TECH Issue 23 by Deenar Press and Publishing

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Home Screen MARCH 2012

OMAN’S ONLY TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL Editor-in-chief

Hatim al Taie Content Head

Sujata Sengupta Dy. Content Head

Poornima Ramani Head-Design

Shyniben Koyakkil Senior Designer

Manu Martin

CORPORATE Managing Director

Abdullah al Taie General Manager

Rathish Ramachandran Asst. General Manager

Hot stuff While the world of cinema and entertainment has been celebrating the 84th Annual Academy Awards, the team has been sweating it in this heat (it’s just February!). And it’s not just Meryl Streep who is worthy of her Oscar; TECH is also getting geared up for its 2nd anniversary celebrations (to be announced soon). The second year, without a doubt, deserves a celebration that could probably rival an Oscar after-show party. And as a teaser, there has been a bit of revamping in terms of articles. Our special feature this issue is 30 really weird gadgets that will make you the envy of all. From path illuminating umbrellas (something you don’t see in Oman that often) to USB toast handwarmers, the gadgets all have an ‘X’ factor that is all about being cool – cool not in terms of technology, but for just being. Another addition to our rich content is a special page dedicated to our favourite Apps for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry. Check out our Time Zone for info on the cool Citizen Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE. You can be one of the lucky owners of the limited edition timepiece.

Terry Mathukutty Sales

Leticia Meneses Mary Gonzales Aaron Davidson

Also check out our review on the newest member of the HTC Sensation, the XL. As the name suggests, it’s massive. And also really cool, thanks to the Beats by Dr Dre audio technology. - Ed

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$ 2012 © All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers; while every care has been taken in the preparation of the magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible if factual errors in product and pricing occur. MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time. The publishers regret they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this issue. Please check any quoted hardware specifications and pricing with your supplier before purchase.

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VOL 2

ISSUE 11

MARCH 2012

CONTENTS 16

Features Photography

Apps

Sony unveils the DSC-TX200V, DSC-WX70 and DSC-WX50

Favourite iPhone, Android and BlackBerry apps

ikon COOLPIX models feature Vibration N Reduction image stabilisation technology

Time Zone Citizen Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE receives signals from the sky

F ujifilm X-Pro 1 is aimed at the professional photographers

26 30

Philips HTS3541 and AZD208 let you share entertainment

Computing

anasonic ELUGA power is a blend of P form and function S tay connected with Samsung GALAXY S Advance

John Maliakal, regional manager of Toshiba Gulf Computer Systems Division

LG 72-inch Cinema 3D Smart TV is a perfect entertainer

T he Darkness II is a no-holds-barred gore fest

Tech News NouvoTech Quiz Tech Favourites Tech Directory

TC Sensation XL impresses with Beats H Audio technology

Video Zone

Gamerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delight

Regulars

P Z1 Workstation is for entertainment H professionals

Interview

ingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a K fantasy RPG with good gameplay

S amsung Series 7 slate PC is a perfect balance of power and design

Mobile Zone

Dashboard Volvo Concept You features a touch control cockpit

Thirty cool gadgets of 2011-12

Audio Zone

Tonda Annual Calendar from Parmigiani Fleurier offers precision

F eature-rich Panasonic DMC-ZS20, DMCZS15, DMC-TS4 and DMC-TS20

Feature

10 14 55 56 63

Letters to the Editor If you have any queries, mail us on tech@deenarmedia.com, and we will try to answer them in our next issue Dear TECH team,

Dear editor,

I tried out one of the 3D TVs in the malls and noticed that the glasses they used were different to those we find in the cinema. Is there really a difference between the two systems?

My laptop has been giving me some problems lately. It randomly gets hot and then shuts down and cannot be restarted successfully for at least 20 minutes. What could be the problem and how do I get it fixed?

Arjun Dear Arjun, Both systems are significantly different from one another but the basic concept is the same. Cinemas generally use polarisation systems to present a stereoscopic motion picture. The two images projected are superimposed onto the same screen through different polarising filters. The viewer wears low-cost eyeglasses which also contain a pair of polarising filters oriented differently to pass only that light which is similarly polarised and blocks the light polarised differently. And so, each eye sees a different image. This is used to produce a three-dimensional effect by projecting the same scene into both eyes, but depicted from slightly different perspectives. On the other hand, the 3D TVs sold today use something called the ‘Eclipse method’ where a shutter blocks light from each appropriate eye when the converse eye’s image is projected on the screen. The TV alternates between left and right images, and opens and closes the shutters in the glasses or viewer in synchronisation with the images on the screen. This gives a similar 3D effect as you would find in the cinema.

Regards, Saud Dear Saud, The problem is overheating. This is also the reason why your laptop does not restart for about 20 minutes, which is how long the components need to cool. The reason for this problem could be either a faulty component, the heat sink may have become detached from one of the key parts or it could be as simple as not enough ventilation. Firstly, never use your laptop on your bed or other soft surfaces as the top of the surface can mould around the laptop and block key ventilation points. Always use it on flat, well-ventilated surfaces. If this is not the problem than it most definitely is an interior component of the laptop and you should avoid using it as much as possible till it is inspected, to avoid further damage. If you have a faulty component, it will have to be replaced and if a heat sink has become detached, it will have to be refitted with thermal paste. Do this and your overheating problems should be over.

- Ed - Ed

I use Windows 7 and have activated McAfee antivirus license version. So, should I install Microsoft Security essentials also? And once my McAfee license period expires, how do I reactivate it? Sneha Dear Sneha, It is better to have only one ‘real time’ protection active on a PC. Most McAfee Antivirus programs packaged with PCs are just that – antivirus software and not the entire suite. Security Essentials will provide you with additional security including antivirus, and so would be a better option. Alternatively, you could opt for McAfee’s entire suite but that would cost you more. To reactivate the license you will need to either renew it online or purchase a new one when the existing period ends. - Ed

The Headset that adapts as you move! Bose速 Bluetooth Headset series 2

The headset that meets the demand of on-the-go communications, from crowded terminals to noisy traffic. Its engineered to react automatically as noice levels change, allowing you to hear your end of the call better.

BOSE Showroom, Qurum, Tel: 24470497 CONNEXIONS Showroom, AL Araimi Complex, Qurum,Tel: 24565490 www.ohielec.com / Online Shopping www.ohielecshopping.com

TECH NEWS

NEW SAMSUNG SHOWROOM

s part of its expansion plans, Al Seeb Technical Establishment (Sarco) has opened yet another spacious showroom in the East Wing of Muscat City Centre. The new showroom will not only enhance customer convenience but will also create more jobs for Omanis who are technologically savvy. At a well-attended inauguration ceremony held recently, HE Khalil bin Abdullah bin Mohammed al Khonji, chairman of Oman Chamber of Commerce, was the chief guest, while Y S Kim, president of Samsung Gulf Electronics, was the guest of honour. Spread across 440sqm, the new Samsung state-of-the-art showroom has the entire gamut of Samsung products. Ajay Ganti, CEO of Sarco, said, “With the opening of the new Samsung showroom at the convenient loca-

Ajay Ganti, CEO of SARCO, with the chief guest, at the opening of the new Samsung showroom in Muscat City Centre

tion of Muscat City Centre, we are now even closer to our customers. They can enjoy the Samsung experience in a relaxed ambience.

OMASCO opens music boutique

uscat Music, a division within Omasco, has been appointed the official Yamaha agents for Oman and will carry the full range of Yamaha musical instruments and accessories. This new music boutique is located in Madinat al Sultan Qaboos. In addition to retail the boutique will feature a music service facility with a workshop for all musical instrument repairs. It will also offer a unique maintenance contract for acoustic pianos, where the customer may elect to place their piano under a one- or two-year contract where tuning and small repairs and adjustments will be carried out during the tenure of the agreement.

Be it a TV set, refrigerator or laptop, every home needs a Samsung product.”

Toshiba Portégé launched at Emax Toshiba launched their Portégé series of laptops at Emax, the largest electronic store in Oman. The device is the company’s first Intel Core processorbased Ultrabook that offers portability, durability, performance and essential multimedia features in a slim and sleek design. The Ultrabook is equipped with essential connectivity features and provides the tools for today’s demanding digital users. Lester Govias, country manager, OGCC Computer Systems Division of Toshiba Gulf, was present at the launch, along with Jayaprakash Menon, general manager of Bahwan Electronics, the dealers of Toshiba in Oman.

Phillip Stallwood, general manager, Music Sales and Services, and his team are committed to delivering the best possible service and care. “Our remit is to exceed our customers’ expectations all the way along the line – from purchase through to installation and maintenance. Our customer service will be second to none. We want to develop music across Oman.” Representatives of Landmark Group, Bahwan Electronics and Toshiba Gulf, at the launch of Toshiba Portégé

10 / TECH

Honor and Vision

uawei has announced that two of its much anticipated smartphone releases – the Huawei Honor and Huawei Vision – will be available to consumers across the UAE as the company looks to aggressively expand its regional handset portfolio in 2012. Originally introduced in select Asian and European markets last year, the high-performance devices have received positive acclaim for combining the latest software and hardware technologies packaged in a simple-touse Android-supported handset. “The Huawei Honor and Huawei Vision encapsulate our brand by striking the

perfect balance between advanced technology and award-winning design,” says David Tian, Huawei Device Director of Sales for UAE. “By extending features that elevate every aspect of the user experience, anyone can now easily connect, communicate and share content without compromising on originality or performance.” Within the UAE, the Honor and Vision will be available through all IMS retail outlets including Lulu Hypermarkets, KM Trading, and Costless Electronics locations. The devices can also be found in select retailers across the Middle East in countries such as Jordan and Oman.

LG notebooks in town

G’s new Super Ultrabook Series, the Z330 and the Z430, will be available in Oman in March. They offer powerful performance and sleek design. The P535 and the A540 3D notebooks, and the V300, the 23-inch all-in-one PC for entertainment, will all be launched in March. The Z330 is the most compact, and it features LG’s proprietary Super Speed Boot technology. The Z430 is a 14-inch notebook which boasts powerful performance in a sleek, compact chassis.

A CINEMA 3D notebook designed to please style-conscious consumers looking for a comprehensive entertainment experience, the P535 builds on the sophisticated slim design philosophy of LG’s P-Series notebooks. The A540 provides glasses-free 3D entertainment with enhanced 4.1 channel sounds. Initially unveiled in 2011 with the secondgeneration Intel Core i7 processor, the V300 is LG’s first-ever all-in-one PC featuring Film Patterned Retarder (FPR) 3D technology and an IPS display.

Go faster Micro Vault MACH is the first family of flash memory drives from Sony with SuperSpeed USB 3.0 technology. Ideal for consumers and business users who need the convenience and reliability of ultra-fast on-the-go data transfers, it is available in capacities from 8GB up to 64GB. It is backward-compatible with USB 2.0. It is encased in a sleek, solid aluminium body. MARCH 2012 / 11

TECH NEWS

ULTRA-SHORT

THROW PROJECTOR

anon Middle East announced the launch of the LV-8235 UST (ultrashort throw) projector. The latest addition to Canon’s LV range can project high-quality images at 2,500 lumens from extremely short distances, giving users more freedom to install the device in a variety of locations. Particularly beneficial to education and business environments is the device’s close proximity to the screen which ensures that limited shadows are cast and that light does not shine in a presenter’s eyes. The built-in 10W speaker

is loud enough to be heard in meeting rooms or classrooms, without the need for an external audio system, while the 3,000 hours lamp life (in Eco mode) means that minimum maintenance is required, and total ownership costs are kept down. Setup is quick and easy thanks to the Auto Set and Auto PC adjustment features. The LV-8235 UST is also ideal for use with interactive whiteboards. A high contrast ratio of 2,000:1 allows the device to produce deep blacks and vivid images.

Value-added service N

awras has introduced two new SMS services to bring world news to customers’ handsets and tablets. Reuters Breaking News service will provide customers with the latest updates on international news stories while Asia News will deliver daily news from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The communications provider is offering these SMS services on a monthly subscription basis. Both services are available for all Nawras Ajel (post-paid) and Nawras Mousbak (prepaid) customers to enjoy. Reuters

News is communicated in either English or Arabic with a minimum of one message being delivered each day. Simply send R to 90454 to receive breaking news in English, for the nominal monthly fee of RO1.5. Customers can choose to receive Asian News in English from any of the three countries featured for just 700 Baiza per month, per country. To subscribe to Indian news, the keyword IND should be sent to 90452. The number is the same to select news from Pakistan using the keyword PAK and for Sri Lankan news, the keyword is SRI.

Sandy Bridge Shuttle’s latest release, the Shuttle XH61 slim PC, packs in second generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. A high-performance small form factor that will run on Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge processors, it will run on the Intel H61 Express Chipset. Features include 7.1 sound, an HDMI and D-Sub port. It has space to stash away a slim optical drive. 12 / TECH

Mass production Samsung Electronics produces embedded multi-chip package (eMCP) memory for use in entry- to mid-level smartphones that will help the phones deliver enhanced performance and longer battery life. The solutions come in a range of densities, utilising LPDDR2 DRAM with 30nm class process technology and NAND flash memory using 20nm-class technology.

REDEFINING

ENTERTAINMENT

nkyo has announced the first four new AV receivers for its 2012 line, including three with network capability, and one with THX certification. All have USB connections and additional HDMI inputs. The line-up also includes the world’s first AV receivers to employ Silicon Image’s InstaPrevue and Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) technologies. Furthermore, the three network-capable models are the

world’s first AVRs to include music ‘cloud server’ access via MP3tunes. The four new models are the Onkyo TX-NR616 THX-Certified 7.2-Channel Network Receiver, TX-NR515 7.2-Channel Network Receiver, TX-NR414 5.1-Channel Network Receiver, and TX-SR313 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver. Onkyo has assembled two class-leading packaged home theatre

systems for the first round of its 2012 model introductions – the HT-S3500 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver/ Speaker Package and the HT-S5500 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver/ Speaker Package. For users making their first foray into the world of home theatre, these two packages offer simple installation, stress-free operation, and sparkling performance.

Geared for war

ioWare and Razer revealed peripherals and gear created for the highly anticipated action RPG Mass Effect 3. Fans of the Mass Effect series can arm themselves for the all-out galactic war with the Razer Mass Effect 3 Edition peripheral line which includes a Razer Imperator gaming mouse, Razer Vespula dual-sided gaming mouse mat, Razer BlackWidow Ultimate gaming keyboard, Razer Onza Tournament Edition Xbox 360 controller, and Razer Chimaera Xbox 360 gaming headset. The cuttingedge peripherals will give fans of the series a competitive advantage in the epic battle to save the galaxy from the ancient alien race known only as the Reapers.

Fans can also receive gear to protect and safeguard peripherals and gadgets from the intensity of the intergalactic warfare in Mass Effect 3. The Razer Mass Effect 3 Edition gear line includes a sleek, hard protection case customised for the iPhone 4/4S, and a sleek N7 messenger bag for ample storage. Both the Mass Effect 3 peripherals and gear line are emblazoned with Mass Effect iconic N7 design, bestowed only to the highest-ranking soldiers of the Systems Alliance military, worn by Commander Shepard on his armour. Mass Effect 3 peripherals are available now for pre-order from Razerstore.

All-in-one workstation

Thunderbolt series

HP Z1 is the first all-in-one workstation with a 27-inch diagonal display. Built for computer-aided design, digital media and entertainment professionals, it provides fast rendering and performance. It offers a full range of workstation-class graphics cards and processors. It is expected to be available worldwide in April. Pricing starts at USD1,899.

LaCie announced the 2big Thunderbolt Series. With speeds up to 327MB/s, the Thunderbolt interface delivers speeds three times faster than FireWire 800. You can daisy chain multiple 2big Thunderbolt devices to increase overall performance. It also features RAID flexibility, Hot-swappable drives for easy replacement and aluminium heat sink design for efficient cooling. MARCH 2012 / 13

Listen to your heart The Swimmer’s Talking Heart Rate Monitor does exactly what the name suggests – it audibly transmits your heart rate while swimming. Without the need to wear a telemetry strap or wrist watch, the 100 per cent waterproof monitor’s clip attaches to an ear lobe to detect pulse using infrared technology. The monitor clips to a swim goggle’s strap and rests against either temple, using bone conduction to transmit sound to the wearer through the cheek bones to the inner ear. You can set the monitor to announce your heart rate anywhere from five-, ten-, 20-, 30-, or 45-second to one-, two-, and five-minute intervals during a swim workout (a heart rate of 142 is heard as ‘one forty two’ in an easy-to-understand voice). The monitor remains secure to goggles even during the most vigorous swimming strokes.

Pro charger Just Mobile Highway Pro is the iconic twinslot in-car charger for iPhone, iPad and other USB-powered devices. Highway Pro plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter socket, revealing its diamond-tread aluminium head with subtle power light. Highway Pro’s two USB ports deliver high-performance output to rapidly charge two devices – with a built-in fuse to protect them from power surges. Supplied with an Apple-certified coiled charging cable, the Just Mobile Highway is the chic charger your dashboard deserves.

Stomp away

The iStomp works just like every other stomp box – simply step on the footswitch to turn it on and off. Adjust the knobs to get the sound you want. The biggest difference between the iStomp and other stomp boxes is you can completely change the iStomp to be any pedal in the entire pedal line. Simply connect your iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad to the iStomp and select which pedal you’d like from the DigiTech Stomp Shop App. In about the same time it takes to download a song you can change the iStomp from a distortion to a reverb, a phaser to a tube overdrive, or a delay to a chorus. iStomp includes DigiTech’s Total Recall digital delay and Redline overdrive to get you started.

Flowing audio

Wrenz sports a smooth flowing design with a stunning mirror finish. Modest in size, it is capable of delivering powerful and high-quality rich sound. All key items are hidden away. The LED indicator will glow at the top, behind the speaker mesh when switched on. All connection ports are hidden away behind the tail cover and are easily accessible when needed. With the daisy chain feature, you can link several Wrenz speakers together to form a large music choir. It has in-built rechargeable battery, and a highquality neodymium mini driver. Thanks to the standard 3.5mm stereo jack, it will work with any device, be it your phone, MP3, MP4, or digital tablet.

14 / TECH

Google glasses Later this year, Google is expected to start selling eyeglasses that will project information, entertainment and, this being a Google product, advertisements onto the lenses. The glasses will use the same Android software that powers Android smartphones and tablets. Like smartphones and tablets, the glasses will be equipped with GPS and motion sensors. They will also contain a camera and audio inputs and outputs. Through the built-in camera on the glasses, Google will be able to stream images to its rack computers and return augmented reality information to the person wearing them. For instance, a person looking at a landmark could see detailed historical information and comments about it left by friends. Credit: The New York Times

Travel companion The iF Design and CES Innovations award-winning DreamTraveler (iAD301) is a slim travel-size combination power strip with surge protection and USB charger for iPhone, iPod or iPad, with a slide-out charging dock. The DreamTraveler can power up to six devices at once with its three grounded outlets, two USB ports, and one USB charging dock. With one 2.1 amp and two 1 amp USB ports, it can quickly charge all your Apple devices. It comes with a handy adjustable strip for cord management. The sliding dock and slim design are ideal for packing in a suitcase or carry-on bag.

Musical dimension The JMC Soundboard is a loudspeaker made of wood. It lets you experience music in its original dimension. The Soundboard creates a balance, lively and pervasive musical climate, like that of a concert. The association of 350-year-old resonance spruce, time-honoured lutherie techniques and contemporary audio technology has given rise to a truly exceptional loudspeaker. Resonance wood has been used for hundreds of years to give musicians exceptional instruments. The omni-directional wave of the Soundboard ensures ideal listening from any location. It measures 89x89x21cm and weighs 12kg.

Glass beauty In the Kenwood ODELIC SP0001 Glass Speakers the housing of the speaker is made from glass. To prevent the glass from cracking or shattering from the vibrations, the speakers have been made from an aluminium die-cast body which is said to help reduce unnecessary vibrations. Kenwood is also offering a speaker stand as an accessory which provides blue or white LEDs to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;lightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; up your speakers from below.

MARCH 2012 / 15

PHOTOGRAPHY

Make memories Sony unveils new ultra-thin and stylish DSC-series cameras

ith the new Cyber-shot camera models you can capture full 16.2MP (WX70, WX50) and 18.2MP (TX200V) resolution images at up to ten frames per second. In order to reduce distortion when continuously shooting moving subjects, the cameras are equipped with a mechanical shutter. For blur-free movies, the camera sports Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation with Active Mode. Camera-shake

compensation has further been improved with the addition of a new electronic image stabilisation. The cameras feature Intelligent Scene Recognition Mode that automatically detects 33 (WX70 and WX50) and 36 (TX200V) different types of scenes within just 1/30th of a second, and then selects the appropriate camera settings. It has two modes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Auto and Advanced. In Auto Mode, the camera takes a single shot

DSC-TX200V The camera features an 18.2MP Exmor R CMOS sensor that helps capture ultrahigh definition images. The sensor enables advanced processing that reduces noise levels. The TX200V sports a sleek, polished glass camera front without protruding lenses or control buttons. The 5x optical zoom extends internally, and scenes can be composed or played back on the cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bright and colourful 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen. Picture Effect adds a new level of expression to photos, emphasising certain attributes. Photo Creativity allows you to fine-tune your exposure settings, such as brightness, colour and vividness. The camera also sports Face Detection technology, Anti-blink function, Natural Flash mode, Smile Shutter technology, Soft Skin mode, Motion Detection, and Face Motion Detection. It is also waterproof up to 5m, dustproof and freezeproof up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

Details SENSOR 18.2MP, 1/2.3-inch Exmor R CMOS sensor PROCESSOR BIONZ DISPLAY 3.3-inch XtraFine TruBlack OLED touchscreen, 1,229K dots OPTICAL ZOOM 5x IMAGE STABILISER Optical SteadyShot Active Mode COLOURS Silver, violet, red

16 / TECH

Dimensions WIDTH 95.5mm HEIGHT 58.3mm DEPTH 16mm WEIGHT 114g (body only)

using the optimal settings. In Advanced Mode, the camera takes a photo with the optimal settings and, in low-light conditions it immediately takes a second photo with another optimised setting. With Clear Image Zoom feature, the processor compares patterns found in adjacent pixels and creates new pixels to match selected patterns, resulting in more realistic, higher-quality images. Clear Image Zoom also doubles optical zoom for closer photos.

The stylish DSC-WX70 and the DSC-WX50 feature a 16.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS image sensor. This helps the Carl Zeiss lens to deliver fast speed, high resolution, and stunning low-light sensitivity with improved image clarity and reduced grain. The cameras let you record movies at the highest resolution available, with capabilities for 60i in 1080 AVCHD video. This provides fast motion video with less distortion for playback on your HDTV. You can shoot stills and movies at the same time.

The WX70 and WX50 sport Sweep Multi Angle mode, in which the camera takes 15 images at different angles as it sweeps across the scene. By tilting the camera during playback, the cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gyro Sensor detects motion and displays the image in a 3D-like view on the cameraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LCD. Smile Shutter technology helps capture a smile the moment it happens. Simply select Smile Shutter and the camera does the rest. You can also select adult

and child priority, indicating the degree of Smile Detection sensitivity. Another element is the background defocus. DSLR photographs blur the background, emphasising the subject. The cameras deliver this benefit. The camera takes two shots, identifies the background and applies a defocused background, keeping the subject clear. They have 3D Still Image and 3D Sweep Panorama mode capabilities, with Picture Effect adding a new level of expression to photos.

DSC-WX70 The three-inch XtraFine LCD display (921K dots) with touchscreen makes it easy to navigate menus and preview live Picture Effects. The large display delivers quality still images and movies while enabling easy focusing operation. The DSC-WX70 features Face Detection technology that detects up to eight individual faces and adjusts focus, exposure, and white balance to help deliver crisp images. Soft Skin mode recognises skin tones and reduces blemishes and wrinkles. Motion Detection, along with Face Motion Detection adjusts ISO sensitivity and increases the shutter speed when movement is detected, reducing blur in moving subjects and faces.

Details SENSOR 16.2MP, 1/2.3-inch Exmor R CMOS sensorPROCESSOR BIONZ DISPLAY Three-inch XtraFine touchscreen LCD, 921K dots OPTICAL ZOOM 5x IMAGE STABILISER Optical SteadyShot Active Mode COLOURS Silver, black, white

DSC-WX50 With Intelligent Sweep Panorama HR mode just press the shutter, pan the landscape and let the camera do the rest. It automatically links together each frame to produce a high-resolution panoramic image. It also gives you the ability to zoom in on small details. This model detects faces and moving subjects to stitch intelligently different widths to help avoid subject distortion. The camera sports a Superior Auto mode, where it automatically recognises the correct scene mode, shoots and combines up to six shots to produce images with greater clarity, optimum dynamic range using Backlight Correction HDR technology and lower image noise using 6 shots layering technology. Superior Auto intelligently detects 33 scenes for still images and movies, making it easy to get the best shot.

Details SENSOR 16.2MP, 1/2.3-inch Exmor R CMOS sensor PROCESSOR BIONZ DISPLAY 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD, 460K dots OPTICAL ZOOM 5x IMAGE STABILISER Optical SteadyShot Active Mode COLOURS Black, silver, pink, gold, blue MARCH 2012 / 17

COOL SHOTS Nikon COOLPIX models deliver high-quality pictures and movies

he new Nikon COOLPIX models deliver accurate detail, brilliant colour and amazing clarity, thanks to the NIKKOR lenses. The cameras feature Nikonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s EXPEED C2TM high-performance digital image processing engine. This further helps improve colour and sharpness. The image processing engine is custom-optimised for each COOLPIX model, to ensure high-quality pictures and movies.

COOLPIX P510 Details

It features a 42x wide-angle NIKKOR glass zoom lens. Advanced optical Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilisation ensures that the photographer captures the subject with exceptional image quality. For increased stability, there is an additional zoom control located on the side of the lens barrel. It comes with built-in GPS capabilities. It includes Full HD (1080p) movie recording with stereo sound. The camera features a variety of advanced functions, with intuitively placed controls such as the mode dial, which enables easy setting of frequently used functions on the fly.

SENSOR 16.1MP, 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor DISPLAY Three-inch TFT LCD, 921K dots DIGITAL ZOOM Up to 2x MEMORY 90MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards COLOURS Black, red

PRICE USD429.95

COOLPIX L810 The L810 sports a powerful 26x zoom that makes it possible to capture details with precision. This ultra-zoom features a super wide 22.5mm wide angle lens with VR image stabilisation technology. Nineteen Scene Modes optimise camera settings. It features a Sports Continuous Shooting mode to capture fast moving subjects. You can record 720p HD movies with stereo sound through a one-touch control button and play back on a threeinch, high resolution LCD display.

COOLPIX P310 The P310 fights blur by incorporating advanced optical VR image stabilisation. It makes shooting in low-light quite easy thanks to the scene modes available, including Advanced Night Portrait mode, Night Landscape mode and Backlight/High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode. The P310 has several features found in DSLR cameras, including manual exposure control and a new Zoom Memory function.

Details SENSOR 16.1MP, 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor DISPLAY Three-inch TFT LCD, 921K dots DIGITAL ZOOM Up to 4x MEMORY 50MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards COLOURS Black, red, blue

PRICE USD279.95

Details SENSOR 16.1MP, 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor DISPLAY Three-inch TFT LCD, 921K dots DIGITAL ZOOM Up to 2x MEMORY 90MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards COLOUR Black

PRICE USD329.95 18 / TECH

COOLPIX L26 Details

The L26 is easy to use and features intelligent automatic Scene Modes. With a 5x optical zoom NIKKOR lens, the COOLPIX L26 lets you record 720p HD video. A wide and bright three-inch LCD screen, vibration reduction and Smart Portrait technology make this the ideal camera for the beginner or casual photographer.

SENSOR 16.1MP, 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor DISPLAY Three-inch TFT LCD, 230K dots DIGITAL ZOOM Up to 4x MEMORY 20MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards COLOURS Red, black, silver

PRICE USD119.95

COOLPIX S9300 A slim camera that sports an 18x optical zoom NIKKOR ED glass lens, it features a 16MP Backside Illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor for capturing low-light images with clarity and sharpness. Nikon’s BSI sensor technology increases the flow of light to the sensor’s surface, which improves image quality and reduces noise. Users can also record Full HD (1080p) movies with full stereo sound. Built-in GPS has been added to provide the user with accurate geo-tag data.

Details SENSOR 16MP, 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor DISPLAY Three-inch TFT LCD, 921K dots DIGITAL ZOOM Up to 4x MEMORY 26MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards COLOURS Black, red, silver

PRICE USD349.95

COOLPIX S3300

Details

The slim design of the camera makes it effortless for travelling, while the easy-to-use interface is always ready to capture photos and video. The camera has 19 Scene Modes, including the Scene Auto Selector which analyses a scene and automatically selects from one of six scene modes. Optical VR minimises the effects of camera shake.

SENSOR 16MP, 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor DISPLAY 2.7-inch TFT LCD, 230K dots DIGITAL ZOOM Up to 4x MEMORY 42MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards COLOURS Silver, black, pink, purple, red

PRICE USD139.95

COOLPIX S30

Details

The COOLPIX S30 is shockproof up to 2.6ft, and waterproof up to 9.8ft. A 10.1-megapixel image sensor produces high quality images and HD video. A 3x wide angle zoom lens, HD video capabilities and extremely easy-to-use modes like the Smart Portrait System make the camera simple, durable and affordable.

SENSOR 10.1MP, 1/3-inch CCD sensor DISPLAY 2.7-inch TFT LCD, 230K dots DIGITAL ZOOM Up to 4x MEMORY 47MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards COLOURS White, blue, pink

PRICE USD119.95

MARCH 2012 / 19

SPORTY SHOOTING Panasonic’s new rugged digital cameras are feature-rich

he DMC-ZS20 and DMC-ZS15 digital cameras are the newest members of the LUMIX ZS-series from Panasonic. Known for its powerful zoom in a compact body, the cameras sport a versatile 24mm ultra wide-angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens and the ability to shoot full High Definition (HD). With a redesigned lens system, the cameras feature a new mechanical structure and optical system to further improve image quality. They sport a newly developed High-Sensitivity MOS sensor. And coupled with the advanced image processor Venus Engine, they feature high speed, high sensitivity image recording. The LUMIX DMC-ZS20 and ZS15 feature a variety of special effects. Creative Control mode offers a selection of artistic effects, including Expressive Retro, High Dynamic, Sepia, Dynamic Monochrome, High Key, Low Key, Miniature Effect, Toy Effect and Soft Focus. In Miniature Effect mode, the peripherals are defocused while saturation and contrast are emphasised to make the picture look like a diorama. Panorama mode makes it possible for users to shoot 360-degree horizontal or vertical panoramic images by taking consecutive shots and then overlaying it for the effect of a panoramic photo. Creative Retouch mode offers users six filters – Toy Effect, Soft Focus, Dynamic Monochrome, Expressive, High Key and Retro – to create artistic-looking photos. The Auto Retouch function automatically adjusts contrast and brightness for a clearer, more natural image. This can be applied with the simple press of a button. The cameras have the ability to record high-resolution, full-HD 1,920x1,080 videos in AVCHD Progressive (MPEG-4) format. A stereo zoom microphone provides videos with the high-quality stereo sound of Dolby Digital Stereo Creator, offering highly realistic sound in the captured video. The Auto Wind Cut function helps to block out wind background noise making voices clearer, and mechanical noise caused by zooming is suppressed to improve overall video sound quality.

20 / TECH

DMC-ZS20 The DMC-ZS20 offers stunning image clarity with minimised ghosting and flare, thanks to Nano Surface Coating technology. It integrates an enhanced built-in GPS functionality. Geo-tagged images are automatically sorted. Apart from the latitude and longitude, the DMC-ZS20 shows the name of the country, state, county, city and landmark. All this info is saved in the EXIF data.

Details SENSOR 14.1MP, 1/2.33-inch High Sensitivity MOS sensor DISPLAY Three-inch TFT touchscreen LCD, 460K dots ZOOM Optical: 20x; Digital: 4x IMAGE STABILISER Power Optical Image Stabiliser MEMORY 12MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards INTERFACE Mini HDMI, USB 2.0 High Speed BATTERY LIFE Approximately 260 pictures COLOURS Black, red, white, silver

PRICE USD349.99

DMC-ZS15 It features iA (Intelligent Auto) mode that activates a range of technologies to enhance photos without adjusting settings every time. The new HDR (High Dynamic Range) and Power Optical Image Stabiliser with Active Mode suppresses blur from hand-shake. AF Tracking and other features allow users to point and shoot, leaving the camera to do all the work in capturing memories.

Details SENSOR 12.1MP, 1/2.3-inch High Sensitivity MOS sensor DISPLAY Three-inch TFT LCD, 460K dots ZOOM Optical: 16x; Digital: 4x IMAGE STABILISER Power Optical Image Stabiliser MEMORY 70MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards INTERFACE Mini HDMI, USB 2.0 High Speed BATTERY LIFE Approximately 260 pictures COLOURS Black, silver

PRICE USD279.99

The LUMIX DMC-TS4 and DMC-TS20 rugged digital cameras are waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof. They include Panasonic’s popular iA (Intelligent Auto) mode – a suite of technologies that allow the camera to select the most appropriate settings for taking high-quality photos. The cameras also have a dedicated video record that lets you start recording videos while shooting photos without having to go through any additional menu options. The cameras sport features that let you get creative. The Miniature Effect mode, for example, makes the photo look like a diorama. In this mode, the peripheries are defocused while saturation and contrast is emphasised. Panorama Shot mode lets you shoot a 360-degree horizontal or vertical landscape by taking consecutive shots and overlaying the photos.

DMC-TS4 The DMC-TS4 is waterproof up to 12m, shockproof up to 2m, freezeproof up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, and dustproof. It features a LEICA DC VARIO-ELMAR lens with a 4.6x optical zoom, a 12.1-megapixel HiSpeed CCD sensor and the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine. The camera features built-in GPS system, compass, altimeter and barometer.

Details SENSOR 12.1MP, 1/2.33-inch CCD sensor DISPLAY 2.7-inch TFT LCD, 230K dots ZOOM Optical: 4.6x; Digital: 4x IMAGE STABILISER Power Optical Image Stabiliser MEMORY 20MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards INTERFACE Micro HDMI, USB 2.0 High Speed BATTERY LIFE Approximately 310 pictures COLOURS Orange, blue, black, silver

PRICE USD399.99

DMC-TS20 The DMC-TS20 is waterproof up to 5m, shockproof up to 1.5m, and freezeproof up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. This rugged digital camera has the following Panasonic iA features: Mega Optical Image Stabiliser, AF Tracking, Intelligent ISO Control, Face Recognition, Intelligent Scene Selector and Intelligent Exposure.

Details SENSOR 16.1MP, 1/2.33-inch CCD sensor DISPLAY 2.7-inch TFT LCD, 230K dots ZOOM Optical: 4x; Digital: 4x IMAGE STABILISER Mega Optical Image Stabiliser MEMORY 70MB built-in memory, SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards INTERFACE USB 2.0 High Speed BATTERY LIFE Approximately 250 pictures COLOURS Orange, blue, black, red

PRICE USD179.99

MARCH 2012 / 21

ENGINEERED MASTERPIECE Fujifilm X-Pro 1 is specifically aimed at the professional photographers

n all-new premium interchangeable lens camera that was unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year, Fujifilm X-Pro 1 features a 16-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor, a new X lens mount, Hybrid Multi Viewfinder and three prime lenses. The X-Trans CMOS sensor delivers

Details SENSOR 16-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor SCREEN Three-inch LCD, 1,230K dots STORAGE SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards CONNECTIONS USB 2.0 High Speed, HDMI

Dimensions WIDTH 139.5mm HEIGHT 81.8mm DEPTH 42.5mm WEIGHT 400g (body only)

Cool Feature

The X-Pro 1 sports a Hybrid Viewfinder that has the ability to switch between an optical and an electronic viewfinder. Choose the Optical Viewfinder for bright viewing image, and to keep shutter lag to a minimum. Choose Electronic Viewfinder if you want focus confirmation, exposure and white balance information, and depth of field indicators.

Key features ● Fujifilm-designed 16MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor ● Novel colour filter array to suppress colour moiré ● EXR Processor Pro image processor ● Dual-magnification hybrid optical/ electronic viewfinder ● Analogue dials for shutter speed and exposure compensation on top of camera ● Fully electronic X lens mount

22 / TECH

resolution that is as good as a full frame sensor. Fujifilm has also developed a new colour filter array that removes the need for an optical low-pass filter. This filter array solves moiré and false colour issues. In the array, RGB pixels are arranged in 6x6 pixel sets with high aperiodicity (randomness). The presence of an R, G and B pixel in

Lenses

Initially, three compact XF Fujinon fast aperture prime lenses will be available for the X-Pro 1 – the XF18mmF2 R, XF35mmF1.4 R and XF60mmF2.4 R Macro. These lenses offer precise control over depth-of-field and deliver excellent out-offocus bokeh thanks to the design of the moulded aperture diaphragm blades. The blades are curved, with the edges rounded off rather than simply cut off, which delivers a sharper image.

every vertical and horizontal pixel series minimises the generation of false colours. It also helps with higher colour reproduction. EXR Processor Pro maximises the full potential of the X-Trans CMOS sensor and delivers high speed and high precision image processing.

Design

The top and base are made from die-cast aluminium alloy. The shutter speed dial and exposure compensation control are made from solid metal. The lightweight lens hood has also been machined from aluminium. Diameters of the aperture ring and focus ring of the three Fujinon XF-series interchangeable lenses are only slightly larger than the barrel for a sleek look.

A leather-like finish for both the look and durability

Comes with three compact XF Fujinon fast aperture prime lenses – the XF18mmF2 R, XF35mmF1.4 R and XF60mmF2.4 R Macro

For beautiful reproductions High-quality image, enhanced operability and increased efficiency

he inkjet-format Dry Minilab Frontier DL600 is the latest addition to Fujifilm’s Dry Minilab series. The DL600 is equipped with an exclusive ink head developed to handle five different coloured inks, Fujifilm Quality Inkjet Paper which has been specially developed to maximise the different coloured inks, and Fujifilm’s proprietary image processing technology Image Intelligence, to realise high quality prints. The DL600 also features a 720dpi mode for regular printing, and a 1,440dpi

high quality print mode. The DL600 offers outstanding space saving. The width of the paper roll is less than six inches and extends to 180m in length, and the ink cartridge capacity has been increased to 700ml per cartridge, further reducing the need to change consumables. Setting different types of paper and checking the condition of the printer have been further simplified with the addition of an operation panel on the front of the printer. The DL600 is also able to handle

paper sizes of up to 12 inches in response to diversifying customer demands. Through the combination of specialised inkjet paper and five different-coloured inks, the DL600 achieves high image quality, enhanced operability and maintenance, and offers unwavering print quality and increased efficiency. The DL600 responds to the requirements of a wide range of customers, from firsttime users of dry minilabs to long-time professional lab operators.

Details PRINT METHOD Piezoelectric Inkjet System PRINT SIZE 127x89mm to 305x1,219mm PRINT CAPACITY Standard mode: 650 pages per hour (152x102mm) and 240 pages per hour (203x254mm); High quality mode: 150 pages per hour (152x102mm) and 60 pages per hour (203x254mm) PRINT RESOLUTION Standard mode: 720dpi; High quality mode: 1,440dpi POWER CONSUMPTION 89kWh/month AVAILABLE AT Photocentre, 24565305

Fujifilm 3D print system enables direct printing of high-quality 3D images on lenticular sheets. It not only prints photos taken by the 3D digital camera, FinePix REAL 3D W3 and FinePix REAL 3D W1, but also offers other 3D print services at tourist spots, theme parks, event venues, and leisure facilities. This system helps you develop new business areas by offering high value-added services.

Details

Dimemsions WIDTH 1,184mm HEIGHT 817mm DEPTH 1,530mm WEIGHT 160kg

Key features ● Automatic nozzle check function ● Double roll paper loading facility ● Sorter capacity for up to ten 8x12-inch orders ● Five-coloured inks in C/M/Y/LB/K (each colour: 700ml per cartridge) ● Exclusive inkjet paper in both glossy and lustre (four-, five- and six-inch widths with 180m lengths; eight-, ten- and 12-inch widths with 100m lengths) 24 / TECH

PRINT METHOD Dye-sublimation thermal transfer THERMAL PRINTHEAD 300dpi RESOLUTION 300x1,200dpi INTERNAL MEMORY 128MB AVAILABLE AT Photocentre, 24565305

Dimemsions WIDTH 451mm HEIGHT 904mm DEPTH 415mm WEIGHT 48kg

ASK-300 Dye-sublimation compact kiosk system

he ASK-300 is a high-speed, easy-to-use workstation-cumprinter that can produce high quality prints in seconds. It has superfast processing speeds. With its high performance card reader, you can upload images from all major digital camera storage media and camera phones quickly. The ASK-300 is also versatile due to its compact size, allowing it to easily fit on countertops, a floor stand, or placed

in a print station kiosk configuration, maximising profits per square foot. It supports a variety of Photo Finishing Formats – standard, ID and templateready photo formats are available. Photo formatting selection is easy to use, thanks to the on-screen step-bystep guide. And with Image Intelligence processing technology and Fujifilm’s quality thermal photo paper, outstanding image quality is achieved.

Details PC Unit DISPLAY 10.4-inch touch panel display OPERATING SYSTEM Windows XP Embedded PROCESSOR Intel Atom N455 (1.6GHz) MEMORY 1GB DDR3 SO-DIMM HDD 160GB (SATAL) INTERFACE USB 2.0 x 4 ports AVAILABLE AT Photocentre, 24565305

Dimemsions WIDTH 275mm HEIGHT 170mm DEPTH 446mm WEIGHT 12kg

ASK-2500 Dye-sublimation printer U

sing Fujifilm’s Image Intelligence to enhance image quality, the ASK-2500 gives you the ability to produce four different sizes of lab quality photos in just seconds. In combination with the quality thermal photo paper, prints are five per cent whiter, 20 per cent glossier, and easier to handle. The ASK2500 installs easily with any Window’s PC and works with most photo-editing programs. It comes with 6.8-second print speeds for 4x6-inch prints.

Key features ● Direct printing ● High-quality image ● Compact design ● Various size printing ● Print variation

Details PRINT METHOD Dye-sublimation thermal transfer INTERFACE USB 2.0 – B-type PRINT RESOLUTION 300x600dpi AVAILABLE AT Photocentre, 24565305

Dimemsions WIDTH 300mm HEIGHT 352mm DEPTH 411mm WEIGHT 22kg MARCH 2012 / 25

feature

COOL FACTOR

Thirty gadgets that make the owner the envy of all

BioLite CampStove

Belkin Kitchen solutions

NIKE+ FuelBand This is an innovative wristband that tracks and measures everyday movement. It uses accelerometry to provide information about different activities through movement of the wrist via a LED dot matrix display. Four metrics are available: time, calories, steps and NikeFuel. The band syncs with the Nike+ website to record activity and track progress every day.

USD129 (RO50)

USD40 (RO15)

It cooks with nothing but sticks, twigs, pine cones and other biomass. And by converting heat from the fire into usable electricity, the stoves will also recharge your phones, lights and other gadgets while you cook. By using renewable resources for fuel instead of petroleum, you’re reducing your carbon footprint.

Chef Stand + Stylus (F5L099), priced at USD39.99, is kitchen-safe and made for use with messy hands. It allows you to scroll through recipes without getting your iPad 2 dirty. The product features dual angles for easy viewing and a nonslip rubber base, perfect for combating slippery countertops.

adizero f50

BodyMedia FIT CORE Armband

MOTOACTV

The intelligent football boot from adidas, the adizero f50 powered by miCoach, is a ‘football boot with a brain’. It brings smart technology to the field. Powered by miCoach, it is the fastest and smartest boot. miCoach turns the adizero f50 into the ultimate digital training tool by letting you track and upload performance data. The boot includes a cavity in the outsole unit which houses the revolutionary miCoach SPEED_CELL. The SPEED_CELL captures 360-degree movement and measures key performance metrics.

The new CORE Armband from BodyMedia is small and lightweight. It is a third smaller in overall volume compared to previous BodyMedia FIT Armbands. Capturing over 5,000 data points per minute using four sophisticated sensors, this seriously smart device tracks everything from calories burned, steps taken, to levels of physical activity to sleep. The CORE Armband stays charged for four to six days, making it easy to stay centred and ready to go throughout the week.

The fitness device from Motorola Mobility is a lightweight, wearable performance tracker. It works as a smart music player. You can sync the device with your PC – this helps you track your workouts, set goals and even create workout competitions with your friends via the MOTOACTV Web Portal. With a touchscreen display you can instantly launch a new workout or a song. Motorola AccuSense technology and GPS helps measure your time and calories burned.

EUR210 (RO107)

26 / TECH

USD180 (RO70)

USD149 (RO57)

8G – USD249 (RO95), 16G – USD299 (RO115)

Metal Pro Powerball

Boogie Board Rip LCD Writing Tablet

GBP60 (RO37)

A precision-engineered piece of kit for the serious Powerballer, it is great for building strength and muscle tone in your wrists, arms and shoulders. After first setting the inner section spinning, rhythmic circular hand and wrist movements not only maintain the rotation, but also make it steadily faster. The increased centrifugal force makes it harder for you to keep the Powerball spinning at the faster speeds.

USD130 (RO50)

Genius Ring Presenter USD60 (RO23)

This is the newest model to join the rapidly growing line of paperless, environmentallyfriendly eWriters from Improv Electronics that utilise Kent Displays Reflex No Power LCDs. The Rip (Record Image, Preserve) tablet combines the writing experience of Boogie Board tablets with the ability to save notes or illustrations and then transfer them to a computer for editing, organising, archiving and sharing.

The first ring-style touch cursor controller from Genius, this is a lightweight presenter with mouse functions. You receive full access to control PowerPoint slides, play, scroll to the next or the previous page, and a laser pointer. It also comes with the in-air mouse function so you can use actual mouse functions like cursor movement, dragging and four-way scrolling.

Karotz smart rabbit USD129 (RO50)

The Karotz smart rabbit from Violet is tailor-made for Facebook. This smart rabbit enables the user to connect to their Facebook account. Friends can take control of Karotz to communicate by sending messages and audio files, using the integrated webcam to see what it sees.

TankBot

USD25 (RO10)

Desk Pets International unveiled TankBot. Three interactive modes allow TankBot to navigate mazes, free-roam, and be fully controllable by your Apple iOS or Android mobile device. Featuring a built-in USB charger, battery cost is non-existent, giving TankBot hours of inexpensive playtime.

Nest Learning Thermostat

USB Toast Handwarmers

With a combination of sensors, algorithms, machine learning and cloud computing, the tool learns your preferences and adjusts temperature. With no hassle of programming or re-adjustments, Nest takes care of everything â&#x20AC;&#x201C; simply answer a few setup questions and make a weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth of temperature adjustments. Nest learns your personal schedule and starts turning down the heating or cooling accordingly. It also keeps refining its schedule over time.

Squishy and adorable, when you plug them into the nearest USB ports and switch them on, your hands will be wonderfully warm. And you can still type while wearing them. You can set your level of warmth to low or high. It comes with adjustable straps, where one size fits most hands. It is compatible with PC, Mac, Linux and USB-enabled devices. Each toast weighs 57g.

USD249 (RO96)

Ultimate Rechargeable Heated Gloves USD160 (RO62)

The Ultimate Rechargeable Heated Gloves provide heat for up to eight hours on a single charge. They are powered by two ultra-thin, lightweight lithium-ion batteries. It has four temperature settings.

USD25 (RO10)

MARCH 2012 / 27

Portable 256 Colour Uplighter

Path Illuminating Umbrella

GBP25 (RO15)

USD40 (RO15)

Cycling through a full 256 colours, this USB-charged gizmo is great for adding a little mood lighting wherever you go. The touch sensitive colour wheel lets you choose any single colour, or you can just let it cycle through them all. Just plug it into your computer’s USB port to recharge.

This is the umbrella with a flashlight built into the handle that illuminates paths during dark, rainy strolls. The flashlight’s end articulates up to 180 degree (maximum 90 degrees perpendicular to the umbrella’s fibreglass shaft), lighting walkways with three bright white LEDs.

t’Light Sr

USD199 (RO77)

The t’Light S features eco-friendly illumination from a 5W LED plus audio output and a charging function. The LED has a superior life and lower power consumption. The remote control will help dim the light through a variety of settings. It is an integrated audio solution.

Canon imageFORMULA P-215 USD325 (RO125)

Little Printer

A compact personal document scanner with an innovative design, it incorporates an automatic document feeder (ADF); it also includes an integrated card scanner, capable of handling plastic ID cards, driver licenses and embossed cards.

Price unknown

Little Printer from BERG studio in the UK lives in your house and scours the Web on your behalf, assembling the content you care about into designed deliveries a couple of times a day. You can configure it from your phone. It holds a compact, inkless, thermal printer. Its zero-configuration wireless connection to the Web lets you place it wherever you have a power outlet.

Jukebox Dock

USD249 (RO96)

The JUKEBOX DOCK from ION Audio is a tabletop speaker dock for iPad with vintage looks and modern capability. It features built-in stereo speakers and a universal dock for iPad. It charges your iPad while you listen. It sports a lighted neon trim. It also works with many popular jukebox apps from the App Store.

28 / TECH

Photo Cube Smartphone Printer GBP120 (RO73)

Plug your iPhone or iPod in the top, or connect an iPad or Android device via USB and it’ll even charge your gadgets. The Photo Cube app is free to download.

AeroSystem One

USD15,480 (RO5,960)

Developed by Jean Michel Jarre and his team of sound engineers, this is a powerful sound system that can accept all digital formats. It is compatible with all iPod and iPhone models and comes with an integrated USB 2.0 port, as well as a minijack port offering the possibility to connect the system to a laptop or DVD player.

Logitech Mini Boombox

WEEZY

GBP70 (RO43)

USD91 (RO35)

A compact sound system for music, movies, and games, it supports calls that pairs easily with smartphones, tablets and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. It features a specially designed acoustic chamber that lets you enjoy great sound with enhanced bass, and the handy speakerphone with built-in microphone gives you clear calls.

This is a Bluetooth Music Receiver that plays a phone’s music library on any stereo system using Bluetooth connection. It sets you free from wires and docks. Simply plug WEEZY in your stereo and connect your phone, tablet or PC to WEEZY via Bluetooth. And get ready to enjoy wireless freedom and the audio quality of your Hi-Fi.

MegaPhone

Black, white – USD550 (RO212), goldplated – USD820 (RO315)

The en&is MegaPhone is a speaker dock for the iPhone. It amplifies the audio coming out of the iOS device without using any electricity. Built in a shape similar to that of the gramophone, it has a small opening to place your iPhone. There’s no 30-pin connector for you to charge your device.

Hammacher Schlemmer USD100 (RO39)

Revo K2

Continuing its 163-year history of offering the best and the unexpected, Hammacher Schlemmer introduces the world’s smallest camera, a fully functional digital camera that is no larger than a fingertip. Measuring just over one inch in all dimensions and weighing half an ounce, it provides automatic focus and has a 2MP sensor.

GBP300 (RO183)

K2 digital radio device is a stunning column of aluminium and rubber that is capable of delivering reception of a wide variety of radio formats including DAB, DAB+, FM and Internet radio. K2 also offers full audio and video playback from iPod, iPhone and iPad, and the ability to wirelessly stream music files from any connected PC or Mac.

LomoKino Super 35 Movie Maker USD80 (RO31)

It allows you to become a director and capture Lomographic movies on 35mm film of any kind: no sound, no special effects, and no post production – just simple Lomography in motion. Simply load the film of your choice and wind the crank of the magic box to capture 144 shots on one roll of 35mm film, or approximately 50 to seconds of LomoMovie.

Lytro

Red – USD499 (RO192), Graphite, blue – USD399 (RO154)

Doxie Go

USD200 (RO77)

A modern new mobile paper scanner that’s tiny, cordless and simple, you can scan anywhere without the need for a computer. Doxie’s app syncs scans and then organises multi-page documents, creates searchable PDFs with ABBYY OCR, and sends to the cloud. It scans everything from bills and receipts.

Lytro light field camera introduces a new way of taking and experiencing pictures. Unlike conventional cameras, this light field camera captures all the rays of light in a scene, providing new capabilities, such as the ability to focus a picture after it’s taken.

MARCH 2012 / 29

audio zone

Get pumped

The new Blu-ray home theatre system from Philips brings the power of cinema to your home

hilips HTS3541 Blu-ray home theatre system features Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential that help deliver the finest sound from your Blu-ray discs. Audio reproduced is virtually indistinguishable from the studio master, so you hear what the creators intended for you to hear. The home theatre system also sports exposed speaker drivers for a powerful surround sound experience. You can play any disc and any media format you want. The system also lets you access YouTube videos and Picasa photos on your TV. You can now enjoy online videos and photos on a larger screen, without even having to turn on your computer. Simply ensure that your Blu-ray player or Home cinema system is connected to the Internet. Philips Music iLink allows you to play your music directly from your Apple device, MP3 player, or laptop via a simple connection to your home theatre. EasyLink lets you control multiple devices with one remote. It uses HDMI CEC industry-standard protocol to share functionality between devices.

Details TOTAL POWER At 30 per cent THD: 300W RMS AVAILABLE AT Mustafa Sultan Electronics, 24636015

Dimensions WIDTH 360mm DEPTH 325mm

HEIGHT 58mm WEIGHT 2.4kg

Shared entertainment New iPod dock from Philips features Dynamic Bass Boost

hilips AZD208 iPod dock lets you boost bass levels, so you can enjoy conshare your favourite tunes out sistent sound even when you turn down loud wherever you go. It offers the volume. So, at the touch of a button portability and ease of use. You can Dynamic Bass Boost feature enhances also charge your iPod while it plays. The your music experience by emphasising AZD208 lets you play CDs, CD-Rs and the bass content throughout the range CD-RWs. Bottom-end bass frequencies of volume settings. usually get lost when the volume is set at a low level. To counteract this, Dynamic Bass Details Boost can be switched on to OUTPUT POWER 2 x 1.3W RMS DISPLAY LCD SOUND ENHANCEMENT Dynamic Bass Boost Key features AVAILABLE AT Mustafa Sultan Electronics, 24636015 ● Play and charge your iPod simultaneously ● Play CD, CD-R and CD-RW ● MP3 Link for portable music playback Dimensions ● CD Shuffle/Repeat for personalised music enjoyment WIDTH 297mm HEIGHT 112mm ● Dynamic Bass Boost for deep and dramatic sound DEPTH 164mm SPEAKER DIAMETER 2.5 inches

30 / TECH

computing

Sleek slate The Series 7 slate PC from Samsung is a perfect balance of power and design

he Windows 7 OS in the new Samsung Series 7 slate PC allows you to run all your favourite office software. There are no compatibility issues when it comes to sharing documents with co-workers. The Samsung touch interface also gives you easy, instant access to all your programs. The XE700T1A features Fast Start technology. With this feature the tablet can be up and running from its hybrid sleep mode in as little as two seconds. The tablet offers the power and speed of a full-sized PC, with a thickness of just half an inch, and weighing less than a kilo. It is a perfect balance of power and design. SuperBright Plus technology is incorporated in the 11.6-inch HD LED-backlit screen. 32 / TECH

It gives you a screen that’s 36 to 50 per cent brighter than conventional screens, and it displays up to 16 million colours. An optional Bluetooth keyboard is also offered for those who prefer a traditional keyboard. An optional dock lets you easily connect to an external monitor, printer, MP3 player, camera and other USB devices. The XE700T1A sports a 3W stereo speaker with Woofer. These additional speakers enhance the sound generated from the tablet’s internal speaker. The Series 7 slate PC provides a variety of user interfaces for convenience and productivity – wireless keyboard, digitiser pen, touchscreen interface and slate PC dock. You can choose to touch, write, or type your reports and presentations.

Micro SD card slot

2MP webcam Power

USB 2.0 Audio (in/out combo)

Rotation lock

Volume Up Volume Down Micro HDMI

DC-in (3mm) Home button Dock port

Key features

Details

● Exclusive Fast Start technology ● SuperBright Plus screen technology ● Variety of user interfaces ● Built-in high resolution camera above the screen – Front: 2MP HD, Rear: 3MP HD

OPERATING SYSTEM Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) DISPLAY 11.6-inch HD LED-backlit, SuperBright Plus technology (1,366x768 pixels) PROCESSOR Intel Core i5-2467M processor GRAPHICS Intel HD Graphics 3000 MEMORY 4GB RAM STORAGE 128GB SSD WEBCAM Front: 2MP; Rear: 3MP COLOUR Black AVAILABLE AT Sarco, 24593025

PRICE RO525

Dimensions WIDTH 296.2mm HEIGHT 183.9mm DEPTH 13mm WEIGHT 898g

MARCH 2012 / 33

UNLEASH CREATIVITY HP Workstation is for media and entertainment professionals

he first all-in-one workstation from HP features a 27-inch diagonal display that snaps open. And so, it is easy for users to swap parts and make upgrades without any tools. The white LED display supports more than one billion colours and features a wide, 178-degree viewing angle and an in-plane switching (IPS) panel. The workstation exudes reliability, combining a sleek industrial design with accelerated performance. It offers a full range of workstation-class graphics cards and processors. It features Intel Xeon processors and Nvidia Quadro graphics. Users can choose from a variety of storage types, including 7.2K and 10K SATA, SSD, optional RAID configurations, removable drives (AMO), a multi-format media card reader and optical drives including a slotload Blu-ray writer. It also sports front-facing dual-cone speakers and SRS Premium Sound that offer high-fidelity audio.

Easy management It is now quite easy to manage the Z1, thanks to the HP-qualified NVIDIA Unified Driver Architecture. Providing all around compatibility between systems with different NVIDIA graphics solutions, it allows the same software package to be deployed across all the Z desktop workstations.

Graphics Available for the first time in an all-in-one package, the Z1 features Nvidia Quadro professional graphics, delivering outstanding performance and value. Together with an HP-designed heat sink to optimise thermal behaviour and whisper-quiet acoustics, the workstation is ideal for media professionals. For less graphic-intensive applications, the Z1 supports affordable integrated Intel Core HD and Xeon HD professional graphics. With fully accelerated OpenGL support, Nvidia graphics are certified and optimised with a wide spectrum of industry-leading applications including AutoDesk, Solidworks and Adobe. Compared to nonprofessional graphics solutions, the new Nvidia Quadro cards deliver exponentially faster performance across a broad range

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of design, animation and video applications. The Quadro line-up also offers the ability to take advantage of Nvidia CUDA accelerated applications like Adobe Premier Pro, Sony Vegas and Autodesk 3ds Max.

Cool Feature You can enjoy the simplicity of an all-in-one design. By snapping the system open you can easily add a hard drive, upgrade memory, or access the graphics card. With the HP Z1 Workstation you can truly enjoy the control of swapping out parts on your own.

Details DISPLAY 27-inch, 2,560x1,440 pixels, diagonal LED-backlit IPS display PROCESSOR Intel Core i3-2120, 3.33GHz; Intel Xeon E3-1245, 3.3GHz; Intel Xeon E3-1280, 3.5GHz; Intel C206 Chipset MEMORY Up to 32GB DDR3 ECC; 8GB DDR3 nECC, 1,600MHz STORAGE SATA 7200 3.5-inch drives: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB; SATA 10K 2.5inch drives: 300GB, 600GB; SATA SSDs: 160GB, 300GB WEBCAM HD 1080p 2MP webcam PRICE USD1,899

MOBILE ZONE

STYLISHLY SMART

Ultimate blend of form and function

anasonic’s new smartphone for the European market, known as ELUGA power, features a 1.5GHz processor and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system. The stylish smartphone arrives with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 dualcore processor, a stunning five-inch HD LCD screen (1,280x720) and 1080p Full HD video capability. With Android 4.0 on board, ELUGA power also boasts near field communication (NFC) technology, allowing you to pay and transfer data wirelessly.

At just 133g, the Panasonic smartphone combines lightweight portability with big-screen usability to deliver the ultimate blend of form and function. It sports a 9.6mm chassis, a pocket-friendly dimension.

Dimensions WIDTH 70mm HEIGHT 136mm DEPTH 9.6mm WEIGHT 133g

The ELUGA power also offers superfast charging, making it one of the most convenient smartphones on the market. In just 30 minutes Panasonic’s big-screen, big-battery smartphone can reach 50 per cent charge capacity. It comes with 1,800mAh battery.

Details

Key features

PROCESSOR Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor with 1.5GHz dual-core CPUs PLATFORM Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) DISPLAY Five-inch LCD, HD (1,280x720), full touchscreen MEMORY 8GB integrated memory CAMERA 8MP, autofocus, 8x digital zoom CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth v3.0, GPS, USB2.0 High Speed

● A 1,280x720 HD five-inch LCD screen with a 9.6mm thin frame ● Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz dual-core processor, Android 4.0 ● International standard IP57 water- and dust-proofing ● NFC – allowing for contactless payment and data transfer ● Main camera with 8MP autofocus and 1080p Full video, including auto scene recognition and 8x digital zoom, as well as a front-facing camera ● 8GB of internal memory, with Micro SD Card Slot supporting a further 32GB

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Y V R U POWER

Stay connected with GALAXY S Advance

amsung GALAXY S Advance, the latest addition to the Android-powered GALAXY portfolio, strikes a balance between style and performance. Powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor and HSPA 14.4Mbps connectivity, the smartphone has been built with power and connectivity in mind. It features Samsung’s TouchWiz, a responsive user interface, for easy multitasking. Application start-ups are faster, with smoother screen transitions, faster image

processing, and enhanced Web download and browsing performance. The GALAXY S Advance lets users stay connected through the Samsung Hubs and ChatON services. ChatON connects all phone users into a single community using phone numbers instead of usernames and passwords. It provides instant messaging, group chatting and sharing of content in multiple formats – images, videos, voice, contacts and calendar – to make messaging simpler and intuitive.

Samsung Hubs

Music Hub offers access to over 11 million tracks and the ability to personalise the user’s music catalogue. Readers Hub offers access to over 2.3 million e-books, 3,500 magazines and 200 newspaper titles. Game Hub offers access to thousands of catalogued games supplemented by gamer news feeds and news.

Design

It sports a curved glass design, with the fourinch Super AMOLED display providing stunning visuals. The screen also ensures that the photos and videos captured with the 5MP camera can be enjoyed with clarity.

Cool Feature

Find My Mobile – a unique lost-phone management system that ensures secure phone data encryption in case of phone loss. It also enables users to trace their lost phone directly via the Web or even delete the device’s data remotely.

Details PROCESSOR Dual-core 1GHz Cortex A9 DISPLAY Four-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen PLATFORM Android v2.3 (Gingerbread) STORAGE Internal: 8GB or 16GB; RAM: 768MB; ROM: 2GB CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth v3.0, MicroUSB 2.0, 3.5mm stereo audio jack

Dimensions WIDTH 63mm HEIGHT 123.2mm DEPTH 9.7mm WEIGHT 120g

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Feel the

BEAT W

ith the newly acquired Beats by Dr Dre audio technology, HTC Sensation XL pairs premium audio output with other hardware. It features a 1.5GHz Qualcomm single-core processor which is quite fast and capable of multitasking. The updated Sense UI gives you quick access to applications. The 8MP camera with dual LED flash offers strong colour management even in challenging light conditions.

Design

Two words to describe the Sensation XL – massive and impressive. This smartphone from HTC is elegant, with the white colour across the front and smooth brushed aluminium plate on the back. With the 4.7-inch display, the phone feels large, and yet it is quite comfortable to use. The size is great for watching movies and reading e-books. The capacitive touchscreen’s sensitivity is pretty good, and so navigating menus is easy. With a thickness of just 9.9mm, the device is sleek. The 480x800-pixel resolution screen is decent. 38 / TECH

HTC’s new member in the smartphone fray impresses with Beats Audio technology

Beats Audio

The most important selling point of the Sensation XL is the integration of Beats audio which has been further expanded with the pair of urBeats in-ear headphones. These silicon-tipped buds with high-quality aluminium casings offer amazing noise isolation and deep, bass-heavy tones. The headphones also have an inline mic and audio control panel. The optional Beats Audio enhancements help deliver premium audio output with impressive bass levels. And once you have experienced the Beats Audio technology, you will get hooked. The headphones sound even more astounding when the Beats Audio software is activated. And this is possible only when the default music player is launched. The handset also comes with over-the-ear Beats Audio Solo headphones.

Camera

Key features ● Superior audio experience ● 4.7-inch screen with SRS surround sound gives an amazing multimedia experience ● BSI CMOS camera with F2.2, 28mm lens lets you take sharp, wide-angle shots ● Active lockscreen ● Rich Internet experience

The 8MP camera has bright dual LED flash, autofocus and face detection. It is extremely fast, with the software booting up quite quickly. The auto-focus settles in a second and the shutter fires in about a quarter of a second. It records video at 720p HD. And the phone’s two microphones are used to record stereo audio while shooting. The handset has a 1.3MP camera on the front for video calls.

Performance

The phone is running the Gingerbread version of Android. And it works quite nicely thanks to the 1.5GHz processor. It features 768MB RAM and you’re stuck with just the 16GB on board, as there is no microSD card slot. HTC, strangely enough, has installed two different firmware builds in the two Sensations (XE and XL). But the XL gets the better of it, with a newer version of Android Gingerbread and the HTC Sense software. The updated version of Sense UI is also a plus. HTC has cleaned up the menus, adding tabs to shorten long lists, like its Personalisation menu, and the app drawer. There are also some new widgets.

Conclusion

Sensation XL is an impressive offering from HTC. And the big 4.7-inch screen makes it ideal for reading and watching movies, and it is easier to use. With the big screen and enhanced audio, it is a favourite with media lovers.

Details PROCESSOR 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor DISPLAY 4.7-inch capacitive touchscreen, 480x800 resolution PLATFORM Android OS v2.3 (Gingerbread) with HTC Sense STORAGE Total: 16GB; RAM: 768MB CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth v3.0, MicroUSB 2.0, 3.5mm stereo audio jack

Dimensions WIDTH 70.7mm HEIGHT 132.5mm DEPTH 9.9mm WEIGHT 162.5g

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interview

Brand Loyalty

John Maliakal, regional manager, aims to establish Toshiba as the No. 1 brand in all the markets under his management

ative of Ernakulam, India, the 38-year-old John Maliakal is the regional manager of Toshiba Gulf Computer Systems Division for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain. As an MBA post-graduate with specialisation in marketing and finance, John has held various management positions for Jumbo Electronics and Philips India. In 2005, his efforts as Category Manager for IT products earned Jumbo Electronics the ‘Best New Entrant’ award from Toshiba. He was also awarded ‘Best Performer in Sales,’ when he achieved top sales for two consecutive years as key accounts

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manager at Ricoh Copiers. John’s stint with Toshiba started in December 2006, when he started as Country Manager for GCC. He was responsible for supervising channel management, sales and marketing operations within Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Yemen. Later on, he was assigned to manage Toshiba’s biggest market in the region – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – where he successfully implemented the first multidistribution operation for Toshiba. This has witnessed 100 per cent growth and has since seen a consistent growth with an average of 40 per cent year on year.

As regional manager, his current portfolio involves business development, partner and channel management, product management, pricing, sales and marketing. With positive plans for the future, John’s goals include setting up a strong in-country channel sales team, a strong distribution network and a loyal channel partner base for the Toshiba PC Division. He aims to establish Toshiba as the No. 1 brand in all the markets under his management, offer PC Notebook customers a right variety of products to choose from and to be the most dependable revenue generator within the channel. Here are a few insights into John’s professional world.

What is the brand’s position in the Middle East market? Toshiba is the No.1 brand in Oman, where it enjoys high customer loyalty and high brand recognition. It is the second leading brand in KSA – the biggest market in GCC. Overall, we are among the top three brands in the Middle East region.

capacity to display 3D images without the glasses makes it stand out. In addition, its ability to convert 2D content to 3D gives the customer an excellent advantage.

What is the brand’s USP in the Gulf? Toshiba is known for quality and reliability. It is also recognised as a leader in pioneering technology and innovation. In the past year, Toshiba introduced the world’s first glasses-free 3D laptop, while this year, Toshiba is a frontrunner with the Ultrabook machines as it recently launched the new Portégé Z830, the world’s lightest Ultrabook. How has the response towards the glasses-free 3D laptop (Qosmio F750) in the ME market been? The Qosmio F750 is a high-end product and so far it has been well accepted. Its

What is the brand’s presence in the tablet market? Toshiba is a late entrant when it comes to the tablet market. However, it will make its entry with the world’s thinnest and lightest tablets soon. Toshiba will offer tablets in various screen formats and customers will have choices of OS on its tablet platforms. When is Excite X10, the Thrive successor, likely to launch in the Gulf? This product will reach the Middle East market by end of March 2012. What are the marketing strategies of Toshiba in the Gulf for each core division – televisions, laptops and home appliances?

There are other unique features of the Qosmio F750 like Sleep and Play, which enables users to listen to music with Harmon Kardon speakers even if the machine is switched off. Its high specifications also support gaming, which can now be enjoyed in 3D.

Toshiba will continue to innovate across the consumer electronics industry, creating demand for products by developing new cutting-edge technology with an emphasis on quality and reliability. Toshiba will continue to offer premium products with features such as glassesfree 3D. More investment in developing specific products for the emerging markets will see an overall growth for the brand in the consumer electronics space in the Middle East region. What are the major launches expected from the brand in Q1 of 2012? The major launches from Toshiba that are expected for Q1 of 2012 include tablets, next generation Qosmio series, a wide range of Ultrabooks, and entertainment notebooks on Ultrabook platforms, among others. Toshiba will also have a wide range of external HDDs to offer and will be reentering the projector segment this year.

MARCH 2012 / 41

VIDEO ZONE

GET SOCIAL

LG Cinema 3D TV is a perfect entertainer

he first of its kind, LG 72LW9900 lets viewers experience life-sized 3D action with crisp picture quality. Combine it with the benefits of owning a Smart TV and you have a perfect home entertainment unit. The 72-inch Cinema 3D Smart TV is not just about the screen though. This state-of-the-art TV is also fitted with LGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest smart technologies. It offers unique Web-based video services, along with smart apps from the LG App store. This enables the consumers to enjoy social media and other premium content. The 72LW9900 is a full LED 3D TV. With thousands of intense LED lamps illuminating the screen, the TV can reproduce vivid, detailed images. It also

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delivers amazing picture quality. You can now enjoy comfortable 3D viewing experience with a more realistic and immersive 3D picture. Cinema 3D is the next-generation 3D technology. It is a certified flicker-free and blur-free 3D technology. And with lighter, batteryfree 3D glasses, experiencing this Smart TV is a comfort. LG’s Smart TV function provides customers with control to their home entertainment experience. The platform provides access to thousands of movies, customisable apps, videos and the ability to browse the Web through an easy

navigating user interface. With LG Apps you can enjoy a range of quality lifestyle applications, interactive games, and VOD services designed for individual and family entertainment. The special Smart Share function allows users to wirelessly access the content stored in their digital devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. It brings all the content to your TV with a simple click. Combined with full Web browsing, the 72LW9900 is a perfect mix for convenient entertainment. It also features a highly intuitive user

environment featuring the LG Home Dashboard which allows users to navigate several functions from a single main menu. Magic Motion remote control is another unique addition to the LG TV. This is a remote control that operates like a mouse. The Magic Motion remote control provides the easiest control over your LG Smart TV – just point, click and control. The 72-inch Cinema 3D Smart TV is enabled with UGC (User Generated Content), SNS (Social Networking Service), Photo Sharing Service, Weather forecasts and other useful applications from LG.

Design The 72-inch Cinema 3D Smart TV from LG sports a stylish brushed metal design that looks elegant in the modern home

Key features

Details

● Full LED 3D ● Cinema 3D technology ● Smart TV capabilities ● Magic Motion remote control ● Film Patterned Retarder technology ● Built-in 2D-to-3D and 3D-to-2D converter ● NetCast Entertainment Access

SCREEN 72-inch full LED, 1,920x1,080 resolution CONTRAST RATIO 9,000,000:1 AVAILABLE AT OTE, 24479448

MARCH 2012 / 43

APPS

An ‘app’ life Here are a few of our favourites

Apps for iPhone

Apps for Android

Apps for BlackBerry

INSTAGRAM

ANGRY BIRDS

BLACKBERRY MESSENGER

FREE

FREE Pick from several filtered effects or tilt-shift blur to breathe new life into your mobile photos; share your photos in a simple photo stream

WHATSAPP MESSENGER

SHAZAM FREE

FREE Hold your iPhone near a music source, and wait while the app listens and tells you what track is playing; discover new music from your Shazam Friends and Shazam Charts

DRAGON DICTATION FREE

Features challenging physics-based gameplay and hours of replay value; 300 levels that require logic, skill, and force

Easy-to-use voice recognition app that lets you speak and instantly displays the text or email messages; speak calmly and clearly; also supports most global languages

Smartphone messenger that uses 3G or Wi-Fi to message with friends and family

SWIFTKEY X KEYBOARD USD3.92

Makes typing easier, replacing the touchscreen keyboard with one powered by smarter natural language technology

STANZA FREE

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Brings the digital book revolution to your pocket with a reading interface that is amazing in its clarity and ease of use; offers over four million downloads around the world

PHOTO ART – COLOR EFFECTS FREE

Create art photos easily; 30 effects (sepia, greyscale, negative, thermal and more), 12 brush types, configurable opacity, size, repetition

FREE

Share your pin or unique barcode to connect with friend; share app experiences with BBMconnected apps

BEBUZZ FREE FREE

Control your BlackBerry’s front LED colour to see who is contacting you without picking up the phone; this is one of the most popular apps

BLACKBERRY TRAVEL FREE

Travel made easy – plan, book, manage and share your travel activities; all your travel updates in one place

PHOTO STUDIO FREE

Utilised by both amateur and professional photographers, it offers simple and powerful image processing on-the-go; allows you to mix operations, frames and effects

TIME ZONE

Enhanced precision

DESIGN The face of the timepiece can be either silver or charcoal grey. It features a delicate grained decoration or a barley grain in the centre, and a black or silvered opaline ring. The case is available in rose gold or white gold. It is finished with a Hermès alligator strap.

Parmigiani Fleurier collection’s new member The Annual Calendar has a complication that is based on the brand’s pF 331 automatic movement, with the incorporation of an additional Parmigiani module. Result – the pF 339 Annual Calendar. The Annual Calendar automatically accounts for the variation in the number of days in each month. Only one manual correction needs to be made each year.

DIMENSIONS DIAMETER 40mm THICKNESS 11.2mm

The automatic model of the Tonda Annual Calendar features a hand that indicates the date from 1 to 31 on the retrograde sector on the outer dial. The day of the week is positioned at 9 o’clock and the month, shown as a number from 1 to 12, is at 3 o’clock. The precision moon completes the indications. Only requiring one correction every 120 years, it helps reduce the discrepancy between a classic lunar cycle (29 days and 12 hours) and the actual lunar cycle (29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.8 seconds). It offers two indications for the moon – one for the northern hemisphere and one for the southern hemisphere.

Details MOVEMENT PF 339, selfwinding Retrograde Annual Calendar CASE White gold or rose gold, anti-reflective sapphire crystal WATER RESISTANCE 30m DIAL Yellow silvered graining or black barley graining; opaline outer, spindleshaped appliqué indexes, Delta-shaped hands with luminous coating

From outer space Powered by light, the Eco-Drive watch receives signals from the sky

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The Eco-Drive SATELLITE WAVE from Citizen is a limited edition watch (990 pieces worldwide) with a totally new timekeeping system. This nextgeneration timepiece searches for the closest of the 24 navigation satellites that orbit the earth. It captures the day, date and time signals the satellite emits from space, 20,000km above the earth.

These design elements resonate with the technological combination of light power and time/calendar data received from outer space to keep this watch on time, always. The spiral parts visible from the sides of the glass bezel are both a design motif and visible symbols of the light waves that provide Eco-Drive an inexhaustible source of energy.

As the satellite signals are controlled by atomic clocks, this watch’s timekeeping is ultra precise. A metal ring is embedded in the glass bezel. It sports a round case.

Powered by light, this unique Eco-Drive watch receives signals from the sky to keep it exactly on time, wherever in the world it travels.

HOW STUFF WORKS

Inner voice

We unveil the secret behind the automated voice in your phone

hen a call is received, the answering machine’s logical programming begins counting after the first ring. When the number of rings reaches the right count, interception of the call is triggered. The playback message is played from the memory modules inside the answering machine and the call begins its reception for conversion. A call that is received is converted and stored. A micro-controller, the component inside the answering machine, takes the caller’s audio signal and converts it into a digital format. This is done using an analogueto-digital converter. The digital form is stored in random access memory (RAM) similar to the one found in computers. The stored data is located at a specific memory address in RAM

which will allow for messages to be managed individually without affecting each other. Let’s say a caller leaves a 15-second message. That might amount to 30,000 bytes of digitised data. These bytes are stored at a specific address in RAM. The next step is notifying the receiver and allowing for managing the message. Once a message is converted and stored, the answering machine’s processor tells its digital display to notify the receiver of the number of calls stored in the memory. The receiver is then able to play back the message and manage the calls. Managing calls follows the simple rule of storing or deleting it. All this can be done without affecting the other calls and messages stored.

Get creative

Some fun answering machine messages Hi. Now you say something. Hi, I’m probably home, but just avoiding someone I don’t like. Leave a message and if I don’t call back, it’s you.

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DASHBOARD

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s You V

olvo has taken a bold step in the evolution of the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next luxury car. The Concept You, revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, blends contemporary Scandinavian design and craftsmanship, with intuitive smart pad technology. It picks up where the Concept Universe, revealed at Auto Shanghai earlier in 2011, left off.

Control centre The control centre in Concept You consists of four main areas: a digital Driver Information Monitor, a head-up display on the windscreen, a touchscreen on the upper part of the centre console and a 48 / TECH

touchscreen between the two individual rear seats. The wood/leather steering wheel has aluminium and glass paddles with integrated touchscreens. The touchscreen in the upper part of the centre console remains in sleeping mode until the driver looks at it. A hidden infrared camera registers the eye movements and information is displayed on the screen. Another sensor registers hand movements and triggers the infotainment system’s control mode. The possibilities are different depending on if the screen is approached by the driver or by the front seat passenger. The driver can ‘flip’ data from the central touchscreen to the head-up display, as well as exchanging data with the rear seat passengers.

Infotainment The infotainment system also integrates a high-end sound system from Alpine. It features the unique FreshAir subwoofer that uses the air outside the car to create the ultimate listening experience. While a traditional subwoofer weighs ten to 15kg, the FreshAir subwoofer weighs 1.5kg, making the Concept You a more fuelefficient car. With only 2W, the FreshAir subwoofer gives the same output as a 200W unit in a traditional system.

Craftsmanship The four individual seats blend chromefree leather with ecological suede. The

back of the front seats and the door panels feature exclusive Italian fabric and designs from the Swedish fashion house Oscar Jacobson. The wooden floor is covered with a specially designed, hand tufted carpet from the Swedish brand Kasthall. The front texture has a sporty firmness, while the rear part of the carpet is soft. The Concept You is Volvo’s largest and most luxurious sedan ever. Its fast and sculptural silhouette is emphasised by the liquid metal paint, and the 21-inch polished aluminium wheels with tyres from Pirelli. Up front, the grille – which has a more classic appearance than the Concept Universe – features details with the same, beautifully polished craftsmanship.

MARCH 2012 / 49

gamer’s delight

An epic and expansive fantasy RPG with good gameplay

M Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Big Huge Games Platform(s): Xbox 360, PC, PS3 Genre: First-person RPG ESRB Rating: Mature PEGI Rating: 18+

SCORE Gameplay Graphics Story Replayability OVERALL

9 9 9 9 9

ost role-playing experiences sacrifice the thing that matters most in games – gameplay. Yet they remain true to all the other elements that make the RPGs great. Well, with Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning the RPG experience was quite satisfying. The story keeps pace with the protagonist, with a tale of corruption and the struggle between good and evil – a typical fantasy saga. However, there’s no multiplayer content.

to Skyrim’s endless snowscapes. The environments and locations are beautiful, with forests, plains, deserts and swamps. An action-packed game, the combat in Kingdoms of Amalur is fluid. You have a choice of weapons (staffs, bows, swords, daggers and hammers), and the skills for each. Plus you have a shield and magic spells to help you. Add this to a combination of blocks, blows and rolls, and you have a dynamic combat system.

The story is at the heart of the experience, where in the beginning you escape death via a mysterious mechanism known as the Well of Souls. A plot with depth, Reckoning will be a favourite with fantasy fans. As part of the story, you get to explore the expansive world of Amalur. Quests keep coming at you, alternating between primary obligations and secondary tasks that can be completed at leisure. The pace of content delivery is wellmanaged, with gradual level-ups, weapon bonuses and magical enhancements all evenly distributed, and frequently requiring a good deal of thought before application.

The major part of this game involves swinging your weapon and destroying Amalur’s evil underlings. The player can choose one of four character classes. And each adventurer is reborn into a world where your fate is predetermined. The characters are built up with hybrid features from the other classes. And the mythical Fateweavers can be paid to reset the attributes, adding longevity to the existing builds. The difficulty level can be changed on-the-fly, without the need to reset and start all over again.

Reckoning is filled with vibrant landscapes which is visually diverse when compared

MASS EFFECT 3

Xbox 360, PS3, PC

MARCH 06

Voice acting in Reckoning is pretty decent, with lengthy and detailed dialogues. The background score and the sound effects are perfectly timed to the situation.

STREET FIGHTER X TEKKEN Xbox 360, PS3, PC

MARCH 06

A no-holds-barred gore fest

tarting off two years after the predecessor, The Darkness II holds nothing back in violence. Series protagonist Jackie Estacado is now the don of his own family. Following the events of the first game, Jackie has managed to keep his demon powers in check. However, an attack on his organisation unleashes the monster in him. He is on a rampage, ripping his enemies limb by limb.

focused as the Call of Duty games. The story is also sometimes quite slow.

Being quite a violent game, let’s not be remiss in talking about the combat. It is superior to its predecessor. Jackie has four arms at his disposal – two human, two demonic. The extra limbs let him wield guns with his human limbs, while using his beastly extremities to maim opponents.

There is a multiplayer component called Vendettas, a co-operative campaign set parallel to the main story. You can play one of four Darkness-powered assassins in Jackie’s employ, with each character having their own background story and personality.

As first-person shooters go, however, the control mechanism isn’t as precise or as

SILENT HILL: DOWNPOUR Xbox 360, PS3

Although Jackie’s battle is the focus, the story seems to come back to Jenny, his love. The protagonist is quite affected by her death. And with quite a lot of emotions floating around, The Darkness II feels more personal. Experience matters in this game, as it grants Jackie access to more powers.

On the whole, The Darkness II is quite enjoyable, with appealing visuals

RESIDENT EVIL: OPERATION RACCOON CITY

Publisher: 2K Games Developer: Digital Extremes Platform(s): Xbox 360, PC, PS3 Genre: First-person shooter ESRB Rating: Mature PEGI Rating: 18+

SCORE Gameplay Graphics Story Replayability OVERALL

8 8 8 8 8

DIABLO III

Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac

Xbox 360, PS3, PC

MARCH 13

MARCH 20

MARCH 31 MARCH 2012 / 51

TECH ART

Fine lines

Learn how to replace the dull background of your pictures with a beautiful sunset

1 Open the photograph in which you want to change the background.

4 Decide which â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;View Modeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; you want to work with. This depends on the image you are working on. With this particular image we wanted to see the outline of the hair, so we set the View Mode to Black and White. This gives us a nice mask.

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2 Use the Quick Selection Tool to do a rough selection of the subject. Make the brush size about 40 to 50 pixels in diameter at 100% hardness. You can change the brush pixel to get a decent background selection. Brush over the image of the subject for the quick selection.

5 Set the Edge Detection to Smart Radius, then bump the Radius up to 99.0%.

3 The new Refine Edge tools in Photoshop CS5 will now help you. Click on the Refine Edge button. It really helps when cutting out an object from a background. When the photograph involves human hair or fur, it is quite difficult to cut the object out from the background for a realistic look.

6 Change the View Mode to Black and you will notice that the model has some blue from the sky in her hair and on the edges of her skin.

7 Turn on Decontaminate Colors and set the amount to 68% or until you get everything removed from your background.

Tweak your settings by switching back and forth between view modes. When you are satisfied, set your Output to New Layer With Mask. Then press OK.

You will notice that Photoshop automatically creates a new layer with a mask and turns off the original image layer.

Now open and drag the background and place it below the Mask Layer. As you can see, the new Refine Edge tool is a nice addition to Photoshop. It helps speed up the design process, and produces great results. It is not a perfect tool for every situation, but it is great to have for those difficult and time-consuming projects. Try experimenting with other objects and see what kind of results you get.

Final Image

MARCH 2012 / 53

MOVIE ZONE

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama Director: Baltasar Kormákur Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Giovanni Ribisi, Kate Beckinsale The film explores the underground world of international smuggling. Set in New Orleans, it is an action-thriller revolving around Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg), a man who had abandoned his life of crime. But he is forced back into it when his brother-in-law Andy (Caleb Landry Jones) botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi). Chris is forced

into doing what he does best – running contraband – to settle Andy’s debt. He assembles a crew with the help of his best friend, Sebastian (Ben Foster), to head to Panama and return with millions in counterfeit bills. Chris must use his skills to navigate a treacherous criminal network of brutal drug lords before his wife, Kate (Kate Beckinsale), and sons become their target.

Genre: Action | Adventure | Fantasy Director: Jonathan Liebesman Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Rosamund Pike Sam Worthington plays the character of Perseus, the demigod son of Zeus (Liam Neeson). Perseus defeated Kraken a decade back, and now tries to lead a quiet life as a village fisherman. Meanwhile, a battle rages between the gods and the Titans. Weakened by humanity’s lack of devotion, the gods are losing control of the imprisoned Titans and their ferocious leader, Kronos. The leader is the father of the long-ruling brothers Zeus, Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and Poseidon (Danny Huston). The brothers had overthrown their father

long ago, leaving him to rot in the abyss of Tartarus, a dungeon that lies deep within the cavernous underworld. Meanwhile, Hades, along with Zeus’ godly son, Ares, make a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus. Enlisting the help of the warrior Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike), Poseidon’s demigod son, Argenor (Toby Kebbell), and fallen god Hephaestus (Bill Nighy), Perseus embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, overthrow the Titans and save mankind.

DVD Releases MARCH 5 March

5 March

12 March

19 March

Immortals

Midnight in Paris

Dolphin Tale

The Adventures of Tintin

Action | Drama | Fantasy

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Drama | Family

Action | Adventure | Animation

Fax to 24693569 Choose the correct answer and send in your entries for a chance to win 1 What is the maximum number of characters allowed in a single SMS? (a) 160 (c) 100

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(b) SoftBridge printer (d) DirectBridge printer

Please send us your entries by March 25 for a chance to win a DVD player Previous quiz answers: 1 – (c) 2 – (a) 3 – (a) 4 – (d)

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(b) Personal Storage Table (d) Personal Storage Template

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(b) Printer (d) Network protocol

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Welcome to our ‘TECH Favourites’ section. With these lists we aim to keep you updated with our favourite products in a concise format. Please give us your feedback on the basis of which we can further improve it.

3D TVs LG 42LW4500 RO379.900

3D LED 42-inch screen, full HD, four HDMI/PC input, USB port, two megapixels, 100Hz Tru Motion

LG 65LW6500 RO2,799.900

3D LED 65-inch screen, Smart TV, 2MP full HD, Smart TV, 100Hz Tru motion flow, four HDMI/PC input, two USB ports

Sony KDL55EX720 RO899.900

3D LED 55-inch screen, full HD, two megapixels, two USB ports, four HDMI/PC input, 200Hz motion flow, 2D to 3D converter, wireless LAN

Flat-Panel Displays LG 50PT490 RO449.900

This is a 50-inch PenTouch Plasma HD Ready TV with 600Hz Tru Motion flow. It sports three HDMI inputs and USB ports. It has a contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1.

Philips 52PFL5605H RO899.900

This is a 2MP, full-HD 52-inch TV with three HDMI inputs, USB port and PIP. It features Pixel Plus HD and HD natural motion.

Suly LE47MISWC RO415.000

This is a 47-inch LED, full HD, 2MP TV. It sports four HDMI/PC inputs, and 120Hz motion flow. This is the first made-in-Oman series of TVs.

Samsung UA46D5000 RO439.000 Sony KDL60NX720 RO1,599.900

3D LED 60-inch screen, full HD, four HDMI/PC input, Internet TV, USB port, PIP system, Wi-Fi built-in, X-Reality Picture Engine, 200Hz motion flow

This is a 46-inch full HD TV with an ultra-slim design. It sports four HDMI/PC input, and USB port. It has a wide colour enhancer and comes with AllShare feature.

Sharp LC-46LE830M RO649.000

3D LED 46-inch screen, full HD, two megapixels, 2D to 3D Converter, Ethernet, Wi-Fi Ready, four HDMI/PC inputs, three USB ports

Players Sony DAV-DZ840K RO160.900

Samsung PS50D490 RO390.000

3D Plasma 50-inch screen, 600Hz sub-field motion drive, one megapixel, HD Ready, 2D to 3D converter, USB port, PIP system, three HDMI/PC input

Samsung PS51D550 RO500.000 3D Plasma

3D Plasma 51-inch screen, full HD, two megapixels, 600Hz sub-field motion, USB port, PIP system, four HDMI/PC input, Internet TV

Samsung UA55D6400 RO899.000

3D LED 55-inch ultra-slim screen, full HD, four HDMI/PC input, USB port, Internet TV, 400Hz Motion Rate, Smart Hub and AllShare feature, two megapixels, 2D to 3D converter

DVD, CD, MP3 and DivX playback, 1,000W RMS, digital sound, USB port, play and record, 5.1 channel surround sound

Samsung HT-D555WK RO190.000

HD home theatre system, Wireless rear speaker, DVD, VCD, CD, MP3 and DivX playback, USB port, 1,000W RMS, HDMI up-scaling, karaoke function

Philips HTS-3580 RO179.000

3D Blu-ray home theatre system, DVD, VCD, CD, MP3 and DivX playback, 1,000W RMS, digital sound, full HD 1080p, USB port Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs. Lists are not in any particular order.

57 Laptops Samsung 300V5A-S0D RO299.900

Intel Core i5 2430M processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, 1GB VRAM, 15.6inch HD LED screen, DVD super multi-drive, Wireless, 1.3MP web camera

Acer 5750-G50M RO314.900

Intel Core i7 processor, 2.2GHz CPU speed, 15.6-inch HD LED, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, Wireless, Bluetooth, DVD super multi-drive, Nvidia GeForce GT540M, 1GB VRAM

HP ENVY 14-1111ee RO575.000

Intel Core i7 720QM processor, 1.6GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz, 6GB RAM, 1,024MB VRAM, 500GB HDD, 14.5-inch HD LCD, DVD super multi-drive, Wireless, Bluetooth, 5-in-1 digital media reader, HD 1.3MP web camera

Asus G51J RO699.900

Intel Core i7 720QM, 1.6GHz Turbo Boost, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 640GB HDD, 1GB VRAM, 15.6-inch HD Glare LED, DVD multi-drive, Wireless, Bluetooth, 1.3MP web camera

Asus K53S RO452.000

Intel Core i7 2,630QM processor, 2GHz, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 640GB HDD, 1GB NVIDIA VRAM, 15.6-inch LED HD screen, DVD super multi-drive, Wireless, Bluetooth, 2MP web camera

Dell M14-ALNW-0251 RO719.900

Netbooks & Ultra Portables Acer Iconia Tab A500 RO199.000

Android v3.0 upgradable to v3.2, dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor, 10.1-inch LCD capacitive touchscreen, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 5MP camera with autofocus, Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, 16GB/32GB

Samsung Galaxy GT-P7500 RO259.900

Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core processor, Google Android 3.1, 16GB memory, 1GHz processor with 3G, 10.1-inch WXGA touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3MP camera, 2MP secondary camera

Apple iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G RO298.900

32GB, 9.7-inch LED backlit screen, 1GHz dual-core Apple A5 processor, Wi-Fi and 3G, two cameras

BlackBerry PlayBook RO219.900

32GB, 1GHz dual-core processor, seven-inch capacitive display, 1GB RAM, dual cameras â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5MP rear and 3MP front

Motorola Xoom RO264.900

Android 3.1 (Honeycomb), 1GHz dual-core processor, 5MP front camera, 2MP web camera with LED flash, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 10.1inch display, 32GB on-board memory

Intel Core i7 2,670QM processor, 2.2GHz CPU speed, 8GB RAM, 750GB HDD, 14.1-inch HD WLED screen, DVD super multi-drive, 3GB dedicated graphics, Wireless, Bluetooth, card reader, web camera

HP Pavilion DV6-6B80 RO414.900

Intel Core i7 2,670QM second generation processor, 2.2GHz CPU speed, 6GB DDR3 RAM, 2GB VRAM, 750GB HDD, 15.6-inch HD LED, DVD super multi-drive, Wireless, Bluetooth, 1.3MP web camera

Toshiba Satellite L755-M1DW RO255.000

Intel Core i3 2,330M processor, 2.2GHz CPU speed, 4GB RAM, 1GB VRAM, 640GB HDD, 15.6-inch TruBrite HD LED screen, DVD super multi-drive, Wireless LAN, Bluetooth, 1.3MP web camera

Toshiba Satellite P755-10C RO649.000

Intel Core i7 2,630QM, 2GHz CPU speed, 6GB RAM, 500GB SATA HDD, 2GB VRAM, 15.6-inch HD LED, Blu-ray and DVD super multi-drive, Wireless, Bluetooth

Sony Vaio VPCCB46 RO439.900

Intel Core i5 2,450M processor, 2.4GHz CPU speed with Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz, 4GB DDR3 RAM, Intel HD Graphics 3000, 750GB HDD, 15.5-inch full HD display

Computer Accessories HP Printer 3050A RO29.900

Inkjet printer, Print, scan and copy features, 20ppm (pages per minute) black, 15ppm colour, 1,200x2,400 resolution, 600dpi scan

Microsoft Keyboard 4000 RO18.800 Advanced ergonomic split keyboard design, zoom slider, curved key layout, reverse slope for natural wrist posture

WD Elements RO66.000

2.5TB, USB 2.0 interface, utilises a WD drive with power-saving WD GreenPower technology

Linksys WRT160N RO40.900

Fast Wireless-N connectivity, easy to setup and use, advanced wireless security and SPI firewall protection, great for large homes, four 10/100 Ethernet ports

58 Digital Still Cameras Panasonic DMC-FH5 RO75.000

This is a 16.1-megapixel camera with a three-inch LCD screen. It has 4x optical zoom. It also supports HD movie recording capability and comes integrated with Mega Optical Image Stabiliser.

Camcorders

Panasonic DMC-TZ20 RO169.900

8.9MP CMOS sensor, 30x optical zoom, three-inch wide touchscreen, built-in GPS, optical graphic stabilisation

The camera features a 24mm ultra wide-angle 16x optical zoom LEICA DC lens, including Nano Surface Coating technology. It features a three-inch touchscreen LCD and a built-in GPS unit.

Sony DSC-W620 RO56.900

This is a 14.1-megapixel, 5x optical zoom camera. It comes with a 2.7-inch Clear Photo TFT LCD screen. It features Intelligent Auto mode with 33 scene recognition patterns and SteadyShot image stabilisation.

Sony DSC-W650 RO74.900

Sony HDR-CX260 RO219.900

Sony HDR-XR260 RO264.900

8.9MP, Pixel Super Resolution technology, three-inch Clear Photo LCD, BIONZ processor, Optical SteadyShot stabilisation, Full HD 1,920x1,080 50p recording, 160GB HDD screen, Exmor R CMOS sensor

JVC HM970 RO449.000

This is a 16.1-megapixel, 5x optical zoom camera. It comes with a three-inch Clear Photo TFT LCD screen. It features Intelligent Auto mode with 33 scene recognition patterns, 360-degree Sweep Panorama mode, and Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation.

10x optical zoom, 3D converter, 3.5-inch touch LCD screen, Super LoLux with F1.2 Super Bright Lens and back-illuminated CMOS sensor

Canon IXUS 230HS RO123.200

10x optical zoom, 20x digital zoom, 5MP, 2.7-inch touchscreen, BSI CMOS sensor, OIS Duo stabiliser

Samsung MV800 RO119.500

70x optical zoom, 80GB HDD, 2.7-inch wide LCD screen, backlight compensation, advanced Optical Image Stabiliser

This is a 12.1-megapixel camera with a 28mm wide-angle lens and 8x optical zoom. It features creative modes and Smart Auto function. Canonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest DIGIC 4 image processing provides excellent quality shots.

This camera sports an innovative adjustable three-inch flip-out LCD screen. With 16.1MP resolution and 5x optical zoom, the images and videos are rich and brilliant from any angle. It also features dual image stabilisation.

Canon SX150 IS RO89.400

Samsung HMX-Q10UP RO89.500

Panasonic SDR-H101 RO149.900

DSLRs

It sports a 14.1-megapixel sensor and Canon DIGIC 4 image processor. It features 12x wide-angle optical zoom, a three-inch LCD, and Smart Auto features. It also captures 720p HD video in stereo sound.

Canon EOS 1D Mark 4 RO2,329.900

Olympus SZ20 RO149.000

Olympus E-PL2 RO339.000

Olympus TG610 RO159.000

16.2 megapixel translucent mirror interchangeable lens camera, three-inch XtraFine TruBlack LCD, 5.5fps, LiveView, 3D Sweep Panorama mode

The SZ20 sports a backlit CMOS sensor for low-noise shots, an impressive 12.5x super wide optical zoom. With 1080p full HD movie recording and 16MP, the SZ20 features Smart Panorama and 3D still photo shooting.

The TOUGH TG610 from Olympus is waterproof, shockproof and freezeproof. It features a 14-megapixel sensor with 5x wide-angle optical zoom. It sports a three-inch LCD screen.

Fujifilm X100 RO579.900

The X100 features a custom 12.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS highperformance sensor. It sports a 2.8-inch TFT colour LCD. The main technology employed is the Hybrid Viewfinder.

EXCELLENT RANGE

16.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, 10fps shooting, three-inch Clear View LCD, HD video recording

12-megapixel sensor, 11-point autofocus, threeinch LCD screen, LiveView feature, HD movie

Sony SLT-A35K RO339.900

Nikon V1 RO379.900

Ten megapixel, three-inch LCD screen, full HD movie, 5fps, Hi Speed USB interface, Hybrid autofocus Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs. Lists are not in any particular order.

CES

PRI C I T S A T N FA

MAX ELECTRONICS LLC - OMAN SEEB - MUSCAT CITY CENTRE (LEVEL 1) TEL: +968 24558062 FAX: +968 24558063 EMAIL: memcs@cplmg.com SOHAR - CENTER POINT MALL TEL: +968 97666631 FAX: +968 97666631 BAHRAIN OMAN SAUDI ARABIA QATAR UAE

59 Phones BlackBerry Curve 9300 RO96.900

It sports a 2.46-inch TFT screen, 2MP camera, BlackBerry OS v5.0 upgradable to v6.0, and supports A-GPS and BlackBerry Maps.

Samsung Galaxy Note RO309.900

The Galaxy Note features a large 5.3-inch HD Super AMOLED display and 1.4GHz dual-core processor for seamless usability. It also sports an advanced pen-input technology called the S Pen.

Samsung Galaxy SII RO259.000

The Samsung Galaxy SII has a 4.3-inch super AMOLED Plus display with a Dual Core Application Processor. This 8.49mm slim phone operates on Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and features an 8MP camera with LED flash, up to 32GB storage, Wi-Fi and A-GPS support.

Samsung Google Nexus S RO149.900

It sports a four-inch super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 5MP camera with LED Flash, and ARM Cortex A8 1GHz processor. It runs Android v2.3 (Gingerbread) OS.

Apple iPhone 4S RO409.900

The iPhone 4S sports a 3.5-inch LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen. With an internal memory of 64GB and a 512MB RAM, the iPhone 4S supports Wi-Fi, A-GPS, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP. It has a 1GHz Cortex A9 dual-core processor.

Nokia N9 RO219.900

The Nokia N9 comes with AMOLED capacitive touchscreen. Its features include an 8MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and 16GB storage. It operates on MeeGo v1.2 and is powered by a 1GHz Cortex A8 processor.

LG Optimus P920 RO229.900

It sports a 4.3-inch 3D LCD capacitive touchscreen. It features touch-sensitive controls and operates on a dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor. It runs Android v2.2 (Froyo) OS, upgradable to v2.3. It sports a 5MP camera.

HTC Sensation XE RO299.900

HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio comes with custom-made Beats headsets. It is powered by a fast 1.5GHz dual-core processor. It has a 4.3-inch expansive qHD display.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo RO149.900

This Android smartphone sports an 8MP camera and a 3.7-inch TFT screen with a resolution of 854x480 pixels. In addition, it has Wi-Fi, A-GPS and Bluetooth.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc RO169.900

Xperia Arc has a Sony Exmor R for mobile CMOS sensor that lets you capture high-quality movies and stills in low light. It features a 4.2-inch LED back-lit screen. It also has built-in A-GPS and Wi-Fi support.

iPod Docks Philips DS3500 RO49.900

Dynamic Bass Boost, neodymium speakers, AUX-in for easy connection, PC synchronisation via USB, DockStudio app on App Store

Logic 3 MIP-119 RO49.900

Dock and Play, recharge for iPod, FM radio, AUX-in for easy connection

Gear4 PG490 RO39.900

iPod and iPhone dock, FM radio, alarm, clock

Bose Sound Dock-10 RO279.000

iPod and iPhone dock, recharge and play, remote control, audio input

Bose SoundLink RO155.000

Works wirelessly with iPhone, Android, Blackberry, tablet or laptop, 30-foot wireless range, Proprietary speaker technology, ultra mobility

MP3 Players Apple iPod Touch 5G RO97.500

8GB, dual camera, video, photo view, MP3 music, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, clock, calendar, YouTube, newsstand, mail

Sony NWZ-E463 RO39.900

4GB, 50 hours of music playback, SensMe, Lyric Sync, Karaoke Mode and Clear Audio technologies

Sony NWZ-W262 RO36.900

2GB capacity, wireless, wearable design, waterresistant, washable feature, Zappin, quick USB-based charging

Philips SA3RGA04R RO19.900

4GB, without case, FM radio and FM recording, one-inch screen, FullSound technology, 22 hours battery support

Samsung YP-U6A RO24.000

4GB memory, Voice recording, MP3 and WMA playback, FM radio

Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs. Lists are not in any particular order.

60 Air Conditioners & Air Purifiers Sharp AHAP18HME RO200.000

This 1.5-tonne split air conditioner is a low-noise design with Plasmacluster technology. By releasing the cluster ions, it enables the creation of an environment that is very close to that found in nature.

Samsung AS18VW RO209.500

Samsungâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new air conditioner sports full high density filter that ensures your room is kept fresh and clean. It has a powerful cooling system and an effective anti-corrosion coating. It also supports turbo cooling technology.

Panasonic CS-C18MKF RO199.000

The CS-C18MKF incorporates the ECONAVI technology. Advance+ e-ion is designed to monitor changes in the degree of air cleanliness. AUTOCOMFORT is another important feature.

GREE GSFS24SR RO289.900

With an automatic slip design, this is a floor-standing type two-tonne air conditioner. It has an independent dehumidifying function, with electrostatic de-dusting effect. It supports four-angle air supply.

Refrigerators LG GR-P307PGN RO948.900

790L capacity, frost-free, side-by-side refrigerator, tempered glass shelves, digital display, nano deodoriser, water purifier

Toshiba GRRG -70UT RO263.000

700L capacity, glass finish, frost-free, insulated wire shelves, platinum deodoriser, and twist ice tray

Samsung RT59X RO224.500

590L capacity, frost-free, double-door refrigerator, LED light, stainless steel body, adjustable glass shelves

Sharp SJ-GC48V RO290.000

492L capacity, frost-free, double-door, adjustable wired shelves, Plasmacluster Ion

Haier HSU18 RO139.900

This 1.5-tonne split air conditioner sports a double condenser. It has auto restart function. It features an LED display. It offers powerful cooling with Intelligent Air Flow. It sports an easy clean design

LG PS-S200WC RO99.900

This LG air purifier works within 20sqm. It sports a modern, elegant design. It comes with a washable carbon filter, an easy filter-change system and a sterilisation system. It features a touch control panel and six stages of purification.

Hitachi RAS-18CPX RO192.900

This split-type air conditioner has a Green Fin condenser that is durable, thanks to the green rust-resistant coating. It also employs Nano Titanium technology in its stainless steel filters.

Toshiba RAS-18G RO139.900

With a compact design and precise operation, this 1.5-tonne window air conditioner has an eight-in-one air filter system. It is a flat type window air conditioner.

Washing Machines Hoover DYN10144DP RO319.900

10kg capacity, 1,400rpm, ten wash programmes, child lock, super-silent, direct drive motor, energy savings, wash time control

Sharp ES-N80GSA RO99.900

8kg capacity, six washing programmes, water level selection, revolutionary cylindrical design, hole-less stainless steel tub

Ignis FL1207S RO127.500

7kg capacity, 900rpm, six wash programmes, child lock, delay start feature, electronic control, stainless steel drum

LG WD1443KDS RO399.900

Toshiba RAS-18SKP RO204.900

11kg capacity, 15 wash programmes, 1,400rpm, steam wash, quick wash, language selection, six motion washer, and allergy care

LG T186RC RO288.900

8kg capacity, 1,400rpm, 14 wash programmes, delay end, Eco Bubble wash function, quick wash, child lock, diamond drum, time delay, durable ceramic heater

This is a 1.5-tonne capacity split-type wall-mounted air conditioner. It has a seven-layer air filter and a self-cleaning function that eliminates mould. It also has a new compact chassis.

This is a 1.5-tonne capacity split air conditioner with virus and allergy-safe filter. It has a four-way swing and jet cool feature. It also employs a multi-stage tropical compressor.

Samsung WF0804 RO229.500

Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs. Lists are not in any particular order.

61 Microwaves & Ovens Samsung CS1660ST RO109.900

This is a 45L convection microwave oven that is designed for large families. It has a sensor cook function, where the humidity sensor allows for automated cooking. It sports a trendy easy-to-read LED display.

Elekta EBRO-443 RO21.900

This is a 43L capacity, 2,000W electric oven with a zero to 250 degrees Celsius temperature selector. It has a four-stage heating selector and comes with rotisserie function. It also has a 60-minute timer with a bell signal.

Midea EM820LMP RO23.900

This is a 20L capacity, 800W microwave oven with 11 power levels. It features child safety lock. This microwave oven from Midea comes with defrost settings and six auto menus. It also sports a fashionable design.

Samsung GE109MST RO69.500

This is a 28L grill microwave oven. Designed for performance, it has a wide tempered glass door. This microwave features the Triple Distribution System and Steam Clean function.

GE GMOH30UCPSS RO56.900

A 30L convection microwave/grill with electronic touch control, GE’s latest in this series has time and weight defrost feature and express cook. It has a 1,000W grill power and 900W microwave power.

LG MC8088FRR RO89.900

This is a 30L convection microwave oven that features over 100 Auto Cook menus. It sports a motorised rotisserie. This microwave oven from LG also comes with Steam Clean and Defrost functions.

LG MH6589UR RO49.900

This is a 25L convection microwave with grill function. It includes four auto defrost and four grill/bake programmes. Additional features include quick defrost, child lock and quick start functions.

Samsung MW6194ST RO54.500

A 55L microwave oven with 1,000W output power, Samsung’s one-touch sensor cook provides easy cooking at the touch of a button. It sports an LED display that shows microwave settings and other information.

Panasonic NN-CD997S RO187.400

With a 42L oven capacity, three-stage memory, delay start, and twolevel shelf cooking, Panasonic’s exclusive Inverter technology offers real power level control.

Panasonic NN-ST656W RO53.100

With a 32L capacity and ten variable power controls, this microwave oven comes with delay start and auto defrost functions. It also features Panasonic’s exclusive Inverter technology for ideal power level control.

Vacuum Cleaners Philips FC-8146 RO48.900

1,800W vacuum cleaner, bagless, HEPA washable filter, 300W suction power, dust container-full indicator

Karcher VC 5200 RO77.000

Dry vacuum cleaner, 3.3L dust bag capacity, 1,800W input power, indicator for full bag, HEPA 12 filter

LG VCA241HT RO33.000

1,400W bagless vacuum cleaner, 0.8L dust capacity, washable HEPA filter, innovative Cyclone System technology, powerful suction power

Samsung VCC 8780 RO59.500

2,000W bagless vacuum cleaner with Samsung Twin Chamber System technology, HEPA H13 filter, silver nano system, power slider on handle

Domestic Appliances Russell Hobbs 14178 RO14.900

Sandwich maker (plus kettle), on and ready indicator, non-stick coated plates, hinged lock, stand for easy storage

N Espresso C120 RO180.000

Single-serve automatic espresso machine and milk frother, 19 bars of pump pressure, maximum power of 1,710W

Philips HD9220 RO19.900

750W power blender, anodised aluminium material housing, 2L capacity blender jar, filter, variable and pulse speeds, ice crushing capability

Kenwood MX271 RO84.900

400W power kitchen machine, 4L bowl capacity, three coated bowl tools – a beater, whisk and dough hook, 12 variable speeds

Tefal TFRK40070 RO19.900

1,000W rice cooker, 2.5L capacity, hinged locking, LED, automatic warm function

Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs. Lists are not in any particular order.

62 Gaming Consoles & Accessories PSP 3000+4 Games RO76.000

This current version of the PlayStation Portable has a built-in microphone and a better screen that is able to resist glare and so works better outdoors.

PS3 320GB + Move Bundle RO160.000

The Move is broken into three parts: the ‘Motion Controller’, the ‘Navigation Controller’ and the ‘PlayStation Eye Camera’. The Motion Controller contains built-in motion sensors.

Nintendo 3DS RO129.000

A built-in 3D Depth Slider allows you to adjust the intensity of the 3D settings on the new Nintendo 3DS system. Other features include the built-in motion and gyro sensor.

Batman: Arkham Asylum RO28.900 Publisher: Eidos Developer: Rocksteady Studios Platform(s): Xbox 360, PS3, PC Genre: Action ESRB Rating: Teen

Dark Souls RO28.900

Logitech G13 RO37.000

The GamePanel LCD in this gaming keyboard keeps you informed of the game stats and other vital information to help you claim victory. It includes programmable G-keys that let you create macros on the fly.

Logitech G27 RO160.000

Logitech racing wheels and flight controllers simulate remarkable realism. Force feedback lets you feel every slip of the tyre, every shudder of the wing and the controls feel like the real thing.

XBOX 360 Kinect 250GB RO177.000

With a stylish design, the integrated internal memory of 250GB allows you to save games and content. It has built-in Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n) and 5.1 channel surround sound.

Logitech Z906 RO160.000

Successor to the highly acclaimed Logitech Z-5500 Digital 5.1 Speaker System, the new THX-Certified Z906 delivers 500W of pure power.

SteelSeries Spectrum 5XB RO53.600

This is a premium quality, wired headset designed for Xbox 360. With the custom-built soundscape via 40mm SunDancer (SCS) units, you can pinpoint the direction of noises and movement throughout the game.

Thrustmaster T500RS RO241.000

The T500RS employs new H.E.A.R.T (HallEffect AccuRate Technology) on the wheel’s steering and so offers precision, force feedback and a realistic angle of rotation. The controls feel like the real thing.

Nintendo Wii Sports Resort Pack RO90.000

Wii Sports Resort has lots of fun activities with more than 18 sports to try, ranging from water sports like canoeing, power cruising and wakeboarding, to ball games like basketball and golf.

EXCELLENT RANGE

Our Current Top 5 Recommended Games

Publisher: Namco Bandai Games Developer: From Software Platform(s): PS3, Xbox 360 Genre: RPG ESRB Rating: R/P

Forza Motorsport 4 RO28.900

Publisher: Microsoft Studios Developer: Turn 10 Studios Platform(s): Xbox 360 Genre: Driving ESRB Rating: R/P

Gears of War 3 RO28.900

Publisher: Microsoft Developer: Epic Platform(s): Xbox 360 Genre: Action ESRB Rating: Mature

RAGE RO18.900

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Developer: id Software Platform(s): PC, PS3, Xbox 360, iPad, iPhone Genre: Action ESRB Rating: R/P Disclaimer: Prices quoted in the magazine maybe subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for current costs. Lists are not in any particular order.

CES

PRI C I T S A T N FA

Company

Brands

Showroom

Service Dept.

Bahwan Electronics

Asset, Carrier, Ignis, Napro, Toshiba, Seiko, Casio, Titan, Sony Ericsson, Tempstar, Cooline, Corning, Print electronics, Dolphin, Benq, Ausonia, Daewoo, VIP, Dometic, Corby

Ruwi 24796629

24501965

Emax

Multibrand

MCC 24558062

Genetco

Sanyo, Videocon, Fujitsu, Thomson, York, Yamaha, Canon, HAAS, AEG, Sure, Caravell, Gulf Star, Safari, Admiral, Francia, Mitsubishi, Marc Climatic, Vortice, Guntner, Zanussi , Ziegra Imesa, Bitzer , Manitowoc, Bremer, DitoElectrolux, Metro, Taylor, Costan

Qurum 24568806, Muttrah 24713138, Ruwi 24830919, Seeb 24422797, Shatti al Qurum 24693292

24503653

Al Gurg Home Appliances Better Life

Terim, Fisher & Paykel, SMEG, Vestfrost, Wolf Power, Grundig

24811608

24810404

HiTec Centre

Boston Accoustics, Denon, Leica, Polk Audio

Azaiba 24497384

24497384

Jumbo Electronics

Sony, VAIO, Sony professional Products, Blackberry, Supra, Midea Air-conditioners, Casio, Brother Sewing Machines, Acer, HP, Dyson, Gorenje

MBD 24818358, Al Araimi 24565845, QCC 24470529, Salalah 23291984

24814815

Al Khalili Technology

Fujitsu, Siemon, Coral Telecom, Honeywell, Epson, Camtron, Pyronix, SD3, Tripp-lite, Cummins, Schnider Electric, Sanyo, Sakar, Sterline, Sonicwall

24616900

24816303

Moayyed Integrated Ente

Daewoo Electronics

24488795

Muscat Electronics

Daikin, Wansa, Ricoh, Chigo, Media, G-Hanz, Sony Professional products

Ruwi 24702985, Sohar 26845647, Salalah 23291617

24813408

Mustafa Sultan Electronics (MSE)

Samsung, Haier, Philips, Nevica, Whirlpool

Al Khuwair 24636015

24818018

Oman International Electronics & Trading

Bose, Nec, JVC

Qurum 24565490

24830606

Oman Modern Electronics

Sharp, JBL, Mastergas, Harman/Kardon, Onida, Nikai

24702555

OMASCO

Raymond Weil, Kolber, Westar, Alba, Maxima, HMT, Panasonic, Xper, Aftron, Black & Decker, GE

Qurum 24564310, Ruwi 24833630

24560232

OMASCO - System Solutions

Panasonic

24565696

Oman Trading Establishment

LG, Bosch, White Westinghouse

Wadi Kabir 24811572, Al Khuwair 24479448, Ruwi 24831544, Ruwi MBC 24834162, Al Araimi 24561480, Seeb 24420570, Nizwa 25412216, Sur 25545107, Bani Bu Ali 25553387, Salalah 23295237, Sohar 26842397

24810522 / 24810156, 80075545

Photocentre

Fujifilm, Olympus, Hasselblad, Sigma, Manfrotto, Lowepro, EPSON, Mitsubishi Electric, STEINER, Broncolor, Hama, Amano

Qurum 24565305, Al Khuwair 24479296

24571708

SARCO

Samsung, Technoflame

Ruwi 24593025

24593025

Sayed bin Nasser al Hashar

Ariston, Rinnai, Voltas, JBL, Kirloskar, Kardex, Lexmark

Ruwi 24700571, Salalah 23291405, Sohar 26840763, Sur 25544613

24704494

Shah Nagardas Manji

Kodak, Yashica, Cokin, Case Logic, Lexar, Noritsu, Durst, Bushnell, Eiki, Iriver, Steiner, Tasco, White Westinghouse, Igloo, Venus, Russel Hobbs, Addis, Noritake, Ocean, Wenger

Ruwi 24562656, Lulu Bausher 24593806, Nizwa 25410184

Technical Trading

Westinghouse

Ruwi 24703515, Fax 24700010

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