Archive for the ‘Gadgets’ Category:
The new Apple iPod Touch
The new Apple iPod Touch will probably sell like hot pancakes because of its new features such as: FaceTime, retina display, HD video recording, and the Game Center. It also makes use of the Apple A4 chip. This is the same chip that’s being used in the iPhone 4. These new features remind me of the iPhone 4. Thus, the new Apple iPod Touch is like an Apple iPhone 4 minus the phone features. 
However, taking photos with it are said to be not as good as the iPhone 4. According to CrunchGear, it can only take photos at a 960×720 resolution which is weird because it can take HD videos at 720p.
Apple iPod Touch Specifications:
Display: Diagonal 3.5″ widescreen multi-touch, 960×640 resolution (326 pixels per inch)
Dimensions: 2.3″ x 4.4″ x 0.28″
Weight: 101g
Capacity: 8GB / 32GB / 64GB
Wireless: 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz only), Bluetooth® 2.1 + EDR. Maps-location based service, Nike + iPod support built in
Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
TV and Video:
- H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
- MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
- Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format
- Support for 1024 by 768 pixels with Dock Connector to VGA Adapter; 576p and 480p with Apple Component AV Cable; 576i and 480i with Apple Composite AV Cable (cables sold separately)
Back camera: Video recording, HD (720p) up to 30 frames per second with audio; still photos (960×720) with back camera
Front Camera: VGA-quality photos and video up to 30 frames per second with the front camera
Other features for the camera: Tap to control exposure for video or stills, Photo and video geotagging over Wi-Fi
Sensors: Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor
Input and Output: 30-pin dock connector, 3.5-mm stereo headphone minijack, Built-in speaker, Microphone
Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Prices (Apple Online Store Philippines)
12,490.00 pesos – 8GB
15,990.00 pesos – 32GB
21,990.00 pesos – 64GB
With the new features, I think that the price is just right. 
BlackBerry Torch: Touchscreen phone with slide-out QWERTY keyboard
BlackBerry Torch is the first mobile phone from RIM (Research in Motion) that will run the BlackBerry 6 OS. The BB Torch has a 3.2″ touch screen with a resolution of 480×360 and has a slide-out full QWERTY keyboard. Its internal memory storage is 4GB and you can expand the storage with a micro SD card.
The BlackBerry 6 OS has a redesigned UI. What’s great about that is that it works well with the touch screen and the trackpad. The messaging capabilities of BB 6 OS shall simplify the management of your RSS feeds and social networking because of its integration to the BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other instant messaging apps that are available in the BB Torch. The BB 6 OS has dedicated applications for YouTube and podcasts.
Current BlackBerry users will probably be excited to upgrade to BlackBerry Torch because of the new WebKit-based browser. The new browser features the following:
- quick rendering of HTML pages
- tabbed browsing
- double-tap to zoom (intelligently wrap text in a column while maintaining the placement of a page’s key elements)
- pinch to zoom
BlackBerry 6 OS also has Universal search, which reminds me of the Spotlight Search in the iPhone. The Universal Search in BB 6 OS will allow the users to search email, messages, contacts, music, videos and other stuff on a BlackBerry. You can also use it to search the internet and to search for apps in the BlackBerry App World.
Features of BlackBerry Torch
Elegant styling, measuring approx. 4.4″ (5.8″ open) x 2.4″ x .57″ and weighing 5.68 ounces
- 3.2″ 360×480 capacitive touch screen display
- 35 key full QWERTY backlit slide-out keyboard
- Optical trackpad
- Powerful 624 Mhz processor with 512 MB Flash memory
- 4 GB built-in memory storage plus a microSD/SDHD memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB cards (4 GB microSD is included in the box when purchased)
- 5 MP camera with flash, continuous auto focus, image stabilization, scene modes, geo-tagging and zoom
- video recording at up to 640×480 resolution
- GPS
- Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n)
- 3.5mm stereo headset jack
- Bluetooth 2.1
- voice activated dialing
- New BlackBerry Desktop Software 6
- Wi-Fi Music Sync (allow users to view their entire iTunes or Windows Media Player music libraries with their BlackBerry phone)
- Tri-band HSDPA (3G) and quad-band EDGE support
- Removable, rechargeable 1300 mAhr battery (5.8 hours of talk time on 3G networks / 30 hours of audio playback / 6 hours of video playback)
Pricing and Availability
This phone will be available for $199.99 with a 2-year plan from AT&T. BB Torch will be available on August 12 at AT&T, Best Buy, Wal-Mart and RadioShack.
Flipboard: A Personalized Social Media Magazine for the iPad
Flipboard is a personalized social media magazine for the iPad. Flipboard users connect their respective social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter. The information that Flipboard retrieves from your social media accounts will be displayed in a layout similar to that of a magazine. You can also choose from news sources which enhances the browsing experience of a user.
What I like about the Flipboard app is the ability to add sections. Take a look at Mashable’s screenshots of the app. It would have been great if they have created a web app for it and not just an iPad app.
Flipboard is now available in the Apple iPad App Store.
Apple iPhone 4 Problems: Antenna Fail and other Defects
Apple iPhone 4 has been receiving a lot of praises lately.
“It has a cool multi task feature!”
“I love the cam in front for video chatting!”
“This is just how I want my mobile device to be!”
While everyone else is busy praising the Apple iPhone 4 some people were not so happy with the iPhone 4 Antenna Fail. According to some sites such as Lanewsmonitor, CEO of Apple: Steve Jobs said that holding in the left hand happened to be the wrong way of using the iphone 4. But is this really the solution we are after? More »
Samsung Galaxy Tab: Android Tablet
After iPad came out I knew that the Android Tablet was not far behind in all the touch devices excitement.
We initially did a quick look at the Dell Streak. I guess Samsung wanted their part in the Android Tablet market too. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is the supposedly leaked Samsung Android Tablet. More »
Samsung Intercept
What is it with leaking and rumors nowadays? Oh well, I do believe this to be the new marketing thing. Then again it works, after all, don’t we just love rumors and leaks?
Anyway, here’s a little something for the Android Fans out there. Samsung is really working it our with Android devices as the Samsung Intercept pictures have been leaked. More »
Dell Streak on Android
Here’s a little treat for the Android lovers out there. Dell Streak (Dell Mini 5 while it was still in the development stage) has already been launched in the UK and I still don’t know if it’s out in the US. One thing’s for sure, it hasn’t had some popularity here in Asia. More »
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Android Phone Availability
I was window shopping for gadgets in SM Megamall’s Cyberzone when I came across this live demo unit of Sony Ericsson‘s Xperia X10. The device is currently running Android 1.6 and it’s expected to upgrade its firmware to Eclair or Froyo at the last quarter of this year. According to Sony Ericsson, Philippines will be included in the upcoming update.
The X10 is currently sold at Php 34,000.00 in all Sony Ericsson concept stores.
Below is a photo of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 juxtaposed with my Google Nexus One.
The X10 and Nexus One
