In addition to the shift to EMV-based ATM cards, Smart e-Money has just announced LockByMobile that aims to protect ATM and credit card holders from being tricked into paying bills they shouldn’t pay.
LockByMobile is a new mobile service that lets users block and unblock the use of funds in their cards just from the convenience of their mobile devices. For example, one can block ATM withdrawals, over-the-counter or point-of-sale purchase, or online transactions to prevent other people from using their card without the owner’s knowledge. The whole idea is so that you only unblock it only if you’re going to use it.
“Based on the Smart Money mobile payments platform, the solution can be made available to payment cards issued by banks worldwide through mobile phones provided by any operator,” explained Orlando Vea, Smart e-Money president and CEO. “It can be applied using smartphones or feature phones,” he added.
If the card has been used without consent, the owner will be notified through the mobile device and the unauthorized transaction would not push through.
Banks and mobile operators can now implement this service to provide a better peace of mind to their payment card users.
In addition to the shift to EMV-based ATM cards, Smart e-Money has just announced LockByMobile that aims to protect ATM and credit card holders from being tricked into paying bills they shouldn’t pay.
LockByMobile is a new mobile service that lets users block and unblock the use of funds in their cards just from the convenience of their mobile devices. For example, one can block ATM withdrawals, over-the-counter or point-of-sale purchase, or online transactions to prevent other people from using their card without the owner’s knowledge. The whole idea is so that you only unblock it only if you’re going to use it.
“Based on the Smart Money mobile payments platform, the solution can be made available to payment cards issued by banks worldwide through mobile phones provided by any operator,” explained Orlando Vea, Smart e-Money president and CEO. “It can be applied using smartphones or feature phones,” he added.
If the card has been used without consent, the owner will be notified through the mobile device and the unauthorized transaction would not push through.
Banks and mobile operators can now implement this service to provide a better peace of mind to their payment card users.
Hot on the heels of our review of the Synchros S700, JBL Philippines has sent us their latest Apple-friendly in-ear monitors – the Synchros S200i.
After our two-week affair with the magnificent S700, our expectation from JBL products went up the roof. Luckily, its earphone counterpart, the Synchros S200, didn’t disappoint one bit.
From its die-cast aluminum construction, to its flat tangle-free wire, I can’t help but say that the S200i is miniaturized version of the company’s current flagship headphone. Not to mention that it also inherits the same kick-ass design of its bigger sibling.
The addition of the in-line microphone, as well as the volume control is also a great addition to its arsenal. Sadly, the volume control only supports devices running on iOS, but hopefully the company will come up with a version that supports Android, or better still a universal one.
But where the Synchros S200 shines the most is in the sound quality department. The level of clarity in almost all areas of the sound spectrum, as well as its deep soothing bass, easily makes this IEM a must-have for purists who are in the market for a premium earphone.
We also like how S200 was able to keep the overall sound output balanced despite being advertised as a bass-centric brought by the JBL’s proprietary “PureBass Performance” technology.
JBL S200i specs:
Type: In-ear headphones
Premium 10mm driver
Frequency response: 10Hz – 22kHz
Maximum SPL: 108dB @ 5mW
Rated Power input: 5mW
Connections: 3.5mm jack
In-line microphone with Volume Control
Colors: White and Black
We are all praises for the JBL Synchros S200i. In our opinion, the killer combination of its durable yet lightweight build and superb sound output definitely puts this premium earphone among the top IEMs in the market.
Sadly, as with most near-perfect products out there, the S200i doesn’t come cheap. However, we still feel that consumers won’t feel robbed by shelling out Php6,290 for this earphone considering that it got all the bases pretty much covered.
What we liked about it:
* Outstanding design
* Durable design
* Top-notch sound output
* In-line microphone with Multimedia control
* Comes with a fancy carrying case
What we didn’t like:
* A bit too pricey
* No ANC for its price
Hot on the heels of our review of the Synchros S700, JBL Philippines has sent us their latest Apple-friendly in-ear monitors – the Synchros S200i.
After our two-week affair with the magnificent S700, our expectation from JBL products went up the roof. Luckily, its earphone counterpart, the Synchros S200, didn’t disappoint one bit.
From its die-cast aluminum construction, to its flat tangle-free wire, I can’t help but say that the S200i is miniaturized version of the company’s current flagship headphone. Not to mention that it also inherits the same kick-ass design of its bigger sibling.
The addition of the in-line microphone, as well as the volume control is also a great addition to its arsenal. Sadly, the volume control only supports devices running on iOS, but hopefully the company will come up with a version that supports Android, or better still a universal one.
But where the Synchros S200 shines the most is in the sound quality department. The level of clarity in almost all areas of the sound spectrum, as well as its deep soothing bass, easily makes this IEM a must-have for purists who are in the market for a premium earphone.
We also like how S200 was able to keep the overall sound output balanced despite being advertised as a bass-centric brought by the JBL’s proprietary “PureBass Performance” technology.
JBL S200i specs:
Type: In-ear headphones
Premium 10mm driver
Frequency response: 10Hz – 22kHz
Maximum SPL: 108dB @ 5mW
Rated Power input: 5mW
Connections: 3.5mm jack
In-line microphone with Volume Control
Colors: White and Black
We are all praises for the JBL Synchros S200i. In our opinion, the killer combination of its durable yet lightweight build and superb sound output definitely puts this premium earphone among the top IEMs in the market.
Sadly, as with most near-perfect products out there, the S200i doesn’t come cheap. However, we still feel that consumers won’t feel robbed by shelling out Php6,290 for this earphone considering that it got all the bases pretty much covered.
What we liked about it:
* Outstanding design
* Durable design
* Top-notch sound output
* In-line microphone with Multimedia control
* Comes with a fancy carrying case
What we didn’t like:
* A bit too pricey
* No ANC for its price
The ASUS Fonepad 7 (ME175CG) is one of the Taiwanese company’s latest 7-inch phone / tablet offerings that packs an Intel Atom processor, 3G connectivity, and dual-SIM functionality. Although we’re not exactly keen when it comes to treating a 7-inch slate as a phone, let’s take a look and find out if the Fonepad 7 can be treated as such by reading our full review.
Design and Construction
The Fonepad 7′s design is actually based from the ASUS Memo Pad HD 7 we reviewed from last year. It has a simple looking front where it houses the 7-inch display, the earpiece, and front-facing camera. Placed on top is microUSB port and headset jack. Down below is a pinhole for the microphone.
On its left side is a single flap that covers the micro-SIM card slots and the microSD card slot. On the right are the power / lock button and volume rocker. Flip it on its back and you’ll see the 5 megapixel rear camera and the speaker down at the bottom.
In terms of build, the Fonepad 7 feels just like the Memopad HD 7 but with better construction. The edges of the plastic rear shell doesn’t protrude like it does on the Memopad HD 7, and now has smoother edges with a nice glossy chamfer which makes it really nice to hold.
Speaking of the rear shell, the white unit that we have has a glossy finish to it which is still susceptible to micro scratches. ASUS is offering a dark gray model with a matte finish if glossy is not your thing.
Overall, the Fonepad 7′s design and construction is solid at its best. As a phone, you can still grip it with one hand but not exactly comfortable. But as a tablet, it feels nice and easy to hold even with its relatively chunky 11.35mm thick, 340g body.
Display
The Fonepad 7 uses the same type of display found on the Memopad HD 7, that is a 7-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) IPS LCD with a pixel density of 216ppi. Still no Gorilla Glass but you can credit that for keeping the price down.
We had no problems with the display on the Memopad HD 7 so we can say the same thing with the Fonepad 7. Resolution is good, color reproduction is great, and has good viewing angles as well. It doesn’t have auto-brightness though so you need to manually adjust the brightness whenever you use it outdoors or in a poorly lit room.
OS, UI, and Apps
Running at the core of the Fonepad 7 is Android 4.3 Jellybean skinned with ASUS’ own UI. It’s not the new ZenUI though but more like the same UI that ASUS uses on their Transformer Pads.
Aside from the usual Google goodies, the Fonepad 7 comes with ASUS’ own baked-in apps like the App Lock, Power Saver, Splendid, Audio Wizard, Mirror, Super Note, ASUS Miracast software, and ASUS Web Storage which can provide you with 16GB worth of storage in the cloud. Third-party apps were kept at minimum and the only one we found here are Zinio and Amazon Kindle Fire.
Out of the 8GB internal storage on board, you are left with 5.22GB of usable storage which is very limited. Better equip the Fonepad 7 with a microSD card which it can accommodate for up to 64GB should you need to stock up on movies and MP3s.
Camera and Multimedia
The Fonepad 7 is equipped with a 5 megapixel rear camera and a 1.2 megapixel front-facing. Not exactly cream of the crop in its class but it can produce decent photos especially in well-lit places. If there’s one thing we could nitpick about is its slow auto-focus.
But since this is a tablet and not a dedicated shooter, we can say that it should suffice when it comes to ordinary day-to-day photos that you want uploaded on Facebook or Instagram. Take a look at the sample photos below:
Like the Transformer Pad TF701T that we reviewed just this month, the camera on the Fonepad 7 comes with some nifty software features as well like HRD, Beautification, Panorama, Night mode, Smart remove, All smiles, and GIF animation. Those who want a more manual approach can just dig inside the settings and adjust White balance, ISO, and Exposure values.
When it comes to video recording, the camera can shoot Full HD videos at 26fps. Take a look at the sample below:
As for multimedia capabilities, the Fonepad 7 is good companion for movies, music, and games. The speaker is very audible and can produce acceptable levels of bass. It also comes with an Audio Wizard to let you pick an optimized setting depending on your multimedia needs.
Performance and Call Quality
The Fonepad 7 is equipped with an Intel Atom Z2520 dual-core CPU clocked at 2.0GHz, PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU, and 1GB of RAM. So far we’re very much satisfied with its performance as opposed to the Memo Pad HD 7 which is powered by a MediaTek CPU. Apps launch fast, animations and transitions are smooth, and overall, very responsive. We played a couple of 3D games and the Fonepad 7 was able to handle it although not as smooth as we expect it to be.
The Fonepad 7 handled calls normally as expected. We can be heard clearly on the other line and vice versa. Although we can hear some static coming from the Fonepad it is faint and can be easily disregarded. One feature we like about it though is that it offers the option to record phone calls which is something you don’t normally find in most smartphones.
Benchmarks
We ran our usual series of benchmark tests on the Fonepad 7 and here are the results:
The Fonepad 7 is powered by a 3,950mAh battery that is similar to the one on the Memo Pad HD 7. We ran it through our usual battery test and we got 7.7 hours worth of playback. This is below the battery performance of the HD 7 which is 10 hours.
Conclusion
The ASUS Fonepad 7 (ME175CG) is a strong 7-inch tablet offering that packs a good display and build coupled with a very decent set of hardware and the latest Jellybean out of the box. Not to mention that it has full phone and text functionality, 3G connectivity, and can support two microSIM cards.
To conclude, the Fonepad 7 is more like a better equipped Memo Pad HD 7. It’s primarily a tablet that comes with phone functionality and 3G data connectivity as bonuses. So if you’re looking for a very capable 7-inch “phablet” then the Fonepad 7 is definitely one to be considered.
Official pricing of the Fonepad 7 (ME175CG) is yet to be announced though we’re guessing it at around Php9K. ASUS will also release the Fonepad 7 LTE (ME372CL) which is powered by an Intel Atom Z2560 1.6GHz CPU. We’ll learn more when the devices launch locally next month.
ASUS Fonepad 7 (ME175CG) specs:
7.0-inch WXGA (1280 x 800) IPS LCD, 216ppi
1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 dual-core CPU
PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
1GB RAM
8GB internal storage
up to 64GB via microSD
5 megapixel rear camera
1.2 megapixel front-facing
dual-SIM (micro), dual-standby
HSPA+, 3G, 2G
WiFi 802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS, GLONASS & AGPS Android Jellybean
3,950mAh battery
199.5 x 120.8 x 11.35 mm
340g
What we liked about it:
* Good display
* Good build
* Pretty UI
* Very decent performance
* Dual-SIM functionality with HSPA+
What we didn’t like:
* Slow AF on rear camera
* Small internal storage
* Below average battery performance
