Author Archive: Matt

More than 20 years in the IT industry. Blogging with a passion and thirst for new technology since 2005.

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By April 15, 2009 Read More →

HTC Touch Diamond2 unboxing and preview video

Although it was only announced a few months ago at MWC, it feels like I’ve been waiting ages to get my hands on the HTC Touch Diamond2. I guess I must just be impatient to replace my original Diamond!

The HTC Touch Diamond2

The HTC Touch Diamond2

Yesterday I managed to get my hands on a pre-release version of the Diamond2 which I’m going to use to start off my review of the handset. This pre-release unit is final hardware but there will be a few more tweaks to the ROM before the final version goes on sale in the next few days.

I’ve had the Diamond2 for less than 24 hours so far and I have to say that I like what I see. I’m happy that the back is now flat rather than angular like the original Diamond and despite the larger screen, larger battery and the inclusion of the MicroSD card socket HTC have managed to keep the overall size and weight down so that it’s not much bigger or heavier than the Diamond and still retains the slim-appeal.

The HTC Touch Diamond2 vs Original Diamond

The HTC Touch Diamond2 vs Original Diamond

So take a look at the video below. It’s a little long but I take you on a tour around the hardware and then have a look at some of the software changes and the new TouchFlo 3D stuff.

 

HTC Touch Diamond2 unboxing and preview video

 

HTC Touch Diamond2 Specification:

  • Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
  • Qualcomm MSM7200A, 528 MHz CPU
  • RAM – 288 MB
  • ROM – 512 MB
  • 3.2-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 480 X 800 WVGA resolution
  • HSDPA/WCDMA: Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds
  • Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets
  • Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 b/g
  • HTC ExtUSB (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)
  • Internal GPS antenna
  • microSD memory card (SD 2.0 compatible)
  • FM Radio, G-Sensor
  • Main camera: 5.0 megapixel colour camera with auto focus
  • Second camera: VGA CMOS colour camera
  • Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery 1100 mAh
  • 107.85 X 53.1 X 13.7 mm (4.25 X 2.09 X 0.54 inches)
  • 117.5 grams (4.15 ounces) with battery

 

Please feel free to send me any questions or photo requests and I’ll do my best to answer them. I’ll have more photos and videos online soon and expect to get my hands on the retail version over the next few days.

More photos can be found HERE.

EDIT: Our extensive HTC Touch Diamond2 review is now live!

 

Posted by: Matt

[ Post Tags: HTC Touch Diamond2, Diamond, HTC, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]

Posted in: Videos/Unboxings
By April 14, 2009 Read More →

Canon EF-S 18-200MM Lens review

When you want to travel light with your DSLR camera you’ll probably want to invest in a super-zoom lens. These lenses have a phenomenal zoom range while still keeping fairly compact. Due to the versatility of the super-zoom lens they are often referred to as the ‘Holiday’ or ‘Walk Around’ lens and with the ability to replace several lenses with just one it’s easy to understand why.

The Canon EF-S 18-200MM lens

The Canon EF-S 18-200MM lens

Canon EF-S 18-200MM IS lens specification:

  • Image size: APS-C
  • 35mm film equivalent focal length: 29-320mm
  • Angle of view (horzntl, vertl, diagnl): 64° 30′ – 6° 30′, 45° 30′ – 4° 20′, 74° 20′ – 7° 50′
  • Lens construction (elements/groups): 16/12
  • No. of diaphragm blades: 6
  • Minimum aperture: 22 – 38(36)
  • Closest focusing distance (m): 0.45
  • Maximum magnification (x): 0.24(at 200mm)
  • Distance information: Yes
  • Image stabilizer: 4-stops
  • AF actuator: Micro Motor
  • Filter diameter (mm): 72mm
  • Max. diameter x length (mm): 78.6×102
  • Weight (g): 595

Review

Until this lens was launched last year, if you wanted a super-zoom lens for your Canon EOS your choices were a little limited. Canon have the 28-200 and 28-300mm lenses available but when you consider the 1.6x crop ratio of many Canon EOS cameras these lenses had a 35mm equivalent of 44.8mm at the wide end so if you wanted anything wider you’d have to opt for a Sigma or Tamron lens with an EF mount which many Canon purist hate to do.

However Canon pleased many of their EOS owning customers when they launched the EF-S 18-200mm IS lens last year with a 35mm equivalent range of 28.8 to 320mm on a 1.6x cropped sensor this additional reach was just what the doctor ordered and offers a great deal of versatility.

Canon’s new 18-200mm lens is a large and sturdy looking piece of kit that weighs in at just under 600 grams. This zoom range is achieved in a relatively compact package though thanks to the two telescoping barrels that you’ll see in the images below.

DPP_0968 DPP_0967

 

You might think that such a zoom range would come at the expense of maximum aperture but the 18-200 can still manage f/5.6 at the long end which is still pretty fast. You also get Canon’s Image Stabilizer (IS) technology built-in which helps to reduce blurring caused by camera shake and gives you the ability to shoot 4 stops slower than you would otherwise be able to with the IS turned off. This means 1/15sec at the long end is achievable.

On the outside you have a couple of switches. One to turn the IS on or off and one to switch between auto and manual focus.

DPP_0965

The zoom ring is large and has a rubber grip which is ideally placed. The manual focus ring sits right at the front of the lens and is slightly on the small size but still adequate. Both the Zoom and Manual focus rings are smooth and make it easy to make fairly fine adjustments.

On the other side of the lens body is a lock switch that allows you to lock the zoom at 18mm which stops the zoom from extending when you aren’t using it. I found myself using this quite a lot while walking around as the zoom action was a little ‘looser’ than I would have liked and would often extend under its own weight which did get a little annoying after a while especially as I seem to be pointing the camera and lens down quite a lot while taking photos of phones etc. It would be handy to have the ability to tighten this up or to apply the lock at any point within the zoom range.

Unlike many other Canon lenses in my kit bag this one doesn’t have an ultrasonic motor (USM) to drive the AF but to be honest, in practice, I hardly noticed the difference. Autofocus was still fast and pretty quiet and remains accurate throughout the zoom range.

There is a downside though as this lens does suffer from vignetting at both extreme ends of the zoom range and there is a little distortion at 18mm. If you are shooting RAW and using Canon Digital Photo Professional to process your images the lens profile will help to correct this and the rest and be easily edited in Photoshop.

DPP_0966

Conclusion

This is definitely a lens that I’ll be adding to my kit bag. It’ll replace the 17-85mm and 75-200mm lens that I already carry with me on a day-to-day basis and will help to lighten my every-day kit bag!

At just over £450 the Canon EF-S 18-200mm IS lens is a bargain and offers an excellent zoom range for the money. Sure you lose a little in IQ versus a lens with a fixed focal length or a shorter zoom range but for me the convenience of not having to lens swap or carry multiple lenses outweighs the drawbacks.

 

Review by: Matt

Posted in: Cameras, Reviews
Tags: , ,
By April 13, 2009 Read More →

eXpansys money off vouchers

Expansys-LogoIf you missed out on our previous eXpansys discount voucher offer, don’t worry, we’ve managed to get eXpansys to give us a whole new batch of vouchers to give away!

To grab your own voucher all you have to do is submit your name and email address and we’ll send you your unique voucher code.

The offer is £10 to put towards an order of £40 or more between now and the 30th April

To use your code you can:

  • Enter it in the Voucher Code field at checkout, or;
  • Call 0161 868 0868 and quote it and the fact you are purchasing via TracyandMatt to your sales advisor, or;
  • Email [email protected] with your voucher code after placing your order, again stating you are purchasing via TracyandMatt

You can even send the sign-up link to family and friends so that they too can take advantage of this great offer!

 

By registering for your eXpansys voucher you will be added to our newsletter mailing list which you can unsubscribe from at any time. Vouchers are only valid at www.eXpansys.com and when you spend £40 or more. One voucher can be used for a single order, between now and up to and including the 30th April 2009. Discount will be applied to the cost of the goods and excludes delivery charges. Not to be used in conjunction with any other eXpansys special offer. Valid for use with UK orders placed on www.expansys.com or with our call centre and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or to purchase memory cards.

Posted by: Matt

[ Post Tags: expansys, money off, voucher offer, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]

Posted in: Deals & Offers
By April 13, 2009 Read More →

Sony XB40EX headphones review

In-ear style headphones are now pretty commonplace but the downside of these is that they have to be small enough to fit in your ear canal which often means that the speaker driver is also small and small drivers lead to a puny sounding bass. However, that’s where the Sony XB40EX headphones are different as they are specifically designed to offer a better bass performance.

XB40_02 lr

What’s in the box?

  • The Sony XB40EX headphones
  • Three different size ear plugs
  • Clip to hold the cable in place
  • Headphone Case

 

Sony XB40EX headphones specification:

  • Ear bud design
    Directs sound into the ear and reduces ineffective sound passages. Included small, medium and large ear cushions offer a custom fit.
  • 13.5mm driver
  • Sealed acoustic designReduces sound leakage and delivers deep bass.
  • Hybrid silicone ear buds
  • Flat cord
  • 4Hz – 24kHz frequency response
  • 105dB/mW sensitivity
  • 16 ohms impedance
  • Carrying case
  • Weight: Aprox 9g

XB40_03 lr

Review

It’s always a little tricky to review products like headphones – is there much that you can say about them?!

The Sony XB40EX headphones do live up to their claims as the bass sound is truly amazing, it’s the kind of sound that you would typically expect to get from a much larger set of cans. Thanks to their excellent low end response the middle and top end sounds so much clearer and tighter.

The package also includes three different sizes of ear plugs which means you can pick the ones that are right for you. When you have a good fit this helps to isolate outside noise and stops your music leaking out and annoying fellow bus travellers!

The other decent thing about the Sony XB40EX headphones is that the cable is flat rather than round. This may not seem like a big deal but in practice this seems to help prevent the cables from becoming tangled when kept in a pocket or bag.

There are a few things I didn’t like about these headphones though. Firstly the size is a bit off putting. I’m not talking about the size of the speaker driver, which needs to be large but the silver part that the driver is attached to. I don’t see why that really needs to be there. This leads me to the second thing I dislike about them – they are uncomfortable! I can wear the Sony XB40EX headphones for a while but after about 30 minutes they begin to make my ears ache. This is partly because of the shape of the outside which digs in to my ear.

 

Conclusion

The sound performance of the Sony XB40EX headphones is truly amazing and they do have to be heard to be believed. You don’t have to be a bass head to appreciate them.

The biggest let down for me is that they are just too uncomfortable to use for long. I’m sure this wont be a problem for everyone but you have to try them yourself to find out which isn’t always possible.

 

Review by: Matt

Posted in: Reviews
By April 10, 2009 Read More →

Acer DX900 unboxing video

The Acer DX900 is one of the first, if not the first Dual-SIM Windows Mobile handsets to be sold here in the UK. The DX900 will allow you to combine your work and personal mobile numbers in to one handset which means that many will be able to carry one instead of two phones!

This is the first handset to be released by Acer since they acquired E-Ten last year. There is a lot about the DX900 that reminds us of earlier Glofiish products.

The Acer DX900

The Acer DX900

The Acer DX900 allows you to have uninterrupted access to two separate phone services, for example; one for business and one personal, or one for calls and another for data, in a single device. Frequent business travelers can use local SIM card and home SIM card in the same device at the same time.  International business and cross boarder travelling becomes so much easier with this device from Acer.

The DX900 features support for both high-speed 3.5G (UMTS/HSDPA) and 2G (GSM/EDGE) communications, as well as GPS and Wi-Fi connectivity, a high-resolution VGA display, and a 3-megapixel auto-focus camera.

We’ll be reviewing the DX900 over the next couple of weeks so for now we hope you enjoy the unboxing video:

 

Acer DX900 unboxing video

 

Acer DX900 Specification:

  • Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
  • Samsung S3C 6400 533 MHz Processor
  • ROM: 256 MB / RAM: 128 MB
  • 2.8" VGA (468×640) colour transflective TFT
  • HSDPA / UMTS ( 2100 / 1900 / 850 MHz )
  • Quad-Band GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
  • microSD
  • Connectivity – USB 2.0
  • Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
  • WiFi 802.11b, 802.11g
  • GPS – Embedded SiRF Star III chipset
  • Built-in 3.0 mega pixels Auto-Focus CMOS camera, up to 2048 x 1536 resolution
  • 0.3 mega pixels Fixed-Focus CMOS camera for conference call usage
  • Built-in microphone and speaker, external stereo headset jack, hands-free mode supported
  • Composite TV out support
  • Battery – Removable 1530 mAh
  • 106(L) x 60.5 (W) x 17(H) millimetres
  • 147 grams (battery included)

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: Videos/Unboxings
By April 9, 2009 Read More →

SanDisk Sansa Express unboxing video

Over the past few years we’ve looked at and reviewed almost all of the media players in the Sansa range from SanDisk from the original e260 onwards. However I noticed one model missing from our review list; the Sansa Express.

The SanDisk Sansa Express

The SanDisk Sansa Express

I’ve been extremely impressed with all of the models in the Sansa range and still use the original e260 to this day. They are all simple to use with an intuitive user interface but the one thing that has always made these media players stand out is the phenomenal battery life. I can use my e260 for 2 hours per pay and I dont have to charge it for WEEKS!

The Sansa Express is at the lower end of the model range. It’s pretty small, not much bigger than a regular USB memory key and in fact that’s exactly what it looks like. Because of its diminutive size you wont be able to watch video on this model but there is a decent OLED display on the front so that you can look through your music list and see what’s currently playing etc. There’s even a built in FM radio.

The Express comes in several different capacities, we are reviewing the 1GB model. However the nice thing about the Express is that it had a MicroSD card slot so that you can increase the storage space available and it will support up to 8GB SDHC memory cards.

I’ll be spending the next few weeks using the SanDisk Sansa Express on my commute and will be back with a review soon. Have a look at my brief unboxing video for mode details:

 

SanDisk Sansa Express unboxing video

 

SanDisk Sansa Express specification:

  • 1GB internal memory (2GB model available)
  • Dimensions (W x D x H) 1 in x 0.7 in x 3.1 in
  • microSD slot to expand your capacity and provide portability of music
  • Direct USB connector-No cable needed 
  • New sleek, compact design      
  • With this MP3 player you can enjoy music & FM radio
  • Built-in Mic for Voice Recording
  • Four-line, bright OLED screen
  • Digital FM tuner, with FM recording
  • Simple to use controls for fast device interface navigation
  • Supports MP3, WMA, protected WMA, WAV, and Audible files
  • 15-hour, rechargeable lithium polymer battery life

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: Videos/Unboxings
By April 8, 2009 Read More →

SanDisk Extreme IV compact flash review

As soon as you hear the mention of SanDisk’s name I’m sure that memory cards will spring to mind. SanDisk are arguably the top memory card manufacturer and certainly the choice of many a professional photographer.

DPP_0970

Here we are looking at the SanDisk Extreme IV Compact Flash card. So what’s the Extreme IV part all about? Extreme IV refers to the fact that this Compact Flash is UDMA so should be capable of up to 45MB/s transfers. 

One of the ways you’ll know that you are looking at a quality product is that it comes neatly boxed and well presented rather than in a plastic blister pack that you’d find cheaper memory cards in.

DPP_0969

You may be wondering why speed is so important and why not simply focus on capacity? As DSLR manufacturers continue to push the boundaries with their sensors we’re starting to see even the entry level cameras with 15 megapixel sensors with the higher end going to 25+. If you add the RAW shooting capability in to the mix then you’ll find that each photo can be upwards of 17MB. That’s a fair amount of data to write to a memory card every time the shutter it released and if you add in high speed burst shooting you can start to see why memory card speed might be important. The faster the memory card the more photos can be recorded in a burst. So taking the Extreme IV for example and recording JPG images to the memory card on the Canon EOS-50D you can record in bursts continuously! Pretty important if you are photographing a lot of action.

DPP_0971

So in order to see how much difference the UDMA technology makes to the Extreme IV I’ve compared it to another unbranded 8GB compact flash card.

In the test I wrote a series of RAW photo files to the memory card and timed the overall write speed. I performed the test several times with each card and took the average of each. I’m writing 6 RAW files to each memory card and the images are 17.1MB each.

SanDisk Extreme IV 8GB CF 6.03 seconds
Generic non-branded 8GB CF 14.94 seconds

So just simply looking at the results above you can see that the Extreme IV is more than twice as fast as the generic compact flash, this will certainly make a noticeable difference.

However, it’s not just about write speed, we should also consider read speed.

Having used the generic no-name memory card in my Canon 50D for such a long time and reading a few hundred images in from the card at a time this can take a few minutes. I’ve been using the Extreme IV for the past few weeks and it’s obvious that it’s a much faster card when it comes to downloading images, in fact I’m pretty sure that the memory card is faster than the USB connection on the camera and the card reader, so we’ll be looking at a Firewire reader soon.

 

Conclusion

Is the SanDisk Extreme IV compact flash card worth the extra money? That al depends on how much you use your camera. If you are a casual photographer then I’d say the Extreme IV isn’t going to be worth the additional cost (more than twice as expensive as a generic brand). If however you are a very keen amateur or a pro then you might want to invest in one of these. I’m sure that the time you’ll save at the end of the shoot will mean that the SanDisk Extreme IV will pay for itself in no time!

 

Review by: Matt

Posted in: Reviews
By April 8, 2009 Read More →

Toshiba Portege Smartphones now under £200

eXpansys just dropped me an email with details of two great deals on Toshiba Portege Smartphones, you can now pick up the Toshiba Portege G810 or Toshiba Portege G910 for under £200.

image Toshiba Portege G810 order now for £159.99
http://www.expansys.com/d.aspx?i=163552&partner=tracyandmatt
If you have a requirement for a touchscreen-only Pocket PC Phone, the Toshiba Portege G810 will fit the bill. With an excellent list of specifications including wireless high-speed HSDPA data connectivity, a built-in GPS receiver and Windows Mobile 6.1 professional, it is a fantastic bargain at the new price of only £159.99.
Stock is limited, so place your order today!

 

 

 

image Toshiba Portege G910 order now for £199.99
http://www.expansys.com/d.aspx?i=162650&partner=tracyandmatt
The Toshiba Portege G910 has a stylish clamshell design, giving the look, feel and functionality of a mini-laptop. With a full QWERTY keyboard, a 3-inch Wide-VGA touchscreen, fingerprint security, wireless HSDPA data connectivity and an in-built GPS receiver, it also has a new price of only £199.99.

 

 

 

 

Stock is limited, so place your order today!

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: Deals & Offers
By April 7, 2009 Read More →

Acer DX900 now in stock

The Acer DX900 is the world’s first Dual-SIM Smartphone to support both 3.5G (HSDPA) and 2.75G (EDGE) SIM cards allowing you to keep track of both personal and business communications.

Acer_DX900_F

The Acer DX900 was publicly unveiled at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, in February.  Clove Technology are pleased to announce that it is NOW IN STOCK.

The DX900 is a truly revolutionary device which offers a more efficient method for communication, for those who carry both a personal and business mobiles. Priced at just under £399 including VAT the DX900 is a steal and has much to offer in comparison to some competition.

A few of the DX900 features include:

  • Dual SIM Capability – One for work and one for personal
  • Windows Mobile 6.1
  • UMTS/HSDPA
  • Bluetooth
  • WiFi
  • MicroSD Slot
  • 2.8" VGA Display
  • 3.0 Megapixel Camera
  • Front facing VGA Camera
  • In Built GPS Receiver
  • TV Out Functionality

 
For more information and to place your order CLICK HERE

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: News
By April 7, 2009 Read More →

Panasonic Lumix FX500 unboxing

We’ve looked at several Lumix models in the past and have always been pretty impressed with their performance and value for money.

This time we are looking at the FX500 which is a higher-end Lumix model than the ones we’ve looked at before.

Tha Panasonic Lumix FX500

The Panasonic Lumix FX500

The FX500 has some really cool features such as a huge 3" LCD screen to preview/review your images but it’s also a touchscreen that makes menu navigation really very simple. The FX500 also features a 10 megapixel sensor and a decent 25mm wide angle lens with 5x optical zoom while remaining in a fairly compact package.

You’ll also find face and smile detection settings and steady-shot to help improve your images. In fact the list of features goes on and on so we’ll cover more of them when it comes to the review.

For now have a look at the unboxing video to see a little more of the Panasonic Lumix FX500:

 

Panasonic Lumix FX500 unboxing video

 

Panasonic Lumix FX500 specification:

Sensor:
• 1/2.33" Type CCD
• 10.7 million pixels total
• 10.1 million effective pixels

Image sizes:
• 3648 x 2736
• 3648 x 3432
• 3648 x 2056
• 3072 x 2304
• 3072 x 2048
• 3072 x 1728
• 2560 x 1920
• 2560 x 1712
• 2560 x 1440
• 2048 x 1536
• 2048 x 1360
• 1920 x 1080
• 1600 x 1200
• 640 x 480

Movie clips:
• 640 x 480 (30 fps/10 fps)
• 320 x 240 (30 fps/10 fps)
• 848 x 480 (30 fps/10 fps) 16:9
• 1280 x 720 (30 fps/15 fps) HD

File formats:
• JPEG (Exif 2.21)
• QuickTime (Motion JPEG)

Lens:
• 4.4 – 22.0 mm
• 25 – 125 mm (35mm equivalent)

Image stabilization:
Yes, lens-shift

Digital zoom :
Yes, 4x (Up to 7.12x with ‘Extra Optical Zoom’ cropping)

Focus:
TTL 9-point with Face detection

AF area modes :
• Face detection
• Touch AF
• 9-point
• 3-point high speed
• 1-point high speed
• 1-point
• Spot

Focus distance:
• Normal 50cm – ∞ (W), 100cm – ∞ (T)
• Macro 5cm – ∞ (W), 100cm – ∞ (T)

Metering:
• Intelligent multiple
• Center-weighted
• Spot

ISO sensitivity:
• Auto
• High ISO Auto (1600 – 6400)
• 100
• 200
• 400
• 800
• 16005

Shutter speed:
• 60 – 1/2000 sec

Aperture:
• F2.8 – F5.9

Self timer:
2 sec, 10 sec

Continuous shooting:
• Full-res 2.5 fps for 3 images (fine), 5 images (standard)
• Approx. 2MP, 6 fps in High speed burst mode

Flash:
• Auto / On / Off / Slow Sync / Red-eye reduction
• 60 cm – 6.0 m (W, Auto ISO)
• 1.0 m – 2.8 m (T, Auto ISO)

LCD monitor:
• 3.0 " PureColor LCD II
• 230,000 dots
• 100% coverage

Storage:
• SD/SDHC/MMC card
• 50 MB internal

Weight (with battery)
175 g (6.2 oz)

Dimensions
94.9 x 57.1 x 22.9 mm (3.7 x 2.2 x 0.9 in)

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: Videos/Unboxings
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