Latest Reviews

Most smartphones are powered by ARM-based processors, however, the Acer Liquid C1 (set to launch this week in Malaysia) is probably one of the first Intel-based smartphones in the Malaysian market. Some quick preview specs of the Acer Liquid C1 include:

• 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2420 SoC processor
• 2000mAh battery
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB memory + microSD
• 4.3" display (960 x 540 pixel resolution)
• Android 4.0 (upgradeable to Jelly Bean)
• 8MP rear camera + VGA front camera
• Expected Price: RM1000

iPad 4 with Retina Display Pros:

Well, the first and most obvious highlight on the new iPad 4 is the Retina Display. It's the one element that never failed to impress us no matter what application was running on the screen. It's clear, it's bright, it's crisp; essentially it properly expands the smartphone experience onto a larger tablet and takes us into a new generation of displays.

We're also fans of the design of the new iPad - and yes, we know it's the same as before. We're not happy about the fact it's heavier than the iPad 2, but the build quality is something most other manufacturers long for, and are constantly trying to ape.

And then there's the user interface - another element that polarises opinion. We appreciate the power that can be had from widgets, there's something about the simplicity of the iOS UI that we just love - and simplicity counts for a huge amount in the burgeoning tablet market. Sure, it's ageing, but it works better on a tablet than on a smartphone.

Sony Xperia Z Pros:

Stunning display quality from the full 1080p screen, supported by the Bravia Engine 2 (the same engine used in the Bravia range of TV's). The 5" screen boasts post-400 PPI, or Pixels Per Inch. The large screen allows for an even wider range of apps to be used on the phone that may be cumbersome or unwieldy on smaller-screened smartphones. Uses Dragontail, a new glass technology engineered to combine a thin screen with tough protection, and of course it's scratch resistant.

Water resistant up to 1 meter and dust proof, with Ingress Protection ratings of IP55 & IP57. The 13-megapixel camera takes very impressive pictures even in low light, in part thanks to the mobile Exmor RS sensor. Screamingly fast 1.5GHz quad core processor can run multiple apps at once with barely a murmur.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2 Pros:

Feels good in the hand, can be used one-handed, has so many features it is impossible to explore all of them. Use is intuitive. It is esthetically pleasing. Reading text in "normal" mode is a cinch. Cameras work perfectly. Phone sound is great.

Large screen. super fast and responsive. Fills a niche that most manufacturers will not fill. I have a new ipad and a nexus 7 and i dont even bother to use those ever since i got my note 2. Really great phone all the way around.

iPad Mini Pros:

A whole lot on the new iPad mini, and although the price is a little high (and you should REALLY think about the 32GB option for safety if you're thinking of getting one).

The larger screen might not fit fully in a single palm, but from the smooth back to the Smart Covers designed specifically for the model, we're fans - pure and simple.

The speed of the processor is perfectly acceptable and lag-free for all tasks, the UI is actually better-engineered for this 7.9-inch screen compared to its bigger brother and we're chirpy indeed about the battery prowess through harder use.

Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Apple iPhone 4S vs Nokia 808 PureView Camera Comparison:

In this article I want to compare the camera performance of three popular mobile phones: the Apple iPhone 4S vs Nokia 808 PureView vs Samsung Galaxy S3 / SIII. Three popular mobile devices, each one with its own unique offering.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Pros:

Super AMOLED 4.8 inch display - The display of 720 x 1280 pixels Super AMOLED 4.8 inch diagonal  makes a great tool for browsing and multimedia use. Colors are vivid, contrast is good. Responds instantly to commands. Finally it is a pleasure to use.

Battery life - It turned out that the choice of a battery of 2100 mAh was an excellent choice for Galaxy S III, measured battery life reaching 10 hours of video playback or browsing. In fact, with judicious use Galaxy S III can be used easily an entire work day with active an data connection.

iPhone 5 Pros:

Larger screen - Going from a 3.5-inch screen to a 4-inch screen isn't that big a jump but the extra screen means more icons on the home screen, more navigation options in apps and HD movies shown without the black bar "letterbox" effect.

Better battery life - Apple managed to give the iPhone 5 better battery life than its predecessor. Battery life is Apple's stock and trade: The company will sacrifice features to keep battery life long, but in the iPhone 5, there doesn't appear to be a real downside.

Thinner and lighter - This may not be apparent from the presentation, but when you hold it, the phone feels impressively thin and impressively light, especially given the larger screen and longer battery life.

Nokia C5-06 is Affordable Price Single SIM mobile phone by Nokia with very aggressive features. The main key features of this phone include Wireless LAN connectivity (Wi-Fi) for fast Data transfer and GPS Navigation support which is very useful in finding locations at unknown places.

Nokia C5-06: Display & UI

Nokia C5-06 has a large 3.2 inch resistive Touchscreen display and running the Symbian S60 series operating system. It also has very good user interface with easily customize Widgets, Shortcuts and Home Screen.

Toshiba today unveiled the Toshiba Thrive 7 - the newest addition to its Thrive family of tablets. This compact model has nothing to do with the slimline, 10.1-inch AT200 tablet that the company showed at the IFA trade show in Berlin in September 2011, but it does underscore how quickly technologies and designs in the tablet market are evolving. This 7-inch model is due out in December 2011.

Toshiba Thrive 7: The compact and light Toshiba Thrive 7 offers a bright display and a good set of connections.

The Toshiba Thrive 7 -- yes, the 7” appears to be part of its official name for now--is the first truly 7-inch model announced with a high-resolution, 1280-by-800-pixel display, offering 225 pixels per inch. Samsung already announced at IFA that its Galaxy Tab 7.7 would have the same resolution, but that model has a 7.7-inch display. For some perspective, consider that this is also the resolution currently available on the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1--but because the new Toshiba model packs the pixels into a smaller display, the pixels-per-inch figure is higher, which eliminates the dot-matrix effect that often plagues Android tablets.