Buying Guide

Buying Guide: Multimedia Handsets

            Portable media is ‘in’ these days. The ability to cart your music, movies and what have you with you on the go is becoming easier all the time. Mobile phone manufacturers are thankfully launching multimedia enhanced handsets very frequently as that IS becoming one of the very valid reasons for owning a mobile in the first place. Plus let’s not forget, a singular device with all the multimedia trimmings negates spending money on additional devices. The MTV generation came, saw and conquered. That being said, here are a few tips to keep in mind when selecting a multimedia handset.

Format Support and Enhancements
               It’s important to know what kinds of file formats the phone can read for video and audio. The most common are of course .MP3, .AAC, WMA and .WAV. Other formats could include AAC+, .OGG and FLAC as well, not that too many people use that these unless you’re serious about your music quality. Also look for audio enhancements like EQ presets. More importantly, if you’re a stickler for personal preferences, a customizable setting that let’s you manually adjust the audio with graphic EQs is essential. Other enhancements like Bass Boost or Stereo Widening, Dolby Mobile or 5.1 Surround options are extras that will definitely provide you with a better audio experience.

              When it comes to video it’s always better to have a handset that supports popular PC video codecs. What that means is they should read your .AVI files that you’d play on your desktop. Look for a handset that complies with – DivX and XviD formats. Standard mobile video formats include MP4, H.264, 3GP and WMV file formats. A preinstalled YouTube application is always handy for streaming videos but with Smartphones that don’t have it, just get one from the respective app store.

             Also, and this especially applies to us, the Indian audiences, make sure that the handset comes with an FM radio. Whether it's with a recording option or not is not really important, but reception is the key factor.

Connectivity
           Something else to keep in mind is AV out compatibility. If your handset supports AVI files, you could use it as an external media player and hook it up to a TV via the AV out. Most higher end devices support Composite AV out and newer handsets like the Nokia N8 and Motorola MILESTONE XT720 come with HDMI support. Also check if the package includes AV cables - composite or HDMI.

 

Earphones
                  Most importantly you’d need to make sure that the earphones that are provided with the phone are comfortable. First off while selecting a phone, make it a point to check and see what kind of earphone socket the phone has. Essentially there were 3 types – Propriety, 2.5mm and 3.5mm sockets. Propriety meant you could not use any other earphones except the one’s ‘prescribed’ by that phone’s manufacturer. If something goes wrong with these, good replacements aren’t always easy to find. Thankfully the days of the 2.5mm sockets are in the past as most manufactures are incorporating a standardized 3.5mm socket. This way you can use any earphones, the choice is open. Sometimes you may just want to use your own set of earphones that you’re used to just make you feel more comfortable. This way if a company bundles a canal (in-ear) type handsfree that you’re not comfortable with, you can easily switch to a standard type option. 

 

        Another option that’s quite popular these days is a support for Bluetooth with A2DP compatibility so you can use a wireless headset and do away with the wires altogether. Just keep in mind, this is also a sever strain on your battery.

Gaming
           A multimedia handset should also support more than just the basic Java based games, which, in their own right are quite entertaining. In this day and age though it’s all about better graphics, a 3D-ish feel and motion sensors. So motion based gaming is also a point to consider. You’ll need a handset with an accelerometer for this obviously.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm in Stores Starting December 7

          Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.  announced that World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the highly anticipated third expansion for the world's most popular subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game, will be released starting on December 7, 2010. The expansion will be available on DVD-ROM for Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 and Macintosh at a suggested retail price of $39.99 and will also be offered as a digital download from the Blizzard Store. A special Collector’s Edition packed with bonus items will be available exclusively in retail stores for a suggested retail price of $79.99.

 

              The first two World of Warcraft expansions, The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, each shattered PC game sales records upon their release. In Cataclysm, the face of Azeroth will be forever altered by the return of the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing. Players will explore once-familiar areas of the world that have now been reshaped by the devastation and filled with new adventures. In an effort to survive the planet-shattering cataclysm, two new playable races -- worgen and goblins -- will join the struggle between the Alliance and the Horde. As players journey to the new level cap of 85, they'll discover newly revealed locations, acquire new levels of power, and come face to face with Deathwing in a battle to determine the fate of the world.

          The beta test for World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is currently underway. Visit the official Battle.net website at http://www.battle.net to set up a Battle.net account and sign up for a chance to participate. 

Nintendo Wii

Nintendo Wii Goes Red For Mario's Birthday

             In celebration of Mario's 25th birthday, the Nintendo Wii has decided to go red. The buzzkill is that this red Wii will only be available in Japan, and nowhere else. The red Wii also includes the new remote control which can do MotionPlus tracking without the additional appendage. 

            The sweet part of the deal though is that the set up comes pre-installed with Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary Edition. It goes on sale on November 11 for ¥20,000 ($241).

Sony's Google TV

                Sony's Google TV sizes and prices may have been leaked by Sony Insider. The information's not completed and the missing pieces of the puzzle will be resolved on October 12th.

               It is surmised that there will be four models which will be NSX-24GT1, NSX-32GT1, NSX-40GT1, and NSX-46GT1 -- which are 24-, 32-, 40-, and 46-inch sets respectively. The price for the smallest one is not known but for the bigger ones, the prices are guessed to be $1299.99, $1499.99, and $1899.99.

Guest Lecture

Guest Lecture on

Computer Networks and System Administration

CIA had arranged the guest lecture in the drawing hall of GHRIEM at 3:30 pm on 20^th of september on the topic “COMPUTER NETWORKING AND SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION” & the lecture was given by Mr. Gaurav Pandey and Mr. Hemant Choudhari of GHRIEM,Jalgaon. Mr. Kushal Birla the CIA faculty co-ordinator marked his presence alongwith the students of SE IT,TE IT, BE IT were present for the lecture.

The topics discussed relevant to the subject were-

·       Introduction to the computer network

·       Criteria before designing a network

·       OSI layer

·       Virtual LAN concept

·       Router as a layer 3 switch

·       Proxy server

·       Firewall and its purpose

·       Slide presentation showing the path of packet from source to destination

          At the last “Question & Answer” session was conducted which had given the student a brief review about working of network.

The cia members put their best efforts to bring the seminar to a success.

Laptops Under Rs 25,000

Laptops Under Rs 25,000

            When it comes to budget laptops, a 30K budget is the minimum if you’re looking to buy a laptop equipped with the latest hardware such as the new Intel Core series of CPUs. So chances are that you could find a Corei3 laptop under 30K, but a sub-25K budget is challenging, and there’s no way you’ll find a Core i3 laptop in this price band. Well, as of now, you won’t.

                Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that you have to settle for a netbook, which is supposedly a cheaper alternative. A 25K budget is decent enough to get you something pretty good for office and even home use. In fact there are entry-level multimedia laptops in this price bracket. In this article, that’s exactly what we’ve done, we’re discussing laptops that are available for less that 25K. Now, these are not the top models, but going by the specification and prices, these are models that are available out there.
Acer Aspire 4736z
 

Acer Aspire 4736z

 

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo
• Memory: 1 GB RAM
• Hard disk: 320 GB
• Graphics: Onboard
• Screen size: 14-inch
• Operating system: Linux
• Price: 23,490

            Even the Aspire 5542 offers good value for money, although the Windows 7 variant goes over the 25K mark (almost 30K). With an AMD Athlon 64 M300, 2 GB RAM, 250 GB HDD, Linux OS, ATI Radeon 4200 and a 15-inch screen, we’d say, at 24K, it’s a decent pick for multimedia users.


HP Compaq CQ 42-139TU

• Processor: Intel Pentium Dual Core 2 T4500
• Memory: 1 GB RAM
• Hard disk: 160 GB
• Graphics: Onboard
• Screen size: 14-inch
• Operating system: Windows 7 Home Basic
• Price: 23,990

             
           Although the hardware in this machine is entry-level, the one that’s attractive is that it comes with Windows 7 Home Basic and that too at this price. Another option is the CQ40-641 TU, which is equipped with an Intel T4300 CPU, 2 GB RAM, Intel GMA4500 GPU, a 250 GB HDD and 14-inch screen.

Asus Pro5JIJ-S0133D

 

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T4500
• Memory: 2 GB RAM
• Hard disk: 320 GB
• Graphics: Intel GMA 4500M
• Screen size: 15.6-inch
• Operating system: DOS
• Price: 25,460

         
         This one is slightly over budget, but we’ve included it nonetheless, as Asus is known for style and ruggedness. Asus laptops are usually quite appealing and considering their wide range of laptops and netbooks, there’s something for everyone. But yes, as far as value for money is concerned, they are slightly more expensive.

HTC Desire phones

HTC debuts Desire phones, Sense service

HTC CEO Peter Chou shows the new Desire HD, left, and Desire Z, at their launch in London

LONDON--Rising mobile phone power HTC began an effort to rise further on Wednesday--and not just with phones.
             The Taiwanese company introduced two Android phones, the Desire HD with a large, 4.3-inch screen and the Desire Z with a flip-out hardware keyboard. Both are set to arrive in October in Europe and Asia; the Desire Z will arrive in North America later this year.
                 Like Apple, Samsung, and many other competitors, HTC is trying to differentiate the products through software and services, though. The phones come with an updated version of HTC's Sense user interface and tie in with the new HTCSense.com Web site designed to augment the phones' abilities.

               The HTC approach makes the company's technology a hub of people's use of their phones, potentially elevating HTC from a hardware maker that just sells phones to a service provider with whom customers have an ongoing relationship.
                 The HTCSense.com site, for example, lets people log in remotely to forward mobile phone calls to their office phone, search text messages, back up photos and videos, and record geographic bookmarks that HTC calls "footprints" for later use on the phone. Also remotely, a person can make a misplaced phone ring and, for phones that are less retrievable, issue a custom lost-and-found message on the screen or wipe the phone's data altogether.

"We are extending the HTC experience beyond the phone," HTC Chief Executive Peter Chou said at the launch event here.
                   Chou is happy with the prospect of being in the thoughts of his customers. "We want people to view HTC as a global brand," Chou said, adding that research shows awareness of the HTC brand has doubled in the last year.
                   HTC has been making phones for years, but it was Google's Android operating system that put the company on the map and fulfilled some of its brand-name ambitions.
                   Other companies have produced increasingly competitive Android phones--Samsung's Galaxy S and Motorola's Droid X being recent examples--but HTC has maintained its position of strength by pumping out a profusion of models. Many are modest variations of a common design, but HTC clearly has pushed ahead as well.
                    Along with HTC's Android success came a lawsuit from iPhone maker Apple, though. It's something of a replay of Apple's unsuccessful case against Microsoft for the Macintosh's "look and feel" appearing in Windows, but this time alleging patent infringement rather than copyright infringement.
New phones
                      The Desire Z uses a new 800MHz Qualcomm 7230 processor and has a 3.7-inch screen, and the Desire HD as a 1GHz Qualcomm 8255 processor and a 4.3-inch screen. Both screens have 800x480-pixel resolution, Android 2.2, and a fast-boot feature to power up in about 10 seconds, said HTC Chief Marketing Officer John Wang.

HTC Desire & HTC Desire-Z

                  As one might expect, the Desire HD can shoot high-definition video with a 720p resolution using its 8-megapixel camera. It also can display that video on an attached TV using the DNLA home-networking technology, including the use of Dolby surround sound.
                   The Desire Z also can shoot HD video with a 5-megapixel camera. It is designed with a thin screen that flips into a recessed area, moving the physical keyboard closer to the same plane as the touch screen. This eases the difficulties of touching both, HTC argues.