Gadgets: Market Watch

Alan Wake — the new 'thriller' on the Sony XBox.

We like: This is a thriller on the gaming console rather than other way round. Great narration, backed by some excellent graphic work and soundtrack, this one grips you right from the word go. The supernatural elements are not gross to look at, yet their presence and appearance thrills and chills you even as you fight for survival.

You can always expect something around every bend as you wade through broken bridges and forests. The collectibles on offer are not your lifelines but your only help to live on, and hence, indespensible.The game moves at a great pace with breathers at the right moments.

A best-selling author's journey on the XBox has all the ingredients to become a best-seller in itself.

We didn't like: Criticism for the heck of it isn't the norm for us. Probably, its biggest advantage is its only disadvantage. The cinematic way this game moves just carries the player along and sometimes you feel lesser mortal infront of it — as if you have no power to do anything yourself. Go for it? A blockbuster material at ₹2,399, it's the standard. And if you are still waiting for us to spell out the verdict — wake up!

Debjeet Kundu

Phone in a Camera: The Spice S-1200 mobile phone

We like: A phone with a 12 mega pixel camera with a 3X optical — now that makes you think whether its a phone or a camera! S-1200 is one of the cheapest 12MP camera phones in India. It's a bundle of Xenon Flash, Multiple Face Detection, Smile Shutter, Anti-shake, and AF. Even the lens comes out of its shell as you would expect a normal camera to do.

Oops, we have to talk of the phone too, after all that's what it is. Functionwise, too, it's quite handy and loaded. It comes with a 2.4 inches display, 70 MB internal memory — 32GB expandable — TV-out, Bluetooth, GPRS/EDGE connectivity, FM radio, audio and video player, Unit Converter, FM recording, photo editor, built-in two JAVA Games.

We didn't like: But when it comes to weight, it looses it points. Its advance keypad with inbuilt camera options makes typing a mess. The keys are soft but since they are small you end up hitting end/exit while typing messages.
Go for it? At ₹14,500 it seems expensive. But that's the price you are practically paying for the camera. But even while justifying, the price comes as a touch bit expensive — after all cameras come cheaper than that, and cellphones too.

Zabeeh Afaque