SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 2 310

Samsung’s Galaxy 2 Tab 310–aka Galaxy Tab 2 7.0–is for users looking to bridge the divide between a full-fledged tablet and a smartphone. The 310 boasts of a 7-inch display and is capable of making and receiving phone calls. Wait: Samsung already has a bridge device known as the Galaxy Note, doesn’t it? Sure. However, the idea here seems to be to please folks who require a larger display than the Galaxy Note's without forfeiting the ability to make voice calls.

Unlike most other Samsung displays, the screen on the Tab 310 is not a Super AMOLED panel. Samsung has decided to use a PLS display instead. This is similar to Apple’s IPS displays and sports a resolution of 1024x600 pixels. The screen is bright and the text, crisp. Of course, it would be difficult to get used to this if you come over from the Retina Display-toting iPad.

The 310 gets two cameras: a 3-megapixel fixed-focus rear camera and a VGA front one to enable video calls. Note that the rear camera comes sans a flash. While we wouldn’t term the 310 as gorgeous, it will turn heads if you use it to answer calls, and not necessarily for the right reasons. There is a much-needed 3.5 mm jack at the top of the device. This is a critical accessory if you intend to make phone calls using this device, since it would be rather awkward to raise the relatively large device to your ear to make or receive calls.

The design of the tab is quite plain, with no buttons on the front fascia. The rear, however, looks better with its grey metallic finish. The only hardware buttons are the volume control keys and the power button, which also doubles as your screen lock/unlock button when the device is powered on. On the other side, there is a SIM-card slot flanked by a micro-SD card slot. The device weighs just 315 grams and is just 10.5 mm thin. For a tablet, it is quite compact but obviously comes up short if you were to benchmark it against a smartphone.

Powering the Galaxy Tab 2 310 is a Ti OMAP dual-core processor running at 1 GHz as well as 1 GB RAM. There was no noticeable lag while running intensive apps and it was only when we played a 3D game in the background that the tablet showed some signs of stress. The tablet runs Samsung’s proprietary Touchwiz UI atop Android 4.0.3 ICS. The Touchwiz UI offers some neat functionality to the device, like the easy screenshot option and the universal bar at the bottom via which you can access your favourite apps easily. The Tab 310 offers comprehensive codec support and is capable of playing back almost all the file formats you can throw at it. It is DivX certified and also supports high quality FLAC audio files.

As for all-important battery life, let us assure you that the 310 can last you an entire day under normal usage circumstances courtesy the 4000 mAH battery. However, things are not so great if you surf the web continuously while on 3G and at full brightness.

In India, Samsung sells only the 16 GB version of the Tab 2 310. The same device is also available in 8 GB and 32 GB versions elsewhere. The 16 GB version is priced at Rs 19,000, which we feel is a great price for a smartphone-esque tablet with a 7-inch display.

Growing pains for MacBook Pro's new Retina display

Everyone is excited about the just-announced MacBook Pro and its high-resolution screen, but there may be a few bumps in the road before it's as "magical" as its Retina display brethren, the iPad and iPhone. The OS X desktop is a considerably more complicated and varied environment than iOS, and early reports suggest early adopters might face a slightly uneven experience.

The complications arise, ironically, because of Apple's decision to hide the complications of a higher resolution from the user. Normally, if you were to double the density of pixels on a display, the result would be that everything would be displayed at half the size. Each of the letters in this sentence would still be around six or seven pixels wide, but the pixels themselves would be much smaller — so, then, would be the letters. The result: tiny text, tiny buttons, and way too much screen real estate.

Anand Lal Shimpi / AnandTech
In order to fix this, Apple had to do some fancy behind-the-scenes footwork while avoiding mention of the actual new resolution (above). And while on iOS it was comparatively easy for them to standardize requirements for apps, things are a bit more difficult on a laptop. The techniques Apple has chosen, described in greater detail by the team at Anandtech, are smart and effective, but involve a bit of trickery for which not every application and website is prepared.


Anand Lal Shimpi / AnandTech
The result? Websites look great in Safari, but (as of this writing) highly pixellated in Chrome (a new pre-release version of the browser reportedly fixes this). And some games, for instance "Diablo III," let you select the highest resolution available, while others don't even detect it. And who can say what will happen with the myriad programs available for download all over the net, many of which don't have graphics teams to address these issues? For power users, it could be something of a minefield.


That's not to say people should think twice about buying one of the new laptops if they feel so inclined. But as has often been the case with first-generation Apple products, there are a few hiccups to work out, so the first month or two may be be marred by occasional inconsistencies. Unless, of course, you decide to migrate to Apple's Retina-ready apps in order to smooth things out — as Apple surely hopes many will do.

Sony Launches World’s Slimmest 3D Camera in its class – Cybershot DSC-TX55

The Cybershot range from Sony was always known for sleek and crafty cameras, which were able to take good photos. Today, Sony launched a yet another sleek camera which redefines the slimness characteristic of the Cybershot range.

The Sony Cybershot DSC-TX55 is just 12.2 mm thick (measurement excludes lens cover), making it even slimmer than a standard AA-size battery. Its the slimmest among cameras with an optical anti-shake function.

This camera features the Carl Zeiss lens and Exmor R CMOS sensor which can capture great still photos as well as full HD videos even in low light conditions. Its high speed auto focus can lock the subject in as little as 0.1 second.

The 3.3″ (8.3cm) Xtra Fine OLED wide touch-screen on the back is quite comfortable for viewing photos and movie clips with incredible detail.

The 3D capability of this 16.2 Megapixel camera featuring 5x optical zoom, needs a special mention. Without a large stereoscopic lens, this camera allows 3D Sweep Panorama mode and Sweep Multi Angle mode, apart from various still 3D photography options.

The Sony Cybershot DSC-TX55 is available in 3 colours, namely Gold, Black & Silver. It is priced at Rs. 19,990 and is available in all leading consumer electronic outlets across India.

Toshiba Excite 13 review: a big-screened tablet with a price to match

In the tablet game, there seems to be only one question - what's the right size? Samsung with their Galaxy Note figured a 5-incher qualified only as a hybrid. The iPad proved people would buy a 9-incher en masse, the HP reaffirmed it, and the Blackberry thought it stumbled on something magical with its 7.7-inch tablet.
But Toshiba has unequivocally answered the question nobody was asking - "what size is too big?" The Toshiba Excite 13 inch tablet is the answer to that question.

The Excite line already had the basics covered - a 7.7-inch and 10-inch tablet - when they decided to go pull a Galaxy Note.

The official PR line on the Excite 13 is that it offers "more screen for more of everything" and this certainly holds true. Whereas a 13-inch computer might not seem Godzilla-sized in your hands, the Toshiba Excite 13 does.

This also leads to a feeling that you're somehow doing something superior, like every video is an IMAX film, and that your tablet is technically superior through screen real estate alone.
Fortunately, the illusion isn't quickly shattered by looking over the spec sheet. the 13.3-inch tablet has an LED backlit display boasting a 1600x900 resolution (at 16:9 aspect ratio - tailored perfectly for HD videos).

A quad-core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor with GeForce graphics keeps the processes snappy and the gaming good, while 1GB of RAM insures the processes never make the device feel sluggish. In our tests, the tablet could respond as quickly as we could possibly hope.

Swiping between home screens can be done quickly with the swipe of a finger, though we have to admit even that slight swipe seems astronomically huge to what we've experienced on other tablets.

Holding the damn thing is also a bit of a problem, as it's a "two hands at all times" type tablet. The Excite 13 isn't so much heavy as it unwieldy. But once you get yourself acquainted to the idea that what you're holding is more computer than tablet, you can start to excitedly imagine all the possibilities a tablet this size could offer. HD Videos would rock, a bluetooth keyboard would make the device the sleekest laptop imaginable, Angry Birds with eagles displayed in their real-life size.

Apple iCam: A Modular Concept Camera That Uses an iPhone for Brains

The Apple iCam is a concept camera by Italian designer Antonio DeRosa that imagines a future where cameras are modular and powered by smartphones. Smartphones have already invaded the compact camera market in recent years, but their small lenses and sensors keep them from being seen as suitable alternatives to more advanced cameras. The iCam camera changes that by adding a large sensor and interchangeable lens system to the mix. Simply attach your iPhone 5 to the case and you’ll have yourself a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with a huge LCD screen, fast processor, internet connectivity, and countless photo apps!

A creation of ADR Studio, this device was shown to us by Antonio de Rosa, creator of many interesting Apple concepts. The iCam comes with an unibody aluminum design, interchangeable Apple lenses, an iMount mounting system and a front touchscreen for self portraits. There’s also an LED flash on board, a front pico projector and a SD UHS-i slot. Siri compatibility is also here, as well as a motion sensor and ISO range from 100 to 3200, extendable to 6400.

The Apple camera concept is capable of full HD 60 fps capture, using a 10.1 megapixel sensor and its specs most likely include Bluetooth and WiFi as well. I suppose that the time between shots is almost non-existent, since even the iPhone 4S beat records and delivered an incredibly fast photo shooting experience. Would you buy this camera? What price range it would fit?

Ringbow hits Kickstarter, promises directional pad-assisted touch gaming

Ringbow is the first gaming accessory designed to enhance the experience of touch screen gaming. Since touch screens are controlled with fingers, a finger-worn tool, specifically a ring, is the natural choice for complementing them. Operating Ringbow in conjunction with using a touch device enables countless new features and a much more efficient user experience.Ringbow lets you free your fingers from your device, leaving your hands available to do whatever you feel like doing: eating a sandwich, drinking a beer, high-fiving your buddy or stroking a puppy. Whatever you'd choose to do with your hands!

Ringbow innovates touch devices’ gameplay, offering unique additions to existing mobile games as well as developing new games that couldn’t previously be played on touch devices. Ringbow also makes porting consoles games and PC games to mobile devices easier than ever which can be done without affecting and damaging their great experience.

How does Ringbow work?

Ringbow uses a standard Bluetooth protocol, meaning it supports any and all Bluetooth enabled devices.  Turn your Ringbow on, pair it to your device and it simply works.

Thanks to the D-pad button design you enjoy a great sense of tactile control. When performing an action you feel when you pressed and where. Though this first model is ideal for gaming, it can do so much more to put functions at your fingertips.

You can use Ringbow for;

• remote browsing while reading;
• to correct misspelled emails;
• to act as a remote control for your TV;
• to answer phone calls while driving;
• to transform your tablet into a gaming console for your kids;
• and so much more…

Ringbow provides a set of intuitive controlling features that provides tactile feedback, enhances accessibility and dramatically improves reaction times,  greatly enhancing the user experience of touch devices.

Ringbow in a nutshell;

* the world's first touch-screen gaming accessory

* a comfortable ring that you wear on your finger whilst gaming

* adds layers of functionality to each touch

* acts as a mouse/joystick device to use for gaming

* builds a new platform for existing and new games

AT&T FOUNDRY & RINGBOW - We collaborated with the AT&T Foundry to explore the potential of Ringbow. Take a look at how they envision the Ringbow device - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFJw1ZXFvB0 

Razer Naga Hex gaming mouse

Gaming is serious business, and for those who take their frags and RTS strategies seriously, then surely high-end hardware is the name of the game for such gamers. CES 2012 proved to be a potent platform for Razer to continue with their serpentine collection of gaming peripherals, with the latest one being the Razer Naga Hex gaming mouse. Yes sir, their latest gaming mouse will feature half a dozen thumb buttons that was specially designed for MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena), action-RPG and hack and slash genres.

The inspiration behind the Naga Hex? Its predecessor of sorts, the award-winning Razer Naga MMO gaming mouse came with a 12-button thumb grid, so the Razer Naga Hex now sports six large thumb buttons that have been optimized for the user interfaces found in action-RPG and MOBA games.

All of the six mechanical buttons can be bound to specific spells, abilities, items, and other invaluable commands in MOBA games such as League of Legends. This alone paves the way for faster and easier actuation, where a mechanical key infrastructure that uses less force to actuate allows you to have the upper hand in terms of speed over your enemies. This results in you being able to strike them before they can react, pretty much in the same way most snakes attack with lightning fast reflexes. Not only that, with Diablo III more or less ready to roll out in due time (not taking as long as Duke Nukem forever, I hope), you can prepare yourself by getting the Razer Naga Hex beforehand since it is perfect for obsessive clicking in hack and slash games.

Special switches are used in the construction of the Razer Naga Hex’s buttons, where they are able to withstand up to 250 clicks per minute – if you average that out, it amounts to slightly more than 4 clicks a second. Fret not about hyper-clicking though, as the Razer Naga Hex is said to be good for up to a whopping 10 million clicks – that translates to 40,000 minutes, which leads us to 666 hours if you decide to break it down further – now that is a whole lot of clicks (and a diabolical number to boot), so chances are you would settle for a new mouse long before the Naga Hex bites the proverbial dust.

Nice to know the asking price for the Razer Naga Hex gaming mouse is not that high either at just $79.99, where it will ship from the end of this month onwards

Turtle Beach graces CES 2012 with Ear Force XP400 and XP300 premium wireless gaming headsets

CES 2012 sees the debut of two more premium gaming headsets from Turtle Beach – the Ear Force XP400 and XP300, where you can see the former depicted above. Both models have been specially optimized for wireless game audio and chat on the Xbox 360, not to mention playing nice with the Sony PS3 as well. These headsets deliver whole new levels of convenience and versatility, while ensuring the renowned game audio performance that is associated with Turtle Beach as well.

With the new XP400 and XP300 headsets, wireless Bluetooth chat will also be a staple feature, something that only the acclaimed XP500 headset previously offered, helping those who are on a tighter budget to get more bang for their hard-earned buck. Apart from that, rechargeable batteries and new 5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi RF wireless technology will make sure that you will more or less do away with interference even when there are wireless networks at home.

Now, on to the specifications so that you can make a better purchase decision. The Turtle Beach Ear Force XP400 Wireless Dolby Surround Sound Gaming Headset delivers immersive 360 degree audio, and has adjustable surround sound angles. With 2.4/5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi Wireless Digital Game Sound, you enjoy uncompressed digital RF audio signal for CD-quality sound. Not only that, with Dual-Pairing Bluetooth, you too can chat wirelessly on the Xbox 360 and the PS3, while answering incoming phone calls when gaming. The rechargeable lithium polymer battery is also said to deliver up to 15 hours of uninterrupted gameplay. Out in this first quarter, the Ear Force XP400 will retail for $219.95.

As for the Turtle Beach Ear Force XP300 Wireless Amplified Stereo Gaming Headset, this will deliver 2.4/5GHz dual-band Wi-Fi Wireless Digital Game Sound, is Wi-Fi friendly and also delivers Dual-Pairing Bluetooth so that you can chat with your family whenever they interrupt your gaming session by calling your phone. Dynamic Chat Boost ensures the message gets across, since chat volume automatically increases as the game volume gets louder. It will arrive at the same time as the XP400 for $169.95.

Lenovo India brings UltraBooks to the table, also the world’s slimmest 27″ All-in-One!

Lenovo, India’s Number 1 PC vendor is planning to become the most preferred PC brand among the youth in the country by signing India’s No. 1 youth icon, Ranbir Kapoor as it’s brand ambassador!

Lenovo has now added Ultrabooks to its portfolio with the IdeaPad U310(13.3″) and U410(14″). Equipped with SSDs and Intel’s 3rd generation Core processors, these Ultrabooks offer good battery life along with speed and come in different colors!

Specifications of the Lenovo IdeaPad U310

The IdeaPad U310 prices start from Rs. 49,990 in India.

Specifications of the Lenovo IdeaPad U410

The IdeaPad U410 prices start from Rs. 52,990 in India.

Lenovo also launched the world’s slimmest 27″ All-In-One with just 25.4mm thickness called the IdeaCentre A720.

Powered by the 3rd generation Intel Core processors, the A270′s frameless display supports a 10-point multi-touch capability! With a widely adjustable screen angle between -5^o - 90^o it allows comfortable usage in variety of positions. It comes with up to 1TB HDD and 64GB SSD, up to 8 GB RAM, 720p HD webcam and an integrated TV tuner card. It’s pricing starts from Rs. 89,990.

Not to forget that this AIO and the Lenovo Ultrabooks are Windows 8 compatible and you can upgrade it to Windows 8(once its released for general public) just for $15 as per Microsoft’s latest announcement!