flash that helps when you need to take night shots. When you open the view finder you will see five options displayed in the interact pad, use the pad to navigate through the options once you have selected that option you require, you are ready to take your photo. Once you have taken a photo it will appear on your screen and you will see four options displayed on the interact Pad which are “back, delete, send via and set image as wallpaper or picture ID”. I have found this camera very easy to use and what I like about it is that you can delete or place your photos anywhere, without having to go into other options.

LG KF600 Main Specs:

• GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 - 2G Network
• 101.2 x 50.7 x 14.1 mm and weighs 107 grams
• 3 Megapixel Camera with 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus, video and flash
• 1.49 Inch Touch-sensitive lower TFT display - 256K colors/176 x 240 pixels
• 2 Inch TFT Display - 256K colors/240 x 320 pixels
• Stand-by Up to 480 hours and Talk time Up to 4 hours
• Office document viewer
• MP3/WMA/AAC/AAC+ player
• Built-in Handsfree
• Voice memo
• Dynamic themes
• Java MIDP 2.0
• Organiser and Document reader
• FM radio
• Scroll & Sweeping control
• WAP 2.0/xHTML Browser
• SMS, MMS and Email Messaging
• InteractPad
• Games
• EDGE Class 10, 236.8 kbps
• GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
• Photocall and 1000 Entry Phonebook
• USB v2.0 and Bluetooth v2.0
• 25 MB Built in Memory plus microSD (TransFlash) Card slot
• 50 dialed, 50 received, 50 missed calls (Call records)
• MP3 & Polyphonic (64 channels) Ringtones
• Vibration

The Apple Macbook Air made a statement as it was with a 0.16-0.76 inch height but how about a 24kt Gold Macbook Air with Sapphires, now there is a statement. With all the different pimped products before it including iPods, iPhones and other gadgets getting gold plated, this gold Macbook Air looks stunning and is sure to cost a nice premium.

According to Computer Choppers, this is the world’s first 24kt Gold Apple Macbook Air and because the Mac Air has no optical drive they have a polished gold Superdrive to go with it. You can see some photos on this page of the Gold Macbook Air; they have sent this one to New York and are working on a second.

The photo above shows the Apple logo ensconced in multi-colored sapphires, no expense has been spared with revamping this laptop, but if you had the money would you really want a 24kt Gold version…let us know what you think.

We will have to leave it to your imagination to think what will happen to the Macbook next.

Source: Read

Just when us PlayStation 3 owners were about to look forward to the PVR functionality on our games consoles, we have just learnt that we will have to wait a while longer for this TV feature. The much anticipated PlayTV twin-tuner device that will connect to the Sony PS3 was first announced last year in Germany, and many thought that we would get our hands on the device on July 31st as it was showing up as a pre-order over at Amazon.co.uk. However; this has now been removed and there is no news as to when the release will be.

A Sony spokesperson had this to say “We have yet to announce a release date and price for PlayTV, and do not comment on rumor or speculation.”

It seems that no matter where you look no one is giving the PlayTV a firm release date, it seems that these release date keep coming and going and nobody will give an answer as to why this is.

Oh well we will just have to wait for the new device that will turn your Sony PlayStation 3 into a DVR, this will allow your games console to record two programs simultaneously direct on to the hard drive. Once you have recording the programs you are then able to transfer them over to your Sony PSP.

When it comes to Nokia handsets all people seem to want to know about is the much anticipated Nokia Tube however: we will just have to make do with the release of two new cell phones for now the Nokia 5220 and 5320 XpressMusic. Both handsets will be ready for shipping sometime in the third quarter of 2008.

Both phones are aimed at the people who love handsets that have a big music feature and both the Nokia 5220 and 5320 phones will not disappoint as they are part of the company’s XpressMusic range. Both phones are affordable and have a funky fresh design, great if you are young and you like to listen to music while you are out and about.

Nokia already have some phones in the XpressMusic however; the 5220 and 5320 has upped the ante in both design and music performance, as well as allowing consumers to share their music with their friends as well as a host of communities.

The Nokia 5320 XpressMusic offers a 3G social entertainment capabilities as well as Say and Play feature and also offers expandable memory up to 8GB. The Nokia 5220 XpressMusic does not offer as much as it’s bigger brother, but is still a capable cell phone.

When both handsets are released in Europe expect to pay from 160 to 220 EUR.

Source – Phones Review

MTRON have started to launch a range of new solid state disks however the MTRON PRO 32GB 2.5-inch SATA SSD is from their pro series, so you would expect the storage device to perform well in its performance test. Tweaktown has decided to give the new SSD some attention by giving us a full hands on review.

There first impression once they hooked up the MTRON PRO 32GB 2.5-inch SATA SSD was in its performance, Tweaktown said that it was truly breathtaking. However; this comes at a cost and that is the price of the thing, this is due to it being a new technology, well about three years old but as soon as more laptops start to use the device then we should start to see the price coming down.

The new MTRON PRO 32GB 2.5-inch SATA SSD has a hard brushed aluminum case, and just looking at the images you will notice that this 2.5” drive uses standard mounting holes.

As we mentioned early Tweaktown was impressed by the performance of this SSD, there final thoughts were “From everything I have seen by looking at two of MTRONs most popular products, the technology has two areas that it will need to overcome before being considered a true consumer level product. The first is price; the MTRON PRO as of this writing, costs 1159.00 US Dollars as tested in 32GB form.

The next limiting factor is size. A full install of Vista Ultimate with necessary drivers is going to take up close to 20GB, and that is before Office is installed. Most business travelers will use a version of Vista that is not so bloated, but the truly technical traveler will ditch Vista all together and install XP to regain a little extra battery life. At first I didn’t think being limited to only 32GB would be an issue for me until I went to install BAPCOs Mobile Mark 2007 and realized that I couldn’t install the software.

All things considered, the MTRON PRO is fast and I have no doubt that notebooks will gain a decent amount of battery time by using it (we will have to test this when a larger SSD in 2.5 inch form comes around). At this time, I can’t recommend the MTRON PRO to anyone that needs to fill their notebook with the usual goodies like Office, Acrobat and other typical programs that we all use every day as the amount of space just isn’t enough. The good news is that larger 2.5 inch notebook SSDs are available and DV Nation carries a large assortment. The bad news is that 64GB will cost about the same as a decently loaded notebook, and 128GB would cost what a full system does at a boutique dealer like Alienware, close to 4000 US Dollars.”

For their full review visit: Tweaktown

With the 3G Apple iPhone expected this June we are hearing that the next version of the iPhone is creating losses on unsold O2 and T-Mobile stock, the cell phone companies significantly overestimated how many of the first-gen phones would sell in Europe. Those mobile operators may have had the exclusive contracts but this may also cause a big loss in the pocket if they have really over-ordered on a big scale and the question is will they keep these exclusive contracts on the 3G versions.

The “significant” losses on the early model iPhones may not be as bad according to Kathryn Huberty, an analyst at Morgan Stanley. Huberty said that some of the losses might be recouped from the monthly revenue they get from customers who bought the first devices. Now the phone users who brought the first-gen iPhones like myself will have to have a device that will lack not only in 3G but also many other improvements (better camera, bigger hard drive, faster etc). You would think we would wait for the next-gen and not buy the first device released, but I am one of those that never seem to learn, I did it with the first iPod and again with the iPhone.

The marketing hype around the iPhone made mobile executives in Europe over-excited and this has led to O2 slashing the price of Apple’s iPhone by a third (from £269 to £169), although its been said this is “part of a well thought out strategy of maximising the success of the iPhone in the UK”, I am sure it’s more to clear stock for the upcoming 3G phone. T-Mobile were even more drastic in their price cut, which took the iPhone price from €399 to €99.

Were you smart enough to not buy the iPhone and wait out for the much-improved 3G version?

Source: Read

Logitech as we know always seems to be at the forefront in mouse design technology, speaking from a personal experience it seems that no one comes close to their mouse designs. Tweaktown realize this which is why they have decided to do a hands on review of the new Logitech MX Air Cordless Mouse, which is being described as an evolution.

When you first take the Logitech MX Air Cordless Mouse from the box you know that you have purchased something special, and the black glossy finish mixed with hints of silver gives it a sexy sleek look. As you know when Logitech launch a new mouse you know that there will be a host of improvements over their previous model and the MX Air Cordless Mouse will no disappoint.

As our computers are a complete home entertainment system it seemed natural for Logitech to add a quick launch system for Windows Media Player or Media Center, all you need to do is give the mouse a quick shake, ingenious.

Tweaktown’s final thought on the Logitech MX Air Cordless Mouse are “As expected, this is a mouse with a lot to live up to. Logitech has a history of pumping out products that people buy en-mass, and the MX Air is another one that will be finding its way into living rooms thanks to the popularity of HTPCs.

Speaking of home theatres, this mouse has a few more surprises in store for us, such as the ability to open Windows Media Player or Media Center by shaking the mouse (also available is a customisable menu allowing you to add any files/folders/programs you want) or adjusting the volume by holding the Volume and moving the mouse side to side.

The only final gripe I have about the mouse is that it dims its on-board lights after several seconds, indicating that it has entered sleep mode to save power. While this is a really great power saving feature for a wireless mouse, its drawback comes when you disturb the rodent from its slumber; it takes almost a second to register movement on the screen. This can be annoying when it occurs repeatedly, like right now while I’m typing and editing this review.

There is one thing that will hold the mouse back from flying off the shelves in my opinion, and that is the price. Logitech has put this mouse in their luxury range, and with a suitable luxury price tag; a tad too rich from most people’s tastes, I can believe.

However, looking at the components present I think the price is justified to a degree; we have a pair of RF transceivers capable of up to 30m range, 3-axis accelerometers, lithium ion battery to save weight and add battery life, and finally the laser tracking module for the precision desk work. Combined with a sexy design and solid software/firmware, it’s easy to imagine how the cost adds up pretty fast.

The good points however far outweigh the bad here; this mouse is amazing once you get it house trained! - I’m always using it now on the sofa when I’m watching movies because it’s just so much fun to use every time I pick it up. If you have the money, or don’t have the money because you just built a HTPC, take a loan or borrow it from your friends, because this rodent is the perfect accessory to complete that sweet living room setup”

For a full review on the Logitech MX Air Cordless Mouse just visit: Tweaktown

The Sony PS3 has had motion sensitive controls from day one and while they are not as good as the Nintendo Wii’s, it’s still something extra. The question would be how much motion sensitive controls is really needed on games consoles like the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, to be honest I never use the tilt feature on my PS3 and would of liked the rumble from day one instead of motion sensitive controls.

One 360 gamer has taken it upon himself to make a MOD for the Xbox 360 which gives his control motion sensitive controls and tilt gameplay, the video below shows how it works but again is this really needed. The short answer is simple; modders do something like this just to prove it can be done not for this innovation to be sold in retail stores.

The video creator said, “The mod uses a two-axis accelerometer that measures the left/right and up/down tilt, which is determined by measuring the force of gravity on the axis. The only part of the left analog stick that works after the modification is the button”. The six axis feature on the PS3 has not helped it in sales as far as I know, so this feature is not needed on the 360 in my opinion, but its still a job well done to the guy who done the mod.

In Summary: It works, the wires are a little exposed but he achieved his goal of giving the 360 a tilt controller.

For people that follow gadgets, technology or gaming I am sure you have heard the name “Johnny Lee”, if you have not then your going to love the video below that shows Johnny Lee demonstrating some innovations that he has created. This man is a genius and people should respect him for what he has done, although that will not be the case for all gamers.

Johnny Lee took what we all know as the Nintendo Wii remote with its amazing motion sensor and turned it into a digital whiteboard, touchscreen and head-mounted 3-D viewer. How he did this is shown in the video below, but simply put, he is using the high performing infrared camera that’s on the tip of each controller.

Its amazing that for around $5 you can make an infrared pen, combined with a Wii remote makes an interactive whiteboard out of around $50 of hardware. There are limitations making a Multi touch interactive whiteboard like this, but it gets you 80% of the way for 1% of the cost (great for schools on a budget). The software for making everything come together is a free download on his site, and in the first 3 months it has been downloaded 500,000 times.

The second part of the video below shows how Johnny Lee took the Nintendo Wii and added an extra $10 of hardware to make a Head Tracking solution which EA have an Easter Egg for this type of head tracking on an upcoming game, Johnny Lee made that possible within 5 months of prototype. This just sums up the progress he has made and the massive games publisher “EA” see this as well by making an Easter Egg in a game for Head Tracking.

Watch the video and let us know how you would use the head-mounted 3-D viewer, touchscreen and digital whiteboard.