May 2007 Archives

To complement your handy Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot camera-phone, why don't you get the IPK-100 camera phone kit? This handy kit consists of a protective case and a mini tripod with flexible legs. With this kit, you’re sure to eliminate blurred images due to shaky hands. You can be sure also that everyone’s included in the picture (yes, you as the photographer are included, too), since you don’t have to rely on anyone to operate your camera-phone. Just attach your camphone onto the tripod, set the timer, and you’re good to go. Every photographer ought to have a tripod, and the IPK-100 is the perfect tripod for any camera-phone enthusiast. Unleash the photo hobbyist in you, and get the IPK-100 camera phone kit pronto!

Motorola announced its new line of slim phones aptly named RAZR2. This new line of RAZR phones comes in variants depending on the services you need. The V8 is intended for the GSM networks, the V9 model for the higher bandwidth 3G networks, while the V9m is for CDMA infrastructure. Motorola made sure that with this new line, you will surely get a phone especially suited for you.      The most obvious improvement in the RAZR2 is the built of the phone. Sure to be a hit for fashionistas, the RAZR2 is much slimmer and more sophisticated-looking as compared to its ancestors. Features, however, don’t stray far from the MotoRAZR Maxx, although people still doubt the RAZR2's user interface and battery life. Improvements are pending until units are officially released in the Philippines.   Source: Gizmodo

Mobile Philippines May-June issue is out now with sultry Priscilla Meirelles on the cover. First stop: EIC Adel Gabot flies to Sepang to be part of Formula 1 and gives you the speed and noise on and off the track. Shutterbugs would surely rave over Mobile's primer on the sleek tricks of sports photography. Dive into underwater museums with dive instructor-slash-techie-businessman Daniel Abelarde. While you're at it, learn underwater photography in a snap! Read our freshly-squeezed hands-on reviews of the Samson USB Mic, Nike Triax C6, Creative DiVi CAM 516, Olympus mju 725SW and a LOT more! Watch out for our special 9-page, 34-review of the hottest mobile phones in the market. Plus, hints on the upcoming Mobile Xperience event in June! Mobile Philippines is the only magazine specializing in personal electronic devices from phones to music players to laptops. Grab your own copy now from newsstands for only PhP 100.00!

I was fortunate enough to witness a demo of SMART's latest service called Smart Mobile TV. This happened last April 23-25, 2007, in the island of Boracay. We’ve all heard about 3G's capability to offer streaming video and content, but Mobile TV takes it to a whole new level. Using a technology different from the now common 3G, Mobile TV makes use of DVB-H (digital video broadcasting for handheld devices) technology which broadcasts encrypted digital video at high bandwidths. This basically means you get high quality, crisp images on your mobile device.

The unit loaned to us for testing the new service was the Nokia N92, one of the few handsets supporting Mobile TV. It was amazing how easy and clear it was to watch TV on the phone, considering that the screen is no 30-incher. The video feed was good enough for me to see the time left on the shot clock of Game 1 between the Phoenix Suns and L.A. Lakers, and that, for me, is the best feature I’ve seen so far on a phone. This new service is literally cable TV made for your portable device, though channel availability during the demo was limited to 9 channels (CNN, Basketball TV, CNBC, BBC, MTV, Channel V, Fashion TV, Jack TV and AFC). But as the service rolls out for public release, more channels will be added, including local ones, according to Mr. Raymund Miranda, president of NBC. NBC will be the content provider for this new service. The price of the service is still unknown, but like cable, it entails that the user subscribe to a service plan depending on the set of channels one wants to get. Based on the demo, this is another service from SMART bound to be a hit, especially for us Filipinos who just can’t seem to get enough of TV.

Greenpeace takes notice of Apple’s use of toxic chemicals in the production of the latter's electronic products. In so doing, Greenpeace also put up a site informing the public and encouraging Apple to change its ways. Ironically, Apple is at the forefront of cutting-edge design and innovation, but based on Greenpeace's findings, Apple lags behind in environment-friendly practices.

Based on Greenpeace’s scorecards, Apple got lower points than rival companies, such as HP, Dell, and Nokia. As a result, Apple announced its plan to phase out harmful chemicals from its products. This helped boost the rating of Apple from a 2.7 to a 5 (out of 10). However, Greenpeace is still hoping that Apple will release more “greenâ€

"The Power is Yours!" –Captain Planet

April is International Earth Month. It's likely you didn't get a forwarded greeting about it on your mobile, but a glance at your mobile will now alert you to the connection between tech and the environment. The culmination of Earth Month celebrations was held on the 22 ^nd of April the world over, and some Climate Change summits are still ongoing. Though April has bid us adieu, I've decided to explore the relationship between tech and the environmentâ€