New products (week of Mar 11)

LENS

Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

$1,288

Sigma's 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art fixed lens is ideal for photographers who love the bokeh effect, the beautiful deliberately blurred out-of-focus areas in an image. To achieve this effect, you will need the huge f/1.4 aperture the lens provides.

It incorporates "F" Low Dispersion glass and Special Low Dispersion glass elements to minimise chromatic aberration around the edges of the image. Its Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare to provide sharp and high contrast images.

COMPACT CAMERA

Canon PowerShot SX710 HS

$459

Going overseas during the upcoming school holidays?

Take the Canon PowerShot SX710 HS with you. This 20.3-megapixel camera has a whopping 30x optical zoom lens to give you a convenient focal length from a wide-angle 25mm to a super-telephoto 750mm.

With that, you can photograph that lovely beach sunrise you woke up early to savour, or zoom in on that gorgeous yacht in the distance, while sitting in the same spot.

Then, using the SX710 HS's built-in Wi-Fi and Near Field Communication ability, you can easily upload the photos to your smartphone or tablet.

IPHONE CASE

Boostcase for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

$129, available only at EpiCentre and EpiLife stores

Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart were among the Hollywood stars spotted using the Boostcase with their Apple iPhones. Now, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus versions of the Boostcase are here.

The Boostcase consists of a slim perforated snap case for everyday protection, with a modular battery sleeve that clicks on securely.

Built into the sleeve is a 2,700mAh rechargeable battery with Lightning connector. At the sleeve's base is a power switch and a touch-activated LED strip battery indicator.

The Boostcase comes in black, gold and clear.

FITNESS TRACKER

Goqii Life

$99 (with six-month Goqii Personal Coach subscription), available from Lazada Singapore

Goqii Life is not just a fitness tracker wristband - it aims to be a complete fitness eco-system which includes a mobile app and personal coaching service for the fitness-conscious you.

When you sign up for the service, it promises to assign you a personal coach to help you set health and fitness targets tailored to your needs and lifestyle.

The wristband is supposed to track your physical activities as well as sleep patterns.

You upload this information to your "personal coach" via the Goqii app so the coach can guide you to achieve your fitness goals.

HYBRID LAPTOP

Asus Transformer Book T300 Chi

$1,498

Asus says its Transformer Book T300 Chi is the world's slimmest detachable laptop. Even when docked with its Bluetooth keyboard, this hybrid is only 1.65cm thick.

It has a 12.5-inch WQHD display boasting an ultra high-resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels, with in-plane switching technology for wide viewing angles.

Powered by the latest Intel Core M-5Y71 processor, up to 8GB of system memory and 128GB solid-state drive storage, its fanless design ensures smooth performance without the noise.

RUNNING SHOES

Nike Flyknit Lunar 3

$249

The third generation of Nike's Flyknit Lunar neutral running shoes is here.

Catering to elite or casual runners alike, the Nike Flyknit Lunar 3 has a new Flyknit upper with a more tightly knit structure in the heel for better support, and a more open knit in the forefoot for better breathability and stretch.

Its reformulated Lunarlon midsole is lighter and more responsive than the earlier version.

On the solid rubber outsole of the Lunar 3 is a ridged pattern resembling a pressure map that closely matches the pressure points the foot encounters in full stride.

The Nike Flyknit Lunar 3 comes in a dozen colour combinations.

ELECTRIC GUITAR

Gibson Les Paul Standard 2015

$5,199, available middle of the year

The quality of Gibson guitars needs no introduction. Gibson's new Les Paul Standard 2015 is the most versatile yet, with a comfortable asymmetrical neck profile and a fingerboard that is easy for fingers to reach.

Its proprietary G Force Tuning System automatically tunes the guitar, for better ease of use, increased speed and accuracy. Gibson's Zero Fret Nut technology helps to improve and sustain accurate intonation and action, with its wide range of nut adjustments.

This article was first published on Mar 11, 2015.
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