A techie thing of beauty

MANILA, Philippines — It was nearing the Christmas holidays and the traffic on EDSA and other parts of the metro was getting unbearable. The good thing? I had the opportunity to test-drive the Lexus IS 350.

The Lexus IS has always been a crowd-pleaser in the luxury car arena. With a daringly sporty styling direction and an aggressive engine to back up its looks, the IS is definitely the epitome of beauty on the inside and out. Ever since the introduction of the third generation, full model change IS in 2013; this entry-level sedan has surpassed Lexus’ expectations and gained an even greater popularity.

Something new

The year is 2018 — and the fourth generation Lexus IS 350 captivates as it did in 2013. Looking at its profile, I am attracted to the macho appearance of the Lexus IS. Yes, it’s a sedan, but its sleek contours make one feel that one is embraced by a truly protective sedan.

It begins with the front grille that wraps its enhanced character line running down the car’s side, giving the latest IS an appearance of constant motion. Playing up the IS’s dynamic flair are its 10-spoke 17-inch wheels. To complete its new look, the IS is now highlighted by triple-layered “L”-shaped LED taillights. These commanding taillights paired with new rectangular chrome exhaust tips make for an even sportier-looking IS.

There is nothing flimsy or even frail about the Lexus IS.  I like how, when driving it down the traffic-loaded EDSA, the Lexus IS 350 gives me the feeling that I am in charge of the road and those pesky buses and lane swerving motorbikes be warned.

But what makes the drive more interesting is that that inside, the techie buttons further assure me, because of the same thoughtful improvements that have been made inside the cabin. Let me add that I really like the old-style clock that rules the center console — it gives me the feeling that I am looking at my favorite analogue watch each time I glance at the time.

Did I mention that there is the larger multimedia display upgraded from seven inches to 10.3 inches. The new stitching on the meter hood enhances the sporty feel of the cockpit, same with its redesigned speedometer and tachometer. More changes include new cup-holders, and a new and bigger leather-wrapped palm rest with stitching for the Remote Touch Interface (RTI).

Like a spaceship: The control panel

An “enter” button has also been added providing ease-of-use of the system. The audio and ventilation-control panel on the center dash have been refined, too, to fit completely within the knee bolsters. Lined with a new hairline finish, it provides not just an improved appearance but also a high quality and techie feels as well.

It’s as if I am in the cockpit of an airplane in the Lexus IS — there are many high-tech buttons to keep me in control, yet the analogue clock continues to keep me grounded. I love that feeling — a combination of the old world and the new — something life is really all about.

The engine rocks, too

The new IS engine remains as powerful as its predecessor, powered by a 3.5-liter engine, which is equipped with a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. This makes the new IS the same high-performance sedan that people, like me, have come to love, but with a sportier look to match its fierce engine and exciting performance.

It is so much fun to be behind the wheel of such a powerful sedan.

‘Nuff said.

It was time for me to take this macho beauty for drive to Tagaytay — the nearest out of town place I am familiar with.

Bag of Beans was my destination and a cool drink with some yummy freshly baked bread was what I longed for.

The drive was just perfect with the Lexus IS 350 taking to the road like it owned it — just the way every driver likes to feel.

I made it to Bag of Beans in about 50 minutes as the Christmas build up was on the lanes bound for Manila.

How about breakfast? It was as good as always, just the right match to my good mood that morning.

After taking a short breather I was back in the Lexus IS for the drive back to Manila. I gave the sedan a once over and re-admired all the strength the Lexus exuded. So, I made a secret wish to Santa that morning: please add a Lexus to my gifts.

We can dream, right?

A smart way to print

Use a smartphone: The HP-Ink-Tank-415 ePrint photo

Through ever-evolving digital technology and the Internet, people are discovering faster and more convenient ways of connecting with their loved ones from anywhere and sharing their adventures and experiences to millions of people around the world.

This same boundless technology is what enables HP users to harness the capability of HP printers and put its power in the palm of their hands, wherever they may be.

With the HP ePrint app and HP Smart app installed in their mobile devices, users can print almost anything, from anywhere, at any time, using their HP Photosmart network-capable printers with integrated wireless or Ethernet and selected HP Officejet printers.

With the HP ePrint solution, users can easily print documents, presentations and photos by attaching .doc, .txt or PDF files, PowerPoint files, or JPEG, TIFF, BMP, PNG and GIF image files to an email message and sending this to the printer’s email address.

The simple process does not require any printing software and enables HP printers to be shared among multiple devices with internet connection, including smartphones, tablets, desktop PCs, laptops, or notebook computers, in the office or at home.

The printer’s HP ePrint email address is provided when the service is enabled during initial product setup and registration. HP assigns a random email address for the printer and does not publicize it to prevent unauthorized email. HP ePrint also provides industry-standard spam filtering and transforms emails and attachments to a print-only format to reduce the threat of a virus or harmful content.

With the HP Smart app, users can print from their mobile devices to virtually anywhere with HP selected printers, including the HP Ink Tank Wireless 415 AiO printer.

The app enables printing photos and documents directly from smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices; Facebook, Instagram or other social media platforms; cloud storage like Dropbox, Google Drive and camera-roll gallery. The app even customizes photos for print optimization.

With the HP Smart app, scanning and sharing files on the go has never been faster and easier. With the app, just take a picture of the document using a smartphone camera, and share them to the cloud, email or social media. The app’s automatic border detection makes scans align perfectly for professional looking images. The app also enables sending and sharing digital files to the printer for remote printing.

Running out of ink or toner will not be a problem as users can easily monitor and order supplies using the HP Smart app.

The HP ePrint and HP Smart App free mobile apps for Android and iOS devices are available for download at Google Play and the App Store while the HP Smart App is also available at www.hp.com/go/mobileprinting.

Lenovo rolls out Intel Optane powered devices

Computers rule: Lenovo IdeaPad 330

Lenovo recently launched a portfolio of devices featuring Intel Optane memory technology. It is designed to bring greater efficiency and a more powerful experience to all Filipinos customers.

Intel Optane is a system acceleration solution found in 8th Generation (or newer) Intel Core Processors that boosts a computer’s responsiveness to end-user requests, including launching applications, finding and moving large files, and even loading levels in video games. It is designed to store commonly used data and programs closer to the processor. The system can access information more quickly with improved overall system responsiveness.

Official benchmarking results have shown the technology to be delivering up to 65 percent faster gameplay and up to 5x faster web browsing.

“With the new range of devices that features Intel Optane technology, Lenovo users can now complete tasks significantly faster with shorter wait time than before. This is a huge boost in work efficiency and will allow students as well as working professionals greater productivity to achieve much more. In addition, the technology provides gamers a near-uninterruptible gaming experience, allowing them to fully immerse into their games,” said Lenovo Philippines country general manager Michael Ngan.

Ngan also notes the cost-effectiveness of Intel Optane devices; its abilities allow HDD (Hard Drive Disk) systems to run nearly as fast as devices with expensive SSDs (Solid-state Drive), removing the need for users to upgrade.

The technology is now available on Lenovo’s latest product range that run on Intel’s 8th Generation processors and upwards, including Legion Y530-15ICH – with 8th Gen Intel  Core i7-8750H processor; IdeaPad 330-17ICH – with 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H processor; IdeaPad 330S-15IKB – with 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U processor; and IdeaPad 330S-15IKB – with 8th Gen Intel® Core i5-8250U processor.

The release of Intel® Optane-powered devices is just part of Lenovo’s objectives in bringing innovative technology to the market. This partnership with Intel is specifically aimed at providing end users across demographics with powerful devices that deliver high performance in every task.

“Be it at work or play, slow loading time can impact user experience. In more serious cases, it can lead to decreased productivity and revenue loss for businesses. Our partnership with Intel aims to help users avoid these unnecessary problems, by providing a seamless and near-uninterruptible experience to all Lenovo users,” said Ngan.