Sony Launches 5 New W-Series Cyber-shots

Sony’s Cyber-shot W-Series has gained a new look for 2008, with five new cameras that team HD image quality with easy-to-use features. Available in a choice of colors, the new W-Series boasts clean lines and contemporary looks. Inside the all-aluminum case, all five models come with the latest Sony technology.

The range is topped by the 10.1 megapixel Cyber-shot W170 that sports an extra-large, bright 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD. There’s also a Carl Zeiss wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom. Thanks to its minimum focal length of 28mm (35mm equivalent), zooming out to wide angle lets you squeeze in more of landscapes and group photos without cropping the subject.

The W170 now features Intelligent Scene Recognition that takes the guesswork out of selecting the right camera settings in a range of common shooting situations. In Advanced mode, the camera takes two shots – one with standard automatic settings and the other with optimized settings – allowing you to pick your favorite. Other key features include Smile Shutter, Face Detection and Super Steady Shot optical image stabilization for clearer low-light shooting.

With a resolution of 8.1 effective megapixels, the W150 has the same 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD as the flagship W170. It also features a 5x zoom Carl Zeiss wide-angle lens, plus Smile Shutter, Face Detection, Super Steady Shot, and Intelligent Scene Recognition.

The W130 also boasts 8.1 effective megapixel resolution, along with Smile Shutter, Face Detection, Super SteadyShot and a 4x Carl Zeiss optical zoom lens. The W120 shares similar specifications but with a resolution of 7.2 effective megapixels.

The entry-level W110 offers 7.2 effective megapixel resolution plus 4x optical zoom, Smile Shutter and Face Detection.

The W120 will be available for about $200 in pink, blue, black and silver in March 2008. The W130 will be offered in pink, black and silver for about $230 the same month. The W150 model will hit retail in sophisticated champagne, red, black and silver for about $250 in April. The DSC-W170 model will also be available around the same time in the same colors for about $300.

Sony Introduces Cyber-shot T300

Sony has launched the 10.1 megapixel Cyber-shot T300. This digicam boasts the Sony Bionz image processing engine that improves the speed and accuracy of autofocus, exposure control, white balance, color adjustment and other functions. It also boosts sensitivity to a maximum ISO 3200 for successful low-noise shots without flash indoors or in dim lighting conditions.

Improved Face Detection technology can now distinguish automatically between children and adults, adjusting exposure, skin tone and red-eye reduction for great portraits with quick subject tracking.

For even more fun when you’re shooting, Smile Shutter waits until the subject smiles before automatically firing the shutter. It’s great for capturing relaxed portraits of young children who won’t always smile on demand. Used in conjunction with Face Detection, it can be primed to fire the shutter when either a child or adult smiles.

In a Cyber-shot first, the T300 now features Intelligent Scene Recognition that takes the guesswork out of selecting the right camera settings in a range of common shooting situations. In Advanced mode, the camera takes two shots – one with standard automatic settings and the other with optimized settings – so you can pick your favorite.

Other features include the large, widescreen 3.5-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus touchscreen. There’s also a high quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with a powerful 5x zoom range that brings distant subjects closer.

The DSC-T300 camera replaces the DSC-T200 model, and is expected to be available in March. It will ship in red, black and silver finishes, and retail for about $400.

IIT Techfest 2008: Geekiness Galore

So Techfest 2008 came, rocked, and went. If you had any geekiness in you, here's where you should have let it loose. We experienced firsthand what it feels like to see what geeks are made of. It true Tech2 fashion, we bring you some glimpses of the technology festival.

We went around checking out some of the cool competitions, spoke to some participants, and even grilled some of them.

Students of GCET

Wings, an RC (remote controlled) glider competition, happened to attract quite a lot of curiosity. The rules were simple – build your own plane, then show if it can fly, or glide rather. Interestingly, we learnt 55 (out of 150) participants tried to smuggle ready-made RC planes without any luck.

Lazy Bird

We spoke to some of the guys who made it through the eliminations (none from Mumbai though), and trust me, some serious planning was involved. Some, like the boys from GCET (G.H. Patel College of Engineering and Technology), Gujarat, managed to complete the plane in three days, some like the duo behind the set of wings that came first called "Lazy Bird", underwent months of sleepless nights.

According to Chintan Modi and Gaurang, M.Tech students from NITK, Surathkal in Karnataka, they used Gyros to tackle gusty wind that made the plane to maintain a length of flight of 25.4 seconds. Cool, huh? Well, there is something cooler than this.

Vishan Popat, a 13-year-old student of Navrachana school, Baroda, happened to be the youngest participant in Wings. Apart from building a plane, he also managed to put together a contraption he called the "Solar Updraft Tower". Snobbish, huh? Not really! It's a small plant that can make electricity, capable of making 0.5W/M2 of it, as part of another competition called "My Innovision".

Prison Break

And if you are wondering, yes, we also caught some cool robotics action in a competition called Prison Break. It's a bit strange to find a whole lot of people building machines that can propel themselves out of the prison box. But the gadgetry involved made us happy, so there!

Tech2 Gaming Zone

Maybe you should have junked that PS3 controller and come down to IIT. And hey, they had a Gaming Lounge too, with loads of games, multiplayer etc. Naturally, the Tech2 zone provided some live action on the PS3 and the Wii.

EA expects PS3 to outsell 360 in 2008

Wii to dominate console sales with Sony's flagship console cementing second place

Electronic Arts has released estimates of what it thinks will be the range of hardware sales in North America and Europe through 2008, and while the Wii unsurprisingly leads, it's the PlayStation 3 that will hold a strong second place.

That will, according to the estimates, be particularly true in Europe, where EA expects the PlayStation 3 to sell between 5 and 6 million units across the year, compared to just 1.5-2.5 million for the Xbox 360.

That means that while the company thinks the two will tie in North America on 4.5 to 5.5 million unit sales, the two sets of numbers combined give Sony's flagship console a compelling 3.5 million lead.

The report predicts the Nintendo Wii will win the year, with a combined total of between 12 and 14 million units sold, while the PlayStation 2 will continue on its long tail drop-off, shifting between 3.9 and 4.9 million units.

That yields a total home console sales estimate for the two regions of between 31.4 and 38.4 million units.

The report also gives estimates for the year's handheld sales as well, noting the company's belief that it expects the Nintendo DS to outsell the PlayStation Portable by over 2-to-1.

According to the numbers the DS should shift between 14 and 16 million units, while the PSP will sell around 6 to 8 million units, giving a combined handheld total for the year of between 20 and 24 million.

Combined console estimates for 2008 are as follows:

Nintendo Wii: 12-14 million
PlayStation 3: 9.5-11.5 million
Xbox 360: 6-8 million
PlayStation 2: 3.9-4.9 million

Combined handheld estimates for 2008 are as follows:

Nintendo DS: 14-16 million
PlayStation Portable: 6-8 million

WD Launches 320GB Passport Essential Drive

WD has introduced its new My Passport Essential Portable USB Drives. These new drives are redesigned to complement WD's popular My Book family of external drives and seek to introduce a sleek new form that feels good in hand and fits neatly in a pocket or purse.

The drives feature a glossy black finish and come with 320GB of space. Apart from just looking good, they have been equipped with WD’s Sync software, which allows consumers to take desktop content with them by simplifying the synchronization of essential personal files and Microsoft Outlook data on a PC.

"The newly designed My Passport Essential drives are the perfect travel-friendly storage device to hold the rich media content generated by higher resolution photos and HD videos and music," said Jim Welsh, vice president and general manager of WD's branded products group. "The desire to carry and keep digital files close at hand continues to grow, and this new drive offers a sleek and stylish solution with plenty of storage capacity for consumers on the move."

WD's My Passport Essential USB Drives are available now at select retail stores and from WD's online store. The price of the WD Passport Essential USB Drive 320GB is $199.99 (MSRP).

Sneak Peek at Windows Mobile 6.1

ou might have heard about Windows Mobile 7; and even seen some screenshots that were leaked a while ago. But let’s face it, it may well be a long time coming. In the meantime let's look at something a little more realistic – such as Windows 6.1. And Gizmodo, through the Portuguese tech forum PocketPT, seems to have some new information on what the next step might look like.

Image Source: PocketPT

One new feature is a Zoom function that will allow users to view an entire web page on the display screen. This could be useful for navigation to specific articles or portions on the page that may interest a user. Another feature will indicate how much space is consumed by applications. The latest version is expected to be able to load DOCX and SLSX formats. A new advanced 'Note' feature should allow users to draw and add voice recordings to each note.

Hopefully we’ll learn more at Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress this year. Stay Tuned.

Bose Introduces New Lifestyle HT Systems

Bose has jumped on to the upscaling bandwagon. The mega audio corporation has just expanded its Lifestyle product line with the introduction of the V30 and V20 home theater systems. According to the press release, the two systems "provide high-quality audio and video from almost all entertainment sources available in the market, including those with HDMI."

The Lifestyle V-Class systems integrate easily with HD televisions and components such as DVD players, cable/satellite boxes, DVRs, MP3 players, and gaming consoles. Each system delivers 5.1 surround sound with the help of five small speaker arrays, a receiver ('media console'), and a subwoofer ('Acoustimass module').

All audio and video sources connect to the media console, which can be hidden away in a cabinet or closet. The included RF remote can control connected sources, and what's more, it's a learning remote.

The Lifestyle V30 includes five award-winning Jewel Cube speaker arrays, which deliver performance rivaling many larger speakers. The V20 system includes five Direct/Reflecting cube speaker arrays. Each system features a horizontal center channel speaker array, which helps to provide clear, focused dialog and balanced surround sound.

Both systems include the proprietary ADAPTiQ audio calibration system, which analyzes and automatically adjusts the system’s sound to the room, speaker location, furniture placement, and listener location. Bose Link, an expansion feature, can extend the music benefits of each system to 14 additional rooms.

The V30 and V20 systems are available in black or white. The V30 will sell at Rs 1,91,138, and the V20 will cost Rs 1,29,263. They will be available in Bose stores and from the company website, starting today

A Gaming PC for Under Rs 55,000

This quarter is shaping up to be a great one for PC gaming. Finally there are some great single-player titles getting released on what is fast becoming a fading platform. Every single great game seems to have headed over to the consoles.

Thankfully, with recent launches like BioShock and upcoming titles like Jericho, MOH 4, and the big one Crysis, it’s the perfect time to upgrade your aging rig for a more powerful performer.

Of course, an upgrade can mean different things for different users, depending on their purse strings and what they define as acceptable. Another thing to note is the wide disparity in prices across various towns and cities. Keeping these factors in mind, we think the perfect mid-level gaming rig can be yours for Rs 55,000.

Please bear in mind that the amounts we have quoted in this feature are based on Mumbai prices. They have been taken from a wide variety of dealers and are currently prevailing street prices. These are 'non-bargained' prices, so your persuasive sweet-talk could perhaps save you some more cash. So, here we go...

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6550

The recently introduced Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 is a second generation product that's had its FSB bumped to 1333 MHz from the previous FSB of 1066. Priced at Rs 7100, this is the best VFM processor available right now. It has a clock speed of 2.33 GHz and a 4 MB L2 cache.

Motherboard: XFX 650i Ultra

Over the last couple of years, XFX has developed a very good reputation for its graphic cards and its exceptional after sales service. The company recently branched off into motherboards, with the introduction of Nvidia's 680 and 650 chipsets.

As its name suggests, the board we've chosen is based on the 650i Ultra chipset which has native support for the 1333 MHz FSB. The board lacks onboard graphics, but does offer a single PCIe 16x slot, 1 PCIe x1 slot, 8 USB slots, 3 PCI slots, and 4 SATA 2 (3.0 GB) slots. It is readily available at a cost of Rs 5,250.

RAM: Kingston DDR2 667 RAM 2x1GB

RAM prices have recently gone into freefall mode. This is good news for consumers, as it is now possible to buy two sticks of 1 GB very cheaply. This gives your PC a large performance boost, thanks to dual-channel support on motherboards. The perfect brand to go with is Kingston. It offers a five-year warranty and costs Rs 2,500 (1250x2), making it an ideal choice for our rig.

Graphics: XFX 8600 GTS

The XFX 8600 GTS is based on the G80 series of chipsets, which is DX-10 compatible, offers 256 MB of RAM, runs on GDDR3 RAM with a memory clock of 2.26 GHz and a clock rate of 730 MHz. At its price point of Rs 11,500, it's an incredible performer.

We currently have this GPU with us in the lab and are thoroughly satisfied with its performance. We plan to carry a single review along with an ATI vs Nvidia shootout, so you'll see just why we are recommending this card. It's that darned good.

Sound (onboard): HDA Azalia 8 Channel High Definition Audio
Onboard sound has come a long way in recent years. Today's onboard chips are multi-channel capable, and can easily compete with lower-end sound cards like Creative's Audigy 2 ZS. The XFX offers an 8 channel chipset with great audio output for excellent music, video, and gaming experiences.

LAN: Intel Gigabit Ethernet Controller 10/100/1000
This standard Intel Gigabit onboard 10/100/1000 LAN gives a maximum transfer speed of 1000 Mbps. It is fast enough to take care of your broadband internet (most have a connection speed of 256 Kbps or 512 Kbps). Though Gigabit LAN is already present, most home networks are only capable of handling 100 Mbps speeds. Hence, you have the right firepower in Intel's 10/100/1000 LAN.

HDD: Seagate SATA II HDD 250 GB

The cost of hard drives has dropped drastically as well in recent times. Units currently available offer an excellent price advantage if you compare the cost of the drive with its storage capacity. We had to decide between Seagate and Western Digital, and chose to go with the former due to the five-year warranty it offers. The 250 GB is built on the SATA II platform and offers more than adequate storage for all your needs. At under Rs 3,000, the drive is a great bargain.

Optical Drive: Lite-On LH-20A1P

The market for ODDs has become total VFM now. Prices of blanks have dropped to an all-time low. This is one segment where a single company’s lead has remained unchallenged for quite a few years. The brand is Liteon, whose products have come to define and set the standards for others to follow.

Monitor: Viewsonic VG1930WM

Viewsonic is a brand that really needs no introduction. The VG1930WM we have chosen here is a budget 19-inch widescreen monitor with a native resolution of 1440x900, a response time of 5 ms and a contrast ratio of 700:1. One thing that sets it apart from others is the fact that it has native support for DVI-D, which gives much sharper images and allows for richer color rendition.

Keyboard & Mouse: Microsoft Comfort Keyboard 2000 and Microsoft Comfort Optical Mouse 1000
Trying to fit in a dedicated gaming keyboard/mouse combination in our modest budget is quite a tall order. We considered various options and chose this combination as it offers nice ergonomics and a surprisingly good gaming experience. However, if your budget allows it, we recommend that you look at either Razer's products or one of the Logitech combos.

Cabinet: Cooler Master Elite 330 / Cooler Master Extreme Power 600 W

The ideal cabinet for our beast comes from Cooler Master or CM as it’s popularly known. CM offers some of the best PC cabinets and PSUs (Power Supply Units). We chose a mid-size tower with seven expansion slots, two USB ports, and five 3.5 inch bays.

This cabinet ensures adequate cooling via a provided 120mm fan and a front side 120mm fan mount. But it doesn't come with a power supply, so we went in for the Cooler Master Extreme Power 600 W. This provides 600 W of power at 70% efficiency, and comes with full support for the newest Intel standard (ATX V2.01 12W).

Speakers: Altec Lansing ATP3
Altec Lansing makes some great PC speakers that offer an excellent experience for games and movies. The ATP3 2.1 speaker system fits well into our budget, offering above average performance and some features usually found in products twice as expensive. The subwoofer packs a punch and is capable of outputting 18 watts RMS. The speakers are equally well-powered and manages 12 watts RMS.

Specification Table

Components	Model	Price (Rupees)
Processor	Intel Core 2 Duo E6550	7,100
Motherboard	XFX 650i Ultra	5,250
RAM	Kingston DDR 2 667 2x1 GB	2,500 (Rs. 1,250 each)
Sound	Onboard	NA
LAN	Onboard, Intel 10/100/1000	NA
Graphics	XFX 8600 GTS 256 Mb	11,000
Optical Drive	Lite-On LH-20A1P	1,625
Hard Disk	Seagate SATA II HDD 250 GB	2,850
Monitor	Viewsonic VG1930WM	10,500
Keyboard/Mouse	Microsoft Comfort Keyboard 2000 and Microsoft Comfort Optical Mouse 1000:	2,000
Case	Coolermaster Elite 330 with Cooler Master Extreme Power 600 W	8000
Speakers	Altec-Lansing ATP3	2,100
	Total	52,925

What we have built here is a strong starting base for an ideal mid-level gaming machine. With a few more judicious upgrades, you will be able to build a really powerful gaming machine that can easily resist obsolescence for a few years. We plan to keep building and adding features to this machine, over the next few months as this will remain a constant WIP feature.

A Multimedia PC Under Rs 35,000

Consumers have never had it so good! Since the last time we did this roundup, there have been quite a few changes. The prices for CPUs, GPUs and RAM have all dropped drastically, leading to the availability of some very good products in this price bracket. This is naturally a good thing, as it allows you to build a PC now, which till even a few months ago would have cost at least Rs 55,000.

Please note that in some instances prices and specs have remained unchanged from previous articles. In such cases we haven't changed the relevant text, but carried it forward.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6550

The CPU space is now completely dominated by Intel. Within a price bracket of Rs 6,500 to Rs 11,500 there are 3-4 main offerings and very little to chose between them. This includes both the 65nm 1333 MHz processors (E6550 and E6750) and the new 45nm 'Wolfdale' E8200.

Our first choice was the E8200 which is already available and offers a significant upgrade. However, we ran into a problem – its price is around Rs 8,250. Our strict budget of Rs 35,000 meant we had to rule out this processor. Our next bet was the E6750, which is sadly priced in the same bracket as well. This led us further down the ladder to the E6550, which at Rs 6,950 fit perfectly in our budget.

The E6550, while not being quite in the same class as the E6750/E8200, is a powerful processor in its own right. It runs at a clock speed of 2.33 GHz, sports a 4 MB L2 cache, and is designed to run at 1333 FSB speed. It offers great VFM and is therefore a natural choice. (We're on a budget, hence the compromise. If you can stretch your wallet a little further, simply go for the E8200.)

Motherboard: Abit IP35-E

Abit as a firm needs no introduction. Having been one of the premier OC board makers for a decade now, their products are very reliable and can withstand a lot more stress. The IP35-E is based on the Intel P35 series of chipsets and offers native support for the 1333 MHz FSB. The board lacks onboard graphics, but does offer a single PCIe 16x slot, 2 PCIe x1 slot, 8 USB slots, 3 PCI slots, and 4 SATA 2 (3.0 GB) slots.

RAM: Kingston DDR2 800 MHz (2 sticks of 1 GB RAM Each)

RAM prices have been going further south and it's time to take advantage of this. At least 2 GB of system memory is absolutely vital nowadays with the increased size and requirements of software. Kingston really needs no introduction. The company has been making quality RAM sticks for a long time. Now available with a 5-year warranty, it’s the perfect product for our machine.

Graphics: XFX 8600 GT

This is another section that finds an upgrade. The 8500 GT gives way to the 8600 GT, which is a better card in every respect. The 8600 GT is clocked at a core clock speed of 540 MHz, has 256 MB of VRAM running on GDDR3, and a memory clock speed of 1.4 Ghz. These specs offer a vastly improved gaming experience. For a full specification chart, check out this link.

Sound (onboard): Realtek ALC888
Onboard sound has come a long way in recent years. Today's onboard chips are multi-channel capable, and can easily compete with lower-end sound cards like Creative's Audigy 2 ZS. The XFX offers an 8 channel chipset with great audio output for excellent music, video, and gaming experiences.

LAN: Onboard 10/100/1000
This is the standard Gigabit onboard 10/100/1000 LAN that gives a maximum transfer speed of 1000 Mbps. It's fast enough to take care of your broadband Internet – most users have a connection speed of 256 kbps or 512 kbps.

HDD: Seagate SATA II HDD 250 GB

The cost of hard drives has dropped drastically in recent times. We had a choice between Seagate and Western Digital, and chose to go with the former due to the five-year warranty it offers. The 250 GB is built on the SATA II platform and offers more than adequate storage for all your needs.

Optical Drive: Lite-On LH-20A1P

The market for ODDs has become totally VFM, with prices of blanks dropping to an all-time low. This is one segment where a single company’s lead has remained unchallenged for quite a while now. The brand is Liteon, whose products have come to define and set the standards for others to follow.

The LH20A1P is Liteon's first 20x DVD-RAM drive. It supports 20x for DVD±R, 8x for DVD±R DL, 8x for DVD+RW, 6x for DVD-RW, 12x for DVD-RAM and 48x for CD-R.

Monitor: Viewsonic VA1703WB

This is a 17-inch widescreen monitor that has a native resolution of 1440x900, offers an excellent response time of 8ms, and has a great 500:1 contrast ratio. It is among the cheapest widescreens available and is ideal for our machine.

Keyboard & Mouse: Microsoft Standard Desktop/Keyboard Mouse Set

Microsoft makes some great computer hardware combos, and this set offers a very comfortable working experience. Now available in a wireless edition, it's the perfect solution.

Cabinet: I-Ball i648 ATX cabinet with integrated 400 Watt PSU

This I-Ball cabinet comes with a 400W PSU and is reasonably priced.

Speakers: Creative SBS 370

This has been our favorite for a long time. The best part — it comes with a woofer to give you that thumping bass and offers good sound quality for the price. The satellites are powered at 5 watts RMS each and the subwoofer is powered at 11 watts RMS. However if your budget permits, we suggest you look at the Altec ATP 3 set which is a better 2.1 set and offers significantly more VFM.

Specification Table

Component	Model	Price (Rs)
Processor	Intel C2D E6550	6,950
Motherboard	Abit IP35-E	5,350
RAM	Kingston DDR2 800 MHz (2 GB)	2,200
Sound	Realtek ALC888	N/A
LAN	Onboard, 10/100/1000	N/A
Graphics	XFX 8600 GT 256 MB RAM	5,150
Optical Drive	Lite-On LH-20A1P	1,300
Hard Disk	Western Digital SATA II 250 GB	2,825
Monitor	Viewsonic VA1703WB	8,050
Keyboard/Mouse	Microsoft Standard Desktop Set	695
Case	I-Ball i648 (400W PSU)	1,350
Speakers	Creative SBS 370	1,120
	Total	34,990

Nvidia to Acquire Ageia

In a move that comes as a bit of a surprise, visual computing technology major Nvidia has decided to acquire PhysX card maker Ageia. PhysX cards (or PPUs as their called) serve the purpose of extending realism by allowing games to simultaneously handle hundreds of 'physics' instructions.

The popularity of these cards can be gauged by the fact that all current-generation consoles (including Xbox360, PS3, and Wii) accommodate this chip. Furthermore, they are sold as standalone cards for the PC and there are over 150 titles that are available that can utilize this technology.

While on paper this move sounds good, it raises a few interesting questions. First off, how quickly will Nvidia integrate PhysX technology on to its own chipsets? Ageia has already licensed out its Physx technology to a lot of game-makers. Post-acquisition, will Nvidia become a 'middleware' provider? How will it affect its current standing with game developers? Only time can tell.

AMD Launches Hardcore Mobile Processor

If Nvidia thought it would be alone in delivering hardcore handheld devices with high-tech hardware, it will seriously have to reconsider. AMD has also announced an expanded portfolio of products and technologies to enable popular, media-rich applications such as mobile TV, 3D games and high-fi audio, delivering immersive entertainment to tomorrow’s mobile phones and handheld devices. All this was showcased at this year's GSMA 2008 World Mobile Congress.

AMD has enhanced its established line of open-standard handheld device technologies with upcoming AMD Imageon processors, as well as next-generation 3D and vector graphics cores, available for licensing. These new offerings are designed to allow device manufacturers and network operators to support today’s most popular applications, as well as cutting-edge applications that will thrill tomorrow’s mobile consumer.

"Today’s mobile consumers demand devices and services capable of providing outstanding entertainment. AMD is committed to enabling advanced graphical interfaces that deliver the Ultimate Visual Experience on the go," said Adrian Hartog, senior vice president and general manager of AMD’s Consumer Electronics Group. "Our latest handheld technologies allow AMD to better address new and emerging applications, such as 3D gaming and mobile TV, as well as satisfy today’s consumers who crave portable music players and full-function touchscreen mobile phones."

According to analyst firm iSuppli, premium mobile content such as music, games and video is gaining momentum as a key revenue driver for network operators. In fact, mobile content now surpasses messaging as the largest data segment, representing 51 percent of total data revenue.

As a leading supplier of media processors and graphics cores for the handheld market, AMD works with an ecosystem of device makers, software developers, and baseband suppliers to deliver innovative technology solutions that can yield truly immersive mobile content.

The latest technology offerings to broaden the popular family of AMD Imageon processors will include:

• AMD Imageon D160 mobile TV solution, a complete hardware and software package that will enable OEMs to design cutting-edge mobile devices that receive over-the-air broadcast TV signals transmitted in the DVB-T and DVB-H standards. This turnkey, antenna-to-display solution also will enable mobile TV functionality to be designed in a USB-powered device for watching live television on notebook PCs, PDAs, portable media players and other USB-enabled handheld devices.
• AMD Imageon M210 audio processor is designed to enable a high-definition, fully integrated audio subsystem capable of delivering more than 100 hours of music playback in airplane mode.
• AMD Imageon A250 application processor for feature phones will combine the best of AMD’s latest multimedia technology for video recording and playback, photo imaging, and high-res displays while maintaining long system battery life.
• AMD Z180 OpenVG 1.x graphics core offers the only available hardware-accelerated native vector graphics solution, ideal for advanced user interfaces, navigational systems and portable devices optimized for animation and Flash-style content.
• AMD Z460 OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics core will deliver fully programmable shader models for realistic 3D graphics, designed to revolutionize the mobile gaming experience for portable devices.
  

The new technology will be available for OEMs and silicon supplier licensees to sample beginning this month. Features enabled by these new products and technologies are expected to start appearing in mobile devices in late 2008 and 2009.

HTC Showcases the P3470

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, HTC announced the European launch of the HTC P3470, the latest member of the HTC product portfolio.

It employs TomTom Navigator 6, which claims an intuitive interface, instructions, and call handling. The phone features a 2.8-inch screen and includes a 1GB MicroSD card for mapping and other data storage.

"The HTC P3470 integrates GPS-location into an innovative and high-powered phone that brings location-based experiences to customers looking for power and affordability," said Florian Seiche, Vice President, HTC Europe. "We're very pleased to announce this addition to the product portfolio, continuing our commitment to provide an option for every user."

The HTC P3470 will be available to customers across Europe later this month at a price of €449. The first pan-European operator partner to take the HTC version of the device will be Orange, which will launch the P3470 in the UK, France, Spain and the Netherlands.

And This Year's Winners Are ....

The just-concluded GSMA 2008 in Barcelona, Spain, served to open consumers' and developers' eyes to the vast array of devices and platforms available. As in the years past, categories for awards this year included Best Mobile Game, Best Mobile Messaging service, Best Billing and Customer and Customer Service... and of course, the one we’ve been anxiously waiting for: Best Mobile Handset.

As expected, the night was quite star-studded, with the presence of writer and producer Isabella Rossellini, Bollywood actress Sherlyn Chopra, and, from the music world, Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am, all of whom were at hand to present the awards.

"As we celebrate 20 years since the foundations for global mobile communication were laid, this year's winners demonstrate not only how far we have come, but also the limitless possibilities of where innovation and inspiration can take us in the years ahead," said GSMA CEO Rob Conway.

I’m very pleased to report that our very own Bharti Enterprise got two distinct awards: the GSMA Chairman's Award (given to Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder, Chairman & Group CEO Bharti Enterprise); and Best Billing and Customer Solution Award (for Bharti Airtel's mChek on Airtel Mobile Payment Service). Brilliant job; way to go Bharti!

The Best Mobile Game Award went to Cellufun's Call of the Pharaoh and Glu Mobile's My Hangman, while the Best Mobile Enterprise Product or Service went to Microsoft, for its Windows Mobile 6.

Finally, the Best Mobile Handset award went to the Sony Ericsson W910i. If you’re shocked, get in line.

K850i vs N82

I picked the Sony Ericsson K850i and the Nokia N82 handsets for our shootout because both have 5 megapixel cameras with xenon flashes. Please bear in mind that what we’re doing here is simply 'focusing', so to speak, on the camera capabilities of these handsets, and not the entire phone as a whole.

Form Factor
Thankfully, both phones are quick to activate when it comes to turning on the camera. The N82 has a lever for the shutter cover that you can switch on, while the K850i has a key near the shutter release button that switches it on, just as in a digicam.

When it comes to ease of use, I must admit both are quite easy to handle and hold. However, the K850i has an added advantage thanks to some shortcut keys on the keypad for activating a few features. Otherwise I’d be inclined to lean towards the Nokia. The touchscreen feature of the K850i may be a plus point while using the phone but it’s a bit uncomfortable while using the camera.

I also like the K850i’s convenient switch to toggle between video and camera mode and the gallery. The N82 just has a single key that would take you directly to the gallery. I prefer the switch; it makes it feel more like a camera than a mobile.

Camera Features
Let's begin with an option that's very relevant for the average user: white balance. In this instance, the N82 gives you a small preview that adjusts to each setting, whereas the K850i shows the image in the background while the Settings menu blocks the entire screen – which makes it a bit awkward.

Scene mode in the K850i has a small preview of the kind of environment that particular setting would be suited for. While this may be visually attractive, it once again occupies the whole display and looks a bit squashed. The absence of a proper Night mode is quite disappointing but there is a mode for taking images of documents. Prefect for a spy.

The N82 doesn’t have a preview for this mode but what I do like are the tips provided for each setting. These come in handy for a noob who wants to improve his mobile photography. Sadly the N82 doesn’t have a Panorama option, but the K850i does – and performs quite well. The K850i even offers some funny frames to spice up your images.

The K850i has a Timer function (10 seconds) so you can leave the camera and get into the picture. One wouldn't really need more than 10 seconds to get into the frame, but some options would be nice. The N82 in this sense is perfect as it offers delays of 2, 10, and 20 seconds.

The K850i has a BestPic feature that essentially takes multiple shots simultaneously, after which you can select the best of the lot. The good thing about this feature is that the camera is able to capture quite a few images in a very short time.

The Nokia N82 Burst mode is the same as BestPic, but Nokia has multiple settings for the same. You can take multiple images with different time settings, from 10 seconds to 10 minutes or even nonstop till you run out of memory. That'll leave you with an insane number of images to sort through, but you can't say you didn't have a choice!

With regard to effects both cameras have similar options for sepia, black and white, negative etc. But the N82 has a few additional handy features like Exposure Compensation Image Sharpness and an Image Contrast setting. While they may not be absolutely necessary, they do help you achieve those as-close-to-perfect images.

Performance
Getting down to brass tacks, feature-wise both phones come out just fine. But this is where the magic happens. Most of the images you’ll see are taken keeping the settings as equal in both handsets and no additional adjustments made in either phone.

I selected an appropriate setting depending on the environment and let the camera do its work. The reason for the odd images is the sheer portability of the devices themselves, and the spontaneity that drives most individuals to take a picture anyplace, anytime.

Daylight
The image with the K850i shows just a wee bit of blur in certain areas, and the shadows do seem a bit dark. However, the colors appear warm and vivid, but you'll notice a slight vignetting around the corners.

K850i - Daylight Mode

The N82 provides a cooler feel to the image with more detailing in the shadowed areas. The lines also seem to be a bit more defined. On the whole the N82 would give you a crisper image and although detailed, the colors do appear a bit dull.

N82 - Daylight Mode

Sports Mode
With a simple change of mode to Daylight (white balance) and Sports mode (scenes), the K850i rocks. The images of moving objects are crisp and the detailing is quite good, with colors accurately captured.

K850i - Sports Mode

The N82, at identical settings, doesn’t deliver too well in Sports Mode. You’ll notice the image is blurred and the colors look a bit faded.

N82 - Sports Mode


Close-ups (Macro)
In Macro mode I shot two pictures indoor and outdoors. The K850i, in Daylight setting, (white balance) delivers some pretty good shots and allows you to move in really close to the object. Unfortunately the focus may drift a bit from the central area of the object.

Indoors, with Fluorescent (white balance) settings, I’m afraid it didn’t do so well. While it still allows me to get close to the object, and pardon the dust (I’d like to say it was for effect and detail testing, but that would be a blatant lie), the colors don’t seem right and the image tends to be a bit out of focus.

K850i - Indoor, Macro Mode

K850i - Daylight, Macro Mode

With the same settings and locations, the N82 is quite good. In the sun, even though I wasn’t able to get as close to the object as the K850 without blurring the image, the image itself came out quite clear and the colors seem fine. Indoors with identical settings as the K850, I like the fact that the details, however they may reflect my room, are clear and the colors are really good.

N82 - Indoor, Close-up Mode

N82 - Daylight, Close-up Mode

Night Shots
On the whole I'll say the N82 is ahead of the K850 when it comes to images taken in low light. The K850 sadly gives you an extremely dark image, even with the flash, while the N82 gives you a decently bright image in simple point-and-shoot mode (Auto Mode).

To be fair I took pictures in the N82’s Night mode and the K850s Twilight mode. I simply placed the devices on a flat surface, activated the timer and let the cameras do their thing. I’ll let the images speak for themselves.

K850i - Twilight Mode

N82 - Night Mode

The Bottomline

As I mentioned in the review, the K850i is disappointingly not good enough. It’s quite an upset, considering it carries the Cyber-shot tag. But images in normal daylight, Macro, and Sports mode are quite good; just keep it out of the dark. On the other hand, the N82 with its Carl Zeiss lens is capable of taking some pretty good shots in almost all conditions save Sports mode. But then it's better in low light as well.

At the end of the day, it would all depend on your personal preference and how you like the handsets' other features. So, happy clicking.