Review - LG 47LA6200 119 cm (47) LED TV (Full HD, 3D, Smart)

I bought this model from a store in Vashi (Navi Mumbai) in July 2014. After a good 4 months of usage, I decided to pen down the salient features and quick review of this model for the benefit of the larger audience.

For starters this is a 2013 model (LG LA 6200) and the 2014 model is called LB6200 which has a slightly higher refresh rate and costs about 10,000 INR more. I demoed both the LA6200 (2013 model) and LB6200 (2014 model). To my surprise i could not find any difference in quality. I tested both the non 3d and 3d features. The link to the official website is LG India.

Some of the salient feature of this model are following:

• 119 cm (47) LED Display
• Full HD, 1920 x 1080
• IPS Panel
• 3D TV
• Smart TV
• Smart Share (NFC Tag ON, Miracast™ , MHL, 2^nd Display)
• 3 x HDMI, 
• 3 x USB
• Built-in Wi-Fi, Ethernet
• Refresh Rate - 60 Hz Motion Rate
• Magic Remote with Voice Recognition
• Comfortable, flicker free, battery free 3D glasses - 4 pieces
• Time Machine with recording feature
• Premium Content

The sales package contains "TV Unit, 4 Basic 3D Glasses, Magic Remote (MR13), Conventional Remote".

Review of Casio Protek PRG - 270-1 (SL 71)

Here is a quick review of my latest watch Casio Protek PRG - 270-1 (SL 71). Since i live in India, here is the official link to Casio India page http://www.casio-intl.com/in/en/wat/watch_detail/PRG-270-1/.



Before i get on with the specifics let me quickly point to where i bought the watch from. I bought it from snapdeal.com (link for the watch http://www.snapdeal.com/product/casio-stylish-mens-watch/1525802208)  Everything from packing to delivery time was better than expected. I had the watch delivered to my doorstep within 48 hours of ordering the same. Kudos to snapdeal and its team.


Some pictures to start off with.

This watch is the latest in the Protek series and was announced by Casio in Japan on July 8th 2013. As per Casio this watch is equipped with Triple Sensor Ver. 3 for even better accuracy. This is the same sensor that you will find on the new PRG/PRW 3000 series. The only exception here being the fact that Casio has removed the waveceptor (or equivalent of atomic clock where you can receive time directly from satellites and no need to adjust). Rest all the functioanlity is the same on PRG/PRW 270 series as that of PRG/PRW 3000 series. So the PRG/PRW 270 series is smaller than


Packing: This is my first Protek series watch. This watch came in a soft board material which had the model no, make, date and the price mentioned on one of the wider sides. As you would see from pictures, this model comes in a nice hard card board box, that is i think made in a manner that it gives you a feel that it is made from solid wood. Do not be fooled, this is cardboard, not wood (as if we care ;) ). Overall the box has a nice feel to it and it seems like it can protect the beauty inside the box without a fuss.

Once you pull open this hard board box, pull open the manuals aways you will see the gleaming Protek 270 in all its glory.Full points to Casio for the packing 5 on5.

Display: I have the PRG 270-1 which is positive display ABC watch (hey man too much lingo). In simpler terms, it is a clear bright display, not a dark one (called positive display) and that it displays Altimeter (A), Barometer (B), Compass (C). We all know positive displays are always more legible and this watch doesnt disappoint. It has a nice clear display which is crisp to read. It can on the home mode display the following:
1) Day and Date (not year)
2) Date and Year (not day)
3) Current time (in24 hours format or 12 hour format with a small p displayed on the left which denotes PM)
4) This same mid tier also shows whether power saving has been enabled or not
5) Seconds in the third tier and bottom tier of the display
6) this same third tier displays alarm if it is set, snooze if it is enabled.


Two quick pictures of me wearing the watch on my left hand showing the same (one with flash and the other without). You can notice the crispness of the display.

Functions: All the functions mentioned in the watch seem fairly accurate so far as the day of writing the same. The Altimeter seems to lock in fairly quickly and displays results quite accurately. Likewise, the compass seems accurate, checked with the GPS on mobile as well. Temperature is the only function where i have a gripe. This seems to be off by a few degree centigrade. The reason for the same will be taking into account the body heat. When you leave the watch on a neutral surface like wood and then re-record, it gives accurate results. So i reckon, when wearing on hand adjust for the body temperature compensation. Another feature close to my heart is accurate Sunrise/Sunset data once the Latitude and Longitude are set as per your location. Also, for me most of the functions were factory preset and didnot need any adjustment. Made me not go through the manual (which is a huge tome) on the very first day. Also, if you enable the power saving, the watch display blanks out if you keep the watch in complete dark.
 
Another thing worthy of mention here is that it is incredibly quick to switch between modes and functions. The watch responds very very quickly.

Here is a quick official video on youtube.com as posted by Casio Japan.

 

Looks: Again this would depend on person to person. I love the look and feel of the watch in my hand. I would have loved if Casio would have included an additional strap especially steel or a non-resin/cloth strap. This would not only enhance the visibility of the watch as per the personality of a person, but also, is a step in enabling customers to choose for themselves/occasions.

Ergonomics: This is again person/personality dependent. However, i love it for it is light, easy to wear and easy to use. It is also very useful for when I am outdoors or I go swimming. Also, its auto light makes looking at the time incredibly easy.

My overall score for this watch 4.5 on 5 (i am deducting the 0.5 for lack of extra strap, but it is not much.)

Sennheiser CX 180 In-ear-canalphone

I have these headphones for a year almost. So here is a review of someone who has these for some time now. They are not the best headphones, but for the price they retail for they are by far the best headphones in the market. The on thing that stands out for these IEMs is that although they are loud, they are still able to maintain an amazing level of clarity in the sound.

Pros:
1) Very loud - they will make your lower the volume
2) Neat, clear sound and voice - no muddle here
3) Bass is good - not punchy - so bass lover might want to look elsewhere
4) mids are clear and crisp
5) Excellent after sales service by Sennheiser
6) Lovely 2 year warranty - psst they generally replace should you have a problem

Review Nokia Lumia 920

 

Incredibly well built phone with a super camera at a Super Price

What can i say about 920, it is an amazingly well built phone. I have it now for over a week now and given the person i am, i must say, i would have used just about every feature it has. Here is my summary about Windows Phone 8:

Quick Review - BlackBerry Bold 9900

Best QWERTY Touch & Type Phone (next best Nokia E6)

I bought this phone, in March 2012. I was using Nokia E6 and was a satisfied user of the same, however the need for BB messenger, email interface and office work, i needed to buy a BB. Since then began my search for a BB. This is one decision that i donot regret.

Pros -
1)OK battery life (especially when compared to any Windows phone or any Android device)-easily lasts through a day with medium-heavy usage (approx 3 hours on calls, 2 hours 3g internet usage, whatsapp-24x7, continuous emails from 2 accounts, etc)
2)Superb touch screen with qwerty keypad. Very responsive screen, great resolution, bright.
3)One of the brightest screens - easy legibility even in sunlight
4)High Resolution Screen - 640 x 480 pixel resolution (high pixel density-makes great text legibility)
5)EMail- By far the best client, nothing manages to come clos to BB's ability to deliver emails
6) Ability to set up upto 10 email accounts - unmatched
7)Great build quality
8)Decent 5 MP Camera which can record HD (720p) videos @ 30fps
9)OS update to 7.1: Performance increases several notches, much more fluid
10)Video recording is good and is very smooth but at 720p
Cons -
1)Apps: Not many apps for 9900 so customization is limited
2)Games: Very few games available so - not much entertainment value
3)Camera: Camera for still photos could have been better
4)No FM
5)No TV Out
6)Expensive

Go for this phone if you are a heavy texter/office-email receiver-sender/social network updater.Typical hierarchy BB 9900>Nokia E6>BB 9790>BB curve series


I dont knonw if we will see more physical QWERTY phones. They do seem like a dying proposition. I swear by a physical QWERTY and nothing can replace that.

Quick Review - ASUS Dual-Band Wireless-N600 Gigabit ADSL Modem Router

The DSL-N55U N600 offers features that will be like eye candy to high-end users. This modem - router offers features such as Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band Wi-Fi, the ability to share a 3G or 4G mobile broadband connection, etc.

Also, one of the best things is the set up. I have an Airtel broadband ADSL connection. The router on first login to 192.168.1.1 forces you to change password (GREAT feature for security). It auto detects settings and asks only for user ID and password - once you key it in it asks for Wireless settings with WEP as the default security setting which can be changed later. Once you key in all this information you are live Ta Da!!No more settings needed.

Another important thing is to upgrade to the new firmware immediately as it adds features such as Guest Network, New Dashboard UI which is great. I definitely recommend this update.


Another cool feature is: Two Devices in One – ADSL Modem and Wi-Fi Router

Designed with the latest in networking technology, the DSL-N55U has two Independent CPUs for its ADSL modem and Wi-Fi router modes, which deliver exceptionally fast wired and wireless connectivity. It comes with a powerful detachable Wi-Fi antenna to further extend wireless range.

Salient features are:
1)ASUSWRT Dashboard UI for Easy Setup, Signal Monitoring, and Network Application Control
2)Integrated home gateway with independent CPUs for modem and router - High gaming performance
3)Dual-band Wi-Fi delivers up to 600Mbps in bandwidth
4)Auto-detecting ADSL connection with CD/manual-free setup
5)3G/4G sharing, file sharing, printer sharing, and iPad charging using multi-functional twin USB ports

Pros
Good interface
Reliable storage features
Excellent FTP feature
Dual core - seperate for internet and gaming
Cons
Pricey
Range is not excellent - cannot go through 4 walls (is avg performer-range wise)

Quick Review - Nokia E6

I bought this phone, right after it was launched (July 2011). This is one decision that i donot regret.

Pros -
1)Superb battery life (especially when compared to any Windows phone or any Android device or for that matter any Blackberry device)-easily lasts through a day with very heavy usage (approx 4 hours on calls, 2 hours 3g internet usage, whatsapp-24x7, continuous emails, etc) and would stretch for 2 days (48hours) on medium usage
2)Superb touch screen with qwerty keypad (No other touch & type phone comes even close, Black Berry 9900 is good, but then lacks FM and TV out, Blackberry 9790 is a poorly built handset which can set one back by 24,000 INR and still give you a 5 megapixel camera with no tv out and a plastic body)
3)One of the brightest screens - easy legibility even in sunlight
4)High Resolution Screen - 640 x 480 pixel resolution (higher pixel density than iphone4)
5)Mail for Exchange - default mail client is superb - easily syncs Microsoft Exchange server emails in corporate setup and setting up Gmail/Yahoo works like a charm
6) Ability to set up upto 10 email accounts - unmatched
7)Great build quality-all metal body
8)Decent 8 MP Camera which can record HD (720p) videos @ 25fps
9)Symbian Anna pre-loaded to be replaced by Nokia Belle (amazing UI upgrade, with promise of performance boost) by Feb 8th 2012 will make it even better

Cons -
1)Screen could have been bigger, probably on the lines of Black Berry 9900
2)Symbian Anna-current OS has a lot of glitches
3)Fewer apps because of high resolution display

Go for this phone if you are a heavy texter/office-email receiver-sender/social network updater. Superb value for money and will easily last a long time.

You can find the User guide here:

• Nokia E6-00 User Guide (3.36 MB)

Support downloads

• Nokia Suite (101 MB ) Nokia Suite is a free software that connects your Nokia phone and Windows PC, and helps you transfer content between the two. With Nokia Suite you can use your PC to get software updates for your phone, back up your data, get new street maps and synchronise your music, photos and contacts. Compatible with PC Windows 8, 7, Vista, or XP. The application is multilingual.
• BBC iPlayer licence plugin (12 KB ) Catch up on your favourite BBC programmes: download the BBC iPlayer Licence plugin.
• Microsoft® Apps user guide  (318.0 KB ) Microsoft® Apps brings business apps such as Lync and Office Mobile to your phone. Get the user guide in PDF format.
• iSync for Mac OS (249 KB ) Mac user? Download the iSync plugin to sync your calendar and contacts.

 I dont knonw if we will see a QWERTY from Nokia again. It does seem like a dying proposition. I swear by a physical QWERTY and nothing can replace that.

Olive Telecom's OlivePad reviewed and compared to Apple's iPad