Chip

MAY 2013 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 06 Rs 150
M EN A LEM GS UPP
E FREING T
We'll show you how to increase the performance of your PC, laptop, tablet and Wi-Fi by up to 50 percentwithout breaking the bank
ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR SMART IT WORKERS

Get the best jobs by equipping yourself with the right qualifications.
COMPARED
9 7
Mainstream laptops for everyday use Cloud-based file storage services
HAVE YOU INSURED YOUR PHONE YET?

These extended warranty plans will help you recover from damage or theft.
PRODUCTS TESTED
HTC One Google Nexus 7 Nokia Lumia 620 Sony Xperia ZL Xolo Q800 LG Optimus L9 P765 Asus Transformer Pad Zotac GeForce GTX Titan Galaxy GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Samsung Rex 90 Duos Olympus Stylus VG-190
INDIA'S FASTEST BROADBAND PLANS

We've got all the details about prices, locations and "fair use" download limits.
GRUDGE MATCH!
HTC One vs Sony Xperia Z vs Samsung Galaxy S4
EDITORIAL
The March of Progress

ow many of us are using the same PCs, laptops or phones we had five years ago? We took a quick survey of thirty or so people in our officedeliberately excluding the gadgetmad CHIP teamand found that not a single one had been using the same phone that long. The very few who had five-year-old computers grumbled about how long theyd been waiting for replacements to arrive. Many had to pause a while to remember how many phones theyd been through in five years. The longest that any phone had been in use was three and a half years. It seemed almost strange to our random sample of colleagues to consider that a phone could last five years or more. Why would anyone want to use anything that old? No 3G! No Facebook! The horror! And Windows-Vista-era laptops? Sooo sllloooowww!
As unscientific as this method of research was, the results rang true. We all seem to have become conditioned to believe that when a computer, phone or any other gadget feels slow (or even just unfashionable), it must be replaced with a new one. Not upgraded, augmented or even just tuned up, but replaced as a whole. Manufacturers, of course, are encouraging this behaviour. Every ad tells us that our lives are empty and meaningless without the latest gadget. Many of the most recently launched products features were clearly dreamt up by a marketing department, not a team of engineers. Theres a reason laptops used to be bulkier than they are todayonce upon a time, they needed to be opened for upgrades and repairs. Today, we actively seek out those that are the most difficult to repair; the most impossible to upgrade. We now value the newness of a crisp screen, metallic body or slim body so much that we actually resent the things that once gave products their longevity and utility. All-in-one PCs are replacing desktops, so we'll wind up throwing away a perfectly good LCD screen when a motherboard dies. RAM is soldered onto motherboards to shave a few millimeters off a notebook, so the whole thing will be replaced when an upgrade would have sufficed. We used to be fine with buying a new phone or laptop battery every two or three years. Now, a battery will most likely outlast the device its soldered into. E-waste, like everything else, is not even a problem . Five years of useful service has already become a laughable expectationlooking at all the laptops and smartphones currently available, it's hard to imagine any of them still being useful in 2018. In 2008, the iPhone 3G was the most desirable phone, Intels Core 2 Duo CPUs powered the s and tablets t blets werent ta w sleekest laptops, even on the horizon. Today, those products certainly feel but t at leas outdated, bu least the ones we have around still work, and do the things they used to do hey were new. Five years from now, will that still be the case? when they If youre the type of user who truly pushes his or her hardware to the limit, whether gaming content creation or any other purpose, then by all means, upgrade for gaming, when you feel it necessary. If a brand new device would drastically improve your h life and help you do things better or faster, were happy to see you benefit from it. Howev However, truthfully, if you do nothing more than surf the web, type out Word documen and watch movies, you might really want to consider whether a documents u simple upgrade and some spring cleaning would fix what's wrong. We're spending our money on all the wrong things. Many of us are willing to pay tens of thousands of rupees each year for products that arent remotely necess necessary for our wellbeing. We've told the industry that it's OK; that we prefe it this way. This state of affairs isn't sustainable and it isn't good for prefer anyo anyone. If your next gadget purchase is an impulse buy or a treat to your yourself, think about whether the thing it's replacing could last you another mon month. If the answer is yes, that purchase might not be necessary at all.
Jamshed Avari Jam editor@chip.in edito
Contents
80 COVER STORY
MAY 2013
NEWSWIRE
16 in the News...
A round-up of the month's major events and news stories in the technology industry.
TEST CENTRE
34 Product Spotlight
The HTC One is a brilliant handset with just a few, forgivable flaws.
FEATURED
71 Free Cloud Lockers Tested
The cloud is not just for storing data anymore. We test the most popular ones to find the best.
22 The Buzz List

What's everyone talking about? It's all in here and you need to read it.
36 Hardware Tested
Here's our opinion of the Xperia XL, XOLO Q800, the Asus Nexus 7 and more.
74 Grudge Match: Galaxy S4 vs Xperia Z vs HTC One

We compare the three superphones to figure out which one comes out on top.
28 Mega: Secure file sharing or another pirate haven?

Kim Dotcom's latest venture is touted as a secure way to share files. But does it also encourage piracy?
54 Ace Combat
We test a range of high-end notebooks to find the best of the lot.
80 Upgrade Your Gear for Under Rs 5,000

Here's how you can get a better config without burning a hole in the pocket.
62 Software Spotlight
Intel Anti-Theft Service is a great tool to protect your data from getting into wrong hands.
30 100 Days of Windows 8

It's been over a hundred days since its release, but Microsoft's latest operating system hasn't done as well as expected.
64 Software Tested
Entertainment, productivity and a few neat utilities to keep your PC chugging.
88 Upgrade Your IT Career: Skills You Need

Here's the low-down on what you need to be good at to land a great job in IT.
32 Everything You Need to Know About Bitcoin

The new digital currency is gaining in both value and popularity. We take a look.
92 Wired or Wireless?
The most efficient ways to go about using the different standards and protocols.
05/2013
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP
Contents
36 TEST CENTRE HARDWARE TESTED The latest hardware reviewed.
MAY 2013
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Turn to page 42
62 TEST CENTER SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT Intel Anti-Theft is great for keeping your data safe.
FREE DVD
POWER TOOLS PACK
110 HANDS ON EIGHT ARMS IN ONE PHOTO Learn how to superimpose photos in Photoshop.
96 High-Speed Internet Plans in India

We might not get Google Fiber soon, but here's a look at the best high-speed Internet plans in the country.
REGULARS
04 Editorial, 10 Colophon, 12 Letters, 16 In the News..., 22 The Buzz List, 24 New Products Launched, 78 PC Configs, 102 Web Watch, 104 Dr CHIP, 114 Tips & Tricks, 120 Market Watch, 128 Personal Tech
DVD HIGHLIGHTS
RED HOT APPLICATIONS
Ashampoo 3D CAD Professional 4
99 Have You Insured Your Phone Yet?

It might be a good idea to get your shiny new insured just so you don't get a heart-attack next time you drop it.
FULL GAMES
Nitro Racers, 8 Ball Frenzy, Aerial Fires, Air Shark 2, Anti Terror Mission and more...
GAME DEMOS
A Valley Without Wind 2 1.002, Euro Truck Simulator 2 Demo 1.3.1, Farming Simulator 2013 1.4.0.0, German Lowriders 1.4 and more...
HANDS ON
108 Eight Arms in One Photo
Here's how you can use Photoshop to superimpose photos for awesome effects.
TIPS & TRICKS
GAME TRAILERS
Star Trek: Story Reveal, Army of Two: The Devils Cartel Mask, DARK: Official, DC Universe Online: Home Turf Launch, Dead or Alive 5: Tag Combo Ver 1.03A, Resident Evil Revelations: Launch and more...
110 Enhance Photos Shot With a Mobile Phone

Noise, low exposure or detail in photos shot with your phone? Here's how to fix them.
LINUX TOOLS
Ruby 2.0.0-p0, AVIRA AntiVir WebGate 3.3.0.2-5, Epiphany 3.6.1 / 3.7.90, GNOME Shell 3.7.90, Baobab 3.6.4 / 3.7.90 and more...
05/2013
COLOPHON
FOUNDER & EDITOR, NETWORK18 Raghav Bahl PRESIDENT & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, TV18 Senthil Chengalvarayan MANAGING EDITOR Hatim Kantawalla hatim.kantawalla@network18online.com DEPUTY EDITORS Jamshed Avari Shayne Rana DEPUTY EDITORTECHNICAL Anand Tuliani ASSISTANT HEADTEST CENTER Francis DSa SENIOR REVIEWER Roydon Cerejo COPY DESK Sharon Khare, Ramkumar Iyer, Aneez Shaikh SENIOR FEATURES WRITERS Priyanka Tilve, Nachiket Mhatre, Nikhil Subramaniam FEATURES WRITER Naina Khedekar STAFF WRITERS Aaron Almeida, Anuradha Shett y, Shunal Doke, Nishtha Kanal MULTIMEDIA COORDINATOR Sachin Haldankar TEST CENTER COORDINATORS Gautami Chalke, Rajesh Dsouza SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Ashwin R Boricha ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Jagdish Limbachiya SENIOR DESIGNER Harshad Gujare SENIOR ILLUSTRATORS Sachin Pandit, Chaitanya Surpur HEAD - INTERNET Tushar Burman EDITOR - PHOTOGRAPHY Mexy Xavier PHOTOGRAPHERS Joshua Navalkar, Nachiket Gujar ASSISTANT MANAGER - PRODUCTION Ravi Salian IMAGE PROCESSING Sanjay Shelar
GROUP CEO, NETWORK18 B. Sai Kumar CEO - NETWORK 18 PUBLISHING Sandeep Khosla EVP - HUMAN RESOURCES Sanjeev Kumar Singh
ADVERTISING SALES
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT - SALES Siddhartha Chatterjee NATIONAL SALES HEAD Badri Narayan (badri.narayan@ network18publishing.com) SALES SUPPORT HEAD Sagar Salunkhe (sagars@network18publishing.com) MUMBAI: Elvin Easo (elvin.easo@network18publishing.com) Aanchal Gupta (aanchal.gupta@network18publishing.com) HYDERABAD: Rocky Joseph (rocky.joseph@network18publishing.com) NEW DELHI: Zubair Ahmad (zubair.ahmad@network18publishing.com) CHENNAI: Madhivaanan (madhivaanan@infomedia18.in)
MARKETING
HEAD - MARKETING Amit Seth EXECUTIVE - MARKETING Ruchi Shrawankar
NEWSSTAND AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

HEAD (COPY SALES) Sunil Nair DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER Manoj Palsay West: Mumbai: Soorendra Desai, Sanjay Bhujle, Dinesh Devadiga; Pune: Sachin Kamble, Nitin Agre; Ahmedabad: Pranav Dave; Nagpur: Abhijeet Roy. North: Delhi: Ashish Chakravorty, Kamal Bisht, Sanjay Sharma, Kamakhya Pandey; Lucknow: Amit Singh. East: Kolkata: Debraj Sur. South: Chennai: Kripanand S, Balaji G; Bengaluru: Devaraju Gowda; Hyderabad: G.S. Mahesh; Cochin: A.K.Shihabuddin.
CORPORATE (SUBSCRIPTIONS)
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER Rajiv Mani ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER Sanjay Elisha SENIOR MANAGER (SUBSCRIPTIONS) Sheetal Kotawdekar COORDINATORS Sarita Quadros, Chaitali Parkar, Kamlesh Mathkar, Vaibhav Ghavale, Meena Katt a LOGISTICS TEAM Percy Palkhiwala, Anant Shirke
PRINTING
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Ananth R. Iyer ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER - PPC Shekhar Khot PRODUCTION TEAM Dnyaneshwar Goythale
SERVICES
CIRCULATION SERVICES: If Intelligent Computing CHIP is not available at your news stand, or for other news stand queries, write to manoj.palsay@infomedia18.in SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: For subscription queries, write to customercare@infomedia18.in or call +91 22 30034631-34 or toll free 1800 200 1021 PERMISSIONS: For permissions to copy or reuse material from Intelligent Computing CHIP, write to editor@chip.in
CHIP INTERNATIONAL: Editorial Consultant International - Thomas Pyczak, Poccistrabe 11, 80336 Munchen CHIP is also published in the following countries: China, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine Copyright 2004 INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP is an internationally protected trademark owned by CHIP Communications GmbH Views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18)*, its publisher and/or editors. We at Network18 do our best to verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the absolute accuracy of the information. Network18 does not accept the responsibility for any investment or other decision taken by readers on the basis of information provided herein. Network18 does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited material sent without due postal stamps for return postage. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without the prior writt en permission of the publisher. Network18 reserves the right to use the information published herein in any manner whatsoever.
Published by Lakshmi Narasimhan and printed by Mohan Gajria on behalf of Network18 Editor: Lakshmi Narasimhan Printed at Infomedia18 Ltd., Plot No. 3, Sector No. 7, Off Sion-Panvel Road, Nerul, Navi Mumbai 706 & published at Network18, A Wing, Ruby House, J.K. Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 28. For all international subscription enquiries, contact the Subscription Department, Intelligent Computing CHIP All editorial queries must be directed to the Editor, Intelligent Computing CHIP, Network18, Special Interest Publications Division, A Wing, Ruby House, JK Sawant Marg, Dadar West, Mumbai 28 Tel: (91 22) 30034631-35; Fax: (91 22) 30034499, Email: editor@chip.in
*Ownership of this magazine stands transferred from Infomedia18 Ltd (Infomedia18) to Network18 Media & Investments Ltd (Network18) in pursuance of the scheme of arrangement between Network18 and Infomedia18 and their respective shareholders and creditors, as approved by the Honble High Court of Delhi and the necessary approval of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is being obtained.
10
05/2013
LETTERS
INBOX
Next month's Star Letter wins accessories set
Dear CHIP,
A costly mistake
LE T TER OF THE MONTH
One month ago I bought the latest and most innovative product from Lenovo, the Ideapad Yoga 11, with high expectations as the price is high (Rs 55,000) and its looks are beyond compare. However, all my expectations have been shattered due to the presence of Windows RT OS on it. I had the wrong idea that Windows RT was somewhat similar to Windows 8, as they look similar. Windows RT is a completely different environment which doesn't support 90 percent of the apps which we use today. The other restriction is that any compatible app has to be downloaded from the Windows store only, where hardly any app is worthwhile. It doesn't support USB datacards either. I decided to change my OS to Windows 8 but that is also not possible. Is there any possibility of improving these drawbacks of Windows RT? - RAKESH Dear Rakesh, We're sorry to hear about your bad experience. Unfortunately, you aren't alone. The salesman who sold it to you clearly failed to properly explain what exactly it was that you were buying, and it's quite likely that he was not familiar with the product either. Has the store refused to exchange the device or give you a refund? If you are certain that you were deliberately mislead, you can approach the store manager or even the consumer court. W Windows RT is meant to power slim, lightweight tablet and hybrid devices, with a level of functionality roughly e equivalent to what an iPad or Android tablet offers. While Microsoft includes a version of MS Office, no other s software will run, which makes the presence of a "Desktop mode" even more confusing. We can expect the OS to be updated for a few years, but it will never be possible to replace it with a mainstream version of Windows due to the different hardware architecture both products are based on. There is a very faint possibility that Microsoft will allow third-party software to be run on Windows RT machinesrumors of a "Windows 8.1" with Start menu are gaining traction, so the company does seem to be reconsidering some of its decisions. Even then, software makers will have to tailor-make new versions of their programs for Windows RT devices. Meanwhile, the Windows Store is expanding, so check back often to see if there are any new apps that could work out for you. - TEAM CHIP
Dealing with fakes

Dear CHIP, The April 2013 issue had a very good cover story. I'm pretty sure that many of us wondered about the production of gadgets and their costs until you gave us the info. The Tomb Raider review by Nachiket Mhatre was one of the best game reviews I've ever read but I was disappointed that you didn't give a poster of the gorgeous Miss Lara Croft. Also, it was a pleasure to read that BlackBerry is finally trying to compete with the likes of iPhone and the others. I have a question for you. I've occasionally seen advertisements from Naaptol and other online vendors for cheap iPhone ripoffs from some unknown company called Vox. The picture shows the iOS home screen, except
that the iPod and Safari apps are replaced by "Music" and "Browser" respectively. Also the features included Quad SIM and expandable storage. One of my teachers bought this phone and obviously, it turned out to be a fake. Similar fakes of other phones like the S III and One X were being sold by the same company. My question is why is the government allowing such fake companies to continue fooling their customers? Also, are companies like Apple and Samsung not aware of it? I'm pretty sure that they would have done something to prevent it. - AYUSH MALVIYA Dear Ayush, Thanks for your letter and kind words. We're working on a way to ensure that posters can be included
again; look out for them in the near future! As far as fake phones and other devices go, we have seen hundreds of such products come and go. The companies behind them get away by ensuring that there are just enough differences in the products and advertisements to avoid legal trouble, or by hoping that large companies will consider them too insignificant to go after. Most large companies are very aware of the presence of such likenesses in the market, and if they continue to advertise in a deliberately misleading fashion, it won't be long before we see high-profile court cases in India like there are abroad. We're sure that CHIP readers will be aware that these products aren't what they appear to be, and will help guide and advise their friends and family on
CONTACT INFO
Please send your letters to: editor@chip.in with "LETTERS" in the subject line
12
05/2013
LETTERS
SMS US
Since we like knowing whats on your mind and what you think about our magazine, we bring you another way to get in touch. Do you have something to say about a test or review? Liked a feature story? Was the workshop useful? SMS us your feedback! For general comments, create the following message: ICCO <Your comments here> Example: ICCO The cover story was very useful To rate a story, product review, etc look out for the story tag at the base of each article and type: ICCO <Story tag> <Rating> Example: ICCO PWS 5 The Story tag is mentioned at the base of every story in the magazine and the Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5. Finally, send your messages to 51818. Cheers! Please keep comments to 160 characters per message! Include your email address to help us reply or check out the SMS Feedback thread at www.chip.in/forums
gadget buying decisions. It's always a good idea to check for the use of trademarks such as "iPhone" and "Galaxy S". No other company can use these, which is why you see the names "iPod" and "Safari" removed. - TEAM CHIP
magazine being an age-neutral phenomenon, which is of a good thing, please reconsider advertisements like the one for a UPS in the recent issue. Make sure that the next generation understands the problems associated with harmful websites, content and addiction to it (I know you have already been doing it). Promoting violent and titillating games is also a strict no-no. Your magazine can surely do without this. How about promoting some young entrepreneurship? We would love to read inspiring stories and guarantee the quality of a product, and that even one weak link can bring down an otherwise robust chain. After-sales service is a huge concern for buyers. Regardless of the cost of a product, one should expect a reasonably long life and reliable operation. The peace of mind a large brand can provide is often worth the cost difference. - TEAM CHIP Hi Graig, Thanks for your letter and your suggestions. It's deeply heartening to hear that you and your wife have made so much effort to encourage your son's interests despite the challenges of being in a remote area. We're happy to profile young tech entrepreneurs as and when we come across them, and we regularly cover tech careers and education. With reference to advertising, we are totally committed to maintaining editorial independence at CHIP, which is why the content team is not aware of which ads are being carried until the final proofs are printed and checked. We'll look into the specific ad that you found objectionable. As far as gaming goes, violence is pretty much unaviodable, but we're careful about the imagery we carry. We do try to balance things out and you shouldn't see any gratuitous gore or anything too unsettling. - TEAM CHIP this will also set the path for your numerous and loyal young followers. I know I might sound a bit critical, but I care about your magazine and I am sure you won't ignore this. Thanks and please keep up the excellent things that you do. - GRAIG DIAS
Parts and service

Dear Editor, I would like to congratulate you for last month's article about where your gadgets come from. It was very informative and will surely help people who blindly go by brand names. I want to add that while talking about the quality of a product, why forget the after-sales services of the companies? In case you have a problem with a device from a well-known brand, their guarantee and educated replies from agents are reassuring, and the replacement/service is done in a timely manner. On the other hand with these unbranded products, a problem is heart-breaking. Their months-long processes and lack of information at service centers adds to the trouble. They keep on giving dates like Indian law courts. I have been suffering the same problem for three months because of a tablet that I bought from one not-so -good company, keeping in mind the fact that all of them come from almost the same manufacturers. Manufacturing issues alone do not matter in this mushrooming gadget bazaar. The support and services do count. Even having almost the same parts, these things are nowhere near "high quality". - RAFIA SABIH Dear Rafia We totally agree with your assessment of the situation. Our story did point out that using the same component suppliers does not
Positive influences
Dear CHIP, My son aged 12 has been reading your magazine regularly for the past three years and while we stay in a slightly remote area with not very reliable delivery, we have been happy to get him his monthly dose of technology. I am thrilled to see him consume the electronic food that you serve with such passion and never once have regretted the effort that my wife and I sometimes have to put in to get his copy. The point that I wish to make is that I see more and more of the younger generation is taking a liking to this kind of information and therefore you are entrusted with greater power and of course with even greater responsibility (like Spiderman!). With your
WRITE TO US!
Readers' letters, feedback and suggestions: editor@chip.in (Subject: LETTERS) Industry representatives: editor@chip.in Marketing and sponsorship enquiries: marketing@chip.in Dr CHIP: drchip@chip.in Tips and Tricks: tnt@chip.in
CUSTOMER CARE
Late delivery, DVD malfunctions, and all subsciption related enquiries E-mail: customercell@infomedia18.in Tel: +91 22 3003 4633 / 31 / 30 Fax: +91 22 3003 4499 Subscribe online at eshop.infomedia18.in
14
05/2013
NEWS SNIPPETS
NEWSWIRE
DANGER PREDICTION
No massive new data breaches or exploits are of concern at the moment. Users must still remain vigilant and use common-sense precautions online.
IN THE NEWS...
COMPILED BY JAMSHED AVARI
MOBILE
Facebook Home aims to redefine the Android experience; reviews show low user safisfaction
MALWARE VIA EMAIL

UNITED KINGDOM USA SOUTH AFRICA SWEDEN GERMANY
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
48.6% 38.7% 2.3% 1.1% 0.7%

9 10
Yet again, Facebook has deed conventional wisdom and released something other than a phone. The new Facebook Home launcher for Android works with a handful of devices from HTC and Samsung, and comes preloaded as the default interface on the new HTC First. Home replaces your home screen with a regularly updated slideshow of images and updates from your Facebook contacts. A double-tap lets you comment or Like posts. App icons are consigned to a
The UK has overtaken the USA to become the worlds largest originator of malware laden emailalmost 50 percent of the worlds malware spam now comes from the UK. SOURCE: SYMANTEC
ANDROID UNDER FIRE

NEW MALWARE FAMILIES
100
96
secondary screen, accessible after a swipe. The Facebook app has also been updated to include Chat Heads, a complimentary
to give social feeds a high priority, FB Home has been criticized for its oversimplied look and poor usability. Facebook has promised rapid updates and a tablet version in the near future, so its strategy and approach will undoubtedly be rened.
50
47
46
49
feature that lets SMS and FB conversations with friends continue no matter which app is running, via oating icons. Although designed
14 0 0 Q1 2012
18 0 Q2 2012
21 4 2 Q3 2012 0 Q4 2012
In just the fourth quarter of the previous year, 96 new malware families associated with Android systems were detected. No new iOS threats were found in the same period. SOURCE: F-SECURE
WEB
Reddit "vigilantes" wrongly identify Boston bombers

Mass outrage over the were later proven to be innocent bystanders. The men were hounded by media and a virtual witchhunt and were forced to stay indoors fearing mob anger after mainstream press reprinted the photos and accusations. The community also wrongly amplied rumors of an Indian student being a suspect. Boston Marathon bombings quickly turned into online vigilanteism when Reddit and 4chan users began circulating photos and fragments of evidence in order to identify the bombers. Multiple threats on the FindBostonBombers subreddit pointed out two men, seen with bags, who
FIGURE OF THE MONTH
The magnitude of the increase in the number of legitimate websites compromised to serve malware.
SOURCE: WEBSENSE
600%
16
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: NSN to 51818
NEWS SNIPPETS
SOFTWARE MOBILE
NEWSWIRE
Windows 8.1 likely to have a Start button, allow booting to desktop

Leaked internal builds of the next Windows release, so far known by its codename "Blue", include code that would restore the Start button (to trigger the Modern UI Start screen) but also allow users to boot directly into the Desktop environment. This would eliminate some of the criticism of Windows 8 and help encourage Windows XP and 7 users to upgrade. However, the move could sideline the Windows 8 Modern UI. Allowing users to completely ignore the Modern UI would make the new Windows platform much less attractive to developers, resulting in a weaker selection of apps in the Windows Store. It isn't clear how exactly these features might be implemented. A public preview of the update, likely to be named Windows 8.1, is expected in late June. Sales of Windows 8, both as a standalone product and preinstalled on new computers, have been weak since its launch in October 2012, thanks in part to slowing global demand for PCs and laptops.
BlackBerry refutes rumors of Z10 returns, customer dissatisfaction

BlackBerry (formerly known as Research In Motion) has called on nancial regulators in the USA and Canada to disprove reports by two analysts which claimed that sales of its new Z10 were disappointingly low and that returns were alarmingly high. While an ITG report focused on sales, claiming that momentum had dropped signicantly since the device's launch in late January, Detwiler Fenton stated that returns of the Z10 were signicant and in some cases actually exceeded sales. The latter report in particular caused a 9 percent drop in BlackBerry's share price. BlackBerry's immediate response was to call the reports "absolutely without basis" and "materially false and misleading". CEO Thorsten Heins further described return rates are at or below forecasted levels, which is in line with industry trends. BlackBerry reported that 1 million Z10s have shipped to carriers and resellers in the rst quarter of its launch (prior to the device's US launch), though this does not factor in actual sales to end customers.
LEGAL ISSUES
MOBILE
LEGAL ISSUES
BUSINESS
SC hears plea to Amazon app store California bans ban porn in India coming to India phone maps
The bogey of pornography has once again been raised, this time as the reason for an increase in crimes against women. A petition led with the Supreme Court of India claims, without citing any research or factual evidence, that pornography is "deviant and destructive" and "has put entire society in danger so also safety threats to public order in India". Advocate Kamlesh Vaswani from Indore, who led the petition, further claims that crimes against women are "fuelled by pornography", implying a cause-and-effect relationship. The Supreme Court has now directed the concerned government departments and ISP's associations to respond. Amazon will soon expand its Android app store to over 200 more countries including India. One of the most widely known and trusted source of apps outside of Google's own Play store, Amazon's store feeds the company's own Kindle Fire ebook readers as well as Android phones and tablets from multiple manufacturers. The move could foreshadow the launch of Kindle Fire devices in India, but is more likely to be in preparation for Amazon's long-rumoured smartphone launch. A judge in California has ruled that a ban on texting while driving should extend to any activity that requires a driver to take his/her hands off the steering wheel. Thus, using mapping apps, a clock, or any other non-communication app would be interpreted as the same kind of distraction and carry the same nes as talking and typing. The judge did note a serious aw in the law: it applies only to electronic devices, leaving drivers free to be distracted by paper maps and other objects or activities.
17 yr old sells startup for $30m

Yahoo has acquired Summly, a mobile news app developed by 17-year-old British student Nick D'Aloisio, for US$ 30 million. The app, which summarizes articles into easily readable and sharable snippets, has already been shut down. Yahoo will hire D'Aloisio and two other team members and take control of the summarization, natural language processing and machine learning technology. Yahoo will focus strongly on mobile apps and experiences as part of new CEO Marissa Mayer's plan to restore the Web giant to its former glory.
18
05/2013
NEWS SNIPPETS
NEWSWIRE
INDUSTRY
SECURITY
SECURITY
IN OTHER NEWS...
ASRock Z87 Extreme4 is the world's first Windows 8 certified Intel 8-series motherboard
ASRocks Z87 Extreme4 is the worlds first Intel 8 Series motherboard to pass Windows 8 hardware certification. Users may be assured that ASRocks Z87 Extreme4 will support the latest operating system from Microsoft without any problems.
Chameleon botnet skims millions from online advertisers

A newly discovered botnet, dubbed Chameleon, appears to be using a novel method of making money online. Infected PCs are used to visit a small set of websites and fradulently mimic human behaviour including clicking and hovering over ads at natural-seeming speeds and intervals, which earns money for the displayer. Code running on the infected machines appeared to the web analytics rm Spider.io as Microsoft Internet Explorer 9, running on Windows 7. Other identical characteristics, and the fact that the same small set of websites was frequently visited, helped the rm identify the fraudulent activity. The scammers behind Chameleon are now estimated to be earning US$ 6 million per month.
Evernote used as malware server

Popular cross-platform note syncing app Evernote found itself in the unenviable situation of being used as a carrier for a strain of malware. The threat, named BKDR_VERNOT.A by Trend Micro, used Evernote's communications and syncing features to relay command and control messages to infected
SECURITY HCL Infosystems wins Laptop Order from Chhattisgarh Government

HCL Infosystems Indias premier Services and ICT Systems Integration, Distribution and Hardware company today announced the awarding of a contract from Chhattisgarh Infotech & Biotech Promotion Society (CHiPS). HCL Infosystems has been selected for the Government of Chhattisgarh project - Free Distribution of Laptops to final year engineering and medical students of Government-aided and Private Colleges across the state.
machines. The threat managed to bypass security software by dressing its trafc up as legitimate Evernote trafc. The malware came to light after Evernote reset all users' passwords following an unrelated security breach.
1 in 4 Indians doesn't use any mobile security measures

Symantec's annual Cybercrime Report has thrown up a few statistics about Indian mobile users. While 73 percent download apps only from trusted sources, 29 percent don't use passcodes to secure their devices. Nearly a third of all respondents don't have any way to lock, locate or wipe their phones if necessary, and just under a a quarter aren't aware that such mobile security measures exist. On the positive side, 73 percent never save important personal information on their smartphones, 69 percent limit the sites they visit, and 59 percent disable geolocation features. However, 53 percent of users have lost their devices or had them stolen or at least once, but only 22 percent tried to use tracking software to nd them.
HARDWARE
7-inch Windows tablets imminent

Microsoft has relaxed its minimum resolution requirement for Windows 8 devices, and will allow
Exclusive Pre-Booking of Samsung Galaxy S4 Only at HomeShop18.com

The highly awaited Samsung Galaxy S4 is now available for pre-order on HomeShop18. Customers can pre book this much awaited Android smartphone by visiting www.homeshop18.com
WEB
screens running at 1024x768 rather than 1366x768, paving the way for smaller, 4:3ratio devices. Tablets in the 7-inch range have become increasingly popular, and a smaller and cheaper Surface or tablets from partner companies would comepte in the booming market segment now dominated by Android tablets and the iPad mini, and help Microsoft gain traction in the face of declining PC sales. In a recent earnings call, Microsoft conrmed it was working on bringing Windows to "smaller devices".
Google's "search" dotless domain could change Web behaviour

The ability to register custom top-level domains such as .myname in addition to .com and other common TLDs has thrown up an interesting side effect. Google has publicized plans to aquire .search and operate it as a "dotless domain", ie it would not be used with any preceeding site name. This would allow users to simply type "search" into their address bars to bring up a Web search page. Google says it will be engine-agnostic and users will be able to choose their own preferred search provider. The potentially confusing move would change the URL conventions that have become standardized over decades. ICANN, the global Internet standards body, is yet to approve the proposal.
Toshibas Canvio Slim is awarded for its high design quality in the Red Dot Award: Product Design
Toshiba Digital Media Network Taiwan Corporation (TDMT), has today announced that it has been awarded the internationally acclaimed red dot design award for its innovatively designed Canvio Slim external hard drive. The innovative power of Toshiba impressed the 37-member jury of experts for the red dot award: product design 2013.
20
05/2013
NEWSWIRE
BUZZ LIST
SOFTWARE
HARDWARE
Is Windows 8 to blame for low PC sales figures?

Research firm IDC's market traking numbers for the first quarter of 2013 are in, and they aren't pretty. The overall market for PCs declined by over 13 percent year-on-year, the worst numbers on record. Interestingly, IDC blamed Windows 8, calling out its radical UI changes and the higher cost of touch-enabled devices as the main causes for users' hesitance to buy new PCs. The report points out the obvious fact that tablets and smartphones have diverted consumer spending, but adds that low shipments of netbooks also helped turn customers away. However other analysts have been quick to dismiss the findings as sensational, pointing out that Windows 8 and RT tablets and hybrids were not included in the definition of PCs. While it's still true that tablets are pinching PCs, attracting tablet buyers was a big part of Microsoft's Windows 8 strategy.
AMD might be betting on ARM for TVs, gadgets

AMD has sparked speculation that it will be diversifying into the low-power ARM CPU market. The chipmaker, which is the only competition Intel has in the traditional X86 processor market for PCs, laptops and servers, has suffered a string of underwhelming product launches and has seen its market share decline steadily over the last five years. AMD announced in late 2012 that it would use ARMlicensed designs for cloud and data center servers, but a more recent announcement leaves no doubt that ARM CPUs for embedded systems are also coming soon. At the launch of new X86-based embedded CPUs, AMD execs noted that a new naming convention was adopted to differentiate the architectures when the product portfolio includes both. The company's strength in integrated graphics could result in some compelling processors for phones, tablets, TVs, signage, and anything that requires powerful graphics and low power usage. The best of both worlds, indeed.
WEB
Google helps you plan for death

We've all amassed tonnes of data in our
LIST
BUZZ
The simple lowdown on what everyone's talking about this month.
ACTIVISM
Anonymous to set up a news site

Not content with using social media to point
email, social network and online storage accounts, and our ability to decide what happens to all of it once we die has always been in doubt. Writing passwords down for someone else to find is clearly not a good idea, and there's always been the danger of important information being lost for good. Finally, Google has begun to address the problem. The new Inactive Account Manager settings page lets users nominate friends and family members to receive your data, or have it all erased. You can choose an inactivity period between 3 and 12 months, after which your preferred course of action will take place. As a safeguard, warning messages will be sent to your phone or secondary accounts. The data will include +1s, Blogger posts, Contacts, Circles, Drive documents, Gmail messages, Pages, Picasa albums and YouTube videos. Now, if only there was a way to leave all our purchased apps, music and movies to our next of kin.
out news that corporations and mainstream organizations bury or get wrong, Anonymous now wants to set up its own news website. The loosely organized hacker-activist collective has so far raised over US$ 54,000 via crowdfunding site Indiegogo, after initially setting a target of $2,000. The promised new site will supplement the current social media properties, which use the name Your Anon News, and will deliver fresh reporting, not just content aggregated from other sites with comments and criticism. Another of the collective's stated goals is to give citizen journalists a platform, especially those caught in conflict situations and providing live updates from the scene of an event. In addition to monetary contributions, Anonymous has received commitments of time and resources from supporters who can help with programming and designing the site. Those who contributed via Indiegogo will receive YAN-branded merchandise.
22
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: NBL to 51818
NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHED
NEWSWIRE

LENOVO
files quickly and do so with style. This flash drive features a protective cover that rotates to shield the USB connector from damage when it's not in use. With its compact form factor, the flash drive is ideal for data users who need easy, portable access to their most important files. Available in capacities up to 32GB, this USB drive lets you carry your personal documents and favorite media with you. The drive is large enough to accommodate high-volume files such as videos, photos, music and office documents.
with 100% ultra-long life solid state capacitors. The motherboard features 91 percent power efficiency, enhanced heat removal, plus high speed storage and data transfers.
Twisting convertible PC
Lenovo has launched the ThinkPad Twist, a stylish convertible from the legendary Think line, which can be used as a tablet or a laptop. It also offers quick conversion to a stand or tent mode where the laptop becomes a media presenter, giving an immersive multimedia experience in the boardroom or a coffee shop. The Twist comes with Windows 8, loaded for enhanced performance and the processors are premeditated for lower power consumption that is ideal for the requirements of small and medium businesses. The sleek ThinkPad Twist available in executive-style mocha black, is just 20 millimeters thin and weighs a mere 1.60 kgs. The 500GB storage with HDD performance booster results in a more responsive system and increased memory vis--vis traditional tablets. An industry-leading keyboard, UltraNav navigation and multi-touch screen ease business usage.
PRICE: Rs 30,000 WEBSITE: www.asus.in
INTEX
Quad-core smartphone
Intex Technologies has announced the launch of its advanced Intex Aqua Wonder quadcore smartphone. Aimed at tapping the growing demand of smartphones with faster processors and multi-tasking capabilities amongst professional executives, this smartly engineered phone comes with powerful features. Equipped with a MediaTek MT6589 quad core processor recognized for delivering high level of performance for different type of applications, the phone facilitates easy multitasking, deep interactivity and new powerful ways of communicating and sharing. Aesthetically designed with interactive user icons and sensors, it runs on the latest 4.1.2 Jelly bean operating system and sports a hi-resolution 4.5 inch capacitive touchscreen with IPS panel screen technology. The phone has an 8MP auto focus rear camera with a 2MP front camera supporting video calling. Other key features include dual-SIM capability, high resolution display, Wi-Fi and 1800 mAh battery.
PRICE: 4GB: Rs 580; 32GB: Rs 2,096 WEBSITE: www.sandisk.com
ASUS
Workstation motherboard
Asus has announced the P9X79-E WS motherboard, designed to offer highly scalable expandability with seven PCI Express 3.0 slots, with support for up to 4-way Nvidia GeForce SLI or AMD CrossFireX in x16 links. Customers can opt for 4-way SLI or CrossFireX multi-GPU setups, install seven single-slot graphics cards, or choose up to four double-deck cards. The high expandability of the P9X79-E WS makes it easy for customers to use PCI Expressbased video capture, RAID, and SSD storage components. The P9X79-E WS includes Asus Dr Power, which helps prevent sudden shutdowns using power supply health monitoring and event notifications, and new dual server-grade Intel Ethernet. The P9X79-E WS offers a durable ten-layer PCB
PRICE: Rs 71,000 WEBSITE: www.lenovo.com
SANDISK
Swiveling USB drive

SanDisk has introduced the Cruzer Orbit USB flash drive, a versatile and stylish flash drive designed with a 360-degree swivel . The drive offers consumers the storage they need to carry libraries of digital content with them wherever they go, transfer
PRICE: Rs 9,990 WEBSITE: www.intextechnologies.com SMS us! Story code: NPL to 51818
24
05/2013

The products and services listed here have not been reviewed by IC-CHIP. These are not endorsements or recommendations. All prices, specifications and claims are as stated by the respective manufacturers and publicists.
NEWSWIRE
TP-LINK
Nokia Lumia 820, as well as maps and navigation from HERE, free music streaming and a four inch super sensitive touchscreen. Enjoy capturing and sharing your special moments on Nokia Lumia 520s fivemegapixel autofocus camera and digital camera lenses. Cinemagraph adds motion to still images which can be easily shared with friends on various social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter or via email.
JellyBean platform with a dual-core processor, mega screen, good in-built memory and 5-megapixel auto focus camera, the Ascend G510 comes with Huaweis new Emotion UI developed keeping people before technology. The Huawei Me Widget allows combining favorite contacts, gallery, audio player, weather and clock in a single customizable widget. Users can customize their UI with wallpaper and fonts to express their personality. With Profiles, users can select a profile that is most suited to their current context of use. Housed in a slim 9.9 mm design, the Ascend G510 offers a large 4.5 FWVGA display with 854 x 480 pixel resolution on a brighter IPS screen, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU and 1750mAh Li-Polymer battery.
Simple safe router

The TL-WR720N is a simple and secure way to share your high-speed Internet connection at Wireless-N speeds for surfing the Internet, email or online chat. The wireless N Router is 802.11b & g compatible, and gives users 802.11n performance up to 150Mbps at a remarkably affordable price. With built-in antennas, the TL-WR720N has a sleek appearance. Two LAN ports at the back of the product enable simple wired network sharing. Easy wireless security encryption can be achieved at a push of the WPS button. The TL-WR720N supports up to 4 SSIDs. It also supports Bandwidth Control, which allows administrators to determine how much bandwidth is allotted to each PC to effectively avoid bandwidth abuse, and Parental Control functions, with which parents or administrators are able to establish restricted access policies for children or staff.
PRICE: Rs 10,499 WEBSITE: www.nokia.com
F&D
User-friendly y speakers p
PRICE: Rs 10,990 WEBSITE: www.huaweidevice.co.in

This black beauty promises nothing less than a seamless crisp sound to your senses that will prove to be a useful companion for music lovers. A unique cubic design with golden rings at its centre gives an edge. SP/Silicon Power has announced today its newest USB 3.0 pen drive, Blaze B20. The front cover features a luxurious diamond cut pattern with a matte surface outer case. SP Blaze B20 is fingerprints free and avoids any scratches while using it on a daily basis. Unlike other pen drives solid and plastic texture, B20s matt sandblasting cover and the retractable USB connector on the back can definitely take you to a whole new level of data storage experience for easy access and storage. Blaze B20 is available in matte black. Equipped with the super-speed USB 3.0 connection interface, Blaze B20 can deliver a powerful performance under its classic check pattern look. B20s built-in internal LED indicator will illuminate through the front cover to display data transfer status during use. Housed in a wooden cabinet, the A330U delivers a strong and low distortion bass. Add to its design the super volume knob along with a white LED ring with treble and bass control on the side panel, it becomes user-friendly. F&Ds core promise is excellent sound, and the A330U will help you add another dimension to your favourite music. This speaker comes with USB port and SD memory card slot so you can play your favourite music directly without a computer. Moreover, it also offers smooth connectivity to MP3 players, PC, TV, CD, DVD.
SILICON POWER
PRICE: Rs 1,100 WEBSITE: www.tp-link.com/en
Attractive flash drive
NOKIA
Affordable Windows 8 Phone

Nokias most affordable Windows Phone 8 smartphone, Lumia 520, is available in the Indian market. Delivering a rich selection of innovative features available only in highend smartphones, this fun and colorful addition to the Nokia Lumia family is the ideal choice for users looking to upgrade to a more personalized and superior smartphone experience at an affordable price. Nokia Lumia 520 contains many of the same digital camera lenses as its high end siblings, Nokia Lumia 920 and
PRICE: Rs 3,990 WEBSITE: www.fendaindia.com
HUAWEI
Android Smartphone
Huawei has launched the Ascend G510 smartphone. Running on Android 4.1
PRICE: NA WEBSITE: www.silicon-power.com

jamshed.avari@chip.in
26
05/2013
MEGAUPLOAD FILE SHARING
NEWSWIRE
Mega: Secure file sharing or another pirate haven?

Encrypting files before sharing them will open up a new frontier in the battle between advocates of a free Internet and copyright enforcers, and Mega is provoking a huge battle.
BY BENJAMIN HARTLMAIER
Dotcom) was shut down, but the man who has been accused of forming a criminal organization whose sole purpose was to violate copyrights has no intention of backing down. His newest venture is called Mega. According to Dotcom, this website, and the service behind it, will let users store all kinds of data (such as vacation photos and backups, but also copyright-protected material), and will revolutionize the Internet itself. Dotcom launched the new service in January 2013, exactly a year after Megaupload was forced offline by overzealous copyright enforcement agencies acting beyond the scope of the law. The launch was marked by an ostentatious press conference conducted on the companys premises in New Zealand, which involved reworks, fake soldiers and FBI helicopters in an obviously mocking reference to the illegal raid on his home compound. Thousands of legitimate users were deprived of access to their les because of that raid. Dotcom didnt miss the opportunity to remind the world of an issue he thinks it needs to wake up to: protecting the private sphere and personal communication. His message to potential users was clear and simple: If you use Mega, youll be saying no to governments that want to snoop on you, and yes to the freedom of the Internet and your right to a private sphere. However, this declaration of war wasnt just directed at the US government, but at the entire content industry too. While Dotcoms primary nemesis is the US government, the owners of certain copyrights associated with music and movies are a close second. In an interview with the television channel Russia Today, he suggested that Hollywoods lobbyists were behind the shuttering of Megaupload, which had also served as a platform for music and movie sharing. With the launch of Mega, the cat-andmouse game between Dotcom and the studios is expected to progress further, although Dotcom is convinced that he has secured himself this time. Mega is going all out on encryption technology designed to offer users an absolutely secure private online storage space. The promise of encryption has of course attracted several users who want to illegally offer copyright-protected material on the Internet. That doesnt make the service itself illegal, but it does push it into a gray area. Exchanging protected les isnt illegal per se, and of course various countries have their own laws (or lack of them). In some cases, you can share a private copy of legally acquired material such as a music recording with a few people. However, if you put the link to such a le and the decoding key on a network, youre making it available to the general public, which is usually an offense. Also, deliberately circumventing any anti-copying measure (such as Digital Rights Management software) would be counted as illegal in the US, but this law is not necessarily enforceable in other countries. Search engines still surface thousands of les hosted on Mega, many of which are copyright-protected, because the users who uploaded them have
ts been over a year since Megaupload (the cloud storage facility operated by infamous Internet renegade Kim
Search engines lead to pirated content

Dotcom is planning to make good on his ambitious promise by ensuring that les uploaded to Mega are encrypted before they ever touch Megas servers. Thus, data on the servers cannot be viewed without the users personal decryption keynot even by Mega. Dotcom is counting on this pivotal feature to set Mega apart from competitors such as Dropbox and SkyDrive.
28
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: NMU to 51818
MEGAUPLOAD FILE SHARING
NEWSWIRE
shared their decryption keys publicly. This allows Mega to prove that it itself isnt responsible, but that users are actively spreading pirated content. Thus, les may now be removed for individual violations and users can be suspended, but Dotcom hopes to prove that the service as a whole cannot be held responsible and should not be shut down. This is exactly the defense that failed in the case of Megaupload, allowing authorities to deem the site itself responsible for encouraging piracy.
methods in place around the Internet connections that allow users to access Mega (and thereby, their login data). When it comes to SSL connections, Mega is banking on a 1024-bit encryption scheme instead of using the more secure 2048-bit option. According to Woodward, organizations like the FBI are capable of cracking 1024-bit encryption. In order to make the service more secure, Dotcom runs an ongoing competition for hackers, with the goal of identifying and repairing any weaknesses they can nd. The organization used Twitter to announce that anyone who successfully broke into Megas systems would be given the sum of 10,000 Euros. So far, seven security loopholes have been identied and plugged, but none of them were signicant enough to earn their nders the big prize. Friendly hackers arent the only people who are probing Mega for potential weaknesses. It is also under attack from members of the content industry: Robert King, the Australian porn czar, wants to cut off Megas money supply. His target isnt the service itself, but the resellers that Mega uses to process paid subscriptions. King plans to induce them to stop cooperating with Mega by putting
pressure on PayPal. Kings scheme has some potential: Mega uses a total of ten third-party resellers, two of which longer offer the option of using PayPal to make payments. The homepage of Kings Stop File Lockers initiative, which combats online piracy, carries the following message: Mega has only been live a few days, however its already becoming a go-to place for pirates wanting to share copyright infringing content. The same strategy has worked against other Web businesses before, including WikiLeaks. However, Mega wont be as easy to prove anything against as its predecessor Megaupload was, and the content industry is in for an uphill climb. Dotcom is using the encryption trick to protect users, itself, and its business model. If it cannot know or search through what users are uploading, it cannot be held responsible. There are plenty of legitimate reasons for which people might use a secure online storage provider, which Mega is. Whether or not Mega proves unfallibleor even trustworthyit is at least providing a useful service and raising attention for the dying cause of privacy and the ability to exchange data freely online.
feedback@chip.in
Attacks from all sides

Interestingly, although Dotcoms repeated tirades against government snooping and the erosion of personal privacy are increasingly valid, they might all have been designed to divert attention from the potential use of Mega to aid piracy. Doubts have already been raised about the very foundations of Megas security. Since launch, the strength of the key has been improved and the ability to change passwords has been added. Mega might still be ne-tuning its strategy, but its usefulness is becoming quite apparent. There is still one fundamental aw in Megas plan: British professor Alan Woodward has criticized the protection
05/2013
29
100 DAYS OF WINDOWS 8
NEWSWIRE
THE BEST APPS FOR WINDOWS 8

Security
BoxCryptor This tool encrypts data and syncs to Microsoft's online SkyDrive storage service.
Browser
Firefox The browser for the Modern UI is still in beta and its final release date is unknown.
"MODERN UI" IS THE FACE OF TWO VERY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS

Windows RT
Created especially for tablets with ARM CPUs, this version is only available preinstalled on certain products. It only runs pre-approved apps, making it somewhat secure but very inflexible. A lean system which requires lower resources and provides a snappy experience. Only runs specific apps from the Windows Store and is limited to a few tablet models.
Music
TuneIn Radio This online streaming app gives you access to over 60,000 stations
Video
VLC The team has a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to create a native Windows 8 version.
Microsoft Surface with Windows RT
System
Classic Start 8 For lovers of the old Windows interface, this tool will bring back the Start menu.
Office
OneNote Stores your scribbles and web clippings in the cloud.
Windows 8
Windows 8 and its Pro version work on mainstream X86 PCs and laptops. Old Windows programs and EXE files run without problem. The old desktop is fully functional; touch is supported but not required. Needs more power-hungry hardware to run on.
Social
Cloud
Gleek All my Storage This Twitter client comes with Brings together content in all a mute function for follows your accounts, including and a statistics feature. Dropbox and Skydrive.
Microsoft Surface with Windows 8
WINDOWS 8
At the significant 100 day mark, Microsoft's biggest and most desperate bet has only barely paid off. BY FABIAN VON KEUDELL 88 percent of the total market for tablets
has been captured by ve manufacturers and Microsoft is not one of them. According to CEO Steve Ballmer, this will soon change. Microsoft is trying to push its touch-based Windows 8 through its own line of tablets, called Surface. The company badly needs its strategy to succeed. Microsoft celebrated the sale of its 40 millionth Windows 8 license in October 2012, but this was attributed to OEM sales to hardware companies, not actual users. compared to the same quarter the previous year. One reason for this was marketing expenditure on Windows 8, but it didn't help that buyers stayed away from Windows 8 systems despite an initial upgrade offer of only Rs 1,999. The reason is clear to Acer President Jim Wong: "Windows 8 is simply too complicated". Even David Chang, CFO of Asus, says "there is no demand for Windows 8 from the user". period. While PC markers are understandably trying to reinvent their products, Microsoft is not helping by introducing its own Surface tablets to compete with them. Now Microsoft has yet another reason to worry; according to analysts at Goldman Sachs, only around 230,000 units of the Surface tablet have numbers from Microsoft, but the company has reportedly reduced production orders by half, from four million to just two million. Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt has said he sees no competition for Android tablets from Microsoft. Neither Apple nor Google needs to worry about Windows 8.
feedback@chip.in
GRAPHICS: VERONIKA ZANGL
been sold till now. There are no officila
22,900,000 iPads were sold in the

fourth quarter of 2012 alone. That's more devices than PC manufacturer Lenovo managed to ship in totalthe Chinese giant moved only 15 million units in the same
US$ 6,377,000,000 was the

prot Microsoft made in the Christmas quarter of 2012; a decrease of 3.7 percent
30
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: NW8 to 51818
100 DAYS OF WINDOWS 8
NEWSWIRE
WINDOWS 8 FACT-CHECKING
The enormous marketing efforts around Windows 8 are trying to tell us that it's easy to use, quick, and flexible thanks to its apps. We take an honest look at how accurate each of those claims has proven to be. Windows Store Windows 8 as a work environment
Tablets are finding space in corporate offices, but PCs have not been displaced because of them. Also, very few of these devices are Windows tablets. iPads and Android devices are doing better. Microsoft promised there would be over 100,000 apps by February 2013 but has only just managed to pass the 50,000 mark.
Performance
Windows 8 has improved performance, especially boot time and resume from standby. We have confirmed this in our own Test Center.
Security
Windows 8 has more integrated features than it's predecessors. SecureBoot protects users from some types of malware and there's even protection from attacks directed at data in your RAM. This is counted as accurate.
Ease of use
Microsoft claims that Windows 8 is intuitive to operate, but most new users seem totally lost at sea. Acer President Jim Wong has said "Windows 8 is too complicated". Users also have to get used to the new touch gestures.
Surface as an iPad killer

Microsoft must really want to bring down the tablet market leader, but Apple sold over 120 million units in the time it took Microsoft to move 230,000.
MICROSOFT'S VALUE HAS FALLEN AFTER ALMOST EVERY RELEASE

Windows 98 was successful, but every other version was not.
STOCK PRICE VARIATION (IN PERCENT)
MOST FREQUENT PROBLEMS FACED BY USERS

The bold new user interface is causing trouble for users who have no idea how to deal with it The upgrade failed Where is the Start menu?
Microsoft's support forum has a section just to deal with this confusion. Users still see no reason to risk changing their Windows 7 PCs which they are fine with.
79.5
100
License codes
Some people faced blue screen errors immediately after installing Windows 8.
The app store doesn't work

Windows 8 apps fail to install or run, or there are authentication problems.
80
60
WINDOWS 98
40
WINDOWS VISTA
UPTAKE AFTER MARKET INTRODUCTION

WINDOWS 7
9
MARKET SHARE IN PERCENT
20
7.6 -3.6 -4.9 -8.2
8 7 6 5 4
WINDOWS 7
8.2
WINDOWS VISTA
-20
SOURCE: REUTERS
3 2 1 0 1 MONTH 2 MONTHS 3 MONTHS
-40
WINDOWS XP WINDOWS 8
MONTHS AFTER LAUNCH
3.3 2.6
-60 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
09
10
11
12
SOURCE: NET APPLICATION
WINDOWS 8
NEWSWIRE
BITCOINS
Everything you need to know about Bitcoin

Is it a scam? Is it a get-rich-quick-scheme? Demystifying bitcoin, the flavour of the season.
BY NIKHIL SUBRAMANIAM
ecent news of a new virtual currency called Bitcoin that regularly appreciates in value has
been prompting many people to wish they had started investing in it when it was cheaper. Digital currencies, which had almost totally disappeared after failing to catch on with users, are now back in the news. To put it simply, Bitcoin is a currency for the digital world. Shortened to BTC, Bitcoin is an algorithm-based unit of measurement invented to quantify value. It is the most widely used open-source peer-to-peer currency, and doesnt require any bank or a middleman. Bitcoin is like any other currency, with the exception that it is decentralised and not regulated by any authority. The original Bitcoin algorithm was created by a developer (or a group of developers) going by the name Satoshi Nakamoto, but the currency itself is now created, traded and controlled by Bitcoin users rather than by a central authority such as a bank or a government. Unlike other currencies, Bitcoins are completely digital, and you will most likely never see a physical manifestation of it even though coins do exist. Ultimately, a Bitcoin is just a number associated with an addressa physical Bitcoin is just an object like a coin or a piece of paper with the number carefully embedded on it. So considering all the buzz, is Bitcoin ready to break into the mainstream? Unlike other currencies, Bitcoin is not guaranteed by gold ingots or the like. Bitcoins are, by design, in limited supply. The algorithm that drives the Bitcoin network forward is designed to generate only 21 million Bitcoins, and it automatically maintains itself to make sure Bitcoins grow at a steady pace. At the current rate, all 21 million Bitcoins are expected to be generated by 2140. In fact, since the Bitcoin network prides itself on its openness, it tracks and records every Bitcoin transaction, so anyone can check exactly how many Bitcoins have been created till date. There are several websites such as www.blockchain.info that monitor the network and host wallets, the containers used to store individuals digital wealth. Bitcoin buzz is at its peak right now, because the currency succumbed to market dynamics like all others do. Bitcoin has always been very volatile and the exchange rate tends to uctuate greatly and quickly. For instance, Bitcoins were valued at $15 (approx Rs 811) in January and hit an all-time high of US$ 260 (approx Rs 14,063) in mid-April, before settling at around $70 shortly thereafter. So if someone bought a few BTCs in mid-January, then today the money they spent would still have appreciated by over 5x, but it would have been worth nearly 20 times what it had been bought for. MtGox, the largest Bitcoin exchange in the world is still reeling from the effect of the crash, and there have been reports of Bitcoinhashing malware spreading across Europe via Skype, stealing your keys or turning your PC into a zombie that keeps churning away to generate Bitcoins for the attackers. These examples only serve to underscore the mercurial nature of the currency.
Where to get them?

If you've been keeping track of the Bitcoin buzz lately, you would have heard the term "mining". One of the currencys most unique features is that you dont need to put any money on the line to get a few BTCs, although that route does exist for those who just want to buy the currency. Instead, if you have the hardware for it, you can mine Bitcoins by installing and running a Bitcoin client on your PC. The client uses the processing power from the CPU and GPU to process the Bitcoin algorithm. The solutions are shared with the Bitcoin network. Even though they are extremely complex, solutions can be veried to see if they are right. The
32
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: NBC to 51818
NEWSWIRE
BITCOINS
solutions incorporate logs of transactions on the Bitcoin network, so miners track and verify Bitcoin payments as they work. The rst to solve a given block of transactions is awarded 25 Bitcoins. Rewards only come in once the work is veried by other clients on the network. The amount of the reward is halved every four years, until at some point no more
START YOUR OWN BITCOIN COLLECTION

While you will probably never swim Scrooge-style in your bitcoin vault, you can easily start working on getting rich in the virtual currency. Seting up a wallet is the first step. Your bitcoin wallet is what allows you to transact with the world. Your bitcoin addresses are stored in the wallet and these addresses are used to receive and send bitcoins. Bitcoin-Qt is a client for the wallet works on Windows, Linux and Mac, while Android users have the option of Bitcoin Wallet, a free app. There are several other apps as well, but beware that apps or sites which host your wallet could also lose it if some incident occurs on their end. Choose one which allows you to insure your wallet. Have an always-on system? Just hook it up to the original Bitcoin client and your computer will help the bitcoin network by checking and relaying transactions. When we say there are a number of ways to get bitcoins, we mean it. If you want the easiest way to get bitcoins, just sign up for surveys and quizzes that reward you with tiny sums after their completioon. Other mundand tasks that are rewarded with bitcoin include watching videos and watching ads on streaming sites. Many of them have spammy adware, so tread carefully. If you want to start bigger, then you can check for local bitcoiners in your area on sites like LocalBitcoins.com and TradeBitcoin.com. Indian users can check out rbitco.in, which has a great amount of information on the process and even allows you to set up a wallet. For large purchases, a bitcoin exchange such a MtGox.com, Bitstamp.net, CampBX.com is your best bet. Or you could bypass all these and deal with other users direrctly on bitcoin-otc.com or reddit. You'd be surprised how many generous bitcoin owners are out there. Lastly, keep your private key secret and locked away. Bitcoins are all the rage these days and there isn't a dearth of people looking to make a quick buck.
The Bitcoin Wiki also has a database of websites that accept Bitcoin payments, as well as a helpful map of physical stores that accept Bitcoin.
Is it safe?
Transactions made in Bitcoin are irreversible, so money cant be taken back once it is broadcast to the Bitcoin network. Theoretically speaking, a malicious hacker who manages to gain access to your Bitcoin wallet could spirit away your fortune and you wouldnt be able to do anything about it unless your wallet is hosted by a third party which provides insurance. Instawallet, a wallet hosting service, recently shut itself down after a devastating hack compromised a number of accounts. The service provided refunds to those who had lost 50 BTC or less, but thats of little consolation. There are also illegal ways of acquiring Bitcoins, such as physically stealing someones private key (which is independent of their public key) or by creating a new block chain, i.e a new transaction database. While stealing a private key requires physical access to it, creating a new block chain would require considerable expertise and a great amount of processing powernot to mention the fact that generating Bitcoins is going to become much harder as time passes. Bitcoin isnt the rst virtual currency to have come to our world, and it certainly wont be the last. However, it is the most successful virtual currency so far. Past examples of attempts to build viable virtual currencies, such as e-gold and Facebook Credits have failed badly. Bitcoin has succeeded because it is decentralised and transparent. It cant be shut down by anyone, although in theory, anyone with sufficient knowledge and resources could destroy the network by tampering with its code. In the four years since its advent, the Bitcoin algorithms have proven to be unbreakable. That explains why a number of other virtual currencies such as TerraCoin (terracoin.org), Ripple (ripple.com) and PPCoin (ppcoin.org) have adopted the open source code on which Bitcoin is based and are looking to launch soon. However, it would be wise to not take the plunge into virtual currency just yet. As technology has often proven, whats great one month could very well become outdated the next.
nikhil@tech2.com
new Bitcoins can be created. When Bitcoin started, the rst to solve transactions were given 50 BTC as a reward. However, youll need some extremely high-end hardware well beyond what is normally found in even gaming PCsis needed to process Bitcoin code. If youre lucky, youll score some BTCs through the process. There are already groups of Bitcoin miners investing in ultra high-end computer clusters and server farms to mine BTCs faster and more efficiently. As mining becomes more and more competitive, unearthing Bitcoins has become more difficult. The rush is on to create as many as possible before the reward is halved again. For those looking to get a taste of the action, the best way to do so is at a Bitcoin exchange. Alternatively, there are various ways in which one can earn small amounts for viewing ads, etc. For ways to mine, win or earn Bitcoins, refer the Bitcoin Wiki (en.bitcoin.it/wiki/FAQ).
Where to spend them?

Even if you do have Bitcoin riches, most major retailers dont yet accept the currency. Bitcoin is still nascent, but the list of businesses that accept it is growing rapidly and will grow faster now that it has garnered some mainstream attention. Naturally, you are more likely to nd takers for Bitcoin online than at your neighbourhood mall, but brick-and-mortar establishments are also slowly starting to realise the value of the new currency.
05/2013
33
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
PHONE
HTC ONE
VERDICT: The HTC One is a brilliant handset with just a few minor but forgivable aws. FOR: Sturdy build; very handy features; Sense UI v5.0 with BlikFeed; Beats Audio Engine. AGAINST: Camera could be better; device heats up; battery could have been better.
HTCs big break back into the major relevant league, but its price of Rs 42,900 (MOP) might still prove to be a deterrent for some. HTCs sticking to its unibody design form with the HTC One. The phone is encased inside a zero-gap aluminium shell that can make the handset a little slippery when its cold. It also becomes rather hard to hold on to when the processor starts to heat up after excessive use. The curved rear of the handset is a little unstable on at surfaces and naturally feels wobbly if youre trying to type with it resting on your desk. In your hand, however, it does feel quite comfortable. The perfectly-sized, 4.7-inch Super LCD3 display with a full HD (1080 x 1920, 469 ppi) resolution makes for excellent viewing and was quite legible even in broad daylight. Thanks to Corning Gorilla Glass 2, you can be assured the screen will remain scar-free to quite an extent, though youll be wise to expect ngerprints and smudges. The speaker grilles located at the top and bottom of the display
he next-gen HTC One is called just that, no X, no + or S, just a simple number denomination. This could be
also adds a better tone to the overall design form. A 2.1-megapixel HD-ready camera (1080p @30 fps) with HDR is located on the right side. A slightly more prominent protrusion for the buttons might have been better, but theyre functional. MHL is supported via the micro USB port at the bottom. While the volume keys might be well-placed, the Power/Sleep key will work great for the left-handed but the others might need to stretch a bit to access it. The power button also doubles up as an Infrared transmitter, so the handset can be used as a remote control. Available in black, silver and red, the HTC One is truly designed well and looks sexy as hell! Setup can be done directly on the handset or via HTCs set up website that lets you customise how the phone should work. It allows users to select apps, choose or create wallpapers and transfer the whole setup to the handset over-the-air. Of course, you can just do it all via the handset like any other Android device as well. The new home screenBlinkFeedacts as a feed reader for all of the sites or topics you choose. It will keep you constantly updated on all your favourite topics, including your Facebook and Twitter feeds. Version 5 of Sense UI also lets you create folders in the app drawer, making it much easier to access and sort apps. The drop-down notication menu could have used a few toggle switches to make it easier to switch radios on or off directly. Sense UI manages to auto-integrate your accounts in the Contacts menu and offers you options to link contacts quickly. Theres plenty to like here, and with the rich colours of the full HD LCD3 display, the UI really comes alive. Saddled with a 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 SoC, 2GB of RAM and available with 32GB or 64GB of onboard memory (no expansion option), the HTC One proved to be one blazing fast smartphone.
Like all the newer phones rolling out these days, the One only supports Micro-SIM cards.
It ships with Jelly Bean (v4.1.2) with an update to
34
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: HCI to 51818
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
v4.2 scheduled to make it out later on. Beats Audio sound enhancement technology seems to have upped its game in the One and provides for a truly spectacular experience. Tone quality is excellent with clear and precise bass tones that resound well alongside a well-balanced serving of the higher and mid-level frequencies. HTCs stock player features cool settings which include Folder Viewing, Lyrics display and visualisations for landscape mode, but lacks presets. Beats Audio can also be switched on or off only via the settings menu and not via the player. Via the built-in speakers, audio quality was denitely better than that of most phones and quite clear. It was comfortable enough to have a conversation over speakerphone with the handset placed over one foot away. The noise cancellation microphone helps to quite an extent and improves overall voice clarity. The native video player comes pre-loaded with a few codecs to support some AVI les as well as MP4 and other formats. Full HD video content looked great. The FM Radio auto logs all the available channels the rst time its activated and also ties in to Sound Hound to let you get information on the songs that are playing. An app called HTC TV is pre-loaded, but didnt seem to have India as an option to select cable services. It can be bypassed by choosing any option to access the fully-functional TV Remote. As one would expect from a high-priced, highspecced handset, HTC has incorporated all the possible connectivity goodies out there into the One. Everything from LTE support to high-speed 3G and, of course, EDGE data is covered. Naturally, Wi-Fi with all the trimmingsWi-Fi Direct, DLNA and Hot Spotis part of the deal. Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS with A-GPS support and Infrared also add to the handsets connectivity roster. Aside from the regular list of Google apps, HTC has also provided quite a long list of options you can choose to install over-the-air. Handy features like Kid Mode with a parents Dashboard for control, Smart Connect, a stock market app, and a LogMeIn Rescue app for HTC specialist remote service are also on board. HTCs Car Setting provides you with a secondary interface with access to certain features of the handset in a larger form for easy access. A Speak function lets you control aspects like the music player and contacts by talking to the device. The camera and photo editor combo in the HTC One is one of the best you can have in a smartphone today. You have a raft of shooting parameters and post-processing functions that you wouldnt otherwise nd even in a digital camera. The HTC One employs UltraPixel technology, which in theory is meant to produce better results owing to larger pixels. Simply put, the 1/3-inch, 4-megapixel sensor has a lower pixel density. Like some of the other capture in burst to choose the best photo options, HTCs Zoe records a quick video and allows you to select the best frame and then add effects or make corrections. Keep in mind that the light is metered in the spot you touch to focus. So, pulling out the phone and releasing the shutter, just like a point-and-shoot camera, could lead to undesirable results such as underexposed subjects. The imaging quality of the camera isnt extraordinary. When viewed at 100 percent on a PC, you can see compression artefacts and heavy presence of colour noise in dark areas in the form of purple and green blobs of pixels. Although the 2300 mAh battery might seem a little low-powered for a device of this calibre, the HTC One manages to deliver quite well on this front. The HTC One is priced at Rs 42,900 (32GB). Although theres quite a lot to offer, the One is a little expensive for that price. It may have a premium build, a plethora of very handy features and a truly exemplary audio prole along with a great UI, but a few minor issues, like the heating up problem, are things you need to seriously consider before choosing this over the competition. Nevertheless, HTC has tried to offer all it can with the One and has done a ne job. We only wish the Taiwanese company could have priced it better. For less than Rs 40,000, the handset would have been a hard One to beat, pun intended. - Shayne Rana
The Ones camera employs UltraPixel technology, which is meant to produce better pictures.
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 42,900
www.htc.com/in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm; Weight: 143 g; CPU: Quad-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300; RAM: 2GB; Display: 4.7-inches Super LCD3, 1080x1920 pixels; Camera: 4MP Ultrapixel with autofocus and LED flash; Storage: 32/64GB; Video: 1080p @30 fps; OS: Android Jelly Bean (4.1.2).
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
HTC India 1800-266-3566 india_customerservice@htc.com
RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY ERGONOMICS FEATURES PERFORMANCE OVERALL RATING VALUE FOR MONEY
05/2013
35
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PHONE
SONY XPERIA ZL
FOR: Ergonomic design; IR port; good multimedia support; good battery life. AGAINST: Average camera; viewing angles and sunlight legibility could be better.
p front, the Xperia ZL looks quite a bit like the Z, except for the wider ear piece grille and a front
you use it as a remote by way of the bundled app. Audio quality is pretty good thanks to the MH-EX300AP stock in-ear headphones. The Xperia ZL is a quadband GSM and 3G handset, but with no LTE support for India. Along with this, you also get dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.0, NFC, GLONASS, the works. We didnt face any overheating issues with the Xperia ZL when using GPS or playing games. The ZL borrows the same camera units from the Za 13-megapixel shooter at the back and a 2-megapixel front camera, both capable of 1080p video recording. The quality of the front camera is pretty good for self-portraits as well as video calling. The main camera is not very impressive, especially for low-light photography. The phones 2370mAh battery managed to last through two hours of calls, two hours of video playback, two hours of audio playback and two hours of YouTube streaming over Wi-Fi, giving us a grand total of eight hours with 7 percent battery to spare. The Sony Xperia ZL is priced at Rs 36,990, but you can nd it online for Rs 35,990, which makes it a good deal. Its feature rich and has the performance to back it up. Moreover, it isnt plagued by the little niggling issues we found with the Xperia Z (earpiece problem, overheating, non-ergonomic design). Its also more comfortable to hold due to its relatively smaller size. We recommend the Xperia ZL over the Z despite the former not being water and dust-proof. - Roydon Cerejo
camera at the bottom of the handsetthe rst time weve seen a camera placed here. The handset also features the same scratch-resistant and shatterproof glass, but is heavier than the Z (151 gm), which is because its a bit thicker as well9.8mm in depth as compared to the 7.9mm Z. The sides have mirror-nished plastic strips along with similar button placement. The ZL is much smaller than the Z, but Sony has kept the screen size the same. This gives the illusion of a larger screen since the bezel is shaved down quite a bit on all sides. The ZL also enjoys the addition of a notication light at the bottom, which pulsates in different colours based on the type of notication. The display is exactly the same as the
one on the Xperia Z, but is a little brighter and the colours are more vivid. The viewing angles are still pretty average and
The SIM and microSD card compartment is covered by a plastic ap.
sunlight legibility is not the best. Sony still gives you full HD resolution on the 5-inch panel, bringing the overall pixel count to 441ppi. The ZLs interface is slick and uid, just like that of the Z. Along with the usual selection of Xperia apps, you also get Sony Music, which lets you stream
SPECIFICATIONS
or download thousands of songs across genres, both international and local. The biggest problem with this app is the lack of a search function; you have to manually sort through albums or artists, which is a real pain. The other app is Sony LIV, which streams local TV serials. The ZL also features an IR port that lets
Rs 36,990
www.sony.co.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 131.6x 69.3x 9.8 mm; Weight: 151 g; CPU: Quad-core 1.5 GHz Qualcomm S4 Pro; RAM: 2 GB; Display: 5-inch TFT LCD, 1080 x 1920 pixels; Camera: 13 MP with autofocus and LED flash; Storage: 16 GB; Video: 1080p @30 fps; OS: Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Sony India 1800-103-7799 sonyindia.care@ap.sony.com
VERDICT
RATINGS
A VERSATILE PHONE THAT OFFERS MORE VALUE THAN THE XPERIA Z.

36
05/2013
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PHONE
GIONEE DREAM D1
FOR: Super HD AMOLED display; good build; free 16GB microSD card and clip-ons. AGAINST: No Android 4.2 update; you cant root it.
he Dream D1 from Gionee denitely has a unique specications sheet and price. The phone reminds
interface as most icons and a few stock apps resemble the look and feel of the ones featured in MIUI ROMs. We did nd a few areas of concern that we would like to highlight: in the settings, under the Developer Options menu, the only option available is to enable or disable USB Debugging mode. You do not have options to tweak the animation speed modes for Window and transitions, 2D hardware rendering or anything else. Though they might not be required by most users, we did notice the absence of the animation tweak settings causes the app drawer to open very sluggishly. We had to conrm this by installing a third-party home launcher and cut off the animations, which then made the app drawer function as smoothly as can be expected. Another issue we noticed was the absence of proper drivers for ADB mode. We had to use Samsungs ADB driver as a replacement to get ADB mode working on our PC. Lastly, the operating system installed on the phone cannot be rooted by any means available. We spoke with a Gionee representative regarding the issue and were told that the company wants to protect the warranty and hence does not allow rooting. Well, if you are fond of rooting and customising your Android devices, then this phone could get knocked off your list since many utilities need you to have root privileges. Whats more, Gionee has also conrmed that the phone will not be updated to Android 4.2 Jelly Bean anytime soon, so youll be stuck with just Android 4.1. - Francis Dsa
The manufacturer has also bundled two clip-on back covers.
you of the Samsung Galaxy S2 or the iPhone 4, except there are no buttons on the front panel. The entire chassis is very glossy and is a ngerprint magnet. The handset is just 8.6 mm thick and has a rugged plastic frame. The rear panel is a thin clip-on plate, similar to the Galaxy series rear panels, and has a matte-nished exterior. The D1 is powered by a quad-core
ARMv7 processor clocked at 1.2GHz and a PowerVR SGX544MP GPU. It also has 1GB of RAM and there is 4GB of internal storage space, which you can expand up to 32GB via a microSD card slot. The manufacturer has also bundled a 16GB microSD card for free. The Dream D1 is one of the rst budget handsets to sport an HD AMOLED display. The 4.65-inch display has a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, which means it has a pixel density of 316ppi. It also sports a Gorilla Glass 2 scratchresistant glass panel. The rear houses an 8-megapixel camera accompanied by an LED ash, while the front has a standard 1-megapixel camera for video calls. Connectivity options include 3G, Bluetooth v4.2 with A2DP and Wi-Fi a/b/g/n. The Dream D1 runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and is fuelled by a 2100mAh battery. The overall aesthetics of the phone are also good and it will denitely appeal to you at rst glance. The Dream D1 has a custom user interface developed by Gionee. It seems like a tweaked version of the MIUI
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 17,999
www.gionee.co.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 67 x 8.6 x 130 mm; Weight: 132 g; CPU: Quad core 1.2 GHz; GPU: PowerVR SGX544MP; RAM: 1GB; Storage: 4 GB + 16 GB SD card free; Display: 4.65-inch Super HD AMOLED; Operating system: Android JB v4.1; Battery: 2100 mAh.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
VERDICT
A GREAT CHOICE IF YOU WANT A CHEAP AND FEATURE-RICH PHONE.
Syntech Technologies 1800-208-1166 gcare@gionee.com
RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY FEATURES PERFORMANCE OVERALL RATING VALUE FOR MONEY
05/2013
37
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PHONE
LG Optimus L9 P765
VERDICT: A well-designed handset that doesnt justify the price. FOR: Great form; light weight; decent battery life; legible display. AGAINST: Ships with ICS; too pricey; lacks competitive features.
SPECIFICATIONS
he price tag on the LG L9 P765 is Rs 18,000 (MOP), which doesnt seem justied, all things
little better for a lower price. The UI is quite uid, but with Jelly Bean, were sure there would have been a visible difference. There are a few borrowed tweaks from high-end LG handsets that come in handy. Media capabilities were a little better than average. Connectivity includes 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS . A few extras with regards to Apps like BIGFlix are thrown in. Overall, we were impressed with the L9s design, but not the build. It could have been so much better in the features department as well and doesnt quite stand up to well to the competition. - Shayne Rana
considered. It may be signicantly lighter than the rest at just 125 gm, but thats also because its lighter in terms of features. The 4.7-inch IPS touchscreen features a QHD (540 x 960) resolution, which is quite vibrant and quite legible in sunlight. The L9 ships with Android 4.0.4 ICS and is equipped with a dual-core 1GHz processor and 1GB RAM. It also comes with a decent 5-megapixel shooter, but there are phones with 8-megapixel cameras and better specs that perform a
Rs 18,000
www.lg.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 131.9 x 68.2 x 9.1 mm; Weight: 125 g; CPU: Dual-core 1 GHz; RAM: 1 GB; Display: 4.7-inch IPS LCD, 540x960 pixels; Camera: 5 MP with autofocus and LED flash; Storage: 4 GB; Video: 1080p @30 fps; OS: Android ICS 4.0.4.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
LG Electronics India 1800-180-9999 serviceindia@lge.com
RATINGS
PHONE
XOLO Q800
VERDICT: A good buy if you are looking for a low-cost quad-core handset. FOR: Good build quality; IPS display; low price. AGAINST: Below average camera performance.
he XOLO Q800 has a rugged plastic chassis and the entire shell has a rubberised nish with
pixels. The 8-megapixel camera on the back has a BSI sensor and is capable of capturing full HD 1080p videos. It doesnt take pictures very well, though: we shot some pictures in broad sunlight only to nd that well-lit areas were too bright and areas with low light were almost blacked out. Indoor photos are below average as well. Theres some grain and the photos are slightly blurred and lack sharpness. Overall, the camera on the XOLO Q800 is a let-down. The Q800 runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which the manufacturer has promised to update to Android 4.2. Lastly, the handset is fuelled by a 2100 mAh battery. - Francis Dsa
a shiny brown trim around it. The front panel has no physical buttons at all; there are three capacitive buttons for Home, Back and Menu instead. The rear panel sports the primary camera, an LED ash and a speaker grill. The entire phone has a good grip and the 4.5-inch display is sufficient enough for single-handed useits not too large, not too small. The Q800 has powerful hardware under the hood. It runs on the MT6589 SoC, which features a quad-core 1.2GHz CPU, a PowerVR SGX544 GPU and 1GB of RAM. The display is a 4.5-inch IPS panel and has a resolution of 540x960
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 12,499
www.xolo.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 135.5x67x9.6 mm; Weight: 143.5 g; CPU: 1.2GHz quad core; GPU: PowerVR SGX544; RAM: 1GB; Display: 4.5-inch IPS qHD; Storage: 4GB; Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 3G; OS: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean; Battery: 2100 mAh.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
XOLO (Lava International) 1800-3010-0104 care@xolo.in
RATINGS
38
05/2013
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PHONE
Karbonn S1 Titanium
VERDICT: Looks good on paper but fails to deliver on many fronts. FOR: Affordable; quad-core CPU; light weight; Jelly Bean. AGAINST: Sub-par build and nish; poor display.
SPECIFICATIONS
he Karbonn S1 Titanium is built solidly and doesnt ex or creak under pressure. The chassis is very
OS is stock Jelly Bean 4.1.2 with minor tweaks. Audio quality is strictly average, but the loudspeaker is pretty loud. This dual-SIM phone supports tri-band GSM and single band 3G. One SIM is capable of 3G data while the other one is only 2G. The 5-megapixel camera lets you shoot in a bunch of modes like Panorama, HDR, Smile or Normal. The Karbonn S1 Titanium is priced at Rs 10,500. While it does seem like a good deal considering the specications, we wouldnt recommend it. The S1 might seem powerful on paper, but it just doesnt deliver in the real world. - Roydon Cerejo
sturdy and can withstand a few bumps. We have a microUSB port at the bottom, a volume rocker on the side and the power and headphone ports at the top. The S1 is powered by a Snapdragon S4 Play quad-core Cortex A5 CPU running at 1.2GHz and an Adreno 203 GPU. The viewing angles and colours are very poor for an IPS panel and the screen sensitivity is not very good either. Colours feel oversaturated and the screen is not lit evenly, making the corners seem darker than the rest of the screen. The
Rs 10,500
www.karbonnmobiles.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 134.6x 66x 9.25mm; Weight: 142 g; CPU: Quad-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4; RAM: 512MB; Display: 4.5-inch IPS LCD, 540 x 960 pixels; Camera: 5 MP with auto-focus and LED flash; Storage: 4GB; Video: 1080p; OS: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Karbonn Mobiles 011-46604660 karan.kumar@jainaindia.com
RATINGS
PHONE
Samsung REX 90 DUOS

VERDICT: A feature-rich phone with a few faults. FOR: Good build; great aesthetics. AGAINST: Slow processor; slightly expensive.
he REX 90 is a simple phone but looks quite trendy and is almost identical to the S3, except for the
storage space is just around 20MB, but this can be expanded via microSD card. We have a 3.2-megapixel primary camera, but theres no ash. Although the phone doesnt have a 3G radio or GPS, it does have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0. The handset is loaded with a few social networking, gaming and productivity apps and the user can download a lot more from Samsungs online store. Lastly, the REX 90 is fuelled by a 1000 mAh battery which the manufacturer claims will give you 15 hours of talk-time. Considering the phone is not very great for watching videos, gaming or even surng the Internet, the battery should last for at least two days on one charge. - Francis Dsa
size. It has a white, glossy exterior with a sliver chrome trim around the entire body. It is a dual-SIM handset and lets you use both SIM cards simultaneously. Whats more, the SIM 2 slot is a hot-swap port, which means you can remove or replace the SIM card without having to turn off the phone. The phone runs a Java-based OS and has a 312MHz processor (XMM2230 chipset). The CPU is not as fast as we expected, but is good enough for the OS it runs. The 3.5-inch display sports a 320 x 480pixel resolution and is bright, crisp and very responsive to touch. The onboard
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 6,490
www.samsung.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 62 x 113 x 12 mm; Weight: 109 g; OS: JAVA; Display: 3.5-inch, 320 x 480 pixels; Camera: 3.2 MP; Network: Dual-SIM GSM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Samsung India 1800-3000-8282 NA
RATINGS
40
05/2013
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PHONE
XOLO X1000
FOR: Great design and build; very legible display; good audio quality. AGAINST: Not as fast as expected; very basic UI; still runs on ICS.
his is XOLOs third handset to feature Intels mobile processor and has plenty to offer users,
PC interfacing. Theres no NFC. Its quite average on the connectivity front; nothing out of the ordinary. Basic Android smartphone apps are accounted for with a couple of company extras like a Wireless Display option and XOLO Care, which connects you to the companys service centre for assistance. The X1000s 8-megapixel shooter has features that include quite a few scene modes, Exposure control, White Balance, a Panorama mode, and more. The camera also comes equipped with a Burst mode that captures up to 10 images in succession with a maximum frame rate of 15 FPS. Its not really as good as some of the others out there. Overall camera performance was quite good, and although photos captured in low-light conditions were a little dull, they appear quite sharp nonetheless. Equipped with a 1900 mAh nonremovable battery, the XOLO X1000 managed to perform a little better than the last few Intel-based devices weve seen. That said, it still was average as devices priced in this range tend to have slightly better batteries so sustained usage works out. The price tag on the XOLO X1000 is Rs 19,999, which makes it a hard product to consider. There are quite a few smartphones in the Rs 15,000 range that will more than measure up to the X1000 in terms of performance. Unfortunately, apart from its uber-cool looks, decent camera and swift-but-basic UI and performance, the X1000 doesnt really have too much to offer. - Shayne Rana
Push out the lower part of the handset to reveal the SIM and memory card slots.
but at a price. The curved glass 4.7inch display has a 1280 x 720-pixel resolution and is vibrant, sharp and legible in direct sunlight. The rubberised rear panel and curved unibody give the phone a cool, balanced look. The X1000 is 9.1mm-thick and weighs 140 gm. The XOLO X1000 runs Android 4.0, ICS (with an update hopefully around the corner) off of an Intel X86-based 2GHz processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard memory. It also comes with a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. This doesnt quite make it the smartest smartphone out there nor the fastest in its price bracket. While using the handset, there were no lags or issues; however, playing some high-end games showcased a slight framing and lag issue which hopefully, an update to Jelly Bean will x. The X1000s music player offers a few
extras like downloading lyrics for tracks, a Shake-to-skip option, and a 5-band EQ with presets. Audio quality in general was good. But the quality of the bundled earphones was far below par. The built-in FM radio had a slightly gauche UI, but performed adequately. Full HD videos in MP4 played reasonably well, but there was nevertheless a slight lag on the native player. A few codecs are pre-loaded, but youll need a third-party player for others. The X1000 is a 3G device with Wi-Fi capabilities and includes features like Wi-Fi Direct and Hot Spot. You also get Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and USB 2.0 for
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 19,999
www.xolo.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 133.9 x 67.6 x 9.1 mm; Weight: 140 g; CPU: 2GHz Intel Atom with Hyper Threading; RAM: 1 GB; Display: 4.7-inch LCD, 720x1280 pixels; Camera: 8 MP autofocus and LED flash; Storage: 8GB; Video: 1080p @30 fps; OS: Android ICS.
CONTACT PHONE
VERDICT
EMAIL
XOLO (Lava International) 1800-3010-0104 care@xolo.in
THE X1000 LOOKS GREAT BUT IS A LITTLE TOO BASIC AND A BIT SLOW.
RATINGS
05/2013
43
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PHONE
Nokia Lumia 620

VERDICT: Pricey but does have quite a few great features to offer. FOR: Great build and design; decent battery life; Nokia Drive; extra panels. AGAINST: Slightly bulky; lack of apps for Windows Phone 8.
SPECIFICATIONS
he Lumia 620 could easily be regarded as one of the cutest smartphones on the
equipped media device. It provided well-balanced tones with resounding lows and slightly sharp highs. HD les didnt seem to have any issue during playback. The 620 doesnt have an FM tuner. The Lumia 620 comes with 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS with GLONASS, NFC, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP and a microUSB port. Theres a 5-megapixel camera thats not too bad; photo quality is quite good and it manages low-light photos well. For Rs 14,600, the Lumia 620 is a superb handset. Its a lot smaller than the competition, but it does offer a great UI, superb audio and a decent battery. - Shayne Rana
shelf. It has great build quality and thanks to its smaller size, is easy to handle; the button placements are spot on too. It features a 3.8-inch, 480 x 800-pixel resolution display with Nokias ClearBlack technology. This Windows Phone 8 device runs on a 1GHz dual-core processor coupled with an Adreno 305 GPU and 512MB of RAM. The WP8 UI with its Live Tiles and social network integration worked seamlessly and was as smooth as high-end devices. The 620 also proved to be a well-
Rs 14,600
www.nokia.co.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 15.4 x 61.1 x 11 mm; Weight: 127 g; CPU: Dual-core 1 GHz Krait; RAM: 512 MB; Display: 3.8-inch LCD, 480x800 pixels ClearBlack; Camera: 5MP with autofocus and LED flash; Storage: 8GB; Video: 720p @30 fps; OS: Windows Phone 8.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Nokia India 022-30303838 NA
RATINGS
TABLET
Zync Quad 9.7

VERDICT: For its price, the Zync Quad 9.7 is denitely a steal. FOR: Super HD IPS panel; 2GB RAM; 16GB storage; metal rear panel. AGAINST: Heating issues; poor Wi-Fi performance; 4:3 aspect ratio.
he Zync Quad 9.7 runs on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core processor.
app data. The display featured on the Quad 9.7 is an LED-backlit, 9.7-inch Super HD IPS panel that has a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels. The tablet is equipped with two cameras: a 5-megapixel one on the rear and a 2-megapixel one on the front. For connectivity, the tablet offers Wi-Fi b/g/n, a micro USB port for PC and USB OTG, and a mini HDMI interface for connecting TVs. The Quad 9.7 lacks both GPS and Bluetooth, which is baffling as very few tablets these days dont have GPS or Bluetooth. The tablet is fuelled by two 4000 mAh batteries connected in series (a total of 8000 mAh), which is bound to make it last for a long time on a single charge. - Francis Dsa
Strangely, the processor has been clocked at just 1GHz by the manufacturer. The reason could be to keep the tablets performance stable because the chipset used is the Allwinner A31 and the operating system required by the SoC is Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. Hopefully, Zync will release an update to enable this tablet to harness its potential. The tablet also features a MALI-400 graphics processor and 2GB of DDR3 RAM. The internal storage is a good 16GB to which you can add up to another 32GB via a microSD card. However, only 11.6GB is usable and the rest is occupied by the system and
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 13,999
www.zync.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 185 x 238 x 9.5 mm; Weight: 603 g; CPU: 1.5GHz quad core; GPU: MALI-400; RAM: 2GB; Display: 9.7-inch IPS, 2048 x 1536 pixels; Storage: 16GB; Connectivity: Wi-Fi b/g/n, 3G donglecompatible; Battery: 8000 mAh; OS: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
ZYNC 08285557751 info@zync.in
RATINGS
44
05/2013
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
TABLET
ASUS NEXUS 7 3G
FOR: Good build quality; powerful processor; good battery life; great price. AGAINST: No option for increasing available memory.
he Nexus 7 is designed well and the build feels like its been paid attention to. Its nowhere near as
speaker is loud and clear. The stock video player can now playback MKV les as well and full HD videos play just ne without any stutter or lag. The 3G variant of the Nexus 7 supports all four GSM bands, so you can access high-speed data connections anywhere in the world. Also packed in are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. The 3G SIM can only be used for data as theres no GSM radio for calling or messaging. The Nexus 7 is tted with a 4,325 mAh battery that lasts quite long. We managed to squeeze four hours of video, two hours of music and three hours of video streaming over Wi-Fi. This makes the Nexus 7 a very good tablet for media consumption. The 32GB 3G version of the Asus Nexus 7 costs Rs 21,999, which makes for a much better deal when compared to the 3G iPad mini, which costs upwards of Rs 30,000 and has similar specs. The Nexus 7 still loses out to the Galaxy Tab 2 though, which is priced at Rs 16,000 and has expandable memory, a rear camera and voice call support. If youre looking for a tablet for gaming, then the Nexus 7 is the most powerful one of the lot. It packs in impressive hardware and is compatible with games optimised for Nvidias chipset. It also has a screen with a high pixel density and good battery life for media consumption. Plus, you will get all the latest updates on priority as its a Nexus device. If talking on your tablet is of high priority for you, then youre better off with the Galaxy Tab 2. For everything else, we would recommend Nexus 7. - Roydon Cerejo
light as the iPad mini, but one-handed use is still comfortable. The chassis is mostly plastic, but is not reective or glossy. The rubberised back offers good grip; however, it does tend to dent easily if dropped. The bezel around the screen is not very thick; its just wide enough to be able to hold the tablet comfortably any way you want. The tablet only has a front-facing 1.2-megapixel camera. Theres no camera app installed by default, so youll have to download that separately. Just like any other Nexus device, the Nexus 7 runs the latest version of Android, which is 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. You also get the tablet-exclusive features of Android 4.2, such as being able to set custom user proles. This is really handy, as you can have multiple proles for various members of your family, each with their own set of settings and apps. The display
At just 10.5 mm, the Nexus 7 is quite slim, but it packs powerful hardware.
uses an HD (1280 x 720-pixel) IPS panel with LED backlighting. This gives you very good viewing angles, but the colour accuracy isnt as good as we expected. The Nexus 7 packs a lot of grunt thanks to the Nvidia Tegra 3 SoC onboard. This chipset boasts of four Cortex A9 CPUs running at 1.2 GHz each, along with a 12-core GeForce GPU.
SPECIFICATIONS
Coupled with 1GB of RAM, the Nexus 7 can take on the most demanding apps without breaking a sweat. The stock audio and video players are quite competent in the newest version of Android. The music player gives you a good number of EQ settings and the
Rs 21,990
www.asus.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 198.5x 120x 10.5mm; Weight: 340 g; CPU: Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9; RAM: 1 GB; Display: 7-inch IPS LCD, 720x1280 pixels; Front camera: 1.2 MP; Storage: 32 GB; Video playback: 1080p; OS: Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
ASUS Technology Pvt. Ltd 022-67668800 reachus@asus.com
VERDICT
RATINGS
A GOOD, POWERFUL, VALUE FOR MONEY TABLET.

46
05/2013
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
TABLET
ASUS TRANSFORMER PAD TF300TG

FOR: Detachable design; quad-core CPU; additional battery. AGAINST: The build of the dock could have been better.
he Transformer Pad TF300TG is a slightly scaled-down version of the Transformer Prime TF201.
Cortex A9 processor, but theres a slight difference. Primes processor was clocked at 1.3GHz and the one used in the Transformer Pad is actually a 1.2GHz CPU, but it runs overclocked at 1.3GHz. Combined with 1GB RAM, 32GB of onboard storage and provision to expand the storage by up to 32GB, its one of the most powerful Android tablets out there. The Transformer Pad TF300TG offers much more than just the Wi-Fi connectivity that most entry-level tablets offer. Here, you get support for Bluetooth v3.0 and 3G via a SIM card (regular size). The 3G SIM can only be used for data the tablet doesnt support calling due to the absence of a GSM radio. The battery life of the Transformer Pad TF300TG is impressive. We rst tested the battery life of only the tablet by running our video loop test and found that the tablet lasted for 9.5 hours on a single charge. Next we completely charged both the tablet and the dock and ran the same test again. This time the combined battery life was 14.5 hours, which is close to the companys claimed battery life of 15 hours. The Transformer Pad TF300TG is cheaper than the Transformer Prime TF201 by a good Rs 6,000. If your priority is an Android OS and you want a premium tablet with built-in 3G support, the Transformer Pad TF300TG is the one for you. If you dont need 3G support, then we suggest you go in for the Transformer Prime TF201. - Anand Tuliani
The detachable design offers the portability of a tablet and convenience of a laptop.
At 635 gm, the tablet alone is about 50 grams heavier than the Prime TF201. This doesnt mean its bulky; in fact its quite compact and feels very sturdy. When held horizontally, you have the volume rocker, micro HDMI port, and microSD and SIM card slots on the left. The power button is on the top left and the 3.5mm headphone jack is on the right side. The rear panel sports a 8-megapixel camera and theres a 1.2-megapixel camera above the 10.1-inch display. The dock adds the convenience of a laptop courtesy a physical keyboard and touchpad. It also houses a secondary battery, a USB port and a regular SD card slot. A good thing is that when the tablet is docked, the battery of the dock is used rst followed by the tablets battery. This ensures youll have maximum battery life when you head out with only the tablet. The keyboard is similar to that of a netbook, except for the topmost row, which has shortcuts for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, web browser, settings, media playback, volume control and lock. Typing is comfortable and even people with large hands will nd it quite convenient. The touchpad with its left and right-click buttons is pretty useful too. Note that the right-click button also functions as the back button. Like the Prime TF201, the Pad TF300TG also runs the Nvidia Tegra 3 SoC. Both models feature a quad-core
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 43,999
in.asus.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 263 x 9.9 x 180 mm; Weight: 635g; CPU: Quad-core 1.2GHz; RAM: 1GB; Storage: 32GB; Display: 10.1-inch IPS; Resolution: 1280x800, 149ppi; Camera: 8MP rear and 1.2MP front; OS: Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean.
CONTACT PHONE
VERDICT
EMAIL
Asus India Pvt Ltd 022-61598612 helpline_west@asus.com
WANT A PREMIUM ANDROID TABLET? THIS ONE WONT DISAPPOINT.
RATINGS
05/2013
47
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PORTABLE SPEAKER
Jabra Solemate
VERDICT: A wireless boombox thats undone by an expensive price tag. FOR: Excellent build quality; loud; decent bass. AGAINST: Expensive; average battery life; Bluetooth isnt password protected.
T
SPECIFICATIONS
he fact that this new age Bluetooth boombox is shaped like a shoe and is named Solemate makes
as a speakerphone. The Solemate can pair with anything that has a 3.5 mm jack (aux) or Bluetooth connectivity. The Bluetooth pairing feature works like a charm, but the lack of a pin/password can get annoying. The battery life is nowhere near the claimed eight-hour mark. I managed to get ve to six hours while blasting it at full volume. The Solemate may look hideous, but its a well-built and cleverly-designed product. Its audio quality is good enough for it to serve as a personal portable speaker, but it doesnt make sense for the asking price of Rs 10,990. - Nachiket Mhatre
one wonder what came rstthe product or the excuse of a pun that goes for its name. Its a good thing then that the Solemate is built like a tank. The Solemates audio delity is surprisingly good. The pair of low frequency drivers do a good job of reproducing bass. While there was a lack of treble due to the highs being rolled off, the overall tonal balance was quite pleasing nonetheless. In addition to its primary function of a boombox, the Solemate also serves
Rs 10,990
www.jabra.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 172x70x64 mm; Weight: 610gm; Connectivity: 3.5mm TRS jack, Bluetooth; Battery life: upto 10 hours.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Redington India 1800-425-3718 rrlc1@redington.co.in
RATINGS
FEATURES PERFORMANCE OVERALL RATING VALUE FOR MONEY
MULTIFUNCTION DEVICE
HP Officejet Pro 3620

VERDICT: A great, fast and economical MFD for small ofces and businesses. FOR: Built-in duplexer; excellent print speed and quality; good print economy. AGAINST: Built-in Wi-Fi support would have added more value.
he new HP Officejet Pro 3620 is an inkjet all-in-one monochrome printer that promises speed and
of the standard cartridge is around 700 pages (Rs 0.85 per print) while that of the XL cartridge is around 1600 pages. The large paper tray at the bottom can hold up to 250 sheets and above it is the output tray, which can collect up to 75 sheets. The output tray is also a cover for the input tray. The 3620 is one of the fastest mono inkjet printers in the market. Our tests revealed normal printing to be 19 ppm, while the draft mode printing reached a whopping 21 ppm. With its low cartridge cost, high printing speed and laserlike print quality, the 3620 is strongly recommended for those who need a business printer on a tight budget. - Francis Dsa
cost per print comparable to a laser printer. Its denitely not compact theres a protruding paper input tray in the front and a large duplexing mechanism at the rear. The top has a 35-sheet ADF mechanism above the atbed scanners lid. This MFD can print, scan, fax and copy. You can also share it on a wired local network. The control panel has a monochrome TFT display and feather touch switches. Beside it is a large door that exposes the cartridge section which can take two sizes of black cartridgesstandard (Rs 595) and XL (Rs 999). The claimed yield
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 11,999
www8.hp.com/in/en/home.html
Printing technology: Inkjet (monochrome); Functions: Print, scan, copy and fax; Automatic duplexer: Yes; Print resolution: 600 dpi; Scan resolution: 1200 dpi; Monthly duty cycle: 12,000 pages.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Hewlett Packard India 011-26388000 NA
RATINGS
48
05/2013
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
PC CASE
Antec X1
VERDICT: The best-looking entry-level gaming PC case out there. FOR: Good aesthetics; LED fan; tool-free design for drive bays. AGAINST: More retention clamps should have been bundled; no USB 3.0 ports.
T
SPECIFICATIONS
he ideal budget for an entrylevel gaming PC case is around Rs 3,000 and the Antec X1 just
fan at the front. The X1 offers three 5.25inch drive bays and eight 3.5-inch bays. There are retention clamps for tool-free installation of drives, but not all the bays have clamps. If you have more than three hard drives, youll have to secure them with screws. Theres ample space for installing motherboards, but due to its size, you cant route the cables behind the backplate. The power supply is at the bottom, where theres a grill for air intake. The Antec X1 is priced well for what it offers. The NZXT Source 210 and Corsair Carbide 200R are worth considering, but the X1 is the best looking in its class. - Anand Tuliani
about ts in. Its not much different than the low-cost boxes used for home and office PCs, but the chiselled design, front panel cut outs, fancy 5.25-inch bay covers and 120 mm front red LED intake fan make it perfect for gaming PCs. The only complaint here is the lack of USB 3.0 ports on the front I/O panel. Instead, you get a pair of USB 2.0 ports and jacks for headphone and mic. The all-black interior of the X1 is well laid out. Theres provision for 120 mm fans on the rear, side panel and an extra
Rs 2,500
www.antecindia.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 180 x 475 x 435 mm; Drive bays: 3 x 5.25-inch and 8 x 3.5-inch; Expansion slots: 7; Included fans: 1 x 120 mm front LED intake; Optional fans: 1 x 120 mm for front, rear and side; Front I/O: 2 x USB 2.0 ports and audio jacks.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Antec Inc 9820613274 mbhatia@antec.com
RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY FEATURES OVERALL RATING VALUE FOR MONEY
WIRELESS STORAGE
Seagate Wireless Plus 1 TB

VERDICT: A very portable wireless NAS device. FOR: Battery operated; built-in media server and hotspot; USB 3.0. AGAINST: None.
eagates Wireless Plus is nothing but a simple network attached storage (NAS) device with a
can stream media les directly to any wireless device you connect it to. Lastly, the Wireless Plus also has a USB 3.0 interface connector which enables you to transfer data at high speeds to and from a PC. Once the Wireless Plus is connected to a wireless network, users can access its contents by navigating to the shared folder or stream media using the storages built-in media server. The Wireless plus is just a few millimeters longer than a conventional 2.5-inch portable storage drive and weighs just 256 gm, which makes it a very portable and convenient option for lugging around your data. We recommend it for frequent travellers. - Francis Dsa
wireless interface and a built-in media server. The device is powered by an internal battery that can last you for as much as 10 hours at a stretch. The Wireless Plus features a wireless hotspot using which you can connect multiple devices and access the data on the storage. You can also connect it to an existing wireless network and share the devices contents on that network. The device would be pretty benecial for those who travel a lot and wish to access their data wirelessly from their phones, notebooks or tablets when on the move. The device also has a media server that
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 16,000
www.seagate.com
Dimensions (WxHxD): 89 x 127 x 19.9 mm; Weight: 256 g; Capacity: 1 TB; Interface: USB 3.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n; Hotspot.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Fortune Marketing 011-26414468 sales@fortune-it.com
RATINGS
50
05/2013
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS STYLUS VG-190

FOR: Good grip; large ash; Magic Filters are fun to use. AGAINST: No settings for light metering; no optical image stabilisation; colour fringing around bright highlights.
he 16-megapixel VG-190 succeeds the VG-170 with only a few subtle changes. They are so similar, it
Scene, Magic lters and Panorama assist. What we found most interesting was Beauty mode, which is meant to make your subject look more beautifulits actually like a digital makeup kit. If used sparingly, the faux makeup can actually make your subject look more beautiful. The VG-190 handles noise best at ISO values up to ISO 200. ISO 400 and higher should only be used as last resort in extremely low light. But then you have a powerful ash that can help expose subjects up to 15 metres away. For outdoor shots, the camera does very well so long as the subjects arent under direct sunlight. Shoot in shade and youll get the best resultsexcellent details, punchy colours and good skin tones. Photos of subjects and scenes shot in direct sunlight appear washed out due to incorrect exposure. Also, distant objects appear fuzzy and lack details. Another problem area is purple fringing around objects against bright backlight. This was more apparent around the corners and borders of the frame and less in the center. We say, the overall performance of the VG-190 is average. The only strengths of this camera are its powerful ash and the great Beauty Mode, which is fun to use. For the kind of performance and features it offers, we found the Olympus Stylus VG-190 priced quite high. The addition of a large ash doesnt quite justify the premium it commands. - Anand Tuliani
The shooting modes and exposure parameters can be set via the intuitive user interface.
would be difficult to tell them apart if viewed from the front. It weighs only 151 grams, which may be because of the tiny lithium ion battery that powers it. The VG-190 sports the same lens as the VG-170: the lens starts from 26mm (35 mm equivalent) and extends to 130mm, translating to 5x optical zoom. It would have been nice if Olympus had added optical image stabilisation, but like the VG-170, the VG-190 too uses digital image stabilisation. The large high-intensity ash has been retained and the 3-inch 460K dot LCD monitor has too been left unchanged. The design of the control panel is simpletheres a dedicated button for video recording at the top right corner, right next to the thumb grip. Videos can be recorded at up to 720p, 30 fps, but optical zoom isnt available while youre shooting videos. Below it is the playback button, a 5-way d-pad and menu button. The right side is home to an eyelet for wrist strap and a USB port protected by a ap. The user interface is typical of all Olympus digital cameras. You press the OK button in the centre of the D-pad to bring up a stack of controls on the right side of the screen. Right at the top of the stack is the Mode selection option. The available modes include Program, iAuto, DIS (digital IS), Beauty, Super macro,
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 8,490
www.olympus-imaging.co.in
Dimensions (WxHxD): 103.7 x 62.2 x 22.5 mm; Weight: 151 g; Resolution: 16 MP; Focal length: 26-130 mm; Optical zoom: 5x; Aperture: F2.8-F6.5; ISO range: 100-1600; LCD monitor: 3-inch, 460k dots; Video recording: 720p, 30fps; Internal memory: 37.9MB.
CONTACT PHONE
VERDICT
EMAIL
Olympus Imaging India Pvt Ltd 022-61420400 rachna_pawar@olympus.in
AN EXPENSIVE POINT-AND-SHOOT WITH A POWERFUL FLASH.
RATINGS
05/2013
51
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
GRAPHICS CARD
ZOTAC GEFORCE GTX TITAN

FOR: Great performance; low noise and power consumption; compact. AGAINST: The GTX 690 costs the same and performs slightly better.
he Titan is not part of a new GeForce 700-series, but is instead based on silicone designed for
data to allow clock speeds to ramp up automatically if and when needed. The card itself is surprisingly small and light. At 10.5 inches long, its a lot less imposing than some of the top-end cards weve seen in the past. However, its distinguished look and high-quality manufacturing makes up for that. The solid aluminium cooler and windowed shroud make it feel like a very premium product. On the rear panel, youll nd two DVI ports plus full-sized HDMI and DisplayPort sockets. The card requires one six-pin and one eight-pin PCIe power connector, and its TDP is rated at a surprisingly low 250 watts. Most agship cards are much larger, noisier and hungrier for powerthe Titan feels rened and understated in comparison. It could actually be practical in compact gaming PCs thanks to its small size, low power requirements and a sealed design that pushes hot air out through the rear panel. As expected, the Titans scores were by far the highest weve ever seen for a single-GPU card in both games and synthetic benchmarks, effortlessly beating the GTX 680 and Radeon 7970 and only very slightly trailing the GTX 690. Theres no doubt that the Titan is an expensive card, but if youre willing to pay that kind of money, you now have a choicethe more brutish, powerful GTX 690, or the more subtle, rened GTX Titan. The GTX 690 will perform better, but youll appreciate the nesse that a Titan will bring to your gaming rig. - Jamshed Avari
workstation GPU computing cards. The GK110 GPU at the heart of the Titan was primarily designed for accelerating parallel computing tasks for scientic research using the GPUs programmable architecture. The Titan supersedes the GTX 680 as Nvidias fastest single-GPU gaming card, and its numberless name will allow it to remain at the top of the line-up even after the 700-series is introduced. It costs roughly the same as a dual-GPU GTX 690 card and wont outperform it, but makes less noise, consumes less power, and has none of the scaling problems that dual-GPU cards have. Moreover, up to three Titans can be used together in SLI. The GK110 architecture is much beeer than the GK104 that powers the
A good selection of video outputs on the rear panel.
highest of the 600-series GeForces. The specications are almost dizzying7.1 billion transistors, 2,688 shader units, 224 texture units and 48 ROPs, which add up to a roughly 50 percent increase in raw power over the GTX 680. Memory bandwidth has similarly been bumped up to 288GBps, thanks to a 384-bit bus, and the GPU is matched with 6GB of GDDR5 RAM. The Titan can also handle double-precision oating
SPECIFICATIONS
point operations, although no game or consumer application today requires this kind of math. Another neat feature is GPU Boost 2.0, a software feature that uses temperature and power consumption
Rs 68,499
www.zotac.com
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan; Core|Memory Speed: 837MHz|6008MHz; Memory: 6GB; Memory bus width: 384-bit; Video outputs: 2x DVI, 1x DP, 1x HDMI.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
ZOTAC International 0120-4555666 sales@adityagroup.com
VERDICT
RATINGS
AN ELEGANT, POWERFUL BEAST THAT WILL TRANSFORM ANY GAMING PC.
52
05/2013
TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
GRAPHICS CARD
Galaxy GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST

VERDICT: Go for 650 Ti Boost cards from other brands priced at Rs 11,999. FOR: Powerful mid-range GPU; quiet cooler. AGAINST: High price; odd port selection.
vidias new GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost lls the price and performance gap between the 650
sure if this was done for cost reasons or to enlarge the vents on the back panel. The 650 Ti Boost outperforms the AMD Radeon HD 7790 by a fair margin, but is one step up on the price ladder. Strangely, Galaxys MRP is Rs 17,000; considerably higher than the Rs 11,999 other brands sell for. At this price, AMDs Radeon HD 7870 and Nvidias GeForce GTX 660 are much better buys. Nvidias new GPU is an excellent choice for 1080p gaming on a single screen, but there are other card manufacturers with more reasonable offerings. - Jamshed Avari
Ti and 660. The Boost has 768 stream processors and 64 texture unitsfourfths the values of the 660but retains all 24 ROPs. The 980MHz clock and 192-bit memory bus are derived from the beeer GTX 660. Galaxy has gone with a custom cooler and port cluster for the card. Reference cards have HDMI, DisplayPort, and two DVI ports, but this card comes with HDMI, a lone DVI port, and VGA. Theres no reason for a graphics card to restrict itself like thiswere not
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 17,000
www.technologyandgadgets.com
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost; Core|Memory Speed: 980MHz|6008MHz; Memory: 2GB; Memory bus width: 192-bit; Video outputs: 1x DVI, 1x VGA, 1x HDMI.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Galaxy (Technology and Gadgets) 022-23823331 sales@technologyandgadgets.com
RATINGS
GRAPHICS CARD
Asus HD7790-DCU2 OC
VERDICT: The best card for Rs 11,000 right now. FOR: Custom cooler; low noise and power consumption; free game. AGAINST: Outclassed by cards that cost just a little more.
MDs Radeon HD7790 is a new chip, codenamed Bonaire, with 14 compute units, which is AMDs
theres a six-pin ATX power connector on the other end. In operation, the fans were barely audible no matter how hard our tests pushed them. Temperatures also never rose above 54 degrees Celsius. The Radeon HD7790 outclasses the 7770, and also comes close to the 7850, which sells for a little bit more. AMD is also offering 7790 buyers a free copy of Bioshock Innite, which retails at Rs 999. If your budget strictly tops out at Rs 11,000, then this is the best card you can buy. The 7790 is the best option at its price, and we love Asus custom design. However, Nvidias new 650 Ti Boost is a denite step up for just a little more money. - Jamshed Avari
terminology for modular execution blocks. The 7770 has 10 such units. Asus has ditched AMDs reference design in favour of its own DirectCU II cooler. This card is clocked only 75 MHz faster than the stock 1GHz, but memory bandwidth is pushed up from 6.0 Gbps to 6.4 Gbps. Asus claims the card runs 20 percent cooler and signicantly quieter with its custom cooler. The cooler sticks out beyond the stubby cards end, and hot air will blow out through the back as well as into your cabinet. The rear panel houses the dual-link DVI, single-link DVI, DisplayPort and HDMI sockets, and
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 11,000
www.asus.in
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 7790; Core|Memory Speed: 1075MHz|6400MHz; Memory: 1GB; Memory bus width: 128-bit; Video outputs: 2x DVI, 1x DP, 1x HDMI.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
ASUS Technology 1800-209-0365 reachus@asus.com
RATINGS
05/2013
53
LAPTOP COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
Ace Combat
We take the laptop battle to the higher ground.
BY FRANCIS D'SA AND ANAND TULIANI
Jagdish Limbachiya
54
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: TIM to 51818
LAPTOP COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
he mid and high-end laptop segments offer a lot to choose from. This segment starts with models that are a notch above
pronounce the winners. We sort the best laptops into the Best Performance and Best Value categories. FEATURES: We noted the main hardware conguration that makes up the core of the notebook. This includes the processor, graphics, memory, storage and display. Later, we also noted other feature-sets such as I/O ports, the version of USB ports, video interfaces, pointing devices, networking interfaces, optical drives and the operating system. Lastly, the weight of each laptop was noted. BUILD QUALITY: This section is the evaluation of the build and the distinctiveness of each of the laptops. We considered the quality of the chassis, the screen frame, hinges, the keyboard, buttons and switches. We also noted scratch-resistant exteriors and the use of metal in the construction. Lastly, we subjectively rated the aesthetic appeal of each laptop on a ve-point scale. EROGONOMICS: Next, we proceeded towards Ergonomics, which is important to consider when evaluating a portable device. This section analyses essential elements such as the keyboards keys and its layout, the pointing device and its buttons, status indicators, hotkeys and a few more. PERFORMANCE: To evaluate the notebooks' performance, we ran a set of exhaustive tests on each laptop. The tests were divided into synthetic and real-world tests. The synthetic tests made use of four utilities that help analyse the capabilities of the core components, such as the processor, memory, storage and the GPU. These tests were done using utilities such as SiSoft Sandra, PCMark, 3DMark Vantage, CineBench and 7.zip. The realworld tests consisted of another set of utilities, and the scores obtained here helped analyse the actual performance of the laptop. These included a compressing an assortment of les, transcoding a 60-second MPEG clip to H.264, ray-tracing an image, and lastly, noting the read/write and le transfer speeds of the internal storage medium. We also subjectively evaluated the quality and power output of the built-in speakers. To wind up the performance test, we ran a test to get an idea of how long the notebook would last when put under heavy load. WARRANTY: Lastly, we allotted points to the warranty provided and the amount of support (in years) provided by the manufacturer of each laptop. The Best Value award was awarded to the laptop that offered a good balance of all the feature-sets for the lowest price. The Best Performance award went to the one that outperformed the lot. To nd out additional information about the various tests in each section, simply ip over to the table.
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP 05/2013
budget laptops in terms of performance. You typically get an Intel Core i5 processor, discrete graphics, at least 4GB of RAM and some variation of Windows. In contrast, most basic models come with an Intel Pentium processor, 2GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive and on-board graphics. These laptops are almost at par with entry-level desktop PCs. Note that the presence of discrete graphics doesnt mean youll be able to play the latest games in full glory. However, it should suffice for casual gaming and accelerating certain features in photo-editing applications. Moving up the rank are the mighty powerhouses. These wield the power of a mid-range desktop PC or an entry-level gaming PC in a portable form. You have laptops powered by quad-core Intel Core i7 processors, powerful discrete graphics and plenty of storage space. These workhorses won't be intimidated by demanding applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Premier. On the other hand, you can go the thin-and-light way and opt for an Ultrabook. These slim and svelte notebooks are about an inch thick and weigh a lot less than conventional laptops. They are your ideal companions for the road. Equipped with solid state drives and ultra-low voltage processors, you can rest assured youll get a good balance of performance and battery life. There has not been much action in the laptop segment in recent times, except for some highend models with Windows 8 and touchscreens. Other changes include newer designs, the usual mix of new colour options and textures, and slightly improved input devices in some models. All the major laptop brands have a slew of models and variants across all price brackets. You can today choose to have a notebook with or without a discrete graphics card, get your pick of CPU, opt for solid state drives instead of the traditional hard drive, and even choose the amount of memory. In short, you can make sure you get the best combination of performance and looks for your budget. For this comparison, we tested laptops priced between Rs 35,000 and Rs 65,000. Read on to nd out how we went about testing them and arrived at the winners.
Test Process
The laptop evaluation process consists of ve main parameters: Features, Build quality, Ergonomics, Performance and Warranty. Each of these parameters was carefully scrutinised to generate a table of scores that helped us
Nachiket Gujar
55
LAPTOP COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
DELL INSPIRON 14R TURBO

VERDICT
A REAL POWERHOUSE WITH STURDY BUILD AND GOOD LOOKS.
Core i3 and Core i5 processors, 500GB hard drives, up to 4GB of RAM and Nvidia GeForce GT730M discrete graphics. The 14R turbo is crafted for multimedia buffs and power users. It pushes the performance envelope even farther than the top-end variant of the Inspiron 14R series. This includes being able to choose between a more powerful Intel Core i5 processor and a quad-core Core i7 processor if youre looking at sheer power. It also comes with discrete graphics and Skullcandy speakers for a rich multimedia experience. Further, you can opt for up to 8GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and
he turbo suffix says it all! The mainstream Inspiron 14R series comprises models featuring Intel
a quad-core processor and a 1TB hard drive. So it wasnt difficult to guess the winner right at the outset. Of course, even the build quality and ergonomics count when it comes to the overall score, and Dell hasnt compromised on any aspect. We must say it looks very elite thanks to the anodised aluminum lid and its precision-etched honeycomb design. The same is present on the palm rest and the area around the keyboard. The laptop feels solid and is very comfortable to use. The chiclet keyboard has good tactile response, as do the touchpad buttons. The ports are placed along the left and right sides for easy access. These include a pair of USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and HDMI output. As for the overall performance, well, it's almost twice as fast as mainstream laptops. Check out the real world scoresit completed all the tests in nearly half the time taken by the other contenders. We feel that the hard drive was the only bottleneck. Had Dell used a SATA 6Gb/s SSD, this laptop would have shattered records! FOR: Very good build; powerful conguration; looks classy. AGAINST: None.
SPECIFICATIONS
a higher resolution display (1600x900 pixels). Its only the guts that are more powerful; when kept next to each other, it would be difficult to differentiate between the Inspiron 14R and 14R turbo. The unit we received from Dell was equipped with an Intel Core i7-3612QM processor, 6GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive and Nvidia GeForce GT 240M discrete graphics. This combination of hardware puts the Inspiron 14R turbo right at the top. It was the only model to feature
Rs 63,990
Weight: 2.4 Kg; CPU: Core i7-3612QM, 2.1 GHz; RAM: 6 GB; Storage: 1 TB; Display: 14-inch 1366 x 768; Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GT 240M; Operating system: Windows 7 HP 64-bit.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Dell India Pvt Ltd 080-25068026 NA
RATINGS
LAYOUT FEATURES PERFORMANCE OVERALL RATING VALUE FOR MONEY
56
05/2013
LAPTOP COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
TOSHIBA SATELLITE C850-X0110

price. It runs on an Intel Core i5-3210M processor clocked at 2.5GHz, along with integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics. The system has 2GB of RAM and a spacious 500GB HDD. The display is a fairly large 15.6-inch LCD panel with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The laptop sports a VGA port, an HDMI interface, a USB 2.0 port, a USB 3.0 port, an Ethernet port and audio jacks, all on the right side. The left side features a USB 2.0 port and an optical drive. The front houses the card reader and the status indicators for power, Wi-Fi and battery. Lastly, the operating system installed on it is Microsoft Windows 8, 64-bit edition. We did miss the touchscreen option on this laptop as it benets the tiled Windows 8 user interface. The laptop is powered using a 4200 mAh battery, which can run for around 1 hour and 37 minutes when under heavy load. The Toshiba Satellite's chassis, screen frame and hinges are built well and feel solid. However, the keyboard feels somewhat rubberised and its poor tactility brought the rating down. The
he Satellite bagged the Best Value award simply because it offers the best overall value at the lowest
notebook also lost points for its glossy exterior, which is prone to scratches. The Toshiba Satellite did well on the ergonomics front owing to its keyboard's well-spaced and large keys, besides its tactile touchpad. The laptop also gained points for having a full-sized keyboard with a keypad, which is a useful feature for those dealing with numbers on a daily basis. The laptop manages to perform better than the average. Scores related to the performance in the le compression, video transcoding and ray-tracing tests were impressive. The battery also lasted for a good hour and a half when on an exhaustive test. The audio from the onboard stereo speakers was not as great, as the volume was a tad low and the clarity was below average. We would recommend this laptop for those who are looking for a standard desktop alternative with the option of going mobile too. This is a good, balanced laptop that's not too shabby on the performance front and comes with a decent price tag. FOR: Good performance; good build quality; large display; numeric keypad. AGAINST: Audio quality could be better; a tad heavy.
VERDICT
WITH A PRICE TAG OF RS 37,740, THIS LAPTOP IS A REAL GOOD DEAL.
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 37,740
Weight: 2.3 Kg; CPU: Core i5-3210M, 2.5 GHz; RAM: 2 GB; Storage: 500 GB; Display: 15.6-inch 1366 x 768; Graphics: Intel HD 4000; Operating system: Windows 8 64-bit.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
Toshiba India 0124-4996600 aditya.bhandari@toshiba-india.com
RATINGS
LAYOUT FEATURES PERFORMANCE OVERALL RATING VALUE FOR MONEY
Nachiket Gujar
05/2013
57
LAPTOP COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
PERSONAL TAKE
SpecScan
NAME Contact Phone E-mail Price* OVERALL Features (25%) Build quality (15%) Ergonomics (20%) Performance (35%) Warranty (5%)
0 50
FRANCIS D'SA francis.dsa@chip.in Choosing the ideal laptop is a very delicate affair. A laptop's configuration and price has to be considered very carefully because it has to last you for a few years. Opting for the highest configuration in the market makes sense, but the price tag is not worth it. Currently, the wise choice would be a Core i7 laptop with discrete graphics, but low RAM and storage, as these components can be upgraded later on. But if you are on a tight budget, check for the best laptop in your budget. For those on a tight budget, the Toshiba Satellite C850-X0110 is the one I would recommend. And those seeking a powerful computer can consider the Dell 14R turbo. I would suggest going future-proof by getting a notebook that has a touchscreen panel to get the complete experience of new and future operating systems.
DELL INSPIRON 14R TURBO Dell India Pvt Ltd 080-25068026 NA Rs. 63,990
73 95 79 76 100
100
ASUS VIVOBOOK S550C Asus India Pvt Ltd 022-61598612 helpline_west@asus.com Rs. 57,999
75 91 83 56 100
0 50 100
Overall (Out of 100) Value For Money FEATURES Dimensions ( WxHxD) | Weight Processor | RAM Display size | Resolution (pixels) Storage | Cache SSD Graphics processor | Video outputs Video Memory | Video outputs Gigabit Ethernet | Wi-Fi N | Bluetooth Optical drive | Backlit keyboard Card reader | Webcam USB ports: 2.0 | 3.0 Operating system BUILD QUALITY Chassis | Screen frame | Hinges Keyboard | Buttons and switches Resistant to scratches | Use of metal in construction Overall aesthetics ERGONOMICS Keyboard: Key size | Spacing | Tactility Touchpad: Button size | Placement | Tactility Status indicators: Wireless | Bluetooth Numeric pad | Media player controls PERFORMANCE Sisoft Sandra 2013 (Overall) Processor multimedia | Memory bandwidth File system: Score | Read | Write PCMark 7 (Overall) 3DMark Vantage (Overall) Cinebench R11.5 CrystalDiskMark {Sequential (Read / Write)} File compression: 100 MB files to 7.zip (Ultra, 256-bit encrp) Video transcoding: 1 min MPEG to H.264 (2nd pass) Ray tracing: POVRay (800x600 AA 0.3) Audio: Volume level | Quality Battery life: Load test WARRANTY Warranty period
Scores out of 5
80
74
347 x 29 x 240 mm | 2.4 Kg Intel Core i7-3612QM, 2.1 GHz | 6 GB 14-inch, 1366 x 768 1 TB | NA Nvidia GeForce GT 240M 2 GB | VGA, HDMI || | | 0|2 Windows 7 HP 64-bit 5 | 4.5 | 5 5|5 | 4 4|5|4 4|3|4 | |
380 x 22 x 266 mm | 2.6 Kg Intel Core i5-3317U, 1.7 GHz | 4 GB Touchscreen 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 750 GB | 24 GB Intel HD 4000 + Nvidia GT 635M 2 GB | VGA, HDMI || | | 2|1 Windows 8 64-bit 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 4|4 | 4.5 4 | 4.5 | 4 5|4|4 | |
ANAND TULIANI anand.tuliani@chip.in For Rs 45,000, you should look at a notebook with at least an Intel Core i5 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and most importantly, discrete graphics. One of the best in the subRs 45,000 segment is the Acer Aspire V5-571. It runs on an Intel Core i5-3337U ultra-low voltage processor and uses switchable graphicsIntel HD 4000 integrated graphics alongside Nvidia GeForce 710M. For Rs 43,250 you cant go wrong with the V5-571. If youre willing to shell out anything more than Rs 50,000, I suggest settling for a premium Ultrabook or a notebook powered by a quadcore Intel Core i7 processor. My pick would be the Asus VivoBook S550C. Its about an inch thick, sports a touchscreen and runs an ultralow voltage Core i5 processor. You may find it expensive, but the slim form, eye-catching aesthetics, solid build and good ergonomics are completely worth it.
195 Mpix/s | 16.67 GB/s 75.28 MB/s | 95 MB/s | 87.49 MB/s 2603 23628 5.65 pts 98.27 MB/s / 98.05 MB/s 38 sec 29 sec 20.56 sec 4.5 | 4.5 1h, 6m 1 year
82.81 Mpix/s | 10.73 GB/s 58.59 MB/s | 75.18 MB/s | 64.22 MB/s 2904 17315 2.4 pts 84.25 MB/s / 79.41 MB/s 83 sec 70 sec 47.41 sec 4.5 | 4.5 2h, 25m 1 year
* Prices are indicative and are subject to change, taxes extra
58
05/2013
LAPTOP COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
ASUS VIVOBOOK S400C Asus India Pvt Ltd 022-61598612 helpline_west@asus.com Rs. 59,999
65 99 88 52 100
0 50 100
HP ENVY 4-1002TX HP India 1800-4254-999 NA Rs. 58,990

62 80 84 65
ACER ASPIRE V5-571 Acer India 080-39408700 ailenquiries@acer.co.in Rs. 43,250

70 73 75 54
TOSHIBA SATELLITE U840-X4310 Toshiba India 0124-4996600 NA Rs. 53,500

60 82 77 58
100
0 50 100 0 50
100
100 0 50
100
100
72
72
68
68
339 x 21 x 239 mm | 1.85 Kg Intel Core i7-3517U, 2.4 GHz | 4 GB Touchscreen 14-inch, 1366 x 768 500 GB | 24 GB Intel HD 4000 NA | VGA, HDMI || | | 2|1 Windows 8 64-bit 5|5|5 4.5 | 5 | 5 4.5 | 5 | 4 5|4|5 | |
341 x 21 x 236 mm | 1.77 Kg Core i5-3317U, 1.7 GHz | 4 GB 14-inch, 1366 x 768 500 GB | 32 GB Intel HD 4000 + Radeon HD 7670 2 GB | HDMI || | | 2|1 Windows 7 HB 64-bit 4.5 | 4.5 | 4 4.5 | 5 | 4 5|4|4 5 | 4.5 | 3.5 | |
382 x 23 x 253 mm | 2.3 Kg Intel Core i5-3337U, 1.8 GHz | 4 GB 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 500 GB | NA Intel HD 4000 + Nvidia GeForce 710M 2 GB | VGA, HDMI || | | 2|1 Windows 8 64-bit 4|4|4 4|5 | 3.5 4|5|4 4 | 4 | 3.5 | |
344 x 22 x 229 mm | 1.66 Kg Core i5-3317U, 1.7 GHz | 4 GB 14-inch, 1366 x 768 500 GB | 32 GB Intel HD 4000 NA | HDMI || | | 2|1 Windows 7 HP 64-bit 4 | 3.5 | 3 4|5 | 4 3.5 | 4 | 4 5 | 4.5 | 4 | |
96.75 Mpix/s | 9.87 GB/s 74.75 MB/s | 94.63 MB/s | 75.84 MB/s 2789 10937 2.71 pts 105.5 MB/s / 98.56 MB/s 71 sec 59 sec 39.66 sec 3.5 | 3.5 1h, 28m 1 year
82.73 Mpix/s | 10.74 GB/s 184.88 MB/s | 349.2 MB/s | 76.3 MB/s 3745 15372 2.35 pts 195 MB/s / 92.38 MB/s 83 sec 96 sec 57.2 sec 3.5 | 3.5 1h, 23m 1 year
86.3 Mpix/s | 9.93 GB/s 72.6 MB/s | 86.14 MB/s | 81.74 MB/s 2459 18389 2.5 pts 100.2 MB/s / 103.2 MB/s 81 sec 66 sec 44.92 sec 3.5 | 3 1h, 40m 1 year
83 Mpix/s | 10.65 GB/s 130.13 MB/s | 159.2 MB/s | 50.13 MB/s 4045 10960 2.4 pts 111.5 MB/s / 42.56 MB/s 83 sec 68 sec 46.78 sec 4|4 1h, 36m 1 year
Nachiket Gujar
05/2013
59
LAPTOP COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
7 SpecScan
NAME Contact Phone E-mail Price* OVERALL Features (25%) Build quality (15%) Ergonomics (20%) Performance (35%) Warranty (5%)
0 50
SONY VAIO T SVT11113FG Sony India 1800-103-7799 sonyindia.care@ap.sony.com Rs. 49,990

52 87 74 56 100
100
TOSHIBA SATELLITE C850-X0110 Toshiba India 0124-4996600 aditya.bhandari@toshiba-india.com Rs. 37,740

55 70 79 56 100
0 50 100
ACER ASPIRE V5-471 Acer India 080-39408700 ailenquiries@acer.co.in Rs. 45,319

68 73 74 48 100
0 50 100
Overall (Out of 100) Value For Money FEATURES Dimensions ( WxHxD) | Weight Processor | RAM Display size | Resolution (pixels) Storage | Cache SSD Graphics processor | Video outputs Video Memory | Video outputs Gigabit Ethernet | Wi-Fi N | Bluetooth Optical drive | Backlit keyboard Card reader | Webcam USB ports: 2.0 | 3.0 Operating system BUILD QUALITY Chassis | Screen frame | Hinges Keyboard | Buttons and switches Resistant to scratches | Use of metal in construction Overall aesthetics ERGONOMICS Keyboard: Key size | Spacing | Tactility Touchpad: Button size | Placement | Tactility Status indicators: Wireless | Bluetooth Numeric pad | Media player controls PERFORMANCE Sisoft Sandra 2013 (Overall) Processor multimedia | Memory bandwidth File system: Score | Read | Write PCMark 7 (Overall) 3DMark Vantage (Overall) Cinebench R11.5 CrystalDiskMark {Sequential (Read / Write)} File compression: 100 MB files to 7.zip (Ultra, 256-bit encry) Video transcoding: 1 min MPEG to H.264 (2nd pass) Ray tracing: POVRay (800x600 AA 0.3) Audio: Volume level | Quality Battery life: Load test WARRANTY Warranty period
65
65
64
297 x 19 x 216 mm | 1.42 Kg Core i5-3317U, 1.7 GHz | 4 GB 11.6-inch, 1366 x 768 500 GB | 32 GB Intel HD 4000 NA | VGA, HDMI || | | 1|1 Windows 7 HP 64-bit 4|4|4 4|5 | 4.5 3 | 3 | 4.5 5 | 4 | 4.5 | |
380 x 34 x 242 mm | 2.3 Kg Intel Core i5-3210M, 2.5 GHz | 2 GB 15.6-inch, 1366 x 768 500 GB | NA Intel HD 4000 NA | VGA, HDMI || | | 2|1 Windows 8 64-bit 4.5 | 5 | 4 3.5 | 5 | 4 4.5 | 4 | 3 4|4|4 | |
342 x 24 x 245 mm | 2.1 Kg Intel Core i5-3317U, 1.7 GHz | 4 GB Touchscreen 14-inch, 1366 x 768 500 GB | NA Intel HD 4000 NA | VGA, HDMI || | | 2|1 Windows 8 64-bit 4|4|4 4|5 | 3.5 4|5|4 4|4|3 | |
83.42 Mpix/s | 8.26 GB/s 173.22 MB/s | 321 MB/s | 76.67 MB/s 3449 10187 2.38 pts 94 MB/s / 55.57 MB/s 83 sec 69 sec 46.41 sec 3|2 1h, 43m 1 year
100.12 Mpix/s | 10 GB/s 80.67 MB/s | 104.09 MB/s | 101.48 MB/s 3149 11153 2.92 pts 104.2 MB/s / 98.14 MB/s 70 sec 57 sec 38.34 sec 3.5 | 2.5 1h, 37m 1 year
82.76 Mpix/s | 9 GB/s 75 MB/s | 87.87 MB/s | 82.88 MB/s 2407 10167 2.33 pts 109.9 MB/s / 108.1 MB/s 84 sec 69 sec 46.45 sec 3.5 | 3 1h, 20m 1 year
60
05/2013
Nachiket Gujar
TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE
SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT
SECURITY
INTEL ANTI-THEFT SERVICE

VERDICT: A useful service to prevent your data from getting into the wrong hands. FOR: Easy to congure and use; locks down your computer. AGAINST: Installation can be a bit painful.
if you manage to lose your laptop, there's very little you can do to recover your data. Hence, its best to take frequent backups and use a security suite. Intel claims its Anti-Theft Service can secure important data from unauthorised access. Let's see if it's claims are any good.
mportant data is worth much more than the ord to lose personal hardware. You cannot aff afford data or let it get into the wrong hands. And
after installation, youre prompted to set up the software. This involves specifying an anti-theft password (8-digit numeric) and your email address. Theres also a checkbox to enable tracking of your devices location if its lost or stolen. After conguration, you can access the software via an icon in the notication area of the task bar.
How it works
Intel Anti-Theft Service syncs your device's status with your online account from time to time; you can choose to do this manually too. All the action lies in the Web Management Console, which is a webpage and can be accessed from any Internet-enabled device with a web browser. The bottom of the page displays the location of the device courtesy Google Maps and location historythe location is traced using your IP address. The big red button that says Secure my device will come to the rescue if your device is lost or stolen. There are two modes that you can choose from. 'Steal' mode will lock important les and continue to track the devices location. However, it wont lock-down the device. The 'Lock down' mode will immediately shut down and lock the device. Note that the thieves will have
System requirements and installation

Intel Anti-Theft Service will run on your laptop provided it meets the minimum system requirements: an Intel 6 or 7 series chipset, 1GB of RAM, 100MB of disk space, Windows 7 or 8, a compatible browser and a good, fast Internet connection. To check whether the software can run on your laptop, Intel has devised an application called Intel Anti-Theft Discovery App (2.53MB in size), which you can use before downloading the full suite. If supported, it will prompt you to go ahead with the download and installation. Before downloading, you need to have a McAfee account, which you can sign up for. Immediately
You're taken to this Window via the Intel AT icon in the notification area. The action lies in the Web Management Console.
The Anti-Theft Discovery App tells you whether you device will support Intel AT serviceno need to lookup your devices configuration.
62
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: TSM to 51818
TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE
ON DVD
MAY 2013
RED HOT Ashampoo 3D CAD Professional 4
The lock down screen that comes up before POST. You can get past it only on typing the correct password.
FULL SOFTWARE
Basic Home Budget 9.5t Accounts and Budget Free 6.0.2 AceMoney Lite 4.33.1 Budget Tracker 3.2 Family Budget Planner 1.1 Finance Explorer 5.5.1
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance The Importance of a Good Story and more...
and more...
to connect the laptop to the Internet for your command to work. It takes a few seconds for the command to be executed. The Lock down mode is equivalent to rendering your laptop useless for the thief. When started in this mode, the laptop displays a lock-down message before POST, just a few seconds after you press the power button. The correct anti-theft password (8-digit numeric) has to be entered to continue the boot process. Since the technology is tied to the hardware, this mode cant be overridden even by changing the hard drive, reinstalling the operating system or ashing the BIOS. The Settings page in the Web Management Console has an option to auto-lock the device if it has not been connected to the Internet for a specied number of days (2 to 30). This can be disabled by enabling the 'Vacation' mode. You can also enable the 'Repair shop' mode, which keeps the device unlocked if you have to leave it with someone.
FULL GAMES
Nitro Racers 8 Ball Frenzy Aerial Fires Air Shark 2 Anti Terror Mission Arkan Ball Around The World In 80 Days Blox Forever Call of Atlantis Clash N Slash Fruit Smash and more...
LINUX
LINUX DISTRIBUTION
Linux Mint 14.1
Easy Phone Sync for BlackBerry 11 Facebook for Java 3.0.1 SafeCase 1.2.85 and more...
SECURITY
Anti Tracks Free Edition 9.0 avast! Browser Cleanup 8.0 BitDefender Free Edition 1.0 Free Internet Eraser 3.90 Immunos 1.9.0 Pandora Recovery 2.2.1 Recuva 1.45.858 RegRun Reanimator and more...
LINUX TOOLS
Ruby 2.0.0-p0 AVIRA AntiVir WebGate 3.3.0.2-5 Baobab 3.6.4 / 3.7.90 datahaven rev7336 Epiphany 3.6.1 / 3.7.90 GNOME Shell 3.7.90 and more...
GAME DEMOS
A Valley Without Wind 2 1.002 Euro Truck Simulator 2 Demo 1.3.1 Farming Simulator 2013 1.4.0.0 German Lowriders 1.4 Kerbal Space Program Demo 0.18.20 Real World Racing Open Beta Restricted Area Spore Creature Creator and more...
TOOLS
MULTIMEDIA
unCDcopy 1.7.0.5 BS.Player 2.64 Chasys Draw IES 4.03.02 Helium Audio Splitter 1.7.0 joesVLC 0.9.5 Klaok 0.915 Light Alloy 4.7.0 Mac Blu-ray Player 2.7.7.1148 Machete Video Editor Lite 4.0 MPlayer for Windows 2013 MPUI-hcb 1.0.10 Build 33 Portable Toolwiz Pretty Photo 2.7 MKV Player 2.1.3 and more...
SYSTEM
X-Task Coach 1.3.24 [rev5] Adobe Reader XI 11.0.2 BullZip PDF Printer 9.4.0.1570 doPDF 7.3 Build 388 EMDB 1.72 NaturalReader 11.5.035 Portable Wise Care 365 Free RecImg Manager 2.0 and more...
Verdict and price in India

Intel Anti-Theft Service is available for free as a 90-day trial, after which you have to pay to use ityou can purchase a years subscription for $24.99 (approximately Rs 1,360). Otherwise, you can choose to go for other products such as Norton Anti-Theft and McAfee Anti-Theft, which also use Intel's Anti-Theft technology. Many laptop brands have already started offering devices with Intel AntiTheft Service included in the package. So, look out for the Intel Anti-Theft Service logo on the laptop or its packaging if youre looking for a value-for-money buy. - Anand Tuliani i
GAME ADD ONS

X-Plane Update 10.20 RC 2 Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy Patch 2.01 Diablo Mod - The Hell 1.150a Drox Operative Patch 1.004 Eudemons Online Client Patch 1656 Forsaken World Patch 0.362.0 GameSave Manager Database Update and more...
MUST HAVES
.NET Framework Version 4.5 AMD Catalyst Drivers 13.1 XP AMD Catalyst Drivers 13.1 Vista Realtek AC97 Driver A4.06 Realtek High Definition Audio 2.70 XP/ Vista DirectX 9.0c (Jun 10) JRE 1.7.0.17 (32-bit) NVIDIA Forceware 314.07 WHQL XP/Vista and more...
INTERNET
Maxthon Cloud Browser 4.0.3.5000 RC AnyClient 5.1.0.68 anyTV 2.64 Audials Light 10.1.6209.900 Complete Internet Repair 1.3.2 Firemin 2.0.1.11 Portable Firefox 19.0 Portable Torrent 3.3.0.29126 RadioMaximus Portable 1.85 RightFTP 1.0 SeaMonkey 2.16 Xftp Free 4.0 and more...
GAME TRAILERS
Star Trek: Story Reveal Army of Two: The Devils Cartel Mask Customisation Crysis 3 Lethal Weapons DARK: Official DC Universe Online: Home Turf Launch Dead or Alive 5: Tag Combo Ver 1.03A Injustice: Gods Among Us The Flash vs. Shazam Injustice: Gods Among Us Wonder Woman vs. Harley Quinn LEGO City: Undercover Resident Evil Revelations: Launch
SPECIFICATIONS
$24.99 (Approx Rs 1,360)
www.intel.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS: Windows 7/8; RAM: 1GB; Drive space: 100MB; Chipset: Intel 6 or 7 series; Processor: 1GHz or higher.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
ADOBE PLAYERS
Adobe Air 3.6.0.6090 Flash Player 11.6.602.180 Shockwave Player 12.0.0.112 and more...
Intel 080-28542105
sasupport@mailbox.intel.com
MOBILE
Hoolapp 1.0.2.9 Android Injector 2.23 ConvertHelper 2.0 Droid Explorer 0.8.8.8 Beta Easy Phone Sync
RATINGS
FEATURES PERFORMANCE EASE OF USE OVERALL RATING VALUE FOR MONEY
E-BOOKS
CHIP ARCHIVES
Dec 2012 to Feb 2013
63
TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE
VERDICT
AOMEI BACKUPPER IS ONE OF THE FEW GOOD FREE TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR BACKING-UP YOUR DATA.
DATA BACKUP
AOMEI BACKUPPER
FOR: Simple user interface; quick backup and restore process; thoughtful options for customisation. AGAINST: No option for automating or scheduling backups.
Taking backups with AOMEI Backupper is relatively easy
OMEI Backupper presents a viable option when looking for a backup tool. The software features an
backup option and doesnt even let you schedule backups. So you will have to rely on manual backups. At the bottom of the main page is a button called Backup Options, which lets you customise your backup. You can add comments that will help you distinguish between different backups, choose the compression level for the backup les, add encryption, choose to split larger les into smaller les and much more. AOMEI Backupper also lets you choose between full, incremental and differential backups for particular datasets. The software also provides you with a Clone option, with the help of which you can make exact copies of partitions or disks. AOMEI Backupper also lets you create a Linux or Windows PE-based bootable rescue disk on a CD, DVD or USB drive. The process of restoring les is also quite easy and the time taken will depend on the amount, type and format of the data. - Priyanka Tilve
easy-to-use, interactive interface. On launching it, you will see all the required options on the main screen itself, and backing-up data takes only a few clicks. The application lets you back-up the complete hard disk, a particular partition or even the complete system. The Disk Backup option makes an image of your hard disk drives, while the System Backup option makes an image of your entire system. If you want to back-up only one or two partitions, you can do so via the Partition Backup option. Once you select the type of backup you want to take, you can choose where to save the backup le. The main page of the application also
SPECIFICATIONS
Freeware
www.aomeitech.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8; Disk Space: 14.1MB

CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
AOMEI Technology Co., Ltd. NA support@aomeitech.com
shows you the backups you have taken, if any. From here you can choose to restore a backup, take more backups and even delete old backups. The only glitch here is that the software doesnt have an auto-
RATINGS
64
05/2013
TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE
VERDICT
AN EXCELLENT APP IF YOU JUST WANT TO PLAY AROUND WITH FILTERS.
PHOTO EDITOR
PERFECT EFFECTS 4 FREE

FOR: Good selection of lters; layer support; masking; blending modes. AGAINST: Should have had a selection tool.
nOne Perfect Effects 4 is very different from the usual bunch of photo editors and viewers. It's
The Effects module has over 70 lters categorised into 16 groups, including Borders, Black & White, Cross Process, HDR, Vignettes and Vintage. A good thing is that the thumbnail of the lter displays gives you real-time previews. It would have been nice if there was an option to tweak lter parameters, but you can adjust the intensity using the Amount slider in the right pane. But the support for layers and masking does all the magic. You can stack lters to combine effects, mask portions of the image that you wish to include/exclude, layer multiple images to get a multiple exposure effect, and more. For instance, the software lets you add a Black & White layer and then unmask portions of photos for selective colour. After youre done, you can save the nal output in PSD, PSB, JPG, PNG and TIFF formats. So far, Perfect Effects 4 is one of the most versatile photo editors weve come across for enhancing photosits absolutely a must-try. - Anand Tuliani
Choose from over 70 lters. Layer them and use blending modes to get creative.
tailored specically to apply effects to photos and make them stand out. It goes much beyond simply loading a photo and choosing an effect. The support for layers, layer blending modes and masking gives you much headroom for creativity. The intuitive user interface makes using all the features a cakewalkits extremely easy to use and youll soon want to tinker with all the tools. The software comprises two components: the Home screen and Effects module. The Home screen lets you browse photos and transform, crop and mask images. You have to click and drag over the photo to ne-tune values from a dropdown lists/input elds in the toolbar. A panel to the right displays a thumbnail of the image that can be switched to Loupe or Histogram. Further down is a Layers section that helps you manage layers (delete, copy, merge, ll), select blending modes and adjust layer opacity.
SPECIFICATIONS
Freeware
www.ononesoftware.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS: Windows Vista/7/8, Mac OS X 10.6 and higher; RAM: 4GB; Drive space: 1.5GB.
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
onOne Software, Inc NA info@ononesoftware.com
RATINGS
FEATURES PERFORMANCE EASE OF USE OVERALL RATING
05/2013
65
TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE
VERDICT
A GOOD SYSTEM MAINTENANCE UTILITY THAT'S PRICED A BIT TOO HIGH FOR WHAT IT OFFERS.
SYSTEM UTILITY
PC CLEANER PRO 2013

FOR: Straightforward user interface; customisable modules; speedy cleanup. AGAINST: Trial version doesnt x issues.
The concern level meter indicates the seriousness of issues. Use the Fix All button to x them all in one go.
C Cleaner Pro is a simple utility that xes most security and performance issues in one go. The
letting you congure general settings such as setting the program to run at startup, toggling tray notications and creating restore points before xing issues, it gives you ne control over the program. It lets you choose to exclude certain functions and manage schedules. Also present are handy tools such as Internet Tuner, Uninstall Manager, Memory Optimiser and Internet Explorer Extensions Manager. We think PC Cleaner is a bit too overpriced for what it offers. Its too basic and doesnt offer much more than what freeware programs out there do. Youd be better off buying a good Internet Security suite and using a freeware such as CCleaner, which does a rather good job of xing common problems. If youre looking out for a good system tuning utility, consider TuneUp Utilities 2013, which will appeal to both novices and experienced users. You can try out this software if you feel like it, but bear in mind that the trial version only detects issues and doesnt let you x them. - Anand Tuliani
software scans the PC for issues such as registry errors, broken shortcuts, temporary les, browser cache, cookies, malware, unwanted services and xes them. Like most other system tuning utilities, the software displays the system's health and the number of issues found, which is usually in the thousands and meant just to evoke fear. The Fix All button xes all the issues in one go. It may seem gimmicky, but it actually isnt. The problems are common to all computers that run Windows and have to be addressed from time to time to prevent the system from slowing down and keep it running smoothly. Experienced users may not need a separate program for maintaining their system, but the same is like a magic wand for novicesone tool xes it all! The Restore tab helps you manage restore points that allow you to restore the system to a previous state. The Settings tab is quite comprehensive: in addition to
SPECIFICATIONS
$29.97 (Approx Rs 1,650)

pc-cleaners.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8; RAM: 2GB; Drive space: 65MB.

CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
PC Cleaner, Inc. NA via website
RATINGS
66
05/2013
TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE
VERDICT
A UNIQUE OCR UTILITY, BUT CONVERSION ACCURACY COULD BE A LOT BETTER.
OCR UTILITY
VERYPDF SCREEN OCR

FOR: Ease of use; simple user interface. AGAINST: Below average performance.
eryPDF Screen OCR is an OCR utility with a bit of a twist. It can scan and convert an image directly
However, its performance could be better. We tried a few experiments to try out the utility and were disappointed. We tried taking a screenshot of the programs own website and it gave us less than 30 percent accuracy. Since there were a lot of pictures and advertisements in the image, we gave it another shot with another website, but the result was the same. There were a lot of mistakes with even the simplest of fonts. We also tried the utility with a word document containing only text and the software managed only 80 percent accuracy. There were quite a few mistakes in the conversion too. To sum up the whole experience, VeryPDF is not as good as the other OCR utilities available in the market. Though the concept of capturing text from an image directly from the screen is appealing, the performance is not as good as one would expect. The utility is available for $24.95, which converts to around Rs 1,350. We feel it is a bit expensive for the performance it delivers. - Francis Dsa
The only interface you see is a small control box in the system tray. The application itself runs in the background.
from the screen. What we mean here is that the software can instantly convert any images on your screen to readable and searchable text. It is nothing but a simple OCR coupled with a screen-grabbing utility. The software is very easy to install and use. The only interface you see is a small control box in the system tray. A single click on the icon gives you three buttonsCapture, History and Register. There is a default hotkey assigned to the utility (F4), but it can be changed to your desired hotkey. Hitting F4 will start the screen capture with a multi-colored mouse cursor on the screen waiting for your input. All you have to do is select the start point and drag to the end point on the screen with the mouse cursor. Once done, option buttons such as Cancel, Copy, Save to File, Share Online and OCR are available. Clicking on Save to File lets you send the output to a program of your choice. The utility is very simple to operate.
SPECIFICATIONS
$24.95 (Approx Rs 1,350)

www.verypdf.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
OS: Windows XP or higher; Disk space: 50 MB.

CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
VeryPDF.com NA NA
RATINGS
05/2013
67
TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE
PHOTO & VIDEO
ADOBE REVEL
anaging photos is a pain, especially if you use your phone and tablet as well as a
photos, either in one big cluster or sorted by date. You can tag photos, mark your favourites and create events or albums to make sorting easier. The app also lets you make basic touchups. In addition to the de rigeur lters, there are surprisingly ne-grained controls for white balance, exposure and contrast. There are also crop, rotate, ip and red-eye reduction tools available. All photos are set to private by default, but you can set permissions for individual albums. You can launch a basic slideshow and watch it either on your device or on a big screen via AirPlay. Finally, the share menu lets you send photos via email, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr (including bulk uploads to Flickr). For taking the hassle out of photo organisation, Revel is a winner. - Jamshed Avari
dedicated camera or two. Images could be forgotten or dumped in unorganised folders on different PCs, making them inaccessible when needed. Adobe wants to help you manage your photos and let you access them no matter where they originated. By uploading copies to Revel's servers, you'll know that a copy is always available there. The app is free, and you can upload an unlimited number of photos for 30 days, after which the limit is 50 per month unless you want to pay $5.99/month for unlimited uploads. The 30-day window is enough to upload your entire historical
Free
iPad, iPhone, iPod touch; iOS 5.0+
OVERALL RATING
archive and space is not restricted, making this a great way to back-up your collection. The app shows thumbnails of
GAME
SUPER HEXAGON
uper Hexagon has been described as gaming distilled down to its purest form, and a masterpiece
formations, and rotate, change speed and reverse seemingly at will. In addition, the background also rotates independently. You'll have to learn to spot the formations and react accordinglyit really isn't as easy as it might seem, though you'll learn to pick up on certain cues and patterns. There are three difficulty settings: Hard, Harder and Hardest. You won't last more than a few seconds at a time to begin with, but with practice it's possible to last 60 seconds in each level, which will unlock hyper-fast versions of them (designated Hardester, Hardestest and Hardestestest, of course). But don't let that daunt you; Super Hexagon is insane fun and highly rewarding, making it worth the price. - Jamshed Avari
of gaming purity. It's both of those things and more. In a world where even mobile games now have increasingly realistic 3D graphics, cutscenes, plot complications and all kinds of clutter, Super Hexagon's superbly simplistic graphics and gameplay are a breath of fresh air. It's the kind of game you can't resist trying again and again and again, and that you'll gleefully pass around to all your friends. Essentailly, you are the tiny triangle in the center and must revolve around the central core to avoid the obstacles that come rushing towards you. You can only move clockwise or anticlockwise, by tapping either side of the screen. That's all you have to do. The obstacles rush towards you in increasingly convoluted
Rs 170
iPad, iPhone, iPod touch; iOS 4.3+
OVERALL RATING
68
05/2013
TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE
EBOOK READER
GOOGLE PLAY BOOKS
oogle Play Books presents a great alternative other e-readers like the Kindle app or Aldiko. It's
you change the font size, the font type, day/night view and even the alignment. To turn the pages, you can tap on the right or left edges of the screen, swipe horizontally from right-to-left or viceversa, or swipe up or down. Tapping on the middle of the screen brings up the menu bar at the top and a slider at the bottom that will tell you the page number you are on. The menu bar has a search option that allows you to search within the book. If you come across a word you want to know the meaning of, or want to look up the translation, then long press on it. The app also has a read aloud option, which is quite handy. It also syncs your reading history so that you can resume where you left off, across devices. - Priyanka Tilve
main page presents all the books in your library. To browse for more books, click on the "Play Store" icon, which will take you to Google Play's book store. Browsing books in the Play Store is quite easy thanks to the neat categorisation. Clicking on a title brings up more details about the book, reviews and ratings. If its a free book, you can click on "Open" and the book will be added to your library. Clicking on the "Blue pin" icon in the library downloads the book so it's available to read when offline. Long-pressing on a book lets you
Free
Android
OVERALL RATING
remove it from the library. The app makes reading books quite comfortable. When reading, the app lets
MOVIES
GOOGLE PLAY MOVIES & TV
oogle Movies was recently made available for Indian audiences, and allows you to buy and rent movies.
There is an offline mode that allows you to download and watch movies offline. You can also watch movies on the web or on an Android device as long as you sign in with the same Google account. But you will have to download or pin it again on that device, which is time consuming and may cost you if you're on a limited data plan. Renting a movie gives you access to the movie for 30 days. But this doesn't mean you can watch a movie over and over again for 30 days, as the active rental period is only 48 hours. So, once you start watching or downloading the movie, you have access to the movie only for the next 48 hours. Considering the renting time and additional data charges, the price for renting movies comes across as slightly high. - Naina Khedekar
You can shop for movies directly at the Play Store under the Movies section, but will need to download the Google Play Movies & TV app. At the moment, the not-so-long list is dominated by English movies, and a handful of Bollywood icks. The interface is basic (limited to the ve categories, and sections showing the topselling movies, featured movies and new releases). If you plan to search for movies based on their genre, release year, price or any other factor, you will be surprised to see Google has made no such provision. Movies can be rented/purchased in standard denition (SD) and/or high denition (HD) quality depending upon the availability. The prices start at Rs 50, and go well over Rs 600.
Free
Android
OVERALL RATING
05/2013
69
we are only allowed to tell you everything about automobiles for the rest use your imagination...
SUBSCRIBERS GET EXCLUSIVE COLLECTORS EDITION COVERS
NOT AVAILABLE AT NEWS STANDS
MAGAZINE
WEB
TV
i PA D
1
OR
GET A 1:10 DUCATI SCALE MODEL + SAVE ` 200
PAY `1600
YEAR Subscription
3
OR
GET AN OVERDRIVE LEATHER JACKET PLUS SAVE ` 700
PAY `4700
YEAR Subscription
GET 3 ISSUES FREE + 33% DISCOUNT
PAY `1200
TO SUBSCRIBE
PAY `3000
SMS OD to 51818
Log on to eshop.infomedia18.in
Digital edition now available on
www.magzter.com
NETWORK 18 PUBLISHING LTD : A Wing, 2nd Floor, Ruby House, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. 5PMM'SFFt$BMMt'BYt&NBJMDVTUPNFSDBSF!OFUXPSLQVCMJTIJOHDPN
Terms & Conditions: Your subscription will start from the next available issue. No cancellation will be entertained after commencement of the subscription. Network18 Publishing reserves the right to extend, cancel or discontinue the offer though Network18 Publishing will take utmost care to dispatch the copies safely Network18 Publishing Ltd. does not take the responsibility of any postal delays and damaged copies dispatched. Gifts will be dispatched after 8 - 10 weeks. The Image is for representation purposes only. Actual model, colors may vary. For more information contact Network18 Publishing subscription department. The company at its absolute discretion and without further notice may discontinue, publication of the magazine and in the event of such discontinuation, we shall refund the subscription amount for the unexpired term only, without any interest, cause and consequence
SUBSCRIPTION DEPARTMENT
CLOUD SERVICES COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
MOBILE
PC
FREE CLOUD LOCKERS Tested

BY FREDERIK NIEMEYER
Online storage isn't just about a safe place to dump your files anymore. These services sync your PC and phone, and also offer the necessary security features.
nyone living in today's world with a number of computers at home and work, plus mobile devices, will
The special folders they create are automatically synced with the cloudhosted service. Everything you save here is copied to your account and becomes available on all linked devices. Dropbox even recognizes a home or office LAN and sends les locally rather than over the Internet to save time and bandwidth. All services are accessible via the Web, but SkyDrive stands out for its ability to show the contents of all shared folders across all devices, and even network shares if they are turned on.
adn Mega is still under construction. The controversial new service has attracted a lot of attention, but when it came to actually using it, frequent disconnections and slow transfers turned us off. Apple's iCloud is a special case. It can only be used to its full potential if you have an iPhone or iPad, preferably with your media bought from iTunes. It's used to back up the device's settings and media. Arbitrary les cannot be stored, only documents created with iCloud-compatible apps. Photo Stream only synchronizes photos between your Apple devices and a Mac or PC, and is not congurable. On the other hand, Google Drive users, for example, can create and edit documents on any device that can run its apps, regardless of its manufacturer. You can share data and even collaborate
benet from a storage service that syncs everything so you have access to it all the time. In simple cases, you can carry a USB pen drive around with you, but an Internet connection is much more universal and online services are more likely to be handy on different types of devices. In our test, we've looked at established personal storage services such as Dropbox and SkyDrive in addition to a few newer ones and those with special extra features. Rapidshare and Megaupload (now replaced by Mega) gained popularity for sharing les with others, but can of course be used privately. Many of these services integrate themselves unobtrusively with the Windows Explorer and its environment.
Some are too inflexible

The services with their roots in le sharing, ie Rapidshare and Mega, are practically usable only via a Web browser. Thus, the vast amounts of space offered are not usable the way you might like. Rapidshare limits your download traffic to 1GB per day,
SMS us! Story code: TCS to 51818
71
CLOUD SERVICES COMPARISON
TEST CENTER
FEATURES AND SPEED

Many services use shared Windows folders to synchronize with the cloud storage, making files as easy to access as if they were on your own PC. Mobile syncing is important for users on the go, and of course speed matters too.
on documents with other users. This way, your desktop PC and mobile device can complement each othercreate a simple shopping list at your desk, and refer to it when you're inside the supermarket! SkyDrive supports collaborative work on Office documents across PCs, via Web browsers and MS Office programs. Mobile apps are available, but support for document editing is limited. SkyDrive users can download their les and use other apps to edit them on phones and tablets.
CONVENIENCE WITH A RIGHT-CLICK

The Web storage space becomes intuitive to use thanks to the simple Windows integration. Dropbox and SkyDrive also score well becasue they use the standard context menu to help you manage files. Rapidshare doesn't offer a local folder, but does have a Windows upload client.
Apps are somewhat difficult to use

We have extensively tested the Android apps offered by each service. Smartphones do not have the same amount of local storage that PCs do, so it makes no sense to download every document to the device. Instead, les should be downloadable at will and on demand. The phone's contents also need to be backed up. File encryption and app security are important so that an outsider doesn't have a free pass to your digital life in case the device is ever lost. Wuala offers some robust syncing options, but is limited in terms of sharing with friends or colleagues. Google Drive is missing photo previews, which SkyDrive offers. However Microsoft's option is limited in terms of sorting and nding the les you might want.
Interface and handling issues

SkyDrive has another peculiarity: its app comes preinstalled in Windows 8's modern UI, but this is not the same as the desktop client which needs to be downloaded seperately for Explorer integration in the Desktop environment. The Modern app is very minimal and mimics the Web interface. This results in unnecessary extra local copies of les. SkyDrive is also baked into MS Office 2013, so you'll wind up saving les only to the cloud and not to your hard drive by defaultconfusing and potentially frustrating
1 2 3
ANDROID: SKYDRIVE HAS THE BEST PHOTO PREVIEWS

Despite flexible sorting options, Google Drive 1 is confusing because of the lack of file previews. Dropbox 2 does better, but files are only sorted alphabetically. Even SkyDrive 3 has limited sorting options, but the previews make life much easier.
for many users. There is often a lack of consistency between mobile apps, Web interfaces and desktop software. You should be able to drag, drop, sort, rename and share les. Another big inconvenience is that folders cannot often be manipulated as a whole; the les can be uploaded or downloaded as a batch, but not the folder itself.
Privacy: often overlooked

Users need to be worried about the security of their data. Very rarely do we question where exactly our data is stored, whether we can be denied access to it, whether the provider can arbitrarily
THE FASTEST AND SLOWEST SERVICES

Transfer speeds are important when users move data via the web or mobile phones, and do not want to wait forever. Microsofy's SkyDrive is one of the slowest services, and also limits the app to just one download at a time.
delete it, or whether access will be granted to the police or foreign governments without our knowledge and consent. Cloud services ensure data availability by storing redundant copies across multiple locations. This is great as a backup, since PC hard drives are prone to failure without warning. However, the services might be analyzing your data and providing access to others to do the same. Only client-side encryption can keep your data safe before it ever leaves your PC. Mega and Wuala are the only ones which offer this as standard. However Wuala requires Java, which is itself a security nightmare. PC BROWSER ANDROID APP Dropbox, SkyDrive and Google Drive have chosen convenience and looks instead: you would have to give up media previews, streaming and web editing if your data was so encrypted that the service itself cannot know what is what. However you can always use your own encryption software and upload the results.
DOWNLOAD
RAPIDSHARE SKYDRIVE RAPIDSHARE SKYDRIVE
= = 0.5 MBPS = 3.0 MBPS = 0.5 MBPS = 2.8 MBPS =

0.6 MBPS
5.9 MBPS
UPLOAD
GOOGLE DRIVE MEGA WUALA SKYDRIVE
= 1.1 MBPS = 0.4 MBPS
The best cloud storage services are integrated into the Windows folder structure and have convenient mobile apps. They should also protect your private data and good speeds. Features and Ease of Use (50 percent) Out of 50 features that we checked for, the most important are Windows integration, automatic syncing, sharing options, media streaming, le editing and management. We used a Windows PC and Android smartphone for the tests. Security (25 Prozent) Client-side encryption is safer, and the server location also plays a role since privacy laws and legal protections are stricter in Europe than in the USA, for example. Most important is SSL to encrypt data as it is being transferred between the client and server. Performance/Space (25 Prozent) Having more space and better transfer rates will obviously increase a service's rating. Both Android and Windows were tested independently. Users often need to send large les, so the limit should be reasonably high. In addition to all that, the interface should respond without unnecessary delays and users should not have to wait around.
+0
Test Process and Judging Criteria

The Winner Wuala offers the best balance: an excellent interface that's easy to use, data protection, and 5GB of space for free.
TEST RESULT
The winner, Wuala, gives us condence with secure data encryption and a good range of functions, which includes a function to share les privately with groups. Dropbox leads in terms of ease of use, with its successful Android app. Microsoft SkyDrive and Google Drive offer users the possibility of editing office documents from within the same service and interface. Mega and Rapidshare offer highly limited options and only a Web interface. The large amounts of storage space don't make up for missing features. These services are only suitable for users who occasionally share large les, not those who need synchronization and management capabilities.
feedback@chip.in
SERVICES COMPARED
RANK FREE SPACE CHEAPEST UPGRADE OPTION AND COST PER YEAR OVERALL SCORE FEATURES / EASE OF USE DATA SECURITY PERFORMANCE/SPACE
WUALA
DROPBOX
GOOGLE DRIVE
MICROSOFT SKYDRIVE
RAPIDSHARE
MEGA
APPLE iCLOUD
1 5 GB 20 GB/30 (approx Rs 2,123) = 78.4 = 75 = 96 = 68
2 2 GB 100 GB/$99 (approx Rs 5,373) = 76.3 = 97 = 61 = 51
3 5 GB 25 GB/$25 (approx Rs 1357) = 75.9 = 90 = 50 = 72
4 7 GB 20 GB/$10 (approx Rs 542) = 73.2 = 88 = 50 = 67
5 Unlimited1 250 GB/ 100 (approx Rs 7,078) = 60.6 = 48 = 56 = 90
6 50 GB 500 GB/ 100 (approx Rs 7,078) = 54 = 25 = 93 = 72
7 5 GB 10 GB/$20 (approx Rs 1,086) No app No app No app No app Only photos
PC/WEB FEATURES
WINDOWS FOLDER INTEGRATION OPTIONS IN CONTEXT MENU SHARING VIA PUBLIC LINKS Folders only SHARING WITH PRIVATE GROUPS DATA AVAILABLE OFFLINE LOCAL SYNCHRONIZATION OFFICE: READ/EDIT ON THE WEB | MEDIA STREAMING Music, video PARALLEL DATA UPLOADS with Java client

Files only

Files only

Files only

Files only

Files only
Photo albums Only photos Only photos
|
2
|
Music, video in Explorer
Music, video
|| | |
Files only
|
in browser
|
Music, video
| | | |
6 6
| || | |
International9 Client
|
4
3 4
MOBILE FEATURES
APP: IOS/ANDROID/WINDOWS PHONE 8 FOLDER UPLOAD/DOWNLOAD MULTI SELECTION: UPLOAD/DOWNLOAD MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS TRANSFERS DATA SHARING AUTOMATIC PHOTO UPLOAD MEDIA STREAMING THUMBNAIL PHOTO PREVIEWS
|| | |
CH/EU Client
|| | |
Files only
|| | |
Files only
|| | |
Photos only
Music, video
Music, video
only Music8
USA Transfer/Server
USA Transfer
USA Transfer

USA Transfer/Server
DATA SECURITY
SERVER LOCATION ENCRYPTION PIN LOCK FOR MOBILE APP D only Upload
40 GB | 1.3/2.4 MBps 1.1/0.6 MBps
|
10
10 GB | 2.8/4.5 MBps 0.5/1.3 MBps
2 GB10 | 0.9/0.5 MBps 0.4/0.5 MBps
| 1 GB pro Tag
1.4/5.9 MBps 0.9/3.0 MBps
| 0.6/1.6 MBps
No app
| 0.7/1.8 MBps
0.2/1.5 MBps
STORAGE SPACE AND SPEED

MAX FILE SIZE/TRANSFER LIMIT PC: UP/DOWNLOAD MOBILE: UP/DOWNLOAD
1
0.7/1.6 MBps 0.5/1.3 MBps
1 GB DAILY DOWNLOAD LIMIT 2 POSSIBLE BUT UNCONFIRMED 3 BETWEEN PC AND IPAD 4 ONLY WITH PAID APPS 5 TESTED UNDER ANDROID 4.1 6 PAID 7 ONLY GOOGLE+/PICASA 8 ONLY GOOGLE MUSIC 9 EXCEPT USA 10 WITH WEB INTERFACE, FILES UP TO 300 MB
GRUDGE MATCH
TEST CENTER
GRUDGE MATCH
Samsung Galaxy S4 vs HTC One vs Sony Xperia Z

We pit today's top three smartphones against each other. Find out who wins.
BY ROYDON CEREJO
hether you like it or not, Samsungs newest agship will sell by the dozen, and thats a
fact. The Galaxy S4 is only an evolutionary step up from the Galaxy S III in terms of design and features, and if you were expecting something radically different,
youll be a bit disappointed. Not only does the Galaxy S4 have some big shoes to ll, it also faces erce competition from the likes of the Sony Xperia Z, HTC One and the LG Optimus G Pro, although the latter is more of a competition to the Note II. Let's see how Samsungs latest and greatest stacks up to the Xperia Z and the HTC One.
Samsung Galaxy S4
Rs 41,500
The S4s evolutionary design may seem a tad plain and boring, but we have to hand it to Samsung for managing to squeeze in a larger display in the same chassis as the S III. This meant shaving down the bezel even further, which was quite thin to begin with, while keeping the height and width pretty much the same. In fact, the S4 has gotten slimmer and a tad lighter as well. The low weight can be attributed towards a strict diet of plastic/polycarbonate for the entire chassis. On one hand, this seems like yet another let-down, but you do get the option to remove the battery. charged before the day is over. Since they
Sony Xperia Z
Rs 38,000
The Xperia Z is the true successor to the Xperia S, which Sony launched a year ago. Along with the usual refresh to the specications and chassis design, we got one of the most sought-after features for a high-end phone: water-proong. The Xperia Z is armed with IP55 and IP57 certications, making it dust and waterresistant up to a certain degree.
are all priced in the premium segment, I really doubt people shopping with such budgets will care about a few thousand bucks here or there. What they will care about is the user experience and whether or not the phone gives off a premium feel. These two features, more than anything else, will determine how well these handsets sell. The Samsung Galaxy S4 may not be the most attractive handset, but if you fancy TouchWiz and all the gesture-based features it packs in, it may suit you. The Xperia Z has its ruggedness going for it, while the HTC One is for the suave, sophisticated type. If I had to pick one out of the three, Id be a bit torn between the Xperia Z and the HTC One. I love the water-proof nature of the Z, but at the same time, the design and nish of the One is really hard to ignore. Which one do you think is the best?
roydon@tech2.com
Conclusion HTC One

Rs 42,900
We havent spent a lot of time with the One, but from our brief stint with the phone, we must say its quite an impressive piece of electronics. The one thing youll really love about it is the design and build quality, which is par none. HTC has also added new tweaks to its avour of Android, Sense 5. In the high-end Android space, weve reached a point where specications dont really matter; phones all even out and every OEM ends up with something more or less the same. Other than a few differences in the screen size and technology, all these phones will run apps smoothly, make a very good gaming platform, deliver above-average camera performance and will always need to be
74
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: TGM to 51818
GRUDGE MATCH
TEST CENTER
SpecScan
Specications
Display Size and Resolution Display Type Scratch Resistant Dimensions Weight Sensors Available in colours
Samsung Galaxy S4
4.99-inches, 1080 x 1920 Full HD Super AMOLED Corning Gorilla Glass 3 136.6 x 69.8 x 7.9 mm 130 g Accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, compass, barometer Yes
Sony Xperia Z
5-inches, 1080 x 1920 IPS LCD Shatterproof glass 139 x 71 x 7.9 mm
HTC One
4.7-inches, 1080 x 1920 SLCD 3 Corning Gorilla Glass 2 137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3 mm 143 g Accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, compass Yes
146 g Accelerometer, gyro, proximity sensor, compass Yes
Processor RAM OS Version out of the box On-Board Memory Wireless Charging Memory Card Support Battery
Exynos 5 Octa, 1.8GHz 2GB Android 4.2.2 with TouchWiz 16/32/64GB Yes (optional) Yes 2600 mAh
Qualcomm APQ8064, quad-core 1.5GHz 2GB Android 4.1.2 with custom Sony UI 16GB
Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, quad-core 1.7GHz 2GB Android 4.1.2 with Sense 5 32/64GB No No 2300 mAh
No Yes 2330 mAh
USB Connectivity Internet Connectivity Options GPS Software Bluetooth NFC
Yes (Standard microUSB) 3G, EDGE, GPRS, Wi-Fi dual-band, DLNA, GLONASS Google Maps Yes, v4.0 with A2DP Yes
Camera Resolution Secondary Camera, Use Flash Camera Features
13 MP, Autofocus 2 MP, Video calling, Self Portrait Yes, LED Dual Shot, Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilisation, HDR Yes, 1080p Yes, 1080p Video - MP4, DivX, XviD, WMV, H.264, H.263
13 MP, Autofocus 2.2 MP, Video calling, Self Portrait Yes, LED Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, image stabilisation, HDR, sweep panorama Yes, 1080p Yes, 1080p Video - MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV
4 UltraPixel, Autofocus 2.1 MP, Video calling, Self Portrait Yes, LED Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, face and smile detection, OIS, Zoe mode Yes, 1080p Yes, 1080p Video - DivX, XviD, MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV Audio - MP3, eAAC+, WMA, WAV, FLAC Drag and drop Yes Yes
Video Recording (Rear camera) Video Recording (Front camera) Multimedia Support Out of the Box
Audio - MP3, WAV, eAAC+, AC3, FLAC Audio - MP3, AAC+, WMA, WAV, FLAC Media Transfer Options FM Radio Noise Cancellation Drag and drop Yes Yes Drag and drop Yes Yes
Virtual Keypad option (Out of the box)
Standard QWERTY
Standard QWERTY
Standard QWERTY
05/2013
75
ANAND'S PICKS
TEST CENTER
NZXT Lexa S Rs 4,450

www.nzxt.com
verdict The best-looking gaming case in

its segment.
love Very good cooling; awesome design;

LED fans. hate Glossy surfaces need good care.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 196 x 480 x 528 mm; Drive bays: 4 x 5.25-inch, 7 x 3.5-inch; Included fans: 1 x 120 mm front, 1 x 120 mm side, 1 x 140 mm top and rear 1 x 120mm; Optional: 1 x 120/140 mm top; I/O panel: 2 x USB 2.0, eSATA and audio.
ANAND'S PICKS
BUDGET GAMING PC CASES

Five cabinets for under Rs 5,000 that are worth considering
Corsair Carbide 400R Rs 4,950
www.corsair.com
Cooler Master HAF 912 Combat Rs 4,450

www.coolermaster.in
verdict Pick this if your like sober stuff

and need good air ow.
verdict A rugged-looking PC case with

good cooling.
love Tool-free design; elegant looks;

provision for liquid cooling; good layout.
love Good provision for cooling; removable

HDD cage for long graphics cards.
hate None. SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: 206 x 521 x 503 mm; Drive bays: 4 x 5.25-inch, 6 x 3.5-inch; Included fans: 1 x 120 mm rear and 2 x 120 mm front; Optional: 2 x 120 mm top, 2 x 120/140 mm side and 1 x 120 mm bottom; I/O panel: 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x FireWire 400 and audio.
hate More fans should have been included. SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: 230 x 480 x 496 mm; Drive bays: 4 x 5.25-inch, 7 x 3.5-inch; Included fans: 1 x 120 mm rear and 1 x 120 mm front; Optional: 2 x 120 mm or 1 x 200 mm top and front and 1 x 120/140 mm side; I/O panel: 1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0 and audio.
NZXT Tempest 410 Elite Rs 4,850

www.nzxt.com
Antec VSK-2000 Rs 3,250

www.antecindia.com
verdict Want to pimp your rig with case

lighting? Buy this!
verdict A step up from the basic midtower cases offered by lower-tier brands.
love Transparent side panel; four USB ports;

three fans included; provision for liquid cooling. hate None.
love Spacious interior; compact design. hate Plain vanilla design; no USB 3.0 ports;
should have had more fans.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 200 x 541 x 279 mm; Drive bays: 3 x 5.25-inch, 7 x 3.5-inch; Included fans: 1 x 120 mm rear; Optional: 2 x 120 mm front; I/O panel: 2 x USB 2.0 and audio.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions: 215 x 481 x 496 mm; Drive bays: 3 x 5.25-inch, 8 x 3.5-inch; Included fans: 2 x 120 mm front and 1 x 120 mm rear; Optional: 2 x 120/140 mm top and 1 x 120 mm bottom; I/O panel: 3 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0 and audio.
76
05/2013
ANAND'S PC CONFIGS COLUMN
TEST CENTER
ALL THE GOODNESS I'D LIKE TO HAVE IN MY DREAM PHONE'S CAMERA.

ANAND TULIANI, DEPUTY EDITOR - TECHNICAL
PICTURE THIS!
T
here have been some pretty awesome smartphones coming out recently and I almost ended up buying the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC One when they launched, capability and Smart Shoot feature. You can select the best expression of each person in the group and combine them in a single frame, all thanks to the burst shots the Smart Shoot mode takes. It's even possible to eliminate undesirable elements that enter the frame on pressing the shutter button. Next, everyone likes to look good in photos, and so I'd like a great photo editor, especially like the one on the HTC One. The controls offered by the Retouch section goes way beyond the usual skin softening and exposure settings. It gives you face contour adjustment, eye enhancement and eye brightening, among many other features. I'd also like some of the lters (HDR, Fish eye, Toy camera and Miniature) and tools (level correction and cropping) from Cymera and Aviary Photo Editor, which are great enough to be an inspiration for phone manufacturers. The biggest weakness of these tiny phone cameras is the ability to handle noise, but I haven't seen a noise removal tool in any mobile photo editing app. Sliders to reduce grain and colour noise would go a long way in enhancing photo quality. It would be simpler to have a "Remove Noise" button that automatically analyses the image (type and amount of noise) and renders a noise-free result. My dream phone would have this feature. But seriously, If any phone manufacturer is able to put together a large sensor camera with optical image stabilisation and accompany it with an easy to use camera app and a photo editor that takes a cue from Cymera or Aviarys Photo Editor, it would easily be the best camera to grace a phone for a long time.
anand.tuliani@chip.in
but one phone I still contemplate buying is the Nokia Pureview 808. I don't really want a powerful handset; the only thing that lured me was its kickass camera. The Pureview 808's camera easily surpasses pointand-shoot digital cameras barring optical zoom. Having said that, I haven't found any phone camera perfect on all counts. Of course, it's slightly unfair to expect all that goodness in a tiny lens inside a phone, but I dont think its impossible. In fact, I think phone manufacturers don't want to take such a big leap, because such a powerful camera might increase the cost too much, as is the case with the Pureview 808. Also, there wouldnt be much new for the company to offer in successive models. I so wish Nokia had incorporated the Pureview 808's Xenon ash and 41-megapixel sensor in the Lumia 920 besides its oating lens technology. That would have made the 920 almost equal to my dream phone. You see, my dream phone is awesome, and even though a 41-megapixel camera on the Lumia 920 sounds great, that still isn't close to my fantasy. Do you know the size of the sensor used in Pureview 808? At 1/1.2 inches, it's almost twice as large as the ones used in point-and-shoot digital cameras. To top that, the large f/2.4 aperture present in the Pureview 808s camera is only available in premium digital cameras. And all that goodness is squeezed into a module that's tinier than a third of your little ngernow thats some serious engineering! But its not only about the camera module. Believe it or not, I hate using the camera on the Pureview 808 because the user interface isn't intuitive at all. For that matter, the UI of the Lumia 920 too isnt the best in class. What Id like my fantasy phone to have from the Lumia 920 would be its outstanding low-light shooting
I WISH THE LUMIA 920 HAD PUREVIEW 808'S CAMERA AND XENON FLASH.
05/2013
77
TEST T E ES ST T CENTER C CE ENT N TE TER R

PC CON PC CO CONFIGS NFIG FIGS GS
PC CONFIGS
GAMING - ENTRY-LEVEL
Processor Motherboard RAM Hard disk Graphics card Optical drive Monitor Keyboard Mouse Speakers PC Case Power supply unit Operating system Intel Core i3-3210, 3.2 GHz Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H, Intel B75 4GB Zion DDR3-1333 Seagate Barracuda 7200.14, 500GB Sapphire HD 7750 - 1GB GDDR5 LG GH22 SATA 22x DVD-writer BenQ GW2250HM - 22-inch LED Logitech Gaming Combo G100 Included in combo F&D A520, 2.1 stereo NZXT Gamma Antec CX430 - 430W Windows 7 Home Basic
Rs 46,425
6,900 4,200 1,900 3,350 7,450 950 8,650 1,750 1,875 2,450 2,650 4,300 46,425
GAMING - HIGH - END

Processor Motherboard RAM Hard disk Graphics card Optical drive Monitor Keyboard Mouse Speakers PC Case Power supply unit Operating system Intel Core i7-3770, 3.4 GHz Asus P8Z77-V Pro , Intel Z77
Rs 1,50,150
18,500 16,300 3,900 13,300 35,600 950 19,550 4,450 2,500 15,500 6,200 7,100 6,300 1,50,150
Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600 - 8 GB kit Corsair Neutron GTX, 120 GB SSD + Seagate Barracuda 7200.14, 1 TB Zotac GeForce GTX 680 - 2 GB DDR5 LG GH22 SATA 22x DVD-writer AOC e2795Vh - 27-inch LED Razer BlackWidow Razer Death Adder Creative Gigaworks T3, 2.1 stereo NZXT Phantom 410 Corsair Enthusiast TX750 V2 Windows 7 Home Premium
TOTAL
TOTAL
HOME
Processor Motherboard RAM Hard disk Graphics card Optical drive Monitor Keyboard and mouse combo Speakers PC Case Power supply unit Operating system Intel Pentium G630, 2.7 GHz Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H, Intel B75 4GB Zion DDR3-1333 Seagate Barracuda 7200.14, 500 GB Integrated graphics LG GH22 SATA 22x DVD-writer Samsung S20B300B - 20-inch LED Logitech Deluxe 250 Desktop USB F&D A510, 2.1 stereo iBall Pride Included with the PC Case - 250 Watts Windows 7 Home Basic
Rs 30,080
3,400 4,250 1,900 3,350 950 7,500 680 1,950 1,800 4,300 30,080
HTPC
Processor Motherboard RAM Hard disk Graphics card Optical drive Monitor Keyboard and mouse combo Speakers PC Case Power supply unit Operating system Intel Pentium G630, 2.7 GHz Asus P8B75-M, Intel B75 4GB Zion DDR3-1333 Toshiba DT01ACA100 - 1TB Zotac Geforce GT630 - 2GB DDR3 LiteOn iHBS312, 8x Blu-ray Writer AOC i2352phz - 23-inch IPS LED backlit Logitech Wireless Combo MK320 Creative Gigaworks T3, 2.1 Antec Micro Fusion Remote 350
Rs 78,300
3,400 5,450 1,900 4,350 4,050 7,250 15,900 1,700 16,000 12,100 6,200 78,300
Included with the PC Case - 350 Watts 80 Plus Windows 7 Home Premium
TOTAL
TOTAL
78
05/2013
LAPTOP L LA APT PTOP OP P CONFIGS CON CONF NFIG IGS S
TEST TE T EST S T CENTER C CEN E NTE T ER
LAPTOP CONFIGS
BUDGET
PROCESSOR Intel Pentium P6200, Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5 MEMORY 2 GB or more HARD DRIVE 320 GB or higher DISPLAY 14.1-in or 15.6-in GRAPHICS On-board or Discrete WEIGHT 2.3 Kg to 2.7 Kg OTHER Bluetooth, DVD-writer, Wi-Fi b/g, Webcam PRICE RANGE Up to Rs 35,000
MAINSTREAM
PROCESSOR Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5 MEMORY 3 GB or more HARD DRIVE 320 GB or higher DISPLAY 14.1-in or 15.6-in GRAPHICS On-board or Discrete WEIGHT 2.3 Kg to 3 Kg OTHER Bluetooth, DVD-writer, Wi-Fi b/g or n, Webcam PRICE RANGE Rs 35,000 To Rs 45,000
ULTRABOOK
PROCESSOR Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5, ULV MEMORY 2 GB or more HARD DRIVE 320 GB or higher DISPLAY 13.3-inch to 15.6-inch GRAPHICS On-board or discrete WEIGHT 1.5 Kg to 2.2 Kg OTHER Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam, Card reader PRICE RANGE Rs 45,000 to Rs 1,00,000
LENOVO ESSENTIAL G585 Rs 26,000

CPU AMD E-300 APU; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.7 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI, Card reader
LENOVO IDEAPAD Z580 Rs 38,990

CPU Intel Core i3-3110M, 2.4 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 1 TB; DISPLAY 15.6-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.7 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI
HP ENVY 4-1104TU Rs 55,700

CPU Intel Core i5-3317U, 1.7 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 14-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 1.75 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER Bluetooth, Webcam, HDMI
HP PAVILION 14-B004TU SLEEKBOOK Rs 31,990

CPU Intel Core i3-3217M, 1.8 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 14-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 1.8 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER Bluetooth, HDMI, Webcam
HP PAVILION G6-2202TX Rs 43,700

CPU Intel Core i5-3210M, 2.5 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in; GRAPHICS AMD Mobility Radeon HD 7670M; WEIGHT 2.4 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER DVD Writer, Bluetooth, Webcam, Wi-Fi, HDMI.
ASUS S400CA-CA028H Rs 62,700

CPU Intel Core i7 3517U, 1.9 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 500GB + 24GB SSD; DISPLAY 14-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 1.8 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI
TOSHIBA SATELLITE C850-I0110 Rs 32,200

CPU Intel Core i3-3110M, 2.4 GHz; MEMORY 2 GB; HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.3 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER DVD-writer, Bluetooth, HDMI, Webcam
ACER V5-571G Rs 45,000

CPU Intel Core i5-3317U, 1.7GHz; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 750 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.3 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER DVD-writer, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI
ACER ASPIRE S7 Rs 87,990

CPU Intel Core i7 3517U, 1.9 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 256 GB SSD; DISPLAY 11.6-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 1.22 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER Bluetooth, Webcam, microHDMI
LENOVO ESSENTIAL G580 Rs 34,900

CPU Intel Core i3-3110M, 2.4 GHz; MEMORY 2 GB; HARD DISK 320 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in; GRAPHICS Nvidia G610M; WEIGHT 2.7 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER DVD-writer, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI
LENOVO IDEAPAD U410 Rs 45,900

CPU Intel Core i5-3317U, 1.7GHz; MEMORY 4 GB; HARD DISK 750 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.3 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER DVD-writer, Bluetooth, HDMI, Webcam
SAMSUNG NP900X4C-A01IN Rs 1,01,300

CPU Intel Core i7 3517U, 1.9 GHz; MEMORY 8 GB; HARD DISK 256 GB SSD; DISPLAY 15-in; GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 1.65 Kg; OS Windows 8; OTHER Bluetooth, card reader, HDMI, Wi-Fi
05/2013
79
COVER STORY
FEATURED
80
05/2013
COVER STORY
FEATURED
We'll show you how to increase the performance of your PC, laptop, tablet and Wi-Fi by up to 50 percentwithout breaking the bank
BY CHRISTOPH SCHMIDT
pgrading your PC's performance need not cost the earth. There is often a lot of life left in older gadgets, but we end
Some of the tips are extremely simple, and some don't cost anything, except for a little investment in time and a willingness to dive into the internals of your PC or laptop.
up throwing them out and buying new ones. A modest investment can often help eke out a year or more of additional life from a PC or laptop. Sometimes, it is only individual components that slow down a computer or a network. In such cases, you can take measures that dont cost much and yet see a lot of improvement. You can reduce the time an old notebook takes to boot up to less than half, for just under Rs 3,000. For the same amount of money, you can double the speed and range of your Wi-Fi router. You can combine several hard drives to form one big powerful system at only a marginal cost. A low-end graphics card can speed up tasks you perform frequently or those that you never thought your computer was capable of. You can even increase the speed of your smartphone or tablet's memory by simply replacing the low-cost default card that came with the device. If its performance is annoyingly choppy, the use of a small app can be amazingly effective.
Small, simple and effective

Your mileage will vary depending on what kind of devices you use and how old they are. In most cases, PCs should be able to run for over ve years. The advantage of desktops is that parts can be swapped out and replced if you nd yourself limited by the components you have. Laptops which are that old should also be easy to upgrade, since parts such as the RAM, hard drive and expansion slots were easily accessible. More modern laptops prioritize slimness and light weight over exibility, and are designed to be replaced rather than upgraded. Tablets and phones are the least exible, and you cannot replace the Wi-Fi module or any other part if you feel it is getting old. So jump in! Feel free to use any combination of these ideas to speed up your devices and get more life out of your gadget purchases.
feedback@chip.in
SMS us! Story code: FCS to 51818
05/2013
81
COVER STORY
FEATURED
MORE SPEED
with basic upgrades
A RAM upgrade is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to boost performance. CPUs are tougher to replace, but there's nothing more effective.
SyStEm EvAlUaTiOn When upgrading RAM, keep in mind that every computer with a 64-bit operating system will benefit from 4 or better 8 GB of RAM but the maximum for 32-bit OSes is 4 GB. The tool CPU-Z (www.cpuid.com) shows the type of RAM and the amount already in your PC. InStAlLiNg rAm mOdUlEs Get hold of RAM modules of the appropriate DDR standard (DDR2 or DDR3) for your PC, making sure that their frequencies match your existing modules. Dual-channel mode is more effective, and requires two or four modules of equal specifications. Consider whether it would be better replacing your existing RAM altogether, especially if RAM slots are limited.
UpGrAdInG NoTeBoOk RaM Notebooks have small SODIMM modules. In most cases, there are only two slots and both are occupied. To remove a module, gently pull the holders outward till it springs out. A new one will snap in. SeLeCtInG a CpU Depending on the age of the CPU and
motherboard, you might have to check second-hand markets or websites such as eBay to find a suitable replacement. You might be able to use an Intel Core 2 Quad instead of a Core 2 Duo, or an AMD Phenom instead of an Athlon. For notebooks and compact PCs, if the CPU is upgradeable at all, custom motherboards and coolers make it difficult to identify exactly which replacements might work. In CPU-Z, check 'CPU | Max TDP' and 'Mainboard | Chipset'. For Intel chipsets, go to ark.intel.com. Click 'Desktop Products' (PC) or 'Mobile Products' (Notebook), click on 'Chipsets' and then the name of your chipset. All supported CPUs are listed under 'Compatible products'. Select a CPU and check that its 'Max TDP' does not exceed that of your current CPU. In case of AMD CPUs, you need to research online which CPU is right for your socket, chipset and cooling system (TDP), since there are many options.
InStAlLiNg a nEw CpU For desktop PCs, first unplug the CPU
compound on the new CPU and flatten it with the cooler base before securing the cooler and plugging it in again. For notebooks, you will have to consult the manufacturer's service manual or schmatics, which are often available on their websites.
cooler. Remove the holder on one side of the cooler and then the other to lift it off. Use a piece of cloth and spirit to clean traces of the old thermal compound off the cooler. Open the locking lever and replace the CPU in the socket, ensuring it is seated flat, not one corner first. Ensure that the markings on the CPU and socket line up, and don't use too much pressure. Squeeze a pea-sized drop of thermal
82
05/2013
QUICK BOOTING
with a small SSD
1
PrEpArE tO rEiNsTaLl tHe Os To take advantage of the SSD's speed, you will ideally need to reinstall your operating system. Make sure you back up all your data and settings before doing so. If you must avoid reinstalling at all costs, software such as O&O SSD Migration Kit (www.oosoftware.com) will let you replicate your existing drive to an SSD via a USB adapter. UsInG a UsB cAsInG Some SSDs are sold with external
casings that you can put your old hard drive into after the replacement operation. Alternatively, you can buy one online or at a local computer market. Use it to perform the migration or copy data to another partition.
InStAlLiNg tHe SsD Older notebooks usually have an accessible flap or panel to allow easy hard drive replacements. Newer ones might require you to pop off the entire rear shell or the keyboard, in which case you will have to follow the service manual's instructions very carefully. SSDs usually come with a bracket that fits into desktop 3.5-inch hard drive bays.
MULTIPLE DRIVES
for increased speed
1
InStAlLiNg a dRiVe cOrReCtLy The simplest way to gain more free space is to add another hard drive. Most cabinets have space for additional drives. If possible, leave a gap between drives for better airflow and cooling. OrGaNiZe dAtA pRaCtIcAlLy You might have multiple hard
drives and possibly also an SSD in your PC, so what should go where? Most of us just dump files wherever there's space, but you can use your hardware more effectively. Depending on the size of the SSD, you might have only the OS or also your programs installed on it. You can manually choose different locations when installing programs to help segregate space. Games will benefit from faster load times on an SSD, but movies and music won't. If you don't want to deal with multiple folders, Windows 7's Libraries feature lets you see the contents of multiple folders like one large virtual one.
RaId fOr sPeEd oR sAfEtY Two identical drives in striped RAID
will result in faster speed, while mirroring them will act as a safety net. Choose the mode that's right for you, if needed.
COVER STORY
FEATURED
VIDEO EDITING
faster with a GPU
1
InStAlLiNg A GrApHiCs CaRd A graphics processor can do
much more than make games look good. GPUs is that GPUs handle certain types of workloads much quicker than CPUsthose that can be broken up into chunks and executed simultaneously. Video editing benefits tremendously. Modern GPUs, even low-end ones such as the Nvidia GeForce GT 630 (approx Rs 4,100) will do. You'll need a free and accessible PCI Express slot in your PC. Open the lid and pop out the metal shield on the rear before slipping the card in the slot.
SoFtWaRe SeTuP You'll need the latest driver from your
GPU vendor's website, or from the DVD that comes along in the box. Also, make sure you use a video editing program that supports GPU acceleration. Cyberlink's PowerDirector 11 Ultra is one such example. The option has to enabled in the program's settings panel.
ChOoSiNg tHe rIgHt fOrMaT On our PC with a slow Athlon II
X2 270, the improved hardware reduced the rendering time of a one-hour 720p film in the H.264 compression format from 2:08 hours to 43 minutes.
BETTER COOLING
also reduces noise
1
InStAlLiNg cAsE fAnS Hard drives, graphics cards and
various other components all contribute to heat buildup inside your PC cabinet. This causes the fans to speed up, and many parts will actually run slower till the heat dissipates. The right kind of fan will simply push hot air out the back of the PC. Those that come with cheaper cabinets are often loud and badly built. More intelligent fans can be bought that will stay quiet and spin up only when needed.
RePlAcInG tHe pOwEr sUpPlY If you add hard drives and
graphics cards, you must calculate whether or not the power supply can handle them. A good quality power supply can also help eliminate PC instability, and will run cooler and quieter. Changing the power supply is not difficult: remove all plugs from your hardware and unscrew the PSU. Put in a new one and check all the connections.
ChAnGiNg tHe CpU cOoLeR Aftermarket fans are much quieter and more efficient than the ones that come with CPUs. Replacing the fan is easy and helps a lot.
84
05/2013 INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP
Wi-FI SPEED
improvements
1
sWaPpInG oUt aN oLd rOuTeR Your router might be several
years old, and although it is working fine, newer equipment can help your devices achieve much faster speeds. A new router or ADSL combo router with Wi-Fi N will cost under Rs 3,000. You can also continue using an old ADSL modem and tie it into a new Wi-Fi router.
CoNfIgUrInG tHe nEw sEtUp When swapping routers, you don't have to reconfigure every PC and Wi-Fi device in your house. Make sure the new router is configured with the same SSID (Wi-Fi network name), password and IP address as the old one. Follow your ISP's instructions in case ADSL setup is required. Then simply unplug all the wires from the old device and plug them into the new one. MoRe sEcUrItY aNd cOnVeNiEnCe DHCP is the mode that
automatically assigns IP addresses to all networked devices in your home. Disable it and manually assign addresses in the range of 192.168.0.1255 if you want to prevent strangers from using your Wi-Fi. The USB ports on newer routers can be used for printers or hard drives. You can thus set up a central media server or backup location.
NEW MODULES
for better range
1
AnAlYsE yOuR lApToP If, even after changing your router, you
continue to experience poor reception on your laptop, it might be necessary to swap the Wi-Fi module. In the Windows Device Manager ([Win]+[Pause|Break]), check the Network Adapters category to see how old your Wi-Fi adapter is. An upgrade to the current Wi-Fi N standard will yield immediate results.
RePlAcInG tHe mOdUlE Older laptops with bulkier bodies were easier to open and tinker with. If yours allows it, follow the service manual instructions to access the miniPCIe slots and simply unscrew the existing module. Gently pry off the antenna connectors before wiggling the module out of its slot. Replacement modules can be bought online. Just plug in the new one, connect the antennas, and install the provided driver software. UpGrAdInG a Pc If you want to use a desktop PC with Wi-Fi
to avoid ugly wires, or if your laptop doesn't allow PCIe module upgrades, a USB adapter is quick and safe. Most such adapters come with USB extension cords so you can place them where the Wi-Fi reception is strong.
COVER STORY
FEATURED
NEW FEATURES
with new rmware
1
FrEe yOuR hArDwArE The software embedded into your router can be upgraded or sometimes replaced with a third-party alternative. DD-WRT (www.dd-wrt.com) and Tomato (polarcloud.com/tomato) are two of the most popular alternatives. Not all routers support firmware flashes, but the sites contain comprehensive lists of the ones that do. Be warned, this will void your router's warranty. MoRe fEaTuReS Depending on your router and the firware available, you can add many more features than the manufacturer intended. Some of these include advanced bandwidth usage controls and reports, access restrictions, increased range, automatic downloads, ad blocking, virtual private networking, and assorted server functionalities. MaKiNg sUrE iT wOrKs Follow the instructions on the respective website if you are planning to flash your router's firmware. You will need to know the exact model number, revision, and firmware version it is currently running. Back up your router setup before you begin. In most cases, a reset will take you back to the factory defaults.
MORE POWER
for Android devices
1
MeMoRy uPgRaDe Many Android devices come with only a small amount of internal memory for the OS and apps, and large files such as photos and music are stored on a microSD card. The small one that came free with your device is probably not very fast. A new 32 GB microSDHC card will cost very little, but give you enough space and speed to improve your experience. ElImInAtE sTuTtErInG Lower-end and older Android
devices will often pause and appear to be struggling when you try loading an app or do anything intensive. This is because of the limited amount of RAM available. App Seeder will ensure that this isn't a problem anymore. It will work if your device is rootedcheck online for instructions to root your phone if you are comfortable doing so.
HaCk tHe Os If your smartphone has powerful hardware
but an old Android version, you can try the custom ROMs available online, which fans have made available for everyone else. Make sure you understand the risks before proceeding with a custom ROM.
86
05/2013
we are only allowed to tell you everything about automobiles for the rest use your imagination...
SUBSCRIBERS GET EXCLUSIVE COLLECTORS EDITION COVERS
NOT AVAILABLE AT NEWS STANDS
MAGAZINE
WEB
TV
i PA D
1
OR
GET A 1:10 DUCATI SCALE MODEL + SAVE ` 200
PAY `1600
YEAR Subscription
3
OR
GET AN OVERDRIVE LEATHER JACKET PLUS SAVE ` 700
PAY `4700
YEAR Subscription
PAY `1200
TO SUBSCRIBE
PAY `3000
SMS OD to 51818
Log on to eshop.infomedia18.in
Digital edition now available on
www.magzter.com
NETWORK 18 PUBLISHING LTD : A Wing, 2nd Floor, Ruby House, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. 5PMM'SFFt$BMMt'BYt&NBJMDVTUPNFSDBSF!OFUXPSLQVCMJTIJOHDPN
Terms & Conditions: Your subscription will start from the next available issue. No cancellation will be entertained after commencement of the subscription. Network18 Publishing reserves the right to extend, cancel or discontinue the offer though Network18 Publishing will take utmost care to dispatch the copies safely Network18 Publishing Ltd. does not take the responsibility of any postal delays and damaged copies dispatched. Gifts will be dispatched after 8 - 10 weeks. The Image is for representation purposes only. Actual model, colors may vary. For more information contact Network18 Publishing subscription department. The company at its absolute discretion and without further notice may discontinue, publication of the magazine and in the event of such discontinuation, we shall refund the subscription amount for the unexpired term only, without any interest, cause and consequence
SUBSCRIPTION DEPARTMENT
UPGRADE YOUR IT CAREER
FEATURED
Upgrade Your IT Career: Skills You Need

While there are jobs in the market, companies are facing trouble finding the right candidates. Here's a look at the new skills needed for the job BY PRIYANKA TILVE
midst worries about the economic downturn, there has been much uncertainty around
the availability of jobs. However, all may not turn out to be as bad as it looks. A recent Naukri Job Speak index indicates that hiring has picked pace in the rst two months of 2013, especially in sectors like software services, BPO and pharma. The problem is not the availability of jobs, but more so the lack of right candidates who t the bill. It seems companies are facing trouble nding candidates with the required knowledge and skills for the job. The need of the hour is for people with the ability to adapt and grow in a changing environment. With newer technologies being adopted, they need candidates who are quick enough to adapt and grow as needed. Not surprisingly, the number one quality in a candidate that IT companies today look for is the ability to adapt and learn new skills. As newer technologies emerge, clients expect the companies to adapt and provide them with newer solutions. Deepak Jain, Senior Vice President and Global Head Workforce Planning and Development, Wipro Technologies, explains things from the perspective of the companies, How it works is the customers may either ask us to develop a solution for them, implement a solution or run a solution for them. It could be all the three roles that the customer may award to Wipro, or just a part of it. And they are looking for a very quick execution of the project. Lets say somebody wants to implement a cloud then their expectations are that we should complete the project in as short a period as possible, typically six to nine months. This includes right from design to execution. Deepak Jain,
Senior Vice President and Global Head Workforce Planning and Development, Wipro Technologies
Sachin Pandit
Sencha Touch
This means that the workforce that will be deployed on the project should be able to perform the role that is expected
out of them and not learn at the cost of the customer. So there is a lot of pressure on companies to create solutions and a
The workforce that will be deployed on the project should be able to perform the role that is expected out of them and not learn at the cost of the customer.
88
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: FUC to 51818
FEATURED
workforce around these technology areas, so that they are able to cater to the needs of the customer. And in turn, the pressure gets passed to the workforce and experienced people have to learn these skills very quickly. Seconding his opinion is Vineet Gupta, General Manager, Software Engineering, Directi, who says,What we look for is the ability to pick-up new skills as today you have cloud computing or mobility, but two years from now it could be the web or something else. So what we look for is how quickly can a candidate pick-up new skills, gain new context and start delivering. In short, its imperative that the candidates have strong problem-solving skills, great communication skills and the ability to learn quickly. Even when hiring freshers, the emphasis is on hiring candidates who are quick learners. They expect them to gain in-depth knowledge, have practical knowledge and also show a air for learning new technologies. When it comes to those with a few years of experience, the companies expect them to possess in-depth knowledge, have expertise in their domains and be analytical thinkers. A person who is well-versed with the basic fundamentals of networking like TCP/IP and how popular protocols work can certainly be put to use to identify various security-related issues that could possibly allow them to completely take over devices such as rewalls, routers, switches, operating systems and databases. He also points out that owing to the new technologies, the opportunities for the security professionals are enormous. He explains, The web is growing increasingly complicated with the advent of newer programming technologies. The art of breaking into these or at least research from a security point of CLOUD & MOBILITY: The cloud and mobility have taken centre stage since 2013 and are two of the few areas companies are investing in. According to a recent survey by Gartner, household adoption and spending on consumer technology products is shifting faster than expected in favour of gadgets and services that are portable or mobile. Mobile application development, both at the consumer and enterprise levels, is growing exponentially. Mobile applications are no longer conned to gaming or entertainment, and the mobile platform is also enabling banking, m-commerce and enterprise apps, amongst others. Mobile application developers are in huge view is an interesting skill set to have in your arsenal. A person who has basic programming experience in technologies such as .NET, PHP and JAVA can be a good candidate for being an application security specialist. This skill allows you to try poking holes in websites, actively searching for security vulnerabilities that you can exploit. Of course, this is all ethical. There are several bug bounties offered by companies such as Facebook, NETWORK SECURITY: The nature and scope of network security has increased manifold and embodies a wide area. The scope of network security includes managing the in-house servers, data on the cloud and even the devices used by employees. Its therefore advisable to pick one area and focus on gaining knowledge about it. The functional areas in demand today include vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, application security, code review and mobile application security, amongst others. Tauq Ali, Manager Security Assessment, NII Consulting, says, Skills in demand in the security space are spread across various domains, such as application security, network security and mobile security.
Today you have cloud computing or mobility, but two years from now it could be something else. What we look for is how quickly can a candidate pick-up new skills, gain new context and start delivering.
Vineet Gupta,
General Manager, Software Engineering, Directi
Another emerging area is that of mobile application security. Ali elaborates, With the increasing demand of smartphones, there is a growing risk of information theft from handheld devices. A person who can think out of the box and has basic exposure to reverse engineering and code review techniques can very well disassemble an application and gure what exactly the app is doing when you install and run it. Apart from web and mobile, there is immense demand even for technologies like NFC (Near Field Communication), wireless, 3G, 4G and GSM.
The Next Big Thing

Based on the data we received, the three areas companies are heavily investing in are Network Security, Cloud & Mobility Infrastructure and Big Data. Naturally, these are also the areas where hiring is on the rise. So if you are a developer with a few years of experience under your belt, you can focus on these areas and acquire the related skills.
Google and Paypal where people can participate in ndings bugs in their website and are rewarded a bounty ranging from $200 to $10,000 (it can vary depending on how serious the bug is).
The web is growing more complicated with the advent of newer programming technologies. The art of breaking into them or at least research from a security point of view is a skill set you should have in your arsenal.
Tauq Ali,
Manager Security Assessment, NII Consulting
89
FEATURED
demand and its not just the technical coding skills that are desired; equal emphasis is being placed on the user interface design. On the other hand, while there are a lot of mobile app developers focusing on Android, there is a demand for those who can develop on Apple's mobile operating system. Vineet Gupta says, "With the iPhone selling like hot cakes and many mobile applications making a lot of money, I feel that knowledge of Objective C is certainly a key skill. Even though the sale of iPhones in India is marginal, the same is not the case in the US and elsewhere. A lot of iOS application development work is being outsourced to India. So it makes sense for app developers to put in some efforts to learn Objective C. Apart from mobile, another platform that is being adopted is cloud. Businesses are shifting their data to the cloud thanks to the adaptability and exibility it provides. Naturally, the IT companies too have to gear themselves to provide the necessary solutions to their clients. Leading companies like Infosys, Oracle, Wipro and HCL are hiring those familiar with the cloud's architecture and framework. Gunashekar Govindan, Senior Director, Recruiting, Oracle APAC, says, Our Talent Cloud Team develops talent management SaaS solutions for small, medium, and large businesses. We use standards-based technology, including Java, JavaScript, XML, HTML5, OBIEE and much more. We are helping dene successful applications in the Cloud by delivering a world-class SaaS offering worldwide. We are also investing
Some of the Technologies/ Skills in Demand

NoSQL: It refers to a broad range of nonrelational databases that are preferred over traditional relational database management systems owing to the scalability and flexibility offered. Some popular NoSQL databases include Apache Cassandra, HBase, Coherence and Ehcache. HTML5: Hyper Text Markup Language or HTML is the backbone of almost all the sites on the Internet. HTML5 is the upcoming edition, which will introduce several new features, including the much-touted ability to directly embed media and the ability to store offline data for web apps. Amazon Web Services: Amazon was the forerunner when it came to introducing the cloud. Today, several businesses around the world run on the Amazon Cloud platform and having knowledge of the workings of Amazon's Cloud architecture will give you a huge edge. Microsoft Azure: Similar to Amazon, Azure is Microsofts cloud platform for business and enterprises. The knowledge of this platform is a good skill to have in your CV. JavaScript: Developed by Netscape Communications way back in 1995, JavaScript is primarily a programming language that is used to add interactivity to web pages. Though it has been around for a while, it has evolved in recent times. Node.js is a popular software system used to write programs and code in JavaScript. Objective C: A programming language used extensively to develop on Apple's iOS. While the popularity of Apple in India is not that high, there is a lot of demand for programmers who can code in Objective C, thanks to outsourced work. Apache Hadoop: It is an open-source, Javabased programming framework that facilitates processing of large data sets. Today, the Apache Hadoop framework supports search engines, targeted advertising, e-commerce and mobile data, among other things. Sencha Touch: An upcoming platform, Sencha Touch is a user interface (UI) framework that has been developed for the mobile web. It allows developers to quickly build HTML5based mobile web apps that will work on multiple platforms such as Android, iOS and BlackBerry.
from the pool of information that comprises social networks, sensors, log les, transactions, videos and pictures. Big Data is something that has been creating a lot of buzz and this is where there is huge demand for professionals to manage and analyse the data. There is a need to analyse this data to gure out trends, hidden patterns, correlations and much more. Typically, such data is upwards of 1176 Petabytes. Yes, that much. There is a lot to be gained from analysing this data and the demand for professionals in this area is huge. You dont need to have special skills, as Deepak Jain of Wipro puts it: A person can come from any background; he could have been a Java person, or a .NET person or from any other equivalent programming languages. But if the person can understand some of the additional frameworks which are required for implementation of Cloud or Big Data, then he are she will be able to handle these projects and get rich experience.
What Will Give You an Edge?

Besides the prerequisite technical knowledge and skills, when hiring, companies give equal importance to things like in-depth knowledge, domain expertise, creative thinking and, most importantly, good communication skills. When speaking about the skills they look for when hiring, Nandita Gurjar, Senior Vice President and Group Head of Human Resources at Infosys, says, Client centricity, a problem-solving orientation, engaging communication skills, an ability to learn and t into our culture are the key attributes we look for in addition to the base technology/domain competencies required for the job. Acquiring domain knowledge, in addition to the technical skills, especially when it comes to those who have a few years of experience, will be a huge advantage. As companies cater to clients hailing from diverse verticals, they value candidates who bring knowledge of a particular industryin fact, such employees are much sought-after. Focus on acquiring knowledge about your domain and then move on to specialise in it, and eventually you can make your way to becoming a consultant. In fact, consultants are very much in demand and are quite sought after. Nitin Bhatt, Global Hiring and HRSS
in mobile applications (iPad, iPhone, Android) to transform how managers and candidates interact throughout the talent acquisition and management experience. BIG DATA: This refers to huge volumes of data being generated
Sachin Pandit
FEATURED
Head, Genpact, says, We obviously look for people who are also able to bring some business thinking to the table. We dont pursue technology for technology's sake, but to improve a certain process or to make it more consistent. And therefore, it is important for the people that we hire to also have some sort of a techno-functional kind of mix. They may have the technical skills, but along with them, if they have knowledge of a particular industry like, say, nance or pharmaceutical, then its an added advantage. Because then they can easily apply their IT skills in a specic context, knowing the implications of what will be the impact of making a certain functionality or not making it. Whats also equally valued is having in-depth knowledge. Jain laments the fact that youngsters these days lack the in-depth knowledge, which can be detrimental to their growth. We nd people who are learned, but have not practised enough. If they have to build a great career they have to study in-depth. I think this attitude and aptitude is very critical for their success. Secondly, they should also understand that the companies cannot provide them with everything; they can enable them to learn, but nally they will be captain of their own ships, so they will have to spend their time and leverage the facilities provided. We nd that the young blood is distracted by many things in life and if they spend their formative years, i.e. rst four or ve years, on gaining in-depth knowledge and becoming experts in their subject matter and in new elds, then it will be a great career advantage for them, he says. Another important factor, says Vivek Punekar, Chief Human Resources Officer, HCL Infosystems, is the drive to constantly learn and keep evolving. He explains, Our objective has always been to acquire quality people and groom them to become entrepreneurial leaders, and we are constantly on the lookout for intrapreneurs. We pride ourselves on a culture where our people are given the freedom to take their own decisions and are empowered to learn, grow and own. We need people synonymous with a passion for performance, a high need for achievement and commitment to the job. One of the most important skills is the willingness and ability to learn and constantly develop yourself. All leading IT companies provide training facilities for their employees and also encourage those opting for courses to further their careers. Its crucial for an individual to leverage these facilities provided so as to stay ahead in the race. Adding new skills to your arsenal will give you an unprecedented advantage over your peers. However, learning new programming languages or new skills while balancing your work can get demanding. In such a scenario, you can explore the many online resources that are available, which encourage learning at your own pace. Additionally, training institutes too offer courses targeted at working professionals that will help them develop their skills. NIIT, for instance, offers certication courses from Cisco, Microsoft and even Oracle. Lastly, it's also crucial to have good communication skills, as you probably might have to communicate with other team members, some of whom may be living in other cities or, in some cases, in other countries. In such cases, the ability to communicate yourself clearly and in Nandita Gurjar,
Senior Vice President and Group Head of Human Resources, Infosys
Our Talent Cloud Team develops talent management SaaS solutions for small, medium, and large businesses. We use standards-based technology, including Java, JavaScript, XML, HTML5, OBIEE and much more
Gunashekar Govindan,
Senior Director, Recruiting, Oracle APAC
Client centricity, a problem-solving orientation, engaging communication skills, an ability to learn and t into our culture are the key attributes we look for in addition to the base technology/ domain competencies required.
We need people synonymous with passion for performance, high need for achievement and commitment to the job. One of the most important skills is the willingness to learn and constantly develop yourself.
Vivek Punekar,
Chief Human Resources Officer, HCL Infosystems
an articulate manner is crucial. Moreover, when short-listing candidates for a role, companies place equal emphasis on communication skills alongside technical skills, knowledge and experience. In fact, if an employer has to choose between two candidates, the one with better communication skills will be preferred. Substantiate your knowledge with good communication skills.
priyanka.tilve@chip.in
05/2013
91
CABLE OR RADIO?
FEATURED
MIRACAST HDMI
TV
MHL BLUETOOTH
RECEIVER TABLET NAS
LAN
NFC WI-FI
ROUTER PHONE
LAN
USB
WI-FI
LAPTOP
WIRED/WIRELESS?
There are loads of standards and multiple ways to do many things. Which is the most efficient and best suited for each job? BY MANUEL SCHREIBER
H
92
ow should we stream videos shot on our smartphones to the TV, to show them off to friends and
the other side of the worldbut the simplest choice is not always the best one. A number of new standards such as Miracast, MHL and Wi-Fi Direct are already available in many devices but are hardly known or used. Many others have come before, but have not been successful in the mainstream, leading to even more confusion, and a variety of useless cables.
Many of the communication standards we have, whether wired or wireless, were designed for a specic purpose. Some are simply connections, using which we can do anything we like, but some have narrow purposes that they excel at. We have identied the most important and popular wired and wireless connections. Here's what each one is most suitable for, and when to use it.
family? How can we send music from a tablet to the speakers at home? How can we update the les on all our devices? There are numerous standards to connect our phones, TVs, PCs and receivers to each otherand to many other devices and services around the house or on
05/2013 INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP
SMS us! Story code: FPS to 51818
WIRELESS
Ditching wires and plugs was meant to make life simpler, but it doesn't always work out that way. y
Wi-Fi AND Wi-Fi DIRECT

Primary purpose: Home networks (Wi-Fi) and peer-topeer exchanges (Wi-Fi Direct) Speed: up to 1.27 GBps Range: approximately 70m Wired alternatives: Ethernet LAN, USB
Wi-Fi (a meaningless name for wireless local area networking) is used wherever data transmission with a cable is not desirable or not possible (home networks, public hotspots, etc). It has allowed us to use computers and gadgets in ways and in places that were never imagined before. Once a niche feature, Wi-Fi access is indispensible now, especially for smartphones and tablets. Many of today's devices support only Wi-Fi, not wired connections, and there is no other way to connect to the Internet or transfer data to and from other devices. Usually, a router controls communication between Wi-Fi devices. With the add-on Wi-Fi Direct standard, supported devices can be connected to each other, like Bluetooth. The feature is in direct competition with Bluetooth and can replace HDMI and USB cables in some cases.
BLUETOOTH 4.0 & APTX

Primary purpose: Data exchange between two devices; audio streaming Speed: up to 2.1 MBps Range: approximately 10m Wired alternatives: USB, HDMI, analog audio
Bluetooth is suitable for all digital data. However, the technology has developed into a means of communication between a PC and its peripheral devices since they can "lock on" to each other. Bluetooth plays an important role in transferring audio to accessories. Smartphones can thus be coupled with headsets, and Bluetooth is often used to stream music from a mobile phone or tablet to a home entertainment system or portable speakers. Since Bluetooth 4.0, the protocol also requires less energy than its previous versions. Some data is lost during transmission, which is why the aptX codec was developed. High-end audio products can thus send and receive digital signals without any loss. Wi-Fi might threaten Bluetooth, but a combination of the two is sometimes used to help establish connections and pair devices quickly.
MIRACAST
Primary purpose: Audio and video streaming Speed: up to 3 GBps Range: approximately 10m Wired alternatives: HDMI, USB
AirPlay is Apple's proprietary protocol for wirelessly streaming the contents of an iOS device's screen to a TV or projector. Miracast is the open alternative for Android users. Manufacturers including Nvidia, Qualcomm, Samsung and LG have announced their support for the standard and several devices that support Miracast are now availableSamsung's Galaxy S III and the Google Nexus 4, to name a few. Since version 4.2, Android comes with Miracast baked in. The new Wii U game console also uses the protocol to send video to the screen on the controller. TVs with Miracast are not available yet. Miracast-certied devices use Wi-Fi Direct and support stream of up to 1080p. However, since the standard is too slow for 4K content, Miracast won't entirely replace HDMI just yet.
NFC
Primary purpose: Secure sharing of tiny data tokens between nearby devices Speed: up to 424 KBps Range: up to 10 cm Wired alternatives: USB
NFC (Near Field Communication) is a wireless standard that uses of radio frequency receivers and transmitters, and is already widely used to make cashless payments in some countries (Visa and MasterCard credit cards). But NFC is also suitable for simple data transmission between devices that are not very far from each other. Google introduced a function called Android Beam with version 4.0, and has tried to popularize the standard to promote usage and adoption. Any type of data can be transmitted, but NFC is mostly used for sending small bits of information such as tracking and identication tokens. It can be used to quickly pair devices, exchange contact cards and web links, send map coordinates, etc. The primary advantages negligible power use and forced proximity, implying authorization.
05/2013
93
CABLE OR RADIO?
FEATURED
WIRED
Wired protocols are usually faster and more stable than than wireless ones, but it can get messy, and it's annoying to have to remember which plug goes where.
ETHERNET
RJ-45
USB
Primary purpose: Sharing data between multiple computers and devices Speed: up to 10 GBps Range: approximately 100m Wireless alternatives: Wi-Fi
USB 3.0
USB 2.0
MICRO-USB B
Primary purpose: Connecting devices to each other Speed: up to 4 GBps Range: approximately 5m Wireless alternatives: Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth
The classic LAN cablealso referred to as Ethernet, RJ45, or simply "network cable"is the standard connection for Internet access in home networks. It is used in offices and homes, and can handle hundreds of PCs and devices on a network. The advantage of the standard is the quick and reliable transfer of data even over large distances. If you stream a lot of large les, for example from a network-attached storage server to a computer or TV, a wired LAN is the best solution. Many homes now use a combination of wired and wireless LAN, since not all devices are portable, and speed is sometimes a priority. At times, a wired LAN connection is the only workable solution to connect devices to each otherfor example in critical areas in which Wi-Fi reception is not possible or unstable. LAN cables can be used to extent Wi-Fi range or bridge long distances.
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an interface that has replaced many old single-purpose standards including PS/2 (mouse, keyboard), serial (modems) and parallel (printers). With USB 3.0 the transfer rate is high enough to connect monitors and even external graphics cards. USB is suitable not only for data transfer but also to send power to small devices. This is why the interface has become a popular universal solution for all kinds of xed and mobile devices. The Mini variant was common on smaller devices, but it's the Micro USB variant that has truly united power supplies and chargers (500 mA to 1500 mA) for various products across brands and types. There is no wireless alternative that covers all the functions of USB. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct are suitable for communication between devices, but they aren't as stable, universal or exible.
HDMI
MICRO-HDMI D
MINI-HDMI C
MHL
HDMIA
MICRO-USB B
Primary purpose: Audio and video connections Speed: up to 10.2 GBps Range: approximately 15m Wireless alternatives: Miracast
HDMIA
Primary purpose: Audio and video sharing Speed: up to 3 GBps Range: approximately 5m Wired alternatives: Miracast
MHL (Mobile High-Denition Link) is an alternative to HDMI and is mostly used in mobile phones to save space. It MHL requires no separate connection; the micro USB port of the mobile phone is used to connect to the HDMI input of a TV. However, very few TVs that are MHL-compliant, and an adapter (see image) will require additional power. Another disadvantage is that one can either use the MHL or USB on a mobile phone at any time, since the micro USB port is occupied. There are even further problems because not every mobile phone uses the same pin layout (5-pin and 11-pin USB ports). A SlimPort HDMI standard does exist, but it has hardly ever been seen, and does not look like it will ever be a mainstream option. - feedback@chip.in
HDMI (High-Denition Multimedia Interface) is a very common standard that is used especially in audio and video devices. HDMI has replaced many old connections including component, composite, SCART and S-video, and can be used as an alternative to DVI, VGA and DisplayPort. HDMI allows video players to enforce the HDCP copy protection mechanism, so for example, Blu-ray players will not allow you to play a movie over any other type of connection. The cables are network compatible (HDMI Ethernet channel, or HEC), but this feature is barely ever implemented. 4K videos (UHD) are problematic: because of the high 3840 x 2160 resolution, only 30 fps transmisison is supported. The upcoming HDMI 2.0 (18 GBps) spec will be able to stream 4K without any problems. A wireless alternative is Miracast, which only supports videos up to 1080p.
94
05/2013
INTERNET PLANS
FEATURED
High-speed Internet plans in India

While Google Fiber may never reach Indian shores, today there are several ISPs providing high speed Internet plans. BY PRIYANKA TILVE AND NAINA KHEDEKAR
connectivity a legal right. The Indian government hasnt made any such provisions, but it is keen to get the country connected; one of its initiatives dubbed National Optic Fibre Network is a step in that direction. A report by the TRAI last year indicated that the number of broadband subscribers in India was 13.54 million as of February 2012. We are quite sure that the gure would have improved over the past year. In fact, there are several government and private organisations striving to connect the entire country. While connectivity is being taken care of, dismal speeds are still the bane of Internet users all over the country. The recent successful implementation of Google Fiber in Kansas City, US, which provides blazing fast Internet speeds of 1Gbps at a modest cost of $70 (approximately Rs 3,800) per month, has certainly pushed the envelope for ISPs in the USA. For those of us still making do with paltry 1Mbps connections, Google Fiber seems like a fantasy straight out of a sci- movie. While it may be several years before Google Fiber reaches our shores (if it ever does), we still have some hope thanks to a few ISPs who are now offering high-speed Internet connections (over 10Mbps) even to home consumers. 1,000, depending on the ISP. While there is a demand for high-speed plans and a few players do offer that, the adoption has been rather slow owing to the steep pricing. Matthew Carley, who set up Hayai, reveals, You can get 100Mbps from a couple of providers, but the prices and restrictions on the services they provide are very unfavourable. For instance, a certain ISP offers 100Mbps in some parts of South Mumbai, but the limits on the connection don't make it a very good proposal and even the upload speeds arent up to the mark. Moreover, the pricing doesn't make sense; why would a consumer pay double for the same amount of data at a higher speed? A few hundred rupees more, maybe, but not double. In case of a certain "unlimited" plan advertised by an ISP, the price per unit goes up from Rs 42/GB to Rs 66/GB. This doesn't make sense; as I am effectively buying in bulk, shouldn't I get a discount on the unit price? Carley raises a valid point. With deeper Internet penetration, the demand for high-speed plans is bound to grow. Donde reasons, As the Internet user market
Jagdish Limbachiya
n todays digital age, a good Internet connection is a must. In fact, many countries have made Internet
matures, there will certainly be demand for higher speed Internet plans and prices will inevitably come down. The ARPU (average rate per unit) may stay the same, but the speed requirements will increase. So while the prices might not go down drastically, we can expect higher speeds and higher download limits offered for price brackets similar to those available today.
Steep Prices
Several ISPs have started offering highspeed plans to home users. Sandeep Donde, Managing Director, Vovinet, says With more than one-fourth of the Internet-connected population in India getting speeds below 512Kbps and a minor percentage with more than 5Mbps plans, the average Internet speed in India is low. Also, the average Internet plan gives speeds of less than 1Mbps in Mumbai. This provides tremendous potential for providing high-speed Internet across the country. Typically, the most popular Internet plan today is the 1Mbps connection, which costs roughly between Rs 800 and Rs
Limited Reach
Apart from the price, most high-speed Internet plans are currently available only in some areas. While most ISPs offer leased lines to customers residing in areas they do not cater to, the cost of the setup borne by the customer is quite high. A way out is to tie up with other ISPs or local cable operators. But the unorganised nature of the cable industry poses a challenge, as ISPs then have to cater to the whims and fancies of the operators. Carley says, Cable operators are very territorial and don't like new entrants, so a cable operator might offer ISP A but not ISP B or ISP C. Nobody has ubiquitous coverage and we a situation similar to the USAno
96
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: FIP to 51818
INTERNET PLANS
Service Provider Hayai Joister Tata Indicom Tata Docomo Airtel Vovinet You Broadband Reliance MTNL Data Usage Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Price/month Rs 4,005 Rs 2,000 Rs 1,950 Rs 1,699 Rs 1,599 Rs 1,300 Rs 1,212 Rs 999 Rs 790 Speed 25Mbps 16Mbps 10Mbps 10Mbps 8Mbps 8Mbps 12Mbps 12Mbps 10Mbps FUP limit Reasonable & Responsible* NA 10GB 40GB 30GB 20GB 25GB 25GB 12GB Post FUP limit NA NA 40 paise per MB 512Kbps 512Kbps 1Mbps 1Mbps 1Mbps 512Kbps
FEATURED
* Customers will be asked to adjust their usage to more reasonable levels or will be recommended an alternate plan.
real competition. The cable operators take a signicant chunk of the revenuein some cases as much as 80 percent of the plan pricewhich makes it very difficult for an ISP to provide a good service even at a low speeds. These revenue-sharing issues need to be tackled and something needs to be done about the operators. Either they should be done away with or forced to merge. Only then can the ISPs provide better services; they would actually have to compete on quality of service rather than who offers a given speed for 10 rupees cheaper than the other guy. Another possibility is open access networks, something which Gurgaon-based telecom infrastructure rm Radius Infratel is attempting. Radius is implementing Neutral Access Network Operations (NANO) technology, whereby any number of service providers can simultaneously provide any number of services through a single bre cable without losing their individual identities. As per news reports, they have partnered with real estate developers such as DLF, Emaar MGF, Paramount and Unitech, enabling them to provide high-speed Internet services in the projects being developed. Courtesy their bre optic network, ISPs can provide Internet speeds up to 1Gbps. While the rm claimed that the network is already available in over 300,000 homes in Delhi and its neighbouring areas of Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad, they werent forthcoming about the service providers. They also plan to expand services to other cities, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune and Chandigarh.
and most seemed content with their 1 or 2Mbps connections for roughly Rs 1,000 per month. This doesn't mean there is a dearth of high-speed plans, but they are too expensive for many to consider. We've listed some of the high-speed plans offered by popular players in Mumbai. To begin with, MTNL offers several highspeed Internet plans. The 10Mbps Fiber Thrill unlimited plans range from Rs 790 to Rs 2,290 per month. The price varies depending on the data consumed due to a fair usage policy. The lowest of these plans costs Rs 790 per month (or xed yearly charges of Rs 8,690) for 10Mbps down and 5Mbps up connections with a limit of 12GB. Thereafter, the connection is capped at 512Kbps. On the higher end, you will have to pay Rs 2,290 for 10Mbps down and 5Mbps up connections with a limit of 150GB; downloads are capped at 1Mbps and uploads at 512Kbps thereafter. It also has a 20Mbps Fiber Thrill plan that offers 20Mbps download and 10Mbps upload connection with a limit of 150GB; the download speeds are set at 1.344Mbps and upload speed at 1Mbps beyond that. Another major player is Tata Docomo, which has unlimited connections ranging from 10Mbps to 100Mbps. Its 10Mbps plan, priced at Rs 1,699 has a 50GB FUP limit. It provides download speeds of 10Mbps and upload speeds of 1Mbps (post FUP the download speed is reduced to 512Kbps). It also has a variation of this plan priced at a whopping Rs 3,333 per month with a 50GB data limit and every additional MB charged 20 paise. Tata Indicom also offers Lightning and Lightning Plus high-speed 10Mbps, 20Mbps and 100Mbps Internet connections. The 10Mbps plan has a 10GB usage limit, 10Mbps download/2Mbps upload and costs Rs 1,950. On the other hand, the Lightening 10Mbps Plus plan offers 10Mbps downloads/1Mbps uploads and 50GB of bandwidth for Rs 3,500. However, users
will be charged 40 paise per MB post the FUP limit. Airtel, on the other hand, is offering 8Mbps plans starting at Rs 1,599. This plan has an FUP limit of 30GB, beyond which the speed will be reduced to 512Kbps. The same plan with an FUP limit of 80GB costs Rs 2,099. Reliance has listed its unlimited high-speed plan as Broadband Freedom and offers 12Mbps for Rs 999 with a 25GB FUP limit. After the limit has been crossed, the speed will be downgraded to 512Kbps. Besides these, there are other players offering high-speed Internet connections. One such private service provider is YouBroadband, with connections ranging from 12Mbps to 25Mbps in some areas of some cities. Their 12Mbps plan starts at Rs 1,212 per month and has an FUP of 25GB. Another private player, Vovinet, offers 8Mbps and 16Mbps plans with and without FUP. Its cheapest 16Mbps plan has a 40GB FUP limit (with speeds capped at 2Mbps thereafter) and is priced at Rs 1,700, whereas the 16Mbps unlimited plan without an FUP will cost Rs 3,300. Then theres Joister, which offers 16Mbps and 20Mbps FTTH (Fiber to the home) connections for Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 per month, respectively. What's more, these are unlimited plans without any FUP limits. They cover most areas of the Western, Central and Harbour lines of Mumbai. Another player, Hayai, also provides FTTH connections starting at 25Mbps for Rs 4,007 per month, going all the way up to 1,000Mbps for Rs 9,736 per month. Hayai emphasises that customers must choose plans based on their actual data usage and not simply opt for the cheapest planunlike other providers, Hayai does not reduce users' speeds but warns them as they reach their thresholds. Users will be then asked to restrict their usage or upgrade to a higher data plan.
Players and Plans

Despite a decent number of players in the Indian market offering high-speed Internet plans today, the average Internet speed in the country remains roughly around 1Mbps. We asked a random sample of Mumbai residents about their Internet connections,
05/2013
97
Have You Insured Your Phone Yet?

Broke your phone's screen and worried it's not covered by the warranty? These extended warranty plans will do much to bring you peace of mind. BY PRIYANKA TILVE GadgetCops
Amongst all the players in the market offering extended warranties, whats unique about GadgetCops is the fact that its extended warranty plans cover physical damage to the screen or exposure to liquids. Here, its important to note that when they say protection against liquid damage, the battery wont be covered, but they will repair your phone's motherboard and screen. This is not something that is covered by even the warranties offered by manufacturers. GadgetCops offers a two-year plan that works at two levels. During the rst year, it will cover accidental and liquid damage, and in the second year, the extended warranty is similar to the one offered by the manufacturer. Currently, GadgetCops has outlets in six cities:
arranties are what keep most people from buying phones on the cheap from the grey
market or without a bill or warranty, you cannot opt for these extended warranty plans. Generally, these warranties cover the same things the standard warranty from the manufacturer covers. This means that the accessories wont be a part of the insurance plan and neither will any physical or liquid damage to screen or the device. You can buy these extended warranties online. Currently there are three players who offer such plans: GadgetCops, WarrantyBazaar and Onsite Care. The Mobile Store offers extended warranty plans too, but these are limited to phones bought from their online site or their retail outlets. Recently, Nokia became the rst phone manufacturer to offer insurance for its mobile phones in India.
market. In case your phone decides to not work anymore, the warranty ensures that problems are taken care of without you having to shell out a single penny. But you will typically get only a one-year warranty from the manufacturer, and its usually after a year that problems start creeping in, which is exactly when you may need that warranty the most. Also, the warranty provided by the manufacturer doesnt cover damage to the screen, accidental damage or even damage by liquids. However, such issues unfortunately top the list of woes of smartphone owners. Recognising this need, several third-party vendors now offer extended warranties that cover everything from shattered screens to soaked internals.
How it works
You can avail of these extended warranty plans provided you have a valid bill of purchase. The cost of the plan will depend on the price of your handset. For instance, if your handset is worth Rs 18,000, you will have to shell out around Rs 1,000 to get an extended warranty. The lower the cost of the handset, the lower the amount you have to pay. This is a one-time payment you make towards the extended warranty, and in most cases, the extended one-year warranty begins after the warranty provided by the manufacturer expires. However, you will have to buy an extended warranty plan quite soon after you purchase your device. Usually, you will have to buy a plan within a month or two of buying your device and you will need the valid bill and invoice of the purchase. Unfortunately, if you have purchased your phone from the grey
GadgetCops covers damage to a phone's screen caused by liquids.
SMS us! Story code: FMI to 51818
05/2013
99
MOBILE INSURANCE
FEATURED
Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bangalore and Hyderabad. If you buy a protection plan from GadgetCops, an executive will pick your damaged device from you, get it serviced and drop it off. However, if you are based in cities other than those mentioned above, then you need not fret, as the services of GadgetCops are pan-India. It has tie-ups with courier services and your device will be picked up and delivered. You can buy the protection plans online from SnapDeal. Before you buy a protection plan, especially if your phone is a couple of months old, one of GadgetCops' executives will thoroughly check your device for any glitches or other wear and tear. Rohit Agrawal, founder of GadgetCops, says that he wants to standardise the whole process of servicing devices. Speaking about the benets, he says, We have tie-ups with the authorised service centers of all handset manufacturers, so we get priority when it comes to repairs. This lessens the time taken for repairs. And we also get the best price in case of some repairs that are not covered under the standard warranty. Additionally, we have our own state-of-art service centers where we carry out repairs, using genuine parts that we source from the service centres. Currently, GadgetCops' plans are limited only to smartphones and tablets, but it plans to expand to include laptops, cameras and even TVs. It also plans to establish physical presence in other cities.
Onsite Secure has a 'No lemon' policy where it'll replace your product if it requires repairs thrice for the same issue.
Currently, Onsite Secure has physical presence in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. In the next six months, it plans to expand its services to other cities in the country. Speaking about the services offered by Onsite Secure, Pratik Yagnik, Business Head - Onsite Secure, says, Customers can buy extended warranties from our website. We will also be collaborating with our existing retail channel partners who will sell extended warranties as an add-on service for their products. Our plans are
designed to be extremely comprehensive. They will cover all mechanical, electrical and hardware failures. They will cover accidental and liquid damage even while the product is under the manufacturers warranty. We also offer a 'No Lemon' policy, whereby if a product requires a repair for the same issue thrice, we give the customers an equivalent or better device as a replacement. Onsite Secure is planning to tie-up with manufacturers and retail stores that sell gadgets and electronics.
Onsite Secure
This service has plans and services similar to those of GadgetCops. Onsite Secure provides you with a protection plan of two years that covers against spills and drops, as well as the pick-up/drop facility. However, Onsite Secure is not just limited to smartphones and tablets; it provides extended warranty plans for laptops and cameras as well. The plans this company offers for phones range from Rs 490 to Rs 5,390; basically, the price will be around the 6-10 percent range in all cases. Onsite Secure's plans will be offered for an additional year for phones and tablets, and for two additional years in case of laptops and cameras. In case of smartphones, the company will even provide you with a standby device while your handset is being repaired. It has a tie-up with authorised service centres across all major cities where the devices are serviced and repaired.
The Mobile Store is currently among the few ones that offer theft insurance.
100
05/2013
MOBILE INSURANCE
FEATURED
The Mobile Store

If you count yourself among the reckless sort who keep losing their phones, heres something that will reduce the heartburn of spending money on buying a new device: The Mobile Store offers theft insurance for handsets purchased from their online store or outlets. It has four plans you can choose from. Just like the extended warranty plans, even these plans vary according to the cost of your device. So for a phone that is over Rs 15,000, you will have to buy an insurance plan worth Rs 750. The company has an agreement with United Insurance and you will have to ll up a form when you make the purchase. The insurance starts from the day of purchase and remains in effect for one year. In case you lose your device during that period, then you will have to lodge an FIR and submit a copy of the FIR to either the store or to the United Insurance office. If your device is traced during the waiting period, then you wont get the compensation. However, if your device remains untraced, then you will be compensated depending on your usage. For instance, if you lose your phone within one to three months of purchase, then you will get 80 percent of the device's cost. The higher the number of months that you have used the phone, the lower the amount you get. Apart from theft insurance plans, the Mobile Store also offers extended warranties, which begin after the manufacturers warranty has expired, and last for a year. It is similar to the warranty offered by the manufacturer and works on the same terms and conditions. Basically, it will provide warranty for any malfunction or damage arising out of some glitch in the device. This doesnt include physical damage or other damage arising out of wear and tear or spilt liquids.
warranty offered by the manufacturer has expired. It will simply extend the warranty by an additional year and offer the same coverage as the manufacturers warranty, which means it wont be of any help if your device stops functioning due to you dropping it in water or smashing it on concrete. In case your device cannot be repaired, WarrantyBazaar will replace it with an equivalent device, but at its sole discretion. Additionally, you will have to take your device to the authorised service centre yourself; no executives to pick-up and drop off the device for you. Information on the same can be found on the website or you can call a helpline number. You can purchase the WarrantyBazaar extended warranty plans from SnapDeal as well; it has recently tied-up with the online merchant. The company also plans to introduce theft insurance in the future.
will have to lodge a police complaint, inform the service provider and furnish an acknowledgement to claim the insurance. The insurance will also cover phone damage caused due to impact or even uids. One good thing is that you need not have a FIR to make a claim; however, you will have to report the loss and approach Nokia within 48 hours of the loss. The claim amount will determined depending upon the amount of time lapsed after the purchase of the device. Currently, the plan is only available in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Jaipur and Cochin.
So Should You Get Your Device Insured?

Typically, these warranty plans will cost you 6-10 percent of the cost of your device and when you compare it to the benet, thats a paltry sum. To put things in perspective, if the screen of your phone were to shatter due to a fall, then your standard manufacturers warranty wont cover it, and you would have to shell out the moolah to get it xed. The prices will vary according to the manufacturer, but you will end up paying a minimum of Rs 2,000 to even over Rs 10,000 depending on your handset. If you have a protection plan for your device, then you will save yourself a great deal of money, not to mention the hassle of actually visiting the service centre. Oh, and don't forget the peace of mind.
Nokia
Nokia became the rst handset manufacturer in the country to offer insurance plans for phones. Customers can purchase insurance plans for their devices bought from Nokia retail stores. Nokia is offering the insurance plans in partnership with New India Insurance and the customer will have to pay Rs 50 or 1.25 percent of mobile phone cost, whichever is higher. The plan will start from the time the phone was purchased and will last for a year. The plan will cover loss of phone through theft, burglary and riots, and the customer
WarrantyBazaar
Another player in the eld is WarrantyBazaar. This company offers extended warranties for smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras and even TVs. You can purchase their extended warranty plans from their website, and the cost of the plans depends on the cost of your device. You will have to purchase their extended warranty plans within ninety days of buying the device. You will also need a valid proof of purchase. WarrantyBazaar offers an extended warranty that kicks-in after the standard
WarrantyBazaar offers extended warranty and has several plans you can choose from.
05/2013
101
WEB WATCH
FEATURED
Web Watch
Here are some interesting websites you might want to visit.

COMPILED BY PRIYANKA TILVE
FINDYOGI
VISUALEAD
LURNQ
and Cameras. The sites interface is clean and free of clutter, which is a refreshing change. On the home screen you will nd the Hot Selling Mobiles and Popular Products sections. Underneath the product image, you will nd the price range and also how many online merchants have the product. To the left are the product categories. Clicking on a particular category will bring you the latest products in that section. You can sort the products according to price range or brand. However, the site displays only four products at a time and there is no option to change this, which is a bit disappointing. Also, if you do not select the price range then the products are displayed randomly and you may nd the older or unwanted products rst. Hopefully, the site will nd a way to sort this as it detracts from the complete shopping experience. Clicking on a product takes you to a list of all the online merchants who are selling it; this list is sorted according to price, starting with the lowest rst. On clicking Buy, you will be directed to the merchant site. Currently, you can see results from sites such as Flipkart, HomeShop18, Tradus, Zoomin, Yebhi, Inbeam, Saholic and SnapDeal, to name a few. Alongside the product you select, FindYogi will show you other similar and recent products too. It will also show you the Best Compared With products that are on par with the one that you have selected.
nlike other price aggregation sites, FindYogi focuses only on four categoriesMobiles, Tablets, Laptops
R codes are all rage these days. While its a great tool for increasing accessibility to companies and
products, its not uncommon to nd individuals aunting their own QR codes. One site that allows you to create your own QR codes is Visualead. You will have to sign-up with the site to be able to create QR codes. Clicking on the Create option throws up several types of QR codes to choose from. You can create QR codes with plain URLs, rich text, vCards, phone numbers, email addresses, applications, or even for your Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Skype accounts. Once you choose a type of code, the site will then guide you how to go about the process. You can choose from the images available or add your own image to your code. You can change the color, and even decide what part of the image should contain the QR code. When creating a QR code, you will see two options: Silver and Gold. If you choose Silver, the site will preserve up to 54 percent of your image, and if you choose Gold, then it will preserve up to 72 percent of your image. After you select one of these options, click on next and your QR code will be ready to be shared and printed. The site allows you to edit the QR codes information whenever you wish. While its a great site to create visual QR codes, there is one hiccup: your free QR code is ad-supported and if you want to get rid of the ad, then you will have to pay more than Rs 700. There is also a Chrome Visual QR Code Generator app that you can use.
hether its a proper course or even a video, you can learn lots thanks to the Internet. However,
there is no one platform that will provide you with information about all the digital learning initiatives available. LurnQ aims to address this gap. Its a platform that aims to bring together
people providing these courses and those seeking such information. It curates, lters information and presents it to users based on their preferences. You can register with the site using your email ID or login using your Facebook or Twitter. You will need to create your prole and select your areas of interest. There are various categories to choose from: Science, Art & Design, Technology, Advertising, Branding, Economics, Finance, Management, Programming, Software Tools and more. LurnQ will bring you information from sources such as Coursera, Khan Academy, TiE and Think Labs. Once you have selected your topics of interest, you will receive updates about them in your feed. You can then browse through and save topics to your library. You can also explore the lessons, which are presented in a Pinterest-esque layout. You can also choose to follow the authors. You will nd notes, information, videos and even audio lessons. The lessons are arranged systematically and may also include tests to help you check how much you have learned. You can also share the lessons on social networking sites. You may even create and upload lessons based on your area of expertise.
102
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: FWW to 51818
WEB WATCH
FEATURED
THERE IS MORE TO CONFESSIONS THAN SLANDER

PRIYANKA TILVE SENIOR FEATURES WRITER
COURSEBUFFET
ealising the demand for online courses, several leading universities, including MIT and Harvard have
launched online courses. The advantages of online learning are numerous, but selecting a course can be a task, as the same course may be offered by more than one university and the course curriculum could vary drastically. What you need then is a site that helps you make an informed choice. CourseBuffet lists over ve hundred
CONFESSIONS A
fter sharing whats on your mind and what youve been doing, its now time for confessions. Students from campuses all over the world have taken to confessing on Facebook via the confession pages that seem to be in vogue these days. And the reason for their popularity seems to be the soul-baring, dark secrets people reveal. But what really eggs them on is the anonymity factor. Today all major educational institutes and even large areas have confession pages that are even more popular than the official pages. It usually begins with a person creating a regular Facebook page and then linking it with an anonymous form made using Google Docs. A link to this form will be provided on the Facebook page and those who want to post can do so in the file. Every post is then posted on the Facebook by the page administrator. If you were to browse through these confession pages, youll find the usual proclamations of love, mud-slinging against exes and enemies, angst against teachers and the usual gossip. The risqu of being able to air your darkest thoughts or secrets without having to reveal your true identity seems to be too hard to resist. Its sensationalism at its best, as is evident from the fact that the most risqu and slanderous of the confessions are the ones to garner maximum likes and comments. Such posts are often downright offensive, lewd and crass. And even though tagging a person is forbidden, thanks to the large number of followers, its quite likely someone may inform them of the same or tag them in the comments. Whats worse, these pages arent closed groups and anyone on Facebook can access them. Not only are the reputations of the individuals targeted in these posts at stake, the respective educational institutes risk being dragged into controversy. Online confessions arent really a new phenomenon and there are many sites dedicated to the same, but Facebook has taken the trend to a whole new level. There have already been several instances of bullying due to these confessions, and even teachers have been taking umbrage to the online spiel. On numerous occasions, Facebook has intervened and blocked pages that crossed the line, but the fact remains that the blocked page can soon be replaced with a new one. But while slanderous posts on the confession pages have been gaining in popularity, there is a need to take a closer look. Amidst the scores of degrading posts, you will find genuine pleas for help. From posts about suicidal thoughts, people seeking advice about some issues to even opening up about their sexualities, these confession pages are (very) slowly becoming a place for people to seek help and peace of mind. Its heartening to see the words of encouragement and advice being offered here that will no doubt provide solace to troubled minds. This is the side of confession that needs to be encouraged rather than juicy gossip and mockery.
college courses from many providers and universities. It enables users to discover and compare online learning resources from universities around the world. CourseBuffet has created a classication system that clubs together similar courses offered by various sources. The site has assigned a subject and level to every course, which are similar to the ratings followed by leading universities. Clicking on a course number therefore lets you see which of the courses offered by other universities cover the same subject. It provides information about the course, as well as additional information; you can see whether a particular course provides videos, audio or textbooks. It also provides a link to the concerned universitys page. You can register on the site or sign-in using your Facebook credentials. By creating an account, you will be able to save the courses and send others links of the same. Currently, the site shows results from various universities, such as MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley, Saylor, Coursera, Udacity and edX.
- feedback@chip.in
05/2013
103
HANDS ON
DR CHIP
Dr CHIP
SEND YOUR QUERIES TO: drchip@chip.in
Sachin Pandit
[Q] Hi Dr CHIP. I have been using a

Samsung Galaxy Pop S5570 since September 2011. Its running on Android version 2.2. Recently, after several mistakes while trying to unlock the handset via the pattern unlock system, my phone got locked and prompted me to log in with my Gmail account. However, this refused to work. How can I get access to my contacts, messages, etc on my phone? And is there a way to unlock it? - Ranganadh E.
buttons for a few seconds together till you come to the recovery mode. Here, select Factory Reset using the volume down button and press the power button to start the reset process.
than to reset your phone. Youll have to unlock your bootloader in order to enter recovery. A quick Google search will yield plenty of results on how to do that. After that, its just a matter of entering recovery mode and resetting your phone. You will lose all your data.
[Q] I have an HTC Wildre S on which

I have set a pattern lock. I've forgotten the pattern, so it prompts me to enter my Google account credentials. But the problem is that I have enabled the two-step verication for my account. So I entered an application-specic password in my phone. Google displayed the password only once and said that there is no need to memorise the password. So I am unable to get that password again and my phone is locked. What should I do? Is there any way to reset the phone externally? - Kshitij Gangal
[Q] I have a Dell Inspiron laptop

with the following specications: Intel Core i7 2.20 GHz CPU, 8GB RAM and Intel HD Graphics 4000. Is an integrated graphic card enough to run multiplayer games like Call Of Duty with high-quality graphics? Can it cause overheating or any damage to the system? If the integrated graphics card is incapable of running the game, is there any way to improve the graphics of a laptop or replace it with a dedicated graphic card? Also, can you suggest ways to prevent the laptop from overheating? - Ajeya Rengarajan
[A] Hi Ajeya. The HD 4000 GPU is good

Hard resetting the phone is the only way to gain access if the Gmail trick does not work.
enough for HD video playback, but dont expect to do much more with it. It will be able to run games at low resolutions and settings, including multiplayer games but dont expect great performance. Unfortunately, theres no way to upgrade the GPU of a laptop. To ensure your laptop doesnt overheat
You might need to unlock your phone's bootloader and do a hard-reset if you forget your password
[A] Hi Ranganadh. Make sure youre

signing in with the same account you used to activate the phone. This method is the only way of unlocking the phone if youve forgotten the pattern. If this doesn't work, then youll have to hard reset the phone. In this process, you will lose all your data stored on the phone memory. To do this, switch your phone off and then press the power and home
during gameplay, make sure you rest it on a level surface and none of the ventilation holes are blocked as the hot air needs to escape to ensure proper cooling.
[A] Hi Kshitij. Unfortunately theres no

way to retrieve your password other
104
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: HDC to 51818
HANDS ON
DR CHIP
never turns into an application and simply shuts down. My system's specs are well over the required specs. Other games like AC3 and Crysis 3 run just ne. Please help! - Aditya Pratap Singh
select: or Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only to select the OptIn policy If you choose Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select:, click Add to add the programs that you do not want to use the DEP feature. Click OK twice Restart the computer for the changes to take effect.
[A] Hello Aditya. Your issue with Dead

Space 3 is strange, because that video card is capable of running the game. The best course of action would be to ensure that the game is patched and up-to-date. It would be a good idea to keep your
A laptop cooler will help keep temperatures in check while gaming
video drivers updated as well.
[Q] I have a ZTE ZXDSL 531B modem

and I want to use it as both a WiFi router and a modem, ie, I want to use it with my PC with Ethernet but also use its WiFi for my cell phone. Please tell me how to do it. - Abhyuday Sharma
[Q] Hi Dr CHIP. I have a COMPAQ

3020IL with Intel Pentium E5200 @ 2.5GHz, 4GB DDR2 RAM, XFX Nvidia 9500GT 1GB DDR2, a 16x DVD Writer, and a 320GB HDD. I currently have Windows XP SP3 installed in my PC. I want to play the latest games like Assassins Creed 3, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Battleeld 3, etc., but they all need DirectX 10 or above. Can I install Virtualbox/VMWare on my PC and if I can, then how ? I also have a netbook that is a Lenovo Ideapad S205. Please also check the same for it. - Mimo The problem with Hitman: Absolution is a known issue and can be prevented by turning DEP off through Windows. Heres how you do it, assuming youre on Windows 7/Vista (32-bit): Log in as administrator Press the Windows + Pause/Break keys in conjunction and release. This should open the System menu. Choose Advanced system settings from the left pane. Approve the User Account Control query (You will have to be an administrator to do it). Click the button Settings in the Performance section. Click the tab Data Execution Prevention Choose either Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I
Turn off DEP to make certain programs work in Windows
[A] Hello Abhyuday. It depends on how

your PC is connected to the Internet. If you have a 3G USB dongle for the Internet, you will have to plug it into the PC and share the bandwidth from the
[A] Hi Mimo. Any sort of emulation is

highly inefficient. While doing that to run simple software is acceptable, it doesnt make sense to do the same for CPU and GPU-intensive applications such as gaming. Youre better off shifting to Windows 7 if you want a gaming rig capable of running Battleeld 3.
Configure the router using a strong password for both the router's settings and the wireless network
[Q] I have a Sony VAIO VPCEB34EN

which has a Intel Core i3-370m 2.40 GHz, Windows 7 Ultimate (64 bit) with an ATI Radeon HD5470 1743MB graphics card, but when I run games like Dead Space 3, it shows me an error saying the graphics card does not meet the minimum requirements. Also, when I run Hitman Absolution a process starts and for some time works but
PC to the router. If you have a local cable connection or a DSL Internet subscription, your modem will have an Ethernet connection output which should be plugged into the WAN port of the router. Once this is done, all you need to do is congure the router and specify a unique password for the router's administration page and the wireless networks
HANDS ON
DR CHIP
protection. Once done, your router will supply the Internet connection via Ethernet to the PC and via wireless to the mobile phones. If you are not sure about how to get the whole thing done, you can either refer to the manual or try the setup wizard from the CD that came with the router. Lastly, if you are not comfortable doing it yourself, then you should consult a friend or a computer service engineer for help.
single one again. The second option is to delete all partitions and recreate the new partitions using step 9 of the same workshop you followed.
it is now at Service Pack 2. I have a problem related to hidden folders. I use the hidden folder feature of Windows frequently but as time passes I forget the location of some of them and even which partitions they are in. Is there a way that I might be able to access or them or access all hidden folders from a single screen using some software? - Anonymous
[Q] I have a problem with my wireless

driver. I was using Windows 7 Ultimate, but after installing Windows 8 Pro I could not connect to WiFi and my laptop doesn't show any available wireless connections. I have a Dell INSPIRON n-SERIES - N5010 laptop with Windows 8 Pro 64-bit, Intel Core i3 CPU M 380 @ 2.53 GHz, and 4GB RAM. In the device manager I see a yellow triangle on the Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 option. I have updated the driver from the Internet, but the issue persists. I found a software called 'DriverMax', but those drivers failed to work and the same goes for the ones I got from Intels website. What should I do? - Nikunj Naliyapara
[A] You can simply type attributes:2 in

the search box of any Windows Explorer window to nd all hidden objects within the currently open folder. Do this in each drive to bring up a list of hidden les and folders (assuming you have now turned on the option to display hidden objects, which can be found in the Organize menu). If that doesnt help, you can also open a command prompt window, navigate to each drives root, and use the following command: dir /ah /s /p to display all hidden objects in all subfolders page by page, or dir *. /ah /s /p to restrict the result only to folders. If you have some idea where your folders are, search within those folders so that you exclude the hundreds of Windows system les which are also hidden.
[Q] Hello Dr CHIP. I have a problem

with my Kingston 4GB pen drive. Last year in January 2012, I learned about "Secret partition on a pen drive". I divided my pen drive into 3GB and 1GB partitions and installed Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 on it. Now my pen drive shows only 3GB of space. The Secret partition of 1GB seems to be lost. It does not allow me to change the size of the partition. Can you tell me how I can recover this partition please? - Ravi Rao
[A] Hello Nilkunj. The issue is with the

drivers for the wireless hardware. Since you were using Windows 7 previously, the drivers were installed and the hardware functioned properly. Windows 8 is presently new and most manufacturers are developing drivers for their older
[Q] Hi Dr CHIP. I have problem in

transferring all the contacts from phone memory to the SIM card in my BlackBerry Curve 8520. How to do it? Please help me, it's important. - Nitish Kumar
[A] Hello Nitish. The best way to ensure

You need to install the USB drive's drivers on your PC for it to function properly
that your contacts remain intact should you lose your handset or simply switch to a new device is to back them up online. Google Sync is the best solution for storing and backing up your phone
Choose the correct operating system while downloading drivers
[A] Hello Ravi. You seem to have

followed the workshop perfectly, but have forgotten one small step where you are supposed to copy the driver for your pen drive on your new operating system and install it. Only then will the new operating system recognise the changes you made within the pen drive. If you have the driver, you should install it on the PC. If not, you can still make your own driver all over again. Nevertheless, if you want to format the entire drive back to normal, there are two ways to go about it. First, back-up your data from the pen drive and download a free partition management tool called MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition. Start the utility, choose the pen drive and delete all partitions and recreate a hardware in order to be used with the new operating system. This will take time in some cases. Fortunately, the driver required for your hardware is available. You can download it from https://downloadcenter.intel.com. If you download the wrong drivers, the hardware will not work. Make sure you download the correct drivers from the website by selecting the right operating system (32-bit or 64-bit).
contacts. Go to your phone browser and do a search for Google Mobile Sync.
[Q] I have been using Windows Vista

since 2007, and with Windows updates,
Sync your contacts with Gmail via Google Sync
106
05/2013
HANDS ON
DR CHIP
Select On a Mobile Device and then the Sync option. Download and install the application on your phone Access the app via the Downloads section and log into your Google account Select the check box for Contacts and Calendar Save the settings and select Sync Now in the pop-up box. Thats it. If youre still interested in saving contacts onto your SIM card, here are the steps you should follow: The default save setting must be set to SIM card or Ask on saving. From the Home screen, scroll to and select the Contacts icon. Press the Menu key. Scroll to and select SIM Phone Book. Press the Menu key. Scroll to and select New. Enter the contact name and phone number. Press the touchpad. Select Save. a PC cleaning suite such as CCleaner, delete unwanted data and make space, uninstall unwanted software and defragment the hard drive. Lastly, check if your operating system is updated from the Internet. Your system should speed up signicantly. If not, you will have to backup the data, reformat the laptop and install the operating system all over again. Lastly, you should also consider checking for hardware compatibility and updated drivers because incompatible or older hardware can also lead to a sluggish laptop. For your query on the battery, usually laptop batteries last for around two years before needing to be changed. If your laptop gives you notications of the battery not charging and needing to be replaced, it is time you did so. If you have an old laptop, getting an official battery would be difficult. I suggest you either use the laptop with the power adapter or hunt for a replacement for the battery. - Melwin Amith D'Almeida
The laptop battery usually has a life of 1.5-2 years. Hunting for a old models' batteries is difficult
at times. The speakers I use are the stereo speakers which came along with the PC and I have RealTek HD Audio manager installed. It's a pretty normal conguration and yet I continue to face problems. The audio output usually gets back to normal after some timeafter I pause the playback for a few minutes or so and then play itbut now even that trick doesn't work and the problem has been getting worse. Please help. - Roshni Nair
[A] Hello Roshni. Your problem seems

to be a bit weird. All I can suggest is to uninstall the audio card's drivers and download and install a new driver for it. Also try using a different speaker set or a pair of headphones to nd out where the issues actually liesthe audio card or the speakers.
[Q] Hello Dr CHIP. My laptop takes a

long time to boot. What do you think the reason could be and how can I reduce the boot time? Another problem is with the battery. We got an error saying "Battery needs to be replaced" with a cross mark icon on the taskbar. Does it affect the hardware of the system if the battery is not replaced because we always keep it for charging when in use?
Try using a live operating system CD/DVD such as Ubuntu or Knoppix to find software issues
Lastly, I would also check if the operating system's registry has corrupt entries or if any of the system les are miscongured. Try running a live USB disk or Linux CD on the laptop and check if the sound output is normal. If yes, then it is time to format and reinstall the operating system. If not, there are denitely some issues with the hardware on your system. I recommend getting your system checked by a technician. - Send your queries to drchip@chip.in
[A] Hello Melwin. The laptop taking

a long time to boot could be due to several reasons. There could be a virus, a corrupted system le, too many junk les, insufficient space on the hard drive, a fragmented hard drive, bad sectors on the hard drive platters and/or errors in the registry. Make sure you take care of the above issues using an antivirus and
[Q] Hello Dr CHIP. I have a Dell

Inspiron 560s desktop with an Intel Core2Duo processor, a 320GB SATA HDD, 3GB of DDR3 SDRAM and onboard Intel graphics. The OS installed is Windows 7 Ultimate. Recently, the audio output has been slow, scratchy and distorted. The video is much better, but it is also affected
WORKSHOP
HANDS ON
EIGHT ARMS
in one photo
Here's how you can use Photoshop's features to combine multiple photos into one and achieve awesome effects.
BY NINA KREITLEIN
gures. One of the most well known icons is that of Nataraja, the depiction of Shiva doing his cosmic dance of creation and destruction. Depictions of the multi-armed posture have inspired many artists, and in today's context, it works very well with the theme of multitasking. Our Photo goddess shoot resulted in an image that conveys that our model is a master of all the skills required to be a good photographer. You can use the idea to show off any collection of objects or tools, such as a makeup artist or hair stylist weilding scissors and brushes,
ur culture is lled with images of multi-armed gods and various other religious and mythological
a carpenter with his hammers and measuring tapes, or even a doctor with a stethoscope, scalpels and syringes. Of course, it isn't just limited to hands either; you can combine several bodies or other objects too. The trick is to make sure you maintain a uniform theme. In our case, the concentric circles behind the model's head added to the "goddess" theme, and similarly, you can also add other elements to your composition to convey your ideas.
but it's not good practice to take only the exact number of required photos when the shoot is in progress, or you might need to head back to the studio and set everything up a second time. Composition will become more difficult if you use bulkier props or moving objects in your model's hands, so it's always good to have more options. A bit of planning before the shoot will do much to save a lot of time and energy as the mistake that you might discover after your shoot is done. Proper studio lighting and a backdrop also go a long way towards ensuring a professional-looking nal result.
SEBASTIAN LANG
computer cannot x every positioning
More is better than less

At the end of the process, you will use only four of the photos you take,
108
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: HFI to 51818
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS

1 BeFoRe tHe sHoOt 2 SeT uP yOuR lIgHtS 3 CrEaTe lAyErS iN PhOtOsHoP 4 SeLeCt tHe aRmS 5 LiNe uP tHe lAyErS
A plain white background will make processing the photos much easier. Mark where the model should stand for each shot on the oor. A soft box right in front and two ashes on either side of the model will reduce shadows and provide even illumination. After the shoot, open the rst image in Photoshop and create new layers for each photo. Drag and drop each image into its respective layer
Superimpose the uppermost layer. Select the arms and click on Rene edges. Increase the 'Radius' to around 15 and move the 'Contract/Expand' slider to -15 percent so that white edges do not show through. Now, turn the selection into a mask. Repeat this step for all layers. Duplicate the background layer by pressing [Ctrl]+[J] and drag it in the layers palette until it is on top of all the other layers. Move and stretch each layer till the arm sockets line up with the uppermost layer.
6 CrEaTe aDdItIoNaL mAsKs 7 AdJuSt cUrVeS fOr eFfEcT 8 EnHaNcE sHaDoWs
Mask the model's head and body in each lower layer if any part of their body is visible behind the image from the topmost layer. Create a gradation curve in the 'Levels' panel by moving the diagonal line with your mouse. Drag it lower to darken the image and lend a dramatic effect.
For the nal touch, select the brush tool, change the colour to white and reduce the opacity to 10 percent. Experiment with painting over the model to leave the impression of shadows in some areas. - feedback@chip.in
109
WORKSHOP
HANDS ON
Enhance Photos Shot with a Mobile Phone

We demonstrate how to make photos shot with your phone's average camera look awesome. BY ANAND TULIANI
cameras (such as the Nokia Lumia 920 and iPhone 5) fall to their knees when it comes to keeping the noise low, capturing accurate colours and details, and yielding optimal exposure, in extremely bright or dim environments. The photos appear pristine on the AMOLED and high-resolution displays, but you can instantly point out the aws when magnied to 100 percent or when viewed on a PCthe presence of noise (grain) in low-light areas, colour noise, blown out highlights, lack of details in shadows, incorrect brightness and contrast are some of the common issues. The same issues are worse when it comes to some of the entrylevel phones, which are equipped with mediocre cameras. We have noticed undesirable noise and erratic exposures in shots taken with such phones even in broad daylight. At times, such shortcomings ruin some of the best moments youve captured, and make you wish you had a digital camera.
o phone is perfect when it comes to clicking photos. Even the ones blessed with incredible
But what if we said its possible to make photos shot with any phone look like theyve been taken with a digital camera? And no, we're not going to use Photoshop or any sort of advanced photo editing software. We're going to use only IrfanView, which is one of the best freeware photo viewing and editing applications out there.
Before we move on with the tutorial, here are a few tips that will help you get crisp shots: Keep your hands as steady as you can to avoid blurry shots. If the camera under or over-exposes the frame, use the EV slider to increase or decrease exposure accordingly.
Copy the Topaz DeNoise plug-in file to IrfanView's Plugins folder.
110
05/2013
Jagdish Limbachiya
SMS us! Story code: HPF to 51818
WORKSHOP
HANDS ON
the zoom to 200 percent to get a clear view of the noise. Drag the frame to bring forth the portion of the image in which noise is most prominent. Now you can use the presets in the left panel for quick results or drag the sliders manually for more precision. Drag the "Overall Strength" slider a few units (0.03 to 0.05) at a time until the grain is barely visible. Dont overdo it or else you will lose details. If you see colour noise (in the form of purple, green and blue blobs), use the "Clean Color" slider. Again, use it sparingly, just to the point where all the colour noise is gone. If the details in the image appear at, you can use the sliders in the "Detail Recovery" section. Tinker with the "Add grain" slider
Load a photo and get started with Topaz DeNoise.
Clean the glass that protects the lens with a lint-free cloth. Dust particles and smudges on the glass could lead to blurred photos or aring around of bright objects.
Youre now ready to go!

STEP 1: Load a photo and re up Topaz DeNoise Load a photo in IrfanView. To make it easy, you can associate the common image le types (JPG, TIFF, BMP, PNG, GIF and PSD) to IrfanView. After loading the photo, go to "Image | Effects | Adobe 8BF lters" or use the shortcut "[Ctrl]+[K]" to access the same. To add Topaz DeNoise to the list, click on the "Add 8BF lters" button and specify the folder to which you copied the plug-in le. If you did everything correctly, you should now see Topaz DeNoise in the list. Double-click on the plug-in to run it; the lters UI will be presented to you in a new Window. Finally, time for some action! STEP 2: Reduce noise The goal is to reduce grain and colour noise as much as possible without losing too much detail. Use the zoom control in the top right corner and set
as it makes a big difference. Click the OK button after youre satised with the result. The plug-in will take a few seconds to process the image, which brings us back to IrfanView. STEP 3: Boost the colours and contrast Use the keyboard shortcut "[Shift]+[W]" to t the image to the Window for a complete view of the image. Go to "Image | Color corrections" or use the shortcut "[Ctrl]+[G]" to bring up the colour corrections dialogue box. Use the Contrast and Saturation sliders to add punch to your photo if it looks too drab; a slight boost should make it look more vibrant. If the photo is under-exposed, use the "Brightness" and "Gamma correction" sliders to correct the exposure. Click the OK button to apply the changes to the photo. STEP 4: Rotate, crop and resize Follow this step if you want to correct the angle, crop a portion of the frame
Getting ready
You need to download and install IrfanView (www.irfanview.com). Make sure you also download all the plug-ins for IrfanView. In addition to these, youll need a noise-reduction plug-in for grainy photos. Topaz DeNoise is one of the best noise-reduction plug-ins for Photoshop and can also be used with IrfanView (http://www.topazlabs.com/denoise/). Install Topaz DeNoise after installing IrfanView and its plug-in pack. After that's done, navigate to where Topaz DeNoise was installed and copy the plug-in le (tldenoise5ps.8bf) from the "Plugins" folder to the folder "PluginsAdobe 8BF" in IrfanViews installation directory.
2a
2b
Before: Plenty of grains and colour noise.
After: It's all gone, magically!
05/2013
111
WORKSHOP
HANDS ON
3a
4a
Tinker with contrast and saturation to add some punch to your photo.
or rescale your image to a lower resolution. Else, continue to the next step. If your frame is tilted, go to "Image | Custom/ne rotation" and specify the rotation angle. The preview should help determine the optimal angle for correction. Negative values will rotate the frame anti-clockwise and positive values clockwise. Decimal values can be used for small adjustments. Use Crop to eliminate any redundant areas after rotation or to extract a portion of the frame. Click and drag to select the area you wish to crop, and then use the shortcut "[Ctrl]+[Y]", or go to "Edit | Crop selection" to crop out the selection. You may want to rescale the photo to a lower resolution to reduce the le size or share the photo via email. To do so, go to "Image | Resize/resample" or use the shortcut "[Ctrl]+[R]" to bring up the dialogue box. Set the new size (in pixels or percentage) and click OK to apply the changes. STEP 5: Sharpen the nal photo and save Sharpening the image will bring out details and make the image look more crisp. Use the shortcut "[Shift]+[S]" (once or twice) and youll see a slight difference in how crisp your photograph looks. After youre done, press "S" to save the image. Choose the image format; you may want to use the quality slider to set the compression level and quality settings for le types such as JPG, PNG and GIF.
Resize the image to reduce the file size. Crop what you need and get rid of the rest.
4b
Final result
The above procedure also applies to grainy and drab-looking results from digital cameras. Be patient, take your time tinkering with various parameters and youll be surprised with the results. - anand.tuliani@chip.in
Specify the file type and compression parameters.
112
05/2013
TIPS & TRICKS
HANDS ON
Tips & Tricks

MAY 2013
SHARE YOUR TIPS. Write to: tnt@chip.in
Sachin Pandit
WINDOWS
Windows Vista/7/8/
View WiFi network password
using the command Options | Additional Options | Hex-value | 10 [DEC]. In the list, the column Hex value shows the raw data, while the Current value eld shows the data normalised in relation to a Limit value. In case of drives, Reallocated sectors occasionally emerge. This may indicate user interface problems and even imminent breakdowns. Even if the drive itself evaluates the value as good (higher than limit value), you should carefully observe any developments. You can set the tool to run at start-up and even send you notications via e-mail. A detailed evaluation of individual SMART values is difficult, but is not required in most cases. If you want to explore this topic further, a look at Wikipedia may prove to be useful: http://bit.ly/ZMbOCD.
The Windows Control Panel displays the current status of all drives in the Disk Management utility
prevent it, you should regularly check

You can read the WiFi passwords directly from Windows
the status of your drives by perusing the internal SMART values. Look for the entry Error-free in the Control Panel under System and Security | Management | Computer management | Disk management. This entry denotes that there is nothing wrong with your system. However, you can perform a more accurate test using the application CrystalDiskInfo. It automatically analyses all the accessible drives and represents them according to their status and current temperature. Besides some information about the interface and the serial number, you will nd data about the drives' operating hours and startup operations. In case of SSD drives, the Host write processes eld will be listed in terabytes and should be noted. The other area shows the SMART parameters read from the hardware. You can choose to view the results in decimal values by
Viewing the password for the WiFi network your computer's connected to is pretty simple. Right-click on the network symbol in the taskbar, open Open Network and Sharing Center and click the link Manage Wireless networks. In the next dialogue, right-click on the relevant wireless network and select the context command Properties. Switch to the Security tab and then activate the option Show characters. The Security key eld will show the WiFi network's password.
Windows 7/8
Set a slideshow as the desktop background
A slideshow of preset image
folders can be set as the desktop background by using the option "Change all images". The images are changed with a short crossfade by default. The time interval for replacing the individual images can be congured in the Registry. For this, type "regedit" in the Start menu, press the Enter key and click "Yes" on the User Account Control dialogue box. Once the Registry Editor opens, navigate to the key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Windows XP/Vista/7/8
View the status of drives and SSDs in detail
Data loss due to defective hard
drives is very exasperating. In order to
114
05/2013
SMS us! Story code: HTT to 51818
TIPS & TRICKS
HANDS ON
be automatically re-created without errors by Windows. You need to open a command line with administrative rights to access the system folder. To do this, type in "cmd" in the Start menu, click on the result "cmd.exe" with the right mouse button, and then select "Run as administrator". Conrm the User Account Control dialogue box. Now using the command line, change to the parent folder of the concerned drive. In XP, the hidden folder is called "Recycler", and from Vista onwards "$RECYCLE.BIN". To make Windows show this folder, use the command "dir /a". If your system has multiple Windows installations, you might nd both kinds of Recycle bin folders, but you must delete the one which belongs to the OS with the problem. For this, use a similar command: "rd /s /q $RECYCLE.BIN". Pay attention to the exact capitalisation in case of the folder names, because the system will otherwise not nd the folder. If the access is denied, it is possible that you do not have administrative access. On the system drive, the Recycle bin is blocked by Windows and you must start the system in Secure Mode to be able to perform the described steps. Delete the relevant folders from all the relevant drives. Windows will re-create the Recycle bin folders when the system starts next and you can use it again.
Adjust the image transitions' crossfade time through the Registry editor
Windows search also indicates visited URLs and suggests them in Internet explorer. Turn it off
Control Panel\Personalization\ Desktop Slideshow". Now click in the right side panel and generate the new entry "AnimationDuration" with the command "Edit | New | DWORDvalue". Now open the new value with a double-click for editing. Change the base to "Decimal" and enter the desired duration in milliseconds. For example, a value of "0" will result in an immediate change without any animations and a value of "5000" will result in a smooth cross-fade animation. Conrm your changes with "OK" and close the registry editor. The changes will be effective immediately.
as an extra. Those who do not want their browsing history to be suggested can do away with this integration. For this, open "Extras | Internet options" in Internet Explorer or click on the Settings symbol and then on "Internet options". Now click on the "Contents" tabs and then on the "Settings" button under "Auto-complete". Deactivate the option "Windows search for better search results" as well asif available"Suggest URLs". Further, you can choose to delete the auto-complete history and carry out adjustments in the following dialogue.
Windows 7/8
Configure auto-complete in Internet Explorer
When you type in the address bar
Windows XP/Vista/7
Repair problematic Recycle bin
It is possible for the Recycle bin
to malfunction all of a sudden due to system problems and thus become useless. The windows error notication with the option to empty the Recycle bin does not help any more. What's more, each delete process is accompanied by an error. To solve this problem, manually delete the hidden system folder; it will of Internet Explorer, some websites that you visited earlier are suggested. This behaviour remains in effect even when you have deleted the browsing history. This phenomenon results from the rather close connection Internet Explorer has with Windows search. Here, visited web pages are also suggested and options from the index are suggested when similar URLs are being typed in. This functional expansion exists in Internet Explorer 8 and even in Windows XP, despite Windows search being installed
Use the command prompt with administrative rights to rectify the Recycle bin error
Windows XP/Vista/7/8
Browse through the Windows Store without the app
Until now, the only way to access
the contents of the Windows Store was
by means of an app in Windows 8. If you want an overview of the Store's 45,000 apps, but don't have Windows 8 installed, you don't really need to install Windows 8. You can now manage to do so free of cost with the help of the
TIPS & TRICKS
HANDS ON
and reply to them from here. Apart from this, you can even download the Facebook Poke app from the App Store. However, its usage is restricted only to friends who use an iOS device.
can then check what data the apps have access to.
Flickr
Transfer photos from Instagram to Flickr
8
Use MetroStore Scanner to look through apps on the Windows Store
Facebook
Manage rights for apps
9 8
website MetroStore Scanner. Open the webpage www.metrostore. preweb.sk. The search function with the eld "Filter" lets you search for specic apps. Using the menu lter, the view can be restricted to the apps available in India under "Country" and with the setting "en-in". The lter "Type" enables you to select from categories like Finance, Games or Social. While its true that apps on Facebook require access to your data to function, they need to access only a certain amount of data and not all of it. More often than not, we dont really bother to check what permissions the app is seeking and simply grant it whatever rights it asks for. There have been several instances in the past of apps misusing the users data. Fortunately, Facebook gives you an option to review the permissions you grant an app, see whether it is necessary and if not, revoke them. To revoke permissions, click on the App Centre link on the left hand side of your
Facebooks popular Poke feature will function better on the iPhone when using the app You can manage the access rights that you have granted to apps through the App Store With Flickstagram you can easily transfer your pictures from Instagram to Flickr
For those who use Instagram to shoot pictures with their smartphone and then upload it to Flickr, there is now an easy way out. Instead of manually downloading and uploading your photos, you can use Flickstagram, a service that syncs your Instagram and Flickr accounts. Go to Flickstagram, and log-in with your Instagram account and then click on Authorise. Next, the site will ask you to log-in to your Flickr account and click on Authorise. Then select the desired privacy settings, which will be then applied to the pictures you upload. After you have done that, you can begin the transfer by clicking on Go. The time taken will depend on the quantity of data. After the process is complete, your Flickr page will have your pictures in a new album called Instagram Pictures. The best part of the service is that it also transfers all the additional information like the title, tags, comments and geo-information. The original data in Instagram will remain unchanged.
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Facebook
Poke friends from your iPhone
Facebook home screen. On clicking it, you will be directed to the App Store. On the left hand side of the new page you will nd the Your Apps list with all the apps you are using. Underneath every app you will nd the option Visit Website and Settings. Click on Settings, and you will see an option: This app needs. This will basically tell you the data that the app needs to access to function. There is another optionThis app can alsowhich is basically all your data that the app has access to, which it may not require. You can deny access to individual requests by clicking on the cross next to it. On the Facebook apps for Android or iOS, the same information can be accessed by double-tapping on the menu to the left and then going to Privacy Settings. Here you will nd the Apps option; you
Facebook Poke is a popular way to quickly say "Hello!" to a friend on Facebook. While the feature is easy to use on the full-edged website, the same is not the case when it comes to using it on a smartphone. You can Poke only the friends whom you are connected with. To 'Poke' a friend, click on the symbol on the top left corner and type the friend's name in the search eld. Tap on their name to go on their prole page. Now click on the More Options icon on the top right corner. Here, you'll nd the Poke option along with additional options like Call, Text and SMS. You can view the received Pokes in the notication on the left hand corner
10
Twitter
Share your exact location information with Tweets
Your actual geographical position
can be directly transmitted with every tweet. To do so, log into your Twitter account, click on the cog wheel symbol and select Settings. Here, activate the option Add a location to my Tweets and conrm by clicking on Save changes. Do keep in mind that when using your home
116
05/2013
TIPS & TRICKS
HANDS ON
10
11
extent, but just for you and not for those trying to reach you. But iOS 6's Do not disturb function gives you a way out. It helps you to determine whom you want to be accessible to; you'll nd it in the "Settings" menu. An icon stating the function is active will now be displayed in the status bar with a moon symbol. However, its conguration menu is somewhat hidden. Go to "Messages | Do not disturb" and activate the button "Scheduled" and tap on the displayed time domain. In the following dialogue, you can dene the hours of the day you want this mode to go into effect. The setting "Allow calls from" might be more meaningful with the selection "Favourites". You will only receive calls from those whom you have classied as "Favourites" in your contacts when the DnD mode is active.
Twitter gives you an option to share your exact location information in your tweets
Depending on your phone's UI and launcher, you can arrange apps in quite a few ways
computer, the location is determined based on the IP, so the information could be rather vague. However, if you are tweeting via your smartphone, then the location is determined by the mobile GPS and is accurate. You can also see your exact location on Google Maps.
to thoroughly personalise the layout by dragging the app icons to their desired positions. Other symbols are re-ordered automatically as you do this. These features arent prevalent across Android UIs or launchers and each could have its own options to customise and sequence your apps.
MOBILE
11
Android
Arrange apps as you wish
Android often shows installed
12
iPhone
Remain undisturbed, yet always accessible
13
12
Android
Clean the installed apps list
Apps tend to accumulate
over a period of time, but Google recognises them and continues to show them in the section "Other apps" in the Play Store. That makes complete sense for paid apps which you have bought, but it might be unnecessary for a lot of free apps. To clean the list, open Google Play on your device, and on the top right, tap on the Settings option and select My
apps in the alphabetical order in the app drawer. This makes searching through apps easier, but is not necessarily practical for everyone. A personal, individually adjusted sorting sequence is more sensible. Once you're in the app drawer, tap on the right or left (depending the model) upper part above the icons and select Customisable grid in the menu. You can change it back to Alphabetical if you wish. The version Most used brings your favorite apps to the front, but is less recommended since the sorting changes dynamically and can complicate access. Some launchers give you an option to create folders and categorise your apps as you see t. Others have options that can be accessed using the Menu option from the Android action bar i.e. the symbol with three parallel lines. Here, youll able Even if it is practical to always be available, it can be irritating to be constantly notied of new emails, messages or status updates. Of course, you can switch off your phone or set it to ight mode, but that would render you completely inaccessible. Even switching to silent mode or with only vibration active does solve the problem to an
Purposefully restrict access to your smartphone and remain accessible only to specific people
apps. In the view, select All. Apps that are not installed any more can then be removed. You can select an app that is still installed by touching the icon and selecting the Uninstall option on the following page. The app will then be marked in the list to the right with a crossed circle. Several apps can be marked simultaneously by tapping and holding any one initially. Then simply tap on the delete symbol on the top right and conrm the question for removal.
TIPS & TRICKS
HANDS ON
PHOTOGRAPHY
monochrome. Many landscape shots are mostly green (depending on the scenery). After converting your image into monochrome via the Channel Mixer and boosting the contrast in Photoshop, an important step is vignetting. To do
effective only up to a few metres away but it overexposes nearby objects and leaves farther objects underexposed. Thus it is best to disable the ash and use high ISO values. This induces noise but ensures that maximum light is captured. Set the lens at the widest angle so that you dont lose light due to zoom. If supported by your camera, set the focus to innity. Alternatively, you can use a larger aperture or lower the shutter speed. Be warned though: larger apertures will shrink the focus area and result in shallower depth of eld (background blur). If the scene has no moving subjects/objects, using slow shutter speed makes sense. However,
14
Photography technique
Use image stabilisation to avoid blurring
14
this, create a new layer, ll it with white and apply heavy vignetting using Filter | Lens correction. Merge both layers using the Multiply mode. You can adjust the intensity of the vignette with the help of the opacity slider.
16
Opt for a digital camera with IS or an OIS lens to counter shaky hands
Memory cards
Use SDXC cards even in Windows XP
16
you should use a tripod for this or place the camera on a at surface so that it doesnt move. Use the self-timer to avoid shake during shutter release.
Irrespective of how steadily you hold your camera, with long shutter speeds, your photos will never be 100 percent sharp and will instead look blurred. The image stabiliser is one remedy to this problem. However, it is important to know how the image stabilisation mechanism functions to be able to counter shaky hands. Digital image stabilisation uses the image processor to reduce blur. Optical image stabilisation is more effective, thereby allowing you to get steady shots at shutter speeds as low as 1/10 sec. While purchasing a digital camera or a telephoto lens, you should give preference to models armed with optical image stabilization. SDXC cards run on the ExFAT le system that was developed by Microsoft for Flash drives. Windows 7 supports ExFAT by default and Windows Vista added support with Service Pack 1. If youre a Windows XP user, you must run a patch that can be downloaded for free from support.microsoft.com/kb/955704.
Install the exFAT file system driver update package to be able to read SDXC cards in Windows XP
18
Archiving
Identify your photos using Google Images search
18
Use Google's reverse image search to find more information about photos
15
Convert photos to black and white

Frame nature more attractively in black and white
17
Photography technique
Get better shots in poor lighting conditions
Have you ever photographed a landscape or a tourist attraction but couldnt recall the location? Use Google Images search and nd similar objects
15
17
and relevant information. This can be done in three ways: you can drag and drop the photo into the Google search bar, click on the camera icon in the search bar and then upload the image, or enter the URL of the photo by clicking on the camera icon. The results are different from the usual image search. Apart from images, related websites are also displayed. Using computer-aided
Nature looks great and black and white too, doesnt it?
Boosting the ISO speed induces noise but ensures blur-free shots in low light environments
detection, textures, colours and much more are converted into mathematical models and compared with the known images. In addition, similar text descriptions are determined using related images. In this way, the service
Nature looks fabulous in colour, but most nature photographs appear more interesting and classy in
In very low-light environments, the built-in ash is often not of much use even in high-end cameras. The ash is
118
05/2013
TIPS & TRICKS
HANDS ON
then determines the topic. The hit list therefore consists of optically and/or textually-related links.
20
sunsets. Similarly, a circular polarising lter also comes in handy to cut down reections and helps in intensifying the blue colour of the sky. Additionally, some photographers prefer not to use the Auto ISO setting when using the manual mode. However, with Auto ISO or max ISO level enabled, the camera
19
Manual HDR
Use the bracketing function of the camera
19
Make sure you pack all that you need. Gear makes the difference between good and great shots.
automatically adapts to changing light conditions without needing to change the aperture or shutter speed. This is useful when shooting sports, since xed exposure parameters are essential for be an emergency. But in case of heavy telephoto lenses and macro lenses, it pays to consider whether you really need them. good results.
22
Shooting technique
Use a detachable flash strobe and reflector
Use the exposure bracketing function or HDR scene preset in your camera to capture HDR shots
21
Exposure
Use exposure compensation (EV) and filters for better results
22 21
Many compact digital cameras come with an auto-bracketing feature. When enabled, the camera shoots three frames in succession with different exposuresunder, optimal and over. These photos are then combined into a single HDR photo with optimal lighting in the entire frame. Some cameras such as the Sony NEX-5N and Canon PowerShot S100 have the HDR function built-in. If your camera doesnt feature HDR mode, you can use the bracketed shots to process the HDR shot manually. Adobe Photoshop or free tools such as easyHDR or Luminance HDR can be used for this.
Reflectors arent very expensive and often help illuminate the subject optimally
You can capture good photos of sunsets with a graduated ND filter
Bright sunshine seems perfect for portraits at rst glance, but you have to deal with shadows on the peoples' faces. A ash is ideal for reducing the contrast and lling in the shadows. You can use the built-in ash, but in very strong light and large distances, a detachable ash unit works best. One of the simplest solutions is to use a reector. Usually, the reector is positioned in front of the subject. In case of diffused light, you can enhance the effect of the reector by using a silver reector instead of a white one.
Compiled by Team CHIP Send your tips to tnt@chip.in
In most cases, the light metering system of a DSLR camera functions reliably and optimally exposes the photos. However, there are situations in which it makes sense to use exposure compensation. The rule of thumb is to step down the exposure compensation (EV) in case of very bright scenes and step it up in case of low-light environments. Filters such as polarising or neutral density lters often prove useful. A graduated lter can be very helpful in high contrast scenes such as
20
Preparation
Pack only the essentials for outdoor shoots
Some people habitually lug
everything they have when they go for a trip, even though they dont need most of the stuff in their bags. Therefore, check the contents of your bag the next time before you head out. Carry at least one extra lens and a ash strobe should there
MARKET WATCH
MARKET WATCH
PROCESSORS: Intel
NAME Intel Pentium G645 Intel Pentium G630 Intel Pentium Dual-Core E5700 Intel Core i3-2120 Intel Core i3-3210 Intel Core i3-3220 Intel Core i5-3330 Intel Core i5-3450 Intel Core i5-3470 Intel Core i5-3550 Intel Core i5-3570K Intel Core i7-3770 Intel Core i7-3820 PRICE (RS) 3,450 3,500 4,450 6,950 6,950 7,250 11,050 11,350 11,750 12,600 14,900 18,500 19,700 CPU SOCKET LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 775 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 2011 CORES 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 THREADS 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 8 FREQUENCY 2.90 GHz 2.70 GHz 3.00 GHz 3.30 GHz 3.20 GHz 3.30 GHz 3.00 GHz 3.10 GHz 3.20 GHz 3.30 GHz 3.40 GHz 3.40 GHz 3.60 GHz MFG PROCESS 32 nm 32 nm 32 nm 32 nm 22 nm 22 nm 22 nm 22 nm 22 nm 22 nm 22 nm 22 nm 32 nm TDP 65 W 65 W 65 W 65 W 55 W 55 W 77 W 77 W 77 W 77 W 77 W 77 W 130 W
MOTHERBOARDS: AMD
NAME Jetway N68M Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2 Asus M5A78L-M LX V2 Digilite DL-960GM-GS3 Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2PT Asus M5A78L-M LE Asrock A55M-HVS Jetway TA55M-L Gigabyte GA-A55M-DS2 Digilite DL-A55M Digilite DL-A88GMV Asus F1A55-M LE Jetway TA98MG Digilte DL-A75M Asus M5A97 Asrock 970 Extreme 3 Asus M5A88-M Asus F1A55-M LX Plus Asus F1A55-V Jetway HA-18 Asus M5A88-V Evo Asus F1A75-M Pro Asrock 990 FX Extreme 4 Asus M5A99FX Pro Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 Asrock Fatal1ty 990FX Pro Asus Sabertooth 990FX Asus Crosshair V Formula PRICE (RS) 2,369 2,600 2,690 2,704 2,820 3,060 3,100 3,250 3,296 3,322 3,751 4,050 4,500 4,816 6,195 6,510 6,520 6,600 7,345 7,777 8,000 8,450 10,400 11,145 11,870 14,000 14,500 16,500 CPU SOCKET AM3 AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ FM1 FM1 FM1 FM1 AM3 FM1 AM3+ FM1 AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ FM1 FM1 AM3+ AM3+ FM1 AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ CHIPSET Nvidia GeForce 7025 AMD 760G + SB710 AMD 760G + SB710 AMD 760G + SB710 AMD 760G + SB710 AMD 760G + SB710 AMD A55 AMD A55 AMD A55 AMD A55 AMD 880G + SB710 AMD A55 AMD 880G + SB710 AMD A75 AMD 970 + SB950 AMD 970 + SB950 AMD 880G + SB710 AMD A55 AMD A55 AMD 990X + SB950 AMD 880G + SB850 AMD A75 AMD 990FX + SB950 AMD 990FX + SB950 AMD 990FX + SB950 AMD 990FX + SB950 AMD 990FX + SB950 AMD 990FX + SB950 MEMORY SUPPORT DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 D-SUB | DVI | HDMI
|| || || || || || || || || || || || || ||
NA NA
|| || ||
NA
|| ||
NA NA NA NA NA NA
PCIE X16 | PCI | SATA | USB 1|1|4|8 1|1|6|8 1 | 1 | 6 | 10 1|2|4|8 1|1|6|8 1 | 2 | 6 | 12 1 | 1 | 6 | 12 1|1|4|8 1|1|4|8 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 1 | 2 | 5 | 12 2 | 1 | 6 | 12 1|1|4|8 1 | 2 | 6 | 14 2 | 2 | 6 | 14 2 | 2 | 5 | 12 1 | 1 | 6 | 14 2 | 1 | 6 | 12 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 2 | 1 | 6 | 14 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 2 | 1 | 6 | 16 3 | 2 | 8 | 14 3 | 1 | 8 | 18 4 | 1 | 6 | 18 3 | 2 | 6 | 16 3 | 1 | 8 | 18 3 | 1 | 7 | 18
NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 20 April 2013.
120
05/2013
CHIP brings you a roundup of all the latest and greatest products on the market.
PROCESSORS: AMD
NAME AMD Sempron 145 AMD A4-3300 AMD Athlon II X2 270 AMD A6-3500 AMD Phenom II 560 AMD FX-4100 AMD FX-6100 AMD A10-5800K AMD FX-8120 AMD FX-8150 AMD FX-8350 PRICE (RS) 2,120 2,800 3,050 4,350 5,125 6,150 7,500 8,300 9,650 11,750 12,890 CPU SOCKET AM3 FM1 AM3 FM1 AM3 AM3+ AM3+ Socket FM2 AM3+ AM3+ AM3+ NO. OF CORES 1 2 2 3 2 4 6 4 8 8 8 FREQUENCY 2.8 GHz 2.5 GHz 3.4 GHz 2.1 GHz 3.3 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.3 GHz 3.8 GHz 3.1 GHz 3.6 GHz 4.0 GHz MFG PROCESS 45 nm 32 nm 45 nm 32 nm 45 nm 32 nm 32 nm 32 nm 32 nm 32 nm 32 nm TDP 45 W 65 W 65 W 65 W 80 W 95 W 95 W 100 W 125 W 125 W 125 W
MOTHERBOARDS: Intel
NAME Digilite DL-H61M-PS3 Jetway MIH61M-D Digilite DL-H61-MXEL Biostar H61MHB Intel DH61WW ASRock B75M Digilite DL-B75M Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H Asus P8B75-M Gigabyte GA-H77-D3H Asus P8H77-M LE Gigabyte GA-P75-D3 ASRock H77 Pro4 Asus P8B75-V Asus P8H77-M Intel DH77EB ASRock Z77 Pro 4 Gigabyte GA-Z77M-D3H Asus P8H77-M Pro Asus P8H77-V ASRock Z77 Extreme 4 Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD3H Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 PRICE (RS) 3,050 3,150 3,350 3,650 3,900 4,350 4,500 4,650 5,550 6,350 6,460 6,490 6,575 6,590 6,870 7,350 8,600 8,650 9,830 10,000 10,400 12,970 17,200 CPU SOCKET LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 LGA 1155 Socket 2011 CHIPSET Intel H61 Intel H61 Intel H61 Intel H61 Intel H61 Intel B75 Intel B75 Intel B75 Intel B75 Intel Z77 Intel H77 Intel B75 Intel H77 Intel B75 Intel H77 Intel Z77 Intel Z77 Intel Z77 Intel H77 Intel H77 Intel Z77 Intel Z77 Intel X79 MEMORY SUPPORT DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 D-SUB | DVI | HDMI
|| || || || || || || || || || ||
NA
|| || || || || || || || || ||
NA
PCIE X16 | PCI | SATA | USB 1|1|4|8 1|0|4|8 1 | 2 | 4 | 10 1|2|4|8 1|1|4|6 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 1 | 2 | 6 | 12 2 | 2 | 6 | 14 1 | 1 | 6 | 14 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 1 | 0 | 8 |10 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 2 | 1 | 6 | 14 1 | 0 | 5 | 14 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 2 | 1 | 4 | 14 2 | 0 | 7 | 14 2 | 3 | 6 | 14 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 3 | 1 | 6 | 14 4 | 1 | 10 | 18
05/2013
121
MARKET WATCH
MARKET WATCH
GRAPHICS CARDS: AMD
NAME HIS HD6450 H645F1G Sapphire HD 6450 XFX HD-645X-ZNH3 Asus EAH6570/DI/1GD3(LP) Sapphire HD 6570 HIS HD6570 H657HS2G HIS HD6670 H667FS1G Sapphire HD 6670 XFX HD-657X-CNF3 XFX HD-657X-ZQFC Asus EAH6670/DIS/1GD5 Asus HD7750-1GD5-V2 Sapphire HD 7750 HIS HD6770 H677FN1GD HIS HD7750 H775F1GD HIS HD7770 iCooler H777F1G2M Asus HD7770-DC-1GD5-V2 Sapphire HD 7770 HIS HD6870 ICEQ H687QN1G2M Sapphire HD7850 XFX HD-687A-ZNFC HIS HD7850 ICEQX H785QN2G2M Asus HD7850-DC2-2GD5 HIS HD7870 ICEQ H787Q2G2M Sapphire HD 7870 Edition Asus HD7950-DC2T-3GD5 Sapphire HD 7950 HIS HD7950 H795F3G2M Sapphire HD 7970 PRICE RADEON GPU (RS) 2,600 2,650 2,960 3,950 4,300 4,450 4,950 5,100 5,400 5,500 5,800 7,150 7,450 7,500 7,570 9,300 9,550 9,700 12,500 13,450 14,800 16,300 16,500 17,150 19,900 24,250 26,300 26,471 33,900 HD 6450 HD 6450 HD 6450 HD 6570 HD 6570 HD 6570 HD 6670 HD 6670 HD 6570 HD 6570 HD 6670 HD 7750 HD 7750 HD 6770 HD 7750 HD 7770 HD 7770 HD 7770 HD 6870 HD 7850 HD 6870 HD 7850 HD 7850 HD 7870 HD 7870 HD 7950 HD 7970 HD 7950 HD 7970 DIRECT X 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 MEMORY TYPE DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 GDDR5 DDR3 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 GDDR5 MEMORY | BUD WIDTH 1 GB | 64-bit 1 GB | 64-bit 1 GB | 64-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 2 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 2 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 256-bit 2 GB | 256-bit 1 GB | 256-bit 2 GB | 256-bit 2 GB | 256-bit 2 GB | 256-bit 2 GB | 256-bit 3 GB | 384-bit 3 GB | 384-bit 3072 MB | 384-bit 3072 MB | 384-bit SHADERS 160 160 160 480 480 480 480 480 480 480 480 512 512 800 512 640 640 640 1120 1024 1120 1024 1024 1280 1280 1792 1792 1792 2048 CORE | MEMORY SPEED 625 MHz | 1000 MHz 625 MHz | 1334 MHz 625 MHz | 800 MHz 650 MHz | 1800 MHz 650 MHz | 1600 MHz 650 MHz | 1000 MHz 800 MHz | 1600 MHz 800 MHz | 4000 MHz 650 MHz | 1000 MHz 650 MHz | 4000 MHz 810 MHz | 400 MHz 820 MHz | 4600 MHz 850 MHz | 4000 MHz 850 MHz | 4800 MHz 800 MHz | 4500 MHz 1000 MHz | 4500 MHz 1020 MHz | 4600 MHz 1000 MHz | 1000 MHz 900 MHz | 4200 MHz 860 MHz | 4800 MHz 900 MHz | 4200 MHz 860 MHz | 1200 MHz 870 MHz | 4840 MHz 1000 MHz | 4800 MHz 1000 MHz | 4800 MHz 900 MHz | 5000 MHz 810 MHz | 5000 MHz 800 MHz | 5000 MHz 925 MHz | 5500 MHz
EXTERNAL DRIVE
NAME Hitachi Touro Mobile Transcend StoreJet 25M3 Toshiba Canvio V6 Buffalo MiniStation Silicon Power Diamond D03 Western Digital My Passport Seagate Backup Plus Adata DashDrive HD710
PRICE(RS) 3,450 3,630 3,910 4,790 5,030 5,080 5,180 5,320
CAPACITY 500GB 500GB 500GB 1TB 1TB 1TB 1TB 1TB
INTERFACE USB 3.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.0
FORM FACTOR 2.5-inch 2.5-inch 2.5-inch 2.5-inch 2.5-inch 2.5-inch 2.5-inch 2.5-inch
122
05/2013
GRAPHICS CARDS: Nvidia

NAME Asus 210-SL-TC1GD3-L Forsa GeForce GT520 Forsa GeForce GT610 Asus GT610-1GD3-L Asus GT620-1GD3-L Forsa GeForce GT430 Forsa GeForce GT620 Forsa GeForce GT630 Forsa GeForce GT440 Asus GT630-2GD3 Zotac GeForce GT 630 Synergy Forsa GeForce GT640 Zotac GeForce GTX 650 Zotac GeForce GTX 650 Ti Forsa GeForce GTX 560 Ti Forsa GeForce GTX670 Zotac GeForce GTX 670 Forsa GeForce GTX680 PRICE GEFORCE GPU 1,850 2,900 2,950 3,150 3,450 3,700 3,850 4,200 4,300 4,650 4,950 6,600 8,100 11,100 12,290 28,000 28,350 33,750 210 GT 520 GT 610 GT 610 GT 620 GT 430 GT 620 GT 630 GT440 GT 630 GT 630 GT 640 GTX 650 GTX 650 Ti GTX 560 Ti GTX 670 GTX 670 GTX 680 DIRECTX 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 MEMORY TYPE DDR3 DDR3 SDDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 SDDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 DDR3 GDDR5 GDDR5 DDR5 GDDR5 DDR5 GDDR5 MEMORY | BUS WIDTH 1 GB | 32-bit 2 GB | 64-bit 2 GB | 64-bit 1 GB | 64-bit 1 GB | 64-bit 2 GB | 128-bit 2 GB | 64-bit 2 GB | 128-bit 2 GB | 128-bit 2 GB | 128-bit 4 GB | 128-bit 2 GB | 192-bit 1 GB | 128-bit 1 GB | 256-bit 1 GB | 256-bit 2 GB | 256-bit 2 GB | 256-bit 2 GB | 256-bit SHADERS 480 48 48 48 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 384 384 768 336 1344 1344 1536 CORE | EFFECTIVE MEMORY SPEED 600 MHz | 1200 MHz 810 MHz | 1066 MHz 810 MHz | 1300 MHz 810 MHz | 1200 MHz 700 MHz | 1200 MHz 700 MHz | 1066 MHz 710 MHz | 1300 MHz 810 MHz | 1300 MHz 810 MHz | 1066 MHz 810 MHz | 1820 MHz 810 MHz | 1333 MHz 900 MHz | 1800 MHz 1071 MHz | 5000 MHz 941 MHz | 5400 MHz 822 MHz | 4000 MHz 900 MHz | 6008 MHz 915 MHz | 6008 MHz 1006 MHz | 6008 MHz
PROJECTORS
NAME Mitsubishi ES200U Viewsonic PJD5152 Sony VPL-EX100 Sharp PG-D2500 Acer P1101 LG BX275 Sony VPL-EX120 Viewsonic PJL3211 Mitsubishi EX320U Acer P1201 Viewsonic PJD6531W Sharp PG-D3010X LG BX286 Acer K330 Sony VPL-EX175 Sony VPL-SW125 Acer S5201 Acer P5206 Mitsubishi XD600U Mitsubishi WD570U
PRICE (RS) 25,622 30,720 31,415 38,754 39,269 39,849 41,715 45,192 45,372 45,643 51,578 53,586 55,492 59,548 61,285 63,345 69,977 75,770 79,259 83,585
TYPE DLP DLP LCD DLP DLP DLP LCD LCD DLP DLP DLP DLP DLP DLP LCD LCD DLP DLP DLP DLP
BRIGHTNESS 2400 Lumens 2600 Lumens 2300 Lumens 2500 Lumens 200 Lumens 2700 Lumens 2600 Lumens 2500 Lumens 3000 Lumens 2700 Lumens 3300 Lumens 3000 Lumens 2800 Lumens 500 Lumens 3600 Lumens 2600 Lumens 3000 Lumens 4000 Lumens 4500 Lumens 3500 Lumens
RESOLUTION 800 x 600 800 x 600 1024 x 768 1024 x 768 800 x 600 1024 x 768 1600 x 1200 1024 x 768 1024 x 768 1024 x 768 1280 x 800 1024 x 768 1024 x 768 1280 x 800 1024 x 768 1280 x 800 1024 x 768 1024 x 768 1024 x 768 1280 x 800
CONTRAST RATIO 2000:1 3000:1 2200:1 1100:1 4000:1 2200:1 2500:1 500:1 2000:1 3700:1 3200:1 2000:1 2100:1 4000:1 4000:1 3800:1 4500:1 4500:1 2000:1 3000:1
05/2013
123
MARKET WATCH
MARKET WATCH
LAPTOPS
NAME Fujitsu Lifebook LH531 Asus X54C-SX365D Toshiba Satellite C850-P5010 Acer E1-431 Samsung NP-RV513-A02IN Acer E1-531 Toshiba Satellite C665-P5211 LG ED530-L HP 2000 -2104TU Fujitsu Lifebook LH531 Acer V5-431 Samsung NP-RV509-A0CIN Toshiba Satellite L750-i5010 Samsung NP300E5Z-A0UIN Toshiba Satellite C850-i5010 Lenovo B570 59-307494 HP 2000 -2120TU LG E530-G Fujitsu Lifebook LH531 LG S530-G HP 1000-1130TU Samsung NP300E5Z-S0AIN HP Pavilion G6-1301TX Lenovo Z370 59-313716 Lenovo Z470 59-313567 LG PD420-K Toshiba Satellite L740-X4211 Acer V3-571G (Core i3) Acer V5-571G Lenovo Z370 59-314056 HP Pavilion G6-2101TU HP Pavilion G6-2134TX LG S530-K Asus K53SM-SX010D LG P420-N Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E430 3254-D7Q PRICE (Rs) 20,888 21,699 22,145 22,150 23,484 24,463 24,720 24,978 27,089 27,295 27,810 28,325 28,840 29,767 29,870 30,231 31,405 31,673 32,703 32,960 33,980 35,123 35,525 35,793 36,565 36,565 37,080 37,338 37,853 38,110 38,615 38,615 38,625 40,067 40,170 40,505 WEIGHT 2.20 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.30 Kg 2.40 Kg 2.45 Kg 2.45 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.66 Kg 2.45 Kg 2.20 Kg 2.40 Kg 2.45 Kg 2.45 Kg 2.30 Kg 2.30 Kg 2.45 Kg 2.45 Kg 2.66 Kg 2.20 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.45 Kg 2.30 Kg 2.30 Kg 2.44 Kg 2.30 Kg 1.99 Kg 2.10 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.10 Kg 2.10 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.60 Kg 1.99 Kg 2.30 Kg PROCESSOR Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Core i3 Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Core i3 Intel Pentium Dual Core Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 SPEED 2.20 GHz 2.20 GHz 2.10 GHz 2.20 GHz 1.65 GHz 2.20 GHz 2.00 GHz 2.10 GHz 2.10 GHz 2.30 GHz 1.50 GHz 2.53 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.20 GHz 2.40 GHz 2.10 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.10 GHz 2.40 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.20 GHz 2.20 GHz 2.20 GHz 2.40 GHz 2.30 GHz 1.60 GHz 2.40 GHz 2.40 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.10 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.40 GHz RAM 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 4 GB 2 GB 2 GB 4 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 4 GB 2 GB 2 GB 4 GB 2 GB 2 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 2 GB 2 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 2 GB 2 GB DISPLAY 14.0-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 14.1-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 14.0-inch 14.1-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 14.0-inch 15.6-inch 14.1-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 13.3-inch 14.0-inch 14-inch 14.0-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 13.3-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 14-inch 14.0-inch HDD 320 GB 500 GB 320 GB 320 GB 320 GB 320 GB 320 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 750 GB 500 GB 320 GB 750 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 750 GB 500 GB 500 GB 640 GB 750 GB 500 GB 500 GB OPTICAL DRIVE
DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVD-RW DVDRW DVD-RW DVDRW DVD+-RW DVDRW DVDRW DVD-RW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVD+-RW DVDRW DVD+-RW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVD+-RW DVDRW DVD-RW DVD-RW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVD+-RW DVDRW DVD+-RW DVDRW
OS DOS DOS DOS Linux DOS Win 7 HB Win 7 HB DOS Win 7 HB DOS Win 7 HB DOS DOS DOS DOS DOS DOS Win 7 HB DOS Win 7 HB Win 7 HB DOS Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB DOS Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB DOS Win 7 HP DOS
124
05/2013
LAPTOPS
NAME Fujitsu Lifebook SH531 Lenovo Z570 59-304308 HP Pavilion G4-2036TU HP Pavilion G6-2103TU Asus S56CA-XX030R Fujitsu Lifebook A531 Asus K55VM-SX120D Sony Vaio E14113 HP Pavilion G6-2106TX Sony Vaio T13113 HP Envy 6-1001TU HP Pavilion g6-2004tx Lenovo Z570 59-315960 HP Envy 4-1036TU Sony Vaio E14115 HP Pavilion G6-2016TX Asus S56CA-XX056R Lenovo Z570 59-321453 Samsung NP300V5A-S0CIN HP Envy 6-1003TX Lenovo Z570 59-321133 Sony Vaio S13112 (Black) Sony Vaio E14A15 Acer Aspire TimelineUltra M3-581TG HP Pavilion DM4-3010TX HP Envy 4-1025TX HP Envy 4-1037TX Sleekbook HP Envy 6-1002TX Sony Vaio E14117 HP Pavilion DM4-3022TX HP Pavilion M6-1002TX HP Envy 4-1002TX HP Envy 4-1046TX HP Envy Spectre XT 13-2001TU Sony Vaio S13118 PRICE (Rs) 41,355 41,612 41,705 41,705 42,745 43,183 43,250 43,560 43,765 44,528 44,795 44,795 45,320 45,825 46,464 46,855 48,410 48,410 49,995 50,975 52,530 53,242 54,210 54,333 54,580 55,610 55,610 55,610 57,115 58,185 58,700 60,760 60,760 66,425 74,542 WEIGHT 1.90 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.00 Kg 2.10 Kg 2.30 Kg 2.50 Kg 2.52 Kg 2.40 Kg 2.10 Kg 1.60 Kg 1.93 Kg 2.47 Kg 2.60 Kg 1.75 Kg 2.40 Kg 2.10 Kg 2.30 Kg 2.60 Kg 2.45 Kg 1.93 Kg 2.60 Kg 1.72 Kg 2.30 Kg 2.25 Kg 1.40 Kg 1.75 Kg 1.75 Kg 1.93 Kg 2.40 Kg 1.40 Kg 2.40 Kg 1.75 Kg 1.75 Kg 1.20 Kg 1.72 Kg PROCESSOR Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i7 Intel Core i3 Intel Core i7 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i7 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i5 Intel Core i7 SPEED 2.50 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.50 Ghz 2.50 Ghz 1.80 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.30 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.40 GHz 1.40 GHz 1.40 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.40 GHz 1.80 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.50 Ghz 2.60 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.20 GHz 1.40 GHz 2.20 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.50 GHz 1.60 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.60 GHz 2.60 GHz 2.60 GHz 2.90 GHz 2.50 GHz 2.50 Ghz 2.60 GHz 2.60 GHz 2.60 GHz 2.90 GHz RAM 4 GB 3 GB 4 GB 4 GB 8 GB 4 GB 8 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 8 GB 4 GB 6 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 6 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 6 GB 6 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB 4 GB DISPLAY 13.3-inch 15.6-inch 14.1-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 14.0-inch 15.6-inch 13.3-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 14.1-inch 14.0-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 15.6-inch 13.3-inch 14.0-inch 15.6-inch 14.1-inch 14.1-inch 14.1-inch 15.6-inch 14.0-inch 14.1-inch 15.6-inch 14.1-inch 14.1-inch 13.3-inch 13.3-inch HDD 500 GB 750 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 320 GB 750 TB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 750 GB 500 GB 640 GB 500 GB 750 GB 500 GB 1 TB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 640 GB 500 GB 640 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 500 GB 640 GB 750 GB 500 GB 500 GB 128 GB 750 GB OPTICAL DRIVE
DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW BD Combo DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW No No DVDRW DVDRW No DVDRW DVDRW BD Combo DVDRW DVDRW No DVDRW DVDRW DVDRW DVD-RW DVD-RW No No No DVDRW DVD-RW DVDRW No No No DVDRW
OS Win 7 Pro Win 7 HP Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 Pro DOS Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB DOS Win 7 HB Win 7 HP Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HP Win 7 HP Win 7 HB Win 7 HP Win 7 HB Win 7 HP Win 7 HP Win 7 HP Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 Pro Win 7 HP Win 7 HP Win 7 HB Win 7 HB Win 7 HP Win 7 Pro
05/2013
125
MARKET WATCH
MARKET WATCH
MONITORS
PRODUCT TITLE Acer P166HQL ViewSonic VA1601W Benq GL950A ViewSonic VA1931WMA Acer S191HQL Benq GL2055A Samsung S20B300B AOC e2043Fsk AOC i2251Fwe Dell ST2220M BenQ GL2250HM LG E2242C Philips 227E3LPHSU AOC e2243Fw2k BenQ GL2450HM AOC i2353Ph AOC e2352Phz Samsung S23A700D BenQ EW2430V Asus PA238Q AOC e2795Vh Benq GW2750HM ViewSonic VX2753MH Asus VK278Q LED PRICE(RS) 4,172 4,326 5,511 5,511 5,614 6,250 6,541 6,901 8,755 8,755 9,064 9,785 10,043 10,661 12,618 13,905 15,965 17,499 18,540 19,550 19,570 20,085 23,695 27,400 SCREEN SIZE 15.6-inch 16-inch 18.5-inch 18.5-inch 18.5-inch 20-inch 20-inch 20-inch 21.5-inch 21.5-inch 21.5-inch 21.5-inch 21.5-inch 22-inch 24-inch 23-inch 23-inch 23-inch 24-inch 23-inch 27-inch 27-inch 27-inch 27-inch NATIVE RESOLUTION 1366 x 768 1366 x 768 1366 x 768 1366 x 768 1366 x 768 1600 x 900 1600 x 900 1600 x 900 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080 RESPONSE TIME 8 ms 8 ms 5 ms 5 ms 5 ms 5 ms 5 ms 5 ms 14 ms 5 ms 5 ms 5 ms 5 ms 2 ms 5 ms 5 ms 5 ms 2 ms 8 ms 6 ms 2 ms 12 ms 1 ms 2 ms D-SUB

DVI

HDMI

CABINETS
NAME iBall i8190 iBall i2601 Circle CC 512 Zebronics Adorn Cooler Master Elite 310 Cooler Master Elite 343 iBall Stunner Circle CC 623 Circle CC Stick Cooler Master Elite 311 Zebronics Aquarium Zebronics Bijli Computer Case iBall Work Horse NZXT Gamma Circle CC Polar Cabinet Zebronics Fantasy Thermaltake Matrix Series Lian Li Lancool Dragon Lord PC-K56W PRICE (Rs) 1,700 1,751 1,829 1,906 1,967 2,034 2,060 2,086 2,163 2,194 2,215 2,344 2,421 2,498 3,039 3,090 3,168 3,322 NAME Lian Li Lancool Dragon Lord PC-K58 Thermaltake Wing RS 301 Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus Cooler Master Elite 310 with 400W Antec Three Hundred NZXT Lexa S Cooler Master Elite 330U with 400W NZXT Phantom 410 Thermaltake M9D Series VI4000BWS Cooler Master Storm Enforcer Thermaltake Xaser VI MX Series Cooler Master Silencio 550 Thermaltake Armor+MX VH8000BWS Zebronics Invader Cooler Master HAF 922 Zebronics Zeb-Xclio A380 Cooler Master Storm Trooper Cooler Master HAF 932 Red PRICE (Rs) 3,502 3,657 3,760 4,015 4,017 4,223 4,383 6,000 6,464 6,973 7,133 7,339 7,545 7,666 8,318 9,064 12,206 13,575
USB FLASH DRIVE

NAME SanDisk Cruzer Blade SanDisk Cruzer Pop Kingston DataTraveler 101 G2 Transcend JetFlash V85 Transcend JetFlash 500 SanDisk Cruzer Facet Adata AS007 Transcend JetFlash V85 SanDisk Cruzer Blade Moser Baer Swivel Kingston DataTraveler 111 Transcend JetFlash 500 Verbatim Store n Go V3 Transcend JetFlash 700 Kingston DataTraveler 111 Kingston DTIG3 Corsair Flash Voyager Slider Corsair Flash Voyager GT PRICE (Rs) 210 220 225 310 315 330 425 465 530 540 550 610 785 850 1,010 1,225 1,660 2,150 CAPACITY 4GB 4GB 4GB 4GB 8GB 8GB 8GB 8GB 16GB 16GB 8GB 16GB 16GB 16GB 16GB 32GB 16GB 16GB
126
05/2013
DIGITAL CAMERAS
PRODUCT TITLE
Canon PowerShot A1200 Olympus VG-150 Sony Cybershot DSC S5000 Nikon Coolpix L26 Fujifilm FinePix JX500 Canon PowerShot A2300 Nikon Coolpix S2600 Sony Cybershot DSC-W610 Nikon Coolpix S3300 Olympus VG-170 Canon PowerShot SX150 IS Samsung ST66 Sony Cybershot DSC-W630 Nikon Coolpix S6300 Fujifilm FinePix T350 Canon PowerShot A4000 IS Nikon Coolpix S100 Nikon Coolpix S8200 Nikon Coolpix L810 Fujifilm FinePix S4500 Olympus SZ-14 Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Fujifilm FinePix F660EXR Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ25 Canon IXUS 240 HS Samsung WB700 Nikon Coolpix S9300 Fujifilm FinePix SL300 Sony Cybershot DSC-HX10V Fujifilm FinePix HS25EXR Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30 Sony Cybershot DSC-HX20V Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47 Canon Powershot S95 Nikon Coolpix P510 Olympus XZ-1 Olympus SZ-31MR Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 Canon Powershot G12 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200
PRICE(RS)
3,875 4,131 4,788 5,014 5,073 5,110 5,474 6,268 6,394 7,351 7,450 7,690 7,736 9,154 9,270 10,225 11,914 12,374 12,834 13,468 13,791 13,950 14,420 14,871 14,875 15,490 15,594 15,605 16,559 18,540 18,591 19,451 19,521 20,455 22,034 22,995 23,911 24,300 29,755 32,541
RESOLUTION OPTICAL ZOOM

12.1 MP 12 MP 14.1 MP 16.1 MP 14 MP 16 MP 14.0 MP 14.1 MP 16 MP 14.0 MP 14.1 MP 16.1 MP 16.1 MP 16 MP 14 MP 16 MP 16 MP 16.1 MP 16.1 MP 14 MP 14 MP 12.1 MP 16.0 MP 12.1 MP 16.1 MP 14.2 MP 16.0 MP 14.0 MP 18.2 MP 16.0 MP 14.1 MP 18.2 MP 12.1 MP 10 MP 16.1 MP 10 MP 16 MP 12.1 MP 10 MP 12.1 MP 4x 4x 5x 5x 5x 5x 5x 4x 6x 5x 12x 5x 5x 10x 10x 8x 5x 14x 26x 30x 24x 20x 15x 16x 5x 18x 18x 24x 16x 30x 20x 20x 24x 3.8x 42x 4x 24x 24x 5x 24x
WIDE ANGLE
28 mm 27 mm 28 mm 26 mm 26 mm 28 mm 23 mm 26 mm 26 mm 26 mm 28 mm 25 mm 28 mm 25 mm 28 mm 28 mm 28 mm 25 mm 22.5 mm 24 mm 25 mm 25 mm 24 mm 28 mm 24 mm 24 mm 25 mm 24 mm 26 mm 24 mm 24 mm 25 mm 25 mm 28 mm 24 mm 28 mm 25 mm 25 mm 28 mm 25 mm
APERTURE
F2.8 - F5.9 F2.9 - F6.5 F3.2 - F6.5 F3.2 - F6.5 F3.5 - F6.3 F2.8 - F6.9 F3.2 - F6.5 F2.8 - F5.9 F3.5 - F6.5 F2.8 - F6.5 F3.4 - F5.6 F2.5 - F6.3 F2.6 - F6.3 F3.2 - F5.8 F3.4 - F5.6 F3.0 - F539 F3.9-F4.8 F3.3 - F5.9 F3.1 - F5.9 F3.1 - F5.9 F3.0 - F6.9 F3.5 - F6.8 F3.5 - F7.1 F3.3 - F5.9 F2.7 - F5.9 F3.2 - F5.8 F3.5 - F7.0 F3.1 - F8.0 F3.3 - F5.9 F2.8 - F11.0 F3.3 - F6.4 F3.2 - F5.8 F2.8 - F5.2 F2.0 - F4.9 F3.0 - F5.6 F1.8 - F2.5 F3.0 - F6.9 F2.8 - F5.2 F2.8 - F4.5 F2.8 full range
LCD SIZE
2.7-inch 2.7-inch 2.7-inch 3.0-inch 2.7-inch 2.7-inch 2.7-inch 2.7-inch 2.7-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 2.7-inch 2.7-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.5-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.2-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 3.0-inch 2.8-inch 3.0-inch
SHUTTER SPEED
15 - 1/1600 sec 1/2 - 1/2000 sec 2 - 1/2000 sec NA 8 - 1/1400 sec 15 - 1/2000 sec NA 1 - 1/1600 sec NA 1/2 - 1/2000 sec 15 - 1/2500 sec 8 - 1/2000 sec 2 - 1/1600 sec NA 1/4 - 1/2000 sec 15 - 1/2000 sec NA NA 4 - 1/1500 sec 8 - 1/2000 sec NA 15 - 1/3200 sec 8 - 1/2000 sec 15 - 1/4000 sec 15 - 1/2000 sec 16 - 1/2000 sec NA 8 - 1/2000 sec 4 - 1/1600 sec 30 - 1/4000 sec 15 - 1/2000 sec 4 - 1/1600 sec 60 - 1/2000 sec 15 - 1/1600 sec 4 - 1/2000 sec 60 - 1/2000 sec 1/4 - 1/1700 sec 15 - 1/2000 sec 15 - 1/4000 sec 60 - 1/4000 sec
05/2013
127
PERSONAL TECH
IN I N AD A ADDITION TO RELEASING AN OBVIOUSLY HALF-BAKED ENGINE AND ARTIFICIALLY H HALF HAL ALF ALF CRIPPLED GAMEPLAY, EA PROBABLY BELIEVED C CRIPP CRIP RIPP RIPP WE D ACCEPT IT AND BE GRATEFUL. WE'D
JAMSHED JAMS JA JAMSHE AMSHE SHE E AVARI, DEPUTY EDITOR
THE BIG DISASTER

've been Simcity fan since I was eight years old. I clearly recall insisting on buying Simcity 2000 for the very fi rst computer my family owned (a 33 MHz 486DX2), after having played it briefly at a friend's house. I remember the disappointment I felt when I saw that the "computer guy" had delivered the original Simcity by mistake, but how I still played it for ages. When I fi nally did get SC2K, I learnt to bypass autoexec.bat while booting into DOS and then manually initialize my new sound card (set blaster=A220 I5 D1 T4) because 2MB of RAM was only just enough to run it with. I must have spent hundreds of hours getting my cities right. I still have dozens of SC2K game saves. You can't "win" Simcity, but I'm pretty sure that with every available tile occupied by a Launch Arco and more money pouring in than I could ever spend, I pretty much fi nished it. Simcity 3000 was also fun, but too bloated. By the time Simcity 4 came out I was busy with college, and let's just all please pretend that Societies never happened. I never thought there would be another proper Simcity, and even though I toyed with the idea of buying SC4, I never got around to it. Even though I did have the time later, it almost felt like if I did fi nish it, Simcity would be over for good. And then suddenly, last year, there was news of a revival! With incredible modern graphics, true 3D and all kinds of realistic logic! I cannot begin to explain how excited I got. I devoured the trailer video and anything I could fi nd about the new engine and the way even minute details would be simulated. I felt certain that I was going to be one of those day-one players. I even committed to fi nally building a new desktop PC to adequately run the gamesomething I'd been putting off for ages because, honestly, my old laptop is fi ne for everything other than gaming.
And then, in the months between the preview and now, things started feeling off. No subways, just because you want the underground view to show fancy graphics? Cities limited to tiny squares? Forced co-op? No way to go back to an old save if something goes wrong? Nearly all those old SC2K fi les were created right before I raised taxes or experimented with terraforming. Some were created solely so I could set off an alien invasion for fun. I began to wonder how different the new Simcity would be, but was still 100 percent optimistic Still more curious than concernedand I continued happily researching graphics card prices. It was around January this year that I really began to feel misgivings. EA was ignoring feedback and focusing only on graphical features. Meanwhile, I was seeing how thriving franchises were being destroyed with awful sequels, forced in-game purchases and ridiculous mechanics (I'm looking at you, Flight Control: Rocket). By the end of February, when I should have been ordering my new PC's parts, it was clear that it wasn't going to happen. I didn't know then how bad the launch fiasco was going to beand how brazenly EA would refuse to see why people were upset. I just thought I'd wait some time for the deeply misguided game to be fi xed. I now know that it's futile to hope that the game I imagined will ever be created. Offl ine play isn't even on the radar, and the simulation itself is a disaster. EA seems unaffected. I'm terribly disappointed, because I'm not a very serious gamer and I don't often get this excited. I just wanted to enjoy a modern reinvention of an old favourite. Instead, I fi nally bought SC4 on Steam.
- jamshed.avari@chip.in - twitter.com/ja140
126
05/2013
YOUR GUIDE TO GAMING
Supplement to CHIP MAY 2013
REVIEW
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US

REVIEWS
Bioshock Innite StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Razer Sabertooth
FEATURES
How to Run Like The Wind in Temple Run 2
CONTENTS
The team behind the stellar Mortal Kombat let us duel it out this time as superheroes from the DC Comics universe.
IN THE NEWS
12
GEARS OF WAR: JUDGMENT
Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain unveiled, Blacklight: Retribution coming to the PlayStation 4.
Our take on the single-player component of the fairly disappointing follow-up to Gears of War 3.
STARCRAFT II: HEART OF THE SWARM

18
The second expansion pack for Starcraft II outdoes its predecessor Wings of Liberty in almost every aspect.

8
Move over Jin Kazama and Ryu. Batman and Superman are here to show you how to fight.
14
BIOSHOCK INFINITE SLY COOPER: THIEVES IN TIME

22
In spite of a few vexing segments, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time manages to be a varied, fun experience.
Bioshock Infinite rises above mainstream fodder with a story and atmosphere other games can only hope to match.
12
24
SKULLS OF THE SHOGUN
This turn-based strategy title proves you can't go wrong with a combination of Samurais and the undead.
SNIPER: GHOST WARRIOR 2

26
Apart from its higher difficulty modes, there's isn't much to this FPS title.
28
RIDICULOUS FISHING
Combining fishing and shooting might sound like a recipe for disaster, but it's actually lots of fun.
18 STARCRAFT II: HEART OF THE SWARM

StarCraft II just got even better with this great expansion pack.
29
RAZER SABERTOOTH
24
MANAGING EDITOR
If money is not an issue, the Sabertooth is the best gamepad you can buy.
Hatim Kantawalla
DEPUTY EDITOR
Jamshed Avari
HOW TO RUN LIKE THE WIND IN TEMPLE RUN 2

32
Like Temple Run 2? Here's how to get to the sky-high top of the leaderboards.
CONTRIBUTORS
Nachiket Mhatre Shunal Doke Sam Mathews

COPY DESK
22
Sharon Khare, Ramkumar Iyer

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
Ashwin R Boricha
ASST. ART DIRECTOR
Jagdish Limbachiya
PROJECT COORDINATORS
Rajesh D'Souza, Gautami Chalke

COLOUR CORRECTION
Sanjay Shelar, Ravi Salian
32
HEAD OFFICE
Intelligent Computing CHIP, Infomedia 18 Limited, 'A' Wing, Ruby House, 2nd Floor, J.K. Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai - 400 028. INDIA Phone: (91 22) 3024 5000, Fax: (91 22) 3003 4499
SMS US
SMS your feedback to us at 51818. For general comments, create the following message: ICCO <Your comments here> Example: ICCO The cover story was very useful To rate a story, product review, etc look out for the story tag at the base of each article and type: ICCO <Story tag> <Rating> Example: ICCO PWS 5 The Story tag is mentioned at the base of every story in the magazine and the Rating is on a scale of 1 to 5. Please keep comments to 160 characters per message! Include your email address to help us reply.
4 NEWS
In The News
D
COMPILED BY SHUNAL DOKE
Kojima announces Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Double Fine unveils Broken Age, pre-orders begin

ouble Fine announced at PAX East that its upcoming adventure game, funded through Kickstarter, is called Broken Age. Preorders for the game have also begun; it costs $15 (approx. Rs 814) for the standard pre-order with beta access, or $30 (approx 1628) for the backers pre-order with access to extra goodies like the soundtrack. You can pre-order the game from the official website. Here is the official description of the game: "Broken Age is a pointand-click adventure telling the stories of a young boy and girl leading parallel lives. The girl has been chosen by her village to be sacrificed to a terrible monsterbut she decides to fight back. Meanwhile, a boy on a spaceship is living a solitary life under the care of a motherly computer, but he wants to break free to lead adventures and do good in the world. Adventures ensue." Broken Age was the first major game to be funded on Kickstarter. Double Fine was the first to have a major personality, Tim Schafer, behind it. This helped the campaign for Double Fine's own adventure game to reach (at the time) record-breaking targets.
ideo Kojima has finally unveiled Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. The game is set to take place after Ground Zeroes, which is a prologue to the storyline. This ties in well with the Metal Gear Solid tradition of the second and third games of being divided into two actsa small prologue act and a bigger main act. Big Boss has been in a coma for quite some time and must come to grips with losing his arm and escaping the medical institute where he is being held. The game was revealed through a trailer, which shows what happened since Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The main base of the Militaires Sans Frontires (Soldiers Without Borders), Mother Base, has been attacked and Miller and Big Boss have been injured. The trailer shows both of them being revived in a hospital. Along with this good news, we also have some bad news. David Hayter has revealed over Twitter that he will not be reprising his iconic role as Snake. This comes as strange news, as Hayter has been the voice of SnakeSolid as well as Nakedever since the characters have had voices. It is currently unknown who will lend their voice to the protagonist of the English version of Metal Gear Solid V. Metal Gear Solid V will bridge the timeline between Peace Walker and Metal Gear. The game may very well show how Big Boss creates Foxhound as well as his stronghold, Outer Heaven. The demo showcased at GDC was running on a PC, but Konami has confirmed that the game will be also released for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. A PC version is currently unconfirmed and the company hasnt said anything about a next-gen console version.
Free-to-play FPS Blacklight: Retribution coming to the PlayStation 4
ombie Studios' free-to-play FPS, Blacklight: Retribution will be coming to the PlayStation 4, and will retain its free-to-play, micro-transaction-fuelled nature. This could make way for more free-to-play games coming to consoles in the future. Blacklight: Retribution was launched on the PC last year to a good reception; the player count has already crossed the two million mark. The game is set in the near future and allows players to customise their characters and weapons in deeper ways than is usual for the genre. While the combat is very typical of modern military shooters, what sets this game apart from the others is the Hyper Reality Visor. The game chooses to forego the typical minimap in favour of the HVR, which is a time-limited wallhack. It lets you see through walls to scout out enemies, but only for a limited period of time.
MAY 2013 f INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP INSIDER SUPPLEMENT
NEWS 5
TOP 10 BESTSELLERS
INDIA'S
id Software working on Doom 4, plans for Rage 2 cancelled
God of War: Ascension
PS3
ethesda has confirmed that a new Doom game is being developed and will be making its way to next-gen consoles. It's being reported that the development is not going very well and the company doesn't have any concrete release dates for the game. The development was apparently rebooted in 2011 because of this. "An earlier version of Doom 4 did not exhibit the quality and excitement that id and Bethesda intend to deliver and that Doom fans worldwide expect,"
Bethesda's marketing boss Pete Hines said in a statement. "As a result, id refocused its efforts on a new version of Doom 4. When we're ready to talk about the Doom 4 id is making, we will let folks know." It also seems like Rage hasn't been doing very well. The game didn't meet sales and so ZeniMax and id Software have cancelled plans for a sequel and have "downsized" plans for any downloadable content for Rage. All the staff is now said to be working on Doom 4.
Tomb Raider
PC, PS3, XBOX 360
FIFA 13
PC, PS3, XBOX 360, PS2, PSVITA, PSP
Mass Effect 4, Dragon Age III to use Frostbite 3 engine
Crysis 3
PC, PS3, XBOX 360
e already knew that Dragon Age 3 will be using DICEs Frostbite engine, but BioWares Aaryn Flynn has confirmed that the next game in the companys Mass Effect series will also be powered by the same engine. Both games run on the Frostbite 3 engine, which is the same version that will be used to power Battlefield 4. "For everyone who's been asking after the #BF4 reveal, #DA3 and the next Mass Effect are also using Frostbite 3. It's awesome," Flynn tweeted. Some time ago, BioWare Montreal studio director Yanick Roy had tweeted, "This BF4
DmC Devil May Cry

PC, PS3, XBOX 360
Gears of War: Judgment

gameplay video is spectacular, and a great way to see what the engine of the next Mass Effect is capable of!" Check out what the engine is capable of in the Battlefield 4 trailer.
XBOX 360
SimCity
PC
Creative Assembly announces free-to-play Total War: Arena
ooks like there will be a new competition for Dota 2 and League of Legends. Strategy game veteran Creative Assembly has announced a new multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game called Total War: Arena. The game has you play history's greatest commanders and their armies against each other in big team-based battles. It is set to be
the first game by Creative Assembly to follow the free-to-play model and is otherwise a strange take on the Total War formula. You can sign up for the closed beta on the official website. MOBA games often revolve around two teams of five players each battling it out in an arena usually composed of two bases and three lanes to get to them. The aim of the game is to destroy an important structure in the other team's base. Notable games in the genre include Dota 2, League of Legends and some lesser-known titles such as Awesomenauts. It will be interesting to see how Creative Assembly adapts Total War: Arena to fit into the genre.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops II

PC, PS3, XBOX 360
Far Cry 3
PC, PS3, XBOX 360
Bioshock Infinite
PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Courtesy:
Shop at www.game4u.com
6 NE NEWS WS
FAR CRY 3: BLOOD DRAGON (PC, XBOX 360)
FEZ (PC)
MIGHT & MAGIC HEROES VI: SHADES OF DARKNESS (PC)
4 13
8 14
10 15
11 16
12 17
21
METRO: LAST LIGHT (PC, XBOX 360, PS3)
18
19 21 22
20 23 24
FAST & FURIOUS: SHOWDOWN (PC, XBOX 360, PS3)
25
26
27
RESIDENT EVIL: REVELATIONS (PC, XBOX 360, PS3)
28
29 30
31
FUSE (PS3, XBOX 360)
GRID 2 (PC, XBOX 360, PS3)
PAINKILLER: HELL & DAMNATION (PS3, XBOX 360)
MAY 20 2013 13 f INT INTELL INTELLIGENT ELLIGE GE ENT COM CO COMPUT COMPUTING OMP PUT UT ING CHIP CHIP P INSIDER INS NSID NS IDE ID DER SUPPLEMENT S SU UPP UPPLEM P LEM EM MEN NT
NEWS 7
Letters
Help with configuring my PC
have an old PC. This birthday, I am planning to buy both a graphics card and a 1TB internal hard drive. I am a casual gamer and I do not play high-end games. My Budget is around Rs 15,000. Which brands or models do you suggest me to buy? I am a new gamer who needs your help. Thanks. Rohit Kb
Send in your letters to insider@chip.in
Good laptops will run games

love the magazine, especially the insider section and am regular reader of CHIP. I'd like to ask a question about something: I have a laptop with a Core i5 3210M CPU, Nvidia GeForce GT 630M-2GB/Intel HD 4000 graphics and 6GB of DDR3 RAM. Is this configuration enough for playing games like Crysis 3, Far Cry 3 and Assassins Creed 3 or I should go for a PS3? Thanks in advance. Mriganka Dey Dear Mriganka, Your laptop does seem to have decent hardware. It should be capable of running these games, but Crysis 3 may give you some problems. Don't try to crank the graphics settings too high, however, since the laptop won't be able to handle the advanced graphical effects that are used by these games. A PlayStation 3 may not be the wisest investment, considering the games will probably look better when set to medium on your laptop. - Team CHIP Insider
Dear Rohit, For your budget, you can grab the GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost for around Rs Rs 11,000. This graphics card comes in 1GB and 2GB variants, with the 2GB version costing Rs 11,999 with Zotac or Galaxy. Nvidia has improved the original GTX 650 Ti by about 40 percent in the Boost edition. It also has Nvidia's GPU Boost tech, which can dynamically adjust the performance of the GPU to keep up with real-time graphical processing requirements. Along with this, you can pick up any 1TB harddrive for around Rs 4,000, fitting the whole setup neatly into your budget. - Team CHIP Insider
Is this hardware powerful enough?

ello CHIP Insider. I am a huge fan of your magazine and have been reading it since a year and its exceptionally brilliant. I just wanted to know as Battlefied 4 is going to be announced on March 27 and it will be running on Frostbite 2.5. I have a laptopHP DV 6 7012TX, which has a third-gen Ivy Bridge i5 processor at 2.7GHz, 6GB of RAM, a 640GB HDD and a 2GB Nvidia GT 630M GPU. Games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 all run smoothly at maximum settings. I would like to know if Battlefield 4 and Crysis 3 will work on my laptop at maximum or high settings. If I need to upgrade, please suggest options. Thanks in advance - Arpan Sarkar
Can't assemble my own computer

am looking for a desktop which can run modern games like Crysis 3 , NFS, etc. on high settings easily. I have a budget of around Rs 45,000 to Rs 50,000. My father is not allowing me to assemble my own computer as he only trusts in brands like Dell, HP or Lenovo. I have short-listed the Dell Alienware x51, which cost around Rs 42,000; is it good for modern games ? Please give suggestions about any other products available today which can fulfil my demands. Karan Singh
Dear Karan, The Alienware X51 is a decent computer. It should be able to run all the new games out there at the moment, but you won't be able to turn up the graphical settings to the max. Despite the price and specifications of the Alienware x51, we would still recommend assembling a computer, since that turns out much cheaper. You could arguably get a better configuration for the same price, and so will be able to get better performance out of your PC. An assembled PC will also let you tweak and squeeze more out of your computer. - Team CHIP Insider
Dear Arpan, You might have to upgrade your computer if you want to play games like Battlefield 4 or Crysis 3. While the games you mentioned probably work like a charm, both Crysis 3 and Battlefield 4 use new game engines that are considerably more powerful than current engines. Crysis 3's CryENGINE has graphical options for high-end PCs, including high-end volumetric fog and tesselation effects. Keep in mind, however, that you will still be able to play both of those games. You just won't be able to crank up the graphics to the maximum. - Team CHIP Insider
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP INSIDER SUPPLEMENT e MAY 2013
8 REVIEW
It's Super, Man

BY SAM MATHEWS
RATING 4/5
he first thing that strikes you about Injustice: Gods Among Us is how bland it looks. Sure, it's running the same engine that powered 2011's Mortal Kombat and 2008's Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe, but for some reason, it feels rougher around the edges. While the levels are a lot more intense, denser and pack in more than the usual amount of detail, the character models don't animate that fluidly nor do they look that good. The same applies for the environments, which lack that final dose of spit and polish to make them really stand out. The game doesn't manage to match the graphical fidelity of current-gen stalwarts such as Soul Calibur VI. Furthermore, we noticed a fair bit of jerkiness during cutscenes as well (despite performing a full install on the Xbox 360). And though you can't exactly patch the graphics to look better than they already are, we're hoping something is in the works to fix the cutscenes. Overall, the game runs without skipping a beat at what seems to be a fluid 60 frames per second.
Based in the DC Comics universe, Injustice: Gods Among Us is helmed by the team behind the superlative Mortal Kombat series. Injustice builds upon the existing fighting game systems we all know and love by adding some slick features. As you'd expect, you have specific buttons for light, medium and heavy attacks, the analog stick or the d-pad is used to block and move across the level, and a there are a host of special combos and attacks unique to each character. Each character has two health bars and each match lasts for a single round. Characters pose for attack in their typical cinematic fashion; close-ups, heroic poses et al. When your first health bar is depleted, you can tap the right trigger and move forward to "clash" with your opponent. As they're about to trade blows, each player wagers a portion of his super meter in secret; the highest bidder wins the clash. If the clash initiator wins, he doles out extra damage. If the defender wins, he gets extra health. A clash can only be
Jagdish Limbachiya
REVIEW 9
activated once per fight by each player, and no damage is done in the event of a tie. Clashes are a sweet addition that makes Injustice a lot more spectator-friendly than most other fighters, and limiting its use to once per player makes it all the more strategic and worthwhile. The aforementioned super-meter is used to pull off special attacks. The meter is broken into four distinct chunks and fills up when you take damage or string combos together. You can use your super-meter the moment one of the four bars is full to either amplify attacks (such as Superman's heat vision hitting twice instead of once) or to evade your opponent's attacks while blocking. In both cases, you'll need to press the right trigger as you attack or block. Nonetheless, it's best to wait until the entire meter fills up as it gives you access to a ridiculously over the top special move. My favourites include Aquaman summoning sharks into battle, Batman running down his opponent with the Batmobile, and Flash running across the world to bring the pain. They're fantastically executed and an absolute treat to watch, even if you're on the receiving end. In addition to this, tapping the B button (or circle if you're on the PS3) allows for character-specific powers such as Batman's mini-bat drones or Wonder Woman's shield and sword replacing
her trademark lasso. These are present for short period of time and are replenished automatically. Taking a cue from the Dead or Alive series, each stage is multi-tiered. In order to access these different sections, you must attack near the appropriate edge of the arena. Most stages have two different levels. Triggering a transition to another area results in a veritable spectacle that competes with the more consistent special attacks in terms of sheer entertainment value. Triggering a level transition at Joker's Asylum, for example, has your opponent ricocheting around a couple of rooms getting smacked down by the Riddler, Penguin and a few other villains from Gotham. It's a cool addition that can change the entire state of the battle if used well. Aside from specials, wagers and multi-tiered levels, you can also interact with objects in the environment. How you use them depends on your character. This means that if you're using someone like Batman, it's more likely that your interaction with a piece of furniture in the area (by pressing the right shoulder button) would result in you bouncing off it to evade attacks, while if you are Lex Luthor, you'd probably just pull it out and throw it at your opponent, resulting in extra damage. We found it to be quite an interesting way to mix combat up.
10 REVIEW
As you can see, these additions to the gameplay do a lot to means killing superheroes who stand in his way. In order to stop make it more accessible. But that doesn't mean purists can't Superman's regime, Batman leads an insurgency. Each chapter have fun. Pause during a match and you'll be treated to data begins with a short cut-scene that takes the story forward, and for every move in the game in terms of movement and number a mini-game (read: quick-time events galore) that affects your of frames. Oh, and if you're not happy with the mechanics for character's (and his or her opposition's) status prior to battle, flashier moves that usually need you to press down and forward such as starting with less or more health. (as is wont with most things Mortal Kombat), you can switch it Our grouses are two-fold: firstly, there's way too much of to the more acceptable quarter-circle forward option, similar to playing as Batman in the campaign. Though it might be prudent the Street Fighter games. to leech off the popularity of the Nolan films, one can't help but Apart from this, if you're interested in seeing how you perform feel that the exploits of the caped crusader in this game are certain moves, you can key in six of them to be displayed below stretched thin, considering the presence of other superheroes the health bar. It's clear that NetherRealms want to keep the like Green Lantern, Superman and Wonder Woman. Secondly, tournament crowd happy as well, which is never a bad thing. every mini-game is a glorified quick-time event, and some of Regardless of your innate ability at fighting games, you'll them just serve as fillers that make no sense. Towards the end, definitely appreciate the robust tutorial that covers everything when you do play as Superman, you'll find yourself using your from basic movement to complex special attacks and combos. heat vision to blow up cars thrown by another superhuman When you're done going through that, you can partake in the instead of, well, chasing him down the narrow street. fairly deep single-player campaign. Unlike Minor issues notwithstanding, most fighting games, this game's singleInjustice is well-paced. With thirteen player mode was clearly not made as an chapters to play through, you'll never find FIGHTING after-thought. You'll find yourself in the yourself bored as every character brings Injustice: Gods Among Us shoes (and capes) of some of DC's finest, something new to the table. By the time including Aquaman, Flash, Joker, Lex boredom is even on your mind, you're PRICE Rs 2,499 (PS3 and Xbox 360) PUBLISHER Warner Bros Interactive Luthor, Green Lantern, Green Arrow and, already playing as someone else. Special DEVELOPER NetherRealms Studio of course, Batman and Superman. mention has to be made for the fact that DISTRIBUTOR e-Xpress Interactive The story revolves around a decimated the developers at NetherRealms have PLATFORMS PS3, Xbox 360 Metropolis courtesy of Joker tricking taken great care to ensure they stick true Superman, which leads to the death to the DC unverse lore. This elevates the FOR of Lois Lane and her unborn child. Due plot beyond what you'd expect from a Crazy specials; great feature set; awesome story mode. to this unfortunate turn of events, fighting game. It's handled well, and we Superman formulates a single-world dare say it's a smidgen better than Mortal AGAINST government to police the world and stop Kombat, which made a solid attempt at Looks bland; netcode is potentially shaky. evil using any means necessary, even if it storytelling.
GAME INFO
REVIEW 11
When you're done saving the world, you can check out the S.T.A.R. Labs. These are over 240 character-specific missions that include mini-games and fights. But you'll be sorely mistaken if you expect it to be in line with the story mode in terms of production values. Instead of cutscenes and voiced dialogue, you're treated to walls of text and a rather rudimentary presentation, which isif you will excuse the puna grave injustice to the content at hand. But if you can look past the production inconsistencies, you'll have a good time. Along with the story mode and S.T.A.R. Labs, you can take part in the usual arcade ladder that has you defeating one opponent after another to see your character's ending. There's an option to play a single match against the CPU as well as Training, which lets you record your sessions. Of course, Injustice wouldn't be a modern fighting game if it didn't feature the equally important multiplayer mode. And this is where the game delivers in spades. You have the usual assortment of versus matches with different levels of intensity. These range from friendly online matches to competitive, ranked matches against Xbox Live's or PlayStation Network's finest. Our personal favourite is the King of the Hill mode, which harkens back to the days of the arcade as you and seven others wait your turn to decimate each other. Even though this isn't anything new as it was first introduced in the last Mortal Kombat game, it manages to be playable while keeping the charm intact. You earn experience points in both online and offline modes, which you can use to obtain goodies like costumes, concept art and music. You can also get a wealth of icons, portraits and images as you level up. The developers have clearly gone for the jugular, tweaking and refining every bit they could from their previous experiences in this generation. The end product is a highly polished, entertaining fighting game that is packed with interesting modes and features. But how does it control? Well, for one, if you have a choice between playing on the PS3 and Xbox, your best bet would be Sony's black box. The controller is better suited for these kind of games and stringing together combos using the Xbox 360 controller was painful in comparison. Ditto in terms of movement, where it felt sluggish and was too much of an effort. Combat in itself is easy learn, but is tough to master. You'll get by just fine on easy or normal difficulty against the AI by mashing buttons, but take those skills online and you will be destroyed. The same applies if you play at higher difficulty levels against the CPU. The characters and their feature sets balance each other out well enough. The roster has a decent mix of power characters such as Superman that rely on their strength and gadget type characters
such as Catwoman that rely on agilitythough we won't be surprised if we see an influx of players using Flash due to his ability to chain huge combos with minimal effort, or Green Lantern thanks to his ability to spam you with projectiles. Online play was smooth for most part, it was getting into a game that took awhile; sometimes, it took more than twenty minutes of waiting to have our posteriors handed over to us in under three minutes. At this juncture, we'd fathom that anything faster than a 1Mbps connection would be just fine. However, we don't how well it would hold up post-launch given that Mortal Kombat suffered from connectivity issues and required a bunch of patches to get to a playable state online. On the bright side though, there's no need for an online pass, which should make things easier for gamers going forward. Graphical issues aside, our time with Injustice: Gods Among Us was entertaining. It's that sort of game you can play with a bunch of friends offline for a few laughs. Plus, it's got enough tricks up its sleeves to keep any fighting game acolyte interested. And as it's filled to the brim with awesome features, the resulting deal is much sweeter. While we may not be absolutely sure how it would pan out with regards to online play in the long term, as it stands, this is one fighting game that exudes sheer fun. After all, that's what video games are about aren't they?
12 REVIEW
RATING 3/5
GEARS OF WAR: JUDGMENT (SINGLE PLAYER)
People Can't Fly

W
BY NACHIKET MHATRE
hat developer Epic Games did with Gears of War 3 polished in its gameplay, let's not forget that this is something (GOW) is something that would be unthinkable for any it borrows from past games. When you consider the set pieces Japanese video game companyit ended the story. and cinematic interludes, or rather the lack of these, one can't be As you already know, Marcus and company have finally rid the blamed for wondering if this is really a AAA game and is it even planet Sera of its hostile indigenous inhabitants in the final worth the lofty Rs 3,000 asking price? The narrative is prequel installment. Still, it would be foolish to expect Microsoft and set against the backdrop of a merry brand of grunts, Kilo squad, Epic to wash their hands off one of the Xbox 360's major cash being court-martialed for many serious crimes including and not cows. Gears of War: Judgment is the inevitable next installment limited to treason, defiance of orders, and stealing a Lightmass in the franchise. However, since there Bomb (GOW's version of WMDs). are no more Locusts left to kill after The single-player campaign is the events of Gears of War 3, this is a divided into Judgment and Aftermath prequel that tells the events from the modes, with the former dealing with THIRD-PERSON SHOOTER perspective of side-characters shortly the events that led to our merry band's Gears of War: Judgment after the chaos of the Emergence Day. transgressions against the COG forces. PRICE Rs 2,999 These are Lt. Damon Baird, Pvt. Augustus A distinct lack of any lengthy cutscenes PUBLISHER Microsoft Studios "The Cole Train" Cole, Garron Paduk, and underscores the Judgment mode, as DISTRIBUTOR Redington Cadet Sofia Hendrik (taking the mantle Baird, Cole, Paduk, and Hendrik tell their PLATFORMS Xbox 360 of the token female game character from versions of what has transpired during FOR Anya Stroud). their struggle against the Locust on the Stable frame rates If you came here expecting elaborate Emergence Day. Instead, you hear each spectacles on a massive scale, replete character narrate the events through AGAINST with painstakingly crafted cutscenes the quieter moments of the campaign. Repetitive gameplay, AI buddies tend to get themselves killed, disappointing boss enemies depicting an overarching story arc, you're Just think of Max Payne 3 and replace in for a major disappointment. While the whining with a dude-bro brand
GAME INFO
Jagdish Limbachiya
REVIEW 13
of jingoism and you've pretty much got it down to a T. The Aftermath mode goes from the Judgment's flashback narrative and on to Baird and Cole's parallel mission at Halvo Bay you'll remember from GOW 3. The narrative structure isn't the only thing that's changed from the traditional GOW format. People Can Fly, the developers behind the superlative Painkiller and Bulletstorm games join Epic for the franchise's first outing sans Clifford "Cliffy B" Bleszinski. While the changes to gameplay are only minor and iterative, the level structure has undergone a major rehaul at least for the primary Judgment mode. Each testimony is divided into mini horde modes, where a few waves of enemies batter our heroes within a locked section. Thereafter, you have safe zones, where the Kilo squad can lock and load before moving forward to face the next wave of enemies. Every once in a while the game throws a quasi tower-defence mode, where you have limited time to shore up your defences with an assortment of turrets, laser trip mines, and grenade booby traps. Your performance in each section is graded to a scale of three stars, with points given for the number of kills, executions, headshots, gibs, and such. These points unlock extra skins, multiplayer character models, and other customisation goodies. This is overall a rather superficial and unremarkable inducement for what's essentially GOW's version of style points. However, the hardcore, OCD-addled ones amongst us should be compelled to take up the Declassified missions, which is a big-ass red COG logo that makes the missions more difficult when activated. The challenge ranges from low visibility and no health regeneration, to larger hordes and the addition of meaner bosses in the mix. All of this is just to gain more stars, which again isn't much unless you're purely in this for the challenge of it. Even then, you'd have to be something of a sadist to enjoy the restrictions of the declassified challenges, which can get rather ridiculous.
Combat retains the same slow and heavy cover-shooter mechanics of the franchise, but the addition of new heavy enemy classes shuffles player tactics quite a bit. These club and morning star swinging behemoths, when combined with grenade lobbing and one-shot-kill gun wielding grubs means that hunkering down behind cover isn't safe anymore. You'll find faster grubs that flank and flush you out of cover. This should ideally make for excellent combat experience, but in reality it only gets frustrating. Make no mistake, this is no Halo and GOW's low FOV and a rather clunky handling make it ill suited to this sort of action. This is further compounded by lacklustre level design that's marked by a rather abysmal littering of cover, which makes combat needlessly tedious and difficult than it should rightly be. The worst part, by far, is your AI sidekicks' propensity to get slaughtered with irritating regularity in the presence of heavier enemies. It's clear that the magnitude of effort that has gone into this game isn't anywhere close to that of the previous games. The main boss, for example, is built up to be this indestructible badass. However, in reality, he gets very little screen time and goes down with barely a whimper. The graphics and sounds too are pretty much the same, and show no signs of any improvement over the last game. In fact, the game shows its age when compared to contemporary titles in that regard. The utter lack of exposition and a strong narrative backbone, when combined with the same clichd angsty, idealist grunt versus incompetent general plot mechanic makes the whole experience seem utterly banal. The truth is, although I don't approach these dude-bro cover shooters with high expectations, Judgment's case isn't helped by the fact that it doesn't even live up to those standards. If single player is what you are interested in, you may want to skip Gears of War: Judgment.
14 REVIEW
BIOSHOCK INFINITE
Infinitely Awesome
BY SAM MATHEWS
e live in interesting times. Besides the obvious flux in the gaming scene caused by tablets, mobiles, consoles and PCs all vying for our undivided attention, there's still a serious wealth of content to keep us busy regardless of our platform choices. And once in a while, there comes a game like BioShock Infinite that transcends petty fanboy squabbles, scrappy forum talk and inane flame bait. Sure, it comes from the guys responsible for 2007's critically acclaimed BioShock, which was exclusive to the PC and the Xbox 360 for a short time, but there have been no such demonstrations of allegiance this time around. In fact it runs at par, if not better, on Sony's black box. As it makes use of the Unreal Engine 3.5, we didnt face any of the issues Epics engine is usually known for; we witnessed no texture pop-ins, odd frame-rates or lighting differences. It plays well regardless of your platform of choice, and the PC version has the edge if you have a machine to enable every bell and whistle. That aside, it's as on par as it can get. Irrational has made it so that you really cant go wrong with it on any of the three platforms.
With the banal technicalities out of the way, let's look at the game itself, as there's more to it than mere specs. BioShock Infinite, in case you have been living under a rock for the last couple of years, is the third in the series of BioShock games, and much like the seminal Final Fantasy role-playing series, it bears no relation to its predecessors in terms of plot. However certain elements are common, such as throwing up historical settings; jazzy, retro background tunes; philosophy in more-than-justpalpable doses, and a suite of powers including the ability to stun, burn, tentacle-choke (yes, you read that right) and maim your foes. Infinite takes place in Columbia, a floating city in the sky. You step into the shoes of Booker Dewitt, a man with a notso-scrupulous past. You're here to find and rescue a girl in this bustling flying metropolis. Her name is Elizabeth and she is of great importance to the nice people who want to pay off your exceedingly dangerous gambling debt. It sounds pretty cliched, but before you know it, youre knee-deep in a story involving racism, time-travel, creepy abominations of man and machine, and the all-but-obvious struggle between the rich and the poor.
Jagdish Limbachiya
REVIEW 15
RATING 4.5/5
Its safe to say that Infinites strongest feature is the storyline. Its masterfully told, with just enough steampunk, sci-fi and emotion to keep tugging at your heartstrings and keep you playing. As was the case with the previous games in the series, most of the exposition is done by way of audio "files" left around by the residents of this false utopia. The files outline their struggles and resentments, and do a great job of fleshing out the games universe and back-story. From detailing how the games iconic villain Songbird was created to minor details such as a barkeeps infatuation with a pin-up girl poster, the audio clips go a long way in making Columbia feel like a living, breathing city of hopes and dreams where something went drastically wrong along the way, as things usually do (otherwise, theres no need for a game, is there?). TEST RIG Backing up the narrative is stellar Processor: Intel art direction that does a fantastic job Core i5 3470 of recreating early 1900s Americana. Ram: 16GB DDR3 Graphics Card: AMD Every in-game item, from the dustbins Radeon HD 7950 3GB to the dangerous handymen, have been painstakingly desgined to create an
addictive atmosphere, which results in you exploring every nook and cranny. Be it the quirkily-designed vending machines or the propaganda posters, youll spend a fair share of your time ambling through the streets of Columbia just to see what lies around each corner. Its brilliantly realised and it's very likely that you will find these quiet segments of exploration more interesting than some of the games advertised features, such as ending your foes in interesting ways. That isn't to say that Infinite is lacking on the gameplay side of things. In fact, thats far from the truth. You have your bog-standard weapons such as machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket launchers to cause mayhem in the conventional manner. And then there are vigors, Infinites version of plasmids, which are special powers that let you deal out doses of death in ways that are anything but conventional. Vigors allow you to ram your enemies with the power of a bull or set a flock of murderous crows on them, and theres a lot more to keep you going. Couple this with a system that lets you equip hats, vests, pants and boots that allow for different status effects, and youre in for an amusing time. For example, you can use a machine gun to eat away an enemy's health, slow him down by turning his friends against him using a possession vigor, and deliver the killing blow by charging into him so he can be frozen by the enchanted gear you have on at that moment. This would be extremely enjoyable if it had never been done before, but the problem is it hasthat too by Irrational themselves in the first BioShock gameso if you, like most of us, have played it, youre not going to find the core combat as enthralling as it was six years ago. We guess the developers thought so as well as there are a few additions to keep the combat from going stale. As Columbia is a city in the sky, theres a fair bit of combat that takes place mid-air thanks to sky rails. You can find yourself circling the combat area as if you were on a roller coaster ride with the press of a button, except that this roller coaster has no seats and youre holding onto the rails with a hook. You can even shoot at non-friendlies while youre at it, which manages to add another dimension to the combat. However, it isnt as exciting as it sounds. The combat areas are simply too big and end up hindering you. This is especially annoying when you have to seek out the odd straggler or two hiding behind a couple of obscure platforms some miles away from where a majority of the action is happening. Unlike the earlier BioShock games where running and gunning was a straight-up, in-your-face affair, Infinite takes some liberties and gives you bigger areas. However, this ends up forcing you to use sweet features like sky rails just to hunt out the odd opponent or two, which you absolutely need to do. In order to progress, you have to kill every enemy in the vicinityodd for a game thats centred around a search and rescue mission. Which brings us to the final addition to the combat Elizabeth. Much like Elika from 2008's Prince of Persia, Elizabeth aids you in combat. She can open portals in time and space that allow you to bring a variety of machinations into combat. Turrets, health packs and rocket-spewing robots of death are
16 REVIEW
just a few of the things you can command her to spawn on the There really isn't much else to keep you going. Due to this, youll battlefield. Furthermore, every now and then she'll pass you end up finishing Infinite once at most. Completionists might health, ammo or the salts needed to power your vigors. By the play it one more time, but the sense of replayability is next to end of it, you'll wonder how you would have made it through the nil. Compared to other games in the series, where the choices game without her. In fact, her involvement in battle is the most you made (harvesting the Little Sisters or not) led to different entertaining and crucial feature over and above the bigger fire outcomes, theres nothing here to keep you going once you feel zones and sky rails. Yes, she ends up being that essential. like you've seen it all. Also, while the other games had iconic, Elizabeth's involvement isn't just limited to combat. In the memorable antagonists such as the Big Daddies and Big Sisters, game's more peaceful sections, she'll help you pick locks and Infinites Songbird is a damp squib in comparison. He never gets throw coins in your direction, making her one of the most enough screen time and ends up being resolved in the most pleasant NPCs since Alyx from Half Life 2. She's fantastically anti-climactic fashion ever. animated and very well realised. Along the way, you'll understand As we mentioned, the only thing that pushes you forward is what motivates her, who she is, and most importantly, why the plot. Even that isnt without some gaping holes: the game you of all people had to rescue her. Elizabeth's definitely the never bothers to explain Elizabeths time travelling powers, standout character in gaming this year, which is fitting given the or why the entire city doesn't use vigors if theyre so easily direction the narrative and endgame finally take. Lets just say available to an outsider such as Booker. Theres also a portion when youre done and dusted with Infinite, youll be discussing it about a revolt, where the side youre on turns on you rather for a long time. arbitrarily. For a game with this much At this point, youre probably polish and nuance, youd expect such an exhausted by ploughing through the event to be handled with equal deftness, thousand-odd words weve shot at you. but that is not the case. FPS You may even succumb to the temptation These arent the only anomalies either: BioShock Infinite of peeking at the score if you havent pacing hasn't been handled very well. PRICE Rs 999 (PC), Rs 2499 (PS3 already. Heck, you might even be a bit As you reach the games home stretch, and XBox360) disappointed that it isnt a perfect score. it takes you through an unnecessary PUBLISHER 2K Games There are reasons for that though, as this fetch quest. We're saying this quest is DEVELOPER Irrational Games isnt a game without flaws. unnecessary because it doesnt add to DISTRIBUTOR e-Xpress Interactive Yes, weve touched upon the combat, the story in a meaningful way and the PLATFORMS PS3, PC, Xbox 360 which, while in spite of being finely end result or reward to let you continue FOR executed, isnt something you havent further is quite a cop-out. Moments Killer story; slick production values; ambitious. seen or played before (barring Elizabeth). like these stick out like a sore thumb, AGAINST But youll soon realise that your only because everything else is so well done. Core combat is nothing new. motivation for trudging through the A lot of times, the sense of consistency game is to see how the story pans out. and continuity is marred by things like
GAME INFO
REVIEW 17
these, which were probably hurried in order to ship the game. In spite of the design flaws, Infinite's production values rarely miss a beat. The top notch voice acting by Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper brings Elizabeth and Bookers banter to life. They do a fantastic job with some of the best written bits of dialogue in a game to grace our ears. And its not just them: Jennifer Hale (voice of the female Commander Shepard from Mass Effect) and Dexters Oliver Vaquer match them line for line as the Lutece twins. Voice talent aside, the sound design is impeccable. Tracks by artists such as Tears For Fears and Al Jolson, or the pieces of music created solely to depict specific segments of gameplay make for a varied, fun scoreone that's worth buying so you can listen to it when youre done with the game. Infinite manages to get a lot right. The story borders on the line of greatness that very few games outside the Metal Gear Solid series have managed to walk, while the triple-A production values put it right on top of the pile of modern day shooters. The core gameplay mechanics, while not entirely original, do more than enough to keep you going. Which brings us to the next question: would the game have the same effect it has without the combat or would it be more? It would be hard to fathom a BioShock game without the trappings of a first-person shooter, one that goes for something more in tune with a point-and-click adventure. But that would be an interesting turn of events if it were to be implemented, as there's only so much innovating one can do with guns and violence. More importantly, should story be considered an integral part of gameplay and design? We certainly think so. This generation has had more shooters than we can count: almost every teenager's collection has creepy Eastern European offerings
Metro and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.and high-end, mainstream fodder such as Call of Duty and Battlefield. But Infinite manages to rise over and above these with a riveting story, atmosphere and ambition that other games can only dream of. Is it worth your time and energy? Definitely, if you havent guessed already. It might not have multiplayer to keep you going after the campaign is done, but with a game as deep and thoughtful as this, you really dont need it. The only question is, what next from Ken Levine and company at Irrational? Whatever it is, you can be assured that it will be something worth looking forward to. So yes, we live in interesting times. Chances are you've put this magazine down for a bout of Angry Birds or Ruzzle a couple of times already. Heres what we suggest: put your tablet down, go to your local store, pick up a copy of Infinite and give it a whirl. Rest assured youll thank yourself later.
18
REVIEW
STARCRAFT II: HEART OF THE SWARM
RATING 4/5
A Game With Heart

BY SHUNAL DOKE
he original StarCraft is well known in gaming circles. That game was one of the biggest factors in making eSports a mainstream phenomenon and is still counted as one of the most balanced games ever createdto the extent that it is still played in a lot of tournaments, especially in South Korea. Back in 2010, Blizzard decided to release a new game in the series 11 years after the Brood War expansion pack for the original. While it didnt reach the same level of success and praise from the eSports community as the original, it still managed to garner a rather large following in its own right. Three years later, and we have the first expansion pack for StarCraft 2, dubbed Heart of the Swarm. Does it manage to be as good as Wings of Liberty? To put it simply, yes it does. The game looks different right off the bat as it has a new main menu. Wings of Liberty had a functional but not very good menu and most of the screen space was wasted on unnecessary graphics. This time, any game mode you might want to play is at most a couple of clicks away. The in-game interface is more or less the same, however, and this can be both good and bad. Some may call it good since even the tiniest change in the interface can and will be criticised by hardcore pro-gamers for upsetting the balancing of the game, but some may also argue that it holds the game back from becoming more accessible.
The single-player campaign has undergone a major overhaul. The game brings with it a Hero system, much like the one we in Warcraft 3. This time, however, Blizzard seems to have taken some cues from World of Warcraft for the skill tree. Every five or ten levels, you get to choose between three skills for your hero. The hero in this game (depending on your definition of the term hero) is Sarah Kerrigan, aka the Queen of Blades. She has a large number of skills at her disposal active skills that use up energy and passive ones that are activated by default at no cost. Blizzard has also managed to pull off some rather impressive stuff in the main game. Outside of the Dawn of War series, this is one of those rare strategy games that
Jagdish Limbachiya
REVIEW
19
manages to include boss fights. By boss fights, I dont mean rather than the plot that makes this game great. The events beefed up units with higher attack damage and health. themselves manage to be much more interesting than the plot Instead, we have full-on boss fights like what youd expect in at large. The strange dynamic between Raynor and Kerrigan, an RPG, complete with attack patterns and unique mechanics. for example, is more interesting than the Protoss prophecies. Almost every other mission in the campaign manages to Staying in line with the previous StarCraft games, the real have a new game mechanic. These can range from something meat of the game is its multiplayer component. But before as simple as gathering biomass and waking up an ancient you go online and get your ass whooped by the Koreans, you Zerg to capturing temples and helping Kerrigan win a might want to check out the tutorials Blizzard has added. DragonBall Z-esque energy beam battle. While they wont exactly make you good enough to play in The addition of Kerrigan as a hero unit does create some the Platinum or Diamond leagues, they will get you ready to problems, however. While it makes the game much more fun play against the AI. The tutorials also do a good job of letting and allows the devs to try out many new and different game you get used to playing your preferred race and familiarise mechanics, the campaign ends up feeling way too easy. This yourself with the basics. is in especially sharp contrast with the rather challenging After youre done with the tutorials, you can play some campaign from Wings of Liberty. This isnt much of a problem, matches against the AI to improve, but you can do that only up though, as you can always choose the to a point. The game does a good job of harder difficulties to play on. scaling the AI's skill depending on how The story picks up right where Wings you play, but theres only so much that of Liberty ended. Kerrigan has been playing against the AI can teach you, REAL TIME STRATEGY turned from the Queen of the Zerg into especially because of the constantly StarCraft II: Heart a human, albeit with tentacles for hair. evolving metagame and the strategies of the Swarm The story follows her as she becomes of and against the races. PRICE Rs 2,200 the Queen of Blades once more and After wrecking the hardest AI that PUBLISHER Blizzard Entertainment rallies the brood to fight the greater you can find, youll find yourself in DEVELOPER Blizzard Entertainment threat at largethe impending XelNaga the StarCraft 2 ladder. Before you can PLATFORMS PC invasion prophesied during the events actually start fighting your way up the FOR of Wings of Liberty. ranks, however, you have to play five Balanced multiplayer; fun campaign; crazy It manages to stay in line with most placement matches that decide what user-created maps. of the background lore that was fleshed league and ladder youll be put in. Do AGAINST out in the first game and the expanded well enough and youll be put in the Gold Online DRM; no LAN support; writing is shoddy universe novels. Much like Blizzards or higher leagues, while playing badly in places. other games, however, it's the writing will put you in Bronze. One of the major
GAME INFO
20
REVIEW
issues with the Wings of Liberty ladder system was that most of the online population found themselves in the Gold league. This time around, Blizzard has tweaked the leagues so that a much wider variety of leagues is actually used. Average players this time around will find themselves in the Silver league instead of Gold. In concept, the multiplayer games are relatively simple. Just like any other strategy game, you have to gather resources, build buildings, create armies
and wreck the other guys base. The complexity comes from the differences between the three races. Each race has its own strengthsthe Terrans have quick resource gathering abilities, the Zerg can reproduce quickly and in great number, while the Protoss can tech up quickly to produce stronger units faster. Each game feels dynamic depending on who you play as and against, and each race can be played in a number of ways. Most of the multiplayer is focused around one-on-one matches but that
doesnt mean that more people cant play. There are also 2v2, 3v3, and FFA (free for all) game modes. All of them, except for the FFA mode, have their own distinct ladders and leagues. The FFA game mode is often played just for fun because of the chaos and hilarity that generally ensue. Once youre bored of playing the regular game, you can check out the user-created maps in a section dubbed The Arcade. These maps are completely different from the regular game, as is to be expected, since Blizzards map editors have always been extremely powerful and creative. User-created maps range from the inanesuch as simple repositionings of existing mapsto completely overhauling the game mechanics. Back during Wings of Liberty, Blizzard released a couple of maps to show off the power of the map editor (notably the Aiur Chef and StarJewelled maps) and players took these ideas and ran with them. Theres a map thats a full-blown RPG in its own right, with totally reimagined gameplay and story. Another map is a collection of random
REVIEW
21
mini-games that are ideal to play when you and a bunch of friends stumble drunkenly into a LAN party. Heart of the Storm has top-notch production values and presentation. While the graphic fidelity won't exactly set high-end gaming rigs on fire like some of today's other titles do, the game still manages to look good. And as usual, Blizzard has outdone themselves as well as everyone else with its CG cutscenes. In fact, it makes you wonder
why the company doesnt just start making animated movies. That isnt to say that Heart of the Swarm is perfect, however. It seems to have some memory leaks and even very high-end computers sometimes have trouble cranking up the games graphics to max, despite it having (at this point) rather dated graphics. The frame rate drops are especially evident when you have a ton of units on the screen of your Rs 60,000 rig.
There is also the issue of the online DRM. The game needs you to log in to the cloud at least once every two weeks or so for DRM purposes. Once that is done, you can play the singleplayer skirmishes and campaigns to your hearts content. However, Battle. net goes offline sometimes, which leaves you stranded. As long as youre playing a single-player game, the most youll lose out on is the ability to earn achievements. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm is a great game and surpasses its predecessor Wings of Liberty in almost every aspect. The campaign is fun and constantly keeps you on your toes with new mechanics and boss fights, and the multiplayer is a tight and balanced experience. Despite the aging graphics and the sometimes-bad writing, its still a great game. However you do need to own Wings of Liberty to be able to play this expansion pack. In an age where expansion packs are forgotten and DLCs rule supreme, Blizzard manages to show everyone how its done and what gamers should be getting for their $40.
22 REVIEW
SLY COOPER: THIEVES IN TIME
Furry Fun
BY SAM MATHEWS
ts tough to keep track when something notable emerges from the House of Sony, as the giant owns over 80 franchises and properties. Sure, well all know about the high-profile, big budget releases such as Killzone, Resistance and LittleBigPlanet, but most of Sonys exclusive offerings tend to fall under the radar. Sadly, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is one such title. For the uninitiated, the Sly Cooper series debuted back in the days when Nokia was your first (or only) option for a cellphone and MTV still played music. Yes, it was a series of PS2 games. A heady mix of platforming and stealth backed up by stellar cel shaded graphics, the games follow the adventures of an anthropomorphic raccoon called Sly and his friends (namely a turtle, a hippo and a fox) as they try to pull off high stakes heists. Its a series from a bygone era, when console developers werent afraid to experiment and platforming games that werent Mario or created by obscure indie studios actually had a chance of being commercially viable. Having said that, its been eight long years since weve seen a new entry in the franchise. In place of the series creators Suckerpunch Studios, Sanzaru Games is filling in. As the studio is responsible for titles such as Secret Agent Clank (PSP) and Ninja Reflex (Wii, DS, PC), youd think this game would be nothing but a mere shadow of the earlier games. And you couldnt be more wrong.
RATING 3.5/5
In spite of being a direct sequel to a game that was seen almost a decade ago (and then remastered in 2010), Thieves in Time spares no expense keeping you up to date with Sly and gang, right up to the point when they realise that pages from the Thievus Raccoonus, a book chronicling the exploits of Slys ancestors, start disappearing. This results in the gang travelling across various periods of time in an attempt to restore Slys ancestors to their former glory. Along the way youll visit exotic locales such as feudal Japan and medieval England, and the game offers a slew of new environments to keep things from ever getting boring. Each location is designed to be a hub; you travel from one area to the next, completing various missions and sidequests in order to unravel the mystery of Slys dwindling legacy. Its smartly done and you never feel like theres a gun to your head, forcing you to accomplish tasks (that's you, Far Cry 3). Besides Sly, you're also able to control his palsMurray, a hippo and Bentley, a wheelchair-bound frogin specific instances. These occassions include serenading a battalion of soldiers by dancing to the tune of a rhythm-based control scheme a la Guitar Hero or hacking a variety of security protocols as if they were retro-styled shoot em ups.
Jagdish Limbachiya
REVIEW 23
At times, you also play as both in their attempts to do digital copy as well (as the physical copy of the Vita version has something as mundane as fishing, which ends up being as been cancelled for India). appealing as the games core segments. Needless to say, the Oh, and keeping in sync with their decidedly retro control developers have to be applauded for making the gameplay as scheme are tacked on motion controls. Were of the opinion diverse and imaginative as possible. It rarely skips a beat. that Sanzaru didnt get the memo from 2007 that more or less The controls are simple when you play as Sly and youll soon outlawed the use of Sixaxis functionality on the PS3, or more get used to them. There's a button to jump and another one recently, the accelerometer on the Vita. But they both exist as to swipe at enemies or climb over obstacles. The developers massive obstacles towards having fun. have carried over what are essentially the same mechanics As we mentioned, the game is available on both the PS3 and from 2005 with a few hints and cues to ensure youre never the Vita. Pick up the PS3 version for Rs 2,299 and you get the wondering to do next, which works well. Moving in the shadows Vita version free. Its a commendable attempt to boost Sonys and sneaking up on guards never gets old. While there's ailing handheld, and what's more, the Vita version plays a lot nothing too new at its core, it does manage to elicit a chuckle better than its big screen brother in most cases. If youre one or two. Pass the controller to a PS2 veteran and his eyes will of the handful of individuals who owns both a PS3 and a Vita, surely light up with joy as the game is essentially a souped-up, you can transfer saves across devices and continue the game tricked-out version of a cult series. in true cross-platform fashion as well as double your trophy And thats also where it tends to falter. Thieves in Time count, which is something everyone is always happy to do. remains too similar to what was acceptable a generation ago. Graphically, Thieves in Times isnt as stunning as, say, Jumping from one platform to another is a bit of a chore thanks BioShock Infinite (also reviewed in this issue) nor does it to the camera angles, which lose direction from time to time. possess the quirky art style of Mario. Instead, youre treated to Newbies may have a hard time adjusting to the fact that even a stylised, whimsical world with anthropomorphic animals and after pressing the jump button, you need to press another cartoon-laced eye-candy. But it works well and holds its own. button to hold onto the ledge or rope or With five diverse eras in time to whatever it is youre jumping towards. uncover and a slew of characters to Its this rigid insistence on old school control (you get to play as Slys ancestors gameplay that keeps Thieves in Time a as well), youll run through Thieves in PLATFORMER/STEALTH notch or two from greatness. Time in around 20 hours. That's not too Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time shabby considering the fact that most In addition to this, the game suffers PRICE Rs 2,299 (PS3) from some odd technical issues. titles that cost a lot more offer less than PUBLISHER Sony Regardless of your choice of platform half that gameplay time. DISTRIBUTOR Origin Games (the game is available on PS3 and Vita, All in all, if youre a fan of the series PLATFORMS PS3, PS Vita more on that in a bit), you're subject to or just a passerby looking for something FOR almost criminal loading times. This is different to sink your teeth into, you cant Lots to do; interesting premise; varied scenarios; surprising since we played the game on go wrong with Thieves in Time. It does Vita version free with the PS3 copy. the PS3, both off a disc and as a digital have a few vexing segments, but that AGAINST copy off the hard drive, and were subject shouldnt keep you from enjoying what Archaic controls; long loading times; useless to excruciating load durations both is quite a varied and pleasantly long motion-controls screen; boring multiplayer. times. Ditto with the Vita, which was a adventure.
GAME INFO
24 REVIEW
SKULLS OF THE SHOGUN
Death is Other Samurai

BY SAM MATHEWS
umans have progressed a lot as a species in the last few centuries. From clones, mapping the human genome and sending robots into deep space, it's good to know there's more to life than the usual mundane politicking that makes up our day to day. However, for all the advancements the human race has managed to achieve over its many millennia of existence, we still have no idea what happens to someone after the event of death, aside from the biological implications on their physical being. Beneath the veneer of intensely gorgeous art direction and You're probably wondering what this has to do with Skulls production values lie surprisingly deep gameplay mechanics of the Shogun. The answer is simple: everything. Unlike most that rival what most bigger studios churn out these days. games that focus on saving the world or something else of You have a single-player campaign and three flavours of a completely altruistic nature, Skulls of the Shogun has one multiplayeronline, offline, and online asynchronous; the simple premise: Find out who killed you and exact revenge with latter is similar to a game of Draw Something or Words with the help of a legion of undead soldiers. Friends. While there's something for everyone, we recommend Having said that, you are dead in Skulls of the Shogun to you start with the single-player mode as none of the game's begin with. To be precise, you're a dead skeleton Samurai multiplayer components actually explain how to play the game, warrior, the recently deceased General Akamoto. After leaving you to figure it out for yourself. That's not usually the emerging victorious from the greatest battle of your life, you best plan when you realise that you don't know what to do to find yourself betrayed, and before you know stave off damage for your dwindling army. it, dead and on the shores of the afterlife. You The campaign is paced well. New concepts gather an army and square off against other in the art of turn-based war are explained opponents in a turn-based manner like a game of chess, or in a manner that doesn't make you want to run to the hills more recently, XCOM, where each army trades blows one after screaming in fear for your life. Even if you aren't the greatest another. in the world at strategy games, Skulls of the Shogun makes the So while humanity in all its glory entire affair a rather clear and enjoyable hasn't been able to fathom what exactly one. So much so that when you do make happens post-death, trust a plucky a mistake you know it isn't because of TURN-BASED STRATEGY studio that goes by the moniker of 17-Bit the game, as new units, abilities and Skulls of the Shogun to come up with a plausible explanation. foes make their way towards you at a PRICE 800 Microsoft Points According to the developers, the afterlife gentle pace. PUBLISHER Microsoft Games Studio is a pretty place replete with fantastic Certain missions let you control DISTRIBUTOR 17-Bit oriental art and mythical characters. All a horde of undead soldiers such as PLATFORMS Xbox 360, Windows 8, of Skulls of the Shogun takes place in infantry, cavalry and archery units, each Windows Phone this underworld of the dead. Although it with their own unique strengths. Archery FOR could have devolved into something a lot units can attack from a distance, the Slick art style; great, concise tutorials; more gory and philosophical, it instead cavalry can travel the furthest across a quirky dialogues. opts for a tone similar to the cheery map and the infantry units have the best AGAINST cartoons that kids these days will never defense. Every battlefield is peppered We wish it were on a more popular have the pleasure of knowing, and is with statues, which you can use to portable format. chock-full of entertaining dialogues and summon monks to augment your troops cheeky moments. in battle. There are three types of monks
RATING 4.5/5
GAME INFO
Jagdish Limbachiya
REVIEW 25
available: the salamander monk spews long-range fireballs and sets your enemies on fire; the crow monk pushes back enemies, making him useful in pushing soldiers off cliffs or into waterbodies; and the fox monk allows you to heal your army. The job of your army is to ensure that you, their general, are protected and survive each battle unscathed as you figure out ways to kill the opposing army's general. But when you need him, Akamoto is a powerful character in battle. Meditating behind the troops boosts Akamoto's health, and the longer he remains inactive the more stamina he has when you choose to wake him up. The dead skeleton general can move long distances and deal spectacularly damaging attacks. When used properly, General Akamoto can end a battle in one solitary turn. But if you die, the game ends. And there's moreeating the skulls of your fallen enemies allows the general and his legion of undead more actions, new abilities and restores health. Aside from last year's superlative XCOM, the turn-based strategy genre hasn't seen much in the way of new releases. Skulls of the Shogun proves that there's a lot that can be done
in the space and does so with oodles of style and quirkiness that remind one of the classic Gameboy Advance series, Advance Wars. Great gameplay aside, Skulls of the Shogun is one of the few titles that you can play on your Xbox, Windows 8 PC (sorry Windows 7 users, you're out in the cold for this one) and Windows Phone. Much like Sony's cross-platform cloud syncs your games between the PS3 and Vita, you can sync one game across the three Microsoft platforms. The cloud syncs your saves flawlessly and is a welcome addition. Though you'd be hard pressed to find someone who owns a Windows Phone, a Windows 8 PC and an Xbox 360, it's good to know that you can take your game with you wherever you go. All in all, Skulls of the Shogun is a fantastic take on the afterlife, complete with stellar Oriental art, killer design aesthetics and a funny and quirky storyline. It's also a solid addition to a genre that we wish had more titles. If you're hankering for some good turn-based strategy loving on your Windows 8 PC, Xbox 360 or Windows Phone, you can't go wrong with Skulls of the Shogun.
26 REVIEW
SNIPER: GHOST WARRIOR 2
Boom! Headshot!
BY SAM MATHEWS
alk to anyone's who's been in the military and they'll tell you that in order to be a good soldier, one must follow orders. But it seems the developers behind Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 have taken that bit of advice a little too seriously. Most of the game has you following orders and doing nothing else, which is tragic since youll invariably want to take matters into your hands, if even for just a moment. However you cant, because as soon as you decide to assert your individuality, you find yourself on the receiving end of a Game Over screen. Yes, its that harsh and outdated a system. So what do you find yourself doing for most of Ghost Warrior 2s almost five-hour play time, you ask? Youll be trying to do everything non-playable characters tell you, which is funny considering youre usually the one who is supposed to be commanding them. From dictating where you perch yourself to telling you who your targets are, you are for all intents and purposes instructed how to play the game. Deviating in the slightest possible way has disastrous consequences. For example, early on in the game we thought it would be a good idea to gun down an enemy straight ahead rather than heed the games advice and aim for those on the right. What ensued was us hitting our targets but our allies not doing anything, resulting in a quick death that took us back to the beginning. Sure, there are a few moments of unbridled freedom when you reclaim your gear, giving you the opportunity to sneak around enemy soldiers, stabbing them or gunning them down with a pistol. However such moments are few and occur between vapid instances of paint-by-numbers-and-watchthe-paint-dry gameplay thats more tedious than it has to be. Missions are structured in the most linear of fashions: you move from point A to point B (stealthily of course), set up your sniper rifle, and are told which targets to gun down. It essentially boils down to moving from one shooting range to another. In fact, they could have done away with all the traversal since its fraught with bugs, glitches and sheer boredom. But then how
RATING 2/5
would it be any different from an iOS or Android title? Oh right, those are a lot more entertaining even at their prices. As the name implies, youll be taking on the role of a sniper. If using a scope and picking off targets from afar is not your idea of fun, please look elsewhere. Everyone else can keep in mind that the game lets you slow down time, which is done just to showcase the concentration needed to pull off a perfect kill, we guess. Then you have to take into consideration theres a host of factors like wind velocity and distance before taking your (usually single) shot. Its a pity that these two options are relevant only on the hardest difficulty level. The normal and easy modes have a lot of indicators that give you an idea of how successful your shot will be. Hard TEST RIG mode doesnt paint your targets out for Processor: Intel you, making it a bit challenging and much Core i5 3470 more pleasant than the lower difficulty Ram: 16GB DDR3 Graphics Card: AMD settings that spell out exactly who you Radeon HD 7950 3GB have to kill, with the subtlety of a votehungry politician.
Jagdish Limbachiya
REVIEW 27
This aside, youd expect a game running the drop dead All you get is a trio of sniper rifles, a sidearm and few kinds gorgeous CryEngine 3 (the same engine running the very of goggles such as night vision and a near-future version of beautiful Crysis 3) to at least try to look good. Instead, we have thermal goggles. something thats more or less the virtual equivalent of a pig The plot ends up being unintentionally hilarious thanks to wearing lipstick. It has more in common with the original, six- the fact that it takes itself too seriously. It involves foiling an year-old CryEngine than this years masterpiece in graphical attempt to fuel a war between India and Pakistan, exotic bioadvancement. weapons and a twenty-year timeline. It follows the story of For instance, youll be subject to tremendous amounts of mercenary Cole Anderson as he headshots his way across the texture pop-in, even on the PC: grass and trees look phoned in world. From the balmy Philippine jungles to the snowy peaks rather than real, the character models are sub-par and the less of Tibet, there are some scenic locales to enjoy. Unfortunately, said about the textures the better. Did we mention that you they do look pretty bad. dont even have anti-aliasing support? In addition, the CG is When youre done with the thoroughly barebones campaign, hideous regardless of your platform of choice. Be it on the PC you can try your luck at multiplayer. We use the term luck or consoles, the CG sequences look watered down to the point because thats all it amounts to. Almost all matches devolve where you think youre watching a camera-rip of a standard into players crouching across the map, and trying to gun one definition movie rather than something in glorious 1080p. another down from a distance. Think of it as the modern And it gets even worse. The keyboard controls are day equivalent to the worst bits of Counter-Strike or any perplexingly complicated. Instead of one button to crouch and modern day shooter. You know, the ones where everyone go prone, you need to press four keys to make it happen. This is just waiting for someone else to make a move. Yes, such is hilarious because console users just need to use a single excruciating stretches of boredom are all you'll get out of button, proving it's completely unnecessary. In addition, the Ghost Warrior 2s multiplayer, amplified by the sniper rifles. checkpoint system is messy: youll be Only lifelong campers need apply. playing for long stretches only to find Its sad that theres so much wrong yourself dead and navigating from with Ghost Warrior 2, because in spite one point to the next and pulling off all its missteps and misgivings, the FPS headshots like you did not long ago. satisfaction of lining up a headshot is Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 If killing an enemy that you werent immense. Pity that theyre sandwiched PRICE Rs 1,299 (PC), Rs 2,799 (PS3 instructed to doesnt end your game, by so many unintuitive design choices. and Xbox 360) it glitches it to the point where you are As it stands, we cant recommend PUBLISHER City Interactive compelled to reboot and load your save Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 to anyone DEVELOPER City Interactive file. Plus, theres a heart rate feature except the biggest FPS junkies who have DISTRIBUTOR Origin Games that serves to make the games myriad burnt out on the usual Call of Duties PLATFORMS PS3, PC, Xbox 360 escape scenes a lot more irritating than and Battlefields and need another jolt FOR they should be. of first-person gameplay with guns. Flashes of brilliance; great hard mode. At this rate, youd think the developers The rest can safely avoid it and put AGAINST would be kind enough to give us enough their money into something a lot more Too linear; too happy to show you a Game Over weapons to play with. But they might entertainingsuch as any other game screen; boring multiplayer. as well hold a grudge against gamers. reviewed this month.
GAME INFO
28 REVIEW
RIDICULOUS FISHING
Fantastic Fishing Fun

BY SAM MATHEWS
RATING 4.5/5
f you're a stickler for the rules regarding the time-space continuum, Ridiculous Fishing would be the clone of a clone. It was released after Ninja Fishing, which liberally borrowed gameplay elements from Vlambeer's own original Radical Fishing. Playing it, however, reveals that it's something else altogether. The core mechanics of Ridiculous Fishing are simple. Cast a line into the ocean and prevent anything along the way from touching your hook (using of your iDevice's accelerometer). The moment you hit a fish or run out of line, you reel it back. This time, you try to snag as many assorted denizens of the deep murky waters as you can with your hook (with even more prudent use of your iDevice's accelerometer). When your fishing line reaches the which melds well with the tight, focused gameplay. In terms of surface, the fishes are thrown into the air. You then shoot them controls, it handles surprisingly well. Most accelerometer-based down with an assortment of weaponry, such as pistols and games tend to more sensitive than colleges looking to wipe out mini-guns, by tapping at your targets. Each successful shot Facebook confession pages, and the rest tend to go over to the gives you cash. You can use this cash to purchase a slew of other extreme where youre swinging your phone around as if it items and upgrades such as chainsaw hooks, toasters to fry fish were a Wii controller. Ridiculous Fishing manages to be a tight instantly, and of course, longer lines. experience through and through. Even the targeting is a simple On playing the game for the first time, youll realise that affair that just works. the term ridiculous rings true. For a game about an activity Further extending the simplicity is the music. Created by as mundane as fishing, it ends up being quite exciting. While Eirik Suhrke, the man behind the music for Spelunky, its a the gameplay is never going to be anything more complex weird, surreal affair that complements the games unique than what was described above, it still manages to be absurd, art style. But that isnt all. Ridiculous Fishing features a fair addictive and a lot of fun. amount of text in the right places. Theres a Twitter parody However what sets Ridiculous Fishing called Bydr. It might seem like a nice little apart from its contemporaries is the throwaway, but it ends up powering this sheer quirkiness of its presentation. For seemingly inconsequential tale into one one, the art style is freshglance at the of self-worth and redemption. This too FISHING screenshots and youd think it uses the is unsurprising, given that it was done by Ridiculous Fishing same pixellated style that most indie Davey Wreden, who crafted the excellent PRICE Rs 170 App Store offerings tend to have, but look indie classic, The Stanley Parable. DEVELOPER Vlambeer a little closer and youll be treated to a Though developers Vlambeer werent PLATFORMS iOS unique mosaic of graphics. If anything, able to beat Ninja Fishing to release, FOR Ridiculous Fishing could be summed up theyve managed to put out a compelling, Sweet gameplay; great art direction; surreal as the most deceptive-looking 2D-sprite narcotic-like iOS experience that very few music. game that doesnt lean on any form can rival. If youre looking for your next AGAINST of retro appeal whatsoever. Theres portable fix, you dont have to go very far. Free Flash version and clones on iOS and also a sense of unpredictability to the Rs 170 is enough to snag you hook, line Android make this a less attractive buy. environments and character design, and sinker.
GAME INFO
Jagdish Limbachiya
REVIEW
29
RAZER SABERTOOTH
The Sweet Tooth of the Saber

BY NACHIKET MHATRE
azer's flagship controller Sabertooth sets out to achieve two major goals: iron out the kinks inks the Onza ller's favourite had, and incorporate the SCUF Controller's umb from the party trickpaddles that free your right thumb ooth seems to face buttons. This explains why the Sabertooth e exact shape be a carbon copy of the Onzaright from the and dimensions to the button placement and the Xbox 360 controller's clever reversal of the left thumbstick with the D-pad. This means it's an XInput-compatible clone of the Xbox 360 gamepad, just like the Onza. This should delight PC gamers especially because it ensures a hassle-free, plug-andplay affair with all games. Moreover, just like the Xbox 360 controller, the Sabertooth's pair of analogue index triggers makes it indispensable for contemporary racing games that call for a minimum of three analogue axes. However, despite their likeness, there's still a world of difference between the Sabertooth and the Onza. For starters, the Sabertooth is almost imperceptibly heavier than its predecessor, partly due to a chassis that's fashioned out of a softer, more rubberised plastic. It's still lighter than both the wired and wireless versions of the Xbox 360 gamepad as well as Sony's DualShock 3 controller, which translates into reduced fatigue over marathon gaming sessions. The Start and Select buttons have been moved back to their rightful positions and can now be reached quicker and with more ease. The elongated analogue triggers have made way for the classic design of the stock Xbox 360 gamepad. I personally prefer this change. The extra pair of programmable bumpers (dubbed MFB or Multi-Function Buttons), which were earlier placed right below the regular bumpers in a confusing manner, have now been shrunken and moved inwards in a different vertical axis. Doing so makes it impossible to press them inadvertently. The Sabertooth endears itself as a mature sibling of the Onza, as it incorporates a host of commonsense design decisions that make it considerably more intuitive and efficient.
RATING 3.5/5
rewor rked D-pad is is a quantu um The reworked quantum le eap over those thos se of the Onza On nza and even eve en leap the e stock Xbox x 360 controller. The four fou ur discr rete, membrane-actuated membra ane-actuated d directional directiona al discrete, used d, buttons are some of the best I have used, a nd are precise enou ugh to nail difficult combo os in fighting g and enough combos games with consummate ease. They are set wide enough apart to prevent inadvertent strikes but are still close enough to execute those all-important Forward-Down-Back combos. The actuation pressure is just right, whereas the rebound action is quicker for the benefit of rapid key presses. Quite simply, this is the gamepad to get if you can't afford a proper fight stick for Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat. The Sabertooth's 10-foot cable is 5 feet shy of the Onza's cable. I presume it's been shortened to fit inside the slick, foam-padded carry case that houses the controller and accessories. The high-quality braided cable is detachable and can be screwed securely into the gamepad by means of a handsome assembly bearing a gunmetal finish, which seems to be a virtually indestructible. The controller's fanciest party trick is a green-on-black OLED display that allows you to change profiles, remap buttons, toggle vibration, adjust sensitivity and test settings all without pausing a game to access the Settings screen. Just like the Onza, the Sabertooth doesn't require a driver suite, thereby making it ideal to hop from PC to PC with without worrying about settings. The MFB remap process is based entirely on the hardware, and is easy and intuitive thanks to the OLED display. You can store these settings in two different profiles that can be switched on the fly. However, therein lies a major issue with the controller. Since this is a tournament-grade gamepad targeted at serious gamers, its 20-step sensitivity adjustment business shuold be a crucial feature that drives purchase decisions. Unfortunately, I noticed something major missing when I tried to adjust the sensitivity in different games across multiple
30 REVIEW
platforms. Instead of affecting the speed of the analogue stick movements, reducing sensitivity only decreased the range of motion registered. To cite an example, decreasing the sensitivity by five steps in Need For Speed: Shift reduced the steering travel by a catastrophic 80 percent, making the game unplayable. Just to be sure, I hooked up the Sabertooth to different gaming rigs and analysed the raw input values, only to see the same issue replicated on all machines. Unless the problem is specific to my review sample, this makes the sensitivity adjustment feature useless. The final ace up the Sabertooth's sleeve is what Razer calls Multi Function Triggers (MFT). These crescent-shaped rockers situated on the bottom of the gamepad are Razer's answer to the SCUF Controller's unique paddles. Just like SCUF's paddles, these triggers allow you to access face buttons in cover shooters without taking your thumbs off the analogue sticks. However, unlike its competitor's hardwired paddles, Razer's alternative is fully programmable and can be assigned to any other button on the fly. In simple terms, where one would have to buy separately configured SCUF Controllers for different games, just one Sabertooth suffices for anything in your library. Although these MFTs are pretty much superfluous for any other genre, they could be the difference between winning and losing for professional console FPS players. Unfortunately, since these MFTs are essentially rocker switches, you cannot press both assigned functions at the same time. These triggers offer virtually no resistance and the tactile feedback is quite poor as well. This makes it deceptively easy to press them accidentally and inadvertently TK your squad mates with a grenade or two. As someone who builds and services many types of miniaturised R/C suspension systems, it's not hard to notice the fact that the spring-loaded rocker assembly is so poorly built and pointless that I wonder if a real engineer was involved while designing it. There's such a laughably chronic level of free play evident in the assembly that it makes you question why a spring was included at all. Razer, however, has been smart enough to bundle a screwdriver that allows the MFTs to o be removed altogether. Problem solved.
On the bright side, the face buttons retain the Onza's micro-mechanical, switch-actuated Hyperesponse buttons. The familiar mechanical action seen in Razer mice is present here as well, and makes operating the gamepad effortless. Pulling off multi-hit combos in fighting games is now faster, more accurate and less likely to cause blisters. The mechanical switches employed on the index bumpers have been assigned harder tactile feedback to prevent accidental actuation. The thumbsticks fix most of the build quality issues g the On marring Onza. The click action is tight and positive; it isn't as soggy and imprecise as its predecessor. Unfortunately, my review sample's right stick had quite a bit of free play, which forced me to increase the dead zone to prevent inadvertent inputs. On another note, Razer has done away with the rotary dials provided to adjust spring resistance on the Onza's analogue thumbsticks. Doing so brings the Sabertooth's thumbsticks down to the height of those found on the stock Xbox 360 controller, but I prefer the ability to tweak the resistance to my own preference. I can't blame Razer because a lot of pro gamers are familiar with the stock Xbox controller, which is why the Sabertooth's triggers and thumbsticks have been designed to mimic it.
REVIEW
31
Pro Simulation model and turn all driver assists off. Driving the absolutely mental Maserati MC12 Hammer on the narrow, deadly kinks of the Nurburgring can only be achieved with a three-axis steering wheel or a really good gamepad. This is such a challenging endeavour that any sort of latency induced by enabling V-Sync or using a wireless controller is instantly apparent. NFS: Shift's Nurburgring run is what I essentially used to determine whether the Razer Onza was better than the stock Xbox 360 controller two years ago, and I used the same benchmark again this time. The significant difference in performance between the Sabertooth and its nearest competitor is why I consider the former to be the best controller in the business. If money is no issue, the Sabertooth is amongst the finest gamepads available, and by far the best I've laid my hands on. It took two iterations for Razer to perfect its flagship gamepad, but at the end of the day, it has prudently kept the best and most familiar aspects of the stock Xbox controller intact while adding clever new features to improve performance. This is a super-controller with precise When I analysed the raw input values of the Sabertooth thumbsticks, a perfect D-pad and ultra-fast mechanical face vis-a-vis the Xbox 360 controller, it was evident that Razer has buttons that make it ideal for all kinds of games. used higher quality potentiometers for the analogue sticks. As brilliantly as it performs, I have a few reservations: the Nevertheless, I still can't tell if their accuracy is better than sensitivity adjustment feature simply doesn't work, and while that of my two-year-old Onza, or if that's just on account of the MFTs deliver the killing edge to pro gamers, they end up age-related deterioration. I say this because the thumbsticks' annoying you due to their poor design. However, my biggest response isn't as smooth as I would have expected, and is grouse with the Sabertooth is its price: it's hard to justify its certainly not refined enough considering the price. Rs 5,299 asking price when I know for a fact that Razer hasn't Being an R/C hobbyist, I regularly use high-quality opted for the best potentiometers for the analogue sticks. potentiometers in my car and helicopter That still doesn't change the fact that builds, and those perform much better I wouldn't mind putting money down than the ones on the Sabertooth. Since for this little puppy. This is still the best INPUT DEVICES I buy that calibre of potentiometers at controller I have ever used. The only $5 a pop at retail rates, Razer can easily other controllers that could compare Razer Sabertooth afford to throw them in a controller are Scuf Gaming's SCUF Controller and PRICE Rs 5,299 costing $80. Having said that, these still Mad Catz's MLG Pro Circuit Controller. MANUFACTURER Razer remain one of the best analogue sticks The former is unavailable in India and CONTACT sashank.bhandaru@ razerzone.com money can buy. will prove very expensive to import. PHONE 7838090922 How does all this reflect on the However, a reliable Industry source tells EMAIL www.razerzone.com gamepad's performance, you ask? Well, me that Mad Catz is in talks with an FOR I defer to Need For Speed: Shift for this Indian distributor to bring the MLG Pro Solid build; awesome D-pad; excellent purpose. Developed by Slightly Mad Circuit Controller to the Indian market. mechanical switches; great button placement. Studios, the same team that gave us the When that happens, expect a head-toAGAINST GTR racing sim series, Shift incorporates head comparison with the Sabertooth. Sensitivity adjustment is useless; free play in an accurate physics engine that offers Until then, you can pick up this controller right thumbstick and MFTs; MFTs disappoint. a high skill ceiling once you select the if money is not a problem.
PRODUCT INFO
32 FEATURE
TEMPLE RUN 2
How To Run Like The Wind in Temple Run 2

BY ANAND TULIANI
lmost everyone knows what Temple Run is. There used to be a time when addicts were all over the place. We've seen people playing this game in buses, trains, restaurants, coffee shops, outside cinema halls, at railway stations... we've even spotted groups of people having friendly tournamentsthe winner is the one who runs the longest distance. And if the craziness of the first game wasn't enough, the sequel Temple Run 2 packs even more action and eye candy for you to lose yourself in. However, not everyone has superhuman reflexes and most tend to give up after a while. If you're struggling to run long distances or dread trolley rides and narrow ledges, here's how you can overcome your fears and become a Temple Run 2 ninja!
RIDING TROLLIES IS EASIER THAN RUNNING

My first trolley ride lasted less than five seconds. The next time the trolley fell while it was rolling on a single rail. This time, I forgot to tilt the device in the direction of the rail to stay on track. You have to keep the device tilted till you get back on two tracks. Dont get lured by coins; focus on the ride. Watch out for dead ends and tilt to change tracks when you come across diversions. If trolley rides still give you nightmares, you can use Boost powerup to last almost half the distance without any effort. At the end of most rides, you will find a reward in the form of a power up. Jump forward as soon as you get off the trolley to grab it, but make sure there are no obstacles ahead.
TO RUN LIKE THE WIND, BE STILL

Keep in mind that it's important to play in a fashion thats most comfortable for you. Some of the geeks at work prefer playing single-handed, using their thumb to swipe. Others prefer holding the phone with onehands and using the index finger of the other to swipeusing two hands to play isnt wrong so long as you find it comfortable. You need to have very quick reflexes to run like a pro, but its not impossible; its like teaching an infant how to walk. The trick is to move as little as possible. Tilt your device to collect coins or avoid obstacles, and swipe left or right only when you want to turn, or the nasty beast will close in on you. Time your jumps well so that you dont land on the spiked rollers, get charred by flames or ram into walls. If there are multiple obstacles or turns in a short stretch, dont hesitate to swipe correctly in quick succession; it will work. Keep practising and honing your running skills and youll soon become a pro. Initially, being able to run 1,000 metres in a stretch isnt bad. Anything above 5,000 metres is very good. Give yourself a pat on the back if youve run 10,000 metres or more non-stop!
NARROW LEDGES
Ledges are another hardship the game puts you through. Not tilting your device when youre on the ledge will make you fall off. Heres a trick: if you think youll fall off, jump and quickly tilt your device towards the ledge and youll be safe. Or you can simply use Boost.
GRAB THOSE POWERUPS!

Shields protect you when you run into obstacles. The powerup will protect you just once if you run into spiked rollers, stone walls, water streams and fire, but it will not save you from falling from narrow ledges or if you bang into walls. The Coin Magnet powerup attracts coins, and Boost will make your character run for a few metres without dying. We found Boost to be the most usefulit lets you run through difficult sections with minimal effort. Also, dont miss the green gems. They revive you on tapping Save Me after youve lost a life.
Jagdish Limbachiya
FEATURE 33
USE YOUR GEMS SPARINGLY

Gems get you extra lives, but you need to use them sparingly because they dont appear frequently. I use gems only if Ive run more than 10,000 metres in a stretch and if I lose a life after running a few thousand meters in the subsequent runs. Else, I forgo the game and start from the beginning. Note that the number of gems needed to continue after using Save Me once increase in big steps. So be careful when you tap Save Me.
gems for using Save Me. After upgrading it twice, "Save Me" will cost you one gem for the first three times you use it in a single game. PICKUP SPAWN: This makes powerups spawn more frequently. Work towards maxing out these abilities. It requires a lot of gameplay, time, patience and coins, but it will help you defeat your friends and beat high scores. Note that the second-last and final upgrades cost 25,000 and 50,000 coins respectively. However, theyre completely worth the price.
UNLOCK SCARLETT FOX

This is one of the first things you should do because then it enables you to unlock the Boost powerup. Once you've unlocked Scarlett, go to Menu, tap on Upgrades and then on Powerups and activate the Boost powerup from here. As you continue collecting coins, youll see the golden power meter increasing. When it fills up completely, you can double-tap anywhere on the screen to engage the selected powerup. With Boost active, you get free boosts each time the power meter gets full. So work towards filling up the meter by grabbing coins and use Boost to increase your score.
COMPLETE OBJECTIVES TO EARN BIG REWARDS

The objectives might seem stupid and impossible to achieve, but work towards completing them. You will graduate to the next level after completing a few objectives, and the rewards will be big: you may win a large bag of coins or lots of gemshow cool is that? Also, complete weekly and daily challenges to earn free coins and gems.
NO TIME FOR PRACTISE? CHEAT! UPGRADE YOUR ABILITIES SMARTLY

Dont upgrade the abilities you can purchase immediately with the coins you currently have. Instead, focus on upgrading the following abilities: BOOST DISTANCE: Increases the boost duration. POWER METER: The power meter fills up faster and needs fewer coins to be completed. You can engage Boost and other powerups after that. SAVE ME: Each time you upgrade this ability, you need fewer If you have a rooted Android, Use an app such as Kernel Tuner to underclock your device by a few hundred megahertz. The frame rate will drop ridiculously and the game will become slow and laggy. But don't fret, as this will make running long distances a cakewalk. Do remember to reset the processor's speed to the default value after playing. Follow these tips to get better. But the important part is to keep trying and not give up. Because, as they say, "Quitters aren't runners."

Chip

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Chip

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

MAY 2013 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 06 Rs 150

ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR SMART IT WORKERS

Mainstream laptops for everyday use Cloud-based file storage services

HAVE YOU INSURED YOUR PHONE YET?

INDIA'S FASTEST BROADBAND PLANS

The March of Progress

Jamshed Avari Jam editor@chip.in edito

22 The Buzz List

74 Grudge Match: Galaxy S4 vs Xperia Z vs HTC One

28 Mega: Secure file sharing or another pirate haven?

80 Upgrade Your Gear for Under Rs 5,000

30 100 Days of Windows 8

88 Upgrade Your IT Career: Skills You Need

32 Everything You Need to Know About Bitcoin

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

96 High-Speed Internet Plans in India

99 Have You Insured Your Phone Yet?

TIPS & TRICKS

110 Enhance Photos Shot With a Mobile Phone

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

NEWSSTAND AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

LE T TER OF THE MONTH

Dealing with fakes

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

Parts and service

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

MALWARE VIA EMAIL

48.6% 38.7% 2.3% 1.1% 0.7%

ANDROID UNDER FIRE

Reddit "vigilantes" wrongly identify Boston bombers

FIGURE OF THE MONTH

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

SMS us! Story code: NSN to 51818

Windows 8.1 likely to have a Start button, allow booting to desktop

BlackBerry refutes rumors of Z10 returns, customer dissatisfaction

17 yr old sells startup for $30m

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

Chameleon botnet skims millions from online advertisers

Evernote used as malware server

SECURITY HCL Infosystems wins Laptop Order from Chhattisgarh Government

1 in 4 Indians doesn't use any mobile security measures

7-inch Windows tablets imminent

Exclusive Pre-Booking of Samsung Galaxy S4 Only at HomeShop18.com

Google's "search" dotless domain could change Web behaviour

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

Is Windows 8 to blame for low PC sales figures?

AMD might be betting on ARM for TVs, gadgets

Google helps you plan for death

Anonymous to set up a news site

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

SMS us! Story code: NBL to 51818

NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHED

NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHED

PRICE: Rs 30,000 WEBSITE: www.asus.in

PRICE: 4GB: Rs 580; 32GB: Rs 2,096 WEBSITE: www.sandisk.com

PRICE: Rs 71,000 WEBSITE: www.lenovo.com

Swiveling USB drive

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHED

Simple safe router

PRICE: Rs 10,499 WEBSITE: www.nokia.com

PRICE: Rs 10,990 WEBSITE: www.huaweidevice.co.in

PRICE: Rs 1,100 WEBSITE: www.tp-link.com/en