The UrbanWire      

Janelle Li and Shermaine Yeo

Samsung Corby PRO

Business-like yet youthful is what describes the Samsung Corby PRO. That’s not the only 2 worlds that phone users get to enjoy, it’s also a QWERTY and touch screen packed into the mobile phone. While professional looking on the outside, many will swoon over the vibrant colours of the QWERTY keypad once it’s slid out.

If you’re fickle or you just want to get your accessories to match those concentric patterns on your shirt, the Samsung Corby PRO will indulge your whims and fancies with a changeable back cover. There are 3 back cover designs that come in the box with the product.

Keeping up with the trend of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook taking over our lives, compelling us to update the happenings as we breathe, this gadget will aid that infatuation with widgets. These widgets are easily found on the phone, as they are pre-installed.

If you find a need to use instant messaging services on the go, the phone will also serve that demand with a one-stop application that allows you to use accounts from various instant-messaging platforms.

Another noteworthy element of the device is the threaded SMS display, which helps to condense the messages from different people. While most smartphones in the market don’t allow Bluetooth transfer of files with other devices for security reasons, the Samsung Corby PRO is one that permits such a function. But rest assured, there’s a protection measure in the form of a code, so as not to receive unwanted files using the Bluetooth transmission.

With the best of both worlds combined into a gadget, there would be some drawbacks. The touch screen is rather slow and less reactive, that is, if you’re used to other touch screen devices. All it needs is a little patience and getting used to from the user, which isn’t too much to ask. The QWERTY keypad is big enough so that your fingers get to push each button without hitting another one, but the wide surface means no typing with one hand, and that’s probably why you’ll need the touch screen.

However, it’s notable that the displays switch very smoothly with much ease when changing from touch screen to QWERTY. The landscape and portrait orientation adjust effortlessly and don’t lag.

The Samsung Corby PRO is also adequately equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera and it has good projection of sound from the speakers if you ever need some music blasting. While this mobile phone may not match up with it’s more intelligent counterparts in the market, it has it’s pluses and is stylish enough to win some fans.

Samsung Corby^TXT

Available from last December, the Samsung Corby^TXT is an economical texting handset that endorses the image of fun. It has all the basic functions of a web-enabled phone: voice calls, SMS/MMS, internet browser, 2.0megapixel camera, applications and such. One function that outshines would be the cute camera functions that allow you to take neoprint-like photos with its “Frames” or “Mosaic” options. The QWERTY keypad may be a little too small though, and it’s easy to fumble while pressing the direction keys as they’re too narrow. You tend to end up pressing 2 keys at the same time. There are also default Twitter and Facebook links in the Shortcut Toolbar, making them conveniently accessible.

Samsung Corby

If you prefer a clean, sleek design without the hassle many, many buttons, check out the original Corby, a full touch-screen phone and the lightest among the Corby series at less than 80 grams.

UrbanWire looks at some mobile computing solutions for 2010 that weigh less than a full-grown Chihuahua.

Fujitsu Lifebook MH380

^{Fujitsu LifeBook MH380 in Diamond Black (Image courtesy of Fujitsu PC Asia Pacific)}

Called a “mini-notebook”, the Lifebook MH380 weighs at 1.27kg and boasts the performance of a full-sized laptop. It definitely doesn’t lose out with a 250GB harddisk, pre-loaded Windows 7 operating system, a 1.3megapixel camera and up to 7.7 hours of battery life on a full charge. It’s disappointing, however, that it comes with only 1GB DDR2 RAM when some machines out there offer at least double.

The Fujitsu LifeBook MH380 is available at a recommended retail price of $1,088 with GST.

Fujitsu Lifebook UH900

^{Fujitsu LifeBook UH900 in Fiery Red (Images courtesy of Fujitsu PC Asia Pacific)}

Looking for something even smaller? The LifeBook UH900 weighs less than 500g, about half the size of the average netbook, yet doesn’t scrimp on what’s offered in the bundle. It comes with a 2GB DDR2 RAM, a 62GB SSD (solid-state drive) harddisk, Windows 7 Home Premium, and embedded 3.5G (HSPA) WWAN connectivity. It’s a pity though, that the batteries last up to just 3 hours, for a gadget most would use for surfing the net while chilling out at a favourite cafe.

The Fujitsu LifeBook UH900 will be available from Jan 30, at a recommended retail price of $1,988 with GST.

Samsung N220 & N210

^{Samsung N210 in Glossy White (Images courtesy of Samsung)}

If you’re the kind that can’t tear your eyes off your notebook’s screen, the Samsung N220/N210 series will have you rejoicing over its 10.1″ LED anti-reflective display that doesn’t give you any mirror effect “under bright lights or sunny weather”. Batteries lasting for 12 hours on a full charge and a scratch-resistant exterior also score bonus points for these slightly heavier machines, with the N220 and N210 tipping the scales at 1.32kg and 1.34kg respectively.

The Samsung N220 is available at a recommended retail price of $799 and the N210 at $749.

More information here:

Fujitsu LifeBook MH380

Fujitsu LifeBook UH900

Samsung N220 / N210

Telling the whole world what you’re up to is the current “in” thing, and mobile phone companies such as INQ Mobile facilitate this cultivated habit of young people by incorporating applications for these functions as part of their default factory settings.

^{(Image courtesy of INQ Mobile)}

The INQ Chat 3G aims to integrate the 2 most popular social media platforms – Twitter and Facebook – into 1, to keep the user and his/her friends “always-on” the ball with each other.

Its striking appearance will appeal to you if you have high standards for the aesthetics of a device you’ll interact with almost every minute of your life.  The full range consists of 7 colours from the business-like black/gray to striking lime green and bright yellow, but unfortunately only red is available locally for this SingTel-exclusive handset.

^{(Image courtesy of INQ Mobile)}

You shouldn’t expect the INQ Chat to be as powerful as a smartphone, it’s more of a texting machine to keep you connected to the world, and tell everyone your answer to “What are you doing now?”

Watch your tweet count multiply exponentially as you punch away on this baby with the Twitter app, it’s so much fun that it’s almost sinful. If you were already at least half addicted to Twitter, your infatuation will explode from the second you get your hands on this gadget. Go on, tell the world about your life by the millisecond. Just remember never to log yourself out, to avoid the initial tedious process of loading, loading, and loading your timeline every time you log in.

^{(Image courtesy of INQ Mobile)}

One of the big factors that contribute to this potential Twitter craze is the QWERTY keyboard, with buttons that feel solid with a silent click when pressed, perfect for those who need some reassurance that they’ve definitely punched the key. It may pose some challenges though, if you have large hands and/or long fingernails.

You can also share the photo of the moment by using the mention-worthy 3.2megapixel camera, which takes decent pictures with minimal noise. Simply go to your image gallery, and under the ‘Send’ option, you can choose to include the image in an MMS, attach it in an email, transfer it via Bluetooth to your friends, or post it up on Twitter or Facebook for the universe to see.

Another cool aspect is the messaging inbox. Other than SMS (Short Messaging Service), you can also check if you’ve got any new Twitter direct messages, Facebook personal messages, emails (for the accounts already set up) and even Facebook pokes and friend requests, all “pushed” to you as long as you’re logged in.

The other main selling point of this model, the Facebook app, was disappointing though. Basically the app was designed for you to keep track of your friends’ status updates, and your pokes, friend requests and inbox messages. The news feed is displayed in a minimalist fashion, and while there may be a tab that reads ‘Photos’, all it does is lead you to a page in your browser, instead of allowing you to browse through the photos within the app. Another less-than-satisfactory point is when searching for a particular friend, typing the first name yields no result. You’ll have to type the family name to find him/her, and then write on his/her Facebook wall.

^{(Image courtesy of INQ Mobile)}

You can also chat on instant messaging services such as Windows Live Messenger and happily gossip away with your friends on that addictive QWERTY keyboard. The small screen is a disadvantage though, if any of your friends loves blabbering in paragraphs you may have to scroll quite a bit to see the whole chunk.

Another drawback would be the variety of apps available for the INQ Chat, which definitely can’t be compared to the diversity of the Apple App Store or the Android Market.

This mobile phone will never match up to its more intelligent cousins in terms of flexibility and customisability, but it functions well as an affordable alternative for Twitter and Facebook addicts, as it comes free with a new 2-year SingTel “enhanced data bundled mobile plan”.

More information available at SingTel Shop: http://www.singtelshop.com

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The Emmys of video gaming have come and gone. The awards were handed out, previews of hot upcoming games were screened and another great year of video gaming was wrapped up on Dec 12 2009 at the LA live complex in Los Angeles.

While, the Video Game Awards 2009 will only be screened Jan 16 on Animax Asia, we at UrbanWire know that the truly obsessed gamer already knows the results, and that Uncharted 2: Among Thieves snagged Game of the Year  (GOTY) 2009.

Let’s take a look again at the winner and its contenders, picked by the awards Advisory Council, made up of industry experts from various publications such as GameTrailers.Com, Penny Arcade, IGN and GameSpot:

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Assassin’s Creed 2

Left 4 Dead 2

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves GOTY 2009

While many gamers will argue that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2 should win GOTY, it’s disappointingly short campaign proved to be its downfall, as Uncharted 2 simply trounced it with its compelling and well thought out story.

Not only did Uncharted 2 win GOTY 2009, it received a record 8 nominations at the VGA 2009, where it eventually also bagged Best PS3 Game and Best Graphics.

Among Thieves is what every game should aspire to be – a complete package. Its single player mode is already entertaining enough, so it’s not surprising that the multiplayer mode just blows almost every other third person shooter away.

Although Naughty Dog failed to win Studio Of The Year, it has set the bar for video games exceptionally high as we go in to 2010. Meaning that gamers around the world can look forward to more video games with extremely high production values as developers scramble to make sure that future productions are up to scratch.

The original Uncharted introduced us to protagonist Nathan Drake, basically Indiana Jones without the whip or Lara Croft without the heavily endowed chest, and then enthralled us with beautifully crafted visuals, fantastically sculpted story, puzzling puzzles and over the top gunplay.

Since its release in October, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves has returned to blow our minds away once again. Drake’s second adventure is bigger, better and more visually stunning than the last one.

The story picks up about 2 years later and the game starts midway through the story with him dangling from a train that’s dangling off a cliff. An epic way to start a game? I think so.

The plot is something straight out of an Indiana Jones movie, Nathan Drake is recruited by his old pal Flynn to help find Marco Polo’s fabled lost fleet. What ensues is an amazing tale of mystery, betrayal and romance.

The story’s twists and turns throughout the game will keep players guessing at the outcome till the end. The multiple changes in locales keep the game interesting and varied, and the pacing is laudable.

Of course, an epic tale deserves visuals to match and Naughty Dog delivers. Uncharted 2 is such a visual spectacle that it feels like a movie and sometimes I find myself forgetting that I have to move the character.

Most games that boast gorgeous graphics often frustrate players with long load times and lagging frames. Both are issues that Among Thieves doesn’t have.

Gameplay is similar to other action-adventure games such as Tomb Raider and Prince of Persia and requires you to jump, climb and shoot your way from point to point. There are also puzzles that Drake has to solve with the help of his journal. And if the puzzles are still too challenging for players, they can enable a hint system that will point them in the direction of the next objective.

All in all, Uncharted 2 would have been an amazing single player game, but Naughty Dog made it even better by including a multiplayer option, that quite honestly is so good I’d gladly have paid good money to purchase it as a stand-alone game.

The multiplayer mode plays as a third person shooter, but what makes it stand out is the “vertical” aspect of the game. Battles are not played on a horizontal field as players have the ability to scale buildings and shimmy from place to place to pop up behind opponents and slay them in a hail of gun fire, making this one of the most tactical multiplayer games ever.

Uncharted 2 is such an impressive product that G4’s Adam Sessler gave it a 5/5 and listed, “it has an ending” as the game’s cons.

The only issue I have with Uncharted 2 is that it’s probably the most compelling reason to own a PS3 because of its exclusivity to that console.

And the also ran are:

Assassin’s Creed 2

This is the highly anticipated follow-up title to the game that was touted as the fastest-selling new IP in video game history, Assassin’s Creed.

The non-linear action adventure video game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and was published for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. It was only released a month before the awards, yet in that short time, this game has already proved that it’s one you’ll regret leaving on the shelf.

Set in late 15^th century Renaissance era Italy, the game puts players in the shoes of nobleman Ezio Auditore da Firenze who becomes an assassin after his father and brothers are murdered.

The innovations in game play that the original Assassin’s Creed introduced were already well received with many praising its “stealth system,” (which is far more realistic than Metal Gear Solid’s version) and “free running” as revolutionary. Critics, however, slammed it for lacking variety in terms of mission types offered and deeming it as rather repetitive gameplay.

The second installation of the series improves what its predecessor got right and fixes most of what it didn’t.

Graphics wise this game is stunning, with the masterful rendering of the city and its inhabitants making it a sight to behold. So smitten will players be with the backdrop that running through the city becomes a pleasure rather than a boring journey from point A to B. And the sight of Ezio flying through the air to deftly slit the throat of his intended target will keep players coming back for more.

The assassinations in the game may be a visual feast, but the actual combat still feels rather slow and clumsy, which can be a real turn off at the end of the day.

Yet, with its slick look and even slicker moves (general combat aside) Assassin’s Creed 2 sold 1.6 million copies in its first week of sales and scored a perfect 10 out of 10 in a review published by Official PlayStation Magazine US, making it a perfectly logical choice for a GOTY 2009 nomination.

Left 4 Dead 2

Banned in Australia, Left 4 Dead (L4D) 2 that was accused of being racist angered 37,000 people enough for them to ask for its boycott.

How then did it still get nominated for GOTY 2009, you ask? When its predecessor L4D was launched it took the world by storm and playing L4D became “fashionable” among youths. Valve’s L4D 2 is everything the original was and much more. There are more campaigns, more modes of play and more zombies to be massacred.

The plot of the game on the other hand, remains the same. Players play as one of 4 survivors of a zombie onslaught and must attempt to battle through hordes of themto reach an evacuation point.

While the story of the game fails to impress, its artificial intelligence (AI) does not. The AI known as the “Director” ensures that no matter how many times you run through the game it continues to remain re-playable. It does this by automatically adjusting the difficulty of the map and placing weapons, ammo, health packs and other assorted items at random points ensuring that no 2 runs through a single map feels the same.

But perhaps the main reason for the success of this game is the level of teamwork needed among players. Going through the game without calling out item locations, where to go or your need for help is going to mean that your team isn’t going to do very well if they even manage to finish fastest.

And this is where the game truly shines as when players are shouting at each other to progress through the game, it triggers a high level of emotional response, making the game incredibly enjoyable. However, the downside is that if you are failing to get past a certain map, you may find yourself far more frustrated than you ever imagined possible.

It’s the high level of involvement that this game calls for, and lets not forget the satisfaction conferred by massacring thousands of zombies.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

It’s the best game adaptation of a comic book ever, period.

The game, developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, was another fairly late entrant, being released on 25 Aug 2009.

While most other comic adaptations are just that, Batman: Arkham Asylum was actually written specially by veteran Batman writer Paul Dini.

The plot of the game revolves around Batman’s arch nemesis, The Joker and his plans to once again attempt to destroy Gotham City. Batman begins by defeating the Joker and then escorting him to Arkham Asylum.

The Joker’s aide, Harley Quinn, then overrides the Asylum’s security and frees the Joker and together they take control of the facility. They then threaten to detonate bombs hidden around the city if anyone attempts to enter Arkham Asylum, forcing Batman to work alone against the villainous duo.

While game play isn’t groundbreaking, it but does offer a few innovations.

As Batman: Arkham Asylum is an action-adventure stealth game played in a third person perspective; it feels a lot like Devil May Cry, but with a few differences.

Firstly, the combat system flows more freely, and is built around hit combos and counter attacks. The sweetest part of the combat system is that, unlike a lot of other games, stopping your barrage to block an incoming attack actually adds to your combo counter rather than restarting it.

Also, unlike other games, by chaining together combos, players build up an experience point multiplier. Chalk up enough points and you can cash in experience points and unlock special attacks.

Flooring multiple enemies with a combination of punishing strikes and liberal use of gadgets such as the Batarang truly makes you feel like the Dark Knight.

But any superhero is capable of bashing his way through mobs of enemies, Batman’s trademark is striking from the shadows, you say?

Rocksteady Studios didn’t forget. As Gotham’s Knight, you can employ “predator” type tatics by using stealth to your advantage. Striking from the shadows using silent takedowns, remote control Batarangs, deviously deployed bombs and swooping in on your enemies from overhead are just a few of the dastardly moves the fearsome Batman can employ.

Overall, the combat system both feels and looks good, even if it gets repetitive after the third round of combat.

And speaking of looks, this game doesn’t disappoint. The overall atmosphere conveyed in the game is as dark and gritty as any Batman Comic and looks like it came straight out of the comic book pages of DC Comics.

The attention to detail that the developers paid is worthy of praise as you will notice that as the game progresses and Batman takes a beating now and then, his costume will start to reflect it.

Several voice actors have also reprised their roles, lending even more continuity and authenticity to the game. Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamil and Arleen Sorkin voice Batman, the Joker and Harley Quinn respectively.

The end result is a game so good that IGN’s Greg Miller gave it a 9.3/10 and went as far as to say that, “Batman’s Arkham Asylum is the best superhero game, bar none.”

Take that, Superman!

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Probably the most hyped up game, Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2(MW2) was released really late, on 10 Nov 2009, but nearly 5 million copies of the game were picked up within 24 hours of its release.

The question is, does it live up to the hype? The answer: Hell, yes!

But first lets get all the complaints out of the way. It is short. The campaign mode of the game only lasts long enough for 5 hours of game time and the story presented in the game is incredibly far-fetched, convoluted and the rate at which the game throws you into the shoes of different characters is very disorientating.

The plot is set 5 years from the end of Call of Duty 4 and paints Russia as a terrorist nation hell bent on the invasion of the United States of America. You are U.S. Army Ranger Private First Class Joseph Allen stationed in Afghanistan where you help take back a city from insurgents. After this, you’re recruited into an elite, multi-national counter terrorism unit entitled Task Force 141.

And basically the story just goes downhill from there. But some of the more memorable moments include, busting into a prison to free an ally, massacring innocent civilians in an airport and walking through a totally decimated Washington D.C.

The main problem with the story is that you often miss it while playing the game as it is often only told during load screens or via NPC (Non-player character) chatter during missions. While telling a story through the use of NPC chatter is an acceptable way of progressing plot lines, it really isn’t when players are in the middle of a huge firefight, dodging bullets, grenades and generally trying to stay alive.

But to be fair, MW2 is the only game I’ve played where listening to NPCs mouth off is worth it. When an NPC says, “2 tangos at 9 o’clock,” there really are 2 enemies at the said location.

So if the story is pretty much what gamers would refer to as “epic fail”, what makes it worthy of a GOTY nomination?

It does what FPS games do best. Multiplayer. MW2 offers a staggering 14 multiplayer modes which range from clichés such as Capture the Flag and Team Deathmatch to some rather innovative modes such as Headquarters Pro.

Headquarter pro is a mode where players have to assault, capture and hold randomly spawned capture points throughout the match.

The fast and furious gameplay offered is highly addictive and visually stunning. The Call of Duty has never looked so good. The locations you will be frantically shooting your way through are simply stunning.

There are no shortage of effects assaulting the eyes of gamers as cars and electrical equipment explode, and nearly everything in the levels are physics-enabled.

Plus the level of realism conveyed in the game keeps players on the edge of their seats as a few bullet hits are enough to take someone out of the fight and the action is so intense that merely looking away from your screen for a millisecond is enough to enter the respawn que.

Playing multiplayer offers several rewards as well as players rank up, they unlock new weapons, perks and customisable kill steaks. Allowing you to customise your avatar to excel at what you like doing best, be it close-quarter combat, use of explosives or precision sniping.

Many may worry that new players will have to face a never ending respawn timer, yet this is not the case as this is probably the most well balanced FPS in existence.

Certain perks from the original game have been removed to ensure balance and the maps have been designed to prevent camping. And even deathstreaks, the opposite of kill streaks; have been introduced to ensure that players who find themselves being fragged mercilessly have a chance at revenge.

In conclusion, while MW2 may have dropped the ball in terms of its single player campaign mode, its multiplayer option more than makes up for it. It would not be much of a stretch to say that it is the best multiplayer FPS of the year.

And 2010 is already shaping up to be a killer of a year for gamers with highly anticipated sequel titles such as Starcraft II, Final Fantasy XIII and God Of War III being scheduled for release.  Check back for more updates.

The latest installation of the popular game franchise by NAMCO BANDAI GAMES Inc., Tekken 6, certainly didn’t disappoint. It can’t afford to, especially since 2009 is a good year for gamers, with the release of major fighting games such as King Of Fighters XII, Street Fighter IV and Blazblue just to name a few.

So why should anyone play Tekken 6? With 41 unique characters to choose from, Tekken 6 has the largest fighting roster ever seen in the series (Street Fighter IV only has a measly 19). This means that technically, one shouldn’t get bored with the game due to the abundance of characters available.

The game features a scenario campaign that’s basically a story mode with 2 of the game’s new characters, Alisa and Lars. I’d recommend playing this only if you’re interested in the storyline, if not, just head on to the all-important arcade mode.

The scenario campaign isn’t bad, but it’s just not my cup of tea. I pay good money to play a great fighting game to smash buttons and have fun. The only thing about the scenario campaign that I liked was the amazing cut scenes with the highest level of detail.

Onward to the main course in the game – the arcade mode. It’s where gamers, the young and old, the good and the not-so-good excel in. One might even say it’s where the spirit of Tekken lies.

Getting the hang of the controls to execute a special 10-hit combo will take a while, but in the meantime, the basic fight mechanics are surprisingly simple, with each button controlling a specific limb of your character.

Unfortunately I had trouble completing stage 5 of the arcade mode, against a blonde fighter, Lili. I got 4 of my friends to have a go at her, but she shot all of them down like a cleaner swatting flies. The fighting level of the artificially-intelligent (AI) opponent increases after each stage and she was surprisingly strong.

After much button-mashing and cheering from our motley gang, we finally defeated her. Tekken 6 offers not only a rich fighting experience but also allows users to customize the characters, enhancing the incredible gameplay as the players go fisticuff.

If you are bored of playing against AI, you can go online and pit your skills against other players all over the world via Xbox Live® in the online versus mode. You can also create and upload your own characters as ghost characters, which can be downloaded as AI opponents. The ‘ghosts’ will have all the battle data of the player who uploaded them. This allows you to practise with the best gamers in the globe without having to suffer the agony of losing to them in real time.

Tekken 6 was released on end of last month for Xbox 360® and PlayStation® 3 consoles, and will be available for PlayStation®Portable on Nov 27.

The point of having a mini notebook is presumably to have such a small form factor, you can tuck it away in a large pocket. But this week, Hewlett-Packard (HP) has launched the HP Mini 311, which goes the other way, fitting the largest screen on a Mini notebook.

Its main bragging rights come from the 11.6-inch diagonal HD LED Brightview Widescreen Display. Other features include having a NVIDIA ION LE graphics card to allow you to watch HD movies and Altec Lansing speakers to complete the full HD experience.

Priced at $849, the HP Mini 311 comes with either Black Swirl or White Swirl protective HP Imprint finishes.

HP Mini 311

From Brother International Singapore comes a new range of compact colour printers using LED technology.

The compact colour LED printers, HL-3040CN and HL-3070CW, are very similar in terms of specifications with the latter packed with more features. Both have built-in Ethernet for networking and print sharing while the HL-3070CW comes with an additional WIRELESS LAN plus the option to print from USB flash memory drive.

You can expect high speed printing at 16 pages per minute and rich colour print quality at up to 2,400 x 600 dpi resolution. Available in stores by mid-November.

Recommended Retails Prices

HL-3040CN – $498

HL- 3070CW – $568

HL-3040CN

HL-3070CW

All the listed products from Brother come with a 3-year on-site warranty.

Last, but not least, Sony unveiled its latest Blu-ray player, BDP-S765, for home theatre movie buffs. It features the latest cutting-edge technologies like the newly developed HD Reality Enhancer and Super Bit Mapping to deliver even sharper and more vibrant images from today’s Blu-ray disc movies.

The BDP-S765 is fully BD-Live capable through the Ethernet connection that lets users connect to the Internet to access BD-Live features and firmware updates. Another good thing is that you can always save the content downloaded from BD-Live onto a USB flash storage device connected to the external flash memory port.

This player will decode the latest advanced audio codes effortlessly and, because it has an integrated headphone jack for virtual surround, it will simulate the sound of a multi-channel home theatre setup when you put on a pair of headphones.

There’s even a front USB port for viewing photos from your USB flash memory drive or directly from a digital camera.

Well, it has a Quick Start mode that improves boot-up times to just 6 seconds. It also has Sony’s XrossMediaBar™ for easy menu navigation and Sony’s BRAVIA Sync™ for Theatre.

Did I mention that the remote control is backlit?

The BDP-S765 Blu-ray player is available at all Sony authorised retailers at a suggested retail price of $799 (inclusive of GST).

If you’ve always wanted to get yourself a new Mac but are apprehensive about a huge hole in your wallet, this is a good time to grab one as Apple packs more punch into its popular Macintosh range for a lower price.

The prices for new Macbooks, the laptop version of the Mac, start at $1,588, as opposed to about $200 more for the old ones. Users who have trouble finding power sources when bringing their Macbooks with them will rejoice for the improved battery performance that promises 7 hours of power in 1 full charge.

Another highlight for the Macbook is the new glass Multi-Touch™ trackpad that feels cool to touch and lacks a physical button, which is a welcomed change as the button collects dirt and grime easily. Apple iPhone users will also be familiar with the swiping and pinching motion that the trackpad now supports.

Multilingual users can also use the trackpad for handwriting input. Currently only Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese are supported, but Apple plans to roll out updates to enable this function for other languages as well.

If you have a bigger budget and are keen on a powerful workstation, be spoilt with a Quad-Core processor, a generous 27-inch display, a wireless keyboard and a first-of-its-kind Magic Mouse with the latest iMacs.

The biggest selling point for iMacs is the state-of-the-art displays. All iMac and Macbook monitors are now on par with their Pro counterparts with LED backlit technology that boasts uniform brightness across the screen. This also allows a 178 degree viewing angle without any colour shift, which is good for watching HD movies with loved ones, but can be troublesome if working on confidential documents.

The Magic Mouse that ships by default with the revamped iMac line shows off an exterior design that’s clean and simple, while it contains an internal Multi-Touch sensor where you can do more than just clicking. You can now scroll with 2 fingers and literally swipe through your photo gallery on the surface of the mouse.

It was a disappointment, however, as mastering those movements is as complicated as how simple it looks. You have to make sure your palm rests on the Apple logo, while keeping the mouse stationary as you have a go at those fancy motions. It isn’t a good idea after all, to try to fit what worked for the trackpad into the conventional mouse that hasn’t been drastically modified since its invention.

Pricing and specifications can be found on Apple Singapore website:
Macbook – from $1,588
iMac – from $1,788
Magic Mouse – Suggested Retail Price: $98

(Images courtesy of Apple)

In a knockout combo, Sony will release not 1, but 3 new VAIO notebook (namely the X, CW and NW) series along with a new VAIO desktop L series, giving us 7 spanking new products. All the computers will be available in Singapore at end October, with prices to be released.

The X series:

Remember Apple’s MacBook Air? Well, the X series is Sony’s version. It’s mainly targeted at people who want a laptop that’s almost as light as a netbook, at just over 600 grams, yet having the computing power of regular size notebooks. Business users who travel frequently will love to know that their laptop can last up to 16 hours of continuous use with the introduction of the VAIO X series’ 8-cell battery option.
It’s also Sony’s first 3G notebook model, equipped with WWAN for users to stay connected to high-speed Internet on the go. The VAIO X series features a high quality 11.1’’ wide, LED-backlit display along with a convenient multi-finger gesture touch pad for easy flick and zoom navigation.

The VAIO X comes in 2 colours, limited edition Gold and Black.

The CW series:

Targeted at gamers and those who enjoy watching videos on their notebooks, the 14-inch Real Wide LCD screen delivers colorful, breathtaking images. Users will also be able to create high definition videos using the exclusive VAIO Media Gallery, with music tracks of their own choice, without having to use other applications for different media files.

Other notable features of the CW series notebooks are the powerful NVIDIA GeForce graphics card, 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, a well-placed Quick Web Access button and a DISPLAY OFF button to conserve power.

The CW series comes in 5 eye-catching colors of Black, White, Red, Blue and Pink to suit the personality of the user.

The NW series:

Also available in Singapore from November, the NW series is the perfect choice for people who find their desktop to be more bulky than they’d like. It also has a 15.5-inch widescreen with 16:9 aspect ratio, vastly enhancing your viewing pleasure. A reverse hinge design camouflages the point where the display and the back of the keyboard meet, creating an even sleeker image.

With an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 graphics card, 320 GB hard disk drive and 2GB of RAM, the NW series is definitely no slouch.

The VAIO NW comes in 3 colours, Brown, White and Black.

The L series:

Know people who have a bad habit of touching their computer screen constantly and who want all-in-one PCs? Now they’ll have every excuse to, with the new VAIO L series. It is the first VAIO series to be equipped with multi-touch optical sensor display and on a gorgeous 24-inch wide display, using your PC is a whole new experience. Flick, flip, zoom and rotate images with a few deft touches. It’s that simple!

With a full HD 1920 x 1080 display (VAIO Display Plus), users can now enjoy the latest Blu-ray Discs on the new VAIO L series with the built-in Blu-ray drive. But what’s the point of having high definition visuals without having the audio to back it up? The VAIO L series has 5.5W + 5.5W speakers and S Master Digital Amplifier technology integrated into the PC itself to allow users to experience a premium audio experience without the unsightly clutter of additional cables.

To keep things simple, the VAIO L series allows users to save more workspace by being able to store its wireless keyboard under the display. With the sleek profile of the L series along with its Intel Core 2 Duo Processor and 4 GB of memory (upgradeable to 12GB), we might just have found something to keep our itchy hands busy with.

By Daniel Ong

When Retro started making rounds in the scene, it brought along with it a friend – Lomography, which is the art of taking photographs with a Lomo camera and also the latest craze to hit Singapore’s photography scene, capturing the hearts of camera buffs and the mainstream crowd alike.

Leningrad Optical-Mechanical Amalgamation, or Lomo, is a manufacturer of optical products and medical equipment in St. Petersburg, Russia. In 1982, the company created the Lomo Kompakt Automat, a camera originally created as an espionage tool for field agents. Due to the quality of images produced by the camera, the company sold the technology to the public instead. It was their fans that began calling the photographs taken with the cameras ‘Lomography’.

Production of the camera would have declined and stopped in 1996, if not for Viennese students Matthias Fiegl and Wolfgang Stranzinger. While holidaying in Czechoslvakia in 1991, they picked up the camera at a junk shop and started taking pictures of the city. When the photographs were developed, what they saw forever changed their lives.

You see, the characteristics of photographs taken by Lomo cameras include oversaturated colours, light leaks, blurring, distortions and overexposed film, which were unheard of during their time.

The photographs inspired Fiegl and Stranzinger, and upon disassembling the Lomo (425 parts in total), they discovered that the cause for all those characteristics lay in the camera’s 32-mm single lens. Its sensitive light meter kept the shutter open until the image was sufficiently exposed.

Their milestone discovery and fervent passion drove them to start the Lomography Society International – the world’s biggest lomography community to date. Starting in 1992, Lomo exhibitions have piqued the public’s interest and propelled its cult following. Fans include ex-Formula One driver Michael Schumacher and the Dalai Lama.

By 1996, its demand had grown so big that St. Petersburg’s deputy mayor then, Lomo-enthusiast Vladimir Putin (and Russia’s Prime Minister) agreed to restart production.

Thereafter, Lomo cameras revolutionised all photo-taking ideologies. Arty pictures became the name of the game and the new golden rule was “shoot first, think later”.

But not everyone is convinced. Lomography is often criticised for its unreliability, amongst other reasons.

Nonetheless, Fiegl and Stranzinger, being the exclusive distributors of the camera, still rake in the money and are laughing their way to the bank, as Lomo cameras don’t come cheap. The most basic Lomo camera will set you back at least $50 and good ones can cost up to $500. On top of that, they are not very easy to lay your hands on and most of them have to be pre-ordered from specialist camera shops or bought online.

As Lomo aficionados are strong advocates of individualistic creativity, many have branched out into other forms of the art, such as underwater lomography. Some take it one step further and only take pictures of a certain subject, such as dogs or even legs (yes, legs).

So if you’re looking into lomography, stake out websites like the Lomographic Embassy of Singapore, Lomotion Singapore, Lomography Asia, or perhaps even the Lomographic Society International itself.

On its way to take the world by storm, the locally-made Trexi got us hooked and is a perfect reminder on why we loved toys in the first place. We look into the success story of how more than a million of a unique local toy had taken the world by storm.

By Lin Zicheng

Let the drums roll, raise the curtains and put your hands together to welcome Trexi, the flagship toy of Singapore-based company Play Imaginative that is currently being sold in more than 30 countries.

The cutting-edge action figure has received international acclaim from various artists and designers, such as Italian maestro Simone Legno and British artist Jon Burgerman.

Available in 3 different sizes – 1.5’’, 3’’ and 10’’ – the toy’s main attraction lies in the fact that its head can be rotated to show different faces and expressions.

So how did Play Imaginative manage to come up with such a toy? In an exclusive interview with HYPE, Business Development & Marketing Director for Play Imaginative Jacky Teo tells us more about the conceptualisation of the million-dollar idea.

“In 2003, I was distributing 2 products here in Singapore. So I approached the Singapore Tourism Board to do a National Day toy for them with the 2 toy products that I was distributing here,” says Jacky.

However, he was flatly rejected because the Singapore Tourism Board wanted a locally-made toy. When asked if he had anything made in Singapore, the question sparked a few ideas in the man. Jacky hurriedly proposed his concepts to a partner freelance designer, and together, they channeled their creative energies into the form of a toy. Within a month, Trexi was born.

For the 2 to 3 months, the duo spent all their efforts marketing their then unheard of toy. Their breakthrough finally came in the form of “a lot of orders from overseas buyers”. Using these orders as evidence of the toys’ profitability, the pair convinced a financer to fund the setup of Play Imaginative, which became the sole producer and distributor of the Trexi. In 2004, the deal finally passed and Play Imaginative became the parent company of today’s hot-selling Trexi toys.

The first Trexi series appeared at a toy convention organised by SGCollect.com for local toy enthusiasts in 2005.

“The response was very good, which was partly because of our marketing efforts before launching it,” says Jacky. As if the toys needed any more affirmation, international designers began submitting their designs for the Trexi. Coca Cola, Singapore Tourism Board and even fashion brand Flesh Imp form the first batch of designs.

Assured by the toy’s massive success, Play Imaginative capitalised on the growing trend and launched their second series only 6 months later.

Today, the Trexi is estimated to have sold about 1 to 2 million pieces globally, with Singapore forming a decent 10% of the total market share. Global brands like Creative Technology, Nike and Motorola have since jumped on the bandwagon.

Gek Ling, a designer, says, “The Trexi is great because it offers the designer a lot of room for customisation. This makes designing it much more fun and interesting, because every design can be different in so many ways.”

Just recently, the company took the Trexi to the next level by producing a thumbdrive for Canon in the form of the signature Trexi toy design. The toy’s head can be pulled off to reveal a compact thumbdrive inside.

It is this level of uniqueness and creativity that has made the Trexi such a global phenomenon. Why don’t you head down to the nearest Play Imaginative store and check it out along with other adorable toys they offer.

With a wide smile on his face, Jacky adds, “We’ve had so many designs that we simply lost track.”

Win a FIFA Online 2 game value card from The UrbanWire! Click here for details!

By Shaun David Martin

Since the FIFA series debuted 11 years with FIFA ‘98, the popular video game has definitely improved in terms of graphics and gamer control. Nonetheless, its closest competitor in football video games, Winning Eleven, always had the upper hand when it came to interplay and control… until now.

With FIFA Online 2, players are given the choice of playing against their peers and other gamers from all over the world. Although the option of playing against artificial intelligence is still available, the level of difficulty is raised when playing against your peers and is a recommended option for those seeking an adrenaline rush.

Moreover, FIFA Online 2 enables players to chat, connect and challenge one another using their own custom teams to earn experience points, items and reputation. Winners earn rewards such as energy drinks, medical kits, and uniform cards, which allow them to heal, refresh and add new players to their team.

Players can be bought and sold between gamers, simulating a real-life football community. With the additional features of playing online, trading players, multi-player modes, upgrading players and a league mode, the game allows for increased interactivity among gamers to discuss tactics, strategies, and player positions. For the game’s relatively young age, the new features make the game a surprisingly good deal.

The controls are slightly different from previous editions of this series and it takes some getting used to. But with the game’s training mode, it’s a problem that can be easily overcome.

Perhaps the only drawback of the game is the graphics, which are identical to that of FIFA ‘07. This is strange considering that the manufacturers have already improved that in FIFA ‘08 and ‘09.

That said, we don’t need cutting-edge animation for our football games. With user-friendly features and a community-like interface, FIFA Online 2 promises a good game for friends and fans alike.

For users of Facebook, Twitter, Friendster and even Flickr, there is a new cause for celebration as HYPE shows you the new generation of social networking tools that promises to make your busy virtual life a breeze.

By Isaac Tan
“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” is a revolutionary phrase that has left generations in awe of the advancement of technology. However, if the first landing on the moon happened today, that phrase would probably appear on Twitter faster than anyone can say Neil Armstrong.

Indeed, the world has changed since man first landed on the moon. The invention of the Internet and social networking sites has altered our methods of communication.

From the traditional snail mail, for which people could write endlessly, the new methods of communication require senders to be more succinct. Our initial “limit” of 160-characters in text messaging and Facebook status updates has since downsized to a mere 140-characters with the introduction of Twitter.

It is no doubt then, that Twitter and Facebook status updates are the new means to keep up with your friends. The increasing pace of life on this sunny island has demanded instantaneous responses from our peers.

This phenomenon has since given rise to a new way to social network known as multi-platform social networking systems.

Randy Yeo, 28, says, “I don’t really tweet often but I find it helpful that I can check on all my updates within a single page without having to toggle through multiple windows.”

The more complex ones, like OrSiSo, which stands for organise, simplify and socialise, play host to a larger variety of social networking sites. OrSiSo, for one, allows a user to manage eight different social networking sites from Facebook to Friendster, even MSN Messenger.

With its simple platform that can be easily modified to suit your preferences, OrSiSo is one of the best platforms to accommodate all your social networking needs.

The only bad thing about it lies in its unstable system. There are still occasional programme hiccups like an unusual need to keep re-authorising your accounts and delayed status updates. That said, OrSiSo still does a pretty decent job in fulfilling your social networking needs.

However, if you’re a minimalist who only bounces between Facebook and Twitter, then TweetDeck may be your cup of tea.

Well-organised and labelled columns build the framework for this entire program. Twitter and Facebook updates can be easily seen with an additional bar that can either appear above or beneath the columns.

Moreover, merely the option to update both your Facebook and Twitter status is a click of the mouse. You just have to make sure to designate the site that the update is meant for. But don’t expect anything more than status updates though, since the simple programme does not allow user to chat or upload photographs to the sites.

When it comes to technology and gadgets like these, users are often spoilt for choice. The deciding factor is your preference, because really, there is no good or bad, just what suits you more.

Derrick Lim, 21, agrees, “I think having multiple systems in a single window just makes life easier but it takes some time getting used to and finding the right one to suit your needs.”

The invention of multi-platform social networking systems has increased our ability to multi-task. It is no doubt that people will increasingly want to be able to do more at a faster rate in the simplest way. Who knows, one day, we may just start twitting with just our brain waves.

Until then, I guess this will do.

Now that our earlier piece has handled the big buys of desktop computers and laptops, it’s time to look at the other side of COMEX: the consumer electronics and gadgets section.

Of course, this being COMEX, the variety of consumer electronics and gadgets are mind-boggling. Hence, UrbanWire has narrowed it down to what we believe to be every youth’s immediate concern: cameras.

Part 2: Camcorders and Cameras

Sony

Nikon

Olympus

SONY

While most other consumer electronics manufacturers attempt to capture market share with low prices and decent-quality products, SONY prefers to make an above average product, market it as an image and a way of life, and slap on a hefty price tag to it. And what do you know, it actually works, because SONY is widely known as a premium brand for just about any gadget, from camcorders to cameras, laptops and even gaming consoles.

Except that today, we’re only interested in their digital imaging equipment. Sorry SONY, but you can take that PS3 and VAIO elsewhere for now.

SONY DSLR-A330

Quite surprisingly, SONY’s A330 was remarkably cheap, but the real surprise came when we discovered that SONY hadn’t dropped any prices for COMEX.

Instead, they opted to sweeten the deal by throwing in a bunch of freebies that one wouldn’t even dream of getting during non-exhibition days, which we must admit, is quite a shrewd tactic in maintaining their brand’s premium image.

While the A330 doesn’t offer that much choice in its purchase options (you choose either the barebones A330 + SAL 18-55 lens for $1,099 or a slightly more costly option which adds on the SAL 55-200 lens for $$1,399), check out the extraordinary free gifts bundled in the purchase:
a SONY 7” digital photo frame,
2x 8GB Memory Sticks,
a tripod,
a screen protector,
a battery,
a dry box,
a carrying case for the DSLR, and also
an SDW course (Sony Digital Workshop) worth $85.

UW’s verdict: Add up the approximate cost of those freebies, and suddenly it almost seems as though SONY’s DSLRs are practically being given away for a fraction of the price. And honestly, this would be the first time UW is recommending a SONY product.

SONY Handycam SR47E

For most people, HD recording is not a necessity yet, which is why we wisely avoided SONY’s HD Handycams in favour of their cheaper but just as functional Standard Definition camcorders, and the SR47E stood out as the best bargain in SONY’s SD lineup.

With a 2.7” widescreen lens, up to 60x optical zoom and a 60GB hard disk which delivers up to 45 hours of recording time, the SR47E looks like the perfect travel companion for recording those precious moments to share with loved ones, all for the (relatively) reasonable price of $799.

And as usual, SONY has thrown in the following freebies which are sure to delight their customers: an 8GB Memory Stick, a carrying case, an extra battery, a DVD writer, a tripod and an SDW Course worth $45.

UW’s verdict: Not a very fantastic freebie lineup, but it’ll do if you are a huge fan of SONY quality products.

SONY Cyber-shot W210

This nifty little digital camera had ‘EXCLUSIVE FOR COMEX ONLY’ scrawled all over it in the promotional posters and banners SONY had plastered all over the Convention Centre, and we couldn’t help but wonder what was so special about it.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t boast eye-popping specs: the W210 has a 12.1 megapixel capability, with a 4x optical zoom, a 2.7” LCD screen and the ability to take approximately 200 shots on a fully charged battery, along with a maximum ISO of 3200, all for $349.

Sounds rather average for a price like that. That is, until the freebies are revealed.

SONY throws in the usual free stuff: 1 x 8GB + 1 x 4GB Memory Stick for storage, a SONY carrying case, a screen protector, a mini-tripod and, would you believe it, a SONY DVD Player, which looks to be the most expensive freebie being offered in COMEX.

UW’s verdict: We’d buy it just for the DVD player. Nah, we’re kidding. But that’s one outrageous freebie going there. Let’s hope SONY doesn’t conveniently run out of stocks.

Nikon

Nikon’s reputation for cameras is known whether one is a professional or amateur photographer, although we often see them sponsoring movies screened on TV instead of advertising their cameras outright.

But the lack of commercials hasn’t dulled Nikon’s prominence and influence among photographers, and judging by what they have up for grabs in COMEX, it’s not too difficult to see why – after all, quality spreads through word of mouth faster than any commercial, especially within a very niche audience.

CoolPix L20

Calling a camera ‘cool’ just sounds wrong on so many different levels, but it seems that Nikon apparently pulled it off with style, thanks to their CoolPix digital camera lineup. And the L20 takes the top spot in Nikon’s COMEX 2009 offerings.

Barely bigger than your palm, the CoolPix L20 packs in a 10 megapixel resolution, a 3.0” LCD screen, 3.6x optical zoom and macro-closeup to 5cm, all for the extremely low price of $199, which makes it the second cheapest digital camera up for sale in COMEX.

To keep things interesting, Nikon has also thrown in a 4GB SD card, a case, a mini-tripod, an LCD cleaning pad, a screen protector and a set of AA rechargeable batteries for the camera. Thanks to the decision to use AA batteries, this little gadget is definitely not going to win any eco-friendliness awards anytime soon, sadly.

UW’s verdict: We’d take it without a second thought if not for the environmentalists breathing down our necks over at the UW office. Hey, lighten up a little, AA batteries are cheap. And besides, we use rechargeable ones. So give us a break…

Nikon D5000 DSLR

We were quite surprised that the D5000 wasn’t as heavy as we had originally thought it would be. This means that just about anybody can pick it up and get trigger-happy without having to worry about wrist cramps.

The D5000’s lack of weight doesn’t cheapen the camera, however, which would be a direct shot against old-school folks who think that a professional camera must match its worth in terms of mass and weight. Stashed away inside this not-so-heavy DSLR is 12.3 megapixel resolution, a CMOS image sensor, a 2.7” LCD screen, ISO specification of 200-3200, an 11-point AF system, 4fps, 19-scene mode, a built-in photo editor, picture control system and a dust reduction system.

It also has a not-so-lightweight price tag attached: the D5000 is available at $1,299 with one AF-5 DX VR 18-55mm lens, or $1,599 for an additional AF5 DX VR 55-200mm lens.

UW’s verdict: We suggest that search around for other better offers first before coming back.

Olympus

In ancient Greek mythology, the gods lived atop Mount Olympus, where it was said they could watch over the world from its peak with ease. While we aren’t so sure if the Olympus brand of cameras has that divine capability to watch over the whole world, it has definitely managed to get photography aficionados watching it.

Which is not quite a bad thing sometimes, especially in a world where brand loyalty is no longer a trait in today’s consumerist society.

Olympus E-450

While the E-450 may not win any prizes for being the most powerful, feature-packed offering or having the fastest shutter speed in the competition, it definitely has something any camera shopper can appreciate, a relatively thin price tag.

To begin with, this camera carries the ambitious claim that it features the world’s smallest body for a DSLR, which we were quite hard pressed to disagree with, considering that most of the competition have been content in pushing out the much bigger and bulkier camera bodies that have come to define most professional cameras. It also features a 10-megapixel resolution, which is not cutting edge today, along with other standard features like a MOS sensor, a dust reduction system and an 11-points live view sensor with face detection.

The E-450, like most of the competition, is sold in 2 different packages: the single lens package nets you the camera body and an ED 14-42mm lens for the auspicious price of $888, while the twin lens package sees the inclusion of an extra ED 40-150mm lens thrown in for $1,048.

UW’s verdict: This is proof that small needn’t mean sub-standard or less feature-complete. Unfortunately, we still have a hard time trying to get the idea out of our heads that professional cameras must be gigantic.

Olympus FE-46

Apparently the FE is not just some generic-looking make. Rather, it stands for Fashion & Elegance, 2 words that are usually the last thing geeks expect to hear regarding technology or electronic gadgets like cameras.

Decked in a bright and yet not too striking metallic blue shell, the FE-46 is a sight to behold, partly because the colour of choice is extremely uncharacteristic for a digital camera, but also because of the way it was designed – unlike most digital cameras, the FE-46 has a contour at the side which allows for a more comfortable and tighter grip when taking photos, something which is noticeably absent in most of the competition.

And for the price of $198 ($1 cheaper than the CoolPix mentioned previously), you get a more eco-friendly camera that uses a rechargeable battery, along with a green ‘eco’ label stamped on the box.

UW’s verdict: Considering that this was the only digital camera that had the ‘eco’ label on it, we’re quite willing to bet that Captain Planet would love to purchase one for himself. You’ll find him queueing with many environmentalists, of course.

The Health Promotion Board has its Great Singapore Workout (GSW), but that doesn’t have half the muscle or the pull of the local IT community’s COMEX 2009.

Let’s face it: the Great Singapore Workout was a joke, and it has the dubious honour of being the only exercise regimen that doesn’t have anybody breaking out in a sweat at the end of it. In contrast, we were already perspiring after barely an hour in the cool, air-conditioned Convention Centre jostling around with the thousands who were also keen to clinch some quick deals at COMEX 2009. Who’d have guessed that grabbing tech bargains could be such a serious challenge of one’s personal fitness?

And while we’re at it, maybe we should point out that the attendance at COMEX 2009 on Day 2 has already exceeded the number of participants in the Great Singapore Workout.

Jokes aside, COMEX 2009 is packing them in, even though, for the first time, the event sprawls the entire 6 levels (minus the 5th level) of the Suntec City Convention Centre. Yep, you heard that right. Even the PC Show 2009 didn’t have such a capacity to boast about.

Naturally, being the tech geeks that we are, UrbanWire couldn’t resist the temptation of heading down to get the lowdown of some of the most attractive offers.

Of course, it would be almost humanly impossible to perform a complete sweep of COMEX 2009, and you wouldn’t want to read it either, so without further ado, on to the offers, according to the level of AWE we experienced over at their booths, and the bribes paid out to this writer.
Okay, we lied. No bribes were paid out. We respect your intelligence too much, honest.

COMEX 2009 Part 1: Desktops, notebooks and netbooks

Acer

HP

Compaq

Toshiba

Acer

Once again, Acer has shown why they’ve been scoring extremely well in sales figures annually. While they didn’t spend money on any of those catchy slogans like “The Computer is Personal again” or “Think Different”, they’ve proven themselves extremely successful in appealing to consumers’ greatest concern: the price tag.

Needless to say, we were totally not surprised to see Acer offering what must be the cheapest, most value-for-money notebooks with some totally amazing hardware specifications that just about wipes the floor with its competitors.

Acer Aspire 5738Z-432G25Mn

One of the reasons why Acer can always keep their computer lineup so attractive is their choice of hardware. Packed inside this 15.6” Acer Aspire 5738Z is an Intel Pentium Dual Core T4100 running at 2.1GHz, Intel Onboard Graphics, a 250GB hard disk and 2GB of Ram. While the Pentium Dual Core is classified as a budget processor with less performance than the mainstream Core 2 Duos used in most notebooks, the performance difference is not significant enough to detect with the naked eye, and the onboard Intel graphics can hold its own in basic media playback and gaming.  Retailing at an unbelievable price tag of only $799, this is the cheapest 15.6” notebook we have seen in COMEX 2009.

UW’s verdict: Get it. NOW.

Acer Aspire 8935G-904G100Wn

Acer’s big momma, the 18″ Aspire 8935G, hasn’t changed the slightest bit since we last reviewed it during the PC Show 2009, where the exact same model was offered for sale. It still packs the same cutting edge hardware specifications: Core 2 Quad Q9000, the same 1TB of hard disk space, and the same Blu-Ray drive which sets it apart from most of the competition. Mobile power computing doesn’t get any better than this.

And yes, it even still retails for the same bargain price of $3,498. Although we’d agree that it’s hard to lower the price tag when it’s already at the lowest it can be.

UW’s verdict: Get this notebook and you’ll never need to go laptop-shopping for at least another 3 years, minimum. That is if its weight doesn’t kill your arms first.

Acer Aspire M7720 Gaming PC

<not displayed in COMEX 2009>
Generally, most gamers prefer to build up their own PC from scratch because of the degree of control and customisation you can get when setting up a DIY PC. But if you’re a lazy gamer who just needs a machine to get up and running, or are too overwhelmed with the choice of hardware components available at SLS, the Acer Aspire M7720 gaming PC is your best friend.

For just $1,999, you get a 23” monitor, the latest Core i7 -920 processor (which shames the Core 2 Quads by a significant margin), a 64-bit copy of Windows Vista Home Premium, 6GB of RAM, a 750GB hard disk for all your gaming needs, and last but not least, an Nvidia GeForce GT230 graphics card topped out with 1.5GB of dedicated video RAM.

UW’s verdict: with a price like that, and top-of-the-line performance, maybe schools should really start to consider contracting Acer as the sole provider for PCs for their computer labs.

HP

For some reason, we can’t get enough of HP. Not only are they known for producing some of the most sleek-looking (aka: fingerprint magnet) and durable computer systems, they’ve made good on their promise to make the computer personal (again). Although we’d want to ensure that our PCs don’t get too personal with us. At least, not until android technology becomes mainstream.

HP Probook 4310s

Red must be the new colour of ‘personal’. Especially when HP decides to release the 13.3” Probook 4310s in a nice striking vermillion shell which actually looks quite good on the eyes. And like most notebooks today, the keys on the keyboard are all separated and segmented, which supposedly makes for better keyboard comfort. Stashed away inside that visually appealing shell is a monster though: the Probook boasts the following hardware configuration:

• Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 (2.8GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
  • for those who don’t understand what it means, here’s a newbie-friendly summary: it OWNS.
• A humongous 500GB hard disk for all your games and torrenting needs.
• An ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 GPU with 512MB dedicated video memory
• A built-in DVD+/–RW SuperMulti DL LightScribe Drive for you to burn your own CD/DVD covers on the special LightScribe medium
• COMEX price: $1, 999 (U.P: $2, 999)

UW’s verdict: A very personal notebook with all the power you need at a very not-so-personal price.

HP Mini 5101

Probably the first we saw that wasn’t as serious a fingerprint magnet as the other models HP had on offer at COMEX, this netbook takes a departure from HP’s other Mini series by abandoning the sleeker aluminium casing for a regular black one. This netbook also looks like anything but one: its 95% size keyboard and more conventional trackpad layout easily allows it to pass off as a notebook if not for the glaring ‘Intel Atom inside’ sticker on the keyboard clearly giving its identity away. With a 1.66GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard disk, all hidden inside a 10.1” size form factor, this netbook promises to perform well with just about any function not game- or media-related.

COMEX price: $799 (U.P: $899)

UW’s verdict: ASUS has the honor of making first modern netbook, Acer holds the #1 position in netbook sales, and what about HP? The bragging rights for sleekest, best-looking and extremely reliable netbooks.

HP Probook 4710s

Laptops are meant to be portable, but for some, ‘small’ doesn’t cut it. Enter HP’s older Probook 4710s, which is packaged in a hulking 17” form factor for those who crave large displays and full-sized keyboards with a dedicated numberpad. While the specs of the 4710s are a little dated (Intel Core 2 Duo T6570, ATI Radeon HD 4330, 320GB hard disk and 2GB DDR2 SDRAM), the price makes it one of the best bargains for a notebook of this size.

COMEX price: $1,599 (U.P: $1,699)

UW’s verdict: We had our eyes on this one. Really, we did. Especially because of the 17.3” screen and the Radeon HD 4330. Until we saw the processor.

HP Pavilion p6190d Desktop PC

Laptops aren’t for everyone: some people just cannot derive any satisfaction from using an underpowered mobile system which can be easily smoked away by most mid-range desktop models. For these people who just crave every single last ounce of computing power in a huge (ok, it’s not that big) desktop PC, HP offers its p6190d desktop, which comes with the following hardware configuration:

• An Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 processor (4MB L2 Cache, 2.66GHz, 1333MHz FSB)
  • Newbie-friendly translation: NOTHING comes close. Except for the Intel Core i7, which beats up the Quad.
• 4GB DDR3 SDRAM expandable up to 8GB (64bit OS will be needed to address more than 4GB of Ram)
• 750GB Hard Disk (which, we can assure you, will take years to fill up)
• Nvidia GeForce GT220 with 1GB dedicated memory
  • Newbie-friendly translation: Crysis becomes a purring kitten. Almost.
• COMEX Price: $1,599

UW’s verdict: It’s big, it’s mean, it’s fast, it’s relatively cheap… and it looks like the perfect tool to send your utility bills into overdrive as well, if you don’t give it a periodic break.

COMPAQ

Compaq has been on the up since HP bought the company and turned it into its designated budget brand for computing machines. Just like its parent HP, Compaq boasts a relatively sleek and yet somewhat minimalistic design which leaves no doubt as to where this design shift was inspired from.

The CQ40 series of notebooks offered for sale at COMEX 2009 are built on AMD’s platform, which consists of a combination of AMD processors and ATI graphics. And while the AMD powered notebooks are technically slower (don’t believe AMD’s marketing hype: Intel still holds the performance crown) than the more powerful Intels, they’re also significantly cheaper than Intel-based notebooks.

The CQ40 series of notebooks are sold at a range of $999 to $1,299, further cementing Compaq’s position as a contender in the budget-space region.

UW’s verdict: Trackpad packs too much friction for comfort. But for this kind of specs and quality, the CQ40 is almost a steal.

Toshiba

Good ‘ol Toshiba. While they may not have attained the same level of fame as many other computing brands in the market, they have the distinction of being one of the oldest manufacturers still in the IT game. And this year, they seem determined to show the computing public why they could hang on in the market for more than 2 decades with their notebook lineup.

Satellite M300-S439R

We have to admit we were drawn to the unique, gleaming keyboard on the Toshiba Satellite M300-S439R, because that was the first thing which caught our eye when we walked past Toshiba’s booth. They keyboard definitely did call out for attention, and we felt obligated to give it some of ours.

While the keyboard looked and felt good to type on, we have to admit that the Satellite didn’t impress us much. For $1,299, which is $200 lesser than usual, the hardware is fairly dated: it uses an Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard disk and an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470, all of which can be considered as being at least 1 generation behind today’s processor and graphics technology.

Although there’s some saving grace to the M300: the notebooks feels, and looks, tough enough to take quite a few hard knocks without destroying itself.

UW’s verdict: Get it if you want, but we’d probably look for better offers first before settling on the M300. Which is a shame, because Toshiba’s notebooks do look beautiful.

Netbook NB200-A101S

Toshiba’s netbooks can probably go toe-to-toe with Acer where netbooks are concerned: because all netbooks use virtually the same hardware configuration (an Intel Atom processor with a not-very-impressive Intel GMA 950 onboard graphics), price, size and bundled software are usually the only differences that netbook manufacturers can compete on, although the NB200 does take some sting out on the wallet,at its price of $699 [usual price is $809], which is $100 more than the Acer Aspire One.

That’s not to say that the Toshiba NB200 is a non-contender though: the NB200, on inspection, definitely felt more solid and rugged than the Acer Aspire One, which is just as important a factor considering that these ultra-mobile notebooks are usually subjected to countless knocks when conviniently left in one’s backpack or haversack when travelling. And if you’re a frequent road warrior who often put your netbook through such typical travel hazards, we’d say the extra $100 is well worth it.

UW’s verdict: Just don’t knock it too much though: this ain’t no Panasonic Toughbook.

We’re not done yet! COMEX 2009 spans 4 days, from Sep 10 to 13, which means that there’re still many other booths that UrbanWire has yet to visit, and many more great discounts waiting to be unearthed.

Check out UrbanWire’s Part 2 on the latest offers COMEX 2009 has in store.