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Arlene.L
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Samsung Rugby Smart review
0431 days
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
Not every smartphone stakes its claim on speedy processors, huge gorgeous screens or slim and sexy physiques. Some take a relatively modest set of specs and add a little wrinkle to make them stand out from the crowd. The Samsung Rugby Smart is one such device. Though it adds Android to what we’ll now refer to as the Rugby Dumb, we can already tell you this handset isn’t for the spec snobs among you. But, if you’re more concerned with durability and tank-like construction, you might want to stick around a while. This AT&T-branded phone is built to mil-spec 810F standards, meaning it’s shockproof, dustproof and can be immersed in up to a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. If these are qualities you desire in a phone, meet us past the break to see how it stacks up against its competition.
iPad review (2012)
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What’s in a name? Or, more importantly, what’s in a digit? Would that which we call an iPad by any number less than 2 be less sweet? That’s the question Apple posed for us indirectly when it unveiled the new iPad and relegated its future slates (and, presumably, phones) to a numeral-free future. And that new slate? It’s much the same as the old one, with a slightly more chipper processor at its (quad) core and support for both Verizon and AT&T’s fancy new LTE networks.
But there’s one bigger change here, one that will ripple across the industry as each manufacturer struggles to keep up in this ever-accelerating market. That feature is the iPad’s new 2048 x 1536 Retina display. It’s the best display ever featured on a tablet, probably the best display ever on a mobile device, but is that enough to keep this tablet ahead of the pack? Believe it or not, the answer is yes.
The new iPad: are you buying one?
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Today is the day many have been patiently, or not so patiently, waiting for. The new iPad saunters onto shelves around much of the globe, and into the sweaty palms of the “gotta-have-its.” So, were you dazzled by that display? Or tempted by the LTE and new graphics chip? Maybe you’re upgrading, or treating the partner (by treating yourself)? Perhaps you were hoping for the rumored smaller device, or just gotta have something Android. Whatever camp you fall into we want to know about it, tell us via the poll below!
Wacom Intuos5 touch review
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It’s no secret Wacom has a firm grasp on what it takes to make great graphic input devices. Fresh off of its introduction of the Inkling last Fall, the outfit recently unveiled the latest member of its high-end pen tablet line, the Intous5 touch. Essentially, Wacom took what made the Intuos4 a great addition to any designer or illustrator’s workflow and refined it, with this latest iteration sporting a new rubber-coated shell. It also implements touch gestures — much like those on the fresh Bamboo models — which can be customized to speed up tasks you need to be complete on the regular, preferably without the aid of a mouse.
Sure, a new matte black suit and the ability to navigate Adobe Creative Suite without a pen seem impressive at first glance, but is the new model worth investing northward of $229? Are you better off sticking with the Intuos4 you splurged on a while back? Let’s see.
Panasonic Lumix GF5 accidentally leaked by Hong Kong spokesperson?
0431 days
by Arlene.L
in Digital Cameras
Frequent social networkers will tell you that Instagram’s usually plastered with food photos and self-portraits, so we were quite surprised to see a product leak over there. After some careful inspection, we’re pretty certain that the above picture shows a legit Panasonic Lumix GF5, which from this angle bears much resemblance to the GF3 bar the grip. To add credibility here, the uploader is none other than Hong Kong celebrity Angelababy who happens to be the brand ambassador for Panny (oopsie!). Unsurprisingly, the twee model has already removed the offending picture from her account, but the direct image link still works.
You may be wondering: shouldn’t this Micro Four Thirds camera be the GF4 after the current GF3? Well, much like Chinese superstition, Japan also prefers to steer clear of the number 4 as it sounds the same as “death” in Japanese. For instance: there was no Lumix LX4 before the LX5. As for specs, Chinese website Nphoto reported earlier this month that the GF5 will also feature a 12-megapixel sensor but with a better signal-to-noise ratio and topping at ISO 12800, while on the back it’ll have a much sharper LCD with 920k dots (instead of just 460k on the GF3). Judging by the looks of things it shouldn’t be long before we see Angelababy presenting this new camera for real — let’s just hope that she gets to keep her job.
Is your new iPad heating up?
0Apple’s latest hot ticket seems to be a tad too hot to hold, some users are reporting. New iPad owners on the Apple’s own support community complain that the slab’s lower left corner can get a little warm during extended use. Don’t get excited though, reports seem to vary by user — some are reporting that their tablet becomes too uncomfortable to hold while others say that it only gets “slightly warm” and that it’s “expected.” How’s your new iPad treating you? Click on through to the comments and let us know.
Nikon D4 hands-on with sample images, video
0449 days
by Arlene.L
in Digital Cameras
Remember when we were in a tizzy about the Nikon D4, way back in January? We got to play with this tank of a DSLR a bit, but sadly weren’t permitted to actually publish any of the photos or video that we shot with the thing. Sure, we’ve seen some samples of it in action, but it’s not quite the same. Thankfully, the company made our late-February that much better, allowing us to take the D4 on a jaunt around the city, a couple of weeks ahead of its mid-March launch. We strolled around Washington Square Park and 6th avenue, with the beast of a camera in-hand, shooting tourists and scenery, before popping by a subway station to have a go with the camera’s purported excellent low-light capabilities that we’ve been hearing so much about. Click on through to take a look at some sample video.
Sharp AQUOS SH-06D arrives from Japan, we go hands-on (video)
0449 days
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
Sharp’s AQUOS SH-06D will most probably never leave the Land of The Rising Sun. That doesn’t stop us, however, from lusting after its 4.5-inch. This 720p display also manages 3D, spread across a slinky 10mm frame that houses NTT DoCoMo’s recently launched NOTTV streaming broadcast system. The device arrives in pink, white and blue options — all provided with a matching dock and built-in aerial. Like several eastern phones with the ability to tune into live TV broadcasts, the AQUOS SH-06D has its own extendable antenna built into the side. The device, despite its largely plastic build felt solid in our hand, although the minuscule power and volume buttons proved difficult to manipulate at times. The screen technology is still a closely guarded secret, but it aims to bring both 3D functionality alongside a crisp HD display performance during two-dimensional antics. Viewing angles are great — a welcome trend we’ve seen on plenty of handsets at this year’s MWC — but the heavily customized Android 2.3 skin took away some of that sheen. Applications are stowed away into several drop-down menus that took some getting used to — regardless of any language barrier. Sharp hasn’t revealed any plans to join its Japanese competitors in the frenzied global smartphone market, but some import options wouldn’t go amiss. See why in our hands-on right after the break.
Wacom announces Intuos5 graphics tablets, we go hands-on! (video)
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It’s a couple of months since we spotted paperwork for a mysterious “PTK-450″ device at the FCC and now Wacom has finally revealed the gadget that goes with the label. The Intuos5 tablet is available to purchase immediately in Small (4 x 6 inches), Medium (6 x 
and Large (13 x sizes, priced at £200, £330 and £430 respectively. We’re still waiting on confirmation of US pricing, but it’ll no doubt be less than what a straight currency conversion suggests (i.e. somewhere below $320, $525 and $680). There’s actually a fourth variant to add to the trio, but it’s not an XL — Wacom is hoping to up-sell you to a Cintiq 21UX or Cintiq 24HD if you want something bigger. Instead, the fourth tablet is a version of the Medium that comes without touch sensitivity, bringing the price down to £270 if you’re able to live with pen-only input. Opting for this particular model will remove one of the biggest upgrades in this three-year product cycle: the ability of the Intuos5 to sense up to 16 finger-touches simultaneously, rather than just the nib of the pen. But there have been other revisions since the Intuos4 aside from touch, and you only have to read on to discover what those are.
PlayStation Vita launches in Japan, shifts 321,400 units in two days
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Kaz Hirai probably had a sleepless weekend as he and the team waited for the two-day sales figures for Sony’s PlayStation Vita. He can probably relax a little, knowing that 321,400 of the things were exchanged for cold, hard cash in the retail outlets of Japan. In comparison, Nintendo’s 3DS sold 50,000 more units but sales soon stalled — only to be rescued with a hefty price cut. Of course, now the company has to ensure that the performance issues that early-adopters have been facing are resolved — we’d hate to experience the same teething trouble when it arrives over here in February.