Nvidia 650i Ultra

After conquering the hearts of enthusiasts with the nForce 680i SLI, Nvidia now has something to stun the mainstream users. The nForce 650i Ultra promises to ace in its category with its lavish feature set.

Features

The nForce 600 series for Intel supports the entire line of Intel LGA775 processors including the latest Core 2 Duo series. The 650i Ultra North Bridge boasts 1333 MHz FSB and DDR2 memory support up to 8 GB. The board also features a x16 PCI-E slot for adding a graphics card. Combined with the 650i Ultra North Bridge is the powerful nForce 430 MCP supporting two IDE drives, four SATA drives, Gigabit Ethernet and 8 USB ports. 8-channel audio is controlled by the Realtek ALC885 HD audio codec.



Layout

The layout of the board is flawless with thoughtful placement of components. The area around the CPU socket is clutter-free with ample clearance between the North Bridge and the DIMM slots. The North Bridge is cooled by an aluminum heatsink fitted with a 40 mm fan. The DIMM slots are also well-spaced to allow thicker memory modules with heat-spreaders to breathe comfortably. The four SATA ports are placed at the lower right edge of the board to maintain close proximity to the hard drives in the case.



Test Bed

Processor: Intel C2D E6700, 2.66 GHz Memory: 2 GB DDR2 800 MHz (4-4-4-12 1T)

Hard drive: WD Raptor 740GD

Graphics card: Asus EN7800GTX Top



SCORES



SiSoft Sandra 2007

CPU Arithmetic

Dhrystones: 24572 MIPS

Whetstones: 48196 MFLOPS

Memory bandwidth: 5755 MB/s



PCMark 05

Overall: 7527

HDD: 6726



3DMark 05: 9047



Doom 3

640x480 @low: 220 fps

1600x1200 @ultra 4xAA: 53 fps



Time taken to…

Compress 200 MB files to RAR using ‘Best compression’: 52 secs

Encode 300 MB of WAV files to 256 Kbps MP3 at high quality: 60 secs

Encode 99 MB VOB file to Xvid at 75 percent quality: 102 secs



Performance

We decked up the board with high-end components and the board cruised throughout the synthetic and real-world tests. Except for being able to display steroidal frame rates using the SLI mode, the performance is comparable to that of enthusiast boards. The BIOS offers support for tweaking FSB, CPU multiplier and voltages. Using the preset FSB to memory ratios, overclocking on this board is a cakewalk. We managed to overclock the E6700 from 2.66 GHz to 3.4 GHz by increasing the FSB to 1360 which in turn cranked the memory speed from 800 MHz to 906.7 MHz (3:2 ratio).



Verdict

If you’re looking out for a mainstream board without on-board graphics, this is the best board in the category for Intel processors. Settle for this board if you need high performance without SLI support.

Sony Software Makes PCs Vulnerable

Software included with high-end memory sticks sold by Sony Corp can make personal computers vulnerable to attack by computer hackers, according to researchers with two Internet security firms.

Sony's MicroVault USB memory stick and fingerprint reader includes software that creates a hidden directory on the computer's hard drive, researchers with Finnish security software maker F-Secure Corp reported on the company's blog on Monday.

Such software that hides itself, which is known as a root kit, leaves room for hackers to secretly infect personal computers, they said.

Software that is installed on such hidden drives is not only invisible to the human eye; some types of computer security software are unable to detect viruses and other types of so-called malware, or malicious software, stored on them.

F-Secure's blog posting said it attempted to contact Sony before alerting the public about the software, but the company had not replied.

Sony spokesman Chisato Kitsukawa said he could not immediately comment on the situation.

On Tuesday, researchers with McAfee Inc. said they had confirmed the vulnerability described by F-Secure.

"The apparent intent was to cloak sensitive files related to the fingerprint verification feature included on the USB drives," said McAfee spokesman Dave Marcus. "However, software creators apparently did not keep the security implications in mind. The application could be used to hide arbitrary software, including malicious software."

This is not the first time F-Secure has found Sony software installing hidden directories on the drives of its customers. In 2005 there was a similar situation involving the electronics maker's digital rights management software, security experts say.

SA6 - The Earphones with EQ Control

Nothing could be more personal in the sound domain than earphones; discretion levels are at the max there, obviously, as the sound is literally right in your ears. So it's only predictable that one must be able to control the sound one hears so up close. Sleek Audio has come up with a solution that defines lateral thinking.The SA6 earphones, with 'dismantleable' parts to control EQ.

They have interchangeable parts that can either accentuate the highs or lows according to preference. The treble can be controlled by detaching (or attaching) 3 small parts. On the other side of each earpiece, there's a choice of three interchangeable bass ports that can add the thud which bassheads crave, or roll off the boominess in some badly mastered tracks. All parts are replaceable actually, even the cables. They are like the bearings in a futuristic gadget, straight out of Japanese animation.

The product ships in Mid october, at a retail price of $299, which sounds reasonable, especially because the company has quoted them to be 'In ear monitors'.

Limited Edition White PS2 Announced

Sony has just announced a limited edition PS2 (ceramic white) which will be bundled with the hit Karaoke game SingStar Pop. The bundle will include two USB Microphones and will be priced at $149.99. Here’s what Jack Tretton, president and CEO of SCEA had to say:

”With our expansive library of titles for PlayStation, led by social gaming experiences such as SingStar, and Buzz!, we have an incredible offering for first-time gaming families…

At $149.99, the limited edition ceramic white PlayStation 2, bundled with the family-friendly social gaming title, SingStar Pop, is an unbeatable value that will provide fun for everyone this holiday.”

No More 60GB PS3s With Sony

Next Generation brings word that Sony’s internal stock of 60GB PS3 has run dry, which means that there are none left in their warehouses. Most retailers however seem to have heaps of PS3 piling in their warehouses, so don’t rush into buying a PS3 just yet. Here’s what Sony Computer Entertainment America’s Dave Karraker had to say:

"We no longer have any inventory in SCEA warehouses. All inventory has been purchased and shipped to retailers.

We don't have visibility as to if that is on their store shelves or in their warehouses at this time. However, based on inventory reports from our retailers, there is ample supply still left in the channel."

Once the stock’s depleted from the stores, buyers will have just one option should they opt for the PS3 - the 80GB model. The company also announced that they have no plans for any further price cuts right now, but there are strong rumors suggesting that they might just consider one in the near future; we’ll keep you posted as and when it happens

Games of September 2007

This year is being hailed as one of the greatest years for gaming and supporting that theory is the month of September that has tons of good stuff coming your way.

Heavenly Sword (PS3)
Release Date: Mid September
Genre: Action/Adventure


The PS3’s very first potential system seller will finally hit Indian stands this September (as confirmed by Milestone Interactive). In case you haven’t been following this game, it’s all about an ancient weapon of great power called the Heavenly Sword that’s wielded by a crazy little bitch called Nariko. Her aim is to liberate the land of the evil king Bohan during which tons of gratuitous violence, killer context sensitive actions, gorgeous visuals and impressive boss fights ensues. There is a demo of this game floating about on the PlayStation Network so you may want to try that out before shelling out nearly 2,800 bucks on this game.

skate (Xbox 360 PS3)
Release Date: 11th September 2007
Genre: Sports

After exploiting the World War II scene (Medal of Honor series), underground tuner scene (NFS Series) and not to mention countless sports game (FIFA, NFL, Nascar etc etc) mega corporation EA have finally turned their sights to the world of skating. This particular genre was ruled by Tony Hawk and his 555,5555,5555 Tony Hawk games released on nearly every platform on the planet but EA now plan on giving developer Neversoft a run for their money with Skate. Those who want to experience the game for themselves can hop across to Xbox Live Marketplace for a hefty single player demo that allows players to try out some of the game’s unique features.
Halo 3 (Xbox 360)
Release Date: 25th September 2007
Genre: First Person Shooter


Umm yeah!

DiRT (PS3)
Release Date: 11th September 2007
Genre: Racing



One of the finest off road racers on the block right now, DiRT finally makes its way to the PS3 this month. The PS3 version of this game will boast of the same content as the Xbox 360 version; only it’ll probably run at a better frame rate. For more on the game, head over to our Xbox360 review here.

Stranglehold (Xbox360 PS3 PC)
Release Date: 14th of September
Genre: Third Person Action



Funny seeing this game here again huh? Well it’s a long story that goes something like this. The Xbox 360 as well as the PC versions of this game were to release on the 27th of August but they both have been pushed to the 5th of September. And the PS3 version that was to ship on the 14th of September is still on track so yeah, that’s the reason you’re seeing this game in this list all over again.

World in Conflict (Xbox360 PC)
Release Date: 18th September 2007
Genre: Real Time Strategy

What if the Cold War never ended? World in Conflict (WiC) will allow you to explore all those possibilities by immersing players in a World War II scenario where the Soviet Union wages war on American soil and against NATO forces all at once, in a bid to retain power. Unlike most of the RTSs on the block, WiC does not bother players with stuff like base building or resource gathering; instead it gives them a fixed amount of cash to purchase units and upgrades with, adding a new flavor to the strategy genre. To get a better understanding of the game, head over to our Downloads section for a shiny single player demo.

Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights
Release Date: 17th September
Genre: Racing



A sequel to the not-so-popular 2005 game, Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights will allow players to indulge in some street racing action all over again. The focus once again lies on the “Tuner Culture” so expect tons of car tuning, scantily dressed babes, guys called Razr (or something to that effect) and a brand new drift mode as well. Now I understand if you’re pretty skeptical about this game since the first game was a tad crappy (although it had tons of interesting concepts later adopted by NFS) so you can play it safe by heading over to Xbox Live to check out the single player demo of this game.

Warhawk (PS3)
Release Date: Mid September
Genre: Action

Even though this game was present on last month’s list, the retail version hits stores this September for around 1799. For those who have no clue as to what the game’s all about, here’s a slight heads up: Warhawk will play out like a next gen version of Battlefield with tons of players taking each other apart using a barrage of futuristic weapons and vehicles like planes, tanks and jeeps. The game was to have a single player mode as well, but that got scrapped as developer Incognito Games turned all their resources towards the game’s multiplayer component.

Philips Introduces Aurea - The New Ambilight

Philips aims to take its critically acclaimed design concept, the ambilight, into newer and more flashier domains - with an upgrade.The new TV is called 'Aurea', catching on to the naming characteristics of its close competitors.

Aurea builds on Philips’ 11-year leadership in flat television technology and represents the next generation of Philips Ambilight FlatTV. It applies the latest advances in Philips TV technology – including a new, LED-based Ambilight system, discreet speakers and the Perfect Pixel HD Engine picture quality platform – into a minimalist design. Aurea, which goes on sale in Europe next month, will be supported by an innovative marketing campaign, under the theme Seduction By Light. The campaign will feature exclusive images taken by top Vogue fashion photographer Vincent Peters, and the dresses used in the Aurea imagery are designed by Alber Elbaz of Lanvin.

A important factor of the release will be the world premiere at IFA of “There is only one Sun”, a short film made exclusively for Philips by acclaimed director Wong Kar Wei, the jury president of the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. Inspired by the concept of seduction by light, the short film will be shown exclusively on Aurea televisions.

iRiver's B20 Released With TV Capabilities

iRiver’s B20 PMP that was released in Korea is going to be released in a few other markets. Which ones precisely, are not yet known. The B20 is a PMP with DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) and DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) capabilities. It also has an FM tuner as well.

It has a 2.45 inch QVGA TFT display with 262K colors and a pixel resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. It’s available in 2GB and 4GB capacities. The B20 has a set of 6 presets for its EQ including a customizable 5 band EQ. It can be hooked up to a PC via USB 2.0. It reads MPEG, WMA, ASF, MPEG4 SP and WMV video formats and of course MP3’s for music. It also supports external memory with SD cards. The B20 also supports Flashlite gaming and has built in speakers.

The price is not yet out, so we’ll have to wait and see what this player will cost, if it gets here.

Project Sylpheed

Over the years, the space simulation genre has branched out into enough sub-genres to satiate all sorts of gamers; for instance - if you like old school RPGs, a game like Escape Velocity: Nova would appeal to you; if you like action-RPGs, something like Freelancer would be right up your alley; for the RTS fan, there’s Homeworld; for the MMORPG addict, there’s EVE Online; and finally, for those who like space-dogfights, there’ve been games like Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and Wing Commander, and now there’s Project Sylpheed.

The game’s set in the 27th Century, 500 years from the time humanity started colonizing other worlds. The new worlds are governed by the Earth’s Terra Central Government (TCG) who’re deemed tyrannical by many other factions. The differences between the groups and the TCG leads to an uprising, after which the groups band together to form the ADAN Freedom Alliance (ADAN comes from Alberti, Delacroix, Angelico and Nold, the four systems that it comprises of) to start a rebellion. You play the role of a naturally gifted ace pilot in training (what a cliché!) under the TCG’s forces, who gets caught off guard in the middle of the war.

I know the story sounds a little lame, but it makes up for this with some pretty engaging action - you control a prototype ship in the game, which allows you to do everything from standard maneuvers, to special moves such as unloading all your weapons at the push of a button, charging through a barrage of enemies at lightening fast speed or slowing down in time to give you an extra edge! There’s a catch though – you can perform all these special maneuvers only at the expense of your ship’s shield energy, so you’re going to have to use them sparingly. I know that the action sounds very arcade-like (and it is), but that doesn’t mean that the gameplay lacks depth. In fact, it’s quite the opposite – everything from the game’s narrative flow to its intuitive lock-on system is well thought of and executed quite well.

The main draw of the game is the crazy amount of customization you gain access to - your ship has 3 weapon slots that can be retrofitted with a wide amount of weapons based on technology that you can research on as you progress. You have everything from cluster missiles to high intensity lasers at your disposal, and each weapon slot allows you to equip only a certain kind of weapon on it. The ship’s nose for instance, can be fitted with only low caliber rapidfire guns or lasers, that have to be targeted manually and are usually used as backup weapons. The other two slots allow you to mount missile delivery systems that’ll become your bread and butter before you know it. Since we’re talking about missiles, I might as well tell you that there’s no better feeling in the game than locking on a group of ships and unloading a huge payload of missiles to blow them to smithereens. However, if you’re not satisfied with your weapon and crave for something more powerful, you can do that too. The way this goes is that after completing a mission you get a bundle of cash depending on how well you fared in a mission; you use this cash to research new and powerful technology ranging from different types of ammunitions to some really powerful guns. This allows for a plethora of choices and the ability to customize your ship according to your play style; for instance, if you like targeting manually you research on the best nose mounted weapons out there; on the other hand, if you like a huge amount of missile and don’t mind losing out on some of the tracking, short ranged cluster missiles are for you. All these little things may add up to make the game sound a little complex, but don’t worry about that, the training gets you acquainted with all of it pretty well.

The one area the game doesn’t do too well however is its performance. The game’s got some really gorgeous visuals, vibrant colors and really nice particle effects, and everything from the nebulas you see in the backdrop to the ship’s design is top-notch. Unfortunately, you pay a rather high price for this through your framerate. Towards the beginning, the game runs pretty smooth and flawlessly, but as the game progresses and the dog fights get more intense with more bad-guys popping in and out of combat, the game starts to stutter a little. In a game with such fast paced combat, the stutters and slowdowns end up getting you killed or failing objectives quite often, which can become really frustrating.

If you can learn to live with the performance issues, Project Sylpheed is a really nice game, especially for those of you that love dog-fights. Personally, although it’s a pretty good game, I wouldn’t really bother buying it since I’m not too big on arcade-ish flight combat simulators. If you on the other hand are, then Project Sylpheed is a good buy since it’s one of the only next-gen combat flight games out there.

LG Xnote C1 Tablet

It has been some time since we had the pleasure of reviewing a Tablet PC. In fact looking at the functionality and convenience that tablets offer, it makes us wonder why manufacturers keep ignoring this segment of mobile computing. Very few manufacturers tend to release products in this range in India and when they do... the machines end up being sub-par and extremely expensive to boot.

LG recently released their Xnote C1 tablet. Is it able to escape the problems that have plagued other players in this segment? Read on to find out...

LG as a brand-name is far better known in India for their white good products. Though they have marketed and released laptops in India earlier too, they have not been able to achieve any kind of success in this sphere. Hence coming into this review, I was a little bit curious and wary on the looks and performance of this new product

Well my fears on the looks of the product were laid to rest quite quickly. The X1 is a 10.6 inch tablet and is surprisingly small and light. LG has opted to go with a plain white-black color combination for the Xnote. There is a strange color variation here though. The top lid of the tablet is piano-black with a smooth finish, while the area around the LCD Panel is a lighter matte finish and the keyboard area is plain glossy white. The whole effect gives the tablet a rather sober look and actually demeans the laptop - making it look less expensive than it is actually worth. Another irritating note here is that the top lid is a fingerprint magnet. Every little thumbprint shows up glaringly. In its defense however, LG has provided a cloth to clean the laptop. While this does solve the problem somewhat, a better selection of paint and a less reflective surface (like HP’s DV2000 series) would have been more appropriate. However once you get past this problem, the LG shines. The construction material used for the tablet is very sturdy. The hinges of the tablet are well secured and despite being flexed in every possible direction was free moving and without squeaks.

The keyboard of the tablet was one of the many surprises that we found in this product. Unlike standard keyboards offered on tablets of this size, the X1’s has surprisingly large keys, excellent placement and great tactile feedback. The normal cramping that one faces when typing on a tablet’s keyboard, was thankfully and conspicuously absent. In a similar vein the touchpad too was top-notch. It offers very good traction and a pair of surprisingly firm mouse keys.

IOGEAR Launches Portable Gadget Charger

Having a portable charger is definitely a step in the right direction. Who wouldn’t want to have something at hand that’ll charge your phone or players battery while on the move. The guys down at IOGEAR have managed to develop just what the doctor ordered with their Gear Juice gadget charger.

The Gear Juice charger has an inbuilt Lithium Polymer battery. By plugging in your own device using the charging adapters (six supplied) the device will transfer power from its own battery to the device plugged into it. It also has a power level; indicator to let you know when it needs to be recharged. According to the company the Gear Juice charger can provide up to 500 charging cycles. It’s also quite a sleek device as is. At the moment it’s available in the US for around Rs. 1,642 ($40).

NFS ProStreet Dated

Even though I was pretty disappointed with NFS Carbon, I must say ProStreet is looking pretty spiffy and like me, if you’re looking forward to the game as well you’ll be glad to know that it will hit Indian shelves by the 1st of November 2007. The only problem is that when you combine this game’s release date with the 100,000,000 other games releasing that very same month you have one major financial crisis to look forward too (and we all know that’s never a pretty thing).

Need for Speed ProStreet is a racing experience like no other. For the first time, you’re designing and building a car, competing in iconic locations from around the globe and battling in four distinct racing styles– grip, drag, drift and the all-new speed challenge. The atmosphere is electric – complete with energetic crowds, photo-realistic vehicles and billowing smoke – all designed to embody the pressure and intensity of the gladiatorial challenge known as Show Down. Need for Speed ProStreet is the realization of the power, aggression and rivalry that embodies street racing culture.

Want more? Step this way.

Kodak Easyshare Goes HD

Kodak today announced three digital cameras - the Easyshare V1233, V1253 and Z812 IS models - and the Easyshare HDTV dock which will enable consumers to display HD images on an HD television.

"The products announced today represent an important step in helping progress how images can be taken, viewed and shared, and Kodak is dedicated to supporting innovation that will continue to bring intelligent, easy-to-use HD solutions to the market," said John O’Grady, Kodak’s Managing Director, Consumer Businesses, European, African and Middle Eastern Region.

Kodak Easyshare V1253 and V1233 Zoom Digital Cameras

The Kodak Easyshare V1253 and V1233 zoom digital cameras can capture HD still images (16:9 aspect ratio) and video (720p at 30fps), and are equipped with 12MP resolution, a 3X Schneider-Kreuznach optical zoom lens and KODAK PERFECT TOUCH technology.

Both the V1253 and V1233 models boast Face Detection Technology, which automatically adjusts the camera’s settings for portrait shots, and Digital Image Stabilization to reduce blur caused by camera shake or subject movement. Images can be viewed in 16:9 aspect ratio on the large 3.1-inch LCD screen of V1253 and the 2.5-inch LCD screen on the V1233.

Kodak Easyshare Z812 IS Zoom Digital Camera

With 8MP resolution and an SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH 12x optical zoom lens, the Z812 IS captures HD still images (16:9 aspect ratio) and video (720p at 30fps), as well as the ability to extract still images from videos. The camera’s click-to-capture (.23), auto-focus accuracy, Optical Image Stabilization and High ISO settings (up to 3200) will help consumers to capture brighter, clearer shots in low-light or fast-action situations.

The Z812 IS also features Face Detection Technology, and its Smart Scene Mode that will automatically adjust the camera’s settings depending on the type of scene it detects. The camera also allows manual settings for aperture and shutter speed.

Kodak Easyshare HDTV Dock


The Kodak Easyshare HDTV Dock connects to your HDTV to process pictures from Kodak HD-enabled digital cameras, SD memory cards or USB drives. The Dock allows HD-quality slideshow, editing of individual images, transferring images to a USB drive, and printing images to a connected printer. Along with being backward compatible with many KODAK EASYSHARE digital cameras, the HDTV Dock automatically charges the rechargeable battery so the camera is ready whenever needed.

Pricing and Availability

The Kodak Easyshare V1253 (€299), V1233 (€249), and Z812 IS Cameras (€299) will be available from September 2007. The Kodak Easyshare HDTV Dock will be available from October 2007 for €99.

LG Electronics has announced the India launch of LG Shine, the latest handset in its Black Label series of mobile phones.

LG Shine will be available both in a slider phone and bar phone version.

"2007 is the year to Shine with Style," said Bo H. (Bo-Hwan) Choi, LG Mobile Communications' Vice President of Asia, Middle East, and Africa. "The Indian market is one of our key markets, as it has the potential to grow at double digit rates annually. We are confident that this year we will have an even stronger presence in the market with our premium fashionable and advanced handsets and clear focus on stylish handsets, such as LG Shine. This launch signifies our commitment to be a leading mobile company."

The slim( 13.8mm Shine Slider and 9.9mm Shine bar) phone features a 2 megapixel auto focus camera by Schneider Kreuznach and expandable memory (Micro SD card). Access to the menu system is by a multi-function scroll key. Shine is also equipped with a media player with multi-codec support (MP3, WAV and ACC++) and real spectrum display. It supports GPRS and EDGE network compatibility, Bluetooth and USB connectivity and the all this controlled by a Multi Function Scroll Key.

LG Shine slider phone is available for Rs. 15999 and bar phone is available for Rs 8999.

Apple iPhone Part V - The Verdict

with that. The little excitement we derived for that short period will be forever embedded in our memories. Maybe, not too deep though. But what we’re here to tell you, finally, is whether or not the iPhone is all it’s cracked up to be or just, ho hum, another phone that’s got something new. We looked at it from all angles and here’s what we have to say.

Design and Interface
Let’s start off with the design and interface. We like it! It’s sleek, it’s sexy and even though it’s a bit thin (not too anorexic) it’s light and really easy to use. The singular button only simplifies the whole usage of this device. Having a scratch resistant large display is a bonus, so ladies, go ahead, keep those nails long, it don’t matter. What makes the iPhone really stand out is, of course, the fantastic interface with Apple’s ‘Cover Flow’ technology incorporated. It’s awesome and extremely easy to use and navigate through. This is something unlike any touch screen device you have ever come across. What we did find that didn’t bode too well with us was the onscreen keyboard. The letters are too close together and you would end up typing the wrong alphabet more times than you’d want. Till you get used to it of course.

But from Internet usage to scrolling through the menus to moving through videos and music in the iPod music player it was a pleasure to work with. The idea for simply using your fingers instead of worrying about losing a stylus is a great idea. All this makes the iPhone extremely user friendly. We gave it a 4 in this section.

Media
I must have said this enough already, but let me stress one last time that through their latest offering — the iPhone — Apple has the first step towards a different direction with regards to interactivity in mobile phones. To have the legendary iPod bundled with a phone, I’m sure some of us have wondered if it was a possibility. And sure enough, the iPhone is just that reality. We have to give points to the iPhone for integrating a great music player, and we definitely like what we saw. But the iPod application we are talking about goes one step ahead, and offers more in terms of how well you interact with your player. We like the Cover Flow system that allows you to graphically engage yourself with the playlists and the album artwork.

While it’s great to have speakers to what seems like the next generation iPod, the speakers themselves do absolutely no justice to the quality of the application. In today’s day and age, we are constantly looking towards simplifying things, yet Apple’s inclination to weigh their customers down with an ‘iTunes’ only attitude is only making them take a step forward and sleepwalk back again. But because of the sound quality and interactivity with the player itself, we thought it quite right to give it a 4 rating in this part.

Features and Connectivity
In the third segment in the iPhone’s dissection, we checked out the features that this device offers. Sadly we were quite disappointed. Although the technology may be state-of-the-art, the features that Apple has incorporated fell extremely short of our expectations. Features like the weather and stock market application may be cool to have but are not entirely necessary. Working with what’s already there is great but that’s only because of the user-friendly interface. But the iPhone offers nothing else nor anything new in terms of software. Though having a large screen and Google Maps is awesome. Other features are pretty average and include reminders, a World Clock, calculator, a timer, stopwatch and all other such functions you’ll find in any normal phone.

Connectivity wise the iPhone’s mediocrity is sad realization. Using the large screen with Apple’s gyroscopic technology that allows you to merely tilt the phone to switch to landscape mode, is really handy when you’re surfing the Internet. The simple pinch-to-zoom feature also helps to make the images or lettering more comfortable for viewing. The Wi-Fi feature is a definite plus for quick connectivity. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t seem to work the Bluetooth function at all. It refused to find devices and devices somehow felt the neglect and failed to locate the iPhone as well. There’s also no option for sending files via Bluetooth or MMS for that matter. Just via email. Something else the iPhone lacks – A2DP support. But the dedicated YouTube feature is also another plus point for the iPhone. So all we could give it is a 3 here.

Camera
The iPhone boasts of a camera that seems to be present more for the sake of it than for any real use. I like the way clicking pictures on the iPhone feels. A largish screen makes it all the more worthwhile. I also love the animated shutter. But we also have to take into account that the camera comes without a flash or any options for adjusting any settings.

The 2MP camera also doesn’t allow video recording. I mean, even the oldest phones with a VGA camera could manage videos. This is one of the major drawbacks. When it comes to performance, we like the way the pictures were taken. Colors are vibrant, with some gradation issues, but it has a decent camera all in all. Still, the camera will disappoint you if you intend to use the pictures for anything but for web purposes or within the phone itself. So we thought it best to award it a 3.5 for the camera.

What’s Lacking
The iPhone may seem like ‘All Dat’, but here’s what it lacks –
1. You can’t use your music files as ringtones and the inbuilt ringtones, are just plain Blah.
2. The iPhone doesn’t have Stereo Bluetooth support (A2DP). Nor does there seem to be any option for transferring files via Bluetooth or connecting it to the PC via the same.
3. The speakerphone is too darn low.
4. It has no FM radio and no inbuilt games. What will we do to pass the time while commuting?
5. The 2 megapixel camera has no settings whatsoever and doesn’t record video.
6. When the iPhone is hooked up to your PC only the image library opens up to either remove or add pictures. There’s no other option for a drive for data.
7. There doesn’t seem to be any option for sending images via MMS, only email.
8. There doesn’t seem to be any option for reading office documents either.
9. You can sync the iPhone only to one PC unless you’d like to loose all your information
10. The earphone slot is a bit odd to use with normal 3.5mm jack earphones.

Bottom Line


Here’s the verdict. The iPhone incorporates some of the most amazing technology we’ve come across. It’s a damn good-looking phone as well with a bright interface and Apple’s Cover Flow and gyroscopic technology that make maneuverability really easy. It has the most basic of applications for normal usage and a great media player with a large screen. The thing is, the iPhone makes even the most mundane apps look good. The Bluetooth issue could be just a problem with this one piece, we can give it that. But the lack of some of the most basic of features in a device termed as the ‘Jesus’ phone, leaves too much to be desired. Ok so this is round one, hopefully Apple will overhaul it in round two. Let’s hope so. But as it is, I’m afraid it wasn’t what we expected, perhaps that’s also because, it’s possible it was hyped a bit too much thereby increasing our expectations.

Windows Vista Taking its Toll on Users

Yes! Users and sellers have given a big boo to all the flavors of the latest operating system from Microsoft - Windows Vista. After the initial euphoria around it, their expensive piece of advice (read caution) is - ‘Stick to XP’!

Janak Mehta, Project Manager with, Adweb Tech Trade has been using Vista for the past four months now, as his notebook was bundled with the Windows Vista Professional Edition. He says, “It has been crashing ever since I have been on it and keeps asking silly questions, consuming my time.” Janak who is well-versed with programming and security related issues further said, “Agreed, it’s a highly secured OS, and might help novice users, but I will certainly not recommend this to my friends who know how to secure data and employ high-end applications.” He found that several of his programs and applications were not Vista compatible and had to continuously get online updates to move ahead in his projects.

It’s been six months since the most hyped OS from the global software giant was launched in India and most people we spoke to, have given their final verdict - A vehement No! to its Starter Edition, Professional, Premium or any edition you name.

Sony Unveils First U.S. Walkman Video Players

Sony today launched two new Walkman players that support both audio and video. The new NWZ-A810 and NWZ-S610 series of Walkman digital music players will support an open platform, providing more choices for downloading and managing music and video collections online.

"Our Walkman products offer great resolution, a bright screen, high-quality sound and a long battery life," said Brennan Mullin, vice president for audio products in the Digital Imaging and Audio Division at Sony Electronics. "We are providing our customers the choice to use multiple music sources."

The video players have a large Quarter Video Graphics Array (QVGA) LCD screen that displays video at 30 frames per second. QVGA is a display mode for small screens in which the resolution is 320 pixels vertically by 240 pixels horizontally.

According to Sony, the battery life allows up to eight hours of video playback for the NWZ-A810 series and nine-and-a-half hours for the NWZ-S610 series. The battery also provides up to 33 hours of music playback for both series.

The players support security-enhanced Windows Media Audio (WMA), as well as non-secure AAC and MP3 music formats, plus JPEG files for photos, in addition to the AVC (H.264/AVC) Baseline Profile and MPEG-4 video codecs.

For those who just want music sans video, Sony is also introducing the NWZ-B100 series. These audio players include USB direct connect, a three-line color LCD display and an FM tuner. They feature up to 12 hours of battery life. It's also equipped with FM recording capability and a voice recorder function with a built-in microphone.

In addition to supporting easy transfer of non-DRM content via drag and drop, this dedicated audio model will also support most subscription services. The players store up to 485 songs on the 2GB and 235 songs on the 1GB, for songs an average of four minutes in length at 128kbps in the MP3 format.

Nokia Announces Internet Service, Ovi

Nokia has introduced Ovi, its new Internet service, expanding from a focus on mobile devices to offering a range of Internet services.

Ovi, means 'door' in Finnish and looks to enable consumers to access their existing social network, communities and content, as well as act as a gateway to Nokia services.

As part of Ovi, Nokia announced the Nokia Music Store and N-Gage, two services that make it easy for people to discover, try and buy music and games from a range of artists and publishers, including exclusive content only available through Nokia.

Also under the Ovi umbrella is Nokia Maps, a navigation service that offers maps, city guides and more directly to compatible mobile devices.

Ovi is the gateway to Nokia's Internet services, including the Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps, and N-Gage games. It will also be an open door to web communities, enabling people to access their content, communities and contacts from a single place, either directly from a compatible Nokia device or from a PC. The first version of Ovi.com is scheduled to go live in English during the fourth quarter of 2007 and additional features and languages expected to go live during the first half of 2008.

The Nokia Music Store offers millions of tracks from major artists, independent labels as well as a broad range of local artists from around the world. The store is accessible via a desktop computer or directly from a compatible Nokia device, such as the Nokia N81 or Nokia N95 8GB multimedia computer. Users can browse for new music, buy what they like or add a song to their wishlist to download later. Users can also transfer purchased songs to your mobile device and with the built-in music player, create playlists on the go.

The Nokia Music Store offers full track streaming on PCs as well as individual track and album purchase. The store opens across key European markets this fall with additional stores in Europe and Asia opening over the coming months. In Europe, individual tracks cost EUR 1.00 and albums from EUR 10.00, with a monthly subscription for PC streaming for EUR 10.00.

N-Gage allows users to find, try and buy games directly from compatible Nokia devices. By selecting the N-Gage application on compatible Nokia devices, users can preview available games, connect with friends, read reviews or download a free demo. They can buy games either with a credit card or by charging it to their monthly phone bill. The application is expected to be available for download from here in November 2007.

Volkswagen, Apple Heads Discuss 'iCar'

U.S. computer company Apple Inc. and German automaker Volkswagen AG are discussing the possibility of building an ''iCar'' which would feature products by the producer of the ubiquitous personal music player.

Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs and Volkswagen's chief Martin Winterkorn met several days ago in California, and plan to meet for further discussions, said Hans-Gerd Bode, a spokesman for VW.

There are ''scores of ideas,'' but few concrete plans at this point, Bode said.

Market experts have estimate that a compact car upgraded with Apple products would be of substantial interest to young target groups, according to German financial magazine Capital.

Apple Brings New iMacs to India

Apple today unveiled an all-in-one iMac range of desktop computers featuring 20 and 24-inch glossy widescreen displays.

"This new iMac is one of the most awaited models Apple has ever made," said Darren Sng, desktop product marketing manager, Apple Asia Pacific. "The computer has just three cables – one each for the power supply, keyboard and mouse unlike its competitors that have an untidy web of entangled wires," he added.

An optional wireless keyboard with a wireless mouse offers a cable-free desktop.

The 20-inch 2.0 GHz and 2.4 GHz iMac costs Rs. 64,600 and Rs. 80,300 respectively while the 24-inch 2.4 GHz iMac comes at a price of Rs. 96,100. Get the specifications of the iMacs here.

Every iMac includes iLife ’08 and iWork ’08 that costs Rs. 4,050 each. The cost of five user copies is available for Rs. 5,110.

iLife ’08 has two new features iPhoto ‘08 and iMovie ‘08. iPhoto ‘08 automatically organises photo libraries into Events to help users manage their growing number of pictures. iMovie ‘08 allows users to make movies at a much faster pace.

iWork ’08 has added a new feature Numbers ’08 that allows users to prepare spreadsheets. With multiple tables on a flexible canvas, users can now rearrange information, add and resize columns without breaking the spreadsheet.

Apple also announced .Mac Web Gallery that allows members to share pictures and movies directly from iLife ’08 with anyone on a Mac PC or the iPhone.

The subscribers can also download high quality images for printing and can contribute photos using a standard web browser or e-mail. The storage space for the .Mac Web Gallery is 10 GB as against the previous 1 GB capacity for individual members and 20 GB as against the previous 2 GB for family members. .Mac subscribers can send and receive e-mail attachment of a maximum size of 20 MB.

.Mac Subscription to .Mac Web Gallery is optional. The annual individual subscription fee is Rs. 4,800 and Rs. 8,710 for a family pack that includes one master account and four sub accounts. A free 60-day .Mac trail version is also available on www.mac.com.

iPhone Hackers Could Face Legal Battle

Hackers have figured out how to unleash Apple's iPhone from AT&T's cellular network, but people hoping to make money from the procedure could face legal problems.

At least one of the companies hoping to make money by unlocking iPhones said it is hesitating after calls from lawyers representing the phone company.

Unlocking the phone for one's own use, for instance to place calls with a different carrier, appears to be legal. But if it's done for financial gain, the legality is less certain.

''Whether people can make profits from software that hacks the iPhone is going to depend very much on exactly what was done to develop that software and what does that software do,'' said Bart Showalter, head of the Intellectual Property practice group at law firm Baker Botts in Dallas.

John McLaughlin of Uniquephones.com, an outfit based in Northern Ireland, said in a phone interview Wednesday that its unlocking software for iPhones is ready, but the company is holding off while it gets legal advice.

He said it had been contacted by lawyers from O'Melveny & Myers LLP, an international law firm representing AT&T, who told him the software contained material copyrighted by Apple Inc.

''They don't have it, so therefore they can't actually threaten us,'' McLaughlin said. ''It was 'friendly advice.'''

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel and Apple spokeswoman Jennifer Bowcock said their companies had nothing to say about the case.

Uniquephones.com had planned to release the software via iphoneunlocking.com. The price for people on its mailing list, which contained just fewer than half a million addresses, would be $25 per iPhone, McLaughlin said.

''From their e-mail addresses, they're from everywhere in the world,'' McLaughlin said. ''Everybody is just waiting for it.''

The iPhone is sold only in the U.S., and only for use on the AT&T network, but it is compatible with cell phone technology used around the world, which means an unlocked phone can use an overseas account and number. In the U.S., T-Mobile is the only other major carrier compatible with the iPhone; Sprint and Verizon Wireless use different network technologies.

Most U.S. phones are locked to their carrier when sold, because the carrier subsidizes the cost of the phone. The iPhone, however, is apparently not subsidized by AT&T.

Some carriers provide the unlock codes on request when a subscriber's contract expires, but that doesn't apply to the iPhone, and in any case, the phone only went on sale two months ago, while the minimum contract length is two years.

Another Web site, iphonesimfree.com, has said it plans to release iPhone unlocking software in a few days.

The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress last year issued a statement that unlocking cell phones was not a violation of copyright under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. That law has been used to go after software that copies DVDs.

But Tracfone Wireless LLC, a Florida-based company selling phones that use prepaid plans, won an injunction in February against a couple who bought its phones in large numbers and resold them unlocked.

The U.S. District Court in Orlando found that the DMCA exception did not apply to those unlocking a phone with the intent to resell it.

Bruce Sunstein, a patent lawyer with Boston-based Bromberg & Sunstein, said unlocking software could well stand up to a legal challenge.

''They're aiding and abetting something that's completely legal ... the exemption the Copyright Office created does not state that it applies only to the user,'' Sunstein said.

George Hotz, a 17-year-old in New Jersey who managed to unlock his iPhone last week, using both software and hardware modifications, tried to sell it on eBay but ended the auction after apparently fake bids send the price to $100 million.

Instead, Hotz traded the unlocked phone for ''a sweet Nissan 350Z'' and three iPhones, according to his blog.

Hotz made the deal with Terry Daidone, co-founder of CertiCell, a cell phone repair company in Louisville, Ky.

In a statement on his Web site, Daidone said he was ''keenly interested'' in having the teenager help his engineers modify phones, but does not have any plans to commercialize Hotz's unlocking procedure.

Microsoft to Release Vista Fixes in 2008

Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it will release a major package of updates and fixes for the Windows Vista operating system in the first half of 2008.

The company said a ''beta'' test version of Service Pack 1 will be released ''in a few weeks to a moderate sized audience.'' The SP1 beta includes updates Microsoft has already made to the operating system it started selling to consumers at the end of January.

The service pack fixes some common problems that cause computers to crash or freeze, Microsoft said, including compatibility problems with some newer graphics cards, external monitors and printer drivers. Microsoft said it also fixed some problems users had with putting their PCs to sleep and waking them up again.

The company said SP1 is also expected to improve battery performance, increase the speed of copying files and help Internet Explorer run faster on Vista.

The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker said SP1 also brings several security improvements.

Microsoft said it expects to release Service Pack 3 for Windows XP, Vista's predecessor, in the first half of 2008 as well, but in a statement added that it ''should not significantly change the Windows XP experience.''

In the past, some of Microsoft's business clients used the release of a service pack as a sign that a new operating system was stable enough to install. Analysts have said Vista seems more reliable out of the box than past versions of Windows, and that businesses need not wait for the service pack.

Halo 3 Goes Gold

Bungie’s much awaited Halo 3 has finally gone gold and is well on track for its September 25th release date.

The wait is almost over. Halo 3, the final chapter in the groundbreaking Halo trilogy and the most anticipated game release of 2007, has been released to manufacturing. Three years in the making by renowned developer Bungie Studios, Halo 3 is now finished and will begin its journey to store shelves around the world in less than four weeks. Halo 3, which has already set new records as the fastest preordered game in history, has exceeded one million presales in North America alone. The title is set to shatter day-one entertainment sales records when it is released worldwide beginning Tuesday, Sept. 25.

Sony Vaio Introduces an HTPC

Soon there will be no TVs and no computers. No, I'm not insane. What I mean is they both will be combined into one, sold as one, and used as one. Sony is one brand that is at the brim of innovation, and this time they have released a sleek new HTPC system, called the VGX-TP1.

Its shape is round, quite different from the old boxy media centre PCs. A choice of HDMI, VGA and DVI outputs makes connection to an HD-Ready TV or computer display possible, while the power and signal cables are concealed as they pass underneath the side of the case, preserving the minimalist 360° styling. A 500GB hard disk and integrated hybrid TV tuner enable the VAIO TP1 to become a Personal DVD Recorder offering huge storage capacity for your choice of digital (DVB-T) and analogue programs.

Wireless networking means the VAIO TP1 can be added to a cable-free home network, and a carefully designed wireless keyboard ensures operating the system is easy. The keyboard is compact, comfortable to use and features an integrated notebook-style touchpad for complete control of the interface. The TP1 also has a standard wired LAN connection for connection to conventional cabled home networks. The drive opens when any part of the front of the tray is pressed. Below the drive another touch-to-open sliding panel reveals key inputs including a multi card reader (SD and Memory Stick) and 2 x USB flash drive slots which can also be used to connect directly to your digital camera and music player. By using sound damping within the case, the VGX-TP1 has been rendered virtually silent.

The VAIO TP1 will be available in the UK and Germany from the end of September 2007.

Creative Launches iPod Shuffle Mini Dock

Creative Japan has developed a cool new portable iPod dock for the iPod Shuffle. It’s a small 85 gram dock with a carabiner clip attachment so yo9u can hang it wherever you choose. The Creative Travelsound i50 has a lithium polymer battery that can be charged via USB (mini USB) for approximately 15 hours of music. There is an indicator to show you how mush of battery power is available. The i50 is also equipped with a 700mWx2ch output with signal-to-noise ratio of 80dB.

At the moment it’s available only in Japan. The Travelsound i50 is priced at approximately Rs. 2832 ($69) maybe we'll get to see it here too soon.

Via Gizmodo.

Nokia Teams Up With Vivendi Games

Nokia has decided to team up with Vivendi games, their mobile division, to bring Nokia users their legendary Crash Bandicoot game to the new N-Gage mobile gaming platform which should be out soon.

"Vivendi Games Mobile is one of the most respected publishers in mobile gaming," said Gregg Sauter, Nokia's director of third party publishing. "Crash Bandicoot is a gaming icon as well as a global powerhouse, having sold more than 33 million units worldwide. With its fun appeal to people of all ages and incredible graphics, the Crash Bandicoot franchise is the perfect fit for N-Gage."

"We are excited to offer Nokia customers the opportunity to enter the thrilling world of Crash Bandicoot and play a number of award winning titles from the popular Crash franchise," said Paul Maglione, president of Vivendi Games Mobile. "We look forward to working with Nokia to offer entertaining, innovative mobile games that tap into the performance and innovation of the N-Gage application and Nokia's mobile devices."

Crash Bandicoot follows the original storyline where the crazy marsupial must save the world. If you’ve played this game before, you’ll know that it’s a real barrel of laughs. For those of you who haven’t, Crash Bandicoot involves the scenario where the player must take on the role of Crash (yes the bandicoot hero) to defeat the game's villain and mad scientist, Dr. Neo Cortex. As simple as that.

Nokia Launches New Accessories

Nokia has just launched a whole bunch of cool gizmos to accentuate your mobiles and or multimedia computer. Ranging form GPS units to Bluetooth speakers these devices sound like great accessories for your mobiles. They should all be out somewhere in the fourth quarter of this year, but let’s hope that means, in India, at the same time as well.

Nokia Bluetooth GPS Module LD-4W
The Nokia Bluetooth GPS Module LD-4W combines the style of the ever popular Nokia Nseries with GPS navigation. This GPS module is compatible with a wide range of Nokia devices and Nokia Maps. It weighs 31 g and has up to 10 hours of operating time. The LD-4W, black and metallic device comes with a LED indicator to alert you to GPS activation, power and battery status, and Bluetooth connectivity status. The GPS module will be available globally and cost an estimated Rs. 6,973 (125 euro) without taxes.

Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-903
The Nokia Headset BH-903 is Bluetooth compliant, supporting compatible devices with Bluetooth A2DP, AVRCP, PBAP, HFP and HSP profiles, so you can pair it with a compatible mobile device or other music player. It acts as a remote control with an OLED display, so you can control your music and your calls. Priority is still given to calls so the headset will switch to call mode if you’re listening to music and switch back at the end of the call. It weighs in at 32 grams and should be able to provide up to 15 hours of talk/music time. The Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-903 will cost an estimated Rs. 11,157 (200 euro) without taxes and will be available globally.



Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-902
Nokia has also released another Bluetooth Headset – the BH-902. This one also has an OLED display, but is also equipped with Digital Signal Processing (DSP). The OLED display indicates when you've received an MMS or SMS message. It’s available with an in-box neckstrap, clip and flexible in-ear earplugs. It should provide the user with up to eight hours on a single charge and weighs in at 18.2 grams. The Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-902 will cost an estimated Rs. 6,415 (115 euro) without taxes and will also be globally available

Nokia Bluetooth Speakers MD-7W
Nokia’s Bluetooth Speakers - the MD-7W are equipped with 3D stereo widening sound and dynamic bass control. The speakers are developed in cooperation with D & M Premium Sound Solutions and styled in the finish of the Nokia Nseries. The package comes with magnetic attachments for portability and an LED indicator for on/off, pairing mode and battery status. Available globally, the Nokia Bluetooth Speakers MD-7W will cost an estimated Rs. 7,252 (130 euro), without taxes.




Nokia Power Pack DC-1
The Nokia Power Pack DC-1 has reserve power in a portable package; you can take the equivalent of up to three batteries with you and recharge your mobile device on the go. Compatible with Nokia 2mm charging interfaces; the power pack has two charge output cables so you can charge two devices at the same time. Available globally, it will cost an estimated Rs. 5,858 (105 euro), without taxes.

Crysis Demo Announced

EA and Crytek’s much awaited tropical shooter, Crysis may have secured a November 16th release date but gamers will get a chance to try it out a bit earlier in the form of a single player demo that’s expected to hit the internet by the 25th of September

In case that date sounds familiar, it’s because yet another extremely high profile game is slated to hit the Xbox 360 on that very same day. So is this a weird coincidence or a well thought of ploy to rob the Master Chief of all his glory

Tony Hawk's Proving Ground OST Announced

Like the title says, Activision’s listed the entire soundtrack for their upcoming Tony Hawk game and it goes something like this:

!!! – "All My Heroes are Weirdos"
Airbourne – "Girls in Black"
Angels & Airwaves – "Secret Crowds"
Anglo Jackson – "Motorbike"
At the Gates – "Slaughter of the Soul"
Bad Brains – "Banned in DC"
Beastie Boys – "Electric Worm"
Blackalicious – "Your Move"
Bloc Party – "Version 2.0"
Cursed – "The Hands will Abide"
Cymande – "Fug"
Dag Nasty – "Circles"
Darkest Hour – "Sanctuary"
DJ JS-1 featuring L.I.F.E. Long & Immortal Technique – "Audio Technician"
El-P – "Up All Night"
Folk Implosion – "Natural One"
Foo Fighters – "The Pretender"
Fu Manchu – "We Must Obey"
Funky 4+1 – "Rappin and Rockin the House"
Future Pigeon – "Gift Tax"
Gallows – "Come Friendly Bombs"
Gorilla Biscuits – "Hold Your Ground"
Jimmy Castor Bunch – "It’s Just Begun"
Jurassic 5 – "Radio"
Kittens – "Carpenter"


Los Abandoned – "Panic-Oh!"
Lyrics Born featuring KRS-One and Evidence – "Pack Up Remix"
Maylene and the Sons of Disaster – "Memories of the Grove"
Motorcity Daredevils – "Bear in the Air"
Nation of Ulysses – "You’re My Miss Washington D.C."
Nirvana – "Breed"
Oh No feat. J. Dilla and Roc C. – "Move Part 2"
Paint it Black – "The New Brutality"
Paris – "The Devil Made Me Do It (Poach a Pig Mix)"
Percee P – "Throwback Rap Attack (Madlib remix)"
Pierce the Veil – "I’d Rather Die than Be Famous"
Pig Destroyer – "Loathsome"
Reverend Horton Heat – "Baddest of the Bad"
Revolution Mother – "Come On"
Roots Manuva – "Chin High"
Sayvinyl – "That’s Entertainment"
Silversun Pickups – "Well Thought Out Twinkles"
Slick Rick – "Children’s Story"
Smashing Pumpkins – "Tarantula"
Snapcase – "Energy Dome"
The Bled – "Starving Artiste"
The Clash – "Clash City Rockers"
The Cramps – "Garbage Man"
The Icarus Line – "Gets Paid"
The Kooks – "See the World"
The Octopus Project – "Music is Happiness"
The Rolling Stones – "Sympathy for the Devil"
The Sex Pistols – "Holidays in the Sun"
Twilight 22 – "Electric Kingdom"

Sony Ericsson S500i

Sony Ericsson is obviously taking a lot of pride in designing their phones to look and feel really flashy. The S500i is no exception at all. It may look like a simple slider phone at first glance, but believe me when I say it looks nothing like that when it’s switched on. When it’s on, it’s really on. Take a look.

Form Factor
Yes it’s a slider phone that’s really smooth. I have to say this is really comfortable phone to use. The S50i has a brilliant 2-inch screen with a display resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and 256k colors. The keypad although easy to use as is a little odd. There seems to be quite a lot of space around the keypad. It’s wasted. If you ask me, I think the keys could have been a bit bigger then. The good thing is that the keypad is dual, as in; it has Hindi alphabets as well. There’s also the shortcut key, cancel button, return and web keys are neatly placed on either side of the 5 way nave pad that has a dedicated camera key on top. It’s easy to use all while working the phone from any angle. The camera is located at the rear and can only be used when the keypad is open.

The volume keys on the side are slim and go really well with the design and on the other side is Sony Ericsson’s (sigh) 3 in one, proprietary connector port for the earphones, USB connectivity and charger.

What I absolutely abhor about this phone is the extremely poor build quality of the M2 card slot located on the to next to the power key. It’s made of, what seems to be cheap plastic that just doesn’t seem to stay shut. Another peeve with the new range of Sony Ericsson phones is the SIM card slot that works with a spring action system similar to memory card slots. You have to push it in till you hear it click in its setting and doesn’t come back out. Similarly you have to push it in till you hear a click and it springs back out. The problem is that it’s situated in a bit of an awkward place so if you don’t have nails, this is not really easy to do. But then again, how often do you keep taking your Sim in and out right?


Misc. Features and Performance
To be blunt, if you’ve seen one Sony Ericsson, you’ve pretty much seen ‘em all. There’s nothing new with the interface nor are there any new applications to look out for. Though the absence of an FM radio is something to be noted. Although the interface may look the same with the same old icons, it’s the inbuilt themes that will really knock your socks off. Ina word, although redundant I’m going for it, Brilliant! There are 2 options a Night and Day option and an Ever-changing option. The night and day theme is simply bright and catchy. The colors will change according to the time of day. Now here's the good part, the Ever-changing theme has these superb animations and bright icons. Changing colors is one thing but to have ambient light that alters according to the theme is quite another. It gives the whole phone an extremely cool and classy look.

The biggest problem with these fantastic themes is that it drains the battery with the many, many colorful animations and screen savers. And if you’re charging the phone there seems to be no indication whatsoever to let you know that the battery is full. Even plugging and unplugging the charger doesn’t help. I guess you’ll just have to take it for granted that it’s full after a few hours of charging. The thing is though, I’m just presuming it’s a glitch in this particular phone, the entire menu and even messaging is just too darn sluggish

Other features that the S500 has is a Bluetooth remote application that allows you to control stuff on your PC like your player or desktop and you can even use it as a wireless presenter. Setting it up to be used like that is a bit tricky though. There are a couple of fun games to play as well. Not very high tech, but they do help pass the time.

When it comes to being your ‘PDA’ the S500 is loaded with calendar functions for reminders, keeping notes and synchronizing the phone to your PC. There’s also a stopwatch, timer calculator and an option for keeping code memos. Unfortunately no world clock. There’s also an RSS reader in the message settings.

Audio and Video
I’ll say this and I’ll say it loud – or I’ll let the S500 speak fro itself – but for you to know, the Speakerphone is awesomely loud. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the music player being used through the earphones. The earphones are actually quite comfy, but just too low. The music player isn’t a Walkman series type but has similarities. You can create playlists, or change the EQ settings with either the presets available or manually adjust the settings yourself. There’s also an option for Stereo Widening. None of these options really make too much of a difference however. Besides having no FM radio it doesn’t have an option for Track ID either. It reads MP3, and AAC+ formats.

The videos in MPEG4 or 3GP format are clear. But here’s a glitch I noticed and again I’m hoping this is one with only this piece. If you open a video through the File Manager and you opt to view it in full screen you even get a navigation bar at the top of the screen. The thing is, that bar is useless. You can’t forward or rewind the file. Now if you open it using the Video Player, you won’t see any bar at the top of the screen, but you can rewind and forward the video by using the nav-pad. But since you cant see how quickly it’s doing that, you wont know if you’ve reached the place you left off or wanted to go to in the video. Bad! Bad little S500! When watching a video though the ambient lights including the other lights of the phone tend to stay on for some strange reason. Another cause of battery drain.

The reception is great in almost all places. Both sound and voice come in clearly, so no problem at all there. The mic has good range if you're using the speaker-phone and also if you’re using the voice recorder. There are also plenty of options in the AV category to fool around with. For example there’s the Video DJ application that allows you to jazz up your videos by adding images and words in between frames or even splicing two videos together. The Photo DJ application allows you to edit your images, and the best of all is the Music DJ application that allows you to pretty much create your own ringtone. That’s really cool, but not new to Sony Ericsson users.

Camera
The 2 megapixel camera that the S500i is equipped with is good. I wish they’d allow you to use the entire screen as the display though. All you have to work with is just a little more than half of the screen. There are plenty of options to choose from though including various White Balance settings, effects like black and white, sepia and negative settings. It also has a night mode and a self-timer. In video mode you have the option of switching off the microphone. The S500 also has inbuilt frames to choose from, or you can even take shots in Panorama mode (which is not bad by the way) or in Burst sequence.

If you adjust the settings correctly the images are really quite good for a camera phone. They aren’t spectacular or anything but definitely quite good.

There is no macro mode so close ups are out, but you can make a few allowances and the pictures still come out nicely.

I have to say the camera is one of the better things the S500i has to offer.

Connectivity
S500 supports EDGE so net connectivity is ok. There’s the option of using the full screen which I would definitely recommend. There’s also an option to zoom into the screen and view it according to your preference. Switching the screen to landscape mode gives you a wider perspective but typing is a real b*t*h though considering the keypad doesn’t rotate. Hey it isn’t the iPhone.

You can connect to your PC using the proprietary USB connector provided. Just be careful with the cord, cheap ones are hard to come by. The Sony Ericsson PC suite is not the easiest to use, so don’t. Another great part about this phone is that it supports Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP compatibility. So if you have a great Bluetooth headset, then you can surely enjoy a great music experience. It doesn’t really offer anything more with regards to connectivity. But that’s not bad as is.

Sony Ericsson has also incorporated two additional applications in the S500i. Using EDGE connectivity you can access information through an application called Accu Weather that, simply put, gives you just that. Information on the weather in various places. Another application is the Audible player, another application for getting music off the net. The PlayNow option is of course just for downloading content.

The Bottom Line
The S500i is actually a really good phone for a street price of around Rs. 10,500. But the biggest problem is you’re going to have to charge the darn battery at least two times each day. Yes it really is that bad. I can’t attribute it to being a faulty piece as there’s too much going on with the phone with the funky animated themes with likewise wallpapers and the ambient lighting that tends to stay on no matter what. But what really bothers me is the poor build quality of the M2 card support and the sluggishness of the phones. So I’m going to say, even though it looks and feels good, the Bottom Line is – it ain’t worth it if the battery’s that bad.



Specs Sony Ericsson S500i

Network GSM: 850/900/1800/1900, EDGE
Physical: 99 x 47 x 14 mm, 94g
Display: 240 x 320 pixels, 256k colors, 2 inch
Memory: 12MB internal, M2 external support
Media: MP3, AAC+, 3GP, voice recorder
Camera: 2 megapixels, video
Connectivity: Bluetooth v2.0 (A2DP), USB Proprietary
Battery: 240hrs stand by, 2 hrs 40 mins. talk
Street Price: Rs. 10,500(india)