Hankering for a Phone: iPhone in the Philippines

Up until recently, those who've been wanting to own an iPhone in the Philippines have been forced to buy their unit abroad, have it unlocked, and risk bricking it everytime they use it (ok, maybe a bit over exaggerating with this line, but you know what I mean). They might have the newest Apple toy on the block, but they won't have the full functionality of the fully-working official deal.

Lately however, one of the biggest networks in the country have decided to officially bring the iPhone to the Philippines. Globe has recently announced and started selling the iPhone locally. Lucky you if you happen to subscribe to one of the higher plans that globe provides, or if you intend to get a line and stick yourself with the minimum 2 years at those rates, but if you're thinking of just buying the phone outright, as a prepaid kit, and keep your old prepaid number, get ready to shell out at least Php 37,599 (for the 8 gig model) or Php 43,799 (for the 16 gig).

Hankering for a Camera: Olympus E520

Woohoo!! I mentioned this model in a previous entry about the E420. And it's finally arrived. Was it worth waiting for? Well, near as I can tell, it is.

pictures from dpreview.com

Announced May 13, 2008, the E520 is Olympus' upper-entry level camera upgrade to the E510. The E520 sports similar features to its older counterpart, with nearly identical external features, even down to the measurements and weight. One of the few cosmetic differences one would notice between the two would be blue markings instead of green. Another would be a differently texutrized and finished command dial. However, one of the biggest differences between the E510 and E520 comes in a bigger 2.7 inch, 230,000 pixel LCD screen.

E510 rear (photo from dpreview)

VS

E520 rear (photo from dpreview)

While both the E510 and E520 have the sensor-shift image stabilization feature, (a feature you won't find in their compact little brothers, the E410 and E420), other improvements you'll find in the later model are...

• Contrast detect autofocus (with select lenses)
• Face detection in live view mode
• Auto Gradation (Dynamic Range enhancement)
• Faster continuous shooting speeds (3.5 vs 3.0 fps)
  
• Wireless flash control (Up to three groups)
• Additional Image Stabilization mode for panning

While most of the features that the E520 possesses would be a considerable upgrade from the E410, or even from the E420 that it came out with, if you're able to do without the above mentioned new features, you'd probably be set with the E510. But then again, who wouldn't want additional Image Stabilization for panning, or wireless flash control? :)



For a more indepth interview, please visit depreview.

cross-posting: photobu.

Hankering for a Phone: iPhone gets Better Batt life and good Glass

After receiving so much criticism over the short battery life, seems like Job's people have given in and given the potential consumers what they want. The latest on the iPhone is that it's going to be able do deliver more with a better battery life.

From the promised battery capability times published before: 5 hours of talk, internet use, video viewing and 16 hours of audio playback, Apple has promised that the iPhone's capabilities have increased to 8 hours of talk, 6 hours of internet, 7 hours of video and 24 hours of music. I assume those are dedicated-task times. I don't think it could be capable of giving all of that on one charge. Anyway, they've also announced that they're genius box is capable of up to 250 hours of stand-by time. That's 10 days and 10 hours of not being touched, contacted or what so ever... I don't think any one owner of any mobile gadget could go 1 day not touching his tech, never mind 10. I guess we'll never know if it would be capable of such eh?

The other upgrade has to do with its display. What used to be plastic is now going to be optical-quality glass. Meaning the display will be more scratch resistant and hopefully be clearer.

In a statement / comment about the improvements, Steve says that it outlasts any smart phone and many MP3 players out on the market. How it will actually perform in the hands of a real owner is still up for questioning though. We'll soon find out I'm sure, seeing as the launch is 9 days a way.

To those intent on getting 1, good luck lining up. :)

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Hankering for a Phone: AT&T fine tune its EDGE network, Apple Preps 3 Million units

With the launch date looming ever so near, two companies most invested in the iPhone are making some last minute preparations.

AT&T has been busy upgrading their EDGE network for the past 6 weeks now. Scheduled to finish by the 15th of June, project "Fine Edge" involves adding T-1 connections to some of AT&T's poorest performing towers in an effort to improve the network's throughput, latency and coverage, to double their current data rate of 40kbps to the current industry minimum of 80kbps.

Apple on the other hand are busy preparing 3 million units of the iPhone. While it's been said that there will be an intentional supply shortage of the revolutionary handheld, this latest tidbit of news should be enough to put it to rest. Then again, there was also something in the news about 3 million being the maximum number of iPhones to be sold this year. Whether they'll really be able to stagger sales throughout what remains of 2007 remains to be seen.

If AT&T isn't going to be able to deliver the service that the projected 3 million potential new subscribers will need or if any of the 3 million Apple iPhones turn out to be lemons, iPhone critics are going to have a hay day, and lawyers from both companies are going to have their hands quite full.

(fine edge source)

(3 million source)

Hankering for a Phone: Motorola F3, W220 or W375

Ok. Not exactly the newest phones on the block, I know. Well, while these phones might not exactly be hightech, I think any of these three would afford its potential owner a bit of style with a lot of base-functionality. If you're torn between simplifying your cellular-phone experience and staying in the technologically functional world, you might consider owning one of these. I am at any rate.

Why am I blogging about them at all? Well, I'm looking for a new phone to replace my sickly 2 year old C651 that's breaking apart. I'm not really looking for the most hightech of phones (for personal security while on the road, among other reasons) and since I'm sort of on a budget, I've been looking at Motorola's lower end handhelds for options. With a budget of around 5000 pesos, I can choose from the Motorola F3 Motofone, the Motorola W375 and the W220.

Of the 3, the F3 is the cheapest. Not surprisingly so. It is the simplest of all three phones, only allowing the most basic of tasks such as SMS and calling, without storage or even color to speak of. On the plus side, it is easily the slimmest of the lot (one of the slimmest phones available on the market today), and because it does away with all the power-zapping extraneous functionality and uses a more reader and power friendly display, it boasts of an impressively long battery life. However, it is a bit too spartan for me.

I cannot look at the W220 without comparing it to the W375. Upon inspection of available information on the web as well as from available pamphlets, both seem to have more in common than just the clamshell form factor. Both carry FM radios, and, as models under the W series, were designed to come cheap. However, it seems that the W220, compared to its newer, VGA camera toting brother, the W375, carries more bang for the buck.
While the W375 might possess a camera and thus allow for picture phonebook entries, said entries are limited to just 100 contacts. The W220 on the other hand allows the user to store up to 600 phonebook entries on the phone itself. While no information is known as far as inbox capacity for the W375, available literature says that he W220 can accomodate 250 SMS, which is 215 more than what either of my current phones (a C651, and an E398) are capable of keeping.

I guess those two differences mentioned above are the swing vote for me. While having a camera phone might be fun initially, knowing that, within the budget I'm shooting for, I won't be getting anything better than VGA quality anyway grounds my phone desires closer to reality. And while the thinness of the F3 might be fashion forward, its simplicity is a bit too much, or rather too little for me.

That settles it. I'm getting a Moto W220.

This entry was more of an exercise in rationalization and shopper-guilt justification for maybe buying the phone for myself. Heaven knows if I had the money, or if someone who had money were generous enough to give me a phone condition free, I'd be asking for maybe an Apple iPhone. Haha. But for now, until either of my old phones or this new one conks out, I'm going to be a loyal Motorola-head for awhile.

Hankering for a Computer: Coffee-table-top Computer from Microsoft

Who wouldn't want one of these?

The "surface computer" was designed to replace the mouse and keyboard interface with voice, pen and touch. The computer, dubbed Microsoft Surface, will have a 30-inch display under a hard-plastic tabletop, which will enable the user to manipulate objects on screen (sorta kinda like a giant iPhone, don't you think? Well, at least I think so).
Possible applications might include a more personal order-placement at restaurants and the like. Another boon to technophiles using this interface: the Microsoft Surface can interact with devices placed on its surface. Cell phone users could get access to the latest ringtones, or even change payment plans by placing their phones on in-store displays of these computers. I wonder if, just by placing, say, a digital camera on top of the display, could one be granted access to memory card contents? One could hope.

Being one of the first to own one of these Windows Vista OS-using table-tops will cost you a pretty penny, with units ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. However, Microsoft is aiming to reduce prices to a consumer-affordable range, and introduce other different shapes in the next 3 to 5 years. One wonders, however, if anyone in the Open Source world be able to come up with something like it by then. Only time will tell.

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Hankering for a Camera: 50 Megapixels crammed in Canon CMOS Prototype

Ok. No camera yet. But heck, if a camera does come out with one of these, I'd want one.

Apparently, the 50 megapixel CMOS sensor that the company is working on is meant for a large format surveillance camera for monitoring a massive and active area, such as parking lots and theme parks. It could also be used to monitor detail heavy work in factory part inspections. However, seeing as they've been able to make a 19 x 28 mm sensor prototype, the same dimensions as the sensors currently used in DSLRs, we might, one day, in the far future, see one of these babies mounted in a commercially available camera. When it does, I bet it's going to cost an arm and a leg... heck, I've got two of those. I can take pictures with just one of either, can't I?

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