Month: July 2018

Coolpad Note 3 Lite [year] Review

Coolpad Note 3 Lite 2023 Review

July 3, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

The Coolpad Note 3 Lite, as the name suggests, is a toned down version of the Coolpad Note 3 (Review | Pictures) that launched back in October last year. It was one of the first phones in the sub-Rs. 10,000 price segment to sport a fingerprint sensor, and today, the company is bringing this feature available at an even lower price segment.
(Also see: Coolpad Note 3 Lite vs Coolpad Note 3)
Our initial impressions of the Note 3 Lite were fairly positive but that was after using it for just a short while. Let's see if Coolpad will be able to disrupt the entry-level Android market with its latest offering.

Look and feel
The Coolpad Note 3 Lite has all the hallmarks of a budget phone but a few good design choices help it stand out. The gold trim running along the edges of the body, camera lens, and fingerprint sensor jazzes up the phone a bit. The quality of the plastics and the overall fit and finish of the parts is quite good, and the phone feels sturdy and durable on the whole.
..

Review: Sony DSC HX100V [year]

Review: Sony DSC HX100V 2023

July 12, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

This camera from Sony is definitely for those who are looking to graduate from Point and Shoot cameras and are still not ready to take on the DSLR challenge! Sony DSC HX100V packs in most of the functionality of a DSLR, manual focus, LCD adjustment along with a viewfinder and other features like 30x Ultra Optical Zoom, as well High Definition, 3D shooting and Sweep Panorama. So all that it misses out on for it to be a DSLR is the lack of interchangeable lenses and of course the other big differentiator is the price.
Design and Built:
The Sony DSC HX100V with its matte black finish, looks and feels very strong and robust. Yet it is very light which makes it easy to carry around. The entire body is made up of plastic. The rubberised hand grip and the textured thumb rest make it very good for steadiness and strong grip, even if you want to shoot with just one hand.
The shutter button surrounded by the zoom toggle (a very common feature in Sony Digital cameras) along with the Focus and..

Review: Canon IXUS 1100HS [year]

Review: Canon IXUS 1100HS 2023

July 15, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

Canon has recently been increasing its focus on consumer grade point-and-shoot cameras, with the aim to infuse higher end features into a slimmer form-factor. Their newest addition to this line-up is the Canon IXUS1100HS (known as the ELPH 510 in the US).
In the box
Canon IXUS 1100HS camera, SanDisk 4GB SD Card (Class 4), lanyard, user-manual, standard USB cable and a software CD.
Features
Measuring in at just .86 inches thick, the IXUS 1100HS houses a 12 megapixel back-illuminated sensor to give the best image quality possible. The 'HS' in the name stands for 'High Sensitivity' and represents a combination of a back-illuminated sensor along with Canon's Digic Image Processor that deliver great image quality even in low light.

The camera also packs a modest 12x optical zoom (28mm-336mm equivalent) in a rather slim package. The camera replaces the tradition stock of buttons at the back with a 3.2-inch LCD touch screen that can be used to access various functi..

Review: Canon 600D [year]

Review: Canon 600D 2023

July 18, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

The Canon 600D is the newest entry level DSLR from Canon, engineered for those looking to break into photography on a budget. The camera boasts many excellent features on paper, but we put the camera through its paces to see whether it can deliver on its claims.
In the Box

Canon 600D
Canon LP-E8 battery pack (same as the one in Canon 550D)
Canon LC-E8E charger
EOS Digital Solution CD
Standard USB Cable
Audio-Video out cable
Canon camera strap
Warranty cards and manuals
Build
The Canon 600D is built from the same high-grade plastic as its predecessor, the 550D. Despite being a plastic construction, the camera feels robust and is light enough to handhold for several hours. This can work in favour for most beginner photographers who would shoot with kit lenses, but we found that with a heavier lens such as the Canon 24-70 f/2.8, it made the setup very unbalanced, with the bulk of the weight being in the front.

The 600D gains an articulated swivel-screen (1040K Dots) that adds a little ..

Philips SHE1360/97 [year] Review

Philips SHE1360/97 2023 Review

July 19, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

Headphones can get really expensive, depending on which brand you're buying and what kind of performance you're looking for. You could end up spending upwards of one lakh rupees on a pair such as the Audeze LCD-3, or if you're really serious about personal audio, there's the $55,000 Sennheiser Orpheus. But if your needs are more functional and your budget limited, what do you do?
You buy low-end, of course, and you're unlikely to find a lot of audio products less expensive than the Philips SHE1360/97. Selling at Rs. 150 (maybe a little less if you look around), it's one of the most affordable pairs of earphones you can buy from a reputed brand. With the Philips name and a price tag that's probably lower than what you paid for lunch yesterday, the Philips SHE1360/97 is on our review bench today.
Specifications, design, and comfort
As far as specifications go, the Philips SHE1360/97 is straight up impressive. The 15mm dynamic drivers are large for a pai..

Sony SLT Alpha 33 - [year]

Sony SLT Alpha 33 – 2023

July 21, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

The Sony SLT (Single Lens Translucent) Alpha 33 is a new DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) offered from Sony. This camera like the Sony Alpha 55 operates on the translucent mirror technology which enables very fast shooting. Its 7fps (frames per second) high speed continuous shooting mode is great and helps to capture scenes with ease. The Alpha 33 is quite small when compared to other DSLR's in the same price range. The question really is can the Sony Alpha 33 stand tall in a market dominated by Nikon and Canon?
Design & Built:
The Sony Alpha 33 feels strong and well built. The body is made of hard plastic,except for the rubberised hand grip and thumb rest. The Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) is also surrounded by a rubbery border.
On top right of the device we find the shutter button. It rests within the on/off toggle. It also houses the Finder/LCD Button and the D (Dynamic)-Range button. In the middle is the in-built flash which can be either manually brought up or pops up when req..

Acer Iconia W4 [year]

Acer Iconia W4 2023

July 25, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

Windows 8 has an identity problem. The Modern UI, with its big, bright tiles and touch-friendly apps still isn't useful for anything more than the occasional game. Microsoft's most recent updates seem to have been designed to make life easier for non-touch laptop and desktop users, making the traditional Windows desktop more prominent and consigning the Start Screen to the background.
We like Windows 8.1 on desktops and laptops, and like many users, we have adjusted to the lack of a Start menu. Once we're in the desktop, there's almost no need to ever deal with the Modern UI, but we don't mind dipping into it occasionally. On most laptops and hybrid ultrabooks, we often forget that the screens are touch-capable, and frankly, that isn't a problem at all.
Perhaps that's why Windows-powered tablets have all but disappeared from the market. Sure, we've got plenty of ultrabooks and hybrids with keyboards that either detach or fold away – but pure tabl..

Canon EOS 700D [year] review

Canon EOS 700D 2023 review

July 28, 2018 Richard Gomez 0

Canon EOS 700D review
Canon EOS 700D is the 'flagship' device in company's entry-level consumer DSLR range. Canon has included some creative features as well as a very responsive capacitive touchscreen to make sure this camera appeals to first time users as well as those looking for an upgrade. Bundled with the camera is the 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 stock lens. So how does it work, let's find out.
In the box
Canon EOS 700D body LP-E8 rechargeable battery AC adapter kit ACK-E8 Manual Warranty card USB cable Hand strap 512MB SD Card Software CD Canon EF 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 lenses Build/ Design
The first thing you notice about the 700D is its petite frame, slightly smaller than the previous generations and much lighter when it comes to weight of the body alone. Canon EOS 700D is one of the lightest DSLR cameras that I have come across, slightly smaller than most entry-level DSLR cameras, and lighter, at just 580 grams for the body with the battery and a SD Card inside. The bund..