The Motorola Razr

Motorola resurrects the Razr
04:46 AM Oct 20, 2011
LONDON - Motorola Mobility has brought back its popular Razr mobile phone after a seven-year hiatus. The original Motorola Razr, launched in 2004, sold more than 130 million units, said a report from The Daily Telegraph.

The new version, which runs on Android and is just 7.1mm thin, features a Kevlar body, a top-of-the range 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display and a 1.2GHz processor, Motorola said in a statement.

The original Razr was initially launched as a high-fashion designer phone, but after the price was lowered it went on to sell in record numbers. It is still the world's best-selling clamshell phone, and featured in popular television shows such as Lost and Top Gear, said the newspaper report.

Running Android 2.3.5, the new device also includes a new app called MotoCast, which allows the device to stream or download content such as music, films or files from any computer in the world, so long as it is also using MotoCast.

Mr Sanjay Jha, Motorola's chairman and chief executive, said that "Motorola Razr is an iconic brand, and one that originally revolutionised the mobile device industry by turning a functional necessity into an object of desire".

The phone will feature an eight-megapixel rear camera and can record in full 1080p HD video. A pre-loaded app called "Smart Actions" will also automate certain settings, so that, for instance, the phone can automatically put itself on silent when the GPS registers that it has entered its owner's workplace.

It will also change the Bluetooth and GPS settings when you return home, to save on battery usage, or send a text to someone when you miss their call.

Emails, contacts and calendar functions are protected by a government-grade encryption that will impress even your IT manager, said Motorola. The Razr will also be sold with a range of accessories including the laptop-style lap-dock made popular by the Motorola Atrix smartphone.

The Motorola Razr will be available in Singapore from early next month, said Motorola in its press release. AGENCIES

Source: http://www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC111020-0000146/Motorola-resurrects-the-Razr

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The Jaguar3 series tablets

ZiiLabs unveils tablet designs

Tablets to target OEM markets
by Hiranand Sunny Naresh
04:46 AM Sep 28, 2011
SINGAPORE - Creative Technology is dipping its finger in the tablet pie. However, it is not in the form of consumer tablets - yet.

Its wholly-owned media processor and platforms company ZiiLabs has announced a new range of reference designs for Android tablets which look set to generate a wave of tablet computers capable of giving the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 a run for its money.

Aimed at the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) market, the ultra-slim, slight and sleek ZiiLABS Jaguar3 series sports a 10.1 inch screen and is only 8.1mm thick. OEMs have the option of reducing the thickness to 7.4mm if they are willing to bear the additional costs.

And the specs are not too shabby either. The Jaguar3 series tablets come with two processor options - the 1.5GHz ARM Cortex-A9 based ZMS-20 StemCell processors and next generation ZMS-40 SoC chip which sports a ARM Cortex-A9 and 96 StemCell Processors - both clocking in at 1.5 GHz.

The ZMS 20 is a dual-core processor, while the ZMS 40 is a quad-core processor that promises to deliver performances that can rival a laptop while consuming only a single watt of power.

This means that the device can last for over 10 hours of video playback and Web browsing while weighing no more than 480g.

In addition, the higher end JAGUAR3 comes with a customisable camera configuration maxing out at 12 megapixels. The camera can be coupled with software supporting HDR imagery and panoramic shots and upgraded sound configurations are also included courtesy of Creative's Sound Blaster.

Chairman and CEO of Creative Technology Sim Wong Hoo believes that the JAGUAR3 can help usher in a new dawn for tablet computers.

He said: "JAGUAR3 allows OEMs to enter this huge explosive market instantly and economically while reducing the risk significantly. It breaks new ground as the most powerful, lightest, slimmest and most complete Android 3.2 tablet reference designs on the market.

"If you look into the future of computing through our JAGUAR3 technology, you will realise that the PCs today will look more and more like mainframe computers of yesteryear. With the performance provided by JAGUAR3, tablets will be the mainstream computing devices of tomorrow," added Mr Sim. HIRANAND SUNNY

enlarge this photo
PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE

Source: http://www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC110928-0000328/ZiiLabs-unveils-tablet-designs

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the Nikon 1 J1 and the Nikon 1 V1

Nikon launches world's smallest interchangeable lens camera
by Peter Yeo
07:01 AM Sep 26, 2011
SINGAPORE - When Nikon launched its latest Nikon 1 series of cameras last Wednesday, it started a new chapter in its storied past. As the optical and imaging company prepares to celebrate its 95th anniversary next year, its latest Nikon N1 series of cameras is said to be an innovative digital camera system that significantly alters common conception regarding digital camera imaging expression and incorporates functions that offer high added value.

Nikon calls its Nikon 1 range a completely new camera system. In what Nikon calls the "advanced camera with interchangeable lens" system, the Nikon 1 introduces new forms of imaging expression with a new super high-speed AF CMOS image sensor, new high-speed image-processing engine, EXPEED 3, and a new Nikon 1 mount lens system. The first two models of the Nikon 1 series - the Nikon 1 J1 and the Nikon 1 V1 - both feature faster image processing and superior reproduction characteristics through a combination of its proprietary CMOS image sensor and image-processing engine. Among interchangeable lens cameras with a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF), the Nikon 1 V1 is also said to be the world's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens digital camera, according to its research.

Source: http://www.todayonline.com/TechandDigital/Digital/EDC110926-0000031/Nikon-launches-worlds-smallest-interchangeable-lens-camera

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The Pentax Q

Fun in the palm of your hand

Said to be the smallest interchangeable lens camera, the Pentax Q sure is big on fun
by June Yang
Updated 05:15 PM Oct 11, 2011



When you think about interchangeable lens cameras, you might imagine heavy, bulky cameras the approximate size of a fridge. Myriad compact cameras have gone a long way to smashing those perceptions, but this new contender from Pentax is doing the most damage yet.

The Pentax Q, with businesslike stylings on a body that fits in the palm of your hand, is guaranteed to turn heads. Less than 10cm long, 6cm high and 3cm thick, it is one of the smallest interchangeable lens cameras on the market.

It comes with a specialised 1/2.3 inch backlit CMOS sensor that shoots 12.4 megapixels and stores them in JPEG or RAW format, and ships with a standard prime lens with a super-wide aperture of f1.9 and focal length 8mm (which is the 35mm equivalent of a 40mm lens).

A variety of other lenses such as zoom lenses, fisheye lenses and "toy camera" lenses have been announced, but no details on the availability have been released. Hardware highlights include a pop-up flash and a hotshoe attachment for mounting a electronic viewfinder.

The camera has multiple shooting modes. Yes, it has all the bog-standard ones: Full auto, scene, priority and full manual. But what will get people talking are the special effects modes.

The effects were honestly my favourite part about shooting with this camera. A customisable quick-access dial at the front of the camera switches between effects quickly. You get filters that mimic watercolours, Lomography camera lenses, and so on. There's even a cross-processing filter that slaps random colour palettes on every photo you shoot. Gimmicky? Perhaps. But I bet the Instagram crowd will love it.

Yet the camera isn't perfect. Compromises have clearly been made to achieve its Lilliputian dimensions. The sensor shoots pictures of decent quality, but there are DSLRs that shoot better pictures for the same price point. The autofocus is temperamental, which may not bother point-and-shoot-ers but sits ill on a camera that also shoots in RAW and comes with a bokeh control setting. If you know what those terms mean, then the autofocus failing will definitely be a bugbear.

To sum up, the Pentax Q is a small, fun camera, but if serious photography is what you're after, you might be better off with the ones that weigh a tonne. It retails for S$999 with the standard lens, and is available in black and white.

Source: www.todayonline.com

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The Sony Tablet S

Swallow this chill pill

The Sony Tablet S may be late to the game, but it stands out from its peers
by Hiranand Sunny Naresh
Updated 07:05 PM Oct 11, 2011

Specs-wise, the Sony Tablet S does not have much of an edge over the competition in this extremely crowded tablet marketplace: It runs on an Android 3.2 operating system and boasts a NVIDIA Tegra 2 mobile processor, 9.4-inch LED screen and WiFi compatibility - all of which are pretty standard.

Rather, it was the design that grabbed our attention.

Sporting a refreshing and curvaceous wedge, the tablet resembles a magazine with its cover folded backwards. And its unique shape isn't purely aesthetic.

The wedge provides a gentle incline which makes typing comfortable when laid flat, and the book-like design makes it easy to grip the tablet with one hand, which is great for reading on crowded trains or buses.

The Sony Tablet S has both a front- and rear-facing camera, and offers 1080p video capture and playback. It also comes with a PlayStation certification, which enables users to access a range of exclusive games. Users will also have a host of Sony-proprietary apps to choose from, such as a universal remote for controlling other Sony products.

While not the most techy of tablets, the Sony Tablet S is definitely a head-turner. It retails for S$668 (16GB) and S$798 (32GB), and will be available from the end of this month (pre-orders can be made at www.sony.com.sg).

Source: www.todayonline.com

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iPhone 4S

No iPhone 5, but meet Apple's faster, more powerful iPhone 4S

Smartphone will be available in Singapore by the end of the month
Updated 06:58 AM Oct 05, 2011
CUPERTINO (California) - Apple unveiled a faster, more powerful iPhone on Tuesday (Wednesday morning, Singapore time) in its first major product event in years without Steve Jobs presiding.

New CEO Tim Cook led the show after Mr Jobs, who has been battling health problems, resigned from the post in August.

Mr Cook said the latest iPhone, which came out in June last year, sold more quickly than previous models, but the iPhone still has just 5 per cent of the worldwide handset market.

Apple is hoping to grow that with a new model. The new iPhone 4S has an improved camera with a higher-resolution sensor. The processor is faster, which helps run smoother, more realistic action games. It's also a "world phone," which means that Verizon iPhones will be able to useable overseas, just as AT&T iPhones already are.

Apple is including a "personal assistant" application called Siri, which responds to spoken questions and commands such as "Do I need an umbrella today?" It's an advanced version of speech-recognition apps found on other phones.

The new iPhone also comes with new mobile software, iOS 5, that includes such features as the ability to sync content wirelessly, without having to plug the device to a Mac or Windows machine.

iOS 5 will also be available on Oct 12 for existing devices - the iPhone 4 and 3GS, both iPad models and later versions of the iPod Touch.

Apple said Oct 12 will also mark the launch of its new iCloud service, which will store content such as music, documents, apps and photos on Apple's servers and let people access them wirelessly on numerous devices.

Apple said the new phone will come in black or white. In the US, it will cost US$199 (S$261) for a 16 gigabyte-version, US$299 for 32 GB and US$399 for 64 GB - all with a two-year service contract requirement.

The iPhone 4S will be available in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Britain on Friday, Oct 14, before being rolled out to 22 more countries worldwide - including Singapore - before the end of this month. Pricing for the iPhone 4S in Singapore has not been announced, although the price for the previous versions of the phone will be slashed.

Apple also touted the popularity of its products and unveiled a new line of iPods, including a Nano model with a multi-touch display that promises to be easier to navigate. Apple made no mention of its Classic model, which many people had speculated the company might discontinue.

Apple's stock fell US$11.76, or 3.1 per cent, to US$362.84 in afternoon trading, as investors were expecting the bigger launch of what would have been the iPhone 5. AP

Source: www.todayonline.com

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