Canon EOS 6D DSLR And Pentax Ricoh's K5 IIs

Top shots

Imaging stalwarts Pentax Ricoh and Canon announced new products at individual events last week

by Loke Kok Fai and June Yang

04:45 AM Oct 09, 2012

Pentax Ricoh's K5 IIs. Photo by LOKE KOK FAI

SINGAPORE - Pentax Ricoh revealed its flagship K-5 IIs full-frame DSLR together with the dimunitive mirrorless camera Q10 on Thursday.

The K-5 IIs is an update of the original K-5 and maintains the ergonomics of its predecessor with the addition of a new SAFOX AF Sensor, which boasts the same 16.3-megapixel resolution of the K-5 but is said to perform better in low light conditions.

The Q10 is an update over the last year's Q. Sporting almost identical construction and features to the Q, the Q10 adds a few tweaks to its design so it is easier to grip. Prices and availability to be announced.

Canon's world's lightest DSLR, the EOS 6D. Photo by SION TOUHIG

On Friday, Canon released a raft of compacts as well as its EOS 6D DSLR (price pending), touted to be the world's lightest at 680g (body only). Besides the 6D, Canon is claiming other firsts, too: The Powershot SX500 IS (S$499) is said to be the world's lightest 30x optical zoom camera and the Powershot SX50 HS (S$799) has the world's first 50x optical zoom on a compact. Fans of Canon's G-series will be glad to learn its G15 (S$799) has the fastest autofocus of any Canon.

Source:  www.todayonline.com

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The Olympus Tough TG-1 camera

Olympus Tough TG-1: Built to withstand

Rugged and solid, the TG-1 provides peace of mind

by Peter Yeo

04:45 AM Oct 09, 2012

 

SINGAPORE - So you do not climb mountains, dive into oceans or careen down ski slopes at breakneck speeds. Then why would you need a camera like the Olympus Tough TG-1, that is built to suffer knocks, is waterproof and able to withstand temperatures you would freeze in?

Peace of mind, that's why.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 camera. PHOTO COURTESY OLYMPUS

I had the opportunity to test the TG-1 on a beach holiday as well as a trip to New York and having a camera that is better built to take knocks than I was did wonders for my confidence.

My first test was at the idyllic beach resort of Avillion, Port Dickson, where our chalet jutted out over the sea. Knowing the TG-1 was capable of plunging 12m into the ocean gave me the courage to shoot without using a death grip on the camera.

If I had more time at the resort, I would have loved to try shooting from one of the laser dinghies for rent. Shooting at and in the pool was an option but with no art deco mosaic masterpieces carved into the pool, it would have been pointless.

On my New York trip, taking scenic shots from the observatory deck at 30 Rockefeller Center, aka Top of the Rock, left me breathless but not because I was worried about dropping the camera. Of course, the camera would not survive the fall from the building - I doubt many things would - but I did not even flinch when it slipped from my cold fingers - twice! With wind chill, temperatures reached about 15°C.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 is not only tough, it looks the part too. With no lens cap, it stares danger in the face and makes its one-second start-up time feel even faster.

Designed for shots in 12m depths, it works very well under low light conditions, too. On the few occasions that I tried shooting in dim light, it exceeded my expectations. Even though it had a built-in flash, I hardly used it as I wanted to give my shots a more natural feel.

Pictures taken on the TG-1 are vivid and sharp, thanks to its f/2.0 (up to f/4.9) super-bright, high-speed lens, coupled with its TruePic VI image processor and 12-megapixel low-noise, high sensitivity CMOS sensor. Its 3-inch OLED display is bright even on sunny days, 4x optical zoom (equivalent of 25 to 100mm on a 35mm format), GPS, TAP Control Mode - to control the camera when you are wearing gloves - and its myriad automatic and scene functions make the TG-1 even more attractive.

Battery life on the TG-1 was decent and I was able to use it for a week without charging it.

The Olympus Tough TG-1 retails for S$598 at major electronics retailers. PETER YEO

Source:  www.todayonline.com

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Apple's iPhone 5.

Apple's iPhone 5.

iPhone 5 gets thumbs up from Consumer Reports

Updated 02:53 PM Oct 07, 2012

 

SAN FRANCISCO - Consumer Reports, the influential reviewers' group that blasted the iPhone 4 for a faulty antenna, on Friday gave Apple's latest smartphone a thumbs-up despite echoing widespread complaints about its patchy mapping service.


The organisation, which in 2010 withheld its recommendation for the iPhone because of spotty reception when the gadget was held in a certain way, said laboratory tests confirmed that the new iPhone 5 ranked among the best smartphones but its mapping function clearly fell short.

Apple's latest iPhone, sporting a larger 4-inch screen and 4G capability, drew scathing reviews for glaring errors in a new, self-designed mapping service. Chief Executive Tim Cook apologised last week and directed users to rival services run by Google and others.

"Despite the widespread criticism it has received, Apple's new Maps app... is competent enough, even if it falls short of what's available for free on many other phones," reviewer Mike Gikas wrote on the group's website on Friday.

"As Apple has recently apologised and promised to fix these and other map glitches, we expect the Map app to improve in time," he wrote.

Apple's shares were down 1.3 per cent at US$658.43 in early afternoon trade on Nasdaq.

The consumer electronics juggernaut began selling its latest smartphone last month. Sales of over 5 million in its first three days in stores fell short of outsized expectations as it struggled with supply constraints.

Its homegrown Maps - stitched together by acquiring companies and employing data from a range of providers including TomTom NV and Waze - was introduced with much fanfare in June by software chief Scott Forstall. It was billed as a highlight of the updated iOS 6 software.

Errors and omissions quickly emerged after the software was rolled out. They ranged from misplaced buildings and mislabeled cities to duplicate geographical features. Users also complained that the service lacked features that made Google Maps so popular, such as public transit directions and street-view pictures.

The last time Apple faced such widespread criticism - including from Consumer Reports - was during 2010's "Antennagate" furor, when users complained of signal reception issues on the then-new iPhone 4. This year the consumer group, which reviews everything from cars to kitchen appliances, also warned initially that Apple's new iPad threw off too much heat.

A defiant Steve Jobs at the time rejected any suggestion the iPhone 4's design was flawed, but offered consumers free phone cases at a rare, 90-minute press conference called to address those complaints.

"Now that our auto experts have completed their tests, including some carried out some days after the launch, they describe the app as relatively streamlined, and concluded that it generally provides clear guidance, including voice and on-screen directions," Mr Gikas wrote.

"However, they did find that it lacks the details, traffic data, and customization options offered by the free Google navigation app found on Android phones." REUTERS

 Source:  www.todayonline.com

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The Epson Moverio BT-100

Epson Moverio: Your personal cinema

by Hiranand Sunny Naresh

04:45 AM Oct 05, 2012

SINGAPORE - Since the invention of the television in the early 1900s, manufacturers have been trying to make it truly personal.

The Epson Moverio BT-100 lets users enjoy movies on the go. PHOTO COURTESY EPSON

From people gathering to watch the telly at community centres in my father's time to individual sets in every room of the home today, TV viewing is becoming more personal.

And it's more so now with the customised content made possible through the Internet. This personal cinematic experience is brought even closer with the Epson Moverio BT-100 mobile viewer.

The Moverio allows users to have their own private screen and consume media on the move without fellow commuters peering over their shoulder to catch a glimpse.

At first glance, the Moverio does whatever it is supposed to do. Micro-projection technology allows it to project a virtual 320-inch perceived screen 20 metres away, allowing users to enjoy videos on the go without walking straight into a tree.

Navigating through Google's Android 2.2 media player is simple enough on the controller's trackpad, and video and music quality is pretty decent but not quite as good as you would get on the iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy SIII.

The Moverio also supports 3D videos and Wi-Fi connectivity, but neither provide anything to shout about.

By itself, the Moverio looks stylish enough. But wearing it in public will attract plenty of awkward stares from fellow commuters.

However, truth be told, the Moverio was not made to be a portable device, as watching a movie whilst navigating public streets could be potentially dangerous.

As a personal viewing device, the Moverio also scores very low on the comfort factor. The device is far too heavy and images are shown far too close for my liking, making viewing very uncomfortable after about half an hour.

The bespectacled will also struggle with the Moverio's size as I found hardly any room on the bridge of my nose for both my spectacles and the Moverio.

Fully charged, the Moverio has a battery life of about six hours - enough for short-haul flights on budget airlines. But if you are thinking of lugging it on long-haul flights, you might want to stick to the in-flight entertainment system.

Despite the gripes, the Moverio performs impeccably on one detail. Late at night, when every one is asleep and you want to watch an action-packed flick with an explosive soundtrack, the Moverio works like a personal cinema in the comfort of your room.

Just shut off all the lights, plug in the earphones, lie back - let the Moverio rest against your face - and watch the movie against your plain coloured ceiling. It is the closest you will get to having your own personal IMAX theatre.

The Epson Moverio is sold at selected Best Denki outlets at the recommended retail price of S$999

Source:  www.todayonline.com

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The Toshiba Satellite U840W ultrabook

Toshiba Satellite U840W: Making movies first

Its super wide screen may look odd at first, but it will make watching movies more enjoyable

by Peter Yeo

04:45 AM Oct 05, 2012

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SINGAPORE - There is no mistaking the Toshiba Satellite U840W ultrabook to be anything but an entertainment machine.

The Toshiba Satellite U840W ultrabook comes with an impressive ultra-wide screen and immersive audio features. PHOTO COURTESY TOSHIBA

The first thing I noticed - and you will, too - is its unusual display. At 14.4 inches, with a 21:9 aspect ratio and 1792 x 768 pixel resolution, it is one of the widest - if not the widest - screen on any laptop I have seen. And it is impressive.

Movies I tried on the set were, well, as seen on the cinemas with minimal to no black bars on the top. Backed by a powerful Intel Core i5 processor supported by the Intel HD graphics 4000 card, movies were bright with lovely colour reproduction.

That it comes bundled with Toshiba's proprietary SmartView utility - which lets you split the screen real estate so that you can view documents, photos, and videos comfortably - is a godsend, especially if you are constantly cross-referencing multiple apps. Immersive audio is delivered through its two Harmon Kardon stereo speakers with SRS Premium Sound 3D.

However, for all its mind-blowing entertainment features, it does not come with any optical drives, much less a Blu-ray one. But movies these days can be streamed or transferred via flash drives, so that did not even slow me down.

The Toshiba Satellite U840W ultrabook boasts two USB 3.0 ports and one USB 3.0 sleep and charge port, SD card reader, with a HDMI port and an ethernet jack. Which presents more than enough options to transfer media back and forth its 500GB SATA/32GB SSD hard disk drive.

Starting up is almost instantaneous with Toshiba High Speed Start and Intel Rapid Start technology. And because I do not have to wait for the system to start up, I tend to close the lid every time I am not using it, saving more battery juice.

More than just performance, the Toshiba Satellite U840W ultrabook is a looker.

Its Midnight Silver dual-tone brushed aluminium with a soft-touch rubberised trim is one of the most stylish I have seen on any ultrabooks thus far, and its raised-tile LED-backlit keyboard feels great to the touch and suitable for use in low light conditions.

Battery life was a decent four-and-a-half hours when I used it, but I had a video on loop and brightness was set to full. So normal use could yield about five hours, I would imagine.

At just 1.57kg light and 22mm thick, the U840W ultrabook will not weigh you down and will fit in most 15-inch laptop bags. However, I am still hoping Toshiba will build an AC adaptor that actually fits with the svelte form factor of its ultrabooks instead of the clunker it packs with the set.

The Satellite U840W ultrabook is available at all authorised Toshiba dealers for S$1,699. PETER YEO

Source:  www.todayonline.com

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The Toshiba AT270

The skinny on the AT270

Weighing only 350g, the Toshiba model is said to be the world's thinnest 7.7-inch tablet

by Peter Yeo

04:45 AM Oct 04, 2012

 

SINGAPORE - I have been using a 10-inch tablet for about a year now. It is great for reading, Web surfing and for watching videos on YouTube (Psy, anyone?), but carrying a behemoth of a tablet for hours on end can be murder on your wrists. And that is the argument many manufacturers of 7-inch tablets have been making: That a smaller screen works just as well with less strain.

The AT270 is said to be the world's thinnest 7.7-inch tablet. PHOTO COURTESY TOSHIBA

The Toshiba Regza AT270 is the latest Android 4.0.3 powered tablet from the Japanese electronics giant. At a svelte 7.85mm, the AT270 is said to be the world's thinnest 7.7-inch tablet and weighing only 350g, it is definitely gentle on my wrists.

Its high definition AMOLED display did plenty of justice to the videos I tried on it - especially the YouTube ones - and colours of photographs are vibrant and true-to-life. What I really like was that text was crisp and sharp and not painful on my eyes, even after I spent a few hours staring at it.

It was pretty fast while operating multiple apps (I tried up to eight), a feat I chalked up to its Nvidia Tegra 3.4-Plus-1 Mobile Quad-Core processor - a world's first according to the Toshiba press release.

The tablet comes with 1GB RAM memory and a 32GB eMMC hard dish drive onboard, which can be expanded up to 64GB via its microSD card slot. It also boasts a microUSB port, 3.5G connectivity, Bluetooth v3.0 and wireless 802.11bgn to meet all your connectivity needs.

However, like most tablets I have tried, the speakers were not the most impressive even though it uses the Toshiba Audio Enhancement with SRS PremiumVoice Pro. But with a tablet of this size, it fell within expectations.

I was unable to try hardcore action RPG games in the limited time I had with the set but simple bubble games worked well, even in low light conditions.

The battery life of the tablet was not exceptional but it was not something that I would complain about. It lasted about six hours - and this was at full brightness setting with a couple of hours spent watching videos - which was not far off its specified mark of seven hours in the bundled manual.

In a nutshell, the Toshiba AT270 is a well-designed, powerful tablet that will satisfy geeks and fashionistas alike.

Source:  www.todayonline.com

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ATIV Smart PC Pro

Samsung keeps Windows 8 devices all in the family

by Peter Yeo

Updated 06:24 PM Oct 02, 2012

 

SINGAPORE - Samsung today gave media a sneak peek of their upcoming Windows 8 devices at the fancy Ritz Carlton Residences at Cairnhill Roadswanky.

The ATIV Smart PC Pro is one of the Samsung Windows 8 products featured on Oct 2. Photo SAMSUNG

The extensive range, which included the All-in-One PC Series 7, ATIV Smart PC Series and Series 5 Ultra Touch Ultrabook, takes advantage of the Windows 8's mobile friendly user interface and utilises touch as well as motion detection technology. So, now, besides using your hands to swipe, squeeze, turn images, select devices such as the All-in-One PC Series 7 personal computers lets you use gesture controls not unlike those in Microsoft's Xbox Kinect to turn pages, control the volume, or open apps from up to a metre away.

The machine is also equipped with a 10-finger multi-touch screen, which allows you greater touch control by using up to ten fingers instead of the usual two for pinching and selecting.

Likewise the Samsung ATIV Smart PC Pro and Smart PC devices offer similar 10-finger multi-touch screens as well as detachable keyboard options so you can choose between using them as tablets or a clamshell notebook, depending on your preference.

The key feature of the ATIV sets is its S Pen. As seen in the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Note 2, the Wacom digitiser pen lets you write as you would on paper with a pen or pencil.

Also showed today was the new Samsung Series 5 Ultra Touch sleek laptops. It also boasts a 10-finger multi-touch screen and delivers up to 6.7 hours of power on a single charge.

Through a little sketch, the South Korean manufacturer also showed the ease of use and communication between its mobile, television and personal computing devices as actors move through the house sharing video, photos as well as documents through its Allshare Cast, Allshare Play, Allshare Control connected ecosystem and Family Story cloud-based storage.

The new Windows 8-based devices will be available after Microsoft's Windows 8 launch on Oct 26. PETER YEO

Source:   www.todayonline.com

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