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     Volume 5 Issue 117 | October 20, 2006 |


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Sci-tech

Gadgets and Gizmos in Dhaka

Imran H. Khan

Even though learning about the latest gadgets and concepts are quite entertaining, there are times when we wish we could actually go out and buy them. As the gadgets in Dhaka seem to always be in a state of perpetual improvement, there are new and improved items coming into the market all the time. Even more so if you consider the people who bring in extra mobiles and gadgets from abroad, eager to make a quick profit. Even before the Pentium D processor could make a stand in the local market, Intel® launched its newest item the Intel Core 2 Duo Processor making the predecessor quite 'old'. As usual it comes with the promise of enhanced performance and graphics quality, but where is technology actually taking us. Lets take a look at some genre of technology and the latest applications that associated with them.

Mobile Phones And PDAs
Sony Ericsson P990i

The new P990i takes communications to new heights. There is instant access to the Internet, push e-mail to get your e-mail straight to your phone and video calling and messaging for effective communications. With a 2 megapixel digital camera with video, capture special moments. Also exclusive to this phone, the built-in business card scanner that can save important cards. There is also a built in music player and FM RDS radio for around the clock entertainment. Store data in the 60MB internal memory and also the 64MB Memory Stick PRO Duo included in kit. There are a lot more innovative applications that make this phone quite a powerful and effective business tool. The P990i comes at a cost of Tk 47,830.


Nokia E61
Moving into the realm of Nokia, one cannot help but admire the applications of the Nokia E61. Even though it is not as flashy at the Nokia Nseries, it supports the most common features of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel. It's also compatible with Zip Manager and Adobe Reader. The phone's large, advanced high-resolution screen shows images sharper and reduces scrolling. Store documents and information in the 64 MB built in memory, with support for miniSD card too. There is a full keyboard with backlight packed right into your palm. The E61 has WCDMA that provides fast, wide-area connectivity and WLAN that provides fast, local-area connectivity. The bundle comes with a price tag of Tk 26,880.

Sony Ericsson M600i
The M600i provides you with secure push email, internet and company intranet access. Surf the web, download music and video, and enjoy games and more. The slim form factor makes the M600i easy to carry, hold and use. The touchscreen and Jog Dial navigation make using the M600i easy and intuitive while, the mobile RSS feeds provide you with the latest news updates. As the M600i is powered by Symbian OS, more applications and useful tools can be installed on the phone which may include navigation tools, travel software and more. This handy gadget comes at a cost of Tk 32,320.

Nokia 8800
If you are one of those people who like the feel of metal, this sleek, luxurious mobile is for you. Its body is sculpted from stainless steel for durability. The screen is also protected by scratch-resistant glass window and the phone slides to reveals its SVGA camera. Other features include a 3D image engine for enhanced graphics, video recording and streaming, a digital music player and much more. At a cost of Tk 53,600, this mobile is quite pricey but definitely deserves some kudos points.

N93
The Nseries is really the revolution in the way we use a mobile phone. With the Nokia N93 multimedia computer, one can capture in DVD-like quality videos, or capture each living moments with the new Carl Zeiss optics, 3x Optical Zoom camera. The Nseries is also in collaboration with Yahoo, and it's online picture storage site called 'Flickr'. After taking pictures with an Nseries phone such as the N93, one can directly store that picture in the online archive where friends and family can easily access the picture. It is quite fun for sharing moments with near and dear ones. The 2.4" display is also quite impressive. The mobile can be yours for Tk 49, 995.

The Palm ITX
This beautifully designed Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) comes with a built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology. This generally means that you can easily browse the web and check email from your home, from work or even from Wi-Fi network areas such as the airports, cafes and hotels. There is 128MB memory packed into this system with an Intel 312 MHz ARM-based processor. There is also support for MultiMediaCard, SD and SDIO cards. The PDA comes at a cost of Tk 24,960.

OptiCard 610
This portable gadget is one of the smallest and lightest business card scanners I have seen. The OptiCard 610 also offers excellent performance, fits right in you palm and is capable of scanning name cards and is power cord free, using a USB interface for power and communication with the computer. The reader convert business cards into database records using I.R.I.S. power OCR technology. The information is then automatically inserted into the correct database fields. The items from plustek costs Tk 6,000.

The Wordmaster Talking Dictionary is basically a digital dictionary. The gadget has a very nice interface and the features include an English Dictionary, a Bangla Dictionary, an English to Bangla Dictionary, a Bangla to English Dictionary, a thesaurus and more. The best thing by far is that the dictionary can teach you pronunciation by talking to you. Interesting. The item is a steal for just Tk 3710.

Apple Products
iPod Video
Moving into the world of Apple, their latest items to hit our market are the iPod videos and iPod Nanos. The iPod video as the name suggests plays music, podcasts, audiobooks, photos, TV shows, movies, videos, games and even shows notes on its 2.5-inch colour display. The iPod Video 60 GB holds about 15,000 Songs and costs Tk 37,020. The smaller sized iPod Video 30 GB can hold 7,500 Songs and is priced at Tk 27,000. This is a must buy for all those who don't want to move without the company of their music collection.

iPod Nano
The new sleek Nano is just over quarter of an inch thin and feels stunning. With its new anodised aluminum enclosure and rounded edges, iPod nano also gets a dazzling look and with a 4 GB storage capacity containing about 1,000 songs. You can also get podcasts, audiobooks, photos, contacts, calendar and files. iPod nano comes with a price tag of Tk 21,500 but it's a small price to pay for quality music.

iPod Hi-Fi
With the iPod Hi-Fi system, you can say goodbye to the bulky expensive stereo and walls of CDs. With this handy gadget you can get the atmosphere of a multi-speaker setup. The best thing about the whole system is, you can just tuck this away into any bookshelf or tabletop. There is a dock connector on top which plugs in any model of iPod into the system. With newer iPod models, you can view full-screen album art and even tweak the tone settings on iPod Hi-Fi to get the best sound possible. While listening to music, the iPod Hi-Fi will also act as a charging station for the iPod. Since the system can also be powered by six D-cell batteries, you can carry this with you thanks to the sleek, reinforced handles. It makes the perfect boom-box. This fancy sound machine comes with a price tag of Tk 34,000.

i-Drive USB 2.0 Disk + PC Camera
Ever wish your flash drive had a camera? Well, now it can happen thanks to an interesting solution combining the features of a storage drive and a digital camera with a 640 * 480 video resolution. A reasonable buy at Tk 3,000.

NVidia GeForce 6600
With this powerful NVidia GeForce card, you can supercharge your gaming and video experience. This features a PCI Express interface which delivers over 4 GB/sec. in both upstream and downstream data transfers. With support for Microsoft DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 3.0 and 512 MB DDR memory, this NVidia series delivers unmatched features, especially for gamers. This card costs Tk 15,000.

OpticSlim M12 Plus
A compact design, high-performance and unsurpassed quality - these are the features that this sheetfed scanner, the OpticSlim M12 Plus, has to offer. This little tool is capable of scanning A4 size document and is power cord free, using a USB interface for power and communication with the computer. This item costs Tk 6,000.

Home Entertainment
Transcom Electronics Ltd also has introduced an exclusive range of products this Eid. Starting from home theatres that range from Tk 27,990, the range goes upto Tk 45,000. LCD Televisions start at Tk 1,24,900 for a 26” one to a grand 50” dream machine for Tk 4,50,000. DVD players are also in ample at this time of the season with the average price of a Philips DVD being Tk 5,900. There are also exciting gifts with the purchase of TVs and other items from all Transcom Electronics shops. Here are some of the highlights.

Philips LCD TV
Experience the superior picture quality of this excellent Flat TV with the latest LCD technology and Pixel Plus. This gorgeous TV has a stunning design with a high-definition LCD WXGA display. You will also enjoy the exceptional picture quality of a true High Definition TV signal and be fully prepared for HD sources like HDTV broadcast, Blu-ray DVD, etc. The price tag of Tk 210,000 may seem a little steep but considering the quality of the visuals, this item seems an excellent buy. After all, seeing is believing.

Mini DVD Hi-Fi System
If you are like me and you like the sound of bass then this Philips Hi-Fi System might just be what you're looking for. Indulge yourself into an entertainment experience enriched by a 3-disk changer, MAX Sound for instant power boost and 3-step Dynamic Bass Boost. The system offers a total power of 350W RMS/ 4600W PMPO. MAX Sound technology produces an instant boost in bass, maximising volume performance. To enjoy the Mini Hi-Fi, you have to be ready to cough up Tk 29,500.

Philips Home Theatre System
With cinematic surround sound, this stylish and compact full digital home entertainment system plays practically any disc in high quality Dolby, DTS multi-channel sound. Dolby Pro Logic II provides five channels of surround processing from any stereo source and the Wide Spectrum Speaker System delivers true-to-life sound. There is also a 12-bit/108MHz video processing unit for sharp, natural images. This complete home system can be yours for Tk 29,000.


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