Early this month Samsung introduced the first curved ultra
high definition (UHD) television as part of their robust line of curved and UHD
TVs in 2014.
The combination of the curved design and UHD image quality creates
a unique entertainment experience for viewers. The curved screen offers a wider
field of view, creating a panoramic effect that makes the screen look bigger
than it is.
The curved design allows for a more realistic and true to
life viewing experience with improved viewing angles so anyone who is watching
has the best seat in the house.
To take full advantage of the curved television, Samsung has
developed the optimum curvature 4200R, which provides the best image quality
from a normal viewing distance of 3-4 meters. The combination of the curve
technology and UHD creates the ultimate immersive viewing experience, giving
life to images and providing color, clarity and amazing detail.
Samsung’s Auto
Depth Enhancer, an algorithm that analyzes the regions in the images and
automatically adjusts the contrast for greater depth perception, further
amplifies the image quality. It also features a 3D effect without glasses. The
color is further enhanced in these sets with the technology of Samsung
PurColor™ on U9000 UHD Curved television, which reproduces the color with even
more detail and expression.
Samsung Curved UHD TV: Up Close!
After the launch I had to see this amazing TV in action, so I headed to Courts on constant spring road last weekend to see what were some of the untold features of this unique device.
The U9000 models will be available in 65” and 55”
screens. Nothing on the prices yet...
This topic always seem to get person in heated arguments
about which is better and what is obsolete, and it’s hard to really make a concise
argument when you have cell phones running around now with 41 megapixels. This
week we will be putting two products against each other to see which will
emerge the victor for best portable camera.
Meet The Contenders
In one corner we have one of the most desirable Smartphone
out now… the Samsung Galaxy S5 (Exynos
Variant). This device comes with camera stats that are simply amazing.
- Camera: Primary 16 MP, 5312 x 2988 pixels, phase detection autofocus, LED flash
- Video: 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, HDR, video stabilization, dual-video rec.
In the other corner we have the Olympus PEN E-PL3 which is a
light weight portable camera that has some impressive stats.
- Updated 12MP Live MOS sensor
- 120 Hz 'Fast AF' focus system with 35-point area AF
- Clip-on flash (included)
- Built-in autofocus illuminator light
- 460,000 dot tilting LCD screen (16:9 aspect ratio)
- Dual-core TruePic VI processor
- 1080i 60hz movies in AVCHD format
- Shadow tone adjustment control
Some might say it’s not fair to match 16 megapixel device
against a 12.3 megapixel device, but you’ll be surprise on the results of this
match up.
Round One: Portability
It’s sad to say that
the Olympus PEN E-PL3 has no chance of winning this category because of its
weight and size. The Olympus has a weight of 313 g (11.0 oz) and a
bulky body when it’s all disassembled. On the other hand, the Galaxy S5 has a weight
of 145 g (5.11 oz) and is thin enough to fit in any pants pocket… even the tight
ones. So this round goes to the Samsung Galaxy S5 for being light weight and
slim.
Round Two: Auto
Focus and Shutter Speed
 |
| Olympus PEN E-PL3 Fully Zoomed Picture |
Vs
 |
| Samsung Galaxy S5 Fully Zoomed Picture |
It’s not every day a person will stand still for you to take
a photo; life doesn’t play out like that. That’s why having a fast Auto Focus
and Shutter speed is essential for taking photos in the modern world. This one
was close to call, but the Olympus came through for the victory. The Galaxy S5
has some random moments when the Android OS lags and slows down camera
functions. The moments are few but they are still there, while the Olympus is
consistent in the time it take to do auto focus and shots. This round goes to
the Olympus PEN E-PL3 for consistency.
Round Three: Image
Quality
Contrary to popular belief; more mega pixel does not equal
better picture quality. What it equals is bigger pictures. Both devices take
superb photos, but the photos taken by the Galaxy S5 are significantly larger
than the Olympus. The Galaxy S5 does not handle zoomed shots very well, but the
Olympus is excellent at it and produces sharp photo while in zoom. Selective
focus is easier to do on the Galaxy S5 by taping the screen to select the
object you want to focus on, but that isn’t possible on the Olympus. Night photos are excellent on both devices,
but the Olympus produces brighter night photos than The Galaxy S5. Both devices have there strengthen and
weaknesses when it comes to image quality so this round counts as a draw for
both parties.
Final Thoughts
After three rounds we ended up with a draw match. So, the
final decision is left with you the consumer to make. You have the facts right
in front of you to see what you can tolerate and what you can do without. Hope
we were able to shed some needed light on the never ending quarrel of Cameras
and Camera phones. The products mentioned in this article were provided
courtesy of Royale Computers and
Accessories telephone#: 906-1067,
906-1068, and 754-5048.
The one thing that is better than five for less than five is
a summer sale on games with 50% off. That my friend is music to my pockets. This
week I have 5 games that were spotted with a 50% price cut that will sooth your
aching pocket and calm your shaky nerves.
Rayman Legends (9 out of 10)
Rayman Legends is what you would call an artistic
masterpiece. The game has a variety of distinctive levels including quite a few
musical stages that are creatively done to be played to the rhythm of a song. Those levels are fun and funny no matter how
many times you play them. Rayman, Globox and the Teensies are back as playable
characters, but are joined by a multitude of other unlock able characters that
you can take for a spin in the levels ahead. What makes all this even more
enjoyable is the fact that you can do this with a friend in co-op mode. This
game is certainly one to check out if you are in need of fun.
Bioshock 2 (8 out of 10)
I remember playing the first Bioshock and thinking I would
have a heart attack at the next corner. Scary and eerie was the main theme in
that one. Then you have Bioshock 2 which is set during the down fall of Rapture;
you’ll be controlling a Big Daddy this time around which makes the game more
fun and less scary. The city is still Rapture and still creepy as ever, but
given the number of abilities you will have at your disposal you’ll have
nothing to worry about. The game also has a unique multiplayer section slapped
on to it that helps to extend the replay value. No need to worry, the second
trip to Rapture is well worth your time.
Sniper: Ghost Warrior
2 (6 out of 10)
The truth is I have mixed emotions about this game. The game
is about accuracy, covertness, and timing which you should expect since it’s a
sniper game. The most painful parts of the game for me is traveling form point
A to point B. All movements have to be silent and undetectable or its instant
game over. The good parts are when you actual reach point B and start picking
of enemies. The graphics for this game is good with lots of jungle like stages
to showcase its beauty, but half the time you’ll be on your belly crawling so
get use to ground my friend.
Resident Evil:
Operation Raccoon City (7 out of
10)
It has the Resident Evil name but is it really? I thought I
would be frightened out of my wits by this game, but I was shocked to experience
a whole new type of game and gameplay. It’s more like Resident Evil meet Gears
Of War and had a bastard son that took on the Resident Evil name but had his
daddy features. Nothing is wrong with the game, but you will gear yourself up
to play a horror game and then get disappointed. However, the game is enjoyable
and has a lot of replay value due to the fact that you have multiple characters
to play the main mission as. Just expect fun, and forget the horror and you’ll
be fine.
White Knight
Chronicles 2 (7 out of 10)
Final Thoughts
So, what is better than five for less than five? I would say
five for less than five with 50% off. The products mentioned in this article
were provided courtesy of Royale
Computers and Accessories telephone#: 906-1067,
906-1068, and 754-5048.
These day it’s a given to have a phone that’s able to use
What’s App, Facebook, and Twitter if you’re in to that stuff. The Huawei Y330
is a great mid-range android phone that is here to corner the market with an aggressive
price point. So aggressive that it might be the new Nokia flashlight phone
trend for LIME customers.
What makes this
phone tick?
The fact that it was stated mid-range phone should give you
the clue that you shouldn’t expect anything close to a Samsung Galaxy S5
specification, but that doesn’t make it a horrible phone.
- Display - 4.0 inches (~245 ppi pixel density)
- Memory Card slot microSD, up to 32 GB
- Internal Storage 4 GB, 512 MB RAM
- Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP
- microUSB v2.0
- Camera - 3.15 Mega Pixel
- Android OS - v4.2 (Jelly Bean)
- CPU - Dual-core 1.3 GHz
- Sensors - Accelerometer, proximity
- FM Radio with RDS
Camera
A phone without a camera is considered antique these days
and thus won’t sell or attract the masses. The Y330 wants to be sold and the outstanding
3MP camera on the back takes lovely photos in the days. There is no flash to
help take pictures in low-light conditions, but it is still produces attractive
low light photos. One minor problem I had with this phone was that absence of a
front facing camera. So forget about video calls on Skype, Google Hangouts or
on any other application you may think of.
Processor and
Memory
This phone comes with a Dual Core 1.3GHz processor that is actually
powerful enough to run most of the apps on the Google Play Store. The 512MB of RAM
that the Huawei Y330 has is small compared to the top of the line Smartphone’s
out there, but it gets the job done. Although, you should expect some slow down
in the Operating System while running more than two applications in the back ground
at a time. If you are a new comer to Smartphones then this won't be a problem, you'll
probably want to do one task at a time until you figure out the phone’s full
potential.
Battery Life
Although this phone doesn't offer a large battery, it has built-in
apps to maximize the most of what it has to work with. The power saving options
will show applications that are installed and using up most of the phone
resources. Also, the fact that this phone isn’t quad or octa-core makes it very
easy to last an entire day on a full charge. It offers up to 5 hours of talk time, and 320
hours on standby, which is average for most Smartphone’s on the market now.
Final Thoughts
The options for a Smartphone that cost below the $10,000
mark are limited or nonexistent in most cases, but the Huawei Ascend Y330 from
LIME is the perfect solution for persons looking to enter the new age of phone
tech without putting too much of a dent in your finances. The product mentioned
in this article was provided courtesy of LIME.
