Review of Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 by DPReview

Digital Photography Review has just posted the review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5. The successor of the popular TZ3 is the latest addition to Panasonic’s family of compact long zoom cameras. It comes with the same versatile 28-280mm equiv. 10x zoom lens as its predecessor but now offers a slightly higher resolution, an improved LCD and High Definition video capture. Nice new features indeed but has Panasonic also managed to sort out some of the image quality issues that we found on previous TZ generations?

Opera Mini Updated to V 4.1

Opera has formally updated Opera Mini, the proxy-based web browser, to version 4.1. With a speed increase compared to v4.0, and the addition of URL completion and the saving of web pages, the little browser that lets the server at the end of the connection do all the heavy lifting continues to improve in leaps and bounds. While the built in browsers on S60 handsets have significantly improved over the years, Opera Mini, while targetted at lower-powered phones, still packs a feature set that makes it a contender.

Opera Mini 4.1 lets you have the full Web everywhere. This newest release includes several new features, including automatic completion of web addresses, making it easier to get to the sites you need; tools for attaching files to web-based email; uploading photos to your blog or other site; downloading attachments from email for storage on your phone; and saving and viewing pages offline.

The new Opera Mini takes your mobile browsing experience to a new level of interactivity with both the phone and the Web. Opera Mini 4.1 improves the way Opera Mini interacts with your phone to make browsing more convenient, more productive and definitely more fun.

E-Ten to launch Glofiish DX900, rival to HTC Touch Diamond & SE Xperia X1

E-ten is gearing towards launching its latest handset, Glofiish DX900, at Computex tradeshow in Taipei, June 3-7.The new smartphone looks pretty much the same as many of E-ten’s previous models, but specs wise it’s a different beast.

The quad-band GSM, tri-band UMTS, HSDPA-enabled smartphone runs the latest version of Microsoft’s mobile OS – Windows Mobile 6.1. Samsung’s SC3 6400 533 MHz CPU provides the power needed, and 128MB RAM and 256MB ROM guarantee just enough memory for handling multiple demanding apps at the same time. Other specs include 2.8-inch VGA touchscreen, 3 megapixel camera with autofocus, built-in GPS SURF III chipset (20 channels), WiFi, Bluetooth, accelerometer, and microSD memory card slot. As for the size, the Glofiish DX900 measures 106×60.5×17 mm and has a weight of 147 grams.

It’s main competitors are the Sony-Ericsson Xperia X1 & HTC Touch Diamond. Looks like E-Ten is making a lot of progress after being acquired by Acer.

Source : Unwired View Image Courtesy : SmartMania.cz

Wall Street Journal confirms Blackberry 9500 Thunder to launch in Q3 2008

The iPhone rival handset from Research in Motion (RIM), the BlackBerry 9500 Thunder is reportedly going to be launched in Q3 2008 according to the Wall Street Journal. Verizon will get the exclusive launch rights for the U.S., while the rest of the world will at least initially be able to grab the gorgeous device through one of many Vodafone’s subsidiaries.

Release date is set for Q3 2008, so I guess it will probably be somewhere around September. Roughly at that time, Sony Ericsson will release XPERIA, 3G iPhone may also be announced, and suddenly buying a mobile phone goes from complex to ultra-complex decision with the 3G iPhone & HTC Touch Diamond also vying for attention.

Source : Gizmodo

MSI Wind gets official pricing

Official pricing for the MSI Wind has been revealed. The US will only get the 10-inch version and will be available with Windows XP and Linux. The expected availability date is June 3. The following configurations will be available:

SuSE Linux version:

• 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor
  
• 512MB RAM
  
• 80GB HDD
  
• 3-cell battery; 2.5 hours battery life
  

Price $399

Windows XP version will have all of the above specifications with the

following changes/additions

• 1GB RAM
  
• Bluetooth
  
• 6-cell battery: 5.5 hours battery life
  

Price $549

A lower priced $500 Windows XP version should also be available, but there are no details on specs for that price point.

The MSI Wind will be available in four colors, including black, white, silver, and pink.

Source : Engadget

Bharti buying MTN to become fifth largest operator in world ?

Bharti Airtel is interested in taking a controlling stake in South Africa’s MTN but it will depend on the price. Apart from pricing Bharti will also have to deal with counter bids from other operators who are also eyeing an entry into the African market. No operator other than Bharti has so far admitted to the interest in the South African company,
Vodafone has even said that it will not bid for MTN.

Meanwhile, Bharti has roped in Singapore Telecom to be part of the discussions with MTN. SingTel holds about 30 per cent stake in Bharti Airtel and would have got involved in any case but sources said that the Singapore-based company may play a more active role. MTN’s market cap of $35 billion compares with $42 billion for Bharti. MTN’s 68 million wireless subscriber base also compares with Bharti’s 62 million.

If the deal goes through then Bharti and MTN would become the fifth largest mobile operator in the world with a significant presence in Africa, India and West Asia. It will also give Bharti a footprint in the African telecom market which has been dominated by local operators and European majors, including Vodafone Group and France Telecom.

One of the key issues for Bharti will be to raise funds for the acquisition. Reports suggest that the company is already in talks with a number of institutions including Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank and J P Morgan. Bharti may have to cough up as much $20 billion for a 51 per cent stake.

Source:- The Hindu

Creative introduces X-Fi 5.1 USB sound adapter

Creative introduced its latest Sound Blaster product, the X-Fi Surround 5.1, which connects via USB. System requirements are as follows:

• Windows Vista, Windows XP
  
• Pentium 4 1.6GHz/AMD Athlon XP 2000+
  
• USB port (USB 2.0 recommended)
  
• 256MB RAM (XP)/512MB RAM (Vista)
  
• 600MB hard drive space
  
• CD/DVD-ROM drive
  
• Headphones or speakers
  

The X-Fi Surround 5.1 features Creative technologies such as X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity, CMSS 3D, EAX Advanced HD, and ALchemy 3D Audio. The device is currently available from Creative direct for $59.99.

This is the second Creative Product in the X-Fi range after the Creative X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook Express Card.

Product Link

Samsung prepping iPhone competitor, has better specs

The iPhone’s design is easily recognizable around the world. There’s no denying Apple’s ability to churn out eye-pleasing creations that have tech-heads drooling for more clean lines and minimalist style. But Samsung is soon going to challenge iPhone with a Windows Mobile based Touch Screen phone.

The Samsung SGH-i900 has style and substance in it. There’s a full-body, 3.5-inch (240×400) touchscreen and Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, the Samsung i900 gives Windows Mobile fans a chance to one-up iPhone owners. And, with a feature-set that includes HSDPA, WiFi, FM radio, 5 megapixel camera, TV-out, 16GB of onboard storage, microSDHC card slot, and Bluetooth 2.2 with A2DP – all packed into a 112×56×13mm package, the Samsung i900 easily outpaces the current iPhone’s meager offerings. And, there’s some sort of fingerprint-scanner/touch-sensitive navigation pad at the bottom of the display.

Review of Asus M70 by Kevin of NotebookReview

Kevin of NotebookReview has reviewed the Asus M70 notebook. The M70 is a true desktop replacement with 1TB of storage space. Also present are ATI 3650 Graphics Card with upto 1GB of Video Memory, Intel Core2Duo T9300 2.5 Ghz CPU, 17″ UXGA 1920×1200 screen, Blue-ray drive & TV Tuner.
All this comes at a price of $2,399.99

He tries to find out if the M70 does justice as a gaming machine in addition to it’s multimedia capabilities for watching HD Movies. He also gauges the performance of the notebook to see if it delivers what it promises at the steep price.

SE P5i images leaked, same slow processor

Images of the highly anticipated Sony Ericsson P5i have been leaked again. The Camera performance of the P5i is not upto the mark but it should be rectified and refined in the retail version. Also the same holds true for the GPS performance of the P5i. The real disappointed however is the inclusion of the same 206 Mhz processor seen in the M600 & P1i. The P5i also includes 128 MB RAM, Touch Buttons under the screen & UIQ 3.3 which was unveiled recently.