Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Sony Xperia Z3 now up for Order

Sony latest flagship has set for pre-order with DBGadgets and Widget City.

Initially announce during IFA 2014, finally the Xperia Z3 is coming now here with SRP of 36,990 PHP.



Sony new flagship is encased in glass front and back with rounded metallic aluminum frame. It measures at 5.75 x 2.83 x 0.29” which should make it shorter and thinner than the Z2. To distinct itself from other flagship, it is has dust and waterproof rating at IP68 which is better than Samsung Galaxy S5.

The Z3 sports a 5.2" Full HD (1080x1920 pixels) Triluminos Display enhanced by X-Reality Engine that should provide great brightness and sunlight legibility as well as vibrant colors, great contrast and saturation. Shatter proof glass for sturdiness and scratch-resistance.

Powering the device, is a Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC clocked at 2.5GHz Qua-Core Krait Processor with Adreno 330 GPU coupled with 3GB RAM and 16/32GB Internal Storage Options (expandable).

For its camera features, it still sticks to 20.7 MP 1/2.3” Exmor RS sensor but now comes with new 25mm G Lens optics (f2.0) in addition to other improvements and useful camera modes. For your selfies and video chat needs, the 2.2MP front camera will work it for you.

In terms of connectivity, Sony has always been supplying complete sets for their premium line and so you get LTE, Dual-Band WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, NFC, DLNA, MHL. Whether pairing between devices wirelessly or connecting to a external display Sony got this covered.


You do get that Sony Xperia UI Experience plus Android KitKat on Top. A great new addition is PS4 Intergration which let you connect to your PlayStation 4 console in order to enable you to play games and makes use of DualShock 4 controller.  You won't run out of juice at 3100mAh Battery which Sony boasting to last up to 2 days of use. Much like Sammy, it comes with Ultra Stamina Mode to get by when you are on the red.

Overall, Sony Xperia Z3 is still a top contender with its high end design, Up-To Date Internal, Powerful Camera, Full Set of Connectivity Plus PS4. Sony still gives surprises though hopefully it will be enough to subdue their popular competition.

So Want One? Look Here:



Display and design
5.2" Full HD display (1920x1080 pixels)
TRILUMINOS™ Display for mobile
X-Reality™ for mobile picture engine

Processor (CPU)
Snapdragon 2.5 GHz Qualcomm Quad-core
Adreno 330 GPU
Memory and storage
3 GB RAM
Up to 16 GB flash memory*****
Up to 128 GB microSD™ (card slot, SDXC supported)

Camera and video
20.7 megapixel camera with auto focus
8x digital zoom
ISO 12800 maximum
Sony Exmor RS for mobile image sensor
4K video recording
Front-facing camera, HD 1080p for video chat and 2.2 MP for camera capture
Pulsed LED flash
SteadyShot™ – video stabilisation
Superior Auto – automatic scene selection
HDR for photos and videos
Burst mode
Social live**
Image stabiliser
Geotagging – add location info to your photos
Object tracking – lock focus on a specific object
Red-eye reduction
Image capture, supported file format: JPEG
Image playback, supported file formats: BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, WebP
Video capture, supported file formats: 3GPP, MP4
Video playback, supported file formats: 3GPP, MP4, Matroska, AVI, Xvid, WebM

Sound
Sony 3D Surround Sound technology (VPT)
Clear Audio+ – Sound improvement software
xLoud™ Experience
DSEE HX
High-res audio
Audio recording, supported file formats: 3GPP, MP4, AMR
Audio playback, supported file formats: 3GPP, MP4, ADTS, AMR, DSF, DSDIFF, FLAC, Matroska, SMF, XMF, Mobile XMF, OTA, RTTTL, RTX, iMelody, MP3, WAV, OGG, ASF

Connectivity
Networks
GSM GPRS/EDGE (2G)
UMTS HSPA (3G)
LTE (4G) (not available in all markets)

aGPS**
Bluetooth® 4.0 wireless technology
3.5 mm audio jack with Digital Noise Cancelling (DNC)
DLNA Certified®
NFC
GLONASS**
Native USB tethering
Synchronisation via Exchange ActiveSync®, Facebook™, Google™ and SyncML™**
USB High speed 2.0 and Micro USB support
Wi-Fi and WiFi Hotspot functionality
ANT+ wireless technology

Entertainment
PlayStation® Certified
PS4™ Remote Play******

Monday, September 15, 2014

Asus Transformer Book T200TA Spotted


Look what we have here a slightly bigger and better version of Asus Transformer Book - the T200TA. The Transformer Book was very well received Tablet/Laptop Hybrid compact, powerful and long battery life, this new model should follow through.



Kept that Circular patterned look and transformative security hinges but is now offering a full keyboard and more of as a Ultra-Portable Laptop. Compared to my own T100, the new T200 sports a bigger multi-touch IPS Display at 11.6 inches though it sticks to same 1366x768 pixel resolution. Powering the device is newer Intel Atom Bay Trail-T Quad Core  Z3775 Processor with Intel HD Graphics. Similar setup for memory and storage at 2GB RAM and 32GB Internal Storage with 500GB HDD on the dock. For storage expansion you do get a MicroSD slot but if that and the 500GB is not enough, a new feature that lets you can easily replace HDD on the dock and snap on a compatible higher capacity hard drive.



The T200 has a 5MP primary rear camera and improved the front to 2MP. T200 also has more I/O Ports with 1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 , 1 Micro HDMI for external display, 1 MicroUSB for OTG and power, and 1 RJ45 LAN Jack for cable internet connection. Speaking of connection it is also equipped with Dual band WiFi a/b/g/n as well as Bluetooth 4.0. It is said that the Transformer Book T200 will endure an "all-day battery life"with up to 10.8 hrs.



The device runs on the latest Windows 8.1 OS but I am definitely sure this model also has Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 suite to complete the over-all experience like in other Transformer Book models.

Asus takes their Transformer Book to another level. Coming from netbook-like T100 to the Ultra-Portable T200, the new hybrid gets ahead of its competition with capable hardware, clean design and incomparable battery life at only 24,984 pesos.

Spotted via Villman see here:
Asus Transformer Book T200TA-CP004H
(32GB with 500GB Model)
Processor
Intel® Bay Trail-T Quad Core Z3775 1.46 GHz Processor

Operating System
Windows 8.1

Memory
LPDDR3 MHz SDRAM, 2 GB

Display
11.6" 16:9 IPS HD (1366x768) with Multi-Touch Screen

Graphic
Integrated Intel® HD Graphics

Storage
32GB eMMC With 500GB HDD

Card Reader
card reader (Micro SD )

Camera
Front 2 Mp and Rear 5 Mp

Networking
Integrated 802.11 a/b/g/n
Built-in Bluetooth™ V4.0

Interface
1 x Microphone-in/Headphone-out jack
1 x USB 3.0 port(s)
1 x USB 2.0 port(s)
1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert
1 x Micro USB
1 x micro HDMI

Tablet:
1 x micro USB
1 x micro SD card

Audio
Built-in 2 Speakers And Digital Array Microphone

Battery 38 Whrs
Power Adapter
Output : 19 V DC, 1.75 A, 33 W
Input : 100 -240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal

Dimensions
Tablet: 305 x 194 x 11.95 mm (WxDxH)
Dock: 305 x 200 x 26 mm (WxDxH)

Weight
Tablet: 0.78 kg (with Polymer Battery)
Dock: (Mobile Dock) 0.76 kg

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Cherry Mobile Alpha Windows Series - Morph, Play, Luxe and Style.

Cherry Mobile is starting to change the status quo in mobile market with its introduction of Alpha series devices running Windows Phone / Windows 8.1 OS for budget price.

The company is entering new computing territory in the form of Alpha Morph and Alpha Play.

To start of is their Tablet/Laptop hybrid Morph that sports 10 inch HD IPS Multi-Touch Display powered by Intel Atom Z3735D with HD Graphics coupled with 2GB RAM and 32G Internal Storage. Comes with 2MP Front and Back Camera combo plus WiFi and Bluetooth Connectivity. MicroSD Slot is available for storage expansion. 8000mAh should be enough for couple hours or so.



On to more consumer-centric device, the Alpha Play. It is smaller at 8 inch HD IPS Multi-Touch Display powered by the same Intel Baytrail chipset with only 1GB RAM of memory and 8GB internal storage. On the upside, it packs 5MP rear snapper but still 2MP front. Does have same connectivity functions but comes only with 3500mAh Battery.

The price of both device is at 11,999 for Morph and 7,999 for Play which is super cheap compared to other offerings as of the moment. Specs wise both device has Intel Baytrail chipset that has proven to be a better Atom more capable processing and running even some intensive applications. For Morph, its memory and storage should be enough for average user but for Play storage might be a major problem and less for users or even system temp files. I believe it runs Windows 8.1 with Bing version that have help cut the price extremely well for Microsoft partners. Cherry Mobile entering this new realm should cause quite a stir for local and international computing brands.

Mobile Market would also be injected with steroids with coming of Cherry Mobile Windows Phones Luxe and Style.



The Cheapest Windows Phone in the World comes in the form of Alpha Style for only 2,999 ($68). Focusing on Price which is the major force in supply and demand, I am quite sure Style will selllike hot cakes. Just your simple specs with its 4 inch IPS Multi-Touch Display powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 MSM8212 Quad-Core Processor with Adreno 305? GPU together with 512MB RAM and 4GB Internal Storage (expandable via MicroSD). You get a 5MP Back (with Flash) and .3MP VGA Front Camera combo plus the regular WiFi, Bluetooth and HSPA+ data connectivity.



If you want more then you might want to look at Luxe. Talk about fashion inspired names. Anyways, Luxe have that 5 inch HD IPS Display with Dragon Trail Glass powered by the same Snapdragon 200 chipset but comes with 1GB RAM and 8GB Internal Storage (also expandable via microSD). The same connectivity features as Style however you get a better camera with 8MP with Flash at the back and 2MP for front-facing. Incredible right? For just 4,999, it is a better cheap alternative Windows Phone.

Cheaper Windows Phone is what Cherry Mobile is offering. With tons of Android, some of you might need a change of mobile environment and so might I suggest trying the Alpha Style or Luxe. Major concern for Style is its 512MB RAM and 4GB storage that limits its capabilities and apps but then just a couple of bucks you get the Luxe so problem solve. Overall, the Alpha series is a game change and we must give credit to Cherry Mobile for continuing to be a forefront in shaping the Philippine Mobile Industry.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge Gets Announced

Samsung has finally announced the successors of their Galaxy Note Series line. As I said successors so Two devices -the Galaxy Note 4 and the new Galaxy Note Edge.

Design has taken a turn, the new Note employs the metal frame similar to that of Samsung Galaxy Alpha but still stick to a textured soft-touch pleather back less the stitching. This should address some comments on Samsung design construction of their products being too plasticky and brings it to premium class.



The Galaxy Note 4 still at 5.7 inch but now comes at Quad HD resolution and a improved Super AMOLED Display. There are two variation depends on market or country, one is with an Octa-Core Exynos 5433 chipset and the other with Quad-Core Snapdragon 805 with a Adreno 420 Graphics. Memory is handled by 3GB RAM and for internal storage you get 32GB / 64GB options that is readily expandable via microSD up to 64GB.

A more improved camera is set with 16MP Sony IMX240 Auto-Focus camera which now comes with Smart Optical Image Stabilization so lesser blurry captures and 3.7MP front-facing camera with f1.9 aperture for better output in low light. Selfie modes are added with 90-degree shooting angle or 120 degrees through "wide selfie".

Like the S5, it gets the fingerprint scanner, heart-rate sensor, IR Blaster, and UV Light sensor plus SpO2 (blood oxygen). Then again they abandon the use of MicroUSB 3.0 and made of use MicroUSB 2.0 but still it supports Quick Charge and MHL 3.0 for plugin external display. Battery is at 3220mAh, just a tad few difference but you get Ultra Saving Power Saving Mode.



Moving on to the Note Edge, I was surprise when Samsung announced another Note which also entails nearly same hardware and features. Uniquely is Note Edge 5.6 inch Quad HD+ (2560 x 1440 + 160 pixels) Super AMOLED Display that folds onto the sides. The Folded Edge has many uses, one is that displays the Quick Glance info of Time and Notifications when the phone is locked. When the Screen is awake, it display more notifications and tools-timer, flashlight and ruler. Fully unlocked, it has more usage like putting shortcuts, switching between several screens and homescreens. Plenty more to come as Samsung is said to make the it available for developers to use for their apps.

Like I said it has similar hardware like the Note 4. The Note Edge will be powered Quad-Core Snapdragon 805 with a Adreno 420 Graphics and almost everything else is the same. This has only a smaller battery at 3000mAh.

Both 4 gets Android KitKat out of the box with Samsung own TouchWiz UI on top with improvements on MultiView, S Pen, S Health and other value added services.

Overall, the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge takes a step forward in terms of design and added much features as well as taking notes on their competition which developed into their devices with metal frame, Quad HD Brilliant Super AMOLED Display, Latest Chipsets, Camera with OIS and more. Samsung is also seriously integrating its phone with person lifestyle with its health and wellness related sensors and apps. Much expectation for the King of Phablets whether Note 4 or Note Edge but I am sure the Note Series will rule the Phablet realm again.

Samsung Galaxy Note 4 Specifications:
AP 2.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor 
1.9 GHz Octa-Core (1.9GHz Quad + 1.3GHz Quad-Core) Processor 
*May differ by country and carrier
Display 5.7 inch (143.9mm) Quad HD Super AMOLED (2560 x 1440)
Memory 32 GB Internal memory + micro SD slot (up to 64GB)
3GB RAM
Camera Rear Facing: 16 Mega pixel Auto Focus camera with Smart OIS 
Front Facing: 3.7 Mega pixel camera with f1.9
Network 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE) : 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz 
3G (HSPA+ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz
4G (LTE Cat 4 150/50Mbps) or 4G (LTE Cat 6 300/50Mbps) 
* May differ by country and carrier
Connectivity WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (HT80) MIMO PCIe 
GPS / GLONASS / Beidu
NFC, Bluetooth® v 4.1 (BLE,ANT+)
IR LED (Remote Control), USB2.0, MHL 3.0
Sensor Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, RGB,IR-LED 
Proximity, Barometer, Hall Sensor, Finger Scanner, 
UV, Heart Rate Monitoring, SpO2 (Dependent on market)
OS Android 4.4 (KitKat)
Dimension 153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5mm, 176g
Battery Standard battery, Li-ion 3,220mAh, 
Fast Charging (Adaptive Fast Charging & QC2.0)

Samsung Galaxy Note Edge Specifications:
AP 2.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor
Display 5.6 inch (141.9mm) Quad HD+ Super AMOLED (2560 x 1440 + 160)
Memory 32/64 GB Internal memory + microSD slot (up to 64GB)
3GB RAM
Camera Rear Facing: 16 Mega pixel Auto Focus camera with Smart OIS 
Front Facing: 3.7 Mega pixel camera with f1.9
Network 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz 
3G (HSPA+ 42Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz 
4G (LTE Cat 4 150/50Mbps) or 4G(LTE Cat 6 300/50Mbps) 
*May differ by country and carrier.
Connectivity WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (HT80) MIMO PCIe 
GPS / GLONASS / Beidu 
NFC, Bluetooth® v 4.1 (BLE, ANT+) 
IR LED (Remote Control), USB2.0, MHL 3.0
Sensor Gesture, Accelerometer, Geo-magnetic, Gyroscope, RGB, IR-LED
Proximity, Barometer, Hall Sensor, Finger Scanner, 
UV, Heart Rate Monitoring, SpO2 (Dependent on market)
Dimension 151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3mm, 174g
Battery Standard battery, Li-ion 3,000 mAh, 
Fast Charging (Adaptive Fast Charging & QC2.0)

ASUS EeeBook X205TA Back to Budget Specs, Price, Philippines

Asus brings back the Eeebook to its root as a budget friendly netbook offering for $199 (more or less 9K). Pretty much cheap considering its a 11.6 incher LED backlit HD (1,366 x 768) Display. +ASUS PH



At its heart is Intel Atom Z3735 Bay Trail-T Processor coupled with 2GB RAM and 32GB/64GB Storage options. Baytrail has come so far in terms of performance and energy efficiency and it can even handle some intensive apps and games that was once crashing horror on previous atoms. More storage is also provided with 115GB Microsoft OneDrive free for 2 years (15GB for life)
500GB ASUS WebStorage free for 2 years Cloud storage if not a Micro SD card slot SDXC that supports up to 64GB.



Input and Ouput ports features Two (2) USB 2.0 ports, One (1) headphone/mic combo jack, and a microHDMI. For connectiviy, a 802.11a/b/g/n dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. Two (2) 2W high-quality stereo speakers and High quality microphone serves its audio hardware. Front-facing camera caters to selfie and video-chat needs.

Oh to clarify, no touchscreens here it is just plain netbook that can be operated with the normal keyboard and touchpad only but I am quite sure Asus Smart Gesture is present for pleasant Windows 8.1 experience.

I am liking the track Asus is on with providing budget devices with quality hardware as well as a different unique experience. They also do a great job in terms of battery life and for this EeeBook X205TA it is quoted at 12 hours for web browsing that is.

It is now available for price of 12, 495 Pesos via +Lazada Philippines
Look here:

Specifications

Processor Quad core Intel® Atom™ Bay Trail-T Z3735 processor running at up to 1.83GHz
Display 11.6-inch LED backlit HD (1,366 x 768)
High-contrast gloss finish
Operating System Windows 8.1 with Bing
Storage eMMC 32/64GB 
115GB Microsoft OneDrive free for 2 years (15GB for life)
500GB ASUS WebStorage free for 2 years
RAM 2GB
Connectivity 802.11a/b/g/n dual-band Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0
Input 2x USB 2.0
Micro HDMI out
1x 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack
Micro SD card slot (SDXC, up to 64GB)
Camera Front-facing VGA
Audio 2x 2W high-quality stereo speakers
High quality microphone
Battery 38Wh, 12 hours for web browsing
Dimensions 286 x 193.3 x 17.5mm
Weight 980g
Colors Black, White, Red and Gold

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Asus ZenWatch - Finely Smart Health Companion

Asus enters wearable scene with its ZenWatch announced at IFA 2014.


At a glance it is beautifully crafted with premium material with layering of silver and rose gold accent. It comes with genuine stitched-leather brown strap with easy-release clasp design. A 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 at 1.63 inches AMOLED with 320 x 320 resolution for clear and vivid display at ~278ppi. Choose from tons of watch face with 100+ combination that fits your style and personality. IP55 certification ensures resistance to water.

In terms of functionality, it comes tons of surprises. Automatically unlock your phone with ZenWatch. Misplaced your phone? Find my Phone got you covered. Work? remote control or time manage your presentations or Mute a Call by Covering it.. Smile!, now you can remote capture those moments. Assign a function by double tapping the watch with Tap Tap.



From work to lifestyle, the ZenWatch tracks and monitors your steps, calories burned, activity duration, heart rate, exercise intensity and relaxation level with statistics from Asus Wellness App.

Inside the device is a 1.2GHz Snapdragon 400 Processor coupled with 512MB RAM and 4GB EMMC storage. Pairing and connection is through Bluetooth 4.0. It runs on latest Android Wear OS that is fully optimized and integrated with Asus ZenUI. Comes with 1.4Wh Polymer Battery and Micro USB on Charging Cradle.

Overall, ZenWatch is a promising device with its classic elegant look for telling time but it also function for your work and lifestyle. Though at at €199 (more or less $260) it is quite steep than its competition.

Specifications:

Processor Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 processor with 1.2GHz CPU
OS System Android Wear
Memory 512MB RAM
Storage 4GB EMMC
Display AMOLED1.63", 320x320, 278ppi touch display
Cover Lens 2.5D curved Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Sensor 9 Axis Sensor, Bio sensor
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0
USB Port Micro USB on Charging Cradle
Audio Built-in microphone
Battery Polymer 1.4Wh
Water Resistance IP55
Colors Silver and rose gold color layering 
Brown leather strap
Size 50.6 x 39.8 x 7.9-9.4mm
Weight Body: 50g
Strap: 25g