The Asus P750 has made the news a lot lately mainly because of its VGA screen which was initially set up as QVGA screen. Now with a ROM update you can use the P750 in its full 480×640 glory.
The P750 seems to be a popular device, each time we’ve mentioned it here on Tracy & Matt we’ve had a great response in terms of emails and comments. In fact one of our reviewers, Steve, has been asking me every day ‘When can I review the Asus P750?’. Well the answer is NOW! Steve is working on the review at the moment and we’ll have that here for you soon. For now though enjoy our unbox video:
Asus P750 unboxed
Asus P750 specification
Windows Mobile 6 Professional
Processor: Marvell PXA270M 520MHz
Memory:ROM 256MB, RAM – 64MB
2.6″ 65K colour TFT VGA screen
HSDPA 3.6Mbps, UMTS 2100, EDGE/GPRS/GSM 900/1800/1900; Class 10
Almost a year ago to the day I unboxed the first version of the HTC Advantage the X7500. It was, in fact, one of the first unbox videos that I recorded.
Now, almost a year and 80+ unbox videos later, we’ve got our hands on the latest HTC Advantage, the X7510. The overall look of the Advantage hasn’t changed much but it’s ‘under the bonnet’ that you’ll see the biggest difference. There’s now a 16GB Hard Drive included and Windows Mobile 6.1 professional for starters.
The other big change is to the keyboard. Earlier versions of the Advantage had proper tactile keys but this new model has been replaced with a flat membrane style keyboard which would look more at home on a ZX81! It does make touch typing something of an issue.
However, Owen is putting together our full review so we’ll see what he makes of it in day-to-day use. The review will be here soon (Won’t it Owen!?) but for now take a look at the unbox video:
HTC X7510 (Advantage) unboxed
Please ignore the fact that I call it the X7501 in the video. It is of course the X7510!
HTC Advantage (X7510) Specification:
Size – 133.5 x 98 x 16 mm (additional 4.75mm for keyboard)
Interface – HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed); HTC 16 pin port (USB 1.1 host, TV/VGA out); 3.5mm audio jack with microphone
Battery – 2100 mAh
Talk time – WCDMA: up to 300 minutes GSM: up to 360 minutes
Standby time – WCDMA: up to 300 hours GSM: up to 300 hours
Special feature – Detachable QWERTY Keyboard with Haptic feedback; document printing; G sensor
It’s been a long timse since I’ve seen a Palm powered product and in fact we’ve never written a review on one. However, I saw the Palm Centro on Clove Technology’s wewbsite a few weeks ago and thought it was an attractive looking device with a built in QWERTY keyboard for well under £200 – I decided it was worth a look!
So here is our unbox video for you to have a look at while we go ahead and prepare the review:
Today Sony sent me the retail version of the TG3 to have a look at and, according to them, we are the first to get our hands on this puppy!
Unfortunately, due to the long queue of people waiting to review the HDR-TG3E, we only get to keep the Handycam for a few days so there wont be an detailed review from us this time. We do have our unboxing video though and I’ll be letting you know what I think of the camera too. Hopefully we’ll get our hands on another TG3 so that we can do a full review at a later date.
Sony HDR-TG3E Handycam unboxed
First impressions are that this is an amazingly small and light camcorder. The size and weight isn’t achieved at the expense of build quality either as the TG3 looks and feels very solid, probably thanks to the chassis being made from titanium.
I also like the fact that so much is included in the package. In fact the box contains everything you need to get up and running, including a 4GB MSProDuo card. It’s quite unusual for media to be included in a camcorder package.
Sony HDR-TG3E Handycam
Setting up and using the TG3 for the first time is straight forward thanks to the intuitive touch screen menus. It’s simply a case of setting up the date and time and then choosing the shooting mode. Once you have inserted the memory card you are ready to start filming. Even if you have never used a video camera before I’m pretty confident that you’ll be able to use the basic features of the TG3 without having to read the user guide.
Sony HDR-TG3E Handycam controls
The controls on the TG3 are well laid out, the most important ones sitting with in easy reach of your thumb while shooting. In fact there are not that many buttons or controls on the TG3, most of the settings and functions are accessed through the touch-screen.
Sony HDR-TG3E Handycam front view
The TG3 isn’t just for videos though, you can take digital still pictures too and there’s even a built in flash on the front of the camera. Another thing that’s nice about the TG3 is that you can take a still picture while you are recording a video. If you choose to do this then the image is captured at 2.3 megapixels. However, if you are in still image mode that is increased to 3 megapixels – not a huge number, but adequate.
One thing to be aware of with the flash though is that it is so close to the camera lens that red-eye and dust orbs are likely to be more of an issue than normal.
Sony HDR-TG3E Handycam connectors
The TG3 has a range of connectors that should cover almost every application. The AV connector covers composite video/audio and also component video. A USB connector allows you to hook the TG3 up to a PC or Mac in order to download and edit your videos. Under a cover on the back you can find an HDMI socket so you can plug directly into a HD TV and play back your HD videos. The HDMI cable is the only one not included in the box.
Sony HDR-TG3E Handycam bottom view
There’s also a special connector on the bottom of the camera for the docking station (which is also included in the package). The docking station replicates the power, AV and USB connections from the camcorder but not the HDMI.
A final word (for now) on the video quality. I recorded a few sample clips in low-light conditions last night and I’m very impressed how well the TG3 performs. Playing back the video on my 50″ HD Plasma TV the results are fabulous and despite the video being a digital format, requiring compression, there are no obvious compression artefacts.
As the camera uses no moving parts for recording there’s no tape or DVD motor noise on the playback and it also means that recording is silent.
In all the TG3 is a great camcorder, small in size but not at all small in features.
Sample video and images as well as some answers to your questions can be found in this post.
A few weeks ago I mentioned Sony’s announcement of a brand new range of Walkman MP3 player products, one of which was the NWZ-A820. Sony have kindly sent me a pre-release sample to take a look at and as always I’ve done an unbox and preview video which you can see below.
Sony WALKMAN range
I’ve used the A820 briefly today and my initial impression of the player is that it is very impressive. The player coupled with the supplied Sony EX headphones make a great combination. I’m uploading some of my own music as I speak and will be reviewing the A820 over the coming weeks.
Sony NWZ-A820 Walkman unboxed
Big screen, big battery life: new NWZ-A820 series WALKMAN® Video MP3 Players with Bluetooth® Stereo
Clear, bright 2.4-inch QVGA screen for high quality video playback
Bluetooth® connectivity for wireless music enjoyment
Supplied 13.5mm EX headphones plus DSEE, Clear Bass and Clear Stereo technologies for superior sound
We’ve reviewed a few Lumix cameras in the past and this is the latest Lumix DMC-LS80 digital compact camera from Panasonic.
All new Lumix cameras incorporate a REC/PLAYBACK mode switch. This helps the photographer to instantly switch between recording mode and playback mode. The GUI (Graphic User Interface) has been upgraded to look more futuristic in terms of design and colour. The view screen also looks wider and clearer because all icons have been relocated to the sides.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS80 unboxed
Panasonic introduces a new Lumix digital camera, the DMC-LS80, that combines easy-to-use advanced functions and AA-battery operation convenience. A newly developed Lumix DC VARIO lens system with 3x optical zoom (equivalent to 33-100mm on a 35mm film camera) fits into its compact body and gives a clear, sharp clear image right to the edge of the picture. The CCD has been upgraded to 8.1-megapixel high resolution, so even after cropping, you will still have a high resolution picture. Both the external and internal design has been revised throughout to enhance the ease of operation.
At the heart of the DMC-LS80’s super-easy operation is a comprehensive Intelligent mode that combines four distinct features aimed at making it easy to capture perfect images. First is the Mega O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), a system that helps eliminate blurring due to hand-shake. Second is the Intelligent ISO Control, a system that fights motion blur by detecting if the subject moves and adjusting the ISO sensitivity and shutter speed setting according to the degree of motion and light conditions. Thirdly, is the Auto Macro mode. The camera automatically switches to the Macro mode according to its shooting distance with the subject. The Quick AF system allows the camera to start focusing on the subject even without pressing a shutter button halfway, as the camera is continually detecting and focusing. All these functions act automatically, so you don’t have to think about them each time conditions change. You enjoy effortless, trouble-free shooting in any situation, as well as the satisfaction that comes with capturing beautiful photos.
Until the launch of the HTC TyTN II back in September 2007, my phone of choice was the Samsung i600. I liked the integrated keyboard and slim form factor but the one thing missing was built in GPS.
However, Samsung recently released the i780 which looks like an updated version of the i600 but has built in GPS!
Samsung i780
In reality the Samsung i780 is an all-new device. First of all it uses WM6 professional, so there is an integrated 320×320 pixel touchscreen. The CPU clocks at 624MHz and there’s 256MB ROM and 128MB RAM. The i780 also has a new “optical joystick” for navigating through the OS.
So can the Samsung i780 turn me away from my TyTN II? I’ll discuss this and all the new features in the review which will be here soon. For now though, here is our unbox video:
The HP iPAQ 614 has been subject to a number of delays over the past few weeks but thanks to our friends at Clove Technology we finally have one to review.
I haven’t had much time to use the 614 as yet but my initial thoughts are that this is a well designed and built device which looks attractive and seems to perform well. I have to say, however, that it is a lot bigger than I expected it to be, I thought it would similar to the HTC S730 but in terms of size it’s slightly larger than the TyTN II!
We’ll be working on the review over the next week or so but until then, here is our unbox video:
HP iPAQ 614 unboxed
HP iPAQ 614 Specification:
Windows Mobile 6 professional
2.8-inch transmissive TFT 240 x 320 pixel touch panel display
Integrated Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Tri Band HSPDA
WiFi 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth V2.0
520MHz processor
128MB SDRAM/ 256MB ROM
3 Megapixel Camera (614c)
MicroSD Slot
1590 mAh Lithium Polymer battery
117 x 60.3 x 17.5mm
145 grams
EDIT: As per comments below, I’m sorry I didn’t power the device up in this video but the 614 arrived only a few hours before I left for Paris and the battery was totally flat when I unboxed. I wanted to get the video live before I left rather than no video at all so I’ll record another video when I get back to show you the OS and GUI.
You may recall a couple of weeks ago HTC announced their new “Budget” GPS enabled Windows Mobile Pocket PC, the HTC P3470.
Previously known to us as the HTC Pharos, the P3470 having undergone a name change has also undergone a slight facelift and is, in my opinion, now an attractive looking device.
We’ve been lucky enough to get our hands on a pre-production sample unit to review and, naturally, you can find our unbox video below.
First impressions are that the device seems quite capable and despite the relatively slow CPU (just 201 mHz) it seems to run along quite smoothly, probably aided by the 128MB of RAM. The lack of 3G and WiFi is a bit of a disapointment which is only offset slightly by the integrated GPS. I feel that £300 may be a bit too high to really consider the HTC P3470 a ‘budget’ device.
HTC P3470 unboxed
Smart, simple and easy to use, TomTom Navigator 6 is the best sat-nav solution for your PDA or mobile phone. The intuitive interface, crystal clear instructions and easy call handling make it the ideal navigation partner for the P3470. The touch interface and large 2.8in screen ensure the AGPS-enabled sat-nav is easy to use, and the HTC P3470 is truly mobile thanks to the long battery life. The HTC P3470 also includes a 1GB Micro SD card for mapping and other data storage.
“The HTC P3470 integrates GPS-location into an innovative and high-powered phone that brings location-based experiences to customers looking for power and affordability,” said Florian Seiche, Vice President, HTC Europe. “We are very pleased to announce this addition to the product portfolio, continuing our commitment to provide an option for every user.”
I-mate have certainly been releasing a lot of devices lately and we’ve just managed to get our hands on another new model, this time the i-mate JAMA 101.
The i-mate JAMA 101 reminds me of the old i-mate Jam (HTC Magician) and looks like an updated version of that device. It’s small, light and has decent syling. The JAMA 101 is one of the world’s most compact Windows Mobile 6 professional phones. The 2.4″ touch screen is housed in a stylish jet-black rubberised finish.
The specification is somewhat basic but the JAMA is a good entry level device offering decent features considering the size of the package.
The unbox video below should give you a better idea of the size of the device and we’ll follow up with a review in a week or so.
Panasonic HDC-SD5 unboxed
i-mate JAMA 101 Specification:
Tri-Band GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900
Samsung 300MHz CPU
64MB RAM/128MB ROM
Windows Mobile® 6 Professional
Bluetooth
2.4″ TFT 65K colour screen
2.0 Megapixel digital camera/video with flash and auto focus and 4X digital zoom
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