TechTalk: Exploring the Latest Technology News, Updates, Reviews, and Gossip

SONY Xperia Z1 Compact For a while now smartphone manufacturers have been trying to reflect some of the hype and glory bestowed on their flagship models onto lesser brethren – usually by adding the suffix Mini. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and HTC One Mini are prime examples, they’re not just smaller versions of their illustrious siblings, they also has cut-down specifications and prices. The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is a little different, for this is truly a flagship phone specification, just packed into a less massive shell than the Sony Xperia Z1 proper. The chipset is the same speedy 2.2GHz Snapdragon 800 and it’s very fast indeed. The camera has the same 20.7-megapixel sensor and an identical lens and software. The design is the same too, not just a look-a-like, with the same metal frame and waterproofing.

' Best headphones ever' is a common occurrence in the consumer review sections of tech websites, when the product in question is a pair of Sony headphones. Even their canal phones have received superb recognition and appreciation, and rightfully so. The Walkman is Sony's realm, thus providing good speakers for portable products should be second nature to these guys. I have with me one such new product from the Sony stable, and I'm pretty thrilled as we have not reviewed Sony earphones in a long time. This one is called the MDR-EX35LP. Design and Features: The unit comes in a neat and compact package, which includes the earphones, 2 extra earbuds and the literature. There is something new and innovative about the earbuds, and it's in their construction. Sony states that they are made of hybrid silicone, which basically means that the sleeve part of the bud is made of a softer silicone rubber, while the central tube is more rigid, and also color coded, thus providin...

Sony Computer Entertainment’s 3D puzzle game ‘Echochrome’ is now available for the PSP at almost all major retailers across India. The game’s available for Rs. 999, and here’s a little about it: It’s a simple concept: guide your walker through a series of 3D black and white mazes. At first glance, it seems impossible: the mazes contain holes, dead-ends and impossible-to-reach walkways and you find yourself walking in circles. However, by using the simple controls, you can tilt your view of the world, and before you know it, what you see is what you get. By viewing the maze from a completely new angle, you create a completely new maze. Rotate the maze to make a hole disappear behind a column, create a new walkway or join a staircase to another walkway. With a little perseverance, you can manipulate the maze to walk wherever you like.

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Videogames are getting smarter with virtual enemies improvising during battles, storylines shifting based on moral choices and in-game characters sending players text messages for help. Titles unveiled at the just-concluded Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles feature artificial intelligence (AI), making in-game worlds more realistic and less predictable. "There was a lot we had to do," Peter Hines of Bethesda Softworks said as AFP tried the studio's eagerly-awaited "Fallout 3" shooter game, set in a post nuclear war Washington, DC. AI software in "Fallout 3" lets enemies change tactics depending on what players do. "They are being smart about being in a combat situation," Hines said. The game is also designed so that players' choices effect which computer-controlled factions become their allies or enemies. A "Project Origin" action horror game built by Monolith Productions for Warner Interactive Stu...

Sony India, today announced the launch of its latest W, V and S series in the BRAVIA LCD television range. The new range includes several Full High Definition (HD) models introduced for the first time in these series. The new BRAVIA V and S series models offer new and improved features such as Bravia Engine 2, Intelligent Picture and MPEG Noise Reduction . The range also allows sports, movies and games with a high backlit picture, amplified and enhanced surround sound, and the convenience of sleep timer and picture freeze. At the heart of the new television range is the Bravia Engine 2, plus important features like Bravia Theater Sync. The most important part of this release is the Full HD(1920 x 1080) screen even for 40 inchers. I can't wait to check that out. "Recent trends in the world, call for screens with a more extensive color gamut for true representation of images on screen," said Masaru Tamagawa, Managing Director, Sony India "Bravia's wide color g...

One word sums up the announcements made by the Big Three gaming companies at the E3 this week: more. During their flashy news conferences, Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony all announced plans for more games, more sequels, more exclusives, more connectivity and more ways for gamers to use their systems for stuff other than gaming. Such an escalation in enhancements is undoubtedly good news for existing owners of the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3 consoles, as well as their handheld counterparts. However, the upgrades may leave the systems feeling less distinct than ever before. Similar features and comparative accessories could confuse financially strapped consumers looking to power up this holiday season. Microsoft kicked off E3 Monday at the Los Angeles Convention Center with a ceremony pitching the Xbox 360 as family-friendly. Perhaps the biggest announcement was a redesign of the console's interface, which will allow users to create avatars that can interact with each other and pla...