February 2008 Archives

And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain. Infamous lines from one of the most requested songs in karaoke bars, but no words seem more apt to describe the situation of Stage6 than that line from the song My Way. Februar 28, 2008 marks the last day of Stage6 on the internet which paves the way for a more the dominanc of You Tube. Many might not be familiar with Stage6, so to put everything into a nutshell, its similar to You Tube except it offers both streaming and download services for watching videos. Another glaring differnce is the number of videos being offered which makes You Tube the more popular choice due of the massive collection at their disposal. While some may speculate as to the cause of its demise, the fact still remains that it’s all over for Stage6. It was a great ride for the DivX-run service, but unfortunately, all things must come to an end. Adieu Stage6! PS If you want to catch a glimpse or dowload some of the videos before it completely shuts down, Stage6 is still accessible today.

The latest Macbook/Macbook Pro models are out and while we’re pretty happy with the new features, Apple’s choice to carry on its traditional exterior is wearing a bit thin already. A little makeover in that department wouldn't hurt. On the good side, the Macbook Pro comes the latest Penryn Intel Core 2 Duo chips at the helm of all models, and a new GeForce 8600M GT 512 GDDR3 MB video card for the 2.5 and 2.6 GHz versions. It also now incorporates the multi-touch pad found on the Macbook Air which sad to say, is a bit smaller. The 17-inch model also comes with the option of a LED backlit display. Unfortunately, the more affordable Macbook models didn’t get as much love this time around. No multi-touch pad and LED backlit display option for any Macbook unit. The only thing noteworthy for this line is the new processors.    For those who’ve come to love the bundles remote, it doesn’t come standard with these new models. Considering these latest release, the specs of the new Macbook Pro models might be enough reason for some to upgrade, but for the Macbook line, I’d have to pass on that one. Personally, I'm still waiting on the multi-touch screen Macbook Pro to become available.

This machine may look like a weapon of mass destruction, but its real purpose is far from the complete annihilation of the human race. As a matter of fact, its main purpose is to enrich the lives of individuals by taking the concept of pimping ones gadget to a whole new level. Paul Knight uses this machine to modify the surface of the iPod and iPhone for a completely uber luxurious makeover. Making use of a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process, what once used to look like a typical Apple product gets totally pimped out with a spanking brand new appearance. This process isn’t exactly new and is already employed in coating luxury watches, drill bits and aircrafts. The rates for this service can be found at Gigapascal, but his operations haven't gone into full swintg yet. Given the sophisticated results, it's easy to see that this makeover isn’t your typical cheap-skate customization. So if you’ve got the dough and you’re looking into a whole new way to customize your iPod or iPhone, it doesn’t get any better than this.

 

Not quite as portable as the one from DLO, the Altec Lansing T612 dock speaker system has a unique offering of its own. Aside from the excellent acoustics and charging capability, this baby is immune to the irritating buzzing sound that comes from GSM handsets. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. It’s that interference that comes from your handsets whenever you get too close to a set of speakers. The T612 is the first to provide GSM-Buzz shielding so that you can enjoy your music without disturbance.

Unfortunately, while it is compatible with the iPhone, it doesn’t provide a speaker phone system to work in tandem with the phone functionality which is one of the cool features of the DLO unit. It’s likewise compatible with older iPods models and other mp3 players via Aux connection.

It’s set to retail to roughly $ 200 which is around P 8500 in the local currency (based on the current exchange rate). It’s priced just right for such a great item. Engadget has a hands-on of this beauty.

Despite the growing number of free Wi-Fi hotspots around the country, there are still areas that don’t offer them for free much less have them (especially in the provinces). One thing that is a bit more reliable is a 3G signal which most phones are well equipped to handle nowadays. Thanks to Joiku, you can now share the 3G love and turn your Nokia phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot. Of course, it will cost a rather substantial amount depending on your network, but if you’re in dire need of a data connection and want a no-hassle means of achieving it in the absence of true Wi-Fi, then this is the thing for you. Just download JoikuSpot, install it on your compatible Nokia handset and you’re good to go. It’s like having your own portable Hotspot in your pocket. As good as it seems, it's not perfect. For now, it only supports HTTP and HTTPS so other protocols might not work, but it's still an on-going project so do look out for futher innovations in the future. Considering how some DSL service are beginning to suck these days, this might even be a faster alternative though a bit more costly.

Taking a much less noticeable route as opposed to all the media frenzy that was the World Mobile Congress, Nokia gave what was supposedly a secret picture of the upcoming E71 in an event in Sydney, Australia. Reported specs of this model include HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and MicroSD card support; and a 3.2-megapixel for imaging. The QWERTY keypad is still present and an on-board GPS system is also rumored to be part of the package. The E71 is the successor of the E61 which is the most successful smartphone to come from Finnish company, and we’re hoping that this new unit will not disappoint as well. There’s still no official announcement from Nokia as to the target release date, but since it was in Australia where it  made a brief appearance, I'm guessing it'll hit the Asian market pretty soon.

This bit of news managed to slip by us with all the other happening around the net. It seems that the new PSP firmware which includes the Skpe VoIP feature has been available for download since the first week of this month. So if you don’t mind giving up your Homebrew privileges, update your firmware now for added functionality to your mobile gaming console. Of course, if you want to take full advantage of Skype you still need to get a headset which probably won't take too long to surface locally, but if you just can’t wait, I’ve seen a couple of online sites selling it already. Just remember, the 3.90 Firmware only works with the new PSP Slim so don’t go expecting in to work with just any PSP.

Easter maybe still be weeks away, but it’s never too early for you to get yourself this egg-shaped technological wonder.

The DLO portable speakers is by far one of the more functional and aesthetically appealing accessories to come out that’ll complement the iPhone beautifully. When in compact mode (in other words, shaped like a ball/egg), it measures 6-inches in diameter which makes it just the right size to carry around or be the center-piece of your art collection at home. It can be powered by either a set of 4 AAA batteries or the included AC adapter. While it seems to be the perfect solution for sharing the music, it can also function as a speaker phone when making calls and even though it’s meant to be used primarily for the iPhone, it is likewise compatible with any device that has a 3.5mm headphone jack.

This one’s definitely on my to-watch-out-for list.

Mobile phone manufacturers had a field day at the recently concluded Mobile World Congress; and while we’ve gotten a share of the goods from Sony Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung, there were also a handful of new treats from other companies as well. The first few days of the MWC already unveiled most of the new models from prominent players in the market, and Engadget has a round-up of all the new gadgets, announcements and developments  in this annual event. Unfortunately, not all will make it to our country and us gadget-junkies will just be left drooling for the things that could-have-been. Take for example the HTC X7510 Advantage. While its ancestor is available locally in selected stores only, it has managed to attract a minor portion of the minority which will probably galvanize HTC’s resolution not to officially release it in our country.   Nevertheless, for those who want their fill on all the latest happenings, head on over to Engadget for a look back at all the festivities that made news at the MWC.

The yet-to-be released Lenovo X300 gets a preview at AllThingsD, and while everything seems to be in order for a great ultra-slim showdown with the Macbook Air, Walt Mossberg points out some issues that could make-or-break Lenovo’s anorexic mobile computer.

At first glance, the difference between the two is as clear as night and day. The X300 seems to be a bit thicker and heavier than the Air, which is more than just the result of keeping the traditional black scheme of the ThinkPad. It manages to retain the optical drive and provide 3 USB ports which critics will quickly point out the winning aspects of this laptop. However, the storage capacity is only limited to 64 GB of solid-state drive space which is really a bummer for two reasons: the standard Air configuration comes with more capacity, and the choice to go solid-state jacks up the price.

Nevertheless, at the end of the day, it still boils down to the OS and performance. While the Air can run both Windows and OS X, the X300 will only manage with the Microsoft camp.

Aside from the 5-megapixel shooter and touch screen found on this baby, LG’s Viewty is about to get an additional treat care of DivX. LG has announced that new models will ship with the ability to record videos at 120 frames per second and save in the DivX format. The 120-frames per second is great, but the new format is even better. This is a first for a mobile phone and will make your videos compatible with a wider range of media players. Current Viewty owners can get this upgraded feature via a software update which, unfortunately, is still undetermined as to its release date. Considering that this model is currently new in our country, it would be wise to hold on to your dear cash for a bit longer until the new models arrive, but if you just can’t exercise restraint, you can always wait for the software upgrade and get yourself a Viewty now.

It seems that Samsung is determined on making a lasting impression, and they may have done just that with their extensive line up at the MWC . Basically grouped into 4 categories such as style, multimedia, business and infotainment; this batch of mobile handsets definitely tries to catch every niche in the market. The style range is headed rightfully by the F80 which can easily be mistaken by its more popular ancestor, the Armani phone. It measures a slim 97.9x55x11.5 mm in size and boasts of a very capable 2.8-inch QVGA touchscreen display. It is expected to come with the latest Croix OS and will offer tactile feedback. 3G connectivity, FM radio, and a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and auto-focus complete its set of features. It's said to have 240 MB internal memory. Next on the list is G400 Dual Touch Chic. This sexy clamshell comes with an all-metal casing and as the name already implies, has touchscreen capabilities for both the internal and external display. The internal QVGA display is 2.2-inches in size and it also comes with a 5-megapixel autofocus-enabled camera, 100 MB memory, microSD support, and an RDS-powered FM radio. The other models in the style category are the L310, L320, L170, J150, J700, L770 and E251. For the multimedia range, the most outstanding is the F400. It employs a dual-slide mechanism similar to the N95, but offers a set of speakers at the other end instead of media controls. It incorporates B&O’s technology for acoustics and also comes with 3G, RDS-enabled FM radio, a 3 –megapixel camera with autofocus, and microSD card support for additional storage. The rest of the pack is the F490, G800, i450, F330 and the F250. For their business line, the i200 seems to be Samsung’s solution for the financially handicapped. It features 3G, a 2-megapixel camera, 2.3-inch QVGA widescreen display, microSD card support and Windows Mobile 6.0. There’s nothing really outstanding with it, except for the rumored price which is said to be much lower than most smartphones in the market. The more powerful and expensive i780, i550 and i560 models round up this category. Though not a smarphone, the D880 is also part of the business line. I guess Samsung’s pitching this for the executive who needs to have access to two networks at the same time. The infotainment line features a couple of handsets that are capable of Mobile TV though running on different protocols. The model that will most likely see daylight in our country is the P960, provided that the Mobile TV market grows in the coming months. The P960 is a slider that comes with DVB-H support, a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus, music player and other multimedia features. Watching TV on its 2.6-inch QVGA screen won’t be such a pain, but I’m having reservations as to the PiP functionality. Other models that belonged to this category were the G810, F700, F490 and the W350. The G810 is something I look forward to since it’s one of the few Samsung handsets that run on the S60 platform, but as the state of the market is in our country, there are no S60-running Samsung models available. I do hope Samsung decides to release at least a couple of models and hopefully it will be the G810.

It’s now Nokia’s turn to unveil their latest offering.

Their biggest release is the N96. It inherits the dual slide feature of the N95, but mimics the appearance and keypad layout of the N81. It also incorporated DVB-H technology for Mobile TV which can be enjoyed through its large 2.8-inch display. The internal memory tops off at 16 GB.

The N78, on the other hand, is Nokia’s first touch surface phone. It also bears an uncanny resemblance to the N73, but without the traditional mechanical keypad. It comes with HSDPA, Wi-Fi, assisted GPS and an FM music transmitter.

Veering away from the more popular Nseries, the 6210 Navigator continues the GPS-enabled line of phones from the Finish company. Similar to how a compass works, regardless of how you direct the phone, it will always point to the direction which you are headed to thanks to its built-in accelerometer. It also packs in a 3.2-megapixel camera, FM radio and HSDPA connectivity.

Last, but not the least, the 6220 Classic is their representative to the 5-megapixel mobile phone industry. It comes with a Carl Zeiss lens and geotagging thanks to its built-in GPS system. However, the GPS cannot be used independently and is limited to the geotagging service.

Definitely not as numerous as Sony Ericsson’s new line-up, it nevertheless is something to look forward to in the coming months. All of these phones, by the way, run on the S60 platform.

Sony Ericsson unleashes a bundle of treats for your tempting pleasure. Heading the pack is the XPERIA X1 which boasts of a slide-out full keyboard, HSDPA, 3-inch touchscreen which unfortunately is limited to 65K colors only, a 3.2-megapixel camera with auto-focus, assisted GPS and an internal memory of 400MB. If that’s not enough storage for you, it also supports microSD cards for additional memory. This also marks the first Sony Ericsson device to run on Windows Mobile as well. There’s also a couple of Cybershot phones to beef up its imaging line. The C702 has a 2.2-inch display with 260K color support, 160 MB internal memory and a 3.2-megapixel camera. Meanwhile, the C902 has a smaller 2-inch display, but handles a 5-megapixel camera to up the ante on imaging. The W980i is the new member of the Walkman family. It’s got a 2.2-inch display with 8GB of internal memory and a 3.2-megapixel camera to boot. This clamshell also features shake sensitive controls which is probably similar to the one found on the W910i. An external disply with music controls can also be found on this model. Not to be outdone, the simple yet stylish Z770i comes with HSDPA connectivity, a 2.2-inch 260K color display, 32 MB internal memory, Bluetooth and a 2-megpixel camera. A new-line also takes centerstage as the G-series makes its debut. The G700 touts a 2.4-inch touchscreen display, a single touch navigation control system and a 3.2-megapixel camera. The G900 likewise brandishes a touchscreen system on its 2.4-inch display and packs in a massive 5-megapixel camera with autofocus. It also supports Wi-fi connectivity. With these set of new handsets to hit the market pretty soon, it looks like Sony Ericsson is providing us with enough goodies to last us the entire first quarter of 2008.

As the Mobile World Congress kicks off today in Barcelona, Samsung gets a running start with the public preview of Soul. Probably a sign of things to come with regards to their Ultra Edition series, the Soul comes with a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and face detection, blazing 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and a user-customizable touchpad display system in place of a traditional navigation key. It wouldn’t be part of the Ultra Edition line if it weren’t super slim so don’t be surprised that it just measures a mere 12.9 mm in thinness. The metallic face is a nice touch as well, though I sincerely hope that it won’t be another case of just looking good for the camera and feeling awfully cheap once held already as was my experience with a number of Samsung phones in the past. MicroSD, by the way,  is it's choice of memory solution. Expect this to make its full debut in the MWC this week and loads of other goodies we’ll be reporting shortly.

This is the day early adopters and those with low EQ have been dreading. Apple has announced the release of the beefed-up models of the iPod Touch and iPhone that comes with more storage capacity.
 
The iPod Touch, for its part, now comes with 32 GB which can approximately store up to 7000 songs (128-kbps AAC format) or 40 hours of video. With this release, it now out-weights my iPod 5^th Gen 30 GB by just a couple more gigs. Safe to say, I’m now really tempted to get me a Touch.

The iPhone likewise doubles up on its capacity now offering 16 GB of storage.
This is probably in anticipation for the SDK release scheduled this month, but the question now is, which model will be making its debut in Asia this year?

Rumor has it that a 3G capable version will be released in Japan, but how about the Philippines? Even if it won’t be the 3G version, the 16 GB version is surely a welcome treat if it’s the pioneering model in our country.   

So don't be surprised if there's a sudden surge of pre-owned iPhones and Touches hitting the market one of these days as these new models will surely drive fanboys for a quick upgrade.  

Mobile game fanatics who have already purchased their very own Nokia N81 are in for a special treat. Nokia has finally launched N-Gage First access, the first publicly available version of the much awaited gaming portal from Nokia. This is, for now, limited to N81 handsets, but you can expect it to become available to a wider range of models as the months go by. This is different from the installed N-Gage games on your phone as this is an application wherein it will connect you to the gaming server of Nokia. Once connected and online, you can create your profile , try out certain games or buy those that you really like. This site is your one-stop shop for everything N-Gage. From news to updates to competition, you’ll find everything to your delight in this portal. Just remember that its still in it's beta stage, so all data will be reset once it goes into full swing. Enjoy these screen caps care of All About Symbian, or try it out for yourself.

No word on the authenticity of the screenshots below, but if it were indeed legit, then you’re looking at the next generation of the TouchFLO interface from HTC.

The only thing for certain based on the report from The Unwired is that the project is codenamed Manila and that the images were leaked thanks to Mobile-Devices.ch. As for technical specs and further details, none are available. There is, however, a version ready for download at HTC Insider. Take note that this is not official, so do exercise caution if you decide to brave the download and install it.

So for now, let’s just assume that these are all authentic and let’s tease ourselves until HTC releases it as either an upgrade or bundled with one of their spanking new devices. I’m hoping that it will be both, but reason is telling me that it’ll most likely be the latter.

Oh well, you can’t blame a fellow for hoping.

As PMA 2008 closes, Gizmodo gives a rundown of some of the more notable devices spotted at the annual event. Their collection includes a couple of hands-on reviews of the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW, Panasonic Lumix TZ5 and the new Canon 450D which we mentioned in an earlier post. They also feature Sony’s monstrous 25-megapixel full-frame sensor DSLR that also got the attention of Engadget. Samsung also took advantage of the opportunity to announce that they will be integrating their digital camera division more closely with the rest of their consumer tech operations. This is a great development which can only lead to greater products in the future. For those not familiar with PMA, it’s like the CES of photography wherein the latest and coolest gear from leading manufacturers in the industry get to show off their newest toys. There are also seminars for photography enthusiasts, but for us geeks who can’t really be there in the flesh; it’s the new gadgets on display that we look out for. I guess the closest thing we have locally to PMA is Photoworld Asia which is on its final day today at the Gorietta Activity Center in Ayala, Makati City. It's not as extravagant, but its a great venue to learn new stuff and avail of great discounts as well.

Will they or will they not? After spending a great number of years in the handset business, will Motorola finally throw in the white towel and call it quits amidst faltering sales and intense competition? According to Engadget Mobile, if you ask Nomura International analyst Richard Windsor, Motorola would do better refocusing their efforts in becoming an “enterprise and government company” as opposed to staying in the handset industry. After reaping a short-lived success with the debut of their RAZR line, Motorola has failed to capitalize on it which has resulted in their poor performance as of late which has led them to consider bidding farewell to the handset industry as a serious alternative. If anyone from Motorola is reading this post, my suggestion to you guys is to get over the RAZR-design craze and focus on more innovative features. Sure, the RAZR design was a success, but the lack of features combined with poor performance made it a one-hit wonder. Bring something new to the table in terms of features and functionality, and maybe consumers might give you a second chance.

The new year just got better as both Canon and Nikon have released new models to beef up their already impressive line of digital cameras. Canon has come out with EOS Rebel Xsi which, in our part of the world, is more commonly known as the 450D. It’s a 12.2-megapixel digital SLR with Live View functionality via its large 3-inch LCD screen. It makes use of the Digic III processor which is now found in nearly all of the new Canon models. As Gizmodo fairly summarizes the features of this new DSLR, its like Canon got the best from it s high-end line and merged it with the comforts of its PowerShot line. Nikon, for their part, has the D60. Those familiar with D40x will find that the D60 has a lot in common with the earlier released model. The body, the feel and the 10.2-megapixel image processor are all the same, but Nikon has added some features to surely differentiate it from its ancestor. It incorporates a stop-motion feature which is the first I’ve heard of for DSLRs, auto-orientation and a new image-stabilizing kit lens to make the D60 a model with its own character. A quick comparison between the two will surely put the 450D ahead of the D60 in terms of megapixel count, Live View, and faster frame rate in continous shooting (3 fps of Nikon as compared to the 3.5 of the 450D). Of course, photography enthusiast know that there’s more to a camera than just these features so we’ll reserve our judgment once the full reviews are out.