gadgetgrocery.com

Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-G1 offers interchangeable lenses, Nikon’s Coolpix P6000 provides GPS–the feature sets on enthusiast compact cameras are all over the place these days. So, should we be disappointed that the whizziest new feature of Canon’s PowerShot G10 is its almost-15-megapixel resolution? While this isn’t the kind of update that will inspire envy in G9 owners or a must-have feature to experiment with, the G10 holds true to the elements that have made the G series a successful shooter’s camera over the years.

The G10 is physically quite similar to the G9. At 14 ounces, it’s heavier by about an ounce, and it’s also a bit bigger–one- to three-tenths of an inch on all sides, for dimensions of 4.3 by 1.8 by 3.1 inches. As with its predecessors, the G10’s metal body feels like a tank. I’m beginning to wish for just a little bit more grip, though, especially since the thumb rest feels kind of slippery.

The dial configuration ranks as the most notable change to the design; Canon stacked the mode dial inside the ISO dial for right-hand operation and added an exposure compensation dial on the left. It retains the four-way switch (for setting manual focus, macro, flash, and drive mode) with a Function/Set button nested inside the navigational scroll wheel on the back. And though the focus point, metering, display, and menu buttons remain in the same positions, they now have an odd, angled design. Overall, I like the changes, and shooting with the G10 feels quick, fluid, and comfortable. The optical viewfinder is relatively large and distortion-free, making it quite usable. Read the rest of this entry »

Google’s first Android phone may not win any beauty contests, but the Smartphone’s software and advanced Web browsing will give today’s current crop of Smartphones, including the iPhone, a run for their money.

The phone, previously code-named the HTC Dream, is now called the T-Mobile G1. From a hardware perspective, the G1 isn’t a game changer. The device, which has a full QWERTY keyboard that slides out from a touch-screen exterior, looks similar to other devices on the market, such as the T-Mobile Sidekick or Verizon’s LG Voyager.
But under the hood, the Google Android software greatly improves the mobile Web experience for users, making it a compelling competitor to the Apple iPhone and a hands-down winner when compared with other Smartphones like Research In Motion’s BlackBerry or phones running Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system.
That said, the G1 still has several hurdles to overcome to make a significant impact in the Smartphone market. Because it lacks corporate e-mail, it won’t likely take significant market share from either RIM.

For now, G1 is targeted at the consumer market, a fact Cole Brodman, chief technology and innovation officer for T-Mobile USA, acknowledged openly during the launch event.

When it comes to Web surfing, Google has created a user experience superior to what’s offered on most other Smartphones today. And for several networks, this was critical as companies are looking for a Smartphone to appeal to consumers looking for a robust mobile Web experience. Read the rest of this entry »

This product is not yet available in our store.

Glass surface inputting is the new hotness for almost every gadget maker today. From from the iPhone to Microsoft’s Surface technology, flat is where it’s at. Introducing the flattest full size QWERTY keyboard to date, “No-key Keyboard” by Kong Fanwen. Consisting of just a glass surface, camera and lighting, this alternative keyboard concept will use the latest motion capture technology to watch your fingers nervously select just the perfect smiley for your online bantering.

Considering how appealing glass touch-screen interfaces are these days (think iPhone) there ought to be a market for the No-Key Keyboard, a completely non-tactile keyboard concept designed by Kong Fanwen. The idea behind this is that a built-in camera uses motion capture to record the keystrokes instead of by you actually pushing the buttons.

I wonder how my fingertips would feel after a long days hammering on solid glass though…

This product is not yet available in our store.

No, it’s not Apple as in Steve Jobs and Mac. But if you if you’re a fan of fruit inspired gadgets, like the apple desktop speaker, this air purifier should be right up your alley. Its high concentration negative ion will help to exterminate static caused by computer, which can be generally used in office, lab, computer room, bedroom etc. You may drop essential oil or perfume to cotton piece included to create a romantic sweet-scented environment.

Features:

Ozone-free carbon fiber ionizer generates millions of negative ions to clean and ionize the air thoroughly. High-performance fan immediately & silently draws the polluted air in then disperse the negative ions evenly back into the air.
Read the rest of this entry »

This product is not yet available in our store.

If there’s one thing I hate about my DSLR (a Nikon D40x), it’s the size. And the weight. With a wide-angle zoom on there, it feels like it weighs about a bazillion pounds, especially after lugging it around a trade show all day. Panasonic’s Lumix G1 is a new DSLR that has adopted the micro four-thirds standard for digital camera bodies and lenses, which is supposed to give you all of the advantages of a cumbersome DSLR but in a much smaller package. The four-thirds system does this removing the mirror box that most SLRs use to bounce light up to the viewfinder:

The feature list on the G1 is about a mile long, and puts it on par with most other full size (that’s full size, not full frame) DSLRs. It has a 12mp sensor, a swiveling 3? LCD with Live View, low shutter lag, fast autofocus, intelligent shooting modes, image stabilization, interchangeable lenses, and no movie mode. But the big deal is that the body weighs a mere 0.85 pound, whereas the body of an entry-level Nikon DSLR, the D60, is over 1 pound, or about 25% heavier. Also, the G1 is noticeably smaller at 124 x 83.6 x 45.2mm versis the D60’s 126 x 94 x 64mm. These numbers don’t take into account the lenses, which are also substantially smaller and lighter on the G1. Read the rest of this entry »

While Nokia makes a habit of practically defining “featurephone” for the industry, traditionally its handsets like the N95 that hog all the spotlight, leaving Nokia’s few QWERTY phones in the shadows. Not that they’ve been trying too hard — while the E62 and E61i have both shipped over here, neither has featured 3G data in US bands, and the E62 even had the distinct pleasure of having WiFi stripped out. Enter E71, the successor to those phones, and Nokia’s very first QWERTY device to feature US-friendly 3G.

Nokia is also (finally) taking form factor much more seriously: at 10mm thick, the E71 is one of the slimmest Nokia phones to date, and Nokia claims it’s the thinnest QWERTY smartphone on the market. The E71 also attacks the drab, plastic looks of its predecessors with chrome accents and a glossy screen. The phone is incredibly pocketable, and comfortable to hold and use. Of course, with the smaller size Nokia had to cut down on screen real estate and keyboard spacing, but at a QVGA resolution there’s little suffering on that front. The keyboard had a much more rigid, clicky feel to it compared to the spongy keys of the E62, and we were virtually typo-free on it within minutes.

Nokia E71 review
With all this concentration on the exterior, Nokia hasn’t forgotten the feature overload of old. The E71 includes A-GPS, WiFi, a 3.2 megapixel camera, A2DP Bluetooth, 110MB of built-in memory and a microSD slot. There’s also plenty of software to take advantage of all that tech, thanks to the quite-mature S60 platform. It’s running 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1, which lacks the screen transition fanciness of FP2, but seems much more stable and usable to us than its fresh-faced successor. Being a business centric device, the E71 comes with a full complement of office, email and PIM software, including a feature to switch on the fully between business and personal accounts, complete with separate mailboxes and home screens. Read the rest of this entry »

Pros: An attractive, customizable, and great-sounding dual alarm clock radio for the iPod, complete with strong AM/FM radio tuning and a straightforward interface; Big, bright screen can easily be adjusted through 21 dimmer stages, while replaceable speaker grilles enable color updating of the unit’s face; Smart layout of front dials and remote control; reasonable pricing considering aggregate quality of audio, features, and build.

Cons: Physical footprint that enables superior speaker performance also demands more space. Not shielded against iPhone interference. Just as there are often differences between actors turned singers and signers turned actors, there are marked differences between alarm clock makers who create speakers and speaker makers who create alarm clocks. The alarm clock maker tends to get clock, alarm, and radio features right, while speaker makers tend to deliver better sound and less impressive execution on the other features.

The Review:
After spending two weeks with Boston Acoustics new Horizon Duo, a dual alarm clock radio, we’re pleased to report that this speaker maker has come closer to getting both sides right than most of its competitors— the reason for our high recommendation — though users needing the latest iPod alarm features will still find a reason or two to consider their alternatives. Read the rest of this entry »

The good:
Beautifully designed
Class-leading QWERTY keyboard
Simple email set-up
Excellent battery life

The bad:
Some included software, including the browser and maps, needs work
BlackBerry service accounts are expensive

The bottomline:
The Bold is what BlackBerry fans have been waiting for. It’s feature-rich and sharply designed, let down in small measure by some cumbersome software.

Design
BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) defy the recent slimming trends in mobile devices, and while the Bold may shave a millimeter off the dimensions of its forerunners, the difference isn’t significant. This, of course, means plenty of room for the important things, like the full QWERTY keyboard.

RIM has definitely maintained the high level of expected quality with the BlackBerry Bold 9000. The keyboard is the most notable example of this. In testing most of the QWERTY keyboards on offer in 2008, the Bold is still head and shoulders above them all. Each key is large (comparatively speaking) and features a tapered indentation, which helps to define and separate these buttons. In using the Bold, you’ll find yourself rarely using the “backspace” key to correct typos from miss-striking the keyboard. Read the rest of this entry »

Canon has finally heralded the EOS 1000D, making digital SLR photography lighter and more affordable.

The Canon EOS 1000D is designed to compete with the lowest specification DSLRs, packaged with the 18-55mm IS lens, comes in only at P31,000

Canon EOS 1000D: Modes and Features
The Canon EOS 1000D is the lowest specification DSLR in the range so, technically, it won’t be as good as the EOS 450D. The main differences are the lower 10Mp resolution of the EOS 1000D and only a 7-point AF system. There’s also a lack of spot metering, smaller 2.5in LCD screen, slower 3fps and only 12bit RAW compression compared the EOS 450D’s 14bit compression.

However, the camera still has a DIGIC III processor, sensor cleaning and live view. Not to mention that it’s smaller and lighter than the EOS 450D and EOS 400D but I think in essence the EOS 1000D is more an updated EOS 400D.

Looking around the camera and the included lens is the same 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 image stabilised model that was introduced with the EOS 450D. The plastic mount lens fits onto the dual mount lens plate. The reason for the dual mount dates back to when Canon first started making DSLRs. They didn’t want people having a nice 18mm wide angle lens for their back up film SLR so made the new lenses with a different mount to normal EF lenses. Read the rest of this entry »

The Olympus EVOLT E-510 is a full-featured, 10-megapixel digital SLR camera that was designed to accommodate photographers of any skill level. The E-510 features a “Live View” LCD that allows you to compose your shots using either the LCD or the optical viewfinder. The E-510’s bright 2.5-inch display, with approximately 230,000 pixels, uses “HyperCrystal” LCD technology offering many times the contrast of conventional LCD monitors. Images are displayed in vivid color - both in preview and playback. The HyperCrystal LCD also provides a wide viewing angle, which ensures images can be composed from even the most obscure angles.

The E-510 employs Mechanical Image Stabilization, which compensates for camera movement. This new technology complements Digital Image Stabilization, which compensates for a moving subject. Combined, Mechanical Image Stabilization and Digital Image Stabilization provide a powerful solution, ensuring blur-free photos even in active shooting situations where photographers may encounter camera shake or a moving subject. This powerful combination resides within the camera’s body, translating to blur-free images taken with any of the more than 30 digital-specific lenses. Read the rest of this entry »