Review: Canon 600D

                                 

The Canon 600D is the newest entry level DSLR from Canon, engineered for those looking to break into photography on a budget. The camera boasts many excellent features on paper, but we put the camera through its paces to see whether it can deliver on its claims.

In the Box
Canon 600D
Canon LP-E8 battery pack (same as the one in Canon 550D)
Canon LC-E8E charger
EOS Digital Solution CD
Standard USB Cable
Audio-Video out cable
Canon camera strap
Warranty cards and manuals
Build

Nikon J1 and V1 - Review

With Olympus, Sony and Panasonic having introduced their mirrorless cameras long ago, everyone wondered, when, and even if, the big two, Canon and Nikon would enter the space. After much speculation, Nikon has finally broken the silence with the V1 and J1, two mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are part of the new Nikon 1 sy

Sony RX100 review

This is a review of the best pocket camera ever made. The Sony RX100 has a huge one-inch sensor - the biggest ever stuffed into a pocketable zoom camera
But first, a history lesson.
For years camera makers worried about competition from only one source: other camera makers. But in the end, the most dangerous predator came from an unexpec

Samsung Galaxy Camera vs Nikon Coolpix S800C

"Android camera." Wow, that has a weird ring, doesn't it? You just don't think of a camera as having an operating system. It's like saying "Windows toaster" or "Unix jump rope."But yes, that's what it has come to. Ever since cellphone cameras got good enough for everyday snapshots, camera sales have been dropping. For millions of people, the ab

Acer launches 7-inch Iconia B1 tablet with Android 4.1 for Rs. 7,999

As expected, Acer has launched its Iconia B1 tablet with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean in India carrying a price tag of Rs. 7,999. The price, as well as the launch timeline, is in line with what we had reported earlier this month before the tablet's offici

BSNL Penta T-Pad WS802C review

It's a season of tablets and there seems to be a new budget tablet being launched every other day. However, even in the midst of all these tablets, BSNL's Penta T-Pad WS802C looks like an interesting option for a number of reasons. Most tablets that have launched in India so far are either 7-inch t

Micromax Funbook Pro review

Since the introduction of the original Funbook in the country, Micromax has unveiled quite a few tablets. While most of these are just variants of the 7-inch Funbook, the Micromax Funbook Pro is a large 10-inch tablet with different internals.Micromax is clearly targeting the b

Mobiles Internet Gaming Tablets Laptops/ PC Apps Social Home Ent. Telecom Cameras Others You are here:Gadgets Home Tablets News Sony Xperia Tablet Z may debut in Japan next week: Report

Just 2 days ago, we reported the existence of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z that surfaced online with detailed specs. Now the tablet's name has cropped up on one of NTT DoCoM

Microsoft Surface tablet review

I've been conditioned just like any other consumer to expect certain things from certain companies. When it comes to tablets, I expect Apple's to look and feel amazing, Google's to seamlessly blend online services such as Gmail and search, and Amazon's to have easy access to its online store.

So when Microsoft came out with its first tablet computer, the Surface, I wanted and expected a machine that is good for work. After all, its Windows operating system runs mos

Google Nexus 10 review

When I first turned on Google's new tablet computer, I immediately thought of it as a mere conduit to Google services.Besides giving you quick access to Gmail and YouTube, the Nexus 10 steers you to digital movies, books and other content available for sale through Google's online Play store.
Because of that, I wasn't thinking of the Nexus 10 as an alternative to Apple's general-purpose iPad - even with a price tag that's $100 cheaper, starting at $399. It took more thought and ti

HCL ME Y3 dual-SIM tablet retailing online for Rs. 11,999

After dual-SIM feature phones and smartphones, it looks like there will soon be a flurry of dual-SIM tablets in the Indian market. HCL seems to be foraying in this space with its HCL ME Y3 tablet. HCL ME Y3 features a 7-inch capacitive multi-touchscreen with a resolution of 1024x600 pixels. There is a 1GHz Cortex A9 processor on-board and it will run on Android 4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system.The HCL ME Y3 comes with 2-megapixel rear camera and a 0.3-megapixel one in the front. There is 1GB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. Connectivity options include, 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. One can make voice calls from bo

iDroid Bluetooth Gaming Controller

                   
The smartphone has ended up to be a pretty decent mobile gaming device in recent times, and it does not seem to show any sign of slowing down at all. In fact, it looks as though it is growing from strength to strength, and dedicated handheld consoles such as the PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS need to look behind their shoulders! Well, for those who love gaming in short bursts on their smartphones but have not really gotten used to full touchscreen controls even until now, here is a solution for you – o

Angry Birds Air Swimmer

                    
So just when you thought that you have managed to escape the shadow the of Angry Birds franchise, here we are with another “attack” of those feathered fiends, where it will tear out a £49.99 hole in your pocket, as though there were some Bad Piggies residing in there. The Angry Birds Air Swimmer will literally be transformed from its presence in smartphones, tablets and Smart TVs to the air, and you need

Star Wars R2-D2 Inflatable R/C

                   
The world’s – or should I say, the galaxy’s most beloved astromech droid, R2-D2, has just gotten yet another boost to its portfolio of devices and toys that will further enslave the minds and wallets of parents (and Star Wars fans) everywhere, coming in the form of the $59.99 Star Wars R2-D2 Inflatable R/C. Yes sir, can you say that this is the ultimate galactic accessory?
Since this is one R2-D2 that is inflatable, it is a good thing each purchase

Polaroid targets kids with a new tablet

                  
When you mention Polaroid, you know that this is one company that lives and breathes photography, even making it to popular culture such as songs (“Shake it like a Polaroid picture”, anyone?)

iPotty…the Name Says It All

                                  
Parents everywhere are turning to their iPad to assist in educating and entertaining children. Thousands of quality learning apps exist to help everything from speaking to writing. Games help little ones kill time – and improve skills in some cases. And of course the iPad mobility with movies and TV shows becomes a life saver in some situations…a babysitter as some would say. But one p

Ematic FunTab Family range unveiled

                   
I know, the dust of CES 2013 has already settled, and most folks are home square and free from the mad house that is known as Las Vegas, but there were tons of other devices that we have yet to cover, so I will try my level best to bring out what I think is still noteworthy to mention. Case in point, the Ematic FunTab Family range that comprises of a series of child-friendly tablets which will be made available in a quartet of different sizes and styles, where all of them share a single mission – to make sure your kids have a unique and safe online experience for education and entertainment purposes, and to be able to enjoy doing so without having them spoil your precious iPad. The Ematic FunTab Family range is the result of the creative minds at Ematic who worked hand in hand with the award-winning Zoodles Kid Mode.
You can safely say that the children’s tablets on the market is a maturing one at the moment, but the folks over at Ematic intend to offer parents a platform which creates a safe haven for kids to learn and play. The four tablets in the FunTab Family are the FunTab Pro, FunTab, FunTab XL and FunTab Mini, where all of them will run on the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, and will also feature games and other “specials” to keep your child busy for hours. Sounds like the ideal tool to have behind the car when you are off on a long road trip, no?
Some of the new features included on the tablets are Interactive Story Books and Art Studio, while the little photocopies of yourself can also use the Video Mail function in order to send video messages to grandparents and other relatives. Some of the more popular games of the day include Angry Birds, Where’s My Water?, and Cut the Rope among others, and it comes with a rubberized grip that is ideal for active children on the go.
The FunTab XL, FunTab Mini, FunTab and FunTab Pro will retail for $149.99, $59.99, $119.99 and $149.99, respectively.

iPhone Powered Personal Fan

                                   
So you are the living epitome for the phrase, “There’s an app for that”, and your iPhone proves it. Well, now that you have more or less conquered what the app universe has to offer, how about picking up the whole slew of accessories that are available to the entire iPhone family? Third party accessories manufacturers have had a field day with Apple’s iPhone success, and some of those have proved to be useful (especially the different camera attachments that produce some zany photo results), while others tend to lean more on the novelty side. With the $12.99 iPhone Powered Personal Fan, you know that this self-descriptive device gets the job done, especially during those sweltering summers.
Coming in a small, lightweight, and discreet form factor, it will not only run on your iPhone, it is compatible with all iPhones – yes sir, all the way back to the original 2007 rock from Steve Jobs, and also the iPod touch family. Relying on minimal power to run, you can be the ultimate “fanboy” or “fangirl”, pun intended. The blade itself is made out of flexible material, and is lightweight in construction, while its extremely quiet motor ought to keep you cool and comfortable without making a racket. Bear in mind that since this works with the 30-pin connector, it will not play nice with your iPhone 5.

iCharge All Portable Charger

                
So you own your fair share of iDevices from Apple, and sometimes, keeping track of all the different accessories for them can be quite a headache. Perhaps there is a way to consolidate some of those accessories that have a common denominator, and the charger is one possibility. It is along this train of thought that the iCharge All Portable Charger was birthed from, where you will no longer need to worry about ending up with a drained iPhone, as all you need to do is plug your iPhone into the iCharge All Portable Charger, and you can start chatting away again. Of course, there is the caveat that the iCharge All Portable Charger itself should be charged to the maximum before you begin on your travels, but that is a different can of worms that we shall not venture to.
The $39.99 iCharge All Portable Charger is capable of charging your iPhone more than once, and just in case you own an iPhone 5, there is always the Lighting to 30-pin adapter to help you out. The iCharge All Portable Charger will play nice with the iPhone 3G and above, and will also be compatible with a slew of iPods and iPads. No prizes for guessing just which iDevice would drain the iCharge All Portable Charger fastest. You can select between red or black colors for this 2.75” x 1.75” x 0.75” peripheral, where it will come with a USB cable, a handstrap and a built in lithium-ion battery which can be charged via USB to computer or a power adapter.

Blimp iPhone Fan

                         
For folks living in countries where there are four seasons, isn’t it great to know that the heat turns up only when summer arrives? As for others who live in tropical climates, or even worse, in the desert areas, then you have only two seasons – hot, and hotter. Which is why an iPhone accessory such as the $12.99 Blimp iPhone Fan is ideal for everyone, as you are bound to run into moments when the mercury shoots up and it gets unbearably hot, and that miserly boss of yours does not want to turn up the air conditioner’s speed while lowering the temperature, citing operational costs affecting the organization’s bottomline.
Fret not, the Blimp iPhone Fan is here to the rescue, where it will plug into the data port of your iPhone, iPad or iPod in order to deliver a nice gust of air that blows your way. Being tiny and compact, you are able to tote it with you just about anywhere you go, even when you are not going to use it. Turning on and off the Blimp iPhone Fan is a snap, all it requires is a single push of the button, and the fan operates on its internal battery, so you need not replace the battery when it is dead, as it draws juice to recharge from your iDevice. You should be able to coax half a dozen hours of use from the Blimp iPhone Fan on a full charge.

Boom Dock iSpeaker

                    
When it comes to docking stations for the iOS-powered range of devices, these are dime a dozen. In fact, dime a dozen does not really describe it best, it would be a gazillion iDocks hanging around on store shelves, looking pitifully at the masses who walk by each day, hoping that someone would rescue them from such a mediocre existence so that they can really show off to the listener just what kind of audio performance they are capable of. Well, the $25.99 Boom Dock iSpeaker does not need to rest on a store shelf, as you can always make an online purchase and have it delivered right to your doorstep. Apart from that, it also comes in a shape of a boom box, meaning you can relive those old school moments of your youth as you blast current tunes via a retro looking device.
As for old faithful, you might as well send it into retirement and perform an upgrade by picking up the (relatively lightweight) Boom Dock iSpeaker. It allows you to tote the boombox around without having to struggle much, and you also need not sacrifice your sense of musical style. Be mindful though, the Boom Dock iSpeaker will rely on power from your connected iDevice, meaning it has no batteries built in, but your iDevice will be sucked dry faster than normal. It will play nice with the iPod mini, classic and 3rd to 5th generations, iPod nano 1st to 5th generations, iPod touch, iPhone and iPad.

Phone Reminders on Your Wrist

                                    
Anyone paying attention to advancements in the world of using your watch as a helpful, connected device certainly look forward to 2013. Rumors of an Apple watch keep circulating. The long awaited launch of the Pebble was announced at CES. Health and fitness watch features flourished. And something called the Cookoo watch made some headlines. Some of you may look forward to checking texts and emails on a watch. Some can’t go to the gym without a ‘smart watch’. But some of us don’t need THAT much on our wrist. Rather than serving as another device on which to read or interact, I would prefer something that is sort of an extension of my phone features.
Cookoo proves to be a reminder device rather than a total communication device. Cookoo syncs via low energy Bluetooth 4.0 with newer iOS devices: iPhone 4S or 5, iPad Mini, iPad g3 or g4 and iPod touch g5. After loading the Cookoo app onto your gadget your watch will receive notifications from the phone. Your watch will remind you of incoming or missed calls, messages, calendar reminders and clock alarms. If out of range from your device Cookoo will remind you. If you can’t find your phone let your watch do it. When you are away from your phone you miss a beat. You can also use Cookoo to check in on Facebook or read messages, or even to remote trigger your device’s camera. And Cookoo does all this for $129.99. Choose from one of five band colors. And unlike some of the more active smart watches – you will get about a year out of the Cookoo. And if the watch is not what you need, Cookoo offers a $40 keyfob to provide some of the same alerts. Visit their website to learn more or get your reminders on your wrist.

iPad To Television Dock

                   
So you have got this great video that you have stored on your iPad, and want to share it with everyone else at the office or at home. The thing is, your iPad’s display is not really that large, and it would be inconvenient for some folks to view the video you play upside down, not to mention them not being able to drink in all the visual details that was carefully shot beforehand. Apple has yet to create an iPad with a built-in projector, so what would your next step be? This is where the $99.95 iPad To Television Dock comes in to save the day.
As its name suggests, the iPad To Television Dock is the ideal dock to play videos stored on an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch – all on a connected TV. The dock itself will hook up to a TV thanks to the included composite cable, making it ideal for sharing recently captured footage, be it a holiday football game or day of skiing on the Swiss Alps. Apart from that, the iPad To Television Dock also doubles up as a charger, since your connected Apple devices will be recharged along the way. It will play nice with the iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3G/3GS, and iPod touch just in case you are interested.

Let Your Phone Feel & Act Like a Camera

                                      
How many of you non-photographers out there even bother with a camera anymore? Smartphone photography is taking the world by storm. With faster speeds, more megapixels, better lenses and bigger capacity on our phones there remain few reasons to carry a camera. Yet becoming a professional photographer may not be totally possible with these handheld devices. Let’s face it, holding onto the delicate sides of your phone while trying to take quality photos does pose a challenge sometimes.
A funded Kickstarter project in the UK is launching a solution to help you enjoy smartphone photography while letting you literally ‘feel’ like you are using a camera. snappgrip, compatible with iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and Galaxy SIII, includes a case and camera controls.  Pop the case on your phone then slide in the snappgrip controller when the moment arises. Synced via Bluetooth, the controller enables you many of the conveniences of a camera. Press the shutter button to take a picture or press halfway to focus. Shoot in portrait, landscape or video mode zoom in and out and use flash. On the bottom you have micro-USB port for charging the controller and standard tripod too.  iOS and Android companion photo apps are available. Black/silver and silver/white/brown color options are available and snappgrip is anticipated to begin shipping in February. Pick one up for £29 on Kickstarter now or £69 once launched. And get that camera feel back into your photography.

Genius Gila gaming mouse

                        
One word in a particular language might mean an entirely different name in another, and I do wonder whether Genius of Taiwan did their research before they decided to christen their latest 12-Button professional gaming mouse as the flagship model for the GX Gaming Series as the Genius Gila. Basically, “Gila” means crazy, insane, or mad in the context of the Malay language, and I guess if you were to look at it positively, sometimes gamers refer to one another as having “mad skillz” which would mean they are extremely far up in the skill tree, which is meant to be a compliment. Ah well, what else do we know about the Genius Gila? Read on to find out!
The Genius Gila is a 2013 CES Innovations Award Honoree, and it is headed to the North American market, although I am quite sure that if you were to live outside of North America and want one, you can always import it. Touted to deliver unparalleled precision and comfort, the Genius GX Gaming Series Gila is also said to be the “ultimate configurable gaming mouse.” Not too sure if that holds true or not, as you would need to get used to the dozen buttons on the Gila which can be tweaked according to your preferences.
Features on the Genius Gila include on-the-fly DPI changes (200 to 8200), weights that cater to different people for the “feel” of the mouse, adjustable levels for the LED brightness, pulsation and color, in addition to programming your own macros for a personalized playing style.
FPS gamers will find the Gila’s “Sniper Mode” to be ideal, as it slows down mouse movements to a dpi of your choice as long as you hold down the assigned button. I guess this is more science than a reflex flick of the wrist, leading to less impressive shots compared to yesteryears. Who can forget those flick, fire and forget rail shots in Quake 3 that needed no sissy zoom? How about the original Half Life that saw the quick zoom in of the crossbow before letting a shot loose and zooming out to follow it up with a grenade from the machine gun? We skilled gamers didn’t need such tools, and it sure as heck impressed far more back then.
I guess things work differently now, and the Genius GX Gaming Series Gila can be yours for $99.99 if you are interested.

Cars That Keep Up on Technology

                                
Automaker presence at CES was huge this year. All the big players showed off the latest in technology having to do with cars. Wireless charging, cloud based services and even self-driving cars became highlights and are continuing to draw attention at the North American Auto Show in Detroit this week. Yet the dilemma with cars is how to keep the technology fresh. If you have a 10 year old car odds are high that much of the technology in it is out of date (like the cassette player in the 2002 I just sold!).
Ford and General Motors recently announced programs that may enable in-car technology to keep up with other technologies in our lives. Both auto behemoths kicked off programs that will open their technology designs to developers. Sort of a semi-open platform approach. Thought is that developers can help create applications to help use the assets the car has while keeping up with needs of the owner. Imagine being able to program radio button 1 to accept voice commands about which playlist to use from your synced smartphone. Or perhaps you can’t travel long without a pit stop. Maybe you should program the car to pull up the nearest restrooms when you utter the term ‘bathroom.’ It would all be possible, and totally dependent on what technologies – perhaps developed for phones or computers – may be popular. The key is the ability to change the use of the cars buttons and features as the technology changes. Gone would be the days of outdated features. You car could meet your technology needs and keep your eyes on the road. We shall see how Ford and GM decide to implement the program, but here’s to hoping that someday our cars meet our technology needs as much as our phones do now.

Samsung brings Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update to Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2 tablets

                  
When it comes to modern day devices, there is nothing quite like making sure it runs on the latest software update so that it will “purr” along nicely, and this is what Samsung intends to do with their latest release of the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update to two of their tablets which was introduced not too long ago – the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 as well as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. The thing is, only Wi-Fi versions of these models will be able to enjoy the Jelly Bean update, so owners of the cellular versions will have to play the patience card and wait.
As some of us might already know, the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean update will bring with it a suite of performance improvements, in addition to the introduction of Premium Suite that had made the Galaxy Note 2 all the more productive. Premium Suite will boast a collection of new features which will further upgrade multi-tasking and productivity, all the time enhancing personalization and offering new levels of creativity. Users are then able to enjoy improved S Pen support in addition to the ability to easily open and resize multiple apps, letting one view them from across the screen, layered on top of each other.
There are also other features which have been introduced so that the capabilities of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 will be boosted, including the Multi Window feature which enables users to experience a dual view, running two apps side-by-side on the screen. Cascade View, on the other hand, lets users freely resize, move and pin selected applications in multiple views, making sure they can run simultaneously or while operating the home-screen. This will definitely resonate with folks who are so used to working on a PC, and watch the productivity bar spike!
Unfortunately, there is still no word on when the cellular models of the Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2 will be updated. Hopefully it is sooner rather than later.