Monday, December 20, 2010

Creative Zen Style x-fi

Unlike the Zen Style 300 which we reviewed recently, the Zen X-Fi Style looks like theZen, save for the snazzy new makeover and omission of the memory expansion slot. Is Creative hiding a surprise deep within the guts of the new X-Fi Style?


Design And Features

The X-Fi Style shares a similar graphics imprint on the cover as the Style 100/300. There's a choice of three colors--black, white and red. The arrangement of the controls is exactly like the older Zen. The power button located at the top of the player doubles as a lock button. However, unlike the Zen, Zen X-Fi and Zen X-Fi2, there is no memory expansion slot to be found. Predictably, the right side of the player is where you'll find the standard mini-USB port and a headphone/TV-output jack. 


The Style 300's audio file support includes MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, Audible audio and FLAC, a format used mostly by audiophiles for digital backups of their CD collection. The built-in mic is located at the top for voice recording, while the built-in speaker is situated on the back. There is also FM radio with autoscan and 32 preset slots. Like the older Mozaic, you can store your contacts, tasks and calendar information on the player itself, with the flexibility of syncing RSS feeds using the Creative Centrale software. 

The good old Zen interface appears once again on this player, with various themes for interface customization built-in. Getting content onto the X-Fi Style is a mostly simple task as it functions as an MSC device and will playback videos in WMV, MPEG-4, DivX and Xvid up to 640 x 48 pixels--without having to convert them into Creative's proprietary CMV format. 

Performance And Conclusion

Creative's MP3 players have a good track record for good sound quality and the Zen X-Fi Style stays true to this tradition. Though there was a good amount of clarity and presence, it may have sounded a bit cold and uninspiring at default settings. However, there're options for audio tweaking. There's a five-band equalizer with eight presets with a custom option, as well as the Crystallizer and Expand, which sharpen up the sound quality. The onboard speaker has enough volume to fill a fairly large and quiet room, but the thin-sounding sound output may just be more annoying than it is entertaining. 

Text and images appear sharp on the 2.4-inch screen, but with only 262k colors on tap, the display suffers from color banding, especially when viewing photos onscreen. TV output is through the headphones port and requires a S$29 (US$22.07) A/V cable that's sold separately. Still, at the maximum resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, it's good enough only if you're not picky about picture quality. 

The X-Fi Style fared well in our battery tests, too. We had about 24 hours of music playback with 4 hours of video. 

In conclusion, it's another good player to come out of Creative's stables, with a bit of plastic surgery to keep it looking fresh when pitted against direct rivals. As for the ultimate trump card, at S$249 (US$189.53) for the 32GB version, this blows away most of the competition when it comes to value for money.

Sony NWZ-E454

Price: $109
Company: Sony Electronics Inc




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E454 8GB Walkman® Video MP3 player

Cool colourful 8GB music player for great sound and extra long battery

8GB, 50 hours music playback, SensMe™, Lyric Sync, Karaoke Mode, Clear Audio Technologies
  • Choose from new bright and cool Walkman® colours
  • Sing along and match your music to your mood
  • Enjoy smoother, more superior sound
  • Extended battery life with up to 50 hours music playback

No restrictions with open format

Open format means no matter where your music is stored, or what format it's in (WMA, MP3 and AAC (non-DRM only)), you can transfer your entire library onto your Walkman® just by dragging and dropping it from Windows Media™ Player 11, iTunes® or Windows Explorer. It's a cinch!

Experience all your music in stunning sound quality

You get superb sound quality from Walkman® thanks to three built-in audio technologies: Clear Stereo, Clear Bass and DSEE digital sound enhancement. They all work in harmony to bring you a listening experience as close as possible to the original sound, just like being at a live performance.

Longest battery life around

Walkman® battery stamina is way ahead of the competition, which means you can listen and watch for so much longer. With straight playback of up to 50 hours music, and up to 10 hours for video depending on model, plugging in to power up will be the last thing on your mind at home, in the car or anywhere on the move

Drag-and-drop your favourite content

Transferring video and music to your WALKMAN® is so easy with drag-and-drop, you'll have your whole library at your fingertips in seconds. Using Windows Media Player 11®, iTunes® or Windows Explorer, managing your playlists and moving files over is hassle-free. Just drag, drop, relax and enjoy.

Built-in voice recording

When you need to take notes, or remember useful information, just flick on the voice recording function with built-in microphone and let Walkman® do all the hard work for you. Record vocals and speech in mono, then playback when you get home.

Non stop music and video

Superior sound and video make the compact E Series Walkman® ideal for movie and music fans. Clear Audio Technologies deliver the purest playback, true to the original source. And you can listen to your favourite tracks for even longer with a 50 hours battery life.

Features NWZ-E454

  • Cool colourful design - New E Series Walkman® design concept gives you a choice of unique, vibrant and colourful finishes
  • Fun music features - Organise music into moods with SensMe™, sing along with Lyric Sync and Karaoke Mode plus FM radio for more listening choice
  • Sound quality - Enjoy a smoother, better listening experience with Clear Audio Technologies, Dynamic Normaliser and Virtual Phones™ Technology
  • Easy to use interface - Scroll through albums, search video scenes and customise wallpaper with the new graphic user interface and 2.0" QVGA LCD display
  • Multi-format support - Play WMV(DRM), AVC(H.264) and MPEG-4, auto-convert video files (H.264/MPEG-4/DivX®/AVCHD) with Windows® 7, and playback MP3AACWMA(DRM) L-PCM
  • Extra long battery life - Listen for even longer with 50 hours music playback from a single charge - or a class-leading 10 hours of video
  • Clear Audio Technologies - Enjoy a purer sound true to the original source thanks to Clear StereoClear Bass and DSEE technologies
  • Dynamic Normaliser - By balancing the volume level between songs, you'll enjoy an smoother listening experience
  • FM radio - Get instant listening access to your favourite radio shows and stations
  • 2.0" QVGA LCD screen - Display videos, photos and album art horizontally or vertically, in razor sharp and ultra bright quality, with our fast response LCD
  • SensMe™, Lyric Sync and Karaoke Mode - Organise your music into different moods, playback song lyrics on screen in time with the music, and sing along in Karaoke Mode
  • User interface - Re-designed playback screen gives you more room for Album art plus album scroll feature, search for video scenes and set wallpaper
  • WM-PORT - Easily connect your Walkman® to a range of optional accessories
  • 8GB memory - 8GB storage holds around 1,800 (at 128kbps) music tracks or approx 29 hours video (at 384kbps)
  • Language learning - Easily take control of playback speeds, repeat and rewind functions - ideal for audio learning content like languages
  • Voice recording - Built-in recording function allows you to capture audio in a meeting, in class or on the go

BenQ Launches 23.6 Inch 3D LED Gaming Monitor

BenQ has announced the release of their 23.6 3D LED Gaming Monitor XL2410T. It is packed with a 16:9 Aspect Ratio, 2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate (3D capable) for an ultimate gaming experience. This LED monitor is developed in association with HeatoN&SpawN, two world-class professional gamers.

BenQ understands that to lead and become a true and professional gaming monitor provider, they have to understand the mindset and needs of gamers. XL2410T is a truly professional LED gaming monitor with a set of Gaming Display Modes which includes the FPS mode (First Person Shooting), co-developed by two legendary Counter-Strike players Emil HeatoN Christensen and Abdisamad SpawN Mohamed.

XL2410T has a fast refresh rate of 120Hz for higher precision; a low input lag so the shots made is more in sync with the visual on-screen; a quick 2ms GTG (OverDrive) meaning users can see the edge of the enemies clearly and without motion blur, and Dynamic Contrast Ratio of 10,000,000:1 for detailed images and clarity in both darkened and brightened situations, this complemented with BenQs gaming tuning technology becomes a huge advantage for gamers.

The monitor has two hotkeys; one for changing the display mode, Full; Aspect; Overscan; 1:1; 17; 19; 19 Widescreen and 22 Widescreen. The second hotkey is Smart Scaling, which lets the users adjust picture size in original input to the screens limit. Together with Display Mode function, users can play in the resolution size they are accustomed to or adjust their screen size to what their teammates are using for easier communication and reference.

For complete entertainment, XL2410T is the best option. 3D-ready (NVIDIA 3D Vision certified); Picture by Picture (PBP); connectivity values (D-sub; DVI-D-DL, HDMI) and height adjustment feature are offered for users enjoyment and comfort. Picture by picture (PBP) is a feature that enables users to show two programs side-by-side on the screen making XL2410T not only a sharp gaming gear, but is also the best personal enjoyment centre for web browsing or watching videos and TV programs.

BenQ XL2410T is available at a price of Rs. 31,200. The model is available across India.

Panasonic's gigantic 150-inch plasma is official!

Panasonic 150-inch plasma



Panasonic's 152-inch TV just hit and it's got 4k by 2k resolution, 3D support and several technologies that speed up display and optimize it for displaying 3D by reducing cross talk. Not that you'll be able to afford one.
It'll be about the size of the 150-incher above, plus two inches.
The quad luminous tech brings plasma pictures to full brightness in 1/4th the time, so fast refreshes don't compromise picture intensity and they've managed to refresh pictures frame at a time instead of line at a time, so that alternating right/left images presented for 3D don't suffer from the double effect that some displays show. All in theory.



















Panasonic Develops World's Largest 152-Inch Full HD 3D Plasma Display
The ultra-large, 4K x 2K quadruple full HD plasma panel creates a true full HD 3D world, delivering an overwhelming immersive experience
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Panasonic Corporation, a world leader in the HDTV technology, has developed the world's largest(1) 152-inch 4K x 2K definition Full HD 3D plasma display. The display features a revolutionary new plasma display panel (PDP) Panasonic developed with its new super-efficient quadruple luminous efficiency technology(2). The technology enhances PDP's unique advantages as self-illuminating device, contributing to delivering an overwhelming immersive experience to viewers. The Panasonic 152-inch Full HD 3D PDP creates a true Full HD 3D world by faithfully reproducing 3D content such as Hollywood 3D movie titles(11).
Self-illuminating plasma panels offer excellent response to moving images with full movition picture resolution(3), making them suitable for rapid 3D image display. By employing the newly-developed ultra high-speed 3D drive technology, which adopts the super-efficient quadruple luminous efficiency technology, the new panel achieves a higher illuminating speed, about one fourth the speed of conventional Full HD panels(4). This technology enables high-quality Full HD 3D display on the ultra large 152-inch 4K x 2K (4,096 x 2,160 pixels) panel.
The panel also incorporates a crosstalk reduction technology, essential for producing clear 3D images. Compared to other display technologies that use line-at-a-time driving method(5), PDPs use frame-at-a-time driving method(6) that gives PDP TVs an advantage in crosstalk reduction in principle. Panasonic has successfully developed a unique technology to minimize double-image that occurs when left- and right-eye images are switched alternately. The development has resulted in the 3D compatible plasma display that can render clear and smooth high-quality pictures by accurately reproducing video sources.
The ultra-large 152-inch Full HD 3D PDP, which delivers true 3D movie-theater experience, follows the development of the industry's first 103-inch Class size Full HD 3D PDP Panasonic introduced in 2008(7) and the home theater size 50-inch Class Full HD 3D PDP in 2009(8).
This year, which is really the first year of 3D Television, 3D TVs are expected to accelerate the growth of the flat-panel television market by providing new values to customers.
Television has evolved over the years through technological innovations. It started as a device to produce images to be simply watched and then it became a tool when connectivity with other AV devices is added. Now, with the 3D technology, it has developed into a device that delivers an immersive viewing experience, moving into literally an era of "next dimension."
Panasonic launches its first Full HD 3D TVs in 2010 with PDP technology, which is highly suitable for 3D TVs, to offer the utmost picture quality. Panasonic's new 3D TVs will deliver a true full HD 3D quality to create new and exciting television experiences.
Because 3D plasma displays can reproduce highly realistic images, they are considered ideal not only for home theater use but also for a wide variety of uses such as business, medical, education and commercial applications.
Panasonic will make the First Year of 3D Television as a springboard to boost its popularity, capitalizing on the company's ability to offer complete end-to-end solutions from professional 3D camcorders and Blu-ray Disc authoring service to consumer use 3D TVs and displays and 3D-enabled Blu-ray Disc players.
Furthermore, Panasonic strives to accelerate the spread of 3D products and drive growth in the flat-panel television market, focusing on the development of a 3D infrastructure including 3D content through increased cooperation with Hollywood studios and broadcasters. The company hopes to contribute to the enhancement of 3D related business and the development of a new industry, which may be called 3D economic system that can be brought about through interactions among the related businesses.
For more information on Panasonic's Full HD 3D Technology, visit www.panasonic.com/3D.
< Key Features of the new Full HD 3D PDP >
1. Newly developed ultra high-speed 3D drive technology enables 3D display on ultra-large (152-inch), super high resolution (4K x 2K) panels
Using the super-efficient quadruple luminous efficiency technology, Panasonic developed 3D ultra high-speed drive technology. Compared to the conventional full HD panels(4), the technology allows the new panel to achieve the same brilliance at about one-fourth speed. The new 152-inch panel also uses a new technology that enables even and stable discharge. Thanks to this discharge technology, the new panel can provide full HD images for left and right eyes formed with twice the volume of information as regular full HD images across the vast expanse of the screen equivalent to nine 50-inch panels with super high resolution (4,096 x 2,160) - four times the full HD (1,920 x 1,080) specification - while maintaining the brightness.
The new advanced PDP delivers high-quality 3D images, with virtually infinite 5,000,000:1(9) contrast ratio, accurate color reproduction and subtle gradation tones, on the ultra-large screen. With characters in the screen approach the viewers in life size, the new panel creates an overwhelmingly immersive experience.
2. Cross-talk reduction enables clear, high-definition 3D images
Because displaying 3D images involves alternate displays of left- and right-eye images, reducing the overlap (cross-talk) between these images is essential for high-quality 3D images. Unlike 3D LCD panels that use line by line scanning method, PDPs use frame-sequential method that displays images frame by frame very quickly, giving PDPs a tremendous advantage in crosstalk reduction. Incorporating newly-developed phosphors with short luminescence decay time - one third the time of conventional phosphors(4) - as well as illumination control technology, the cross-talk reduction technology has succeeded in minimizing double images.
Enhancing the video reproduction capability of PDP, which has full moving picture resolution, the technology enables crisp and clear, high-quality 3D images by faithfully reproducing video sources.
3. Full HD x 2 frame sequential method
To reproduce 3D images, the new PDP uses the full HD x 2 frame(10) sequential method that displays time sequential images, alternately reproducing discrete full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) images for the left and right eyes on the display frame by frame. By adopting the method which is used in showing Hollywood 3D films in theaters, the new panel accurately reproduces high-quality 3D images in the living room.

Laptop tracker service by quickheal

BHUBANESWAR: Quick Heal Technologies Private Limited, a leading anti-virus solution provider, here on Sunday launched Laptop Tracker, a service by which one could trace stolen or lost laptop computers. Quick Heal's Vice-President (Corporate Communication) M. J. Srikant said the technology would provide law enforcement agencies with a sure-fire method of tracking and recovering lost laptops. “What we have done is that the company has provided website interface to individual user, law enforcement agencies and its own customers. If a laptop is lost, one could register with the website – www.trackmylaptop.net. On request of law enforcement agencies, we would give location of the lost laptop if it is used,” said Mr. Srikant. He said the company had already launched the programme at Indore and Jaipur and would go to every State Capital.
“We will give user ID and password to every cyber crime cell of the State so that they could operate on their own. Moreover, it will generate awareness among laptop users about the unique ID numbers. They would be better informed while purchasing second hand laptop,” Mr. Srikant said.
The company aimed to create a data base of stolen laptops for the help of users and potential buyers. Deputy Commissioner of Police Himansu Lal launched the technology in Bhubaneswar.

JABRA EasyGo headset

Product features
  • Easy to use, wear and enjoy
  • Spoken battery and connection status
  • Multiuse™ - connects to 2 Bluetooth® devices simultaneously
  • Crystal clear sound and voice (DSP technology)
  • All day comfort with Jabra Ultimate Comfort Eargels™ and ear hook
  • Bluetooth® technology v. 2.1 for simple and secure pairing
  • Up to 6 hours talk time and up to 8 days standby time
Easy talking for driving, working or walking

Looking for your first Bluetooth™ headset? The Jabra EASYGO makes choosing easy. 
It gives you all the extraordinary benefits of hands free conversation at a 
no-nonsense price. There are no complex functions and installation is fast 
and straightforward. 

The Jabra EASYGO is stylish yet discreet, and its lightness 
and shape make it a joy to wear. It has DSP technology for
crystal clear sound and an automatic volume control that keeps 
volume constant even when you move between quiet and noisy 
environments. It also has Voice Guidance features that tell you 
if you need to recharge it or if it becomes disconnected from your 
phone. You can even pair the Jabra EASYGO with two Bluetooth devices
simultaneously. Use it at work, on-foot or in the car. A quality
headset that sounds and looks great, the Jabra EASYGO makes it 
                              easy to talk on the move.