MSI WindPad 110W Tablet Computer Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details

MSI WindPad 110W Tablet Computer Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details: The WindPad 110W is a sleek and powerful tablet computer from MSI. It runs Windows 7 with some enhancement from the manufacturer to level the operating system with the touchscreen experience. With the new Windows 8 (or Windows 8 Beta) coming up very soon, an upgrade from this kind of device maybe a good thing to opt in to.

The MSI WindPad 110W is designed for the business oriented. It has a simple yet attractive casing that is straight on the sides and curves around the edges. The built is solid with not much design on it except for the white MSI logo and markings for some capacitive keys. The WindPad 110W weighs very light at only 1.87 pounds and in fact, is one of the less weighty Windows based models that generally weigh more than 2 and a half pounds.

Although the MSI WindPad 110W isn’t exactly the thinnest nor the tiniest, it is small enough to hold comfortably in the hand, unlike many other Windows based tablets. It measures 7.2 x 10.66 x 6.1 inches. Tasks, even those that are not business-oriented like reading e-books and playing games, will be easy and comfortable.

The MSI WindPad 110W sports some special keys, again to make navigating through the Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium platform more agreeable. There are special function buttons to easily turn on or off or adjust the modes that are frequently used. There is additionally, a smart tracker which aids in smooth operation, a touch ball mouse, as well as a 10-inch multi touch enabled IPS display. The display features a decent pixel resolution of 1280 x 800 with the screen’s default orientation at wide view. The rotation function can also be freely locked as well as unlocked.

The MSI WindPad 110 is equipped with a 1 GHz dual core AMD Z Series APU Processor and uses a Radeon chip for its graphics processor. The pair certainly outpaces the performance of some Atom/Intel-graphics in many aspects. The dual-core processor offers some zippier processing time for light to moderate use and supports some gaming experience to a certain enjoyable extent. The MSI WindPad 110 also uses 2 GB worth of DDR3 memory and contains 32 GB worth of hard drive space. There is a mini-HDMI port to connect to a larger viewing device, an SD card reader, and one USB v 2.0 port. The device has Wi-Fi connectivity at 802.11 a/g/n and runs on a standard lithium ion battery.

One special feature of the MSI WindPad 110 is that it contains a TPM security chip. The chip allows the user to encrypt his or her files and protect the files with a password. This is part of the anti-hacking feature of the tablet computer, beneficial especially to those who intend to use the device to do business transactions with. It also contains the MSI EasyFace biometric software in addition to the encryption program. There is the exclusive SmartMedia Line for easy connection with other devices and for performing actions such sharing information or transferring videos or documents. An exclusive O-Easy interface on the other hand aids with an easier management and use of frequently used functions and software.

Overall, the MSI WindPad 110 caters better to business purposes but could also serve some entertainment or gaming purposes. Heavily resource intensive games would experience some problems though since its processing and graphics power isn’t exactly up to the task. Playing casual games and using ordinary apps will definitely be a satisfactory experience. Added to this is the light feel of the device. The limited storage though can be a problem but the memory can be easily extended using the aforementioned SD card slot.

MSI WindPad 110W Tablet Computer Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 26,000.00

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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Ultrabook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Ultrabook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs: The IdeaPad Yoga is a cleverly designed ultrabook from Lenovo. It is one of the many innovative gadgets presented at CES 2012. Aptly named, the IdeaPad Yoga is a four-position convertible that sets back the dual-stance laptops into history. Through the use of clever hinges, the monitor of the laptop can be pushed all the way around so that it can touch the back of the bottom side. This enables the laptop to switch from an ultrabook to a tablet computer whenever and wherever the user wants it to.

The 360 degree flip and fold design of the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga can be used in four different “modes”. The IdeaPad Yoga can effectively stand as a 1) standard notebook; 2) converted tablet, 3) a stand, and lastly, 4) a tent.

The standard notebook and tablet modes are pretty much straightforward - the user either uses the physical keyboard and touchpad or he flips the ultrabook to a tab and use the ten-finger layout. In “tent” mode, the Yoga is folded back with the screen having a 30-degree angle with respect to the keyboard. The configuration goes well for a desktop touchscreen use, much like an iPad with its desktop case. The other configuration is called the “stand” mode. This finds the screen situated perpendicular to the keyboard, facing away from it. The configuration is well suited for business presentations. The hinge themselves are very sturdy. In fact, Lenovo affirms that they have patented the hinges themselves.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga is thin at only 16.9 mm and weighs very light at a mere three pounds. It has a very stylish yet clean design from top to bottom. Nonetheless, the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga contains high-end hardware. As mentioned, it features a 10-point capacitive multi-touch enabled display that contains 1600 x 900 pixels worth of resolution. The multi-touch mode is active even when the laptop is at standard mode.

The display of the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga is 13 inches in diagonal and LED-backlit hence images will still come out clear and crisp in the subtlest of lighting. It also utilizes an Intel Core processor that is yet un-named, together with an 8 GB (8192 MB) RAM (for some versions) and SSDs of up to 256 GB. It is also set to come with the latest and yet to be launched Windows 8 operating system pre-installed. The Windows 8 operating system converts smoothly from the touch based tab mode to the standard keyboard mode of the Yoga. The machine is thus very flexible in both the physical and the functional sense; it is obviously able to cater to a variety of tasks as well.

Aside from these, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga also has a soft touch rubber paint gripping that enables a comfortable and nice grip. There is also a leather cover for the palm rest. The side buttons themselves are designed to function in whatever mode the IdeaPad Yoga will take. The battery is set at 94 Wh. As for the physical interfaces, there is a DC-in, a line out or a headphone jack with a 3.5 mm hole, one USB v 3.0 port, an HDMI port, as well as a SDHC card slot. The ultrabook has Wi-Fi capabilities at 802.11 b/g/n but sadly no wireless PAN (BlueTooth) or wireless WAN (like 3G cellular connectivity). Additional specs and accessories include an AC adapter, stereo speakers, and a web cam.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga is expected to arrive in the market this year with a street price of $1200. Another thing about the Yoga is that it is set to pave the way for a variety of other devices because of its unique features and functionality, so hopefully this year is just a starting point; the market would see more of this design soon.

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga Ultrabook Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 55,000.00

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Acer Iconia Tab A700 Tablet Computer Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info

Acer Iconia Tab A700 Tablet Computer Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info: The Acer Iconia Tab A700 is Acer’s brand new top of the line tablet computer. The device was unofficially released in the recently concluded CES 2012 along with a series of new innovations from the company like the ultra thin Acer Aspire S5. In fact, the company spent most of the time talking about ultrabooks that it presented this new tab in a rather “one more thing” moment. The mystery tab, after having been shown up stage and then whisked away very promptly, turns out to have featured a 1.3 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor and a very high resolution for a 10-inch screen.

The Acer Iconia Tab A700 would definitely take on the Asus Transformer Prime slate, which runs on the same high-level processor. The rest of the specs are still very elusive although some of them have been leaked out one week before the event. The Acer Iconia Tab A700 was said to be, in the meantime, just a technology demo and not a consumer product hence the real tab shouldn’t be expected to be released any time soon. Some rumors however say that the tab will be shipped around the second quarter of this year.

The Acer Iconia Tab A700 features a textured back that feels nice to the touch. Like many other Acer tabs, its design is minimalistic with not much flare, leaning towards a more functional aspect. However, the tab weighs on the heavier side and has a girth of 9.8 mm, obviously not the slimmest but still lighter as expected for a tab that houses a quad-core processor. It also contains an HDMI and a micro USB ports as well as a microSD slot, which are easily revealed by flipping over a side cover. In addition, it also has a built-in Bluetooth.

Aside from the Tegra 3 chip, the tab also showcases a full 1 GB worth of RAM and the latest Android version the Ice Cream Sandwich as its operating system (so users won’t have to wait for an update; the OS will be inside the tab once it begins to ship out). The user interface is highly customized; the greatest difference between the stock Android UI and the Iconia Tab A700 is the “ring” that lets the user access shortcuts straight from the lock screen.

The lockscreen launcher is Acers’s own touch to the Android device. The shortcuts from the lockscreen can be navigated and accessed by changing the direction to which the user drags his or her finger. As mentioned, these apps are fully customizable. Some homescreen widgets on the other hand are still broadly default Android 4.0 like the camera and gallery although Acer has added its own touch to the Ice Cream Sandwich skin. Even with the added lockscreen widget and skin, the Acer Iconia Tab A700 doesn’t falter and its speed and performance are yet unimpeded.

Because of the excellent processor that packs so much power for such a portable device, the Acer Iconia Tab A700 has also been set to have a display that would match the processors’ quality. It has a high resolution full HD 1080 p “IPS quality” display panel that can handle high quality video playback and more, like obviously an extra rev up on things like texts and images.

Even though the panel of the Acer Iconia Tab A700 is not actually IPS (just IPS like), the company claims that it is using a technology very similar to IPS. The display does give out a nice quality feed with a higher level of clarity compared to others. The panel will have a 1,280 x 800 pixels worth of resolution, which again would fair well with the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime.

The Acer Iconia Tab A700 is also rumored to have a 5 MP camera at the rear and an accompanying front camera for video calls. It is also said to support both Wi-Fi and 3G in addition to the Bluetooth connectivity mentioned earlier. The Acer Iconia Tab A700 houses a 9,800 mAh battery that has not yet subjected to any performance tests but by the sheer number of it, the device is expected to last above average long.

Overall, Acer has definitely made a mark with the Iconia Tab A700 at CES 2012, which all the more makes the wait for the official release of the tab very exciting. A full specification of the device may be released at the Mobile World Congress 2012.

Acer Iconia Tab A700 Tablet Computer Price in the Philippines: TBA (To Be Announced)

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Hyundai Genesis Coupe Price in the Philippines (as of January 2012)

Hyundai Genesis Coupe Price in the Philippines: The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is a rear-wheel drive sports car that was released for the Korean market on October 13, 2008. The sleek car is Hyundai's first ever rear-wheel drive sports coupe, sharing its basic platform with the Hyundai Genesis luxury sedan.

The Genesis Coupe is available with two engine configurations. The standard engine is a 2.0L Theta turbocharged 4-cylinder producing 210 hp (157 kW; 213 PS) and 223 ft·lbf (302 N·m) torque, with an optional 3.8L Lambda V6 engine producing 306 hp (228 kW; 310 PS) and 266 ft·lbf (361 N·m) torque. Interesting features of the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine include oil injectors under the pistons to prevent overheating. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard equipment on the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, with an optional 5- or ZF 6-speed automatic (depending on engine choice).

The 4-cylinder turbocharged engine of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe shares many mechanical parts with the Mitsubishi Evo X. This is because of the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance, which is a joint venture among Mitsubishi, Chrysler, and Hyundai.

Some of the added equipments for the Hyundai Genesis Coupe include a Torsen Limited slip differential and four-piston Brembo brakes with 13.4-inch rotors in the front and 13-inch in the back. It comes with 18-inch wheels as standard, but optional 19-inch wheels using 225/40 tires in the front and 245/40 in the back are bundled along with the Brembo brake upgrade.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe Price in the Philippines (as of January 2012):

Genesis Sedan 3.8 V6 GLS AT: Php 3,038,000.00

Genesis Coupe 2.0 Turbo 6MT (Entry): Php 1,398,000.00

Genesis Coupe 2.0 Turbo 6MT: Php 1,654,000.00

Genesis Coupe 2.0 Turbo SAT: Php 1,758,000.00

Genesis Coupe 3.8 V6 6MT: Php 1,735,000.00

Genesis Coupe 3.8 GLS 6AT: Php 1,858,000.00

Genesis Coupe 3.8 GLS 6AT (Brembo): Php 1,990,000.00

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Motorola Droid 4 Android Smartphone Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details

Motorola Droid 4 Android Smartphone Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details: The Motorola Droid 4 is a 4G LTE Android smartphone plus the decent keyboard. The sentence sums it all up. For a while, many have probably been looking for a phone with a decent keyboard amidst the popularity of touch phones. Motorola has an answer to what you have been looking for. This is the newest product that Motorola has announced. Read along and find out what the Motorola Droid 4 can offer you. Is it what you have been looking for or will it end up like the others who have slowly become unpopular after its release?

Actually, the Motorola Droid 4 is like an updated version of the Droid 3. Many people who have used Droid 3 must have been longing for a better version of their smartphone. The Motorola Droid 4 is the answer to that. It has a thinner profile compared to the Droid 3, a dual core processor, an LTE connectivity and one of the best slide-out QWERTY keyboards in the market. Even though the market is slowly moving away from QWERTY keyboards, many people are still looking for them over the onscreen keyboards.

Originally, Droid’s keyboard was unimpressive. Good thing Motorola has improved the design in the last few years. Just like the previous version, the Droid 4 has a 5-row keyboard that is now comfortable to use. The keyboard consists of a number row at the topmost, making it easier to type in numbers directly instead of holding the Alt key and pressing other buttons to make the numbers appear onscreen. The keys are made of higher quality plastic and have a comfortable snap to them. Each key has its own backlight so the light is consistently on when in use.

Going to the essential hardware specifications, the Motorola Droid 4 runs on a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM. The 4-inch screen has 940 x 540-pixel screen resolution. It also has 16GB of internal storage with micro SD card slot, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front camera. The battery can last up to 12 hours on standby, quite lower than other smartphones in the market.

It seems like all of the basic specifications listed are also seen with the Droid 3. What it lacked was the 4G LTE connectivity that fortunately the Motorola Droid 4 has now. Motorola has also announced the possibility of an early update to Android 4.0, otherwise known as Ice Cream Sandwich.

These days, people are waiting for the release of Droid 4 and an official announcement on how much it would be priced. If Motorola is going to price this competitively, chances are, it would be one of the toughest to beat in the market since there are still a lot of mobile phone users who would rather have the keyboard than the onscreen one since they find it easier to use and they type faster with it.

In summary, the Motorola Droid 4 is indeed something worth waiting for and people are crossing their fingers that Motorola won’t fail them. Although it lacks the Super AMOLED screen, which has been popular these days, people are not really after that anymore. Its best feature is the QWERTY keyboard and the 4G LTE connectivity. Now, all everyone has to do is wait for Motorola to release this phone to the market and hope it does not disappoint.

Motorola Droid 4 Android Smartphone Price in the Philippines: TBA (To Be Announced)

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Sony MDR-PQ1 Audio Headphones Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs

Sony MDR-PQ1 Audio Headphones Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs: It’s quite amazing how headphones have become a huge hit last year. For a while, headphones have been replaced by earphones, which were smaller and more comfortable to bring along since you could just roll them and stash them in your pocket or purse. Headphones, on the other hand, are quite big. However, last year, with the release of headphones by popular artists such as Lady Gaga and Dr. Dre, headphones are slowly making its way to popularity again. With the attention that headphones are receiving in the market and amidst the availability of knock-offs, Sony releases yet another one.

The Sony MDR-PQ1 headphones may not have the name of a famous artist printed on it, but it is by far the trendiest and most eye-catching headphones by Sony. Sony has stated that the MDR-PQ1 is designed to have that urban feel; urban in the sense that it’s best used with music genres that pump you with lots of bass. So, music lovers who are fond of listening to hip hop rather than standard music, this headphone might work for you.

In general, the Sony MDR-PQ1 was made with the hip and the young in mind. Covered with mesh fabric, the cups of the headphones have more color compared to the old style of headphones. Even the headband’s inner part has become more noticeable with its bright pink color.

The Sony MDR-PQ1 is designed to be very functional as well. The cable is removable and plugged at the left side. This makes keeping the headphones easier and more organized than just rolling the cord around the headphones and ending up in a tangle of cable that will make you waste your time fixing. The headband is secured with Velcro strips, an uncommon thing for headphones, but it works.

The Sony MDR-PQ1 is fairly comfortable to use since it does not weigh much. On the other hand, the speakers may fit close to your ears if you have bigger ears. There is a tendency that it could push against your earlobes, which would make you quite uncomfortable. It is able to block the sounds from the environment, but there are other brands that could do better than these headphones.

The good thing about the Sony MDR-PQ1 is that it stays above the rest who have claimed that they have urban designed headphones. The problem with these headphones is that the only thing you get is too much bass, which would disappoint music lovers as they listen to their songs being spoiled by headphones that are too unbalanced. Sony, on the other hand, gives it listeners the decent thud. Although it is not really on the level of perfect, it is far better than others in the market. There is just a little problem with the treble as the headphones kind of gives a boxed-in sound.

The Sony MDR-PQ1 is not priced competitively though as there are some brands that carry better headphones at almost the same price as Sony’s. All in all, it is not really left behind but it can’t compete with the best as well. So, the MDR-PQ1 stays somewhere in the middle until further developments are made.

With its 40 mm drivers, removable cable, mesh fabric cover, and right-angle jack, these the Sony MDR-PQ1 will absolutely do for those who are looking for one that could be a stylish yet functional tool for listening to music. It cannot be considered as a rival to the high-end ones, but it manages to stay on top of most headphones in the market. If you are into these, you can always give the Sony MDR-PQ1 a try. The only downside is that it is kind of price-y for its type.

Sony MDR-PQ1 Audio Headphones Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 5,100.00

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Acer Aspire Z5610 Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info

Acer Aspire Z5610 Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info: The Aspire Z5610 is one of Acer’s all-in-one PC. It is among the few all-in-one’s that can decently run gaming graphics albeit some minor tweaking in the detail settings for those overtly demanding 3D games. It comes with a price that is way cheaper than the Apple’s iMac or the Gateway One. It has one of the largest displays among sub $1000 all-in-one’s of its generation with an above average graphics chip thrown in as a bonus.

Obviously, in order to make cut from the PC’s cost, Acer has to sacrifice some eye-candy points. The Acer Aspire Z5610 has a rather disjointed design. It doesn’t come near the sleekness and elegance of an iMac with the Aspire Z5610’s two-toned style - silver plastic casing with dark reddish accents - much less with its two metal posts. The two thin posts together with an incline make up the support system of the big display and overall the aesthetic of it comes out a little off.

The Acer Aspire Z5610 goes with both a wireless mouse and a wireless keyboard. The mouse and keyboard although responsive as a PC mouse and keyboard can get, have certain clunkiness and are also made out of plastic. There is also a separate USB receiver for the both which is a total hassle and does not in any way contribute to the aesthetics.

Whatever the Acer Aspire Z5610 lacks in terms of aesthetics however, it makes up for with in another aspect. The screen is a totally different matter compared to the cheap-looking outer shell. The Acer Aspire Z5610 features a 23-inch full HD display with touch input and 1920 x 1080-pixel resolution and a twisted nematic (TN) style.

The Acer Aspire Z5610’s internal specs are also laudable. The PC runs on a quad core Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 central processing unit that gives it high power performance at 2.93 GHz. As mentioned, the Acer Aspire Z5610 utilizes an AMD desktop graphics processor that is mid range but definitely gives out better performance than most all-in-one’s in the Aspire Z5610 price category. The combination of these two components surely makes the PC very formidable; these specs are undoubtedly more than one would expect for a sub-$1000 class.

The hardware of the Acer Aspire Z5610 also keeps up very decently with the multi-touch capability of the display especially when in tandem with the Windows 7 operating system. The touch input utilizes an optical touch tracking, which is only a tad less than the capacitive types found in mobile phones. In addition, the Acer Aspire Z5160 uses 3GB worth of RAM and harnesses Intel G45 Express chipset. It also contains 750GB worth of SATA hard disk space (a previous version only has 320 GB). It also uses ATI Radeon HD 4570 MXM graphics with 512 MB DDR2 RAM. The Acer Aspire Z5610 also has a TV Tuner Card, 1 MP webcam, Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity, WiFi connectivity with 802.11b/g Draft-N, Gigabit LAN, 6 USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA port, as well as a card reader.

There is however a couple of things that might add more brightness to specs of the Acer Aspire Z5610. It could sure make do with a Blue-ray drive to couple with its terrific display instead of just the SuperMulti Drive. The PC also lacks an HDMI port, which is very common nowadays for computers specially those used extensively as a media or entertainment device.

Overall, the Acer Aspire Z5610 has some drawbacks in terms of features but it makes up for it with an amazing display and well above average processor combination. For an all-in-one PC worth less than a thousand dollars, the Acer Aspire Z5160 is surely a good deal.

Acer Aspire Z5610 Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 42,000.00

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details: It seems like Samsung has already covered all sizes and species of tablet computers. From the tiniest 7-inch display to the big 10.1 inches, Samsung has different models lined up. One Samsung tablet that is worth noting is the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. It is one of two Samsung tablets (the other one is Galaxy Tab 7.7) that utilize the company’s very own Exynos chipset, which is a dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor coupled with Mali-400 MP graphics chip. This innovation surely puts the device in the higher end in terms of performance.

The original P1000 Galaxy Tab, as can be recalled, wasn’t universally accepted by consumers because of several issues (its out of character pricing for one), although it was one of the first tablets to bring the Android technology to the tablet computer market. The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is apparently a recall of the original but it features a lot of improvements including well-equipped specs, updated hardware, and an upgrade to Android Honeycomb operating system.

In terms of style, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus doesn’t deviate much from the other Samsung tablets; it still features that oh-so-familiar “Metallic Gray” color schema and a non-removable backing that is made of faux-brushed metal that is, in truth, just plastic. The grip is comfortable though and the color is actually quite pleasing and sophisticated. There are also certain evidences of aping phone styling in that instead of the usual location of the 2 MP camera on the upper bevel when the tab is on landscape, the camera is now situated on the upper right side of the bevel when the tab is in portrait mode.

In addition, there is also a microphone on the bottom and speaker gash on the bezel in portrait mode. Samsung also put its logo on one of the short sides instead of the typical location on the long side, which further reinforces the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is intended to be used in portrait rather than the usual landscape modes.

Some physical buttons and other features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus include a power and volume rocker, an infrared emitter, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. A 3 MP camera with autofocus, LED flash and 720 p HD video recording capability is located at the back. There is a microSD slot, a SIM slot (only in 3G version), as well as a 30-pin dock connector port. Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus has a 193.65 x 122.37 x 9.96 mm dimension and weighs on the heavier side at 345 grams. It runs on a built-in 4,000 mAh battery that is also found in the original Galaxy Tab.

However, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus only manages with a measly 1024 x 600 pixel resolution screen, which is a downer compared with the 1280 x 800 resolution of the other Galaxy Tabs, either smaller or bigger in size. The color and contrasts are still good as well as have a nice color reproduction but the saturation is of course nowhere near the Super AMOLED Plus panels that some Samsung tabs possess.

The Samsung Galaxy 7.0 Plus is equipped with a 1.2 GHz dual core processor, and utilizes 1 GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of storage. The microSD slot can extend the internal memory to up to 32 GB. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 uses the Samsung TouchWhiz UX user interface with its live panel, mini apps, and clipboard. The device also has A-GPS support and location-based service.

The Samsung Galaxy Plus 7.0 is supported by a plethora of Google Mobile Services like Google Talk video chat, Gmail, Google Calendar, YouTube, Google Latitude, Google Maps, Google Places, and of course it has full access to the Android Market. The tab also has a link to the Samsung Hub which contains the Social Hub for integrated social networking; Music Hub for easy download, sharing and listening of music, and Reader Hub which contains over two million e-books and other electronic copies of reading materials.

Overall, except for the unexciting screen resolution and the battery (a lot less in performance than the 5100 mAh of Galaxy 7.7), the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus indeed surpasses the original in many aspects and is decently built and packs great specs for a tab of its size.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 23,500.00

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Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs

Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs: There is one simple word to describe, albeit give an understatement about, the Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook: Unique. More than anything else, this piece of gadgetry is a futuristic proof-of-concept for laptops. In essence, the Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook features a dual touch screen. The design is somewhat similar to a run of the mill laptop in that it can be closed over itself but instead of the physical keys representing the lower half with the keyboard and the touchpad, there is another screen that is all throughout touch sensitive.

The Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook seems to fall exclusively to the category of executive laptops in that it is highly priced (as expected) and highly designed (obviously). It can be easily imagined as something that sits on a desk of a top CEO or on a lounge of a first rate hotel. However, getting past the breath-taking first impression, the device sadly has many rooms left for improvement.

The Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook has a light bronze lid with black accents. It is chunky, probably owing to a large extent to its dual screen design. It measures 13.5 x 9.7 inches and 1.3 inches thick when closed. It also weighs at the heavier end at 6.2 pounds. The Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook makes use of an even less portable 4-cell Lithium Ion battery that can last a mere two hours when charged. The Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook feels decently sturdy albeit heavy and bulky and almost impossible to carry around. In other words, the laptop wouldn’t generally be seen inside a backpack or a handbag, much less so if it is of a typical consumer.

Both the screens measure 14 inches in diagonal and contain 1366 x 768 pixels worth of resolution. Also, both have a glossy edge-to-edge glass covering with black bezels. Except for the webcam on the top screen, there are no physical buttons and accessories adorning the displays. The screens can also fold all the way to 180 degrees so the laptop can be placed evenly on level surface. The other screen can serve as either an extension of the main screen or the desktop screen, or as mentioned, it can act as a keyboard.

The virtual keyboard of the Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook works like the typical tablet keyboard and gives relatively little trouble. It can be accessed using a 10-finger input gesture or by propping the wrist on dedicated palm rests on the display or by hitting a physical button on the left hinge. Both screens are made of the tough and durable Gorilla glass so they can definitely withstand the beating of some heavy typists.

Typing is almost as good as that on an iPad and better than many Windows tablets. However, the keyboard can lag at certain times while the accompanying onscreen touchpad is small and lacks some of the multitap gestures of the actual thing. The screen also comes with the usual annoyances that common laptop or tablet displays go with: there is a huge amount of glare, both are fingerprint magnets, and have very limited viewing angles; the texts on the keyboard are virtually invisible and smudged unless the laptop is inclined on some slope.

The Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook runs on Intel’s last generation Core i5 processor. It is admittedly frustrating that for a laptop with its kind of concept, it doesn’t utilize the fastest processor there is. Although the 2.6 GHz still packs some power to its credit, the downsizing just won’t do for a laptop that is expected to rely a lot on added functionality brought about by the second screen. As a result, there is an obvious lack of performance, lesser battery life, and the graphics are also compromised.

The specs of the Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook seem to be a little limited specially when in tandem with its default operating system, which is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. As for the other specs, the device houses 4 GB worth of DDR3 memory (667 MHz) and offers 640 GB worth of hard drive space. For the chipset, the laptop utilizes Intel HM65 and for the graphics it uses Intel GMA HD.

In summary, the Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook obviously suffers from a misalignment of design and utility. It is underpowered, overpriced for its specs, and seems to be more reliant on aesthetics and frilly gimmicks than what merits its actual function. Overall though, the wow factor is still much to be regarded and it still rates above average.

Acer Iconia 6120 Touchbook Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 55,000.00

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Sennheiser HD 229 Headphones Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info

Sennheiser HD 229 Headphones Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info: Like several other headphones found in a typical high street electronics store, the Sennheiser HD 229 headphones are manufactured to fit an urban and active lifestyle. They are on ear headphones whose claim to fame is their “Deep Bass Kick”.

Sennheiser, more commonly known for its classic and conservative headphone designs, did a complete 180-degree turn with HD 229. These headphones turn out be totally opposite to that of their predecessor, the HD 228. They feature a color selection that is vibrant, colorful, loud and in certain aspects, almost provocative. The white and orange, and black and pink ear pads and headband stems with metallic sheens emulate an image of trendiness. Thus, in this regard, Sennheiser seems to have succeeded.

The Sennheiser HD 229 is nicely built and comfortable on the head and ears. The headband and ear cups are made of plastic. This does not give off an impression of sturdiness but, on closer look, they are nonetheless made of high quality plastic. The headband also has a nice level of resistance and doesn’t seem to fall apart easily when adjusted over the size of the head. The earpads are made of a synthetic faux-leather so that they are particularly soft and do not heat up the ears on extended use. A similar material is used for the padding around the headband.

The Sennheiser HD 229 features a closed back style in addition to the on-ear design. The ear pads provide for some noise isolation, although in this regard, the Sennheiser 229 is admittedly not the best contraption there is. The ear cups are foldable via smooth action hinges so that the earphones can be easily stored flat. The whole contraption including the cable weighs only 92 grams. The light weight as well as comfortable padding makes for an easy and comfortable wear that doesn’t slip off easily while walking or running.

Unfortunately, the Sennheiser HD 229 doesn’t offer a removable cable. Instead the cable is firmly stuck on one plastic ear cup and ends in a chunky straight 3.5 mm jack. The single sided cable nonetheless provides a certain degree of ease of use.

As mentioned, the Sennheiser HD 229 sets itself apart by offering a “Deep Bass Kick”. Upon using, the bass is evident and unmistakable but unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be the dominant feature. What is supposedly deep is actually bright and quite detailed with a low end that is still well reserved and behaved. The low end can be extended deeper, making the whole point of the Sennheiser HD 229 seem rather stale so that those who bought them for their sheer “Deep Bass Kick” may be in for a disappointment.

On a brighter note, the Sennheiser HD 229 provides adequate amounts of high quality detail without being overtly grainy and particular. The headphones are actually very impressive in this end specially when used in a quiet place.

Some key features of the Sennheiser HD 229 include: an 18-22,000 Hz frequency response from a powerful neodymium magnet that gives a stereo sound with the intended bass performance, a 16 Ohm impedance, and a sound pressure level of 110 dB or 1 kHz/ 1 Vrms. The headphone is optimized for several portable audio devices including MP3, CD players, iPad, iPod and iPhone. The set also comes with a two-year warranty.

All in the all, the sounds come out comfortable and clean. This quality earns the Sennheiser HD 229 some bonus points although the manufacturer has very well missed the mark in terms of its intended audience. With its level of sound quality, the Sennhesier HD 229 headphones may just be a tad overpriced compared to the performance of its predecessor, the HD 228, which have been circulating around the market for years and is relatively low priced.

Sennheiser HD 229 Headphones Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 4,500.00

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Dell Venue Android Smartphone Price in the Philippines, Features and Other Info

Dell Venue Android Smartphone Price in the Philippines, Features and Other Info: The Dell Venue, which was introduced at CES last year is Dell’s second foray into the Android smartphone market after the lukewarm reception the company’s first Android smartphone Dell Aero got.

With the noticeable bumps in the hardware specs sheet the Dell Venue brings into the table, the company hopes to alleviate the misery brought about by the sub-par performance the Dell Aero was able to achieve in terms of market profitability.

To give credit to the company, the designers and engineers that worked on the Dell Venue did a pretty good job of coming up with a much-improved smartphone as opposed to the severely-lacking Dell Aero.

With its attractive design, first impressions about the Dell Venue tend to be impressive. In addition to that, the specs sheet of the device also looks good. But can it deliver the goods? Read on for the low-down on the Dell Venue.

Design and construction

Measuring 121 x 64 x 12.9 mm, the Dell Venue is almost like a twin to the Dell Venue Pro sans the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Made mostly from plastic, the Venue has chrome bands on its sides that serve as accent pieces and sports a textured back panel that is also constructed from paper-thin plastic.

Tipping the scale at 164 grams, the Venue is a bit hefty but still manages to give that solid feel that screams exceptional build quality. Oh, the Corning Gorilla Glass that the Venue sports is subtly curved and has been touted as the “Shear Design” by the Dell people and adds more ergonomics to the handset itself.

Under the hood

The Venue draws power from a Scorpion processor set on a Qualcomm QSD8250 SnapDragon chipset and is clocked at 1GHz. This is paired with 512MB of RAM and 1GB of ROM to move things along in a very smooth manner.

The Venue also has a dedicated GPU in the form of an Adreno 200 GPU to take care of graphic matters. The device also comes with 1GB of onboard memory, which can easily be expanded via the dedicated microSD card slot that is capable of taking cards of up to 32GB for all your storage needs.

The display

The Venue has been blessed by a big-ass 4.1-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display with a 480 x 800 resolution and 16M colors. The display is fashioned out of Corning’s Gorilla Glass making it very durable and scratch-resistant.

The display is capable of User Interface auto-rotate thanks to its built-in accelerometer and also supports auto turn-off with the use of its proximity sensor. Not only that, it also has support for multi-touch gesture inputs.

The shooter

The Venue only has 1 shooter, a rear-facing 8-megapixel snapper with LED flash and auto-focus and is capable of capturing stills of up to 3264 x 2448 pixels. The camera also has face detection and geo-tagging features included.

The shooter of the Venue though is something that is found to be sub-par. Image quality is lower than average and performance of the shooter in ALL lighting conditions can be called into question. Colors were a bit under-saturated and the shooter struggled in lowlight conditions even with the LED flash lending out a helping hand.

The shooter also acts as a video recorder and is able to record video clips at 720p but unfortunately, the quality of the clips that the venue turned out is also slightly disappointing.

Software and performance

The Venue runs Android 2.2 Froyo for its operating system and is overlaid with Stage UI, Dell’s custom User Interface. Stage UI is the same UI that one can experience in the company’s Streak line of tablets and is designed to make your life easier by making use of its Stage widgets for easier access to your multimedia content.

Although the 1GHz Scorpion processor working in conjunction with the 512MB of RAM can be considered a bit behind the times, the pair still worked exceptionally well. The WebKit browser the Venue packs which incidentally supports Flash 10.1 is very fast and responsive.

Battery life

The Venue packs a standard 1400 mAh Li-Ion battery and is expected to provide enough juice for the device to last up to 7 hours of talk time and up to 16 days of standby time until the battery runs on empty.

The bottom line

The Dell Venue is just another Droid in a sea awash with smartphones from other manufacturers. Sadly, nothing really sets the Venue apart from all others. The device may have impressive specs but some are somewhat antiquated already and this might just leave the Venue trying to play catch-up all the time.

Dell Venue Android Smartphone Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 17,500.00

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Acer Aspire S5 Ultrabook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details

Acer Aspire S5 Ultrabook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details: The Aspire S5 is a newly announced ultrabook from Acer. The device carries with it very promising as well as prominent upgrades when compared to the company’s first ultrabook releases. Another special thing about this gadget is that it is the first officially launched computer to feature Intel’s Thunderbolt technology which is, until then, only found exclusively on Mac devices. The ultrabook was launched together with the Aspire S3 and A200 tablets in the recently held CES 2012 conference.

The Acer Aspire S5’s design is hued entirely in black with only the white Acer logo on the front and some white and blue lettering on the keyboard pad offering a certain degree of mark. The device is covered with a brushed aluminum chassis that is both impressive and sophisticated. It doesn’t have the seamless finish like that of the MacBook Air but it does have a neat and tidy as well as sturdy spectre.

The Aspire S5 is dubbed as the “thinnest ultrabook ever” with only 13 inches in girth. It measures a mere 15 mm in height when the lid is closed and weighs only 2.97 pounds. The ultrabook contains a power button on the left hand side, which is much likened to that of a tablet computer or a smartphone. Going around the edges of the device, there is a 3.5 mm headphone jack on the right and an SD slot on the left. There is also a charging socket similar to that of Apple’s MagSafe adaptor with magnetic power connection.

A button of the Acer Aspire S5 located on the upper part of the keyboard raises up the chassis at the back for about half an inch to reveal several ports. This “MagicFlip I/O panel” as Acer calls it is actually a surprisingly unique innovation. Aside from lending a less crowded look to the computer, it also solves the problem most other ultrabooks have in cramming together a full spectrum of ports on such thin frames. These ports include an HDMI port, two USB v 3.0 ports, as well as a Thunderbolt port.

The Acer Aspire S5 doesn’t have an Ethernet port but it instead has the aforementioned thunderbolt port that can reach a speed of 20Gb per second. It can also be turned into just about any form of connection with the use of adapters.

Looking at the keyboard, the Acer Aspire S5 features a much-improved one. Like the rest of the device, it is not much to look at but nonetheless it comes with snappier keys, deeper wells, and a much-improved key travel. The trackpad on the other hand, with its invisible physical buttons seems a little overactive and may react to as little movement as a tiny brush stroke.

There is not much information available as to the performance and overall specs of the device since it hasn’t been released yet. From the launch, it is clear that the Aspire S5 has an incredibly fast resume time of approximately 1.5 seconds. It also has an Acer Always Connect technology that enables the user to access information on the computer while the device is asleep.

The Acer Aspire S5 runs on a yet unspecified Intel Core processor, SSD storage, and contains a much-improved Home Theatre audio. Some speculations for the processor include either a Core i5 or i7 like most other high-end ultrabooks but seeing that Acer intends to release the device into the mainstream market, a possibility of the much lower spec Core i3 is not far off. The battery life is also not defined yet although the company has already claimed it to be thrice as powerful as an ordinary laptop.

Acer Aspire S5 Ultrabook Price in the Philippines: TBA (To Be Announced)

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Lenovo IdeaPad S2 Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs

Lenovo IdeaPad S2 Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs: Hitting the markets in the middle of 2012 is the Lenovo IdeaPad S2, which has caused quite a stir when it was released for the world to take a look at; for the reason that this Chinese company has already been filling the markets with Ultrabooks and ThinkPads and has already shown prototypes that made people interested.

That is not all though, the pride of the company at present is this IdeaPad S2. People had a lot of questions in mind when it was shown into the public. Is it going to be different from the others that have already been in the market? Is it going to be as expensive as the others or will it be priced competitively? What are its specifications and are there new innovations? Read along and find out the answers to the questions and think about whether the Lenovo IdeaPad S2 is just what you have been waiting for.

The Lenovo IdeaPad S2 weighs a little more than 1 kilogram with its keyboard dock and has a 10.1-inch body. It runs the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest among the Android releases. The tablet computer is quite thin, but with the keyboard dock, you cannot consider its thinness as an equal to its function. Once you have secured the tablet into the dock, you can now have a utilitarian keyboard that makes this device look like a notebook and makes things a lot easier.

One advantage of the Lenovo IdeaPad S2 is its battery life, which claims could last for 10 hours. Pretty neat, isn’t it? That’s not all, though, because when you secure it to the dock, it gives you ten hours more since the keyboard has its own battery. Now, that is just amazing. Unlike the latest releases these days that are packed with quad core, the Lenovo IdeaPad S2 is equipped with a 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S2 MSM 8960 processor. This means it just might be priced competitively. In addition, it has a 1200 x 800-pixel resolution and has USB ports that allow you to plug devices into the dock.

Why is the Lenovo IdeaPad S2 going to be popular for people who use tablet computers? People have been raving about the tablets, but most of them think that the lack of a physical keyboard lessens its appeal. That is probably why the Asus Eee Pad Transformer and the Asus Transformer Prime have become popular in the markets. Now, Lenovo offers an alternative.

The Lenovo IdeaPad S2 is packed with 1GB of RAM and an internal storage of 16 or 32 or 64 GB with a microSD expansion. It also has a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera that can be used for video calls. For connectivity, it has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G. And of course, it also has micro USB and micro HDMI ports. Its specifications are normally what you would find in tablet computers, only that its battery life is something that sets it apart from others.

Initially, the Lenovo IdeaPad S2 will be released in China first so you have to wait until it will be released worldwide. One downside of its late release is that by the time it goes out to the market, the dual core technology may be a little left behind, especially with the release of quad cores and people might go for tablets using quad core processors. However, the Lenovo IdeaPad S2 may not really need the quad core, especially when all you need for the tablet and the dock is an opportunity to choose whether you would just need to bring a tablet or you need the dock with it.

Lenovo IdeaPad S2 Price in the Philippines: TBA (To Be Announced)

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HP Envy 14 Spectre Ultrabook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info

HP Envy 14 Spectre Ultrabook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info: Another gadget that came out in the recently concluded CES 2012 is the HP Envy 14 Spectre - an addition to the growing list of ultrabooks in the market. It was featured as a super sexy and slim ultrabook by HP, which called it a “premium ultrabook”. The most prominent feature of the laptop is the glass design. Although it is truthfully not the slimmest nor the lightest ultrabook out there, it definitely is an eye candy given the crisp design, rounded corners and a glossy glass living up to its “premium” description. This is undoubtedly a device aimed at the style-conscious media consumers among others.

The HP Envy 14 Spectre measures 20 mm in girth when the lid is down that makes it hover upon a “bulky” ultrabook description if ever an adjective like that can be applied to those devices. Typically, the limit set by Intel is for a 13-inch ultrabook to have an 18 mm girth. HP gets away with cramming the 14-inch display to the system, which sets the device at a 21 mm upper limit.

Aside from the bulk, the HP Envy 14 Spectre is also heavy for an ultrabook at 1.7 kg. As mentioned, the HP Envy 14 Spectre has a 14-inch display, slightly bigger than the average ultrabook, but nonetheless makes it great for activities like watching movies. Added to this is the thin bezel that gives the laptop a light airy look.

The HP Envy 14 Spectre is covered by a glass sheet on the front but comes right down to having a ‘grippy’ rubberized covering on the bottom. The HP logo is situated on the lid, and like on many other HP laptops, can glow, giving it a visually striking and smart look. The slab of glass reaches right down to the wrist rest, which gives that part a smooth and cool surface. The sublime and glassy design of the HP Envy 14 Spectre however comes with a drawback; it is most certainly a fingerprint magnet.

The HP engineers who designed the Envy 14 Spectre must also be commended for their high attention to details. The keyboard is fitted with a proximity sensor that triggers illumination of the keyboard through the backlights when the user is ready to type. The backlight dims when he or she is already sitting back like when watching a movie or slideshow so as to eliminate visual distractions and to save battery life. Each of the keys has its own LED, which allows for an independent lighting up of keys depending on the situation; for example, the volume keys can light up when turning up the volume. The touchpad on the other hand, offers a variety of multi-touch inputs and gesture support that gives an added slickness on top of all the other great features of the laptop.

The HP Eny 14 Spectre’s panel features a bright Super-TFT screen with 1600 x 900 pixels worth of resolution, again adding to the fact that the laptop can definitely be a mini-theater on the go.

The HP Eny 14 Spectre runs Windows 7 operating system, has an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, and contains 128 GB worth of SSD storage, which is standard for an ultrabook but is still sort of lacking. There is a full port support that includes 2 USB 3.0 ports, an Ethernet port, as well as an HDMI port.

The HP Envy 14 Spectre comes suited with variety of accessories. Among these is the very compact charger that can easily fit on a top pocket of a laptop case, a USB socket for charging MP3 players, smartphones, etc., and a very stylish sleeve. The HP Envy 14 Spectre however also comes with a premium price for just the entry level Core i5.

HP Envy 14 Spectre Ultrabook Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 67,000.00

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Toshiba Portege Z835 Ultrabook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details

Toshiba Portege Z835 Ultrabook Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details: The Portege Z835 is Toshiba’s entry into the Ultrabook market - an array of lightweight mobile computers that combine both ultra-portability and solid performance. It is the lightest of the first wave of Ultrabooks released into the market (merely 2.47 pounds), nonetheless, the manufacturers were still able to have the Toshiba Portege Z835 well equipped with a full set of ports, more than eight hours of battery life, and, not to mention, all that for a very competitive price and way cheaper than all the other brands in the Ultrabook market. In fact, it is the least expensive Ultrabook model currently available.

Design-wise, the Toshiba Portege Z835 is very straightforward with no unnecessary frills and flashy patterns. It is a solid mix of compact metal and plastic with a well-built feel and sturdy despite the very lightweight design. It has a dimension of 0.33-0.6 x 12.4 x 8.94 inches, roughly matching that of MacBook Air.

The Toshiba Portege Z835 has less tapered ends and is color schemed with brushed aluminum motif and silver lid. The hinges are chrome colored while Toshiba’s logo is metallic and embedded in the middle. However, the inside seems to be too stuffy with a lot of additional buttons and protrusions. There is a button for turning off the trackpad located between the spacebar and trackpad.

The fan of the Toshiba Portege Z835 protrudes ever so slightly from where it is sitting on the bottom side. Also, there are six LED lights that glow green and red just below the touchpad. In addition to the power button, there are two launch keys at the top of the Chiclet-styled keyboard, which functions for Intel Wireless Display and Toshiba’s eco utility. Each key on the keyboard has a squat shape that makes it hard to type from time to time. However, the board was made to accommodate most of the space from side to side so that the major keys are amply sized. The keys are also relatively quiet, spill resistant, and backlit.

The 1.75 x 3.3 inch touchpad of the Toshiba Portege Z835 on the other hand, although quite small, is responsive, smooth, and low on friction that makes it easier to drag the fingers and get a corresponding speedy response of the cursor on the screen. It can be pinched for zoom in and out purposes and supports one- and two-fingered scrolling. The trackpad buttons themselves are also reliable and very responsive.

The Toshiba Portege Z835 utilized an Intel Core i3 2367M processor. Part of the reason why the Protégé Z850 has such a competitive price is that it features the aforementioned CPU, a downgrade compared to the other ultrabook models that contain the Core i5 and i7 processors. It also uses a SATA 3Gbps solid state drive (SSD), which is only rated at 180 MB/s read and 50 MB/s write speeds - only average specs compared to other Ultrabooks.

The Toshiba Portege Z835 features an Intel QS67 Express Chipset and Integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000. It has 4 GB worth of DDR3 (1333 MHz) DRAM. For connectivity, it has an integrated 802.11 b/g/n 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN, one USB v 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports one of which has sleep and charge. Additional ports include one HDMI, one VGA, as well as a 3.5 mm headphone-out jack with audio-in combo.

The Toshiba Portege Z835 has a 13.3-inch HD TruBrite (LED backlight) display that has an aspect ratio of 16:9, and a resolution of 1366x768 pixel, which is similar to some other Ultrabooks. However, the view angles seem particularly narrow compared to others. In essence though, it still delivers quality and crisp images although one has to make sure the screen is properly aligned and at full brightness.

Out of the box, the Toshiba Portege Z835 comes with a power adapter, a quick start guide, a user manual, a warranty documentation, a 15 percent off coupon for Toshiba laptop accessories and service plans, a $10 eMusic card, and various paper works for the trialware Norton and MS Office.

In summary, the Toshiba Portege Z835 is laudable in that it is very light and thin and still comes with full port support. However, it has a relatively slow processor and a questionable display quality. In essence though, the Toshiba Portege Z835 is the best recommended Ultrabook for less than a thousand dollars and it is clear that trade ins must be made in order to meet that price.

Toshiba Portege Z835 Ultrabook Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 36,000.00

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Toyota Innova Price in the Philippines as of January 2012

Toyota Innova Price in the Philippines as of January 2012: Released in 2005, the Toyata Innova is a Compact MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle) that serves as the replacement of the popular Revo. It quickly became the best-selling vehicle here in the country beating close rivals such as the Mitsubishi Adventure and the Isuzu Hi-Lander. Alongside Fortuner SUV and Hilux pickup truck, the Innova is part of IMV program of Toyota.

The Toyota Innova is powered by 2.0-liter 136 hp (101 kW) 1TR-FE VVT-i, 2.7-liter 2TR-FE VVT-i gasoline, or 2.5-liter 102 hp (76 kW) 2KD-FTV D4-D common rail variable geometry turbocharger diesel engines. As said earlier, it is classified as a compact multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and is sold in different variants or trim levels namely J, E, G, and V. Variant J is considered as the base model, variant E is the mid-level model, and variant V is the high-end model. A Sport Runner version of the Toyota Innova is also available but with diesel engine option only.

Toyota Innova Specifications:

* Body style: 5-door MPV

* Platform: N-series

* Engine: 2.0 & 2.7 liter gasoline (VVT-i), 2KD-FTV 2.5-liter Diesel (D4-D)

* Transmission: 5-Speed Manual and 4-Speed Automatic

* Wheelbase: 2,750 mm (108.3 in)

* Length: 4,555 mm (179.3 in)

* Width: 1,770 mm (69.7 in)

* Height: 1,750 mm (68.9 in)

* Curb weight: 1,665 kg (3,671 lb)

Toyota Innova Price in the Philippines as of January 2012:

(V) 2.5 Dsl AT (imp): Php 1,195,000.00

(V) 2.0 Gas AT (imp): Php 1,140,000.00

(G) 2.5 Dsl AT (imp): Php 1,133,000.00

(G) 2.5 Dsl MT (imp): Php 1,068,000.00

(G) 2.0 Gas AT (imp): Php 1,078,000.00

(G) 2.0 Gas MT (imp): Php 1,013,000.00

(E) 2.5 Dsl AT: Php 1,033,000.00

(E) 2.5 Dsl MT: Php 968,000.00

(E) 2.0 Gas AT: Php 978,000.00

(E) 2.0 Gas MT: Php 913,000.00

(J) 2.5 Dsl MT: Php 858,000.00

(J) 2.0 Gas MT: Php 803,000.00

2.5 Sports runner Dsl AT: Php 1,064,000.00

2.5 Sports runner Dsl MT: Php 999,000.00

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BlackBerry Bold 9790 Smartphone Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs

BlackBerry Bold 9790 Smartphone Price in the Philippines, Features, and Tech Specs: The BlackBerry Bold 9790 is one of the latest smartphones powered by the BlackBerry 7 operating system. It was announced on November 2011 and released the next month. It was launched along side the BlackBerry Curve 9380. The BlackBerry Bold 9790 features a refreshing new design, different from that of its predecessors, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and 9780.

The first noticeable thing about the BlackBerry Bold 9790 is its very narrow girth and small appearance. Although the trimming down in dimensions seems not too noticeable, the new BlackBerry Bold 9790 is a quarter centimeter thinner and 15 grams lighter. It measures 110 x 60 x 11.4 mm and weighs only shy of a hundred grams at 107g.

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 sports a sturdy built quality, sleek lines, as well as a curvy appearance, with the side slightly contoured so as to allocate some of the areas that were previously crowded with buttons on the previous models. It looks aesthetic and pleasing, and like countless other BlackBerry phones, it features a black chassis.

However, unlike many, the BlackBerry Bold 9790 has a classic chrome band back that is rubberized for better grip. The chrome lining has been trimmed down on the front to expose a black bezel on the bottom part. The QWERTY physical keyboard features flushed and curved keys at the side and the keys are raised giving typing not too much of a hassle. In addition, the Call, Menu, Escape, and Power buttons have all been individually raised, giving them a fresh arrangement.

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 runs on a 1 GHz Marvel Tavor MG1 processor and contains 8 GB worth of internal storage with 768 MB worth of RAM. These upgrades significantly improve the overall performance and speed of the smartphone, which in turn allows for a smoother flow and transition of data, especially on web browsing and in using some of the applications.

As mentioned, the BlackBerry Bold 9790 is powered by the latest BlackBerry OS 7, which is actually one of the major enhancements in this model. The interface of the OS allows for a smoother display, faster and more stable browser response, and gives access to a host of new applications and tools for a much more improved user experience. In addition, it has a microSD slot that can accommodate up to 32 GB of memory stick. Connectivity wise, it has both EDGE and GPRS support, and has an HSDPA speed of 7.2 Mbps and a HSUPA speed of 5.76 Mbps. It has Wi-Fi connectivity at 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR, and a single microUSB 2.0 port for transferring data using a cable.

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 has a 2.54-inch TFT capacitive multi-touch enabled screen with 16M colors and 360 x 480 pixel resolution with approximately 245 pixel per inch density. It also features an optical trackpad. The display is not particularly outstanding given its low resolution but for all mundane purposes, it verily does its job given that the touchscreen feature is an upgrade. The feature also makes it easier to navigate through menus and different panels in addition to the optical track.

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 also has an upgraded camera. It has a 5 MP (2592 x 1944 pixels) back camera that has autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, face detection, as well as image stabilization features. It is also able to take videos at VGA format. Other features include a GPRS with A-GPRS support, SNS applications, document viewer, MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+/FLAC and MP4/H.264/H.263/WMV player, organizer, voice memo/ dial, and predictive text input. Unfortunately, the phone does not support Java applications.

The BlackBerry Bold 9790 is powered by a standard lithium ion JM-1 battery that confers up to 432 hours of standby, 5 hours and 20 minutes of talk time, as well as up to 33 hours of continuous music playback.

BlackBerry Bold 9790 Smartphone Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 22,500.00

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Samsung PL151 Digital Camera Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info

Samsung PL151 Digital Camera Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info: The PL151 is a compact, point and shoot digital camera from Samsung that offers both a relatively good price and a gimmicky front facing monitor. The camera’s dynamic Dual Display feature enables the user to see the shot on the 3-inch 230k TFT LCD and at the same time on the 1.5-inch front LCD before taking it.

The Samsung PL151 is the second 2View camera from the company, the first one is the Samsung ST550; however, the PL151 is slightly more different in that it does away with the touch screen display on the back and comes with a relatively huge price difference. However, the 1.5-inch LCD on the front row not only makes it easier to take a self-portrait, it can also be used to flash cartoon clips with sound effects to capture the attention of children and could also automatically shot images when a couple tilt their heads.

Appearance-wise, the Samsung PL151 can be a bit bulky at 99.2 x 59 x 19.9 mm; however, it only weighs 136.6 grams without the battery and the card and thus still feels light and nice to hold either in both hands or in just one. It comes hued in subtle colors that lend style to its appearance and at the same time, gives it a very unique look.

The second LCD on the front of the Samsung PL151 is turned on by a button on the top of the camera that also serves as a button for self-portrait (still and movie), children mode, and couple shot. It also comes with physical buttons on the right side of the screen, but these buttons are not too well adjusted and can be unresponsive at times. In addition, there is a “Jump Shot” mode inside the Self Timer function (still and movie), which gives the users time before capturing three consecutive motion shots. The Smart Auto 2.0 mode on the other hand analyzes key elements on the image and automatically adjusts the capture to any of the various photo modes or movie modes.

The Samsung PL151 showcases an object-tracking mode that makes it easier to capture moving subjects. Another innovation is its stylish tilt-back body that has a 7-degree tilt on the bottom. This makes it convenient to tilt the camera on a flat surface and to capture portraits without using a tripod.

The Samsung PL151 also features a 27 mm wide-angle (with 5x optical zoom) lens that gives a wider field of view, and hence makes it easier to capture landscape images, an entire crowd or tall buildings. The camera also gives chance to the user to be creative and to do away with photo editing programs; it comes with a variety of effects, like Smart filter that adds an artistic edge to the both photos and pictures.

There is a Miniature filter that gives the subject a diminished or miniaturized look, there is a Vignetting filter that delivers artistic contrasts, and a Fish-eye filter which can be applied to the videos to give a distorted surreal feel.

Aside from those effects, the Samsung PL151 also has Dual Image stabilization that combines both Optical Image Stabilization and Digital Image stabilization - both exclusive Samsung innovations. These overall eliminates blur caused by shaking even under difficult lightning situations, and even the tiniest shakes can be discounted.

The Samsung PL151 has a Smart album features that automatically organizes the photos by type, date, color, week, and face, and at the same time can also do a face search. There is also a Perfect Portrait System and a Smart Face Recognition system that can automatically adjust for as many as 20 faces or on one most photographed face on the album. The Samsung PL151 has a unique Night mode in that it allows the user to select for a shutter speed so that there is more freedom with either a serious shot or a photographic one.

Image quality wise, the Samsung PL151 has a 1/2.33” (approximately 7.79 mm) CCD that is 12.4 MP in effective resolution. However, the quality of the photos is still no match for higher end compact cameras when it comes to detailing. Some detail can still be lost even if the picture is compressed.

Overall, the user-experience with the Samsung PL151 camera is well worth the money given that it has many innovative features.

Samsung PL151 Digital Camera Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 13,500.00

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Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B Desktop Computer Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details

Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B Desktop Computer Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Details: The Sony VAIO L Series consists of fully featured personal computers with wall mountable screens. Aside from the astute design and very aesthetic elements, these PCs are also of high-end quality. The VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B has an all-in-one (AOI) format and an innovative multi touch display that can recognize a variety of gestures for an easier and more interactive user-experience. The computer is also equipped with a decent processor and packed with useful programs that make this computer very entertainment friendly. The PC package also includes wireless chiclet-style keyboard that is both compact and thin, and an oddly shaped oblong mouse that is nonetheless comfortable to use.

Design-wise, the Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B is very eye-catchy and asymmetrical. The color scheme employed lends a luxurious and modern air to the PC. The sides and back of the monitor is covered with white plastic while the front is black. There are minimal decorations on the frame - no physical buttons or ports are visible on the front of the monitor. The power button and web browser buttons are well hidden on the top of the screen. On the edge is the tray loading Blu-ray player, volume controls, menu button, arrow keys, a screen input button which includes PC, composite, and HDMI settings, and a button which can be used to turn off the display. On the left is an SD card/ memory stick slot, two USB 3.0 ports, a mini-FireWire port, and a 3.5 mm headphone and microphone jacks. The Ethernet port, HDMI in and out ports that lets the user connect the PC to, for example, a larger HDTV screen, RCA ports, as well as the rest of the USB 2.0 ports are located on the back.

The Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B has a unique brushed aluminum stand that holds the large 24-inch display that is covered edge to edge by an aesthetic glass sheet. The stand also keeps sizable space for the wireless keyboards to tow into when it is not in use. However, on closer look, the plastic casing of the display is thin and seemed to be ill fitted. It also has a distracting glary surface that may be inconvenient to the eyes on prolonged use.

The Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B uses a CPU that is part of Intel’s innovative Sandy Bridge family that was newly introduced into the market months back. The processing unit is an Intel Core i5-2410M, which is a dual core processor that has an average capacity of 2.3 GHz but can be pushed up to 2.9 GHz using Intel’s variable-clock-speed Turbo Boost technology. The CPU is adequate in giving life to entertainment media like movies and music but still staggers when used for serious gaming. Performance-wise, the Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B is perfect except when compared to other all-in-one PCs that use desktop processors, it can still lag behind. Added to the CPU is a 6GB of DDR3 memory and a 1TB hard drive.

As mentioned, the Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B has quite an impressive multi touch display. Aside from being large, the display also has a high-resolution format at 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, which make for enough room for multiple windows as well as be able to play full HD 1080p movies in crisp clear colors.

The Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B also has astounding two-stereo system that offers stunning sound quality even at top volume; this is quite missing in some other all-in-one PCs and a good combo to the specially integrated Blu-ray loading station. The touchscreen is also very responsive although for a PC, it is generally more convenient to do tasks using a keyboard and mouse but there are a number of applications pre-installed that are touch supported.

Overall, the Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B has the great looks and good hardware features like its display and sound quality are very impressive. However, these things fail to match up with its performance. Compared to the other less pricey all-in-one PCs, the Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B still warrants some action. Sony marketed another version of this PC, which is similarly named that cut back the RAM to 4 GB instead of 6 GB, has Core i7-2410M processor with a slightly better Nvidia GeForce 315 graphics and an added TV tuner and remote control.

Sony VAIO L Series VPCL214FX/B Desktop Computer Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 81,500.00

You may also check out: Sony VAIO SA Series Laptop Computer

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Acer Aspire S3 UltraBook Price in the Philippines, Features and Specs

Acer Aspire S3 UltraBook Price in the Philippines, Features and Specs: The technological advances we see happening on a daily basis have reached proportions that are already at times very hard to believe. In addition to that, the speeds with which these advances occur seem coming straight from an Asimov novel. It is just unbelievably fast when you come to think of it.

Not only that, these advances seems to affect everything in its way. Nothing gets spared from the long arms of technology these days. Which is actually a good thing. With all the changes that technology brings to us, things have become a lot smaller while becoming more powerful as time passes by.

Take the most common example for this premise – the laptop. When the first laptop was released back in the day, it was this clunky, hefty machine that would have meant breaking your back whenever you lug it around. Fast-forward to today. The laptop as we have come to know it have already transformed into something that we can only begin to imagine say 10 years ago.

In fact, because of these changes, a new category was already created for the laptop aside from the usual netbook, ultraportable, gaming and desktop replacement categories we already have in place. Say hello to the ultrabooks.

For the uninformed, the MacBook Air started this category. For the longest time, the Apple product was the sole occupant of this category but now, manufacturers began seeing the untapped potential in this category and have started coming up with their own ultrabooks.

One of these is Acer, which recently announced the Aspire S3. What then can we expect from the Acer Aspire S3? What kind of components lines its guts? What does it bring to the table in terms of performance?

We got some details about this new ultrabook from the company so read on to get the lowdown on the MacBook Air-threatening Acer Aspire S3.

Design and construction

One look at this ultrabook and you get the realization that this baby is thin. Wafer-thin, when you come to think of it. Put it right next to a Macbook Air and any discrepancy in dimensions would go unnoticed.

In terms of its aesthetics, the Acer Aspire S3 packs a brushed aluminum finish reminiscent of the MacBook Air. The only thing is, the Acer product manages to establish its own identity without looking like a MacBook Air-wannabe. In addition to that, it packs a slim and streamlined profile that makes it look very elegant despite its apparent thinness. And at a scant 3 pounds, you can say goodbye to back pains whenever you bring this baby to town.

Under the hood

The good thing about the Aspire S3 is that Acer gives you the option to configure the components that would soon lurk under its hood. In terms of the processing power, a prospective buyer has the option to choose from the available second-generation Sandy Bridge Intel Core processors ranging from i3 to i7. This would also be the same when it comes to the RAM the Acer Aspire S3 would pack.

As of press time, it has been said that the Acer Aspire S3 would be able to support up to 8GB of RAM so it is really up to you how much memory you would want to this baby pack. No news yet though regarding the availability of a dedicated GPU for the Acer Aspire S3 but in terms of storage space, a user can either go for a 240GB Solid State Drive or just select the 500GB hard Disk Drive option.

The display and other features

In terms of its display, the Acer Aspire S3 was endowed with a LED-backlit display with a 13.3-inch diagonal. Having the LED backlighting means that the display of this baby is sure to have very bright and vivid colors not to mention above average viewing angles and exceptional sunlight legibility.

In terms of input devices, the Acer Aspire S3 packs a keyboard with chiclet-style keys that seem to be the in thing for laptops today. The keys have ample spacing in between them and provide exceptional tactile feedback that despite the thinness of the keys, you will be touch-typing on this device in no time at all. The trackpad on the other hand is big and smooth and is expected to provide precision scrolling when used.

In terms of I/O, the Acer Aspire S3 packs the usual array of ports commonly found in laptops today. It has the usual USB ports, SD card-reader, mini-HDMI port, and standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.

The bottom line

Windows fanatics who have lusted after the sexiness of the MacBook Air but never found the courage to make the switch due to the differences in the operating systems need not look hungrily at another MacBook Air ever again. After the Acer Aspire S3 hits the shelves, we expect it to be a big hit given the specs that it carry in its slim body combined with the ultra-slim profile that would definitely make Apple rethink its design of the MacBook Air.

Acer Aspire S3 UltraBook Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 44,500.00

You may also like: Acer TravelMate 4740Z-P632G50Mn Laptop Computer

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Shure SE215 Earphones Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info

Shure SE215 Earphones Price in the Philippines, Features, and Other Info: One of the most popular things nowadays that have seemed to capture the attention of many is the in-ear headphones. You can almost find them anywhere and at any kind. From the in-ear headphones you see at grocery stores to the ones that come with your MP3s or iPods to the ones that will leave you penniless like those from Sennheiser and Bose, these little creatures are slowly making their way to fame. Quite surprisingly, all of them can deliver. However, there are those that need to be replaced after a short time because of poor quality. And, of course, the cheaper you get them, the more unimpressive the sound would be. Priced at $99, Shure’s SE215 may or may not be the one you need. But before jumping into conclusions, read along and find out just why this in-ear headphones is priced the way it is.

The Shure SE215 comes with a travel case and different sizes and types of interchangeable tips. There are small, medium and large sizes for “soft flex” and foam types. This is great because you get to choose what type suits you best. So for those who want sturdy or soft types, there is one for each when you get the Shure SE215. When you have chosen what type and size works best for you, all you have to do is fit them in your ears with the cord facing up so you can clip the wire behind using your earlobe. It doesn’t sound so convenient, right? But that is how it is supposed to be worn. Although some won’t mind, this might be one downside of using Shure SE215. On the other hand, since it seats perfectly in your ear, noise isolation is pretty excellent.

The most important reason why you get yourselves in-ear headphones is for the sound, of course. The Shure SE215 gives its users a good amount of bass, not like the other types where all you get are the treble and the bass sounds broken as well. Even if it gives a good amount of bass, it keeps the music smooth, which is really what music enthusiasts need and know. In-ear headphones with excellent bass sounds are the ones which usually become popular and in demand.

The mids, using the Shure SE215 earphones, are impressive. This might be the reason you’ll get yourself one. It makes the vocals and the guitars come through smoothly. Treble is light although when you listen to songs with cymbals, you’d feel the difference when you compare it with other high-end headphones. Another issue is that when you raise the volume higher, the treble seems to be the reason for some clipping in the songs you listen to. Though this is nothing a good EQ-ing could fix.

In general, the Shure SE215 is a good purchase for something worth $99. However, others may find it uncomfortable to use since it does not fit the way a traditional one would. Having to put it in with the cord facing up and having to clip it behind the earlobe is not something people are used to. And if you chose the wrong type of tips, you might get irritated with how it feels. So the trick is, to look for the tip that suits you best and get used to how it is worn. Otherwise, you will not be able to appreciate how impressive the noise isolation and the bass with these headphones are. The Shure SE215 surprisingly produces a good, natural sound and music lovers would love to listen to the sound of their music with these headphones. It is quite cheaper compared to other headphones, which, more or less could give you the same or even better quality.

Shure SE215 Earphones Price in the Philippines: Approximately Php 4,500.00

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