We'd all agree that cell phones are addictive: Most of us feel pangs of some sort if we're kept away from them for extended periods. But I've noticed that the similarities between these two objects of passionate desire are disturbingly broad-ranging. Here are ten.

1. Addiction
First up is the most obvious: Cigarettes and phones are both addictive. Here's a sober quote I found about this: "Cell phone dependency is now called compulsive communicating. Chain diallers call continually to get another fix." One statistic — for what it's worth — is from a survey commissioned by T-Mobile: "63% of smartphone users would climb through trash to find a lost phone." That's quite a bit like people on railway platforms looking for cigarette butts.

2. The Annoyance Factor
Smokers have long been a public nuisance, and for good reason: No-one likes smoke being blown in their faces. Cell phone users, on their part, have annoying ringtones, they talk loudly while ignoring others, and break the silence in movie theatres.

3. Distraction
It's all too familiar these days: A group of people are at a table, and every half minute, one person looks at his or her phone to check a message — and sometimes leaves the table. Smokers leave tables in pretty much the same way, though not as frequently — and usually in pairs or groups.

4. Carcinogenicity
We've read a little too much recently about the dangers of electromagnetic radiation, which we needn't repeat. But a month ago, the Italian Supreme Court ruled — not without controversy — that a man's brain tumour was directly connected to his cell phone usage. And we needn't mention the direct link between smoking and the dreaded C disease.

5. Brand Loyalty
Nokia fan. Marlboro Man. Fandroid. "I only smoke Camels." We tend to attach some of our identity to our gadgets — and to the companies that make them. Much like smokers do with their brand.

6. Time Wasting
Most of us spend quite some useful time with our phones — and quite some useless time. The 10-a-day smoker spends about an hour and a half on his habit. In both cases, the user makes it look like he or she is doing something useful: If you stand and stare into space for five minutes at a stretch, you'll easily hear people talking in whispers about your mental state. But if you stare at a phone doing nothing particularly useful — or if you smoke a cigarette — you're OK.

7. Restricted Areas
Cell use and cigarette smoking are both banned in two interestingly diverse areas: Airplanes, and (in some areas) petrol pumps. The connection between petrol and radiation is not clear, but it was once a widespread idea that you could blow up a petrol pump by using a phone there. With cigarettes, that's a reality.

Also, the areas where smoking would be most obnoxious — theatres and plush restaurants — are also those where loud callers seem more obnoxious. And on planes, people pluck out their phones immediately upon landing — while the smokers pull out their similarly-sized cigarette packs.

8. Physical Schematic
A phone needs an external actuating element (the charger); so does a cigarette (a lighter). A phone is divided into a top part (screen) and lower part (keypad); a cigarette has the white tobacco area and the brown filter area. If this connection seems far stretched, consider this: You can charge your phone using your car's cigarette-lighter adapter.  

9. The "Running Out" Phenomenon
When someone's battery is dying, the hunt for a charger and/or a charging point is pretty stiff. So is a smoker's hunt for cigarettes when he reaches the last couple in his pack. The element of panic is similar.

10. Taglines and the Lifestyle Element
"Live life kingsize." "Life. (M)powered." "Connecting people." "Made for each other." Which of these are phone company slogans and which are smokers' lines?

Of course, there is a long list of dissimilarities — for example, a cell phone serves a useful purpose, which cigarettes don't. But is there more to these parallels than just imagination? What's your take? (While you're at it, check out the cigarette box cell phone — but only if you're an incurable smoker.)

Tags : Mobile Phones, Culture, Government, Weird, RMR

The Aakash 2 student-friendly tablet was finally launched yesterday by the first citizen of the country, President Pranab Mukherjee, and with him, Union HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju, on the occasion of National Education Day. The Union Minister of Communications and IT, Kapil Sibal, had announced a month ago that a new version of the beleaguered low-cost tablet would be launched this month. Datawind, the manufacturer, will supply 100,000 units of the Android 4.0 tablet with a 7" capacitive touchscreen to IIT Bombay in the first phase. These will be made available to engineering and other college students, with the goal of benefiting 220 million students in the coming years.

In terms of performance, the new variant is a leap ahead of the original. The CPU is 1 GHz, as opposed to the earlier, wimpy 366 MHz. However, the 512 MB of RAM is still a bottleneck on the ICS platform. It hasn't been stated whether Google Play is supported, so we don't yet know whether students can install apps and games from the online store without restrictions. Here are the full specifications of the Aakash 2:

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).
• ARM Cortex A8 1 GHz with 512 MB of DDR3 RAM.
• 4 GB internal storage, 32 GB microSD support.
• 7", 4-point capacitive multi-touch display with pixel dimensions of 800x480.
• 0.3 megapixel front camera.
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
• Mini-USB port with OTG, 3.5 mm audio jack, G-sensor.
• 3200 mA Li-ion battery with up to 3 hours of backup.
• Package Contents: Wall charger, USB adapter, USB cable, 4-port USB hub.

While Datawind will charge the HRD Ministry Rs 2263 per tablet, students will get a much-subsidised pricing of Rs 1130. In case you are wondering, the Aakash 2 is the same tablet that is commercially available as the UbiSlate 7Ci, launched in September this year and priced at Rs 3500.

The original Aakash was launched in October last year. It has been mired in controversy due to delayed shipments, with pre-order payments having been made months in advance. We really hope the subsidised tablet, which was meant for students, will reach its intended users this time around. Do you think it will? Sound off below!

TAGS: Tablets, Government, Education, Android, Aakash, Jayesh

After months of anticipation, Rovio has finally released the latest edition of the highly popular Angry Birds series. Dubbed Angry Birds Star Wars, this game is set in a "galaxy far, far away" (of course). The Birds are now equipped with lightsabres and Jedi powers to defeat the evil Imperial Pigs. There's no drastic change in the gameplay, but it's great fun nonetheless.

The game has more than 80 levels set in locations including Tatooine and the Pig Star. In case you're wondering, the main antagonist is Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Pigs. Angry Birds Star Wars is available for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8. Check out the gallery images before hitting the download link!


Developer: Rovio
Size: 28 MB – 33 MB
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows Phone 8
Price: iPhone Rs 55; iPad (HD) Rs 170; Windows Phone 8 $1; Android (HD) Rs 165 and also an ad-supported free version.
Download: Android — play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rovio.angrybirdsstarwars.ads.iap
Android (HD) — play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rovio.angrybirdsstarwarshd.premium.iap
iOS — itunes.apple.com/in/app/angry-birds-star-wars/id557137623?mt=8
iOS (HD) — itunes.apple.com/in/app/angry-birds-star-wars-hd/id557138109?mt=8
Windows Phone 8 — http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/angry-birds/7f48eacf-1239-4877-88a4-abe9d3ddfad7
 

TAGS: Apps, Downloads, Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone, ck

That India is a land of marvelous tales and myths is known. The Aakash tablet seemed to be an effort to further establish that fact. We kept hearing of it, but never really got around to see one live. The low-cost slate which promised to bring high-class technological advancements at throw-away costs, has been an elusive beast to say the least. At last count a few months back, the first iteration of Datawind's Aakash tablet reached a mere 366 students, as opposed to 1 lakh as it was tendered to deliver. While we heard nothing about it (neither did several users who preordered the slate) thereafter, talks about the second helping of the device soon started to surface. But now, the myth may turn to reality. After a lot of speculations, the device is finally slated for a 11th November launch, which I really hope happens — given its specs and cost, the tab is arguably the "most competitively priced" tablet computer in the world.

And to prove that it’s true to its cause, the device is all set to make a grand debut at the UN, on the 28th November as Datawind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli will put up a presentation on the wonder-gadget at the UN Headquarters with the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in attendance.

The tablet is being described as "the most competitively priced tablet computer by an Indian-origin entrepreneur", by India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri: He further states it as being a "frugal innovation" (which he explains is UN's way of calling it a "competitively priced innovation").

The "Indian mission" as it is called, will not only showcase the tablet but also distribute some of the devices to some member states. Considering that this is the government's plan of action, I am guessing that the tablet will indeed see light of day on its promised date. While confirmed specs of the tablet are not known, the 7" capacitive touchscreen tab is said to be powered by a 1 GHz CPU, and runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and features a SIM slot for connectivity on the go. Boasting of four hours of battery life, it will ship with an Rs 1500 price tag.

The tablet has already been used to score political brownie points. Let's hope that if the Aakash does come true at the said price, dearth of connectivity and electricity don't become bottleneck in its adoption.

TAGS: Tablets, Education, Government, Android, Aakash, Kamakshi

Most people are already on their Diwali shopping sprees. If you've ended up spending too much on clothes and left with not more than 10 grand for a phone, you're at the right page! Cutting-edge smartphones cost almost as much as a pair of kidneys these days. So forget about those, and limit your hunt to the pocket-friendly segment. True, none of these phones have fancy features, but they'll be good enough to get the job done. Thanks to Google's Android OS, you now have smartphones under the Rs 10,000 mark. But don't just stick to an Android on the basis of impressive specs; build quality and user experience are equally important. So here's the list of handsets that we consider the most worthy options:


5. Nokia Asha 200
Street Price (As On 25-Oct-2012): Rs 3800 (Adexmart.com); Rs 4000 (Saholic.com, Flipkart.com)
The Asha 200 has an impressive build quality, and it looks decent. It comes with a music player, a 2 MP camera, and 32 GB microSD card support. On the messaging front, the QWERTY keypad does a stellar job. Although it is a low-end phone, it does feature built-in apps for Facebook and Twitter. If you're looking for a sturdy dual-SIM phone, the Asha 200 is the way to go.


4. Samsung GALAXY Chat
Street Price (As On 25-Oct-2012): Rs 8500 (Saholic.com, Infibeam.com)
If you love Android and also need a QWERTY keypad, the GALAXY Chat is made for you. It features an 830 MHz CPU which is capable of handling Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Apart from that, the handset packs in a 3" capacitive touchscreen, a 2 MP camera, A-GPS, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Needless to say, it's a value package for touch-and-type UI fans.


3. Nokia Asha 311
Street Price (As On 25-Oct-2012): Rs 6400 (Saholic.com, Infibeam.com, HomeShop18.com)
The Asha 311 is perfect if you're looking for a an easy-to-use feature phone. This compact unit offers a clutter-free Meego-like UI, great sound quality, a 3.2 mp camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, and a bunch of features that you generally find on smartphones. The Asha 311 also has TV-Out functionality. Add a 3" display protected by Gorilla Glass, and you get the smartest "dumb" phone on the market.


2. Superfone Canvas A100
Street Price (As On 25-Oct-2012): Rs 10,000 (Shopping.Indiatimes.com)
Can't get the big and expensive Samsung GALAXY Note 2 out of your mind? Don't lose heart, there's an affordable alternative from Micromax. Dubbed the Superfone Canvas A100, this dual-SIM handset features a 5" screen — great value for movie buffs. It's powered by a 1 GHz CPU that does a commendable job handling Android 4.0 (ICS). Apart from that, you get a 5 mp camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The A100's build quality is also quite good. In fact, there's hardly a handset around that offers such value for money!


1. Sony Xperia tipo
Street Price (As On 20-Sep-2012): Rs 9500 (Indiaplaza.com, Saholic.com, Flipkart.com)
There are many Android handsets below the Rs 10,000 mark. However, most of them are either fugly or have poor build quality. The Xperia tipo is an exception: It features a sleek design and scratch-resistant glass. Powered by an 800 MHz processor and 512 MB of RAM, the Xperia tipo packs in a 3.2 mp camera, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, Assisted GPS, and a 32 GB microSD card slot. With Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) onboard, what more would you ask for at Rs 9500?

Tags : Mobile Phones, Android, Series 40, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony, Asha, GALAXY, Xperia, Buyers Guide

Bose SIE2i
Street Price (As On 01-Oct-2012): Rs 8700

Bose is well-known for its lifestyle entertainment products, especially speakers and headphones. The company recently entered the sport audio segment with the SIE2 and SIE2i earphones. The difference between the two models is that the latter has hands-free functionality compatible with Apple devices such as the iPhone and iPod touch. This review is about the Bose SEI2i.

Design And Features
The SIE2i earphones have an unconventional StayHear design patented by the company: Each earpiece has a soft silicone rubber hook that gently fits into the depression towards the front of the ear. This prevents it from falling off when there is vigorous head movement. The cable has a clothing clip, which you attach to your shirt for extra protection. The earphones come with two extra sets of the soft eartips, so you can choose based on the size of your ears.

The SIE2i comes with a Reebok and Bose branded armband, which can house an iPhone or iPod touch — but it is not big enough for the new iPhone 5. The iDevice fits snugly inside the pouch, and the transparent window on the outside allows you to control the touchscreen. The armband wraps around the upper arm; you adjust it with Velcro fasteners, which house the earphones when not in use.

The cable length is deliberately short at 33" (83 cm), so you can use the earphones with the device in the armband. A 22" (55 cm) extension cable is provided, so you can use it without the armband too. The cable seems to be of good quality material — neither too stiff nor too soft, and resistant to tangling.

There is an in-line remote controller on the cable, which also serves as a hands-free with a microphone. The control buttons include two buttons to increase and decrease volume, and one button to pause playback or answer \ end a call. They support functionality not present on most hands-free models: Switch to an incoming \ on-hold call, or putting a call on hold (press and release middle button when on a call, press and release again to go back to the first call), switch to an incoming \ on-hold call and end current call (press middle button for about two seconds and release), skip to next song (press and release middle button twice quickly), go to previous song (press and release middle button thrice quickly), fast-forward (quickly press the middle button twice and hold the second press), and rewind (quickly press the middle button thrice and hold the third press).

I must mention that the microphone and remote functionality of this controller is supported by the iPhone (3GS, 4, and 4S), iPod touch (2nd generation and later), iPod nano (4th generation and later), iPad (original and 2), iPod classic (120 GB and 160 GB), and models of MacBook and Macbook Pro made from 2009. Only the remote playback control functionality is supported by the iPod shuffle (3rd generation and later), while the volume control is supported by all iPod models.

Performance
The earpiece design falls somewhere between in-ear and on-ear types. The eartips enter the ear canal but don't touch them, so after a while, you don't feel that you are wearing these lightweight (18 grammes) earphones at all. They cannot give provide physical isolation from ambient sound, unlike in-ear earphones, which block the ear canal. The open design causes some amount of audio leakage; the person next to you will probably know what you are listening to, although it won't be loud enough for someone to overhear an entire phone conversation.

As someone who is prone to excessive perspiration, I can vouch for the fact that these won't fall off (as in-ear earphones do) when they get wet. The SIE2i earphones allow the ear to breathe by not blocking it off, and are therefore healthier to wear for extended periods. You might think these earphones won't be able to produce as much bass as in-ear variants, but my experience tells me that Bose has taken care of that.

Sound is not channelled via the eartips into the ear canal, but via an outlet towards the back. This allows the SIE2i to produce a better soundstage. Sound does not distort even at the highest volume. Audio purists may not like these earphones because of the emphasis on vocals and bass; the majority of people will like the sound, I'm sure.

Calling functionality is as good as that on any other wired hands-free.

Verdict
The Bose SIE2i is an excellent performer. Although not audiophile-grade, it does sound very good. The open design makes it comfortable to wear even when it's hot, and the design ensures that sweat never enters the speaker section. The silicone rubber eartips fit securely and inconspicuously, and won't fall off during your exercise routine. The Reebok-branded armband looks cool and has great utility. All this, unsurprisingly, comes at a price — a hefty Rs 8700. If you don't want the in-line remote and hands-free functionality, I'd suggest you opt for the SIE2, priced at Rs 6400.

There are lower-priced models in India in the sport earphones category, such as the Philips ActionFit and the Sennheiser PMX 680i. The audio quality is only just good enough for me to mention them as alternatives. Even though it's higher priced, I can definitely recommend the Bose SIE2i for those of you who need music at the gym.

The SIE2 and the SIE2i are both available in orange and green colour schemes; I would have preferred more colour choices. Refer to the gallery below for more product images.

Features: 4.5/5
Design And Build Quality: 4.5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 3.5/5
Mojo: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

TAGS: Headphones, Accessories, Bose, Jayesh

High-end tablets are targeted at rich kids and top-level executives. Both groups share an alarming number of features in common, including the inability to get any real work done. Despite being expensive, these devices hardly offer any additional functionality over affordable tablets. Yep, these slates are all about pixel-packed screens, ridiculously powerful CPUs, and a plethora of useless apps. Having said that, they are extremely good at one thing — showing off your high-flying status to the less fortunate public! Let's see what the best tablet is when when you're ready to cross the Rs 20,000 mark.


4. Lenovo IdeaPad K1
Street Price (As On 12-Sep-2012): Rs 20,000 (Flipkart.com)

Thanks to its matte aluminium finish and textured back, the K1 is quite the looker. It packs in a 1 GHz dual-core CPU and has 1 GB of DDR2 RAM. Other features include a 5 mp primary and 2 mp front camera, 3.5 mm jack, SIM slot (for 3G data only), 32 GB internal storage (25 GB accessible), microSD card slot, and a 7400 mAh battery. Additionally, a micro-HDMI port adds more value to the package. More importantly, after a recent price cut, it has become the most affordable feature-packed tablet in this segment. The only gripe is the obsolete Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS, but an upgrade to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) is expected, although no one knows exactly when.

3. Apple iPad 2
Street Price (As On 11-Sep-2012): Rs 23,500 (BuyThePrice.com, Saholic.com); Rs 24,500 (CromaRetail.com)

With the release of Apple's new iPad, the price of the company's second-gen tablet has gone down significantly. This has sweetened the deal for the device, already one of the best tablets in the market. Despite being more than a year old, its 9.7" screen (1024x768) offers everything you need. A 1 GHz dual-core CPU and 512 MB of RAM might not sound very impressive, but it's enough to handle almost every game in the App Store. All said and done, you cannot deny the fact that it's the best chick magnet you can buy for 23 grand, especially if it's loaded with all the versions of Angry Birds.

2. ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201
Street Price (As On 12-Sep-2012): Rs 41,000 (eBay.in)

If you have a thing for standout designs, you can't ignore the Transformer Prime TF201. Its detachable keyboard dock (sold separately, and easily available in laptop shops here) is a godsend for managers who like to pretend being busy working on their tablets. The TF201 is powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3 CPU, and has 1 GB of RAM. Its 10.1" IPS screen is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass, and can render 1280x800 pixels. Other than that, it sports an 8 mp rear auto-focus camera with flash, a 1.2 mp front camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 64 GB of internal storage, 32 GB microSD card slot, and micro-HDMI port. Undoubtedly, it's one of the most powerful Android tablets in the market.

1. The new iPad (2012)
Street Price (As On 12-Sep-2012): Rs 51,000 (CromaRetail.com, Indiaplaza.com, Saholic.com)

Apple's latest tablet offers an impressive build quality, brilliant screen, simple UI, and excellent gaming performance. The slate can effortlessly handle 1080p video playback. It packs in a powerful A5X chipset, which consists of a 1 GHz dual-core CPU and quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU. Other specs include a 5 mp main and front 0.3 mp camera, 1 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Additionally, its massive 11,560 mAh battery performs exceptionally well. The 64 GB of storage and 4G LTE support ensure that your costly gadget is future-proof (until the future arrives, that is). To sum it up, the new iPad is currently the best tablet in the market, no question. If you have the money to spare and a need to be noticed, this is the device for you. Note however, that it doesn't guarantee you'll be at all productive.

Tags : Tablets, Android, Apple, ASUS, Lenovo, iPad, ThinkPad, ck

Cooler Master Power Fort 5600 mAh
MRP: Rs 4300 (Store Locator)
Street Price (As On 14-Aug-2012): Rs 3200 (Infibeam.com); Rs 3800 (Flipkart.com)

Have you ever been in a situation wherein you're in the middle of an important call or composing an important email, your phone's battery just goes flat, and you're nowhere near any recharge point? I for one face this situations often, especially during my long commute from office to home at the end of the day. Android smartphone and tablet users will feel my pain too.Thankfully, the Power Fort 5600 mAh from Cooler Master is the answer to such problems, as this portable battery pack can provide your electronic devices that extra juice when they need it the most.

It used to be Choiix before Cooler Master changed the branding.

Features And Build Quality
At first glance, the Power Fort looks like a paperweight or even a bar of soap — it's that compact. The rounded body is entirely made of plastic with a white glossy top and grey bottom with a matte finish. It has dimensions of 3" (w) x 2.4" (d) x 0.9" (h) and a weight of 132 grammes, making it very portable. The construction seems to be rugged enough to survive a few bumps, and I say this from personal experience. A metallic button at the top illuminates the adjacent battery indicator LEDs when pressed. These four lights roughly indicate the level of charge left in the battery when powering a device or during charging. A micro-USB input port is present on one side to charge the unit, while a standard USB 2.0 output charging port is situated on the opposite side.

Within the housing lie a couple of 2800 mAh rechargeable Samsung ICR18650-28A Li-ion batteries, connected in parallel. This gives the device its total power capacity of 5600 mAh. The good thing about this setup is that the batteries can be easily replaced by the user if the originals stop working, as you can get two of them for just around $18 (~Rs 1000) off eBay.com. Since the batteries are from a reputed manufacturer, you can expect better quality and a longer battery life.

The Power Fort can be charged by plugging it into the USB port of your PC or via a USB wall charger. It provides an output of 5 Volts / 2.1 Amperes, which is good enough to charge just about every mobile phone, tablet, PMP, GPS unit, or anything that accepts a standard USB \ micro-USB charging input. A micro-USB to USB cable and mini-USB to USB cable have been provided to facilitate charging the unit as well as to allow replenishing devices. However, if you have a device with a proprietary charging port, you will not be able to use the Power Fort — unless it comes with a converter to USB. Finally, a soft carry pouch has also been provided to store the device in. The full specs list is as follows:

• Capacity: 5600 mAh.
• USB Input: DC 5 V \ 1 A; USB Output: DC 5 V \ 2.1 A.
• Battery Type: Li-Ion.
• 3" x 2.4" x 0.9", 132 grammes.
• Recharge Time: 6 – 8 hours.
• Package Contents:Micro-USB cable, Mini-USB cable, Storage bag.

Performance
The only way to test the performance of this gadget is to measure the amount of time that it can keep your gizmo alive over and above the standard battery charge. My old iPhone 3G's fully-charged battery was completely deflated after 12 hours of normal use. I then connected it to the Power Fort through the iPhone's USB cable, and extended the battery life by an additional two times. In other words, I was able to fully charge the phone on two occasions from the Power Fort and use it for around 12 hours each time. The 2.1 A output current makes a difference because the phone charged almost as fast as through a wall charger, and noticeably faster than a computer's USB port.

Once fully discharged, refilling the Power Fort took around 8 hours. Even a week after it was replenished, the device didn't seem to lose much of its charge, thus showing that you can charge it, pack it along in your backpack, and use it effectively even after several days.
 

Verdict
The Cooler Master Power Fort 5600 mAh does what is expected of it by providing a power backup for your USB-chargeable devices when you're on a long journey or away from a power source. It's considerably compact and portable with a rugged build, so you'll never feel like you're carrying around extra baggage. When compared to the Portronics Charge X with a similar capacity of 5600 mAh, it is apparent that the Power Fort looks better, is more compact, has a better build quality, and does not use cheap (and risky) Li-polymer batteries. On the other hand, the Charge X comes with the ability to refill two devices simultaneously (a blessing if you have a co-traveller buddy or colleague), offers a multitude of charging adaptors, and is cheaper at Rs 2500. Nevertheless, at Rs 3200, the value of the Power Forte outweighs the increase price, especially considering its far superior quality. This can prove to be an indispensable gizmo if you're one of those who like going off  on long treks, but can't do without your hourly fix of Angry Birds.
 

Features: 4/5
Design And Build Quality: 4.5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4/5
Mojo: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

TAGS: Gizmos, Accessories, Cooler Master, Jayesh

We have already reviewed the HTC One X, Samsung GALAXY S III (GS3), and LG's Optimus 4X HD. Now what's better than pitting these beasts against each other? After seeing how much our readers enjoyed flaming us (and each other) in our previous Superphone Grudge Match, we decided to hold another such event, and making it more fun by throwing three heavyweights into the ring.

The aim is to help Android fanboys (with deep pockets) choose the ultimate handset without having to go through three individual reviews. In this comparison, the winner of each round will be awarded 3 points, while the first and second runners-up will receive 2 and 1 points respectively. Let the battle begin!
 

Round I: Design And Build Quality

Undoubtedly, HTC has produced one of the better-looking phones in the Android camp. Its unibody construction makes Samsung's GS3 look positively flimsy. While the 4X HD's design is also good, it's certainly not as impressive as the One X. Therefore, HTC's flagship phone wins this round, while the 4X HD comes second.

The HTC One X Wins!
Score: 4X HD - 2, One X - 3, GS3 - 1
 

Round II: User Interface

With all three handsets running Android 4.0, it's the manufacturer's customisation that makes all the difference. The GS3 offers excellent Android experience with its smooth and easy to use interface. LG has also shown plenty of improvement in its software skills. Although the HTC's Sense UI offers more eye candy, the One X disappoints with its sluggishness. Therefore, in terms of user experience, I find the GS3 and 4X HD better than the One X, in that order.

The GS3 Wins!
Score: 4X HD - 4, One X - 4, GS3 - 4
 

Round III: Performance

On paper, all three handsets look equally impressive. However, in the real world, the Exynos 4212 powered GS3 shatters its competition. Since the One X and 4X HD both use the same Tegra 3 chipset, you'd expect them tie for the second place. However, thanks to the better software optimisation, the 4X HD beats HTC's flagship phone.

The GS3 Wins!
Score: 4X HD - 6, One X - 5, GS3 - 7
 

Round IV: Features

While these phones have a similar set of features, Samsung takes the lead with its Super AMOLED screen. Moreover, the GS3 has a bunch of software features, including S-Voice (voice assistant) and Smart Stay (the screen remains on as long as it detects your presence). Since there's very little to separate the One X and 4X HD, they're tied for second place.

The GS3 Wins!
Score: 4X HD - 8, One X - 7, GS3 - 10
 

Round V: Camera

As mentioned in the review, the 4X HD's camera was a real disappointment. On the other hand, the GS3 and One X's snappers are incredibly fast and feature-packed. If I have to choose between the two though, I'll go for the GS3 due to its better image quality.

The GS3 Wins!
Score: 4X HD - 9, One X - 9, GS3 - 13
 

Round VI: Value For Money

The GS3 and One X are priced at around Rs 38,000 and Rs 36,000 respectively. This makes LG's 4X HD (Rs 33,000) the cheapest quad-core phone in the market. Therefore, it deserves the top spot in this round. Considering the GS3's performance and impressive display, it's also fairly priced. On the other hand, the One X's performance (or lack thereof) fails to justify its price tag.

The 4X HD Wins!
Final Score: 4X HD - 12, One X - 10, GS3 - 15
 

The Winner: Samsung GALAXY S III!

As you can see from the scores, even after being the most good-looking phone of the lot, the One X had to narrowly settle for third place due to its lacklustre performance. On the other hand, While LG's 4X HD didn't win too many rounds, it consistently placed second in most rounds, earning it the overall runner-up's place.

The GS3 dominated the ring with its winning combination of performance and features. Even though it was let down by its cheap looks, it came out firing on all four CPUs in most of the other rounds to comfortably bag the first place, a spot it well deserves. Gentlemen and lady (since there are practically no girl techies around), please put your hands together for the new King Of The Ring — the Samsung GALAXY S III! One X fanboys, you may now proceed with your flaming!
 

Tags : Mobile Phones, Android, HTC, LG, Samsung, GALAXY, One, Optimus, ck

The collapse of the northern power grid last week, just as the deadline to file income tax returns was about to expire, prevented many taxpayers from submitting their returns on time. The government has therefore provided respite by extending the deadline to the 31st of August for individuals and HUFs (Hindu Undivided Family). This news is probably music to the ears of perennial procrastinators, who have for some reason or other avoided filing their returns thus far.

While many of you might think that it is better to let a professional handle the task, filing your I-T returns isn't hard at all. Last year, we had published a step-by-step guide to the process, which was well-received by readers. The process has hardly changed since then, but even so, this guide will show you exactly what you need to do to file your I-T returns online and save your CA's (Chartered Accountant) or Tax Return Preparer's fees. Best of all, you can do everything from the comfort of your home!

Note: This guide applies only to Form ITR-1 — that is, salaried individuals with no other sources of income, except for interest income and rental income from one property. If you own more than one property, or if you've sold a property between Apr 2011- Mar 2012, as well as professionals ( doctors, consultants, etc) are better off hiring a CA to get the job done.

The first thing you need to do is obtain your Form 16. This is provided by your employer — if you don't have it, you can request your HR department for one. This form is a statement of your taxable salary, allowed deductions, and the tax that has been paid on your behalf. Also, banks and other financial institutions that charge you TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) on the interest due to you are supposed to supply you with a Form 16A.

The return needs to be filed before 31st August if you are eligible for tax refunds. If you aren't due for a refund and your salary is under 5 lakhs, you are exempt from filing returns. It is prudent to do so nonetheless, especially if you intend to apply for home \ car loans in the future, since that requires I-T return details spanning the previous three years.

With the Form 16 sorted out, you can now visit the Income Tax India website.


Step I: Assuming that you are yet to register, click on the Register link on the right side to create a new account. You will be prompted to enter your PAN (Permanent Account Number), which is assigned as your user ID. Hit the Click Me button to proceed to the next page. Enter your details in the registration form — keep your PAN card handy, because the details have to exactly match those mentioned on the card. Keep the Click here if you want to register your Digital Certificate box unchecked, because you most likely don't have one. Then click the register button to complete the signup, following which you will receive a confirmation e-mail.

Step II: Log into your spanking new account. The very first thing you need to do is view your Form 26AS statement, which specifies how much tax has been paid on your behalf to the I-T department. To view the statement, click on the View Tax Credit Statement (Form 26AS) under the My Account drop-down menu at the top.

In the subsequent page, select Assessment Year 2012-13 from the drop-down box, enter your Date of Birth, the security code, and click Submit. In the next page, click on the Confirm button, then on the View Form 26AS link at the bottom of the page that opens.
 

Step III: Your Form 26AS should now be visible. Note down the total of the TDS deposited column. This is the tax that has actually been paid on your behalf. Now take all your Form 16 \ 16As that you have, and total up the amounts in the Tax payable field of each form. Observe the details carefully to make sure there is no addition mistake. This is the tax amount that you're supposed to pay. Now, there are three possibilities:

• Case 1: The tax that you actually paid (Form 26AS) is exactly equal to the tax that you're supposed to pay (Form 16 \ 16A). This means there is no mismatch and you can proceed with the rest of the steps.
• Case 2: The tax that you actually paid is more than the tax you're supposed to pay. In this case, you're eligible for a tax refund. Proceed as usual.
• Case 3: The tax that you actually paid is less than the tax you're supposed to pay. Whoops, there's been a screw-up somewhere!

The third case is rather rare, but if it happens, you should not file your I-T return online. You will have to contact a CA for his help in finding out what caused the discrepancy. The most likely reason for this is that your employer or bank made an error while depositing the tax or making an entry in the system. However, since pretty much everything's computerized nowadays, this is a very unusual occurrence, so you'll almost never have to worry about it happening to you.

Step IV: Next, assuming all has checked out well and you belong to either of the first two cases listed in the previous step, you'll need to know which I-T jurisdiction you fall under (this is needed when filling the tax form). Head back to the Income Tax E-Filing homepage and click on Know your Jurisdictional AO under the Services drop-down menu at the top. Note down your jurisdiction code as shown below — in this case, 3(3).

Step V: Now, we need to download the I-T return form. To do so, select Individual, HUF from the e-Filing A.Y. 2012-13 menu under the DOWNLOAD section in the left panel. Since this guide only covers salaried individuals, you'll have to download the ITR-1 (SAHAJ) form as highlighted below.

Step VI: Extract the Excel spreadsheet from the ZIP file downloaded in the previous step and open it. Make sure you enable macros and ActiveX content by choosing the Enable this content radio button when the Security Alert - Macros & ActiveX security warning pops up. If you have Microsoft Office 2010, click on the Enable Content button that will show up at the top of the sheet. Do not use Apache OpenOffice or any other office suite to open this sheet — it is compatible only with MS Excel.

Get your Form 16 \ 16A ready, as most of the details will have to be copied over from in a fairly straightforward way. On opening the spreadsheet, you will find yourself in the Income Details page of a multi-sheet document. Enter the details such as your name, address, birth date, PAN number, and INCOME TAX WARD \ CIRCLE (jurisdiction code), the last of which was obtained in Step IV. Unless you're employed by the Indian government or in a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), select OTH from the drop-down menu in the Employer Category (if in employment) field. Keep the default value for the Return filed under section field.

Step VII: Scroll down and fill up Field 1 based on the amount mentioned in the Income chargeable under the head 'salaries' field in your Form 16. Field 2 is meant for rental income from a single house. If you've collected rent from more than one house or sold your property in the previous financial year (Apr 11-Mar 12), this guide ends here, because you need to fill up ITR-2 instead. Field 3 is the sum of the interest earned from your bank accounts, fixed deposits (FD), etc. You will get this information from your bank account statement, or in case tax has been deducted, from the Form 16A supplied by your bank.

In case you've made tax-saving investments, mention them in the relevant sections of Field 5. Note that donations made under Section 80(G) will have to be filled out separately, which I will come to in Step X. Finally, click on the Validate button near the top. When it gives you an OK message, and proceed to the TDS sheet by clicking the Next button or selecting the TDS tab at the bottom of the Excel screen.

Step VIII: Once in the TDS sheet, fill in columns (2), (3), and (5) from your Form 26AS statement. The information under column (4) needs to be taken from the Form 16. You don't need to fill in individual payments from the statement — simply total all the amounts for each unique Tax Deduction Account Number (TAN) into one single row. In this example, even though the Form 26AS in Step III shows 10 payments made by the employer with TAN BLRT08111F, they've all been clubbed into a single row after totalling all the entries. If you had drawn a salary from more than one employer during the year, enter them in the additional rows provided. You can add even more rows by pressing the + button below the section.

Note: The remaining part of this step will not be applicable to most of you (all those who didn't get taxed on the interest from bank accounts and FDs), so you can safely skip it if you don't want to get confused by the details. If so, click the Validate button, and once you get the OK message, click Next or go to the Taxes paid and Verification sheet.

Field 24 is meant to fill in TDS details on your income from investments such as fixed deposits, savings accounts, etc, if any. If so, you will have received a Form 16A from your bank. Fill columns (2), (3), and (6) as before by referring to Form 26AS. The amounts in column (7) will be equal to those in column (6). Finally, columns (4) and (5) can be filled by using the Form 16A you received from the bank. Note that column (5) will almost always be given a value of 2011 (since the TDS amount for the interest was deducted in 2011-12). As before, total all the deductions made by a unique TAN into a single row, and place separate TANs in different rows. Use the + button to add more rows if required.

Finally, Field 25 deals with Advance Tax and Self Assessment Tax. While Advance Tax is not applicable to most of us, the latter is best illustrated with this example: suppose you have a large sum in your bank account earning you a tidy interest that's already taxed at the default rate of 10%. You've entered this interest amount in Field 3 of the Income Details sheet. However, your total income actually puts you in the 20% tax bracket. In this case, once you've filled out all the other fields and pressed the Calculate button to compute the payable tax, the spreadsheet will indicate that you now owe some tax to the I-T department.

Once you know the amount you owe, you will have to pay the tax first, then come back and complete the rest of the steps. You can make the payment through any nationalised bank and receive a challan number. An easier way though is to pay the amount online as follows: visit this e-payment site, then click the CHALLAN NO./ITNS 280 link. In the page that opens, select the (0021)INCOME-TAX (OTHER THAN COMPANIES) radio button and the (300)SELF ASSESSMENT TAX option in the Type Of Payment section. Fill up the rest of the form, and choose the bank where you have a netbanking account. When you click Proceed, you will be taken to that bank's payment gateway, where you can complete the transaction by entering the tax amount. Once the payment has been made, you will be provided a receipt containing the challan number and other details, which you can enter into the corresponding columns.

Finally, click on the Validate button near the top and after getting the OK message, click on the Next button or proceed to the Taxes paid and Verification sheet.

Step IX: Phew! Now that we've successfully completed Step VIII, it's all downhill from here. Enter your bank account number in Field 20. If you're due for a refund (remember Case 2 in Step III?) and would like it to be sent straight into your account (the most convenient way), select Yes in Field 21. Then enter the 9-digit MICR Code (printed in your cheque book) and type of account (usually Savings) in Field 22. However, if you're not eligible for a refund (Case 1, Step III) or would like a cheque, select No in Field 21 instead and skip Field 22.

Next, fill all the details in Field 26. As in the earlier steps, validate this sheet and then move on to the final one: 80G.

Step X: The 80G sheet is used to provide information about any donations you might have made under the 80(G) section eligible for tax deductions. Of course, if you haven't made any donations, leave the fields empty.

In most cases, the donations you made will be liable to a 50% exemption, in which case, you have to fill in Section B. The columns are self-explanatory, and the information will be available in the 80(G) receipt provided by the charity. The qualifying amounts will then be automatically filled into Field 5i of the Income Details sheet. Validate the data, then come back to the main Income Details sheet.

Step XI: Once all the sheets have been validated and you've returned to the first Income Details sheet, click the Calculate Tax button near the top of the screen. This will fill out Fields 16-19 in the Taxes paid and Verification sheet, thus providing the final figure of the taxes you owe or the refund due to you. In case you owe some tax, you will have to pay it first before going ahead with the next few steps. Refer to the end part of Step VIII for details on how to do this.

Now, click on the Generate button, which will create a new sheet in the document, called Pre-XML Check. This sheet contains a summary of your tax statement and other important details, so you can double-check them for errors. Once you've confirmed everything's OK, click on the Save XML button to create an XML report file that will be saved in the same location as the ITR-1 spreadsheet.

Step XII: We now need to submit the XML file to the I-T department. To do so, head back to the Income Tax E-Filing website (make sure you're still logged in) and select AY 12-13 from the Select Assessment Year menu under the SUBMIT RETURN section in the left panel.

In the subsequent form, select ITR-1 from the Select Form Name list. Since you most likely don't have a digital signature, choose not to digitally sign the file, then hit Next. In the screen that follows, browse to the location where the XML file was created in the previous step and select it. Click on the Upload button. That's it, your return has been filed!

Step XIII: One final task remains. After the upload is complete, you will be asked to download a ZIP file containing Form ITR-V. This is an important document that needs to be signed by you. In the absence of a digital signature, it acts as a physical verification that the information you have provided to the I-T authorities is not fraudulent. You will also receive this file in your e-mail inbox.

Extract this PDF file and open it using the password, which is your PAN number followed by your date of birth, all in lowercase and with no spaces or special characters. As an example, assume that your PAN is AFHWR4348J and your birth date is 30-Aug-1979. In that case, the password will be: afhwr4348j30081979. Take a printout of this file, sign it, and mail it to the following address:

Income Tax Department - CPC, Post Bag #1, Electronic City Post Office, Bangalore - 560 100

Please note that you can mail this document either through regular or Speed Post, but not via registered post or courier. The letter must reach within 120 days (four months) of submitting the XML file. Roughly about 15 days after mailing the ITR-V, you will receive an acknowledgement email from the I-T department, thus concluding the entire process.

Step 15: Congratulations, you have successfully achieved the goal of filing your Income Tax returns online! You may now celebrate. Or not.

Tags : Guides, Government, Internet, Jayesh

Last week, we published a list of the top ultra-cheap tablets. While they serve the purpose for those on a very tight budget, if you're ready to loosen your purse strings a little, the quality and performance of the options on offer increase dramatically. For up to Rs 15,000, expect pixel-packed screens and commendable build quality, as well as additional features such as GSM phone calls. Even so, once in a while the occasional lemon does turn up, such as the Zync Z999 Plus. If you're planning to buy a tablet in this price range, here are the products worthy of your consideration. Surprisingly, there's also a non-Android tablet in the list.


3. NXG Xtab A10 Plus
Street Price (As On 18-Jul-2012): Rs 8200 (NXGElectronics.in)
This tablet from NXG features a pixel-packed IPS screen that offers wide viewing angles and rich colours. Even in terms of build quality, the manufacturer has done a great job. Its 1.2 GHz CPU keeps the Android 4.0 experience pleasant. Other features, such as HDMI-Out and 1080p video playback, sweeten the deal. Considering its low cost, the Xtab A10 Plus is hard to beat in terms of its price-to-performance ratio.
 

2. BlackBerry PlayBook (16 GB)
Street Price (As On 18-Jul-2012): Rs 13,200 (Saholic.com); Rs 13,500 (ManiacStore.com); Rs 14,000 (ShopBlackBerry.com)
For most products, even the non-tech ones, the entry-level segment mostly consists of brands from companies you've never heard of. However, the PlayBook is an exception. This 7" tablet features an impressive build quality. Even in the specs department, the slate shines with its dual-core 1 GHz CPU, 1 GB of RAM, 5 mp rear and 3 mp front camera (both with 1080p recording), and 16 GB of onboard storage. After the price cut, it's become great value for money as well. If you're open to other operating systems, the BlackBerry PlayBook is the way to go.

1. Lenovo IdeaPad A1
Street Price (As On 18-Jul-2012): Rs 13,500 (Shopping.Indiatimes.com, Grabmore.in)
This 7" tablet from the Chinese manufacturer packs in a 1 GHz CPU with 512 MB of RAM. Its 7" screen has pixel dimensions of 1024x600. Although it hasn't received an Android 4.0 update yet, the user experience offered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) is nevertheless very good. The A1 also features a 3 mp rear and 0.3 mp front camera, Wi-Fi, offline GPS navigation, and 16 GB of internal storage. More importantly, it has a great build quality. Accordingly, it deserves the top spot in this list.
 

Tags : Tablets, Android, BlackBerry, Lenovo, PlayBook, IdeaPad, ck

Still waiting for the Aakash tablet? Wake up and smell the scam, my friend — it's time to move on. In the meantime, the market has been flooded with ultra-cheap tablets that offer better specs and more features. Of course, these gadgets from Intex, Micromax, Zync, Beetel, HCL, and NXG aren't as easy on the pocket as the government-funded Aakash. Nonetheless, they offer a great price to performance ratio. Without further ado, here's the list of tablets that should be on the radar of any bargain hunter. Note that I have not included any tablets with CPUs less than 1 GHz or lacking a multi-touch screen, since that's the minimum requirement for a decent Android experience.


3. WickedLeak Wammy 7
Street Price (As On 12-Jul-2012): Rs 5800 (Rs 500 extra for one-year warranty)

WickedLeak's Wammy 7 is a pocket-friendly tablet that offers Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and a plethora of features, including HDMI-Out and 1080p video playback. The device is powered by a 1.2 GHz CPU, coupled with 512 MB of RAM. More importantly, the righteous company makes sure that no prison labour is involved in the manufacturing process. Accordingly, for Rs 6300 (including warranty, which is a must-buy), the Wammy 7 deserves its place in this list.
 

2. Micromax funbook
Street Price (As On 12-Jul-2012): Rs 6300 (BuyThePrice.com; Tradus.com; Saholic.com)

If you ignore the highly annoying Akshay Kumar ads, Micromax is a pretty decent brand. Like its entry-level cellphones, the company's affordable tablet has become an instant hit in our country. Instead of buying a device made in some shady factory in China and then branded by an unheard-of Indian importer, people prefer to go for established brands. Thankfully, Micromax's tablet doesn't disappoint its buyers. Its 1.2 GHz CPU goes well with ICS. The slate is also capable of 1080p video playback, and sports an HDMI-Out port. Unlike most affordable tablets, Micromax's funbook doesn't look bad either. What else could one ask for while shelling out a measly Rs 6300?

1. NXG Xtab A10 (8 GB)
Street Price (As On 12-Jul-2012): Rs 6700 (eBay.in)

On paper, the Xtab A10 is just another Android tablet. However, it's the A10's snappy performance that makes it special. Its 1 GHz CPU (NXG advertizes the CPU as 1.5 GHz, but that's not the actual clock speed) and 512 MB of RAM keep the ICS experience pleasant. Additionally, its sleek design and sturdy construction provide it an edge over the competition. Needless to mention, it comes with the usual bells and whistles, including an HDMI-Out port and microSD card slot. To sum it up, the Xtab A10 tops our list of recommended tablets with its impressive performance and reasonable price.

The only thing you need to worry about is the stream of negative reports emanating about the company's policies, customer support, and an apparently faulty batch of products that found its way into the market. It has to be said though, that I did not encounter any problems at all when I used the tablet. NXG has also issued a triple-money-back challenge to anyone who can show that the battery life while watching movies is less than three hours.

In light of all this, to be on the safe side if you intend on purchasing the tablet, use the eBay.in link provided in the street price, instead of ordering the product directly off the manufacturer's website. This will give you at least a modicum of protection in the event that you're delivered a lemon.
 

Tags : Tablets, Android, Micromax, ck

Journey (PS3)
Developer: thatgamecompany
Publisher: SCEA Santa Monica
Genre: Adventure
Price (As On 5-Jul-2012): Rs 750 (available only through the PSN Store)


It's a world that can't be anything short of a fairytale. It's so majestic, you want to hope that it actually exists. But it does, in a game that doesn't play by any known rules of the medium. Journey is full of moments that leave you in awe. This PSN game does a lot that cannot be found in or even expected of contemporary video games.
 

An Artist's Masterpiece
If you haven't played Flower, you may not know what to expect from this title. After creating the awe-inspiring world of Flower, the folks over at thatgamecompany are back with another surreal setting that transcends every level of visual magnificence. The devil is in the details. Be it grains of sand that float in the air, or snowflakes that shower from the sky, these little nuances infuse life into the proceedings.

The setting is so enchanting that you can spend hours walking in a direction without any complaints at all. While you're at it, the game's soothing acoustics keep you enthralled. All of this lets you achieve nothing concrete in terms of progression. However, the joy lies in exploring every possible corner of the land. It is in such moments that you sense some form of link to your character and the world around it.
 

Solitude
The title's vibrant landscapes are matched with the developer's ability to narrate the story with the utmost subtlety. The plot feels like neatly interwoven episodes that do not explain everything, leaving a lot to the imagination. No part of the story is ever explained in words. Every little detail conveyed is either musical or visual in its form. As you enter this strangely pleasant world, all you see is the reddish-brown garb that you are about to wear, the tiny little eyes, and slender legs of your character. It is only in the first few minutes of the game that you receive any instructions at all. Once you are past that point, there's no spoon-feeding involved. All you see is your final goal — to reach the mountain from where the silver sparkling light emerges. You also encounter another character in your journeys: a tall figure in a white garb. This character belongs to the civilization whose land you're wandering on, and has a story to tell.
 

A Cerebral Experience
While traversing across the environs, you move past barren structures and come across bizarre elements such as flying carpets that, quite literally, build bridges for you. Random wall paintings convey the history of the long-lost civilization that may have prospered in the desert at some point of time. The scarf around the neck of your character works like a power-up that can be charged by leaping into small bits of cloth suspended in the air. It grows in length every time you assimilate them. Jumping is as good as flying, complete with gliding mechanics.

The idea is to explore the place by yourself, or with an online companion. While I played a major part of the game as a lone player, the existence of a buddy on this ride reminded me of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince. Although both are quite different in their contexts, they evoke similarly powerful emotions.
 

Team ICO Would Be Proud
There is a deeper meaning to everything depicted in this game, and that's what sets it apart. Journey baffles you with its near-perfect beauty and game elements that work within the narrative's constraints. Though the length may be a bit short, the visuals will continue to haunt you long after you've finished. In essence, you could say that it's a spiritual successor to the legendary ICO.
 

Gameplay And Design: 4/5
Graphics: 5/5
Sound: 5/5
Mojo: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

TAGS: Gaming, PlayStation, Sanali

NXG Xtab A10 Plus
MRP (As On 28-Jun-2012): Rs 8200


A couple months ago, we were blown away by NXG's entry-level tablet, the Xtab A10. Its affordable price tag made sure that no rival can beat it in terms of price-to-performance ratio. This time around, the manufacturer is offering a better screen and faster performance with its Xtab 10 Plus. Of course, that hikes up a few thousand bucks in its price tag. Let's find out if this new offering manages to strike a fine balance between price and performance, just like its predecessor.


Design And Build Quality
The retail box includes the tablet, USB cable, and charger. The gadget measures 7.7" (l) x 4.8" (w) x 0.3" (8 mm) (d), and tips the scales at 271 grammes. It's worth noting that NXG has done a great job at delivering a slim profile. Also, it's hard to find such lightweight tablets at this price point. The build quality is good too, and the icing on the cake is the brushed metal finish on its rear.
 

In the Xtab A 10's review, I had pointed out the screen's poor viewing angles. Thankfully, the manufacturer has addressed this issue, by introducing an IPS panel. Not only does this screen provide wide viewing angles, but also offers rich colour reproduction. Additionally, with pixel dimensions of 1024x600, it's one of the most pixel-packed screens you can have under 10k.

The slate is powered by a 1.2 GHz processor, and has 1 GB of RAM. Other specs include:

• A 2 MP rear and a front VGA camera
• 8 GB internal memory and a microSD card slot
• An HDMI port, 3.5 mm jack, Wi-Fi, and a micro-USB slot with USB OTG (On The Go) support
• A 3000 mAh battery.

UI And Performance
Similar to its predecessor, the Xtab A10 Plus runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out of the box. NXG hasn't customised the UI too much, so the interface is clean. The tablet's hardware is good enough to keep the user experience pleasing. The tablet has a slight amount of lag though, but overall it's still miles ahead of its competitors. I also liked how this tablet's impressive display complements the ICS's looks.

The onboard browser has sleek looks and fast rendering time. Coming to the subject of gaming, the Xtab A10 Plus showed no signs of stutter while playing popular games such as Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja.


Multimedia
The tablet's music player offers a basic UI, but it gets the work done. If paired with decent earphones, the Xtab A10 Plus can offer great sound quality. I also found the onboard speaker louder than any of those found on similarly priced tablets. As usual, you have plethora of equalizer settings and sound effects.

The tablet supports various video formats including DivX, XviD, WMV, and MP4. It had no problem handling 1080p videos. This is impressive, since many of expensive tablets from reputed brands sometime fail to keep up with 1080p videos. Moreover, the presence of an HDMI port means that you can hook it up to HDTVs.

In addition to a front facing camera, NXG has also included a rear 2 MP camera. As expected, the resulting photos are full of noise. In short, the camera is terrible and the lesser said about this feature the better.


Battery And Verdict
The Xtab A10 Plus packs in a 3000 mAh battery, at least that's what the manufacturer claims. Although I can't confirm battery's capacity, I can happily tell you that it's more than enough to keep the device powered on for a day under average use. While playing a 720p video in a constant loop, the battery lasts for almost 5 hours.

Similar to its predecessor, the new Xtab A10 Plus is very well priced. For around Rs. 8000, you get an excellent screen, 1080p video playback, HDMI port, and great sound quality. Although the rear camera is useless, it's added as a token feature. Therefore, if you're looking for an affordable tablet, the Xtab A10 is the way to go.


Features: 4.5/5
Design And Build Quality: 4.5/5
Performance: 4/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Mojo: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

TAGS: Tablets, Android, ck

The Samsung GALAXY S III (GS3) and Nokia 808 PureView aren't competing directly with each other, plus there's a significant price difference between them. Nevertheless, these are the newest flagship products from two of the world's biggest handset makers. If you're a casual user who's equally impressed by the GS3's quad-core CPU and Nokia's PureView tech, this comparison will shed more light on features beyond their USPs. So grab your popcorn, turn off your cellphone, and let the fight begin!
 

Round I: Design And Build Quality

When you spend more than 30k on a phone, it had better be good-looking. Sadly, Samsung doesn't seem to agree. The GS3 is cursed with the most uninspiring design that a top-end phone can have. If that wasn't enough, it even has an all-plastic body, which just looks cheap. On the other hand, while some may call it odd, the 808 has a unique design. The Finns have used polycarbonate to construct this handset, making it one of the most rugged top-end smartphones in the market today.

The 808 Wins!
Score: 808 - 1, GS3 - 0
 

Round II: User Interface And Ecosystem

The latest version of the Symbian OS, Belle, offers a pleasing experience. Navigating through the UI is smooth, and multitasking is handled with ease. However, the browser and keypad have a long way to go before they can match up to the polish of the Android platform. As for the GS3, not only is the interface more appealing visually, Samsung has also managed to add nifty software tweaks that enhance the user experience. More importantly, the Ovi Store has no chance against the rich Android Play Store. In short, the GS3 beats Nokia 808 hands down.

The GS3 Wins!
Score: 808 - 1, GS3 - 1
 

Round III: Performance

Although the 808's performance is very good when compared to earlier Symbian devices, its gaming experience is not up to the mark. In contrast, the quad-core monster GS3 handles complex 3D games without a hitch. Undoubtedly, the Exynos 4212 totally destroys the 808's chipset.

The GS3 Wins!
Score: 808 - 1, GS3 - 2
 

Round IV: Features

In the features department, both the 808 and GS3 are packed to the gills. While the latter scores over Nokia's offering with its 4.8" Super AMOLED display, the 808 fights back strongly with its HDMI port, Dolby Digital Plus sound, free voice-guided sat nav, and FM transmitter. In other aspects, both have 16 GB internal storage, a microSD card slot with support for up to 32 GB, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and NFC. Therefore, I call this round a tie.

It's A Tie!
Score: 808 - 1.5, GS3 - 2.5
 

Round V: Camera

The GS3's camera has a few software tricks up its sleeve. However, it doesn't even come close to the 808 in terms of image quality. Since the latter's 41 MP sensor also blows most point-and-shoot cameras clear out of the water, it wins this round effortlessly.

The 808 Wins!
Score: 808 - 2.5, GS3 - 2.5
 

Round VI: Value For Money

The GS3's performance and impressive display justifies its price tag. However, many will be disappointed with the all-plastic body and stale design. Similarly, while the 808 has an outstanding camera, many people will be turned off by the lack of quality apps in Symbian. Overall, both handsets have been fairly priced, so there's no clear winner in this round.

It's A Tie!
Score: 808 - 3, GS3 - 3
 

Gentlemen, We Have A Tie!
Round VII: Tiebreaker!

So, the match has ended in a draw. But draws are so boring! Granted, this has been an even contest — but there can be only one! For the tiebreaker, we'll take the reviewer's tilt into consideration. While the GS3 is certainly a great phone, it has limited utility to me since I'm not interested in mobile gaming or downloading a whole bunch of apps on my phone. On the other hand, since I'm a wannabe photographer, I put my money on the 808 PureView, which offers me all the performance and apps I'll ever need.

The 808 Wins!
Final Score: 808 - 4, GS3 - 3
 

The Winner: Nokia 808 PureView!

Taking out the personal equation, it has to be said that both devices are good phones in their own right. In the end, it purely comes down to a matter of choice. If photography is your thing, go for the 808. If you're a mobile gamer, and love to try out new apps, the GS3 is your weapon of choice. I hope this grudge match has helped you make an informed decision. Now let the post-match fan rioting begin!
 

Tags : Mobile Phones, Android, Symbian, Nokia, Samsung, GALAXY, ck

I'm a big fan of the zombie mythos — the kind that looks forward to an undead apocalypse, replete with the de-facto standard zombie bible, a frighteningly elaborate survival strategy, and a go-bag containing all that you need to hold out after a zombie outbreak. Given the recent turn of events, this blend of fantasy and paranoia might not sound so crazy after all. "Bath salts", my ass!

Having established that a zombie outbreak is just around the corner, it's time you got yourself an insurance package. And I mean a full-blown zombie survival kit by that. More importantly, one that's more focussed and relevant to the Indian context, because the basics have already been covered by the Yanks. However, as proper zombicidal gear can be (a) illegal, and (b) not very practical, this guide does its best to stay within the legal boundaries and strike a fine balance between utility and pure zombie-killing power.

All geared up and ready for a zombie outbreak!

Training

The Zombie Survival Guide
Price: Rs 1200 (Flipkart.com)

To defeat your enemy, you must first know it. Noted zombie expert Max Brook's magnum opus will teach you all that you need to know about the undead and how to survive an apocalypse. From zombie behaviour and anatomy, survival strategies, preparedness, and a weapons guide, to the psychological aspects of a long-term zombie siege - this tome covers everything you would want to know when the dead walk the earth. The book will prove instrumental in helping you select the number and the kind of people in your zombie survival group.

When you finalise your survival team, don't forget to stock up on the Zombie Survival Guide Deck to get your recruits up to speed. Remember, sound planning is the foundation of success. Your survival is important, because for all we know, the task of repopulating the Earth may rest upon your groi- erm, shoulders post the zombie apocalypse.
 

Utility

Webtex Combat Survival Kit
Price: Rs 1650 (OlivePlanet.in)

If you're reading this, there's a good chance that you're a city boy. There's an even greater chance that, like all city boys, you are a slave to urban comforts. Luxuries such as clean water, hot food, easy access to medical attention, and power. Things that you take for granted - but the fact is that you won't survive a week without them. During any apocalypse - zombie or otherwise - these modern amenities are the first to go. The Webtex Combat Survival Kit is an absolute must for surviving the initial few days, when the poop hits the ceiling and all hell breaks loose.

The kit has all that you need to tend wounds (first aid kit), navigate smartly (compass), and snare small animals and fish (snare wire and fishing kit) for survival. However, its most important inclusions are the commando saw and Swedish FireSteel. The former is invaluable for sawing trees off for firewood, whereas the FireSteel makes starting fires easy, as demonstrated in the video below. Don't forget to add the Swedish Army's Camp-A-Box for having meals on the go.

Hydration

US Army Canteen
Price: Rs 300 (OlivePlanet.in)

There's a good reason why I prefer to buy anything and everything from military surplus depots. If there is a MIL-SPEC (built as per military specifications) option available, grab it with both hands over the civilian equivalent. These goods are are rugged and no-nonsense, while employing simple, effective engineering over wanton flamboyance. Since it's a matter of life and death, they are stress-tested for years before induction. They're also surprisingly cheap, thanks to the wonders of mass production.

The US Army Canteen is a lightweight hydration gear designed to carry the most amount of water with the smallest possible footprint. It's fashioned out of High-Density Poly-Ethylene (HDPE), which means it doesn't produce shrapnel when subjected to concussive forces caused by explosives. It's good to know that at least your water bottle won't kill you. Moreoever, HDPE doesn't produce carcinogenic bisphenols - something that can't be said of regular plastic bottles. For its measly Rs 300 asking price, you also get a high-quality, fleece-lined holster replete with ALICE clips. And anything bearing ALICE clips is serious business!

Lighting

Geonaute LF 500 Headlamp
Price: Rs 1400 (Wildcraft.in)


LED Angle Torch
Price: Rs 450 (OlivePlanet.in)


Dynamo-Powered Torch And Charger
Price: Rs 530 (eBay.in); Rs 1000 (Rediff.com)

It's a well-known fact that a zombie's vision depends on the state of decomposition its eyeballs are in. Since they are in a perpetual state of rot, it's obviously not all that good. However, it is postulated that the undead are excellent nocturnal hunters that greatly leverage the senses of smell and hearing. What you must do, therefore, is stock up on lighting gear.

The Geonaute LF 500 is a headlamp that keeps your hands free to wield a tool or weapon, so that you can go about screwing bolts and unscrewing zombie melons in the dark. It sports a large LED lamp rated at 1 Watt that's good for lighting up roads and trails, while its secondary triple LEDs are suitable for reading maps. However, if you like to keep things old-school, an LED angle torch provides handsfree illumination as well.

A dynamo-powered torch is a true post-apocalyptic gadget, as it carries its own power source. Crank it for a few seconds and it will light up for several minutes. The video below demonstrates how this device is capable of charging your cellphones and two-way radios as well. The costlier version available on Rediff Shopping even includes an AM\FM receiver, which will come in handy for listening to emergency broadcasts.

Optics

KONUSPOT-50 Spotting Scope
Price: Rs 4000 (OlivePlanet.in)

As explained earlier, zombies can hear you long before you can see them. It's therefore imperative to augment your visual range with good optics. The KONUSPOT-50 spotting scope is just what the doctor ordered for excellent situational awareness. Its variable magnification, ranging from 15x to 40x, lets you spot ghouls and plan your route to minimise undead encounters, thereby reducing risk as well as conserving ammo.
 

Communication

Motorola Talkabout MR355R Two-Way Radio
Price: $72 (Rs 4000 approx) (Amazon.com)

Zombies may be oblivious to pain, hunger, or exhaustion, but they lack our intelligence, as well as the ability to communicate and work as a team. A good 2-way radio is a must to leverage this crucial advantage over the undead. The MR355R is one such device, rated to operate up to a theoretical range of 55 km and a power output of 1.32 Watts. However, the effective range varies from 2 to 5 km. In general, choose a radio based on its wattage and not the quoted range in km. A radio of this calibre will cost you around Rs 10,000 a pair - and less than half that price if you can import one.

Combat (Close Quarters)

USMC KA-BAR Combat Knife
Price: Rs 6500 (OlivePlanet.in)

A knife is not what you'd ideally use against zombies, but they aren't the only threat when civilisation ends. This not only serves as an excellent close-quarters weapons against hostile humans, but it can also be improvised into a spear to deal with larger animals, or as a shallow-water fishing tool. Its clip-point design makes it ideal for skinning as well as carving meat, whereas the serrated edge is good for cutting ropes and working with wood. The KA-BAR's relatively thick construction gives it enough strength to be used as a throwing knife. Best of all, its 7" blade length is within the permissible legal limit in India. Note: The version available on OlivePlanet.in is the classic straight-edged, non-serrated one.

ESP Expandable Hardened Baton
Price: Rs 5000 (OlivePlanet.in)

Survival Axe
Price: Rs 1800 (OlivePlanet.in)

The only way to kill a zombie is by removing its head or destroying its brain. The survival axe is just what the doc ordered for effective decapitation. Yes, a machete would be more appropriate for that purpose, but the all-round utility of a hatchet earns my approval.

However, if you prefer an agile, blunt weapon, the ESP hardened telescopic baton is your best bet. Unlike regular batons, its tempered steel will crack open zombie skulls without bending. The baton's small footprint, speed, light weight, and potency makes it an ideal weapon against humans and zombies alike. Don't believe me? Our masked baton expert will make you reconsider.

Combat (Ranged)

Geologic Initech Bow
Price: Rs 5500 (Decathlon.in)

Our nanny state may deem us unworthy of guns, alcohol, and partying, but fortunately, the law doesn't consider bows and arrows as "arms". Once mastered, a bow works better against zombies than a gun, because it's a silent killer that doesn't reveal your position to the undead. Even better, you can always reuse an arrow, thus practically never running out of ammo. This bow can be disassembled to enhance mobility, while its recurve design delivers added power for its size. At just Rs 5500, it's a pretty inexpensive means to reach out and touch a zombie. Just don't forget to pick up essential accessories such as arrows (duh!), a quiver, arm guard, et al.

Epilogue: Going Ballistic
The idea of staying within legal limits for the weapons is simple: there's no point stashing away illegal arms until an emergency strikes. The weapon is only as good as the one who wields it, and you're in for a disaster without sufficient practice. Although getting a gun licence is nigh impossible (unless you're a criminal \ politician), it's relatively easy to obtain one for competition rifles firing 0.22 calibre rimfire rounds. All you need to do is join your local air rifle shooting range, spend a few months perfecting the craft, and then graduate to the ballistic weapons category. This is the best way to own a rifle and sharpen your skills as well. What's more, a 0.22 calibre round may be inadequate against humans, but it's considered the perfect anti-zombie ammo. Why? Because this round is enough to penetrate the average zombie skull, and a smaller size ensures you can carry many more bullets.

This covers the elementary aspects of zombie survival. The zombie bible mentioned at the beginning will teach you everything else you need to know. Don't forget to stock up on emergency supplies, undertake yearly maintenance, and keep practicing. Good hunting!

Tags : Zombies, Apocalypse, Security, Gizmos, Weird, Culture, Nachiket

For Android enthusiasts, it's difficult to choose a right handset out of numerous options. Although, reading through reviews can help you make a decision, not every buyer is willing to go through heaps of articles to buy one device. We, therefore, have created a buyers guide specifically for the Android platform.

Since performance and pricing are the most important aspects that most customers consider, we've provided two choices for each of the price category.

 

Low-End (Under Rs 10,000)

Samsung GALAXY Y (Value For Money)
Street Price: Rs 7200 (BuyThePrice.com); Rs 7500 (IndiaPlaza.com)
With many domestic brands testing waters in this segment, there are plenty of handsets below the Rs 10,000 mark. Sadly, most of these either have poor build quality or a laggy interface. However, the GALAXY Y does a good job of handling Android 2.3 with its 830 MHz CPU. Apart from that, the handset packs in a 3" capacitive touchscreen, a 2 MP camera, and Wi-Fi connectivity.

Motorola FIRE XT 530 (Performance)
Street Price: Rs 8900 (BuyThePrice.com; Flipkart.com)
I'm not a fan of Motorola's custom UI. However, this phone wins my recommendation, thanks to its 3.5" touchscreen and 800 MHz CPU. This combination offers a good multimedia performance, which is hard to get at this price point. Additionally, it features a 5 MP main and front VGA camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a microSD card slot.
 

Mid-Range (Under Rs 20,000)

HTC One V (Value For Money)
Street Price: Rs 17,000 (IndiaPlaza.com) Rs 18,500 (Saholic.com)
Google announced the Android 4.0 last year. However, ICS-based phones were still nowhere to be found in India, except for half-baked custom ROMs that came with a flurry of connectivity woes. Thankfully, HTC's One V brought the ICS OS to the table, at an affordable price. The handset's 1 GHz CPU handles the latest version of Android quite smoothly. It comes with a crisp 3.7" screen with pixel dimensions of 800x480. Overall, priced just over 18 grand, this handset is great deal for Android enthusiasts.

Sony Xperia Sola (Performance)
Street Price: 19,500 (Flipkart.com; Saholic.com)
This Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) device features all the bells and whistles expected from this category. What's more, it is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core CPU, which lets you enjoy most games from the Google Play Store. Its 3.7"screen has pixel dimensions of 480x854. Apart from that, it includes a 5 MP auto-focus camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a 32 GB microSD card slot. Needless to say, Sony wins a few brownie points for the handset's bold design.
 

High-End Phones (Above Rs 20,000)

Samsung Galaxy S III (Performance)
Street Price: Rs 38,900 (BuyThePrice.com)
Samsung latest flagship managed to live up to the hype, in terms of its performance. Like its predecessor, the GALAXY S III managed to shatter competition. It's quad-core Exynos 4212 chipset can handle every Android game with ease. It terms of UI, it brings some nifty software tweaks to the table. Additionally, it's Super AMOLED screen with pixel dimensions of 720x1280, feature-packed 8 MP camera, 16 GB internal storage, and a microSD card slot justifies its price tag.

HTC Sensation (Value For Money)
Street Price: Rs 22,300 (Saholic.com); Rs 23,500 (Flipkart.com)
It was one of the most desired phones last year. Thanks to recent price cuts, it's now available for just over 20k. For this price, Sensation's dual-core 1.2 GHz CPU coupled with an Adreno 220 GPU offers great user experience. Other features include 768 MB of RAM, an 8 MP rear and VGA front camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, GPS, a 3.5 mm jack, and a microSD slot.

Tags : Guides, Mobile Phones, Android, HTC, Motorola, Samsung, Sony, GALAXY, One, Xperia, ck

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition (X360)
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Publisher: Warner Bros Games
Genre: Strategy \ RPG
Platforms: PC, X360
Price: Rs 2500 (Flipkart.com)


Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings has to live up to great expectations, especially after the success of the first game. The protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, reprises his role as a witcher (monster hunter) in the video game adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's books.

A work of skilful design and scripting, the opening sequence sets the tone for this RPG. You play the role of Geralt — a mutilated human warrior caught in an interspecies war between elves, dwarves, and humans. In the midst of this chaos, the protagonist finds himself blamed for the assassination of King Foltest of Temeria.
 

In a world where magic and blade coexist, combat is as profound as the narrative itself. For the novices, the game offers a crash course in swordmanship, spellcasting, potioncrafting et al. With the ability to set traps, throw grenades, and cast spells, the battles don't feel monotonous at all. Sword fighting is very satisfying and forms the crux of the combat system. Sorcery and magic potions complement the hack-and-slash routine well enough. Hoewever, all this action can take a toll on your fingers.

This game takes no prisoners — beginners will find a lack of hints rather daunting. As a consequence, you may find yourself getting slain a lot before you figure out how to dispatch certain types of enemies. Old-school gamers may, on the contrary enjoy this manner of a challenge.


Beyond What Meets The Eye
It's not all hack and slash though. The intricate plot weaves together cultural nuances, political rivalries, and social turmoil to good effect. Every decision you make in your quest and side quests has a domino effect that trickles down to change the course of the story.
 

Although you are a witcher caught between the crossfire of accusations and boiling anxiety, there are so many issues to tackle that the instalment doesn't feel like yet another RPG fantasy. It's good to know that your karma doesn't constantly juggle between good and evil in this game. At least, you are not constantly reminded to follow the path of righteousness. Adding further depth into the plot is the struggle faced by the witcher to recover his lost memory and discover the world that lies beyond.

Meanwhile there are numerous side quests and activities to pursue. Ergo, there is no reason why you wouldn't find yourself gambling, fist-fighting, or doing odd chores for weeks together. Furthermore, the game design is such that every additional quest you take impacts your journey, thus enhancing replay value.
 

Not Really Picture Perfect
On the whole, the visuals are quite appealing. Detailed graphics and vivid colours churn out environments that justify in-game situations down to a tee. Geographical landscapes come alive in comprehensive designs just as much as the eyes of the witcher. To top it all, the background score, dialogues and voice acting make this instalment an engrossing RPG to play.

Then again, not everything about this iteration leaves you with a smile. Checkpoints are spaced out over several small missions, so a premature death will force you to take the same route all over again. Although visuals are top notch, textures and frame rate are less than spectacular.
 

Bewitching
A few hours into the game were enough to tell that not playing the PC version Witcher is a shame, since the console version isn't as pretty in the graphics department. Only a few RPG behemoths such as The Elder Scrolls games can compare to the polish and attention to detail evident in The Witcher 2. This game is gratifying on so many levels that it's difficult not to feel overwhelmed by the experience. Its multilayered plot, excellent narrative, engaging dialogues, and a brilliant blend of combat and magic makes it worthy of your lunch money.


Gameplay And Design: 4.5/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4.5/5
Mojo: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5

TAGS: Gaming, Xbox, Sanali

A PC monitor is arguably one of the most important, and literally the most visible of component of a computer, and hence it needs to be chosen carefully. Over the years, the technology has advanced from bulky and power-hungry CRTs, to the slim and energy-efficient LCD displays that are available today. Monitors are available in a wide range of prices, with various features that may or may not suit your needs. We step in here to resolve the situation, and provide you with the monitor that is just right. The guide provides you recommendations for LED-backlit LCD monitors across four price ranges.

Up to Rs 5000
This price range is for the most basic, and usually first-time computer users. School students and coaching classes fall into this segment, as the screen size of 16" can suffice their needs. These obviously tend to be more compact and occupy less desktop real estate, making them useful even for offices. The screen pixel dimensions are limited to 1366x768, while the aspect ratio is 16:9.

Recommendations:

ViewSonic VA1601w
Street Price (As On 17-05-2012): Rs 4000 (Letsbuy.com); Rs 4550 (TechShop.in)

The ViewSonic VA1601w sports 15.6" screen with pixel dimensions of 1366x768. Its anti-glare screen claims to be good to view, even when a light source is right behind the viewer. The 8 ms (on/off) response time is good enough for viewing movies, while you can connect it to a computer via VGA connector. The specified power consumption is 10 W at the most, while it is typically stated to be 8 W, thus giving you good energy saving.

AOC e1620Swb
Street Price (As On 17-05-2012): Rs 4000 (Letsbuy.com); Rs 4100 (Infibeam.com); Rs 4300 (Flipkart.com)

With a screen measuring diagonally at 16", the AOC e1620Swb boasts of an extraordinary contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. Its 8 ms response time makes it easy for watching movies. The monitor sports a VGA port to connect to computers and has a maximum power consumption of 12 W. Along with a base stand that supports tilt adjustment, it also supports standard VESA wall mount. It comes with all the necessary cables and manuals.
 

Rs 5000 To Rs 8000

This category is for those who have graduated from the earlier category. Such users include college students and places such as colleges and even homes. The monitors come in sizes ranging from 18.5" to 22", while they can also feature Full-HD resolutions.

Recommendations:

Philips 202EL2SB/94
Street Price (As On 17-05-2012): Rs 6300 (Letsbuy.com)

The Philips 202EL2SB/94 boasts of a 20" 16:9 display with pixel dimensions 1600x900. While that makes it suitable to natively play 720p movies, it can also display 1920x1080 videos, although in interlaced mode of 1080i at 50 Hz and 60 Hz. It claims to produce rich black levels with a specified SmartContrast ratio of 20,000,000:1 and its 5 ms response time is suitable for even gaming. It supports VGA analogue as well as DVI digital connection with HDCP. At its price, this product is unmatch.

BenQ G222HDL
Street Price (As On 17-05-2012): Rs 7500 (Letsbuy.com)

This 21.5" monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio boasts of 1920x1080 Full HD display dimensions, while the specifications state an impressive colour gamut of 68%. While the normal power consumption is stated to be 28 W (max), it has an Eco mode that cuts it down to just 16 W. It also features the Senseye Human Vision Technology that claims to optimise the display for best viewing experience. It comes with a DVI-D and D-sub connector, but no HDMI. The base stand allows it to be tilted backwards for optimised viewing angle.
 

Above Rs 8000
Monitors in this category are for those who want to really enjoy watching everything on larger screens. These start at 23", sporting Full-HD panels and usually come with all types of inputs. Needless to say, they are suitable for movies as well as fast-paced gaming, with some of them even featuring inbuilt speakers.

Recommendations:

Dell ST2320L
Street Price (As On 17-05-2012): Rs 9,500 (SMCInternational.in); Rs 10,000 (Letsbuy.com)

This is a Full-HD monitor with 16:9 aspect ratio, sporting TN panel. The non-glare finish makes it easy to view, even in a brightly lit room. It features VGA, DVI, and HDMI ports, allowing you to connect just about every device from your computer, media player, or even gaming console. With slim and stylish looks, this monitor boasts of 5 ms response time and Energy Star 5.0 compliance. At 10k, this is a good buy.

AOC e2795Vh
Street Price (As On 17-05-2012): Rs 17,000 (Letsbuy.com); Rs 17,200 (BitFang.com); Rs 17,500 (eZmaal.com)

The AOC e2795Vh is a monster of a monitor, with its 27" panel that will appear to stretch across your desk. Sporting no-nonsense looks, this monitor can obviously display Full-HD, and the specs mention a 2 ms (G2G) response time as well. It sports all types of connectors and there is also a pair of speakers, built into its body. A 4-port USB 2.0 hub has also been thrown in, to provide additional ports located conveniently within reach. At 17k, you cannot look elsewhere for a 27" monitor of its kind.
 

3D Monitors
The recent surge in popularity of 3D stereoscopic movies has been seen to make an impact on display devices such as TVs, PC monitors, and projectors. While there are people who tend to shrug it off as a gimmick that will die, we don't see signs of any such thing happening anytime soon. PC monitors capable of displaying 3D visuals have been available for quite some time, but it is now that the prices have been reduced to such an extent that it is within reach of us mortals. Let us take a look at what we have in this category.

Recommendations:

AOC e2352PHz
Street Price (As On 17-05-2012): Rs 14,000 (Letsbuy.com)

The AOC e2352PHz appears to be a normal 23" Full-HD monitor at first glance. However, the panel has row interlaced polarisation, allowing passive polarised glasses, such as ones you usually find in 3D movie cinemas, to be used with it. Not to mention, it comes with a pair of such polarised glasses. Although not compatible with NVIDIA 3D Vision, which requires a 120 Hz refresh rate, this monitor can be used with newer ATI graphics cards supporting stereoscopic 3D. If you don't have one, it is still possible to watch 3D content using the bundled media player that can also convert 2D to 3D, or using a third-party 3D media player supporting row interlaced panel. The advantage of this 3D technology is that there is no flicker, usually associated with causing eye-strain. However, you are limited to watching half HD in 3D mode, rather than Full-HD, which is possible in the next recommended 3D monitor. The low response time makes it good to play games and watch movies. At its price point, this is definitely a poor man's 3D display dream come true.

BenQ XL2410T
Street Price (As On 17-05-2012): Rs 21,000 (Letsbuy.com); Rs 22,100 (Infibeam.com)

The BenQ XL2410T is a 23.6" LED-backlit display supporting a refresh rate of 120 Hz. That makes it compatible with 3D display sources such as Blu-ray 3D players and NVIDIA 3D Vision-compatible graphics cards. The advantage of this 3D display technology over the AOC model, is that this is capable of displaying 3D in Full-HD, while the former can do it in half HD, thus losing out on picture quality. 3D glasses and wireless transmitter are not included with the monitor, and you will need to purchase them separately. BenQ has developed this monitor in collaboration with gamers HeatoN and SpawN, to make sure that this delivers the right gaming experience, with a 2 ms (G2G) response time and an Instant Mode to reduce input lag. The height and orientation adjustment increase its versatility. At Rs 21,000, this is worth a buy, if pure unadulterated 3D entertainment is what you want.
 

Tags : Guides, Displays, AOC, BenQ, Dell, Philips, ViewSonic, Jayesh

This guide essentially covers headphones and In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) under Rs 6,000. That's the amount of money most average users are willing to spend on these products. Those with deeper pockets are hardened audiophiles, who don't frankly need much help to begin with. Another thing you will notice about this guide is that you won't find any relatively well-known brands here. For a good reason too!

I don't advise opting for easily visible brands, if your budget is under Rs 3000. Well-known manufacturers are too bloated with greater operational overheads to offer decent audio fidelity in the budget to mid-end IEM \ headphone segment. Their offerings have to incorporate sizeable profit margins, which affects overall quality for products with miniscule manufacturer margins. This way, you don't pay big money for the product alone, but for advertising, branding, and store presence.

Smaller brands, however, can include high-quality components in competitively priced products. Most importantly, small brands such as Grado and Alessandro are owned by highly motivated enthusiasts who are more audiophiles than businessmen, which is evident in their offerings. The product is bound to be good when most of the budget goes into better materials and R&D.

Budget IEMs (Less Than Rs 1000)

The budget segment is restricted to IEMs, because headphones are best avoided at this price range. The former may not provide the truest reproduction, but you do have a few options that provide excellent value for the price. The alternatives chosen in this category are comfortable and bassy enough to drown out high ambient noise encountered during commuting. Their bass-rich nature is courtesy of powerful neodymium magnets that are generally found only in considerably costlier IEMs. These are highly recommended if you're stuck with horrible ear buds bundled with your phone or PMP.

JVC Marshmallow
Street Price: Rs 550 (PristineNote.com)
 

The JVC Marshmallows sound surprisingly good for their asking price of Rs 550. What's even more surprising is the incorporation of neodymium magnets and a specially designed cord that's good at reducing annoying friction-induced noise. The bass is plentiful, if not very accurate. The Marshmallows nonetheless play well with most music genres. They are great for daily outdoor usage, thanks to their comfortable fit.

SoundMAGIC PL11
Street Price: Rs 650 (PristineNote.com)
 

The PL11's may cost a bit more than the Marshmallows, but you get a more balanced sound focusing on both the lows as well as highs. The cable length is also longer at 1.2 m over the latter's 1 m. The silicone ear tips do a good job of isolating ambient noise, which makes these IEMs ideal for music on the move.

Mid-Range IEMs (Less Than Rs 3000)

The choices in this range are priced just below Rs 3000, but offer considerable value for the price. The sound signature is significantly better with deeper and richer bass, good mid-range, and very detailed highs. Surprisingly, these IEMs also deliver decent soundstage, which is rather remarkable for such tiny drivers. Expect lots of bells and whistles such as ear tips of different configurations and materials, as well as braided wires, and fancy protective cases. These mid-range IEMs are good enough to be used indoors as well as outdoors.

Brainwavz M2
Street Price: Rs 2775 (LynxDealerStore.com)
 

The M2's large 10.7 mm dynamic drivers are meant for one main purpose, to provide deep and thumping bass, without compromising on speed and agility. Not only do these IEMs achieve that, but they deliver pretty decent mids and highs as well. It's rare to see good low-frequency performance without sacrificing on clarity and tonal balance, at this price range. The body is crafted out of metal, which gives it great durability when combined with thick braided cables. You also get Comply foam tips in addition to regular silicone ones, a hard carrying case, clip-on ear adapters, and shirt clip to keep the wires in place. Now, that's a lot of value in one package.

SoundMAGIC PL50
Street Price: Rs 2950 (LynxDealerStore.com)
 

The SoundMagic PL50's are unlike your average IEM. These earphones incorporate micro balanced-armature drivers - pretty high-end stuff that delivers detailed highs, and hence excellent positional accuracy and soundstage. The lack of a dynamic driver does compromise bass delivery, but these IEMs deliver enough of it, so you're good, unless you solely listen to the infrasonically inclined hip-hop tracks. On the bright side, you do get brilliant tonal balance and very accurate sound reproduction in the bargain. The silicone tips provided also offer good mechanical sound isolation, which has been pegged at an impressive -20 dB by the manufacturer. Choose these IEMs if you love vocals, good soundstaging, and accurate sound reproduction over coloured sound.

High-End Headphones (More Than Rs 5000)

This segment is meant for those who seek excellent headphones for home usage. Armed with large drivers with exotic voice coils, the options here deliver excellent quality for a respectable amount of money. I have deliberately chosen audiophile-grade open-back designs for their uncoloured sound signature and comfort. However, they do tend to let a lot of ambient noise filter in, so make sure you use them indoors. If you happen to live in a noisy environment, you may want to pick up the Audio Technica ATH-M35 closed-back cans instead. These headphones deliver a level of quality that's hard to rival even with a budget of up to Rs 10,000. So look no further.

Alessandro-Grado Music Series One
Price: $110 (Rs 5600 approx) (Alessandro High-End Products)

The Alessandro-Grado Music Series One (MS1) is a Grado SR60i, modified by amplifier specialist George Alessandro. George primarily makes and maintains guitar amplifiers for the likes of Eric Johnson and Eric Clapton. His keen ear for tone is evident through this headphone. Unlike the original SR60i, which has a bright (treble heavy) tonality, the MS1 features a balanced tone that exhibits a beautiful midrange (frequency range that include vocals and guitars, for example). This makes it just the right kind of headphone for those into guitar rock.

Despite sharing the Grado's body, there's a good reason for such a difference in audio signature. That's because the internals have been dramatically modified. The drivers have been reworked with powerful neodymium magnets and a low-mass polymer diaphragm that's both strong and agile. The voice coils feature high quality oxygen-free copper, and the same is extended to the visibly thicker cable. Like all good headphone designs, the MS1 adopts a vented enclosure that's responsible for deeper and more accurate bass and reduced colouration of sound. It's little wonder then that this headphone is an all-rounder, handling all genres of music with great aplomb.

The MS1, however, is marred by a narrow soundstage. This can be fixed either by opting for better quality cushions that place the drivers further away from the ear, or by employing the quick and easy quarter mod. The only thing that cannot be remedied, is its lack of ergonomics. These headphones will hurt your ears after a few hours of use. However, with an awesome bass delivery, detailed highs, and a beautiful midrange, you won't find a better deal for this price. The best part is that the manufacturer ships the headphones anywhere in the world, for free.

Audio-Technica ATH-AD700
Price: Rs 6,000 (PristineNote.com)

The Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 (AD700) sounds every bit as good as its looks expensive. The huge 53 mm drivers employ neodymium magnets and CCAW (Copper-Clad Aluminium Wire) voice coil. All that is enclosed in an open-back design just like the Alessandro-Grado MS1. However, unlike the MS1, the AD700 is a lot more comfortable thanks to a lightweight structure composed of perforated aluminium and magnesium components. The self-adjusting wing-like headband, makes it the most ergonomic pair of headphones I have ever come across. The AD700's light weight and comfortable padding ensures that it can be worn for the entire day without fatigue. The cable itself is long and would look right at home with much more expensive headphones.

The drivers are positioned at an angle and quite a distance away from the ear. This provides amazing spatial imaging. Even though it lacks an inbuilt microphone, there's a good reason why the AD700 is sworn by gamers for its positional accuracy. This is in great part due to its ability to resolve the higher frequencies quite well. Just a few hours of multiplayer gaming were enough to convince me of the Audio-Technica's pinpoint positional accuracy. The fact that you can not only hear footsteps and gunshots, but actually resolve their depth and direction, makes these headphones a must have for anyone who takes gaming seriously.

The amount of detail these headphones can dig out of high-quality recordings, is downright amazing. The AD700 works surprisingly well with music, unlike most gaming headphones. It bears a balanced tonality that favours neither the highs nor the lows, which makes them good for those who love their music devoid of any colouration. The AD700 will surprise you with its wide soundstage and amazing vocal clarity, no matter what your existing audio setup is. However, it isn't meant for those seeking bass extension. Unless you pair these headphones to a dedicated amplifier, you'll find the bass output lacking. At the end of the day, the AD700 is worth every paisa, thanks to its ability to excel at both gaming and music.

Tags : Guides, Headphones, Nachiket

The holiday season provides with a good excuse to go gadget-hunting. A great majority of people these days are rather keen on switching over from desktops to laptops. Those who care less about their wallets, and even lesser about getting any real work done, seem to prefer the emerging tablet segment. If you belong to the latter category, read the Summer 2012 Buyer's Guide for tablets. However, if you're in the market for a laptop, hop aboard as we help you make an informed buying decision.

Budget Laptops (Up To Rs 30,000)

A vast majority of the population needs portable computers solely for music, movies, and web browsing. Even the weakest of the modern laptops are fully capable of these tasks, but they can't work with unoptimised, CPU-throttling Adobe Flash content and complicated web applets. If you're a part of this simple computing demographic, you need not look further than netbooks and budget laptops falling under Rs 30,000. The choice between the two involves striking a balance between performance and portability.

Netbooks
Netbooks are suitable for those who need computing devices but cannot invest a lot. These include commercial establishment owners who pay high electricity bills, as they will benefit from the sub 40 Watt power consumption. Students needing a cheap portable computer for word processing, movies, music, and internet access are the primary target users. Netbooks also serve as an excellent workaround against extended power cuts and the "load shedding" nonsense. Professionals who need computing on the move will appreciate the extended battery life and light weight.

ASUS Eee PC 1015CX
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 17,000 (DesiDime.com)

Here's something for students who want to buy a netbook from their pocket money. The 1015CX fits the bill with its sleek and light design, and also exhibits good performance with the Atom dual-core processor. With a generous 320 GB hard drive and a 10" LED display, this little baby is good enough for everyday work, as well as an entertainment device. Some of the other features that may matter to you include 1 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Bluetooth connectivity, webcam for video chat, HDMI and VGA output to hook up to a larger display, and a battery pack that claims to provide an astounding 11 hours of juice, to let you remain unplugged for a really long time.

Lenovo ThinkPad X Series X120E
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 19,200 (Flipkart.com)

This netbook is powered by the AMD Fusion E-350 CPU with 2 GB RAM and a spacious 320 GB hard drive. It is portable and light enough at 1.32 kg to be carried around, and tough enough to be used on the move. Its Radeon HD 6310 GPU is adept at handling gaming with ease, on its 11.6" HD LED anti-glare display. Along with work, this netbook is also good enough to enjoy movies, thanks also to its SRS Premium sound system. The power-saving AMD Zacate processor extends battery life without compromising on Full-HD multimedia playback and internet browsing experience. This is highly recommended for those who seek portability and battery endurance without compromising on performance and features.

Budget Notebooks
Anything that cannot be handled by netbooks can be sorted out by these more powerful budget laptops with larger screens. The best part is that they are cheaper than more decent netbooks, but they become considerably heavier and more power hungry in the bargain. On the plus side, you get enough processing power to handle anything other than hardcore gaming. Then there are perks such as the optical drive, large screen, and a full-size keyboard. Just don't expect the same portability and battery life as offered by netbooks, and you will be just fine.

Samsung NP RV513-A02IN
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 22,000 (SamsungIndiaEstore.com)

This device provides great value for your money with its AMD dual-core E-450 CPU with 2 GB RAM. Thanks to Radeon graphics, its 15.6" HD LED display is good for work, as well as for entertainment, while the 320 GB hard drive has enough storage space to store all your data. In short, the RV513 can provide as a poor man's desktop replacement of sorts.

Lenovo Essential G Series G570
MRP: Rs 22,000
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 21,000 (Infibeam.com); Rs 22,000 (Flipkart.com)

This laptop should suffice those looking for something cheap based on the Intel platform. The notebook is powered by the Pentium dual-core B940 CPU and has 2 GB RAM, upgradeable to 8 GB. Sporting an ergonomic keyboard, it comes with a 15.6" HD LED anti-glare display with pixel dimensions 1366x768. The 500 GB hard drive is big enough for most, while the Intel GMA HD graphics processor is capable of handling HD movies with ease. With a host of ports such as USB, Ethernet, HDMI, and VGA, its other features include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It comes equipped with a 6-cell Li-ion battery.

ASUS X53T
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 29,000 (Shopping.Indiatimes.com)

Based on AMD's Sabine platform, the X53T is a surprise entrant in this category. Powered by a quad-core Fusion A6-3400M CPU with 2 GB RAM, this laptop is good for gaming too, thanks to the AMD Radeon HD6650M 1 GB graphics inside. It has a 15.6" LED-backlit display with pixel dimensions of 1366x768, while a 500 GB hard drive provides plenty of space for your OS and data. Some of the other standout features of this laptop are USB 3.0 port and Altec Lansing speakers. For the current price it is on offer, you cannot go wrong with this one.

Mid-Range Laptops (Up To Rs 60,000)

This segment is meant for those seeking a proper desktop replacement adept at handling multimedia as well as regular computing tasks. These laptops usually come with more powerful processors. They tend to have better screens and may incorporate discrete graphics cards. RAM and hard drive storage space is usually on the higher side as well. The pricing can range from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000 depending on the configuration, with Windows 7 pre-installed.

Dell Inspiron 15
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 31,000 (Flipkart.com)

This is a very good example of a balanced laptop that comes with good performance and features, and it won't break the bank. Sporting an Intel Core i3 CPU and 2 GB RAM, the device is comparatively light and portable enough to carry around. The 15.6" WLED display is big enough to comfortably work for hours. It has a 500 GB hard drive that should take care of storing all your data. Some of the other features include three USB 2.0 ports, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth 3.0, HDMI-Out, and a VGA port. At its price, this makes for a really good buy if gaming is not a priority.

HP Pavilion dv6-7012tx
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 50,800 (Saholic.com); Rs 52,000 (Flipkart.com)

Here is a more powerful laptop from HP, with better performance that will set you free, albeit at a higher price. The Pavilion dv6-7012tx is powered by Intel's second-generation Core i5-2450M CPU and packs in 6 GB of DDR3 RAM, expandable to 8 GB. With a 15.6" HD BrightView LED display, the laptop comes with a 640 GB hard drive and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M 2 GB graphics card that takes care of gaming.  In addition to the regular features, it also supports high-speed data transfers via a USB 3.0 port. At its price point, this is definitely a good buy to serve as a solid desktop replacement.

Gaming Laptops

This is one category that is extremely niche and you therefore won't find many laptops here. Essentially, this segment is expected to do everything that a gaming rig can do, but in a fairly compact form factor. Getting decent gaming performance on a laptop is a considerable engineering feat, making these devices extremely expensive. Notebooks in this category come with screens sporting higher pixel dimensions, powerful CPUs and graphics cards, and fast HDDs and Blu-ray drives, in addition to often funky looks. While it would be better to reconsider your decision before going for such laptops, opting for a regular gaming PC instead, it's another matter altogether if you have the dough to blow.

ASUS Automobili Lamborghini VX7SX
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 1,34,000 (Flipkart.com)

Truth be told, I was looking for Alienware notebooks to list in this category, but they seem to have been de-listed or discontinued on most online stores. That being said, I found something just as interesting, and with similar features and performance to boot. The VX7 is a special-edition Automobili Lamborghini laptop that has looks inspired from the stylish car. It comes equipped with Intel's second-gen quad-core processor and a massive 16 GB of RAM. Helping it keep pace is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M 3 GB graphics card that allows no-holds-barred gaming. With USB 3.0 ports, data transfer is quick and the 1.5 TB 7200 rpm hard drive can take care of all your data storage needs. The monitor sports 1920x1080 pixels, although the size should have been larger than 15.6". The package comes complete with a Lamborghini wireless mouse and carry bag for taking it along to LAN parties and showing off for all the world to see.

Toshiba Qosmio X Series X500-X8310
Street Price (As On 15-May-2012): Rs 1,05,300 (Infibeam.com); Rs 1,07,000 (Flipkart.com)

For those of you who cannot compromise on the display size, the X500 comes with a Full HD 18.4" LED CSV screen. This powerful machine has a Core i7 quad-core processor and 4 GB of DDR3 memory. In addition to a 1.5 TB hard drive, the company has also thrown in a Blu-ray re-writeable disk drive. Gaming performance is powered by an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M 1.5 GB graphics card, which, while a little dated, is still capable of handling most graphics with ease. Finally, the audio department is handled by the inbuilt Harman Kardon speakers.

Tags : Guides, Laptops, ASUS, Dell, Inspiron, HP, Lenovo, ThinkPad, Samsung, Toshiba, Jayesh

Over the past few years, mobile phones have improved to such an extent that the line between them, and a dedicated PMP (Personal Media Player) has been blurred greatly. Only the ardent smartphone haters or the most fastidious audiophiles these days even consider the idea of owning a separate PMP. Since this is a niche segment now, this guide will consider PMPs concentrating on audio quality alone.

However, there are a few recommendations that aren't all that great performance-wise, but they do have other redeeming qualities such as excellent value (Zebronics Zebmate Cinema 4.3), great build quality, or just bling value (Apple iPod).
 

Budget (Less Than Rs 5000)

Sandisk Sansa Clip+
Street Price: Rs 2950 (eBay.in)
 

Don't be fooled by its size or price; this is the last word when it comes to audio quality. It is, in fact, so good that audiophiles benchmark other PMPs against it. Virtues of the Sansa Clip+ don't just end at excellent sound fidelity, but it also provides excellent value with a microSD card slot capable of accepting memory cards up to 32 GB. Combine this with a claimed 15 hour battery life, voice recording, and a built-in FM tuner - you have got an irresistible deal. What's more, this device supports all major audio formats, in addition to the free and open ones such as FLAC.

Nationite Nanite N2
Street Price: Rs 2950 (PristineNote.com)
 

If you possess high-impedance headphones, then you have probably found out the hard way that they are harder to drive for non-amplified PMPs. Fortunately, Nationate's NaNite N2 packs in a MAX9722 headphone amplifier chip, which providess a healthy 130 mW of amplification that's good enough for high-impedance headphones. Like the Sansa, its 4 GB onboard memory is further augmented by a microSD card slot. Despite its low price, the N2 provides an OLED screen, BBE audio enhancement, and FLAC support. A 20-hour claimed battery life, makes it ideal for music on the move.

Zebronics Zebmate Cinema 4.3
MRP: Rs 6800
Street Price: Rs 4950 (Flipkart.com)
 

Not only does it feature a large 4.3" touchscreen, but the Zebronics Zebmate Cinema 4.3 also 8 GB of storage with room for expansion through a microSD card slot. The screen may be resistive, but that's not bad considering you get features such as TV-Out, for the price. Unlike most PMPs these days, it can handle 720p HD video in any file format you throw at it, that too with support for subtitles. The video or audio quality may be average, but the sheer number of features provided at a compelling price makes it an ideal choice for those who seek a no-nonsense PMP for cheap.
 

Mid-Range (Less Than Rs 10,000)

Sandisk Sansa Fuze+ (16 GB)
MRP: Rs 7300
Street Price: Rs 5400 (Pristinenote.com)
 

Like it's younger sibling, the Sansa Fuze+ incorporates the same unparalleled audio quality, at good price. For the extra money though, you get a 2.4" (320x240) screen, 16 GB of storage (expandable with microSD slot), and capacitive touchpad. While the latter is wonky, it works smooth once you upgrade the firmware. The build quality is considerably better than the Clip+. That is one of the reason, apart from a slightly better audio quality, to choose the Fuze+ over the former. I say that, because the quality or thje size of video doesn't really make it ideal as a standalone video player. However, it still outclasses considerably more expensive PMPs, when it comes to audio quality.

Cowon J3
MRP: Rs 11,000
Street Price: Rs 10400 (Flipkart.com)
 

If you're not satisfied with stellar audio quality alone, the Cowon J3 features a brilliant 3.3" widescreen capacitive touchscreen display. Video playback is excellent with support for the DivX and XviD codecs. It's practical too with a generous battery life providing up to 64 hours of audio and 11 hours of video playback. The audio quality is top-notch and gives EQ tweakers plenty of options for customisation, in addition to its famed BBE enhancements. It also features a microSD card slot and support for Bluetooth headsets.

High-End (More Than Rs 20,000)

Apple iPod Touch
Street Price: Rs 13,500 (Flipkart.com)
 

As an audio \ videophile, the iPod touch will sorely disappoint you. The audio quality is mediocre, whereas the display may be sharp, but its undone by it's abject lack of colour gamut. However, it isn't meant for those fastidious about quality, but for those who want to show off. The iPod's sexy aluminium chassis and an ultra-slim profile lets you do just that. It's excellent UI and unparalleled app support, redeem it enough for a mention in this list.

Cowon D3 Plenue
MRP: Rs 18,500
Street Price: Rs 15,450 (Flipkart.com)
 

The Cowon D3 is a major bump up from the J3, thanks to its 3.7" AMOLED capacitive display with pixel dimensions of 800x480, and Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS. It can play Full-HD video and offers good sound quality, with support for a wide variety of formats. Thanks to its Android roots, the D3 Plenue can also make VOIP calls over Wi-Fi. The storage capacity of the device can be expanded with its microSD card slot. Its HDMI port lets you take your movies and videos on your living room TV as well.

Tags : Guides, Media Players, Apple, COWON, SanDisk, iPod, Nachiket

Tablets represent a new age of computing. These devices are usually used to enjoy multimedia on the move, along with checking e-mail and handling basic productivity tasks. In recent times, all the application repositories swelling up across platforms has made the tablet market very competitive, with several options for you to pick from. We tell you which device you can consider, based on your pocket and requirements.
 

Entry-Level (Below Rs 15,000)

Slates in this category usually come with a lower RAM capacity, lesser internal memory, single core CPU, smaller screen size, and lower pixel dimensions. While the build quality is reasonably decent, you might have to opt for a resistive touchscreen over a capacitive one in order to cut costs further. Having said that, these tablets offer a decent multimedia experience, but on a fairly reflective screen.
 

NXG Xtab A10
MRP: Rs 5700 (4 GB), Rs 6700 (8 GB) (Click the Buy Now link)

This 7" tablet is powered by a 1 GHz CPU and 512 MB of RAM. It runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and boasts of features such as Wi-Fi, 4 GB \ 8 GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, front 0.3 mp camera, 3.5 mm jack, USB OTG port, HDMI-Out, Flash 11.1 support, and a 3600 mAh battery. However, it lacks a main camera and Bluetooth.

iberry BT07
MRP: Rs 8000
Street Price (As On 14-May-2012): Rs 8000 (eBay.in)

This one is a 7" touchscreen slate, and like all low-end tablets, its screen is quite reflective. It features a 1 GHz CPU and has 512 MB of RAM, runs on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), and supports Flash. It comes with Wi-Fi, 4 GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, front 0.3 mp camera, 3.5 mm jack, USB OTG port, and a 3600 mAh battery. Here also, the main camera and Bluetooth are missing.

Mid-Range (Below Rs 25,000)

While the previous category is good enough for people who want to start off with tablets, these devices usually have insufficient features. If you're looking for something that gives you better audio playback, video streaming, and internet surfing capabilities, with a better battery life, you can pick from the options listed below.
 

Apple iPad 2 (16 GB Wi-Fi)
MRP: Rs 24,500 (Store Locator)

After launching the new iPad in India, as standard practice, Apple has slashed prices for its earlier model, the iPad 2. The 16 GB Wi-Fi only model with a 9.7" LED touchscreen is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core A5 CPU with 512 MB of RAM. Running on iOS 4.3, the tablet comes with a 0.3 mp front and HD (720p) rear camera. Boasting of 10 hours of battery life, and coupled with a well-stacked app store, the tablet definitely offers value for money. However, the iTunes dependency can be a bit annoying.

Lenovo IdeaPad K1
MRP: Rs 32,000
Street Price (As On 14-May-2012): Rs 23,000 (Flipkart.com); Rs 26,500 (Sulekha.com)

This 10.1" touchscreen tablet is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core CPU with 1 GB of DDR2 RAM. The Android 3.1 (Honeycomb) device comes with a micro-HDMI port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 5 mp primary and 2 mp front camera, 3.5 mm jack, SIM (for 3G data only), microSD card slot, 32 GB internal storage (25 GB available), 7400 mAh battery, and a bunch of sensors. Originally high-priced, the rate has undergone a reduction and is now a good deal.

High-End (Above Rs 25,000)

Tablets in this category offer you the best possible mobile computing experience. Apart from being the most expensive of the lot, these slates offer amazing pixel dimensions and screen contrast ratios, along with better processors to handle apps, games, and multimedia files more smoothly.


The New iPad (2012) (16 GB + Wi-Fi)
MRP: Rs 30,500 (Store Locator)

Powered by a new A5X chip, which packs a 1 GHz dual-core CPU and a quad-core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU, the new iPad runs on iOS 5.1. Its specs include 1 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, main 5 mp camera, front 0.3 mp snapper, 3.5 mm jack, and an 11,560 mAh Li-Po battery. A GPS receiver is only available in Wi-Fi + 4G versions. Its 9.7" touchscreen comes with pixel dimensions of 2048x1536, which delivers a pixel density of 264 ppi. While it does boast of an impressive battery life, you can't use it while it's charging, and that can take a considerable amount of time. On the flip side, like its predecessor, this one doesn't offer mass storage mode, lacks a standard USB port, and can't share files over Bluetooth.

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet
MRP: Rs 51,000 (Store Locator)

This premium tablet is powered by a Tegra 2 chip and comes with a dual-core 1 GHz CPU and GeForce ULP GPU. Other specs include 1 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal storage, a 5 mp rear camera, front 0.3 mp snapper, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a full-sized USB (OTG) port, HDMI-Out, micro-USB port, SD memory card slot, a 3.5 mm jack, and a 3250 mAh battery. The tablet also features a SIM slot for 3G connectivity and messaging, but you can't make phone calls. The 10.1" screen with pixel dimensions of 1280x800 is protected by Gorilla Glass, and the retail pack comes with a stylus and keyboard accessory-cum-dock that lets you turn this device into a notebook. On the flip side though, at 732 grammes, it is quite bulky to carry around.

Tags : Guides, Tablets, Apple, iPad, Lenovo, IdeaPad, ThinkPad, Kamakshi

With the holidays season already here, this is probably the best time to purchase a good camera. A good break full of precious moments with your family is something you would want to keep for a long time. This guide will help you pick the best camera based on your budget and requirements. Apart from point-and-shoot cameras, we have also covered semi-SLRs and camcorders. Now you can take a bit of your happy vacation back home!
 

Low-End Entry-Level Point And Shoot (Up To Rs 6000)

If you're looking for something which is easy to use and shoots fairly decent photos, but does not put add a major dent to your wallet, you need something very basic. In this case, features such as megapixels, optical zoom, image stabilisation, and full HD video capture are not of too much relevance. Cameras in this segment are usually small and light, and may offer 720p HD video recording apart from still shots. Considering that most people prefer uncomplicated cameras, this is quite a popular category for most manufacturers, and so there are several options for buyers, and they also tend to come with some interesting features.
 

Fujifilm FinePix L30
MRP: Rs 5000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 3000 (HomeShop18.com)

The L30 features a 10 mp CCD image sensor and up to 3x optical zoom. It comes with an f/3.9 aperture, which is a smaller opening as compared to other cameras in this category. A rechargeable Li-ion battery claims to let you shoot 160 pictures on a single charge. It offers 480p video capture at 30 fps. This camera is best suited for any one starting off with photography.

Nikon COOLPIX L25
MRP: Rs 5000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 4900 (HomeShop18.com)

This snapper sports a 10.1 mp CCD image censor and an impressive 5x digital zoom. It features an f/2.7 wide aperture, which means you can manage decent shots in partial low lights as well. The camera can manage to shoot 720p videos at 30 fps, and is offers several shooting modes for still shots. Available in silver, black, red, and white versions, the only downside is that it runs on two AA batteries.

Canon PowerShot A1200
MRP: Rs 4500
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 4,400 (HomeShop18.com)

The A1200 offers good image quality and provides great macro shots as well. It has a wide aperture of f/2.8, and is capable of shooting 720p movies at 24 fps. If you prefer an optical viewfinder over the LCD screen, this is the camera to go with. Equipped with a 12.1 mp CCD image sensor, it offers effects such as toy camera and monochrome, along with several creative filters that let you have a bit more fun with your pictures. It is available in black and silver hues.
 

High-End Entry-Level Point And Shoot (Up To Rs 10,000)

Not everybody prefers a basic camera; some people expect a device with a few more features, but still want within the five-figure mark. In this segment, you can expect features such as better optical zoom, image stabilisation, and additional shooting modes among other things.

Sony DSC-W630
MRP: Rs 9000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 8800 (Flipkart.com; HomeShop18.com)

This 16.1 mp camera offers 5x optical zoom. Perfect for the adventurous types, it captures sweeping 360-degree panorama shots along with several photo effects such as toy camera, pop colour, partial colour, and soft high-key. With an aperture value of f/2.6, it can also manage 720p video recording at 30 fps. It is available in black, silver, gold, and violet colours.

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS
MRP: Rs 7500
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 7300 (ZoomIn.com)

With a 16 mp sensor, f/2.8 aperture, and 5x optical zoom, the A3300 takes good macro shots. It also offers interesting effects such as Fish-eye, Miniature, Toy Camera, Monochrome, and Super. The camera is available in silver, black, red, blue, and pink.

Nikon COOLPIX S6200
MRP: Rs 10,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 9700 (Varighty.com)

The best of the lot, the 16 mp Nikon COOLPIX S6200 packs in 10x optical zoom and comes with an f/3.2 aperture opening. It can record 720p videos at 30 fps, and offers several filters and effects in the still shot mode. The camera is available in black, red, white, and silver finishes.

Mid-Range Travel-Zoom (Up To Rs 20,000)

Cameras in this category are preferred by used by tourists and travellers, but are simpler to handle. Moreover, they need to be light to lug around, while offering a minimum of 10x optical zoom, along with manual controls and image stabilisation. Considering that travellers pick up such models, they usually provide full HD video capture and GPS functionality.

Canon IXUS 500 HS
MRP: Rs 20,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 19,400 (Infibeam.com)

A good travel-zoom camera with a compact body, this IXUS comes with a 10.1 mp CMOS sensor. Optical image stabilisation, 12x optical zoom, and 1080p video recording at 24 fps make this a good deal. The camera is available in red, black, and silver.

Nikon COOLPIX S6300
MRP: Rs 12,500
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 12,100 (Infibeam.com)

This camera boasts of a 16 mp BSI CMOS image sensor and 10x optical zoom to help you take amazing shots. It features a mini-HDMI connector to play its Full HD videos (1080p) at 30 fps on a big screen display. The camera is available in silver, black, red, blue, gold, and pink.

High-End Super-Zoom (Above Rs 20,000)

These snappers are usually bulkier and offer better optics, image sensors, complete manual control with a better range of adjustable shutter speed and aperture size, and ease of use among other things. Some of these cameras also enable you to switch lenses and add filters. Overall, they offer the best possible point-and-shoot camera experience.
 

Nikon COOLPIX P500
MRP: Rs 21,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 20,400 (Flipkart.com); Rs 19,900 (HomeShop18.com)

The P500 boasts of 36x optical zoom, a CMOS sensor for better low light performance, and 1080p video recording at 30 fps. It also features a wide angle lens of 23 mm, high-speed movie shooting at 240 fps, and a burst speed of 10 fps. Promising excellent macro performance, it comes equipped with a flip-out screen to help you compose great shots.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V
MRP: Rs 23,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 22,300 (DesiDime.com)

The DSC-HX100V comes with 30x optical zoom, a CMOS sensor for good low-light performance, and 1080p video shooting at 30 fps. It has optical image stabilisation, good macro performance, GPS, a fast shutter speed of 1/4000th of a second, and a partial flip-out screen.

Camcorders

While digital cameras are capable of video capture, they usually come with limitations. Camcorders step in to overcome these barriers and allow you to capture important memories as movies. Camcorders are available in SD as well as HD categories, and we have recommendations for both.
 

Panasonic HC-V10
MRP: Rs 17,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 16,000 (Infibeam.com)

This camcorder is packed with features, and comes at quite a low price. It boasts of 70x enhanced optical zoom, Power OIS with Active Mode for stable shots, and is very portable at 220 grammes.

Sony HDR CX130E
MRP: Rs 25,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 21,500 (BuyThePrice.com)

The Sony HDR CX130E can record 1080p videos and comes with 42x extended zoom. It boasts of a superior low light performance, a wide angle Sony G lens, a 3.0" large LCD, and Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode. You can pick it up in black, silver, or red variants.

Tags : Guides, Cameras, Canon, IXUS, Fujifilm, FinePix, Nikon, COOLPIX, Panasonic, Lumix, Sony, Cyber-shot, Kamakshi

The budget has been presented and new pricing is out. Luckily, we haven't seen any significant price change in the television segment. Moreover, the summer vacations are here, so if you have kids in your house, it's probably a good time to buy that large screen TV. Different shops are offering discounted prices, and of those products available with special offers, there is the boob tube (aka television). This article is divided into different sections dealing with various parameters, in an effort to help you arrive at the right set for you.
 

Low-End: Up To Rs 15,000

CRT Or Flat Panel? - Traditional CRT TVs are still available, but their popularity is waning fast. The only reason they still sell well is because they're offered at very low prices. The advantage of CRTs has been the better colour depth they offer, as compared to flat panel displays. Unfortunately, these are the only reasons to buy a CRT. With most companies stopping production, it does not make sense to buy a such a TV today.

Flat panel displays on the other hand occupy lesser space, are not bulky, don't heat up like a CRT, consume less power, can display High Definition (HD) content, and come in widescreen aspect ratio which is poised to replace the 4:3 aspect ratio in the near future. Flat panels are not without cons either — they create a fuzzy image when the video source resolution is different from the panel's native resolution. However, technological advancements have been able to overcome most such issues, leaving you with no other choice but to go for a flat panel TV.
 

Onida 29 Oxygen 350
MRP: Rs 13,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 13,000 (Naaptol.com)

This is a considerably compact CRT TV with a good image quality, good looks, and a fair price.
 

Samsung LA22D400E1R
MRP: Rs 15,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 14,800 (Shopping.Rediff.com)

The USPs of this TV set are its excellent image quality, 22" Full HD display, and a good price tag.

Onida LCO24MMS
MRP: Rs 17,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 14,500 (Infibeam.com)

Sporting stylish looks with a transparent glass bezel, this product has a 1080p-capable 24" screen. With excellent image quality and good connectivity, its low price tag makes it an attractive purchase.

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Mid-Range: Up To Rs 40,000

Pixel Dimensions - Also known as display resolution, it refers to the number of horizontal and vertical pixels present in the display. There are generally two options available: HD Ready with pixel dimensions of 1366x768, and Full HD with pixel dimensions of 1920x1080. While the former is less expensive, the latter is to be preferred because the more densely packed pixels give a crisper picture. Also, a larger HD Ready display appears noticeably inferior to a Full HD display of the same size, while you may find it hard to notice the difference in quality when the display size is smaller than 32".

USB Movie Playback - USB movie playback is an added bonus with any TV. You can find out about the different video and audio formats supported by the TV via the USB port. In addition to making sure that it supports playback of HD video formats directly from the USB, it must also be able to read NTFS file system, without which you cannot hope to place files larger than 4 GB on the drive, thus taking away the option to play back high quality HD movies. Most of this information can be found on the product page of the TV, while you can find the detailed information by reading online reviews, or by simply downloading the TV manual from its website.

Power Consumption - Plasma TVs tend to consume the most power, while LED-backlit LCD TVs consume the least. However, newer plasma TVs with Neo PDP panels consume noticeably less power than those manufactured a year ago, often approaching the power consumption of an LCD. Moreover, the power consumption of plasma; it consumes less power when the screen displays a dark scene and more when the picture is bright. In case of LCD TVs and LED-backlit LCD TVs, the power consumption remains constant no matter what's displayed on the screen. To be on the safer side, it's better to go for an LCD TV or LED-backlit LCD TV.

Onida Neo LEO32NMSF100
MRP: Rs 35,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 30,000 (SeventyMM.com)

­­This TV sports an attractive styling, in addition to having an LED-backlit panel that consumes less power. It has most of the features you'd want, such as Full HD display, movie playback via USB for multiple formats, multiple connectivity options, and even internet, all at an unmatched price.

Panasonic VIERA TH-L32U30D
MRP: Rs 36,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 30,000 (Flipkart.com)

With an IPS Alpha panel and wide viewing angles, this Full HD TV is definitely something you should be looking at. It may not have an LED backlight, but it shines when it comes to playing movies. Other notable features include DLNA, internet connectivity, and USB media playback.

High-End: Up To Rs 80,000

LCD, LED-Backlit, Or Plasma? - Flat panel TVs are available in LCD, LED-backlit LCD, plasma, and Rear-projection TV, although I'll leave out the last one due to the lack of popularity and availability. An LED-backlit LCD TV consumes less power than LCDs and plasmas, and is usually brighter than an LCD. However, both LED-backlit and LCD TVs use the same panel types and therefore have the same picture quality. The only difference is the light source, which is an array of LED bulbs in the former and CCFLs in the latter.

Plasma TVs on the other hand, have noticeably better contrast and colour depth, and are available in larger sizes. They are a lot less expensive than the other two types. Apart from the higher power consumption, another possible negative about a plasma TV could be the fact that its glass screen reflects a lot of light, making it difficult to use in bright rooms. However, due to its excellent picture quality, videophiles swear by these TV sets.

Screen Size - Before deciding on the screen size, you must measure up the length and breadth of your living room. The TV has to be placed along the shorter wall of your living room, so you have to first make a note of such practical details as below:

• The possible location of the TV, and whether you will use a pedestal stand or a wall mount.
• The length of the living room is important because as a general rule, the viewer has to be 1.5 times away from the TV's diagonal size. However, this has been found to be subjective because you can watch high-definition movies from a closer distance, and some people like the immersive experience it gives.

Sony BRAVIA KLV-42EX410
MRP: Rs 64,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 58,000 (Shopping.Rediff.com)

This 42" LED TV can play Full HD movies smoothly using the BRAVIA Engine 3. Thanks to the Edge LED backlight technology, this TV sports an ultra-slim attractive design, while the IPS panel ensures wide viewing angles.

Sony BRAVIA KDL-46EX520
MRP: Rs 84,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 89,000 (Shopping.Rediff.com)

This smart TV from Sony's X-Reality series can not only play movies at 1080p, it can do a lot more. Featuring Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA, this device lets you chat using Skype and watch internet videos, as well as using Facebook and Twitter.

Samsung 51E490
MRP: Rs 66,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 50,600 (Infibeam.com)

Plasma TVs may consume more power, but they still display richer picture. The Samsung 51E490 is no exception and at this price point, with stereoscopic 3D display capabilities, it is a steal.

Top-End: Above Rs 80,000

To 3D Or Not To 3D? - This is again a subjective topic, with different people perceiving 3D in different ways. Some may find it amazing and immersive, while others may experience headaches and nausea. If you want to consider buying a 3D TV, it is better to see it at a showroom first along with your family members before deciding to buy one. While it has been more or less standardised with the introduction of Blu-ray 3D format and PC 3D options, 3D technology is still very new, as far as televisions are concerned, and some time is necessary to iron out the remaining chinks. However, if you're hell-bent on buying a 3D TV, it's better to choose one with an option to convert 2D to 3D. A TV with a 3D display is generally 1.5 to 2 times as expensive as a TV with a non-3D display, with the same specifications.

Connectivity Options And Extra Features - The basic connectivity options present in a TV are HDMI port, coaxial port for cable TV, and composite ports. If you have more devices to connect to the TV such as a PC, Blu-ray player, gaming console, and so on, you must opt for a TV with more HDMI ports. Extra features such as internet connectivity, support for various apps, and DLNA certification are an additional bonus, though not a decisive factor.

Samsung UA46D6000
MRP: Rs 101,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 87,500 (ShopTronics.in)

The Samsung UA46D6000 is a 46" 3D LED TV from Series 6, currently available at a never-before price. It has everything you'd ever want in a TV, and the price is reasonable to boot.

LG 60PZ550
MRP: Rs 165,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 108,600 (GroupByte.com)

For those who've got the dough to blow, a 60" plasma panel with Full HD 3D and smart functions with Wi-Fi and DLNA is what we have here.

Panasonic TH-P65VT30D
MRP: Rs 380,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 322,000 (GroupByte.com)

If you want to go an extra 6" further and absolutely over the top, here is my recommendation. Although at a substantially higher cost, you get a complete package with excellent performance and features.

Projectors

If your home can afford a special screening room for movies, buying a projector makes better sense. Choosing a projector involves several factors such as brightness, maximum projection size, resolution, aspect ratio, weight, and even usage pattern. A brightness of 1000 lumens is common, while it is preferable to go for something that is approaching 2000 so that you do not require a completely dark room to view the projected image. Consumer projector resolution can vary from SVGA (800x600) to 2K (2048x1080), while aspect ratio can be 4:3, 16:10, or 16:9. Needless to say, higher pixel sizes are ideal for HD movies, while just about any projector can suffice for presentation tasks. 3D projectors are also available, but have been excluded due to a lack of availability, high cost, and interest. Projection size and throw is also important and must be considered before purchasing any device. It is better to have as many types of input and output ports as possible. LCD and DLP are the commonly available types of projectors, of which, the former offers sharper and brighter output, while the latter is better for movies.

BenQ W1100
MRP: Rs 95,000
Street Price (As On 11-May-2012): Rs 98,000 (GadgetsGuru.in)

This projector, based on DLP technology, is good for those looking for a home entertainment setup. It features 1080p video capability, a 2000 lumen lamp, high contrast ratio, and 20 Watt SRS WOW HDTM surround sound. 10-bit processing and adjustable colour management makes it a good choice for watching movies. Capable of projecting an 80" image at a distance varying from 2.5 m to 3.7 m, this makes a it a good buy at a fair price.

Tags : Guides, Displays, BenQ, LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, BRAVIA, Jayesh


If you're burning more than 20 grand on a cellphone, the handset has to be impressive. Here, the user experience is crucial. Additionally, the design is of significant importance, because after spending so much who wouldn't want to show off their new phone? Last year, it was all about iOS and Android. This time around though, the Windows Phone platform has come up as a breath of fresh air, to challenge them both. Thus providing more options to the consumer.



Coming to the point, here are the best handsets you can currently buy in the Indian market. Please note that the HTC One X is not in the list, since I haven't tested it yet.




Apple iPhone 4S

Street Price: Rs 42,800 (Saholic.com); Rs 43,300 (Letsbuy.com)


A great design and a simple user interface are the strengths of the latest iPhone. Moreover, it can compete with most high-end Android devices, when it comes to the raw power. The phone handles the 3D games and 1080p videos effortlessly. The pixel packed Retina display is sharp. Touch response is flawless, as you'd expect from Apple. Siri might not be useful, but is fun for sure. What's more, a rich app store is an icing on the cake.

 


Nokia Lumia 800
Street Price: Rs 23,000 (HomeShop18.com; Saholic.com)

The Lumia 800 is arguably the most beautiful handset available in the market. Nokia's precision of build and an AMOLED screen with ClearBlack wizardry, makes it stand out from the competition. On the software part, Microsoft has managed to deliver fluid interface, while achieving unbelievable attention to detail. Additionally, the unmatched social networking experience further sweetens the deal.



Samsung GALAXY S II


Street Price: Rs 27,500 (Saholic.com; Homeshop18.com)


Almost every major Android handset manufacturer has released a dual-core device. However, no one could actually match up to the success of Samsung's Galaxy S II. This phone walks past all of its competition, in terms of sheer performance. Thanks to full-Flash support, this handset can even handle 1080p web videos in the browser. Its Mali 400 GPU can handle every Android game with ease. Moreover, an 8 MP camera capable of HD recording and a 4.3" AMOLED screen, do justice to its raw power.
 

Tags : Guides, Mobile Phones, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Samsung, Apple, Nokia, GALAXY, Lumia, iPhone, ck

NXG Xtab A10
MRP: Rs 5700 (4 GB); Rs 6700 (8 GB) (click the Buy Now link).


Useful or not, almost everyone wants to buy a tablet these days. However, not all folks can afford an iPad, therefore, entry-level 7" tablets are doing quite well in India. The Xtab A10 is one such 7" tablet that offers the Android 4.0 experience at an affordable price. Additionally, the company claims effortless full HD video playback. Let's see how much these statements hold true.


Design And Build Quality
The retail package includes the tablet, charger, USB cable, earphones, and a USB OTG (On-The-Go) cable. The gadget measures 7.5" (l) x 4.8" (w) x 0.5" (13 mm) (d), and weighs around 360 grammes. Despite being affordable, this tablet has decent looks. The manufacturer has kept things simple and avoided gaudiness. Unlike similarly priced slates, the Xtab A10 doesn't creak when pressed at the corners. Overall, the tablet's build quality is great considering its price tag.
 

The device's 7" touchscreen has pixel dimensions of 800x480. The screen isn't extraordinary, but is definitely better than its competition. Its brightness and colour reproduction is ok. On the flip side, it's quite reflective and has limited viewing angles.

Although the official website claims to feature a 1.5 GHz processor, the device is actually powered by a 1 GHz CPU. Other specs include 512 MB of RAM, Wi-Fi, 4 GB \ 8 GB of internal storage, a microSD card slot, front VGA camera, 3.5 mm jack, USB OTG-enabled mini-USB port, HDMI port, and a 3600 2450 mAh battery (NXG has clarified that the original claim of 3600 mAh was a printing mistake). To keep costs down, the company has done away with the main camera and Bluetooth. Getting rid of the former is actually a good move, since I really don't enjoy the idea of holding a 7" slate to take a photograph.


UI And Performance
The A10 runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out of the box. Surprisingly, the hardware handles the latest software reasonably well. This has been achieved by stripping off a few features, such as the Face Unlock from the ICS. The tablet still has a slight amount of lag, but then it's a part of the standard Android experience. The touchscreen is good at registering inputs, but don't expect to be as precise as the high-end tablets. The device's front facing VGA camera and mic lets you make video calls using third-party apps such as Fring and Skype.

The onboard browser supports Flash 11.1 and it handles web videos pretty well. Additionally, the browser's page rendering is reasonably fast. The tablet provides access to the Google Play store, and power users will be pleased to know that the device comes pre-rooted, so you don't have to waste time finding ways to take complete control of your tablet.


Multimedia
The gadget's speaker is weak, but the sound quality through earphones is very good. Additionally, it offers plenty of equalizer settings and sound effects. The only annoyance with the review unit was that its 3.5 mm jack was a little problematic. It required us to push the earphones pin hard to make it work properly.

The tablet can handle 1080p video in almost all the popular formats. The manufacturer claims that the device can also play 2160p videos, and to my surprise it actually did. However, the playback wasn't very smooth.


Battery And Verdict
The tablet's 2450 mAh battery can keep the device powered on for a day under average use. With heavy use though, it can last up to 5 hours and 30 minutes. This is decent performance, considering that it's an Android tablet.

For an asking price of under Rs 6000, the gadget pulls off impressive performance. It offers an HDMI port, 1080p video playback, and great sound quality. More importantly, it delivers a good ICS experience at an affordable price. If you're a tablet lover on a tight budget, the Xtab A10 is the way to go.


Features: 4/5
Design And Build Quality: 4.5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Mojo: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

TAGS: Tablets, Android, ck

Metro DataVac Electric Duster 500
Price: $95 (Rs 5000, Amazon.com) — inclusive of taxes and shipping

The fact that you are reading this review on this particular website means you're a gadget geek who owns electronic gizmos worth a small fortune. It also means that you care about your sizeable investment, and rue the fact that India is a very dusty and humid country. Dust, moisture, corrosion form the unholy trinity responsible for horrors such as:

• Overheating due to heatsinks insulated with dust.
• Corrosion, which is accelerated by dust and moisture.
• Moisture and dust forming a sludge that kills cooling fans.

This milk bottle-sized blower packs in an insane 500-watt motor.

America Saves The Day, Yet Again!
While full-sized vacuum cleaners are powerful enough, they can't get the job done well because of their bulk and unwieldiness. Handheld ones are useless too — they're as effective as an asthmatic sucking through a straw. A compressed air can is your only choice then. Unfortunately, these are prohibitively expensive at Rs 225 a pop, and tend to piss off the vegans at Greenpeace as well.

The solution to this distinctively Indian problem can ironically be found on the other side of the globe with the Metropolitan Vacuum Company's (MetroVac) DataVac Electric Duster 500 (ED500). It may cost $52 (Rs 2700 approx), but you end up paying $95 (around Rs 5000) due to shipping ($22) and taxes ($20) incurred by the time it reaches your doorstep. You may think it's crazy to pay twice the price to import something, but there's a method to this madness. The scores of geeks who swear by this product notwithstanding, it takes one look at the company's About Us page to know why this product will turn out rather sublime.

No Chinese Prisoners Were Harmed While Making This Product
MetroVac is an old-school, family-owned business that's proud of what it does. While most corporations's major concern starts and ends with maximising profits, that isn't the case with this company. This is pretty evident from the fact that unlike almost every single manufacturer out there, MetroVac didn't dropkick its workforce for cheap Chinese labour. That's why the ED500 bears a prominent American flag with the words "MADE IN USA" below it.

But is a quintessential American worker lovingly lap-winding an armature any better than a Chinese prisoner forced to do the same? Apparently yes, because I've been using the ED500 almost daily for over three months without a hitch. The good people on the internet also vouch for its indestructibility after having used it for years. MetroVac itself gives a 5-year guarantee on the motor. Not that it can be claimed in India, but it's still reassuring to know that. Now that we've established it's money well spent, let's take a look at the product itself.

Purpose-Built
The ED500 pretty much resembles a slightly fat milk bottle, with a large black handle and a short spout projecting from its neck. It's quite comfortable to hold due to its reasonably light weight of 1.25 kg. The power cable is quite long and sports a tangle-free design. It appears like something straight out of a military surplus depot, thanks to its mil-spec industrial looks and a very purpose-built construction. You won't find any chrome or effeminate design cues here. What you will find, however, are rugged high-impact plastics, an all-steel body, machine screws, and heavy duty switches. Mind you, this electric duster isn't meant to look good, but to fulfil a sole objective — push ridiculous volumes of air.

The ED500 achieves this with an absolutely mental 500-Watt electric motor crammed inside a deceptively small and unassuming shell. The duster sucks in air through a removable sponge filter at the bottom. A metal mesh over the razor sharp fan blades prevents you from making mutton kheema out of your fingers. The motor then compresses and accelerates the air, which emerges like the breath of Hades from the nozzle.

Nothing I say here can prepare you for the wrist-wrenching torque that the motor exerts when switched on. I've lost count of the number of times I kept the duster on my desk with its power switch accidentally placed in the on position, then switched it on directly from the mains. That's enough to make it tumble off the table on its own accord. Thankfully, the body is strong enough to withstand multiple such impacts.

Like The Breath Of Hades
How powerful is the ED500, you ask? Well, I initially considered comparing it to a compressed air can, but this is so stupendously powerful, that a comparison would be an exercise in futility. The fact is, it can shove around and even topple my vertically-mounted PS2. Lesser gadgets such as mobile phones and PMPs are blown straight off the desk without warning, so be careful where you point that thing. All this is achieved with the attachment bearing the largest opening, so you can well imagine what will happen when the nozzle is narrowed, increasing the pressure. All you need is a minute to clean an average-sized desk.

The electric duster ships with two attachments: one with a wide nozzle and another with a narrow opening. The latter concentrates the airflow enough to tackle hard-to-clean objects such as heatsinks with consummate ease. While the ED500 is small and handy enough to reach anywhere inside PC cabinets, you also get a flexible tube with a micro nozzle, and a brush attachment to dislodge dirt from nooks and crannies.

The first time you blow into the innards of your PC, I recommend moving it outdoors. That is, if you don't fancy applying a fresh coat of dust to your room. The amount of dust the machine can blow out of a cabinet just beggars belief! The best part is that while lesser blowers are known to produce ESD (ElectroStatic Discharge), I haven't faced any such problem with the ED500. This is powerful enough to lick all your components clean, while gentle enough not to blow capacitors and diodes off PCBs. In short, it's perfect.

A No-Brainer
The downside? Well, being American, it operates at 110-120 Volts AC. Plugging it directly into a 220 V Indian socket will incinerate the motor in a matter of seconds. Therefore, you will have to spend another Rs 450 or so on a voltage converter before you can power it up. It's a little gadget that plugs into your mains socket and reduces the high-voltage Indian power source (220-240 V) to the low-voltage American standard required by the ED500.

Another disadvantage is that the gizmo's almost as noisy as a full-sized vacuum cleaner. However, that's subjective, because I personally enjoy the high-pitched whine of its motor. Its batshit insane blend of power and noise means you feel more like Kratos holding the angry, severed head of Hades, instead of a regular geek with an electric blower.

Let's face it, a decent gaming rig these days can cost nearly a lakh. Paying 5% of that to ensure it works as good as new is the least you can do. It's actually cheaper in the long run as compared to compressed air canisters. It's like buying 20 of the latter at one go, but from the 21st canister on, the product starts paying for itself. If you really value your electronic possessions, this is a worthwhile purchase.

Performance: 5/5
Design and Build Quality: 4.5/5
Features: 4.5/5
Value: 3.5/5
Mojo: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

TAGS: Home Appliances, Gizmos, Desktops, Hardware, Nachiket

Last month, we listed out the top five phones under Rs 10,000. Now, for the folks with relatively deeper pockets, here are a few more suggestions. In this category, you can easily get the OS of your choice. Coming to the features, make sure that the phone you pick has GPS, Wi-Fi, and at least a 5 MP camera. Having said that, don't buy a handset only for its impressive specs sheet. At the end of the day, these numbers mean nothing if the device fails to perform under real-world conditions.


Samsung OMNIA W (Recommended Windows Phone)
Street Price (As On 19-Apr-2012): 15,000 (Flipkart.com)
This handset offers the best smartphone experience that you can have for 15 grand. The OMNIA W is based on the Windows Phone OS, which easily makes the Android platform look dated. Additionally, its smooth UI is something that you can't expect from the competing operating systems at this price point. The phone has a snappy 1.4 GHz CPU and a decent 5 mp camera. The icing on the cake is the impressive 3.7" Super AMOLED screen. If you're willing to try something new, the OMNIA W is the way to go.


Nokia E6 (Recommended Business Phone)
Street Price (As On 19-Apr-2012): Rs 17,000 (Flipkart.com)
The E6 sports a sleek design and a superb QWERTY keypad, which makes it a textbook texter. Surprisingly, the phone is also capable of 720p video playback, along with sound quality that can compete with any of the similarly priced music-centric mobile phones. GPS with free voice-guided satellite navigation and an 8 mp fixed-focus camera add extra value to this gadget. With the recent Nokia Belle update, its touch-and-type UI has become even better.


Samsung GALAXY S (Recommended Multimedia Phone)
Street Price (As On 19-Apr-2012): 19,400 (Infibeam.com)
An excellent 4" AMOLED screen and 720p video playback capability gives it an edge in this category. The handset's sound quality is also very good. Additionally, its 1 GHz CPU, 16 GB of onboard storage, and a 5 mp camera won't disappoint you either. The device is easily available in brick and mortar shops for a little over 19k, and considering its stellar multimedia performance, it's totally worth it.


Nokia N8 (Recommended Camera Phone)
Street Price (As On 19-Apr-2012): Rs 18,400 (Saholic.com)
This is the phone that actually took off a chunk of sales from point-and-shoot cameras. Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash, and a 12 mp camera sensor ensure that no other phone comes close to this device's imaging performance, except for the upcoming Nokia 808 PureView. An HDMI port, aluminium casing, and a great battery life distinguishes it from the other devices. Moreover, after the Nokia Belle update and a recent price cut, it's a steal.


HTC One V (Recommended Android Phone)
Street Price (As On 19-Apr-2012): Rs 18,300 (Flipkart.com)
Google announced the Android 4.0 last year. However ICS-based phones were still nowhere to be found in India, except for the half-baked custom ROMs that come with a flurry of connectivity woes. Thankfully, HTC's One V brings the ICS OS to the table at an affordable price. The handset's 1 GHz CPU handles the latest version of Android pretty smoothly. It comes with a crisp 3.7" screen with pixel dimensions of 800x480. Overall, priced just over 18 grand, this handset is a great deal for Android enthusiasts.

Tags : Guides, Mobile Phones, Android, Windows Phone, Symbian, Samsung, GALAXY, OMNIA, HTC, One, Nokia, ck

Nokia Drive
Developer: Nokia
Price: Free



Pros: Voice guided navigation; Supports offline mode; Detailed maps; Thoughtful interface.
Cons: Battery intensive.


Nokia's offline maps and navigation apps are quite popular on the Symbian platform. Therefore, while debuting Windows Phone handsets, it made sense for the Finns to replace the lackluster Bing Maps with its in-house sat-nav solution.

The Nokia Drive app is accompanied by the Maps and Transport software to sweeten the deal. There's nothing exciting about the Nokia Maps, except for live traffic updates for Mumbai and Delhi. The Transport app provides local public transport information to help you plan your journey, which comes handy when you prefer not to use your car.

On the other hand, if you're planning a car trip, Nokia Drive is your friend. This app is similar to its Symbian counterpart, Ovi Maps, except for a better UI.
 

The app allows you to download map data on the device itself. Simply go to, Setting > Manage Maps, and you are ready for download. Nokia offers maps for most countries across five continents. Additionally, there's an option to download map data for an entire country as well as for individual states. For example, you can install the India (All) map, which is 372 MB in size or opt for the Maharashtra/Goa map that fits into 106 MB.

Once you've downloaded the desired maps, you can avail free voice guided navigation, even in the offline mode. To start with your journey, just click on Set Destination to choose point B. After that, the app gives you detailed turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation. The app marks the route in blue, and keeps you notified about the road you're driving on. The interface features a speedometer, and from the settings you can choose to set speed limit alerts. The interface is clean, and is devoid of unnecessary distractions. If in case, you don't like getting instructions in a feminine voice, you can download additional voice packs. What's more, there are over 50 languages to choose from. I tried Hindi, and it works well.

The app was tested on a Lumia 800 and I must say that the device's GPS performance is superb. It never took more than two minutes to lock onto satellites. The only issue here, is the app's battey usage, but then locking onto satellites is expected to be battery intensive. All in all, it's a stellar navigation app, and the best thing is that it's free for the Lumia users.


Rating: 4.5/5
 

Creative Studio
Developer: Nokia
Price: Free



Pros: Easy to use; Quick at rendering effects; SNS friendly.
Cons: Limited number of effects.


Instagram has become a rage on iOS and Android. Sadly, it's not available for the Windows Phone platform yet. However, Nokia has made sure that its Lumia users get a decent alternative.

The Creative Studio app not only allows you enhance the captured snaps, but also lets you to add effects in real time. It offers various filters such as Sketch, Dreamy, Night vision, and Cartoon. Additionally, you can select any of the images already saved in your photo gallery, to edit and enhance it using numerous effects including Watercolour, Freaky, Back to ’76, and Auto enhance. However, I think Nokia should have included a few more filters.
 

The software allows you to change the contrast, sharpness, and exposure values for any photograph. While applying effects, the app provides a split-screen view to evaluate changes. This option is very helpful since it enables you to obtain desired results more often. Needless to say, you can add multiple effects to a single image. My favorite option among the lot, is Face Warps. It lets you make your friends look super fat, monstrous, or even like aliens.

The developers have also added an option to capture panoramic images. In this mode, you just need to capture the first photo and the app guides you through the rest of the process. The image stitching is neat, but for great results, you need to have steady hands. Similar to Insagram, Creative Studio allows users to share images though Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr. Although the app could have been even better, it's still a must have photography app for the shutter bugs.


Rating: 4/5

Tags : Apps, Windows Phone, Nokia, Lumia, ck