Philips SHQ4000 in-ear headphones

The SHQ4000 are waterproof neckband headphones  by Philips along with the SHQ1000 and SHQ3000 as part of their sport headphone line. This series features a bright orange color scheme and ultra-soft anti-bacterial silicon ear caps in three sizes which are washable as are the headphones by running under tap water.

The ear buds form a seal within the ear, making for an extended bass response as well as minimal sound leakage either in or out. A cable clip is also included for keeping the 1.2m cable out of the way during exercise. Similar to the SHQ3000, the 9mm diameter ear bud form has a frequency response of 15 - 20,000 Hz, compared to the basic SHQ1000s which are 13.5mm in diameter but have less power output and bass response. All three in the series have a gold-plated 3.5mm stereo connection, 1.2m cable, anti-bacterial ear caps and are waterproof.

Features
Frequency response: 15 - 22 000 Hz
Maximum power input: 20 mW
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Magnet type: Neodymium
Diaphragm: Mylar Dome
Sensitivity: 102 dB
Speaker diameter: 9 mm
Type: Dynamic
Voice coil: CCAW
Cable length: 1.2 m
Connector: Gold-plated 3.5 mm stereo
Comes with carrying pouch, cable clip and three sizes of ear caps

The headphones are made for rough use and sports use and will last a long time and the sound quality is really good.  The low level base frequencies are reproduced in a good way and is good. The headphones are sweat proof and that's a big thing as that's how many of my headphones were ruined. A must buy for the active music listener.

As usual if you have any questions or comments just email me or leave a comment.

HTC Inspire 4G

The guys at HTC are sure making some great phones and many of them with 4G. This is their newest 4G phone the HTC Inspire 4G. The HTC Inspire 4G is an upper mid-cost smart phone. This phone's HTC Sense feature groups every email, status update, tweet, text message and phone call by person for easy viewing and follow-up. The Inspire 4G's Friend Stream app allows you to quickly check what is happening on your social networks.

The display of this smart phone is 4.3 inches of WVGA screen. The Inspire 4G's Dolby + SRS Surround sound with noise cancellation ensures clear audio. So if you want a 4G phone that has great sound quality then look no further.  The sound quality was very very good. With 4G streams that are ten times faster than 3G, you can take in quality media without hassle. The Inspire 4G's DLNA connectivity allows you to stream videos, photos and music wirelessly to a larger display (which must also be DLNA certified, of course). This smart phone's 8MP camera is equipped with LED flash, in-camera editing and live picture effects. The Inspire 4G's camera is also equipped with 720p camcorder ability, for shooting HD video. The camera quality is very good in most situations. Once you have caught pictures or video, you can send it to social networks with instantaneous uploads. The HTC Inspire 4G smart phone is equipped with a 1230mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The battery life is very good for a phone with a 4.3 inch screen but it could have been better. the build quality of the phone is good and feels very good to hold in hand.

Features
Qualcomm QSD8255 1GHz Snapdragon processor
Android 2.2 (Froyo) w/ HTC Sense
4G speed
768MB/RAM 4GB/ROM
4.3" WVGA resolution w/ pinch-to-zoom
HSPA+ 850/1900 MHz
GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
GPS GPS/AGPS
720p camcorder
8MP color camera w/ auto focus and flash
Bluetooth 2.1
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
3.5mm stereo audio jack
Micro USB
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (1230 mAh)
Up to 360 minutes talk time
Up to 15.5 days standby time
Dimensions: 4.8” x 2.7” x .46
Weight: 5.78 ounces (with battery)

This phone is another one in the list of 4G phones and according to me it should be among the top few best 4G phones. As usual if you have any questions or comments just email me or leave a comment

Motorola Xoom tablet.

The Motorola Xoom is a tablet PC, promoted by Motorola as the first to have Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and a dual-core processor (each core runs at 1GHz). The Xoom is equipped with 3G capability, and is upgradeable to 4G. It is a impressive product similar to their Atrix phone.

The Honeycomb user experience improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization and features the latest Google Mobile innovations. The Xoom gives you instant access to Google Maps (with 3D interaction), as well as the millions of books that are in Google eBooks. The 10.1 inch display of this tablet PC is widescreen HD, with a 1280x800 resolution. On a single charge, the Xoom offers up to ten hours of video playback. Video is played in 1080p, and with the 2MP front-facing camera and 5MP rear-facing camera you can capture video in 720p, as well as hold video chats over WiFi. The Xoom's HDMI output allows you to display content on larger HD screens. Adobe Flash Player helps to make video and web content run smoothly. I used the product and this tablet feels very well built. The hardware on the tablet is really great and similar to the Blackberry playbook and as I told earlier both of these devices will easily beat the Ipad.maybe thats why Apple is going to launch a new one soon. Well this sure is a very good laptop and is one more option to the tablet hungry person.

Features
10.1" widescreen HD display (1280x800 resolution)
Android 3.0 (Honeycomb)
Dual-core processor
Verizon network
2MP front-facing camera
5MP rear-facing camera (w/ dual LED flash)
32GB on-board user memory
SD card support
1GB DDR2 RAM
720p video capture
1080p video playback/streaming
Audio playback capable
3G (4G LTE upgradeable)
802.11n personal hotspot
3.5mm jack
USB 2.0
Corporate Sync
WiFi 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR + HID
Up to 10 hours of video playback on a battery charge
NVIDIA Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core processor (1GHz per core)
Weight: 730g

This is a great buy and will keep you away from blending into the crowd and is impressive on the specs too. So go and buy it if you want a tablet. As usual if you have and questions or comments just email me or leave a comment

Asus G53JW Laptop

If you want a laptop that you can brag about to your friends or you have friends saying that I have a powerful laptop and you want to shut them up or you just want a powerful machine to work and play with then this Asus G53JW is for you. The Asus G53JW is a high-end 15.6" gaming laptop and is released as an upgrade to the original G53. The G53JW mainly offers enhanced 3D-ready graphics, via one of Nvidia's new DirectX 11-optimized mobile Fermi cards.

Both the G53JW and its bigger brother, the  17.3" G73JW utilize the 1.5GB GDDR5 GeForce GTX 460M. The notebook is available with one of several processors from Intel's 2011 lineup, ranging from a 2.13GHz Core i3 to an overclocked 3.06GHz quad-core i7. and if that was ot enough the G53JW comes with up to 8GB of DDR3 memory and an optional Blu-ray drive to take advantage of an  1080p, LED-backlit display. Bluetooth and 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity, in addition to an HDMI output, are standard. The laptop is not very portable, weighing 7.9 lbs with an 8-cell battery. On my usage of the laptop I really liked the build quality and the looks of the laptop and the features speak for themselves.

Features
15.6" LED-backlit LCD (1366x768 or 1920x1080)
Intel Core i3/i5/i7 CPU
Max. 8GB DDR3 RAM
Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M (1.5GB GDDR5)
Max. 750GB hard drive, or 500GB solid-state hybrid
Optional Blu-ray player/writer
HDMI port
8-in-1 card reader
2.0MP webcam
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Gigabit ethernet
3 USB ports
EAX Advanced HD 5.0
THX TruStudio
8-cell battery
7.9 lbs

So this is the machine for you if you want a powerful gaming laptop or just a powerful machine. as usual if you have any questions or comments just email me or leave a comment

Cyborg R.A.T 7 Gaming Mouse

If you are looking for a good gaming mouse then it does not get any better than this Cyborg R.A.T 7 Gaming Mouse. I saw this product in a demo area and really loved the design. Normally all mouse are the same but this product is very different mouse. Its almost like a tailored mouse. Let me run through some of the features.

There are different attachment pieces that you can install to suit your grip and holding style of the mouse. The R.A.T. can quickly and easily adapt by adjusting in length to suit your hand size and grip style. In addition, the Thumb Panel of the R.A.T. 7 moves forwards, backwards, and pivots outwards, giving you perfect positioning for effortless gaming. You get 3 Interchangeable palm rests and 3 pinkie grips to set the mouse to the way you want. The R.A.T mouse has a Custom Weight System – Like it light or heavy? Maybe you change the weight to suit your game? No matter, the R.A.T. has you covered. Five 6-gram weights can be added or subtracted in an instant, giving you the perfect weight for a perfect feel.

With this R.A.T. you will never miss another target due to the  Precision Aim Mode.  Hit your target the first time every time. Use the ST Programming Software to set your desired Precision Aim speed (mouse sensitivity), then hold down the Precision Aim button to slow down mouse movement to a level that works for you. A deadly weapon that will hit your enemy where it hurts.

The R.A.T offers 5600 DPI  featuring a new generation 'twin eye' laser sensor that reads each axis separately for pinpoint accuracy, the R.A.T. 7 tracks up to a stunning 6 meters per second. Pro gamers who favor low sensitivity with high movement speed preferences will always experience correct tracking and precision. There are 4 Custom DPI Settings. Use the Rocker Switch on the Mouse to toggle between your custom DPI settings.

There are 5 Programmable Buttons so now  Combine your Programmable Buttons with 2 regular left and right mouse buttons and give yourself a total of 7 buttons available to punish your competition. Assign your choice of key gaming actions to Programmable Buttons to create your own custom profiles.

The R.A.T has a Lightweight Metal Chassis which is strong Strong yet nimble, the solid metal frame forms the core of the R.A.T. 7 for enhanced rigidity. This will ensure a long life of complete gaming.

If you are a hardcore gamer then this is the best mouse there for you so go and buy it.

As usual if you have any questions or comments just email me or leave a comment.

Low latency ram ( is it good)

 Markinson Zibbik asked me if low latency Ram is good and if there is any need for it??
This is a question that many people have and I will explain it in very simple terms.
 Well The answer is  that depends on the task you are doing. I use my Pc for Programming and coding and for gaming etc. Its due to the gaming aspect that I have used a low latency ram.

If you have that kind of hiend work that requires a lot of ram and you and willing to spend a little extra for it then investing in this kind of ram is good.  there are various clock speeds the lower they are the better. (normally)
 There is also the mz that they run on. Its also good to consider using a ram with good heat spreaders as they get really hot and will prolong the life of the ram.

The ram I use is a Gskill 8400 ddr2 1100 mz ram with a latency of 4-4-4-12. this was the best that i could find when i made my Pc and I am really happy with the performance of them. I was so happy that this week i went and got another set of the ram and popped that in too.
here are the pics. (I know the pics are not good Blame my friend who took it..lol)

                                           The new ones come with Black heat spreaders

                                                                     Packaging

                                           Above is my previous ram with Silver heat spreaders.

                                                        Installing my new ram

                                       My Old and new ram together taken through the case window

The place where low latency ram really  shines is when you put a lot of load on them. They do a lot better than normal ram when put on load hence they are ideal for gaming and things that put a lot of load on the pc. You will never see any lagg on the pc even when you are pushing it to the max. So if you have that kind of usage on the pc and dont mind spending a little more then go for it.

Hope that helps.
If you have any questions or comments  just email me or leave a comment.

Yamaha YHT-494

If you want to create a home theatre  at your home, the one thing that will make or brake the deal is the sound. Its really the icing on the cake. lets say you don't have much of a budget left after buying your 70 inch plasma. so what could you buy without braking the bank.  The Yamaha YHT- 494 will be perfect for you. You can bag this baby for under 500$ which is exceptional value for money.
The YHT-494 is a five channel home theater system powered by the Yamaha HTR-3063 receiver. Channel surround sound is provided by a slim horizontal center speaker for left/center/right front channels, two small satellites for left /right rear channels, and a subwoofer with phase in/out switch for the bass frequencies. The Sound output is very good and Impressive.

The  phase in/out switch  lets you invert the phase of the signal if the bass sounds too muddy, and, 9 subwoofer crossover frequencies can be selected from the receiver each sending a specific range of the audio spectrum to the sub so you can decide which is best. The receiver offers many inputs and outputs including an iPod port for connecting an optional iPod dock, 4 S-Video inputs with one on the front panel, 2 Component Video inputs and 1 Component output, and 4 digital inputs via 2 Coaxial and 2 Optical. It also has a 1080p compatible HDMI repeater with four inputs and one output so you can have four sources connected at once. Power handling is rated at 500W total or 5 times 100W, and digital audio conversion a maximum of 192 kHz/24 bit. A front audio input jack is located next to the front av inputs, and Bluetooth capability is supported when using the optional Yamaha YBA-10 wireless audio receiver.

The system is good for a normal size room and even a large  room but not a very giant room. If thats the case then don't go for this.  But if you  have a normal room which is most people have for a entertainment room this will perform very good.  You can invite your friends over and they will be  amazed by the clarity of your system (Provided that your friend does not have a 5000$ system) But even in that case he will be impressed that you got so much at this price.

Features

HTR-3063 Receiver
Channels: 5.1
RMS Output Power (1kHz): 100 W x 5 (8 ohms, 1 kHz, 0.9% THD)
HDMI 3D Capable
Dolby Digital EX / Dolby Pro Logic IIx
DTS-ES Discrete 6.1
9 Selectable Subwoofer Crossover Frequencies
D/A Conversion: 192 kHz/24 bit
HDMI (In/Out): 4/1
Component Video (In/Out): 2/1
A/V Inputs (S-Video): 4(composite, one on front panel)
Digital Inputs/Outputs [O: Optical, C: Coaxial]: (O: 2, C: 2)
Front Mini Input for Portables
Bluetooth Compatibility: With Optional YBA-10
iPod Compatibility: With Optional YDS 11/12
Compressed Music Enhancer
Auto Power Down
Learning Remote Capability: Preset
Surround Programs: 17

Speakers
Subwoofer: 6 1/2" 100W
Center Speaker: 1-1/2” x 3-3/4” Cone x 3
Satellites: 2-1/2" cone full-range driver
Tabletop Speaker Stands

System
Total Power: 600W including subwoofer
Cabinet Type: Plastic
Finish: Black
Dimensions: 31-1/8" x 18-3/8" x 21-3/8"
Weight: 51.8 lb

In short if you want good value for money, this is the home theatre for you. In case of any  questions or comments just email me or leave a comment.

Vizio Tablet

Vizio Tablet

If you are looking for a tablet but dont want to get the ipad then this is another alternative to the ever changing and ever growing tablet market. The Vizio Tablet is the TV/LCD display company's first tablet product.
It runs the Android OS with some impressive hardware and features. Starting with the display, the Vizio Tablet boasts a 8 inch XGA (1024x768) capacitive multi-touch screen which is the same resolution as the Apple iPad.

Inside, the Vizio tablet is advertised to have a "1GHz+" processor along with 4GB of internal memory as well as a microSD card slot for further memory additions. Other features include a micro USB port, HDMI output, and stereo speakers with SRS surround sound emulation. It is also interesting to note that the Vizio tablet has an infrared emitter which means it can be used as a universal remote for TVs when paired with certain Android applications. Lastly there is also a front facing camera for video chat. The Vizio Tablet is a feature rich product aimed at people who want all the features of the Ipad and then some.

Features / Specifications
Android OS
8'' XGA (1024x768) Multi-touch LCD display
1GHz Processor
4GB internal memory
MicroSD card slot
Micro USB port, infrared emitter, HDMI out
Stereo speakers with SRS surround sound (software emulated)
Front facing video camera

The sound quality on the product was very good and the tablet felt very good to hold in the hands due to the good quality of plastics. This product has a lot going for it so take a look at it if you are buying a tablet.

As usual if you have any questions or comments just email me or leave a comment

Nokia to use Windows Phone 7

This was a shock to everyone but its true, Nokia has made a pact with Microsoft and will use the windows phone 7 on its future phones. We never thought Nokia will do this and even I thought that Nokia will keep working on symbian as it always has and also put on meego.
    According to sources Nokia will not scrap the symbian which was the largest selling smartphone OS till last year and true it has been hit this year by android. Maybe thats the reason for Nokia to take such a step.
   Expect the symbian line up of phones to still come up and more and more improvements to come on them, and a separate lineup of Windows 7 phones.
   Many of you wrote into me asking what will happen if i am a symbian user, will i stop getting support from Nokia?  Well even I am a power symbian user currently and had the same question. on talking with some people at Nokia I was assured that I don't have to worry and that I will get support, and that Nokia is not scrapping Symbian, just adding windows 7 phones to the lineup.

As usual if you have any questions or comments just email me or leave a comment    

Test Drive Unlimited 2

I have been playing this game for the past week and have to say that its very addictive. The game is really amazing. If you are into cars then look no further  go buy this game,  you wont regret it.

There are many aspect to this game. Its based in two islands one is Ibiza and the other one is Hawaii. Both of these places are very vast, and when I mean vast i do mean it. It makes the map in just cause 2 look small. The Islands are very well designed and you will have fun going around it. The detailing is not that great but for a map this vast its very good.

                                                                    Ibiza map
The thing I like is that this game tried to give you a virtual life like a Avatar and then there are homes and properties and then there are cars.  There is online play where you can tally your scores with your online friends. you can also race with them and hold events.

The game still has a lot of things you can do offline. the only thing that is based online in the completion is the social aspect. There is still the collection and the discovery the winnings in the race and outside events.

The thing I love the most in the game is the detail in the cars and how you get a total feel of the car as though you are driving it.  Like if you are in a car that has a retractable roof you can actually use it and retract it. You can open the power windows. You can use the side indicators, You can use the headlights. etc. Even when you are going to buy a car you can customize its color, its rims , its interior as though you are really buying it from the showroom.

There are cars from every era and every kind, just look at the car list

Alfa Roméo 8C Competizione
Alfa Roméo Brera Italia Independent
Alfa Roméo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde
Alfa Roméo 8c Spider
Alfa Roméo Delta Integrale Evoluzione
Ariel Atom 300 Supercharged
Ariel Atom 500 V8
Ascari A10
Ascari KZ1 R Limited Edition
Aston Martin DB9 Coupe
Aston Martin DBS Coupe
Aston Martin DB9 Volante
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Aston Martin V12 Vantage
Aston Martin One-77
Audi Q7 V12 TDI Quattro
Audi R8 Coupé 5.2 FSI Quattro
Audi RS 6 Avant
Audi S3
Audi S5 Coupé
Audi TTS Coupé
Audi TT RS Roadster
Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro
Bugatti Veyron 16,4
Bugatti Veyron 16,4 Grand Sport
Chevrolet Camaro 2SS ou Camaro SS
Hummer H3
Chevrolet Camaro 1LT ou Camaro LT
Corvette C1
CITROËN 2 CV
Dodge Charger SRT8
Dodge Viper SRT10
Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
Ferrari California
Ferrari Dino 246 GTS
Ferrari Enzo
Ferrari 430 Scuderia
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M
Ferrari 599 GTO
Ferrari FXX "Evoluzione"
Ferrari 458 Italia
Ford Mustang Fastback
Ford GT
Ford Mustang GT
Gumpert Apollo sport
Jaguar D-Type
Jaguar E-Type
Jaguar XKR
Range Rover Sport
Koenigsegg CCXR Edition
Lotus 2-Eleven
Lotus Esprit S3
Lotus Evora
Mercedes 300 SL GullWing
Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Series
Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG
Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster 722s
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss
McLaren MP4-12C
Nissan 370Z
Nissan GT-R
Zonda Cinque
Zonda F

In total 67 cars

So as you can  see this game has attention to detail and it has it in spades. When you want o take a pic in the game (which you do have to do in some missions) you can do things like you would do in a professional DSLR camera. The properties that you buy have ability to edit furniture and placement etc.

So read no further just go and buy the game. It will provide you with Months of good value and then there is the online usage so this  will always be a blast.       

As usual if you have any comments or questions just email me or leave me a comment.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc

Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc

This Phone is from a family of very beautiful phones from Sony  called the Xperia. Now sony was calling the xperia x10 on which this phone is based the size 0 phone. So this would be -1 then. Jokes apart this phone is very slim in fact unbelievably slim and is a real head turner, in fact its even too slim if you can all it. lets quickly head to the review.

Design- Well what can I say, its just 8.5 mm in thickness at its thinnest part so for a phone this big its very thin. This is one of the  phones that I am very pleased with in terms of build quality. The phone feels very steady to hold in your hands and feels good. the only issue is that the screen is a fingerprint magnet. But that's a small price to pay for stunning looks. The phone does have a scratch resistant surface, good to know that your investment is safe.

Features. - The biggest feature of this phone like the other xperia is the time scape. Sony have really pulled it off when it comes to this. If you are a social networking person who is always staying online on multiple accounts, it wont get any better than this. The phone uses the bravia engine for its display and the display looks really sharp and have no issues with it. Watching hi def videos on the device is very good. The phone feels faster than the xperia x10 and surely is a improvement from it. The Battery life was ok for a phone screen this big.

Things I didn't like -  The first thing is that even though this is a flagship model of sony still there was no front camera, so no video calling. This s a turnoff cause now-a-days even the sub 100$ phones have them. I don't know why sony did this. I was also disappointed by the camera quality. Even though its a 8 mega pixal camera it was not able to take good photos. Even a nokia phone with a good 5 megapixal was able to get better and sharper Images than it.

Have a look at the full detailed specifications-      

  

Network support GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
               HSDPA 900 / 2100
                 HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 / 800 (2g and 3G support)


Size Dimensions 125 x 63 x 8.7 mm
Weight 117 g
Display Type LED-backlit LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 480 x 854 pixels, 4.2 inches
Features
- Scratch-resistant surface
- Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
- Multi-touch input method
- Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine
- Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
- Timescape UI
- Has 3.5mm jack
-Call records Practically unlimited
Memory Internal 512 MB RAM
       Card slot microSD, up to 32GB, 8 GB included
Data GPRS Up to 86 kbps
EDGE Up to 237 kbps
3G HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, DLNA
Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP
USB Yes, v2.0 microUSB
Camera Primary 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash.
Features Touch focus, image stabilization, geo-tagging, face and smile detection
Video Yes, 720p@30fps
OS Android OS, v2.3 (Gingerbread)
CPU 1GHz Scorpion processor, Adreno 205 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon
Messaging SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push email, IM
Browser HTML
Radio Stereo FM radio with RDS
Colors Midnight Blue, Misty Silver
GPS with A-GPS support


Battery Standard battery, Li-Po 1500 mAh
Stand-by Up to 430 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 7 h (2G) / Up to 7 h (3G)
Music play Up to 31 h

So what do I  think of this phone. Well  is you are looking for a phone for just social networking ( I know there are cheaper phones for that) and you want a phone that is stunning to look at and you don't mind paying the price then go and get this phone.  I know its not value for money but then that's not who this phone is aimed it.

As usual  any comments or questions just email me or leave a comment.