PS3 Slim: Real or Fake?

...You be the judge. I'm still calling this one fake though cuz I'm the type of person who wont believe it til i see it (and right now, no ones seen it! haha). But if I am wrong and the PS3 Slim did get leaked and looks like this... its looking pretty sweet. It's said to be around the same size (if not smaller) as the first-gen PS2. Though it would 10x better if the casing was polished instead of matte.

Let us know, why do YOU think its real or fake?

Nokia sets sights a little lower

Okay, when I said "lower," I meant, LOW, and Nokia is taking respectable measures, to put it nicely. The world's largest mobile phone maker just announced a 66% yearly drop in Q2 profit, as well as lowering its market share target for 2009. Nokia is definitely feeling the pressure from its closest rivals, Apple, RIM and Samsung, which coincidentally, lead the smartphone market.

This looks to really spell trouble for Nokia. They had actually expected their market share to rise in 2009, but it looks like they set their sights a little too high. Nokia had probably expected an increase in market share because of the successful launch of its flagship phone, the N97, but other than the S60 groupies, the N97 hasn't actually received critical acclaims... not even anywhere close. With their trump card, the N97, receiving bland reviews (probably because it was launch after its competitors with no real advantages or revolutionary features) and with nothing special being announced by Nokia, their troubles may have just began.

Sony Ericsson posts $299 million Q2 loss, but a gain for us... Playstation Phone coming Q4?

I'm sure it comes to no surprise that many, MANY companies are suffering losses nowadays, but for Ericsson, it's not all that bad, at least not as bad as its recent $382 million loss. Sony Ericsson also believes this is due to the waves of smartphones that have been coming out that their losing out on their mid-tier mobile phones. For SE fans, all isn't lost, SE said that they are working in that direction and their higher end devices should smack us in the face this Q4. But wait, theres more... one of their devices thats said to be hitting this fourth quarter is rumored "to integrate with Playstation." What that means, only time will tell. Will we have our coveted PSP phone, a phone that just has similar OS and look to the Playstation, or even just a device that allows for remote-play?

I'm most definitely rooting for a PSP phone, but even s smart phone that integrates the Playstation OS' look and feel, and actually looks good is always welcome competition for iPhone lovers such as myself and fellow Vantage bloggers. More competition usually equals good news for consumers like us. But one thing is for sure, we probably wont be seeing anything for the next 3 months (since nothing's coming out in Q3) except for another Sony Ericsson loss. Good luck to you guys at SE!

8 reasons why a Mac is better than a PC

Great article I read, so I just wanted to share it to those non-believers. I have both a Mac and a PC and have used both for quite awhile. I've always thought that I needed to have a Windows based PC just in case for compatibility reasons, but now, I'm switching completely over to the Mac, running only the Mac OS rather than both. I find no more need for Windows and here are some reasons provided by www.pcadvisor.co.uk. I can definitely think of more than 8, but this one is a good start. Read Read...

While PCs may be the most widely used computer platform in the world, there are still lots of extremely rational reasons to choose a Mac running Mac OS X over a Windows PC.

Macs can leave you happier and more productive than you would have been if you'd bought a Windows system, and feeling you got good value for your money even though a Mac is never the cheapest option.

1. Macs are consistently consistent

Windows Vista reminds me of a haunted mansion - they type of place with endless wings and far-flung rooms connected by twisty staircases and secret passages. And every time Microsoft does a redecorating job (also known as an upgrade), it moves some stuff around for no apparent reason.

OS X's logical, minimalist interface simply involves fewer things that must be learned and relearned, and Apple messes less with it in new releases such as Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Bottom line: it's easier to get stuff done.

2. The joy of predictability

Anyone who's ever suffered the indignity known as a Kernel Panic knows that Macs aren't bulletproof. But logging thousands of hours both on Windows PCs from multiple manufacturers and on Macs has convinced me that the average Mac is meaningfully less flakey than the average PC.

In my experience Macs crash less, suffer from fewer inexplicable slowdowns, deal better with tight memory situations, and boot up and shut down quicker and more reliably. Also I suspect it doesn't hurt that Apple is the only company in the business that writes its own operating system and designs its own hardware.

3. Who needs security headaches?

If the internet's bad guys ever decide to pummel OS X with the same intensity that they've pounded on Windows for years, the free ride for Mac fans may end. But for now, this fact is indisputable: a Mac owner who uses no security software at all runs less risk of being infected by spyware or a virus than a Windows user who obsessively protects his or her PC.

4. Crud, or the lack thereof

Windows is an infinitely better operating system when it isn't smothered by the demoware, adware, and other unwantedware that so many PC manufacturers splay onto the Start menu, the desktop, and the System Tray.

Macs are utterly free of such junk, as well as native-to-Windows irritations like word balloons burbling out of the System Tray, Windows Activation, and User Account Control.

5. Details count

You can buy a perfectly pleasing Windows PC that matches a Mac's CPU speed, RAM, hard-drive space, and other specs for a lot less money. But it won't have an AC adaptor with hooks that let you wrap up the cord for travel, or a MagSafe connector that won't get damaged if it's accidentally yanked out of the computer.

It won't have an oversized touchpad with multitouch gestures that help you navigate through documents and around the web. And it will probably be heavier and bulkier than a comparable Mac.

6. Apple is one of the world's best software companies

Forget about all those Macs, iPods and iPhones for a moment: Apple's applications are useful, enjoyable, and innovative, from the iLife creativity suite (whose presence on every new Mac is in itself an argument for the platform) to industrial-strength tools such as Final Cut Pro.

Most run only on OS X. (The Windows versions of iTunes, Safari, and QuickTime are okay, but Apple does its best work on its own operating system and hardware.)

7. The Apple Store's Geniuses rock

Buy a Mac, and you qualify for free in-person technical support from a patient rep with a deep knowledge of your system. I've had Geniuses do everything from reinstall my OS to replace broken keys on the spot.

Microsoft has announced plans to train 'Windows Gurus' to provide similar customer care at other retailers; it's worth trying, but there's no way it's going to replicate the Genius experience.

There are simply too many PCs from too many companies running too many variations on Windows for any one person to be an expert on everything.

8. Hey, Macs are PCs

By which I mean that Leopard's Boot Camp feature - and better yet theParallels Desktop and VMware Fusion virtualisation utilities - let you run Windows, and Windows applications, on a Mac.

I'm listing this last because I ultimately see running Windows on a Mac as a last resort: it's usually not necessary, and it degrades some of the other virtues of the Mac, such as protection from Windows security risks. But when it's valuable, it's really valuable.

Next iPhone to launch in June?

There has been a lot of buzz in the mobile world on a new iPhone, and it looks like it could be just around the corner! Apple has reportedly been sourcing for different parts from suppliers such as LG and other Taiwan-based companies. So far, its rumored specs include a 3.2mp still/video CMOS camera, digital compass, 802.11 wifi, more storage, MMS, copy and paste, among others. Its also rumored that the infamous iPhone nano will debut as well.

But for those who know Apple, we know that they aren't the type to announce what they are working on or what/when things are coming out, so I guess we just have to wait. June isn't that far away, but then again, a new iPhone anytime in '09 would be great. Looks like its time to upgrade again!

Looks like the iPhone is up against some coming competition this time around in the mysterious Huawei phone & Sony Ericsson's Idou. But I'm still rooting for you iPhone! iPhone FTW!

OnLive, could our console days be numbered?

The past week here at Vantage has been dedicated to the long and on going "console wars," between Xbox 360 & Playstation 3 fanboys. But new tech called OnLive has come outta no where and could make these consoles obsolete. Its basically a lil box that connects to your tv and lets you stream and play games just like when we view videos from YouTube. Tests have been done with games such as Burnout Paradise & Crysis (which require a fast frame rate and/or a high end PC) and they ran great.



Crazy right?! BUT, hold your horses as we all know, there IS always a catch. Since its based online, services will highly depend on your internet connection. Sure the people in the North America & Europe will have no problems, but what about 3rd world countries such as ours? We'll probably end up being more frustrated then impressed (because let me tell you first hand, the net in Canada is at least twice as fast as my PLDT 5mbps connection).




There has been no discussion on price and although OnLive promises to be competitive, it may be hard in my opinion based on how expensive it is now to develop AAA games. Also, will this even be available in other countries? Well, only time will tell, and we'll be here to bring you the latest news.

Follow the link for more details.


New Tech Could Make Consoles Obsolete

BMW Incorporates "Surface"

In light of Mastermind Gio's Oakley customization post, I thought I'd post something very similar, but way cooler! Hahahaha! Sorry G.

Nowadays, customizing your kicks, your shades, you clothing has never been easier! Heck, yo can do all this online and never have to leave your seat!! Today BMW joins the party! And no, I'm not talking about customizing your own beemer or anything like that! I'm talking about picking out the beemer for you by just using the Microsoft Surface! Let me shed some light for those still in the dark!

BMW is now using the Microsoft Surface tech to make shopping for a car a little easier. You can literally view all the specs you need to know, pick out the design and size of your rims, and even choose the color of your interior and exterior by using the interactive swatches. Cool huh?? This software developed by Vectorform for BMW. You'll be able to e-mail the info you gather, or choose to save it on a flash drive right there and then! Oh, and did i mention, you'll be able to compare different models on the screen as well.

I think this is a great idea! It's definitely a big step-up form them brochures most car dealerships still use. It's like they say in the vid, it definitely helps in visualizing what the car will look like! I definitely think more dealerships need to start adopting this idea simply because it makes it easier for the customoers, it makes them more involved with the details, and simply because it's a lot of fun!! So if any of you live in Germany, and is a rich bastard, head over to BMW now and try this out!! Let VANTAGE know what it's like!!

What do you think? Comment!

END OF POST

Fujitsu In-Car Tech To Prevent This.......

"This Is So Going In My Blog."

This post is strictly for those who tend to fall asleep behind the wheel when going home from a crazy night. *ahem* Mastermind Gio, pay attention. Hahahaha! Fujitsu is currently developing some kind of sophisticated system that will detect when a driver is falling asleep. The plan is to have the steering wheel of the car monitor the driver's heart rate. Once the driver's heart rate drops, and is evident that the driver is no longer at 100%, the car will automatically roll down its windows, blast the stereos, or even jolt the steering wheel. Now I don't know if this will work for you deep sleepers, *ahem* Mastermind Gio *ahem*, but it's definitely a step forward in preventing accidents from drowsy drivers. No word yet as to when this is to be released, but stay tuned.

This new tech is definitely something every car needs nowadays. I mean, more and more people are falling asleep behind the wheel due to excessive partying, or just simply being tired from work. I'm glad that Fujitsu is addressing this situation. Now I wonder, when this system is released, will the rate of accidents drop?

What do you think? Comment!

"True Story"