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iWork A complete office suite for creating and editing documents on your iPad. It is a combination of three separate apps: Pages, Numbers and Keynote, each of them including every possible advanced feature. It is the only application that automatically saves your changes. Also, you can export files as PDF, send as email, access files from iDesk, WebDAV etc and print your documents through wireless printers. The iWork works best in portrait mode but shrinks in landscape mode and also it does not offers you access from cloud storage such as Google Docs, Box.net etc. Bottom-line : iWork for iOS is a must-have application for professional iPad users. If you don’t want all three apps then you can pay for the one you think would be helpful and get smart office for editing other files.
Price: `1630 Specifications: Size 1094mb, iTunes, accessibility, read email attachment, insert image, auto spell correct, export as pdf. Pros: export as pdf, auto save, good interface, access to cloud storage, Cons: none Price: `540 Write to: [email protected] for more info. Specifications: 17.97mb size, 3D view, wireless print, drag and drop, export as pdf, insert images, email doc, cloud access. Pros: export as pdf, 3D view, wireless print Cons: cannot insert tables, no word count Piscel Smart Office 2 Write to: [email protected] for more info. It is the only office suite for Android which allows viewing documents in 3D. It supports export of documents as .pdf along with drag and drop contents in a document file. SmartOffice 2 allows you to send and receive your files through email and Bluetooth.You can easily access your files from Dropbox and Google Docs, edit and save them. There are 12 default templates available for creating any type of file. Apart from the basic text formatting it also allows you to color and highlight text, insert images, hyperlinks, auto-spell correct. However, it does not offer word count which is present in Documents To Go and Kingsoft Office. Bottom-line: One of the best office suites with advanced features such as wireless printing, pdf exporter, drag and drop facility, but lacks some common features in spread sheet. pcquest.com twitter.com/pcquest facebook.com/pcquest linkd.in/pcquest [email protected] DECEMBER 2012 PCQuest 95 Review BEST PRODUCTS OF 2012
Piscel Smart Office Smart Office from Piscel is the cheapest office suite available for iOS.The application is available at only Rs. 55. The office suite is capable of viewing, creating and editing MS Office documents, reading PDF files, accessing documents from cloud and sending files as email. It has the most advanced default templates for users to understand its usage and compatibility. Similar to iWork, QuickOffice and Office2 HD, this suite also offers basic text formatting, auto-spell check, and other text editing features. It is the only suite for iPad which offers drag and drop facility in a document. Bottom-line: The suite lacks in features as compared to iWork or Quick Office or Office2 HD. But if you don’t want to spend then this will best suite you.
Price: `55 Specifications: pdf viewer, send file as email, cloud accessibility, auto spell correct, wireless print, 19.4mb size Pros: cheapest office suite for iOS, auto spell check, pdf export, Cons: none Write to: [email protected] for more info.
Budget Tablets Zync Z990 Powered by 1.2 GHz processor with 1GB RAM and Android 4 ICS, Zync Z990 is an impressive 7 inch budget tablet with capacitive display and costs just Rs.8,990. It has Wi-Fi support and can work with 3G USB dongles as well via its USB 2.0 port. Also, it has a 3.5 mm audio jack, a mini HDMI out and mini USB. The VGA camera at the front provides decent quality images but make sure there is enough light when you are chatting. Weighing at 380gm, this tablet has a solid battery life. Google Play is there but we faced problems while installing applications, since there are not many applications compatible with ICS. Price: `8,990 Specifications: 1.2GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, 4gb storage, 1 yr warranty, Bottom-line: With 1 GB RAM and the latest Android OS this tablet is a 7 inch capacitive screen, 3600mAh battery, android 4.0 good choice for tablets under Rs 10,000. Pros: android 4.0, fast, HDMI, price Cons: no physical volume buttons Write to: [email protected] for more info.
Price: `6,990 Specifications: 1.2 GHz CPU, 512 MB RAM, 4 GB internal storage, 7-inch resistive touchscreen, 3600 mAh battery, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Pros: price, android 4.0, fast, Cons: resistive display Zync Z919 Write to: [email protected] for more info. The Z919 weighs 380 gms with good build quality which makes it easy for portable usage. The one glaring let down for the tablet is the fact that it still uses a 7-inch TFT resistive touchscreen which simply does not stand up to the capacitive- touch displays. Z919 also has 4 GB internal storage and 512 MB RAM. The tablet uses Android 2.3 Gingerbread which responds well to the capacitive display and the resistive touch may again prove to be a hindrance for the same. The tablet comes at an astonishing price but the outdated resistive display shows how the vendor had to compromise one one fronts to bolster another. Bottom-line: A well spec’d tablet that’s good overall except for the outdated resistive display.
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In collaboration with Pantel Tech, BSNL has launched the T-Pad WS802C at a price of about Rs 14,000. The tablet gets its power from 1 GHz Cortex-A8 processor and 512 MB DDR3 RAM. It comes preloaded with Android 4.0 Price: `14,699 Specifications: Cortex A8 1GHz processor, and is supported by 4 GB internal memory and lasts 6-7 Android 4.0 (ICS), 512MB DDR3 RAM, 4 GB hours after a full charge. The display is an 8-inch capacitive Internal Memory, 0.3Mp Front + 2.0 Mp touchscreen with a maximum resolution of 800x600p and Rear Camera, HDMI, 8” screen resolution of aspect ratio of 4:3, which makes for a good image & picture 800x600p, microSD card slot, USB port, SIM quality. Connectivity options include USB, 3G, Bluetooth, card slot. WiFi and HDMI. Front and Rear cameras of 0.3 MP and 2 Pros: Strong performance, plenty of connectivity, 3G, good display, built-in GPS MP are decent enough for video calling and clicking photos. Cons: Slightly heavy, battery Bottom-line:An excellent tablet with a judicious mix of performance Write to: [email protected] for and features. Incidentally, we’ve also reviewed the Penta T-Pad has a more info. cheaper version, costing just Rs. 4,999. We’ve reviewed that separately in a special feature on budget tablets carried elsewhere in this issue.
Milagrow TabTop 7.4 The TabTop 7.4 is a sturdy 7 inch tablet that runs on Android 4.0 and weighs around 360 gm. The display is different from other 7 inch tablets in its aspect ratio of 4:3. It supports dual-screen via the HDMI Price: `10,990 port. It supports video playback of 2160p and Specifications: Android 4.0, 1.2GHz, also external hard disks of up to 500GB. Touch 512MB RAM, 7 inch screen, 3G dongle, WiFi, HDMI, 1.3mp front camera, response on the screen is very smooth and you 4000mAh can zoom to greater levels. There are additional Pros: good performance, long lasting features like built in face detection and 55 battery, price, 3G different preloaded apps. Battery is 4000mAh Cons: WiFi connectivity issues which can last for more than 10 hours. Write to: [email protected] Bottom-line: An excellent tablet with loads of for more info. features. Also, one of the slimmer tablets with 55 preloaded apps.
Web Browsers Google Chrome 18 The new chrome has included some new features, such as Chrome Instant, Flash and PDF display. This makes it the only browser with built-in flash and so one doesn’t have to undergo the process of downloading flash player from adobe’s website and also updates them automatically when required. With the inclusion of PDF reader installing Adobe plugins for viewing specialized Web content won’t be Price: free Specifications: web browser, supports HTML 5, tab needed anymore. The new chrome will be liked for its fast browsing, due to hardware stacking, flash support, chrome instant, GPU supported, acceleration, security tools like sandboxing and malware warnings. It supports HTML bookmarks, private mode 5 and supports multiple tabs without slowing down and has customizable extensions. Pros: built-in flash, Chrome instant, PDF support, fast, Bottom-line: Featuring a minimalist design, chrome in its latest avatar is faster than performance, Cons: none before and is an out an-out winner in performance benchmarks. Write to: [email protected] for more info.
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Mozilla Firefox 11 Firefox 11 may not be as fast as chrome but is ready with hardware acceleration and supports syncing for tabs, history, Price: free passwords and also add-ons among multiple devices such as Specifications: web browser, smartphones and tablets, without bothering even once about supports HTML 5, the OS. It also allows importing of settings, cookies, history Pros: CSS style editor, syncing, hardware acceleration ready and bookmarks from Chrome, which was available only for Cons: no built-in flash, no instant Internet Explorer, Opera and Safari. This browser doesn’t page view, no PDF reader have features like built in Flash, PDF reader, and Instant page Write to: pcquest@cybermedia. view that loads pages instantly and are found in chrome. The co.in for more info. CSS Style Editor allows you to change CSS code and paves the way for more interactive designing of web pages. Bottom-line: Firefox 11 may not be as fast as chrome but in JavaScript performance, it is very good and is only second to Internet Explorer 9.
Compact Projectors Acer C110 Acer C110 is a compact DLP projector offering decent performance at a very attractive price of just 15k. Weighing 175gm, it measures 110x85x25mm and easily fits on your palm. It does not require a separate power adapter while projecting and draws power from the PC itself. It is very easy to setup, you just need to connect it via USB and the built in software runs automatically. The projector offers a native resolution of 854x480 at a contrast ratio 1000:1. It is good only for simple Price: `15,000, PPT presentations as the projection quality of both images and Specifications: Technology: DLP, Weight: 0.2 kg, Size (cm): 2x11x9, Graphic Mode: WVGA Native Resolution: 854 x 480, Contrast Ratio: 1000:01:00, Aspect Ratio: 16.09, Brightness: videos is not sharp and appears a little dull. 50 ANSI Lumens, Inputs: Memory Card, HDMI, USB, Display Size: 12 to 100 inches, Life: Bottom-line:At 15k, it is the cheapest mini projector and that is the 20000 hours, 2 Years warranty with 90 days on lamp, Power consumption: 8W USP of this otherwise ordinary projector. If budget is a constraint Pros: Price, very light, SD card slot, tripod ready, Cons: average performance and your requirement is limited to office presentations in small Write to: [email protected] for more info. rooms, it is a hotcake.
View Sonic PLED-W500 PLED-W500 scores well on quality and brightness, and can project a high-quality image of up to 48 inches. PLED-W500 is WiFi ready that allows projection directly from their smart phones, tablets or laptops. It has a VGA port, an HDMI port, along with composite video and S-Video ports. You can run files directly from an SD Card, USB drive, or via its in-built 1 GB memory. This projector has an LED lamp, which doesn’t require replacement as it has a longer life than DLP lamps and it claims Price: `61,000 Specifications: Type: LED based DLP, Weight: 1.2 kg, Size (cm): 4 x 21 x 16, Graphic an estimated life of 20,000 hours. The high-point of the projector Mode: WVGA is its 3D support, which works with DLP Link compatible 3D Native Resolution: 1280 x 800p, Contrast Ratio: 6000:1, Aspect Ratio: 16.10, glasses. It consumes 120W of power while working. Brightness: 500 ANSI Lumens, Inputs: Memory Card, HDM, USB, Display Size: 77 to 252 Bottom-line: This projector breaks the notion that all mini inches, Life: 20000 hours, 1080p full HD playback, Power consumption: 120W Pros: wireless, quality, 3D, HDMI, SD card, Cons: price projectors are economical. At 61k, it brings to users some unseen features like 3D and wireless support, justifying the price Write to: [email protected] for more info. which seems over-blown. A must have, if you can afford it.
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Ultra-books Price: `89,000 Specifications: Intel Core i7, 1.80GHz processor, MS Windows 7 Home Premium, RAM 4GB, SSD Asus Zenbook UX31 Drive 256GB, Display 13.3 at 1600x900, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, Equipped with 1.7GHz Intel Core i7 processor and 4GB of micro HDMI, mini VGA, USB 2.0, RAM, the device, like MacBook Air 13, has 256GB SSD. USB 3.0, 12.8x8.78x0.12 inches, It runs Windows 7 and in the PC mark test it scored Weight- 1.3kg an average at 4077, while in 3D mark it mustered a Pros: Excellent audio, stunning passable 3696. The battery is a real stunner as it Design, battery life, slim and light, lasted an impressive 6 hours in battery mark test. Ethernet Port Cons: no backlit keyboard Overall, it is a stunning ultra-book with brilliant sound quality, display and build. But, ports have been generously Write to: pcquest@cybermedia. endowed in it. Not only, it includes the regularly used USB 2.0 co.in for more info. port, headphone, microphone jack, built-in card reader, mini VGA, micro HDMI port, USB 3.0 but also includes an Ethernet port, a rarity in many ultra-books including Macbook Airs. Bottom-line: Zenbook is the one of the slimmest ultra-books after Macbook Air, making it an ultimate traveller’s choice. It has more ports than Macbook but comes at a similar price.
Price: `66,799 Acer Aspire S3 Specifications: Windows 7 Home Premium, Intel 2nd Gen Core i7, 4GB RAM, 320 GB HDD, 20 This is an ideal ultra-book with a blend of both SSD and HDD experience. Powered by GB SSD, 13.3inch display 1366 x 768p, Intel Intel Core-i7 processor and 4GB RAM, the latest Aspire S3 has been upgraded with HD Graphics 3000, 1.3 MP camera, wireless, the latest Ivybridge processor. It is ultra slim and Bluetooth, 2-in-1 Memory card reader, 2xUSB despite the metallic build, it is an ultra-light device 2.0, HDMI, Headphone/microphone combo jack, weighing just 1.3kg. It boasts of USB 3.0 ports Dimension- 12.7 x 8.6 x0.7 inch, Weight 1.35 Kg and an HDMI connector along with an audio jack Pros: ultra-light, performance, battery life, hybrid storage and multi card slot. Battery life is not the best but Cons: no Ethernet port almost touches 5 hours. In the performance tests Write to: [email protected] for more info. it is an impressive performer with scores of 9473 in PCMark and 3029 in 3D Mark. It boasts of 500GB HDD and 20GB SSD, which brings solidity in terms of storage and performance. Bottom-Line: It is a powerful device and cannot be classified in any one category. However, the build, compactness and long battery life makes it more at home with travellers.
Lenovo IdeaPad U300S Price: `67,990 Lenevo U300s is an ultra-slim notebook with an attractive metal design. The 13.3 Specifications: 1.60GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB inch screen has a native resolution of 1366x768p, which is lower than some of its RAM, 12GB SSD, Intel GMA HD 3000, Bluetooth 3.0, close competitors, such as Asus Zenbook and Macbook air. It has sturdy, well- Webcam 1.3mp, USB 3.0, 3years Warranty Pros: Light, Keyboard, fast boot time, one key spaced keys that respond to slightest touches and is assisted by a cool recovery option, Wi-Di technology, Cons: No backlit palm rest. The notebook has undersized keys keyboard, no SD/MMC card slot, low resolution and a few dislocated keys. Talking about the Write to: [email protected] for more info. connectivity, the device has HDMI and USB3.0 port, unlike Macbook Air, and has mic, headphone and USB2.0 port. It shows great performance with 3 hours 30 min of battery backup. The sound quality is also good for an ultra-book. Bottom-line: U300S is a stylish ultra-book with long battery life and a powerful performance at an attractive price, a perfect recipe for entrepreneurs and professionals. pcquest.com twitter.com/pcquest facebook.com/pcquest linkd.in/pcquest [email protected] DECEMBER 2012 PCQuest 99 Review BEST PRODUCTS OF 2012
Sony Viao VPSZ227 Price: `1, 59,000 The new Sony Viao ultra-book is priced on the higher Specifications: window7 professional, Intel core i7 processor side, Rs. 1.59 Lakhs, but the stunning performance with 2.8 GHz , 8GB DDR3 RAM, it gives, it is just worth every penny. It is a lightweight Intel HD graphics, TFT colour powerhouse when it comes to performance. In the PC display, extended battery connector, mark Vantage benchmark, it scored a whopping 14766 finger print sensor, HD camera 1.3 and 4898 in 3D Mark. The battery is also very solid with megapixels, Intel high definition 4hr 50min according to Battery mark benchmark. Looks audio with Dolby home theatre, weight 1.2 kg have been well taken care-off with numerous ports getting Pros: light weight, design, full priority, particularly the Ethernet port which is generally performance, battery not found on laptops. It is extremely lightweight with well laid- Cons: price out keyboard. It is basically a business laptop for those who Write to: pcquest@cybermedia. like to travel light and require heavy tasks and apps to run. co.in for more info. Bottom-Line:T his powerful ultra-book with good connectivity and impressive performance is a must have device, if you don’t mind paying 1.5lakhs. Samsung Series 5 Samsung’s latest Series 5 is not as slim as Zenbook or Macbook Air, but at 0.82 inches and 1.79kg, it is undoubtedly slim and light for a 14 inch ultra-book. Inside the slim form, it has plenty to offer, such as an optical drive, 1TB storage in your notebook with i5 processor, 6 GB RAM, a comfortable touchpad and keyboard. It also boasts of two USB 3.0 ports, 4-in-1 card reader, an optical drive, a VGA port and an excellent 14 inch display with Samsung’s super-bright screen. It showed a promising battery backup of up to 5 hours and an impressive performance. For 54k, you can’t get a better deal. Bottom-line:It’s a stunning notebook chiselled as an ultra-book with features that many ultra- books have said goodbye to, and at 54k, it is very much desirable.
Price: `54,000 Specifications: Intel Core i5 Processor 1.60GHz, 6 GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB SATA II Hard Drive (5400RPM), Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), 14 inch Super Bright 300NIT HD LED Display (1366 x 768), AMD Radeon HD7550M, 13x9x0.82inches, Weight 1.79Kg Pros: Slim and light, attractive price, optical drive, plenty of storage, numerous ports Cons: none Write to: [email protected] for more info.
Sony Vaio SVT11113 (T Series) Sony Vaio Tseries is powered by Intel’s 3rd gen processor. It features an 11.6-inch screen and a MacBook style keyboard with black chicklet keys. It is handsomely braced with several ports, and unlike many other ultra-books has both VGA and HDMI ports. It also features 2 USB ports, one of which is a USB 3.0 port, besides having a multi 3-in-1 card reader and a LAN port. It isn’t as thin as Aspire S3 or the Samsung Series 5 ultra-books, but with a 17.88 mm width it’s more like HP’s Folio 13 (18 mm width). In benchmarks it performed very well but in battery tests it only managed 2 hour 30 min. Bottom-line: A good performer but loses out on features to the Samsung Series 5 ultra-book.
Price: `49,000 Specifications:Intel Core i5 with 3rd Gen ivy bridge processor, 4 GB DDR RAM, 500GB HDD, Integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000, 1.6-inch WXGA (1366 x 768) LED backlight, 1xUSB 2.0, 1xUSB 3.0, 1.3 MP web cam, Ethernet LAN, HDMI, VGA and Memory Card Slot, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 297x17.8x214mm, 1.42 kg Pros: Good performance, sturdy build, light form-factor, price, useful ports, Cons: poor battery, small screen Write to: [email protected] for more info.
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MacAfee Internet Security 2012 In the EICAR test, it successfully removed all DOS and .txt fi les. While downloading the compressed fi les, it warned and suggested us to block the download. At the time of scanning, it completely removed the threat. McAfee was fast enough to scan the complete system in about 20 minutes and caught about 93% of the defects. It took another 4 minutes for uncovering the defects from the virus folder. It was able to block 46 malicious websites from opening up. The average CPU usage ratio (25-30%) was a bit higher as compared to that of Norton or Trend Micro Titanium. The memory consumption at 55% was almost on the same lines. Bottom-line:Good Performance with website security and 1 GB online backup, makes it a good option to go with.
Price: `930 Specifications: one year protection for a single PC, Anti-virus, anti- spyware, anti-malware, real-time safeguards, two-way firewall, parental control, PC tune-up and 1 GB online backup. Write to: pcquest@cybermedia. co.in for more info. pcquest.com twitter.com/pcquest facebook.com/pcquest linkd.in/pcquest [email protected] DECEMBER 2012 PCQuest 101 Review BEST PRODUCTS OF 2012
Laser MFDs Panasonic DP-MB300
Panasonic DP-MB300 is a monochrome printer, copier, fax machine and an ADF colour scanner. It can hold more than 500 sheets at once. The control panel along with the small display is placed on the front, right over the tray and cartridge box. DP-MB300 is a network device with USB 2.0 interface and is compatible with Mac OS 10.5, Windows XP, Vista and 7. The device impresses with crisp print quality and print speed of 32ppm at 2400x1200dpi. The scanner offers colour scans and at a scan resolution of 600x2400dpi, it allows scanned documents to be Price: `38,000 Specifications: LaserJet Printer, Copier, Scanner, Fax, Paper Capacity 500 sent to a networked PC or email from the device itself. The copier sheets; Automatic Document Feeder 50 sheets; Memory Size 64 MB; Print reproduces at 32ppm at 600x600 and can copy both sides of a Speed 32 ppm (A4) 2400x1200dpi; Copy Speed 32 ppm (A4) 600x600dpi; small ID or Business card onto a single sheet. Network, USB 3.0, Auto Dupleix; 533x459x478mm, 22kg Bottom-line:T his is a must have multi-faceted imaging device for Pros: Fast print/copy speed, output quality, auto-duplex, color scanner Cons: small display SMEs who want instant outputs at extremely high resolutions of up to 2400x1200dpi. Write to: [email protected] for more info.
HP LaserJet Pro M425 The HP LaserJet Pro 400 MFP M425 is very easy to install and ready to use. The printer is pretty fast with a printing speed of 31 ppm. It has the capability of automatic duplex printing and the best print resolution you get is Price: `47,000 1220 x 1200 dpi. Its copy speed is 31 cpm with Specifications: Print, Copy, Scan, Fax, first copy in 9 seconds. It has a unique app, which eprint, wireless direct printing, 256 MB, 800 MHz processor, input capacity: upto downloads files through the Internet for printing 800 sheets, output capacity: upto 150 straightaway without needing a PC or USB drive. It sheets, 31ppm, 3.5 inch touchscreen, comes with HP’s proprietary eprint facility and also 15kg facilitates wireless direct printing. The HP LaserJet Pros: speed, performance, duplex, auto Pro 400 MFP M425 also has the auto-on/off on/off, easy to use, touchscreen, HP technology, and the printer is turned on only when ePrint, WiFi, Cons: None needed. Write to: [email protected] for Bottom-line:HP M425 is a brisk performer and ideal more info. for SMEs with moderate printing requirements. Xerox WorkCentre 3220
This compact LaserJet is an all-in-one printer, copier, Price: `29,500 scanner and stand-alone fax with a 250 sheets paper Specifications: Print speed tray. The interface includes a control panel with buttons up to 26 ppm, First-page-out for fax, scan and copy along with number keys for fax time 13 sec, Maximum paper and menu panel. Xerox 3220 is a network printer with size: 8.5 x 14 inches, duplex, auto-duplex. It churns out 26 print-outs in a minute at 50-sheet automatic document feeder, Paper capacity: 250 1200x1200dpi with hardly any distortion in the text and sheets, expandable to 500 image quality. The first page print takes 13 seconds, while sheets, Print resolution: 1200 x in duplex the same command takes 20 seconds. The 1200, Maximum duty cycle up to scanned file can be sent via email or saved on a USB 50,000 pages per month drive. At a max resolution of 4800x4800dpi, it scans a file Pros: Fax, duplex, Ethernet, in 28 seconds. The copy speed is 28 cpm with first copy output quality, price Cons: none taking 9 seconds. A duplex copy takes 27 seconds. Write to: pcquest@cybermedia. Bottom-line: Xerox 3220 is offering everything that SMEs want, co.in for more info. including a smart price. If only the speed was a little better!
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HP 520 is a powerful AIO PC at an exaggerated price. It is powered by Intel’s Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, AMD Radeon HD6500 graphics and boasts of 1TB storage. It comes with a TV tuner card which means the PC can also be used as an analog TV. The wide 23-inch multi-touch screen response is decent and if you want an alternative to using a keyboard and mouse, you can bet your money on it. All this implies it is good for gaming, video playback and other productivity work. Its power consumption is a decent 60W as well. You can upgrade RAM and HDD in it. Bottom-Line:A truly feature-packed all-in-one with touchscreen capability, but comes at a staggeringly higher price.
Price: `74,000 Specifications: Windows Home Premium 64bit, Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 1TB HDD, AMD Radeon HD6500, 2xUSB 3.0, 4xUSB 2.0, Blu-ray drive/writer, 23 inch capacitive touchscreen display 1920x1080p, Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, TV Tuner, multi card reader, power consumption 60W. Pros: TV tuner, touchscreen ready, plenty of storage, powerful performance, rich connectivity. Cons: Price, no HDMI Write to: [email protected] for more info.
HP Omni220 HP Omni 220 PC has got elegant looks and an attractive design. The monitor is adjustable and sports an anti-glare 21.5” full HD LED backlit screen display with a max resolution of 1920x1080p. HP Omni 220 PC is powered by a 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 4 GB DDR3 RAM. It has 1 TB HDD, integrated webcam, speakers powered by Beats audio which is one of the best in its class. There is an AMD Radeon HD 6450A graphics card to enhance the visual effects. Its power consumption varies from 56 to 63 W from idle to multitasking environs. The overall performance of HP Omni 220 is at par with Apple’s iMac. HDD and RAM can be upgraded in it. Bottom-Line:This all-in-one provides excellent system & graphics performance, and if you can stretch your budget to Rs 60,000, then go for it.
Price: `60,000 (three years limited warranty) Specifications: Windows Home Basic 64bit, Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, 1 TB HDD, 4 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.0, DVD R/W drive, 21.5 inch LED backlit display 1920x1080p, Ethernet port, Wi-Fi, multi-card reader, power consumption 56-63W, weight 10.3 Kg. Pros: Storage, powerful performance, rich connectivity options, superb audio, Cons: Costly, no HDMI port Write to: [email protected] for more info.
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Best Gadgets of 2012 2012 is almost over, and this year we have witnessed lots of remarkable gadgets and consumer technology products that made it a great year for geeks. We have witnessed the new iPad and MacBook Pro with amazing Retina Display, Microsoft entered the tablet market, there are quite a few Windows 8 phones, and so on. Here is a roundup of all the cool stuff available
Smartphones: Samsung Galaxy S III: The Galaxy S III is one of the fastest and most advanced devices, powered with its very own Exynos Quad-Core processor. And packed with Quad-Core 1.4GHz Arm Cortex-A9 processor, 1GB RAM, it runs on Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. It comes with 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display which has 1280x720 pixels resolution, 8 MP primary camera with autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization features and 1.9 MP secondary camera for video calling and chat. The Samsung S III also has a slew of new features that make it more human-like than ever. There is S-Voice, which is a voice assistant app similar to iPhone’s Siri. Furthermore it has some interesting features like S-Beam, wireless charging, SmartStay, double tab scrolling, pop up play and many more. Presently the device comes in two storage variants: 16 and 32 GB and there is also a slot for a microSD card which allows the user to increase their memory to up to 64 GB. Price: Rs. 34900 (16GB), Rs 37900 (32GB). iPhone 5 Nokia Lumia 920: The latest version of the iPhone has Though the Nokia Lumia 920 isn’t a a larger screen, is thinner and lighter, groundbreaking, game-changing device; has improved camera, Maps in iOS it’s a refreshed Lumia 900 with a newer 6, better battery life and ear buds. operating system and some additional So Apple’s newest smartphone looks power. Nokia has produced a solid, pretty, but a host of cutting-edge well-built device which does the job you’d mobile tech is absent. It’s got a larger expect of a smartphone, without any lag. screen, a superb new design and You may put off with the size, weight generally all the moves required to and high price tag of the Lumia 920, but make it into a worthy evolution. Price: it manages to keep pace with other big Starts from Rs 45,500. hitters such as the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X+. Expected Price: Rs 32,000. HTC Windows Phone 8X As its name suggests, this is HTC’s first Samsung Galaxy Note II Windows Phone 8 handset - we’ll just call it The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 the HTC 8X from now on. On the surface, belongs to a whole new Windows Phone 8 is only a mildly tweaked category of smartphones version of Microsoft’s slick mobile operating which are known as system, but there have been quite a phablets.The Samsung Galaxy few changes underneath. The OS now Note 2 is a hybrid which features supports dual-core processors, such as a 5.5-inch super AMOLED HD HTC 8X’s 1.5 GHz dual-core Snapdragon display. It has a powerful quad S4, as well as high screen resolutions; core Exynos processor and the HTC 8X has a 720x1,280-pixel display. It’s will come in 16, 32 and 64 a slim and light phone, but doesn’t quite have the class GB variants, with support for a microSD card having capacity of of handsets such as the Nokia Lumia 800 and the new up to 64GB. The USP of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is the stylus Windows Phone 8-based Nokia Lumia 920. Expected which they call as the S-Pen. The Galaxy Note 2 has the Android Price: Rs 35,000 4.1 Jelly Bean. Price: Rs 39,990
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Budget Tablets: iBall Slide i9702 HCL ME: iBall launched a new The G1 is the latest model in 9.7 inch, Android 4.0 the highly successful ME series. running tablet called The HCL ME G1 is priced at Rs. iBall Slide i9702 in 14999, is a 3G enabled 9.7 inch India for Rs 14,999. It tablet, runs on the Android 4.0.4 is the first budget tablet Operating System on a 1.2 GHz Dual which comes with 9.7 Core Cortex A9 CPU, which lets the inch touchscreen IPS users to multitask and navigate easily panel display offering from one application to another. wider viewing angle compared to the normal screen.The tablet is powered with dual core processor at a clock speed of 1.5 GHz paired with 1GB of DDR3 RAM, G400 Mali graphic processor unit and runs on Huawei MediaPad Lite Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. Huawei MediaPad Lite is the company’s first low cost tablet to hit the Indian market at a retail Zen UltraTab A900 price of Rs 13,700. The Huawei Zen Mobiles has launched a new 9 MediaPad Lite sports a 7 inch Android running tablet – UltraTab inch capacitive touchscreen A900 in India which will be available display with multi-touch for Rs 7,999 across the country. Zen system at a resolution of Mobiles has partnered with HomeShop18 1024 X 600 pixels. It is for initial marketing and has planned to powered with Cortex A8 processor at 1.2 GHz clock speed, release the device later in open market. a 600 MHz graphic processor unit, 1 GB RAM and runs The Zen UltraTab A900 is powered with 1.5 on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system GHz processor paired with 512 MB of RAM (upgradable to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean). and runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system along with Ultra Tab Sense Mini Tabs: This year we saw a lot of small size tablets enter the market. Televisions: After the launch of iPad Mini, the 7 inch tab segment now has got some good options with the likes of the Nexus 7, the Kindle Fire HD and the Galaxy Tab LG Smart TV: 2 7.0. Here is a glance at the LG launched the world’s first major specs of the four tablets. 84-inch ultra HD 3D TV with iPad Mini: Starts at Rs 26,700 a great picture quality. Ultra (16GB, Wi-Fi) HD 3D TV, boasts a native Google Nexus 7: Rs 16,050 “ultra definition” (UD) screen (16GB) resolution of 3840 x 2160 to Kindle Fire HD: Rs 16,611 match its impressive size. (16GB), Rs 20,571 (32GB) The 84 inch Ultra HD 3D TV Galaxy Tab 2: Rs 17,999 range is available at a price (16/32GB, Wi-Fi + 3G) of approx Rs 17,00,000.
pcquest.com twitter.com/pcquest facebook.com/pcquest linkd.in/pcquest [email protected] DECEMBER 2012 PCQuest 105 Review BEST Gadgets OF 2012
Televisions: Micromax LED TV: Micromax has entered the competitive consumer electronics with the launch of a series of LED TVs, and home entertainment systems. Micromax’s LED TV range starts from 24-inches to 55-inches, and their prices vary from Rs 15,990 and go all the way up to Rs 1,29,990. The 50-inch and 55-inch models offer 3D capabilities.
Cameras: Nikon D600 Nikon India has announced the launch of the FX-format digital-SLR camera D600. The smallest and lightest Nikon FX-format D-SLR, the Nikon D600 boasts a CMOS image sensor with 24.3- million effective pixels and an EXPEED 3 image-processing engine that offers superior definition with a range of advanced features. The Nikon D600 is available in black colour at an MRP of Rs 1,35,950 body only and Rs 163,950 with 24-85mm VR lens kit. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100: The image quality on the RX100 is excellent, with Nikon COOLPIX S800c excellent all-round performance, images have A first of its kind Android- good detail, low noise and excellent exposure. The powered camera, featuring a camera has a wide range of features to improve 3.5-inch 819k dot OLED display results with a number of dynamic range enhancing with full touch support and modes as well as a built in multi-shot HDR mode. packs in a Wi-Fi chip as well. Price: Rs 34,990. Price: Rs 20,950
Games: Sleeping Dogs: Max Payne 3: Formerly known as True Crime: Hong Kong, Sleeping Dogs Max Payne 3 is the first game in the franchise to be developed takes you through the dangerous crime world of the Triad solely by Rockstar Games. It’s the perfect blend of hard- organization with undercover officer Wei Shen. Players can do boiled storytelling and cinematic action, the controls are tight, a variety of things like use weapons and martial arts as well the gameplay is fluid and the graphics are both inviting and as drive a variety of vehicles to bring down as many criminal immersive. Platforms available – Xbox 360, PS3, PC. fractions as possible. Platforms available: X360 360, PC, PS3 Price: Rs 2,499 approximately Price: Rs 2,799
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