Sei sulla pagina 1di 108

FEBRUARY 2012 Volume 9 Issue 3 Rs 150

02
12

FREE
GAM

ING

www.chip.in

SUPP
LEME
NT

Never Run Out of Power

Never Run Out Of

| X79 Motherboards & Superzoom Cameras | Root your Galaxy Note

Power
Frustrated about charging your phone twice a day?
The batteries of the future will last for weeks!

Browser Hacks
Tweak Chrome, IE and
Firefox for super speeds

Trouble online
Your Facebook page could be
breaking the law

Superfast storage:
How far can todays solidstate drives be pushed?

Online Activism
The best and the worst
examples on the Web

IIT Techfest
Spectacular talent on show at
the annual festival

Rs 150

Tested

COMPARISON TESTS

Samsung Galaxy Note


Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet
Dell XPS 14z
Asus Zenbook UX31
Sony Tablet S
Nokia Lumia 800
HTC Sensation XL
Micromax A85
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3W

10 X79 Motherboards for


Intel Sandy Bridge Extreme

CHIP_COVER_FEB_2012.indd 1

8 Superzoom
cameras:
Capture every
distant object

1/25/2012 5:26:35 PM

EDITORIAL

Uncertain times
he news this past month has been filled with stories of clashes between law
enforcement officials and common citizens. Some of these people have
been involved in activities that are illegal (or that exist only in grey areas of
the law), while others have been caught unawares as they just go about
living their everyday lives. Some have been blindsided by foreign cultural expectations,
and some have gone rogue in deciding to enforce their own standards of justice.
Governments and establishment bodies are fighting back by passing heavy-handed
laws and granting themselves more power to crack down on criminals, often
steamrolling everyone else in the bargain.

These are uncertain timesmany of the things we unknowingly take for granted
could soon change in significant ways. The Internet as we know it today is slowly being
replaced by something quite differentits long held role as a preserve of free speech
and expression could soon be a distant memory. Concepts of privacy, anonymity, the
freedom of movement, and the ownership of digital assets are being challenged and
reformulated. The interests of a powerful few are beginning to overshadow the greater
common good: the SOPA story, crackdowns on websites, the persecution of political
dissidents, the painting of casual criminals as terrorists, the identification and hunting
down of civil protestors, and various other attempts to muffle political criticism and
impose specific moral values are but a few examples of this. A less immediately
obvious (but not unrelated) trend is the gradual erosion of users rights and
expectations when it comes to privacy and anonymity online.
But perhaps this was only to be expected in the normal course of events. Things
that once existed in states of joyous anarchy have become regulated and policed over
timethe societies we live in, for example. Like all societies, power will shift between
individuals, be passed down through legacies, or be snatched away by rebels. The
Internet was instrumental in enabling revolutions and overthrowing dictators in 2011
and has also not been enough to do so in some cases. In 2012, its already being used to
fight all-out war. Loosely organized groups are beginning to assert themselves, with
peaceful campaigns and educational drives such as the undeniably successful
January 18 blackout. Unfortunately, there are also those who believe in guerrilla
tactics such as attacking and disrupting the operations of governments and
corporate entities in retaliation to perceived wrongdoings. Other hackers (to
use the term in a non-pejorative sense) are discussing plans to launch their
own underground, unregulated Internet and possibly even launch satellites to
help achieve this goalno matter how unlikely it would be in the long term
for any of these efforts to succeed where the current Internet falls short.
Noble intentions aside, actions such as these are already being used by
governments to justify even tighter regulations on Internet use.
Many will just go with the flow for lack of an alternative, and many will
remain unaffected by the changes. There will also be those for whom
such luxuries aren't afforded. The silver lining here, as SOPA protestors
so ably demonstrated in January, is that there's nothing stopping any of
us from fighting back.

Jamshed Avari
editor@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0030212_Editorial.indd 3

02/2012

1/25/2012 8:32:25 PM

Contents
82 COVER STORY

NEVER RUN OUT OF

POWER
NEWSWIRE

TEST CENTER

FEATURED

12 In the News...

34 Product Spotlight

82 Never Run Out of Power

24 Enriching Lives in Rural India

36 Hardware Tested

88 The Best Browser Hacks

26 Intel Tech-Mom

58 XX Motherboard comparison

92 Legal Trouble with Social


Networks

A look at what's making news in the world of


technology.

Eureka Forbes' initiative to provide clean


drinking water in remote villages.

The new program aims to expose urban


housewives to the possibilities of the Internet.

27 Curbing Carbon Emissions

A unique green tech project that landed its


creator on Forbes' 30 under 30 list.

28 CES 2012

This year's event was tame despite loads of


pre-show hype.

32 IIT Bombay Techfest 2012

The three-day annual event lived up to its


name.

02/2012

0040212_Contents.indd 4

Is there a market for a device that's partsmartphone and part-tablet?

The latest PC hardware, mobile phones, digital


cameras and more, tested and rated.

We compare ten X79 chipset-based


motherboards from various brands.

64 Shoot Like a Pro

Eight super-zoom cameras compete each other


in this roundup.

70 Software Spotlight

One of the best applications for adding HDR


effects to your photographs.

72 Software Tested

Batteries of the future will charge in seconds


for 20 times more performance.

Dozens of hidden functions are lying around in


Firefox, Explorer and Chrome.

Copyright organizations are going after naive


users. Could you be the next target?

96 The Fastest Hard Disk

New solid-state drives are too fast for the SATA


connection.

100 3D Printing

With a suitable 3D graphic, these printers can


create convincing 3D results.

Everything from recovery tools and system


utilities to video and image editors.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1/25/2012 7:24:01 PM



/ 
/
 

/
 /
 
/
/
/
 







.



 
 .

 
.

.


 



 
 
 
   
  
 
  

 


 
 

  






5
 5
5  #(



+
$*&"



"%
(#$!$
(&$)

 

 
&*
 
!$'


 

  





 

 
 
 

$* &( !
($(&) #
#(!!


 



 !!(






  &$

)## $)&
$#+
 %%' *' 
 #$


















  
 )((# ($&'(
&)"$&'


 ('
!'

"#(

%"

 "
 "
 !'

"#"








 




  #

 
!
"



   !



#

 


  

 


 #

FEBRUARY 2012




 
   

 




)#
(($
 & $)
( %!

 


 
  !
 
!



 "

SUBSCRIBE
SU
UBSC
CRIBE
E NO
NOW!
OW!
Turn to page 42
BEFORE

34 TEST CENTER
HARDWARE
The latest hardware reviewed

AFTER

70 TEST CENTER
SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT
Dynamic Photo HDR
112 HANDSON
SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE
Underclock for longer battery life

102 Shedding the Slacktivist Tag


Sites like Facebook and Twitter are the new
mediums for social activism.

HANDS ON
106 Dr CHIP

Our in-house expert helps you with your


hardware and software woes.

110 Root Your Galaxy Note

Enable your new smartphone to accommodate


custom built ROMs and kernels.

112 Underclock Your Galaxy Note

Increase the Note's battery life in a few simple


steps.

POWER
TOOLS DVD
8.5 GB of essential tools for everyday life

REGULARS
03 Editorial, 06 Colophon, 08 Letters,
12 In the News..., 18 The Buzz List,
20 New Products Launched, 78 PC Configs,
104 Web Watch, 106 Dr CHIP, 114 Tips &
Tricks, 122 Market Watch, 135 Contests,
138 Personal Tech

DVD HIGHLIGHTS
RED HOT APPLICATIONS

Software Autodesk Softimage 2012

FULL SOFTWARE

Linux Mint 12 and more...

FULL GAMES

Grand Prix Racing and more...

GAME DEMOS
Final Fantasy VII Remake

GAME TRAILERS
The Darkness II and more...

114 Tips N Tricks

Some cool Windows and application tips you


may not be aware of.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0040212_Contents.indd 5

02/2012

1/25/2012 7:25:00 PM

COLOPHON

FOUNDER & EDITOR, NETWORK18


Raghav Bahl

GROUP CEO, NETWORK18


Haresh Chawla

PRESIDENT & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, TV18


Senthil Chengalvarayan

GROUP COO, NETWORK18


B. Sai Kumar

MANAGING EDITOR
Hatim Kantawalla
hatim.kantawalla@network18online.com
DEPUTY EDITOR
Jamshed Avari
jamshed.avari@chip.in
DEPUTY EDITOR - TECHNICAL
Anand Tuliani
anand.tuliani@chip.in
COPY DESK
Sameer Desai
ASSISTANT HEAD - TEST CENTER
Francis DSa
SENIOR FEATURES WRITER
Priyanka Tilve
MULTIMEDIA COORDINATOR
Sachin Haldankar
TEST CENTER COORDINATOR
Gautami Chalke
SENIOR ART DIRECTOR
Ashwin R Boricha
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR
Jagdish Limbachiya
SENIOR DESIGNER
Hemali Limbachiya
DESIGNER
Harshad Gujare
ILLUSTRATORS
Sachin Pandit, Chaitanya Surpur
TECH2.0 TEAM
Shayne Rana, Rossi Fernandes, Roydon Cerejo, Avinash Bali,
Padmini Harchandrai, Aaron Almeida, Karan Shah,
Anuradha Shetty, Rajesh Dsouza
HEAD - INTERNET
Tushar Burman
CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mexy Xavier
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Neha Mithbawkar, Joshua Navalkar
IMAGE PROCESSING
Sanjay Shelar, Ravi Salian, Ravikumar Potdar

PRINTING

CEO - PUBLISHING, INFOMEDIA18


Sandeep Khosla
EVP - HUMAN RESOURCES
Sanjeev Kumar Singh

ADVERTISING SALES
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT - SALES
Siddhartha Chatterjee
NATIONAL SALES HEAD
Badri Narayan (badri.narayan@infomedia18.in)
SALES SUPPORT HEAD
Sagar Salunkhe (sagars@infomedia18.in)
MUMBAI: Amit Dhotre (amit.dhotre@infomedia18.in)
BANGALORE: Milan Abraham (milan.abraham@infomedia18.in)
HYDERABAD: Rocky Joseph (rocky.joseph@infomedia18.in
NEW DELHI: Vivek Ojha (vivek.ojha@infomedia18.in)
CHENNAI: Madhivaanan (madhivaanan@infomedia18.in)

MARKETING
HEAD - MARKETING
Amit Seth
SENIOR MANAGER - MARKETING
Nikhil Sharma

NEWSSTAND AND SUBSCRIPTIONS


HEAD (COPY SALES)
Sunil Nair
DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER
Manoj Palsay
West: Mumbai: Soorendra Desai, Sanjay Bhujle, Yeshwant Gotpagar, 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: Kolkatta: Debraj Sur.
South: Chennai: Kripanand S, Balaji G; Bangalore: Devaraju Gowda;
Hyderabad: G.S. Mahesh, Ratnaprasad Choppara; 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 Katta
LOGISTICS TEAM
Percy Palkhiwala, Anant Shirke

SERVICES

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT


Ananth R. Iyer

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

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER - PPC


Shekhar Khot

SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES: For subscription queries, write to


customercare@infomedia18.in or call +91 22 30034631-34 or toll free 1800 200 1021

PRODUCTION TEAM
Surekha Karmarkar, Dnyaneshwar Goythale

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 Infomedia18 Ltd., its publisher and/or editors. We at Infomedia18 do our best to verify the information published but do not take any responsibility for the absolute
accuracy of the information. Infomedia18 does not accept the responsibility for any investment or other decision taken by readers on the basis of information provided herein. Infomedia18 Ltd. 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 written permission of the publisher. Infomedia18 Ltd. reserves the right to use the information published herein in any
manner whatsoever.

Infomedia18 Ltd. is the


publishing arm of Network18.

02/2012

0060212_Colophon.indd 6

Published by Lakshmi Narasimhan and printed by Mohan Gajria on behalf of Infomedia18 Ltd.
Editor: Lakshmi Narasimhan
Printed at Infomedia18 Ltd., Plot No. 3, Sector No. 7,
Off Sion-Panvel Road, Nerul, Navi Mumbai 706
& published at Infomedia18 Ltd., 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, Infomedia18 Ltd, 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

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1/25/2012 7:26:29 PM

LETTERS

STAR
ER
LETonT
's
th winner

INBOX

This m
gets a coolset
accessories

Next month's Star Letter wins


accessories set (worth Rs 5,000)

Radiation
R
d
Blues

Hello
H
ll CHIP
CHIP,
subscribed to your magazine and I am loving it. I really appreciate the collection of
I have just
j
artic
articles.
I am a big fan of your reviews and I take into consideration every detail you mention
be
before
buying my gadgets. I am a 15 year old student who is studying in Mahatma Gandhi
I
International
School (MGIS), Ahmedabad. I have recently been working on a project that is
related to creating awareness about mobile radiation. I am working really hard on this and I
have also bought a microwave leakage detector which can calculate EMF radiation. It is a
very useful device as it shows us how much a mobile phone radiates and, taking that into
consideration, which one is the best to buy. I am planning to measure all possible models
from different companies to check their radiation level. I would really love to spread
awareness through CHIP, which is indeed the most trusted tech magazine in India.
Thanking you,
ZAID MANIAR
Hi Zaid,
Za
a
Hi
You
ourr project
pro
Your
sounds quite promising. The problem of cellphone radiation has been debated for years,
ha been no conclusion yet as to the exact nature of its effects. India is all set to make prominent
and there has
mandat
SAR labels mandatory
on mobile phone boxes, but the unregulated mushrooming of mobile phone towers might
Th project you've undertaken is certainly timely and relevant to all of us. We're curious to know
be a bigger risk. The

Sachin P
Pandit
andit
and

equ
more about the equipment
you have purchased and the conditions under which you intend to test mobile phones,
so please do write back to us with more details and any preliminary findings you might have. We'd be glad to
help out and also to discuss the results in a future issue. Best of luck!
TEAM CHIP

Gadget crazy

and that you enjoy the rest of the

Dear Abhishek

Hello CHIP,

magazine as well. Thanks for the

It's our pleasure to provide you with

I have been a regular CHIP reader

good wishes too.

all the latest tech news and analysis

for years. I would like to thank the


entire CHIP team for bringing us

CONTACT INFO

Please send your


letters to:
editor@chip.in
with "LETTERS" in
the subject line

02/2012

0080212_Letters.indd 8

- TEAM CHIP

in one convenient magazine! With


regards to last month's CHIP Insider,

such a nice magazine loaded with

XPS thoughts

tons of information regarding the

Hello CHIP,

suitable model from each major

widest range of consumer

I am a new reader of your magazine

manufacturer. Dell's gaming efforts

electronics, and of course for the

and I appreciate your efforts to

are now focused on their Alienware

DVD. I hope it will be continued

provide us with latest tech news. I

line, and you'll find that the M14x is

forever! In next months magazine

used to surf the net to satisfy my

quite highly recommended. The

(February), I and millions of CHIP

tech hunger but you guys have

current models in the XPS and XPS Z

readers would like to see the entire

satiated it. The Top Gaming Laptops

series are more focused on good

CES 2012 covered, with all the new

article was decent, but I found the

looks and general HD entertainment.

smartphones, tablets, cameras etc.

Dell XPS 15 missing from the list. I

You'll still be able to play today's

Regards,

have a huge crush on it and I

games at fairly high quality settings,

expected it to find place in your

so unless you demand the absolute

article, but I was disappointed.

cutting edge (and are willing to pay

Dear Shadab,

Please tell me your thoughts as I am

for an Alienware model), go ahead

Consider your wish granted! We hope

planning to buy it for myself.

and enjoy your purchase.

SHADAB MEHDI

you find the CES coverage suitable,

the article in question covered one

- ABHISHEK

TEAM CHIP

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1/25/2012 7:31:17 PM

LETTERS

Unfair pricing

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

laptop and iPhone wherever I go

involved with electronics is so

and always tweet and chat. I read

expensive in India, and is cheaper in

 
 

"
"!
#




moved to India. I believe Im an


Indian and feel proud to be so. But
theres always a snag. I went to




  



Croma around two years ago and




 

!  
!

 




the price sign: Rs 26,999! Can you







 # !






  "

 



saw my one and only true love, the

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.





 



  

years after I was born, after which I

it. Thats when my eyes landed on

Tech Detox in the December issue,



the US? I lived in the US for ten

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

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

a tech addict? I am always with my




  




Why is it that everything thats

Wii. I just stood there, marveling at

Finally, send your messages to


51818. Cheers!

I am a tech junkie. Is it wrong to be


 5  55 

Dear CHIP,


!!


"
 


  


 

 

 
   

,.$
,.$' 

' 
 
! +# 4.'# %$
  ,1%&",,( 
/

 *+'!    
 3-),.$.
-0'*1/$0

4"$./&,0 
 ,2$.&,0 
   ! +, )1/




 
 

 


suggested in it. If I follow that


advice, I might become less
interested in tech and that could
lead me to stop buying CHIP in the





 

but I cant follow anything

! 

 
    

 

future. I like what I am doing and


what you guys are doing. Keep it up!
Thank you.
AATHI
Dear Aathi

believe it? My mouth hung open. In

Thank you for your praise! All of us

the US, it was selling like hot cakes

product categories is as high as 27

here are tech junkies to some extent,

for roughly Rs 15,000. I understand

percent. In rare cases, companies

but we do have other things going

that duties and taxes are applied,

might need to keep the prices of

on in our lives. In fact, we'd go quite

but Rs 12,000 extra? Thats

some types of products high to

insane if we spent all our time

definitely not helping us buy. People

compensate for low volumes. On the

obsessing only about speeds and

resorted to buying Wiis from the US

bright side, things are getting better,

specifications. Start slowlymake

on their own, leading to voltage

for example, laptops are now exempt

sure your gadgets aren't distracting

conversion problems.

from import duty if you bring them

you when you're at work and when

into the country when you travel.

you're supposed to be sleeping. Resist

resides in US, through Skype. I

The issue of Internet speed is more

the urge to pick them up when

casually posed this question to him:

to do with the cost of creating and

you're momentarily idle. Try a sport

Whats your Internet speed? He

maintaining infrastructure. Speeds

or musical instrument. Develop skills

replied 48 MB/second, and laughed

have increased dramatically over the

and hobbies beyond tech, even if

at my disbelief. We are living with

past few years, but we're also

they are relatedphotography,

Americas decades-old web speed of

saddled with ridiculous data transfer

reading books (physical books!) and

20 KBps. Maybe its because of

limits in the guise of "fair usage

writing, for example. Socialize with

ignorance between megabytes per

caps". It's going to take new players

friends and enjoy their company. You

second and megabits per second.

in the market to stir up competition,

might discover things you enjoy

BSNL is a clear example: my dad

which is why we're looking forward

doing, and none of them can force

signed up for 4 MBps plan, and

to the introduction of 4G/LTE

you to fall out of touch with tech.

obviously, we get 20 KBps. We need

services in India, hopefully this year.

I had a chat with my friend who

India to progress technologically.


Otherwise we will stay in the

TEAM CHIP

TEAM CHIP

Bad habits

shadow of other nations. We need

Saying no, no, no

for India to innovate and create an

Dear CHIP,

The article on the usage of chat

Anna for the tech-inclined

This is my first letter to you. I cant

words in daily life was very good. I

community.

say how much I love CHIP. I have to

agree that such words should be

Thanks for your time,

admit that I shower with you, brush

restricted to chats only. There is no

with you, eat with you, travel with

way to control this habit, and what's

you and even dream with you. I

worse is that it is growing. I guess

Dear Ravi,

have been reading CHIP since 2005

people now accept "gn & tc" in place

We feel the pinch of prices too, but

and have never dropped an issue.

of "good night and take care".

these really aren't the worst in the

You always come up with innovative

Thanks for the nice article.

world. The import duty on some

things with every bit of your effort.

RAVI KAWADE

Dear Priyanka,

- ADITYA

WRITE TO US!

CUSTOMER CARE

Readers' letters, feedback and suggestions: editor@chip.in (Subject: LETTERS)

Late delivery, DVD malfunctions, and all subsciption


related enquiries

Industry representatives: editor@chip.in


Marketing and sponsorship enquiries: marketing@chip.in
Dr CHIP: drchip@chip.in
Tips and Tricks: tnt@chip.in

10

02/2012

0080212_Letters.indd 10

E-mail: customercell@infomedia18.in
Tel: +91 22 3003 4633 / 31 / 30
Fax: +91 22 3003 4499
Subscribe online at eshop.infomedia18.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1/25/2012 7:31:27 PM

NEWSWIRE

NEWS SNIPPETS

IN THE NEWS...

DANGER PREDICTION
Individuals aren't
much at risk from
criminals, who
seem to be taking
a post-holiday
season break.
However civil
liberties continue
to be challenged
in many parts of
the world.

COMPILED BY JAMSHED AVARI

LEGAL ISSUES

Megaupload taken down by US law enforcement;


Anonymous responds with mass DDoS attacks

LOCATIONS OF MALWARE

Lawmakers and federal ofcers in the

to the US for trial on charges of racketeering

United States created fresh controversy

and money laundering, amongst others.

just hours after the end of Web blackouts

Meanwhile, other le hosting sites are

organized on January 18. Megaupload, the

suddenly running scared. Industry blog

popular online le locker site often accused

TorrentFreak reports that Filesonic and

USA

29.27 %

Ukraine

4.60%

Russia

16.46 %

of facilitating piracy had its domains seized,

Fileserve have stopped allowing les to be

Virgin Islands

2.84%

Germany

12.72%

and four of its top managers were arrested.

downloaded by anyone other than the user

Canada

1.99%

Local ofcers swooped down into the New

who uploaded them. Uploaded.to has blocked

1.99%

Zealand compound owned by notorious

all IP addresses originating from the USA.

11.28%

Megaupload CEO Kim Dotcom, arresting

Users are reporting mass deletion of les and

him and conscating millions of dollars'

blockage of accounts at other sites, and at

worth of items including luxury sports cars,

least two other popular sites have shut down

electronics, and server equipment. After

entirely, fearing long, expensive legal battles

being denied bail, Dotcom is to be extradited

that they don't have the resources to handle.

Netherlands

7.82%

Great Britain

5.93%

Romania

China

5.10%

Others

Malware programs are most often hosted


on web servers in USA and Russia
Source: Kaspersky

DISTRIBUTION OF A SUPERWORM

WEB

DATA IN MILLIONS

Fresh controversy as Google promotes G+ in search

Google is in danger of attracting fresh

0
12 01 02 03
MONTHS 2010/2011

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

The Conficker worm was active on 11 million


computers in 2008. Three years on and 3.25
million PCs are still infected.
Source: Sophos

FIGURE OF THE MONTH

4 billion
YouTube videos are viewed per day. Over
an hour of video is uploaded per second.

Source: YouTube

12

02/2012

vision of unifying a user's experiences across

search feature and dramatically reducing

Google products by further changing their

users' control over their own privacy. The

privacy policy to allow a user's activities

new Search Plus Your World (SPYW) feature

on one site to affect their experiences on

customizes Google search results with

another, for example your YouTube history

photos, posts and other content from users'

could play a role in determining the ads

own Google+ histories as well as from their

you see in Gmail. Google promotes this as

friends' accounts. A user's search history

a "seamless experience" across a unied

and social networking behavior will also

Google, whereas it has previously held back

inuence their customized results. Apart

from doing so. Pointing out Google's U-turn

from de-emphasizing objective search results

on its famous "Don't be evil" policy now,

online, the reinvention of Google Search

engineers at Facebook, Twitter and other

has serious privacy implications, and also

sites have launched www.focusontheuser.org,

excludes search history from competing

which replaces SPYW results with often more

services including Facebook and Twitter.

useful old-style Web search results.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0120212_News Snippets.indd 12

Google chiefs have committed to this

antitrust attention after introducing a new

SMS us!  Story code: NSN to 51818

1/25/2012 7:52:49 PM

NEWSWIRE

NEWS SNIPPETS
LEGAL ISSUES

LEGAL ISSUES

Court orders FB,


Google filtering

Bahrain deports Death for Iranian UK extradites


outspoken teacher SW developer
"pirate" for trial

LEGAL ISSUES

LEGAL ISSUES

The Delhi High Court has

An Australian teacher in

Canadian software developer

Richard O'Dwyer, currently 23

ordered 21 websites including

Bahrain has been deported for

Saeed Malekpour, a resident

years old, will be extradited

Facebook and Google to

his Facebook posts describing

of Canada detained in

to the US for a trial for

appear in court on March

recent political turmoil in the

Iran since 2008, has been

allegedly facilitating copyright

13. The sites are accused of

nation. Tony Mitchell claims his

handed a death sentence for

infringement. O'Dwyer

playing a role in allowing

posts were deliberately non

creating a program which the

was a teenager when he

religious and political gures

critical of the ruling family

government alleges was used

launched the site TVShack.

to be insulted, as a result of

and government, but the

for spreading pornography.

net, which contained links

user-posted satirical content.

Bahraini authorities cracked

Malekpour was also allegedly

to downloadable copies of

The government has previously

down to suppress any form

tortured into recording a

popular TV shows and movies.

attempted to hold such

of implied dissent. Students

confession. He is also charged

The site itself did not host

websites responsible for pre-

and staff of the polytechnic

with acting against national

any of the allegedly infringing

screening all content posted

university he was working at

security by moderating

material, but US authorities

to them, an undertaking that

have been beaten, arrested

adult websites. His wife has

contend that he made

would be nearly impossible

and expelled for participating

stressed that the websites

hundreds of thousands of

considering the billions of

in anti-government protests.

used Malekpour's software

dollars in advertising revenue

posts made every day. Google

Mitchell was initially given

without his knowledge. Despite

from the site. Activists are

and Facebook have responded

a few weeks to leave, but

international outcry, he has

protesting the UK citizen's

by pointing out that they

instead had to ee within

continued to be in custody

extradition, pointing to the

already have mechanisms in

days, after posting a comment

since then, held accountable

sweeping powers granted to

place to deal with offensive or

on Facebook promising to

for unknown strangers' use of

private interests, in this case,

illegal content.

share details of his experience.

his software.

foreign copyright holders.

SOFTWARE

INFRASTRUCTURE

WEB

FreeDOS updated IPv6 will launch


after five years for good in June

Registration opens for Custom TLDs;


experts debate effect on Web

The world has already run


out of IPv4 addresses, but the
IPv6 scheme which would add
billions more addresses to the
pool is yet to be supported
FreeDOS, the open source OS

by major websites and ISPs.

best known for appearing on

After a awless eld run in

budget computers sold without

June last year, major websites

Windows, has been updated

including Google, Bing, Yahoo

after nearly ve years. Version

and Facebook have committed

ICANN, the authority overseeing top-level domains on the

1.1 includes support for FAT21

to turning on their IPv6

Internet, has decided to allow companies to claim their own

lesystems, UDMA for optical

support and leaving it on

custom TLDs. In addition to .com, .org, and various country-

drives, basic USB connectivity,

permanently from the 6th of

specic TLDs, users can now set up registries for any word

sound drivers, a media player,

June 2012. Users who cannot

or phrase, potentially including .shop, .cool, or .site, and sell

text and graphics utilities,

default to IPv6 will continue

websites using them to anyone. To avoid a massive ood of

and even a BitTorrent client

experiencing service over

demand, potential registry owners will have to ll in a ___ page

and virus scanner. Work

IPv4. Beyond websites several

application form detailing their reasons for wanting the name

on FreeDOS began as early

ISPs, equipment manufacturers

and their plans for it. The fee, over US$ 100,000, is intended

as 1994, in response to

and web hosting companies

to deter squatters and troublemakers. Still, companies afraid

Microsoft's move towards the

have also committed to

of having their brands associated with competitors, pranksters,

fully graphical Windows 95. It

begin transitioning signicant

or criminal enterprises will nd themselves having to pay for

is still used for PC diagnostic

numbers of users and products

several alternative TLDs in addition to the recently introduced

and recovery purposes.

to pure IPv6.

.xxx, .biz, and potentially .theirownname.

14

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0120212_News Snippets.indd 14

1/25/2012 7:53:09 PM

NEWSWIRE

NEWS SNIPPETS
SECURITY

SECURITY

NEW SECURITY
RISKS DETECTED
AND PATCHED

SECURITY

Chaos Congress: HP printers leave Mobile recharge


networks open to outside attacks scam steals info
Rumors that certain HP
printers can be remotely
manipulated into setting
themselves on re have
been quashed by the
researcher credited
with discovering such a

ANDROID
An intentional design decision in the
way apps are granted permissions
allows for third-party advertising
modules to piggyback on the
permissions of the host app. A
malicious third-party module can then
steal private user data and pass it to a
remote server.
SOLUTION: Users should check the
origins of apps they download, and
developers of free apps should be
very sure of the ad modules they use.

AJAX
Web surfers are at risk from a new
attack method that loads exploits in
small increments on seemingly
innocuous pages, through the use of
Asynchronous JavaScript And XML.
SOLUTION: Users are advised to keep
their Web browsers and security
suites updated at all times.

aw in their rmware.

Symantec is reporting that

However, the vulnerability in question could still leave

malware authors are targeting

entire ofce networks open to outside attackers. Speaking

prepaid mobile subscribers

at the annual Chaos Communications Congress, hacker Ang

in India and other countries

Cui demonstrated how a rmware update routine could be

by masquerading as popular

subverted into allowing any arbitrary code to be loaded

websites and promising free

and executed, for example emailing a manipulated document

airtime. A fake Facebook login

which would modify a printer when the recipient tries

page with several brands'

printing it. Such printers could thus be modied to send

logos promises users free

copies of all printed documents to a remote Web server,

recharges when they "sign

open backdoors through corporate rewalls, scan the ofce

in". This however involves

network for vulnerable PCs, carry out attacks, and even

disclosing a fair amount of

thwart subsequent attempts to clean such malware from the

personal information, most

printers. Cui gave HP a month to x the issue before going

notably their Facebook login

public, and the company has responded with a patch.

credentials.

LEGAL ISSUES

SOFTWARE

Pirate Bay to offer 3D "physibles", Visual Studio now


new headaches for law enforcers offers rewards

WINDOWS
A vulnerability in the kernel allows
attackers to bypass built-in security
mechanisms and execute arbitrary
code. The bug affects Windows XP,
Vista, 7, Server 2003 and 2008/R2
SOLUTION: An automatic update fixes
the issue.

WINDOWS
Specially crafted TrueType Font Files
(TTF) embedded within documents
could force malicious code to be
executed on a Windows PC. The flaw
has been rated as critical, with
potential payloads including the
extremely dangerous Duqu worm.
SOLUTION: An automatic update will
soon be available.

16

02/2012

Microsoft has reignited the


debate on "gamication" of
common activities with a
The rapidly declining prices of 3D printers and scanners

Visual Studio plugin that offers

are raising all sorts of questions regarding the duplication

programmers "achievements"

of commercial products, creating to the potential to pirate

for completing milestones

many kinds of inventions and possibly even works of

such as using certain features

art. The Pirate Bay, already one of the industry's worst

or working late into the

headaches, has decided to pioneer a category of "physibles",

night. Badges can be shared

or physically reproducible objects, for download. On-demand

across blogs and social

manufacturing of physical objects could one day obviate

networks, purportedly to let

the need for warehousing and shipping, but the notorious

programmers display proof of

website and others like won't emerge into a legal vacuum

their skills (or in some cases,

much like le sharing did in the late '90smanufacturers of

lack of them). The idea came

memorabilia items, patented tools and mechanical objects

from a satirical discussion on

such as spare parts for cars, are reportedly already trying

a community website, which

to establish legal precendents against 3D object piracy.

Microsoft seems to have liked.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0120212_News Snippets.indd 16

1/25/2012 7:53:27 PM

NEWSWIRE
BUZZ LIST

BUSINESS

WEB

Suicide threats at Foxconn

Twitter fooled by prank

Even after claiming to

An online prankster who created a parody account in the name of

have raised salaries

Wendi Deng, Rupert Murdoch's wife, claims was just as surprised

and improved working

as anyone else when Twitter decided to mark it with the "verified"

conditions at its China

stamp that it reserves for celebrities and public figures. The

factories, Foxconn is

London-based man who created the account shortly after

being called out by

Murdoch's own highly publicized Twitter debut says he did not

workers who claim

apply for any sort of recognition, and merely went along with the

their situation is so

misunderstanding for a while. The account was noticed by blogs

bad that they literally have nothing to lose. Over 200 staffers on

and the press after a number of cheerful, sassy, and often

an Xbox production line threatened to commit suicide demands

irreverent tweets went out to fans and celebrities including

for salary raises were not met. More than 15 workers have jumped

Murdoch. Twitter apologized once the mistake was discovered,

off Foxconn buildings in the past two years due to high levels of

but the incident has thrown its verification process into

stress and inhumane working conditions. It


is widely reported that staffers as young as
12 years old live in insufferably cramped
conditions and perform menial repetitive
tasks over 16+ hour shifts. Labor law
enforcement is especially lax, with
vacations, healthcare and insurance
practically unheard of. Microsoft and
Apple, whose products are amongst those
manufactured by Foxconn, say they insist
on fair employment practices, but the fact
remains that it's cheap Chinese labor that
allows them to produce their widely selling
gadgets in large quantities at low cost and
sell them at high prices, which gives them
their wide profit margins.

POLITICS

questionas well as that of Murdoch's News

BUZZ

LIST

International Corp, which itself initially


confirmed to the media that the account was
Deng's own. Twitter's "verified" seal was
originally introduced to differentiate
celebrities' accounts from spoofs.

COMPILED BY JAMSHED AVARI

The simple lowdown on


what everyone's talking
about this month

SOPA support
shrinks after Web
blackout protests
A series of coordinated blackouts,
unprecedented in the history of the Web, is
directly responsible for at least a dozen US
lawmakers withdrawing their support of the
controverisal SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act)
and PIPA (Protection of Intellectual
Property Act) which are still being
considered in Washington DC. The bills have
been criticized for their inclusion of
provisions that would allow copyright
holders to make Websites disappear from
the Internet without notice or trial, using

criminals, leading to the huge social media

order to persuade people to rethink their

means that would potentially undermine

campaign in which website operators took

stands. These included Wikipedia (1), Wired

the foundations of the Web itself. Critics of

the desperate measure of taking down their

(2), Mozilla's Firefox start page (3), Reddit

the bill have dismissed as pirates and

websites or altering their looks drastically in

(4), BoingBoing, Google, and many more.

18

02/2012

0180212_Buzz List.indd 18

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

SMS us!  Story code: NBL to 51818

1/25/2012 4:21:41 PM

NEWSWIRE

NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHED

NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHED


COMPILED BY JAMSHED AVARI

WESTERN DIGITAL

curves, and dimensions are all designed

Home Media Streamer

to feel great in your hand. The unique

PRICE: TBA
WEBSITE: www.zotac.com

twist on HTC Sense includes an all-new


home screen that provides a clean and
uncluttered way to interact with
the essentials. The home screen

IBALL

Convenient scanner

enables quick previews of your


appointments, messages or
whatever is important to you. HTC

iBall ClickScan is
re-defining the

selected custom wallpapers to offer a

scanner experience

variety of original art to complement the

its quicker, easier, and

HTC Rhyme experience. With a 3.7-inch

portable. Furthermore it increases

Western Digital has introduced the next

WVGA super LCD display and high-quality

ng and
productivity by digitizing

generation of its WD TV Live, an easy to

stereo sound, HTC Rhyme also offers a

organizing documents. The foldable

use Wi-Fi enabled media player. WD TV

5-megapixel camera that includes auto

ny document or
ClickScan can capture any

Live features an intuitive user interface

focus, power LED flash and instant

ects. It can scan up


even images of 3D objects.

that delivers the latest hit movies, TV

shutter.

esolution in about
to A4/A3 size at high resolution

shows, music and the best of Internet

PRICE: TBA
WEBSITE: www.htc.com/in

oject a paper
one second. One can project

content from companies like Vimeo,


Playjam, Deezer, TuneIn, SnagFlims, and

ect to the large


document or a real object
op and projector.
screen using PC or laptop

Comedy Time directly to your TV in Full

ZOTAC

ction can record


Its video recording function

HD 1080p resolution. The new streaming

Powerful compact PC

eration or
the progress of any operation

media player easily connects to the

R function
demo. Its powerful OCR

Internet wirelessly or through an Ethernet

(Optical Character

connection, with high performance

ZOTAC has announced


ed a 2nd

Recognition) enables

802.11n wireless connectivity. In addition,

generation ZBOX mini-PC


ini-PC for all your

conversion of image of

WD TV Live allows users to enjoy photos,

he new
computing needs. The

text into characters

video and music on their home

ZOTAC AD04 series delivers

which can be edited.

entertainment systems by supporting a

nd
energy efficiency and

iBall ClickScan has 2

wide range of file formats for streaming

high-definition

models available with

content from any connected USB drive,

video playback

digital camcorder, camera or network

in a compact

drive.

form factor. The

PRICE: Rs 7,900
WEBSITE: www.wdc.com

2nd generation
t
ZBOX platform enhancements
debuting with the AD04 series include an

HTC

external WiFi antenna, integrated

Smartphone for
women

Bluetooth 3.0 and a bundled Media

A3 and A4 size
scanning options. The
use friendly Click-scan is
user
USB po
powered (no adapter
i d)
required).

PRICE: TBA
WEBSITE: NA

Remote with USB IR receiver for use with

ASUS

Microsoft Windows Media Center, XBMC

Extreme graphics card

and other applications. The ZOTAC ZBOX


AD04 series packs the latest AMD E-450

HTC has announced the

APU that combines dual-core CPU

An efficient and powerful 28nm GPU

Rhyme, a women-centric

processing and AMD Radeon HD 6320

coupled with 3GB of GDDR5 delivers

handset that integrates

graphics processing that provide snappy

gamers and video enthusiasts with the

hardware, software and

system performance and responsiveness

most capable graphics card yet. The ASUS

accessories in a unique

for everyday computing needs. The AD04

HD 7970 ships with the exclusive GPU

way. HTC Rhyme offers a

ships as an easily customizable barebones

Tweak utility for real time and intuitive

smart, elegant unibody

systemsimply add memory and hard

tuning and overclocking. It offers the best

design with every detail

drivewhile the AD04 Plus ships with

platform for enhanced DirectX 11 gaming

carefully crafted to deliver a unique

2GB of DDR3 memory and a 320GB hard

and genuine next generation PC graphics

sensory experience. The materials,

drive preinstalled.

output, enhanced by the inclusion of new

20

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0200112_New Products Launched.indd 20

SMS us!  Story code: NPL to 51818

1/25/2012 4:29:13 PM

NEWSWIRE

NEW PRODUCTS LAUNCHED


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.

COREL

controller that supports SATA 6GB/s for the

Photo workflow
manager

best performance and delivers read speed

PCI Express 3.0 and AMD Eyefinity multi-

up to 550 MB/s and write speed at


520MB/s. Supporting fault-tolerant
technology and ECC error correction, the
SSD strengthens data security and upgrades

screen technology. The latest graphics

Corel has announced the expansion of

computing performance. All Kingmax SSD

processor design from AMD uses an all-new

its digital

products adopt highly reliable MLC NAND

28nm fabrication process, resulting in

photography

flash, Global Wear Leveling features and

components that are more efficient, cooler,

portfolio with the

NCQ/TRIM commands to ensure flawless

and more powerful. The ASUS HD 7970

introduction of Corel

performance and improve reliability.

graphics card ships with 3GB of GDDR5

AfterShot Pro, a

Kingmax SSD SATA III Client series is

video memory, expanding gaming and

total photographic

extremely quiet in operation, stable and

visual experiences with more detailed

workflow solution

reliable. It helps save electricity and

textures and faster frame rates. The 384-

for professional and

reduces the chance of a breakdown.

bit bus expedites data transfer between the

enthusiast

card and the motherboard.

photographers with

PRICE: TBA
WEBSITE: www.kingmax.com

PRICE: Rs 38,000
WEBSITE: www.asus.in

complete RAW
workflow, flexible photo management,

RAZER

advanced, non-destructive editing and

THERMALTAKE

breakthrough performance. AfterShot

Cooler for enthusiasts

offers fully multithreaded and optimized

Thermaltake has released the Frio Extreme

processing and incredibly color-accurate

Flexible
gaming
mouse

CPU air cooler, with a maximum cooling

images with support for an ever-increasing

Razer takes your intense

capacity of up to 250W. Frio Extreme is

number of major camera manufacturers

arena battling and frenzied

structured with six 6mm high-efficiency

and models. Unlike current competitors,

hack and slash gaming to the

copper heatpipes to speed up heat

AfterShot Pro offers workflow capabilities

next level with the Naga Hex

conductivity. A mirror-finished copper base

that enable you to work with photos

action-RPG gaming mouse

provides absolute contact to the CPU, dual

virtually any way you want, such as quickly

featuring six large thumb buttons

specialized heat-sink towers enhance

accessing images from existing file folders

optimized for the user interfaces

airflow, and 0.4mm aluminum fins and a

or memory cards or importing them into

found in action-RPG games. With a

pair of 140mm blue-blade fans allow rapid

searchable catalogs. AfterShot Pros

mechanical structure that requires less

thermal dissipation. The Frio Extreme is

powerful tools let you make your photos

force to actuate, you gain the edge in speed

built to have high performance with

look their best, while unique selective

over enemies, attacking before they can

controlled noise level. A combination of VR

editing capabilities provide incredible

react. The Naga Hex is perfect for obsessive

and PWM is able to control both of the

control over image adjustments.

clicking in hack and slash games. The Naga

140mm fans speed between 1200RPM and

PRICE: Rs 5,900
WEBSITE: www.corel.com

Hex is designed with an ergonomic

for multi-core and multi-CPU computers.


Corel AfterShot Pro delivers fast RAW

1800RPM upon enthusiasts preferences.

curvature that fits your hand comfortably.


The placement of the six thumb buttons has

Furthermore, the tool-less and easy


installation fan module design allows

KINGMAX

also been perfected over

instant disassembly and assembly of the

Performance SSD

countless design iterations to

fans. Th
The universal all-in-

Kingmax has launched the

thumb rests of different heights

all Intel and AMD

latest 2.5-inch SATA III 6Gb/s

are included so you get the best

platforms.

based SSD series targeting high

comfort and grip that suits you.

performance users. The

PRICE: Rs 4,999
WEBSITE: www.razerzone.
com

plate will support

PRICE: TBA
WEBSITE: www.
thermaltake.com

Kingmax SMP32 Client and


SMU32 Client Pro SSD feature a
new generation SandForce

22

02/2012

ensure youre getting the best


game control and grip. Three

one designed back-

jamshed.avari@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0200112_New Products Launched.indd 22

1/25/2012 4:29:35 PM

NEWSWIRE
FEATURE

Enriching Lives in Rural India


Eureka Forbes has been instrumental in providing clean drinking water to many remote
villages in India. BY PRIYANKA TILVE

iving by their maxim True Friend for


Life, over the years, Eureka Forbes
has - as a part of their responsibility

towards the community - headed several


welfare projects. Chief amongst them
has been the initiative of providing clean
drinking water, which, though one of
the necessities, is not easily accessible
to a large section of the population in
our country. With a view to addressing
this problem, Eureka Forbes established
community dirking water plants in several
remote villages.
Speaking about the need for an
initiative of this kind, Dr Rajesh Roy,
head of community fulllment, Eureka
Forbes Limited, says, The global water
crisis takes the lives of more than 14,000
people each day, 11,000 of them children
under age 5. Women and girls spend
many hours every day walking to collect

Consuming RO water has reduced the number of Diarrhoeal cases, body pains, joint pains and swelling that
are assumed to be the aftermath of the high Fluoride intake.

water from distant, often polluted sources.

objective to remove the dangerous levels

production of potable water. Membrane

This time they could have instead spent in

of uoride in the water in Manikyapuram

technology is advanced and physical

education and generating incomes for their

was successful by building up the relation

separation techniques are most reliable

households. To address such issues, we

and collaboration of the community,

and economical. Reverse osmosis removes

have the vision of working with corporates,

local government and non-governmental

bacteria, salts, sugars, proteins, particles,

NGOs and likeminded partners to build

organizations such as World Vision. Many

dyes, and other constituents that have

a relationship with every individual who

of the 1,300 villagers had suffered for

a molecular weight of greater than

thrives to bring a holistic makeover to this

years from anemia, weak teeth, sore joints

150-250 Daltons. The separation of ions

need of the hour.

and even birth defects because their

with reverse osmosis is aided by charged

drinking water had a high level of total

particles. Any dissolved ions that carry a

dissolved solids (TDS), including uoride.

charge, such as salts, are more likely to

He states further, One such example


is the successful establishment of the
community water plants in Manikyapuram,

To treat the water, Eureka Forbes used

be rejected by the membrane than those

a small village in Andhra Pradesh. The

the reverse osmosis system. Explaining

that are not charged, such as organics.

project was driven through a cross-sector

the process, Dr Roy says, In the RO

The larger the charge and the larger the

partnership model, where organizations

systems, the contaminated water passes

particle, the more likely it will be rejected.

from different sectors came together

through sand and carbon lters and

and offered an opportunity to leverage

nally passes through the RO membrane.

community water treatment plants have

skills, knowledge and resources to

The RO membrane pores retain the

been implemented in states like Gujarat,

accomplish things that each partner, on

dissolved chemical and suspended

Orissa and West Bengal. The unique

its own, would not have achieved. The

molecules from the water leading to the

feature of these water plants is that

Apart from Andhra Pradesh, these

the village community is involved in its

The global water crisis takes lives of


more than 14,000 people each day,
11,000 of them children under age 5.
24

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0240212_Enriching Lives in Rural India (Eureka Forbes).indd 24

building, working and even its upkeep.


This not only ensures their involvement,
but also empowers them. The key to
the Eureka Forbes rural approach is
involving the community. All Eureka
Forbes rural projects are designed to
empower communities, with local water
committees overseeing construction and
ongoing maintenance of the projects.

SMS us!  Story code: FGT to 51818

1/24/2012 9:29:05 PM

NEWSWIRE
FEATURE

Since the people who benet have a real


stake in the outcome, it helps to ensure
that the projects are sustainable over
the long term. All of our projects have a
health education component, which is
vital because many of the people in the
project areas lack a good understanding of
ology
sanitary practices. Appropriate technology

In India around
95,000 villages are
without electricity

options in water treatment including

unlike other solar-powered light resources,


it is completely lead-free. Dr Roy explains,
Currently in India, the problem is that
we cannot connect the power generated
from solar panel to the existing grid for
several technical reasons and so a lead
acid battery is used as a storage tool. The
battery life is short and we do not have
a system to collect old batteries for eco-

dboth community-scale and household-

nan
nancially
empower the women and

friendly recycling. So it all started with the

scale point-of-use (POU) designs

also impart health education.

question, 'can we can make a difference'?

have helped the rural community to

Eureka Forbes is also involved in

tackle some of the dreaded water

several other community projects,

related diseases which otherwise

m
most noteworthy amongst them

were ignored for generations, says


Dr Roy. When it comes to delivering

b
ses
being
the Eurodiya that harnesses
so
n
solar
energy to light up homes. In

Can we have a lead free environment,


where every child would be breathing in
lea
a lead-free
atmosphere? Eurodiya is
the
rst technology that works without
the lead acid battery. The solar bulbs
ru with the NiMH battery, which
run

this puried water, Eureka Forbes has a

India, around 95,000 villages are

unique system in place. We have in place

without electricity. Out of these,

an advanced and automatic prepaid card

18,000 villages are unlikely to

ensures a completely non poisonous

based dispensing system for quick and

ever have access to the national

atmosphere.

easy access to puried drinking water.

grid due to their remote location.

Consumers can get water from ADU

We have introduced the renewable

(Automatic Dispensing Units) available at

energy technologies as viable options to

high-efficiency solar panels, which makes

the RO purication plant at any time. We

such communities by providing them the

it light and easy to carry. The bulbs need

would also be developing the extended

sustainable energy services to meet their

to be exposed in sunlight during the day

dispensing stations gradually at various

energy needs. What we observed was that

time that allows it to run uninterrupted for

is completely lead acid free and

Eurodiya is the foot print of their


green energy initiative and it uses

places for better access. Puried water

6 to 8 hours in the absence of day light.

would be delivered to these units by

The bulb comes in various capacities to

truck at regular intervals. The quality

provide light of varied intensities. Also,

of the water would be as per the WHO

it is sturdy, rainproof and made-up of

drinking water standard and would be

blended ABS plastic to withstand extreme

available for everyone. Buyers can get the

temperatures. The wires are made of

drinking water 24x7 without any operator

high-carbon steel, while the globes are

dependency. Such high end automation of

shatter-resistant polycarbonate. Its custom

the plant ensures efficient operation with

NiMH recyclable battery can withstand

minimum cost using remote monitoring,

heat up to 55C. The Eurodiya has gained

minimal downtime for the plant with

immense popularity and has been adopted

quality service 24x7, and most importantly,

enthusiastically. It not only provides light,

minimal or no water wastage during

but more importantly, it has done away

production and dispensing.

with the use of kerosene lamps. These

Speaking about its success and the

kerosene lamps were not only expensive,

changes it has resulted, Dr. Roy says,


There was clear evidence of overall
improvement in the health of the

but also quite unsafe to handle and a


The lead free Eurodiya uses high-efficiency solar
panels and run uninterruptedly for 6-8 hours.

cause of several burn incidents in villages.


Its not only been adopted in the houses,

community consuming the RO water

due to the proximity to the equator, India

but has been used by street vendors as

leading to the positive impact on their

receives an annual average of 4-7KWh per

well as shopkeepers. Dr Roy says, We

socio economic conditions. For instance,

day for every square meter, which means

strongly believe that in the years to come,

in Andhra Pradesh, the important health

that certain parts of the country receive

these eco-friendly and sustainable energy

indices considered were the reduction in

a lot more sunlight than what it can use

sources would help to meet the energy

the diarrhoeal cases, body pains, knee

in a year, making it an abundant source

requirements of the rural population of

and joint pains and swelling, which are

of power. However, the challenge was to

India. Our 'go green' initiatives have got

assumed to be the aftermath of the high

make the technology reachable to the

the llip when Indias rst solar bulbs with

uoride intake. In rural parts of Gujarat,

common people and make it inexpensive.

the inbuilt solar panels were launched by

they have set up water shops, which not

Eurodiyas novel technology and model

Eureka Forbes. Thats just a drop in the

only generate income for the people, but

design allow storing the solar energy for a

ocean. We hope to take our initiative to

also are the hub for several community

longer duration. The technology is critical

every household in India and would lead

developmental programs. Overseen by a

for such locations where the exposure to

the green energy concept to a sustainable

core team from Eureka Forbes, such water

sunlight is limited, says Dr Roy.

future ahead.

shops encourage rural entrepreneurs,

What makes Eurodiya unique is that

priyanka.tilve@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0240212_Enriching Lives in Rural India (Eureka Forbes).indd 25

02/2012

25

1/24/2012 9:29:13 PM

NEWSWIRE
FEATURE

Intel Tech-Mom: Empowering


the Housewives

It's a sad fact that most housewives in our country are at the bottom of the Internet literacy
spectrum, and this holds true not only for the rural areas, but also in the metros. The Intel
Tech-Mom initiative hopes to change this. BY PRIYANKA TILVE
oday, having a PC at home

been developed and approved by Intel.

this activity, as it is seen as empowering

is commonplace. In fact, we

It typically begins with familiarizing them

women, not just a standard sales activity.

are increasingly moving on to

with the various parts of the PC and its

The feedback weve received from women

more portable computing media like

functions. Then moving ahead, they are

whove attended these trainings has been

smartphones and tablets. The younger

introduced to the Internet and in what

by and large positive. They were curious

generation and the working class are

ways it can help them in their daily lives.

and surprised to know about online

the main drivers of these trends. But

Right from looking for the best prices

usages like bank transactions, utilities bill

sadly there is still a huge segment of the

for commodities online to shopping

payment, school search, etc.

populace that has not caught up with

for cosmetics, searching for recipes to

the trend. This segment comprises largely

looking for hobby activities, from travel

JustmyNeighbour.com who has conducted

of housewives. This is a fact not only

bookings to paying utility bills, from

several training sessions in Mumbai,

Bhavna Tiwari, a trainer from

applicable in the rural areas, but in

agrees. Initially, they are a bit

urban India as well. In an attempt

apprehensive about what it is that

to change this, industry giant Intel

they will be taught, but at the same

has launched its Tech-Mom training

time, they are also very curious to

initiative. Talking about this new

nd out more. Most of them have

endeavor, Suryanarayan B, director,

a PC at home, but they have barely

sales and marketing, Intel South

used it. When we introduce them to

Asia, says, The woman are the

all that they can achieve through the

backbone of the household; she

Internet, they are truly amazed and

is a key inuencer in adoption of

are keen to nd out more. They now

new technology by the household.

know what they can do and that

Enabling her to understand and use

knowledge is empowering. Of course,

technology in a way that is benecial

we dont expect them to be Internet

to her will go a long way in PC


adoption within households.
Under this initiative, Intel has

savvy after a one-day training


The Tech-Mom initiative has opened up a whole new world for
housewives by making them Internet savvy.

session, but it denitely helps to


boost their condence and they will

tied up with JustMyNeighbour.com, an

entertainment to looking up information

online platform for housing societies,

to help their children with assignments.

to provide training to housewives.

Also, a part of the training is information

who has attended a workshop says, I

Elaborating on this tie-up, Suryanarayan

about how to set up your email as well

am really glad that someone thought of

says, JustMyNeighbour.com has tie-ups

as social networking account. To generate

a workshop of this kind. We have a PC

with over 800 residential societies in the

interest and also promote learning, the

at home, which is mostly used by my

country. They create and manage Web

training also includes a quiz on the topics

husband and my children. While I had

portals for societies, thereby furthering the

discussed and prizes like movie tickets are

some idea about the Internet in general,

use and relevance of technology amongst

given to those who answer correctly.

I didnt know how easy it could be to use

RWAs. They are a good means to reach

This training has been well received

no longer be scared of using the PC.


Rashmi, a housewife from Mumbai,

the Internet to get information on just

into mid to large sized societies. The 1st

with positive response from the

about anything. Now, having seen it, I will

phase plan has been rolled out to three

participants, says Suryanarayan. An

denitely try it on my own.

cities- Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad.

average of 30-35 women per society have

Depending on the success in these three

been attending the Tech-Mom trainings.

who attended these workshops express

cities, we will evaluate and scale into more

Only about 50% of the women weve

similar opinions. While most agree that

cities across the country.

reached have ever used a computer, and

they will require help, they say the training

20% of them use the computer frequently.

has made them realize that the Internet

the weekend and is held in the premises

In many societies, the president of the

holds something for them as well.

of the society. The training material has

residents' association is keenly driving

The training usually takes place during

26

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0260212_Intel Tech-Mom - Empowering the housewives.indd 26

She is not alone; almost all the women

priyanka.tilve@chip.in

SMS us!  Story code: FIT to 51818

1/24/2012 9:30:13 PM

NEWSWIRE
FEATURE

Green Tech: Curbing Carbon Emissions


Vivek Nair has found a place in Forbes' 30 under 30 list for his system of converting carbon
emissions into carbon filaments, which are then put to various uses. BY PRIYANKA TILVE

here is not a single person living in


Mumbai or in any other metro city
who is not affected by pollution.

But while we complain, we dont think


about what we can do to change the
situation. Vivek Nair grew up in Navi
Mumbai on the outskirts of Mumbai that
houses many industrial plants. Heavy
pollution here is not uncommon and thats
what fueled his interest in this area. He
was looking for ways to capture the carbon
emissions from vehicles, and one of his
earliest projects was the production of a
bio diesel form rice husk and barn.
Passionate about nanotechnology
and material science, he attended
many conferences and seminars. It was
during one of these seminars that he
rst learnt about the traditional way of
making carbon nanotubes in laboratories

Through his company Damascuz Fortune he wants to make a major impact on the environment by reducing
the global warming and provide employment to many.

called CVD (carbon vapour deposition).

of composites. They are used in solar

projects like these are the need of the

Speaking about his innovation, Vivek says,

cells, energy storage devices, sensors,

hour.

I found many similarities in the conditions

nano-electronics, and much more. But

required for CVD and conditions available

his journey was not free of challenges.

efforts were lauded by all and have won

in industrial exhaust. So I decided to try

From inadequate lab facilities to rising

him several prestigious national and

my experiments and did it in a rice mill

costs, Vivek faced many roadblocks. I

international awards. Speaking about the

called Maruthi Modern Rice Mill in Trichy.

didn't have adequate lab facilities to

advantages of the technology, he says,

The experiment worked wonderfully and

make the catalyst, so I had to devise my

It helps reduce green house emissions,

I got the results I was looking for. We

own way. The traditional inert substrate

as carbon emissions are converted into

used a catalyst, which is a combination of

in laboratories were quartz, Silicon and

carbon laments. If this technology is

metal and metal oxide porous magnetic

Alumina, which were not available to

used to its fullest potential, it can reduce

nanoparticles, to achieve results.

me, so I prepared my own, which was a

industrial emission by more than 30%.

cement base with sand layer that acted

(this can be further improvised to 60% by

technology can be applied in industries

as a inert base to coat the catalyst. The

treating the emissions using adsorbents.)

and automobiles that emit ue gas. He

analysis was costly and I had to struggle a

Additionally, the self-regeneration of the

explains the conditions required for it

lot to get it done in my college.

catalyst makes it usable for ve cycles,

Explaining the process, he says that the

to work. Firstly, the temperature of the

What makes his innovation really

Little wonder then that Viveks

and by further chemical methods, it can be

boiler and ue gas emission needs to be

noteworthy is the fact that it tackles

regained. Also, this technology makes use

above 100 degrees C. Further, it requires

the problem of carbon emissions, which

of the waste heat from the boilers.

inert or inbuilt vacuum atmosphere in

is one of the main causes of global

the furnaces or boilers. Then, a catalyst

warming. Research points out that every

world have shown a keen interest in the

composed of metal and metal oxide

tonne of carbon dioxide released into the

technology. If I could get Government

porous magnetic nanoparticles is coated

atmosphere leads to 0.0000000000015

support, then I can easily install it in

over an inert substrate to be exposed in

degrees of global temperature change.

all industries in India to make a major

the ow path of the ue gas emission

Rising global temperatures can have

environmental impact by reducing green

from industries and automobiles. After

adverse effects and according to the UNs

house emissions on a large scale. I want to

this, the purication is done according to

weather agency report, 2011 was amongst

spread this technology through the world. I

the standard protocol for carbon nanotube

the hottest years since the records began

want to see my technology making a major

purication and functionalization.

in 1850. With the dangers of global

impact on the environment by reducing

The resulting carbon nanotubes

warming looming large, there is a need to

global warming and providing employment

that are 25 times stronger than steel

address the issue of carbon emissions and

to many.

have numerous applications in the eld

other greenhouse gases. At such times,

SMS us!  Story code: FGT to 51818

0270212_Green Tech Curbing Carbon Emissions (Innovation).indd 27

A number of companies around the

priyanka.tilve@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

02/2012

27

1/24/2012 9:31:35 PM

NEWSWIRE

CES 2012

This year's Consumer Electronics Show was


quite tame, despite loads of pre-show hype
over new laptops, phones and TVs BY JAMSHED AVARI

Acer Aspire S5
A slim, sober followup to the S3,
Acer distinguishes itself with a
motorized platform popping up at the
back to allow access to the USB 3.0,
Thunderbolt, and video ports.

HP Envy 14 Spectre
Everyone took notice of the Spectre, with its glass
lid and palmrest. This baby has an HD screen, Beats
Audio, solid-state hard drive and backlit keyboard,
and is still only 20mm thin.

Toshiba Excite X10


Made of brushed aluminum and just
7.7 mm thin, the Excite X10 packs
a dual-core CPU and will ship with
Android 4.0. You also get a microHDMI
port and stereo speakers.

Lenovo ThinkPad U410


Intel is heavily pushing its
"Ultrabook" concept of lightweight
super-slim laptops. The 14-inch
U410 stretches this definition a
bit, but will debut with the latest
Ivy Bridge generation CPUs later
this year.

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga


The aptly named Yoga is trying to be the
best of both worlds, offering laptop features
with tablet convenience. It won't be out until
the formal launch of Windows 8.

Intel Nikiski
This promising vision of the
future was first shown
off at Computex.
CES attendees
got to see how
its transparent
panel allows a user
to interact with Windows
8's live even when the lid
of the device is closed.

28

02/2012

0280212_CES 2012.indd 28

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

Toshiba Qosmio F755


Glasses-free 3D technology makes its way
to laptops, freeing users of their active
shutter glasses. This bulky laptop will be
out in mid 2012.

SMS us!  Story code: NCE to 51818

1/24/2012 9:40:23 PM

NEWSWIRE

Polaroid SC1630
Here's an oddity: this isn't a phone, it's actually a camera that runs Android! The SC1630 packs a 16megapixel sensor with 720p video capability and 3x optical zoom lens. You also get to play music or
video files and run a variety of Android apps and connect to the Internet via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. There's
huge potential for future upgradability, but for now you'll get geotagging, direct uploads to social
networking sites, face recognition, and editing capabilities such as cropping and red-eye reduction.

Canon PowerShot G1x


This beast now sits right at the top of Canon's
prosumer range. With a sensor nearly the size of
a DSLR's, the G1x is a worthy alternative to the
mirrorless models now growing in popularity.
Full 1080p video, RAW mode, customizable
controls, ISO values of up to 12800, and a
twisting LCD screen complete the package.

Samsung WB150F
Consumer cameras are
getting Wi-Fi friendly, and
this model is no exception.
You can upload photos
directly to social networks
or online storage sites,
and even use your Android
smartphone as a remote
shutter release.

Seagate GoFlex
Belkin Thunderbolt Express Dock
MacBook Air owners who are itching for a
few extra ports will love this. With a single
Thunderbolt connection, you'll get three USB 2.0
ports, FireWire 800, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, and a
pass-through Thunderbolt port for daisy-chaining
a display panel or more storage devices.

Seagate showed off


Thunderbolt
which
Th
d b lt adapters
d t
hi h
will work perfectly with its existing GoFlex
desktop and portable hard drives. Cables
and adapters will be available soon, but don't
expect them to be cheapthe desktop adapter
alone will cost US$ 189 (approx Rs 9,490) and
the cables are US$ 50 each (approx Rs 2,510).

WikiPad

LaCie 2big Thunderbolt


Thunderbolt is finally taking off.
The insanely fast data transfer
standard will be seen on non-Mac
PCs this year, and CES saw plenty
of compatible devices. LaCie's 2big
external RAID array will make PC
enthusiasts very happy indeed.

The Wikipad, from the hitherto-unknown


company of the same name, claims to be the
world's first glasses-free 3D Android tablet,
and comes with a game controller dock for
better control. Gamers can hook up to casual,
mobile or "high-end" games via cloud-based
services, as per the company's release notes.
Alternatively, the 8-inch HD screen can be
used for watching movies or surfing the Web.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0280212_CES 2012.indd 29

02/2012

29

1/24/2012 9:40:44 PM

NEWSWIRE

LG 84LM9600
Sharp Aquos LC-80LE844U
Is 80 inches big enough for you? Though it might be a behemoth,
the panel tops out at 1080p HD, so you'll have to sit at least 10 feet
away from it to get a clear picture. You'll get SD card, USB, HDMI
and Ethernet connections. There's a built in Web browser and a few
streaming media apps, and you can even connect to a service rep
live online.

Stepping it up a notch, LG showed off its 84-inch 3D TV with


4K resolution. There's also a voice-controlled remote, library of
1,200 apps for download, and passive 3D system with comfy
lightweight glasses. No price is available yet.

Toshiba L7200
There might not have
been any recordbreaking 100-inch-plus
TVs at CES this year,
but Toshiba showed off
its new flagship with
a respectable 55-inch
screen. The "smart"
functions include a
searchable TV schedule,
passive 3D, Wi-Fi
with DLNA, 2D-to-3D
conversion, and instant
media sharing from
Toshiba tablets.

30

02/2012

0280212_CES 2012.indd 30

Razer's Windows 8 tablet concept with built-in game


controllers aims to redefine mobile gaming. The device will
be powered by a "next-generation" Intel Core i7 CPU and will
feature force-feedback controls and Dolby 7.1 surround sound.
We can't wait!

HTC Titan II

Sony Xperia S
Sony and Ericsson are
officially parting ways,
and the models shown
off at CES carried only
Sony's name. The Xperia
S has a 4.3-inch screen,
dual core 1.5 GHz CPU,
and 12-megapixel
camera with 1080p
video capture. Sadly, it
runs Android 2.3, though
an upgrade to ICS is
promised for soon after
its early 2012 launch.

Razer Project Fiona

Nokia Lumia 900


Possibly the worst kept secret of the
entire show, Nokia's new Windows 7.5
flagship is US-only for now. Enraging
N800 buyers, it fills in every gap left
by the lesser Lumia, including 4G LTE
network support, a 4.3-inch AMOLED
screen, front-facing camera and 7 hours
of talk time on a single charge.

Would you like a 16megapixel camera


on your phone? Well
then, you're in luck.
HTC's new flagship
Windows phone
shares its basic
specs with most of
the other high-end
models from various
manufacturers, but
the camera truly sets
it apart. You also get
720p video recording
and excellent lowlight stills. Preloaded
apps for photo editing
and effects round out
the package.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1/24/2012 9:41:13 PM

NEWSWIRE

Griffin Twenty
Apple's AirPlay wireless streaming system hasn't been
licensed by many home stereo equipment makers,
prompting Griffin to launch the Twenty. By plugging an
Airport Express router into the unit and then hooking it up
to your speakers or home theater receiver, you'll be able to
stream tunes wirelessly from an iPad, iPhone or Mac.

Pioneer AVIC-Z140BH
This is not just your average car stereo! In addition to music, Web radio and streaming
services, you get an advanced navigation system, voice control, Bluetooth integration for
hands-free calling, and the ability to use iPhone/iPod apps on the large 7-inch screen.

iTwin
iTwin, another single-product
company, wants to make file
sharing between PCs a no-brainer.
Plug the USB dongle into a PC, mark
the files and folders you want to
share, and then detach the rear half
and plug that into the second PC.
Files transfer via the Internetnot
the fastest or most convenient, but
simple enough for most.

Victorinox SSD
Want a terabyte of storage space in
your pocket at all times? This oddity
from Victorinox is more SSD than
pen drive, and uses a hybrid eSATA/
USB 3.0 plug for practicality. Besides
the graphical capacity readout and
256-bit encryption, you also get an
airport-friendly case that dispenses
with the usual array of blades.

Nest Learning Thermostat


Envisioned by former Apple design
experts, Nest thermostats in a home
communicate with each other and
learn about their environment and
their users' behavior patterns in order
to anticipate when minor adjustments
to home temperature controls might be
likely to save huge amounts of energy.

Switch Lighting 75

Logitech Cube

These might be the devices that finally


convince people to dump their traditional
lightbulbs. Switch Lighting says its LED
bulbs emit the same warm pleasant glow
as incandescents, work with common
home dimmers, last 25,000 hours, and
can save hundreds of dollars in energy
costs over their lifetimes. The metal base
dissipates heat, and a microprocessor
g
prevents overheating no matter how long
they're left on.

More of a block than a cube, this little


device is only as tall as your thumb,
but works as a laser mouse when flat
on a surface or a presentation remote
when held in the air. Touch the top to
click, or swipe down the middle to scroll.
Flip it upside down and tap to go to the
previous side. It's a bit pricey, at US$ 70
(approx Rs 3,515), but will slip into any
backpack pocket or laptop sleeve.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0280212_CES 2012.indd 31

02/2012

31

1/24/2012 9:41:32 PM

NEWSWIRE
FEATURE

IIT Bombay Techfest 2012

The three-day event lived up to its name and showcased some spectacular talent. BY PRIYANKA TILVE

3A

1 ROBOT LAND: Robots ruled the three days of the


fest. Teams battled it out, pitching their robots in
various competitions like Cricbot, Robowars and a
variety of other games at the Robotic Gaming Arena.

2 BUILDING BRIDGES: In Canyon Cross,


participants were required to build bridges using
tooth-picks, ice-cream sticks, glue and thread. The
bridge design that could sustain maximum load was
adjudged the winner.

3 NEED FOR SPEED: Wireless remote controlled


machines powered by an IC engine raced against
each other, passing through many obstacles on an
off-road track.
3A One of the major contenders for the prize at
Full Throttle.
4 & 5 KNOWLEDGE SESSIONS: Probably the most
anticipated lecture was that of Prof. David J Griffith,
who explained concepts of quantum mechanics.
This was followed by an equally awaited lecture
by the 2009 Nobel Prize (Chemistry) winner Venki
Ramakrishnan, who spoke about antibiotics.
6 & 7 SPINNING WHEELS: Moving on the roads of IIT
Bombay were Micycle, a self balancing unicycle and
an electric Diwheel named EDWARD that employs
the latest drive-by-wire technology used in modern
aircrafts.

32

02/2012

0320212_IIT Techfest.indd 32

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

Mexy Xavier

SMS us!  Story code: FIIT to 51818

1/25/2012 1:31:30 PM

NEWSWIRE
FEATURE

8 & 9 DESIGN & MORE: A special enclave


within the exhibition hall displayed
prototypes of ideas created by the
masterminds at the prestigious Industrial
Design Centre (IDC) of IIT Bombay.

10

10 JAPANESE DESIGN: Also part of the Techfest was a display of Japanese designs by The
Japan Foundation. This display included products from post-war Japanese design to the
more contemporary ones.

12 HUMANOID ROBOT:
T: Nao, the
humanoid robot, was
quite a show stealer.
Built to mimic human
behavior, it can
express emotions
like fear, joy, pride,
happiness, anger,
and sadness,
amongst others.
It can also recognize
ow
face, shapes, and follow
your sound. With 25 degrees of
freedom, there is lots he can do, from a
ncing!
hand that grips to dancing!

12

11

11 FLYING ROBOT: Buzzing around like flies


were the quadcopter, which is a prototype
of the CrazyCopter project. Controlled by a
PS2 joystick, it can also be mounted with a
camera and used for surveillance.

13

13 MADE IN INDIA: Also


lso on display
at the exhibition were
e the robots
built by Indian manufacturers.
acturers.
These included 5 DOF Robotic
ARM, Duct Inspection Robot,
and Self Balancing Bot,
t,
amongst others.
priyanka.tilve@chip.in
ka.tilve@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0320212_IIT Techfest.indd 33

02/2012

33

1/25/2012 1:31:38 PM

TEST CENTER

PRODUCT
SPOTLIGHT

HARDWARE

VERDICT

XXXXX
SMARTPHONE

SAMSUNG
GALAXY NOTE
VERDICT: Beats all the Android smartphones on the planet
FOR: Excellent display, stylus input, sleek design, lightning fast.
AGAINST: TouchWiz UI holds it back.

ery few smartphones deserve the attribution

screen and the protective glass that covers it, the

courageous. The
Samsung Galaxy Note
LAPTOP

front looks typically like an overgrown iPhone, except

unequivocally does. It is courageous

the minor differences in the home button shape and

because it is a valiant attempt at breaking down the

size. The standard back cover is a imsy paper-thin

smartphone-computing device-tablet conundrum

piece of plastic, which leaves the protective glass

that so many of us have faced over the last year or

over the camera lens jutting out. It will get scratched

so. But their gamble has paid off handsomely. The

the very rst time you place it at on its back. But

Note will go down in history as odd and polarizing,

if you install the Samsung-supplied Flip Cover, then

XXXX

FOR: XXX
AGAINST: XXXX
but successful at the same time because it was

the rst to deal forthrightly with a widely abused

word of our times - convergence,


by trying to
XXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

bridge the gap between a phone XXXx


and tablet.

Rs XXX

XXXXX: XXXXXX;
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

XXX
XXX
XXX

The Flip Cover serves no real purpose, other than


to provide the 5.3-inch display with a little more

protection. The quality of the Flip Cover though


- dushyant.khilnani@chip.in
leaves a lot to be desired, and within a few days

Dont let rst appearances fool you. While the

of use you will see it fray along the edges, with the

Galaxy Note is no doubt large and looks huge,

rubberized coating coming off. The Note is designed

when placed next to the slimmer Galaxy S II, it

with a two-handed approach; try using it with one

is most certainly not ungainly. There is clearly no

hand and youll struggle to do basic things. You

evolutionary theme evident in the jump from the

could try using Samsungs Voice Talk, but it never

Galaxy S II to the Galaxy Note, except that Samsung

worked for us with the Galaxy S II and it wasnt a

took a more mature and practical approach while

great experience with the Note either.


The placement of the volume and power buttons

mm thick, and weighs around 178 g. Its not a thick

is a pain; you will keep hitting the volume buttons

phone, but it is denitely on the heavier side. Coming

with your index nger when you press the power

from the Galaxy S II, which weighs an anorexic 116 g,

button with your thumb. Moving them just a couple

the Notes near-200 grams is noticeably heavy.

of centimeters off each other wouldve solved this.

You will notice its heft the most when youre on

www.XXXX.XXXX

thicker back that has a recess area for the camera.

Form Factor and Design

conceptualizing the Note. The phone is about 9.7

SPECIFICATIONS

it gives the Note a professional look and a sturdier,

The buttons themselves are too narrow, and the

longer calls. We suggest you get a good Bluetooth

feedback is weak. We also found the main Home key

headset to negate its weight and size issues. Even

a bit too thin; it tends to see-saw instead of giving

with its large size, Samsung has done well by

you rm feedback.

keeping the device relatively slim and portable.


Itll slip right into your pocket without making it

Features and Performance

uncomfortable. The rounded borders make holding

Halfway through the rst month of usage, we got

and gripping easy, and using gun-metal on the

a pretty good picture of the Notes strengths. The

PERFORMANCE

borders makes sense, because those areas will be

large, vibrant 5.3-inch WXGA screen and 1.4 GHz

OVERALL RATING

the most frequent hand contact points.

of dual core goodness have clearly enhanced its

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES

VALUE FOR MONEY

34

02/2012

Because such a large portion of the phone is the


INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 34

usability, and a more accommodative 2500mah

SMS us!  Story code: HCI to 51818

1/25/2012 4:03:50 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

VERDICT
battery makes it more open to use for extended
periods of time. It is this troika of power, battery-life,

XXXXX

its performance is identical too.

The Note comes equipped with the S Pen; S

and screen size that makes the Galaxy Note really

meaning Smart. The stylus works seamlessly on

leap ahead into a league of its own.

the capacitive touchscreen and allows you to take

The phone shows no hiccups during its initial

screenshots by clicking on the button/pressing the

usage, but as is the nature of Android, it will bloat up

nib down on the screen. The device is also loaded

and show signs of impending slow-down. There have

with image editing applications that allow you to

been instances when the OS has stuck itself into

create new images, notes etc. with the S Pen like

a loop, and a hard reset was required. These and

you would on paper. The pen itself is quite slim and

other Android and Samsung TouchWiz UI problems

proved to be a handy tool in some instances. It takes

do occur from time to time. It will sometimes lag

a while to get used to, and the button on it is often

behind your clicks, and sometimes start typing after

hard to nd and press, but spend enough time with

youve nished the sentence. The delay from getting

it, and it does help in taking quick notes.

a phone call and the screen lighting up is discernible,

The phone is now on par with the iPhone 4S in

as is the delay when you want to disconnect the call.

terms of its GPS capabilities, and now supports

As a pure phone-messaging interface, Samsungs

GLONASS (the Russian alternative to the American

TouchWiz really leaves a lot to be desired.

GPS system). GPS locks are faster and more

But as a content consumption device, the Note is

accurate. We tested it several times on NH8 and

unstoppably fast. The Dolphin HD browser rips out

found that even when you turn the GPS manually

pages
from the Web. Twitter and Facebook apps
LAPTOP

off and back on, it locks onto your position within a

work without scroll hiccups, and jumping from app

second or two, which is impressive.

XXXX

sheer performance, its dual-core 1.4 GHz processor

Battery Life

doesnt disappoint. Churning out 90.341 MFLOPs in

The phone will last you an average of 14 hours of

the Linpack benchmark for Android, it demolishes

regular use. Our continuous video loop test lasted for

to app is a pretty smooth experience. In terms of

FOR:
XXX
its competition. Higher priced products like the HTC
AGAINST:
XXXX
Sensation XL are left trailing behind. Its no different

9 hours 15 minutes, which is quite a record. However,


even in deep sleep mode, the phone discharges

with the AnTuTu benchmark. The Note scores an

battery at a steady rate. The drain from 30 percent

to 1 percent can happen in as little as 6 hours


with
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
absolutely no active screen use.

impressive
6320 points compared to the 4,500-odd
XXXXXX
points of some
XXXxof the other dual-core processorpowered devices. So,
its very clear that the Galaxy
- dushyant.khilnani@chip.in
Note is more than just marginally faster.

Verdict
Do yourself a favor and go get the Galaxy Note.

Media Playback

Its a powerful tablet, thats very thinly disguised

With regards to video playback, Samsung has been

as a smartphone. Samsung TouchWizs calling and

always known for infusing their devices with plenty

general telecommunication functionality leaves

of codecs. The Galaxy Note is capable of reading

a lot to be desired, but there are tweaks and

MP4, DivX, XviD, WMV, H.264, H.263 le formats

apps available to give you your desired phone or

and even supports video playback of up to 1080p,

messaging launcher. Its 2500 mAh battery ensures

if coded correctly. The Note is also provisioned with

that it will keep going for at least a full working

5.1 surround sound. Unfortunately, youre stuck with

day. It is also the fastest around, and it will never

MHL (Mobile HI-Def Link) AV connectivity rather than

stumble or stutter as you move happily between

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 31,750

www.samsung.com

Dimensions (WxHxD):83 x 147 x 9.7 mm; Weight:


178 g; OS: Android v2.3.5 ; CPU:Dual-core 1.4 GHz,
ARM Cortex-A9; RAM: 1 GB; Display: 5.3-inch, 800 x
1280 Super AMOLED; Camera:8 MP; storage: 16 GB.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

Samsung India
1800-3000-8282
NA

RATINGS

HDMI, which

e-mail, media playback and photography. All of

would have been

SPECIFICATIONS
these together are the best arguments possible
for

a better option

having one device to do it all.

in this case. The


audio player also
includes features
like EQ presets
and an eight
band graphic
EQ. The camera

FEATURES

is exactly like

PERFORMANCE

the one in the

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

Galaxy S II, and

Rs XXX

www.XXXX.XXXX

XXXXX: XXXXXX;
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

XXX
XXX
XXX

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

The Galaxy Note is almost as slim as the Galaxy SII, but wider due to the large display size.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 35

02/2012

35

1/25/2012 6:12:14 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

TABLET

LENOVO THINKPAD
FOR: Excellent keyboard folio, useful hotkeys and widgets, good build quality,
USB host and SD card slot.
AGAINST: Bulky design, stylus shouldnt have been optional.

in the case of their

the layout is standard with a row of keys

laptops, the Lenovo

on the top for commonly used functions

IdeaPad is targeted

such as volume, home, zoom, media

at the general audience while the

playback, back and delete. The keyboard

ThinkPad is skewed more towards office

is denitely more comfortable than using

productivity. The design of this 10.1-inch

the on-screen keyboard and the feel of

tablet is reminiscent of the Thinkpad

the keyboard is good.

laptops. The all-black shell with a soft

Honeycomb 3.1 and the hardware that it

class and lends a sturdy feel. However,

uses is similar to that in other 10.1-inch

its quite bulky and not svelte like the

tablets 1 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB

Galaxy Tab 750, which makes it a bit

RAM and Nvidia Tegra 2 graphics. This

uncomfortable to use when in hand.

tablet is available in two capacities 32

What makes this tablet stand out are

The digitizer pen can be neatly housed inside the


tablet itself.

Rs 44,871

www.lenovo.com

Dimensions (WxHxD): 58.4 x 181.7 x 14 mm; Weight:


0.75 Kg; Processor: 1 GHz; RAM: 1 GB; Display: 10.1inch IPS, 1280x800; Camera: 5 MP rear and 2 MP
front; Graphics: Nvidia Tegra 2; Interfaces: mini HDMI,
USB 2.0, micro USB, and SD card; OS: Android 3.1
Honeycomb.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

Lenovo India Pvt. Ltd.


1800 3002 9929
eservice@lenovowarranty.co.in

GB and 64 GB. The user interface is pretty

the accessories, a slew of ports lined up

standard with very little customization

on the sides, and a few extra hot keys.

and a few widgets. A useful feature is

You have a mini HDMI port, a docking

that you can view and close applications

connector, a 3.5 mm audio jack and a

using the icon next to the Home icon.

micro USB slot on the right side. A SIM

Also handy is the large Lenovo Launch

card slot and an SD card slot are also

Zone widget at the centre of the home

present, hidden behind a plastic ap. On

screen. It has zones for watching, email,

the opposite side you have the volume

listening and reading. You have the option

rocker and a hollow compartment to

to associate the programs of your choice

holf the digitizer pen. The pen uses a

to the zones and theres also a Settings

single AAA battery and comes with two

shortcut. Along with Wi- connectivity,

additional tips. The opposite side features

the ThinkPad supports 3G. After charging

a full size USB 2.0 port which supports

the device, we put it through the battery

USB host function and doubles up as an

test in which we looped playback of a

interface for the keyboard folio.

standard denition video. The battery

The keyboard folio adds value to the

SPECIFICATIONS

The ThinkPad runs Android

matte nish on the back panel exudes

tablet, but its an optional accessory that

lasted a good eight hours.


The Lenovo ThinkPad is a little

costs Rs 6,129. It serves the same purpose

more expensive than the Asus EeePad

as the dock which the Asus EeePad

Transformer. Go for it if the digitizer pen is

Transformer uses, but this one neither

of importance to you (for digital art, note

features a battery pack nor a USB port.

taking, etc). Otherwise, the Transformer is

The tablet snugly ts into the housing

better value for money with the provision

and you can incline it at one of three

of an extra battery pack and USB port.

angles. The keyboard has large keys and

- Anand Tuliani

VERDICT

AN EXCELLENT TABLET FOR THE


OFFICE DESK.

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

36

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 36

1/25/2012 6:12:26 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

SMARTPHONE

NOKIA LUMIA 800


FOR: Great sturdy design, uid UI, Nokia Drive with free maps, SN is easily managed.
anaged.
AGAINST: No external storage support, must use Zune for media transfer, no
o audio
enhancements, no Flash/Sliverlight support, no 1080p video shooting.

okias Piece de resistance the

ory
and has also left out external memory

Lumia 800 is out. Its the rst, of

support. What we also noticed with the

course in the series and is based

otherwise crystal clear 3.7-inch (480 x

on their MeeGo running N9 device only but

800 pixel) AMOLED display was thatt

this one runs Windows Phone 7, Mango.

amish
whites usually took on a slightly creamish

The Lumia 800 is built out of a single

tone. Other than that, visibility in broad


oad

block of Polycarbonate plastic. Dont

tch
daylight from any angle was top-notch

let the plastic part sway you as the

thanks to the Clear Black display engine.


gine.

handset is quite durable. The 3.7-inch,

With the as-bad-as-if-not-worse-

slightly raised gorilla glass display,

than-iTunes Zune software forming

although quite a ngerprint magnet,

the basis of media transfer youre

survived quite a bit of torture without

left with video conversions for

giving in to scratches. On the whole the

playback on the device. There are no

design and color options available make

audio enhancements offered at all and

it a very funky handset even if it is a tad

although clear, the decibel level was a bit

slippery. The lack of removable battery

low even via the speakerphone. Internet

and no expandable memory option other

radio TuneIn and FM radio options worked

than the built in 16GB of space could be

well. The connectivity domain, the Lumia

construed as an issue for some.

800 comes across as a very capable

The Lumia 800 is Powered by a 1.4

smartphone. Packing 3G and Wi-Fi

GHz Scorpion processor. When it comes

capabilities under its belt. The IE browser

to functionality, as limited as the OS

lacks Flash and Silverlight support.

itself may be, the Lumia 800 manages to

Speed-wise, the browser functions very

do everything its capable of, extremely

well. Social networking, chatting, posting

well. WP7s stripped down; visually

messages is a real easy task on the 800.

simplistic user interface is what keeps

The Lumia 800 includes Nokia Drive,

most of their handsets, irrespective of

Nokia Maps and Bing Maps (overkill).It

processing power, running quite smoothly.

has an 8MP AF camera with a dual LEDs

Unfortunately for Nokia though, this

ash but no 1080P video recording. Image

fantastic piece of hardware cant live up

focus was a problem in most areas in

to its true potential thats curtailed by

slightly low lit outdoor conditions. Video

the OS. Although WP7 is a user-friendly

recording was much better. The 1450mAh

system, its still in its nascent stage

battery sits will provide users with a fairly

and will require a considerable amount

decent battery life, which will reduce if

of tweaking before it can really give

youre using 3G thats constantly active.

Android or iOS a run for their money.

Its slightly expensive at Rs 29,990, and

The few things about the Lumia 800 we

although well built, it could have used

took issue with, included the fact that

more software features.

Nokia has decided to go Micro SIM on us

- Shayne Rana

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 29,000

www.nokia.co.in

Diensions (WxHxD): 62 x 116.5 x 12 mm;


Weight: 142 g; OS: Windows Phone v7.5 Mango;
CPU: 1.4 GHz Scorpion; RAM: 512 MB; Storage: 16 GB;
Display: 3.7-inch AMOLED, 480 x 800; Camera: 8 MP.
CONTACT
PHONE

VERDICT

EXPENSIVE FOR A GOOD LOOKING


PHONE WITH VERY LIMITED FEATURES.

EMAIL

Nokia India
022-30303838
NA

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 37

02/2012

37

1/25/2012 6:12:32 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

PHONE

HTC SENSATION XL
FOR: Good screen, Decent quality earphones, Decent battery life.
AGAINST: No memory expansion slot, Expensive, Under-specd.

screen is larger than the Sensation

is a large 8MP one. There are two LEDs at

XE, by quite a bit. It uses a slightly

the rear that act as the ash. The camera

less denser S-LCD, 480x800 resolution

outputs images with resolution spanning

screen as compared to the XE. The look

3264x1952. The quality of the images

and the feel of the phone is very sleek

is good in outdoor conditions - Despite,

with its bright bright white panel with

some visible noise, there was a good bit

the light grey complementing panels at

of detail. Exposure metering is a little off

the back. On the inside, the battery sits

and images with bright and dark regions

beside the SIM card and theres no way

can appear very contrasting. Colours are

to pull out the SIM without removing the

fairly natural. The forward facing 1.3MP

battery. Theres no sign of a memory card

camera produces average quality images,

slot, either. A little more than 12GB of

especially in low light areas.

he HTC Sensation with its 4.7-inch

memory is available to the user, but the

1600mAh one. It lasts 6 hrs 6 mis with

is shared with the operating system.

only video playback. With a mix of voice


it lasts around 8 hours, which is pretty

custom Sense UI 3.5 interface. ICS should

good. Under everyday use conditions,

be hitting the phone as well. The phone

this phone will last you for roughly a day,

runs a 1.5GHz processor with 768 MB

before youll need to recharge it.

www.htc.com

Dimensions (WxHxD):71 x 132.5 x 10 mm; Weight:


162.5 g; OS: Android v2.3; CPU: 1.5 GHz, Scorpion;
RAM: 768 MB; Display: 4.7-inch, 480 x 800 S-LCD;
Camera: 8 MP; Storage: 16 GB.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

HTC India
9811428765
shaurya.vedvyas@brightpoint.com

The HTC Sensation XL is both good,

effects are smooth. File transfer rates

yet disappointing. On one hand, its

to the phone are decent at around 8

a great looking device, which does

MB/s - this was using a simple le copy

everything you want it to. The issue is with

operation. AnTuTu recorded a write speed

its price and what it offers for that price.

of 7.1 MB/s. Read speeds are way more

HTC sells the Sensation XL in the market

impressive reaching 34.5 MB/s - reaching

for around Rs.38,799 (MRP of Rs. 39,990).

the peak performance limit of USB 2.0.The

Rs 39,990

calls, streaming music and video playback,

(Gingerbread) and features HTCs own

of RAM. Animations and the transition

SPECIFICATIONS

The battery on the Sensation XL is a

entire device has 16GB of memory, which


The Sensation XL runs Android 2.3.5

The HTC Sensation XL features an 8 MP camera with


dual-LED ash.

The camera on the HTC Sensation XL

The cheaper Sensation XE offers a

main apps menu shifts in pages, instead

smaller screen, but its denser, which

of a non-stop owing interface. Press

means more workspace. It has a memory

the back key and youre back to the app

card slot, so one can upgrade the

menu, instead of the home menu.

storage capacity by a lot and it has a

Media playback is good - using a

lot more power - a dual-core processor.

third-party media player, you can play

You get all this for roughly Rs 5,000

back HD content on it. HTC bundles a pair

less. If youre looking for a large screen,

of Beats Audio earphones with the phone.

wed recommend the Samsung Note. If

The quality of these earphones is decent

youre looking for something smaller and

- they emphasize the bass a bit and the

affordable, the XE is an excellent buy.

highs arent too bright.

- Rossi Fernandes

VERDICT

THE SENSATION XL IS OVERPRICED FOR


WHAT IT OFFERS, THE CHEAPER

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

38

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 38

1/25/2012 6:12:45 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

TABLET

SONY TABLET S
VERDICT: A decent yet expensive Android tablet.
FOR: Display quality, wedge-shaped design.
AGAINST: No expandable storage, poor camera, expensive.
he stylish Tablet S features a

32 GB), but you cannot use the external

distinct wedge shaped design that

memory card as expandable storage.

resembles a folded paperback.

Photos taken outdoors with the 5 MP

It embeds a 9.4-inch 800x1280 TFT

camera seemed washed out and the front

capacitive touch screen and runs on

VGA camera is grainy and noisy. Video

Android 3.2. Sony has added its own

recording at 720p/30fps was decent but

touch with the Favorites icon and a row

the lack of a ash hurts. At moderate use,

of quick launch buttons. The display

you wont need to charge the battery on

quality and touch response is good, but

a daily basis. The Tablet S supports MP4/

there were instances of lag. Navigation

H.264/H.263 video and MP3/WAV/eAAC+/

is just about ne with Nvidia Tegra 2

OGG audio formats. Connectivity options

processor and 1 GB RAM. Playstation

include HSDPA, HSUPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

certication brings with it bundled games

and Infrared. However, you wont nd NFC,

PHONE

like Crash Bandicoot and Pinball Heroes.

HDMI, or voice functionality. Astonishingly,

EMAIL

The game interface lets you hold it like a

the tablet does not bundle a USB cable

game controller with the physical buttons

or earphones. At Rs. 29,990, its a decent,

replicated on screen. It has built-in 16

but expensive Android tablet.

GB memory and an SD card slot (up to

- Naina Khedekar

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 29,990
www.sony.co.in

Dimensions (WxHxD):241 x 174 x 10 mm; Weight:


598 g; OS: Android v3.1 ; CPU: Dual-Core 1 GHz ARM
Cortex-A9; RAM: 1 GB; Display: 9.4-inch, 800 x 1280
TFT; Camera:5 MP; storage: 16 GB.
CONTACT

Sony India
1800-103-7799
sonyindia.care@ap.sony.com

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

PHONE

HTC RHYME
VERDICT: A great phone, but badly priced.
FOR: Sense 3.5, very good camera, good multimedia features, compact design.
AGAINST: Expensive, color scheme may not be for everyone, Charm indicator is
mostly a gimmick.
he Rhyme features a unibody

The bundled Charm indicator lights up

design with plastic bits near the

when you get an incoming call or message

camera and the battery cover. The

and blinks when you miss them. The 5

build is excellent and the plastics used are

MP shooter works brilliantly in almost

Rs 27,500

durable. Its fairly slim and light and the

any lighting conditions. The new camera

www.htc.com

buttons are ergonomically placed. It runs

interface is amazingly slick, with plenty of

Dimensions (WxHxD):61 x 119 x 11 mm; Weight: 130


g; OS: Android v2.3.4 ; CPU: 1 GHz, Scorpion; RAM: 768
MB; Display: 3.7-inch, 480 x 800 S-LCD; Camera:5 MP;
storage: 4 GB.

on Gingerbread 2.3.5 and Sense v3.5 and

option for customization. Video recording

is powered by a 1 GHz Scorpion CPU. The

does not disappoint either as 720p mode

revamped music player is nothing short

works well with very slight stutter present

of brilliant. Sound enhancements include

intermittently. Optionally, you can choose

SRS and Equalizer presets. The Rhyme is

to upload the captured pictures directly

quad-band GSM phone with full HSDPA

to Facebook or Flickr. It also has a really

and HSUPA support. It also packs in Wi-Fi

good battery life to boot. At a street price

n and Bluetooth 3.0. Other apps include

of Rs 26,000, its a little expensive and

Facebook, Dropbox, HTC Sense apps,

would make a better buy under 20K.

SPECIFICATIONS

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

HTC India
9811428765
shaurya.vedvyas@brightpoint.com

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES

Polaris Office and Reader, to name a few.

PERFORMANCE

- Roydon Cerejo

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

40

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 40

1/25/2012 6:13:02 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

PHONE

MICROMAX A85
VERDICT: You get what you pay for!
FOR: Cheapest dual-core phone in the market, well built, cool UI tweaks
AGAINST: Stuck on Froyo, not user friendly, average camera and battery life,
doesnt offer very good value.
agged as a Superfone, Micromaxs

usable). The A85 is a quad-band phone

A85 is the rst dual-core phone

with full 3G HSDPA and HSUPA support.

in the sub-20K price bracket. The

Along with this, theres also Wi-Fi n

design is tasteful, with a decently large

and Bluetooth, so youre well catered

3.8-inch capacitive touchscreen. It is a

for. There are plenty of Internet-ready

little heavy and not very slim, but its

apps like Opera Mini, Facebook, Nimbuzz

manageable. Micromax has decided to

and WhatsApp as well as productivity

use Froyo instead of Gingerbread and has

apps like Polaris Office and M!Trim.

added some nice touches to the UI. The

The 5MP autofocus shooter is a bit of

quality of the display is good and images

a letdown as it lacks an LED ash, so

and videos look sharp and crisp. The

photos under ambient light is very poor.

sensitivity of the screen is not the best

Video recording is the same story. The

PHONE

though, and at times it refuses to respond

battery life is also strictly average. At Rs

EMAIL

to your input. The highly advertised

19,500, it is cheap for a Tegra 2 device,

gesture control leaves a lot to be desired.

but the overall experience is disappointing

The media player is stock Froyo but you

so it isnt a very good buy.

do get 8 GB of internal storage (5.7 GB

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 15,290

www.micromaxinfo.com

Dimensions (WxHxD):60 x 119 x 14 mm; Weight: NA;


OS: Android v2.2; CPU: Dual-core 1 GHz, ARM CortexA9; RAM: 512 MB; Display: 3.8-inch, 480 x 800 TFT;
Camera:5 MP; storage: 8 GB.
CONTACT

Micromax Informatics
1860 500 8266
info@micromaxinfo.com

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES

- Roydon Cerejo

PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

DIGICAM

CANON POWERSHOT A3300IS


VERDICT: An average performer and an average buy.
FOR: Simple UI, Good Macro shots, Nice build quality.
AGAINST: Image stabilization is poor, High noise levels in some pictures, Poor
video recording.
he A3300IS looks quite classy

high at ISO 1600. At 5x optical zoom, the

and has enough oomph to hold

image would focus on the object clearly,

its own amongst its competitors.

but even a slight movement of the hand

At 149 grams, its both lightweight and

would result in blurring. While video

compact. It features a 16 megapixel

shooting at 720p resolution, we noticed

CCD with 5x optical zoom and a 28mm

that a lot of colour fringing was observed

lens. Powered by a DIGIC 4 processor,

during transitions between light and dark

the camera is capable of quick snaps.

surroundings. However, it captures detail

For the rst time, Canon has got 720p

and macro shots impressively. The ideal

recording to an A series camera. Its got

target audience for this camera is people

the customary optical image stabilizer

who require a camera for casual snaps

for clear and steady shots. The interface

because it will be ideal for use at family

is easy to use and if youre a newbie, all

functions and parties. The A3300 does

BUILD QUALITY

you will require is ten minutes to gure

what it has to do; it doesnt impress too

ERGONOMICS

it out. In our tests, we saw little to no

much, but it doesnt disappoint either.

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 7,199

www.canon.co.in

Dimensions (WxHxD): 95 x 57 x 24 mm; Weight: 149 g;


Resolution: 16 MP; Zoom: Optical 5x; CCD: 1/2.3-inch;
Aperture: F2.8 - F5.9; ISO: 80 - 1600; Focal length: 28 140 mm; Shutter speed: 15 - 1/1600 sec.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

Canon India
0124-4160000
info@canon.co.in

RATINGS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE

noise at ISO 80, but noise levels are quite

- Karan Shah

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 43

02/2012

43

1/25/2012 6:13:36 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

DIGICAM

PANASONIC DMC-GF3W
VERDICT: One of the smallest Micro Four Thirds comes at a high price.
FOR: Compact and stylish, touchscreen, lightweight, great image quality.
AGAINST: Expensive, interface is not that great.
he DMC-GF3W is one of the

in the market but it is easy to use once

worlds smallest and lightest

one gets acquainted with it. Semi-manual

interchangeable lens system

and manual functions are found making

cameras making it quite small for a Micro

it a good option for one who is willing to

Four Thirds compact. It can easily t in

upgrade from a compact camera. ISO

a pocket or a purse. A 14mm pancake

ranges from 160 6400 with next to no

lens comes with the camera and one can

noise seen in sensitivity up to ISO 400.

opt for the package that contains the

Images can be stored in JPEG as well

14-42mm lens as well. The rear has very

as RAW format giving more tangibility

few buttons located at the side of the

while post processing. It fared well

3-inch resistive touchscreen. A proprietary

while capturing images in most lighting

USB port and a HDMI port make up for the

conditions and in macro photographs,

cameras connectivity options. The build

there was a lot of detail noticed. Videos

PHONE

quality of the camera and the pop-up

recorded well and can be played back on

EMAIL

ash is good and the overall design is

a HDTV in full HD 1080p in the AVCHD

stylish. It features a 12.1MP Live MOS

format. At Rs 38,799, its quite expensive

sensor, which helps in reducing the noise

for a Micro Four Third compact camera.

in images. The interface is not the best

- Aaron Almeida

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 38,799

www.panasonic.co.in

Dimensions (WxHxD): 108 x 32.5 x 67 mm;


Weight: 222 g; Resolution: 12.1 MP; Zoom: Optical 4x;
Aperture: F3.5 - F5.6; ISO: 160 - 6400; Focal length:
14 - 42 mm; Shutter speed: 60 - 1/4000 sec.
CONTACT

Panasonic India
0124-4596600
prdesk@npi.panasonic.co.in

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

CAMCORDER

GENIUS G-SHOT DV800


VERDICT: Not meant for prese.
FOR: Very easy to use, LED light improves exposure to some extent.
AGAINST: Poor photo and video quality, average build, low resolution LCD, uses
four AAA batteries.
oing by the specications and

of optical zoom and 4 AAA batteries as

performance, it seems like the

power source. The performance is below

DV800 has been built for casual

average. The resolution of the LCD is low

shooting. Its about as large as a box of

and the viewing angle is poor, so its hazy

visiting cards and with the strap fastened,

and difficult to gauge the exposure. We

it ts snugly in hand. It can capture up to

shot a couple of photos and videos, and

8 megapixel photos and videos at 720p.

the results werent impressive. Photos had

The 2.7-inch LCD is ip-out type and the

too much noise and the details werent

controls lie on the sides. The feature

up to the mark. Videos were also grainy

set is quite limited. You select the white

with average reproduction of colors and

balance, quality, effect and resolution

poor dynamic range. The device struggled

for video capture and the camera mode

shooting scenes with bright backgrounds,

additionally offers face detection, burst

which would get overexposed. The

mode, EV and self-timer. The device has

G-Shot DV800 is only good for low res

BUILD QUALITY

only 20 MB of built in memory and it can

photos and videos youd like to upload

ERGONOMICS

be expanded by up to 32 GB using an

on social networking websites.

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 5,200

www.geniusnet.com

Dimensions (WxHxD): 38 x 63 x 108 mm; Weight: 258g


(with batteries); Video resolution: 1280x720 pixels;
Zoom: 16x digital; Photo resolution: 8 megapixel;
LCD display: 2.4-inch; Battery: 4x AAA.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

Genius India
044-42088250
ho@inspaninfotech.com

RATINGS
FEATURES

SD card. The biggest drawbacks are lack

PERFORMANCE

- Anand Tuliani

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

44

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 44

1/25/2012 6:13:47 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

ULTRABOOK

ASUS
ZENBOOK UX31
FOR: Sexy design, Ultra thin, Good specs.
AGAINST: Glitchy keyboard, Super expensive,Fragile.

he UX31 looks quite stunning

this notebook. The keys are normal-

thin, tapering, stylish and can

sized, but the feedback is extremely

be easily mistaken for a laptop sleeve.

poor. More often that not, key presses

The right consists of the power slot, USB

werent registered and as compared to

3.0 port, micro HDMI slot and the mini

most other laptops, we just couldnt type

VGA slot, whereas the SD card reader,

quickly on the keyboard without making

second USB slot and the headphone

errors. That said, probably it could be

jack are located to the left. The heatsink

just an issue with our test unit, but the

is located at the back. We have mixed

trackpad did leave a lot to be desired. The

feelings about the build, though. The

trackpad isnt as bad as the keyboard,

power slot is extremely delicate and

but it isnt one of the smoothest ones,

wobbly when the charger is connected.

either. It borders a little on the erratic side

The hinge, however, is surprisingly sturdy.

and maneuvering using the trackpad isnt

The 13.3-inch Zenbook has a high

exactly quick. Also, its placed bang in the

resolution of 1600x900 and is powered by

centre, so youll have to be careful to not

an Intel Core i7 2677M CPU running at 1.8

accidentally register touches, while typing.

GHz. Theres 4 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD

laptops is heating. However, the Zenbook

onboard. All this runs the 64 bit Windows

does a brilliant job at managing that. The

7 Home basic OS. The UX31 comes with

Zenbook UX31 comes with a powerful

the latest Bluetooth Radio 4.0 + HS, Wi-Fi

50Whrs non-removable battery. Under

b/g/n, a webcam and Bang and Olufsen

normal usage, you will easily be able to

ICE power speakers.

get around six and a half hours of usage

and compact, unlike the bulkier ones we

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 89,999
www.asus.in

Dimensions (WxHxD): 32.5 x 1.7 x 22.3 cm;


Weight: 1.3 Kg; CPU: Intel Core i7-2677M; Chipset: Intel
HM67; GPU: Integrated Intel HD 3000; RAM: 4 GB 1333
MHz; Storage: 256 GB; Display: 13.3-inch 1600x900;
OS: Windows 7 Professional SP1.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

ASUS Technology
02267668800
reachus@asus.com

The biggest problem with ultra thin

and Intels integrated HD Graphics 3000

The bundled adapter is quite miniscule

With a slimness of just 1.7 cm, the ASUS Zenbook is


light-weight and easy to carry.

The trackpad is the biggest aw of

with the all metal nish. Its

from this notebook.


The Zenbook UX31 is priced at Rs.

often see. Also, Asus bundles along a

89,999 (MRP). The biggest drawback

LAN port and a VGA port along with the

the UX31 has is the glitchy keyboard and

device. Boot up times are exceptionally

trackpad. If youre paying big bucks for

quick, averaging at 16 seconds, so youll

a notebook, youd pretty much get at

be off with your work in no time. The

least a decent keyboard. In comparison

brightness levels are brilliant; infact,

to the Lenovo U300s, this one denitely

theyre almost blinding even if youre in

has better looks and performance. But,

a low light environment.. The Bang and

simply for the want of a better keyboard

Olufsen ICE power speakers are quite

and trackpad, we would recommend the

loud and are ideal for extensive media

U300s over the Zenbook UX31.

playback.

- Karan Shah

VERDICT

A POOR KEYBOARD IS THE DEALBREAKER FOR THE SUPER SEXY UX31.

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

46

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 46

1/25/2012 6:14:03 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

LAPTOP

ASUS X53SC
FOR: Good bang for the buck, very powerful,
AGAINST: The keyboard layout could have been better.

he latest addition to

gloss on the keyboard and the LCD frame.

Asus X series is the

The hinges have good stiffness and

X53SC, which packs

prevent the screen from wobbling. The

in plenty of muscle under its

panel, which lets you access the memory

Core i7-2670QM processor, 4 GB of RAM

and hard drive should you need to replace

and Nvidia Geforce GT 520MX discrete

or upgrade them.

graphics with 1GB of video memory.

of RAM and discrete graphics, it can be

be pleased with the 750 GB hard drive;

easily said that the X53SC is more than

enough for media les and lots of games

twice as fast than a laptop powered by

and applications. The 2.6 kg mass and

a Core i5 processor, and our scores show

15.6-inch display restricts portability to

just that. The MSI CR640 (Core i5-2410M,

some extent, but it can easily replace

3 GB RAM and integrated graphics)

your desktop PC. The large display offers

took 70 seconds to compress 100 MB

comfortable viewing and allows squeezing

of multiple les to 7.zip format using

in a numeric keypad. The keyboard is

Ultra mode and 90 seconds to encode

chiclet type and typing is comfortable,

an MPEG video to H.264 format. This

except when it comes to using the arrow

laptop took 40 seconds and 33 seconds,

keys and the numeric pad. The number

respectively for the same tasks.


and 1 GB of dedicated video memory, the

keys is glossy and prone to smudges.

gaming performance isnt too impressive

The core components that heat

as the graphics processor is too weak.

up are placed on the underside of the

Its more suited for accelerating video

motherboard, so that the palm rest stays

playback and media transcoding.

Dimensions (WxHxD): 378x 3.4 x 253 mm; Weight: 2.6


Kg; CPU: Intel Core i7-2670QM; RAM: 4 GB DDR3; Hard
disk: 750 GB; Display: 15.6-inch; GPU: Nvidia GeForce
GT 520MX; USB ports: 2x USB 2.0 and 1x USB 3.0.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

ASUS Technology
02267668813
helpline_west@asus.com

With stellar processing power, one has

technology and highlights it as one of

to compromise on the battery life. The

the key features. The rest of the laptops

average battery life of a Core i5 laptop is

features are pretty standard. A Gigabit

around 1.5 hours with medium to heavy

Ethernet port, D-sub and HDMI video

load. This one lasted for about an hour.

outputs and a USB 3.0 port are placed

You should get about an hour more if you

on the left side. The right side houses

switch to Battery Saving mode and use

the tray-loading DVD writer, two USB 2.0

just the basic applications, such as Web

ports and jacks for headphones and mic.

browser and word processor.

The overall build quality of the laptop

www.asus.in

Despite a discrete graphics processor

a tad difficult. Also, the area around the

cool. Asus calls this feature IceCool

Rs 37,999

With a quad-core processor, plenty

Gamers and entertainment buffs will

keys are narrower, which makes typing

SPECIFICATIONS

underside of the chassis has a removable

hood. Its powered by the quad-coreIntel

If sheer processing power is what

isnt top notch, but quite good. The

youre looking at, and you dont mind

quality of the chassis, palm rest, keyboard

a simple design, this laptop deserves

and the lid are good, but Asus should

serious consideration.

have completely done away with the

- Anand Tuliani

VERDICT

PLENTY OF POWER FOR A VERY SWEET


PRICE.

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

48

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 48

1/25/2012 6:14:21 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

LAPTOP

DELL XPS 14Z


FOR: Good performance, great design and build, compact.
AGAINST: Expensive, no USB 3.0, average battery life.

ells new XPS Z series

and accessories. Despite this being a

brings the mighty

dual-core CPU, single threaded apps

performance of the

really benet from the high default clock

traditional XPS legacy, but does it

link here, as it just about manages to

and compact for a 14-incher thanks to

deliver playable framerates in games. The

the edge-to-edge display. Made from

GT 520M is an entry-level GPU, so we

anodised aluminium, the notebook is

werent expecting miracles anyway. The

full of sweeping curves and chrome

XPS 14z is very comfortable to use on a

accents that give it a stunning look, no

daily basis. The keyboard is comfortable

matter which angle you look at it from.

even for extended typing sessions

Connectivity includes microphone and

and even though the intake vents are

headphone jacks and memory card

placed underneath, the notebook never

reader, while on the right we have the

overheated over the course of the review.

slot-loading DVD drive and battery

The speakers feature Waves MaxxAudio

charge indicator. We also have a power

preset, which helps boost the sound. The

port, DisplayPort, HDMI, two USB

quality is pretty good and the speakers

ports and a LAN jack. Sadly, theres

located on the either side of the keyboard

no USB 3.0, which is a downer.

are quite loud for watching a movie or

The backlit chiclet keyboard is


comfortable to use, but we wish Dell

The design is sleek but we wish Dell had added a few


USB 3.0 ports.

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 78,900
www.dell.co.in

Dimensions (WxHxD): 335 x 23 x 234 mm;


Weight: 1.98 Kg; CPU: Intel Core i7-2640M;
Chipset: Intel HM67; GPU: Nvidia GeForce GT520 M 1
GB; RAM: 8 GB 1333 MHz; Storage: 750 GB; Display: 14inch 1366 x 768; OS: Windows 7 Professional SP1.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

Dell India Pvt Ltd


1800 425 4026
NA

RATINGS

speed. The graphics card is the only weak

with air. The notebook is quite slim

listening to music.
The XPS 14z comes with an 8-cell

had thrown in an ambient light sensor to

battery, which gives you about 3.5 hrs of

automatically activate the backlight. The

battery life, which is strictly average. At

trackpad, for a change, works well and

Rs 78,900, the Dell XPS 14z is quite an

we didnt face any issues whatsoever.

expensive 14-inch notebook, but then it

Powering it is an Intel Core i7-2640M, a

does justify that price to an extent. The

dual-core multi-threaded CPU running

price jump seems to be related to the

at 2.8 Ghz and with Turbo up to 3.5

3-year warranty that comes as standard.

Ghz. Other components include 8 GB of

Also, the notebook packs an impeccable

DDR3 RAM, a 750 GB hard drive and an

build and nish and the attention to detail

Nvidia GT 520M GPU with 1 GB dedicated

is pretty darn good. More importantly, it

memory. The 14-inch screen has a semi-

feels like a premium product and it also

gloss nish with a resolution of 1366 x

has the goods to back it up. If portability

768, which is good enough for a 14-inch

and style is your criteria, then the XPS 14z

screen. Also, at 2kg, its not too heavy, so

is a good buy. However, just keep in mind

you can easily carry it around. Our main

that youll have to compromise on the

gripe here is that Dell doesnt give you

lack of USB 3.0, a nonremovable battery

the liberty to customize the notebook,

and the fact that youre pretty much

so you just have a choice between two

stuck to the two congurations that Dell

pre-set congurations and at the most,

has whipped up.

you can customize the software package

- Roydon Cerejo

VERDICT

BUILD QUALITY
ERGONOMICS

BRILLIANTLY ELEGANT!

FEATURES
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

50

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 50

1/25/2012 6:14:37 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

MOTHERBOARD

GIGABYTE 990XA-UD3
VERDICT: An excellent mid-range motherboard.
FOR: Excellent performance, good feature set, very good layout.
AGAINST: None.
he Gigabyte 990XA-UD3

clearance for large coolers. The SATA

motherboard is based on the

6 Gb/s ports are oriented outward for

AMD 990X chipset. With multi-

easy cable routing and headers for

GPU support and a few other interesting

USB, FireWire, and front audio are lined

features, it comes under the mid-range

up at the base. Both the synthetic and

Rs 10,920

segment. The chipset supports up to

real world scores were similar to those

www.gigabyte.in

32 GB of DDR3 memory and the SB950

reported by other 990FX boards. It scored

Socket: AM3+; Chipset: AMD 990FX + SB950; Memory:


Up to DDR3-1866 (32 GB max); Expansion slots: 2x
PCIE x16, 1x PCIE x4, 2x PCIE x1 and 2x PCI; SATA 6
Gb/s ports: 6; USB 2.0 | 3.0 ports: 14 (6 via headers) | 4
(2 via headers).

southbridge natively supports six SATA

14511 points in PCMark Vantage and 4225

6 Gb/s ports. Support for USB 3.0 is via

points in 3DMark 11. At 1920x1080, Crysis

discrete controllers there are two ports

Warhead and Maa II logged 35.8 fps

on the rear panel and two via an on-board

and 48.3 fps respectively. This board is

header. Also present are eight USB 2.0

a good package if youre going in for a

ports, a FireWire port, a Gigabit Ethernet

multi-GPU setup. If not, then the 970

port, a PS/2 port, optical S/PDIF output

chipset would suffice. If youre on a low

and jacks for 7.1 channel audio. With

budget, you can settle for an 8-series

FEATURES

smaller heatsinks and other components

chipset with integrated graphics.

PERFORMANCE

around the CPU socket, theres ample

SPECIFICATIONS

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

GigabyteTechnology
022-40633222
sales@gigabyte.in

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY

- Anand Tuliani

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 51

1/25/2012 6:20:24 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

BLUETOOTH HEADSET

WIRELESS ROUTER

USB SPEAKERS

JABRA SUPREME

DIGISOL DG-BR4000N

iBALL USB DRUM

VERDICT: A good looking Bluetooth


3.0 headset with smart features and
excellent build quality.
FOR: Voice control, noise cancellation,
quick access, ease of use.
AGAINST: Tacky USB port ap.

VERDICT: A cost effective energy saving


wireless router for homes and small
ofces.
FOR: Power saving features, physical
radio switch, cheap price.
AGAINST: High-gloss surface, non
replaceable antenna.

VERDICT: A good set of USB powered


stereo speakers for laptops and portable
media players.
FOR: Above average audio quality, good
build, built-in audio card.
AGAINST: Bulky in size, low audio
output, weak bass.

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 7,999

Rs 1,426

Rs 990

Dimensions (WxHxD): 88 x 30 x 22 mm; Weight: 18 g; Bluetooth


compliance: 3.0; Operating range: 33 ft; Battery life: 6 hrs talk
time, 15 days standby.

Dimensions (WxHxD): 122 x 29 x 181 mm; Weight: 220 g;


Network standards: 802.11 b/g/n @ 150 Mbps, Ethernet: 1 x
WAN, 4 x LAN, 10/100 Mbps.

Dimensions (WxHxD) 70 x 80 x 70 MM; Weight: 380 g; Power


output: 2 x 2 W RMS; Driver: 2-inch full range; Interface: 1 x
mini USB, 1 x 3.5-mm AUX-in.

www.jabra.com

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

www.digisol.com

GN Netcom Pte Ltd


NA
agoh@jabra.com

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

RATINGS

www.iball.co.in

Smartlink Network Systems


1800-209-3444
helpdesk@digisol.com

RATINGS

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

Best IT World
1800 300 42255
sales@iball.co.in

RATINGS

BUILD QUALITY

BUILD QUALITY

BUILD QUALITY

FEATURES

FEATURES

FEATURES

PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

OVERALL RATING

OVERALL RATING

OVERALL RATING

VALUE FOR MONEY

VALUE FOR MONEY

VALUE FOR MONEY

it is a smart business-like device with a

networking for homes and small

audio card, which does not need any

grey and black theme. It features active

offices. The device uses an embedded

drivers. The speakers feature a set

noise cancellation and voice control

power amplier for power saving. The

of 2-inch full range drivers powered

onboard which can access the phone

Smart Tx Power Control mechanism

by an onboard 4 watt RMS power

book to inform the user of the callers

transmits optimum power depending

amplier. They can also be connected

name. A2DP support allows it to be

on the distance of the wireless clients

to any USB power brick or charger

paired with eight phones or Bluetooth-

and reduces the load on the CPU. The

for use with media players using the

enabled devices and connected to two

rear panel consists of one WAN and

3.5-mm jack. The speakers have just

simultaneously. The voice commands

four LAN ports, a WPS switch, a radio

three buttons - volume up, down and

can be used to make or reject calls or

switch and the power socket, while the

mute. They are designed to self lock

to know the remaining battery at the

front has indicators for power, WLAN,

using two spring-loaded levers for easy

push of a button. The battery charges

WAN and LAN each. Besides standard

portability. The performance is not

in just two hours and can give you six

router features, the radio switch on

overwhelming, but the mids and highs

hours of talk time. The headset can

the rear panel cuts off the wireless

are decent. The bass was quite low,

be used at a distance of 10 meters.

sugnal when not in use. However, the

but when using an equalizer, it tends to

Bundled along with the Jabra Supreme

average build quality, glossy surface

rumble out of tune. The volume does

is an AC wall charger, a car charger,

and non-replaceable 3 dBi dipole

not sound as high as it should. Theyre

a micro USB cable and a extra pair

antenna detract from this otherwise

a good buy for the price, the weight

of ear cushions and ear hook.

useful and well priced router.

and size arent conducive portability.

espite the Jabra Supremes bulky


earpiece and extended boom arm,

- Francis Dsa

52

02/2012

he DG-BR4000NG router is a cost


effective solution for wireless

- Francis Dsa

esigned for laptops, this USB


speaker set features a built-in USB

- Francis Dsa

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 52

1/25/2012 6:20:34 PM

TEST CENTER
HARDWARE

STORAGE

INTERNAL STORAGE

SANDISK MEMORY
VAULT
VERDICT: Preserve your photos and
videos for a lifetime.
FOR: Rock solid build, storage pouch
included.
AGAINST: Below average transfer speed.
SPECIFICATIONS

POWER SUPPLY

WD SCORPIO BLUE 1 TB
VERDICT: A high performance, high
capacity and low power consumption
storage upgrade for portable computers.
FOR: Low power consumption, high
performance, notebook compatible.
AGAINST: None.

SPECIFICATIONS

COOLER MASTER GX
450 WATT
VERDICT: Great for moderate gaming
PCs and workstations.
FOR: 80 PLUS certication, 5-year
warranty.
AGAINST: No modular design.
SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 3,499

Rs 10,650

Rs 4,500

Dimensions (WxHxD): 80 x 11 x 49 mm; Weight: 90 g; Interface:


USB 2.0; Connector type: Micro USB.

Capacity: 1 TB; Spindle speed: 5200 RPM; SATA interface: 3


GB/s; Buffer size: 8 MB.

Power rating: 450 watts, Security: VOP, UVP, OPP, OTP and SCP
Connectors: 1 x 20+4 pin M/B, 1 x 4 + 4 pin 12 V, 1 x 6-pin
PCIe, 5 x SATA, 3 x peripheral, 1 x FDD.

www.sandisk.com

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

www.wdc.com

SanDisk
022-67090886
wendy.sept@sandisk.com

www.cmstorm.com

Western Digital
9873437221
rishi.prasad@wdc.com

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

RATINGS

RATINGS

Acro Engineering Company


9820207871
sanket.naik@coolermaster.com

RATINGS

BUILD QUALITY

FEATURES

FEATURES

PERFORMANCE

BUILD QUALITY

PERFORMANCE

OVERALL RATING

FEATURES

OVERALL RATING

VALUE FOR MONEY

PERFORMANCE

VALUE FOR MONEY

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

preserve data for up to 100 years (as

netbooks is nally here. The drive is

series 450 Watt PSU was released by

per SanDisks claim). With its chunky

just 9 mm thick and incorporates a

Cooler Master after their 550 W, 650

design, it doesnt look a lot like a USB

two 500 GB platter deign, a spindle

W and 750 W models respectively. The

ash drive. When held, it feels like a

speed of 5200 RPM, and 8 MB buffer

unit is all-black and has a powder-nish

solid block of metal.Its designed this

cache memory with a 3 GB/s SATA

exterior. A 120 mm internal exhaust fan

way so that the ash memory and the

interface. The drive is optimized for

makes for superior cooling and better

controller are protected from external

low noise and low power consumption

efficiency. The connectors available are

factors such as humidity and high

(1.4 watts in full access, 0.59 watts

a 20+4 pin for motherboard power, a

temperatures. It features a USB 2.0

when idle). We tested the drive using

4 + 4 pin for CPU 12V, a 6 pin for PCIe,

interface, so we didnt expect steroidal

Crystal Diskmark, SiSoft Sandra and

ve SATA, three 4 pin peripheral and a

speeds. Our tests revealed read and

IOMeter which delivered average

4 pin for oppy. The cables are neatly

write speeds of 16 MB/s and 5.7 MB/s

read and write speeds of 117 MB/s in

sleeved in a nylon mesh but sadly they

respectively. Youll nd this device way

sequential tests. Random read and

are not modular. The product carries

too expensive if you compare its price

write tests resulted in an average

a ve-year warranty. The GX 450W

to those of portable hard drives, but

70 MB/s. This drive, sporting a high

PSU features active PFC apart from

it commands a premium for its ability

capacity, low noise and power

standard protection modes such as

to preserve data for 100 years. Go in

consumption and compact size is a

VOP, UVP, OPP, OTP and SCP. It sports

for it if this parameter is critical for

good replacement drive for extensive

an efficiency of up to 85 percent and

you, or just take multiple backups.

notebook and netbook users.

has a certication of 80 PLUS.

he Memory Vault is essentially a


USB ash drive with the ability to

- Anand Tuliani

54

02/2012

estern Digitals colossal 1


TB storage for laptops and

- Francis Dsa

imed for use in moderate gaming


rigs and workstations, the GX

- Francis Dsa

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0340212_Hardware Standalones.indd 54

1/25/2012 6:20:52 PM

TEST CENTER

MOTHERBOARD COMPARISON

Super
Boards

Competing here are 10 enthusiast-class


motherboards for building super-powerful rigs.
BY ANAND TULIANI AND FRANCIS D'SA

he Intel Core i7 processors that


came in the socket LGA 1366
package ruled the enthusiast and

workstation segments for a long time.


The nal releases were the six-core Core
i7-970 and 980X, which presented power
users a great upgrade option. Despite
being a generation old, these processors
and compatible motherboards based
on the Intel X58 chipset are still going
strong in the market because they offer
incredible value for money.
Those who are looking forward to
building powerful workstations or desktop
PCs for extremely intensive workloads
now have an option to go in for the Intel

TEST PROCESS

of S/PDIF port. Finally, we examined

Core i7-3960X, which boasts a whopping

Our evalution is based on the following

the BIOS and noted the presence of a

8 cores. Those on a lower budget can

parameters:

few more features such as automatic

opt for the six-core Core i7-3930k. The

Features: Here, we log the specications

overclocking (OC), prole backups, UEFI

new processors pack more punch and are

of each subsystem (memory, graphics

type BIOS, graphical interface in the

more energy-efficient than the previous

and storage). The number of DIMM slots,

BIOS and BIOS ashing facilities. These

generation models. However, they use

the maximum overclock speed of the

also include the presence of a physical

a new socket design (LGA 2011) and

memory and the total capacity of the

overclocking switch. We overlooked the

chipset (Intel X79), which calls for new

RAM supported by the motherboard

package contents while calculating the

motherboards. Some of the key features

was noted. Motherboards with a higher

overall score of this parameter since most

of the latest chipset are support for

number of expansion slots (PCIe x16,

boards came with more or less the same

quad-channel memory, 3-way SLI and

PCIe x4, PCIe x1 and PCI) score higher.

bundled package. Some manufacturers

CrossFireX, and SATA 6 Gb/s. Support for

Also considered was the multi-GPU

only bundle SATA data cables, while

USB 3.0 is still via discrete controllers.

technology support and speeds in

many others supply USB 2.0 and USB 3.0

Some motherboards boast eight RAM

dual-card and triple card modes. Few

brackets too.

slots that can take up to 128 GB of

motherboards also featured on-board

Performance: This is considered the

memory, whereas a few other more

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules and scored

most important factor when it comes

affordable models have four slots. All the

higher points. The number of networking

to tasks such as le compression, video

leading motherboard brands are already

ports (Ethernet) was noted. We also

encoding, and gaming. If performance

out with their latest offerings, albeit in

checked the number of USB 2.0, USB 3.0

is what you crave, take a look at the

limited numbers.

and FireWire ports available, both on the

performance scores in the comparisons

In this roundup of X79 chipset-based

rear panel and in the form of on-board

tables that have details pertaining to

motherboards, we compared 10 models

headers. Other standard features, such

the specied elds. Boards that can

from various brands. We used a battery of

as the presence of all-solid capacitors,

handle jobs like le compression, ray

synthetic and real world tests to evaluate

and the number of CPU power phases

tracing, and video encoding in a shorter

the performance of each motherboard.

were noted and points were distributed

time have a better chance of bagging

Our test process explains how we

accordingly. We also examined the type

our Best Performance award. To ensure

calculated the scores and arrived at the

of audio format available on the rear

that the boards are given a fair chance,

winners of the roundup.

panel, which also includes the type

the speed and timings of the RAM

58

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0580212_Motherboard Comparison.indd 58

Jagdish Limbachiya

Joshua Navalkar

SMS us!  Story code: TMC to 51818

1/25/2012 6:27:42 PM

on all motherboards were set to 2133

simulates real-world scenarios to

Layout: As placement of the RAM

MHz and 11-11-11-30 respectively with

evaluate the performance and overall

slots, SATA ports, on-board headers

everything else kept at default values in

productivity of the chipset, processor,

and power connectors is vital for cable

the BIOS. We tested the performance of

memory and graphics. We then ran SiSoft

management and airow, these are

each motherboard using the following

Sandra version 2011 to extract the values

crucial points each board earns. Higher

hardware: Intel Core i7-3960X, G.Skill

of the processor multimedia, memory

points were granted to boards that had

RipJawsX DDR3-2133, 8 GB RAM,

bandwidth and HD video transcoding.

neatly placed SATA and RAM ports, which

Intel X25-M 80 GB SSD, AMD Radeon

Finally, MSI Kombustor evaluated the

do not get in the way of large graphics

HD6870, Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold

graphics performance, and the Cinebench

cards or power cables. Boards with SATA

800W PSU.

R11.5 test for processor performance were

ports placed horizontally earned extra

performed on each board.

points. Clearance around the CPU socket

of three main sections.

Real World Tests: Real world tests give

was also taken into consideration, since

Synthetic Tests: To evaluate system

you an exact idea of how the rig performs

the CPU fan should have ample room.

performance, each board was tested

various tasks. In these tests, we look at

We also looked into the overall space

using PCMark Vantage, 3DMark Vantage

the overall time taken to perform the

taken after the CPU fan is t to see if

and 3DMark 11. Each of these tests

following tasks.

the default processor fan gets too close

File compression: Time taken to

to the memory banks. Additional points

compress 100 MB of multiple les to 7zip

were given to boards that came with

format using the Ultra preset 256-bit

all-solid capacitors. Lastly, the quality of

encryption.

the heatsinks provided for the voltage

The performance parameter comprises

Maximum number of PCIe slots can help create the


powerful gaming PC or workstation.

Video encoding: Time taken to convert a

regulators and chipset were examined.

1 minute MPEG video to H.264 format.

Warranty: As this is the most important

Ray tracing: Time taken to ray trace an

component and tends to fail more

800x600 scene with a bit of AA.

often than any other, robust warranty

Gaming: We ran the built-in benchmarks

and support is essential. Here, all

in Crysis Warhead, Maa II and Unigine

manufacturers offered similar warranty,

Heaven at a full HD resolution of

so all boards scored the same.

1920x1080 and noted the frame rate


(fps) accordingly.

Flip over to the next page for the


scores and winners of this roundup.
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0580212_Motherboard Comparison.indd 59

02/2012

59

1/25/2012 6:28:22 PM

TEST CENTER

MOTHERBOARD COMPARISON

ASUS RAMPAGE IV EXTREME


VERDICT: Everything to the extreme an overclockers dream!
FOR: Excellent feature set, great layout, plenty of overclocking features.
AGAINST: None.

o other motherboard comes

slots run at full x16 speed and the other

close to the Rampage IV

two red slots and the black slot run at x8

Extreme when it comes to

speed. 4-way SLI/CrossFireX is supported


d

features. It sports a black and

in x16/x8/x8/x8 mode thanks to 40 PCIE

red theme which is typical of the ROG

lanes integrated into the processor. As

brand. You get support for up to 64 GB of

for overclocking, weve seen 7-segment

RAM, four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, two SATA 6

debugger and voltage check points before.

Gb/s ports and 12 USB 2.0 ports (four via

The new features OC Key - a small device

headers). There are discrete controllers

that gives users the ability to monitor and

for two additional SATA 6 Gb/s ports and

tweak values without consuming system

two eSATA ports on the rear panel. Eight

resources; Subzero Sense - on-board

USB 3.0 ports (four via headers) are also

digital thermometer that reads out values

courtesy discrete controllers. The rear

via an on-board connector (requires a

panel also features a Bluetooth adapter,

separate cable to check values); and VGA

Gigabit Ethernet port, audio jacks and

Hotwire - for tweaking the graphics cards

buttons for BIOS reset and ROG connect.

voltage directly from the BIOS. The overall

Asus has gone in with ve PCIE x16 slots

performance is top notch, as is the layout

to provide support for up to 4-way SLI and

of the components.

CrossFireX. The rst and third red PCIE

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 29,780
www.asus.com

Chipset: Intel X79; Memory support: DDR3-2133, 64 GB


max; Multi-GPU support: 4-way SLI and CrossFireX; PCIe
slots: x16 x 5; USB: USB 2.0 x 12, USB 3.0 x 8; Audio:
Realtec ALC 898, 8-channel; BIOS: Graphical UEFI.
CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

ASUS Technology
022-67668800
reachus@asus.com

RATINGS
LAYOUT
FEATURES

- Anand Tuliani

PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

MSI X79A-GD45 (8D)


MS
M
VE
VERDICT:
V
Great performance capabilities and a good price tag.
FOR:
F
FO
O High RAM capacity, good component layout, great performance.
AGAINST:
A
G
GAIN
Slightly low on features such as missing Bluetooth, Wi- and eSATA.
he X79A-GD45 is a powerful

CPU socket and well placed headers,

motherboard at a reason-

power sockets and SATA ports. The layout

able price. It may not be very

allows neat cabling and good air-ow

feature-rich, but it performs with

inside the case. The X79A-GD45 per-

excellence. It is based around Intels X79

formed quite well; the real-world scores,

chipset, which features eight DIM slots,

when compared to the Asus Rampage

that support up to 128 GB of RAM. Three

IV Extreme, show that the motherboard

x16 PCIe slots supporting CrossFireX and

is almost at par. Even the Synthetic

SLI can run at x16, x8 and x8 modes.

tests show the motherboard lagging the

www.msi.com

These two features can help make a pow-

best performer by barely a few points.

Chipset: Intel X79; Memory support: 128 GB, 1866 MHz;


Multi-GPU support: CrossFireX and SLI; PCIe slots: x16
x 3; USB: USB 2.0 x 10; USB 3.0 x 4; Audio: Realtec ALC
892, 8-channel; BIOS: Graphical UEFI.

erful gaming rig or workstation. There's no

Considering the overall layout and great

support for eSATA or built-in Bluetooth or

performance, while ignoring a few basic

Wi-Fi. Other features include an 8-channel

and almost unnecessary features, the

audio output driven by the Realtec ALC

MSI X79A-GD45 motherboard easily bags

892 audio codec, 14 USB ports (of which

the best value title in this roundup. This

four are USB 3.0), UEFI graphical BIOS,

motherboard is ideal for those wanting

and automatic overclocking. On the layout

to build a good gaming rig or a powerful

front, the board scores a full 5 on 5 with

workstation.

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 18,900

CONTACT
PHONE
EMAIL

MSI Computer India


011-41758808
marketingindia@msi.com

RATINGS
LAYOUT
FEATURES

good spacing around the RAM slots and

PERFORMANCE

- Francis D'sa

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

60

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0580212_Motherboard Comparison.indd 60

Joshua Navalkar

1/25/2012 6:28:57 PM

TEST CENTER

MOTHERBOARD COMPARISON

ASUS RAMPAGE IV EXTREME


ASUS Technology
022-67668800
reachus@asus.com
Rs. 29,780

ASUS P9X79 PRO


ASUS Technology
022-67668800
reachus@asus.com

GIGABYTE X79-UD5
GIGABYTE Technology
022-40633222
sales@gigabyte.in

Rs. 21,287

Rs. 20,750

SpecScan
NAME
Contact
Phone
E-mail
Price*
OVERALL
Features (40%)
Layout (15%)
Performance (40%)
Warranty (5%)

65

62
100

99

98

60
0

50

66

100

100
93

60
100

50

60
100

50

100

84

82

82

64 GB | 8 | 1866 MHz
5|0|1|0
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x16
Realtec ALC 898 | 7.1-channel
Optical | 1 | None
8/4|4/4
4|4|2|0

64 GB | 8 | 1866 MHz
4|0|2|0
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Realtec ALC 892 | 7.1-channel
Optical | 1 | None
6/6|4/2
4|4|2|0

64 GB | 8 | 1866 MHz
3|0|2|1
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Realtec ALC 898 | 7.1-channel
Optical | 1 | 2
8/6|2/2
4|6|2|0

||
||||
8 x SATA cables

||
||||
6 x SATA cables

Wi-Fi card |  | 
||||
8 x SATA cables, USB 3.0 bracket

Placement: DIMM | 12 V | Main power | SATA | Headers


Clearance around the CPU socket

5|5|5|5|5
5

5|5|5|5|5
5

5|5|5|5|5
5

Heatsink: Quality | Available for voltage regulators


PERFORMANCE

5|

5|

5|

16989 | 10464 | 18855 | 19146

15392 | 9149 | 22080 | 19847

14957 | 10201 | 20685 | 14498

19907 | 17053 | 39976

19980 | 17129 | 39912

19430 | 16794 | 36724

4509 | 4037 | 12920 | 4102

4511 | 4038 | 12966 | 4108

4421 | 3973 | 12133 | 3996

1685 | 1146 | 6329

1685 | 1146 | 6322

1668 | 1141 | 6002

292 Mpix/s | 28.38 GB/s | 1.14 MB/s


11.47 Pts

292.34 Mpix/s | 28.38 GB/s | 1.16 MB/s


11.42 Pts

270 Mpix/s | 28.22 GB/s | 1 MB/s


10.6 Pts

10.27 sec
16 sec
36 sec

10.33 sec
16 sec
36 sec

11.1 sec
18 sec
38 sec

27.9 fps
36.39 fps
51.7 fps

27.9 fps
36.47 fps

27 fps
35.91 fps

51.5 fps

51.2 fps

3 years

3 years

3 years

Overall (out of 100)


Value For Money
FEATURES
Memory support: Capacity | Slots | Speed
Expansion slots: PCIe x16 | PCIe x4 | PCIe x1 | PCI
Multi-GPU support: Technology | Dual card | Triple card
Audio: Codec | Channel
S/PDIF | Gigabit LAN | FireWire 400
USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 (rear/onboard)
SATA 3 | SATA 6 | eSATA | IDE
Bluetooth | OC button | LED debugger
BIOS: UEFI | Graphical | Auto OC | Profiles | Flash tool
Package contents
LAYOUT (OUT OF 5)

Synthetic tests:
PCMark Vantage:
Overall | Mem | Game | Productivity
3DMark Vantage:
Overall | GPU | CPU
3DMark 11:
Overall | Graphics | Physics | Combined
MSI Kombustor:
Kmark | Graphics | Physics
SiSoft Sandra 2011:
Proc Multimedia | Mem bandwidth | Media Transcode
Cinebench R11.5
Real World tests:
POV-Ray
File Compression
Video Compression
Gaming:
Unigine Heaven
Crysis Warhead (1920x1080, Enthusiast, No AA)
Mafia II (High, AA, No PhysX)
WARRANTY
Warranty period
Scores out of 5

* Prices are indicative and are subject to change, taxes extra


INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0580212_Motherboard Comparison.indd 61

02/2012

61

1/25/2012 6:29:30 PM

TEST CENTER

MOTHERBOARD COMPARISON

NAME
Contact
Phone
E-mail

ASUS SABERTOOTH X79


ASUS Technology
022-67668800
reachus@asus.com

ASUS RAMPAGE IV FORMULA


ASUS Technology
022-67668800
reachus@asus.com

Price*
OVERALL

Rs. 22,966

Rs. 24,380

PERSONAL TAKE
SpecScan

ANAND TULIANI
anand.tuliani@chip.in
Intels latest Sandy Bridge-E platform is an
expensive investment and you would want to get
the most out of it. So its recommended to spend a
few thousand Rupees more and get something that
offers a good blend of features and performance.
The MSI X79A-GD45 is good value for money, but it

Features (40%)
Layout (15%)
Performance (40%)
Warranty (5%)

56

These motherboards scored the second highest in


pure performance and the feature set you get is also
impressive. The Asus Rampage IV series is the top of
the line. The Rampage IV Gene is good for building
gaming PCs using smaller cabinets. The Rampage IV
Formula is designed for gaming and you get the full
version of Battlefield 3 with it. The array of red
LEDs that light up the ROG logo at the bottom looks
really cool. It comes next in rank after the
Sabertooth X79 only because of the shorter
warranty period.

Considering the performance and features of the


motherboards in this roundup, picking the
motherboard with the best performance may not
make much of a difference. If you look at the scores,
they all have scored high points, but if you put these
scores in your daily practical usage of the rig, you
would just benefit or lose out on a few seconds of
processing time. Therefore, spending more and
choosing the best performance board here does not
make any sense. Opt for the motherboard that
offers the best price and warranty. Also, look for the
service station from that manufacturer to safe guard
your investment. Finally, take a good look at the
feature set of the motherboard and decide if you
actually need it all. For example, would you want to
pay more for eSATA or Wi-Fi when you may never
use them? The best choices are the MSI X79A-GD45
and the Asus Rampage IV Gene, which are priced
lower without sacrificing on performance. If features
are your main concern, then I suppose you know
where to look.

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0580212_Motherboard Comparison.indd 62

50

100

60
0

50

100

79

64 GB | 8 | 1866 MHz
3|0|2|1
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Realtec ALC 892 | 7.1-channel
Optical | 1 | 1
6/8|4/2
4|4|2|0

32 GB | 4 | 1866 MHz
4|0|2|0
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Supreme FX III | 7.1-channel
Optical | 1 | None
6/6|4/2
4|4|2|0

||
||||
6 x SATA cables

||
||||
8 x SATA cables

Placement: DIMM | 12 V | Main power | SATA | Headers


Clearance around the CPU socket

5|5|5|5|5
5

5|5|5|5|5
5

Heatsink: Quality | Available for voltage regulators


PERFORMANCE

5|

5|

Fail | 10175 | Fail | 18216

18245 | 11289 | 21681 | 18745

19854 | 17022 | 39631

19813 | 16993 | 39462

4507 | 4035 | 12897 | 4109

4507 | 4037 | 12923 | 4100

1685 | 1146 | 6327

1685 | 1146 | 6325

Synthetic tests:
PCMark Vantage:
Overall | Mem | Game | Productivity
3DMark Vantage:
Overall | GPU | CPU
3DMark 11:
Overall | Graphics | Physics | Combined
MSI Kombustor:
Kmark | Graphics | Physics
SiSoft Sandra 2011:
Proc Multimedia | Mem bandwidth | Media Transcode
Cinebench R11.5
Real World tests:
POV-Ray
File Compression
Video Compression
Gaming:
Unigine Heaven
Crysis Warhead (1920x1080, Enthusiast, No AA)

292.26 Mpix/s | 28.34 GB/s | 1.18 MB/s 292.35 Mpix/s | 28.3 GB/s | 1.16 MB/s
11.32 Pts
11.41 Pts
11.12 sec
16 sec
36 sec

10.32 sec
17 sec
36 sec

27.5 fps
36.25 fps

27.9 fps
35.95 fps

Mafia II (High, AA, No PhysX)


WARRANTY

51.5 fps

51.1 fps

Warranty period

5 years

3 years

Scores out of 5

62

99

81

Overall (out of 100)


Value For Money
FEATURES
Memory support: Capacity | Slots | Speed
Expansion slots: PCIe x16 | PCIe x4 | PCIe x1 | PCI
Multi-GPU support: Technology | Dual card | Triple card
Audio: Codec | Channel
S/PDIF | Gigabit LAN | FireWire 400
USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 (rear/onboard)
SATA 3 | SATA 6 | eSATA | IDE
Bluetooth | OC button | LED debugger
BIOS: UEFI | Graphical | Auto OC | Profiles | Flash tool
Package contents
LAYOUT (OUT OF 5)

FRANCIS D'SA
francis.dsa@chip.in

100

96
100

would be wiser to spend Rs 2,000 more and settle


for the Asus P9X79 Pro or the Gigabyte X79-UD5.

53
100

* Prices are indicative and are subject to change, taxes extra


Joshua Navalkar

1/25/2012 6:30:03 PM

TEST CENTER

MOTHERBOARD COMPARISON

10

ECS X79R-AX
Elitegroup Computer Systems
886-2-21621177
www.ecs.com.tw

MSI X79A-GD45 (8D)


MSI Computer India
011-41758808
marketingindia@msi.com

ASUS RAMPAGE IV GENE


ASUS Technology
022-67668800
reachus@asus.com

INTEL DX79SI
Intel Technology
022-67137000
NA

BIOSTAR TPOWER X79


Abacus Peripherals
022-40914604
marketing@abacusperipherals.com

Rs. 23,000

Rs. 18,900

Rs. 18,700

Rs. 12,500

Rs. 21,850

63

50

44

93
90

50

50

93
98

60
100

44

92

94

60
0

49

100

60
100

50

97

91

90

60
100

50

60
100

50

100

78

76

74

73

71

32 GB | 4 | 1866 MHz
4|0|2|0
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Realtec ALC 892 | 7.1-channel
Optical | 2 | None
6/4|4/2
4|8|2|0

128 GB | 8 | 1866 MHz


3|0|3|0
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Realtec ALC 892 | 7.1-channel
Opt + Co-ax | 1 | None
6/4|2/2
4|2|0|0

32 GB | 4 | 1866 MHz
3|1|0|0
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Supreme FX III | 7.1-channel
Optical | 1 | None
8/4|2/2
3|4|1|0

64 GB | 8 | 1866 MHz
3|0|2|1
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Realtec ALC 892 | 7.1-channel
Optical | 2 | 2
6/8|2/2
4|2|0|0

32 GB | 4 | 1866 MHz
3|0|2|1
CrossFireX and SLI | x16 | x16 x8 x8
Realtec ALC 898 | 7.1-channel
Opt + Co-ax | 1 | None
2/ |6/2
4|2|0|0

BT and Wi-fi |  | 
||||
12 x SATA cables, USB 3.0 bracket

||
||||
6 x SATA cables

||
||||
6 x SATA cables

||
||||
None

||
||||
6 x SATA cables

5|5|5|5|5
4

5|5|5|5|5
5

4|5|5|5|5
4

4|5|5|5|5
5

5|5|5|5|5
5

4|

5|

5|

4|

4|

14659 | 8798 | 16156 | 16646

17414 | 9851 | 20981 | Fail

17878 | 8976 | 21794 | 17625

Fail | 11082 | Fail | 12390

16648 | 10824 | 18954 | 18330

19490 | 16932 | 35645

19437 | 16788 | 36900

19894 | 17057 | 39699

19496 | 16867 | 36619

19136 | 16720 | 33783

4432 | 3987 | 11600 | 4069

4430 | 3973 | 12228 | 4058

4514 | 4040 | 12966 | 4113

4435 | 3999 | 11249 | 4070

4348 | 3902 | 11570 | 4037

1670 | 1146 | 5908

1669 | 1141 | 6006

1685 | 1146 | 6327

1673 | 1144 | 6028

1654 | 1142 | 5591

195.44 Mpix/s | 28.24 GB/s | 0.985 MB/s 269.82 Mpix/s | 28.47 GB/s | 1 MB/s
10.17 Pts
10.44 Pts

292.45 Mpix/s | 28.38 GB/s | 1.17 MB/s


11.24 Pts

269 Mpix/s | 21.3 GB/s | 0.98 MB/s


10.41 Pts

195.23 Mpix/s | 28.55 GB/s | 0.949 MB/s


9.69 Pts

11.62 sec
18 sec
41 sec

11.08 sec
18 sec
36 sec

10.27 sec
17 sec
36 sec

11.1 sec
18 sec
38 sec

12.18 sec
19 sec
42 sec

27.7 fps
36.45 fps

27.7 fps
35.38 fps

27.9 fps
36.38 fps

27.6 fps
36.12 fps

27.2 fps
35.93 fps

51 fps

50.9 fps

51.7 fps

51.7 fps

50.2 fps

3 years

3 years

3 years

3 years

3 years

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0580212_Motherboard Comparison.indd 63

02/2012

63

1/25/2012 6:30:42 PM

TEST CENTER

CAMERA COMPARISON

Shoot Like a Pro


Eight super-zoom cameras compete each other in this roundup. Find out
which one is the best of the lot.
BY ANAND TULIANI AND FRANCIS D'SA

apturing moments and the very


essence of life; thats what
cameras are all about. Remember

the days when lm cameras were actually


in vogue? The endless number of lm
rolls that one would purchase since
they could capture just about 24 shots?
Thats not all; the reel then had to be
given for processing, which would take
two to three days before you actually
get to see the snaps. With the advent
of digital cameras, photography has
taken a whole new dimension. With a
plethora of choices from every major
brand, photography is no longer limited
to professionals. The number of options
that one gets when purchasing a camera
is so enormous that everyone from a

available in tilt and ip-out options,

Features: We assigned a decent amount

beginner to a professional can nd what

which help taking shots at difficult angles

of weightage to the camera features

he/she is looking for. We can't deny the

even simpler. For example, shots can be

and allotted greater scores to those with

convenience that digital cameras have

taken from a height of more than 6 feet

better specications. We noted down

brought. Unlike lm cameras, these

by merely lifting the camera up high and

the overall resolution of the CCD, zoom,

come with added features such as face,

tilting the display screen downwards.

focal length, white balance settings,

smile and blink detection along with a

Also, some cameras offer a 180-degree

ISO speeds, shutter speed and preset

wide range of preset scenes that make

rotating and ip-out display, making self

scenes. ISO values play an important role

usability almost foolproof.

portraits easier. But since most cameras

when it comes to capturing the perfect

offer different feature sets, specications

picture. This is where the resolution and

the Nikon CoolPix P500 feature wide

and performance, the most confusing

quality of the optics play a vital role

angle lenses. This basically gives you

part is to be able to choose one that suits

when it comes to capturing ne details.

a wider view of the subject(s) being

your needs and budget. With an array

Image stabilization also plays a crucial

shot. Capturing videos is another added

of cameras that list out their detailed

role, especially when using zoom. Other

advantage that digital cameras offer. And

specications, its easy to get lost in a sea

you are no longer limited to capturing

of information when you need to buy a

VGA resolution videos either; you can

simple, but good one. So if you are

now get as high as Full HD 1080p at 60

looking to pick up a megazoom

fps. All cameras featured here, except

camera, read on to nd out

the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS and the

which suits you best.

Thats not all; cameras such as

Olympus SP-810 UZ, are capable of


capturing full HD video, which translates

TEST PROCESS

to better picture quality and smoother

The testing process for

playback. Additionally, these cameras,

these cameras was based

other than offering the DSLR feel with

on ve parameters

regard to the build, weight, and usability,

features, build quality,

offer plenty of scene modes and lter

ergonomics, performance

options that can be applied similar to

and warranty. So lets take

what compact point-and-shoot cameras

you through each of the

have to offer. Display screens are now

sections:

64

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0640212_Shoot Like a Pro (Camera Comp).indd 64

Joshua Navalkar

SMS us!  Story code: TCC to 51818

1/25/2012 6:39:57 PM

TEST CENTER

CAMERA COMPARISON

PERSONAL TAKE

features taken into consideration


were the display type (tilts/ip
out), size, viewnder type,
mode dial type and specs,
metering modes, lters,
effects, color modes and
video modes and types.
Lastly, features such as a

ANAND TULIANI
anand.tuliani@chip.in

lens hood, presence of a


hot shoe connector for an

When investing in a prosumer-class digital camera,

external ash and GPS were

one should pay close attention to the feature set

noted. Before going ahead


with the performance test,

accounted for 20 percent of the overall

and ergonomics. Flip-out display, wide angle lens

we checked for the memory capacity,

test score.

with a good zoom ratio, shortcut buttons for the

both internal and bundled. Cameras that

Performance: To get a good idea of the

most important functions, hot shoe for external

came bundled with these were awarded

performance of each camera, we shot

flash and rugged build are some of the features that

higher points. Features accounted for 25

an indoor scene that we set up and an

you must get. If youre meticulous about quality and

percent of the overall score.

outdoor scene of a casual park for kids.

you dont mind post-processing your photos to get

Build quality: Since cameras are

To test the quality of the optics, a noise

optimal results, then you should also consider RAW

portable and delicate devices, they should

test was conducted at three different

support. My personal favorite in this roundup is the

be sturdy and ruggedly built to be able

ISO levels. To make sure that the picture

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 which won the Best

to withstand the occasional knock. Here,

remained consistent throughout the tests,

Performance award. With its outstanding feature

we evaluated the quality of construction,

we used a tripod and shot all scenes

set and incredible performance, its built for the

rmness of moving parts such as the

at the best settings that each camera

serious photographer. I dont mind forgoing a bit of

battery compartment lid and port aps.

could provide. We evaluated the overall

zoom for its capabilities. If you dont mind the

We assigned 15 percent of the overall

replication of color, contrast and details

absence of RAW support, then the Canon PowerShot

score to this section.

that each image produced. A macro

SX40 HS is the way to go. Its a fun camera with

Ergonomics: A good camera is designed

range test was also carried out, where

plenty of effects to tinker with and its mammoth

with the user in mind. The camera should

we measured the least distance at which

35x zoom lens which extends way up till 840 mm

be designed in such a way that the

the camera could focus. Points were

delivers extreme close-ups of distant objects.

user nds it easy to use and navigate

awarded to cameras that could lock in on

between various functions. Factors that

the subject at the lowest distance. Here,

were taken into account are the overall

the scores are calculated on the overall

design, button size/spacing and user

features, ergonomics and performance.

interface. The camera should offer good

Since performance is a very important

grip while the controls should also be

aspect, the overall weightage that was

easily accessible. That apart, the camera

assigned towards performance was 35

should also offer an interface that is easy

percent.

FRANCIS D'SA
francis.dsa@chip.in

to comprehend and use. The presence

Warranty: Since cameras are delicate

of navigational aids such as directional

and expensive devices, it is important for

Having spent time in handling, testing and

pads, and mode selection dial were also

them to be backed up by robust warranty

evaluating these cameras in front of me, I would

noted. Being an important parameter

and support from the manufacturer. The

definitely suggest buying the Canon PowerShot

while selecting a camera, ergonomics

warranty period each camera was noted.

SX40 HS since it scored the best in sheer

This section accounted for 5 percent of

performance. But performance aside, it also has a

the overall score.

great feature set and ergonomics. However, this

Value for Money: The test was

camera definitely falls within the higher price

concluded by arriving at the overall value


of money index. This was derived by
pitting the features, build quality,

bracket, which could put off a few of you. But take a


look at what you are being offered at this price - a
professional series DSLR-equivalent camera with a

ergonomics, performance and

zoom lens, scene modes and filters, and above all,

features against the price. The

full high definition (1080p) video recording. These

greater the score, the greater

cameras help bridge the gap between a feature-rich

will be the camera's value for

compact camera and a DSLR. That said, if price is

money. Depending on the scores,

the main factor here, those on a budget can instead

cameras were awarded Best

opt for the Panasonic Lumix FZ47. This camera is

Performer and Best Value titles.

superbly priced, boasts a great feature set and it

The camera that came second to

will definitely not disappoint you on the

the Best Performer was chosen

performance front.

as our Runner-up.

Jagdish Limbachiya

0640212_Shoot Like a Pro (Camera Comp).indd 65

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

02/2012

65

1/25/2012 6:40:27 PM

TEST CENTER

CAMERA COMPARISON

PANASONIC LUMIX FZ150


VERDICT

A GREAT
PERFORMER WITH
A SOLID BUILD.

he Canon SX40 HS is the

d-pad that can also be programmed

clear winner when it comes to

as a shortcut. You can switch to EVF

pure performance. However,

at the press of a button, but we wish

parameters such as comfortable

it had a proximity sensor for automatic

handling, rugged build and a few other

switching like in the Sony HX100V. The

features such as RAW support are

ip-out display is a very useful feature

also important, and this is where the

as it allows creative shooting with the

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 stands

camera held over the head or at ground

out. With nano surface coating and

level.

rubberized grip, it looks and feels as rock


solid as a mainstream DSLR.
The specications are similar to

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 24,990
Dimensions (WxHxD): 124 x 82 x 92 mm; Weight: 528 g; CCD size:
1/2.33 inch; Resolution: 12.1 MP; Optical zoom: 24x; Aperture: F2.8
- F5.2; Shutter speed: 60 - 1/2000 sec; ISO range: ISO 100 - 1600;
Display: 3-inch 460 K dots
Panasonic India
0124-4596600
helpline@in.panasonic.com

CONTACT
PHONE

On the performance front, the


FZ150 is the second highest scorer.
The reproduction of details and colors

other digital cameras in its class. It

was top notch in both indoor and

features a 12.1 megapixel sensor with

outdoor tests. The control over noise

full manual control and 1080p video

is very good up to ISO 400 after which

recording. However, the zoom ratio is

the camera starts going haywire. A

quite less as compared to most others,

good thing is that you get 1/3-step

which offer at least 30x optical zoom.

ISO increments. The quality of video

The focal length at the widest end is 25

recording is very good. The image

mm and it extends up to 600 mm. The

stabilizer does a very good job at

design is excellent and it goes a long

keeping the frame steady at full zoom

way in helping you adjust the settings

while shooting videos.

on-the-y and shoot comfortably.

If you dont have the budget for

Some of the key features are an extra

a DSLR and youre looking at pro-

zoom lever to the left of the lens and

level features, the FZ150 is our top

one-touch access to focus modes, AF/

recommendation.

FEATURES

AE lock, EV, ISO, timer, burst mode, and

FOR: RAW support, robust build, ip-out

ERGONOMICS

video capture. The extra zoom lever

LCD, excellent grip.

EMAIL

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY

PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING

can be programmed for manual focus,

AGAINST: Proximity sensor for EVF

VALUE FOR MONEY

plus theres an Fn button on the 5-way

would have been nice.

66

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0640212_Shoot Like a Pro (Camera Comp).indd 66

Joshua Navalkar

1/25/2012 6:41:01 PM

TEST CENTER

CAMERA COMPARISON

PANASONIC LUMIX FZ47


anasonics Lumix FZ47 bagged

commonplace amongst digital cameras,

the Best Value title because

the FZ47 features sepia, pinhole and

of the lowest price offered on

tilt-shift options which can be previewed

a combination of the great features

on the screen as well as applied to

it offers, excellent ergonomic value

photos and videos. The FZ47 also

it possesses, rugged build quality it

features 3D still image capturing which

sports and, of course, good imaging

can be viewed on a MPO compatible 3D

performance. Unlike its predecessor,

television using the HDMI connection.

the FZ40, which has a 14 MP CCD, the

Images for 3D are captured in a burst

VERDICT

A GREAT CAMERA
ON A BUDGET
FOR HOBBYISTS
OR PROS WHO
ARE JUST
STARTING OUT.

FZ47 features a 12.1 megapixel 1/2.3-

mode, while moving the camera by

inch CCD with a 25 mm ultra-wide

around 10 cm sideways and the camera

angle LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens

automatically selects two photos to

with an optical zoom of 24x. The ISO

generate the 3D image. The camera

sensitivity is between ISO 100 to 2000,

sports a 3-inch display that ips out and

while the shutter speed available is

can be turned 180 degrees for angular

from 60 1/2000 sec. The camera can

shots and self portraits. The FZ47

also record full HD video with stereo

performs with nearly 75 percent imaging

audio and optical zoom at 60 fps. It also

quality when compared to Lumix

features a Wind Cut function whereby it

FZ150, while the video performance is

can automatically reduce ambient noise

at par. Retailing at just Rs 20,990, it

of the wind. Users can simultaneously

is a good choice for those looking for

capture 3.5 MP still photos while

an advanced-level megazoom offering

Dimensions (WxHxD): 120 x 80 x 92 mm; Weight: 498 g; CCD size:


1/2.33 inch; Resolution: 12.1 MP; Optical zoom; 24x; Aperture: F2.8
- F5.2; Shutter speed: 60 - 1/2000 sec; ISO range: ISO 100 - 1600;
Display: 3-inch 460 K dots.

shooting videos. The continuous auto-

almost identical features and usability

CONTACT

focus and image stabilization create

of a DSLR. The package includes a 4 GB

sharp videos with just a tad amount of

SD card and carries a great warranty

jitter when panning or zooming.

period of three years.

Unlike other cameras, users also have

FOR: Great ergonomics, HD video

the option of manually selecting the

recording, 3D imaging capability, three

shutter speed and aperture for video

year warranty.

modes. Since special lter effects are

AGAINST: No RAW mode shooting.

SPECIFICATIONS

Rs 20,990

PHONE
EMAIL

Panasonic India
0124-4596600
helpline@in.panasonic.com

RATINGS
BUILD QUALITY
FEATURES
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0640212_Shoot Like a Pro (Camera Comp).indd 67

02/2012

67

1/25/2012 6:41:34 PM

TEST CENTER

CAMERA COMPARISON

PANASONIC LUMIX FZ150


Panasonic India
0124-4596600
helpline@in.panasonic.com
Rs. 24,990

CANON POWERSHOT SX40 HS


Canon India
0124-4160000
info@canon.co.in

PANASONIC LUMIX FZ47


Panasonic India
0124-4596600
helpline@in.panasonic.com

Rs. 28,995

Rs. 20,990

SpecScan
NAME
Contact
Phone
E-mail
Price*
OVERALL
Features (25%)
Build quality (15%)
Ergonomics (20%)
Performance (35%)
Warranty (5%)

71

66
97
94

98

87
100

50

97

87

81

59
88

100

65

67
0

50

100
100

50

100

84

81

77

124 x 82 x 92 mm | 528 g
1/2.3-inch | 12.1 MP
25 - 600 mm
F2.8 - F5.2
24x | 4x
30 - 1/2000 sec
ISO 100 - 3200
EVF | Flip out
3-inch, 460 K dots

123 x 92 x 108 mm | 600 g


1/2.3-inch | 14.1 MP
24 - 840 mm
F2.7 - F5.8
35x | 4x
15 - 1/3200 sec
ISO 100 - 3200
EVF | Flip out
2.7-inch, 230 K dots

120 x 80 x 92 mm | 498 g
1/2.33-inch | 12.1 MP
25 - 600 mm
F2.8 - F5.2
24x | 4x
60 - 1/2000 sec
ISO 100 - 1600
EVF | None
3-inch, 460 K dots

|||
||||
||
17

|||
||||
||
11

|||
||||
||
17

||||
 |  |  | None
||||4
8|
1920x1080 | 60 fps | Optical
70 MB | 4 GB

||||
 |  |  | None
||||7
7|
1920x1080 | 24 fps | Optical
0 MB | 4 GB

||||
 |  |  | None
||||4
8|
1920x1080 | 60 fps | Optical
70 MB | 4 GB

RAW mode | GPS | Hot shoe


BUILD QUALITY

||

||

||

Quality: Shell | Buttons | Port flaps | Batttery lid

5|5|5|5
4.5

4|5|4|5

5|5|5|5

4.5

4.5

5||5
4|5|5

4||5
5|5|5

5||5
4|5|5

|||
|||

|||

|||

|||

|||

1 cm
4|4
3.8 | 4.9
4 | 4.5 | 4.5
4.5 | 3.5

0 cm
3.5 | 4.5
4.7 | 3.9
5 | 4.5 | 5

1 cm
2.5 | 3
3.3 | 3.6
3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5

4.5 | 4

4.5 | 3.5

3 years

2 years

3 years

Overall (Out of 100)


Value For Money
FEATURES
Dimensions | Weight
CCD Size | Effective resolution
Focal length
Aperture
Optical zoom | Digital Zoom
Shutter speed
ISO range
Viewfinder | Display screen
Display type
Modes: Auto | Easy/Smart auto | PASM | Custom
Portrait | Landscape | Sports | Macro | Night
Metering: Evaluative | Center | Spot
Total no of scene presets
Filters / effects: Fish-eye | Mini | Pop art | Toy | Sketch
Soft | High contrast | Panorama | Others
Color modes: Vivid | Sepia | B/W | Negative | Others
Total White Balance modes | Custom White Balance
Video: Resolution | Frame rate | Zoom type
Memory: Built-in | Bundled

Aesthetic appeal
ERGONOMICS
Grip | Rubberised grip | Ease of menu navigation
Buttons: Size | Spacing | Tactility
Shortcut buttons: ISO | Flash | Self timer | Macro
Info | Video rec | EV | Custom
PERFORMANCE
Macro range
Overall contrast: Indoors | Outdoors
Overall capture quality: Indoors | Outdoors
Noise test (ISO): 400 | 800 | 1600
Video: Image quality | Playback smoothness
WARRANTY
Warranty period
Scores out of 5

68

02/2012

* Prices are indicative and are subject to change, taxes extra


INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0640212_Shoot Like a Pro (Camera Comp).indd 68

Joshua Navalkar

1/25/2012 6:42:14 PM

TEST CENTER

CAMERA COMPARISON

SONY CYBER-SHOT HX100V


Sony India
1800-103-7799
sonyindia.care@ap.sony.com

NIKON COOLPIX P500


Nikon India
1800-102-7346
nindsupport@nikonoa.net

CANON POWERSHOT SX30 IS


Canon India
0124-4160000
info@canon.co.in

FUJIFILM FINEPIX HS20 EXR


Fujifilm India
0124-4325500
contact@fujifilmindia.com

OLYMPUS SP-810 UZ
Olympus Imaging India
022-61420400
enquiry@olympus.in

Rs. 22,990

Rs. 23,950

Rs. 24,995

Rs. 20,999

Rs. 20,999

65

62

63

100
85

88

76

71

33
0

100

50

100

87

98

50

84
65

63

67
100

68

88

75

67
50

73

100

58

67
100

50

67
100

50

100

77

76

76

75

66

122 x 87 x 93 mm | 577 g
1/2.3-inch | 16.2 MP
27 - 810 mm
F2.8 - F5.6
30x | 7x
30 - 1/4000 sec
ISO 100 - 3200
EVF | Tilting
3-inch, 921 K dots

116 x 103 x 84 mm | 494 g


1/2.3-inch | 12 MP
23 - 810 mm
F3.4 - F5.7
36x | 4x
8 - 1/1500 sec
ISO 160 - 3200
EVF | Tilting
3-inch, 921 K dots

123 x 92 x 108 mm | 601 g


1/2.3-inch | 12.1 MP
24 - 840 mm
F2.7 - F5.7
35x | 4x
15 - 1/3200 sec
ISO 80 - 1600
EVF | Flip out
2.7-inch, 230 K dots

131 x 91 x 126 mm | 730 g


1/2-inch | 16 MP
24 - 720 mm
F2.8 - F5.6
30x | NA
30 - 1/4000 SEC
ISO 100 - 3200
EVF | Tilting
3-inch, 460 K dots

106 x 76 x 74 mm | 413 g
1/2.3-inch | 14 MP
24 - 864 mm
F2.9 - F5.7
36x | 4x
1/4 - 1/1200 sec
ISO 80 - 3200
None | None
3-inch, 230 K dots

|||
||||
||
16

|||
||||
||
15

|||
||||
||
11

|||
||||
||
17

||P|
||||
||
16

||||
 |  |  | None
||||2
7|
1920x1080 | 60 fps | Optical
19 MB | 4 GB

||||
 |  |  | None
||||3
6|
1920x1080 | 30 fps | Optical
102 MB | 4 GB

||||
 |  |  | None
||||7
7|
1280x720 | 30 fps | Optical
0 MB | 4 GB

||||
 |  |  | None
||||1
6|
1920x1080 | 30 fps | Optical
20 MB | 4 GB

||||
|||4
 |  |  |  | None
5|
1280x720 | 30 fps | Optical
14 MB | 4 GB

||

||

||

||

||

5|5|5|5

5|5|5|5

4|5|4|5

5|5|5|5

4|4|5|5

4.5

5 |  | 4.5
5|5|5

5||5
4.5 | 5 | 5

4||5
5|5|5

5||5
4|5|5

5||5
4|4|4

|||

|||

|||

|||

|||

|||

|||

|||

|||

|||

1 cm
3.5 | 5
4.2 | 4.1
2.5 | 2 | 3

1 cm
4.5 | 2.5
3.8 | 3.6
2.5 | 4 | 4

0 cm
5|4
4.5 | 2.9
3 | 2.5 | 2

1 cm
3|4
3.7 | 3.1
3 | 3 | 2.5

5 cm
3.5 | 4.5
3.2 | 3.1
1.5 | 1.5 | 1

4.5 | 5

4.5 | 4

4.5 | 4

3|3

3.5 | 3.5

1 years

2 years

2 years

2 years

2 years

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0640212_Shoot Like a Pro (Camera Comp).indd 69

02/2012

69

1/25/2012 6:42:55 PM

TEST CENTER
TESTED

SOFTWARE
SPOTLIGHT

BEFORE

HDR TOOL

DYNAMIC
PHOTO HDR

AFTER

VERDICT: One of the best programs for HDR processing.


FOR: Single image processing, plenty of creative lters, delivers both realistic and surreal results.
AGAINST: None.
he objective of HDR processing is to

can be done using exposure bracketing or by

achieve results that are closest to what

manually adjusting the shutter speed or EV.

the human eye can see. Unlike the human

As a bonus feature, the program also supports

eye, digital cameras struggle to capture a vast

creating HDR with a single image. The exposure

dynamic range. For example, the human eye can

levels are guessed automatically or you can

perceive shadows, brightly lit areas and accurate

specify them manually. You can choose from

colors, all simultaneously. But digital cameras

four processing modes Tone mapping, Fusion

fail to do so, especially in brightly lit scenarios

blending, Complex HDR fusion and HDR video.

and indoors. You meter the skys brightness and

Tone mapping is the regular method, while

the objects on the ground get underexposed

Fusion blending uses multiple JPEG les to

and vice-versa. HDR involves shooting the same

deliver realistic results in a few steps. Complex

frame with increasing exposures starting from

HDR fusion further involves tone-mapping and

underexposure and going way up till you get

you get to tinker with a raft of tools. HDR video

overexposed shots. The HDR application then

mode adds HDR-like effects to videos.

blends the optimal exposures in all the images

In the next step, the program creates the

and renders a single shot in which the entire

HDR image and you move on to tone-mapping

scene is optimally exposed the deepest blacks

the result to tweak the brightness, color

and the brightest whites are brought under

saturation, dynamic light strength, and so on.

control while maintaining the colors. Dynamic

You can either go the manual way or choose

Photo HDR by Mediachance is one of the best

from seven presets. You also have the option

HDR applications we have come across.

to tweak the gamma, curves, colors and


hue using the curve graph. The intensity and

FEATURES

direction of light can also be controlled by

You start with loading a photo (JPEG or RAW

simply dragging the light source around the

format) taken with multiple exposures. This

frame. If you want surreal colors and effects,

No problem if you havent shot multiple exposures. Its possible to convert a


single JPG or RAW file into HDR.

70

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0700212_Software Standalones.indd 70

The extracted preview frames are useful for evaluating multiple options using
filters and other presets.

SMS us!  Story code: TSM to 51818

1/25/2012 6:45:53 PM

you can use the Color Filters and Match Color


tools. Each of these has around 20 presets, which
h
can be instantly applied with a click of a button.
Clicking on the work area extracts a preview of
the frame. You can have multiple preview panes
and select the one that you like best, or revert
to the original. After youre done with all the
tinkering, the nal step is saving the result. The
HDR Video Tonemapping is an interesting feature.
You rst load a video and then you can adjust the
colors, dynamic light and surface smoothness to

ON DVD

FEBRUARY 2012

RED HOT APPLICATIONS


Autodesk Softimage 2012

add HDR-like effects. You can specify the audio

FULL SOFTWARE

and video codec that should be used and change

DrawPlus Starter Edition

PanoramaPlus Starter Edition

the codec parameters as needed. However, the

MoviePlus Starter Edition

PhotoPlus Starter Edition

PagePlus Starter Edition

WebPlus Starter Edition

choice of codecs offered depends on the codec


pack that youve installed. Mediachance suggests
you install K-Lite codec pack which has most of
the needed audio and video codecs. The time
needed to encode the video depends on the
kind of hardware you have and the resolution
and length of the source video. The work area
displays a real time preview of the frame being
rendered. What we would have really liked is the
option to select a clip from the video and support
for GPU-based processing. We hope Mediachance
e
adds these features in the next update.

FULL GAMES

LINUX

Angry Aliens
Assault Droid
Grand Prix Racing 1.1
Happy Note! Valentine 1.1
Love Ahoy! - Dating game
Meet My Valentine
Meet My Valentine 2
My Secret Valentine
Ultra Monster Truck 1.1
Ultra Nitro Racers 1.2
Valentine Seeker and more...

LINUX DISTRIBUTION

GAME DEMOS

PERFORMANCE
Our test rig was an average desktop PC powered
by the Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 processor, 2 GB
of RAM, and running Windows 7 Home Premium,

Afterfall: Insanity demo


Angry Birds Rio 1.3.2
Angry Birds Seasons Demo 2.1.0
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Demo 1.2 and more...

32-bit. The software is extremely resource friendly


and it ran smoothly without any nags despite using
heavy RAW les and real time preview. The quality
of results completely depends on how you tweak
the values. However, you might want to reduce the
noise and chromatic aberration using an image
editing program. Videos with HDR-like effects
added look nice. The output has better contrast

GAME ADD ONS


F1 2011 Patch 1.2
Gratuitous Space Battles Patch
1.59
Solium Infernum Patch 1.08a
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - 4GB
Patch 1.4
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Patch 2.1 and more...

and the colors appear more vivid.

GAME TRAILERS

VERDICT
HDR works best for high contrast scenes and
landscapes in broad daylight, and uffy clouds are
icing on cake. Even interiors of large cathedrals
shot at wide angle look great with the tonal values
at optimum levels.

SPECIFICATIONS
$54 (approx Rs 2,800)
www.mediachance.com
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Dynamic Photo HDR


delivers both realistic
and surreal results

OS: Windows XP/Vista/7; RAM: 2 GB;


Disk space: 1 GB.

depending on how you

CONTACT

Mediachance

PHONE

NA

If you wish to evaluate

EMAIL

Via website

RATINGS

tweak the parameters.


other options, then
we suggest trying out

FEATURES

Photomatix and the

PERFORMANCE

HDR module in Adobe

EASE OF USE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

0700212_Software Standalones.indd 71

Photoshop.

7554 Launch Trailer


Confrontation Teaser Trailer
Dead Island: Bloodbath Arena
(DLC) Trailer
Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
Teaser Trailer
DragonSoul Online Trailer
Final Fantasy XIII-2 Battle in
Valhalla Trailer
Infinity Blade 2 - Launch Trailer
Jagged Alliance: Back in
Action Trailer
Of Orcs and Men Teaser Trailer
Resident Evil: Revelations Morgan and F.B.C. Trailer
Resistance 3 Brutality Pack
DLC Trailer
The Darkness II Vendettas Co-Op
Experience Trailer
The Sims 3: Showtime
Announcement Trailer
Tink - Game Connection Europe
2011 3-in-1 Trailer and more...

Linux Mint 12

LINUX TOOLS
amaroK 2.5.0
Android SDK Release 16
ATI Radeon Linux Display
Drivers 11.12
BitNami Joomla! Module 1.7.3-1
Horde Groupware Webmail
Edition 4.0.5 and more...

TOOLS
MULTIMEDIA
Adobe Camera Raw 6.6 RC1
Aneesoft Free iPod Video
Converter 3.0.0.0
As Video Converter 4.1.1
Avi2Dvd 0.6.4
Beauty Guide Lite 1.4
Color Picker 1.0
DVD Cutter 1.7
FastPictureViewer 1.6 Build
226 (32-bit)
FlicFlac Converter 1.01
Free Mp3 Recorder 1.1
Free Studio
Freemake Video
Converter 3.0.0.2
Fun3D 1.0.4.15 Beta
HTML5 Converter for Adobe
Captivate 5.5
Kestrel GX 1.2.2
Macrium Reflect Free Edition 5.0
Build 4168
MOscillator 5.06 and more...

INTERNET
Torrent 3.1 Build 26616
Chit Chat for Facebook 1.454
Download Accelerator Plus 9.7.0.7
Firefox 9.0
GetGo Download Manager
4.8.2.1233
Google Chrome 17.0.963.12 Beta
Internet Download Accelerator
5.12.1.1291
Internet Explorer 8.0 XP
Internet Explorer 9.0 Vista
Internet Explorer 9.0 Windows 7
Jordy Downloader 1.0.5.0
Opera 11.60
Pidgin 2.10.1 and more...

MOBILE
Audioro BlackBerry
Converter 3.00
Audioro BlackBerry
Tour Converter 3.00
FBReader (Symbian) 0.99.5
IP Cam Viewer Lite 4.2.4
Kaspersky Mobile Security
(Symbian) 9.4.104
MobileWitch Bluetooth Remote
Control 3.6.0 and more...

SECURITY
Antirun 2.4
AntiVir Personal 12.0.0.869
Blank And Secure 2.41
Comodo AntiVirus
5.8.213334.2131
COMODO Cleaning Essentials
2.0.212902.151 Beta
Efficient Password Manager 3.0
Build 315 and more...

SYSTEM
3DP Chip 11.11
Desktop Calendar XP 5.05
DiskBoss 2.0.16
DocPad 11.0
Drives Monitor 6.1
GiMeSpace Free Edition 1.1.1.20
GoswainthaDiary free
personal diary software
Portable 1.2.0.0 and more...

MUST HAVES
.NET Framework Version 4.0
AMD Catalyst Drivers 11.12 XP /
Vista / Win 7
DirectX 9.0c (Jun 10)
Java Runtime Environment
1.7.0.2 (32-bit)
NVIDIA Forceware 285.58 WHQL
XP / Vista / Win 7
Realtek High Definition Audio
2.67 XP / Vista and more...

ADOBE PLAYERS
Adobe Air 3.2.0.1320 Beta 2
Flash Player 11.2.202.95
Beta 2 (IE)and more...

E-BOOKS
CHIP ARCHIVES
September 2011 To
November 2011

- Anand Tulianii

1/25/2012 6:45:58 PM

TEST CENTER
TESTED

VERDICT

A FEATURE RICH
POWERFUL VIDEO
EDITING TOOL
WITH GOOD
HARDWARE
ACCELERATION.

VIDEO EDITOR

CYBERLINK
POWERDIRECTOR 10
The preview window at the right as well as the
storyboard view makes it easy to work.

SPECIFICATIONS

75 (approx Rs 4,800)

FOR: Ease of use, speedy, good format supported.


AGAINST: Not too many good in built effects, issues with 3D interface.
ideo enthusiasts are currently

also has options to enhance the picture

experiencing a Golden Age. New

in terms of brightness, contrast etc. If

camcorders record movies in

you have a video that is a bit grainy,

high quality, be it full HD, 3D or even

then you can use its denoise feature to

Blu-ray. However, the same could not

remove visual noise. Similarly, it also has

be said about video editing tools, which

a stabilizer that will reduce shake. It also

leave much to be desired. Cyberlink

boasts of advance audio tools including

claims that its PowerDirector 10 can

an option to normalize all the audio data

leave the competition behind in terms

for a smooth audio output. If you nd

of performance, which is partly true. It

these task overwhelming, you can simply

processes video with a resolution of 1920

opt for the Magic Movie Wizard that will

x 1080 at a high frame rate of 50 fps quite

create a video from the images you have

smoothly. Even after adding lters and

selected. It supports video formats like

effects, there is no delay in the processing.

MPEG2, AVI, MP4, AVCHD, M2TS, MVC

It offers about 100-track timeline,

(3D) and burning on VCD, SVCD, DVD

www.cyberlink.com

which allow you to overlay videos,

and BD. Though you can convert 2D to

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

photos, object and audio to create

3D and it supports 3D editing, we found

desired effects. It offers several options

that 3D is not up to the mark. So if you

to choose from right from animations

want your videos to work smoothly,

to text options. Plus, it allows you to

then stick with normal 2D. Exporting

custom-create more effects. You can

videos is also a breeze, as it makes

record free-hand drawing on videos and

use of graphics card acceleration.

OS: Windows XP/Vista/7; RAM: 512 MB


CONTACT

CyberLink Corp

PHONE

+886 2 8667 1298


NA

EMAIL

RATINGS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE

you can also manipulate their speed. It

EASE OF USE

-feedback@chip.in

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

72

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0700212_Software Standalones.indd 72

1/25/2012 6:46:08 PM

TEST CENTER
TESTED

SYSTEM UTILITY

ADVANCED SYSTEMCARE PRO


VERDICT: An arsenal of optimization tools in one single utility.
FOR: Good options of tweaking areas, inbuilt security feature, automatic optimization.
AGAINST: Opens every option in a new window.

ncreasing performance, keeping the

done manually or programmed and left

OS clean, and protecting privacy have

for the utility to do it automatically. It

always been the most important

also has a Turbo Boost option to optimize

needs of any computer user. Advanced

system performance for gaming or work

SystemCare Pro is an all-in-one package

environments. Logs and restore points

that can do pretty much the same smartly

are maintained for advanced users to

and without your intervention. The utility

check the utilitys activity or revert to old

www.iobit.com

has a simple and easy to navigate and

settings in case of errors or mishaps. The

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

skinnable user interface. SystemCare

free version is limited to basic PC care

OS: Windows XP or higher; Processor: 300 MHz or


higher; RAM: 256 MB or higher; Disk space: 30 MB.

cleans, repairs, optimizes and protects

and protection, while the paid version

your computer. It scans the registry for

has all features enabled which include

errors, scans the system for malware

system and Internet boost, tech support,

and other security threats, cleans history

advanced security threat protection,

and surng traces, checks and repairs

faster tweaks, popup disabling, skin and

storage issues, defragments drives, and

theme support, and more.

SPECIFICATIONS

$13 (approx Rs 700)

CONTACT

IObit

PHONE

NA
NA

EMAIL

RATINGS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE

lots more. Processing is fast and can be

EASE OF USE

- Francis Dsa

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

SYSTEM UTILITY

WEBROOT SECUREANYWHERE
ESSENTIALS
VERDICT: A decent all-in-one system tweaking and securing utility, but for a bit steep price.
FOR: Privacy monitoring, website phishing and legitimacy detection.
AGAINST: Pricey.
ebroot SecureAnywhere

apart from securing it. Identity shield

Essentials protects you from

can be setup for verifying and analyzing

online threats and is said to

websites to determine legitimacy and

be faster and easier than its predecessor.

phishing and also to verify DNS and IP

It also does not conict with other

resolutions of all websites visited to

applications and antivirus utilities. It

rule out any man-in-the-middle attacks

includes a built-in two way rewall

for data theft and hacks. The utility is

for safe browsing and identity theft,

benecial for those who are looking

$40 (Approx Rs 2,100)

automatic le backup and synchronization

for a high-level of online data privacy

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

and protection against viruses, worms,

including those who constantly shop or

Trojans, rootkits, etc, claiming to scan up

transfer money online. SecureAnywhere

to four times faster than Norton. A classic

can also be setup for startup scans, PC

feature here is the active processes

idle scans or scheduled scanning. Reports

monitoring and advanced tweaking

and logs of all activity and monitoring

option. You can monitor and allow/

by SecureAnywhere is stored for an

FEATURES

block running processes in the memory,

advanced level of user monitoring.

PERFORMANCE

which can help speed up the system

- Francis Dsa

SPECIFICATIONS
www.webroot.com

OS: Windows XP or higher; Processor: 300 MHz or


higher; RAM: 256 MB or higher; Disk space: 30 MB.
CONTACT

Webroot

PHONE

+44 (0) 870 141 7070


saassupport@webroot.comx

EMAIL

RATINGS
EASE OF USE
OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0700212_Software Standalones.indd 73

02/2012

73

1/25/2012 6:46:17 PM

TEST CENTER
TESTED

VERDICT

SIMPLE AND
EFFECTIVE VIRUS
PROTECTION FOR
THE COMPLETE
HOME NETWORK.

INTERNET SECURITY SOFTWARE

G DATA INTERNET SECURITY


FOR HOMESERVER
The UI is easy to navigate, and controlling a connected
PC via the central management console is effortless.

FOR: Ease of use, ability to detect malware.


AGAINST: Scan process is slow.
Data Internet Security for

to create independent settings and virus

Homeserver offers you a complete

scans on individual clients. However, what

security solution. These security

really sets this Internet security suite

features include antivirus, rewall, spam

apart is the ability to scan for malware.

ltering and even child protection. It also

The AV Test Institute of Security suite

provides mail protection for Outlook,

test result showed that it was able to

Outlook Express, Mozilla and POP3/IMAP

detect all the latest viruses, worms and

mail clients.

Trojans and scored a 100 percent when

It can be congured on ve PCs and

compared to other Internet security suites

can be controlled from a single PC with

that give standard average of 98 percent.

the help of the central management

However, the scanning process is slightly

console. Thus, the updates and scans

slower as compared to the other security

can be remotely controlled for all the

suites. In our test process, we scanned a

PCs connected to the network via the

127 GB partition and found that it was a

www.gdatasoftware.co.uk

main PC. This helps save a lot of time

bit slower as it took around 43 minutes.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

than having to do so for individual PCs.

Nevertheless, it is quite effective when it

OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/ Microsoft Windows Home


Server; RAM: 1 GB

Its interface is very basic yet easy to

comes to dealing with malware, rootkit,

navigate. From the main PC, you can give

spam, etc. and provides overall protection

commands and they will be executed

with the scan process continuously

on the target PC within a few seconds.

running in the background even for those

Even the updates will be seamlessly

computers that are not permanently

and automatically distributed over the

connected to the server.

SPECIFICATIONS

100 (approx Rs 6,500)

CONTACT

G Data Software

PHONE

+44 800 6121 962


hotline@gdatasoftware.co.uk

EMAIL

RATINGS
FEATURES
PERFORMANCE

network. Additionally, it even allows you

EASE OF USE

-feedback@chip.in

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

74

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0700212_Software Standalones.indd 74

1/25/2012 6:46:26 PM

TEST CENTER
TESTED

SYSTEM UTILITY

SYSTEM UTILITY

DVD COPIER

eSCAN RESCUE DISC

REGISTRY HEALER

VERDICT: An essential antivirus and


free-to-use rescue disk for Windows.
FOR: Ease of use, clean OS booting.
AGAINST: 315 MB initial ISO download,
no USB disk option.

VERDICT: An great registry cleaning


utility for basic and advanced users.
FOR: Speedy scanning and cleaning, easy
to use.
AGAINST: None.

SPECIFICATIONS

SPECIFICATIONS

DVDFAB PLATINUM
EDITION
VERDICT: An excellent DVD duplicating
utility for homes and professional use.
FOR: CSS decryption, region code
removal, video compression.
AGAINST: None.
SPECIFICATIONS

Freeware

Rs 1,415

$48 (approx Rs 2,500)

www.escanav.com

www.zoneutils.com

www.dvdfab.com

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

OS: Windows XP or higher.

OS: Windows XP or higher; Disk space: 5 MB.

CONTACT

MicroWorld Software Services Pvt. Ltd.

CONTACT

KsL Software

OS: Windows XP or higher; Processor: 1 GHz or higher; RAM: 1


GB or higher; Disk space: 10 GB.

PHONE

+91-9322359065

PHONE

NA

CONTACT

Fengtao Software Inc

EMAIL

xsales@escanav.com

EMAIL

NA

PHONE

NA
NA

RATINGS

EMAIL

RATINGS

RATINGS

FEATURES

FEATURES

PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE

FEATURES

EASE OF USE

EASE OF USE

PERFORMANCE

OVERALL RATING

OVERALL RATING

EASE OF USE

VALUE FOR MONEY

VALUE FOR MONEY

OVERALL RATING
VALUE FOR MONEY

into our systems, they take over the

would be lled with junk entries such as

creation utility. The Platinum Edition

entire operating system and embed

invalid paths, references, registered le

can easily duplicate copyrighted DVDs

themselves deep into the registry and

types, shared DLLs, fonts, empty keys,

and also remove region codes. It

system les. The reason is because the

paths, and loads of unused software

also features copying DVD9 discs to

viruses can bypass the antivirus at the

entries. These entries cause the registry

DVD5 by compressing the video with

startup, wreaking havoc as they are

to unnecessarily bloat and cause either

little noticeable difference in quality.

designed to do so. Here is where one

system instability, errors or slowdowns.

DVDFab also has the ability to combine

would require a clean booting operating

Registry healer searches for these

multiple DVDs into a single DVD5 or

system to sweep the virus attack

types of unwanted and unused entries

DVD9, but since the compression level

and also repair the damage caused.

in the registry, cross-checks them with

is high, the quality of the nal videos

MicroWorld Technologies's free system

installed applications and utilities and

is compromised. The user interface is

rescue disc can be downloaded from

safely removes them. This in turn helps

pretty simple, although novice users

their website and burned onto a CD,

create a clean registry environment and

might stumble in the initial stages.

which can be booted from and clean

also speeds up the PC and increases

Copies of original movie DVDs can

the system. Once booted, the CD will

overall performance. The utility is also

be made while the originals can be

boot your system into a clean Windows

a boon to advanced users to open the

preserved. This feature makes it a

operating system environment and load

registry editor directly to the key value

great utility for movie collectors. It

the eScan antivirus utility to help scan

and also points the keys to the specic

is especially handy at home as kids

and clean the registry, system, folders

directory for additional tweaking. Using

tend roughly handle DVDs and risk

and drives. Virus denitions can also be

this utility on a regular basis can ensure

scratching them. Movie collectors can

updated from the same screen.

a clean and faster PC.

keep the original in mint condition.

nce malware, Trojans, spyware


and viruses are introduced

- Francis Dsa

f you install numerous programs,


utilities and software, your registry

VDFab Platinum Edition is a


powerful DVD copying and

- Francis Dsa

- Francis Dsa

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0700212_Software Standalones.indd 75

02/2012

75

1/25/2012 6:46:36 PM

TEST CENTER
TESTED

ART

GAME

123D Sculpt

out with a number of plain


geometric shapes or object

Meanwhile

to earn a higher score. The


game makes great use of a
touchscreen, though it is much

archetypes such as a human

Free

torso or a car. You can pull,

Free

easier to play on an iPad than

iPad; iOS 4.3

push, grab and pinch to your

iPhone, iPod touch, iPad; iOS 4.0

on an iPhone. The soundtrack

OVERALL RATING

heart's desire. The convenient

OVERALL RATING

deserves special mention too.

The iPad's touchscreen is

mirror mode ensures that

This simple game will test

Meanwhile is a game you'll

great for scribbling on, and

objects such as busts remain

your reexes and spatial skills.

nd yourself playing again

now Autodesk's 123D Sculpt

symmetrical (making Star

As you play, circles of various

and again, but it could do

app really lets you feel as

Trek-style aliens is undeniably

colors pop up on the screen,

with more options such as

if you're moulding clay with

cool), but you can't choose a

and you have to clear

your hands. You can start

different axis for symmetry.

them off before the

You can pinch to zoom and

mass stretches to all

reposition your model any

four edges. You can

way you choose. When you're

only clear black circles

satised with the model

by tapping them, but a

shape, you can brush any

swipe cycles between

color you choose, or pick

colors. You'll start with

a texture from your own

only black and blue,

photo library. Models can be

and then progress

animated, and an excellent

through higher levels

added feature is the ability

with yellow, green and pink

challenges or the ability to

to export animations, and to

circles. The "enemeies" also

start at a higher level. Overall,

create still images against a

spawn at an increasing pace,

it's a great way to while away

transparent background.

which will keep you stabbing

some spare time.

- Jamshed Avari

GAME

turrets is a bit difficult since

Area 51 Defense

for some reason, the maps


pan a few inches to each side

your screen wildly as you try

- Jamshed Avari

PHOTOGRAPHY

Nostalgio

when you come anywhere

$0.99

near the edge. That said,

iPad; iOS 5.0

gameplay itself is great fun,

OVERALL RATING

and you have to be quick to

Free
iPhone, iPod touch, iPad; iOS 3.0
OVERALL RATING

Area 51 isn't the most

anticipate particularly dense

Nostalgio is one of hundreds

sophisticated tower defense

waves of enemies. Your turrets

of photo effects apps, and

game available for the iPad,

also can't reach across the

unfortunately for it, not one

but it's reasonably good fun

entire road, so you'll have to

that will stand out for any

and the price is just

reason. The chief attraction

right. The sci- theme

here is the ability to arrange

doesn't make much of

multiple photos (or copies of

a difference, since your

the same one) in interesting

weapons and enemies

tile patterns. The best part of

and rotate photos, and there

are quite generic. What's

this is that you can see live

are a few frame options as

missing is a tutorial

viewnder-style previews in

well. Most other apps have

or demo of any kind.

each pane and click to freeze

dozens if not hundreds of

You have to use pure

it. This allows you to capture

such options, but there's also

guesswork gure out

multiple perspectives of the

a bit of appeal in Nostalgio's

where to place your turrets,

place lots of them at strategic

same object to highlight

simplicity. You can always use

and there's also no way to

intervals. There are 51 levels

interesting points or create

photos that you've tweaked in

know something as simple as

in the main game, with further

diptychs. The photo effects

other apps. When you're done,

indicating which side of the

game modes available as

are strangely limited to only

save the frame or upload it to

screen your enemies are going

in-app purchases.

monochrome, sepia and cross

your preferred Web service.

to approach from. Placing

76

02/2012

- Jamshed Avari

process. You can at least crop

- Jamshed Avari

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0700212_Software Standalones.indd 76

1/25/2012 6:46:49 PM

TEST CENTER
TESTED

PRIVACY

Gallery Lock Lite

SYSTEM UTILITY
with everyone, so Gallery Lock
Lite allows you to hide your

WiFi Web Login

and a login required. This


helps in two ways - no need
to remember your details and

photos and videos and restrict

Freeware

access to your gallery. On

Freeware

waste time in logging in, and

Android

launching the app, you have

Android

keeps others from peeping

OVERALL RATING

to key in the 4-digit password

OVERALL RATING

into your login details. The trial


lasts three days, while the full

or swipe the lock pattern on


You may not want to share

the screen to gain access to

If you are using a wireless

your private photos and videos

the gallery. To protect a folder

network, be it at home or at

or a le, you simply have to

the office, which needs you

select it after scanning for

to punch in the username

media and add it to the apps

or password on a browser

database. The app then

page, this app is for you. It

moves the selected contents

automatically senses the

to its private location from

network for an Internet

where the hidden media is

connection and, if unavailable,

invisible to any le manager or

automatically logs you in

photo viewer. The time taken

using the details stored into

to move and hide folders and

its macro recording. All you

media les depends on the

need to do is a one-time

size of the data. Gallery Lock

recording of your login steps,

Lite also features a photo

which it saves as a macro.

viewer with options for sorting

It then links each recording

images, slide show, rotation

with the respective SSID and

and pinch-to-zoom.

runs it automatically when

- Anand Tuliani

GAME

Tangram

you have to make pictures


(objcts, animals, people, and
so on) using seven pieces

version costs around Rs 82.


- Francis Dsa

the connection is established

SCREEN RECORDER

two buttons (record and

Z-ScreenRecorder

gallery). You can record videos


from the media player or
while gaming, but it does not

comprising of a square,

Freeware

rhomboid, and various sizes

Freeware

record sound. The app runs

Android

of triangles. It deviates from

Android

in the background after a

OVERALL RATING

the traditional game by using

OVERALL RATING

four-second countdown and


shows a blinking red dot in the

fewer or more than seven


Tangram is an intellectual

pieces and that too of different

This app is benecial for

Chinese puzzle game in which

shapes. Some pieces resemble

creating application promos

Tetris blocks while some are

or tutorials, demos of certain

pentagons and quarter circles.

apps, or to simply record

The Challenge mode has 20

your gameplay. It grabs

sets of puzzles, each having

the video directly from the

100 levels. You have to solve

screen onto your SD card. It

at least three to unlock the

is extremely simple to use

Arcade mode, which has three

and runs in the background

difficulty levels to choose

recording all your moves and

from. You get an out-of-3

clicks without hampering the

star rating depending on how

active application. Videos

quickly you solve the puzzle.

are stored in MP4 format

Puzzle lovers will nd the

and the resolution is the

game very interesting, but we

same as your display screen.

think it would have been a lot

Z-ScreenRecorder requires

better with traditional puzzles

root access and needs no

included.

conguration. Just run the


- Anand Tuliani

notication area.

application and it pops up

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0700212_Software Standalones.indd 77

- Francis Dsa

02/2012

77

1/25/2012 6:47:01 PM

TEST CENTER

ANAND'S PICKS

 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20


Rs 17,990
www.panasonic.co.in

verdict An excellent camera with lots


of useful features, good ergonomics and a
nice build.
love Superior performance, great build
quality, integrated GPS.
hate A few of the buttons should have
been larger.

SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 219 g; Resolution: 14.1 MP; Focal length: 24-384
mm; Optical zoom: 16x; Aperture: F3.3-F5.9; Shutter speed:
60-1/4000 sec; LCD: 3-in, 460K dots; Video: 1920x1080

ANAND'S PICKS

TRAVEL COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERAS


Long zoom in a portable form factor for an affordable price.

 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V


Rs 16,990
www.sony.co.in

www.canon.co.in

verdict Good performance and feature set.

verdict A fun camera with plenty of

Sweep Panorama mode is an icing on cake.

lters to play around with and excellent


performance.
love Plenty of fun lters, good user
interface, GPS for geotagging.
hate Should have had support for capturing
Full HD videos, widest end should have
been better.

love Sweep Panorama mode, user-friendly


interface, good build, crisp display, built-in
GPS.
hate Slightly heavy and chunky.

SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 245 g; Resolution: 16.2 MP; Focal length: 24-384
mm; Optical zoom: 16x; Aperture: F3.3-F5.9; Shutter speed:
30-1/1600 sec; LCD: 3-in, 921K dots; Video: 1920x1080

 Nikon CoolPix S9100


Rs 15,950

www.fujifilm.in

verdict Ideally suited for travellers who

SPECIFICATIONS

0780212_PC CONFIGS.indd 78

FujiFilm FinePix F500 EXR 


Rs 18,999

www.nikon.co.in

Weight: 214 g; Resolution: 12.1 MP; Focal length: 25-450


mm; Optical zoom: 18x; Aperture: F3.5-F5.9; Shutter speed:
NA; LCD: 3-in, 921K dots; Video: 1920x1080

02/2012

SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 223 g; Resolution: 12.1 MP; Focal length: 28-392
mm; Optical zoom: 14x; Aperture: F3.1-F5.9; Shutter speed:
15 - 1/3200 sec; LCD: 3-in, 461K dots; Video: 1280x720.

verdict The most affordable option with a


good zoom ratio, ultra-wide angle lens and
full HD video recording.
love Light weight and compact, 18x optical
zoom, crisp display.
hate No GPS, no manual exposure control.

78

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS 


Rs 17,495

want good zoom in a light and compact form.

love Sleek design, color options, 24 mm


wide angle lens, light weight, built-in GPS.
hate Should have been a bit more
affordable.

SPECIFICATIONS
Weight: 215 g; Resolution: 16 MP; Focal length: 24-360 mm;
Optical zoom: 15x; Aperture: F3.5-F5.3; Shutter speed: 8
-1/2000 sec; LCD: 3-in, 460K dots; Video: 1920x1080.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1/25/2012 6:50:49 PM

TEST CENTER

ANAND'S
PC CONFIGS
COLUMN

BUDGET DSLR, MIRRORLESS


OR SUPERZOOM DIGITAL
CAMERA?
ANAND TULIANI, DEPUTY EDITOR - TECHNICAL

CAMERA DILEMMA
T

here are plenty of digital cameras


to choose from for a budget of
over Rs 20,000. Currently with
the prices of entry-level DSLR,
mirrorless and super-zoom digital cameras
at par with each other, you have to be very
sure of what you exactly need. The one
that offers maximum shooting comfort
and delivers the best results as well is
the budget DSLR. These cameras are a bit
bulky because they house a mirror box
for the optical viewfinder. Here the user
gets to see the frame through the lens
that would be captured by the cameras
sensor. The grip is firm and since the body
is large, the control panel and shortcut
buttons are well spaced out. The quality
of the image is superior because of the
large size of the sensor. The noise is pretty
much under control even at ISO values as
high as 800. Most importantly, the lens is
interchangeable and you can choose from
a multitude of available lenses for different
types of subjects/scenes. The cheapest
DSLR you can buy is the Canon EOS
1000D (with the 18-55 mm lens) which is
currently retailing for Rs 23,500.
Mirrorless cameras offer the
performance and features of DSLRs but
they are much slimmer and hence lighter
and easier to carry. Here, the viewfinder is
electronic and an optional accessory. This
would be a bit uncomfortable for those
who are used to DSLRs, but if youre fine
with framing subjects using the cameras
LCD, then settling for a mirrorless camera
is a good option. Note that some models
feature APS-C sensors, which are of the
same size as those used in DSLRs, while
cameras that use Micro Four Thirds

system feature sensors which are smaller.


Telephoto lenses for mirrorless cameras
are available, but the variety isnt as
diverse as in the case of DSLRs. The good
news is that some third party vendors
offer adapters with which you can use
DSLR lenses on mirrorless cameras. Priced
under Rs 25,000, the 14 megapixel Sony
NEX-5k is the most affordable option.
A super-zoom or a bridge camera is for
those who want the feel and comfort of
a DSLR along with macro and telephoto
capabilities. These cameras
have sensors that are about
the size of a fingrtnail and
hence they can offer higher
zoom ratios with smaller
optics. An 800 mm super
telephoto lens for a DSLR
camera would cost a few
lakh Rupees, but a bridge
camera offers that for
under Rs 30,000. Some models feature a
flip-out LCD for convenient shooting and
support for RAW format. It goes without
saying that bridge cameras offer plenty
of features for a sweet price, but they
struggle when it comes to controlling
noise at high ISO values because of
smaller sensors.
In a nutshell, buy a DSLR if you
need pro-quality shots and maximum
comfort. Mirrorless cameras compare to
DSLRs when it comes to image quality,
but theyre compact and lightweight.
Super-zoom digital cameras are extremely
feature rich, but they dont deal too well
with noise and low light. Make a smart
choice keeping these points in mind.

DSLRs DELIVER THE


BEST RESULTS AND
OFFER MAXIMUM
SHOOTING COMFORT.

anand.tuliani@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0780212_PC CONFIGS.indd 79

02/2012

79

1/25/2012 6:50:55 PM

TTEST
TE
EESST CE
CCENTER
ENT
N TE
TER
R
PC CON
PC
CONFIGS
CONFIG
FIGS
GS

PC CONFIGS
GAMING - ENTRY-LEVEL

Rs 49,260

GAMING - HIGH - END

Rs 77,250

Processor

AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Ed, 3.3 GHz

6,100

Processor

AMD Phenom II X6 1055T, 2.8 GHz

7,500

Motherboard

Asus M5A88-M, AMD 880G

6,000

Motherboard

Asus M5A97 Evo, AMD 970

8,000

RAM

2 GB Zion DDR3-1333 MHz

RAM

Corsair CMX4GX3M2A1600C9 - 2 x 2GB

2,100

Hard disk

Western Digital Caviar Green - 1TB

5,300

900

Hard disk

Western Digital Caviar Black - 1 TB

7,300

Graphics card

Zotac Geforce GTX 550 Ti Amp - 1 GB GDDR5

8,100

Graphics card

Zotac GeForce GTX 560 - 1 GB GDDR5

Optical drive

LG GH22 SATA 22x DVD-writer

950

Optical drive

LG GH22 SATA 22x DVD-writer

950

Monitor

BenQ G2222HDL- 21.5-inch LED

7,400

Monitor

BenQ G2420 HD - 24-inch TFT

10,850

Keyboard

Logitech G1 Gaming Desktop

1,670

Mouse

Included in combo

Speakers

F&D FD600

Sound card

Onboard high-definition audio

2,990
-

Keyboard

Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000

Mouse

Razer Salmosa

11,100

950
1,700

Speakers

Altec Expressionist Ultra MX6021

7,500

Sound card

Asus Xonar DX 7.1-channel

5,000

PC Case

Cooler Master Elite 311

1,950

PC Case

Cooler Master Elite 430

2,800

Power supply unit

Corsair GS500

3,600

Power supply unit

Cooler Master GX 650W

5,300

Operating system

Windows 7 Home Basic

4,300

Operating system

Windows 7 Home Premium

TOTAL

49,260

HOME

Rs 32,375

TOTAL

6,200
77,250

HTPC

Rs 91,550

Processor

AMD Athlon X2 260, 3.20 GHz

3,450

Processor

AMD Phenom II X2 565, 3.40 GHz

5,750

Motherboard

Asus M5A88-M, AMD 880G

6,100

Motherboard

Asus M5A88-M Evo, AMD 880G

7,300

RAM

2 GB Zion DDR3-1333 MHz

900

RAM

2x 2 GB Zion DDR3-1333 MHz

1,800

Hard disk

Western Digital Caviar Green - 1TB

Hard disk

Western Digital Caviar Green - 1TB

5,300

Graphics card

Onboard graphics

Graphics card

HIS Radeon HD 6670, 1 GB GDDR5

5,350

Optical drive

LG GH22 SATA 22x DVD-writer

950

Optical drive

Sony BD-5300S, 12x Blu-ray Writer

11,000

Monitor

LG E2060T - 20-inch LED

Monitor

BenQ V2400 Eco, 24-inch TFT (LED)

14,850

Keyboard and
mouse combo

Logitech Deluxe 250 Desktop USB

Keyboard and
mouse combo

Logitech Wireless Combo MK320

Speakers

Altec Lansing VS2621

Sound card

Onboard high-definition audio

PC Case

iBall Pride

Power supply unit

Included with the PC Case - 250 Watts

Operating system

Windows 7 Home Basic

TOTAL

80

02/2012

0780212_PC CONFIGS.indd 80

5,300

7,050
680
1,895
1,750

Speakers

Creative Gigaworks T3

Sound card

Asus Xonar DX 7.1-channel

PC Case

Silver Stone Milo ML03

Power supply unit

Corsair CMPSU-430CX - 430 Watts

4,300

Operating system

Windows 7 Home Premium

32,375

TOTAL

1,650
15,000
4,250
10,700
2,400
6,200
91,550

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1/25/2012 6:51:02 PM

TEST
TTE
EST
S T CE
CCENTER
CEN
E NTE
T ER

LAPTOP
L
LAP
APT
PTOP
OP
P CONFIGS
CO
CONF
NFIG
IGS
S

LAPTOP CONFIGS
BUDGET

MAINSTREAM

DESKTOP REPLACEMENT

PROCESSOR Intel Pentium P6200, Intel Core i3,

PROCESSOR Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5

PROCESSOR Intel Core i5, Intel Core i7

Intel Core i5
MEMORY 1 GB or 2 GB
HARD DRIVE 320 GB or higher
DISPLAY 14.1-in or 15.6-in
GRAPHICS On-board
WEIGHT 2.3 Kg to 2.7 Kg
OTHER Bluetooth, DVD-writer, Wi-Fi b/g, Webcam
PRICE RANGE Up to Rs 35,000

MEMORY 2 GB or 3 GB

MEMORY 3 GB or more

HARD DRIVE 320 GB or higher

HARD DRIVE 500 GB or higher

DISPLAY 14.1-in or 15.6-in

DISPLAY 15.4-in to 17-in

GRAPHICS On-board or Discrete

GRAPHICS GeForce GT 500 series,

WEIGHT 2.3 Kg to 3 Kg

Radeon HD 6000 series

OTHER Bluetooth, DVD-writer, Wi-Fi b/g or n, Webcam

WEIGHT 2.5 Kg to 5 Kg

PRICE RANGE Rs 35,000 To Rs 45,000

OTHER Bluetooth, DVD-writer or Blu-ray, Wi-Fi n,


Webcam, TV Tuner
PRICE RANGE Rs 45,000 to Rs 1,50,000

TOSHIBA SATELLITE C665-P5010


Rs 19,900

LENOVO IDEAPAD Z570


Rs 38,990

TOSHIBA SATELLITE P750-X5310


Rs 47,600

CPU Intel Pentium DC P6100, 2.0 GHz; MEMORY 2 GB;


HARD DISK 320 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in;
GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.4 Kg; OS Free DOS;
OTHER DVD-writer, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam

CPU Intel Core i3-2310M, 2.1 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB;


HARD DISK 640 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in;
GRAPHICS Nvidia GeForce GT 520M, 1 GB;
WEIGHT 2.6 Kg; OS Windows 7 Home Basic;
OTHER Bluetooth, Webcam, Wi-Fi, HDMI

CPU Intel Core i7-2630QM, 2.0 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB;


HARD DISK 500GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in;
GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.62 Kg; OS Windows
7 Home Premium; OTHER Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam,
HDMI

LENOVO G470
Rs 28,690

HP PAVILION G6-1201TX
Rs 40,950

HP PAVILION DV6-6165TXX
Rs 58,450

CPU Intel Core i3-2330M, 2.2 GHz; MEMORY 2 GB;


HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 14-in;
GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.2 Kg; OS Free DOS;
OTHER Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI, Card reader

CPU Intel Core i5-2430M, 2.4 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB;


HARD DISK 640 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in;
GRAPHICS AMD Radeon HD 6470, 1 GB;
WEIGHT 2.3 Kg; OS Windows 7 Home Basic;
OTHER Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI

CPU Intel Core i7-2670QM, 2.2 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB;


HARD DISK 750 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in; GRAPHICS ATI
Radeon HD 6770M, 2 GB; WEIGHT 2.63 Kg;
OS Windows 7 Home Premium; OTHER Bluetooth,
Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI

HP PAVILION G4-1117TU
Rs 33,440

DELL INSPIRON 15R


Rs 42,600

DELL XPS 15
Rs 66,900

CPU Intel Core i5-2410M, 2.33 GHz; MEMORY 2 GB;


HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in;
GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.1 Kg; OS Windows 7
Home Basic; OTHER Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI

CPU Intel Core i5-2450M, 2.5 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB;


HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in;
GRAPHICS On0board; WEIGHT 2.65 Kg;
OS Windows 7 Home Premium;
OTHER Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI

CPU Intel Core i7-2670QM, 2.2 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB;


HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in, Full HD;
GRAPHICS Nvidia GeForce GT 540M, 2 GB;
WEIGHT 2.78 Kg; OS Windows 7 Home Premium;
OTHER BD-ROM, HDMI, Bluetooth

ACER ASPIRE 5755


Rs 33,474

ASPIRE TIMELINEX 5830TGG


Rs 44,004

SONY VAIO VPCCB17FG/B


Rs 69,990

CPU Intel Core i5-2430M, 2.4 GHz; MEMORY 2 GB;


HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in;
GRAPHICS On-board; WEIGHT 2.6 Kg; OS Linux;
OTHER Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI, Card reader

CPU Intel Core i5-2430M, 2.4 GHz; MEMORY 3 GB;


HARD DISK 500 GB; DISPLAY 15.6-in;
GRAPHICS Nvidia GeForce GT 540M, 1 GB;
WEIGHT 2.5 Kg; OS Windows 7 Home Basic;
OTHER Bluetooth, Webcam, Wi-Fi, HDMI

CPU Intel Core i7-2620M, 2.7 GHz; MEMORY 4 GB;


HARD DISK 640 GB; DISPLAY 15.5-in, Full HD;
GRAPHICS AMD Radeon HD 6630M, 1 GB;
WEIGHT 2.85 Kg; OS Windows 7 Home Premium;
OTHER Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Webcam, HDMI

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0780212_PC CONFIGS.indd 81

02/2012

81

1/25/2012 6:51:32 PM

FEATURED

COVER STORY

NEVER RUN OUT OF

POWER
Today's batteries are weak, expensive and explosive.
Researchers are working on new power packs
that will our mobile world: the future will bring us
batteries that charge in seconds and offer 20 times
more performance than anything available today.
BY MANUEL SCHREIBER

ACCUMULATOR

SPONGE CATHODE

FLUORIDE ION BATTERY

GEL BATTERY

CARBON BATTERY

REDOX FLOW CELL

NANO BATTERY

TRANSPARENT BATTERIES

SLEEPWELL WIFI

SHEET CHARGING SYSTEM

82

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0820212_Never Run Out of Power (Cover Story).indd 82

Sachin Pandit

1/25/2012 6:57:18 PM

FEATURED

COVER STORY

PHOTOS: FRAUNHOFER; DISCRETION; STANDFORD UNIVERSITY; THINKSTOCK/ISTOCKPHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS: HARALD FUCHSLOCH

few years ago the battery world was doing well.


Mobile phones had to be charged only once a week,
and simple AAA batteries from the supermarket were
enough for MP3 players. Electric cars had awful performance,
but they werent supposed to be taken seriously anyway.
Today, however, a smartphone battery lasting through just
one day is a rare joy. The distance an electric car can run is
approximately the same as a petrol-driven car with a full tank,
but in the real world it doesnt achieve this.
Manufacturers and researchers seem to have reached
a dead end when it comes to batteries. Mobile devices are
developing rapidly, whereas the battery technology can no
longer keep in pace with it. While CPUs and GPUs can be
made more power efficient by miniaturizing their components,
battery developers have very a basic problem: the material
today has reached its technological limits. Lithium ion
batteries last slightly longer than previous generations used to,
but they require more space and are also expensive.
Researchers worldwide are asking the same question:
is optimizing the available technology enough, do we need
new architectures, or do we have to develop a special type
of battery for every different device? Different people have
adopted different approaches to this problem. Some of them
are experimenting with cheap materials; others with new
congurations, higher capacities and shorter charging times.
CHIP presents a roundup of the latest and most promising
technologies from laboratories around the world.

THE PRINCIPLE OF THE ACCUMULATOR


Whether its a high tech experiment or a conventional
lithium ion battery, the basic design is very similar.

BATTERY DESIGN
Energy is created when lithium ions move through the
electrolytes from the anode to the cathode

Positive pole

Insulator
and
electrolyte

Electrode
(Anode)

Electrode
(Cathode)

Negative
pole

SPONGE CHARGES BATTERIES FASTER


Thanks to a porous cathode with an extremely large surface,
these batteries are charged in a few seconds perfect for
smartphones. The base includes pressed polystyrene and nickel

Charging batteries in seconds


Batteries require much more space in comparison to the
other components of a device, be it heavy-duty unit in an
E-cars or a tiny sliver designed especially for smartphones.
Unfortunately, a lot of space is left unused inside the batteries.
Thats why many universities and manufacturers are carrying
out research for optimizing regular lithium ion batteries to
increase their performance density, which could happen quite
quickly.
The basic principle of the battery is quite easy: Lithium
ions move to and fro through an electrolyte between two
electrodes, for instance while discharging, from the anode to
the cathode. While doing so, the lithium atoms emit electrons.
Voltage is nally generated through this electron ow. One of
the problems in this process is that only one electron at most
is transferred per lithium atom. The idea here is to exploit
more electrons per metal atom. The researchers are following
two approaches here: they want to increase the capacity
and accelerate the charging current. Many projects are being
directed towards this research.
Researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois, USA
have developed a silicon anode that performs better than
a conventional battery by a factor of 10. In another project,
researchers of the university presented a battery that
does not offer more performance but gets charged in 10
secondswithout the capacity being affected. A mobile phone
would thus need to be plugged in for just a short while and
its battery would last the whole day. The combination of
both technologies would mean a charging time of less than
2 minutes and talktime of up to 100 hoursmobile phone
owners would be saved the hassle of always carrying along a
charger.
A very porous material is required to transfer the higher bit
density into the battery in such a short time. The researchers
are now working on a cathode with a three-dimensional
nanostructure. For that, polystyrene spheres are pressed and

For
manufacturing
the cathode,
the polystyrene
is pressed first

To fill the
cavities, the
material with
nickel is poured
inside

On heating the
polystyrene, it
evaporates,
leaving behind
a porous nickel
framework

FLUORIDE IONS: PERFECT FOR E-CARS

9.000

A new type of battery promises sufficient energy for


electric cars. Thanks to the metal fluoride, several
electrons can be transferred for every metal atom
5.000

Anode
Cathode

Fluoride ions
Cathode

Metal

Electrolyte Metal fluoride

Fluoride ions are used to enable a


significant increase in performance
250

PERFORMANCE OF BATTERY TYPES

200

150
90
Performance in Wh/l
(Watt hours per liter)
Lead
battery

Ni-Cd
battery

Ni-MeH
battery

Li Io
battery

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0820212_Never Run Out of Power (Cover Story).indd 83

Now the
nickel is
coated with
electrolytic
material

Fluoride
battery
02/2012

Petrol

83

1/24/2012 9:53:34 PM

FEATURED

COVER STORY

CHEAP MOBILE PHONE BATTERIES


This gel battery can be manufactured in 10 m long strips
and cut and folded into any size. The base is an electrolyte
polymer mixture that is pressed between the anode and
the cathode. The battery is non-combustible and also much
cheaper than conventional batteries.
Electrolyte
polymer
mixture

Anode roll

Cathode roll

Complete
laminate

The gel battery is


already marketable
and tested in
Smartphones

THE CAR BODY AS AN ENERGY SAVER


Carbon mixed with super condensators is supposed to make
the car body of electric cars work like a battery. An e-car
could go as far as 130 km with additional battery.

Carbon fiber

Polymer
gel and
glass fiber
Carbon fiber

Carbon serves
as the car body
the material
charges like
every other
battery

heated together with nickel. The polystyrene evaporates and


leaves behind a type of porous nickel sponge whose holes
are enlarged by electro polishing and then coated with
electrolytic material.

Almost as much power as petrol


The researchers under Dr Maximilian Fichtner at the Institute
for Nanotechnology at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology
(KIT) are working on optimizing lithium ion batteries. Dr
Fichtner explains the principle: Our system is based on iron
that is encapsulated as iron nanoparticles xed in a carbon
shell, and which has a reaction with lithium uoride. This
generates iron uoride and lithium which can be saved in the
anode. At the moment, batteries can be improved upon by a
factor of twobut the goal is to have a battery that exceeds
conventional ones by at least ve times.
For electric cars, this would still be not be sufficient. A
clear leap in performance would require much more than
developing current technologies further. New architectures
must be created for such heavy use. Another concept from
the Karlsruhe researchers is a type of battery in which uoride
ions are used instead of lithium. For that, they are using metal
on the anode and metal uoride on the cathode. The big
advantage of these materials, according to researchers, is that
an energy density of up to 5000 Wh/l (Watt hours per liter)
can denitely be reached. In comparison, petrol has an energy
density of about 9000 Wh/l whereas lithium ion batteries only
offer a mere 25 Wh/l. It will take several more years before we
see uoride ion batteries in the market. The design has not
been nalized yet. We are still researching it, says Dr Fichtner.

Cheap and safe batteries becoming


the norm
Researchers at British Leeds University are dealing with
another problem: current-day batteries are expensive to
manufacture, and thus are expensive in market. Besides that,
they are also sometimes dangerous, in that they short circuit,
catch re, or even explode due to heat or shock.
The researchers could overcome both weaknesses with
their new gel battery: up to 70 percent of the structure of
these batteries is made up of owing electrolytes that are
formed with polymer into a jelly-like mass. These batteries
are not combustible and are also cheaper due to a relatively
simple and fully automatic production process: the gel is
simply pressed between the anode and the cathode and
shaped into a foil.
Another advantage of the gel battery is its exibility: it can
be cut and folded into any size. In contrast to conventional
batteries, the gel battery can also adapt quickly to a specic
device like a thin layer behind an LCD screen or a sheet under
a notebook keyboard. Unfortunately, the gel battery concept
does not have much more power than existing lithium ion
batteries. Apart from that, there is nothing stopping these
batteries from entering the market in smartphones and other
gadgets in the near future.

The device itself is the battery


Researchers at the Imperial College in London are also
working on exible battery prototypes. Their approach is
fascinating: the casing of a smartphone, notebook or tablet
itself becomes the battery. Electric vehicles would also be
an exciting application eld. The car of the future would be
able to receive its energy from the roof, the engine hood or
the door, thanks to our composite material explains project

0820212_Never Run Out of Power (Cover Story).indd 84

1/24/2012 9:53:40 PM

FEATURED

COVER STORY
coordinator Dr Emile Greenhalgh.
The researchers would also be able to increase the range
of cars by about 130 km in combination with conventional
batteries. That would be double the performance of the latest
electric cars which normally only go up to 150 km in one
charge. With the new technology, it would be possible to have
smaller and simpler cars for city traffic, where one could easily
afford to operate a normal battery for short distances.
Super condensors are the basis of the research project as
they have a higher capacity compared to normal condensers;
and in comparison to batteries, can emit more energy in short
bursts, for example while accelerating a vehicle. Researchers
are using carbon ber as an electrode material. The electrolyte
is a polymer gel and its isolator is glass ber. The major
advantage is that battery behaves like normal carbon and can
be used in the exact same way. As of now there are already a
couple of prototypes, but the researchers cannot predict when
the material will be released in the market.

BATTERY POWER FOR REFILLING


The Redox Flow cell has two tanks with flowing electrolytes
that either charge normally in an empty battery, or can be
vacuumed out at a fuel station. The electrolyte tanks are refilled simultaneously, so a "refuelling" stop only needs a couple of minutes.
Membrane
Electrode

Electrode

Cell
Electrolyte

Electrolyte

A full car battery in five minutes


For vehicles, an interesting new type of battery called Redox
Flow is being researched in Pnztal at the Fraunhof Institute
for Chemical Technology (ICT). The idea is to be able to
charge not only small batteries but any large ones just as
quickly. This is not possible with conventional batteries: if
you want to charge big batteries in a short time, the charging
station requires a lot of energy. On the other hand, the battery
would overheat without a cooling system.
The Redox Flow battery is a type of mixture of a fuel cell
and an accumulator. A car designed using this technology can
be charged in 5 to 10 minutes, but with an energy density that
is lower than that of a lithium ion battery. The trick to charge
quickly lies in the uid electrolytes that are stored in two
tanks. A pump rinses the electrolyte in the converter cell, and
ions in both liquids are exchanged through the membrane. If
the electrolyte does not generate any more energy, the tanks
can be simply by evacuated and relled.
A waste product is not created while doing so because
fuel stations will able to charge the electrolyte with minimal
trouble. Concepts for gigantic charging tanks that work on
solar power are also being developed. In big industries such
batteries have been used as energy reserves for windmills
for quite some time. However, at the Fraunhof ICT, there are
already prototypes of very small Redox Flow batteries not
much larger than a notebook battery.

Pump

Pump

The batteries can be


used flexibly like
industrial systems (left)
or mobile cells (below)

NANO BATTERY IN THE BODY


This battery is barely visible to a naked eye, as each
individual nanowire made from anode and cathode is only
150 nanometers wide. The total battery is 50,000
nanometers small and half the thickness of a single hair
Copper

Nano batteries in blood circulation


Researchers at the Rice University in Houston, Texas are
also working on energy supply to electric vehicles, but their
research project is a lot smaller. Nano robots have been
studied in medical elds for many years. They were created
to search for diseases autonomously in the human body and
can contain medicines to specically locate and cure these
diseases. Although such robots are not yet available, the
Texans have been developing a suitable power supply for
them. Their nano batteries would also be useful beyond the
medical eld. Due to their size, they can be applied on every
surfaceeven on paper.
The tiny hybrid memory from the super condensors and
batteries consists of thousands of nano wires. A single wire
is not thicker than 150 nanometers. The total battery is only
50,000 nanometers thick: still almost invisible to the human
eye. A human hair, with its 100,000 nanometer width, is
gigantic in comparison.

0820212_Never Run Out of Power (Cover Story).indd 85

Anode
(Nickel/tin)

50.000 nm

Cathode
(Polyaniline)

Polyethylene
oxide
Aluminium

The nano battery


100.000 nm compared with a human

50.000 nm

hair. In the future, the


battery could control
nano-scale robots in
the bloodstream.

1/24/2012 9:53:43 PM

FEATURED

COVER STORY

TRANSPARENT SILICON BATTERIES


This battery remains pervious to light and flexible due to
the grill structure. That is how it becomes suitable for
completely new application fields as well as translucent
OLEDs. The base is silicon (PDMS) that is also used in the
cosmetic industry
Electrodes

Transparent batteries for new devices

Separator
and
Electrolyte

Lab prototype: The


transparent
battery is meant
for completely new
device classes, like
transparent tablets
and smartphones
Battery

INTELLIGENT Wi-Fi SAVES ENERGY


Battery time doubles With the Wi-fi optimization
"SleepWell". The technology prevents clients from asking for
packet data simultaneously. Instead, the router distributes
data to each client in turn. If a client does not receive data,
it goes into sleep mode.
(IN WATT SECONDS)

ENERGY CONSUMPTION

mW
800

40

600
Ohne SleepWell
Mit SleepWell

35

STANDARD Wi-Fi, 2 CLIENTS

400
200
0

30

mW
800

25

SLEEPWELL Wi-Fi
Client 1

600
400

20

200
0
800

15

600
10

Client 2

400
200

5
0

86

Iperf

The anode of this battery is made from nickel and tin and
the cathode from polyanilin. A gel-type polyethylene oxide
(PEO) is used as a conductor that also insulates nano wires.
Aluminum and copper are put in wires to close the current
circulation. At the moment, researchers are working on the
stability of the battery because even the latest versions
diminish in energy capacity after roughly 20 charging cycles.

YouTube

02/2012

Pandora

When a client receives packet


data, the other one goes into
sleep mode to save energy.

Batteries are not only performing better, but are also getting
smaller and more exible. Researchers have been doing
work even on their visual appearance. As a rule, todays
ugly batteries disappear somewhere inside the chasses of
devices, which is ne because the devices are not transparent.
However prototypes of transparent displays are already being
researched and researchers are also working on transparent
tablets that can curl up like a newspaper. A research team
of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford
University in California has manufactured the rst transparent
lithium ion battery, so that the user does not have to stare
at a battery block. As none of the existing materials can be
made transparent nor are transparent alternatives available,
the designers are trying to reinvent the battery and make its
elements smaller. For the electrodes, a latticed framework
was developed for which every rod is only 35 micrometers
long Something smaller than 50 micrometers is not visible
to the naked eye explains researcher Yuan Yung. The base
material is PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane), a silicone that is
used among other things in cosmetic products. According to
the researchers, the battery should be close to 60 percent
transparent and very exible, even when layers are placed
over one another to increase the capacity. This is necessary
because at the moment, the concept battery has only half the
power of a lithium ion battery. Although the manufacturing
process is complicated, the costs should not be much higher
than that of todays lithium ion batteries.

Wi-Fi upgrades prolong battery life


Researchers are not only working on batteries but also
on energy-efficient technologies. One of the large energy
consumers in mobile devices is Wi-Fi, for which Duke
University in Durham, USA has found a solution which could
as much as double a devices battery capacity. Especially in
networks with many users, the connection consumes a lot
of energy as the devices compete with each other for data
transfer, and that too for prolonged periods. SleepWell
technology developed at the university helps manage the
devices communications not only with the router but also
amongst each other. The clients observe whether or not
another device is loading data: if that is the case, the client
takes a break. The data is distributed in small packets so that
the transfer capacity splits up equally. The process helps only
in networks which are used frequentlysomeone who does
not use Wi-Fi much does not benet from it.
As Sleepwell does not require any change in Wi-Fi
standards, the technology can be integrated in all
devices immediately via a simple rmware upgrade. The
developers hope to demonstrate these capabilities to device
manufacturers as soon as the test phase is completed.

Longer performance through normal


usage
A larger application eld offers a technology is one which
aims to help the battery charge when keys on the keyboard of

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0820212_Never Run Out of Power (Cover Story).indd 86

1/24/2012 9:53:46 PM

FEATURED

COVER STORY
a notebook or the touch screen of a tablet are pressed. The
faster and more frequently the user taps at his device, the
faster the battery could charge. What sounds like a paradox
should soon become a reality thanks to a pressure-sensitive
sheet. The idea is that when a user types a text on his/her
notebook, the released kinetic energy while typing should
generate small amounts of electricity for the battery. This
piezoelectric effect develops when crystals like quartz are
formedat least in theory. The practical implementation in of
such a technique is not easy at all. Researchers at the Royal
Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia have
succeeded in measuring the pressure and voltage arising out
of normal typing activity in eld of 10 to 100 nanometers. For
comparison, a blood corpuscle is about 8,400 nanometers.
The electricity produced by pressing keys could increase the
life of a charged battery by up to 10 percent. The researchers
want to accommodate such sheets in mobile devices but also
in medical applications. Pacemakers, for example, could be
charged solely by harnessing the patients blood pressure.

CHARGE THE BATTERY BY PRESSING KEYS


The piezoelectric sheet converts mechanical energy into
electrical energy. The more intensively the user uses the
keyboard, the faster is the battery charged. In spite of that the
device must be charged as the sheet increases the life by only
about 10%.

Taste of the future


Industry veterans and researchers are working intensively
on solutions to the battery problem. This is, after all, the
weakest and oldest technology inside many of our gadgets.
Everything is shrinking today, but batteries are in fact becoming
disproportionate large. When even a single one of these
techniques it is good for mass production and adoption, mobile
technology will be much more free and easywithout the
annoying need to search for another power point!
- feedback@chip.in

Display
protection

LCD-Panel
Charging
sheet
Battery

THE MOST IMPORTANT TIPS FOR LITHIUM ION BATTERIES


Ensure accurate display of battery life:
The myth is widely spread that a battery lasts longer after
several charges. Only the accuracy of the display improves
because the device and the battery must be coordinated
with each other. In this calibration, the system misses out
on the energy and calibrates the battery display. If it is
not calibrated, then for instance, it may show an empty
battery although the device can still last a couple of hours.
This is how calibration works ideally: Charge the
battery completely and then plug it in again only when it
is almost empty. Do not completely drain the battery while
doing this. As a habit, calibrate the system once a month.
Which batteries you must discharge completely and
which you mustnt:
Nickel batteries have the so-called memory effect in which
the battery drains more quickly when it is not completely
discharged. For lithium ion batteries it's the exact
opposite: completely draining a battery damages it. In the
simplest case, it loses about 20 percent energy and in the
worst case, it becomes completely unusable. Shut down
devices at the right time despite energy reserves.
Chargers will empty full batteries:
After charging a smartphone, the battery display quickly
sinks to 90 percent. This is the battery management's fault
and not the batterys: If a lithium ion battery is completely
charged it would be susceptible to damage. It is true that
the life would reduce when a fully charged battery

continues to receive current. Therefore, a modern battery


manager empties the battery by a few percent as soon as
it is full. The system shows 100% charged after being
unplugged so that the user has the feeling that the battery
is charged completely, but just 5 minutes later it shows the
right status, mostly around 95%.
Bump-charge the battery to 115 percent:
A battery charged up to 100% can be charged further by
10 to 15% via Bump charging. The trick is: Switch off the
phone and charge it fully. Remove the charger
immediately and plug it in again. When you repeat this
process a couple of times the charge increases. We
strongly advise you against this technique. It damages the
cells and the batterys performance reduces.
The difference between charging and charging cycles:
The shelf life of a battery is given in charging cycles
mostly about 1000. But that does not mean that you can
charge your battery only 1000 times, because a charge is
not a full cycle. When you charge a mobile phone twice
after reaching 50% capacity, those are two processes but
one charging cycle.
Increase battery life by storing it in a cool place:
When lithium ion batteries lie unused it life span shortens.
Someone who wants to prevent this should store the
battery at about 15 degree Celsius and at a charging status
of about 40 percent. The battery needs to be charged
occasionally even though it is completely drained.
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0820212_Never Run Out of Power (Cover Story).indd 87

02/2012

87

1/24/2012 9:53:49 PM

FEATURED

BROWSER HACKS

The Best
Browser Hacks

Dozens of hidden functions are lying around in Firefox, Explorer and Chromewe show you
how you can find and use these the best of these treasures.
BY MICHAEL ECKSTEIN

Firefox
Load pages faster
Shorten waiting times
Run scripts for longer

Chrome
Activate Flash on demand
Use more profiles
Use plug-ins incognito

Internet Explorer
In
Us full-screen mode as standard
Use
Enable multiple parallel downloads
En
Show more popular websites
Sh

88

02/2012

SMS us!  Story code: FBH to 51818

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

Jagdish Limbachiya

0880212_The Best Browser Hacks.indd 88

1/24/2012 10:21:37 PM

MOZILLA FIREFOX
The open-source browser is valued for its enormous flexibility. You can easily speed
up page downloads, shorten waiting time while installing add-ons, and suppress
unnecessary virus scans

Turn Off Tab Animation

address bar. Over 1,500 settings can be

VALUE: False

adjusted to your likingand many more


adju

Modern program interfaces have a lot of

instructions can be added. With these


inst

animations. The same is true in Firefox:

settings, you can easily personalize your


set

while shifting, tabs move softly to the

browser. Here is a selection of the most


bro

side and new ones open smoothly. That

useful settings.
use

requires a certain amount of power

ncover a paradise for tuning


fans by typing the command
about:cong in the Firefox

[+] about:cong
[-] browser.tabs.animate

that could be used for better purposes

Sh
Shorter
page download
times
tim

especially in older PCs. If necessary, you


can turn off the animations with the

[+] about:cong
[-] nglayout.initialpaint.delay

setting browser.tabs.animate. Simply

VALUE: 100
VAL

value to false.

Caution You should pay attention to this warning,


and only change settings you are familiar with.

double-click on it to set the Boolean

Firefox is set up in such a manner that


Fire
dow
downloaded webpages are displayed
within milliseconds. You can instruct the
wit

FOTO: THINKSTOCK/ISTOCKPHOTO

browser to show content even faster.


bro

Install Add-Ons Instantly


[+] about:cong
[-] security.dialog_enable_delay

Typ
Type nglayout in the lter bar of the

VALUE: 0

about:cong page. Then right click


abo

Firefox stops every installation of an

under it on a free space and select New


und

add-on with an annoying dialogue box.

Integer. Firefox will ask for the name


| Int

Only after waiting a few seconds can the

and the value for the new setting one

setup be started with a click on Install

after the otheranswer with nglayout.


afte

now. There is an important security

initialpaint.delay and 100. Now, Firefox


init

reason for this: you might be accidentally

will start building the webpage after 100

allowing malware to run. If you are very

milliseconds instead of the standard


mil

condent, disable the compulsory pauses

250 milliseconds. Moreover, you can set

with the setting security.dialog_enable_

network.http.pipelining and network.


net

delay. Replace the default value 2000

pipelining.maxrequests to true and 8.


pip

with 0. Now every add-on installation

These also help display pages faster.


The

will begin immediately.

Turn off unnecessary scans


Tu

Run scripts for longer

[+] about:cong
[-] browser.download.manager.
scanWhenDone

[+] about:cong
[-] dom.max _ script _ run _ time
VALUE: 20

As soon as you enter text in the address

True or false: You can easily toggle Boolean


values via the context menu or by double-clicking

Recommend More
Websites
[+] about:cong
[-] browser.urlbar.maxRichResults
VALUE: according to choice

VALUE: False

Firefox grants server scripts 10 seconds

bar, Firefox recommends other Web

By default, Firefox takes care that les are

to answer a query. After that, a warning

addresses from the accumulated URL

scanned for malware while downloading.

message appears that the script is no

results. By default, twelve items will

This can demonstrably slow down the

longer responding. That may be ne

be displayed. This number however is

download of larger les. Usually, this step

for fast broadband connections, but

not carved in stone; you can shorten or

is superuous since the security software

for slower ones that are much more

elongate the recommended list of the

scans your les as soon as they are

common, the messages can be a bit

browser according to your liking. For this,

nished downloading anyway. Therefore,

irritating. Just instruct Firefox to wait for

double-click in about:cong on browser.

you can do away with the double

an answer from a script for longer. For

urlbar.maxRichResults and enter the

scanning if you are sure you want to.

this, double-click on the conguration

desired number of recommended results

For this, search for the setting browser.

page of the browser on dom.max_script_

as the value. However, you can also

download.manager.scanWhenDone in the

run_time. In the dialogue, enter a number

completely turn off this recommendation

conguration page and change the value

higher than the default setting 10. Finally,

function by simply typing in -1 and

from true to false.

conrm with OK.

conrming with OK.


INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0880212_The Best Browser Hacks.indd 89

02/2012

89

1/24/2012 8:10:01 PM

FEATURED

BROWSER HACKS

GOOGLE CHROME
This browser conceals interesting configuration options in the settings page about:flags.
For example, activate the in-built Flash stopper and use different profiles simultaneously.

Even Googles own browser can be

even Acrobat are installed. It is not a

adjusted to a large extent. Chrome hides

problem, since the Chrome Viewer loads

a huge number of additional cong

the documents at lightening fast speed.

options in a total of 15 hidden pages,

But it does have one disadvantage: its

and allows experienced users to change

functionality does not compare to that of

numerous minute settings.

the Acrobat Reader, for example it does


not display a table of contents. That can

Play Flash Only On Request

be irritating with large PDF documents.

[+] about:ags
[-] Click-to-Play

This problem can be easily solved: search

VALUE: Enable

chrome://plugins page and there click

The rst thing that you get to see on

under Deactivate. Now, without having

many websites is an irritating Flash

to restart, PDF les opened on the Web

advertising banner. These increase the

will directly be opened in the default

download time and make even newer

external Reader.

for the entry Chrome PDF Viewer in the

Rebuffed Activate 'Click to Play' so that Chrome


blocks all Flash videos till you approve of them.

computers sweat. It is better if you


yourself control what Flash content you
want to see. For this, the browser has a
function called Click-to-Play which you

Use More Profiles


[+] about:ags
[-] More proles

can activate on the about:ags page. To

VALUE: Enable

bring the changes into effect, you have

There is no dedicated provision for using

to re-start the browser. Now open the

several website proles at the same time.

page chrome://settings/content through

However it would be useful to be able

the address bar and activate the option

to do so: this way you can open different

Click-to-Play under Plug-ins. Chrome

Google accounts at the same time and

then immediately makes the necessary

use the respective features the way you

changes.

need them.

Determine Tab Focus

the settings page about:ags under

Incognito power With one tick, you can use


add-ons in the incognito mode.

For turning on this function, click on

Use Incognito Lightly

[+] about:ags
[-] Focus existing tab on
open

More proles on Enable. Now you can


single tab. The change takes place on the

VALUE: Activate

VALUE: Enable

website google.com through the button

In the incognito mode in Chrome, you

When several tabs are open, you often

Sign in.

can surf without leaving behind traces.

determine which prole to use for every

You can separately dene whether

lose sight of things. Many a times, you


type in a web address and open it just

[+] chrome://extensions
[-] Allow in incognito mode

Block Suspicious Links

each plug-in should also be available in


incognito mode. For this, open chrome://

Now, instead of opening a new tab,

[+] about:ags
[-] Disable hyperlink auditing

Chrome can recognize the double entry

After clicking, some hyperlinks do not

is the option Allow in incognito mode.

and simply jump to the available tab. For

just open the target webpage, but also

According to your need, mark the add-

this, in the about:ags page, navigate

inform an additional server about the link

ons that you want. These functions will

to the option While opening, focus on

being clicked. Scripts, for example, can

immediately become available to you in

available tabs and click on the link

be hidden behind them which collect user

the private surng mode.

Activate.

tracking informationthat is, information

NOTE: Chrome cannot supervise the

about your activities on the web. That

function of the add-ons. If a plug-in

Use Other PDF Readers

is not how it should be. Scroll on the

collects your web history or similar data,

As a standard setting, Chrome opens

page about:ags to the point Disable

it will also be visible in the normal surng

les in the widely popular Adobe PDF

hyperlink auditing and click on Activate.

mode. That is why this feature is disabled

format with the help of its integrated

In the future, your privacy is better

by default, and you should be careful

PDF reader, even if Acrobat Reader or

protected.

with it.

to nd it is already open in another tab.

90

02/2012

extensions. Under every plug-in, there

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0880212_The Best Browser Hacks.indd 90

1/24/2012 8:10:08 PM

MS INTERNET EXPLORER
Microsoft has hidden many tools for its browser in the Windows registry. For example,
e,
you can start Explorer automatically in full-screen mode and download more files
simultaneously than seems possible.

Internet Explorer is anchored deep in the

As a standard setting, Internet Explorer

system: so deep, that it writes its settings

allows only two parallel downloads from

directly into the Windows registry. For

a website. You can change this in the

editing the registry, type regedit in the

key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\

text eld of the Start menu and press

Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\

[Enter]. In the Registry editor, you can

Internet Settings:

navigate through the Windows Explorer-

Right click on Internet Settings and

like tree structure of sub-keys. However,

enter a new DWORD (32-Bit)-value with

you have to save the registry settings

the name MaxConnectionsPerServer

before they can be put into effect. To

with the value 4. In the same manner,

back up a key before modifying it, directly

you can then also create the entry

export the key from Regedit. This will

MaxConnectionsPerServer and type in

create a small backup le, which you can

6 as the value. To roll back to the earlier

Simplistic With this value, you can determine that

simply double-click at any time to roll

settings, just remove both the keys again.

Internet Explorer starts in full screen mode.

back to the earlier settings.

Starting in Full Screen


Mode
[+] HKEY _ Current _ User
[-] Software
[-] Microsoft
[-] Internet Explorer
[-] Main

Use More Popular Sites


[+] HKEY _ Current _ User
[-] Software
[-] Microsoft
[-] Internet Explorer
[-] TabbedBrowsing
[-] NewTabPage
VALUE: NumRow = 4

VALUE: FullScreen = yes

After opening a new tab, Explorer shows

Internet Explorer can use the entire screen

a selection of sites you visit often. If

for its window. To activate the Full Screen

the eight choices are not enough for

Mode, press the [F11] key. Unfortunately,

you, you can add more links. In the

this practical setting cannot be saved as a

registry editor, navigate to the key HKEY_

default modeat least not directly through

CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\

the regular channels. But it is absolutely

InternetExplorer\TabbedBrowsing\

possible to do this through the Windows

NewTabPage. Now look at the right side

only when you press the [Alt] key. That

registry. Navigate to the key HKEY_

of the page if the entry NumRows can

gets irritating if want to constantly access

CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\

be seen. If yes, double click on it. If it is

the settings there. By tinkering a bit in

Internet Explorer\Main and double click

not available, then you have to create it.

the registry you can make the program

on the right side of the window on the

For this, right click on the NewTabPage

display the menu bar at all times. For this,

entry FullScreen. In the dialog box, set the

and select New and DWORD-Value

change in the directory list of the editor

value to yes. After conrming with OK,

(32 Bit) in the context menu. Enter

to the path HKEY_CURRENT_USER\

the browser will from then on start in the

NumRows as the name and click on

Software\Policies\Microsoft and right

full screen mode.

OK. This value will double the number of

click on Microsoft. In the context menu,

pages in the preview.

select New and Key. This time, type

Constant access A registry value determines that


the menu bar is always visible.

More Downloads At The


Same Time

Show Menu Bar Always

[+]HKEY _ Current _ User


[-] Software
[-] Microsoft
[-] Windows
[-] CurrentVersion
[-] Internet Settings

[+] HKEY _ Current _ User


[-] Software
[-] Policies
[-] Microsoft
[-] Internet Explorer
[-] Main

New DWORD-Value (32 Bit) under Main.

VALUE: MaxConnectionsPerServer = 4

VALUE: AlwaysShowMenus = 1

AlwaysShowMenus back to 0.

the name as Main. In the same way, put


an entry AlwaysShowMenus through
Double click on it and enter the value
as 1. Now, when you restart Internet
Explorer and press the [Alt] key, the menu
will be visible at all times. For rolling back
to the earlier settings, set the value of

Internet Explorer displays the menu bar

feedback@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0880212_The Best Browser Hacks.indd 91

02/2012

91

1/24/2012 8:10:24 PM

FEATURED

LEGALITIES IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Legal Trouble
with Social Networks

From file sharing networks to social networks, copyright organizations are going after naive
users. Could you be the lawyers next target?
BY CLAUDIO MLLER

our mobile phone is always with

online. On any typical Facebook prole,

which has grown powerful by winning

you, and uploading photos of a

there will be party photos, YouTube

cases against le sharers, will now

party to Facebook is effortless.

videos, or text quoted from the web.

extend their efforts to social networks.

Its only later that some people face

These can earn a user warning nes of

Users of Facebook and the like are also

the nasty shock of legal notices, nes,

up to 15,000 Euros, says German media

spreading copyright-protected content

and expensive lawyers fees. People in

rights lawyer Christian Solmecke. He

without agreement of the copyright

countries around the world are waking

agrees that the feared wave of warnings

holdereven if they dont know it. If your

up to a whole new side effect of using

has not really hit yet, something even

prole is visible to everyone on the Web,

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other

other legal experts conrm. However, the

it could become an expensive liability, as

networks. So far, there has not been

dangerand this is where all specialist

millions of people might be able to see a

any reason to think about the legal and

lawyers agreeis that the industry of

music video, photo or song you post.

nancial consequences of posting things

lawyers and copyright organizations

92

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0920212_Legal Trouble with Social Networks.indd 92

SMS us!  Story code: FFH to 51818

1/24/2012 9:57:58 PM

FEATURED

LEGALITIES IN SOCIAL MEDIA

THE WARNING SIGNS ON FACEBOOK


If you believe that you can post anything on social networks, then think
again. Sharp lawyers can find things in a typical profile which are illegal.
Take a look at the most common cases:

Stolen images
If you use protected
comic images or
promotional photos as
your display picture,
you might be fined.

Insults
Hostilities against
persons and
companies are the
most common cases
in which legal notices
have been served.

Party photos
Snapshots of others
cannot be published
without their approval

Personal details
If you give away mail
addresses of others
without permission
on Facebook through
the address book
search feature, you
could be violating data
protection laws

Video links
If you are breaching
YouTube video
copyrights, then you
should not post videos.
Doing so will make you
guilty and liable

Comic heroes and their


dedicated fans

clauses that the rights for these photos

embarrassing photos of others which

are not to be given to a third party.

are not removed even on request. This

One ongoing trend is that of Facebook

Facebook reserves exactly this right for

could happen to anyone, anytime: you

users replacing their prole pictures with

itself in its terms of use, which would

might take photos of your colleagues

those of comic heroes, thus provoking

then violate the photo databases terms

drinking at a party. If the people in the

the outbreak of copyright warnings.

and conditions. Users are complacent

photo object, they have the right to ask

So far, nothing has happened. Lawyer

because in most cases, copyright holders

you to take down the photos. Ideally, you

Guido Kluck of K&W Legal conrms that

do not take legal action against personal

should not post any pictures without the

copyright holders have been very tolerant

use, only against commercial use of their

express approval of the subjects. Just

of such behaviour till now. Still, it is not

pictures.

taking photos at a party does not give

technically permitted for users to copy

you the right to publish them later, says

pictures from anyone elses Websites to

Posting responsibly

decorate their own proles. Publishers

Actual warnings that Facebook users

like DC Comics and Marvel own the

have received usually involve posts with

Christian Solmecke.
However, if the party photographer
informs all guests in advance that he

copyright for these images, and only they


can decide about allowing their use.
PHOTOS: DISNEY ENTERPRISES FROM "LION KING", MARTIN MILLER

Even photos of real people can be


expensive. Lawyer Hagen Hild tells us of
a case in which a female Facebook user
used the photo of a model. On being

Safe circle

contacted, she showed some sense and

If you publically
post on Google+,
you can be warned
in the same way.
But that can be
avoided with the
circles function.

removed the picture. You can publish


images of celebrities if you are reporting
about a current eventbut this sort of
reporting is not usually done via social
networks. A post or a comment does not
full the criteria.
A good source for less dangerous
images is databases like Pixelio or
Fotolia. Here too you have to look closely
since often it is written in their fair use

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0920212_Legal Trouble with Social Networks.indd 93

02/2012

93

1/24/2012 9:58:08 PM

FEATURED

LEGALITIES IN SOCIAL MEDIA


3, 2, 1 ... eBay shops are
warned the most often,
now Facebook shops are
threatened with the same.

will post their pictures later on Facebook


and nobody protests, then legal experts
say that it is implicit consent. In case of
any doubt, the person who is posting the
photos on to the Web should be able to
prove that all the photographed people
agreed to be published and that he has
the rights to these pictures.

Stricter data protection


The same goes for other personal data,
including email addresses and telephone
numbers. You can allow Facebook
to access these details from your
smartphone or email account, in order
to help it nd you other acquaintances
for you. This is allowed in most countries
including the USA, but some countries
such as Germany have stricter data

Dangerous links
If you are unsure whether
a YouTube video is safe in
terms of copyright, then
better not post it.

protection laws under which this is


illegal.
A comparatively newer risk is that of

"You must consider


the rights of the artist
even on Facebook"

sharing Web videos, which are usually


in the form of embedded YouTube clips.
YouTubes terms of use allow videos to
be embedded, appearing exactly like you
have embedded them directly on your
own website or blog. But if the content
of the videos itself is illegal, could will
be trouble. Anyone who posts a link to a

Guido Kluck, LLM (Information Law), lawyer, K & W Legal

copyright protected video is considered


to have infringed the law and is liable as
an abettor.
The legal position here is not very
user friendly, since the law considers
it unimportant whether you yourself
have uploaded the videos on YouTube.
Additionally, it might not matter in court
whether you as a user recognized that
the video violated copyrightssomething
that is not often possible or reasonable.

How to avoid unnecessary legal trouble


The legal regulations for the rights of an
artist or personality apply on social
networks too. Follow the tips given below
to be on the safer side.

In case of doubt, since the copyright


holders can initiate an injunction, ask

THE LICENCE FOR SHARING

for compensation, and even claim

If you want to share content from the


web, for example images or texts, search
for the concerned website for licences. In
case of Creative Common licences (CC), it
is easy to understand whether and how
the image or text can be used. But be
careful to credit the appropriate source
(name of the author).

damageswhich could amount to a lot


of money.

User tracking on Facebook


Before sending a warning to your postal
address, the copyright holder has to

This way, your posts and images will


remain private. That does not protect you
from legal infringements, but from being
discovered. In Google+, you can use the
option of sharing your posts only with
your circles, that is only with people
with whom you are directly connected. If
you post it publically, everyone will be
able to see it.

nd the user. The ingenious methods


used to spy on le sharing networks and

MAKE YOURSELF INVISIBLE

identify IP addresses of le sharers do

Adjust the basic settings of the social


networks. In the default settings,
Facebook publishes all your images and
posts for the entire web. That makes it
easy for the lawyers to discover misuses.
Therefore, change the settings under
'Account | Privacy settings | Sharing
content on Facebook' to 'Only friends'.

not work on Facebook. Instead, they have


to turn directly to the company. In many
countries, Facebook can be required to
hand over the names and addresses
of anonymous users in case they have
broken the law.

94

02/2012

Privacy In this menu, you can determine who can


see your Facebook postsand thus save yourself
from the lawyers

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0920212_Legal Trouble with Social Networks.indd 94

1/24/2012 10:26:06 PM

FEATURED

LEGALITIES IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Got one? What now!


1. Control is better
Check if you have actually posted the
content. If not, reply to the warning in
writing within the stipulated time.

2. Don't sign anything


Dont sign a warning letter in a hurry.
It can put you at a disadvantage since
it is a legally binding admission of
guilt and cannot be terminated.

3. Take the advice of a


specialist lawyer
Take heed of the time limit given in
the warning letter and get the
demands checked by a specialist
lawyer. He or shee will mostly be able
to negotiate the fines down.

Greedy for money Warning


letters against infringements will
soon reach Facebook users.

sending warnings out for years now.

to give the same information as other

quick to clamp down on suspected

Lawyers set the value of quotes from

web shops: complete contact details,

pirates in the past, they are less

Valentin (such as the well-known A

correct instructions about returns and

aggressive when it comes to networks

stranger is only a stranger in a strange

guarantees, information about long-

like Facebook. They are usually satised

land) at 10,000 Euros. This value, a part

distance shipping, and assurances of

if Facebook deletes the data in question,

of every such warning, depends on the

data protection as well as the right

and do not press the company to reveal

commercial interest of the claimant. But

prices and delivery times. Warning letters

the identity of the user. Facebook has

the actual costs according to a judicial

between competing online shops are

already received many such takedown

process are much lower. You are safe

quite regular but experts believe that this

notices, but did not want to reveal the

using quotes if the quoted person has

will increase on Facebook also. However,

name of the requesting party to us.

been dead for 70 years or morethen

this concerns mostly commercial vendors.

But while rightsholders have been

This does not imply that Facebook

his copyright expires. Thus, Karl Valentin

It is uncertain at the moment if a

users should not consider themselves

fans will have to wait till 2018. Protected

wave of warning letters will start hitting

safe, since there have been cases that

quotes or text passages can generally

private users of Facebook, Google+ and

only a few know of. For example, if

be used only if you characterize them

other similar services. Christian Solmecke

all the members of an amateur band

as quotes, cite the source and put in a

believes that it is only a matter of time

upload a self-recorded video of a song

contextlike an academic work. Whether

before the legal industry makes social

cover and share it with their friends and

a status message on Facebook fulls this

networks its next hunting ground. His

family on Facebook, it will probably be

condition is one of several unclear legal

theory is supported by the fact that

seen by a few hundred people. Thus, the

questions regarding social networks. But

obsolete legal regulations do not serve

consumption of the song is no longer

if you use the quote only as decoration

current scenarios and thus leave quite a

private; it becomes a public broadcast

for your prole or website, then you are

few loopholes open. Guido Kluck believes

and that costs money. If you post a video

denitely infringing on the copyright of

that warning letters will be posted only if

of yourself singing or dancing along to

the late artists estate.

people increasingly publish copyrighted

a song, or use it as background music

content, and if the copyright holder can

with licence claims. If you want to cover

Small businesses are


vulnerable

a song or use it in any other way, you

If you are allowed to share content on

it might be completely possible that a

should ideally obtain permission from

Facebook only to a limited extent, then

few organizations will discover this area

the rightsholder as well as the relevant

can you sell something? If you have

as a business model for their legal teams

broadcast licensing bodies.

bought yourself a new digital camera

to capitalize on. It took roughly ve

and want to offer your old one in your

years from the launch of Napster in 1999

posts on Facebook proles, you will also

friends circle, you are already moving in

for opportunists to start hunting down

nd extracts from books and articles,

grey areas. As a private citizen you can

le sharers, a practice which really took

or witty comments from websites or

certainly sell something if you want. But

of around 2004. Today, thousands of

speeches. Even these can turn out to

as soon as you offer several units of the

cases are being led in order to ood the

be extremely expensive, as a few cases

same object or many similar objects at

courts and force nancial settlements.

from the past prove. Anneliese Khn,

once, then you are legally a businessman.

With such a precedent, Web users should

for a video clip, you could be confronted

Apart from music and videos in

heiress of the artist Karl Valentin, is one


of a number of people who have been

In this caseespecially when dealing

get user data even from proles that are


not open to the public more easily. Then

start taking precautions right now.

with strangers as customersyou have

feedback@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0920212_Legal Trouble with Social Networks.indd 95

02/2012

95

1/24/2012 10:26:12 PM

FEATURED

FASTEST HARD DISK

SATA 6 Gbps: 523 MBps


The OCZ Vertex 3 gets the
most out of the SATA
6Gbps connection standard

Hard Drive: 122 MBps

Traditional magnetic hard disks


don't stand a chance against the others.
The upside is their enormous capacity

The Fastest
Hard Disk

New solid-state drives are too fast for the SATA connection. Now, super SSDs and better
connections can overcome this problem with RAID connections or PCI Express.
BY CHRISTOPH SCHMIDT

he fastest SATA SSD is four

They increase the reaction speed of a

SSDs and connecting them to the system

times faster than a conventional

computer much more dramatically than a

in the most efficient manner. In the search

hard disk. Instead of 7 minutes,

new CPU or more RAM of equivalent cost.

for the fastest drive, we did not only try

GB. But that can be made even faster,

the serial ATA connection, which offered

as we found in our experiment with 10

more than enough capacity for traditional

of the fastest drives. It was also clearly

magnetic hard disks, is too slow for SSDs.

proven that many different aspects of

The widely used SATA 3 Gbps standard

performance are important depending on

transfers just 300 MBps in reality. The

your purposes. The transfer rate can vary

newest motherboards have SATA 6 Gbps

for compressed and uncompressed les;

ports which have double this capacity

moreover, response time also plays an

and enable transfer rates of more than

important role. From every perspective,

500 MBps for SSDs, but there is still

solid state drives are faster than hard

room for improvement. In order to achieve

disks. Since their commercial debut in

even better performance, you have to

2007, they have become the strongest

circumvent the SATA bottleneck. This can

growing segment of all PC components.

be achieved by coupling together several

it needs only 100 seconds to write 50

96

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0960212_The Fastest Hard Disk.indd 96

However, one factor is hindering them:

out various RAID variants with several


SSDs, but also the RevoDrive3 X2 from

VERDICT
The fastest drive that we have measured
in the CHIP Test center is the OCZ
RevoDrive3. Even expensive home-made
RAID arrays cannot beat its performance.
The RAID-0 system with two Patriot Pyro
SSDs impresses as a very fast,
reasonably-priced system drive for PCs.
Notebooks that are hindered by slow
SATA 3 Gbps ports get the biggest speed
jump with the SSD 320.
SMS us!  Story code: FFH to 51818

1/23/2012 8:15:52 PM

FEATURED

FASTEST HARD DISK

PCI Express: 1,378 MBps


The PCIe OCZ RevoDrive 3 SSD is the
fastest thanks to its direct connetion

RAID 0: 1,142 MBps

The RAID array with four Intel


510 SSDs is hindered
only by its controller
OCZ. In addition, we have also measured

THE BEST CONNECTION

how current SSDs perform in spite of the


SATA bottleneck. The practical value of
investing in extremely fast drives depends
on the purpose of their use. As a primary
boot drive, any relatively affordable SSD

Fast SSDs can be connected with SATA 6 Gbps RAID-0 connections


or directly through PCI Express. The advantages and disadvantages are:
Port

SATA 6 Gb/s

RAID-0

PCI Express

Availability

Still rare

All recent PCs

Most recent PCs

Costs

None (onboard)

None (onboard)

Expensive (mit SSD)

available, but have an advantage only

Transfer rate

Up to 600 MB/s

Up to 1,200 MB/s

Up to 4,000 MB/s

when dealing with huge amounts of data,

Reaction time

Optimal

With limitations

Optimal

as compared to such standard SSDs.

Compatibility

No problems

No problems

Certain motherboards

Therefore, only power users will actually

TRIM command

Yes

No

Only with RevoDrive 3

need fast super SSDs or expensive SSD

OS Installation

No problems

Might require drivers

No problems

RAID systems.

Possible in laptop

With new devices

No

No

will speed up the computer visibly in


comparison to a hard disk. Extremely
fast and expensive hard disks are also

All-rounder for notebooks


and PCs: The SATA-SSDs
are so fast

and cannot be compressed.

Todays SATA SSDs are reasonably

as the system drive, the most important

even the low priced ones achieved similar

affordable, trouble-free, and easy to

thing then is the writing speed, and

speeds.

install. With a 2.5-inch (or sometimes

the Sandforce effect is hardly of any

1.8-inch) form factor, they can t into any

benet. For this reason, SSDs like the

notebook or PC housing. Models from the

Corsair Force F120 (120 GB) offer a good

Break through the limits


of SATA

year 2009 onwards, such as the 240 GB

price-performance ratio while reading

If you want speeds of more than 500

OCZ Vertex 3, usually use the fast SATA

it achieves very good values throughout,

MBps, you will be faced with a problem:

6 Gbps connection, for data transfer

however, its speed decreases with les

a single SATA 6Gbps connection will not

rates of about 500 MBps for reading and

that cannot be compressedeven more

be enough. Therefore, we use a trick and

writingwith one limitation. This SSD can

so than the OCZ Vertex 3.

combine two SSDs on two SATA ports

reach its full writing capacity only with

If the SSD is going to be used only

For users who want to work with such

connection. Different capacities are


available at different price points, but

such that the resulting array has twice the

data that can be compressed, such as

lesfor example those who regularly

capacity and speed of a single SSD. Such

text and data les. If, instead, you write

edit videoa slower but truer Intel 510

a RAID 0 conguration can be used on all

video les that cannot be compressed

SSD would be more suitable; especially if

modern motherboards.

further, then the performance level

you are going to combine several of them

collapses from 500 MBps to 290 MBps.

into one RAID 0 array, as we will soon

Patriot Pyro SSDs on the two SATA

The reason for this is the Sandforce 2

see. Still, transfer rate is not everything.

6Gbps connections on an Asus Maximus

controller of this particular model, which

The Intel SSD 320 shows that in spite of

IV board. The Pyro offers 120 GB of

compresses data before writing it on

its slow 3 GBps SATA connection, it is the

space and buying two of these would

the memory modules. This reduces the

second fastest in the test. It managed to

still cost less than a single super-fast SSD

amount of data to be written and the

do this with its very good IOPS values. the

with double that capacity. Added to that,

number of writing accesses subsequently

value of the Input/Output operations per

it uses two SATA ports, and therefore

required, resulting in increased speed.

second test tells you how fast the drive

breaks the SATA 6GBps limit and beats

If the data is already compressed, the

reacts to requests sent by the operating

all the other SSDs in the experiment. As

Sandforce trick does not work, and the

system, and it is especially important for

far as transfer rates go, this affordable

maximum achievable speed reduces. In

the overall speed of the system installed

RAID array plays in the big leaguesmore

order to fairly compare Sandforce-based

on an SSD.

than 900 MBpsbut only as long as it

SSDs with the rest, we adjusted our

Reaction speed makes the Intel

We started the rst test with two

deals with data that can be compressed.

SSD test procedures and assessed the

SSD 320 the rst choice for notebooks

The Pyro pins a lot of its hopes on the

performance with a mix of les that can

or PCs which have a SATA 2 (3 GBps)

Sandforce trick; its speed decreases


INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0960212_The Fastest Hard Disk.indd 97

02/2012

97

1/23/2012 8:15:54 PM

FEATURED

FASTEST HARD DISK


considerably with data that cannot be
compressed. The Pyro RAID hack is not
suited for video editing rigs, but as a
system drive it is excellent, and the IOPS
values were the best of all the RAID
congurations that we tested.
In the next stage, we eliminated the
weaknesses of the Pyro RAID array for
data that can be compressed. For this, we
connected two Intel 510 SSDs together
on our Sandy Bridge motherboard to get
a RAID 0 array. The Intel 510 impressed

The fastest external drive:


Thunderbolt breaks all records
The speed of external drives is hampered
by the types of ports available, as opposed
to internal drives which usually use one or
more SATA ports. In order to remove this
limitation, Intel and Apple have developed
the Thunderbolt interface that can
theoretically transfer up to 1,250 MBps.
The first Thunderbolt drives are now
available with the Pegasus drives from
Promise, but they only work on the newest
Apple computers with Mac OS 10.6.8
onwards.

like a lightweight MacBook Air.

THE CONTROLLER HINDERS


As with our self-made RAID, the Promise
Pegasus array is also prevented from
getting higher performance by its in-built
RAID controller. In reality the six SSDs
should make the most of the transfer
capability of Thunderbolt. However, the
Promise Pegasus still remains the fastest
external drive available in the market now.

with certain standout scores rather than


with constant good performance. This

VERY FAST, BUT NO RECORD

can also be seen in the RAID conguration

A 6-bay array that we recently tested was


equipped with 1-Terabyte hard disks,
which we replaced with Intel SSDs. With
benchmark tools that copied data from the
test PCs RAM to the drive, we achieved a
data transfer rate of around 760 MB/s.
While copying files onto the drive, the
speed fell to about 350 MB/s which was
logical, since the RAID connection is then
reading and writing simultaneously, even
though the Thunderbolt cable is able to
transport data in both directions
independently. It is still impressive to see
such quick file operations on something

which reads data at more than 900


MBps and writes it at more than 600
MBps, irrespective of whether it can be
compressed or not. The Intel model in
RAID delivers much lower IOPS values
while writing as compared to a single
SSD. Possibly, the coordination between
the drives slows their reaction speed.
Around 900 MBps is impressive, but
still not enough if you are on the search
for the fastest drive. So, we double the
number of Intel 510 SSDs to four. Since

760 MBps The Promise Pegasus delivers six times


the performance of a HDD, thanks to Thunderbolt.

our motherboard with Intel P67 chipset


has only two native SATA 6 Gbps ports,

mark, but just by a small amount. The

the best option for le operations that

we connect the four SSDs to an Adaptec

controller cannot manage more than

involve non-compressible data. Video

6805 RAID Controller, which should

1,162 MBps while reading, which is in

editors would be more than happy with

be able to transfer up to 4,000 MBps

fact good enough for handling any

this performance. A further experiment

through an eight lane PCI Express 2.0

reasonable amount of data. However, it

with another motherboard with an AMD

connection. The fourfold RAID setup

bagged the title of the most expensive

chipset and ve native SATA 6Gbps ports

actually breaks through the 1,000 MBps

setup in the test, and turned out to be

did not give any better values, but there

OCZ
RevoDrive 3 X21

RAID-0 4x Intel 510


@ Adaptec 6805

RAID-0 4x Intel 510


@ AMD-Mainboard

RAID-0 2x Intel 510


@ Intel-Mainboard

RAID-0 2x Patriot Pyro


@ Intel-Mainboard1

OCZ Vertex 3
(VTX3-25SAT3-240G)1

Price (approximate, in Euros)

1,350

2,400

2,000

1,000

340

420

Total rating

77.6

70.6

65.2

64.4

59.3

58.9

Transfer rate (40%)

92

100

83

82

60

45

Access time/IOPS (25%)

64

26

28

32

47

65

Practical test (25%)

99

96

100

95

95

98

Capacity (nominal)/port

480 GB/PCIe

1 TB/RAID-0

1 TB/RAID-0

500 GB/RAID-0

240 GB/RAID-0

240 GB/SATA 6 Gbps

Reading/writing
(compressible data, MBps)

1,378/1,300

1,142/969

994/483

992/601

963/937

523/501

Reading/writing
(uncompressible data, MBps)

731/492

1,162/897

961/919

970/590

390/266

520/290

Average IOPS (reading)

9,854.5

3,643.7

3,922.9

5,009.0

7,037.5

10,174.0

Average IOPS (writing)

6,984.0

4,729.4

4,494.6

3,159.5

6,150.5

7,024.5

7.9 2

9.1

4.1

2.0

2.3

1.3

TEST RESULTS

Average power consumption (W)


1 Sandforce controller

2 Manufacturers figures

0960212_The Fastest Hard Disk.indd 98

Top class (100-90.0)


Not recommended (44.9-0)

Upper class (89.9-75.0)


Average class (74.9-45.0)
All scores in points (max. 100)

1/23/2012 8:16:04 PM

FEATURED

FASTEST HARD DISK

SSD ports of the future:


SATA Express
The SATA port was sufficient for magnetic
hard disks, but the performance explosion
of SSDs in the last four years has become
too much for it. That is why the
manufacturers of SATA devices are
planning new ports with two main
improvements: miniaturization and speed.

Cable mess: Each of the


four SSDs in RAID needs its
own SATA and power cable.

SATA EXPRESS WITH 2 GB/S


The next standard will be called SATA
Express and will achieve up to 2 GB per
second. In its infrastructure, the plugs will
be compatible with SATA for conventional
hard disks, while faster SSDs will be able
to take advantage of an enhanced PCIExpress channel in the same architecture.

MORE PERFORMANCE IN SMALLER


PACKAGE
In order to be able to integrate fast SSDs
in mobile devices, there is the standard
SATA SSD. This makes it possible to
install SSDs as small as 1 cm2 directly onto
a motherboard, which will simply be
recognized as a standard SATA device by
any PC BIOS and operating system. That
will notebooks faster and even more

One option beats all


the others

driver problems, it tricks the motherboard


into believing that it is a SCSI drivewhich

SSD specialists OCZ have been offering

requires the motherboard itself to play

the RevoDrive series since the early days

along. Thus, OCZ guarantees the RevoDrive

of SATA 2, to circumvent the bottleneck

3 to work only with a few new and tested

by putting an SSD RAID module with a

boards (see ocztechnology.com).

controller directly onto a PCIe expansion


board. The newest model, the RevoDrive

Exotic problems

3 (480 GB) achieved very good transfer

SATA SSDs might not be the fastest, but

rates in our test and the highest IOPS

they make it extremely pleasant to boot

values. In terms of performance, the

up and use your PC. The computer treats

Sandforce controlled RevoDrive had

it like a hard disk on which Windows can

were greater variances between reading

to accept defeat at the hands of RAID

be installed normally. RAID solutions

and writing speeds, making the discrete

arrays with Intel SSDs, but this too was

mean more work: you have to set up

controller a better option. The best

only in case of reading and writing of

the drive connections and congure

values were achieved in PCMark 7, which

non-compressible data. The performance

the BIOS in such a manner that the

replicates standard use scenarios like

of the RevoDrive is so strong that it can

computer can boot from it. In case of a

booting up Windows, loading programs

also prove to be a drawback. In order to

PCIe controller, you have to install a driver

and opening les.

install an operating system and avoid

from the manufacturer of the controller


during the Windows installation. When
the RAID system is up and running,
there is always a disadvantage against
conventional SATA SSDs: the TRIM
command does not work. This is an
SSD-specic tool that Windows uses
to make the drive delete les from its

Intel SSD 320


(SSDSA2CW600G3)

Corsair Force GT
CSSD-F120GBGT-BK1

Intel SSD 510


(SSDSC2MH250A2K5)

Hitachi Ultrastar 7K3000


(HUA723030ALA640)

memory cells when they are deleted in

940

190

500

290

its performance in the long run. Current

55.5

51.7

48.9

14.7

SSDs have internal so-called garbage

23

44

41

12

collection routines which perform this

100

40

35

85

97

95

38

600 GB/SATA 3 Gbps

120 GB/SATA 6 Gbps

250 GB/SATA 6 Gbps

3 TB/SATA 6 Gbps

267/214

521/497

482/322

122/122

267/224

523/161

495/315

152/150

16,420.5

5,880.5

4,736.0

76.0

7,289.0

5,665.0

6,715.0

170.0

1.0

1.2

1.0

9.6

the le system, helping it to maintain

function to a large extent, but the TRIM


command is more effective. Only the
RevoDrive 3 can accept and process
TRIM commands with its SATA emulation
design. In spite of such difficulties,
fast SSDs give your PC a considerable
performance boost. Thanks to newer,
even faster ports, the speed of data
transfer will increase furtherand there
will soon be a computer architecture
that has no delays whatsoever.
feedback@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

0960212_The Fastest Hard Disk.indd 99

02/2012

99

1/23/2012 8:16:09 PM

FEATURED

3D PRINTING

3D Printing

Fed with a suitable 3D graphic, these printers can create three dimensional objects
with the help of lasers and synthetic materials.
BY JRG GEIGER

series CSI chase down a

methods to print out 3D objects. The two

a support structure in 3D, which

criminal, they have the most

most important are stereo lithography

makes the modeling more complex.

fantastical technology on their side.

and laser sintering. In stereo lithography

Even tire track impressions at the scene

the basic material is liquid. In the printer,

be printed at all using the rst method.

of a crime can be transformed into a

there is a bowl with epoxy resin and

Laser sintering, the second most

synthetic model, which the investigators

a hydraulic lift that is just under 0.05

important method in 3D printing, makes

then compare with a suspects tire

millimeter from the surface. A UV laser

this easier. Here also a laser is used just

tracks. This particular example, though,

is brought above the surface of the

like in stereo lithography; but this time

is not a fantasy created by television

bowl. For the rst layer, the laser is red

it is not UV, but either CO2, Yttrium-

authorsthe technology actually exists.

at the liquid and hardens the synthetic

Aluminum or ber laser, depending on

Unlike the usual printed pages that a

material of the 3D model in a pattern

the machine. In this kind of 3D printer,

"normal" printer produces, 3D printers

as per the design. When the rst layer

there is not one but two hydraulic lifts.

instead create three-dimensional objects.

is done, the platform sinks minimally

One works from below and delivers the

These are normally fabricated from

(usually only 0.05 to 0.25 millimeters

base material, usually Polyamide-12

synthetic materials; many printers also

lower). A new layer of synthetic resin

powder. It is also optional to use

use metal, plaster of paris, glass and

comes, and the laser then hardens the

synthetic-material-coated molding sand

of course paper. Multiple methods are

second layer on top of the rst. This

like metal or ceramic powder as the

used but the fundamental principles

process is repeated until the model

base material. The other hydraulic lift

however are the same. The 3D model

is complete. Stereo lithography can

moves in the opposite direction, i.e. from

is always constructed from its base

create objects with a smooth surface;

above downwards. A cylinder pushes

upwards in horizontal layers. If the object

however it has a deciding weakness:

the powder from a storage tank onto

for example is a small model house,

the liquid synthetic resin cannot handle

the printing table. The laser heats up the

the printer starts from the base of the

hardened, overhanging parts as these

spots where the layer must be created,

ground oor and builds the structure

might break later. In spite of this, to

and fuses the powder there. Once the

layer by layer, right up to the rooftop.

be able to create such objects with

lowermost layer is constructed, the

hen investigators on the crime

Printers such as these use different

In order for this to work, one naturally


needs a suitable model (see graphic on
the right) to be fed into the printer.

Affordable 3D printers for


home use
3D printers are mostly used for research
and industrial fabrication, to allow
researchers to quickly create a prototype
or model for examination, for example a
panel for a new car or hinges for kitchen
cabinets. The smallest 3D printers on
the market used to be as big as some
vending machines, but recently, the
technology has been able to scale down
into affordable models which can sit on
a desk just like a conventional printer.
A good beginner model like the Solido
SD300Pro costs just under 3,000 Euros
(approx Rs 1,95,000). Two years ago,
when the model st came on the market,
it cost around 8,000 Euros.

100

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1000212_3D Printing.indd 100

stereo lithography, one must create

Models with movable parts cannot

cylinder pushes a new, wafer-thin layer

Cheap 3D prints from


web service providers
Those who dont need to invest in a 3D
printer for frequent print jobs can fall
back on printing service providers on
the web such as i.materialise. You can
upload your own 3D model to the site
and let it be printed and then shipped to
you. Prefabricated models can be found
on sites like Sculpteo and Shapeways;
you can adjust these online according to
your requirements. Before an online
provider completes the order process
and begins the printing, they usually
check the uploaded 3D model for errors.
Objects of various sizes and materials
can be ordered; the palette of articles
ranges from a few centimeters to many
meters in length. Accordingly the costs
vary, starting from around Rs 2,000
(plus shipping).

of powder over it; the laser is readjusted,


and the second layer of powder is
melted and fused. Thus also with laser
sintering, the object develops from the
bottom upwards.

Free 3D model
construction
3D printing needs a three dimensional
object model as input. One can
construct these using expensive CAD
programs, but free tools such as Google
SketchUp also suffice (sketchup.google.
com). For 3D printing, there are various
standard graphic formats of models.
STL (Standard Triangulation Language)
is by far the most common. SketchUp
internally uses its own le format
(SKP). Using a plug-in, SKP les can be
converted into the STL format.
feedback@chip.in

SMS us!  Story code: F3P to 51818

1/23/2012 7:21:11 PM

FEATURED

3D PRINTING

3D Printing: From planning to completing a model


In the beginning, a sketch is created in the form of a 3D model.
After that there are two printing methods available to turn it into a real-world object.
PLANNING: 3D GRAPHICS

3D formats: The printer accepts different


input formats.
STL uses triangulation to describe the
surface coordinates of a model
VRML also uses triangulation along with
details of color, texture, and lighting.
X3D is based on the well-known XML
standard and expands upon VRML with
support for multistage rendering.

A 3D printer needs to be fed with suitable


models. One can either sketch these oneself
using CAD software such as Google Sketchup,
or you can fetch an appropriate model from
internet and let the 3D print service provider
adjust it to an existing model.

METHOD 1: LASER SINTERING


Two platforms function
simultaneously: one 1 delivers
the raw material in powder
form; the object is constructed
on the other 2 . First the
cylinder 3 wheels out a waferthin powder layer on the work
surface. The powder gets
liquefied by the laser 4 and
hardens 5 . Then the platform
2 moves one step lower and
the process repeats.

METHOD 2: STEREO LITHOGRAPHY


The hydraulic lift is at the
uppermost position at the beginning
so that the platform is covered with
a wafer-thin layer of liquid (0.05
millimeter). Now the UV laser 1
shoots onto the surface and hardens
the synthetic material on it 2 . Then
the hydraulic lift 3 sinks by a
small fraction of a millimeter
(0.05 to 0.25 millimeter) so
that the liquid again gathers
over the first layer.

Laser

Laser
4

3
2

2
3

RESULT: PRINTED 3D MODELS


(Almost) everything is possible: 3D modeling enthusiasts print any object in 3D, from napkin rings to shoes
and even gearshift knobs. The only limits are with respect to the size of the models produced. For most
service providers, around two meters in length is the limit.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1000212_3D Printing.indd 101

02/2012

101

1/23/2012 7:21:26 PM

FEATURED

SOCIAL ACTIVISM

Social Activism:
Shedding the
Slacktivist Tag
Social networking has changed a lot, from the way we
communicate to the way we consume news. And last year,
a new face of social networking emerged; that of bringing
about change.
BY PRIYANKA TILVE

ocial media and social networking

message urging women to list the color

are the new buzz words. Its

of their bra as their status update.

literally swept the world. A social

Awareness month, and we will again see

platform to connect with people, it was

an onslaught of such status updates.

lapped up by the masses as it allowed

Every year, its something different. This,

networks have evolved from being just

them to connect with the world through

they say, is to keep the men guessing!

a platform to connect with people

a digital medium. Smartphones gave

But how many women who updated

to something more meaningful. The

it a further llip and social networking

their status actually went ahead to get

world watched as the mass non-violent

scaled new heights. Everyday, we

themselves tested or even cared to read

protest in Egypt successfully overthrew

witness innovative uses of social

about breast cancer remains largely

the tyrannical Egyptian President Hosni

networking sites and one that seems to

unanswered. The same goes for the

Mubarak and further paved the way

have become hugely popular is online

numerous likes or #hashtags about

for what is now known as the Arab

activism or social activism. But the

certain causes. Ruben Mascarenhas,

Spring. As the civilians in Tunisia, Egypt,

question is how effective it really is.

who handles social media for Anna

Libya, Syria, Yemen and other such

Does this online chatter translate into

Hazares India Against Corruption (IAC),

countries fought for their rights social

ground realities or is it just symbolism?

says, I think people underestimate

networking sites became their weapon.

a phenomenon that has quite

Come October, which is the Cancer

the social network as a place where

In Egypt while Tahrir Square was

Activism or Slacktivism?

young people are wasting their time in

the epicenter of the revolution, it was

Critics of online activism have coined

frivolous activities like updating status,

the social networking sites that guided

the word slacktivism, as they opine that

like, hashtags, commenting on pictures

people there. For the rst time, people

online activism is nothing but a feel-good

etc. But I think its also their way of

realized the full potential of these sites;

factor and one which doesnt translate

interacting with a large number of people

that they could connect people was well

into anything concrete on-ground. An

whom it is impossible for them to meet

know, but the fact that they could go

example of this can be the breast cancer

in a personal sphere. I know there is a

largely undetected was something that

awareness campaign on Facebook. A

lot of criticism, but we should at least

came to the rescue of the protesters. It

couple of years ago, a particular status

appreciate the fact that people are doing

also provided them with the safety of

update saw female users updating their

something, even if they as much as 'like'

anonymity. A little later in the revolution,

status with the name of a colour. And the

a page. This reects that people are

the authorities did try to unsuccessfully

fact that the reason behind the status

entering the thought process and though

block the Internet, but it was too little too

update had to be kept a secret from

it isnt enough, its denitely good.

late, and the damage was already done.

men only added fuel to the re, so much

Closer to home, Anna Hazares

what it turned out to be was a breast

Slacktivism making
way for activism

cancer awareness campaign. It hoped to

If we ignore a couple of these misgivings,

effectively. Ruben admits that it is very

create awareness amongst the women

we have also witnessed the power of

easy to get people to like something

and they chose the social networking

social networks, and a great example

online, but beyond that, you need offer

medium, where they started a chain

of this is the Egyptian revolution. Social

people with tangible results that they

so that it garnered media attention and

102

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1020212_Social Activism - Shedding the Slacktivist tag.indd 102

campaign against corruption has


employed social networking quite

SMS us!  Story code: FSA to 51818

1/23/2012 7:20:15 PM

can work towards. Citing the example

is that the youth today is very much

There is talk of putting a censorship

of the IAC campaign, he says, Social

aware of this fact. This is validated by

in place and if reinforced, then this

networking is good to actually start off

a survey conducted by Indiabiznews

move by the Government can even

something, as you can reach a large

to understand youth behaviour in

affect many of these causes online,

number of people in a very short period

these times of social media.

sspecially campaigns like the one

Rohit Sharma, Indiabiznews &

of time, and its also nancially viable.

against corruption as there are bound

We used Facebook to the hilt during

Research Services, says, The survey

the August round of Annas campaign

found that social media has given a

and got more than 4 lakh people on the

strong platform to the youth of India

speech and expression, is against any

streets from Bandra to Juhu. And that

to voice their choices and opinions,

such meddling by the Government and

was on the 11th day of Annas fast. If you

which in a way, empowers them to

believes that it can only have adverse

have got people excited over an issue,

bring a change in the world they live in.

effects. He says, The Internet was made

then they will come once and they will

The survey ndings informed us that

to survive the nuclear attack and I think

come twice, but they really want to see

the youth is aware that merely joining

its working brilliantly. And any attempt

a result. People need to understand

a 'page' of the cause will not help on

by the Government to censor it or get

how they are making a difference in

a larger scale. What is interesting and

some sort of regulatory mechanism is

a tangible way that makes sense.

in many ways rebukes those that think

rst of all is impractical. And secondly,

that the youth believe only in symbolism

a large number of young people will be

activism via the Internet, then it is not

best described by clicking on the 'like'

isolated from the Government because

an end in itself, but its actually a means

button of a Facebook group, is that

they are completely for Internet. Even

to communicate about what you feel

about 70 per cent believe that ground

though we encourage debate, at times

towards a particular cause. Secondly,

realities cannot change by merely

we nd that people tend to go overboard

you need to create awareness amongst

being part of a group. A lot more on

and make objectionable comments. We

people, get their attention and initiate

ground is needed, they have inferred.

moderate our page and remove any such

He explains, If you are looking at

some sort of discussion. Thirdly, there

to be anti-government sentiments.
Ruben, who believes in freedom of

content. Having said that, I believe that

should be a point of convergence,

Road -blocks ahead?

people have the right to say things, but

which should actually boil down to the

After the Egypt uprising, many

at the same time, they need to keep in

real world because everything cant

governments around the world started

mind that it can be said in ways that are

be virtual. The virtual world can be a

taking steps to control the online

not objectionable to others. We need to

trigger or a spark, but it cant be an end

medium. In India, we already have

take responsibility and ensure that we

in itself. It has to ultimately culminate

witnessed Government issuing warnings

do not upload something that will hurt

into something tangible on the ground.

to social networking sites and even

the sentiments or offend others.

And whats heartening to know

Google to remove objectionable content.


Jagdish Limbachiya

1020212_Social Activism - Shedding the Slacktivist tag.indd 103

priyanka.tilve@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

02/2012

103

1/23/2012 7:20:19 PM

FEATURED

WEB WATCH

Web Watch

Here are some interesting websites you might want to visit.


COMPILED BY PRIYANKA TILVE

FONTSTRUCT.COM

WARRANTIFY.COM

FETISE.COM

you to create fonts, the most popular is

repairs. In some cases, you may also get

registered users.

Fontstruct.com.

your product replaced. But the key here

f you are tired of seeing the same old


fonts or you need to create a font for
a project, you can easily do so online.

Amongst the many sites online that allow

To make it easier for you to create

f you face a problem a couple of


months after buying an electronic
product, then the warranty will ensure

that you do not have to pay for the

etise.com, founded by a bunch


of young entrepreneurs, aims to
transform the way Indian men shop.

The site claims to have about 7,50,000


Fetise.com offers exclusive discounts

is that you need to have the warranty

on apparels, footwear, accessories,

fonts, you have the grids to guide you.

card with you. If you misplace it, then

fragrances, personal care products and

You can then select from the several

you will end up paying for the repairs

designer clothes. The discount offered

geometrical gures on the left to create

and you wont get a replacement either.

to members is as high as 80% and

your fonts. First you have to select

Coming to your rescue is Warrantify.

targets men in the age group of 25-40

the script; you can choose from Latin,

com, which is an award-winning

years. It offers international brands like

Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, etc. It also

European start-up that has made a foray

Alexander McQueen, Converse, Jil Sander,

includes script for Indian languages like

into digitization of paper warranties and

CK, Christian Audigier, Fila, Kenneth Cole,

Devanagari, Bengali, Gujarati, Telgu, etc.

receipt management. You can scan and

Carrera, Esprit, Gossuin, Armani, Hugo

After selecting a script, you can start

upload all your receipts and warranties

Boss, and many others.

creating the fonts with the help of the

online for safe-keeping. These can be

bricks. You can also change the width of

then accessed whenever required and

you can be on it is if you have been

the font by selecting Filters from menu

even from your mobile phone. You also

invited by Fetise.com, by someone who

option View. If you select the Expert

have the option to print or forward it

is already a member, or you will have to

Mode, you will see additional features

via email. This service is free of charge

request a membership. After signing-in,

like Pen Type and Advanced.

and there is no limit to the number of

you will get a welcome bonus, which will

receipts that you can save. Apart from

be credited to your account. You can

Cycle, Simple and Stack. If you select

individual consumers, this service can

then invite your friends by importing

Cycle when using the pencil, then on

also be used by corporate clients to keep

your contacts from Gmail, Yahoo or

repeatedly clicking, it will move through

a track of their invoices etc; this service

Rediffmail. For every friend who

the bricks that you have used. If you

will however be a paid one.

registers, you will get a referral bonus

Pen Type provides three options -

select Simple, it will repeat the currently

Currently, they are in the process of

It is a by-invite site and the only way

of Rs 250, but this can be used only on

selected brick. Stack will stack the

tying up with Indian retail merchants

a purchase of Rs 1500 or more. For the

bricks over each other. You will have to

as well as several e-commerce sites

rst purchase made by your friend, you

work through creating alphabets in upper

to directly send digitized receipts and

will get Rs 1,000, which will be split into

case, lower case, numbers and special

warranties to customers Warrantify

two vouchers of Rs 500 each.

characters. However, if you do not wish

accounts. They also plan to launch an

you go through the entire exercise, you

app for iPhone and Android, which will

morning and the members are notied

can simply create the alphabets and

allow customers to simply scan the

via email, SMS or social networking

numbers of your choice and download

receipts and upload them using their

sites. Each sale lasts one to three days.

it. Then simply install and start using it.

phones. Warrantify.com also aims to

If you make a purchase, then you have

From the Gallery tab, you can see the

provide customers with additional offers

several payment options. Apart from the

fonts that have been created by others,

and other value-added services like

standard payment options, you can also

download them, and even modify them.

accessories, coupons etc.

convert your purchases into easy EMIs.

104

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1040212_Web Watch + Priyanka Column.indd 104

Fetise.com introduces new sales every

SMS us!  Story code: FWW to 51818

1/23/2012 7:27:38 PM

FEATURED

WEB WATCH

SHARING
INFORMATION
WITHOUT VERIFYING
FACTS CAN LEAD TO
LOTS OF CONFUSION.
PRIYANKA TILVE,
SENIOR FEATURES WRITER

FREERICE.COM

here are millions around the world


who die of hunger, and there are
sites where you can either donate

money or help in some other way.


Freerice.com is a non-prot site run by
the UN World Food Programme.
Since its launch, Freerice.com has
been instrumental in feeding millions
of people in poorer nations. Its an
interesting concept wherein people who
visit the site answer questions and for
every correct answer, 10 grains of rice
is donated.
For those playing, they can choose
subjects like Languages (German, French,
Spanish & Italian), Humanities (literature
& famous paintings), Geography (ags,
capitals, countries), English (vocabulary &
grammar), Math (basic & multiplication)
and Chemistry. The level of difculty
increases in accordance to the number
of correct answers given by you, which
means more the number of correct
answers you give, the more difcult
the questions will get. Alternatively, you
also have the option of selecting the
difculty level. So while on one hand,
you are donating grains of rice, on the
other hand, you are enhancing your
knowledge. If you answer incorrectly,
then it will show you the correct answer,
and to reinforce learning, it will repeat
the question a little later. It will keep
doing so till you get it correct.
If you are wondering how they
manage to turn this virtual rice into
real rice, then the answer lies in the
advertisements. The money received
from the sponsors is spent to buy rice,
which in turn is donated.

THINK, THEN SHARE


T

hanks to social networking,


news now travels faster
than one could have ever
imagined. Take for instance
the raid on Osama Bin Ladens hide-out
in Pakistan, which was chronicled by
tweets by a user in the vicinity. In his
tweets, he expressed concern about
the sound of helicopters hovering
above and explosions nearby. That
the raid was on Osama Bin Ladens
hide-out, probably the most dreaded
terrorist in the world, was clear only
later. But by then Sohaib Athar, a
resident of Abbottabad, Pakistan, went
down in history as the person who
first broke the news about the raid.
There are many more such instances
when it was social media that first
broke a news story. While there is
no harm in it per say, at times it can
go a bit out of hand. In recent times,
you must have come across an appeal
about help to find a 5-year old girl
who was missing from near her school
in Mumbai. There was a Facebook
page created with her picture and
contact details of her family requesting
information on her whereabouts.
Luckily for the family, the police
were able to find the missing girl the
same evening and she was re-united
with her family. However, this did not
deter those sharing, liking the Facebook
page or those on Twitter spreading
the word. According to reports, it was
shared more than 2,00,000 times and

this went on for many days. Only when


a counter message with a news report of
her being found was posted, appealing
to people to stop spreading the earlier
request did the whole thing fizzle out.
But during the whole time, the family
had to face the music as their phone
numbers were included in the appeal.
This brings to mind a similar
scenario during the Mumbai bomb
blasts. I distinctly remember the case
of 25 year-old Varsha Karia, who was
one of the blast victims admitted to
KEM Hospital. Somehow a message
went viral that she is battling alone in
the hospital with no family by her side.
This despite the fact that her family
was very much with her at all times.
However, thanks to the message,
which was even tweeted by celebrities,
there were many who demanded that
the hospital authorities allow them
to meet her. Her family, on the other
hand, was flooded with phone calls
from supposed well-wishers offering
their help. And this went on for
days, causing them much agony.
The thing with the digital medium
is that we have access to so much
information that we dont usually give
it a thought before sharing it. And thats
where the trouble lies. Even though
done with good intentions, at times it
may just create unwanted hassles. So
next time, before you share something,
take a moment to verify the details.
- priyanka.tilve@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1040212_Web Watch + Priyanka Column.indd 105

02/2012

105

1/23/2012 7:27:51 PM

HANDS ON
DR CHIP

Sachin Pandit

Dr CHIP
SEND YOUR QUERIES TO: drchip@chip.in

[Q] Hi Dr CHIP. All of a sudden, when

the bootloader utility and there should

[A] Hello Suyash. The minimum

I started my PC, it wouldnt boot. After

be ways of repairing/restoring the

requirements for running Aero in

the main boot screen, there comes

bootloader. If you have not installed any

Windows 7 are : at least a 1 GHz 32-bit

an error Chainloader/bootmgr Error

utility and are using just one operating

(x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor, 1 GB of

13: Invalid or unsupported executable

system then you will need to boot from

RAM and a graphics card with 1280 MB of

format Press any key to continue...

the original bootable operating system

video memory.

After continuing, I get some options

disc and run the Startup Repair option.

which I cant gure out what to do. Sir

If you are using Windows XP, then

[Q] Hi Dr CHIP, I have been an avid

I know that you will denitely nd a

enter the command prompt from the

reader of CHIP magazine for over a

solution for me. Please help me as I

Recovery Mode after booting from the

year now. I wanted an expert advice

just cant work without my PC. Thanks

disc and run the commands xmbr

from you guys. I have been hearing a

in advance. My PC conguration is:

and xboot one after the other. In

harsh noise from my PC which wasnt

Intel Dual Core e2180 processor, Asus

order to run the xboot and xmbr

there earlier. After a lot of observation,

P5kpl-am/ps motherboard, 2 GB of

commands, I would recommend that

I found that my PSU was making

RAM, Nvidia GT210 graphics card.

you rst read through the Microsoft

the noise. I replaced it with another

online help page for more details.

working PSU. It was alright for some

Simply search for the two commands

days but again it started making

on Google or on the Microsoft website.

the noise. My brother applied one of

Arpit Lakra

the traditional methods without my

[Q] Hello Dr CHIP. I am a regular

consent. He knocked the PC once and

reader of CHIP Magazine. Sir I need

the noise went away for a while. I have

to know the minimum hardware

tried and observed all mechanical

requirements to enable Aero in

parts in the PC case and I still nd

Windows 7. Thanks in advance.

the PSU making the same noise. What

Suyash Kant

should I do? My PCs conguration


is Core 2 Duo E7500 2.936 GHz

This is a bootloader corruption error. Boot from


the OS disc and run the Startup Repair option.

processor, 2 x 2 GB of RAM, 512 MB


GeForce 8600gt graphics card, 1 TB

[A] Hello Arpit. You have not stated the

WD hard drive, 360 GB Seagate hard

operating system you are working on.

drive, Sony optical DVD-RW drive, Asus

As far as the errors you have mentioned

P5qpl-AM motherboard, and a local

in the mail, it seems a corruption of the

450 PSU unit. Also please can you

bootloader or the master boot record. Are

update me over local PSU vs. Trusted

you using multiple operating systems?

PSU vendors? Regards.

Did you install a third-party bootloader

Abhishek

utility for multiple operating system

[A] Hello Abhishek. As per your troubles,

booting? If yes, you will need to repair


the bootloader using the same utility.
Check the website or forum concerning

106

02/2012

1060212_Dr_CHIP.indd 106

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

Windows 7 can analyze your PC hardware


components to make sure they are suitable.

the problem is with the PSU fan. It is


a usual phenomenon with older power

SMS us!  Story code: HDC to 51818

1/23/2012 7:29:21 PM

HANDS ON
DR CHIP

using Windows disk management


utility, but my existing windows drive
(F) also got accidentally deleted.
Then I tried to allocate a new partition
but Windows shows this message
An unexpected error has occurred,
check the system event log for more
information on the error, close the
disk management console, and then
restart disk management. I then tried
restarting a few times but I cannot
allocate a new partition. Please help to
Carefully open the PSU, clean all dust using a
blower and lubricate the fan with machine oil.

allocate the new partition which I had

The USB 3.0 connector has nine contacts compared


to a USB 2.0 connector which has just four.

deleted earlier. Eagerly waiting for your


supplies and unbranded ones to have

into an eSATA port. If you manage to

earliest reply.

an exhaust fan failure. Usually, the fan

Unaise

do so, you will end up damaging the

looses the lubrication, due to which the

port and the motherboard as the pin

fan shaft starts deteriorating and hence

congurations are completely different

begins to wobble. Dust particles can

and can short within the connector

also cause fans to lose their lubrication.

causing serious damage to the other

Nothing much can be done in this case,

hardware components including the

but you can try lubricating the fan by

USB 3.0 device. At present, eSATA is still

carefully opening the PSU, cleaning all

faster than USB 3.0.

dust using a brush, cleaning all the dust


from inside using a good blower (The

[Q] Hi CHIP. I just needed to ask that

vacuum cleaner blowing end works

how can I save resources like images

just ne) and adding a few drops of

and videos from the browsers cache

lubricating machine oil to the fan. Else

database. I visit so many sites that

the best option is to clean the PSU and


replace the fan with a new one. Using

MiniTool Partition Wizard Home Edition is a free


utility for creating and resizing partitions.

have built-in ash videos and have


lots of photos are embedded in the
SWF container. To save all of them by

traditional methods like your brother did


(pounding the PC case) actually helps

[A] Hello Unaise. I am afraid you might

visiting the browser cache and save

stabilize the fan wobbling to an extent

have accidentally corrupted the partition

them one by one is a very tedious

and for a certain period of time. But this

table. If you have any important data

task. Is there any add-on available for

procedure can cause serious harm to the

on the drive, I would advise taking a

Firefox 8.0 that allow me to save all

hard drive and you can lose your data

backup immediately and redo the entire

the JPG les whose links are stored in

due to hard drive hemorrhage. Avoid

partition structure from start. Delete all

browsers cache memory? Thanks in

doing so. Replace the PSU with a new

partitions and reboot the system. After

advance.

one if possible. Local power supply units

rebooting, make new partitions and

should be avoided as they can cause

reload all programs and data back to

serious damage to the motherboard and

the hard drive. If you are not a novice in

hard drives. These power supplies are not

using partition management utilities and

well certied and do not have a proper

are willing to experiment, I would advise

voltage regulation and ltering circuits

using MiniTool Partition Wizard Home

which helps reduce their costs. Opting

Edition which is free to use and repair or

for a trusted power supply safeguards

create the partitions accordingly. Data

your investments of other expensive

backup in any case is a must.

Vaibhav

hardware parts and the quality of the


product makes it last longer. No doubt

[Q] Hello Dr CHIP. Is the data transfer

they are far expensive than local ones,

speed of e-SATA greater than USB 3.0?

but it is denitely wise to opt for quality

If yes, then can I insert a USB 3.0 pen-

over price.

drive or external HDD in the e-SATA


port and gain the full speed of the USB

[Q] Dear Sir, I am regular CHIP reader


and I am very satised your recent

CacheViewer is available for Firefox, while


IECache View is available for Internet Explorer.

3.0 pen-drive or external HDD?


Rajshekhar Sirimala

replay to my problem. Now I am facing

[A] Hello Vaibhav. In order to easily view


images and ash videos that get saved

some problem with partition. My

[A] Hello Rajshekhar. USB 3.0 and

in the cache folders of the browsers,

Ubuntu 10.04 Linux OS unfortunately

eSATA ports are completely different and

you can use third party utilities. Mozilla

crashed. Then I deleted the partition

you cannot insert a USB 3.0 connector

Cache View is a utility, while an add-on


INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1060212_Dr_CHIP.indd 107

02/2012

107

1/23/2012 7:29:32 PM

HANDS ON
DR CHIP

Called CacheViewer are available for

Windows without removing Linux, you

Mozilla Firefox. For Internet Explorer you

can hunt for some online solutions on

can use IECache View. These utilities

the Linux forums.

can be downloaded from www.nirsoft.


net and are free of cost. You can search

[Q] Hi Dr. CHIP, I read your section

for similar utilities for Opera and Chrome

in every single issue and nd it very

browsers on Google.

helpful. I want to ask you if there is


any way by which I can connect my

[Q] Hello Dr CHIP. I have a Compaq

Sony Play Station PS2 to my Lenovo

CQ 40 laptop. The specications

Z 570 Laptop or to my desktop

are as follows: 2 GB of RAM, 250 GB

computers monitor? Thanks.

of HDD storage, DVD-R ROM drive

Sagar Goel
Carefully open the external HDD, extract the drive,
and plug it into a SATA port to get to your data.

and a 14-inch display screen. It had


Windows XP Service Pack 3 earlier.
It crashed due to a virus and I had

[A] Hello Anuj. Since you witnessed

to re-install the operating system

some power uctuations, it is quite

and hence installed Linux OS. I have

possible that the USB hardware

Linux Mint 12 and Bharat Operating

controller of the external hard drive

System Solutions (BOSS-an Indian

or the hard drive in the case itself has

Linux OS) on my laptop currently

been damaged. To simplify the process

which are on two different partitions.

and try getting your data back, I would

When I try to install Windows XP SP3,

advice carefully opening the external

the installation of Windows remains

hard drive case and extract the hard

incomplete as the Linux OS does not


allow Windows XP to be installed on
my laptop. Can you please tell me

drive from within and install it directly


Use an external TV tuner which can convert analog
video signals from the PS2 into digital VGA signals.

how to format my hard disk and install


Windows XP on it?
Tejas

to the SATA ports on your motherboard.


If the PC detects the hard drive and you
can access the data, then your hard

[A] Hello Sagar. If you want to connect

drive seems safe and the USB to SATA

your Sony PS2 to your computer, the

controller of the case is damaged. You

best and cheapest possible method is

can buy an external hard drive case and

to use a TV tuner card. If you want to

install the drive in it. If, the drive does

connect the PS2 to your monitor, you

not get detected or if you cannot read

can use an external TV tuner box which

the data from it then the drive is possibly

converts the analog video signals from

damaged.

the PS2 into digital VGA signals for the

You will have to give it for repairs

monitor. The TV tuner or TV box can cost

to get your data back. As you stated

you from Rs 1,500 onwards depending on

that there was a power uctuation

the quality and brand.

which turned off the PC while you were


scanning your drive for errors, there are

[Q] Hi Dr CHIP. I am a big fan of your

also possible chances of the FAT area

magazine and this is my rst time

being damaged. This can be repaired

writing to you. I have got an external

and your data can be recovered using

Seagate FreeAgent Go 500 GB hard

any data recovery utility. Please note

disk which I purchased few years ago.

that if you open the external drive case,

[A] Hello Tejas. It is not impossible, but

I had put that hard disk on scan mode

you will void any existing warranty on

pretty cumbersome to install Windows

to nd if any errors exist by using Tune

the product. If you have any warranty

over a PC that is already running a Linux

up Utilities. The scan was unable to

remaining on the drive and want to claim

operating system because Linux will

complete as electricity uctuations at

for a new hard drive, you will not be able

not allow Windows easily. You would

my place turned off my PC. Now when I

to get the data back as data recovery is

have to tweak the Linux GRUB and the

see my hard disk in My Computer, I can

not included in the warranty terms and

process is tedious. In order to have a

see the icon boot when I open it, I get

conditions. Therefore you should take a

dual operating system involving Windows

an error I:\ is not accessible. Access

call and nally decide if you prefer the

and Linux on the same PC, you will need

is denied. The space occupied by the

data or the hard drive replacement. If

to install Windows rst and then Linux.

hard disk shows zero bytes. I cannot

your data is not as important and can be

If you dont have any important data

format it because it contains critical

reproduced, I would advise opting for a

on your PC, I would advice cleaning the

data important to me. Is there any way

warranty exchange.

entre hard drive of its data and partitions

I can repair the damaged partition table

and installing Windows rst. If your

without formatting? Please reply soon.

Resize your existing Windows partition to create


space for installing Linux.

data is important or you want to install

108

02/2012

1060212_Dr_CHIP.indd 108

Anuj Chandra.

[Q] Hello Sir, I have an old computer


with a P-IV processor and a Gigabyte

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1/23/2012 7:29:41 PM

HANDS ON
DR CHIP

GA8I865GME-775rh motherboard

for which I would request you to throw

(which is not more than ve years

some light on this.

old). Recently the onboard audio chip

 I downloaded a new boot screen

was damaged and hence I bought a

from the internet but instead found

low-cost Intex sound card for now

that it has a series of pictures in

till I get myself a new PC. I installed

the archive. When I played these

the card and the drivers. The sound

pictures as a slideshow, it makes

output is normal but a very irritating

an excellent bootscreen image

background distortion sound is always

animation. I am attaching the le in

present whether any audio is played

this e-mail for your reference. Can

or not on the PC. I replaced it with a

you please tell me how to make a

new one but even the second one is


having the same problem. Is it because

bootscreen out of it?


Pirated software and operating systems can
damage your data. Always buy genuine software.

 I downloaded an image of a

the motherboard is old or is there any

customized version of Windows 7

power supply unit problem? I even

(also known as Windows 8 xTreme

bootanimation is not for Windows

tried the sound card out on different

edition). The le is around 4.29 GB

or a desktop PC. It is for an Android

PCI slots, but the same result crept in.

in size. But when I try to write it on

OS based phone where the phone

Please give me a solution for this.

a DVD (my 16x writer) an error pops

displays the animation while the

out that there is not enough space

operating system is booting. If you

on the disc. Please help me out.

need to know how to create a boot

Chinmay

 I own a Numeric Digital 600 AX


UPS. When I switch on the power,
an orange LED lights up (showing
that the battery is charging). But

can refer to my workshop featured in


the August 2011 issue of CHIP.
 Firstly, downloading pirated operating

when I press the power button on it

systems and software is illegal. If the

to turn my PC on, a red LED starts

le is an ISO le, you will need to burn

blinking and the beeping starts

the le using an ISO burner such as

(which means there is no power


input and the power is being drawn
from UPS). What should I do?
 There is a feature in Windows Media
Avoid buying cheap sound cards to eliminate
disturbances due to EMI from nearby wires.

animation for your Android phone, you

Player according to which when


we right click on the WMP shortcut
on taskbar it displays an option to

Nero or alike.
 As for your UPS, you should check
the manual for the fault indicators
readings. Usually a red LED indication
means a faulty battery, dead battery
or overload on the output.
 VLC or MPC does not have any

[A] Hello Chinmay. A sound card

resume the previous playlist. Can I

resume playlist feature as it does not

would not cause unwanted distortions

somehow have this feature with any

store the playlist in a library database

unless it is has a fault in it. Since you

other player (with reference to VLC

like WMP does. You will have to save

have tried another card and observed

or MPC)?

the playlist information to a le and

similar problems, the problem might be

 I installed Tune Up 2012 as

reload it again when needed. The

with the speakers or the power supply.

suggested by your magazine and

There could be some sort of electrical

in the x problems section it give

disturbance induced by the surrounding

a notication that the device

wiring, adapters, or a faulty power line.

mscank is not working properly

particular hardware drivers and can

To completely analyze the problem,

and to resolve this problem in

also possibly be a potential virus or

I would advise you to try the card on

Windows Device Manager. I could

Trojan. Do scan your system properly

another PC to conrm if the card is

not resolve the problem as I could

using a good antivirus tool to rule

working properly. If not, try another

not nd any such device named

out any virus or malware. The error

brand. If the card works ne on the other

mscank. Please help.

is usually because of a faulty device

option of playing your recently opened


media les is available though.
 Mscank.sys is associated with

PC, then you should have your speakers

I would be grateful if you could reply

driver which needs to be updated

and PSU checked. Make sure that

the solutions to mail.

or reloaded. Check in the device

nothing was dislodged when you opened

Sachin

your PC to install the new card. Ensure

manager and see if there are any


devices that are marked with errors.

that the drivers for the sound card are

[A] Hello Sachin. Let me answer the

You can follow this simple guide in

properly installed and are the latest.

problems in the order of the queries

case you are unable to get rid of the

themselves.

error. Check the site http://www.

 I have reviewed the attachment

advancedPCtweaker.com/exe-errors/

[Q] Hello Dr CHIP, I read your


magazine every month and it rocks.

and found a series of .PNG image

mscank.sys.html

Especially your column and the Tips

les which when animated forms a

Send your queries to Francis DSa

and Tricks section. I have ve queries

bootanimation sequence. But this

at drchip@chip.in
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1060212_Dr_CHIP.indd 109

02/2012

109

1/23/2012 7:29:48 PM

HANDS ON

WORKSHOP

Root: Samsung Galaxy Note


Learn how to root your Samsung Galaxy Note in a few simple steps and enable your handheld
to accommodate custom built ROMs and kernels. BY FRANCIS DSA

ooting a mobile phone is not

ready to get root access to the Samsung

above and download the le that

for everyone, but is also not too

Galaxy Note.

corresponds to your rmware which

difficult. While some Android

 A fully charged Samsung Galaxy

has the characters you are looking

handsets can be rooted in a single click,

Note: Not necessary that it should be

for (for example CF-Root-SGN_XX_

others need a tedious procedure. Still,

charged to 10 %, but around 60 %

XEN_KJ4-v5.0-CWM5.zip). Download

it is worth the trouble. Why root an

and above should do ne.

the le and extract the contents to a

Android mobile? The answer is pretty

 The device set to USB debugging

simplerooting Android is a method

enabled: you can do this by going to

which allows you to gain Administrative

the following section on your phones

rights to the main operating system,

settings: Settings -> Applications ->

folders and les, and to allow you to


tweak, delete, replace or add custom

Development.
 The Micro USB cable of the phone:

les. This helps to increase productivity,

This cable should be bundled with

performance and also taps into hidden

your device. If you dont have one, any

areas of the phone to reveal additional


features that the manufacturer does not
disclose. In short, take an example of
the PC as the Android phone. If you have
Administrator or super user rights, you

folder on your desktop.

other Micro USB cable would do.


 A PC with Windows installed: We
dont think this needs any explanation,
do we?
 Drivers for your Samsung Galaxy

can install software, replace operating

Note: you can download the latest

Now that you have kept ready what you

systems with the one of your choice,

version of Samsung Kies and install it.

require, lets get started. Make sure your

tweak the performance, add or delete

Another method is to simply connect

phone is not connected to the PC at

les and applications and a lot more.

the phone to the USB port after USB

this time. We shall inform you when it is

debugging is enabled and Windows

needed.

Android devices is that they never have

should automatically install the

STEP 1: Open the folder which contains

locked bootloaders, which is the key to

drivers. But Kies is a safer alternative.

the kernel. You should see a .tar le

The one good thing about Samsung

gaining root access. Usually, the root

 The ashing utility: you will need the

method is online almost immediately

latest version of the Chain Fire Root

a Zimage le. Right-click on the le and

after the release of the product. This

Flasher (CFRootasher.zip) which can

select Copy

helps amateur developers create custom

be downloaded from http://tinyurl.

ROMs (Android operating system) for

com/7k9p8ro. This utility will do

the device. Installing custom ROMs can

the necessary ashing of the phone.

actually be a good option as you can

Download the le and extract the

have a very light operating system

contents to a folder on your desktop.

useless applications and eye-candy

 The Kernel: In order to root the SGN,

removed, tweaked kernels for faster

the correct Chain Fire Root Kernel

processing, additional applications for

is needed. Download it from http://

there. Unzip that too and you should ne

better tweaking and productivity and a

tinyurl.com/d5hhg39. Now this is

list of other possibilities. In this section,

where you need to carefully download

we shall show you how you can go about

the exact kernel for your phone.

rooting your Samsung Galaxy Note in a

Got to Settings -> About Phone

few steps.

on the Note and check the kernel

STEP 2: Now open the folder which

version. It should be something like

contains the Chain Fire Root Flasher

ash counter in the phones rmware and

2.6.34.7-N7000XXKJ4-CL641703. The

utility and browse to the folder Zimage.

you can switch back to the stock ROM if

important area here is after the two

Right-click in this folder and click Paste.

you need to claim for warranty. Here is a

X characters (in this case KJ4). Note

This should create a copy of the kernel

list of all the tools you will need to keep

this down, go to the URL mentioned

le in this folder.

This method does not increase the

DISCLAIMER: Rooting the phone involves hacking into the rmware and operating system of the phone. As these procedures are risky
and can permanently brick or damage your phone, we will not be responsible for any damage caused to your phone. A bricked phone
can result in warranty issues. Root your phone at your own risk.

110

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1100212_Root - Samsung Galaxy Note.indd 110

SMS us!  Story code: HRG to 51818

1/23/2012 8:12:13 PM

HANDS ON

WORKSHOP

STEP 3: Now hit the backspace key and


you should go back to the parent folder.
Here you should nd the le Not-rootedyet.bat. Double-click this le to execute it
and the ashing process will begin.

3
scrolling across the window. Let the
utility do the needful while you wait and

be rebooted.
Once the reboot happens, you

watch.

can disconnect the phone from the

STEP 7: This is an optional step which

PC and check if you have a new icon

you need to manually do in case it

(application) installed on the phone in

is needed. If you look at the process

the application drawer called Superuser.

STEP 4: Now make sure your phone

carefully, you will come to a stage where

If this exists, then you should have a

is charged, switched on, has USB

the utility will highlight a text which

successful rooted phone. If not, you can

debugging enabled and then connect

states if the process gets stuck here

try the entire process again.

USB cable to the phone and to the PC.

for a long time . . .BLAH!! . . .BLAH!!! ..

Warning: Dont do anything else as yet.

if the process continues further, nothing

you can download any application from

To check if you have root access,

STEP 5: Next, take a look the PC screen

is needed to be done. But if the screen

the Android Market that requires root

where the application window is running.

is stuck there for a long time, you need

privileges and test it. Titanium Backup,

You will nd a list of steps displayed

to go to the Settings -> Applications ->

Root Manager, ROM Manager are a few

there that you need to do conrm you

Development section of the phone (do

example apps that require root access.

have ready. Make sure you have done

not disconnect the phone) and disable

all of it as stated and do not ignore or

and re-enable USB debugging. The utility

Clockwork Mod recovery on your phone

skip any step there. Double check again

will nd the device and proceed further.

you can start installing your favorite

and once done, you can proceed further.

If you did not need to do this, ignore this

custom ROMs immediately. To check if

Finally, only if you are satised with the

step.

CWM has installed on your SGN, power

necessary requirements you should press

STEP 8: If the above was successful,

off the phone and press the combination

any key to continue.

you should see a message stating that

keys Volume up + Home + Power to

STEP 6: Now, on the PC screen, you

temporary root has been obtained and

enter the recovery mode.

will nd the utility doing a load of jobs

the new kernel will be ashed. You can

now press any


key to continue.
Next you shall
see the new
kernel being
pushed to the
phone.
STEP 9: If all

Since this utility also pushes or installs

francis.dsa@chip.in

TIP

Since CWM is already installed now, it is


recommended that you initially take a backup of the
phone and store a copy of the backup on your PC for
safety. This can be restored back to your phone in
case there are any mishaps while installing custom
ROMs or if you want to simply revert back to your
previous ROM.

goes well in
the above step,
you should get
the message
stating that the
procedure is
complete and
the phone will

ALTERNATIVE

There is another procedure for rooting the SGN


using a simple one-click utility for Windows. Check
out the site at http://tinyurl.com/7cy4fls. Since this
procedure and utility are not completely tested by a
lot of users, you can try it if you want, but at your
own risk.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1100212_Root - Samsung Galaxy Note.indd 111

02/2012

111

1/23/2012 8:12:17 PM

HANDS ON

WORKSHOP

Underclock your Galaxy Note?

Heres a very simple guide on how to underclock your


Samsung Galaxy Note in a few basic steps. BY FRANCIS DSA

ost users would prefer

needs such as browsing the internet,

overclocking their

watching a movie, composing an SMS

mobile phones to

or email or listening to music, need an

gain better performance. But


underclocking has its benets

will be the same, videos and music

The Samsung Galaxy Note

wont play any faster or better, and

features a dual core 1.4 GHz

composing a message would be limited

processor and has a battery

to your typing speed and so on. So why

specication of 2500 mAh which

overclock and lose precious battery life?

can give you a maximum talk

If this does not make sense to you, I

time of approximately 13 hours.

suppose you should be happy in carrying

But since the Galaxy Note is

along your charger wherever you go.

designed to be your personal

Others can read on.

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1120212_Underclock your Galaxy Note Heres why.indd 112

Underclocking your smartphone can

while on the continuous move,

save you loads of battery juice that

making calls, taking notes,

can be highly benecial when you are

surng the web and a load

constantly outdoors or travelling on a

of features being used on the

long journey. There are a lot of options,

spectacularly large 5.3-inch

that after tweaking, can help you reduce

Super AMOLED display can run

the power consumption and increase

your battery down to less than

battery life. For example, switching

half its expected time. And if you

off the Bluetooth, GPS and wireless

want to overclock your phone

radio when not needed, lowering the

just to get higher performance

brightness levels of the display when in a

from it, think twicehow will you

darker environment, switching the phone

really benet?

to ight mode when it is not needed,

Overclocking your phone

112

Denitely notthe internet speed

which most would agree with.

portable computer assistant

First make a nandroid backup so that you can undo all changes
in case you make a mistake somewhere or if something goes
wrong while flashing the kernel.

overclocked processor?

and underclocking your processor. Most

simply allows a few tasks such

Android based smartphones which

as starting an application, and

have stock operating systems installed

displaying or scrolling through

from their manufacturer, lack the

the home screens or photos, a

ability of overclocking or underclocking

bit quicker. But do your basic

their processor to save on power

Jagdish Limbachiya

SMS us!  Story code: HOG to 51818

1/23/2012 8:13:21 PM

HANDS ON

WORKSHOP
consumption. There are a few that might
allow you to do so, but have limitations

free.
 ABYSSNOTE KERNEL 1.5 OR

to overclocking or underclocking around

HIGHER: This is the Android

20 percent and the Galaxy Note is no

kernel which will be replacing the

outsider to this fact. In this workshop, we

present kernel on your phone. The

shall show you how you can underclock

kernel is tweaked and designed

your Galaxy note to as low as 100 MHz

for loads of features including

to help save on battery life. The only

underclocking and overclocking.

one who can command the processor to

Download the latest kernel from

underclock or overclock is the kernel and

here (http://www.multiupload.
com/01PAF6M0BO)

a properly tweaked one can denitely put


a smile on your face when you see your

So why waste time? Lets get

battery icon still in green.

started already. Download the

Here is a list of requirements that

latest AbyssNote Kernel from the

you would need to get your Galaxy Note

above mentioned website and save

saving on battery life.

it to your computer desktop. Next,

 A ROOTED GALAXY NOTE: We

connect your Galaxy Note to your PC

assume you already have a rooted

or laptop using the USB cable as a

one, and if you dont, you can follow

mass storage. After a few seconds,

the procedures mentioned here.

your PC should be able to see the

(http://forum.xda-developers.com/

SD card of the Note in My Computer.

showthread.php?t=1329360)

Now copy the Kernel (zip le), you just

 CLOCKWORKMOD RECOVERY

downloaded, from the desktop to the

ALREADY INSTALLED ON THE

root or parent folder of the SD card.

PHONE: If you do not have it yet,

To ensure that you can nd it easily,

you can get it done by installing ROM

make sure you dont save it anywhere

Manager from the Android Market, its

deep inside any other sub folders.


Once done, disconnect the
phone from the PC and
reboot it into recovery mode
(Volume Up + Home + Power

You can install SetCPU (Paid) or AnTUTU CPU Master (free)


from the Android Market and set your Galaxy Notes Clock
speed to whatever you need.

Button). Once in recovery


mode, you will need to rst

continuously being made and updates

make a nandroid backup so that

for the kernel to eliminate bugs and

you can undo all changes in case

new features are constantly being

you mess up somewhere or if

implemented. Do have a look at the

something goes wrong while

changelog to keep yourself updates on

ashing the kernel. After doing

the latest development of this kernel.

the backup, you will need to

you can install SetCPU (not free) or

and Dalvik cache (Wipe Dalvik

AnTUTU CPU Master (free) from the

Cache) to clean out the old

Android Market and set your Galaxy

system cache junk and make way

Notes Clock speed to whatever you

for the new kernel. Next simply

need. You can overclock your processor

choose the option to install ZIP

up to around 1.7 GHz or underclock it

from SD card and choose the .zip

below 100 MHz, choose your level. Do

le of the AbyssNote kernel you

note that underclocking your processor

just copied to the SD card. Let

will make your entire operating system

the ashing process complete

feel a little sluggish, but it is the best

(approximately 5 10 minutes).

way to keep your battery from being

Once done, reboot the phone.

drained unnecessarily. In either of the

Thats it!

programs mentioned above, you can

The new kernel does have a

CPU Spy shows the processor's activity at different speeds.

Now to underclock your processor,

clear the cache (Wipe Cache)

set the processors low and high speed

lot or tweaks and tricks under

thresholds to ONDEMAND to be scaled

its sleeve which can benet you

by the governor. This setting will set the

in a lot of ways. It comprises of

processor speed to only the required

bugs and xes for applications

amount and lower it to the minimal set

and drivers too. But do note,

value when not in use.

the kernel development is

francis.dsa@chip.in

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1120212_Underclock your Galaxy Note Heres why.indd 113

02/2012

113

1/23/2012 8:13:25 PM

HANDS ON

TIPS & TRICKS

Tips &
Tricks
FEBRUARY 2012

SHARE YOUR TIPS. Write to: tnt@chip.in

Sachin Pandit

WINDOWS

WINDOWS XP / VISTA / 7

Program using the command Start | All

menu, for instance Turn off the computer,

programs | Start Menu 7 | Start Menu 7.

and dene the period for action in a

Now, when you click on Start you will

Set up the start menu in such a

not see the usual start menu provided

way that you have everything

by Windows, but instead, a menu that


has an extensive collection of links: It

at hand

has a different visual effect and enables

simple and an intuitive dialog. Finally, click


the Start button to save the settings.

WINDOWS 7
Open the control panel option

The shareware tool Start Menu 7 offers

direct access to all the programs and

a good alternative to the standard

les on your system in an alphabetically

start menu; this can be downloaded

sorted sub-menu format, for instance

With the number of possible options

from startmenu7.com.

Programs, My Documents or Computer.

increasing exponentially, it is becoming

In addition to this, the various entries

difficult to nd exactly what you need

use additional sorting and display tools.

in the Control Panel.

you want directly

Thus, for instance Program offers the

structure known as All programs as seen


in the usual Windows Start menu and on
the other hand, the Program links can
be found under headings such as Quick
start and Autorun. You can add your
own menus and commands using the
option Add entries to the menu.
Click on Options and Conguration
Replace the standard Start Menu with a more
flexible and useful version.

so as to complete the experience as per


your own taste. Use the option System
integration and remove the tick in front

According to the developers,

of Start the Start Menu 7 with Windows

This view gives you quick access to a huge variety


of options buried within the Control Panel

Start Menu 7 runs on both XP and Vista

if you do not wish to activate the tool

in addition to Windows 7 as its name

automatically at every system start.

suggests. For installation, double-click on

You can add more power management

and buttons to nd the option you need,

the downloaded le in Windows Explorer

buttons in Start Menu 7 using the option

simply go to Start and then type in a

and follow the instructions given by the

Buttons; this is done to turn off the

small C (c) in the Search program and

setup wizard. You have to have a user

computer, to restart it, or to enable the

les eld. Windows will immediately

account with administrator rights during

use of power management commands in

present the results of your search query

the process as the setup routine involves

a time-controlled fashion. For this, click

in the start menu, subdivided into various

accessing important system les. Once

on the corresponding button in the Start

categories. Now click on the category

the installation is complete start the

menu, select the desired function in a

name, ie Control panel. With this,

114

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1140212_Tips and Tricks.indd 114

Instead of clicking several icons

SMS us!  Story code: HTT to 51818

1/23/2012 6:38:06 PM

HANDS ON

TIPS & TRICKS


Windows will open a window which offers

of each region, called Theme.

on OK. This is how the dened rule will

you more than 250 options in the Control

NOTE: As soon as you have activated

be applied even manually on other drives

Canelyou can have direct access to any

a theme once, it will be available

and folders of your computer or even

one of these from here. The operating

for future use in the Customize

your home network.

system further categorizes this list in

dialog described earlier.

different groups for instance Windows


Firewall and Maintenance Center.

WINDOWS 7

WINDOWS XP/ VISTA / 7


Automatically clean the waste

WINDOWS XP / VISTA / 7
Enforce a password change for
user accounts

from USB sticks in Windows


Force users on your computer or

Give your PC a new look with a


secret windows theme

Microsoft includes a number of local

Automate the process of cleaning out

network to adopt stronger security

your pen drives, and you might end up

policies.

liberaing quite a bit of space.

touches which are also interesting for

people in other parts of the world.

Plenty of junk files accumulate on pen drives,


especially if they are used on multiple computers.
Type in the name manually to navigate to this
hidden folder.

All the settings you need are contained within this


dialog box.

The process for changing the


You can leave the task of regular

password is available in the Computer

repeated cleaning of your USB sticks to

management option. You can change

the free tool USBDriveFresher: the tool

this from the Control Panel where you

show all the themes in the Customize

can run comfortably as a background

will need to go to System and security

dialog (which can be reached by right-

process. You can nd this tool at www.

and Administrator. In the tree structure

clicking on any point on the desktop)

affinity-tools.com/usbfresher/. Download

in the left hand pane, click on the triangle

that Microsoft offers with its operating

the program for there onto your PC.

in front of Local user and groups, then

system. There are various themes for

The tool can be started and congured

on User. Now, right-click on that user

specic geographic regions hidden

immediately after a short installation

account option for which you wish to

in the le system. You just need to

process. In addition to this check the

change the password. Now, select the

play a small trick to be able to use

list of Cleanup rules. Here, you could

context command Properties. In the

these anywhere else. For this, start

for instance add the *.tmp as well as

General tab you will nd all the relevant

the Windows Explorer and go to the

~*.* entries after clicking on the Add

options, some of which cause others

Globalization folder available under

option. Later on you even have the option

to become available. Thus, rst of all

the Windows installation directory. At

available to load the tool automatically

activate the setting Never show the

rst glance you might think that this

when the system is started and even to

password. Only then can you activate the

directory contains only two folders

automate the cleaning process. At rst,

option User must change the password

called ELS and Sorting. But when you

you should let this option be disabled

during the next login. Conrm this with

click in the address eld and manually

and then test the correct functions.

Accept as well as the OK button. The

type in the \MCT paththe whole path

For this, save your settings with the

user now receives a relevant message

for instance would be C:\Windows\

help of the Save option and select the

after clicking for the login and must

Globalization\MCTyou will see a hidden

Cleanup USB Memory Drive Now option.

enter the current password once in the

directory that will remain visible in the

Select the USB drive in the subsequent

following dialog and the new one twice

customary Explorer only if you activate

dialog with the help of a checkbox and

in the same dialog. The corresponding

the option for displaying hidden les

start the process by clicking on the

option is removed again from the

and folders. The folder MCT contains

Cleanup option. A message then pops

Computer management tab after this

folders for Australia (MCT-AU), Canada

up informing the user about the success

processthus the administrator can

(MCT-CA), Great Britain (MCT-GB),

in the scanning and cleaning work. In

conclude that the password has been

USA (MCT-US) and South Africa

addition to this, you will also nd the

changed successfully.

(MCT-ZA). You will nd all the additional

option Custom Cleanup in the program

NOTE: Even an administrator cannot read

themes, which can be activated by

window. Now, select a desired folder and

other users passwords. However, in case

double-clicking on them, in the subfolder

start the process immediately by clicking

of an emergency at the most he or she

Surprisingly, Windows 7 does not

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1140212_Tips and Tricks.indd 115

02/2012

115

1/23/2012 6:38:15 PM

HANDS ON

TIPS & TRICKS


can access the unencrypted data of the

Save yourself the trouble of minimizing

user or can reset the password.

windows and searching for the icon.

WINDOWS XP / VISTA / 7
Locate the biggest file on the
drive within a split second

You can't tell how your hard drive has


suddenly become full. There must be
some large les somewhere, but how
do you nd them?

The handy tray icon is always visible and offers


some information without any effort.

Use a photo on your folder icon to make it stand


out against a sea of similar yellow icons.

The Recycle Bin cannot easily be

For this, right-click on the desired folder

shifted into the taskbar, since trying this

icon in the relevant view and select the

only pins it to the Windows Explorer icon,

context command Properties. Go to the

which is not all that helpful. However,

Customize tab. Now, click on the Select

with the free tool MiniBin (www.e-sushi.

le option in the Folder picture area.

net/minibin/) linking and functioning

Mark the desired eld and then click on

from there can be made possible. For

Open. Conrm this change using the

installing, unzip the ZIP archive and click

Yes button and then the OK button.

and start the EXE le. The option Start

Windows saves these individual settings

Mini-Bin at system boot option must be

for the respective folder in a le called

activated so that the tool remains active

desktop.ini located in the row beginning

on a permanent basis. You can directly

with Logo=. The change can even be

start the program once the installation is

cancelled in the same dialog by clicking

slow search through each and every

complete. The tool is not a replacement

on the Restore option.

folder and folder properties box, use

for the Windows Recycle Bin but just

NOTE: Do not mistake this setting with

the comfortable portable free tool

an additional access method; the usual

the Folder icon option. This will change

Top100Files. You can nd it at www.

system Recycle Bin is always available

the icon permanently and then will not

le.net/freeware/largest-les-nder.

and can be used even now. With this tool

allow any dynamic image for the folders.

html. It is a small program that can be

you can simply open the old Recycle

managed without any installation hassle

Bin directly by double-clicking, or empty

or settings. Your task is completed

it immediately using the context menu.

immediately. It is quite simple to operate,

Conguration is not really necessary: you

just click and start the EXE le. During

must just adjust the icon in the info area

the search procedure you will see an

in such a way that the small recycle bin

automatically generated and updated

is always visible. The tool tip message

You use a SkyDrive account to back up

list of the largest les on the system

even shows the current lling status and

your les and share them with friends,

drive. The only clickable element is the

informs about when the next automatic

and the process be made even easier.

icon Browse. You can select the drive

emptying cycle is expected. You can

or folder to be tested from the folder

uninstall the tool at any time from the

dialog by clicking here. This is how you

Software dialog in the Control Panel.

This handy list will help you clean out oversized


files and quickly free up hard drive space.

Instead of a manual and

WINDOWS XP / VISTA / 7
Connect Microsoft SkyDrive
as a network drive under
Windows

can conduct a search for a specic folder


or a different drive. Check the result list
and delete superuous les or move
incorrectly placed les via the Explorer.

WINDOWS XP / VISTA / 7
Use a picture of your choice as
the folder preview

However, system les like pagele.sys


and hyberl.sys must be retained for

You need to access the same folders

system restoring and standby. You can

fairly regularly, but waste lots of time

be rest assured that it is safe to delete

scanning lists to nd them.

temporarily formed installation les


which litter your PC after extensive use.

You can replace the images

Mount your SkyDrive account as a drive in your


Windows Explorer for quick access.

assigned at random by Windows Explorer

WINDOWS XP/ VISTA / 7

to visualize various folders contents with

Set up the Recycle Bin in the

an appropriate association of your own.

who have registered themselves for

notification tray so it is always

However, you can select only one image

Windows Live a free 25 GB online

le and not many thumbnails at a time

memory space as a part of Windows

and that too must be done manually.

Live; you can simply call it up in the

within reach

116

02/2012

SkyDrive is offering all those

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1140212_Tips and Tricks.indd 116

1/23/2012 6:38:26 PM

HANDS ON

TIPS & TRICKS


browser and can even manage it by

10

yourself. It is even better if you connect

Reporter, is better suited for this job.


This way, you can release older add-ons

the memory space as a network drive

for testing through a dialog. If this works

in the system. For this, all you need is

successfully, you will have an option of

the correct identication of your own

sending a feedback to Mozilla so that

account, which can be copied from the

the add-on can be okayed as compatible

URL indicated in the browser. Open

for everyone. You can download the tool

your SkyDrive account in the browser

by searching for it from Add-ons. For

after getting yourself registered there.

installing it, open the XPI le through the

The URL in the address bar looks

browser. Click Install now and give your

somewhat like https://skydrive.live.


com/?cid=1234567890abcdef. Mark and

You can integrate variable formulae using indirect


references to see discounts and graduated prices.

Finally, you must click Restart now to


restart Firefox.

copy the part after cid= or make a note


of the 16-digit cid. Now, you can start

formula =INDIRECT("'"&A2&"'!"&B2)

the Windows Explorer. Right-click to the

in the cell B2.

left of the structure on Computer and

permission for installing the software.

When it restarts, you will see a page


that gives information on using the

Here, A2 is the variable part, which

Add-on Compatibility Reporter. The tool

select the context command Connect

refers to the table name of the sheet

will have turned off the compatibility

with the network or Assign network. To

from where you need the data. It is

check and marked all relevant add-ons

begin with, dene the desired alphabet

followed by the double quotation marks

for activation. They get activated when

for the SkyDrive like maybe Z: in the list

that also contain normal quotation mark;

you restart the browser. However, you

eld. You should take any alphabet that

this is important for the reference to

should rst check the settings using

comes later in the series of alphabets so

another table. Evaluating the formula

the command Tools | Add-ons. The

as to avoid any conicts with other drives

puts together the elements of the

entries marked in green in the list are

or memory cards. Enter the Folder in the

character string in a variable manner

activated test-wise. Other grey marked

form of \Server\SharedFolder, where

and gets the value from the respective

entries have already been manually

\\docs.live.net@SSL\ is the server and

table using the function INDIRECT.

deactivated and will not get activated

then the CID is the share name. Activate

The formula can be copied and

automatically. You can change the

the option Restore connection in case of

modied so that you can quickly build a

status for every add-on using the

disconnection for automatic access. You

comprehensive overview tables using this

button Activate or Deactivate.

have to sign in again for Windows Live

principle.

Moreover, there is one more button


called Compatibility. This helps you

using your access data after clicking on


Finish. The new drive should now appear
in the Explorer.

APPLICATIONS

10

11

Firefox 4-7

send the result of your tests to Mozilla.

Checking older add-ons and

If everything is OK, select the setting

making them compatible again

This add-on still works. Otherwise,


select This add-on no longer works.

When changing the version up to

Then, in the dialog that appears, you can

Excel 2003, 2007, 2010

Firefox 7, some of your add-ons have

enter further details and decide whether

Putting together cell values of

been deactivated. Though updates

you want to actually send the report

several sheets

are not available everywhere, you

using Submit report. No data is sent

still want to be able to use your older

without your conrmation and approval.

A work group uses sheets that are

add-ons.

subdivided into months. In an annual

11

overview, you need to put together


data in such a way that the same elds

12

Outlook 2007, 2010


Cleaning the inbox such that
theres more free space in it

from different sheets are always listed.


You have used the tools offered in the
The reference to different sheets

File menu for cleaning the inbox.

cannot be accessed directly with an

Yet the size of the PST le has not

Auto Fill function. Hence, you need to

reduced. You want to free more space.

create suitable references by using a


formula and then using the INDIRECT

All deletion and cleaning

function. If, for instance, the workbook


has twelve month sheets, enter the
exact names of the twelve sheets in

processes only remove entries from


You can individually check the compatibility of
your older add-ons with the new browser version.

the thirteenth sheet for an overview


in the rst column starting from A2,

the database; the data itself remains


in the PST le and continues to take
up memory space. Like in the previous

Although there have always

which will then be used as reference. In

been tricks and methods to test if older

column B, you would now like to have

add-ons can be used in new versions,

a cumulative value, for that, enter the

the new add-on, Add-on Compatibility

versions, you need to compress the PST


le to actually get some free space.
However, it is not possible to access
the settings of the data le from
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1140212_Tips and Tricks.indd 117

02/2012

117

1/23/2012 6:38:31 PM

HANDS ON

TIPS & TRICKS

12

14

Google Chrome

15

Arranging browser tabs to the


side of the screen to save space

You like to surf with several tabs


open, but want to use your widescreen
monitor optimally. You can arrange the
tabs to the side of the screen instead.

14
Space that is no longer in use is actually freed
through Compact.

In the link to a YouTube video, you can specify a


tiem from which the video should start playing.

their expected location. Instead, open

right-click in the video and select the

the normal Outlook view and select

context command Copy video URL at

Mail or Folder List on the left in the

current time. With the shortcut keys

navigation area. In Outlook 2007, the

[Ctrl] + [V], you can now attach the

topmost level of the structure is called

special link to a mail. These direct links

Personal Folder. Here, do not right-click


a single folder. Instead, click the entry
Outlook at the top. If more than one

can also be manually compiled or edited.


In case of wide screens, a tab bar on the side is
often more practical.

PST les are open, you will nd the

For this, add the text &feature=player_


detailpage#t=55s to the normal link of
the required video. Here, enter the stop

required links, which carry the names of

Chrome can display the tabs on

the respective PST les, at the topmost

one side. However, the setting required

time in seconds the end after t=. You


can also make an entry such as 1m50s

level. In the context menu, select the

for this is somewhat hidden. First, enter

also for time in minutes and seconds.

command Data le properties. Now

about:ags in the address bar.

Firefox 7

go to Advanced in the General tab.

The dialog that appears gives you

Click Compact Now and wait for the

access to experimental settings, which

process to complete it can take a

may not function reliably. The rst

few minutes. In Outlook 2010, right click

entry there will be Side Tabs. Click the

on the Outlook Data File in the left

respective link Enable. The change

You can to create backups of your

navigation area and then select Data

takes effect after you restart the browser.

saved passwords and use your simple

File Properties. Here in the General

You can do so by pressing the Relaunch

master password on another PC.

tab click on Advanced and select the

Now button at the end of the dialog.

option Compact Now. You should

Now, you can right-click any tab of your

carry out this step from time to time, for

choice and arrange the bar to the left

example once every month, depending

using the new context command Use

on the amount of incoming data.

Side Tabs. In the same manner, you can

16

Easy securing and transferring


of passwords

16

again bring back the tabs to the top.

13

RIM BlackBerry Bold


Customizing Blackberry quick
start bar

15

YouTube
Generating links such that
videos start at a specific point

The BlackBerry Bold screen has


shortcuts for directly starting some

You often nd an interesting point in a

important applications. You would

video on YouTube, which you want to

like to customize this to suit your

send to a friend as a link. You want to

requirements.

omit the part before that.

By securing saved passwords, you can have your


data ready in case you forget something.

Even password protected


synchronization only provides partial

You dont require a special menu

By default, the link to a YouTube

security and should not be used for

to customize the toolbar on the start

video always leads you to its starting

passwords. Plus, this method does

screen. First press the BlackBerry button.

point. In a mail, you have to then

not even create a backup copy for

Then select the desired icon and open

separately mention the part with the

system failures. It is more practical to

the context menu, again using the

interesting portion, so that the recipient

create local backups of data and to

BlackBerry button.

can forward the video till that point.

transfer them yourself. The free add-on,

However, you can also integrate the

Password Exporter, is suitable for this

move the icon to the desired position in

exact point in the link. To do so, rst

job. It can be downloaded from https://

the rst tool line because BlackBerry then

play the video up to the desired point

addons.mozilla.org/en-US/refox/

uses these icons for the quick start.

and interrupt it with the Pause key. Now,

addon/password-exporter/?src=api.

Activate the Move command. Then

118

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1140212_Tips and Tricks.indd 118

1/23/2012 7:14:46 PM

HANDS ON

TIPS & TRICKS


To install it, click the button Add to

as before and you can continue to use all

Firefox on the website or open the XPI

your previous settings.

LibreOffice

19

Use the alternative to the

le from the browser. Grant the required


permission by clicking Install now. You
now need to restart Firefox by clicking
Restart now. The add-on does not

18

Microsoft Office suite

Word 2007, 2010


Copy text into Word without

If you were used to OpenOffice then

having to reformat it

you will nd LibreOffice quite useful.

require any further settings; it integrates


itself in the Firefox menus. To open it,

When you copy text from a document

you can simply go to Tools | Options

or website, the formatting is wrong.

and select the Security tab. In the

19

18

Passwords area, you can now access


the tool with the new button Import/
export passwords. Then click Export
passwords and select a suitable target
folder, for example a USB stick. The
automatically generated name with the
date can be retained. Clicking Save

A complete MS office-compatible Office suite can


be made available with LibreOffice.

saves the data in an XML le. The import


of previously secured les also takes
place in the same manner. You also have
the option to export/import password of
even those site where password cannot

In Word 2007 and 2010 the user can define what


has to be copied and added from the text.

be stored.

LibreOffice is gaining popularity,


as the most popular and free Microsoft
Office alternative OpenOffice is no

In order to be able to take over the

longer being developed further. As

Firefox 7

text passages without the information in

the name suggests LibreOffice is also

Repairing Fast Dial

a font or paragraph format click on the

a freeware and the most suitable

File tab provided in the Microsoft Office

alternative for the Microsoft package.

The Fast Dial add-on no longer

or in the ribbon for Office 2010. Now you

Rather than just reading about it give

functions after updating Firefox to

can use the Word options or simply

it a try. For installation start the EXE

version 7. You want to use it again.

the Options. Now, select the option

le and then allow the wizard to guide

Advance that you will see to the left of

you through the process step by step.

the entry in the subsequent dialog and

If it is quite sometime that you have

then search for Cut, Copy and Paste

been using OpenOffice and are quite

options to the right side of this eld. Here,

satised with its performance then it is

you will nd a number of options for the

absolutely worthwhile that you switch to

text editing for cut, copy and pasting

LibreOffice. Now, for instance, you can

the text content. The text editing can

make all your documents write-protected

be done in two ways; an action can be

using a password in the Writer such

carried out within a document or among

that they can be opened, but will not

two different documents.

accept any changes without a password.

17

17

Moreover, you can even dene how

For doing so go to the Save dialog and

Word should react if the format guideline

select the option Save with password

denitions of the source and target do

at the bottom and click Save. Now, you

not match or if the text is from some

can set a password. This password will

other program. You can dene the desired

only be used to Open the document. If

3.4 was not tested on Firefox 6. Even

objective for each of these individual

you wish to restrict editing then click on

the Mozilla sites no longer list it as

cases by selecting the corresponding

More options and activate the Open

a compatible download. However,

entry in a separate combination eld.

le read-only option, you can give in an

userlogos.org/extensions/fastdial has

While doing so you must decide whether

Editing password and can then save

come up with an updated version 3.5.x,

the Word should retain the original

by clicking on OK. This protection will

which works with Firefox 7 without any

format, should consolidate the formatting

restrict editing and is surely practical,

problems. Click the link to fast_dial-

or should just take over the text. In

but copying data and saving the data

3.5.1.xpi at the end of the site. To install

addition to this, you can also select the

under a different name is still possible.

it, open the XPI le through Firefox. Dont

option Match Destination Formatting

Additionally, the current MS Office les

delete the previous version of Fast Dial

when switching between documents

in the DOCX or XLSX format can be

in order to retain your settings. Grant the

whose formatting guideline denitions do

opened and edited for free in the Office

required permission by clicking Install

not match. Select the option Keep Text

packet.

now and restart the browser. This should

Only so as to instruct Word to copy only

update the add-on and make it function

the text without the formatting.

Fast Dial 3.4 no longer works directly with Firefox


7. However, it can be updated manually .

The previous version Fast Dial

Compiled by Team CHIP


send your tips to tnt@chip.in
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1140212_Tips and Tricks.indd 119

02/2012

119

1/23/2012 7:56:18 PM

MARKET WATCH

MARKET WATCH
PROCESSORS: Intel
NAME
Intel E5700 Dual-Core
Intel E5800 Dual-Core
Intel E7500 Core 2 Duo
Intel Core i3-2100 (Sandy Bridge)
Intel Core i5-2310 (Sandy Bridge)
Intel Core i5-2300 (Sandy Bridge)
Intel Core i5-2400 (Sandy Bridge)
Intel Core i5-2500 (Sandy Bridge)
Intel Core i5-2500K (Sandy Bridge)
Intel Core i7-2600 (Sandy Bridge)
Intel Core i7-2600K (Sandy Bridge)
Intel Core i7-990X

PRICE (Rs)

CPU SOCKET

3,525
3,700
3,850
6,850
9,000
9,700
11,300
12,300
12,900
17,900
18,900
62,260

LGA 775
LGA 775
LGA 775
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1366

NUMBER OF
CORES
2 Core
2 Core
2 Core
2 Core
4 Core
4 Core
4 Core
4 Core
4 Core
4 Core
4 Core
6 Core

CLOCK SPEED

MFG PROCESS

TDP

3.00 GHz
3.20 GHz
2.93 GHz
3.10 GHz
2.90 GHz
2.80 GHz
3.10 GHz
3.30 GHz
3.30 GHz
3.40 GHz
3.40 GHz
3.46 GHz

32 nm
45 nm
45 nm
32 nm
32 nm
32 nm
32 nm
32 nm
32 nm
32 nm
32 nm
32 nm

CLOCK SPEED

MFG PROCESS

TDP

2.80 GHz
2.70 GHz
3.20 GHz
2.60 GHz
3.40 GHz
3.60 GHz
2.90 GHz
2.80 GHz
3.20 GHz
3.30 GHz
3.30 GHz
3.10 GHz

45 nm
45 nm
45 nm
32nm
45 nm
32 nm
32nm
45 nm
45 nm
45 nm
32 nm
32 nm

45 W
95 W
125 W
100W
125 W
95 W
100W
125 W
125 W
125 W
95 W
125 W

65 W
65 W
65 W
65 W
95 W
95 W
95 W
95 W
95 W
95 W
95 W
130 W

PROCESSORS: AMD
NAME

PRICE (Rs)

AMD Sempron 145


AMD Athlon II X3 425
AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
AMD A6-3650
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
AMD FX-4100 Black Edition
AMD A8-3850
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition
AMD Phenom II X6 1100T
AMD FX-6100 Black Edition
AMD FX-8120 Black Edition

1,950
3,350
6,100
6,300
6,800
7,250
7,300
8,100
8,900
11,175
11,199
12,500

CPU SOCKET
AM3
AM3
AM3
FM1
AM3
AM3+
FM1
AM3
AM3
AM3
AM3+
AM3+

NUMBER OF
CORES
1
3
4
4
4
4
4
6
6
6
6
8

MOTHERBOARDS: AMD - IGP


NAME
Asus M4A78LT-M LE
Biostar TA880GB+
Gigabyte GA-880GM-USB3
MSI 880GMA-E35
Gigabyte GA-A75M-D2H
Asus M5A88-M
Gigabyte GA-A75-D3H
Biostar TA890GXE
Asus F1A75-M LE
MSI A75A-G55
Asus F1A75-M
Asus M5A88-M EVO
Asus F1A75-V PRO

PRICE
(Rs)
2,725
3,650
4,800
5,150
5,400
5,999
6,100
6,300
6,350
6,425
6,900
7,375
8,800

CPU
SOCKET
AM3
AM3
AM3
AM3
FM1
AM3
FM1
AM3
FM1
AMD FM1
FM1
AM3
FM1

CHIPSET

MEMORY SUPPORT

DVI | HDMI

AMD 760G + SB710


AMD 880G + SB710
AMD 880G + SB710
AMD 880G + SB850
AMD A75
AMD 880G + SB850
AMD A75
AMD 890GX + SB850
AMD A75
AMD A75
AMD A75
AMD 880G + SB850
AMD A75

DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3

|
|
|
|
||
||
||
|
|
||
|
||
|

PCI X16 | PCI |


SATA | USB
1 | 1 | 6 | 10
1 | 2 | 6 | 10
1 | 2 | 5 | 14
1 | 1 | 6 | 12
2 | 1 | 6 | 10
1 | 1 | 6 | 14
2 | 3 | 5 | 14
1 | 2 | 5 | 10
2 | 1 | 6 | 14
2 | 2 | 6 | 10
2 | 1 | 6 | 14
1 | 1 | 5 | 14
2 | 1 | 6 | 16

NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 10 January 2012.

122

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1220212_Market Watch.indd 122

1/23/2012 6:09:51 PM

CHIP brings you a roundup of all the latest and greatest products on the market.

MOTHERBOARDS: AMD - Non-IGP


NAME
Asus M5A97

PRICE (RS)

CPU SOCKET

6,750

CHIPSET

AM3+

MEMORY SUPPORT

PCIE X16 SLOTS

PCI | SATA | USB

DDR3

2 | 6 | 14

AMD 970 + SB950

Asus M5A97 EVO

8,000

AM3+

AMD 970 + SB950

DDR3

2 | 6 | 14

MSI 990FXA-GD65

10,500

AM3+

AMD 990FX + SB950

DDR3

1 | 6 | 14

Asus Sabertooth 990FX

14,425

AM3+

AMD 990FX + SB950

DDR3

1 | 8 | 18

Asus Crosshair V Formula

16,075

AM3+

AMD 990FX + SB950

DDR3

1 | 7 |18

MOTHERBOARDS: Intel - IGP


6AME
Asus P5G41T-M LX
Intel BOXDH67BL
MSI H67MA-E35
Gigabyte H67MA-USB3
Asus P8H67-M
Asus P7H55-M/USB 3.0
Asus P8H67-M EVO
MSI Z68A-G45
Gigabyte Z68X-UD3R
ASUS P8Z68-V
ASUS P8Z68-V PRO

PRICE (Rs)

MEMORY SUPPORT

D-SUB | DVI | HDMI

Intel G41 + ICH7

DDR3

Intel H67
Intel H67
Intel H67
Intel H67
Intel H55
Intel H67
Intel Z68 + No
Intel Z68
Intel Z68
Intel Z68

DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3

||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||
||

CPU SOCKET

CHIPSET

2,700

LGA 775

5,350
5,675
6,425
7,225
7,375
9,200
9,650
10,175
12,300
14,550

LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1156
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1155

PCIE X16 | PCI | SATA


| USB
1|2|6|6
1|1|3|6
1|1|4|4
1|1|4|4
2|1|4|6
1|1|6|6
2|1|4|4
2|2|4|4
1|2|4|3
2|2|4|6
2|2|4|6

MOTHERBOARDS: Intel - Non-IGP


NAME
Gigabyte GA-P67-DS3-B3
MSI P67A-GD55
Asus P8P67-M Pro
MSI X58 Pro-E
Asus P8P67
Asus Sabertooth X58
Asus P6X58D-E
Asus Sabertooth P67
Asus Rampage III Gene
MSI P67A-GD80
Gigabyte G1.Guerrilla
Asus Rampage III Extreme
Gigabyte G1.Sniper
MSI Big Bang Marshal
Gigabyte G1.Assassin

PRICE (Rs)

CPU SOCKET

CHIPSET

MEMORY SUPPORT

PCIE X16 SLOTS

LGA 1155
LGA 1155
LGA 1366
LGA 1366
LGA 1155
LGA 1366
LGA 1366
LGA 1155
LGA 1366
LGA 1366
LGA 1366
LGA 1366
LGA 1366
LGA 1155
LGA 1366

Intel P67
Intel P67
Intel X58 + ICH10R
Intel X58 + ICH10R
Intel P67
Intel X58 + ICH10R
Intel X58 + ICH10R
Intel P67
Intel X58 + ICH10R
Intel P67
Intel X58 + ICH10R
Intel X58 + ICH10R
Intel X58 + ICH10R
Intel P67
Intel X58 + ICH10R

DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR3

3
2
3
3
2
3
3
2
2
3
3
4
3
8
4

6,425
8,900
9,175
10,500
10,650
10,800
12,600
14,175
14,775
14,775
20,350
22,475
23,550
25,150
26,225

PCI | SATA | USB


1 | 6 | 14
2 | 6 | 14
0 | 7 | 16
2 | 7 | 13
3 | 8 | 16
1 | 8 | 14
2 | 8 | 10
1 | 4 | 18
1 | 8 | 13
2 | 6 | 10
1 | 8 | 16
1 | 9 | 11
1 | 8 | 16
0 | 8 | 12
1 | 8 | 16

NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 10 January 2012.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1220212_Market Watch.indd 123

02/2012

123

1/23/2012 6:10:30 PM

MARKET WATCH

MARKET WATCH
GRAPHICS CARDS: ATI
NAME

PRICE
RADEON GPU
(Rs)

Asus EAH5450 SILENT/DI/512MD2


Asus EAH5670/DI/1GD3
Powercolor AX5750 1GBD5-H
HIS H677FN1GD
Sapphire HD 6750 Vapor-X
Powercolor AX6850 1GBD5-DH
Sapphire Radeon HD 6850
XFX HD-685X-ZDFC
HIS H687QN1G2M IceQ
Powercolor AX6870 1GBD5-2DH
Sapphire HD 6950
XFX Radeon HD 6950
Powercolor AX6950 2GBD5-2DH
Asus EAH6950 DCII/2DI4S/2GD5
Sapphire HD 6970
MSI HD 6970 Lightning

1,900
4,200
6,000
6,975
7,200
9,575
9,825
10,225
11,900
12,100
14,650
15,000
15,625
18,775
21,725
23,650

HD 5450
HD 5670
HD 5750
HD 6770
HD 6750
HD 6850
HD 6850
HD 6850
HD 6870
HD 6870
HD 6950
HD 6950
HD 6950
HD 6950
HD 6970
HD 6970

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

MEMORY MEMORY | BUS


TYPE
WIDTH
DDR3
GDDR3
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5

STREAM
PROCESSORS

CORE | MEMORY
SPEED

80
400
720
800
720
960
960
960
1120
1120
1408
1408
1408
1408
1536
1536

650 MHz | 800 MHz


775 MHz | 800 MHz
700 MHz | 1150 MHz
850 MHz | 1200 MHz
700 MHz | 1000 MHz
775 MHz | 1000 MHz
775 MHz | 1000 MHz
775 MHz | 1000 MHz
900 MHz | 1050 MHz
900 MHz | 1050 MHz
800 MHz | 1250 MHz
800 MHz | 1250 MHz
800 MHz | 1250 MHz
810 MHz | 1250 MHz
880 MHz | 1375 MHz
940 MHz | 1375 MHz

STREAM
PROCESSORS
96
48
96
48
96
192
192
336
336
336
384
384
384
336
480
480
480
480
512
512
1024

CORE | MEMORY
SPEED
810 MHz | 450 MHz
625 MHz | 700 MHz
550 MHz | 400 MHz
625 MHz | 400 MHz
550 MHz | 850 MHz
900 MHz | 1025 MHz
900 MHz | 1025 MHz
700 MHz | 900 MHz
810 MHz | 1005 MHz
820 MHz | 4008 MHz
822 MHz | 1000 MHz
822 MHz | 1000 MHz
822 MHz | 1000 MHz
810 MHz | 1002 MHz
732 MHz | 950 MHz
732 MHz | 950 MHz
752 MHz | 950 MHz
770 MHz | 1000 MHz
772 MHz | 1002 MHz
800 MHz | 1024 MHz
607 MHz | 853 MHz

1 GB | 64-bit
1 GB | 128-bit
1 GB | 128-bit
1 GB | 128-bit
1 GB | 128-bit
1 GB | 256-bit
1 GB | 256 bit
1 GB | 256-bit
1 GB | 256-bit
1 GB | 128-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

GRAPHICS CARDS: Nvidia


NAME

PRICE (Rs)

Sparkle GT 520
Sparkle GeForce GT 220
Zotac GeForce GT 240
POV GeForce GT 220
Zotac GeForce GT 240
Zotac GeForce GTX 550 Ti Amp
ASUS GeForce GTX 550
Sparkle GeForce GTX 460
Palit GeForce GTX560 OC
Zotac Geforce GTX 560
Sparkle GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Palit GeForce GTX560 Ti
MSI Twin Frozr II GeForce GTX 560 Ti
EVGA GeForce GTX 560
EVGA GeForce GTX 570 HD
Zotac GeForce GTX 570
Sparkle GTX 570
MSI Twin Frozr II GeForce GTX 570
Zotac GeForce GTX 580
MSI Twin Frozr II GeForce GTX 580
Zotac Geforce GTX 590

2,625
2,950
3,425
3,550
4,625
8,075
8,275
9,000
10,075
12,350
13,925
14,750
14,775
15,250
19,575
20,150
20,550
23,000
29,875
30,825
45,000

GPU DIRECT X
GeForce GT 520
GeForce GT 220
GeForce GT 240
GeForce GT 220
GeForce GT 240
GeForce GTX 550 Ti
GeForce GTX 550
GeForce GTX 460
GeForce GTX 560
GeForce GTX 560
GeForce GTX 560 Ti
GeForce GTX 560 Ti
GeForce GTX 560 Ti
GeForce GTX 560
GeForce GTX 570
GeForce GTX 570
GeForce GTX 570
GeForce GTX 570
GeForce GTX 580
GeForce GTX 580
Geforce GTX 590

11.0
10.1
10.1
10.1
10.1
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 MEMORY | BUS WIDTH


DDR3
DDR3
DDR3
DDR2
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
DDR5
GDDR5
DDR5
DDR5
DDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5
GDDR5

2 GB | 64-bit
1 GB | 128-bit
1 GB | 128-bit
1 GB | 128-bit
1 GB | 128-bit
1 GB | 192-bit
1 GB | 192-bit
1 GB | 256-bit
1 GB | 256-bit
2 GB | 256-bit
1 GB | 256-bit
2 GB | 256-bit
1 GB | 256-bit
1 GB | 256-bit
1280 MB | 320-bit
1280 MB | 320-bit
1280 MB | 320-bit
1280 MB | 320-bit
1536 MB | 384-bit
1536 MB | 384-bit
3 GB | 768-bit

NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 10 January 2012.

124

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1220212_Market Watch.indd 124

1/23/2012 6:11:06 PM

CHIP brings you a roundup of all the latest and greatest products on the market.

EXTERNAL DRIVE
NAME
Silicon Power Diamond D05
A-Data ANH13-500GU3-CBK
Hitachi X Mobile Series HDD-X320
A-Data ACH94-500GU-CBK
Hitachi X Mobile Series HDD-X500
Western Digital My Passport Essential
Transcend StoreJet 25M3
Western Digital Elements Series
Verbatim 53018 Portable
Western Digital My Book Essential Series
Buffalo HD-PXTU2 Series HD-PXT1TU2/B
Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex
Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex
Western Digital My Book Studio II Series

PRICE (Rs)
3,500
3,800
4,375
4,925
5,000
5,125
5,325
5,450
5,850
5,925
7,300
7,325
10,975
22,425

USB FLASH DRIVE


NAME
iball Ultra Strong
Transcend JetFlash 300
Transcend JetFlash V70
Transcend JetFlash 300
iball Ultra Strong
Sandisk Ultra Backup
Corsair Voyager USB 3.0
Corsair Voyager USB 3.0
Transcend JetFlash 500
Corsair Survivor

CAPACITY
4 GB
8 GB
8 GB
16 GB
16 GB
16 GB
8 GB
16 GB
32 GB
16 GB

CAPACITY
500 GB
500 GB
320 GB
500 GB
500 GB
500 GB
500 GB
1 TB
1 TB
1 TB
1 TB
1 TB
1.5 TB
4 TB

INTERFACE
USB 3.0
USB 3.0
USB 2.0
USB 2.0
USB 2.0
USB 3.0
USB 3.0
USB 2.0
USB 3.0
USB 3.0
USB 2.0
USB 3.0
USB 2.0
USB 2.0 / FW 400

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
2.5-inch
2.5-inch
3.5-inch
3.5-inch
3.5-inch
3.5-inch

CAMCORDERS
PRICE (Rs)
300
425
625
950
1,050
1,150
1,175
1,600
2,050
2,100

NAME
Sony DCR-SX45
Samsung HMX-300BP
Sony HDR-CX130E
Canon Legria HF R17
Sony HDR-XR160E
Canon Legria HF R18
Canon Legria HF M300
Canon Legria HF M31
Sony HDR-PJ50E
Canon Legria HF S200

PRICE (Rs)
15,175
21,000
22,450
24,825
36,350
38,100
41,300
50,475
54,350
57,575

STORAGE
Memory card
Memory card
Memory card
8 GB Flash
160 GB HDD
Memory card
Memory card
32 GB Flash
220 GB HDD
Memory card

RESOLUTION OPTICAL ZOOM


720 x 480
60x
1920 x 1080
30x
1920 x 1080
30x
1920 x 1080
20x
1920 x 1080
30x
1920 x 1080
20x
1920 x 1080
15x
1920 x 1080
15x
1920 x 1080
12x
1920 x 1080
10x

PROJECTORS
NAME
Viewsonic PJD5152
LG BS275
Mitsubishi EX200U
Sony VPL-EX100
LG HS201 G
Viewsonic PJD5352
Sony VPL-EX120
Viewsonic PJD6531W
Mitsubishi HC4000
Mitsubishi XD600U

PRICE (Rs)
29,825
30,250
33,850
34,350
40,250
42,750
48,775
50,075
81,100
82,225

TYPE
DLP
DLP
DLP
LCD
DLP
DLP
LCD
DLP
DLP
DLP

BRIGHTNESS
2600 Lumens
2700 Lumens
2300 Lumens
2300 Lumens
2000 Lumens
2600 Lumens
2600 Lumens
3300 Lumens
1300 Lumens
4500 Lumens

NATIVE RESOLUTION
800 x 600
800 x 600
1024 x 768
1024 x 768
800 x 600
1024 x 768
1024 x 768
1280 x 800
1920 x 1080
1024 x 768

CONTRAST RATIO
3000:1
2200:1
1250:1
2200:1
2000:1
2600:1
2500:1
2800:1
3600:1
2000:1

NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 10 January 2012.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1220212_Market Watch.indd 125

02/2012

125

1/23/2012 6:11:38 PM

MARKET WATCH

MARKET WATCH
LAPTOPS
NAME

PRICE
WEIGHT
(Rs)

PROCESSOR

SPEED

RAM

DISPLAY

HDD

OPTICAL
DRIVE

Asus Eee PC 1011PX

12,100 1.25 Kg

Intel Atom

1.66 GHz

1 GB

10.1-in

250 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Samsung NP-N100-MA03IN

13,000

1.21 Kg

Intel Atom

1.66 GHz

1 GB

10.1-in

320 GB

DVDRW

Meego

Asus R051

14,700

2 Kg

Intel Atom

1.66 GHz

2 GB

10.1-in

320 GB

Any

Win 7 Starter

Samsung NP-NC110-A02IN

16,300

1.45 Kg

Intel Atom DC

1.66 GHz

1 GB

10.1-in

320 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Starter

Lenovo S100 59-300427

17,100 2.44 Kg

Intel Atom

1.66 GHz

2 GB

10.1-in

320 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Starter

HP Mini 210-2103TU

17,900

Intel Atom DC

1.50 GHz

1 GB

10.1-in

320 GB

No

Win 7 Starter

Asus X52F-EX1408D

19,000 2.44 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.13 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

320 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Toshiba Satellite C665-P5010

19,900

2.4 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.00 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

320 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Asus X53E-SX997D

20,400 2.44 Kg

Intel Celeron DC

1.50 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

320 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Asus X54H-SX136D

20,400 2.44 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.10 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

320 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Samsung NP-RV409-A02IN

20,500

2.2 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.13 GHz

2 GB

14.0-in

320 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Toshiba Satellite C600-P4012

20,550

2.1 Kg

Intel DC

2.30 GHz

2 GB

14.0-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Samsung NP-RV509-A0FIN

21,700

2.4 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.13 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Samsung NP-300E5Z-A01IN

22,700

2.1 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.00 GHz

2 GB

15.0-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Lenovo B570 59-306815

23,000 2.44 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.00 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Asus X52F-EX1258D

23,250 2.44 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.40 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

320 GB

DVD-RW

DOS

Asus X42JY-VX312D

23,500 2.44 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.13 GHz

2 GB

14.0-in

500 GB

DVD-RW

DOS

HP Compaq Presario CQ43-300TU

24,200

Intel Pentium DC

2.00 GHz

2 GB

14.0-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

LG ED530-L

24,250 2.66 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

HP Compaq Presario CQ57-300TU

24,700

2.5 Kg

Intel Pentium DC

2.00 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Samsung NP-RV509-A0GIN

25,200

2.4 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.40 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Asus X54H-SX137D

25,250 2.44 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.20 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

1.4 Kg

2.2 Kg

2.1 Kg

OS

Toshiba Satellite C640-I4015

25,750

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

2 GB

14.0-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Acer Aspire 4755

26,200 2.30 Kg

Intel Core i3-2310M

2.10 GHz

2 GB

14.1-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Linux

Lenovo G560 59-063899

27,700 2.44 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

3 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Sony Vaio VPCEG25EN

28,125

Intel Core i3

2.20 GHz

2 GB

14-in

320 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Basic

Acer Aspire AS5755

28,850 2.60 Kg

Intel Core i3-2310M

2.10 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVD-RW

Linux

Toshiba Satellite C640-X4014

30,400

2.1 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.40 GHz

2 GB

14.0-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Samsung NP-RV518-S01IN

30,500

2.4 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

3 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Lenovo G570 59-315902

32,000 2.44 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

320 GB

DVDRW

DOS

LG S530-G

32,000

2.6 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Samsung NP-300E5Z-A08IN

32,150

2.3 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.40 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

640 GB

DVDRW

DOS

500 GB

2.3 Kg

HP Pavilion G4-1008TU

33,250

2.1 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.66 GHz

3 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Dell Inspiron 15R

33,750 2.52 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

3 GB

15.6-in

320 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Sony Vaio VPCEH26EN

33,950

Intel Core i3

2.20 GHz

4 GB

15.5-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Basic

2.7 Kg

14.0-in

NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 10 January 2012.

126

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1220212_Market Watch.indd 126

1/23/2012 6:12:04 PM

CHIP brings you a roundup of all the latest and greatest products on the market.

LAPTOPS
NAME

PRICE
(Rs)

WEIGHT

PROCESSOR

SPEED

RAM

DISPLAY

HDD

OPTICAL
DRIVE

OS

LG S530-G

34,500

2.6 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Acer Aspire 5755G

34,850

2.60 Kg

Intel Core i5-2410M

2.30 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Lenovo Z370 59-313716

35,000

2.44 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.20 GHz

2 GB

13.3-in

320 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Toshiba Satellite L740-X4210

35,535

2.1 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.30 GHz

4 GB

14.0-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Toshiba Satellite C665-X5010

35,750

2.4 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.40 GHz

2 GB

15.6-in

640 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Sony Vaio VPCEG2AEN

35,900

2.3 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.40 GHz

4 GB

14-in

320 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Basic

Lenovo Z570 59-304237

36,700

2.44 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Lenovo Z570 59-304317

37,000

2.44 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.30 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

DVDRW

DOS

HP Pavilion G4-1201TU

37,950

2.1 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.40 GHz

4 GB

14.0-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Starter

LG P420-N

39,000

1.99 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.3 GHz

2 GB

14-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

HP Pavilion dv6-6164tx

40,300

2.54 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Acer Aspire AS 4820TG

40,850

2.11 Kg

Intel Core i5-460M

2.60 GHz

3 GB

14.0-in

500 GB

DVD-RW

Win 7 HP

Samsung NP-300V5A-S0BIN

40,900

2.45 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.40 GHz

6 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

LG P430-G

41,000

1.9 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.3 GHz

4 GB

14-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Acer Aspire 5830TG

41,350

2.49 Kg

Intel Core i5-2410M

2.30 GHz

3 GB

15.6-in

640 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Sony Vaio VPCEH28FN

42,675

2.7 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.40 GHz

4 GB

15.5-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Samsung NP-RC510-S07IN

42,799

2.44 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.66 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

640 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Lenovo Z570 59-304310

45,250

2.44 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.30 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

No

Win 7 HP

HP Pavilion dv6-6155tx

45,450

2.54 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.30 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HB

Sony Vaio VPCSB25FG/B

46,550

1.72 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

2 GB

13.3-in

500 GB

DVD-RW

Win 7 HP

Asus K53SV-SX521D

47,000

2.6 Kg

Intel Core i7

2.30 GHz

8 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

DVDRW

DOS

Sony Vaio VPCF135FG/B

48,500

3.1 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.66 GHz

4 GB

16.4-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Toshiba Satellite P750-X5310

48,925

2.62 Kg

Intel Core i7

2.90 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Toshiba Tecra R850-I5430

52,250

2.40 Kg

Intel Core i3

2.10 GHz

3 GB

15.6-in

320 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Pro

MSI GE620DX

52,790

2.4 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.20 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

640 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Dell XPS 15

53,100

2.44 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.90 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Samsung NP-RC530-S03IN Notebook

57,750

2.45 Kg

Intel Core i7

2.20 GHz

8 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

Blu Ray

Win 7 HP

HP Pavilion dv6-6165tx

58,925

2.63 Kg

Intel Core i7

2.00 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Dell XPS 15

59,500

2.70 Kg

Intel Core i7

2.90 GHz

6 GB

15.6-in

750 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Sony Vaio VPCSB37GG

61,100

1.72 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.50 GHz

4 GB

13.3-in

750 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Pro

Toshiba Qosmio F750-X5311

66,450

3.15 Kg

Intel Core i5

2.40 GHz

4 GB

15.6-in

500 GB

Blu Ray 6X

Win 7 HP

Dell Alienware 11X

67,000

2.99 Kg

Intel Core i3

1.30 GHz

4 GB

11.6-in

500 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Sony Vaio VPCCB38FN

67,900

2.85 Kg

Intel Core i7

2.80 GHz

6 GB

15.5-in

640 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

Sony Vaio VPCSE17GG

77,600

1.96 Kg

Intel Core i7

2.80 GHz

4 GB

15.5-in

640 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 Pro

106,000

3.5 Kg

Intel Core i7

2.20 GHz

8 GB

15.6-in

640 GB

DVDRW

Win 7 HP

MSI GX683

NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 10 January 2012.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1220212_Market Watch.indd 127

02/2012

127

1/23/2012 6:12:29 PM

MARKET WATCH

MARKET WATCH
DIGITAL CAMERAS
NAME

PRICE (Rs)

RESOLUTION OPTICAL ZOOM

WIDE ANGLE

APERTURE

LCD SIZE

SHUTTER SPEED

Fujifilm FinePix AV200

4,075

14 MP

3x

32 mm

F2.9 - F5.2

2.7-inch

8 - 1/1400 sec

Nikon Coolpix L23

4,125

10 MP

5x

28 mm

F2.7 - F6.8

2.7-inch

NA

Canon PowerShot A800

4,175

10 MP

3.3x

37 mm

F3 - F5.8

2.5-inch

15 - 1/2000 sec

Sony Cybershot DSC S3000

4,300

10.1 MP

4x

28 mm

F3.0 - F5.7

2.7-inch

2 - 1/2000 sec

Kodak Easyshare M532

5,750

14 MP

4x

28 mm

NA

2.7-inch

8 - 1/1600 sec

Olympus VG140

5,850

14 MP

5x

26 mm

F2.8 - F6.5

3.0-inch

4 - 1/2000 sec

Nikon Coolpix S3100

6,200

14 MP

5x

26 mm

F3.2 - F6.5

2.7-inch

4 - 1/2000 sec

Canon Digital IXUS 105 IS

6,450

12 MP

4x

28 mm

F2.8 - F5.9

2.7-inch

1 - 1/1500 sec

Canon Powershot A3200 IS

6,450

14.1

5x

28 mm

F2.8 - F5.9

2.7-inch

15 - 1/1600 sec

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

7,550

16 MP

5x

28 mm

F2.8 - F5.9

3.0-inch

15 - 1/1600 sec

Sony Cybershot DSC-T99

9,425

14.1 MP

4x

25 mm

F3.5 - F4.6

3.0-inch

2 - 1/1250 sec

Sony Cybershot DSC-W570

9,575

16.2 MP

5x

28 mm

F2.6 - F6.3

2.7-inch

2 - 1/1600 sec

Sony Cybershot DSC-WX7

11,225

16.2 MP

5x

25 mm

F2.6 - F6.3

2.8-inch

2 - 1/1600 sec

Nikon Coolpix S1100pj

11,350

14.1 MP

5x

28 mm

F3.9 - F5.8

3.0-inch

NA

Olympus SP-610 UZ

11,500

14 MP

22x

28 mm

F3.3 - F5.7

3.0-inch

4 - 1/2000 sec

Samsung EC-ST6500

11,775

16.1 MP

5x

26 mm

F3.3 - F5.9

3.0-inch

2 - 1/2000 sec

Sony Cybershot DSC-H70

12,475

16.2 MP

10x

25 mm

F3.5 - F5.5

3.0-inch

30 - 1/1600 sec

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

12,800

14.1 MP

12x

28 mm

F3.4 - F5.6

3.0-inch

15 - 1/2500 sec

Samsung EC-WB700

14,025

14 MP

18x

24 mm

F3.2 - F5.8

3.0-inch

16 - 1/2000 sec

Nikon Coolpix S8000

14,075

14.2 MP

10x

35 mm

F3.5 - F7

3.0-inch

4 - 1/1000 sec

Kodak EasyShare Max Z990

15,775

12 MP

30x

28 mm

F2.8 - F5.6

3.0-inch

16 - 1/2000 sec

Fujifilm FinePix F500EXR

15,950

16 MP

15x

24 mm

F3.5 - F5.3

3.0-inch

8 - 1/2000 sec

Canon Powershot SX230 HS

15,975

12.1 MP

14x

28 mm

F3.1 - F5.9

3.0-inch

15 - 1/3200 sec

Sony DSC-HX9V

16,200

16.2 MP

16x

24 mm

F3.3 - F5.9

3.0-inch

30 - 1/1600 sec

Olympus SP-810 UZ

17,600

14 MP

36x

24 mm

F2.9 - F5.7

3.0-inch

1/4 - 1/850 sec

Canon IXUS 310 HS

18,225

12.1 MP

4.4x

24 mm

F2.0 - F5.8

3.2-inch

15 - 1/1600 sec

Fujifilm FinePix HS20EXR

20,350

16 MP

30x

24 mm

F2.8 - F5.6

3.0-inch

30 - 1/4000 sec

Olympus XZ-1

21,950

10 MP

4x

28 mm

F1.8 - F2.5

3.0-inch

60 - 1/2000 sec

Canon Powershot SX30 IS

21,996

14 MP

35x

24 mm

F2.7 - F5.8

2.7-inch

15 - 1/3200 sec

Fujiflim FinePix Real 3D W3

22,100

10 MP

3x

35 mm

F3.7 - F4.2

3.5-inch

3 - 1/1000 sec

Canon Powershot S95

24,575

10 MP

3.8x

28 mm

F2.0 - F4.9

3.0-inch

15 - 1/1600 sec

Canon PowerShot SX40 HS

26,400

12 MP

35x

24 mm

F2.7 - F5.8

2.7-inch

15 - 1/3200 sec

Canon Powershot G12

29,125

10 MP

5x

28 mm

F2.8 - F4.5

2.8-inch

15 - 1/4000 sec

NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 10 January 2012.

128

02/2012

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1220212_Market Watch.indd 128

1/23/2012 6:12:53 PM

CHIP brings you a roundup of all the latest and greatest products on the market.

MONITORS
NAME
LG E2060T
Asus VW227D
BenQ G2222HDL
Samsung SyncMaster B2230N
Dell ST2220M
Acer S231HL
LG E2360V
BenQ G2420HD
Samsung S23A350H
ViewSonic VA2448M
ViewSonic VX2439wm
LG E2290V
BenQ LED V2200 Eco
Acer D240H
Acer H243H
BenQ LED V2400 Eco
Asus ML248H LED
Samsung S24A350H
Asus PA238Q LED
Asus VG236HE 3D LCD
BenQ M2700
ViewSonic VX2753MH
BenQ XL2410T LED
ViewSonic VP2655WB
Dell U2711

PRICE
(Rs)
7,050
7,300
7,325
7,900
8,150
9,400
10,100
10,825
11,125
11,200
11,775
12,150
12,375
12,500
13,950
14,950
15,000
15,350
17,425
20,700
21,650
21,750
26,800
38,525
44,625

SCREEN
WIDESCREEN
SIZE
20-inch

21.5-inch

21.5-inch

21.5-inch

21.5-inch

23-inch

23-inch

24-inch

23-inch

24-inch

24-inch

21.5-inch

21.5-inch

24-inch

24-inch

24-inch

24-inch

24-inch

23-inch

23-inch

27-inch

27-inch

23.6-inch

26-inch

27-inch


NATIVE
RESOLUTION
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
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1200
2560 x 1440

RESPONSE TIME
5 ms
5 ms
5 ms
5 ms
5 ms
5 ms
5 ms
5 ms
2 ms
5 ms
2 ms
2 ms
5 ms
2 ms
2 ms
5 ms
2 ms
5 ms
6 ms
2 ms
2 ms
1 ms
2 ms
5 ms
6 ms

D-SUB

DVI

HDMI















































































CABINETS
NAME

PRICE (Rs)

Circle Cosmo
Circle CC Stick
iBall Work Horse
Cooler Master Elite 334
Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus
Lian Li Lancool Dragon Lord PC-K56
Cooler Master Gladiator 600
Antec Three Hundred
Thermaltake M9 VI1000BWS
Antec Dark Fleet DF-10
Antec Six Hundred
Thermaltake V9 VJ400G1N2Z
Cooler Master CM 690 II Advance
Cooler Master HAF 912 Advanced
NZXT Phantom

1,700
1,775
1,950
2,325
3,400
3,400
3,800
3,850
4,450
5,025
5,500
5,950
6,475
6,475
7,300

POWER SUPPLY
















5.25-INCH
BAYS
3
1
2
4
3
5
5
3
6
3
3
4
4
4
5

3.5-INCH
BAYS
6
1
5
6
2
0
5
6
3
6
6
5
6
6
7

NUMBER OF FANS
2
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
3
3
4

NOTE: Street prices (incl. VAT) as on 10 January 2012.

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1220212_Market Watch.indd 129

02/2012

129

1/23/2012 6:13:23 PM

PERSONAL TECH

ONE OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE INTERNET


ARGUES AGAINST MAKING ACCESS A FUNDAMENTAL
HUMAN RIGHT. HE'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
JAMSHED AVARI, DEPUTY EDITOR

RIGHT OF WAY
S

hould Internet access be a human right?


A number of European countries have
formally decided that it should be, with
the intention of ensuring that service
providers find a way to offer citizens in even
the most far-flung regions a decent broadband
connection. Vint Cerf, however, disagrees.
Widely considered to be one of the founding
fathers of the Internet, Cerf has had a hand in
developing the foundations of things we take for
granted today, including email and the TCP/IP
protocol. His current work includes evangelizing
technology and Internet development for various
corporates, governments, and even the United
Nationsso he really does have a pretty good
idea of what hes talking about.
In a recent New York Times op-ed (go.
chip.in/cerf), he argues that the Internet is
an enabler of free speech, and as such is
merely the means to an end, not the end
itself. Human rights include the things we
need to survive and prosper: food in general,
not a particular food; dignity in general, not a
particular sort of behavior. No other product
or service has been given the status of a
human right, and it shouldnt be, because it
will eventually be replaced by or subsumed by
something quite different, and the right will
then become meaningless.
Still, declaring something a human right
does compel governments to do everything
they possibly can to ensure it is met. Several
state and central government initiatives exist
to ensure that Indians can buy affordable
foodgrains, can be employed, and will not
be discriminated against based on caste or
any other factor. Whether or not, or to what
extent these have been successful, is another
discussion entirelybut the fact remains that
when most of these schemes are announced,
it is with reference to some guarantee the

138

02/2012

government has made. Would giving Internet


access the status of a human right (or a civil
right, as Cerf suggests), improve anything
about the connectivity in India today? Would
it give us access to magical broadband lines
on par with the best in the world? Would
it suddenly put Wi-Fi enabled tablets in the
hands of every rural schoolchild? Would it
make prices fall and fair usage caps disappear?
Not anytime soon, for sure. We have a long
way to go before every Indian can fully enjoy
the benefit of even our existing human rights.
On a broader note, would Internet access as
a global fundamental right magically motivate
authorities to crack down on spammers, virus
writers and anyone who pulls of a DDoS?
Existing laws and regulations should be able to
take care of this anyway. Would it guarantee
us access to anything on the Web, and prevent
governments from censoring sites no matter
how offensive or dangerous they might be to
any philosophy? The freedoms of speech and
expressions ought to encompass this already,
but if they can be applied selectively, so would
our shiny new Internet right. Would we be
guaranteed access to potentially copyrightinfringing works? No, its much more likely
that the fundamental nature of the Internet
would changewed still be guaranteed access,
but all its content would just be forcibly
sanitized so that it wouldnt matter anymore.
The moral police, already a nuisance, could
also just as easily claim that their right to
a safe Web necessitates the blocking of
anything unpalatable to them.
As it stands, I'm with Cerf. We only need
to be more respectful of our primary rights,
and to ensure that the Internet is kept as free
and useful as it is today.

- jamshed.avari@chip.in
- twitter.com/ja140

INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP

1380212_Personal_Tech (Jamshed).indd 138

1/24/2012 1:14:34 PM

Potrebbero piacerti anche