TECHFORBES

Western Digital 1 Terabyte Caviar Black Edition HDD

admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:36:53 +0000

With newer Hi-Def video and audio formats becoming popular, games getting larger, and collections growing, you need more space, period. Western Digital plans to satiate your hunger for space with their new I Terabyte Caviar Black edition HDD.
This HDD is almost the same size of a 500GB HDD, despite the increased amount of memory platters. They managed to keep the height low by using perpen dicular recording. The WD caviar comprises of dual processors for twice the data processing speed as normal drives, coupled with a massive 32 MB of buffer
memory that ensures that you get the max immn perform ance. Along with Acoustic management this drive also features Power management that allows it to power itself down when the drive is not in use or reduce its speed to a lower RPM when lower levels of performance are required.
We tested the WD Caviar Black edition HDD for its per formance in real world sce narios using HD tach and SiSoft Sandra, and it did well, but not that much better. It gave us a random access time of 12.3 ms, while the average read and write speeds came to 81.1 and 92 MBps respectively, with CPU utilization at a maximum of 4 per cent. SiSoft Sandra gave it a Drive Index of 80 MBps, and listed the access time as 12 ms.
To sum up, the WD Caviar Black edition HDD does perform well in our benchmarks, but doesn’t really stand apart from the crowd. At Rs 11,700, it’s a decent buy for those who don’t mind spending extra for a marginal performance boost and some additional features.
Specifications
32 MB buffer, Dual Processors, 1 Terabyte storage space, PMR recording technology

Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 6000

admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:31:37 +0000

The Microsoft wireless Laser Desktop 6000 tries to make computing comfort able with its ergonomic design, and also compli ments your need for style with its neat looks and great design.
The Laser Desktop 6000 comprises of a keyboard that is based on Microsoft’s Comfort Curve Design; keys have been placed in an ergonomically approved cur vaceous design to give your fingers the perfect position and comfort for long hours of work. The keyboard is Windows Vista Aero inspired, and that is why Microsoft has incorporated few dedicated Vista Aero shortcut keys. The keyboard has a semi transparent border, much like the Aero windows in Vista.
Apart from the basic keys, the keyboard features loads of shortcut keys, with one-touch access to Windows Flip, Zoom, Mail Client and even 5 programmable keys that you can set according to your preference.
The included wireless mouse uses laser technology, which gives it a more precise control as compared to an optical mouse. The tilt wheel allows it to scroll both hori zontally as well as vertically. If you are looking forward to a gaming solution, then this will not disappoint you with its responsive mouse, but you might find the keys to lack tactile feedback.
The Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 6000 operates at 2.4 GHz wireless radio fre quency, allowing it to con nect and operate smoothly without any interference from other electronic wire less devices connected to your computer.
We found the combo to perform well even over large distances. Microsoft claims the operable limit of the hardware is 40 Feet, and is good enough to give you the freedom to connect it to your HTPC. It worked flaw lessly for us at a distance of about 15 feet. Both devices operate on 2 AA batteries each, and Microsoft claims they will last for 4 months.
Specifications
2.4 Ghz wireless technology, Ergonomic design, Preset and customisable shortcut keys for the keyboard.

Creative ZEN Mozaic

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:31:34 +0000

The first time you see the Creative ZEN Mozaic, it looks like a flatter and larger version of ZEN Stone plus similar body and rounded corners. At closer inspection you can see the difference. The ZEN Mozaic has got a matte charcoal finish all over and gray and white accented keys that look great on it.
As far as support is concerned the ZEN mosaic sup ports majority audio for mats, MP3 and WMA to name a few. Along with that it can also play video content on it as well, though you will definitely have to wait for hours to convert the video with the bundled utility. We wish there was support for newer video formats like MP4 and DivX on this PMP.The ZEN Mozaic has a 1.4- inch colour display screen having a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels. The display is vibrant and colourful, and is good enough to display all information about a song. Due to its low resolution, video is not a good experi ence.
An FM player and a Voice recorder are also included, which is good for people who don’t like to have too many gadgets. The ZEN mosaic is a powerful little monster when it comes to music playback. The quality of the bundled headphones are a big let down. You will have to get yourself a good pair of cans if you buy this player, so remember to add that cost.
The battery life is good enough, and lasts about 6 hours between charges. FM reception is bad, and the lack of an expandable memory slot is worse - you’re stuck with the 2 GB provided. There are 4 GB and 8 GB versions available as well, but it’s still not enough these days. Overall, the bundle is something that looks a lot better than it sounds.
Specifications
Supports MP3, WMA and AVi formats, 1.4 in colour display, loudspeaker, FM radio

Kingston Data Traveler HyperX pen drive

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:24:11 +0000

Flash memory-based drives are evolving at a fast pace. While the capacities have gone up considerably, data transfer speeds are also a lot better than before, in general. Some of the very best drives come from memory manufacturers themselves, and Kingston’s HyperX is one of them.
This drive gets its looks from the blue-black HyperX memory modules. It has an aluminium and rubber casing, and this gives it strength and a good gripping surface. You’re unlikely to drop it, but if you do, the sturdy build will ensure that your data stays safe. The connector is retractable, so just slide it out when you want to use it.The drive we got for review had 8 GB of storage space; but it’s the perform ance that interested us more. In HD Tach benchmark this drive showed an access time of 11.9 ms, while the read and write speeds stood tall at 29.6 and 19.8 MBps. In our data transfer tests, we were able to copy 1 GB of sequential data in under a minute. Assorted data (1 GB, 441 files) took about a minute and 46 seconds. We were shocked to find that CPU utilisation jumped when transferring.
Speed comes at a price- - though, and for this drive, it seems to be CPU utilisation and price. At Rs 11,000 for the 8 GB model, this drive is not cheap. You also have 2 and 4 GB versions for cheaper, but considering that you get a 16 GB Data Traveller from the same manufacturer for about one- third the price, this drive seems like a luxury. If you are rich, have an obsession with speed, and want to make every second of your super-fast paced life count, buy this drive. If not, you’re probably still looking at the price tag.
Specifications
8 GB Storage space, Windows Vista ready boost Enhanced, 5 year warranty, Dimensions: 2.76 x 0.88 x 0.44 in

Creative VADO - Pocket sized video

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:18:06 +0000

Anybody who sees the Creative VADO for the very first time will confuse it with a portable media player. Don’t. This sleek and stylish metallic silver body hides a portable video recorder. It allows you to capture videos easily and quickly.
To start with, the Creative VADO comprises of a non-auto focus camera, with which you can record videos at a resolution of 640 x 480. It features 2 GB of memory, and this is non- expandable, which is a serious turn-off. At its resolu tion, though, this translates to about 2 hours of video recording.
Just like any other camcorder, the VADO also gives two options to record video, both at the same VGA resolu tion. When using High Quality mode, you can cap ture about 1 hour of video. In Standard Play mode you can get about two hours of video. Battery life is good, so you will run out of memory way before you run out of charge. Obviously, at VGA resolutions, recorded videos look pixellated, and you can make out the differ ence between High Quality and Standard Play recording modes. The convenience of being able to pull some thing out of your pocket, start recording and then put it away just as easily.
The VADO allows recorded content to be trans ferred via USB, and you don’t need to lug around cables, because it has a retractable connector. Using a bundled utility, uploading video to YouTube is as easy as pushing a button.
Overall, if you’re not looking for great video quality, and want to shell out Rs 7,000 for convenience of point and record, the VADO will keep you happy.
Specifications
VGA resolution camera, 2GB onboard memory, Rechargeable battery, USB 2.0 compatible, Direct Voulube uploads.

Intex B133Z-E2110

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:14:24 +0000

The new B133Z-E2110 from Intex is a good looking light-weight laptop. With its brushed metal finish black body and silver outlines, this laptop scores some points in the looks department. Intex has kept the laptop light weight and portable.
The glossy display stands tall at 13.3-inches, and repro duces some brilliant and vibrant visuals, which are vis ible from most angles. As far as input devices are con cerned, this notebook has a small keyboard, and those with large fingers will have trouble using the function and scroll keys. The trackpad, however, is quite sensitive and a joy to work on. You don’t even need to feel for the left-click button.
To make it portable and light weight, Intex includes a smaller 4-cell battery in this laptop, and this is only capable of running it for an hour. This is terrible, because you would think that battery life is of the utmost importance in a business notebook.
In terms of configuration, the laptop features an Intel T5750 processor running at 2 GHz with 2 GB of DDR2 RAM. The laptop doesn’t come with an installed OS, so if you’re a Linux junkie, this is a good thing; terrible for Windows users, because you have to shell out extra for an OS - or maybe not!
In terms of performance, this system is rather slow and is good enough for basic office work such as word pro cessing, presentations and Web browsing. You can connect to the Net via WiFI, LAN and 3 USB ports to choose from if you want to hook up your USB data card.
We’re very reluctant to recommend this laptop to business users, because of the pathetic battery life. The performance scores were understandable, and this laptop is good enough for everyday office tasks, but only if you keep it plugged in. This defeats the purpose of it being light and portable.
Specifications
Intel T5750 processor, 2GB RAM, 160 GB HDD, 8X DVD RAM drive, Bluetooth, Wi-Fl, 3 USB ports.

BenQ MP771

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:09:53 +0000

Projectors are finding their way into your living room as home enter tainment systems. The latest innovation that is coming in projectors is short throw lenses and mind it the BenQMP77I is a classic example of it. With its short throw lens this projector can project up to a 74-inch display from a distance of 1 meter. Good thing for people who have really cramped up spaces in office or at home.
The BenQMP 771 is compact, and uses a 280 watt Osram lamp, which company claims will last for almost 4000 hours under economy mode or 3000 hours under normal usage. You will need to change the lamp much before that of course, or suffer reduced brightness. This projector has a native XGA resolution of 1024 x 768, but supports resolution from VGA (640 x 480) to SXGA (1280 x 1024). It features a 16.7 mil lion color palette to give a richer color experience. We played a couple of movies and videos on it and it was able to reproduce superb colors with great contrast and sharpness. You can also tweak color saturation and hue according to your needs.
The projector has a small footprint. This pro jector has an impressive start up and shut down times; it took 1 minute to start the first time, and 32 seconds the next time. Shutting down is fast; just 29 seconds.
This projector comes with different video input ports like DVI, D-Sub, S Video and Composite video, but at its price, were expecting it to have HDMI support too. This projector scores with a great short throw lens and vibrant video reproduction, but lack of an HDMI port.

Specifications
Native XGA resolution (1024 x 768), Resolution support of up to 1280 x 1024, Short throw lens, 2000 : 1 contrast ratio, 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio compatible

Microsoft Life Cam VX 5500 - A webcam of many faces

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:04:17 +0000

The new Microsoft Life cam VX 5500 stands out with its intuitive design and beautiful looks that can com pliment any notebook or desktop computer.
TheVX 5500 has aVGA resolution of 640 x 480 that is good enough to take care of all the conferencing you plan to do. The overall video quality is good and you will not face any problem even in low light conditions. We would have loved to have manual focusing on this, but sadly there was none avail able - you will have to keep the camera at the right dis tance to keep it in focus. The VX 5500 sports a Uni Directional microphone, so sounds are picked up from anywhere in the room - good or bad depending on the ambient noise. The microphone features acoustic noise and echo cancellation.
The VX 5500 has a slim and flat folding stand that makes it easy to store and transport, and the same stand allows you to clip it on to your LCD monitor. Microsoft also adds a touch of color to this webcam with interchange able faceplates. White blue and red face plates are bun dled, but that’s about it for choice.
Installing the VX 5500 might be a slight hassle for people who don’t have an active Internet connection, as its software installation utility will not install the VX 5500 until it downloads the latest software driver version for the webcam.
Designed for the latest VX 5500 can be used to send offline video messages to family and friends. Also included in the Lifecam VX 5500 is a dedicated Windows Live Call button (A Skype like feature of Windows Live Messenger for calling any where from your computer), which gives one touch access to this feature.
Overall, the Life Cam VX 5500 comes across as a decent audio-visual solution for people who want to flaunt their style in basic Windows Live Messenger the utility peripherals.
However remember that it doesn’t have features like manual focusing and motion detection, which other manufacturers (Logitech and Creative) are incorporating in their web- cams in the same price range.
Specifications: VGA Resolution CMOS sensor, Flat folding design, USB 2.0, Noise cancelling microphone

Somewhat Innov8ive phone from Samsung

admin — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:58:22 +0000

While most of the V V crowds are attracted towards the likes of the HTC Touch and the all new iPhone, there are some still truly believe in powerful phones with physical buttons. There has been some anticipation and the Samsung 18510, or the Innov8 as it is better known, is finally here.
The design looks some what like the Nokia’s powerful N95 with a similar slider design. The slider wobbly at times. The design isn’t unconventional, but isn’t very stylish either. An array of touch-sensitive buttons line the panel below the screen. There are two dedicated buttons on this panel that make multi tasking to the next and previous running applica tion really simple.
The operating system on this phone is the Symbian 560 3rd edition. The phone comes with a whopping 16 GB of inbuilt memory. If that isn’t suffi cient space for you, then
Micro SD slot is also avail able to expand this.
Audio quality and recep tion is good. Using the keypad under the slider works well although the keys themselves don’t have the nicest feel to them.
The screen is good; the colours are good; so are
viewing angles and the refresh rate. This is great because the phone has video support for the com monly used DivX format. Movies run smoothly without any signs of framing whatsoever.
One of the largest selling points of this phone has to be the 8 MP resolu tion camera. The inbuilt flash works alright. Image quality from the camera is not very good. The images seem artificially enhanced to look very attractive. With a smaller sensor than standard point-and-shoot cameras, it is not possible to capture great quality at 8 MP.
A basic video sequencing application comes installed which allows you to make you own video compila tion by queuing up videos and photos with transition effects in between. The audio quality of the speaker on the phone is good and there is hardly any distor tion with the volume set to maximum. It must also be said that phone isn’t very loud either.
As expected from any phone over Rs 15,000 or so, WiFi is present and is GPS. The phone also comes with software - Route 66 and some other GPS tracking utilities. Google Maps is also one of the custom software installed on the phone. There are also some other software and games such as the mobile version of FIFA 2008 and a bike racer called Asphalt 4. The fast paced games don’t run as well as you’d like them to but they’re still about playable.
The performance maybe decent but the phone gets warm when you run a few videos or play some games on it. The other problem is that playing games on the keyboard is a little diffi cult. You also have to get used to the touch-sensitive buttons below the screen - when you’ve slid your finger to select the item you want and you move the finger away to click on a button, it slides to the next item.
Overall, it’s a good phone with loads of fea tures that you might not need or use. It isn’t very impressive though, espe cially for something that is one of the costliest phones around priced at Rs 43,250. It’s nothing something that will anyone’s jaw drop either. There is no doubt, that the iPhone will grab a lot more attention than the Innov8 and that is available for around Rs 31,000. The iPhone would appear to be a better buy for people just wanting a stylish phone that also happens to be very usable even though it’s just a touch-phone. If you want a phone with a proper keypad, loads of fea tures and the ability to install one of the many Symbian applications avail able online, then the Innov8 although expensive will fit your spot.
Specifications 2.8-inch screen, 16 GB inbuilt memory, 8 MP camera, inbuilt GPS, Symbian S60 3rd edition, 1200 mAh battery. Dimensions: 106.5 x 53.9 x 17.2 mm, Weight: 136 g

Will Chrome takeover your desktop?

admin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:28:35 +0000

Many experts and analysts say that Google has hidden agenda behind Chrome. It will take over your desktop, encroach your personal browsing behavior, and will gather information about users’ likes and preferences to serve right kind of ads on the page. We spoke to Google and they defended themselves. They said, “At Google, we’re committed to transparency and choice. Our mission is to make the Web better for our users through product innovation enabling users to access, share and create content quickly on a table and safe platform. Google does not collect additional personal information from users of Google Chrome. For those using Google Chrome, the information shared with Google when, say, you’re using our search engine, is similar to the information that is shared when you’re using a different browser and search on Google. Some features in Google Chrome, such as crash reporting, error pages and (Nav) Suggest do send some additional information to Google, but the information is not personal and those features can be easily turned off.”