Superlux HD 668B first look

Left side of Superlux HD 668B Headphone

This is a first look on the Superlux HD 668B Headphone.  The Superlux HD 668B headphone comes in a box with 2 different length cable as you can see on the left of the headphone, you can attach which length you prefer to use.  The provided cable length is 1 meter and 3 meters.  This also comes with a pouch and a 1/4" adapter for the stereo system jack.  The headphone jack is gold plated, for better sound quality, I think.

Right side of Superlux HD668B Headphone

The headphone design is semi-open, it has holes as you can see.  This helps in making the sound stage bigger, compared to a closed headphone.  If you are watching a movie or listening to music with this headphone you will hear sounds as intended on how far it is from the recording microphone.  You will also hear instruments that cannot be heard on ordinary headphones, the bass is good.  The sound is accurate, but don't think it will be good for electronica sounds.

Ear padding made of thick hard synthetic leather.

The only gripe I have over this headphones, is that it's uncomfortable to wear.  The pressure is strong for me since I have a giant size head.  I often have to remove the earphones after using it for a while.

On the good side, the synthetic leather is very thick and can last for a long time.  The build is very sturdy, and it won't break as easily, unlike the SkullCandy brand that is very brittle and breaks apart because of cheap plastic.

Pros

• It is built to last long.
• The sound is accurate
• Synthetic leather does not absorb sweat, so it won't smell, you just have to wipe it up
• Bass is good.
• you have the option on the length of your cord
• Worth the price you paid

Cons

• It's uncomfortable to wear for a long time
• The small cord connection between the driver and the cable could be the weak point, if it starts to show wear and tear, even if you can change the cable, that part you cannot change.
• could had been made with more comfortable pad on the ears.
• You will only get to wear this indoors, it won't look good outdoors

After using it for more than 6 months in the office, I can say without a doubt, this headphone is worth the price.  And will last longer than the expensive brands currently in the market, even without being careful in using it. I can drop it, bang it, stretch it without worry that it will crack or break.  It is a sturdy piece of headphone.

Samsung ST77 warranty in the Philippines

Serious Dent on the lens protector

Guess what?  Samsung has the best customer service ever.  I mean as in better than Nokia or any brand I have tried having a product fix.  Involving under warranty products, anyway.  How come?  You may ask.

They fixed my broken Samsung ST77 camera without charge.  It was under warranty, but the damage was due to my neglect.  They still fixed it and replaced the board and everything else that was ruined.  They're really the best.  I also had a problem before with my Galaxy S, and they were able to fix it, they did a great job (aside from the technician's attitude problem of telling me it was my fault updating the android OS), they also replaced my headphone, when I complained about it, just like that.  What great service Samsung, thanks.

Samsung ST77 restored

The Samsung service center is at the following address: Ground Floor Bonaventure Plaza, Ortigas Ave., Geenhills San Juan. Phone number: 580-5777

Here is the story of how the Samsung ST77 was broken:

I was on vacation last month, and my girlfriend and I bought our cameras.  I have the Olympus 1030 SW camera, which I always put at my back pocket without any hard case of any sort.  Then my girlfriend has the Samsung ST77 in a camera case, the camera which I gave to her as a gift.

We took pictures with my camera first, since I had it out of my bag most of the time.  We only used her camera when, my camera was almost out of battery charge, due to its age; it is already a depleted battery.  That's what happened on the first day of our vacation.

Lens Extended, but still closed cover

During our Universal Studios visit, we used her camera most of the time and my camera as a spare, since ST77 was our latest camera and takes good pictures.  Olympus also takes good pictures but has a problem on dark areas.  So, she gave me the camera and I was not aware that the camera is fragile and not designed for rough usage.  I placed it also on my back pocket with my coin purse to prevent it from getting wet, since we are in the "water world" portion of Universal Studios.  I then have 2 cameras on both my back pockets at that time and I sat down.



We later went around the amusement park, not knowing the camera was already dented at the lens area of the camera.  As I was about to use it again, the camera lens protector won't open due to the dent.  All I can see on the LCD was a slit of light.

I had broken my girlfriend's camera, due to neglect and assumption that it is as tough as my Olympus camera.  What happened was I sat on the camera, and the coin purse filled with hard coins pressed on the lens protector of the camera, hence the dent.

I knew, this may never be covered by the camera warranty, since it was a neglect on my part.  Even though it is still under the one year warranty.  So a week after we got back in the Philippines, I took it to the service center hoping to have it repaired.

I picked it up, and as you can see
no more dent on the camera

I showed the damage to the customer representative and told her it was my fault the camera was in such a shape, and I am willing to pay for the repair if it was not covered by the warranty anymore.  She told me, let's have the technician check it, and give their assessment if I need to pay or the warranty covers the damage.  So I left the camera with them and waited for their call.


I called them 3 days later, the customer representative told, me they ordered the replacement parts and will not charge me for the parts and the repair.  I was really happy that time, upon hearing the news.  Three (3) days later they sent a SMS, telling me my camera was ready for pick-up.  When I picked it up, they didn't charge me for anything, and the camera was restored to its former self.






All I can say is, Thank You, Samsung.  Your after sales service, is really great and I will buy more of your products if this kind of service is always available to your loyal consumers.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Available in the Philippines

I know, it's a bit late to announce this, but XCOM: Enemy Unknown is available in the Philippines since October 12, 2012.  Although, back then, when I tried to get a copy for PC, they were always out of stock; especially in the Rockwell Datablitz branch.

I was able to get a PC copy in Datablitz Megamall branch.  I'll write a review, after I play with it in Normal Difficulty.

DataBlitz priced the different formats as follows:

• P1,895 for PS3
• P1,695 for X360
• P1,595 for PC

Available Region: R3 / NTSC-J

They say it comes with the following DLC:

•  Classic X-COM Soldier
• Soldier Deco Packs
• Complete Color Customization

But I never notice them, they should come with the Games Installer in the first place.

You need Steam client to play.  And let me tell you, it's darn hard to download and install when the IP you  are using has been blocked by Steam.  Someone in my IP block must have done something to their website.

Smart Communications Philippines have a new promo for Prepaid users

This is a bit off the Gadget criteria, but is needed if you have a cellphone gadget.

Good news, for those who text a lot in the Philippines.  Especially if you are already have a smart buddy sim card.  All you have to do is text MEGA250 to the number 2477.  This promo will give you the following:

• Unlimited SMS to all networks
• 3 hours tri-net calls (using the *2477 + 11-digit Smart/TNT/Sun number)
• 100MB free mobile surfing 

All this is valid for 30 days. Cheaper than the TRINET100 promo, if you are after just texting to all network.

This news was read from their FB fan page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/SmartCommunications

I have to admit, they could have been fixing their back-end a couple of days ago, that my previous TRINET100 promo subscription was ruined, they ate up my original free 300+ txt, remaining 600+ promo text and my remaining 60 minute call was forfeited.

What's worst is when I called to have it fixed, the Customer Service Representative (CSR) keep insisting I already used up all my free calls & SMS.  She wasn't able to help me at all.  She just does not care, she keeps saying according to our records, you have used it all.  We ended the conversation, with me unsatisfied with the result.  When they texted me the next day on a survey if I was satisfied with their service, I replied "No".

But lately, after checking my load, I saw my free text back and the TRINET promo was given back.  I hope they don't screw me again, since I have been a loyal Smart subscriber.

Red Dead Redemption - XBox360

I am very cheap, I buy my games based on the price and game reviews.

The very first game I bought for the XBox360 is Red Dead Redemption.  Bought it for Php999.75 (around $24 USD) Asian Edition.  Since, the XBox360 we have is an Asian version, we can only load Asian versions of the games.

There are also US versions of it available here in the Philippines for almost the same price.

Family Computer

This is my first time to play on a gaming console, except for the Family Computer I bought when I was in college to play games like Goonies, and Battle City.  I usually play on my PC and shrug the gaming console.  Hey, my sibling bought the XBox360 unit, might as well use it.

Inside the Red Dead Redemption DVD Case

My impression on the game played on the XBox360:

1. It's a bit hard to get used to the controls, but the controller is very comfortable on the hands.
2. The graphics is just ok, I was expecting it to be better, since this is a gaming console after all.
3. I was expecting to slouch on the couch, but instead I had to concentrate on the game.
4. There are times the game's goal is frustrating.
5. Since it is open world game, you can roam around aimlessly just not knowing what to do.  Ok, here's a tip you can actually open the map from the start button, then there's an instruction there how to make a way-point for you to get to point A to point B.  That way, you get to your mission a bit faster.
6. After playing with it for more than an hour by myself, you do enjoy somewhat being in the west.  I now get the mechanics of the game, you need to earn money thru bounty on criminals. 

In Red Dead Redemption, I can never get used to the puppet like faces of the characters, I was kind of like expecting the graphics to go ballistic when they talk.  Or turn into zombies, since their faces are a bit creepy to look at.. lifeless puppets, really. 

Front of the DVD Case

The review of the game is correct, you will enjoy it.  But there is a boring portion of it, where you roam around until you get to the gang's hide-out.  Frustrating even, when you want to capture the wanted person, but have to kill him, cus he will kill you, when he is given the chance.  I died, in this game multiple times for different reasons.  It has a bit of a learning curve for casual gamers, such as myself.

I will definitely play the game again, if I have time on weekends.  I can't on weekdays, since I will probably play it until morning and look very tired in the office.

Red Dead Redemption Back Cover

If I had a choice on getting another game or this game, my answer would be yes, I would probably try another game as long as it is the same price.  A first person shooter, probably Halo, or something to that effect, where I shoot as a first person.

Microsoft Surface looks good

Okay, so this is not yet available in the market.  I just saw Microsoft Surface unboxing... nice... now if Google did concentrate on a tablet with an attachable keyboard, instead of a Google chrome book, then it would have worked.. again their thinking way ahead where people have internet access everywhere, which is not the case, and having WiFi and mobile data-network always on, drains the battery pretty fast.. the cloud as a storage, back-up and restore is way to go, and not the one where we are always required to be connected to the internet...

Anyway, back to the Surface, it looks cool, and different from other tablets.  I know there is the Transformer tablet from Asus.  But this is Microsoft we are talking about, it will probably replace the netbook, it has a full USB port, just one.  With that port, you can connect an external drive (DVD, Hard Drive, Flash Disk, memory card reader, your camera).  So this is the next step for Microsoft, and I can definitely see myself using this device in the future.  Hey, it has office software and a cool flat keyboard, productivity on a tablet, here we come!

I will probably wait for the 2nd generation or later of this product.  But I really think the netbook age is over, because of this new product.

Resident Evil 6 - Now available in the Philippines

Resident Evil 6 is available now in the Philippines.  Title is released as Biohazard 6 in Japan.

According to DataBlitz, a video game store in the Philippines, they sell them at these prices:

Introductory Cash Price for Standard Edition: P1,850
Retail Price for Biohazard 6 Special Pack: P2,995 (cash)

Available Platforms: X360 & PS3
Available Region: R3 / NTSC-J

I'm cheap, so I'll wait until the price goes down in the P1,000 level..  Also, I'm more of a first person shooter & strategy gamer, none horror. Because, I have an active imagination, seeing horror will make me think of it and scare me in situations the place I am in is dark.

Samsung ST77 digital camera sample photo

click to enlarge

Here is a sample photo I took with the Samsung ST77.  It is set at the highest resolution, and the photo has not been retouched in any way.

You will notice, that the photo seem to lack details or blurry at some point.  What do you expect from a budget digital camera?  It takes photos, but don't expect it to be in DSLR quality.

Samsung ST77 Review and First Look

Samsung ST77 point & shoot camera

For people, who want to capture that moment, a digital camera is the way to go.  Sure, we have cameras on our cellphone.  But it is a bit better from a device that is truly for the purpose of capturing that moment.

Samsung ST77 box side angle view

I have to admit, the photos taken by this camera is a bit blurred at times or has a lot of noise.  It could be, I just didn't set it right.

But for the price, it's a bit OK, but wish it could have been better.  It has a nice specs on paper:

• HD video
• 5x optical zoom
• 16.1 megapixel
• Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
• Smart Filter 2.0
• F2.5 Bright Lens 
• Live Panorama
• Lithium Ion rechargeable battery

For the price of Php6,990(about $162), you get a slim digital camera with Lithium Ion rechargeable battery with 4GB micro SD card, wrist strap, micro USB cable for charging and transfer of pictures and a black camera case with Samsung logo.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

The camera could be placed on your pocket easily, it is light, easy to carry around and comes in different colors.

USB connection on the side

On the side of the camera there is a micro USB to connect with a computer to directly transfer files.

At the back, you have your usual LCD screen with menu, mode, review, function, and adjustment buttons. There are multiple present scene selections, features such as frames, deform/funny faces and picture within a picture.

All in all a great camera, with ample light on the photo subject even when the environment is a bit dark.  Best bet is to use flash on dark places, unless you want that dark effect.  Automatic ISO is good.  A bit better than previous cameras on capturing images in poor light conditions.  

There are other better cameras out there.  But if you are in a budget, want a lithium battery powered camera, you only point & shoot anyway and like your camera to be colorful.  Then this is the camera for you.

Again the pros:

• Good automatic ISO for night and dark shots
• Nice pictures on well lighted areas
• Light weight, can be placed in the pocket
• Comes with camera case, wrist strap and SD expansion memory card
• Very accessible Service Center in Metro Manila for Warranty availment
• Lithium Battery for longer battery life.
• Presets and software features are good enough, much like other cameras of its class.

The cons:

• Picture blurred at times
• Workmanship on the device could be a bit better. Unaligned at some point.
• Flash is only effective for a few feet. (like most point & shot cameras)

Bought this camera at Pixel Pro in SM Megamall Cyber Zone.

According to them, the warranty can be only be availed at the Samsung service center at the following address: Ground Floor Bonaventure Plaza, Ortigas Ave., Geenhills San Juan. Phone number: 580-5777

CD-R King Headset Design Copied Behringer HPM1000 Multi-Purpose Headphone

CD-R King HeadSet in black (Imitation) and
Behringer HPM1000 Headphone in silver

I mentioned before, that I have a headset same design as the Behringer HPM1000.

The external design is the same on both, and that is where their similarity ends. They have different colors, their purpose is also a bit different (one is a headset, the other is a headphone [no microphone]) and the sound quality isn't the same either (Behringer original is better).

The Funny thing is; the foam on the headband is softer on the imitation than the real deal.

I said before on my blog about Behringer HPM1000 [here], the imitation broke after just a month of rugged use.  As I am posting this it blog, it has been two months from my first review and the headset is still functioning.  The Behringer original is still functioning after 2 months, even with my very rugged everyday use. 

The Behringer HPM1000 is one tough headset, due to the fact I dropped it more than several times and it still functions.  I even accidentally pull the cord, most of the time, putting a strain between the headset connection on the left ear portion.  So far, the device is working without loosing sound or giving poor quality on either ear.

Due to it's cheap price, good sound quality and great durability.  I will definitely buy the same headset brand and model, as a replacement pair, if ever, my current one clunks out.

Again, I bought my pair from  In-Tune music store in Robinsons Galleria. They have other branches, they have one in SM Megamall, as far as I know.

CD-R King Wireless-N Universal Repeater CW-150MBPS-R

Wireless-N Universal Repeater CW-150MBPS-R
(front)

I wanted to improve my router's range but was not able to successfully do so with the CD-R King Wireless-N Universal Repeater, model: CW-150MBPS-R.  Now, this gives you the impression of a simple set-up that will link you to an existing router and will have you surfing the net in matter of minutes.

That was not the case with me and this universal repeater, I was tinkering with it from 9pm until midnight and early morning and I still wasn't able to get it to work with my buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH.

Now, not to give a bad image to this repeater, it worked when we tested it on the CD-R King store.  It is just not compatible with my router.  It works if you plug the Ethernet connection to the router.  But what good will it be, if the location you want is very far and you don't want to see any cable running along the hallway?

Wireless-N Universal Repeater CW-150MBPS-R
(back)

So there you go, this repeater works. It just doesn't work with the buffalo brand model WZR-HP-G300NH.  It may work with other routers.  So if you plan to buy this repeater, maybe you should bring your router with you to the CD-R King Store to really test if they are compatible.  If the technician there isn't busy, they can help you configure it and you can use it immediately when you get home.

There was still plenty of stocks left, last time I was there in CD-R King Farmer's Plaza Cubao Branch in Araneta Center, Quezon City, Philippines.  They are on the ground floor, near EDSA middle entrance, should you decide to check out that branch when you are in the Cubao, Q.C. area.

Product website link: http://www.cdrking.com/?mod=products&type=view&sid=11330&main=50

CDR-King SATA HDD Docking Station Combo (CW-D2)

Docking Station Combo w/ 3.5 HDD loaded

Necessity is the mother of invention.  I was in a bind when my desktop's power supply was destroyed.  I was rarely using the unit anyway and I was already using laptops.  The desktop was more than 5 years old and I was given the option to buy a new power supply and LCD monitor, since it's CRT monitor is already busted anyway.  The desktop's bios is already acting up and I only need my files.

CDR-King SATA HDD Docking Station Combo (CW-D2)

memory card reader on the front of the docking station

So I decided to just buy a SATA HDD enclosure for my existing Hard Drive.  As I was buying the HDD enclosure, this docking station combo caught my eye.  It's almost the same price and has more options, by just removing and replacing a HDD, much like game cartridges of old Family Computer (NES) days.

back portion of the Docking Station Combo

This Docking Station Combo can be used for 2.5 & 3.5 HDD sizes. And has card readers on the front and 2 USB connections at the back for flash drives.









There are three(3) models to choose from, as far as I know, one has no USB ports at the back and no memory card readers on the front, the other one has an additional eSATA port at the back.

Only difference per model is P100(about $2), the model I bought cost P680(about $16).  

Note: Hard Disk Drives used here are SATA versions.

CD-R King website page for the product: http://www.cdrking.com/?mod=products&type=view&sid=11726&main=165

Behringer HPM1000 Multi-Purpose Headphone

Behringer HPM1000

Ok, before we talk about Behringer HPM1000, let me explain how I started obsessing with headphones.  As I mentioned on my last blog, I am currently obsessed with headphones.  I'm not into the brands and hype of a headphone.  I'm more into the clear quality of sound at the right price.  I would gladly buy a good pair of earphones, as long as it is within a reasonable price range.  What is exactly the reasonable price range for me?  I would say about within the price range of 1,000Php (about $22) to 2,000Php (about $45).  It could go beyond 2,000 but not beyond 3,000Php (about $68).

I was hooked to good earphones by Superlux brand, thru their ad on Facebook.  So yes, at times, the ads in Facebook works as long as the person viewing it has interest or curiosity in someway.  I was curious on what the fuzz is all about, since at that time, for me a headphone is just like an earphone/earbud and vice versa.

So, how good is the Behringer brand?  It's quite good, actually.  The model HPM1000 is ideal for movies on a laptop and music.  It feels good on the head and ears.  I have been using it for more than 3 months.  It's still performs well, and believe me, I'm a rugged user of headphones.  The sound is good for the price of Php1,200 (about $28).

Let's see the pros and cons of this headphone:

Cons:

1. Looks cheap and cannot be used as status symbol (like Monster's Beats by Dr. Dre)
2. Sweat and oil sticks to the pads, and there is something on the top padding that hits my noggin, but after a while you get use to it. 
3. As with most headphones, you need to remove them once in a while for your ears to dry-out from sweat

Pros:

1. Sound quality is good for the price, especially in movies.
2. Built sturdy and would last longer than expected
3. Feels good on the head with the padding design they have
4. Bass is good and can be used for games and music
5. Comes with a larger jack, you can screw on and then plug directly to your hifi-stereo
6. L shape portion on the jack.. you won't have to worry about accidentally pulling the jack off your device, impossible when the thick cable is more than a meter long.

Sure, you will see an imitation of same design, but does it sound the same as the original?

Before I bought my Behringer orignal headphone.  I bought an imitation from a local store, CDR-King, it's an exact copy except it was a headset and colored black.  The headset sounded OK, but was not the same as the original and it broke after using it for a month.  The  Behringer orignal headphone I'm reviewing lasted more than 3 months, and will probably last more than 2 years... I'll blog about this headphone again after a year or when it breaks.

Bought my Behringer headphone pair from In-Tune music store in Robinsons Galleria.  They do have other branches, they have one in SM Megamall, as far as I know.  

Fiio E6, Earphone Amplifier

Fiio E6, earphone amp

I have been obsessed with earphones lately and I happened to come across this product that is readily available in the Philippines.  It's from Fiio, known for great products at reasonable prices, a small earphone amplifier.  One glance, you know this is a good device.

This tiny device is best for open, semi-open earphones.  I tried it on a closed earphone and I could not feel or tell the difference, but I tried it on an open earphone and wow, the difference is nice.  Semi-open earphones have better sound than closed, but music could seep out of it and bother people in public places.  Semi-open earphones are not good in libraries or place where silence is needed.

My impressions on this amplifier device are the following:

Pros:

1. It's lightweight and small
2. easy to use
3. improves the sound quality of some low powered earphones
4. price is cheap (one thousand pesos range)

Cons:

1. you may have to throw it away once the battery life is depleted (does not charge as it use to)
2. No way of changing the battery, unless you open it and you know how electronics work
3. I get static sound at times when the charger is plugged in when I'm listening

All in all, this device is a keeper if you have some money to burn and you feel your headphone is low powered and with the volume at max still not giving you enough to enjoy your music.  This device, isn't really needed, but a plus for those who feel their earbuds or earphones need boosting or 'amplifying' to enjoy their music.

Just be prepared to part with this portable amp when the time comes. I think, this was designed as a throw away device that once it's battery life is spent there is no option to replace it (based on their manual).  Not a problem at the price you are paying, you probably need to buy a new model in 2 years time.

I bought the device from Listening Room store in SM Megamall.

Fiio Philippines Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/fiiophil
Listening Room Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Listening-Room-Philippines/166737056702469