A piece of entertainment – that’s how Samsung’s latest mobile phone – the SGH-Z300 – left me when I finally returned it. Like test-driving a vehicle, I felt a sense of loss when I went back to my old reliable mobile and didn’t find the high-tech features the Samsung gadget had. But since those features were not among my simple demands from a mobile phone, my fingers easily switched back to my old phone’s functions.

When the Technews editor gave me the Selphy CP510 for review, I was quite baffled. The recent printer that I got my hands on was the Canon PIXMA MP500 Photo All-In-One printer. But this is quite small and compact.

With Christmas just around the corner I’m pretty sure just about everybody is preparing to go shopping for gifts. So do I really need to remind you to give a gift this Christmas? Of course not, this is more of a suggestive piece. My forecast is that this is going to be a tech Christmas just as USA Today predicted.

If we've learned anything from the past couple of years, it's that security flaws are inevitable. Systems break, vulnerabilities are reported, and still many people believe they will not be hit or they put their faith in the next product, or the next upgrade, or the next patch. "This time it's secure." they say. So far, it hasn't been.

By now, you must have realized the power of email; it's fast, affordable and effective - if you write the right email. Based on my experience, Email provides a faster response compared to telephone, text messages or other traditional communications. Why? Research shows that people who uses computer regularly has developed this habit to open and read their emails before doing any other Internet related activities.

Well-known futurologist Alvin Toffler in his book "PowerShift" stated that power would shift from violence to money to knowledge. Guess what? We are now living in a world where knowledge rules. The person or entity that can gather the right information and is able to transform that information to knowledge (whether good or bad) will have the POWER that everyone if not all is craving for.

With the objective to help young people acheive the dreams of young people through the use of technology, Samsung awarded ERDA Tech Foundation with Php 3 Million in the recently concluded Samsung DigitAll Hope Grant program for 2005.

The DC20 digital camcorder can record directly to DVDs. Measuring Only 3 inches (8cm) in diameter, the DC20's DVD -R/-RW discs are compatible with most DVD players and can store up to 30 minutes of video in standard mode and 60 minutes of video in long play mode or 120 minutes on a double-sided disc.

Nokia expanded its business device portfolio with an addition to its high-end smartphone range, the Nokia 9300i. Incorporating WLAN connectivity with a full keyboard, 65,536-color screen, support for a broad range of enterprise email solutions and an attachment viewer, the Nokia 9300i is the perfect combination of design and function and is ideally suited to meet the tough demands of mobile professionals.

London – Queen’s "We are the Champions" has emerged victorious in the first global search for the world’s favorite music by Sony Ericsson. Around 700,000 voters worldwide joined the Walkman phones 100, a global music poll to coincide with the launch of Sony Ericsson’s new family of Walkman phones.

The Sony Ericsson MMR-60 is an FM Music Transmitter that users can attach to a Sony Ericsson mobile phone. When attached to a Sony Ericsson mobile phone the gadget can transmit music files from the handset over the FM radio frequency band. This means users can now listen to MP3/AAC tracks from their mobile phones, through any radio receivers within range.

Java-enabled mobile phones are becoming mobile pathfinders. VDO Dayton has become the first supplier to launch a navigation system for cell phones that feature the widely used programming language Java. Navigation solutions for mobile phones that use the Symbian operating system have been available since early 2005. Now, the MN 2200 navigation system is based on a conventional mobile telephone standard and can be operated via any network operator. With the navigation software and a satellite-controlled GPS receiver, a user’s cell phone doesn’t only offer simple pictograms as navigation aids; it also provides color maps, arrows and voice directions. The user enters the route data with the phone’s keypad, and the rest is handled by the software, mobile phone, GPS receiver and the central server at VDO Dayton, a subsidiary of Siemens VDO Automotive.

Versatile Telecoms International Incorporated, the Philippine distributor of Alcatel mobile phones, recently announced the release of the Alcatel OT 157 and OT 158. These entry-level bar phones are designed to provide high quality performance and good value for money to its users. They are light, compact and sturdy and features an easy-to-use messaging capabilities, extended talk time, and various personalization options.

The PG-8000 features a 2 mega pixel camera and a wide, horizontal LCD display. It incorporates an MP3 function, supporting MP3, AAC, and AAC+ files. It also features an FM tuner

The recent launch by Microwarehouse of 26 new all-Pinoy podcasts – delivered via its signature Apple iPod product line - has aroused the interest of many on this emerging medium. While the technology spread in the US as early as 2004, it is only now that people in these parts are curious about what podcasting is all about and how it is set up.

Todays problem with desktop PC are storage and power. If these two factors isn't a problem, then consider the space your PC is taking up in that small, crowded table of yours.

The Plextor PX-608U is a portable DVD recorder drive that comes in a silver design. The company claims that it's one of the slimmest and lightest drives available on the market.

No, this is not Final Fantasy but Firefox, the Mozilla Foundation free and open source web browser. Version 1.5 was just released and downloaded by more than 2 million users in just 2 days! Yes, 2 million users - I cannot think of any browser getting that many downloads. These downloads are voluntary and not forced-down-your- throat type update from software developers.

I gave two different lectures on information literacy, one in October and another two weeks ago. In both lectures I used Powerpoint and in both lectures my presentations screwed up. Well, they weren’t that screwed up because I was still able to present my slides, but I wasn’t able to present them the way I programmed them.

EMC recently announced the availability of new solution packages for the small and mid-sized businesses (SMB) segment. The package includes consolidation, back-up recovery, information protection, email management, content archiving and database management.

Just last week, I received three anonymous emails from people using web based email addresses. The emails I got contain a letter attachment allegedly sent by Microsoft to its resellers. I called Microsoft's attention about this letter and checked if they indeed sent a letter to their resellers, Microsoft confirmed that they did. Here's the letter in full:

The DWL-G730AP is a portable wireless solution for the traveling business person delivering 802.11g wireless connectivity with a maximum wireless signal rate of up to 54Mbps.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. released the Kingdom of Paradise™ exclusively for the PSP system. Developed by Climax Entertainment, Kingdom of Paradise is an action-RPG that combines fantastical acrobatic sword-fighting with an original story rooted in a mythical world in the Orient. In Kingdom of Paradise, players control a young warrior outcast named Shinbu and embark on a mission to restore peace to the world of Ouka. Along the way, players will develop customizable sword-fighting skills, battle against storybook creatures and enemies, and interact with various characters throughout the adventure. Expanding the gameplay via wireless connectivity, Kingdom of Paradise allows players to exchange sword-fighting skills and also engage in one-on-one contests or show off custom -created ized sets of moves in Ad Hoc mode. In Infrastructure mode, players will gain access to special defensive items, skills, and an exclusive sword via Infrastructure Mode.

Question: I know that system security is very much the question in the back of every PC owner's mind. I would like to ask for your opinion as to what anti virus program should I buy. Among my friends their top pick was McAfee while others chose Norton. How about your preference? It is a fact that buying original programs costs a little over 2 thousand pesos, that is why I am asking for your preference in this matter. It would be very much appreciated. Thank you and God bless! - K.Y. Murillo.

Acronis, Inc. (www.acronis.com.sg) unveiled Acronis Disk Director Server, an advanced disk management application to manage corporate servers. The company also unveiled its, next-generation of the Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 for desktop systems, which provides users with enhanced partition management and multibooting capabilities.