ECO
DIGI-TYRE EC201
Ahead of its class and setting the standards
EC201 upgrades the standards for base-performance tyres.
Two reasons why EC201 is not just a base performance tyre: quality performance and good appearnace.
Performance Features Better safety performance through innovation 1. Newly adopted Nylon Edge Band -T-rated radials -Treadwear 400 / Traction A / Temperature A (Treadwear and traction grades do not apply to 12-inch sizes.) -Stability for better steering at high speed 2. Flow Tie Bear -Improved anti-hydroplanning performance 3. Straight Grooves -Efficient drainage through straight grooves Good appearance that last a long time 1. Powerful combination of Wear Cut and 3-D Round Finish for durability that lasts and lasts Long life assured by controlling irregular wear with a combination of wear cuts in the blocks and the 3-D round finish in the second block of the tie bar.
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contents MAY 2006 T3 WWW.T3MAG.COM.PH
on the cover 36 Select Hybrid Cars 65 Big Test Slim Laptops 72 Group Test Thin TVs 52 Rated Dopod 900 47 Rated Sony Ericson W900i 50 Rated Nokia 6111 82 Explore Area 51 regulars 6 Hello 42 Send 44 Gadget Giveaway 112 Standby
explore 82 Searching for alien life in Area 51 with high-tech gear 95 Make you own sushi
82
spend
103 Over 175 gadgets rated, AREA 51
with buying advive you can trust ARE ALLIENS AMONG US? T3 INVESTAGATES
3
contents MAY 2006 T3 WWW.T3MAG.COM.PH
rated a-z
55 Alcatel OT651 50 Archos Gmini XS202S
48 Canon lxus 60 bigtest 56 Canon lxus Wireless Slim laptops 61 Canon Powershot A430 67 Acer Travelmate 3012WTMI 64 Dopod 838 66 Asus W5AE 52 Dopod 900 70 Fujitsu-Siemens Lifebook 60 Kingcom JoyPal 823 P7120 54 Kodak V570 69 Sony Vaio VGN - TX2HP 63 LG AN11OB 68 Toshiba Portege R200 58 MPIO FY700 64 Nokia 3250 50 Nokia 6111 grouptest 57 Nokia 6708 Plasma TVs 59 02 xda Atom 73 Hitachi 42PD7200 60 Popcom MP001 76 Panasonic TH-42PV500M 56 Samsung Slimfit WS32Z30HE 75 Philips 42PF9966 49 Sony Cyber-shot DSC - T9 74 Samsung PS42S5H 47 Sony Ericson W900i
62 Sony Vaio VGC - VA1 head to head 53 Toshiba Satellite L20 78 Sony Cyber - shot DSC - R1 vs Casio Exilim P505 4 T3 MAY 2006 5
TURN IT 5 WAYS TO TURN HER ON
Make an impression. With a little mystery, you can get any woman to reveal it all. For the artist whom the women can never forget.
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Facial Cleanser. Body Soap. Exfoliant. Toner Moisturizer Serum. Facial Wash. Deo Stick. Deo Roll-on. Aftersave Lotion for more information, call our customer care hotline at 984-3288, send text messages to 0918-921-5520 or email custcare@hbc.com.ph HBC Customer Care, HBC Home of Beauty Exclusives, G/F HBC Corporate Center, 548 Mindanao Ave. cor. Quirino Highway, Novaliches, Quezon City 6
Feel it. Turn up the heat and make the women sweat. For the hunk who never fails to break their heasrts
hello
WELCOME TO T3
I’ve been life,and let
skinny all my me tell you,
it hasn’t exactly causes hordes of nubile young girls to follow me around the mall. in the real world, being skinny doesn’t automatically make you hot stuff. Not so with gadgets.We drool over slim mobile phones,lap up thin laptops, and are amazed by anorexic digital cameras. Skinny gadgets are the rockstars of the electronics world, and in the issue we’ve rounded up some of the best. And so everyone from my mother to my publisher tells skinny old me to eat more. My frugal, starving-writer diet is far from ideal in the real world, I am told. but in the gadget world, an mp3 player that consumes less power is news, and a car that sips instead of guzzles gas is a big deal, especially in this hard times. Honda civics have always been known as zippy econo-cars, but now that they’ve gone with a hybrid engine, they look to be hotter than Kate Beckinsale in that leather suit she wears in underworld... The Civic is the first of a whole wave of Hybrid cars that will be coming to the old P.I. in the months to come. In the meantime, we’ll give you the, er, skinny on everything you need to know about this sexy new hybrids. Vince Sales, Editor
Text the Editor by sending T3 ED <message><name> to 2929. Please include your email address.
PS. And if you’re still hungry for more cars, check out our sister(brother?) publication, TopGear magazine, which yhis month features the fabulous Nissan Murano, Bon apetit!
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team
SUMMITMEDIA.COM.PH T3MAG.COM.PH skinny all the Sanyo’s Xacti C6 is one of the smallest, lightest camcorders in the world and it will actually allow you to take stills while you’re filming, without changing mode. Just 23mm thick and 145g in weightthat’s less than some mobile phonesthe ergonomic, groovily future retrostyled snapper takes six-megapixel snaps and records MPEG4 vids to SD cards. A two-inch, swivelling display will ensure that you stay focused, while the digital stabilization keeps your 30fps footage rock solid. To underline its trophy-gadget status, the C6 is also available in a selection of luxurious-sounding colors, including vinatge silver, sparkling ruby and onyx black. Or, as we prefer to call them, “silver“, “red“ and “black“. Sanyo’s Xacti C6 is one of the smallest, lightest camcorders in the world and it will actually allow you to take stills while you’re filming, without changing mode. Just 23mm thick and 145g in weightthat’s less than some mobile phonesthe ergonomic, groovily future retrostyled snapper takes six-megapixel snaps and records MPEG4 vids to SD cards. A two-inch, swivelling display will ensure that you stay focused, while the digital stabilization keeps your 30fps footage rock solid. To underline its trophy-gadget status, the C6 is also available in a selection of luxurious-sounding colors, including vinatge silver, sparkling ruby and onyx black. Or, as we prefer to call them, “silver“, “red“ and “black“.
Twist for music with the new Nokia 3250
Excellent sound quality and powerful built-in speakers Up to 10 hours of dedicated music playback* FREE 512 MB Micro SD memory card to store your favorite songs expandable to 1GB Fast and easy access to music dedicated keys via a stylish twist mechanism Easy PC to phone transfer of your personal music
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www.nokia.com.ph *Variation in operation times may occur depending on SIM CARD, network and usage settings, usage style and environments. Use of FM radio and integrated handsfree will affect talk and stand-by times.
Available at all Nokia Stores and selected Nokia Dealers.
Make sure your new Nokia Mobile Phone comes with original enhancements and is protected by a 12month warranty on parts and services from Nokia Care. Buy only at authorized Nokia outlets. For inquiries, call Nokia Careline at (02) 886-1234 8
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
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It’s a real looker, and better yet, instructions walk you through it allows you to manipulate and the whole process. edit your images with precision, The Pentax doesn’t just take right there on the spot, great pictures. With its two moments after taking them. tone aluminum body, it is a The touchscreen means no picture. The stunning threetwiddly nipple-buttons and no inch LCD screen makes even endless menu-surfing. You the grayBorg-cube design of want to changethe mode? Just SM Malls look vibrant, while tap the screen to bring up the the build quality maintains the menu and zip through it. Want Optio range’s reputation for to edit a pictyre? Do it with near-bomb-proof sturdiness. your pinky, or the chewed-up Still, for all the T10’s end of Mont Blanc. stylishness, and the sixYou can even annotate megapixel lushness of the images, crop them, deal with snaps it takes, its crowning red-eye and add all sorts of glory is that touchscreen. It filters, without the need for a looks like buttons could be Pc. Then you send them direct endangered species. to a printer. On-screen www.pebtax.com Price TBA
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
Dead and ‘Berried?
Sony Ericson might make Blackberry bitter Imagine all the features of blackberry push email, big-boy’s keypad, etc-but in a ruggedly handsome shell. That’s Sony Ericson’s M600. Just 15mm thick, it won’t spoil the line of your suit, and the near-proper keypad (two letters per button) soon becomes second nature. The screen is touch sensitive, while a jog dial makes for easy contactforaging. Its 80MB memory stores MP3s, PDFs and other media files. The only low is the screen quality, which doesn’t measures up to the new BlackBerry 8700G. Still, the M600-available in black or white-should leave RIM sweating, and best of all, David Beckham doesn’t have one (he can’t spell his name). Price TBA www.sonyericson.com
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
Wi-fi wabbit
Alpha email
Centerfold
Fatter than the RAZR, but carries it well BenQ has linked up with Siemens and lunched two new RAZR-baiting phones. The first is the EF81. It’s 2mm fatter than the RAZR, but punches above its weight thanks to 3G video calling and a two-megapixel camera. It doesn’t fell cheap-in fact it closes with a nice clunk-but display’s pretty poor. Second there’s the S68 candybar. It’s slim at 13mm, but features are pretty basic and a large 1.8-inch color display. They’re the best RAZR esque phones we’ve seen, but you can’t beat the real thing. Price TBA www.benqmobile.com
THE RULES DIGITAL VIDEO EDITING 1) If you don’t look good even during sloemos of your homemade “scandal“, time for a career change. 2) Nope, the card reader does not accept 8mm celluloid 3) If you look a bit dark in the video, twaek the brightness settings. If you still look dark, twaek it some more. If there is no improvement, rub some whitening cream on your face. Apply redo the scene. 4) Inserting nude scenes does not help improve the story... no wait, it does! 5) No matter how you rearrange the scenes, Dude Wheres My Car will always be the stupidest movie ever.
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This tiny Wi/POQ connects your Bluetooth mobile phone to pick up your email. A QWERTY keyboard lets you tap out replies, and a more upmarket version will include a photo viewer and PCsyncing software. www.wipoq.com
The Nabaztag is a curios rabbit. Using Wi-Fi it reads the news out, keeps you up to date on the stock market and even predicts the weather. Controlled via website, he can wiggle his ears when you get email, or glow red and dance when you shares plummet in value. That’ll cheer you up. $140(about P7,200)
www.nabaztag.com
Beer monster At last! Japanese brewer Asahi has created a robot that will pour you the perfect pint. All you need is 36 tokens from Asahi cans and one of the 5,000 that have been made is yours. The catch? They’re only available in Japan. www.wipoq.com
Long distance shooter
The DSC-H5 combines goodies such as a 7.2 megapixel CCD, 12x optical zoom 3-inc LCD and Sony’s Super SteadyShot technology to give youLarry Bird-like accuracy and consistency when shooting from away beyond the arc. Tight shorts and high-top shoes not included. $599(about P30,640) www.sonystyle.com
HAMILTON
THE AMERICAN BRAND SINCE 1892 KHAKI X - WIND The Perfect Co - pilot As the crow flies with the new Khaki X-Wind Automatic by Hamilton, navigation is
looking good. The new Khaki X-Wind Automatic guarantees that it’s wearer keeps right on track. This stylish chronometer may turn heads-but thanks to it’s clever, integrated navigation feature, deviations are off the agenda. The Khaki X-Wind Automatic is the world’s first drift-angle calculator in a watch, enabling pilots to accurately calculate and record the crosswinds they will encounter on their planned journey. And for those needing to navigate their way through life on the ground, this new Hamilton timepiece is also the perfect co-pilot.
Regardless of it’s current position the Khaki X-Wind Automatic has a sporty, high-tech design and is 44mm in diameter for easy visibility in all senses. The distinctive chrono comes with a choice of a black or silver-colored dial and has an easy-to-read display. In order to foster the adventurous aviation spirit, Hamliton has createdtwo new interpretations of “loopimg” on this latest addition to it’s Khaki series.The Khaki X-Wind Automatic has a brown stitched leather strap with an extension that allows the watch to be worn over a bulky flying jacket and a fixed loop on the strap ensures that the watch stays in palce. A double buckle in the shape of an “H” adds extra security. The Khaki X-Wind Automatic is also available with a black, stitched rubber stap. The adventurer character is underlined by water resistenace to 100 m and a sapphire crystal.
NAVIGATIONAL NOTES
The starting point for the crosswind calculation is the rotation of the external turning bezel to mark thw wind direction and real speed of the aircraft or sea vessel - for example 180 mph. Following this, key information is sourced from the map or control tower - the difference between the geographic and magnitec poles plus the wind speed and direction on the journey. Reffering to either the nomograph engraved on the reverse of the watch, or the one on the small card supplied with it, the pilot suntracks the difference between the poles e.g. 30 degrees from the 90 degrees line marked on the nomograph. From the resultant 60 degrees point on the arc the navigator traces the curved line until it curses the speed curve-in this example at 40 mph. This last figure is split by creating a right - angle going down to the horizontal scale which the line in this example touches this at 20 mph. By adding the resuktant 20 mph to the vessel’s actual speed of 180 mph the navigator obtains a figure of 200 that he or she sets on the outer bezel using a second crown and consequently relates to the corresponding figure on the inner bezel, here 6.5. This last figure is the crosswind component. The final step is to add the crosswind component to the magnetic heading - 6.5 + 130 = 136.5. The pilot then selects 136 degrees on the inner bezel to remiond him that this is the direction to take in order to reach the desire destination directly. Hamilton was founded in 1892 in Lancaster, PA, USA. Known for innovative design and watch technology, Hamilton is a member of the Swatch group, the words largest watch producer and distributor, with 157 production sites in Switzerland. The Swantch group is the official timekeeper and data-handling operator for the olympic game in Athens, Turin, Beijing and other cities.
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
Skin flicks Santo introduces its super-cool, super slim, alumni camcorder
Sanyo’s Xacti C6 is one of the smallest, lightest camcorders in the world and it will actually allow you to take stills while you’re filming, without changing mode. Just 23mm thick and 145g in weightthat’s less than some mobile phonesthe ergonomic, groovily future retrostyled snapper takes six-megapixel snaps and records MPEG4 vids to SD cards. A two-inch, swivelling display will ensure that you stay focused, while the digital stabilization keeps your 30fps footage rock solid. To underline its trophy-gadget status, the C6 is also available in a selection of luxurious-sounding colors, including vinatge silver, sparkling ruby and onyx black. Or, as we prefer to call them, “silver“, “red“ and “black“. Price TBA www.sanyo.com
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
Wet one oh
Deep impact
Hard disk, easy use
The HDD camcorder with a company thumb stick JVC pioneered hard drive camcorders, so it should be one step ahead of the field. Its latest Everio ‘corder, the GZ-MG21, adds a thumb stick, perched on the edge of the 2.5-inch flip-out LCD. It’s actually more useful than it sounds, making flicking through stills and menus effortless. Seven hours of DVD quality footage can be crammed on to the 20GB hard disk, and there’s also an absolutely mammoth 32x optical zoom. If you don’t have a PC, videos can be burnt directly to the optional Apacer AD330 DVD burner.
THE RULES BROADBAND SURFING
1)Having broaadband access in your home means only one thing, NERD! 2)Contrary to what people might say, you cannot downlod a asocial life. 3)Faster downloads=less hard disk space by the second.\ 4)”Broad”band does not means it’s exclusive for surfing nude women on the net. 5)Surfing the net is not an extreme sport, though spyware may cause a crash.
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Creative’s Gigawork T20 PC stereo speakers use the company’s BasXport technology to make low-frequency sounds. That means you get gangstagrade bass without the need to hide a honking great subwoofer under your desk www.creative.com
Needles to say, digital cameras and water is one cocktail we wouldn’t want to mix-till now! The 6-megapixel, waterproof Pentax Optio W10 comes with a 2.5 inch LCD and a facerecognition feature for proper focusing. Faces be damned! We could’ve used one of these during last month’s bikini shoot! Price TBA
www.h2ocamera.com
Drinkeatch
Lance Armstrong has teamed up with Nike to create a watch. The Oregon Square Dial Features a hydration alarm, which beeps at regular intervals to remind you to drink vital when doing vigorous exercise. www.nike.com
Camera phone, redefined
Sony Ericson calls them Cybershots now! In a gutsy move, SE has applied the Cyber-shot moniker to their high-end camera pohones-and rightfully so. The K800i has a 3.2-megapixel sensor with autofocus, xenon flash, QVGA display, MS Micro support and 3G connectivity. There’s also an EDGE variant, sans front cam, dubbed K790i. Price TBAwww.sonyericson.com.ph
GADGET GURU
Got any questions about the stuff you have or that new toy you’ve been eyeing? Email our resident tech-nerd at gadgetguru@t3mag.com.ph
WHEN N?
DESPERATELY SEEKING DVB-H
When will the nokia N80 will be released? Ola gadget guru! Gadget freak here askin for The internal memory consists of how much your help ‘bout Nokia 7710. Is the speaker of MB? How about the mini SD card? Which it loud enough to bother other people? And one is better than the other? Nokia N80 or the how ‘bout the games? Are they addictive? And Erickson W800i? How about Nokia 6280? since the internal memory of it is 90MB, could When will it be featured in t3 magazine? it save an MP3 songs for about 150? And I’m Jalainie Salvador really confused ‘bout the mobile-tv. I’m dying to The Guru syas: We expect the N80 know what it is. I mean is that an accesory? Or to be available by june this year. It has 40MB a network dependent feature? What? And what of internal memory, expandable to 2BG via is the difference between mobile-tv, DVB-H TV, MicroSD cards. The N80 is a different kind T-DMB of Samsung SGH-P900? Please please of phone than the W800, since the N80 is a please answer me as early as possible before I let #G device with a 3-megapixel camera. By my money out of my own hands! specs alone, the N80 is a more capable phone.Francesca As for the 6280, while it is a 3G The Guru syas: We found the 7710’s phone, it runs on Nokia’s less-powerful (but speakers adequete, and you can save MP3s in still capable) Series 40 interface-unlike the internal memory if you wish. You can opt for a N80 or N70 which run on Series 60. It also lower bitrate for the MP3s to decrease the file has a fxed amount of memory of 74MB. size. we’ve already asked Nokia for a While we were wowed by the 7710, the review unit, so keep you eyes peeled for that device is being used to demonstrate emerging future review! tehnologies, to prove that it can be done. Case in points DVB-H. DVB-H (stands for Digital WHAT’S WITH WINDOWS MOBILE? Video Broadcast for Handhelds), and you would Can you give me different between Micro- need to replace the back plate of the 7710 to soft Windows Mobile 2003 PocketPC phone make use of it. However, there’s more to it than edition second edition and the latest Windows just an accessory purchase. The content provider 5.0, and what is the added features on it! (TV networks and broadcasters) will need to find Thank you very much. a way to re-format their content to the DVB-H standard. A third party can come in to do this Adonis Llavore for them. The telcos also will have to provide The Guru syas: One of the most biggest differences between WM 5 and WM facilities and servers for this, and of course, there 2003 n(all editions) is that WM 5 is a unified is always the question of “how much”. We’re platform-meaning it supports smart phones, sure the telcos are looking into the feasinility of DVB-H, and mobile TV in general. PcketPC phones and Pocket PC’s. This is We are able to witness a demo of DVBgood news for developers. For end-users, WM5 supports Flsh H last year in Singapore, and it shows some ROM (also known as non-volatile memoryu). premise. Several countries in Europe will be In the past, you risked losing all data if you launching their DVB-H services come June 2006 battery ran out. In WM 5, you data remains - just in time for the FIFA World Cup. Nokia’s head of DVB-H support in their future handsets, intact. Microsoft has also included upgrad- but didn’t give us any concrete details. Local implementation of DVB-H has a ed versions of tjeir mobile Office software long way to go, but we used to think 3G would suit. Include now is Mobile Poiwepoint, which can only playback presentations. Me- never come here. You never know. dia Player 10 is also part of WM 5.
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
A new S - class
Well, mine is three inches!
Pinch hitter
Being tagged “budget” isn’t a bad thing at all
You’ve got budget airlines, budget hotels, budget meals. Nothing wrong with any of them, and definitely nothing wrong with a budget phone either. Especially when it’s something like the K310i. Underneath that inmistakably Sony-Ericson exterior is a 128x160 pixel, 65k-color display, MP3 support and VGA camera. That sounds like the specs of the K700i back in its heyday, if you ask us. And no, we aren’t complaining! Price TBA www.sonyericson.com.ph
Beenq’s X610 claims that it’s the slimmest digital camera comes not onlywith a 3-inch LCD, but with image stabilization as well. It’s got on-board image editing functions, and also captures MPEG4 video in VGA resolution. www.,benq.com
Fujitsu Siemens calls their Lifebook S7110 thin and light - we prefer calling them sleek and sexy (when was the last time you told a lady she was thin?). In that 1.8-kg shell is an Intel Duo Core chip, so expect blazing performance without taking a hit on battery life. Price TBA www.fujitsu-seimens.com
Topped up im AA hour
Yes folks, if you’ve got a bunch of AA powered devices, the CH1HRCP-4 charger from Energizer is just the ticket. It tops up rechargable AA batteries in just hour! About P,000. www.energizer.com
An ex we wouldn’t mind seeing And the make-up sex is optional We normally are wary around ex’s, but in the case of the Casio Exilim EXZ850, we’d welcome it with open arms, thanks to endearing traits such as an 8.1-megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, a 2.5-inch LCD and built-in anti shake technology $399(about P20,500) www.exilim.com 22
The Big K is catching up ...and it’s about time! Joining the ultra-zoom fray is the 6 megapixel, 10x-optical zoomed Z650 offering from imaging giant Kodak. It’s got\ Kodak’s Color Science imaging brains that ensures accurate colors and exposure no matter what you are shooting. $399(about P20,500) www.kodak.com.ph
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
Pivot treo 650/700 Black Silicon Case P750
Case closed!
Because scratched up gadgets are just plain uncool
Pivot treo 650/700 WhiteSilicon Case P750
So you’ve taken the plunge and blown you savings on the latest whiz-bang convergent megapixeled Wi-Fi’d gizmo. You probably are in the “honeymoon” stage now, swooning and fawning over your latest acquisatiion. Then you notice that miniscule scratch, then another. Heed our advice, invest in a case. from day one. A little protection never hurt anyone.
Pivot 02 xda Atom Black Silicon Case P750
Pivot 02 xda AtomWhite Silicon Case P750
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Brando N70 Clear Plastic Case P580
Brando W800i Clear Plastic Case P580
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
Walking on air
T3 tests the latest tech for your toes Any shoe aficionado will agree that few other shoes have shaped the industry like the Nike Airmax did when it was released almost two decades ago. It was a new concept back then, but it is only now that running on air has ever been so literal. Even though the technology has been around for 25 years, old-fashoined would be the last phrase to describe it - in fact, this seems more like a culmination of Nike’s experience of working with air. Judging from previous incarnations of the shoe you already know the design and use of suede is true to its Airmazx roots. Its overall guise is impeccable. The most important question is, how does it really feel? The moment you put them on, you’ll immediately conclude that its sibling, Nike Free, can rival it in terms of wieght. The primary reason for this was the removal of the foam that is usually found in most, if not all, running shoes. That leaves nothing but air in the sole. If you don’t mind the attention the shoe gets because of its radical desing, running around the indoor track and on the treadmill couldn’t get any more comfortable. Though it may be the only pair of shoes which we can wholeheartedly say, give us an added bounce while running, the 360 is obviously not fit for the outdoors, or the hardcore runner. Broken glass or thumb tacks? Just imagining those full-lenght Air-Soles giving out a hissing sound is enough to give us nightmares.
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THIS MONTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
Diadora Italia Tee P799
Diadora Ireland P799
Adidas A Girl With a Ball P1,995
Adidas Raul Photo tee P895
Diadora Passion Red tee P599
Nike Teamwork tee P895
Top scorer
Get your kicks with some football fashion You may not know the difference between a volley and an instep drive, but you do how to mix and match your clothes. This selection will give you instant footballing cred. Just do some research about Diadora Sala Nike Air Tiempo Rival the offside rule, uk? P2,499 P2,995 26
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
ASUS W5AE
P110,000 www.asus.com.ph ASUS’S MAIN BUSINESS is making machines for the likes of apple and sony, so it knows a thing or two about laptops. It’s little surprise, the, that this is kitted out with a very powerful, hot0offthe production-line Intel processor. Despite the reasonably light 1.6kg weight and compact dimensions, there’s still space for a 1.2-inch display. It’s a 16:9 ratio and has a special coating that makes color looks more vivid. This proved particularly effective when watching DVD’s, showing off the deliriously rich color palette of David Lynch’s Fire Walk With Me to great effect. That wide screen also means that the keyboard is wider, with good-sized keys. In fact, this has the most spacious keyboard on test. Battery life lets the side the side down here we managed to only get 146 minutes out of it before reaching for the AC plug.
In detail The laptop is pre-loaded with Power4Gear. This enables you to switch between various power modes to set your laptop for maximum performance or maximum battery life.
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
ACER TRAVELMATE
3012WTMI P109,800 www.acer.com.ph
A MACHINE WITH two brains, this sleek little number packs the latest technology into a slick, aerodynamic package. Like Asus’s, this machine is powered by one of Intel’s dual-core processors. These state-of-the- art chips cram two CPUs onto a single slither of silicon. The travelmate is quite light at 1.6kg, yet feels sturdy-drop this while running for a train/from the police and it’ll most probably survive. Helped by that Intel chip, it puts in the best performance of any machine in this test, easily coping with CPUintensive tasks such as video editing as well as the usual spreadsheets and Web surfing. However, the main battery lasts just 104 minutes, so if you’re going on longer trips you’ll also need to take the second, larger battery with you.
In detail Acer’s e Settings Management tool is a utility that manages your laptop’s power settings, enabling you to configure it either for longer battery life or towards better performance
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
TOSHIBA PORTAGE
R200 P139,900 www.toshiba.com WITH ITS SUPER-SLIM frame, this one’s a real-eye catcher, but those rake-like looks come at a cost. Toshiba doesn’t have the same rep as Sony for making stunning-looking laptops but it’s pushed the boat ot here. At a perilously skinny 24mm thick, and weighing 1.4kg, this is so slim, we’re surprised People magazine hasn’t put it on it’s cover undaer a “worried” headline. The look’s been achieved by using a 1.8-inch hard disk instead of the 2.5-inch drives found in the others here. More vexinly, the optical drive’s been barfed out of its bulimic guts to further reduce ballast. Processing is coyrtesy of an Intel ultrs-low voltage chip. It’s not a top performer, but its low power needs means the machine can run for 216 minutes without needing a top-up.
In detail Toshiba’s old-faithful Power Saver application is extremely simple to use. You can configure the laptop’s power usage simply by moving a bunch of the preference bars.
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THIS MONTH’S HOTTEST NEW GADGETS
SONY VAIO
VGN-TX2PH $2,700(about P140,000) www.sonystyle.com
THE LATEST IN Sony’s long line of small-but-perfectltformed VAIO laptops takes a novel approach to longer battery life. The screen is lit by LEDs instead of the usual flourescent tubes. It looks very bright under normal conditions, but in darker rooms, you can see a stripey pattern where the light converges from the LEDs. However, it makes the machine energy effecient enough to wring out 300 minutes of use from its juicebox. As well as the innovative 11.1-inch screen, there’s a built-in DVD rewriter and one of Intel’s low-voltage processors, meaning it’s fine for everyday use, though it hasn’t the power for viseo editing. The trade-off that it’s extremely light-just 1.2kg-and compact. Naturally that makes the keyboard, even with its raised keys, tricky to get around. The real pain, though, is the narrowness and positioning of the mouse buttons-they’re on the front edge of the chassis.
In detail The VAIO Power Management suite is a new addition onSony laptops and is simplicity itself to use, allowing you to configure power and battery life to suit the way you work.
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