TECH Issue 27

JULY 2012 ISSUE 27

SHOOT RED

DIGITAL CLARITY AT ITS BEST

KS O O AB ULTR IEWEDDS REV R BRAN MAJO ESTED T

ROOM SHAKER

WIRELESS SUB FROM SONOS

RED RIDE

WE LOOK AT THE 458 SPIDER

GUITAR

WHO IS THE KING? THE SIII TAKES ON THE ONE-X

MAGIC

WE STRUM THE YAMAHA RGX A2

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Tablet by other name...

ISSUE 27

JULY 2012

Editor-in-chief

Hatim al Taie Managing Director

Abdullah al Taie General Manager

Rathish Ramachandran Asst. General Manager

Terry Mathukutty Content Head

Namitha Roy

Slide it, flip it or snap it on. The various ways touch screens are connected to keyboards on the latest computing devices makes it difficult to differentiate a tablet, a notebook and an ultrabook from each other. Microsoft have been the dominant force in PCs but have fallen far behind in the tablet race. However, they are set to unveil the Windows 8 operating system later this year, designed to run on ultrabooks and tablets powered by Intel chips. Their impending launch has prompted PC vendors to come up with a rash of hybrid designs, featuring touch screens and myriad configurations of moving or detachable keyboards.

The future will be a blur in the definition of ultrabook and tablet because of convertible keyboards. The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga and Asus Taichi have screens that flip backwards.

Samsungs Hybrid becomes an ultrabook when the tablet clips onto a keyboard with magnetic hinges. One ‘tablet-ultrabook’ convertible that garnered attention was the aforementioned Taichi, whose dual-sided screens can run different applications at the same time.

In our opinion, the argument may be settled by sizing; anything ten inches or smaller should be categorised as a tablet, while the rest should be called an ultrabook. Intel executives see ultrabooks and its convertibles as laptops, while some PC vendors grouped such hybrids under tablets. Bottom line: Anything with a detachable keyboard is a tablet. Whatever the name, it still works as well.

Content

Vinod Chandran Julina Selwin Head - Design

Shyniben Koyakkil Senior Designer

Manu Martin Sales

- Ed

Aaron Davidson Angelyn Delos Reyes Leticia Meneses Vibha Ashar

Produced by

Deenar Press and Publishing LLC

PO Box 139, PC 102, Al Qurm, Sultanate of Oman Tel: + 968 24696868, Fax: +968 24693569 E-mail: info@deenarmedia.com

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2012 © All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers; while every care has been taken in the preparation of the magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible if factual errors in product and pricing occur.

MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time. The publishers regret they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this issue. Please check any quoted hardware specifications and pricing with your supplier before purchase.

55 years of Manufacturing Excellence

MAKING

NOT TAKING PICTURE

This new Tokina lens is the first in a new generation of full frame (FX) lenses designed for professional digital SLR cameras like the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Nikon D700 and D3x. The 16-28 zoom range gives the professional photographer a super-wide angle of view to get close to subject for dramatic effect or to take in entire scenes

www.tokinalens.com

JULY 2012 ISSUE 27

16 COMPUTING Third generation of Samsung laptop reviewed

18 COVER STORY Strum a few chords with Yamaha’s RGX – A2

22 AUDIO ZONE SONOS goes wireless Latest addition to Monster Beatbox Enhance your cinema experience at home

26 VIDEO ZONE Digitalising the silver screen Go weather-proof with Fujifilm XP

30 SPECIAL FEATURE Ultrabooks – the next generation of mobile computing

Introducing 4G

28 MOBILE ZONE Samsung Galaxy SIII versus HTC One X

40 WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY Gadgets that save lives

42 APPS i Phone, Android and BlackBerry apps that track expenses

44 TIME ZONE The latest in tourbillion

46 TECH ART Turn photographs to polaroids

48 DASHBOARD The 458 Italia spider unveiled

54 MOVIE ZONE The Amazing Spiderman webs us in our seats once again

News 10

Next issue Best E-BANK? We test each bank’s online services to see how they fare against each other

NouvoTech 14 Quiz 55 Tech Favourites 56 Tech Directory 63

REGULARS

Features

38 TELECOM

LETTERS

TO THE EDITOR

If you have any queries, mail us on tech@deenarmedia.com, and we will try to answer them in our next issue

Dear Editor, I have been hearing a lot about the ICS operating system. What is ICS and what features make it different from other mobile OS? Poonam Dear Poonam, The ICS or Ice Cream Sandwich is the dessert-themed android codename for the latest version 4.0 update of the android mobile operating system. The ICS is one of the biggest updates to android yet, and includes such features as scanning one’s face to unlock the phone, a much more robust speech-to-text software program and an entire platform of data sharing that focuses on Near Field Communication (NFC). NFC allows users to easily share contact information, YouTube videos, or website addresses simply by waving two phones next to each other.

Overall the ICS is attractive, easier to use and more powerful than its predecessors like the Gingerbread and Honeycomb. The latest flavor of android changes the way you use the OS in almost every way for the better.

-Ed

Dear Editor, I just recently got an Xbox360 and joined XBOX Live. I’m worried if I add someone on Xbox live that I know from my pc game, can they hack me? I’ve heard people can get your IP through Xbox live and things like that.

James Dear Jamal, Dear James, Xbox live is paid for a reason that it is protected and much secure unlike PSN (Play Station Network) which gets hacked often. But still be cautious of who you add and don’t just add a bunch of random people.

-Ed

8 / TECH

Dear Editor, Can I use a wireless network to interconnect two LANs? What about security issues?

Khalil Dear Khalil Yes, interconnecting two LAN’s with a wireless network is possible. This type of installation requires two access points.

Each access point acts as a bridge or router connecting its own LAN to the wireless connection. The wireless connection allows the two access points to communicate with each other, and therefore interconnect the two LAN’s.

As for security, protection against any potential security issues is carried out by a function called WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) in 802.11 wireless communications. WEP has a form of encryption which provides privacy comparable to that of a traditional wired network. If the wireless network has information that should be secure then WEP should be used, ensuring the data is protected at traditional wired network levels.

-Ed

Dear Tech Team, I have been following the TechArt section very closely and I really like all the photoshop tutorials. Do you think you could do a tutorial on polaroids in your issue? Thanks!

Sajini Dear Sajini, It’s nice to know we have an avid TechArt fan amongst our readers. We love the enthusiasm. Hope you find this issue’s TechArt interesting.

-Ed

NEWS

Get closer to the action Canon Middle East launched the IXUS 500 HS and IXUS 125 HS, two stunning IXUS models that allow users to capture every moment with ease and in style.

Combining advanced features with stand-out, compact design and Canon’s leading lens technology, these models make it easy to capture high-quality still images and full HD movies. Express your individuality and stand out from the crowd by choosing from a variety of hues like pink, red, silver, green and blue. The many creative features help to connect you to your artistic side. Explore and be inspired by taking pictures from dim lit restaurants to bright and beautiful sunsets.

SanDisk performs once again Impressive as it was, Micron’s chip is no longer the smallest as SanDisk has managed to knock another nanometre off in manufacturing. The company announced the world’s smallest 128GB NAND flash memory chip, which uses a 19nm process and has a silicon die measuring just 170mm2. This SanDisk Extreme Solid Sate Drive (SSD) is more reliable and durable than a hard disk drive and is backed by SanDisk’s reputation for quality. The chip also

Engineered for business

employs SanDisk’s three-bit per cell (X3) technology that allows the company to build NAND flash memory products with the ability to read andwrite three bits of information in each memory cell.

For the general consumer this means powerful products with more storage packed into the same form factors like smartphones, tablets and even ultra-books.

Connexions showroom attracts huge crowds

Epson has revealed its entry into the world of mobile scanners with the Middle East release of the WorkForce DS-30 portable A4 scanner, the company’s first model in a new range of scanners.

Perfect for busy professionals, the Epson WorkForce DS-30 is designed for simple and effective document management within the home, office or mobile environments. Businesses that have a requirement to scan receipts, brochures, cards or other documents can improve retrieval time and desk space with the Epson DS-30. Similarly, the Epson WorkForce DS-30 is designed for people who are engaged in field work, which requires simple and effective digitizing of paperwork for immediate sharing.

Weighing only 325grams, DS-30 turns out to be one of the most lightest scanners in the market.

10 / TECH

The recently opened Connexions showroom strategically located at the Muscat City Centre is being well received by customers. The new showroom offers a wide variety of electronic products such

as televisions, music systems, DVD, Blu-Ray players, stereo systems from world-renowned brands such as Bose, JVC, AEG, Nakamachi and Sonos as well as a wide range of kitchen appliances.

Galaxy SIII launched

The much awaited and talked about Galaxy SIII was launched last month.

Designed for humans and inspired by nature, the GALAXY SIII is a smartphone that recognizes your voice, understands your intention, and lets you share a moment instantly and easily. This sleek and innovative smartphone has the enhanced intelligence to make everyday life easier. With Samsung GALAXY SIII, you can view the content like never before on the device’s 4.8-inch HD super AMOLED display. The 8-megapixel back camera and the 1.9-megapixel front camera uses a variety of intelligent camera features and also face recognition

related options that make your priceless moments easily and instantly captured onto your phone.

At the official launch of the third generation Galaxy S, Mr. Ashraf Fawakherji, General Manager of Telecommunication Group at Samsung Gulf Electronics said that they have received an overwhelming response from their consumers for the device and that they are positive that they will further cement their leadership position with the Samsung GALAXY SIII.

Standing tablet The Microsoft Surface tablet that has been unveiled features a 10.6inch screen, a 9.3mm body, one standardsize USB port, a Gorilla Glass 2.0 screen, 1080p graphics, and a touch cover that acts as a full multi-touch keyboard and track pad as well. The new Surface tablet has a built in kickstand that makes it great to watch movies in or just to flaunt around with during a presentation or while viewing pictures.

Streaming clouds LG announced the opening of the LG cloud services with the aim of providing seamless connectivity and streaming access to all digital content across various electronic devices. LG Cloud is the first that allows users to manage and consume all types of content on ‘three screens’ which includes android smartphones, PCs and smart TVs without a separate set-top box. Unlike other cloud services, there’s very little waiting or lag time since the content is streamed directly to the device instead of being downloaded first.

The service also works perfectly with 3D content.

Sony gets waterproofed

Beat the heat With the unbearable heat setting in, Samsung air conditioners that come to Oman have all been custom manufactured keeping in mind the demands of this particularly hot region.

Their energy saving technology coupled with their high efficiency brings them to the competitive market. The Samsung air conditioners improve the quality of air with its breakthrough ‘Full HD Filter’

which improves dust collection capacity by a whopping 60 percentage. Samsung Split Air Conditioner’s capacities range from 1.0 T to 3.0 T. The air conditioners also boasts UTR Plus for Quick Cooling, Silver Coated Filter and Evaporator, Slim Solution and Smart Saver. As a special limited period offer SARCO is offering a five meter pipe kit, plus standard installation free for all its customers.

Sony announced the launch of the two new add-ons to the Xperia familyThe Xperia go and Xperia acro S. The new phones are water proof and have increased protection which includes a scratchproof mineral glass on top of the displays. The Xperia acro S boasts a 4.3-inch HD reality display with 720pixel resolution. The wet finger tracking technology also adds to the phones sleek, stylish and yet durable design.

JULY 2012 / 11

NEWS

LG goes green with Multi-V III Things are a little bit quieter, more comfortable and more economical with LG Multi V air conditioning systems, perfect for high-rise buildings with a flair for style. LG recently launched the Multi V – III in Muscat boasting its ecofriendly ways and its outstanding energy efficiency. The third generation of the popular Multi V VRF series, Multi V III

features higher energy efficiency and longer piping capabilities. Multi V III has enhanced energy efficiency and is ARHI 1230 certified. It provides the owner the benefit of VRF - lower operational costs minimal or no duct work to install, tenant comfort with individual zoning, efficiency superior to other technologies while taking a green turn.

Finding a school Fishing has become a lot easier with the ‘Deeper’, a small ball with inbuilt sonar.

Simply synchronise it with your android or apple smartphone and toss the ball into the water to find fish. Once it is in contact with water, this little ball informs you the exact hot spots for fishing. It is able to relay the data from up to 150feet and works well with water bodies of 40m in depth. For all those who love fishing but hate the wait, the Deeper sonar ball is just the thing for you. Retrieving the ball however, is a different question.

Pamper your senses Chilling can After Pepsi’s failed attempt at the selfchilling beverage can back in 1998, West Coast Chill is poised to successfully revolutionize the industry with the release of a can that has the ability to lower its contents to an impressive -1.11 °C. How it works of course is a secret, but rumour has it that the new can contains a chamber of highly pressurized CO2 gas surrounding the beverage which, when released by push of a button, expands absorbing heat and thereby lowering the temperature of the can contents.

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Rolls Royce Ghost Six Senses edition is made to lure customers via all their senses namely, sight, sound, aroma, taste, and touch. While the world of luxury presents many objects of desire that captivate one or more senses, it takes one of these handbuilt cars to awaken all five. Bathed in sophistication and luxury the car is a masterpiece by itself.

Goodbye Google maps

Apple has bid farewell to Google Maps in iOS6, replacing the globally loved maps application with its own 3D Maps app. The maps will now feature turn by turn navigation, which has been desired by many iOS users for a while. Traffic data will be enhanced by anonymous data, transmitted from millions of iOS devices all over the world.

Instead of expensive 3rd party apps now the voice of Siri will guide you to your destination. At intersections, the app switches to a 3D mode and dynamically turns the camera view so you have a better feel of where you

are. With the new ‘Flyover’ feature, users will be able to see fully rendered 3D images of metro locations, when zoomed close enough.

However, features aside, at the first glance of the Google Earth’s replacement it appears there is still a lot of work to do. Screenshots claiming to be from the developer release of the software show Apple’s new Maps app confusing oceans and giving less details as compared to the Google Maps. Let’s hope these glitches are rectified soon for the benefit of our navigation.

Up, close and Pixenal Imagine a camera that could take pictures with a resolution of 50gigapixel. A camera capable of creating images with unprecedented detail has been unveiled by US engineers. The machine is likely to be used first for military surveillance. In its current state the researchers say it can take one gigapixel images at up to three frames per minute. The research team’s initial prototype is two-and-half square feet and 20 inches in height.

Though this prototype is not quite ready for the consumer market, researchers predict that as camera technology and electronics continue their pace towards miniaturization and energy efficiency, consumer grade gigapixel cameras will soon follow.

Toshiba goes larger tab-wise Designing the perfect screen size for a tablet is a tricky endeavor. With its new Excite 13, Toshiba has experimented with the ‘bigger is better’ idea. Sporting an impressive 13.3-inch display the Toshiba Excite 13 operates with the newest version of the Android OS, the 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This large little tab with a 10-finger multi-touch screen includes goodies such as a five megapixel camera, a two megapixel front-facing camera and comes preloaded with a number of Google apps, including Gmail, Plus, Maps with Navigation, Latitude, the Play Store for Books, Music, and Movies, Search, Talk, and YouTube.

The Excite 13 is a tab that’s ideally suited for home.

Sharp & Smart Sharp has taken its wrap off the 90-inch Smart television.

Sharp’s new AQUOS measures in at four feet in height, five inches in thickness and weighs in at a mere 64kgs. These big beauties are up for grabs now, but prepare your wallet to take a major hit, as you’ll have to shell out USD11,000 (RO4,246) to get one of these in your living room.

MSE announces Ramadan sale Upgrade your home with the best brands in the holy month of Ramadan. Mustafa Sultan Electronics Company LLC recently announced its Ramadan sale with a wide range of discounts on exclusive kitchen appliances from Philips and Whirlpool home appliances in the retail outlets.

Get attractive bundle offers and great discounts or free guaranteed gifts on purchase of select models of all the top brands in home appliances. Avail yourself to the month long celebration from the 20th June till the 19th August 2012.

JULY 2012 / 13

NOUVOTECH

Sense & Sensibility

Explore technology that captures, moves and sees with these gadgets

SLR in colour Get your hands on Panasonic’s latest Lumix DMC-GF5, a stylish compact camera with speed, accuracy and sophistication. The ultra-small camera with built-in flash is a relief from the conventional DSLR’s and promotes better image quality with larger sensors and interchangeable lens. The 12.1 megapixel camera is available in two trendy new colours, red and gold.

Advanced AF System for Speed & Accuracy 3D Noise Reduction system Full AVCHD 1080/60i video with MP4 recording option Rotation detection Built-in orientation sensor Intuitive control and high visibility with three inch touch LCD

Smelling Fish

Plant panther Do you love plants but lack a green thumb? If your plants are giving up on your sense of love, the Koubachi Wi-Fi Plant Sensor is your answer. This USD99 (RO60) plant sensor thinks on your behalf for the well-being of your potted plants. It takes stock of water levels, soil consistency, humidity, temperature and

14 / TECH

light,monitoring essential information to ensure survival by alerting you to make necessary adjustments. Apart from an online encyclopaedia of indoor plants, the sensor alerts you to make the necessary adjustments ensuring your potted plants will not bite the dust too easily.

BMT, a British firm, has announced a project that would create robotic fish in order to assess and monitor water quality. Termed SHOAL fish, these robotic creatures are the size of large tuna and can detect spillages, chemical leakages, and other hazardous materials in the water with its on-board censors. When something suspicious is detected, these ornate fish alerts port authorities so that they can mitigate the polluting effects.

Of course, it has no defence against fish nets.

Get Floored High-tech liquid-motion floor brings an outrageous walking surface to your interior. Walking on these tiles creates an experience unexpected from a flooring surface. They can also function as counters at restaurants. Available in several colours, shapes and sizes these tiles add the ‘show-and-tell’ glamour to any décor. We do not recommend these if you have a football team of kids.

Sorry Gillette ShaveTech is out to revolutionise the way men shave while travelling. Instead of having resort to dry razors and its essentials or electric razors and its chargers, you can now plug the USB cable of the lightweight electric razor into your laptop and simply start shaving.

When not in use, the USB cable flips back inside the shaver for streamlined, smartphone-size portability. What’s more, a single full-charge holds 30 minutes worth of shaving. It seems there is better a man can get.

Huggy Bulb Hugs certainly feel good, both on the giving and receiving ends. The ‘Hug Light’ is an illuminating lamp that offers comfort through heat and light therapy to those who are stressed out. Be it emotional or physical, people respond better to a comforting embrace more than anything. Designers Park Jinmi and KwakJinsub believe it’s a much better way to deal with problems because it’s expressive, non-invasive and might be an alternative to medication. This is one holistic approach we would like to try.

Counting sheep It’s all about mind control with Remee, a Rapid Eye Movement (REM) enhancing sleep mask that steers you into lucid dreaming. Designed by Bitbanger Labs in Brooklyn, this gadget‘enters’ your dreams during REM stagethroughsix red LED’s that you can ‘see’ even with your eyes closed. In your sleep, you become

self-aware of your dreams and then can direct them as you wish.With practice, Remee can take us all to an alternate universe of our choice. So fly with birds, race cars or count sheep, it’s up to you to decide your dream at an affordable USD95(RO37).

JULY 2012 / 15

COMPUTING

PORTABLE

Power

S

amsung has recently released another third generation of Ivy Bridge based laptop namely the Samsung Series 5 NP550P5C. Designed with impressive configurations from latest hardware specs for an immersive multitasking, multimedia and entertainment experience for users on the go, Samsung NP550P5C notebook is available now.

Processor and memory Under the hood, the laptop is powered by Intel Core i7 3610QM processor featuring 64-bit computing system, coupled with 8GB DDR3 SDRAM for multitasking

specifications PROCESSOR Intel Core i7 3610QM @2.30Ghz MEMORY 8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600Mhz STORAGE 1TB SATA

Samsung’s Series 5 laptop review

performance and pre-installed with Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit edition as the operating system provides ultimate power and performance for serious multitasking and multimedia performance.

Graphics and display The notebook sports 15.6 inch brilliant HD+ SuperBright LED display with 16:9 viewing angle, 300nit brightness and anti-reflective screen coating. The device also boasts nVidia GeForce GT 650M dedicated graphics cards to enhance graphics performance with support up to

2048 MB GDDR5 video memory.

Camera and sound On the top of display is a 1.3MP web camera with integrated microphone for video callings. The ergonomic island keyboard with a numeric keypad and direction arrows is comfortable to use and two JBL speakers with Max Bass Boost Subwoofer and SoundAlive software can produce outstanding rich stereo sound quality when playing games, web browsing or listening to music.

Communication For port and connectivity, it comes equipped with multi card slot with support SD, SDHC, SDXC and MMC formats, headphone output, microphone input, two USB 2.0 port, two USB 3.0 port, Bluetooth 3.0, gigabit ethernet LAN for wire connections, Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) and 802.11b/g/n WLAN for internet connections.

GRAPHICS 2GB Nvidia Geforce GT 650M Available at SARCO, 24593025

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COVERSTORY

THE RIGHT

CHORDS

Versatility is the key when it comes to Yamaha’s lightest RGX. We let the chords do the talking

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I

t’s songs like Smooth by Santana or rock ballads like Knocking on Heaven’s Door that make you want to grab a guitar and jam.

The Yamaha RGX A2 is a marvel of musical technology – both in and out. By using the Alternative Internal Resonance (AIR) technology Yamaha shattered conventional beliefs that a guitar must be made with uniform and heavy materials for a better sound quality. The A2’s resonant qualities are immediately apparent when you strum it acoustically.

There’s a real sense of liveliness and energy with this guitar owing to good overall tone.

Body The RGX-A2 comes with 22-frets on a rosewood fret board, and a bolt-on maple neck. On the inside, AIR construction features a lightweight wood core sandwiched between harder, heavier wood on both the front and back body surfaces. There are special interior ‘sound tubes’ that pass through the guitar body to allow the entire internal area to vibrate. The vibrations are then intensified and channelled straight to the pickups for a heavy, punchy output.

Our take: AIR technology is truly a remarkable feature incorporated by Yamaha as the RGX-A2 weighs in at a mere 2.5kgs only. Compared to the RGX, this version has a slimmer frame similar to the Fender Stratocaster one making the guitar a lot more comfortable to play with while standing.

Sound To complement the tonal characteristics of the AIR styled body, the guitar comes with visual pickups, in the form of small twistable cylinders, customised by Yamaha with inputs from some of the world’s greatest players. An LED pickup indicator surrounding the volume control provides the player with a bright visual indication of which pickup is in use. In addition to the pickups, there are also two Alnico hum-buckers that sit in white soap-bar housings. A minimalist bridge design keeps the playing surfaces snagfree for greater playability when playing close to the bridge.

Our take: Versatility at its best, the guitar, floats like a Fender and stings like a Ibanez. Be it rock, metal, blues or jazz, the RGX-A2 can play it all. Once again, the AIR technology shines. The hollow sound tubes make chords resonate very nicely with zero feedback. The sounds are focused and unruffled giving a clean rich tone to the music being

Our guitarist Raad al Farsi tests the Yamaha RGX-A2 played. It seems custom-made for songs like Wonderful Tonight or November Rain. The fret board allows players to perform smooth riffs for classics like Hotel California. Heavy brooding metal rhythms came surprisingly easy from this unassuming little guitar.

RATINGS Tone Looks Play Value

The only quibble we have is the pick up changeover switch is a knob instead of the regular toggle-type. Though we prefer the regular pickups to make sudden shifts or changes, the bridge pickup alone delivers a clean tone. On overdrive, this pickup gives a great gritty top-end sound perfectly designed for hard rock.

The neck pickup glides smoothly from mellow serene tunes to dark rugged areas without hesitation. And, when both pickups are engaged, the sound is simply dominating. The absence of the tremolo arm is also felt but once you get used to the pedal, you really wonder if anything can sound better.

Be it rock, metal, blues or jazz, the RGX-A2 can play it all

JULY 2012 / 19

AT A GLANCE Construction: Bolt-On Body: Original A.I.R. (Alternative Internal Resonance) Neck: Maple Fingerboard: Rosewood Bridge: Yamaha Original Pickups: 2 Yamaha Alnico Humbuckers Controls: Master Volume Control, 3-Position Rotary Pickup Switch or Indicator

Design The look of the RGX A2 is nothing short of stunning. The gloss lacquer finish feels smooth under the hand. The engraved design lines on the top; white soapbar pickups; white finish with gray back; and twotone, 3-D headstock give the RGX A2 modern, high-tech visual appeal. Available in jet black, white with aircraft grey, metallic blue or metallic red, the guitar is a knockout with an edge of modernity.

Our take: We love the lavish style. The lighted volume-knobs, futuristic tuners, bridge and smooth saddles complete the visual appeal giving the A2’s face a bit of modernist flair.

Impression The Yamaha RGX A2 is one guitar that can take you to the heights of musical creativity. Whether you are an amateur or a pro you will be truly inspired by its vibrant amazing resonance that translates into endless sustain. The RGX-A2 is one of those instruments that bring the music out of you easily. There’s no doubt about the guitars reliability or durability since it’s obviously Yamaha. The beautiful precision craftsmanship shines through the futuristic cosmetic and functional enhancements loaded on the guitar.

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Available at Muscat Music 24696856

Get heard Crank up the volume with an amp that complements your style Configuration

Speaker size

Combination amps, combo for short, are units that include the amplifier and speaker together. A stack variation consists of a separate amp, or head, and a speaker cabinet to help you mix and match to suit your taste.

Bigger doesn’t always mean better.

Several small speakers that come in a bass cabinet produce a tighter, more accurate sound, while a larger speaker is often heavy sounding.

Amplifier types Solid-state amps are affordable, reliable and have a clean tone. Tube amps are heavy requiring more maintenance but deliver a rich, vintage tone. Modeling amps, the best-selling in this segment, uses technology to make solid state amps sound and feel like traditional tube amps providing plenty of gain for almost any application.

Construction The materials the amp is made of can affect the quality of its sound. Since a thinner material can cause a speaker to vibrate and loosen, a thickness of at least half inch is recommended for a clean tone. An amp with a closed back will produce better bass response.

Power The more watts you have the more likely the amp will stay true to tone at higher volumes. Amps come with anywhere from 5 to 400 watts.

Equalizer EQ settings help you alter the tone of your guitar. In many instances the EQ frequency settings are pre-set. Other times you have the ability to adjust the frequency, giving you greater control

Price Combo amps tend to be cheaper when compared to stack configurations. So if you’re just starting out, a combo amp is the cheaper and easier way to go.

JULY 2012 / 21

AUDIOZONE

WIRELESS BASS Amplify your cinematic experience at home with the new Sonos Sub 18.5cm

20.7cm

W

ireless speaker guru Sonos has announced its latest bit of hardware: a wireless subwoofer called the Sonos Sub. The Sonos Sub has been designed from the inside out, taking in two force-cancelling speakers positioned face to face to avoid cabinet buzz, dual acoustic ports and two class-D digital amplifiers specially tuned for the hardware. With digital sound processing promising zero-loss audio quality and energy, Sonos says ‘you won’t just hear the difference Sub makes – you’ll feel it with every bone in your body’.

Bone-o The Sonos Sub promises to give some extra grunt to the existing wireless Sonos hardware – it plays nice with all amplified components (Connect Amp, ZonePlayers 120 and 100, the Play:5 and the Play:3).

What’s more, you can sit it up, lie it down or stick it under the sofa and Sonos says you won’t hear any loss in sound or performance. Setting it up is a one-button affair, although there’ll likely be some fiddling around with the Sonos Controller apps to tweak it to your desired settings.

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8.9 cm

The tech • Two force-cancelling speakers positioned face-to-face: All the sound and energy from the music comes through loud and clear, and none of it is lost in cabinet buzz or rattle.

• All digital sound: All filter settings, active equalization and time alignment are done digitally through state-of-the-art DSP (Digital Signal Processing) circuitry for zero-loss audio quality and energy.

• Dual acoustic ports: Tuned to maximize the acoustic volume of the SUB and enhance bass resonance.

SPECIFICATIONS • Anodized precision machined extrusion aluminum case. Aluminum casing also facilitates passive cooling.

• Internet radio supported • Playlist supported: Rhapsody, iTunes, WinAmp, Windows Media Player, and MusicMatch (.m3u, .pls, .wpl) • 110W RMS (2x55W continuous average power into 8 ohms, THD+N<0.02%)* • Auto-detecting RCA type, 80 Hz crossover

Boom away

Go louder with the new portable bass monster in Oman

T

he Beatbox Portable is the latest addition to the Beats

by Dr. Dre line-up. It may not be a replacement to the more powerful Beatbox, but the Beatbox Portable improves upon the subtleties that the original Beatbox lacked. That includes bluetooth connectivity, easy portability and even crisper sound.

only can iPod or iPhone users take advantage of the speaker, but those with external devices can hook them up too. The sound produced out of the Beatbox Portable is loud and fills a room with a quality sound.

Design

It’s stylish, easily portable, and it’s not only a great sounding iPhone or iPod dock, but it also shines as a Bluetooth speaker. It also doesn’t output extreme amounts of bass, and instead it tends to compliment the mids and highs supremely. That said, Beats by Dre critics will really have to dig to find fault with the Beatbox Portable.

The design of the Beatbox Portable takes many cues from its older brother the Beatbox, but it has its own special unique touches as well.

For instance, there is not one, but two carry handles on each side of the speaker. The speaker grill on the Beatbox Portable wraps the entire front of the Beatbox Portable, even on the handles. Furthermore, in comparison to the original Beatbox, the footprint has considerably shrunk and is much lighter – actually making this Beatbox – portable. One big difference between both Beatbox versions is that Portable has the ability to be powered by 6D cell batteries, truly completing the whole portable concept.

Verdict

key features Type iPod, wireless, portable Channels 2 Controller wireless Power rating subwoofer 20 watts RMS per channel Controls on satellites, power, volume

Docking station supports all iPods and iPhones to date

Sound quality The Beatbox Portable delivers crisp highs and rich mids that present the thumping bass the Beats by Dre brand loves. The Portable packs in a 5.25inch woofer along with a 3.5mm input for other external audio sources. So not

Available at Al Emad Computers, 24695964

JULY 2012 / 23

ToTal package Philips’ latest entry into the home theater scene

SpecificationS Picture enhancement hD (720p, 1080i, 1080p/24fps), Progressive scan, video upscaling SounD enhancement Dolby Digital Prologic ii, Dolby Digital 5.1, DtS Digital Surround

600W rmS of surround sound with hD playback of video through hDmi

featureS auDio Playback • compression format: mP3, Wma • mP3 bit rates: 32 - 320kbps Still Picture Playback • compression format: JPeG • Picture enhancement: rotate, slideshow with music playback, zoom ViDeo Playback • compression formats: DivX ultra, mPeG1, mPeG2, mPeG4 oPtical Playback meDia • Playable discs: cD, cDDa, cD-r/ cD-rW, DVD, DVD +r/+rW, DVD -r/-rW, SVcD, VcD

I

ntroducing the new home theatre system from Philips, the HTS3539.

This new lineup features the DVD-Speaker system combo seen in previous models from Philips but with new and improved features. The HTS3539 boasts powerful surround sound through four tallboy speakers, one center speaker and a passive subwoofer. A total of 600W RMS power through exposed speaker drivers makes sure you get great sound for movies and music. The setup also includes Dolby Digital, the world’s leading digital multi-channel audio standards, make use of the way the human ear naturally processes sound thus making you experience superb quality surround sound audio with realistic spatial cues.

The system also plays back virtually any disc and any media devices you want – whether they be DVDs, VCDs, CDs or USB devices. With DivX support, you are also able to enjoy DivX encoded videos and movies from the internet, including purchased Hollywood films, in the comfort of your living room. Being a DivX Ultra Certified Philips device, you can playback DivX videos with great features like integrated subtitles, multiple audio languages, multiple tracks and menus into one convenient file format. HDMI output ensures that movies in standard definition are converted into true high definition resolution – ensuring more details and more true to life pictures.

Available at Mustafa Sultan Electronics, 24636015

24 / TECH

VIDEOZONE

CINEMA RED ISCOVERED Clarity in the hands of the lens holder

T

he RED ONE redefined digital cinema upon its arrival, democratising 4K capture and challenging the status quo. Utilising an S35mm image plane, the RED ONE displays a natural depth of field from 2K to 4.5K resolutions. Seize every moment with the ability to capture anywhere from 1-120 fps onto high-speed RED CF or SSD media.

RED ONE has a well established pedigree of Oscar winning films, 3D features, and even magazine covers that have solidified its reputation as a reliable workhorse. Introduced as the purest digital alternative to 35mm film, the RED ONE has shot some of the most influential films of our time - from Che to The Social Network. Its ability to sustain brilliant 4K images in even the toughest environments has contributed to its enduring success as one of the greatest digital cinema cameras of all time.

3D

A combination of 4K resolution, fluid compatibility, and raw flexibility has made the RED ONE a favourite for 3D features and events. High-resolution REDCODE raw files let you correct zoom disparities and adjust convergence without corroding the quality of your image. With the ability to preview, export, and adjust HIT or VIT for 3D images within REDCINE-X PRO, 3D workflow just gets easier.

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5X HD

A robust 4K sensor with over 13 stops of dynamic range has distinguished the RED ONE as an ideal counterpart to 35mm film. With over 5x the detail of HD, the RED ONE has antiquated what was once cutting-edge, setting technical benchmarks and establishing new standards in digital cinema.

Lenses

Take advantage of a vast inventory of optics with the ability to switch promptly between PL and Nikon mounts. The RED ONE allows for the use of 35mm and 16mm PL mount lenses alongside a renowned catalog of Nikon glass, encouraging an array of options when it comes to making your artistic decisions.

No two perspectives are ever the same, which is why the RED ONE lets you choose your own.

PHOTOGRAPHY

XPerience Life Fujifilm’s rugged XP series - for when the going gets tough

F

ujifilm has released three new models in its ‘lifeproof’ FinePix XP series, the XP150, XP100, and XP50. Lifeproof cameras are rugged versions of point and shoot digicams with Waterproof, Shockproof, Freezeproof, and Dustproof capabilities built right in. Fujifilm’s new XP Series cameras now include a high performance 14-megapixel CMOS sensor coupled with a FUJINON 5x wide angle optical zoom lens (28-140mm) with a water repellent coating. The XP Series all have a new, high-contrast 2.7-inch LCD to help see what you’re shooting in bright sunlight or underwater.

Drop it, soak it or freeze it, this camera is a survivor

All three cameras also feature full 1080p HD movie recording modes, 10 framesper-second burst shooting capabilities in full resolution, and a newly redesigned double locking door to keep all the electronics housed in the rugged, metal uni-body chassis safe from whatever elements you may throw their way. To help with capturing crisp images and smooth video during any adventure, Fujifilm has included sensor shift Dual Image Stabilization system as well as incamera movie editing, Motion Panorama Mode, Face Detection and automatic red-eye removal.

The XP150 is the XP-Series flagship.

It costs about RO30 more than the similarly-appointed XP100 and comes with one extra feature: the built-in GPS. GPS is useful for GEO-Tagging which means every time you snap a picture, you can let the XP150 record your location in the world, and when you load it into a social networking site, web app like Google maps, or photo editing or viewing programs, you’ll be able to see exactly where you’ve been. There’s even an electronic compass to help lead you out of the backcountry should you become lost.

Both the XP150 and XP100 sport tougher specs than the series’ most affordable model, the XP50. These upgrades include being waterproof down to 10m, shockproof to 2m, freezeproof to -10℃, and a longer lasting li-ion rechargeable battery.

Video 1080p capable HD video recording

GPS Built-in GPS used for GEO-Tagging your photos

features 2.7-inch anti-reflective LCD monitor

LCD High cotrast 2.7-inch LCD screen to shoot photos in all light or dark conditions

14-megapixel CMOS sensor 10fps burst shooting FUJINON 5x optical zoom lens 1080p HD Movie recording (30fps) Dual Image Stabilization (CIS) system 360-degree Motion Panorama Mode

XP-50

RO90

XP-100 RO100 XP-150 RO130 Available at Photocentre, 24565305

JULY 2012 / 27

MOBILEZONE

CLASH

OF THE TITANS

W

ith the launch of Galaxy S III, the market now has flagship devices from the two big Android smartphone manufacturers stacked up in the shelves.

Both the devices have industry leading hardware specifications and come with host of software improvements over the vanilla Android 4.0. For a consumer

28 / TECH

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the biggest battle of the droids so far, the sensational Samsung Galaxy SIII is up against HTCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exceptional One X. So who has your vote?

looking to grab the best Android smartphone right now, which one of these is going to be a wise choice?

4.8-inch display in a much smaller device, which is certainly a big feat making it highly usable for consumers.

Design

On the other hand, HTC has done a great job while designing One X - featuring a curved profile, the beautifully crafted phone is very functional in real-life usage.

Samsung have once again gone for a glossy design similar to the SII. However, Samsung has been able to fit a huge

Display

Software and UI

Samsung well known for its AMOLED display technology has opted for an improved Super AMOLED on Galaxy SIII as compared to the SII. However, the bluish tinge is still present and whites are a little off on the smartphone.

Samsung has included its own UI atop Ice Cream Sandwich, called TouchWiz Nature UX. Some of several other exclusive SIII software features include Direct Call, Smart Stay and S-Voice.

Though Direct Call and S-Voice work well, Smart Stay is somewhat hit and miss along with the tweaked folder functionality and slow Android updates.

HTC started the trend of 720p display in smartphones with Rezound and now every manufacturer is bringing HD display in their flagship devices.

One X is HTC’s second smartphone to sport a 720p screen. With Super LCD 2 technology underneath, the display in One X is one of the best around.

It provides great viewing angles, and accurate colour reproduction.

Performance Samsung has gone for 1GB RAM and a quad-core processor in Galaxy SIII with an in-house developed processor - the Exynos 4 Quad whihch simply blows the competition away, including the HTC One X. Thanks to the superfast processor on-board, Galaxy SIII glides through the menus, home screen, heavy webpages and more with ease. Samsung has opted for a 2100mAh user-removable battery, which would easily last a day on moderate usage which is another advantage over the One X. Quad-core processors are the latest craze in smartphones and HTC One X is the first smartphone to launch with NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor. Thanks to the quad core processor and 1GB RAM on-board similar to the Samsung SIII, the performance is simply exceptional and there is no lag or sluggishness. The company has included an 1800mAh non user-removable battery on the smartphone, which results in only a day backup with moderate use.

Similar to Samsung, the One X comes pre-loaded with Android 4.0.3, with an all-new version of HTC’s Sense user interface (UI). A refreshing upgrade from earlier versions, Sense4 UI is toned down but is still a big memory hog taking up big chunks of RAM. However, due to the 1GB RAM on-board, it doesn’t impact performance.

While both the smartphones have some positives and negatives on the user interface front, choosing an interface is more of a personal taste, however the SIII has a definite edge in terms of bundled software.

Camera With cameras back in the limelight, the Galaxy SII may not have the best camera software, the optics are definitely exceptional. The shots taken from 8MP out-perform almost all smartphones cameras including One X. HTC’s One X puts up a good fight with a vastly improvement camera software and a great camera having a F2.0 aperture, which improves the low light performance.

Not to miss out on the 3G spectrum, both the devices also come with front cameras, which give decent results.

Verdict It is certainly a hard decision between Samsung Galaxy SIII and HTC One X. While Galaxy SIII scores on performance and camera front, the One X has better display and design. Software and user interface are left to personal preference.

One last factor that plays an important role in making a decision is the pricing, which is not much of let-down as these devices are almost similarly priced in the market. Samsung has priced Galaxy SIII at RO250, while One X is being sold for RO240.

So, if pricing is a concern for you, HTC One X is a good deal by for a mere RO10 difference but for the extra RO10 you might just get the most loved droid - the Galaxy S III.

JULY 2012 / 29

SPECIALFEATURE

Intelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest answer to the market dominated by touchscreen tablets. We review a few Ultrabooks out today

30 / TECH

W

ith sales of budget laptops plummeting, computer makers are swinging the pendulum toward sleeker, metallic and pricier portable PCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s called Ultrabooks. Most PC giants have committed to building Ultrabooks. The laptops typically use flash memory instead of hard drives, have no disc readers in order to stay thin, and weigh less than three pounds. Some computer makers see Ultrabooks as an evolution of the laptop in response to demands created by lightweight tablet computers. This view is even shared by PC companies that produce tablets of their own. In this issue, we look at some of the Ultrabooks that have made a mark in this segment of portable computers.

JULY 2012 / 31

ACER The S3 is Acer’s first entry into the Ultrabook world Design

Pros

Thin. Light. Core i5 processor and 4GB memory provide potent performance. Combination of spinning hard drive and SSD provides larger storage capacity without losing speed.

More affordable than competitors.

Cons

Though its magnesium lid and silvery color scheme resembles laptops with all-metal construction, the rest of the chassis, including the palm rest, is made of plastic. Like the MacBook Air 13-inch, it’s thin and lightweight.

Display has lower resolution, limited viewing angles. Construction feels cheap.

Bottom Line

The Acer Aspire S3 has a superthin profile, larger storage capacity than competitors, and unmatched affordability.

21.6cm

32cm

DETAILS

RO430

TYPE Ultraportable, consumer ultralow voltage, ultrabook PROCESSOR Intel Core i5-2467M OS Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium PROCESSOR 1.6GHz RAM 4GB WEIGHT 1.3kgs SCREEN 13.3 inches RESOLUTION 1366 x 768 GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 3000 STORAGE 320GB ROTATION SPEED 5400rpm

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Communication Along the back edge of the Acer Aspire S3, you’ll find two USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI port. On the right edge of the laptop you’ll find a media card reader (SD, MMC), and on the left, you’ll find a headset jack, combining a headphone and microphone jack in one. Internally, the Aspire S3 is equipped with 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 wireless options, and a 1.3-megapixel webcam atop the 13-inch screen.

Verdict Although lacking on build quality, the Acer Aspire S3 has super thin profile, larger storage capacity, and affordability that is currently unmatched.

Available at Carrefour QCC, 24534209

ASUS The Zenbook is the total package Ultrabook you have been looking for Design

Communication

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s machined from one piece of aluminum, with a vertically brushed pattern on the bottom and palmrest and slightly darker circular pattern on the lid.

On the left hand side of the Zenbook rests a USB 2.0 port, a combined headphone and microphone jack, and a built-in card reader (SD/MMC). On the right, a USB 3.0 port, mini VGA connector and a microHDMI port. Asus includes a USB-toEthernet adapter allowing a wired LAN. 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 are integrated

Pros

Ultra Low-Voltage Core i5 processor is efficient. USB 3.0. Bright, highresolution display. Superb Bang & Olufsen sound. Slim and sturdy monoshell construction. Security features provide peace of mind. Includes mini VGA-to-VGA and USB-to-Ethernet dongles for added connectivity. Solidstate drive offers instant boot-up and resume time.

Cons

SSD offers smaller storage capacity than competitors with spinning drives.

Mini HDMI port instead of full-size.

Bottom Line

The Asus Zenbook UX31 is the clear leader in the nascent ultrabook category, with better overall performance and battery life than any competitor. It also has a brilliant display, superb sound, and solid construction.

22.3cm

DETAILS

RO525

TYPE Ultraportable, ultrabook

32.5cm

PROCESSOR Intel Core i5-2557M OS Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium PROCESSOR 1.7GHz RAM 4GB WEIGHT 1.3kgs SCREEN 13.3 inches RESOLUTION 1600 x 900 GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 3000

Verdict Steep price, superior construction, a fuller feature set, and stronger performance.

STORAGE 128GB ROTATION SPEED SSD Available at Emax, 24558062

JULY 2012 / 33

HP The glass enclosed Envy 14 Spectre is pure eye candy What’s better than Aluminium, plastic or carbon fibre for a laptop? The hippest, slickest material for encasing an ultrabook is glass—scratch-resistant glass covering not only the screen, as on the Dell XPS 13, but also the lid and palm rest of the glossiest, flossiest ultrabook yet, the glamorous HP Envy 14 Spectre. HP boasts that the Envy 14 Spectre fits a 14-inch display into a 13.3-inch frame.

Design With black glass covering its aluminum lid and clear glass overlaid on its aluminum palm rest, the Spectre offers a striking, mirror-finish appearance.

Rounded corners and a black screen bezel add to the system’s allure.

RO599

DETAILS

TYPE General purpose, business, small business, ultrabook PROCESSOR Intel Core i5-2467M OS Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium PROCESSOR 1.6GHz RAM 4GB WEIGHT 1.8kgs SCREEN 14 inches RESOLUTION 1600 x 900 GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 3000 STORAGE 128GB ROTATION SPEED SSD

Communication Bluetooth, Intel Wireless Display (WiDi) for zapping audio and video to an HDTV set equipped with a Belkin ScreenCast.

It’s also the first ultrabook with NFC (near field communication). combined headphone/microphone jack on the Spectre’s left edge, along with an SD/ MMC memory-card slot; one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 port; Ethernet; and HDMI and Mini DisplayPort video outputs.

22.1cm

32.8cm

Pros

Amazing back, front and palm rest, thanks to glass casing. Sunny screen and backlit keyboard. Great audio and battery life.

Backlit Keyboard

A little heavy and costly for an ultrabook.

Verdict

With its classy glass casing, fine keyboard, and great battery life, the HP Envy 14 Spectre is a slick premium package.

The Envy 14 Spectre will give you a larger, higher-resolution display, an excellent keyboard, and a handful of genuine niceties or little touches, all in a gorgeous glass wrapper. It’s a welcome addition to the ultrabook ranks.

Cons

Bottom Line

34 / TECH

Available at Emax, 24558062

LENOVO Taking cues from their Thinkpad series, the IdeaPad U300 impresses Design

Display

Communication

While others follow the MacBook Air’s example and taper to a tenth of an inch at the front edge, Lenovo styled the U300s like an actual book, closer to 0.6 inch thick all the way from front to back.

It’s a gorgeous alternative to the usual wedge shape, one that feels rock-solid when picked up by a front corner and yields almost no flex when you press a palm to the lid. Case is crafted from a single sheet of aluminum, sandblasted for what Lenovo calls a warmer, more tactile finish.

The U300s sports a 13.3-inch glossy screen. It’s not brighter than bright, but it’s perfectly sunny at its top two or three brightness settings and it offers rich colors, crisp blacks and whites, and sharp text.

On the U300s’s left side are a USB 2.0 port and a button for launching the system recovery function if Windows gets corrupt. On the right are a headphone/ microphone jack, an HDMI port, and a USB 3.0 port. While 802.11b/g/n WiFi is built in (as is Bluetooth), those who wish to plug into their companies’ wired LANs will search in vain for an Ethernet port (Lenovo sells a USB hub with Ethernet as an option).

21.6cm

32.5cm

RO459

DETAILS

Verdict

TYPE General purpose, ultraportable, business, consumer ultra-low voltage, ultrabook

Keeping in line with Lenovo’s high end ThinkPads, it’s an enviable option for lucky executives, travelers and students.

PROCESSOR Intel Core i7-2677M

Pros

First-class design. Excellent keyboard.

WiDi.

Cons

No memory-card slot or Ethernet port.

Sealed battery. Premium price.

Bottom Line

The Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, Lenovo’s entry into the ultrabook arena, is as well-engineered as you’d expect, but it’s not a knockout blow to its competitors.

OS Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate PROCESSOR 1.8GHz RAM 4GB WEIGHT 1.3kgs SCREEN 13.3 inches RESOLUTION 1366 x 768 GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 3000 STORAGE 256GB ROTATION SPEED SSD

Available at Emax, 24558062

JULY 2012 / 35

SAMSUNG A bigger brighter screen along with superior processing power, the Series 9 delivers

RO699

DETAILS

Design

Communication

TYPE Ultraportable, business, small business, ultrabook

The Series 9 15-inch boasts an aluminum one-piece shell in a handsome shade— Samsung calls it Titan Silver—with a touch of dark blue.

SD card slot—hidden behind a nifty folding door on the laptop’s right side— and three USB ports—two USB 3.0 on the right and one USB 2.0 on the left. Other ports are miniaturized, with a micro Ethernet port (dongle included) and micro HDMI port (dongle not included) on the left and a micro VGA port (dongle not included) on the right.

PROCESSOR Intel Core i5-2467M

Display 15 inch matte finish, sharp contrast and crisp colours as well as a resolution of 1600 by 900.

OS Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium PROCESSOR 1.6GHz RAM 8GB WEIGHT 1.6kgs SCREEN 15 inches RESOLUTION 1600 x 900 GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 3000 STORAGE 128GB ROTATION SPEED SSD

23.6cm 35.5cm

Pros

Backlit Keyboard

Incredibly thin and light for a 15-inch laptop. Bright, hi-res display. WiDi.

Cons

Expensive. Shallow keyboard. Slippery touchpad.

Bottom Line

Samsung gets a jump on Apple’s popular 13-inch MacBook Air with the super-slim Samsung Series 9 NP900X 15-inch.

36 / TECH

Verdict If your workload centers on office productivity suitable for an ultrabook, your choice will come down to the Samsung’s big, bright screen versus some ultrabooks’ better keyboards and fullsized ports.

Available at SARCO, 24593025

SONY A late entry into the Ultrabook scene, the T13 puts up a good stand against the rest Design

Communication

Crafted out of aluminium and magnesium with a burnished silver finish shaped like a book.

Two USB ports—one 2.0, one 3.0 with charging for handheld devices—are on the left side of the chassis. Both HDMI and VGA ports—a boon for using a variety of monitors and projectors—and an Ethernet port—a boon for office networking—accompany a headphone or microphone jack and an SD/Memory Stick Pro Duo card slot on the right.

22.6cm

32.3cm

7 hours Battery life

RO429

DETAILS TYPE Ultrabook

PROCESSOR Intel Core i5-3317U OS Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium PROCESSOR 1.7GHz

Pros

RAM 4GB

Swift performance. Ample storage.

Cons

WEIGHT 1.5kgs

Half a pound overweight. No WiDi.

Verdict

SCREEN 13.3 inches

New ‘Ivy Bridge’ ultrabooks are arriving, and the Sony VAIO T13 is a nifty example. It’s a fast, handsome and affordable ultrabook.

As one of the cheapest Ultrabooks around, the T13 looks like great value.

It might lack the power of a similarly priced 15in model, but if portability is a real concern you get plenty for your money here.

GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 4000

Bottom Line

RESOLUTION 1366 x 768 STORAGE 500+32GB ROTATION SPEED 5400rpm Available at Jumbo Electronics, 24565845

JULY 2012 / 37

TELECOM

Generation Four We are still enjoying the benefits of 3G, but are there more? Mobile technology surpasses itself once again with the 4G. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s find out

T

oday, 2G and 3G mobile

data has become a basic necessity just so that we can send emails, navigate our

way in unfamiliar places or socialise

with friends. A decent data connection quintessential for any flashy mobile.

A faster network and better coverage

is what the 4G promises. According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a 4G network requires a mobile device to be able to exchange data at 100 Mbit per sec. A 3G network, on the other hand, offers data speeds up to 3.84 Mbit per sec.

Distant video surveillance

3G

Although carriers still differ about whether to build 4G data networks using LTE or WiMax, OFDM is one of the chief indicators that a service

can be legitimately marketed as being 4G. OFDM is a type of digital modulation in which a signal is split into several narrowband channels at different frequencies. This is more efficient than TDMA, which divides channels into time slots

and has multiple users take turns transmitting bursts or CDMA, which simultaneously transmits multiple signals on the same channel.

38 / TECH

high quality wireless sound

mobile TV

third generation of mobile telecommunications (600-800 Kbit/sec)

3G Vs

4G

Though an upgrade to regular 3G, HSPA+ offers faster speeds, it cannot be considered as true 4G. The ITU deems only two formats as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;true 4G technologiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: LTE (Long Term Evolution Advanced) and WiMAX Release 2.

Once LTE Advanced kicks in, it will be easy to upgrade an LTE phone into a complete 4G. The WiMAX or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access is the speed provider for the 4G designed to provide 30 to 40 megabitper-second data rates.

Global roaming

remote control of appliances using a mobile device

High quality games

4G

Video on demand

mobile video conference

multi-channel hi-fi broadcasts

forth generation of future mobile telecommunications (1 Gbit/sec)

Oman is not far behind in providing consumers with the most awaited 4G services. Both Omantel and Nawras will upgrade the current 3G network to 4G network. Omantel will be introducing the 4G LTE services soon, eliminating low latency rates giving faster speed and higher reliability. The SQU campus is proposed to be one of the first areas that Omantel 4G would cover. At the same time, Nawras and Huawei joined forces in a bid to provide 4G LTE services throughout the country by the year end. They plan to turbocharge their network by enhancing and increasing 3G+ sites.

WEARABLETECHNOLOGY

DOCTOR GADGET In an age where technology can do just about anything, we look at how gizmos can save your life Today’s clothing is also about function, not just fashion. The pairing of man and machine has always been the future of our technological advancement.

As computers continue to miniaturise, the world will see more and more wearable devices integrated into our lives. Let us explore relationship between us and technology that help us live a better life heath-wise.

Eye Candy

Bottoms up

Electric underwear might sound like a provocative toy, but a Canadian team of researchers have created a pair of pants that deliver a mild electrical current to the wearer’s backside every 10 minutes in order to prevent bedsores. The newly developed Smart-e-Pants work to simulate the movement and blood flow artificially. For the bedridden or wheelchair-bound, bedsores can be a serious health problem and an aching pain where the sun doesn’t shine.

Shape it right

Move is a concept technology garment designed to nudge you into the right posture. Attractive sensorpacking clothing, a mobile app, and cloud storage work together to read your body’s position and muscle movement, determine whether or not your technique is correct, and provide real-time haptic feedback. Be it your personal yoga, golf, or dance instructor the possibilities for Move’s innovative ability are endless.

40 / TECH

For diabetics who must check their blood glucose levels regularly, testing can be a nuisance. The time consuming testing methods can be quite frustrating and painful at times.

Researchers have developed contact lens using boronic acid or photonic crystals that detect and respond to changes in glucose. Any swings in blood glucose levels are reflected by a change of colour in the contacts. Depending on the colour changes on the bottom of the lens, this easy lessinvasive method gives you a deeper insight into your glucose level.

Leggy masseuse

The Venowave is a battery powered device strapped to the calf that squeezes the leg and massages blood upward, to improve circulation.

This Canadian invention helps cut leg swelling from vascular insufficiency and vein thrombosis, or blood clots that form in veins inside the leg. Doctors treating diabetics using the Venowave have noticed that the leg wounds of their patients are healing much faster.

APPS

Expense Tracker Managing expenses and bills just got easier

Apps for iPhone

Apps for Android

Apps for BlackBerry

Gas Cubby $2.99

Mileage Tracker $2.99

GasKeeper Free

Gas Cubby is the ultimate tool for tracking gas mileage and vehicle maintenance

Billr: Bill Splitting at the Table $.0.99

Tip N Split Tip Calculator Free Calculate tips and split bills quickly & easily with Tip N Split Tip Calculator!

The quickest way to split a bill and calculate the tip at restaurants and cafes upto 16 people

Monitor your day-to-day spending by viewing and sorting the spending for yearly, monthly, daily and items

Mint.com Personal Finance Free Mint automatically pulls in and categorizes your transactions including: checking, savings, credit cards. No need to enter your own transaction

42 / TECH

Dividit FREE

Dividit allows you to easily split dinner, shopping, or grocery bills on per item basis

ProOnGo Expense Free

Expenser FREE

iSpend Free

GasKeeper helps you track and visualize the cost and gas mileage for up to five vehicles

Perfect solution to track mileage from anywhere and at anytime

Expenser is an expense management application which helps you to keep track of your income and outcome transactions turning you into the financial manager of the household budget

With ProOnGo Expense, you can speed up your expense tracking process by having real-time access to your employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expenses from any device

Home Budget Free

Money USD 1.17 Monitor your expenses with the best money manager

This app can be very effective in tracking the incomes, expenses & Budget

TIMEZONE

Time after Time

Nothing speaks style like these exquisitely crafted timepieces from the masters of tourbillion

KEY FEATURES

• 20mm diameter tourbillon • 10-day power reserve • Powered by four barrels

Frank Muller Giga Tourbillon

I

t’s inevitable that the Franck Muller, the man known as ‘the master of complications’, would continue to invent and innovate as restlessly as he did when he first earned the nickname. Some of Franck Muller’s most important innovations have involved the complication known as the tourbillon which is French for whirlwind. The tourbillon is a device invented over 200 years ago by the great watchmaker Abraham Louis Breguet, as a mechanism intended to solve the problem of the negative effects of gravity on accuracy.

It does this by taking the most essential parts of a watch –the regulating elements

44 / TECH

known as the escapement, as well as the spiral balance spring and the oscillating balance wheel –and placing them in a rotating carriage, so that they are never in any single position for too long.

Breguet’s invention was intended to solve a particular problem in accuracy, although its complexity kept it from ever being widely adopted. Though tourbillon wristwatches today can very well be among the world’s most accurate watches –in recent accuracy competitions in Switzerland, tourbillon watches have swept the field –connoisseurs often favor them as much for their exotic appearance

and mesmerizing motion as for their performance.

In such a world, size matters –a larger tourbillon, all other things being equal, offers a more dramatic and seductive visual display, and it was in this spirit that Franck Muller developed the Giga Tourbillon –nothing less than a watch containing the largest tourbillon ever placed on the wrist.

The Giga Tourbillon Round is available in steel at USD242,300 (RO93,237) and in gold at USD264,500 (RO101,780).

Greubel Forsey GMT

KEY FEATURES

• Dual-function Pusher • Tourbillion 24seconds • Rotating globe • Two day power reserve

W

ith the Greubel Forsey GMT you have the whole world in your hand, well at least on your wrist.

The lightweight titanium globe allows you to visualize not only the time but also the position of day and night across different continents via the 24-hour ring around the equator while the case-band window symbolizes the position of the sun on the earth. The globe completes one full counterclockwise rotation every 24 hours, matching the rotation of the Earth, and is surrounded by hour indicators split into white and black numbers indicating the daytime and night-time hemispheres. A world-time disc on the rear of the watch

is connected to the globe and bears the names of 24 cities, each representing one of 24 global time zones. There’s no pricing as yet on the cards but with materials like 18 karat gold, alligator leather and sapphire crystals imbibed in the watch you can be sure it will make your pocket a lot lighter.

The movement consists of 436 components, 87 of which are used in the tourbillon cage, which weighs in at just 0.36 grams. Two coaxial mainspring barrels connected in series provide a power reserve of 72 hours and the movement is equipped with a variable

inertia balance beating at 21,600vph/3Hz and a Phillips terminal curve balance spring. Plates and bridges are handfinished, frosted, spotted, bevelled, straight-grained, matt lapped and flat black polished. The dial is in 18k gold and the whole movement is housed in a white gold case of 43.50mm in diameter with a height of 16.14mm. The case is completed by domed sapphire crystals for the dial-side, display-back and lateral window, all treated with anti-reflective coating. The timepiece is complemented by a hand-sewn black alligator leather strap with a Greubel Forsey folding clasp in white gold.

JULY 2012 / 45

TECHART

SHUFFLE IT LIKE A

POLAROID Reinvent memories with a touch of instant photography

You can use this effect with lots of different types of images, whether it’s a photo of one person or several people. It’s great for photos of family or friends, vacation photos, or even as a creative effect for wedding photography. We have selected the above family photo.

Duplicate the Background layer and create two kayers below that layers. Fill one layer with black as shown in the image.

Name the layers accordingly for understanding better.

Wth Rectangular Marquee Tool selected, drag out a selection inside your image which will become the inside of the first polaroid (the part which contains the photo). It doesn’t really matter where you make this selection since you’ll be able to move it anywhere you like later:

We need to fill the selection with black at this point to create a clipping mask. To create our clipping mask, click on ‘Layer 1’ to select it in the Layers palette. Then go up to the Layer menu at the top of the screen and select Create Clipping Mask. ‘Layer 1’ is indented to the right with a small arrow pointing downward on the left.

46 / TECH

With your Rectangular Marquee Tool still selected, drag out another rectangular selection, this time around the outside of the original selection, which will become the white border of the polaroid. Keep in mind that polaroid photos have some extra space at the bottom of the border Merge both layers and rotate a bit to add drama. You can also shadow to it.

We repeat the above steps and move and rotate more polaroids here with this image, and after creating about 16 polaroids, moving and rotating each with the Free Transform command, here is my final result This is a very easy photo collage effect to create, and as weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see later in the tutorial, much of the work is simply repeating the same few steps over and over again until youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re happy with the results.

DASHBOARD

The 458 Italia is Ferrari’s open-top answer to life

W

hen you chop the top of a sports car, you often lose the lines that originally draws crowds to gasp in excitement as it rolls past into the sunset. Ferrari has just hacked the lid off its 458 Italia and the resulting 458 Spider is the traditionbucking outcome. The convertible 458 puts your ears closer to the engine, allows all of your senses to explode without getting the upholstery messy and guns down nearly every other car in your path.

The world’s first mid-rear engined berlinetta, which is equipped with a retractable hard top, Ferrari 458 Spider, was unveiled at the Ferrari dealership premises in Oman earlier this month.

The new 458 Spider joins the 458 Italia,

48 / TECH

forming a wide range of Ferrari’s midrear engined V8s and offering the same uncompromising technological solutions, handling and performance in a refined open-top configuration.

Drivetrain The 458 Spider is powered by Ferrari’s naturally-aspirated, direct-injection 4.5 liter V8 which was nominated as the 2011 International Engine of the Year for its engineering excellence in terms of driveability, performance, economy and refinement. The power is transferred to the road by Ferrari’s class-leading dual-clutch F1 paddle-shift transmission through the sophisticated E-Diff, integrated with the F1-Trac traction

control and high-performance ABS for maximum handling dynamics.

Performance Certainly the car’s features such as its accelerator pedal mapping and the damping of the multi-link suspension, have been calibrated to guarantee maximum sportiness and absolute driving pleasure with the top down, in line with Maranello’s exclusive spider tradition.

Even the engine soundtrack has been honed to ensure that the car’s occupants are completely captivated by the drop-top driving experience.

DETAILS Engine 4.5-liter V-8 HORSEPOWER 562hp@9,000 rpm Torque 398lb-ft@6,000 rpm Transmission 7-speed DCT 0â&#x20AC;&#x201C;96kmph 3.5 seconds Top Speed 317kmph Weight 1,545kgs (estimated) Length 4,521mm TYres Front 235/35ZR-20, Rear 295/35ZR-20

The roof tech Entirely in aluminium, the hard-top solution adopted for the 458 Spider offers a number of advantages over the traditional folding soft-top, including a reduction of 25kgs and a deployment time of just 14 seconds. Fully integrated into the styling of the car, the hard-top was engineered to fit neatly ahead of the engine bay without compromising aerodynamics or the performance of the car. The small space needed to house the roof enables the designers to include a generous rear bench for luggage behind the seats.

JULY 2012 / 49

Entertainment comes alive with E3 The Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3, is the games industry’s most important yearly conference - and also a reminder each year about how huge the industry is getting. Despite the double-dipping depths of the recession, the big three console manufacturers - Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo - have been in perpetual war since the launch of the Xbox 360.

MICROSOFT Microsoft kicked off E3 2012 with a bang highlighting its biggest upcoming games, as well as its future plans for making the Xbox 360 the ultimate home entertainment device. While the much-anticipated Xbox 720 didn’t make an appearance at the E3 2012 games conference, Microsoft’s press conference this year was all about the Xbox 360 and the games and new functionality Microsoft plans to add for the console over the coming year

Games Microsoft smartly front-loaded its conference with 27 minutes worth of games which saw gameplay demos including one by Joe Montana, along with a powerful demonstration of the Kinect where formations of players were changed by voice command.

Microsoft did a good job of balancing games during the conference sprinkled with Xbox LIVE Arcade games and much more throughout the show.

Game Highlights Halo 4 Splinter Cell: Blacklist Fable: Journey Gears of War: Judgement Forza Dance Central 3 Call of Duty: Black Ops II Tomb Raider Ascend: New Gods Wreckateer

50 / TECH

Beyond Games More than just games, Microsoft announced a number of enhancements and new services that will be coming to the Xbox 360. Starting in the fall you’ll be able to search for videos on your Xbox by genre by simply asking your Xbox to find what you’re looking for. Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Univision and Machinima will also add additional entertainment content to the Xbox lineup of apps.

Xbox Music: With a library of over 30 million tracks, the Xbox service will be available for Windows 8 PCs, tablets and phones presumably replacing Microsoft’s Zune service.

Xbox SmartGlass: This new bit of tech from Microsoft allows you to send movies from your tablet to your television and pick up right where you left off watching. It can also be used along with games to add a new level to gameplay.

Nike+ service to Kinect: A personal trainer in your TV the service will not only let you know how you do during a workout, it will remind you when you’ve been slacking off.

SONY While the company didn’t announce any new hardware namely the PS4, or any price cuts for the current PlayStation 3 console, the stars of the show were the brand new games and IPs Sony had to offer. Despite its poor sales and not-to-successful venture with the Vita, Sony surprised us.

Games With a nod to the future, Sony paid tribute to the gamer and revealed new, power-packed and very bloody titles at the E3. Promising ‘next generation experiences’ each game featured video and game play that was evocative, brutal and bloody with action that drew gasps and cringes.

Game Highlights Beyond: Two Souls Last of Us

Sony also announced PS One coming to PS Vita allowing owners of the PS Vita to enjoying the huge catalogue of classic PS One games. Gamers can enjoy old favourites such as Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy 7.

Wonderbook This new IP from Sony utilizes augmented reality, an actual physical book-like interface, and the PlayStation Move. Players will be able to waive the PS Move controller like a wand and perform spells as if they were students at Hogwarts.

PlayStation Mobile Formerly known as PlayStation Suite, PlayStation Mobile is for open platforms and brings the PlayStation experience to Android smartphones and tablets. HTC will be first non-Sony partner to be part of the PlayStation suite experience

Sony debuted the Cross-Play functionality feature for the PS3 and PS Vita which allows you to play with three friends either on the Vita, a console, or both. The Cross-Play functionality games include • Little Big Planet 2 • PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale • Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation (PSVita) with Assassin’s Creed 3 (PS3)

JULY 2012 / 51

NINTENDO Out of the big three publishers, Nintendo was a favourite at E3 2012. Its plans were fairly obvious: release the Wii U and try to get a jump on both the next generation as well as the whole second screen push. Nintendo hasn’t been good for third party developers since the GameCube, with third-party publishers suffering from piracy with the DS and no software sales on the Wii. At E3 2012, Nintendo took steps to show that people want to buy games on its platform not made by Nintendo itself. The Wii U actually boasted a reasonably large third-party launch line-up.

Game Highlights Darksiders II Batman Arkham City Armored Edition Tekken Tag Tournament Assassin’s Creed Ghost Recon Online Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge FIFA, Metro: Last Light Dirt Showdown F1 2012 Scribblenauts Unlimited, Aliens Colonial Marines, Rayman Legends, Lego City Stories, Killer Freaks From Outer Space, Project Cars, Dragon Quest X Project Nova The interesting thing about the new edition of Batman is that the player uses the WiiU Gamepad to interact with the game in a way that really makes sense. Batman uses gadgets and the WiiU Gamepad may be

52 / TECH

the ultimate gamer gadget. Despite a delay in the release of a few games, Nintendo’s gamble on the controller could pay off, as the combination of a touch-screen, traditional controller and motion sensitivity could be used for just about anything.

Since this press conference was all about the WiiU, Nintendo showed how players will use the new console and Gamepad to play games solo or via multiplayer.

Nintendo says that WiiU will do three things: change your gaming, change the way you interract with your friends, and change the way you watch TV. Boasting asymmetric gameplay that should enable gamers to seamlessly play on the TV or the mobile device, Wii U’s challenge isn’t to defeat the existing consoles - it matches them in terms of power - but to convince third party developers that they can sell their games on it, and the public that the new controller is worth picking up a new console for.

Nintendo didn’t mention pricing, but they did announce that the WiiU will support up to two of the new Gamepad controllers.

Of course, we have no idea how much will it take for us to get our hands on it.

NCAA Football 13 Xbox360, PS3

I

t’s been a good five years since we stepped onto the battlefield with a full-fledged Ghost Recon game, cruising through the skies with Advanced Warfighter 2. Since that time, Ubisoft’s been putting the finishing touches on its latest chapter, Future Soldier, only to run into delays and forcing its release date to move a few months. Well, the time for delays is over, as the finished product has finally worked its way to store shelves.

Now the question is, has this long wait been worth it?

well-armed drone do all the dirty work.

In Future Soldier, you start out as part of a unit running an infiltration on a weapons rig. However, after taking down all the responsible parties, the team is wiped out by a sudden bomb explosion. From there, the perspective changes over to another team, the Ghosts, are out to find who’s responsible for the explosion. It’s not the most original plot line in the world, but it sets the pace for what lies ahead.

In addition, working with your team never feels like a drag, thanks to finely tuned AI and a tag feature that lets you take out squads together, so no one “gets away”. You can go at it solo, or have your friends join in for some entertaining co-op, with up to four players partaking in a team. If you need practice working together as a cohesive unit, you can also play in Guerrilla mode, a Horde-like mode where you cap waves of enemies before they get you.

Hardly original, but it’s fun.

The action jumps all over the place in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. One minute you’re on a full infiltration mission, shooting enemies as a team. The next, you’re sneaking around with Predatorlike camo, ensuring that bad guys don’t get riled up or sound off an alarm that would bring their friends into the battle.

Other sequences are thrown in too, including ones that put you behind the wheel of a turret (not quite the Ghost Recon formula, but we’ll forgive it) and great little sequences where you let a

Though the scope of it shifts quite a bit, Future Soldier never lets up on its tactical action. The gameplay is engaging and thorough, and even gives you the option to shoot enemies through a third-person zoom or a first-person ironsight, however you choose. You also have access to a number of high-tech goods, including tech grenades that can read enemy positions, so you can prep your team accordingly.

JuLY 10

The Last Story Wii

JuLY 11

Fractured Soul Nintendo 3DS

Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft Paris Platform(s): PC, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS Genre: Tatical shooter ESRB Rating: Mature PEGI Rating: 15+

SCORE Gameplay Graphics Story Replayability OVERALL

JuLY 25 9 8 7 7 7

Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time PSP

JuLY 31 JULY 2012 / 53

MOVIEZONE

I

s it too soon for a Spidey reboot? Most probably. But we can go with it. Especially when the new director is the aptly-named Marc Webb.

Despite suspicious detractors and fanboy grumbles, this version of the Spider-Man tale has, surprisingly, come out right, ready and swinging.

The director who gave us 500 Days Of Summer has managed to deliver a glinting, well-cast comic-book flick with punchy emotional heft.

Andrew Garfield takes over the mantle as the new Peter Parker with his love interest Mary Jane Watson being Gwen Stacy. The always reliable Sally Field and Martin Sheen play doting Aunt May and wise Uncle Ben terrorized

by Rhys Ifans, the eccentric Welshman, honoured as ‘The Lizard’, Dr. Curt Connors.

The film does struggle in the first quarter to establish its own identity, with the first half feeling a little too much of a slow-burn.

But once it gets going, it flies - or, in this case, swings.

And it mostly has to

Director: Marc Webb Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, Denis Leary

do with an absolutely fabulous performance from Garfield. He’s winningly earnest, a rebel with an obvious cause, lean and lithe with all surprising teen superhero dreamboat charm. Geek is chic, my friend, and Garfield’s Peter Parker has it in spades.

Getting the best lines, Garfield quips away like Spidey does in the comic books, and even from behind the mask, he makes the humour work.

The real-life romance between him and the always spunky Stone lights up the screen with palpable, believable chemistry.

Webb’s deft combination of great visual effects together with swinging action and a knock-out emotional punch makes up for an enjoyable viewing. The cast is charming, the action is crackling and sequels - just try and stop them - are still coming.

The Amazing Spiderman will surely grab your attention regardless of the superhero blockbusters crowding screens this summer and the best part is it’s in 3D.

DVD Releases 10 July

17 July

17 July

24 July

American Reunion

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Friends with Kids

Silent House

Comedy | Teen

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Comedy

Horror

54 / TECH

FAX TO 24693569 Choose the correct answer and send in your entries for a chance to win 1 What popular company makes the computer line called Macintosh (Mac)? (a) Macintosh (c) Dell

3

(b) IBM (d) Apple Inc.

2 What is the resolution of a 6.0 megapixel digital camera? (a) 1600x1200 (c) 5616x3744

(b) 3008x2000 (d) 7212x5142

The first commercial SMS sent in UK, had text saying...

4 With respect to televisions, what does HD stand for?

(a) Happy Birthday (b) Merry Christmas (c) Happy Easter (d) Happy New Year

(a) Hexadecimal Digital (b) High Definition (c) Hyper Dynamic (d) Higher Dynamic

Please send us your entries by June 25 for a chance to win a Panasonic DVD player Previous quiz answers: 1 – (b) 2 – (b) 3 – (b) 4 – (b)

Last month’s winner:

Abid Yusuf

Name ______________________________________ Age ______ Mobile ___________________________ Email _______________________________________ Occupation __________________________________ Company ____________________________________

Employees and family members of Deenar Press and Publishing cannot participate in the quiz. Judge’s decision is final. Please email the answers to tech@deenarmedia.com or fax this page to 24693569 by the deadline.

Correspondence after the deadline will not be entertained. PLEASE WRITE CLEARLY. Incomplete or illegible entries will be disqualified. Winner must provide valid ID to claim the prize. Allow up to two weeks to process.

Step into our world JULY 2012 / 55

Welcome to our ‘TECH Favourites’ section. With these lists we aim to keep you updated with our favourite products in a concise format. Please give us your feedback on the basis of which we can further improve it.

FAVOURITES

N New

LG 50PT490 This is a 50-inch PenTouch Plasma HD Ready TV with 600Hz Tru Motion flow. It sports three HDMI inputs and USB ports. It has a contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1.

RO300

U Updated

3d TVs

Philips 52PFL5605H This is a 2MP, full-HD 52-inch TV with three HDMI inputs, USB port and PIP. It features Pixel Plus HD and HD natural motion.

LG 72LW9900 3D LED 72-inch Smart TV, full HD, four HDMI/PC input, USB port, two megapixels, 400Hz Tru Motion, 2D to 3D converter

RO3,600

RO699

Sony KDL55EX720

Sharp LC32M400M

3D full HD LED 55-inch screen, two USB ports, four HDMI/PC input, 2D to 3D converter, Internet video

This is a 1MP, HD Ready, 32-inch LCD TV with three HDMI/PC inputs. It features Surround Sound and an OPC sensor. It sports a USB port.

RO900 Sony KDL65HX925 3D Intelligent Peak LED 65-inch screen, full HD, Wi-Fi, Internet Video, PIP system, ten 3D glasses

RO3,000

3D Plasma 51-inch screen, full HD, 2MP, 600Hz subfield motion, USB port, PIP system, Internet TV

55-inch 3D LED TV, Smart TV, 2MP full HD, Smart TV, 800Hz MCI, four HDMI/ PC input, dual play, Builtin Wifi, 2D-3D converter

3D Plasma 50-inch screen, 600Hz sub-field motion drive, 1MP, HD Ready, 2D to 3D converter, USB port, PIP system

RO1,100

42” Full HD 3DLCD TV Metal Finish Panel, USB movie(multi format),3xHDMI,2xUSB

RO249 Panasonic TH-P42X30 This is a 42-inch Plasma, HD Ready, 1MP TV. It sports three HDMI/PC inputs, and 600Hz sub-field drive. It features an ECO sensor and a Game mode.

RO649 Samsung PS50D490

Nakamichi LCD LC42KHZ3D

RO500

3D LED 46-inch screen, full HD, 2MP, 2D to 3D Converter, Wi-Fi, four HDMI/PC inputs, three USB ports

LG 55LM7610

RO100

Samsung PS51D550

Sharp LC-46LE830M

N

Flat-Panel Displays

U

RO390

Samsung UA55ES8000 3D 55-inch Smart TV, full HD, Smart Interaction, Smart Evolution, Smart Content, built-in camera U

Samsung UA46EH5000R This is a 46-inch full HD LED TV with an ultra-slim design. It sports two HDMI/PC input, and USB port. It has a wide colour enhancer and comes with AllShare feature.

RO1,400

RO340 Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs.

Lists are not in any particular order

Players Sony DAV-SZ1000W

LG HB-905TA

Samsung HT-D5550K

DVD, CD, MP3 and DivX playback, 1,000W home theatre, rear wireless speakers, Dolby Digital, USB port, play and record, optical audio input, HDMI up-scaling

Blu-ray 5.1 channel home theatre system, 1,100W RMS, digital surround, USB port, DVD, CD, MP3 and DivX HD playback, iPhone and iPod docking, FM radio

3D Blu-ray home theatre system, 1,000W, Smart Hub features, built-in wireless LAN, Blu-ray, DVD, VCD, CD, MP3 and WMA playback, USB port, HDMI up-scaling

RO195

56 / TECH

RO160

N

RO160

RO245

Panasonic SC-HX165GS-K 5.1 channel home theatre system, 1,000W RMS, DVD, CD and MP3 playback, USB music and movie playback, downfiring subwoofer

U

RO156

Netbooks, Portables

laptops Dell M14-ALNW-0251

Amazon Fire

Intel Core i7 2,670M processor, 2.2GHz CPU speed, 8GBDDR3 RAM, 750GB HDD, 14.1-inch HD WLED screen

Seven-inch multi-touch display with In-Plane Switching (IPS); 8GB internal memory; free cloud storage; Wi-Fi; 7.5 hours of battery life

NN

RO695

RO100

Toshiba Portégé Z830-A167

Acer 5750-G50M Intel Core i7 processor, 15.6-inch LCD screen, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, 1GB VRAM

RO295

Samsung Galaxy GT-P7500

Intel ULV Core i5 2467M processor, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 13.3-inch HD screen, 1.3MP web camera

Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor, Google Android 3.1, 16GB memory, 1GHz processor with 3G, 10.1-inch WXGA touchscreen, Wi-Fi

RO230

RO459

HP ENVY 14-2104

Apple iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G

Intel Core i7 2,630QM processor, 2GHz, 6GB DDR3 RAM, 1GB VRAM, 750GB HDD, 14.5-inch HD LCD N

RO590

Asus N53S Intel Core i7 2,630QM processor, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 640GB HDD, 2GB DDR3 SDRAM, 15.6-inch LED HD screen N

32GB, 9.7-inch LED backlit screen, 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 processor, Wi-Fi and 3G, two cameras

RO452

Samsung 530U4B – S01

Apple iPad 3 Wi-Fi + 4G

Intel Core i5 2.45GHz, 4GB RAM, 1GB AMD HD 7550M, DVD super multi drive, 14-inch HD LED screen N

Lenovo Y570

RO290 32GB, 9.7-inch LED backlit multi-touch display with IPS technology, dual-core Apple A5X processor, Wi-Fi and 4G, fivemegapixel iSight camera

RO380

U

Intel Core i7 2,630M processor, 6GB DDR3 RAM, 750GB HDD, 1GB VRAM, 15.6-inch LED HD screen

BlackBerry PlayBook 32GB, 1GHz dual-core processor, seveninch LCD screen, 1GB RAM, dual cameras – 5MP rear and 3MP front

RO380 HP Pavilion DV66C40

Sony Vaio VPCYB4AJG

Intel Core i5 2450M processor, 2.5GHz, 6GB RAM, 1GB VRAM, 750GB HDD, 15.6-inch HD LED

AMD dual-core E-450 APU processor, 2GB SDRAM, 320GB HDD, AMD Radeon HD 6320 Graphics, 11.6inch wide TFT display

N

RO320

RO145

Samsung XE700T1A

Asus Transformer TF101G

Intel Core i5 2467M processor, 1.6GHz CPU speed, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, Intel HD graphics

RO220

Android, 1GHz processor, 1GB LPDDR2 RAM, 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 16GB internal memory, 10.1-inch LCD screen

RO300

RO525

Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs.

Lists are not in any particular order.

computer accessories HP TopShot

Linksys X2000

Philips SHM1900

Laser Jet printer, Print, scan and copy features, resolution of 2,400, 17ppm (pages per minute) black, 4ppm colour, air print, Wireless network

Directly connects to the Internet, provides wireless coverage without the need for a separate DSL modem

Stereo PC headset with in-line volume control, adjustable microphone, lightweight, great acoustics

RO165

RO315

RO37

RO9

WD My Book Essential 1TB, USB 3.0 and 2.0 compatible interface, WD SmartWare visual backup software, automatic, continuous backup

U

RO50

JULY 2012 / 57

camcorders

digital still cameras Panasonic DMC-TZ20

Sony HDR-CX260

24mm ultra wide-angle 16x optical zoom LEICA DC lens; three-inch touchscreen LCD U

RO120

Sony WX100

8.9MP CMOS sensor, 30x optical zoom, three-inch wide touchscreen, built-in GPS, optical graphic stabilisation

14.5MP; 12.5x optical zoom; three-inch LCD screen; Magic filters, iAuto

18.2MP; 10x optical zoom camera; 2.7-inch LCD; HD video recording; CMOS sensor, Optical SteadyShot N

RO220

Olympus VR320 Sony HDR-XR260

8.9MP, Pixel Super Resolution technology, three-inch Clear Photo LCD, BIONZ processor, Optical SteadyShot stabilisation

RO90

RO110

RO265

Olympus SP-810 Three-inch LCD screen; 14MP; 36x optical zoom; HD movie; 24mm wide-angle; 3D photo mode

RO170 Canon IXUS 500

JVC Camera GZ-EX255 16MP, 30x optical zoom, three-inch LCD, CMOS sensor, panoramic view N

10.1MP CMOS and DIGIC 5, 12x optical zoom, three-inch LCD, Intelligent IS, High-speed shooting N

SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slot/Built-in Memory 16GB/1920 x 1080/50P Output/ Wi-Fi Wireless Functions Built-in LED

Fujifilm HS25

U

RO200

RO170

Samsung HMX-F80 52x optical zoom, 65x intelli-zoom, 1280x720 30p HD recording, 2.7-inch LCD screen, Hyper Digital Image Stabiliser

RO140

U

RO79

Canon SX125 IS

Samsung WB150F

16.1MP CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 image processor, 5x optical zoom, three-inch LCD, Intelligent IS

Panasonic SDR-H101

24mm ultra-wide lens; 18x optical zoom; 14.2MP; 720p HD video; three-inch LCD

70x optical zoom, 80GB HDD, 2.7-inch wide LCD screen, backlight compensation, advanced Optical Image Stabiliser

N

RO107

RO100

RO105 Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs.

Lists are not in any particular order.

dsLRs Canon EOS-600D

Olympus E-PM1

Sony SLT-A77K

Nikon D5100

18-megapixel sensor, 3.7fps shooting, three-inch LCD, nine Auto-Focus points, full HD movie, Live View feature

12-megapixel sensor, 5fps, 35-point autofocus, three-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, 3D mode

24-megapixel Interchangeable lens digital camera, BIONZ image processor, three-inch wide TFT XtraFine LCD with TruBlack technology, 2D and 3D Sweep Panorama mode

16.2-megapixel, CMOS image sensor, flip-and-twist three-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, 11 AF points, four frames per sec continuous shooting

RO475

58 / TECH

RO310

RO780

N

RO350

ipad docks

PHONES BlackBerry Curve 9360

Samsung Galaxy Note

2.44-inch TFT screen, 5MP camera with LED flash, BlackBerry OS v7.0

5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display; 1.4GHz dual-core processor

U

RO115

RO220

Logitech Mini Boombox Handy speakerphone with built-in mic; backlit, touch panel controls; specially designed acoustic chamber

Nokia N9

4.3-inch super AMOLED Plus display; Android 2.3 (Gingerbread); 8MP camera with LED flash

AMOLED capacitive touchscreen; 8MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics; 64GB storage

RO270

U

RO193

Apple iPhone 4S

Motorola RAZR XT910

3.5-inch LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen; internal memory of 64GB

4.3-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen; 8MP camera; Android OS (Gingerbread)

U

RO370

U

RO230

LG Optimus P920

Sony Ericsson Xperia S

4.3-inch 3D LCD capacitive touchscreen; touch-sensitive controls; Android v2.2 (Froyo) OS

Android Gingerbread smartphone; 12MP camera; 4.3-inch HD screen; 32GB memory

RO200

8GB, dual camera, video, photo view, MP3 music, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, clock, calendar, YouTube, newsstand, mail

RO93

RO35 Bose Sound Dock-10 iPod and iPhone dock, recharge and play, remote control, audio input

RO279 Bose SoundLink Works wirelessly with iPhone, Android, Blackberry, tablet or laptop, 30-foot wireless range

RO155 Gear4 StreetParty Revolve Rotating dock for watching movies in landscape, powered by four AAA batteries, Line-in port, charges iPod or iPhone

RO30

RO260

Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs.

Lists are not in any particular order.

mp3 players Apple iPod Touch 5G

Dock and Play, recharge for iPod, FM radio, AUX-in for easy connection, CD and MP3 playback

RO33

Samsung Galaxy SIII

N

Philips AZD208

Sony NWZ-W262

Philips SA3VBE08K

Samsung YP-U6A

2GB, 8 hours of battery life, water resistant, 3 minutes charge for 60 minutes playback, light weight and comfortable

8GB MP4 player, supports MP3, WAV, and WMA playback, FM radio and FM recording, 1.8inch screen, five hours battery support

4GB memory, Voice recording, MP3 and WMA playback, FM radio

N

RO37

RO30

RO24

JULY 2012 / 59

REFRIGERATORS

air conditioners & air purifiers Panasonic CS-C18MKF

LG T186RC

Toshiba GRRG-51UT

Two-tonne unit; incorporates ECONAVI technology; Advance+ e-ion monitors changes in the degree of air cleanliness; features AUTOCOMFORT

1.5-tonne split air-conditioner with virus and allergy-safe filter; four-way swing and jet cool feature; employs multistage tropical compressor

480L capacity, double-door refrigerator, frost-free, insulated wire shelves, platinum deodoriser

RO202 LG RB7122YVS

RO199 Sharp FU-P60S

U

710L capacity, frost-free, double-door refrigerator, tempered glass shelves, digital display, deodoriser, water dispenser

RO286

RO309

Samsung AS18TSL

Air purifier; washable HEPA filter; activated carbon filter; Plasmacluster technology that creates environment very close to that found in nature

RO90

Full high density filter that ensures room is kept fresh and clean; powerful cooling system; effective anti-bacteria coating; supports turbo cooling technology

Air purifier that works within 20sqm; sports a modern, elegant design; comes with washable carbon filter; easy filterchange system; touch control panel

RO100

RO200

RO220

Hitachi RAS-18CPX Sharp SJ-GC48V

492L capacity, frost-free, double-door refrigerator, adjustable wired shelves, Plasmacluster Ion

RO193

RO290

Toshiba RAS-18SKP

Whirlpool WTM620S

1.5-tonne split-type wall-mounted air conditioner; has a seven-layer air filter; self-cleaning function that eliminates mould; new compact chassis U

620L capacity, frost-free, multi air flow, tempered glass shelves

RO245

RO205

Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs.

Lists are not in any particular order.

WASHING MACHINES

9kg capacity, 1,400rpm, air bubble wash, child lock, delay start, direct drive motor

350L capacity, LCD touchscreen, bottommounted freezer, blue LED display, silver plus anti-bacterial coating

Split air-conditioner with Green Fin condenser; durable thanks to green rustresistant coating; employs Nano Titanium technology in its stainless steel filters

LG PS-S200WC

Daewoo DWC - 141KC

Samsung RL-52VEBTB

Hoover DYN10144DP

LG WD1443KDS

Samsung WF0804

10kg capacity, 1,400rpm, ten wash programmes, child lock, super-silent, direct drive motor, energy savings, wash time control

11kg capacity, 15 wash programmes, 1,400rpm, steam wash, quick wash, language selection, six motion washer, allergy care

8kg capacity, 1,400rpm, 14 wash programmes, delay end, Eco Bubble wash function, quick wash, child lock, diamond drum, time delay, durable ceramic heater

RO210

RO320

RO400

RO215

MASTERPIECE

GREAT PRICE

MAX ELECTRONICS LLC - OMAN SEEB - MUSCAT CITY CENTRE (LEVEL 1) TEL: +968 24558062 FAX: +968 24558063 EMAIL: memcs@cplmg.com SOHAR - CENTREPOINT MALL TEL: +968 97666631 FAX: +968 26844610 SALALAH - CENTREPOINT MALL TEL: +968 94122251, FAX: +968 23289261 BAHRAIN OMAN SAUDI ARABIA QATAR UAE

60 / TECH

VACUUM CLEANERS

microwaves & ovens

Philips FC-8146

Daewoo KOC-9N8T

Samsung CE-107V 28L multi-function microwave oven with interiors finished with Ceramic Inside coating; easy to clean; Triple Distribution System heats food deeply and equally

RO65

29L microwave oven with stainless-steel housing; 900W output power; convection/grill function; delivers 850W grill power; ten power levels; five auto cook menus

RO63

1,800W vacuum cleaner, bagless, HEPA washable filter, 300W suction power, dust container-full indicator

RO49

Panasonic NN-C784MF

Panasonic MC-CG713

28L oven capacity; microwave with oven and grill; feather touch control; auto defrosts by weight; recipe store

2,000W standard vacuum cleaner, 6L dust bag capacity, HEPA and anti-bacteria filter, metal wand, slide power control, 5m cable

RO46

Midea EM820LMP 20L capacity; 800W microwave oven with 11 power levels; child safety lock; with defrost settings; six auto menus; sports a fashionable design

Samsung SC56B0

RO105

2,000W vacuum cleaner, 3.5L dust capacity, Foam pre-motor filter, micro exhaust filter, silver nano system, power slider on handle

RO23

RO24 LG MC8088FRR 30L convection microwave oven; features over 100 Auto Cook menus; sports a motorised rotisserie; comes with Steam Clean and Defrost functions

RO90

Karcher VC 5200 Dry vacuum cleaner, 3.3L dust bag capacity, 1,800W input power, indicator for full bag, HEPA 12 filter

Sharp AX1100SLM

Sharp R200 22L microwave oven with 800W microwave power; five one-touch instant action menus; three easy defrost menus; four-digit LCD; five power levels

27L microwave oven with stainless-steel housing; 900W output power; steam oven with microwave and grill; 26 automatic programmes; LCD display

RO29

RO77 LG VCA241HT 1,400W bagless vacuum cleaner, 0.8L dust capacity, washable HEPA filter, innovative Cyclone System technology

RO160

RO33 Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs.

Lists are not in any particular order.

DOMESTIC APPLIANCES Krups EA8255K1

Philips HD9220

Kenwood KM400

Tefal TFAH9000

Espresso, Cappuccino and Coffee maker, compact Thermoblock system, metal drip tray, steam function, automatic cleaning

2.2L capacity, oil-free frying using Rapid Air technology, food separators, integrated timer, 1,425W power

750W power kitchen machine, 4.6L bowl capacity, three coated bowl tools â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a beater, whisk and dough hook, six speeds

1,400W power, ceramic coating, digital display, one spoon of oil for 1kg of crispy chips

RO285

RO100

RO171

RO105

Think CAMERAS Think EMAX MAX ELECTRONICS LLC - OMAN SEEB - MUSCAT CITY CENTRE (LEVEL 1) TEL: +968 24558062 FAX: +968 24558063 EMAIL: memcs@cplmg.com SOHAR - CENTREPOINT MALL TEL: +968 97666631 FAX: +968 26844610 SALALAH - CENTREPOINT MALL TEL: +968 94122251, FAX: +968 23289261 BAHRAIN OMAN SAUDI ARABIA QATAR UAE

JULY 2012 / 61

top 5 games

gaming consoles & accessories

DIRT SHOWDOWN

PSP 3000 Built-in microphone; better screen that is able to resist glare; comes with four games

PUBLISHER: Codemasters DEVELOPER: Codemasters PLATFORM(S): XBOX, PS3 GENRE: Racing ESRB RATING: EVERYONE

RO67 Nintendo 3DS Built-in 3D Depth Slider to adjust intensity of 3D; built-in motion and gyro sensor U

RO94

Logitech Z906 Delivers 500W of pure power to recreate perfect theatre-quality audio experience

RO160

Logitech G13

RO140 Xbox 360 Kinect 250GB

PUBLISHER: Ubisoft DEVELOPER: Ubisoft Paris PLATFORM(S): PS3, XBOX, PC GENRE: ACTION ESRB RATING: MATURE

SteelSeries Spectrum 5XB Wired headset with the custom-built soundscape via 40mm SunDancer (SCS) units

RO54

Integrated internal memory of 250GB; built-in WiFi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n); 5.1 channel surround sound

PUBLISHER: NAMCO BANDAI DEVELOPER: NAMCO BANDAI PLATFORM(S): PS3, XBOX GENRE: ACTION ESRB RATING: EVERYONE

N

Nintendo Wii Sports Pack

Broken into three parts: the ‘Motion Controller’, the ‘Navigation Controller’ and the ‘PlayStation Eye Camera’

Fun activities with more than 18 sports to try, ranging from water sports like canoeing to ball games like basketball

RO160

RO85

RO29

MAX PAYNE 3 PUBLISHER: ROCKSTAR GAMES DEVELOPER: ROCKSTAR PLATFORM(S): XBOX, PS3 GENRE: ACTION ESRB RATING: MATURE

N

RO120 PS3 320GB + Move Bundle

RO29

INVERSION

RO37 Racing wheels and flight controllers simulate realism; Force feedback feature

RO29

GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER

N

GamePanel LCD keeps you informed of game stats; programmable G-keys

Logitech G27

N

RO29

THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN Thrustmaster T500RS Employs new H.E.A.R.T (HallEffect AccuRate Technology) on the wheel’s steering

RO241

PUBLISHER: ACTIVISION DEVELOPER: ACTIVISION PLATFORM(S): PS3, XBOX GENRE: ACTION ESRB RATING: EVERYONE

N

RO29

Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs. Lists are not in any particular order.

TECH DIRECTORY Company

BRANDS

Showroom

Service Dept.

Bahwan Electronics

Asset, Carrier, Ignis, Napro, Toshiba, Seiko, Casio, Titan, Sony Ericsson, Tempstar, Cooline, Corning, Print electronics, Dolphin, Benq, Ausonia, Daewoo, VIP, Dometic, Corby

Ruwi 24796629

Emax

Multibrand

MCC 24558062

Genetco

Sanyo, Videocon, Fujitsu, Thomson, York, Yamaha, Canon, HAAS, AEG, Sure, Caravell, Gulf Star, Safari, Admiral, Francia, Mitsubishi, Marc Climatic, Vortice, Guntner, Zanussi , Ziegra Imesa, Bitzer, Manitowoc, Bremer, DitoElectrolux, Metro, Taylor, Costan

Qurum 24568806, Muttrah 24713138, Ruwi 24830919, Seeb 24422797, Shatti al Qurum 24693292

24503653

Al Gurg Home Appliances - Better Life

Terim, Fisher & Paykel, SMEG, Vestfrost, Wolf Power, Grundig

24811608

24810404

HiTec Centre

Boston Acoustics, Denon, Leica, Polk Audio

Azaiba 24497384

24497384

Jumbo Electronics

Sony, VAIO, Sony Professional Products, Blackberry, Supra, Midea Air-conditioners, Casio, Brother Sewing Machines, Acer, HP, Dyson, Gorenje

MBD 24818358, Al Araimi 24565845, QCC 24470529, Salalah 23291984

24814815

Al Khalili Technology

Fujitsu, Siemen, Coral Telecom, Honeywell, Epson, Camtron, Pyronix, SD3, Tripp-lite, Cummins, Schneider Electric, Sanyo, Sakar, Sterline, Sonicwall

24616900

24816303

Moayyed Integrated Enterprises

Daewoo Electronics

24488795

24488795

Muscat Electronics

Daikin, Wansa, Ricoh, Chigo, Media, G-Hanz, Sony Professional Products

Ruwi 24702985, Sohar 26845647, Salalah 23291617

24813408

Mustafa Sultan Electronics (MSE)

Haier, Philips, Nevica, Whirlpool, Haas, Universal, Westpoint, Urania, ROYXON

Al Khuwair 24636015

24818018

Oman International Electronics & Trading

Bose, NEC, JVC, Nakamichi, SONOS

Qurum 24565490 Connexions 24558529

24830606

Oman Modern Electronics

Sharp, OMEC

HO 24706004, Ruwi 24832891, Sohar 26840763, Sur 25544613, Salalah 23291405

24704494

OMASCO

Panasonic, Yamaha, Stanley, Black and Decker, GE, Aftron, Xper, Raymond Weil, Kolber, Westend, Westar, Alba, Maxima, HMT

Qurum 24564310, Ruwi 24833630

24560232

OMASCO - System Solutions

Panasonic

24565696

24565696

Oman Trading Establishment

LG, Bosch, White Westinghouse

Wadi Kabir 24811572, Al Khuwair 24479448, Ruwi 24831544, Ruwi MBC 24834162, Al Araimi 24561480, Seeb 24420570, Nizwa 25412216, Sur 25545107, Bani Bu Ali 25553387, Salalah 23295237, Sohar 26842397

24810522 / 24810156, 80075545

Photocentre

Fujifilm, Olympus, Hasselblad, Sigma, Manfrotto, Qurum 24565305, Al Lowepro, EPSON, Mitsubishi Electric, STEINER, Khuwair 24479296 Broncolor, Hama, Amano

24571708

SARCO

Samsung, Technoflame

Ruwi 24593025

24593025

Shah Nagardas Manji

Kodak, Yashica, Cokin, Case Logic, Lexar, Noritsu, Durst, Bushnell, Eiki, Iriver, Steiner, Tasco, White Westinghouse, Igloo, Venus, Russel Hobbs, Addis, Noritake, Ocean, Wenger

Ruwi 24562656, Lulu Bausher 24593806, Nizwa 25410184

Technical Trading

Westinghouse

Ruwi 24703515, Fax 24700010

If you would like to be listed, email: tech@deenarmedia.com

24501965

Age Group

Full Name PO Box

PC

City

Below 18

Designation

19-24

Company

25-30

Mobile

Email

31-40 Above 40

Signature

Tick as applicable Omani Single Own LED TV DEENAr PrESS AND PuBLiShiNg PO Box 139, PC 102, Al Qurm, Sultanate of Oman O: +968 24696868, F: +968 24693569 E: info@deenarmedia.com

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