Glidetrack Mobislyder Portable Dolly Track For Smartphones Review

A wheeled camera dolly can add smooth tracking motions to your smartphone opus, but if you were hoping to include a dramatic vertical reveal, you'll need the Mobislyder which instead uses a smooth ball bearing track system and it designed specifically for use with smaller cameras, the Mobislyder includes articulated mounts that either screw into the thread mount on the underside of your camera, or clamp onto thinner devices like smartphones. The mounts swivel around so that the glider track can be used at any angle and it weighs just over a pound for amateur auteurs on the go. The example videos show off smooth tracking shots that would be difficult or impossible to achieve by hand and the Mobislyder is currently available for preorder for $135.



MOVE OVER Spielberg and Tarantino, the cinematic style of big movie making has gone viral with the launch of mobislyder, the world's first portable dolly designed specifically for smartphones and compact cameras. The mobislyder, a new innovation from Glidetrack, the world's leading camera slider company, is set to revolutionise mobile device video production. Stylish and ultraportable, the mobislyder has been designed from the ground up to suit a broad range of small video-enabled devices - including iPhone, Android smart phones, smaller DSLR cameras and mini camcorders. As video on demand becomes the medium of choice for businesses and individuals the mobislyder provides professionals and amateurs alike with the ability to create cinematic-style shots. "For years sophisticated-looking camera moves were only available to professionals with big budgets and truck loads of gear. But now, with most camera devices capable of shooting HD video, mobislyder allows operators to take smooth tracking shots fit for the big screen -all with the sweep of a finger," said Alastair Brown, the 43-year-old UK entrepreneur who founded Glidetrack in 2008. The name Glidetrack has now become synonymous with these types of cinematic gliding moves. There are literally thousands of user videos on YouTube and Vimeo created by people using the equipment to enhance the quality of their productions."We have been working on creating a smaller Glidetrack-style piece of equipment suitable for mobile devices such as iPhone and compact cameras for some time but until now the video quality wasn't quite there," said Alastair. "However, with the development of the iPhone 4S and other new generation devices capable of shooting full high definition video we fele the time was right to launch the mobislyder."



The new device, which retails at around £129 ($175 USD) but is being made available at a special launch price of £99 ($135 USD) in the run up to Christmas, is perfect for special occasions such as weddings, concerts, holidays, sports events, social media news reporting and even corporate promotions and PR videos. With more than 200,000 videos uploaded to YouTube and in excess of 1 billion views, every day the demand for good quality user generated content on the web is booming, especially among companies getting to grips with the value of video. Various surveys into the impact of video suggests news releases with video links have a 300 per cent higher retention rate and 500 per cent more views than text only versions. Products promoted with video have reported increased sales of between 17 per cent and 36 per cent. According to the latest industry figures total online video views are on track to grow by some 20% from 640billion last year to around 770billion this year while paid-for online video revenues will reach in excess of $3bn (USD). And with experts predicting sales of smartphones to exceed more than 450million worldwide this year volume is set to increase even more. However, the more videos there are the more demanding and selective viewers are becoming. "The days of shaky video being posted online are gone. People are becoming more demanding about what they watch which means companies or individuals need to improve the quality of their videos and mobislyder can help them do that," added Alastair. "We see mobislyder as becoming the industry standard piece of gear for Ebay sellers, Amazon product videos, Bloggers - in fact anyone wanting to get high quality video on their site without breaking the bank."


Mobislyder from Glidetrack on Vimeo.

RIM BlackBerry Mobile Fusion Next-Generation Enterprise Mobility Solution Review

Research In Motion announced that it will soon launch software that will bring security and management features once only found on BlackBerrys over to Android and iOS phones and tablets. The new plan for RIM revolves around focusing on what it does best for mobile device management software—asset management, configuration, security policies, group administration and centralized management and RIM appears to be trying to thread the needle between the bring your own device movement. System requirements include the latest version of BES, v5.0.3; Apple iOS 4 or later; Android 2.1, 2.2 or 2.3--it's unclear if Mobile Fusion will support the latest Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet OS and some BlackBerry PlayBook security and management features require a Microsoft Exchange server or virtualized server. In addition to BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, RIM is also betting on an upcoming line of superphones running its in-development BBX operating system and an exact launch date for those devices has not been publicly declared.


Research In Motion introduced BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, the Company's next-generation enterprise mobility solution and RIM's entry into the multi-platform Mobile Device Management (MDM) marketplace. Building on years of leading enterprise mobility management solutions from RIM, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will simplify the management of smartphones and tablets running BlackBerry, Google Android and Apple iOS operating systems. "We are pleased to introduce BlackBerry Mobile Fusion – RIM's next generation enterprise mobility solution – to make it easier for our business and government customers to manage the diversity of devices in their operations today," said Alan Panezic, Vice President, Enterprise Product Management and Marketing at Research In Motion. "BlackBerry Mobile Fusion brings together our industry-leading BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology for BlackBerry devices with mobile device management capabilities for iOS and Android devices, all managed from one web-based console. It provides the necessary management capabilities to allow IT departments to confidently oversee the use of both company-owned and employee-owned mobile devices within their organizations." RIM is the leading provider of enterprise mobility solutions with over 90 percent of the Fortune 500 provisioning BlackBerry devices today. The enterprise market for smartphones and tablets continues to grow in both the company-provisioned and employee-owned (Bring Your Own Device or BYOD) categories. BYOD in particular has led to an increase in the diversity of mobile devices in use in the enterprise and new challenges for CIOs and IT departments as they struggle to manage and control wireless access to confidential company information on the corporate network. This has resulted in increased demand for mobile device management solutions.

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion brings together the market-leading BlackBerry Enterprise Server (version 5.0.3) for BlackBerry smartphones; new management capabilities for BlackBerry PlayBook tablets built on BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology; and mobile device management for smartphones and tablets running Android and iOS operating systems. BlackBerry smartphones will continue to benefit from the many advantages of the end-to-end BlackBerry solution including the same advanced IT management, security and control available with BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0.3, which is part of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion. These advanced features include BlackBerry Balance technology supporting the use of a single device for both work and personal purposes without compromising the organization's need to secure, manage and control confidential information; over 500 IT policies; over-the-air app and software installation and management; high availability; and much more. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will also introduce new self-service functionality for employees to secure lost or stolen BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is currently in early beta testing with select enterprise customers. RIM is now accepting customer nominations for the closed beta program which will start in January, and general availability is expected in late March. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will provide the following mobile device management capabilities for all supported mobile devices:

• Asset management
• Configuration management
• Security and policy definition and management
• Secure and protect lost or stolen devices (remote lock, wipe)
• User- and group-based administration
• Multiple device per user capable
• Application and software management
• Connectivity management (Wi-Fi, VPN, certificate)
• Centralized console
• High scalability

Live Verizon FiOS TV For Xbox 360 With Kinect Control Review

Verizon details live FiOS TV service for Xbox 360 and kicking off Xbox 360 streaming TV with 26 channels for subscribers. Kinect voice and gesture commands functionality will come with the service. With your FiOS TV Prime HD, you’ll get over 30,000 VOD titles per month, over 7,000 of these in HD nd 195 all-digital channels with 50+ of them in HD, and if you’re in NY, you get 315+ channels with FiOS TV Extreme HD, and 75+ channels in HD. You can get its FiOS Triple Play package including FiOS internet, TV and phone, a year of Xbox Live Gold for $89.99 a month if you sign up before January 21st nd Verizon will also throw in the new anniversary edition of Halo.

Verizon continues to expand the borderless lifestyle for consumers with the announcement of a new offer that makes a selection of live, FiOS TV channels available over the Xbox 360 Entertainment System. Through a collaboration between Verizon and Microsoft, customers who are Xbox LIVE Gold members and who subscribe to both FiOS TV and Internet service will be able to view select live channels through their Xbox consoles. No extra hardware is required. And for the first time, these customers will be able to integrate their TV experience with voice and gesture commands through Kinect for Xbox 360. New customers who sign up online for FiOS TV service can take advantage of a special offer that includes triple-play service with FiOS TV, FiOS 35/35 Mbps Internet service and Verizon voice service, starting at $89.99 a month. In addition, the offer includes a 12-month Xbox LIVE Gold Membership and the Xbox Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary game. The discounted offer is available through Jan. 21. "Joining forces with Microsoft and Xbox, we are breaking the boundaries between TV and gaming, and furthering the borderless lifestyle Verizon customers enjoy with our new offers and services," said Eric Bruno, vice president of consumer and mass business product management for Verizon. "We are putting the controls in our customers' hands, and giving them the ability to watch TV on another dynamic device that they can control with voice and gesture commands." "Whether it's your Xbox, your mobile device, your PC or your traditional television, Verizon will continue to deliver the programming consumers want, where, where and how they want it," Bruno said. FiOS TV customers will have access to an app on their Xbox consoles, which will become available for download next month. Once customers download the Verizon FiOS TV app on their console, they can begin watching live streaming FiOS TV channels – without the need to pay for another set-top box.

Customers must subscribe to both FiOS TV and Internet services. Initially, 26 FiOS TV channels will be available, depending on the customer's TV package. Customers who order FiOS TV and Internet service will receive the Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary game and Xbox LIVE Gold Membership token within 30 days. As part of the offer, Verizon has partnered with leading gaming network Machinima to sponsor the Gamers' Choice Award. The award is given out during Machinima's Inside Gaming Awards, an annual event honoring the top game titles, which will be streamed live through Machinima's YouTube channel on Dec. 9. Consumers can vote for their favorite game of the year through Facebook or on Twitter by using the FiOSGamers hashtag, which also qualifies as entry into a sweepstakes that includes a grand prize of two years of Verizon FiOS triple-play service, a multi-room DVR, a Microsoft Kinect and 40,000 Microsoft points. Daily prizes of 4,000 Microsoft gaming points will be awarded to five winners per day, from Nov. 29 - Dec. 8. Verizon continues to break boundaries with a variety of pioneering innovations. The company provides next-generation interactive services, including Flex View and FiOS TV Online, which extend FiOS TV beyond the home to the Internet and a range of mobile devices; an advanced interactive media guide; free interactive applications like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others; Media Manager, which allows customers to access on their TVs personal photos, music and videos from their computers; and In-Home Agent, which assists customers in diagnosing and resolving a range of service issues. In addition, the company recently introduced the MY FiOS app, an easy-to-use mobile application that gives customers access to everything from movies, TV shows and personal content; to remote DVR access and control; to home and energy monitoring; to billing, account management and customer service tools.

VIDEO:

Halo: Anniversary Campaign Trailer

NOOK Simple Touch E-ink 6-inch Wi-Fi eBook Reader Review

The Nook Simple Touch is a more-than-worthy competitor to Amazon’s 2011 Kindle Touch and it's a good e-reader for those not wedded to Amazon or who want access to the wide ePub content available from public libraries and e-book sellers. Barnes & Noble claims the latest version of the Nook Simple Touch offers 25 percent faster page turns than any other E-Ink-based reader on the market and Barnes & Noble is pricing the Nook Simple Touch as aggressively as Amazon has its new Kindles: At $99, it's the same price as the Special Offers (that is, ad-supported) Wi-Fi version of the Kindle Touch and also it costs $40 less than the ad-free Kindle Touch.

Buy Now From Amaozn.com

NOOK Simple Touch is the world's best reader at the world's best value, normally at the low price of $99 without distracting ads and a must-have this holiday season for anyone who loves to read. With its latest software update, NOOK Simple Touch now has the most advanced E Ink display with lightning-fast page turns – 25 percent faster than any other E Ink product on the market. And Barnes & Noble has extended NOOK Simple
Touch's best-in-class battery life even further for its customers who love to read for long stretches up to two months with an hour of reading a day, all on a single charge. At NOOK Digital Shops, customers will also be able to experience the incredibly popular NOOK Color at a new low price of only $199, as well as the NOOK Tablet, the company's fastest, lightest tablet with the best entertainment displayed in stunning VividView for just $249.

Features & Content:

Longest Battery Life:
With the longest battery life, you can read for over 2 months on just one charge. That's enough time to start and finish a lot of great stories–or an entire series.

Easiest-to-Use 6" Touchscreen:
Simply touch, and NOOK takes care of the rest. Open your book, make the type bigger, look up words, organize your library, lend a book or shop for new titles – it's all so easy.

Fastest Reader:

25% faster than any other Reader. Quick page turns, fast browsing, get to your latest read with just a tap. Download new books instantly via Wi-Fi -usually in under 10 seconds

Read Your Way:
Make the text bigger or choose the font you like. Enjoy your favorite reading in your favorite way.

World's Largest Bookstore:
Over 2.5 million titles – new releases, bestsellers – sample for FREE. Most $9.99 or less. NOOK Daily Find offers a great book at a great price, plus Free Fridays titles. Try popular magazines & newspapers FREE.

Ultra-Light, Ultra-Portable:

NOOK is lighter than a paperback (under 7.5 ounces) and super thin, yet holds up to 1,000 books, magazines, and newspapers--so it's easy to take your entire library with you anywhere.

Borrow Public Library Books:
Over 2.5 million NOOK Books not enough? NOOK lets you borrow books in the universally accepted ePub format – so you can borrow and read eBooks from your local library!

Expert Recommendations:
From hot new releases to up-and-coming authors, get expert recommendations from our 40,000 booksellers. We'll also give you personalized recommendations based on books you already love.

No Annoying Ads:
Reading time is your time and you don’t want to be interrupted. NOOK lets you immerse yourself in your books, magazines, and newspapers without being distracted by annoying ads that appear in other Readers.

Free Wi-Fi:

NOOK connects via thousands of Wi-Fi networks, including FREE access at all Barnes & Noble stores and more than 24,000 AT&T hotspots, like cafes, hotels, and restaurants nationwide.

Personalized Reading Experience:
Create a reading experience that you can truly call your own. Select one of our screensavers or upload your own picture. Arrange books on library shelves you name yourself. Even add bookmarks and highlight passages.

NOOK Keeps Your Place:
Our FREE NOOK Reading App syncs the last page you've read across your NOOK, smartphone or computer – so you can read what you love, anywhere you like.

Share with NOOK Friends:
Connect with friends and share recommendations about the books you love on Facebook and Twitter, or swap books with LendMe. Check out your friends' ratings and reviews, and let them inspire you.

Always Free NOOK Support:
Get FREE NOOK support from our 40,000 booksellers. Plus enjoy FREE Wi-Fi, special offers on books and café treats, and read entire NOOK Books FREE for up to one hour per day.

Get the NOOK Look:
Our wide selection of accessories is exclusively designed for fashion, fit and function. Keep your NOOK safe and stylish with designer cases and totes, plus must-haves like screen protectors, car adapters & more.

Videos:

Lenovo IdeaCentre Q180 World's Smallest Fully-Functional Desktop PC Review

Computer maker Lenovo announced the IdeaCentre Q180, a consumer desktop PC no larger than a paperback book designed to turn a digital TV into a multimedia hub for accessing multimedia content, Web browsing and the IdeaCentre Q180 is world's smallest fully-functional desktop PC. The Q180 is also outfitted with 500GB HDD storage, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth and an 8-in-1 card reader with SDXC format support and the wired connectivity is provided by HDMI, VGA, 4x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.0 ports. The Q180 starts at $349 for the base model with with prices escalating accordingly if you start adding options like a hand-held keyboard.

Lenovo announced the IdeaCentre Q180, a consumer desktop PC no larger than a paperback book, yet powerful enough to turn a digital TV into a multimedia hub for enjoying music, videos, games, web browsing and more. "With the IdeaCentre Q180, we upped our game in the compact PC category," said Nick Reynolds, executive director, Product Group Marketing, Lenovo. "Featuring the latest HD Graphics and Blu-ray 3D playback, the Q180 enables consumers to change the way they enjoy multimedia and the Web in their living room at an affordable price point." Light weight and similar in size to a paperback novel just 22 mm thick the world's smallest production PC still packs a punch and comes with the latest technology. Along with an Intel Atom dual core processor, up to 4GB DDR3 memory, 750GB HDD storage or 128GB SSD storage and 802.11bgn Wi-Fi, the Q180 also comes equipped with a VESA Mount that allows flexible fitting anywhere in the home including the back of most HDTVs and monitors. Featuring great multi-media support, the Q180 comes with Full HD 1080p output, including a Blu-ray drive, 7.1 channel surround sound, Blu-ray 3D and DirectX11 support to help create an authentic movie ambiance and state-of-the-art home-theater experience right in the living room. It also features fast USB 3.0 file transfer support, VGA and HDMI out ports and S/PDIF connectivity for your HDTV and sound system. The IdeaCentre Q180 also comes with a latest generation Lenovo wireless backlit handheld keyboard1, which can fit snuggly in the palm of your hand. From the comfort of a sofa, users can do just about anything via this multimedia control wirelessly, including adjusting surround sound settings, selecting HD movies or simply surfing the Web on the Q180. The IdeaCentre Q180 will be available November 22 on Lenovo.com starting at $349.

Features:

• Tiny, compact design
• Up to AMD Radeon HD 6540A 512MB graphics with DirectX 11
• Add-on DVD reader/writer or Blu-ray Disc drive
• Full HD and Blu-ray 3D support
• Up to 7.1 Surround Sound
• USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and 8-in-1 card reader supporting SDXC format
• VGA and HDMI outports
• ENERGY STAR 5.0-certified
• VESA Mount for optimal placement, including on back of monitor

Videos:

Lenevo IdeaCenter Q180 Nettop: Product TourM

Lenevo IdeaCenter Q180: Product 2

Fujifilm X-S1 12-Megapixel EXR CMOS DSLR-Like Bridge Camera Review

Fujifilm has launched its latest X series camera, the Fujifilm X-S1, billed as the reinvention of the bridge camera, which packing a 12-megapixel sensor, 26x optical zoom and up to 10fps continuous shooting, the X-S1 has both an adjustable 3-inch display. The XS-1 sports a Super Macro Mode for focusing down to a rather intimate single centimeter and the X-S1 will also record H.264 full HD (1920 x 1080) video at 30 frames per second. Fujifilm X-S1 will be available for £699 in the UK in February of 2012 and pricing fhe US has been revealed at this time.

The Fujifilm X series of premium cameras has a third model, the X-S1, due for UK launch in February 2012. The XS-1 represents a new breed of bridge camera. Featuring a Fujinon 26x optical zoom lens through to the EXR sensor technology found in the X10, the X-S1 puts the photographer in control. The X-S1 is the ideal camera for the safari and travel photographer – offering superb image quality, extensive zoom range and superior handling. The centrepiece of the X-S1 is the superb Fujinon 26x optical zoom lens. Offering a range of 24-624mm (35mm equivalent) it caters perfectly for every photographic need and features a bright f/2.8 maximum aperture at the wide-angle setting. This optical range is boosted further by Fujifilm's Intelligent Digital Zoom capability, which effectively doubles the focal range without the drop in picture quality traditionally seen on older digital models As a result, the X-S1 offers users an incredible 52x zoom range of 24-1248mm (35mm equivalent). Optically, the Fujinon lens comprises 17 glass elements, which includes four aspherical elements and two ED lenses, to deliver images with superb edge-to-edge sharpness and amazing clarity. The lens' construction is also of the highest standard, featuring metal cams for smooth zoom control and fast, precise framing. The X-S1 is also ideally suited to capturing subjects close up. In standard mode, the zoom focuses down to 30cm, but by selecting Super Macro Mode, users can focus down to just 1cm for frame-filling close-up images. Furthermore, the lens' aperture is made up of nine blades for excellent bokeh effect photography. The X-S1 features the same 2/3-inch 12 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor as the X10 which guarantees high quality images regardless of the lighting conditions. The unique EXR CMOS technology pioneered by Fujifilm allows the user to switch between three modes – High Resolution, Wide Dynamic Range and High Sensitivity/Low Noise - depending on the lighting conditions or leave the camera to make its own choice in the Auto EXR mode.

Coupled to the EXR CMOS sensor is a Fujifilm high speed EXR processor, which offers a minimal shutter lag of just 0.01sec and a high speed continuous shooting capability. The X-S1 also takes high-quality movies. It captures Full High Definition (1920 x 1080 pixels) video with stereo sound at 30 frames-per-second. The X-S1 offers a powerful combination of high quality electronic viewfinder and rear LCD, with the 0.47-inch electronic viewfinder (EVF) featuring 1.44 million pixels for superb image clarity with a wide viewing area of 26 degrees to reduce eye strain. The rear mounted high quality, tiltable three-inch LCD screen features 460,000 pixels to make it easier for users to scroll through menus, assess exposure accuracy and view images. The LCD also offers a useful Daylight mode that overcomes the problem of viewing the screen in bright conditions. The X-S1 offers a superb level of functionality whether users want to make picture taking as simple as using a compact or as involved as a fully-manual digital SLR. For simplicity, the X-S1 will assess the subject and then select the relevant scene mode for the perfect result, automatically switching the EXR CMOS sensor accordingly. The XS-1 can also calculate whether an image contains a person, features backlighting or has any subject movement. ISO settings are taken care of too by the Auto ISO mode. Photographers after full control are well catered for with the X-S1. The camera offers a full range of conventional shooting functions (program/aperture-priority/shutter-priority/manual), plus users can also fine tune levels of colour, image sharpness and tone. Additionally, the X-S1 provides four auto bracketing options, eight Film Simulation and white balance functions and a Raw file format. Due to be launched in February 2012 in the UK, the X-S1 will have an estimated selling price of £699.

Fujifilm X-S1 Key Features:

• High quality Fujinon 26x optical zoom covering 24-624mm (35mm equivalent) with Intelligent Digital Zoom boosting range up to 1248mm
• Superb build quality and finish with rubberised coating and metal dials
• 12 megapixel EXR CMOS sensor
• Up to 10 frames-per-second shooting
• Large EVF with 1.44 million pixels and 26 degree viewing angle
• Tiltable three-inch rear LCD with Sunny Day mode (460k dots.)
• Full HD 1920x1080p video with 30fps and stereo audio in H.264 format
• PASM modes
• Raw file format
• Film simulation modes
• Macro focusing down to 1cm
• Lithium battery providing up to 500 shots per charge
• Optical image stabilisation
• 360° Motion Panorama mode

Videos:

Fujifilm X-S1 Promotional Video

NEW X-S1 Premium Digital Bridge Camere From Fujutsu

Fuji Guys - Fujufilm X-S1 - Hands on Preview

Fuju Guys Fujufilm X-s1 Getting Started

Fujifilm X-S1 26x Superizoom Camera Introductory Video

SteelSeries 7H Fnatic Limited Edition Headset And SteelSeries Sensei Fnatic Limited Edition Mouse Review

SteelSeries lends Fnatic support to limited edition gaming mouse and headset, decked out in the black-and-orange regalia of Team Fnatic. You’ll find first of all that both of these devices have an interestingly unique look to them, then you’ll find that their quality in attacking the gaming world is of course second to none and inside the headset you’ll find 50mm dynamic driver units and SNDBlock ear cushions for sound isolation. Inside the mouse you’ll find a 32 bit ARM processor for its ExactTech settings and full customization abilities, which has a light-up Fnatic team logo and contains the ability to be the most customized mouse on the market. The $99.99 Sensei mouse features 8 buttons and highly customizable sensitivity settings, which is powered by an onboard ARM processor. Sensei 7H headset has price tag of $139.99 and both products are available now directly from SteelSeries, at a $10 premium over their regular models.

Dreamhack Winter, the world's largest digital festival and LAN party kicks off, SteelSeries and one of the most recognized and accomplish gaming teams, Team Fnatic, introduce the SteelSeries 7H Fnatic Limited Edition headset and SteelSeries Sensei Fnatic Limited Edition mouse. Available now on SteelSeries Web Shop, the Limited Edition 7H headset features 50mm dynamic driver units with new, sound isolating SNDBlock ear cushions; while the Limited Edition Sensei features award-winning technology like its 32 bit ARM processor that powers SteelSeries' ExactTech settings and customization abilities, all of which are housed in an ambidextrous, black, orange and white Fnatic color design and illuminated Fnatic team logo. "We sponsor and work with a number of incredibly talented professional players and are proud to say that the Fnatic team is part of that family," said Kim Rom, SteelSeries CMO. "We have been supporters and collaborators with, as well as fans of, the talent that makes up the Fnatic squad for a long time now. We felt that it was the perfect time to introduce co-branded peripherals – that their players helped us design, regularly use and win with – to their immense and passionate fan following." "Our players have tough competition; they need everything to work to become champions, from their raw aim or APM right up to the equipment. Because of this, we work closely with SteelSeries to collaborate on the design and functionality of SteelSeries' professional gaming peripherals. We are so proud of what has been accomplished that we thought it was about time to put our mark -visibly - on those products" said Sam Mathews, Fnatic's owner. "Enter the Fnatic Limited Edition peripherals, on the best headphones and mouse we've ever used, 7H and Sensei - now with more style."

The SteelSeries 7H Fnatic Limited Edition headset features 50 mm dynamic driver units that deliver an exceptionally rich and detailed soundscape, from mood setting music to critical 3D positional sounds and alerts. The closed-type headset reduces ambient noise, while the unique, SNDBlock, hybrid ear cushions made of both cloth and leather, provide sound isolation from an inner leather layer and comfort from the outer cloth layer. The headset can also be dismantled into 4 separate pieces, which allows for compact and easy transportation. The Limited Edition Fnatic headset is $139.99 / €114.99 MSRP. The most customizable mouse to ever hit the competitive gaming industry, the SteelSeries Sensei, is now available in a Limited Edition Fnatic design transforming to an orange, black, and white ambidextrous force to be reckoned with and three zones of 16.8 million color illumination options, including on the Fnatic logo. Its 32 bit ARM processor powers sophisticated calculations that can be done directly on the mouse without the need for software drivers and without having to rely on the user's computer. Sensitivity settings can be changed in increments of one from 1 to 5,700 CPI, and an overclocked Double CPI feature that allows the user to go all the way up to 11,400 DCPI. The Limited Edition Fnatic mouse is $99.99 / €99.99 MSRP. Fnatic's CEO and owner, Sam Mathews couldn't hide his enthusiasm when asked about the new products: “Our players have tough competition; they need everything to work to become champions, from their raw aim or APM right up to the equipment. Because of this, we worked closely with SteelSeries to collaborate on the design and functionality of SteelSeries’ professional gaming peripherals. We are so proud of what has been accomplished that we thought it was about time to put our mark -visibly - on those products".

Here is what FnaticMSI.CS's captain, Patrik 'cArn' Sättermon, had to say about the new headset:

"SteelSeries 7H is the perfect choice for the gamers who values both clear and realistic sound, and a headset with great noise-canceling to avoid external noises which affects your focus and ability to hear your enemy. The SteelSeries 7H Fnatic Edition is by far the coolest looking headset I have came across in my career and I´m looking forward to wear it during our future tournaments."

FnaticMSI's Korean SC2 player Seo Yong 'Rain' Park has also been playing with the 7HV2 FnaticMSI edition the last few weeks, and he too liked its fantastic sound:

"I have been using the SteelSeries Siberia v2 before I tried the 7H and the results have been great. I find them to be very comfortable and it is more practical to carry it around for MLG & other tournaments. The ear muffs are of high quality and I find it great to use even at home for practice"

Videos:

Seell Series: Professional Gaming Gear

Favourite Mouse on the planet: Overlock3d The Best Mouse lve ever tested: XSReviews

World's First Capacitor-Based Regenerative Braking System For Passenger Vehicles Review

Mazda has released the details of i-ELOOP, a regenerative braking system it claims will reduce the fuel consumption of its future vehicles by up to 10 per cent and the Japanese manufacturer says i-ELOOP is the world’s first capacitor-based regenerative braking system for a passenger vehicle. The company turned to capacitors, which can be charged and discharged in just seconds. The system is also used to charge the vehicle's battery when necessary and works in conjunction with Mazda's i-stop idling technology to extend the period that the engine can be shut off, along with its range of SKYACTIV technologies, fits in with Mazda's focus on improving the efficiency of internal combustion engine vehicles rather than developing hybrid electric vehicle technology of its own. The world's first capacitor-based regenerative braking system should be making its retail debut sometime in 2012.

Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation has developed the world's first passenger vehicle regenerative braking system that uses a capacitor. The groundbreaking system, which Mazda calls i-ELOOP, will begin to appear in Mazda's vehicles in 2012. In real-world driving conditions with frequent acceleration and braking, i-ELOOP improves fuel economy by approximately 10 percent. Mazda's regenerative braking system is unique because it uses a capacitor, which is an electrical component that temporarily stores large volumes of electricity. Compared to batteries, capacitors can be charged and discharged rapidly and are resistant to deterioration through prolonged use. i-ELOOP efficiently converts the vehicle's kinetic energy into electricity as it decelerates and uses the electricity to power the climate control, audio system and numerous other electrical components. Regenerative braking systems are growing in popularity as a fuel saving technology. They use an electric motor or alternator to generate electricity as the vehicle decelerates, thereby recovering a portion of the vehicle's kinetic energy. Regenerative braking systems in hybrid vehicles generally use a large electric motor and dedicated battery. Mazda examined automobile accelerating and decelerating mechanisms, and developed a highly efficient regenerative braking system that rapidly recovers a large amount of electricity every time the vehicle decelerates. Unlike hybrids, Mazda's system also avoids the need for a dedicated electric motor and battery.

i-ELOOP features a new 12-25V variable voltage alternator, a low-resistance electric double layer capacitor and a DC/DC converter. i-ELOOP starts to recover kinetic energy the moment the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal and the vehicle begins to decelerate. The variable voltage alternator generates electricity at up to 25V for maximum efficiency before sending it to the Electric Double Layer Capacitor (EDLC) for storage. The capacitor, which has been specially developed for use in a vehicle, can be fully charged in seconds. The DC/DC converter steps down the electricity from 25V to 12V before it is distributed directly to the vehicle's electrical components. The system also charges the vehicle battery as necessary. i-ELOOP operates whenever the vehicle decelerates, reducing the need for the engine to burn extra fuel to generate electricity. As a result, in stop-and-go driving conditions, fuel economy improves by approximately 10 percent. The name 'i-ELOOP' is an adaptation of Intelligent Energy Loop and represents Mazda's intention to efficiently cycle energy in an intelligent way. i-ELOOP also works in conjunction with Mazda's unique i-stop idling stop technology to extend the period that the engine can be shut off. Mazda is working to maximize the efficiency of internal combustion engine vehicles with its groundbreaking SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY. By combining this with i-stop, i-ELOOP and other electric devices that enhance fuel economy by eliminating unnecessary fuel consumption, Mazda is striving to deliver vehicles with excellent environmental performance as well as a Zoom-Zoom ride to all its customers.

LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer 5-Inch Touch Screen Learning Tablet With Built-in Camera and Video Recorder

Introducing LeapPad Explorer, the personalized learning tablet just for kids. A built-in camera/video recorder, 100+ games and activities and innovative creativity and reading apps offer limitless learning and endless ways to play.

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Help your child create and learn with the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer. The learning tablet gives you access to more than 100 educational books, games, videos, and apps. Subjects like mathematics, reading, and science are covered in a fun and interactive way. The LeapPad's built-in camera can shoot video, allowing kids to make animation and art to share with family and friends.

Leapfrog LeapPad Explorer is like an iPad - But how much? Want to see a VERY full, hands on video review of the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Tablet? A six years old boy has you covered! Must Watch This Video Review

• 3 levels of text
• 3 modes where children can listen to the story, read along with the story, or read and explore activities on their own
• 6 comprehension activities leveraging the tablet's accelerometer and 3 fun games
  Ability to record and play back personal story narration

LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Features

• Introducing LeapPad Explorer, the personalized learning tablet just for kids! Appropriate for children ages 4 to 9 years
• A library of 100+ cartridge games, apps, digital books, videos and flash cards (sold separately, works with all Leapster Explorer games and apps)
• Includes a built-in camera and video recorder, 5" touch screen for use with finger or included stylus and 4 apps (Pet Pad, Story Studio, Art Studio and one app of your choice)
• 2GB of memory, enabling it to host a robust suite of apps including: innovative ultra eBooks  that provide word-by-word support, a Story Studio to combine art, audio and writing, Art, Animation and Photo studios to inspire imaginations
• A broad curriculum including reading, mathematics, science, geography, art, music, language and culture, health and more - skill levels automatically adjust the challenge to match each child's pace and remember progress from game to game and book to book

LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Features include:

• A broad curriculum that goes beyond school skills
• A built-in camera and video recorder
• Skill levels that automatically adjust to each child?s pace
• 100+ games and activities (works with all Leapster Explorer games and apps)
• Appropriate for children ages 4 to 9 years

Kid-Friendly, Interactive Design

Though sleek and thin, the LeapPad can withstand kids' roughhousing and dirty fingers. Designed to be flipped, shaken, and turned by little hands, the LeapPad comes with a tilt sensor for game control that puts kids in the middle of the action. A 5-inch color touch screen makes it easy for kids of all ages to learn and interact.

Built-In Camera Encourages Creativity

Prepare to be amazed by the wacky and touching videos, photos, and artwork that your child will produce using the LeapPad. Voice-guided instructions make it easy for children to edit and share their creations with friends and family. And with 2 GB of built-in memory, the LeapPad has plenty of space to store your budding director's creations.

The built-in camera allows kids to become the stars of their own stories. The Story Studio and Art Studio apps allow children to modify pictures they take and drop them into storybooks. Both apps are free and can be downloaded once you register the device.

Leveled Reading Experience

LeapPad's Ultra eBook are interactive, cinematic experiences designed to guide children through books and immerse them in the joy of reading. Each book is actually three books in one, with different levels and modes optimized to support reading development. As a child builds his/her reading skills, the levels adjust automatically and are remembered from book to book.

The Ultra eBook innovative activities build comprehension skills and expand vocabulary with support features that allow your child to touch a word to see its image, touch an image to see the word highlighted in text, touch words to hear them sounded out, or find definitions in the visual dictionary. All of this with characters that children will love, brought to life through animation that keeps children engaged as they learn.

Each Ultra eBook features:

• 3 levels of text
• 3 modes where children can listen to the story, read along with the story, or read and explore activities on their own
• 6 comprehension activities leveraging the tablet's accelerometer and 3 fun games
• Ability to record and play back personal story narration

Discover a World of Learning

With more than 100 learning games, videos, books, and apps available for LeapPad, it's easy to keep your child entertained on long car trips or at your favorite restaurant. LeapPad has a game cartridge slot for backwards compatibility with the entire existing Leapster Explorer Library, the curriculum covers spelling, phonics skills, mathematics, science, music, geography, and more.

The LeapPad also automatically adjusts learning so that kids can learn at their own pace while staying engaged. They can even practice writing with the included child-sized stylus.

Track Your Child's Progress

The LeapPad's online tool, the Learning Path, allows you to tune into your child's progress and track achievements. You can choose to receive regular e-mail updates on your child's accomplishments, which provide insight into where your child may need additional support and give you new ideas for even more learning fun.

Registration Allows for Maximum Capability

Parents will want to register the LeapPad so that they can download the three free apps and access the online tools. The online tool allows you to track your child's play and learning progress and share your child's photos and creations. Plan to spend about 20 minutes registering, downloading the apps, and helping your child set up a user profile.

What's in the Box

LeapFrog LeapPad with stylus, four apps (Pet Pad, Story Studio, Art Studio, and one app of your choice), extra stylus with tether, USB cable, installation CD, quick-start guide, and instructions.

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Hauppauge WinTV DCR-2650 USB Cable Card Dual TV Tuner - Watch and Record Premium Cable TV on Your PC

WinTV-DCR-2650 is a dual tuner Cable CARD receiver set top box for your Windows 7 PC. Users are now able watch and record PREMIUM cable TV on your PC. Simple to install via USB, the DCR-2650 works with Windows 7 Media Center.

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The Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 is a dual tuner CableCARD receiver for Your Windows 7 PC. Watch and record basic and premium cable TV on your PC at the same time: The WinTV-DCR-2650 has two tuners so you can watch one cable TV program while recording another. Or record two programs at the same time. It's simple to install via USB, and works with Windows 7 Media Center with the free Electronic Program Guide. This CableCARD receiver works with all U.S. cable operators such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Cable, Cablevision, Fios, and Uverse.

Technical Details

• Cable card tv tuner
• Watch and record premium cable TV on your PC
• Simple to install via USB
• Works with Windows 7 media center
• Dual tuner

The Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 CableCARD Receiver Offers:

• Watch, pause and record cable TV programs on your Windows 7 Media Center PC.
• Works with your premium cable subscriptions, such as HBO, ESPN, and Showtime
• Easy to install via USB on on compatible Windows 7 PCs and laptops
• Requires a digital CableCARD (can be rented from your cable operator for around $3 per month)

How Does WinTV-DCR-2650 Work

WinTV-DCR-2650 is just like a cable TV set top box (a "DVR" box) in that it can be used to watch and record TV from digital cable, with some minor differences. The key difference is that a Windows 7 PC with Media Center is required to use the WinTV-DCR-2650, because it works directly with your PC to choose shows in the Program Guide, and to store recorded TV programs. Using your PC for storage gives you an advantage over standard DVR boxes, because if you fill up your hard drive with TV programs, you can easily add a new internal or external hard drive to your PC as needed for virtually unlimited storage of your favorite cable shows.

Plus, there is no monthly fee for the WinTV-DCR-2650. Once you buy it, it's yours to use forever. But you still need to sign up for cable TV service, and you will still need to rent a digital cable card from your local cable operator.

Watch and Record Premium Cable TV Channels Such As HBO and Showtime

All of your cable TV channels, including premium cable channels such as HBO and Showtime, can be watched and recorded with the WinTV-HVR-2650 and Windows Media Center. (Subscriptions to premium channels are required to watch and record those channels.)

Pay-Per-View and video on demand will not be available through the WinTV-DCR-2605, however, since it requires a two way communication to your cable operator.

Test Your Windows 7 PC for Compatibility with Digital Cable Advisor

It's easy to test your PC to ensure it has the correct resources to run the CableCARD receiver. Use Windows Media Center's built-in Digital Cable Advisor for a quick, simple wizard to make sure your Windows 7 PC will work optimally with the WinTV-DCR-2650.

Easy to Install via a USB Connector

The WinTV-DCR-2650 works with most Windows 7 systems with USB ports, including desktop and notebook PCs. It connects to your cable TV directly--no set top box required. You can control your CableCARD, including navigating, watching, and recording shows, using a standard Windows Media Center remote control (not included).

What's in the Box

Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 USB Dual Tuner Digital CableCARD receiver, USB cable, power supply, driver CD-ROM, Quick Installation Guide.

System Requirements

* Windows 7 PC, laptop, or Home Theater PC (HTPC)
* a PC which meets the Microsoft requirements for a digital CableCARD receiver (use Windows Media Center's built-in Digital Cable Advisor to check compatibility)

Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro 3G Android Touch Screen Smartphone With QWERTY Keyboard , 8 MP Camera, Wi-Fi, GPS

Sony Ericsson Xperia pro is a new android powered 3.7-inch touchscreen 3G smartphone. With a physical QWERTY keyboard it includes a LED-backlit reality touch display with Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine, 720p video with continuous autofocus and an 8.0 megapixel camera. Combining a full-sized, ergonomically crafted slide-out keyboard with smart messaging functionality. Powered by the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS, you'll get access to a wealth of Google mobile services as well as hundreds of thousands of apps from the Android Market. Created from premium materials, the Xperia Pro features a 3.7-inch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine multi-touch display. Other features include a single-core 1 GHz processor, Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, GPS for navigation (using built-in Google Maps) and location services, 1 GB internal memory, microSD expansion (up to 32 GB), access to both personal and corporate e-mail, DLNA wireless media streaming, and up to 7 hours of talk time. Here I wrote only the main key features. Read the full review Here »

Key features

• Android OS v2.3.4 Gingerbread
• 3G with 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and 5.8 Mbps HSUPA
• Four-row slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Quad-band GSM /GPRS/EDGE support
• 3.7" 16M-color capacitive LED-backlit LCD touchscreen of FWVGA resolution (480 x 854 pixels) with Sony Mobile BRAVIA engine
• 720p video recording @ 30fps with continuous autofocus and stereo sound
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging
• Secondary front-facing VGA camera for video chats
• 1 GHz Scorpion CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 chipset, 512 MB RAM
• Voice dialing
• GPS with A-GPS
• Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
• Adobe Flash 11 support
• microSD slot up to 32GB (8GB card included)
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• microHDMI port
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1

Main disadvantages

• No smart dialing
• Display has poor viewing angles
• Battery cover is a hassle to open
• microSD card slot is not hot-swappable
• Black case extremely prone to fingerprints
• Slider a bit wobbly

Specifications

• 1 GHz single-core processor speeds up everything--from playing games to watching shows to opening files from work.
• 3.7-inch multi-touch display (Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine) with LED backlighting, scratch-resistant glass, and proximity sensor (480 x 854 pixels).
• Slide-out full QWERTY keyboard with Smart Keyboard functionality
• Onboard GPS with Google Maps featuring turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views, and more.
• Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go.
• Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.1) includes communication headset, hands-free car kits, and A2DP audio streaming Bluetooth profiles.
• DLNA compatibility allows you to stream media content from the phone to any other DLNA-certified device as well as play a file from a server on your phone.
• Memory expansion via microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB.
• 1 GB internal memory
• 8.1-megapixel camera with LED flash, 16x digital zoom, image stabilizer, auto-focus, touch focus, and red-eye reduction.
• HD 720p video capture capabilities with video stabilization.
• Front-facing VGA camera for video chats.
• Multimedia player compatible with MP3 and AAC music formats, and MPEG4, H.264, and H.263 video formats
• FM radio with RDS capabilities
• HDMI port for output to your HDTV or monitor.
• USB 2.0 port
• Access to Facebook and Twitter
• Full messaging capabilities including SMS text, MMS picture/video and IM instant messaging
• HTML browser (Webkit 5) with Flash 10.1 Support
• Personal and corporate e-mail access with support for Exchange ActiveSync accounts.
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• Speakerphone for hands-free communication.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Pro video review

HTC Sensation XL Touch Screen, Dual-Band 3G GPS WiFi Android SmartPhone Review

HTC Sensation XL is an android 2.3 powered GSM and dual-band 3G supported smartphone. It comes with 4.7-inch WVGA touchscreen,1.5GHz single core MSM8255 processor, 720p HD video recording supported 8-megapixel camera along with beats audio system. The Beats Audio premise is the same as we’ve seen on other recent HTC phones, like the Rezound and the Sensation XE. HTC will offer the Sensation XL with a special, folding pair of Beats over-the-ear headphones in some markets. It has been released to market. You can buy form here

HTC Homepage Discover Smartphones Tablets Help Sign up Share Sign up for more info Overview Specs HTC Sensation XL Feel every single beat Released October 06st, 2011 Size: 132.5mm x 70.7mm x 9.9 mm (5.22" x 2.78" x 0.39") Weight: 162.5 grams (5.73 ounces) with battery Display: 4.7-inch touch screen with 480 x 800 resolution Screen: 119 mm (4.7") HTC Sensation XL CPU Processing Speed 1.5 GHz Memory1 Total storage: 16 GB Available storage: up to 12.64 GB RAM: 768 MB (The available storage you can use will be lesser, since the phone's software occupies some storage.) Connectivity 3.5 mm stereo audio jack Bluetooth® 3.0 with A2DP for wireless stereo headsets and PBAP for phonebook access from the car kit Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g/n DLNA for wirelessly streaming media from the phone to a compatible TV or computer Standard micro-USB (5-pin micro-USB 2.0) Sensors Gyro sensor G-Sensor Digital compass Proximity sensor Ambient light sensor

Key features

• Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
• 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• 4.7" 16M-color capacitive S-LCD touchscreen of WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels)
• Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread with HTC Sense 3.5
• 1.5 GHz single Scorpion CPUs, Adreno 205 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8255 chipset
• 768 MB RAM; 16 GB storage (~12.5GB user accessible)
• Beats audio enhancement and premium Monster iBeats headset
• 8 MP autofocus camera with dual-LED flash; face detection, geotagging, HDR mode, image autoupload
• 720p video recording @ 30fps, slo-mo videos (2x at WVGA)
• Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
• GPS with A-GPS
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• Accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensor
• Front facing camera with video calls
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v3.0
• Smart dialing, voice dialing
• Office document editor
• DivX/XviD video support
• HTC Locations app
• HTCSense.com integration
• HTC Portable Hotspot
• Ultra-fast boot times (if you don’t remove battery)

Main disadvantages

• WVGA resolution is low for a 4.7" screen
• Screen's outdoor performance isn't so good
• No dedicated camera key
• No microSD card slot
• No TV-Out

Retail box

The Sensation XL comes in a big box, befitting a big phone. When you open it up, you see the phone in the middle with the earplugs of the iBeats headset on its sides. The headset is courtesy of Monster and is slightly different than the retail version: it has a set of three chrome-plated music controls instead of a single button. The middle Play/Pause button doubles as a call key. The headset has the same eye-catching red cabling we saw on the Sensation XE headset, even though the XL doesn’t have the matching red accents (just the red Beats logo on the back). Still, it looks cool.

360-degree spin

The HTC Sensation XL isn't as extra large as its name might suggest. Measuring 132.5 x 70.7 x 9.9 mm, it's not much bigger than handsets with 4.3" screens. And while the 162.5g of weight are on the heavy side, we've seen smaller phones that weigh as much. So, the phone is fairly compact for something bearing the XL tag.

Design and build quality

HTC have kept the design of the Sensation XL very clean. There are no different materials patched up together like on some other phones (*cough*Sensation*cough*). We especially like the big aluminum plate of the back that wraps around the sides too - it gives the phone a really premium feel. When you put it next to phones with 4.3" screens, the HTC Sensation XL is noticeably bigger, but not huge. It's still phone-sized compared to 5+ inch phoneblets.

Updated Sense 3.5 brings slight improvements

The HTC Sensation XL comes with Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread and a new version of the HTC Sense, v3.5. Gingerbread and the HTC custom skin on top should be familiar enough though some changes stuck out early on.Here's a video demo of the latest Sense UI running on the Sensation XL - the phonebook is one of the things that changed, so that's one thing to look out for.

Updated phonebook

The Sensation XL has HTC’s all-knowing phonebook with deep social networking integration. It manages to keep things neatly in order, even though it’s juggling everything from SMS to Facebook photo albums.The entire People app (the phonebook) is tabbed and with more tabs than the stock Android. Version 3.5 of Sense merges the Phone and People apps into one. So, you have the dialer, all contacts, groups (including favorite contacts there), as well as a call log.From a drop-down menu at the top, you can filter contacts based on where they came from - the phone's address book, Facebook, Twitter or your HTC Sense account.

Smart and voice dialing

We had no issues with reception and in-call audio quality with the HTC Sensation XL.The on-screen dialer features a keypad, a shortcut to the call log and a list of contacts beneath (you can hide the keypad). The HTC Sensation XL has both Smart Dialing and Voice dialing. The Sensation XL knows some accelerometer-based tricks – turning the phone over will mute the ringer of an incoming call while placing it down starts the loudspeaker automatically when you are in the middle of a call. The other feature is Quiet ring on pickup – once you move the phone, the ringer will quiet down (but not cancel the call).

Text messaging

Android and the HTC Sensation XL are capable of handling all sorts of text messaging – SMS, MMS, email. Social networking is covered by several apps and widgets, and there’s Gtalk, which can connect you to Google’s chat network and compatible networks too (like Ovi Chat). The notification area will display a line of an incoming SMS or just the number of messages if there’s more than one. You can set the status LED to alert of unread messages too.

HTC Mail app almost as good as Gmail

The HTC Sensation XL comes with two email apps – the traditional Gmail app and the generic HTC Mail app, which merges all your email accounts into a single inbox. The Gmail app has the trademark conversation style view and can manage multiple (Gmail) accounts. Batch operations are supported too, in case you need to handle email messages in bulk. The standard HTC Mail app has been updated too. Emails are organized into three tabs and can be sorted by date, sender, subject, priority or size (both ascending and descending). You can browse all folders for the email account or view all inboxes combined.

Beautiful image gallery

The HTC Gallery stacks photos like the vanilla Android gallery does (it used to display a list of thumbnails). The Albums app automatically locates images and videos, no matter where they are stored. Images and videos stored in different folders appear in different sub-galleries that automatically get the name of the folder – which is an effective file management solution. You can also select which folders the gallery should display. Video player has spotty codec support Video files can be accessed in the All videos subfolder in the Gallery. There's no dedicated video player. The video files are displayed as a grid and can be shared over MMS, email, or YouTube, Facebook and Flickr, even apps like Dropbox if you have it installed. The video playing interface on the HTC Sensation XL offers a full screen toggle (stretches the video to the screen's aspect) and you can scrub through videos. There's no subtitle support though. The video player was hit or miss when it came to playing videos. Non-HD resolutions would play trouble-free for all formats supported (MP4, DivX, XviD, MKV, WMV). Even some HD videos managed to play but only just - we managed to get a 720p WMV video play smoothly, a 720p MKV played (but there were rendering issues, probably encoding specific) and 720p DivX/XviD simply failed. Beats Audio and HTC Enhancer presets are available in the video player.DLNA connectivity comes handy too – the Sensation XL can stream the videos wirelessly to your TV. There's no TV-Out functionality of any kind, which means you're stuck watching the videos on the Sensation XL's 4.7" screen, you can't hook it up to an HDTV.

Beats Audio enhances the music player

The music player has been updated a bit - the initial screen has two big buttons for My Library and My Playlists, with links under them to help you discover new music (album and singles chart, newly released albums and singles and so on).The standard view for My Library is the Artists section, but you can easily switch to one of the other six categories (Albums, Songs, Playlists, Genres, and Genres) through a drop-down menu. Another dropdown at the top of the initial screen lets you switch between the music library on the phone and DLNA media servers.

Good FM radio

The HTC Sensation XL is also equipped with an FM radio, which has a pretty simple interface. It automatically scans the area for the available stations and allows you to mark some of them as favorite. It also supports RDS and allows loudspeaker playback.Unlike the first Sensation, the FM radio app on the Sensation XL starts and turns off a lot faster (about a second or two).

The 8MP camera

The HTC Sensation XL packs an 8MP camera that does stills of up to 3264x2448 pixels and records 720p video @ 30fps. There’s a dual-LED flash / video light too. The camera interface is very space efficient - even more so after the Sense 3.5 update. Most of the controls are on the right side of the viewfinder, with the virtual shutter in the center. The still/video toggle and front/back camera toggles have been combined in a single menu and the Effects button has been moved to the top left corner - this freed up space for the Scenes and Settings button. There’s a gallery shortcut (a thumbnail of the last photo taken) in the bottom left corner and a virtual zoom lever along the bottom. By default the viewfinder image is cropped so that it fills the entire screen, but you can switch that off (note that cropping reduces the resolution).

Photo quality comparison

The HTC Sensation XL enters our Photo Compare Tool to join the other 8MP shooters. The tool’s page will give you enough info on how to use it and what to look for. The ISO chart shows the slightest trace of a pink spot but otherwise the XL does pretty well in synthetic resolution. The next chart makes the noise pretty visible in its flat grey color - also the patches to the right show how lightly the noise reduction threads. The final chart show pleasing (if oversaturated colors).

720p video

The interface of the camcorder is similar to the still camera’s and there are lots of customizable options with this one. You can set the video resolution, recording limit and add effects.Autofocus works here too, but only before you start shooting – then the focus is locked and won’t change unless you tap an area on the screen, which will cause the camera to refocus on that area.

Video quality comparison

We entered the HTC Sensation XL in our Video Compare Tool database too and put it head to head with other 720p mobile camcorders. You can spot that the compression is heavier in the shades than in well-lit areas. In the dark, color noise is apparent and fine detail is lost. The third chart shows there's more to be desired from the video's resolution - and that frames are oversharpened.

Well-stocked connectivity

The HTC Sensation XL has a complete connectivity set. There’s quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and blazing fast dual-band 3G: 14.4Mbps downlink and 5.76Mbps uplink thanks to HSPA. The local wireless connectivity has Wi-Fi b/g/n and full DLNA support (both client and server, for images, videos and music) and Bluetooth 3.0. The Connected media app handles all sorts of DLNA connections – it plays media to and from devices on the network with just a couple of clicks. Apps like the Gallery and music player have such functionality built in too.

Excellent browser

The HTC Sensation XL has the latest Android 2.3 Gingerbread web browser with Sense UI 3.5 polish. The browser goes into full-screen when the web page finishes loading and has very minimalistic UI, which leaves almost all of the large 4.7" screen to the page's content. There's an URL bar at the top of the screen flanked by a back and refresh keys. Once you zoom in and pan around the page, even that bar disappears. Still, there are plenty of options - you have to press the menu key to reveal them.

Great organizer with Office document editing

The usual set of organizer apps are aboard the HTC Sensation XL, with a mobile Office app to boot that can both view and edit documents. The Polaris app has support for viewing Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, including the Office 2007 versions and it can create Office 2003 Word and Excel documents but not 2007 docs or any presentations. Oddly, you can edit existing PowerPoint presentations and Office 2007 docs. There is also a PDF viewer to handle PDF files. The on-screen keyboard does cut down the available space in half but if you zoom out you can still fit a reasonable amount of text.

Facebook and Twitter

Facebook and Twitter fans will appreciate the preinstalled Facebook and Peep apps, which let you post on the world’s largest social networks. The latest Facebook app is available, which enables things like Facebook Chat (there's a separate app for that too) and Facebook Places (which lets you to check into the likes of Foursquare).

Android Market, HTC Hub and HTC Likes

The Android Market uses several side-scrollable tabs - categories, featured, top paid, top free, top grossing, top new paid, top new free and trending. This organization reminds a lot of the Apple's App Store.There are all kinds of apps in the Android market and the most important ones are covered (file managers, navigation apps, document readers etc.).

HTCSense.com integration

HTCSense.com offers some premium features for free (a bit like HTC Locations). The Phone locator can be used to locate your phone if it’s stolen and you can lock it or even erase all the data from it. And don’t worry – HTCSense.com will back up your Sensation XL contacts and messages (though contacts should already be safe and sound in the Google cloud).

Google Maps and HTC Locations to navigation

The HTC Sensation XL has a built-in GPS receiver, which managed to get a lock in about a minute (with A-GPS switched off). If all you need is a rough idea of where you are (within 150 meters) you can use the Cell-ID and Wi-Fi network lock, which is very fast. Google Maps is a standard part of the Android package and we’ve covered it many times before. It offers voice-guided navigation in certain countries and falls back to a list of instructions elsewhere. You can plan routes, search for nearby POI and go into the always cool Street View.

Plotting a route with HTC Locations

It doesn’t do voice-guided navigation for free like Ovi Maps though – but still, you can use the list of instructions and tap the next and pervious arrows to see the next turn. Not ideal but it’s a great addition, especially since it’s free. You can always pay for a voice-guided navigation license too - it's cheaper than buying a dedicated GPS unit. You get a 30-day trial to see if it's worth it or not.

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