Motorola RAZR

I have a chance to played with the Motorola RAZR at the media event last week. My first impression on it was it is indeed thin (69mm wide x 131mm long x 7.1mm thin) and light (127g). The materials used to make it is interesting, Kevlar fibre coating for the body and Corning Gorilla Glass screen for the touchscreen.

The build of the phone is so good that the product manager challenge me to drop my iPhone 4S without casing from the same height together with the Motorola RAZR. Obviously, I dare not take up the challenge, point taken that the Motorola RAZR is indeed tough.

Even the advertisement (below) uses the phone to pry open the lift doors! Now, if only Motorola did an advertisement of the Kevlar material used being bullet proof. It might just go viral!

The phone packs a 4.3″ Super AMOLED display of qHD resolution (960×540), 1GB of RAM and a dual-core 1.2GHz processor running on Android 2.3.5. It has 16GB of storage on board and supports up to an additional 32GB via microSD card. The camera is pretty impressive too, the rear camera is a 8MP Camera with LED flash capable of recording 1080p videos and the front-facing camera is a 1.3MP HD Web Cam capable of recording 720p videos.

Technical Specifications

• Form Factor: Full Touch Screen
• Dimensions:69mm wide x 131mm long x 7.1mm thin
• Weight: 127g
• Battery: 1,750/1,780mAh (non-removable)
• Memory: 1GB DDR2 SDRAM / 16GB on board (16GB eMMC NAND Flash), supports up to 32GB microSD
• OS: Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread
• Display: 4.3″ qHD (960×540) Super AMOLED Advanced
• Bands/Modes: WCDMA 2100/850/900/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps (Cat.10), HSUPA 5.76 Mbps (Cat.6), GPRS Class12
• Messaging/Web/Apps: MMS, SMS, Email (Corporate Sync, Gmail, POP3/IMAP embedded, Push Email)
• Camera: (rear) 8MP Camera w/ LED flash, (front) 1.3MP HD Web Cam
• Processor: Dual Core 1.2GHz Processor
• Connectivity: 3.5mm, micro USB 2.0 HS, Corporate Sync, BOTA, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz & 5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n, Stereo Bluetooth Class 2, Version 4.0 LE + EDR , DLNA, HDMI port
• Sensor: 3-axis accelerometer, proximity sensor, Ambient Light sensor
• Browser: Android Web Kit with Adobe Flash Player
• Video:
  Playback
  • MPEG4 ASP/SP up to 20Mbps, 1080p at 30fps
  • H.263 BP up to 4Mbps, 4CIF at 30fps
  • H.264 BP/MP/HP up to 20Mbps, 1080p at 30fps
  • VC-1 Advanced MP up to 20Mbps, 1080p at 30fps
  • Xvid MPEG-4 ASP up to 4Mbps D1 at 30fps
  • VP8/WebM

  Capture

  • Video H.264 up to 16Mbps, 1080p @30fps
  • Audio AAC up to 64kbps, 44.1kHz, Stereo

  Streaming

  • VGA in MPEG4, H.264, H.263 @30 fps
  • MPEG4, H.263, H.264
• Audio: AAC, AAC+, AAC+ Enhanced, AMR NB, AMR WB, MIDI, MP3, WAV, WMA v10, WMA v9
• Location Service: Tmapor OllehNavi, eCompass, aGPS with Google Maps, Google Latitude

MotoCast
At the event, they also showcased MotoCast. It is something like Dropbox, except that instead of uploading files to the cloud, you are actually accessing files in your computer.

In another words, MotoCast streams documents, videos and music to your Motorola Razr phone from anywhere in the world via 3G or Wi-Fi. The only thing you need to do is to leave your computer switched on and install the MotoCast software on your computer (works on PC & Mac).

You have the option to download the file if you do not want to stream it. But you can’t actually upload files from your phone to your PC. I wish they have this feature sometime in the future. You also can access your files in your PC on your desktop browser via MyMotoCast.com if you do not have your Motorola phone with you.

I kinda like this service because afterall, storage on your local PC’s HDD is still cheaper than any cloud storage out there.

Official Site: Motorola RAZR
Official Site: MotoCast
Official Site: Mototola Singapore

The first stop was London Eye, but instead of seeing it from the outside, this time we really went into it. The queue was still insanely long, but luckily the guys at 1000heads managed to get the fast track tickets!

London Eye

London Eye Capsule

Awesome View From London Eye

We did some filming inside the London Eye’s Capsule, I was giving a basic introduction of Nokia Mix Radio. Nokia Mix Radio gives you locally relevant music for free that can be downloaded or streamed to your Windows Phone 7. You can download up to 4 playlist to your phone and each playlist is about 3 hours long.

It takes about 25 minutes to complete a circle on the London Eye, which is 10 minutes lesser than the Singapore Flyer, the world’s largest observation wheel.

After the London Eye, we went for a river cruise along River Thames passing by the London Bridge, Tower Bridge and the HMS Belfast (C35) which is a decommissioned Destroyer permanently moored in River Thames.

London Bridge

Tower Bridge

HMS Belfast (C35)

We alighted at Tower Millenium Pier and headed back to 1000heads office to collect our luggage.

1000heads Sign Board

1000heads Certification

I left the office at 4pm and I reached Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 at about 6pm. Traffic was pretty bad. I did some shopping at the terminal as my flight is at 8.30pm. The Longchamp bag there is cheap selling for €60 (SGD$120) for the long handle medium size. It is at least selling for SGD$200+ in Singapore!

Resources

• Blog Links
  • Nokia World 2011 – Pre Event
  • Nokia World 2011 – Day 01
  • Nokia World 2011 – Day 02
  • Nokia World 2011 – Post Event (This Post)
• Flickr Gallery Links
  • Nokia World 2011 – Pre Event
  • Nokia World 2011 – Day 01
  • Nokia World 2011 – Day 02
  • Nokia World 2011 – Post Event
• Youtube Video Links
  • Nokia World 2011 Opening Video
  • Nokia Lumia 800 Advertisement #1 @ Nokia World 2011
  • Nokia Lumia 800 Advertisement #2 @ Nokia World 2011
  • Nokia Kinetic Device Demo #1 @ Nokia World 2011
  • Nokia Kinetic Device Demo #2 @ Nokia World 2011
  • Nokia Nano Magic @ Nokia World 2011
• Nokia World 2011 Products Data Sheets
  • Nokia Asha 200
  • Nokia Asha 201
  • Nokia Asha 300
  • Nokia Asha 303
  • Nokia Lumia 710
  • Nokia Lumia 800
  • Nokia Purity Stereo Headset (In-Ear)
  • Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset (Over-Ear)
• Nokia World 2011 Products Pricing & Availability
  • Nokia Asha 300 – €85 (SGD$148.60) – 4th Quarter 2011
  • Nokia Asha 200 – €60 (SGD$104.90) – 4th Quarter 2011
  • Nokia Asha 201 – €60 (SGD$104.90) – 1st Quarter 2012
  • Nokia Asha 303 – €115 (SGD$201) – 4th Quarter 2011
  • Nokia Lumia 800 – €420 (SGD$734.20) – * See Below
  • Nokia Lumia 710 – €270 (SGD$472) – * See Below
  • Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset – €99 (SGD$173) – * See Below
  • Nokia Purity Stereo Headset – €199 (SGD$347.90) – * See Below
  • * Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset and Nokia Purity Stereo Headset will be available in November 2011 for France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK, December 2011 for Hong Kong, India, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan and early 2012 for the remaining countries.
• 20 Bloggers From Nokia Connect
  1. Lain – doitdifferent.wordpress.com – @the_accidental
  2. Jon – pocketgamer.co.uk – @pgbiz
  3. Lester – lesterchan.net – @gamerz
  4. Edward – nokiamobileblog.com – @mobile_ed
  5. Sursur – wmpoweruser.com – @wmpoweruser
  6. Jay – mynokiablog.com – @jaymontano
  7. Dani – dani2xll.com – @dani2xll
  8. Joao – nokia-news.com – @joaoluisc
  9. Stefanos – pestaola.gr – @titanas
  10. Michael – thoughtsfromhell.net – @michaelxhell
  11. Varun – fonearena.com – @varunkrish
  12. Arun – nokiasaga.com – @arun8gb
  13. Aditya – worldofphones.net – @adityasinghvi
  14. Vaibhav – thehandheldblog.com – @v4ibhav
  15. Vinu – myportableworld.com – @vinuthomas
  16. Clinton Jeff – zomgitscj.com – @clintonjeff
  17. Siraj – lovemynokia.com – @sirajsoft
  18. Dominique – nokiablog.ch – @nokiablogch
  19. James – tracyandmatt.co.uk/blogs – @jpr7373
  20. Sara – getpalmd.com – @getpalmd
• Useful Links
  • Nokia
  • Nokia Connects
  • Nokia World

I would like to thank Mala (Nokia), Katie (Nokia Connect), Meg (Nokia Connect) and the rest of the 1000heads team for the awesome, super awesome hospitality! Thanks for making my first visit to London an enjoyable and memorable one! THANK YOU GIRLS!

Colin Giles

Since this is the second and last day of Nokia World 2011 and nothing new will be announced, the crowd was a little lesser and we are able to take more pictures of the product and hence this post has more pictures than words!

The first booth I went to is to see the Nokia N9 in White, the phone is beautiful! It is finished in glossy white instead of the normal Nokia N9 which has a matte finishing.

Nokia N9 White (Front)

Nokia N9 White (Back)

The Nokia N9 White will be priced the same as the regular Nokia N9 and it will be available in both 16GB and 64GB variant and it should be released sometime in December 2011.

Headed up to the 2nd level to take a tour of the revamped physical Nokia Store for the promotion of the Nokia Lumia 800.

This will be the glass display you will be seeing in official Nokia Stores all over the world.

Glass Display

It’s literally bring your focus from the window all the way to the phone.

Focusing On Nokia Lumia 800

Just beside it, is the Nokia’s Future Lounge, where Nokia showcase some cool prototypes like flexible display screens, 3D positioning, nano water repellent technology, NFC gates, etc.

Nokia’s Future Lounge

The flexible display screen is known as Nokia Kinetic Device. You twist the side of the screen backward to scroll up, twist it forward to scroll down, bend it backward to go back and bend it forward to make a selection. Take a look at 2 of the videos I have taken as a demo.

Nokia Kinetic Device

Nokia Nano Magic is a coating that you can apply to your mobile phones to make it water repellent. When in contact with water, the water droplet will not spread instead the coating makes the water droplet stay together and hence it can just flow off the surface. Take a look at the demo video below which I have took.

Nokia Nano Magic

Went back down to take more photos of the announced phones and it’s accessories. Below are some highlights from the gallery!

Nokia Asha 200 & Nokia Asha 303 Display

Nokia Asha 201 Display

Nokia Asha 300 Display

Nokia Asha 200

Nokia Asha 201

Casing For Nokia Asha 200/201

Nokia Asha 303

Casing For Nokia Asha 303

Angry Birds Pouch To Go With Nokia Asha 303

Nokia Asha 300

Casing For Nokia Asha 300

Feminine Pouch For Nokia Asha 300

And of course the highlight of the whole show is the 2 new Nokia Windows Phone 7 handsets.

Nokia Lumia 800 Display

Nokia Lumia 710 Display

I Like The Blue Nokia Lumia 800!

Back Plate For Nokia Lumia 800

Casing For Nokia Lumia 800

The White Nokia Lumia 710 Looks Good As Well

Interchangeable Back Cover For Nokia Lumia 710

3 Additional Covers To Choose From (Excluding White & Black)

Rubber Cover For Nokia Lumia 710

They Even Have Angry Birds Cover For The Nokia Lumia 710

Nokia Lumia 800 Floor Art

I had took quite a lot of photos of the products, too many to put them inline in this post, so check out the embedded gallery below or visit this Flickr Gallery link!

Data Sheets
I have uploaded the official data sheets for all the products announced during Nokia World 2011. They are in PDF format.

• Nokia Asha 200
• Nokia Asha 201
• Nokia Asha 300
• Nokia Asha 303
• Nokia Lumia 710
• Nokia Lumia 800
• Nokia Purity Stereo Headset (In-Ear)
• Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset (Over-Ear)

I left the place at about 4pm and headed back to the hotel for rest before joining the rest of the bloggers back at 6pm for a open-top bus tour around London!

Open Top Bus Tour Around London

Dinner was at Altitude 360 which has a gorgeous view of London at night and it is a 3-course dinner!

View Of London From Altitude 360

Starter: Cured Beef Fillet

Main: Roast Chicken

Dessert: Rich Chocolate Tart

Stay tuned for my last blog post for Nokia World 2011 which is the post event where we took the London Eye and went for a river cruise along River Thames!

Western Breakfast

@malathy From Nokia Giving A Briefing

ExCeL London

We reached there just in time for the keynote and boy it is crowded!

The Crowd

We were told to take our seats and shortly after the Nokia World 2011 opening video is played.

The screen projection is just fantastic, it is huge and spectacular, wonder how much money is spent just on the screen alone.

We all had problems connecting to the wireless network which I heard from the bloggers, the same thing happened at the previous Nokia World, and this time round, Nokia spent even more money to ensure that the wireless network works, but apparently it still does not work. The poor access point just got hammered like nobody business. I guess professional bloggers like Engadget relies on 3G instead, but the 3G signal inside the hall wasn’t that great either as I guess the base station is overloaded as well.

Colin Giles, Executive Vice President of Sales was up on stage first to give the welcome speech followed by Stephen Elop, CEO of Nokia.

Blanca Juti, Vice President of Mobile Phones Marketing took the stage after and that is where the real deal starts. She introduces 4 new phones to the new Asha family.

The name Asha is derived from Hindi – meaning ‘hope’ and Asha signifies Nokia’s focus on positive user experiences and connecting millions of people to new opportunities that help them reach their aspirations.

Nokia Asha 300 – Touch Screen & Keypad

Nokia Asha 300 Press Release Snippet

The beautifully designed Nokia Asha 300 is a touch device which also offers the convenience of a keypad. The Nokia Asha 300 has a powerful 1GHz processor and 3G to deliver a faster Internet and social networking experience. The Nokia Browser allows for fast, affordable and localized Internet access by compressing web pages by up to 90%.

Users have fast access to messaging, email and instant messaging from the home screen and can swipe to access apps, music or games from the Nokia Store. The Nokia Asha 300 also arrives preloaded with the popular Angry Birds Lite game.

The Nokia Asha 300 comes with a 5 megapixel camera, a music player, FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity and can handle memory cards up to 32GB. The price will vary by market and operator. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 300 will be approximately 85 EUR, excluding taxes and subsidies. It is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Nokia Asha 200 – Dual SIM & QWERTY Keyboard

Nokia Asha 200 Press Release Snippet

The Nokia Asha 200 is Nokia’s latest dual SIM phone with Easy Swap functionality, allowing consumers to easily change their second SIM without switching the device off.

It is a fun and colorful QWERTY phone designed to meet the needs of young, urban consumers who want to constantly stay in touch. The Nokia Asha 200 features integrated social networking, email and IM, adding RenRen, Orkut and Flickr support. Nokia Asha 200 makes it possible to carry thousands of songs with support for 32 GB memory cards and providing a battery for an amazing 52-hour playback time. The price will vary by market and operator. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 200 will be approximately 60 EUR, excluding taxes and subsidies. It is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Nokia Asha 201 – Live Status Updates & QWERTY Keyboard

Nokia Asha 201 Press Release Snippet

The single SIM version of the Nokia Asha 200, the Nokia Asha 201 is ideal for young consumers who wish to stay socially connected, are price conscious and like listening to music. The Nokia Asha 201 has great music features including a high performing loudspeaker, enhanced stereo FM radio and ringtone tuning. With the Nokia Browser you get even faster, even better and more affordable access to the Internet. It supports up to 32 GB memory cards and provides a battery for 52 hours of music playback time. The Nokia Asha 201 also supports push email as well as the popular Whatsapp messaging app. The price will vary by market and operator. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 201 will be approximately 60 EUR, excluding taxes and subsidies. It is expected to start shipping in the first quarter of 2012.

Nokia Asha 303 – QWERTY Keyboard & 2.6″ Touch Screen

Nokia Asha 303 Press Release Snippet

The Nokia Asha 303 is a stunning phone designed with sophisticated materials and metallic finishes. It combines a large 2.6” capacitive touch screen with a high quality QWERTY keypad. The Nokia Asha 303 is built with Internet and social networks ease in mind.

The device harnesses a powerful 1Ghz engine, 3G and WLAN to deliver a fast Internet experience. Social networks, email and IM are at the center of the experience, easily accessible from the homescreen. The Nokia Asha 303 is powered by the cloud-based Nokia Browser, which by compressing the web by up to 90%, provides higher speeds and a more affordable access to the Internet.

Entertainment and applications are also a core part of the Nokia Asha 303 offering. Angry Birds Lite, the popular mobile game, comes preinstalled, together with support for other globally relevant applications such as Facebook Chat, Whatsapp messaging and the latest release of Nokia Maps for Series 40 (in selected markets). The price will vary from market to market and operator to operator. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Asha 303 will be approximately 115 EUR, excluding taxes and subsidies. It is expected to start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Stephen Elop was back on stage and pictures of the Nokia Lumia 800 was at the background and everyone was taking out their cameras/phones to take pictures and the race is on to be the first one to tweet about it.

Nokia Lumia 800 Teaser

Stephen Elop introduces Kevin Shields, Senior Vice President of Program & Product Management for the Smart Device up on stage.

Kevin Shields With A Long Title

And the Nokia Lumia 800 was announced!

Nokia Lumia 800

Nokia Lumia 800 Press Release Snippet

The stunningly social Nokia Lumia 800 features head-turning design, vivid colors (cyan, magenta and black) and the best social and Internet performance, with one-touch social network access, easy grouping of contacts, integrated communication threads and Internet Explorer 9. It features a 3.7 inch AMOLED ClearBlack curved display blending seamlessly into the reduced body design, and a 1.4 GHz processor with hardware acceleration and a graphics processor. The Nokia Lumia 800 contains an instant-share camera experience based on leading Carl Zeiss optics, HD video playback, 16GB of internal user memory and 25GB of free SkyDrive storage for storing images and music. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Lumia 800 will be approximately 420 EUR, excluding taxes and subsidies.

They are not done with just 1 Windows Phone device, Nokia Lumia 710 is announced next!

Nokia Lumia 710

Nokia Lumia 710 Press Release Snippet

The purposely built, no-nonsense Nokia Lumia 710 can be personalized with exchangeable back covers and thousands of apps to bring the Lumia experience to more people around the world. The Nokia Lumia 710 is designed for instant social & image sharing, and the best browsing experience with IE9. It is available in black and white with black, white, cyan, fuchsia and yellow back covers. With the same 1.4 GHz processor, hardware acceleration and graphics processor as the Nokia Lumia 800, the Nokia Lumia 710 delivers high performance at an affordable price. The estimated retail price for the Nokia Lumia 710 will be approximately 270 EUR, excluding taxes and subsidies.

Nokia differentiate itself with the rest of the Windows Phone 7 makers by having exclusive apps like the Nokia Drive, Nokia Maps, Nokia Music and ESPN. I love the Nokia Drive app, it is a free voice-guided turn-by-turn GPS navigation app and it allows you to preload any supported countries map into it as well.

I am not a big fan of sports, but I guess if you are, the ESPN app is suitable for you. It supports Windows Phone 7.5 Mango deep pining feature that allows you to keep track of your favorite teams in various sports right in your home screen via Live Tiles.

Nokia Drive

ESPN App

Nokia Exclusive Apps Press Release Snippet

Both smartphones include signature Nokia experiences optimized for Windows Phone, including Nokia Drive, which delivers a full-fledged personal navigation device (PND) with free, turn-by-turn navigation and dedicated in-car-user-interface; and Nokia Music introducing MixRadio, a free, global, mobile music-streaming application that delivers hundreds of channels of locally-relevant music. In an update delivered later this year, Nokia Lumia users will also gain the ability to create personalized channels from a global catalogue of millions of tracks. Also integrated in Nokia Music is Gigfinder, providing the ability to search for live local music for a complete end-to-end music experience, as well as the ability to share discoveries on social networks and buy concert tickets also coming in the Nokia Music software update delivered later this year.

World Premiere Of The Nokia Lumia 800 Advertisement

Nokia announced their partnership with Monster to produce Nokia line of headsets, the on-ear Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset and the in-ear Nokia Purity Stereo Headset.

Nokia & Monster Partnership

Nokia Headset Made By Monster Release Snippet

Completing the ultimate mobile audio offering, Nokia also introduced the on-ear Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset by Monster and the in-ear Nokia Purity Stereo Headset by Monster, co-designed and co-developed by Monster, a recognized leader in high performance audio. Both products provide a fresh listening experience and are the first output of the exclusive long-term partnership between Nokia and Monster, intended to introduce a range of premium audio accessories to reflect the outstanding quality and bold style of the Lumia range.

Once nice touch by Nokia is when they announced the shipping date of the Nokia Lumia 800, they showed a live feed to one of the factory packing and getting ready the Nokia Lumia 800 for shipment! I thought that was pretty cool. And that means that Nokia Lumia 800 will be available before year’s end!

Live Feed

Stephen Elop Is Back On Stage To Wrap Things Up

Nokia World 2011: New Now

And that is the end of the opening keynote! After that we are being invited to the Experience Area which is just opposite to play with the devices.

Experience Area

It Is So Crowded

The experience area was crowded, can’t really take proper pictures without people behind you pressurizing you to hurry up (in a silent manner). The food catered was pretty good, it is unlike Singaporean style buffet where you help yourself with the food. For this, you take an empty plate and walk past the food and the server will put the food on your plate and that is exactly what they do in army cookhouse! Surprising the queue was not long despite a huge crowd and only 2 dinning areas. I guess people are more interested in the products than lunch, which is a good thing!

They have cans of Pepsi, Fanta, and some other soft drinks for you to take from the fridge. They also have an area for proper coffee like americano, espresso, latte, and even smoothie! The Optimsim Smoothie is awesome!

Smoothie Menu

After lunch, we gathered in a room where they loan us the Nokia Lumia 800 for the remaining 2-3 days to play with and they even got us a prepaid MicroSIM card so we can use it on the go! Thumbs up for that!

Nokia Lumia 800 Box

O2 Prepaid MicroSIM

Something not many people are aware, Nokia also announces Nokia Pulse, I think of it as a mash up between Yammer and Google Plus. Yammer for the closed network and Google Plus for the sharing of content with this close network.

Here is the official statement of it:

Nokia Pulse brings your everyday conversations to life by automatically tagging photos and updates with your location.

Every conversation, from pickups and drop-offs to meet-ups, is as instant, private, and simple as sending a text, but far more useful and engaging. Nokia Pulse is integrated with Maps, so finding people nearby, discovering new places, and getting directions is a snap.

Nokia Pulse App will be available on Windows Phone 7, Symbian and Series 40. It is also available on mobile web as well on the web, check out pulse.nokia.com.

We left the conference about 6pm and headed back to the hotel for some rest before going back to ExCeL London again for the Nokia Party at 7pm!

Pricing & Availability Of The Announced Products

• Nokia Asha 300 – €85 (SGD$148.60) – 4th Quarter 2011
• Nokia Asha 200 – €60 (SGD$104.90) – 4th Quarter 2011
• Nokia Asha 201 – €60 (SGD$104.90) – 1st Quarter 2012
• Nokia Asha 303 – €115 (SGD$201) – 4th Quarter 2011
• Nokia Lumia 800 – €420 (SGD$734.20) – See Below
• Nokia Lumia 710 – €270 (SGD$472) – See Below
• Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset – €99 (SGD$173) – See Below
• Nokia Purity Stereo Headset – €199 (SGD$347.90) – See Below

Nokia Lumia 800, Nokia Lumia 710, Nokia Purity HD Stereo Headset and Nokia Purity Stereo Headset will be available in November 2011 for France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK, December 2011 for Hong Kong, India, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan and early 2012 for the remaining countries.

Stay tuned for the next blog post for Nokia World 2011 – Day 02, where I will cover the ground of the Experience area!

I flew by British Airways (BA012). It is the longest flight I ever taken (13 hours) and I will get to experience jet lag due to the 7 hours time difference in London. My flight departs Singapore at 10.50pm and I arrived at London at 5.05am. I was lucky that the flight I am on was pretty empty so I manage to occupy 4 seats, lifted the armrest and sleep horizontally!

It took me about 90 minutes to get to my hotel, Premier Inn at London Docklands (Excel), from Heathrow Airport despite it being 5am in the morning as there are already some traffic!

Upon entering my room after checking-in, there are 4 little surprises already in my room! That was very thoughtful!

Tibits Basket

Blue Rubber Duckie

Sketch Of Me

Nokia Bag

The pre-event dinner will start at 5pm and I got almost 8 hours to explore the shopping/sightseeing area in London. Without wasting any time, I took a shower and left immediately. I did not have the hotel’s breakfast because I figured I am going to have the same breakfast for the next 3 days. My hotel is about 5 mins walk away from the Prince Regent DLR station.

The first time I saw the tube map of London, I was like WTF! Which station I am in now. I was so overwhelmed by it, but eventually I managed to digest the information.

London’s Tube Map

I headed for Oxford Circus station as I heard it is like the Orchard Road in Singapore. Surprising at almost 9am, most of the shops are already open for business.

Saw many adverts of the new breakfast (Breakfast Wrap) from McDonald’s all over London and decided to give it a try. It tastes pretty good and it looks exactly the same as advertised!

McDonald’s Breakfast Wrap

After breakfast, I walked around the area, I love the buildings in London, they just look gorgeous and most of them are preserved and transformed into shops. The weather is also fantastic, at 10°C – 12°C, it is perfect weather to do shopping!

I came across a public toilet and it seems interesting so I went in and it cost me SGD$1, it’s got to be the most expensive toilet I have ever been to! And it is totally not worth it! The toilet bowl is choked and the water tap is spoiled! I was like WTF!

Public Toilet

I walked all the way to London Eye from Oxford Circus, passing by some very nice buildings/shops.

Nike Town

Apple Store At Regent Street

M&M’s World

The National Gallery

Crumpler EU

After about an hour walk or so, I finally reached the London Eye! There are quite a few people busking on the walkway leading to the London Eye. The London Eye looks smaller than what it looks on the pictures and the queue is insanely long!

Queue At London Eye

It also seems that the Aquarium located just beside the London Eye is insanely popular as well judging from the queue.

Aquarium

Close by to the London Eye was the iconic Palace of Westminster and beside it was the Clock Tower which the world knows it by it’s bell name, Big Ben.

Palace of Westminster

Big Ben

My leg is aching from all those walk, and I decided to head back to hotel for a rest before dinner with the rest of bloggers and Nokia Connect people at Waterloo Bar & Grill. Food there was awesome!

Starter: Hot Smoked Salmon with Pea Puree & Potato Bread

Main: 6oz Bavette Steak with Rosti Potato & Creamed Spinach

Dessert: Apple Crumple with Vanilla Ice Cream

After a sumptuous dinner, we went to watch Transformers 3: Revenge of the Fallen in 3D at IMAX! This is the first true IMAX cinema that I have been too and it was huge, freaking huge. Transformers 3 is no longer showing, but since Nokia booked the whole cinema, I guess they can choose what film to screen. I also think the reason they chose Transformers 3 is because of the Nokia X7 being used in the movie!

BFI IMAX

Stay tuned for the next blog post for Nokia World 2011 – Day 01!

I am a huge fan of ESET NOD32 and have been using it since v2. All my computers and even my mom’s office computers are protected by NOD32. It is fast, real fast and does not take up much disk space at all because of the use of assembly language in the products.

Other competitors started with a bloated antivirus software and try to un-bloat it because these days no one wants a bloated antivirus software to bog down their computer while ESET starts off with a lightweight antivirus. This give ESET a significant competitive advantage.

The CTO of ESET, Pavol Luka, was there as well. He was working for ESET since the 1990s before he entered university. He left ESET to pursue his education and joined back again upon graduation. He does coding and did some coding for NOD32 Antivirus v2. So he know his stuff well!

Pavol Luka (ESET CTO) and I

If you are wondering how the company got its name ESET, it is named after an Egyptian goddess, Isis.

NOD32 got its name from a TV medical drama series in Czechoslovakia back in 1977, titled, Nemocnica na Okraji Disku (Hospital at the End of the City) and 32 means 32-bit which they release it back in 2003 for Windows (before that it was just named NOD for MS-DOS).

ESET Smart Security 5 and ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5 offer various new and improved features including:

• ESET Live Grid, cloud-based reputation and protection technology
• New Removable Media Control, with more granular control of external devices
• Parental Control (ESET Smart Security 5 only)
• Advanced Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS)
• Gamer Mode

ESET Smart Security 5 Box

ESET Smart Security 5 Box Contents

Another reason why I am using NOD32 AntiVirus for my mom’s office because the prices are very reasonable.

The prices of ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5 & Smart Security 5 are as follows:
ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5

• 1 User, 1 Year- SGD$29
• 1 User, 2 Years – SGD$45
• 3 Users, 1 Year – SGD$49
• 3 Users, 2 Years – SGD$75

ESET Smart Security 5

• 1 User, 1 Year- SGD$39
• 1 User, 2 Years – SGD$59
• 3 Users, 1 Year – SGD$59
• 3 Users, 2 Years – SGD$89

You can get 1 user (for 1 or 2 years) and 3 users (for 1 or 2 years) off the shelves at most computer stores, but if you need more customization like 5 users for 2 years, you need to get them from the distributor which is Version 2 in Singapore via their online store.

Official Sites

• ESET
• ESET NO32
• ESET Smart Security
• ESET Online Store

This product launch covers 7 products from PIXMA inkjet printers, 10 from imageCLASS laser printers, 3 from PowerShot cameras, 2 from IXUS cameras and 1 LV projector.

Canon PowerShot S100

Everyone’s favourite Canon PowerShot S100 (the successor to S95) is included in this product launch! It will be available in early November 2011 and the pricing will be annouced when it is closer to the date.

PIXMA Inkjet Printers
All the PIXMA inkjet printers listed below will be available by end October 2011.

• PIXMA iP4970 – SGD$199
  • Print speed of approximately 12.5ipm (B/W), and 9.3ipm (Colour)
  • Photo print speed of approximately 20sec (Colour) for 4” x 6” borderless
  • 5 Individual Ink Tank System
  • Min. 1 pl ink droplets (max. 9600 x 2400 dpi print resolution)
  • New Full HD Movie Print Feature
  • New Easy-PhotoPrint EX with Fun Filters
  • Auto Photo Fix II via Easy-PhotoPrint EX
  • CD Direct Print, Auto-Duplex, 2-way Paper Feed
  • PictBridge connectivity
• PIXMA MG2170 – SGD$139
  • Print speed of approximately 8.4ipm (B/W), and 4.8ipm (Colour)
  • Photo print speed of approximately 44sec (Colour) for 4” x 6” borderless
  • New FINE Cartridge/ Hybrid Ink System
  • Min. 2 pl ink droplets (max. 4800 x 1200 dpi print resolution)
  • 1200 x 2400 dpi scan resolution
  • New FastFront
  • New Full HD Movie Print feature
  • New Easy-PhotoPrint EX with Fun Filters
  • Auto Photo Fix II via Easy-PhotoPrint EX
  • 7 Segment LED Display
• PIXMA MG3170 – SGD$159
  • Print speed of approximately 9.2ipm (B/W), and 5.0ipm (Colour)
  • Photo print speed of approximately 44sec (Colour) for 4” x 6” borderless
  • New FINE Cartridge/ Hybrid Ink System
  • Min. 2 pl ink droplets (max. 4800 x 1200 dpi print resolution)
  • 1200 x 2400 dpi scan resolution
  • New FastFront
  • New Full HD Movie Print feature
  • New Easy-PhotoPrint EX with Fun Filters
  • 7 Segment LED Display
  • Built-in Wireless/Wired LAN with Easy Setup
• PIXMA MG4170 – SGD$209
  • Print speed of approximately 9.9ipm (B/W), and 5.7ipm (Colour)
  • Photo print speed of approximately 44sec (Colour) for 4” x 6” borderless
  • New FINE Cartridge/ Hybrid Ink System
  • Min. 2 pl ink droplets (max. 4800 x 1200 dpi print resolution)
  • 1200 x 2400 dpi scan resolution
  • New FastFront
  • New Full HD Movie Print feature
  • New Easy-PhotoPrint EX with Fun Filters
  • Print PDF files from USB/memory cards
  • PictBridge Connectivity
  • Built-in Wireless/Wired LAN with Easy Setup
  • 2.4” TFT Colour LCD Display
  • ECO Mode
  • PIXMA Cloud Link
• PIXMA MG5370 – SGD$299
  • Print speed of approximately 12.5ipm (B/W), and 9.3ipm (Colour)
  • Photo print speed of approximately 20sec (Colour) for 4” x 6” borderless
  • 5 Individual Ink Tank System
  • Min. 1 pl ink droplets (max. 9600 x 2400 dpi print resolution)
  • 2400 x 4800 dpi scan resolution
  • 2-way feed, Auto duplex
  • New Full HD Movie Print feature
  • New Easy-PhotoPrint EX with Fun Filters
  • Print PDF files from USB/memory cards
  • PictBridge Connectivity
  • Memory Card Slots
  • Built-in Wireless/Wired LAN with Easy Setup
  • 3.0” TFT LCD Display
  • ECO Mode
  • PIXMA Cloud Link
• PIXMA MG6270 – SGD$399
  • Print speed of approximately 12.5ipm (B/W), and 9.3ipm (Colour)
  • Photo print speed of approximately 20sec (Colour) for 4” x 6” borderless
  • 6 Individual Ink Tank System with Gray ink
  • Intelligent Touch System
  • Min. 1 pl ink droplets (max. 9600 x 2400 dpi print resolution)
  • 4800 x 4800 dpi scan resolution (Reflective)
  • 2-way feed, Auto duplex, Direct Disc Print
  • New Full HD Movie Print feature
  • New Easy-PhotoPrint EX with Fun Filters
  • Print PDF files from USB/memory cards
  • PictBridge Connectivity
  • Built-in Wireless/Wired LAN with Easy Setup
  • 3.0” TFT LCD Display
  • ECO Mode
  • PIXMA Cloud Link
• PIXMA MG8270 – SGD$499
  • Print speed of approximately 12.5ipm (B/W), and 9.3ipm (Colour)
  • Photo print speed of approximately 20sec (Colour) for 4” x 6” borderless
  • 6 Individual Ink Tank System with Gray ink
  • Intelligent Touch System
  • Min. 1 pl ink droplets (max. 9600 x 2400 dpi print resolution)
  • 4800 x 4800 dpi scan resolution (Reflective), 9600 x 9600 dpi scan resolution (Film)
  • 2-way feed, Auto duplex, Direct Disc Print
  • CCD Scanner with Super Toric Lens
  • New Full HD Movie Print feature
  • New Easy-PhotoPrint EX with Fun Filters
  • Print PDF files from USB/memory cards
  • PictBridge Connectivity
  • Built-in Wireless/Wired LAN with Easy Setup
  • 3.5” TFT LCD Display
  • ECO Mode
  • PIXMA Cloud Link

imageCLASS Laser Printers
All the imageCLASS laser printers listed below will be available by end October 2011.

• imageCLASS MF3010 – SGD$199
  • Print / Scan / Copy
  • Print Speed Up to 18/19ppm (A4/Letter)
  • Print Resolution: Up-to 600x600dpi; 1200(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 10 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 2 secs or less
  • Copy Speed: Up-to 18/19cpm (A4/Letter)
  • Scan Resolution: 600x600dpi (optical)
  • Single-digit LED display
  • Fold-in 150-sheets paper cassette
  • Reduce/Enlarge copy from 50-200%.
  • 2 on 1 Copy, ID Card Copy
  • 64 MB RAM (shared)
  • Energy Saving: 1.4W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 0.6kWh
  • All-in-one Cartridge 325 (yield: 1,600 pages)
• imageCLASS MF4420w – SGD$299
  • Print / Scan / Copy / Network / Wireless
  • Print Speed Up to 23/24ppm (A4/Letter)
  • Print Resolution: 600x600dpi; 1200(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 12 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 2 secs or less
  • Copy Speed: Up-to 23/24cpm (A4/Letter)
  • Scan Resolution: 600x600dpi (optical)
  • 5-line LCD display
  • Fold-in 150-sheets paper cassette
  • Reduce/Enlarge copy from 25-400%
  • Memory Sort, 2 on 1 Copy, 4 on 1 copy, ID Card Copy
  • Wireless 802.11 b/g/n connectivity with WPS technology
  • 64 MB RAM (shared)
  • Energy Saving: 1.9W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 0.80kWh
  • All-in-one Cartridge 328 (yield: 2,100 pages)
• imageCLASS MF4570dw – SGD$599
  • Print / Scan / Copy / Fax / Network / Wireless
  • Print Speed Up to 25/26ppm (A4/Letter)
  • Print Resolution: 600x600dpi; 1200(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 13.5 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 2 secs or less
  • Copy Speed: Up-to 25/26cpm (A4/Letter)
  • Scan Resolution: 600x600dpi (optical)
  • Auto Duplex Printing
  • 35-sheets ADF
  • 5-line LCD display
  • Fold-in 150-sheets paper cassette
  • Reduce/Enlarge copy from 25-400%
  • Memory Sort, 2 on 1 Copy, 4 on 1 copy, ID Card Copy
  • Wireless 802.11 b/g/n connectivity with WPS technology
  • 64 MB RAM (shared)
  • Energy Saving: 2.9W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 0.96kWh
  • All-in-one Cartridge 328 (yield: 2,100 pages)
• imageCLASS MF4580dw – SGD$699
  • Print / Scan / Copy / Fax / Network / Wireless
  • Print Speed Up to 25/26ppm (A4/Letter)
  • Print Resolution: 600x600dpi; 1200(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 13.5 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 2 secs or less
  • Copy Speed: Up-to 25/26cpm (A4/Letter)
  • Scan Resolution: 600x600dpi (optical)
  • Auto Duplex Printing
  • 50-sheets Duplex ADF
  • 5-line LCD display
  • Fold-in 150-sheets paper cassette
  • Reduce/Enlarge copy from 25-400%
  • Memory Sort, 2 on 1 Copy, 4 on 1 copy, ID Card Copy
  • Wireless 802.11 b/g/n connectivity with WPS technology
  • 64 MB RAM (shared)
  • Energy Saving: 2.9W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 1.00kWh
  • All-in-one Cartridge 328 (yield: 2,100 pages)
• imageCLASS MF5980dw – SGD$1,099
  • Print / Scan / Copy / Fax / Network / Wireless
  • Print Speed Up to 33/35ppm (A4/Letter)
  • Print Resolution: 600×600 dpi; 1200(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 11 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 5 secs or less
  • Copy Speed: Up-to 33/35cpm (A4/Letter)
  • Scan Resolution: 600x600dpi (optical)
  • UFRII LT / PCL5e/6, Postscript
  • SEND Technology (Email/SMB/USB)
  • 5-line LCD display
  • 250-sheets paper cassette + 50-sheets multi-purpose tray
  • Optional 500-sheets Paper Cassette PF-44
  • One-Touch Solution Keys
  • Reduce/Enlarge copy from 25-400%.
  • Memory Sort, 4 on 1, ID Card Copy
  • 256 MB RAM (shared)
  • Wireless 802.11 b/g/n connectivity with WPS technology
  • Energy Saving: 2.5W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 1.4kWh
  • All-in-one Cartridge 319 (yield: 2,100 pages)
  • Optional Cartridge 319 II (yield: 6,400 pages)
• imageCLASS MF8010Cn – SGD$799
  • Print / Scan / Copy / Network
  • Print Speed Up to 12/8ppm (A4/Letter; Colour/Mono)
  • Print Resolution: 600x600dpi; 2400(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 30 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 8 secs or less
  • Copy Speed: Up-to 12/8cpm (A4/Letter; Colour/Mono)
  • Scan Resolution: 600x600dpi (optical)
  • Scan to USB
  • USB Direct print (JPEG,TIFF)
  • 5-line LCD display
  • 150-sheets paper cassette + 1 sheet manual feed
  • Frame Erase, Memory Sort, 2 on 1, 4 on 1, ID Card Copy
  • 128 MB RAM (shared)
  • Energy Saving: 2.2W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 0.60kWh
  • All-in-one Cartridge 416 (Black: 2,300 pages, Colour: 1,500 pages)
• imageCLASS MF8080Cw – SGD$949
  • Print / Scan / Copy / Fax / Network / Wireless
  • Print Speed Up to 12/8ppm (A4/Letter; Colour/Mono)
  • Print Resolution: 600x600dpi; 2400(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 30 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 8 secs or less
  • Copy Speed: Up-to 12/8cpm (A4/Letter; Colour/Mono)
  • Scan Resolution: 600x600dpi (optical)
  • Scan to USB
  • USB Direct print (JPEG,TIFF)
  • 50-sheets ADF
  • 5-line LCD display
  • 150-sheets paper cassette + 1 sheet manual feed
  • Frame Erase, Memory Sort, 2 on 1, 4 on 1, ID Card Copy
  • Wireless 802.11 b/g/n connectivity with WPS technology
  • 128 MB RAM (shared)
  • Energy Saving: 2.2W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 0.60kWh
  • All-in-one Cartridge 416 (Black: 2,300 pages, Colour: 1,500 pages)
• imageCLASS MF8380Cdw – SGD$1,599
  • Print / Scan / Copy / Fax / Network / Wireless
  • Print Speed Up to 20/20ppm (A4/Letter; Colour/Mono)
  • Print Resolution: 600x600dpi; 2400(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 23 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 8 secs or less
  • Copy Speed: Up-to 20/20cpm (A4/Letter; Colour/Mono)
  • Scan Resolution: 600x600dpi (optical)
  • SEND Technology (USB, Email, SMB)
  • USB Direct print (JPEG,TIFF)
  • Secure Print (native)
  • Auto Duplex Printing
  • 50-sheets DADF
  • 5-line LCD display
  • 250-sheets paper cassette + 50-sheet multipurpose tray
  • Optional 250-sheets Paper Cassette Feeding Unit-V1
  • Frame Erase, Memory Sort, 2 on 1, 4 on 1, ID Card Copy
  • Wireless 802.11 b/g/n connectivity with WPS technology
  • 256 MB RAM (shared)
  • Energy Saving: 1.8W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 1.10kWh
  • All-in-one Cartridge 418 (Black: 3,400 pages, Colour: 2,900 pages)
• imageCLASS LBP7018C – SGD$299
  • Print Speed Up to 16/4ppm (A4; Mono/Colour)
  • Print Speed Up to 17/4ppm (Letter; Mono/Colour)
  • Print Resolution: Up-to 600x600dpi; 9600(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 66 secs or less
  • Recovery time from sleep: 10 secs or less
  • 150-sheets paper cassette
  • Easy toner replacement mechanism
  • 16 MB RAM
  • Energy Saving: 1.1W (Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 0.5kWh
  • Toner Cartridge 329 (Black yield: 1,200 pages, C/M/Y yield: 1,000 pages)
  • Drum Cartridge 029 (yield: 7,000 pages)
• imageCLASS LBP7680Cx – SGD$1,599
  • Print Speed Up to 20/21ppm (A4/Letter; Colour)
  • Print Speed Up to 20/21ppm (A4/Letter; Mono)
  • Print Resolution: 600x600dpi; 9600(equivalent)x600dpi
  • Warm Up Time from power-on: 29 secs or less
  • Recovery time from Deep Sleep: 9 secs or less
  • MEAP enabled
  • USB Direct print (JPEG,TIFF, PDF, XPS formats)
  • UFR II, PCL5c/6, Postscript (standard)
  • Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T
  • 5-line LCD display
  • 250-sheets paper cassette + 50-sheets Multi-purpose tray
  • Optional 250-sheets Canon Paper Feeder PF-701
  • 768 MB RAM
  • Energy Saving: 1.0W (Deep Sleep Mode)
  • Energy Star TEC: 0.90kWh
  • Optional Barcode Printing Kit-F1
  • Optional SD Card-B1 for Secure Printing
  • All-in-one Cartridge 318 (Black yield: 2,300 pages, Colour yield: 1,500 pages)

LV Projector
The LV-8320 is already available since 16th September 2011.

• LV-8320 – SGD$1,599
  • 2000:1 contrast ratio
  • Brightness: 3000 lumens
  • WXGA (1280 x 800 pixels)
  • Weight: 3.4kg
  • Dimensions (W x D x H): 350 x 254 x 87.5mm

PowerShot Cameras
The PowerShot SX40 HS and PowerShot SX150 IS are already available while the PowerShot S100 will be available in early November 2011 and pricing will be announced at a later date.

• PowerShot SX40 HS – SGD$749
  • 12.1 megapixels CMOS sensor with HS SYSTEM
  • 35x optical zoom
  • Intelligent IS
  • Full HD movie (1080p) with Stereo Sound
  • DIGIC 5
  • 2.7-inch type, TFT colour LCD
• PowerShot SX150 IS – SGD$369
  • 14.1 megapixels
  • 2x optical zoom
  • 28mm Wide-Angle Lens
  • Intelligent IS
  • DIGIC 4
  • 3.0-inch type, TFT colour LCD with wide viewing angle
• PowerShot S100 – SGD$TBA
  • 12.1 megapixels with HS SYSTEM
  • 5x optical zoom
  • Ultra-wide angle of 24mm
  • Bright maximum aperture of f/2.0
  • Full HD movie (1080p) with Stereo Sound
  • DIGIC 5
  • 3.0-inch type, TFT colour LCD with wide viewing angle

IXUS Cameras
The IXUS 1100 HS is already available while the IXUS 230 HS will be available at the end of October 2011 and pricing will be announced at a later date.

• IXUS 1100 HS – SGD$529
  • 12.1 megapixels with HS SYSTEM
  • 12x optical zoom
  • Full HD movie (1080p) with Stereo Sound
  • DIGIC 4
  • 3.2-inch LCD screen with touch shutter
• IXUS 230 HS – SGD$TBA
  • 12.1 megapixels with HS SYSTEM
  • 8x optical zoom
  • Full HD movie (1080p) with Stereo Sound
  • DIGIC 4
  • 3.0-inch type, TFT colour LCD with wide viewing angle

Since I am given a copy of Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 (what a long software name) to try it out and so happen my ESET NOD32 Antivirus subscriptions is expiring soon, I will give Trend Micro a chance to see how well it fair against ESET. But before that can happen, I need to format my computer because for some reasons Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 refuses to install on my computer. Obviously I am not using a pirated Windows 7, it is original from my NUS MSDN Account. Since Li Xiang still need my computer to do some design work for her friend’s wedding, I can only format it after mid October 2011.

Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 retail prices:

• SGD$39 for 1 user/1 year
• SGD$54.60 for 1 user/2 years
• SGD$109 for 3 users/1 year
• SGD$152.60 for 3 users/2 years

Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 renewal prices:

• SGD$27.30 for 1 user/1 year
• SGD$54.60 for 1 user/2 year
• SGD$76.30 for 3 users/1 year
• SGD$152.60 for 3 users/2 years

Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 SafeSync prices:

• SGD$39.95 for 20GB/year
• SGD$59.95 for 50GB/year
• SGD$99.95 for 100GB/year

Trend Micro Titanium Cloud Edition Maximum Security 2012 features:

• Antivirus & Antispyware
• Fake Antivirus Cleaner
• Unauthorized Change Protection
• Personalized Titanium Interface
• Facebook, Twitter, MySpace Protection
• Mobile Protection (Android)
• Web Threat Protection
• Spam Blocker
• Windows Firewall Booster
• Parental Controls
• System Tuner
• Data Theft Protection
• Secure Erase
• Trend Micro Vault
• SafeSync Online Backup (10GB)
• Wireless Authentication
• Trend Micro Toolbar

Box Front

Box Back

Box Contents

Threats Report (Taken From Press Release)

Status Report (Taken From Press Release)

I was invited to Nokia N9 Blogger Event back on Wednesday to preview the Nokia N9. The Nokia N9 will be launching in early October 2011 in Singapore. The recommended retail price is SGD$799 (16GB) and SGD$899 (64GB). All 3 operators in Singapore (Singtel, Starhub and M1) will be offering the Nokia N9.

I got to play with the Nokia N9 more extensively during the blogger session and found more interesting things that I want to highlight in the pictures below.

Slide Down To Close The Current App

Pull Down To Refresh For Twitter App

Not All Facebook Features Are Supported

Ovi Store Now Known As Store

Angry Birds Magic (Exclusive For Nokia N9)

Unlocking Levels In Angry Birds Magic Using NFC

You can unlock all levels in Angry Birds Magic by pairing with 4 different Nokia N9s using NFC.

Sending Contacts Via NFC

The Near Field Communication (NFC) in the Nokia N9 aids the Bluetooth pairing tremendously. Sending photos, contacts and even streaming music is just as easy as tapping on another NFC device and tap “Allow”

Data Limit Warning In Settings

Profile/Volume Details

Lots Of Nice Covers For The Nokia N9

Overall I am very impressed with the UI as it is extremely polished and shows no sign of sluggishness. The firmware loaded in the Nokia N9 that we played with is closed to the final version that will be shipped. Personally, the Nokia N9 is better than Android with regards to the UI design and performance. I really hope Nokia will continue to maintain it and not make it Dead On Arrival (DOA).

Nokia Play 360

I also played around with the Nokia Play 360 speakers and found its connectivity options impressive. You can pair it via NFC and use Bluetooth to stream your music to it (Nokia N9), or you can use Bluetooth to stream music to it (Apple iPhone 4) or just simply connect the 3.5mm auddio cable directly to your audio device. If you have 2 Nokia Play 360, they can even pair between themselves to produce Stereo sound. The only downside is that the Nokia Play 360 doesn’t come cheap, each cost SGD$248 and will be available about at the same time as Nokia N9.

Android, iOS, MeeGo, Windows Phone 7

Official Site: Nokia N9
Official Site: Nokia Play 360

First thing upon reaching Zouk is for you to register for the party. There are a few computers outside for you to login to your Facebook account, upon logging in, you need to like SingTel’s Facebook Page and then allow SingTel & HTC Event Facebook Application to access your Facebook details. This is to allow the RFID tagging to work.

After you registered, you proceed on to pose for photos in front of the giant Facebook wall mock up and after that, you are in Zouk!

I found a total of 5 RFIDs Machines at the party:

• Giant Facebook Wall (Photo Taking)
• The Bar (Free Flow Drinks)
• Toy Machine (Catch Free Android Figurines Using UFO Catcher)
• Farm Story Zone (Free Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough)
• Angry Birds Zone (Play Life Size Angry Birds Game)

Giant Facebook Wall

Free Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

Angry Birds Zone

GNASD???

There are also 2 contests that took place, 1 is abbreviation challenge and the other is imitating the Android bots dancing. The abbreviation challenge is tough! There are some abbreviations that I never used before like LTNS (Long Time No See) and GNASD (Good Night And Sweet Dreams).

Door Gift – Facebook Stickers

Li Xiang and I enjoyed ourselves at the party, hope to see more of these type of geeky/social party happening!

mig33 Developer Program Launch

About mig33 Developer Program

The Developer Program is a joint initiative by our company, and also both East Asian social networking services: Japan’s GREE and China’s Tencent QQ, valued at USD$2.5 billion and $43 billion.

The launching event will be attended by our CEO and co-founder Steven Goh; our Vice President of Business Development Chris Chandler; and Director, Head of International Alliance Division at GREE Daisuke Kobayashi.

Developers and partners alike will gain a better insight into our basic technical architecture, the Developer Program, and the opportunities made available by our partnership with GREE.

Developer Program Launch

Date: 20th July 2011
Venue: Chijmes Hall, 30 Victoria Street, Singapore
Time: 5pm – 8pm

If you are a developer or have interest in apps whether it is business or development related, feel free to drop by.

You can RSVP over at Flickevents.

Looking forward to seeing you guys there!

PS: The Javascript code in the image above is real, try it out and see what is the output. It is written by my senior Software Engineer Timothee.

Copy and paste the code below in Firebug or Chrome Developer Tools:

n=17260027;s='';do{s+=String.fromCharCode((n&63)+50)}while(n>>>=6);s;

What Is SingTel AMPed?

Since its launch in 2009, AMPed has become the number one digital music service in Singapore. It continues to be the only music service in Singapore to offer unlimited track downloads. With more than 500,000 subscribers, AMPed has clocked over 10 million song downloads. The service has expanded its catalogue to over 3 million songs through partnerships with leading music labels such as Universal Music.

This time the showcase was awesome, firstly, she was punctual unlike the previous show case where she was late for more than an hour. and she sand a lot of songs, according to the press release, she sang a total of 9 songs (Born This Way, Edge of Glory, Bad Romance, Just Dance, Judas, Hair, Alejandro, You and I, Telephone) in front of a crowd of more than 3,000 people.

Lady Gaga was also the most downloaded artiste on the SingTel AMPed unlimited music download service.

Sign Boards

2x Tickets

Lady gaga

Nokia N9

Nokia N9 Press Image

Nokia N9 is running on MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan (finally). It is powered by ARM Cortex-A8 OMAP3630 1 GHz and PowerVR SGX530. It has a whopping 1GB of RAM and comes with either 16GB or 64GB of storage space. It’s screen is a 3.9″ WVGA (854×480) AMOLED display with curved Gorilla glass, no air gap, anti-glare polarizer. It’s body is made up of one piece polycarbonate and comes in three colors (black, magenta and cyan).

Nokia N9 Camera

The camera of the Nokia N9 is a 8MP auto-focus Carl Zeiss with wide-angle lens and large lens aperture of f/2.2 and comes with 2x LED flash.

The Nokia N9 also comes with NFC which in the demo, they used it to pair with speakers (brilliant idea) by just tapping your Nokia N9 on the speakers instead of pairing it with Bluetooth. Of course the music is stream via Bluetooth once it has been paired by NFC.

3 Buttons On The Nokia N9

There are only 3 buttons in N9, Volume Up, Volume Down and Power/Standby Button. There is no “home button” on the Nokia N9, to wake up the N9, just double tap the screen when in standby mode.

Nokia N9 Applications Screen

Nokia N9 Multitasking Screen

Nokia N9 Events Screen

All the menus and mutiltasking features are access via swiping. You swipe to get to the “Applications” screen, you swipe again to get to the “Multitasking” screen and if you swipe again, you will get to the “Events” (think Notifications) screen.

Despite it being a prototype unit for the demo set, the UI is extremely fast, responsive and intuitive. I am an iPhone 4 user and it only took me 15 minutes to get the hang of the UI. The Nokia N9 is a good phone, but I wonder how long before it gets replaced by a Nokia’s Windows Phone 7.

I think the Nokia N9 is a stepping phone for the consumers to transit into a Nokia’s Windows Phone 7 with regards to the UI as most of WP7 UI are swiping left and right which is very similar to the Nokia N9.

Nokia N9 MicroSIM Slot

Nokia N9 MicroSIM Tray

Did I mentioned that the Nokia N9 will be using MicroSIM? Apple is no longer alone in this MicroSIM bandwagon!

The Nokia N9 will be available later this year and it will cost about USD$660 for the 16GB variant and USD$749 for 64GB variant.

I took quite a number of pictures of the Nokia N9 (including the main apps of Nokia N9) and uploaded them to my Flickr Set: Nokia Connection 2011. You can check them out or view them in the Flash slideshow below.

Specification:

• Networks: Pentaband WCDMA 850, 900, 1900, 1700, 2100, Quad band GSM/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900
• Speed: HSDPA Cat10: 14.4Mbps, HSUPA: Cat6 5.76Mbps
• Display: 3.9″ WVGA (854×480) AMOLED display with curved Gorilla glass, no air gap, anti-glare polarizer
• OS: MeeGo 1.2 Harmattan
• Memory: 1024MB RAM, 16GB/64GB storage
• Camera: 8Mpix auto-focus Carl Zeiss, wide-angle lens, 2x LED flash, Video capturing MPEG-4 SP 720p @ 30fps, 2nd camera for video calls
• Size / Weight: 116.45 mm x 61.2 mm x 7.6–12.1 mm (L x W x T)/ 76 cm3/ 135 g
• Connectivity: BT 2.1, GPS, A-GPS, WLAN 802.11abgn, NFC, 3.5mm AV connector, uUSB connector, USB charging
• Processor:ARM Cortex-A8 OMAP3630 1 Ghz, PowerVR SGX530
• Audio: MP3 player, Audio jack: 3.5mm, Supported codecs: mp3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, FLAC
• Battery: 1450 mAh
• Talk time: (GSM/WCDMA) up to 11 h / up to 7 hours
• Standby time: Up to 450 hours (WCDMA), up to 380 hours (GSM)
• Video playback (720P): up to 4.5 hours
• Music playback: up to 50 hours

Official Site: Nokia N9

Symbian Anna

Symbian Anna

Symbian Anna will ship as an update to existing Symbian^3 phones like the Nokia N8 in August 2011. New Symbian^3 phones like the Nokia N8 sold in July 2011 onwards will include Symbian Anna as well.

Nokia C2-02/C2-03/C2-06

Nokia C2-02 (Single SIM)

Nokia C2-03 (Dual SIM)

Nokia C2-06 (Selected Markets)

The Nokia C2-03 is the first “Touch and Type” dual SIM phones to feature easy swapping of 2nd SIM card. Nokia C2-02 is the single SIM version of C2-03. Nokia C2-06 is the Nokia C2-03 but with clean and smooth finish and come in colors such as Graphite, Golden Buff and Lilac but it will only be available in selected markets like India, China, Eurasia and Brazil. I think this whole Nokia C2 series is extremely confusing.

The estimated retail price of the Nokia C2-02 and C2-03 is approximately €75 (USD$105) and for the Nokia C2-06 it is €80 (USD$112).

Official Site: Nokia C2-02
Official Site: Nokia C2-03
Official Site: Nokia C2-06

Nokia Browser

Nokia Browser

Nokia Browser Press Image

Nokia Browser is essentially Nokia’s version of Opera Mini.

Features:

• Data compression saves time and moneyfor consumers by speeding up page downloads, and is more efficient for operators by reducing over the air traffic on bandwidth constrained networks.
• Makes favorite content easy to find with locally relevant information, the latest highlights and a list of popular web content that matters to you.
• Web apps take the Internet and optimize it for your phone, making the content easy to see and use.
• Makes the mobile web familiar by presenting country or operator specific start screens.

It also supports web apps:

• Series 40 web apps are a new and optimized way users can access their favorite Web content on their Series 40 phones. Web Tools for Series 40 makes it quick and easy to create web applications.
• Through web apps for Series 40 phones, developers can now access a much wider consumer base for their applications, driving even more revenue opportunities.

Nokia Browser for Series 40 is available in 87 languages and Nokia C2-02, Nokia C2-03 and Nokia C2-06 will come pre-installed with it.

Nokia Life Tools

Nokia Life Tools

Nokia Life Tools is designed to address information gaps so that consumers in emerging societies can be better informed and improve their livelihood, with targeted services for Healthcare, Agriculture, Entertainment and Education.

• Agriculture: Plan ahead, be more productive and make the most of the market with the weather forecast information, agriculture tips & techniques and regular updates of local market prices of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.
• Education: Improve your general knowledge and English through educational services delivered directly to mobile devices in your own language to boost your confidence.
• Healthcare: Improve your health and get to know more about motherhood and childcare, health & fitness and diseases.
• Entertainment: Personalise your phone with the latest ringtones, stay entertained with trivia such as jokes and check your astrological predictions with a daily astrology service.

A large selection of Nokia Series 30 and Series 40 devices offer the Nokia Life Tools services. Device compatibility is country specific. For example in Indonesia, the language available will be Bahasa Indonesia, all the 4 categories (Education, Agriculture, Entertainment and Healthcare) will be available and all GSM operators (Telkomsel, Indosat,XL, Hutch (3) and Axis) supports it.

Maps for Series 40

Maps for Series 40

1 liner to describe this, Nokia Maps is now also available for Series 40 mobile phones.

Features:

• Find your route, search and explore exciting places around the world.
• No download or installation needed: market relevant street maps and places shipped with the device.
• Low usage cost: search and plan your route offline and at zero cost.
• Broad reach: network-based positioning, no GPS required.
• SMS-based location sharing.
• Easy-to-use home screen to access all key features with one touch.

Nokia Play 360

Nokia Play 360

The Nokia Play 360 is a speaker that supports NFC and Bluetooth. Nokia has done an excellent job in using the NFC in the Nokia N9 to pair it with an NFC speaker and once it is paired, the sounds is stream via Bluetooth. Pairing is so simple using NFC as compared to Bluetooth. Just tap your Nokia N9 onto the top of the speaker and it is paired almost instantly and now the music can be stream wirelessly via Bluetooth.

Features:

• Loud and clear: 360 audio with deep bass and crisp details. Wireless stereo with two speakers.
• Party speaker: works with any device, yours and theirs. Bluetooth/3.5mm and NFC.
• Portable: 20+ hour play time with a rechargeable battery. Premium aluminum build for light weight.

Official Site: Nokia Play 360

Nokia Wireless Music Receiver MD-310

Nokia Wireless Music Receiver MD-310

The MD-310 is a wireless music receiver that comes with NFC and Bluetooth as well. You can play music from your phone, laptop or any other Bluetooth device on your home stereo, wirelessly and with high audio quality.

Features:

• CD quality audio with apt-X and SBC codec support
• Up to 100 m range with long range Bluetooth Class 1
• Simple to install and use

Official Site: Nokia Wireless Music Receiver MD-310

Press Releases:

• Affordability without compromise in three new Nokia phones
• Nokia shows its new strategy in action
• The Nokia N9: a unique all-screen smartphone

The Nokia X7 is not really an upgrade to any existing model, similar to the Nokia E6, it felt solid. It has a 4.0″ AMOLED capacitive touch screen and the body is made up of stainless steel. It will be the second mobile phone running on Symbian Anna after Nokia E6. It’s battery is non-removable.

Software Versions

The unique design about the Nokia X7 is the 4 corners of the phone. The 2 corners on 1 side contains the speakers and the other 2 corners on the other side are just dummy placeholders just to make it look more proportionate/even. The sound output from the Nokia X7 is pretty loud.

Side Of Nokia X7

It has 2 colors available, Dark Steel and Light Steel and is targeted for launch in June 2011 as well. Local pricing is not out yet but the RRP in Euros is €360 (~SGD$632).

Front – Light Steel (Left), Dark Steel (Right)

Back – Light Steel (Left), Dark Steel (Right)

Technical Specifications

• System: WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 and GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA Cat9, maximum speed up to 10.2 Mbps, HSUPA Cat5 2.0 Mbps
• OS: Symbian Anna
• Dimensions: 119.7 x 62.8 x 11.9 mm (L x W x H)
• Weight: 146 g
• Display: 4.0 inch AMOLED capacitive touch, widescreen 16:9, 640 x 360 pixels, 16M colors
• Memory: comes with 8 GB memorycard (support up to 32 GB) Internal user memory up to 350 MB
• Camera: 8 MP camera with dual LED flash, HD video
• Video Capture: HD video (720p, 25fp)
• WLAN: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
• HSDPA cat 9 up to 10.2 Mbps, HSUPA cat 5 up to 2.0 Mbps
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0

Not really a huge fan of this phone with regards to design, I still prefer the design of my Nokia N8.

Official Site: Nokia X7

Was invited to a blogger event for the preview of Nokia E6 and Nokia X7 (next post). The Nokia E6 will be out in June 2011 and with a RRP of SGD$570. For sales launch only the Black and Sliver color will be available. The White will be launched at a later date. Wonder does it face the same problem as Apple having “white” color, but of course the “official” answer I got from the product manager is no.

All 3 Colors Of Nokia E6 (Black – Left, Grey – Center, White – Right)

The Nokia E6 is an upgrade to my Nokia E72. The built remains the same (solid because of stainless steel), the battery cover is still made of metal and the screen is made up of scratch resistant glass.

The screen size is slightly bigger. The E72 is 2.36″ while the E6 is 2.46″ but one added improvement to it is that it is now a capacitive touch screen and it cramps in 640 x 480 pixels (325 ppi). Just for reference, iPhone 4 Retina display is 960 × 640 pixels (326 ppi).

Technical Specifications

• System: WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 and GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA Cat9, maximum speed up to 10.2 Mbps, HSUPA Cat5 2.0 Mbps
• OS: Symbian Anna
• Dimensions: 115.5 x 59 x 10.5 mm (L x W x H)
• Weight: 133g
• Display: 2.46″ TFT LCD, 640 x 480 pixels, 16M colors
• Battery: 1500mAh BP-4L
• Media Storage: 8GB mass memory, with up to 32GB with micro SD card
• Memory: RAM: 256MB, ROM: 1024MB
• Camera: 8 MP full focus, dual led flash
• WLAN: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0 with support for stereo headsets
• GPS: Positioning with GPS, A-GPS, WLAN and Cell-ID
• USB: Micro-USB 2.0 high speed for file transfers and charging, USB On-the-Go
• I/O: Nokia AV connector 3.5 mm for audio input/output and TV out
• Video capture: HD 720p @ 25 fps
• Video Playback: Video recording, Performance: encoding 25 fps, decoding 30 fps, File Formats: H.264, MPEG-4, VC-1, H.263, Real Video 10, ON2 VP6, Flash video
• Music Playback: FM radio, music player, Supported codecs: MP3,AAC,eAAC, eAAC+,WMA,AMR-WB- AMB-NB, Supported DRM: WM DRM, OMA DRM 2.0

Symbian Anna

It will be the first phone in the market to run the updated Symbian Anna.

New Icons In Symbian Anna

You Can Now Type URL In The “Always Visible” Address Bar

If you notice Anna starts with the letter “A”, I wonder will the next update be called “Betty” as what DK calls it.

Nokia E6 (Left), Nokia E72 (Right)

If you have been waiting for an upgrade to Nokia E72 because you need to stick to Symbian for some reasons, the Nokia E6 is definitely for you.

Official Site: Nokia E6

Location

It is located right at the end of The Shoppes (nearer to the Marina Bay Financial Center). It occupies quite a huge space at The Shoppes, it’s floor area is about 1,300m². It has more than 400 seats including 4 private rooms. The restaurants houses more than 100 employees with about 50 of them being chefs.

Todai is a US-Korean international seafood and sushi buffet restaurant and it was first opened in Santa Monica in 1985. Their international cuisines includes, Chinese, Japanese, Korea, Singaporea, Western, Italian, Brazilian Churrasco and Vietnamese.

Todai Singapore

I think Todai is similar to Pariss Buffet Restaurant, lots of variety but in terms of quality of food, Todai is so much better. That is because currently most of the chefs are from Korea.

Todai Restaurant Layout

There are about 20 zones as seen in the picture above, out of which are 8 main sections, Salads & Cold Cuts, Sushi Sashimi, Noddles, Italian Pizza & Pasta, Meat & Seafood, Brazilian Churassco, Desserts.

Seafood

Churassco

2 of the more popular sections are the seafood and churassco. You can only take 2 oysters from the seafood section at a time, but you can take as many times as you want. The grilled pineapple and sirloin steak from the churassco is awesome!

They also have a fish cutting ceremony once every week (during one of the weekday) where they brought in the freshly flown fish and slice it up on the spot for sashimi.

If you are looking for a private company dinner, they also have 4 private rooms for you with no additional surcharge but of course subject to availability.

Last but not least, the reason why Todai hold a blogger event because they want us to help spread the word to emphasis that the food they bring in are not from Japan and does not contain any radioactive materials.

I have no idea why people in Singapore are so concern about food from Japan containing radioactive materials. My family is in the food business and I can say that Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) is very anal (in a good way) when it comes to food safety. So have some faith with the food in Singapore!

My personal opinion of Todai is food is good, lots of variety, ingredients are fresh and food are freshly prepared (they do not use MSG). Large sitting area which is good for both personal and corporate events and most importantly prices are reasonable.

Prices

• Lunch:
  • Mondays to Thursdays – SGD$42++ (Adult), SGD$22++ (Child)
  • Fridays to Sundays, Eve of Public Holidays, Public Holidays – SGD$58++ (Adult), SGD$26++ (Child)
• Dinner
  • Mondays to Thursdays – SGD$54++ (Adult), SGD$26++ (Child)
  • Fridays to Sundays, Eve of Public Holidays, Public Holidays – SGD$58++ (Adult), SGD$26++ (Child)

Opening Hours – Daily

• Lunch: 11.30am to 4.30pm (last order at 4pm)
• Dinner: 5.30pm to 11pm (last order at 10.30pm)

Contact Information

• Telephone: +65 6688 7771
• Website: http://www.todaisingapore.com/

Glass House Belonging To Orgo

Sony Ericsson showed us 3 phones:

• Xperia Arc
• Xperia Neo
• Xperia Play

Xperia Arc

Xperia Arc

Arc is the successor to the Xperia X10 and features some cool stuff like:

• Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine
  Enhanced contrast. Richer colours. Less image noise. It reduces light reflection and thus the picture stays clear when you’re outdoors.
• Sony’s Exmor R
  Sony’s Exmor R for mobile CMOS sensor lets you capture high-quality, bright pictures and videos in poor light conditions. The camera has an aperture of f2.4.
• All Black Display in Standby
  When you phone is in standby mode, it’s screen is being camouflage with the rest of the phone because of the All Black Display.
• No Air Gap Display
  When you look at your screen at an angle, you will notice that there is a gap between the display and the touch screen. Because of the No Air Gap Display, the arc does not have this.

You can start pre-ordering the Arc at the Sony Ericsson Concept Stores located at Ang Mo Kio Hub or Parkway Parade or at your respective telcos, SingTel, m1 or StarHub. It comes with a Montblanc leather case and no word on the pricing yet! (Thanks To Justin Lee for the info)

Xperia Neo

Xperia Neo

Neo is the successor to the Vivaz, it is targeted at the mid-range market but it also comes with the “Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine” and “Sony’s Exmor R”. It’s screen is slightly smaller at 3.7″ when compared to the Arc of 4.2″.

Xperia Play

Xperia Play

Play is dubbed the PlayStation Phone, but in fact, it is a phone which is PlayStation Certified. Going forward, other handsets manufacturer are able to make their own “PlayStation Phone” and get it certified from Sony Computer Entertainment. It features a “Real game controller” which is basically dedicated gaming keys, shoulder buttons and an analogue touch joystick. It also provides stereo sound and support for multi-player gaming.

• HP Pavilion dv4
• HP Pavilion dv6
• HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC
• HP Pavilion g4
• HPx2301 Micro Thin LED monitor

Everybody On is HP’s new marketing campaign. This new campaign is the next chapter of HP’s marketing vision, spanning music, fashion, community activism, business and is supported by an integrated marketing campaign featuring print, broadcast, online and social media, and builds on the highly acclaimed “The Computer is Personal Again” campaign.

The new campaign celebrates how people around the world are using HP technology to connect to their world and achieve their personal and professional passions, and features passionate individuals such as 12-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys and singer, song-writer and composer JJ Lin. Both share a passion for music and recognize the importance of technology in enabling their audiences to hear their songs exactly as they recorded them.

HP Pavilion dv4

HP Pavilion dv4

Designed to maximize any user‘s multimedia experience, it expresses full PC functionality and performance with up to second-generation Intel Core i5 processors and powerful AMD Radeon 6750M graphics.

With a stylish exterior in an Espresso Black lattice imprint to match its powerful interior, the notebook measures from 1.11-inch thin and weighs from 2.2-kilos. It features a 14.0-inch diagonal HD BrightView display and has an optional integrated Blu-Ray player. An integrated six-cell battery provides up to 6 hours of battery life.

The HP Pavilion dv4 starts from SGD$1,299 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore.

Official Site: HP Pavilion dv4
Brochure: HP Pavilion dv4

HP Pavilion dv6

HP Pavilion dv6

At the forefront of the redesigned lineup, the Pavilion dv6 offers performance, entertainment and security features that work together to fit seamlessly into the lives of users. Available in a dark umber metal finish, it uses design elements from the award-winning ENVY line such as a sleek metal finish and HP‘s exclusive Beats Audio.

Beats Audio, which was created by Beats by Dr. Dre co-founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, restores the emotion that is missing from digital music. Working in collaboration with HP, Iovine and Dr. Dre tuned and applied the signature Beats sound profile across HP’s premium notebook and desktop lines to provide the optimal sound experience – the way the artist intended it – when playing music or audio through headphones or external speakers. The Pavilion dv6 also includes newly optimized on-board quad speakers.

Available with second-generation Intel Core i7 processors and AMD Radeon graphics, the Pavilion dv6 provides enhanced performance. HP CoolSense Technology combines advanced hardware and intelligent cooling software for a notebook that feels noticeably cooler. The technology automatically adjusts cooling levels according to a customer‘s personal preferences.

To help protect personal information and simplify password management, the Pavilion dv6 also includes HP SimplePass, providing secure access to online accounts and passwords with the swipe of a finger. Designed with security and protection in mind, all HP Pavilion dv series notebook PCs feature HP ProtectSmart, which helps to lock the hard drive to secure photos, music and memories, and protects against accidental drops.

The HP Pavilion dv6 starts from SGD$1,799 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore.

Official Site: HP Pavilion dv6
Brochure: HP Pavilion dv6

HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC

HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC

The new HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC offers consumers increased range of motion, superior viewing and an intuitive touch experience with a 23-inch diagonal high-definition (HD) display that reclines up to 60 degrees and tilts forward up to five degrees.

The wide-angle, LED backlit LCD screen provides optimal viewing angles, even when reclined, while multi-touch technology allows for an accurate response.

With its refined industrial design and the latest version of HP TouchSmart software, the TouchSmart610 Consumer PC has touch-optimized applications from Facebook, Twitter, as well as HP’s exclusive RecipeBox, webcam and music applications where users can add new applications via the TouchSmart Apps Center. For the gaming enthusiast, select models of the TouchSmart610 Consumer PC are available with an exclusive HP touch-enabled version of Ubisoft’s real-time strategy game, R.U.S.E.. It also features Beats Audio and the new HP LinkUp application for users to wirelessly link a notebook PC to the TouchSmart using a home network.

The HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC starts from S$1,899 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore.

Official Site: HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC
Brochure: HP TouchSmart610 Consumer PC

HP Pavilion g4

HP Pavilion g4

Striking a balance between design, performance and affordability, the new HP Pavilion g4 is ideal for the everyday user, offering second-generation Intel Core i5 processors, attractive designs and essential features at a great value. Available in charcoal grey and sonoma red, the Pavilion g4 offers full connectivity for surfing the Internet and connecting with friends. The notebook also include a HD BrightView display, with Altec Lansing speakers and SRS Premium Audio for enjoying movies and music.

The HP Pavilion g4 starts from SGD$1,099 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore.

Official Site: HP Pavilion g4
Brochure: HP Pavilion g4

HPx2301 Micro Thin LED monitor

HPx2301 Micro Thin LED monitor

The limited edition, stunning, multi-faceted 23 inch HP x2301 Micro Thin LED monitor, features LED backlighting which illuminates the display and an edge lit illumination around the screen. The HP x2301 Micro Thin LED monitor comes in a sleek, slim and sophisticated profile and full HD resolution. With its fast response time, extremely high dynamic contrast ratio and HP HD BrightView technology, the powerful monitor comes mounted on a translucent aquamarine base while allowing users to view crisp, sharp and detailed imagery for all their entertainment experiences.

The HPx2301 Micro Thin LED monitor starts from S$499 and will be available from March 2011 in Singapore.

The main feature of the LG Optimus 2X is the dual core NVIDIA TEGRA 2 Processor running at 1GHz and the overall experience of the phone is indeed snappy. If a stock Android ROM instead, I am sure it will be even faster. I am not a fan of any manufacturer customizing their own Android UI. I just prefer the stock Android UI. Having said that, the LG Android UI do have some similarities with the Samsung TouchWhiz UI.

The LG Optimus Black, it is using an IPS LCD capacitive 4″ touchscreen and said to have an excellent display called Nova Display which has 700 Nits whereas the iPhone 4 only has 500 Nits.

The Nit is a unit of visible-light intensity, commonly used to specify the brightness of a cathode ray tube or liquid crystal display computer display.

This is the first time I am hearing the term Nit and personally I can’t seem to notice any difference between the brightness of the screen on the LG Optimus Black and iPhone 4.

Entrance Of Black

iPhone 4 vs LG Optimus Black

iPhone 4 vs LG Optimus 2X

The CIA will focus on developing new curricula, courses, and events that will enhance the imaging experience of programme participants. Courses planned for 2011 include basic photography, intermediate photography, strobist, studio lighting, creative photography and editing with DPP courses. The CIA will also introduce videography courses in 2011 to meet the increasing demand of enthusiasts who enjoy creating movies using Canon’s LEGRIA camcorders. For those who prefer a greater emphasis on hands-on experience, the CIA will also offer photography outings and overseas photo clinics. Each of the courses are designed to suit the varying skill-levels of participants from beginners to intermediate.

The CIA is part of the expansion and restructuring of Canon’s current facility, the Canon Digital Lab. The Canon Digital Lab was launched in 2004 and has benefited more than 150,000 people to date. It will continue to focus on providing free product-familiarisation sessions to get users up to speed with their Canon products, and serve as a satellite showroom where services include the redemption of free gifts-with-purchases.

Press Release: Engage, Educate and Enrich @ the Canon Imaging Academy

There are a total of 27 new products that is being launch from the IXUS/PowerShot Series, EOS Series, LEGRIA Series, XA Series (new), EF Lenses, Speedlite Flashes and PIXMA Series.

Some of which is available today onwards at the IT Show 2011 at Suntec City like the IXUS 115 HS, EOS 600D, LEGRIA FS46, LEGRIA FS406, LEGRIA HF R26, LEGRIA HF R28, LEGRIA HF R28, LEGRIA HF M400, LEGRIA HF M41.

IXUS And PowerShot Series

• IXUS 310 HS (Price: TBA) (Availability: End March 2011)

  The successor to the popular IXUS 300 HS, with its F2.0 wide aperture which enables faster shutter speed to prevent camera shake, while blurring the background to make the subject stand out. Additional modes such as Aperture Prority (Av) and Shutter Priority (Tv) have been added to the IXUS 310 HS.

• IXUS 220 HS (SGD$399)
• IXUS 115 HS (SGD$299)
• PowerShot SX 230 HS (Price: TBA) (Availability: End March 2011)

  The PowerShot SX 230 HS boasts a telephoto lens of 14x optical zoom, thus providing users a focal range of 28mm to 392mm, making them ideal for either close-ups or wide shots. It comes with a built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) feature with geo-tagging that allows users to easily tag and identify photographs from anywhere in the world. It also features the Canon HS System, allowing for sharp and stunning photos to be taken under challenging light conditions.

• PowerShot A3300 IS (SGD$299)
• PowerShot A3200 IS (SGD$249)
• PowerShot A2200 (SGD$199)
• PowerShot A1200 (SGD$169)

Press Release: Canon refreshes the IXUS and PowerShot range of cameras, places photography in everyone’s hands

EOS Series

• EOS 600D Body (SGD$1,199)
• EOS 600D Kit I (EF S18-55 IS II) (SGD$1,399)
• EOS 600D Kit II (EF S18-135IS) (SGD$1,749)
• EOS 1100D with EF 18-55mm IS II Kit Lens (Price: TBA) (Availability: Late March 2011)

  EOS 1100D come equipped with Basic+, a new feature designed to help users in achieving fuss-free and higher quality images. With Basic+, photography is simplified as users can opt for simpler settings like “warm”, “soft” or “vivid”. The camera will then adjust its settings to achieve the desired settings. For those who prefer conventional options, settings such as “colour saturation” or “white balance” are still available.

  The EOS 1100D comes with a 2.7-inch, 230,000 dot Wide Angle Viewing TFT LCD and is able to capture HD movies at 1280 x 720 resolution.

  A new design element is the availability of four colours for the EOS 1100D. The camera is available in red, brown, metallic gray and black, and will ship with matching straps.

Press Release: Canon redefines DSLR photography for the masses

LEGRIA Series

• LEGRIA FS46 (SGD$599)
• LEGRIA FS406 (SGD$499)
• LEGRIA HF R26 (SGD$849)
• LEGRIA HF R28 (SGD$1,049)
• LEGRIA HF M400 (SGD$1,149)
• LEGRIA HF M41 (SGD$1,449)
• LEGRIA HF G10 (Price: TBA) (Availability: TBA)

  This camcorder features an 8-blade iris providing smooth background blur and reduced lens diffraction. The lens also includes a dedicated manual-focus ring for enhanced control. A Custom Key and Dial can also be used to assign commonly used functions for quick and easy access. The LEGRIA HF G10 also comes with 32GB of internal flash memory and dual SDXC-compatible card slots which allow for simultaneous card recording enabling users to create immediate back-up.

• LEGRIA HF S30 (Price: TBA) (Availability: TBA)

  This camcorder captures Full HD 1920 x 1080 video and features a Canon 10x HD Video Lens and a Canon 1/2.6-inch, 8.59-megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor for stunning video and outstanding eight megapixel photos. Equipped with 32GB of internal memory and two SDXC-compatible card slots, the camcorder features Canon’s 3.5-inch High Resolution (922,000-dot) Touch Panel LCD screen and a color viewfinder. It also includes a host of professional features such as color bars and selectable Zebra patterns, a built-in Remote Control Terminal (which supports LANC protocol), and Native 24p recording.

Press Release: Inspiring budding movie makers with the new Cinema Style in Canon’s latest LEGRIA camcorders

XA Series (Portable Professional Camcorder)
The XA10 combines the power of a professional video camera with the convenient and compact form factor of a consumer camcorder

• XA10 (Price: TBA) (Availability: April 2011)
  • AVCHD Flash Memory Camcorder
  • 64GB internal Flash Memory with dual memory card slots
  • HD CMOS Pro imaging sensor
  • 30.4mm wide angle 10x zoom lens
  • 8 bladed iris aperture
  • Detachable Handle unit with XLR connectors (x2), microphone holder, cold shoe, handle zoom, start/stop button, tally lamp, IR light & sound adjustments
  • Infra-Red camera supported (built-in IR light, IR cut-off filter
  • Full manual controls
  • Focus Ring, Custom key and Dial, assignable buttons
  • Auto Dynamic Range Control
  • Cinema-Look Filters
  • Story Creator
  • Touch Decoration
  • Medium-speed AF
  • Sliding Electronic Viewfinder display 0.24″ (approx. 260 000 dots)
  • High quality built-in microphone
  • Face detection technology with Face-only AF
  • Smart Auto mode
  • Video snapshot mode with sound mixing & ratings
  • Pixella ImageMixer software featuring direct to web video uploading
  • Simultaneous Dual slot recording

Press Release: Designed for Mobility, Built for Hollywood – Canon launches the First of a New Portable Professional Camcorder Series – the XA10

EF Lenses

• EF 600mm F/4L IS II USM (Price: TBA) (Availability: TBA)

  Built from magnesium alloy constructions with titanium components, it has a 27% reduction (1.4kg) in weight compared to its predecessor.

• EF 500mm F/4L IS II USM (Price: TBA) (Availability: TBA)

  Built from magnesium alloy constructions with titanium components, it has a 17% reduction (680g) in weight compared to its predecessor.

• EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 IS II (bundled with EOS 600D and EOS1100D kits)

  Designed as the successor to the EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 IS, the EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 IS II includes an optimised control algorithm that has been aligned with the Image Stabilizer structure and characteristics, achieving image stabilisation equivalent to approximately four shutter-speed stops.

Speedlite Flashes

• Speedlite 320EX (SGD$389) (Availability: TBA)

  Built with a Video Light function, it enable users to illuminate low light scenes continuously when capturing HD video. Specially created for the new EOS 1100D and EOS 600D, the Speedlite 320EX has an Auto Light mode which ensures that the LED light automatically turns on or off according to the ambient light of the scene when in Movie mode.

  An LED flash offers a guide number of 32 (m/ISO 100), as well as the ability to change the flash coverage from 24mm to 50mm by manually extending or retracting the flash head. The flash head can also be rotated for more flexible bounce (flash) shooting, creating a wider variety of lighting effects.

  It also features the Remote Release functionality, allowing users to trigger their camera from the flash.

• Speedlite 270EX II (SGD$269) (Availability: TBA)

  It is a high-power flash with a guide number of 27 (m/ISO 100) and fast, silent recycling between shots. Flash settings can be manually controlled through the camera menu system. It has an additional slave capability, allowing for creative, off-camera use. A new Remote Release function also wirelessly triggers the shutter release on a compatible EOS DSLR.

Press Release: Setting New Benchmarks: Canon Launches Three New EF Lenses and Two EX Speedlites

PIXMA Series

• PIXMA iX6560 (SGD$499) (Availability: End April)

  The PIXMA iX6560 represents the best of a dedicated A3+ size office printer, printing ultra-sharp quality prints of up to 9600 x 2400 dpi by deploying microscopic droplets as small as 1 pico-litre, which is virtually grain-free.

  Canon has adopted the new ISO/IEC 24734 print speed standard, which means the PIXMA iX6560 can print a borderless 4×6” photo in 36 seconds and print photos up to A3+ size in 2 minutes.

  This printer can also achieve document print speeds of approximately 11.3ipm and 8.8ipm for monochrome and colour documents respectively.

Press Release: Size does matter: Go beyond basic printing with the PIXMA iX6560 inkjet business printer