John Little
Tampines Mall #02-26/03-25
4 Tampines Central 5 Singapore 529510
Best Denki Pte Ltd
Century Square #04-04/05
2 Tampines Central 5 Singapore 529509
Photot: The O2 XDA mini ($1,168) fits snuggly in your palm.
Gadgets and Gizmos
Technology is moving so fast, that when one gadget comes onto the market, an updated version is already in the pipeline. Here, we look at the latest techno toys.
—By RAYMOND KOH.
Communication tools are getting smaller. In fact, these days you can have several in one – an MP3 player, a mobile phone, a mini computer, a camera and more. The list is getting bigger and models getting smaller.
To make it even more confusing, there are a slew of companies out there all competing for a piece of the action. Right now the market is flooded with gizmos and gadgets of all varieties. The question is – how do you choose, espe- cially if you are not exactly a techno whiz?
We’ve went to two large stores in the North East – Courts Superstore in Tampines Mall and Best Denki in Century Square, to put together our mini selection – a wish list if you like – for you. Prices quoted are at press time.
NEVER MISS A SHOW
Philips DVD Recorders
Now, you don’t have to miss your favourite TV series or blockbuster movie. The Philips DVD Recorder (dubbed the King of Playback for its multi-format playability). The Philips DVDR560H/97 Recorder comes with a 160GB hard disk storage which can store up to 198 hours of video programmes or movies. You can
either view the recorded videos by playing back the hard disk or write them on DVD media disks such as DVD+R/+RW and DVD-R/-RW. The i.LINK function also enables you to record and preserve your favorite camcorder memories on DVD permanently.
Photo: Recording movies are a breeze with Philips DVR 560 ($899)
With a DVD recorder, you need not worry not only about missing your favourite TV programme but of losing those precious camcorder record- ings to tape fungus attack.
CAPTURE THOSE MEMORIES
Canon Powershot A520 Digital Camera
While many mobile phone users are conveniently using their built-in cameras to snap photos, genuine photo-taking enthusiasts are still relying on their high-resolution digital cameras. Digital cameras are now equipped with resolutions of anywhere between three to 10 mega pixels. For most consumers with a comfortable budget, a three to four mega pixel camera would meet their need for reasonably clear photos.
Photo: The affordable Canon Powershot A520 ($449).
The Canon Powershot A520 is one such camera that has been selling well at the Century Square branch of Best Denki. Canon has been a household name in cameras for many years, and its first digital offering, the Canon IXUS series was a hit. But affordability has made some of its other models – such as the Powershot A520 – a popular choice today.
This four mega pixel digital camera has a digital zoom capability of up to 3.6x digital zoom and 4x optical zoom. A 9-point AiAF (auto-focusing) ensures the subject is sharply focused even if it is not in the centre. Its 1.8-inch LCD screen is pleasing to the eyes and the camera is surprisingly handy weighing only 850g.
Besides its affordability and solid features, the Powershot A520 comes with a package of attractive freebies for a limited time at Best
Denki. Free SD memory cards, a mini tripod, a card reader and a cleaning kit make this camera a value-for-money item.
A SMALL WONDER
The O2 XDA II mini
Many handphone users and PDA geeks can’t resist this one. The O2 XDA II mini firsthit the stores about a year ago, and is flying off the shelves. According to the sales people at Courts in Tampines Mall, the O2 even overtook its older, larger PDA/mobile phones – the O2 XDA I series– in sales.
If you want an organiser to keep appointments and files, but also make phone calls, send SMSes and serve the Net, the O2 mini does all of that and more. Using Microsoft’s Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition operating system, it lets you check your emails. All you need is a basic data subscription plan with any mobile phone operator.
On top of its superior clock speed, the O2 mini excels in battery life, mul-timedia and imaging applications. You can even take pictures on the move with its 1.3 mega pixels builtin camera. Weighing a mere 150g, the O2 mini comes equipped with Bluetooth and infrared capabilities for wireless communication with notebooks and other similarly enabled gadgets.
Good news for fans of the O2 mini: an updated smaller and even more feature-laden version called the O2 XDA Atom should be available by early 2006. Prices for the O2 mini, though, can expect to drop by then – certainly welcome news for PDA/mobile phone fans.
