Tech, electronic, gadget Discussion

These days, everyone has a portable media player in their pocket in some form, whether it be a smartphone or a dedicated music device. And the docking market has naturally grown in parallel with this trend.

As per gadget world rules, the increase in demand for docks has been superceded by an oversupply, meaning the market is flooded with options of all shapes, sizes and price tags. A few years ago, a dock was an indulgence, but now it’s a practical, affordable and portable method of piping music. It’s now just a matter of finding the model to match your needs.

So with so many docks on offer, let’s look the Arcam rCube that has been turning heads to shed some light on the market.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The rCube, from British manufacturer Arcam, is said to be the product of years of research, but on first glance we were a little sceptical. The rCube is, well, a cube with 200mm sides without too much pomp and show. It’s less dramatic than its iconically shaped predecessors, namely the eccentric BO range and the popular BW Zeppelin, but its clean lines and solidity give it an understated style.

The minimal design continues to the controls, which offers four touch options _ source, Wi-Fi, power and volume up and down. (Perhaps a more intuitive single button will dominate devices of the future, making the mixing desk-style home music devices of past eras seem archaic.)

At the bottom of the back panel is the cable admin HQ, where a simple line of ports are housed.

Having the portable edge over its rivals, the cube transports nicely with its compact dimensions and gentle 5kg weight.

Once powered up, the years of research began to seem justified.

SPECIFICATION

For the more technically minded, the device has two 100mm bass/mid drivers and two aluminium dome 25mm tweeters. There are no fewer than three 50W amplifiers, giving the rCube a total output of 90W RMS, or in layman’s terms, plenty loud.

SOUND QUALITY

On hitting the play button, the claimed research proved itself _ the music leapt from the rCube straight to our eardrums to the auditory pleasure sensor inside. It is a relatively committed purchasing price, but the cost suddenly seemed worthwhile.

The unit is able to throw out an even and rich sound throughout a room at a volume decent enough for a house party.

It doesn’t vibrate or heat up excessively during operation, and the sound quality seems to get the best from all genres of music I threw at it, from Michael Jackson to Massive Attack to Mahler, without distortion.

We were impressed.

On the port panel is a bass button, which cuts out the bottom end without affecting the rest of the audio range, if your neighbours start to complain about the shaking.

The Wi-Fi uses Kleer technology, so requires an extra dongle for your device _ 3,400 baht for the rWand (iOS devices) or 3,900 baht for the rWave (USB devices). The extra cost might be a kick in the wallet, but the lure of lossless streaming will tempt the tech-hearted.

And a bonus is the internal battery, which offers four to eight hours of playback without mains connection, ensuring a truly portable experience.

VERDICT

The rCube is one of the more expensive portable music players on the market, but it is the best we have seen, and will justify its cost with a single listen.

Users will like its understated design, portability and epic sound quality. Some will find it hard to justify the outlay for such a device, but if your budget is anywhere within range, buy yourself a belated New Year present. Don’t be a square.

The Arcam rCube is available for 24,500 baht from Deco Distribution, 4th floor, Amarin Plaza. Email richardm@bangkokpost.co.th with any gadget queries.

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About the author

Writer: Richard Mcleish
Position: Reporter

Various reports have suggest that a prototype of the Apple’s iPhone 5 shows a wider screen with the same iPhone 4 design otherwise.

MIC Gadget, a well-known Chinese tech blogger, revealed on Monday some photos of the alleged iPhone 5, possibly making it the world’s first glimpse of the next version of the iPhone, though there’s no confirmation about the authenticity of the pictures.

The leaked iPhone 5 in the photos, which would have a possibly curved back and a slimmer body, is speculated to have a slight bump to 3.7? size to keep the Retina Display definition accurate compared to the present-day version of the iPhone which only has a 3.5 inch display with a 960×640 pixel resolution.

Analysts noted that the published images of the new iPhone 5, which coud be released in the fall with slight upgrades, could be tampered with as the photos have poor quality.

Click photo to enlarge

“You’re a Luddite.”

“What did you call me?” I asked my husband, ready to fuss him out.

“You’re a Luddite,” he said again.

But before I could offer a comeback, I had to look up the word.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines a Luddite first as a group of early 19th-century English workmen who, as a protest against losing their jobs, destroyed labor-saving machinery. More broadly, a Luddite is one who is opposed to technological change.

My husband had called me a Luddite because once again I was protesting his excitement over buying another consumer electronic gadget. I had already lost the Blu-ray battle. Unable to persuade me to use joint funds to get an iPad 2 that we would share, he decided to use his birthday gift money to order the Apple (AAPL) tablet. He’s so excited about that thing that every time a box is delivered to our home he squeals like a little child hoping it’s his iPad. OK, maybe he doesn’t squeal, but he makes some manly sounding noise and then is deflated when he realizes the gadget is not in the box.

Anyway, the discussion this time was around the rumors that Apple’s fifth-generation iPhone may be released in the fall.

“It’s all a conspiracy to keep us spending on consumer electronics we don’t really need,” I argued.

“Luddite,”

my husband snickered as I continued my rant.

“Stop calling me that, and why should we spend more money replacing perfectly good phones?”

It will have a faster processor, my husband said. And in an effort to appeal to my business self, he said: “Companies have to stay in business, so they have to move forward technologically. If you stand still, you might as well be going backward.”

Whatever.

I’m not opposed to change, just change that keeps costing me more money when the old machinery works fine. I lament losing the argument to upgrade our VCR to a DVD and then to the Blu-ray. So what if the picture is clearer, crisper. We’re usually so tired we fall asleep halfway through most of the movies anyway.

Two years later, and I’m still cranky about the cost of upgrading to the iPhone 3GS. Yes, it’s a cool phone. But really, who needs all this technology?

No one made me get the iPhone. My basic cellphone broke, so I decided to replace it because it would have cost just as much to get a new phone as to fix the old one.

When my old phone became disabled, my husband saw a window of opportunity. (For a second, I wondered if he had sabotaged my phone.)

“Honey, my love, as long as you are looking at a replacement, let’s check out the iPhone,” he said. “And if you get one, it would be nice if I got one too. We could learn to use it together.”

No, no, no, I protested. Yet in the end, I went to the dark side.

I bought one and so did my husband. He’s been giddy ever since.

See, this is how they get you. They ensnare the technology enthusiast first — our spouses, family, friends, neighbors, co-workers — who then work on the rest of us. My pastor, bless his heart, is a technology aficionado. I try my best to keep him away from my husband when he gets a new gadget.

It’s not just the price of the new technology. It’s all the ancillary costs that go along with the purchase. Wireless devices make it all too easy to bust your budget.

With smartphones, it’s the extra monthly fees so you can fully use all the systems on the phone. It’s the accessories and mobile applications. ABI Research found in a 2008 survey that 17 percent of smartphone users spent upward of $100 on apps. That’s significant given the low cost of many of them. Darn those “Angry Bird” application creators. I spent 99 cents for the game after my husband got me hooked. Now it’s costing me all kinds of time trying to destroy evil green pigs.

Kindle users, and I include myself, spend on books they would have otherwise borrowed from a friend or checked out of the library. Or they purchase books in which they have only a mild interest.

Think of what we could do with even a fraction of the money we spend on electronics. The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that revenues will reach a new peak this year, at more than $186 billion.

But I have to concede this: If you’re saving as you should and keeping your spending in check, buy the cool gadgets. If I, a lifelong penny pincher, can’t resist, the rest of you have no chance at all.

Readers can write to Michelle Singletary c/o The Washington Post, 1150 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20071. Her email address is singletarym(at)washpost.com. Comments and questions are welcome, but due to the volume of mail, personal responses may not be possible. Please also note comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer’s name, unless a specific request to do otherwise is indicated.

Apple has taken out an NFC patent for a “Touchscreen RFID Tag Reader” – a design which would allow the transfer of information between touch screen gadget and sensor panel circuitry. Is this a sign of the future for iPhone 5?

Radio Frequency Identification allows gadgets to sense and read chipped devices within range, without need of contact or line of sight, and lets mobile users send and receive information. RFID is currently used for a number of purposes from travel to retail and transactions through object recognition – imagine 21st century barcoding via WiFi.

Apple Insider revealed the diagrams of the patent – which you can view for yourself for a little bit more insight into the technical specifics behind the design on their website now.

It’s not the first time the concept of RFID has been spoken in the same sentence as the name iPhone 5. As far back as October it was suggested Apple was in contact with the chip-makers Gemalto – a union between the two companies would enabled Apple to utilise Near Field Communications in iOS devices and a rumoured e-wallet service would certainly benefit from this.

Roll on June 6 and the Worldwide Developers Conference where hopefully we’ll get some firm facts, but for the moment this little byte of Apple will keep the mill buzzing. Another day, another iPhone 5 rumour!

You can share your comments and thoughts on this or any of our other blog articles at the official Gadget Helpline Facebook Page!

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Although they have been much-hyped in tech pages around the world, mobile applications may hold the future of the gadget industry. Apps can unlock the potential of mobile technology, offering such service as games, navigation tools, organisers, pocket publishing, radio and TV streaming, etc. But they also serve to push the horizons of gadget manufacturers and the expectations of consumers, and can influence a buyer’s decision.

And while gadget manufacturers continue to vie with each other for market share, users must now choose not only a gadget but its OS as well _ a decision that is influenced by the apps that are available for each OS.

Apple entered into the app game early, and claim to offer more than 350,000 apps, but it’s not just a numbers game.

Other considerations such as hardware and software integration, stability and usefullness, are also factors. And as the Android Market catches up, and Microsoft re-enters the fray with Windows Mobile 7, things are getting interesting, if not transparent.

To make things a little clearer, let’s look at some useful apps to see what they offer consumers. A “best of” app list is too subjective, so here are eight “useful” downloads that any smartphone user should consider.

WHATSAPP

A useful cross-platform messaging app that instantly connects you to your contact book via your mobile number, rather than having to log into a system with a username like Skype. Once installed, it will list your friends who also use the service, and offers free international messaging and chat services among them.

It’s free for BlackBerry users, but others must fork out around US$1 (30 baht), which pays for itself quickly, especially as its popularity increases. A competitor, called Viber, is also gaining popularity, and also offers free calls.

DROPBOX

As the cloud descends over personal computing, Dropbox is the first to really nail the simplicity of the concept. The handy software comes to the mobile arena, so you can share files between a PC and mobile with a quick drag and drop, using mouse or finger. Emailing files to yourself used to enable this, but Dropbox is much easier. We like it.

TWEETDECK

As the world begins to unlock the power of social media network Twitter, supporting applications that tap into the Twitter API are starting to further the network’s use.

The most popular of such programs is Tweetdeck, which opens up the network with a simple and appealing user interface, and it’s free.

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

As it says on the box, this free cross-platform download can convert meanings of words between more than 50 languages. The newest version now includes audio support for some languages, which means you can hear the pronunciation as well as see the written word. It’s an essential app for any expat, international traveller or polyglot.

LEMELEMEHD

Although the quality of smartphone cameras has come on in leaps and bounds, they are still no rival for compact cameras. But such apps as LemeLemeHD turn your mobile lens into a style image factory, reproducing the hip aesthetics offered by Lomo and other coveted cult cameras. It’s a little slow on the take, but the effects are a fun alternative to the often-disappointing mobile snap results.

SOUNDHOUND

What is the name of that song again? This app endeavours to answer such a question. It’s a follow up to the massively popular Shazam, but without the nags, monthly limits and with an improved interface. It works by taking an audio sample, and matching it with its database, with accurate results. It’s free to download on most platforms, except BlackBerry.

MOBILE ME

Mobile me has gone from a purchased to a free to a trial app. It’s subscription-based for new Apple devices that can locate your gadget, lock it and even delete data, all from a remote browser.

It offers piece of mind, but Apple has jacked the price back to $99 a year when the 60-day trial runs out, which is a shame. Hopefully it will review this strategy and offer it as a service for loyal Apple customers.

FIND MY CAR!

This $1.19 app uses the GPS of the iPhone to register and track the location of a parked car. The premise is simple enough, and the app delivers a practical use of the phone’s functionality, like all good apps should.

Email richardm@bangkokpost.co.th with any gadget queries.

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The tablet has quickly become the most wanted gadget among professionals and tech geeks alike. Every company has been competing with the iPad since its arrival but to no avail – Apple is still winning the tablet race. But don’t bow down to the iPad shrine just yet; BlackBerry and its legion of loyals may give it some competition.

The BlackBerry PlayBook has been unveiled, and it may be the first tablet to rival the iPad in all categories. Its size is smarter and more convenient than the iPad at a solid 7.6 x 5.1 inches – the screen is not as large as the iPad, but it is a more manageable, single-hand-held size.

Things like the PlayBook’ s cameras, both front and back, are similar to that of the iPad in quality. Both have similar looks and feels, being sleek and having no buttons on the top of the device. They each come in the standard range of storage – 16, 32, and 64GB. The two tablets also have the same starting price point, which will probably go down over time as all gadgets do.

To the chagrin of Apple fans, however, the PlayBook will have some features that the iPad could not use in its dizziest daydreams. For instance, PlayBook has the BlackBerry Bridge, which is a Bluetooth technology that allows users to display their BlackBerry information – contacts, BBM, calendar, everything – on their PlayBook. Once music, photos and other media are loaded onto the PlayBook from a computer, users can add more media wirelessly, from across a room if wanted. Also PlayBook’s WiFi can run off of a user’s BlackBerry mobile device, making it unnecessary for users to buy a completely separate data plan.

Unfortunately, the PlayBook still has a few kinks to work out. There is no GPS navigation software, video chat app – in fact, the PlayBook does not even come with built-in standalone notes, calendar, or e-mailing apps, they can only be accessed through a BlackBerry. Another weakness is the inability to make the tablet cellular network configurations.

This early in the development and distribution process — the PlayBook will be released April 19th – is it normal for a new product to have kinks that need to be worked out, although it seems BlackBerry may be rushing to get their hat in the ring. If the PlayBook can work out its problems and add a library of great apps, then it will definitely be a contender and a must-have for BlackBerry users.

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Aubrey Nagle | Apr 12, 2011 | Comments: 0

Cisco has recently announced that they will cease in production and distribution of their popular small-form camcorder the Flip. The company which began Flip sold out to Cisco in 2009, but not before selling two million of their pocket-sized products. The start-up was a techie Cinderella story, but what went wrong?

Cisco has been mum on the reasons they decided to shut down the branch even though the Flip was and is leading the camcorder market and spawned many lookalikes when it debuted. Many have speculated that the decision was made for reasons which include competition from many sources: lookalikes, other camcorder handhelds which have adopted easier-to-use formats, and (insert dramatic music here) the smartphone.

What can’t the smartphone do? And when I say that I mean what industry can’t the smartphone imitate and later destroy? And to ask one more rhetorical question, what are gadget companies to do?

There are a few options here that gadget companies could follow, all which are a bit extreme: fail, create something better than a smartphone, create the best smartphone available, or make your products more alluring to consumers than smartphones.

Easier said than done, of course, but there is a reason Flip was a Cinderella story. The gadget industry is slowly sinking and morphing into one giant multi-task tool, one conglomeration of every application anyone can think of. This leaves no room for individuals; in fact it’s almost like an authoritarian regime for tech toys.

 The moral of this fairytale is that the Flip was created on the cusp of the smartphone take over. Any later it would never have worked, any sooner and it could’ve been more of a success (but hindsight’s 20/20). Smartphones are taking over the tech industry and fast. Even if Cisco did not shut down Flip due to lack of sales from smartphone competition, my advice to all gadget developers remains the same:

Create an app for the iPhone, create something better than the iPhone, or don’t create at all. Labors of love will be lost, so if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

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Filed Under: Tech Gadgets

Tags: Cisco • Flip Cam