TECH February 2013 by Shyniben Koyakkil

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Technology and well-being

ISSUE 34

FEBRUARY 2013

Editor-in-chief

Hatim al Taie Managing Director

Abdullah al Taie General Manager

Rathish Ramachandran Content Head

Deepali Kumar Content

Julina Selwin Design

If your resolution for the new year was to get in shape and you are already having trouble keeping up to it, you have a lot more ways to stay motivated. The marriage of technology and fitness is changing the face of the consumer electronics industry at a much faster rate than ever before. It being one of the most dynamic and fast changing industries in the world, the innovations are only getting more exciting. With the rise of digital technology, we have all been adopting all that it has to offer to be healthy. Just as technology is making our lives overwhelmingly easier, its negative effects are making consumers very concerned. There are countless apps that help you calculate calories, measure your mobility and help you get into shape by recommending suitable exercises. Gadgets aren’t falling behind either and they range from posture correctors, wellness monitors that track your six vital signs to watches specifically designed for diabetic patients to track the insulin levels in their body. Technology is almost just as important as any of Maslow’s fundamental levels of needs, it’s essential that we make the best of it, for our well-being. This month, we have covered CES 2013 and showcased all the products that impressed us, space technology and research goes a notch higher with plans to harvest resources by asteroid mining and we show you the revolutionary OLED TV introduced at CES that is all set to arrive in Oman in the second quarter of 2013. We have also featured a one of a kind Longines automatic timepiece. Our cover story is about products completely based on their prices, be it reasonable or ludicrously high. Take time to read through photography that sport cameras from Olympus and Fujifilm, sure to change the way you take pictures. Please do mail us your queries and viewpoints as we would love to answer them and carry forward your opinion to other readers.

Shyniben Koyakkil Sales

Leticia Meneses

-Ed

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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.

Give your professional creativity the space it deserves without making any compromises! • Large 24” (61 cm) widescreen display provides a perfect workspace for creating digital content • Superior display fidelity with full HD resolution (1,920 x 1,200) and high colour gamut (92% Adobe RGB) to bring your creative ideas to life • Supports HtDCP protocol to view copy protected materials e.g. Blu-Ray videos • Impressive industrial design with flat drawing surface and unique display stand • Display transits between low/flat and upright/angled with the assisted lifts and intuitive breaks • Enables unique off table edge positioning • Work directly with the pen on screen with intuitive hand-eye coordination • 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity and Wacom Tip Sensor produce a precise and detailed reflection of your ideas

FEBRUARY 2013 ISSUE 34

16 Space TECH It’s time the world harnesses space’s resources to afford permanent space development

20 Computing Explore Toshiba’s limited edition dual-screen Libretto W100 Samsung stuns us with its sleek, touch screen ultrabook

22 Video zone The future of televisions: LG 55-inch OLED TV revealed

24 Audio zone

25 AUDIO ZONE

Yamaha’s ’73 series break conventional AV receivers

Marshall celebrates its 100th anniversary with a retro yet powerful compact active loudspeaker

26 Cover story 38 Mobile zone Check out Sony’s Xperia Z, a real game changer

40 Photography Fujifilm and Olympus boast their range of competent cameras

42 Special feature See the best products showcased at CES 2013

48 Gaming Guardians of Middle Earth: LOTR fans are thrilled about is new game

19 TIME ZONE

Longines Master Collection Retrograde: Exclusive movements and retrograde functions

50 Dashboard Kawasaki ZX-10R: The road ninja we can’t get enough of

52 Tech art Learn how to create a digital bokeh effect in Photoshop

54 movieZone Snitch synopsis

TECH Radar 9 News 10 NouvoTech 14 APPS 39

Next issue A big surprise!

Quiz 55 Tech Favourites 56 Tech Directory 63

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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 read your magazines eagerly every month and I simply loved the Tale of Tablets issue. It is very informative and also a good read. I’m aware of what tablets and smartphones are, but what exactly are Phablets and how are they different from the regular smartphones? Imran

and it is sometimes hard to navigate through webpages, documents, etc. on the small screens. Phablets have a display size between 4.6 and 5.5 inches, unlike the 7-10 inch tablets. They also include a Stylus pen which would make it easy for handwritings, paintings and drawings. These hybrids also have better processors, speed, RAM and a higher resolution. Another reason why they are so popular is that you just need to carry one device and not both a smartphone and tablet. They were made to fill in the gaps between a smartphones and tablets. -Ed

Dear Imran, We are glad you enjoy Tech. The term Phablet is a derivation from the words Phone and Tablet. Cellphones these days range from a screen size of 2.8 to 3.5-inches and some even up to 4-inches

Dear Editor, I’m looking to buy a new smartphone and I have a couple of options in mind but I am confused about its processors. Could you tell me the difference between Dual-core 1GHz cortex A9 processor and 1.4GHz single core Scorpion processor and also which is better? Aakash Dear Aakash, A processor is like the brain of the phone and it will influence how fast your smartphone should work. Dual-core, as the name suggests, has two 1GHz processors that can be used in parallel to speed up the performance. The speed is particularly more visible when it comes to multi-tasking, downloading apps and so on. The dual core processor is great to have in a phone. The Snapdragon is a family of mobile System on Chips (SoC) by Qualcomm. Qualcomm considers Snapdragon a platform for use in smartphones, tablets and smartbook devices. All Snapdragon processors have either a HD resolution at 720p or 1080p depending on the chipset. If you are willing to chip in more to be future-proof, you could also have a look at the quad-core processors. They are much more efficient that the single and dual core processors. If budget is a concern then dual-core id definitely a better option. -Ed

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Hello Tech team, I would like to first wish the Tech crew a very happy and prosperous new year. It goes without saying how popular the magazine has become and I wish the team great success. I have a query on the iCloud service. I would like to know how it works and what must I do to back up the data on my iPhone to the iCloud? Simran Dear Simran, We wish you a happy and successful new years too. The iCloud is a web-based service from Apple that allows users to keep all types of data in sync. It is not a single function but a collection of apps and services having default storage of 5GB. In order to use the iCloud, you must have an iTunes account and a compatible computer or iOS device, in this case your iPhone. When the data in iCloud enabled apps is added or updated, it automatically gets uploaded to the users iCloud account. In this way iCloud is both

a storage tool and a system to keep all your data in sync across multiple devices. Calendar entries, address book, reminders, notes, documents and photo streams are synced with the help of the iCloud service. Now in order to turn on the apps you want to back up, go to Settings>iCloud. It may ask to set up an account which is free. Next go to ‘Storage and Backup” at the bottom of the screen. Turn the ‘iCloud backup’on. If it is already switched on it will show you the last time that the files were backed up. -Ed

TECH RADAR LG and Windows 8 The LG Optimus 7 was one of the first Windows 7 handsets and one of the most popular ones too. With the success of this phone, the buzz around the tech world is that the company might be soon coming out with a Windows 8 device. A senior executive from a LG partner revealed that some smartphones are at a work-in-progress phase and that it will run Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8. Though the release date or the progress of the phone is not quite clear, the Korean company will be releasing the new Optimus Handsets which will be hitting the markets soon.

iPhone Mini Rumours Simce Apple launched the iPhone 5 back in September. There have been widespread speculations that apple may be working on 5s or even budget iPhones. New rumours of the iPhone Mini are darting all over the internet every other day. However, Peter Schiller, the senior vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple has denied these rumours. He says that Apple does not intend on releasing a budget iPhone and will concentrate on its premium devices.

Ascend P2 Huawei Ascend P2 is rumoured to be out in the second quarter of 2013 and will not be very different from its precursor, Ascend W1. with respect to its appearance. The handset will also have 16GB internal storage which is three times greater than the previous one. Making an appearance in March, the phone will have the latest Android 4.2 and will include sensors including accelerometer, compass and gyro.

Sony Phablet

S4 in March

The rumour of the Sony phone that resists dust and water is most definitely true. The 2013 CES holds witness to the Sony Xperia Z. This phone that runs on Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwhich, will release in March to the public and was a huge success at the International event. Sony Xperia Z was tested and now has a water and dust resistant certificate. Xperia Z is a perfect phone for the clumsy ones. Turn to Mobile zone to read more about it.

With multi-national smartphone companies racing to produce the best android device,, Samsung is not far behind. Rumour has it the South Korean company will bring out S4 in March, 2033. But these reports are not true. The S4 will be launched in mid-April and is likely to be ready for shipment by May. The phone is rumoured to have some great specs but it is confirmed by SamMob and the phone will have a larger 2,600mAh battery. The wait will definitely be worth it untill the fourth generation galaxy is out. February 2013 / 9

NEWS

HDD without the disc With the 128GB iPad, Apple is trying to steal thunder from Microsoft’s roll out of the Surface Pro. But that doesn’t mean you can equate the iPad’s disk performance with the Surface Pro’s. Apple is using a flash drive optimised for power efficiency, while Microsoft’s solid-state drive favors speed -- the same kind of drive used in ultrabooks. (And Apple’s MacBooks, for that matter.) That’s the same interface used in ultrabooks boasting read speeds of more than 400MB per second and writes up 250MB per second. And a high-performance SSD is necessary with Windows, which is designed as a multitasking OS: users typically have multiple windows open on the desktop and multiple tasks executing (e.g., encoding a video and editing a photo) at the same time. That’s not the case with iOS, which is designed to run one thing

Birdie hacked Twitter is coming forward as the latest site to be hacked. The social network said in a blog post that approximately 250,000 user accounts were potentially compromised, with attackers gaining access to information including user names and email addresses.

at a time. And, speaking of software, another key difference between the two devices has nothing to with hardware and everything to do with software. Microsoft has stated publicly that the 128GB Surface with Windows 8 Pro will ship with 83GB of available storage. Apple’s 128GB iPad, on the other hand, will undoubtedly have considerably more available storage due to the small footprint of iOS.

The company first detected signs of an attack earlier in the week, which led to an investigation and the discovery of a larger breach. Twitter has reset the passwords and revoked session tokens, which allow you to stay logged into the service without re-entering a password, for all of these accounts. Affected users will not be able to log in and will receive an e-mail instructing them to reset their password.

Apple Radio There’s a hint that Apple has something new in the pipeline, and the company appears to have tucked it away inside the latest version of its iOS software. Discovered within a jailbroken iPad: a set of buttons and code references for “radio,” a feature found in iTunes on Macs and PCs, but not on the iPad or iPhone. Making things more interesting is another button suggesting you can make purchases via the radio feature. The buttons, which were spotted by 9to5Mac, hint at Apple’s muchrumoured radio service, a product that will let people stream music much like they do on the popular Pandora service, but with deep ties to Apple’s iTunes library. Rumours that Apple has been working on such a service have floated for years, but heated up last year as talks with labels advanced.

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Facebook fatigue A study found that a majority of the current Facebook users surveyed have at one time or another were tired to the point of avoiding the social-networking site. Pew conducted actual telephone interviews with a representative sample of 1,006 adults in the US. The Pew study found that 61 percent of the Facebook users who responded have taken extended, weeks-long breaks from the site. Those who have taken Facebook sabbaticals did so for the obvious reasons: 21 percent were too busy, 10 percent lost interest, and 10 percent felt it was a waste of time.

The study, should you trust the findings, seems to make it clear that Facebook fatigue is indeed real. We’ve all been there, apparently. Family member and friend connections may keep people attached to the site, which means they won’t quit Facebook, but they’re not visiting as often, nor are they experiencing the same type of enjoyment as they once did, according to the research. Forty-two percent of Facebook users ages 18 to 29, and 34 percent of those ages 30 to 49 say that the time they spend on Facebook on a typical day has decreased over the last year.

An apple a day IDC’s fourth-quarter estimates show the overall tablet market expanding rapidly, and Android grabbing a large chunk.

share as recently as 2011, largely because had not yet widely distributed its tabletoptimised version of Android.

Apple tablets dropped below 50 per cent market share for the first time. Apple’s fourth-quarter share of shipments came to 43.6 per cent. It’s still the top vendor by a mile, but the combined market share of Android tablets - coming from Amazon, Asus and Samsung, among others - easily topped 50 per cent.

Amazon released the Kindle Fire - which uses a heavily customised Android build - in late 2011. After that, it was only a matter of time before Apple’s dominance slipped. The iPad is still the single bestselling tablet, and the most influential. But because Google allows anyone to make and sell an Android device, the range of Android tablets is much larger - and they’re often cheaper than Apple’s offerings. This is the exact same cycle the smartphone market went through over the last five years. In that field, Apple has been content to concede some of its market share to protect its margins. We’ll see if the tablet market shakes out the same way.

Microsoft shipped 900,000 Surface tablets last quarter by IDC’s estimate, representing 1.7 per cent of the total market. IDC estimates Amazon’s Kindle shipments at 6 million, making up 11.5 per cent of the market. Amazon and Microsoft have not publicly commented on their tablet sales figures. Apple held over 90 per cent of the tablet market

Samsung’s innovation fund Samsung introduced a new innovation center, investments funds, and international R&D center Monday, all part of the company’s “Global Engine to Accelerate Innovation and Drive New Business Creation.”

LG’s new quad-core smartphone

The new Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center (SSIC) will have a headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., with offices in Korea and Israel. The project is being led by Samsung’s President and Chief Strategy Officer of device Solutions, Young Sohn. “We’re in a very disruptive time,” says Sohn. “It’s a time of post-PC era.” Initial focus for the center will be in cloud infrastructure, mobile privacy, Internet of Things human interface, and mobile health. Entrepreneurs and innovators who are part of the project will gain access to Samsung resources. These include Strategy and technology mentorship, Samsung’s global technology, and the earlystage $100 million Samsung Catalyst fund focused on components and subsystems together with the $1bn Samsung Ventures America Fund to fuel innovative technologies and business models through all stages of business.

LG is hinting that a refresh to its smartphone line is coming. The company posted an image of a wrapped package on its LG Mobile Facebook page. The package has text on top of it reading, “new series will be unveiled.” LG’s description of the image says that the “surprise” will come with “an unexpected distinction.” LG provided no further details on the “surprise” and didn’t say when its product or products might be unveiled.

However, Mobile World Congress will be held in Barcelona later this month, and that would be the logical place for LG to unveil its latest creation. Last April, LG is expected to launch the Optimus G Pro, a handset that comes with a 1.7GHz quad-core processors and 5-inch display, in Japan. However, the company has said that it has no plans to launch that handset elsewhere around the world. So whatever it has planned, the smartphones could be something we haven’t seen yet.

February 2013 / 11

Helium airplane It sounds more like a sci-fi prop, but the Ecologic Aircraft Design Concept by French industrial designer Daphnis Fournier is intended to explore new ideas for prototypes that fly. After all, we do have a flying car that works, so why not this airship-airplane? The craft would be supposedly be able to achieve speeds of 1,250kmph propelled by four electric turbines while carrying up to 324 passengers. The idea is that it would mostly fly above the clouds, where the solar cells would capture sunlight to generate electricity. “For planes most energy is consumed during takeoff because of gravity,” Fournier tells Crave. “Thanks to my balloon I can put as many photovoltaic cells as the plane needs to keep enough energy in the battery to power the

large electric turbines for a full day of trips.” Paris-based Fournier has a background in the design of yachts, furniture, websites, and video games. He has produced designs for wheelchairs, hotels, and various concepts. He hasn’t discussed the concept plane with any engineers in great detail but is convinced it would fly if built - though some elements may need modification.

Bose phonetic workout Push your workout to the limit with headphones that are up to the task. Bose sport headphones are specifically engineered for exercise. They’re sweat and weatherresistant, stay comfortably yet securely in place and deliver robust Bose sound to keep you energised. It’s a combination of benefits conventional sport earbuds can’t match. Tonally balanced audio with crisp highs and deep low notes. StayHear ear tips

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remain in place even during strenuous workouts. Sweatand weather-resistance using hydrophobic acoustic cloth for workouts indoors and out. The Reebok fitness armband holds your device during exercise.

Xbox lockdown Edge magazine has posted a report indicating Microsoft could be moving forward with an Internet-based business model for its next Xbox game console, which has been codenamed Durango. According to the report, games that are produced for the system will require an online connection and an activation code that will align players on that particular console. The report indicates that a continuous online connection would be needed for the games to run. By contrast, the company’s current system, the Xbox 360, lets users play offline. Among other impacts, this business choice could have a huge effect on the used-game market. Shops that specialize in sales of second-hand games, where customers trade them in or sell them for cash, could feel the crunch. Despite such issues, Microsoft may not be the only company considering the move. Sony, which will likely be announcing its next console at an event later this month, previously submitted a patent application for an “Electronic Content Processing System” and “Use Apparatus.” The technology would link individual game discs with matched user accounts, so they couldn’t play on other systems.

US: 4G may rob your wallet If data plans stay the same five years down the road, the average user’s smartphone bill could grow. The widespread roll-out of 4G, the lightningfast wireless networks, is expected to be the main culprit. 4G is capable of speeds comparable to your home broadband service, and it’s roughly 10 times faster than 3G. By 2017, Cisco predicts that the average smartphone connection speed will grow more than three-fold. The faster the connection, the more stuff people consume on their mobile devices - particularly large video files, which will be the primary driver behind the download explosion, Cisco says. Streaming video services such as Netflix, Hulu and Google-owned YouTube are expected make up twothirds of downloads in five years. The companies haven’t exactly been shy about stating the rationale behind switching to tiered and shared data plans. As customers rack up more and more gigabytes on their 4G devices, they pay more. By 2017, Cisco forecasts that 66 per cent of smartphone and tablet traffic will be over Wi-Fi. So that may be a way for consumers to keep watching Netflix on their phone or tablet without paying an arm and a leg to their carrier.

Almost a decade on Mars The older, smaller cousin of NASA’s huge Mars rover Curiosity is quietly celebrating a big milestone today — nine years on the surface of the Red Planet. NASA’s Opportunity rover landed on Mars the night of Jan. 24, 2004, three weeks after its twin, Spirit, touched down. Spirit stopped operating in 2010, but Opportunity is still going strong, helping scientists better understand the Red Planet’s wetter, warmer past. “No one could’ve imagined how good the exploration and scientific discovery would be for this vehicle, looking from the perspective of nine years ago,” said John Callas, Opportunity’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. “It’s

Solar powered iPhone The U.S. Patent and Trademark office published a patent application from Apple today for solar-paneled technology designed for devices with small screens, such as iPhones or iPods. This “integrated touch sensor and solar assembly” would involve integrating social cells into a touch screen by using electrodes that can pull double duty as a solar cell and a touch sensor. Apple envisions this technology for handheld devices, like “a media player or phone,” according to the patent application. In addition to images of different size iPods, the patent application also comes with an image of a screen that’s sized for an iPad. If done, iPhone and iPod owners could use solar power to charge their devices. It’s not the first time Apple has pursued solar technology.

like a good alternative to plugging in your smartphone, don’t expect it to be a reality soon. After all, patent applications don’t necessarily mean Apple will make a go of this technology. Plus, solar tech in general has not been promising, owing to high production costs, as illustrated by the very public downfall of solar company Solyndra in 2011.

been a phenomenal accomplishment.” The headline-stealing Curiosity rover, for its part, touched down on Aug. 5, 2012, marking the next step in Mars exploration. The car-size Curiosity weighs about 1 ton — five times more than either Spirit or Opportunity.

Biofabrication

A team of researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, led by Will Shu, has built a printer that can lay down human stem cells in tiny spheres. Printing human cells has been done before, with bone marrow or skin. “The technique will allow us to create more accurate human tissue models which are essential to in-vitro drug development and toxicity-testing. Since the majority of drug discovery is targeting human disease, it makes sense to use human tissues.” Shu said in a press release. The scientists used a printer that has specialised valves, which are adjustable and control the rate at which the cells are released. That allowed them to put the stem cells where they are needed and keep them intact. Shu and his team built a printer that forms the cells into tiny spheres, while keeping them alive. In the longer term, the printer could help build organs for transplants or repair.

Though this kind of tech seems

February 2013 / 13

NOUVOTECH

Some really trendy devices that are sure to keep you busy during the winter

Smart Tracker Even though fitness trackers have become widely popular with wrist and waist bands, Withings has come out with something different; They have introduced the Smart Activity Tracker, the size of a small flash drive. The device comes with built-in sensors that keep tracks of steps taken, stairs climbed, calories burned, heart rate and sleep quality. The data is sent via Bluetooth on to the accompanying Health Mate app. Measuring 44.3x22.1x8.1mm, this compact device features a touchscreen OLED display on the front panel as well as a rechargeable battery with two weeks battery life. All you have to do is simply place the device in your pocket during your activities and let the tracker take care of the rest.

Wellness monitor For those who are attempting to stay fit, we have a perfect little gadget for you. Zensorium, a Singapore-based start-up, introduces a wellness monitor called Tinke that plugs into an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. By simply placing your thumb on its sensing platform it detects changes in skin-blood volume to give one a real-time look at heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate and blood oxygen saturation. Designed by a Swedish team, Tinke is available in white, black, pink and blue. Thanks to the free app, it also tracks these measurements over

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time to give the user a larger picture of changes in the fitness score. According to Zensorium, the heart rate variability measures stress level and the longer the irregularity the more stressed the user can be.

iCamera Indeed your iPhone 5 is very capable of taking excellent pictures, but instead of using photo apps to filter your photos, try a real, physical filter that you could clip on to your phone-just like how photographers do. The Trygger Camera clip is small and features a polarising filter, reducing glare and unwanted reflections while bringing out vivid colours. You can also control how much light you want the camera to capture by just adjusting the wheel. So now for some beautiful pictures all you need is to clip this to the rear of your camera and start clicking.

Flower Power Available in emerald or wood finish, this is the perfect device for the eco-geek. Place the wand like gadget in the soil for real-time measurements of sunlight, soil moisture, temperature and fertilizer level. Information can be sent via Bluetooth to your smartphone or tablet. Working indoors or outdoors, Parrot claims the plastic sensor has a six-month battery life. Containing a library of thousands of plants, its accompanying app keeps the gardeners informed of their green ones needs. Parrot Flower Power is what you need if you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t blessed with a green thumb.

3D printer

O-synce screeneye X Visor If you would like to see your fitness tracking right in front of your eyes while working out, rather than constantly looking at your apps on your smartphone, the O-Synce Screeneye X Visor is what you are looking for. A cap with built-in fitness sensors, it measures your heart rate, distance, lap times, calorie consumption and speed. There’s more; since the cap has a display in eye level, you can see exactly the numbers you want without having to

The Form High-Res 3D printer may not be able to print big, but it can print nearly anything you can imagine in exquisite detail. Using high-end stereolithography technology, the Form 1 can construct details as small; as 300 microns and can print objects up to 4.9x4.9x6.5 inches in size. For those who are unfamiliar with the method, stereolithography uses a special resin that solidifies under laser light. The orange colour box around it not only keeps the laser inside but also serves as an eye candy. For the beginners in 3D printing, the Form 1 would definitely be of great help.

get distracted. There is no mini TV weighing down and blocking your eye sight. Instead, it uses a small, lightweight display illumination. Once you’re done with your workout, you can download the training data to a PC via USB.

Temperature control

LUMOback Everyone knows how important fitness and having a good posture is. Many of us get tired of trying to get it right. To have a good posture without someone constantly nagging you is what the LUMOback seeks to help with. LUMOback is an electronic belt worn around the waist that constantly monitors your posture. It genlty vibrates when you slouch so you could straighten up on its cue. It gets more interesting as all the data about your posture is sent via Bluetooth to an accompanying mobile app, where you can watch an animated character reenact your recorded posture throughout the day.

When you are down with fever, a thermometer is the first tool that you are likely to use to get an accurate reading of temperature. But this should change soon if you get a Scanadu SCOUT, a small gadget that pairs with a smartphone to measure and record various diagnostic data. This gadget comes packed with sensors that measure and records six vital signs, namely temperature, pulse transit time, heart rate, electrical heart activity, heart rate variability and blood oxygenation. It measures all these within seconds by simply touching this device on your temple.

HAPIfork There have been times that you have lied to yourself and claimed that you have had only three spoons of that delicious chocolate cake. For a refreshing change from fitness tracker comes this everyday looking utensil, the HAPIfork. It has become widely popular solely because you won’t be able to lie to yourself or others about the number of fork servings you had. The fork not only keeps tracks and record to your phone but also tells you to slow down your intake. It recognises when you are eating too fast and vibrates softly to tell you to calm down with the chow down. february 2013 / 15

SPACETECH

Space Miners This time you don’t go miles into the earth, instead you fly thousands into the sky

new asteroid-mining company has been setup with the goal of helping humanity expand across the solar system by tapping the vast riches of space rocks. The new firm, called Deep Space Industries, Inc., announced that it plans to launch a fleet of prospecting spacecraft in 2015, then begin harvesting metals and water from nearEarth asteroids within a decade or so. Such work could make it possible to build and refuel spacecraft far above our planet’s surface, thus helping our species get a foothold in the final frontier. “Using resources harvested in space is the only way to afford permanent space development,” Deep Space CEO David Gump said in a statement. Deep Space Industries will hold a press conference in Santa Monica, Calif., to unveil more details of its bold mission plan; you can watch the webcast live at space.com. “More than 900 new asteroids that pass near Earth are discovered every year,” Gump explained.” They can be like the Iron Range of Minnesota was for the Detroit car industry last century — a key resource located near where it was needed. In this case, metals and fuel from asteroids can expand the inspace industries of this century. That is our strategy.” Deep Space is the second company to jump into the asteroid-mining business. The first, the billionaire-backed firm Planetary Resources, had its own unveiling last April.

Rick N. Tumlinson, Chairman of the Board, Deep Space Industries

components and will hitch a ride to space aboard rockets that also carry large communications satellites, Deep Space officials said. “We can make amazing machines smaller, cheaper and faster than ever before,” Deep Space chairman Rick Tumlinson said in a statement. “Imagine a production line of FireFlies, cocked and loaded and ready to fly out to examine any object that gets near the Earth.” The FireFlies’ work will pave the way for 32-kg spacecraft called DragonFlies, which will blast off beginning in 2016. DragonFlies will bring asteroid samples back to Earth during missions that last two to four years. Some samples will help the company determine mining targets, while others will probably be sold to researchers and collectors, officials said.

Prospecting Spacecraft and Asteroid Sample-Return

The public will get to fly along with both probes, whose activities will likely be funded in some measure by corporate sponsorship, Deep Space officials said.

Deep Space will inspect potential mining targets with 25kg spacecraft it calls FireFlies, the first of which are targeted for launch in 2015. FireFlies will conduct asteroid reconnaissance on the cheap. They’ll be made from low-cost ‘cubesat’

“The public will participate in FireFly and DragonFly missions via live feeds from Mission Control, online courses in asteroid mining sponsored by corporate marketers and other innovative ways to open the doors wide,” Gump said. “The

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DragonFlies will bring asteroid samples back to Earth during missions that last upto four years

FEBRUARY 2013 / 17

Planetary Resources deep-pocketed investors include Google founders Larry Page and Eric Schmidt

Google Lunar X Prize, Unilever and Red Bull each are spending tens of millions of dollars on space sponsorships, so the opportunity to sponsor a FireFly expedition into deep space will be enticing.”

Building and Refueling Spacecraft off Earth These activities are all precursors to Deep Space’s ultimate goal, which is the harvesting and in-space utilization of asteroid resources. The company intends to begin extracting metals and

other building materials from space rocks within 10 years, officials said. These components will first be used to build communications satellites off-Earth, with the construction of space-based solar power stations coming later. Precious metals such as platinum will also be delivered to Earth for terrestrial use. Deep Space Industries will also focus on extracting asteroid water, which can be split into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen — the chief components of rocket fuel. The company’s mining efforts could thus lead to the establishment of inspace “gas stations” that allow satellites and journeying spacecraft to top up their tanks relatively cheaply and efficiently. “We will only be visitors in space until we learn how to live off the land there,” Tumlinson said. “This is the Deep Space mission — to find, harvest and process the resources of space to help save our civilization and support the expansion of humanity beyond the Earth — and doing so in a step-by-step manner that leverages off our space legacy to create an amazing and hopeful future for humanity.” Deep Space Industries’ ambitions are similar to those of Planetary Resources, which also plans to tap asteroid metals and water to help open the solar system up to exploration and exploitation. Planetary Resources could prove to be a tough competitor. It was founded by private-spaceflight pioneers Peter Diamandis and Eric Anderson, and its deep-pocketed investors include Google execs Larry Page and Eric Schmidt.

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TIMEZONE

Retrograde

dream With solid horological technology and high practicality the Master Collection piece is a beauty

Longines’ Master Collection Retrograde has an exclusive movement with no less than four retrograde functions. This watch has an all-new movement for the Master Collection Retrograde and is exclusive to Longines. ETA is a producer of mechanical and quartz watch movements and an expert in this regard. They produce and sell movements to major watch firms. ETA welcomed the challenge of making a completely new Retrograde, using the Valgranges line of calibers, the descendants of the classic Valjoux 7750, which are known for their rate of performance and large size as its canvas. The result of using these parts is that it’s user-friendly and above all high-performance calibers, use the traditional ‘cam-and-rack’ construction. Caliber L698.2 has retrograde displays for the date, day of the week, the time in a second time zone and the continually running seconds hand at the sixth hour. Caliber L697.2 leaves out the seconds hand and replaces it with a powerreserve display at the same position. The watch’s case measures 44mm from one rim to another. The dial and its display are big and easy to read, despite the fact that the sapphire crystal has nonreflective treatment only on the inside. However, the watch scores some points for its thermally blued hands, which contrast well with the silvery background of the dial. At USD4,750 (RO1,830), it is a fair price to pay for a watch with impeccable features.

Case: Tripartite steel case, pressure-fit sapphire exhibition case back; sapphire crystal with non-reflective treatment

Strap and clasp: Brown reptile-skin strap with doubly folding stainlesssteel clasp

Water resistant: 30m Dimensions: 44x15.4mm

JANUARY 2013 / 19

COMPUTING

Conceptual

Reality

Toshiba brings a limited edition dual-screen with the Libretto W100

oshiba Libretto W100 is the first of its kind dualtouchscreen that pushes boundaries between laptops, tablets and portable media players. This mini laptop is a limited-release designed by Toshiba to celebrate the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 25th anniversary in the mobile computing business.

The Libretto has the specs of a decent ultraportable with a 1.2GHx Pentium U5400 processor, 2GB RAM, 62GB SSD, a USB port and a microSD slot. Unfolding to reveal two seven-inch multi-touch screens the ultra-mobile PC is something else all together. The screens can either be used together or independently, which means that a web page can span over two screens or just on one while the other screen can be used for media, documents or an on-screen keyboard. The glossy screens are fast and responsive and Toshiba has been able to squeeze a great technological experience all into this small frame. The W100 looks almost like a bloated Nintendo DS. Its unique design and full Windows 7 OS is a real breakthrough considering the fact that Windows 7 was not as responsive in any of the previous touchscreens that had come into the market.

Processor: 1.2GHz Intel Pentium U5400 Camera: 1MP HD webcam with face recognition Keyboard: 6-mode virtual keyboard OS: Windows 7 Home Premium

The battery life that gives approximately two and half hours of usage on full charge is quite disappointing as compared to a typical laptop that provides with five to eight hours of juice. The Libretto also struggles to keep working at a comfortable temperature as the fan kicks in a few minutes later. All being said, weighing just 816 grams the Libretto W100 is designed to deliver a rich internet experience.

For most people, it is probably too expensive with an eye-watering price of USD1,100 (RO423) but there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any other device on the market of this size that has this level of functionality. In essence, it is a 600-grams miniature laptop with virtual input devices.

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Slim Yet

sturdy

This sleek ultra-sensitive and intuitive ultrabook has a sound design and enhanced portability

indows 8 laptops fall into two main categories, namely, the well designed and sleek high-end systems or entry level models that cram in a touch screen body but compromise on the expense of design. Samsung’s 13-inch Series 5 UltraTouch has effectively bridged the two with an upscale, metallic body, an Intel Core i5 CPU and good battery life for a reasonable price. Not having any secrets up its sleeve, the Series 5 ultra-touch is reasonably solid and almost looks like the Samsung’s Series 7 and 9 models that are high-end. Its convenient touch pad and a keyboard with separate buttons is a great advantage as well. Unlike some other Windows 8 laptops that were designed from scratch, this Series 5 looks and feels a lot like the pre-Windows 8 Series 5 laptops. Its matte brushed-aluminium finish does a great job of resisting fingerprints and looks sharp and classy. The front edge of the system creates an illusion that it is thinner than it actually is. The sides taper towards the front while expanding towards the back side. Size and weight wise there isn’t a way it can match up to the Macbook Air but the Series 5 is the strongest contender in its price range. Powered by a 1.7-GHz dual-core Intel Core i5-3317U processor, 4GB

of RAM and a 500GB 5400-rpm hard drive mated to a 24GB ExpressCache SSD, the Series 5 UltraTouch will easily handle your daily tasks. The Series 5 Ultra’s 24GB ExpressCache drive helps it boot Windows 8 in a matter of few seconds.

Operating system: Windows 8 Processor: Intel Core i5 processor 3317U. 1.7GHz, 3MB L3 cache, Intel HM76 Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000 Display: 13.3-inch SuperBright 300nit HD LED with touch screen panel

Memory: 8GB DDR3 system memory at 1600MHz Hard drive: 500GB S-AT all slim hard drive with express cache 24GB Dimensions: 315.1x218.9x16.6mm Weight: 1.69kg

Available at SARCO, 24593025

FEBRUARY 2013 / 21

VIDEOZONE

OLED masterpiece This ridiculously slim OLED television at just 4mm is making its way to take the Oman market by a storm

LED televisions have been threatening to take over the television world for the last three years but until now, only living-room-sized devices have entered the showground. Your wish to finally own LG’s flagship is almost granted as this 55-inch dream television is going to arrive in Oman in the second quarter of 2013. Featured at CES, the LG 55-inch OLED TV which is the world’s largest was a must –see. As the saying goes, seeing is truly believing. Outrageously thin at just about 4mm, with no room for connectivity and power ports, everything lives at the base of the device. The bezel on the device is virtually non-existent meaning the LEDbacklit OLED panel almost runs edge to edge. It is truly a piece of technological art and weighs in at just 7.5kg, which is about half the weight of an LED TV. LG 55EM9600 has stunning 2D and 3D pictures and has also incorporated the Smart TV platform, which means all of your favourite connected TV apps, like

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the iPlayer, LOVEFiLM and so forth will be present on this device thanks to the built in Wi-Fi. 3D is brought by LG’s 3D Cinema technology. It’s also compatible with LG’s Magic Remote which will allow you a Wii-like experience when navigating around the UI, while also offering voice recognition technology. OLED technology has been wowing the tech world for the last few years, ever since Sony displayed the first ever 11inch at CES 2009. But the 55-inch LG gives you an out of this world experience. It is perfect for your living room and occupies the least amount of space. So we reckon you can completely rule-out the argument as to where the TV will be place; you will instead design your living space around this beauty. The LG OLED TV showcases stunning picture quality in both 2D and 3D. Reviewers who were lucky enough to see this master piece claim the picture quality takes your breath away. LG explains that this astonishingly high quality can be achieved thanks to the

1,000,000,000:1 contrast ratio that is 50 times larger than your average LCD or LED television. The OLED technology is powered by LG’s own Triple XD engine which comprises of Dynamic Colour Enhancer, providing superior colour reproduction, Contrast Optimizer and Resolution Upscaler. From edge-to-edge, in both 2D and 3D we were greeted with incredible clear and the most vibrant colours anyone has seen on a television set. The brightness on the pictures weeps you off your feet and the deep blacks are well, very deep black. The viewing angle in both 2D and 3D is quite wide. The LED and LCD televisions have served us well for the last few years, but we believe that OLED looks like it is ready to deliver the best possible picture quality yet, in the comfort of your own living room. As LG seems to be the first electronics giant stepping up, we are sure the rest will catch up. Although the price of this masterpiece will be relieved last, we advise you to start saving up now.

3D OLED TV

Ultra slim depth of 4mm

Contrast ratio of 1,000,000,000:1, 50 times larger than your average LED TV

Cinema 3D smart TV

Coming soon to OTE, 24831544

AUDIOZONE

Retro vinyl amp With a wooden cabinet clad in black vinyl, the renowned amp maker has specifically designed this system for smartphones

Two 6-inch Long Throw HiFi Woofers Two Ferrofluid Cooled HiFi domes PWM Amplifier Cool running, 100w Over Temperature Protection Frequency Response 35Hz-20KHz +/- 5DB Bass and treble controls Max Output 110DB SPL at 1M Max Power Consumption 200W Dimensions 435x193x297mm Weight 10.5kg

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ne thing we really like about marshall is that over the past few years, they have been able to present a whole new angle of mobile music devices by implementing the aesthetics they always had in place for on-stage audio. Releasing the Marshall Hanwell Anniversary Edition amplifier, this device is specifically designed keeping your smartphone in mind and bears the distinction of being the very first home audio product to be released with its legendary script logo. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a fancy way of saying that this amp isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for your guitar after all.

Nevertheless, we believe that there are some pretty awesome beats that will come out of this lovely beast. Called a Compact Active Loudspeaker if you want to get technical about it, it comes with two 6-inch Long Throw hifi woofers, two Ferrofluid Cooled hifi domes, and a cool running PWM Amplifier at 100W. This machine offers over temperature protection and frequency response along 35Hz-20KHz, +/-5DB. Along the top side, you have got both bass and treble tone controls and your main

output is a fantastic 110DB SPL at 1M. The casing for this amalgamation of sound amplification is a wooden cabinet covered with black vinyl with fret cloth up front and gold piping throughout to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Marshall. Each of these Hanwell units is branded with a numbered anniversary edition commemorative badge as well. You can buy this sound machine at USD800 (RO308). Although pricey, it is a great collectible if you are an audio fanatic.

channelled

network Delivering innovative home theatre functionality, Yamaha’s ’73 Series of AV Receivers caters to the entire household 7-channel 1,050W, 630W, 1,050W 4K pass-through and up scaling for high resolution images

Front panel USB Digital Connection (iPod, iPhone and iPad) Dialogue Lift and Dialogue Level Adjustment

masco, the authorised distributor of Yamaha Music, has launched the ’73 Series of AV Receivers in Oman through its boutique at Muscat Music. The ’73 series breaks the mould of the conventional AV receiver being used solely for home theatre, evolving to become a hub of entertainment for the entire household.

Discrete amp configuration and Pure Direct

Network functions: AirPlay and AV Controller app

RX-V673 Specifications

High quality video processing with de-interlacing

HDMI (6 in [1on front])/1 out) with 3D, Audio Return Channel

ECO mode: up to 20 per cent less power consumption

Network connectivity serves as a key focus of the range, opening a world of entertainment possibilities. That includes streaming of music from the home computer, access to tens of thousands of Internet radio stations from around the world, additionally Apple’s AirPlay wireless streaming technology and the ability to turn your Apple or Android device into a wireless remote

YPAO Reflected Sound Control (R.S.C.) sound optimisation

Pre-set remote unit HDMI front panel input

control. You can Intuitively use the AV Controller app for seamless control of all the family’s entertainment needs. The ‘73 Series delivers unprecedented access to all your music sources, enhanced functionality, exhilarating home entertainment and userfriendly operation for the entire home. Positioned at the heart of any home

theatre system, an AV receiver acts as a central hub for connection of all other devices. Yamaha’s new ‘73 Series receivers’ offer enhanced functionality, exhilarating home entertainment and simple operation for the entire family. One can use an iOS or Android device on the ’73 series for seamless control of all the family’s entertainment needs.

febrUARY 2013 / 25

COVERSTORY

cheap bargain splurge The following pages will give you an insight into the options based purely on price This story revolves around ‘good’ tech-stuff that have been categorised to the size of your wallet rather than good- old performance. This isn’t a price hunt of cheapest or the most expensive (actually it might be for the most of us), but it’s more to give you an idea of how you can get the same thing at very different price levels – one suitable for the bellhop, another the best Paris Hilton can splurge on. The segments include 3D TVs, audio, cars, camcorders, cameras, guitars, smartphones, laptops, storage and watches. Yes, we know there are other segments but that way it’s quite an endless list. Before you jump off your chair at a price inside, please note that some of the prices are taken off the Internet and are stated in USD, just to give you an idea of its approximate price range.

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februARY 2013 / 27

Samsung PS51E490 This is a 51-inch plasma TV which is priced at RO360. That’s a big-screen HDTV for a comparatively small amount of money. The PS51E490 is not a Full HD panel, but instead uses a resolution of 1024×768. It supports 3D playback, features a DVB-T2 Freeview HD tuner and although there are only 2 HDMI inputs, using plasma display technology, the Samsung PS51E490 has the potential to teach other budget displays a thing or two.

Samsung UA55ES7500 The ES7500 series re-defines ‘slim’ in Samsung Slim LED TVs by featuring a crystalline bezel that is barely there, beautifully accentuating the picture and delivering an impactful viewing experience. At just 30 millimetres the ES7500 series is sure to impress even when turned off. Updated for 2012 and featuring new personalised services such as Family Story, Kids and Fitness, Samsung’s Smart TV gives you virtually instant access to a wide range of apps, web browsing and so on. Price: RO1,300

Sony Bravia KDL 65HX925 Powered by Sony’s X-Reality PRO Engine and Intelligent Peak LED technology, the HX925 is one television that definitely redefines home entertainment at its best. You can make calls to other Skype users while watching TV and free calls over the internet and make video calls via Skype as well. You can access your favourite video websites straight on your TV and also get quick access to YouTube and other sites. Easy TV control and text input Use a Sony VAIO keyboard to control your television and input text quickly and conveniently. Price: RO2,500

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LG HT906TA This home theatre system is one of the many sound systems that will provide you with decent sound quality. The LG HT906TA 5.1 Channel Home Theatre System will give a feelgood experience at a reasonable cost. It enables you to enjoy the music files that are on your phone via Bluetooth connectivity. LG also didn’t forget to provide its customers with the perfect HD experience and that it is way this home theatre comes with 2 HDMI inputs, which allow you to connect your HD devices and enjoy to the maximum. Price: RO120

Focal Grand Utopia EM

Sony BVD E690 With 5.1ch WiFi, full tallboy Blu-ray home theatre system, the BDV E690 is the perfect step up solution from a satellite Blu-ray home theatre. With all the same playback and online features of the satellite system, the BDV E690 has the added benefit of powerful surround sound through a good looking set of tallboy speakers. Sony insists your movie and music listening experience will never be the same again. Price: RO211

There isn’t anything money can’t buy. Focal has designed high-end speakers that produce precise sound. The speakers have a cone shaped design that ensures the best sound wave possible. With movement, it is possible that the cone can deform, therefore the cone is made as rigid as possible. With rigidity there is weight that in turn takes more power to start and stop movement. The Focal Grande Utopia EM is a culmination of the French manufacturer’s effort to overcome this challenge. Price: USD200,000 (RO77,000)

februARY 2013 / 29

Smart convertible passion Cabriolet The passion Cabriolet has power speeds to the rate at which you can mess up your hair in this Smart Convertible. Passion models are very well equipped, with sat-nav, alloy wheels and AC, all standard. Although, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s noisy and clumsily geared like the rest of the Smart range, the slashed out fuel bills will impress you. The costs of running will be very low, it is cheap to insure and it holds its value surprisingly well. Most models will sell for nearly half their original new price three years down the line. Price: USD11,775 (RO4,533)

Nissan Altima The 2013 Nissan Altima ranks 4 out of 19 Affordable mid-size Cars. The Altima has a reputation for being one of the more athletic cars in its class, mainly because of its engaging handling. Test drivers think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good performer, especially with the optional V6 engine but they note that the Altima competes in a class full of laid-back performers. Overall, reviewers think the 2013 Nissan Altima is a solid car for daily commutes and that it has a level of fun that many of its rivals lack. Price: USD22,000 (RO8,470)

Bugatti Veyron Supersport One of the kings of the hyper car world in recent years has been the Bugatti Veyron 16.4. It was already powerful as it is now but Bugatti wanted more and created the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, smashing the world record for fastest production vehicle. The Veyron 16.4 Super Sport is the ultimate cult car, if it consists of folks boasting multibillion dollar bank accounts and an unscratchable itch to drive this mean machine. Price: USD2.4 million

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Canon Legria HFR36

Panasonic HC-V10 The compact, easy-to-carry camcorder features Enhanced Optical 70x zoom function that uses the effective area of the sensor to further extend their zooming power at the wide-angle setting. While last year’s model offered zooming with standard image quality, the V10s have a dynamic 70x zoom with HD image quality. The V10 has decent image quality and is good at focusing on long distances. It’s a good camcorder in low light shots, thanks to the fantastic auto settings. Additionally, it has a huge optical zoom, is relatively easy to use and comes with a great price tag. Price: USD250 (RO96)

The Canon Legria HF R36 digital video camera delivers ‘user-friendly’ in a lightweight, compact body. Featuring WiFi Compatibility and 8GB of inbuilt Flash memory, the Canon HF R36 is great for getting close to the action, thanks to the 32x Optical Zoom. The Intelligent Auto mode takes all of the guesswork out of shooting. So all you have to do is turn the camera on, press record and enjoy the moment. Price: USD320 (RO123)

Sony HDR-CX760V The Sony HDR-CX760V comes with a plethora of features and you don’t have to look any further. Not only does it come with an embedded GPS so that you can tag exactly where you were when you took the video or photos; the quality of the images and videos are also top notch. The high resolution and respectable LUX rating mean that whether you are recording a day hike or an evening party, your captured photos and videos will be perfectly visible. All-in-all the Sony HDRCX760V packages all the best features you want in an HDV camcorder. Price: USD1,418 (RO546)

februARY 2013 / 31

Nikon Coolpix S30 The S30 is an inexpensive point-andshoot camera you can take to the beach or for a dip in the pool. Nikon has stripped down the shooting options and interface to make the camera simple for the whole family to use. Ready when you are, the S30 is powered by AA batteries and can survive up to an hour under water to a depth of 2.9 metres. Its photo quality is that of an inexpensive camera and needs a lot of light, but then again, there isn’t much you need from a camera with a USD95 (RO36) price tag.

Samsung GC 100 Smartphones come in handy as they help you instantly capture, edit and upload pictures on social networking sites; however they aren’t as advanced as compact cameras. Samsung, a company that has been making smartphones and dedicated cameras has decided to merge the best aspect of the two devices and created the Samsung Galaxy Camera. The 16-megapixel camera has an optical zoom range of 21x and weights just 300g. This clutter-free, button-less camera has a 4.8-inchtouch-sensitive screen and shoots videos at 120fps and 720x480 resolution. Price: RO200

Canon EOS-1D Canon’s EOS-1D is the first professional digital SLR from Canon since the EOS-D2000 introduced in March 1998 and was a collaborative effort with Kodak. Indeed, the EOS-1D is the first all Canon professional digital SLR. The EOS-1D is based on the excellent (and highly praised) EOS-1V professional film The EOS-1D’s battery and vertical grip have now become a moulded part of the camera body, and LCD monitor with variety of digital controls and buttons. Considering you are a photography fanatic and a professional, we say you must splurge on this one. Price: USD6,799 (RO2617)

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Squier SE Special Strat SE combines three single-coils and five-way switching for great tonal range. It has a solid agathis body with shell pickguard, die-cast chrome tuners, and standard fulcrum Tremolo Bridge. Its value pack includes an SP-10 amp, plus an instrument cable, electronic tuner, instructional DVD, guitar stand, gig bag, and picks. The Squier SP-10 amp controls include volume, treble, bass and an overdrive power button that delivers tube-like tone. A headphone output allows silent practice. A10 watts drive a 6-inch speaker and the amp has a tough textured vinyl exterior. Price: USD200 (RO77)

Schecter’s Omen extreme 6 The Omen Extreme 6 Electric Guitar is loaded with the features that modern guitarists seek. Like the beautifully carved quilted maple top on a mahogany body with a string-through body design that sustains well. A comfortable double-cutaway body gives you full access to the fast maple neck fitted with a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard. Dual Schecter Diamond Plus high-output alnico humbuckers provide an array of tones for every musical mood you need to express. The Schecter Omen Extreme 6 guitar’s controls include a Master Volume and Tone control with push/ pull coil-splitting, and a 3-way toggle switch. USD400 (RO154)

Fender Stratocaster Fetching an astounding USD2,900,000 (RO1,116,471) the Fender Stratocaster has been autographed by Clapton, Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Sting and many more. The guitar was auctioned off in the Kingdom of Qatar to find a way to raise money for Asian disaster relief in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami. The ‘Strat’, as it’s commonly termed, has a slanting edge on the back of the guitar, where the arm rests. The upper bouts had two cutaways, making it easier to play on the higher frets. Fender has also introduced a budget-minded line.

februARY 2013 / 33

Nokia Lumia 620 The most affordable in the range of smartphones, the Nokia Lumia 620 retails at RO95. Powered by Windows Phone 8, the Nokia Lumia 620 delivers a more personal smartphone experience. Adjustable Live Tiles update direct to the Start Screen. Windows Phone 8 also includes Xbox Live, Microsoft Office, 7GB of online SkyDrive storage and faster, safer surfing with Internet Explorer 10. Its features and capabilities are enabled by Qualcommâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Snapdragon S4 Plus processors. The 620 is available in a range of colours including, lime green, orange, magenta, yellow, cyan, white and black.

Samsung S III The Samsung Galaxy S III was named the best smartphone of TECH awards 2012 and was placed against contenders like the iPhone 5 and the HTC One X+. It has sold in huge numbers as it is fast, powerful, chocked with features and has classy looks. The S III, is big on innovation and surpasses all other phones in its category. Although, it is too big for the hands, it every Android lovers choice, hands down. Price: RO250

Vertu Ti Vertu is known for its luxury mobile phone and has launched a variety of smartphones configured luxuriously, but comes with a price. The new Vertu Ti is the first ever of its kind to carry Android 4.0 OS. In the hardware configuration, the Vertu Ti has a WVGA (480Ă&#x2014;800 pixels) level touch screen and is equipped with 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8260 dual-core processor and a 1250mAh battery. It also supports Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and Wi-Fi function. Price: USD4,063 (RO1,564)

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Acer Aspire One Pro 531 The Acer Aspire One Pro 531 doesn’t really do much to distinguish itself from the netbook herd. Its no-nonsense design will probably appeal to some and its long battery life is a definite positive. The screen has received a much needed increase in screen size and its chassis has been slimmed down. Subsequently, this laptop has a larger screen, keeping its weight the same. It has a price tag of USD446 (RO127) which is quite reasonable considering its good looks and specifications.

HP Envy 14 Beats edition The Beats edition Envy has the same construction and design with a cool paint job. It highlights its partnership with Beats audio. Available even without the headphones, it cuts back the price. Complementing its looks, the machine runs great. The volume control button automatically brings up an onscreen volume bar that bumps you out of full-screen games and the large multi-touch touch pad is almost as smooth as Mac’s version of it. Price: RO580

Ego Bentley Ego lifestyle is known for making ultra-chic luxury notebooks. The Ego Bentley is one of the most expensive and stylish laptops and is inspired buy of course, the luxury car. It is handmade and the exterior is clad in ‘the finest selection of Bentley leather’ and is finished with authentic Bentley cross-over hand stitching. It gets better; the frames around the laptop are made of white gold. The Bentley sports a 64-bit version of Microsoft Vista Ultimate, a 160GB hard drive and is powered by 2GB of RAM and a Mobile AMD TurionTM 64 processor. Its 12-inch screen has a 1280×800 resolution and the system has a fine selection of ports, including 3 USBs, S-video out, a VGA port, microphone and headphones. Price: USD20,000 (RO7,500)

februARY 2013 / 35

Samsung hx-m500 This hard disk with a 1TB capacity at a rockbottom price is all that you can ask for. The question still remains as to why you wouldn’t you rather go for a hard disk that is much cheaper. You obviously want all your important data to be stored safely and most good-quality hard disks give you that security. The Samsung hx-m500 comes in black, has a 2.0 USB port and is made from ecofriendly material. Price: USD65 (RO25)

WD My Book My Book features a 1TB capacity, to store and protect all the chapters of your digital life. WD’s automatic, continuous backup software works quietly in the background to help protect your data using minimal PC resources. Whenever you add or change a file, it’s instantly backed up. You can use WD Security to set password protection and hardware encryption and protect your files from unauthorized use or access. Price: RO45

Victorinox Swiss Army knife SSD drive This knife houses a USB 3.0 SSD drive with up to 1TB of storage capacity. While we don’t know why anyone would spend that much money when you can buy a 1TB portable hard drive for only about RO30, the fact is that this is a Swiss knife with storage. it is capable of 22MB/s read and 15MB/s write, is removable from the knife body, making it easy to plug into your computer. It also features a 96×49 Bi-stable monochrome display, which will show you what’s on your device, and how much room you have left. Price: USD3,000 (RO1,155)

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Swatch Diaphane This blooded silver men’s Watch is a good quality time piece and can be worn on any occasion. The watch’s simple but classy design has a translucent body, is water resistant and so lightweight that you forget you have it on. It also has a display for the date. A swatch is easy to maintain and compliments every outfit. Price: USD165 (RO63.5)

Tissot Luxury Automatic Everyone prefers owning a Swiss-made watch as they are the experts in watch making. Tissot has mastered watchmaking down to a science and has given rise to an exceptional piece of ultimate precision. The revolutionary Powermatic 80 movement which has an extraordinary 80 hours power reserve. To match the high standards set by the movement, the timepiece’s exterior portrays a purely divine look with unmistakable class, adding that extra irresistible touch. There is no point in trying to resist it. Since it comes at a reasonable cost, you can have it. Price: USD650 (RO250)

Rolex Daytona Paul Newman A very rare Rolex Daytona, the Paul Newman version of is considered the ‘holy grail’ of watches. They are the richs’ most sort after collectible. Its distinguishing features are subtle and often unnoticeable to the untrained eye. The references of this watch had acrylic domed crystals. The dial came in four colour and layout combinations, and was installed as an option by Rolex on the Daytona line of watches. It is said that Paul Newman wore this watch until his death in 2008 and had done so since 1972. Its auction price is available only on request.

februARY 2013 / 37

MOBILEZONE

Razor Sharp Contender

With a whopping 1080p resolution, a fast quad processor and huge memory, Sony’s Xperia Z is the new showstopper Xperia Z has all the reasons to make its parents proud. With a seamless reflective surface, design and elegance that leaves you breathless this phone doesn’t mind getting dusty or wet. Built with Sony’s expertise, get your hand on some real lifelike experience that it has offered never before.

Aesthetics Supporting a massive 5-inch display, Xperia Z has surprisingly compact dimensions mostly because of the on-screen navigation buttons, allowing for thinner bezel. Sony’s engineering allowed for a 7.8mm thin but sturdy framework with water and dust resistant certification. The screen is very responsive and even works well when the display or your hands are wet. Details on the screen are sharp and the colours are very vibrant and the full HD screens with 1080p definition will enhance the details of the pictures taken on the phone camera. Taking up a negligent space resides the 13MP camera on the back. The camera features the Superior Auto mode which adjusts settings automatically to suit different light levels and movements.

Software and memory The 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro that the handset uses needs no introduction. Along with 2GB of RAM, Sony has integrated a 16GB flash memory chip into the Xperia Z and also a microSD slot with a protective cap on the side. The generous 2GB of RAM should help with multi-tasking and switching between open apps. The phone also runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

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Overall Sony has come up with a pretty decent Android phone; in fact it’s one of the best that this Japanese multi-national company has ever made. Be the slick design or the big classy screen, these good looks coupled with its water resistance and impressive camera makes it one of the finest smartphones to look out for in 2013.

APPS

It's raining

The smartphone world sees a high probability of an app downpour

apps

Apps for Android

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AccuWeather

WeatherTrax

WeatherBug

With AccuWeather, the current weather conditions update every hour in your homescreen. With this weather app, see the daily forecast of up to 2.7 million locations worldwide

With an easy setup, WeatherTrax icon always shows current weather and temperature at a glance. By simply adding your location you can keep yourself update with weather reports

Receive live weather conditions, forecast, radar, weather cameras and daily video outlook in Web 2.0-style application designed for the iPhone

The Weather Channel

XWeather

(Free)

With 200+ meteorologists the app has animated and customisable radar maps and gives a detailed weather condition for ten days

Go weather EX (Free)

Supporting over tens of thousands of cities over the world, it delivers the most accurate weather information anytime from anywhere

Windfinder Pro (USD1.99)

A perfect app for kite surfers, windsurfers, sailors and paragliders forecasting over 30000+ spots. The app has configurable measuring units as well

(Free)

XWeather is the fastest and most accurate weather app for BlackBerry. Keep up to ten cities at the same time and you can switch between them with a flick of the trackpad

BeWeather (USD9.99)

With this visually stunning weather app for blackberry, get instant access to current conditions plus 7-day and 24-hours forecast for locations worldwide

(Free)

Foreca world Weather (Free)

This app offers 10day forecast, current conditions and stunning weather animations for all your favourite weather locations

World Weather (Free)

Watch the weather come alive with animated weather conditions and forecast. World Weather shows the weather conditions of places around the globe

(Free)

Weather Doodle

Stay dry when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s raining, warm when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cold, all with the help of Weather plus. Users can customise to find wind direction, humidity, pressure and much more

Customise your weather screen the way you want it. Weather Doodle not only gives the latest on the weather outside but also fun for the eyes

Weather Plus

(USD0.99)

february 2013 / 39

PHOTOGRAPHY

Camera Gallaria Feature-packed cameras from Fujifilm and Olympus that will capture your favourite moments

HS25 EXR

Price: RO120

et optimal image quality through Fujifilm’s supportive functions with Fujinon Lens’ powerful 30x zoom. The HS25 delivers high-speed shooting with brilliant image quality even when photographing up-close. The lens boasts a maximum aperture of f/2.8 and an optical zoom range from wide-angle 24mm to 30x telephoto, while a remarkable 1cm Super Macro Mode opens up creative opportunities right under your eyes. Producing exceptional resolution across the image plane, from the centre to the edges, this lens also delivers brilliant quality across the zoom range. The wideangle 24mm to 30x telephoto optical zoom range is controlled by twisting the lens barrel, giving you speedy, intuitive control over magnification power. With a distance of 1cm, macro photography FinePix HS25EXR allows you to capture exquisite detail.

Image sensor: 1/2-inch EXR CMOS with primary color filter

Aperture: F2.8–F11 (Wide), F5.6–F11 (Telephoto)

Storage media: SD, SDHC, SDXC (UHS-I) memory card

Exposure control: TTL 256-zones metering, Multi, Spot, Average

Lens: Fujinon 30x optical zoom lens

Exposure mode: Programmed AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual

Digital zoom: Intelligent digital zoom approx. 2.0x (up to approx. 60x, with 30x optical zoom)

Image stabilizer: CMOS shift type

FinePix JX400

Price: RO30

Sensor type: CCD

Optical zoom: 5x

Effective pixels: 16MP

Focal length: 28-140

Maximum resolution: 4608x3440

Digital zoom: 7.2x

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Aperture (Lens data): F2.6-F8 Shutter speed: 8-1/1800

he JX400 features a 5x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD Screen, 28mm wide, ISO3200, SR Auto, Digital Image Stabilisation and Intelligent Flash. Pictures taken with the Fuji FinePix JX400 are clear and have vivid colours, especially those taken in daylight. One of the great features of the FujiFilm FinePix JX400 camera is that it can record HD videos with 1280x720 at 30fps. The Fuji JX400 comes with a 16 megapixel sensor and a Fujinon 3x optical zoom (28140mm). The sleek and luxurious metal body has soft, rounded edges. Its ultraslim design ensures that the camera is compact enough to slide into your pocket or handbag and accessible at all times.

OM-D

Price: RO650

lympus has gone back to its roots to produce the OM-D, with its retro styling owed to its analogue predecessor, the PEN E-P1. It has 16 million pixel Live MOS Four Thirds sensor and TruePic VI image processor, which Olympus says is designed to give better low light performance and higher dynamic range than previous Micro Four Thirds cameras in its line-up. As a stepup from the PEN range, this camera is designed to appeal to advanced enthusiasts. The image stabilisation system uses a 5-axis system which combats body shake. Olympus is keen to emphasise the benefits of using the smaller sensor, including edge to edge sharpness. Keeping serious photographers in mind its retro body with magnesium alloy is dust and splash proof.

Resolution: 16.1 MP

ISO: 200-25600

Viewfinder: Optical, LCD

Shutter: 60-1/4000

LCD Size: 3.0 inch

Max Aperture: 3.5

SP-720UZ

Price: RO130

he SP-720UZ has a 14 megapixel CMOS sensor and 26x optical zoom lens, a 35mm equivalent of 26-676mm, with Dual Image Stabilisation to help keep images as sharp and blur free as possible. To make taking photos easy, the iAuto mode automatically adjusts the camera settings dependent on the scene. Other shooting modes available include scene modes, HDR backlight adjustment, pet detection and many more. There are also a range of magic filters which can be used on images and videos. Videos are recorded at full 1080p HD, the SP-720UZ also has HDMI Control.

Max Aperture: f/3.2 - f/5.6 35mm equivalent: 26mm - 676mm Optical Zoom: 26x CCD pixels: 14MP Sensor Type: CMOS Sensor Size: 1/2.3 inch

VG 160

Price: RO40

he VG-160 has been designed to provide extraordinary value for money. A great everyday camera, its all-metal body houses a high-performance 5x wide angle zoom lens. With 14 scene modes for easy shooting, this 2012 model comes in a range of vibrant and fashionable colours. This 3.0-inch LCD with 460K dots features a wide viewing angle for easy composing and shooting. With One Touch HD Movie you can record widescreen, crystal clear HD movies (720p). AF Tracking automatically tracks unpredictable, fast-moving subjects such as kids and pets and continuously adjusts the focus and brightness so you can capture these photogenic whirlwinds with ease.

Effective Megapixels: 14MP Image sensor size: 1/2.3inch ISO range: 80-1600 Lens focal length: 4.7-23.5mm Optical zoom range: 5x

Aperture: Wide (W) F2.8, Telephoto (T) F6.5 Focus modes: Face Detect iESP/Spot/ tracking Low-light AF assistance: AF illuminator built-in

febrUARY 2013 / 41

SPECIALFEATURE

2013 We present some gadgets that have made it big this time

Magic Boxes Floating Samsung

amsung’s 110-inch UN85S9 Floating 4K Ultra HD TV was one of the best TV’s of CES 2013. Instead of edge-lighting, the TV features a full-array LED back-light and local dimming which improves picture quality beyond what Samsung has released before. The design of the UN85S9 is also unique as it sits on a frame, which allows the TV to be moved and angled in a number of different and convenient ways. This floor-standing TV is mounted on what looks like an artist easel. It not only looks elegant but also produces crisp images.

Samsung 55-inch OLED

ES 2013 was a huge platform for all the major brands and Samsung did not take the back seat on it. The South Korean brand introduced a gorgeous 55-inch OLED TV. The screen displays colours that are rich and vivid, and the video that is completely fluid. The TV is a multi-view set, which means that using special 3D glasses that have built in earphones, two viewers can watch completely different programmes at the same time. The TV also sports Samsung’s premium features including Smart Interaction voice and gesture control. Super picture quality coupled with a slim design, this TV would look great in any ones living room.

Sony 4K TV

ony revealed two new models at the CES 2013, the 55 and 65-inch versions of its flagship 84-inch UHD 4K TV. The new X900A TVs will launch in the months to come bringing 3,840x2,160 resolution images to an affordable price. They will also include a 4k-optimised version of Sony’s Reality Pro picture engine. Unlike its flagship which has separate speakers protruding out of the display panel, the 55 and 65-inch models shave Sony’s magnetic fluid speaker drivers built into their screen bezel.

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Listen up

Cloud 11

eenage Engineering, a company known for its simplistic design has unveiled its latest offering to the market. The OD-11 Cloud speakers is a wireless speaker that houses WiFi, Bluetooth and an ingenious remote control. The cube plays music directly from the online sources. The speakers also shelters a 100W class D amplifier along with a set of filters and a DSP. On the plus side it also has a power saving friendly Bluetooth 4.0 that should help the cube last for two years on single battery. This is a great choice for minimalist interiors.

Jongo

ongo S340B can be used on its own or combined in groups and can be played wherever you like thanks to its built-in rechargeable battery pack. Once connected to your WiFi you can also synchronise music, radio and much more, streamed from your smartphone and even tablets. You could even use the in-built Bluetooth for a more casual audio streaming. Despite its compact proportions, Jogo offers rich, detailed and vibrant sound with its four tweeters and an upward-firing subwoofer for powerful bass.

Spirit One

Vizio SurroundBar

ES has been a platform for many audio systems. The Vizio 5.1 surround home theatre system is the perfect companion for the 40-inch or larger HDTVs. The sleek design not only looks good as a home decor but also delivers excellent sound quality. With a compact sound bar that integrates from centre channels, two rear satellite speakers and wireless subwoofer, this premium surround system supports Dolby Digital, DTS, SRS circle cinema HD and SRS truVolume for a truly immersive audio experience. This advanced 5.1 surround sound system also includes a built-in amplifier and audio receiver to complete your home theater with all-inone convenience.

ocal’s engineers put extra effort into developing the Spirit One, a headphone that conforms into a variety of head and ear shapes the headphone has two vertical hinges and one horizontal axis to ensure the soft, faux leather earpads apply equal pressure around the users ears. The clever design seals on the ears blocking all external noise and maximise bass. These noise cancellation headphones are not only perfect for a busy lifestyle but also provide uncommon comfort.

Zikmu Solo

hilipe’s new Zikmu Solo does not only look cool but also has quite a bit packed under its hood. Bassmanagement, room size, position compensation and stereo visualisation are taken care by Parrot’s DSP. This cylindrical beauty combines excellent sound quality with a stunning curved design. It also has an iPod or iPhone dock on the top while it has Ethernet ports on the bottom. Available in black, red and white, the Solo also comes with full-features Parrot Audio Suite app. It manages setup with a simple graphical interface that will help you input the size of your listening room and the position of the speaker within it.

february 2013 / 43

Tablet Time

Razer Edge Archos 97 titanium Archos 97 titanium features a massive 9.7-inch screen and a 2048x1536 pixel resolution. The Andoid Jelly-Bean powered device also offers a 1.6 GHz dual-core Cortex A9 processor. It houses 1GB RAM and 8GB onboard storage that can be expanded using the slate’s microSD card slot. The tab also has a 5MP rear facing camera and 2Mp front facing camera. If you are looking for a sharp Retina display and a tablet that is almost like that of the Apple’s the Archo’s 97 is sure worth a look at.

Keeping the gamers as a clear target, Razer Edge made its appearance quite brilliantly at CES. The tablet has either a third-generation Intel Core i5 or Core i7 CPU, a discrete GeForce GT 640M graphics chip from Nvidia. It also has a great hard drive space starting from 64GB with options to expand it up to 256GB. These specs make the Edge fast enough to play PC games on this 10.1-inch IPS display. The Edge also has a couple of accessories that help it stand out of the crowd. With two to five hours of battery life, this 2560x1440-pixel tablet promises a versatile gaming experience.

Acer Iconia The Acer iconia B1-A71 rolls with a 1.2GHz dualcore Mediatek processor and 512MB of RAM. The B1 has a 1024x600 resolution display and is definitely not the most impressive one on the market. The slate has an 8GB onboard memory that can be expanded to 32GB thanks to its microSD card slot. B1 also shelters a 0.3MP front facing camera for video calls but no secondary camera, though the inclusion of Google’s Android Jelly Bean sweetens the deal on the whole. Weighing only 320grams, this 7-inch tab has 512 RAM and a 2,710mAh. The Iconia B1-A71 also has WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and GPS.

44 / TECH

Asus Vivo Asus VivoTab Smart Tablet comes with Windows 8 and is powered by Intel Atom Z2760 dual-core processor. It comes with a 10.1-inch LED backlit display and 1366x768 HD resolution. The tablet also boasts the IPS display technology that provides users with 178-degree wide viewing angle. The display also supports 5-point multi-touch. The slate hosts an 8MP back camera with auto-focus, five element lens and 1080p Full HD video recording support. It also has a 2MP front facing camera for video calls. Asus VivoTab Smart Tablet weighs 580grams, is 9.7mm thick and with the help of its built-in battery can last up to 9.5 hours on single charge.

SmartPhone Arena Lenovo K900

Grand S The Grand S is ZTE’s latest attempt to bring out to the market a flagship smartphone and put some recognition to the brand. Just like every other smartphone that is hitting the shelves, this phone works on a quad-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and comes with 4.1 Jelly Beans. The handset also houses a 13MP camera and a good 5-inch, 1080p screen. The phone will indeed get a few heads to turn as compared to the rest of the ZTE family. The Grand S phone is a huge step up.

CES was a platform for many new phones and the K900 is definitely one among them. The beautifully made phone has 5.5-inch screen covered by Corning Gorilla glass 2 on the front and a mix of brushed stainless steel and polycarbonate on the back. The fairly lightweighted smartphone runs on a Qualcomm 1.5 GHz processor. The 13MP camera is on par with the rest of the high-end specifications. A combination of the F1.8 lenses should make the device one of the best phones for low-light capture. That said, the Intel Atom Z2580 2.0 GHz processor should make the Lenovo model one of the fastest models in the smartphone market.

Huawei Accend W1 Huawei Ascend W1 is the company’s first device powered by Windows 8. It has a Qualcomm MSM8230 Snapdragon chipset, a dual-core 1.2GHz Krait CPU and Andreno 305GPU. This phone is indeed a good choice for people looking to buy a Windows phone on a low budget. The phone carries a display with 223PPI. It also has IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with multi-touch support up to 4 fingers. The handset also comes with a 5MP primary camera with auto-focus, LED flash, geo-tagging and face detection. Housing a 4GB internal storage, its memory can be extended to another 32GB with a micro SD card.

YotaPhone The Moscow based telecommunication company, Yota Devices made a splash at the CES 2013 with a fully functional prototype earning praise from the industry’s experts. The android-powered smartphone sets itself apart with its unique dual display format. The phone features one traditional LCD touch-sensitive display in the front of the device and an e-link display on the opposite side. The 4.3-inches screen is encased in Gorilla Glass and has an impressive dual core1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor. Since the e-ink screen only draws power when refreshing the display, it will still be able to show documents or remainders even when the device runs out of battery.

february 2013 / 45

Crazy World

Trakdot Announced at the 2013 Consumer Electronic Show at Las Vegas is the orange and black Trakdot. The device is meant to be put in your suitcase before travelling. Powered by AA batteries, the tracking devices will send a text message or a e-mail to your phone alerting you that your baggage is near. The accompanying app also helps you to watch your baggage movement once your flight has landed. This gadget will be a huge relief to those who fear in losing their luggage during travel.

E-Ink Watch The CST-01 is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thinnest watch. Using E-ink technology for the display, the screen is just 0.5mm think and encased in a single piece of flexible stainless steel, making the whole watch 0.80mm in total and weighing not more than 12 grams. With feature of a bracelet, this watch was polpular at CES 2013.

Liquipel

1TB Pendrive Kingston, at the CES 2013, has announces it is launching a pocket size 1TB flash drive. The DataTraveler HyperX Predator 3.0 USB flash drive also promises to be the fastest USB 3.0 flash drive in the Kingston family, with speed of up to 240MB/s read and 160MB/s write. It also comes with a keyring so carrying it around would be just as easy as any other pendrive.

46 / TECH

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re one of those who are clumsy and tend to drop your phone in the water often, Liquipel has a solution for you. Liquipel is a nano-technology process that aims to protect your device, both inside out, from liquid damage. The process sees your smartphone put in a vacuum chamber and bathed in vaporised cloud that will protect your phone. So a waterproof case without an actual case is what Liquipel offers.

Paper Tab Paper Tab is a flexible 10.7-inch, paper-thin E-Ink display that was showcased at the 2013 CES. This Tab allows the users to interact with it in number of ways, such as bending portions of the tablet in order to move through pages and rewind and fast-forward through videos. Though the current prototypes are only available in E-Ink displays, it is said that the colour displays are in work.

Oculus Rift Oculus Rift is a virtual reality headset. Developed by Oculus, the head-mount display has a field of view more than 90 degrees horizontal and 110 degrees diagonal and the real world is completely blocked out to create a strong sense of immersion into the game. With bright and vibrant colour on a 7-inch screen, the rift will be a perfect gaming accessory. Just strap it on to your head and you could play a game like you live in it.

Instabeat Instabeat is the first waterproof monitor that tracks, stores and displays your heart rate to optimise your swim. The design that will fit on your swimming goggles will help you monitor your workout after your swim. This revolutionary design sends instant feedbacks of your heart rate to your smartphone and also stores these data for future references. It also shows calories burned, number of flip-turns and breathing pattern.

Nailed it Many women with long nails complained that they cannot use their smartphones as the screens were compatible to the fleshy fingertips. A company called Tech Tips has come with a nail treatment called Nano Nails that turns the fingernail itself into a touchscreen stylus.

Zboard Zboard is the world’s first weight-sensing electric skateboard. It’s faster and easier to ride compared to a normal skateboard and is so much more fun too. Using it is very easy; simply lean forward to go and lean back to stop. The board’s deck includes front and rear foot pads that analyse the force that you are applying. They are not simple on and off buttons though, the harder you lean the faster you speed or stop.

february 2013 / 47

GAMING

Prepare your powerful heroes for the greatest fantasy battle of all time

uardians of Middle Earth is Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game developed my Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. For gamers who have been playing DotA games on PC, this is a brand new experience to get the almost same affects on your Xbox and PS3 consoles.

Without a mouse and keyboard how does one play a MOBA you ask? Though the Guardians isn’t the first of its kind for consoles. It is the first that has made great strides at reproducing the depth of the popular MOBAs like League of Legends. The setting of the game is Middle Earth, derived from the

Lord of the Rings series. The concept is simple for the MOBA fans: two teams of five players begin on opposite sides of a map and they advance towards their opponents down three separate lanes with the help of non-player characters. Destroy your opponent’s central tower at his base and you win the game. Based on The Lord of the Rings, Guardians of Middle-earth will

Omerta: City of Gangsters

Dead Space 3

48 / TECH

always have Gandalf fighting Galadriel. The game certainly captures Tolkien’s legendary pacing like none of the action games ever did where you can see the characters trudge heavily around the battleground. The game never really falls down, per-se. Like its heroes it’s forever striding purposely onwards. You’ll kill, level up and unlock relics and potions.

PC PS3 Xbox 360

PC Xbox 360

February 5

Publisher: W arner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Developer: Monolith Productions Platform: Xbox 360, PS3 ESRB Rating: Teen

SCORE Gameplay Graphics Storyline OVERALL

You could also step into the next match, either with a refreshing new hero or continuing to perfect the old one. It does have a major default though, its crippling lag and frequent disconnects. One huge difference is the absence of the mouse and the keyboard of course. So instead of frantically clicking or aiming skill shots, most

7/10 8/10 7/10 7

attacks are based on area-ofeffect or just generally aimed in the direction of whatever you want to kill. On one hand it is fun to see Gollum jump in to melee or Gandolf summon a giant firework eagle for massive damage and on the other hand there is no reason for these characters to be fighting as far as the lore is concerned.

for any fan of the series. Though it has a lag that can be quite disappointing at times, there are a variety of gameplay modes to keep the players busy and coming back for more. The game is available to download for Xbox Live arcade and Playstation Network and also in disc format.

Guardians of the Middle Earth has a promising entry point for newcomers to the MOBA genre and it plays smoothly enough to satisfy the veterans too. The game promises some new touches, great voice works and spells that are enticing. It surely is a fun game and a must-have

Aliens: Colonial Marines

Metal Gear Solid Rising: Revengeance

Bioshock: Infinite

PC PS3 Xbox 360

PS3 Xbox 360

PC PS3 Xbox 360

February 12

February 19

February 26 february 2013 / 49

DASHBOARD

Road Ninja Check out Kawasakiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ZX-10R, a combination of superlatives

50 / TECH

he 2013 Ninja ZX-10R superbike continues to astound passionate motorcyclists with its level of technology, reliability and the intense feelings that envelopes anyone throwing a leg over this potent bike. It represents what can be achieved by the finest engineers when an appreciation of speed and design are applied to a motorcycle, without the desire to be anything other than the absolute best. The highly advanced and customisable Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control (S-KTRC) lets riders harness and capitalise on the ZX-10R’s amazing blend of power and responsive handling. Exclusive to the ZX10R, S-KTRC offers a level of performance that raises the ZX above the rest of the open sport bike class. Motorcyclists have long been challenged by traction-related issues. The MotoGP-derived S-KTRC system works by crunching numbers from a variety of parameters and sensors like wheel speed and slip, engine rpm, throttle position, acceleration and so on. There’s more data gathering and analysis going

on here than on any other Kawasaki in history and it’s all in the name of helping racers inch closer to the elusive edge of maximum traction than ever before. A secondary engine balancer assembly allows a number of vibration-damping parts to be simplified, contributing to weight savings. Also contributing to weight savings are a light battery, ECU and fuel pump. The final piece of the ZX-10R’s power-production formula is a race-spec exhaust system featuring a titanium header assembly, hydroformed collectors, a large-volume pre-chamber containing two catalysers and a highly compact silencer. Due to the header’s race-spec design, riders and racers looking for more closed-course performance need only replace the slip-on muffler assembly. The old saying, ‘power is nothing without control’ is certainly apt where open-class sport bikes are concerned. But when you factor in all the engine, chassis and ergonomic control designed into the 2013 Ninja ZX-10R, you begin to realize you’re looking at one very special motorcycle.

Engine

Four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, inline-four Displacement

998cc Fuel system

DFI with four 47mm Keihin throttle bodies with oval sub-throttles, two injectors per cylinder Ignition

TCBI with digital advance and Sport-Kawasaki Traction Control (S-KTRC) Transmission

Six-speed Wheelbase

242.4cm Curb weight

201kg Fuel capacity

17l

february 2013 / 51

TECHART

Digital Bokeh

Make use of the powerful Brush Engine in Photoshop for this easy effect

Here we show you how to create a digital bokeh effect in Photoshop. The process is very easy and we will be using the super powerful Brush Engine, one of the coolest things in Photoshop.

Step 1 Create a new document in Photoshop. Use a nice screen resolution, 1920x1200 pixels. Fill the background layer with a very dark grey, not black. If you fill it with black the effect wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work. The color used here is #262626.

Step 2 Select the Ellipse Tool (U), and create a circle in a new layer. Fill with black color, and go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options. Change the Fill Opacity to 50%. After that select Stroke. Use 10 pixels for the size, Inside for the Position and Black for the color.

52 / TECH

Step 5

Step 3 Select the ellipse and go to Edit>Define Brush. Name your brush and that’s done. Now we have a new brush.

Step 4 Select Brush tool and go to Window>Brushes (or press F5). The first thing to do in the Brush Engine is to select our new Brush from ‘Brush Presets’ tab. The size won’t matter because you will change that when you use it. The Spacing, however, is important. Chage the value to 100%. After that, select the Shape Dynamics (83%), then Scattering(3 to 4). You may even save this brush for later use (click the button on the bottom right corner of the Brush dialogue box to do this).

Step 6 Let’s create a new Folder in our Layer Palette. Rename the folder to Bokehs and change the Blend Mode to Color Dodge. (Refer to the layers image) Then create a new layer, choose white for the color and select the Brush Tool (B). Now just paint some ellipses with our custom brush. For this first layer use a big size brush, like 500-550px.

Step 7 Go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. For this first layer use 10 pixels for the Radius.

Before we start painting our bokehs let’s create a new layer and fill it with a colorful gradient. You may use layer layer styles to do that after filling the layer with colour #262626. Gradient settings here are as follows: Blend Mode is Overlay, Opacity is 100%, Style is Linear, and the Angle is 45º. The colors used are: Orange (#d27e34), Purple (#9b3b81), Cyan (#1bdaeb), Blue (#00085).

Step 8 Create another layer and paint more circles. This time use a smaller size (250-300px) for the brush. After that go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Use 4 pixels for the Radius.

Step 9 Create another layer and repeat the previous step, this time however use a much smaller brush (100-150px). Apply the Gaussian Blur to this layer as well, but use only 1 pixel for the Radius.

Now we have a nice wallpaper. The idea of this tutorial is show the power of the Brush Engine. You may try different shapes for this same effect, like hexagons for example. Also you can play a bit with the blurs and background/ gradient to add more depth to the final design. Now it’s up to you to make your version of this tutorial.

februaRy 2013 / 53

MOVIEZONE

ased on a Frontline documentary, this fastpaced action thriller is centred on Dwayne Johnson who stars as a suburban father who is hit hard when his teenaged son is wrongly accused of a drug distribution crime and is looking at a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years. Desperate and determined to rescue his son at any cost, he makes a deal with the United States attorney to work as an undercover informant and infiltrate a drug cartel on a dangerous mission risking everything, including his family and even his own life. He serves up as a senior drug dealer and understands the tricks of the trade.

Director Ric Roman Waugh Genre Action, Drama, Thriller Cast Dwayne Johnson, Barry Pepper, Jon Bernthal, Michael Kenneth Williams, Melina Kanakaredes, Nadine Velazquez

They need his help with the arrest of as many people involved in order decrease his son’s sentence

and Dwayne Johnson’s character is ready to do anything to help his son. He suggests he goes instead. He meets people who wish to get their lives in order and help Dwayne’s character get a lead in his mission. He gets introduced to the world of drugs and weapons and has the opportunity to meet the drug cartel’s most notorious individuals as a person in the construction business that deals with transportation and distribution, suggesting that he can make money transporting guns and ammunitions. Risking his life and the others who aid him, he is met with a dilemma that if he loses his life, his near and dear ones would be taken down by the goons too, moreover, his innocent son would be forced to serve a ten-year sentence. The DEA is sceptical that he can succeed, but can he?

DVD Releases 5th February

12th February

19th February

26th February

Here Comes the Boom

Skyfall

Anna Karenina

Chasing Mavericks

Action, Comedy

Action, Adventure, Thriller

Romantic, Drama

Drama, Sport

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1 The first computer animated movie was…

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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

Flat-Panel Displays LG 60PA6500 60-inch, 2MP, full HD, USB port movie play(DIVX HD),600Hz sub-field, razor frame, 3 HDMI AND PC input PenTouch Plasma HD Ready TV with 600Hz Tru Motion flow.

RO600

U Updated

3d TVs

Samsung ps60e550 60-inch screen, Series 5, 3D sound, 1,930x1,080 resolution, Dolby digital Plus, pulse, RO700

Samsung UA55ES7500 55-inch 3D LED Smart TV, 2MP, full HD, smart interaction (Voice, face, motion), Smart evolution, smart content, micro dimming ultimate, built in camera, 600HZ CMR, N dual core processor

RO700

RO 1300

Sony KDL46EX650

Sharp LC32M400M

46-inch 3D LED TV, 2MP, full HD, 100HZ, WiFi ready, 2 USB movie, 4 HDMI, X-reality N

1MP, HD Ready, 32-inch LCD TV with 3 HDMI/PC inputs. It features Surround Sound and an OPC sensor. It sports a USB port

RO430

RO100

LG 72LM9500

Sony KDL65HX925 65-inch full LED 3D TV, 2MP, fullHD, 800HZ motion flow, 2 USB port, 4HDMI, PC input, 2D-3D Converter

RO2,500

3D LED 72-inch Smart TV, full HD, four HDMI/PC input, USB port, energy saving mode, Ethernet, magic remote, smart share

RO400

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

Panasonic TH-L32X50M 32-inch LED TV, HD, 2MP, SD card slot, 3 HDMI input, pc input

RO450 Samsung PS51E490

40-inch 3D LED, 2MP, Full HD, All share, 400HZ CMZ, 2 HDMI, WiFi ready, 2 USB port play movie

51-inch 3D Plasma, HDMI, AV com. PC input

RO350

Sharp LC-60LE940

RO360

60-inch full HD LED TV, 3D Smart TV, 2D to 3D conversion, Skype, Youtube, web browser, HD movie USB playback, wireless LAN ready U

40-inch 3D LED smart TV, 2MP, full HD, 600HZ CMR, full web browser, 3HDMI, USB port, built in camera N

RO600

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

Sony BVD-E690

LG HT906TA

Blu-ray 3D home theatre, DVD, VCD, MP3, 100 Watts, USB input

5.1 channel home theatre, 1100 watts RMS, Auxin, mic in, AM, FM, USb playback, iPod and iPhone dock

56 / TECH

RO180

Samsung UA40ES7500

RO1,300

Players

RO211

46-inch LED, 2MP, Full HD. 100HZ motion, All share, 2 HDMI, PC input, USB port, Wide colour enhancer

RO4,199

Sharp 46LE830M

Samsung UA40ES6200

Samsung UA46EH5000

RO120

Samsung HT-ES6550W 3D Blu-ray Home theatre system, 800watts RMS, rear wireless, USB port play movie

RO200

LG BH7520T Blu-ray home theatre, 1000watts RMS, 3D, BD, DVD, VCD, CD, MP3, DIVX PLAYBACK, HDMI upscalling, FM radion, USB play, Aux in, WiFi LAN

RO200

Netbooks, Portables

laptops HP ENVY 14 2014

Amazon Fire HD

Intel core i7-2630QM, 2.5 GHz, 6GB RAM, 750GB HDD, 1GB VRAM, 14inch LED screen, Beats edition. WiFi

Seven-inch multi-touch display with In-Plane Switching (IPS), 16GB internal memory, free cloud storage, Wi-Fi, 7.5 hours of battery life

RO580

Toshiba L850 B414

Acer Aspire S5 Intel Core i5-2450, 8GB DDR3, 750 GB, Wi-Fi, 1GB VRAM

RO525

Samsung Galaxy 23100

Intel core i5 3210M, 2.5GHz, 4GB RAM, 500BG HDD, 2GB VRAM, 15.6-inch HD WLED, WiFi, Bluetooth, Windows 8 N

Android 4.0, 1GHz Processor, 3G, 16GB storage, micro SD slot, WiFi and bluetooth

RO329

HP 13 2110

Intel core i5, 2.5GHz, 4GB RAM, 750 GB HDD, 13.3-inch screen, DVD drive, WiFi, BT, Mac OS and Life N

64GB, 9.7-inch LED backlit screen, 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 processor, Wi-Fi and 3G, two cameras

RO605

Apple MD-101

RO500

Samsung NP540U3C-A01AE

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

RO320

Intel core i5 3317U, 1.7GHz, 6GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB HDD, 1GB VRAM, 2MP webcam, 14-inch screen, Bluetooth

Intel core i5 2430M, 2.4GHz, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HDD, 14-inch HD WLED, WiFi, Bluetooth, Webcam, Windows 7 Home premium

Intel Core i7 2450M, 2.4GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB HD, 2GB VRAM, 15.6-inch HD LE, Wi-Fi, Blue-tooth, Blu-ray, Windows 8

RO285

Microsoft Surface

HP Pavilion DV6-7205

Plug-and-play functionality, HP Lonk-5, 30-month battery life

RO11

RO285

Samsung XE700T1A

Apple iPad 3 WiFi + 4G

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

32GB , LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colours, LTE 700 MHz, micro-SIM, 1GB RAM, 5 MP, autofocus, iOS 5.1 upgradable to iOS 6.0, Chipset Apple A5X

RO595

RO525

RO300

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 wireless Mouse X4000

RO314

10.8-inch screen, Surface with Windows RT, 32GB with black touch, Cover, WiFi

RO341

Dell 411Z INS 0285

RO295

Apple iPad 4 Wi-Fi + 4G

Intel core i3 3217U, 13.3inch HD LED touch screen, shared graphics, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, WiFi and BT, Windows 8

Lenovo U410

RO170

Apple iPad 4 WiFi

Intel Core i7 3517M, 2.0GHz, 4GB RAM, 255 SSD, 13.3-inch HD LED screen, Bluetooth, WAB Cam, WiFi, Windows 8 N

RO90

Linksys X2000

Philips SHM1900

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

RO37

RO9

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

RO45

february 2013 / 57

camcorders

digital still cameras Panasonic DMC-TZ30

Sony CX760E

35mm ultra wide-angle 20x optical zoom, LEICA DC lens, full HD movie, 3D, 3-inch LCD, stabilizer

8.9MP, 30x optical zoom, 3-inch wide touchscreen, 16GB built-in-memory, full HD movie

RO174 Sony TX200V 18.2MP, 10x optical zoom camera, 2.7-inch LCD, HD video recording, CMOS sensor, Optical SteadyShot

Samsung GC100 16.2MP, 21x optical zoom, 4.8-inch LCD touch screen, full HD movie, Android, WiFi N

RO530 Sony HDR-XR260 8.9MP, Pixel Super Resolution technology, three-inch Clear Photo LCD, BIONZ processor, Optical SteadyShot stabilisation

RO200

RO215

RO265

Olympus XZ-1

Canon Legria HFR36

3-inch LCD screen stabilizer, 10MP, 4x optical zoom, full HD movie, art function

RO269

3-inch touchscreen LCD, 8GB built-inflash, 3.28MP, 32X optical zoom, SD/SDHC/ SDXC

Fujifilm HS30 16MP, 30x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, CMOS sensor, panoramic view

RO137

RO190

Canon IXUS 500 10.1MP CMOS and DIGIC 5, 12x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, Intelligent IS, High-speed shooting, HD movies

Samsung HMX-Q20 20x optical zoom, 5.3Megapixel, 3-inch LCD screen, HD movie,2hours 30minutes Battery ,smart auto

RO140

RO100

Canon SX 260

Samsung MV900F

Panasonic SDR-HC-V10

12 Megapixels,20x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD, smart auto,full HD movies, 25mm wide angle

16.3MP, 5X Optical zoom, 3.3-inch LCD touch screen. Full HD movie, WiFi

70x enhanced optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD screen, HD movie, 31.6mm wide lens, smart auto

RO150

RO130

RO127 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 650D

Olympus E-PM1

Canon M

Nikon D3200

18MP, 5fps, 9AF point, 3-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, 18-55mm lens

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

18.1MP, 4.3fps, Hybrid CMOS AF, 3.2-inch LCD screen, Full HD Movie, 18-55mm lens

24.2MP, 4fps, 3-inch LCD screen,11 AF point, Full HD Movie, Live View,18-55mm Lens

58 / TECH

RO425

RO215

RO390

RO280

ipod docks

PHONES

Samsung S III Mini

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Android OS, v4.1 (Jelly Bean), 1GHz dual core, 8GB storage, up to 32GB, 3G, WiFi, A-GPS, 1GB RAM

Android OS4, Quad core, 1.6GHz, 16GB storage, Up to 32GB, 3G, WiFi, A-GPS, 8MP camera

RO137

Samsung Galaxy SIII

Nokia LUMIA 920 MS Windows OS v 8, Dual core, 1.5GHz, Micro sim, 8MP camera, Pure view, 32GB storage, 1GB RAM, 3G, WiFi, A-GPS, NFC

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

RO250

RO260

Apple iPhone 5

Motorola ATRIX-2

Ios 6, dual core, 8MP camera, 1.2MP secondary camera, Nano Sim card, 16GB storage

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

RO270

RO130

LG L9

Sony Xperia S

IPS LCD touch screen, 4GB internal memory, WiFi, Bluetooth, 5MP, OS Android, Dual core

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

RO150

Philips Android Version Bluetooth, FM radio, AUX in, 20w RMS

RO50 Logitech Mini Boombox Handy speakerphone with built-in mic; backlit, touch panel controls; specially designed acoustic chamber

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 Panasonic SC HC35 iPod/ iPhone dock station, USB, AUX in

RO50

RO170

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 nano 6G

Sony NWZ-W262

Philips S44BE16KF

iPOD Touch

Touchscreen, FM radio, photo viewer, 16GB

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, five hours battery support

32GB, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth, 5MP camera

RO75

RO37

RO40

RO144

GETS YOU A SPOT HERE february 2013 / 59

REFRIGERATORS

air conditioners & air purifiers Panasonic CSK-18NKF

LG T-186RC

LG GR M762G

1.5-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 multi-stage tropical compressor

760 litres, frost-free, double door, tempered glass shelves, 3D cooling, hygiene fresh N

RO349

Hitachi 660FUK N

RO199

660 litres, four door, no frost, nano titanium cooling system, auto ice maker, quick freezer

RO285

Sharp AHAP18MHM

Samsung AS18ES

1.5 ton, split AC, plasma, super jet, all aluminium heat exchanger, computerised dry mode operation, LCD wireless remote control, quiet operation

Window AC 1.5 Ton capacity, slim design, powerful output

RO365 Samsung RT 54 540 litres, frost-free, twist ice tray, tempered glass shelves, moist fresh zone, veg bin, LED light, deodoriser

RO220 Hitachi RAS-18CPA 1.5 tonne, Split air-conditioner with Green Fin condenser, durable thanks to green rust-resistant coating, employs Nano Titanium technology in its stainless steel filters

RO210 LG PS- N55 OWPS

443 litres, frost-free, safety glass, bottom freezer, air fresh, multi-air flow, door alarm, hydro control, stainless steel N

Erratum

RO339

Sharp SJPT73RHS3

TECH Issue 32, December, page 60 had incorrect price and specifications of Sharp AHAP18MHM Air Conditioner mentioned. The correct price is RO210. The error is regretted.

RO100

RO210

Siemens KG56NAI20M

RO200

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

662L, double door, plasmacluster ion technology, hybrid cooling aluminium panel, eco-friendly and long lasting LED lighting

RO285 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 Samsung WA15W9

Hoover DYN8164D

LG F1292QDP25

DAEWOO DWF 170MP

15kg, 8 wash programmes, wobble 3D technology, child lock, magic filter

8kg, 10 wash programmes, 1600RPM, child lock, 20 per cent energy saving, stain blaster and wash time control

7kg, 13 wash programmes, 1200RPM, delay start

7kg, 5 wash programmes, hot and cold water selection, nano silver, air bubble wash

RO170

RO250

RO150

RO110

MASTERPIECE

GREAT PRICE

MAX ELECTRONICS LLC - OMAN SEEB - MUSCAT CITY CENTRE (LEVEL 1) TEL: +968 24558062 FAX: +968 24558063 EMAIL: mem.cs@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

DYSON DC 39 ANIMAL

Black and decker MZ-3000PG 30L capacity, 800W microwave oven with 11 power levels, child safety lock, defrost settings, six auto menus, sports a fashionable design

Samsung GE103MB 28L multi-function microwave oven with interiors finished with Ceramic Inside coating, easy to clean, Triple Distribution System heats food deeply and equally

RO60

Trigger head tools, rotating brush, mini turbine head, articulating handle, stair tool, combination accessories, HEPA filter

Panasonic NN-C784MF 28L oven capacity, microwave with oven and grill, feather touch control, auto defrosts by weight, recipe store

RO55

Panasonic MC CG715 2100 watts, with blower

Daewoo KOC-9N8T 29L microwave oven with stainless-steel housing, 900W output power, convection/grill function, 850W grill power, ten power levels, five auto cook menus

RO105

RO240

RO52

Samsung VCC-8780 2000W vacuum cleaner, bag less, remote control handle

RO60

RO43

Karcher WD 220 Wet and dry vacuum cleaner

LG MH6589

Sharp RC667BK

Sharp R959SLM

Microwave, grill, 850 watts, 25 litres, quick defrost, auto cool

20L microwave oven with 800W microwave power, five one-touch instant action menus, three easy defrost menus, four-digit LCD, five power levels

40L microwave oven with convection and grill, eight auto cook menu

RO90

RO31 LG VCA241HT 1400W bagless vacuum cleaner, 0.8L dust capacity, washable HEPA filter, innovative Cyclone System technology

RO130

RO40

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 Kenwood ES021

PHILIPS HD9140/90

Moulinex JU650G31

Tefal TFAH9000

Expresso machine, 1100 watts, 1 litre, 15 pump bar

Food steamer

Juicer

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

RO73

RO37

RO53

RO105

Think TABLETS Think EMAX MAX ELECTRONICS LLC - OMAN SEEB - MUSCAT CITY CENTRE (LEVEL 1) TEL: +968 24558062 FAX: +968 24558063 EMAIL: mem.cs@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

february 2013 / 61

top 5 games

gaming consoles & accessories PS VITA

Far Cry 3

Has front and rear camera, cross control play, motion sensor

PUBLISHER: UBISOFT DEVELOPER: UBISOFT MONTREAL PLATFORM(S): PS3, XBOX GENRE: ACTION-ADVENTURE ESRB RATING: MATURE (M)

RO113

Nintendo Wii U Video game console, 32GB internal flash memory, 550MHz, WiFi, USB 2.0 N

Logitech Z506 Delivers 500W of pure power to recreate perfect theatre-quality audio experience

RO210

RO38

Sony PS3

RO29 CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS 2 PUBLISHER: ACTIVISION DEVELOPER: TREYARCH PLATFORM (S): PS3, XBOX GENRE: FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER ESRB RATING: MATURE (M)

RO29

Pal system, 32GB, Sports Champions game

RO117

Xbox 360 Pal system, 250GB HDD, plus game free

Need for speed: Most wanted

Sony In-ear headset PS Vita gaming in-ear headphones

RO147

logitech g27

PUBLISHER: ELECTRONICS ARTS DEVELOPER: EA GOTHENBURG PLATFORM (S): XBOX GENRE: RACING ESRB RATING: TEEN (RP-T)

RO29

Hitman Absolution N

RO10

Racing wheels and flight controllers simulate realism, Force fdback feature

PUBLISHER: SQUARE ENIX DEVELOPER: IO INTERACTIVE PLATFORM (S): PS3, XBOX GENRE: ACTION-ADVENTURE, STEALTH ESRB RATING: MATURE (M)

RO29

RO17

Assassin’s creed III PS3 320GB + Move Bundle Broken into three parts: the ‘Motion Controller’, the ‘Navigation Controller’ and the ‘PlayStation Eye Camera’

RO140

62 / TECH

Nintendo Wii Pal system with sport game CD

RO52

Turtle Beach M5 Gaming headset, separate connecter for mic and pc lines

RO21

PUBLISHER: UBISOFT DEVELOPER: UBISOFT MONTREAL PLATFORM (S): PS3, XBOX GENRE: ACTION-ADVENTURE, OPEN WORLD, STEALTH ESRB RATING: MATURE (M)

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 Bahwan Electronics

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

Showroom Ruwi 24796629

Service Dept. 24501965

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

Muscat Air-conditioning and Electronics LLC

Sharp, Midea, General, Wansa, MDV

24796591, 24796202/31/40

24562943

Muscat Electronics

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

Ruwi 24702982, 24780407 Sohar 26845647, Salalah 23291617

24813408 / 24789542

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

Oman Trading Establishment

LG, Bosch, White Westing house, Pearl, Prolux

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

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Full Name PO Box

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19-24

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