LAUNCH PAD ||||||| || ||||||| ||| ||||||| || | |||| ||| Smartphones | Tablets | Cameras | Apps | Laptops | Games | DSLRs | Televisions | Home Theatres | Projectors REVIEWS KARAN BAJAJ NEW DELHI The W510 is one of the cheapest hybrid laptop/tablet de- vices available today. It has a 10.1-inch display and is pow- ered by a dual core Intel Atom processor, 2GB RAM and has 64GB of SSD storage. You also get a microSD card slot, microHDMI and a microUSB host port (microUSB to USB adapter is provided) along with volume controls, a power button and a screen orientation lock. With the keyboard dock, you get a chiclet style keyboard and a trackpad. The dock also adds a full size USB port to connect flash drives and hard drives directly. However, the keyboard is not full-sized and requires some getting used to. When the tablet is docked, you can switch to pres- entation mode by rotating the display — the dock then acts as a stand but the keyboard becomes prone to dust and scratches since it's facing down on the table. In tablet mode, the touchscreen display (1366 x 768 pixels) is great with Windows 8 but you may feel that a 10-inch screen is too small for comfort when working with multi- ple windows in normal desktop mode. The computer scored a 3.3 on the Windows Experience Index with the lowest score in graphics. Thankfully, the performance in terms of basic browsing, office work and multimedia was great for day to day usage. The images from the rear 8MP camera were great in daylight, but sufferred from visible noise indoors and under low light conditions. The tablet’s battery lasted well over seven hours on its own. With the additional battery in the keyboard dock, the battery life is extended to over fourteen hours — very impressive. For a little bit more, you can also consider Samsung's Smart PC. It has a similar design and the same hardware specifications, but it also has a larger 11.6-inch display, more ports and a pressure-sensitive stylus. [email protected] HITESH RAJ BHAGAT NEW DELHI A new breed of tablets with full PC functionality are now avail- able – and the new Dell Latitude 10 is one of them. It comes with the full version of Windows 8 Pro and is powered by a dual core Intel Atom processor opti- mized for power and efficiency. Being a Latitude, this tablet is primarily a business machine — reflected in the no-nonsense design, matte black surface, Kensington lock slot, sturdy magnesium alloy frame, enter- prise-level hardware encryp- tion and most importantly, a re- movable battery. Having a removable battery means that you can carry a spare, it means that replacing the battery is su- per-easy (read: a longer product life cycle) and there’s also an op- tion of an extended double ca- pacity (4-cell) battery pack. The device has a large and re- sponsive 10.1-inch touchscreen, 64GB storage, 2GB RAM, dual cameras and dual speakers — all in a device that is 10.5mm thick and weighs just 668 grams. Since it has a full-size USB port right on the device, you can con- nect external storage, a mouse, keyboard, data dongle or optical drive directly to it. Plus there’s mini HDMI output and SD card slot for memory expansion. It scores 3.3 in the Windows Experience Index and breezes through all regular computing tasks — even full HD videos are handled easily. One complaint we have with it is that the Wacom stylus and the produc- tivity dock (which offers four USB ports, HDMI & Ethernet) are optional. Plus the power adapter is too large for a tablet. You can also consider Acer’s W510 – it’s not a business device, but it has the same specs & has an optional keyboard dock. 1.5Ghz dual core Intel Atom, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, 10.1- inch touchscreen (1366 x 768), dual cameras, microSD, microHDMI, dual batteries, Windows 8, 660 grams/1.36kg SPECIFICATIONS Multiple orientations (laptop, tablet, dock as stand), fantastic battery life, lightweight and easy to carry Top-heavy design makes it fall over if pushed, keyboard requires getting used to, average hardware Acer Iconia W510 Asus Taichi Dual 13.3-inch displays (1920 x 1080), Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 5MP camera, stylus, backlit keyboard, Windows 8, 1.3kg SPECIFICATIONS Unique dual touchscreen design has several uses, great design and build quality Glass lid is prone to smudges, switching screen modes is not instantaneous, average battery 10.1-inch (1366 x 768 pixels), dual core Intel Atom processor, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, USB 2.0, mini HDMI, 8MP rear camera, Windows 8, 667 grams SPECIFICATIONS Sturdy, good performance, removable battery, full size USB port on the tablet Large power adapter, no keyboard or stylus in box, weak speakers Dell Latitude Tablet `53,999 ALSO SEE Samsung Smart PC Dual core Intel Atom, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, 11.6-inch touchscreen (1366 x 768), dual cameras, USB port, Windows 8, 744 grams/1.5kg `89,990 onwards 12.5-inch touchscreen LCD (1920 x 1080), Intel Core i5, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, 1.3MP webcam, backlit keyboard, Windows 8, 1.54kg ALSO SEE Dell XPS 12 `36,999 PRICE `1,39,999 PRICE `35,990 + taxes PRICE `48,598 (with keyboard dock) HITESH RAJ BHAGAT NEW DELHI The Taichi is unlike any other laptop that you have used. The super-slim profile and gorgeous design will amaze you even more when you realize that it houses two full HD, 13.3-inch displays — one of which has a capacitive touch layer. Both displays are crisp and bright — an added ad- vantage is that the internal screen has a matte finish which reduces glare. It's billed as a Windows 8 convert- ible — primary use case is to close the lid and convert the laptop into a touch enabled Windows 8 tablet. But it also allows you to have both screens on at the same time — and the screens can either mirror each other or work independent- ly (display different things). The powerful hardware with Core i7 processor, 4GB RAM and 256GB SSD keeps things moving along at a very brisk pace. It scores an impressive 5.6 on the Windows Experience Index. The keyboard is exceptionally easy to use with good backlighting and you get USB 3.0 ports and HDMI. The downsides are that the bat- tery dies out at 4 hours. Plus the outer screen is shiny glass, which is prone to smudges, scratches and of course breakage. Asus has provided a nice leather case which holds the machine, stylus and cleaning cloth. It’s hugely functional, yes. But it’s also pricey and a showcase of Asus’ technological prowess. Consider that you can get both; a high-performance Ultrabook and a high-end tablet for less than what you spend on the Taichi. Buy the Taichi if money is no ob- ject and if you want a really unique and beautiful machine – which you can also work on. [email protected] `27,559 `38,199 Nokia Lumia 820 and 920: Both the new Windows Phone 8 devices from Nokia are powered by dual core Snapdragon processors with 1GB RAM and Adreno 225 graphics. The Lumia 920 is the flagship device with uni- body design, wireless charging, 4.5-inch curved IPS dis- play (1280 x 768 pixels), 32GB storage (non expandable) and 2000mAh battery. The 8MP camera uses Nokia's PureView technology for improved low light pictures while optical image stabilisation (a first for a phone) re- duce handheld shake. The Lumia 820 has a 4.3-inch dis- play (800 x 480 pixels), changable back panels, 8GB in- ternal storage (expandable via microSD), 8MP rear camera with Carl Zeiss optics and a 1650 mAh battery. DealChaat for Android and iOS: DealChaat is a location- based service that offers dis- counts and special offers for categories like eating out, en- tertainment and shopping. Unlike coupons or deals web- sites, there is no expiry, there are no deals to buy, no pur- chases required, no coupon codes to be copied or printed out — what you get is relevant information, delivered right to your smartphone screen. You can either choose a category or let the lo- cation-aware app inform you of nearby deals. Deals can be viewed on a map and you can share deals with your friends (using Facebook, Twitter or by email). Although currently only available in Delhi NCR, the developer promises that the service will be launched in other major Indian cities soon. APP REVIEW | |||||||||||||||||||||| | |||| ||| G Cloud Backup for Android: This Android-only app pro- vides free, cloud-based backup of all the data on your phone or tablet. It can automatically backup your contacts, call logs, text messages, photos, videos and other documents to the cloud over a Wi-Fi network — 1GB space is provided free but if you have lots of data you need backed up, you can pur- chase an additional 25GB of space for $2.50 a month. Your data is encrypted and stored on secure servers. The advantage is that you never need to worry about losing data — if your phone gets lost, you can access your data through a web browser. If you get a new device or accidentally format the storage during a software update, you can restore everything with just a few taps. ALSO SEE Acer Iconia W510 10.1-inch (1366 x 768 pixels), dual core Intel Atom, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, microSD, micro HDMI, 8MP camera, Windows 8, 660 grams 6 THE ECONOMIC TIMES | NEW DELHI | MONDAY | 14 JANUARY 201 3 Personal Technology Seen in photo (L-R): Madhukar Choudhari, Commissioner , Cooperation, G0M, M. V. Ashok , CGM, NABARD, Pliulan Kumar, Regi onal Di rector, Nagpur , RBI , L B. Bhoria Regional Director, Maharashtra & Goa, RBI, Narendra Singh CMD, Bank of Maharashtra & Chairman SLBC - Maharashtra, C. VIL Rajendran, ED, Bank of Maharashtra and A.A. Magdum, GM, Credit Priority & Convener, SLBC, Mahatrashtra lOB co-sponsors tennis tournament RSrinivas, ED, Bank of Baroda inaugurated the Zonal Office at Bareilly at a grand function. Seen in the photo are: P. Srinivas , (ED, Bank of Baroda) seen inaugurating the zonal office at Bareilly, also seen in the picture L.M. Asthana (Zonal Head , Barielly), M.D.Mallya (Former CMD, Bank of Baroda). H.S. Shanna (Dy. Zonal Hea , S.D.Tripathi (Director , Bank of Baroda) Canara Bank launched a programme on direct cash transfer A A Ilahabad Bank has signed a MOU with various tractor com panies for tractor financing under Tie-Up arrangements. The MOU has been executed by R.N.Mohanty, G M ( PSC) and Di nesh war Jh a, Zona l Commerc i al Hea d, International Tractor in the presence of Shubhalakshmi Panse, CMD, Allahabad Bank and T.R.Chawla , ED, Allahabad Bank. All Genera l Managers and senior executives of Allahabad Bank were present on the occasion. C R Mulky (MD & CEO) , Anilkumar R. Amin (CGM), Nithyanand D. Kotian (DGM) and Nityanand S. Kirodian (ClO) of Bharat Bank receiving 1st prize for best H. R. Project in the category of Large Size Urban Co-operative Banks in India, organised by Banking Frontiers. Seen in the photograph are Ratnakar Deole (Former Executive Director of RBI), Vandana Varma (Ch airperson, Muzaffar Nagar District Co.op. Bank), Babu Nai r (Group Publi sh er of Banking Fronti ers) and Manoj Agrawal (Group Editor of Banking Frontiers) Central Bank of India celebrates 102nd Foundat ion Dayy entral Bank of - India organised T e- a grand function on riI—I t he evening of — — 102nd Foundati on — — -___ ; . Day at NCPA at Mumbai recently. M — — VTan ksal e,CMD and both the EDs , R K Dubey and Malay Mukheijee have expressed the commitment of the Bank in the august gathering of invitees including WIP Customers as well as staff of the Bank. I ndian Overseas Bank has co-sponsored the recent Tennis Tournament held in Chennai. Seen in the Photo is M. Narendra, CMD of Indian Overseas Ban k presenting a memento to t he winner of Chennal Open Janko tipsarevic. Syndicate Bank opens branch at H yy derabad C anara Bank launched a programme on direct cash transfer for post-matric scholarshi p for Schedule Caste Students in Sira, Tunikur District of Karnata ka. The programme was l aunc hed by K I -I Muni yappa, Hon’ble Minister for State, (Independent Charge) MSME, GOl. in t he august presence of G S Basava raj, Hon’ble MP , Tumkur, T B Jayachandra, MLA , Sira and Archana S Bhargava , E D of Canara Bank. S yndicate Bank opened a new Branch at Naga ram, H yderabad. M Anjaneya Prasa d, ED of the Bank inaugu- rated the Branch. A A S Rao (extreme left), Regi onal Di rector, RBI Hy derabad and also Director of the Bank was present on the occasion. C MD , Union Bank of India D. Sarkar dedicate d the Bank’ s Mahalaxmi Branch in Mumbai South to the public as its 200th remodelled branch under the brand UnionXperience. Besi des Sarkar , CMD, the landmark occas ion was graced by the EDs of the Bank, S S Mundra and S K Ja m and a galaxy of dignitaries. The Bank’s UnionXperience branch at Mahalaxmi comes w ith a state of the art self-service lobby, which will be access ible by customers 24 x 7. The self-service Lobby comes with a range of of facilities to fulfill the banking needs of customers. Indian Bank revises FCNR (B) Term depos ft rates I ndian Bank has fixed the revised interest rate for FCNR (B) deposits in US Dollar at 2.84 per cent for deposits of one year and above but less than two years; at 141 per cent for deposits of two years and above, but less than three years; at 3.49 per cent for deposits of three years and above but less than four years; at 3.64 per cent for deposits of four years and above but less than five years and at 3.83 per cent for deposits of five years only. A A medical check-up Camp for around 40D people was organised by Medanta - The Medicity jointly with Oriental Bank at corporate office of the Bank hi Gurgaon. The Camp was inaugurated by Padma Vibhushan , Dr. Naresh Tre h an, CMD, Medanta - The Medicity and S.L. Bansal , CMD , Oriental Bank of Commerce. Seen in the picture (L to R) are Bhupinder Nayyar , ED, Or iental Bank of Commerce, Dr. Naresh Trehan , CMD, Medanta - The Medicity, Si Bansal , CMD. Oriental Bank of Commerce and V. Kannan, ED, Or iental Bank of Commerce. BoB inaugurate s zona l office at Barei ll yy B0M conduct s 1 17t h SLBC meeting at Pune LIC Housing Finance o rganised ‘NIMMA MANE 2013’ IC Housing Finance Ltd • ______ L (LIC HFL), one of t he largest providers of housing F finance has organised the exhibition at RBANMS ground, Bangalore. The exhibition was inaugurated by V. K. Shamia, director & CEO, LIC Housing F inance Ltd. Allahabad Bank si gns MOU with international tractors SIDBI and FAI si gn M0U to wor k toget her for entrepreneurshi p growth in India f the Pr senC 1t!’ M , , D DBI and . : , 1 jJ have agreed ______ to wor k . together for \ : ‘ • entrepreneurshi p . . —7 . growth and . - - — — . development of MSME in the country and have synergies in their activities to achieve t his objective. Seen in the photo are (L to R) - C. Y.Y. Pal, president, FAI and S.V.G Nandagopal , CGM, SIDBI signing the MOU in the presence of (standing behind - L to R) 1. R. Baj aj lia, DMD, SIDBI; Sushil Muhnot, CMD, SIDBI and Ninad Karpe, MD & CEO, Aptech. Union Bank of India inaugurates 200th UnionXper ience branch at Mahalaxmi, Mumbai UCO Ban k celebrate s 71st Foundation Day U CO Bank celebrated list Foundation day with enthusiasm. The function was presided over b y Sunil Kakka r - GM & Circle Head, Mumbai. The ______ entire staff of Mumbal branches part ici pated in the cultura l programme on that day.