Apple Announces New iPods

The second generation iPod touch keeps its gorgeous looks while boasting new features like wireless networking, integrated volume control buttons and a built-in accelerometer. Also added is the new iTunes 8 Genius feature - really rather brainy - allowing the user to create playlists on the move. The design just gets more and more compact while more goodies are crammed in.

The fashion conscious who have whined about the lack of aesthetics in the oddly crafted third-generation nano are thanking their Armani-clad Gods. Apple has brought sexy back and have done away with the nano's stouter and stubbier older sibling. Not only is the sleek aluminum design back; it has brought with it new colours and a refined user interface. Now you can go into shuffle mode when the nano is lightly shaken - and automatically switch to Cover Flow when it's rotated.

Both of Apple's newest additions are available through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com.sg/store) and Apple Authorized Resellers. The iPod touch is going for S$388 (8GB), S$498 (16GB) and S$648 (32GB). Get the iPod nano at S$248 (8GB) and S$328 (16GB)

Bosch Establishes Regional Headquarters for Research and Advance Engineering in Singapore

Here's a bit of good news for Singapore: the Bosch Asia Pacific Research and Technology Centre has just opened on our humble island. Bosch is already collaborating with the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) School of Material Science and Engineering to decrease the cost of electrical energy from solar light. Singapore will be used as a "Living Laboratory" of sorts to, as Mr S. Iswaran, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry puts it, "test, prove, adapt and implement solutions" before introducing them abroad." Stuff was recently invited to the official opening and to tour the research facility. We say...impressive!

Philips: Ride like a star event

It worked. We felt like stars all right. Picture this: you come out of your office and there's a limo parked outside, stocked with chocolate and bubbly, ready to whisk you away for an important meeting. Now if only that happened everyday - but we shouldn't get carried away...

The main thing to rave about is the latest range of GoGear audio/video players from Philips. While the Stuff Staff was riding around the CBD and environs with the lovely folks from Philips and Text 100, we were "administered" a blind test in which we listened to the same song at the same volume on 3 different music players. All of us selected the one that we thought sounded the best - and surprise, surprise - we all chose the Philips GoGear player - without knowing what the others had picked! Not a difficult feat really, because the difference was obvious. The sound was so much clearer and brighter. Every strum of the guitar and beat of the drums was sparkling and larger than life. Their patented FullSound technology, which is designed to restore detail that is lost during MP3 compression, sounds just fabulous.

The new Philips GoGear players featuring FullSound are available at electronic outlets and department stores.

WIN! WORLD’S FIRST 3G DUAL SIM VERZIO PHONES!

Verzio what, you ask? The Verzio is one gem that only a handful of technophiles have unearthed. They’re pretty content at keeping their little secret to themselves, too. The corporate world has a knack for sucking the life out of the most vivacious personalities - at least at 8.30 on Monday morning. Don’t let it get to you. Show that you’re unlike the rest of them. Whip out your Verzio Duplii! You’ll have no more problems keeping business and pleasure separate with the world’s first tri-band dual SIM handset. We want to offer a pint to the genius who came up with this concept. Duplii also boasts having the combination of QualComm and Philips NXP processors, which are designed for minimum power consumption, which will let you chat until the cows come home. We especially love the high-speed data access and multimedia streaming. Also up for grabs is the Verzio Envii, a touch screen PDA with a top-of-the-line Marvell PXA270 624MHZ processor.

How to enter:
For your chance of winning either the Verzio Duplii or the Verzio Envii, tell us:
VERZIO’s Duplii is the World’s First 3G Dual SIM with
a) DUAL STANDBY
b) DUAL PROCESSOR
c) DUAL ANTENNA
d) ALL OF THE ABOVE

Send us an email at contest@stuff.com.sg with the subject line: August Contest, followed space then your answer (a, b, c, d). Please include your full name, mobile number, email, occupation and age within the email. Visit Verzio Showroom and Customer Care Centre at 10 Raeburn Park Block A #03-01/02/03 Singapore 088702 or visit their website at www.verzio.com

CATCH DAUGHTRY LIVE!

Remember what we mentioned in the magazine in July? The bit about Daughtry and the Traffic Jam Street Party?

We are very pleased to say that we have a pair of tickets to give away to the first 25 people who turn up at Funan DigitaLife Mall* with Stuff mag in hand (July issue).

Just head over to the Customer Service counter on level 2 (next to Royal Sporting House), fill in a form and take your tickets.

The offer is open until Sunday, 27th July at 2 pm.

I would hurry if I were you.

*109 North Bridge Road #1-15A, Singapore 179097