Archive for the ‘Review’ Category
Tuesday, January 15th, 2013
Unveiled only last week at CES 2013 in Las Vegas, the new flagship for Sony Mobile’s Xperia smartphones was showcased in Singapore to the regional media.
The Xperia Z and its smaller variant (Xperia ZL) will be available globally in Q1 2013. Prices are yet to be announced.
Update (7 February, 2013):
The Xperia Z will debut in Singapore on 1 March 2013. RRP: S$988 without contract.
Pre-orders can also be made at the following Telco websites:
You can pre-order at the Xperia Store, Sony Stores and Sony Centres from 15-24 February and get a gift.
Xperia Z will be available in the above stores on 1 March and from all telco operators from March 2nd onwards, in black or white. The purple Xperia Z will be available one week after on 8 March.
Sony Mobile’s new flagship smartphone – Xperia Z. Available Q1 2013.
The Xperia Z embodies leading edge technology that Sony had developed over the years for its wide range of electronic devices.
(more…)
Tags:Android, Android 4.1, Android 4.2, Jelly Bean, Qualcomm, Red Dot, Singapore, smartphones, Snapdragon, Sony, Sony Mobile, Walkman, Xperia, Xperia Z
Posted in Android, Audio, earphones, Events, Exhibition, Gadgets, headphones, Phones, Sony, Sony Mobile, speakers, Specifications, Walkman, Xperia | 1 Comment »
Friday, January 11th, 2013
Corded and wireless stereo headphones from Jabra: Jabra Vox in-ear earphones (S$148), Jabra Revo (S$248, corded) and Jabra Revo Wireless (S$398) headphones.
Expected to retail in Singapore in February.
Latest headphones and earphones from Jabra at CES 2013.
Jabra has introduced Dolby Digital Plus technology which – together with Jabra’s Sound App for iOS and Android devices – promises a much richer and fuller sound that is often missing in digitally compressed audio.
(more…)
Tags:audio, CES, CES 2013, earphones, headphones, Jabra, Revo, Vox
Posted in Announce, Audio, earphones, Gadgets, headphones, Jabra, Prices | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013
Nikon has launched in Tokyo the Nikon 1 J3, Nikon 1 S1 bodies, WP-N2 waterproof case, 1 NIKKOR VR 6.7-13mm f/3.5-5.6 and 1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f/4-5.6 lenses. It also released two new compact cameras – COOLPIX S6500 and COOLPIX 2700.
Prices and availability to be announced at a later date.
From left, Nikon COOLPIX S6500, Nikon COOLPIX S2700, Nikon 1 J3 with 1 NIKKOR VR 6.7-13mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, and Nikon 1 S1 with 1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f/4-5.6 lens
With the popularity of mirrorless interchangeable lens (MIL) cameras, Nikon is beefing up its Nikon 1 line up of camera bodies, lenses and accessories, with new features and functionalities.
For those who prefer the simplicity of compact cameras, it has introduced two new cameras in its COOLPIX S-series.
Here’s a line-up with key specs.
(more…)
Tags:cameras, COOLPIX, MIL, NIKKOR, Nikon, Nikon 1
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Cameras, Compact camera, COOLPIX, Gadgets, Lens, MIL, NIKKOR, Nikon, Nikon 1, Photography, Specifications, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 8th, 2013
The Transformer AiO PC runs on Windows 8 and has an integral Android tablet that can be detached, while the Qube Google TV media streamer is an entertainment device with voice search and motion control.
Also unveiled were two premium monitors and a pocket router.
ASUS has unveiled a number of new innovative products during CES 2013.
The Transformer AiO has an 18.4-inch display that doubles as a standalone tablet.
Asus is also showcasing for CES 2013 its other recently launched products.
- ASUS Transformer Book
- ASUS Taichi
- ASUS Zenbook Touch
- ASUS VivoBook
The two monitors are the PA249Q ProArt and VG248QE Fast Gaming monitors, while the WL-330NUL Pocket Router is the world’s smallest router that gives easy wireless connectivity to travelers.
In fact, the pocket router would have been exactly what I needed during my recent trip to Japan because the super-thin Ultrabook that I’d brought along didn’t have an Ethernet port and some hotel rooms had wired Internet access but no Wi-Fi.
Below are more details of the new gizmos.
(more…)
Tags:AIO, Asus, convertibles, desktops, Google, launch, Microsoft, monitors, notebooks, Qube, routers, tablets, TAICHI, transformers, TV, VivoBook, Windows, Windows 8, Zenbook
Posted in All-in-One, Announce, Asus, Desktops, Exhibition, Gadgets, Google, Monitors, Network, Router, Specifications, Tablets, TV | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 8th, 2013
Here is a round-up of Sony’s new electronic gadgets for 2013, as released today during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2013 in Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
Imagine a Sony Bravia KD-65 LED TV in your living room.
This year’s line-up includes new models to Sony’s Cyber-Shot, Handycam, Walkman, Xperia and BRAVIA range of products, as well as wireless speakers.
(more…)
Tags:4K, Android, audio, Bravia, cameras, CES, CES 2013, compact, Cyber-shot, handycam, LED, music, smartphone, Sony, Sony Mobile, speakers, TV, Walkman, Xperia, Xperia Z
Posted in Android, Audio, Cameras, Compact camera, Cyber-shot, Exhibition, Gadgets, Operating Systems, Phones, Sony, Sony Mobile, speakers, Specifications, Tech news, Walkman, Xperia | 1 Comment »
Sunday, January 6th, 2013
I brought the ThinkPad X1 Carbon along when I went on vacation in Japan in December. Why? Because it was light and slim and promised a long battery life. It did not disappoint. RRP: starts from S$2,349.
Update (7 March, 2013):
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is on offer during IT Show 2013. For S$3,149, you get a 3rd Gen Intel Core i7-3667U 3G processor with Windows 7 Professional 64 with Windows 8 Pro Recovery DVD.
This configuration comes with 8GB DDR3 SDRAM + 256GB SSD, with Wi-Fi + 3G connectivity.
What’s more, bundled items include a Lenovo Mini-Display Port to VGA monitor cable and a USB 2.0 Ethernet Adapter!
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the ideal fit for the mobile warrior.
Launched back in August as part of the ThinkPad’s 20th anniversary celebrations, the X1 Carbon was the world’s lightest Ultrabook at the time, and still is one of the thinnest and lightest around today (331x226x18.85 mm).
Slim & svelte is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook.
The X1 Carbon weighs less than three pounds, or 1.36kg – that’s less than a 1.5l soft drink bottle – thanks to its carbon fibre construction.
The Ultrabook withstood the physical rigours that we put it through lugging it from place to place.
The X1 Carbon boasted up to 8.2 hours of battery life and one of the best charge times in the industry, with rapid recharge up to 80% battery life in 35 minutes.
During vacation, I usually bring along a notebook for the family to surf the Web, check emails and social network updates, and for me to blog and do photo selection and editing for the holiday photos.
What I need is a powerful notebook that is light and powerful with long battery life. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon fitted the bill perfectly.
Indeed, the battery never once run out on me before I could hit a hotel to recharge, and the recharge was indeed rapid – wall power outlets can be much sought after when you have loads of other electrical devices to recharge at the end of a day.
The unit that I had did not come with 3G, so I had to connect using Wi-Fi most of the time. I didn’t need 3G anyway since I wasn’t data-roaming overseas.
I like the backlit keyboard so I can type in dim light without straining my eyes to locate the infrequently-used keys.
A special hinging mechanism allows the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook to be laid completely flat on the table.
The multi-gesture glass surface touchpad also made it easy to get by without having to connect a mouse.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultrabook
Video conferencing with family and friends at home was a breeze, with the HD face-tracking camera, dual array microphones and Dolby-tuned audio.
In its effort to stay slim and light, I/O ports are limited.
There’re no VGA or HDMI ports, so I can’t plug into my external monitor at home without buying an optional cable for the mini display port.
There’s also no Ethernet ports. You might think nobody needs that since most hotels come with Wi-Fi. Well some of the hotels we stayed in only had wired Internet connections in the room and no Wi-Fi.
My say:
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a slim and powerful Ultrabook with long battery life and fast recharge – suitable for the mobile warrior – be it for business or on vacation. And it looks svelte and sexy to boot!
So I had to pop down to Best Denki in Kumamoto to buy a Logitec Elecom mobile wireless access point to broadcast the broadband access to the X1 Carbon, smartphones and tablet.
Tags:Carbon, Lenovo, notebooks, reviews, ThinkPad, ultrabooks, Windows 7, X1
Posted in Gadgets, Lenovo, Notebooks, Prices, Review, Specifications, Ultrabooks, Windows 7 | 1 Comment »
Saturday, January 5th, 2013
If you’re looking for a capable workhorse for your home office, this duplex A4 inkjet printer gives you the full range of print, copy, scan and fax capabilities you’ll need.
Print quality is good, operation is simple and fast – but make sure you have enough space for it.
RRP: S$499 (incl. GST).
HP Officejet Pro 8600 Plus e-All-in-One inkjet prints up to 20 ppm in black, and 16 ppm in colour.
The print quality of the Officejet Pro 8600 Plus is excellent. Text documents look as if they were printed by a laser printer, while photos (printed on glossy photo paper) were crisp and vibrant.
I was told the prints on normal A4 paper were “water-proof” so I immersed a few printed sheets in water overnight.
Indeed the ink didn’t run at all.
Of course the paper got all wrinkled after it dried but that’s got nothing to do with the ink or printer.
You’ll be hard put to tell they were not printed on a dedicated photo printer.
I tested the photo-print quality by printing full A4 sized outputs on glossy photo paper.
I was rather impressed as I didn’t expect a multi-function printer meant for office-use to produce photo prints almost as well as a dedicated photo printer.
(more…)
Tags:copy, fax, HP, inkjets, Officejet, print, printers, scan
Posted in Gadgets, HP, Inkjet, Network, Prices, Printers, Review, Specifications | 2 Comments »
Friday, January 4th, 2013
The Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 LTE will hit the shelves in Singapore tomorrow. The tablet will be available at S$998 (without contract), in deep grey.
The Samsung GALAXY Note 10.1 LTE Android tablet will be available in Singapore from tomorrow at S$998 (without contract).
Introduced back in late August last year (in the WiFi and 3G+WiFi configurations), the LTE+WiFi version of the GALAXY Note 10.1 will be available in Singapore from tomorrow.
(more…)
Tags:10.1, Adobe, Android, Android 4, Galaxy, Ice Cream Sandwich, ICS, Note, photo editor, Photoshop, Photoshop Touch, S Note, S Pen, Samsung, tablets
Posted in Adobe, Android, App, Availability, Gadgets, Galaxy, Operating Systems, Photography, Photoshop, Prices, Samsung, Software, Specifications, Tablets | No Comments »
Thursday, January 3rd, 2013
The new ASUS convertible Ultrabook – featuring a display on either side of its cover – is available in Singapore from today for S$2,698.
The ASUS TAICHI tablet-cum-Ultrabook convertible has two screens – one on either side of the cover. Available from today in Singapore for S$2,698.
The 11.6-inch Ultrabook runs on Windows 8 and features a 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processor and two back-to-back Full High Definition (FHD) IPS screens.
(more…)
Tags:Asus, convertibles, notebooks, tablets, TAICHI, ultrabooks, Windows, Windows 8
Posted in Asus, Availability, Gadgets, Microsoft, Notebooks, Prices, Specifications, Tablets, Ultrabooks, Windows 8 | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013
Sony is introducing the XBA-40 (S$388), XBA-30 (S$318), XBA-20 (S$238) and XBA-10 (S$98) in-ear headphones, available now from all Sony stores and authorised outlets.
Each of the models in the second generation in-ear XBA headphones come in gold or silver.
For users listening to music on their iPhones, each of these earphones models also come with “iP” versions that allow remote control of the music playing while talking hands-free.
| Model |
SRP |
| XBA-40 |
S$388 |
| XBA-30 |
S$318 |
| XBA-20 |
S$238 |
| XBA-10 |
S$98 |
| XBA-40iP |
S$408 |
| XBA-30iP |
S$338 |
| XBA-20iP |
S$268 |
| XBA-10iP |
S$118 |
These headphones are the second generation of Sony’s popular XBA range of in-ear headphones, with gold and silver colour variations for each model to suit the individual’s taste.
The new XBA headphones feature the same micro-sized Balanced Armature (BA) drivers that are optimised for music enjoyment.
Double-layered housing prevents unwanted vibrations for crystal clear mid-high range audio reproduction.
The new range of XBA in-ear headphones now come with a high quality, PCOCC grain-free and oxygen-free copper cable wiring that minimises sound transmission loss.
A serrated anti-friction tangle-free cord helps music lovers deal with the constant challenge of messily stored wires.
Tags:earphones, headphones, Sony, XBA
Posted in Accessories, Announce, Audio, Availability, Gadgets, headphones, Prices, Sony | No Comments »
