HTC Sensation XE

The HTC Sensation XL with Beats Audio is the latest phone to be released by HTC.

The HTC Radar.

The HTC Incredible S (White Edition) in all its whiteness.

Celebrate a white Christmas

 

In the spirit of the season, HTC's giving three of its iconic phones a makeover and unveiling a new model

by Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid 

 

04:45 AM Nov 30, 2011

 

WHILE it never snows in sunny Singapore, we have always been fixated with the romantic idea of a white Christmas. So too, it seems, does HTC.

Just for the season, the HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio has been given a facelift and is now decked in a classic white finishing. Aside from the change in colour, a 1.5GHz dual core processor and an extended battery life has been added to the phone, allowing you to enjoy your music while browsing the web for a longer period.

Complementing this white ensemble, every HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio (White Edition) purchased comes with an exclusive all white urBeats. These in-ear headphones have full remote control function, so you can adjust your device and experience your music, your way.

The HTC Sensation XE is not the only HTC phone that got a makeover. Introducing the HTC Incredible S (White Edition), the name's the same - in fact the internal hardware makeup of the device is the same - only the colour is now (you guessed it) white.

Besides its new whitewash, the company has also said this new white edition provides a better grip in-hand. With its 8-megapixel camera, and crystal clear 4-inch display, the HTC Incredible S (White Edition), looks strikingly charming indeed.

HTC's first Windows Phone 7 with Mango, the Radar is stylishly crafted with an all-white aluminium unibody. This mobile device has been engineered to give new meaning to "people-first" features: Pre-installed with HTC's Photo Enhancer, you can take a photo with its camera, edit it, and then share it with your friends and family through Facebook in a jiffy.

Wishing your loved ones a Merry Christmas is also a breeze as SMS, Facebook Chats and Windows Live Messenger conversation threads are all stored seamlessly in one place.

If the HTC Sensation XE is not big enough for you, try on the HTC Sensation XL with Beats Audio for size. With a 4.7-inch screen and spanning only 9.9mm at its thickest point, the HTC Sensation XL has been created for an optimised audio and visual experience. Boasting an 8-megapixel camera, you will never miss another tender moment this Christmas.

Like the HTC Sensation XE, every purchase of the HTC Sensation XL comes with a pair of the urBeats headphones.

The HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio (White Edition), HTC Incredible S (White Edition) and HTC Radar are set to retail at S$868, S$648 and S$569, respectively. The Sensation XL with Beats Audio retails for S$908. RYHAN YAZID

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Three mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras

Olympus Pen E-P3

Nikon 1 V1

A picture-perfect Christmas

 

Three mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras to get for yourself or your shutterbug friends this festive season

by June Yang and Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid

04:45 AM Nov 30, 2011

 

PERHAPS you know someone who wants to upgrade from their point-and-shoot. Or you want a new camera for Christmas. Whatever it is, you are in the market to buy a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera - more complex than a compact, but not as heavy and bulky as a DSLR - over the festive season. But where do you begin?

Two years ago, the range of non-DSLR interchangeable cameras on the market could be counted with the fingers on one hand. But as the market boomed, fuelled by the shutter-happy culture that sprung up with social media, more manufacturers came up with small, light cameras that offered the image quality and versatility of DSLRs. Today, shoppers face a wealth of choices. A Micro Four-Thirds camera, like the Panasonic G series of cameras? Or a system that has its own set of lenses, like the Sony NEXes?

While both of those are extremely popular, here are three recently launched alternative standout picks. We have the Pentax Q, with its unbelievable size. Then there's the Olympus PEN E-P3, an improvement on an established line. And there's the new kid on the block, the Nikon1 V1.

While the option of interchangeable lens do not come cheap, the versatility that comes with the camera is well worth the price.

Small is beautiful

by June Yang and Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid

Pentax Q

The Pentax Q is said to be the smallest interchangeable lens camera around. Weighing a mere 180g and literally palm-sized at 9.8cm by 5.75cm and 3.1cm thick, this tiny wonder is bound to be a hit among relatives and friends when they see you pulling out something so unique from your front pocket. But judge it not by its size, as the Pentax Q comes packed with a 12.4-megapixel, backlit CMOS sensor and full HD video recording capability. Therefore, no matter how small the camera may seem, it is more than capable of capturing beautiful shots in any sort of lighting condition you may encounter. The Pentax Q retails for S$999 with the standard 8mm f/1.9 prime lens.

A classic gets better

by June Yang and Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid

Pentax Q with flash. PHOTO COURTESY PENTAX

Olympus Pen E-P3

One of the pioneers of the mirrorless format with the Micro Four-Thirds format, Olympus introduced their PEN E-P3 earlier this year. Users of this iconic camera will be delighted to
know that although it stays true to the stylish form from the first PEN cameras, the E-P3 boasts faster focusing features, a better screen - a 614,000-dot VGA-equivalent OLED touch-sensitive screen - and the ability to record full-HD movies. The 16-megapixel E-P3 has addressed all the weaknesses of the previous PEN cameras and transformed them into strengths, truly making it one of the top choices for the amateur photographer who's looking for a mid-range camera. The E-P3 retails for S$1,298 with 14-42mm, f/3.5-5.6 kit lens.

More than meets the eye

by June Yang and Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid

Nikon 1 V1

Nikon just jumped on board the compact interchangeable-lens bandwagon this year with the Nikon 1 series. With the V1, they've paired a very user-friendly interface with a 10-megapixel sensor, an electronic viewfinder and minimalistic styling in an array of colours. But it's not just the simplicity of this camera that's appealing. Nikon has developed four new lenses in their well-regarded NIKKOR range that are specifically for 1-series cameras. And an adaptor mount lets you hook the V1 up to existing NIKKOR DSLR lenses. So if you (or the recipent) are the type who enjoys splurging on an ever-expanding collection of lenses, the 1 V1 is a great investment. The Nikon 1 V1 starts at S$1,299 with a basic 10-30mm, f/3.5-5.6 kit lens.

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Sony's BDP S780 Blu-ray player

More than just movies

 

Watch 3D movies, stream online videos, or even Skype - Sony's BDP S780 Blu-ray player does it all

by Ryhan Bte Mohd Yazid 

 

04:45 AM Nov 30, 2011

 

AS GADGETS with multiple functions go, the Sony BDP S780 is one split personality you would want to have in your home.

While its primary function is to play movies, this Blu-ray player does so in full HD, so watching a movie will put you right in the thick of it.

If you're hankering to go online, you won't even need to get up from your couch, as the BDP S780 comes equipped with WiFi. Once you are connected, you can use the player's Bravia Internet Video to access a rich selection of Internet-based content, such as Youtube videos.

Or you could gather your family and do a Skype call to that cousin overseas, using the BDP S780 player's Skype app. You'll need a camera and a Skype account, of course.

If you're not in the mood for TV, go online to browse the Web for the latest entertainment news or just to catch up on the latest gossip on your web feeds.

Before you lament that online content is fuzzy and low-res, get this: The Sony BDP-S780's IP content noise reduction Pro feature actually enhances and cleans up Internet visuals so you only watch crisp, clear Internet content. From low-quality videos on Youtube to high-resolution content, the BDP-S780 gives an instant makeover to your Internet content.

If you tend to misplace remote controllers, the BDP-S780 converts any iPhone, iPod touch or Android phones into a Blu-ray player remote controller with an app you can download.

As Blu-ray players go, the Sony BDP-S780 offers more bang for your buck.

The Sony BDP-S780 is available now at all authorised Sony stores for S$499.

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Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc S

Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc S may look identical to its predecessor, but it packs a lot more punch
by Hiranand Sunny Naresh

Updated 05:56 PM Nov 22, 2011
 


Fans of Sony Ericsson who missed out on the slim model Xperia Arc - launched in April earlier this year - have reason to gloat.

The newly launched Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is just as svelte as its predecessor but come with a few upgrades that makes it sexier.

You won't be able to tell the Arc and the Arc S apart at first glance: They both sport the same slim, elegant shell and has the same plastic back panel which feels brittle.

But power up the set and all complaints are forgiven.



owered by a faster 1.4GHz Qualcomm single-core processor, the Xperia Arc S starts up, snaps photos, consume media at the speed - well, as the press release says - of delight.

Watching movies or video clips on its large 4.2-inch display is a joy because of the smartphone's Bravia Engine; yes, the same Bravia Engine that makes Sony televisions almost addictive.

Photographers will be impressed with the Xperia Arc S' 8,1 megapixel camera, packed with functions such as 16x Smart Zoom, Aperture f2.4, Face Detection, Scene Detection, Smile Detection, Face Recognition, Video Light and more.

The added 3D sweep Panorama feature - the first Xperia set to add this detail - lets you view your photographs, sweeping panoramas at that, in 3D when plugged via HDMI into a 3D TV.

Getting dark? Sony's Exmor R for mobile CMOS sensor lets you shoot in poor light conditions with great results.

What good are photos if you can't put them on your social feeds, right? The Xperia Arc S connects conveniently on Facebook and other social tools via the Timescape app. Your friends will know what you're up to as soon as you do.

Running on the Android platform, users will have access to thousands of apps for free on the Android marketplace.

For chronic text messagers, the Xperia Arc S offers a gesture-based typing method that lets you tap on the first key and swipe to the next without lifting off your finger. Messages are typed out at up to speeds of 40 words a minute. Your mates will never have to wait to read what you're thinking. However, we think you should think about what you're sending before you let fly a missive you'll live to regret.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S is now available in Singapore in the colours Pure White, Midnight Blue and Sakura Pink at a recommended retail price of S$788 without contract. HIRANAND SUNNY

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Apple releases iPhone 4S battery drain fix

07:18 AM Nov 11, 2011

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple yesterday released a software update for its iOS 5 operating system to fix complaints on the performance of the new iPhone 4S battery.

Apple, after facing a rash of complaints on the new phone's short battery life, had promised earlier to release an update to address the issue.

The software update also addresses some security issues, including a flaw in the operating system that may allow hackers to build apps that secretly install programs to steal data. REUTERS

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Google launches music service

SAN FRANCISCO - Google unveiled a new online music store yesterday, in a move to challenge the dominance of market leaders Apple and Amazon.com.

09:58 AM Nov 17, 2011

The new service feature millions of songs from record labels EMI, Sony Music and Universal, but will not have music from Warner Group, the fourth of the major record labels.

Google, which introduced the service at an event at the Mr Brainwash Studios in Hollywood, California, said consumers in the United States will be able to purchase the music through its Android Market, which offers smartphone apps, electronic books and videos.

To help jumpstart the new music store, Google said it will offer one free song for consumers to download everyday.

Google will also allow consumers to share purchased songs with friends on the Google+ social network. The feature will give users of Google+ a "free, full-play" of songs purchased by their friends.

Google is playing catch-up to its biggest rivals Apple, Amazon.com and Facebook, who have all to varying degrees integrated music into their core online and mobile products.

Analysts say selling online music is unlikely to provide much of a lift to Google's revenue. But they say Google needs to be in the market to ensure that its mobile efforts based on Android can match offerings from competitors such as Apple and Amazon.

Without a music service, Android devices such as smartphones and tablets may not seem as attractive to consumers looking for a product that offers a seamless media experience. REUTERS

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Amazon acquires voice technology on the quiet

08:03 PM Nov 11, 2011
SEATTLE - It seems Amazon is dead set on competing with Apple on the tablet arena.

The quiet bid to buy Yap, a company specialising in voice-recognition technology, has echoed in tech news sites around the globe.

According to IT news site Mashable, Yap technically merged with a subsidiary called Dion Acquisition in September, according to SEC (The United States Securities and Exchange Commission) filings.

This would not have been news if an eagle-eyed tech blogger, based in Yap's hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, had not noticed that the address listed for the subsidiary was an Amazon building in Seattle.

Neither Yap nor Amazon have confirmed the deal.

At current technology, Yap and Siri are not of the same league. While Yap is more of a transcription software (to convert your phone calls into text), Yap's founders suggested their intellectual property went way beyond that, and that it was a potential competitor to the do-it-all voice recognition app Vlingo, said Mashable.

Vlingo is a free virtual assistant app to help you text, dial and search via voice-operation.

Tech news sites are a-twitter about the possibility of Amazon acquiring Siri-like capability for its Kindle range of tablets - led by the Android-powered Kindle Fire.

If Amazon achieves strong voice-recognition capability, it would be able to provide hands-free access to all your media such as finding songs, playing and pausing movies, even turning the pages of a book.

While it is not clear what Amazon is planning with Yap, its possibilities are endless with tech news pnosker.com even going as far as suggesting Amazon could possible be thinking of an Amazon phone.

There are multitudes of suggestions on what the news means, including one that says that Dion Acquisition may just be renting a spare room in Amazon. AGENCIES

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Soon, an office access card in your BlackBerry

04:45 AM Nov 10, 2011

STOCKHOLM - Assa Abloy, the world's leading lock group, said on Tuesday it is collaborating with Research in Motion (RIM), the maker of BlackBerry mobile phones, to include key-card technology in upcoming models.

In a statement, Assa Abloy said the technology, known as Near Field Communication (NFC), will be incorporated in smartphones so they can replace regular access cards.

It said the technology will be included in the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 and BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360 (picture), which will be launched early next year.

Users will be able to swipe their phones in front of a door's card reader to gain access to a building. For increased security, the phone can be combined with a PIN.

Assa Abloy is a leader in mobile key technology and its HID iClass system already exists in buildings around the world.

The head of Assa Abloy's mobile keys division, Mr Daniel Berg, said the phones will work with existing door-opening systems and will mainly replace access cards at offices, but can also be used to open home or garage doors.

There is also a possibility to develop the NFC technology in the phones so it can be used for time reports and payments, Mr Berg said.

In some countries, NFC technology already exists in cards that are used for payments or as tickets in subway systems. Mr Berg said the technology built into the BlackBerry phones could also work for such applications in the future.

The deal marks the first time the company's technology, which was tested at hotels in Stockholm last year, is incorporated into a mobile phone model.

Mr Berg said the agreement with RIM is not exclusive and Assa Abloy is also in talks to sell its technology to other mobile phone makers.

The value of the deal will depend on the sales volumes of the BlackBerry models and how many people opt to use the key technology, he said. AP

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Groupon's Chinese arm sold fake watches

04:45 AM Nov 08, 2011
SHANGHAI - Groupon's Chinese daily deals business Gaopeng said yesterday it had sold counterfeit luxury watches by accident and will compensate its irate buyers in its latest struggle in expanding in the potentially lucrative market.

The joint venture between Groupon and China's top Internet firm, Tencent Holdings, said counterfeit Tissot watches, a brand owned by the world's largest watchmaker Swatch Group, were sold on its website last month for 690 yuan (S$138.21), less than one-fourth of the original price of more than 3,000 yuan.

"After an investigation into the Tissot watch incident, Gaopeng found the merchant ... had given us fake agent qualification documents," Gaopeng said in a statement.

"We are outraged and we have begun legal proceedings. We hope to protect the interests of consumers and Gaopeng through legal methods."

Hundreds of people had bought the watches through the deal, local media reported, but complaints soon arose when buyers found the watch and its accessories to be of poor quality. Gaopeng declined to comment on the details of the deal.

"The incident has exposed the failure of our quality control personnel in the examination and vetting of our merchants. We have seriously dealt with the relevant personnel," Gaopeng said, adding that it will refund customers an additional 200 yuan for the fracas.

Tissot officials could not be reached for comment, but local media reported that Tissot said in a statement all watches examined from the Gaopeng deal were proven to be fake.

Groupon is the world's largest daily deals site operator and its chief executive, Mr Andrew Mason, took the firm public last week, valuing his three-year-old business at nearly US$20 billion (S$25.44 billion).

But the firm has struggled to break into China, where local brands dominate.

Gaopeng, the eighth largest player in the country, shut 10 offices in August and laid off hundreds of staff as competition in the group-buying sector heated up.

Lashou, the country's leading daily deals website, filed in October its plans to raise up to US$100 million in an initial public offering on Nasdaq to expand its marketing efforts and delivery systems. Reuters

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iPhone battery fault linked to iOS5

06:03 PM Nov 03, 2011
CUPERTINO (California) - Owners of iPhones plagued with short battery life will get an update from Apple "within the next few weeks", the company said on Wednesday as it began testing a new version of its iOS software with developers.

The move follows reports by a number of customers using the new iPhone 4S, released a month ago, and also some who have updated their iPhone 4 or iPhone 3GS phones to iOS 5 (released on Oct 12), that they have seen surprisingly short battery life, in some cases lasting only a few hours from a full charge.

Apple issued a statement on Wednesday night in which it said: "A small number of customers have reported lower than expected battery life on iOS 5 devices. We have found a few bugs that are affecting battery life and we will release a software update to address those in a few weeks."

Apple has also provided developers with a new version of the iOS software for testing at the same time. The patch is applicable to the three iPhone models and also for the iPad and the iPad 2, as well as equivalent versions of its iPod Touch device.

In the description for the update, according to news site Apple Insider, it notes that it "contains improvements and other bug fixes including ... bugs affecting battery life".

The version will undergo wider testing with developers to find any outstanding problems or bugs before it is issued more widely.

The Guardian reported on Friday that Apple engineers had begun contacting individual users to try to pin down the causes of their problems.

One who had been contacted said that they had been asked to enter specific keypad codes which appeared to allow Apple to download diagnostic information directly from the phone. One told the Guardian: "I am getting around 10-12 hours standby (without using the phone), and then when I am using the phone for browsing, the battery percentage drops one per cent every minute."

Some users found that turning off certain system location services improved the battery life. But so far no clear reason has emerged for the problem.

Developers who used the iOS 5 "seed" over the summer after it was unveiled did not report any problems with battery life draining - but when the product was finalised and issued, the problems emerged.

Apple's engineers are still actively working with customers on finding the source of the problem, in some cases accessing customers' systems with permission to retrieve log files from the systems.

The new version of iOS5, developers said, also will include upgrades such as adding multitasking gestures for the iPad, resolves bugs with documents in iCloud, improves voice recognition for Australian users using dictation as well as security improvements.

The application of the "security improvements" is not yet known but could be related to the voice assistant Siri, which can be used to dial phone numbers and do other actions even when the phone is locked. THE GUARDIAN

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Yahoo! unveils tablet, smartphone apps

06:03 PM Nov 03, 2011
SUNNYVALE (California) - Yahoo! unveiled a handful of products to try and bolster its mobile and social networking offerings, as the struggling Web company continues to evaluate its future.

The company, which fired CEO Carol Bartz in September, introduced new multimedia applications for tablet, personal computers and smartphones on Wednesday, and demonstrated new technologies aimed at attracting third-party publishers and advertisers to a new Apple iPad-based media service.

"Innovation in this space is happening on mobile devices first, and it's closest to users and that's where the fastest-growth markets are," product chief Blake Irving told reporters at Yahoo!'s Sunnyvale, California headquarters.

Among the new products unveiled were a multimedia newsstand for tablets dubbed Livestand, a weather application for Android mobile devices, and a new version of IntoNow, a social application related to television, for the iPad.

Yahoo! has long endured criticism for lacking a more comprehensive strategy for engaging Web users who are drifting away from PCs and spending more time on tablets and smartphones.

It has been undergoing a strategic review of its business since ejecting Ms Bartz. The company has hired investment bank Allen & Co and has entertained inquiries from various private equity firms, including Silver Lake Partners, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Asked how Yahoo! can stay focused on developing new products amid the uncertainty, Mr Irving said the company's mission has not changed and the staff remain dedicated to developing innovative products.

"I'm personally more bullish on Yahoo! today, than I was two weeks ago, eight weeks ago, a year ago," Mr Irving said without elaborating. We have dreams about what this company can be, and that's what we're building." REUTERS

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Windows phone to rival BlackBerry

Windows phone to rival BlackBerry
07:38 PM Nov 02, 2011

enlarge this photo

Photo courtesy Nokia

MELBOURNE - Microsoft Windows phones, such as the Nokia Lumia 800 (picture), may rival the BlackBerry in the next five years for the business smartphone market.

Ovum, a research and independent analysis company, predicts the Windows phone in the Asia-Pacific will increase its market share in the business smartphone market to reach 25 per cent in 2016, playing catch up with Research in Motion's BlackBerry phones.

The company says BlackBerry will remain the dominant player, with 25 per cent market share of new device shipments in 2016.

In its Enterprise Smartphone Forecast: 2011-2016 report, Ovum's independent telecoms analyst finds that enterprise shipments of Windows Phone smartphones in the Asia-Pacific will reach 1.1 million in 2016, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37 per cent from the predicted 236,000 units it will sell by end of this year.

By comparison, BlackBerry may grow from 638,000 units from the end of this year to reach 1.1 million at the end of 2016, a CAGR of 12 per cent.

While the iPhone will see an increase in ownerships due to the consumerisation effect, its projected 455,000 units by end of 2016 falls far behind the two leaders. Analysts say it will achieve a CAGR of 19 per cent from the 189,000 it will reach at the end of this year.

According to Ovum, these numbers are attributed to business-supplied phones and do not include consumer-owned phones.

Ovum says the majority of companies in the Asia-Pacific do not provide mobile devices to their employees. The bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy is already a reality in the region. However, rather than aiming at improving end-user satisfaction this is driven primarily by cost constraints.

Ms Pauline Trotter, Ovum principal analyst, says: "The business smartphone market in the Asia-Pacific will see significant growth over the next five years, with shipments rising from 2.5 million at the end of this year, to 4.5 million in 2016, a CAGR of 12 per cent.

"The demand is being driven by the need to support business applications on hand-held devices, as enterprises adopt more flexible working patterns and continue to support employees away from the workplace."

Ms Trotter adds: "BlackBerry will remain the overall leader for the forecast period as its strong device management and security capabilities make it a favourite with IT departments.

"However, reflecting trends in the consumer smartphone market, Windows Phone and other OS devices will make significant gains. Ongoing improvements in manageability of these device platforms, and support for more business applications, will begin to make these devices much more appealing to enterprise buyers."

Android phones will have a CAGR of 28 per cent, adds the report. AGENCIES

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