Bytes - Gadgets, Gizmos and Gear for 2011

Its Christmas and all the retailers know that there is no better time to get the cash registers ringing than now. So here are some of swanky gadgets and gizmos worth going gaga over ... 

KEF from the UK is big in the local Hong Kong market the way I would reckon BOSE is big in Singapore.  Worth a listen, the brand just made its debut launch in Singapore with their new Q Series that delivers superb and absolutely exquisite quality sound, high definition richness and clarity usually exclusive to speaker brands costing many times more. Their new T Series is a slim profile loud speaker range that has been designed to complement today's stylish flat panel televisions. 

If you have been looking around for a 3D Blu-Ray Disc Player, check out Pioneer's from only S$499. The BDP-430 and BDP-LX54 are two players newly launched that connect to a 3D-capable display via HDMI.  Complementing perfectly with Pioneers latest 3D capable AV receivers, these new Blu-ray Disc players are equipped with the latest technologies to set the standard in state-of-the-art audio and video reproduction. They connect to a local network, the internet and with an ethernet port can connect to any wireless home network via an optional Pioneer wireless LAN adapter. Supports MKV, DivX HD, WMV and MP3 format playback, plus a JPEG viewer for photo slideshows making it one of the latest and most flexible content companions for CD, DVD, USB or LAN. Now thats what I call efficient! 

Here come the iPad competitors. Asus unveils its Eee Reader DR900, a 9 inch touch screen ebook reader with wifi and 3G options that has a reading area 2.25 times the size of 6 inch ebook readers. Highly portable at less than 10mm thick, weighing in at 440g with a 2GB internal storage expandable via SD card. Store up to 5000 books with  a 2 week battery life that is long enough to read 20 novels back to back between recharges. The ultra-low power consumption is possible because the Eee Reader's electrophoretic display uses only power to change its image not maintain it. Page turns are virtually instant and the monochrome image is as crisp as ink printed on paper. The screen stays clear even in broad daylight, making so it’s as easy to read on the beach as it is under a bedside light. A 9-inch capacitive touch-screen also removes the need for a physical keyboard and delivers a simple and intuitive user interface. 

Nikon has launched a new digital SLR camera, the D7000. This mid-class format camera comes with a new CMOS image sensor and a new EXPEED 2 image processing engine. It also features a new 2,016-pixel metering sensor, a new AF system that utilizes 39 focus points and the D-Movie function that enables recording of full HD movies.

Then this next one is a useful thing to have - a LRT Powermat Receiver Case for your iPhone 4 so that you can wirelessly charge your device. The protective case that covers the iPhone and has a slim, sleek, formfitting design with a flip top for easy removal that allows micro USB access in order to sync with the charging mat. When a device reaches full charge, power is shut off to that device, which avoids overcharging of the device's battery as well as saves energy. Once full power is achieved and the Auto Shut Off has occurred to save energy, the system will monitor the status of the battery in your device. If the battery is used, the system will again initiate charging and return the battery to a full charge. Only HK$348 for the Receiver case and HK$648 for Receiver case together with the Mat as a Bundle.

Fans of Tumi have some new gadgets that they can add on to their packs. How about a Mobile Power pack (HK$1,250), Travel Mouse (HK$700), a 500GB data vault (HK$2080) and an Electric Adaptor (HK$470). 

Finally, if you know a shutterbug or are one yourself, then check out Samsonite's latest camera bag tailored for young professional and amateur photographers looking to store and protect their DSLRs and myriad of accessories. The new collection features adjustable and removable padded dividers as well as pouches with protective foam to keep camera gear safe against hard knocks, as well as highly-accessible organization compartments for extra batteries, memory cards or just about any other accessory that a photographer would need. Brushed tricot lining in the camera partition also protects LCD screens and lens from abrasion while a detachable rain cover ensures camera gear is protected from the elements.  
  


- Elaine