Recently in Reviews Category

If you're an iPhone/iPod Touch owner who's music collection greatly surpasses the capacity of his/her iPod, might we offer you a solution that will not only grant you access to your iTunes library on your PC/Mac, but will also allow you to acess the collection of your friends as well. The Simplify Media app is a free software available at the App Store that'll allow you to stream your entire music library through the internet. All you need to do is install the application both on your iPod and your PC/Mac, and you're on your way to enjoying limitless fun. Likewise, if you've got friends who already have Simplify Media running, as long as they're part of your contacts list and they're online, you'll aslo be able to access their shared music as well. This app has been around for quite sometime now, and prior to the App Store, it used to be exclusive to jailbroken units only. Aside from accessing your iTunes library remotely, it also now gives you information regarding the song such as artist info (by Last.fm) and song lyrics (by LyricWiki). Album art is also taken online but if the song title, artist and album title don't match their records, then don't expect it to display the right one or anything at all.  As good as it is, it's still not perfect. Remote access is limited only to audio files so you won’t be able to watch your favorites TV shows and movies through it. Buffering time is somewhat inconsistent, but most of the time, it's pretty tolerable.  So, if you've got everything set up, get ready to enjoy countless hours of music just as long as you're connected to a network (Wi-Fi, 3G, or even EDGE).

Crave of CNet UK gets up close and personal with iRiver’s new PMP baby, the Spinn. We reported about its existence some time ago, and based on the initial impression the Spinn has left on the guys at Crave, it makes me even wonder more how such an astounding device isn’t available in more countries, especially the Philippines.   The AMOLED display is truly of its more outstanding features, but to hear that it also has amazing sound quality, well, that just icing on the cake. Aside from the touch screen, you can also navigate through the various menus through a mechanical scroll wheel cleverly disguised into the design. Though their opinion with this alternative control system is divided, at least the option is there for those who don’t want to spoil its brilliant display with fingerprints and smudges. Despite its overwhelming appeal, it does have its share of shortcomings. AAC is not supported, and even though it’s supposed to support Adobe Flash, they were only able to successful load one flash game. Nevertheless, the numerous praises they gave the Spinn is enough to intrigue me. So now, I’m hoping (against all odds) that it might see the light of day in Manila. Any else who shares the same sentiment?

Crackberry just beat the rest of the pack by releasing their exclusive hands-on review on the yet to be released Blackberry Kickstart 8220. Making its mark as the first flip phone from the company, the Kickstart seems to live up to the reputation of being a Blackberry device despite the change in form factor. It’s got Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel camera, 3.5mm headset jack, microSD card slot, a 240x320 internal LCD, a 160x128 external display, and runs on OS 4.6. Unlike the other new release from Blackberry, this one doesn’t come with 3G.   However, as a result of the change in design, it does provide users with a relatively bigger keyboard, and even though it does look a bit on the hefty side, when compared side-by-side with other current clamshells in the market, it pretty much holds its own in the aesthetics department. A rumored September release date for T-Mobile is circulating around the net with a too-good-to-be-true sub $50 tag price.

Gizmodo has come out with a head-to-head battle between four of the latest and hottest DSLRs in town: Canon XSi (450D), Nikon D60, Sony Alpha a350 and the Olympus E-420. Granted that Gizmodo is no expert in the field of photography, the results are a bit questionable especially from the point-of-view of a hardcore shutterbug, but given what they were able to come up with, you can judge for yourself which one is the best amongst the rest. Personally, I don’t agree with how weight became part of the criteria. True, in the context of things, over-all weight is significant, but not to the point that it becomes a determining factor on which is the best. Picture quality (color saturation, white balance, etc.) and performance (start-up time, shutter lag, special features, etc) would rate as being the primary things to consider when judging the value of cameras. It’s a good thing they included sample shots so readers can judge for themselves which one does a good job at which task. I just wish they provided more test shots at varied conditions and included the exact settings, not just high/low f-stop labels. Anyway, photo-centric sites such as Digital Review have yet to come up with their own comprehensive comparison between these SLRs. So let’s just take what Gizmodo has dished and judge the four by our own standards for the time being. 

It seems like HP’s Eee PC-killer is looking pretty good based on the initial set of reviews collected by Engadget from all over the net. Personally, what I really like about the HP 2133 Mini-Note are the options available which allows you to find one that’ll best suit your needs based on your work and budget. While Asus does offer some variations of the Eee, the difference between each model is really minuscule. HP, on the other hand, makes the Mini Note available with varying RAM, HDD capacities, and connectivity options such as Bluetooth. Despite its diminutive size, it’s amazing how the mid-range and more expensive models manage to pack in 120 to 160 GB HDDs which is a huge difference especially when compared to the Eee. Not to mention, the Mini-Note looks more sturdy and sophisticated with its anodized aluminum shell. Price starts at $ 499 for the most basic version and goes as high as $ 849. Critics would probably find that the most expensive model is priced too steep and can actually get you a full laptop. I agree, but what's good about it is that the option is there for those who really want an ultra-portable with specs at par with the big boys. Yeah, it's a bit more pricey than the Eee, but I wou'dn't mind shelling out a few more buck for something as beautiful as this. I can't wait to get my grubby hands on one once it hits local stores.

Not as small as the Eee PC, the Asus U2E offers more power in a slightly larger form factor that still manages to compete with the other ultra portables in the market. I wish we had our own review to offer you guys, but for now, a full review of this baby is available at PC Perspective and based on their tests, while it does manage to offer a decent set of features, there’s no hiding the fact that performance-wise, it's a bit disappointing. However, as the author is quick to note in his conclusion, given its size, price and target market, it’s still very competitive in terms of design and functionality. It's powered by an Intel Core Duo 1.06 Ghz processor and runs DDR2 667 Mhz RAM with 32 GB SSD storage. Unlike the Eee, this comes loaded with Windows Vista and various connectivity options uncluding Bluetooth, WiFi and a fax/modem. If also features a fingerprint scanner for security. A warning though for those who have grown accusomted to the price of the Eee PC, the U2E is in a different class of its own. It may be a compact device, but the leather clad body and chrome accents on its exterior speaks of class and sophistication which, in my mind, already merits the additional figures in its price. It is yet to be available locally, and if any Asus reps are reading this, we’re definitely waiting for a review unit so that we can gie our two cents on this latest model.

So yeah, the new Macbook Pro does have a multi-touch pad, but what else can we expect from it?

 

Engadget has a comparative review of this latest version of Apple’s top-of-the-line laptop and aside from the new touch pad, users will be happy to note that it will be a bit more bearable to use on your lap as compared to its predecessors. That might be its greatest consolation as speed tests show that while the new Penryn processors do provide improvement in performance, it’s not that big a deal. Gizmodo also shares the same point of view with their hands-on take on the new Macbook Pro. Dont' get me wrong, it's efficient but not that impressive to blow me away with its new specs.

So the verdict: if you’re looking into purchasing your very first Macbook Pro or want one that has a multi-touch pad, then without a doubt this is the one for you; but if you already own of the more recent and powerful Core 2 Duo units, you won’t missed out on much with this latest release.

By now, everyone has their own opinion on how great or utterly ridiculous the Macbook Air is due to the lack of some inherent features we’ve come to grow accustomed to. Since we’ll have to wait a couple more months (hopefully less) for the Air to arrive, let’s hear out those who are fortunate enough to have gotten theirs already. The undeniable source for everything good and bad about Apple is probably this quartet of gentlemen: David Pogue, Ed Baig, Steven Levy and Walt Mossberg. If you do have the time, you can check out their individual reviews, but if you’re in a hurry, Gizmodo gives a summary and comparison of each one's take on the anorexic Air as shown in the table above. They've also released some benchmark results as compared to a Macbook and Macbook Pro. There’s nothing new really to report as we already expected the Air to be less powerful than its pumped-up well-chiseled brute sibling, the Macbook Pro. What’s surprising though is the Mp3 encode test which should have gone the Pro’s way. Head on over to the Giz to check out how they conducted their tests and see some Xbench results for your own indulgence if you want to compare the Air to your own system. Engadget, on the other hand, has released a more comprehensive stand-alone review of the Air. For us, we'll reserve judgement once we get our grubby hands on one of this beauties ourselves.

For those who just can’t wait to get their hands on Apple’s iPhone, here’s a video tour of the device to further whet your appetite. Not satisfied? Well, the first couple of reviews courtesy of Pogue, Mossberg and USA Today are out and it’s nice to know that the iPhone isn't perfect after all (a subtle way of justifying the fact that I won’t be able to get it for two reasons: it won’t be available in Asia till next year, and it’s way out of my budget). However, despite its shortcomings, which might have been brought about by all the hype from the date it was unveiled to the public, the first reviews do give credit where it’s due and the iPhone, so far, has impressed those fortunate enough to behold it. Of course, by the time it does get to our country, the folks at Apple most probably would have fixed the flaws, and hopefully, we will get a better iPhone as opposed to the first batch of buyers.

This is HP’s smallest ever Pocket PC with integrated phone functionality. It comes with enough style that you wouldn’t be ashamed to flaunt it in public. Its diminutive size can be misleading: at closer inspection, it reveals its true colors. Running on the latest Windows Mobile 5.0 OS, it comes packed with your standard fare of Microsoft Mobile applications to keep you productive, entertained, and connected. The rw6828 comes with Microsoft’s push email technology in addition to the usual email, SMS and MMS features of the device. The two-megapixel camera with flash can capture photos or video clips, which can then be emailed, beamed, or sent via MMS. Connectivity options include GPRS and EDGE in addition to Wi-Fi. The built-in FM radio requires the use of bundled wired earbuds which also act as antenna for the radio. What's our verdict on the HP iPAQ rw6828? Read the full review in our December 2006 - January 2007 issue.