Samsung Launches 8MP Camera Phone

It’s official! Samsung's 8 megapixel phone that we saw floating around earlier this month, has been officially announced, say reports. This quad-band GSM handset called the i8510 INNOV8, as in ‘Innovate’, runs on a Symbian S60 smartphone OS (3rd edition Feature Pack 2).


The i8510 is equipped with a 2.8-inch QVGA display that supports 16 million colors and a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and an accelerometer for automatically adjusting the screen orientation. It comes with a whopping 16 GB and 8 GB of onboard memory so space is not going to be an issue. It will also support external memory via microSD. Other features also include TV out, DivX playback, FM radio with RDS and it's also DLNA compatible. The handset will also be equipped with 128MB of RAM and a 3D graphics accelerator so gaming should be a real ‘blast’.

This monster is a fully equipped device featuring inbuilt GPS (A-GPS support also) capabilities, Wi-fi, Bluetooth with A2DP and of course USB 2.0 connectivity as well as 3G with HSDPA support. The i8510 also comes with a geotagging feature for the 8MP auto focus camera that also has an LED flash (WHAT?!!! No xenon???). The camera also has other features like face and smile recognition and an auto panorama mode.

Media capabilities include stereo speakers, 3D surround sound effect and DNSe 2.0. Thankfully the i8510 has a standard 3.5mm audio jack and not one of Samsung’s multi utility proprietary ports.

The handset will hit Europe first and should be priced at approximately Rs. 51,000 (780 Euro).

Google Launches Wikipedia Competitor, knol

Google Inc. is taking the wraps off an Internet encyclopedia designed to give people a chance to show off - and profit from - their expertise on any topic.

The service, dubbed ''knol'' in reference to a unit of knowledge, had been limited to an invitation-only audience of contributors and readers for the past seven months.

Now anyone with a Google login will be able to submit an article and, if they choose, have ads displayed through the Internet search leader's marketing system. The contributing author and Google will share any revenue generated from the ads, which are supposed to be related to the topic covered in the knol.

The advertising option could encourage people to write more entries about commercial subjects than the more academic topics covered in traditional encyclopedias.

Since Google disclosed its intention to build knol, it has been widely viewed as the company's answer to Wikipedia, which has emerged as one of the Web's leading reference tools by drawing upon the collective wisdom of unpaid, anonymous contributors.

But Google views knol more as a supplement to Wikipedia than a competitor, said Cedric Dupont, a Google product manager. Google reasons that Wikipedia's contributors will be able to use some of the expertise shared on knol to improve Wikipedia's existing entries.

With a seven-year head start on knol, Wikipedia already has nearly 2.5 million English-language articles and millions more in dozens of other languages.

Knol is starting out with several hundred entries. The initial topics covered include an overview of constipation by a University of San Francisco associate professor of gastroenterology and backpacking advice from one of Google's own software engineers.

Unlike Wikipedia, knol requires the authors to identify themselves to help the audience assess the source's credibility. Google doesn't intend to screen the submissions for accuracy, Dupont said, and instead will rely on its search formulas to highlight the articles that readers believe are credible.

Google has had mixed success so far in its attempts to expand beyond its ubiquitous search engine, which generates most of its profits. While products like its e-mail service have been hits, other forays like a listing system called ''Base'' and a social network called Orkut haven't fared as well.

DELL XPS M1330

A very impresseive yet complicated lappy with full of suprizes . I recently got the XPS m1330 , on using it for a week i kinda found some of its pros and cons...well firstly its a very powerful lappy in a tiny size ..it has a 13.3 inch lcd screen which is quite impressive and more over the touch pad to windowsmedia player near the powerbuttons and the touch to eject cd are some of the features that will surely impress you.

Talking about the battry life is quite decent it runs 4 hours on low brightness and the sound is also quite impressive with two speakers .

moving on to further details the lappy got a finger sensor(which most of the lappys now are fitted with ) and an inbuilt cd drive i.e. you cannot take out the cd drive only the cd gets ejected.

Some of the cons are that the notebook gets quite hot when using so a cool pad for the laptop is recommend .I dont know the exact reason for the laptop to get hot but i think because of its extreme specs it becomes hot and further the ventilation grills for the laptop are not located properly which is also one of the reasons for the laptop to get quite hot while using.

In short its a great lappy for those who want style with powerful gaming experience .

PS : I forgot to mention that this lappy comes with a bundle of utilities the box in which it comes itself is quite impresseive and you get a creative inear earphones that sound amazingly great.

well here are the other specs of my lappy...

Windows vista home premium
intel(R) Core(TM) Duo CPU T5850 @ 2.16 GHz
NVIDIA GEFORCE 8400M GS
2 GB RAM
2Mega Pixel Webcam
inbuilt Mic
Dual Headphone jacks
wifi catcher
hdmi port

Nokia To Launch a New Flip Phone

Nokia’s latest offering is a stylish flip clamshell handset called the 3640 fold. This GSM handset is equipped with an internal display of 2 inches with 256K colors and it also has an external 1.36-inch display that also features 265k colors. It features a large analog clock as a screen saver.

The 3640 fold comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera and 30MB of internal memory with microSD card support as well. Other features will include a media player for audio and video, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.The handset will also support GPRS/EDGE.

According to reports, the handset should start shipping anytime soon and is priced at approximately Rs. 7,910 (125 Euro) before taxes and subsidies.

Lenovo Offers Olympic Branded USB Range

Lenovo, in its capacity as an official sponsor of the Olympic Games has released a couple of limited edition usb drives. These drives have been released under the Mascot series and are priced at $29 for 4 GB. In all, six drives have been released with their front side printed with a Fuwa image. Apart from this, the company is offering a 1 GB titanium limited edition drive that comes with a swiveling USB plug in a special mahogany box.

Considering the amount, the company has probably already had to spend, it may be brave enough to venture a guess that we just might see an Olympic branded laptop sooner or later.

Top 2 Fashion Phones

Samsung U900 Soul - Rs 20,585

The Soul, as it’s more popularly known, is a slider that incorporates a touch-sensitive navigation system. Its OLED touch-sensitive pad uses icons to depict various options that can be used with the various features selected. The Soul is very slim, and its 2.2-inch display features a 240 x 320 pixel resolution. The handset is 3G-enabled with HSDPA and supports EDGE/GPRS. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth with A2DP and USB v2.0.
he 5MP camera it comes with has an auto-focus lens. It incorporates image stabilization technology and comes with a flash. If you’re a stickler for personalization you can make your own themes with the preloaded Samsung theme creator. It also has a media player and FM radio with RDS, and supports external memory with microSD cards. It's the sleek, slim and metallic design, however, that gets it into our list.

Motorola RAZR V8 - Rs 12,500 (2GB), Rs 24,500 (Gold Edition)
I doubt I’ll see too many people arguing why I’ve included the RAZR V8 in this list. To say it’s "cutting edge" (pun intended) may be a bit of an exaggeration, but that doesn’t mean it’s without some commendable features. For instance, it has a 2-inch, 240 x 320 pixel display on the front panel with Haptic keys located just beneath for the music player.

Yea m StarTin SumtHin nEw :)

Hey Peeps m gona start sumthin new :p... ie get nethin u want just temme n u g et wateva u wan :d...Great isnt it ?? lol....hey but m a novice now so at the present i can only give ya music "singles" and any software u want for downloading ...hey but i assure u guyz will get loadz f thing in the near future ...hope u njoi this new service.....





ps: email me ur request @ m3tal.valve@gmail.com

ASUS To Launch New WinMob Handset, P560

ASUS is gearing up for the launch of yet another Windows Mobile handset - the P560. Personally, I think the design, although not as jazzy as their Lamborghini ZX1 that was launched here in India recently, is still quite an eye-catcher.

The P560 quad-band GSM handset is equipped with a 2.8-inch TFT touch screen and runs on Windows Mobile version 6.1. It comes with a TI Omap 2430 processor that should provide speeds of 450 MHz. Apart from 256MB ROM and 128MB RAM it also supports external memory via microSD cards. If all of that isn’t enough, it also comes equipped with a 3.2-megapixel auto-focus camera and a secondary video call camera located in front. The P560 also supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS and is capable of providing HSDPA (3.6 Mbps). This sleek handset is set to launch hopefully sometime in June and has an approximate price of Rs. 32,500 ($772). Stay Tuned.

iPhone Washes Up Asian Shores

Apple has signed deals with four major telecommunication companies in four countries to help the company surpass its iPhone sales goal of 10 million units by the end of 2008.
Singapore’s SingTel, India’s Bharti Airtel, Phillipines’ Globe Telecom, and Australia’s Optus, will begin carrying the iPhone “later this year.” A specific date has yet to be announced.
And it is safe to assume that the model would be a new 3G-enabled one, since 3G is the industry standard for this part of the world.
Good news for you patient ones still waiting for its official launch. Bad news for my soon-to-be-unexclusive iPhone.

Triple Your Wi-Fi’s Signal Strength With Wi-Fire

hField Technologies’ Wi-Fire is a compact high-performance USB Wi-Fi Adapter for Mac and PC that extends the Wi-Fi range upwards of 1,000 feet. Being a college student, I am blessed with a blanketed campus, offering a strong Wi-Fi signal wherever I go, right? …. Well, wrong. Dreaded dead spots exist and, to my dismay, my dorm room seems to be the epicenter of a dead spot, a barren wasteland of former Wi-Fi signal.
My solutions included hardwiring—too easy. Setting up a router? Forbidden. And as this epic conundrum reached a head, an epiphany hit me like a ton of bricks (as they tend to do). However, this epiphany came in the form of a small device called the Wi-Fire from a startup company that I had never heard of. The device triples the power of the internal receptor, making it virtually impossible not to get a signal, regardless of where you are.
On my current winter break, my internet cut out on me and, although I am not condoning it, I continued surfing without a problem off of an unsecured network down the street. The device uses a directional antenna with an arrow to ensure a strong signal. According to hField’s site, “the Wi-Fire provides interoperability with any 802.11 b/g access point and multiplies the effectiveness of wireless networks allowing users to connect to a WiFi network from up to 1,000 feet, more than three times the range of Airport cards and other 802.11 adapters, at significantly higher speeds, and even in locations where no wireless signal could be detected previously.”
If you’re looking to improve your internet connectivity and thereby improve your efficiency in any setting whether it’s the airport, park or even dorm room, look no further than this valuable gizmo from hField Technologies, Inc.
The device is 3 x 4 x 3/8 inches in size. It folds up for transportation and connects to the Mac and PC using USB. The device retails for $79 in the U.S.

Sony Ericsson W380

Sony’s Walkman brand of cell phones often bring a little more to the table in terms of design, and the W380 is no exception. As mobiles go, the W380 is not designed for those of us who crave hi-tech features, but it should appeal to the funky, style-conscious youth of today. So, for all the cool dudes out there, here’s my take on the W380.Form FactorWhen I say ‘cutting-edge’ design, I mean something that looks really funky. By that yardstick, the W380 is definitely cutting-edge! It even looks as if its edge could cut you. I couldn’t resist that, sorry, but what I meant was the W380 seems a bit incomplete – when it’s open it has a very (how shall I put this?) cut-off-at-the-top look.

The 1.9 inch TFT display (which I think could easily have been larger) has a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and there's an external OLED mono display with a 128 x 36 pixel resolution. There are three audio player keys located under the external display that also provide haptic feedback when used.
The 1.3 megapixel camera is in the front. There's a cool sensor under the camera that lights up when a call comes in. What’s interesting about this is, if you wish to silence the handset, a gesture control feature lets you simply slide your hand up and down over the sensor to switch it to silent.

There's a proprietary slot on one side for USB, charging, and handsfree connectivity. On the other side is the volume control that could also be used to silence incoming calls without cutting the call. A small key-lock slider is located on the rear just above the battery panel.
Though Sony Ericsson provides hot-swap slots for its handsets you still need to remove the back panel to access it. So should we consider this hot-swap or lukewarm-swap? Nevertheless, the W380 supports M2 cards though the slot is unfortunately under the rear panel.

The W380 is not a handset that’s designed for the guy on the go; like I said earlier, it appears to cater to the fashion conscious or just plain funky generation. Feature-wise, the W380 is equipped with everything such folk would expect from a cool gadget. MediaSince it’s a Walkman Series handset, the player has no issues except that it doesn’t have a manually adjustable EQ. Not that it matters; the MEGABass and other presets make up quite well. What I really liked was the FM radio pickup. I had no problem with signals during my lengthy daily commute.
What I was a bit disappointed with was video player. Even though it has an option for full screen viewing, it refused to work. So I had to watch videos in a tiny window. Bummer. SE's Walkman handsets come with a 3.5mm handsfree converter, so you can opt to use your own earphones if you wish. The speakerphone is not too loud.

HP Launches its Smallest Consumer Laptop

Hewlett-Packard has launched its smallest notebook in the consumer range – HP Pavilion dv3000.

The dv3000 is designed for the mobile professional and comes wrapped in a black shell.The laptop – labeled 'The One' is designed for mobile executives featuring a full-sized keyboard, a 13.3-inch wide-screen display based on HP BrightView technology and HP 3D DriveGuard that protects the hard drive while on the go. By way of security it features HP Fingerprint Reader. It also has a built-in HP Pavilion webcam and HP mobile remote control. The laptop is equipped with NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS graphics card with 256MB dedicated video memory.The HP Pavilion dv3000 has been built to perform under the conditions faced by business professionals who are constantly on the move. For the frequent travelers, we have also packed several of our entertainment features into the notebook for their leisure purposes.""As a result of HP's extensive research across three continents focusing on user preferences, we factored in a full-size keyboard for comfort and a first ever 13.3-inch BrightView screen, which were the two must-haves for the road warrior."Th HP Pavilion dv3000 is available for Rs. 53990 + taxes.

European Skies to be Open to Mobiles

Emirates has already successfully allowed the first in-flight mobile phone call and things are literally looking up in the European skies as users can now make calls from their cell phones while cruising at an altitude of 3,000m or more. According to a quote by Viviane Reding, the EU telecoms commissioner given to the BBC, "If consumers receive shock phone bills, the service will not take-off. I also call on airlines and operators to create the right conditions on board aircraft to ensure that those who want to use in-flight communication services do not disturb other passengers,". Thank goodness we have her on our side.

There are still a few kinks, at least in the legal department that need to be worked out before the system can be implemented fully and of course all of this greatly depends on the individual airlines. They will need to give it their go ahead for their planes. But it’s a start. The system will have to be fool proof and properly inspected before this service can "get off the ground". The working is rather simplistic though. Small base stations (pico cells) will be installed in the aircraft that will provide coverage to users in the plane. The signals will then be transmitted by these pico cells to normal terrestrial networks via satellite. At the moment, the service is limited by just being usable in Europe and it’s possible that once you leave Europe air space your mobile would lose the signal. The system will also have a simple On and Off mode to be used when and if necessary.But I’ll say it again – It’s a Start! It should be a matter of time before this system ‘takes off’ and we’ll just have to hope that it makes becomes a world wide implementation soon. The first flights offering calls could start as early as next month, let’s just wait and see what the first in-flight phone bills come to though.

European Skies to be Open to Mobiles

Emirates has already successfully allowed the first in-flight mobile phone call and things are literally looking up in the European skies as users can now make calls from their cell phones while cruising at an altitude of 3,000m or more. According to a quote by Viviane Reding, the EU telecoms commissioner given to the BBC, "If consumers receive shock phone bills, the service will not take-off. I also call on airlines and operators to create the right conditions on board aircraft to ensure that those who want to use in-flight communication services do not disturb other passengers,". Thank goodness we have her on our side.

There are still a few kinks, at least in the legal department that need to be worked out before the system can be implemented fully and of course all of this greatly depends on the individual airlines. They will need to give it their go ahead for their planes. But it’s a start. The system will have to be fool proof and properly inspected before this service can "get off the ground". The working is rather simplistic though. Small base stations (pico cells) will be installed in the aircraft that will provide coverage to users in the plane. The signals will then be transmitted by these pico cells to normal terrestrial networks via satellite. At the moment, the service is limited by just being usable in Europe and it’s possible that once you leave Europe air space your mobile would lose the signal. The system will also have a simple On and Off mode to be used when and if necessary.But I’ll say it again – It’s a Start! It should be a matter of time before this system ‘takes off’ and we’ll just have to hope that it makes becomes a world wide implementation soon. The first flights offering calls could start as early as next month, let’s just wait and see what the first in-flight phone bills come to though.

LG To Launch New 5MP Camera Phone

Although it would seem like LG has officially decided to announce the launch of a new 5 megapixel camera phone the name has not yet been fixed. From the looks of the design it seems to be a very classy slider with LG’s touch sensitive technology for navigation. It doesn’t look like it would incorporate the same technology as the KF600 with intuitive icons for navigating menus but more like the KF510 with the animated LEDs.

Other specs would include an LED flash for the camera, a secondary camera for video calling, microSD card support for external memory and possibly 160MB of internal memory. Speculation also says that this handset might also have a reinforced scratch-resistant glass display. As of now it’s just an announcement but it shouldn’t be too long before the official release. Stay Tuned.

Nokia 8800 Arte

From the illuminated keypad, to the precision glass and metal body and matching headset, the Nokia 8800 oozes quality. It's the Audi R8 of the celluar chic parade. Good looking, instantly desirable and frighteningly expensive.

Forget touch screen, it's just Nokia's standard interface. It's a breeze to use next to some of the other fiddly phones on the market. We scrolled through the menu with the grace and style of Madame Moss in Milan.
Although its features can't rival other fashion blowers such as the Sony Ericsson, it has the essentials. You get a 3MP camera with autofocus, 3G and a decent music player. But this isn't about media gumph, it's the individual touches that make the 8800 Arte so special. Turn the handset over to mute an incoming call, reveal an analogue clock by tapping the front or choose from some specially designed wallpaper.
At over Rs18000, it's expensive, but with a timeless design and superior build, you're paying for quality. A phone classic.

Bluetooth and You: Handy BT Options

Bluetooth (BT) is truly a godsend when it comes to mobile connectivity – or connectivity in general, as it’s no longer restricted to the mobile domain. From sending photos, music and other media to listening to music wirelessly, it’s all good. The medium has its own ecosystem, with developers and manufacturers coming up with innovations for it all the time. Here are some ways in which Bluetooth can prove handy.

All-Purpose

BT HeadsetsBluetooth headsets offer wirefree convenience. Most higher-end mobiles support Bluetooth with A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, an extension required to transmit data). Handsets that support A2DP are primarily directed at music lovers. Companies like Genius, I.Tech (BlueBand, BluePro) and even Motorola (with its funky O-ROKR glares and S9) have developed BT products. Don’t get the idea that these headsets are designed primarily for music; you can use them for answering calls as well.

Strictly One-WayThere are plenty of these in the market – just pair one with your phone and you're good to go. It's like your handsfree headset, only without wires. Of course, you can listen to songs too, but the quality will suck because they're designed specifically for conversations. Jabra and almost all mobile manufacturers make them. However, just so you know, a Nokia Bluetooth headset can work perfectly fine with any other mobile handset from any company.

Printing

Can you believe they’ve put Bluetooth even in printers? If your mobile phone has a camera and you need to take a printout, no longer would you need to dock the phone with the printer or user USB or other cabling. All you need to do is pair your mobile with the printer, and presto! Print, print, print. You will need a Bluetooth printing adapter if your printer doesn't support BT printing.

Portable MediaCompanies like Samsung have even taken PMPs and DAPs a step further, with BT-enabled players like YP-T10 and YP-S5. Players like these allow you to transfer files between BT-enabled devices like mobile phones or even your PC and, naturally, A2DP-compatible headsets. The YP-T10 also allows you to take a call from your mobile phone as long as it’s paired with the player. Now isn't that cool!

In-Car ConnectivityIf you drive at 100 kph and are fearful that you may not live to see another day because your boss has a knack of calling you just as you're about to squeeze between a lorry and a bus, you should definitely pick up the easy-to-use distraction-free Movon MK20. It clamps on the sun visor, and connects to your phone every time the 2.2-inch screen is brought out. You wouldn’t need to yell either, as the mics are designed to be sensitive.

There are also in-car audio systems that also cater to the Bluetooth genre. The players themselves come pre-equipped with BT, so you simply have to pair your handset with the player. You can then stream music from your handset though your car's stereo system, as well as make and take calls, with almost no effort. Another option is a car kit that fits into your car's lighter and connects to your car's radio. It streams music and calls from your mobile phone to your in-car audio system. Parrot's PMK5800 Car Kit is a good example of such a device.

GPS Navigation

If you have a mobile phone with GPS software but not an integrated receiver, don’t fret. All you need is an external GPS receiver that could be connected with a wire. But why bother with messy wiring when you can get one that works with Bluetooth? The receiver comes with software that would need to be installed on to your phone. Pair it up with the receiver, and the application on your phone will show you the way (literally).

PC Connectivity

Finally we have PC connectivity. Using a Bluetooth USB dongle with your PC or your laptop's built-in Bluetooth radio you can sync your mobile with your computer to update and back up data from the handset. That’s the main use, but it also allows transfer of files wirelessly. Business folk can remotely control presentations with their mobiles – just install an application that can be downloaded from the Internet and is compatible with your handset and PC. There are also BT keyboards that can be paired with handsets so you can type quickly.

If you think we’ve missed anything, please say so in our forums or leave a comment here. Most of the products mentioned in this article are available in mobile accessory stores in India, and some of them you could even pick up from the gray market. So get ready to Go Blue!

Free Web Version of Photoshop Launches

The maker of the popular photo-editing software Photoshop today launched a basic version available for free online.
San Jose, Calif.-based Adobe Systems Inc. says it hopes to boost its name recognition among a new generation of consumers who edit, store and share photos online.While Photoshop is designed for trained professionals, Adobe says Photoshop Express, which it launched in a ''beta'' test version, is easier to learn. User comments will be taken into account for future upgrades.Photoshop Express will be completely Web-based so consumers can use it with any type of computer, operating system and browser. And, once they register, users can get to their accounts from different computers.Web-based software is increasingly popular, and Adobe knows it's got to get on that train, said Kathleen Maher, an analyst at Jon Peddie Research.Many kinds of software are available for use online in a trend known as ''software as a service,'' or ''cloud computing.'' The earliest were e-mail programs, but they now include services to create and manage content and even whole operating systems. And they don't require time-consuming upgrades because they're maintained by the service provider.Google Inc. provides a host of such services, as do Microsoft Corp. and others.''This is the battlefield where Adobe and Microsoft and Google are going to fight some pretty big battles,'' Maher said.Photoshop enters the online photo-management arena many years after such services first appeared. Some companies have already made a big name for themselves, like 9-year-old storage solution Shutterfly Inc., photo-editing service Picnik or image-sharing site Photobucket Inc.Adobe says providing Photoshop Express for free is part marketing and part a strategy to create up-sell opportunities. It hopes some customers will move from it to boxed software like its $99 Photoshop Elements or to a subscription-based version of Express that's in the works.Ron Glaz, a research analyst at IDC, says the move was necessary for Adobe to keep pace. Users are less likely to switch to a software they aren't familiar with, he said.''They have a whole market that they are missing out on, and they need to make sure that the market is aware there is a Photoshop solution for them. As that market grows and becomes more sophisticated, hopefully it will generate money,'' Glaz said.''It's one of those things, if you can't beat them, join them,'' Glaz said. ''If they don't join them, the long run could be really painful.''

3 Great Laptops Under Rs 40,000

Acer Aspire 2920N

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Acer has appeared on this lineup. Acer's last few releases have been driving this segment very hard, with products like its 4520 model, which did exceedingly well and was well appreciated.
This time around too the company had some of the best options available in this price bracket. One of these models is the Acer 2920N. It is perhaps one of the cheapest 12.1 inch laptops available now. It offers an Intel C2D T5450 processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB storage and 3 USB slots. These are healthy specifications, and a price tag of just Rs 37,000 makes it a great portable choice for anyone who is looking for crunching power and portability .

DELL Inspiron 1525

Dell is a natural choice here. Not only does the company offer some of the very good VFM products in almost all price brackets the market, it has made a mark with its excellent after-sales service. The Inspiron 1525 is the updated version of the popular 1520 model and offers a significantly improved design. Specifications wise it offers a similar configuration as other machines in this roundup. It packs in an Intel C2D T5450 processor which is clocked at 1.67 GHz,1 GB RAM, a 15.4 inch LCD panel with a native resolution of 1280x800, 160 GB of HDD space and 3 USB slots. Its current street price is around Rs 33,500 and it can be customized to even include a 250 GB of storage for around Rs. 3,000 more.

Compaq Presario C740TU

HP has to be commended for maintaining a clear differentiation in its product range. While the HP brand of laptops caters to the value and performance markets, the Compaq brand has been used to address the needs of the budget and ultra-value markets.
The Compaq Presario C740TU that we have chosen is currently one of the best VFM models available. It offers an Intel C2D T5450 processor which is clocked at 1.67 GHz, 512 MB RAM (upgradeable to 1 GB for an additional cost of Rs 1,450), a 15.4 inch LCD panel, 160 GB of HDD space and 3 USB slots. Its current street price is around Rs 34,000.
Though most users will today balk at the sparse amount of RAM being offered, please note that the laptop can be easily upgraded, inexpensively. The OS offered is Windows Visa Basic. A 1-year warranty is offered through Compaq's service centers.
Watch out for a review of this laptop, which will come up pretty soon. In the meantime you can check out a detailed specification list here.

Gooooo Touch Screen Mobiles

Samsung’s Soul is a classy high-end slider with a metallic finish. Its 5 megapixel autofocus camera uses image stabilization technology. It comes with 128MB of internal memory and supports external memory via microSD card. What makes the handset unique enough for our feature is its navigation system that, like the others in this category, employs haptic feedback and intuitive displays.
Underneath the 2.2-inch TFT display is a smaller touch-sensitive 1.2 icch OLED navigation panel that uses icons to depict various functions being used. This system, called Magical Touch (by Samsung), enables the icons to change according to the functions chosen. The Soul has Bluetooth with A2DP, a media player, FM radio, and supports 3G.

I can say it's one heckuva cool phone. Although the screen may be a just a bit small at just 2 inches, the technology is really good. The entire keypad is touch-sensitive; there are no conventional keys. In fact, this keypad is intuitive enough to selectively display keys that pertain to the feature being used. For instance, if you’re watching videos or playing music the lights in the numeric keypad go off and all you’ll see are keys that allow you navigate the music and video player.
The E8 also has a touch-sensitive scroll area under the display. Other features include a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth with A2DP profile, an integrated FM radio, and support for EDGE.

The KF600 is a superbly designed slider phone. Aside from its 2 inch TFT display that sports a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, it has a smaller 1.4 inch touch sensitive navigation system in the form of a secondary screen underneath, with a resolution of 176 x 240 pixels. The phone's animated screen savers extend to the bottom screen when in standby mode. An intuitive navigation system displays small icons that coincide with the function running on the main screen.
The lower screen doubles as a highly sophisticated pad that recognizes handwriting for typing mail or messages. The KF600 comes fully loaded with a 3 megapixel autofocus camera with a flash, stereo Bluetooth profile, FM radio, media player, and document viewer. Oh, and more importantly, it has a slide-out keypad.

Charge your iPhone and iPod On The Move

To stay loyal to the Apple gods means you have to live with the non-removable batteries on your iPods and iPhones. Bringing the USB cable along with you everywhere is good if you expect to have computer access to get some charge from its USB port, but not too helpful if you are out, let’s say, on a safari. In that case, the RichardSolo Smart Backup Battery is an indispensable accessory.

MacBook Air: Mac Love Is In The Air

For a long time, Apple fans have been hoping for a slim and lightweight version of the MacBook to come along. Even the lightest MacBook was over 4.5 pounds (2kg).
And so, after a long wait, it’s finally here. The MacBook Air.
Debut at the MacWorld 2008 yesterday, the MacBook Air is currently the world’s thinnest (and may I add, the coolest) notebook in the market, measuring a mere 0.76-inch (1.94cm) in height and 3lbs (1.36kg) in weight

Triple Your Wi-Fi’s Signal Strength With Wi-Fire

hField Technologies’ Wi-Fire is a compact high-performance USB Wi-Fi Adapter for Mac and PC that extends the Wi-Fi range upwards of 1,000 feet. Being a college student, I am blessed with a blanketed campus, offering a strong Wi-Fi signal wherever I go, right? …. Well, wrong. Dreaded dead spots exist and, to my dismay, my dorm room seems to be the epicenter of a dead spot, a barren wasteland of former Wi-Fi signal.
My solutions included hardwiring—too easy. Setting up a router? Forbidden. And as this epic conundrum reached a head, an epiphany hit me like a ton of bricks (as they tend to do). However, this epiphany came in the form of a small device called the Wi-Fire from a startup company that I had never heard of. The device triples the power of the internal receptor, making it virtually impossible not to get a signal, regardless of where you are.

Gadget Wars: Mobile Cameras - K850i vs N82

I picked the Sony Ericsson K850i and the Nokia N82 handsets for our shootout because both have 5 megapixel cameras with xenon flashes. Please bear in mind that what we’re doing here is simply 'focusing', so to speak, on the camera capabilities of these handsets, and not the entire phone as a whole.

Form Factor
Thankfully, both phones are quick to activate when it comes to turning on the camera. The N82 has a lever for the shutter cover that you can switch on, while the K850i has a key near the shutter release button that switches it on, just as in a digicam.

When it comes to ease of use, I must admit both are quite easy to handle and hold. However, the K850i has an added advantage thanks to some shortcut keys on the keypad for activating a few features. Otherwise I’d be inclined to lean towards the Nokia. The touchscreen feature of the K850i may be a plus point while using the phone but it’s a bit uncomfortable while using the camera.

I also like the K850i’s convenient switch to toggle between video and camera mode and the gallery. The N82 just has a single key that would take you directly to the gallery. I prefer the switch; it makes it feel more like a camera than a mobile.

Camera Features
Let's begin with an option that's very relevant for the average user: white balance. In this instance, the N82 gives you a small preview that adjusts to each setting, whereas the K850i shows the image in the background while the Settings menu blocks the entire screen – which makes it a bit awkward.

Scene mode in the K850i has a small preview of the kind of environment that particular setting would be suited for. While this may be visually attractive, it once again occupies the whole display and looks a bit squashed. The absence of a proper Night mode is quite disappointing but there is a mode for taking images of documents. Prefect for a spy.

The N82 doesn’t have a preview for this mode but what I do like are the tips provided for each setting. These come in handy for a noob who wants to improve his mobile photography. Sadly the N82 doesn’t have a Panorama option, but the K850i does – and performs quite well. The K850i even offers some funny frames to spice up your images.

The K850i has a Timer function (10 seconds) so you can leave the camera and get into the picture. One wouldn't really need more than 10 seconds to get into the frame, but some options would be nice. The N82 in this sense is perfect as it offers delays of 2, 10, and 20 seconds.

The K850i has a BestPic feature that essentially takes multiple shots simultaneously, after which you can select the best of the lot. The good thing about this feature is that the camera is able to capture quite a few images in a very short time.

The Nokia N82 Burst mode is the same as BestPic, but Nokia has multiple settings for the same. You can take multiple images with different time settings, from 10 seconds to 10 minutes or even nonstop till you run out of memory. That'll leave you with an insane number of images to sort through, but you can't say you didn't have a choice!

With regard to effects both cameras have similar options for sepia, black and white, negative etc. But the N82 has a few additional handy features like Exposure Compensation Image Sharpness and an Image Contrast setting. While they may not be absolutely necessary, they do help you achieve those as-close-to-perfect images.

Performance
Getting down to brass tacks, feature-wise both phones come out just fine. But this is where the magic happens. Most of the images you’ll see are taken keeping the settings as equal in both handsets and no additional adjustments made in either phone.

I selected an appropriate setting depending on the environment and let the camera do its work. The reason for the odd images is the sheer portability of the devices themselves, and the spontaneity that drives most individuals to take a picture anyplace, anytime.

Daylight
The image with the K850i shows just a wee bit of blur in certain areas, and the shadows do seem a bit dark. However, the colors appear warm and vivid, but you'll notice a slight vignetting around the corners.

K850i - Daylight Mode

The N82 provides a cooler feel to the image with more detailing in the shadowed areas. The lines also seem to be a bit more defined. On the whole the N82 would give you a crisper image and although detailed, the colors do appear a bit dull.

N82 - Daylight Mode

Sports Mode
With a simple change of mode to Daylight (white balance) and Sports mode (scenes), the K850i rocks. The images of moving objects are crisp and the detailing is quite good, with colors accurately captured.

K850i - Sports Mode

The N82, at identical settings, doesn’t deliver too well in Sports Mode. You’ll notice the image is blurred and the colors look a bit faded.

N82 - Sports Mode
Close-ups (Macro)
In Macro mode I shot two pictures indoor and outdoors. The K850i, in Daylight setting, (white balance) delivers some pretty good shots and allows you to move in really close to the object. Unfortunately the focus may drift a bit from the central area of the object.

Indoors, with Fluorescent (white balance) settings, I’m afraid it didn’t do so well. While it still allows me to get close to the object, and pardon the dust (I’d like to say it was for effect and detail testing, but that would be a blatant lie), the colors don’t seem right and the image tends to be a bit out of focus.

K850i - Indoor, Macro Mode

K850i - Daylight, Macro Mode

With the same settings and locations, the N82 is quite good. In the sun, even though I wasn’t able to get as close to the object as the K850 without blurring the image, the image itself came out quite clear and the colors seem fine. Indoors with identical settings as the K850, I like the fact that the details, however they may reflect my room, are clear and the colors are really good.

N82 - Indoor, Close-up Mode

N82 - Daylight, Close-up Mode

Night Shots
On the whole I'll say the N82 is ahead of the K850 when it comes to images taken in low light. The K850 sadly gives you an extremely dark image, even with the flash, while the N82 gives you a decently bright image in simple point-and-shoot mode (Auto Mode).

To be fair I took pictures in the N82’s Night mode and the K850s Twilight mode. I simply placed the devices on a flat surface, activated the timer and let the cameras do their thing. I’ll let the images speak for themselves.

K850i - Twilight Mode

N82 - Night Mode

The Bottomline
As I mentioned in the review, the K850i is disappointingly not good enough. It’s quite an upset, considering it carries the Cyber-shot tag. But images in normal daylight, Macro, and Sports mode are quite good; just keep it out of the dark. On the other hand, the N82 with its Carl Zeiss lens is capable of taking some pretty good shots in almost all conditions save Sports mode. But then it's better in low light as well.

At the end of the day, it would all depend on your personal preference and how you like the handsets' other features. So, happy clicking.