160GB PS3
Rs 22,500
Size does matter. Atleast to Sony that is releasing a 160GB PS3 in November, which is double the size of the existing model PS3. However, it’s limited-edition. Therefore, book yours now. This new PS3 will include the rumble-ized DualShock 3 controller and two games: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Pain. This is a Core model with a bigger hard drive, so no built-in flash card reader, no backward compatibility with PS2 games. The addition of the 160GB model comes as the 40GB Core PS3 is being replaced by an 80GB Core model–meaning anyone buying the entry-level PS3 will soon be getting twice the capacity for the price of Rs 18,000.
EOS 50D
Rs 63,000
Bettering the best comes easy to Canon. The all-new EOS 50D to be out this month is an improved version of the popular 40D which will be phased out by the end of this year. Built around the identical body as the 40D, the only differences are the name plate and mode-dial bezel and the 15 megapixels compared to 40D’s 10MP. The new sensor has smaller pixels than the 40D, but claims superior noise and image quality; 1.5 stops better, thanks to an improved manufacturing process. Plus, larger, gap-free micro lenses which effectively result in the same light-sensitive area.
BDP-S550
Rs 18,000
A price slash before its release. That’s how much the market is hotting for gadgets this festive season. Sony will be dropping the prices on its as-yet-unreleased step-up model, the BDP-S550 by $100 and will now sell it for $400 (Rs 18,000). Until recently, none of the free-standing players have been capable of handling all of the features included in the Blu-ray standard. The BDP-S550 could be a big hit with home theatre enthusiasts because it offers a couple of key step-ups that make it a particularly solid standalone player–DTS-HD Master Audio Decoding and 7.1 analog outputs.
PALM TREO PRO
Rs 24,000
Palm’s all-new Treo Pro is looking good inside out. It comes fully loaded in a sleek black casing, a 320×320-pixel resolution touch screen and a screensaver that will show you the time, any missed calls or new text/multimedia messages at a glance. Not to mention, a full QWERTY keyboard with an all-new navigation keypad, business users are its target. It runs Windows Mobile 6.1, complete with the Microsoft Office Mobile Suite and Direct Push Technology for real-time e-mail delivery. It offers UMTS/HSDPA support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The Palm Treo Pro will probably be available in India through Vodafone and Airtel.
MOTO W388
Rs 3300
Motorola is getting really restless. After rolling out three all-new Rokr models, it is adding three more multimedia-centric cell phones this season: Moto ZN200, Moto W388, and Moto W396. We are betting high on the W388. The candy-bar phone boasts of a robust music player and a claim of long battery life – 9 hours of talk time and 16 days of standby time. There is the Moto ID feature that helps you identify songs and artists on the go. There’s an FM radio and micro SD slot with 2GB card support. The W388 is a quad-band GSM phone and has Motorola’s Crystal Talk audio-enhancing technology. Truly economical!
