gadgets and gizmos - november 2012
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ComputerTRANSCRIPT
contentsGADGETS
AND GIZMOSGG
Volume 4, Number 6, for the month October 2012-November 2012
Editor-in-Chief: Aroon Purie
Editor: Chaitanya Kalbag
Executive Editor: Joel Rai
Associate Editor: Nandagopal Rajan
Assistant Editor: Nidhi Singal
Art Director: Vanita Arora
Chief Visualiser: Santosh Kushwaha
Photographer: Rajwant Rawat
Production: Surinder Hastu (Chief ofProduction), Harish Aggarwal, Vijay Sharma, Naveen Gupta
Chief Executive Officer: Ashish Bagga
Group Business Head: Manoj Sharma
Associate Publisher(IMPACT): Anil Fernandes
IMPACT TEAM
SENIOR GENERAL MANAGERS (IMPACT): Kaustav Chatterjee (East), V. Somasundaram (Chennai), Jitendra Lad (West), Head (North)—DipayanChowdhary
Product Head: Jaykumar Mistry
SALES AND OPERATIONSCHIEF GENERAL MANAGER: D.V.S. Rama Rao
SENIOR GENERAL MANAGER (NATIONAL): Vinod Das
GENERAL MANAGER (SOUTH): Deepak Bhatt
GENERAL MANAGER (WEST): Rajesh Menon
REGIONAL MANAGER (EAST): V.A. Chotalia
GENERAL MANAGER (OPERATIONS): Rakesh Sharma
Copyright Living Media India Ltd. All rights reserved throughout the world.
Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Printed and published by Ashish
Bagga on behalf of Living Media India Ltd. Printed at Thomson Press India
Ltd., 18-35 Milestone, Delhi Mathura Road, Faridabad-121007, (Haryana),
Published at K-9, Connaught Circus, New Delhi-110001. ● India Today does
not take responsibility for returning unsolicited publication material.
Cover concept and imaging: PIYUSH GARG; Photography: RAJWANT RAWAT (www.indiatodayimages.com); Model: DREAMSTIME; Gadget: BOSE WAVE MUSIC SYSTEM III
www.gadgetsngizmos.in
A L S O
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From roll-up keyboards for your tablet to alarm clocks that runaway, the coolest gadget giveaways for the festive season.
MOBILES
54 Good OfficeMicrosoft’s MS Office ceases to be a staid media soft-ware. Prepare for a lighter time on the computer.
56In Best Buys, welist the laptopsthat are the topperformers yet arenot a burden onthe pocket.
The Affordables
70WOW GIFTS
First Take.....................................................................9GGChoice...................................................................12Reviews.....................................................................43Gaming.....................................................................60
The second in G&G’s4-part series on theTop 40 features thebest 10 gadgets forprofessionals.
Phot
o: R
AJWA
NT R
AWAT
50 The holetruth
How do you use aperture to control expo-sure for good pictures and for creativity?
10 smartestoffice devices
Everyone is afterthe new iPhone5. We tell youwhat the latestApple device isall about andwhy you needit—or don’t.
Men’s health Digital Magazine on sale now!
inDia’s largest-selling Men’s Magazine with nutrition special
anD an exclusive 32-page gyM-free Muscle guiDe
Now available on iPad, iPhone, Kindle Fire, Android, PC & Mac
for all other devices, visit www. menshealthindia.com/digitalmagazine
+Tap To download
DOWNLOAD NOW!
HEADS UP ONACCESSORIES Please do a section just on ac-cessories for smartphones andtablets. I think this is relevantbecause there are lots of stuffbeing marketed just for theiPhone 5 and the new iPad.Also, it’d be nice if you couldshowcase accessories that area rage in the rest of the world,even if they are not availablein India. This way we willknow what to ask relativesabroad to bring for us whenthey come to India next.
SHWETHA, CHENNAI
GGHEAR, HEAR
Apropos your informative article “Radio rebirth” (October 2012), it is time an Indian com-pany made a radio that is capable of catching audio from TV channels. Some Chinese radioswith this feature are available for Doordarshan’s terrestrial channels like DD I and DDMetro, but their performance leaves a lot to be desired. However, on DTH one can listen toradio programmes on televisions, but the reverse is still a tough task. The governmentshould give a boost to radio in the country by making FMavailable without antennae and making all broad-casts digital. Companies, meanwhile, must try andmake radio sets of different sizes and shapes forthe convenience of people. There is still no substi-tute for the radio, which allows one to do manythings while listening and enjoying programmes onit. Television, however, requires concentration on thepart of the viewer. Plus, radio does not affect eyesightand is very affordable. MAHESH KAPASI, ON EMAIL
@le
tte
rs
GG
BIG BASHYour cover story pittingthe Ultrabook againstthe tablet and the smart-phone was really good. Iam sure that many peo-ple who are thinking ofbuying any of thesethree devices is facedwith a dilemma beforethey make the final deci-sion. Not all of us aresure about which prod-uct will suit us best andwhether a certain prod-uct will suit us at all. Inthis sense, the part thatelaborated on thestrengths and weak-nesses of all of thesedevices was really wel-come. Hope you will domore such face-offs infuture issues.
RAJMOHANA, KOCHI
Mail us at
[email protected] comments and suggestionsprinted on this page may be editedfor length and clarity.
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MORE TO LOOK AT First, a big hello to all at G&G. In the Octoberissue, there was an article regarding binocularswhich was very helpful. Can I request you to dothe same on telescopes in the next issue? I wantto buy one early next year, but before that I wantto equipped myself with necessary info fromG&G, the only tech magazine I read.
SAHIL BHATT, ON EMAIL
NOT JUST SPECSI cannot understand why kids thesedays are just bothered about the specs ofa product. They don’t seem to under-stand that the best spec and numbersare of no use if the product as a wholedoes not live up to expectations. Wemust all understand that the key thingis whether the person using the gadgetis satisfied or not. This level of satisfac-tion can be achieved even if the deviceis not top of the line. Specs are goodonly if you use them. If you want thebest processor and migapixels only tobrag about, then something is wrong.
AMAN SHARMA, NEW DELHI
4November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
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BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. BEAUTIFUL PLACES.
I am looking for a top-class smartphone and amconfused between the Samsung Galaxy SIII andthe HTC One X. I need your advice. The importantcriteria are that the operating system should be
simple to use for Internet and e-mail and should haveSwype facility, a good camera and simple music up-loads. Please guide me as both phones are comparablein price and capabilities. With the Samsung S, my friendran into software problems within 18 months and thetouch feature developed problems. Hari Mundra, on email
Both the Samsung Galaxy SIII and the HTCOne X are neat devices. While I would say thehardware build quality of the HTC One X is
superior, the camera on the Samsung Galaxy SIII isbetter. Both phones are easy to use and run AndroidIce-Cream Sandwich. We suggest you test both thedevices and their interfaces. Swype is available as afree download from Google Play store and can be in-stalled without any trouble. While buying, do keep inmind that Samsung Galaxy SIII is now available foraround ` 35,000 after a price cut.
I use high-end phones. But theproblem is that none of themcome with dual SIMs. I want toknow if there is some software
that lets you save the data from oneSIM so that this can be used on an-other if needed. Dr Sunil Patil, Aurangabad
The concept of dual-SIM de-vices is to allow two active con-nections on a single device.
There are two different categories ofthese phones. There are phones whichare dual-SIM enabled, but only onstandby mode. This means both SIMcards will remain active, but during theduration of a call on the first SIM, thesecond SIM remains unreachable.Ditto when the second SIM is in use.These phones are relatively cheaper.The second segment comprises phoneswith dual connections that are activeall the time. As for saving data of thetwo SIM 1 and SIM 2, you can creategroups and save the data separately.But even then, you will be able to useonly a single SIM in your handset.Hope, this answers your query.
I recently shifted home and hadto disconnect my BSNL broad-band connection since the com-pany says there is no space for a
new connection in “DP”. I am thinkingof getting a 3G dongle but I wonderwhether I can create a Wi-Fi networkwith such a dongle to connect my desk-top, laptop and iPad.Bhushit Dave, on email
There are routers that convertdata from dongles into Wi-Finetwork. Olive Telecom, Lava
Mobile, Edimax, D-Link, Micromax,etc, all have such products. But whenbuying do check for the networks thesedevices support. Also, go for an inde-pendent router and not one that willblock your PC port. Independentrouters are portable and easy to use.
Can you pleaserecommend agood phone thatcosts around
` 25,000? Also, whatis the price of the SonyXperia P in the Indianmarket? What are theother good optionsavailable?
Puneet Singh, on email
Here is a list ofsmartphonesthat you can
consider. Sony XperiaGo (`19,000), SonyXperia Sola (`20,000),Sony Xperia P(`25,000), HTC OneS (` 28,700), SamsungGalaxy S Advance(`19,500) and theolder Samsung GalaxySII (`25,900).
6November 2012
I have been an avid reader of Gadgets & Gizmos from the date it waslaunched. Please advise me on the configuration of a desktop PC that Iintend to purchase with a budget of ` 80,000. I’ll need it for gaming andhome use. The configuration should be Intel i7 Ivy Bridge Platform. Please
suggest whether I should go in for a branded PC or an assembled PC. Rajesh Ayade, on emailSince you have a budget of ` 80,000 and gaming is one of your pri-mary aims, we suggest you buy the Alienware X51 desktop PC. Thisunit costs ` 72,000 and
you will need to spend about`10,000 more on a good moni-tor. But it will still be withinyour budget and you will havea top-notch machine for gam-ing and regular use. We thinka branded unit is best if youare not sure of the configura-tion you need. Theother option inthe range is theDell XPS 8500.
@h
elp
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HELP AT HANDHaving trouble with your laptop? Would like to boost your cell phone’s ca-pabilities? Want advice on what camera is best for your needs? Write to uswith all your queries and we will have experts answering them.
Email us at [email protected]
IT Gadgets & Gizmos
BitRateA FLOW OF GLOBAL NEWS IN PACY BITS
8November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
YEARS SINCE THE BIRTH OF THE BARCODE.
HOWEVER, WHILE THEFIRST BARCODE WAS FILED IN THE US ON OCTOBER 7,
1952, IT WAS ONLY IN1974 THAT A PACKET OFCHEWING GUM BECAMETHE FIRST SALE TO BE
SCANNED. A LASERREADER DID NOT EXIST
BEFORE THAT.
LIFX is a bulb being developed in Australia that will beswitched on by your Android or Apple phone. It is a Wi-Ficonnected LED bulb that you remotely control or whosecolour you can change. It can also notify you when a newTwitter message arrives. It will cost around $60.
Switch on a phone
If they could, users would surely convert their cars into big phones and tablets, so addicted are theyto the infotaintment provided by their mobile devices. Recognising this, Volkswagen has latched on toNVIDIA Tegra, the super chip on many smart devices, to power its new infotainment system on itsGolf. The system will offer real-time Google navigation and rich interactive graphics, in addition to atelephone module, tuner modules, a six-channel high-performance amplifier, and a DVD drive.
CHIP THAT ‘FUNS’ A CAR
CLEARER THANCLEARThose who thought hi-definitionwas the ultimate in visual acuitygaped at 4K, a tech that offeredfour times the pictorial density ofHD. If 4K is unbelievable, Japanesebroadcaster NHK has now devel-oped a data-rich tech that allowsover 16 times the pixel count ofFull HD (33 million pixels vs HD’s2 mil). But with trials scheduledonly for 2020, don’t throw awayyour HD set-top boxes just yet.
I ❤ MY DEVICEYou love your gadget,you can let your heartprotect it. FoteiniAgratioti, an engineer atthe University of Toronto,Canada, has developedtechnology that usesheart beats to unlocksmartphones, tablets,gaming consoles andother devices. “ECG bio-metrics identifies peopleby their cardiac rhythm,”says Agrafioti, who hasnow started a company,Bionym, to market thetechnology.
A MONTHLY WINDOW TO THE MOST RECENT LAUNCHESPRODUCTS FEATURED HERE HAVE NOT BEEN REVIEWED BY G&G. THE WRITE-UPS ARE BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY COMPANIES.
First Take
TAG HEUERRACERThe TAG Heuer Racer is theworld’s first Swiss luxury touch-screen smartphone to beconstructed using materialslike titanium grade 2, carbonfiber, black PVD and 316Lstainless steel, otherwise usedin motor racing and aviation.The Android-based Racer ispowered by a 1 GHZ processor,a large 3.5-inch display, ahigh-definition, 5-megapixel,auto-focus camera and a640x480 pixel VGA video frontcamera and 11 hours of musicplay time. It also comes fullyloaded with a host of TAGHeuer add-ons like anima-tions, wallpapers, icons, ringtones, customised screendesigns and widget clocks.
Price: ` 2,10,000
FUJITSU U772Fujitsu’s 14-inch U772 is being touted as a businessclass Ultrabook due to its enterprise level featureslike Intel vPro technology for advanced manage-ability and security. Plus, there is a fingerprint sensorand full disk encryption SSD, still rare in Ultrabooks.The U772 is 16mm thin and weighs 1.4 kg with redand silver shell options. It will also feature Intel’sAnti-Theft and Absolute Computrace features that letusers trace a lost device and wipe data remotely ifneeded.
Price: ` 75,000 onwards
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 9
First Take
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 1110 IT Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012
LOEWE SOUNDBOXWaking up to the cries of music lovers inIndia, Loewe has now made its Soundboxavailable here. A sleek and elegantdigital stereo amplifier with speakers, thedevice comes with a customisable surfacein vibrant colour as well as metallic andhigh gloss chrome finish. The Soundboxallow users to play music from an sourceranging from an iPhone to the radio. Theultra stylish plug-and-play device is idealfor both home and party entertainment.
Price: ` 49,990
GENIUS BV 200Taiwanese computer peripherals company Genius has ushered in itsnew BellaVision brand with the launch of BV 200, a pocket multimediaprojector with SVGA (800x600) resolution. With 25 energy efficientLumens and a lightweight body, the BV 200 can be a good accessory forsmartphones, notebook and camcorders.
Price: $269
KOBIAN MERCURY MAGIQKobian’s Mercury magiQ is a 5-inch Android tablet with a host offeatures. This is among the first devices in this screen size to offer aDual 3G SIM slots and is packed with a 1Ghz processor paired with512MB RAM and 4GB built-in storage. The capacitive multi-touchpanel offers vivid and clear picture and viewing for movies andwork. The Mercury magiQ has dual cameras with front camera forvideo chatting and a 12MP Rear camera. The 140 gram tabletoffers a long battery backup with talk time of up to 13 hours.
Price: ` 12,700
First Take
INTEX MJ 580 SUF The Intex MJ 580 SUF is a compact, but bold and black 5.1speaker with a sleek LED panel. Engineered for peak out-put, each pair of rear and front speakers come with indi-vidual volume controls. Plus, there is the added Pro-logicfunction which lets one enjoy sound on all five speakerseven if the content is 2.0.It can play most popular audioformats directly through a USB or memory card andcomes with a fully functional remote control as well asinbuilt FM. Intex has also launched the IT 4000BT, its firstBluetooth-enabled 5.1 speaker.
Price: ` 5,085
LENOVO THINKCENTRE EDGE 72Z & 92ZLenovo has launched two powerful All-In-Ones in the Indianmarket in the form of ThinkCentre Edge 72z and the high-end ThinkCentre Edge 92z for the small businesses market.The 72z is a mainstream AIO powered with 3rd generationIntel Core processors and features Rapid Boot HDDAccelerator with up to 1600 MHz DDR3 Memory. These en-ergy efficient devices also have a spill resistant keyboardthat can be slid under the 20-inch-wide screen. The 92z,meanwhile, has a large 21.5-inch-wide LED 1080p HD dis-play with optional 10-point multi-touch screen.
Price: ` 27,500, ` 59,600
VU COUTURE TVVu Technologies has joined hands with designer TarunTahiliani to brings India its first “Couture TV”. The 55-inch, 3D TV with in-built PC has been designedwith ornamental patterns and latticework completewith Swarovski elements. These limited editiontelevisions feature an Intel HM65 chipset-basedmotherboard, Core i3 2330M processor, 2 GB DDR3memory and 500 GB SATA storage.
Price: ` 5,00,000
First Take
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 1110 IT Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012
LOEWE SOUNDBOXWaking up to the cries of music lovers inIndia, Loewe has now made its Soundboxavailable here. A sleek and elegantdigital stereo amplifier with speakers, thedevice comes with a customisable surfacein vibrant colour as well as metallic andhigh gloss chrome finish. The Soundboxallow users to play music from an sourceranging from an iPhone to the radio. Theultra stylish plug-and-play device is idealfor both home and party entertainment.
Price: ` 49,990
GENIUS BV 200Taiwanese computer peripherals company Genius has ushered in itsnew BellaVision brand with the launch of BV 200, a pocket multimediaprojector with SVGA (800x600) resolution. With 25 energy efficientLumens and a lightweight body, the BV 200 can be a good accessory forsmartphones, notebook and camcorders.
Price: $269
KOBIAN MERCURY MAGIQKobian’s Mercury magiQ is a 5-inch Android tablet with a host offeatures. This is among the first devices in this screen size to offer aDual 3G SIM slots and is packed with a 1Ghz processor paired with512MB RAM and 4GB built-in storage. The capacitive multi-touchpanel offers vivid and clear picture and viewing for movies andwork. The Mercury magiQ has dual cameras with front camera forvideo chatting and a 12MP Rear camera. The 140 gram tabletoffers a long battery backup with talk time of up to 13 hours.
Price: ` 12,700
First Take
INTEX MJ 580 SUF The Intex MJ 580 SUF is a compact, but bold and black 5.1speaker with a sleek LED panel. Engineered for peak out-put, each pair of rear and front speakers come with indi-vidual volume controls. Plus, there is the added Pro-logicfunction which lets one enjoy sound on all five speakerseven if the content is 2.0.It can play most popular audioformats directly through a USB or memory card andcomes with a fully functional remote control as well asinbuilt FM. Intex has also launched the IT 4000BT, its firstBluetooth-enabled 5.1 speaker.
Price: ` 5,085
LENOVO THINKCENTRE EDGE 72Z & 92ZLenovo has launched two powerful All-In-Ones in the Indianmarket in the form of ThinkCentre Edge 72z and the high-end ThinkCentre Edge 92z for the small businesses market.The 72z is a mainstream AIO powered with 3rd generationIntel Core processors and features Rapid Boot HDDAccelerator with up to 1600 MHz DDR3 Memory. These en-ergy efficient devices also have a spill resistant keyboardthat can be slid under the 20-inch-wide screen. The 92z,meanwhile, has a large 21.5-inch-wide LED 1080p HD dis-play with optional 10-point multi-touch screen.
Price: ` 27,500, ` 59,600
VU COUTURE TVVu Technologies has joined hands with designer TarunTahiliani to brings India its first “Couture TV”. The 55-inch, 3D TV with in-built PC has been designedwith ornamental patterns and latticework completewith Swarovski elements. These limited editiontelevisions feature an Intel HM65 chipset-basedmotherboard, Core i3 2330M processor, 2 GB DDR3memory and 500 GB SATA storage.
Price: ` 5,00,000
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 13
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos12
TEXT BY NIDHI SINGAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY RAJWANT RAWAT
THE BEST OF THE MONTHGGChoice
SAMSUNG HAS UPGRADED THE NOTE WITH MORE FUNCTIONALITY AND POWER
SAMSUNG GALAXYNOTE IIPRICE: ` 39,900
SPECS: ANDROID JELLY BEAN;
5.5-INCH DISPLAY;1.6GHZ QUAD-CORE PROCESSOR;2GB RAM;16GB INTERNAL MEMORY, EXPANDABLE TO 64GB; 8MP CAMERA;WI-FI, 3G, BLUETOOTH;3,100 MAH BATTERY.
WHY WE FELL FOR IT THE NOTE II IMPROVES ON THE ORIGINAL NOTEBY OFFERING MORE EASE OF USE.
DESIGNThe 5.3-inch display of the original Note made it a bit toobroad for a comfortable grip. However, the Note II has a 5.5-inch display yet it is easier to hold. This has been achievedby making the device longer. There is nothing new in thedesign except for the lengthening and the new Note sports thecurved edges of the Galaxy SIII. As always, the home button isbelow the display, flanked by two capacitive touch keys. The S-Pen, the digital stylus, is placed at the lower end.
S-PENThicker and taller than the original, the S-Pen has startedfeeling more like a pen and less like a stylus. The new one isnot cylindrical and hence does not roll away. The Note IIdetects when the S-Pen has been detached and instantlybrings up a new home page that offers various shortcuts to SNote. Then there is the Air View feature that gives a previewof emails, images and videos when you just hover the penover the icons without actually touching them. When the S-Pen floats over the top or the bottom of an email or S-Note,it moves the page up and down.
USER INTERFACEThe homescreen shows Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, which has beenimproved by adding a Quick Command feature that lets users create short-cuts for launching apps. For instance, we added ‘W’ for launching the webbrowser. Then, by drawing a ‘W’ on the screen, we were able to access theWeb. Another user-friendly add-on is the single-handed operation thatshrinks the alphanumeric keypad in dialler and QWERTY keypad inmessages—very useful when you consider the size of this phone. The
smaller visual keyboard can be shifted left or right by clicking anarrow. The handwriting recognition was near perfect. As with the
S-Note pop-up, a new window pops up when the head-phone is plugged into the 3.5mm jack.
PERFORMANCEThe Note II is among the first devices to run on Android Jelly Bean. Powered by1.6GHz quad-core processor and 2GB RAM, it has the finest specifications. TheNote II handled all the operations smoothly, including heavy graphic games.There is also an 8MP camera that snaps quality images. Watching videos on the5.5-inch display was a pleasant experience, as was listening to music. However,while viewing images in the gallery, there were black borders on the side, some-thing that was non-existent on the original Note. Allowing close to a day-and-a-half of heavy usage, the battery backup of the Note II proved impressive.
D espite all the reservationsabout its rather large size,the original Samsung GalaxyNote turned out to be a huge
success, selling over 10 million units ina year. Samsung seems to have workedhard on the second version of the‘Phablet’, going for an even larger dis-play while making sure that the GalaxyNote II remains comfortable to hold.Plus, the additions in the stylus inputenhances the overall experience.
POINT NO TED
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 13
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos12
TEXT BY NIDHI SINGAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY RAJWANT RAWAT
THE BEST OF THE MONTHGGChoice
SAMSUNG HAS UPGRADED THE NOTE WITH MORE FUNCTIONALITY AND POWER
SAMSUNG GALAXYNOTE IIPRICE: ` 39,900
SPECS: ANDROID JELLY BEAN;
5.5-INCH DISPLAY;1.6GHZ QUAD-CORE PROCESSOR;2GB RAM;16GB INTERNAL MEMORY, EXPANDABLE TO 64GB; 8MP CAMERA;WI-FI, 3G, BLUETOOTH;3,100 MAH BATTERY.
WHY WE FELL FOR IT THE NOTE II IMPROVES ON THE ORIGINAL NOTEBY OFFERING MORE EASE OF USE.
DESIGNThe 5.3-inch display of the original Note made it a bit toobroad for a comfortable grip. However, the Note II has a 5.5-inch display yet it is easier to hold. This has been achievedby making the device longer. There is nothing new in thedesign except for the lengthening and the new Note sports thecurved edges of the Galaxy SIII. As always, the home button isbelow the display, flanked by two capacitive touch keys. The S-Pen, the digital stylus, is placed at the lower end.
S-PENThicker and taller than the original, the S-Pen has startedfeeling more like a pen and less like a stylus. The new one isnot cylindrical and hence does not roll away. The Note IIdetects when the S-Pen has been detached and instantlybrings up a new home page that offers various shortcuts to SNote. Then there is the Air View feature that gives a previewof emails, images and videos when you just hover the penover the icons without actually touching them. When the S-Pen floats over the top or the bottom of an email or S-Note,it moves the page up and down.
USER INTERFACEThe homescreen shows Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, which has beenimproved by adding a Quick Command feature that lets users create short-cuts for launching apps. For instance, we added ‘W’ for launching the webbrowser. Then, by drawing a ‘W’ on the screen, we were able to access theWeb. Another user-friendly add-on is the single-handed operation thatshrinks the alphanumeric keypad in dialler and QWERTY keypad inmessages—very useful when you consider the size of this phone. The
smaller visual keyboard can be shifted left or right by clicking anarrow. The handwriting recognition was near perfect. As with the
S-Note pop-up, a new window pops up when the head-phone is plugged into the 3.5mm jack.
PERFORMANCEThe Note II is among the first devices to run on Android Jelly Bean. Powered by1.6GHz quad-core processor and 2GB RAM, it has the finest specifications. TheNote II handled all the operations smoothly, including heavy graphic games.There is also an 8MP camera that snaps quality images. Watching videos on the5.5-inch display was a pleasant experience, as was listening to music. However,while viewing images in the gallery, there were black borders on the side, some-thing that was non-existent on the original Note. Allowing close to a day-and-a-half of heavy usage, the battery backup of the Note II proved impressive.
D espite all the reservationsabout its rather large size,the original Samsung GalaxyNote turned out to be a huge
success, selling over 10 million units ina year. Samsung seems to have workedhard on the second version of the‘Phablet’, going for an even larger dis-play while making sure that the GalaxyNote II remains comfortable to hold.Plus, the additions in the stylus inputenhances the overall experience.
POINT NO TED
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
14
70LIGHT UP THETO
FESTIVESEASON
Sure we know that it is the thought that counts and not the actual gift! Butwhy should that be an excuse for a hurriedly purchased giveaway to whichyou haven’t given much thought? In any case, your job is much simplernowadays. With so many devices and gizmos out there, it’s a cinch thatthere is one that suits any particular need. So all you got to do is to think
of the person to whom you want to present a festival goodie and a gadget will materi-alise in your thought balloon. However, to prod the grey cells, we have here a list ofsome cool gadgets that would make for great gifts.
From computing to entertainment, from mobile phones to knick-knacks thatamuse, G&G has some recommendations. To boot, we also suggest gear that wouldadd to the utility of a gadget you—or the person to whom you are gifting some-thing—may already own. There is a wide choice, both in terms of products and
prices. And don’t forget those little computer programs that are digital steroidsfor mobile devices. Yes, we have a list of the best apps that you can buy and be-stow on your family member or friend. We know these will all bring a smile—
and what would a festive season be without smiles?
Phot
os: R
AJWA
NT R
AWAT
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 15
COVERSTORYTECH GIFTS
GIFTS
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
14
70LIGHT UP THETO
FESTIVESEASON
Sure we know that it is the thought that counts and not the actual gift! Butwhy should that be an excuse for a hurriedly purchased giveaway to whichyou haven’t given much thought? In any case, your job is much simplernowadays. With so many devices and gizmos out there, it’s a cinch thatthere is one that suits any particular need. So all you got to do is to think
of the person to whom you want to present a festival goodie and a gadget will materi-alise in your thought balloon. However, to prod the grey cells, we have here a list ofsome cool gadgets that would make for great gifts.
From computing to entertainment, from mobile phones to knick-knacks thatamuse, G&G has some recommendations. To boot, we also suggest gear that wouldadd to the utility of a gadget you—or the person to whom you are gifting some-thing—may already own. There is a wide choice, both in terms of products and
prices. And don’t forget those little computer programs that are digital steroidsfor mobile devices. Yes, we have a list of the best apps that you can buy and be-stow on your family member or friend. We know these will all bring a smile—
and what would a festive season be without smiles?
Phot
os: R
AJWA
NT R
AWAT
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 15
COVERSTORY
TECH GIFTS
GIFTS
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
16
If you want to gift a MOBILE ...
CapeDase USB Car Charger Pico` 450
This is a must-buy for those who spend a lot of time behindthe wheel. The CapeDase USB Car Charger is compact andhas a USB port. The device’s USB cable makes this chargercompatible with all devices that can be charged using 5Vpower input. There is also an LED indicator onboard.
Raaisin Anti-Slip Pad for Car Dashboard ̀245 onwards
Should your cell phone lie on the seat or on the dash-board or in the glove compartment when you are driving?If you know someone who struggles to answer this, thenan anti-slip pad for the dashboard makes a good gift.These have a strong adhesive that helps them stick to thecar dashboard. The non-toxic and eco-friendly pad doesn’tlet your phone slip. Shocks and shakes are not goodenough to dislodge this pad.
Philips Fidelio Dockfor Android`5,999
There are numerous docks for theiPhone and iPod, but not many forAndroid smartphones. Philips FidelioDock is a smart Bluetooth dock forAndroid music lovers. This good-lookingdock works over Bluetooth using thefree Fidelio App available on theGoogle Play store. It also has an ad-justable universal jack that can be usedfor plugging the device to charge.
Micro SIM adapter ̀150 onward
Some of the new smartphones support regular SIMs, while manysupport micro-SIMs. In case you know someone who regularlychanges phones, consider gifting him or her a micro-SIM adapter.This is a small piece of plastic that conveniently holds the microSIMfor inserting it into a regular SIM slot or just for storage.
Bose Bluetooth HeadsetSeries 2` 8,888
The Bose Bluetooth Headset Series 2 successfullygels beauty with quality performance. This single-ear headset offers a perfect fit and can be worncontinuously for many hours. But while buyingone make sure which ear you want to use it on,the left or the right. Another highlight of theheadset is its killer A2DP sound quality.
iFlashdrivePrice on request
The biggest challenge iPhone users face is transferring datausing iTunes. But a small accessory like the iFlashdrive can putsuch woes to an end. The iFlashdrive looks like a pen drivewith a regular USB port at one end and the iPhone connectoron the other. Available in capacities of 8GB onwards, theiFlashdrive works with the help of the app. You can store dataon the iFlashdrive first and then transfer it to the iPhone.
Xpal Spare One Emergency Phone$69 + $15 (shipping)
Some gadgets aren’t for daily use, but they are heroes during emergen-cies. XPal’s Spare One is one such emergency phone that will surely provehandy when your phone’s battery dies on you when you need it the most.The Spare One doesn’t have a display but you can dial for help using itsnumeric keypad. The phone is powered by an AA battery that can storecharge for up to 15 years. When used regularly, it can give around 10hours of talktime. It also has a micro-SIM adapter.
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 17
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... YOU SHOULD
TAKE A CALL ON THIS
....AND ALSO GIVE
A THOUGHT TO THESE
Nokia808PureView
` 31,999Forget about compact cameras with
interchangeable lens and consider the Nokia808PureView. This is a camera phone that has a
41MP sensor that captures superb images. While thedefault images can be captured at 5MP, or 8MP in
the PureView mode, you can capture images with a36MP sensor as well. The images obtained at
36MP are so crisp and clear that you caneasily zoom into the image without
losing clarity or sharpness.
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
16
If you want to gift a MOBILE ...
CapeDase USB Car Charger Pico` 450
This is a must-buy for those who spend a lot of time behindthe wheel. The CapeDase USB Car Charger is compact andhas a USB port. The device’s USB cable makes this chargercompatible with all devices that can be charged using 5Vpower input. There is also an LED indicator onboard.
Raaisin Anti-Slip Pad for Car Dashboard ̀245 onwards
Should your cell phone lie on the seat or on the dash-board or in the glove compartment when you are driving?If you know someone who struggles to answer this, thenan anti-slip pad for the dashboard makes a good gift.These have a strong adhesive that helps them stick to thecar dashboard. The non-toxic and eco-friendly pad doesn’tlet your phone slip. Shocks and shakes are not goodenough to dislodge this pad.
Philips Fidelio Dockfor Android`5,999
There are numerous docks for theiPhone and iPod, but not many forAndroid smartphones. Philips FidelioDock is a smart Bluetooth dock forAndroid music lovers. This good-lookingdock works over Bluetooth using thefree Fidelio App available on theGoogle Play store. It also has an ad-justable universal jack that can be usedfor plugging the device to charge.
Micro SIM adapter ̀150 onward
Some of the new smartphones support regular SIMs, while manysupport micro-SIMs. In case you know someone who regularlychanges phones, consider gifting him or her a micro-SIM adapter.This is a small piece of plastic that conveniently holds the microSIMfor inserting it into a regular SIM slot or just for storage.
Bose Bluetooth HeadsetSeries 2` 8,888
The Bose Bluetooth Headset Series 2 successfullygels beauty with quality performance. This single-ear headset offers a perfect fit and can be worncontinuously for many hours. But while buyingone make sure which ear you want to use it on,the left or the right. Another highlight of theheadset is its killer A2DP sound quality.
iFlashdrivePrice on request
The biggest challenge iPhone users face is transferring datausing iTunes. But a small accessory like the iFlashdrive can putsuch woes to an end. The iFlashdrive looks like a pen drivewith a regular USB port at one end and the iPhone connectoron the other. Available in capacities of 8GB onwards, theiFlashdrive works with the help of the app. You can store dataon the iFlashdrive first and then transfer it to the iPhone.
Xpal Spare One Emergency Phone$69 + $15 (shipping)
Some gadgets aren’t for daily use, but they are heroes during emergen-cies. XPal’s Spare One is one such emergency phone that will surely provehandy when your phone’s battery dies on you when you need it the most.The Spare One doesn’t have a display but you can dial for help using itsnumeric keypad. The phone is powered by an AA battery that can storecharge for up to 15 years. When used regularly, it can give around 10hours of talktime. It also has a micro-SIM adapter.
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 17
COVERSTORY
TEC
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IFT
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... YOU SHOULD
TAKE A CALL ON THIS
....AND ALSO GIVE
A THOUGHT TO THESE
Nokia808PureView
` 31,999Forget about compact cameras with
interchangeable lens and consider the Nokia808PureView. This is a camera phone that has a
41MP sensor that captures superb images. While thedefault images can be captured at 5MP, or 8MP in
the PureView mode, you can capture images with a36MP sensor as well. The images obtained at
36MP are so crisp and clear that you caneasily zoom into the image without
losing clarity or sharpness.
Wireless USBAdaptor` 3,000
Most of the Smart TVsavailable in the market haveInternet capabilities. They dohave slot for LAN but adding aadaptor for wirelessconnectivity makes things hap-pier. This is why gifting a wire-less USB adaptor for Smart TVsis a nice idea. The SamsungWIS09ABGN is compatible withmost smart TVs and Blu-rayplayers of the brand andsupports TV All Share andDLNA as well.
AppleiPodTouchPrice: TBA
Apple has revamped theiPod Touch by not onlyincreasing the display to4 inches but by also mak-ing it the thinnest iPodTouch ever. The new iPodTouch also has a 5MPiSight camera with 1080pHD video recording,Apple’s A5 chipset andruns on Apple iOS 6. Italso has the new AppleEarPods featuring abreakthrough design fora more natural fit,increased durability andan incredible acousticquality typically reservedfor higher-endearphones.
Bose SIE2SIE2: ` 6,638; SIE2i: ` 8,663
It is tough to get quality audio in the gym or whenyou are on an early morning jog. No longer. Bosehas launched its SIE2 series of earphones thatbring Bose quality sound to sweaty surroundingstoo. Though best enjoyed with Apple devices, theseearphones can be used with all music players andphones. The top-end SIE2i eve lets you make callsfrom compatible phones as well.
Triangle Color Floorstanders` 1,22,500
Music lovers will go to any extent to get what theywant. They will also pay any amount of money. Goingby this premise, hi-fi audio fans can now get what theywant with Triangle speakers finally entering the Indianmarket. Its Color Floorstanders might be entry-levelspeakers, but they promise amazing sound and a priceto match.
Cambridge Audio Azur 551R` 71,500
You might have really swanky speakers, but how do you get thesound quality that these beauties demand? This is why you need topair them with a great amplifier. Cambridge Audio has always beenat the top of audio excellence and its Azur 551R is among the bestaudio-video receivers out there. Get one of these to breathe life intoyour home entertainment set-up.
If you are thinking in terms ofENTERTAINMENT...
COVERSTORY
... YOU SHOULD GIVE
THIS THE THUMBS UP
....AND ALSO HAVE FUN WITH THESE
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
18
Amkette Evo TV` 9,990
Of the array of media boxes available in themarket that claim to add various connectivity
options and Internet access to your TV, theAmkette Evo TV is the best. This box runs on theAndroid operating system and lets you surf theWeb, check mail, play videos, play motion andother games, while giving you access to files onthe home network. It can also play media files
from the USB and hard drive and connect to the TV using an HDMI cable.
Panasonic RP VK 21` 999
The vocal-karaoke microphone from Panasonic is amust-buy for music lovers, especially those who can
sing a bit too. They can plug in this microphone usingthe large adaptor. The uni-directional microphone is
easy to operate and has an on-off switch.
Skype Camerafor TV` 4,990+
The new Smart TVs havecameras attached that canbe used for video calling.But what if someone owns aSmart TV with just Internetconnection? Gift them aSony CMU-BR100 Skype camera that connects to theTV easily.
Bose Wave Music System III` 34,763
One of the classics in audio excellence, the Bose Wave MusicSystem has just got an upgrade. The latest version comes with atouch pad on the top for on/off as well as a new alarm with twopresets. The AM/FM tuner is also easier to use with info displayfor supported stations.
Page 47 See full review
Angry BirdSpeaker` 7,650
The funky looking Pig HelmetAngry Bird is a 2.1 stereo iPoddock. This cheery plasticappliance is easy to set up andoffers surprisingly loud sound.Along with the dock, it alsohas an auxiliary port that canbe used for connecting othersmartphones as well. Aremote manages the volumeand changes tracks.
Sound Bomb` 999
If you know someone who has a phone with lousy soundoutput, a Speaker Bomb will make a welcome gift. This tinylittle speaker can explode with sound and bring a room tolife. The speaker runs on a 3.5mm jack and can be chargedusing a USB drive. Small gadget, but great sound.
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 19
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Wireless USBAdaptor` 3,000
Most of the Smart TVsavailable in the market haveInternet capabilities. They dohave slot for LAN but adding aadaptor for wirelessconnectivity makes things hap-pier. This is why gifting a wire-less USB adaptor for Smart TVsis a nice idea. The SamsungWIS09ABGN is compatible withmost smart TVs and Blu-rayplayers of the brand andsupports TV All Share andDLNA as well.
AppleiPodTouchPrice: TBA
Apple has revamped theiPod Touch by not onlyincreasing the display to4 inches but by also mak-ing it the thinnest iPodTouch ever. The new iPodTouch also has a 5MPiSight camera with 1080pHD video recording,Apple’s A5 chipset andruns on Apple iOS 6. Italso has the new AppleEarPods featuring abreakthrough design fora more natural fit,increased durability andan incredible acousticquality typically reservedfor higher-endearphones.
Bose SIE2SIE2: ` 6,638; SIE2i: ` 8,663
It is tough to get quality audio in the gym or whenyou are on an early morning jog. No longer. Bosehas launched its SIE2 series of earphones thatbring Bose quality sound to sweaty surroundingstoo. Though best enjoyed with Apple devices, theseearphones can be used with all music players andphones. The top-end SIE2i eve lets you make callsfrom compatible phones as well.
Triangle Color Floorstanders` 1,22,500
Music lovers will go to any extent to get what theywant. They will also pay any amount of money. Goingby this premise, hi-fi audio fans can now get what theywant with Triangle speakers finally entering the Indianmarket. Its Color Floorstanders might be entry-levelspeakers, but they promise amazing sound and a priceto match.
Cambridge Audio Azur 551R` 71,500
You might have really swanky speakers, but how do you get thesound quality that these beauties demand? This is why you need topair them with a great amplifier. Cambridge Audio has always beenat the top of audio excellence and its Azur 551R is among the bestaudio-video receivers out there. Get one of these to breathe life intoyour home entertainment set-up.
If you are thinking in terms ofENTERTAINMENT...
COVERSTORY
... YOU SHOULD GIVE
THIS THE THUMBS UP
....AND ALSO HAVE FUN WITH THESE
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
18
Amkette Evo TV` 9,990
Of the array of media boxes available in themarket that claim to add various connectivity
options and Internet access to your TV, theAmkette Evo TV is the best. This box runs on theAndroid operating system and lets you surf theWeb, check mail, play videos, play motion andother games, while giving you access to files onthe home network. It can also play media files
from the USB and hard drive and connect to the TV using an HDMI cable.
Panasonic RP VK 21` 999
The vocal-karaoke microphone from Panasonic is amust-buy for music lovers, especially those who can
sing a bit too. They can plug in this microphone usingthe large adaptor. The uni-directional microphone is
easy to operate and has an on-off switch.
Skype Camerafor TV` 4,990+
The new Smart TVs havecameras attached that canbe used for video calling.But what if someone owns aSmart TV with just Internetconnection? Gift them aSony CMU-BR100 Skype camera that connects to theTV easily.
Bose Wave Music System III` 34,763
One of the classics in audio excellence, the Bose Wave MusicSystem has just got an upgrade. The latest version comes with atouch pad on the top for on/off as well as a new alarm with twopresets. The AM/FM tuner is also easier to use with info displayfor supported stations.
Page 47 See full review
Angry BirdSpeaker` 7,650
The funky looking Pig HelmetAngry Bird is a 2.1 stereo iPoddock. This cheery plasticappliance is easy to set up andoffers surprisingly loud sound.Along with the dock, it alsohas an auxiliary port that canbe used for connecting othersmartphones as well. Aremote manages the volumeand changes tracks.
Sound Bomb` 999
If you know someone who has a phone with lousy soundoutput, a Speaker Bomb will make a welcome gift. This tinylittle speaker can explode with sound and bring a room tolife. The speaker runs on a 3.5mm jack and can be chargedusing a USB drive. Small gadget, but great sound.
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IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
20November 2012
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If you want to present a COMPUTER...
... YOU SHOULD
LOG IN TO THIS ONE
Norton 360 Multi-Device`3,499 for 3 devices
Norton has come up with a one-stop solution in its Norton360 mult-device, a single security software which can protestyour smartphone, tablet as well as PC. With an online dash-board to control and protect these devices, Norton shows usa sneak peak into how our tech lives will span out.
HP Spectre XT` 64,900
An Ultrabook that looks like one andworks like one, while not really pricedlike one—that is the HP Spectre XT.
A stunner of an Ultrabook that can dopretty much anything you throw at it,the Spectre XT hasn’t taken long to
become a favourite in our books. And,the best spec has to be the price.
IOS OMR digital pen`7,425 to `11,175
Not everyone is good at typing. So if you want to bring the speed ofmanual writing to a digital format you need a digital pen. TheIRISNotes range of pens from OMR India Outsources can capture andsave handwritten notes and drawings in digital format. The receivercan store up to 100 pages of text which can be converted by theOptical Character Recognition application to electronic text.
....BUT YOU COULD ALSO
GET THESE TO BOOT
Portronics Greenlock 2` 2,999
How do you protect your data at work? Get a PortronicsGreenlock to do the job for you by locking your screen assoon as you move away from it. You will have to wearGreenlock like other dog tags given by your office.
AOC USB monitor` 5,490
Ever missed an extra screen to show others what you have on yourlaptop or tablet? Well, there is finally an affordable solution—aUSB monitor. The AOC e1649Fwu brings plug-and play ease tothose who need an extra monitor. The USB is the only thing youneed to send power and signals to this extra 15.6-inch screen thatwill open an entire world of opportunity for many people.
NEC LED mobile professional projector` 86,000
Mobile projectors are supposed to be tiny Picos that have limitedfeatures. But the new L51W LED from NEC is both mobile andpowerful. With 500 ANSI Lumens brightness and 1280 x 800presolution images coming from a 1.2 kg device, this projector canbe very handy for professionals who are on the move. Theprojector is 3D ready and has a 1GB internal memory.
Mantis lamp` 1,800
For those who like to work in the dark to keep their focus, theMantis lamp could turn out to be a bright idea. This clip-on tasklamp brightens your workspace without a tangle of wires. The 11LEDs are powered by AA batteries, which means you can take thiswhere your work takes you.
HP Ink Advantage 3525` 7,699
One of the best all-in-one printers available in the market, the HP 3525 is easyto set-up and is economical to use. It manages to churn out 23 monochromeprints per minute and 22 colour sheets per minute. Weighing 5 kg, it has an 80-page input tray and offers Wi-Fi connectivity. it is capable of printing up to 600sheets per ink cartridge, and yes, a new cartridge is affordable at ̀ 449.
GO TOPage 43
...to readthe detailedreview ofthe HPSpectre XT.
TEC
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COVERSTORY
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
20November 2012
IT Gadgets & Gizmos 21
If you want to present a COMPUTER...
... YOU SHOULD
LOG IN TO THIS ONE
Norton 360 Multi-Device`3,499 for 3 devices
Norton has come up with a one-stop solution in its Norton360 mult-device, a single security software which can protestyour smartphone, tablet as well as PC. With an online dash-board to control and protect these devices, Norton shows usa sneak peak into how our tech lives will span out.
HP Spectre XT` 64,900
An Ultrabook that looks like one andworks like one, while not really pricedlike one—that is the HP Spectre XT.
A stunner of an Ultrabook that can dopretty much anything you throw at it,the Spectre XT hasn’t taken long to
become a favourite in our books. And,the best spec has to be the price.
IOS OMR digital pen`7,425 to `11,175
Not everyone is good at typing. So if you want to bring the speed ofmanual writing to a digital format you need a digital pen. TheIRISNotes range of pens from OMR India Outsources can capture andsave handwritten notes and drawings in digital format. The receivercan store up to 100 pages of text which can be converted by theOptical Character Recognition application to electronic text.
....BUT YOU COULD ALSO
GET THESE TO BOOT
Portronics Greenlock 2` 2,999
How do you protect your data at work? Get a PortronicsGreenlock to do the job for you by locking your screen assoon as you move away from it. You will have to wearGreenlock like other dog tags given by your office.
AOC USB monitor` 5,490
Ever missed an extra screen to show others what you have on yourlaptop or tablet? Well, there is finally an affordable solution—aUSB monitor. The AOC e1649Fwu brings plug-and play ease tothose who need an extra monitor. The USB is the only thing youneed to send power and signals to this extra 15.6-inch screen thatwill open an entire world of opportunity for many people.
NEC LED mobile professional projector` 86,000
Mobile projectors are supposed to be tiny Picos that have limitedfeatures. But the new L51W LED from NEC is both mobile andpowerful. With 500 ANSI Lumens brightness and 1280 x 800presolution images coming from a 1.2 kg device, this projector canbe very handy for professionals who are on the move. Theprojector is 3D ready and has a 1GB internal memory.
Mantis lamp` 1,800
For those who like to work in the dark to keep their focus, theMantis lamp could turn out to be a bright idea. This clip-on tasklamp brightens your workspace without a tangle of wires. The 11LEDs are powered by AA batteries, which means you can take thiswhere your work takes you.
HP Ink Advantage 3525` 7,699
One of the best all-in-one printers available in the market, the HP 3525 is easyto set-up and is economical to use. It manages to churn out 23 monochromeprints per minute and 22 colour sheets per minute. Weighing 5 kg, it has an 80-page input tray and offers Wi-Fi connectivity. it is capable of printing up to 600sheets per ink cartridge, and yes, a new cartridge is affordable at ̀ 449.
GO TOPage 43
...to readthe detailedreview ofthe HPSpectre XT.
TEC
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IFT
S
Mimobot Pen Drive – Star Wars` 1,299
Inspired by the ageless Star Wars characters, these designerUSB drives comes in the form of Storm Troopers, Darth Vader,Voda, R2-D2 and C-3PO. Each flash drive offers 4GB of internalstorage along with pre-loaded digital memory.
USB Fish Tank` 5,599
Offices can be boring, depressingand demotivating. Gift your lovedone of these USB Fish Tanks toreduce stress at the workplace. TheUSB Fish Tank also has a multi-function pen holder, adjustableoverhead light, low voltage pump,LCD calendar with time/date,week/temperature, alarm clockwith snooze feature and count-down time, etc. The tank comeswith gravel and decorative plants,but you will have to buy the fish.
Kondo KHR -3HV Robot` 10,800
Get hold of one of the most versatile humanoids available in themarket, the Kondo KHR-3HV, for your loved one. This robot tries toimitate human movements and boasts ambulatory skills that other toyrobots don’t. It also has an object-recognition feature. It can even dance oract like a security guard by beaming what it sees over Wi-Fi.
Helizone RC Combat Fighter GyroMissile Shooting Helicopter` 3,874
We outgrew remote-controlled cars many years ago. So whatnext? Well, we can always fly remote-controlled planes andchoppers so long as you don’t use them to attack neighbours. Weused the term attack because the Helizone RC Combat Fighter canshoot tiny missiles, all quite harmless, of course.
Slik PRO 340BH` 8,775
As more and more people switch toDSLRs, the popularity of tripods isalso increasing. So if you knowsomeone who is taking his photo-graphy seriously a tripod will be awelcome gift. We suggest the SlikPRO 340BH because its Aluminum-Magnesium-Titanium alloy can takesome heavy loads.
COVERSTORY
... YOU SHOULD
LOOK AT THIS ONE
BenqG1
`15,000Swivel cameras are nothing new. But
the Benq G1 is the slimmest of the ilk andalso has a F1.8 aperture so that you can clickamazing pictures in low-light. A good gift for
those who want to take their point-and-shoot photography to the next level,
the G1 is also affordably priced for the features it brings to
the table.
If you have your eyes set on a CAMERA ...
....AND ALSO
FOCUS ON THESE
....BUT SMILE ABOUT THESE TOO
Olympus 8x40 DPS I` 3,990
An ideal gift for someone bitten by wanderlust, thisbinoculars from Olympus is both affordable and powerful.It has 8x zoom and an ideal 40mm objective lensdiameter. Plus, at 710 gm it wont tire the user easily.
VU 3D video camera` 19,900
3D TVs are readily available, but where is the3D content? VU has come up with a 3D HDVideo Camera that can be a perfect gift forthose who own a 3D TV. This video camera canrecord good 3D HD videos and even captureregular videos.
... YOU WILL FIND
THIS IS A FUN OPTION
If you are looking for a
TOY...
Clocky` 1,999
Here is something to stop people fromoversleeping. Clocky has a snoozebutton like other alarm clocks, but
beware, it is a strict disciplinarian. Yes,Clocky runs all over the place whenthe alarm is ringing so you have no
option but to get out of bed andswitch it off.
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
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Mimobot Pen Drive – Star Wars` 1,299
Inspired by the ageless Star Wars characters, these designerUSB drives comes in the form of Storm Troopers, Darth Vader,Voda, R2-D2 and C-3PO. Each flash drive offers 4GB of internalstorage along with pre-loaded digital memory.
USB Fish Tank` 5,599
Offices can be boring, depressingand demotivating. Gift your lovedone of these USB Fish Tanks toreduce stress at the workplace. TheUSB Fish Tank also has a multi-function pen holder, adjustableoverhead light, low voltage pump,LCD calendar with time/date,week/temperature, alarm clockwith snooze feature and count-down time, etc. The tank comeswith gravel and decorative plants,but you will have to buy the fish.
Kondo KHR -3HV Robot` 10,800
Get hold of one of the most versatile humanoids available in themarket, the Kondo KHR-3HV, for your loved one. This robot tries toimitate human movements and boasts ambulatory skills that other toyrobots don’t. It also has an object-recognition feature. It can even dance oract like a security guard by beaming what it sees over Wi-Fi.
Helizone RC Combat Fighter GyroMissile Shooting Helicopter` 3,874
We outgrew remote-controlled cars many years ago. So whatnext? Well, we can always fly remote-controlled planes andchoppers so long as you don’t use them to attack neighbours. Weused the term attack because the Helizone RC Combat Fighter canshoot tiny missiles, all quite harmless, of course.
Slik PRO 340BH` 8,775
As more and more people switch toDSLRs, the popularity of tripods isalso increasing. So if you knowsomeone who is taking his photo-graphy seriously a tripod will be awelcome gift. We suggest the SlikPRO 340BH because its Aluminum-Magnesium-Titanium alloy can takesome heavy loads.
COVERSTORY
... YOU SHOULD
LOOK AT THIS ONE
BenqG1
`15,000Swivel cameras are nothing new. But
the Benq G1 is the slimmest of the ilk andalso has a F1.8 aperture so that you can clickamazing pictures in low-light. A good gift for
those who want to take their point-and-shoot photography to the next level,
the G1 is also affordably priced for the features it brings to
the table.
If you have your eyes set on a CAMERA ...
....AND ALSO
FOCUS ON THESE
....BUT SMILE ABOUT THESE TOO
Olympus 8x40 DPS I` 3,990
An ideal gift for someone bitten by wanderlust, thisbinoculars from Olympus is both affordable and powerful.It has 8x zoom and an ideal 40mm objective lensdiameter. Plus, at 710 gm it wont tire the user easily.
VU 3D video camera` 19,900
3D TVs are readily available, but where is the3D content? VU has come up with a 3D HDVideo Camera that can be a perfect gift forthose who own a 3D TV. This video camera canrecord good 3D HD videos and even captureregular videos.
... YOU WILL FIND
THIS IS A FUN OPTION
If you are looking for a
TOY...
Clocky` 1,999
Here is something to stop people fromoversleeping. Clocky has a snoozebutton like other alarm clocks, but
beware, it is a strict disciplinarian. Yes,Clocky runs all over the place whenthe alarm is ringing so you have no
option but to get out of bed andswitch it off.
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
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DATAWIND UBISLATE 7RI, ` 2,999There is the iPad and there are the rest, but most of us can’t afford any ofthese. This is where the Datawind UbiSlate 7Ri comes in. Well, let’s notcall it the Aakash or be bothered by the baggage that name brings withit. This is an entry-level tablet which brings the power of apps and accessto the Internet to many people who otherwise wouldn’t have been able toafford it. Plus, this 7-inch multi-touch tablet is a great gift for curious kids.
Fujifilm FinePix JZ100, ` 8,499This colourful camera from FujiFilm offers almost everything you wouldwant in a point-and-shot that is affordable. So, you have 8x zoom, a 14 mega-pixel sensor and 6.9 cm LCD all packed into a super slim camera. Plus, there is Dual Image Stabilisation and SR Auto with scene recognition.
Toshiba 40PS20, ` 43,000It is tough to find a large FullHD LED TV under ̀ 50,000. But our questfinally ended with this 40-incher which has a great screen, thin bezel anddecent sound output. It can also play almost all video formats directlyfrom a USB drive.
HP Compaq Pro 6300, ` 36,000Designed for consistent performance which is so crucial for small busi-nesses, the Compaq Pro 6300 All-in-One comes with Intel Core processorswith optional discrete graphics. With a 21.5-inch diagonal, full HD, LEDbacklit display, internal stereo speakers and optional 2MP webcam, it willalso make for a good home PC option.
Samsung HT-E350K, ` 9,690With most houses now sporting a large screen, it is only natural that theygo in for a home theatre. This 5.1 system from Samsung is value formoney as it lets you play content from almost all formats and give greatsound quality all the way.
Micromax Superfone Punk A45, ` 4,999This affordable smartphone from Android runs on Android v2.3 and ispowered by a 650MHz processor and 256MB RAM. This dual SIM phone(GSM+GSM) has a 2MP camera and also features the company’s latestvoice recognition software Aisha.
GoGEAR SoundDot MP3 Player, ` 1,599Refreshing its portable music player lineup, Philips has introduced a goodlooking MP3 player called the SoundDot. This small, colourful fashionaccessory is comfortable to wear for everyday activity like walking,exercising, or even cleaning the house. It also has a built-in clip forconvenient and hands-free use. Then the Fastcharge feature gives it 60minutes of juice in just six minutes.
Samsung HM1100 , ̀ 770The in-the-ear Bluetooth headset from Samsung isn’t hard on the pocket.Weighing 11 gm, this Bluetooth headset has a clip-on design and hassingle-mic noise reduction headphone. A two-hour charging can provideclose to 14 hours of talktime.
Canon Pixma - IP 2770, ` 1,795Still think printers cost a bomb? Not anymore as you can get a basic singlefunction printer for less than ̀ 2,000. The Canon Pixma IP2770 has acompact body with curvy edges and smooth finish that requires less spaceand fits virtually anywhere. It supports A4, Letter, Legal, A5, B5 andEnvelope media sizes.
Akai Smartbox ` 6,590Smart TVs are beyond the budgets of most people. But you can alwaysmake your television smart by getting it some artificial intelligence in theform of the Akai Smartbox. This Android-based device lets you access thenet, play all video files and even turns into a wireless hotspot.
WRAPPED ON A BUDGET
If the coolest for you is a TABLET...
... YOU SHOULD NOT
THINK BEYOND THIS
Lava Wi-Fi router` 3,199
Know someone who has a 3G dongle but often cribsabout not having a portable Wi-Fi connection? TheLava W150 can be a perfect gadget as it has an in-built battery and slot for connecting a EVDO or 3Gdongle. Once the dongle is connected, this router cre-ates a private Wi-Fi network that can be used to con-nect up to 32 users on the same connection.
Roll up keyboard` 899
An ideal gift for those who use tablets with USBports, the roll-up keyboard represents greatproductivity at a very affordable price. Made ofwater resistant rubber, this extra keyboard will fitinto the smallest of bags.
Micromax Funbook`6,499
An affordable tablet everyone can play andlearn with, the Funbook from Micromax is a
decent 7-incher powered by 1.2 GHzprocessor and 512MB RAM. It offers
4G internal memory and offers variousconnectivity ports like Wi-Fi, miniUSB port,
etc. Micromax has also tied up with various educational institutes for
providing content.
Envent Cowboy` 2,099
Do you carry your iPad in a laptop bag, or do you use a sleeve? Yes, youhave the smart cover, but what about a bag just for your favouritegadget. The Envent Cowboy is a simple denim cover for the iPad. Butit also provides a decent degree of protection in case something unto-ward happens. The Wild West looks make it a stunner anyway.
....BUT KEEP
TABS ON THESE TOO
Logitech WirelessSolar KeyboardFolio` 8,999
You can have a good iPad cover,but the utility of the sameincreases a keyboard comes in-built. Actually the Folio goes astep further and has a solarcharger for the keyboard so thatyou don’t have to power it withbatteries. A must-have for hard-core tablet users.
Portronics iJuicer` 899
iPad users will be grateful toyou for the Portronics USBJuicer. Traditionally, a PC is un-able to charge an iPad, butplugging this USB charger tothe PC and connecting it theiPad spells magic. While it willcharge the iPad without hassle,it will also charge an iPhone inhalf the time. This accessory iscompatible with Android de-vices too.
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
24November 2012
IT Gadgets & Gizmos 25
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COVERSTORY
DATAWIND UBISLATE 7RI, ` 2,999There is the iPad and there are the rest, but most of us can’t afford any ofthese. This is where the Datawind UbiSlate 7Ri comes in. Well, let’s notcall it the Aakash or be bothered by the baggage that name brings withit. This is an entry-level tablet which brings the power of apps and accessto the Internet to many people who otherwise wouldn’t have been able toafford it. Plus, this 7-inch multi-touch tablet is a great gift for curious kids.
Fujifilm FinePix JZ100, ` 8,499This colourful camera from FujiFilm offers almost everything you wouldwant in a point-and-shot that is affordable. So, you have 8x zoom, a 14 mega-pixel sensor and 6.9 cm LCD all packed into a super slim camera. Plus, there is Dual Image Stabilisation and SR Auto with scene recognition.
Toshiba 40PS20, ` 43,000It is tough to find a large FullHD LED TV under ̀ 50,000. But our questfinally ended with this 40-incher which has a great screen, thin bezel anddecent sound output. It can also play almost all video formats directlyfrom a USB drive.
HP Compaq Pro 6300, ` 36,000Designed for consistent performance which is so crucial for small busi-nesses, the Compaq Pro 6300 All-in-One comes with Intel Core processorswith optional discrete graphics. With a 21.5-inch diagonal, full HD, LEDbacklit display, internal stereo speakers and optional 2MP webcam, it willalso make for a good home PC option.
Samsung HT-E350K, ` 9,690With most houses now sporting a large screen, it is only natural that theygo in for a home theatre. This 5.1 system from Samsung is value formoney as it lets you play content from almost all formats and give greatsound quality all the way.
Micromax Superfone Punk A45, ` 4,999This affordable smartphone from Android runs on Android v2.3 and ispowered by a 650MHz processor and 256MB RAM. This dual SIM phone(GSM+GSM) has a 2MP camera and also features the company’s latestvoice recognition software Aisha.
GoGEAR SoundDot MP3 Player, ` 1,599Refreshing its portable music player lineup, Philips has introduced a goodlooking MP3 player called the SoundDot. This small, colourful fashionaccessory is comfortable to wear for everyday activity like walking,exercising, or even cleaning the house. It also has a built-in clip forconvenient and hands-free use. Then the Fastcharge feature gives it 60minutes of juice in just six minutes.
Samsung HM1100 , ̀ 770The in-the-ear Bluetooth headset from Samsung isn’t hard on the pocket.Weighing 11 gm, this Bluetooth headset has a clip-on design and hassingle-mic noise reduction headphone. A two-hour charging can provideclose to 14 hours of talktime.
Canon Pixma - IP 2770, ` 1,795Still think printers cost a bomb? Not anymore as you can get a basic singlefunction printer for less than ̀ 2,000. The Canon Pixma IP2770 has acompact body with curvy edges and smooth finish that requires less spaceand fits virtually anywhere. It supports A4, Letter, Legal, A5, B5 andEnvelope media sizes.
Akai Smartbox ` 6,590Smart TVs are beyond the budgets of most people. But you can alwaysmake your television smart by getting it some artificial intelligence in theform of the Akai Smartbox. This Android-based device lets you access thenet, play all video files and even turns into a wireless hotspot.
WRAPPED ON A BUDGET
If the coolest for you is a TABLET...
... YOU SHOULD NOT
THINK BEYOND THIS
Lava Wi-Fi router` 3,199
Know someone who has a 3G dongle but often cribsabout not having a portable Wi-Fi connection? TheLava W150 can be a perfect gadget as it has an in-built battery and slot for connecting a EVDO or 3Gdongle. Once the dongle is connected, this router cre-ates a private Wi-Fi network that can be used to con-nect up to 32 users on the same connection.
Roll up keyboard` 899
An ideal gift for those who use tablets with USBports, the roll-up keyboard represents greatproductivity at a very affordable price. Made ofwater resistant rubber, this extra keyboard will fitinto the smallest of bags.
Micromax Funbook`6,499
An affordable tablet everyone can play andlearn with, the Funbook from Micromax is a
decent 7-incher powered by 1.2 GHzprocessor and 512MB RAM. It offers
4G internal memory and offers variousconnectivity ports like Wi-Fi, miniUSB port,
etc. Micromax has also tied up with various educational institutes for
providing content.
Envent Cowboy` 2,099
Do you carry your iPad in a laptop bag, or do you use a sleeve? Yes, youhave the smart cover, but what about a bag just for your favouritegadget. The Envent Cowboy is a simple denim cover for the iPad. Butit also provides a decent degree of protection in case something unto-ward happens. The Wild West looks make it a stunner anyway.
....BUT KEEP
TABS ON THESE TOO
Logitech WirelessSolar KeyboardFolio` 8,999
You can have a good iPad cover,but the utility of the sameincreases a keyboard comes in-built. Actually the Folio goes astep further and has a solarcharger for the keyboard so thatyou don’t have to power it withbatteries. A must-have for hard-core tablet users.
Portronics iJuicer` 899
iPad users will be grateful toyou for the Portronics USBJuicer. Traditionally, a PC is un-able to charge an iPad, butplugging this USB charger tothe PC and connecting it theiPad spells magic. While it willcharge the iPad without hassle,it will also charge an iPhone inhalf the time. This accessory iscompatible with Android de-vices too.
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
24November 2012
IT Gadgets & Gizmos 25
TEC
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Bag Piggies by Rovio(iOS $2.99, Android Free)Enough of the angry birds, now it istime to see what the piggies have to say.
The Dark Knight Rises by Gameloft (iOS $6.99, Android ` 366.85)Gift someone a chance to becomeBatman and save Gotham City. Thisgame is as popular as the movie.
Pages by Apple (iOS $9.99)Make your tablet as productive as aMac with the best word-processingapp for the smaller screen.
NexGTv by Digivive Services Pvt Ltd(iOS $1.99, Android Free)An ideal gift for someone who lovesher TV as much as herself, this app isgreat for snacking as well as full-fledged soap viewing.
SketchBook Pro by Autodesk Inc(iOS $1.99, Android ` 105)A great app for digital artists, thislets you do on your tablet almosteverything you would withPhotoshop.
Sygic (iOS $34.99)This is an offline voice guided GPSnavigation application that workssmoothly around the globe.
Smart Tools (Android ` 121.41)An All-in-One app that offers accessto smart tools like measuring length,angle, distance, height, directionand sound.
mSecure – Password(iOS $9.99, Android ` 517.74)One of the best privacy apps, it se-curely saves sensitive data such aspasswords along with generatingpasswords that no-one can guess.
iPhoto: (iOS $4.99)A universal app for iPhone, iPad andiPod, this offers smart browsing,multi-touch editing along withbrushes and professional-qualityeffects.
Documents To Go (iOS $9.99; Android` 776.87)Gift this app to those who alwayscarry a laptop for handling docu-mentation. This app will allow themto edit, view and even createMicrosoft Word, Excel andPowerPoint files with support forpassword protected Word and Excel.
COVERSTORY
Technogym Cross PersonalPrice on request
The Cross Personal can ensure a good trainingexperience for all kinds of users with an ellipticalmovement trajectory that offers a smooth andimpact-free feeling workout. This is also the firstweb-linked cross trainer with an integratedVISIOweb display and intuitive touchscreen thateven lets you check your emails or browse a socialnetwork. You can also watch TV or access yourphone, as long as you don’t forget to work out.
Gadget Cleaning kit` 500 onwards
Gadgets can’t be washed, but there are specialwipes and liquids that can be put to use to cleanthem. Something like the Antec Advance Cleaningsolutions line is a natural cleaner that can be usedto clean the display of a flat panel, laptop, phone,etc. Alcohol and ammonia free, these will not onlyremove finger printers but also keep the devicebacteria and static free.
... YOU SIMPLY
CANNOT IGNORE THIS
....BUT ALSO GO QUIRKY WITH THESE
Philips Delight` 1,200
Philips has introduced a new diya-shaped light just forDiwali. The Philips Delight sits ergonomically in the
cupped hand and turns off with a simple puff. This LEDlamp has a dancing light, mimicking the glow of the
real candle but without creating smoke or flame.
Kent Vegetable& Fruit Purifier ` 6,000
Kent has come up with avery useful health careproduct—the vegetableand fruit purifier. This puri-fier makes use of Ozonetechnology that can killbacteria, viruses, fungi andother pathogens in veggiesand fruits. It also effectivelyoxidises residual chemicalsfrom the surface of the fruitsand vegetables.
SOS CarMate` 799
It is always advisable to beprepared for accidents. TheSOS CarMate is a small kitwith six life-saving functionsthat should be a permanentfixture in your car. It includesan automotive hammerdesigned to break thevehicle’s toughened glass withone hit, a seat belt cutter tofree yourself if you aretrapped, an air-bag puncherspear, a distress light in caseof a breakdown, a sharpwhistle to draw attention anda torch light. The kit comeswith a magnetic mountbracket that holds the toolfirmly in place within thedriver’s reach.
Analyze This` 1,149
Ideal for partyhoppers, thisgadget shows whether youare fit to drive after abinge. It is always betterthat you find out if you arewithin the limit and notleave it to the cops to tellyou. This alcometer hastwo-unit measure of alcohollevels wich is displayed onan LCD screen with soundalerts.
If it’s a gift JUST FOR KICKS ...
Home Town Renoir`1,35,999
A bed with a TV is perfect bedroom luxury. Thissleeping contraption from HomeTown isequipped with a 32-inch flat panel TVmounted on the footboard. It can be
summoned from its recess by a remote control.It also has a niche underneath to store a DVD
player, remote controls and a set-top box. This bed Is upholstered in chocolate
brown faux leather. Very Bond.
TOP 5 APP GIFTS
TABLETS
MOBILES
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
26November 2012
IT Gadgets & Gizmos 27
TEC
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Boogie BoardRIP ` 6,200
Remember the old slateswe used to scribble onwhen we were kids? TheBoogie Board RIP willallow you to relive thosedays while acting as a per-fect writing tablet that canstore whatever is scribbledon it. This electronicscribble pad comes with astylus. The board offers8MB of internal storageand can store up to 200documents. The documentscreated in the form of PDFscan be viewed and trans-ferred to a PC.
Bag Piggies by Rovio(iOS $2.99, Android Free)Enough of the angry birds, now it istime to see what the piggies have to say.
The Dark Knight Rises by Gameloft (iOS $6.99, Android ` 366.85)Gift someone a chance to becomeBatman and save Gotham City. Thisgame is as popular as the movie.
Pages by Apple (iOS $9.99)Make your tablet as productive as aMac with the best word-processingapp for the smaller screen.
NexGTv by Digivive Services Pvt Ltd(iOS $1.99, Android Free)An ideal gift for someone who lovesher TV as much as herself, this app isgreat for snacking as well as full-fledged soap viewing.
SketchBook Pro by Autodesk Inc(iOS $1.99, Android ` 105)A great app for digital artists, thislets you do on your tablet almosteverything you would withPhotoshop.
Sygic (iOS $34.99)This is an offline voice guided GPSnavigation application that workssmoothly around the globe.
Smart Tools (Android ` 121.41)An All-in-One app that offers accessto smart tools like measuring length,angle, distance, height, directionand sound.
mSecure – Password(iOS $9.99, Android ` 517.74)One of the best privacy apps, it se-curely saves sensitive data such aspasswords along with generatingpasswords that no-one can guess.
iPhoto: (iOS $4.99)A universal app for iPhone, iPad andiPod, this offers smart browsing,multi-touch editing along withbrushes and professional-qualityeffects.
Documents To Go (iOS $9.99; Android` 776.87)Gift this app to those who alwayscarry a laptop for handling docu-mentation. This app will allow themto edit, view and even createMicrosoft Word, Excel andPowerPoint files with support forpassword protected Word and Excel.
COVERSTORY
Technogym Cross PersonalPrice on request
The Cross Personal can ensure a good trainingexperience for all kinds of users with an ellipticalmovement trajectory that offers a smooth andimpact-free feeling workout. This is also the firstweb-linked cross trainer with an integratedVISIOweb display and intuitive touchscreen thateven lets you check your emails or browse a socialnetwork. You can also watch TV or access yourphone, as long as you don’t forget to work out.
Gadget Cleaning kit` 500 onwards
Gadgets can’t be washed, but there are specialwipes and liquids that can be put to use to cleanthem. Something like the Antec Advance Cleaningsolutions line is a natural cleaner that can be usedto clean the display of a flat panel, laptop, phone,etc. Alcohol and ammonia free, these will not onlyremove finger printers but also keep the devicebacteria and static free.
... YOU SIMPLY
CANNOT IGNORE THIS
....BUT ALSO GO QUIRKY WITH THESE
Philips Delight` 1,200
Philips has introduced a new diya-shaped light just forDiwali. The Philips Delight sits ergonomically in the
cupped hand and turns off with a simple puff. This LEDlamp has a dancing light, mimicking the glow of the
real candle but without creating smoke or flame.
Kent Vegetable& Fruit Purifier ` 6,000
Kent has come up with avery useful health careproduct—the vegetableand fruit purifier. This puri-fier makes use of Ozonetechnology that can killbacteria, viruses, fungi andother pathogens in veggiesand fruits. It also effectivelyoxidises residual chemicalsfrom the surface of the fruitsand vegetables.
SOS CarMate` 799
It is always advisable to beprepared for accidents. TheSOS CarMate is a small kitwith six life-saving functionsthat should be a permanentfixture in your car. It includesan automotive hammerdesigned to break thevehicle’s toughened glass withone hit, a seat belt cutter tofree yourself if you aretrapped, an air-bag puncherspear, a distress light in caseof a breakdown, a sharpwhistle to draw attention anda torch light. The kit comeswith a magnetic mountbracket that holds the toolfirmly in place within thedriver’s reach.
Analyze This` 1,149
Ideal for partyhoppers, thisgadget shows whether youare fit to drive after abinge. It is always betterthat you find out if you arewithin the limit and notleave it to the cops to tellyou. This alcometer hastwo-unit measure of alcohollevels wich is displayed onan LCD screen with soundalerts.
If it’s a gift JUST FOR KICKS ...
Home Town Renoir`1,35,999
A bed with a TV is perfect bedroom luxury. Thissleeping contraption from HomeTown isequipped with a 32-inch flat panel TVmounted on the footboard. It can be
summoned from its recess by a remote control.It also has a niche underneath to store a DVD
player, remote controls and a set-top box. This bed Is upholstered in chocolate
brown faux leather. Very Bond.
TOP 5 APP GIFTS
TABLETS
MOBILES
IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
26November 2012
IT Gadgets & Gizmos 27
TEC
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IFT
S
Boogie BoardRIP ` 6,200
Remember the old slateswe used to scribble onwhen we were kids? TheBoogie Board RIP willallow you to relive thosedays while acting as a per-fect writing tablet that canstore whatever is scribbledon it. This electronicscribble pad comes with astylus. The board offers8MB of internal storageand can store up to 200documents. The documentscreated in the form of PDFscan be viewed and trans-ferred to a PC.
Imaging: VANITA ARORA
30November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 31
REVIEWS APPS LISTINGS
TRENDS
mob
ile p
hone
s
Phot
ogra
ph b
yRA
JWAN
T RA
WAT
; Im
agin
g by
VANI
TA A
RORA
THE LATEST VERSION OFTHE IPHONE IS THINNER,
LIGHTER AND LONGER, BUTDOES THAT MAKE IT BETTER
TOO? WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT’S NEW IN
THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE PHONE
HARDWAREThere has always been something special about the iPhone. While the basicsstill remains the same, the iPhone 5 has got itself more powerful innards,gained some height and shed some weight.
DESIGN: The iPhone 5 is 18 per cent thinner and 20 per cent lighter than itspredecessor. It is 7.6mm thin, approximately 1.7mm sleeker than the iPhone4S. Living up to the competition of having bigger, better displays, the iPhone 5 has a 4-inch display, achieved by making the screen longer. Appledid not want to increase the width beyond 58.6mm as that would have madeit harder to use with a single hand. The 4-inch screen means more realestate, enough to create space for another row of icons. However, the new,thinner display is bright and offers more clarity. The phone has also got analuminum back.
LIGHTNING CONNECTOR: In the effort to make the iPhone thinner, Apple hasreplaced its proprietary 30-pin connector with the new eight-pin digitalconnector. This new connector is advanced and reversible, which means thecable can be plugged in from any side. To make the new iPhone compatiblewith the existing accessories, Apple has also launched a special adapter.
PROCESSOR: Replacing the dual-core A4 processor on the iPhone 4S is the A6processor. Apple hasn’t shared much details about the A6 chip, but it claimsthe iPhone 5 will be 2x faster and will offer 2x graphics performance over itspredecessor. The iPhone 5 comes prepared for graphic-heavy games and forextra power needs.
CAMERA: The 8MP iSight camera of the iPhone 4S was just fantastic. Insteadof increasing the megapixel count, Apple claims to have enhanced the cameraitself. It captures photos 40 per cent faster than its predecessor and has betterlow-light performance and improved noise reduction. It also supportsPanorama that allows user to shoot up to 240 degrees in a single motion. Forcapturing 1080p videos, video stabilisation has been enhanced. Lastly, userswill be now able to click images even as they are capturing videos.
NANO-SIM: Unlike the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, the new iPhone does notsupport a microSIM card. Apple has stepped ahead to include a new technol-ogy by using a nano-SIM slot. This new SIM card is not only small but is 15per cent thinner than the regular SIM cards.
LTE: Like the new iPad, the iPhone 5 supports LTE wireless technology. Butit won’t be compatible with 4G LTE networks that are coming up in India.
The advanced, smart-phones that we use
today are a gift fromApple. No, Apple
didn’t design all of them, butback in 2007 it gave the
industry a masterpiece thatmanaged to change the dyna-
mics for good. It set new bench-marks, both in terms of the
hardware and software. It won’tbe wrong to say that if Apple
hadn’t launched the iPhone, wecould still have been been using
the old 2.4-inch displays withalphanumeric keypads in
feature phones and resistive(stylus driven) displays in
business phones. Yes, there were apps for Nokia
and Windows phones then too.But we had to search websites
like getjar.com to downloadthem. Apple streamlined this by
introducing App Store, a one-stop shop for downloading all
free and paid apps. Apple hasn’t looked back
since. Unlike other players, thecompany brings out just one
new smartphone every year andmanages to keep the competi-
tion on their toes. The recentlylaunched iPhone 5 with a bigger
display, faster processor, finecamera and better battery life is
single-handedly trying to keepthe Android onslaught at bay.
Here is a look at the newfeatures in this iconic phone—
and where it falls short.
BY NIDHI SINGAL
30November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 31
REVIEWS APPS LISTINGS
TRENDS
mob
ile p
hone
s
Phot
ogra
ph b
yRA
JWAN
T RA
WAT
; Im
agin
g by
VANI
TA A
RORA
THE LATEST VERSION OFTHE IPHONE IS THINNER,
LIGHTER AND LONGER, BUTDOES THAT MAKE IT BETTER
TOO? WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT’S NEW IN
THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE PHONE
HARDWAREThere has always been something special about the iPhone. While the basicsstill remains the same, the iPhone 5 has got itself more powerful innards,gained some height and shed some weight.
DESIGN: The iPhone 5 is 18 per cent thinner and 20 per cent lighter than itspredecessor. It is 7.6mm thin, approximately 1.7mm sleeker than the iPhone4S. Living up to the competition of having bigger, better displays, the iPhone 5 has a 4-inch display, achieved by making the screen longer. Appledid not want to increase the width beyond 58.6mm as that would have madeit harder to use with a single hand. The 4-inch screen means more realestate, enough to create space for another row of icons. However, the new,thinner display is bright and offers more clarity. The phone has also got analuminum back.
LIGHTNING CONNECTOR: In the effort to make the iPhone thinner, Apple hasreplaced its proprietary 30-pin connector with the new eight-pin digitalconnector. This new connector is advanced and reversible, which means thecable can be plugged in from any side. To make the new iPhone compatiblewith the existing accessories, Apple has also launched a special adapter.
PROCESSOR: Replacing the dual-core A4 processor on the iPhone 4S is the A6processor. Apple hasn’t shared much details about the A6 chip, but it claimsthe iPhone 5 will be 2x faster and will offer 2x graphics performance over itspredecessor. The iPhone 5 comes prepared for graphic-heavy games and forextra power needs.
CAMERA: The 8MP iSight camera of the iPhone 4S was just fantastic. Insteadof increasing the megapixel count, Apple claims to have enhanced the cameraitself. It captures photos 40 per cent faster than its predecessor and has betterlow-light performance and improved noise reduction. It also supportsPanorama that allows user to shoot up to 240 degrees in a single motion. Forcapturing 1080p videos, video stabilisation has been enhanced. Lastly, userswill be now able to click images even as they are capturing videos.
NANO-SIM: Unlike the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, the new iPhone does notsupport a microSIM card. Apple has stepped ahead to include a new technol-ogy by using a nano-SIM slot. This new SIM card is not only small but is 15per cent thinner than the regular SIM cards.
LTE: Like the new iPad, the iPhone 5 supports LTE wireless technology. Butit won’t be compatible with 4G LTE networks that are coming up in India.
The advanced, smart-phones that we use
today are a gift fromApple. No, Apple
didn’t design all of them, butback in 2007 it gave the
industry a masterpiece thatmanaged to change the dyna-
mics for good. It set new bench-marks, both in terms of the
hardware and software. It won’tbe wrong to say that if Apple
hadn’t launched the iPhone, wecould still have been been using
the old 2.4-inch displays withalphanumeric keypads in
feature phones and resistive(stylus driven) displays in
business phones. Yes, there were apps for Nokia
and Windows phones then too.But we had to search websites
like getjar.com to downloadthem. Apple streamlined this by
introducing App Store, a one-stop shop for downloading all
free and paid apps. Apple hasn’t looked back
since. Unlike other players, thecompany brings out just one
new smartphone every year andmanages to keep the competi-
tion on their toes. The recentlylaunched iPhone 5 with a bigger
display, faster processor, finecamera and better battery life is
single-handedly trying to keepthe Android onslaught at bay.
Here is a look at the newfeatures in this iconic phone—
and where it falls short.
BY NIDHI SINGAL
32November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 33
REVIEWS APPS LISTINGS
TRENDS
mob
ile p
hone
s
SOFTWARE: iOS 6
The iPhone 5 will run Apple’s new iOS 6 operating system. iOS iseasier to use as unlike Android and other platforms there is no
hidden menu or options. All apps are laid out scattered across thehomescreens and users can make folders just by dragging and
placing the app icon over another. The biggest plus point of own-ing an Apple device is the instant availability of updates. The
minute Apple rolled out the iOS 6, the update was available to allApple users across the globe, irrespective of the device and coun-
try. Here is what the iOS 6 brings to the table.
FACEBOOK INTEGRATION: Social network integration is a must inany smartphone today. After integrating Twitter in iOS 5, Applehas now opened the doors for Facebook integration. Now users
will be able to share photos, update status without having to loginto the app.
MAPS: With iOS 6, Apple has dropped Google Maps and replacedit with its own Maps. Maps offer turn-by-turn navigation and anew 3D feature called ‘Flyover’. However, unlike Google Maps,
the new mapping software lacks details and features. It does notsupport turn-by-turn direction in India.
SIRI: The intelligent voice assistant, Siri, was the distinguishingfeature on the iPhone 4S. With the iOS 6, Siri has become smarter.
It has learned new tricks and can now launch apps, present scorecards, search for movie tickets, and book tables at restaurants. Itcan even send a tweet and post on Facebook. However, some of
these features will not work in India.
VIP EMAIL: Thanks to the deluge of junk emails we often over-look important mails. Not any more, as iOS 6 lets users set up a
VIP list. Users can now also have different signatures for differentaccounts with the new Mail app.
PHOTO STREAM: The new Photo Stream feature allows Appleusers to create Photo Streams and share it with other users overiCloud. Just like Facebook and Instagram, people invited to the
group can like the images and even add comments.
SAFARI: The number of improvements on Safari browser includeoffline reading list, photo upload support, full-screen landscape
view on iPhone, etc. The iCloud also syncs the browsing historyacross iOS devices when logged in using the same account. Safari
on iOS 6 features a brand new Java Script engine, which makesSafari
significantly faster.
FACETIME OVER 3G: Till now, video chat using FaceTime was onlypossible if both the parities were on Wi-Fi. But on iOS 6, it works
over cellular network as well.
MESSAGE REPLY & DND: Basic features like decline an incomingcall with a text message, set a callback reminder or create a preset
message have been added to iOS 6. The Do Not Disturb featureallows users to set up a time for incoming calls to be silenced. Onecan also create a list of people that can still continue to reach you
overriding the DND settings.
Till now, Apple iPhone users always had an edge over competitors, at least on the applica-tion front. For past five years, the phone’s display had stayed at 3.5 inches, as a result ofwhich all apps listed on the App Store were compatible with the iPhone 4S. But given theincreased screen size of the iPhone 5, users and developers could face some challenges.While the existing apps will run flawlessly, there will be an emplty black space on the topand the bottom, restricting users from enjoying full benefits of the bigger display. But oncethe developer updates the app, things will be back in place. This can take some time.
“The change depends on the type of app,” says Binay Tiwari, Head, Global Marketing,Vserv.mobi. “Some of the ‘table’ structure layout type apps will get updated relatively easily,while the more graphics intensive games may need a re-design. The app ecosystem is acompetitive one and Apple rewards developers that support their latest hardware byfeaturing their apps on the App Store.”
iPhone 5
Diwali
APP STORE
Rumours suggest that the iPhone 5 is likely to get launched by the end of October, beforeDiwali. Also, Apple will be launching the phone through its distribution channel and notwith the operators. But given the weak rupee, we expect the iPhone 5 to be launched at aprice between ` 47,000 and ` 50,000. Also, the launch of the iPhone 5 will bring down theprice of the iPhone 4S, currently retailing at ` 44,500. Our bet is that it will be pricedaround ` 39,000. While the iPhone 3GS has been discontinued, the iPhone 4 prices too willcome down to ` 30,000 from the present `37,500. With a stronger rupee, the iPhone 4could have been retailing around `20,000.
COSTING & INDIA RELATIONSHIP
Like its hardware, Apple has one of the best service support structures as well. WhileApple offers international warranty for its Mac lineup along with the iPod and iPad,
things are a bit different for iPhone, which comes with a country-specific warranty. Incase anything goes wrong within the warranty period, just take it to the service centre
with the proof of purchase.
SERVICE
ALTERNATIVES
APPLE IPHONE 4: iOS 4 (upgradable to iOS6); 3.5 inch Retina display; Apple A4 Chip(1GHz); 8GB internal storage; Wi-Fi, 3G,Bluetooth; 5 MP; 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 137 gm.
APPLE IPHONE 4S: iOS 5 (upgradable toiOS 6); 3.5 inch Retina Display; Apple A5chip (1GHz dual core); 8GB/16GB/32GBinternal storage; Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth; 8 MPcamera; 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 140 gm.
NOKIA LUMIA 920: Windows Phone 8; 4.5inch display; 1.5GHz Dual Core processor;32GB internal storage; Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth,NFC; 8 MP camera; 130.3 x 70.8 x 10.7 mm;185 gm.
SAMSUNG GALAXY SIII: Android v4.0; 4.8inch display; 1.4GHz quad-core processor;16GB internal storage, 32 GB expandable;Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth; 8 MP camera; 136.6 x70.6 x 8.6 mm; 133 gm.
HTC ONE X: Android v4.0; 4.7 inch display;1.5GHz quad-core processor; 32GB onboardstorage; Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth; 8 MP camera;134.4 x 69.9 x 8.9 mm; 130 gm.
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II: Android v4.1;5.5 inch display; 1.6GHz quad-core proces-sor; 16/32/64GB onboard storage, Wi-Fi,3G, Bluetooth, NFC; 8 MP camera; 151.1 x80.5 x 9.4 mm; 180 gm.
could be
here for
32November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 33
REVIEWS APPS LISTINGS
TRENDS
mob
ile p
hone
s
SOFTWARE: iOS 6
The iPhone 5 will run Apple’s new iOS 6 operating system. iOS iseasier to use as unlike Android and other platforms there is no
hidden menu or options. All apps are laid out scattered across thehomescreens and users can make folders just by dragging and
placing the app icon over another. The biggest plus point of own-ing an Apple device is the instant availability of updates. The
minute Apple rolled out the iOS 6, the update was available to allApple users across the globe, irrespective of the device and coun-
try. Here is what the iOS 6 brings to the table.
FACEBOOK INTEGRATION: Social network integration is a must inany smartphone today. After integrating Twitter in iOS 5, Applehas now opened the doors for Facebook integration. Now users
will be able to share photos, update status without having to loginto the app.
MAPS: With iOS 6, Apple has dropped Google Maps and replacedit with its own Maps. Maps offer turn-by-turn navigation and anew 3D feature called ‘Flyover’. However, unlike Google Maps,
the new mapping software lacks details and features. It does notsupport turn-by-turn direction in India.
SIRI: The intelligent voice assistant, Siri, was the distinguishingfeature on the iPhone 4S. With the iOS 6, Siri has become smarter.
It has learned new tricks and can now launch apps, present scorecards, search for movie tickets, and book tables at restaurants. Itcan even send a tweet and post on Facebook. However, some of
these features will not work in India.
VIP EMAIL: Thanks to the deluge of junk emails we often over-look important mails. Not any more, as iOS 6 lets users set up a
VIP list. Users can now also have different signatures for differentaccounts with the new Mail app.
PHOTO STREAM: The new Photo Stream feature allows Appleusers to create Photo Streams and share it with other users overiCloud. Just like Facebook and Instagram, people invited to the
group can like the images and even add comments.
SAFARI: The number of improvements on Safari browser includeoffline reading list, photo upload support, full-screen landscape
view on iPhone, etc. The iCloud also syncs the browsing historyacross iOS devices when logged in using the same account. Safari
on iOS 6 features a brand new Java Script engine, which makesSafari
significantly faster.
FACETIME OVER 3G: Till now, video chat using FaceTime was onlypossible if both the parities were on Wi-Fi. But on iOS 6, it works
over cellular network as well.
MESSAGE REPLY & DND: Basic features like decline an incomingcall with a text message, set a callback reminder or create a preset
message have been added to iOS 6. The Do Not Disturb featureallows users to set up a time for incoming calls to be silenced. Onecan also create a list of people that can still continue to reach you
overriding the DND settings.
Till now, Apple iPhone users always had an edge over competitors, at least on the applica-tion front. For past five years, the phone’s display had stayed at 3.5 inches, as a result ofwhich all apps listed on the App Store were compatible with the iPhone 4S. But given theincreased screen size of the iPhone 5, users and developers could face some challenges.While the existing apps will run flawlessly, there will be an emplty black space on the topand the bottom, restricting users from enjoying full benefits of the bigger display. But oncethe developer updates the app, things will be back in place. This can take some time.
“The change depends on the type of app,” says Binay Tiwari, Head, Global Marketing,Vserv.mobi. “Some of the ‘table’ structure layout type apps will get updated relatively easily,while the more graphics intensive games may need a re-design. The app ecosystem is acompetitive one and Apple rewards developers that support their latest hardware byfeaturing their apps on the App Store.”
iPhone 5
Diwali
APP STORE
Rumours suggest that the iPhone 5 is likely to get launched by the end of October, beforeDiwali. Also, Apple will be launching the phone through its distribution channel and notwith the operators. But given the weak rupee, we expect the iPhone 5 to be launched at aprice between ` 47,000 and ` 50,000. Also, the launch of the iPhone 5 will bring down theprice of the iPhone 4S, currently retailing at ` 44,500. Our bet is that it will be pricedaround ` 39,000. While the iPhone 3GS has been discontinued, the iPhone 4 prices too willcome down to ` 30,000 from the present `37,500. With a stronger rupee, the iPhone 4could have been retailing around `20,000.
COSTING & INDIA RELATIONSHIP
Like its hardware, Apple has one of the best service support structures as well. WhileApple offers international warranty for its Mac lineup along with the iPod and iPad,
things are a bit different for iPhone, which comes with a country-specific warranty. Incase anything goes wrong within the warranty period, just take it to the service centre
with the proof of purchase.
SERVICE
ALTERNATIVES
APPLE IPHONE 4: iOS 4 (upgradable to iOS6); 3.5 inch Retina display; Apple A4 Chip(1GHz); 8GB internal storage; Wi-Fi, 3G,Bluetooth; 5 MP; 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 137 gm.
APPLE IPHONE 4S: iOS 5 (upgradable toiOS 6); 3.5 inch Retina Display; Apple A5chip (1GHz dual core); 8GB/16GB/32GBinternal storage; Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth; 8 MPcamera; 115.2 x 58.6 x 9.3 mm, 140 gm.
NOKIA LUMIA 920: Windows Phone 8; 4.5inch display; 1.5GHz Dual Core processor;32GB internal storage; Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth,NFC; 8 MP camera; 130.3 x 70.8 x 10.7 mm;185 gm.
SAMSUNG GALAXY SIII: Android v4.0; 4.8inch display; 1.4GHz quad-core processor;16GB internal storage, 32 GB expandable;Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth; 8 MP camera; 136.6 x70.6 x 8.6 mm; 133 gm.
HTC ONE X: Android v4.0; 4.7 inch display;1.5GHz quad-core processor; 32GB onboardstorage; Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth; 8 MP camera;134.4 x 69.9 x 8.9 mm; 130 gm.
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE II: Android v4.1;5.5 inch display; 1.6GHz quad-core proces-sor; 16/32/64GB onboard storage, Wi-Fi,3G, Bluetooth, NFC; 8 MP camera; 151.1 x80.5 x 9.4 mm; 180 gm.
could be
here for
34November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 35
TRENDS APPS LISTINGS
REVIEWS
mob
ile p
hone
s
EVERYDAYANDROIDBudget smartphones aren’t known fortheir build quality or specs, especially whenlaunched by the operators. But with theIdea Aurus, we were in for a big surprise.
Manufactured by Alcatel, the Aurus hasgot a perfect size and a sturdy built.Made of black plastic, the phone hascurved edges with a thin metal bezel run-ning on the sides. The 3.5-inch multi-touch display at the front gives Auruswith the perfect dimensions for a com-fortable grip.
The display is bright and responsive.The three Android touch keys—menu,search and back—are accompanied by aphysical home key that comes handywhile using the phone. A dedicated cam-era key has been placed on the left panelof the phone.
The Aurus is a dual-SIM smartphonewith the Android v2.3 onboard. The un-lock screen of the phone looks differentand we can unlock it by dragging ourfinger from top to bottom. We couldbrowse through many apps in the applica-tion launcher. Along with the regulars likeGmail, Play Store, YouTube, Maps, etc, ithad many other apps icons such asAntiVirus Pro, Android Manager, CloudBackup, DRM utility, Currency Converter,Idea TV, Office Suite, PinBall, etc. Whilesome of the apps were installed on thephone, launching the rest took us to the‘install’ option on the Play Store. It alsohad a basic camera, which states 5MPunder settings using interpolations soft-ware. There is also a front facing cameraonboard that can be used for video call-ing. The Aurus has an 800MHz proces-sor and an expandable memory card slot.This dual-SIM smartphone has a 1300mAh battery that gives us a day’s usageon a single charge.
DUAL HAPPINESSSony Mobile is trying to get back the smart-phone game with its new baby, the Tipo. This isa cute looking, compact Android running on thelatest operating system along with support fortwo SIM cards.
Sony has been clever enough to venture intothe dual SIM smartphone segment with theTipo. Priced aggressively, the Tipo has astandby dual SIM support. This means thatwhen a call is active on the first SIM, the sec-ond SIM card will be not available during thetime, and vice-versa. Also, the smartphoneruns Android 4.0 Ice-Cream Sandwich out ofthe box. Strangely, even the company’s highphones like the Xperia S operated onGingerbread and was only upgraded later.
The Tipo also has a 3.2-inch capacitive touchdisplay that is responsive, though the low reso-lution display isn’t perfect for enjoying multime-dia content. Also, due to the small display, theonscreen keyboard appeared to be a bitcramped. But we got used to it soon enough.We put the Tipo through the browsing test andit passed with the flying colours. It smoothlymanaged to fetch our emails along withFacebook and Twitter updates. The Tipo comesacross as a good device for playing music asthe sound output was loud and clear.
However, imaging is not its forte. The phonehas a 3.15MP camera with fixed focus. Theimages obtained were just about average.Unlike other sub ` 10,000 smartphones thathave 1GHz processor onboard, the Tipomanages to perform with just a 800MHz chip.There wasn’t any significant lag either.Interestingly, the 1500 mAh battery lasted aday and a half with ease.
BRIGHTSOUNDAll smartphones are shipped with wired in-ear headphones, but not all of these aregood. There are good replacements in themarket, but not too many over-the-ear op-tions. Elecom has come up with one suchheadphone which is meant for Androidsmartphones.
Built in bright red, the review unit had cush-ioned ear cups that looked big and bulky. Butthe padded ear-cups were really comfortableto wear for long durations and managed tocut some of the outside noise as well. To oursurprise, the sound output was awesome,something that most of the headphones inthis price bracket lack.
On Android phones the microphone on thisheadset is also activated. However, the samefeature was not available when we testedwith a Windows Phone. Also, there is a vol-ume control placed on the wire.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A must-have funky headphone foryour Android smartphone
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A worthy contender for the dual-SIMsmartphone honours.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A refreshing budget Android.
ELECOM EHP –SMOH100 SERIESPrice: ` 2,599
GG
GGIDEA AURUSPrice: ` 7,190
Specs: Android v2.3; 3.5-inchdisplay; 800MHz processor;Expandable memory card slot; Wi-Fi-, 3G, Bluetooth; 5MP camera;1300 mAh battery.
SONY XPERIA TIPOPrice: ` 9,999
GGSpecs: Android 4.0; 3.2 inch display; 800Mhzprocessor; 2.5GB internal storage; 32GB expandable;Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G; 3.15 MP; 1,500 mAh battery. —TEXT BY NIDHI SINGAL
AND PICTURE BYRAJWANT RAWAT
34November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 35
TRENDS APPS LISTINGS
REVIEWS
mob
ile p
hone
s
EVERYDAYANDROIDBudget smartphones aren’t known fortheir build quality or specs, especially whenlaunched by the operators. But with theIdea Aurus, we were in for a big surprise.
Manufactured by Alcatel, the Aurus hasgot a perfect size and a sturdy built.Made of black plastic, the phone hascurved edges with a thin metal bezel run-ning on the sides. The 3.5-inch multi-touch display at the front gives Auruswith the perfect dimensions for a com-fortable grip.
The display is bright and responsive.The three Android touch keys—menu,search and back—are accompanied by aphysical home key that comes handywhile using the phone. A dedicated cam-era key has been placed on the left panelof the phone.
The Aurus is a dual-SIM smartphonewith the Android v2.3 onboard. The un-lock screen of the phone looks differentand we can unlock it by dragging ourfinger from top to bottom. We couldbrowse through many apps in the applica-tion launcher. Along with the regulars likeGmail, Play Store, YouTube, Maps, etc, ithad many other apps icons such asAntiVirus Pro, Android Manager, CloudBackup, DRM utility, Currency Converter,Idea TV, Office Suite, PinBall, etc. Whilesome of the apps were installed on thephone, launching the rest took us to the‘install’ option on the Play Store. It alsohad a basic camera, which states 5MPunder settings using interpolations soft-ware. There is also a front facing cameraonboard that can be used for video call-ing. The Aurus has an 800MHz proces-sor and an expandable memory card slot.This dual-SIM smartphone has a 1300mAh battery that gives us a day’s usageon a single charge.
DUAL HAPPINESSSony Mobile is trying to get back the smart-phone game with its new baby, the Tipo. This isa cute looking, compact Android running on thelatest operating system along with support fortwo SIM cards.
Sony has been clever enough to venture intothe dual SIM smartphone segment with theTipo. Priced aggressively, the Tipo has astandby dual SIM support. This means thatwhen a call is active on the first SIM, the sec-ond SIM card will be not available during thetime, and vice-versa. Also, the smartphoneruns Android 4.0 Ice-Cream Sandwich out ofthe box. Strangely, even the company’s highphones like the Xperia S operated onGingerbread and was only upgraded later.
The Tipo also has a 3.2-inch capacitive touchdisplay that is responsive, though the low reso-lution display isn’t perfect for enjoying multime-dia content. Also, due to the small display, theonscreen keyboard appeared to be a bitcramped. But we got used to it soon enough.We put the Tipo through the browsing test andit passed with the flying colours. It smoothlymanaged to fetch our emails along withFacebook and Twitter updates. The Tipo comesacross as a good device for playing music asthe sound output was loud and clear.
However, imaging is not its forte. The phonehas a 3.15MP camera with fixed focus. Theimages obtained were just about average.Unlike other sub ` 10,000 smartphones thathave 1GHz processor onboard, the Tipomanages to perform with just a 800MHz chip.There wasn’t any significant lag either.Interestingly, the 1500 mAh battery lasted aday and a half with ease.
BRIGHTSOUNDAll smartphones are shipped with wired in-ear headphones, but not all of these aregood. There are good replacements in themarket, but not too many over-the-ear op-tions. Elecom has come up with one suchheadphone which is meant for Androidsmartphones.
Built in bright red, the review unit had cush-ioned ear cups that looked big and bulky. Butthe padded ear-cups were really comfortableto wear for long durations and managed tocut some of the outside noise as well. To oursurprise, the sound output was awesome,something that most of the headphones inthis price bracket lack.
On Android phones the microphone on thisheadset is also activated. However, the samefeature was not available when we testedwith a Windows Phone. Also, there is a vol-ume control placed on the wire.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A must-have funky headphone foryour Android smartphone
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A worthy contender for the dual-SIMsmartphone honours.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A refreshing budget Android.
ELECOM EHP –SMOH100 SERIESPrice: ` 2,599
GG
GGIDEA AURUSPrice: ` 7,190
Specs: Android v2.3; 3.5-inchdisplay; 800MHz processor;Expandable memory card slot; Wi-Fi-, 3G, Bluetooth; 5MP camera;1300 mAh battery.
SONY XPERIA TIPOPrice: ` 9,999
GGSpecs: Android 4.0; 3.2 inch display; 800Mhzprocessor; 2.5GB internal storage; 32GB expandable;Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G; 3.15 MP; 1,500 mAh battery. —TEXT BY NIDHI SINGAL
AND PICTURE BYRAJWANT RAWAT
36November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
November 201237IT Gadgets & Gizmos
YOUR MONTHLY UPDATE ON MOBILE PHONE APPSAPPSOLUTELY
MagistoAndroid OS; iOS
This video editing app helps create movies that can be easily shared or uploadedto YouTube. Even without creating an account, we could capture a new video orselect an existing video on our phone. To create a movie we can select multiplevideos. Once done, the next step is to add sound effects. For this, Magistofeatures various tracks under audio categories like Dance&Electro, Love, Latin &Spanish, Birthday, Kids, Travel, Rock & Pop, Hip Hop and Background music.Users can also add music from their playlists without much hassle. The app thenanalyses the video content to determine which parts are the most interesting andworth keeping. It automatically cuts the dull, boring parts. It even compressesthe video. Users can choose between high quality or faster upload. Also, thesefiles can shared over Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Pencil CameraBlackBerry OSWe often pay artists at fairs andmalls to create our sketches. Butwhy bother when you have anapp to do the job for free. Usingthe Pencil Camera application,BlackBerry users can add anartistic touch to boring images.All a user needs to do is snap theimage using the Pencil Cameraapp. Within a few seconds, thisapp will create a neat andimpressive pencil sketch. Theimages generated using thePencil Camera app are saved inthe Gallery. Just like the regularimages, these can be easilyshared online, emailed or eventransfered over Bluetooth.
CB Save the LadooAndroid; Symbian
Kids are in love with Chotta Bheem, thecartoon character on children’s channelPogo. For younsters hooked to the series,there is now an official game, ‘CB Save theLadoo’. In this game app, Bheem has tomake sure that all the ladoos are deliveredsafely. Simple and easy to play, the playerjust has to move the conveyor belt to shiftthe ladoos ahead and save them fromfalling. However, you have to stay clear ofthe rat which try to cross the side. If theycross, one ends up losing a life. The initialstages are really very simple to play.
Windows Phone 8Windows Phone
Want to get a hang of the upcoming Windows Phone 8 operatingsystem for the smartphones? Use this app to get a hands-on feelof the new OS homescreen on your existing Windows Phone.Launching the app displays a homescreen that looks identical towhat we will get with the new OS. While it looked a bit cluttered,we tried adjusting the size of the apps on the screen and wereeasily able to resize the tiles.
TRENDS REVIEWS
APPSLISTINGS
mob
ile p
hone
s
—NIDHI SINGAL
Top Affordable Phones
Price: ` 3,500
Specs: 2.4-inch display;QWERTY keypad; VGAcamera; 1020mAh batteryPros: Good performanceCons: Poor camera
1. NOKIA X2-01Price: ` 5,080
Specs: 2.4-inchdisplay, 2MP camera,QWERTY keypad; 1000mAh batteryPros: Great looks, Wi-FiCons: High price
2. SAMSUNG CHAT 355Price: ` 3,999
Specs: 2.4-inch display,triple SIM GSM; 1.3 MPcamera; 1500 mAh batteryPros: Triple SIM GSM,good displayCons: Average camera
3. ZEN M111
SMARTPHONESTOP10
Specs: 4.3-inch display; Android v4.0; 1.7Ghzdual-core processor; 16GB onboard. Plus: Super fast performance Minus: NA
1. HTC ONE S (` 33,560)
Specs: 4.7-inch display; Android v4.0; 1.5Ghzquad-core processor; 32GB onboard. Plus: Super fast performance Minus: Battery
2. HTC ONE X (` 35,000)
Specs: 4.8-inch display; Android v4.0; 1.4GHzquad-core processor; 16GB onboard;64 GB expandable memory.Plus: Performance Minus:S Voice
3. SAMSUNG GALAXY S III (` 38,900)
Specs: 5.3-inch display; Android v2.3;1.4GHz dual-core processor; 16GB onboard;32GB expandable memory.Plus: Performance Minus: Almost none.
4. SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE (` 32,500)
Specs: 2.8-inch display; BB 7.0; 1.2GHzprocessor; 8GB internal; 32GB expandable.Plus: Best BlackBerry smartphoneMinus:Battery
6. BLACKBERRY 9900 (` 32,500)
Specs: 3.5-inch display; iOS; 16GB onboardmemory; 1GHz processor.Pros: Apple App Store Minus: iTunes Sync
5. APPLE i PHONE 4 (` 35,500)
Specs: 3.7-inch display; Android v4.0; 1GHzprocessor; 4GB internal memory, expandablePlus: Value for Money; Minus: NA
7. HTC ONE V (` 18,000)
Specs: 3.7-inch display; Windows 7.5; 1.4GHzprocessor; 8GB internal memory.Plus: Good hardware Minus: No Bluetooth transfer.
8. NOKIA LUMIA 710 (` 14,500)
Specs: 4.2 inch display; Android v2.3;1.4GHz processor; 1GB internal memory; 32GBexpandable; 8MP cameraPlus: ICS update Minus: Is Old
9. SONY ERICSSON XPERIA ARC S (` 24,990)
Specs: 2.44-inch display; BB 7.1; 512 MB in-ternal; 32GB expandable; 1450 mAh battery.Plus: Affordable BlackBerry; Minus: No 3G
10. BLACKBERRY 9220 (` 10,990 )
Top Dual-SIM/ CDMA Phones
Price: ` 14,180
Specs: 3.5-inch display;Android v2.3; GSM + CDMAdual SIM; 32GB expandablePros: Active CDMA + GSMCons: Price
1. SAMSUNG GALAXY ACE DUOS
Price: ` 9,500
Specs: 2.6-inch display;touch + QWERTY; 160 MBonboard; 32GB expandablePros: Android Dual SImCons: Poor touch
2. SAMSUNG GALAXY YPRO DUOS Price: ` 2,649
Specs: FM player; Torch light; 5 MB memory, expandable to 4 GB; No cameraPros: Basic CDMACons: No camera
3. LG 6160
Top Music Phones
Price: ` 12,600
Specs: 3.5-inch display;Symbian Belle; 1GHz proces-sor; microSIM slotPros: Will get DolbyHeadphones; Cons: Symbian
1.NOKIA 603Price: ` 15,900
Specs: 4-inch display; BadaOS; 1.4GHz processor; 32GBexpandablePros: Nice SoundCons: Bada OS
2. SAMSUNG WAVE 3
Price: ` 13,500
Specs: 3.2-inch display;Android 2.3; 1GHz processor;32GB expandablePros: Good SoundCons: No keyboard
3. SONY ERICSSON WALKMAN LIVE
Top Camera Phones
Price: ` 33,000
Specs: 4-inch display;Symbian Belle; 1.3GHz proces-sor; 16 GB onboard; 41 MPcamera sensor.Pros: Camera Cons: Old OS
1. NOKIA 808 PUREVIEWPrice: ` 45,500
Specs: 3.5-inch display; iOS;8MP camera with HDR; 1GHzdual core processor; 16GB.Pros: Superb CameraCons: Price
2. APPLE IPHONE 4SPrice: ` 19,000
Specs: 3.5-inch display; 12 MPcamera; 680MHz processor;16GB onboard, expandable. Pros: Camera; Cons: Symbian
3. NOKIA N8
Job SearchAndroid, iOS
Coming from Indeed.com, this is yet another job search app that is really easy touse. A basic search can be initiated by just keying in some details like what (jobtitle, keywords or company) and where (city or state). The results can be sortedby relevance or by date. The various results listed stores in all the basic detailssuch as job profile, work experience required, etc. One can also view the job oremail it to yourself or a friend. There is also an option to ‘save the job’ if youhave created an account. After creating the account, one can even post theirresume with all relevant data and information. When we tried searching forwriting and journalism related jobs, it showed numerous results, of which somebelonged to famous media houses and websites. The user is free to change thelocation from which they want to see results.
36November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
November 201237IT Gadgets & Gizmos
YOUR MONTHLY UPDATE ON MOBILE PHONE APPSAPPSOLUTELY
MagistoAndroid OS; iOS
This video editing app helps create movies that can be easily shared or uploadedto YouTube. Even without creating an account, we could capture a new video orselect an existing video on our phone. To create a movie we can select multiplevideos. Once done, the next step is to add sound effects. For this, Magistofeatures various tracks under audio categories like Dance&Electro, Love, Latin &Spanish, Birthday, Kids, Travel, Rock & Pop, Hip Hop and Background music.Users can also add music from their playlists without much hassle. The app thenanalyses the video content to determine which parts are the most interesting andworth keeping. It automatically cuts the dull, boring parts. It even compressesthe video. Users can choose between high quality or faster upload. Also, thesefiles can shared over Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Pencil CameraBlackBerry OSWe often pay artists at fairs andmalls to create our sketches. Butwhy bother when you have anapp to do the job for free. Usingthe Pencil Camera application,BlackBerry users can add anartistic touch to boring images.All a user needs to do is snap theimage using the Pencil Cameraapp. Within a few seconds, thisapp will create a neat andimpressive pencil sketch. Theimages generated using thePencil Camera app are saved inthe Gallery. Just like the regularimages, these can be easilyshared online, emailed or eventransfered over Bluetooth.
CB Save the LadooAndroid; Symbian
Kids are in love with Chotta Bheem, thecartoon character on children’s channelPogo. For younsters hooked to the series,there is now an official game, ‘CB Save theLadoo’. In this game app, Bheem has tomake sure that all the ladoos are deliveredsafely. Simple and easy to play, the playerjust has to move the conveyor belt to shiftthe ladoos ahead and save them fromfalling. However, you have to stay clear ofthe rat which try to cross the side. If theycross, one ends up losing a life. The initialstages are really very simple to play.
Windows Phone 8Windows Phone
Want to get a hang of the upcoming Windows Phone 8 operatingsystem for the smartphones? Use this app to get a hands-on feelof the new OS homescreen on your existing Windows Phone.Launching the app displays a homescreen that looks identical towhat we will get with the new OS. While it looked a bit cluttered,we tried adjusting the size of the apps on the screen and wereeasily able to resize the tiles.
TRENDS REVIEWS
APPSLISTINGS
mob
ile p
hone
s
—NIDHI SINGAL
Top Affordable Phones
Price: ` 3,500
Specs: 2.4-inch display;QWERTY keypad; VGAcamera; 1020mAh batteryPros: Good performanceCons: Poor camera
1. NOKIA X2-01Price: ` 5,080
Specs: 2.4-inchdisplay, 2MP camera,QWERTY keypad; 1000mAh batteryPros: Great looks, Wi-FiCons: High price
2. SAMSUNG CHAT 355Price: ` 3,999
Specs: 2.4-inch display,triple SIM GSM; 1.3 MPcamera; 1500 mAh batteryPros: Triple SIM GSM,good displayCons: Average camera
3. ZEN M111
SMARTPHONESTOP10
Specs: 4.3-inch display; Android v4.0; 1.7Ghzdual-core processor; 16GB onboard. Plus: Super fast performance Minus: NA
1. HTC ONE S (` 33,560)
Specs: 4.7-inch display; Android v4.0; 1.5Ghzquad-core processor; 32GB onboard. Plus: Super fast performance Minus: Battery
2. HTC ONE X (` 35,000)
Specs: 4.8-inch display; Android v4.0; 1.4GHzquad-core processor; 16GB onboard;64 GB expandable memory.Plus: Performance Minus:S Voice
3. SAMSUNG GALAXY S III (` 38,900)
Specs: 5.3-inch display; Android v2.3;1.4GHz dual-core processor; 16GB onboard;32GB expandable memory.Plus: Performance Minus: Almost none.
4. SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE (` 32,500)
Specs: 2.8-inch display; BB 7.0; 1.2GHzprocessor; 8GB internal; 32GB expandable.Plus: Best BlackBerry smartphoneMinus:Battery
6. BLACKBERRY 9900 (` 32,500)
Specs: 3.5-inch display; iOS; 16GB onboardmemory; 1GHz processor.Pros: Apple App Store Minus: iTunes Sync
5. APPLE i PHONE 4 (` 35,500)
Specs: 3.7-inch display; Android v4.0; 1GHzprocessor; 4GB internal memory, expandablePlus: Value for Money; Minus: NA
7. HTC ONE V (` 18,000)
Specs: 3.7-inch display; Windows 7.5; 1.4GHzprocessor; 8GB internal memory.Plus: Good hardware Minus: No Bluetooth transfer.
8. NOKIA LUMIA 710 (` 14,500)
Specs: 4.2 inch display; Android v2.3;1.4GHz processor; 1GB internal memory; 32GBexpandable; 8MP cameraPlus: ICS update Minus: Is Old
9. SONY ERICSSON XPERIA ARC S (` 24,990)
Specs: 2.44-inch display; BB 7.1; 512 MB in-ternal; 32GB expandable; 1450 mAh battery.Plus: Affordable BlackBerry; Minus: No 3G
10. BLACKBERRY 9220 (` 10,990 )
Top Dual-SIM/ CDMA Phones
Price: ` 14,180
Specs: 3.5-inch display;Android v2.3; GSM + CDMAdual SIM; 32GB expandablePros: Active CDMA + GSMCons: Price
1. SAMSUNG GALAXY ACE DUOS
Price: ` 9,500
Specs: 2.6-inch display;touch + QWERTY; 160 MBonboard; 32GB expandablePros: Android Dual SImCons: Poor touch
2. SAMSUNG GALAXY YPRO DUOS Price: ` 2,649
Specs: FM player; Torch light; 5 MB memory, expandable to 4 GB; No cameraPros: Basic CDMACons: No camera
3. LG 6160
Top Music Phones
Price: ` 12,600
Specs: 3.5-inch display;Symbian Belle; 1GHz proces-sor; microSIM slotPros: Will get DolbyHeadphones; Cons: Symbian
1.NOKIA 603Price: ` 15,900
Specs: 4-inch display; BadaOS; 1.4GHz processor; 32GBexpandablePros: Nice SoundCons: Bada OS
2. SAMSUNG WAVE 3
Price: ` 13,500
Specs: 3.2-inch display;Android 2.3; 1GHz processor;32GB expandablePros: Good SoundCons: No keyboard
3. SONY ERICSSON WALKMAN LIVE
Top Camera Phones
Price: ` 33,000
Specs: 4-inch display;Symbian Belle; 1.3GHz proces-sor; 16 GB onboard; 41 MPcamera sensor.Pros: Camera Cons: Old OS
1. NOKIA 808 PUREVIEWPrice: ` 45,500
Specs: 3.5-inch display; iOS;8MP camera with HDR; 1GHzdual core processor; 16GB.Pros: Superb CameraCons: Price
2. APPLE IPHONE 4SPrice: ` 19,000
Specs: 3.5-inch display; 12 MPcamera; 680MHz processor;16GB onboard, expandable. Pros: Camera; Cons: Symbian
3. NOKIA N8
Job SearchAndroid, iOS
Coming from Indeed.com, this is yet another job search app that is really easy touse. A basic search can be initiated by just keying in some details like what (jobtitle, keywords or company) and where (city or state). The results can be sortedby relevance or by date. The various results listed stores in all the basic detailssuch as job profile, work experience required, etc. One can also view the job oremail it to yourself or a friend. There is also an option to ‘save the job’ if youhave created an account. After creating the account, one can even post theirresume with all relevant data and information. When we tried searching forwriting and journalism related jobs, it showed numerous results, of which somebelonged to famous media houses and websites. The user is free to change thelocation from which they want to see results.
38November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
WE BROUGHT YOU THE BEST DEVICES FOR THE HOME LAST MONTH IN OUR
SERIES ON INDIA’S 40 ULTIMATE GADGETS. IN THE SECOND OF THE SERIES,
WE LOOK AT THE TOP 10 GIZMOS THAT ARE MUSTS FOR A PROFESSIONAL.
39
TOPTECH @OFFICE
CISCO LINKSYS RANGE EXTENDERRE 1000 Price: ` 6,499
For any office, seamless wireless connectivity is anecessity. But how do you extend the range of yourwireless network? Well, you can install the CiscoLinksys Range Extender RE 1000. True to itsname, this device extends the range ofyour wireless network with its multipleinput-output antennae. It also works as abridge to instantly connect wired devices tothe network. Easy to set up, it is compatiblewith all b/g/n Wi-Fi devices— pretty much allcomputers and devices. The extender can be ei-ther placed on the wall outlet or on the desktop,depending on a particular need.
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING FREE
BEYOND MICROSOFT OFFICE
While Microsoft Office is considered be best as far as text, spreadsheets,presentations, data management, etc, are concerned, there are good
alternatives out there. The most popular is the Apache Open Office, anopen-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets,
presentations, graphics, databases and more. It works on all common computers and is available in many languages as well.
All the data is stored in an international open-standard format and iscapable of reading and writing files from other office software. This freesoftware can be used by individuals, educational institutes and corporateoffices. And then there is Google Docs for anyone with a Google account.This office productivity suite offers a set of performance tools and storeseverything in the cloud on Google Drive. It also integrates a number of
Google services, including Gmail, GChat and Google Calendar.
BY NIDHI SINGAL
1
JABRA SPEAK 410 SERIES Price: ` 9,858
Handling conference calls at work can become abreeze with the affordably priced Jabra Speak410 Series. Compact and easy to move around,this Jabra device can be set up to make a confer-ence call while on the move or at home. You needto connect the Speak 410 to a PC to take voicecalls or stream music. Ideal for taking calls onspeaker mode when in a group, it has also has a3.5 mm jack for one-to-one conversations.
2
New Office 2013Page 54{
38November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
WE BROUGHT YOU THE BEST DEVICES FOR THE HOME LAST MONTH IN OUR
SERIES ON INDIA’S 40 ULTIMATE GADGETS. IN THE SECOND OF THE SERIES,
WE LOOK AT THE TOP 10 GIZMOS THAT ARE MUSTS FOR A PROFESSIONAL.
39
TOPTECH @OFFICE
CISCO LINKSYS RANGE EXTENDERRE 1000 Price: ` 6,499
For any office, seamless wireless connectivity is anecessity. But how do you extend the range of yourwireless network? Well, you can install the CiscoLinksys Range Extender RE 1000. True to itsname, this device extends the range ofyour wireless network with its multipleinput-output antennae. It also works as abridge to instantly connect wired devices tothe network. Easy to set up, it is compatiblewith all b/g/n Wi-Fi devices— pretty much allcomputers and devices. The extender can be ei-ther placed on the wall outlet or on the desktop,depending on a particular need.
IF YOU WANT SOMETHING FREE
BEYOND MICROSOFT OFFICE
While Microsoft Office is considered be best as far as text, spreadsheets,presentations, data management, etc, are concerned, there are good
alternatives out there. The most popular is the Apache Open Office, anopen-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets,
presentations, graphics, databases and more. It works on all common computers and is available in many languages as well.
All the data is stored in an international open-standard format and iscapable of reading and writing files from other office software. This freesoftware can be used by individuals, educational institutes and corporateoffices. And then there is Google Docs for anyone with a Google account.This office productivity suite offers a set of performance tools and storeseverything in the cloud on Google Drive. It also integrates a number of
Google services, including Gmail, GChat and Google Calendar.
BY NIDHI SINGAL
1
JABRA SPEAK 410 SERIES Price: ` 9,858
Handling conference calls at work can become abreeze with the affordably priced Jabra Speak410 Series. Compact and easy to move around,this Jabra device can be set up to make a confer-ence call while on the move or at home. You needto connect the Speak 410 to a PC to take voicecalls or stream music. Ideal for taking calls onspeaker mode when in a group, it has also has a3.5 mm jack for one-to-one conversations.
2
New Office 2013Page 54{
40November 2012Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012Gadgets & Gizmos 41
BENQ LW61 ST Price: `1,50,000
This DLP-based laser projector from BenQ has the looks to impress. It has been done in white withthe controls lying on the top. A host of connectivity options has been placed at the back. Theseinclude LAN, VGA port, HDMI port and USB port. The LW61 ST has a 2000 ANSI lumens lamp thatis bright and comes with a claimed lamp life of over 10,000 hours. The two 10W speakers onboardoffer decent audio. While it is good at projecting content from 80 inches to 300 inches, it performswell even when a short throw is required. Unlike other projectors, the laser lamp in the LW61 STdoes not generate heat and can be used for long durations.
6
PORTRONICS ELECTRONIC PENPrice: ` 7,999
The Portronics electronic pen is an intelligent way of taking notesas it digitally records and stores what you scribble. It comes with areceiver, which has to be attached to the paper on which you write.It can be attached to a sheet, notebook or a bunch of papers. Afterwriting, press the key on the receiver to save the content. The re-ceiver can store up to 100 pages. You can transfer it to the PCusing the proprietary software. The scribbled notes can also beconverted to digital text for editing. The pen can also be usedwhile connected to the PC.
7
FELLOWES POWERSHED P-35CPrice: ` 3,315
The risk of sensitive information and documents falling intowrong hands can be lessened by the use of a paper shredder. TheFellowes P-35c is the perfect deskside shredder. It cross-cuts up tofive sheets of paper in one pass into small, unreadable pieces. Theshredder has a powerful motor that helps in rending credit cards,staples and even paper clips. To prevent accidental shredding, asafety lock has been included.
5
HEWLETT-PACKARD’S Z1 ALL-IN-ONEPrice: ` 99,990 onwards
Hewlett-Packard’s Z1 has been designed to change the way theworkstation is perceived. The world’s only 27-inch all-in-one cando everything you would expect from a top of the line workstationand comes fully loaded with an Intel Xeon processor, ECC memory,NVIDIA Quadro graphics and more. The Z1 also comes with atoolless chassis, which means you can upgrade or change proces-sors, graphics, pretty much anything by just pulling out the mod-ule and swapping it for a new one—all meant to drasticallyreduce downtime. The 27-inch in-plane switching (IPS) panel candisplay up to a billion colours making it ideal for design andgraphic artists as well as industries that use a lot of visualsimulations. The screen can be folded back in a reclining positionto open the panel and facilitate the swapping of modules, allwithout a single cable in sight.
3
FIRST STEPS IN REDUCING
YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Reducing your carbon footprint doesn’t entail expensive changes.For instance, turn off the lights, computers and appliances from
the mains when leaving office. If you put them on standby mode,these gadgets continue to draw power. Second, while we suggestyou go paperless, we know it isn’t so easy. However, you can go infor eco-friendly printers and set it for double-side printing. Havingenergy efficient appliances is also a good idea, but it involves someinvestment. Another earth-friendly measure would be to cut downon travel by installing a video-conferencing facility in the office.You can also install motion sensor switches that automati-cally turn off power in areas where no one is working.
WORKING ON THE CLOUD
GOOGLE DRIVE: Add this as a folder in My Documentsand keep syncing all your important files to thecloud. You will be able to access these files any-where, anytime. Used with software provided by theservice provider, you will be able to open and editfiles, even those for which you don’t have a licence.
MICROSOFT SKYDRIVE: When Windows 8 comes all yourwork will be synced to the cloud so that you cancontinue work wherever you are. The sync is alsoreal time and multiple users collaborate on a singlefile when needed.
EVERNOTE: If you see something interesting whilebrowsing, you can clip it entirely or in parts using theEvernote Webclipper, a widget you add to browsers.The clips can be accessed later from any device. Itcan also save documents using the app and retrieveor share them.
DROPBOX: Use this to save whole folders to the cloudand access the same from your phone or tablet.While it can act as a good backup for your files, theservice can also be used to share these large fileswith anyone.
NIVIO: This service lets you open and edit mostMicrosoft Office files from Google Drive as and whenneeded. With a nivio account you can also have aWindows desktop in the cloud, which you can accessfrom any computer anywhere.
4SHARED: 4shared, and its PC programme 4sync,work like any other cloud service, syncing your stuffonline. But this service also has a whole new dimen-sion, where it lets you access other cloud servicesfrom its platform.
The Cloud is not such a big deal. In fact, getting thereis as simple as opening an email account. While theremight be limitations to how much of the cloudstorage you can avail of for free, it would stillcomplement your office work in a big way, letting youaccess important files wherever you are and also aidcollaborating with others without the need to sitacross a table from them.
SYMANTEC ENDPOINT PROTECTION.CLOUD Price on request
This security solution from Symantec is aimed at small and medium businesses and providescomprehensive security for Windows devices and servers, all without installing additionalhardware or management software. It provides an effective shield as an antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall, and host intrusion prevention protect with automated updates.Administrator get complete control over a web-based management controls and can also getlive alerts and updates. Easy to set up and manage, this solution from Symantec can keepyour business or office safe from all modern day threats.
4
40November 2012Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012Gadgets & Gizmos 41
BENQ LW61 ST Price: `1,50,000
This DLP-based laser projector from BenQ has the looks to impress. It has been done in white withthe controls lying on the top. A host of connectivity options has been placed at the back. Theseinclude LAN, VGA port, HDMI port and USB port. The LW61 ST has a 2000 ANSI lumens lamp thatis bright and comes with a claimed lamp life of over 10,000 hours. The two 10W speakers onboardoffer decent audio. While it is good at projecting content from 80 inches to 300 inches, it performswell even when a short throw is required. Unlike other projectors, the laser lamp in the LW61 STdoes not generate heat and can be used for long durations.
6
PORTRONICS ELECTRONIC PENPrice: ` 7,999
The Portronics electronic pen is an intelligent way of taking notesas it digitally records and stores what you scribble. It comes with areceiver, which has to be attached to the paper on which you write.It can be attached to a sheet, notebook or a bunch of papers. Afterwriting, press the key on the receiver to save the content. The re-ceiver can store up to 100 pages. You can transfer it to the PCusing the proprietary software. The scribbled notes can also beconverted to digital text for editing. The pen can also be usedwhile connected to the PC.
7
FELLOWES POWERSHED P-35CPrice: ` 3,315
The risk of sensitive information and documents falling intowrong hands can be lessened by the use of a paper shredder. TheFellowes P-35c is the perfect deskside shredder. It cross-cuts up tofive sheets of paper in one pass into small, unreadable pieces. Theshredder has a powerful motor that helps in rending credit cards,staples and even paper clips. To prevent accidental shredding, asafety lock has been included.
5
HEWLETT-PACKARD’S Z1 ALL-IN-ONEPrice: ` 99,990 onwards
Hewlett-Packard’s Z1 has been designed to change the way theworkstation is perceived. The world’s only 27-inch all-in-one cando everything you would expect from a top of the line workstationand comes fully loaded with an Intel Xeon processor, ECC memory,NVIDIA Quadro graphics and more. The Z1 also comes with atoolless chassis, which means you can upgrade or change proces-sors, graphics, pretty much anything by just pulling out the mod-ule and swapping it for a new one—all meant to drasticallyreduce downtime. The 27-inch in-plane switching (IPS) panel candisplay up to a billion colours making it ideal for design andgraphic artists as well as industries that use a lot of visualsimulations. The screen can be folded back in a reclining positionto open the panel and facilitate the swapping of modules, allwithout a single cable in sight.
3
FIRST STEPS IN REDUCING
YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Reducing your carbon footprint doesn’t entail expensive changes.For instance, turn off the lights, computers and appliances from
the mains when leaving office. If you put them on standby mode,these gadgets continue to draw power. Second, while we suggestyou go paperless, we know it isn’t so easy. However, you can go infor eco-friendly printers and set it for double-side printing. Havingenergy efficient appliances is also a good idea, but it involves someinvestment. Another earth-friendly measure would be to cut downon travel by installing a video-conferencing facility in the office.You can also install motion sensor switches that automati-cally turn off power in areas where no one is working.
WORKING ON THE CLOUD
GOOGLE DRIVE: Add this as a folder in My Documentsand keep syncing all your important files to thecloud. You will be able to access these files any-where, anytime. Used with software provided by theservice provider, you will be able to open and editfiles, even those for which you don’t have a licence.
MICROSOFT SKYDRIVE: When Windows 8 comes all yourwork will be synced to the cloud so that you cancontinue work wherever you are. The sync is alsoreal time and multiple users collaborate on a singlefile when needed.
EVERNOTE: If you see something interesting whilebrowsing, you can clip it entirely or in parts using theEvernote Webclipper, a widget you add to browsers.The clips can be accessed later from any device. Itcan also save documents using the app and retrieveor share them.
DROPBOX: Use this to save whole folders to the cloudand access the same from your phone or tablet.While it can act as a good backup for your files, theservice can also be used to share these large fileswith anyone.
NIVIO: This service lets you open and edit mostMicrosoft Office files from Google Drive as and whenneeded. With a nivio account you can also have aWindows desktop in the cloud, which you can accessfrom any computer anywhere.
4SHARED: 4shared, and its PC programme 4sync,work like any other cloud service, syncing your stuffonline. But this service also has a whole new dimen-sion, where it lets you access other cloud servicesfrom its platform.
The Cloud is not such a big deal. In fact, getting thereis as simple as opening an email account. While theremight be limitations to how much of the cloudstorage you can avail of for free, it would stillcomplement your office work in a big way, letting youaccess important files wherever you are and also aidcollaborating with others without the need to sitacross a table from them.
SYMANTEC ENDPOINT PROTECTION.CLOUD Price on request
This security solution from Symantec is aimed at small and medium businesses and providescomprehensive security for Windows devices and servers, all without installing additionalhardware or management software. It provides an effective shield as an antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall, and host intrusion prevention protect with automated updates.Administrator get complete control over a web-based management controls and can also getlive alerts and updates. Easy to set up and manage, this solution from Symantec can keepyour business or office safe from all modern day threats.
4
CANON PIXMA E600 Price: ` 8,759
A workspace can never be complete without a printer, scanner andcopier. The smart way is to get a good all-in-one with fax integration.This one from Canon, the Pixma E600, can print up to 800 pages withits low-cost, high-capacity ink cartridge. There are some additionalfeatures like auto document feeder and fax. A number of controlsalong with the display make it easy to use. The prints in bothstandard and high modes were crisp. It also quickly scans documents.A new cartridge costs around ` 695 for the Pixma E600.
10
42November 2012Gadgets & Gizmos
SAMSUNG SERIES 9Price: ` 1,02,990
The Samsung Series 9 might be the thinnest notebook (orUltrabook) around, but it is also super powerful thanks to itsIntel Core i7 processor coupled with 4GB RAM. When we saythin, we mean a maximum thickness of 0.64 inches and athinnest point of 0.5 inches. This also means that the Series 9weighs just 1.16 kg. With a tough Duralumin unibody design,spacious trackpad and backlit keys, this notebook also hasutility as one of its priorities. The 13.3-inch SuperBright Pluswidescreen display is sharp and vivid with audio quality tomatch. Then there is a software launched dock on the screento make life a bit easier.
9
ZICOM CCTVSURVEILLANCE SYSTEM &ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM Price on request
Just as at home, a workplace too shouldhave complete protection. Considerinstalling CCTV surveillance camerasand access control system for keepingan eye on trespassers and stoppingunwanted people from entering officepremises. CCTV cameras are availablein different variants—dome, IR bullet,box, etc. Using a Biometric AccessControl System will introduce aprofessional fingerprint access and timeattendance control system for moreconfidential locations and sections.
8
MAC OS XMOUNTAIN LION
BOSE WAVE MUSICSYSTEM III
SENNHEISERHD700
NIKON D600
TestBenchREVIEWS AND RATINGS OF PRODUCTS
The HP Envy 14 Spectre was an amazing device with a neverbefore seen glass body that could actually make heads turn. Butthis flagship Ultrabook never really made it to Indian stores. Now,HP is trying to make amends by bringing to India the 13-inch HPEnvy Spectre XT, a mid-level Ultrabook.
The Spectre XT is also a stunner in the design department withan all-metal body with an angled rear that reminded us of Italiancars. This one is also slim like an Ultrabook should be with a maxi-mum girth of 0.69 inch. The all-metal body means there is also alot of chrome all over the place, especially above the keyboardwhere the speakers are nestled. In fact, the only non-metal colouron the body is tbe Beats audio logo on this grill.
The backlit keyboard is well spaced out and easy to use,though we found the arrow keys in a tight spot. The trackpadis smooth and has pinch and squeeze. Plus, this Ultrabookhas a lot of connectivity option which are rare in othermid-range models. So along with the two customaryUSB ports, you have an HDMI and Ethernet port aswell as a card reader.
The 13-inch diagonal HD BrightView LED backlitdisplay is crisp, though we found that it has cer-tain angles where the viewing is not such acomfortable experience. Like in other HP de-vices the sound gets big fillip due to theBeats Audio branding and this one hasfour internal speakers that produceamazing sound.
Running on Intel’s 3rd GenerationCore i5-3317U processor, perfor-mance is pretty much a given for thisdevice. So we were pleasantly surprisedby the impressive PC Mark score of 4713 that thisdevice clocked. Also HP’s CoolSense technology seemed to beat play when during the PC Mark test, the device did not heat uplike many other Ultrabooks we tested recently. The Spectre XTwoke up from sleep in just two seconds while a full start took just32 seconds to the login screen, among the fastest we have seen.Hi-res pictures, Full HD video, nothing could ruffle the feathers ofthis mean machine.
From what we have seen, the HP Spectre XT is defenitelyamong the best Ultrabooks available in India at the moment. Toadd to the superb performance and style is the fact that thisdevice costs a very competitive ̀ 64,990, all the ingredients for asuccesful product.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Great power and style in an affordableUltrabook
HP SPECTRE XTPrice: ` 64,990
GGSpecs: Windows 7 Home Premium64-bit; 13-inch diagonal HD BrightViewLED backlit display; Intel Core i5-3317U;4GB RAM; 128GB SSD; Intel HD Graphics4000; USB x 2, HDMI, Ethernet, 1.4 kg.
—TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJANPHOTOGRAPH BY RAJWANT RAWAT
GRAND SPECTRE
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
ReviewsTest Bench
44November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos 45
—TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
For Mac fans, having to work on a Windows machinehas always been something of a necessary evil, oftenforced upon them by their work environments. You canrun Windows on a Mac too, though with limited usability.But the latest Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac seems to haveironed out performance flaws associated with theswitchover.
Downloading Parallels is quite easy as the file is justover 300 MB. Once the software has been installed, itgives you multiple options. You can download the latestWindows 8 release preview—even Ubuntu or Android—or migrate a licensed Windows from another PC. Wetested the software on a MacBook Air and our Windows8 download got stuck in the middle.
When we finally got it up and running, the experiencewas truly amazing. There is no boot up needed to switchbetween Windows, which is as simple as clicking an iconon the top. The Mountain Lion and Windows 8 integra-tion is so seamless that you can now have the Mac notifi-cations even in your Windows screen. The Windows 8screen adjusts itself to the best size, and as the mousearrow moves from Windows to the Mac screen you cansee how it changes colour from white to black. The inte-gration is that seamless. Since Windows 8 has the startbutton and some other functions built into the screencorners, Parallels has made a sticky mouse where thearrow sort of clings to the edges of the Windows screenso that you don’t miss it.Another good thing is that nowyou can use Mac dictation even while using a Word file.Plus, like earlier versions of Paralles, you are not limitedto switching between OS. You can now switch betweenapplications of the two OS without thinking where you are.In fact, Launchpad and Mission Control now show theWindows applications too and you can launch the samewith one click. Then you can even make the run like Macapplications without the Windows background or style.The other good thing is that your Safari browser now hasa Internet Explorer button to switch if needed.
This is undoubtedly the best blending of Mac andWindows so far. So you no longer have a reason to putoff a Mac purchase because it won’t run Windows.
OPEN THE WINDOWIt is hard to put off a Mac OS X update, especially when the company entices you with anew bunch of goodies. The OS X Mountain Lion too has the stuff to make Apple userstake the plunge as soon as possible. The only stumbling block in the upgrade was the4GB download which took close to 15 hours to download over a 750 Kbps connection.During the duration of the download you have to ensure that the Mac is on power.Thankfully, Internet interruption did not affect the download, which just resumed from thepoint the connection got terminated. The installation took another 30 minutes or so.Here is a look at what is new and how we liked it:
A SOCIAL ANIMAL
PARALLELSDESKTOP 8 FOR MACPrice: ` 4,459
GG
MAC OS XMOUNTAIN LIONPrice: $19.99
GG
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?The best ever blend of Macand Windows
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?An upgrade that is worth every cent
THE POWER OF CLOUDLike iOS, iCloud is now anintegral part of the Mac OSX. So as you type new notesor add a reminder, thesame gets added to yourcloud account and getssynced on your otherdevices as well. For in-stance, with notes the sync-ing is almost real time.Safari too gets its share ofthe cloud in the form of abutton that shows all tabsopen on your other devices.
YOU HAVE AN ALERTAt the top right of the Mac screen, you now have a notifications icon which shows a list of thelatest mail, social network and app store updates as well as Facetime and iMessage status.New updates appear as a small window at the top right corner and fade away in seconds.You can click on them to open the mail or Tweet. While it is a great feature for regular users,those who are hyperactive on Twitter would dow well to switch off that facility.
TALK TO THE MACAs people who write a lot, we were most impressed by the new dictationfeature. Start the dictation on a note pad and just speak your mind—youwill have to iron out your accent for better accuracy—before clicking doneto convert your thoughts to text. This is different from other speech to textsoftware due to its ability to punctuate when you say ‘full stop’, ‘comma’We had a 80 per cent success rate with our broad Indian accent.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTSIn a sign of the times, Facebook and Twitter are now integrated into theOS. So be it a new photo that you tweaked on Photo Booth, or some-thing interesting that you stumbled upon while surfing on Safari, youcan share the same then and there. However, you might not get thesame experience with third-party software like Chrome.
TOUCH AND SWIPEGestures have always beenone of the best features of aMac. It’s only got better withthe new OS. We particularlyliked the three-finger drag,the secondary click to showthe context menu and pinchfor Launchpad and spread forDesktop.
EVERYTHING ELSEThere is a lot more to the Mountain Lion, likeiMessage for people who want to keep intouch with other Apple aficionados, GameCentre to keep you on top of the game evenon the Mac and Power Nap that takes in up-dates even when the Mac is sleeping. Safarinow has realtime search built into the ad-dress bar, while there is a Gatekeeper in set-ting that lets you decide what all software canbe installed. However, the new features, mostof which are working behind the scenes,seems to have taken a toll on the battery bydrinking up at least 10 per cent of the juice.
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
ReviewsTest Bench
44November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos 45
—TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
For Mac fans, having to work on a Windows machinehas always been something of a necessary evil, oftenforced upon them by their work environments. You canrun Windows on a Mac too, though with limited usability.But the latest Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac seems to haveironed out performance flaws associated with theswitchover.
Downloading Parallels is quite easy as the file is justover 300 MB. Once the software has been installed, itgives you multiple options. You can download the latestWindows 8 release preview—even Ubuntu or Android—or migrate a licensed Windows from another PC. Wetested the software on a MacBook Air and our Windows8 download got stuck in the middle.
When we finally got it up and running, the experiencewas truly amazing. There is no boot up needed to switchbetween Windows, which is as simple as clicking an iconon the top. The Mountain Lion and Windows 8 integra-tion is so seamless that you can now have the Mac notifi-cations even in your Windows screen. The Windows 8screen adjusts itself to the best size, and as the mousearrow moves from Windows to the Mac screen you cansee how it changes colour from white to black. The inte-gration is that seamless. Since Windows 8 has the startbutton and some other functions built into the screencorners, Parallels has made a sticky mouse where thearrow sort of clings to the edges of the Windows screenso that you don’t miss it.Another good thing is that nowyou can use Mac dictation even while using a Word file.Plus, like earlier versions of Paralles, you are not limitedto switching between OS. You can now switch betweenapplications of the two OS without thinking where you are.In fact, Launchpad and Mission Control now show theWindows applications too and you can launch the samewith one click. Then you can even make the run like Macapplications without the Windows background or style.The other good thing is that your Safari browser now hasa Internet Explorer button to switch if needed.
This is undoubtedly the best blending of Mac andWindows so far. So you no longer have a reason to putoff a Mac purchase because it won’t run Windows.
OPEN THE WINDOWIt is hard to put off a Mac OS X update, especially when the company entices you with anew bunch of goodies. The OS X Mountain Lion too has the stuff to make Apple userstake the plunge as soon as possible. The only stumbling block in the upgrade was the4GB download which took close to 15 hours to download over a 750 Kbps connection.During the duration of the download you have to ensure that the Mac is on power.Thankfully, Internet interruption did not affect the download, which just resumed from thepoint the connection got terminated. The installation took another 30 minutes or so.Here is a look at what is new and how we liked it:
A SOCIAL ANIMAL
PARALLELSDESKTOP 8 FOR MACPrice: ` 4,459
GG
MAC OS XMOUNTAIN LIONPrice: $19.99
GG
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?The best ever blend of Macand Windows
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?An upgrade that is worth every cent
THE POWER OF CLOUDLike iOS, iCloud is now anintegral part of the Mac OSX. So as you type new notesor add a reminder, thesame gets added to yourcloud account and getssynced on your otherdevices as well. For in-stance, with notes the sync-ing is almost real time.Safari too gets its share ofthe cloud in the form of abutton that shows all tabsopen on your other devices.
YOU HAVE AN ALERTAt the top right of the Mac screen, you now have a notifications icon which shows a list of thelatest mail, social network and app store updates as well as Facetime and iMessage status.New updates appear as a small window at the top right corner and fade away in seconds.You can click on them to open the mail or Tweet. While it is a great feature for regular users,those who are hyperactive on Twitter would dow well to switch off that facility.
TALK TO THE MACAs people who write a lot, we were most impressed by the new dictationfeature. Start the dictation on a note pad and just speak your mind—youwill have to iron out your accent for better accuracy—before clicking doneto convert your thoughts to text. This is different from other speech to textsoftware due to its ability to punctuate when you say ‘full stop’, ‘comma’We had a 80 per cent success rate with our broad Indian accent.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTSIn a sign of the times, Facebook and Twitter are now integrated into theOS. So be it a new photo that you tweaked on Photo Booth, or some-thing interesting that you stumbled upon while surfing on Safari, youcan share the same then and there. However, you might not get thesame experience with third-party software like Chrome.
TOUCH AND SWIPEGestures have always beenone of the best features of aMac. It’s only got better withthe new OS. We particularlyliked the three-finger drag,the secondary click to showthe context menu and pinchfor Launchpad and spread forDesktop.
EVERYTHING ELSEThere is a lot more to the Mountain Lion, likeiMessage for people who want to keep intouch with other Apple aficionados, GameCentre to keep you on top of the game evenon the Mac and Power Nap that takes in up-dates even when the Mac is sleeping. Safarinow has realtime search built into the ad-dress bar, while there is a Gatekeeper in set-ting that lets you decide what all software canbe installed. However, the new features, mostof which are working behind the scenes,seems to have taken a toll on the battery bydrinking up at least 10 per cent of the juice.
46November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
Test Bench Reviews
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 47
—TEXT BY NIDHI SINGAL & PICTURES BY RAJWANT RAWAT
Audiophiles are very particular aboutwhat they hear and how they hear it.No compromises will do. It is forthese people that Sennheiser hascome out with the HD700, a high-end headphone.
Let us make it clear at the veryoutset that this is not something forsomeone who wants to hear musicfrom their phone while travelling in acity bus. This is a black-and-silverheadphone you will plug on whilelounging on a La-Z-Boy sipping yourfavourite poison.
The HD700 is a big headset, bigenough to come in a wooden box allits own. Still after a few hours of lis-tening pleasure you don’t even feelthe halo or any heat inside the earcups. The cushioning effect on theear cups as well as headband ispure bliss.
Even better is the sound. We triedit with a wide range on genres fromopera to classical and rock to blues,and there was never a moment ofdiscomfort or a note that was offkey. The music is soft, but you stilldon’t miss out anything. With audioreproduction in the 10 to 42,000Hz range almost all kinds of music iseasy covered and enjoyed with theheadphone.
Plus, to ensure the quality of thesound, the transducer is mountedin high-precision gauze made ofstainless steel. The open design ofthe ear cups coupled with the slightangle of the speakers ensures thatthe sound is not harsh and does notblow away your ear drums. In fact,it feels as if you are listening to aperformance is an acousticallydesigned theatre.
The HD700 comes with an extra-long fabric-finish lead so that you cantake your music where you want it.But this has a 6.3-mm jack whichyou find only in Hi-Fi systems thesedays. You will need a converter touse it with a 3.5mm jack and thatwill reduce the quality to an extent.
And, there is one catch to thisexquisite audio experience and thatis the price. The HD700 costs ` 54,990. But we don’t think thekind of people this device is meantfor will really mind.
—TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
SENNHEISER HD700Price: ` 54,990
GG
THE SOUND OFLUXURY
The new wireless laser sensor mouse fromElecom is special. It has an awesome designthat is combined with great performance.
Along with the regular left and right clicks andthe tilt scroll wheel, the base on the left hasbeen extended for adding two more keys. Thismakes it look like a compact gaming mouse.The two new keys are aimed at optimising theweb browsing experience and can be operatedthrough the thumb from the side (for right handusers). Both the keys have been assigned a dif-ferent command—the one on the top is for‘back’ while the one following it is for ‘forward’.
Although, the ‘back’ and ‘forward’ icons on thebrowser are easily approachable, we actuallygot addicted to the dedicated keys on themouse. Yet another highlight of this wirelessmouse is the ‘dark field microscopy’ that makesthe mouse works on almost any surface. With1200 dpi resolution, this wireless mouse offersvery smooth navigation.
THE WEB MOUSE
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Great sound at a very loudprice.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Consider this if you spend a lot of timebrowsing the web.
The Wave Music System from Bose is one ofthe classics of the audio industry. So it is onlynatural that when an icon like that goes for anupgrade, music lovers like us are overly excited.
The Wave Music System III is not a completerevamp of the earlier version that came out in2004. For instance there is now a touch pad ontop for on/off as well as snooze for the alarm.The new alarm, meanwhile, has two presetswith separate volume controls. The AM/FMtuner has a easier to use scanner and info dis-play for supported stations.
The Wave III looks just like the earlier Waveradio unit. However, Bose has marked the spotwhere the touchpad is so that the new featurestands out—you would need to take the stickerout soon after. The remote is sleek and veryeasy to navigate, but there are absolutely no
controls on the body. There is a Soundlinkoption in case you want to connect a deviceusing Bluetooth, but that will cost you more.The other connection option is a 3.5mmauxiliary jack and cable that let you link tomost devices.
We were disappointed the remote doesnot let you control the plugged-in device inauxiliary mode. In this day and age, Bosecould have, and should have, included aUSB port so that people can play theiraudio files directly. While Bose might notbe a big fan of MP3s, it a reality that CDsare losing the popularity race to tiny USBdongles.
One thing that is a given with any Bosedevice is the audio quality and the Wave IIIis no different. Be it the FM or a CD the
audio quality is superb. However, we wouldnot recommend this for Hard Rock orMetal fans, the Wave III is for lovers of thefiner things in life, Classical, Jazz andBlues. Try waking up to a Gayatri Mantraon the Wave III and we guarantee you abliss full day. The music quality is such, al-most ethereal. However, we felt that atlover volumes some details were gettinglost and we needed to keep the volumeabove 60 per cent for the best results.But boy, aren’t those results good.
For those who have been lusting to buy aWave Radio this might be the time to go forit. But remember it hasn’t got any cheaper.
STILL ASGOOD
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A USB port would have been great.
Specs: Circumaural ear coupling;10 to 42,000 Hz; 40 mm Duofol trans-ducer; Ventilated magnet system; 270 g
ELECOM TRACK ONTHE GLASS MOUSEPrice: ` 6,349
GG
BOSE WAVEMUSIC SYSTEM IIIPrice: ` 34,763
GG
Specs: Waveguide speakertechnology; Plug-and-play;Touch-top controls; CD player;FM/AM radio; 4 kg.
46November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
Test Bench Reviews
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 47
—TEXT BY NIDHI SINGAL & PICTURES BY RAJWANT RAWAT
Audiophiles are very particular aboutwhat they hear and how they hear it.No compromises will do. It is forthese people that Sennheiser hascome out with the HD700, a high-end headphone.
Let us make it clear at the veryoutset that this is not something forsomeone who wants to hear musicfrom their phone while travelling in acity bus. This is a black-and-silverheadphone you will plug on whilelounging on a La-Z-Boy sipping yourfavourite poison.
The HD700 is a big headset, bigenough to come in a wooden box allits own. Still after a few hours of lis-tening pleasure you don’t even feelthe halo or any heat inside the earcups. The cushioning effect on theear cups as well as headband ispure bliss.
Even better is the sound. We triedit with a wide range on genres fromopera to classical and rock to blues,and there was never a moment ofdiscomfort or a note that was offkey. The music is soft, but you stilldon’t miss out anything. With audioreproduction in the 10 to 42,000Hz range almost all kinds of music iseasy covered and enjoyed with theheadphone.
Plus, to ensure the quality of thesound, the transducer is mountedin high-precision gauze made ofstainless steel. The open design ofthe ear cups coupled with the slightangle of the speakers ensures thatthe sound is not harsh and does notblow away your ear drums. In fact,it feels as if you are listening to aperformance is an acousticallydesigned theatre.
The HD700 comes with an extra-long fabric-finish lead so that you cantake your music where you want it.But this has a 6.3-mm jack whichyou find only in Hi-Fi systems thesedays. You will need a converter touse it with a 3.5mm jack and thatwill reduce the quality to an extent.
And, there is one catch to thisexquisite audio experience and thatis the price. The HD700 costs ` 54,990. But we don’t think thekind of people this device is meantfor will really mind.
—TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
SENNHEISER HD700Price: ` 54,990
GG
THE SOUND OFLUXURY
The new wireless laser sensor mouse fromElecom is special. It has an awesome designthat is combined with great performance.
Along with the regular left and right clicks andthe tilt scroll wheel, the base on the left hasbeen extended for adding two more keys. Thismakes it look like a compact gaming mouse.The two new keys are aimed at optimising theweb browsing experience and can be operatedthrough the thumb from the side (for right handusers). Both the keys have been assigned a dif-ferent command—the one on the top is for‘back’ while the one following it is for ‘forward’.
Although, the ‘back’ and ‘forward’ icons on thebrowser are easily approachable, we actuallygot addicted to the dedicated keys on themouse. Yet another highlight of this wirelessmouse is the ‘dark field microscopy’ that makesthe mouse works on almost any surface. With1200 dpi resolution, this wireless mouse offersvery smooth navigation.
THE WEB MOUSE
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Great sound at a very loudprice.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Consider this if you spend a lot of timebrowsing the web.
The Wave Music System from Bose is one ofthe classics of the audio industry. So it is onlynatural that when an icon like that goes for anupgrade, music lovers like us are overly excited.
The Wave Music System III is not a completerevamp of the earlier version that came out in2004. For instance there is now a touch pad ontop for on/off as well as snooze for the alarm.The new alarm, meanwhile, has two presetswith separate volume controls. The AM/FMtuner has a easier to use scanner and info dis-play for supported stations.
The Wave III looks just like the earlier Waveradio unit. However, Bose has marked the spotwhere the touchpad is so that the new featurestands out—you would need to take the stickerout soon after. The remote is sleek and veryeasy to navigate, but there are absolutely no
controls on the body. There is a Soundlinkoption in case you want to connect a deviceusing Bluetooth, but that will cost you more.The other connection option is a 3.5mmauxiliary jack and cable that let you link tomost devices.
We were disappointed the remote doesnot let you control the plugged-in device inauxiliary mode. In this day and age, Bosecould have, and should have, included aUSB port so that people can play theiraudio files directly. While Bose might notbe a big fan of MP3s, it a reality that CDsare losing the popularity race to tiny USBdongles.
One thing that is a given with any Bosedevice is the audio quality and the Wave IIIis no different. Be it the FM or a CD the
audio quality is superb. However, we wouldnot recommend this for Hard Rock orMetal fans, the Wave III is for lovers of thefiner things in life, Classical, Jazz andBlues. Try waking up to a Gayatri Mantraon the Wave III and we guarantee you abliss full day. The music quality is such, al-most ethereal. However, we felt that atlover volumes some details were gettinglost and we needed to keep the volumeabove 60 per cent for the best results.But boy, aren’t those results good.
For those who have been lusting to buy aWave Radio this might be the time to go forit. But remember it hasn’t got any cheaper.
STILL ASGOOD
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A USB port would have been great.
Specs: Circumaural ear coupling;10 to 42,000 Hz; 40 mm Duofol trans-ducer; Ventilated magnet system; 270 g
ELECOM TRACK ONTHE GLASS MOUSEPrice: ` 6,349
GG
BOSE WAVEMUSIC SYSTEM IIIPrice: ` 34,763
GG
Specs: Waveguide speakertechnology; Plug-and-play;Touch-top controls; CD player;FM/AM radio; 4 kg.
One look and it is hard for you to say if the new Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100 is different from regular compact cameras. It actually lookslike one of those new compact mirroless cameras. Well, it is not. Itis in fact the first compact camera from Sony that is able to captureRAW images. It also sports a control ring around the lens. Thoseare what make this camera different.
DARK KNIGHTHolding the world's smallest full-frame camera—that is, one with an image sensor the same sizeas the 35mm film frame—we were expecting tobe a bit intimidated. In fact, we were a bit takenaback by the familiarity factor that the NikonD600 brings to the table. In fact, it feels likeholding and using any mid-level Nikon DSLR. Andthat we think is the USP of this device.
THE FULL
PICTURE
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Good camera if you don’t mindthe price tag.
48November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
Test Bench
TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN & PICTURES BY RAJWANT RAWAT
Reviews
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 49
SONY CYBERSHOTDSC-RX 100Price: ` 34,990
GG
Specs: CMOS 20.2 MP; F1.8 -F4.9 28-100 mm lens; 1/2000 to 30sec shutter speed; ISO 25600; FullHD 1080p (60fps); SD/SDHC/ SDXC,Memory Stick Duo; RAW.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Best bet if you need full frameon a budget.
NIKON D600Price: `1,35,950
(body only)
GGSpecs: 24.3 MP CMOS; 1/4000 sec; ISO 100-6400 (50-25600 with boost), 1080p at 30 fps,SD/SDHC/SDXC x 2 slots, GPS
DESIGNThe control ring can be deceptive. But the RX 100 is a compact camera, thoughnot just any compact camera. Its all-black body and build makes it look andfeel very solid. There is a control dial on the side of the LCD that lets you do thesame even quicker, but the ring is definitely a welcome addition. It also sportsan F1.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T 3.6x optical zoom lens. The mode dial is onthe top right while the Fn button above the control dial lets you select and editother parameters in any of the modes.
DESIGNThe D600, as we said, is build like any other mid-level Nikon DSLR. It is not muchheavier than these models, but had enough extra grooves and grips to make it easierto handle the 760 gm body weight plus that of the lens. The mode dial is on the leftof the view finder and the release mode dial around it selects shooting speeds. Thecamera uses a 35.9 X 24.0 mm Fx format CMOS sensor with 24.3 effective megapixels and hence there is a Fn button under the lens to shift to the 24X16 mm DXformat when needed. The 3.2-inch LCD is flanked by buttons on the left and the LiveView dial on the right.
USER EXPERIENCEDespite being a full-frame camera, the D600 can besuper fast when needed. You will notice its speedwhen you use the CH mode for continuous shooting.However, the Q (quiet) mode is not as quiet as weexpected it to be. And we noticed a latency after theclick at lower shutter speeds which felt as if the shut-ter had a double click or recoil. The camera is easy touse, though there are so many functions in themenu that Nikon should soon be thinking of addinga search button for the same. We liked the fact thatyou can do some basic editing in the camera itselfand this will be helpful for photographers who are ina hurry. The video mode is also easy to use as wewere impressed by the speed of the auto-focus. Also,the camera has two card slots which you can cus-tomise to maybe save RAW and JPEG separately,thus improving your productivity.
RESULTSWe thought the best way to test a full-frame camera would be in low light and at highISOs. The ISO can go two stops above 6400 for an equivalent of 25400. At this range theimages are bright even without any strong light sources, though we noticed noise whenthe light was halogen based. Yes, the low light performance is impressive compared toother DSLRs, but we have seen better performance with a compact mirorless, the OlympusOM-D EM-5. We also felt that under certain conditions the images were not as vibrant aswe would expect from a Nikon. But these are all small glitches when you consider the per-formance in normal circumstances, which is top notch.
EASE OF USEThe settings mode will take care of most auto functions, even though thereare Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto for the rest. In fact, the macro modeon the RX 100 is among the best we have used. Intelligent Auto can detectfor itself if you are clicking a portrait or a landscape and adjust the settingsaccordingly. The video quality is good in MPEG, though it gets sluggish inAVCHD. But the zoom is smooth with the Full HD recording and you havethe option of shooting in Program or Shutter/Aperture/ Manual modes andthis is a great functionality. Another good feature is the fact that this cam-era can charge directly through an USB, so no need to carry extra adapters.
OVERALLThe RX 100 is a versatile compact camera which can do most ofthe things you can with a DSLR, even RAW images. However,for the additional features and functionalities you have to pay apremium. Still it is a superb option for power users.
PERFORMANCEA 20.2 MP camera means your images aregoing to have quality and the RX-100 doesnot disappoint in any sense. The control ringmakes composing shots much easier. Forinstance, if you are in full-auto it becomesthe zoom control, while in shutter priority itcontrols shutter speed and so on. And as theLCD offers live view you get to know exactlyhow your shot will look. The auto-focus isreal fast, even in low light and for that thewide aperture of the lens could also be afactor. The D-Range optimiser brings the bestout of the images, especially when you aretaking a night shot, by adjusting the gammacurve to optimum levels. While the RAW andRAW+JPEG capture modes are great op-tions to have, especially for those who wouldlike to get the best out of their images, thesecan slow down the processing time. It takes afew seconds to save these files if you don’thave a Class 10 memory card, which is be-coming a prerequisite for most modern daycameras. We also felt that the auto-modeswere much faster than the semi-auto modes.One basic flaw we noticed was the lack of abattery indicator. If it is there somewhere, wecouldn’t find it.
NEW NEW
One look and it is hard for you to say if the new Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100 is different from regular compact cameras. It actually lookslike one of those new compact mirroless cameras. Well, it is not. Itis in fact the first compact camera from Sony that is able to captureRAW images. It also sports a control ring around the lens. Thoseare what make this camera different.
DARK KNIGHTHolding the world's smallest full-frame camera—that is, one with an image sensor the same sizeas the 35mm film frame—we were expecting tobe a bit intimidated. In fact, we were a bit takenaback by the familiarity factor that the NikonD600 brings to the table. In fact, it feels likeholding and using any mid-level Nikon DSLR. Andthat we think is the USP of this device.
THE FULL
PICTURE
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Good camera if you don’t mindthe price tag.
48November 2012ITGadgets & Gizmos
Test Bench
TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN & PICTURES BY RAJWANT RAWAT
Reviews
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 49
SONY CYBERSHOTDSC-RX 100Price: ` 34,990
GG
Specs: CMOS 20.2 MP; F1.8 -F4.9 28-100 mm lens; 1/2000 to 30sec shutter speed; ISO 25600; FullHD 1080p (60fps); SD/SDHC/ SDXC,Memory Stick Duo; RAW.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Best bet if you need full frameon a budget.
NIKON D600Price: `1,35,950
(body only)
GGSpecs: 24.3 MP CMOS; 1/4000 sec; ISO 100-6400 (50-25600 with boost), 1080p at 30 fps,SD/SDHC/SDXC x 2 slots, GPS
DESIGNThe control ring can be deceptive. But the RX 100 is a compact camera, thoughnot just any compact camera. Its all-black body and build makes it look andfeel very solid. There is a control dial on the side of the LCD that lets you do thesame even quicker, but the ring is definitely a welcome addition. It also sportsan F1.8 Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T 3.6x optical zoom lens. The mode dial is onthe top right while the Fn button above the control dial lets you select and editother parameters in any of the modes.
DESIGNThe D600, as we said, is build like any other mid-level Nikon DSLR. It is not muchheavier than these models, but had enough extra grooves and grips to make it easierto handle the 760 gm body weight plus that of the lens. The mode dial is on the leftof the view finder and the release mode dial around it selects shooting speeds. Thecamera uses a 35.9 X 24.0 mm Fx format CMOS sensor with 24.3 effective megapixels and hence there is a Fn button under the lens to shift to the 24X16 mm DXformat when needed. The 3.2-inch LCD is flanked by buttons on the left and the LiveView dial on the right.
USER EXPERIENCEDespite being a full-frame camera, the D600 can besuper fast when needed. You will notice its speedwhen you use the CH mode for continuous shooting.However, the Q (quiet) mode is not as quiet as weexpected it to be. And we noticed a latency after theclick at lower shutter speeds which felt as if the shut-ter had a double click or recoil. The camera is easy touse, though there are so many functions in themenu that Nikon should soon be thinking of addinga search button for the same. We liked the fact thatyou can do some basic editing in the camera itselfand this will be helpful for photographers who are ina hurry. The video mode is also easy to use as wewere impressed by the speed of the auto-focus. Also,the camera has two card slots which you can cus-tomise to maybe save RAW and JPEG separately,thus improving your productivity.
RESULTSWe thought the best way to test a full-frame camera would be in low light and at highISOs. The ISO can go two stops above 6400 for an equivalent of 25400. At this range theimages are bright even without any strong light sources, though we noticed noise whenthe light was halogen based. Yes, the low light performance is impressive compared toother DSLRs, but we have seen better performance with a compact mirorless, the OlympusOM-D EM-5. We also felt that under certain conditions the images were not as vibrant aswe would expect from a Nikon. But these are all small glitches when you consider the per-formance in normal circumstances, which is top notch.
EASE OF USEThe settings mode will take care of most auto functions, even though thereare Intelligent Auto and Superior Auto for the rest. In fact, the macro modeon the RX 100 is among the best we have used. Intelligent Auto can detectfor itself if you are clicking a portrait or a landscape and adjust the settingsaccordingly. The video quality is good in MPEG, though it gets sluggish inAVCHD. But the zoom is smooth with the Full HD recording and you havethe option of shooting in Program or Shutter/Aperture/ Manual modes andthis is a great functionality. Another good feature is the fact that this cam-era can charge directly through an USB, so no need to carry extra adapters.
OVERALLThe RX 100 is a versatile compact camera which can do most ofthe things you can with a DSLR, even RAW images. However,for the additional features and functionalities you have to pay apremium. Still it is a superb option for power users.
PERFORMANCEA 20.2 MP camera means your images aregoing to have quality and the RX-100 doesnot disappoint in any sense. The control ringmakes composing shots much easier. Forinstance, if you are in full-auto it becomesthe zoom control, while in shutter priority itcontrols shutter speed and so on. And as theLCD offers live view you get to know exactlyhow your shot will look. The auto-focus isreal fast, even in low light and for that thewide aperture of the lens could also be afactor. The D-Range optimiser brings the bestout of the images, especially when you aretaking a night shot, by adjusting the gammacurve to optimum levels. While the RAW andRAW+JPEG capture modes are great op-tions to have, especially for those who wouldlike to get the best out of their images, thesecan slow down the processing time. It takes afew seconds to save these files if you don’thave a Class 10 memory card, which is be-coming a prerequisite for most modern daycameras. We also felt that the auto-modeswere much faster than the semi-auto modes.One basic flaw we noticed was the lack of abattery indicator. If it is there somewhere, wecouldn’t find it.
NEW NEW
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos50
Camera Aperture
IN OUR THREE-PART SERIES ON THE BASICS OF PHOTOGRAPHY, WE TACKLED ISO LAST MONTH. THIS
TIME WE BRING YOU THE LOWDOWN ON HOW APERTURE CAN AFFECT YOUR PICTURES. LEARN
HOW TO USE THE F-NUMBER TO GET THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF LIGHT IN
THE PHOTOGRAPH.
Have you ever wonderedwhat’s with the f/2.8 and4/5.6 that people use in theirphoto descriptions, or what
the difference between a 35mm f/1.4 anda 35mm f/1.8 lens is? Or for that matter,when people say they’re “stopping down”for a shot, why does the f-number go up?In the second of our three-part series, welook at aperture and the impact smalltweaks can have in your images…andyes, answering all these questions using aslittle jargon as possible.
So what exactly is aperture? The easiestway to understand camera lens apertureis to liken it to pupils of your eyes, the
holes through which light enters. Andobviously, the wider they are, the morelight they let in.
APERTURE MEASUREDThe complicated bit begins when youwant to measure aperture numerically tomake a better judgment of the rightvalue for your shot. Aperture is measuredusing the f-stop scale, represented by the‘f/’ followed by a number. Now here’s theother important rule: the lower the num-ber, the wider the aperture.
This may seem confusing at first, but it’sreally quite straightforward—the f-stopscale goes something like this: f/1.4, f/2,
BY TUSHAR KANWAR
DECODINGAPERTURE
f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22. Notice how theyare all fractions? These represent division of the focallength of the lens by the diameter of the lens’ hole.So the smaller the denominator , the bigger the hole,and more the light that reaches the sensor. As youmove right on the scale, or “stop down”, the aperturedecreases to half its size and allows in 50 per cent lesslight. Modern cameras list apertures in between thesenumbers as well, to give you finer control over thesettings, so between f/2.8 and f/4, you have 1/3 stopsas well, by way of f/3.2 and f/3.5.
APERTURE, EXPOSURE, DoFClearly, the larger the aperture, the more light will
fall, and the more exposed the photo will be. If youtake photos at fixed ISO and shutter speed and varythe aperture, you’ll notice two things as you movefrom a wider aperture to a smaller aperture. The firstis that the images you make will be progressivelydarker due to the lens allowing in progressively lesseramount of light with each increase in f-number.
The second outcome is on depth of field (DoF), aneffect that can be put to creative use in your photos.Put simply, the depth of field is the distance at whichthe subject will stay in focus in front of and behindthe main point of focus. At a wide aperture, you willhave images with a shallow depth of field and a blurrybackground. The wider the aperture (say f/1.8), the
shallower the DoF, and narrower the aperture (f/22),the deeper the depth of field. Choosing to blur yourbackground, also referred to as bokeh, can give yourviewers a focus point without being distracted byobjects in the background.
WHAT APERTURE TO USE WHEN?Put the effects of aperture into action. Althoughthere are no rules to picking an aperture value, tradi-tionally though, you should use low f-numbers, suchas f/1.4, f/1.8 or f/2, for conditions where you want anextremely shallow DoF, or if you’re shooting in lowlight. Great for well-lit wildlife and product photogra-phy, as well. Ramp it up a notch higher to f/2.8 tocapture good facial detail in low light. If lighting is
good, pick a value of f/4 or f/5.6 for people photogra-phy so that you’re not risking body parts going out offocus with a shallow DoF. A mid range number suchas f/8 or f/11 is typically where your camera shoots itssharpest image, so when neither a large nor a verysmall aperture is needed and the lighting is good,these are good apertures. Small apertures, such asf/16 and f/22, increase DoF, which means more ele-ments of a picture, from the foreground to the back-ground, are in sharp focus. This adds a sense of depthto pictures and is a must for landscape photos. Butkeep in mind that small apertures need bright light-ing for proper exposure.
APERTURE WHILE BUYING LENSIf you’ve never shopped for a camera lens, be pre-pared for sticker shock when you see the price differ-ence between an f/1.4 and an f/1.8 lens. Nowhere isthis difference felt more than in telephoto/zoom lens,where a f/2.8 lens fetches a premium—we’re talkingabout lakhs of rupees—over a lens that has a widestaperture of f/4. For the most part, if you’re picking upa fixed focal length lens, an f/1.8 lens will meet allyour needs. Most capable zoom lens start at f/3.5,though you’ll want to see the maximum aperturelisted at the longest end of the zoom to be able to tellwhat kind of low-light performance the lens candeliver when fully zoomed out.
Landscapephotos requireeverything tobe in focus.So a narrowaperture, likef22,workswell.
With a wideaperture off1.8, you canblur out thebackground.
The camerashoots thesharpest at amid-range likef11, butrequires goodlighting.
An apertureof f4 allowsneither tooshallow nortoo deep adepth of field.
THE NET, SOCIAL MEDIA, PHOTOGRAPHY, ETC.
DigitalLife
Am
mgr
amm
/flic
kr
Big Tall G
uy/flickr
Neil Armstrong2/flickr
Dic
kson
Yue
/flic
kr
51
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos50
Camera Aperture
IN OUR THREE-PART SERIES ON THE BASICS OF PHOTOGRAPHY, WE TACKLED ISO LAST MONTH. THIS
TIME WE BRING YOU THE LOWDOWN ON HOW APERTURE CAN AFFECT YOUR PICTURES. LEARN
HOW TO USE THE F-NUMBER TO GET THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF LIGHT IN
THE PHOTOGRAPH.
Have you ever wonderedwhat’s with the f/2.8 and4/5.6 that people use in theirphoto descriptions, or what
the difference between a 35mm f/1.4 anda 35mm f/1.8 lens is? Or for that matter,when people say they’re “stopping down”for a shot, why does the f-number go up?In the second of our three-part series, welook at aperture and the impact smalltweaks can have in your images…andyes, answering all these questions using aslittle jargon as possible.
So what exactly is aperture? The easiestway to understand camera lens apertureis to liken it to pupils of your eyes, the
holes through which light enters. Andobviously, the wider they are, the morelight they let in.
APERTURE MEASUREDThe complicated bit begins when youwant to measure aperture numerically tomake a better judgment of the rightvalue for your shot. Aperture is measuredusing the f-stop scale, represented by the‘f/’ followed by a number. Now here’s theother important rule: the lower the num-ber, the wider the aperture.
This may seem confusing at first, but it’sreally quite straightforward—the f-stopscale goes something like this: f/1.4, f/2,
BY TUSHAR KANWAR
DECODINGAPERTURE
f/2.8, f/4, f/5.6, f/8, f/11, f/16, f/22. Notice how theyare all fractions? These represent division of the focallength of the lens by the diameter of the lens’ hole.So the smaller the denominator , the bigger the hole,and more the light that reaches the sensor. As youmove right on the scale, or “stop down”, the aperturedecreases to half its size and allows in 50 per cent lesslight. Modern cameras list apertures in between thesenumbers as well, to give you finer control over thesettings, so between f/2.8 and f/4, you have 1/3 stopsas well, by way of f/3.2 and f/3.5.
APERTURE, EXPOSURE, DoFClearly, the larger the aperture, the more light will
fall, and the more exposed the photo will be. If youtake photos at fixed ISO and shutter speed and varythe aperture, you’ll notice two things as you movefrom a wider aperture to a smaller aperture. The firstis that the images you make will be progressivelydarker due to the lens allowing in progressively lesseramount of light with each increase in f-number.
The second outcome is on depth of field (DoF), aneffect that can be put to creative use in your photos.Put simply, the depth of field is the distance at whichthe subject will stay in focus in front of and behindthe main point of focus. At a wide aperture, you willhave images with a shallow depth of field and a blurrybackground. The wider the aperture (say f/1.8), the
shallower the DoF, and narrower the aperture (f/22),the deeper the depth of field. Choosing to blur yourbackground, also referred to as bokeh, can give yourviewers a focus point without being distracted byobjects in the background.
WHAT APERTURE TO USE WHEN?Put the effects of aperture into action. Althoughthere are no rules to picking an aperture value, tradi-tionally though, you should use low f-numbers, suchas f/1.4, f/1.8 or f/2, for conditions where you want anextremely shallow DoF, or if you’re shooting in lowlight. Great for well-lit wildlife and product photogra-phy, as well. Ramp it up a notch higher to f/2.8 tocapture good facial detail in low light. If lighting is
good, pick a value of f/4 or f/5.6 for people photogra-phy so that you’re not risking body parts going out offocus with a shallow DoF. A mid range number suchas f/8 or f/11 is typically where your camera shoots itssharpest image, so when neither a large nor a verysmall aperture is needed and the lighting is good,these are good apertures. Small apertures, such asf/16 and f/22, increase DoF, which means more ele-ments of a picture, from the foreground to the back-ground, are in sharp focus. This adds a sense of depthto pictures and is a must for landscape photos. Butkeep in mind that small apertures need bright light-ing for proper exposure.
APERTURE WHILE BUYING LENSIf you’ve never shopped for a camera lens, be pre-pared for sticker shock when you see the price differ-ence between an f/1.4 and an f/1.8 lens. Nowhere isthis difference felt more than in telephoto/zoom lens,where a f/2.8 lens fetches a premium—we’re talkingabout lakhs of rupees—over a lens that has a widestaperture of f/4. For the most part, if you’re picking upa fixed focal length lens, an f/1.8 lens will meet allyour needs. Most capable zoom lens start at f/3.5,though you’ll want to see the maximum aperturelisted at the longest end of the zoom to be able to tellwhat kind of low-light performance the lens candeliver when fully zoomed out.
Landscapephotos requireeverything tobe in focus.So a narrowaperture, likef22,workswell.
With a wideaperture off1.8, you canblur out thebackground.
The camerashoots thesharpest at amid-range likef11, butrequires goodlighting.
An apertureof f4 allowsneither tooshallow nortoo deep adepth of field.
THE NET, SOCIAL MEDIA, PHOTOGRAPHY, ETC.
DigitalLifeA
mm
gram
m/f
lickr
Big Tall G
uy/flickr
Neil Armstrong2/flickr
Dic
kson
Yue
/flic
kr
51
52November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 53
Mapping Service
USER-GENERATED DATA ISCHANGING THE WAY MAPS AREMADE. ARE YOU PART OF THEREVOLUTION? GO
CHARTOUT A MAP
The Internet today is all about you. It isthe average user who is generating thebest content for the Net—from moviereviews to stock photos. So it is no
surprise that this trend has plotted its way tocartography as well. Once considered an expen-sive proposition due to the sheer number ofman-hours needed to create the smallest of geo-graphical pictures, map making is now benefit-ing from the common man’s urge—andenthusiasm—to try make a difference to hiscommunity in one way or the other.
If you are also one of those who pulls out aphone when lost in the bylanes of a city or therural wilderness, just remember that the GoogleMaps that you trust so much owes a lot for itscontent to people who think it is their duty toplot the locality they live in or mark the besteatery in town. Here is how you too can becomepart of this revolution to create maps that go be-
TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY VANITA ARORA
yond well-known landmarks and utilities.
WHATGoogle Map Maker was conceived in 2005 by LaliteshKatragadda, now Country Head, India Products,Google. Since it went live in 2008, users around theworld have been using the free service to add and editfeatures on already existing maps. While this might notbe a big deal in an urban scenario, Map Maker is liter-ally making a difference on the ground in rural areaswhere detailed mapping have never been carried out.With people taking it upon themselves to map naturalfeatures, places of interest and institutions in thesearea, rural maps are, all of a sudden, becoming feature-rich and user friendly. In fact, user-generated mapswere a great help during relief operations after the 2010floods in Pakistan.
WHEREOne look at the Pulse section (http://www.google.com/map-maker/pulse) of Google Map Maker and you realise thepower of user-generated content. It updates almost everysecond with a new locality or point that has been added toa map somewhere across the globe. Map Maker now hasactive users in over 200 countries, most of which did nothave detailed maps till a couple of years ago. In India, saysKatragadda, the activity is following the spread of broad-band. So all parts of the country except the north-easternstates are recording thousands of updates every day. Hehopes that the eastern states will also be mapped within a
couple of years. India’s cities and towns, meanwhile, havebeen fully mapped.
HOW■ It is easy to be a part of this map-making revolution.
Just log in to Google Map Maker with your Google IDand look for localities and places about which youhave good knowledge. If you think the map for thatarea can be bettered, go to Add New above the map.You can choose Add A Place if you just want to pin-point a building or shop, etc. Select Add A Shape ifyou want to demarcate the boundary of a piece ofland, say a part of school ground. To mark roads,tracks and rivers choose Draw A Line.
■ Once you add something to the map, key in the de-tails and click submit. Map Maker takes some time toreview the markings. Regular users, however, enjoymore trust with the service and get to publish almostlive with their updates showing on the map in underfive minutes. But to reach this level, you have tomake numerous posts, enough for the system to trustyou and understand what you are good at.
■ You will not be able to make changes in a part of themap which the software thinks already has all the inforequired. The same applies for places of national in-terest, monuments and landmarks which have beenlocked from further edits. As of now Map Maker canbe access only through computers; there are no apps.
Armed with this information, you can embark on yourrewarding journey as a digital mapmaker.
Digital Life
52November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 53
Mapping Service
USER-GENERATED DATA ISCHANGING THE WAY MAPS AREMADE. ARE YOU PART OF THEREVOLUTION? GO
CHARTOUT A MAP
The Internet today is all about you. It isthe average user who is generating thebest content for the Net—from moviereviews to stock photos. So it is no
surprise that this trend has plotted its way tocartography as well. Once considered an expen-sive proposition due to the sheer number ofman-hours needed to create the smallest of geo-graphical pictures, map making is now benefit-ing from the common man’s urge—andenthusiasm—to try make a difference to hiscommunity in one way or the other.
If you are also one of those who pulls out aphone when lost in the bylanes of a city or therural wilderness, just remember that the GoogleMaps that you trust so much owes a lot for itscontent to people who think it is their duty toplot the locality they live in or mark the besteatery in town. Here is how you too can becomepart of this revolution to create maps that go be-
TEXT BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY VANITA ARORA
yond well-known landmarks and utilities.
WHATGoogle Map Maker was conceived in 2005 by LaliteshKatragadda, now Country Head, India Products,Google. Since it went live in 2008, users around theworld have been using the free service to add and editfeatures on already existing maps. While this might notbe a big deal in an urban scenario, Map Maker is liter-ally making a difference on the ground in rural areaswhere detailed mapping have never been carried out.With people taking it upon themselves to map naturalfeatures, places of interest and institutions in thesearea, rural maps are, all of a sudden, becoming feature-rich and user friendly. In fact, user-generated mapswere a great help during relief operations after the 2010floods in Pakistan.
WHEREOne look at the Pulse section (http://www.google.com/map-maker/pulse) of Google Map Maker and you realise thepower of user-generated content. It updates almost everysecond with a new locality or point that has been added toa map somewhere across the globe. Map Maker now hasactive users in over 200 countries, most of which did nothave detailed maps till a couple of years ago. In India, saysKatragadda, the activity is following the spread of broad-band. So all parts of the country except the north-easternstates are recording thousands of updates every day. Hehopes that the eastern states will also be mapped within a
couple of years. India’s cities and towns, meanwhile, havebeen fully mapped.
HOW■ It is easy to be a part of this map-making revolution.
Just log in to Google Map Maker with your Google IDand look for localities and places about which youhave good knowledge. If you think the map for thatarea can be bettered, go to Add New above the map.You can choose Add A Place if you just want to pin-point a building or shop, etc. Select Add A Shape ifyou want to demarcate the boundary of a piece ofland, say a part of school ground. To mark roads,tracks and rivers choose Draw A Line.
■ Once you add something to the map, key in the de-tails and click submit. Map Maker takes some time toreview the markings. Regular users, however, enjoymore trust with the service and get to publish almostlive with their updates showing on the map in underfive minutes. But to reach this level, you have tomake numerous posts, enough for the system to trustyou and understand what you are good at.
■ You will not be able to make changes in a part of themap which the software thinks already has all the inforequired. The same applies for places of national in-terest, monuments and landmarks which have beenlocked from further edits. As of now Map Maker canbe access only through computers; there are no apps.
Armed with this information, you can embark on yourrewarding journey as a digital mapmaker.
Digital Life
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
New MS Office
BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
54 IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
55
USING OUR GOOD
OFFICESLAPTOPS, DESKTOPS, SOFTWARE, PRINTERS
Computing
As Windows 8 rolls out later this month, wewill see a paradigm shift in the way comput-ing is done across the world. In tune withthe times and the proliferation of devices,Windows 8 is also made for a multi-screenworld. The effort is to give the same userexperience whatever the device you areusing or wherever across the globe you are.As always, one of the critical elements ofWindows is its Office software package,complete with the ubiquitous Word, Exceland PowerPoint. Microsoft has alreadyreleased a preview of its New Office and it ishard to miss the wow factor in its elements.Obviously, this is Office for a new world, aworld where the desktop might be the lastplace you access work from. A look at whatis new and how MS Office works.
WITH LOADS OF NEW FEATURES AND INTUITIVETASK MANAGEMENT, THE NEW MICROSOFT OFFICEIS ALL ABOUT IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY ACROSSYOUR MULTIPLE DEVICE SCREENS.
An office in the cloudThe New Office sits as much on the cloud as it does on your machine. So the first thingthat you do with the Office is to log in to your Microsoft account. This means that everytime you save a file, it is also saved to SkyDrive and synced live to all your devices thatrun Office. This ensures continuity in your work even if you have to leave the office andcatch up on work from home. This also means the file in the cloud can be shared withothers and they can also edit the document if you want them to.
WordWord is without doubt the most used Office software, so even the slightest change is hardto miss. We could not overlook the fact that the cursor has stopped blinking and just flowssmoothly—maybe to resonate the “Fast and Fluid” design philosophy of Windows 8.Another great feature for people who write a lot is the ability to add apps to the pageitself. You no longer have to open a webpage to check out a work or fact, as MerriamWebster Dictionary and Encyclopedia Britannica apps can be inserted at the side of thepage. Select a word or phrase and just right click to Bing it. You can also add videos toany page now. Plus, going with popular demand you can now hide the fully loadedribbon on the top.
ExcelLife becomes much more simpler with Excel, especially for those who aren’t all that goodwith the formulae needed to make spreadsheets make sense. To begin with, the columnsand rows are now intuitive and know what you are trying to do. An immediate analysisof the sheet can be conjured up with a simple right click. The data can be presented inchart, table or another statistical tool without your knowing even a basic formula. Thiswe think is going to make many basic Excel users much more productive. Users can insertand edit many online elements to make their spreadsheets easier to understand.
PowerPointIf you can add video files to Word, we need not even discuss the kind of value additionyou can now do to a PowerPoint presentation. But what really caught our attention wasthe cockpit view that lets you take full control of a presentation as you are giving one.With this feature you know where you are in a presentation and what is going to comenext. Then you can also annotate a slide to explain the contents better as you arespeaking. There is also the option of zooming in on a particular part of a slide. This is afull dashboard for PowerPoint.
OutlookOpen the new Outlook and it looks a lot like the Mail app in Windows 8 and that is good,neat and clean. Apart from the better design, you have more utility with Outlook. Simplefeatures like the ability to reply to mail from the inbox seems to have been inspired bythe way people work these days. Even features like calendar can now be accessed withoutactually opening that tab.
OneNoteWhen OneNote was first announced a few years ago it was a real wonder app. But nowalmost everyone has something similar. So OneNote has bettered itself with what wethought was an integration of the other sides of Office. You can open and edit an Excel orWord file within a note if needed. The screen clipper now appears as a tab below thescreen and becomes more handy, while you also have the option of printing an Office fileto OneNote.
LyncWith the new Office, Microsoft is trying to make the workplace more social. So Lync, oneof the company’s recent acquisitions, tries to change the way people communicate in theoffice. This enterprise software lets you collaborate with colleagues using instantmessaging, video chat and VOIP. Office is also integrated to Lync with drag and drop easeso that up to a thousand people can work on one file at time if needed. That is also thenumber of people who can take part in a video conference. No, there are no feature tocut through the chaos.
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
New MS Office
BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
54 IT Gadgets & GizmosNovember 2012
55
USING OUR GOOD
OFFICESLAPTOPS, DESKTOPS, SOFTWARE, PRINTERS
Computing
As Windows 8 rolls out later this month, wewill see a paradigm shift in the way comput-ing is done across the world. In tune withthe times and the proliferation of devices,Windows 8 is also made for a multi-screenworld. The effort is to give the same userexperience whatever the device you areusing or wherever across the globe you are.As always, one of the critical elements ofWindows is its Office software package,complete with the ubiquitous Word, Exceland PowerPoint. Microsoft has alreadyreleased a preview of its New Office and it ishard to miss the wow factor in its elements.Obviously, this is Office for a new world, aworld where the desktop might be the lastplace you access work from. A look at whatis new and how MS Office works.
WITH LOADS OF NEW FEATURES AND INTUITIVETASK MANAGEMENT, THE NEW MICROSOFT OFFICEIS ALL ABOUT IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY ACROSSYOUR MULTIPLE DEVICE SCREENS.
An office in the cloudThe New Office sits as much on the cloud as it does on your machine. So the first thingthat you do with the Office is to log in to your Microsoft account. This means that everytime you save a file, it is also saved to SkyDrive and synced live to all your devices thatrun Office. This ensures continuity in your work even if you have to leave the office andcatch up on work from home. This also means the file in the cloud can be shared withothers and they can also edit the document if you want them to.
WordWord is without doubt the most used Office software, so even the slightest change is hardto miss. We could not overlook the fact that the cursor has stopped blinking and just flowssmoothly—maybe to resonate the “Fast and Fluid” design philosophy of Windows 8.Another great feature for people who write a lot is the ability to add apps to the pageitself. You no longer have to open a webpage to check out a work or fact, as MerriamWebster Dictionary and Encyclopedia Britannica apps can be inserted at the side of thepage. Select a word or phrase and just right click to Bing it. You can also add videos toany page now. Plus, going with popular demand you can now hide the fully loadedribbon on the top.
ExcelLife becomes much more simpler with Excel, especially for those who aren’t all that goodwith the formulae needed to make spreadsheets make sense. To begin with, the columnsand rows are now intuitive and know what you are trying to do. An immediate analysisof the sheet can be conjured up with a simple right click. The data can be presented inchart, table or another statistical tool without your knowing even a basic formula. Thiswe think is going to make many basic Excel users much more productive. Users can insertand edit many online elements to make their spreadsheets easier to understand.
PowerPointIf you can add video files to Word, we need not even discuss the kind of value additionyou can now do to a PowerPoint presentation. But what really caught our attention wasthe cockpit view that lets you take full control of a presentation as you are giving one.With this feature you know where you are in a presentation and what is going to comenext. Then you can also annotate a slide to explain the contents better as you arespeaking. There is also the option of zooming in on a particular part of a slide. This is afull dashboard for PowerPoint.
OutlookOpen the new Outlook and it looks a lot like the Mail app in Windows 8 and that is good,neat and clean. Apart from the better design, you have more utility with Outlook. Simplefeatures like the ability to reply to mail from the inbox seems to have been inspired bythe way people work these days. Even features like calendar can now be accessed withoutactually opening that tab.
OneNoteWhen OneNote was first announced a few years ago it was a real wonder app. But nowalmost everyone has something similar. So OneNote has bettered itself with what wethought was an integration of the other sides of Office. You can open and edit an Excel orWord file within a note if needed. The screen clipper now appears as a tab below thescreen and becomes more handy, while you also have the option of printing an Office fileto OneNote.
LyncWith the new Office, Microsoft is trying to make the workplace more social. So Lync, oneof the company’s recent acquisitions, tries to change the way people communicate in theoffice. This enterprise software lets you collaborate with colleagues using instantmessaging, video chat and VOIP. Office is also integrated to Lync with drag and drop easeso that up to a thousand people can work on one file at time if needed. That is also thenumber of people who can take part in a video conference. No, there are no feature tocut through the chaos.
Laptops
The
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 57
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos56
PRICE-PERFORMANCE EQUATION OF THE MONTH
BestBuys
The buzz these days is all aboutUltrabooks. But the fact is that noteveryone can spend over ̀ 50,000 tobuy one of these slim, lightweightdevices. Most first time buyers have no
choice but to choose a machine that is under ` 35,000, many looking even further down.
But are devices at that price point any good, espe-cially when compared to the style and power of theUltrabook? Well, to start with, most of them haveprocessing power at a par with entry-levelUltrabooks, and the latter costs more because theyowe their light weight to expensive solid-statedrives. While all affordable laptops have hard diskdrives (HDD) that are cheap but bulky, the fact isthat the latest breed of Ultrabooks too is opting forHDDs for added storage. However, the difference
will be stark as far as battery life and screen resolu-tion are concerned. You can forget the 10-hour bat-tery life promised by Ultrabooks if you are buyingsomething cheaper. About four hours of juice wouldbe considered great in this range. Similarly,Ultrabooks are likely to have much superior screens.
Many of the affordable laptops keep their priceslow by not offering Windows, coming loaded insteadwith DOS or Linux. Buyers will have to spend moreto upgrade to Windows. Generally, AMD processorsare also cheaper than Intel ones.
But the fact remains that all these hardly make adifference for entry- or mid-level users who are on atight budget. For them, the best spec on a device isvalue for money. And there are many laptops thatgive you the best possible specs and user experiencefor under ̀ 35,000.
BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
AFFORD BLESTO BUY A BUDGET
FRIENDLY LAPTOP
YOU WILL HAVE TO
MAKE SACRIFICES
AS FAR AS WEIGHT
AND DISPLAY
QUALITY ARE
CONCERNED.
AS THE PRICE
GOES FURTHER
SOUTH MORE
FEATURES GO OUT
OF THESE DEVICES,
ESPECIALLY THE
WINDOWS OS
AND SCREEN SIZE.
WHICH LAPTOP SHOULD YOU SPY ON YOUR RADAR IF YOU ARE ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET?
` 30,000 to
` 35,000
1DELL INSPIRON 14R Price: ̀34,490
With a 14-inch screen and a 3rd Gen Intel Coreprocessor, the Inspiron 14R is a powerful option forusers who also need a bit of style with usability. Thedevice can be scaled up to 8GB RAM at an additionalcost. It can also be a very good entertainment laptopthanks to the quality of the screen and the HDMIoption. Plus this Dell device comes with a one-yearcomplete cover accidental damage protection withpremium phone support.
Specs: Windows 7 Home Basic 64bit; 4-inchHD WLED True-Life (1366x768); Intel Corei3-3110M (3M Cache, 2.3 GHz); 2GB 1DDR3; 320GB HDD; Intel HD graphics4000; DVD+/-RW; 2.29 kg.
2ACER ASPIRE V3-571 Price: ̀35,018
This Acer machine is very powerful, though you will get only a Linuxversion within the price limit. But since a lot of people will be happy withthat as well as the 3rd gen Intel Core processor, LED screen and Dolbyaudio, we could not leave this one out.
Specs: Linux, 15.6-inch HD-LED backlit TFTLCD; Intel Core i5-3210M processor (3 MBL3 cache, 2.50 GHz with Turbo Boost up to3.10GHz); 4 GB DDR3 RAM; 500 GB HDD; Intel HD graphics 4000; DVD Writer.
3DELL INSPIRON 15 Price: ̀34,490
If you need a larger screen size, thenInspiron 15 is a good option. The 15.6-inch widescreen HD display comes withmatching Waves Maxx Audio 3. Thenthere is the 3rd Gen Intel Core proces-sor for superb power. Complete coveraccidental damage protection with pre-mium phone support is included.
Specs: Windows7Home Basic 64 bit;15.6-inch LED Backlit Display with TrueLife and HD resolution (1366 x 768);3rd Generation Intel Core i3-3110Mprocessor (3M Cache, 2.30 GHz); 4GB1 DIMM DDR3 1600Mhz; 500 GBHDD; Intel HD Graphics 4000; DVDdrive; 2.4 kg.
Laptops
The
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 57
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos56
PRICE-PERFORMANCE EQUATION OF THE MONTH
BestBuys
The buzz these days is all aboutUltrabooks. But the fact is that noteveryone can spend over ̀ 50,000 tobuy one of these slim, lightweightdevices. Most first time buyers have no
choice but to choose a machine that is under ` 35,000, many looking even further down.
But are devices at that price point any good, espe-cially when compared to the style and power of theUltrabook? Well, to start with, most of them haveprocessing power at a par with entry-levelUltrabooks, and the latter costs more because theyowe their light weight to expensive solid-statedrives. While all affordable laptops have hard diskdrives (HDD) that are cheap but bulky, the fact isthat the latest breed of Ultrabooks too is opting forHDDs for added storage. However, the difference
will be stark as far as battery life and screen resolu-tion are concerned. You can forget the 10-hour bat-tery life promised by Ultrabooks if you are buyingsomething cheaper. About four hours of juice wouldbe considered great in this range. Similarly,Ultrabooks are likely to have much superior screens.
Many of the affordable laptops keep their priceslow by not offering Windows, coming loaded insteadwith DOS or Linux. Buyers will have to spend moreto upgrade to Windows. Generally, AMD processorsare also cheaper than Intel ones.
But the fact remains that all these hardly make adifference for entry- or mid-level users who are on atight budget. For them, the best spec on a device isvalue for money. And there are many laptops thatgive you the best possible specs and user experiencefor under ̀ 35,000.
BY NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
AFFORD BLESTO BUY A BUDGET
FRIENDLY LAPTOP
YOU WILL HAVE TO
MAKE SACRIFICES
AS FAR AS WEIGHT
AND DISPLAY
QUALITY ARE
CONCERNED.
AS THE PRICE
GOES FURTHER
SOUTH MORE
FEATURES GO OUT
OF THESE DEVICES,
ESPECIALLY THE
WINDOWS OS
AND SCREEN SIZE.
WHICH LAPTOP SHOULD YOU SPY ON YOUR RADAR IF YOU ARE ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET?
` 30,000 to
` 35,000
1DELL INSPIRON 14R Price: ̀34,490
With a 14-inch screen and a 3rd Gen Intel Coreprocessor, the Inspiron 14R is a powerful option forusers who also need a bit of style with usability. Thedevice can be scaled up to 8GB RAM at an additionalcost. It can also be a very good entertainment laptopthanks to the quality of the screen and the HDMIoption. Plus this Dell device comes with a one-yearcomplete cover accidental damage protection withpremium phone support.
Specs: Windows 7 Home Basic 64bit; 4-inchHD WLED True-Life (1366x768); Intel Corei3-3110M (3M Cache, 2.3 GHz); 2GB 1DDR3; 320GB HDD; Intel HD graphics4000; DVD+/-RW; 2.29 kg.
2ACER ASPIRE V3-571 Price: ̀35,018
This Acer machine is very powerful, though you will get only a Linuxversion within the price limit. But since a lot of people will be happy withthat as well as the 3rd gen Intel Core processor, LED screen and Dolbyaudio, we could not leave this one out.
Specs: Linux, 15.6-inch HD-LED backlit TFTLCD; Intel Core i5-3210M processor (3 MBL3 cache, 2.50 GHz with Turbo Boost up to3.10GHz); 4 GB DDR3 RAM; 500 GB HDD; Intel HD graphics 4000; DVD Writer.
3DELL INSPIRON 15 Price: ̀34,490
If you need a larger screen size, thenInspiron 15 is a good option. The 15.6-inch widescreen HD display comes withmatching Waves Maxx Audio 3. Thenthere is the 3rd Gen Intel Core proces-sor for superb power. Complete coveraccidental damage protection with pre-mium phone support is included.
Specs: Windows7Home Basic 64 bit;15.6-inch LED Backlit Display with TrueLife and HD resolution (1366 x 768);3rd Generation Intel Core i3-3110Mprocessor (3M Cache, 2.30 GHz); 4GB1 DIMM DDR3 1600Mhz; 500 GBHDD; Intel HD Graphics 4000; DVDdrive; 2.4 kg.
Laptops
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 59
Best Buys
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos58
4
SONY VAIO E SERIESSVE15113ENB Price: ̀31,990
This E series laptop is cheaper than others because it hasan older 2nd gen Intel Core processor. That does not in anyway mean that the processing power is inferior. The Eseries also features high audio quality with "xLOUD" and"Clear Phase" technology to complement the 15.5-inchscreen. Despite being a slightly bulky laptop, this one boastsa rapid wake and eco mode with longer battery life.
Specs: Windows7Home Basic; 15.5wide (1366 x 768)TFT display; Intel i3-2370M Processor(2.40 GHz); 4 GBDDR3 RAM; Intel HDgraphics 3000; 320GB HDD; DVDSuperMulti Drive; 2.7 kg.
OTHERS
TOSHIBA SATELLITE C850 - X5210,`34,750SPECS: Windows 7 Home Basic; 15.6-inch(1366 x 768) HD 200 Clear SuperView LEDbacklit TFT; Intel Core i5 2450M; 4 GBDDR3; Intel HD graphics; 500 GB HDD;DVD SuperMulti Drive; 2.3 kg.
HCL ME ICON V 1045, `34,990SPECS: Windows 7 Home Basic; 15.6-inch(1366 x 768) LED backlit screen; Intel Corei3 2328M; 2GB RAM; Intel HD graphics3000; 500GB HDD; 3 yr free McAFeeAntivirus; 9-in-1 card reader.
` 30,000 to
` 35,000
` 20,000 to
` 30,000
1HP DM1-4003AU Price: ̀25,131
The HP DM1 is a device meant for the Generation Y crowd and hasbeen priced in such a way that even students can afford it. To achieve alower price point, HP has used the cheaper AMD APU Dual Coreprocessor. Plus ots has a smaller 11.6-inch screen which along withthe 1.6 kg weight makes it makes it ideal for youngsters. Then there isBeats Audio to add to the entertainment quotient of the device. But itspetite size means there is no DVD drive.
Specs: Windows 7 Home Basic; 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) HD LED Brightviewdisplay; APU Dual Core E-450 (1.65 GHz);2 GB DDR3; 320 GB HDD; AMD RadeonHD 6320 graphics; 3 USB; 1.6 kg.
2SONY VAIO E SERIESSVE11115ENW Price: ̀27,990
Another AMD device, this one too features an 11.6-inchscreen and Windows. Being a Vaio this is a stylish device andby no means an under performer. The xLOUD audio withClear Phase should have a lot of young buyers interested.
Specs: Windows 7 Home Basic64 bit; 11.6 wide (1366x768)TFT colour display; AMD E2-1800 Accelerated Processor(1.7GHz); 2 GB DDR3 SDRAM;320 GB; AMD Radeon HD7340 graphics; USB 2.0 X2;USB 3.0 x 1; 1.5 kg.
5ACER ASPIRE E1-571 Price: ̀29,868
This large screen option comes with a Linux OS,but compensates with the latest Intel 3rd Genprocessor and 500 GB storage.
Specs: Linux; 15.6-inch HD-LED backlitTFT LCD; Intel Core i3-3110M; 4 GBDDR3 RAM; 500 GB HDD; Intel HDgraphics; DVD writer; USB x 3.
6GATEWAY NE-56R Price: ̀28,581
Another stylish looking Linux device, but with 2nd GenIntel core processor and 15.6-inch screen.
Specs: Linux; 15.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) GatewayUltrabright LED-backlit TFT LCD; Intel Corei3 2370; 2GB DDR3; 320 GB HDD; Intel HD graphics 3000;DVD RW, Multi-card reader.
3ACER ASPIRE ONE 725 Price: ̀20,444The Aspire One has always been one of the popularnetbook brands, though the netbook itself is losingpopularity. This 11.6-inch device gives the best value for money among netbooks.
Specs: Windows 7;11.6-inch HD(1366 x 768) AcerCineCrystal LED-backlit TFT LCD;AMD C-Seriesprocessor C-60 (1GHz); 2 GB DDR3RAM; 320 GBHDD; ATI RadeonHD 6290 graphics;3 x USB ports.
4TOSHIBASATELLITE C850 -P5010 Price: ̀23,000
The C850’s cheaper price has a lot todo with the older Intel Pentium DualCore processor on which it runs.However, this 15.6-inch device offersfunctionality with stylish design for thosewho cannot afford to spend more. Youwill, however, have to pay extra for theOS or get Linux. A Microsoft Windows7 Home Basic will cost you ̀ 5,777more.
Specs: No OS; 15.6 inch (1366 x768) high-definition clear superviewLED backlit display; Pentium Dual Core(2nd Generation B950 2.1GHz); 2 GBDDR3; 320 GB HDD; Intel HDgraphics; DVD RW SuperMulti Drivewith Dual Layer Support; 1 x USB 3.0;2 x USB 2.0, 2.3 kg.
At this price range, you get smaller screen sizes and AMD processors. Some manufacturers also load the machines with Linux instead of Windows. Some ofthese can be classified as netbooks as they don’t have optical drives.
IF THE FUNDS AT YOUR DISPOSALARE UNDER `30,000, IT ISBETTER TO BUY A NETBOOK. THAT WAY YOU WILL GET GOODFEATURES THOUGH WITH ASMALLER SCREEN SIZE.
Laptops
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 59
Best Buys
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos58
4
SONY VAIO E SERIESSVE15113ENB Price: ̀31,990
This E series laptop is cheaper than others because it hasan older 2nd gen Intel Core processor. That does not in anyway mean that the processing power is inferior. The Eseries also features high audio quality with "xLOUD" and"Clear Phase" technology to complement the 15.5-inchscreen. Despite being a slightly bulky laptop, this one boastsa rapid wake and eco mode with longer battery life.
Specs: Windows7Home Basic; 15.5wide (1366 x 768)TFT display; Intel i3-2370M Processor(2.40 GHz); 4 GBDDR3 RAM; Intel HDgraphics 3000; 320GB HDD; DVDSuperMulti Drive; 2.7 kg.
OTHERS
TOSHIBA SATELLITE C850 - X5210,`34,750SPECS: Windows 7 Home Basic; 15.6-inch(1366 x 768) HD 200 Clear SuperView LEDbacklit TFT; Intel Core i5 2450M; 4 GBDDR3; Intel HD graphics; 500 GB HDD;DVD SuperMulti Drive; 2.3 kg.
HCL ME ICON V 1045, `34,990SPECS: Windows 7 Home Basic; 15.6-inch(1366 x 768) LED backlit screen; Intel Corei3 2328M; 2GB RAM; Intel HD graphics3000; 500GB HDD; 3 yr free McAFeeAntivirus; 9-in-1 card reader.
` 30,000 to
` 35,000
` 20,000 to
` 30,000
1HP DM1-4003AU Price: ̀25,131
The HP DM1 is a device meant for the Generation Y crowd and hasbeen priced in such a way that even students can afford it. To achieve alower price point, HP has used the cheaper AMD APU Dual Coreprocessor. Plus ots has a smaller 11.6-inch screen which along withthe 1.6 kg weight makes it makes it ideal for youngsters. Then there isBeats Audio to add to the entertainment quotient of the device. But itspetite size means there is no DVD drive.
Specs: Windows 7 Home Basic; 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) HD LED Brightviewdisplay; APU Dual Core E-450 (1.65 GHz);2 GB DDR3; 320 GB HDD; AMD RadeonHD 6320 graphics; 3 USB; 1.6 kg.
2SONY VAIO E SERIESSVE11115ENW Price: ̀27,990
Another AMD device, this one too features an 11.6-inchscreen and Windows. Being a Vaio this is a stylish device andby no means an under performer. The xLOUD audio withClear Phase should have a lot of young buyers interested.
Specs: Windows 7 Home Basic64 bit; 11.6 wide (1366x768)TFT colour display; AMD E2-1800 Accelerated Processor(1.7GHz); 2 GB DDR3 SDRAM;320 GB; AMD Radeon HD7340 graphics; USB 2.0 X2;USB 3.0 x 1; 1.5 kg.
5ACER ASPIRE E1-571 Price: ̀29,868
This large screen option comes with a Linux OS,but compensates with the latest Intel 3rd Genprocessor and 500 GB storage.
Specs: Linux; 15.6-inch HD-LED backlitTFT LCD; Intel Core i3-3110M; 4 GBDDR3 RAM; 500 GB HDD; Intel HDgraphics; DVD writer; USB x 3.
6GATEWAY NE-56R Price: ̀28,581
Another stylish looking Linux device, but with 2nd GenIntel core processor and 15.6-inch screen.
Specs: Linux; 15.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) GatewayUltrabright LED-backlit TFT LCD; Intel Corei3 2370; 2GB DDR3; 320 GB HDD; Intel HD graphics 3000;DVD RW, Multi-card reader.
3ACER ASPIRE ONE 725 Price: ̀20,444The Aspire One has always been one of the popularnetbook brands, though the netbook itself is losingpopularity. This 11.6-inch device gives the best value for money among netbooks.
Specs: Windows 7;11.6-inch HD(1366 x 768) AcerCineCrystal LED-backlit TFT LCD;AMD C-Seriesprocessor C-60 (1GHz); 2 GB DDR3RAM; 320 GBHDD; ATI RadeonHD 6290 graphics;3 x USB ports.
4TOSHIBASATELLITE C850 -P5010 Price: ̀23,000
The C850’s cheaper price has a lot todo with the older Intel Pentium DualCore processor on which it runs.However, this 15.6-inch device offersfunctionality with stylish design for thosewho cannot afford to spend more. Youwill, however, have to pay extra for theOS or get Linux. A Microsoft Windows7 Home Basic will cost you ̀ 5,777more.
Specs: No OS; 15.6 inch (1366 x768) high-definition clear superviewLED backlit display; Pentium Dual Core(2nd Generation B950 2.1GHz); 2 GBDDR3; 320 GB HDD; Intel HDgraphics; DVD RW SuperMulti Drivewith Dual Layer Support; 1 x USB 3.0;2 x USB 2.0, 2.3 kg.
At this price range, you get smaller screen sizes and AMD processors. Some manufacturers also load the machines with Linux instead of Windows. Some ofthese can be classified as netbooks as they don’t have optical drives.
IF THE FUNDS AT YOUR DISPOSALARE UNDER `30,000, IT ISBETTER TO BUY A NETBOOK. THAT WAY YOU WILL GET GOODFEATURES THOUGH WITH ASMALLER SCREEN SIZE.
In 2010, Darksiders stormed the gamingworld with its breathtaking graphics and theawesome elements it had borrowed fromGod of War. The protagonist might nothave enjoyed the cult status of Kratos buthe was captivating in his own dark way. AsWar was the hero in the first edition, it wasinevitable that Death would be the leadcharacter in the sequel. Darksiders II car-ries over a lot of positives from the firstgame and has added some amazing fea-tures that promise to knock your socks off.
The combat moves are similar to those ofGod of War, but Death is a lot more agile.So the hard-hitting hero, or the anti-hero,feels like a synthesis between Kratos andPrince of Persia. This is a good thing as youare familiar with the controls and your eyesare glued to the screen. So apart fromslashing your way through ugly creaturesand ghouls, you can run across walls andjump across beams. An engrossing addi-
tion to the game is that after you slaughteryour enemies you earn coins, pick uparmour and even weapons. If you want toget rid of any equipment, you can sell orswap them for more sophisticated arms.So no matter how many times you play, theexperience will always be different.
Darksiders II is not a mindless actiongame. Your grey cells have to work, deci-phering dungeon maps and finding hiddentreasure chests and master keys to unlockdoors. All these remind us of Nintendo’slegendary game Zelda. In fact, Darksiders IIdoes a decent job in taking ingredients fromdifferent games and concoting a darkrecipe. The fantastic graphics make youfeel the chilling environment.
The problem is that this game doesn'thave its own identity. It has borrowed toomany features from games like God of Warand The Legend of Zelda. It is entertaining,no doubt, but lacks the X factor.
Welcome to Hong Kong’s underbelly, abizzaro world where you, Wei Shen, anundercover police officer, have to infiltratethe ruthless Sun On Yee triad and takethem down. Being an open world gameyou have to forgive us for comparing thegame with the iconic Grand Theft Auto.Many pretenders have come and failed --does Sleeping Dogs hold its ground?
To begin with, Sleeping Dogs differsfrom Rockstars’ famed game in its capti-vating John Woo-like cinematography.Also this game doesn’t let you wanderaround the city freely in the initiallystages. This is a good thing as you get tofocus on your basic combat movements.It is quite evident that the hand-to-handfight moves are influenced by Batman:Arkham City's “Freeflow” system whichmakes it easy to defend against a flurry ofkicks and punches from Wei. Also thereis a counter attack option making fightsreal rather than just a random busting ofskulls. The gamemaker has workedextremely hard to ensure the street fightsare as realistic as possible. You can usewhatever object lies close by as aweapon.
If blazing guns is your style of play, youmight feel let down. The action is sluggishand you have to adjust to it gradually. Thestand-out feature of this game has to be
when you’re behind the wheels. The racingcars handle responsively and drift the waythey are supposed to. Each feels differentin terms of handling and even in weight dif-ference. Plus, the feedback is mindblow-ing. With GTA, all cars felt the same.
The single biggest party pooper in thisgame is the restrictive camera view. Itcan be tilted, but it automatically reposi-tions itself to the centre so manoeuvringa car in tight spots can be tricky.
This game gets an interesting experi-ence-point system. This is divided intothree parts: Triad XP, Face XP and PoliceXP. After each mission you earn pointsthat help you upgrade your disarmingskills and combat manoeuvres. If you goon a killing spree and gun down innocentpeople then your police points will suffer,so play sensibly and use aggressionwhen needed. Face XP helps you getsnazzy cars, better clothes and even peo-ple around you look at you with respect.There are plenty of side missions likestreet racing, carjacking, gambling,street fighting and even dates with hot. Allthis rewards you with points.
SLEEPING DOGSBITE A CHUNK
BEEN THERE DONE THAT
TALKTO MYFISTS
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Among the best in open-worldgames. And driving is a betterexperience than in GTA.
GG
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Entertaining and engrossing, butlacking that wow factor.
DARKSIDERS IIFOR PS3
Price: ` 2,799
It is time to bust some heads anddo some serious whopping.Tekken Tag Tournament makes itsreturn after 12 years. The sequelbring together the franchise’sgreatest hits consisting more than50 players. Besides this, you canunlock more players as youprogress in the game. What’s sodifferent about this fighting gamefrom the other countless ones?For starters, you need to spendsome time getting to observe yourrival’s attacking moves—you can’trandomly keep pressing the but-
tons to thrash your opponents. For first timers it is wise to head
to Fight Lab where, as a Combot,you get to learn Tekken fightertechniques. In a series of trainingcampaigns, you learn manoeuvreslike Binds or Tag Assaults. Keep inmind that all these only give youan idea of how to assault your op-ponent. In an actual fight thingsare different—you have to getyour timing right with your moves.This game demands split-secondreactions to subtle changes. Andonce an attack move pays off then
you must double it with an ex-tended assault combination.
As the name suggests, you canchoose to play solo or tag teamcombination which adds up tocountless possibilities. Tag 2comes with some interestingmodes like Pair Play which is basi-cally the Arcade mode, GhostMode, Survival or Team Attack,but these can’t be played on thesolo option.
Tag Tournament 2 is the ulti-mate fighting game. But it is not awalk in the park as you have to
learn hundreds of attack combi-nations. There are countless cus-tomisation options which can bea headache. We are impatient toget down to some serious actionrather than spend time decorat-ing player. But when it comes tothrashing your opponents, thisgame is the best in the business.
GGSLEEPING DOGSFOR PS3
Price: ` 2,799
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 61
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos60
GAMES, GAMING GEAR, REVIEWS
LevelUp
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A game that requires a lotof pre-fight training—likethe real deal.
GGTEKKEN TAGTOURNAMENT 2FOR XBOX 360
Price: ` 2,999
—ALL REVIEWSBY ARUP DAS
In 2010, Darksiders stormed the gamingworld with its breathtaking graphics and theawesome elements it had borrowed fromGod of War. The protagonist might nothave enjoyed the cult status of Kratos buthe was captivating in his own dark way. AsWar was the hero in the first edition, it wasinevitable that Death would be the leadcharacter in the sequel. Darksiders II car-ries over a lot of positives from the firstgame and has added some amazing fea-tures that promise to knock your socks off.
The combat moves are similar to those ofGod of War, but Death is a lot more agile.So the hard-hitting hero, or the anti-hero,feels like a synthesis between Kratos andPrince of Persia. This is a good thing as youare familiar with the controls and your eyesare glued to the screen. So apart fromslashing your way through ugly creaturesand ghouls, you can run across walls andjump across beams. An engrossing addi-
tion to the game is that after you slaughteryour enemies you earn coins, pick uparmour and even weapons. If you want toget rid of any equipment, you can sell orswap them for more sophisticated arms.So no matter how many times you play, theexperience will always be different.
Darksiders II is not a mindless actiongame. Your grey cells have to work, deci-phering dungeon maps and finding hiddentreasure chests and master keys to unlockdoors. All these remind us of Nintendo’slegendary game Zelda. In fact, Darksiders IIdoes a decent job in taking ingredients fromdifferent games and concoting a darkrecipe. The fantastic graphics make youfeel the chilling environment.
The problem is that this game doesn'thave its own identity. It has borrowed toomany features from games like God of Warand The Legend of Zelda. It is entertaining,no doubt, but lacks the X factor.
Welcome to Hong Kong’s underbelly, abizzaro world where you, Wei Shen, anundercover police officer, have to infiltratethe ruthless Sun On Yee triad and takethem down. Being an open world gameyou have to forgive us for comparing thegame with the iconic Grand Theft Auto.Many pretenders have come and failed --does Sleeping Dogs hold its ground?
To begin with, Sleeping Dogs differsfrom Rockstars’ famed game in its capti-vating John Woo-like cinematography.Also this game doesn’t let you wanderaround the city freely in the initiallystages. This is a good thing as you get tofocus on your basic combat movements.It is quite evident that the hand-to-handfight moves are influenced by Batman:Arkham City's “Freeflow” system whichmakes it easy to defend against a flurry ofkicks and punches from Wei. Also thereis a counter attack option making fightsreal rather than just a random busting ofskulls. The gamemaker has workedextremely hard to ensure the street fightsare as realistic as possible. You can usewhatever object lies close by as aweapon.
If blazing guns is your style of play, youmight feel let down. The action is sluggishand you have to adjust to it gradually. Thestand-out feature of this game has to be
when you’re behind the wheels. The racingcars handle responsively and drift the waythey are supposed to. Each feels differentin terms of handling and even in weight dif-ference. Plus, the feedback is mindblow-ing. With GTA, all cars felt the same.
The single biggest party pooper in thisgame is the restrictive camera view. Itcan be tilted, but it automatically reposi-tions itself to the centre so manoeuvringa car in tight spots can be tricky.
This game gets an interesting experi-ence-point system. This is divided intothree parts: Triad XP, Face XP and PoliceXP. After each mission you earn pointsthat help you upgrade your disarmingskills and combat manoeuvres. If you goon a killing spree and gun down innocentpeople then your police points will suffer,so play sensibly and use aggressionwhen needed. Face XP helps you getsnazzy cars, better clothes and even peo-ple around you look at you with respect.There are plenty of side missions likestreet racing, carjacking, gambling,street fighting and even dates with hot. Allthis rewards you with points.
SLEEPING DOGSBITE A CHUNK
BEEN THERE DONE THAT
TALKTO MYFISTS
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Among the best in open-worldgames. And driving is a betterexperience than in GTA.
GG
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?Entertaining and engrossing, butlacking that wow factor.
DARKSIDERS IIFOR PS3
Price: ` 2,799
It is time to bust some heads anddo some serious whopping.Tekken Tag Tournament makes itsreturn after 12 years. The sequelbring together the franchise’sgreatest hits consisting more than50 players. Besides this, you canunlock more players as youprogress in the game. What’s sodifferent about this fighting gamefrom the other countless ones?For starters, you need to spendsome time getting to observe yourrival’s attacking moves—you can’trandomly keep pressing the but-
tons to thrash your opponents. For first timers it is wise to head
to Fight Lab where, as a Combot,you get to learn Tekken fightertechniques. In a series of trainingcampaigns, you learn manoeuvreslike Binds or Tag Assaults. Keep inmind that all these only give youan idea of how to assault your op-ponent. In an actual fight thingsare different—you have to getyour timing right with your moves.This game demands split-secondreactions to subtle changes. Andonce an attack move pays off then
you must double it with an ex-tended assault combination.
As the name suggests, you canchoose to play solo or tag teamcombination which adds up tocountless possibilities. Tag 2comes with some interestingmodes like Pair Play which is basi-cally the Arcade mode, GhostMode, Survival or Team Attack,but these can’t be played on thesolo option.
Tag Tournament 2 is the ulti-mate fighting game. But it is not awalk in the park as you have to
learn hundreds of attack combi-nations. There are countless cus-tomisation options which can bea headache. We are impatient toget down to some serious actionrather than spend time decorat-ing player. But when it comes tothrashing your opponents, thisgame is the best in the business.
GGSLEEPING DOGSFOR PS3
Price: ` 2,799
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos 61
November 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos60
GAMES, GAMING GEAR, REVIEWS
LevelUp
BAG IT OR JUNK IT?A game that requires a lotof pre-fight training—likethe real deal.
GGTEKKEN TAGTOURNAMENT 2FOR XBOX 360
Price: ` 2,999
—ALL REVIEWSBY ARUP DAS
November, 2012
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IT Gadgets & Gizmos 63
INFORMATION, TIPS AND TRICKS, TOP 10 LISTING
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62November, 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
Are
frige
rato
r con
sists
a th
erm
ally
insu
late
d co
m-
part
men
t and
a h
eat p
ump
that
tran
sfer
s hea
tfro
m th
e in
side
of th
e fri
dge
to it
s ext
erna
l env
i-ro
nmen
t so
that
the
insid
e of
the
fridg
e is
cool
ed to
ate
mpe
ratu
re b
elow
the
ambi
ent t
empe
ratu
re o
f the
room
. A
refri
gera
tor m
aint
ains
a te
mpe
ratu
re a
few
de-
gree
s abo
ve th
e fre
ezin
g po
int o
f wat
er. O
ptim
um te
m-
pera
ture
rang
e fo
r sto
rage
of p
erish
able
food
s is 3
to 5
°C(3
7 to
41
°F).
A si
mila
r dev
ice
that
mai
ntai
ns a
tem
per-
atur
e be
low
the
freez
ing
poin
t of w
ater
is c
alle
d a
freez
er.
Here
is w
hat’s
hap
peni
ng in
side y
our
refri
gera
tor:
The r
ed co
lour
ed li
ne sh
ows
what
’s ha
ppen
ing o
n th
e ins
ide b
ack w
all o
fth
e chi
ller c
abin
et. T
he bl
ue co
lour
ed li
nesh
ows w
hat’s
goin
g aro
und t
he ba
ck of
the
fridg
e on
the o
utsid
e.
The l
iquid
coola
nt en
ters t
he co
nden
ser c
oils.
As it
passe
s thr
ough
, the s
udde
n dro
p in p
res-
sure
mak
es it
expa
nd, c
ool, a
nd tu
rn in
to a
gas
(just
like a
liqui
d aer
osol
turn
s int
o a co
ol ga
swh
en yo
u spr
ay it
out o
f a ca
n).
The f
irst k
nown
artif
i-cia
l ref
riger
atio
n wa
sde
mon
strat
ed by
Will
iam
Culle
n at
the
Unive
rsity
of G
lasg
ow.
1
As th
e coo
lant f
lows a
roun
d con
dens
erco
ils, it
abso
rbs a
nd re
mov
es he
at fr
om th
efo
od in
side.
2
The c
ompr
esso
r squ
eeze
s the
coola
nt, r
ais-
ing i
ts tem
pera
ture
and p
ressu
re. I
t’s no
w a
hot, h
igh-p
ressu
re ga
s.3
The c
oolan
t flow
s thr
ough
the t
hicke
r, rou
nded
,ho
rizon
tal e
vapo
rator
coils
on th
e bac
k of t
hefri
dge,
giving
out it
s hea
t and
cooli
ng ba
ck in
toa l
iquid
as it
does
so. T
he ev
apor
ator
is m
ade
of co
pper
and a
luminu
m tu
bing.
The m
any t
hinwi
res t
hat r
un be
twee
n the
pipe
s are
simp
le ra
-dia
tor fin
s tha
t help
to ca
rry th
e hea
t awa
yfro
m th
e pipe
s and
dissi
pate
it int
o the
air.
4
The c
oolan
t flow
s bac
k into
the c
onde
nser
coils
and t
he cy
cle re
peats
itself
. So h
eat is
con-
stantl
y pick
ed up
from
insid
e the
refri
gera
toran
d put
down
again
outsi
de it.
Usu
ally y
ou fin
don
e or m
ore f
ans t
hat e
nsur
e a go
od ai
r flow
throu
gh th
e con
dens
er. W
hen y
ou pu
t you
rha
nd th
ere y
ou w
ill fee
l a w
arm
air flo
w. Th
isair
was
used
to co
ol the
comp
resse
d coo
lant.
Toda
y, m
ost r
efrig
erat
ors a
re fr
ost-f
ree.
They
have
auto
mat
ic de
frosti
ng sy
stem
s so t
hat y
oudo
n’t h
ave t
o tak
e eve
ryth
ing o
ut of
your
re-
frige
rato
r and
allo
w it
to w
arm
up s
o you
can
melt
built
-up i
ce in
the f
reez
er. A
n au
tom
atic
defro
st sy
stem
inclu
des a
tim
er, a
limit
switc
h,an
d a h
eate
r, wh
ich m
elts a
way f
rost.
5
REFR
IGER
ATO
R M
ECH
ANIC
S
Evap
orat
or fa
n
Defro
st tim
er
D efro
st tim
er
Com
pres
sor
Com
pres
sor f
an
Cond
ense
r coi
ls
Drai
n pa
n
Evap
orat
or co
ils
THE
CHRO
NIC
LE
1748
The A
mer
ican i
nven
tor O
liver
Evan
s, ac
claim
ed as
the "
fa-
ther
of re
frige
ratio
n," i
nven
tedth
e vap
our-c
ompr
essio
n re-
frige
ratio
n mac
hine
.
1805
Jaco
b Per
kins
mod
ified
Evan
s'or
igin
al de
sign,
build
ing t
hewo
rld's
first
refri
gera
tor.
He fi
ledth
e firs
t leg
al pa
tent
for r
efrig
era-
tion
usin
g vap
our-c
ompr
essio
n.
1834
Austr
alia
n Ja
mes
Har
rison
, an
imm
igra
nt fr
om Sc
otla
nd, d
e-ve
lope
d an
ice m
akin
g ma-
chin
e usin
g am
mon
ia an
d an
ethe
r com
pres
sor.
1856
Kelvi
nato
r Com
pany
in-
trodu
ced t
he fi
rst re
frig-
erat
or w
ith an
y typ
e of
auto
mat
ic co
ntro
l.
1918
The f
irst r
efrig
erat
or to
see w
ides
prea
d use
was
the G
ener
al El
ectri
c"M
onito
r-Top
" re
frige
rato
r.
1927
The R
efrig
erat
ion
Circl
e
Cond
ense
r
Com
pres
sor
Evap
orat
or
Expa
nsio
n Va
lve
Receiver
November, 2012
TEXT
AN
D G
RAPH
ICS
BY S
ANTO
SH K
USHW
AHA
Refrigeration System
OVE
R TH
E YE
ARS
, TH
E RE
FRIG
ERAT
OR
HA
S BE
CO
ME
AN
INTE
GRA
L PA
RT O
F O
UR
DAILY
LIVE
S.
BUT
HO
W D
OES
TH
IS M
AC
HIN
E TH
AT C
OO
LS LI
QU
IDS
AN
D KE
EPS
FOO
D FR
ESH
WO
RK?
IT Gadgets & Gizmos 63
INFORMATION, TIPS AND TRICKS, TOP 10 LISTING
KnowTech
HO
ME F
REEZIN
G
62November, 2012IT Gadgets & Gizmos
Are
frige
rato
r con
sists
a th
erm
ally
insu
late
d co
m-
part
men
t and
a h
eat p
ump
that
tran
sfer
s hea
tfro
m th
e in
side
of th
e fri
dge
to it
s ext
erna
l env
i-ro
nmen
t so
that
the
insid
e of
the
fridg
e is
cool
ed to
ate
mpe
ratu
re b
elow
the
ambi
ent t
empe
ratu
re o
f the
room
. A
refri
gera
tor m
aint
ains
a te
mpe
ratu
re a
few
de-
gree
s abo
ve th
e fre
ezin
g po
int o
f wat
er. O
ptim
um te
m-
pera
ture
rang
e fo
r sto
rage
of p
erish
able
food
s is 3
to 5
°C(3
7 to
41
°F).
A si
mila
r dev
ice
that
mai
ntai
ns a
tem
per-
atur
e be
low
the
freez
ing
poin
t of w
ater
is c
alle
d a
freez
er.
Here
is w
hat’s
hap
peni
ng in
side y
our
refri
gera
tor:
The r
ed co
lour
ed li
ne sh
ows
what
’s ha
ppen
ing o
n th
e ins
ide b
ack w
all o
fth
e chi
ller c
abin
et. T
he bl
ue co
lour
ed li
nesh
ows w
hat’s
goin
g aro
und t
he ba
ck of
the
fridg
e on
the o
utsid
e.
The l
iquid
coola
nt en
ters t
he co
nden
ser c
oils.
As it
passe
s thr
ough
, the s
udde
n dro
p in p
res-
sure
mak
es it
expa
nd, c
ool, a
nd tu
rn in
to a
gas
(just
like a
liqui
d aer
osol
turn
s int
o a co
ol ga
swh
en yo
u spr
ay it
out o
f a ca
n).
The f
irst k
nown
artif
i-cia
l ref
riger
atio
n wa
sde
mon
strat
ed by
Will
iam
Culle
n at
the
Unive
rsity
of G
lasg
ow.
1
As th
e coo
lant f
lows a
roun
d con
dens
erco
ils, it
abso
rbs a
nd re
mov
es he
at fr
om th
efo
od in
side.
2
The c
ompr
esso
r squ
eeze
s the
coola
nt, r
ais-
ing i
ts tem
pera
ture
and p
ressu
re. I
t’s no
w a
hot, h
igh-p
ressu
re ga
s.3
The c
oolan
t flow
s thr
ough
the t
hicke
r, rou
nded
,ho
rizon
tal e
vapo
rator
coils
on th
e bac
k of t
hefri
dge,
giving
out it
s hea
t and
cooli
ng ba
ck in
toa l
iquid
as it
does
so. T
he ev
apor
ator
is m
ade
of co
pper
and a
luminu
m tu
bing.
The m
any t
hinwi
res t
hat r
un be
twee
n the
pipe
s are
simp
le ra
-dia
tor fin
s tha
t help
to ca
rry th
e hea
t awa
yfro
m th
e pipe
s and
dissi
pate
it int
o the
air.
4
The c
oolan
t flow
s bac
k into
the c
onde
nser
coils
and t
he cy
cle re
peats
itself
. So h
eat is
con-
stantl
y pick
ed up
from
insid
e the
refri
gera
toran
d put
down
again
outsi
de it.
Usu
ally y
ou fin
don
e or m
ore f
ans t
hat e
nsur
e a go
od ai
r flow
throu
gh th
e con
dens
er. W
hen y
ou pu
t you
rha
nd th
ere y
ou w
ill fee
l a w
arm
air flo
w. Th
isair
was
used
to co
ol the
comp
resse
d coo
lant.
Toda
y, m
ost r
efrig
erat
ors a
re fr
ost-f
ree.
They
have
auto
mat
ic de
frosti
ng sy
stem
s so t
hat y
oudo
n’t h
ave t
o tak
e eve
ryth
ing o
ut of
your
re-
frige
rato
r and
allo
w it
to w
arm
up s
o you
can
melt
built
-up i
ce in
the f
reez
er. A
n au
tom
atic
defro
st sy
stem
inclu
des a
tim
er, a
limit
switc
h,an
d a h
eate
r, wh
ich m
elts a
way f
rost.
5
REFR
IGER
ATO
R M
ECH
ANIC
S
Evap
orat
or fa
n
Defro
st tim
er
D efro
st tim
er
Com
pres
sor
Com
pres
sor f
an
Cond
ense
r coi
ls
Drai
n pa
n
Evap
orat
or co
ils
THE
CHRO
NIC
LE
1748
The A
mer
ican i
nven
tor O
liver
Evan
s, ac
claim
ed as
the "
fa-
ther
of re
frige
ratio
n," i
nven
tedth
e vap
our-c
ompr
essio
n re-
frige
ratio
n mac
hine
.
1805
Jaco
b Per
kins
mod
ified
Evan
s'or
igin
al de
sign,
build
ing t
hewo
rld's
first
refri
gera
tor.
He fi
ledth
e firs
t leg
al pa
tent
for r
efrig
era-
tion
usin
g vap
our-c
ompr
essio
n.
1834
Austr
alia
n Ja
mes
Har
rison
, an
imm
igra
nt fr
om Sc
otla
nd, d
e-ve
lope
d an
ice m
akin
g ma-
chin
e usin
g am
mon
ia an
d an
ethe
r com
pres
sor.
1856
Kelvi
nato
r Com
pany
in-
trodu
ced t
he fi
rst re
frig-
erat
or w
ith an
y typ
e of
auto
mat
ic co
ntro
l.
1918
The f
irst r
efrig
erat
or to
see w
ides
prea
d use
was
the G
ener
al El
ectri
c"M
onito
r-Top
" re
frige
rato
r.
1927
The R
efrig
erat
ion
Circl
e
Cond
ense
r
Com
pres
sor
Evap
orat
or
Expa
nsio
n Va
lve
Receiver
Shufflr Free (iOS, Android)By Althea Systems
Shufflr calls itself the app “where videos find you”. We can only nod our headsin agreement. With a very touch-centric interface that pops videos at you, thisapp turns all the focus on the content. The app has two parts—Daily Fix thatshows the trending videos from YouTube and your Facebook and Twitteraccounts; and Flip Side where you can see videos being watched or shared byother users. There is also a Q button that lets you line up videos for viewing.
—NANDAGOPAL RAJAN
Fast Camera
Free (iOS) By i4software
This app lets your tabletshoot pictures in burst mode.The app is very basic and
easy to understand. From the setting youcan select the continuous or burst modesas well as the speed and picture quality.On the screen there is a shoot buttonwhich once clicked will taking pictureswithout any time lapse in continuousmode and when you have the buttonpressed in burst mode. Select the framesyou want to use and delete the rest.
Streamified Free (iOS)By Streamified LLC
We are not sure we like thisapp, but the usability for social networking junkies is
immense. This app can combine all popularsocial network streams on one screen. Youalso have the option of marking read postsso that they do not pop up again. However,there is no option to share Facebook postsor to quote tweets.
DocuSign Ink Free (iOS)By DocuSign
Create a digital signature and sign online documents easily. You cancreate a sign on the touch interface with a stylus or your finger. If that isnot accurate enough, just sign on a piece of white paper and click a pick
with this app. The apps also keeps a tab on signed documents.
OUR MONTHLY PICK OF APPS FOR TABLETS
Appendage
G&GLIKES
Haiku Deck Free (ios)By Giant Thinkwell
Tablets are in a wayideal for creatingpresentations as they
are more hands on. And now youhave an app that lets you createstunning presentations. HaikuDeck is as simple as it gets—select a theme, add text and picsbefore selecting the layout style.You can select a word on the pageand search for images that will gobest with your presentation.However, there doesn’t seem to bea way to change fonts.
www.harpersbazaarindia.in/digitalmagazine
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