windows middle east - july 2010

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10 COMMENT

10 COMMENTThe iPad has not been officially launched in the Middle East yet, which has resulted in some retailers out there selling the device for over-inflated prices. Gareth van Zyl asks why people would pay over $1000 for an iPad.

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Editors letterW

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I recently had the opportunity of going to a Samsung event where the Korean company was showing off their new lineup of 3D television sets.

To say the least, I didnt quite know what to think. First of all, the 3D effect wasnt what I thought it would be like. Characters in films didnt really jump out at me as the concept has been adveritised, and it left me thinking that perhaps its only the film Avatar thats really taken advantage of this tech.

It also seems to me as if the hype around 3D technology has died down since the beginning of this year, when it was all that people could talk about during CES.

And then there's the fact that there's also just a dirth of 3D content out there at the moment. Granted, this situation will sort itself out over time - HD and Blu-ray took years to become established mediums, so 3D might still take some time to establish itself.

Those who have been behind the development of 3D TV will then most probably be looking to this year's football World Cup to kickstart a wider adoption of 3D TV sets.

According to ITP.net, Sony have been working on enhancing the 3D capture of football action since the FIFA Confederations Cup last year in South Africa and has already conducted a number of 3D filming trials in Europe.

The company now plans to have seven pairs of Sony's professional HDC cameras on rigs at the 2010 FIFA World Cup matches to capture the action in 3D quality. Twenty five matches will be filmed and broadcast in 3D, including the opening game on 11 June at Soccer City and the final game on 11 July.

Niclas Ericson, Director of FIFA TV, was quoted as saying,"The 3D feed from these 25 matches will be made available for broadcast on 3D channels, which can be enjoyed by consumers on their 3D-compatible TV sets in the comfort of their home, almost as if they were in the football stadium themselves. Whilst discussions with major broadcasters are ongoing, I am very pleased to announce the first confirmed partners for the 3D live broadcast, who are ESPN in the US and Sogecable in Spain. We expect further announcements to be made shortly."

Perhaps this could be the catalyst that will help 3D TV go a little more mainstream, but time will tell. On another note, other new tech that I had the chance of taking a look at recently is the iPad, and to say the least, I was just so very impressed.

When reading and writing about it, I dont really see how it will add any sort of value to my life. But once I held it in my hands, I could understand the hype around it.

It just looks cool, feels cool, and the way it renders applications is something that is astounding. Its almost as if you forget that it doesnt have Adobe Flash or even a USB port; the design and aesthetics around it are so good. I still maintain my stance that its better to wait until the tablet market becomes more competitive, but I was tempted to change my mind for a moment, albeit a brief moment

Gareth van Zyl [email protected]

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APPLE IPAD HAS LESS THAN STELLAR LAUNCHApples new iPad has had a less than stellar launch compared to the companys iPhone, which was launched in 2007.

According to a Reuters report, only a "smattering of customers" lined up at stores in New York, Washington, Boston and San Francisco compared to the thousands that lined in streets when the much-hyped iPhone was launched a few years ago. It's being argued however that since pre-orders were being accepted for the gadget since mid-March, there was little reason for people to pick one up on Saturday.

The iPad, which starts at US $499 (AED 1,800), was made available in the United States for Wi-Fi models while the Wi-Fi + 3G models will only hit American shelves later this month.

In addition, the company revealed that all iPad models would also be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK in "late April".

While electronic retail stores in the Middle East are still awaiting shipments and an official launch date for the region, online retailers including Souq.com and AlShop.com are cashing in by accepting early orders for Wi-Fi models at comparatively higher prices. The 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad is being sold at AlShop.com for AED 2,779 but says delivery is possible only around April 20th, while the cheapest price for the same model being accepted by a seller on Souq.com is AED 2,200 with delivery promised before the 10th of April.

Arab Business Machines, the official marketing arm and distributor of Apple products in the region, says there is no launch date or local pricing information confirmed as yet.

The iPad, which was first announced at a special event in San Francisco in January, is billed as a magical and revolutionary product' that lets users experience the best of the web, multimedia and e-mail while on the go, and can use most of the 150,000 apps already available for the iPhone.

Gartner analyst George Shiffler recently predicted that Apple's iPad could drive total tablet sales for the year to as high as 10.5 million devices.

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Electronic waste that is imported into the United Arab Emirates with proper documentation becomes untraceable once it leaves the country, according to the Middle East's only government-endorsed e-scrap recycling and management firm EnviroServe.

EnviroServe warns that hundreds of tons of electronic waste across the Middle East end up in landfills every year, but that estimation is generous compared to the recent United Nations Environment Programme report that revealed Morocco alone throws away 13,500 metric tons of PC and 15,100 metric tons of TV e-waste annually.

Here in the United Arab Emirates there are several recycling campaigns to deal with old cellphones and computers, but Zornitza Hadjitodorova, Division Manager at EnviroServe, believes that more needs to be done in terms of specific e-waste laws and greater accountability.

"E-waste keeps entering the country, whereby proper (import) codes are introduced - however, when e-waste leaves the country, there are no more codes so it becomes increasingly hard to trace where e-waste eventually lands. There are huge quantities leaving on ships from Sharjah and we do not have any data on those shipments," she says, adding that there are several scrap dealers in the country who are free to do as they wish with the e-waste they collect, including just dumping it in landfills instead of seeing if any of the material can be reused or recycled.

"In the region, e-waste is a new topic. Hence, there is no legislation, regulations or general municipal rules on specifically e-waste. Legislation makes it compulsory for OEMs to collect end-of-life equipment, which is not the case here. There are hundreds of tons of e-waste ending up in landfills, which is a waste of space and money, not to mention the severe environmental damage," Hadjitodorova adds.

Precise e-waste figures however are impossible to obtain due to "the lack of reporting" but Hadjitodorova estimates that substantial quantities are in Saudi Arabia, based on its population size, and the United Arab Emirates since it is a key trading port in the GCC.

"This region faces many environmental challenges that need to be addressed and understood but every week we sign agreements with major institutions across the UAE and that gives us the confidence that the region does want to be more environmentally responsible," concludes Hadjitodorova.

NVIDIA LAUNCHES FERMI GPUS

MISSING E-WASTE IS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN IN THE UAE

Graphics titan nVidia officially launched its new flagship graphics processors last month. The GeForce GTX 480 and GTX 470 are the first Fermi architecture products to hit the market.

Fermi is the next generation CUDA architecture that is said to help deliver supercomputing features and performance at 1/10th the cost and 1/20th the power of traditional CPU-only servers.

The GTX 480 and GTX 470 Fermi line of GPUs are said to offer 27% faster performance than any other GPU on the market when running DirectX 11 software. The GeForce GPUs also bring a host of new gaming features such as support for real-time ray tracing and nVidia 3D Vision Surround for widescreen, stereoscopic 3D gaming.

nVidia also says the GeForce GTX 480 was designed to deliver the most potent tessellation performance, which is the key component of Microsofts DirectX 11 development platform for PC games. Tessellation allows game developers to take advantage of the GeForce GTX 480 GPUs ability to increase the geometric complexity of models and characters to deliver more realistic and visually compelling gaming environments.

The GeForce GTX 480 is something weve been eagerly anticipating, says Mike Angiulo, General Manager of Windows planning and PC ecosystem at Microsoft Corp. Microsoft designed DirectX 11 for Windows 7 with native support for GPGPU, tessellation, and improved multi-threading. nVidia clearly embraced this and designed the GTX 480 with a scalable tessellation architecture in a multi-core environment to bring game development to a new level. And, we think developers will be impressed to see how they can truly take advantage of the power of DX11 to create compelling games, as well as other multimedia applications.

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Panasonic has introduced their 2010 line of VIERA Plasma High Definition (HD) televisions, which includes Full HD 3D television along with their new DMP-BDT300 3D Blu-ray player for the Middle East.

The first two models of Full HD 3D VIERA Plasma will be available in the coming weeks with the VT20 line-up initially consisting of the 50-inch TH-P50VT20. Both line-ups will incorporate a sophisticated design with a frame in bronze metallic colour. One of Panasonics 3D glasses will also be included with the above models.

Panasonic says that it has developed its 3D technology by using new, faster screen phosphors coupled with Full Time Full HD drive technology with the result that the brain combines the images and perceives them as 3D. By enhancing the video reproduction capability of PDP, thanks to Full Time Full HD, the technology enables crisp and clear, high-quality 3D images.

Panasonics new Blu-ray player, the BDT300, is capable of playing standard Blu-ray discs, DVDs and CDs. The DMP-BDT300 utilises technologies incorporated in Panasonics proprietary UniPhier LSI chip, enabling the player to flawlessly process the large quantity of visual information necessary to create a Full HD 3D image at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

Panasonic, the industry and technology leader in High Definition televisions is targeting a market share of 50% for large screen 3D TVs by 2012, and 25% market share for over 37-inch televisions in the Middle East region said Seiji Koyanagi, Managing Director, Panasonic Marketing Middle East

Thanks to a large number of technological innovations, television has undergone a constant evolution over the years. While at the start it was merely regarded as a means for reproducing images, its significance increased when connectivity with other audio visual devices was added," said Kenji Yasuhara, Group Manager, AVC Networks Company, Panasonic Corporation.

With the growing popularity of HD TVs and the availability of high quality content, TV was yet again taken to a new level. Now,with Full HD 3D technology, it has turned into a device that delivers an immersive viewing experience and literally moved into an era of the next dimension," he added

PANASONIC UNVEILS 3D HDTV SETS

Dubai Internet City has collected over one thousand pieces of IT equipment as part of its recycling drive.

The DIC Recycle - Reuse' campaign collects a variety of used hardware, including desktops, laptops, printers, monitors and scanners, which is then refurbished and distributed to educational, social and charitable institutions.

The campaign is carried out in association with Dubai Municipality, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Foundation and Microsoft Middle East.

DIC is also involved in an Envirofone Recycling Drive' developed by Envirofone, which collects e-waste such as old mobile phones, accessories and batteries which are

then sent for safe recycling in other countries.

Malek Al Malek, Executive Director, Dubai Internet City, said: "The large number of equipments collected from DIC's business partners is a strong reflection of the increasing awareness of corporate citizenship' within the community. I believe it is incumbent upon us all to do our part for the environment, regardless of the area of operation of a business.

Adobe Systems Incorporated launched its new creative suite software last month, known as Creative Suite 5 (CS5). This new release is the successor to Creative Suite 4, which the company released on October 15th 2008.

Creative Suite is a collection of graphics design, video editing and web development applications that can be used by creative professionals to produce various forms of content.

The complete Creative Suite 5 lineup includes Creative Suite 5 Master Collection, Creative Suite 5 Design Premium, Creative Suite 5 Web Premium, Creative Suite 5 Production Premium and Creative Suite 5 Design Standard, as well as 15 point products, associated technologies and integration with new Adobe CS Live Services (CS Live Services are complimentary for a limited time).

"While Creative Suite 5 continues Adobe's storied history of delivering astonishing new creative features, this release first and foremost addresses the challenges facing publishers and

creatives worldwide-how to build profitable businesses around digital content," said Shantanu Narayen, President and Chief Executive Officer at Adobe. "By coupling sophisticated online business analytics with dazzling creative tools, we're ensuring that publishers, designers and marketers can create, deliver and optimize beautiful, high-impact digital experiences across media and devices."

The flagship of the new line is Creative Suite 5 Master Collection, which includes the full range of Creative Suite applications such as Photoshop CS5, Illustrator CS5 and more.

ADOBE LAUNCHES CREATIVE SUITE 5 FAMILY

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SAMSUNG INTRODUCES 2D-3D CONVERSION WITH 3D SETSSamsung Electronics has launched its new line-up of 3D LED 8000, 7000 and 6000 series TVs in the United Arab of Emirates, whilst also introducing their 2D-3D conversion technology.

Samsungs 3D TV LED, LCD and PDP TVs ship with sizes of 40 to 46, 50, 55 and 63-inches. The 3D LED TVs come with the ability to stream content using AllShare and Internet@TV. AllShare allows content stored on a PC to be directly streamed to a compatible Blu-Ray player. Internet@TV offers several benefits of downloading widgets and apps like Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter and more. The new Samsung 3D TV line-up will be available in all major electronics stores across the UAE, later this month. Samsung will also offer a 3D Blu-ray disc player and 3D glasses as a promotion during the launch.

The new line-up includes innovative 2D to 3D conversion, one of Samsungs key features for the Middle East line-up. With a combination of hardware and software, Samsung 3D TVs are able to convert the 2D content in real time that are translated by the glasses as a 3D image.

In the history of television there have been many improvements. The first was black and white TV. Then came colour, stylish designs and bigger screens. Now we have the next breakthrough with the introduction of the revolutionary Samsung 3D TV line-up, said Ram Modak, General Manager, Digital Media Business, Samsung Gulf Electronics.

Since its introduction at CES earlier this year, 3D has been regarded as next big thing in TV, and as always, Samsung is on the forefront of bringing the vision to life. As of mid-May, consumers in the UAE will be able to enjoy 3D entertainment in their own living room, concluded Modak.

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VIEWS

IPAD MADNESS BEGINS

The iPad has not been officially launched in the Middle East yet. However, a particular retailer (mentioned in a recent article on ArabianBusiness.com) managed to get hold of a few iPads recently; and they had carte blanche on pushing up the price to whatever they wanted to charge.

Even after Apple officially unveils the iPad in the Middle East (and people pay the actual price of around US $400 for it); I still think itll be a good idea to wait a while before getting this latest gadget craze. I know its getting rave reviews and theres an incredible amount of hype surrounding it, but there will be competitive alternatives in terms of both price and features.

You might have already heard about Microsoft and its Courier tablet. The Courier is looking like its being built on the basis of being a digital journal with a stylus, and this combination will be particularly geared towards, for example, graphic designers and even those who just want to make digital notes.

According to reports circulating the internet, the Courier is built on Tegra 2 and runs on the same OS as the Zune HD, Pink and Windows Mobile 7Series, which is apparently taken to mean Windows CE 6.

Other vendors such as HP have also developed a tablet, the Slate, which supports Adobes flash. According to Engadget, it will cost US $549 in its base configuration. Engadget further say that it will have a 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 capacitive multitouch display,

a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor with UMA graphics and an accelerator for 1080p video playback, 32GB of flash storage and 1GB of non-upgradeable RAM.

There's also conjecture that there will be a $599 version with 64GB of storage, and both models will have a five-hour battery life, an SDHC slot, a USB port, a SIM card slot for the optional 3G modem, and a dock connector for power, audio, and HDMI out.

The thing that I find most interesting about all this is how this seems to be different to what I think is the current

saturation point in the mobile phone market, where every touch screen phone looks just about exactly the same. At least there seems to be some sort of differentiation emerging in the tablet market space.

I will also be waiting for the market place to become more flooded with these devices and then get my hands on a tablet that offers the best features. I also really hope that I wont read anymore stories about consumers allowing themselves to get ripped off by those who have limited stock of these devices.

Nobody should pay over US $1000 for an iPad

Gareth van Zyl is amazed by a report on Arabian Business that there are people in Dubai who paid over US $1200 for an iPad.

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COMMENT12

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VIEWS

TWITTER IS A FULL-TIME JOB

The story of telecommunications companies using social media in the United Arab Emirates is really one of two tales. Du have, to some extent, embraced social media. They were the first of the two telco companies out here to get a Twitter account.

If youre a Du subscriber, and you have a Twitter account, it might be wise to take a look at @dutweets. Seemingly, if youre a customer and you have a problem or issue, it would be a matter of tweeting @dutweets and they then give you a response where they might tell you that they're going to solve your problem.

Now, Im sure that a company the size of Du wouldnt setup something like that without using it to interact on some level with disgruntled customers.

Etisalat are now clearly trying to achieve exactly the same result as Du with their social media strategy. But one needs to seriously question as to whether this kind of approach is actually intended to establish communication between customers and the relevant companies, or is it just a glorified form of PR?

Clearly, the intention is to serve both purposes, but can one realistically

achieve that sort of customer satisfaction in a country where the population is so transitory.

With expats primarily making up the most of the population here, people quite simply arent here long enough to complain. Furthermore, even those who are here might have that mindset of oh well, Im not going to be here for much longer, so why should I really bother with all this bad service.

People really do take Twitter to heart and they do complain about Du and Etisalat to these companies directly on Twitter now. Some of those complaints are quite passionate, but you have to ask yourself whether they will have any

sort of resonance. After all, the cost of bandwidth in

this country is still high. International phone costs are still high. Even local phone costs are still high as compared to what Etisalat, for instance, did when they opened up a company in India and basically charged next to nothing for phone calls. The companies are very protective when it comes to VoIP as well, as seen by their rather medieval approach towards Skype.

The question now is as to whether Etisalat will be as equally protective when it comes to its Twitter feed regardless of them now finally appearing to be proactive

After stubbornly avoiding social media, Etisalat are finally on the social media scene with a Twitter account.

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COMMENT 13

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VIEWS

Vineetha Menon provides here insight on how Google cenors its products in different countries.

I've always loved Google, even if I've never completely understood why. Like a student so in awe of that one teacher who has the ability to make a subject come alive. Google's mission statement is to organise the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful' and I have no doubt that they will achieve this, but I admit to being rather intimidated by it.

Imagine a world where Google rules because everything gets connected to its magical servers, and that we all become Google people with a screen stapled on our bodies, displaying everything there is to know about us as organised by G.

Silly, I know. But all paranoia serves a purpose, even if it's just to find a relation with something real. If Google knows everything about us and the world, I want to know more about Google and how it works.

Most people don't realise that Google censors all its products globally, including Search, YouTube and Blogger, regardless of where you are in the world. Google Search, for example, gets rid of child pornography and links to copyrighted material and known malware. All good things in my opinion but Google's policies are constantly evolving.

Rachel Whetstone, the VP Global Communications and Public Affairs, recently stated in a blog post that: "Decisions to allow, restrict or remove content from our services and products often require difficult judgment calls". In other words, Google decides what is acceptable or not, regardless of who comes down on them.

And many have. Including those from government agencies around the world. Some of the leading democratic countries including the United Kingdom and United States, that are known to be staunch supporters of the right to free speech and fair play, have asked them to remove specific content and even to disclose private user data. Google independently analyses each request and then decides whether to comply or not. Privacy is in the eye of the beholder after all.

While the Arab world has come under criticism for its control over the WWW, no Middle Eastern countries (save for Israel) made it on to Google's list of baddies. It may be because those governments already have sufficient controls in place so that controversial content remains inaccessible, or the fact that emerging markets are still learning the ropes and tend to go about achieving the same results in other ways. But government censorship and surveillance are two sides of the same coin, and no country can claim to not want or have it in their pockets.

Google's admission that it makes judgement calls' on what should be allowed online through its products is not alarming but the realisation that it will undoubtedly affect their mission to organise the world's information is, because it involves censorship based on their rules.

In the end, it might just come down to this - do I want the government to control and dictate my online experience....or Google?

GOOGLE VS. GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP

Google complies with many countries' desire to censor information

FEATURE 14

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Home NetworkW

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A quick guide to setting up your home network, getting past the

jargon and getting your

routers, access points and other bits working in perfect sync.

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FEATURE 15


Home Network

GET CONNECTED

Setting up your home network obviously has many benefits, from allowing you to video stream, to being fully connected throughout your home. With these kinds of advantages there's a big incentive then to getting that network of yours setup right. Understanding the basics thereof is then crucial.

From the outset of setting up your network, one of the things you will need to consider is whether to go with a wired or a wireless network. Now, having a lot of Ethernet cables lying around the house might give you faster and more reliable internet and network connections, but too many cables, more often than not, also means that there will be a lot of messiness. A wireless network, on the other hand, has numerous advantages, especially when considerring that so many devices from our phones to even our TV sets have wireless capabilities these days. This too, however, also has disadvantages as the design and layout of your house might just have those wireless signals bouncing off the walls.

Its a good idea then to map your network, before going out and buying all your equipment. Many advise actually

drawing out a diagram of your home, in which you map out how each room looks, so that you can connect it properly. Youll also have to establish the kind of devices you have, such as printers, desktops, and laptops. Doing this will help to make it clearer about whether or not you need to go wired or wireless.

It's a matter of choice and preference about whether you go with a wired or wireless network, but your next consideration involves the connection standards you're using, whether it be IEEE 802.11b or IEEE 802.11g. Both have different speeds, with IEEE 802.11b being 11 Mbps and IEEE 802.11g being 54 Mbps. This is important when you need to routers and access points to match each others connections types so as to work effectively. The latest standard IEEE 802.11n, however, is compatible with both IEEE 802.11b and IEEE 802.11g, so, it elimates these compatibility concerns altogether.

Streaming video: one of the many reasons for setting up a home network.

It's necessary to decide whether you will use a wired or wireless network.

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KIT AND SECURITYSetting up your network will require quite a few devices from routers, access points, network attached storage, media centres and security software. There are a number of vendors out there that produce the above-mentioned products, from Western Digital to NETGEAR and more. So, there is a lot of choice, and it all depends on what suites your budget and needs.

However, before going out and buying your network products, you should first have some idea of your network type, the speed and range, hardware support, firewall features and, of course, security.

A wireless network, in particular, can offer a great deal of convenience, but it also poses a security risk. In theory a lot can go wrong in terms of others potentially accessing your network from the outside. There are encryption measures in place, and these days these networks are pretty house safe, but theres always the chance that somebody might gain unauthorised access to your network.

The two main kinds of encryption are WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) or WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). Both use a system that prevents any wireless device without the correct authentication key from accessing the network.

WPA is newer and slightly stronger, as it scrambles the encryption key. You will need to however check that all the devices on your network can use it before choosing this option.

Switching on encryption on your wireless router usually involves going to the configuration utility, locating the wireless security settings on your computer and following the instructions there. You will need to make a note of the authorisation key and type this in when asked during the set-up for each of your other wireless devices.

But if you're intent on going with a wireless network we also seriously suggest that you consider implementing some sort of a firewall. Its a good idea to always ensure that your wireless network is encrypted, but having that extra layer of security with a firewall will help you sleep better.

Get to buying all your components once youve laid out a map of the floor plan.

WIRELESS JARGON BUSTER

Jargon busterToday's networking equipment is easy to set up, but there's still a lot of jargon to decipher out there. The Argus Buying Guide has this useful 'jargon buster'.

Adaptor: A plug-in device that gives computers and laptops wireless capabilities.

G or 802.11g: The standard WiFi connection speed, 54 megabits per second (mbps). It refers to the speed at which data moves between devices on the same network, NOT the speed of your Internet connection.

G+ 802.11g: A faster WiFi connection speed, over double that of G at 125mbps.Hotspot: Public access point allowing wireless connection to the Internet, often located in places like airports, hotels and bars.

MBPS: Megabits per second. A measurement of how fast information is transmitted on a computer network.

N1 or N+: The fastest current WiFi connection, at 300mbps.

NAS: Network Attached Storage. A hard disk (or other storage device) that's linked to your computers via the wireless network, rather than plugged into your computer directly. The advantage is your computers can share it.

Network: A series of computers or devices linked together by wires or wirelessly.

Print server: A network device that enables multiple computers to share and operate a network printer wirelessly.

Range: Distance and ability of the network signal to travel around the home. Measured in either Standard or Wide radius. Wide is preferred if the building has thick walls or if the user intends to be further away.

Router: The heart of a wireless network, a box through which your computers and printers connect to each other and to the Internet. If you receive your internet service by cable, a cable router plugs into the cable modem; if you get broadband over the phone line, a modem router connects to your phone socket. Both allow the connection to be shared.

USB: High-speed multipurpose connection on your PC, used by wireless adaptors. USB2.0 is best; the older USB1.0 still works, but is slower.

VoIP: Voice over internet protocol allows you to make phone calls via your boardband connection.

WiFi: The generic term for wireless networking. The area within which you can connect to a WiFi network (its range) is called a 'hotspot'.Wireless laptop card: A credit card-sized card that can be installed in most laptops to facilitate wireless communication

(Source: Argos Buying Guide)

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Home Network

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Print Less, Save More

WINDOWS runs you through nine things you can do today to reduce your printing costs. From using draft mode, to using genuine and recycled cartridges and to knowing how to print effectively from the web; we show you how to save your hard-earned cash. The likes of HP have many useful tips to offer consumers when it comes to saving money and we touch on some of them in this feature.

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SPELL-CHECK BEFORE YOU PRINT

Before you rush off and printing something, be sure to have your spelling in order so that you dont end up endlessly printing stuff over and over again. It's a quick and easy way to save yourself on both paper and ink. Its also a good idea to ask yourself as to whether you really need to print something or not.

PRINT WHAT YOU NEED

We all know that Microsoft Word has a feature that allows you to preview documents prior to printing them. It's a good idea to then use this tool to see if you have all the information you need. Also, when you click on the print dialog box you can then select the desired page range and avoid wasting paper and ink on pages that you dont need.

USING PRINT PROPER-TIES EFFECTIVELY

Just by clicking on the properties button when you print something, you can control a wide range of factors that can dramatically improve your printing savings. You can choose the print quality mode, as to whether it will be draft, normal or best. You can then also choose as to whether you want to print in colour or black and white. You can then go about setting the print quality, choosing the paper size and type and so on. A simple but effective means on saving on print.

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Print Less, Save More

DRAFT MODE

Draft mode requires less ink for printing, and for this reason, its motivation enough to use it. Its also quicker to use. To use this feature, Click "Start", then "Printers and Faxes". When the "Printers and Faxes" window appears, right-click on a printer and choose "Properties". When the "Properties" multi-tabbed dialog box appears, click the button "Printing Preferences". From here, your printer's preference multi-tabbed dialog box should appear. Look through the various tabs, such as General or Main for a "Draft Mode" option. This may involve moving a Printer Quality slider towards "Speed" or "Fast Printing". When done, press "OK" to close the dialog boxes.

PRINT IN BLACK AND WHITEWith colour ink being much more expensive than black ink, its a good idea to save on your ink where you can, and rather print in black and white. To do this is quite simple in so far as you merely click on properties and then choose grayscale. Black and white is also referred to as Grayscale, economode or monochrome, depending on the printer you have.

CONTROLLING PRINT HEAD CLEANING

You might not know this, but your printer can run out of ink without you even printing a single page. This is because your print cartridges can run routine tasks whilst your printer is just switched on thus getting rid of your ink quite rapidly. Your best bet in terms of controlling this is to print regularly (at least once a week) or to just switch your printer off altogether. By printing regularly, this keeps your print-heads clean. The danger of keeping your printer switched off though means that your print heads can then accumulate a lot of dust.

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PRINTING EFFECTIVELY FROM THE WEB

When printing web pages there are a number of ways in which you can save money. You can print web pages by clicking what will be a link that offers you a print-friendly version of a page. This allows you skip out all the ads and other elements that can take up too much space on a web page, and just print exactly what you need.

USING GENUINE PRINTER CARTRIDGES

Buying genuine printer cartridges might be much more expensive than getting cartridges that are not genuine. But the fact is that buying fake cartridges is against the law, and it can in fact cost you more money in the long term in case something goes wrong and if it's not really compatible with your printer.

BUYING SUPPLIES IN BULK

Buying your paper and ink cartridges in bulk will definitely save you a lot of money in the long run when it comes to printing. A number of vendors out there offer combo packs that combine both black and white and colour printer cartridges.

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Hong Kong Electronics Fair

Every year, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council hosts what it calls 'the world's biggest electronics fair', and Vineetha Menon was there to report on all the latest developments at the event.

2010 HONG KONG ELECTRONICS FAIR

In terms of numbers, it certainly is Asia's largest, with the October edition of the Hong Kong Electronics Fair last year attracting nearly 56,000 visitors while the younger April edition saw 50,000 interested buyers, exhibitors and industry professionals walking around the halls of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

I recently attended the 2010 Spring edition of the show, which took place from April 13th to 16th, and got a taste of Asia's drive for innovation.

The Fair crammed in more than 2,200 worldwide exhibitors showing off audio-visual products, in-vehicle electronics, gaming and imaging devices, eco-friendly devices, personal electronics, smartphones, accessories and more. While some of the local exhibitors were keen on focusing only on the Asian market, there were more than a few looking at breaking international ground. That makes sense. After all, electronics

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was Hong Kong's biggest export market last year, having exported more than $169 billion in products around the world, including the Middle East where the United Arab Emirates is now considered to be the 17th largest electronics export market for the country.

But keeping the stats aside, here's my selection of products at the Fair that made me want to click, tap and connect.

GROOVE TO THE RYOMAThere are thousands of DVD players and radio receivers and CD players out there. But how about one that combines it all? JVC Kenwood's Ryoma' device acts as a HD digital TV tuner, a DVD/CD/Blu-ray player and recorder, and a radio receiver as well. This all-in-one product is set to hit the Japanese market later this year but I can't wait for an international release. I'm sure there'll be copycats announced soon enough since it reflects the future of consumer electronics - convergence.

USB MICROSCOPE CAMERAEver wanted to take microscopic images of the hair on your arms? Or of a dead fly? (I know, me too!) Well, the lovely guys at Zhuhai Witson in China have come up with a 2MP handheld USB microscope camera that can magnify any-where between 20x to 400x depending on the display size. According to Freeman Fan, security products division man-ager at the firm, the device stands out because of its built-in software that has a micro measurement and skin analysis tool, making it ideal for science, education and engineering purposes. The device costs about $40 each, and while there are already distributors in place in both Europe and America, the Middle East hasn't got in on the microscopic USB cam-era action just yet...

VINYL MP3 TRANSFORMERI love it when the old becomes new. If you place your old vinyl record on a Lenco USB turntable, you can directly record the music (MP3 format) on to a flash drive or SD card. And, yes, I'm aware that not many people own vinyl records these days but for those that do, and want to take the bold leap into the 21st century, this device from Lenco is the answer to your prayers. The best bit? They are sold in stores right here in the UAE - check out Sharaf DG and Emax!

PIERRE CARDIN'S TABLET PCPerfect for the brand-conscious, the Pierre Cardin multi-touch tablet PCs operates Windows 7 with WiFi, Bluetooth as well as 3G connectivity features. The tablets come in a handy case, which embeds a keyboard on one of its internal sleeves so you don't have to surrender completely to the touchscreen. According to Sam, the head of overseas mar-keting and sales at China-based Shenzhen Vogue, the com-

pany is licensed to use the Pierre Cardin brand name and logo on electronic products including GPS navigation sys-tems, telephones and tablet PCs. The products are sold across Europe, Asia and America with the 7" tablet PC now costing about $290 and the 8.9" model setting you back $320. Here in the Middle East, Hawash Group in Egypt already sells Pierre Cardin GPS systems, and Sam revealed that the firm will prob-ably start selling the branded tablet PCs in the local market later this year.

SUNSHINE BAGSSolar-panel bags are absolutely perfect for the Middle East where the sun loves to shine almost every day of the year. Hong Kong-based Mascotte Industrial Associates Ltd. manu-factures is keen on global retailers for their bags, and I person-ally can't wait to see their messenger bag designs here in the Middle East. All their bags include solar panels that are capable of charging devices that have a mini-USB connector.

Lenco Turntable (pictured above) and the Pierre Cardin tablet (below)

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FEATURE 25


Hong Kong Electronics Fair

UAE: BIG ELECTRONICS MARKET FOR HONG KONGAccording to K.B. Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's (HKTDC) Electronics/Electrical Appliances Industries Advisory Committee, the country exported more than $169 billion in electronics products last year, with statistics showing that $951 million came from the UAE. It represents an encouraging 2% growth over 2008 figures in terms of electronics trade with the Middle Eastern country.

The UAE is now the 17th major electronics export market for Hong Kong, with the largest being China, followed by the United States of America.

While Hong Kong's economy can't claim to have escaped the global financial crisis since 2008, signs of improvements have been observed over the last few quarters.

In 2009 as a whole, the country's GDP only fell by 2.7%, with the government predicting that its economy will grow by 4-5% this year and, with the electronics industry considered to be the country's largest merchandise export earner, much attention is centred around the Spring and Autumn editions of the Electronics Fair.

TECH EXPERT CALLS 3D TELEVISIONS 'A GIMMICK'K. B. Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Electronic and Electrical Appliances Industries Advisory Committee, says that 3D televisions are a 'gimmick' and will be slow to take off.

Speaking to itp.net at the 2010 Spring edition of the Hong Kong Electronics Expo taking place from April 13 - 16, Chan said that 3D TVs is a fad right now with all the TV manufacturers say-ing they must have one, and that there are seri-ous challenges to be considered aside from the high price factor and the additional 3D glasses needed.

"The difficulty is the content because there's very few real 3D content. When you make the movie or the TV serial, it's made the 3D way. So a lot of content will be 2D computer convert-ed into 3D, but that is not a very good picture because in a 2D picture the depth information is not there and you have to use a computer to guess that," he said.

Predicting that the 3D TV trend will take off, but slowly, Chan says that the first major shift in the television industry will be LED backlit TVs, which also brings in the new concept of Dynamic TVs which will basically see a front LCD screen backlit by 1,000 LED, each responsible for specific colours offering an unbeatable con-trast ratio of 2 million to 1.

Scenes from the Hong Kong Electronics Fair

K.B.Chan says 3D televisions are a gimmick

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HOT KIT 27

www.itp.net/reviews

Reviews

Awarded to outstanding products that have excelled in both value and performance.

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH

Awarded to the most outstanding product we've

encountered during the month.

CONTENTSReviews30 New Additions

31 Canon LEGRIA HFM306

32 Garmin-Asus Nuvifone M10

33 Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

34 YoYotech FI7EPOWER MK3

36 Buffalo USB SSD / Imation Odyssey

37 Intel X25-V SSD / Kingston LoVo

38 Panasonic Lumix / WD Scorpio Blue

39 Head-to-Head: Asus Crosshair IV / Giga byte 890GPA-UD3H

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HOTKIT

WINDOWS MIDDLE EAST is the definitive Buyers Guide for PC and consumer electronics products in the region. We strenuously test products in our dedicated Dubai WinLab in order to highlight the very best models for our readers. Here we explain just how we test new kit in order to offer truly authoritative and objective recommendations, helping us keep WINDOWS the regions most relevant technology magazine.

WINLABS TESTING EXPLAINED

CPU TESTINGTesting processors is a time consuming process because there are a number of different tests that we employ. Depending on the CPU that has to be tested, we construct a testbed using a compatible motherboard. However, the 2Gbytes of OCZ memory, Gigabyte GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card, Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1Tbyte hard drive and optical drive remain as standard components.

All benchmarks are run at 1024 x 768 pixels and we employ the following benchmark tests; Cinebench 9.5, PCMark 2005 CPU and memory tests, 3DMark 2003 and 2005 CPU tests and POV-Ray to test raw process-ing performance. To test multimedia performance, we run a Lame 3.97 WAV to MP3 encode test, a TMP-GENC video encode, MPEG to DivX conversion test in addition to running F.E.A.R and World in Con ict. With the exception of POV-Ray and all the encode tests, higher numbers mean a faster processor and thus a higher performance score.

GRAPHIC CARD TESTING Our graphics card testbed comprises an Intel Core 2 Q6700 quad-core processor that runs at 3GHz, an Asus Maximum Extreme motherboard, 2Gbytes of Corsair DDR2 RAM, Western Digitals 300Gbyte Raptor X SATA drive, a Serial ATA optical drive and a 750-watt PC Power and Cooling power supply. All of these com-ponents are housed in Thermaltakes Armour+ chassis and we use Microsofts Windows Vista operating system. To test a graphics card, we hook it up to this machine and this is then connected to our Viewsonic VX2835wm 28-inch LCD screen.

The screen offers a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels, which means it allows us to test graphics cards at all the major resolutions. To test graphics cards, we use three speci c benchmarks; F.E.A.R, Company of Heroes and World in Con ict. The rst benchmark uses older DirectX 9 rendering technology whilst the latter two game titles use DirectX 10. This enables us to gauge a graphics cards performance

when dealing with old and new game titles. As all three tests involve playable games, they are real world tests rather than synthetic and thus provide an accurate view of a graphics cards performance.

Each graphics card is tested at three different test resolutions; 1024 x 768 pixels, 1600 x 1200 pixels and, nally, 1920 x 1200 pixels. All of the games are run on the maximum settings with the exception of full screen anti aliasing, which we leave at 4x setting. Then, depending on the price and positioning of the graphics card, performance scores are awarded based on how well, or not, it has performed at a speci c resolution. For example, low end or entry level graph-ics cards are graded mostly on their performance at 1024 x 768 pixels whereas expensive, ultra-high-end cards are graded based on their performance across all three resolutions.

HARD DISK TESTINGTo test hard drives, we use our graphics card testbed. The drive in question is hooked up to the mother-boards Serial ATA II controller (or USB or Firewire port if its an external hard drive) and tested using a combi-nation of real world and synthetic benchmark tests.

For internal hard drives, we rely on a copy test to ascertain real world performance. The test folder is stored on a SSD drive, ensuring that this drive wont bottleneck the drive being tested and, to gauge write performance, we time how long it takes for the 4Gbyte folder to be transferred from the SSD drive to the test drive. To test read performance, we do the opposite and time how long it takes for the test drive to transfer the data to the SSD drive. Lower times in both cases equate to better performance. Next we call into action HD Tach3, a synthetic benchmark. This tests a drive in terms of its access time, average read and write performance, burst speed and CPU utilisa-tion. In terms of access time and CPU usage, lower numbers are better.

With external drives we use the same real world read/write test methodology but instead of using a 4Gbyte folder only, we also test the drive with a single 238Mbyte test le. Again, lower times give a drive higher performance scores.

OTHER PRODUCTSProducts such as MP3 players, PMPs, mobile phone etc are tested for a period of one or two weeks. During this time we use the products as someone who purchased it would and this helps us gauge perform-ance, features and value for money. In most cases the brunt of the testing is subjective and the testing always focuses on real world usefulness.

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WINDOWS MIDBuyers Guide foproducts in theproducts in our to highlight theHere we explainorordederr toto oofffferer ttrururecommendatiothe regions mos

CPU TESTINGTesting processors is a time consuming process

GRAPHICOur graphics card

Back in 2006, the FIFA World Cup drew worldwide attention with heated debates everywhere about which country would be the next champion. At the GIGABYTE Technology headquarter in Taiwan, however, another debate was taking place between leading engineers: the next revolution in motherboard design Ultra Durable.

One team of engineers was concerned about production costs while the other team was concerned about building a more durable and efficient motherboard. Lowering production costs to increase profits should be our highest priority, commented one engineer. The average user upgrades their PC every 3 years, so its not necessary to use more costly Japanese solid capacitors when electrolyte capacitors were still the industry standard.

That doesnt solve the quality problem, a senior engineer disagreed. Our motherboards must still be able to function even if other components such as the CPU, Memory, hard drive, etc are out of date. The spirit of our design quality should focus on durability. That senior engineer is currently GIGABYTEs VP of R&D, Mr. Richard Chen. We should be less concerned about the initial production costs of using quality components and focus more on producing better quality and more durable motherboards that have lower return rates over our 3 year warranty period, he continued.

During Computex 2006, GIGABYTE introduced the first Ultra Durable motherboards with the launch of the GA-965P-DQ6 featuring all Japanese solid capacitors. The response from the media and customers was overwhelmingly positive as they acknowledged that better quality products were the way forward. GIGABYTE, with its Ultra Durable motherboards set itself apart from the competition as the new leader in motherboard innovation, establishing the new industry standard for quality motherboards.

GIGABYTE went on to see huge benefits in terms of improved branding as a leader in quality products as well as customer benefits in the distribution channel that lead to increased profitability. Four years have passed and the next World Cup is around the corner. Solid capacitors are now the industry standard for premium quality motherboards.

GIGABYTE Ultra Durable motherboards continue to feature Japanese solid capaci-tors for the stability, reliability and longevity required by the high performance processors preferred by the most demanding professionals and PC enthusiasts.

CHEMI-CON0GVGTKYK9UROJ)GVGIOZUX

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Manufacturers of Japanese Solid CapacitorsMany solid capacitors look alike. The following are four representatives of well-known Japanese solid capacitors for your reference:

The Pursuit for Premium Quality

[ A Story about Quality ]

While its competitors were looking for new ways to reduce production costs, GIGABYTE was more concerned with better quality, more durable motherboards for its customers.

Why are Japanese solid capacitors the best choice?1. Ultra long lifespan

2. Vastly improved stability at high temperature

3. Lower impedance at high frequency

4. Improved high ripple current tolerance

X58A-UD7

P55A-UD7

GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 3Motherboard

333 OnboardAcceleration

333 OnboardAcceleration

USB 3.0 OnboardAcceleration

H55-USB3

GIGABYTE Ultra Durable Motherboards With Japanese Solid Capacitors

e

http://arabic.giga-byte.com

4_ME Windows Advertori 20.5x27.5cm

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NEWADDITIONSThis month saw a wealth of new product releases including a hot new lap-top from Asus and a high-capacity SDHC memory card from Kingston...

Asus N61JAThe Asus N61JA comes from the Taiwanese manufacturers Multimedia Entertainment line and aims to offer Splendid Super-Sonic Multimedia Enjoyment. In line with this the notebook boasts some brilliant specifications under its attractive hood.

The biggest feature however is that this notebook offers USB3.0 support. This new interface type is said to be 10 times faster than the older USB2.0 interface and Asus is one of the first companies to integrate it onto their notebook. Beyond this the desktop replacement also packs an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 GPU, which gives this notebook DirectX 11 abilities. This GPU is hooked up to a large 16-inch LCD that runs at a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

The notebook also features 4GB of DDR3 memory and theres ample storage on offer in the form of two 320GB hard drives. Processing power

comes from Intels new Core i7-620M processor which offers dual 2.67GHz cores and HyperThreading technology.

The N61JA also features integrated WiFi, Bluetooth and Gigabit Ethernet network support, so regardless

of where you are, connectivity wont be a problem. The notebook also features a

6-cell battery for extended battery life.

Kingston SDHC Class 10Gadget lovers that depend on Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) memory cards have something to celebrate because Kingston has just released its new line of SDHC Class 10 memory cards.

The new cards are available in 16GB and 32GB capacities and both are said to be enhanced and offer performance figures of 22MB/sec (read) and 18MB/sec (write). The memory cards are designed to meet the SD Association Specification 3.00 and so are guaranteed to offer a minimum data transfer of no less than 10MB/sec. Kingston says this makes the SDHC Class 10 cards ideal for use in devices such as camcorders, digital SLRs and advanced point-and-shoot cameras.

The 16GB card can hold 2708 12-megapixel digital images or 166 minutes of 13Mbps HD Extended video, while the 32GB can hold 5416 12-megapixel images or 251 minutes of 13Mbps HD Extended video.

The cards are covered by a lifetime warranty and feature a built-in write protect switch, so you can protect data from accidental loss. Both memory cards feature a wide operating and storage temperature range, so you dont have to worry about extreme temperature conditions.

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HOT KIT 31

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Reviews

The HFM306 is Canons latest LEGRIA camcorder and the firm reckons it packs 'awesome' image quality despite its small demeanor.

In terms of size and weight the HFM306 lives up to Canons claims because it is one of the smallest HD camcorders weve tried. As such it is easy to travel with and despite its compact size it could be used by even those with large hands. That said users with small- or medium-sized hands will have the best experience. Weighing just 320g with the battery installed the Canon is a featherweight; in the absence of a tripod you wont tire too quickly whilst holding this camcorder.

Users of Canons digital cameras or past camcorders will quickly get to grips with the HFM306 thanks to the familiar interface and menu system. Interaction with the LEGRIA is accomplished via the responsive and precise 2.7-inch touch screen or via the few buttons dotted across the camcorders body.

The HFM306 packs 1/4 type CMOS sensor and it packs a video capture resolution of 3-megapixels. In use we found this camera proved very responsive despite us making relatively fast movements and playing back the

footage, we were impressed with the camcorders realistic colours and crisp captures. Thanks to the sensors high resolution capabilities we were able to make out finer details such as the wrinkles on a persons forehead.

With 15x optical zoom on offer the Canon proved flexible when capturing distant footage though we recommend using a tripod if shooting via zoom, as even slight movements make footage jump around quite severely. Like other camcorders weve tested the Canon offers digital zoom - 300x but as weve noted before, the best results are obtained using standard optical zoom. Going with digital we noticed slight muddiness and artifacting in our captures. The cameras microphone system also does a good job of capturing audio. That said the microphones arent very sensitive so we advice shooting up close where possible.

The battery offers somewhat limited life; we were able to record video continuously for only one hour and 32 minutes on a full charge. This limits the HFM306s flexibility because youll have to stop shooting so you can replace the battery for a fully charged one or pause shooting until the battery is charged

again. This suggests the camera is best for grabbing photos and videos around the house, rather than outdoors where stopping recording could mean missing out on unique, time-critical footage. Canon offers a bigger battery at an additional cost and the company says this battery will keep the camera rolling for approximately five hours. Given that a 32GB SDHC card could give you 12 hours of video, we recommend opting for this if you intend to shoot for long periods at a stretch.

CANONLEGRIA HFM306Ready to filmPRICE $817CONTACT +9714 391 5050WEB www.canon-me.com

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0PERFORMANCE -----FEATURES -----VALUE FOR MONEY -----SPECIFICATIONSHD camcorder, 1/4 type CMOS sensor, 3-megapixel movie resolution, 3.3-megapixels still image resolution, 2.7-inch touch-screen LCD, 15x optical zoom, 300x digital zoom, auto/manual focus, Canon DIGIC DV III image processor, self-timer, PictBridge port, SD/SDHC memory card compatible, headphones port, USB2.0 port, mini HDMI connector, built-in video light, wireless remote control, 320g, one-year warranty.PROS Excellent video captures, responsive 2.7-inch touch screen, portable, easy-to-use, great optical zoom.CONS Standard battery offers limited shooting time, digital zoom is a gimmick. VERDICT The Canon offers quality captures and ease-of-use but it needs a better standard battery to shine.

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This first time we came across this particular smartphone was at the 2010 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. With so much

revenue being generated globally by the touch phone industry, it shouldnt come as too much of a surprise that many a company will try its best to grab a share of this very lucrative market.

And this is where companies Asus and Garmin come in. One doesn't immediately associate either of these two companies with smartphone manufacturing, so our interest was piqued when we got our hands on the Garmin Asus Nuvifone M10.

Garmin, of course, is known for its vast variety of Global Satellite Positioning (GPS) products, whilst Asus is known for many a hardware wonder but especially its foray into mobile computing in recent times with the Asus EeePC.

The mash up is intriguing, to say the least, and the M10 therefore sports some interesting features.The Garmin-Asus Nuvifone M10 features Windows Mobile 6.5.3 and it further includes a 3D Task Manager that allows you to switch between running applications. The phone also has something called Billboard, which displays a user's most important

information at a glance. Further to that the phone also has a

decent 5-megapixel camera, which gives you the capability to share your photos via Facebook or Picasa. The smartphone also features quad-band, HSDPA phone functionality and integrated WiFi. The 3.5-inch LCD provides bright visuals and being a touch screen, it acts as the interface between you and the M10. Storage-wise the phone features 4GB of flash memory in total.

But of course one of the main features of this phone is its GPS capabilities. This aspect of the phone allows you to find addresses and get voice-prompt directions to get you to where youre going and the tracking also gives you details on upcoming exits along your route. Part of the whole idea of having a phone that has GPS capabilities is that it can then have the ability to have location-based services; here clicking on any address from a contact, text message, email, task or webpage is all you need to do to start navigating.

We found this to be quite on the mark with regard to tracking our current locations and desired locations but the phones touch screen lets it down. The touch sensitivity of this device is not

very responsive, so multiple stabs are needed to evoke a response. This is not ideal when youre trying to get help from the phone when youre on the move. In terms of style the phone looks similar to Apples very successful iPhone and while this isnt exactly original, the design works well.

The M10 has interesting features, chief of which is its GPS. This is a hugely useful features for on-the-go users and while the touch screen does retard usability a little, it does work in the end.

GARMIN-ASUSNUVIFONE M10Does this union work?PRICE $700CONTACT +9714 299 3873WEB www.garminasus.com

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PERFORMANCE -----FEATURES -----VALUE FOR MONEY -----SPECIFICATIONSQualcomm 7227 600MHz processor, 512MB RAM, 512MB ROM memory, 4GB eMMC Flash memory, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, WLAN 802.11b+g, USB v2.0, Micro-USB, Qualcomm GPS (AGPS supported), 5-megapixel camera, HSDPA DL:7.2Mbps UL:384Kpbs, UMTS 2100 / 900 EDGE / GPRS / GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional.PROS Comprehensive GPS feature, 5-megapixel camera takes good quality photos.CONS Touch screen lacks responsiveness, unoriginal overall design.VERDICT The Nuvifone M10 boasts sharp, if unoriginal looks and some very useful GPS features. Great for on-the-go users.

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Google Android has made its way into many a smartphone these days, and its this operating system that the Sony Ericsson

Xperia X10 sports. So, it has a decent operating system (OS) but apart from that, this newly released touch screen phone also has slick aesthetic appeal with regards to its exterior.

We were handed the superb-looking Luster-white (black pictured)coloured model and from there we were immediately impressed with its attractive, touch screen interface. The buttons at the bottom of the smartphone are also quite intuitive as they clearly label how you can navigate your way through the phone's Android OS.

Beyond this, an obvious draw for this Sony Ericsson model for those looking for an alternative to the iPhone and BlackBerry is the fact that this phone is shipped without any region-lock.

However, its size might be a turn off for consumers. It measures in at 119mm long by 63mm wide by 13mm deep.This means the X10 is larger than Apples famous iPhone. That said its design is quite ergonomic in so far as it has a curved back that sits nicely in one's hand and on one's table.

The touch screen is 4-inches in size and it sports a decent resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. As a result the graphics, photos, and colours look quite impressive, even in direct light. In addition, the touch interface is very responsive and works like a dream on this phone's large LCD size.

Another neat feature about this phone is the virtual keyboard. In landscape mode it takes advantage of the display's full size so you have plenty of room for typing. There are three rows of alphabetic/punctuation keys with separate keyboards for numbers and symbols and other punctuation. You also get a special pop-up keyboard above the alphabetic buttons that includes smileys and other symbols. That's particularly convenient since it puts oft-used characters, like a dollar sign and parentheses, right on the main screen. The space bar is conveniently located in the center of the bottom row.

Another interesting feature in terms of the phone is that the Xperia X10 recognises up to five faces in a photo and automatically stores them under your friends in your phone. The camera itself is a gem with a lofty 8.1-megapixel image sensor and 16x digital zoom.

While the latter isnt too great the former was responsible for some great photographs. This is easily a camera that can be used in place of a standalone point-and-shoot digital camera. Overall, the large screen size and Android OS are a good combination on the Sony Ericsson phone and thanks to the X10's 1GHz Snapdragon processor, the handset is also quick off the mark. You don't wait for applications to open and it takes no time at all to pull up a main menu from the home screen.

SONY ERICSSON XPERIA X10Google's Android comes to Sony EricssonPRICE $816CONTACT +9714 3919 880WEB www.sonyericsson.com

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0PERFORMANCE -----FEATURES -----VALUE FOR MONEY -----SPECIFICATIONS1GHz Snapdragon processor, 256MB onboard RAM, 4-inch touch screen LCD running at 480 x 854 pixels natively, 65,536 colour support, 8.1-megapixel digital camera, 16x digital zoom, 8GB microSD memory card, 1GB onboard phone memory, built-in 802.11b/g WiFi support, 3.5mm audio connector, microUSB data port, headphones output port, 119 x 63 x 13mm (L x W x D), 135g, Android 1.6, one-year warranty.PROS Sleek user interface, great digital camera, decent memory. CONS Somewhat expensive, bulky body.VERDICT If youre looking for an alternative to the typical iPhone or BlackBerry, then this phone is a good choice for you.

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YoYotech reckons its FI7EPOWER MK3 is the worlds fastest PC. In line with this claim, the rig is being sold through Sharaf DG with an

otherworldly price tag.Before you get the MK3 out of its

box you get the idea the PC is massive because the box it ships in is enormous. Unpacked, the machine lives up to expectations and as far as shock and awe value is concerned, the YoYotech is killer. The MK3 uses a Thermaltake Level 10 chassis, which is jointly developed by Thermaltake and BMW Group Designworks USA.

The case (pictured) uses individual cavities to house the power supply, motherboard and storage devices and, from a cooling perspective, this is brilliant; heat from the storage drives or power supply is isolated from the motherboard, CPU and graphics card. This makes the Level 10 ideal for overclocking and YoYotech has indeed fiddled with the machines processor.

The CPU is Intels Core i7 975 Extreme Edition, which boasts four 3.33GHz cores and Hyperthreading. This chip is a beast at standard frequencies but YoYotech has pushed it from its default 3.33GHz to a hyper 4.2GHz. As

our FI7EPOWER MK3 is a prototype machine it was equipped with only 6GB of DDR3 RAM (production versions will have 12GB).

The MK3 uses ATIs Radeon HD 5870 with 1GB of RAM for graphics power. Another area where this rig packs some serious punch is storage. YoYotech has opted for a two pronged approach in that theres a massive 2TB 7200rpm Western Digital hard drive for your data and, for rip snorting game and app load times, two 64GB SSDs running in RAID 0.

Running our World in Conflict and H.A.W.X game benchmarks on the machine at 1920 x 1200 pixels with every setting dialed up, the PC returned framerates of 55fps and 74fps. Impressive figures. Moving to applications the YoYotech continued to impress us, its PCMark Vantage PCMark Suite score of 15840 is one of the highest figures weve seen. The machine also produced superlative scores in all of the other PCMark Vantage tests.

Although the FI7EPOWER is exceptional, it isnt without issues. The Level 10 while brilliant for overclocking can be difficult to work with. Adding drives requires that you open up the case's side panel in addition to the

power supply, storage and motherboard cavities individually. This is simply so you can add the drives and then connect the necessary cables. And because the case is massive youll need longer cables than regular or they simply wont reach.

Another issue is the price tag. At US $8175 it is one of the most expensive rigs weve tested and unfortunately the machines cost is far greater than the total cost of each of its components. We suspect the MK3's size and weight tack on heavy freight duties.

YOYOTECHFI7EPOWER MK3The worlds fastest PC?PRICE $8175CONTACT +9714 800 344357WEB www.yoyotech.co.uk

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PERFORMANCE -----FEATURES -----VALUE FOR MONEY -----SPECIFICATIONSIntel Core i7 975 Extreme Edition CPU running at 4.2GHz, Asus P6TD Deluxe motherboard, 12GB of G.Skill DDR3 memory (6GB tested), ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card, two 64GB SSD drives running in RAID 0 (boot drive), 2TB Western Digital hard drive, Blu-ray / DVD writer combo drive, Razer Lycosa keyboard, Lachesis Mouse, Thermaltake Level 10 chassis, Destructor Speed Mat, Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, one-year warranty. PROS Killer looks, dedicated cavities for components, brilliant application and gaming performance.CONS Expensive, very heavy.VERDICT YoYotechs PC has oodles of character and packs some serious performance under its distinctive hood. The only real issue is its price tag.

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Buffalos MicroStation is a strange device. Despite its positioning as a mini portable

storage solution with the latest technology, it didn't quite make sense.

The Buffalo is small, light and easy on the eyes and this is primarily because it features solid state disk (SSD) underpinnings. The Buffalo can be bought with capacities of 32GB or 64GB but because of its SSD basis, the drives cost a startling US $170 and $300. This works out to a cost of $5.31 and $4.68 per gigabyte, making both drives very expensive compared to standard USB hard drives. While being based on SSD technology makes the MicroStation less prone to crashing on the go - as there

are no moving parts - you dont get the full SSD bang in terms of performance because of the drives USB 2.0 interface. Performing our 4.2GB file transfer from PC to drive and vice versa the Buffalo took two minutes and 43 seconds and three minutes and 23 seconds. In comparison Toshibas SecuRed 200GB drive (reviewed last month)took two minutes and 37 seconds and three minutes and 19 seconds. Running Buffalos TurboUSB software helped improve performance but the MicroStation was still slower than Toshiba drive.

The Buffalo is only faster if youre running seek-intensive software directly from the drive and this is thanks to the MicroStations 0.6ms random access time.

IMATION Odyssey Removable HDDCan it really protect your data?PRICE $99 (drive only)CONTACT +9714 397 8035 WEB www.imation.com

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BUFFALOMicroStation 32GB SSDDoes this make sense?PRICE $170CONTACT +9714 214 9667WEB www.buffalotech.com

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The Odyssey is designed to help SOHOs protect data with precision and minimal effort.

The drive can be purchased as an internal or external device though our test sample is the latter and uses the USB2.0 interface. If youre looking for the best performance however, we recommend the internal drive because the external's performance is capped by the USB2.0 interface.

This showed when we ran our benchmarks; the Imation produced HDTach3 average read and burst speed results of 26.7MB/sec and 25.6MB/sec using a 120GB cartridge. Reasonable figures but we think internal Odyssey drives would perform better. Performing our real world

file transfers the Odyssey was again held back by the USB interface as it took a long three minutes and three seconds to complete our 4.2GB write test. The drive also took three minutes and 28 seconds to complete the read test with this same amount of data.

The Imation ships with its own Media Manager software and EMCs Retrospect, the latter is key to creating backups of vital data. The Odyssey is compatible with cartridges as large as 320GB, so depending on your needs and budget you can shop appropriately. That said the drive and a 160GB cartridge still work out to be an expensive proposition at an eye-opening US $296.

SPECIFICATIONSPortable drive, USB2.0 connection interface, 32GB storage capacity, USB Mini-B

connector, Memeo Autosync software, Buffalo TurboUSB software, USB Bus powered, 62g, two-year warranty.

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VERDICT A high price along with limited performance and capacity make the MicroStation hard to recommend.

SPECIFICATIONSRemovable hard disk, USB2.0 interface, horizontal operating mode, 320GB maximum

cartridge size, external power supply, 858g drive weight, 168g cartridge weight, three-year warranty.

PERFORMANCE -----FEATURES -----VALUE FOR MONEY -----

VERDICT A sturdy removable hard drive system backed up by solid backup and recovery software. Not cheap though.

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that target money-no-object enthusiasts. With the X25-V drives Intel is targeting users that want SSD performance at a value price.

The X25-V is only available with a capacity of 40GB at the moment (higher capacities are expected later in the year) and carries an asking price of US $130. In this price range it competes with drives such as Kingstons $116 40GB SSD Now V Series (reviewed in our January issue).

In terms of features the X25-V cant compete with Kingstons offering because whereas the latter ships with drive cloning software, 3.5-inch mounting rails and

cables, Intels drive only ships with mounting rails.

Moving on to performance however Intels 40GB X25-V doesnt pull any punches. In our HDTach 3 benchmark test the Intel SSD managed average read and burst speed figures of 220.6MB/sec and 249.6MB/sec. Kingstons drive on the other hand managed figures of 155MB/sec and 170MB/sec. In our real world tests the Intel SSD stole the show again, as it completed our Company of Heroes and F.E.A.R level load tests in 17- and nine-seconds. While the Kingston matched the Intel's F.E.A.R load time it was three seconds slower in the Company of Heroes test.

Value-wise Kingstons drive gets the nod as it has more features and costs $2.9 per gigabyte to the Intels $3.25.

KINGSTONHyperX LoVo KHX1866C9D3LK2High mileage, low consumptionPRICE $200WEB www.kingston.com

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INTELX25-V 40GBPotent performance for lessPRICE $130CONTACT +9714 369 2666WEB http://www.intel.com

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When this reviewer heard Kingston would be introducing low

voltage, HyperX RAM it sounded like trouble because low voltage and high performance dont really mix.

After putting the HyperX LoVo KHX1866C9D3LK2/4GX memory kit to the test however the Windows team was happy to eat its words. Kingston offers a number of LoVo HyperX kits at present though ours is a 4GB, dual-channel DDR3 kit designed to operate at 1866MHz. It is supposed to run at this speed with memory timings of 9-9-9-27, whilst requiring only 1.35volts. Fitting the memory kit to our Gigabyte P55A-UD7 motherboard and selecting

XMP Profile 1, the memory ran at the aforementioned settings. To test for stability we ran several looping benchmarks for a day only to find that the system was ro

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