Computer Active India - April 2014

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(1)Windows XP Survival Guide. Get a Faster Home Network. ` 120 A EXTRRES U T FEAXTRA E ES PAG ALUE. EV MOR MONEY FOR. April 2014, Vol. 9, Issue 4. YOUR PC. CAN GO EVEN. FASTER. Best speed tips no one ever told you about Make old PCs last longer Remove hidden junk. Stop things taking ages. Fastest hardware, cheapest prices. ....Oh, and you can get faster broadband too! PLUS. LENOVO YOGA TABLET 8 Lenovo’s First Multimode Yoga Tablet born. LG G FLEX. A curvy smartphone from the future.

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(3) Brought to you in India by.... MEDIAMAN INFOTECH PVT. LTD. 14 th floor , Goldfilled Tower B , Sion Bandra Link Road ,Sant Rohildas Marg, Sion , Mumbai 400017. Tel.: +91-22-24061200 E-mail: [email protected] =+0$'$%$'=$1*$/24(=$42'$=+7%$1(59$4=+23$/=+(11$,=+$1',*$4+=2&+,1=2,0%$624( =(+4$'71=(/+,=79$+$6,=74*$21=24$.+374=2$=7%/,=1'24(=$,374=$007=$05+('374 =$//$1'+$4=2/.$66$=$1374=7&.129=70%$,=$*374=$5,.=$61$=$49$122=21'&+(44:=71( = $374= $-.26= $1&+,=!(&71'4$%$'=!74$6="4,8$1'470=#,5+$.+$3$61$0=#,-$:$9$'$. website: www.mediaman.co.in Facebook:+663)$&(%22.&200(',$0$1&2,1.

(4) Welcome From the Editor Microsoft will be ending support for windows XP from 8th April. In a three part survival guide starting this issue, we explain what’s happening and what it means for you. On other pages, find. Vol. 9 Issue 4. out what’s making your computer run slowly and then speed it up.. Editor & Publisher Amit Tewari Senior Feature Writer Kunal Gangar. I hope you enjoy reading this issue, as much as we enjoyed putting it together.. Contributors Daniel Booth, Alian Lu, Sherwin Coetho, James Temperton, Scott Colvey, Graham Brown. Amit Tewari, Editor. [email protected]. p52 p56. Creative Director & Head Production Atul Bandekar Designer Prakash Gavnang Image Desk Deepak Narkar, Ravi Parmar Illustrators Ian Jackson, Nick Palmer, Tom Steyer, Ajay Paradkar Photography Mahesh Reddy, Sharonjit Samrai Asstt. Operations Manager Circulation Sanjeev Roy. p42. Asstt. Circulation Manager Kapil Kaushik, Delhi Subscription Supervisor - Print Sachin Kelkar Tel: +91-22-43525220 Fax: +91-22-24955394 Email: [email protected]. p32. p30. Branch offices Ahmedabad 305, 3rd Floor, AEON Complex Near Angira Society, Vijay Cross Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009 Tel: + 91 79 26405061/2/3 Bengaluru Unit No. 509, 5th Floor ‘B’ Wing, Mittal Towers, MG Road, Bangalore -560001, India Tel: +91 80 66110116/17 Fax: + 91 80 41472574 Chennai Unit No. 20, 3rd Floor, Modern Towers, No. 35/23 West Cott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600014. Tel: + 91 44 39149889 Fax: + 91 44 39149892 Hyderabad Richard G.C., Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation) Mobile no. 09949217127. Kolkata Vidyasagar Gupta, Territory Sales Incharge (Circulation). Mobile no. 09804085683 New Delhi 26-B, Ground Floor, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase-III, New Delhi - 110020. Tel: +91 11 4234 6600 / 6678 Fax: + 91 11 4234 6679 Pune 401B, Gandhi Empire, 2, Sareen Estate, Kondhwa Road, Pune 411040. Tel: + 91 20 32930291 Fax: + 91 20 26830465 Mumbai 2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013 Tel: +91 22 43525252 Fax: +91 22 24955394. Editorial email addresses Sorry, but we can only give technical help and consumer advice through published replies in the magazine – we cannot take phone calls or answer letters personally. For subscription enquiries, see the details above. For editorial enquiries, please write at the email addresses given below.. Opinion, feedback and enquiries: [email protected] Technical help: [email protected]. Visit our website: www.computeractive.in 4. Computer active April 2014. Apple Newsstand & Magzter Queries: [email protected] Zinio Subscriptions Queries: http://in.zinio.com/help/index.jsp For Pocket Mags Queries: [email protected] DISCLAIMER Readers are reminded that the opinions expressed, and the results published in connection with reviews and/or laboratory test reports carried out on computing systems and/or related items, are confined to, and are representative of, only those goods as supplied and should not be construed as a recommendation to purchase. Whilst every precaution is taken to ensure that reliability and good business practices prevail, the Publisher cannot be held responsible for the overall trading activities of any supplier referred to, or advertising within, this publication. Next Gen Publishing Ltd. 2nd Floor, C Wing , Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013 Tel: +91-22-43525252 Fax: +91-22-24955394 Email: [email protected]. © 2013 Dennis Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. Published with the permission of Dennis Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part without prior written permission from Dennis Publishing Ltd & NGPL with regard to their respective content is prohibited. Printed by Amit Tewari Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Published by Amit Tewari on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Mar, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. Printed at Kalajyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013.. Editor : Amit Tewari.

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(6) Contents. April 2014 [ Issue 4. In this issue…. YOUR PC. YOUR PC CAN GO 42 EVEN FASTER Find out what’s making your. CAN GO EVEN. computer run slowly, then get it going faster than ever before with our’s expert tweaks and upgrades Play all your music anywhere you like Enjoy your entire music collection on any device whenever you want. FASTER. 48. The 10 stupidest things in Windows Windows is riddled with unfriendly controls. we explain how to avoid Ctrl+Alt+Del and other idiotic flaws. 50. Windows XP Survival 52 Guide-Part 1 In the first of a three-part series. Find out what’s making your computer run slowly, then get it going faster than ever before with our’s expert tweaks and upgrades. Scariest new ways to get hacked 58 Hacking now comes in lots of different forms. we find out the 14 worst things hackers. on how you can survive the end of support for XP. can do – so far. Get a faster 56 Home network Don’t pay for a new router. we show. Control your PC’s power and 62 save money Energy prices may have skyrocketed, but you can. you how to get nippier network connections without upgrading. cut your bills by reducing how much power your PC wastes. we explains what you should do. In every issue… 4. Welcome. 87 Problems Solved. 8. Letters. 93 Fast Fixes. 10 News. 94 Jargon Buster. 24 Protect Your Tech. 95 The Final Straw. 27 Best Free Software. 97 IMS QUIZ. Get a faster Home network p56. 61 What’s All the Fuss About?. Windows XP Survival Guide-Part 1 6. Computer active April 2014. p52.

(7) Contents Reviews 28 HP DeskJet 2520hc 29 Asha 502 ASRock H61 Pro BTC Motherboard 30 Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 31 LaCie Rugged Triple USB 3.0 HDD. Asha 502. p29. Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8. p30. 32 LG G Flex 33 Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti GPU 34 D-Link DCS-825L Baby Camera Epson EH-TW5200 Projector 36 SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive Strontium 64GB microSDXC card 38 Sony VAIO Flip 13 39 Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. LG G Flex p32. Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. p39. 40 Google Chromecast JBL Flip 2. Workshops 22 pages of brilliant workshops 65 Get a free tablet office suite with CloudOn 68 Read your webmail offline with Thunderbird 70 Master the new iOS 7 on iPhone and iPad 72 Send huge files with Hightail 73 Hack Windows Media Player to share your media 76 Master Chrome on iPad and iPhone. 78 Make a private social network with Path 80 Learn how to create a tilt-shift photo PLUS 81 Readers’ Tips 82 Tablet & Phone Tips 84 Make Windows Better 85 Make Office Better 86 Secret Tips For... OneNote. April 2014 Computer active. 7.

(8) Letters This is with reference to the article that appeared in computer active December 2013 issue. What’s the best OS ever? And the comment by a reader Mr.Peter Goms. I am a hobbyist and interested in old vintage Hindi Music and so are my other old vintage music lover friends. Most of this category people are old senior citizens. The old music is a past time for us. I am using windows XP for the last couple of years. I find it very useful tool. I can load my music files at any of the PCs hard disc drives without having any problem and can open the same from any of the music player of my choice. But I think this is not the case with Windows 7 or Windows 8. Once I opened a Window Media Player in Windows 7 which pointed to organize the music files as per the default of Window Media Player. (I may be wrong also). In Windows XP OS it is simple to operate the music files in a simple way without having unnecessary complication. People like us are deterred to use advance Windows 7 or Windows 8 OS for such music hobby purpose. The advance system will be useful for other users but not us. At the most we may use the computer to load the photos to PC from digital camera. For that Microsoft should keep the option to users to use either of the Operating Systems rather than totally rejecting Windows XP. They may charge for updating the XP file.. Tell us what’s on your mind Email: [email protected] Post: Letters,CA, Next Gen Publishing Ltd., 2nd Floor, C Wing, Trade World, Kamala Mills Compound, S. B. Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400013. We cannot offer technical assistance or reply personally to correspondence but all letters are read by our staff. Letters and emails may be edited for publication on this page. Please mark your message ‘not for publication’ if you would prefer it not to be shared.. STAR LETTER. Chromebook’s battery is ‘puny’ I notice that Google has launched another Chromebook – the HP 11 (www.snipca.com/10274). They say it’s “for everyone”. I’d say it’s only for people who don’t mind recharging their laptop every couple of hours. People say it’s cheap. I’d say it’s a false economy because you’ll probably end up spending more than that on electricity. I bought a Chromebook last year and now wish I hadn’t. It simply has the puniest battery of any laptop I’ve ever used. Yes, it’s fast and simple. It’s good for people whose web life revolves around Google’s services, and it’s stylish. of users who would be opted to purchase the genuine software from the Microsoft Company. The nero media player is also one the best music player for hobbyists. nero informs users to purchase Nero mp3 PRO software for mp3 music. However, when enquiry is made to them on line for the purchase, they offer a very advance version of software for music, videos and photos etc. which may not be much useful for us. Even the recording of cassettes music as. and light. But you can’t rely on a single charge to last all day, for example. So be warned before you fall for Google’s tempting marketing. Deepak More. provided in the old version of nero media palyaer. is available or not available in the new version, is not known. Windows OS has also withdrawn the facility of License for playing cda. format of music files in Window Media Player and the other music players. There are very good computer engineers and technicians in our country, would anybody be kind enough to guide us in the matter.. Those customers who have purchased the new computers on the basis of XP OS will be in troubles. I think one more suggestion if Microsoft slashes the cost of the Windows XP software instead of closing it, there would be thousands. 8. Computer active April 2014. Last month’s winner: Jay singh.

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(10) News. Round up of the top stories of the month. Gionee launches World’s Slimmest Smartphone ELIFE S5.5 in India ionee, the leading global designer and manufacturer of mobile devices launched the World’s Slimmest Smartphone - ELIFE S5.5 in India. Named after its biggest feature a 5.55mm slim body. The path breaking innovative smartphone ELIFE S5.5 is going to hit India market by mid April 2014. The ELIFE S series is a new product category developed through Gionee’s deep understanding of customers’ desire for a slim and powerful smartphone to also act as a fashionable accessory. The ELIFE S series products will incorporate an emphasis on design without compromising. G. the hardware and software of a smartphone to create a whole new user experience. The phone specifications include 5.0” Super AMOLED Plus display, Octa- Core 1.7GHz CPU,Single SIM, 13.0MP AF rear and 5.0MP AF front Camera, AMIGO OS 2.0 (based on Android OS, V4.2) 16GB on board memory with 2GB of RAM. The phone measures 145.1 x 70.2 x 5.55mm and comes with a non-removable 2300mAh Battery. The GIONEE ELIFE S5.5 is available in Black, White, Blue, Pink, and Purple. ELIFE S 5.5 will be available at the price of INR 22, 999 in India.. Sony brings large screen Xperia T2 Ultra at an affordable price Sony India has launched Xperia T2 Ultra. Designed specifically with customers from emerging markets in China, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific rim in mind, Xperia T2 Ultra brings together the best of Sony’s imaging and display technologies with ground-breaking design efficiency to produce a stunning Android smartphone at a mid-range price point. Xperia T2 Ultra’s stunning 6” HD IPS TRILUMINOS display extends to within 2.5 mm of the phone’s edges. This means that it has a screen to phone size ratio of 73.6%, both making the most of the space available and ensuring that the phone is no wider than a standard credit card. It is also both slim (7.6 mm) and light (weighing only 173 ± 1g depending on variant differences), fitting easily in a. 10. Computer active April 2014. jacket pocket. Big, bright screens can often use a lot of power, but that’s not a problem with Xperia T2 Ultra, Sony has ensured that it is ready to go the distance by incorporating a battery-efficient processor and massive 3000 mAh battery. Xperia T2 Ultra features a 13 megapixel camera. Xperia T2 Ultra dual (the only variant available in India) offers a new experience through the incorporation of Sony’s latest. generation of dual SIM mobile technology. Users can set up both SIM cards independently with custom ring tones and one-touch switching between SIMs before making calls or sending texts..

(11) First Android-powered Nokia X now available in India Nokia has announced that the Nokia X, part of the new Nokia X family of affordable smartphones that run Android™ apps, will begin selling in India. The new Nokia X family that includes Nokia X, Nokia X+ and Nokia XL is the perfect introduction to the world of Android apps, coupled with signature Nokia experiences, and the most popular Microsoft services. Nokia X comes with Fastlane, a screen which lets people switch between their favorite apps more smoothly. People can access curated, quality-tested apps from Nokia Store, more than a dozen thirdparty app stores and by side loading. All devices are also pre-loaded with a variety of very popular third-party apps and games such as BBM, Twitter, Facebook, Plants Vs. Zombies, etc. Out of the box, consumers can enjoy signature Nokia experiences including. free HERE Maps, with true offline maps and integrated turn-by-turn navigation, and Nokia MixRadio for free music streaming and downloadable playlists. The Nokia X is also an affordable introduction to popular Microsoft services, including 7GB free cloud storage using OneDrive and additional 3GB if consumers enable camera back up. Nokia X, a beautifully crafted smartphone with Nokia’s signature design approach and bold, bright colours. At only 10.4mm thin, the slim, durable monobody design features a 4” scratchproof display and exchangeable back covers that come in a variety of statement colours. Inside, the device runs on the Nokia X Software Platform and is powered by a1Ghz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. The dual SIM Nokia X will be available in India starting at Rs. 8599 MOP.. Canon new EOS 1200D targets families and first time users Canon India Pvt. Ltd., has launched the EOS 1200D in the Indian market. This entry-level DSLR offers advance control, images with sharp details, a host of easy-to-use features giving consumers the option of exploring Canon’s repertoire of more than 70 EF lenses. The new EOS 1200D is targeted at newcomers to the world of DSLR cameras, including families who want to capture their memories with superior quality, budding amateurs and even hobbyists looking to work on their photography skills with a user-friendly DSLR. By combining Canon’s powerful DIGIC 4 imaging processor and an 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, the EOS 1200D produces stunning photographs with a combination of sharp details and attractive background blur.. A key difference between taking photos on a smartphone or compact camera and on a DSLR is the availability of an optical viewfinder in the latter. The EOS 1200D has a highly-accurate 9-point Auto Focus (AF) system with center cross-type AF point enables accurate and rapid focusing on both horizontal and vertical planes. The EOS 1200D captures Full HD movies at up to 30 fps. Videos are shot with beautiful background blur effects and incorporate a higher dynamic range, a capability that a smartphone cannot achieve. Even in low light situations, the EOS 1200D is able to shoot videos at ISO speeds of up to 6400. The EOS 1200D will be available at all Canon Image Squares and leading retail outlets at a price of INR 30,995 (MRP) for the body only.. April 2014 Computer active. 11.

(12) News HTC unveils One (M8) smartphone HTC unveiled the highly anticipated new HTC One (M8), the ultimate evolution of the award-winning HTC One (M7). Launching in Gunmetal Gray with the all-new HTC Sense 6, the new HTC One (M8), boasts a high quality metal unibody with a Smart Sensor Hub that anticipates your needs and uses Motion Launch controls to make everyday tasks easier. New Duo Camera technology delivers creative, professionallooking photos and amazing effects, and HTC BoomSound again sets new standards for audio quality on a smartphone. The new HTC One’s body has been re-crafted to create an even more stunning yet approachable look. The beautiful, durable, high quality metal unibody flows right up to the 5-inch, full HD (1080p) display, tapering to thinner edges, with softer curves for a smooth, more natural grip. Supported by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.5 GHz quad-core Krait CPUs and running Android 4.4, KitKat, the latest version of the Android OS, the new HTC One (M8) features the all-new HTC Sense 6, available on the device and as an upgrade from the Google Play store. Completely redesigned with a cleaner, more striking visual style, HTC Sense 6 features bold, customisable colour themes and delivers a more intuitive, personalised user experience The new HTC One (M8) brings a totally. 12. Computer active April 2014. different dimension to mobile imaging by combining the world’s first smartphone with a Duo Camera that features HTC’s innovative HTC UltraPixel module, a dual colour flash and full 1080p HD video recording. A 5-MP wide-angle front facing camera also captures superior selfies with ease. With the introduction of HTC Sense 6, the new HTC One (M8) boasts capabilities that give the product a sixth sense. For example,. Motion Launch is immediately able to detect its position and movement, thanks to built-in motion sensors that allow you to interact with the phone without turning on the screen. A simple swipe will activate the device, Auto Answer allows you to answer a call by putting the phone to your ear without. touching the screen – a handy tool if the phone rings when you are digging the garden or washing the dishes – and a double tap turns the lock screen on and off. Taking that sixth sense functionality one step further you can extend Motion Launch by double tapping the dot view case, in addition to checking the time, weather, new texts, emails and calls - without touching or revealing the screen. The innovation doesn’t end there, as we are also changing how people use their phone battery. With the original HTC One (M7), HTC optimised power consumption so that you could get the most out of your phone. The new HTC One (M8) takes this to a whole new level making the battery power last 40% longer. Whilst normal power saving mode delivers a great experience, we have also included an Extreme power saving mode that makes your battery last even longer. Fully charged it will deliver 14 days’ worth of battery power, whilst still allowing you to receive calls, texts and emails – perfect for when you are travelling. Activated either manually or automatically, it delivers 60 hours of extra standby time at 20% power, 30 hours at 10% power and 15 hours at 5% power so, whether you are out late at night or hiking in the mountains, you never have to worry about running out of battery again. The HTC One (M8) will be available globally in Gunmetal Gray, Glacial Silver and will be rolled out in the South Asia region in the coming weeks..

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(14) News BenQ debuts two new short-throw classroom interactive projector solutions. BenQ, an internationally renowned provider of Interactive Classroom IQ solution and a leader in the global DLP projector market introduces their energy efficient and eco friendly classroom projectors MX823ST&MW824ST. The MX823ST & MW824ST feature. LumenCare Mode, which adjusts projector lamp power in gain steps until full power is reached. It is the first and only projection feature on that ensures three years of consistent image brightness for optimal learning and teaching. Along with the same,the LampSave Mode is designed to adjust the lamp power dynamically by content brightness level to extend projector lamp life significantly by 50% giving the total lamp hours of upto 10,000. The lamp replacement frequency is also reduced by up to 50% to lower the replacement costs. The wide range of connectivity options and availibity of PointWrite and QWrite interactive features make MX823ST& MW 824ST complete classroom interactive projector solution. Through PointWrite and QWrite interactive features teachers can get. up to 4 students to come up to the board and collaborate simultaneously with PointWrite pens to solve Quizzes, board work, presentations and games. The ultra-sharp contrast ratio of 13000:1, 3200 ANSI Lumens brightness and long lamp life guarantee vibrant, reliable visual performance time and again. Both MX 823ST & MW824STcomes with DLP technology that supports 3D functionality, ensuring an immersive learning experience to their students with a simple preparation of 3D glasses and 3D content from your blu-ray player. The MX823ST has a native resolution of XGA (1024 X 768) while the MW824ST has a native resolution of WXGA (1280 X 800).MX 823ST & MW824ST are available at a retail price of Rs 60000 & 65000 respectively.. Motorola launches Moto X, exclusively on Flipkart Moto X represents the best of Motorola and Google, and it’s available to Indian customers exclusively through Flipkart.com from 19th March, 2014. Moto X has a unique curved back, designed to fit your hand. With Google Now, Moto X tells you what you need to know when you need to know it. With two flicks of your wrist, Moto X becomes your camera and captures the shots you used to miss. It’s ready when you are. To use your Moto X, you only need your voice. Without touching it at all, you can get directions, set an alarm or do just about anything— just by talking. Moto X is always ready to tell you what you need to know. Instead of a uselessly blinking light, Moto X gives you useful info at a glance with Active. 14. Computer active April 2014. Notifications, which appear right on screen. Moto X knows you need a camera, and it’s always ready to go. Just twist your wrist twice and it’s ready. Touch anywhere on the screen, and you’ll get the shot. All in just a few seconds. Continuous shooting capabilities, as well as a ten megapixel camera, mean the photos you do take are the ones you want. Moto X will be available in Woven Black and Woven White starting 19th March for INR 23,999. In early April, there will be three more color variations (Cherry Red, Royal Blue, and Turquoise Green) and two wood-finish editions (Walnut finish and Teak finish) would be priced at INR 25,999..

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(16) News Seagate launches new Backup Plus Portable Drives in India Seagate Technology has announced the second generation of its sleek external storage lineup, Seagate Backup Plus Slim. With a svelte compact design and superspeed USB 3.0 interface, the Backup Plus Slim drive is the ideal storage solution to aggregate and back up valued photos, videos and other files despite being spread across numerous devices, social networks and personal computers. This new offering includes the backup software, Seagate Dashboard, which made the first generation of Seagate® Backup Plus drives so popular. The Seagate Dashboard software provides an easy one-click backup solution, but can also be set as a scheduled backup up as needed. Additionally, the Dashboard software will back up Facebook and Flickr albums to ensure that even video and photos shared through these networks are backed up. and easy to find. Use the Save and Share features to download and upload content from these social media networks. Even all the photos you have been tagged in can be backed up from your social networks to the drive. Backup Plus external storage is available in a range of capacities to fit every size of job. The USB 3.0-powered, 2TB drive is the highest capacity drive fitting into a 12.1mm form factor. The metal-top case of these drives, available in red, blue, black and silver, is designed to resist scratches and fingerprints.. Seagate Backup Plus storage is available in stores by capacity: for Backup Plus Slim portable: 500GB Slim - INR4,250, 1TB Slim - INR6,000, 2TB Slim - INR10,500 and the 4TB Fast - INR25,000 MSRP.. SATranscend Launches SDXC/SDHC UHS-I Cards that support 4K Video Capture Transcend Informationhas launched SDXC/SDHC UHS-I cards featuring full support for the Ultra High Speed Class 3 (U3) specification . Capable of reaching incredible read and write speeds of up to 95MB/s and 85MB/s, Transcend’s SDXC/ SDHC UHS-I U3 cards provide the performance necessary to harness the full power of UHS U3-compliant digital recording equipment. Recently released by the SD Association, the Ultra High Speed Class 3 specification guarantees a minimum constant write speed of 30MB/s to facilitate cinema-quality video recording. Transcend’s SDXC UHS-I U3 and SDXC/ SDHC UHS-I U3X “Extreme” cards, however, can achieve at least double this performance with blazing-fast write speeds of up to 60MB/s and 85MB/s respectively. When used with today’s advanced camcorders, such as. 16. Computer active April 2014. the Sony 4K Handycam FDR-AX100, Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4, and Canon EOS C500 Cinema Camera, these cards ensure smooth 4K video capture in stunning color and clarity.. In devices that do not support the UHS-I specification, Transcend’s SDXC/SDHC UHS-I U3 cards offer constant write speeds of at least 10MB/s (SD Speed Class 10 performance), which makes them perfect for Full HD video recording as well as fast-action consecutive shooting. Pairing the new UHS-I U3 cards with Transcend’s RDF8 USB 3.0 multi-card reader or the handy RDF5 USB 3.0 card reader with built-in USB port significantly reduces the time it takes to transfer data from card to computer with read speeds of up to 95MB/s. Featuring capacities ranging from 32GB to an enormous 128GB, for added value, each Transcend memory card includes a free download of Transcend’s exclusive RecoveRx photo recovery software. All Transcend memory cards are fully tested for compatibility and reliability, and carry Transcend’s Lifetime Warranty..

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(18) News Lenovo unveils Thinkcentre m73 tiny desktop Lenovo, one of India’s leading PC players has unveiled the new ThinkCentre M73 Tiny, a compact, high performance desktop, perfect for modest workspaces. Starting at INR 28,500 plus taxes, the affordable desktop comes with VESA mount support, which allows the M73 Tiny the flexibility to fit anywhere in the workspace—on the desk, or behind a monitor. The 1L sized desktop weighs 2.9 pounds (1.3Kgs onwards), and is equipped with 4th generation Intel Core i processors that improve performance by 10%. The PC Cloud Manager 2 offers failure warnings, troubleshooting and power consumption reports to keep the PC healthy and green. The Intelligent Cooling Engine (ICE) 3.01 allows for working in hotter temperatures and enables system monitoring with thermal alerts that preempt overheating possibilities.. Kingston Launches MicroDuo Dual Interface USB Drive Kingston has announced the launch of its DataTraveler microDuo in India. In a small form factor, the microDuo is a combination of USB and microUSB Flash drive that allows consumers to expand the storage of their Android tablets and smartphones on-the-go. DataTraveler microDuo uses the microUSB port on devices – often used for charging – to expand. 18. Computer active April 2014. storage up to 64GB. This is especially helpful as more and more smartphones and some tablets come without a microSD card storage expansion slot. The drive can be used with any USB On-The-Go compatible device and the dual interface allows users to transfer files without plugging into a PC. Smartphones and tablets shoot hi-res photos and HD video, and with some devices now shooting 4K video, consumers can easily move large files, photos, videos and music off the device to free up space just like a normal Flash drive..

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(20) News Samsung unveils Galaxy S5 Samsung Electronics has introduced the Galaxy S5, blending features that matter most to consumers. The new Galaxy S5 offers consumers a refined experience with innovation of essential features for day-to-day use. The Galaxy S5 combines an advanced camera, the fast network connectivity, dedicated fitness tools and enhanced device protection features as consumers stay fit and connected in style. The Galaxy S5 blends iconic Samsung design with modern trends to appeal to a range of consumer tastes and interests. The Galaxy S5 features a perforated pattern on the back cover creating a modern glam look. Its new sleek, contoured shape comes in an array of vivid colors, including charcoal Black, shimmery White, electric Blue and copper Gold, to complement the style of the individual consumer. The new Galaxy S5 offers superior camera functionality, featuring a 16 megapixel camera with an enhanced menu and user interface that allow consumers to effortlessly take, edit and share photos. The Galaxy S5 offers the world’s fastest autofocus speed up to 0.3 seconds and the advanced High Dynamic Range (HDR) reproduces natural light and color with striking intensity at any occasion. The Galaxy S5 offers the fastest Wi-Fi performance available today, ensuring blazing fast data speeds for unrivaled media consumption and productivity. The Galaxy S5 supports fast 3G speeds at 42Mbps and it comes with a powerful Octa-core processor, capable of. 20. Computer active April 2014. operating all 8 cores at the same time, to deliver a seamless experience on the Galaxy S5. With the enhanced S Health 3.0, the new Galaxy S5 offers more tools to help people stay fit and well. It provides a. comprehensive personal fitness tracker to help users monitor and manage their behavior, along with additional tools including a pedometer, diet and exercise records, and a new, built-in heart rate sensor. The Galaxy S5 is IP67 dust and water resistant. It also offers a Finger Scanner, providing a secure, biometric screen. locking feature. The Ultra Power Saving Mode turns the display to black and white, and shuts down all unnecessary features to minimize the battery consumption. Expanding its industry-leading wearable line, Samsung has launched three incredible devices – Gear Fit, Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo that blend style, fitness and convenience to provide ultimate connectivity for the active mobile consumer.Samsung Gear Fit, the industry’s first curved Super AMOLED wearable device, empowers consumers to stay physically active without sacrificing personal style or mobile connectivity. The Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo are designed to take the freedom, convenience and style of wearable technology to the next level. The Samsung Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo offer consumers enhanced connectivity and a completely integrated approach for the most personal wearable experience. Both devices offer a lightweight design with a premium finish that reflects modern trends. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is priced between Rs. 51,000/- and Rs. 53.000/-. Galaxy Gear 2 is priced at Rs. 21,900/and both Galaxy Gear 2 Neo and Galaxy Gear Fit are priced at Rs. 15,900/- each. These devices will be available across India through Samsung’s retail stores and e-commerce sites on April 11, 2014..

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(24) Protect Your Tech Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools WATCH OUT FOR…. Security flaws in D-Link routers What happened? A researcher found security flaws in seven D-Link router models. It’s thought hackers could have used the weaknesses to take remote control of a router and modem and spy on people’s online activity. Writing on his blog (www.snipca. com/10334), Craig Heffner said the DIR-100 (pictured), DI-524, DI-524UP, DI-604S, DI-604UP, DI-604+ and TM-G5240 models were at risk. He also claimed two models made by Japanese company Planex (www.planex.net) were affected. The flaw, known as a backdoor, lets hackers bypass normal security authentication while remaining undetected. Fortunately, there’s no evidence it’s been exploited by hackers. Craig Heffner belongs to a group of hackers called /dev/ttys0 (www. devttys0.com), which delves into. devices such as routers and set-top boxes looking for vulnerabilities that companies should fix.. What should I do? If you use any of these routers you should install D-Link’s firmware updates to fix the flaws. At the time of going to press, the company said these would be available by the end of October. In a statement posted on its website (www.snipca. com/10335), D-Link wrote: “We are proactively working with the sources of these reports as well as continuing to review across the complete product line to ensure that the vulnerabilities discovered are addressed”. On the same webpage you’ll also find firmware updates to fix other vulnerabilities identified earlier this year. If you use. New tools Ashampoo has launched its first antivirus software since 2009, using malwareblocking technology from Bitdefender and Emsisoft. The program, which works with every version of Windows from XP to 8.1, contains all the necessary tools you need to stay safe, such as real-time protection, which thwarts attacks as they happen. What’s really impressive, though, is that it also contains two privacy tools from Ashampoo’s. 24. Computer active April 2014. any of the routers listed you should install the update now. We go along with D-Link’s advice, especially that you should ignore emails that claim your router is in danger of being hacked and prompt you to click a link. These emails will definitely be scams. You should also disable remote access to your router if you don’t need it.. Ashampoo Anti-Virus 2014 www.ashampoo.com/antivirus. WinOptimizer software (www.snipca.com/10363): File Wiper to erase files and folders, and Internet Cleaner to delete your browsing history. Ashampoo Anti-Virus comes in one, two and three-year packages, priced £29.99, £39.99 and £54.99 respectively. There’s also a free trial which lasts 10 days if you don’t register (30 days if you do). Helpfully, you don’t need to provide your credit-card details to sign up for the free trial..

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(26) CD Contents From the Editor Dear Readers, This month’s CD contains a multitude of productivity software. For music lovers, this month’s full software will be a treat. Enjoy. EDITOR PS:-Please reach us on [email protected] with your suggestions. Some of the software provided on this disc requires a product key from the publisher.. Full Software MP3 COVER FINDER OS : Windows XP/2003/2008/Vista/7/8/8.1. Productivity : q &WFSOPUF q3PCP5BTL. Utilities : q5VOF6Q6UJMJUJFT q*OőY1%'&EJUPS q+BWBWVQEBUF q 0QFSB q .JDSPTPGU0OF%SJWF q%SPQCPY. Multimedia & Entertainment : q1-&9.FEJB4FSWFS q J5VOFT q 8JOEPXT&TTFOUJBMT. 26. $PNQVUFSBDUJWF April 2014. April 2014.

(27) Best Free Software Brilliant new programs that won’t cost you anything website checker. WOT www.mywot.com What you need: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari or Opera :27 :HERI7UXVW

(28) LVDQH[FHOOHQWWRROWKDWXVHVWUDIILFOLJKWV WRLQGLFDWHZKHWKHUDZHEVLWHLVVDIHWRYLVLW7KHUDWLQJV DUHJHQHUDWHGIURPIHHGEDFNXVHUVSURYLGHDIWHUYLVLWLQJ ZHEVLWHV&OLFNWKHFLUFOHQH[WWRWKHZHEOLQNRUDGGUHVVEDU IRUFRPSUHKHQVLYHGHWDLOVDERXWWKHVLWHVUDQNLQJ,QWKH QHZYHUVLRQ\RXFDQUDWHVLWHVDFFRUGLQJWRVSHFLILFFULWHULD LQFOXGLQJFKLOGVDIHW\DQGWUXVWZRUWKLQHVV<RXFDQQRZDOVR EORFNDGXOWVLWHVE\XVLQJWKH3DUHQWDO&RQWUROVHWWLQJV. Printing. Primg 1.2.1.2 www.snipca.com/10134 What you need: Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8. 6KRUWIRUSULQWLPDJH3ULPJSURGXFHVDGLJLWDOFRQWDFW VKHHWWKDW VXVHIXOIRUYLHZLQJSKRWRV\RX YHLPSRUWHGDQG LQWHQGWRSULQW 7KHODWHVWYHUVLRQRI3ULPJOHWV\RXSULQWPRUHLPDJHV VLPXOWDQHRXVO\ZKLFKPDNHVLWPRUHXVHIXOWKDQWKHPXOWL LPDJHSULQWOD\RXWRSWLRQ\RX OOILQGLQ:LQGRZV3KRWRDQG )D[9LHZHU7RXVH3ULPJEURZVHWR\RXUSKRWRVDQGFOLFN WKHRQHV\RXZDQW<RXFDQDGMXVWWKHRUGHUDQGVL]HRI LPDJHVRUFKRRVHDVLQJOHVKRWDQGFURSLWVRLWSULQWVH[DFWO\ DV\RXZLVK3ULPJKDVDOVRUHFHQWO\ODXQFKHGDELWYHUVLRQ. Voice and video chat. ooVoo www.oovoo.com What you need: Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8. 2R9RRLVRQHRIWKHPRVWLPSUHVVLYHYLGHRFDOOLQJWRROVZH YH WULHG<RXFDQJURXSFDOOXSWRIULHQGVDWRQFHDQGVHQG ILOHVRIXSWR0%RYHURR9RRIURP\RXU3&<RXFDQDOVR VKDUH\RXU3&RUODSWRSVFUHHQZLWKWKHRWKHUSHUVRQVR\RX FDQVKRZWKHPKRZWRGRVRPHWKLQJ2R9RRQRZVKRZV IULHQGVDYDLODELOLW\LIWKH\ UHQRWDURXQGWRFKDW\RXFDQVHQG WKHPDYLGHRPHVVDJHQH[WWLPHWKH\ORJLQ7KHUHDUHDOVR QHZL26 ZZZVQLSFDFRP

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(31) Reviews PRINTER HOW WE TEST Computeractive’s reviewers follow strict guidelines to ensure the opinions expressed in the magazine are fair, accurate and independent. Every product or service we review is thoroughly examined and tested by experts. The manufacturer has no involvement in our tests and is never told the result of a review prior to publication. Please note that our reviews grade products, not customer service. We welcome feedback on our reviews – send us an email to [email protected]. OUR STAR RATINGS We provide a clear verdict for every product we review. Each verdict is accompanied by a star rating. Here’s what those stars mean: An excellent purchase ★★★★★ A good purchase ★★★★☆ OK by us ★★★☆☆ Below average quality ★★☆☆☆ Very poor quality ★☆☆☆☆. OUR STAMP OF APPROVAL Our Buy It! stamp of approval is a sign that a BUY IT! product has exceeded ★★★★★ our high expectations in both quality and value. If you see the Buy It! logo you know we were impressed with the product and we think you will be too. The Try It! Stamp is our equivalent award for software and services that are free of charge.. PRICES The prices we print are the suggested retail prices set by the manufacturer. Products can often be found much cheaper on the internet or in shops.. TECHNICAL TERMS AND JARGON While we try to keep our reviews free from technical language or jargon, it is sometimes unavoidable. See the Jargon Buster column for concise explanations of highlighted words.. HP DeskJet 2520hc A simple and efficient printer. The HP DeskJet 2520hc has a simple yet elegant design. It is a good looking all-in-one with premium touches all over. Finished in pristine matte black plastic, steeply raked at the front, it has surprising good looks for a budget printer. The beige bezel, a chrome striped gradient on the top lid, neatly designed control panel and the well concealed paper input and output trays, make it surprisingly compact. Despite the compact size, the two cartridge slots are easy to access.. Computer active April 2014. While printing photos, it took 1.03mins to print 4x6in image at best quality settings. The photo quality is acceptable. The colours are natural with limited grains, however the black level is not cent percent accurate, this may be due to the dual colour cartridges. But at this price, you should not expect more than this.. A single USB 2.0 socket at the rear is the only means of connecting, the printer does not have HP’s ePrint or Mobile Printing ability. The installer package is very interactive and is a detailed step-by-step process, it starts with an online check for the latest installer file. In our case it downloaded a 54.45MB installer file. The installation process took around 15-25 minutes, this may vary based on your computer’s configuration. Printing quality is not bad at all. We started with printing a 8 page PDF in Draft mode, the job was completed in 49 seconds. The quality was paler than usual, but this is common with most printers. We them printed 9 pages of different font sized text in normal quality, it took 1.09 minutes to print the entire document. To test the printer at best quality, we used a PDF that had different font sizes, graphs and images. The speed achieved was five pages a minute. Scan and copy speed is better. Scanning a. 28. 4x6in photo took 24seconds at 300DPI. Scan quality was good with ample details and colour.. The printer retails at Rs. 8300 (at the time of review), it is available on HP online store and others. The cartridge costs Rs. 546 each, and lasts 750 pages (colour) or 1500 pages (Mono).. VERDICT: A compact efficient home MFP. ★★★★☆ INFO: hp.com/in/.

(32) New Products tested by our experts PHONE. Asha 502 Nokia improves on the Asha 501 with a new Asha phone Nokia launched the Asha range with an aim of bringing smartphone-like features to entry-level devices, making the Asha 501 an instant hit. Following in the footsteps is the Asha 502, which we looked at, this month. Design is more or less similar to it’s predecessor. It has a similar candybar form factor but differentiates itself with a glossy but clear plastic body, giving the phone a crystaline effect. Moreover, the phone is small but has a decent width that offers a good grip. Asha 502 is essentially a feature phone but Nokia has spruced up the device to integrate smartphone-like features. Nokia has made no changes in the display department, which remains at 3-inches along with QVGA (240x320) resolution Unlike Android where the selling point of the device is the processor and RAM it packs, Asha range’s highlight is the software and its ability to give smartphone-like features. The Asha 502 runs on the Asha Platform 1.1 and has. something called as Fastlane. A simple swipe on the main screen shows the Fastlane, which lists recent activities on the phone, enabling users to quickly access them. However, the limited processing power and memory does come with some drawbacks. There are times where you’ll notice some lag and slow performance. Nokia 502 is also packed with Nokia services like HERE Maps, Music, Xpress Browser and even supports third-party apps like Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter. The camera on the Nokia Asha 502 is a step up from its predecessor. The phone comes with a 5 megapixel fixed-focus camera and LED flash that produces some good pictures, provided you shoot in good lighting conditions. However, the camera takes below par pictures in inadequate lighting. Asha 502 is a dual-SIM phone and despite two cellular networks continuously searching for network coverage, battery life on the Asha 502 is. HARDWARE. ASRock H61 Pro BTC Motherboard. impressive. On a full charge, the phone easily lasts more than a day. Asha 502 is a good device that improves on many things that Asha 501 lacked or could not deliver smoothly. But if you’re looking for 3G support, you’ll have to go for Asha 503 as the Asha 502 does not support it. VERDICT: Good phone for the price, but the lack of 3G is a dampener. ★★★☆☆ INFO: www.nokia.co.in. VERDICT: Decent motherboard for Bitcoin GPU miners. ★★★. ☆. INFO: www.asrock.com. This new motherboard mines Bitcoins Use of Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies have increased in the last few months and to cash in on the opportunity, ASRock has introduced a motherboard that makes mining Bitcoins easy. For the uninitiated, Bitcoin, also known as BTC or is a peer-to-peer payment system and digital currency introduced as an open source software in 2009. It is called a cryptocurrency because it uses cryptography to control the creation and transfer of money. Bitcoins also take a lot of computational power to mine a single Bitcoin. This is where ASRock’s latest motherboard comes into play. ASRock’s BTC motherboards like this one are equipped with six PCI expansion slots. In short, a Bitcoin. miner can install up to six graphics cards that can be used simultaneously to mine a Bitcoin. The motherboard also offers stable voltage considering it comes with two extra 4-pin power connectors for users to connect their graphics cards safely. The ASRock motherboard is also equipped with a High Density Glass Fabric PCB, which means the motherboard is protected from water, humidity, thus, drastically reducing the chances of it being affected by humidity. Furthermore, the H61 Pro BTC supports second and third generation of Intel Core, Pentium and Celeron processors, supports Dual-channel DDR3 RAM, 4 SATA ports, 10 USB 2.0 ports and D-Sub and HDMI for video out options. It also. comes with ASRock Extreme Tuning Utility (AXTU) – an all-in-one software to fine-tune different features like Hardware Monitor, Fan Control, Overclocking, OC DNA, IES and XFast RAM; Intel Smart Connect Technology that keeps refreshing the content like email, social networks etc. automatically updated even when the system is asleep; Intel Rapid Start for quick boot; ASRock OMG (Online Management Guard) that acts as an internet filter and lots more. ASRock has an interesting hardware to offer. GPU mining may not be cost efficient and fast like ASIC mining but it certainly is useful if you want to dabble on the cryptocurrency craze. If not, it’s still a good motherboard for your regular computing needs. April 2014 Computer active. 29.

(33) Reviews TABLET. Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 Lenovo’s First Multimode Yoga Tablet born. Lenovo’s Yoga range of devices first broke cover as convertible notebooks based on Windows OS and now the Chinese PC maker has set its eyes on the burgeoning tablet market with its first multimode Yoga tablet. The Yoga tablet from Lenovo is also the first range that has been created after the appointment of Hollywood star, Ashton Kutcher as Lenovo’s Product Engineer. While we’ve reviewed many tablets in the past, Lenovo’s Yoga Tablet 8 is the first one to take a different approach in terms of design. It’s the cylindrical design at the bottom that gives the Yoga Tablet 8 a distinct touch. This design makeover however, serves many purposes – more importantly, Yoga tablet’s Multimode feature. The cylindrical handle enables the tablet to be used in three modes – Hold, Tilt and Stand. The handle makes it easy to hold the tablet and is particularly useful while reading. Pop out the side cylinder 90° to make the tablet stand on a tablet or use it as a kickstand for a better viewing angle. As far as the rest of the design goes, Yoga Tablet 8 is stylishly designed device with clean aluminium finish and laser etched back to prevent scratches. In short, Lenovo wins full marks for making the design of the Yoga Tablet 8 innovative and attractive. The tablet features an 8-inch HD (1280x800) display and produces good colours with decent colour accuracy. The viewing angle is excellent as well. The Yoga Tablet 8 runs Android 4.2.2 with Lenovo’s custom user interface that really transforms the Android we know. The interface fuses the app drawer and home screen into a “hotseat” for apps that enables. 30. Computer active April 2014. quick access for up to 6 apps. The interface also supports few gestures like a top swipe that reveals the launcher menu or a bottom swipe that shows recently used apps. Powering the tablet is MediaTek’s 1.2GHz MT8389 processor and 1GB RAM, and to put it frankly, this combination for the tablet is not enough. While most of the things work as intended, there’s an obvious lag and stutter when you try to scroll through the interface. The tablet supports 3G and just like majority of the Android tablets, Yoga Tablet 8. We mentioned at the start that the cylindrical handle serves many purposes and one of them is that it hosts dual batteries. Lenovo claims the dual batteries in the Yoga Tablet 8 are generally found in laptops and in our tests, with a mix of watching movies, using 3G data and Wi-Fi, Yoga Tablet 8 easily went over two days, making it one of the best tablets if you’re looking for prolonged battery life. To sum things up, Lenovo offers a great looking tablet with a stellar battery life at an. supports voice calling. It also comes with 16GB internal memory with support for expansion via microSD up to 64GB. On the multimedia front, the tablet fares really well as it plays everything you throw at it. There’s Dolby support as well that adds to the overall audio quality. The Yoga Tablet 8 features a 5 megapixel camera at the back and 1.6 megapixel on the front. Both cameras perform well in good lighting conditions, support HD video recording and continuous image support.. attractive price. The only shortcoming is the mediocre processor choice that makes the tablet lag a bit. The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 8 sells for Rs. 22,000.. VERDICT: A good looking tablet with excellent battery life, bogged down by an average CPU. ★★★★☆ INFO: www.thedostore.com.

(34) New Products tested by our experts. MONITOR. LaCie Rugged Triple USB 3.0 HDD Heading: Rugged Protection in a compact chassis There are many portable hard drives in the market but very few boast the militarygrade protection to protect the data from any untoward accident. LaCie is one of the few with their Rugged Triple USB 3.0 drive that gives decent storage and protects the drive from accidental drops and hacking. The LaCie Rugged Triple USB 3.0 is designed by renowned designer, Neil Poulton based in France but we’re not talking about its aesthetic appeal but its four layers of protection. The portable drive boasts an orange, rubberized, shock-resistant rubber sleeve with an aluminium anti-scratch protective shell. There are internal rubber bumpers to save from shocks and a shock-resistant hard drive. capable of handling up to 1000G of shock. In short, the drive adheres to the 810-F military specification and can even withstand drops of up to 2 meters when not in use.. Performance-wise, the LaCie Rugged Triple USB 3.0 supports USB 3.0 and FireWire 800 interface. It’s backward compatible as well, which means if you’ve got a PC supporting USB 2.0 or FireWire 400, the drive will still work but will give lower transfer speeds. In our tests with USB 3.0, the LaCie Rugged Triple USB 3.0 reached a transfer speed of around 90MB/s. The drive also supports AES 256-bit. software encryption that enables users to create a password-protected area on the drive to save all the data from prying eyes. But that’s not all. LaCie bundles an Easy Setup assistant and automatic backup software and 10GB of Wuala secure online storage for free for a year. The 1TB version of LaCie Rugged Triple USB 3.0 is priced at around Rs. 12,000 and if you’re serious about preserving data with the best in class protection, LaCie’s HDD is good to have in your arsenal. VERDICT: Combo of rugged protection with high-speed interface support gives the drive an edge over others. ★★★★☆ INFO: www.lacie.com.

(35) Reviews SMARTPHONE. LG G Flex A curvy smartphone from the future. With the processor and memory advancements in the mobile phone industry reaching maturity, companies are looking to innovate on the form factor front. One such case is LG who announced the G Flex earlier this year for the Indian market. A glance at the G Flex, and you’ll know something’s different with the phone. That’s because LG has integrated the world’s first 6-inch curved OLED display. The curve adopted by LG is a vertical curve, which according to the Korean company is ergonomically designed to suit the human face’s curvature. Another good thing about the design is the can flex! Apply some pressure on the back of the device to see the G Flex straighten itself and return to its original curved form. G Flex has a clean design with just the screen dominating the front side of the phone while the physical keys like power/ lock button and the volume keys are placed at the back. Speaking of back, LG also touts G Flex to have a ‘self-healing’ back. No, we’re talking sorcery here but in fact the back of the G Flex comes with an elastic coating that can heal light and small scratches automatically. Display on the G Flex is a 6-inch curved Plastic OLED display. While there are little complaints when it comes to colour accuracy and contrast, the biggest bane we feel is the 720p resolution. HD resolution would have been better with a display as large as on the G Flex, there are times when noise is pretty evident in the image. The situation is slightly different when it comes to performance. G Flex is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 2.26GHz quad-core CPU and 2GB RAM, making it more than enough for the device to run smoothly, including heavy processing during games and few other apps. The phone runs LG’s custom UI atop. 32. Computer active April 2014. Android 4.2.2 and though most of the things are borrowed from LG’s top-end device, the G2, there are a few things exclusive to the G Flex. The phone has something called as Fluid Lock Screen that moves the wallpaper according to the tilt of the G Flex. There’s also QTheater that flaunts a curved UI for images and videos and Dual Window that enables to use two apps at once. G Flex also features KnockOn that locks/unlocks device with just two taps on the screen, Slide Aside that enables to run three apps simultaneously, QSlide, Quick Remote, Guest Mode. On the camera front, G Flex has a decent 13 megapixel camera at the back and 2.1 megapixel on the front. Camera produces some good pictures and even. has the ability to record videos in UHD (4K) resolution. G Flex’s display is just one part of the curve. It also sports a non-removable curved battery rated at 3500mAh that easily gives more than a day of run time. LG gets full marks for G Flex’s innovation but the phone’s success is hampered with its price tag. It’s priced at Rs. 69,000, which makes it appealing for a very limited set of consumers. VERDICT: Good performing curved smartphone with an expensive price tag.. ★★★★☆ INFO: www./lg.com.

(36) HARDWARE. Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti GPU Nvidia’s latest GPU is powerful and small There are over 600 million gamers worldwide or about twice the population of US and with PC gaming on the rise, Nvidia released their new GeForce GTX 750 Ti GPU with a promise to improve performance at an affordable price. Nvidia has made the GeForce GTX 750 Ti really compact. It’s just 5.7-inches long that makes it ideal for gamers who have PCs with just the integrated graphics or PCs with small chassis. One of the good things is that it does not need an internal power connector, which means it also saves on power. GeForce GTX 750 Ti is Nvidia’s first GPU based on Maxwell architecture and is based on 28nm process, 640 CUDA cores and 1GB or 2GB GDDR5 memory, depending on the GPU add-in partner. As for performance-per-watt goes, GTX 750 Ti boasts 4 times the power efficiency compared to Fermi-based GTX 550 Ti or double the. efficiency when pitted against Nvidia’s Kepler-based GTX 650 Ti. It also consumes about 60W of power compared to AMD R7 260X’s 115W. Nvidia also offers the freedom to overclock the GPU and can be safely pushed to over 10 to 12 percent from its original boost clock of 1020MHz. The GPU is targeted at gamers who want to enjoy gaming at Full HD 1080p resolution and Nvidia’s offering is optimised to give a better performance than AMD’s R7 260X in titles like Battlefield 4, BioShock Infinite, Call of Duty: Ghosts, Batman: AO, Crysis 3 and Far Cry 3. GeForce GTX 750 Ti also packs in some Nvidia technologies like GPU Boost 2.0 that enables the graphics card to run at the highest clocks possible for the best gaming performance; ShadowPlay to record their games; G-Sync support that helps to resolve the. issues of screen tearing, stutter, input lag on the supported monitor; and Gamestream that enables Nvidia Shield users to stream their Steam games from PC to the handheld gaming console. GeForce GTX 750 Ti offers a good set of features at an asking price of Rs. 11,990 and with the compact size, GTX 750 Ti opens a subset of gamers who wouldn’t think to upgrade their rig due to their small PC chassis.. VERDICT: Good performance with low power consumption and price.. ★★★. ☆. INFO: www. nvidia.in.

(37) Reviews CAMERA. D-Link DCS-825L Baby Camera Check on the baby from your smartphone There are times when you want to check on your newborn while you’re slogging at work and the latest gadget from D-Link helps to fulfil this objective. The Wi-Fi Baby Camera (DCS-825L) is not a regular baby monitor but in fact, it enables the parent to check on their loved one remotely on their mobile device. The D-Link Baby Camera has a really simple design. It comes with an interchangeable blue and pink colour rings to add some personalisation and a matching stand where the circular shaped camera can be placed or mounted to a fixed position. The top side of the camera features controls like power and volume while the AC adapter, microSD card slot and speakers are placed at the back. Setting up the Wi-Fi Baby Camera is really easy. Just download the free mydlink Baby app for iOS and Android and follow on screen instructions. Once the camera is connected to the Wi-Fi network, all a user needs is the app to monitor their child. Here is where it gets more interesting. The camera supports up to 720p quality and even night vision, which activates the infra-red LEDs. when the ambient light gets dark. It can also detect motion, sound and integrates a temperature sensor. All this information comes in handy when you’re using the app as the simple UI relays all the information along with the video feed for you to act on. For instance, you can remotely play lullabies (up to 5) or even use your own voice to calm your child. The app also notifies if it detects any sound or motion and displays the room temperature to notify if it’s too hot or cold. The D-Link Wi-Fi Baby Camera packs in some good features giving you the freedom to finish some chores while keeping an eye on the newborn all the time. The camera is priced at Rs. 9,000. VERDICT: Great camera with an easy-touse app. ★★★. ☆. INFO: www.dlink.co.in. PROJECTOR. Epson EH-TW5200 Projector Affordable projector with 3D playback Epson has a wide range of projectors that cater to different segments of the market, and the latest projector that promises to give decent features at an affordable price, is the EH-TW5200. Epson goes for the home users and gamers with the EH-TW5200, given the target market, Epson has made the projector compact in size and easy to lug around. Placement-wise, the lamp and the vents are located on the front, keystone adjuster and controls on the top and input ports like HDMI, VGA port, RCA port, RS232c, USB port, 3.5mm headphone jack at the back along with 2W monoaural speaker. The projector uses 3LCD technology that brings out good colours but gets affected by the lower contrast when watching a scene. 34. Computer active April 2014. with dark background. The brightness for the colour light as well as the white light is 2000 lumens, supports Full HD resolution playback and has an estimated lamp life of up to 4,000 hours. The lamp can last up to 6,000 hours if the projector is used in Eco mode. TW5200 is one of the cheapest projectors to support 3D playback and since its first objective is to be cost efficient, Epson does not bundle any 3D glasses. Consumers will need to buy new 3D RF glasses to watch 3D content. The projector also supports 480Hz Drive that helps to give an improved 3D and gaming experience. One of the HDMI ports supports MHL, which is a technology that enables users to mirror their smartphone devices to the projector. The projector works well with MHL. and can even stream content from an Android or an iOS device wirelessly with an option Wi-Fi dongle and iProjection app. Epson EH-TW5200 can project content up to 300-inches in size and with Full HD and 3D playback added to the mix, the EH-TW5200 makes a good buy. VERDICT: Good Projector for home users with 3D support. ★★★. ☆. INFO: www.epson.co.in.

(38) Hi Tech•Trend Setters• Top Prospects•Home Base of ICT. COMPUTEX TAIPEI. is going to feature such themes as. Touch-Enabled Applications, Cloud, Wearable Technology, 3D Printing, Vehicle Telematics/Auto Multimedia and IoT. This ICT mega event and world’s leading procurement platform will run from June 3-7, 2014 in Taipei.. Pre-register NOW! 3 easy steps let you shape the future at this amazing ICT event! 1. Go online: www.computextaipei.com.tw 2. Click: “Visitors Pre-registration” and complete registration form and survey. 3. Click “SEND” and it’s done!. This year’s show will build on the success of last year’s show, which accommodated 1,724 exhibitors using 5,042 booths and. Have your badge delivered to your hotel. welcomed 38,300 international visitors.. International visitors may choose to have badge. Two new exhibition areas will join the already rich lineup- Touch. delivered to designated hotels. Requests will be accepted 1 month prior to the show.. Applications & Display Products and Smart Tech & Applications –. Unlimited FREE Metro for 4 days (June 3rd – 6th). spotlighting products and services that reflect new technology. First time EVER! International visitors get a FREE. and market trends.. 4-day metro pass embedded into their upgraded visitor badges. It provides FREE unlimited rides on the Taipei Metro from June 3rd to 6th. The. All buyers attending COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2014 will receive a buyer’s badge. just-opened Xinyi Line Metro runs right to the front. that combines buyer identification with unlimited four-day free Taipei. door of TWTC Hall 1.. Metro transportation. In other words, the badge not only allows buyers to visit the tradeshow, it also enables them to travel around the city for free.. For the ease and comfort of the international visitors the organizer even offers FREE shuttle buses that zip between airports to show venues, and. Reminder: Deadline for pre-registration is May 28th. After that date, registration can only be made at on-site counters. For more details on COMPUTEX TAIPEI or to pre-register on the official website: www.ComputexTaipei.com.tw. between the show venues and major hotels..

(39) Reviews CAMERA. SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive Use the same flash drive on PC and a Smartphone We reviewed the Transcend OTG USB Drive last month and this month we have SanDisk’s USB OTG solution known as the Ultra Dual USB Drive. USB On-the-Go or simply, USB OTG enables users to use the regular USB flash drive on a device with a full size USB port and on a smartphone or a tablet. The SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive has been designed a bit differently when you compare it with the Transcend offering and quite frankly, we like it. There is no cap to lose that hides the microUSB port as the Ultra Dual USB Drive comes with a sliding plastic to hide the normal-sized USB port or microUSB port, when not in use. Using the USB Drive is pretty simple. Just pop in the USB 2.0 drive to a PC to copy the contents like you usually do with a normal USB flash drive or if you’re trying to copy or. backup content from your mobile device, make sure the device supports USB OTG function. A full list of compatible devices can be found here – http://bit.ly/1jk1IEz. Although the drive works with any file manager in the mobile device, SanDisk’s Memory Zone is highly recommended as it makes manoeuvring through the content really easy. The app also makes it easier to copy or move content back and forth from the mobile device to the Dual Drive and even supports variety of online services like Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, Facebook etc. The SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive is a handy tool for users who are always in a space crunch on their mobile devices. The drive comes in capacities from 16GB and goes up to 64GB with the price starting from Rs. 1,199.. VERDICT: Good performance omplemented with a decent software support. ★★★★☆ INFO: www.sandisk.com/dualdrive. HARDWARE. Strontium 64GB microSDXC card SDXC card with huge storage with promise of a good speed With consumers creating and consuming Full HD content, storage for devices has become one of the deciding factors during the purchase of a new gadget. Use of microSD cards has proved instrumental to give the freedom to expand the storage to consumers and at the same time, keep the price of the mobile device low. This month we try out Strontium’s microSDXC UHS-1 card that boasts storage of 64GB. This card from Strontium is classified under UHS-1 and Class 10, which makes it one of the high-speed rated cards available in the market. A clean formatted card gives about 59GB of storage and in our tests, we tried the card on a Lenovo Android tablet running Android 4.2.2 and on a Dell notebook running Windows 8.1. The results were surprising to say the least. In. 36. Computer active April 2014. to up to 56MB/s. Achieving Strontium’s 85MB/s read speed is a bit of a task since it’s tested under certain conditions but getting a read speed of more than 50MB/s in real world conditions isn’t bad either. Another advantage is that the card works with variety of Android devices as well as Windows Phones and digital cameras. It even bundles a full version of the MyBackup Pro app for Android devices worth Rs. 312. Strontium sells the card for around Rs. 2,800. the three random tests on the Android tablet, the card managed to give a write speed of about 15.1MB/s while the read speed stood at 12-15MB/s. On the other hand, card when used with the bundled SD adapter gave a write speed in the range of 20MB/s and read speed. VERDICT: Price and decent speed makes it a good value for money accessory for mobile and camera owners. ★★★. ☆. INFO: www.strontium.biz/.

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