WEEK 30, JULY 25 - 31, 2013
AN AL ROYA PRESENTATION
OMAN’S FAVOURITE MAGAZINE, NOW A TABLOID
TECH@DEEN ARMEDIA .COM
APPS, essential, Tech Selection, games and more...
Wifi ready Coolpix S6500: back illuminated CMOS
Bigger picture Nokia Lumia 1020 boasts a 41MP sensor
Road Lizard
Italians develop a new kind of racing vehicle
portable Duo Sony Vaio Duo 13: With a sleek panel it really shows off the best of Window 8
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Issue
54
Home Sc reen
Wearable vision 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
Printed at Ruwi Modern Printers 2013 © 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.
IFC AD + HOME SCREEN 54.indd 3
TECH has heard rumours that Google is making a smart watch. Now comes word that Motorola, owned by Google, is investing heavily in wearable tech. The company wants to form “a new world-class wearables design group within Motorola”, according to a job ad, TechCrunch reports. Our question is, Google Glass, a smart watch, what’s next? The division was revealed in the ad for “senior director of industrial design”. And it quite clearly lays out what Motorola hopes to achieve. “The wearables design team will lead the establishment of our brand in the massive competitive and growing space of wearable connected products,” it says. Of course the actual products are still confidential, so there’s no word on what the successful applicant will be working on. There is a probability of trainers with power laces as well. Smart watches
are going to be the next big thing in tech, with Samsung, LG, Microsoft, Apple and Google said to be labouring away on them. Motorola so far, has failed to impress since Google took it over, with its products staying distinctly average, but that could all be about to change with the Moto X Phone. Its specs have just leaked and it looks like it will have a 4.5-inch screen and a dualcore 1.7GHz processor. It’s not clear at this stage how different Motorola’s wearable tech product would be from Google. The big G has made a name for itself in the hardware world by partnering with other companies to make top-rate devices that don’t cost the planet. We’ll have to wait and see what Moto’s wearable tech division can come up with. What kind of wearable tech would you like to see? Do let us know on our Facebook page, facebook.com/TECH.
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4
NEWS WEEK 30, july 25 - 31, 2013
PayPal quadrillion error Online payments broker PayPal has admitted it erroneously credited a man with USD92 quadrillion. Chris Reynolds, 56, of Pennsylvania, found the amount when he opened his monthly statement. But the error was quickly recognised and his account had returned to zero by the time he had logged in. “This was obviously an error and we appreciate that Mr Reynolds understands this was the case,” PayPal said in a statement to the BBC. The online money-
transfer firm said it would offer to make a donation to a charity of Mr Reynolds’ choice. The USD92,233,720,368,547,800 (RO35,509,982,341,890,900) statement had been “quite a big surprise”, Mr Reynolds told the Philadelphia Daily News, which first reported the story.
CIA whistleblower applies for asylum Edward Snowden has applied for temporary asylum in Russia, his lawyer said today. Lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said the 30-year-old submitted his request to an official from Russia’s Federal Migration Service at the airport where he has been holed up for several weeks. The Migration Service later confirmed that it had received the 20-page application and that it would be processed within the “statutory period”.
Nokia shares fall The mobile phone company reported sales of 5.69bn euros for the three months to the end of June, down 24 per cent on the same period last year. The company sold 53.7 million mobile phones during the quarter, down 27 per cent on last year. Sales of its new Lumia phones, which run a Microsoft operating system, rose to 7.4 million in the second quarter. That is a rise of 21 per cent from the 6.1 million sold in the first quarter. Nokia’s chief executive, Stephen Elop said: “We are very proud of the recent creations by our Lumia team. “During the third quarter, we expect that our new Lumia products will drive a significant part of our smart devices revenue.” However, that improvement has to be put into perspective, as Apple sold 37 million iPhones in the first three months of the year.
“Despite massive restructuring and a shift in platform, it still feels like Nokia is treading water compared to heavyweight smartphone makers Apple and Samsung who completely dominate the smartphone business,” said Ben Wood, an analyst at research firm, CCS Insight. The other problem for Nokia is that sales of non-smartphones, called feature phones, are also under pressure. Nokia sold 53.7 million of them in the second quarter down 27 per cent on 2012. That market is being hit by cheap rival phones powered by Google’s Android operating system. Overall Nokia’s losses narrowed to 278m euros, compared with a loss of 1.5bn euros in the same quarter last year.
iOS and iTunes revamp Apple has unveiled a brighter look for the user interface of its smart device iOS operating system - the first to be overseen by its design chief Jony Ive. He said the aim was to make the system
look “cleaner” to help “elevate” users’ content. It involves a shift away from skeuomorphism - the use of leather, wood and other real-world inspired textures and artefacts in apps.
“He reached the conclusion that he needs to write an application for temporary asylum, and this procedure has just been done,” said Mr Kucherena, a lawyer with strong links
with the Kremlin who helped Snowden with his application. “For now he is not going to go anywhere. For now he plans to stay in Russia.” Mr Kucherena added the fugitive had stated in the application that he faced possible torture and execution if he returned to the US. If successful the Kremlin will be able to issue Snowden, who has had his American passport revoked, with temporary documentation to allow him to move freely around Russia once the application is processed. It can take up to five days for that preliminary review of the application to be completed.
Huawei denies spying allegations Huawei has denied claims made by a former US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief, Michael Hayden, that it has spied for the Chinese government. Mr Hayden was quoted by the Australian Financial Review as saying that it was his “professional judgment” that the firm supplied intelligence to China. However, Huawei said the claims were “unsubstantiated” and “defamatory.” Huawei, one of the world’s biggest telecom equipment makers, has faced increased scrutiny in recent times. Last year, US politicians claimed that
the company posed a security threat because of its alleged links to China’s government and military. The UK government said that it would review Huawei’s involvement in a cyber security centre.
Google and Microsoft miss earnings Two of the world’s biggest technology companies, Google and Microsoft, have badly missed earnings expectations for the second quarter. Google reported profits of USD9.7bn, up 16 per cent from a year ago but less than analysts were expecting.
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Microsoft made USD4.5bn in the second quarter, but announced that it would take a USD900m charge relating to poor sales of its Surface tablet. Shares in both companies fell by more than 4 per cent in after-hours trading. Declining PC sales - which recently saw
their longest slide in five years - have hurt Microsoft’s efforts to boost its business with the sale of its Windows 8 operating software. Last week, the company also announced that it would cut the price of its Surface tablet amid sluggish sales.
7/21/13 9:40 AM
tech radar TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
tech radar
5
Rumours, lawsuits, revelations and more
Apple: eBooked Apple’s in trouble with the law after a judge ruled that it conspired to increase ebook prices. The ebook price fixing court case has been rumbling on in the US for some time; five publishers were also involved to begin with, but each opted to settle out of court instead of risking a guilty verdict. Apple alone took the court-based gamble, which obviously hasn’t paid off. The company will now face a trial to establish what damages it should pay out. The lawsuit saw Apple accused of conspiring to prevent rival ebook retailers from lowering the prices of ebooks as the iPad and Kindle took off as ereaders. Murky accusations included conspiring with publishers to threaten other sellers like Amazon with sales bans if they tried to reduce ebook prices.
Philips Elevation TV Philips Elevation is an ultra-slim LED Smart TV that comes packaged with technology its manufacturer promises will offer a more immersive viewing experience than ever before.
The out-of-court settlements meant that other retailers could set their own ebook prices. Apple maintained that it did nothing wrong, with CEO Tim Cook defiantly insisting in May, “We’re not going to sign something that says we did something that we didn’t do, so we’re going to fight.”
It is easily the thinnest 3D television set that Philips has ever produced; its 60-inch screen is housed in casing just 13.5mm thick. Philips says the LED screen delivers flicker-free pictures with a 900 HZ Perfect Motion Rate allowing for super smooth picture movement. Smart TV functionality includes Netflix, internet browser and YouTube. Elevation also contains 4 HDMI ports, 3 USB ports, Scart, Ethernet LAN, CI+, EasyLink (HDMI-CEC) and is WiFi enabled. Philips’s Amblight essentially creates light effects around the TV set that correspond to video content playing on the screen. It acts to virtually expand the TV’s screen offering a more immersive viewing experience. Philips says that the Amblight effects will work on viewers whether the Elevation is wall-mounted or not. It goes on sale in the UK in the third quarter of this year.
Although you can get a beta version of iOS 7 on the iPhone 5 and other present models,
the current camera lacks the required hardware to film in slow-motion. So we’ll have to wait at least until the next iPhone turns up with iOS 7 later in the year to try slow-motion video -- and even then there’s no guarantee the feature will actually be turned on. Apple is expected to announce not one but two iPhones this time around: the usual iPhone update, set to be called the iPhone 5S, and a cheaper plastic iPhone rumoured to be called the iPhone Light. The regular Samsung Galaxy S4 offers
Pro touch
Details of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 have appeared on the Korean manufacturer’s website, name checking the upcoming phablet and confirming an eye-popping screen. Spotted by Japanese site Ringer’s Blue Men, the details were picked up on Samsung’s UAPROF with the screen resolution listed as 1080x1920. Two models were found, both of which are thought to be variants of the Galaxy Note 3, with the SM-N900A and SM-N900T the IDs in question. The listings also reveal an ARMbased processor will be used inside in the handset, which backs up rumours that the Galaxy Note 3 could sport Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chip.
iPhone 5S could shoot in slow-motion The slow-motion clues, spotted by 9to5Mac, come from code hidden in iOS 7, the next generation of Apple software for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Codenamed Mogul, the slow-motion feature would allow for video recorded at 120 frames per second, allowing you to play back the results at standard speeds and create a slow effect that would make John Woo proud.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 specs
an assortment of camera modes including slow-motion and an option to capture animated GIFs, while HTC One offers the clever Zoe mode.
We’ve already seen a report that apparently there’s at least four variants of the Note 3 knocking about - probably engineered for specific markets - and now Android Beat has revealed five more model IDs. Right now, all signs are pointing to an IFA 2013 unveiling for the phablet, with September 4 tentatively marked in our diaries.
Special
Windows 8 has changed the way we think about touchscreen PCs with the new touch-friendly OS and advanced display technology Windows 7, but it wasn’t exactly designed to be touch-friendly, like our tablets and smartphones. All that changed with Windows 8. Rebuilt from the ground up to harness every little swipe, pinch and tap, Microsoft’s new OS makes it possible to have the best of both worlds from your laptop computer or all-in-one PC. All of these machines bring everything you’re used to from a desktopstyle PC, with a proper keyboard, a precision mouse or track pad and rich productivity apps to assist with your work and study life. Imagine a 27-inch screen on which you can draw and play games like Fruit Ninja.
U
ntil Microsoft unleashed the new Windows 8 operating system; people were rightly sceptical of touchscreen PCs. We loved
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Touch is the future of computing and there’s no better time to jump on board. With a range of powerful, touch-enabled Windows 8 machines available, there’s something for every need and every budget.
Lenovo IdeaCentre A720
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6
SOFTWARE WEEK 30, juLY 25 - 31, 2013
The iPhoto Pro A slam-dunk upgrade, worthy competitor and an option worth exploring
T
his beauty is an all-in-one post production tool that provides everything photographers need after a shoot. Aperture offers an advanced and incredibly fast RAW workflow that makes working with a camera’s RAW images as easy as JPEG. Built from the ground up for pros, it also features powerful compare and select tools, nondestructive image processing, colour managed printing and custom web and book publishing. For photo enthusiasts and professionals, this app is a definite dream come true. It will appeal to the kind of person who does more than shoot photographs of smiling friends, carries a DSLR everywhere and prefers the benefits of a RAW image format over their inconveniences. For that growing number of people, Aperture 3 offers its brilliance free for a 30-day trial and USD200 (RO77) when buying new. Apple Aperture 3 does more than just breathe new life into photos; it also handles cataloguing well and keeps imaging powerhouses like Adobe at bay. It performs your basic actions where you can import photos from a memory card or camera, edit them,
add metadata, present slideshows, print them or upload them to Facebook or Twitter. Aperture’s efficient interface has a central working area surrounded by controls, where two basic keyboard commands can rapidly cycle you through the different major modes you’ll need. The auto enhance button allows you to improve substandard colours and exposures with one click while the white balance tools have been extended to include skin tone and neutral grey modes. Its approach of leaving the original images unscathed is well suited for pro cameras.
Apple Aperture 3 Apple.com USD200 (RO77)
Face recognition is a particularly noteworthy feature and so is geotagging; features that are pros when it comes to locating or identifying a particular photo. Finally, the basic video support also means that it’s equipped to deal with a photographer’s explorations into cinematography. The debut of an improved imageprocessing engine that does it all and an editing system that’s powerful yet flexible sitting at the heart of the app, we have ourselves a serious rival for Adobe and Lightroom.
WISHLIST
Tech savvy kids
RO12 (+S&H)
A fun collection of gadgets designed especially for your little ones
Romo – The smartphone robot
A unique robot that learns and grows with you; Romo is your new best friend! The more you use RO79 him, the more he learns. He can be controlled (+S&H) from any WiFi enabled computer or iOS device and he’s super friendly with everyone. You can use Romo to interact with your kids, friends or even pets while travelling. And if you just feel like playing games with the children, interact from different spots in the house while hiding.
Litholo Hologram Kits
RO49 (+S&H)
An interesting cross between Hasbro’s Lite Brite and Legos, Laser Pegs allow your kids to snap together all kinds of interesting models that light up with vibrant LED lighting. These nifty little beauties have components made out of clear plastic, so that you can see both the coloured LED’s inside, as well as the wiring, little boards and resistors. Giving it all a very cool and futuristic look, it lights up everything that you build.
This interesting toy enables you to make genuine, full colour holograms without the need of a viciously expensive laser. Each kit includes a very safe, hologram quality laser diode laser ( safe enough that your natural blink reflex alone will protect you) special ‘instant’ Hologram film, plates, darkroom light, batteries, step by step instructions and a 100% guarantee that you will be able to make a hologram or your money back!
To order these products, email techtoys@deenarmedia.com
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Laser Pegs
RO11 (+S&H)
Magic Movers Electronic Wand
Although not able to harness the energy from your crazy bundles of chaos, it does make sure that your kids will be able to expend as much energy as possible. The Magic Movers Electronic Wand offers an interactive game that encourages kids to get up and move around when they play. There are more than 90 creative movements with instructions stored in the wand itself, where they will be instructed to move. Leap like a lion! Hop like a frog! Stomp like a dinosaur!
7/21/13 9:41 AM
cover story
7
TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
Ultra portable We have advanced from laptops, notebook, ultra books to the latest: Ultra portable notebooks
W
indows tablets are starting to gain a strong hold as the last few months have seen some promising hybrids that guarantee to provide the portability of a tablets and usability of a tablet, such as the HP Envy X2, Sony Vaio Duo 11 and Dell XPS 10.
Size and build The Sony Vaio Duo 13 is quite thick due to the keyboard hiding beneath the screen, which is revealed by elevating the screen into a docked position. The front however, is svelte and delicate, but has a wedge shape. It’s pretty chunky back there, measuring 19.5mm at its thickest point, with a vent to cool the Haswell chip, but the upside is that it’s a great place to store that generous connectivity. At first you will be concerned with the stability because the screen wobbled on its mount, until you notice the clips that secure the display. The aluminium build is extremely impressive, with little flex anywhere on its super-thin body. It looks and feels superb.
However, none have quite managed to hit the spot, with short battery lives and limited performance plagued by cramped keyboards and heavy builds. With increased battery life being a key feature of Haswell, it seems Intel might have solved one half of this problem, so let’s see how Sony has fared with the other.
Sony Vaio Duo 13 i7 Price: RO899 at Jumbo Electronics, Qurum City Centre, 24470644
• Dimensions: 330x210x22mm • Weight: 1.310kg
Features
Screen
Sony products are extremely customisable, which means you can add pretty much any configuration you need.
The previous 11-inch Sony Duo was one of the first hybrids to carry a full HD screen, so it’s no surprise that its 13-inch successor follows suit. It’s a gorgeous panel with deep colours that really show off the best of Window 8. The viewing angles on the screen are excellent, and it works well in direct sunlight, too. The fantastic brightness offsets some of the blinding ambient light, although there is a glossy coating that does cause issues with reflections.
One of the key features of the Sony Vaio Duo 13 is the full QWERTY keyboard, and we were impressed by the comfort on offer. The keyboard has very little travel but it’s well spaced and accurate, and one of the more enjoyable ultraportable keypads so far. Sony’s doesn’t quite live up to those standards, with less levels of pressure and nowhere to house the pen when it’s not in use, even Surface Pro lets you magnetically hang its pen on the side. If you love video call, the front camera supports 1080p recording. It also supports 3G, with room for a SIM card, which will be good news for anyone that religiously carries a dongle with them.
• Processor: Intel Core i74500U • RAM: 4GB • Screen size: 13.3-inch • Resolution: 1920x1080p • Graphics chipset: Intel HD Graphics 4400 • HDMI outputs: 1 • Hard disk: Toshiba SSD • Capacity: 128GB • Integrated 3G adapter
Performance
• Bluetooth
The Sony Vaio Duo 13 packs a lowpower Intel Core i7 4500U, which is the best processor currently available for an ultraportable laptop. In real world terms this means very little. Both should eat up any task you could throw at it, perhaps only struggling at extreme graphical tasks.
• Camera: 8MP • Operating system: Windows 8
Verdict Sony performs fantastically and has made a huge leap forward in terms of battery life. The touchscreen, Haswell and slim build combine to form one of the best Windows 8 laptops money can buy. However, it’s now time to talk about price and despite the wonderful positives and cutting edge technology, it’s hard to recommend the
WISHLIST + SOFTWARE + CS 54.indd 7
Sony based on its asking price of RO899 Offering 4GB of RAM and 128GB SSD for that price is baffling and it seems that Sony’s asking people to pay a premium for the build and chassis. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for a top-of-the-range laptop today and want the best Windows 8 experience money can buy, this should be on your shortlist.
7/21/13 10:52 AM
SELECTION
This section showcases our selection of electronics in the market today. Let us know if you have any favourites on tech@deenarmedia.com
Smartphones
RO280
RO268
RO200
RO200
RO280
N
iPhone 5
Blackberry Q10
Nokia Lumia 920
Sony Xperia ZL
Samsung Galaxy S4
iOS 6 upgradeable to iOS 6.1.4, Dual Core 1.3GHz, 1GB RAM, 16GB storage, 3G, WiFi, 8MP camera, GPS, Apple A6 chipset
Blackberry 10 OS, Dual Core 1.5GHz, 2G/3G/4G, 8MP primary and 2MP secondary camera, 16GB storage
MS Windows 8 OS, Dual Core 1.5GHz Krait, 8MP camera, Dual LED flash, 32GB storage, 3G, WiFi, A-GPS, NFC
Android V4.2.2 OS, 1.3GHz Quad core, 512MB RAM, 13MP camera, 16GB storage up to 64GB, 3G, WiFi
Android V4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, Quad Core 1.6GHz Cortex-A15 & Quad Core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7, 13MP camera, 16GB storage up to 64GB, 2GB RAM, 3G, WiFi, A-GPS
Tablets
RO100
RO210 RO285
RO240 N
RO315
Surface – Microsoft Windows
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
10.6-inch screen, MS Windows 8 OS, Quad Core 1.3GHz, Intel Core i5, 2GB RAM, 32GB HDD, NvidiaTegra 3, WiFi, Bluetooth, 8MP camera
8-inch 1280x800 screen, Android 4.1.2 OS, Samsung Exynos 4 Quad Core 1.4GHz, 2GB RAM, 5MP camera, Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G, A-GPS
Asus PadFone 2 4.7-inch 1280x800 screen, 1.5Ghz Quad core, 32GB Storage, Bluetooth, 13MP camera
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7-inch 1280x800 screen, Android 4.0 OS, 1.2GHz Dual Core, 16GB storage, WiFi, Dual Speaker Dolby, HD camera
iPad 4G 32GB, 9.7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD, 1.4GHZ Dual Core, 1GB RAM, 5MP primary camera, 1.2MP secondary camera, Apple A6X chipset, A-GPS, 1080p and 30FPS HD video
Computers
RO600
RO935
Sony SVJ20215CAB
Apple Macbook Pro ME664
20-inch, Windows 8, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Intel Core i53317 1.7GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.60 GHz, 500GB HDD, 4GB RAM, Shared graphics, WiFi
13.4-inch Retina display LED backlit, 2.4GHz Dual Core Intel i7, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, Intel HD graphics 4000, OS X, 720p FaceTime HD camera
RO500
RO580
N
RO576
Samsung XE700T1A
HP Spectre 13 2110
HP Envy 23 D120 EE
11.6-inch LED HD, Windows 7 HP, Intel CORE i5, shared graphics, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth
13.3-inch LED HD, Windows 8 Pro, Intel Core i7-3317u 2.4GHz, 6144MB DDR3SDRAM, 128GB Hard disk, webcam, WiFi, Bluetooth
23-inch touch-enabled diagonal full HD widescreen WLED, Windows 8, Intel Core i7-3770S 3.1 GHz, 8MB cache, 8GB RAM, 1TB storage, Intel H61 chipset, NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M Graphics
Compact cameras
RO130
RO280
Sony WX300
Canon G15
18.2MP, 20x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, 1080p Full HD movie, 10FPS, WiFi, Exmor R CMOS sensor
12.1MP, 5x Optical zoom, 3-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, RAW format option
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RO170 Samsung Galaxy camera GC100 16MP, 21x optical zoom, 4.8-inch LCD touch screen, Full HD movie, Android, WiFi
RO150
N
RO30
Casio ZR700
Fujifilm JX500
16.1MP, 18x optical zoom, 3-inch screen, Full HD movie, 25-mm wide angle-lens, High speed AF, CMOS sensor
14MP, 5x optical Fujinon lens, 2.7-inch LCD, 720p HD movie, 26-130mm focal length, 30FPS
7/21/13 9:42 AM
N New
Disclaimer: Prices quoted in this tabloid may be subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for the current costs. Lists are not in any particular order. Prices as of July 16, 2013.
Updated
Pro cameras
RO822
RO330
RO400
RO640
N
RO459
Canon 7D
Sony Alpha 58
Samsung NX20
Nikon D7100
Fujifilm XE-1
18MP, 8FPS, APS-C CMOS sensor, 3-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, 19-point AF system, Eye-level Pentaprism viewfinder, 63-zone SPC TTL metering exposure, 30 seconds to 1/8000 shutter speed, 18-135mm lens
20.1MP, 5FPS, 2.7-inch LCD screen, 1080/30p MP4 video, up to 16000 ISO, Translucent Mirror Technology, Lock-on AF, SVGA OLED Tru-Finder EVF, 1.44-milliondot OLED electronic viewfinder, 18-55mm lens + telephoto lens
20MP, 8FPS, WiFi, 3-inch LCD screen. Full HD movie, 1855mm lens, Micro Four-Thirds/ Mirrorless, SD, SDHC, SDXC, 614,000 dots resolution
24.1MP, 6FPS, 23.5mmx15.6mm CMOS sensor, 3.2-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, 51 auto AF-S/AF-C selection, ISO 100-6400, Eye-level Pentaprism viewfinder, 1/8000 to 30 seconds shutter speed, 18-105mm lens
16MP X-Trans CMOS sensor, ISO 200-6400, 100-25600 expanded, 2.36M dot OLED electronic viewfinder, 18-55mm F2.8-4R, 2.8-inch 460k-dot LCD, built-in pop-up flash, Full HD movie, 2.5mm stereo microphone socket
Televisions
RO300 LG 42LM6200 42-inch LED 3D, 2MP Full HD, 4HDMI PC in/AV in, 2 USB port, DIVX HD, 400Hz True Motion, Intelligent sensor, Energy Saving, 2D to 3D converter
N
RO300
Samsung UA40EH6000 40-inch LED, 1920x1080 Resolution, 2MP Full HD, All share, Eco mode, 2 HDMI, 200Hz clear motion rate, USB Ports
N
RO850
Sony KDL60R550 60-inch Dynamic Smart LED 3DTV, 1920x1080 Resolution, 2MP Full HD, Edge LED backlight, WiFi, 2 USB port, 4 HDMI input, Motionflow XR 240
RO500 Sanyo LCE 55R68HD3D 50-inch LED 3D TV, 2MP, full HD, USB movie playback, 3 HDMI, 100HZ Motion rate
RO950 Samsung UA46ES8000 46-inch 3D LED Smart TV, 2MP, Full HD, Smart interaction (face, voice, motion), Smart evolution and content, micro dimming ultimate, built-in camera, 800Hz, Dual Core processor
audio systems
RO211
RO211
15
RO90
N
RO59
RO64
Denon AVR 1713
Sony BDV E690
Philips HTS 3551
Polk Audio PSW110
Yamaha NS B500
5.1 Channel AV receiver, 120 watts (per channel), Internet radio, wireless streaming, 6 HDMI, USB
3D Blu-ray, 5.1 channel home theatre, DVD, CD, MP3, DIVX playback, 1000watts RMS, USB port play
Blu-ray home theatre, DVD, VCD, MP3. CD-R, DIVX playback, surround sound, 300watts RMS, HDMI input, USB port
32Hz-250Hz, High performance subwoofer, 100W Continuous Power, 200W Dynamic Power
2 way acoustic suspension speaker, Max input 120W
Accessories
RO66 Lexmark S605 Wireless Printer 4.3-inch LCD, Multifunctional, Printing and copying through WiFi network, Automatic twosided printing, Customisable widgets, Includes autoduplexer
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RO16 Nintendo Wii Zapper Gun shell peripheral for the Wii remote, Shoots bull’s eyes in target shooting mode, Can look and aim in all directions in defender mode, Aims anywhere in ranger mode
RO83 Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio For iPad 2, iPad (3rd and 4th generation), Dye-sensitized solar cells, Bluetooth 3.0, Key Travel: 1.5 mm, 428x17.8x253 mm, 460 grams
RO191
N
RO24
Beats Portable
Targus iPad case
iPod dock, portable, wireless, 2 channels, 20 watts RMS per channel
Protects and enhances, Durable material, High-end materials, Functional stand, Customisable viewing angles for comfort
7/21/13 9:43 AM
ESSENTIAL
10
WEEK 30, july 25 - 31, 2013
Leisure pit stop
MUSIC
Backstreet Boys are back
Music, releases and TV shows that will make your week interesting television
How I met your mother: Season 8
Genre: Romantic comedy Rating:
growth to infuse nuanced comedy into the familiar story structures. One of the strongest episode of the season was perhaps the ‘The Time Travellers’, pinning the focus back on Ted in a completely unique way. It turned out to be a perfect balance of absurdity, humour and introspection, ending with a beautiful collision of Ted and Future Ted as they explored their deepest thoughts on one seemingly arbitrary night 45 days before the wedding. The episode to remember though was the ‘The Robin’, where Barney pulls off a final play from the infamous playbook to propose to Robin.
T
he series is always at its best when it stays true to its original theme and charm. As expected, this season did not disappoint. Ted decides to sell his dream house and move to Chicago, after struggling with his lingering feelings for Robin, for a while. After all, Robin – who he may or may not still have feelings for – is marrying Barney; and Lilly and Marshall are moving to Rome. There were though a few interesting twists in the storyline that in the end make sure that everyone’s favourite group stays intact. The quality of episodes swung back and forth throughout the season, with many fans harbouring mixed feelings about them. Episodes
GAME RELEASES State of Decay
like ‘The Ashtray,’ ‘Weekend at Barneys’ and ‘P.S. I Love You,’ the hilarious Canuck-filled return of Robin Sparkles, were in many ways heartened back to classic HIMYM, using perspective and character
eBOOKS Revenge Wears Prada
Xbox360, PC
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Adventure
PS3, Xbox360, Wii, PS Vita
Simulation
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Crime
My Secret Sister Jenny Lucas and Helen Edwards’ family story Helen Edwards USD6
PS3, Xbox360, PC
Muramasa Rebirth
DVD RELEASES Assassins Tale
Sequel to the sensational Devil Wears Prada Lauren Weisberger USD18
Action, horror
It may have been a long time coming, but the season 8 finale finally accomplished the inevitable: it revealed the Mother! Broadway actress Cristin Milioti, who famously played ‘Girl’ in the stage adaptation of Once and made us all laugh in 30 Rock, will be filling the role of the series’ title character. Though revealed only in the end of the finale, the last season will be all about the Mother. The creators will now have the challenge of crafting a tale for viewers to fall in love with this mysterious woman who Ted will eventually ask to be his wife.
The Power of Few
Drama, mystery, crime
The Backstreet Boys celebrate their 20th anniversary this year, and to mark the milestone, will release their eighth album, In A World Like This, through BMG on July 30. The group was previously signed to Jive Records. The title track is out now and is the first single recorded with founding member Kevin Richardson since his departure from the group in 2006. The album was produced by Martin Terefe (Jason Mraz, Train, James Morrison) and recorded in London and Los Angeles, and features cowrites with Max Martin, who wrote and produced many of the songs that catapulted the band into superstardom earlier in its career. BMG also announced that the group has signed a publishing deal for all territories outside of Japan. “Backstreet Boys new deal with BMG represents the ‘Best of Both Worlds’. BSB gets to own their album while at the same time they have a real team behind the marketing and promotion of their music,” said BSB’s management team at Prospect Park. It’s a win-win for both teams.” Added Richard Blackstone, EVP creative & business development at BMG Chrysalis North America: “Having worked with the Backstreet Boys over 20 years ago, it is of great personal satisfaction to be working with them again. Their careers are quite remarkable and it is probably safe to say that they have claimed their place in history as the greatest male pop group of all time. Moreover, these guys remain just as ambitious and passionate as the day they started and we are so proud that they have put their trust in BMG.” One of the biggest boy bands of all time, Backstreet Boys have sold over 130 million albums worldwide and scored numerous chart-toppers including the pop-R&B ballads I Want It That Way, Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely and Quit Playing Games With My Heart. A tour to coincide with the release of “A World Like This” kicks off on August 2.
The Ways of the World
War and history Robert Goddard USD22
Admission Romantic comedy
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dashboard TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
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Racing car on stilts Italdesign Giugiaro celebrates 45 years at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show with world première of the Parcour, a type of GT car that did not exist until now
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ased on the original concept of a SUV and, considering its astounding versatility, designed for extensive use on all types of terrain, the Parcour is a conceptual reference of car could be no other than an original sporting discipline With a practical control device fitted in the dashboard, the driver can in fact literally adapt the car to its surroundings, choosing from four different settings, one designed for comfortable driving, one for off-road driving, one for winter conditions and, lastly, one for high-speed driving on a race track. The electronic system is triggered to modify the ride, the height above the ground and the engine setup. This new setup is also apparent in the styling, with an exterior design that metabolises the specific features of an SUV, of a Crossover, of a Gran Turismo and those of a mid-engine sports car, combining them in an architecture that is at the same time robust, slimline and light-weight despite the generously sized tyres, produced especially by Vredestein. The latter, fitted on 22� rims, set the style of the car, raising it considerably from the ground while the surfaces were designed to reflect elegance, dynamism and sports appeal, while keeping in careful consideration all the aerodynamic requirements. There are two distinguishing traits of this aluminium and carbon fibre car, coated in the classic Giugiaro Red: the A pillar is detached from the windscreen and also acts as a deflector. In addition to having an architectural role, it conveys the air onto the roof and sides of the car.
four driving modes: Comfort, for a relaxed drive suited to city settings; Off-Road for off-road driving; Ice for winter conditions with poor road grip and lastly Sport, to get the most of the full 550 HP of the Lamborghini 10-cylinder engine. The inspiration for the suspension geometry comes from the so called push rod archetype, which is used on street supercars, GT and Formula racers. On such suspension a rod, connected to a whishbone, pushes the spring through a rocker. The turning point of our concept is that the rod has been substituted by a coilover.
Similarly, the design of the rear was dictated by aerodynamics: two light clusters tower over a large air intake. The engine, encased between two large pillars-spoilers, is in full view beneath the glass bonnet, as are part of the mechanics. The glass bonnet is inserted in a carbon structure featuring a style marked by the three large horizontal slits and the two vertical air intakes, which are graphically highly emphasised, and are necessary to release the hot air from the engine compartment. All the information regarding the car and driving is provided on the multi-function LCD monitor situated in front of the driver and recessed beneath the surface of the dashboard. The monitor is split into two sections: depending on the control selected by the driver, the top half displays the GPS navigation system, the status of the vehicle, the music entertainment or the images from the rear camera. The middle of the dashboard also houses the dial selector for the
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cameras WEEK 30, juLY 25 - 31, 2013
Compact smartcam This WiFi-enabled camera features a wide-angle zoom lens, GPS and more
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ikon’s Coolpix S6500 combines WiFi connectivity with a 12x optical zoom lens and a 16MP sensor, all of which enable it to both compete against and complement a smartphone camera.
Nikon Coolpix S6500
The 16MP back illuminated CMOS sensor of the Coolpix S6500 is significantly larger than a typical smartphone sensor. The larger surface area enables the Nikon S6500 to produce better images than the smaller smartphone sensor, particularly in low light.
RO82 (+S&H) Type: Compact Digital Camera Effective Pixels: 16MP Image Sensor: CMOS
Another key feature of the Nikon Coolpix S6500 is its 4.5-54mm f/3.16.5 lens with 12x optical zoom. This is the equivalent to a 25-300mm lens on a camera with a full frame sensor. To reduce camera shake, especially when used at the longest extension of the zoom, the lens is fitted with Nikon’s Vibration Reduction technology. The third key feature of the camera is its WiFi connectivity, which enables the Coolpix S6500 to be connected to a smart device such as a phone or tablet. Once connected, you can share images to the device or use the device as a remote viewfinder and control, which is ideal for taking self-portrait or wildlife images.
Lens: 12x optical zoom
Images taken using the Nikon Coolpix S6500 are saved as JPEG files, and there’s a variety of different scene modes to choose from, to make sure images are correctly exposed. Because the Nikon Coolpix S6500 is a consumer-level compact camera, it doesn’t have any manual exposure
modes. However, the brightness of the exposure can be adjusted using the camera’s exposure compensation feature, and it is possible to select ISO sensitivity from between ISO 125 and ISO 1600. When using the auto ISO mode, the camera can also automatically select ISO 3200. Images are composed using the 3-inch
460k dot TFT LCD rear screen, which is an acceptable resolution for a camera of this level. In use the screen is good. It has a good level of contrast and pleasing colours, and its anti-reflective coating works well. Only in extremely bright sunlight does it become a little more difficult to see the screen.
To order, email techtoys@deenarmedia.com MovieS
In Their Skin
A grieving family escapes to their cottage to reconnect. There, they are terrorised by neighbours with a sadistic agenda
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n Their Skin, known in some countries as Replicas,[1] is a 2012 home invasion thriller film directed by Jeremy Power Regimbal and starring Selma Blair, Joshua Close, Rachel Miner and James D’Arcy. The film was theatrically released in the United States by IFC Films, and in Canada by Kinosmith. After the death of their young daughter, the Hughes family decide to escape to their simple vacation home in the woods. But their attempt to get some quality time together is violently interrupted when a neighbouring family with a hidden agenda drop by for dinner. That afternoon, the mood becomes unsettling when the Sakowskis
bombard the Hughes with endless questions about their lives and overstay their welcome, envying their ‘perfect’ wealthy living. After Brendon (Quinn Lord) invites Jared (Alex Ferris) to his room to defeat him playing games, Jared threatens him to his neck with a knife. This instils panic into Brendon, who flees to alert his parents. Jared pretends to his parents that Brendon, to whom Brendon denies, punched him. After Mary (Selma Blair) finds marks on Brendon’s neck, the Hughes dismiss the Sakowskis. First-time director Jeremy Regimbal builds tension to a calculated and ultimately brutal crescendo in this homeinvasion thriller.
Director: Jeremy Regimbal Writer: Joshua Close Genre: Horror, thriller Cast: Selma Blair, Joshua Close, James D’Arcy, and Rachel Miner
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Smartphones TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
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Reinventing
zoom
The sensor in this tiny smartphone can produce images with a resolution of 7712x5360 pixels, with image detail that is quite impressive Nokia Lumia 1020 Operating system: Windows Phone 8
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okia has established a new benchmark in smartphone imaging with the arrival of the Nokia Lumia 1020, boasting a second-generation 41-megapixel sensor. Unlike any smartphone in the market today the Nokia Lumia 1020 reinvents zoom, enabling people to discover more detail than the eye can see. With Nokia’s innovative PureView technology, including optical image stabilisation, the device is able to produce some of the sharpest images possible by any digital camera. This is made possible by hardware technology combined with a new application called Nokia Pro Camera, which makes it easy for anyone to take professional quality images. Either before a picture is taken or after it has been shot, the zoom
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capability enables people to discover and then rediscover the personal stories each image can tell. With a beautiful interface that visually demonstrates how settings will affect the final photo or video, Nokia Pro Camera makes it easier than ever to capture, edit and share photos and videos with unrivaled clarity. Using a new feature called dual capture, the Nokia Lumia 1020 simultaneously takes a high resolution 38 megapixel image for endless editing opportunities, and creates a 5 megapixel picture that is easy to share to social networks with Windows Phone 8. The Nokia Lumia 1020’s 41-megapixel sensor features Zeiss optics with six physical lenses, plus optical image stabilization,
delivering crystal clear pictures even in low light conditions. The personal nature of Windows Phone makes it the perfect platform for the Nokia Lumia 1020, showcasing live images on the Start screen with the Photos tile, quick sharing to social networks, and easy access to files across a number of devices with SkyDrive. With the dedicated camera button, Windows Phone is designed with imaging in mind. To help people see what’s around them and discover new places to take photos, the latest developments in LiveSight will available in HERE Maps soon. The Nokia Lumia 1020 also comes with ad and subscription free Nokia Music streaming. Information of this phone arriving in the Middle East is yet to be announced.
Display: 4.5-inch AMOLED WXGA (1280x768), 2.5 D sculpted Corning Gorilla Glass 3, PureMotion HD+, ClearBlack, high brightness mode, sunlight readability, Nokia Glance Screen Battery: 2000 mAh battery, wireless charging supported via cover Processor: 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 Main camera: PureView 41 MP with optical image stabilization, Resolution: 7712 x 5360. Includes Nokia Pro Camera. Xenon flash for still images, LED flash for video Front facing camera: HD 1.2 MP wide angle Memory: 2GB RAM, 32GB internal memory; 7GB free SkyDrive cloud storage
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gaming WEEK 30, juLY 25 - 31, 2013
In this bleak and brutal game, an unforgettable character restores your faith in saving humanity
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he near extinction of civilisation has distorted moral boundaries in this dystopian world. Labels like thief and murderer no longer mark you as a criminal; stealing and killing is sometimes the only way to survive here. Humans are no better than a pack of feral dogs that lay claim to
Score Plot.................10/10 Gameplay........10/10 Visuals............10/10 Overall................. 10 territories and kill anyone who challenge that claim. The only connection left between one another is paper-thin and severed without second thought once mutual needs are met. Life is bleak, harsh and exhausting. Infected humans run wild and those remaining, kill one another for survival, in a world where twenty years ago a pandemic radically transformed known civilisation. Joel, a world-weary survivor, is hired to smuggle a fourteen-yearold girl, Ellie, out of a rough military quarantine; but what begins as a simple job quickly turns into a brutal journey
across the country. At its core, the game revolves around the relationship between Joel and Ellie who would do anything for each other. Joel provides the brawn while Ellie the heart to brave the treacherous journey through infested forests, dilapidated houses and unnerving sewers. The infected humans descent with frightening ferocity, clawing and snarling as they hunt their next meal. The uninfected survivors are no less deadly though. Diplomacy is not even a remote option, as they pursue you firing high-powered rifles or swinging deadly
axes, uncaring that they are trying to kill a middle-aged man and a young girl. Battle in a violent land such as this is inevitable. Ordinary objects take on a new meaning when quick survival is what you need. Overturned tables and file cabinets provide some cover; broken windows allow for a quick escape. The zombies’ movements are a contrast designed to trick you and lull you into a false sense of safety. Their staggered gait might make you think that they are slow and weak. But all they need is a whiff of fresh meat for their movement to become blindingly fast and exact.
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Genre: Action Adventure Developer: Naughty Dog Platforms: PS3, PC ESRB Rating: Mature
WEB www.truuconfessions.com
Confess yourself
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he perfect place for all your confessional needs, this site caters to women of all ages. Romi Lassally, the creator launched the website after a memorable night dealing with her son’s crankiness and confessing about it later to her friend. She was inspired to create a place where women could confess their fears, frailties and fantasies without any risk of judgment or consequence.
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The site’s mission to be your anonymous best friend stems from understanding moments when you desperately need a laugh, when you’re about to go crazy, when there’s a really good piece of gossip to be spread, or when you have to share something truly unspeakable. It provides an outlet for lives that have become extremely busy and stressful. So post away all your grievances and giggles.
Meet the anonymous best friend everyone should have
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APPS TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
Apps this week Spotify
The five free apps everyone is talking about Platforms: iPad, iOS, Android, Windows Phone
(Free)
The social aspect of the app is worth mentioning as well. The app on its own is excellent for listening to music that you already know about but discovering new music through the realms of social integration is just as much a part of it. You are kept updated on what your Facebook friends have been and are listening to, so as to offer you suggestions and vice versa. For people who prefer keeping their music
Amazon Kindle (Free) Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry
The beauty of this app is that it lets you listen to any song, any time, for free. Its biggest draw is that any song you search for is available in their catalogue and instant playback. Unlike other popular streaming apps, it doesn’t confuse your song choice by always getting it spot-on right or charge you for on-demand streaming. You can find almost every reasonably popular artist, song and album from legends like The Rolling Stones to Kanye West and even a huge number of obscure indie artists. The app also includes a radio feature, making it an all-round audio fest for music lovers.
Tweetdeck (Free) Platforms: iPad, Mac, Chrome
New York Times Editors Choice (Free)
tastes a secret, this app has a private session option available too. A huge part of the Spotify experience and common cause of addiction to the app is playlists. Searching and subscribing to playlists put together by other users or even those created by music sources such as Billboard or Spotify itself is another amazing way to discover new tracks.
(Free)
Platforms: iPad, iOS
Jam Pad (Free)
Platforms: iOS
Platforms: iPad, iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Guardian, The Economist, Salon and more.
A one of a kind RSS and social network hub, this app lets you organise any information that you’re interested in so you can browse through it as if it were a magazine. News, Technology, Business, Entertainment are just some of the categories available for browsing. You can even add popular sites to your Flipboard such as BBC News, the
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Flipboard also gives you the option of pulling in content from you Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Instagram, Google+ and Youtube by linking your account. Touching Facebook will bring up all your latest news and updates in a magazine format.
Jobcentre Plus (Free) Platforms: Android
A well designed and fullcolour experience, this app lets you download ebooks quickly and easily from amazon.com
You can set up multiple twitter accounts with this app and organise them to your liking into three columns for friends, mentions and direct messages Get two pages worth of lead stories from the news, business, technology, opinion and features sections from the famous newspaper
Play on a virtual keyboard to your heart’s content, access a full octave, add tailored beats, play guitar chords and add selfcomposed electric guitar solos
A simple but intuitive interface, it gives you the listings of all the current jobs available in your area
Enter to win two Panasonic portable chargers. Please send in your entries by August 5
TW54
Fax: 24693569 / Email: quiz@deenarmedia.com
1 What function does the ‘Caps Lock’ perform?
A
Delete alphabets
A
Deleted files
B
Capitalise alphabets
B
Secret files
C
Change alphabets
C
Program files
3 What does hibernating a computer mean? TW53 Winners:
2 What does the Recycle Bin contain?
4 What is a password used for?
1. Sanjay Moudgil
A
Shutting it down
A
Security
2. Marie D’mello
B
Putting it in sleep mode
B
Fun
Last week’s quiz answers: 1 – C, 2 – B, 3 – A, 4 – B
C
Restarting it
C
Programming
NOTE: 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.
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Full Name _________________________________________ Age ______ Mobile __________________ Email ______________________________________Occupation _________________________________ Company ______________________________________________________________________________
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