Philips LCD 42PFL9532

Written on 8:29 PM by SYED MUBALLIGH

A new Philips TV, that too an ambilight! It's come at the right time, as I've been getting plenty of enquiries about reasonably priced full-HD LCD TVs lately. Of course, Philips has always been a firm choice for the budget-conscious. The PFL7422 was quite the star during Diwali last year, and now we have the latest member – the PFL9532 – in the Tech2.0 lab. Let's see if it delivers.

Design and Features
Like all Philips TVs, this comes in an all-black bezel with a glossy finish. The stand is rectangular, with a similar exterior, though the neck of the stand is in metallic silver. The TV has a slim, horizontal black speaker attached to the bottom of the frame, while the left side has the buttons for operation. All in all, this is a good-looking TV that eschews curves and other costly design facets, yet fits easily into a classy décor.

In the rear are 3 HDMI connections, the norm these days. Component, composite and the rest are also present. A USB inlet plays JPEGs and MP3s, though not videos (that would be the day)! Though I feel that viewing JPEGs on such a large screen will definitely lead to pixelation, Philips deserves credit for adding the feature.

The PFL9532 has a large number of features: some proprietary, some generic. Like all full-HD panels, this one too plays up to 1080p 50/60 Hz, and everything below, so resolution is not an issue. Philips has clearly jumped on to the frame-rate doubling bandwagon, so we get some interpolated 100 Hz frame rates: but how useful it actually is a topic of discussion.

Perfect Pixel HD and HD Natural Motion are the proprietary features; these have performed well in the past. Dynamic contrast is 8000:1, brightness is 550 cd/m2, and the color chip uses 14 bit processing. That’s what’s stated – if accurate, the colors are sure to be good.

And... it’s got the Ambilight, arguably the ‘bestest’ feature ever!

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Samsung Unveils New Cameras, Camcorders

Written on 8:25 PM by SYED MUBALLIGH

Samsung India announced the launch of its new series of Digital still cameras and camcorders at the Photofair 2008, Mumbai. The Company announced the launch of the 'NV' series, 'I series', 'L series' and 'S series' of Digital Still Cameras.

R. Zutshi, Dy MD, Samsung India, said, "In keeping with the changing consumer preferences , the new 2008 series of Samsung Digital Still Cameras comprises of Digital cameras with resolutions of 7,8 and 10 mega pixels , larger sized LCDs and sleek form factor. We have introduced color options across our different models as well".


The i85 comes with an 8.1 Mega pixel camera resolution, 5x optical zoom lens, 3-inch TFT LCD screen, Face detection, multimedia player with MP3 as well as capability to record Movie Clips in MPEG 4 Format, movie editing and a Flash animated User Interface. It is priced at Rs. 14,990.


The Samsung L830 and L730 Digital Still Cameras are targeted at consumers looking for advanced features and superior styling. The L830/L730 Digital Still Cameras come with 8MP/7.2MP Camera resolutions, 3x Optical zoom and 2.5-inch LCD screens. They come with a Shake Reduction feature, MPEG 4 movie recording capability and have a compact aluminum body. The L830 is priced at Rs. 10,990, and the L730 is priced at Rs. 8,990.


Samsung also announced the launch of two new entry-level digital cameras - the 7.2 mega-pixel S760 and the 8.1 megapixel S860. The two new models extend the range of Samsung's S-Series, and sport 3x optical zoom. They come in a selection of 4 colors: silver, black, pink and blue. They are equipped with a Mode Dial that allows smooth switching between various shooting options, from Automatic Mode to Video Recording.

These cameras also support up to ISO 1000, and makes use of the Digital Image Stabilization (DIS) technology for correction of hand-shake. They have an extra E button and shortcut keys on the rear side, providing access to various functions such as color adjustment and red eye correction. While the S760 is priced at Rs. 6,990, the S860 is priced at Rs. 8,990.

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