TechGazing

One of the biggest grudges we have been nursing against gaming consoles - be it the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, or the Nintendo Wii - is the fact that none of them have a decent game of cricket on them. We have had a few versions of EA’s Cricket and one of Brian Lara Cricket too, but none of them have quite hit the right buttons. International Cricket 2010, however, is quite a different matter.

For one, the game is incredibly simple and intuitive to play. We have been messing around with the PS3 version and must confess to being impressed. Yes, it is very - and we mean VERY - similar to Ashes Cricket 2009 (heck, it is largely the same team of developers from Codemasters), but there are a number of refinements that stand out. Continue reading »

The GW620 is LG’s first Android phone and after using it for a few days, we must confess to being more than a little impressed by it. It may not have the high jinks or style quotient that the iPhone 3GS or the Motorola Milestone have, but delivers something that is equally important - value for the consumer’s money. So in a nutshell, here are six reasons why we think the GW620 is an outstanding phone Continue reading »

We have just finished playing God of War 3 on the PlayStation 3 and must admit that we already consider it a frontrunner for the game of the year 2010 honours. The reason for this is simple: the game is spectacular on an utterly epic scale and features gaming action unlike any we have seen for a while.In case you are the non-gaming types and are wondering what all the fuss is about, here is the backdrop: Kratos is an officer in the Spartan army who has a grudge to settle with the Greek gods, who he believes were behind the slaughter of his family. He therefore declares war on the gods and actually is made God of War for a while before things go wrong and the battle resumes. Battles with legendary figures like Zeus, Hercules and the like as well as stunning graphics and special effects have been the hallmark of the series which has so far been seen on the PS2 and the PSP.

However, the final episode of the God of War series takes place on the PS3, which of course, takes the graphics right into high-definition territory. The story is as thrilling as ever - it begins with Kratos attacking Mount Olympus itself on the back of a massive Titan, and then just goes on from height to height, ending up with a ferocious battle with the kind of gods, Zeus himself.

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It went on sale officially over the weekend, and has sold more than 3,00,000 units in next to no time. And the reviews are coming in as well. We are, of course, referring to the latest ubergizmo in town, Apple’s iPad. While we are still waiting for it in India, here are some reviews from leading tech pundits to help you make up your mind:

Walter Mossberg (Wall Street Journal): “The iPad is an advance in making more-sophisticated computing possible via a simple touch interface on a slender, light device. Only time will tell if it’s a real challenger to the laptop and netbook.”

Engadget:” Does the iPad evolve the personal computer in a significant way? Yeah, actually, it kind of does. Despite what you think right now, and despite the limitations Apple has put on some aspects of this device, what it says to the market is significant. The iPad is powerful, elegant, and largely unlike any computer you’ve ever used.” Continue reading »

The Thinkpad is one of the most respected names in the world of notebooks, especially on the enterprise side. However, of late, there was a feeling in many quarters that the brand had become a bit boring, especially given the snazzy-looking hardware that the competition (Dell, HP) was turning out. Lenovo’s response has been to revamp the Thinkpad and come out with the dazzling Thinkpad Edge. We got our hands on one for a few days and think that it is one of the best ultraportables around. Here are six reasons to support our claim: Continue reading »

One of the biggest criticisms levelled at the Indian tech industry is that it has been unable to really come out with a “killer product” — the kind of product that catches the public’s imagination at large. Well, with the Pi e-book reader, that criticism might just have been answered resoundingly. On a level playing field, the device would not have the hardware or connectivity muscle to take on Amazon’s mighty Kindle, but given the terms on which Amazon has brought its e-book reader to India, the Pi is more than capable of slaying it. Continue reading »

It is better known as the Bold 2 and has been making headlines all over the media, given that it is the successor of one of the most charismatic devices from the RIM stable. But does the new BlackBerry 9700 really cut it, or is it just riding on a whole lot of hype and a very successful predecessor? There was a time when BlackBerry ruled the roost in the enterprise phone space, but of late, the brand has had to face some very stiff competition. How does the Bold 2 measure up in that regard? The folks at RIM lent us a unit for a few weeks and here is our pennyworth on the subject in a simple pros, cons and verdict format. Continue reading »