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Lounching Web-TV channel

2008-11-10T19:27:00.000-08:00

Please take a look listing TV Football station that provider live tv broadcasting on the net

Recently Carlsberg Brewery launched a football web-TV-channel partofthegame.tv.
They launched 5 channels showing all aspects about football from the classic football matches to life as a fan.

Be sure not to miss the video clips about football funnies and rituals from the Football Magic channel or the bizarre story about fans in the stand and how fan culture sometimes go beyond reason.

As an extra feature you can upload your own favourite football and fan moments.

www.partofthegame.tv For Info Web TV

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Swann Communications Digital Private Eye

2007-08-13T01:51:00.000-07:00

Jumping on the ever growing bandwagon of do-it-yourself home security devices, Swann's Digital Private Eye is a nifty device for those after a slightly more covert surveillance system. We were disappointed that it didn't record video footage, but the still image capture worked well, and should satisfy most users.

The thing to note about this particular device is that it looks a lot like an alarm scanner, rather than a camera. The camera itself is a pinhole unit that peaks out of a tiny space in the chassis. Whenever the sensor detects movement the camera jumps into action, snapping a shot every three seconds until the motion stops. These photos are recorded onto an SD card.

The sensor itself is housed in a curved, plastic section towards the bottom and it operated really well in our testing. It has a viewing angle of about 60 degrees, and a range of about 4.5 metres. It continually picked up any hints of movement within this space, impressing us with its accuracy. Our only complaint is that whenever the Digital Private Eye detected anything, its small LED would light up, revealing to any potential suspects that they've been caught. We'd much rather no warning was given.

We felt the quality of the pictures captured was satisfactory, if not outstanding. The Digital Private Eye has a maximum resolution of 640x480, which is fairly standard for cameras of this type. The pictures won't win any photography competitions, but they are more than adequate for identifying people.

In addition to the security features, the Digital Private Eye also operates as a traditional webcam. Bizarrely however, in the default software we found no options to record video files. You can capture still images in JPEG format, but there is no option for video mode at all. This is particularly strange, considering there are options to change the speed, resolution and colour space of the footage. We tested in with an MSN webcam conversation and everything operated flawlessly. The image quality wasn't the best, with some noticeable pixilation and extremely bloated colours, but again, it was more than adequate for basic conversation. We'd recommend finding a piece of third party software if you're looking to record video files.

The Digital Private Eye connects to your computer via a standard mini-USB cable, although the process is a little strange. If the unit is switched off, connecting it will open the SD card as a removable storage device, but if device is on, it will function as regular webcam. We found this a little irritating at first, as you have to disconnect and reconnect the rather stiff cable to switch between the two modes. The device runs off AC power, although an adapter to externally connect a 9V battery is also provided.

All in all, this is a fairly useful device. Those purely after a webcam will be disappointed by the combination of pixilated video and no default video mode, but people wanting a cheap security solution will find everything they need in the Digital Private Eye.

General

Available Colours

White

Video speed (fps)

Wireless?

Software Features

Motion Detection

Number of Alarm Inputs

Swann Communications NightHawk 3

2007-08-13T01:40:00.001-07:00

The NightHawk 3 is another security camera system from Swann. This package comes with three wireless cameras, a receiver and remote control. We were a little disappointed that it came with no option to record video footage, but purely as a surveillance device it operated admirably, and should satisfy home or shop owners who are looking for a little extra piece of mind.

The NightHawk package is extremely simple to set up. Each camera has the option to run from either a nine volt battery or AC power. Battery life is rather limited though, and should only be used for emergencies (assuming one can have emergency surveillance situations). This is where setup ends; there aren't any switches to flick or software to install. As soon as the cameras are powered on they connect to the receiver and the whole process is automated, taking a lot of the headache out of what should be a fairly simple task.

Offering four different connection frequencies, the receiver is well specified to fit in, even in a modern household that already contains multiple wireless signals. It transmits over a now standard 2.4Ghz connection, and the signal was strong throughout testing.

When the unit was in direct line of site of the cameras, the image was perfect, with no skipping or stuttering. The further away we moved, and the more objects or walls between, resulted in some deterioration in quality. Despite this issue, with the cameras in another room about 20 metres away, the picture was still clear, and was more than adequate for basic security purposes. It wasn't until we moved the cameras about thirty or forty metres away that the picture began to degrade to a point almost unusable. For a regular sized house or shop the range of the NightHawk will be fine. As long as the receiver is centralised, users should be able to cover a few different rooms at once.

The receiver is connected to a display using standard a standard RCA connection. The image was, for most part, quite high quality. It outputs at a resolution of 628 x 582 and offers clear, sharp edges with good detail. The colour balance was a little inaccurate, but as this is a security device rather than an entertainment product, clarity is more important than colour. On a moderate size CRT television we had no problems identify passers-by or objects.

Also included in the package is night vision capabilities, hence the name NightHawk. These activate automatically when the scene becomes too dark. The picture wasn't quite as impressive here as in full light, with a distinct lack of clarity and a noticeable darkness that obscured many details. The NightHawk has a listed range of about five metres in this mode, and this was consistent with our testing. Any more than this and users will struggle to identify the image.

The included remote control is quite nifty. It allows users to switch between the cameras easily, as well as offering loop and lock functions. Loop will automatically cycle through each of the connected cameras, displaying each for a small amount of time before moving on, whereas lock will keep it on one channel. That's really all there is too the NightHawk 3's functionality, which was a little disappointing. For a more thorough security tool, we really think recording functionality needs to be built in, or at least PC connectivity needs to be offered with software to support it. Still, at this price point it is hard to complain too much.

The system itself is fairly plain looking. The receiver is a combination of grey and silver plastic, with a rotating antenna, and it looks like a standard wireless router. The cameras have a hefty, metal body, so they are tough enough to survive outdoor mounting. Do note though that they aren't waterproof. The cameras are clearly designed to be mounted, rather than placed. Although you can swivel them to face different angles, they don't balance very well, so we'd advise that they be mounted.

General

Warranty (Months)

Focus Type

Autofocus

Microphone

Yes

Wireless?

Yes

Base type

Fixed

Number of Alarm Inputs

audioengine A5

2007-08-13T01:36:00.000-07:00

The audioengine A5 (also known as audioengine 5) is a set of stereo hi-fi speakers. Delivering excellent quality, along with an extremely solid and sturdy design, they're some of the best hi-fi speakers we've seen to date. Everything about them screams quality - from their custom design, to the sheer power at which they're able to output sound, the A5 is a top-notch product.

Audio performance on the A5 is the best we've heard yet on a pair of hi-fi speakers. With a well-balanced range, the A5 delivers audio of any genre with exceptional clarity and definition. During testing, we were enthralled by everything from Puccini's Madama Butterfly to Jimi Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower to Outkast's GhettoMusick. From the soaring vocals in Madama Butterfly, to the throbbing bass of GhettoMusick, every note was clear, sharp and well defined. Even more impressive, the A5 is capable of maintaining this clarity at very high volumes. The only problem that we noticed during testing was that treble tended to be ever-so-slightly flat at the highest ranges. Everything else was exceptional, however, with sharp, thumping bass and a clear, crisp midrange.

One of the most impressive aspects of the A5 is the sheer power that it's capable of outputting. We found a comfortable listening level at about 25% volume, and didn't dare go much past 60% for fear of damaging our ear drums. Throughout this entire range, we didn't notice any diminished clarity - this is actually the first hi-fi system where we've hit unreasonably loud volumes before noticing distortion. The inbuilt 5" woofers deliver powerful and thumping bass, although the lack of a separate subwoofer means that you won't get that vibrating rumble.

Already impressed with the speakers' music performance, we decided to hook them up to our home entertainment setup to see how they fare for home theatre use. Again, we were overwhelmed. Watching Full Metal Jacket, every yell from Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, every thumping chopper rotor, and every gunshot and explosion, came in crystal clear. The A5 had no problems at all handling both the bass-heavy firefights and the accompanying musical score at the same time, and it easily rivaled some of the better home theatre systems that we've seen. Although they're only two-channel (ie, not surround sound), the A5 speakers should appeal to any movie lover.

Everything about the design of these speakers has been geared towards delivering the best possible audio quality, and what's more, it's been done without compromising aesthetics. Coming with a solid black or white casing, the speakers are actually quite heavy, and even at the highest volumes, the rugged design prevents noticeable distortion from vibration. Audioengine has really gone all out with the design here, even to the point of using a Kevlar woven composite in the woofers (Kevlar is the material used in a lot of modern body armour). Although we weren't able to do any tests to determine whether or not the woofers are bulletproof, the sheer amount of volume they're capable of producing without distortion is testament to their durability.

The back panel of the main speaker is a simple affair, with power outlets, copper wire outputs that go to the other speaker in the pair, and 3.5in stereo input jacks. The volume knob is located on the front of the unit, although there's no separate knobs for treble and bass, and no remote is included, which may be slightly irritating, especially for users planning to use the A5 as home theatre speakers.

Overall, the audioengine A5 is one of the best hi-fi systems we've seen thus far. Capable of handling anything from opera to R&B to movies, it comes highly recommended to any user in the market for high-quality, powerful stereo speakers.

Audio & Speakers

Number of speakers

Audio Type

Stereo

General

Length (mm)

197x2

Width (mm)

178x2

Height (mm)

254x2

Warranty (Months)

Weight (kg)

6.4 (left) 4 (right)

Samsung SP67L6HX

2007-08-13T01:34:00.001-07:00

More and more we are astounded by just how large televisions can get. With the recent announcement at CES2006 of a 100 inch LCD television by LG-Philips, the mind becomes awash in amazement at how far people will go to get the biggest, the best and the most outrageous televisions that the imagination can conjure.

In that vein and in our own attempt to understand the bandwagon, we have been reviewing every massive screen TV we could get our hands on. The latest is the biggest we have reviewed yet. At 67 inches, the Samsung SP67L6HX towers over our viewing environment and makes us question the validity of something so huge. However, there is something so very alluring about it and watching movies on a screen of this size is sublime.

In many of our DLP television reviews we have been known to mention a unit that we saw at the 2005 Home Entertainment Expo. That unit was the SP67L6HX. It is the DLP unit by which we tend to compare all others. It is that good. However, a visual assessment at an Expo and formal testing are two different things and while the unit holds up well, it is far from perfect and suffers in a few areas that slightly taint it from achieving perfection.

Design

Samsung tend to have one aesthetic which they apply to most of their televisions. Thankfully, it is a rather attractive one with smooth curves introducing the matte black bezel to the top of the unit. The speakers are placed neatly above the stand, running along the bottom of the unit with a slight gap between the speaker and the screen. This design screams sophistication and quality, two elements only equaled by the performance of the unit.

The right side of the system sports the primary operation buttons which are all clearly marked and hidden from a front side view of the unit. The right side also houses a single composite/S-Video connection as well. The rear is a sea of input connections with two component inputs, two composite/s-video inputs, a 15 pin D-Sub connector with an accompanying audio-in jack, a HDMI port with RCA audio for use with DVI signals and the TV tuner. The rear panel also has a video out connector as well but this is only limited to composite video.

Interface and Customisation

We looked at the television's feature set and the corresponding menu navigation and felt that the options and calibrations were quite simple to use, if not a little limited. While playing back a DVD there were only three aspect ratio options to choose from and, while 16:9 seemed like the right option to choose, movies in 1.85:1 appeared with black bars more akin to 2.35:1 films. The 16:9 mode constricted the image, making it a higher aspect ratio than it was meant to be. Switching to "Zoom" mode corrected this, but this workaround still looked a little off. The other mode to choose from was 4:3, but seriously, who watches that anymore?

Within the image sphere the calibration options were very basic with contrast, brightness and sharpness together with the usual tint options. We would have liked to see further customisations to this including individual calibrations of the colour elements. However, since most people would only use the basic options anyway, this isn't a huge problem.

When calibrating audio, the SP67L6HX has quite a few options. Sound can be manipulated via a number of pre-set modes that automatically equalise depending on the visuals you are viewing. There is also a graphic equaliser and a few virtual surround options that can enhance the audio dramatically, should you require it.

Speakers

The speakers of the SP67L6HX are exceptional with good range and high performance in both the mid-tone and high treble ranges. They are slightly lacking in bass but not too much and since they hold together very well at high volumes, these bass issues are more than reasonable. Most people who intend to buy a 67 inch television would probably already own a home theatre system, so the speakers aren't a selling point but they are definitely worth noting since they are another element of this unit that we found surprisingly well implemented.

Standard Definition Testing

We tested the DVD playback on the Samsung and were fairly satisfied by the results. DVDs looked reasonably good on this unit although they did tend to lack a certain level of definition due to the scaling in combination with the limitations of DLP technology.

We performed our informal tests by running the lobby scene from The Matrix and the T-Rex attack from Jurassic Park. These tests are excellent for detecting visual aberrations in any television unit due to the difficulties presented in properly displaying their unique visuals. The Matrix is awash in green and for many televisions this becomes a problem. The Samsung had a slight discolouration problem when trying to display the finer smoke particles in the scene but from a comfortable viewing distance this didn't present a serious detriment. However, there was a particularly disheartening level of noise as a result of the scaling but it wasn't as bad as many other DLP televisions we have reviewed.

In our Jurassic Park test the SP67L6HX walked away unscathed. The night scene, harsh on many televisions, was displayed beautifully. In this scene, many televisions tend to show stepping on skin tones but the Samsung showed no such problem. The definition in fine details, such as the pebbled skin of the T-Rex, was also rather good.

Unfortunately, our formal tests with Digital Video Essentials showed a few problems with this television. There was a slight amount of noise in the lower grey registers but these were negligible. The colour block tests and SMPTE pattern tests were both displayed well, with no inaccuracies. Curiously, there was severe noise in blacks which weren't apparent in our other DVD tests. The value of still pattern tests is that fundamental elements used to create an image can be tested independent of any movement. In a film like BladeRunner, where dark and near-black scenes are common, a problem like this will become annoying quickly. However, it appears as though the noise problem doesn't become as prevalent in motion as it is in still images. We tested a handful of other films and found that they looked about as good as you would expect for 576i images on a natively 720p television.

High Definition Testing

We connected the unit to an Xbox 360 and ran FarCry Instincts: Predator. We use the Xbox 360 because it outputs in High Definition and as such is an accurate assessment as to the HD capabilities of a television. We are happy to report that the SP67L6HX displayed images at 720p and 1080i at a high level of clarity with bright accurate colours.

Connecting to a PC

Connected to a PC, the Samsung performed at an acceptable but far from impressive level. It lacked the clarity of an LCD TV under the same conditions and text tended to have a somewhat low level of definition. While text could still be read, we wouldn't recommend replacing your monitor with this 67 inch television. The primary use for connecting a television of this size to a PC would obviously be to watch video content with a simple desktop drag. To this end, the Samsung works quite well.

We tested the PC connection with DisplayMate Video Edition and were not surprised. There was a lack of definition in many edges, particularly around fine details. However, colour block tests showed no serious colour reproduction issues and the greyscale tests revealed only a minor amount of noise in mid to low level greys.

Watching TV

Unfortunately, while the dual tuners work reasonably well, they are only analog and as such can't produce a very good picture. In order to get a reasonable looking image from them you need to have a near-perfect signal or the free-to-air television will look mediocre. However, since the unit has a dual tuner, it has a Picture in Picture feature which works very well. While watching one channel you can watch another in a box on the corner of the screen. While this is not a new feature and many televisions have implemented it before, Samsung should be commended for including it nonetheless as it adds value to an already good unit.

Final Words

A final issue to discuss is the degree to which this unit suffers from Rainbow Effect. Rainbow is a side effect of DLP technology that can cause rainbow flashes of colour across the screen for some viewers. We were worried that it would be a downfall for the SP67L6HX but it was fairly minimal. For someone that is susceptible to it, there is a little of the effect but since the Samsung has a 7 segment colour wheel, they seemed to keep it down to a minimum.

At the end of the testing process, the Samsung SP67L6HX faired rather well. We already held the unit in high regard after seeing it at the 2005 Home Entertainment Expo and while it isn't quite as good as our first assessment, it is still one of the best DLP units on the market. The Toshiba 62CM9UA is slightly better than this unit with better image quality and excellent performance under PC connection. However, it costs $1000 more - so when deciding which unit to get, the size of your wallet should be your only consideration.

Audio & Speakers

Audio Type

Virtual Surround

Display

Display Technology

DLP

Display Brightness

550 cd/m2

Contrast ratio

2500:1

Screen size

67.0 in

Screen Resolution

1280x720

Aspect Ratio

16:09

General

Length (mm)

1584

Width (mm)

502.5

Height (mm)

1144.5

Weight (kg)

47.5

Miscellaneous

Remote Control

Yes

Sleep Timer

Yes

Multimedia Features

Remote Control

Yes

Power Options

Power Supply

AC Power

Television Features

Analog TV Tuner

PAL, PAL-B/G, PAL-D, PAL-I, PAL-K, PAL-M

DTV Display Format

480i (SDTV), 480p (EDTV), 575i, 575p, 720p (HDTV), 1080i (HDTV)

Picture in Picture

Yes

Teletext

Yes

Stand

Yes

Wall-Mountable

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

Audio (RCA) Input, Component Video Input, Composite Video Input, Composite Video Output, D-Sub, HDMI Input, Line In, S-Video Input, TV-Tuner

Number of Audio (RCA) Input Ports

Number of Component Video Input Ports

Number of Composite Video Input Ports

Number of D-Sub Ports

Number of HDMI Input Ports

Number of Line In Ports

Number of S-Video Input Ports

Number of TV-Tuner Ports

Philips 42PFL7532D

2007-08-13T00:57:00.001-07:00

The Philips 42PFL7532D is a 42in LCD TV with a native resolution of 1366x768. It can accept video signals in resolutions ranging from 480i through to 720p and 1080i. The proprietary Philips technologies of Digital Natural Motion and Pixel Plus 2 are also employed, but unlike other models in Philips' range, it does not use Ambilight. For explanations on all these technologies, check out our review of the Philips 42PF9831.

Our testing showed high quality images in standard and high definition modes, but there were a few problems with the unit overall, most of which could be worked around. The most frustrating element of this unit, in comparison to other Philips TVs we have reviewed, is the connectivity at the rear of the device. While the types of signals it accepts are consistent with other flat panel TVs on the market, the way it accepts them is not. The component connectors are present, but rather than have an accompanying RCA audio connector, there is a 3.5mm headphone-style jack and no RCA to 3.5mm stereo adaptor is provided. Similarly, the unit uses SCART for two of its connectors. SCART is a connection type that is largely used in Europe and is found on very few devices in this country. While a SCART adaptor is provided, only one is provided and it only converts to composite video or S-Video. What this boils down to is that if you buy this TV, you can't just take it home and plug in your devices without buying extra cables.

To test the high definition capabilities of this unit, we connected an Xbox 360 using a Component connection and ran gaming and HD-DVD movie tests at resolutions of 720p and 1080i, respectively. In both sets of tests, the image quality was excellent. However, for the gaming test, some calibration was required due to irreparable over-sharpening, some pixelation in high-detail areas and moments of odd jittery motion. This calibration, oddly enough, involved switching off Digital Natural Motion, Pixel Plus 2 and Digital Noise Reduction. We also had to reduce the sharpness as there was excessive over-sharpening by default. Finally, we increased the brightness and maxed the contrast to 100. This gave a stunning result where motion was natural and textures were highly detailed without any pixelation. Colours were reproduced accurately and the black levels were rich without backlight discolouration. If you plan to play video games with this unit, you will not be disappointed. There was some very slight pixelation along some curved edges, but if you are sitting at a comfortable viewing distance, this wont be a problem.

For the HD-DVD test, we viewed the Empire State Building finale from King Kong. Since they are technologies designed for movie viewing, we turned on Digital Natural Motion, Pixel Plus 2 and Digital Noise Reduction for our movie tests. The image quality was top-notch with no pixelation at all, high detail and no contrast stepping. There was a little noise in the clouds at the beginning of the scene, but no more than most panels we have reviewed, and not enough for it to be noticeable when watching it from the comfort of your couch. The colour was accurate, the whites were pure and the blacks were convincingly dark. Overall, in this test and the gaming tests, we were more than satisfied with the performance of the unit. The image quality wasn't quite as crisp and clean as other high-end units on the market, but it was certainly of a high calibre.

Standard definition mode was tested using our Digital Video Essentials (DVE) DVD and by viewing the Lobby Scene from The Matrix. Digital Video Essentials is a series of still calibration images that are an excellent way to check from problems in a unit at a fundamental level. During the grey bars test, we detected a moderate level of noise in low grey, which suggests that the panel can potentially have issues displaying dark shades of colours. This was particularly noticeable when we watched the Matrix footage as darker areas tended to have an elevated level of noise over the usual interpolation artefacts. The DVE greyscale showed a slight green discolouration at mid-grey, but we couldn't see any evidence of this translating to actual image quality degradation. There was no discolouration during the Matrix footage or during the DVE colour tests, but we did experience noticeable over-sharpening and noticeable pixelation on curved edges. While the image quality was acceptable in standard definition, it was not the best we have seen and was slightly less detailed than what we usually see when viewing standard definition content.

Harking back to the connectivity issues we experienced, another bewildering design choice is the exclusion of a D-Sub port on the rear panel of the unit. This doesn't mean that it doesn't support a PC input - the support is there. However, to connect a PC you have to have a special cable that has a VGA connector on one end and five video cables on the other. These are then connected to the Component port and the two ports below it to achieve PC connectivity. We have never seen a TV with this kind of PC connection and since this special cable is not supplied, we were unable to test the unit in PC mode.

Another quirk we discovered was with respect to the auto scaling of 4:3 and 16:9 video signals. When viewing the HD-DVD film Full Metal Jacket, the image would randomly zoom in and crop the sides of the image, then a few seconds later, zoom back out. This could be a fault of the TV, or a fault of the source material, but it was easily corrected by manually setting the TV to 16:9 'widescreen' mode.

The 42PFL7532D has a piano black gloss finish and is rather attractive. The stand doesn't come pre-assembled, but putting it together isn't too complicated nor time consuming. Like other Philips TVs, the 'smart' initial setup procedures are excellent and involve very simple-to-follow instructions on how to set the TV to settings that are favourable to your style of viewing. The speakers do a good job but are by no means exceptional. The bass is a little lacking at times and the high treble registers are limited in range. The sound works well when viewing films with good element separation, but lacks enough body to really pack a punch.

While the image quality is high and the sound quality is good, the connectivity options on this 42PFL7532D, as well as the required calibration time, can make it seem user-hostile. While it does have some user-friendly features, like the simple setup procedures, there were too many odd or frustrating issues than we would have liked. If you're willing to overlook them, then this TV might well be the one for you.

Audio & Speakers

Number of speakers

Audio Type

Virtual Surround

Display

Display Technology

LCD

Colour Support

16.2M Colours

Display Brightness

550 cd/m2

Screen size

42.0 in

Screen Resolution

1366x768

Aspect Ratio

16:09

Response Time (ms)

Viewing Angle Vertical (degrees)

176

Viewing Angle Horizontal (degrees)

176

Miscellaneous

Remote Control

Yes

Sleep Timer

Yes

Multimedia Features

Remote Control

Yes

Power Options

Power Supply

AC Power

Television Features

Picture Modes

Letterbox, Pan & Scan, Widescreen

Analog TV Tuner

NTSC, PAL, SECAM

Digital TV Standard

EDTV, EDTV Compatible, HDTV, HDTV Compatible

DTV Display Format

576i, 720p (HDTV), 1080i (HDTV)

Adjustable Color Temperature

Yes

Picture in Picture

Yes

Teletext

Yes

In-built Speakers

Yes

Stand

Yes

Wall-Mountable

Yes

Comb Filter

3DYC

Tuner Type

Digital (HDTV)

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

Component Video Input, Composite Video Input, HDMI Input, SCART

Number of Component Video Input Ports

Number of Composite Video Input Ports

Number of HDMI Input Ports

Number of SCART Ports

Sony HDR-UX5E

2007-08-13T00:54:00.001-07:00

It might not be obvious at first glance, but the first generation of DVD camcorders shared a surprising amount in common with McDonald's cheeseburgers. In addition to being made from plastic, they offered consumers a similarly fuss-free product endorsed by a highly recognised brand name - and like Ronald's signature dish, they left a nasty taste in a lot of people's mouths. Although the ability to make instant DVDs was an alluring prospect, the technical limitations of the format meant that video was hopelessly compressed and editing capabilities were nearly non-existent.

Thankfully, DVD cameras have come a long way since these dubious junk food beginnings, with many models now outclassing previously superior formats. Sony's latest addition to the DVD fold, the HDR-UX5E, brings a whole swag of super-sized improvements to the table, including the ability to record for an hour on one disc in vibrant 1080i HD. Fitting snugly between the HDR-UX1E and HDR-UX7, it manages to combine the convenience of a DVD handycam with the exacting image quality of a professional camera. However, to truly get the most out of this product, you will need to upgrade your DVD player to fit in line with the next generation.

The HDR-UX5E is capable of recording footage in the new AVCHD video standard, which compresses footage more efficiency than the MPEG-2 format. Unlike previous DVD video cameras, it allows you to burn a substantial amount of high definition video onto a disc without compromising the image quality. You can therefore record up to an hour of AVCHD data onto a single DVD+R DL disc, which puts it in line with DV tapes. (If you choose to shoot in standard definition, the recording time is boosted by a further fifty minutes.)

It is important to note however, that the AVCHD format requires a Blu-ray player or other compatible device for DVD playback. In other words, you won't be able to watch your home movies on a regular DVD player. Those who've yet to make this technological leap (i.e. - nearly everyone) will need to hook their cameras up to a television via HDMI -- which kind of defeats the purpose of buying a DVD camera in the first place. If you're determined to watch your videos on an old DVD player, you can always elect to shoot footage in standard definition, but again, this diminishes the entire point of owning a HD camera. Having said that, anyone who plans to upgrade their player in the future will be able to get some use from the HDR-UX5E in the interim period.

If you want to edit AVCHD footage on a PC, you'll need some software capable of tackling high definition video. Most major editing packages offer HD support in their latest editions, including Sony Vegas Movie Maker 7, Ulead Video Studio 11 and Adobe Premiere Pro CS3. Like any DVD camera though, the HDR-UX5E is primarily designed for in-camera editing - mini DV and hard disk-based units offer a far more streamlined process in this area, which is something to bear in mind if you plan to edit a lot.

When it comes to image quality, the HDR-UX5E definitely justifies making the move to a high-def player, producing razor sharp visuals with stunningly brilliant colours. In fact, some may find the colour reproduction to be a little too vibrant, especially when using the X.V.Colour enhancer, yet those who want their footage to really pop off the screen and get noticed will be more than satisfied.

Another area in which the UX5E excels is its stills mode, which can store images to Memory Stick with a resolution of up to 4Mp. Unlike the vast majority of camcorders, the still images this unit produces are impressive enough to make 6x4in prints. While it naturally can't compete with a dedicated stills model, those after an affordable hybrid device could do a lot worse than the HDR-UX5E.

Design-wise, the UX5E is a classy looking camera that fits well in the hand. We like how the DVD drive is slightly raised above the unit's ribbed metal body, which allows you to wrap your fingers around the edge for a firmer grip. Like the rest of Sony's recent Handycam range, the majority of buttons have been replaced in favour of a touch screen interface. Personally, we're huge fans of this approach, and much prefer it to the directional sticks and rotating dials that many other vendors seem reluctant to relinquish.

In terms of modes and features, most of the usual suspects are present and accounted for, including adjustable shutter speeds, manual focus, digital picture effects, white balance modes, programmable AE modes, and a dedicated Easy button which takes care of everything on this list for you.

All up, the HDR-UX5E is a solid high-definition DVD camera - and therein lies the conundrum. The AVCHD DVD format is only worth buying if you own or intend to buy a DVD player which can support it. Anyone else is better off sticking to HD HDD or HD DV.

Audio & Speakers

Audio Type

Stereo

Surround Sound Type

Dolby Digital

Digital Camera Features

Digital Zoom

20x

Fixed Image Resolutions

1600x1200, 2304x1296, 2304x1728, 640x480

Image Sensor Type

CMOS

Viewfinder

Optical

Colour Viewfinder?

Yes

Tripod Mount?

Yes

Camer a Resolution

4.0 MP

Optical Zoom

10x

Digital Video

Digital video format

MPEG

Digital Video Camera Type

DVD

Low Lux

Night Shot Mode

Yes

Digital Still Shot Mode

Yes

CMOS Size

1/3" (5.9mm) 2304H

Display

Display Technology

TFT colour LCD touchscreen

Screen size

2.7 in

General

Length (mm)

142

Width (mm)

Height (mm)

Weight without battery (grams)

530

Media

Supported Memory Media

Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo

Supported Video File Formats

Motion JPEG

Supported Picture File Formats

JPEG

Playable Discs

DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD±R (+R double layer)

Video Recording Media

DVD

Multimedia Features

Built-in Microphone ( Mobile )

Yes

Power Options

Power Supply

Battery

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

Video Out, mini-USB, Audio (RCA) Output, Component Video Input, HDMI Output, S-Video Output, USB 2.0

Nikon D2X

2007-08-13T00:49:00.001-07:00

While most of us can only dream of owning a high-end digital SLR like the Canon , for professional photographers the high price tag is more than repaid in the extra power and reliability these cameras provide. While Canon owns the lion's share of the professional market, Nikon is making a very strong bid for photographers' attentions with its latest, the D2X.

With the D2X, Nikon has taken a punt on the continued usefulness of non-full-frame sensors. Its 23.7 x 15.7mm CMOS sensor packs in 12.2 megapixels of resolution, while Canon's 1Ds Mk II gets 16.4 megapixels from its full-frame, 36 x 24mm sensor.

The D2X marks Nikon's shift to CMOS sensors. Canon is on its second generation of CMOS sensors and has a clear lead in technology here, but Nikon's move to CMOS is an impressive debut. The D2X can match Canon's sensors for low image noise from the low ISOs up to ISO 800. Beyond that, at ISO 1,600 and 3,200 (which are called HI-1 and HI-2 on the D2X) it cedes ground to the Canon, but not in a dramatic fashion.

The Nikon D2X is really two cameras in one. The demands of sports photography are a little different to studio work, yet the D2X attempts to cover both bases by offering an intriguing high-speed crop mode. With this enabled, it boosts its maximum shot speed from 5 frames per second to a speedy 8fps by reducing the maximum image size to 7 megapixels (a rectangle in the focus screen shows you the area of the image captured in high-speed crop mode).

The D2X's body leaves little to be desired. It is solid, with a magnesium alloy inner structure and heavy-duty plastic and rubber outer covering. You get an excellent 2.5-inch colour LCD with a clear protective cover and two monochrome LCDs for displaying settings, one on top of the camera and one at the rear, beneath the colour LCD. Control layout is superb, with all major functions quickly accessible from buttons. The essential controls are duplicated for vertical orientation shooting. The lithium-ion battery pack offers superior battery life while being comparatively light; the D2X with battery weighs 1.25kg.

In terms of functionality the D2X offers a clear and very functional menu system and a wide selection of custom functions. You can also store custom settings in four sets (called 'banks' in Nikon's parlance), which, while labelled A to D by default, you can rename with your own function-specific descriptions, making swapping between setups very easy.

We were lucky enough to be able to mount a Nikkor AF 80-200mm F/2.8 zoom lens on it and the results from a weekend sports fixture were superb. Whether shooting in RAW or JPEG, the D2X delivered crisp images that showed impressive dynamic range, oodles of detail and, thanks to its 11-point auto focus and continuous AF mode, were tack sharp even when tracking fast-moving subjects. The Nikon D2X may cede some megapixels to the Canon 1Ds Mk II but there's no denying it takes great photos.

Digital Camera Features

Camera Resolution

12.2 MP

Interchangeable Lens?

Yes

Focus Type

Manual, Autofocus

Aperture Priority?

Yes

FlashType

Built-in, External

Flash Functions

Auto Flash, Fill-in Flash, Flash Off, Red-eye Reduction Flash , Slow Sync

ISO Speeds

800, 100, 200, 400

Max Shutter Speed

1/8000th of a second

Min Shutter Speed

30 seconds

Shutter Priority?

Yes

White balance

Auto, Manual

Fixed Image Resolutions

2400x1600, 4288x2848, 3216x2136, 2144x1424, 1600x1064

Image Sensor Type

CMOS

Viewfinder

Optical

Colour Viewfinder?

Yes

Continuous Shot?

Yes

Continuous Shot Limits

5 frames per second

Bracketing Function?

Yes

Display

Display Technology

Colour LCD TFT (Active Matrix)

Screen size

2.5 in

General

Length (mm)

157.5

Width (mm)

149.5

Height (mm)

85.5

Warranty (Months)

Weight without battery (grams)

1070

Media

Supported Picture File Formats

JPG, Raw, TIFF

Power

Power Supply

AC Power, Battery

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

USB 2.0

Number of USB 2.0 Ports

Sony Ericsson P1i

2007-08-13T00:24:00.000-07:00

We've been waiting a long time for Sony Ericsson's latest addition to its P Series range of smart phones. The long-awaited P990i was released in some overseas regions, but it was scrapped completely in Australia. Finally, the P1i has arrived, a 3G capable smart phone featuring a 3.2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, an updated UIQ 3.1 Symbian operating system, and a 20 button QWERTY keyboard and touch screen.

Features

The most interesting feature of the P1i is the 20 button QWERTY keyboard. Also seen on the M600i, this unique keyboard has two letters assigned to each button. For example, the letters Q and W and symbols ! and / are on the first button. When typing on the keyboard, you press the left side of the button for Q and the right side if you want W (use the shift key if you need the symbols). The middle three rows of keys double as a standard numerical pad. It sounds complicated and does take some time to get used to; after more than a week of testing, we still only managed to type messages and emails slowly, making plenty of mistakes along the way. The small size of the keys makes typing an affair for the more dexterous users only, and can be frustrating.

The P1i uses the updated Symbian 9.1, UIQ 3.1 platform and a lot of the bugs from the previous version have been ironed out. Performance isn't lightning but it's certainly at the quicker end of the scale for a smart phone. The P1i performs well in everyday tasks, though on occasions it does struggle with multiple applications open. Potential buyers be warned; the Symbian OS (just like the P1i keyboard) does take a bit of time and patience to grasp, especially if you're used to Windows Mobile interfaces, for example.

The convenient three-way scroll wheel and back button on the left hand side is a huge help, but the most annoying aspect of the interface is moving between tabs; this requires either using the stylus (or your finger), or pressing the left and right arrow keys next to the spacebar button. The latter is rather troublesome as it moves your thumb away from the scroll wheel and back button, and slows down the user experience.

The P1i is a monster in terms of connectivity; in addition to 3G capabilities, it also features USB 2.0, Bluetooth 2.0 (with the A2DP profile for streaming music wirelessly), and Wi-Fi 802.11b. Connectivity should be more than sufficient for most users, but our one complaint is the lack of HSDPA; this addition would have made the P1i one of the most feature packed smart phones ever released.

Equipped with 160MB of internal memory available to the end user, the P1i also has a well-concealed M2 (Memory Stick Micro) expansion slot, located on the right side of the phone. Sony Ericsson impressively includes a 1GB M2 card in the sales package for all Australian units, but the P1i supports M2 cards up to 4GB in size.

While the M600i lacked a camera, the P1i has gone all out with a 3.2 megapixel camera featuring auto focus, a flash and 3x digital zoom. It can also record video at up to 320x240 pixels. The photos produced by the camera aren't exactly on par with the K810i's Cyber-shot camera, but they are quite good for a mobile phone. In particular, the flash makes night time photography worthwhile, and we can't say this for many other camera phones on the market.

A business card reader is an excellent, if not always efficient feature of the P1i. Using the camera, you can take a photo of a business card and the information will automatically be stored in your phonebook. Unfortunately, it is a hit and miss affair, as the right amount of light is needed to be able to process the information, and we were sometimes forced to take the photo a few times to get it right.

The P1i features a range of useful applications, from the standard PIM functions like calculator, calendar, converter, stopwatch and timer to more advanced offerings like Quickoffice (for editing Word and Excel documents) and PDF+ for viewing and editing PDF files. There's also a video and music player (MP3 and AAC files supported), FM radio, sound recorder, picture viewer and MusicDJ application for editing and creating polyphonic ring tones. Unfortunately, the P1i doesn't have a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and no adapter is included in the sales package (you can purchase this separately). Files can be transferred to and from the P1i with the included, proprietary USB cable, or via Bluetooth connectivity.

The P1i supports push e-mail in addition to standard SMS and MMS messaging. Push e-mail delivers any new e-mail messages to the phone just like a normal SMS message. This means you are able to receive and access your e-mails whenever you want, not just when they are sent. We accessed the e-mail function using a standard Yahoo! account and it worked without any issues.

Design

Although the unique keyboard is fairly compact, the P1i is still a chunky size, measuring 106mm x 55mm x 17 mm and weighing 124g. It's not too big by any means, especially in smart phone terms, but it's certainly large and bulky enough to fill your pocket. We like the brushed silver and black colour scheme, as it gives the P1i a touch of class. Overall, it feels both well built and stylish, and the gloss black sides and screen surrounds are a nice touch.

In addition to the keyboard, the P1i uses a convenient three-way scroll wheel and adjacent back button, located on the left hand side of the phone. This jog dial makes screen navigation very simple; it can be rolled up or down and pressed inwards like a regular button. It is used to scroll through lists, adjust sound volume or move through a multimedia message. It's a very effective way of navigating through the phone without constantly having to reach for the stylus.

The P1i touch screen is large and clear and is capable of displaying 262,144 colours. It has a respectable viewing angle and can be comfortably read in direct sunlight, although its glossy nature does tend to reflect light, especially when indoors. The touch screen can be operated via the included stylus or even by your finger. The annoyingly small stylus is securely tucked in at the top left of the unit, and Sony Ericsson even includes a spare, so you shouldn't have to worry about losing it.

Sony Ericsson rates the P1i battery life at an average 3.5 hours of talk time and 250 hours standby time using a 3G network. The figures increase to 10 hours talk and 440 hours standby time on a standard GSM network. We found ourselves changing the handset every two to three days on average, which is quite good for a smart phone with this many features. A convenient dock for charging and synchronising is also included.

Data Services

Messaging Capabilities

Email, SMS, MMS

Digital Camera

Digital Zoom

Video capture

Yes

Camer a Resolution

3.2 MP

General

Available Colours

Black, Silver

Length (mm)

106

Width (mm)

Height (mm)

Weight (g)

124

Main Display (Internal)

Display Technology

TFT colour LCD touchscreen

Colour Support

262k Colours

Screen Resolution

240x320

Memory

Installed memory (RAM)

160 MB

Multimedia Features

Ringtones Type

Polyphonic

Inbuilt Camera

Yes

Built-in Microphone ( Mobile )

Yes

MP3 Player

Yes

Voice Recorder

Yes

Picture Viewer

Yes

Video Player

Yes

Speakerphone

Yes

Profiles

Yes

Vibrating Alert

Yes

Java enabled

Yes

Video calling

Yes

Organiser

Yes

Stopwatch

Yes

Alarm clock

Yes

Calculator

Yes

Calendar

Yes

Phonebook

Yes

Notes

Yes

To-do list

Yes

Headphones

Yes

Video Recorder

Yes

Text Viewer

Yes

Mass Storage

Yes

Antenna

Internal

Phones

Call Lists

Missed calls, Received calls, Recently dialled calls

Power Options

Power Supply

Battery

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Supported Media

Supported Memory Media

Memory Stick Micro (M2)

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

USB 1.1

Wireless Connections

Wireless technology supported

Bluetooth

Seagate 750GB Pushbutton Backup

2007-08-09T02:03:00.001-07:00

Backing up can become a headache if you have hard drives in the order of 300GB or larger installed in your system. A good external hard drive that plugs in using USB 2.0 or FireWire is the perfect solution for storing backups, and Seagate's External 750GB Pushbutton Backup is one such drive.

It's 698GB formatted capacity makes it capable of backing up large single drives or even RAID 0 arrays and its performance isn't too shabby either. It took just over three hours to back up over 24500 files (185GB of data) from the 250GB Western Digital drive in our test bed using the FireWire connection and the supplied BounceBack software.

Once installed, BounceBack can work in conjunction with the "one-touch" button on the case to automatically initiate backups. Once your drive is archived, the directories and files can be viewed in their hierarchies on the external drive (in the same structure as their original location). Within BounceBack, file restoration is simple. You can choose to restore to either the original location or to a new one.

Testing with a smaller data set (4GB), data transferred from our test PC to the external drive, using FireWire, at a rate of 22.50MBps, while data from the external drive transferred back to the PC at rate of 28.98MBps. Comparatively, copying data on a drive connected to a SATA port can achieve rates around 20MBps. The USB 2.0 connection was slightly faster than FireWire, at least for copying data from the PC to the external drive.

Physically the drive has a sturdy plastic case, which is ventilated, and is stackable. If you're looking for a simple one-touch backup system with enough space to store all your files and more, this'll do you proud.

Hard Drive

Storage capacity

750 GB

Hard Drive Type

External

Cache Memory

16 MB

RPM

7200

Interface

FireWire, USB 2.0

Hewlett-Packard Pavilion tx1000

2007-08-09T01:59:00.001-07:00

An artfully designed ultraportable and convertible Windows Tablet PC, the HP Pavilion tx1000 is geared for multimedia. It's lightweight and has some distinctive design touches, including a unique touchpad, that make it interesting. However, its poor battery life and reflective screen make it a less-than-desirable traveling companion.

Among the tx1000's many features are a built-in Webcam at the top of the screen and a fingerprint reader set into the left of the lid. It also has a three-in-one memory card reader, three USB 2.0 ports, and a double-layer DVD+/-RW drive. Indentations in the unique touchpad enable sensors to gauge your finger's movements. A scrollbar with similar perforations sits to the right of the touchpad.

All of the ports are conveniently laid out along the sides; helpful, readily visible gray icons identify the connections so you don't have to hunt. Buttons for HP's QuickPlay software (which lets you play DVDs or music without having to boot Windows) and screen rotation occupy the area just below the screen.

Converting from notebook to slate mode is easy, and the 12.1-inch screen rotates into place firmly. One quibble: The screen jiggles a bit when the tablet is in notebook mode and if you are moving, (if you're on a train; for example), it can be a little distracting. The tablet has an easy-to-use touch screen, though HP doesn't include a stylus or a place to stow one, so you have to tap the screen with your fingertip. The screen's responsiveness is quite good, however.

Unfortunately the screen lacks an antireflective coating--strangely, it seems to have another kind of coating with a smoky hue that makes it difficult to see anything on the screen from an angle.

The tablet produced unimpressive results in our performance tests. On a beta version of WorldBench 6, the tx1000, equipped with a 2-GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-60 processor and Windows Vista Premium Home Edition, managed a score of 74, a middling mark. It ran down quickly on our battery tests, too, lasting just one hour and 47 minutes.

Nevertheless, it's nicely designed and comfortable to use, despite the screen glare. Just be sure to pack the AC adapter.

Digital Camera

Camer a Resolution

1.3 MP

Display

Display Technology

WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Wide Touchscreen Display

Screen size

12.1 in

Screen Resolution

1280x800

General

Length (mm)

224

Width (mm)

306

Height (mm)

313 - 387

Weight (kg)

2.4

Graphics Card

Graphics Processor

NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150

Hard Drive

Storage capacity

120 GB

RPM

5400

Input Devices

Finger Operated Touchscreen, Touchpad, Keyboard, Mouse

Memory

RAM Type

DDR2

L2 Cache Memory

1MB

Multimedia Features

Inbuilt Camera

Yes

PC Expansion Slots

Expansion Slots

ExpressCard/34

Power Options

Power Supply

AC Power, Battery

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Processor

AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core Mobile Technology TL-60

Processor Speed

2.0 Ghz

Software

Operating Systems

Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

Headphone Jack, RJ11 Phone Jack, RJ45, SPDIF output, S-Video Output, USB 2.0

Number of USB 2.0 Ports

Apple iPhone

2007-08-09T01:54:00.000-07:00

Apple's iPhone is without a doubt the most wanted device of 2007, but Australians will be forced to wait at least six months for a local launch. In anticipation, our US associates have taken a thorough look at the iPhone, and despite a few issues, they like what they see.

Overview

If you want to love this much-hyped gadget, you'll find plenty to drool over. The revolutionary multi-touch navigation system really is intuitive and fun. The endless expanse of display alone is nothing short of mesmerising, with beautiful bright colours and crisp resolution. It's a great handheld video player, a decent music player and camera; its browser, while not as versatile as the one on your notebook, is still impressive. Plus, it works just fine as a mobile phone.

But there are disappointments, too. Some we knew about ahead of time, including lack of support for a 3G or HSDPA data network and the absence of instant messaging and office suite applications. Others are only apparent once you start using the handset; it can get warm with constant use, and you'll need to wipe off smudges frequently with the included cloth.

We're still iffy about the software keyboard and predictive text entry. They work reasonably well, but overall text entry is still easier with a hardware keyboard, and the iPhone may not be the best choice for people who need to compose a lot of e-mail.

We were impressed with the iPhone's durability. We tried scratching it and dropping it on everything from carpet to concrete. It survived all the abuse, with only some scratches from the concrete. And then there are the undeniably fun aspects of this super-hot gadget, from the cute icons on the home screen to the way deleted e-mail swooshes into a trashcan.

The iPhone is expensive and comes with some major drawbacks. And the most prudent course would be to wait for the next version, one that'll work out some of the kinks, and we hope, be tied to a faster wireless network. But it's hard to be patient once you've seen one - the future of mobile devices is here and it's called an iPhone.

Setup

Setting up the iPhone is a smooth process. The first step, if you haven't already done so, is to install iTunes 7.3. Plugging in the included USB 2.0 dock sees iTunes immediately greet you with a screen to walk you through the activation and set-up of the iPhone.

The whole process takes 15 screens. Once complete, the iPhone is recognised as a device, and you're given a tabbed row of options for managing specific aspects of your iPhone - the same as you'd see your iPod connected to iTunes.

In fact, the entire process of setting up the iPhone - choosing what folders to sync, for example, for your music, photos, podcasts, and video - is familiar to current iPod users. And, perhaps more importantly, the process won't be intimidating to newcomers to the iPod universe.

Navigation

What's dramatically different about the iPhone is how it operates. There just aren't many pesky buttons. The phone's navigation is almost entirely accomplished via its multi-touch screen. The sole button on the face of the phone conveniently returns you to the friendly, fun home screen. A power button up top, and a ringer button and volume controls at left round out the buttons.

We fully expect terms like "slide" and "pinch" to quickly become part of the popular lexicon. These handy manoeuvres let you navigate the iPhone's multi-touch screen with ease. You slide your finger to the right to unlock the phone, and slide again to scroll through menus. We were surprised by the often dizzying speed with which you can scroll - scanning through an album of several hundred photos is effortless.

The touch screen is one of the iPhone's huge assets. Suddenly, navigating in a tight space is not only viable, but also fun and enjoyable. Aside from scrolling, there's pinching and tapping; the former for resizing screens (ie, in the Safari Web browser), the latter for selecting options and zooming in on content, such as photos.

Menus

This navigational ease applies to other elements of the phone as well. The screen has an internal sensor, and will auto-rotate content depending upon how you're holding the iPhone, and what application you're in. The main menu, with its dozen bright, colourful icons for features and applications, and four primary icons for phone, mail, Safari, and iPod below, is both visually engaging and brilliant in its simplicity.

Adding contacts is visual as well. We appreciated the high level of customisation the contacts application offers via its "add a field" option (for example, add a nickname, department, date reminders, or note). When entering contacts, make sure to hit Save, though, way at the top of the screen. The contacts application lets you exit without prompting you to save your record, which can be very annoying to discover after you've spent time entering details.

There are other flaws, too. For example, while you see a battery gauge, the iPhone doesn't give you a way to see the actual percentage (or, better yet, time) remaining in your battery's life.

Another annoyance: Tap the phone icon and the iPhone shows you the Contacts screen, not the keypad. Getting to the keypad requires another tap, and this is definitely annoying if you're not calling someone already in your Contacts list.

Call Quality

Dialling on the touch screen is easy enough for small hands, although we aren't convinced we'd be able to successfully dial one-handed, without looking at the screen - as you can when pressing tactile keys on an ordinary mobile phone. We found call quality mixed in our initial sample of calls. Most calls sounded good, with just an occasional hiss to remind us that we were on a mobile.

We love how the screen darkens while on a call, and the internal sensors reactivate it when its moved from your head. We also loved the visual voicemail feature. It is a pleasure to pick and choose which voicemails to listen to first (you either see the number, or the contact's name if he or she is entered in your address book) or to switch among voicemails with a click of the finger.

The speakerphone seemed inadequate though. Even on maximum volume, our callers sound faint, and had difficulty hearing clearly.

Camera

The 2-megapixel camera lacks any adjustments and has no zoom. Shutter lag is longer than a dedicated digital camera, or even the better camera phones we've seen. Synchronising nearly 258MB of images (approximately 392 JPEG photos) took a little over five minutes.

Photos look eye-popping on the bright, brilliant screen. Colours closely matched the originals, and we saw no issues with images being cropped to fit the screen. Most of the time, we felt the images were sharp and faithfully reproduced, but occasionally, high-resolution images lost some clarity in the conversion to the iPhone's format.

Software Keyboard and Predictive Text Entry

We found the keyboard and predictive text entry solid. It's still no match for the type of good hardware keyboard you get on a BlackBerry or Palm Treo, but it's not unbearable to use, and certainly beats any standard phone keypad. (If only Apple bundled the big instant messaging services.)

The predictive text entry works differently than it does on a BlackBerry, where you see a list of words that might be the one you're trying to type. The iPhone shows one option at a time, which changes as you enter different characters.

Sometimes the software is amazingly good at figuring out your intentions, even with a couple of mistyped characters: For example, it correctly ascertained that we were trying to type the word "predictive" even though a couple of letters came up wrong as we entered them. Other times, it just can't figure out what we wanted (when trying to type the word "company," it proposed "Compaq"). If you do see the word you want, just hit the space key and the iPhone will use it and move on.

When we first started typing on the iPhone, we thought there was no good way to move the cursor around, but we were wrong. With the software keyboard active, pressing down on the text entry area produces a bubble-like circle that magnifies the text around the cursor. Moving it with your fingertip repositions the cursor precisely where you want it and this is a very cool feature.

E-Mail

The iPhone comes with preloaded settings for Yahoo Mail, Gmail, Mac Mail and AOL mail, and support for POP3, IMAP and Microsoft Exchange mail. We easily setup access to a Gmail account and a Lotus Notes account (mail only, no calendar or contacts).

During setup you're given the option to sync your address book (Mac OS X, Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail or Yahoo), calendar (iCal, Outlook or Outlook Express), mail settings (Mac Mail, Outlook or Outlook Express) and your IE or Safari bookmarks. Synchronising went quite smoothly, although we had no calendar to test.

Mail, like almost everything on the iPhone's lovely screen, displays beautifully. The inbox is as handsome and functional as any we've seen, taking full advantage of the iPhone's relatively abundant screen real estate. The same goes for the messages themselves, whether they're plain text or image-rich HTML. Some may quibble with Apple's decision to segregate all accounts, so that you have to navigate to a different inbox for each one, but moving between accounts is easy and intuitive.

The iPhone automatically and easily displayed images sent as e-mail attachments, up to a point. When a colleague sent a couple of large photos, the iPhone spent quite a few minutes with a "Loading..." notification in the body of the received message. Eventually, instead of rendering two 3.5MB images, the mail client provided links that downloaded each image separately.

On a minor note, we like the way deleted messages swoosh into the trashcan at the bottom of the mail screen. It's one of the many small touches that make you feel like the iPhone works hard to justify its high-end price tag.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi setup on the iPhone went relatively quickly, although you have to get the keyboard taps just right. If the predictive text entry can help you with your WEP or WPA security codes, your codes aren't secure enough. We had to make several tries to nail a longish WPA password, but once you get it, you'll never have to input it again as the iPhone will store it. We wish Apple would have supported a 3G or HSDPA service, though, as you can't count on being in range of a Wi-Fi network when you're downloading big image files or Web pages, and Wi-Fi drains battery life very quickly.

Steve Jobs has boasted that the iPhone delivers "the real Internet" rather than a dumbed-down version. If that means the phone's Safari browser should be capable of anything a desktop browser can do, the iPhone fails to meet that standard. But it's still a sizable leap forward for mobile browsing.

Most phone browsers deal with their tiny screens by heavily reformatting pages. With Safari, pages look as they would in a desktop browser, as Safari simply shrinks them down to fit the iPhone's screen. The shrunken versions have text that's too tiny to read, so you zoom in and out on the page by pinching and pulling. Overall, this works much better in practice than it sounds like it should. The shrunken versions are legible enough to give you a sense of where to zoom, and once you've magnified the page, you can use your thumb to scroll down. (Tip: Safari works best in landscape mode, not the skinnier portrait orientation.)

As a tool for reading Web content such as news sites, for instance, Safari is terrific. And while downloading pages over EDGE isn'tt as snappy as with Wi-Fi, it also wasn't as sluggish as we'd feared it might be. We happily browsed through sites we wouldn't even try to load in most phone browsers.

Web

Today's real Internet includes plenty of sophisticated Web applications, and its here the browser disappoints. A few of the Web 2.0 sites we tried, such as iGoogle and Flickr, worked well. But most were either a little wobbly or altogether inoperable. Google Docs and Spreadsheets worked well enough to let us view some word-processing documents and spreadsheets, but we couldn't see all our documents, or edit any of them. The Meebo Web-based instant-messenger client loaded, but we couldn't send IMs. NetVibes wouldn't let us log in; Remember the Milk sort of worked, but not as well as its mobile version. And so on.

Of course, even if an application like Google Docs worked perfectly, there'd be a limit to how much typing you'd want to do on the iPhone's tiny on-screen keyboard. Even typing URLs is a little tricky, and we struggled with passwords; it would be nice if you could opt for them to be displayed rather than asterisked out, since it can be hard to tell if you've made a typo. (Safari syncs your bookmarks from IE and desktop Safari when you connect to a computer; too bad it doesn't do the same for Firefox.)

The real Internet circa 2007 also packs a lot of multimedia and interactivity in an array of formats including Flash, Java, Windows Media, Real, and more. The iPhone's Safari doesn't support any of these and the only Web media that's likely to work in this browser is multimedia in Apple's own QuickTime format.

Music and Video

Right off the bat with the iPhone, it's clear that this isn't your father's iPod. Apple built a completely new interface for the iPhone's music player, adding touch and tilt sensitivity to elements of its iTunes and iPod interfaces.

Syncing seemed relatively slow compared to other iPods we've used. Transferring 2.2GB of music and video to the device took just over 11 minutes, for a rate of just over 3MB/second.

For the most part, browsing a music library is a joy. Tilt the iPhone on its side with the iPod app going, and it flips into Cover Flow mode to let you flick through your albums with a quick gesture of your finger. (Be sure to have iTunes update your cover art before you sync your library, as any holes in your cover art will make for some ugly blank spots in the Cover Flow progression.)

We didn't see any of the load-time issues with Cover Flow that we experience regularly in the Windows version of iTunes, though they may still exist in libraries larger than the 4GB on our test unit. Tap an album cover, and it flips around to display a list of tracks. Tap any one of those to start it playing.

Tilt back to vertical, and your volume and play controls overlay the bottom of the screen. Tap the screen to bring up a progress indicator that lets you scrub through to any point in the song. That's actually one area where the iPhone falls behind the iPod - with its acceleration-sensitive scroll wheel, you can easily pinpoint the right section of a track without any microscopic finger movements. Finding the right area on the iPhone's progress bar is much trickier, which can be a bit of a pain on longer tracks such as podcasts or full-length concerts.

While we quickly learnt where the different controls reside, it still bugs us a bit that functions like the volume slider are locked to a single orientation of the player. Still, if Apple's planning to move all of its MP3 players to this type of interface, as the continuing rumours of a touch screen video iPod would seem to indicate, the iPod's future is in good hands.

Sound Quality

We never expect much out of the internal speakers or the earbuds that come with a phone or MP3 player, so let's just get those out of the way: the iPhone's internal speakers aren't too bad. While we wouldn't want to listen to music on them, as they distort fairly quickly on any high-register sounds, they're fine for dialog-heavy video playback. The earbuds are fine, too. If you've heard Apple's classic white iPod earbuds, you'll know what you're in for here.

So what's the iPhone really sound like? If you want a quick demo, borrow an iPod nano (2nd Generation). We couldn't hear much to distinguish it from a current-generation nano on either Shure's E500 PTH in-ear phones or Sony's MDR-V900 over-the-ear headphones. In our listening tests, the iPhone held up well compared to most flash-based players. We rate its overall sound quality just behind that of Creative's excellent Zen V Plus (1GB) and almost exactly even with the current generation of iPod nano players.

Our objective audio tests bear that out, with the iPhone generating scores nearly identical to the nano. The 4GB iPhone we tested turned in a particularly strong performance on our crosstalk test, tying the Zen V Plus for the best score we've seen. It also tied the nano's impressive score on our test of maximum useable output level. These results aren't bad, but when we compare the iPhone to an 80GB iPod, there's a noticeable lack of bass with the equaliser turned off. Cymbals, guitar, and any hiss in the recording sound just a touch brighter and more prominent than we'd like, which makes for a slightly more fatiguing listening experience. Female voices in particular, such as the "Live from Austin Texas" recording of Neko Case that we used for some of our testing, sound a bit harsh compared with the better hard drive players.

Overall, the iPhone sounds quite nice for a flash-based MP3 player. One significant drawback: Though Apple built in a standard-size jack instead of the mini-headphone connector you find on most cell phones, you can't just plug in the great set of headphones you bought for your iPod. The iPhone uses a three-segment headset connector that normal headphones can't plug into, which means lots of us will be springing for an annoying adapter as our first iPhone accessory. Yuck.

Video

Here's how nice the iPhone's screen is for video: for the first time, we are looking at the videos we encoded for our iPod thinking "Boy, we really compressed the heck out of that, didn't we?" Next time we encode video, we'll have to go with some higher-quality settings. And that's where video on the iPhone gets a little tricky. Back on an 80GB iPod, the 530MB, 320x128 pixel version of Serenity we used as a demo looks just fine. Transfer it to the iPhone's beautiful 480x320 pixel display, and the low resolution really starts to show its warts. A 640x720 pixel copy of Lord of War we downloaded from the iTunes Store looked great, but at that resolution takes up 1.35GB, or one-third of the 4GB model's capacity. Even with an 8GB iPhone, TV shows are a better bet.

Once you get the video quality dialled in, though, the iPhone makes a great video player. We'll have to follow up a little later with battery tests during video playback, but every other aspect of iPhone video was top notch. Tap the screen during playback to activate it's on-screen play controls. There's an icon in the top-right corner that lets you automatically zoom in on widescreen movies if you can't stand the letterbox effect. The same progress indicator from the music side of the player lets you scrub through to your favourite parts of a video, and the iPhone showed very little lag when jumping from one point of a clip to another.

Other Features

The iPhone has a select handful of extra apps. Some are more noteworthy, for reasons good and bad, than others.

SMS messages look like emails do on the primary screen; then in conversation, they appear in fun balloon form. Unfortunately, you can't send picture messages, though. Instead, you have to send images via e-mail.

The note application is fashioned after a yellow legal pad. Tap out your notes on the keyboard, and then save them to the device, or send them via e-mail. When you do send a note via e-mail, everyone will know where it came from: the bottom of the note we sent to our phone had a "Sent from my iPhone" tag-line tacked on. The clock is full-featured, with a world clock, stopwatch, timer, and multiple alarm settings (useful if you need reminders during the day, or to set up different wake-up calls for different days of the week).

Google Maps is conveniently integrated into the iPhone, as is Yahoo's six-day weather outlook and stock data. You also get a dedicated YouTube application (separate from the iPod video playback capabilities). Right now, only about 10,000 YouTube videos have been reformatted to accommodate the iPhone's screen; the company plans to have the entire library converted by end of year, though. YouTube videos load quickly, and we found the image quality as good as (or even better than) the source material as viewed on a PC.

When we left the device paused on a YouTube video, first the screen intelligently dimmed, then the phone shut off entirely. When we came back and powered up again, the YouTube video was right where we left it. We experienced the same level of resume when using other phone features, as well.

Acer Aspire 9504WSMi

2007-08-09T01:09:00.001-07:00

We've seen a few notebooks geared towards home entertainment over the past few months but none so fully featured as the Aspire 9504WSMi from Acer. Okay, it may not have the fastest processor or the best graphics card, but it does have a hybrid TV tuner.

This means it can pick up both digital and analog transmissions. It can't do both at the same time, as it isn't a dual tuner, but it's rare enough to find a notebook with any kind of built-in TV tuner.

As if this wasn't enough, Acer's Arcade software is included. Essentially offering you the same functionality as Windows Media Center, Arcade can be launched from within Windows or can be started up without booting Windows by pressing a button at the front of the unit. There are two remote controls - one fits neatly into the PC Card slot on the left-hand side, while the other, larger, one can be left on your bedside table for watching DVDs when you get home.

And there's a great screen for watching movies on, too - the 17in 1440x900 widescreen gives resonant colours and pinpoint detail, which you'll notice when playing games. The ATI Mobility Radeon X700 might pale in comparison with the GeForce Go 7800s, but it does a good job, delivering a score of 16607 in 3DMark SE 2001.

There's a Bluetooth-enabled VoIP phone, the keyboard is well laid out and there's even a numeric keypad on the left- hand side. For storage and backup, there's a 120GB hard drive and a dual-layer DVD writer.

Display

Display Technology

Colour LCD TFT (Active Matrix)

Screen size

17.0 in

Screen Resolution

1440x900

General

Width (mm)

402

Height (mm)

286

Weight (g)

Weight (kg)

3.9

Graphics Card

Graphics Processor

ATI Radeon X700 PRO

Hard Drive

Storage capacity

120 GB

Memory

Installed memory (RAM)

1 GB

RAM Type

DDR

Notebook Benchmark Tests

WorldBench 5

3DMark 2001SE

16607

Optical Drives

Supported Media

DVD-RW

Power Options

Power Supply

AC Power, Battery

Processor

Intel Pentium M

Processor Speed

2.0 Ghz

Sony MV-700HR Dream Station

2007-08-09T01:06:00.001-07:00

Imagine a world where the endless barrage of "are we there yet?" is replaced by the silence of childhood contentment. The Sony MV-700HR Dream Station can make this a reality. An in-car multimedia system, the Dream Station can be attached to the headrest of the front seats, allowing passengers to view DVD Video, listen to MP3 or the bop away to the radio.

While Sony has touted this product as a portable DVD player, we think the portability of this unit is definitely possible but not terribly practical. There are far better and cheaper in-home DVD systems, so much so that this product should be aimed squarely at car users, as the in-car features are impressive and will keep passengers entertained for hours.

We find it curious that this product has been classified solely as a DVD player, as it possesses a handy range of features that extend beyond basic DVD functionality. The Dream Station can play Divx video, MP3 audio, FM Radio and is also able to read from quite a few formats, including (but not limited to) CD-R, DVD-R and the Sony Memory Stick. This opens up a world of entertainment for that long road trip because custom-burnt discs can be created for the kids with their favourite shows or music to keep them happy (and quiet).

The Dream Station is rather bulky and perhaps not the most attractive or well designed player we have seen. While the play controls are easily accessible on the top of the unit, there are no controls for menu selection and navigation. These are all handled by the remote control, which is problematic because if the remote is lost, then so is the function. When playing back a joint CD-R with video and MP3 we couldn't access the Mp3s on the disc without using the remote. Considering how small the remote is and how easily it could be lost or misplaced, we would have liked to have seen more controls on the unit itself.

The Dream Station has a 7" LCD display which performs reasonably well but has pixel crawl problems, a lack of sharp detail in the lower half of the screen and pixel draw inaccuracies resulting in aliased edges and curves. However, when viewed on an LCD TV using the AV out function, the same problems occur in the same places which suggests that the problems are inherent to the firmware or decoder and not to the screen. Alternatively, this could also be attributed to the RCA output from the device. Regardless of the cause, the result is a problematic display which detracts from the viewing experience. In a vehicular environment, image brightness becomes another factor to consider as the display tends to get lost in sunlight despite all our best efforts to counteract this via brightness and contrast adjustments.

The sound quality through the speakers is rather average, with both bass and treble missing from the mix at either end of the spectrum. While Sony claim that DTS is supported, the "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" disc we tested in DTS produced no sound at all. We think Sony Dream Station performs best using headphones and the set of Sony DMR XD400 headphones we used for testing produced excellent sound quality for music, video and the FM radio.

A big plus for the Dream Station is the ease of the in-car installation. A provided bracket clips onto the unit and attaches to the head rest of a front seat with power supplied via the cigarette lighter socket. The power cable and player meet at a connection box which can be hidden under the seat and also allows for input and output of other RCA devices. Those that are concerned with security will be pleased to know the unit can be detached from the bracket with the press of a button and reattached firmly with ease. An optional rechargeable battery is also available for the unit which can be attached to the base as well.

If you are looking for something to keep the kids entertained in the back seat, this unit is perfect, but if image quality is important then you may want to look elsewhere, especially when considering the inflated price tag.

Audio & Speakers

Number of speakers

Audio Type

Stereo

Display

Display Technology

Colour LCD TFT (Active Matrix)

Screen size

7.0 in

Screen Resolution

166x110

Aspect Ratio

16:09

DVD Options

DVD Type

Multi-disc DVD Player

DVD Region

Region 1 - US Canada , Region 4 - Australia, NZ, Mexico, Caribbean, South America

General

Available Colours

Silver

Length (mm)

220

Width (mm)

Height (mm)

152

Weight (g)

1200

Warranty (Months)

Media

Supported Memory Media

Memory Stick

Supported Audio File Formats

MP3

Supported Video File Formats

DivX, SVCD, VCD

Playable Discs

CD-R, CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, DVD±R, VCD, SVCD, DVD+R

Miscellaneous

Remote Control

Yes

Power Options

Power Supply

AC Power, Battery

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

Headphone Jack, Line In, Line out

Number of Headphone Jack Ports

Number of Line In Ports

Number of Line Out Ports

NU CineTrek WDR041

2007-08-09T01:03:00.001-07:00

This portable DVD player from NU is an excellent option for those looking for an affordable device for in-car DVD playback, provided that they don't mind substandard image and audio quality. We're not being facetious either; quality is what we look for in massive LCD and plasma television sets, not seven inch portable DVD players. While image quality does suffer on the Cinetrek, it is in fact a very viable choice for in car entertainment.

At 200mm x 148mm x 26mm, and weighing under a kilogram without its battery, the Cinetrek is one of the more portable 7" screens we've seen. It doesn't utilise the folding form factor of other players, such as the Shinco MDP-1770, but is instead a single flat panel, much like the VOXSON SL-77. This is a pretty welcome change in our opinion, giving the player a lot more portability, at the cost of a few controls which are replicated on the remote anyway! A fold out stand is available for sitting the Cinetrek on a desk, or similar surface. Overall, we were quite impressed with the WDR041's design, our only complaint being that the buttons located below the screen were quite difficult to press, but they're on the remote as well anyway, so it wasn't a major issue.

Operating the player is really quite simple - provided you don't lose the remote. The minimal buttons on the thing itself aren't really sufficient for watching DVDs. The remote itself is incredibly thin, no more than two centimeters, and very lightweight - so much so that it was actually uncomfortable to use for the first few hours, it just didn't sit in the hand properly. With over fifty buttons, however, the remote packs plenty of power, and actually delivers more functionality than a lot of home entertainment DVD players we've reviewed.

Up to this point, the Cinetrek had really impressed us. This changed when we inserted a DVD. The image quality was utterly appalling. A poor contrast ratio made several movies (for example, the darkly atmospheric The Crow) unwatchable, while others were simply poorly defined. A 480x234 resolution exacerbated image quality problems, as did relatively weak colour support (fleshtones were quite unrealistic). To its credit though, the screen was exceptionally bright, and provided several image adjustment options which lessened (although far from combated) the display problems. An exceptional horizontal viewing angle (we noticed almost no colour shift even at the most extreme possible angle) makes the Cinetrek suitable for multiple viewers, although even a few degrees shift vertically renders the already struggling image quality into an unwatchable mess. Finally, a decent response rate made action movies quite easy to watch, with surprisingly low levels of ghosting.

Audio quality from the supplied speakers was reasonable, and the volume range quite adequate - perhaps lacking a little at the higher end, but audio remained audible throughout. Since the player doesn't actually come with its own headphones, we plugged our own Audio-Technica A900s into them, and experienced what is quite possibly the worst quality audio we've ever heard. A consistent buzzing noise drowned out most of the other imperfections in the audio, and made prolonged use essentially impossible. This sound was replicated with other headphones we tested with the device, although the fact that they were all rather high-end, expensive headphones led us to the belief that an inability to drive the headphones due to insufficient power was the ultimate cause of the problem, which wasn't present on lower end earphones.

Despite its problems, the bottom line is that the WDR041 is designed for in-car entertainment. It even comes with a pouch that can be hung on the back of front seat headrests. For this purpose, it's pretty adequate. Keep it at eye level, don't lose the remote, and avoid dark movies, and the Cinetrek will be a welcome addition for your passengers.

Crest Electronics FM Transmitter (MFM10)

2007-08-09T00:59:00.000-07:00

With the iPod phenomenon making MP3 players one of the biggest movers in electronics over the past few years, the accessory market has literally exploded, with many companies rushing in for a piece of the pie. Unfortunately, rushing to make a product isn't always the best solution and it seems Crest have fallen into this trap, producing a barely useable product that fails in almost every department.

The MFM10 FM Transmitter is designed to plug directly into your MP3 player through its standard 3.5mm headphone jack, and use the FM radio frequency to output your music through your car's speakers. It spells simplicity - right from the single on/off Power button and frequency switch on the left hand side, to the bland silver plastic finish. It's not attractive, nor sleek, but the LED light which glows red when the unit is powered on is a nice touch, as it the non-slip rubber base (which doubles as the battery cover). Unfortunately simplicity can sometimes spell poor quality and this is the case with the MFM10.

The main problem with the unit is the frequency selection that Crest has chosen to employ on the device. For some unknown reason, you are forced to select from only four FM frequencies (89.2, 89.4, 89.6, 89.8) which are selected by moving the slider button to correspond to the appropriate selection. This sounds fine in theory, but someone at Crest forgot to note that even though these channels aren't used by any current radio stations, they can still experience distortion and feedback from closer frequencies. In attempting to choose the best option to transmit our iPod to, we were extremely disappointed to hear that all four of the frequencies on the three car radios that we tested this device on weren't clear. This means that once you tune into the channel you wish to use, you can barely hear your music due to the heavy interference.

Why Crest decided to make use of four fixed frequency channels rather than allowing the user to select the clearest channel relative to his or her area is truly is puzzling. Its unfortunate, as this product suffers greatly and becomes almost barely useable. In light of this, we simply advise you to look elsewhere.

Harman Kardon Drive + Play

2007-08-09T00:23:00.000-07:00

The Harman Kardon Drive + Play is an excellent device that allows you to control and listen to your iPod in the car. Although it's not without its faults, it does a very good job of emulating the controls and display of your iPod - and best of all it sounds excellent.

Design

The Drive + Play is a three-piece unit: an LCD screen, a control knob and an electronics enclosure box. It is recommended that a professional car audio technician install this product, as there is plenty of wiring involved. Expect to pay anywhere between $100 and $200, depending on the make of your vehicle and the method of installation. The Drive + Play can be powered in two ways, either through your vehicles standard 12 volt power or via a 12 volt accessory power cable (cigarette lighter adapter). Installation can be a little tricky and time consuming, so it's best left to the professionals.

If you choose to install the Drive + Play yourself, Harman Kardon offers three different installation methods - via Auxiliary input jack, CD changer connector (using an optional adapter) or through the unit's built-in FM transmitter. The audio quality of the latter isn't as reliable as directly connecting to your car head unit. We were fortunate to have a car stereo with a rear auxiliary input but if you don't have this option, you'll have to purchase a CD changer connector or use the built-in FM transmission. Alternatively, you can also wire your car antenna into the Drive + Play, and then plug it into the antenna port at the back of your head unit. This is a better option than using the built in FM transmitter, since it uses the built-in antenna and you will receive less FM interference.

The enclosure box should be mounted out of sight - ours was tucked away behind the stereo deck. From this, the three metre cable connecting your iPod to the Drive + Play is routed to a convenient place in your car. Ours was installed to a small compartment underneath the steering wheel, but it can go to a glove box, ashtray or accessories console should you wish.

Performance and Features

The Drive + Play interface is very similar to the iPod's, with menus for FM Settings, Now Playing, Playlists, Artists, Albums, Songs, Genres, Composers, Settings and Songs. You can customise this to your liking by removing any of these from the main menu screen. The display is monochrome but it has a bright, adjustable white backlight so it's very easy to read, even at night. Its optimum position is on top of the dashboard so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to change your tunes. Furthermore, the screens base can be swiveled and adjusted to a number of positions. Although the screen works well, we would have been delighted with a colour display - just like the iPod itself.

Although Harman Kardon has done a relatively good job with the Drive + Play controls, there is still room for improvement. It's not as responsive as a regular iPod and the biggest downfall is speed - it just doesn't scroll as quickly as we are used to on our iPod. The control knob can be mounted to your car by using supplied the screws and base plate or by adhesive tape - whichever you prefer. We found its optimum position was next to the handbrake, so you can control the tunes while you are driving - without taking your eyes off the road.

The knob emulates the iPod click wheel controls with five buttons: select, top menu, left and right skip tracks and the bottom play/pause. Scrolling through your songs is pretty smooth, even if it still isn't as effective or speedy as we are used to on the iPod. This is because the control knob doesn't scroll 360 degrees; instead it rotates just 90 degrees. Once you let go it springs back into its normal position but if you hold the knob down it scrolls - how quickly this operates can be adjusted in the settings menu. Overall it's hard to replicate the excellent click-wheel system, so Harman Kardon deserve some credit for their implementation - even if it isn't perfect.

Sound quality is where this unit really impresses. Although it will ultimately depend on your car stereo and speakers as well as the quality of your music files, we were still very impressed. The Drive+Play performed excellently and was without doubt the best quality sound we've been able to achieve in our car from an iPod. Tunes were rich and vibrant, and suffered none of the regular interference we are used to with FM transmitters.

There are a couple of smaller issues though. The Drive + Play only displays elapsed track time, only supports ISO8950 characters (so any accented letters in your track titles won't be shown properly) and doesn't remember what you last played when you turn it off, so you'll have to scroll all the way back to that track or playlist again. For the convenience it offers though, these faults are very minor.

i-mate PDA2k

2007-08-08T21:20:00.000-07:00

Sporting a full slide down QWERTY keyboard and a large display, the i-Mate PDA2k is a feature packed smart phone, but is hindered by its size and a poorly implemented slider.

The 210 gram and 125mm long PDA2k is one of the largest smartphones we've reviewed. While smartphones are generally larger than standard mobiles, it is hard to cup the PDA2k comfortably in your hand. Nevertheless, somewhat justifying the size is the QWERTY keyboard that i-Mate has built into this unit. The keys are responsive and work well, although their small size may present a problem for larger fingers. The slider that provides access to the keyboard feels stubborn and, while the slider does open and close adequately, greater force than is expected or indeed warranted is required.

The PDA2k has plenty of buttons on its exterior. Contacts and calendar keys are located above the screen with Start, messaging, Internet Explorer and OK buttons laid out horizontally underneath the display. There's also a 5-way navigational pad and answer/end call keys. Most of the buttons are easy to press and operate, although the navigational pad seemed a little flimsy and wasn't comfortable for long periods of use.

The controls don't end there with dedicated camera and notes buttons on the left hand side of the phone, with a volume key in between. The volume slider is spring operated and doesn't protrude enough to be used easily - you'll find yourself digging in with the tip of your finger to operate it. i-Mate conveniently includes a spare stylus in the package, so you won't have to worry if you lose one of them.

The PDA2k has a large display, although its performance doesn't match some of the more recent smartphones we've seen. With a resolution of 240 x 320 it's not outstanding, but it does suffice comfortably for everyday use. If you are planning to watch videos or view plenty of photos then the PDA2k's screen isn't going to be ideal. The unit also does not include a screen protector.

The quad band PDA2k has a pretty impressive features list and only lacks a GPS receiver. It supports SMS, MMS and e-mail messaging and runs on Microsoft Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition. The PDA2k is equipped with an Intel PXA263 400 MHz processor and includes 128MB RAM and 64MB ROM. An SD card slot is located at the top of the unit for extra memory options.

As with all Windows Mobile OSs, the e-mail function is very simple to use on the PDA2k and it supports mail access to POP3 and IMAP accounts. All you need to do is enter your e-mail address as well as the mail server and provided your wireless connection is available, the device will import all other settings directly from the Internet. The Pocket PC 2003 platform also includes a full suite of Microsoft applications including Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket MSN, Windows Media Player, MSN Messenger, Microsoft Outlook and Internet Explorer.

Connectivity is also a strong point of the PDA2k and it includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11b), infrared, USB and GPRS. Bluetooth is quick and easy to access with the included Wireless Manager software. The LED in the top left hand corner will glow blue when this function is turned on. This is the same with Wi-Fi - the right LED flashes green when you are connected to an available wireless network.

The PDA2k includes a VGA camera. We were disappointed that this wasn't upgraded to a megapixel or greater sensor. It's good for quick snapshots, but with the limited sensor and no flash or light we wouldn't recommend it for anything else. Other multimedia features include an MP3 and AAC player and Java games but there is no FM Radio. The PDA2k has a 2.5mm audio jack rather than the more common 3.5mm.

Purely as a phone, the PDA2k isn't without its issues. The volume levels during calls aren't loud enough and it just doesn't have the same clarity or crispness as a regular standard mobile phone.

Battery life is about average, with a talk time of four hours and up to 168 hours of standby time. For a device with such a plethora of features, this is a pretty good result. During testing, we found we only needed to charge the unit every three days. i-Mate includes a rather large cradle in the sales package and the unit can also be charged via the included adapter. The phone can also be charged by USB .

Data Services

Messaging Capabilities

MMS

General

Length (mm)

18.7

Width (mm)

71.6

Height (mm)

125

Weight (g)

210

Memory

Installed memory (RAM)

128 MB

Installed memory (ROM)

64 MB

Phone Networks

Mobile Network Bands

Quad Band

Phones

Form Factor

Slide

Talk Time (minutes)

Standby Time (hours)

168

Power Options

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Polymer)

Software

Operating Systems

Microsoft Mobile Pocket PC 2003 (2nd Edition)

Supported Media

Supported Audio File Formats

AAC, MP3, WMA, AMR

Toshiba Qosmio G40

2007-08-08T20:58:00.001-07:00

The fourth major upgrade to the Toshiba Qosmio line, the G40 is packed full of features, bells, whistles and even a HD-DVD burner. It is still a behemoth and once again performed well in our tests, but not quite as well as the previous Qosmio G30 (PQG32A-02V01W) iteration.

The G40 has an Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 2.2GHz processor with 2GB of DDR2 667MHz RAM and an Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics chip with 512MB of dedicated VRAM. These specs are slightly higher than what we saw on the G30 but, curiously, this model didn't fair as well in our tests. It scored a 79 in WorldBench while the G30 scored 83. However, this drop in processor performance doesn't seem to affect the graphics capabilities as we found an increase to 2077 in 3DMark 2006 (from 2072). That being said, an increase of five points isn't particularly exciting when you take into consideration the more powerful processor and the 512MB of VRAM. Also, testing with 3DMark 2001, we noted a rather curious drop to 18933 (from 19170). These graphics test results suggest the G40 is capable of playing older games without a problem and will even play some modern games as well. It also shows the graphics chip is meant to augment the multimedia playback, rather than drive high powered gaming; in this regard it does a good job. In our CDEX test, where we encode 53 minutes worth of WAV files to 192Kbps MP3 files, the Qosmio G40 did well, finishing the task in 143 seconds. Again, this is a drop in performance from the G30 which scored 128 seconds.

Considering how large this notebook is, its obvious that it isn't meant to be portable, so battery life isn't a huge deal. Nonetheless, we performed a series of battery tests by way of comparison to the G30. Using our worst-case scenario tests, we ran a DVD on loop and timed how long it takes for the battery to drain. This is considered worst-case as it uses the speakers, the optical drive and the core components, such as the LCD and CPU, to put maximum strain on the battery. We also ran the same test using a HD-DVD as well, since HD-DVDs use more power to read the disc than a regular DVD. In the DVD test the battery lasted 127min which was an increase from the 93min seen on the G30. Similarly, the HD-DVD rundown lasted 86min which is a dramatic improvement over previous 53min result. These results show a marked improvement in battery life.

Using the HD-DVD burner, we performed write tests using HD DVD-R media and the pre-installed Toshiba burning program. Using 14GB of random data, the Qosmio completed a disc in 57min 7seconds. Since this is the first notebook where the HD-DVD burn tests have been performed, making a comparison to a previous model is not possible. However, if you were to compare this write time to the Blu-ray write time on the Sony Vaio VGN-AR18GP (10.7GB in 1 hour 30 minutes) or the LaCie d2 (22.6GB in 1 hour and 40 minutes) it seems that the HD-DVD burner is considerably faster, especially when you consider that it is a 1x speed recording device over the 2x speed of the Blu-ray drives.

To make watching HD-DVDs a memorable experience, the G40 has a glossy 17" screen with a native resolution of 1920x1200. In addition it sports premium quality Harmon/Kardon speakers which perform exceptionally, exhibiting no skimp on volume or clarity. The buttons just below the bezel allow for media controls and include play/pause, skip, record and stop.

Since the Qosimo has an integrated HDTV tuner, the record functionality works well as a one touch option for recording your favourite TV programs. With Windows Vista Ultimate pre-installed, the TV tuner is used in conjunction with the Windows Media Centre software. Combine this with an electronic program guide like the Ice TV IceGuide, and the G40 becomes a fully functional and easy to use Personal Video Recorder (PVR).

There is also a good range of handy hotkeys that launch various multimedia applications as well as a wheel on the right hand side for volume control. We found that this wheel wasn't responsive enough and took a long time to lower the volume. However, the other hotkeys all worked well.

While we liked the look and feel of the keyboard, we weren't terribly impressed with its layout. There is a reason why keyboard layouts are largely the same across all manufacturers. It is so people can pick up any notebook and know where certain keys are. On the G40, most of the keys are in the same place, but things like the 'Windows', 'Mouse right-click', 'del', 'end' or 'home' keys are in illogical places. This makes things frustrating for those of us that use keyboard shortcuts.

Connectivity includes four USB 2.0 ports, a mini FireWire port, PC Card and PCI Express card slots and a media card reader supporting SD, MMC and xD media cards. For networking, there's a gigabit Ethernet connection, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g and Buetooth 2.0.HDMI, S-Video and VGA outputs are also included for connecting to a television or projector together with a simple TV-out hotkey. We found the TV out modes to work well, the highest quality of which was the HDMI connection. There is also a video input for video capture (via a supplied adapter).

The Toshiba Qosmio G40 is an impressive notebook by any standard with its multi-faceted multimedia functionality and excellent performance. However, if you own the G30, there is no reason to upgrade. In fact, our tests found that the G40 is actually inferior in many ways to the G30 which was rather surprising.

Audio & Speakers

Number of speakers

Audio Type

Stereo

Display

Colour Support

16M Colours

Screen size

17.0 in

Screen Resolution

1920x1200

Aspect Ratio

16:09

Graphics Card

Graphics Processor

NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT

Graphics Card Interface

PCI Express x16

Hard Drive

Storage capacity

400 GB

Media

Playable Discs

CD-R, CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+RW (dual layer), DVD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, DVD±R, DVD±R (+R double layer), DVD±RW, DVD±RW (+R double layer) , DVD±RW / DVD-RAM , HD DVD-R

Memory

Installed memory (RAM)

2 GB

Maximum memory (RAM)

4 GB

RAM Type

DDR2

Optical Drives

HD DVD Write Speed

Power Options

Power Supply

AC Power, Battery

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Processor

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7500

Processor Speed

2.2 Ghz

Software

Operating Systems

Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium

Television Features

DTV Display Format

576i, 576p, 720p (HDTV), 1080i (HDTV)

Apple iBook

2007-08-08T20:38:00.000-07:00

Apple's iBooks are designed to offer a less-expensive alternative to the impressive flagship PowerBook range. The company offers two models - fitted with 12- or 14-inch displays, and either a 1.33GHz or 1.42GHz PowerPC G4 processor.

The 12-inch review model boasts a 1.33GHz processor with 512MB of memory and a 40GB hard disk. It comes with an impressive array of ports including a Kensington lock, modem, Ethernet, Firewire, HDMI and 3.5mm Walkman connectors. Two USB ports are also present on the left face, with a slot-loading CDRW/DVDROM drive on the right. Bluetooth and 802.11g Wi-Fi are bundled in as standard, too.

The graphics subsystem features a capable ATI Mobility Radeon 9550 graphics adaptor driving a 12.1-inch TFT display at a native resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. Though the screen is relatively small, the resolution allows ample desktop real estate, and the machine doesn't feel cramped in use. The white keyboard is well-spaced and comfortable to type on for longer periods, and the sensitive touchpad features scrolling functionality to help navigate large documents or web pages.

The iBook ships with Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, and a standard bundle of Apple extras including iLife '05, AppleWorks, Apple Hardware Test and a 30-day trial of iWork '05. The suite is adequate to get most users up and running and will suffice for surfing the net, handling email, or light office tasks.

The iBook is built to take a bit of abuse and doesn't feature any protrusions that could snag on the way in or out of a notebook bag. The white polycarbonate plastic shell is reinforced with a magnesium frame, which Apple claims is extremely rugged and durable. Apple's engineers have also worked in a clever Sudden Motion Sensor (SMS), which automatically detects when the machine is dropped and parks the hard disk heads automatically to avoid damage (and subsequent data loss).

In testing, we found the iBook responsive, easy to use, and stable. The Li-Ion battery allowed the machine to kick on for over five hours of operation with aggressive power saving enabled, and a shade over two and a half hours of DVD playback. It's not incredibly fast or powerful, but at around 2.3KG, the 12-inch unit is a delight for a less demanding user that spends lots of time on the road.

Lenovo ThinkPad T60 with built-in 3G

2007-08-08T19:58:00.001-07:00

If you have seen a ThinkPad in the last 10 years, chances are you know what the T60 looks like. For corporate and business users, consistency is the key and Lenovo seems to live by the idiom of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Cosmetically, the ThinkPad T60 appears the same as other ThinkPads, but looks can be deceiving. The upgrades come in the hidden details, the things that make the notebook more reliable, sturdier, easier to use, and, in the case of this model, unique. This is the first notebook on the market that has integrated wireless Internet via the Vodafone 3G network. Behind the battery compartment is a slot for a SIM card which allows for easy connection to the Internet without the need for a PCMCIA modem.

The design of the T60 is in keeping with the ThinkPad aesthetic. The entire notebook has a matte black finish with metal hinges attaching the monitor to the base. The keyboard is flush with the casing and has a low compression depth making it comfortable and responsive to use. The trademark TrackPoint pointing device is still present together with scroll toggle, left click and right click buttons. In addition, the traditional touchpad is included in what Lenovo calls the "ThinkPad UltraNav" system, allowing you to use the TrackPoint, touchpad or both.

Like many notebooks we have reviewed of late, the T60 also has a biometric security fingerprint scanner which we found worked incredibly well and can be used with any application that requires password authentication.

The chassis of the T60 is reinforced with a magnesium alloy making it very sturdy. When picking up the notebook from the base, there is barely any bend or flex as the motherboard and internal components are protected by a roll cage of sorts. This protection also extends to the display as the outer casing and bezel is also comprised of a magnesium alloy.

The T60 has an adequate range of connection options including three USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet and 56Kbps modem ports, a 15 pin D-Sub connection for an exterior monitor and standard audio connections. There is also a PCMCIA slot and a switch on the front of the unit to activate or deactivate the wireless options. This unit is Bluetooth and 802.11 b/g WiFi capable. File transfers via infrared are also supported. We would have liked to see a DVI output on the unit to allow connection to projectors for high quality and high definition images as we feel this would be handy for presentations, however, the D-Sub connection should suffice for the most part.

Naturally, the first thing we checked as soon as we turned on the unit was the new integrated 3G capabilities. Connecting to the Vodafone 3G network was simple and we experienced very few drop outs. We took the unit on a train trip from our office in Sydney to the suburbs of the inner west and at no time did we experience any drop outs. We expected to lose connection as we came into the underground stations of the CBD but happily chatted away on messenger without any problems. We draw your attention to the photographs included with this review, particularly the images of the battery compartment and the monitor. The SIM card slot sits just behind the battery and the 3G antenna is permanently attached to the side of the monitor. The 3G capabilities of this notebook are phenomenal and extremely easy to use.

We tested the 15.4in monitor with DisplayMate Video Edition and found it to be of exceptional quality. The viewing angle was impressive; avoiding colour shift for the most part and maxing out at around 160 degrees. The maximum resolution of the monitor is 1400x1050 and it exudes bright images, clear text and rich colours. However, the high gloss finish of the screen is very reflective and does result in a mirror effect under florescent lights. As this is a business-oriented notebook, this finish may become problematic.

Under the hood, the T60 has a 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo T2400 with 512MB of DDR2 RAM. We tested the performance of the unit using World Bench 5 where it scored 85. This is a reasonable score for a unit with these specifications and the system will easily handle most business applications.

It should also be mentioned that a sticker on the unit declares the notebook as "Windows Vista Capable". Windows Vista requires a minimum of 1GB of RAM to run comfortably, so the RAM on the T60 will need to be upgraded if you intend to move to the new operating system when it is released.

The ThinkPad T60 has mid-level graphics capabilities due to the installed 256MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 graphics card. Considering the ThinkPad series is not meant for gaming, this isn't really an issue. We tested the graphics capabilities with both 3DMark 2001 and 3DMark 2006. The older edition is a better test for low or moderate performance graphics subsystems, however we also like to use the most recent version of 3DMark for notebooks that score over 10,000 in 3DMark 2001. This unit garnered a score of 10020 in 3DMark 2001 and 748 in 3DMark 2006. This is quite a good score and indicates that the notebook will competently run graphics intensive programs like video and image editing software while also being able to play a wide range of games, especially those older than a year or two.

We tested the life of the standard battery using MobileMark 2005. We ran the MobileMark 2005 Productivity test to determine how well the battery performs under office productivity conditions. The test returned a result of 241 minutes - a favourable score and more than adequate for most users needs.

The level of performance achieved by the T60 in our tests combined with the fact that this is the first notebook on the market with integrated 3G Internet, makes this is an impressive product. We predict it will become a favourite with business buyers.

Audio & Speakers

Number of speakers

Audio Type

Stereo

Display

Display Technology

Colour LCD TFT (Active Matrix)

Colour Support

16.7M Colours

Screen size

15.0 in

Screen Resolution

1400x1050

General

Length (mm)

268

Width (mm)

329

Height (mm)

31.0

Warranty (Months)

(system battery: one year) Parts and labour 36

Weight (kg)

2.834

Graphics Card

Graphics Processor

ATI Mobility Radeon X1300

Graphics Card Interface

PCI Express

Graphics RAM

256 MB

Hard Drive

Storage capacity

80 GB

RPM

7200

Media

Playable Discs

CD-RW / DVD-ROM combo

Memory

Installed memory (RAM)

512 MB

Maximum memory (RAM)

4 GB

RAM Type

DDR

Motherboard

Bus Speed

667 MHz

Multimedia Features

Modem

Yes

Fax?

Yes

Optical Drives

Supported Media

DVD-R

DVD Drive Read Speed

24x

PC Expansion Slots

Expansion Slots

Mini PCI, PCI Express

Number of Mini PCI Slots

Number of PCI Express Slots

PCs

BIOS Security Features

Power-On Password Administrator Password Boot Sequence Control

Power Options

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Processor

Intel Core Duo T2400

Processor Speed

1.8 Ghz

Software

Operating Systems

Microsoft Windows XP

Sound Card

Sound Card Type

Plug-in

Wireless Connections

Wireless technology supported

Bluetooth, Wireless 802.11a , Wireless 802.11b, Wireless 802.11g

Lenovo 3000 N200 (0769)

2007-08-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Lenovo 3000 N200 (0769) is a decent, functional notebook for both personal and business use, making it a jack of all trades. Although its presentation is a little uninspiring, Lenovo's implementation of Intel's latest Centrino platform gives this machine enough power to comfortably handle a good spread of tasks, which was echoed in our benchmark results.

The N series is specifically targeted at small business users, and it still provides business features, such as a biometric fingerprint scanner and Lenovo's password protection software. However, the N200 also offers some of Lenovo's more personalised features, such as a Webcam and the 15.4in VibrantView wide screen display to provide flexibility for today's hybrid home/business users; its most admirable asset.

At its core is an Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0GHz CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a GeForce Go 7300 graphics chip. The graphics solution leaves no room for gaming, but the latest Centrino platform (codenamed Santa Rosa) will happily run applications from Adobe Photoshop to Microsoft Office. It will also take care of encoding MP3s fairly quickly, as our tests showed, and making home movies should be a breeze.

Among many new tweaks to the latest CPU, the new Centrino platform offers one very clear advantage over the previous version, an 800MHz front side bus (FSB). Both the CPU bus and the FSB are clocked at 800MHz, giving the new Centrino platform more bandwidth to shuffle data back and forth between the CPU and the memory subsystem.

With its 2.0GHz CPU and 1GB of DDR2 RAM, the Lenovo 3000 N200 reached a total score of 70 in WorldBench 6, about the minimum we'd expect from this new platform. We were particularly impressed by its performance in the MP3 encoding test, generally considered a test of the CPUs performance. Unlike most notebooks with the T7300, which take around 135 seconds to encode 53 minutes worth of WAV files to 192Kbps MP3 files, the Lenovo 3000 N200 took just 128 seconds. We also tested at a higher compression using iTunes, which takes advantage of the multiple cores of the CPU. Compressing 53 minutes of WAV files to 56Kbps MP3 files in iTunes took just 85 seconds.

In our battery tests the N200 performed among the better of the notebooks we've tested recently, while leaving room for improvement. Using a DVD rundown test, a worst case scenario, which impacts maximum drain on the battery by using both the speakers and the optical drive among the other core components such as the CPU, the system lasted for 90 minutes. Under normal workload we expect it to last longer.

For those who like a good movie on the road, the N200 offers a fairly reasonable screen with decent colour, brightness and contrast, with a 1280x800 native resolution. The viewing angle isn't perfect but it will suffice for most peoples needs. The speakers don't produce a very loud sound, but it's clear and a headphone jack is present should the speakers fail to impress you.

For the business or security conscious home user, Lenovo includes its Lenovo Care software, a package that is pre-installed and can be quickly accessed via an associated button on the notebook itself. Lenovo Care gives you quick access to data backups, system maintenance and password protection, as well as network and display profiles and a set of online help links. The interface is easy to read and simple to use.

A total of four USB 2.0 ports are installed, as is one mini FireWire port. Gigabit Ethernet is installed for wired networking, as is 56k modem, while 802.11 a/b/g and draft-n standards are available, not to mention Bluetooth. An Express Card slot joins the list, and a 5-in-1 media card reader is also available. A DVD re-writer with dual layer support and a 120GB hard drive will take care of your storage needs.

Audio & Speakers

Number of speakers

Audio Type

Stereo

Display

Display Technology

WXGA TFT

Screen size

15.4 in

Screen Resolution

1280x800

General

Length (mm)

267

Width (mm)

360

Height (mm)

31.4

Warranty (Months)

Weight (kg)

2.81

Graphics Card

Graphics Processor

NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 with Turbo Cache

Graphics Card Interface

PCI Express

Graphics RAM

128 MB

Hard Drive

Storage capacity

120 GB

RPM

5400

Media

Supported Memory Media

Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick, Secure Digital (SD), xD Picture Card, Multimedia Card (MMC)

Memory

Installed memory (RAM)

1 GB

RAM Type

SDRAM, DDR2

Multimedia Features

Inbuilt Camera

Yes

Modem

Yes

Power Options

Power Supply

AC Power, Battery

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Processor

Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology

Software

Operating Systems

Genuine Microsoft Windows Vista Business

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

Headphone Jack, Line In, Line out, Microphone Jack , RJ11 Phone Jack, RJ45, S-Video Output, USB 2.0

Number of USB 2.0 Ports

Wireless Connections

Wireless technology supported

Bluetooth 2.0

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-G1S

2007-08-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Not your every day camera, Sony's Cyber-Shot DSC-G1S offers a bevy of interesting features that definitely make it stand out from the crowd. These include 2GB of onboard memory, Wi-Fi connectivity, a gigantic 3.5in LCD display, and a music player. It also captures quite good pictures, but the interface is sluggish and somewhat problematic, which at times makes the user experience a little irritating.

The really funky thing about this unit is the onboard memory. 2GB is an absolutely huge quantity in a sea of cameras that struggle to barely break 30MB. Any unit with under 500MB really requires a flash memory card to make proper use of it, and so the G1S is the first unit we can genuinely say doesn't require you to purchase extra storage. 2GB is more than enough to store several hundred photos at the highest resolution, with plenty of room left over.

And you may well need it, because the G1S also packs in music playback; a feature rarely found on digital cameras. A few companies have tried to pack it in with their models, but none have really stood out and the same can be said of Sony's effort here. Don't get us wrong, the music player works fine and Sony did the smart thing by including a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing third party headphones to be used, however the sound quality isn't as good as you'll hear from a dedicated music device and the number of options available is also quite minimal. Shuffle and loop modes are included and there is a bass boost option, but no equaliser is present. It is also difficult to sort your tracks when a large number of songs are present on the device. The audio player is fine for those who want to save a little cash and have an MP3 player on hand for occasional use. But those that listen to music daily on public transport or while exercising will want to invest in a dedicated digital media player.

The other noteworthy aspect of the G1S is its Wi-Fi connectivity, even if it isn't as robust as we'd like it to be. When we heard 'Wi-Fi compatible' our first thoughts were of past Nikon units that allowed file transfer and other goodies via a wireless network. However none of that is present here. The G1S' wireless connectivity has two uses. First, it can connect to other G1S units in the area and share pictures amongst them and secondly, it can connect to a wireless access point and others can view its photos on the network. Both of these features are handy and the first one could offer some cool potential if you organise to have the same camera with some friends, but overall they are mainly for novelty value.

Of course the G1S could have all the features in the world, but if it didn't capture decent pictures there would be little reason to buy it. Fortunately this model did well in our tests, although keep in mind it only has a 6.1 megapixel sensor, which puts it slightly behind some of the competition, with 7.1 megapixel models becoming increasingly popular. As usual we assessed the camera's pictures using our combination of subjective test shots and Imatest test software.

The G1S achieved a score of 1327 for sharpness, which is a fairly good result, and falls in line with our expectations of the 6.1 megapixel sensor. There was little in the way of colour fringing, however the pictures were, in general, somewhat less clear than those captured by the many 7.1 megapixel units we've looked at recently.

Unfortunately in our chromatic aberration test, the G1S achieved mixed results. Chromatic aberration is most noticeable in areas of high contrast, where haloing can be seen at the point the two shades meet. On the vertical axis, chromatic aberration didn't have much of an impact with minimal haloing visible, and Imatest corroborated this giving a score of 0.101%, which is a fairly good result. However the horizontal axis was another story. Along here, there was extremely prominent red haloing that really detracted from the quality of the picture. When this edge was tested, Imatest gave the camera a score of 0.364% - extremely poor performance.

Thankfully. in our noise test the G1S performed much better. Imatest gave it a score of 0.48% at ISO 100, which is a great result and better than that achieved by most other compact cameras. Our shots were smooth and clean with no visible noise at this sensitivity. However the pictures also scaled well with higher ISO settings, with everything up to ISO 400 being usable for medium sized prints, and even ISO 800 produced shots can be printed at small magnifications.

Colour response is generally quite good, with a slight oversaturation in the red spectrum being the only notable issue. This is to be expected from a consumer camera however, and overall the G1S impressed in this regard, with accurate flesh tones and rich primaries.

It also has a relatively impressive feature set, including white balance presets (but no custom mode), ISO sensitivities up to 1000, a variety of metering and focus options as well as exposure bracketing, which is a feature often omitted from digital cameras. There is also an impressive 3.5 frame per second burst mode, which is great for fast paced photography at things such as sporting events.

One of the things bound to stand out when you first get your hands on this unit is the display. The massive 3.5in LCD is the biggest camera display we've ever seen. It dwarfs the screens on most other units. While it feels like somewhat of a gimmick, after a few minutes use it became clear that shots are definitely easier to frame with a larger display. Photography purists will be put off by the lack of a viewfinder, but most users will love the large display. It is of a good quality too, with minimal ghosting and clear, sharp edges.

To accommodate such a large display, the G1S does sacrifice size and portability. It definitely isn't a small camera. While Sony has made an effort to reduce the travel size by making the unit slide apart to reveal the lens (which obviously makes it larger), even when it is folded inwards for transport, it is a chunky device. Measuring 93.3mm x 71.7mm x 25.3mm and weighing 204g, it isn't the sort of thing you can throw in your pocket and forget about. Aesthetically its fairly plain, with a standard bushed silver colour scheme. Some people will enjoy the unique slide design, but for others it will simply be an irritation.

Our main complaint with the unit is the controls and interface. On their latest batch of cameras, Sony has attempted to implement a stylish, colourful menu system, similar to what is found on their PlayStation line of products. However their cameras appear to not have the processing power to adequately handle such an interface, and the G1S highlights this very well. Often when navigating the menu, we'd have to wait up to a second before our button presses registered, which constantly resulted in selecting the wrong settings and having to backtrack. Furthermore there were multiple instances where we'd have a menu popup that would remain on the screen, overlaid on top of whatever part of the menu we were trying to navigate, even after we'd left the screen it was related to. Bugs such as this really need to be ironed out to give a smoother user experience, because as it stands the interface on the G1S is frustrating.

It isn't helped by the controls, which could be arranged better. There is a thumb stick on the right hand side, along with the main menu and navigation keys. More controls are revealed by sliding the unit into photography mode; things such as the flash, playback and timer buttons. We understand why the controls are configured in such a fashion, allowing you to use the music player without opening the lens, however the orientation of the thumb stick makes it quite difficult to use, and we'd really have preferred if the navigation controls were flat on the back of the unit, as with the majority of other cameras. This isn't a big gripe, but does slow the process of navigation down even further.

Audio & Speakers

Number of speakers

Built-in Microphone

Yes

Digital Camera Features

Optical Zoom

LCD screen size

3.5 in

Digital Zoom

Video capture

Yes

Focus Type

Autofocus

Focus Length Telephoto (cm)

50cm-Infinity

FlashType

Built-in

Flash Range Telephoto (cm)

0.25-2.2m 4.0m

Flash Functions

Forced Flash, Auto Flash, Flash Off, Slow Sync

ISO Speeds

800, 80, 1000, 100, 200, 400

Max Shutter Speed

1/1000 sec

Min Shutter Speed

1/4 sec

White balance

Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent, Incandescent

Image Sensor Type

CCD

Internal memory

2 GB

Focal Range Wide (cm)

25cm-Infinity

Macro Focus Range Wide (cm)

8cm-Infinity

Focus Length Wide (cm)

50cm-Infinity

Flash Range Wide (cm)

ISO Auto:0.10-2.8m ISO1000: up to 4.9m

Lens Aperture Wide (cm)

Auto (F3.5-F8) Program auto (F3.5-F8)

Digital Video

Digital video format

MPEG

Video speed (fps)

General

Length (mm)

25.3

Width (mm)

93.3

Height (mm)

71.7

Weight (g)

204

Media

Supported Memory Media

Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo

Supported Picture File Formats

JPEG

Power

Power Supply

Battery

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

USB 2.0

Sony BDP-S1E

2007-08-08T00:28:00.000-07:00

Sony's decision to wait before releasing a dedicated Blu-ray player in Australia may have surprised some observers. After all, they developed the technology. However, their release of the BDP-S1E should put any fears to rest; it's one of the best players we've seen so far. Supporting full 1080p high definition, 24p 'True Cinema', and DVD upscaling to 1080p, all through an HDMI 1.3 connection, the BDP-S1E is a device designed solely to bring your entire living room into high definition.

The player handles Blu-ray playback exceptionally. The entire process is as simple as watching a DVD, without the heavy lag in loading times that we've seen in other players. We shouldn't need to say it by now, but image quality is exceptional; Blu-ray and HD-DVD both deliver absolutely stunning pictures. The player also supports 24p True Cinema, the same format used in cinemas. This means that frames don't need to be added or removed from the original footage, which makes it an overall smoother viewing experience. Unfortunately, you'll need a display that supports this to enjoy it, which will probably mean having to buy a new television.

The BDP-S1E is more than just a Blu-ray player, however, as it also converts DVDs to 720p, 1080i or 1080p depending on what your display is able to handle. While it's not perfect high definition, the quality improvement is nevertheless fantastic, with the slightest fuzziness around sharp edges being the only flaw we noticed during testing. A difficult technology to master at the best of times, implementing it so well as a secondary feature on a dedicated high-definition player is an impressive accomplishment.

In addition to the great performance delivered in Blu-ray and DVD playback, the BDP-S1E manages to look fantastic. With a rigid case design, including a solid aluminium top panel and a metallic blue glass front panel, the player looks exquisite. Separate video and audio boards and identical components used in multi-channel audio processors means that there's almost no signal degradation or interference. AV enthusiasts will be delighted to find such attention to detail in a relatively early player. Connections include HDMI, optical audio and 5.1 analogue audio out, as well as the standard array of composite, component, coaxial and S-Video.

The on-screen interface is just as impressive. Even the menus themselves look fantastic, and are hands down the simplest and easiest to navigate that we've seen. The remote makes operation a breeze, and it took us all of about thirty seconds to set the player up and begin our testing. We were also surprised to see customisable white, black, and colour levels on the player itself, something we haven't seen yet. The only complaint that we had was an occasional bug that left part of the menu system on screen after we exited it. This was easily remedied by opening the menu system again and closing it, but it nevertheless may irk some users.

Audio performance is something that we usually don't mention for video-driven products, but the amount of effort that Sony has put into audio on the BDP-S1E is worth noting. The combination of its excellent design and functional menu system means that the player is actually capable of delivering highly impressive audio quality, and although generally this will be affected more by the speakers and other audio components used, at the very least the BDP-S1E will ensure that they receive high fidelity, undistorted signals. While most true enthusiasts will nevertheless wish to use their own receiver/amplifier, it's a big bonus for those who don't want to invest heavily in the extra equipment, and just get the most out of their current speakers.

Feature-wise, the BDP-S1E packs a punch. Support for all the major surround sound audio formats is provided, with the exception of DTS-HD, although we're yet to see a player that supports this format. Dolby TrueHD, used on most high definition discs, is supported by the Sony player. Both 5.1 and 7.1 speaker systems are supported as well. Also included is a feature dubbed 'BRAVIA Theatre Sync', which links your home entertainment setup through HDMI cables (assuming that the components also support the feature), allowing you to operate them with one remote.

The BDP-S1E is a player that's very hard to fault. The need to upgrade the rest of your home entertainment setup in order to enjoy some of its features is the biggest drawback, and of course, at the end of the day it's still not cheaper than the PlayStation 3 Nevertheless, for AV enthusiasts the extra money is a worthwhile investment. With its excellent combination of design and functionality, the BDP-S1E has set the bar very high for future Blu-ray players.

Audio & Speakers

Audio Type

Surround

Surround Sound Type

Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS

DVD Options

DVD Type

Blu-Ray Player / DVD Player / CD Player

DVD Recordable

Number of Discs Held

DVD Region

Region 4 - Australia, NZ, Mexico, Caribbean, South America

General

Length (mm)

355

Width (mm)

430

Height (mm)

106

Warranty (Months)

Weight (kg)

7.5

Media

Supported Audio File Formats

MP3

Supported Picture File Formats

JPG

Playable Discs

CD-R, CD-RW, DVD±R, DVD±RW, BD-RE, BD-R

Miscellaneous

Remote Control

Yes

Parental Control

Yes

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

Analogue (5.1 stereo), Analogue Audio Out, Coaxial Digital Output, Component Video Output, Composite Video Output, HDMI Output, Optical Digital Output, S-Video Output

Number of Coaxial Digital Output Ports

Number of Component Video Output Ports

Number of Composite Video Output Ports

Number of HDMI Output Ports

Number of Optical Digital Output Ports

Number of S-Video Output Ports

Ruckus Wireless MediaFlex VF-2825

2007-08-07T01:09:00.000-07:00

The Ruckus MediaFlex wireless router, while not technically a media streamer itself, is a device intended to facilitate wireless streaming of media (videos and music) throughout the home. The easiest way to think of the MediaFlex is probably as a way of 'unwiring' wired, or Ethernet based, home networks. If you have long trails of Ethernet cables running from your PC, through your living room and to your home entertainment setup, then the MediaFlex presents a convenient way of eliminating them. With a strong focus on streaming media, and minimising distortion and interruptions, the MediaFlex is also a potential solution for those whose current wireless network is unable to cope with the demands of wireless media streaming.

Paired with a MediaFlex wireless adapter, the two MediaFlex units essentially replace the bulk of network cable running between two products, for example a PC and an Ethernet-enabled set-top box. So in this example, you would connect your PC to the MediaFlex router via Ethernet, and then your set-top box to the MediaFlex adapter via Ethernet, and it would be as if you'd run a cable straight from the PC to the set-top box. The only difference is the lack of an unsightly cable on the floor, waiting to be tripped over by the kids or chewed to pieces by the dog.

In theory, it's quite simple; however, in practice things become a little bit more tricky. Anybody who's ever set up a wireless network before will know how finicky they can be, and unless you're a networking guru or lucky enough to have it work instantly, expect to spend a bit of time making sure all your settings are correct. Still, that's part of the price of dealing with wireless networks, they're very rarely entirely simple affairs.

One of the big selling points of the MediaFlex is its wireless fidelity. By using a multi-antenna system, it claims to be able to detect and determine the best wireless path, avoiding disturbances and interference. We didn't experience any performance issues while streaming content throughout our offices, which are fairly open-plan, but have an industrial-strength air-conditioning unit installed. However, no two environments are identical, so how it performs in other types of environments will vary. Nevertheless, based on our tests, the MediaFlex may provide a viable solution for users whose current wireless network is susceptible to interference.

The design of the router (and the almost-identical adapter) is quite elegant, being shaped sort of like a ... well, we're not sure really. Although the spinning green light, which is located on the top of the unit, could be an annoyance in a darkened home theatre room. The router comes with four Ethernet ports and one WAN port, while the adapter comes with a single Ethernet port.

For users who wish to unwire their currently wired home entertainment network, or who are simply looking for a way of reducing interference, the MediaFlex router and adapter combination from Ruckus is worth considering.

General

Length (mm)

142

Width (mm)

122

Height (mm)

Weight (g)

200

Warranty (Months)

Media Servers

Data Transfer Rate / Bandwidth

54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 11, 5.5, 2, 1 Mbps

Video Features

2-3 simultaneous MPEG-2 or 4-6 MPEG-4 standard definition streams or single 10 Mbps+ HD stream at 50 feet (18m) with concurrent background traffic

Wireless Range

15-20 Mbps sustainable throughout a 2500 square foot (230m2) home

Power Options

Power Supply

Battery

Wireless Connections

Wireless technology supported

Wireless 802.11b, Wireless 802.11g

Sony VAIO VGN-TZ18GN/X

2007-08-07T01:05:00.001-07:00

First Microsoft brought us Readyboost in Vista. Then Intel introduced TurboMemory with Centrino notebooks. Now, finally, the flash memory revolution is complete as one of the last bottlenecks in the PC technology is addressed. Sony's chic ultra portable TZ18GN/X VAIO notebook is our first glimpse at a notebook running solely on a solid-state drive (SSD), rather than the long standing hard drives (HDD) that have been our only option for so long, and it's about time.

Features

The VGN-TZ18GN/X offers a tiny 11.1in screen with a 1366 x 768 resolution and weighs in at just 1.15kg without its power supply (1.5kg with it). It has an Intel Core 2 Duo U7600 ultra low voltage (ULV) CPU running at 1.2GHz, 1GB of DDR2 RAM and the piece de resistance, a 32GB SSD drive as its sole storage device.

Despite the advantages of SSD disks, 32GB is not a lot of storage, especially with 8GB hijacked for a backup and your operating system installed. In fact with all of our testing software installed the drive was verging on full capacity. Fortunately an internal DVD re-writer is installed, which is not only handy for offloading non-essential data, but a reasonable feat for such a small device.

However, we see this system as a solution for frequent travellers with only basic, business style uses for their notebook, such as email, Web surfing and flicking through electronic documents, and in that respect the TZ18GN/X is perfect.

The display is one of the nicer screens available in notebooks, offering good colour, brightness and contrast, as well as an excellent viewing angle. A media card reader supporting MagicGate, MS/MS-Pro and SD cards is installed. Meanwhile a fingerprint reader sits neatly between the mouse buttons and a set of media controls resides on the front edge of the chassis. There's also a VGA camera built into the screen. Watching DVDs was quite pleasant on the screen and the speakers mustered a fair bit of volume for such a small notebook. A set of audio jacks for headphones or a microphone are also available for when the speakers just won't cut it.

Solid-state

Solid-state or non-volatile flash memory and its benefits have been on our doorstep for a long time. Fitness junkies will know to buy a flash-based MP3 player, as it has no moving parts to damage when jogging. Photography enthusiasts will know how many photos can fit on their tiny 4GB memory stick, while speed freaks will know how much faster their PC boots when using Windows Vista's ReadyBoost or Intel's TurboMemory. Let's not forget the convenience of moving data from place to place using USB flash drives, which offer more portability than a 3.5in floppy disk and many times the storage space of some older desktop PCs.

Theoretically flash memory uses less power, emits less heat and is more reliable, not to mention they're less noisy than hard drives or optical drives. As well as being less susceptible to jolts and bumps SSD disks lack the mechanics which, with use, will eventually come grinding to a halt, giving birth to one of those horror stories about data loss we've all heard at some point. None of this comes cheap, which partly explains the hefty price tag.

Benchmarks and battery

The small frame of the VAIO TZ18GN/X makes a clear statement about its raw power; there isn't much. Although the U7600 is a dual core Centrino Duo CPU, it's built for low power consumption and low heat emissions, not speed. We were unable to obtain a score from WorldBench 6, however, the MP3 encoding tests showed just how slow a CPU can go.

Converting 53 minutes of WAV files to 192Kbps MP3 files using Cdex, a single threaded application, took 259 seconds. Using iTunes, a multi-threaded application, to compress the same data to a smaller 56Kbps took 143 seconds. Neither of these scores is impressive by overall comparison, but for a ULV CPU we can't expect much more.

Battery life tests returned far more impressive results. Our Sony TZ18GN/X ultra portable device exhibited excellent battery life, even when compared to other similarly sized ultra low voltage notebooks, such as the Toshiba Portege R500. Using a looping DVD to drain the battery this system lasted just over three hours at 186 minutes; an excellent result.

The DVD loop test is considered a worst-case scenario, as it utilises the optical drive and speakers, as well as the screen, CPU and other core components. Subsequently we expect the system to last longer still when running under normal load. The optical drive can be turned off from the system tray for added power saving.

Design and build quality

Although this unit is rather small it's not overly fragile. The screen does flex a little because it's quite thin, but it isn't overly disconcerting. The main body, which is built from carbon fibre, is sturdy enough and despite the light weight design it doesn't feel too toy-like.

With the exception of the lid, which has a dark brown, brushed metal finish the Sony VAIO TZ18GN/X is a reflective piano black. The keyboard is small, but still comfortable to type on for reasonable length periods of time and the touchpad is nice and responsive.

A pair of USB 2.0 ports joins a VGA out port, an Express Card slot, one gigabit Ethernet port and a 56k modem port on this rather barren chassis. If wired connectivity is not your thing this machine also offers Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g and Bluetooth.

Display

Display Technology

Colour LCD TFT (Active Matrix)

Screen size

11.1 in

Screen Resolution

1366x768

General

Length (mm)

198.2

Width (mm)

277

Height (mm)

22.5

Warranty (Months)

Weight (kg)

1.17

Hard Drive

Storage capacity

32 GB

Input Devices

Mouse

Media

Supported Memory Media

Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo

Memory

Installed memory (RAM)

1 GB

RAM Type

SDRAM, DDR2

Multimedia Features

Inbuilt Camera

Yes

Modem

Yes

Optical Drives

Supported Media

CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+R

Power Options

Power Supply

AC Power, Battery

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Processor

Intel Core 2 Duo Processor U7600

Processor Speed

1.20 Ghz

Software

Operating Systems

Genuine Microsoft Windows Vista Business

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

VGA, D-Sub, Headphone Jack, Microphone Jack , RJ11 Phone Jack, RJ45, USB 2.0

Wireless Connections

Wireless technology supported

Bluetooth 2.0

Nikon D40x

2007-08-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

In the increasingly popular digital SLR market, two companies reign supreme. Canon has the lion's share of the market, with Nikon hot on their tail. At the low end, Canon's EOS 400D has been a dominating presence and while Nikon's D40 competitor has made up some solid ground, in an area driven by megapixel counts, the 6 mega pixel Nikon hasn't quite been able to take first place.

Enter the D40x, an updated D40 with a 10 megapixel sensor, clearly designed to compete directly with the EOS 400D. It offers the same smooth, speedy operation as the D40 and packs in great image quality along with all the usual SLR features. While it is hard to be certain which model comes out on top as the competition is so close, you can be certain that the D40x is an excellent entry level SLR.

The most noticeable impact of the increased pixel count is in the image sharpness. As usual we ran our suite of Imatest tests as well as some subjective analysis on the shots. In the sharpness test, the D40x scored a massive 1896, which is ahead of both the EOS 400D and D40 by a reasonable margin. Our test shots reflected this, with stunningly clear edges and no visible fringing at all. The pictures definitely lived up to our expectations and are perhaps very slightly crisper than those produced by the competition.

In our chromatic aberration test the results were less impressive, but still far from average. Imatest gave the D40x a score of .94%, which is roughly comparable to competing models. There is evidence of some minor haloing in our test shots, but it is considerably better than the prominent red and blue haloing we noticed on the EOS 400D. This is a clear sign that the lens used on the D40x is of a much higher quality, which is a great sign as that is the main point companies cut costs on entry level SLRs.

As expected, the D40x's noise performance is flawless. It scored 0.38% in this test at ISO 100, which is in line with other entry level SLRs. Furthermore the noise scaled excellently with higher sensitivities. Our shots were perfectly usable all the way up until ISO 800, with a sharp jump in noise when using ISO 1600. Those that regularly like to shoot at ISO 400 or ISO 800 should find this model appealing.

Our final test is for colour, and the D40x performed well in this regard. Its score of 11 is a little lower than the D40 and EOS 400D, but the difference wasn't too noticeable in our shots. Colours are still deep and rich with nothing obviously oversaturated. Overall, we were pleased with the colour balance.

The other notable thing about the D40x is its speed of operation. Like the D40 before it, everything about this model is lightning quick. From the three frame per second burst mode (which runs constantly until the card fills up, assuming you are using a high speed memory card) to the absolutely instant power up time and the tiny 0.03 seconds of shutter lag, this is, simply put, one of the fastest cameras on the market. Even navigating the menu and changing settings causes no delay in your photography, as you can be back snapping pictures in an instant.

All the features you'd expect from an entry level SLR are present. The staple shutter, aperture and program priority modes along with full manual mode are on offer, but there are also a variety of scene modes for less experienced users. White balance can be dictated using presets or the manual mode, and there is an option to tweak each individual preset by a certain degree, to help tailor to specific situations. ISO sensitivities extend up to ISO 1600, although there is also an ISO HI setting for those extremely low light or fast paced situations (however we wouldn't recommend using it if you are at all adverse to image noise). The only slight area of disappointment is the focus points. Nikon only offers three focus points for their multipoint system, as opposed to the nine offered by most of the other 10 megapixel models. This may not be a big deal to all users, but some may find this a little limiting.

Everything is laid out in pretty much the same fashion as on the D40. Like most other manufacturers, Nikon has abandoned the second display in favour of showing all pertinent settings and data on the main screen. We think this is a good move, although the implementation is a little irritating as the screen powers down after a short period, and you constantly have to hit a button to bring everything back up.

There are two options for altering settings - you can either go through the main menu or use the on-screen display on the default screen. We found the later to be quite intuitive; just hitting the Info button opens access to all the major camera options, which is great for novice users. There is also a comprehensive in-camera help menu which will offer some much needed guidance to those who are a little daunted by the complex SLR functionality.

The design is also basically identical, which is not a bad thing in the slightest. The D40x sits very nicely in the hands and is very comfortable to use. It has the usual jutting right hand grip and rubberised surface which will be familiar to anyone who has used an SLR in the past. Despite being constructed mostly of plastic it feels sturdy and is more than strong enough to take on the road with you.

Digital Camera Features

Camera Resolution

10.2 MP

LCD screen size

2.5 in

Focus Type

Autofocus

FlashType

Built-in

Flash Functions

Forced Flash, Auto Flash, Fill-in Flash, Flash Off, Red-eye Reduction Flash , Slow Sync

Max Shutter Speed

Min Shutter Speed

1/4000

Image Sensor Type

CCD

Viewfinder

LCD (TTL)

Continuous Shot?

Yes

Bracketing Function?

Yes

Display

Display Technology

Colour LCD TFT (Active Matrix)

General

Length (mm)

Width (mm)

126

Height (mm)

Weight (g)

495

Media

Supported Memory Media

Secure Digital (SD)

Power

Battery Type

Rechargeable - (Li-Ion)

Wired Connections

Wired Terminals / Ports

USB 2.0

Blackberry 8300 Curve

2007-08-06T21:16:00.001-07:00

The BlackBerry Curve 8300 is the latest chic smart phone to sashay down the standard mobile phone runway. Petite and gently rounded at the corners (as its name suggests), the Curve does for Research In Motion's line of QWERTY-keyboard-equipped handhelds what the Pearl did for RIM's standard keypad devices: add a badly needed dose of style.

A more consumer-oriented mobile phone/PDA hybrid than most of its siblings, the Curve packs such multimedia features as a 2-megapixel camera with built-in flash and 3x digital zoom, and new desktop media management software developed in cooperation with Roxio.

It's a world phone, with support for all four GSM frequencies (800/850/1800/1900 MHz). If only it supported broadband, too. But alas, the Curve's data transfer rates top out at 2.5G EDGE speeds; the lack of Wi-Fi or HSDPA support are among the device's few weaknesses.

We spent a few days with a production-level Curve equipped with late preproduction software and were generally impressed. The device certainly makes a terrific first impression. Small and lightweight, it resembles a Treo that someone has flattened and widened out by applying a rolling pin. It rests comfortably in your hand, and voice quality on calls is fine (though not as great as we hoped in view of RIM's touting of its noise-cancellation technology, intended to improve audio quality in noisy environments).

The Curve really shines as a mail and data device. Its 320x240-pixel screen is gorgeous - gone are the bad old days of muddy BlackBerry colour displays. We also liked the small, marble-like trackball; its fluid movement substantially improves on the jog-wheel approach of yore. The trackball is particularly useful for skimming through Web pages on the embedded browser, but sometimes its fluidity moved the cursor more quickly than we anticipated - so we did a lot of backtracking through data entry fields.

We couldn't test the Curve's e-mail capabilities with a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but the BlackBerry Internet Service did a first-class job with a Gmail account - not surprisingly, given RIM's expertise with e-mail. Setup took only a few seconds, and thereafter new mail appeared quickly in a neatly organized inbox list.

Though RIM's multimedia credentials are less well established, the Curve is poised to remedy that with its improved media player, which is intuitive and easy to use, and the new BlackBerry Desktop Media Manager software, which facilitates transferring and organizing music, audio, and video files and which supports basic multimedia functions such as image editing and CD ripping. It's no substitute for dedicated music, video, and image-editing software, but for some users it will suffice.

The images we captured with the camera were adequate but (like most pictures taken with camera phones) a tad fuzzy. Our informal tests couldn't assess the impact of the flash on image quality.

Unfortunately, such over-the-air activities as media downloads are relatively sluggish. We wish that RIM had included true 3G or Wi-Fi support. In addition, we miss the GPS chips and navigation software that come with the BlackBerry 8800, a more utilitarian, business-focused device.

Out of the box, the BlackBerry offers a rather thin array of productivity features in comparison to those you get in Windows Mobile PDA/phone hybrids. For serious word processing or spreadsheet support, you must turn to the growing number of third-party apps.

Overall, we found the Curve a seductive alternative to other candy bar phones with wide-aspect-ratio screens, such as the Samsung BlackJack. If the price is right, the Curve could well become the hot smart phone of the moment.

Included in Package:

AC Adapter/Charger

Battery

Software CD

Memory Card

User Manual

Handset

Main Features:

Ringtones

Polyphonic

MP3

Contacts

Multiple Categories

Speed Dial

Voice Tags

Network Connectivity*

GPRS (Data Transfer)

Quad Band GSM

Primary Display

Colours: 262k

Memory

Micro SD Card

Device Connectivity

Bluetooth

USB

Talking

Talk Time (Hours): 4:00

Standby Time (Hours): 350

Voice Activation

Conference Calling *

Handsfree mode

Voice Dial

Camera Features:

Camera

2 Megapixels

Flash

Digital Zoom

Message features:

SMS

Picture Messaging *

Email *

BlackBerry Connect

Supports attachments

Music:

Music Player

MP3

Stereo Capable

Headphone Connector

Software Features:

Internet Browser *

Organiser

PC Synchronisation

Business Software

Supports Downloads *

GPS Software

Miscellaneous:

Qwerty Keyboard

Manufacturers Warranty:
12 Months

Samsung J600

2007-08-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

The J600 is the new addition to Samsungs entry-level portfolio. What makes this phone so special is that for the first time, touch sensitive controls have been available for the budget conscious user. Feature wise, the J600 does not pack much of a punch, but let’s remember that sacrifices must be made in order to drive costs down (unfortunately). The J600 is styled with a glazed surface design adding metal trim for extra impact. It is still unknown what colours will be available in Australia, but elsewhere it is offered in blue, silver and pink.

Measuring 97.8 x 44.8 x 15.2 mm and weighting 99 grams, makes the J600 ultra portable. As mentioned before, the J600 is aimed at budget conscious consumers and even though some features have been removed or downgraded, the important ones remain. The J600 still retains expandable memory with support for MicroSD and this is in addition to the 20MB internal memory. For music lovers, Samsung have also included support for MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA formats and the battery life is capable of up to 3.8 hours talk time and up to 300 standby. The battery results are due to a Lithium-Ion 800mAh battery.

Connectivity options remain similar to the recently released higher-end handsets (such as the U600, U700 and E950), that being - Bluetooth and USB connectivity, though they have been downgraded to V1.2 and V1.1 respectively. Furthermore, A2DP has been abandoned from the J600. The J600 will have tri-band network support (800/900/1800 MHz) and will have GPRS class 10 for data transfer. This is great for internet browsing and WAP 2.0 and HTML sites will be supported.

The screen on the J600 is 1.9” TFT measuring 128*160 pixels and displaying 65,536 colours. The size of the screen will be handy when taking photos on the integrated 1.3 mega pixel (1280 x 1024) camera with 4x digital zoom, flash and video recording capabilities.

The J600 has support for SMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging as well as an internal phonebook capable of storing 1000 entries. Some of the handiest features have also been included such as FM radio, speakerphone and voice memo. Overall, the J600 presents a neat package for an entry-level handset.

The Samsung J600 is a budget conscious handset that still maintains the elegant style and design of high-end handsets. The blend of touch sensitive controls, vibrant colours and metal trim transform this phone into a visually appealing product. Combining neat look and an impressive feature list consisting of - Bluetooth, expandable memory, FM radio and speakerphone really makes this a strong entry-level contender. Once the J600 hits Australian shores, I recommend all the budget conscious to go and check it out, it might prove to be the ideal phone for you.

Basic specifications
Network system	2G: GSM 900/1800/1900MHz (tri-band)
Form factor	Slider
Size	97.8 x 44.8 x 15.2 mm
Weight	99 grams
Display	1.9” 65,536 colours TFT LCD @ 128 x 160 pixels
Battery type used	Lithium-ion battery @ 800mAh
Talk/usage time*	Up to 228 minutes*
Standby time*	Up to 300 hours*

Accompanying features

Connectivity options

Bluetooth version 1.2 and USB 1.1

Camera support

1.3mpx, 4x digital zoom, flash and video

Data support

GPRS

Exchangeable covers

None

Internet applications

WAP 2.0/HTML

Memory

Internal -

External -

Yes, 20MB shared memory

Yes, MicroSD

Messaging capabilities

SMS, MMS, instant messaging

Ringing tones

Polyphonic and MP3/AAC ringing tones

Synchronisation with PC

Yes, via PC

System for...

Add-on applications -

Gaming -

Phone -

Java MIDP 2.0

Samsung OS with Black GUI

Extras supported
(not listed above)

Handsfree speakerphone
Organiser
FM radio

Top 5 Budget Phones

2007-08-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson W200i (Price $0 - $199)


*Quality
*Features
*Value

It’s a rare treat to discover a phone under $200 that offers the same outstanding quality governed by the Sony Ericsson W200i. Masked as a budget phone, the W200i may be the most humble handset on the Walkman Phone range but certainly has plenty to leave the financial conscious audience impressed. Beneath its simple candy bar design, keypad layout and user interface is a wealth of features that one would only expect to find in more expensive models.

The W200i holds a convenient Walkman media player, a versatile VGA camera that can also record videos, a web browser, organiser, phone book, alarm clock, stopwatch, calculator, calendar, speakerphone, USB and infra red connectivity, and to compliment its media, some internal memory and external memory (in the form of a Memory Stick Micro). The phone is solid built all-round, and has a light, petite structure which allows it to be carried and used by anyone.

As far as budget phones are concerned, very few will match the Sony Ericsson’s W200i. The fact is, its numerous abilities, practical design and affordable price tag not only make it a rare find and an exceptional phone but places it on a class of its own.

Other options: Nokia 1110i, Sony Ericsson Z310i.

Motorola RAZR V3 (black) Price $200 - $399


*Quality
*Features
*Value

Although the RAZR is not a very new handset, for this price range it's about the highest specifications you're going to get _ plus you get the thin clam shell styling that made the handset so famous in the beginning! The RAZR V3 from Motorola has a 262k colour display, 5.5MB shared internal memory, VGA camera, and quad-band GSM network compatibility.

The internal display of the RAZR V3 is a 240 x 320 pixel TFT LCD which can display up to 262,144 colours. The external display is a 4,096 colour LCD measuring 96 x 80 pixels. The front LCD can be used as a viewfinder for the camera, perfect for self portraits!

The frequent traveller looking for a semi-budget phone will be happy to know that the RAZR V3 supports every 2G GSM network around the globe: GSM 850, 900, 1800, and 1900MHz.

One of the major down sides to the V3 is that it does not come with any support for external memory cards, so you're limited to the 5.5MB. You can transfer your files from the handset to a larger storage space like your computer using Bluetooth or USB.

The Motorola RAZR V3 retails for about $300.

Other options: Nokia 6230i.

Nokia 6300 (Price $400 - $599)


*Quality
*Features
*Value

The Nokia 6300 has a high-end 16.7 million colour TFT LCD, 2mpx digital camera, fast Series 40 user interface, microSD memory card support, and Bluetooth and USB connectivity. All this and more is enclosed in an attractive stainless steel case.

I recently reviewed the 6300 and absolutely loved it. Although it is a mid-range handset, it has several features that set it out from the crowd – the major one being the 16.7 million colour TFT LCD @ 240 x 320 pixels. The 6300 is only handset in our top 5 phones that does have a display of this quality!

The Series 40 user interface definitely deserves a mention, as it is fast, responsive, and not to mention easy to use. Additional features include an FM stereo radio, tri-band GSM network compatibility, and SMS/EMS, MMS, and e-mail messaging.

At just over the $400 price tag, the Nokia 6300 is an affordable handset with top-notch functionality.

Other options: Nokia 6233, LG U890.

Sony Ericsson K800i (Price $600 - $799)


*Quality
*Features
*Value

This price range is quite a serious one, and that calls for a phone packing a lot of punch. I've picked the K800i this week because of its large QVGA display, 3.2mpx Cyber-Shot camera with Xenon flash, large internal memory and external support, and all the extras we expect from Sony Ericsson.

The K800i's camera functionality is second to none, and shoots amazing still images and motion video. The Xenon flash is spectacular for low light situations, putting LED lights to shame. At the 3.2mpx resolution the images are just asking to be printed and framed.

Supporting both 3G and 2G networks the K800i also includes full PIM applications, 64MB of internal memory and Memory Stick Micro memory cards, a NetFront browser with RSS support, and an amazing 262,144 colour TFT LCD at 320 x 240 pixels.

Although the K800i only just comes into this price range, it does offer amazing value for money. You won't find another handset at the same price with the same features as the K800i.

Other options: Nokia 6288, Samsung D900.

Dopod 838Pro (Price $800 or Above)


*Quality
*Features
*Value

The Dopod 838 Pro is one of, if not the best PDA phone available on the Australian market to date. The handset supports almost every 3G and 2G network, has a 400MHz Samsung CPU, 64MB of RAM and 128MB of flash memory, microSD support, QVGA touch screen display, full QWERTY keyboard and a host of other features.

The network support on the 838 Pro is astounding: GSM 900, 1800, and 1900MHz, and WCDMA 850, 900, and 2100MHz. It also supports HSDPA on 3G networks, and GPRS and EDGE on the 2G networks. The handset also supports WiFi 802.11b/g so you can connect to a wireless hotspot for fast data transfer over the internet. The high speed 400MHz processor runs the Windows Mobile operating system with ease.

A 2mpx digital camera is included on the 838 Pro, along with Windows Media player for local and streaming video, Java MIDP 2.0 for games and applications, Office Mobile productivity applications, and full support for IMAP4/POP3 e-mail messaging. With the full QWERTY keyboard predictive text input is a thing of the past (although T9 predictive text is installed on the 838 Pro!).

The 320 x 240 pixel TFT LCD is only capable of displaying up to 65,536 colours. The display is a touch screen so you'll need the stylus for almost every operation except messaging, which you can use the keyboard if desired.

For just over $1000 the Dopod 838 Pro is definitely worth the money.

Other options: Sony Ericsson W900i, Nokia N90.

Top 5 Hit Phones

2007-08-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

LG Shine

Overall:

Weeks at this position: 5

The Shine is a lovely phone. It’s smart and stylish, it feels as durable as a rock and is packed full of features. Did I mention it looks great? The stainless steel finish and reflective screen is just gorgeous and I love it, even though I’m not a personal fan of slider phones.

Too bad then that the keypad and buttons weren’t implemented well. It’s a huge disappointment because it detracts from the experience. The jog dial ignores fast movement, while its flanking keys are difficult to press. The number pad buttons aren’t well separated making it easy to mash surrounding keys at a time.

The lack of a memory card slot is also unfortunate, but 512 megabytes is still a huge amount of space whichever way you look at it. Add the two megapixel auto-focus camera, the precise 2.2 inch QVGA screen, the fast HSDPA download support and music streaming capable Bluetooth and you can’t argue that the Shine is very well equipped for a phone that has its focus on design.

Samsung SGH-A701

Overall:

Weeks at this position: 18

One of the first handsets to support Telstra's new Next-G HSDPA network, the Samsung A701 is an impressive device. Highlights of the A701 are the 2mpx digital camera, 24MB of internal memory and microSD card support, large 2.3" LCD display, and Bluetooth with A2DP profile support.

Compatible with the 850MHz HSDPA network, the A701 offers amazing call quality (thanks to the larger amount of bandwidth available), and is capable of data speeds up to 1.8Mbps. The handset is also capable of making and receiving video calls with the dedicated forward-facing VGA camera.

The large 2.3" LCD display has a 240 x 320 pixel resolution, and can display up to 262,144 colours. Because of the clam shell form factor there's an additional 65k colour display on the front of the handset, at 96 x 96 pixels.

One of the only drawbacks of the A701 is the lack of microSD memory card in the sales package. Many users will find that 24MB just isn't enough, especially when downloading music files, videos, and other large files via the HSDPA network.

Sony Ericsson K800i

Overall:

Weeks at this position: 18

The Sony Ericsson K800i is an amazing handset - there's really no two ways about it! The first Cyber-Shot camera-phone from Sony Ericsson, the K800i has a 3.2mpx digital camera, large QVGA display, Memory Stick Micro (M2) memory card support, tri-band 2G GSM and UTMS 3G connectivity and a host of other features.

Also, the K800i has definite eye-candy factor. The black case looks stunning and from the back it looks like a real digital camera... wait, it almost is! The quality of this camera has really got to be seen to be believed.

The K800i is on the larger side for a handset (in both size and weight), but over time you really get used to the size. The only other issues I had with the handset was that the UI was a little on the slow side in some areas and that the keypad material which was a little too soft/rubbery for my liking.

Nokia 6300

Overall:

Weeks at this position: 13

Dopod 900

2007-08-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

IMTV

Chat with online buddies anytime

Enjoy the ability to communicate at anytime

Built-in Voice Control Dialing

Voice recognition, convenient dialing

Voice commands, listening to music is COOL

MSN

Chat with online buddies anytime

Enjoy the ability to communicate at anytime

PIM (Personal Information Management)

Synchronization with Outlook contacts/calendar/tasks/inbox

Powerful personal information manager, keep personal data on hand

Mobile Internet

Boundary-less information

Anytime anywhere

Mobile Office

Never miss another important business opportunity

Access E-mail anytime, anywhere

World’s Smallest 3G Notebook

Titanium black with stylish body

Compact and portable

Instant power on/off for greater work efficiency

Zhuyin / English input keypad

WCDMA (UMTS)+GSM/GPRS (900/1800/1900)

3G technology, mobilized applications for your
convenience Telecommunications creating zero
distance between people

3.6 inch 640x480 Rotating Screen

65,000 colors, 640x480 high resolution

Vertical/horizontal display automatic switching

Built-in WiFi Wireless Connection

Built-in WiFi/Bluetooth/IR

Convenient wireless manager

Wireless connection for unlimited imagination

Dual Cameras

Main 1.3 Megapixels camera with unlimited video/voice recording

Secondary 0.3 Megapixels camera for telecommunication applications

Dopod 595

2007-08-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

The Dopod 595 is the world's first Windows Mobile 3G Smartphone. With such connectivity, the 595 truly gives users the seamless mobility they have come to expect from a Smartphone.

3G Connectivity

With 3G connectivity, the Dopod 595 gives users greater productivity and greater enjoyment in their professional and personal lives. By utilizing the latest mobile networks, the Dopod 595 allows users to enjoy video on demand, as well as download emails and chat with friends over fast 3G networks.

Mobile email with push mail

Access multiple POP3 email accounts effortlessly from the Dopod 595. Even email accounts from Google, Yahoo and Hotmail can be set up and accessed in the 595. And with the latest Microsoft technology, push mail is enabled in the Dopod 595 when paired with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 SP2.

3D user interface for easier access and control

Customised 3D interface places most commonly used functions right onto the interface, allowing for 1-click access to key controls. In the Dopod 595, this user interface now comes in either black, blue or gold.

Dual language support

Dopod has built dual language support (English/Chinese) right into the device. View, create or edit messages, emails and websites in both languages effortlessly. If you prefer, the Dopod 595's operating system can even be switched to Simplified Chinese.

Bluetooth equipped

The Dopod 595 is equipped with Bluetooth for wireless convenience.

QVGA hi-res display

The Dopod 595 comes with a QVGA display (240x320) resolution (main screen). With a higher resolution, your favourite pictures come across more sharply and clearly.

PocketMSN

With Pocket MSN built in for easy access to MSN Messenger and Hotmail, you can now chat with your friends or check emails in your Hotmail account effortlessly.

Persistent storage

With Dopod's new design and the latest Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone Edition operating system, you no longer have to worry about losing your data even when the battery goes flat! Simply recharge the Dopod 595 and all your precious emails, contacts and notes come right back.

Be entertained

Apart from Solitaire and Bubble Breaker, Dopod has also made available Magic Puz and Another World, two fun and highly addictive games.

Spec

Basics

OS: Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone Edition

Frequency: GSM Tri-band (900/1800/1900) + WCDMA (2100)

Processor: Samsung 300MHz

Memory: 128MB ROM, 64MB RAM (persistent storage)

Size: 112.4 x 49 x 14.8

Weight: 115 grams w/battery

Standby time: up to 220 hours

Talk time: up to 5 hours

Colour: Titanium Grey

Style: bar-type

Interface/messaging

Messages: SMS; MMS (English/Chinese; view & input)

Email support: Outlook, multiple POP3, Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo mail

Push mail (in conjunction with Exchange Server 2003 SP2)

Recording: Unlimited (up to memory capacity)

Voice tags: Yes

Hands free: Yes

Communications

Mobile data connectivity: EDGE/GPRS/UMTS

Bluetooth: Yes, v2.0

USB: Yes (Sync and charge)

Screen

Main: 2.2" 240x320 resolution (QVGA)

Colors : 65536 colors TFT screen (effective)

Multimedia

Supported ring tones: 40 chord polyphonic, MIDI/SP-MIDI/WMA/WMV/MP3/AMR/SMF

JAVA: Yes

Multimedia player: Windows Media Player 10 Mobile

MP3 player with music auto-detect and music alarm function

Camera

Primary: 1.3 megapixel CMOS

Secondary: 0.1 megapixel CMOS for video calls and self-portraits

Focus : Yes

Video Recording: Yes

Memory slot: MicroSD (hot-swappable)

Others

Supported languages: English / Chinese

Built-in ClearVue Document Viewer (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, PDF)

Others: Exclusive 3D interface which includes shortcuts to frequently used functions

Multi-frequencies - Dopod 838Pro

2007-08-06T04:32:00.000-07:00

Major features

PDA form factor with slide-out keyboard

Jog dial wheel with push-in for confirmation

Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 OS with MSFP

Tri-band W-CDMA/UMTS 850/1900/2100 with HSDPA Class 4

Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 with GPRS, EDGE

802.11b/g Wi-Fi local connectivity

2.8 inch 65,536 colour TFT 240 x 320 pixel touch-screen display

2.0 megapixel digital camera, macro switch, flash, CIF video

40 tone polyphonic ringtones, MP3, AAC, WMA support

Windows Media Player for music, video and streaming

Samsung 400MHz CPU, 64MB RAM/128MB flash memory

MicroSD card slot (no card included)

USB, infra-red and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP music streaming

SMS, EMS, MMS and POP3/IMAP4 email messaging

Internet Explorer Mobile HTML browser

MIDP 2.0 Java games and applications

Office Mobile for viewing Word, Excel and PowerPoint files

PIM and organiser functions

Problems/Issues?

No memory card included

Camera interface bug

Sales package (should contain):

1x Dopod 838Pro handset
1x 1350mAh Lithium-ion polymer battery
1x AC charger (100-240V)
1x Stereo handsfree earphones
1x USB data cable
1x PC software CD
1x Leather carry case
1x Detailed user guide
1x Quick start guide

Overview

Introduction
Dopod is a company that’s been largely active in the East and South-East Asian regions of the world, working together with parent HTC to rebrand its smartphones and PDAs for resale. The company recently expanded to Australia and introduced a number of its models here in September, not the least of which is the Dopod 838Pro, the subject of this review and a PDA killer.

Why a killer, you ask? This PDA is loaded with just about any hardware feature a mobile device could ask for. Connectivity? Try quad-band GSM, tri-band UMTS with HSDPA, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, infra-red and miniUSB. Display? A large touch-screen QVGA LCD is included. Messaging? There’s SMS, MMS and email with Exchange server-based push email. There’s even a large slide out keyboard to help you type. Multimedia? A music player supporting the main music formats is included, as are stereo earphones and the A2DP profile for Bluetooth music streaming. A two megapixel camera is also installed, while a front-mounted CIF camera allows for video calling.

So what feature doesn’t the Dopod 838Pro have? The only notable feature missing would have to be GPS, but few connected PDAs come with such hardware at present. Even so, HTC is rumoured to be working on a similar device that includes GPS, and Dopod would be likely to pick it up at some point.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. The 838 Pro is Dopod’s take on the HTC Hermes device, which HTC itself has released in selected areas as the TyTN, while i-mate sells it as the JASJAM. For our worldwide readers, multiple carriers around the globe also have their own versions, including3 the Orange SPV M3100, T-Mobile MDA Vario II, O2 XDA Trion, Cingular 8525 (without a video call camera), Softbank X01HT and DoCoMo hTc Z (with HSDPA disabled).

So while this review focuses on the Dopod variant, most of it will be relevant to the other variants as well. Now, let’s take a closer look.

New/outstanding features
HTC is usually known for throwing everything bar the kitchen sink into their mobile devices, but they’ve outdone themselves with the Dopod 838Pro. As I mentioned in the introduction, everything you’d expect to find in a PDA can be found in this one, and the number of connectivity methods, particularly wide area ones, is staggering. The inclusion of tri-band UMTS (on the 850, 1900 and 2100 bands) is particularly significant, as it means outbound travellers to the US will be able to take advantage of HSDPA data speeds on Cingular’s UMTS network. There’s still quad-band GSM for backup (with GPRS and EDGE), and 802.11b/g wireless for 54Mbps access to the internet if you’re in a hotspot. While Bluetooth 2.0 is standard, I’m pleased infra-red has been included as well, not dropped like many other handsets.

I’m particularly impressed with the slide-out keyboard. Unlike some other devices, this keyboard slides out from the side of the 838 Pro, rather than the bottom. It’s great because it means the keyboard is bigger, and the handset’s screen will rotate into landscape format to suit. The buttons are large and typing with thumbs is comfortable and practical. They’re even backlit, but only when it’s dark thanks to a light sensor mounted above the keyboard. It’s no understatement to say this is the first PDA I’ve used where typing data has been an enjoyable experience.

A large 2.8 inch QVGA touch-screen is the main input interface, but there’s a number of other physical interfaces, including several soft keys, phone keys, a jog dial and the aforementioned slide out keyboard that should please any type of user.

I also want to mention the included user manual. This manual is one of the most detailed I have ever seen. It’s 366 pages large – easily three times the size of typical phone manuals – and contains step by step instructions, with pictures, of every operation the handset is capable of. I’ve only ever seen these types of detailed manuals attached to the high-tech phones sold in Japan, so I was very impressed to find one with the 838 Pro. Your typical 100 page phone manual in Australia (or Europe, Asia or the USA, considering the same devices are sold in these places) barely touches the advanced features of today’s phones, and the manufacturers of them ought to take a leaf out of Dopod’s book (no pun intended) and follow the company’s example.

Physical aspects

The 838 Pro is a PDA and utilises the typical PDA interface – a large touch-screen LCD with a few useful buttons below it. However, it’s bolstered by a keyboard that slides out from below to the left of the screen. The casing is made of plastic and coloured in two tones of dark grey. Most business executives should find the colour scheme pleasing. There’s no external antenna either, making for a well rounded handset shape.

The 838 Pro measures 112.5 x 58 x 21.95 millimetres, meaning it’s quite compact for a PDA although a tad on the thick side. At 176 grams it’s slightly heavy too, but again there are certainly heavier PDAs out in the market.

The 2.8 inch LCD occupies nearly all of the front surface of the phone. Above it lies the CIF camera for video calling as well as two shortcut buttons for messaging and Internet Explorer. There’s also two status lights indicating the state of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and phone connectivity. Below the screen are the navigation buttons – an arrow pad with confirm button, two soft keys, a Windows start key and OK key, as well as send, video send and end keys.

Turning the phone to its left-hand side, one discovers a jog dial with another OK button beside it. A button for starting the voice command system is also here and further below is the slot for a microSD card, filled in with a dummy card until you get a real one to use. On the right-hand side is a power button and the connectivity control panel shortcut button, while towards the bottom is a camera shutter/shortcut button. There’s nothing on the top, but on the bottom there’s the infra-red port, a tiny microphone hole, a slightly misshapen miniUSB port and a battery cover release. The misshapen miniUSB port accepts regular miniUSB connectors as well as the included stereo earphones, which uses the same misshapen connector. Perhaps the earphones don’t meet the miniUSB specification. Also here in the bottom-right corner is the stylus, which expands when it’s removed.

The battery cover takes up the entire backside of the phone, with holes to allow the two megapixel camera and accompanying flash to stick through. The polyphonic speaker is also here. The release switch is easily pushed, which pops the cover out to reveal the large 1350 mAh battery. Underneath it is the SIM card slot.

The keyboard requires a bit of effort to slide out as it isn’t spring assisted. Once out it firmly locks into position, revealing 42 keys shaped into a QWERTY keyboard. Number keys are integrated into the middle-right of the keyboard like a laptop one, while punctuation keys are spread throughout most buttons and are accessed using a shift button similar to a laptop’s Fn key. A separate shift button allows typing of capital letters. When the keyboard is opened, the LCD will shift orientation into landscape mode. Two soft keys positioned above the keyboard allow operation of the menu bar’s options. The keyboard will also light up if you’re in a dark room, thanks to a light sensor above the P button that tells the 838 Pro if the backlight is needed.

While I seldom used the navigation buttons under the screen, I found myself sliding the keyboard out on a regular basis. It’s easily the best keyboard I’ve ever used with a Windows Mobile PDA. Thanks to its sideways orientation the buttons are far larger than what’s otherwise possible, the buttons are tactile and have good ‘clicking’ response, and typing messages is a quick and painless affair. I could even lock in Caps Lock or Fn mode to type long numbers.

User interface & display

^{Take a closer look!}

The LCD screen is touch-enabled and has a 2.8 inch (seven centimetre) diagonal, taking up two thirds of the front surface of the 838 Pro. It has 240 by 320 pixels of resolution and supports 65,536 colours. Such an amount of colours might pale in comparison to typical screens featuring 262,144 of them, but it really makes little difference in practice. If you have a good eye, you might pick differing gradients of grey in a picture displayed on the 838 Pro’s screen, but otherwise you won’t notice any difference. Brightness is adjustable across 11 different positions with two different settings for battery and external power. On full brightness the screen is still clearly visible under bright sunlight.

If you’ve used Windows Mobile 5.0 before (or even a Windows-based computer), then you’ll be right at home with the 838 Pro. The following is a description of Windows Mobile 5.0, so if you’ve used this OS before, you can skip to the Making/Receiving Calls section.

The Windows start button in the top left corner replaces the main menu in most phones, displaying a drop-down menu for the most commonly used functions. These include Today (the standby screen), Calendar, Contacts, Internet Explorer, Messaging, Phone and Windows Media. The programs displayed here can be customised, but no more than five can be displayed at once. The last five used programs are then listed, followed by shortcuts to all Programs, Settings and a Help window. All of the phone’s functions are available from the Programs window, while all its settings are in the Settings window, which mimics a PC’s Windows Control Panel.

The phone displays its status in the top right corner, with the clock, volume, phone reception and internet connection method (GPRS, UMTS, Wi-Fi, etc.) displayed at all times. Operation functions are displayed in the menu bar at the bottom similar to a normal phone, with two soft-keys able to operate them (although you can tap them directly on screen to activate them).

On the Today (standby) screen, a list of seven items displays more detailed status of the 838 Pro – the date, the owner’s name, unread messages, upcoming tasks, upcoming calendar appointments, whether the handset is keypad/touch-screen locked, and Pocket MSN sign-in status. When Pocket MSN is signed in (using your Windows Live Passport), four icons are displayed enabling access to Pocket MSN’s introductory screen, Pocket MSN Home (the MSN web portal optimised for Windows Mobile), MSN Messenger and Hotmail. HTC has also included status icons for the battery and connectivity control panel in the bottom right corner. These aren’t standard Windows Mobile icons.

Windows Mobile is generally responsive and fast, only slowing down when applications in the background are consuming CPU time. Being Windows of course multi-tasking is possible and several applications can be left running in the background. The 838 Pro is powered by a Samsung 400 MHz processor rather than an Intel one, and it seems to do the job well. Another interesting point with the new version of Windows Mobile is the built-in memory. WM 5.0 devices have moved away from using RAM as a data storage area and the 838 Pro’s memory characteristics reflect this. Only 64 megabytes of RAM are included, but 128 megabytes of flash memory (what was previously ROM) is divided into 64 megabytes for the OS itself and another 64 megabytes for user storage.

There are colour themes that can be customised, and the 838 Pro comes with three of them. Text display size can also be changed in certain areas, a good thing as I found the default size to be too small for my liking.

Language-wise the Dopod only supports US English. Fonts are included to display text in European languages, but not Asian ones.

Making and receiving calls

The 838 Pro connects to phone networks using GSM or 3G UMTS. It supports all four GSM bands (850, 900, 1800, 1900) and three UMTS bands (850, 1900, 2100). I tested it using Vodafone’s 3G UMTS network in Sydney, which runs on the 2100 band. Reception-wise it scored very well, holding three out of four bars of signal in places where my Sharp 903 reports full signal. It very rarely dropped audio snippets, and was quick to drop down to Vodafone’s GSM 900/1800 network if it reached one signal bar.

Calls can be held in one of four different ways – using the microphone and speaker, the loudspeaker, the included stereo earphones or your own Bluetooth headset. The regular microphone/speaker method works well with very good audio quality in both GSM and 3G UMTS networks. Speakerphone is a similar affair – good audio quality and very loud volume. It’s also enabled through one button tap on the screen and it can be done while a call is dialling – exactly how it should be.

The stereo earphones do a great job for phone calls, reproducing call audio at an excellent quality level. The control unit in these earphones has one button for answering/ending a call, and a slider to quickly adjust volume. This slider is independent of the PDA’s own volume control. Bluetooth headsets work well too – I paired my Motorola HS801 with the 838 Pro without difficulty, and the handset enables the audio channel the moment a call is started. Audio quality through Bluetooth is good, although dependant upon your headset.

The 838 Pro’s contact list is limited only by its available memory. Each contact has a multitude of fields to fill in, being synonymous with Microsoft Outlook’s fields. They include address, work address, multiple phone numbers and email addresses, birthday and job title. Handset specific entries include a personal ringtone and picture.

Windows Mobile has been known for the lack of ringtones it ships with, but Dopod has included its own set of tones to make up for the shortfall. Including Microsoft’s standard tones, there are 34 tones in all to choose from. Messaging tones can also be customised with a separate set of tones available for the task. Silent or vibration mode is set from the volume indicator in the status bar, but a separate profile system isn’t included in Windows Mobile 5.

Messaging
The 838 Pro supports many of the major messaging formats – SMS, MMS, POP3/IMAP4 email, even Hotmail. There’s also direct push for IMAP4 email available.

Outlook Mobile handles the sending and receiving of SMS messages. You can compose messages of any size (concatenated SMS), but attachments aren’t available, indicating the device’s lack of EMS support. For MMS the 838 Pro comes with ArcSoft’s MMS Composer which features support for multiple slides, each of which can contain one picture or video, text window and audio file. Maximum size support is 300 kilobytes.

Email-wise Outlook Mobile comes into play again, supporting POP3 and IMAP4 email servers including direct push email from an IMAP4-running Exchange mail server. Attachments are supported with no file size limit.

While T9 predictive text isn’t necessary thanks to the slide out keyboard, you can still turn on full word prediction. The 838 Pro will attempt to predict what word you’re typing after just two or more keystrokes. I personally found it more irritating than helpful and turned it off.

Connectivity

As mentioned earlier, the 838 Pro has a large amount of connectivity options. For long range connectivity there’s support for GSM on all four bands (850, 900, 1800, 1900) and 3G UMTS on three bands (850, 1900, 2100). The phone can be set to automatic, locked to 3G UMTS or GSM, or locked to certain band/network combinations for certain countries. These are Europe/Asia (UMTS 2100, GSM 900/1800), USA (UMTS 850/1900, GSM 850/1900) and Japan (UMTS 850/2100). You can manually specify the network/band combination to stop the handset searching on a band unutilised in your area, saving battery life. The network radio can also be switched off altogether (flight mode).

The 838 Pro is capable of HSDPA Class 4 download speeds in 3G UMTS networks, topping out at 1.8 Mbps but more typically resulting in 500-700 Kbps. Using the handset I connected to the internet and downloaded a 2.46 megabyte file using Vodafone’s 3G network in Randwick, Sydney, where the company has HSDPA coverage. The file downloaded in 33 seconds, which equals an average of 596.4 Kbps. This performance is equal to a mid-range ADSL connection.

If you don’t reside in an HSDPA coverage area, the 838 Pro will downgrade to standard UMTS 384 Kbps download speeds (typically 128 Kbps). If there’s no 3G network altogether, the handset will connect to an available GSM network and take advantage of any EDGE or GPRS connectivity available. Both standards enable download speeds of up to 236 Kbps and 48 Kbps respectively, but again, real-world speeds are lower.

Thanks to the 838 Pro’s huge range of connection methods, it can be connected in any country in the world and in many of them you’ll get fast access to the internet as more and more networks switch on HSDPA support. In Australia the handset works on all 3G networks, including Telstra’s Next G network. After a bit of configuration the Vodafone live! portal can also be made to load, although you’ll only get the standard text portal rather than the full graphic version.

Internet Explorer Mobile is the preset browser of the 838 Pro, and features advanced HTML functionality including frames, Javascript, cascade style sheets (CSS), ActiveX and other features. There’s also support for WAP pages (both WML and xHTML sites), meaning made-for-mobile websites can be browsed as well. The browser loads pages quickly, especially when coupled with a wireless connection.

For close range connectivity there’s USB, Infra-red, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless. Wi-Fi wireless is like the other long range connectivity options – allowing access to the internet at speeds peaking at 54 Mbps (but typically at around 12 Mbps) – but only in a wireless hotspot. USB cables allow for connection to a PC for synchronising data and recharging the battery, while infra-red and Bluetooth allow for interaction with other devices in close-range. A multitude of Bluetooth profiles are supported, including the A2DP profile for streaming music to wireless headphones.

In terms of software the 838 Pro comes with two CDs: the first is Microsoft’s ActiveSync CD, required to synchronise any form of data with the PDA. The second is an application CD which includes various software to install on the 838 Pro. ActiveSync installs without fault and with little questions. You just pop the CD into your computer and follow the prompts that appear. It takes a bit of time to install the USB drivers, but once it’s done the software will prompt you to reboot the computer. Once that’s done, just plug in the 838 Pro via USB cable and synchronisation will begin. As for the application CD, I found that the software on the disc was already installed in my test handset.

One of the programs, PenPower WorldCard Mobile, is a handy application that allows you to photograph a business card and convert it into a full contacts entry. Special OCR software installed in the phone does the conversion and it doesn’t do a bad job either. The OCR isn’t perfect, but it did accurately pick the correct fields from the business card and put them in the right place.

Multimedia package

The 838 Pro comes standard with Microsoft’s Windows Media 10 Player Mobile. This program supports a number of music formats, including MP3, AAC/M4A and WMA files. Again, it resembles the PC version of Windows Media Player. It will search for music (or video) files in both handset memory and the memory card and add them to its music library. It can create playlists of certain tracks, but I wasn’t able to get it to read M3U playlist files. Functions such as repeat and random play are supported.

Sound quality through the external speaker is what you’d expect – not that good. But the stereo earphones produce very good sound quality and I have no complaints listening to music through them.

I managed to play 3GP, WMV and AVI video files using Media Player Mobile, including at full screen. Everything works fine, although if the video is too high a bitrate the player will stutter. AVI files are also highly dependent on the video codec – the file I tested was an uncompressed video file which worked but obviously stuttered due to the massive bitrate.

The included MIDlet Manager application enables Java support for MIDP 2.0 applications, but unfortunately not the JSR-184 3D extension. Only JBenchmark 1.0 and 2.0 ran on the 838 Pro, with attempts to run the 3D versions resulting only in a blank screen. The results of the 2D versions are as follows:

JBenchmark 1.0	2755
JBenchmark 2.0	497

JBenchmark 1.0 performance was impressive while JBenchmark 2.0 results are also very good. Remember JB 1.0 represents MIDP 1.0 applications, while JB 2.0 represents MIDP 2.0. No Java applications are preinstalled on the handset.

However, there were four games designed for Windows Mobile that were installed in my test handset. The first two, Solitaire and Bubble Breaker, are provided by Microsoft. Solitaire is the classic card game, exactly the same as the PC version included with Windows, while Bubble Breaker challenges you to destroy a screen of coloured bubbles by tapping those with matching colours and blowing them up. The next two games are seemingly provided by Dopod and made by Magic Productions. Magic Puz is remarkably similar to Bubble Breaker – you need to blow up similarly coloured balls – although there’s more skill involved. Another World is an adventure game, pitting the game’s hero in a bizarre alien world after a scientific experiment goes wrong.

PIM applications
Being a Windows Mobile device you’d expect a fair deal of PIM applications to be present. While the most essential ones are, a few of the less significant tools are not. The calendar allows you to set appointments on different days and includes a reminder function to alert you in case you forget about one. The tasks list is a simplified version of this, letting you set a list of tasks to perform and reminders for each one. There’s also a simple calculator for basic arithmetic, while the SIM toolkit allows access to certain operator services. There’s also Office Mobile, which includes Word Mobile, Excel Mobile and PowerPoint Mobile, allowing you to view document files from these three applications. The ClearVue PDF application allows viewing of PDF files too.

Surprisingly, tools such as an alarm clock, world time function or unit converter aren’t anywhere to be found, but being the OS that Windows Mobile is, these applications could be found on the internet and installed directly to enable the functionality.

Build quality

The build quality of the 838 Pro is quite good. The slider mechanism for the keyboard is stiff enough that it’s unlikely to come loose for a long time, although it doesn’t lock in properly when it’s closed – the keyboard will come out with the slightest of encouragement. Another complaint is regarding the battery cover, which I found had come off twice after the 838 Pro was left in my pocket for several hours on separate occasions. Even when it’s clipped in it still shakes around slightly in its socket.

Apart from this, I have no complaints about the 838 Pro’s build quality as the rest of the handset is built very well.

Battery life
A large 1350 mAh battery is installed in the 838 Pro, enabling up to five hours of talk time and 220 hours of standby according to official documents. Dopod doesn’t say if these figures are obtained on 3G or GSM networks. Nonetheless I ran my usual test routine here. The 838 Pro was fully charged and then left on continuously until it ran out of power. It wasn’t turned off at night. During this time I used the phone like I would my own, running exactly 30 minutes of calls through the phone each day to simulate moderate call usage. I used a combination of regular and speakerphone call methods to do this. I also sent a moderate amount of SMS messages and accessed Vodafone live! throughout each day as I regularly do.

The 838 Pro scored just over two days of usage in this test method. It obviously consumes a fair bit of power, because the much larger battery doesn’t extend battery life further than a regular phone. Nonetheless two days is still adequate for most people.

Recharging will take longer than three hours due to the battery’s large capacity.

Samsung i600 BlackJack

2007-08-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

Major features

2G: GSM 900/1800/1900MHz network compatibility

3G: UMTS 850MHz network compatibility

GPRS, EDGE, and HSDPA packet data protocols

65,536 colour TFT LCD @ 320 x 240 pixels

Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system

TI OMAP 1710 220MHz CPU

128MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM

MicroSD memory card expansion slot

Bluetooth version 2.0 and USB version 1.2 connectivity

1.3mpx digital camera with video recording

Full QWERTY keyboard

Java application environment

Picsel Viewer with wide file format support

Internet Explorer Mobile and RSS Reader

Problems/Issues?

Slow user interface

Jog dial is sharp and hard to push in

No microSD card in sales package & small internal memory

Sales package (should contain):

1x Samsung SGH-i600 BlackJack handset
1x Standard battery
1x Extended battery
1x Extended battery accommodating back cover
1x Stereo headset
1x Travel charger
1x Windows Mobile Software CD
1x USB data-cable
1x User guide

Overview

Introduction
The Samsung i600 (BlackJack) is the latest addition to Telstra’s high-speed Next G network handset portfolio. The Windows Mobile smartphone is from Samsung’s Ultra Messaging line – handsets that have been specifically designed with messaging at mind. The handset is an upgrade to the i320N, which was reviewed late last year here at iMobile.com.au. The main upgrade in the i600 is the addition of HSDPA network support – most other features remained unchanged or have been downgraded (like the internal memory size).

The i600 does not miss out on the much loved features, though. There’s Bluetooth, microSD expansion card slot, Java application environment, several pre-installed productivity applications, and Microsoft’s own Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. Major 2G networks are supported, as well as the HSDPA-enabled 850MHz UMTS network band.

Let’s get into the review!

Note: There are many different versions of the Samsung i600 for different regions. Some i600 variants have a forward-facing camera for video calling, and some come with WiFi connectivity. The model I received is the Australian version (i601), so our international readers may need to double check a local retailer for correct specifications.

New/outstanding features
The HSDPA connectivity of the Samsung i600 is one of its main selling points. Using Telstra’s HSDPA-enabled Next-G network, on-the-go workers can download e-mails with large attachments in a matter of seconds. The handset also has Internet Explorer Mobile for browsing the Internet (and local WAP pages), which has features like full screen display, and Java Script support.

A 65,536 colour display brings the i600 to life. The non-touch screen 2.3” TFT LCD has a 240 x 320 pixel resolution. The BlackJack has two soft keys and a 5-way navigational pad for controlling the handset. There is also a dedicated “Home Screen” button, return button, and a pick-up and hang-up key. Below this top navigation strip is the full QWERTY keyboard, complete with punctuation characters. Each key has more than one function – for example, the ‘e’, ‘t’, ‘u’, ‘d’, ‘g’, ‘j’, ‘x’, ‘v’, and ‘n’ keys also act as the numerical keypad.

As for messaging, the i600 supports SMS, MMS, POP3/IMAP4 e-mail, and push e-mail via an Exchange server or an Outlook Desktop. Typing messages on the QWERTY keyboard is surprisingly quick, and it didn’t take me very long at all to get used to the key layout when coming straight from a regular numerical keypad. MMS messages can be personalized with the integrated 1.3mpx digital camera, which can capture still images and video up to 60 minutes long.

Unfortunately the i600 does not run the latest version of Windows Mobile, version 6.0. It uses version 5.0 of the smartphone operating system, and is powered by a TI OMAP 1710 CPU, clocked at 220MHz. There is 128MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM, but only ~54MB of memory is user-accessible.

Physical aspects

The BlackJack is a block-format handset, which resembles a standard form factor handset that has been spread lengthwise. It is 11.8mm thin, which rivals some non-smartphone devices. The total measurements are 113 x 59 x 11.8mm, so it’s not actually that much wider than other handsets on the market. With the standard battery, the handset weighs 105 grams.

The front of the i600 houses the 2.3” TFT LCD, navigational buttons, and the QWERTY keyboard. On the left hand side of the handset is the charging/data port, and volume up and down keys. The right hand side of the handset has a 3-way jog dial and dedicated return button, which has the same functionality as the return button in the navigational strip. The jog-dial and return key can be used to browse around the i600’s operating system without even touching the navigational keypad. The microSD memory card slot is also located on the right hand side of the i600.

The on/off button is located at the top of the handset, where you’ll also find a small sticker which reads “QUALCOM 3G HSDPA”. The bottom of the i600 is bare. On the back of the handset is a 1.3mpx camera lens, chrome mirror, and the loudspeaker.

The sales package includes a standard battery and an extended battery. Because the extended battery is thicker than the standard battery, Samsung have included an accommodating back cover for use with the ended battery. After the extended battery is inserted the cover sits on-top, and actually looks quite flush with the rest of the handset! It’s quite light so doesn’t add much extra weight to the handset, but the extended battery itself is quite heavy.

User interface & display

The Samsung i600 runs the Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone operating system and has a 240 x 320 pixel TFT LCD. The Smartphone version of Windows Mobile 5 puts the ‘phone’ functionality of the handset in front of the other functionality, which many users will appreciate. The display is capable of producing up to 65,536 different colours, which is often the standard for PDA-like smartphones. I would have liked to have seen a 262,144 colour display on the i600 (especially considering it’s not touch-screen capable).

The Home Screen of the i600 is different to most other Windows Mobile 5 handsets I’ve used before, and contains a wealth of information in a ‘drawer’ that can be hidden when not required. The drawer contains information like missed calls, SMS and e-mail messages, and upcoming appointments. A row of 8 icons at the top of the drawer link to the last used functions. The drawer also has links to My Documents and the storage card, if inserted. A bar below the drawer (which cannot be hidden), displays information about the currently playing track in Windows Media Player Mobile. It can also be used to pause, stop, or skip tracks.

The user interface can be quite slow at times, even when performing relatively ‘simple’ tasks like bringing up the Start menu. The Start menu can be displayed in a grid or list view, and by default it consists of 15 icons which link to specific functions, or link to a folder containing specific functions. The dedicated Home Screen button next to the left hand soft key will bring you back to the Home Screen at any time. Holding down the red hang up key will lock the keypad from the Home Screen. The i600 I received was from Telstra, so the Telstra firmware had added some icons to the main menu.

The i600’s menu system is very shortcut oriented, and every function listed on the display will have a corresponding number which can be pushed on the keyboard to quickly jump to that item. The soft keys are usually there to move forward (show more options) or backwards in the menu system.

Unfortunately I experienced quite a bit of lag when using intensive programs like the calendar or the file browser, and also when bouncing through the menu system.

Making and receiving calls
Support for voice calls via the earpiece, integrated speakerphone, or a wired/Bluetooth headset is supported by the i600. A wired stereo headset is included in the sales package, which can be used for calling. The handset supports the GSM 900, 1800, and 1900MHz networks, and the HSDPA-enabled 850MHz network band.

The i600’s QWERTY keyboard keys all have more than one function – and inputting numbers is quite simple. At the standby screen, you can just typing the name of a contact in the contacts book – or a number. The handset automatically searches the contact book and if a contact is not entered, the input is taken as numbers. Pushing the green pick-up button will dial the call, and the red hang-up button will do just that! The green pick-up button can also be used on any highlighted number anywhere within the operating system to dial that number.

Volume levels were fine for both the earpiece and speakerphone, and can be adjusted using the dedicated volume keys on the left hand side of the handset.

The i600 does not support video calling in any fashion – not even receiving video calls. Unlike other international versions of the i600, there is no forward-facing digital camera on the Australian version. I wonder why Samsung didn’t include this functionality on the Australian version – the HSDPA has more than enough bandwidth to support video calling, and it’s a feature that competition devices do offer… beats me!

Messaging

Messaging is made much easier on the i600 thanks to the comfortably designed QWERTY keyboard. The handset itself supports SMS, MMS, and e-mail messaging, including Outlook push e-mail. The HSDPA protocol makes sending and receiving MMS and e-mail messages so much faster than using 2G protocols or the WCDMA protocol.

The messaging application is laid out like Outlook Express on a PC, with separate folders for each messaging account – and under that, separate folders for the inbox, outbox, drafts, and sent messages. SMS and MMS messages have a shared account folder, and each e-mail account has its own folder – including the Outlook push e-mail folder.

Setting up e-mail messaging is simple with the handy wizard. To set up Outlook push e-mail, select the “Outlook E-mail” icon in the main messaging screen. To set up a new regular e-mail account, select “New Account”. The wizard then asks for all the required information and sets up the folders.

As I mentioned earlier, typing messages is very fast with the QWERTY keyboard. It may take a little bit of time to get used to typing with a full keyboard just using your fingers, but once that’s done messaging is a breeze. The buttons are rounded and therefore comfortable to the touch.

At any time SMS messages can be transformed into MMS messages – just select the options menu and add an object like a photo, video, or sound clip.

Connectivity
The Australian version of the Samsung i600 offers Bluetooth version 2.0 and USB version 2.0 for local connectivity, and GPRS, EDGE, and HSDPA remote data protocols. Inside the i600’s sales package is a USB data-cable and software CD with Microsoft’s ActiveSync software, which is used to transfer files to and from the handset, and synchronize with compatible applications.

The i600’s Connectivity section of the settings menu contains all the settings for every connectivity protocol supported on the handset. The Bluetooth radio on the handset is compliant with version 2.0 of the wireless specification, and includes the Bluetooth Printing Profile for use with compatible printers. There is about a 5 second delay when selecting “turn on Bluetooth” before it is actually activated.

The included USB data-cable plugs into the charging/data port on the left hand side of the handset, just below the volume up and down keys. Version 2.0 of the USB protocol offers speeds of up to 480Mbit/s. The Microsoft ActiveSync software (included) is light-weight and easy to use – and works hand in hand with Outlook and few other PIM applications.

When connected to a 2G network, the i600 will select between GPRS or EDGE for data connectivity. The handset is also compatible with the HSDPA-enabled 850MHz 3G network band for high-speed data connectivity. The HSDPA radio on the i600 is capable of speeds up to 1.8Mbp/s.

Multimedia package

The main multimedia application on the Samsung i600 is Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. Media Player handles video and audio, streaming and locally stored. It has a library feature for managing and cataloguing music files stored on the handset, an equializer, shuffle and repeat features, and even theme support.

Windows Media Player 10 Mobile supports MP3, ASF, and WMA audio files. Video support is included for Windows Media Video (WMV), MPEG4, and 3GPP video clips. Full screen playback is supported for locally stored & streaming video. The player can also play audio in the background while the you perform other tasks like messaging.

Transferring multimedia to the handset is easy with Bluetooth or USB. The ActiveSync software for Windows computers has drag & drop support for transferring files, but requires the installation of the drivers found on the included CD.

Samsung have included a Java virtual machine for running MIDP 2.0 applications and games. To install a Java application, just transfer the .jar file the memory from a PC, load up the Java application (in the Organizer folder) and install! You can also use the file manager to find the .jar file and open it – it will automatically be installed.

I achieved the following benchmarks using the JBenchmark testing software:

JBenchmark 1.0	10577
JBenchmark 2.0	737
JBenchmark 3D	HQ: 200, LQ: 218

The i600 performs well with 2D applications (JBenchmark 2.0), but isn’t the best performer when it comes to 3D applications. Two games (Solitaire and Bubble Breaker) are pre-installed on the i600, but they aren’t Java games.

PIM applications
The main menu of the i600 has an “Organizer” folder, which contains all PIM-related applications and functionality. The only application that isn’t in this folder is the Calendar, but that has its own icon on the main menu. The calendar (and contacts) can be synchronized over-the-air to an Exchange server, or locally via Bluetooth or USB with the included ActiveSync software.

The applications inside the organizer folder are:

Alarms: this one is pretty self explanatory! Several alarms can be set, including repeating alarms.
Calculator
D-Day: this little application adds entries to the calendar that repeat each year. For example, wedding anniversaries and birthdays.
Notepad: for jotting down small notes. This is often included on touch-screen devices, but the i600’s QWERTY keyboard makes it easy to input large amount of text quickly.
Smart Converter: can convert a wide range of formats.
Stopwatch
Tasks: like a to-do list.
Voice notes
World clock
Download agent: this is similar to a download manager for a PC
Java: For running Java applications and games.
Picsel Viewer: a document and image viewer with wide format support, including PDF, .doc, .ppt, and .xls.
RSS Reader: for syndicating XML feeds direct to the handset.
Smart Search: this application can be used to search the memory on the handset for a particular file or piece of information.

Samsung have done a great job with the i600’s PIM applications by including several non-standard applications – like the RSS Reader and Picsel Viewer. These applications add that little extra functionality that can really make or break a smartphone.

Build quality

Thanks to the thin size of the i600, the internals have been compacted as much as possible, making the handset very solid in hand. It weighs 105 grams, which is below the average for smartphones.

The i600’s battery cover is easy to remove – just apply downward force and slide away from the rest of the handset. The extended battery cover slips onto the back of the handset with ease and is surprisingly, very flush with the rest of the handset. The battery and SIM card are easy to insert (they’ll only go in one way), as is the memory card.

The keyboard buttons are extremely comfortable to type on, mainly due to their rounded, circular shape. I spent a lot of time writing out messages and editing documents on the i600, and not once did I get that uncomfortable feeling in my thumbs.

Battery life
Samsung have included two batteries in the i600’s sales package. The standard battery can be used with the standard battery cover, but the extended battery must be used with the accommodating battery cover which increases the size of the handset. The standard battery is 1800mAh, and the standard is 1300mAh.

The battery life of the standard battery is 5.5 hours talk time and 11 days of standby time. I could get approximately 2 days of average usage from a full charge of the standard battery, which included a reasonable amount of web browsing over the HSDPA network. While I couldn’t find the exact specifications of the extended battery, I could get approximately 3 days of the same type of average usage.