Get Noticed... USB Drives That Stand Out!!!

Are you riding the tide of mediocrity when it comes to your gadgets or do you prefer to make a statement? When it comes to portable data storage three things come to mind, capacity, price and speed. However, what most of us do not take into consideration is the aesthetics and form factor of our USB drives.

Sure we use these little devices to carry around and transfer our important files everyday, but this is all we take these devices to be; just regular storage gadgets. Well with this post I bring to you a different perspective where even your USB drive can make a statement and help you display your true tech colors. After all there is hardly any point in being mainstream!!!

 GUITAR SHAPED USB DRIVE

KEY SHAPED SLIM USB DRIVE

LIGHTER & USB DRIVE

SWISS ARMY KNIFE USB DRIVE

HUMAN THUMB SHAPED USB DRIVE

TRANSFORMER USB DRIVE

REVOLVER SHAPED USB DRIVE

 

And last but not the least, made out of gold and encrusted diamonds, one of the

MOST EXPENSIVE USB DRIVE 

Sharp Aquos 3D Phone… Japan Still TOP DOG!!!

It was sad to see Japan go through all the recent devastation caused by the earthquakes and the tsunamis. Speculations were made that Japan had taken severe blows in every sector and that it would fall back on industrial production and tech development as well. An interesting news article stated that due the events, microchip production had taken a hit and due to the shortage, the prices and growth in the sector would be affected. Well I guess those speculations were laid to rest, because as it seems, Japan is still the hub of all the latest and greatest consumer electronics and the Japanese masses have the luxury of buying products that haven’t been released elsewhere in the world.

One such gadget that was brought to my attention was a new, very powerful and feature packed Smartphone made by Sharp. Yes Sharp!! Believe it or not, Sharp has been making phones for the longest and has an extensive lineup. The phones made by Sharp have not really made a significant impact in the world of mobile phones. Well that is to change come the 20^th of May in Japan.

 

Since 3D has been the craze in the world of tech these days, every manufacturer is racing to join the category. Since Sharp makes pretty decent televisions under the Aquos lineup, they decided to integrate that same technology into making a Smarphone as well. Hence the Sharp Aquos SH-12C has been scheduled to be released (exclusively in Japan for now) on the 20^th of May. 

What makes this phone so much more special is not the fact that it can display 3D images on its 4.2” screen, that feature already exists in the LG Optimus 3D, but the fact that it will be the first Smartphone by any manufacturer in the world capable of recording 3D video in HD. The Sharp Aquos phone includes 2 8MP cameras on the back which allow it to record 3D video at 720p resolution. The only other device allowing 3D video recording right now is the LG G-Slate Tablet (Click here for Review), but that is a tablet and not a Smartphone. 

Other noteworthy features include a 1.4GHz processor that is powerful enough to support the 3D video recording and the latest version of Android OS (2.3 Gingerbread). What is most interesting is the fact that Sharp has made the claim that consumers will be able to view 3D images on the phone’s display without the need for 3D glasses. That in itself is a first for any 3D mobile phone and definitely worth a pat on the back. 

Finally, what it means for Pakistan is that even though the phone will not be available to the rest of the world just yet, the prospects of 3D enabled devices becoming readily available and affordable are just around the corner. Ofcourse it is only a matter of time before Sharp releases this beast onto the rest of the world, so stay tuned…

Spy Gadgets…. You, A Secret Agent!!!

There are an infinite number of ways in which technology affects our lives. While some parts of technology are integrated into our daily lifestyles and we simply take them for granted, others are far-fetched ideas and uber cool gadgets that simply leave us fascinated and fantasizing.

I am sure we’ve all watched our fair share of spy and secret agent movies where savvy government agents use state-of-the-art gadgets to outsmart, outmaneuver and outperform their foes. These ultra high tech gadgets leave us thinking, what if we could get our hands on them? How would we create havoc with super cool spy gadgets?

Well, I’ve got some good news on two fronts!!! Firstly, because of the rate at which tech progresses in today’s world, some variants of these futuristic spy gadgets are now available to the average consumer. This fact, combined with our fascination with stalking people has brought us a range of readily available spy gadgets. How creative you get with them and how you use them is absolutely a matter of choice, but here is a list of some interesting gadgets that could make you your very own Bond!!!

HIDDEN CAMERAS

For times you just cant afford to miss out on that priceless moment without being noticed !!!

  CAP CAMERA

 

BELT CLIP CAMERA

 

KEY CHAIN CAMERA

 

LIGHTER CAMERA

HIDDEN VOICE RECORDERS

For times when you want to remember everything you and others said !!!

WRIST WATCH VOICE RECORDER

 

 PEN VOICE RECORDER

SOFT DRINK CAN VOICE RECORDER

HARDWARE PC KEY LOGGERS

These little devices can be connected to a PC's Keyboard wire to record every single keystroke!!!

STANDARD PS2 KEY LOGGER

 

KEY LOGGER WITH WIFI TRANSMISSION

 

BUG DETECTORS

 

 These devices are for the counter-spies who want to locate devices being used against them!!!

NIGHT VISION EQUIPMENT

This technology is becoming more and more affordable everyday and is super cool to use!!!

Electric Sheesha…. Smoke the Tech!!!

If you are a Sheesha aficionado like I am, this one is especially relevant. For others who are casual smokers or just hang around in the company of Sheesha smokers, this may still be an interesting read. Like I always state in my posts, I’m a firm believer in the fact that technology tends to make your life easier and more interesting in many ways. Well this is where technology and Sheesha come into play together.

Almost all aficionados own the equipment, to pop it out, set it up and start smoking away at any convenient time or whenever friends gather up at a common place. I own two Sheeshas in my case. I think most would agree that it’s a fun and enjoyable experience where friends gather up and enjoy the good times. What I don’t particularly enjoy is when the smoke starts to thin out and you realize that the coal you lit up a few minutes back is all burnt out. That short break in the middle where you have to take measures to reignite new pieces is a major annoyance. This is where tech comes in to save the day. 

This little device referred to Electric Coal or E-Coal is a knight in shining armor. You place this little gizmo simply where you would place normal coal and plug it into a power socket and viola!!! E-Coal warms up to the very same temperature that regular coal does and maintains that state for as long as it is plugged in. This means that it provides the continuous heat required for the flavored tobacco to stay ablaze and keep producing that thick puff of sweetness!!! 

Since our beloved government today passed a bill to ban Sheesha smoking in restaurants and open-spaces, I have a feeling that I will have a lot of my friends showing up to my place as a substitute and my Sheesha will be getting a regular workout. In that regard, this equipment may be a very useful thing to have. As things stand, I’m not sure of the availability of E-coal, but I am pretty sure if I hunt around, I should be able to find it at one of the stores. Also considering the amount of money you would save in the long run with not having to burn Magic Coal, this might end up paying for itself. If you are convinced that this is something you might like to have as well and go out looking for it, hit me up if you find it. Here is another example of how tech saves the day…. Smoke Away!!!  

Top 5 Gadgets.... To Help Cheat in EXAMS!!!

I am a student, and these days exam fever has overshadowed my tech life. Unlike on a regular day, where I spend a LOT of time around tech, during exams it becomes “Some Time” around tech. But my blog and tech is always on my mind nonetheless. The hodgepodge of things going on in my head made me come up with this idea. 

Since tech makes so many things easier for us, can’t it also help us pass our exams a little easier too? Sure it can… but mind you that even though it may, there is a certain ethical aspect associated with this. I would clearly like to state that this post is for informational and enjoyment purposes only and Paki Tech Reviews does not in any way endorse cheating during exams or any such unethical behavior. But to let our minds ponder on what could be…. Here are some interesting gadgets that would let you be a little evil!!!

CELL PHONE WATCHES:

With technology growing at such a rapid pace, this was bound to happen sooner or later. These cellular watches can go undetected and may allow you to read previously received text messages that contain information. If you want to go a step further and acquire live help from a buddy on the other end of the phone, use these in conjunction with the next gadget.

SPY BLUETOOTH EARPHONES:

They are much smaller than your regular in-ear Bluetooth headsets and will most likely go unnoticed. The microphone in these gadgets is super sensitive and may even detect the low volume queries that you make inside the examination hall. These devices can be paired up with any mobile phone with Bluetooth or a Bluetooth enabled MP3 player that you may have recorded your notes on previously.

INVISIBLE INK AND ULTRA-VIOLET PENS:

These are more commonly used for recreational purposes but can be very effective in your evil quest for academic glory. The ink in the pen is invisible to the naked eye but becomes visible under UV light (Black Light) that is mounted on top of the pen. Write your notes anywhere you like and view them through the secret revealing light. 

SOUND BUG:

This device is an interesting one and you can think of many creative ways to use it. It connects to any audio source and then attaches to any flat surface to make it a speaker. So save up your notes in a player, connect it to the Sound Bug and stick the device under the desk or writing table with the included suction cup. Your entire table top becomes a speaker projecting the sweet sound of your notes. Make sure to keep the volume very low so only you can hear it.

 

SCROLL PEN:

This one is not an electronic gadget per say but still would be a useful thing to have. The pen comes with built-in paper scroll that you can pull out anytime you like, it retracts back in as soon as you let go. This item gives you the ability to cramp ample information into the pen you will be using with a decent amount of discretion. 

Once again, please do not consider this a go ahead to do something unethical and keep in mind that actually studying pays off many times over in the long run. Which brings me to my last point, I have an exam tomorrow and I should also be studying rather than letting my mind wander off to other things. Good luck for your Exams!!!

Gadget Love…. How Techies Say “I LOVE YOU”!!!

I do a lot of surfing over some tech websites; it’s my passion more so than it is my job. Often times I come across something very interesting that suddenly seems all so relevant. If there is a woman in your life worth appreciating, this is an interesting read.

If you are techie like me, your significant other would constantly have to bear the times when you keep on rambling about your new gadget or toy, and what features it has, and how you can control a robotic penguin with it in the Artic. Well if that is the case, she deserves a major Kudos for going through that almost on a regular basis. And what better way to say that you appreciate her than with a gadget!!!

Well, I admit that it may not seem like a very good idea at first glance, but what I came across makes so much sense. It’s something that would truly make a statement that you gave her a present which you put a lot of thought into. A gift that represents your passion for tech and a symbol of appreciation for her, this gift is a perfect merger for you and her…

Don’t worry it’s not just a regular heart shaped pendant, that would be so cliché and it just won’t be our style. What is so special about this pendant is that it houses a hidden 2GB USB Flash drive in it. The USB port sticks out whenever you want to connect it to a PC and then shifts back in to maintain the charm of the jewelry. It is available in Pakistan through an online shopping site called Symbios.pk and you can pay cash on delivery. To top it all off, it’s affordable as well, priced at PKR 2000 only. (Click Here for the Page!!)

Here is an idea that came to me through a close friend as well, to make this more appealing and personal, hook the pendant up to a PC and load some memorable pictures of the both of you on it before putting it on a chain and presenting it to her. It could very well be the time when she appreciates your passion for tech the most!!!

Images Courtesy of http://www.symbios.pk

Top 5 Tech Gifts... Make MOM's Life Easier!!!

I woke up this morning to find all of social media filled up to the brim with Mother’s day wishes and comments. I was in the spirit of appreciating my beloved mom too so after spending some time with her and finalizing plans for the evening, I got a little time to think. Moms don’t just become Moms on Mother’s day; they are there for us all year long. Unconditional love and appreciation don’t just burst out on one particular Sunday, a mother’s affection is showered upon us every minute of every day. 

 

Besides the obvious fact that this post is dedicated to all the Moms out there and also to the kids who love them, it has to serve a purpose as well. If our moms don’t take a break from their love for us, why should we just show appreciation by gifting them flowers, chocolates and a dinner on only this one particular day? Why don’t we put in the effort to give her presents of appreciation that she will utilize all year long? Well in serving that purpose in true techie style, here are five gadgets to “MAKE MOM’S LIFE EASIER EVERYDAY”.

A lot of Mothers are beings of very simple taste, who find more consolation in taking care of their family than keeping up to date with the latest and hottest of gadgets. Mothers like simple things that do not complicate their life, and this is why choosing these gadgets was such a challenge for me. How do I justify gadgets to a person who is least inspired by its superior features and qualities?? Well I don’t actually… I appeal to the kids who will buy them for their mothers in the near future. I’ll leave the justification to you… After all, you all know your mothers better than anyone else.

The iPad

One quality that Apple has is that it makes superior gadgets simple to use. This is why my first pick would be the Apple iPad. It doesn’t have to be an iPad 2 (although it won’t hurt) but in any case I simply cannot explain all the ways in which it will impact Mom’s life. The iPad does so many things so very well and it does them all without seeming intimidating or confusing to technophobic mothers. She can use it as a Web Browser so she won’t have to use your dreadful Quad Core Gaming Desktop. She can use it as an e-book reader with unlimited amounts of books for leisure. She can even use the iPad in the kitchen as an electronic cookbook with unlimited recipes available on the internet and in e-book format. My mom is addicted to the YouTube feature which she likes using to listen to any number of old songs that she can think of. She uses my iPad more than I do and I am surely going to be buying her one in the very near future.

Nokia C5

My mom has very simple tastes and very limited requirements from a cell phone. It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make when I wanted to get a new phone for her. How can a simple phone be the best phone was the question? The Nokia C5 in the end made so much sense. Its everything that Mom needs and nothing that she doesn’t. She didn’t care about a flashy touchscreen with a 12MP camera and the latest Android OS. She needed to make phone calls and send out the occasional SMS to me when I failed to answer her call. The C5 had large enough buttons on it so she won’t have to fetch the reading glasses every time she needed to use it. It had a basic camera, just for the sake of having one, whereas she was more interested in the LED flash that could be used as a flashlight when power outage struck. And finally, with the simple and user friendly interface from Symbian, came the feature of photocall. I quickly snapped pictures of the family and put assigned them to contacts that are placed on the home screen. She calls a limited number of people (mostly family) and she now doesn’t even have to access the phonebook to search for our numbers. The phone is skinny and easy to carry and has great battery life since she often forgets to charge it as well. It is not harsh on the eyes either and my mom likes how it looks. You should definitely consider this as a decent phone for Mom.

PTCL Smart TV

I think it has become pretty obvious that the ladies in the house tend to have a certain inclination towards the Television set. My Mom takes time out from her busy schedule to catch episodes of certain Soap Operas. But how often have you noticed that during the middle of the intense scenes, Mom realizes that she left something on top of the stove and has to rush to attend to it. By the time she returns, she has missed the whole drama. Almost all of us have some form or the other of cable television in the house, PTCL has taken this service a step further. PTCL Smart TV service comes with a set-top box that lets you pause, rewind and replay live television. So anytime mom misses out on a sequence, she can just simply revert back to it or pause it while she attends to other things. An additional service the PTCL Smart TV offers is the ability to stream movies directly so anytime mom finds some extra time to spare and feels like catching a flick, she can just order one up through the remote instead of downloading a torrent file like we tend to do. This is a decent and affordable service and moms will surely tend to enjoy the flexibility it allows them.

BRAUN Multiquick 5

Moms spend a considerable amount of time in the kitchen churning up the sweet deliciousness that we tend to enjoy and take for granted. What we don’t realize is that the “Mughlai Chicken Pulao” that you enjoyed took mom a lot of effort to make. Since a primary goal of technology is to make everyone’s life a little easier, present Mom with the Braun Multiquick 5 to help her shed some workload. The multipurpose blender comes with a myriad of attachments that allow the hand-held device to blend, puree, whip, chop, mince, crush, shred, slice, cut and knead effortlessly. Ofcourse we won’t know too much about these things but mom will surely appreciate the ease and utility this kitchen accessory brings. Oh and it has 15 speeds for God knows what reason!!!

Pansonic FH25 Digital Camera

My mom loves to have a camera handy anytime there is a family gathering or any occasion at all. These are the general observations I made: Mom doesn’t care about 20 Megapixel high res images, mom doesn’t care about interchangeable lenses, and she doesn’t care about 9000 shooting modes including “Negative Sepia Overexposed”!!! All mom cares about is that the camera is easy to carry, easy to use and the pictures come out looking good. The Panasonic is a great camera that has great build quality so Mom doesn’t get that feeling that you got her a budget item (Although I know she doesn’t really care). It has a LEICA image sensor that will make sure that she snaps the best looking pictures. Also it has 16.1 Megapixels, 8X Optical Zoom and 720p video recording for when you want to borrow it. One thing that Mom will particularly enjoy is that it has very small startup and shot-to-shot times, meaning that she can turn it on and start taking pictures almost instantaneously. It comes in a variety of color choices too, so make sure you get mom the one she likes !!!

This post intentionally comes late because it’s not about getting Mom a mother’s day present and thinking that you’ve done your part. It’s about making mom’s day better every day of the year. With this I end, and I hope you have a great mother’s day.

P.S. I LOVE MOM !!!

Sony Ericsson…. Complete Facebook XPERIAnce!!!

Been on Facebook lately?? Im sure you have. If you are one of the millions of people who spend a notable amount of time on Facebook and consider the site a vital part of your socializing, we have some good news. 

I did an article a few days back about Sony Ericsson phones and how they can be worthy alternatives to the best of the best out there (Click Here to check Sony Ericsson… Not to Be Ignored!!!). Well, Sony Ericsson has raised the bar even further. It has been announced that through upcoming updates, the phones will now be more closely integrated with Facebook than ever before. 

Some noteworthy improvements may include:

• ·         Your image gallery will include integration for your Facebook photo albums

• ·         Dedicated tab to view updates and photos shared by your friends

• ·         Facebook notifications will now show up alongside your missed call and message notifications

• ·         Contacts will be synced with facebook to include their feed, updates and likes

• ·         A like button will appear in the music player so that you can share the music you listen to

These features and many more will become part of the User-Interface that will be running over the Android OS. Just like always I recommend the Sony Ericsson phones as good, capable Smartphones and these added features further strengthen that claim. 

Image Courtesy: www.GSMArena.com

Nokia ORO.... Leather and Gold!!!

First there is this class of ultra-expensive, limited edition phones that cost a fortune to purchase. Designed with the most exquisite materials and branding, these phones make a clear statement that not everyone can afford them. Often touching hundreds of thousands of dollars, I’m talking about the Vertu, Gresso and The Ulysses Nardin category of phones.

Then you have a class that becomes semi-affordable. This category of phones still commands a high price, but is often within reach of the well-to-do normal earthling who doesn’t have a mansion on the moon. Nokia has been good in this category making some beautiful and desirable phones in the past including the 8800 ARTE lineup which included Carbon, Sapphire and Gold. Just recently, Nokia ventured into this same category with a new $1,600 phone called the Nokia ORO.

The word ORO literally stands for “Gold” in Italian and once you look at the phone you will know that it is aptly named. The phone’s frame and buttons are plated in 18k yellow gold and the front buttons are made of sapphire crystals. The back of the phone is covered in the same high quality branded leather that is used in the interior of some of the most expensive cars in the world. If you have a good amount of cash to spare, this could be a decent attention grabber.

The Nokia ORO is not however what this post really is about. Keeping in mind all of the rest of us who don’t usually go for premium brands with gold plating and exotic leather, there is good news. The Nokia ORO behind all the glamour is actually a very capable Smartphone. The phone inside the gold plated and leather skin is actually a Nokia C7!!!

A few days back, I had recommended the Nokia C7 to a friend as a good multimedia phone with great hardware and as a worthy competitor to the Nokia N8. I’m glad to state that after purchasing the phone, my friend was very happy with it. The fact that Nokia has further reinforced my recommendation by using the C7 as the basis for their new premium phone emphasizes that it is generally a very capable phone.

You can check out the full specifications of the Nokia C7 (Same specs for the ORO) by clicking HERE. I will be getting my hands on the phone soon and will be doing a full video review as well. But keeping in mind that my recommendation is already in favor of the C7 and that Nokia themselves tend to agree should be reason enough to consider this phone if you are out there in the market. I would go as far as saying that unless you are really crazy about the camera on your phone, the Nokia C7 is actually better value for money than the Nokia N8.