Apple

Some IPhone Photos:

Here are some pictures of the new IPhone:

Anyone use Digg?

Add me as a friend! My username is "themanbeast9".

See you there!

Open Thread

Discuss what gadgets you would like reviewed here. Your suggestions are appreciated in helping us make this blog better!

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 review

Full name: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55

Statistics: 3x Zoom, 7 Megapixels, 38mm to 114mm

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 goes for function rather than form. It weighs 5.1 ounces, is slim enough to fit in your jean pocket, and the buttons are large and visible.


"The DSC-W55 performed quite well in our lab tests, starting up in only 1.3 seconds and firing off shots every 1.4 seconds thereafter. With the flash enabled, that interval increased to 1.7 seconds, still an impressively short wait. In bright light, the shutter responded quickly for its class, lagging only 0.5 second.

With our low-contrast target, however, that time tripled to 1.5 seconds. Burst mode also lagged, snapping four full-resolution photos in 2.9 seconds for a disappointing frame rate of 1.3 shots per second.

Overall, we found the DSC-W55's photos clear and pleasing. Despite the slight softening of some finer details, photos looked crisp. Colors generally reproduced well, though users should remember to switch to the tungsten white-balance setting when shooting indoors -- the W55's automatic white balance fared poorly in our difficult tungsten-lit test shots, rendering harsh and yellow."(CNN Tech, April 5, 2007)

Overall, the DSC-W55 is a easy to use, fully functional snapshot camera. It won't blow you away with any of it's features, but if your looking for a responsive, reasonably priced (around $220) camera, it's worth the money.

Overall: 83 out of 100

First Text Messaging Competition?

Do you think your a good "texter"?

Think you could win in a competition?

From MSN News Reuters:

"What's billed as the first text messaging competition will take place in Los Angeles on Saturday, pitting scores of players in a race to determine who is the fastest. Jones said 150 people had signed up and more were expected on the day. She said the contest was the first organized text messaging competition for cash and other prizes. "

Players are to team up, amd will be given ceartin phrases to retype in their cell phones. Whoever gets the message out the fastest, without any errors, is named the winner for that round.

There is even a finals round, which will take place in New York City on April 21st.

From Mobile Tech News.com:

"The LG National Texting Championship, which is open to the public, will begin in Hollywood on March 31, 2007 at the world famous Paramount Studios lot. Players will compete for $10,000 and the title of West Coast LG Texting Champion and advance to the finals in New York City to battle the East Coast Champion for an additional $15,000. The competition is open to anyone and free, but they must own and use an activated LG enV or the V by LG mobile phones to compete."

"LG created the LG National Texting Championship to honor those who have mastered the art of rapid text messaging," said Jon Maron, senior director of marketing for LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A., Inc."

Sounds serious, huh? Well it is, especially when you can win up to $25,000.

Think you can text? If you want to register, visit the official page!

IPhone?

Anyone got any news on this device? Please, if you have any info, post it as a comment.

"HDR-HC5 High Definition Handycam® Camcorder HDR-HC5" Review

Full Product Name: HDR-HC5 High Definition Handycam® Camcorder HDR-HC5

Pros:
It has a great design. It isn't to big, but it's hefty enough to keep your hand steady. Obviously this is a step up from DVD. Good menu interface. Can take pictures. Has a lot of features for an avid film maker. Good sized lens.

Cons:
The picture quality is not as good as I had hoped. Not really up to HD standards these days. Noise is also apparent when filming in the dark or a lowly lit area.

Overall:
A great camera for beginners in HD. Not the best picture available, but for an HD camcorder it is reasonably priced.

I give it a 84 out of 100.

"Sony Alpha A100H 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit" Review

Full Product Name: Sony Alpha A100H 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-200mm f3.5-6.3 Lens.

Pros:
This camera is great. It has all the features a professional photographer would want, but also is simple enough for novices to use. It includes a neck strap and built-in flash. It has a long battery life(requires 2-3 hours for a full charge), takes clear and crisp pictures, and has a great auto-focus.

What's really great is the lenses that come with the kit. They have great zoom, and they work like a charm. Body kits are replaceable. Great lenses are not.

Cons:
Some complain about the loud "click" sound that is produced when you take a picture. This could be bad if you were trying to take a picture of a bird resting on a tree that could fly away at any given moment.

Overall:
This camera is a great buy if you're really into photography. It's a great upgrade from other cameras produced by Sony.

I highly recommend this camera.

I give it a 89 out of 100.

My First Post

Alright people, this is my first post on the new techgroup blog. On this page, I'm going to be giving reviews on new techs that are available on the market today, such as new cameras, video cameras, laptops, cell phones, etc. I want to give you insight on a product before you buy. I'll be adding more soon. Please keep checking back for some reviews.

Thank you!

The Techgroup Team