GEEKS

SPECIAL EDITIONNOVEMBER 2012

iPhone 5 Galaxy S3Which One Suits You?

PANASONICLATEST LUMIX LX7

CYBERLINK BLACK PEARL PC

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Brings you closer to the future tech!

NOVEMBER 2012

CONTENTS

Samsung Beats Apple With Smartphone ShipmentsGalaxy S III shipments have been estimated at 18 million units for the period, while Apple sold 26.9 million iPhones.”

If you’re looking for a gaming computer with dual video cards and other high-end hardware, the Hailstorm is sure to please.

Digital Storm Hailstorm

COVER STORY

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Geeks November 2012 ContentsLatest Gadgets 4Geeks News 6Geeks Time 10Pixel 12Mobile Zone 14Pc Mania 16Gamer Zone 20Ads 22

November 2012Reviews

HM4 Thunderbolt, A Really Elaborate “Horological Machine”

Page 11

Windows Phone 8 Builds upon the easy to recognise system of “Live Tiles”

Page 9

Beats by Dr Dre Beats Wireless Speaker

Page 4

Canon Ixus 230 HS Super-slick digital camera

Page 12

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NOVEMBER 2012

LATEST GADGETS

1. October 2012: Beats by Dr Dre Beats Wireless Speaker

Blasting sound via NFC or Bluetooth, the capsule-shaped speaker is packed with Beats Audio tech to deliver the bass and a rechargeable battery to give you 7

hours of uninterrupted party time.

Price: £169 | store.universal-music.co.uk

2. October 2012: Binatone iDect Eclipse

If you like your home phones futuristic look-ing, the all-in-one handset with base built in has a 13 hour battery, 220 contacts book and could be worn round your neck, potentially.

Price: £100 | binatonetelecom.com

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3. October 2012: Garmin Forerunner 10

The satnav supremo’s lightest, cheapest GPS watch tells you how far, how fast and fends off water. It’s one of the simplest ways to track fitness activity and when you’ve hit a personal record, the Forerunner 10 will let you know.

Price: £100 | garmin.co.uk

4. October 2012: Keypad Watch

An homage to retro keypads, Hit a number and the Keypad Watch will read out the time. It’s like a speak ’n’ spell but for the time. A speak ’n’ clock, if you will.

Price: £60 | red5.com

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NOVEMBER 2012

GEEKS NEWS

Samsung Beats Apple With Smartphone Shipments

Despite the overwhelming success of the iPhone 5 analysts have put forward a picture of the smartphone market and actually it’s Samsung who are sitting on the throne

Samsung shipped twice as many smartphones as Apple did in Q3 of 2012 making it the largest com-pany in terms of smartphone shipments, in part thanks to its new Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 smartphones.

Analysts ABI have put forward the results of their research showing that the South Korean com-pany dominated Q3 handset shipments with 102.6 million handsets shipped compared to Apple who shipped just 26.9 million.

However, while the Korean giant shifted six million more phones than in the second quarter its market share is slightly down from 32.6 per cent in the previous three months, while Apple’s is down from 16.9 per cent.

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Of course while it’s important to remember that Apple only has two smartphones the Californian company will still need to ship over 90 million in Q4 to maintain its current level of growth.

Nokia has retained its position as the second-largest company despite the fact it’s shipments were down 38 per cent, ABI points the blame at the Lumia 800 and Lumia 900 both of which cannot be upgraded to Windows Phone 8.

One of the most interesting statistics was that just 40 per cent of all handsets shipped in the world were smartphones, suggesting that for the global population a smartphone is still consid-ered something of a premium product.

The figures come as Samsung, the world’s largest technology firm by revenue, said Friday its net profit almost doubled to a record 6.6 trillion won ($5.97 billion) in the third quarter, boosted by strong smartphone sales.

Samsung was dealt a blow in late August when a US court ruled that it infringed some of Apple’s design and software patents and fined it more than $1 billion. Samsung has appealed against the ruling.

As part of the case, Apple has sought to stop sales of the Galaxy Nexus phone, which Google developed with Samsung. In addition to sales through wireless carriers, Google sells the phone directly through an online store, taking a small cut of the sales.

“Galaxy S III shipments have been estimated at 18 million units for the period, while Apple sold 26.9 million iPhones.”

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NOVEMBER 2012

iOS 6 vs Windows Phone 8 vs Android 4.1

iOS 6

Apple uses a tried and trusted formula, based upon simplicity. No widgets, no tiles, just a grid of app icons that you scroll through from the home page. Each iteration has added greater functionality, with iOS 6 strengthening Siri and even locking children out of certain areas.

Android 4.1

Android 4.1 takes the customisable homescreens to the next level. Widgets have been always been the heart of the Android OS, and Jelly Bean makes these easier to move, with homescreens adapting to accommodate the placement and resizing of your widgets. These are also easily removed with a quick swipe upwards in edit mode.

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Windows Phone 8

Windows Phone 8 builds upon the easy to recognise system of “Live Tiles”. To those unfamiliar, these are squares placed on the home screen that represent different apps, such as a music player or for messaging, that are interactive.

Whilst remaining fundamentally the same, updates from the Windows Phone 7 interface now bring more customisable tiles, to allow you to squeeze even more onto your screen. Another major up-date sees the company bringing in data management via DataSmart, which perfect for those on limited contracts.

Microsoft hasn’t skimped on Windows Phone 8’s Camera app, getting a new simple, clean look, with a small menu button that accesses the camera’s various settings. Nokia

branded handsets are also set to bring over the PureView technology that was made famous in the Nokia 808 PureView.

Windows Phone 8 takes internet browsing very seriously, bringing the latest version of Internet Explorer, IE10. This will help keep WP8 at the forefront of the mobile internet browsing, but also keeps you safe whilst you do.

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NOVEMBER 2012

GEEKS TIMES

Click Watches Feature Retro Circuit Switches For Control

Fans of retro-circuits can find much to love about these Click Watches, which feature the kinds of switches you can find in old school circuit boards as their primary control mechanism. Plus, they look hopelessly geeky.

Price: $150 and $170

HD3 Slyde Lets You Swipe Through Multiple Watch Faces

Designed by Jorg Hysek, the original idea was to build a watch with a screen that can modulate ac-cording to the time, as well as the user’s needs and wishes. They ended up with a smartphone-like concept a watch screen that lets you slide through a variety of time-telling interfaces the same way you flip through different homescreens on your Android handset.

Price: $250

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HM4 Thunderbolt, A Really Elaborate “Horological Machine”

The HM4 Thunderbolt sports a 54 x 52 x 24 mm aviation-inspired case that looks like the unholy union of miniature jet turbines and some weird steampunk aesthetic. With a mechanism consisting of 50 jewels and 311 individual components, I’m almost ready to forgive them for call-ing the internals an “engine.”

Beam Light With The Stanley LED Torch Watch

The Stanley LED Torch Watch sports a large face (60mm x 35mm x 22mm), which should be expected if you want to fit a torch light into the case. It appears to be built for rugged use.

Price: $58

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NOVEMBER 2012

PIXEL

Android 2.3 Gingerbread-powered Nikon S800c

Our smartphones have incorporated digital cameras for a decade, so isn’t it time that compacts took a few lessons from the smartphones threatening to kill them off? Nikon thinks so, and has launched the first Android powered camera to hit the market in the £380 Nikon Coolpix S800c, rival in that respect to the subsequently announced Samsung Galaxy Camera.

This features a 3.5-inch touch screen display with operational icons and ‘apps’ familiar to Android phone users. The idea is that the Nikon provides an easy step point up for those used to snapping with their phone rather than a dedicated camera.

Canon Ixus 230 HS Super-slickCanon’s Ixus 230 may look like most other high-end point and shoot digital compact cameras, but it comes complete with a myriad of exciting features, including a 12 megapixel camera and rechargeable Li-ion battery.

With the Ixus brand - which includes the Canon Ixus 300 and the Canon Ixus 310 - carrying a comprehensive manual feature set and super-slick great photographic results, we were soon bowled over by this great man-bag-friendly camera from Canon.

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The Ideal Nikon D3200

Following on from its predecessor, the Nikon D3100, though not replacing it, the brand new Nikon D3200 has upped the ante for entry-level DSLRs, thanks to its show-stopping 24-mega-pixel sensor.

Going up against the likes of the Sony Alpha A65 and the Canon EOS 600D, the Nikon D3200 has got its work cut out when it comes to earning a place in our Best Digital SLRs list.

The D3200’s lightweight chassis, which hasn’t changed much in design terms since the previ-ous model, weighs in at just 505g (with battery and memory card) which means that it never becomes cumbersome, even after carting it around all day.

The Latest Panasonic Lumix LX7The Panasonic DMC-LX7 is the brand’s latest premium compact and builds on the work started by the Panasonic LX3, which was released four years ago.

Announced alongside the Panasonic Lumix G5, the LX7 sports a DC Vario-Summilux F1.4 lens Leica lens. In fact, Panasonic’s LX range is essentially the same as the Leica D-Lux series, but with much lower prices.While cameras such as the Sony RX100 have

gone for larger sensor, the 10.1MP Panasonic LX7 actually sports a very slightly smaller sensor compared to its predecessor - at 1/1.7-inchs.

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NOVEMBER 2012

MOBILE ZONE

Google Nexus 4 Review: Hands-onThe Google Nexus 4 is just one of a new line-up from Google which includes the Nexus 7 with 3G and the mighty Nexus 10 sporting a super hi-res display

Launched alongside the Google Nexus 10 tablet, the Google Nexus 4 is Google’s answer to the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Nokia Lumia 920. As part of the Nexus range it is described as being ‘Pure Google’ . Of course the question is, can ‘Pure Google’ square up to the latest smartphones or have we reached the point where vanilla Android just isn’t enough anymore.

HTC 8X WP8 ReviewThe Windows Phone 8X by HTC is its full name, but everyone’s going to be calling it the HTC 8X, so let’s do the same. This is one of the most handsome, tactile and pleasurable-to-hold phones you’ll come across. The glass screen has a gloss black frame, with the matte soft-touch case framing that.

Since the case comes in various colours, including a purply blue, it looks pretty snazzy and feels very invit-ing to the touch. The UK version of the 8X will also be available in black and yellow, while the WP8 homepage will match the colour of the handset as default (although you can change the colour if you wish).

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iPhone 5 ReviewThe Apple iPhone 5 is thinner, lighter and faster than its predecessors. But not necessarily its competitors. We took a closer look at T3 HQ…

The iPhone 5 was the most anticipated Apple handset launch since the iPhone 4. The 4S offered only an incremental, albeit antenna-fixing, upgrade, and the fifth-gen iPhone arrives just as many 4 users’ 24-month contract comes up for renewal.

With the big boys tempting users away from iOS with the lure of a slick Android experience as found on the HTC One X and the Sony Xperia T or much-improved Windows Phone interface – step forward the Nokia Lumia 920 - it’s crunch time (sorry) for Cook and co.

Samsung Galaxy S3 ReviewThe quadcore processor-powered Samsung Galaxy S3 is big on screen and innovative features, but is it enough to beat Apple’s iPhone 4S into submission?

Update: The Samsung Galaxy S3 has been named Phone of the Year at the annual T3 Gadget Awards, beating the likes of the iPhone 4S, the HTC One X and the Nokia Lumia 900. Be sure to check out the full list of T3 Gadget Awards 2012 winners...

The Samsung Galaxy S3 follows on from the runaway success that was the Samsung Galaxy S2, which won great praise and sold in huge numbers, helping Samsung snag the crown of the biggest mobile phone manufacturer in the world.

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NOVEMBER 2012

PC MANIACyberPower PC Black PearlProsDual GTX 580s, Core i7-980X and other high-end hard-ware will take your gaming experience to new levels.

ConsThe only real downside to this system is the slow email response time.The Verdict: 9.7/10

The Black Pearl includes one of the best video cards, a top-notch processor and more than enough RAM to make any hardcore gamer happy for years to come.

Digital Storm HailstormProsThe Hailstorm’s dual video cards and solid-state drive make this gaming computer extremely powerful.

ConsThe lack of driver downloads makes updating your drivers rather difficult.The Verdict: 9/10

If you’re looking for a gaming computer with dual video cards and other high-end hardware, the Hailstorm is sure to please.

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Velocity Raptor Signature EditionProsVelocity Micro tests all its products thoroughly, and this sys-tem includes the Intel Core i7 990X processor.

ConsThe base model of this PC lacks dual video cards and has only one hard drive.The Verdict: 8.8/10

The lack of dual video cards may hinder newer games, but this product has the best possible processor and is extremely well built.

Alienware X51ProsThe amazing design and high-end processor are two big pluses for this machine.

ConsThe PC lacks an SSD and has only one optical drive.The Verdict: 8.6/10

This PC lacks some niceties, but the powerful i7 980 processor, dual video cards and overall quality build make the Alienware Area-51 ALX a very solid choice.

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NOVEMBER 2012

Maingear ShiftProsThis system has a large amount of memory and dual graphics cards.

ConsYou won’t find any FAQs or live chat support on Maingear’s website.The Verdict: 8/10

The Shift S’s mid-range hardware gives you enough power for current games at a good price.

Origin GenesisProsThe Origin Genesis comes standard with quality storage, and you can customize almost any component.

ConsOrigin’s website lacks some customer support options, such as live chat and FAQs.The Verdict: 7.4/10

A wide range of customization options allow you to build your perfect computer from the ground up.

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AVADirect Xeon 5600 5500 CrossFireXProsIt comes with 6GB of RAM and plenty of SSD and hard drive storage.

ConsThe mid-range video card and processor aren’t ideal for gaming.The Verdict: 6.08/10

AVADirect offers a variety of ways to upgrade if you are willing to take the time to find the best system for your needs.

CyberPower Cobra Fang IIIProsThe CyberPower Cobra boasts the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 graphics card and 12GB of DDR3 RAM.

ConsThe mid-range processor and lack of a second optical drive do not meet hardcore gaming standards.The Verdict: 8.25/10

The vast amounts of RAM and the high-end graphics card will keep this system running smoothly for the duration of its three-year warranty.

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NOVEMBER 2012

GAMER ZONE

Call of Duty: Black Ops IICall of Duty: Black Ops II, the greatly anticipat-ed sequel to Call of Duty: Black Ops, will be released on November 13, 2012, by Activision. Its release will mark the ninth game released in the franchise. As with the other games in the franchise, the new game will be available for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Win-dows.

Assassin’s Creed IIIAssassin’s Creed III is an upcoming free-roaming action-adventure game for the PS3, PC, Xbox 360, and WiiU that takes place both in a nearfuture setting and 1775 colonial America. The series places the player in the role of Desmond Miles, descendant of a long line of assassins.

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Need for Speed: Most Wanted - A Criterion GameThe first game Need for Speed: Most Wanted may make you think of isn’t a Criterion game at all; it’s Need for Speed Most Wanted, the 2005 game with almost the same name. But while both games take place in open-world cities and involve plenty of police chases, the similarities aren’t as significant as you might expect.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013At first glance the changes made to Pro Evo-lution Soccer 2013 might seem like a bunch of slight, almost superficial tweaks; you’d be hard pressed to find one standout feature from its long list of AI improvements, new tactical moves, or graphical revamps. And yet, on the pitch, it’s one of the most rewarding football games out there.

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NOVEMBER 2012

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NOVEMBER 2012

GEEKSBrings you closer to the future tech!