Sunday, September 30, 2012

The Filipino MyPhone A878 Duo


Some of you will ask what MyPhone is. As you will notice on my Google+ Profile, I am a Filipino and MyPhone is a Filipino made mobile phone company. Even though their phones are manufactured in China, all the designs and ideas are made by the creative minds of Filipinos. Lately, they have been releasing Android operated phones to keep up with the mobile industry here in the Philippines and the MyPhone A878 Duo is their latest flagship Android phone.

The MyPhone A878 Duo runs on Android's latest mobile OS, the Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 which has MyPhone's user interface. Usually when you see a Android ICS operated phone, you can determine that it is  a high end phone capable of running this OS compared to its predecessors that can only run Android 2.3 Gingerbread and can't be upgraded.

Like the new releases of touch screen phones from Apple, Samsung, HTC, Nokia, etc. you will notice the phone sports a 4.3 inch screen that has the IPS (In-Plane Switching technology) that makes any viewing angle satisfying.

It runs on a MT6517 1GHz dual-core processor, the first in MyPhone's line of smartphones and is believed to be capable in running HD games and playing HD Videos together with a 512MB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX531 GPU. The 1,800mAh battery can also last for a day or more with standard usage. Below you can see its performance in games like this:


The MyPhone A878 also has a 2.5GB of usable storage and a microSD slot that can support up to 32GB. So you can store many photos and some videos in the internal memory alone using the 5MP autofocus camera with a LED Flash.

MyPhone is also known as the first manufacturer of dual-sim phones here in the Philippines and is supported in this model. Unfortunately the A878 has no 3G which is bad news for some people with unlimited mobile plans.

Other features are MP3/MP4/Media playback, WiFi/WiFi Hotspot capable, Motion/Proximity sensors, TV-Out, Google Play Store, 3.5mm audio jack, 2.0 microUSB socket and many other features.

This phone had a promo where you can buy it for only P5388 ($130) and now has a regular price of P6,999 or about $170.

myPhone also has an upcoming release of a new smartphone dubbed as the "A898" that has the specs of the A878 but now supports 3G, so YAY! for some of you. G'day!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

What's Up with the New iPhone 5?

In today's feature we will check out if the new iPhone 5 is the best iPhone yet. We will go around the specifications that Apple has added and improved over its predecessor, the iPhone 4S. So let's take a look shall we?
Based from the photo above, you will see that the iPhone 5's predecessors all have the similar round edged look  but without the silver outline of the original iPhone that's similar to the iPod Touch Generation. You will also notice that the iPhone 5 looks like a flattened version of the iPhone 4S that made the screen wider and the body thinner. What's better is that it only weighs a 112 grams compared to its Android counterpart, the Samsung Galaxy S3 which in turn weighs at 133 grams.
The iPhone 5 still inherits the other iPhones' fragile look which would make you buy a case as soon as you buy one, the back of the smartphone sports a new look with two glass strips on the top and bottom with an aluminum cover in the middle. The metal attracts dust though.

Some buttons and slots are still placed on their usual spots like the SIM card slot on the right which only supports the tiny "Nano SIM" cards which is a bit of a disappointment if you still want to use your current prepaid cards. The volume and mute keys are situated at the left side while the 3.5mm earphone jack has been moved to the base for easier pocketing. Lastly is the new "Lightning" as they call it, a smaller docking port in where you can jack in either way around.

The wider screen is now on 4 inches with 326 pixels-per-inch with great viewing angles, bright colors and excellent saturation. For the not too careful users out there, you may want to invest in a screen protector just in case.

The new and more powerful A6 chip now runs on dual cores that has speeds up to 1.3GHz and 2x faster GPUs compared to the previous A5 chip. You will feel the speed when using memory intensive apps like games which is a great improvement than the past version.

Unfortunately for the new iOS 6 which brings a lot of crashes, glitches and bugs especially the Maps App that I would not need to explain how bad it is, based from the negative feedback from users.

The usual 8-megapixel lens is also good on daylight shots but does not do too well on low-light environments like evening shots where the lens vibrates when you take a picture. Using flash is recommended to compensate for the graininess. A new feature is the panoramic view in where you can take landscape shots which is already being used in Android handsets like Samsung or HTC.

The earphones have also been improved to provide less leakiness.

Apple has announced that the rumored 4G LTE networks will soon be released in the UK which greatly improves download speeds. There's is no NFC support though.

So that's it. The new iPhone 5 is still the best version of iPhone out, YET. But still needs improvements like what the other iPhones still lack. Hopefully Apple will do something about it on their next releases of the iPhone. G'day!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Sony's Xperia T: Good Enough?

The new Sony Xperia T (also called as Xperia GX or Xperia TX in other countries) is Sony's new Android flagship that is supposed to replace its predecessor, the Sony Xperia S. It now has a 720p display of 4.6 inches, a 13 megapixel camera, a 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor and runs on Android's latest 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. The design has the familiar curve of the Xperia Arc S which makes it easier to grip and Android on-screen buttons.  The screen is attached to a glossy plastic frame in front, while the other sides still stuck to a matte finish instead of a glossy one.  Unfortunately it weighs at 139 grams compared to Samsung's Galaxy S3 at 133 grams.



The buttons (power button, volume and camera button) are relocated to the right, under the microSD and microSIM slots. HDMI is now supported along with the microUSB port.

The rear 13 megapixels camera can record 1080p video with the Exmor R Sensor of Sony bundled together with a LED Flash and mono speaker, while the front-facing 1.3 megapixels camera for 720p capturing.

The battery can handle up to 6 hours of continuous video playback with its 4.6 inch screen that can support a 1280x720 pixel resolution.

The new Xperia T has its advantages over the Xperia S but still seems lacking which makes the Xperia T not too advisable to buy compared to the recently discounted Xperia S and now upgradeable Android OS (From the current 2.0 OS to the latest 4.0 ICS).

Windows 8 on the new HTC Windows Phone 8X and 8S

Steve Ballmer's announcement in the launch event of HTC's Windows Phone 8X and 8S made the new phones as flagships of Microsoft's new mobile OS.


The new phone from HTC has a colorful and boxy design like the Windows 8 metro start menu to make the look fit better. The buttons and the camera are placed perfectly to accommodate easy-to-use functions. The 8X and 8S are both lighter and thinner than Samsung's Galaxy S3. The soft looking and rubber case makes the phone less fragile compared to the iPhone.

The HTC Windows Phone 8X and 8S does not pack much power like the quad-core powered phones of Samsung and other manufacturers but still does not lack power to run a wide range of apps. Both phones run on Qualcomm's dual-core S4 chips. The 8X runs on 1.5GHz and 1GB RAM while the 8S runs on 1GHz and half the RAM of the 8X.

The 8X has a 4.3 inch screen on a 1280x720 pixel resolution that is clear and sharp. The 8S has a smaller 4 inch screen which is also good. Both phones have nice viewing angles.

Other interesting features are the Beats Audio and the 8MP and 5MP rear cameras for the 8X and 8S respectively. Skype video-calling is also nice because of the tiny 720p capable camera that has a wide view angle.

The new HTC Windows Phone 8X and 8S both have the futuristic feel compared to its competitors which is also a good advantage.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Samsung's Galaxy S3

G'day!
So here I am again and today I'm gonna talk about the new Galaxy smartphone from Samsung, the Galaxy S3. So after the success of the its predecessor, the Galaxy S2 that has received many great reviews and sold a huge amount has given Samsung the title as the biggest mobile phone manufacturer in the world.



The new Galaxy S3 has a vast amount of features that a lot of you will enjoy. The first thing you will notice is its size, a 4.8in display that would make it a little complicated to handle depending on the size of your hands but its slim 8.6mm design (a little fatter than the S2 by a tenth of a millimeter) makes up for the wide build.

Its smooth gloss finish that really feels comfortable on your hands even though it seems a little bit "plasticky" and still looks solid despite a non-permanent battery. It's also light and sits reassuringly on your hand because of its 133g weight.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 is runs on Google's latest Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and is jam-packed full of features. Firstly is the S Voice, a voice recognition software (designed by Vlingo) much like iPhone's Siri. Another feature is the Smart Stay which uses the front-facing camera to detect if a pair of eyes is in front and if there's not, it turns of the screen to save battery life. Other features like Smart Call, Social Tag, NFC technology, the S Beam, and the Smart Alert are also interesting built in stuff that you will or will not appreciate depending on your preference.

The Galaxy S3's 8MP camera (same as the above average S2 camera) delivers clear pictures and can capture a full HD 1080p video. The front-facing 1.9MP camera can also take pictures and capture a 720p video.

This new smartphone from Samsung also boasts a quad-core processor which greatly helps in terms of movies, games and other stuff. You can also go for the Galaxy S3 with a 64GB storage and also has a microSD slot not like its other rivals.

With loads of features and specs. The new Samsung Galaxy S3 packs a huge punch and is more like a smartphone-tablet hybrid which is really worth it.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

iPhone Catches Up with BlackBerry in Terms of Enterprise Security

G'day! Analysts and CIOs from TechRepublic.com states that Apple's iPhone has now caught up with RIM's Blackberry smartphones and other devices in terms of enterprise security. For you who aren't sure what enterprise security means, here's a basic definition: It minimizes the risk of being exposed to common threats, identify and analyze your system and application weaknesses or vulnerabilities.



TechRepublic.com shows us Trend Micro's research as proof that the iPhone is just behind the Blackberry in total enterprise security. Rik Ferguson, Trend Micro's security research director says that Apple has gradually added more security features to its iPhone in the past several years and is now prepared to take on RIM and the their BlackBerry OS.

Monday, September 17, 2012

iPhone5 Look-Alike: The Goophone I5

GizChina.com states in their website that a Chinese company quickly made an Android phone which designs was based from the leaked iPhone 5 design photos and immediately released it ahead of the grand unveiling of the next-generation iPhone this month. The Chinese manufacturer's unexpected move to patent the said design in China now waits to sue Apple when the iPhone 5 is later launched in China this year.
If ever anyone's interested in the iPhone 5 imitation, GizChina.com says that the Goophone I5 will have a "1.4Ghz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, iOS themed Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), a  rear only 8 megapixel camera, and a 1280x720 retina display resolution in a 4-inch screen."

Thursday, September 13, 2012

My Other Blogs

G'day! I just want to share my other blogs that's about climate change and home decorating ideas.

2020 Clear Vision

Your Sweet Home

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Hackitat - A Political Hacking Documentary

This film's about the conflict between us people who want to keep technology and the Internet free from the people who want to take control.

The idea to make this film was because of an event that made a hacker named "mackt" decide to make a documentary that shows the world and elaborates about the political side of the hacker culture past the presumptions and interpretations. He partnered with the film company RåFILM in Malmö to make the idea into reality.

There are many questions that this movie will answer. Questions about hackers and hackerspaces that's lingering in people's minds. Questions like: What drives people to spend time, energy, and money on building servers, making programs and committing illegal activities just to help people in a dictatorship country communicate with freedom? Who are the hackers in the countries of Brazil, Bolivia and Bahrain who try to help the people in their countries have access to technology?

Hackerspaces around the world create new programs and hack to help them show and express themselves using technology. They are seen as enemies of the digital society. But what's their motive? What drives them to do this? What lives do they have?

The creators of this movie will do their best to answer all this questions so watch out for updates.

G'day!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Versions of the Upcoming Windows 8 OS

Microsoft has already announced last April 17 that the new Windows 8 will only come in four editions: the Home edition (called Windows 8), the Business edition (called Windows 8 Pro), the Windows RT edition for devices with ARM chips (PCs with ARM processors and tablets) and one for big companies that buy in huge amounts.


The Windows RT (devices with ARM processors) will not be able to run the usual 32-bit and 64-bit applications but will only handle touch supported apps (such as touch versions of Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and One Note) that's made from Microsoft's programming component for mobile applications, the Windows Runtime (WinRT).

Most consumers who will buy the upcoming Windows 8 OS will be able to choose between the two versions: Windows 8 (for home) and Windows Pro (for businesses). The difference between the Pro and Home version is that the Pro edition has file system encryption, management of domains and virtualization.



The Home version (or Windows 8) can be upgraded from the Starter, Home Basic and Home Premium versions of Windows 7. On the other hand, Windows 8 Pro can be upgraded from Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate.

Built-in Apps that are included in all Windows 8 versions are Mail, People, Messaging, Calendar, SkyDrive, Photos, Video, Reader, and Music. Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel and One Note is only pre-installed on Windows RT devices. The new Internet Explorer 10 is also available on all the Windows 8 versions.

Windows 8 can be upgraded from existing Windows 7 versions for a discounted price of $39.99 until January 31, 2013. The Windows Pro is priced at $199.99 after the $69.99 promo until the 31st of January 2013.

So watch out for the upcoming release of Windows 8 on October 26, 2012 as announced during the main keynote at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference 2012.

G'day!

Monday, September 10, 2012

The Best Windows Phone Yet

Introducing the new Nokia Lumia 900, with viable specs, an elegant design, and an attractive user interface are just few of the factors that the Lumia 900 needs to keep up with the smartphone war. Unlike its predecessor, the Lumia 800, the new Windows operated phone sports a 4.3" display, (from the 800's 3.7") a front camera which the 800 did not have and if you apply for AT&T's $100 two-year contract (as of April 3, 2012) you will get access and support to AT&T's fast LTE network.



Same as the Lumia 800 phone, the Lumia 900 has a polyurethane-matte plastic case (comes in black, white and cyan) that is soft to the touch and scratch resistant. Its look is also not too fragile and you won't expect it to shatter when it drops. Unfortunately the battery is not removable and the door to the sim card needs a key (included when you buy the phone) for you to open it.

As you usually observe from other Windows phones, the Lumia 900 doesn't have an expandable memory and has a fixed 16GB internal space. Fortunately, when you buy the Nokia Lumia 900, you will receive a Microsoft SkyDrive account that gives you 25GB free cloud storage.

The Nokia Lumia 900 also has three navigating touch buttons (back, home, and search) on the glass display. The other buttons are on the right, power button in the middle, volume keys at the top, and the camera button on the bottom.

Overall the new Lumia 900 is a worthy phone that can go side by side with the other Apple and Android smartphones. We consumers just need to be educated and convinced by how the new Nokia Lumia 900 Phone can do more than what the other smartphones can currently do.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Mobile Takeover

Intel's sales dropped by 7 percent from a revenue of $14.2 billion to $13.2 billion from the third quarter last year because of a more competitive economic environment. Other PC manufacturing companies like Microsoft Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and Nvidia Corp. are also suffering because of falling shares.

The drop in PC sales are also signs of the technological advances in the field of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. Consumers now buy less PCs and Laptops and more sleek and portable mobile devices usually for the purpose of web surfing.

PC makers hoped to regain their shares after the Oct. 26 unveiling of the new Windows 8 Operating System but unfortunately looks like it will not remedy the current situation on the PC market.

Most corporations stated that they will stick to the current Windows 7 OS for their PCs until they can grasp and fully understand how the new Windows 8 OS works. Some analysts stated that it will be hard to sell Windows 8 powered PCs for the reason that the rampaging sales of tablets made by Google, Amazon, Samsung and Apple hit the market.

One of the advantages of future releases of tablets is that they will be much cheaper than Windows 8 PCs, another fact in the ever growing economy.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Amazon's Kindle Fire Rises

With the iPad being the king of the tablet kingdom, Android tablet makers have other things to worry about other than Apple's iPad. One of them is Amazon's Kindle Fire that has risen from a measly 3% last November 2011 to a huge leap of 36% this January 2012 based from the analysis of Flurry thus bringing down the Samsung Galaxy Tabs' reign from 63% to 36%. An Application Session is defined as the launching of an app and closing or pausing it for more than 10 seconds.

So what's the Kindle Fire for those of you who aren't yet familiar?

Amazon's Kindle Fire is an Android operated tablet that has a fully colored 7" multi-touch display in where you can enjoy movies, books, games, music and so much more. Fully downloadable free and paid apps are available for you to use with its built-in Wi-Fi. And also a speedy and fast dual-core processor in the heart of the device. Its interface is also simple & beautiful for you to browse through your recent or favorite websites, music, movies, etc. Other features are the free cloud storage, parental controls, emails, document apps (like PDF readers) and much more.

The Kindle Fire has dozens of features that you will truly enjoy.

So Android tablet makers better watch out for this new giant that will do more not just in the first three months of its rise.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

iPhone 5 Rumors

So Apple has finally started to send out invites for the iPhone 5 press conference this coming September 12. Below is an image of the said conference invite, and obviously you would notice the number 5 shadow. So could that possibly mean that the new iPhone will be officially called iPhone 5?

Apple has been very secretive about the new features of the iPhone 5. However, due to the increase of internet chatter about the iPhone 5 and some rumored leaks, the iPhone 5, some say will have a bigger screen.

So the new iPhone 5, based on countless rumors will have a 4-inch display that can support a 16:9 aspect ratio in where you can enjoy your movies. It's also rumored to have a smaller dock, a state-of-the-art quad core processor, higher MP cameras, and a much thinner and pleasing looking glossy frame. NFC is also believed to be included in this new iPhone 5.

Here's a concept look of the new iPhone 5:
So the release date is expected to be announced at the conference. So stay tuned in guys.
G'day!

Ready, Set, Think!


To all technopreneurs out there! Now is the time for your ideas to shine and be heard. Join IdeaSpace, a program that helps young technopreneurs develop new tech related stuff whether hardware or software that can help today's industry. The winner will receive funding up to $40,000 dollars to make your idea into reality and become successful commercial products.

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Welcome

G'day folks!

I would like to welcome you here today at Computer Tech Journal to bring you the latest, hottest and interesting trends in technology. I'm gonna post new articles every week to keep you updated. So here's something to get you started.

Top 25 Technology Companies you would to work in after you graduate:


25. Microsoft
24. Barracuda Networks
23. Texas Instruments
22. NVIDIA 
21. Accenture 
20. Intuit 
19. Groupon 
18. Intel 
17. Morningstar 
16. Adobe 
15. NetApp 
14. SAP America
13. QUALCOMM 
12. Citrix Systems
11. Wayfair 
10. National Instruments
9. Salesforce.com
8. Rackspace 
7. Apple 
6. CareerBuilder 
5. Google 
4. MITRE 
3. LinkedIn 
2. Facebook 
1. Guidewire