Mobile phone first take : Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber-shot

Sony Ericsson's imaging-centric Cyber-shot phones started with the K-series back in early 2006, so imagine our surprise when the Japanese-Swedish company announced that its latest range of camera-phones would be the C702 and the C902 at this year's Mobile World Congress. Although it may take a while for consumers to start associating the Cyber-shot brand with the C-series, we think it's still a good move in the long run.



Upside
One of the main features we like about the Cyber-shot range is the alphanumeric keys pulling double duty as shortcuts to frequently used camera functions. This lets the user toggle between various modes without having to scroll through onscreen menus. We've seen these buttons in earlier models such as the K770i and K850i, so naturally we aren't surprised to see it implemented on the C702, too.

According to the literature, the C702 comes with onboard A-GPS. Our alarm bells rang when we read about the location positioning feature. It's not the first time Sony Ericsson is introducing A-GPS on its devices. The earlier Z750i had it, too, though the problem was that only Chunghwa Telecom in Taiwan had enabled the feature (as we were told by the company) at that time we were reviewing the phone.

Unlike handhelds with dedicated built-in GPS chips, an A-GPS receiver relies on an assistant server such as a cell phone tower to triangulate the user's position. The specifications of the C702 didn't mention anything about a built-in GPS chip, so we are going to take this feature with a pinch of salt for now. But if it works like it claims, the GPS feature will allow users to sort and view their images according to the place where they took them.

Geotagging features like these have been around with the help of external GPS loggers or the use of software, but it's still relatively new to see this built into mobile devices. Nokia's latest N96 and N78 also support geotagging functions, except that these handsets have a dedicated GPS chip on top of utilizing A-GPS. This should be able to help pinpoint location more accurately.

Other features on the quadband candy-bar include HSDPA, Bluetooth stereo A2DP, FM radio, 160MB onboard memory, Memory Stick Micro M2 expansion card slot and a splash/dust-resistant chassis.




Downside
One of the most disappointing points about the C702 is that it doesn't come with a Xenon flash module. Instead, it has a pair of LED lights to provide illumination for shooting in dimly lit environments. Xenon flash lights are usually much stronger compared with LEDs, so we found it strange that Sony Ericsson decided not to include it on the C702 Cyber-shot.

Although we haven't seen the actual unit yet, from the pictures, the Call/End buttons sandwiched between the softkeys and shortcut/correction functions appear to be rather small. That may affect the use of the keys slightly.

Outlook
The C702 isn't the evolution we were hoping for in camera-phones, although it should fit well within the company's lineup of Cyber-shots. It's also a good move that the maker has decided to initial its Cyber-shot models with the letter C for easy recognition. Although the handset comes with onboard A-GPS, we are a little apprehensive about it based on our previous experience with the Z750i. We'll have to wait for the actual unit due out in Q2 before passing final judgment.





http://asia.cnet.com/
By Damian Koh

New products to supplement your cell phone

Stereo and AudioIQ: New headsets from Plantronics : Huerth, Germany (dpa) - Plantronics has expanded its range of headsets for cell-phone and computer users. Among the several new models is the Voyager 855: The Bluetooth model can be used either as cell-phone headset with mono output or as a stereo headset with a second earpiece for use with a mobile phone's MP3 player. The Voyager 855 uses what Plantronics calls AudioIQ technology to automatically adjust the sound and voice volume to the ambient noise level. The device costs about 99 dollars.


----

BlackBerry cell phone with integrated navigation

Eschborn, Germany (dpa) - The BlackBerry Pearl 8110, soon to be released on the German market by Vodafone and T-Mobile, will come equipped with an integrated GPS receiver and telenav software. The 8110 is once again oriented at primarily private users, with expanded multimedia capabilities. The device also includes a standard headphone output and a built-in two megapixel camera.

----

MOTO U9 - New design cell from Motorola

Taunusstein, Germany (dpa) - Motorola is launching a new cell- phone model. The Moto U9 has neither corners nor edges, a move intended to make it fit comfortably in the hand. Its integrated music player can be used without opening up the cell. Music can even be broadcast by Bluetooth to wireless headphones using the A2DP stereo Bluetooth profile. A two megapixel camera is also included in the standard options. Images and music can be stored to a MicroSD card. The 249-dollar device uses GPRS and EDGE for data transfer.




www.bangkokpost.com

Virtual surround sound for the living room

Stuttgart - Tension on a TV crime show is coming to a head: On the right a gangster runs off

into the dark of night, while horrified screams are audible to the left. Behind you the sound of

police sirens are growing louder.

If you have the right equipment, watching TV can feel more like being in the middle of the

action. This used to require five speakers and a subwoofer, known as a 5.1 system. There are

now several solutions available that produce surround sound using only two, and in some

cases even one, speaker. This is known as virtual surround sound.

"Virtual surround overwhelms the brain and the laws of physics," says Georg Wilde, a press

spokesman for electronics maker Philips. Virtual surround technology takes up less space

than 5.1 systems and requires fewer cables. Yet the sound is also different from traditional

surround sound systems.

"On the whole, though, it functions astonishingly well," says Christine Tantschinez from

Stuttgart-based Audio magazine.

Virtual sound achieves the highest audio quality, if the room is square or rectangular. Too

many niches and bays can be disruptive. Wallpapered walls are also better for sound than

glass or tile.

"The idea is to let the sound waves bounce off the wall like pool balls - with surround sound

coming out of the reflections," Christine Tantschinez explains.

Many systems require an exact measurement of the room to provide optimal sound results.

Some devices must also be harmonized with the television before being turned on for the first

time.

This set-up process is generally performed using some form of an easy on-screen menu

wizard. Some televisions now even come with an integrated virtual surround sound system

instead of normal loudspeakers.

Overly large or extremely sparsely furnished spaces can also diminish the virtual surround

effect.

"There's too much reverb there," says Matthias Rose from the Fraunhofer Institute for

Integrated Circuitry in Erlangen. The systems deliver good sound quality in a living room of up

to 50 square metres.

"You don't need to start rearranging things in your living room," Tantschinez says. Yet as

with true surround sound and in the movie theatre, the virtual set-ups do have a sweet spot.

That's the location where the listener feels like he's in the middle of the action.

For 5.1 systems, the loudspeakers are organized in circular fashion at a specific distance from

the listener, with best results in the centre. This isn't necessary for virtual surround systems.

Yet only one viewer on the couch will enjoy the central sound experience.

"Whoever sits in the middle hears everything best," Tantschinez says. Everyone else hears

more from the side on which they're sitting. Then again, this works the same way for

traditional sound systems with multiple little speakers.

Yet virtual surround sound isn't just of interest for the living room or for the speakers next to

the computer.

"The goal is to bring surround sound out into the mobile world as well, such as for portable

televisions or entertainment systems on airplanes," Matthias Rose explains.

That's why the Fraunhofer Institute is currently researching how best to transmit surround

sound via headphones using similar techniques to trick the human ear into perceiving sounds

from what seems like multiple sources.

"The signal is modified so that it is repeated directly in the ear as if it were coming from six

loudspeakers," Rose says.

There are already a variety of concepts being worked on to offer surround sound from just one

speaker. Yamaha, for example, uses what it is calls a sound projector to create bound sound

waves off one another, thereby producing the effect. Philips is working on a system called

Ambisound.

"The system is decked out with a multi-channel amplifier that works with expanded digital

sound processing technology that takes advantage of psychological/acoustic factors," Wilde

says.

The systems are available - to the extent that they are not already integrated into a television -

in both stand-alone and bundled versions, such as with DVD players. Prices vary based on the

technology being used.

While a sound projector costs around 500 dollars, an AV receiver including surround sound

system will cost around 1,000 dollars, Tantschinez says. "The more technology inside, the

more expensive the devices will be - there's no ceiling."

INFO BOX: The 5.1 multi-channel sound system

Most home theatre equipment produces surround sound using a 5.1 multi-channel sound

system. This means that a film's sound is output across five primary channels as well as an

additional channel for bass sounds. 5.1 multi-channel sound systems include left and right

primary speakers, a centre speaker, surround loudspeakers to the right and left as well as a

subwoofer to produce the low frequencies. Other 6.1 and 7.1 surround sound systems are also

available.
Reviews
Digital camera first take : Fujifilm FinePix F100fd
Mobile phone first take : Samsung SGH-D880
Handheld review : HP iPaq 112 Classic Handheld
Handheld first take : HTC P3470
Mobile phone first take : Sony Ericsson C702 Cyber-shot
Home AV review : Samsung LA46F81BDX (46-inch LCD)
First take : Nokia N96
Digital camera review : Ricoh Caplio GX100
Mobile phone review : Nokia N82
Handhelds first take : MWg Atom V

News
Piracy stifles innovation in Asia
Asia to firmly embrace mobile commerce
Phishing attacks escalate sharply
Tri-partite effort can help fight burnout
With credibility comes success, says CIO
Asian open source summit moved to China
Asia to get ultra high-speed cable system
Malware in 2007 more than doubles year-on-year: McAfee
Virtual surround sound for the living room
Office or home entertainment centre: Cards let you watch TV on the PC





http://www.bangkokpost.com/gadget/gadget.php?id=411

By Verena Wolff, dpa